Jaime
The day after the truce was struck with the Targaryens, Jaime had called his own meeting with the other commanders of the Lannister Army and Harry Strickland over the map of Westeros in Maegor's Holdfast of the Red Keep. "Our men in King's Landing will march north in three days' time."
"It will take us a fortnight just to gather supplies for the train." One of the commanders informed.
"We don't have a fortnight. If the North falls, we fall. Three days. The remaining forces in the Westerlands will join the Unsullied and take the River Road east, we'll meet in Lord Harroway's town and march together to Winterfell. The Golden Company remain on Dragonstone mining the dragonglass for two weeks' time, then they join the Greyjoy ships and travel to White Harbor."
"What about the Dothraki?" One of the other commanders asked.
"They'll be far behind us unless we can't be ready in three days. Send word throughout the city offering payment to any who can assist us to prepare. We have just over a month until the dead arrive at the Wall. Aside from supplies, we'll need pitch and the Wildfire. The dead catch fire easily and it's one of the only things that can destroy them."
"We'll be sacrificing the cities defenses if we do." Another commander informed.
"If we can't defeat the dead at the Wall, then there's no chance for anything or anyone in the south. We're transporting the pitch and Wildfire, as much as we can."
"By your orders, Ser Jaime."
"Then let's get to work, we only have three days."
"Ser Jaime." Cersei spoke from behind all of them. Every bowed to her as they turned to face their queen.
"Your grace." Jaime acknowledged.
"It seems there's a bit of confusion with your plans." She informed.
"Has there been word from the Targaryens, your grace?" one of the commanders asked.
"No there hasn't. I have to agree with what was mentioned earlier. We cannot afford to sacrifice all of our city's defenses, we will be at war with the Targaryens after the dead are dealt with after all."
"your grace," Jaime said, "we need all the weapons we can get to use against the dead."
"I understand, Ser Jaime. So only transport our stores of pitch and leave the Wildfire. It's the only fire that can harm the dragons after all."
As much as Jaime didn't like it, she was right. If they used everything they had against the dead, then they would have nothing against the Targaryens. But he couldn't deny the feeling he had in his heart to get all of the Wildfire out of the city. As long as Cersei had it within her grasp, she was as dangerous as Aerys. But with the armies out of her control, she had no reason to use it on anyone. "As you command, your grace. If that is all, we must take our leave to go prepare."
"Of course, Ser Jaime. I have my own business with Qyburn I must attend to." Everyone bowed their heads as Cersei walked away and they all left the Red Keep.
Four days later in his solar, Jaime was doing his own packing for the journey. The armies had already left with the commanders, but he had to stay an extra day to oversee the rest of the pitch being loaded onto wagons and transported out of the city. He had all of his clothes, but the only cloak he ever wore was his white cloak and even that had no warmth to battle against the cold. But luckily for him, he was no longer a member of the Kingsguard and was in the market for a fur cloak. His thoughts dwindled on his time as a Kingsguard, if he ever did anything other than stab his own king in the back that was worthy of his knighthood.
In all his service all he ever did was be a glorified bodyguard in fancy armor. He stood by as his queen was raped night after night. He pushed a ten-year-old boy out of a window and crippled him. He murdered his own cousin to try and escape imprisonment. So much dishonor in his life, and now he was heading to the place where such the opposite was valued above all.
But then his thoughts drifted to Brienne. She was practically his opposite. She kept her vow to Catelyn Stark and delivered him to King's Landing. She fulfilled his vow to Catelyn Stark when he couldn't. She wouldn't stop being what a knight should be. What he wanted to be ever since he was a boy, who he wished he was right now.
He remembered when they were captured by Locke and the other Bolton men, that night when what he told her they would to do was about to happen. And he stopped it. He lost his hand, but he stopped it. He was ordered to behead an innocent woman, and he refused. He remembered when she kissed him and her words. 'Why did I do that to a man who fights against my king?' Why did she? Did she predict that he would soon be fighting 'with' her king? He couldn't help but smile a little at the memory of her.
As he was nearly finished, Jaime heard his door creaking and looked up to see it was open when he had closed it when he first entered his room. "Is someone there?" He called out as his hand crept over the pommel of the dagger strapped to his belt. He slowly walked over to the door, unable to not feel cautious. As he peered through the doorway and out into the hall, he saw there was no one around. 'Maybe I didn't close it all the way.' He thought to himself as he walked back into his room and closed the door properly.
When he turned around, Bronn appeared out of nowhere and placed his hand on Jaime's mouth with holding his index finger up to his own. Jaime nodded to him, confused and curious as to how Bronn slipped past him. Bronn took his hand off and Jaime's mouth and backed away, looking exhausted. "I see your gettin ready to leave."
"I thought you would have been gone by now." Jaime told him.
Bronn looked distraught and worried. "I had a few more things I had to smuggle. A woman, my gold, and of course some Wildfire. Unfortunately, Cersei's spies caught me after I saw what she had in the Alchemist Guild's storerooms while tryin to get that pig shit."
"What did you see?" Did Cersei have some new kind of weapon? Bronn did tell him about her investing the last of the gold into something that would turn the tide in the war, but he wasn't sure what.
"I saw nothing." Bronn replied.
Now Jaime was confused. "Why would you be hiding if you didn't see anything?"
"You don't understand. There were supposed thousands of jars of Wildfire in those storerooms, but there wasn't even one in there. The only place I can think of where it might've gone is where the Mad King originally had it." Jaime went from confused to concerned as he began to plead in his mind that Cersei didn't do what he thought she would. "I need your help to get out of here, or else I'm a dead man." This was the first time Bronn ever asked of help from Jaime, and considering he owed him a great deal apart from a castle and a wife, he had to pay his debt.
"You should shave your beard. You'll be less recognizable if you do. I have a blade over by my water basin." Bronn immediately walked over to the water basin and picked up the blade and applied some shaving cream to his face. He slowly moved the blade over his skin, cutting his facial hair.
"Hand over your armor when I'm done. I doubt you have any rags I can wear or something that isn't a fine fabric." Jaime didn't even reply as he began to remove his breastplate and other pieces. By the time he was stripped, Bronn was clean shaven and began to put on Jaime's Lannister red armor. "Have you got a helmet anywhere?"
"It's over by my trunk." Jaime decided to retrieve the helmet for Bronn so he could focus on dressing himself.
"Now listen to me," Bronn said sternly, "I don't give two shits about this city, or the people. I don't care about the Kingdoms, or who sits on the fucking Iron Throne. But unfortunately for me, the King and Queen I now fight for do. But I can't get anywhere near your sister, only you can. So either I sneak in with your troops and we both head safely to the North while Cersei could destroy the city at any moment, or you can do what needs to be done. Either way, when I walk out that door it will be either with or without ya." He swiftly took the helmet from Jaime and strapped it onto his head, concealing his face.
Jaime's gaze fell to the ground as he tried to process the thoughts in his head. Why did he have to be the one that could only end Cersei's life? He clenched his fists as anger stirred within him. "Leave me." He ordered and Bronn obeyed without hesitation. Finally alone again, Jaime actually considered doing what needed to be done. But the only thing keeping him from doing it was his and Cersei's child.
The next thing he knew, he was out of his room, making his way to confront Cersei about everything. He kept his hand over the pommel of his dagger, but also ready to switch it to the hilt of Widow's Wail. As he walked throughout the hallways, he turned a corner and suddenly walked into Qyburn who was carrying a few vials of substances. As the old man fell to the ground, he dropped two of his vials, but only one of them broke and the liquid spilled. "Qyburn," Jaime said as the scent of the liquid filled the air.
"Apologies Ser Jaime, I didn't-"
Jaime grabbed hold of Qyburn's robe and pulled him off the ground and pinned him against a wall. "You're the only one Cersei seems to trust anymore. So tell me, where is the Wildifre?"
"Ser Jaime, you need to understand that-"
"Answer the fucking question!" Jaime growled before he caught the scent of what spilled. He sniffed the air, recognizing the smell, but unable to remember what name belonged to it. "What is that?"
"I'm sorry, Ser Jaime. But the Queen threatened to burn alive if I didn't…" He looked afraid to finish his sentence.
"If you didn't, what?"
Qyburn gulped once before revealing to Jaime. "Your child was going to a dwarf."
It was when he said that did Jaime remember what the smell was. Moon Tea. He remembered that Cersei would often have it many times after they had fornicated when Robert had gone away with some whore and the smell was very potent. His grip around Qyburn loosened as he stepped back and a weight fell onto his heart. She killed their child, because it was going to be a dwarf? He furiously left Qyburn and quickened his pace to Cersei's solar.
When he crossed over the painted map of Westeros in Maegor's Holdfast, he spotted Cersei longing in a chair facing out towards a balcony to her room. She had a glass of wine in her hand and the Mountain stood vigil as he always has. His footsteps were loud as she turned her head hearing the noise they made.
When he got closer, the Mountain placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and stepped in Jaime's path. He couldn't help but stop, seeing as he would not risk challenging whatever reasoning Gregor Clegane had, if there was any to begin with.
Jaime remained silent as he gazed angrily at Cersei and she only wore an expression as if she did nothing wrong. "Do you need something, Ser Jaime?" She casually asked.
"Why?" Was all he said.
"Why, what?"
"Why did you drink the tea?" Jaime felt shivers run down his body as Cersei just scoffed at him.
"The little monster would have done to me what Tyrion did to our mother. I couldn't let such a thing happen."
"Monster? How dare you. That 'monster' was our child, our future, and now it's gone!"
"If all you wanted to do was complain, then leave me be." Cersei took a large sip of her wine as Jaime took two steps back out of shock. With their child gone, so was she.
"Where's the Wildfire?"
Cersei finished her wine and set it down on a small table next to her chair. "I merely restored it to where it belongs. It wasn't doing much gathering dust in the vaults of the Alchemist Guild, but it will be much more effective beneath the city."
With those words, Jaime finally realized that his sister really was just another Mad King. "You were going to granted a pardon, we were going to be given our home, we could have lived out our lives together. Why would you throw that away!?"
"I will not let some dragonspawn take what is rightfully mine. I will not bow to some silvered haired bitch. If she wants her precious city, she can have it, and the people too. At least their ashes. When she returns to this city, her, the bastard, her dragons and those demons inside her can burn with it all."
The Mad King's words sounded in Jaime's mind. 'Burn them, BURN THEM ALL!' Without even thinking, Jaime began to draw Widow's Wail from its scabbard, but the Mountain drew his sword first and growled.
Cersei didn't even turn her head to know what Jaime was about to do. "Are you going to stab your Queen in the back like you did your King?" She asked, mockingly.
Jaime's grip on Widow's Wail tighten. "I'm already a Kingslayer, why not be a Queenslayer?"
Without hesitating, the Mountain stepped forward and swung his free hand and knocked Jaime far across the floor onto his back. Jaime scrambled to his feet as the Mountain walked closer to him, but this time raising his sword.
Jaime quickly ducked under a powerful slash and thrusted Widow's Wail as hard as he could into the black breastplate. The Valyrian steel stabbed through the armor like a knife in bread and planted the blade deep into the Mountain's chest. Gregor looked down at where the blade entered his body before looking at Jaime, unfazed and unhurt. Jaime quickly pulled out the sword and was struck back again, this time he was knocked over the railing surrounding the map of Westeros.
As he slowly got to his feet, feeling pain all over his chest, Jaime realized that as long as the Mountain was as he was, there was no way he could get past him to Cersei, so he turned and ran as fast as he could. Ignoring all of Cersei's shouts for the other guards, he just ran and put as much distance between Gregor Clegane who was far to large to catch up to him.
With Widow's wail sheathed, Jaime didn't even make it out of the Red Keep before bells began to clamor, signaling an assassin in the castle. Jaime switched from running to a fast walk as he pasted many guards who had no idea he was the one who they were supposed to be looking for.
By the time he had passed through the large gates leading into the city, a squad of fifty Gold Cloaks quickly passed by him into the Red Keep. Once he was in the streets, he took back to running. He had to get to the gates before they were closed off and he would be trapped in the city. He stuck to the alley ways and passed by many shivering beggars and dead bodies as he navigated through the maze of houses. As he got lost at wound up at a dead end, he could barely hear shouting throughout the streets. "Ser Jaime Lannister has attempted to murder the Queen! Arrest him on sight!" The Gold Cloaks knew who to look for now, and he already stood out enough with a golden hilted sword and expensive leathers.
With all the Alleys leading to dead ends, Jaime was forced to take to the streets, but he had to use cuation and only move when there was absolutely no one around. What should've taken minutes of hiding between crossing the street sometimes became as long as an hour now that the Golden Company was looking for him too. The only way he could pick up his pace would be to wait for the night and the cover of darkness, but the rate the alleys were being swept, he didn't have such a luxury.
As Jaime passed through the streets and into the alleyways, he could hear the rustling of armor and footsteps sounding like the beating of drums approaching from around a corner. Panicking, he turned around to escape the way he came, but three Gold Cloaks had just turned into the alley he was in. "There he is!" One of the shouted as he began to run with his companions after Jaime. He wouldn't be able to fight three of them in such close quarters, so his only chance was to turn and hopefully run through whoever was approaching from the corner. He turned and ran as fast as he could, preparing to bash through whoever got in his way.
From around the corner, six sellswords from the Golden Company appeared and stopped in their tracks when they saw Jaime. Unfortunately, his attempt to get passed them failed as he was stopped and pulled to the ground on his back. "Well well, looks like we caught ourselves a golden lion for the Golden Company." One of the sellswords said as the men of the City Watch caught up to them.
"Well done," one of the Watchmen said, "good thing he ran into you." The three Gold Cloaks looked exhausted, even after such a short chase.
"Indeed," the sellsword said as two others approached the Watchmen and patted them on their backs, "very good thing." Without warning, the sellswords drew daggers at their sides and killed the Gold Cloaks swiftly and quietly. As the bodies fell to the ground and the blood stained the dirt, the sellswords checked to see if anyone else was approaching. "One of you go stand guard at the alley entrance. As for the other, go find Captain Strickland." The two sellswords that killed the Watchmen nodded and left the way Jaime came. "Let's get these bodies somewhere no one will find them for a while." The other members of the Golden Company picked up the dead bodies and dragged them passed Jaime and the assumed leader of the group who stood over him, offering his hand up. "You have nothing to fear, Lannister. Just don't do anything stupid like trying to kill the Mad Queen when her guard is right next to her." The leader said, mocking Jaime's attempt. Jaime scowled at him before helping himself up, remaining cautious of the Golden Company. "We should probably hide with the bodies if we want to be unseen." The leader said as he stepped aside out of the way for Jaime to proceed into the alley, all the while keeping his hand on the pommel of a scimitar with a hilt themed after a griffon.
As evening fell over the city and the lamps and torches were lit in the streets, Jaime became surprised that not one of the men guarding him would speak to him. Even with all the time he had waiting, Jaime still couldn't understand why the Golden Company didn't arrest him when the saw him and why they killed the Gold Cloaks.
All of his wondering came to an end when four other members of the Golden Company appeared with Harry Strickland leading them. "Ser Jaime." He said, in his full armor of steel colored to be gold and wearing a red leather satchel at his side.
"Captain Strickland." Jaime replied.
Harry only smiled at Jaime. "I thought I said to call me Harry. Only my men and employers call me Captain."
"Well then, Harry, will I have the honor of being arrested personally by you, or am I to fight until one of us is dead?"
Harry chuckled at his assumption. "Neither, in fact quite the opposite." He nodded to one of his men who carried armor of the Golden Company and offered it over to Jaime. "We're going to get you out of the city so you can fight the dead."
"You're sneaking me into your army when they march north?" Jaime asked.
Harry shook his head. "I have been given orders to have the Golden Company remain in King's Landing."
"You saw the creature in the Dragonpit, you saw what it did when the Hound sliced it in two."
"Yes I saw!" Harry exclaimed. "If I could, I'd take my entire company and sail them back to Essos. But Cersei has hardly any ships and nearly all the ones for hire in Essos are already hired, so we're stuck here, bound by contract to obey our contractor."
"But your helping me escape, that's not obeying your contract is it?"
"Like you said, I saw that creature in the Dragonpit. If we can't go home and we can't go north, we'll do what we can to help. You are seasoned commander and carry a rare weapon that can harm the dead. The world can't afford to lose you just yet. Put on the armor."
Jaime just stared at Harry, going through his options if he had any before accepting the armor worked on putting it on. "I suppose the Ironborn shouldn't expect any dragonglass then?" Jaime said as he strapped his spaulders to his gorget.
"No, they should. In fact my men have been mining it for weeks now. Ever since my most trusted spy I have at Winterfell sent a report saying the Targaryen King was possessed by a demon and had blue eyes, the same as that creature, and was brought back from the dead by a Priestess of Asshai in an inferno of red dragonfire."
"You've been planning on supporting them even before seeing it for yourself?" Jaime asked, strapping on the last of his armor.
"I've been through enough shit to know it's better to be safe than sorry, and I've seen enough fucked up shit in the world to believe anything is possible." Harry snapped his fingers at one of his other men and he tossed his captain a blue hooded cloak. "My men will escort you through the gates and then ten miles out of the city. I can't get you a horse, so you'll have to go on foot until you can steal one. Stay clear of your armies until you get to Winterfell. They won't be able to touch you there." He handed the cloak to Jaime who instantly flung it over his shoulders and raised the hood over his head.
"Thank you, Harry."
"Keep your mouth shut, and stay close to my men. If you're discovered, they won't fight for you." Harry removed his satchel from his shoulder and held it out to Jaime. "While my men were mining in the dragonglass caves, they found something. If you don't want prying eyes to see it, don't open this until you reach Winterfell." Jaime took the satchel and felt a great weight within in. He slung it over his shoulder and kept it over the hilt of Widow's Wail to conceal it. "Just one more thing before you leave." Harry undid his sword belt and removed his half of Blackfyre and gave it to Jaime. "Offer this to the Targaryen King and Queen. You know what it means, but they don't. Regardless of their answer, I won't mind if you it in the war to come." Without saying another word, Harry redid his sword belt and left with two of his men while the rest would be Jaime's escort.
Finally able to use the streets, Jaime and the Golden company were led by the sellsword with the griffon hilted sword to the gates of King's Landing. He broke off from the group and spoke to two of Gold Cloaks for a minute before they smiled at each other and ordered the gates to be opened. This amazed Jaime since the leader didn't give them any gold or money.
Finally out of the city, the gates closed behind them and a rush of relief fell over Jaime. When they were far enough from the gate, Jaime walked up to the leader. "How'd you convince him to open the gate?"
"I promised to give him and two others extra rations of food if he did." The leader stopped and turned to face Jaime. "You'd better win that war in the North and hurry back, otherwise there'll be nothing but corpses of starvation."
"If Cersei doesn't burn them all before that happens." Jaime corrected. The leader just sighed at him and they continued onward.
They light of the sun was completely gone from the sky when they reached the ten-mile mark outside of the city and the Golden Company halted their escort. "Well Lannister," the leader said, "I hope you win. Cause if you don't we're fucked."
"Even if we do, you're fucked. If you stay in that city, you'll die along with everyone else the way Aerys the Mad King wanted. If you can't return to Essos, you should flee to somewhere else."
"I appreciate your concern, Ser Jaime. But I have my orders, and they are to stay in the city." The leader offered his hand out to Jon out of respect rather than gratitude.
Jaime accepted it, returning the respect given to him. "Thank you…"
"Jon." The leader informed.
"Thank you, Jon, for bringing me this far."
"Maybe if you're lucky, you can meet the Dothraki on the Kingsroad before they pass you." Jon let go of of Jaime's hand and began walking back to King's Landing with his men.
Jaime sighed as he turned around and looked out to the trail before him and saw it disappear, far away in the distance. Before he continued onwards, he raised his golden hand and just stared at it. His thoughts dwelled on leaving it. It didn't do much for him and if there were any spies on the road that saw it, he would eventually be captured. 'To hell with it.' He thought as he decided to just keep the damn thing. Before he lowered his hand, he noticed a snowflake land on the gold and melt. Jaime looked up at the covered sky and could see the patterns in the air indicating snowfall. "Winter is here." Jaime said to himself before starting a quick pace down the road.
Before morning came, Jaime finally made it to a tavern on the road. He needed food since he had none and couldn't afford to stay the night, but even as the first snows of winter were here, he didn't find it bothersome to have to camp. As he got closer, he could see that there were no horses tied to any post so he would have a longer ways to go before he could steal one.
Making his way inside, the warmth of the tavern defeated the cold of the outside and Jaime's feet had been sore from walking throughout the night. He sat down in a shady corner as a young girl approached him, looking tired and desiring sleep. "May I get you anything?"
"That depends," Jaime told her, "I don't have gold," he drew the dagger at his side and laid it on the table, "but I can give you this. Its castle forged steel and can sell for a good price. Or you can keep it to keep yourself safe from drunks that always try to touch you."
The girl picked up the dagger and inspected it closely before sighing and rolling her eyes. "Wait here." She took the knife and disaapeared behind a door at the back. Moments later, she returned with a plate of bread and honey. "This is all you get since we have hardly anything else to offer, but you'll need real money for that."
"Of course, thank you." Jaime said as he took the plate from her and slowly ate his food, savoring the taste. He only ate half of his bread, seeing how he wouldn't get anything else for some time while on the road.
"There's a room upstairs, you're welcome to stay." The girl then walked off and disappeared through a door.
Not wanting to deny good hospitality, Jaime took what was left of his food and brought it with him up to his room. He wasn't given the best of beds, but it would be better and warmer than camping. When he fell onto the bed in full armor and two swords at his side and a satchel, it didn't take long for him to fall asleep. But as rejuvenating as it was, the feeling disappeared as he dreamed he was the Mad King's guard once again. 'Burn them, BURN THEM ALL!'
Jaime shot awake as the words of Aerys echoed in his memories. He heard more noise than he did when he went to sleep, meaning it was probably in the middle of the day and there were more travelers in the building. But that might mean there were Gold Cloaks looking for him. Luckily for sleeping with having to undress, Jaime got up from his bed and grabbed onto the rest of his bread. He peaked out of the door andchecked for any sign of danger. No one was on the second floor, so Jaime left his room and flipped his hood bacvk on before going downstairs.
When he looked around, he didn't see any Gold Cloaks or any type of soldier for that matter. At least, except for one Lannister soldier who was sitting wear he did the night before. Jaime cautious as first, but then he recognized who it was when he took his helmet off. He'd never been happier to see Bronn in his life.
Bronn was startled when Jaime took a seat next tohim, so much that he nearly drew his knife on him. "Seven hells, I thought you dead." Bronn told him with a mouth full of bread.
"I probably would be if I didn't have help from a temporary friend."
"That would explain the fancy armor. Do you have horse?"
"No, I was hoping to steal one from here, but there was nothing."
"Then it looks like we're on foot. But from what I've overheard, the Dothraki from Highgarden will be here come nightfall. We'll just hitch a ride with them."
"And how do you plan on doing that, exactly? I had no idea you spoke Dothraki." Jaime said doubtfully.
"I don't, but I don't need to. I just have to show them the armor I'm wearing, point in the direction their going and hope they understand."
"That's your plan? To acquire transport on the basis that you hope it will work?"
"You got any better ideas? What's in the satchel? Maybe something we could trade?"
"I don't know, I was told not to open it until I get to Winterfell. Whatever it is, it was found in the dragonglass mines on Dragonstone."
Bronn looked around the tavern and scooted his chair closer to Jaime's right side. "Open it up and let's have a look. There's no one around who could cause trouble."
Jaime couldn't deny that he was curious, and it got the better of him. He pulled the satchel to his lap and undid the strap that kept it closed. When he opened it and looked inside, he became confused. He reached inside and pulled out the contents halfway as to still keep it concealed.
"What is that?" Bronn asked.
"It looks like a rock of some kind." Jaime held a large red stone that had a very symmetrical scaled texture all along the surface. Near the bottom of it, the red turned to orange and the entire rock was shaped like an egg.
