This chapter contains some sexual unresolved tension.

I do not own any of this characters or the awesome universe of A Song of Ice and Fire. Those belong to George RR Martin.

"The Mother gives the gift of life,

and watches over every wife.

Her gentle smile ends all strife,

and she loves her little children..."

Joanna hummed softly, following Jaime's voice as he sang to his baby brother. She was sitting in a cushioned chair, holding baby Tyrion in her arms. Joanna had taken an earring of, and was holding it above Tyrion's head, teasing. Her baby was following the esmerald earring with his little mismatched eyes full of wonder, trying to lift a tiny hand to grab it.

"He's like a kitten playing" declared Jaime, once he finished his song. He was standing besides Joanna's chair, watching his baby brother play "He always try to grab whatever is close to him."

"That's what babies do." agreed Joanna, putting her earring back on "They have to learn how to hold things, before he can learn how to walk and talk."

"How long will it be before he can walk?" asked Jaime, curious.

"Well, you and Cersei started to walk after your first name day" she said, trying to remember "You walked first, but Cersei learned how to talk faster. The maester says Tyrion may learn a little slower"

"Because he's a...?" Jaime felt silent, ashamed.

"Because he's different" completed Joanna, running her finger through Jaime's golden hair. He was a sweet boy, and Joanna knew he meant no harm "Do you want to hold him?" she asked, and Jaime's eyes widened.

"Could I?"

"He's your baby brother. You can hold him if you can" Joanna pointed to the chair next to her and Jaime sat. She stood up, and placed the baby in his arms "Put your arm behind his head, and keep him close with your hands" Jaime did as he was told, holding his brother rather akwardly.

"Like this?" asked Jaime, uncertain.

"Just like that, my little lion" said Joanna, smiling. Jaime smiled back, and studied his brother with amazed eyes.

"He's really small" said Jaime with wonder, touching the baby's hair.

"He will always be small" said Joanna "And people will try to mock him."

"Father won't let them" replayed Jaime instantly, meeting his mother's eyes. "Father don't like when people try to mock us. He would be angry, and kill them." That's what I'm afraid of, my sweet boy.

"But your father won't always be close to Tyrion" continued Joanna, caressing her baby's hair. "And that is why you have to protect him, Jaime."

"Me?"

"He's your baby brother, my love. Even if he wasn't so small, you would have to protect him. You will always be older, and wiser. And Ser Benedict tells me you will be a great knight one day" She added, and Jaime smiled, pleased with himself. "And what is the most important rule of all the great knights?"

"To protect those who cannot protect themselves" he answered quickly.

"You see, my love?" Joanna kissed the child's forehead. "You will be his strong brother, and take care of him whenever me or Father aren't close"

"I will" promised Jaime, as solemnly as only an eight year old could be "I won't let them hurt Tyrion. And I will teach him how to be a knight" He added. "Could he be my squire, when he grows older? Like Ser Duncan The Tall, and King Aegon?" Joanna was trying to find an answer to that, when the door opened, and one of the guards announced Lord Tywin.

Joanna raised her head, and met the eyes of her Lord Husband.

Lord Tywin was still in his red travel cloak, dusty from the road. A few days ago, he left with his brother Kevan to Lannisport, to attend some complication with a trading cog from the Arbor whose captain tried to cheat a merchant. It was the kind of situation

Tywin usually would not bother himself with, leaving it to Kevan or Tygett, but Joanna believed he was trying to avoid being present when, according to him, Tyrion finally died.

"My Lord" said Joanna, making a little bow. Jaime seemed to be in conflict with himself, not being able to stand up to meet his father while holding Tyrion. He finally resolve to stay sitting down.

"Father" He said with a thin voice.

"My lady" said Tywin, and then turned to his son "Jaime, shouldn't you be in the practice yard with Ser Benedict?" he asked in a soft voice. The boy opened and closed his mouth, and his eyes went from his father to his mother, in a plead of help.

"I asked Ser Benedict to spare Jaime from his training today" said Joanna, taking Tyrion from his brother's arms, and Jaime stood up at once. Actually, she had found Jaime sneaking into her chambers to meet the baby, while she was in the privy, but she did not think Tywin would take it lightly if he found out his son had missed his training by hiding in his mother's room. "I wanted Jaime to spend some time with me and his brother. He wanted to meet Tyrion"

"So, instead of spending his morning training with the sword, he chose to stay with his mother holding babies" Jaime's eyes fell to the floor, embarrased. Tywin turned and called for the wetnurse. "I will speak with you later, Jaime."

"Yes, Father" said the boy with a weak voice, as the woman entered the room.

"Take Jaime and the child back to the nursery" his husband ordered in a soft voice. "And send some buttered bread and fruit"

"Tyrion stays with me" said Joanna, before the wetnurse took the baby. The woman gave Tywin a furtive look, before nodding and taking Jaime's hand. Tywin's pale eyes met Joanna's, who held her baby closer to herself.

"You'll make a weakling of my son" said Tywin, once Jaime and the wetnurse left the room. He sat in the chair were Jaime was sitting a few minutes ago, as Joanna placed Tyrion in the crib beside her bed.

"There is nothing wrong about him wanting to meet his brother" replayed Joanna, sitting next to her husband. Tywin stared at her for a few seconds.

"It is, if it means he is missing his daily training, Joanna" insisted Tywin "He will be Lord of Casterly Rock someday, and he should be learning how to fight, the history and arms of the kigndoms, and High Valyrian at the maester's knee. Certainly, not how to hold and sing to a baby" Joanna flattened her skirts, and said nothing. Her husband took that for agreement, and continued talking "I see you brought the crib into your chamber"

"The nursery is too far from my chambers" replayed Joanna, calmly "And I like to feed Tyrion myself"

"Doesn't he wakes you at night?" Tywin inquired, as a maid entered the room with a silver tray in her hands.

"He does" agreed Joanna "but the wetnurse helps me when he soils himself, or whenever i grow too tired." Joanna had recovered almost to her full strenght in the past few fortnights, but she still tired easily. She took a fig and bit it, as the woman poured some watered wine for them. Tywin dismissed the maid with a wave of his hand, and drank from his coup. As soon as the woman left the room, he reached for Joanna's hand.

"My lady, this is folly" He told her, keeping his voice down. "Creylen said the baby would not live long. You will only make it worse for yourself" Joanna stared at him, feeling sad and angry at the same time. Tywin's insistance in the baby's passing annoyed her, even if his intentions were good. "Keeping him close to you, feeding him yourself..." He fell silent, as if choosing his words carefully. "Creylen told me it is near to impossible for you to get with child again, and that he already told you about it" Joanna felt the tears rushing to her eyes, and fought them back. She knew Creylen would have to tell her husband, eventually, but she had hoped that the maester's fear of Lord Tywin would keep him silent for at least a few weeks "We'll still have Jaime and Cersei, my lady" he continued, giving a little squeeze to his wife's hand.

"Tyrion won't die" Joanna said before she could help herself, freeing her hand from Tywin's "When Tyrion was born, Creylen said he would not live long" she added "But now even him admits Tyrion is growing stronger, and less likely to die with each passing day" She raised from the chair, standing in front of her husband "We have two sons, and one daughter, my lord. Three children, not two." Tywin's gaze was heavy on her eyes, and Joanna felt a little scared. She had never talked like that to her husband, and she wasn't so sure if he would be angry with her.

"Joanna..." His tone gave her pause. Tywin only called her by her name when they were alone, or when he was feeling vulnerable or insecure in some way. She met her husband's worried eyes, and felt her love for his husband filling her. She leaned forward, and kissed her Lord Husband full in the lips. Tywin put his hands on her waist, and pulled her to his lap. Joanna's fingers ran through his hair, feeling his hands caressing her golden curls and her cheeks. She felt the faint taste of the wine in his lips, and his breath growing faster. "Too long" she thought "It has been too long" She could feel his desire through her skirts, but she knew he would not try to take her there. Tywin only bedded her when he came to her chambers in the night. Besides, Tyrion is on his crib.

He finally broke the contact, and kissed her hand. Joanna held him tight, humming softly as she kissed his forehead.

There was a knock on the door, and Joanna jumped from his husband lap. Tywin pointed the chair to her, as he turned his head towards the door. Joanna sat down, as a guard opened the door.

"Excuse me, m'lord" said the man, clearly unconfortable, and Joanna realized embarrased her cheeks must be flushed and her hair messed up, giving her away "Ser Kevan asked for you, m'lord. He's at the Golden Gallery" Tywin nodded and dismissed the guard. He raised from the chair, and turned to face Joanna.

"I will see you tonight, my lady" said Tywin, kissing his wife's cheek. Joanna nodded quietly, as she saw him leaving the room.

The noise the closing door made woke up Tyrion, who started crying right away. Joanna walked to the crib, and held her little baby in her arms, trying to calm him down. The wetnurse entered to the room quickly, to help Joanna.

"Hush, my love" she whispered "I'll calm him down myself" she said to the woman, who nodded and took a step back "Tonight he'll sleep with you in the nursery" she commanded, caressing the baby's head.

"Yes, my lady"

"And bring me some hot water for a bath. Tonight I shall dine with my Lord Husband."