The Lions Wolf

Chapter 3 ~ The Kingsroad

I sat in Bran's chambers with mother, watching him sleep, Maester Luwin said if he survived the next two nights he'd be out of the dangerous part, but until then all we could do was pray, I eyed my mother who was still in her bedclothes, she'd hardly slept and it was showing.

"Mother you should get some rest, I'll watch over Bran" she met my eyes and shook her head silently making me sigh, a knock sounded on the door and Cersei stepped into the room, mother and I both stood and went to curtsy but she held her hand up to stop us.

"Please," she said, her eyes went to Bran and then to me and we shared a sad smile, she was here to console mother.

"I would have dressed, your Grace," mother said, her voice husky from crying.

"This is your home. I'm your guest," Cersei told mother to ease her worries, mother nodded and Cersei gestured for her to take her seat again, "Handsome one, isn't he?" She mumbled and I chuckled slightly and nodded, my brother was a handsome looking boy "I lost my first boy, a little black-haired beauty. He was a fighter too... Tried to beat the fever that took him" Cersei got choked up and I grabbed her hand in comfort, I'd heard this story when I was younger, I'd shared my fears of childbirth and she'd told me her story "Forgive me, It's the last thing you need to hear right now" she wiped her eyes quickly and shook her head.

"I never knew," mother said her eyes widened at the information that she was being given.

"It was years ago. Robert was crazed, beat his hands bloody on the wall, all the things men do to show you how much they care... The boy looked just like him. Such a little thing... A bird without feathers," she looked at Bran once more and continued her story, her strength showing "They came to take his body away and Robert held me. I screamed and I battled, but he held me. That little bundle. They took him away and I never saw him again. Never have visited the crypt, never," she whispered the last part and I felt a tear run down my cheek "I pray to the Mother every morning and night that she return your child to you," she looked to my brother who nodded.

"I am grateful.." mother told her, Cersei nodded, kissed my forehead gently and went to leave the room.

"Perhaps this time she'll listen," she said before leaving us in silence once more, mother met my eyes and she stood up, quietly walking over to me she pulled me into a hug and held me tightly.

"Go, Wolfling, get ready to leave in the morrow" she let me go slightly and I shook my head quickly.

"I'm not leaving mother, not when Bran's like..." I looked at him and swallowed the sob that was trying to choke me "like this"

"You will, Wolfling, your brother will be fine, I'll be making a prayer wheel for him," she cupped my cheeks with her soft hands and wiped my tears away from my eyes "go to your husband, your father said he was worried for you" the thought of leaving Bran and going to Jaime made my stomach twist.

"Mother, I failed" I mumbled crumpling into her arms "I promised that I would protect them, and I failed, Bran is hurt because I was too busy with Jaime" my sobs became hysterical hiccups and mothers arms tightened around me more, "I'm always there to catch Bran and I wasn't there, I should've been"

"No sweet thing, you did not fail," she kissed my forehead and pulled my head away from her chest so I could look in her eyes, "Bran loves you so much, as do we all, never blame yourself for things you cannot control" she wiped my tears away "live your life and when Brian wakes up you'll have stories to tell him"

The door opened slowly and Jon poked his head in, he saw the state I was in and rushed forward, mother let me go and Jon gathered me into his arms "it's okay, he's strong and he's stubborn" he leant his forehead against mine and I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.