Apologies for the wait. the holiday and Life have been taking my focus away and neither has been going well, unfortunately. Short chapter, but it gets things moving. Next one will be longer and here sooner. Going to aim for one chapter a week


Jaime

With the new orders issued to the armies, everyone was pulling three times their weight to prepare for the march on King's Landing.

Jaime, however, found it difficult. Even though the possessions he would be taking with him ahead of the armies were very few, he had his own battle going on within himself.

Almost all his life, everything he did, every action he took, was for Cersei. He stayed Kingsguard to be with Cersei, he murdered dozens for Cersei, he sacrificed everything he had for Cersei. But then she betrayed him, then she killed their child.

And now here he was, meant to be preparing his things to go and kill her. It's not like he hadn't killed his own kin before. He killed his cousin Alton trying to escape Robb Stark. Then again, she wasn't free from that sin as much as Tyrion was. She killed Uncle Kevan and cousin Lancel when she destroyed the Great Sept of Baelor. They were all a family of kinslayers.

It would still be a long wait until nightfall. The King was kind enough to grant those leaving a day to prepare.

Jaime waited by the window, looking out to the camps and the ruined parts of the castle. The camps were bustling with people going to and from places like a hive of ants on their hill. The castle was still being searched for anything salvageable from the wildfire, although the efforts of that were probably to be in vain.

"I see that the King's brooding has rubbed off on you," Tyrion said.

Jaime turned and saw his brother walking through the doorway.

"Before you go, would you care to join me for some wine? I have some left over from a little celebration after the battle at the Wall."

Perhaps wine would do good for his mood. "That sounds like a wonderful idea."

Jaime followed Tyrion to his room and wasn't surprised when he found Bronn and Podrick Payne waiting for them. "Ah, the heroes of Blackwater Bay. Such an honor for you to grace my lowly brother and me with your presence."

"If anyone's gracing our presence it's the knight of the magic cock. Or are you the slayer of mermaids now? I've seen him with the Manderly girl more times than once."

Podrick turned bright red when Bronn mentioned that.

"Ser Podrick," Tyrion said snidely, "do give us details." He retrieved a horn for himself and Jaime. "Copious details." He poured some green wine and took a drink.

"My lord…" Podrick straightened himself. "Her name's Wylla."

"Wylla Manderly, the one with the green hair?" Jaime inquired. "She's a pretty young thing."

"That she is," Bronn agreed, "but how is she in the bed?"

"I swore not to tell, and I am a knight now, so I will not forsake my promise." He smirked at all of them and took a drink of the wine.

"However good she is, you can't a Dornish at fuckin'. They do things you've never imagine possible." Bronn looked disappointed for an instant, almost regretting that he lost his Dornish bride.

"Cheer up, Ser Bronn," said Tyrion. "I've convinced our King and Queen to wait until Sarella Sand arrives from Oldtown. I sent the raven last night and we should be receiving her by the next full moon. Pod, if you could get the good knight's payment."

Podrick smirked as he rushed out the door with a jump in his steps.

"There's not enough gold in your dried up mines to compensate a Dornish woman that knows how to fuck like her." Bronn retorted as he took a swig of wine.

"The mines are not dry," Tyrion replied, annoyed. "I had someone look into places my father never bothered with and it proved fruitful. The veins that were found could possibly last another hundred years. And I plan to have Castamere emptied of the water my father flooded it with. Those mines rivaled Casterly Rock's and have as much silver as they do gold."

"Castamere?" Bronn leaned in with an interest. "Now that's a mighty castle when it's not flooded with water and corpses of Reynes."

"Don't you already have a castle? The Twins will make you a rich man."

"Never really liked the Riverlands. And Twins are surrounded by swamps, shit, and rivers. Castamere, on the other hand, has fields, hills, and mines. And if I recall, you owe me for saving your arse, again."

"He does owe you." Tryion agreed. "But luckily, I am willing to help support this debt with something you might find worth just as equal a payment."

Podrick returned with a sword in his hands. It was of the same shape and design of Bronn's original before he lost it at the Blackwater, but this one had flaming arrows carved into the guard and the Twins in the pommel.

Bronn stood up and inspected the hilt. "Handle's a bit wider than before, but the rest is the same. Only problem is unless you have a thousand more castle-forged steel swords, there's still quite a debt to pay."

"That sword is castle forged, but this steel is far more valuable than just a thousand swords."

Bronn was confused until he drew the blade out of the scabbard and beheld a Valyrian steel blade. His eyes widened as he removed the rest of the blade and held the sword in his hand.

"You did say you always wanted one if I recall," Jaime told him.

"Oh aye, that I did. Not my first time holding one though."

"What will you call it?" Podrick asked.

"Magic Cock, after you." Bronn japed. "Don't worry Pod, just a joke. This sword shall be named after our good friend, the Hand of the King and Queen himself."

Tyrion scoffed at Bron. "If you ever name a sword after me, wouldn't be better for it to be a shortsword?"

"You think too little of yourself. I wasn't going to call it Imp Slayer or Dwarf's Revenge or anything like that. I had a different name in mind, I just can't remember it." He twirled the sword in his hand fluidly. "What was it that angry town crier called you when you were Hand to Joffrey?"

"Oh please, not that-"

"Demon Monkey, that's it!"

Jaime was in the middle of sipping his wine, but hearing that made him spurt it out and choke on laughter.

"This sword shall be forever known as Demon Monkey."

"Oh, how I hate you so." Tyrion chuckled with everyone else.

Bronn sheathed Demon Monkey back into its scabbard and set it against his chair. "A real beauty. Certainly worth much of what you owe me. Yet why is it I feel that debt continue to grow so often?"

"I wouldn't say that it grows, it simply evades you." Tyrion set his horn aside and looked firmly at Bronn. "But in this case, you could say that the debt is about to grow. Our esteemed Lord of Casterly Rock will be unavailable for the battle, and unavailable to lead the Loyal forces of the Westerlands."

"And how many are they now? The most of the sons of the men the King executed are packing to go home or join Cersei leaving you with less than ten thousand men. Even a couple of the Reach and the Crownlands are stupid enough to go with them."

"Yes, we have lost a considerable force. But we still outnumber Cersei three to one. Not to mention that Brandon Stark will be assisting with the strategy, thwarting any attempt of traps Cersei may have been laying for us. And we have three dragons and two dozen giants."

"Oh, I have no doubt who the victor of the battle will be. All I want to know is what's in it for me. Figured you all would've known that by now after savin' your golden asses more times than either of you have saved mine which to my count has been never."

"Never?" Jaime asked. "What about when I negotiated your release from Dorne, or when I smuggled you out of King's Landing the day we left?"

"As long as Doran Martell was the prince, I don't think anyone would have been executed for what we did. He was a spineless man and you just took the credit. And I had several other people to turn to at the Capitol, you just happened to be closest. And I repaid that debt by getting us horses and safe passage with the Dothraki."

"I don't think anyone would count being taken prisoner as safe passage."

"Yet we made it all the same, unharmed and without spending a day in a cell covered in our own shit. For fuck's sake, must I teach you rich cunts how to do everything?"

"As long as we keep paying you, why not?" Tyrion slyly remarked.

"As long as the payment is given. As for leadin' your armies, I don't think the loyal lords will take kindly to following a Riverlord over their liege into battle. So better for them, if I were a fellow Lord of the Westerlands, wouldn't you agree?"

Tyrion almost looked surprised at the logic in that. "That is true, but you have already been appointed the Lord of the Twins."

"And I can easily be appointed lord of something else that is just as good or in my case, double."

"Double? That offer was for switching sides specifically."

"What was it you once told me about money? I give you some and after a certain time, you return it with interest? The Riverlands are too cold in the winter and too muggy in the summer. The Westerlands, on the other hand, are right in the middle. Warm summers and tolerable winters. And since you already plan to refurbish a castle for its riches, I'll consider that a favor for all the delays."

"You want Castamere?" Jaime asked. "A man like you ruling over a mine? That's far too much paperwork for swordsman like you."

"But just enough wealth. That's my price for my castle, as for the bride… I'd prefer to keep the one I have but if it can't be helped, I want a Dornishwoman."

Tyrion sighed out after taking a long, well deserved, drink of wine. "If you lead the Westerland forces and defeat our King and Queen's enemies, I shall see to it that Castamere and a highborn beauty well skilled in a bed shall be yours."

Bronn stood up with a smug expression and held out his hand to Tyrion who shook it with a hint of agitation. "Give me those, and your debt to me shall be paid."

"Finally," Jaime remarked.

"Don't get too relieved just yet, you still have to deliver." Bronn patted Jaime on the shoulder. "Come on Pod, show me how a knight of Payne fights." The two of them left the room with their horns of wine, leaving Jaime and Tyrion alone.

"He is a greedy bastard." Jaime snarked.

"Greedy, but loyal. Opportunistic to the fullest if he can get something worth getting, no matter what the deed is." Tyrion replied. "As long as there's is gold or something worth more, he will always be a sellsword. Do you know what he said to me once when I asked if he would kill a babe if ordered without question?"

"Knowing Bronn, he probably asked how much."

Tyrion took another drink of wine. "I hope any children he spawns are better than him."

Jaime shrugged. "I think you would miss him if he disappeared."

"He does have a certain… I don't know what you call it."

The two Lannister brothers shared a laugh together. The company they kept to was a strange one for the sons of Tywin Lannister, but it was unique and that's how they liked it.

"Have you almost finished packing?" Tyrion asked.

"Almost," Jaime replied. "I suppose you know of the plan then."

"I do. I was the one who suggested it. But I didn't expect to learn that you would be one of the few going."

"Better than the King going himself. Who's idea was it to send him?"

This revelation surprised Tyrion. "Himself I'm guessing, the plan was to have Arya Stark be the one since she above everyone else deserves to take Cersei's life."

"Yes, well she still will if I can't." There was a sullen pause. "Ever wonder how amazing it is we talk about the murder of our sister so casually?"

"If I'm being figurative, she was never my sister. I've wished for her death more times than I've wished for anything in this world. But I will admit that I hope that after this war, things will start to change for good. I don't imagine that this will be the end of all wars, but I can imagine that there will be peace long enough to last a few generations."

"Father did say that whoever comes out on top would establish a thousand year dynasty." Jaime noticed Tyrion's shift in mood. He remembered that day in beneath the Red Keep when they met in secret. Jaime nearly chose to strike Tyrion for mentioning their father. "Tyrion… our family is a complicated one."

"That's the most understated thing I've ever heard anyone say."

Jaime wanted to object at first, but he wasn't wrong. "Listen. I still can't forgive you for what you did to our father. I don't I ever will. But I don't hate you for it anymore. I even understand where it came from."

Tyrion was at a loss for words, or rather he struggled to find them. "Maybe Cersei was right. If I hadn't killed him, Myrcella, Tommen, they might be alive." The regret was plain on his face. "For that, I'm sorry."

"Maybe. But they're dead now, nothing we can do to change that." Jaime had accepted their fates long ago. But he couldn't deny that longed to hold his children in his arms one last time.

"It's getting late," Tyrion commented. "You should probably finish packing."

"Yes, I think that would be best. Will you see us off?"

Tyrion nodded before Jaime took his leave and returned to his room.

By the time the winter sun had set, Jaime was heavily dressed in furs for the long nights of riding he would be doing and tying his things to his horse. However, it was proving difficult to do with one hand but luckily Brienne was kind enough to assist him.

"Are you ready for this?" Brienne asked.

"Ready to ride day and night in snow and ice to the most dangerous city in the world or ready to kill the sister I came into the world with, that I did so much for in our lives? Or, at least, try again for that matter?"

"Both."

Jaime merely shrugged at her. "We shall see, won't we? Though I'd prefer sailing." But as long as Euron's fleet was keeping watch of ships from the north, now one would be able to slip by unnoticed. And with the theft of the Greyjoy ships anchored at Torrhen's Square, the two naval forces would be evenly matched. Theon and Yara had a few dozen more ships than their uncle, but Euron was the better captain and commander. "But if the winters here are still easier than the ones beyond the Wall, I'm sure we'll manage. It's been a long time since I've had to camp. Might be some fun before we all could die."

Brienne rolled her eyes at him before she finished strapping on Jaime's things to his saddle. She returned to preparing her own horse alongside Arya and Clegane. Arya had fewer things than Jaime and Brienne had but Clegane's massive horse carried a bastard sword, an axe, his armor, and would soon be carrying him too.

The King was saying his farewells to Lady Arya and, oddly enough, Lord Samwell Tarly was with him to see off the Hound. What was even more surprising was when Lord Tarly gave his family's Valyrian sword to him for the journey. However, he made sure to distinctly tell Clegane that he wanted it back, from what Jaime heard.

Gendry Baratheon had come as well, to say farewell to his wife, and he too had a Valyrian sword to give. This one was a Braavosi water dancer blade, and it was nearly identical to the one she already had around her waist. "I was hoping to give it before the battle, but I guess it's now or never."

Arya removed her sword belt and the sword she already had and replaced it with the new one. Now she was armed with a Valyrian Sword and a Valyrian Dagger.

"What are going to call it?" The King asked her.

Arya grasped the hilt of her sword and moved her fingers down the leatherbound handle over the pommel engraved with direwolves. "I think I'll keep it as Needle."

Clegane scoffed at her when he overheard them talking. "Yes yes, I'm a cunt for naming my sword."

"No, just a cunt who can't think of anything else than one name," he said after strapping Heartsbane to his back. Arya ignored his comment and gave her husband a deep kiss.

'It's a far better name than Demon Monkey at least.' Jaime thought before he noticed an approaching silhouette in the darkness.

Appearing from the shadows came Tyrion. "I suppose this is goodbye then." He confessed.

"Maybe, but if everything goes right it won't be yet."

"When has anything ever involving Cersei gone to plan."

The chuckled together at the truth of that. Jaime knelt to his brother and gave him hug. "Hopefully the next time we see each other, it will be at a well-deserved victory."

"Even if it's not, I look forward to that day." Jaime let go of his brother and mounted his horse as did the others.

The King stepped forward to address them all. "Ride along the King's Road until you've reached the Crownlands. After that, you'll have to take caution of watchful eyes. Bran informed me that there are fewer spies watching near Maidenpool and Duskendale. And whatever happens, don't die. That's a command." He nodded to all of them and Arya was the first to spur her horse through the gates with Clegane following her, Brienne after him, and Jaime in the rear.

The four of them rode into the darkness of the cold night with only the light of a half moon to guide their way on the road to King's Landing. The air bit at their faces as they began their task to kill a queen.


What do you think about the name Bronn gave to his sword?

you can check it out on my DeviantArt page but I can't post a link on this for some stupid reason. But if you go the fic on Archive Of Our Own you can get a link the Demon Monkey, and every other Valyrian sword I've done and the Armor Jon received at the Victory feast