CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Back to King's Landing
Alana's POV
ONE MONTH LATER
Highgarden, Westeros.
"Are you packed and ready?" Jaime asked me as he adjusting his crimson doublet. "King's coronation and wedding all at once? We're going to be busy while at King's Landing, and Cersei wishes to speak with you also? Whew, I don't know what to think."
"Neither do I." I shrugged.
We just received word that Ned was going to have an official coronation ceremony and with that he would also be getting married to Cersei Lannister and announcing their official heir to the throne, which presumably would still be Joffrey. Since he is still their son no matter who says what.
Olenna had told me that there is a secret plot to get Jon on the throne as he technically would be the heir so long as Cersei and Ned admit to their sins and treason that they had done before marriage. But once they are wed then no one can say a thing. Robert is dead and everyone just loves a Stark being on the throne, so they would jut be blind to it all.
"I must ask you something, Alana." Jaime said softly.
We have not spoken much since Robb left. I blamed Jaime for going to see him and speaking with him without me being there. Jaime did not speak to Robb for anything but his own selfish reasons, to get into Robb's head and make him leave so I could crawl into bed with Jaime in hopes that I'd lay with him.
I did not do that. Never once.
"Ask." I said as I folded a blanket and packed it into a trunk for Jacerys, who was now completely Robb's twin. There was no hiding it anymore. Even Renly said I got damn lucky that Robert is dead now and that Tywin Lannister still has no come out to Highgarden to see "his" grandchild.
"Do you plan to stay in King's Landing if all goes well with Ned and Cersei? If things go well with... With-"
"Robb." I rolled my eyes. "Don't be shy, you can say his name. I may have cursed his name but his name itself is not a curse."
Jaime smirked and then breathed out, "This will be the last time we share a room together, won't it?"
I nodded. "I assume after the wedding you will return to Casterly Rock?"
Jaime looked at me with eyes of sorrow. Pain. Suffering. Sadness. "I love you; you know that... Don't you?"
"Not now." I grunted and rolled my eyes. "You know how I feel. You know that not one bit of this is easy to explain and I-"
"You don't love me, I understand that. You love Robb Stark but correct me if I'm wrong here, you can still accept the fact I love you and not love me back. So just accept my love. Tell me you understand how I feel about you even if the feeling is not mutual."
"I understand." I packed more things into the trunk that belonged to myself and Jacerys. Punching the fabrics down and releasing a bit of rage that I had built up inside of me. "But what I do not understand is why you had to go to Robb? I waited for him all night- ALL NIGHT! And you knew what you did. You knew he left. He didn't even say goodbye. Not to me. Not to his son."
"I didn't think-"
"Exactly." I slammed the trunk shut. "You did not think."
"Alana, please!" Jaime begged. I hated when he begged. He looked so pathetic beneath me on his knees, clasping his hands together as though in prayer while he looks up at me with those green lion-like eyes. "All I did was tell him to do what was right! Perhaps this was it. He needed to leave and speak with his father and Cersei himself, to explain it all. Did you ever think about that?"
"And what if this is a trap? I go there and I'm killed for lying to the crown and having a bastard son."
"Don't talk about Jacerys like that." Jaime growled. "He is too good a child to be spoken about like that. I love that boy-"
"He is not yours to love." I went to the door and asked for the maids and servants to come and bring our things down to the wheelhouse so we could be on the King's Road before evening falls.
Jaime stood there until finally he breathed out loudly and stormed out of the room. Just when I thought I'd be alone I was joined by Renly who looked over his shoulder and started to chuckle before he looked at me and shook his head.
"What'd you do to him?" Renly asked playfully as the servants and maids were gone from the room. "Deny him sex again?"
I rolled my eyes and took a pillow in my hands and hit him with it. "You're a pig!" I playfully said as the pillow hit him in the head and feathers burst out from it. Floating slowly to the floor.
Renly stood there for a moment chuckling until he calmed himself and then sucked in a deep breath. "King's Landing," He clicked his tongue. "Never thought I'd be going back there and only for the wedding and coronation, then I have to be the one who brings Robert's remains to Storm's End."
"Throw them into Blackwater Bay." I shrugged. "Or dump them outside the brothel."
"Both are much better ideas." Renly smirked. "I'm worried about you, sister. I fear going to King's Landing will bring up bad memories for you."
"I'm fine, Renly. I promise." I assured him. "I'm eager to see the children again. Myrcella will be happy to meet Jacerys finally. I think Joffrey will be happy too but Tommen will be unbothered until Jacerys is old enough to play and do fun things."
"Edric too." Renly smiled. "He and Margaery are also joining us. How fun will travel with not one but two babies be? Loras is so looking forward to it."
I laughed and shook my head. "Is that going well?"
Renly nodded eagerly. "Once Edric is old enough we plan to move to Dorne. Men being with men is not frowned upon there, so, once Edric can learn to hold Dragonstone on his own, or at least with the help of Margaery, I will leave and start my real life. My authentic life."
"I'm proud of you, Renly. I only wish for you to be happy." I replied.
"And I wish the same for you, sister. Which is why I think seeing Robb again in the place you fell in love with each other under good circumstances will be what is best. I know I am not his biggest fan but-"
"I only wish to focus on Jace for now." I cut him off.
"What if Ned and Cersei demand you wed Robb?" Renly asked. "To cover for what happened before?"
I shrugged and smiled. "Then I will marry Robb Stark."
-
TWO WEEKS LATER
King's Landing, Westeros.
We arrived very early this morning to the Red Keep. I forgot that this place was nice to look at but Renly was right, there are far too many awful memories here. At the gates we were greeted by Ser Barristan Selmy. Lord Commander of the King's Guard and still loyal to the crown, especially to Ned Stark.
Seeing the Stark sigil on banners all over the city and the Red Keep was odd. I blinked at them quickly and many of times thinking I was seeing it wrong. I knew I wasn't but I lived there for nearly 15 years and had only ever seen the Baratheon sigil and on occasion the Lannister sigil. But other than that there was never this much of the Stark sigil.
"Welcome back!" Selmy said with a grin. "How wonderful it is to see you again, Lady Lannister." He gave a wink.
He knows. Don't even try to lie. Just fucking smile and nod.
"Oh, how I've missed you Ser Barristan!" I smiled back at him.
He looked at my arms to see that I had Jacerys bundled up. Especially covering his auburn curls that were getting longer and thicker each day that passed. "He's asleep but you'll get a better look at him later on," I added.
"Aye, I hope I do." Barristan replied with a nod before leading us all into the Throne Room.
The oak doors creaked open loudly and echoed into the room. I gulped down and kept my spine stiff as stone. Looking forward as I held my sleeping son in my arms. At the top of the dais was the Iron Throne and sitting on it was Ned Stark. It was strange to see him sitting on the throne rather than off to the side.
Cersei sat in a seat on the side of the throne and grinned when she saw me. I had my reservations when it came to being kind to them but I always admired Cersei. I wanted to be her. And the moment I found myself with child I realize I had become her by having a bastard child with the man I love.
"Alana!" Eddard cheered and Cersei clapped. Ned's voice boomed but not nearly as loud as Robert's ever did. "Welcome home!"
"Home?" I asked with a confused smile. "I-"
Ned had anyone who was not close as family be removed from the room. Robb came down from where he was observing and joined us down below. Now standing in here was just myself, Cersei, Ned, Robb, and Renly who had came in behind me.
"We know everything," Cersei started. "We know about Robb being Jacerys's father and we know that you are not married to Jaime nor have you ever bedded him."
I stayed silent and gave her a promising look.
"There will be a wedding to take place soon." Eddard smiled. "Not just mine to Cersei but the two of you must wed. You are in love and have a beautiful example of the love you share right in your arms."
Ned reached his arms out to hold my boy, to which I allowed because not only is he the grandfather but he is also the King and you can not deny him a single thing. I watched carefully as Ned bounced Jace in his arms, peeling the blanket back and taking a look at the hair and then giggling.
"He's all Robb," Ned chuckled. "Look at those auburn curls... It's like holding my son for the first time all over again."
Cersei shifted slightly and cleared her throat, forcing a smile to curl onto her lips. She was visibly uncomfortable.
"The other thing that needs to be discussed, my love." Cersei said to Ned who was lost in the eyes of Jacerys. His finger being clutched by Jace's as they both smiled at one another.
"Right," Ned said. "Right, right. Before Robert passed Robb had a discussion of poor taste with him where he threatened to have a rebellion but he also gave up his titles if he could marry you and although Robb is my eldest he will not be my heir, Jon will be, so-"
"You're going to announce that Jon's mother is Cersei, I take it?" I asked.
Cersei nodded. "That's not all dear, please listen-"
"And then you'll kill me and my son? Is that what I'm here for me?" I argued. "If that's the case then do it now before I take up precious space in this horrid place."
"No, no!" Cersei shook her head frantically. "That's not it at all! We love you! We really do! We want to make things right and make things better for all of you. Robert wanted you with someone who has lands and titles, is that not why he put you through the seven hells of men he brought out here?"
I nodded silently.
Eddard added on. "Which is why Benjen has agreed to take the black and go to the wall so that Robb will become Lord of Winterfell and Warden to the North. You will be the Lady of Winterfell and your son the heir. It's everything Robert wanted for you but done in much better taste and you get your happy ending."
"You're lying-"
"I would do no such thing, Alana." Eddard promised me. "I have done wrong in my life but one thing I never will regret is any of my children and I will continue to fight for them... All of them."
"Thank you, Your Grace." I bowed my head to Ned and then to Cersei. "Thank you... So much."