Chapter 8 :Welcome
The sun was high on the sky. Hot and burning. A big burning mass high up in the sky. Beating the men down below. The clanging of swords could be heard in the midday afternoon long with the groans of men. Jamie was breathing hard. He was bend at the waist his hand on his knees. He could feel sweat beads falling down from his forehead, down his nose and falling on the ground bellow him. His muscles were on fire begging for mercy. Jamie was tired yet he had a smile on his face. A true smile. A smile he had not had in a long time.
Jamie stood up and looked at the men before him. "Men." He scoffed. They were but boys but they were good lads. Sent to him by the King for him to train to be in the City Watch. Must have been his sisters idea. Jamie closed his eyes and imagined her beautiful face and her golden hair and he felt his heart give a painful thud. He missed and yearned for her bur he had no right to do so, so he shook his head and looked at the tired faces and threw his sparing sword down.
"It is enough for today. You did good lads but you have got a lot to learn. I will see you at sunrise." He said and left the boys and their relieved faces
He left them and made his toward the castle. He was in need of a bath. Training was his life now. For three moons or so since the Hand of the King requested that he trained every candidate for the city watch. Jon Arryn was trying to reform the pit of snakes. Trying to make the city safe and crime free. Trying to better the situation of the King.
Jamie could care less what happened in that cursed city. He did not care about its people. Not anymore. Not since he saved them all and they had forsaken him. Cursed him and named him a Kingslayer. He did not care about them but at much as he tried to deny it he is grateful for the job he has been assign to. To hear the perfect clang of sword the groans of men. To feel his body ache from the exertion. He hated learning about the castle and how to rule it. He was not fit to rule. He was not fit to be the Lord of a Castle. He was a soldier and he loves it but he chose this. He chose to leave the Kingsguard and he chose this live to spite his sister who was far to concerned with her husband and her child.
Jamie walked into the room to find his wife bend at the waist and cursing very loudly under her breath and trying to tie her shoes. He leaned against her doorframe and watched as his wife struggled to tie her shoes due to her big belly that was growing with his child.
Jamie felt another thud in his heart. This time with excitement and fear. He was scared to be a father. Scared as he was never meant to be one. He gave up on this idea when he had the white cloak yet now he is to be one very soon. He did not know if he will be a good father. Probably not. He was not a good person. He was also exited as the babe was his. He was made by him and his wife. A wife who he was fond of. Even if he did not love her as his heart was already given to someone else he respect her and wanted to be make her happy.
"Do you need help wife." He asked her and watched as his wife stood up yelping and holding her chest.
"Seven Hells Jamie are you trying to kill me." She screeched holding her hand to her chest and breathing heavily making Jamie nearly piss himself with laughter. Once he calmed down he wiped the tears in his eyes and walked into the room and closed the doors.
"Why are you putting shoes on. Where are you going." Jamie asked pouring himself some water and drinking it in one gulp
"I wanted to go to the gardens. It is a beautiful day. Wanted to have a walk." Elaine said as he sat down on a chair and take a breath. Jamie shook his head and smiled a little and crouched down and tied her shoes for her.
Elaine looked at him smiling with love in his eyes and he wanted to curse and strike himself. It was those looks that she gave him that made him sad and angry. His wife loved him. He knew it and he was angry he could not return it. Angry at his sister because it was so easy for her to let him go. Angry at his father for wanting him to marry and angry at himself for not being able to give her his heart. He took her hand and kissed it and he stood up and walked to their washroom.
Elaine watched as the doors closed behind her husband and closed her eyes and took a deep breath as the babe kicked her belly. He was strong like a true lion. Elaine caressed her belly and smiled.
"I cannot wait to meet you my little cub. I cannot wait to hold and sing to you. I love you so much." Just like I love your father." Elaine said in her head and smiled sadly. Her husband was not bad person. He treated her well. He treated her just. He was kind to her and made her laugh. He was a troubled soul. She knew that. He acted like he did not care about the names that people called his behind his back. Like his past did not affect him yet she knew it did. He was lonely and misunderstood and people overlooked the good in him and maybe that was the reason she fell in love with him. Yes she did love him because he did not love himself. She was in love with her husband but he was not in love with her and she knew it. She knew his heart belonged to someone else but she hoped. She hoped that one day he may return the feeling.
Elaine stood up and walked toward the garden. She was slower than usual and he got tired easily but she needed to get out of her bedchambers and out of the castle. She needed to feel the sun on her face and smell the flowers. She needed to be alone as well. Her handmaidens angered her so she sent them away. She needed peace and quiet.
She walked in the gardens and marvelled at its beauty. All the beautiful colours and smells. The chirping of the birds and the sun on her skin made her feel alive. Made her feel happy. Made her feel at peace. She loved it here. In this castle. She loved it being Lady Lannister and the respect it gathered.
"You finally have a smile on your face girl." For the second that days he jumped in fright. Those Lannister's will be the death of her she though as she looked upon the chubby face of Gena Lannister.
"I am sorry I did not mean to frighten you." Genna said and smiled toward her. Elaine chuckled and started to walk alongside her.
"It is quite all right. I need to pay more attention to my surroundings then let my head wonder." Elaine said and shook her head.
"It is quite alright I remember how I was during my pregnancies. Although I was not that happy." Genna smiled sadly and Elaine shook her head.
"I am happy Aunt. I am happy to be doing my part as a wife and bearing a child to my husband and perhaps a Lannister heir." Elaine said as they walked hand in hand.
"So should you. You have the honour to belong to the most powerful family in Westeros. We all have duty to this family and yours it is to produce the next generation of it. A Lannister Legacy." Genna said and Elaine nodded.
"I know that. Lord Tywin has made it painfully clear what my duties are." Elaine said and Genna looked at her and smiled sadly.
"I know my brother is a hard and cold person. He had to be. The success of the family that we were enjoying now it is his doing. He had to bring the family from ruins after my father nearly destroyed it. His circumstances made him hard." Genna said and Elaine nodded.
"Can I ask you a question?" Elaine asked and Genna nodded " What was Lady Joanna Lannister like?" Elaine said and Genna looked at her with a sad smile.
"Joanna was a pure soul. Very calm and steady. She did not thirst for power. Just like Jamie. She was the only one that showed Tywin how to be happy. She was a force to be reckoned with when angered but she was good. She was so amazingly good." Genna said and shook her head trying I not to shed a tear.
"She sound wonderful." Elaine said and Genna nodded. They continued their stroll in silence until they had to go back to the great hall for supper.
She walked in and Jamie was there an helped her sit. They all sat there and waited for Tywin who walked in with a harder look on his face and sat down.
"I received a letter from Kings Landing. Cersei has given birth to a still born." Tywin said and Genna gasped placing her hand over her mouth. Tears flooded to her eyes.
"Good Gods! I need to pack at once. I need to make my way to the Capitol right now." Genna said and stood up.
"Sit down Genna. She is fine. You do not need to be there . she is getting the best care that there is." Tywin said and Genna shook her head.
"She is distraught. She needs someone to help her through this." Genna said.
"She is a Lannister, she was raised like a lion from Casterly Rock. She does not need coddling . She is the Queen. She is expected to start trying again as soon as she can and that was what I told her in the letter. We all have a duty. A duty to this family. A duty to make sure that this family survives and my children know their duty." Tywin said and gave a final look before he started to eat. The conversation was over. Elaine looked at Jamie and his face was white. His jaw was tight and his body was rigid. His eyes cold. Very cold. Elaine tried to grab his hand beneath the table but he took it away. Elaine tried to be hurt but her husband just rejected her. Elaine looked down and hid the tears with her hair and composed herself. She is not a child and she needs to be strong. She needs to be a Lannister.
After dinner they have walked silently to the bed chambers. Jamie was deadly quit and tense. They walked in and he closed the door behind her.
"Jamie I am so sorry about your sister." Elaine said and Jamie looked at her and nodded. He walked over to her and took her face in his hard and kissed her lips lightly before moving one of his hands to her belly and touched it. Elaine put her hand on top of his. Just then the child began to kick and they could feel it. They could feel the babe.
"Amazing…" Jamie whispered in wonder. He heard his sister has lost her babe and the first instinct was to leave everything and ride to Kings Landing to be with Cersei. To comfort her and to be at her side. To tell her that she will survive it and she can try again but he realised it is not his place. She is a Queen and she is married to the King. She is his wife and he will need to be that for her. He has his on wife to protect and looked after and he had a child that will be born soon and he is terrified. Terrified that he will mess everything up. That he will ruin this child.
"Jamie please stop with your worrying. We will be fine and you will be an amazing father. I know you will." Elaine said and Jamie looked at her and smiled softly.
"I do not know where your faith in me comes from. I am a Kingslayer. I have no honour. I am bad at ruling the castle. The only thing I am good at is killing people." Jamie whispered with his forehead against his wife's and his eyes closed breathing in her smell. It is a wonderful flowery scent.
"There is another thing that you are very good at." Elaine whispered seductively and Jamie looked at her face that was full of mischief and they both laughed. Jamie picked her up making her shriek with laughter an put her on their bed and kissed her lips stealing the last bit of laughter for his own.
He kissed and suckled at her neck as his hands untied the dress she was in. He all but ripped the Gods forsaken piece of clothing and looked at his wife's changed body. Her hips were wider and her belly swelled with his child. Her breast were a lot bigger and just so amazing to feel. Her face was full and youthful and so beautiful, her eyes shining with happiness. Jamie kissed her full lips and touched his wife's core and moaned as he felt her wetness. He took his fingers and put it in between her folds making Elaine gasp into the kiss and arched her back. Jamie broke the kiss and started to kiss down her boy until he was right by her core. He liked at the folds, licking ad sucking around her sensitive nub. He put a finger inside her and smiled at the sounds and gasp his wife was making. They drove him crazy. He played with his wife until he felt her hand sink into his hair and her whole body tightening before she came with a muffled scream.
Jamie did not give her time to relax as he moved her to the side and entered her in one go. He felt her wetness ingulf him and he moaned at the sensation as he put his forehead in his wife shoulder.
He kissed it and began to slowly thrust into her. He was lazy with it. He wanted to take his time with it. He wanted to feel every inch of her. He touched his wife nub again an began circling around it. His wife was close. He could feel it so he sped up. He wated to come with her. His thrust began faster and harder and soon his wife was clenching around him with her screams muffled by the pillow ad he followed her after with a deep groan .
They both laid there on the bed gasping for air and Elaine looked at her husband.
"If you want to go see your sister then go. She needs you." Elaine said and her heart started to beat faster. She heard the kitchen rumours about her husband and his sister but she took it just like that. Gossip. She knew that Jamie did love his sister and she needed him as well. Secretly she wanted him to stay. She wanted him to stay for her.
Jamie opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling and sighed. His body ached to be with Cersei. He ached to hold her and be there for her but he also felt a pang in his chest as he heard his wife's breath. She also needed him. She was about to give birth to his child. His child. Only his. Not Cersei's.
He turned his head towards his wife and looked at her clear blue eyes and smiled.
" I am exactly where I am needed." He said and smiled Elaine smiled an put her head on his shoulder and fell asleep.
Elaine woke up as she felt thirsty. She opened her eyes and looked around her bed chamber and it was pitch dark outside and the only light were the dying candle light. She got out of bed with a great difficulty and waddled over to an arm chair to put a rob on and walked over to the table and poured some water but before she could drink it there was a pain that started from her back and move right to the front like lighting. The cup fell from the hand and crashed to the floor startling Jamie who jumped from the bed ready to fight the intruder. Elaine felt another pain and she groaned and bent in the middle holding her belly.
"Elaine what is happening. Is the babe fine." Jamie asked running to the her. Naida felt another rush of pain and grabbed Jamie's hand holding it for dear live as she waited for the pain t subside.
"Get the Maester!" Jamie wasted no time and called to his guards. As he held Elaine in his arms.
"Seven hells!" Elaine said as the pain subsided and she took a deep breath. "I hope this is quick." Elaine said and Jamie looked at her clueless making Elaine chuckle and rest her forehead on his chin.
Elaine heard the door being opened and a hoard of people came to her room. She was guided into the bed and her handmaids already started to wipe her forehead as the Maester examined her.
"We need to get ready for a long night. Your water brome but you are no ready to push. We need to move around to get this quicker. " He said and Elaine nodded and looked at Jamie who looked at her with big scared eyes. He walked over to her and helped her up. Elaine stood and held onto her back as she walked to the balcony. She will spend the night there is she needs to walk around there were to many people in the room.
Elaine was pacing in her bedchamber with her hands on her back. She was breathing heavily and she was looking at the ceiling of her bedchamber. She was so tired now and yet she still had a long way ahead of her. Elaine's pain started when the moon was still high in the sky and it seem to intensify as the sun rise and now it getting dark again. She knew that movement would speed the labour along but it did not help in her case at all. Another day was dying down and she was still not done with the labour.
"It should be over soon My Lady I am sure of it." Maester said who was there with her in her bedchamber. Naida just shot him a death glare. She was tired and she was moody and in pain and her tolerance lever is very low
"Unless you are the one that will have to push a child out of a small hole in your boy after not having any sleep for two days then you can make such remark." Elaine growled at her Maester who looked at her scared.
Jamie who was on her bed just chuckled bur stopped when Elaine looked at him with a death glare that shut him up. A few hours ago he tried to help his wife. He tried to massage her back and his feet but at some point that annoyed her so he left her alone. He never eft though. No matter how many times he was told that the birthing room was not for a man he stayed. He will stay with his wife. That is all that he can do. He just watched the whole night and a whole day his wife in pain and there is nothing that he could do to help her and it scared him and saddened him. He hated to see his wife in such a state. He hated to see her in pain.
Elaine looked at her husband and she smiled lovingly at him. He never left her side, he was with her the whole time and she was grateful. She was scared but he was with her. She tried to say something to him when another pain hit her. She bend at the waist and held onto the sheets. This pain was longer than the rest of them and she knew that it will not be long soon.
"Please tell me why do women do this multiple times?" Elaine asked when the pain stopped. Her face was wet from tears as she looked at Jamie who just shook his head and shrugged his shoulder
"What if the child is ugly?" Elaine asked Jamie who got up from the bed and walked to his wife who was bend holding on to their bed. He started to massage her back again.
"There is no way. Did you see the handsome father this boy will have. Not to mention the beautiful ad brave mother that the child will have. The child will be the most beautiful child in the world." Jamie whispered to her and Elaine chuckled as he wiped her tears and kissed her brow.
When the pain finished Elaine felt a water rush from her and she was standing in a pool of it.
It is time." She said through her tears.
"Thank you for being here with me." Elaine whispered to Jamie who kissed her forehead and smiled softly at her
"Where else would I be." Jamie said as he helped her into the bed and held her hand as the Maester was examining her
The Maester looked between her legs and smiled at Elaine.
"Now My Lady I need you to push when you feel the next pain." Elaine nodded as screamed and pushed as she felt the next pain.
"AAGGRRHH!" She screamed and held onto Jamie's hand. It was the worst pain she had every felt. It felt like she was being ripped apart.
"You're doing a wonderful job your My Lady Now I need you push hard when the next pain hits you." The Maester said and Naida pushed hard. She was tired. Too tired. All she wanted was to fall asleep. She felt darkness coming unto her. She could hear everything that was going on in her bedchamber but it was like she was underwater. When she opened her eyes he was looking down at her. She saw her body, her lower half covered in blood. She saw Jamie holding her hand. He saw the hoard of the handmaids and the Maester. She was at peace. She did to feel the excruciating pain that she was feeling for nearly two days. It was like she was not there.
"Do not give up Elaine you need to keep going." The Maester said and it was like she was pushed back into her body and felt it all again. The pain like he was being ripped into tiny little pieces. She screamed with the next pain and pushed as much as she could.
"My Lady I see the head, I need you to give me one last push and the shoulders will be born, but I need you to push hard." The Maester said and Elaine screamed louder than she ever did and pushed with all her might.
"I see hair golden hair." The Maester said Elaine laughed through her tears. She looked at Jamie who looked at her. He had a lone tear coming down his face. Elaine wiped his tear and kissed his nose.
"We will meet our child soon." Elaine whispered and Jamie smiled at her and kissed her forehead
"You are amazing." He whispered. He looked troubled. He looked scared. Elaine took put her forehead against his.
"Stop worrying husband. We will be fine. You will be fine." Elaine said and Jamie nodded.
"One last push My Lady and your child will be with you and in your arms." Elaine nodded and took a deep breath. She pushed one last time with a mighty scream and she felt her baby body leave her body.
Elaine fell back on the bed and gasped for air. She was so tired. She could barely keep her eyes open.
"It is a boy My Lady, you have a healthy boy." The Maester said and Elaine laughed. She had a son. She opened her eyes and saw a red baby boy with a turf of golden curls being put in her arms. The boy was still covered in blood but she never seen anything more beautiful than that. The boy was screaming loudly and Elaine laughed through her tears. He was perfect.
Jamie was looking at the babe in amazement. That was his child. It looked weird an as covered in blood but it was amazing. He has created this. This little person came from both him and his wife. Jamie could not get his head around it yet but he knew that he will protect that little person from anything. This person was his.
"He is perfect." Elaine said. She was looking at the babe like it was the most valuable gift ever Jamie noted. He smiled and looked at the babe and nodded.
"He is." He whispered and the babe opened his eyes and they were blue. Just like his mother and Jami could not be happier about it.
Well guys so sorry for the very very very late update. I am back to writing and I will be finishing this. I have a few great ideas for this story so please continue to stay with me and hope you enjoy it.