JAIME
Jaime had been through a lot in the past few years. Many of the things he suffered in life caused him to reevaluate his life. He never wanted to be Lord of Casterly Rock. Jaime had only ever loved one woman in his life and until he met Lady Brienne of Tarth; he had never considered that he might be attracted to other women. His journey with Brienne had also made him reevaluate his morals and his role as a Knight of the realm. Lady Catelyn Stark had released him into Brienne's company. He had sworn to return her daughters to her and Jaime intended to keep his word even if he had to go up against his own father.
Jaime, Brienne, and Qyburn stand on a hill staring at King's Landing. "Remember your promise." Brienne says.
Jaime looks at her and thinks that all Knights should aspire to be as honorable as Brienne. He smiles, "I remember my promise Lady Brienne...I swear on the gods old and new that she will be returned to her family."
They make their way to the city and after some words are able to convince the guards that they are who they say they are. After cleaning himself Jaime goes to see Cersei. When he enters her room she is sitting on a bed drinking. "Cersei..."
She turns leaping off the bed at the sound of his voice, but stops when she sees his hand. "Your hand what happened?"
He raises it, "Curtesy of the Boltons…"
"Those animals!"
Jaime closes the door and tries to kiss her, but she pulls away. He stares at her, "A Lannister always pays his debts..."
"Not this time...The Boltons are all dead..."
"What!" After talking to Cersei Jaime goes to see his father. With Tyrion married to Sansa securing her release will be much harder.
"I will announce you my Lord..." The guard at the door says.
Jaime enters and sits down after being announced, "You're free...How did you escape?"
"Lady Catelyn released me on the promise I would return her daughters to her..."
Tywin looks at Jaime, "Then she was a fool."
Jaime frowns picking up on the word was, "Was?"
"You haven't heard...Catelyn Stark is dead...The Red Wedding they are calling it."
Jaime sighs, Cersei had not told him about that. "Is it true about Prince Rhaegar's son?"
"It is...Varys confirmed it a few weeks ago...As we speak he is marching into the Riverlands with an army 18,000 strong at his back...And he has a Dragon the size of a horse...They say it is growing very fast everyday..."
"Who knew Old Eddard Stark had it in him to lie. Perhaps we should sue for peace..."
"Joffrey saw fit to behead Eddard Stark...He mistreated Lady Sansa and he has murdered Robert's Bastards...Your sister unwittingly allowed Arya Stark and her brother to escape...The only thing that might save us is your brother's marriage to the Stark girl, but the fool refuses to lie with the girl and put a baby in her."
After speaking with his father Jaime goes to see Tyrion, "Hello Tyrion..."
He turns with a smile on his face, "Jaime!"
The two brothers hug, "I hear congratulations are in order..."
"Is that all you hear?"
"I'd like to meet your wife..." They start walking to the gardens. "Father says you haven't consummated your marriage."
Tyrion sighs, "What does he expect after orchestrating the murder of her entire family..."
"Not all her family is dead..." Jaime replies.
"Prince Rhaegar's son...Who would have thought."
"Old Robert must be rolling in his grave...gods I'd pay a fortune to see the look on his face...His beloved Lyanna in the afterlife with Rhaegar at her side..."
They finally reach the Gardens, "Lady Sansa...You remember my brother Ser Jaime Lannister..."
Jaime kisses her on the cheek, "Welcome to the family...I pray you the blessing of many children..." Sansa smiles while Tyrion clears his throat. "I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable..."
"No apologies Ser Jaime..."
"I am sorry about your mother and brother..."
"His wife as well...He was married and she was with child..."
"Shameful thing...I would hate to be Walder Frey about now..." Jaime takes her hand, "Before she died I promised your mother I would see you safely to her. She...I came to admire her in the short time I was around her...Come with me...There is someone you must meet..." They find Brienne of Tarth talking with Lady Margaery, "Lady Sansa...Lady Brienne of Tarth..."
"Lady Sansa...I knew your mother and was her sworn sword...The same vow I made to her I now make to you..." She takes a knee, "I swear by the old gods and the new that I will keep your council...Watch your back and give my life for yours...From this day until my last..."
"I..." Sansa struggles with the words, but Jaime helps her to say them. "My first command is this...That you tell me earnestly...When my mother was facing death where were you?"
Brienne sighs, "Your mother placed Ser Jaime in my care...To deliver him safely to King's Landing and return with you and your sister...I vow no matter what I shall see you safely home..."
"And I swear that I will do all in my power to see you safely back with your family..." Jaime says looking at Sansa then Brienne. The Wedding of King Joffrey and Lady Margaery is in four days. Three days before the wedding Jaime puts on his King's Guard armor to take his place as Lord Commander of the King's Guard. Now he goes to see his father again and try to convince him to allow Sansa to leave King's Landing.
"I have something for you..."
"Is this...Valyrian Steel?"
"Yes..."
"Where did you get it?"
"I had Eddard Stark's old sword Ice melted down into two swords."
He hands Jaime the sword, "You have always wanted a Valyrian sword for the family..."
"And now we have two..." Tywin looks at Jaime, "Now tell me why are you dressed like that?"
"I am the Lord Commander of the King's Guard..."
"Have you no ambitions in life? You served a Mad King who only made you a member of the Guard to spite me...Then you served a drunken man whoring fool...Who spent more days eating, drinking, and winching than running the Seven Kingdoms..."
"I didn't come here to argue."
"No! Then why have you come?"
Jaime hesitates and takes a deep breath, "I came because I made a promise to Lady Catelyn..."
"Catelyn Stark is dead! And we have a new and more powerful enemy marching on our doorstep. And you want to give away the one bargaining chip we have..."
"The Lannisters always pay their debts...And even though she is dead we owe Lady Catelyn..."
"I will here no more of this..."
Jaime was not ready to drop it; "The Karstarks were ready to take my head..."
"Yes I heard about your failed escape attempt...Alton's family is demanding restitution."
"I regret that...But it did move Lady Catelyn's hand to set me free..."
"Enough!" Jaime shakes his head and tries to return the sword, "Keep it! A one handed swordsman will need all the help he can get..."
Jaime turns to leave, but stops, "If I resign from the King's Guard and take my place at the Rock will you let her go? I hear Lord Lefford is looking for a new suitor for his daughter...I will take her for a wife...If you agree..."
Tywin stares at Jaime, "I...will consider it."
"I need an answer."
"You'll get one after the wedding..."
"And until I get one I will be serve as Lord Commander..." Jaime walks out and runs into his Aunt Genna Frey. "Aunt Genna! I didn't know you were in the Capital..."
They hug, "I came for the wedding...I heard you had been taken hostage...I am glad to see that you are well..."
Jaime raises his hand, "Well not whole..."
"My fool of a husband wants me to ask my brother for aid for his family..."
"How bad is it?"
"The Freys have always wanted what they haven't earned...or disserve. The Blackfish has taken back Riverrun and with this Aegon marching on the Twins all the Riverlands has risen up against Walder Frey...He will be surrounded soon..."
"He should have taken Robb Stark and his wife hostage instead of killing them..."
"Walder Frey hoped the Red Wedding would have the same results as Rains of Castamere...It did not..."
"I told my father I would take my place at Casterly Rock and marry Lord Lefford's daughter if he returned Sansa to her family."
Genna frowns, "You'd give up our only bargaining chip..."
"I made a promise to Catelyn Stark before she died...It was she who released me on my word that I would return her daughters..."
"Well I must be off see you later Jaime..." She kisses him on the cheek and leaves.
The day of the wedding finally arrives. Jaime has mixed emotions about it. Joffrey is his son but he can't claim him nor can he be there for him as a father. Jaime does feel pride that his son is marrying such a beautiful young woman as Margaery Tyrell. She seems to have Joffrey wrapped around her finger. The people of King's Landing love her and because of Margaery the people of King's Landing love Joffrey despite his mistakes and the rumors of his parentage.
After the vows are said the feast is held in the garden. Jaime does not approve of the entertainment or of Joffrey cutting up the book Tyrion gave him as a Wedding present. He watches helplessly as Joffrey pours wine over Tyrion. Jaime would like nothing more than correct Joffrey, but he is King. When Joffrey orders Tyrion to be his cup Jaime decides that it is time he put an end to this. That is when Sansa hands Tyrion the cup Joffrey kicked under the table. After the goblet is retrieved Joffre makes Tyrion pour him some wine. Jaime starts making his way towards the main table, Then he pauses as Joffrey starts choking.
"He's choking...by the gods help your King you fools!" Olenna Tyrell yells.
Jaime runs with all his might and arrives just as Joffrey falls into his mother's arms. "Mother!"
"You..." Jaime looks up as Tyrion is holding the goblet Joffrey drunk from. "You killed my son...Seize him! Seize him! Where is Sansa?"
"Oh no." Jaime whispers.
"Find her!"
"Lock down the city and seize every ship in the bay...Find her!"
The bells ring throughout the city, "We searched everywhere my Lord...She is nowhere to be found..." A Lannister man says to Jaime.
"Carry on..." Jaime had killed Aerys and earned the name Kingslayer. He served Robert Baratheon next and on many occasions wanted to kill him for his treatment of his sister Cersei. Now this time Jaime had truly failed to protect his King. His eldest son.