Chapter 7
Jamie looked up in surprise when Bronn reappeared in the main hall so soon after having headed up to his new bride. Few men remained in the hall, mainly the hardcore drunkards thankful for the freely flowing ale. Jamie motioned to Bronn to join him where he sat alone in a corner of the room.
After Bronn had settled himself in and poured himself a rather large draft of ale, Jamie frowned at him.
"Why back down here so quickly?" he asked quietly.
Bronn sighed. "Damned lass has a foul temper and egged me into losing me own temper. I left so nothing more would be said or done," Bronn growled as he downed a healthy gulp of his drink.
Jamie smirked. "I wouldn't think a few words from a young girl would cause you to turn tail and run," he retorted.
Bronn slammed his cup down and motioned for more.
"It wasn't just a few words-it was one word in particular. A word I can't abide. And I won't have my wife or any other person flinging it at me," Bronn bit out angrily.
"So no bedding tonight because she said a word?" Jamie asked incredulously. "I didn't take you for being thin skinned," he continued.
Bronn gulped down more ale and looked askance at Jamie. "No bedding tonight because she's got her monthly," he answered with gritted teeth.
Jamie nodded sagely. "Ah, I see now."
Bronn frowned. "Well out with it then, don't just say you see now and shut your piehole," Bronn grumbled.
Jamie shrugged. "Women are a mysterious lot on any regular day, but when they're on their monthly they're even more unpredictable. It takes little to provoke them into a rage, they ache and feel swollen. The best thing a man can do is leave them alone, after assuring they are as comfortable as possible of course." Jamie nodded as he thought back to all his efforts to calm and soothe Cersei when she was experiencing her moon time.
"Make them comfortable?" Bronn blurted out in exasperation.
"Yes, I used to warm damp towels and place them on her belly and back," Jamie murmured, obviously still immersed in his memories.
"Yeah?" Bronn urged. "What else?"
"Well, a glass of mulled wine is helpful as well for the pain," Jamie continued.
"Pain?" Bronn asked in surprise.
Jamie nodded again. "Aye pain. She used to tell me it felt as if someone was trying to carve their way out of her with the sharpest of knives," Jamie murmured.
Bronn's eyes widened. "Fuck I had no idea," he blurted.
"Women's lives are full of pain and blood she always said. Pain and blood and the ever present threat of death-death in childbirth or afterwards. The pain of their first time, the blood issuing from that. The pain of childbirth and all the blood that goes with it. Men have it far easier she always said, and I came to see the truth of that. We fight and die on the battlefield-we don't have to fear pain or death as the result of fucking. We view women as the weaker sex-they are in fact the stronger sex. We men could not endure what they do."
Bronn gazed in amazement at Jamie. "Seriously?"
Jamie turned his gaze fully to Bronn. "Yes. Go back up to your wife, make her comfortable at this time when she's frightened and in pain. That will go a long way to changing her mind about you and you may yet have a happy marriage." Jamie stood and motioned for Bronn to join him. "Come, I'll walk you back toward your quarters," he said as he clapped Bronn on the back.
