Jamie
The sounding of the horn penetrated Jamie's already inconsistent sleep. His eyes snapped open and with a groan he rolled out of his narrow bed and reached for the dull glistening lump that was his hand. Grunting he shoved it on the stump and pulled jerkin and breeches over his bare skin, now goose pimpled when confronted by the frigid air. In the corridor the Queen's advisor Missandei was striding side by side with, was it her husband? Greyworm.
"What_?" Jamie began.
"The Golden company have arrived, and so has the envoy from the iron islands, we are told that Yara Greyjoy has been successfully rescued. There were minor fatalities" Missandei rattled as he fell into step beside her.
"Has Sans- I mean Lady Stark been notified?" Jamie asked trying to supress the yawn that was threatening to escape.
Missandei gave him a disapproving look. "Her Royal Highness is already in the audience chamber."
Jamie frowned "Her Royal Highness?" Jamie mumbled. When had that title been added? He had seen little of the woman who was carrying his child apart from the occasional night where she had crawled into his bed waking him with her mouth. But those happy moments had decreased, and Sansa Stark was reaching the end of her pregnancy.
"Sansa is the King's heir apparent until he produces a child with the Queen." Missandei said as if she had recited the phrase a thousand times.
They reached the wooden doors and Missandei turned to him, her copper eyes cold and calculating. Had she learnt that look from her beloved Queen? Jamie asked himself. She must have done.
"You would do well to remember that, Ser Jamie" She muttered and strode through, Jamie looked to Greyworm for a response, but the eunuch general's face was expressionless.
As Missandei had reported Sansa sat with Edmure Tully and Yon Royce either side of her. She looked in pain and very tired, but when her eyes met Jamie's she smiled slightly. He took this as an invitation to step forward. "Your grace" He whispered almost mockingly and bowed his head. "How are you feeling?"
"Heavy" Sansa sighed, she gestured to her swollen belly. "Sit Ser Jamie let us see to our guests in," She looked to Greyworm who turn around and marched from the room.
"Your Grace" Missandei asked curtseying briefly. "Would you like me to announce you?"
Sansa gave her a tired smile. "If you wish."
They sat in silence for a few more moments until footsteps echoed through the hall and four men and one woman crossed the threshold. The last time Jamie had seen Yara Greyjoy, she had been chained with collar in the throne room of King's Landing. She wore no chain, instead her face was bruised and swollen, she leaned heavily on a cane her other arm around her brother.
The last time Jamie had seen Theon Greyjoy had been at Winterfell all those years ago. He had been tall for his age, with a look of a well fed well cared for young man, but now, that boy was barely a whisper upon the man's face. It looked as though he had aged twenty years, his hair was scraggly, his beard unkempt, his eyes were blood shot and there were old scars which carved up his face. Jamie had heard the stories of what had happened to Theon Greyjoy at the hand of the Bolton's, and Sansa had told him how Theon had helped her escape Winterfell. The other three men Jamie did not recognise, but he knew that they must be the turn cloaks for the golden company.
Missandei cleared her throat and began to speak. "You stand in the presence of Her Royal Highness, Sansa of the House Stark, Princess of Dragonstone, Heir to our King Aegon, sixth of his name. Lady of Winterfell and Warden of the North."
They were met with four bows and mutters of your grace. Sansa stood up stiffly and shuffled towards Theon. She hugged his tightly despite the large bump between them. "Theon, it is good to see you again, it has been so long."
"I'm just glad your safe and erm…" He looked down to her pregnant belly his eyes wide with fear. "Gods Sansa, I am so sorry- "
But Sansa shook her head smiling "No, Theon, the babe is not Ramsey's."
The broken man sighed with relief. "H-How did he die?" He stammered.
Sansa cocked an eyebrow "I fed him to his dogs. Jon was going to beat him to death, but…. well let's just say it was a painful drawn out death."
Yara barked a hoarse laugh. "Sounds like fun, maybe you can help me orchestrate my dear Uncle's death as eloquently as you orchestrated your late husbands."
Jamie frowned "Euron is not dead?"
Yara laughed darkly. "Oh no, the cunt got away, he's on the iron islands with the remainder of his fleet, well the twenty or so boats that survived the dragon flame. An excellent move by our King and Queen by the way, I have never seen stone melt before, but the way that rock melted" An exhilarated looked crossed her broken face. "It was magnificent."
Sansa returned to her seat "You must be exhausted Lady Yara, I have instructed Maester Vyman to attend you in your chamber-"
She paused eyes wide in horror, her hand rushing to her stomach and Jamie's stomach lurched, he knew that look, Cersei had had it, that same look when she had gone into labour with Joff. Sansa spun on the spot her sapphire blue eyes fixating on Jamie's for a millisecond until she looked to her uncle. "Uncle please see our guests to their rooms, give them their instructions and please send a northern Maester to my chambers."
Edmure looked up at her docilely and then straightened. "Of course, your grace, come" He gestured brushing past her escorting the confused soldiers away. When the door shut Sansa moved to sit down.
"Your grace what is wrong?" Missandei asked crouching in front of her.
"Nothing to worry about I think" Sansa muttered. "My baby is on the way, I must retire to my chambers. Have you done this before?"
Missandei nodded. "Good, because I haven't."
Jamie reached for her hand. "I have seen three births Sansa, you will be safe with us. It will be fine"
Sansa laughed breathlessly and leant her head back to stare up at the stone ceiling. "You forget Jamie, I am a Stark, and Stark woman do not fare well in childbirth."
Jamie squeezed her hand. "You must not think like that, you are a Stark, but you are also a Tully, and your mother had five children. Come, lets get you to your chambers."
The labour lasted all through the night, through the next day and into the following night. Sansa moved about her room doubled over in pain, her auburn hair knotted back from her reddened face. She screamed and cursed all the gods and even Jamie at one point.
"Damn you Kingslayer." She had screamed. "Damn you for creating this mess."
She had cried as many times as she had screamed. Crying for her mother and her sister, crying over pain as she clutched onto Jamie's arms many a time, rocking from side to side to try and ease the pain. Maester's came and went, whilst midwives brought warm towels, bowls of water and milk of the poppy.
Jamie found a few hours sleep propped up against the bed post whilst Sansa slept under the influence of milk of the poppy. He had been awoken abruptly by Missandei who's tired eyes looked strained telling him to move so she too could rest. Whilst Sansa had slept Jamie had rushed to his quarters to change his linen shirt and small clothes. When he had returned Brienne had been standing guard of the door.
"Is she awake?" Jamie had asked, and Brienne had nodded smiling her queer smile.
"You're doing well" Brienne said and patted his shoulder.
"I'm not the one who has to give birth."
"Still, it is your child after all."
Jamie chuckled quietly. "At the rate I'm going I'll have more bastard children than Robert Baratheon."
As the moon began to rise once again, Sansa had been pushed back into bed by Maester Theomore and told it was time to birth the babe.
"Have I not been birthing the babe for the past two days?" She cried, her bloodshot eyes filled with fear and anger.
"No, your grace, your body has been preparing for the birthing, but now it is time."
Jamie sat by her side and grasped her hand. "Sansa you are doing so well." He whispered brushing his lips to her clammy hand. "But you need to push now, you need to push harder than ever, it's going to hurt, but I promise you it will be worth it."
Tears ran down the girls face. She looked like a girl in that moment eyes full of fear, and pain. Jamie remembered how Cersei had looked at this moment before she had pushed out Joff, it was the same look. Maybe all women had that look, Jamie would never know.
It happened all at once. Sansa's screams ricocheted off the walls and she curled up. Jamie had the foresight to swap his hands and felt nothing as Sansa held on to his golden lump for dear life. One moment it was one woman's screams, and voices of encouragement and then suddenly and unmistakable wail rang out and audible sighs were heard around the room. Sansa's eyes widened in shock as she stared at the bloodied babe held aloft in Maester Theomore's hands.
"A girl your Grace, Ser Jamie. A baby girl."
Tears rushed to Jamie's eyes as the babe was wiped of blood and handed to Sansa. She cradled the babe expertly, tears streaming down her face and Jamie put an arm around her bringing his girls close to him. The little girl had a shock of auburn hair and squirmed in the towelling she had been wrapped in.
"She's perfect" Jamie whispered kissing Sansa's temple. "What shall be her name?"
"Catelyn" Sansa whispered. "For my mother."
Jamie reached out and caressed the babes button nose. "Hello little Catelyn, welcome to the world."
Hours later when Jamie was alone he rummaged into his breeches in search of the scroll he had been carrying for weeks. He pulled it out and broke the wax scroll, feeling his stomach churn and the light of the fire illuminated the rampant lion emblazed on it. Tears formed in his eyes as he read the expertly copied handwriting.
Her Majesty, Queen Cersei the first of her name has given birth to a healthy baby girl, who from this day forward shall be known as Her Royal Highness the Princess Joanna Myrcella Lannister. Both the Queen and the child are healthy and happy.
She had named her Joanna. Jamie knew that she would, Cersei had always said she would but still a lump in his throat. Jamie had two children now. Two daughters. Half Sisters. Maybe there was hope for Jamie to be a real father after all. Maybe one day they could grow up together happy and healthy without the threat of war and death and destruction, maybe.
