THEY WERE AN UNLIKELY TRIO

BUT THEY LOVED EACH OTHER

MORE THAN ANYONE KNEW

•••

WITHIN a month and a half of living in King's Landing, Laila Ryswell was pregnant with Jaime Lannister's bastard. He made love to her everyday since they returned to his home, so it was only a matter of time before she came to bear a child. Truthfully, she hadn't thought she'd come to this conclusion, but with being a month or so into her pregnancy, she couldn't do much about it now. She could drink moon tea, but it's unlikely that she would lose the baby, nor did she particularly want to. Laila wanted this child, despite the circumstances.

She wondered why every night he had come to her lofty chambers and fucked her senseless. Laila's only guess was that Cersei refused to touch him or acknowledge him since he left for war. She didn't understand why the Queen Regent would act this way though. Nevertheless, it was Laila's bed that Jaime was sharing, instead of Cersei's.

Laila had stuck to Sansa Stark's side as her lady-in-waiting since given the order by Tywin. She couldn't do much else until she tended to go to sleep at night, which never usually happened with Jaime's visits. Sansa wasn't a very talkative girl anymore, so Laila usually stayed quiet. The Stark girl never looked to Laila either, because she always made her think of her mother. She rememebered the times of seeing Laila by Catelyn's side vividly, and having her as her lady-in-waiting was almost disturbing. Laila hardly ever saw Brienne, but when she did, the two would usually hug each other.

Laila hadn't even perceived she was pregnant until she woke up vomiting everyday for a week. She had paid a visit to Qyburn, who deemed her with child. When asked who the father was, Laila refused to answer. Qyburn then asked if she planned on telling the father, to which she could only reply, "I ... I don't know."

She decided to ignore her pregnancy for another month and acted as if nothing out of the normal was happening. During this time, Jaime stopped visiting her at nights. Laila thought he'd grown tired of her, and when asked of this as she cornered him in his bedchambers, he had nothing to say.

"You ... you ask me to stay in the bloody forsaken place with you, because you 'care about me,'" she ranted in a whisper, in fear servants would hear, "and you lay with me every night since we return. Then you suddenly stop visiting me, but give no answer. What are you keeping from me?"

"Nothing. I'm simply kept." Jaime had said. "Cersei finally decided to acknowledge me again, and hasn't unlatched her claws from me since."

Laila had furrowed her brow. "I knew this was a horrible idea. I knew you didn't care me. I knew it. I knew it. I knew it."

Jaime had instinctively grabbed her with his new, golden hand, one that left Laila's arm feeling cold. She turned at his grasp, and was surprised at the way he pulled her towards him. The two were struggling with their feelings and what to say. Neither of them knew exactly what they were in for, until Laila asked, "What would you do if you had another child?" Her hand had hesitantly lifted to his cheek. "You can't have children or marriages in the Kingsguard, but ... we all know you've defied that law before."

Jaime had said nothing at her knowledge of his bastards, and instead replied, "It wouldn't happen. I can't let something like that happen again."

With that answer, Laila had left in a panic. In her chambers, she kept thinking over and over again about what she'd do if she showed signs. Everyone would know. Everyone would be suspicious of her. Cersei seemed to already be suspicious of her, with the way she would glare at her when she learned Brienne and Laila were the two who escorted Jaime back to King's Landing. Laila had no place to turn to. At now three months pregnant, she was showing. She wasn't safe here anymore.

She didn't tell anyone her plan to escape. In the wee hours of the night the next day, Laila packed what little she had and fled the Red Keep. She made sure to take a few pieces of small Lannister belongings to sell on her journey to ... well, anywhere, at that moment. The day that she left was the wedding of Margaery Tyrell and Joffrey Baratheon, and that afternoon, Joffrey was murdered.

Laila decided to make the long journey South to Dorne. The Ryswells had friends in Dorne at one point, and though she had no family left, she could use her name for something. She sold the belongings she stole from the Red Keep along the way, and that coinage paid for the small amount of food and water she got, as well as the villagers she paid to take her to Dorne by carriage, and these were usually people heading there anyways. The journey took over two weeks, but Laila had never been more grateful to arrive at Sunspear when she did. When Laila arrived, she was forcefully interrogated by Martell guards. She told them, "I am Lady Laila of House Ryswell. I was told my house had allegiances with Dorne, but I think I might have misheard with this handling." The guards instantly released her and allowed her request to meet with Prince Doran Martell.

Laila explained her case thoroughly, while lying through a few parts. She told Doran her story of life, from birth, to mother's death, to family abandonment, and how the Starks took her in. She explained the most recent deaths of the Starks and how she escorted Jaime Lannister to King's Landing, and lied about getting "nothing in return." She said that she heard her family had friends with the Martells of Sunspear, and hoped they'd take her in when she had nowhere else to go. Prince Doran was wary, but when he learned she was with child, it was a deal-breaker. He allowed her to stay in Dorne with him. He called her a guest of honor.

There, at Sunspear, six months later, Laila had Jaime's baby. It was a boy, with glowing olive-toned skin and dark eyes, but he had that legendary Lannister blonde locks. This sight left Prince Doran skeptical, but didn't ever question Laila on who the father was. He decided that was her decision alone to tell. Laila named her son Tyland, and he took his mother's last name.

Believe it or not, Myrcella Baratheon took the most liking to Tyland in his first months growing up. Laila hadn't known she was in Dorne after an attempt to forge a marriage-alliance with House Martell until she arrived at Sunspear. She allowed Myrcella to hold Tyland often, and the blonde girl spoke of having a childish connection with her son. Little did she know that Tyland was her bastard brother, but Laila would never tell Myrcella that.

Two years later, Tyland was still a happy baby. Laila didn't have many worries, that was until she overheard of two men trying to disguise their way into the castles. The people inside were in a panic, but the two men, who were disguised as Dornish soldiers, were successfully captured by Areo Hotah. She was told that their plan was to kidnap Myrcella where she was located at the Water Gardens. But as Laila stood with the other Dornish women, witnessing the two men being dragged away with Areo, she saw the face of the one and only Jaime Lannister. She was holding Tyland in her arms as he passed, and when their eyes connected, an immediate feeling of guilt passes both their features. Jaime saw the baby in her arms, and like an instinct, he knew that son was his own.

Jaime and his partner, Bronn, were thrown in a bedroom-like cell by Prince Doran. Laila was allowed to visit the dungeons by Areo, and though she realized that what she was doing may be a bad idea, she brought Tyland with her. Laila approached Jaime's cell with hesitation, but when the two looked at each other, they couldn't help but stay silent.

Jaime understood then. He had been left in confusion for two, long years. He was so confused as to why Laila Ryswell had suddenly left the Red Keep in the dead of night, but now he had his answer. She had even hinted at it in their last conversation, and he hadn't thought of it in his small brain.

He stepped closer to the cell's bars, locking his arms around them to get closer to her. He looked down at the baby in her hold, noticing the distinct blonde hair. The child had her skin and eyes. "Is ..." Jaime paused, to which Bronn narrowed his eyes in the back, trying to get a good look. "Is he mine?"

Laila only nodded. Jaime reached out and brushed his hand through his son's hair. He felt himself grow happy, a large ball of nerves forming in his stomach. He hadn't felt this way since Cersei's last child, but this was different, because this boy didn't look like Cersei. He looked like Jaime and Laila.

"His name is Tyland," Laila whispered, watching their son grip Jaime's finger in his tiny hand. "He's two years old." Laila closed her mouth, trying to hide the oncoming tears, but they were already slipping down her cheeks. Jaime looked up at her with worry, but before he could speak, she was saying, "I think he's always wanted to meet his father, but no one could know."

Bronn's eyes in the back went wide. Fucking Jaime Lannister, he thought. How many bastard children did this man have?

Jaime smiled softly at Laila's comment. "No one could know," he repeated, pressing a kiss to Tyland's hand. "You could've told me."

"Could I?" She asked, nose scrunched. Even in her mid-thirties, her expressions never changed. "People of the court would've assumed. Leaving was the best for both of us. I've found peace in Dorne."

"You worried Brienne. You ... worried Lady Sansa," Jaime listed on, "and you worried me."

Laila nodded, looking to her feet. She shifted Tyland in between her arms. "Where will you go? What will you do now?"

"I'm planning to treat with Prince Doran. I'll, hopefully, take Myrcella back to King's Landing with me." His eyes locked with her own. "You should return with us."

"No, too many suspicious eyes. I cannot do that." She shook her head. "Your son stays here in Dorne, where he is safe."

Laila was then escorted out of the dungeons, and the next day, Jaime treated with Prince Doran in his solar, with Ellaria Sand. He pleaded his case, and successfully had Doran agree to taking Myrcella back to King's Landing, as long as his son, Trystane Martell, took Oberyn's place on the Small Council.

Jaime was allowed to visit Laila hours before he was to leave Dorne. After two long years, Jaime kissed her again. His lips fell on hers like a magnetic force, and it took all Laila's power to tear herself away. The last thing she needed was to feel attached again. "If not for me," she had said, "is there any chance for you to return to Dorne to see your son?"

"I will try," he promised, holding her face in two very different hands. "You have left a lasting impact on me, Laila Ryswell. Nothing will change that."

After saying goodbye to her and Tyland, Jaime left with Myrcella and Bronn. Laila watched him off by her chamber's window, and Jaime caught a glimpse of Tyland waving to him from his ship. The sight made Jaime's heart fall. He left them in Dorne, but he would return. He promised her, and he never broke his promises to her.

Although, he did break this one. Jaime Lannister became involved in other political matters, and never returned to Dorne. Laila waited outside her window for a very long time, hoping to see his ship in the distance.  She never did. Tyland Ryswell-Lannister never saw his father again.

Laila knew her soul would go on, but it forever remained on Jaime Lannister. He captured her heart, and he would never give it back.

•••

Around Tyland's third birthday, Prince Doran Martell was assassinated by Oberyn Martell's paramour, Ellaria Sand. She was not fond of him allowing Myrcella Baratheon to return home to King's Landing, due to her distrust of the Lannisters. She called him weak for not avenging the deaths of his brother and sister. "Weak men will never rule Dorne again," she said as his body bled out from her stab.

And since then, Ellaria ruled over Dorne with her bastard daughters. She made many decisions since her seize of power, but she had yet to confront of her most important suspicions: the Ryswell woman's son. It wasn't difficult to put the pieces together. Bright blonde locks, eyes that sparkled; not to mention she most likely named him after Tyland Lannister. Doran had never once asked about Laila Ryswell's former lover, but Doran's rule was over, and Ellaria would not conduct matters his way.

Ellaria had sentenced Laila and her son to death for lying with the enemy. "How can you convict on a mere suspicion? Prince Doran would not stand for this!" Laila had exclaimed as a pair of guards tried whisking her and Tyland away. She needed to hold onto him as long as she could, for she knew they had only moments left with each other.

"Prince Doran does not rule anymore," Ellaria replied. "I do not need suspicion, Lady Ryswell. I know."

Ellaria had watched her guards behead both Laila Ryswell and her three-year-old boy with a grin on her face. Finally, she had rid Dorne of all Doran's horrible decisions. And as Laila's head fell, her neck bleeding crimson pools onto the stone ground, Jaime Lannister had been kissing his sister passionately, not thinking of his almost lover and bastard son in the slightest.

THE END