#hotd s2

“Ser Gwayne?”

He didn’t miss the call. It simply felt irrelevant at this moment, too shallow and meaningless to attract his attention.

Backnoise, perhaps even an annoying one that disturbed Gwayne’s thoughts that were turning more anxious with every second. He didn’t react, focused on scanning the courtyard with his gaze. He furrowed his brows, then grimaced to eventually run a hand over his tired face.

It turned from expressing irritation and discomfort of the travel to a look of deep worry. He could feel his breath growing heavy, barely rhythmic when his eyes moved from one person to another.

Even though he knew and memorized every inch of your face he kept replaying it in his head as if it could help him through the search. The search that slowly started to wear signs of desperation. He suspected that it was caused by the turmoil in his mind that howled and roared ever since he witnessed the huge winged beast on the ground, lifeless.

The closeness of the dragons brought up worry in him and it wasn’t something he cared to be ashamed of.

While brushing through his own hair to stick it back and get rid of the disgusting, sweaty feeling, he thought about your eyes which had a spark in them whenever they found him in a crowd. It was something your husband never got used to fully and it always thrilled him. It was so special that it turned to the main thing he could focus on during the travel back to King’s Landing.

It was the first time in your short years of marriage when he had to march to a true battle.

He imagined how you’d smile with your whole face, a shine of relief washing over you. Your lips would curve gently at first, before he’d gather you in his arms and then the soft greet would turn into a heartwarming laugh. Your lips…

Gods, your lips.

And yet you weren’t here.

The second headman of the Hightower army and Gwayne’s right hand cleared his throat again. “My lord?” He asked louder.

“Ah, yes,” he muttered while breaking out of his trance of worry and madness. “You are dismissed, commander. You did well.”

It was said quieter than he used to speak, not hesitating but not very sure either. He found it hard to focus, only managing to nod at his companion before his gaze shifted to the people gathered around again. Gwayne swallowed a bitter taste on his tongue and straightened his back.

He was falling into unnecessary insanity, surely.

“The men did well too, my lord,” the commander remarked with pride.

Gwayne clasped a hand on his shoulder like the good leader he always tried to be.

“Naturally. We brought a slain dragon’s head with us, after all. You deserve to rest, my friend.”

He couldn’t care less right now if he was honest with himself. You often pointed out his arrogance but lucky for him he also lacked the audacity to mention out loud that the dragon, the victory, the king’s suffering… It all meant very little to him right now.

He spotted the queen with ease. Handing his horse to a stableboy he approached her with his hand clasped behind his back.

“Alicent,” he greeted, probably betraying his outraged frame of mind with the annoyed tone.

He bowed his head. It was respectful enough, he hoped. He had no strength for bending his back, his knees, for ostentatious gallantry and for calling his little sister ‘queen’...

“Brother. I’m happy to see you unharmed and–” she spoke after having a good look at him.

Gods, she really resembled their mother when her eyes travelled all over him like that. It made him clench his jaw and look away from her, searching for you again. He was turning pathetic in it, he feared.

“Where is my wife?” He asked, interrupting Alicent’s words. Silence settled between them for a moment. Either she was unused to such savage manners, let alone from Gwayne, or the question troubled her. “Sister?” He called again when he was left unanswered.

The queen shook her head.

“I haven't seen her,” she said simply. “She is… Well, she is a woman hard to find these days.”

She clearly didn’t grieve that you weren’t her. It could be Gwayne’s own sorrow about it that made him so angry at his sister’s calmness. He breathed in deeply before turning to her.

“You dislike my wife.” It was a statement, not a question, and also not an accusation. Just a fact he found disappointing.

“No. I worry, that's all. She is just–” she cut and blinked at her brother’s unfamiliar expression. The corners of her lips fell further down. “She is of a peculiar character that I failed to notice before,” she explained, almost diplomatically which earned a scoff from Gwayne.

“You dislike her,” he repeated sharply.

“Brother,” she said with firmness that could bring an unruly child to peace. “As I said, I worry. She reminds me of Helaena and that is… It isn’t a good sign,” she said with a sorry face as if she was informing him of his wife’s deathly illness.

“You don't speak about your daughter with much fondness either,” Gwayne pointed out, despite noticing what she tried to say. “Makes me wonder how much of what you see I should put faith in…”

He knew the rationality of your mind. Your wit, your skills and intuition. He would never agree to bring you to a castle so full of viciousness as The Red Keep if he thought you were too fragile to bear it.

“Ser Gwayne.” He heard the voice of Criston Cole behind him which made him realize his tone has risen a bit. More than he wanted. The knight wandered next to him, bowing in front of the queen. “Could that be the truth that your marriage is not as cheerful as you described it to be?” He mocked , certainly recalling Gwayne's lectures.

Malicious cunt. In one moment Gwayne regretted ever mentioning his wife in the presence of a man like him.

“Ser Criston–” Alicent almost choked on her breath while trying to scold the knight, but didn’t find the right words. She turned to Gwayne with a look that could be taken for understanding. “Brother, I see that you worry. You are excused and forgiven.”

“Forgiven for–” Gwayne tried to clarify. Clarify, he told that to himself. In truth he sought an opportunity to argue and release some of his anger.

“Take the queen’s mercy and leave, ser,” Cole said firmly.

It would be below his decency to stay.

Gods, even though you left home with him he wished to see Oldtown as soon as possible again… Suddenly he thought that it could be a mistake. Disturbing your peace so much… On the other hand, if he never offered you would force him anyway. Of that he was sure.

Three months on the road. Alicent always thought you’re heedless and daring. Childish even. What woman with common sense would take up a travel this hard by the side of her lord husband? It was beyond her comprehension no matter how much he tried to understand your reasons. She could appreciate your devotion for her brother, though, and because of that she would never refuse her hospitality to you. That didn’t mean deep sympathy, naturally, and the lack of it was mutual, too.

The queen was faced with her own envy as well when she witnessed you offering comfort to her grieving daughter. You visit in the capital settled on unsteady days full of fear and pain. You were glad that Helaena allowed you to wrap your arms around her gently, even if you had to live under the jealousy of her mother’s gaze.

You felt bad for the dowager queen too. She was too hasty, too expressive in her dislike towards her to make you show compassion. You were also far too well-mannered to show pity.

One way or another, you saw the shadows of vultures that circled over the queen. She wasn't the one with true predatory nature toward the weak perhaps, but you were sure she would gather a harvest of corpses around her anyway. Your only hope was that neither you nor your husband will be amongst them…

You were plagued with the future as much as the past. It was an alliance of both that caused the decision of staying away while the army returned. You should be there awaiting your husband, you knew it but there was this vicious whisper inside you…

Gods, you managed to settle your mind on the matter when you knew it was already too late.

Running through the corridors of the Keep you made a few servants turn after you passed but you no longer cared. You brushed your hair out of your face before leaving the cold walls, stepping into the yard and stumbling onto Gwayne almost immediately.

“Husband,” you mumbled out of breath, too stunned to react properly.

You offered your hand to him, going for a handshake that made him freeze for a moment. It must have been a joke, he thought, but you made no effort to change it. To fix it.

He wanted to move closer, cup your face, smell your hair, remind himself of what true home meant, and here you were offering him your hand to shake.

Gods, no. He was a respectful man, always, but he now almost snatched your hand, leaned down and placed a long kiss on the skin of your knuckles. Not a peck, nothing chaste about it.

You didn’t dare to move and couldn’t help but look at the people gathered around. No one seemed to mind, save for the queen and the man beside her. You turned away as fast as you met her eyes.

Your breath hitched when Gwayne straightened his back and looked you in the face. Your love, your husband that you begged the gods to see again. He looked tired, that you expected, but he was also annoyed. Perhaps it was a mistake and your longing for him led you in the dark; you should have been more patient, stay in your rooms…

“Wife,” Gwayne said with a nod of his head. Only then you noticed he still didn’t let go of your hand. “You look even more delightful than I remembered.”

“It’s only been a few days,” you noticed in a hushed voice.

He grimaced as if you painfully belittled his feelings. Misled by your childhood’s grim experience you thought that it was your voice itself that angered him further. That he was just proper as always, greeting you because he had to before he would drown the memory of the fight in something of his own choosing.

Gwayne wasn’t fond of drinking, he certainly didn’t look around for other women nor he gambled, but in that moment you were sure it wasn’t you from whom he wanted comfort.

You could live with it. Despite the pained look on his face he made the effort to not flaunt it, to not humiliate any of you publicly, so you could do the same. Play the restrained, good wife until he could walk away from you freely without attracting any attention.

“Was the march hard, lord husband?” You asked in the tone of a stranger who made simple conversation.

His eyebrows twitched up at the sound of the title. It was almost unfamiliar coming from you. You, who knew how his name felt on your tongue whispered, cried out, moaned and in laughter… ‘Lord husband’ felt like an insult when he knew how sweet his true name sounded.

“The memory of you made it more bearable,” he answered but the smile didn’t really get to his eyes.

“Oh.” How could you not love him? Even in annoyance and when he wanted to be alone he could play the role of an admirer. “Well, I won't bother you with questions about the battle itself. It must have been horrible.”

He nodded and threw the last look around the yard before offering you his arm. He didn’t understand what in the name of the seven hells was going on but he knew he hated it. Perhaps if you stepped away, stayed in the company of each other.

But you didn’t jump into his arms when you both left, as he wanted. You allowed him to hold your hand, but that was it.

“It is behind us now, dear wife,” he explained to your worried voice. At least it was genuine, that he didn’t doubt. “That is what matters.”

“And that you are unharmed.”

It was strange, made his head spin, that you muttered such careful, lovable words while walking so unsure behind his side. He didn’t fail to notice that you weren’t close enough. Whenever you two strolled together you always rested against him, moved more into him than it was necessary and he adored it. It felt right, having you in his arms. He loved calling himself your husband, your lover, but if he was ever stripped from that he would at least want to be named your protector and supported. That’s how he felt when you showed him so much trust with your actions.

And now your bodies barely even brushed.

Dark thoughts settled in his mind. Did he cause you any pain? Have you heard a vicious rumor about him? Did… Did someone hurt you when he was away?

He called your name quietly, but you spoke up before it could truly get to you.

“Do you wish to have the chambers all to yourself?” You asked, turning your head to look at him. “I can't stay in the garden to offer you some space.”

He matched your gaze slowly, as if he was in pain from his shallow injuries, but it was just the shock. The look on your face seemed small to him, like an intimidated dove, afraid not only of her companion but also her own voice.

You never acted like that.

“I wish for no space,” he declared immediately and couldn’t hold back from moving his free hand up to brush your cheek with his fingers. “You offer strange things, dearest. If it's not too much to ask for, I want my wife's presence right next to me. Caring for me, if she feels strong enough today.”

You nodded and leaned more into his touch.

Gods, so the worry truly blinded you. It was still your Gwayne, after all.

“Of course. I meant no offence,” you explained, partially hopeful he wouldn’t question your behaviour any further. Only if you knew how troubled he was by it.

“And you gave none,” he assured.

“Good. I would love to care for all of your injuries. It will surely calm my nerves, knowing you are in good health.”

But would it really?, he asked himself.

In his common sin of arrogance he lied to himself that he wasn’t easily offended. Yet now he had to admit in front of himself. It struck him painfully.

“You don't seem happy that I'm back,” he noticed eventually while walking. It was a difficult thing to say, as hard as seeing it.

You stopped in your tracks.

“How can you say that? Of course I am.”

He hummed, clearly having a thought about it before stepping in front of you. He took both your shaking hands in his and held them, while lowering his head to you. “Speak to me, wife.”

“B–but I do, don’t I?”

Despite the exhaustion, the dark marks under his eyes and how unruly his hair looked, the lenient smile he put on was honest. There was also a visible fair share of worry in him.

“Something's happened, hasn't it?”

You shook your head, struck by the fact that he turned even more pale. “Nothing, husband, no. You know I would never lie to–”

“Then why are you so afraid?” He asked firmly, never stopping to gently brush your hands.

“I just... I missed you greatly.”

“You did?”

The question rang in your ears for a while. Your husband wasn’t sure if you spoke truthfully about your feelings towards him. You didn’t know if falling into laughter or sobbing was more due in this situation.

Your hands moved, not not only laying in his but interlacing your fingers.

“Yes,” you repeated. “I lived in fear and I was surrounded by strangers, Gwayne. Only the idea of seeing you again kept me sane.”

“I missed you too…”

He almost gave in into leaning closer, bumping your nose with his and resting his forehead against your face. Eventually he held back, too disturbed by your behaviour to let it lay unsolved.

“And yet I'm welcomed with distance and restraint,” he said. “Why?”

“Distance? I–”

But he didn’t let you finish. He moved your hands up to his chest. You could feel his warm breath over your skin.

“Why didn’t you kiss your husband when you saw him? Why didn’t you bless him with your touch if you missed him so?”

He saw your conflicted expression and he couldn’t hold back anymore. Freeing his hands from yours, he moved them to your face. You held onto his wrists gently when he cupped your cheeks like that. Just the way you wanted and dreamed about.

The tears went freely, you no longer tried to stop them when his fingers were placed on your warm skin.

“You terrify me, wife,” Gwayne confessed in a whisper, brushing away some of your tears. “Is it because you try to hide something? If you've experienced any wrongdoing... Gods, I promise that whoever hurt you will pay. Even if I have to go through this whole castle.”

“N–No,” you muttered at once, irritated by how weak your voice sounded. “It’s not that.

He’s never seen you like this before.

“Then…”

“It's my father,” you snapped eventually, annoyed yet glad you got it out of your throat. It was choking you, suffocating for the well part of the day and you had enough.

It should have been enough a long time ago.

“Your father, dove? What about him?”

“He hated it when we waited for him after battles. My mother thought it to be proper and I never understood her stubbornness, but–” The words died on your tongue. You felt foolish, a child again. Gwayne didn’t let you turn your head away from him. “He pushed me and my sisters away when we tried to hug him, and only shared a feast with us to not attract whispers. I suppose all he wanted then was to have a cup of wine and a quiet corner for himself. He was embarrassed by the displays of emotions... I thought–”

“You thought I would push you away like he did,” he said slowly and with understanding.

It sounded stupid, you didn’t even realize how much. You sniffed and took a deep breath to calm yourself.

“Well, I knew you wouldn't but... I felt it somewhere deep under my skin,” you explained and dried the tears on your cheeks. “I couldn't. The shame I felt back then. The feeling like I did something wrong... I couldn't fight it.”

Your husband nodded, taking in the sight of you with pride, not at all unpleased by how shaken up you were. He wasn’t easily annoyed by such things, on the contrary to when he couldn’t understand the situation.

“I see,” he said. He was out of words for a moment when you took his hand from your cheek and placed a kiss on it, just like he did to you every day. “I would never do that to you, you have my word.”

“I know. I always knew it, I just…”

“It is alright, dear. Don’t put me through it again, though. I’m not sure I can take it,” he joked, but there was some true seriousness buried within it. “Can you promise me?”

You smiled at him. Oh, how he missed that. “I can.”

“Good.”

His arm wrapped around your waist, pulling you into him. There was no rush in Gwayne’s actions. He touched your hair, took his time in playing with it before brushing it behind. His lips found yours when his hand finally settled at the nape of your neck.

He kissed you like a man who was left without air ever since he saw you for the last time, and yet he still had the strength of his mind to not impose. To not appear desperate, starved, even if all he wanted was to devour every moment of your love that he was given. The thought of pulling back didn’t even cross your mind.

His lips weren’t as soft as usual. Drier from the harsh wind and sun as well as marked by a bruise and poorly cleaned dry blood. He lingered just over your mouth when he was forced to take a breath.

Gwayne pushed his forehead to yours, resting with his eyes closed as his hand still played with your skin and hair. It made you raise your hand as well, gently touching his face, tracing shallow wrinkles and searching for the familiar feeling of warmth caused by an injury.

“We shouldn’t stand here,” you whispered.

“Why, will you complain about the way I smell, or–”

“That’s not what I said,” you cut in and boldly draped your arm around his neck. Gwayne almost purred when you pressed your body against his. “I would never complain about my own husband’s smell, you know that.”

“Gods, you are right,” his voice broke a bit but there was no shame in him. Not in front of you. “You are right, we shouldn’t be standing here. I want you all for myself.”

“And that you shall have,” you promised with a bashful smile. “Just later. Allow me to have a proper look first.”

He hummed in displease when you stepped back to look at him. Only now he realized you were shying away from that before, silly girl…

“Don’t worry,” he spoke when he noticed how your eyes changed when you set them on a bloodied spot on his doublet, uncovered by the plate armor, “Alicent offered to send her maesters.”

It didn’t soothe your nerves and he was a fool if he imagined it would. You only grimaced and nodded in acknowledgment.

“What is it?” He asked, spotting the shift immediately.

“Her servants are…” You clasped your hands together in front of you and sent him an apologetic smile. “Well, the queen is very kind but I would prefer to tend to you myself, if that's not of much difference to you.”

But Gwayne shook his head with a small grin and showed you to keep strolling to your chambers.

“It is a crucial difference,” he said firmly. “I would prefer no other touch than my wife's. The wounds you dress yourself… they always seem to heal better.”

“Do they?” You asked, taking his hand in your again. “Then I suppose true care can do miracles. Thank the gods those are not necessary today. Well, at least not in flesh….”

“Strange times we live in,” he agreed, seeing that you were speaking of the realm’s position.

The realm’s and yours, as those who sat the closest amongst the family of the ruler, either it was Aegon or Aemond now – you weren’t sure.

“You and my sister,” Gwayne spoke up, “ didn’t find much common ground, I see.”

“We don’t hold love for each other, if that is what you ask about,” you admitted, making your husband chuckle.

“For that I had no hope. Still, I thought you might have some comfort in the presence of another… I believe I was very wrong.”

You tightened the grip on his hand.

“I don’t wish to offend you by speaking ill of your sister. She is the queen, after all and–”

“Wife,” he interrupted with fondness, as if to make you realize who’s side he was on. “When I first saw your sorrow today I feared it was her who had done something horrific to you. Now tell me all.”

So you did, even if there were no tragic tales or shaking plots to mention. Gwayne could be a great listener when he wanted and to you he was always.

He opened the door to your shared chamber when you reached it and let you pass. He could already feel his insides aching from how hard you made him laugh.

“So she goes, still not looking at me, now listen–” you cut to clear your throat.

Resting one arm on a nearby desk you clutched the other to the neck of your gown, the way the queen often did, and lowered your voice to match hers.

“I hear you are fond of politics, my lady… I said that local politics, yes, but not the capital one. That is... that is certainly too overwhelming for a woman like me.”

“Mm.” Gwayne sat on the bed without moving his eyes from you.

“And then: Well, I’m sure you are very grateful to my brother then, she says, for allowing you to be involved in it. Politics, she meant, even the local one.”

“Allowing?” Your husband questioned, still trying to fight the smile brought up by your little act.

“Yes! Her words exactly,” you squealed in emotion. “So I replied that if she knows you well, which I don’t doubt she does, then she knows you aren’t fond of all your duties. My husband, I went, is gravely bored by the matter of grains and wheat, let’s say, so to be a good wife I free him of this subject and tend to it myself. And then she gives me a look so dirty as if I just confessed I want to slay Ormund Hightower and take the title of lord paramount myself. Or murder one of her sons, whoever is king now, since I lost count in that…”

Gwayne thought for a while, then waved his hand. “I’m not sure, now that Aegon is… Well, the way he is.”

You quickly moved to his side and occupied the spot nearby. You lowered your voice almost to a sound of conspiracy. “He is not dead, though, is he? People whisper different things…”

“Not dead yet, at least,” he admitted indifferently. “That I can say.”

You frowned for a moment then shrugged.

“You see my point, anyway,” you continued.

“I do. And I know my sister well, I can imagine her killing you with her gaze.”

You nodded like he described it perfectly. “Even your father is less demanding and, gods, backward, than her.”

“He is. Yes, Alicent is…” he sighed while looking for a good word, then smiled and turned to face you. “She’s just Alicent.”

“She is.” It made you giggle. “Now let me prepare some water and clean cloths…”

He was rather properly cleaned up already but you wanted to have a look yourself and make sure he was unharmed. One of his squires came to help you take off his armor, then bowed to you and left.

“You’re staring, Gwayne…” you noticed while struggling with the laces of his green overshirt.

“I am.”

He really had no shame when it came to the things he felt for his wife.

You were already bent forward to see the strips and belts better, almost resting your head on Gwayne’s shoulder. He barely had to move to cup your lips with his and still he made sure to tug you closer, earning a half-swallowed whine from you. You would have fallen, your body collapsing into his, but he gracefully directed you to his lap, making you laugh at how cheeky he could be sometimes.

You didn’t break the kiss nonetheless, and moved against him with matching eagerness. He let out a deep, content sigh and it was the most beautiful sound you have heard in days.

Draping your arms around his neck and shoulders you allowed him to tug you even closer, his own arms caging you, wrapped around your middle. You picked at his lower lip earning a hoarse, pleased groan from your husband. It wasn’t hard and still you could feel the iron taste of blood on your tongue.

“Forgive me,” you said in worry, pulling away and spotting that the bruising opened again. “I’ve forgotten myself–”

But he didn’t care. He tugged you in for another kiss and only calmed down when you rested your chest and head against him. This is where he wished to be ever since they left the camp at Rook’s Rest. Here with your body in his arms.

“You know I found it harder to pray to the gods with every moment I spend away from you,” he confessed. You felt him shiver at the sensation of your breath over his neck. “I could only think about you.”

He moved one hand from your back to pick at  his necklace and raised it to his lip. Where his sister wore a sign of religious devotion, Gwayne wore his reminder of loyalty to you. It was poetic in a way, much more romantic than you would ever imagine him to be. Before Gwayne you thought nothing of gestures like that, thinking you would never find happiness with a man like that.

“Stop, husband,” you hushed, brushing the side of his face. Eventually he allowed you to take a wet cloth and slowly run it over his skin. “It is blasphemy.”

“It's you,” he argued. “You are worth every blasphemy.”

What could you possibly say to that? What could you do instead of placing a kiss on his face and making your touch even more gentle? It was bliss, even despite the blood that ran with water and stained your fingers. For a while you could forget about wars, kings and battles that were to come.

The worry laid deeply, though, and the everlasting grim of the Red Keep never made it better. Your husband always noticed it on your face.

“What is it that scares you, dearest? I can see it.”

A sigh left you. “The walls. They have ears and eyes around here. It makes me go mad, husband.”

Some more blood dripped from his lip when he smiled.

“Then I promise to make sure to get you out of here before you start collecting bugs like my niece,” he said jokingly.

“You mock me,” you pointed out sharply and tapped his chest with your finger. “And my worry. too, when it is very adequate.”

“No, love, not at all. I don’t mock you.”

He coughed into his sleeve and made an innocent face. At least he was in a good mood.

“I am only being rational, even if you view it as paranoia. Oh, and trust me, Helaena’s company sometimes feels like she is one of very few sane people around here.”

Gwayne chuckled. “It must be bad if you say it.”

“It is bad. That’s why I pray for the war to be finished. So you can take off your armor for good and we can go home.”

“Not so many innocent lives could be spared?” He suggested.

Frolics.

“That too, of course. And honestly, I never want to see a dragon again. Not close, not far, not at all,” you said with a grimace.

Gwayne sat more comfortably with you in his lap, resting his back on the wall. He closed his eyes for a moment like he was dreaming, and yet it was nothing pleasant.

“The dragons, love,” he mumbled. When he opened his eyes there was nothing but worry in them, like he could recall the fire and death in its every detail even now. “They… Gods, they are nightmares.”

You watched your husband with carefulness, and dried his skin. “Do you wish to speak of it? The battle?”

You saw the hesitation on his face. The way he was questioning if he should bother you or not. Like he was picking between being a husband or a friend and trustee. Choice you never wished him to make.

“Do not offend me,” you said softly, “with the idea that I have not enough courage to bear those things you were forced to face.”

He nodded, yet no word of the battle itself left him at once. He needed time, you knew. Whenever something happened you tended to spend long nights talking about it in bed and you didn’t doubt it would be similar this time.

“We brought the head of the fallen beast…” he said.

“So it's true,” you hummed in awe. “I heard the voices from town. People didn’t like it.”

“No, they didn’t,” he agreed. “Truth be told, I don’t like it either. It stinks.”

“Reeks of a dead dragon? Who would have thought,” you teased ironically, making him stick his fingers more into the flesh on your waist.

“The only advance this place has over Oldtown,” you spoke up again, “is that rumors seem to be more reliable. To those who know how to understand them they are almost always valid. I find that entertaining.”

“Yes? And what did you hear, love?”

“I heard that your cousin is on his way here. And he’s with Daeron, too,” you informed proudly of your discovery. “People already whisper about another dragon.”

But Gwayne’s face fell and he sighed like the weight of the world was just dropped on his shoulders. For a moment you thought that it came from worry about his young nephew, but you finally understood when he spoke up.

“Are we not allowed some time away from him?”

It was sharp, annoyed, and ‘him’ must have been none other than Ormund Hightower.

“You haven’t seen him in months, Gwayne. There are two of us who don’t miss him, but…”

“I see him enough at home,” he remarked then lowered his head to your shoulder. “I’lll have to keep an eye on him when he’s around you,” he muttered.

“What? Do you have no trust in me, husband?”

“Oh, I have all trust in you,” he promised, feeling something bitter even at the thought of his cousin laying his eyes on you. “I just don't want him bothering you.”

You waved it off. “It will be fine. There is no need for you to get angry.”

“Him or his men…” Gwayne kept going.

You rolled your eyes and quickly got off his lap to dry your own hands and pick up the bandages.

“At least we’ll see your nephew again.”

With that he could agree.

“Yes, at least. You're fond of the boy, aren't you?”

“Yes. He’s… “You merely shrugged. “He is different from his siblings, you know? Perhaps Helaena… Well, the future of house Targaryen, I think, lies in Daeron alone. It's good that he's not cruel like his kins…”

Gwayne nodded and moved to stand up, slowly growing restless about the absence of your warmth against him.

“In that you might be just right, my dear. But Ormund… I keep no love for my cousin now that I have you to protect,” he confessed.

“I don't need–”

“I know,” he interrupted quietly and leaned to kiss the uncovered skin on your shoulder. “I know but I would go mad if you didn't allow me to be protective and just a little bit overbearing.”