The Things I do for love...
Disclaimer: I don't own Game of Thrones
Rating: M
Author's notes: Okay so I said that this was supposed to be a one shot but Tywin 'Rains of Castamere' Lannister decided that he wanted some screen time, and well...he's Tywin.
Summary: The horror of Westeros left its mark on Jamie Lannister. But what would he do if he could go back and do things differently. Game of Thrones time travel fic.
Tywin Lannister
The Lord of Casterly Rock looked up at the Wall as it stretched up.
And up and up.
He'd caught sight of it a couple of days back and still his mind kept coming back to it, distracting him from the real purpose of his visit to the North.
Tywin had read the descriptions of the Wall in numerous texts while growing up, but until now, the sheer enormity of it had escaped him.
Disquieted behind his usual severe mask, he and his party neared Castle Black.
He steeled himself and forced his mind back to why he was in the frozen wasteland of the North.
He was here to reclaim his son away from the madness that possessed him to come to this forsaken wasteland after the misfortune that had occurred at Winterfell.
His rage boiled at Jaime's stupidity. To take the Black?! He was his heir! Casterly Rock was his, by right of succession! To just disappear without reporting what happened with Joffrey?
Tywin shook his head in disgust and ire. What had possessed the boy to do this?
When Lord Stark had finally sent word with news of Jaime, he'd been glad to know that he was still alive but all good cheer and relief had departed as he'd read the rest of the developments. Not mention Jaime's inability to name his attackers.
Stark's message had said that Jaime had been knocked unconscious and then left alive to garner the shame of failing to save his nephew, the Prince.
Tywin fumed, it was another slight levied against House Lannister. Against his son. He could hear his teeth grinding as he thought of this and wilfully stopped himself. There was no need to start aping Stannis Baratheon now.
Tywin mentally shook himself, soon he would get answers from his wayward son himself.
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The gates of Castle Black opened and the Warden of the West swept in with all the majesty that was expected of the Old Lion and Lord of the Rock. Tywin stared balefully around, taking in his surroundings.
He was not impressed.
The men of the Night's Watch stood about watching him. Rapists, murderers, thieves and traitors; the lot of them. All unfit to be companions to his firstborn son.
Tywin dismounted and handed the reins of his horse to one of his guards. A big burly man approached.
"Welcome to Castle Black Lord Lannister. I am Lord Commander Jeor Mormont." the man said with wary eyes.
Tywin brushed off the greeting brusquely, "Where is my son?"
"I'm right here." called Jaime from behind him.
Tywin turned saw Jaime, he took in his black attire, bushy beard and overall unkempt appearance. He scowled his displeasure.
Their eyes met and Jaime didn't even flinch.
"Welcome to Castle Black, father, I hope you didn't find the trip too tiring."
Tywin didn't answer and just continued to glare.
Jaime didn't even pause as he greeted one of the other riders.
"Tyrion! Glad you could join us here. I know you've always wanted to see the Wall." Jaime said enthusiastically.
In response, Tyrion cast a glance at Tywin before giving his brother an unsure smile. The dwarf had been uncharacteristically quiet and obedient all during their journey North.
"Yes, I am enthused about that," Tyrion replied pointedly casting another glance at Tywin.
Jaime shrugged but didn't say anything else.
Tywin continued to glare at him.
The silence lengthened.
A cough broke the uncomfortable silence, "My solar is this way Lord Lannister," gestured the Lord Commander Mormont, "You can speak privately there.".
"I have a better idea, somewhere with less prying ears to hear us," Jaime cut in.
Tywin raised an eyebrow, before nodding, "Lead the way Jaime."
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Tywin stood at the edge of the Wall and looked down at the ground, which was a considerable distance down.
Jaime's place was isolated there was no question about that, the top of Wall and well away from any of the look out points was very isolated.
"You get used to it after a while," commented Jaime, and Tywin realised he'd been staring.
He berated himself for being distracted and renewed his scowl, they were alone up here, just the three of them.
"It is impressive," admitted Tyrion as he gazed across the landscape beyond the Wall.
"Enough!" cut in Tywin, "Have you nothing to say for yourself?" he demanded gruffly.
Jaime just stared in response
"What possessed you do to take the Black?"
Jaime didn't answer. The moment stretched out.
"Well?"
Jaime still didn't answer, he just gazed at Tywin.
Frustrated Tywin moved on, "Then tell me who killed my grandson? Was it the Martells?"
Jaime snorted, "It would be so easy to say it was them. Wouldn't it? No one hates House Lannister more than the Martells." he paused and put forward another possibility that left Tywin reeling, "Or maybe it was the Targaryens? Maybe it was the blind old Maester, Aemon Targaryen who set this all up?"
Tywin gasped, "Aemon Targaryen still lives?"
Jaime nodded, "Alive and well. Well blind, but still hearty."
Tywin's mind raced, was it possible? After all this time? Aerys had always cast an eye North, towards the Wall. Perhaps in this matter his paranoia hadn't been quite so wrong?
"It wasn't either of them."
"Then who damn it?" he snarled.
Jaime ignored the question and retorted with his own, "Is this all you came here to do? Stark already gave you my answer."
Tywin's teeth started grinding again. In response, he pulled out a parchment and thrust it at Jaime.
"By Royal command you have been released from your vows to the Night's Watch and will retake your proper place as the heir to Casterly Rock."
He stared at his father with an unreadable expression on his face before taking the paper from him.
Tywin watched as Jaime read the King's writ, then read it over again. He turned to face him and then slowly tore it up and threw the scraps over the edge of the wall to float down the considerable distance to the ground.
"Never."
Tywin's blood boiled.
"You already have your heir," he said pointing at a very pale Tyrion. "And a better one than I shall ever be!"
"Him? He's barely fit to be called a Lannister! Let alone Lord of the Rock! He will be the ruin of us all!"
Jaime's face contorted with anger, "No! You ruined us! All for your ego! All of your scheming and for naught! You and your Rains of Castamere! Tyrion is your true heir and you revile him! He is a Lannister. A true Lannister- despite everything you have done to him. He will be a magnificent Lord of the Rock!"
"Him?! Never! You are my golden son. My perfect son, the only one worthy enough to carry on my Legacy. Your sister was Joanna reborn, worthy only to be a Queen. She is lost to us now, Cersei was..."
"Mad! She was completely mad! Cersei killed Melara Hetherspoon. And that was when she was ten years old! Cersei killed her, not the witch. The witch gave Cersei a prophecy. And Cersei made sure both of them died because she thought as long as no one alive knew the prophecy, it would never happen!"
"No! You are lying!" Shock flooded his system and Tywin turned away from Jaime. "You are bewitched!"
"No, for the first time in a long time I see clearly! And I won't turn away from what is right!"
He turned to his son, rage filling him at these insane lies, "Which of our enemies did this to you? The Martells? They despise us most. Did they kill your sister and Joffrey?"
Jaime gave him a cold look, "I killed them." he said softly.
The full import of Jaime's words took a moment to crystallise in his mind. When they did he blanched and took a step back as if struck.
"What?"
"I stabbed Joffrey. I strangled Cersei with my own two hands."
Tywin spared a glance at Tyrion and saw raw shock and disbelief etched on the dwarf's face.
"You did this?!" Tywin bellowed in horror. "You killed your own sister! Your own nephew?"
Jaime stared balefully, "My own son actually."
Shock and revulsion clawed through his soul, "Madness! Madness!" Tywin shook his spinning head, this couldn't be possible. It couldn't be happening.
Was his son Aerys come again to haunt him?
"Joffrey was my son. Tommen is my son. Myrcella is my daughter."
No this was worse than Aerys...
Tywin shook himself, then shook himself again unable to articulate words.
Jaime "You never saw any of the signs, you never even had an inclining of the truth about Cersei and I."
Tywin turned away from Jaime drawing up strength to deny this revelation. He glanced at Tyrion and froze. The dwarf wasn't shocked. His lips were pursed with a knowing look in his eye.
He wasn't shocked.
Tyrion wasn't shocked.
Tywin froze as legitimacy was suddenly given to Jaime's final earth shattering admission. He tried to form words but all that came out were mumbles.
In that moment, Jaime grabbed him and hoisted him up, leaning him precariously over the edge of the Wall. Tywin spared, an almost panicked glance at the far distant ground, before looking into his son's hard green eyes.
"What are you doing Jaime?!" he heard a tone of panic in his own voice.
"The world will be a better place without you."
For the first time in a very long time, Tywin panicked, he had a death grip on Jaime's arms as he tried to pull himself into a better position.
"Jaime...calm down, let's not do anything rash..." an aghast Tyrion spoke urgently, trying to calm Jaime.
"Listen to your brother!" Tywin commanded, his voice unsteady and panicked, "This is not the time for rashness."
"He might not have ever loved me, but he always loved you," Tyrion beseeched Jaime, "Think of all the...uh, good he did for you! For us!"
In response, Jamie turned ashen and guilt flashed over his face.
For a second, Tywin thought that Tyrion was getting through to him.
Quietly Jaime admitted, "Tysha. She wasn't a whore...I never paid her anything. To do anything. For anything. She truly loved you. And Father made me lie to you, and she's...dead now. She killed herself."
Tywin's eyes shot to Tyrion and he stared at Tyrion's mismatched eyes as a myriad of emotions played over them before they settled on a single emotion.
For the first time in a long time he really looked at his misbegotten wretch of a son. The look in his mismatched eyes looked so very familiar to him. It took him several heartbeats to realise why.
He'd seen that look in the mirror every time that someone had scorned him. Every time that rage had consumed him. For the first time since Tyrion had been born, he saw himself perfectly reflected in the lecherous dwarf's features. In his son's features.
"Drop him." Tyrion said in the coldest, deadest, most ruthless voice Tywin had ever heard from his younger son.
Jaime let go.
Many things passed though Tywin's mind in the following moments, one thought repeated itself.
Perhaps my legacy will be safe with Tyrion after all...
He had a lot time to think hard on this as he fell.
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Jaime Lannister
He stared down at his falling father. He'd loved him once. Idolised him really, but after everything...he'd seen the poison for what it was. Love had to be deserved or earned.
He knew now, who he truly loved.
The only ones who deserved to be loved.
Tommen.
Myrcella.
Tyrion.
A small voice in his mind whispered, Brienne.
He banished that voice away, that was a path he couldn't take, she was better off without him.
He turned away from the edge of the Wall and turned back to face his brother.
Tyrion was staring at him. Icy rage burned in his eyes.
And now I've lost my brother's love as well.
Guilt flushed his features, and he hung his head in shame, "I know there's nothing I can do to make this right."
Tyrion's voice was as cold as father's ever was, "No there isn't." Tyrion took a deep breath, hands clenching and relaxing, "Why Jaime? Why now?"
Jaime frowned, "The Long Night is coming. I saw the future and all the horrors that would have come. Joffrey and Cersei among them."
Tyrion gave him a sharp look, but didn't say anything.
"Joffrey would have been Maegor the Cruel come again."
"I can believe that at least," Tyrion stated with a disgruntled look.
"Cersei...Cersei would have become worse..."
Tyrion blanched.
"Talk to Stark. I managed to convince him. Work with him. Help save us all. Save Tommen. Save Myrcella. And don't trust Lancel." Jaime paused, his voice was desperate and despondent, "I'm not lying, I have seen the future." he paused and a hint of the old smugness returned to his voice for a moment, "I tricked Stark, he swore on the Old Gods and the New to protect Tommen and Myrcella...and you know how Starks are with their honour."
Tyrion snorted before giving Jaime a dark look, he nodded, "Of course I would protect those two! Lancel? Really? What possible evil could that idiot do?"
"Helping kill Robert. Joining the reborn Faith Militant. Stark has the details."
"That degree of stupidity does sound like dear cousin Lancel," Tyrion said with a thoughtful look. He paused and pursed his lips in thought before continuing, "I will explain everything to Mormont. Father slipped and fell. The men will gather Father's body and we will leave before nightfall, it seems the North is getting very unlucky...and deadly for us Lannisters. Best I leave before something happens to me."
Jaime swallowed a lump in his throat, "It's for the best."
"Goodbye Jaime. I hope never to see you again." Tyrion walked away without looking back even once.
Author's notes: Had to get this out of my head. Now I'm off to finish the next chapter of Erpman (hopefully). Hope u liked this, as always don't forget to review! :D