Chapter 1:
Jaime Lannister I
The Throne Room, 284 AC
"I KNEW YOU'RE A TRAITOR! JUST LIKE YOUR ACCURSED FATHER TYWIN! YOU ALL SHOULD BURN TOGETHER WITH ALL THE REBEL SCUM!" shouted the Mad King as he raised his torch to defend himself, as Jaime Lannister pulls his sword out of the still convulsing body of Wisdom Rossart, blood gushing from his neck. "BURN YOU TRAITOROUS SCUM!"
"That order crossed the line, Your Grace," said Jaime in a surprisingly calm tone, even if deep inside, a storm is brewing as he saw his life flashes in front of his eyes as he prepared to do the unthinkable. "This is it…"
"I AM YOUR KING!" said King Aerys as he wildly swings the torch toward the young knight's face, sending embers everywhere as Jaime ducks underneath the sloppy attacks, barely noticing how few embers singed his white cloak. "YOU SHOULD BURN! BURN LIKE THE REBELS! BURN THEM ALL!"
"I'm sorry Your Grace…" said Jaime as he stabbed his sword deep into the Mad King's neck, causing blood to start gushing out, but not deep enough to immediately kill the Mad King. Of course, realizing the fatal wound, the Mad King dropped his torch and tried to crawl back to climb upon the Iron Throne.
"BURN THEM ALL! BURN THEM ALL!" screamed King Aerys as he tried to give order to anyone who was still loyal to him. It was a pitiful attempt, however, as Jaime just calmly walk to catch up with him. "BURN… BURN THEM ALL… You… traitor…"
"Warrior… Forgive me…" whispered Jaime as he closed his eyes and quickly cut upon the neck of the King he has sworn to protect. As he shed a tear for his broken vow, he resigned his fate to be condemned in the eyes of the Gods and men.
The deed is done, and Jaime found himself momentarily staggered as the weight of what he has done finally dawns on him. As he pulls his sword, he found his arm lost all its strength and the blade clattered on the floor, causing a sound that surprisingly feels like the void of silence. Is saving the entire city worth breaking his vows? Is this more of a survival instinct, borne out of his deepest desire to survive and see his beloved another half again, or did this stem from a genuine desire to protect the innocent? What should he do next?
"Wildfire under the City eh, so that's the real reason…" said someone behind him so suddenly, and just as Jaime tried to respond, he found that a shot of pain already started from his right side. Whoever this fucker is, he already stabbed Ser Jaime between the gap of his breastplate and his backplate during, or just after he made the final cut who killed the Mad King Aerys.
"C… Coward…" said Jaime as he quickly use his left hand to draw his dagger, but this coward bashed his left arm with an iron pry bar. As Ser Jaime falls to the ground, he caught sight of the coward clearly a Northman Warrior, wearing a dirty green cloak with a black bear sewn on his green tabard. "You… You're a Northman…"
For a moment, Ser Jaime thought about the irony of the Divine Justice, why in Seven Hells the Mad King Aerys need so long to get his comeuppance, but he is immediately punished for him breaking his vows as a Kingsguard? As he looked toward the cowardly warrior's eyes, Ser Jaime understood the hate and his intent to kill. Maybe he is one of Brandon Stark's friends who wanted to kill King Aerys himself?
"Can't believe this was the reason all along…" said the Northman as he kicked Jaime's prone form aside, before using his sword to brutally hack and stab at the already dead corpse of King Aerys.
"You want to end his life?" said Jaime weakly as he hold his dagger with his left hand, his right arm being too weak to hold anything. "Avenging the Young Wolf? Why are you attacking me?"
The Northman, apparently noting about the dagger held by Ser Jaime, did not speak, only throwing his pry-bar toward Ser Jaime's feet, causing him to step out of balance, before kicking the dagger out of Jaime's hand and tackling him to the ground, firmly pressing his sword on Ser Jaime's neck.
"HA… HA… The Justice of Gods is swift indeed…" said Ser Jaime with a sense of bitter irony in his mouth. "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! KILL ME!"
"…" The Northman Warrior just looks toward Ser Jaime silently, and again, silence reigns in the Throne Room for both of them.
"WHAT? COWARD ENOUGH TO NOT FINISH THIS?!" taunted Jaime as he look at his attacker's now indecisive eyes, if he could hold this coward long enough, maybe he could use his still-functional left hand to grapple and…
Only for the coward to apparently notes that Ser Jaime is obviously trying something, and quickly put his still-functional hand underneath his boot, causing Ser Jaime to roar in pain as he feels his hand cracked.
"AAAAARRRRGGGHHH!"
"Now I wonder what will… or what was… oh what am I thinking…" said the Northman before looking back towards the fallen Kingsguard. "Speaking of which, I must say that I'm impressed, Ser Jaime Lannister… For in betraying your oath, you saved many more lives, including the lives of Princess Elia and her children…"
"Princess…" said Jaime as he remembered that of all things, Prince Rhaegar's wife and children are still here, and this coward just mentioned them, so… "What have you…"
"Taken as Hostages… Much better than their fate if your father's men managed to kill them first," said the Northern Warrior sourly. "Pity that Aunt Maege brained the big brute, forcing me to kill the fat pig before he could kill the little princess…"
Jaime now found himself in a bizarre position to give a sigh of relief even if he himself is at death's door… Perhaps if he could persuade this man with gold…
"Anyway, where is the Queen?" said the Northman, immediately validating Jaime's suspicion that this man is definitely little more than a barbarian sellsword from the North.
"Hmph… Ha ha ha ha ha… If it gold you want, you could get it from my father, coward… But remember…"
"Yes yes… A Lannister always paid their debt, I know, WHERE IS THE QUEEN," said the Northman in a fit of sudden anger just as he pressed the sharp edge of his blade deeper into Jaime's neck, it started to bleed.
"Bastard…" said Jaime weakly as he held up the pain. "They're in Dragonstone! King Aerys already sent the Queen and Prince Viserys to Dragonstone three days ago."
"Dammit..." whispered the coward under his breath, so Ser Jaime could clearly feel his frustration. "They're not here? I Thought they…"
"What do you want?" said Ser Jaime, being puzzled by a such reaction from the Northman. "Now, do you want to kill me or…"
"JORAH!" shouted an old man who galloped ahead of a group led by a man wearing the Stark colors.
"Fu… Father? LORD STARK?!" said the cowardly Northman, obviously panicked at the sight of the group for some reason, which kind of amused Jaime.
"You killed the Mad King?" said Eddard Stark in a neutral tone, but this somehow caused the Northman warrior to wince, as if he was caught doing something he is not supposed to do.
"I… Err… Well… Careful My Lords! The Mad King has ordered his Pyromancers to put Wildfire under the City! I tried to stop them, but some Pyromancers escaped!" said the Northman. This declaration caused everyone's faces, safe for Ser Jaime himself, to immediately contorted into an expression of silent terror.
"W… Wildfire? UNDER THE CITY?!" said Lord Stark in what could only be described as a half-panic before he took several deep breaths to calm himself as his hand clearly gripped his reins tighter. "LORD MORMONT, LORD BOLTON! Ensure that there will be no Pyromancers left alive to burn the city!"
Lord Stark's command snapped everyone back, and thus, the two lords immediately departed with their men in tow, before everyone's attention is now back on the coward who pinned Jaime underneath. Of course, Jaime noticed that the 'Lord Mormont' wears the same sigil as his attacker and since that coward called the old man father….
"You killed the Madman?" whispered Lord Stark softly.
"Aye, killed the King and that Pyromancer there, but I saw some of them escaped already," said the Mormont warrior as Jaime eyed him suspiciously, if this greedy bear wanted his rewards... "Ser Jaime fought valiantly to defend his King, and…"
"A LIAR AND A COWARD! HA! IT'S M… M... MMMF! MMMF!" Jaime tries to shout about what actually happened, but found that this cowardly bear shoved his dirty hand to shut Ser Jaime's mouth from telling the truth. Worse, several other Stark soldiers now helped the coward in pinning the prone form of Ser Jaime down on the floor.
"Surrender and your life would be spared, Lannister. There's enough bloodshed for today. Your father will want you to come out alive…" said Lord Stark as he look with a hint of annoyance at the Mormont Warrior. "Lord Jorah, please let Ser Jaime speak…"
It was a few seconds of silence before Ser Jaime felt the dirty hands of this cowardly bear being lifted off his mouth.
"A COWARD'S STAB FROM THE BACK! AND YOU BASTARD TRIED TO… A… A…" said Jaime as he found his rush of emotions apparently died down, and his head suddenly feels lighter. Must've been all the blood loss because of this damned coward. "KING AERYS… I… KING…"
"That's enough, Last Loyal Kingsguard… You might be willing to sacrifice yourself to uphold Your Liege's Last Command. But I swear to the best of my ability, we would ensure that the Wildfire won't claim their intended victims," said Eddard Stark as Jaime feels dizzy and his vision turned black. "Call a Maester and Inform Lord Tywin Lannister…"
As he slowly lost his unconsciousness, Ser Jaime Lannister, the one who actually slain the Mad King, could only wonder about the absurdity of things he found himself in.
As blackness consumes him, Ser Jaime Lannister feels strangely at peace.
…
As he re-opened his eyes, Ser Jaime Lannister found himself awoken in a dark tent adorned with lamps showing Lannister colors. Pain immediately shoots off his right arm, and his startled cry rustled someone who apparently has fallen asleep sitting at the desk on the other side of the tent.
"F… Father?" said Jaime as his blurry vision clears and he momentarily recognized the worried look shown on his father's face, only to be immediately replaced by the usual neutral expression his Lord Father wears way too often after his mother's death. "How…"
Jaime noted that his left arm is mostly free, and used them to lift the blanket, only to find that his right arm is encased and tied together with his body underneath a pair of heavy planks.
"You're awake…" said his father as Jaime swore he could see a glimpse of a smile that quickly quashed upon the Lordly face of his Father. "Don't move your right arm."
"Father… The Wildfire?"
"Lord Stark and Lord Arryn already arranged for their safe evacuation and disposal, we are lucky, the Pyromancers were mostly found before they could ignite them. As of now, the search is still ongoing."
"That's… Ah…" said Jaime as he looks upon his right side and tries to wiggle his fingers, who thankfully, now could feel the hand planks and the soft blanket around them.
"Your stab wound is grievous, must be thoroughly cleaned by boiling wine every day until Pycelle is sure that the rot would not set in. But as you managed to wake up, you will live," said Tywin Lannister in a matter-of-fact tone, even as he poured a cup of wine. "Drink, you'll need it…"
"Thank you… Father…" said Jaime as he opened his mouth and let his father help him to drink the wine. He noticed that it must be several days, as the taste really refreshed the bitterness he felt in his mouth before. "How long I…"
"This is the third morning after you've fallen unconscious," said Tywin Lannister, and Jaime suddenly remembered about something dire said by the coward before.
"Princess Elia and her children! Where are they?"
"Alive, and now becomes complications in our plan to ingratiate ourselves into the new Baratheon ruling House," said Tywin coldly.
"You really sent your men to kill them?" said Jaime with an accusatory tone, and for a moment, Jaime now feels the frown of disappointment coming from his father's face.
"It's far better for us if Amory Lorch and Gregor Clegane succeeded than this…" said Tywin before Jaime interjected.
"So, it's true then…"
"As far as anyone else knew, Ser Amory Lorch and Ser Gregor Clegane were concerned, they acted without an official order to pillage the riches of the Red Keep, just like Ser Jorah Mormont himself admitted as his motivation for leading a small band of warriors whom inadvertently saved the Targaryen children."
"Ser? That backstabbing coward is a Ser?!"
"Yes, we all knew that he must've stabbed you from the back first before killing Aerys and the Pyromancers. I'm glad that you're still alive…" said Tywin, not really answering Jaime's question, as his son rolled his eyes in disbelief.
"I know about the backstab, but really? SER?"
"King Robert himself knighted him on the ground that is by Killing the Mad King and preventing the last, horrifying, spiteful command to burn the city with wildfire, he is more than earned the honor of knighthood. Even with his mercenary motivation and shameful attempt to claim that he defeated you in a 'valiant' fight," said Tywin Lannister with a sneer before he shows his stern, lordly face again towards his son. "And I told you that trying to fulfill the Mad King's last command is a foolish, suicidal endeavor. Do you understand?!"
"Are you…" said Ser Jaime in utter disbelief.
"Your last words to Lord Stark is 'KING AERYS' of course Everyone is concerned that the Last Loyal Kingsguard would try to fulfill the last command of his liege. The Lords only agreed to release YOU from being a prisoner only after I took a vow to never let you get away from my sight."
"I'm not that suicidal…" said Jaime indignantly.
"Good… Now that I have you back as my heir…"
"Wait, what about the Kingsugard? Did King Robert dismiss me or what?"
"The Kingsguards as a whole has been officially disbanded. The revelation of how deep Aerys has fallen into madness, as well as the horrifying last command, immediately caused Ser Barristan to swear himself to take the Black instead of resuming being a Kingsguard of King Robert. He argues that your loyalty to standing at the Mad King's side, keeping your vows, made him realize about how everyone on the Brotherhood is now oath-bound to fulfill the last command, no matter how horrifying," said Tywin Lannister as he shook his head. "As I did not want you to take the Black over your vows, I managed to persuade King Robert and Lord Arryn to just disband the Kingsguard Brotherhood instead to release you from your vows, something that is also suggested by Lord Stark himself."
"What in Seven Hell happened when I…"
"Yes, you are back as my heir, and as soon as you are capable to walk again, I will send you back to Casterly Rock together with Kevan and Tygett. There will be few Stormlanders and Valemen as well to ensure your compliance to the order."
"Father, I'm not that suicidal and…"
"You are the Last Loyal Kingsugard. You stood by the Mad King until the bitter end, even when the other three Kingsguards abandoned him, and I deem it was luck that you were stabbed from the back but not immediately slain. It was a precaution and I only get that leniency after I personally offered myself to stay here as a guarantee on your behavior until you reached Casterly Rock. Do not disappoint me, Jaime."
"Last Loyal Kingsguard… Hah… Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha…" Jaime laughs uproariously at the bitter irony of these hilarious happenstances. He wanted to correct his father that, no, it was him who personally slain King Aerys the Mad King over his last horrifying order, and the cowardly Mormont merely took his credit. Yet for all he has done, Jaime decides that this must be how the Gods punished him for breaking his oath, by pulling him into this ironic punishment after all he has done.
"What are you laughing about?"
"This 'Last Loyal Kingsguard' is a fucking pathetic failure of a Kingsguard, father," Jaime said as he smiled bitterly. "If only you know…"
"Yes, your failure did result in the survival of King's Landing. I know that you must expect me to pay your personal debt to the Kingslayer, but I, for once, thank him for returning you as my heir, even if indirectly."
"Kingslayer… eh?" Jaime could only awkwardly grin at the epithet wrongly given, as deep down, he knew that only him, and the fraudulent mummer, knew that he is the true Kingslayer.
"You clearly need to rest, Pycelle would be here soon. If you need anything…"
"No father… I'm fine…" said Jaime as he closed his eyes. "Just let me sleep."
As he closed his eyes, Ser Jaime Lannister could only smile, the Gods really have an ironic sense of humor, after all
And now what?