Just because I've been so crappy with updates, I've decided to update this again, even though I seriously posted a chapter yesterday. Thank you to my readers and the nice things people say about it.
Miriam
They'd been in King's Landing for roughly a month, and Miriam was beginning to show. Thankfully it wasn't too noticeable yet, but she knew it would be soon. Then what would be said about her? She was posing as Leila's handmaid. Did people care when handmaidens were pregnant? She was on equal ground with one of Littlefinger's whores most likely. No one cared when a whore's belly swelled, so why should they care if her belly swelled?
What frightened Miriam though was that if they knew she was pregnant, someone could claim she wasn't a good enough maid for Leila and she could be dismissed from her service. And then where would she go? It would take too long to send a crow to her homeland and have someone send the gold for her to travel. Perhaps Renly could help her. He'd always been fair to her family.
Miriam had taken to wearing oversized dresses to cover the pregnancy. Since she was serving as a maid, she wore the standard maid uniform –a billowy, light gown that tied around her neck and was sleeveless. It required no corset, and so her belly was hidden…at least for the time being. Within weeks, everyone would be able to tell.
Leila had been kind and had let Miriam use her chambers so she could rest. There had been a joust for the Hand, but Miriam couldn't attend. She had spent all the morning being ill. The gods smiled upon her, and morning sickness wasn't a huge issue, but even the smallest bit of blood made her queasy. A joust was no place for her. She smiled wryly; wouldn't it be fabulous if she lost it and vomited in front of the King and Queen?
Miriam left Leila's room and enjoyed an afternoon in the library, reading up on the history of King's Landing. It'd been months since she'd read a book, and she felt like she was losing her wit. She'd give anything to be able to speak to her grandmother and brother and sister.
The door to the library opened, and a familiar face entered.
"I thought I'd find you here. You never were like your brother or sister," Renly said, walking up to her. "How is serving the lioness? I can't even imagine."
Part of Miriam was annoyed, because she wanted to keep reading, but she was also glad to see Renly.
"Oh, be quiet. Leila's fine. How did you find me?" She asked.
"You've always been more comfortable around books than people," said Renly. "I also came with what I hope to be good news."
"Good news?" She repeated. She ran a hand through her hair. "Please tell. I could use some good news."
"There is to be a joust," he said.
"Oh gods, I thought you said good news." She rolled her eyes, and Renly snorted.
"Never mind…you are more like your brother and sister than I thought. Loras does that when he's annoyed." Renly chuckled. "The joust is in honor of the King. Don't ask me for the details. Robert likes watching blood squirt. He'd make a wonderful woman. Every moon, he could bleed –"
"Where is this going?" Miriam asked.
"Sorry. I got carried away. What I wanted to tell you was that the King has called for your brother, Ser Loras, to travel to the capital and fight in the tourney," he said.
Miriam's mouth stretched into the largest smile she'd born since learning she was pregnant. Emotions flooded through her. Her flesh and blood… She jumped to her feet and rushed to Renly. She took his hands in hers.
"When does he arrive?" She asked.
"Should be this afternoon, and the tourney will be tomorrow," Renly said. "You will be in attendance, I presume?"
"Yes, of course! Of course!" She said.
Miriam was restless for the remainder of the day. She told Leila that her brother was going to come, and Leila agreed to go and greet him, so that Miriam could come as well. She thanked Leila over and over again. She'd been away from Loras before, as he was a knight, but for some reason, she was very emotional this time. She'd cried many times in her bed thinking of her siblings.
When Loras rode in on his horse, Miriam and Leila met him at the castle gate, accompanied by guards. Loras jumped off his horse, and ran to them. Miriam wanted to embrace him, but she knew they couldn't in front of the guards. Instead, Loras greeted Leila with a kiss on the cheek.
"Lady Leila, a pleasure to see you again! How are things at Casterly Rock?" Loras asked.
"They are wonderful. My lord father keeps plenty busy," she laughed.
"Then the same as ever!" Loras exclaimed.
Loras's brown curls had grown out over the last couple of months. He'd said it added to his image as the Knight of the Flowers. Loras was certainly handsome, with bright eyes and a slim build. He looked behind him at Miriam and smirked. Then he wrapped his arm in Leila's and they headed toward the Keep, Miriam following behind.
When they reached the Keep, Leila dismissed the guards and led them to a small, empty chamber. Once inside, Miriam and Loras finally embraced. They kissed one another's cheeks and combed their fingers through one another's hair.
"Damn it all, Miriam! Why did you have to leave us?" Loras asked. "It's been such a bore without you there!"
"I'm sorry, but you don't know how I've suffered here! I miss Highgarden so much! Oh, if only I could return!" She cried. She looked apologetically at Leila. "Not that I don't enjoy your company…"
Leila shrugged, clearly not offended.
"Then come back with me!" Loras said. "I shall only be at the capital for a time. Then you can ride back with me to Highgarden! Grandmother misses you…Margaery misses you…Damn you for making me say it, but I miss you, sister!"
Hearing his words were sweeter than any song she'd ever heard. She smiled sadly, though.
"Loras, I cannot go with you. You rode here alone. I am Leila's handmaiden for now, and everyone would see me leaving the capitol with you. When I return home, it must be with Grandmother's permission," she said. "There's also something…something else…"
"Excuse me. Jaime wishes to see me," Leila said.
Miriam had a feeling Jaime had not called for Leila, but she slipped out of the chamber.
"I saw it too. There's something different about you," he said. "Your body…it's different…"
"I am with child," she said. "I am pregnant with Theon Greyjoy's son and thus trueborn heir to the Iron Islands –"
"Shit!" Loras cried. "No! No –I told you that Theon Greyjoy was a pompous cunt, and now you're fat with his baby? And how the hell do you know it's a boy? What will you do when you show? Miriam, you have to return to Highgarden! We will find a way! I can't believe it…I just can't believe it…"
"Loras! I'm not Miriam Tyrell here! I'm just Miriam…the handmaiden! No one will care if I'm pregnant! I also have to stay here, because I can learn what's going on in Winterfell through the Starks! You have to trust me in this!" She cried. But why should he trust me? I'm just a bastard with mediocre ideas…
"I will write to grandmother and tell her everything," Loras said.
"Yes, please do," she said, nodding her head. "But for now, I am Leila's maid. If they know I am pregnant with a Greyjoy heir, they will cut the child out of me. This child will be our secret weapon. Don't you see? Our family's dynasty will live that much longer when we present this child to his father at the right time."
"Dynasty? Oh, shut it, Miriam. I hate words like that. They make me want to run chest first into a lance," he said.
"Alright, fair enough," Miriam said, though she still glared up at her brother. "I need you to make sure the family comes before me, though. If there is an offer to ally with our house and grandmother wants to come see me, you must convince her otherwise. If anyone needs to write me, I'd suggest writing Leila. We can trust her."
"Even though she's a Lannister?"
"Yes."
A few days passed, Miriam visiting her brother whenever she could get a moment. Before the joust, Miriam went through every scenario that could occur. If someone was impaled in front of her, she could turn around and throw up behind the stands. Or perhaps she could just close her eyes. But if she heard the squirt…
"Look! There's the Starks! We can sit with them," Leila said, pointing out the Starks who just happened to be sitting front and center. Miriam suppressed a groan.
They approached the Starks and slipped in beside them. Leila smiled at Sansa who was next to her. Then there was Eddard, and on the other side of him was Lydia. Arya wasn't in attendance.
"Good afternoon, Lady Sansa, Lord Stark," Leila said brightly. "And to you, Lady Lydia."
There was something off, Miriam noticed. Lydia seemed colder toward Lydia than she normally did. Sansa and Eddard bowed their heads politely.
The audience was clearly excited for the joust. The first contestant, Ser Gregor Clegane, was riding around the track as a warm up. Miriam had heard of him, but she knew realized just how big he was. Her brother would be jousting against that. She couldn't wrap her mind around it.
"Where's Arya?" Lord Stark asked suddenly.
"At her dancing lessons," Sansa said sourly. Immediately following her answer, Loras rode in on his horse, dressed in silver armor. He was the very picture of a storybook knight. "The Knight of the Flowers!"
Loras removed his helmet and shook out his long hair. He flashed them all a perfect smile. He and Miriam caught one another's eyes, and there was a brief, shared smile between them. Then he recovered and handed a red rose over to Sansa. She sniffed it, but as she did so, he glanced up at Renly sitting above them.
"Thank you, Ser Loras," Sansa said dreamily.
Loras nodded at her, rode up the King, and then bowed before him. Afterwards he rode to the other side of the track, on opposite ends of Ser Gregor, and he held his lance at the ready.
"Don't let Ser Gregor hurt him!" Sansa said suddenly, grabbing a hold of Lord Stark's arm.
He gently touched her. "Hey."
"I can't watch," she breathed.
"Don't worry, Sansa," Leila said brightly. "Ser Loras is a very good rider. He won't be easily defeated. I spent many summers at Highgarden and came to know him."
Sansa unburied her face from her father's arm.
"Really?" She whispered.
"Yes, and Miriam knows him too. She can testify for me. He's a very good rider." Leila looked at Miriam. So did the Starks.
"Ah, um, yes, milady. Ser Loras rides very well," Miriam said.
Behind them, Baelish and Renly were carrying on a conversation.
"One hundred gold dragons on the Mountain," Baelish offered.
"I'll take that bet," Renly said, snickering.
"Now what will I buy with one hundred gold dragons? A dozen barrels of Dornish wine? Or a girl from the pleasure houses of Lys?" Baelish wondered aloud.
"Or you could even buy a friend," Renly cut in, sneering.
Lydia hissed.
"That Ser Gregor Clegane…I don't know why…but he seems like a monster. Just the way he moves, the way he looks at me. I don't like it," she said.
"He's going to die," Sansa moaned.
Lord Stark patted her shoulder.
"Ser Loras rides well," Eddard said. "Just as Leila and her maid said."
Miriam heard a loud and booming trumpet, signifying the start of the match. Their horses whinnied loudly and their riders charged them forward. Ser Gregor rode his beast down his lane, and Ser Loras rode his mare down the other. Miriam gritted her teeth, and Leila grabbed a hold of her hand. Lydia watched the match, but she also watched how Leila and Miriam touched.
Suddenly, with no one was expecting it, Ser Loras rode right by Ser Gregor and shoved him right off his horse using his javelin. When Ser Gregor fell, it was like an earthquake shaking the stadium. He crashed with an earsplitting smack and an awful clunk of armor.
The audience went crazy. Sansa began to breathe again.
"Such a shame, Littlefinger! It would have been so nice for you to have a friend," Renly called out to Baelish.
"And tell me, Lord Renly, when will you be having your friend?" Lord Baelish focused in on Loras sitting atop his horse. Lord Baelish peered down at the Stark family and whispered to Sansa. "Loras knew his mare was in heat. Quite crafty, really."
"Ser Loras would never do that!" Sansa snapped. "There's no honor in tricks!"
"No honor, but quite a bit of gold," Baelish said.
"Not everyone is obsessed with gold, Lord Baelish," Leila said curtly.
"Says the daughter of Tywin Lannister." Baelish snorted. "Ah, Miriam! My apologies for having not greeted you sooner."
"You know Miriam?" Both Leila and Lydia said in unison.
"Yes, I do. I had the pleasure of meeting her just the other day. She was lost, so I helped her find what she was looking for," Baelish lied. "She's a fine handmaiden, Lady Lannister. You'll want to keep an eye on her."
Miriam's head spun; she didn't want to give herself away, but Lord Baelish was addressing her. She had to act humble…but she couldn't offend him either. Littlefinger was not a good enemy to have.
She was spared though when Ser Gregor got off the ground and yelled to his squire for his sword. Everyone thought he'd been knocked out. The small squire gave him a sword almost as tall as Leila. Ser Gregor took it, and, roaring like a wounded beast, sliced his horse's head off completely. Everyone went insane, and Miriam covered her mouth and closed her eyes.
Not here…Not here… Oh gods, please, not here…
Her eyes shot open out of concern, though, as Ser Gregor charged at Loras. Loras fell from his horse and smacked into the hard ground. He brought his sword down, but Loras moved just in time. Everyone leaned forward and gasped.
"Oh, gods!" Miriam couldn't help but say.
Right as the Mountain was about to skewer Loras, the Hound jumped from the stands and landed in front of him. He brought his blade up and parried the Mountain. The two brothers struggled against one another while Loras got out of the way as fast as he could. The Hound, though very large in stature, was still smaller than his brother, the Mountain. Miriam watched in horror as the Hound's knees began to bend. Would the Mountain murder his own flesh in front of everyone?
"Stop this madness in the name of your king!" King Robert screamed over them.
Ser Gregor yanked away from a panting Ser Sandor. The Mountain snarled and stomped away. Ser Sandor bowed, and Loras came over to him. He smiled and took his large arm and raised his hand in victory. The crowd went wild, especially Sansa, who stood up and clapped loudly. Miriam found that she could breathe again and looked appreciatively at the Hound.
"I owe you my life, Ser," Loras said to Sandor.
"I'm no ser," the Hound responded.
After the joust, Leila spoke quickly about what had happened. Miriam was glad for the chatter, because she didn't think she could speak. Her heart was still hammering.
"Such a beast of a man! I never liked him! My father says he's a sort of necessary evil, but he's insane! I've heard horrible things about the man! Thank the gods for his brother! That was really, really brave of him!" Leila was saying.
It was very brave of him. Miriam had only heard rumors of the Clegane brothers' childhood, and they weren't pleasant. Ser Sandor frightened her a bit, but she was willing to look past that because she had just witnessed him saving her brother's life. She wished she could thank him personally, but it would just be too suspicious if she did.
Two weeks later, Miriam dressed in her typical handmaiden attire. This time, though, no matter how large the dress, her stomach was noticeably bulging. She swallowed and tried figuring out what she should do.
As she did her chores that day, she folded her arms over her stomach, scared that someone would notice. Normally she didn't have to do much work, but that day the head handmaiden ordered for many things to be done. Miriam cursed her in her mind. When she was finally finished, she made a bee-line toward Leila's tower.
"Miriam!" She heard called out.
She spun around and saw Lord Baelish.
"I'm sorry, my lord. I must see Lady Leila now," she said.
He chortled. "There's no need to call me your lord. No one is listening to us. You are a lady. House Tyrell is above House Baelish."
She sighed, and he continued.
"I was noticing you today, watching you. That was quite the battle between your brother and the Mountain. I bet you're very grateful to have Ser Sandor to help," he said.
"Yes, very," she said.
"That was admirable of you to attend the tourney to support Loras. I know you didn't want to. Congratulations on keeping everything inside," he said.
"Thank you, but I don't quite understand," she admitted.
"Your belly has gotten bigger." He closed in on her, and she could feel his wine flavored breath upon her face. He placed his hands on her shoulders. "I wonder…Is it a boy or a girl? The Queen of Thorns, already a great grandmother! It's incredible, really!"
Everything inside Miriam's head shook. How did Lord Baelish know she was pregnant?
"My Lord, I…" she couldn't find her words.
"I have no plans to rat you out, my lady. I am an ally after all. I just hoped to know what your plans were. If no one claims that child, then you will be thrown out of Leila Lannister's service. Not even she could protect you then. And the child can't be just anyone's child either," he breathed.
"I am aware of that," Miriam said. Her bones were icy, and whenever Baelish spoke she felt a shiver pass up her spine.
"So, I was thinking…" He smirked. "I will claim that he is my child until the real father returns. How does that sound?"
Her jaw dropped, and she could just hear the voice of her grandmother telling her off for looking so weak in front of a potential enemy. But did Baelish really mean to help her? She didn't have a choice in the matter. Everything he said was absolutely correct.
"But won't your reputation be ruined?" She sputtered.
"Reputation? What reputation? I am Master of Coin and the lord of a brothel! I am also a man, and men are allowed to be much more promiscuous than you ladies," he answered. "Don't worry about me. I am not the type to endanger myself for others. Now, will you allow me to claim that child as my own?"
Though her heart was hammering what seemed like somewhere in her throat, Miriam remembered her Tyrell pride and narrowed her eyes.
"And what shall I do to pay you back for this, Lord Baelish?" She asked.
His whole countenance darkened.
"Not much," he said. "I just have a few favors to ask of you…"
