Tyrion stood in the doorway of Ser Brienne's chamber, studying his brother. Jamie was tipped back in his chair; eyes closed, his hand laying across his brow, picking at a scab on the bridge of his nose. He was talking to her as if she was listening, his stump swinging through the air for emphasis, his gold hand abandoned on the table.
"You're really missing out on some excellent moral dilemmas." He told the unconscious woman. "At first the air was so thick with the smell of rotting human flesh it was a burden to breathe at all, but then after the dragons charred everything to bits it smelled so succulent you felt your mouth betrayed your humanity when it watered."
Tyrion chuckled, and Jamie's eyes slipped over to his brother.
"They send you after me?" The older Lannister guessed.
"They've sent me to appeal to you to bathe." His younger brother snorted. "How is she?"
"It's been three days." Jamie sighed, his eyes sweeping over the woman in the bed. "She's barely moved."
"The Maester is still optimistic she'll make a full recovery." The Imp reminded him, leaning against the doorway.
"The Maester didn't hear her telling me that she'd expected to die." He whispered, leaning forward, his lame arm laying next to her on the mattress. Tyrion let the silence sweep across them, giving his brother a moment to collect himself. "How's your queen?"
"My queen." His brother heaved a heavy breath. "It seems that the line of succession may have skipped over someone." Jamie's eyebrows arched into his hairline. "Apparently Ned Stark's bastard is really another Aegon Targaryen. Son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen."
Jamie's body burned thick with the news. He leaned forward, his mouth slipping open.
"Rhaegar's son." His voice was rough and gravely.
"Yes." His brother gave him a grave look. "True born."
"An heir lived?" Something light shook free in Jamie's chest and floated up his throat. "A son lived?"
"Apparently so."
"It changes everything." Jamie looked out the thin window at the darkness. "As mad as his father was, Rhaegar was quiet and withdrawn, but kind and just." He snorted. "Much like his son." He paused, his mouth agape as he thought of what it meant. "And how has the Mother of Dragons taken the news?" Jamie blinked back at his sibling.
"Well.. she's yet to burn her lover at the steak." He replied, giving a serious look.
"She still might." Jamie warned him in hushed tones.
"I have seen honor and goodness in her." Tyrion reminded him. "I still feel I can temper her wrath."
"Tell that to Samewell Tarley." Jamie pointed out, leaning forward slightly. "Last I checked they were our vassel."
"The House Lannister's allegiance seems to be in question these days doesn't it?" Tyrion sighed, slumping into a nearby chair.
"House Lannister." He sniffed. "House Lannister is you and I."
"And our dear sister? Although she's loyal to no one, you've always remained loyal to her."
"Fuck Loyalty." He mumbled, his eyes sliding to the other occupant of the room. Tyrion's eyes widened, but he didn't disagree. Jamie watched him regard Brienne with a quiet reverence.
"She's been good for you." He observed.
"She's saved me." Tyrion wasn't sure Jamie even knew he'd spoken out loud.
"Your Lady serves House Stark. I suppose our allegiance should fall in alliance with theirs. Seeing as you are the elder brother and Lady Sansa was my wife."
"Rhaegar hoped I would protect his children." Jamie remembered. "I asked him to take me with him, but he felt needed me in King's Landing to assure that Father would not turn on Ayres, but he still wished for me to protect his children." He looked at Tyrion. "I'd like to do that now."
"Then I guess House Lannister bends the knee to the Dragon King once again." The half man sighed with a nod. "Let's hope his beloved aunt doesn't roast us all alive."
…..
"Anything?" Sansa looked up at her sister as she returned to the room. Arya shook her head. "What if she kills him?"
"She won't." Bran's cryptic tone made Sansa's stomach turn. She hated it.
"How can you be so sure? Can you see the future now too?" She glared at him.
"Stop." Arya folded her hands behind her back. "There will be time for sibling rivalry later. This is about Jon."
"Aegon." Sansa murmured.
"He's still the same man." Her sister whispered kindly. "The same amount of Stark as he has always been. As much Father's son as he has always been. As much our brother as he has always been."
"He was reluctant to be King of the North, and now.." She turned back to Bran. "You're certain she won't kill him?"
He didn't speak and she turned her attention to the other occupant of the room. Sam Tarly took a deep breath.
"Jon's never been one to choose to lead." Samwell told her evenly. "I would assume he'd do little to threaten her, until the people demand it."
"They will." Came a voice from the doorway. The eyes in the room fell upon Tyrion Lannister's diminutive form. "M' Lady." He whispered to Sansa. "I wish to join your council."
"What makes you think you can be trusted to join our council?" Arya stepped in front of her sister, but Sansa's hand on her arm halted her advance.
"I trust him." She said softly, turning towards her brother. Her sister's gaze followed and the two regarded him with interest.
"As do I." The three eyed crow replied.
"The people will demand it." Tyrion repeated. "The Dothraki are gone. The UnSullied in ruin. What is left now is wildings and northerners, and they will all bend the knee to to Jon Snow."
"And you Lord Tyrion? Hand of the Queen?" Sansa asked evenly.
"I've spoken to my brother." He nodded. "He is in love with your Swordswoman, weather he knows it yet or not is debatable, but he is. And seeing as you and I were pledged in marriage it seems only right that House Lannister, or what's left of it anyway, will pledge it's allegiance to the Dragon Wolf."
Sansa's lips curled briefly at the designation, she couldn't help but like the sound.
"You'll abandon your queen?" Arya raised an eyebrow. "Again?"
"I bent the knee to Dany because I believed she was the true heir. He is the true heir." Tyrion glanced around the room before returning his gaze to Sansa. "Apparently my loyalties suddenly are no longer as divided as it seemed."
…
"It's funny how quickly things can change." Jamie mused, adjusting the blankets around Brienne. "You'd have thought I'd learned that by now." He glanced at his stump before smirking at her. "How quickly your destiny can lurch in a direction you'd never imagine. How what you thought you knew was suddenly untrue."
He sat on the bed beside her with a dramatic sigh, his head lulling back and examining the ceiling of the chamber.
"I'll be someone worthy of your loyalty if it kills me. If you'd just wake up." He murmured, before taking a deep breath and blowing it out roughly. "Have I ever told you about my grandfather's lions? Literal lions, He kept them in cages-."
"Mmm.." The soft sound was like nothing he'd heard from her before and it startled him. "Jamie?"
He slid from the bed, lowering himself into the chair and bending to her eye level.
"I'm still here."
"Shut up." She breathed, opening her eyes in time to see the confused look on his face before her's broke into a grin. He pushed out a chuckle before another huff of relief followed as his forehead dropped to hers. She closed her eyes and hummed as his hand came up and brushed her damp locks from her face.
"As you wish M'Lady." He whispered.