A/N: New chapter for you guys! Sorry I didn't post it up yesterday, I was otherwise engaged. Hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading as always!

:)


Truth and Untruth


Maidenpool


Thankfully Littlefinger hadn't come into the counsel tent with them, Jaime wasn't sure he would have been able to concentrate if he had. Jaime had been ushered in first and he had stood as a succession of stony faced men had entered after him. Ned Stark. Robb Stark. The man he didn't know. A man he assumed to be Edmure Tully and then Aegon himself. He bowed then as he should and sat when he was bid to. The others sat on the opposite side of the long table to himself and he had the distinct impression that he was on trial. Tyrion had not come in and he was slightly disappointed although he assumed that his brother would be taking care of Jeyne. He forced his mind away from her then and instead fixed his gaze on that of Aegon Targaryen.

"So," Aegon said, "would you care to explain why your first action on arrival was to attack the acting Lord of the Vale?"

"Lord of the Vale?" Jaime snorted, his brows raising in disbelief.

"He married my aunt Lysa," Robb said quietly then and Jaime saw Ned send him a sharp look.

"Of course he did," Jaime muttered, running his hand through his hair in exasperation.

"Why?" Aegon asked him again and Jaime glanced towards Robb before he spoke, wondering if the young Stark would speak up for him.

"I was defending the honour of a lady," he said after a moment.

"What lady?" Aegon asked him.

"Jeyne Poole," Jaime told him and he saw Robb shift in his chair uncomfortably, something Aegon also saw from the corner of his eye.

"Sansa's companion?" he asked, turning his head to Robb who nodded.

"Aye," Robb spoke up.

"And why would her honour need defending from Lord Baelish?" Aegon asked.

"Because it is because of him her honour was stripped from her," Jaime snarled.

"What are you talking about?" Ned asked him then, a frown setting deep on his forehead.

"My … nephew," Jaime began, seeing them exchange a look at his words, "almost had her murdered in front of your daughter. Before that she had been sent by Littlefinger to work in one of his brothels. I'm sure you can imagine the rest Lord Stark. When Tyrion returned to the Capitol he took Jeyne into his own protection and when he was falsely imprisoned Varys took over her care. When I fled the Capitol as Stannis was approaching I was entrusted with her safety and she has been with me ever since. No harm has come to her in my care, but although I wish I could, I can never undo what he did to her. That, your Grace, is why I attacked him on my arrival, I am only sorry I could not have done more damage."

Aegon leaned back in his chair then and let out a long sigh as he appraised the man sat in front of him. He hadn't known what to expect from Jaime Lannister, having heard several conflicting reports. One look at Robb told him that Jaime was telling the truth about Jeyne Poole but he would still like to speak with the girl himself. He frowned slightly then as he continued eyeing the man who's own gaze was steady on him. No. He did not know what to make of Jaime Lannister at all.

"I would speak with him alone," he said after another moment of thought.

"Your Grace …" Griff began.

"You've confiscated his sword and there is a rather large table between us. Besides, if he did manage to kill me I doubt even that famed skill of his will see him get passed all our armies," Aegon said.

"As you wish your Grace," Griff sighed, sharing an exasperated look with Ned before all but Aegon rose from the table in unison.

"A moment Robb," Aegon said and Robb held back as the others filed out.

"What is it?" Robb asked him.

"I just want you to know that whatever I decide I will have Dany in my mind," he told him.

"She'll appreciate that," Robb replied.

"Can you see to it that a comfortable tent is set up for Jeyne Poole?" he asked then.

"Of course," Robb replied.

"Thank you," Aegon smiled at him and Robb bowed shortly before he made his way out of the tent; "wine?" he asked Jaime once they were alone.

"If you will," Jaime replied.

"I'm not trying to poison you," he chuckled, "it would be rather short sighted of me given the men you have brought here … besides, I very much want to hear what you have to say"

"I have much to say but I assume you want to discuss something specific," Jaime said wryly.

"Indeed," Aegon agreed, pouring out two measures and sliding one across to Jaime.

"What would you ask me your Grace?" he asked then, knowing the answer.

"My grandfather," Aegon said, meeting his eyes, "tell me the true reason you killed him, your brother seems to think you had good reason"

"I did," Jaime confirmed, taking a long drink from the wine; "Dornish?"

"A gift from my uncle," Aegon confirmed.

"Where is Oberyn? I haven't seen him for many years, not since he crippled that Tyrell boy," he said.

"He's on an errand," Aegon said lightly, "now … your reason?"

"Very well your Grace," Jaime sighed, draining his glass and taking a deep breath; "you are aware that your grandfather was … unbalanced …" he began and Aegon inclined his head; "it got worse every day, the madness inside him was all consuming by the end. He became obsessed with fire, wildfire to be more specific – you know what he did to the Starks?" Jaime raised his brows and again Aegon nodded. "That was just the start of it, when my father came to the gates of the Capitol Aerys was ready to burn it to the ground with all the people still inside. I knew about all of it as I stood there in silence day after day just doing my duty. He had three pyromancer's in all; Rossart, Belis and Gargius and they were given the task of igniting the wildfire – it had been placed in secret around the city. I killed Rossart first as he came from the throne room, I knew what he had been commanded to do as I knew that my father had entered the city. When he was dead I went to the King … he wanted to know whose blood was on my sword, if it was my father's. I told him the truth of it and he knew I had turned on him as well. He tried to run but I slit his throat … I had to … do you see that I had to? Half a million people live in King's Landing and he would have burned them all to ashes … I couldn't let him live and risk him giving the order to one of the others. After it was done with and Robert pardoned me I tracked the other two down … they stood no chance against me and when it was done I was satisfied that the threat of destruction was over. The Capitol still stands and no one had ever needed to know the true reason I killed Aerys. Kingslayer they call me, would they still mock me with that if they knew how many of their lives I had saved? There is the truth of it your Grace, the true reason I slayed the King I was sworn to protect, my greatest achievement."

Aegon stared at him as he finished, hearing the slight bitterness in his tone and seeing the shine in his eyes as he looked towards his empty glass instead of at Aegon as he had throughout his explanation. What could he say to that? He had no words and so instead he pulled Jaime's empty glass back towards him and poured him another measure before sliding it back across the table. Both of them remained in silence for the longest time then as Aegon sipped slowly on his own drink and tried to conjure up some words for the man in front of him.

"Why did you never tell the truth?" Aegon finally asked, frowning slightly.

"And confess that the arrogant, cold hearted Jaime Lannister actually gave a damn, I had a reputation to uphold," he said drily and Aegon almost smiled.

"Did anyone know?" Aegon persisted.

"Jeyne," Jaime replied, "I told Jeyne in one of my drunken stupors … no one else"

"Not even your sister?" he raised his brows.

"Not even my sister," Jaime chuckled, "I wondered when she would crop up"

"Is it true?" he asked.

"I fucked her behind her husband's back for years and got three children on her if that's what you're asking me," Jaime replied.

"It was," Aegon said quietly.

"I suppose that makes me a monster as well," he said bitterly.

"I'm a Targaryen, I can hardly judge you for fucking your sister," Aegon said and Jaime snorted.

"A fair point your Grace," he conceded.

"Did you know what they would do to my mother?" Aegon asked him then, his tone darkening.

"No," Jaime said, meeting his eyes, "I swear I knew nothing of it … and if I had known, believe me I would have done all I could to stop it"

"Did your father give the order?" Aegon asked.

"I never asked him, probably because I was too scared of the answer," Jaime replied.

"Where is the Mountain?" he asked then.

"Not with me I assure you," Jaime said, "no doubt he has returned to his seat and resumed his usual past times of rape and murder"

"I will put him down," Aegon hissed then.

"Good," Jaime said, meeting his eyes again.

"I was ready to hate you," Aegon told him then, "but luckily for you my intended bestowed some words of wisdom upon me. They saved your brother … and I am inclined to let them save you"

"I brought men," Jaime reminded him and he smiled faintly.

"And you will lead them," Aegon said and Jaime tried not to let it show on his face just how relieved he was at those words.


"Just as I suspected," Jeyne's voice sounded behind him, "you still have a head"

"You're a clever one," Jaime smiled at her, making to pour her a glass of wine.

"What is he like?" she asked him, taking the measure he held out to her.

"Gracious," Jaime said, "and I think there is a rather good sense of humour in there"

"You judge a King based on how good his japes are?" she raised her brows.

"What else?" he grinned and she smiled widely at him.

"You don't regret coming then?" she questioned him and his expression changed slightly.

"My only regret is that I'll have to leave you behind," he told her honestly, damn it all. Now one truth had escaped him they were all coming out.

"Jaime …" she breathed, setting down her wine and coming closer to him.

"Don't come any closer Jeyne," he warned her, "I'm not sure I'd be able to help myself"

"What is it you want from me?" she asked him, "Truly …"

"Everything," he whispered as she ignored his warning and came ever closer.

"But I'm nothing Jaime … you are Lord of the Westerlands and I am just a stewards daughter. I'm not even fit to be your whore," she whispered.

"Don't ever say that!" he told her sharply, grabbing her upper arms and pulling her closer to him.

"Jaime …" she breathed again, her heart pounding.

"Don't leave me Jeyne," he whispered, his lips so close to hers she could feel his warm breath on them.

"Is it not you leaving me?" she asked in return and he swallowed hard.

"Say you'll have me and I'll never let you go," he said.

"You are mad," she shook her head.

"Marry me," he implored her.

"Mad …" she repeated just before his lips touched to hers, gently coaxing her own into moving with his, the feel of them so soft on hers.

"Marry me," he said again between kisses, her hands snaking up over his shoulders now as he pressed her even closer to him.

"I should say no," she gasped out as his lips trailed down her jawline and to her neck as he manoeuvred her towards the makeshift bed.

"Say yes," he implored her, his hands finding the ties of her dress and pulling gently on them.

"Yes," she whispered as the material came apart, his hands coming to slide it down her shoulders.

"Yes?" he checked with her as her own hands came tentatively to untie the laces of his doublet.

"Yes," she said again, pulling them apart and he felt a sense of triumph as he shrugged out of it, her hands finding the bottom of his shirt and tugging it upwards.

He helped her with his shirt, seeing her falter slightly as she took in his bare chest and he suddenly wondered if this was the right thing to do. Surely he should marry her first? Before he could voice his misgivings her hands were on his chest and she was pressing kisses to his bare skin and he forgot about his moment of doubt and slid his hands up her bare arms to find the straps of her shift. Jeyne kicked her shoes away from her as he bared her body, unable to stop herself from shuddering slightly as he steered her back towards the bed. She dropped obediently down into the middle of it, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she watched his eyes rake over her body. When he managed to tear his eyes from her he bent to unlace his boots and kick them away before he unfastened his breeches and tossed them aside as well. Her breathing was even more ragged as he climbed onto the bed and crawled up between her legs that she moved apart from him. His hand curled around one of her shins, lifting her leg to drape over his shoulder so he could press kisses up the length of it. He could hear her ragged breathing as they trailed their way up her inner thigh, his other hand coming to press her other thigh into the mattress as he buried his head between her legs.

Jeyne gasped out, her body almost convulsing with pleasure as Jaime continued to kiss and explore every inch of her most intimate part. Her own hands came to fist in his hair, encouraging him in his ministrations as her hips fought to rock up against him. He held her fast though as he continued on, sharp little cries coming from her mouth as he pushed her right to the brink. Gods she tasted so good, he savoured the taste of her on his tongue as she came to her height around him, a desperate moan leaving her mouth as indescribable pleasure crashed through every inch of her body. Her hands slackened their hold on his hair then and he continued his journey up her body, her leg slipping from his shoulder and wrapping instead around his waist, the other coming to mirror it on the other side. When he kissed at her breasts her nails clenched hard into the skin of his shoulders, the sting of them feeling good as they raked down his back. His lips moved steadily onwards then, trailing up along her neck and coming to capture her lips as he shifted his body so his hardness was pressed up against her. He felt her tense for a moment, her chest heaving even more rapidly against his own and he pulled his lips from hers so he could look down into her eyes.

"I would never hurt you Jeyne," he whispered.

"I know," she nodded slowly, her eyes not leaving his.

"If you tell me to stop I will," he said.

"I know," she said again, "but I don't want you to stop"

He smiled at her confession and slipped his length a short way inside her, seeing her eyes widen slightly at his movement. It took everything he had not to push the rest of the way into her and instead keep his eyes trained on hers. After a moment she nodded her head and he slipped slowly inside her until he was buried as deep as he could go. He rocked his hips then and she gasped out in surprise and pleasure, the sound bringing a smile to his lips as he allowed himself to move again. It wasn't long until she was moving with him, her hips rising up to meet his slow, deep thrusts. He had never had a sweeter moment in his life than the one he was experiencing here with Jeyne. Being joined with her felt so good and so right and keeping his eyes on hers as they continued to rock pleasure through one another was the most intense thing he had ever encountered. He moved his lips to within a fraction of hers, still holding her eyes but wanting to feel her warm, ragged breath on his own lips as their motions continued. When she began to tighten around him he fisted one of his hands in her hair, hearing her sharp cry as he rocked deeply into her again. It was one more thrust before she finished around him, the moan that escaped her sounding so sweet as she mumbled his name over and over as he came to his own end deep inside her.

When he felt he could move again he slipped out of her and flopped down on the other side of the bed, his arms coming to encourage her to shift into his arms. She rolled over and half dragged herself onto his chest, her breathing still ragged as her heart pounded in her chest. Jaime's own heart was pounding just as quickly as her own, she could hear it in her ear as she lay cradled in his arms. His fingers came to lightly trace up and down her spine then and her body stiffened of its own accord. He noticed her tension at once and lifted his head from the pillow, seeing the reason etched in fine scars across her back. His stomach churned uncomfortably, he didn't need to ask her to know where those scars had come from; she had clearly been whipped.

"Why did they do it?" he asked her gently.

"I said no," she said quietly and his heart almost broke.

"I will never let any harm come to you, I swear it," he told her.

"I know you won't," she said softly, "I know I'm safe with you Jaime."


King's Landing


"Oh come on Varys, one of your birds must be singing," Loras snarled.

"Oh several of my birds are singing, but I do not think you would enjoy the tune," Varys replied.

"What are you talking about? Who did this to the Queen?!" Loras demanded.

"Think for a moment … it is not about who did this to the Queen, it is about who we want to have done this to the Queen," he said carefully.

"What are you talking about? Willas won't stand for a scapegoat, and neither will Stannis for that matter, we need the culprit put down!" Loras seethed.

"Aegon's armies are growing by the day, he will be unstoppable … at least in normal conditions. But Stannis keeps company that is capable of performing extraordinary feats, your sister stood witness to that did she not?" Varys raised his brows.

"The red witch?" Loras frowned.

"Jealous of the hold the Queen has over Stannis, desperate to take him back into her own control … perhaps she can see herself in Erinne Swann's place?" Varys suggested.

"Did she do this?!" Loras demanded.

"Oh no," Varys almost laughed, "for once the sorceress is innocent, although … poison is a woman's weapon …"

"Who?" Loras snarled, his patience hanging by a thread.

"Someone much closer to home," Varys told him meaningfully.

"No," he shook his head, not wanting to consider the pieces that were falling into place.

"It makes perfect sense if you think about it," Varys told him, "if the Queen birthed a healthy son the babe would usurp poor Shireen … and if Shireen is not to be Queen then your dear brother would never be King …"

"Oh Gods," Loras felt sick, dropping his head into his hands.

"I warned you this was a dangerous game, that innocents would suffer," Varys said darkly.

"This is twisted," Loras whispered, shaking his head.

"Yes it is," Varys agreed, "but if we are to ensure Aegon's victory then we must use it to our advantage."


Stannis approached Erinne's chambers slowly, part of him not even wanting to go to her. Being in his wife's presence had been torture since her miscarriage, every moment he looked at her heartbroken face made him even more angry and embittered towards whoever had done this to her. It made him sick that someone had forced the child from her body, had turned her into a shell of the vision she had been before. His counsel were advising him to move on from it, to go back to her bedchamber and put another child in her. The thought of even suggesting it to her made him cringe though. She was not the same as Selyse who had always demanded that they try again almost at once. Erinne was different, she was gentler, sweeter and altogether more broken over what had happened. The irony was not lost on Stannis that every day since they lost their baby he had slept with her in her chambers. Before that night he had never once slept at her side and now he did it always. No doubt people assumed that he was doing his best to get her pregnant again quickly but in truth he had made no move to bed her, he just held her in his arms until she finally fell asleep. Sometimes she would cry and he wouldn't know what to say to her, all he could do was keep her in his embrace and hope that the action would at least bring her some kind of comfort. He could hear raised voices as he approached her chamber and he sped up, crashing through the door without knocking just in time to see his wife jump to her feet, her body seemingly trembling with rage as she stared down at Melisandre.

"I don't want your red God!" she spat and Stannis flinched slightly; "How dare you come here and denounce my faith, denounce my Gods which are the only comfort I have?! How dare you?!"

"I am sorry if I offended you your Grace, I was merely trying to offer you some counsel," Melisandre said soothingly.

"I want nothing from you," Erinne said venomously.

"What is this?" Stannis asked then and she jumped, turning to look at him he saw guilt and defiance mixed in her eyes.

"I am afraid I may have inadvertently offended the Queen," Melisandre said softly.

"I worship the Seven," Erinne snapped then, the guilt in her eyes fading as she fixed them firmly on him; "you always promised me that would never change"

"I did," he agreed; "my Queen worships the Seven as is her right"

"Of course," Melisandre said, biting back the retort she truly wanted to snap out.

"I don't want her preaching about her red God to me," Erinne said defiantly.

"Perhaps you should leave," Stannis suggested, "I will not have my Queen upset any further"

"As you wish your Grace," Melisandre rose to her feet slowly.

"Your Grace," Loras' voice came from the door, "might I speak with you for a moment?"

"Of course," Stannis said and Melisandre paused, both her and Erinne watching as Loras came forwards to whisper something in Stannis' ear.

Stannis paled as Loras continued whispering urgently in his ear and both women frowned slightly as his expression slowly began to darken, fury rising up in his eyes. Erinne wanted to say something but she was afraid of what Loras was saying. What was it that he could not say it out loud? Was Aegon coming now? Was his army at the gates? Her hands shook as her mind raced and she clenched them into fists at her sides as Stannis' expression became what she could only describe as thunderous.

"You're certain about this?" he asked Loras then in a calm voice that did not match his features.

"Quite certain your Grace," Loras said then, his eyes flickering to Erinne for a moment and her stomach lurched uncomfortably.

"My King?" Melisandre asked tentatively then and Stannis snapped his eyes to hers, the venom evident in his hard stare as he crossed slowly to her.

"How could you?" he asked her, wrapping one of his hands around her slender neck.

"My King?" she repeated, her voice strangled as he enclosed his hand further around her neck.

"Did you truly think you would take her place?" he hissed at her, squeezing harder.

"Stannis!" Erinne called then, her eyes wide as she looked between him and Loras.

"How could you betray me like this?!" he demanded as Melisandre's mouth gasped for air that she couldn't take in, no words coming from her now.

"She …" Erinne said faintly, understanding coming to her now, "she … her …"

"I should have known," he snarled as the light began to fade from her eyes, her hands that had been clawing at his own to no avail beginning to still.

When they fell away completely and her eyes stared blankly up at him he released his hold on her throat and let her body fall heavily to the floor. He was breathing heavily then as he stared down at her, unable to believe that the woman who had championed him for so long could betray him in such a way. When he finally moved his eyes from her he moved them to his wife who was staring at Melisandre's body with a total look of betrayal and anger in her eyes. He moved to her then and she snapped her eyes up to him and he saw the glimmer of fear in them for a second and he felt suddenly guilty. As if Erinne had not suffered enough, now she had just had to witness him choking the life out of a woman right in front of her.

"I'm sorry," he said, meeting her eyes.

"She killed my baby?" she questioned him, meeting his eyes, "She poisoned me?"

"Yes," he confirmed, nodding his head.

"Then you have nothing to be sorry for," she said firmly, tears shining in her eyes.

"I shouldn't have done it in front of you," he said, pulling her into his arms.

"I'm glad you did," she said, her voice muffled in his doublet, "I'm glad I saw her die"

"I'm sorry Erinne," he whispered into her hair, "I swear to you that no one will ever touch you again, no one will ever hurt us like this again."


A/N: I know I didn't name the culprit but I think enough was said for you guys to figure it out. Our red friend was innocent but I doubt many of you will mind that she's out of the picture! More soon guys.

:)