Chapter 8: Brandon Stark
Jaime turned around to find Bran Stark watching him with a lifeless stare. The wisdom lingering behind his dark blue eyes spooked Jaime. It was terrible to think about how the boy Jaime once almost murdered knew everything. Ever since Bran brought him to the past, Jaime wondered if this was the boy's punishment.
Jaime had ruined Bran's life; took the boy from his dreams of knighthood; inspired him to become a shadow of himself.
After minutes of fearful silence, Bran spoke again. "I am amazed sometimes about the lengths your family will go."
"As am I," Jaime said quietly. "But this is all false. My mother was the angel to my father's devil." She had to be. This woman standing before him must be an imposter.
"You know that is wrong. You are reacting in denial because you want to believe you descend from at least one good person. You wish to not feel damned." Bran's stare deepened and he walked over, his legs awkwardly stepping on the floor, as if he hardly knew how to walk. Which made sense, this was the creepy Bran with an eternal soul. The one who Jaime had crippled.
"I am damned. You know I am. You stuck me in the past so I can see my life fall apart once more. But my mother is not. She was a gentle, good soul."
"She's much more like your sister than you ever know," Bran continued. "Both of them, cruel to their enemies, but seemingly benevolent to the ones they loved."
Jaime turned once more to his beautiful, but hateful parents. His mother's eyes sparked with mirth. How could she be so happy talking about the suffering of the Reyne's family? Was it the Lannister's destiny to meet a similar fate? To face karma for how the majority of his family happily caused the destitution of so many lives. Was that why he was failing to stop Stark from ruining his family? Sooner or later Stark was going to find out the truth about his children. Sooner or later Stark would call for their execution.
Jaime needed to stop thinking about the worst possible outcome. Although he knew Bran was right, he still shouted, "I… you're wrong."
"I know it all. I showed you the truth. Not because you are damned, but because I need you to follow through with your promise."
"What promise? You gave me vague instructions and then forced me back to where the misery all began. I never promised you anything."
Bran gave him a look of pity. "Not to me. The promise you thought when you first returned. The one to your children."
Jaime remembered; he had been so hopeful when he first woke up in the past. He had promised himself that he would ensure his children would live brighter lives.
"I want them to have better lives." Jaime admitted. "But all I've done is fail. Joffrey is still maniacal; Myrcella is still distant; Tommen almost died. I am without a step forward. You want me to fail. Don't you?"
"I want for nothing. Bran cares not for a loss that occurred long ago," Bran said. "I only know the world needs to win against the cold gods of the north. But that cannot happen if the War of Five King's commences."
"Stop lying. I know you want revenge. I took everything from you." Jaime wanted to wrangle the thoughtless creature. Why did Bran continue to deny his personal grievances?
"Think back to this memory of your parent's cruelty because they were scared of the Mad King and wanted power." Bran pointed to his youthful parents' frozen frames. "Do you want your children to be better than the Lannisters of the past? They will all either die or become unhinged tyrants if you don't earn my father's trust."
"You know your father hates me. How about you do something for once." Jaime shouted. "All you do is nothing as I fail yet again to make a difference."
Bran tilted his head. "I've been giving my father visions, but I can't talk to him until he believes the visions are real. It's upon you to convince him."
"I told him the truth. He thought I was a loon." Jaime had enough of the seer's empty words. "He will not listen to me. There must be another way to keep the realm from war."
Bran shook his head. "Renly and Stannis care too much about ruling. They will go to war as soon as they hear the truth about your children. Gaining Ned Stark's trust is the best path towards success. Once you earn his trust, you will convince him of the truth." Bran's eyes rolled around and turned white. He let out a toothy grin. "How about using his love of my namesake. Since he saw you talk to me, he now believes that you were once friends with him, after all."
"All that will happen is that I will get caught in a lie," Jaime said bitterly. "I barely knew that lady-killer berk. I don't care to learn about him."
"Sometimes it is better to know the truth about people you care not for. Sometimes knowledge about strangers leads to victory. You were begging for assistance before I came tonight. I can help you succeed, but only if you let me show you who my namesake truly was. The one secret known only to his lover and the two friends who helped them. A secret that can be verified by someone you know."
After bidding his brothers goodbye, the original Brandon Stark walked through the crowded campsite to the path that led to town. Unseen, a bored Jaime drifted behind him. He wanted to wake up. He had watched enough of the man's boring life. So far, Brandon enjoyed a goblet of ale with his father after dinner as many lads do. Why should Jaime care that Brandon once gave his brothers advice about landing lasses at some tourney's upcoming ball; Jaime had done so with his younger brother. He had learned nothing that would make Stark trust him.
What was Bran thinking? If the late Brandon Stark did something important that night, then why didn't he land in that moment? Bran was definitely punishing him with this boredom.
"Please let me wake up. I had enough of this nonsense." Jaime shouted as an invisible force pushed him to follow the plebian Brandon.
"You're supposed to feel some sympathy as you learn about his average life." Jaime lurched backwards and scowled at Bran who appeared from thin air.
"I don't care for this. Just tell me what you want me to know."
"You Lannisters are all the same. Caught up in your narcissism and lack of empathy." Bran said calmly.
"You're the one who sent a Lannister into the past to change it," Jaime snapped back.
"I had no choice. I can't go back in body. I can only enter the dreams of those who truly believe. If I sent a Stark, or anyone else actually- even your brother-"
Jaime bristled. "Not Ser Brienne. I …"
"No matter how much she grew to care for you, her loyalty was with Catelyn Stark." Bran said firmly. "I saw myself try to convince her. But she refused. Not matter what I said, she said she would do what she believed was his best for Lady Stark."
It was painful to think that so many would be happy to see him die; worst was that even a brother and a woman he thought he earned loyalty from, would allow him to die.
Bran continued, "Anyone else would reveal the truth about you and your sister, you would be dead, and Tywin would have started the war sooner. You children would be prisoners, bargaining chips. Joffrey would attempt to escape and be burned by Stannis. Ned would reveal ..."
Jaime stopped listening to Bran. Of course, Tywin would punish anyone for taking away his power. Terrible to think that his life mattered little to everyone besides his father. He needed to relax. Jaime needed to calm his agony the only way he knew how. "I am sure you're saddened to miss such a scene after what Joffrey did to your sister."
Instead of answering, Bran pointed at his namesake. "Look. Brandon is about to meet his friends and his one true love." Trust a Stark to be overly romantic.
Brandon had wandered to a ragged building; its sign titled and half-way falling over. Jaime recognized the sign for complimentary ale from somewhere. Wait, was that the old brothel in Lannisport that he took Tyrion to for his first-time whoring? Cersei did mention that she knew Brandon. Was Bran going to show that one of Cersei's transgressions was with him? Maybe, that is why Bran was urging him to see this scene. Bran knew Jaime would not accept the truth until it was right in front of his face.
"It's not her," Bran nodded wisely. "But it does make you wonder why you always go back to someone you trust so little." He pointed to the door hanging open. "Look."
Jaime walked into the brothel and Bran trailed right behind him. Jaime was right. Those floorboards with batches of hay to his right was where Tyrion first tumbled with a blond hair temptress. He had chosen this dull, impoverished place because it was the type of brothel Tywin would never enter.
Brandon and his lover likely had the same idea. They would need a place where the children of Lords and Ladies rarely visited. There Brandon was, cheerfully greeting each whore by name as he passed. The majority of the loose women smiled or greeted him back with some fake name, except for the few in the middle of intercourse.
When Brandon reached the end of the room kneeled to the floor and opened a trapdoor. Jaime and Bran followed to find Brandon embracing a short man who was in the middle of drinking ale. A few drops flooded down the short man's wool shirt. Broken barrels dripping with ale surrounded the man.
"Dammit, Bran," the short man gripped good-naturedly.
Brandon then acknowledged a pretty red-headed woman who was rocking a tiny baby in her arms. She sat atop one of the steadier barrels. "Can I hold her?"
The woman nodded and passed the baby to his arms.
After a few minutes of cooing softly, he whispered, "I love you dearly, Perenna. Someday I'll come back to you."
"Her mother went out for a bit to clear her head," the woman shared; she had a rich Braavosian accent.
"So, there's another Stark bastard out there. You think telling him is going to help me get his trust?" Jaime asked Bran.
His companion nodded. "There is nothing Ned Stark cares more about than family." He then said something so pedantic that Jaime wanted to throttle him. "The start to gaining someone's trust, is offering an olive branch, as I'm sure your father taught you." He then motioned towards a woman who was walking down the narrow staircase. "There she is. My Aunt."
Jaime smirked. "In more ways than one." He would recognize that pale, gristly woman anywhere. Too many times did she stand spiritless in the corner as her husband made a public report to Robert.
He should know by now that Cersei was always right. He had ignored her claims earlier because he always thought Lysa Arryn despised the Starks. Why else would she side with a man who had tricked Ned Stark? But maybe this ill-fated romance with Brandon Stark had initiated her future hatred.
He knew enough. The next step forward was clear. "I get it now. I have a plan. Let me wake up." Jaime demanded to Bran.
Bran shook his head. "Listen. Look closer. Think for a moment. You would realize what else I want you to understand by now if you were so willfully blind."
Brandon and Lysa were talking. Meaningless, maudlin words that offered nothing useful. Jaime was ready to yell at Bran again when he heard Lysa state. "Father really never told Cat that I'm missing?"
"Yes. He's acting like nothing happened."
"I've been gone for over a year. You would think he would give a damn about me. But no, Cat is always the favorite." Lysa scowled; her already ugly face growing dimmer. Her fingers broke tiny holes into her skirt splattered with dots of dry blood.
"Lysa," Brandon murmured. "Your father is a scoundrel who can barely hold his liquor, never mind command Riverrun. Plus, it's good he has acted like nothing changed. That makes it easier for us to go off to Essos when Perri is old enough."
"I still wished he cared. Put someone out to find me, that's all I want! I spent my whole childhood in Riverrun and not one person cared to look for me."
"That's not true," Brandon smirked. "The pathetic little mouse who liked to follow Cat around asked me if I've seen you."
"Petyr," Lysa smiled. The scene froze and all Jaime saw was the pure love shining in her eyes.
Right Baelish. Jaime knew that man was a major instigator of the War of Five Kings. But now, seeing Lady Arryn's past; her childish fancy with Brandon Stark was simply a mirage. Her true feelings were with the Master of Coin. Her love life did not matter. What came out of it did.
How could he have lived his previous life without realizing who actually killed Jon Arryn? He should have investigated the matter. But Jaime knew why he never tried. He stopped caring when the war started in earnest. The origins did not matter first when he was a prisoner, then when he lost his hand, and later when his children were dead. All that mattered was somehow surviving the nightmare.
"Yes. Baelish." Bran let out a quirky smile. "Poor Brandon, loved a woman who fawned over another."
Jaime laughed. "You were being sarcastic earlier. Brandon may love Lysa, but she never did."
"She used him to make her sister jealous. There was nothing she loved more than when Brandon and Petyr fought over her." Bran smirked. "You and Brandon have a lot in common. Pity you never tried to know him before he died."
"He's an idiot, a fool. I'm happy to have never known him."
"You would be a fool to continue calling people a fool who live like you. Everyone's a fool, especially you." Bran barked.
"Don't."
"Quiet," Bran snapped. "I have listened to your worthless mind for far too long tonight. I gave you a chance to be a hero. I have given you answers on how to stop the war. I helped you realize who killed Ned Stark's dearest mentor. I gave you a chance to realize who you need to watch out for. You are as much a fool as Brandon Stark, as Ned Stark, as Lysa Tully and as your sister. As everyone who has dared to ignore the truth dangling right in front of their face. You have all the answers to stop the catastrophe that leaves your whole world vulnerable to extinction. But you continue to judge as if you're somehow better." Bran snarled.
"Bran." Jaime said, unsure how to ease the tension.
"I'm the Three-Eyed Raven." Bran's eyes rolled to show pure white. "I had enough. Fail for all I care. I can try again once you're dead. As I have infinite chances. You have only one. I look forward to seeing you lose everything again."
Bran huffed and suddenly Jaime was thrusted into flashes of memories.
Soon Jaime witnessed what felt like endless hours of every time Cersei fucked someone else: past, present and future.