AN: The whole idea for these stories came from a conversation between myself and some friends about match-ups that would have been epic if they'd ever happened. When I introduced the idea of this fanfic to them they said the first fight would have to be one of our longer talks, and as far as that goes, Jaime and Oberyn had by far the most discourse. Each fight of course requires a bit of a rewrite, an alternate reality if you will, so I will attempt to explain that brief little bit early, then get to the main event, but Jaime and Oberyn was unique, there would be too much emotion in their confrontation, so they had to talk. I have a few more of these for myself, but if anybody ever reads this, I would absolutely love to hear what you think would be a good fight... that said I will try to stay away from Jaime or the Viper for a few posts, I don't want this to turn into "Jaime vs..." or that sort of thing. I am also willing to discuss my choices and debate their merits with whoever feels inclined to, so by all accounts, give me what you've got. I don't know how often I'll update this, but I hope I get enough responses to generate some personal interest in it myself.
Jaime couldn't help but admire the irony of the situation, when he'd escaped Robb Stark's encampment, he'd assumed he'd arrive to the relative safety of King's Landing, but if he'd known the climate of the capital, he would have remained in his cage and been grateful. These weren't the days of Robert's rebellion, there was no sacking the city, instead there was an unsteady undercurrent in the city, a feeling of tension that had been reverberating through the Red Keep ever since the trial of his brother. In his dying moments Gregor Clegane had damned the whole of the realm to elongated war.
He'd let his frustration and his rage cloud his judgment, he'd been too sure of himself, and Oberyn Martell had outmaneuvered him because of it. He'd seized the Viper, shouted his confession, and just as he thought he would kill his enemy the Viper's cunning had shown itself, a quick thrust from a broken spear, and the Viper slithered out from beneath the toppled Mountain. That was all it had taken to set all of Westeros on edge. House Martell had the confession, and everybody in the city knew King's Landing was a powder keg.
Cersei hadn't left Tommen's side, and his father had issued an edict that neither of them were to leave the Red Keep, that they were to be guarded at all times by no less than four members of the kingsguard. He'd expected a drawn out siege of the castle, the Martells to raise an army, form an alliance, and march beside perhaps Stannis or they'd bring the Targaryen girl and her dragons from across the Narrow Sea. Instead he'd been rewarded with nothing, and nothing bothered him. They should have heard something by now, he knew the Martells were up to something, but not knowing what that was would be the death of him. They were cunning, Oberyn had shown that and he didn't doubt that it was limited to just one.
He understood just how correct he'd been when the Martell's had put their plot into action, they struck fast, and made it count. Minutes ago Cersei, Tommen, and Jaime had been in a meeting of the small council, they had been moving through the courtyard when two young servant girls had lashed out. Two of Jaime's sworn brothers had been slain before they could draw their weapons. Jaime had ordered the other two to protect their retreat while he got the king and queen to safety. He'd been prepared for something like this to happen, he'd mapped a route to the tower of the hand, where Lord Tywin would see to it that they were protected.
He rounded the corner to find he'd played right into their hands. As he cleared the crossing he gazed upon a nightmare come to life; a nightmare by the name of Oberyn Martell. Standing there in his blazing red silks and polished armor, just standing, not stabbing, not lashing out. His spear rested there on the wall, almost as if it had been forgotten, but there it was, at arm's reach. When he spoke, it wasn't the loud, grating, shout he'd used to grind away at the Mountain, it was in a subdued, matted tone.
"Her name… was Elia Martell. She was a princess of Dorne, and my sister," He started softly.
"This again?" Jaime asked him almost conversationally. "I know they do things differently in Dorne, but in King's Landing minstrels try to avoid playing the same tune to repetitively, keeps the crowds coming back for more," he explained as he stepped forward, Tommen and Cersei stopped briefly before they turned away down another corridor.
"On the orders of your father, Lord Tywin Lannister, Gregor Clegane raped her, murdered her, and murdered her children," the Viper continued his monologue as though he were alone. His sharp eyes turned for the first time to look at Jaime. Their inky depths were almost hollow, but burning there, at the center, just visible, was a rage brighter than anything he'd witnessed before.
"Sounds like you should take your concerns up with my father," Jaime shrugged.
"We're not to that part just yet… but we'll get there," Oberyn quipped back. "Tywin had my sister and her children murdered, and then presented their bodies to Robert Baratheon, like some trophy… and for that Robert married your sister. Your father murdered my sister, that your's might wear her crown, that her children might claim the birthright of those whose blood stained his hands. I'm here to remind your father that Lannister's aren't the only ones who pay their debts," Oberyn responded morosely as he turned bodily to face him.
His spear remained on the wall, but something in this motion alarmed the white knight, the spear wasn't drawn, not in his hands, but once again, close enough that he could claim it in an instant. Jaime turned sideways, to present a smaller target as his sword hand fell almost casually to his blade, not drawing it, just freeing it should it be needed. "That sounds almost like a threat… are you here to intimidate me? Or to kill me?" he asked.
"No Kingslayer… my deal doesn't include you. Unless you're in my way," the Viper answered him.
"Your deal?" Jaime latched onto this detail, but he didn't need further elaboration, he understood.
"Your brother bartered for your life, in exchange for your sister, your father… and your children, all you have to do is walk away," he said.
"I swore an oath… and oath that I would defend them," Jaime answered immediately.
"You've never broken your word… Kingslayer?" he taunted him.
"Not to betray my own family," Jaime answered as he leveled his blade at the Viper, he'd been holding his helmet in the crook of his elbow, now that it was clear how things must play out, he dropped carefully onto his head.
"I must admit… I had so hoped you'd say that," Martell responded. Just like his namesake, the Viper lashed out faster than most men can blink. He reached for his spear, and with a sweeping kick of his leg the blade arced upward, Jaime just barely managed to jump back, narrowly evading its bite.
The Viper backed off, maintaining his distance instead of pressing the attack, he held onto his advantage, Jaime's sword was better equipped for a close-up battle, but with the spear and a proper mind, Martell's spear could wear away at the Kingslayer, until it landed that one strike that would end it all. Jaime drew the dagger he paired with his sword, short of his shield it was his best defense.
The corridors of the Red Keep were wide, but still narrow enough to afford him a slight reprieve; word had it that Martell liked to twirl his spear around, it would restrict this pattern, push him more toward a straight line of engagement.
Martell came in again, he rushed at an odd angle, pushing off the wall a step before he reached Jaime taking his left hand, the one farthest from the wall, off his weapon to keep his balance, it changed the direction of the thrust just enough to slip by Jaime's sword, the spear bounced off of Jaime's breastplate which, thankfully, held. Oberyn had followed the recoil of the blow and brought his spear around in a quick circle lashing up from the ground, Jaime lifted his leg just high enough to catch it with his greave, Jaime stepped in before the Viper could back out again, and slashed out, trying to behead his enemy in one stroke, but Oberyn twisted at the right moment, and instead it left a grazing gash following his jawline. Jaime lashed out with his offhand blade, attempting to slice the Viper's throat, but Martell twisted his spear this time, the shaft of the weapon slipped out and deflected the blade down a different path, he twirled it upward as he let the weapon slip until the head was almost within his hands, the spike at the other end whirled out, Jaime attempted to roll past it, but instead of completely clearing it, the spike caught the corner of his helmet, slapping it from his head where it spun until it clattered into the wall and bounced off down the hallway behind him.
The knight felt a sudden surge of adrenalin as he felt the closeness of his own demise. If that blow had struck true it would have dazed him, and the Viper would have had no trouble following up to kill him. But a knight of the kingsguard faced several such moments, and so he had no trouble shaking it off, there had been only a few times in which he should be dead but for the whims of fate, but in facing them he had learned not to discount the possibility of death in any engagement. Where most men would have been rattled, Jaime Lannister knew to steel himself for the next clash. There was always another clash.
He squared himself against his enemy. Oberyn Martell could taste victory, too much of the lion's skin was exposed now, that one cut was becoming far too easy to land. Jaime had felt this moment far too often, but the Kingslayer had also seen other men with this feeling that were cut down for getting careless, Oberyn Martell had almost been one of them. The Viper advanced slowly but surely, not trying to finish this… he was in his moment of triumph, his long awaited vengeance was at hand. Jaime raised his weapons to remind Martell that he wasn't dead yet.
Martell's spear jumped out to disarm Jaime's dagger, but for once the Kingslayer used the spear against his enemy, he twisted the dagger awkwardly and caught the shaft of the weapon in the pit of his arm. His sword arm latched on and drew the surprised Dornishman in by his weapon. He jerked him in, wrapping his arm around his enemy's torso as his dagger bit through a weak spot in the burnished armor. Oberyn's eyes bulged in surprise, but before he could reel away Jaime raised his sword, and drove it point first through the Viper's throat.
Exhausted, the Kingslayer moved to stow his sword as he stepped over the Dornishman's corpse. As he passed he noticed the hint of a smile at the corners of his lips, he understood why when he sheathed his dagger, he felt a pinch in his shoulder… the blade of the spear had slipped between the plates of his armor, now a trickle of blood leaked out. Jaime moved quickly down the hallway, but his head was pounding, and he was found himself completely lost within the castle. He'd almost reached the courtyard when he fell to the ground and the seizures overtook him. A moment later, Jaime Lannister, Lord commander of the Kingsguard, also known as the Kingslayer, was himself slain.
Winner : Complicated... We all agreed that Jaime would win the fight, he was one of the greatest knights in the seven kingdoms, but that the Viper's personality give him options, he might not win the fight but he'd get what he wanted in some way or another, so we decided that Jaime would win the battle but ultimately they'd both die.