Recovering

The next morning Ailyn woke up with the sun. She tried to sit up a little, wincing as a sharp pain shot through her shoulder and down her arm. It took her a moment to realize that the body sleeping beside her was not Lord Tywin but Gana. Her maid was lying on her side facing Ailyn, all curled up in a ball like a cat. Ailyn smiled at her and then carefully reached out with her left hand to wake her.

"Gana?" whispered Ailyn, gently touching her shoulder.

The girl made a sleepy noise and her eyes opened heavily. They focused on Ailyn and she pushed herself up on her arms.

"My lady, are you in pain? Should I send for Maester Pycelle?" she asked, her eyes flitting over Ailyn's face for signs of discomfort.

"It hurts but not enough to send for Pycelle. I will have some more milk of the poppy with breakfast; that should be enough to ease the pain," decided Ailyn.

"Where is Lord Tywin?" asked Ailyn as Gana pushed the covers off and was about to get out of the bed.

Her maid stopped and looked back at her.

"Lord Tywin has been sleeping in your old room since you were injured. He always comes in to check on you a few times a day and made me swear that I would stay with you day and night. As if I wouldn't do that anyway," muttered Gana, mildly annoyed.

Ailyn smiled warmly.

"He doesn't know you like I do," replied Ailyn, still smiling.

Gana smiled back.

Ailyn adjusted her position on the bed so she was vertical enough to eat. Her stomach felt tight but she was hungry all the same. She was able to eat more than she had the previous evening and took another dose of milk of the poppy when she was finished to ease the pain.

Gana was nearly through brushing Ailyn's hair when the door to the Hand's chambers opened and Lord Tywin strode in. Gana stopped what she was doing and moved deferentially away from her mistress. Ailyn met Tywin Lannister's anxious eyes as he came over and sat down in a chair beside the bed.

"How are you, Ailyn?" he asked with concern.

"A little stronger now that I am eating again. My shoulder is still painful but nothing I can't manage," she replied, noticing the dark circles still under his eyes.

There was a moment of silence between them as Ailyn dropped her gaze.

"Ailyn I want to talk about…" began Tywin but Ailyn raised her hand and shook her head.

"Please Tywin, today is my first day of conscious, rational thought in over a week. I'm going to need some time to process what happened and all the things that were said," countered Ailyn, pleased that he didn't try to talk over her.

Lord Tywin did not look pleased but he held his peace all the same.

"There are some things I do want to ask you," began Lady Ailyn hesitantly.

"Anything," promised her lord.

"You haven't found Tyrion?" she asked quietly.

Tywin's face darkened.

"No but when I do…" he growled.

"Please, just 'yes' or 'no' for now. Have you had any news of Cersei?" Ailyn pressed on.

She watched Tywin's cheekbones jut out a little as he clenched his jaw.

"No. From what my Small Council is telling me, she is no longer in the Seven Kingdoms," muttered Tywin Lannister.

"Has Jaime asked Lady Brienne to marry him yet?" inquired Ailyn gently, knowing that this was probably still a sore point with him.

More jaw clenching.

"I have not spoken to my son since this happened," Lord Tywin answered her coldly.

Ailyn winced.

"How can you…" began Ailyn but she stopped herself.

There was an uneasy silence.

"How can I what?"

The Lord of Lannister's voice had developed an edge.

"How can you treat your own children with such contempt? Why are you surprised that all your children want nothing to do with you? Have you ever told them you loved them? Or that you were proud of them? Why should they care for you when all you've ever offered them is criticism and abuse?"

The words came pouring out of her before she could stop them. It was something that had been on her mind long before the incident with Tyrion. It was one of the things that had plagued her most the night she was trying to decide whether or not she could marry the lion of Casterly Rock.

He was glaring at her openly now.

"You've treated me far better than it seems you've ever treated them. Why?" whispered Ailyn.

Lord Tywin ground his teeth and did not speak.

"They should be better than they are," he replied, looking at his hands.

"Tywin, you cannot blame them for being broken when you are just as damaged," Ailyn said quietly, tears coming to her eyes.

His sharp green eyes snapped up and searched her face. His frown didn't lessen but he had no answer for her.

Suddenly, his face went blank, devoid of any expression. Lord Tywin stood up.

"I have no wish to distress you, my lady. Excuse me."

And with that, he turned on his heel and walked out of the room.

Gana came to her side and Din appeared at the side door, peeking out at Ailyn to see what the matter was.

"Ailyn, is everything alright?" asked Gana urgently, sitting down beside Ailyn as she wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"No, Gana. I suspect everything will not be alright for some time to come. Hopefully not a long time," replied Ailyn, lying back on her pillows.

Lord Tywin did not come to her again that day.

The next day, he arrived while she was sleeping in the afternoon, having dropped off after a long, heartfelt talk with Maergery in the morning.

Lord Tywin looked at her and then intended to leave but Gana stopped him.

"If you please, my lord, Lady Ailyn wished to speak with you," she said softly, not meeting his gaze.

He took a breath and then told her to wake his wife.

Lord Tywin moved off into the room to give her some space while she woke.

There was a short whispered conversation and then Gana drew up a chair for him and bade him sit down.

He went over to her bedside but did not sit down. Her cheeks were a little flushed from sleep and her hair was tousled but her eyes were sharp.

"Ailyn," he greeted her quietly.

A ghost of a smile played across her face.

"Tywin. Please, sit," she entreated.

He complied and then wasn't sure what to say.

She studied his face sadly, noting the dark circles still remained under his eyes.

"You aren't sleeping."

"I have much to occupy my mind," he replied heavily.

"Have the Greyjoys rebelled yet?" asked Ailyn, trying to keep the conversation light.

"No, they are still squabbling. I'm of half a mind to destroy them now and have done with it," muttered Tywin darkly.

"Tywin, you cannot lay waste to every kingdom that defies you. You will have no one left to rule over."

She smiled at him knowingly and his expression softened.

"Trying to stay my hand?" he asked.

"Someone needs to. Or give you an alternative," Ailyn answered.

Tywin's countenance became serious again.

"You almost weren't here to do either."

She couldn't tell if he was angry or worried.

"I seem to recall telling you that you were never allowed to risk your life again," Tywin reminded her.

"A great deal has changed since we were at Harrenhal," responded Ailyn.

"Nothing has changed. Your death will still affect a good many people, most of all me. Don't you dare ever do anything like that again," warned Lord Tywin Lannister, staring her down.

"Tywin I…" Ailyn tried to talk but he silenced her.

"No arguing. I put my cloak of protection around you. You are my responsibility and I cannot keep you safe if you insist on throwing yourself in harm's way," scolded Tywin.

"Is it not also my duty to protect my husband?" Ailyn pointed out.

"Not with your life!"

"I don't think Tyrion would have allowed us time to argue about it," said Ailyn quietly.

"Damn it, Ailyn. Promise me!" snapped Lord Tywin.

Ailyn's grey eyes went cold and her smile disappeared.

"You are in no position to demand anything of me, my lord," she said calmly.

It took him several minutes, but Lord Tywin went from angry to abashed before her gaze.

He reached out and gently put his hand over hers.

"I'm sorry," offered the Hand of the King.

"For what?" asked Ailyn.

"For yelling at you," replied Lord Tywin as if she were slow for even asking that question.

Ailyn sighed in irritation and pulled her hand out from under his.

"You have much to apologize for, least of all for raising your voice," Ailyn retorted.

"Oh? Then what should I apologize for?" asked Tywin, also growing annoyed.

"Let's start with leaving me since that might be the shorter conversation than what you did to Tyrion," Ailyn blurted out.

Lord Tywin frowned in confusion.

"I haven't left…"

"The night I was wounded, you carried me to the bed and tried to stop the bleeding but then you left," Ailyn tried to keep her voice steady but it was already shaking.

Tywin Lannister bowed his head a little but did not look away from her.

"I was in pain, frightened and I needed you and you left me."

Ailyn's voice cracked on the last word and she looked down at her lap, blinking furiously.

"Ailyn I had to go after him…"

"No, you should have stayed with me. I begged you not to go but you cared more about revenge than whether I lived or died," cried Ailyn angrily through her tears.

"I couldn't stay," said Tywin, looking at her.

"Why?" demanded Ailyn, wiping her tears away with her left hand.

Tywin's jaw muscles worked but he didn't speak.

Ailyn stopped waiting for his reply.

"Please go. My shoulder hurts," whispered Ailyn, resigned to his silence.

Lord Tywin looked like he wanted to say something but it wouldn't come. He stood up and began striding away. After several steps, Ailyn stopped him.

"Wait. Before you go I have some requests to make," Ailyn said, getting her voice under control and forcing herself to look over at him.

He paused and then turned around, his hands clenching and unclenching anxiously.

"King Tommen's reign is still uncertain and there are those who would seek to undermine the Lannister name any way they can. As you say, we should seem united in all things. And I'm sure by now, the palace is buzzing with gossip. So tomorrow night, you will resume sleeping here," Ailyn explained.

The storm on Tywin's face abated at her request.

"To be clear, I'm still mad at you and disappointed that I can't trust you but for the sake of others, we will try to keep our differences private," continued Ailyn sternly.

Tywin inclined his head in acknowledgement.

"Anything else, my lady?" he asked.

Ailyn met his eyes.

"Unless you are assisting me in some way, I'd prefer it if you didn't touch me."

It hurt Ailyn to say it as much as it hurt Tywin to hear it.

"As you wish, Ailyn," replied Lord Tywin in a hollow voice.

And with that, he left the room; Ailyn dissolved into tears.

Gana kept her company for the rest of the day. Ailyn's appetite improved although her spirits remained low.

The next day, Ailyn was able to walk to a chair near the fireplace under her own power. Gana and Din celebrated her little victory even though it left her feeling drained. She ate more and wondered if Tywin was going to visit her before he came to bed in the evening.

Letters and meetings kept him away all that day and he walked tiredly to the Hand's chambers late in the evening. A few candles were still burning low in the room and in the dim light, Tywin could see the curtains around the bed were drawn. He walked to his side of the bed and changed into a night shirt as quietly as he could. Lord Tywin slipped carefully into bed as Ailyn's steady breathing drifted over to him. He laid down on his side and fell asleep to the reassuring sound of her soft breaths.

He awoke the next morning more refreshed than he had been in over a week. Lord Tywin realized that he had rolled over in his sleep so that he was right beside Ailyn with an arm carelessly thrown over her middle. She was lying on her back, still asleep, her head tilted towards him. Very slowly, he removed himself from the bed, dressed and left for the day before she even woke.

Again, Lord Tywin did not return to their chambers until late at night. He disrobed and climbed into bed but Ailyn was awake this time. She looked over at him as he drew the curtain closed.

"I didn't mean to wake you," he whispered.

"It's alright. Get some sleep," Ailyn whispered back and then turned her head to the other side.

Ailyn woke in the middle of the night to Tywin making a heartbreaking keening sound in his sleep.

"Tywin?" she whispered.

"Nonononono," he mumbled over and over.

Carefully, Ailyn reached out with her wounded arm and pulled back the curtain on her side of the bed to let in a little moonlight. She sat up and reached over to shake Lord Tywin's shoulder.

"Tywin, wake up," said Ailyn in a louder voice.

He jerked when she touched him but he remained asleep. She could feel his skin burning through his night shirt.

Lord Tywin started gasping, as though he were having trouble breathing.

"Tywin!" cried Ailyn urgently, gripping his shoulder firmly.

He snapped awake and sat up quickly, still panting. Tywin's wide eyes flew around their bed and then stopped when they found her. The panic faded from his eyes, though his forehead and the center of his shirt were damp with sweat.

"Ailyn," he managed to say in a scratchy voice.

"I'm here. It was just a bad dream, Tywin. It's alright," soothed Ailyn, still touching his arm.

He calmed down a little and put his hand over hers briefly, before turning away and getting out of bed. Ailyn listened to him wash his face and change his shirt. She heard him pour a cup of wine and then his steps moved away from the bed until she could no longer hear him. Ailyn lay back down and waited patiently for him to return. She had hoped that if he was sleeping beside her again, he would rest more easily but that didn't seem to be the case.

After waiting for half an hour, Ailyn rose as well, found a light robe and went out to the balcony in search of him. She found him there, leaning down with both hands on the rail, his head bowed down on his chest, the cup of wine forgotten next to his right hand. She walked up to him softly and stopped a short way from him, unsure if he wanted her company or not.

"Tywin?"

At the sound of her voice, he straightened up and looked over at her, clearing his throat.

"I'm sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep," he urged quietly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" asked Ailyn with concern.

Tywin closed his eyes and looked away from her. He shook his head in the negative, as though trying to shake the grip of the nightmare itself.

Ailyn dropped her eyes to the stone floor, disappointed that he refused to share what was troubling him with her. When she looked up again, she met his pained eyes but he remained silent.

Ailyn took a breath and then nodded, dropping her head and turning to go back inside. She wondered if they would ever be able to trust each other enough to share things as they used to.

"It's always the same nightmare," said Tywin quietly as if reading her thoughts.

She stopped and looked back.

"I'm holding Joanna in my arms… and she's bleeding…there's blood everywhere. She's begging me to save her and…" Lord Tywin paused and took a steadying breath, "…there's nothing I can do. She dies and then… fades away until all that's left is her blood on my clothes."

Ailyn blinked her watery eyes and went to him.

His hands were gripping the stone railing in front of him so hard his knuckles were white. Ailyn put her hand on his arm and a little of his tension ebbed.

"Tonight it was different." His voice was still gravelly and raw.

He shook his head twice.

"Tonight, you bled out in my arms, not Joanna." Lord Tywin's voice hitched at the end and he looked down, eyes closed.

Ailyn swallowed hard and moved in close enough to cup his cheek in her left hand.

"Tywin, I…" she began but he turned to her suddenly and put his hand over hers on his face.

"That's why I couldn't stay with you that night," Tywin blurted out, overriding Ailyn.

Ailyn frowned, trying to understand.

"I didn't leave because I wanted revenge. I left because I couldn't bear to stand there powerless while you slipped away. You were bleeding so much. I'm not…I'm not strong enough to go through that again," he said brokenly, not meeting her gaze. He looked ashamed.

"Tywin look at me," insisted Ailyn, as his hands dropped to her waist.

It took him a moment, but he eventually met her concerned gaze.

"I'm here. I made a vow to stay with you and I intend to keep it. But I need to know, that if I ask you to stay, you'll be there for me. I was just as scared as you that night and as much as I would rather not admit it, I needed your strength," said Ailyn, still looking into his green eyes.

Tywin pulled her closer so she was resting against him.

"Promise me," pleaded Ailyn, stroking his cheek bone with her thumb.

Lord Tywin's mouth worked silently for a moment before he managed to say, "I promise, Ailyn."

Ailyn smiled through her tears.

"Thank you. And thank you for telling me the truth even though it hurt," Ailyn said gratefully.

Lord Tywin nodded and wiped away the lone tear that had trickled down her cheek.

Ailyn bent her wounded arm against Tywin's chest, knowing she still couldn't raise it up very high and wrapped her other arm around his neck. He bent his head a little toward her, looking down at her affectionately.

"Kiss me," she whispered.

Lord Tywin's eyes went wide in surprise and he quickly pressed his lips against hers before she had time to change her mind, making a soft noise as he did so. The sound called to mind an image of a man dying of thirst being handed a glass of water. He wrapped his arms around her as tightly as he dared, holding them together for a long moment.

Ailyn broke the kiss, a light buzzing filling her ears.

"I need to lie down," she breathed, leaning on him.

Instantly, he bent down and lifted her into his arms. Ailyn winced but said nothing as he carried her back to the bed. He made sure she was comfortable and then went around to his side and got in, moving over so he was closer to her than he had been the last few nights.

"Do you need anything?" he asked, watching her intently.

"No, I was getting dizzy from standing. I'm better now. We'll talk more tomorrow," promised Ailyn, as her eyes began to flutter closed.

"I'll stay as long as you want me to," was the last thing Ailyn heard before she slipped into unconsciousness.

Author's note: To be clear, everything is still not kosher between them but they still care for each other. Next one will be longer. Promise.