Perhaps there were others, but... while he could perhaps take another to bed, just once... or possibly more than once, if he found their company enjoyable enough... He certainly couldn't imagine himself discussing secret, clandestine marriages with anyone else, not the way he had with Renly. The sun had set, and... while he may be willing to consider the fact that lighting the odd candle might be a good idea, nothing could ever truly replace what he'd lost.
And then there was the matter of her other suggestion. Sansa Stark was young, but not that much younger than himself or Margaery- maybe five or six years? Not such an insurmountable difference, certainly. And he supposed she was pretty enough, but... Well, Renly had said the same about Margaery, and if he hadn't managed to give her an heir, what chance did he have? Even so, he knew he would have to try. Even just once, and then pray that was enough.
"I suppose you're right," he conceded. "We'd only need the one, assuming they were healthy, and a boy. And over time, we could become friends- it would be better than nothing."
Almost giddy. She expected him to be more against the whole situation. She would have been, Joffrey isn't the best suitors to pick from of the many but he held what she wanted most, the crown. She rather go for Ser Jaime if looks were most important even if she had to fight tooth and nail with Cersei. "Yes. It would be a future and you'd be free. Oh, I'd miss you terribly but I'd do my best to visit. It will only strengthen our families." When she said family she meant solely on Highgarden and Stark, then Baratheon. Thinking of Jaime..
"Do you know how to be with a woman?" It sounds foolish to ask. "We could always visit a brothel, you can give it a try. You may even like the task, not saying you'll start to fall for a woman." She laughs lightly at it. She, herself, open to love anyone no matter what parts they are born with. Sadly love isn't in her future. She'll never have that opportunity.
He could see the logic in her suggestion, of course. But the fact remained that, whatever experience he might gain, in brothels or anywhere else, he couldn't get around the simple fact that he simply did not find any women attractive. No amount of practice or trial runs could get around that.
"Perhaps. Though, I don’t know what difference it would make." Privately, he wondered if it might be better if he came into this relatively inexperienced. It might make Lady Sansa feel a little more at ease if she believed it was the first time for him, too.
Of course, it would only be a matter of time before she realised the truth. Either he would let something slip about his past, or there would be other... temptations... in his future that complicated things. He could only hope that by that time, they would have enough of an understanding that it wouldn’t be a problem. It would be ideal if she also had a child by that point, but that was a little harder to predict.
"I'm sure I can figure out the mechanics well enough," he said. "At least enough to get her with child. That's the important thing." After that, they could figure out the rest. They just had to secure the union. And if he had to think about someone else to do that? Well, he'd hardly be the first to resort to such a thing.
