A/N: So sorry for the delay, guys, life has been hectic! Some smut in this chapter! Thanks for keeping reading XO
King's Landing, 300 AC
The official coronation has occurred at dawn, and, now the sun has set in the sky, Aylis is walking to the throne room. She smiles slightly remembering about the ceremony, and tears suddenly fill her eyes when she sees Edmure walking her down the aisle. It should have been her father, it should have been Lord Hoster… She suddenly wonders if he knew when he betrothed her to Stannis, if he knew about her fate. Did he think she would become Queen? No, of course not, how could he? Robert was sure to father children, and, back then, he was promised to Lyanna. This doesn't matter anyways: she is the Queen now. She closes her eyes as a delicious shiver runs up and down her spine, just like when the Septon declared their new titles, to her and Stannis. Seeing her husband beautifully dressed up, with the golden crown on his head, had turned her on a lot. Now, she is wandering around the castle, the children are asleep, but in her blood runs a mad feeling, her heart can't stop racing in her chest, and she cannot find sleep, of course. To the excitement of the coronation adds the fear for tomorrow's meeting, as Lord Tywin is supposed to reach the capital then. She feels cold suddenly, and wraps her arms around herself, gently stroking her skin, but she knows it has nothing to do with the soft wind blowing tonight. She ends up reaching the big wooden door of the throne's room and she gets in, looking around to find her husband. When she sees him, a brutal belly pang knots her stomach and she gasps slightly with pain. Stannis, sit on the Iron Throne, turns to her surprised:
"Aylis? What are you doing here, you should be in bed."
The queen shrugs her shoulders as she walks to face the throne:
"I could not find sleep. I was missing you", she slightly pouts.
"I am coming soon. Go to bed, you need to rest", he says, looking at her.
She frowns slightly: he sounds distant and almost sad, when he should be the happiest man in the world. She stares at him, his beard he had let grow since he got into this war, the eyes, still so beautiful to her, and his hands… again, she shivers, this time with desire, and, out of the blue, she slides the straps of her dress off her shoulders. The fabric makes a very erotic sound as it falls on the floor. The cold of the room strikes her, her whole body gets gooseflesh and her nipples harden violently, almost hurting her. Stannis stares at her:
"What are you doing?" he asks in a murmur.
She does not reply, walks up the stairs that lead to the throne, and she stands in front of him, naked. He does not react, he just looks at her, and she leans down to kiss him. He barely replies, but she sits on his lap and deepens the kiss, almost forcing him to. "My King", she soughs in his ear as her hands run to his breeches, quickly unlacing them, her hips already swaying on his crotch. Stannis closes his eyes, excitement overwhelming him but, still, he wonders if it is a good idea, what if someone comes in? A guard, Ser Davos? But Aylis does not seem to care and he gasps pretty loudly when she guides him in her slit. Immediately, she starts bouncing hard and, unable to restrain himself, Stannis cups her breasts and sucks her hard nipples intently, letting her move on him. She squeals her approbation, and he runs his lips to her neck, burying himself in her wetness, and his face in her scent. He grinds his teeth hard while he's in her, first, to not be too noisy, and because he aches a bit, grinding against the throne. Aylis is totally unleashed, and he feels his bare skin digging into the throne. He bites her shoulder so hard she squeals with pain, but he cannot help it and suddenly comes in her, before she reaches her climax, and pushes her away pretty violently. He quickly stands up and runs away to their room, where he dives in a bathtub.
The following morning, Stannis sits on the throne, Aylis at his side, and they both are watching Lord Tywin walking to them. Aylis swallows hard and her hand on Aistan's shoulder tightens its embrace. The little boy stares at the man reaching them: he has loved Tywin, as he could have loved a grandfather. Closely watched over by the kingsguards, Tywin's children look at their father. The old Lord had no other choice but coming. But he is not a man who would beg for his children's lives. He is willing to acknowledge Stannis's kingship, as he would not find any ally to rebel against him, but he knows Stannis is going to ask for an important prize, and that nothing he could say would change his mind. Stannis stops him as he walks, to make him understand he wants him to stop there. Jaime tries to catch his attention, but Tywin remains ignorant, staring at the King.
"I made you come here because you are the head of the Lannister house, Lord Tywin", Stannis says. Tywin keeps staring at him, listening. The king goes on: "But I cannot ignore the crimes of your children. Your daughter has murdered my brother, as well as Jon Arryn. Your first born son is accomplice. They deserve a punishment: Whether you bend the knee or not, Jaime will be send to the Wall, and Cersei will be on trial for these accusations. If she is found guilty, she will be executed."
"No!" the voice of Jamie rings out in the room. Shattered by the words of the king, he leans his hand on Tyrion's shoulder, squeezing it hard. Cersei, her, glares at him, as if he was embarrassing her. Tywin had not reacted to Stannis's words. He is not even shocked, indeed. He knows it was bound to happen, he knows who Cersei is. If only Joanna had lived, nothing of this would have happened. Stannis keeps talking:
"Your son Tyrion will become your heir, and I demand that Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen abandon the name 'Baratheon'. They are not Baratheons. Joffrey will be sent to the Wall, Myrcella to the Silent Sisters, Tommen to the Citadel to become a Maester", he grinds his teeth as he finishes. "If you refuse those terms, you're welcome to leave. But I will fight you, and destroy you. The Lannisters will be all killed. What is your answer?"
Only then, tywin allows himself to look at his children. But instead of staring at his twins, he looks at Tyrion.
"Tyrion will need a wife and heirs", Tywin avoids the question.
"Of course", Stannis nods. "He will."
Tywin nods slightly and, slowly, bends the knee to Stannis. Cersei gives him a disgusted look, and Jamie looks down, while Tyrion stares incredulous at his father. He thought the image of him ruling Casterly Rock would have been so hateful for his father that he would have chosen to fight, but, obviously, Tyrion does not know his father as good as he thinks. Stannis looks at Tywin, feeling weirdly relieved. He did not want to take his soldiers into another war, especially since he had news from Essos, where Daenerys had met a young man calling himself Aegon, the son of Aerys, the baby whose skull had been crashed against a wall. And Daenerys has three dragons. Tywin's bending the knee is just a problem solved. Stannis has lot of bigger problems than him. But, he must acknowledge the decision Tywin has taken. It would have cost him to destroy one of the greatest houses of Westeros. It has never been his goal. He nods slightly at Tywin, and dismisses him, before ordering to take Cersei back to her cell, to free Tyrion, and to send Jaime to the Wall immediately. Stannis wants him to be gone when the trial of Cersei will occur, just in case she asks for a trial by combat. When they are alone, he turns to Aylis and Aistan: they both are very pale, the little boy probably shocked by everything that happened but Stannis must teach him how to rule: the little boy may have to rule way sooner than expected, even tho Stannis has no will to die soon; But he knows, as every soldier, that no one can predict a battle. He smiles a bit, reassuring Aistan, and runs a hand in his hair but the boy moves away brutally and runs out. Aylis tries to run after him, but Stannis grabs his arm:
"No, leave him. He needs to be alone."
Aylis looks down and sighs wearily, pecks his lips and walks out too. Stannis watches her leave and sighs too. He has always known the power was poisonous, but he still hopes it will not influence his relationship with his wife. Davos comes in suddenly and Stannis, happy to think about something else, asks him what is going on. Davos gives him a few letters from his spies in Essos, and Stannis's thoughts focus on the silver-haired young girl who threatens what he has just started to build.