A/N: Thanks again guys for being so awesome with all your reviews/follows/favourites. Knowing how many of you are reading this story made me write my arse off all weekend to make sure I've got a stock of chapters to keep updates regular!

Leah: Thank you. Tyrion is at Casterly Rock, expect an appearance from him next chapter.

Guest: Thank you very much, yes he did just about manage! Here's the new update, hope you enjoy it!

IloveStallison: Thank you! Hope you like this one!

Right-ho, onwards. This chapter will, to steal a quote I saw on the web this weekend, set the direwolf amongst the ravens ;) Hope you enjoy!

:)

Fever

Jaime woke with a stifled groan, his eyes blinking awake slowly as he turned his head to look for his wife. In the next moment he knew exactly where she was as her hot little mouth descended down onto the length of him. He breathed in sharply as her tongue swirled around him, her head bobbing up and down at a perfect rhythm, coaxing him into groaning out so loudly he was almost ashamed of himself. Their return to Casterly Rock had been delayed as his father had written to warn him that there was trouble along the Gold Road and that he would write again when it had been dealt with. Consequently it had left Jaime and Lanette in a state of limbo over the last weeks, neither of them with anything to do other than make constant love to one another. Jaime could hardly complain, in the days and weeks since they had been married they had grown more confident and more adventurous in their passion. Their pushing of the boundaries seemed to have culminated in this wake up and Jaime had no complaints whatsoever as she continued bringing him slowly to his height with her mouth. As he felt himself coming to his end his hand made its way beneath the sheets to tangle in her hair as he released himself with a final, satisfied growl into her mouth. She swallowed him down without any complaint before running her tongue down the length of him once more.

"Get up here now," he growled at her and she did as she was told, slowly kissing her way back up his body until she could nestle herself between his legs, her mouth hot and wet on his neck as she scraped and kissed her way along him. He let his hand slip between them then and cup between her legs, finding her already wet for him. "Gods you are a wanton little wife," he breathed in her ear, smirking in satisfaction at her sharp intake of breath as he pushed two of his fingers inside her, his smile widening as she hummed her agreement in his ear, her hips rocking against him to encourage his action. He moved his fingers in time with her hips, bringing his thumb to brush down against her bud, her teeth biting down against his shoulder as he did so, her moan of pleasure stifled by his skin clamped in her mouth. Her hips bucked faster against him then and he could barely keep up with her, his thumb coming to press down firmly against her bud and circle almost roughly against her. She didn't seem to mind though, in fact she moaned out even more loudly and he felt her clenching tightly around his fingers, his name flying from her mouth so deliciously as her head dropped back down to his shoulder.

He slipped his fingers from her perfect warmth then and she lifted her head in time to see him bring them to his lips and suck her wetness from them. The action made her want him so badly she almost convulsed and he noted the look of desire that was welling in her eyes. "You taste so fucking good," he told her, his eyes not leaving hers. That did it, she pulled herself astride him before he could do more than blink, her nails digging sharply into his shoulders as she rocked her hips against him to coax him into hardening for her. He didn't disappoint her, his length pressing rock hard against her thigh after a couple of rolls of her hips, a groan leaving his mouth. "Gods woman are you ever satisfied?" he demanded of her. He had thought that he was the insatiable one but it turned out his wife was just as bad, he barely even bothered putting clothes on any more as she was prone to ripping them clean off him. She was surrounding him now, her warmth tight around his length as she rocked so hard against him that the bed slammed back against the wall. Her head tilted back then as she moaned out desperately, her hands slapping against his chest, her nails digging in and scraping down his chest as she kept up her relentless pace. He hissed out in pleasure and pain at the sting, his thumb going again to that perfect little bud and pressing just enough pressure to it to bring her crashing down almost instantly around him. Her end finished him as it always did and she mumbled out something incoherent as the warmth of his release spread right through her.

She collapsed down against his sweat slicked chest then and sighed out in satisfaction as his hands came to tangle in her hair, slowly stroking through the soft, blonde strands. He could lay like this forever, he realised, with his soft, sweet wife in his arms. Her breath was warm and ragged against his chest as her fingers trailed idle patterns across him and he smiled in satisfaction, tilting his head so he could press a kiss to the top of her head. Her fingers clenched lightly into his skin in response before she pressed a kiss of her own into his chest. He breathed out then, everything feeling so right as they lay there bare and entwined with one another. Nothing could take this away from him. Nothing.

An urgent knock sounded at the door then and he shoved Lanette gently from him, watching her flop down against the bed and wrap herself up in the sheets as he climbed out of bed and made his way to the door, pulling his robe around him as he went. It was one of Cersei's maids on the other side and her eyes were panicked and her face pale, she even looked as though she were trembling slightly as she looked up at Jaime. Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong, that much was obvious to him even before the girl opened her mouth.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice shaking, with fear or emotion he didn't know, "forgive me Ser the Queen has sent for you … the Prince is desperately ill with a fever. The King is in a rage and the Queen is beside herself, please Ser, she bids you go to her at once."

"Look at him," Cersei whispered as Jaime entered her chambers and walked slowly to her side.

"He'll get through this," he murmured but she shook her head.

"The Maester says it is bad Jaime …" she tailed off, shaking her head.

"Come now, he is part lion, part stag … he will survive this," he told her, hesitating for a moment before he placed his hand on the small of her back.

His gentle touch made Cersei want to weep. She didn't know if she had any tears left though as she gazed down on her baby, seeing the sheen of sweat coating his forehead and watching his tiny little chest flutter up and down weakly. Just the simple act of breathing was too difficult for him and it was killing her inside that she could do nothing to help him. What was the point of her being the Queen of the Seven Kingdom's if she didn't even have the power to save her own son? It had been Robert who found him hot and clammy when they had woken in the morning. He had taken to sleeping in her chambers lately, sometimes taking his rights as her husband and sometimes just holding her. She had hoped that it was the start of something, that this would have love springing up for them and blossoming into true devotion. Robert had changed in an instant when the Maester had told him there was nothing he could do to help, that they had to merely wait. He had took off in a rage and she hadn't seen him since. She had broken down and cried then, somehow managing to choke out the words to one of her handmaiden's to fetch Jaime. Part of her had thought he wouldn't come but he was here now with her, with his hand pressed lightly to the small of her back. He had come for her and that meant more to Cersei than she could ever express.

"I thought you wouldn't come," she whispered, tilting her head up to meet his eyes.

"Of course I came," he said quietly.

"I'm sorry I was cruel," she said then, her voice strangled and broken.

"I had my own moments of cruelty," he replied and she swallowed hard.

"I don't know what to do, without him I'm finished," she said desperately.

"Don't be ridiculous, you're stronger than that!" he almost snapped at her.

"Am I?" she almost laughed, "Gods Jaime, I should be delirious, married to the King and having borne him a son first time … and now he's lying there, my little boy is lying there and I don't know whether he will live or die. And the worst part is that it isn't just him I'll lose … I'll lose Robert as well. His only feelings for me have come since Steffon – if he dies any hope of us having any happiness will die too! Oh Gods Jaime … what will I do? What will I do?!"

"Hush now it's alright," he soothed her, pulling her into his arms and rubbing his hands up and down her back as she broke down entirely.

"Tell me you still love me Jaime!" she said desperately, her tear-streaked face lifting to meet his and his heart felt as though it might break.

"Of course I still love you," he whispered.

She inched closer then, her hands around his neck stroking tentatively at his hair as she encouraged him to bend his head. He leant into her, his lips so close to her now he could feel her breath, almost taste the saltiness of her tears. This was wrong. He should pull away but she was hurting and she was intoxicating and for a second he forgot all about his wife and remembered all the good times with Cersei. He remembered the smiles and the secret kisses and the illicit touches that had set his blood racing and in that moment he could think of nothing but her as their lips touched together. In a second he had regretted it, he had made to pull away from her even before the gasp of horror came from the door. He pulled away from her, his eyes snapping to the doorway and meeting those of the last person he had wanted to see stood there. Lanette. His wife. His beautiful wife who he adored. He opened his mouth then. To say what he didn't know but she didn't give him the chance as she picked up her skirts and fled. He turned back to Cersei then, seeing her own eyes wide with horror.

"She needs to keep her mouth shut!" she hissed at him.

"You don't think I know that?!" he snapped back.

"Both our heads will be on spikes Jaime …" she continued.

"I know!" he cut her off before turning away from her and sprinting after his wife.

When Jaime entered their chambers Lanette turned to him, fury etched on every single inch of her face as tears streamed silently down her cheeks. He faltered, wanting to comfort her but seeing the betrayal in her eyes as she stared at him as though he were nothing. Less than nothing. He couldn't stand it, seeing her looking like that, so broken and hurt and all because of him. Why had he done it? Why had he let his guard down and let Cersei get under his skin? He crossed towards his wife then and she backed away from him, anger practically radiating from her but he didn't stop his advance. She struggled against him as he pulled her against him, his hand coming to tenderly wipe the tears from her cheeks as her body came limp against his. For a second he thought he could win her over. She shattered his delusion in the next instant when she opened her mouth.

"Get your hands off me," she snarled.

"Not until you listen to me, please Lana …" he said, desperately trying to hold onto her.

"I said, get off me!" she snapped, managing to pull free from him, her hand coming to strike his cheek.

"Please listen to me," he whispered, his hand coming to the spot she had just stung with her slap.

"And hear your lies?!" she demanded, "I know what I saw Jaime! Gods … your own sister … I feel sick … how long?! How long have I been so stupid?!"

"Lana please keep your voice down," he urged her and she laughed without humour.

"Oh that's right, you're worried about your little secret getting out. I suppose it wouldn't matter so very much that you had a mistress if she weren't the fucking Queen!" she raged.

"She is not my mistress," he told her firmly, "you are the only woman I have ever been with like that … I swear, nothing has happened between us since we married, nothing but that kiss … it was a second Lana, one second and I regretted it at once … please …"

"She's your sister," she whispered, staring at him in disgust, "your own sister … Gods Jaime, I would rather you fucked a thousand whores than shared even a touch with her"

"Lana I'm sorry," he said, the only words he could think of.

"I should tell the King," she said then, nodding her head distractedly, more to herself than him.

"Lana …" he started again, how in the seven hells would he talk her out of this?

"But obviously I can't," she threw her hands up in frustration, "You've made damn sure of that haven't you Jaime?!" she was laughing again now in disbelief and he could only stare at her.

"What do you mean?" he asked, frowning slightly as she sank down into an armchair and buried her face in her hands.

"He'd kill you," she stated, "and right now believe me I would like nothing more than to see your head on a spike," she continued and he flinched slightly at her words; "but then I'd have to face my child asking me what happened to their papa … I'd have to look them in the eye and tell them what you did … what I did …"

"Child?" he whispered and she raised her head from her hands, a look of pure loathing in her eyes when she met his.

"Yes, child," she spat, "you've got me with child so you can go and tell your precious twin that your heads are saved!"

"I'm not going near her," he shook his head, "I should never have gone near her, Lana please," he dropped to his knees in front of her and she stared at him, her expression unreadable.

"I never wanted it to end up this way," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

"We can be happy again Lana I promise you!" he implored her.

"And we both know what your promises are worth," she practically snarled.

"Lana …" he started but she shook her head, cutting him off.

"You need to decide Jaime," she said, meeting his eyes, "it's her or me. We either leave for the Rock tomorrow or I will go back to Crakehall alone and I never want to set eyes on you again – it's your decision."

"You," he breathed at once, grasping at her hands, "it's you Lana; I choose you"

"I loved you," she told him then, tears slipping from her eyes, the look on her face breaking his heart.

"Give me a chance to deserve your love again," he implored her.

"We leave tomorrow," she said, averting her eyes, pulling her hand from his and moving up and away from the armchair.

"Where are you going?" he asked her, panic gripping him as she made for the door.

"I need a moment alone," she told him, "don't worry," she continued mockingly, "I already promised I wouldn't tell the King – and unlike you I keep my promises."

Jaime was left alone then, staring at the door that she had just slammed behind her, the sound of it still resounding in his head. He sank down into the chair that she had just vacated and rubbed his hands despairingly over his face. How had this happened? How had everything gone so spectacularly wrong in the space of an hour? And hour ago he'd been tangled up naked in bed with his beautiful wife who loved him. She had loved him. Never before had she uttered those words to him but when she had said them instead of sounding like music to his ears they had sounded like a death sentence. Loved. Past tense. She had loved him. And now she loved him no more because he was foolish and weak and unable to resist his damned sister. Gods he was a fool. He deserved his head on a spike, he deserved to lose Lanette because he had never been worthy of her in the first place. She was with child. That hit him then harder than anything had ever hit him before in his life. She had his child inside her. She was pregnant with his baby, the only thing keeping his head on his shoulders. He had imagined her telling him that news in his mind on several occasions but in his head she had always been smiling and happy and he had kissed her and told her how wonderful she was. How happy he was. She would be happy too and they would wonder over her stomach together as it began to swell and he would feel the little life move inside her the way he had felt Tyrion moving in his mother's belly. That all seemed so long ago now. All his hopes and dreams for their future dashed in a second of madness.

She was staying with him for the child. Out of duty. That made him feel sick and bitter and angry but it was all his own fault. Why had he been so foolish? Why was he so weak? He had been so sure that Lanette had driven his feelings for Cersei away that he had dropped his guard when he was in her presence. What a foolish thing to do. What a foolish, selfish thing to do. Now his wife resented him and his child would be borne to a mother who couldn't stand the sight of its father. Their child would not see a warm, loving mother and father. Gods it was all his fault. He hated himself. Hated himself for this.

When it grew dark Lanette finally moved from the bench in the gardens. She had sat there all day just staring out into nothingness. Her mind seemed fit to burst and entirely empty at the same time. Rage would rise up in her whenever she thought of Jaime's betrayal only for it to be washed away in the next moment as she thought of the life inside her. No matter what Jaime had done their child was innocent and she determined that no matter what went on between them that they would dote on their son or daughter. Quite when she would be able to stand the sight of him again she didn't know but she had several moons to learn how. A wedding night baby most like. A blessing. It would be so easy to resent the tiny thing for tying her to Jaime forever but she couldn't. She may have sounded fierce and determined but deep down she knew that she would have kept her mouth shut about what he had done whether she was with child or not. It was true what she had told him, she had loved him. She still loved him and it made her furious with herself. Damn him and damn his sister. Why did she have to do it? Why did she have to have Jaime as well? Was it not enough that she had the handsome Robert Baratheon and that he had made her his Queen? She thought of the little Prince then and felt pity for Cersei despite herself. No one deserved to lose a child. Not even her. Her steps carried her up the steps of the keep then and up flights of stairs and along hallways until she found herself facing the Queen's chamber door.

She didn't bother knocking, she just let herself in, seeing the Queen turn sharply from her place next to her son's cradle and look at her. Lanette thought she could see the apprehension in her eyes as she slowly crossed the room and looked down into the cradle for a long moment before she slowly lowered herself down into the chair opposite her good-sister.

"How is he?" she asked after a deafening minute of silence.

"The Maester said he thinks his fever is breaking," Cersei answered quietly.

"That's good," Lanette nodded, "you must be relieved"

"Yes," Cersei agreed, swallowing hard.

"How long?" she asked then.

"I've loved him all my life," Cersei answered her, "as we grew older it … developed … it felt right, we shared everything Jaime and I, why not each other?"

"It is a sin," Lanette whispered, staring at her.

"It didn't feel like a sin. We fit Jaime and I … two halves of a whole," she said almost sadly.

"Even when you were married?" Lanette asked then.

"I thought I could have it all," Cersei said bitterly, "but Jaime didn't take it well when I grew big with child … he thought I'd betrayed him"

"Is that why he married me? To spite you?" she asked, swallowing hard.

"Probably, at first … yes," Cersei nodded, "but then he actually saw you, spent time with you and I could feel him slipping away from me. The morning of your wedding I practically offered myself up on a plate to him but he denied me – he said his honour was for you …"

"You … never …?" she tailed off and Cersei shook her head.

"Another thing I promised him that I gave to Robert," she almost smiled.

"Was … was today the first time anything happened since he married me?" Lanette questioned.

"Yes," Cersei nodded, "I had tried before to tempt him back from you but it didn't work. Even today he didn't want me, not really. He was trying to comfort me the only way he knows how … I could feel it as soon as his lips touched mine that he would push me away, deny me … all because of you …"

"I'm pregnant," Lanette told her then and her brows raised slightly.

"Does he know?" she asked.

"I told him in a fit of anger, I told him the child was the only thing stopping me telling the King. I told him I wanted nothing more than to see his head on a spike," Lanette said bitterly.

"You lied," Cersei said softly.

"Yes I lied," she shook her head, "but I couldn't let him see me weak … none so fierce, just like my mother said … never suffer him"

"But you are suffering now," Cersei said, feeling guilty despite herself.

"We're leaving for the Rock tomorrow," Lanette said after another moment of silence.

"I can't blame you for that," she said, swallowing hard.

"Can I ask something of you your Grace?" Lanette asked then, finally meeting her eyes.

"You may," Cersei said, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Let him go," Lanette implored her, "please let him go, don't write him letters nor seek visits from him. Stay here and be a wife and a Queen and a mother and leave him alone … please. For all our sakes please I beg of you … promise me you will let him go …"

"I promise," Cersei whispered, meeting the eyes of the woman who could so easily have been her downfall, "I promise."

A/N: Oh silly Jaime ... honeymoon's well and truly over. Hope you guys enjoyed that one, more later in the week.

:)