Notes: In the future I don't know how often I will be able to update, but for now it will come fast and furious.
Disclaimer: everything belongs to the GRRM reaper
Tyrion
"Tyrion," Ser Kevan Lannister said wearily, "if you are indeed innocent of Joffrey's death, you should have no difficulty proving it at trial."
Tyrion looked at him from his window seat "who is to judge us?"
"Justice belongs to the throne. The king is dead, but your father remains Hand. Since it is his own son who stands accused and his grandson who was the victim, he has asked Lord Tyrell and Prince Oberyn to sit in judgment with him."
Tyrion was scarcely reassured. Mace Tyrell had been Joffrey's goodfather, however briefly, and the Red Viper was ... well, a snake. Mace Tyrell would want both of them dead. Prince Oberyn on the other hand might be sympathetic to his wife despite the evidence that would be presented in the trial. "Will I be allowed to demand trial by battle?"
"I would not advise that."
"Why not?" It had saved him in the Vale, why not here? "Answer me, Uncle. Will I be allowed a trial by battle, and a champion to prove my innocence?"
"Certainly, if such is your wish. However, you had best know that your sister means to name Ser Gregor Clegane as her champion, in the event of such a trial."
The bitch checks my moves before I make them. A pity she didn't choose a Kettleblack. Bronn would make short work of any of the three brothers, but the Mountain That Rides was a kettle of a different color. "I shall need to sleep on this." I need to speak with Bronn, and soon. He didn't want to think about what this was like to cost him. Bronn had a lofty notion of what his skin was worth. "Does Cersei have witnesses against me?"
"More every day," said his uncle.
"Then I must have witnesses of my own."
"Tell me who you would have, and Ser Addam will send the Watch to bring them to the trial."
"I would sooner find them myself."
"You and your wife stand accused of regicide and kinslaying. Do you truly imagine you will be allowed to come and go as you please?" Ser Kevan waved at the table. "You have quill, ink, and parchment. Write the names of such witnesses as you require, and I shall do all in my power to produce them, you have my word as a Lannister. But you shall not leave this tower, except to go to trial."
Tyrion would not demean himself by begging. "Will you permit my squire to come and go? The boy Podrick Payne?"
"Certainly, if that is your wish. I shall send him to you."
"Do so. Sooner would be better than later, and now would be better than sooner." He waddled to the writing table. But when he heard the door open, he turned back and said, "Uncle?"
Ser Kevan paused. "Yes?"
"I did not do this."
Kevan glanced briefly at Sansa, who said nothing during the whole conversation, then looked back at him. "I wish I could believe that, Tyrion."
When the door closed, Tyrion Lannister pulled himself up into the chair, sharpened a quill, and pulled a blank parchment. "Who will speak for us, my lord?" asked Sansa. He dipped his quill in the inkpot.
"I do not know," said Tyrion honestly.
Jaime
The gates to the Red Keep were open, but a dozen gold cloaks armed with pikes barred the way. They lowered their points as Steelshanks came trotting up, but Jaime recognized the white knight commanding them. "Ser Meryn."
Ser Meryn Trant's droopy eyes went wide. "Ser Jaime?"
"How nice to be remembered. Move these men aside."
It had been a long time since anyone had leapt to obey him quite so fast. Jaime had forgotten how much he liked it.
They found two more Kingsguard in the outer ward; two who had not worn white cloaks when Jaime last served here. How like Cersei to name me Lord Commander and then choose my colleagues without consulting me. "Someone has given me two new brothers, I see," he said as he dismounted.
"We have that honor, ser." The Knight of Flowers shone so fine and pure in his white scales and silk that Jaime felt a tattered and tawdry thing by contrast.
Jaime turned to Meryn Trant. "Ser, you've been remiss in teaching our new brothers their duties."
"What duties?" said Meryn Trant defensively.
"Keeping the king alive. How many monarchs have you lost since I left the city? Two, is it? "
Then Ser Balon saw the stump. "Your hand..."
Jaime made himself smile. "I fight with my left now. It makes for more of a contest. Where will I find my lord father?"
"In the solar with Lord Tyrell and Prince Oberyn, they are to preside over your brother's trial as well as Lady Sansa's."
Shit thought Jaime, Lady Catelyn was dead and one of her daughters was on trial for helping his brother murder his son. Brienne would not take this news well. He also wondered how willing his lord father would be to condemn his own son and decided that he would rather not know.
"Is the queen with them as well?"
"No, my lord," Ser Balon answered. "You'll find her in the sept, praying over King Joff -
"You!"
The last of the northmen had dismounted, Jaime saw, and now Loras Tyrell had seen Brienne.
"Ser Loras." She stood stupidly, holding her bridle.
Loras Tyrell strode toward her. "Why?" he said. "You will tell me why. He treated you kindly, gave you a rainbow cloak. Why would you kill him?"
"I never did. I would have died for him."
"You will." Ser Loras drew his longsword.
"It was not me."
"Emmon Cuy swore it was, with his dying breath."
"He was outside the tent, he never saw -"
"There was no one in the tent but you and Lady Stark. Do you claim that old woman could cut through hardened steel?"
"There was a shadow I know how mad it sounds, but ... I was helping Renly into his armor, and the candles blew out and there was blood everywhere. It was Stannis, Lady Catelyn said. His ... his shadow. I had no part in it, on my honor..."
"You have no honor. Draw your sword. I won't have it said that I slew you while your hand was empty."
Jaime stepped between them. "Put the sword away, ser."
Ser Loras edged around him. "Are you a craven as well as a killer, Brienne? Is that why you ran, with his blood on your hands? Draw your sword, woman!"
"Best hope she doesn't." Jaime blocked his path again. "Or it's like to be your corpse we carry out. The wench is as strong as Gregor Clegane, though not so pretty."
"This is no concern of yours." Ser Loras shoved him aside.
Jaime grabbed the boy with his good hand and yanked him around. "I am the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, you arrogant pup. Your commander, as long as you wear that white cloak. Now sheathe your bloody sword, or I'll take it from you and shove it up some place even Renly never found."
The boy hesitated half a heartbeat, long enough for Ser Balon Swann to say, "Do as the Lord Commander says, Loras." Some of the gold cloaks drew their steel then, and that made some Dreadfort men do the same. Splendid, thought Jaime, no sooner do I climb down off my horse than we have a bloodbath in the yard.
Ser Loras Tyrell slammed his sword back into its sheath.
"That wasn't so difficult, was it?"
"I want her arrested." Ser Loras pointed. "Lady Brienne, I charge you with the murder of Lord Renly Baratheon."
For what it's worth," said Jaime, "the wench does have honor. More than I have seen from you. And it may even be she's telling it true. I'll grant you, she's not what you'd call clever, but even my horse could come up with a better lie, if it was a lie she meant to tell. As you insist, however ... Ser Balon, escort Lady Brienne to a tower cell and hold her there under guard. At least the wench would be under guard when she heard about Lady Sansa Jaime thought with some relief. And find some suitable quarters for Steelshanks and his men, until such time as my father can see them."
"Yes, my lord."
Brienne's big blue eyes were full of hurt as Balon Swann and a dozen gold cloaks led her away. You ought to be blowing me kisses, wench, he wanted to tell her. Why must they misunderstand every bloody thing he did? Aerys. It all grows from Aerys. Jaime turned his back on the wench and strode across the yard.
Jaime Lannister walked towards the sept with a strange mixture of excitement and fear. Jaime felt excitement for his sweet sister, and fear for the subject of his brother and Lady Sansa. His gut told him that this conversation would be quite bittersweet.
Notes: although I didn't initially plan on it, I'm going to modify Jaime and Brienne's story arcs eventually to fit the story. In the future I plan to merge the books with some elements of the show. As always, drop a review or at least a favorite.
