King's Landing: Five
Jaime
Jaime walks in to the cells beneath the Red Keep and remembers the last time he was here. He freed Tyrion from his prison because he couldn't stand the thought of his brother losing his head, and the seven-times-damned Imp repaid him by murdering their father. There are days he's still not sure if he believes Tyrion murdered Joffrey as well.
He shakes the memories from his head as Qyburn walks up, a sly smile curving his lips.
"Ser Jaime. It's been a long time."
"Yes," Jaime says, and thinks he would have been happy to go even longer before having to see the disgraced maester's face again, but Cersei's words last night have compelled him to make this visit.
"Why have you graced these cells with your presence, ser?"
"I've come to see the prisoners, the men who are accusing the Queen of fornication. How many are left again?"
"Seven, my lord, but none are, hmm, prepared for visitors."
"Yes, I have heard the one called the Blue Bard only screams whenever someone comes near."
"Yes," Qyburn says sadly, "pity. He was a talented singer."
Jaime nods, eyes sharp on Qyburn's face. "And are the others in similar shape?" he asks.
Qyburn gives him an eloquent shrug. "Getting to the truth can be taxing on both the questioners and the questioned."
"Oh, yes, the questioners suffer greatly," Jaime says. "Are they capable of giving testimony during the Queen's trial?"
Jaime sees something that might be fear flash across Qyburn's face.
"Please assure the Queen Regent that the witnesses will be fully, er, functional in time for trial."
"It's in two days," Jaime snaps and gives him a thin smile. "Not much time to get them to a place where they can actually respond to questions with words instead of sobs and screams."
He turns away, his white cloak swirling round him, then pauses. He glances over his shoulder and gives Qyburn a thoughtful look.
"My sister says you discovered Ser Robert Strong for her."
Qyburn smiles. "Yes, my lord, so I did. She's very grateful."
Jaime's own smile is even sharper than before. "As am I. Tell me. Where, exactly, did you find him?"
"He was but a lowly knight, begging for succor and an opportunity to serve, devoted to the Seven and the royal family. I gave him shelter and a purpose and the Seven was kind enough to ensure he arrived in time to stand as champion for the Queen Regent. He proved her innocence in the eyes of the gods and men."
"Yes. So he did." Jaime paces slowly round the room as he speaks. "My sister owes you much, as do we all, but there are limits even on a Lannister's generosity when it comes to repaying a debt." He stops close in front of Qyburn, looming over him. "Lady Brienne is under my protection. I will gladly allow you to remake your acquaintance with the Maid of Tarth and speak with her, but never without another person I trust as escort-and I trust very few. If anything...untoward...were to happen to her, and if I were to even think she was in your presence when it happened, well..."
His eyes glitter as he smiles a lion's smile and he's pleased to see Qyburn pale.
"Yes, Lord Commander," Qyburn gulps.
"I'm glad we understand each other," Jaime purrs and once again turns away.
*/*/*/*/*
The High Sparrow is a much tougher adversary than Qyburn, at least when it comes to pretending to be intimidated by the one-handed Lion of Lannister.
Jaime doesn't truly try to convince him he intends to stand as champion for Queen Margaery. Even a fanatic such as the High Septon would be hard-pressed to believe a man such as he would volunteer to be his Queen's champion, knowing he is most like to fail and doom not only himself but the very Queen he's trying to save.
Jaime decides to use a different approach.
"I understand the witnesses against the Queen are either dead, incapable of speaking, or are on the verge of death," he says after he and the High Septon have danced round each other for several minutes with insincere words of piety and devotion to the King. Ser Addam and several of his Lannister soldiers are standing guard at various points in the room since Jaime decided he has no desire to become a guest of the High Septon like his sweet sister before him.
"We do not need the witnesses to speak directly to the court," the High Septon says calmly.
"No, but Queen Margaery is popular with the smallfolk," Jaime says, "and they will want more than just the word of a torturer when you convict her."
"The smallfolk know I am the representative of the Seven on earth. They know when I speak, I speak truth."
Jaime shrugs. "Mayhaps," he says. "You sold some trinkets and bought them food and that was well done of you and bought you some good favor. But you cannot underestimate how much the people of King's Landing love their little Queen. I suspect that if they do not have faith in the evidence you present, they will not stand idly by and allow you to sentence her to death without protest."
The High Septon stares at him without blinking. "Are you threatening to cause a riot if the Seven adjudge the Queen to be guilty?"
Jaime shrugs. "I am not threatening anything, High Septon, I am, like you, simply speaking truth. As Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, my priority is the protection of the King and his heir, Princess Myrcella. That protection also extends to the little Queen's family as well as the Queen Mother. I am simply informing you of the danger we may all be in if the smallfolk believe the judgment is...arbitrary, let us say, or determined by men rather than the gods."
The High Septon's eyes are as unblinking as a snake's, and Jaime gives him his best smug, cocksure smirk, his own eyes unwavering. "You do realize the trial will be in front of the smallfolk, don't you?" Jaime says. "Workmen have been working night and day to clear the tourney grounds for the spectacle to make it so. All the people of King's Landing have just as much right to see the Seven judge the little Queen as they did to see the Queen Mother's naked teats."
"The Queen Mother confessed to fornication with the Kettleblacks, and to incest with your cousin, Lancel," the High Septon says. "The punishment fit the crime."
"Did it?" Jaime asks, with a raised eyebrow. "It certainly entertained the people of King's Landing, so I'm told. As will Queen Margaery's trial. One wonders what dark plans were at work to attempt to topple both Queens at the same time. One wonders if the Faith has more invested in finding at least one of the Queens guilty than is seemly. Or safe."
Finally the High Septon blinks. "The Queen must stand trial."
Jaime nods and turns away. "Yes, she must," he says. "Her innocence must be publicly proven and I, for one, look forward to ensuring it is done."
*/*/*/*/*
To Jaime's frustration, he is unable to find Brienne after he leaves the High Sparrow, and she does not arrive in the courtyard to spar. He does at least hear of her throughout the day, which does much to save Qyburn's teeth.
Ser Addam assures him that he saw the wench sparring in the training yards just that morning, while Tommen tells him Brienne visited him and Myrcella that afternoon and told them tales of the Sapphire Isle. Tommen glances round and adds, in a hushed voice, that Lady Brienne has agreed to teach Myrcella to use a sword and dagger, but no one, least of all their mother, is to learn of it.
Jaime nods and thinks their secret courtyard will not be quite so secret by the time Brienne reveals it to the children, and with Lady Taena Merryweather's arrival in King's Landing that morning with her son, there is now a third child who is unlikely to be able to keep secrets from his mother.
Jaime learns from Podrick Payne that Brienne will be at the Tyrells' table again that night even though Queen Margaery is being allowed to sup with her father, grandmother and husband for what may be her last time. Pod also tells him, stammering wildly, that Brienne has supped with Lady Olenna every evening since Lady Olenna's return from Stokeworth the day before Jaime's own. Jaime makes a note to speak to Brienne about becoming too obviously a Tyrell supporter while she's in King's Landing or it won't matter how much he threatens Qyburn. If angered or threatened, Cersei will ensure Brienne ends up in the black cells or dead in an alley in Flea Bottom, and lately everything seems to anger or threaten Cersei.
That evening he sups with Cersei, Lady Taena and Princess Myrcella and it's pleasant enough. Lady Taena is as seductively and exotically beautiful as ever, her eyes slyly thoughtful as she watches him. He notes, however, that there's a hint of wariness about her in the way she watches Cersei.
"I did not wish Tommen to dine with them tonight," Cersei grumbles after Myrcella has been led away, "but the old bitch insisted." She sighs then lifts her goblet and drinks deeply. "Well, no matter. After tomorrow, the whole sorry lot of them will be gone from King's Landing, one way or the other."
Jaime raises an eyebrow and pours the ladies more wine when requested. He finishes his task and stands.
"I beg your leave, Your Grace," he says with faint mockery. "The day tomorrow will be long and I have much yet to do before I may sleep."
"I don't want you to go," Cersei says with a pout and a look in her eyes that is only too familiar. Once he would have moved all seven heavens and all seven hells to see that look and to glory in all it meant.
Now he simply smiles. "Tomorrow is a very important day, sweet sister, and I must be in full possession of my wits if things go badly for the little Queen."
The lust in Cersei's eyes quickly turns to anger. "Fine," she snaps, "go. At least you will not have protecting Tommen on your oh, so heavy list of duties. I have given Ser Boros strict orders to keep him in his chambers until the thing is done."
"Tommen is King," Jaime says flatly. "He needs must be seen to be King, especially when it is his wife standing trial."
"Tommen is but a little boy and he does not yet need to hear all the lurid details of what his so-called wife has done."
Jaime tilts his head as he wonders if she is putting on an act for Lady Taena's benefit or if she has told herself the lies for so long that she truly believes them.
He decides he doesn't want to know and instead bows.
"Until tomorrow, Your Grace, my lady," he says and leaves them to their wine and gloating.
*/*/*/*/*
The morning dawns crisp and cold although it warms slightly by the time the nobles and smallfolk of King's Landing make their way to the tourney grounds, pouring out of the city from both the King's and Lion Gates. Jaime scans the crowd for a tall, hideously scarred woman in armor but cannot see her. While he doubts Cersei would blatantly go against his wishes, Jaime would rest a little easier if he could at least lay eyes on the wench. He hasn't seen her since he left for Stokeworth and if he didn't know better, he'd almost think she was deliberately avoiding him.
Jaime hides a scowl as he escorts a scrupulously polite Cersei, Lord Mace Tyrell and Lady Olenna to their places. He tried again that morning to persuade Cersei to allow Tommen to attend but was unable to do so, much to his disgust although not his surprise. Jaime knows what happened during the Battle of the Blackwater and how Joffrey's power was weakened by Cersei's decision to recall the boy from the front line and it appears his sweet sister has learned nothing from her past mistakes.
The chattering, rustling crowd slowly grows silent as Queen Margaery is escorted on to the grounds surrounded by Warrior's Sons and is brought to stand in front of the High Septon and his six fellow judges.
The High Septon opens the proceedings with a prayer then lays out the charges against the little Queen, his voice carrying to all in attendance without, it seems, any effort on his part to do so.
"All the men have confessed to fornication with you and your cousins, or to witnessing such acts with others," the High Septon says. "What say you to these charges?"
"I am innocent."
"You claim all these men have lied?"
"Words wrung from a tortured back have no more truth than any other," Margaery says. "I have no wish to sully my people's ears further with these lies. I demand trial by combat."
Excited chatter ripples through the crowd and beside Jaime, Cersei straightens, her eyes narrowing.
"She cannot have Ser Robert," she hisses to Jaime.
Jaime almost laughs and wonders what she'd say if he told her no one wanted Margaery to claim Ser Robert Strong as her champion. The truth about the giant creature could not be hidden forever and Jaime fears what the Faith and the smallfolk will do once the truth is confirmed.
"Who do you name as your champion?" the High Sparrow asks. "Which of your husband's Kingsguard will stand for you?" He turns to Jaime. "Lord Commander?"
Jaime wonders if Lady Olenna has indeed found another champion as he opens his mouth, but before he can speak Queen Margaery says, her voice quavering, "I will not accept the Lord Commander as my champion."
Jaime can't tell if Cersei is relieved or angry.
The High Sparrow frowns, his eyes darting from Margaery to Jaime and back again, and Jaime realizes the man had actually half-believed he would step forward.
"Then name your champion," the High Septon says.
"Brienne the Blue, late of King Renly's Rainbow Guard."
No, Jaime thinks and closes his eyes, almost in prayer. There's a moment of stunned silence followed by shouts and jeers as Brienne, clad in blue armor, a blue cloak draped round her shoulders and her helm beneath her arm, pushes her way through the crowd from behind Jaime and makes her way to Margaery's side. The High Sparrow watches with a grim set to his jaw. He doesn't speak until the crowd has quieted once more.
"A woman?" he sneers to Margaery. "A woman who plays at being a knight? One sworn to protect a false King?"
Margaery lifts her chin. "I was wed to King Renly," she says, "and we swore fealty to him before he was defeated and we bent the knee to the true King. Lady Brienne swore the same oath as any of the white cloaks. A Queen must be defended by a Kingsguard, so I'm told, but nowhere does it say it must be a Kingsguard of the current King."
"She is a woman," the High Sparrow says again and looks at Brienne. "So it seems, at least."
Brienne flushes but says nothing and Jaime wants to grab her and shake her and send her fleeing from King's Landing. Fighting as Margaery's champion has doomed her, one way or the other, because either she dies for Margaery, or Cersei will kill her for saving the little Queen.
But even more than that: this is not a tourney or even a fight for her life against murderous rapists, or to defend innocent children, or even to defend a not-so-innocent Kingslayer. This is a fight to the death to prove the guilt or innocence of a Queen and the fate of a King and the realm hang in the balance-and he will have Lady Olenna's head if Brienne dies as a result of this mad scheme.
Cersei speaks, her voice ringing through the now almost silent crowd. "You cannot recognize this...this 'Brienne the Blue' as a Kingsguard. Renly was not a King, even if he played at being so."
Jaime closes his eyes again and wishes he could clamp a hand over his sweet sister's stupid, stupid mouth. The High Sparrow is more apt to accept Brienne now even if it is just to spite Cersei's wishes.
"To accept her as champion is to accept that Lord Renly had a legitimate claim to the Iron Throne," Cersei continues, "and he did not. King Tommen is the rightful King and to imply otherwise is treason."
The High Sparrow looks thoughtful. "The Queen Mother is right," he says, turning to Margaery. "To accept her as your champion is to recognize Lord Renly as being a true King, and he was not."
"Then I name her to my Kingsguard!"
Everyone's heads whip round to the direction of the King's Gate and they see Tommen standing in front of the crowd, clad in a coarse brown cloak he had used to hide his bright hair.
Jaime and Cersei's involuntary "What?" rings through the sudden silence.
"You are not to be here," Cersei cries now, taking a step towards him. Jaime grips her arm and holds her back. She tries to shake him off but his fingers only tighten as he drags her back to his side.
"Queen Margaery is my wife, Mother," Tommen says, as regal as any nine-year-old boy who's intimidated by his mother can be, "and I am King. I believe her to be innocent of these charges against her and I needs must be here to show my trust and to watch the trial."
As he speaks, Ser Boros comes panting up behind him, pushing aside noblemen and smallfolk alike in his haste.
"I'm sorry, Your Grace," he says looking fearfully at Cersei.
"You shall pay for this," Cersei hisses.
Jaime leans closer and growls, "By the Seven, Cersei, be quiet! You undermine Tommen's authority and your own with every word you speak! Have you completely lost what few wits you had?"
She stiffens and glares at him then blinks, and suddenly she looks like a Queen again, the Queen he once believed she was. She gazes round the tourney field, taking in the interested stares of the Faith and the crowd that had gathered close to witness another Queen's humiliation. She flushes and Jaime thinks she's finally realized everyone is staring at her with a variety of expressions ranging from disgusted to amused to pitying.
"I beg the King's pardon, and the Faith's," she says with difficulty although her tone is as sweet as any maid's. "I had hoped to protect my son from this ordeal and allowed my love as a mother to cloud my love for my King." She turns to Tommen, and Jaime now sees Myrcella is standing close behind her brother, a hand discreetly on the boy's shoulder. He barely manages not to turn and glare at Lady Olenna. He wonders how many others the Queen of Thorns has roped in to her schemes for this day.
"Your Grace," Cersei says to Tommen, "I'm sure you've misunderstood what is happening here-"
"I've understood enough, Mother," Tommen says and turns to the High Sparrow. "I name Brienne of Tarth, also called Brienne the Blue, also known as Brienne the Beauty, to my Kingsguard, for the sole purpose of championing Queen Margaery in this trial by combat. May the Seven allow Lady Brienne to prove the Queen's innocence in the eyes of both gods and men." He turns to Jaime. "Lord Commander."
Jaime is reluctantly impressed. Whatever fresh hell may be unleashed as a result of this day's actions may be worth it to see Tommen assert himself as King. Cersei sends him a pleading look that he answers with a warning one of his own as he releases her arm and strides forward.
Jaime makes Brienne kneel and swear a modified version of the oath he himself swore so many years ago. Once finished, Jaime removes his white cloak and hands it to Tommen, who places it round Brienne's shoulders and fastens it at her neck.
Jaime wishes he could get his hands round that thick, freckled, milky-white column instead. He wishes he could shake her until she understood what madness this is, what danger she's in even if she succeeds...or perhaps he wishes he could kiss her instead, kiss her until she vows never to offer to fight and die for anyone ever again-or agree to serve in any more fucking Kingsguards.
He knows none of what he wants is honorable, or respects her skill as a warrior, but at the moment he's too worried for her to care.
Brienne stands and blinks at him and the thought that he may be seeing those amazing eyes for the last time makes him growl, low and through gritted teeth, "If you die, you hulking, mad, brave wench, I will kill you myself."
She blinks again, startled, then the corners of her full lips quirk up as she murmurs, "You are welcome to try, ser."
Jaime gives her one last glare before he and Tommen turn to leave the field of battle and Jaime wonders at how sharply Lady Taena is watching him as he and Tommen take up positions on either side of Cersei.
Brienne faces the High Septon and bows.
"I stand as champion for Queen Margaery," Brienne says, strong and proud, and Jaime thinks she looks more of a knight than he ever had.
The High Sparrow watches her with eyes as narrow and harsh as his face then says, "Who shall stand for the Faith?"
A knight steps forward, clad in silver armor and crystalled helm, a rainbow cloak round his neck.
"I shall," he says, raising his helm. "I am Ser Theodan the True, Commander of the Warrior's Sons."
The High Septon nods, and graciously gestures Ser Theodan to his place in front of him.
The two champions face each other and kneel with Margaery standing between them. The High Septon then intones the ritual prayer, asking the gods to find the truth and to free this woman if innocent or to render a judgment of death if she is guilty.
Once the prayer is finished, Ser Theodan and Brienne stand as Margaery is guided to one side. They both raise their swords in salute to the High Septon, then Brienne turns and salutes Tommen and by extension those standing beside him, before she turns and salutes Margaery and finally faces Ser Theodan. She eyes him thoughtfully and nods.
He does not nod back, only stares and says, "I've heard of you, Brienne, Maid of Tarth. Brienne the Blue. Brienne the Beauty. You are a woman who imagines herself a knight, an unnatural creature, an abomination in the sight of the Seven and a disgrace to your sex. But you are only a woman-barely, from the looks of you. Yield now and save your life, and mayhaps the High Septon in his wisdom will allow you to beg the Seven for forgiveness."
Jaime clenches his hand into a fist and it takes all his self-control to not leap in front of Brienne and knock out the Warrior Son's teeth with his gold hand.
"I am Maid and Warrior," Brienne says, and Jaime's eyes dart back to her. Her voice is calm and clear as it carries out over the silently watching crowd. "If the Seven is kind, I will someday be a Crone and mayhaps a Mother. I use the Father's wisdom when I am forced to judge the character of men. I was the Smith when I used the strength in my arm to protect the innocent. And I was the Stranger to the men I killed in the Riverlands. I am more the Seven, ser, than you can ever hope to be, no matter how many hair shirts you wear, and I pray they will allow me to prove the innocence of our Queen. Yield now and save your life, and you may yet have a chance to once again beg the Seven for their favor."
The muscles in Ser Theodan's jaw are clenched so tight Jaime expects to hear the bones crack.
"So be it," Ser Theodan growls and lowers his helm.
Brienne nods and lowers hers.
When the High Septon gives the word, they circle each other, swords held almost casually, shields at the ready.
Ser Theodan strikes first and Jaime sees he's doing Jaime has seen others do: the hard strike, believing he's going to quickly overwhelm Brienne with strength alone. Brienne easily parries each blow until Theodan breaks off and they circle again.
Ser Theodan's next attack is a rapid-fire flurry of blows and Jaime nods, thinking the man, as expected, is now using speed, expecting Brienne to be too slow and graceless to block him.
She isn't, and Jaime struggles to keep his mouth from curving into a smile. There are too many people watching, from Cersei beside him to the High Sparrow in front of him, and none can be trusted.
Brienne's sword clashes again with Theodan's and Jaime sees he's moved on to a combination of strength and speed but so far, he's not managed to even put a dent into the armor Brienne is wearing. As he thinks it, Brienne lands a blow against Theodan's chest plate that makes him grunt and redouble his efforts. Now their swords are steadily clashing against each other or thudding against their shields, and Brienne dances to one side and lands a hard blow against Theodan's sword arm, using the flat of her blade.
That seems to enrage the man and now they're battling in earnest and Theodan's sword clangs against Brienne's helm from a lucky blow she fails to block, causing her to stagger and shake her head. Theodan presses his advantage and Jaime's hand tightens round his own sword as the Warrior's Son rains blow after blow against Brienne's shield and sword. He manages another glancing blow against her helm followed by one that knicks her chest plate, before landing a blow that sends Brienne to one knee.
Theodan's laugh rings through the crisp air. "Do you yield, woman?" he shouts at her.
She's back on her feet before he even finishes speaking and Jaime thinks she needs to end it. Now.
Jaime wonders if he spoke aloud because Brienne now has control of the battle, landing blow after blow against his chest, his arms, his helm, herding Ser Theodan round the arena and keeping him constantly on the defensive. Then she does something that almost makes Jaime laugh: she knocks Theodan's shield aside with her own, and goes in low and hard to tackle the knight to the ground.
She straddles the man, one knee grinding into his sword arm as she bashes his helmed head against the ground with each word she shouts in his face: "Yield! Yield! DO YOU YIELD?"
"HE YIELDS!"
Brienne slams Ser Theodan's head against the ground twice more before the words penetrate her battle-lust and she stops. She turns her helmed head towards the High Septon. Her breathing is loud and harsh as the crowd holds its breath, and Jaime wonders how so many people can be so silent.
"He yields," the High Septon says again.
"High Septon," says Ser Theodan in faint and dazed protest.
"Rise, Brienne the Blue of King Tommen's Kingsguard," the High Septon says.
She stands and lifts off her helm. Her face is gleaming with sweat, her hair plastered against her scalp, and Jaime has never been so relieved to see her face as he is in that moment.
The High Septon considers her thoughtfully, then turns to the waiting crowd. "The Seven have rendered their judgment. Queen Margaery is innocent of the charges against her."
The watching crowd, nobles and smallfolk alike, burst into cheers while Jaime can hear Cersei's teeth grinding through her forced smile. Tommen is jumping up and down with Myrcella and both are squealing and laughing and crying, forgetting for a moment that he's the King and she's a princess. Jaime is caught in the immediate pandemonium and by the time he extricates himself from the people around him, it's in time to see two Warrior's Sons assisting Ser Theodan from the arena and Brienne's broad back, still cloaked in white, striding rapidly towards the Lion Gate.
*/*/*/*/*
A/N1: Man, the only thing I write worse than fight scenes is smut. WHY have I inflicted this fic on myself?
A/N2: Yeah, I think I hand-waved a few things that might be contradicted in canon…but that's what fanfic if all about, right? Riiight?