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IN LOVE WITH AN ANGEL

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That afternoon, Ned himself went in search of his wife and finally found her in one of the gardens with two other ladies. He noticed that her previous companions were nowhere in sight but decided not to make any comment until they were away from them.

After dismissing her new ladies and getting rid of the hood and veil covering her head, Cersei let herself be guided to the stables and to his surprise she decided to use her old side saddle and waited for him to mount his own horse before they left. They rode slowly though the King's Road and when he challenged her to a race to their favourite spot, she accepted happily. But she ended up regretting her decision, because her gown was so tight she soon began to feel faint and had to slow down for fear of passing out.

"Cersei?" – Ned asked her, guiding his horse closer to hers. – "Are you alright?"

"Of course, my love." – she said, smiling slightly to avoid showing any discomfort that might make him worry. She didn't want their outing to be cut short to soon. – "I was simply giving you an advantage. You should win at least once, after all"

He laughed at her words. He always liked it when she teased him, since she became more relaxed and adventurous during those times. When they finally arrived to their selected spot, Ned hurried to dismount and helped her do the same, leading her by the hand until they were sitting in front of a clear stream, her back to his chest and his arms resting on her belly. He started kissing her neck and she sighed happily before arching her neck to give him better access.

"Mmm… as much as I think you look beautiful with this new hairstyle of yours, especially because it gives me this incredible view of our neck, I have to do this." – he told her, separating his mouth from her skin.

"What…?" – she started to ask, but closed her mouth when she felt him beginning to unbraid her hair and take out the many pins that kept it in place. He tried to do it as gently as possible but before long he grew frustrated and a laughing Cersei helped him before she ended up bald.

"Much better." – he sighed, burying his face in her sweet smelling hair and inhaling deeply, feeling his worries melt away. Cersei felt his whole body relax and smiled, resting more fully against him.

"I take it the council meeting didn't go so well." – Cersei commented, rubbing his hands with her smaller ones.

"You could say that." – he confessed, his face still buried in her hair. – "Only a week away and they complained like I have been away for ten years. And they talked about the most trivial things as if the destiny of the realm depended on them."

"Maybe they think they could escalate into something more serious?" – she guessed.

"A joust to celebrate our wedding as the most important thing for the realm?"

"Hey! It is our marriage you are talking about!" – she joked. But she knew what he was complaining about. The war had just recently ended and there were more important topics to think about, like helping the injured and orphans and making sure that new alliances were formed in order to strengthen the level of security in the Seven Kingdoms. 'After all, winter is coming.' she thought, like Ned always said.

"I need to tell you something." – Ned expressed, suddenly serious. It was time to confess his most hidden secret.

"What is it?" – Cersei asked, turning around and looking him in the eye. She didn't like the way he was looking at her.

"I need you to promise me never to talk about this with anyone."

"Ned, you are scaring me." – she said worriedly.

"Promise me, Cersei." – her husband repeated.

"I promise." – she caressed his face gently, willing him to relax.

"Lyanna had a son." - he said. Cersei knew better than comment, sensing he wasn't done talking. – "She and Rhaegar had a son. Have a son."

"A... Son? But… she is…" - she stammered.

"Dead. My sister is dead." – he completed for her. – "After taking King's Landing I found out she had been hidden on the lower levels of the keep and took some of my men to find her. But I was too late."

"Was she... already dead?"

"No, but she was dying. She had her son with her and as soon as she saw me she made me promise I would take care of him." – he stopped for a few moments, taking a deep breath before continuing. – "It turned out she and Rhaegar had been in love and she had left with him willingly. She didn't say it then but I discovered they got married somewhere on their way here."

"Married? Then her son... is..."

"Yes... he is Rhaegar's legitimate heir. He is meant to be the next king."

'Father won't like this.' She thought nervously. She didn't even want to think what he would try to do to the baby who could cost him the Seven Kingdoms.

After Lyanna died, I took the child and promised myself he would regains his birth right. – "Cersei gasped at this."

"Ned! You can't!"

"I know. Doing that would mean starting another war. But it is the right thing to do. I wasn't born to be a king. I wasn't even born to be Lord of Winterfell."

"But you became Lord of Winterfell. And you are the King of the Seven Kingdoms now." - Cersei stated, standing up and making Ned do the same.

"But..."

"I know you loved your sister, my love. I know you still do. And I know that your honour as a Stark won't allow you to keep silent on this. But I beg you to think this through." – she pleaded, resting her hands on his chest and looking him in the eye. – "What do you think is going to happen if people are not willing to see another Targaryen on the throne? And what about the ones who would be more than eager to see him rule? Some won't even believe that he is legitimate or even that your sister and the late prince were in love and got married.

"She told me herself!" – he argued.

"And many lords won't care! They would only do what benefits them the most." – she whispered. Ned stepped away from her.

"And you? Does it benefit you more that my nephew remains in the shadows for the rest of his life?" – he asked , angry at her all of a sudden. She stepped closer and slapped him without thinking.

"How dare you?" – she said harshly. – "How dare you think I would wish such a destiny for a baby."

She turned and walked towards to her horse, her husband hot on her heels.

"Cersei wait!"

"Leave me alone!" – 'What have I done?' She thought while walking as fast as her gown permitted her. 'How could I strike him? What is wrong with me? He is goimg to be so furious!' she was terrified and wanted to escape as quickly as she could.

"Cersei wait, please." – she had been so lost in her thoughts she hadn't even noticed he was already in front on her. She got ready to be struck back. – "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have doubted you."

'What?' She thought, staring at him with her mouth opened. 'He is not angry?'

"I'm sorry, my love. I just... I don't know what to do." – he finished, pulling her towards him and hugging her. She didn't doubt to hug him back.

"What other option do we have?" – she sighed. She knew only of one other option and it would mean a great sacrifice on his part and a painful life for her new nephew.

"I could say he is mine but..."

"He would only be known as the king's bastard." – she completed his sentence.

"Yes. I wouldn't wish that life for him." – Ned said. He suddenly sounded so tired she felt her heart breaking for him.

"I wouldn't wish that for him or any other either." – she repeated. She had seen how her father treated her younger brother as if he were a bastard and didn't wish to see another inocent child in the same position. She left the safety of her husband's arms and taking his hand, she guided him towards the horses again.

"Take me to him." – she told him, smiling encouragingly. Ned fell in love with her more for that.

He helped her mount again and they rode back to the Red Keep. Once there, he took her to the royal wing and guided her through a secret passage for what felt an eternity, but could have only been around ten minutes, until they were finally standing instead of a door. He took a key out of his doublet and when he opened it she was surprised to see several men standing guard.

"Your Graces." – one of the men saluted them respectfully.

"Jory." - Ned saluted back before he guided his wife to a door at the end of the room.

The first thing Cersei saw was a plump woman carrying a little bundle in her arms. As soon as she saw the king and her she bowed.

"How is he today?" – he asked after greeting the woman.

"Like an angel, Your Grace. He has just finished eating." – she answered.

"May I?" – he stepped closer and took the child and cradled him in his arms. – "Leave us, please."

He waited until she had abandoned the room before walking with the baby to the chair where Cersei was sitting. And as soon as she saw his little face she gasped.

"He... he looks exactly like you, Ned." – she commented, happily surprised and relieved that he didnt look like his Targaryen father. 'It will be easier to protect him if he doesn't look like Prince Rhaegar'.

"Yes. He has the North in his blood." – he told her proudly, without taking his eyes off his nephew.

"Can I take him?" – Ned nodded immediately and gave him to her. The baby seemed to resent the change of arms and raised his little hand until he caught a lock of Cersei's hair in it before falling back into slumber. Cersei smiled and pressed him closer to her.

Ned, on his part, couldn't help the grin on his face. He had been so nervous to tell his wife about Jon's existance and there she was, completely smitten with the baby.

"His name is Jon." – he told her, running his fingers over Jon's head.

"After Lord Arryn." – she stated more than asked. Everybody knew of the love and respect Ned had always felt for the man. He had taken him and Robert Baratheon as his wards and had educated and later protected them when King Aerys had killed his father and older brother. She definitely agreed with his choice of name.

'Your cousins could look like you, my little Jon. I hope they look just like your uncle. Just like you.' she thought, imagining dark-haired sons and daughters playing around the Keep, driving their septa crazy and lighting the dark castle with their laughter. She imagined them playing with Jon and Tyrion, looking up to both older boys and clinging to every one of their words.

'Nothing can ever happen to you, my love.' She promised him, kissing his soft forehead and caressing the hand that had still her hair with the tip of her fingers.

They remain in silence for the next hour, simply watching the baby that had, in such a short time, captured the lioness queen's heart. After that, Ned called the wet nurse back in to the room and the couple left, but not before Cersei had obtained direct permission from her husband to return as often as she liked.

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A/N: Cersei finally met Jon. And I always wanted her to accept him, not like that awful Catelyn

I hope you liked it and et me know what you thought of this :)