CHAPTER VI- THE KINGSLAYER
Author's Notes- This chapter is all about Ser Jaime Lannister and how the choices he makes alter the future entirely. Jaime is finally forced to take a clear look at his life and choices. You'll find a re-deemed Jaime here; (and to use a cliche) he finally chooses what is right over what is easy.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Jaime could hardly believe that it had all come down to this. For only having passed seventeen name days Ser Jaime Lannister had already seen more than his fair share of atrocities. He had seen men burned alive, childeren beaten to within an inch of their lives, women violently raped as they cried out for help; and through it all he had sat back and done little to nothing. He could still remember when he had been knighted by Ser Arthur Dayne himself. He had never fealt so proud of himself. He, Jaime Lannister, knighted at fifteen by the Sword of the Morning. Soon afterwards he had been raised to the Kingsguard by the Lord Commander Ser Gerold Hightower. Finaly, he had foolishly thought, he had done something his cold father would be proud of. Of Course he had shortly realized that his being made part of the Kingsguard was not so much to honour him as it was to slight and humiliate his lord father Tywin Lannister. With Jaime unable to inheirit Casterly Rock, Tywin was left with the only his brother Tyrion- a dwarf- as an heir of his own blood. His father resigned as Hand and he and Cersei went back to the Rock.
Cersei, oh how thoughts of her had often consumed him. His sweet sister had frequently said they were two halves of the same whole. He had thought himself so in love with her. He would readily admit that she had the power to make him do anything, he would kill anyone who threatened them; he would burn the whole world down if necessary untill only the two of them remained. At least, the old Jaime would have. Directly after becoming a member of the Kingsguard Jaime Lannister met two people who would come to change his entire world. The woman who would end up making the most direct impact on the future kingslayer's life was the Queen herself- Rhaella Targaryen. The first six months of his kingsguard tenure was mainly spent shadowing the Queen. He found her to be a very dutiful queen and mother and a kind yet shrewd woman. He was unprepared for the horrors a lady such as she was forced to endure. The first time he heard the screams coming from within her chambers he was just about to break down the door and kill whomever had dared make the Queen suffer so. That lasted untill Ser Gerold Hightower placed his hand on his shoulder to make him halt. He saw the pained and conflicted look on Ser Gerold's face and realized what must be happening. It was the King himself that was assaulting the Queen- that was raping the Queen. He fealt so utterly conflicted. He had sworn a solemn vow to Aerys. He had known the King was mad, everyone did. But that he could inflict such cruelties to his own wife, his own sister; Jaime knew not what to do. So, he was forced to stand by and watch and listen as Aerys continued his torment unabated. In time he did what he could, found ways in which to tempt and distract the Mad King. Often times, these distractions cost him dearly, his payment in pain and blood, as he tried to bring the King's madness and ire down on himself and away from his lady wife. It was not the Lannister thing to do, this he knew. However Jaime was coming to learn he would rather hold to his own beliefs, to his own sense of honour, than become the man his father or his sister would have him be.
Jaime had come to realize that the Queen was so much more that she appeared. Behind that beautiful demure visage she presented to the world lay a true dragon. She was a fiercely protective mother, shrewdly discerning and intelligent; but most of all she was uncommonly kind. Rhaella had immediately realized the reasons her husband had Jaime installed in the Kingsguard. She had done what she could to put him at his ease. She had asked him about his life and his family. He had learned part of the reason for her interest was due to his late mother. The Queen told him how his mother Joanna had been her greatest and truest friend and the Queen had known his mother since childhood. Both she and her sister Rhaena had loved her dearly and had considered her as a third sister to them. Because of Aerys she lost her closest friend. Jaime felt at ease talking to the Queen. When she wanted she had an air about her that was compellingly charismatic. Whenever possible she avoided the King entirely, especially in the evenings. She would take rather long walks through the more remote parts of the keep in an effort to avoid him. Most evenings found Jaime as her guardian in the shadows of the Red Keep. On many of these nights Jaime found himself discussing his own thoughts and feelings regarding his father and sister. For Jaime, it was alsmost as if he had found a mother-figure in the Queen. It had not taken Rhaella long to discern the truth of the nature of his feelings for his twin. Most would have reacted with disgust and scorn to such things. But as Rhaella had said, "Targaryens were hardly in a position to judge." She was of the the opinion from her own discreet observations of Cersei that his sisters' feelings for him were of a more possessive and obsessive nature rather than purity of heart. That is if she had truly loved him, she would have done whatever she could to ensure his happiness. Cersei had encouraged him to join the Kingsguard so that he would always be near at hand to her and unavailable to anyone else either. That her love was a selfish love born of lust and greed. After many a moon's inner turmoil the realization hit Jaime hard. The Queen was absolutely right and he would no longer allow Cersei's selfishness to dictate his every move. Jaime had his own thoughts and Jaime had his own honour.
Therefore, when the Queen left with Prince Viserys to give birth to her last child at Dragonstone; Jaime made to her a solemn oath. He swore to her that one way or another she would return to Kings Landing a widow. No one would ever force Rhaella Targaryen to do anything. Jaime swore that he would see to it that she was safe. In the embrace she gave him in private before departing, Jaime fealt that for the first time in his memory he had what he thought a mother's embrace would feel like. He would not disappoint his Queen.
After the Queen's departure, his next charge was a bit of a surprise to Jaime. Although he suspected it was merely the King's thought to humiliate him further. He was placed as the personal shield of the Princess Rhaenys. At just four name days old she was already turning out to be a true dragon, to Jaime's mind at least. She was a very beautiful child, with her dark hair, tanned skin, and almond-shaped eyes of a deep violet. Quite precocious, she was very inquisitive with a thousand and one questions together with a generous heart. Her large black cat- she named him Balerion after the Black Dread- followed her everywhere she went. At first she was always trying to elude him. Many times she succeeded and Jaime thought she was becoming quite the accomplished escape artist. Her cat seemed to know every hidden passageway in and out of the Red Keep.
Eventually, Rhaenys grew to like and trust Jaime and began to include him on her many adventures throughout the Red Keep. Somewhere along the way Jaime began to care for the young girl. She was a very isolated child. Her mother was often ill and indisposed and her brother was little more than a new born and to her mind that did not make much for a play mate. She suprised him one day, they had stopped and watched as the King's Small Council walked by discussing the possible locations that Prince Rhaegar could have hidden away with Lyanna Stark. Once she was certain no more ears were close by she told him her Papa had brought the lady to the land of her mother's birth for she was to give Rhaenys a sister; that she was Papa's wife too. Jaime was stunned. The shock didn't end there either. Apparently, she had met who she called "the Princess," twice herself. The first time was when her grandmother Rhaella had taken her to the Isle of Faces where they witnessed the marriage itself. The next time occurred when Princess Elia and the Queen took her with them to Summerhall when Lyanna found out she was with child. Suspposedly, it was all a part of some prophecy that had even forced the marriage of the King and Queen themselves. That Princess Elia not only knew the truth of everything occurring, but had also given her blessing utterly stunned Jaime. It certainly put the Rebellion in an entirely different light and made Robert Baratheon's actions all the more foolish. All this fighting, all this death, was truly over nothing more than one jealous man's unending pride. While he would admit that Rhaegar and Lyanna's actions were somewhat ill thought out, they most assuredly were no reason for Robert Baratheon to plunge the kingdoms into war.
Those thoughts were the ones in the forfront of Jaime Lannister's mind when news reached them of the battle on the Trident. Crown Prince Rhaegar Targaryen was dead, and the royal forces had scattered in disaray with the death of his brother knight Prince Llewyn Martell and Ser Barristan captured and injured. The King had him now almost constantly in his presence. He fealt he had truly become a hostage as his father had finally stirred from the Rock and was known to be heading that way, but to who's aid no one knew. If Jaime had to wager however, he would place his gold on Tywin aiding Robert Baratheon. He knew his father. He never fogave insults, real or otherwise. King Aerys had insulted him in a very real way on numerous occaisions. Firstly, when he offered Cersei's hand for Crown Prince Rhaegar and was spurned. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly he had taken Tywin's heir and left him with only his detested dwarf of a son as his heir.
Jaime had never been as nervous and torn as he was when his father's army was nearing the capitol. He was almost certain he was coming to aid Robert Baratheon. He had everything to gain from him and nothing to gain by helping the Mad King and his crumbling government. If he entered the city it would be a catastrophe. Tywin Lannister so far had played no part in the Rebellion. If he was to ingratiate himself with Robert he would have to deliver up something of worth in the eyes of the Usurper. He knew just what that would be. It would be the 'Rains of Castamere' all over again. Only this time, instead of Reynes or Tarbecks it would be the Targaryens. When Lord Qarlton Chelsted, the new Hand of the King following Jon Connington's disgrace, summoned Jaime to the throne room he was filled with trepidation. Apparently King Aerys was going over his thoroughly insane plan for the final defense of Kings Landing. Jaime was horrified to learn that the Kings' plan amounted to letting the Usurper into the capitol and then burning it to the ground along with everyone in it, including them. When Chelsted resigned his office in protest he was bound and burned alive by Aerys who then made his favorite pyromancer Rossart the new Hand. Apparently there were caches of wildfire stashed in strategic places throughout both the city and the keep. He also learned that he had not been summoned when the descision had been made to allow the Lannister soldiers into the city. Pycelle, his father's creature had urged the King to let them in, while Varys had argued strenuously against such an action. To Jaime, that Pycelle supported such an action should have been a metaphoric red flag. The King gave his orders to Rossart and then turned his attention to Jaime. He was ordered to bring back the head of his own father. This was all he could take. He fealt as if he was being pulled in twenty different directions at once. In a sense he was as he was the last of the Kingsguard in the capitol. The he remembered the Queen's words to him, "Act on what your heart tells you is honorable and right." This was it. He had promises to keep. This was the day Ser Jaime Lannister became a true knight.
Going out of the throne room to ostensibly carry out the Kings' orders, it took him mere seconds to locate and kill Rossart. The pyromancers were ordered to stand down. Re-enterering the throne room King Aerys saw he had indeed brought back a head, but he started raving when he saw it was not Tywin Lannister's head. Jaime wasted little time in ending things as he knew his father's troops would be in the keep soon if they weren't already. He was raving saying, "Burn them Ser Jaime, burn them all." He only replied; "No, your grace. No more." With those words he broke the most sacred oath to the Kingsguard of all as he thrust his sword through the King till the life of the Mad King, Aerys II Targaryen was ended. Jaime stood there for a long moment just staring at the wasted body of the madman. He fealt no guilt whatsoever for his actions. He may have broken a vow, but he also kept one.
The sound of the fighting drawing nearer brought him back to reality. The little girl with dark hair and violet eyes flashed through his minds eye as he raced through the corridors towards the royal apartements where Rhaenys' rooms were. Dread pooled in his stomach he found her door open and the room empty. "Where would she go?" he thought to himself. Then the answer hit him; Rhaegar's rooms. The Crown Prince's rooms were on the next floor up. Silent as a ghost he found himself upon the threshold of her father's apartements. He froze at the sight. "Ser" Amory Lorch, was dragging a terrified Rhaenys out from underneath her father's bed. Unadulterated rage flooded him unlike anything he had ever known before. Lorch never even had time to react before Jamie Lannister's golden sword was through the beast's chest and he fell dead to the ground. "Ser Jaime!" Princess Rhaenys cried as she rushed to him and threw her arms around him. He held her tight to his chest as he tried to think of what to do. No one was going to hurt this little girl. No one. Almost as if he could read Jaime's mind Balerion raced into the room and around a corner. He darted back to Jaime and nudged his legs to get him to follow him. He eyed the cat sceptically befor the sound of more soldiers urged him on. Shockingly enough the cat led them to a secret corridor that Jaime and Rhaenys entered without hesitation. After walking a considerable ways, they came to a larger space that appeared to be a crossroads of sorts. They were not the only ones in the tunnel either. Standing in the center holding a torch was Varys. He was watching Jaime with a shocked look upon his face; as if he couldn't believe Jaime Lannister was trying to save the Princess. A calculating look entered Varys' eyes before it was replaced with resignation. Jaime had no idea what to make of that. Varys guessed an accurate assessment of the events that led them to the hidden tunnel. He told Jaime that the Princess Elia and Prince Aegon had both been killed. He had heard the screams coming from a few rooms down and had figured as much, but his desire to protect Rhaenys was too strong to allow him to stop. He told them the safest place for Rhaenys at the moment would be his own quarters within the White Sword Tower. They won't enter there as he's the only Kingsguard in the city. He told him to take Rhaenys there and he'd have things set up back in Prince Rhaegar's rooms when he returned. He'd need Jaime's help to cover it up though. He had no real idea what the eunuch meant, but he had no choice but to trust him. He did as he was bid after hugging Rhaeny's trembling form and imploring her to remain quiet; he'd be with her later that night. Upon returning to Rhaegar's rooms the same way he came he was stunned in part amazement part horror. There upon the floor was a young girl of around four name days that bore an remarkable resemblance to the Princess. She had been run through with a sword more times than he could count. He only managed to choke out "How?" to the eunuch. "No time Ser Jaime. If we are to pull this off you must be seen killing Lorch there." he said pointing at the man. "It might have escaped your notice, but the beast is dead Varys." he said to the eunuch. He just gave him a long look as if questioning his mental capabilities. Varys cocked his head to the side at the same time as Jaime. "They are coming." they said in unison. He nodded Jaime towards the corpse and began loudly throwing things around the room yelling out nonsensical ramblings. When the soldiers were upon them Varys dissappeared out the secret passage and Jaime plunged his sword back in to Lorch. In moments his father's soldiers were upon him attempting to restrain him. He made it look like he was putting up a bit of a fight before he allowed himself to be subdued.
He was still in the throne room being held by his father's men when he saw Ned Stark enter. After that it was all a bit of a blur. His Father had come to him and told him to basically keep his mouth shut. That was no problem for Jaime. After seeing the Mountain's work on Elia and Aegon he had no desire to speak with him. Not too long afterwards Robert Baratheon himself entered. He was sat upon the Iron Throne when the bodies of Princess Elia, Prince Aegon, and who they thought was Princess Rhaenys were brought before the Usurper. The bodies where all wrapped in Lannister cloaks as if to show the oaf that the brutal murder of women and children were the work of and a present from the Lannisters. In Jaime's mind, this single act forswore any shred of honour the Lannister's ever held. He only prayed that there be some way his own actions could begin to atone from the sins of the father. Tywin Lannister was truly a monster.
He could still hear the shouts of both Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon. They were arguing something fierce over the murders of the Royal Family. He then heard Stark ask if he too should expect a visit to his family from the Mountain. It was then he remembered that Stark's mother was the elder sister of the King and Queen Rhaella. No wonder the Queen had been so approving of Lyanna Stark, she was the girl's aunt. He watched as the man swore his oath of fealty to the Usurper. One look in the man's eyes and he knew he had no intention of keeping his word to that man. Not that he blamed him. He certainly had no intention of keeping any of the oath's he had just made to the man. He planned on following Stark out of this city as soon as he could get away with it. He had no doubt the man would be heading to Dragonstone.
Jaime recieved his final shock for the day when he made his way back to the White Sword Tower. There laying on his bed was little Princess Rhaenys, that he had been expecting. What he had not been expecting was an injured Ser Barristan the Bold propped up in a chair next to her calmly talking and telling her they would soon be going to Dragonstone to see her grandmother and new sibling. For a brief moment he had worried about Ser Barristan knowing she was alive, till he remembered exactly who he was thinking about. There was no man better than Ser Barristan, this he knew for fact. This was confirmed when Ser Barristan turned towards him and placed his hand on Jaime's shoulder now that he was sitting down. "Some men may condemn you because of the King, but this little girl is proof that there never lived a truer knight." That was the highest praise Jaime had ever recieved and he had never fealt prouder.
Days later the capitol recieved the news that Queen Rhaella had born a healthy daughter and survived. However the news that plunged the Red Keep into madness was that Lyanna Stark had willingly wed Crown Prince Rhaegar a year ago and had just delivered a healthy son. The Dowager Queen was now Queen Regent for her grandson King Jaehaegar I Targaryen. If that were not enough of a shock to the realm, they learned the Eddard Stark, sometime best-friend of Robert Baratheon had helped the Tyrell's lay siege to Storm's End. The North and the Riverlands had declared for young King Jaehaegar who already held the loyalty of the Reach. Even though Ser Barristan was not completely healed they decided now was the time to leave. In the chaos of Cercei's wedding to the Usurper; Ser Jaime Lannister, Ser Barristan Selmy, and Princess Rhaenys Targaryen left Kings Landing on a ship provided by the Tyrell's. Their arrival at Dragonstone some days later would be met with both shock and a renewed feeling of hope and happiness. The dragons were getting stronger by the day.