Chapter 6: Final Decision

Jaime pulled his knife out, wiped the blood, and left the room. No one would know Cersei's death until the time of the wedding came. He would find a way to kill Aerys, or died trying.

The Voices didn't care. They surrounded the girl's body, praying... hoping her to take breath again.

They knew such a thing was possible in this world. In two separate cases, two people rose after death. Yet, there's no Red Priest to perform the resurrection.

Maybe it didn't matter. They're brought to this world for a purpose... no, they didn't care about that. Not anymore.

It's soul-crushing guilt and pity that gave them a strong motivation.

For how much they loathed the girl, the vile woman in the book...

How much they loved her now.

They wished, from the bottom of their heart...

For her to be relieved in whole.

Even at the cost of their return... and their existence.

And the world was shaped by wishes. In this world where dragons had once soared, magic was powered by faith and beliefs.

And so, with their calling and sacrifice -

—-

She was once floating in darkness, in between life and death.

The brother that killed her was centered in her thoughts. There's once a time when she loved him as her own, as did he, before she forgot how to love.

...No, did she love him at that time? Or was she in love with her reflection in the mirror?

Did she ever, ever learned to love?

"Cersei! Can you hear me?"

That's... her brother's voice. He once called to her... she was sure he loved her, back then.

It must be twice as painful when he heard what she did.

She didn't want to shift the blame. The Voices told her to act, yes, but she's still the one who did it. From the long time they're together, she knew that the Voices didn't have any power on their own.

They once told her he would kill her one day. She had hidden in her own chambers in fear then, but now...

She would almost welcome death if that meant Jaime's pain would end.

"Please wake up..."

But...

He was going to kill Aerys too.

She was thankful to the King for her days in court. Since her father's arrest, he had always treated her with kindness, a smile readied on his face whenever he saw her.

Yet this wasn't the reason she didn't want Jaime to kill him. It's that she knew her brother would die too if he tried to knife him.

This was a suicidal mission, from the start. She didn't want him to die for revenge.

She needed to stop him.

To save him.

"We're sorry... for everything we've ever done to you. We'll pay any price... for you to come back to life."

"So, awake - "

Awake, the Voices called to her.

And she did.

—-

"!" She woke up, her hands immediately found her shoulders and chest... but there's no wound. No blood, too.

She stood up. There's no trace of the murder that just took place. Maybe the Gods in this world truly took a pity on them.

"How can I stop him?" She tried to ask, but there's no response.

A chill rose in her back, but there's no time. She needed to be fast if she was to have any chance of stopping him.

She rushed out of the room, ignoring everyone else on her path. She could explain later... she had to find him.

And she knew where he would go...

She found him in a hall leading to the Throne room. It's only appropriate... he'd wish to kill the King right on his throne. Like how it's meant to happen.

"How?" He was so surprised that he stepped back, not quite believing what he saw. "I killed you!"

"I don't know how... they helped me, I guess." She said.

"They...? Never mind," He pointed his knife at her, "I'll just kill you once more."

"I can... I can die again. But you? Is it worth it for you? You had your revenge with me. Shouldn't you just go and... live your life?"

"Life? I have no life. Since you took our parents, there's only training. Training for today. As long as you and Aerys die, the goal of my life is completed."

She frowned. For so long she was told to listen, to save this world... she couldn't comprehend devoting one's life for revenge, especially when the cost was so high.

"What of House Lannister? Are you willing to see our house meet the same fate as House Reyne?"

"What're you - " He paused, his face went pale, "You mean..."

"This isn't just about us, Jaime, this's also about the thousands of people that held our name. What would Aerys do when you failed to kill him? What would Rhaegar do after you killed his father and bride?"

He hesitated. In his quest for vengeance, never once did he considered it wouldn't just hurt him... but also his uncles and aunt, those who raised him. "I... can't go back now."

"But you can!" How many years had passed since she shouted with such passion? "I'm alive, here, my dress not a bit ruined. You've killed me once; your quest is finished. You can return to the Rock... no one will suspect a thing."

"But mother. Father." He tightened his fists, his knuckles white, "They won't forgive me if I spare you."

"Mother won't want you to suffer. And father... he would want his legacy to live on."

"As if you know what they think." He smiled bitterly, "Catch."

He threw the knife towards her. She naturally tried to dodge, and the knife dropped on the ground, making a loud noise. She picked it up immediately; if someone heard the noise and came here, she didn't want them to see it.

She gave him a questioning gaze. He grinned, "If I kill you, House Lannister will be destroyed. But if you kill yourself, no one will suspect a thing."

Cold sweat dripped from her forehead. How could he have such a malicious idea? "It'll still be suspicious if I were to slash my own neck right now."

"Sure. I give you one month." He held up a finger, "One month, starting from whenever I left King's Landing. I would hear the news of your demise by the time I arrived in Casterly Rock."

"...What would you do if you don't hear the news?"

"I can start a war, but..." He gave her a twisted smile. "If you stay alive, then I have failed father and mother, so it's only right that I should go and meet them. Would you want that?"

He'll do it, she thought, he's not bluffing. There's an understanding in his eyes.

"What should I do?" She asked again. But there's nothing. They were gone...

What'd they wanted me to do, if they're here? She asked herself. And the answer was obvious; they would want her to lie her way out. But bluffing had never turned out well every time she did it.

Instead...

"...What if I tell you there's someone else behind their deaths?"

"Why do you think I'll believe anything you say?"

"The fact that you've killed me but I'm standing before you again. Surely you'll want an explanation."

He crossed his arms. "Speak then. Make it quick."

"I heard voices in my head since I was a child..." She quickly explained.

It was a brief and incomplete summary of her life, but it's enough to catch his attention. His contempt gradually changed into horror as he listened.

"...So, your enemies have already died. There's no need for you to kill anyone, nor yourself." She concluded.

"Even if I believe you... what's the point? My life... the last few years... all I want is to see you die."

She couldn't watch it anymore. She stepped towards him and held his hands forcefully. "You can be a great knight. That's what you wanted when we were children, yes? I have been free from them... so you should, too, free from the voices of revenge in your head."

He was astonished. Several seconds passed before he shoved her hands away. "I won't forgive you, ever. But I'll live my life... the way our parents want."

She watched him left. Is this alright? She asked, Did I do well? I told him about you...

But there's still no response.

She sighed. In her heart, she knew very well that they're forever gone. That they're no longer in this world.

Yet she prayed. Prayed that they could survive, even if it's in another world -

—-

Earth

They woke up before their respective computers.

"Cersei... is this just a dream?" One of them asked herself. It felt too real to be false...

She shook her head and opened her interest browser. Naturally, she searched for ASOIAF -

And she came across a strange fanfic.

"Wait, is that..."

It's titled -

The Voices in Her Head

Fin.