Chapter 71

"I have not the least intention of lying in bed for days on end like a feeble old woman."

Sansa sighed in exasperation. Jaime had regained consciousness only two days ago and he was already fighting her at every turn, insisting that he was well enough to leave their bed. Does he expect to just go about his day, with those horrible wounds? He was far too proud to admit that he was in pain from the horrible wounds that he bore, but she could see that he was during unguarded moments when he thought she wasn't watching him. Sansa was certain if she allowed him to leave the bed he would collapse, he'd lost so much blood. It had been a constant battle to keep him resting, and she almost longed for when he was delirious with fever. At least then he didn't argue with her about staying in bed.

"I don't mean to wound your pride, Jaime, but right now, you have the strength of a feeble old woman. You've lost a lot of blood."

"I'm quite well, despite what you think. You can stop your tricks, by the way. Do you think I haven't noticed how you always manage to put Julianna in my arms when it's her nap time? As if I'm a babe in need of a nap."

"Do you think I haven't noticed how quickly and soundly you fall to sleep when I do? Your body needs to rest." She took his hand in both of hers. "The best thing for you is to stay in bed, Jaime. I want you to get well."

He smiled at her, leaning over for a kiss. Sansa gently cupped his cheek, her fingers tickled by his beard, and returned his kiss. She had expected a rather innocent kiss, but Jaime responded with passion, kissing her again and again. Her other hand was gently resting on his shoulder, and she felt Jaime move it down over his bare chest. "Perhaps you'd like to make it worth my while to stay in bed," he whispered against her neck. "Slip off your gown and join me? I could use some exercise after all this time sitting."

He can't be serious. He was near death two days ago. "You're far too weak for…that," she said quickly, moving to put some distance between them. "Your wounds aren't even healed enough to bandage, yet. And the Maester said it will be weeks before you regain your strength."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Weeks? I'll not be in this bed for weeks."

"Jaime, please it's for your own go –"

Before she could try to reason with him, there was a knock at the door and Jaime bid whomever it was to enter. Arya came bounding in, an excited smile on her face. "Mother said I could finally come visit you," she said to Jaime, climbing onto the bed beside him. "I wanted to see you sooner, but Sansa said I had to wait, because you were too weak for visitors. Are you better?"

"Yes."

"No, he's not."

Arya looked between the two of them, uncertain how to respond. "Can I see where they stabbed you?"

"Arya," Sansa said in disgust at her clear excitement to see a bloody wound. "Why would you want to see that?"

"I'm just curious. I've never seen an injury from a White Walker's sword. No one ever has." She turned back to Jaime. "Can I see?"

He smirked and pulled the blanket down to his waist, showing her the large wound across his side. It wasn't as inflamed with infection as it had been when he arrived, but it was still ghastly to see. Sansa could see that Arya was thrilled by the spectacle and gore – thrilled to see a real battle wound.

"Does it hurt?"

"Yes. Not that he'll admit it," Sansa ground out.

"How many stitches are there?" she asked once Jaime had pulled up the blanket, hiding the hideous cut from sight.

"Hundreds," Sansa said quietly. "I stopped counting after a time."

Arya looked at her in astonishment. "You sewed his wound closed?"

She nodded. "Perhaps now you don't think the time I spent with Septa Mordane was entirely wasted."

Arya smiled, and Sansa saw a new respect in her sister's eyes before she turned her attention back to Jaime. "Uncle Edmure said that the White Walkers had thin blue swords that looked like they were made of ice," she said excitedly. "What did it feel like when it stabbed you?"

"It felt cold. Cut right through my armor," Jaime said, smiling at her enthusiasm. Sansa knew he had missed her as well as Tommen and Julianna. She was glad that her husband and sister were so fond of one another. It made her feel that she had a real family again.

"Gendry said that you continued to fight, and killed two more White Walkers after you were stabbed."

"I didn't know I was hurt for a time."

"You know, you should have taken me with you," Arya said, a scolding tone in her voice.

Jaime tried to sit up more and reached for his side as he did, in clear pain. "Oh? Does it hurt? I don't understand it. You've healed so completely," Sansa said sarcastically and he met her eyes with a glare.

"Arya, what would you have done if I'd taken you with me?"

"I could have helped you in the battle. I could have stabbed the White Walker in the leg and stopped it from hurting you. You could have died," she said quietly. "I couldn't help my father but…I could have helped you." Sansa looked away, feeling emotional at the mention of their father's execution.

Jaime smiled softly, seeing that the child had worried for him. "You're right. I could have died," he allowed. "But I didn't. The both of you should stop fretting over me. I'm quite well."

"Can we start practicing again, soon?" Arya asked and Sansa sighed inwardly. She was never going to be able to keep Jaime in bed if Arya was prodding him to get up and be active.

"Perhaps in a few days we can resume your training," Jaime said, smirking at Sansa.

"You will not be sword fighting in a few days. I'll not allow you to leave this room until Maester Merwyn said it's all right, and I'm satisfied for myself that you're well."

"Until you're satisfied that I'm well? Earned a Maester's chain while I was gone, did you love?" He's trying to provoke me, she thought as Jaime turned his attention back to Arya. "Did you practice while I was gone?"

Arya nodded, smiling. "I practiced with Tommen, like you asked. And one of Sansa's guards practiced with me, too. He's not as good as you or Ser Addam, but he helped me practice everything I've learned. Will you teach me to fight with a dagger? There are so many dragonglass ones down in the forge now."

"Sure. Go get one. I can teach you that right now."

"Don't you dare," she hissed at Arya. "I have another idea for how you can pass the time." Sansa crossed the room and picked up a large wooden box. "This may not be as exciting but, I found this in the library and I thought it might entertain you." She looked at Arya. "This is why I asked mother to send you up here today for a visit – not so you could be a bad influence. It seemed like something the both of you would like."

In all honesty, Sansa needed a break from trying to entertain Jaime. He was not a man meant to relax. Nor was he meant for a sickbed. She always knew that her husband was a man of action, but she had no idea it would be such an effort to get him to rest in bed while he healed. She could see he was going half mad after only two days confined to bed. And he was exhausting her in his determination to act as if he weren't injured.

"What is it?" Arya asked, opening the box Sansa had placed in front of her.

"Tyrion always begged me to play this with him when he was a boy," Jaime said, smiling sadly at the memory. "You'll like it, Arya. It's a game where you try to conquer all of Westeros. I assume you'd like to use the wolf as your playing piece?"

Arya nodded, her eyes moving over the intricately carved map of Westeros. Sansa could see that it was quite well-made and likely cost a small fortune. The game board resembled the type of maps used to plan military operations. They set the map between them on the bed and Sansa noticed that Jaime selected the lion for himself. She hoped it would keep them occupied. It seemed to Sansa that the game was rather complicated and would take hours to play – at least she hoped that it would.

"You'll stay here and play with her?" Sansa asked hopefully. She wished to have some time to herself, just to take a hot bath and relax without worrying about Jaime over-exerting himself and causing further injuries. She'd begun to feel as if Julianna wasn't her only baby, given the amount of time she spent watching Jaime. Sansa didn't trust him not to get out of bed, but she thought Arya would keep him occupied for a time.

"I promise I'll stay here with her," Jaime said, looking at Sansa curiously. "Where are you going?"

"I just wanted to take a bath and…"

"Get away from me?"

"No," she said quickly. "I enjoy being with you and taking care of you and-"

"Go on, you deserve some time alone."

"I've given the guards instructions that if you try to leave, they're to stop you," she told him in warning.

"Turned my men against me, have you, little wife? I should have known their loyalty would lie with a beautiful woman rather than with me."

Sansa smiled. "Please don't let him get up," she said to Arya. Her sister nodded absently as she continued taking pieces of the game out of the box. "I won't be too long." She hesitated, standing in the doorway, wondering if Jaime could be trusted to stay in bed.

He looked over at her and smiled. "I promise, I won't move from this spot until you return…but I am not conceding weeks spent in this room." Sansa reluctantly took him at his word, disappearing into the bathing room.

"I'm glad you came back," she heard Arya say. "I would have missed you if you'd died."

"I'm glad to be back also," she heard Jaime say. "I would have regretted being unable to complete your training."

Sansa smiled, leaving the door open so she could hear their chatter as Jaime explained the game to her and they began to play, though it soon sounded as if they had been distracted from the game and Jaime was using the map to tell Arya about some of the battles during the Greyjoy Rebellion. Listening to them talking, even if she couldn't make out everything that was said, reassured her that Jaime was behaving and following the Maester's instructions. At least for one afternoon.

Sansa sighed to herself as she sunk into the hot water and closed her eyes. It's going to be a long three weeks waiting for Jaime to heal enough to leave our bed.

…

"…The great pyramid of…g...g…"

"Ghis."

"…Ghis."

Sansa looked up from her sewing and smiled at the sight of Jaime seated on their bed, with Tommen beside him, sitting as close as he could possibly be to Jaime without actually sitting in his lap. They were reading a book together, as they had done nearly every afternoon for the past two weeks. Sansa had encouraged Jaime to allow the child to sit and read with him, since it benefited Tommen to spend time with Jaime and to practice his reading. And, best of all, it kept Jaime sitting in one place for a time. Sansa found that she took great pleasure in watching the two golden lions together, enjoying one another's company.

She had thought it so sad how uneasy they were with one another when Tommen first came to King's Landing. Then, when Tommen grew to be comfortable at Casterly Rock, and with them, she saw how much he wanted Jaime's attention and love, but her husband seemed unable to give it to the boy. It warmed her heart to see that Jaime had developed some small affection for the child. She'd noticed that when he returned from battle, Jaime was much more willing to give Tommen his time and attention. He and Tommen had grown closer during Jaime's recovery.

"Uncle Jaime? I'm glad Margaery brought me to live here with you and Sansa."

Sansa's eyes flicked to Jaime, watching his reaction. "We like having you here as well, Tommen."

He smiled and leaned his head against Jaime. "Are you and Sansa my parents now?" Jaime's eyes met Sansa's then and she could see the mix of emotions in his gaze. She knew that a part of him still loved Cersei. She was his twin sister. And the mother of his children. Sansa knew that Cersei was part of Jaime, even if he would never voice it aloud to her. She suspected that he felt guilty that Sansa had taken her place raising Tommen, though he had never discouraged her or said anything.

"I miss father and mother," Tommen said quietly, "but they're gone and…I like being taken care of by you and Sansa, Uncle. I love you both," he whispered.

"Your mother and your…your parents both loved you, Tommen. Though they may not have known how to show it very well."

"I know. But now that they're gone, can't you and Sansa be my parents?" She heard Tommen's voice waver as he expected Jaime to reject his request.

Sansa saw that Jaime was having a difficult time with this conversation. Part of her wanted to rescue him, but she also wanted to hear what he said to Tommen. He needed to learn how to talk to his son. "Sansa and I will always take care of you, and love you. It…it doesn't matter what name you call someone by. What matters is how you feel about them. Even if you don't call us mother and father, Sansa and I will take care of you and love you and make certain you are safe and happy." Tommen smiled, seeming to understand what Jaime was telling him.

"Tommen?" Sansa said, putting down her sewing and rising to her feet. "I think it's time for Jaime to rest. Though he may not agree," she said, smiling at her husband. "Go find Pia and she'll make you a snack?"

Tommen nodded and scurried from the room. She watched as Jaime slowly got up from the bed, grimacing as he rose to his full height. "Jaime, please be careful."

"Maester Merwyn said I could walk around."

"A little. He said you could walk around our chamber a little. And with my help," she said in exasperation, taking his arm and leading him to the chair beside hers. "You're as bad as a child sometimes, Jaime." He continued to push himself beyond his limits, and she tried to be vigilant, watching him and making certain that he wasn't harming himself. But he was far too stubborn for his own good and had gotten out of bed when her back was turned countless times over the past weeks. Each time she'd found him cringing in pain and ushered him back to bed.

"I'm far sturdier than all of you think," he said with a wry smile as he lowered himself into the chair beside her and she resumed her seat. He studied her for a moment, and Sansa could see that there was something on his mind. She waited, wondering what he wanted to say. "I've been thinking…about Tommen."

"What about him? You seem to enjoy the time he spends with you. And, I think you handled that conversation with him rather well."

"It's – I was thinking that…perhaps you were right. Perhaps I should tell him the truth. About who his father is. I was thinking he deserves to know where he comes from." Jaime looked down at his hand and she could see that he was uncertain about suggesting this to her.

"You wish to claim him as your son? To legitimize him?" she asked gently.

"No. It would be treason…it would risk all of our lives. But…"

"But you'd like him to know?"

Jaime nodded. "I think he has a right to know. I mean…I won't tell him if you don't want me to. Though…I don't know how to find the words to tell him the truth."

Sansa rose from her seat and settled on the arm of his chair, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on top of his. "Of course I don't object," she whispered. "I love him, just as I love Julianna. He said he wishes that we were his parents but…Jaime, we are his parents. I certainly think of him as my child…It's entirely your decision, if you wish to tell him the truth. It's your secret to tell, not mine."

She kissed his temple, still holding him. "What made you change your mind?"

He chuckled bitterly. "Gendry. I was speaking to him about my suspicions regarding his parentage and…I realized that everyone deserves to know where they came from." He sighed and Sansa rubbed his shoulder. "How do you think he'll react?" He looked at her and she could see that he was fearful. "He says he wishes we were his parents but…I don't know that he truly means it. Perhaps…perhaps it was a foolish idea. He's happy as things are."

She felt for Jaime as he talked himself out of telling Tommen the truth of his parentage, but she wasn't going to push him. She knew that Jaime would tell Tommen the truth when he was ready. "He loves you, Jaime. And…I see how much he wants you to love him. He so wants to be like you."

"Heavens help us."

Sansa kissed the top of his head. "You're not so bad. Though you do infuriate me."

He tilted his head up to look at her and smiled, kissing her fully on the mouth. Sansa closed her eyes in pleasure as Jaime kissed her. "I've missed this…you've denied me my rights to your body for far too long," he murmured, trying to pull her onto his lap. Sansa gripped the edge of the chair, remaining on firmly positioned on the arm.

"Not yet." She smiled, moving her mouth to his neck and trailed soft kisses down his neck. He sighed in pleasure when she began to suck on his neck, marking him as hers. She felt his hand trailing over her thigh, massaging her leg and she moved her mouth just behind his ear.

"Sansa…making love to you always makes me feel good," he murmured, again trying to pull her onto his lap.

She giggled, shaking her head and moved back to his mouth, kissing him again before resting her forehead against his. "You still need to heal more. I don't want to hurt you," she whispered against his lips. "Just try to behave for a little longer, Jaime. Then I'll welcome you home properly."

….

I can't thank all of you enough for reading and for the more than 900 reviews! This chapter was kind of the calm before the storm and the action will begin to pick up again in the next one.

Next chapter: Jaime's proper welcome from Sansa (yes, the smut some of you are requesting) and a raven arrives from King's Landing