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The wedding between Elaena and Jaime had been delayed to make way for the King's funeral and Joffrey's coronation. The King had previously demanded that his remains be returned to Storm End so there was very little in terms of a funeral. It was mainly just people visiting the body to pay their respects. Elaena stayed as far away as possible, she didn't need to see the body again. Seeing it once had been enough, enough for a lifetime. Jaime had given Elaena her space, mainly because the Lannisters had congregated around Joffrey, preparing him for his coronation. Her Uncle's future was very up in the air. He had arrived in King's Landing precisely to be the Hand of the King. Now the King was dead and no doubt a new Hand would be chosen. Rumour had it Tywin was going to assume the position.

The day of Joffrey's coronation, Elaena found herself ill and bedbound. It was a relief that she had not been married when she was supposed to, her illness would have made for a wonderful wedding gift. Jaime came to visit her early in the morning dressed in golden armour in preparation for the coronation. The sweat was clinging to Elaena's forehead, her hair damp and clumped. Her blankets were wrapped around her tightly as she shivered uncontrollably, the sweat running down her arms. Jaime entered her room after knocking three or four times. He was taken aback by how ill she looked, her skin paler than snow. Flocking to her side, he placed the back of his hand against her forehead. She was running a fever. He tried to shake her awake but she was unflinching except for the tremors that kept passing through her. He came across Ned first who agreed to stay with her while Jaime fetched the maester. Ned felt the blood rushing to his head just looking at her. Horrible memories of seeing Lyanna looking exactly like this flooded his brain. What was wrong with her? Where had this sudden illness came from? Jaime came running back into the room, Pycelle in tow. He hovered over her for a long period of time, muttering under his breath as he pressed various metal objects against her skin.

"It looks to me like it maybe be – uh shaking sickness." Pycelle commented but Ned was quick to shake his head.

"No, it's not shaking sickness. My nephew has that affliction. This is nothing like it."

"Other than that, she may just be breaking her fever. Although I cannot pinpoint what has caused the fever."

"So when will she be better?" Jaime asked, looking nervous.

"I cannot say." Pycelle said.

"You cannot do a lot it seems." Jaime grunted under his breath.

"I will give her milk of the poppy to get her through today and hopefully her fever will have broken within a few hours. Someone will have to stay with her."

Jaime and Ned decided to take the job in shifts. Ned would swear his fealty to Joffrey first before relieving Jaime so that he could be present for Joffrey's speech where he would name his Hand. Jaime placed himself at the seat next to the bed as he searched for Elaena's hand. He found it clamped to the bedsheet like a claw. Prising it away from the sheet, he held it between his own hands. She was frozen cold but sweating profusely. The milk of the poppy seemed to be having the opposite effect causing Elaena to mutter under her breath and twitch.

"Sara – no. Sara." She muttered, tossing and turning. "Jon, don't leave – Jon, don't." Jaime held her hand, caressing it lightly. "Jaime, help me." She muttered finally, turning to face him with her eyes still closed. A little while later, her eyes flickered open – a very pale shade of lilac. "What's wrong with me?" She rasped. Jaime grabbed a glass from the bedside table, filling it with water and pressing it to her lips. She drank lightly, before resting her head on the pillow once more.

"I don't know, when did this start?"

"Last night. A fever." She muttered, her breathing shallow. "Am I going to die?"

"No, don't be so silly." Jaime laughed, pushing the stray hairs back from her face.

"I feel like I am." She sighed, closing her eyes.

The fever didn't pass for two whole days. In those two days she amassed a troupe of visitors. It was almost as though she was on her deathbed. Jon had been the most firm feature in the room, Margaery coming with him. Margaery had acted almost like a handmaiden, making sure that all of Elaena's feminine needs were met. She bed-bathed her whilst she was passed out, plaited her hair into a braid that kept it from her face and used powdered fresh flowers from Highgarden to keep her smelling fresh. Jaime had been in and out of the room over the passing days, checking on her status. Tywin had also paid the girl a visit although any anxiety about her illness on his part had been well concealed. On the third day, Elaena finally awoke to the sound of Jaime's voice. He was shouting.

"You need not shout so loud." Elaena mumbled. Everyone rushed to the bedside, a hand sprang to her forehead, another hand rested on her own.

"We should leave them to it." Her Uncle's voice resounded from the corner of the room. Everyone retreated with promise of return until the only hand that remained was the one that rested on her own.

"Do you still feel like you're dying?" Jaime questioned. Elaena shook her head, trying to sit up.

"No, I feel more human." Jaime got to his feet, helping her up into a sitting position. "Thank you."

"You had us all worried there for a moment."

"Even the mighty Lord Tywin?" Elaena asked, laughing lightly. Jaime climbed onto the bed next to her, draping his arm around her shoulders.

"Especially the mighty Lord Tywin." Jaime smiled, squeezing her in close. She laughed allowing her head to fall against him for a brief moment. His hand reached out for her hair, untangling the braid that Margaery had placed there a few days ago. Her hair fell around her shoulders, curled and still slightly damp. After talking for what seemed like hours, Elaena made her way off the bed to get a change of clothes. Her lack of eating over the three days gone caused her legs to go weak. Her body cradled in on itself and she would have hit the floor hard without a doubt had Jaime not been ready and waiting. One of his arms cradled her legs whilst the other wrapped around her torso, lifting her effortlessly. He held her body close to his before laying her back on the bed.

"What can I get you to eat?" He asked, fussing with her pillows.

"I'll be fine. I feel nauseous." Elaena muttered, resting her head back and looking at the ceiling. Jaime tutted. Leaning over her so that all she could see was his face looming over her. Frustratingly, he still looked perfect from this angle.

"You have to eat. You can have anything you like."

"A honey cake and maybe some candied almonds?" Elaena asked, not wanting to sound demanding.

"Consider it done."

Jaime came back a mere twenty minutes later, carrying a plate with two honey cakes and a handful of candied almonds on the side.

"I had to fight Tommen tooth and nail for those almonds." Jaime commented as Elaena popped one into her mouth.

"They are much appreciated." She smiled, breaking off a piece of honey cake with her fingers.

"Are you feeling any better?" Jaime questioned once she had made it through her first cake.

"Remarkably actually. I-" Elaena's words were cut short when a short sharp knock echoed from the door. Jaime was quick to answer it and stepped out into the hallway, gesturing one moment to Elaena. Unfazed, Elaena resumed eating her second honey cake.

It had been Tywin who had beckoned for Jaime to follow him into the hall. He didn't stop outside of her room though, instead he led Jaime down the hallway and into a private room, a few corridors away. Confused, Jaime followed obediently.

"I should really be getting back to Elaena, Fath-" Jaime started but Tywin held up a hand to silence him.

"I have heard unsettling things, Jaime."

"Of what nature?" Jaime asked, unsure about the interaction.

"I went to see Pycelle this morning to try and get some answers. I wanted to know about this illness. 'A fever' wasn't cutting it for me. Pycelle threw up some ideas that it could have been. Shaking sickness was immediately ruled out. Then Pycelle threw up 'a very possible' theory. Pregnancy. Now I ask you, you haven't done anything to shame yourself have you?"

"No Father. I haven't dishonoured the family. I highly doubt Elaena has dishonoured her family either."

"What if she was pregnant before she arrived at King's Landing?"

"Father-"

"Who knows what could have unfolded at Winterfell before we had even arrived?"

"Father, please. This is preposterous."

"Regardless, we need to disprove the theory before it takes to rumour."

"How would it become a rumour?"

"Pycelle isn't the most trustworthy character. One slip up on any of our parts and no doubt one of his little birds would carry the information from here to Castle Black. We need to conduct a test."

"A test of what?"

"Virginity. If her maidenhood is intact, there is zero possibility of pregnancy."

"And you want me to propose this to her? She's just come out of what could have been a very serious illness and now your wanting her to have some strange Septa examine her rather than take her word on it?"

"Some things have to be done, son. Regardless how much we may actually want to do them."

Jaime had no idea how he was going to approach Elaena with this topic. No doubt she would throw him from her room and refuse to speak to him for days. Elaena was on her feet when Jaime arrived back. She had changed her clothes and freshened herself up. Her hair was still resting on her shoulders in loose curls.

"Now I feel like myself." She smiled as he crossed the threshold.

"I'm glad about that. Although, what I'm about to say next might change that." Jaime sighed, sitting himself down on the bed. Elaena walked over in front of him.

"After the fever, I really doubt that." Elaena smiled as Jaime looked down into his lap. "You are starting to unnerve me now."

"Pycelle has been worrying my father. He's managed to make him doubt whether you're a-" Jaime cut off. Elaena bit her lip lightly, she knew where this was going.

"Whether I'm a virgin." Elaena finished, she couldn't help but laugh. Jaime looked up from his lap in confusion.

"You're not insulted?" He questioned, reaching out for her hands. She instead sat next to him, resting her hands within his lap.

"I'm not so fragile." She smiled, tracing her thumbs over the back of his wrists. "I have nothing to hide. If they want to test me for my maidenhood, let them test me. I will only make myself look suspicious if I get uptight about it."

"You don't have to do it you know." Jaime reassured her but she firmly shook her head.

"I do and I will." She reiterated, climbing to her feet and heading out of the door. Jaime quickly followed her as she scoured the hallways. That honey cake must have given her some sort of sugar rush because she was storming through the corridors possessed. She finally reached her destination, finding Tywin engrossed in letter writing. He looked up at her, curiosity peaked. He folded his arms, ready and willing to listen to what she had to say.

"When is the test?" Elaena said bluntly as Jaime paused in the doorway.

"Tomorrow?" Tywin offered.

"How about now? Elaena pressed. Tywin seemed taken by surprise, which was a rarity.

"Right now?"

"I'm eager to get it over with."

"So be it. I'll call for a Septa."

The Septa came relatively fast. She was an old and hardened woman with deep wrinkles that ran the length and width of her face. Jaime stood outside with Tywin as soon as the Septa arrived. Elaena had no idea how this process was going to work but she imagined it would be fairly uncomfortable. The Septa had her change into her nightclothes and lay down on the bed, her legs open, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. The process lasted approximately ten minutes and was extremely uncomfortable both physically and emotionally. The Septa finally pulled away from her and washed her hands in the basin next to the bed. Elaena sat up, watching her. Why wasn't she talking? Was something the matter? It was as though the Septa could read her thoughts, she span to face her.

"Do not look so concerned my dear. Everything is in order, as it should be."

When the Septa left the room, she nodded at Tywin before leaving and Tywin expressed an echo of a smile.

"Good news I presume?" Jaime questioned.

"The best. Now we can go ahead with the wedding. The day after tomorrow. Feel free to inform your bride." Tywin said before walking off down the corridor, hands behind his back.

Thank you all for reading. It makes my day when you guys review! All my love, until next time. ~Sapph