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Chapter ten

He could angrily command the guards to seize the insolent woman but he suddenly realised he was standing before his entire court. The entire strength of their alliance was in their unity. No house would follow a leader who broke the promise they made before thousands. He ground his teeth with unspoken anger.

''Jane Snow.'' He said carefully. ''If so much as a hair upon my wife's head comes to harm you will be killed.'' No one moved.

''You will be punished for your insolence once more, but I will spare your life.'' He could not disqualify her because she was a woman, she had proved her worth to everybody's eyes, nor could he kill her on any pretense, not without mucking up the alliance he had with the other houses.

''Your duties begin upon the morrow.'' He dismissed her with a wave of the hand and she bowed, then quickly scaled down the platform.

''My Lord and Ladies of the court.'' He continued. ''Surely you have all heard word of my father's demise. I have decided to end my wedding feast in honour of his name but there is one last thing you may all bear witness to.'' He snapped his fingers. ''Guards.''

Two men stepped forward and between them held a man with a blooded face that Maura almost did not recognise.

''Father!'' Her seat scraped back and her legs shook as she rose abruptly.

''It is distasteful that the day of my reign should be marked by the execution of a man thought loyal.'' He gestured and the men forced Lord Patrick to his knees. ''House Doyle as been loyal to the throne for as long as my father reigned, but this man has broken his vow to serve the realm. In truth, after my father's tragic death, he planned to claim the throne for himself, spreading an awful lie against the queen and myself.''

''You bastard!'' Lord Patrick hollered and the guard to his left silenced him with his boot.

''No.'' Garrett said. ''Let him speak his lie plain for all to see.''

''You are a bastard!'' Lord Patrick spat. ''Born of incest and adultery! You are a spawn of evil itself.'' His voice was raw but clear. ''You violated my daughter and claimed a throne you no right to!''

''My love...'' Garrett turned to her then, placing a kiss upon her head. ''It must be upsetting to hear such filthy lies from your beloved father, but you do realise that there are the words of a traitor. Speak the truth for all, my sweet wife, you need not fear. Have I hurt you?''

She felt the urge to reach and rub at the bruise below her tunic but she knew she couldn't. She looked down at the crowd and found Jane. Her eyes were wide, she had not known about this, how could she? She had been fighting at the tourney all morning.

She wished for the Astapori to do something, but she stood rigid, knuckles white around her spear. What could one soldier, however trained, do against hundreds of guards.

''Do I not show you my love, my sweet Maura?'' Garrett's voice forced her to look at him.

''I...'' She looked down at her father, silently watching her.

''Am I not a loving husband to you?'' She read in his eyes what he wanted.

''Of course.'' She said, so weakly she doubted anyone heard. ''Of course you are.'' He reached to help her sit back into her seat, but the hand on her arm had a painful iron grip that she knew would leave bruises the colour of midnight.

''I realise my queen is upset.'' He said kissing her brow. ''I do apologise for the impropriety of the occasion, it is after all our wedding feast. ''

''You monster!'' Lord Patrick shouted. ''Your mother herself admitted you are a bastard! King Robert murde-''

''Take this man away!''Garrett ordered.

''I shall decide this traitors fate after the feast.''

''No, father!'' Maura made a move towards the men dragging her father inside the castle but Garrett snapped his fingers and two guards got ah old of her.

''Please take my lady wife and escort her back to her chambers, she must be very upset.''

''Garret, don't, please!''

''Take her!'' He insisted, ignoring her frantic cries. ''You, bastard!'' There was no question as to and Jane came forward, unflinching at the insult.

''You may escort the queen to her chambers.''

She bowed and followed the direction of where the armed guards were taking Maura, carrying her on top her rolling chair as she cried out of Garrett.

She was graciously, if unkindly taken back to her chambers. It was then revealed to her that her husbands orders were to remain so, until his return. She reached and opened the door but found two guards posted outside.

Her father had just been accused for treason. Was he then found guilty punishment would be death. She could not believe that he would do such a thing but he had exposed himself before both king and court.

When the door opened she expected she would see her husband, but instead she was met with Jane's gaze.

''Your grace.'' She bowed lightly and took a post before her bedroom door. She was fully armed with both sword and spear but still not clad in armour. He side f her face was covered with bruises from where the Mountain's shield had struck her, and at the open neckline of her jerkin Maura saw that the bruises spread down her chest as well.

''Jane!'' She exclaimed. ''I am so glad you're alive!'' She rose, painfully, to walk up to her and touch her, to make sure she was there.

Jane took off her half helm and smiled gently. ''Thank you my lady.''

''What madness possessed you to fight against this beast!''

''It was all for you, lady Maura.''

''Did my father know of this?'' She asked sternly and Jane looked around to make sue they were alone. Then she leaned in to whisper in Maura's ear.

''It was all done under his orders.''

Maura's breath caught and had it not been for the severity of the situation she would have let herself be lost in the shivers Jane's voice brought and the smell of spices and flowers on her bare skin, as it brushed against her in the briefest of touches, long enough to utter a few words.

''Worry not, men like the Mountain are nothing for an Unsullied soldier.''

''My father, what is to be done with him?'' Maura urged.

''I am afraid I do not know, my lady. My orders are to stay by your side. Your father is a good man, though he acted in a rush of blood as men often are prone to.''

Maura's knees gave. She had not realised how tired and stiff her crooked legs were, especially without their treatment from the Maester the past few days.

Jane caught her around the waist and easily lifted her like a child in arms. ''Lady Maura, you should not strain yourself so.'' She said and Maura thought that only she could make the rough Astapori accent so gentle a sound.

''They cannot make him out to be a traitor Jane, he is a good man!'' She said between sobs.

Jane set her down on the bed as if she were made of glass. ''I am afraid I hold no power to prevent this, your grace. I can only serve as your guard.''

She realised what she had been trying to ask from Jane was not only treason in itself but also impossible. Slowly the Astapori removed something from a pouch about her waist.

''This was one of my favourite things back in Astapor.'' She said. ''Yet the weather is too cold here and they are a rarity.''

Maura had heard talk of such fruit but had never tasted one herself. She supposed that it was not possible to grow fruit of this sort in the snows of Winterfell. Jane took a seat on the bed by her side.

''Where did you find this?''

''The lady need not know all my secrets, or I shall become a bore extremely soon.'' Jane gave an insolent grin that did not match her courteous words. It was almost as if the polite content was just a game and the truth was hidden in her playful tone. Like a cat, Maura thought, seemingly polite but dangerous.

She watched her slice into the peel of the orange with measured cuts until the peel gave way to the fruit inside, blooming around it.

''What does it taste like?'' Maura asked as Jane carefully cleaned the white strings around it and split its core into slices. With a twinkle in her eye Jane held one perfect slice out for Maura.

''Like sunshine.'' She rasped.

The Lady considered the impropriety for a mere in instant before leaning in and taking the fruit between her teeth, straight from Jane's fingers. She was unnerved by the way the soldier never stopped watching her, as if she was doing something far different than just tasting an orange.

The fruit burst sweetly into her mouth and she hummed in surprise, chewing slowly. It was strong and sweet.

Jane reached and wiped the corner of Maura's lips with a square of cloth, where a drop of juice stood, shiny in the afternoon light. Maura blushed and very unladylike wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

''I am sorry, I did not expect it to be so-...'' She paused, considering her words. Wet. Juicy.

''Did you enjoy it?'' Jane asked and once more her tone was like an orange had been the last of the things she was referring to.

''Yes, very much, thank you!'' Maura rushed to answer and she couldn't help but feel she had just agreed to something unspoken.

Jane spread the cloth across Maura's lap and laid the rest of the orange. ''I will be right outside your door, my Lady.'' She said rising to her feet slowly. ''I am afraid they will try harm you, but my sword is yours and I shall give my life for you.'' No more games, she sounded serious now.

''Thank you, Jane.''

The Astapori bowed then exited. She sent away the guards by the door -she did not trust them.

Jane was used to standing guard for days on end. It was one of the most familiar tasks she had been given since arriving to King's Landing.

When Garrett arrived the sun had long since set. He strode purposefully across the corridor and smiled when he caught sight of her.

''I see my wife's bitch has not left her side.''

She stared at him, concerned about his extraordinarily good mood. It couldn't be a good sign.

''I trust you already know why I am here, bastard, shame you sent the guards away, I do love an audience.''

She stepped away for him to stride into the chamber. He stopped right before the door closed.

''Would you perhaps like to come inside with us and enjoy the view?''

She would have spat in his face, but for the fact he would have her head for it.

''It is such folly you put words in Lord Patrick's ear about the manner in which I enjoy my spousal privileges.'' He grinned and inside the room she caught a glimpse of Maura's wide eyes.

''He will not be a problem any longer though.'' He followed Jane's hand as it rested uneasily on her sword hilt. ''No man shall stand between me and my lovely wife. Enjoy your night, Jane.'' With that the door shut behind him.

It started with crashing and banging noises. Then through the delicate wood of the ornate door came a small sound that could be Maura's muffled crying, accompanied by a rhythmic thump-thump-thump.

A low grown started deep in Jane's chest, as she smashed her gloved fist into the wall. She could protect her Queen from all but the King himself. Instead she stood helpless for the eternity it took for him to finally leave, giving her a small laugh to return her glare, lacing his britches and walking.

She did not allow her own unease to delay her in joining Lady Doyle.

She found her in bed, as she had expected she would, but this time she seemed oblivious to her own nakedness as she lay still over the covers. At first Jane was not sure which was more shocking, the tale of cuts and bruises upon the Lady's body or the painful way her left leg lay.

''Sweet Maura.'' She whispered and Maura turned her eyes upon her hazily. She seemed fazed, as if unsure of where she was but she did not flinch when Jane touched her and laid her across her lap, and she begun cleaning her with a cloth she dipped to water from a copped basin.

''I am so sorry my Lady.'' She said gently, running the cloth gently down a pale arm. He sight of the naked body which should in any other case have been highly erotic, now brought to Jane emotions none of the sort. Slowly Maura started to cry and by the time Jane was pulling warm covers over her she was sobbing.

''I love him.'' She gasped between breaths, and Jane thought there was no way to hide the finger shaped bruises around her neck tomorrow. She looked like a small child, vulnerable without her pretty gowns and jewels, in the way she reached and clung to Jane's jerkin.

''I thought... I thought he loved me too.''

There was such pain and betrayal in her eyes Jane realised that she really believed her husband was capable of loving anybody.

''Is this what love feels like...?'' Maura asked, in a small, childish voice.

''No...'' Jane said thickly, wrapping a tentative arm around the one that clutched her clothes. ''This is.''

Then, ever so softly she leaned and kissed the corner of Maura's lips.


Something big is about to happen in the next chapter. Several somethings. Thanks for reading, leave me a comment with your thoughts

LK