Breaker, Broken | Jorah Mormont

Chapter 16

Jorah walked her to her chambers.

He'd been staring at her the whole time during the Small Council meeting, observing every bit of dirt and blood that clung to her over her war paint.

It was a wonder the Lannister forces hadn't pissed themselves. Or maybe they had.

She looked deadly, like she meant business, yet she showed them mercy and proved she could encompass both sides of the same coin. She had the wrath of a warrior with the compassion of a Queen. A combination Cersei could never attain.

(Nor Daenerys.)

She'd ended the meeting once all the most important aspects of battle had been discussed, excusing herself for a much-needed bath.

Jorah knew she would be safe walking to her chambers alone, but attached himself to her anyway, if only yo get close enough to examine her for smaller wounds she might have hidden.

But she was unscathed and she walked with pride. It made him smile.

"A few years ago, you walked me to my chambers just like this," said Saera, reaching out to take his hand, then bringing it up to her mouth to kiss it. "So much has changed since then."

"Indeed it has, my Queen," he said, blushing when two of the Sand Snakes walked past, smirking and wiggling their eyebrows at Saera.

She didn't mind it; the girls always liked to tease. "How was Dorne in my absence?"

"It's a beautiful place. I can see why you like it so much. Those of us who were here had nothing to worry about. No attacks, no more packages. All I wished was for you to return."

She smirked, tugging his arm as she reached for the door. "Well, I hope I didn't keep you waiting for too long." She pulled him inside, closing the door. "There is something I wish to discuss."

Furrowing his eyebrows, he sat down beside the tub, watching her test the temperature of the water that'd been left for her. "Once I sit the throne, I intend to pardon you. Of course, I cannot give you back the seat to your house when it's already passed to another and will continue onto young Lyanna's children. But I want you to be a free man."

His eyes widened. "I cannot ask you to do this."

"You're not asking me. I am deciding I will do it. I don't see why you should continue living as a shunned man when you've helped me, when I care for you. You've made up for it a million times over. I don't even know how long I will be queen for... there's nothing that says we can't still go elsewhere and still be away from it all. I just don't want you to be held in contempt in the time that we are in the Crownlands or anywhere else in Westeros."

"My Queen... are you sure?"

Saera nodded. "It's my choice, Jorah. I want to make this a reality for you— for us. I want everyone to have an opportunity to start fresh. On top of this, if... if we decide to marry and have children, they will be free to be raised anywhere. Our marriage will happen smoothly."

"I do not deserve you," he murmured, reaching out to hold her, then kissing her forehead. "I still struggle to feel worthy of you, Saera. I am an old man. I may not live much longer, I may not be able to give you children..."

"And you think that matters to me?" she asked, disconnecting and beginning to remove her armor. He turned away politely, only looking up once she sank into the tub, whose water was well-past boiling. Saera wasn't bothered by it. "Children are not the most important thing in the world, Jorah. I don't need to have children. I'm simply curious about them. As for living much longer... you do realize I am not that much younger than you, right? I, too, am aging."