Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones or anything related. It belongs to George R.R. Martin, the creator of this wonderful universe and David Benioff and D. B. Weiss who created the show.
Face Claim for Queen Sanira: Caitlin Stasey.
Chapter Forty: Justice At Last.
A Baratheon soldier opens the door for Tyrion to step inside the makeshift cell that had been Jaime's home since he had been arrested, the large, darkened storeroom strewn with cabinets, tables, pots, and crates. The door shuts behind him as he comes upon Jaime sitting on the floor, his back against a small wooden pen with his head down.
"Did you bring any wine?" Jaime asked knowing that today would be his last, the decision had long since been made and he knew that if his brother was here then his time must be short. The days all seeming to blare into one since he had been locked up, it seemed never ending and it had left Jaime with a lot of things to think about especially the past and all his mistakes.
"No, I don't think they would have let me bring any," Tyrion replied quietly, not quite sure what to say to his brother after everything that had happened. He had paid his respects to Cersei before she was buried, it had been a short meeting and Tyrion couldn't quite describe how that had felt knowing that she had wanted him dead yet now he outlived her.
"I didn't think you'd come back for this," Jaime murmured wishing that he had stayed in Bravos like he had wanted, he didn't know what to say about everything that had happened since he had last seen his brother. It was all a bit of a mess and Jaime knew that he had played his part in the ruin that had come for their House; he was sure that Tywin would be rolling in his grave after what had happened.
"I never left. I've been at Casterly Rock these last moments, a guest of King Stannis," Tyrion admitted to his brother, he wished he could say he was sorry about what had happened. The two of them were silent as they took in that this would be the last time that they saw one another; that it all ended today and that Tyrion would be the last Lannister standing.
"I shall inherit Casterly Rock. I am sure Father would be rolling in his grave at that," Tyrion joked quietly, he wanted Jaime to know that he was going to be okay and that he wouldn't abandon the family after everything that had happened. It wasn't going to be easy, he would likely have to serve Stannis in some way to further showcase his loyalty perhaps as his Master of Coin on the small council.
"I shall leave Casterly Rock to Tommen. He's a good boy, he'll make a good Lord of Casterly one day with the right training," Tyrion continued on, he wasn't going to have children of his own and it only seemed right to ensure that Casterly Rock passed to Tommen who was the son of his brother, the rightful heir.
Jaime smiled sadly at that, it was nice to know that Tyrion would take care of Tommen and he was sure that his younger son would be a fine Lord of Casterly Rock; a role he'd grow into in his own time rather than being forced to be something he wasn't comfortable with. Tyrion was quiet for a moment before he stepped forward and rested a hand on Jaime's arm, he looked at his brother knowing that there was so much that he wished he could say.
"Thank you. You're the only member of the family that ever treated me as such. I probably would have died years ago if it weren't for you," Tyrion said knowing that no amount of thank yous would be enough. He wished that he would have been able to do something to spare his life. There was nothing that he could say that could convince Stannis otherwise, he had a deal with the Starks who had promised the Karstark's that they could cut off his head.
"I promise I shall take care of Tommen and Myrcella. I shall ensure that they don't feel the fall out of all of this," Tyrion vowed, he was sure that Myrcella would be fine where she was since she was engaged to marry but he would do his best for Tommen. The poor boy had arrived back in the city that morning, guided by Lady Laena before he had entered a ceremony that saw Stannis officially recognised as the King of the South with Tommen as a welcomed guest at the court.
"Thank you," Jaime whispered knowing that he did not blame Tommen for what had happened, he would have helped the boy escape if he'd had the chance and he wished him all the best in the future. Tommen would be a better man than him, he recognised the evil that was Cersei and had escaped when he had the chance; he could not fault him for that. Tyrion and Jaime hugged, it was the end of an era.
Walking out into the tiltyard, Jaime held his head high as he made his way out of the Red Keep and through the crowd that had gathered to see his execution. It wasn't as many people as he had imagined would have come together to see the execution of the Kingslayer, he guessed he had Sanira to thank for that as well.
It seemed to be mostly soldiers and commanders that had been gathered to witness his death, no commonfolk or people that might cause a scene as he made his way to the execution block. He hesitated at the bottom of the steps as his eyes locked with Harald Karstark who was waiting for him, his father somewhere in the crowd watching the scene unfold with no emotion on his face.
Jaime took a deep breath before he climbed the steps, it was strange how calm he felt knowing that his death was to come; he nodded to the men that he passed, few faces that he did recognise before he stood before the crowd. His hands were untied and he rubbed his wrists as he stared down at the execution block were he was to kneel; he wondered if he would see Cersei again when this was all done.
"Any last words?" Harald asked him, his hands resting on his blade as he stared down at the man that had killed his brother; he wondered what Harrion and Torrhen would think now the war was done. There was much to celebrate but there was a sadness knowing that his brothers would have been leading the celebrations if they had been here today.
"I did my duty, I protected this realm and now I may find rest," Jaime said simply, he didn't see the need to say more and he doubted any of them would care about what he had to say. He had been judged all his life for what he had done, he had been dubbed the Kingslayer when Ned Stark had found him sitting on the Iron Throne after he had stabbed the Mad King in the back.
Jaime wondered what they would call him now that he had murdered his sister, he was sure that was all that people would remember of him. Harald nodded his head, he bowed his head in prayer for a moment knowing that if things could have been different then they would have been. There had been a serious talk about letting Jaime live but none could agree on what to do with him in the end.
"In the name of Robb of the House Stark, King in the North, King of the Trident and King of the Vale. I, Harald of House Karstark, Heir of Karhold, sentence you to die," Harald stated, he would bring justice to all the Northerns that had lost their lives in this war for Lannister ambitions. His brothers could finally rest in peace and his father would be able to tell his mother that her sons had been avenged in all of this.
Jaime knelt down and lowered his head, from the corner of his eye for a moment he swore that he could see Cersei; she was dress in red and her long hair blowing in the breeze as she watched him. Closing his eyes, Jaime waited for the final blow and there was no sound for a moment; the world seemingly at peace for the first time in what Jaime could remember.
Harald took a deep breath, his hands gripping the sword that felt heavy in his hands as he prepared to swing; he didn't want to botch this, he had been instructed by the Queen to make it a clean death. With a swing of the sword, Jaime Lannister was beheaded swiftly and cleanly; plans already in motion for him to be laid to rest beside Cersei, not far from where Tywin and Joffrey had been buried.
Inside the King's Landing Library, Sanira sat alone as she looked through the Book of Brothers, which listed the history and deeds of all the knights in Westeros waiting for the news to come. She came to a stop at the page for Ser Jaime Lannister, it was only half written and somewhat sloppily done; Sanira stared down at it for a moment before ripping out the page.
Picking up a quill, Sanira slowly starts rewriting the entry for Jaime one that was truer to who he was rather than what people thought of him. she filled his pages of the Book of Brothers writing on the man that so many had judged for one action or another. There was bad in his past but there was also good and he deserved more than a half written page that he had before she had taken her seat.
Pausing for a moment, Sanira thinks about her to end the entry, hesitating for a moment as she thought about his final moments and the legacy that his actions would leave behind. Her final written line is 'He did his duty to the realm when no one else could.'
The extensive talks and treaties seemed to take weeks, there seemed to be no rest until everything was agreed upon and any Lannister loyalists were rounded up. Stannis coronation had been a muted affair, the loss of the Great Sept of Baelor had meant that he had been crowned in the throne room alongside his wife. Selyse had cut a mournful figure and Sanira had no idea what to make of her southern counterpart who looked like she would rather be anywhere else than at her own coronation.
"We should be heading home soon," Robb noted watching Stannis, his counterpart was taking the swearing of allegiance and he was sure that there was much to be done to repair the damage that had been done to King's Landing. It had taken a lot of damage and Stannis had ordered all the wildfire removed, he didn't want to think that one wrong slip could see the entire city wiped from the map.
"I am glad for that. It has been far too long," Sanira noted mournfully, she missed her son and she wished that she hadn't missed so much of his life so far. The boy that had been sent here in Karlon's place would have a place at Winterfell, he would be a trusted companion for their son and would be treated well; he would be rewarded with land or something in time.
"I agree with that. It feels like a lifetime since we were there," Robb admitted softly, he looked towards Jon who was in deep discussion with an old friend of his from the Night's Watch. It seemed like Samwell Tarly had been summoned to King's Landing from his training to be a Maester and the two were catching up. Jon had brought up his concerns about what lay beyond the Wall to Robb, it was worrying to hear and once they returned to Winterfell they could start preparing for what lay ahead. He trusted Jon with his life, he knew that his brother would never deceive him and he would be welcomed back at Winterfell with open arms if Robb had his way.
"Hopefully the journey is a quick one, I wish to be settled before my confinement," Sanira noted with a smile, she peeked at Robb's face knowing that their reunion at Duskendale had been a fruitful one indeed. Robb nodded his head before her words caught up with him, he stared at Sanira not sure if he was understanding correctly. "Are you serious?" Robb asked stepping closer, he didn't want to believe that it was possible again after everything that they had been through; he had accepted the fact that Karlon would be their only child.
"My courses are late," Sanira confirmed with a smile, she had wanted to wait to be sure and with everything going on she had been so distracted as of late but now she was certain that she was carrying his child. It almost hadn't felt real, she had prayed hard that she would be blessed again and it appeared the Gods were on her side.
"I love you," Robb whispered pressing a kiss to Sanira's lips, he held her close not caring who could see them; there was much reason for them to celebrate after everything that had happened. The words had never been truer and he was going to spend his life making sure that she never doubted his love for her, he had so much time to make up for when they had been separated because of the war.
Sanira brushed her fingers through Robb's hair, she didn't doubt his love for her and she knew that when they got back to Winterfell that there was so much that they needed to do. There were three realms that depended upon them now, it would be an adjustment that they both would have to work upon especially considering the end of the war.
Then there were the issues that Jon had brought to their attention, one that was brewing North of the Wall and Sanira wished that she could see what was coming. Her visions missing and she hated that she couldn't see anything even with her grandmother's training, she could only hope that they would return in time. There had to be some reason why she had stopped seeing the future in her dreams, there had to be something that she could do so that she didn't feel so powerless.
Jon took a deep breath as he stepped back from Samwell, the news that his best friend had brought him making his stomach turn and he looked towards Robb not knowing where else to go. Samwell had told him about a diary of the Grand Maester that he was working on, about an entry that spoke about the annulment of Rhaegar Targaryen's marriage to Elia Martell and his remarriage to Lyanna Stark. An entry that was quickly followed up by the recording of the birth of Rhaegar and Lyanna's son.
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