Joanna had never known such pain in all of her life. It was as if her insides were being torn apart and no amount of comfort could lessen the burden. The baby wasn't supposed to be due for another moon but her child was a true Lannister, he or she would only arrive by their own terms.

She cursed as she felt a contraction ripple through her body and doubted whether the child would be worth it if it was already causing her this much anguish.

Cersei was holding her hand lovingly, enduring every painful squeeze. Brushing a damp curl from her forehead she assured Joanna that the pain would be over soon.

The last few months had been relatively uneventful. She had had to watch her baby brother Tommen, her only brother left, be seduced by Margaery. Every day she saw them together and every day she wished the new Queen a long and painful death but her prayers remained unanswered. She couldn't imagine what it would have been life if it was Joffrey married to her, as Joanna was forced to have her heart ripped apart daily.

Her mother had appointed a new High Septon, who his followers referred to as the High Sparrow. This left Joanna slightly confused as he embraced such extremely different views to that of her family she could sense that it was going to end badly.

Mentally cursing she wished that Joffrey had never spilled his seed inside her and then die, leaving her to bear this pain without him to help her.

Loras had been a better husband than she previously expected, but she couldn't help but compare him to Joffrey and see her Tyrell spouse as inferior. Whenever Loras sparred, Joffrey would have fought better. When he faked affection for her, Joffrey would have been genuine.

"I want to see my wife!" A voice called and Joanna looked up to see Loras attempting to enter the birthing chamber. Various midwives were trying to forced him back out the door but he refused to relent.

"I won't let her do this alone." He announced, and the women finally allowed him to pass. He came to sit on the other side of the bed from Cersei and gripped her other hand.

Confused, Joanna looked at him, wondering why he was taking his charade of affection this far. He was under no obligation to witness the birth. Most lords would be as far away as possible, only arriving when news of a son had been birthed, or less joyously a daughter.

She felt another contraction and she screamed through her gritted teeth.

"Push." She was told. "I can see the head."

As much as she wanted this child she hated how troublesome bringing it into the world was considering how happy conceiving it was.

The minutes passed instantaneously and before she knew it the baby had been expelled from her body. Joanna tried to gather her breath as her eyes were fixed on the crying infant in the arms of the midwife. The baby definitely inherited Joffrey's lungs, she smiled as her mother leant over to kiss her forehead.

"You've done so well, my little lion." Cersei whispered, her face beaming.

"Well done," Loras told her, "He's a little fighter."

"He?" Joanna said hopefully.

"I apologise Lord Tyrell, the child is a girl."

A girl.

Joanna didn't care what the child was as long as she was healthy. The midwife passed the child into her arms and she couldn't help but remark on how small she was.

"She wasn't meant to be born for another month, of course she's small." Cersei told her.

Her fears of a dwarf child were instantly calmed and she took the time to really look at her daughter.

She had eyes that seemed to swallow you, shining emeralds that could only stare up at her full of innocence that only a child could have. On top of her head were tuffs of blonde curls which were as soft as feathers. She looked nothing like the Tyrell she was supposed to be but Joanna couldn't be happier. She was unable to stop staring at this little cub that was hers and hers alone. No matter if she was raised as only a Tyrell Joanna knew that her child was a Lannister and she would make sure that her daughter would know it.

Loras reached out to stroke the child's head and Joanna didn't have the strength to stop him.

"What shall we name her?" Loras asked and it made her flare up in anger. This child was Joffrey's, not his, he had no right to presume that he had a choice in her future.

"Loren. After the last King of Casterly Rock. Loren Lannister."

Loras seemed to be content with this, it was close enough to his name to seem like that was why she was named so and not many were versed enough in the history of the Westerlands to know of her ancestor.

Joanna smiled as she imagined the life Loren could have, peaceful and happy and free to marry the man she loved.

She wouldn't stop until her daughter could have that life.

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Sorry for the lack of chapters lately but I'd lost inspiration so it took a lot to convince myself to write this.

The name Loren was chosen after looking more into Westerosi history and I thought it fit well and could be used for a girl.

I hope you're enjoying the story and there's only really the High Sparrow plotline left until this story's finished so hopefully it will be finished in the next few weeks.