Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Sudden War
6th Month of 298 A.C. King's Landing
Ser Jaime Lannister
The fat man was gone, he was out hunting, Robert Baratheon had decided to venture out on some hunting mission or the other, to put of doing his duties as King once more. Jaime was not surprised, not truly, for fifteen years that was what Robert Baratheon had been doing, hunting and wenching, doing everything other than ruling. The few times that he had actually bothered to show up to council meetings as far Jaime could tell, he had either been drunk and gotten lost on his way to another room, or it had been to order the Targaryens killed. That was something Jaime had always tried to gauge, the man had Targaryen ancestry himself, and yet he continued to rant and rave at ghosts long dead, he wondered how he had managed to deal with it for so long, and how Ser Barristan had managed to deal with it. Actually, that was a lie he did not wonder about Ser Barristan, he did not care about that man, the man was a coward and a traitor, and a hypocrite, he would chastise Jaime, despite Jaime being the only one out of the two of them who had ever dared stand up to Aerys or Robert. Jaime had never liked being a Kingsguard to Robert or Aerys, both had abused their power as king, and had forced their Kingsguard to do things that really, they should not have ordered them to do. Just thinking about it made him feel sick. He wondered what it would have been like being a Kingsguard to Prince Rhaegar, perhaps it would have been better, perhaps it would not have, he does not know anymore. There was so much he thought he knew back then, that the more he thinks on it, the more he thinks he was terribly naïve. Of course he was he was barely a man then, when things happened, and now, now he is older and wiser, and he would like to think he is smarter, and would know how to do the right thing. There are times when he feels terribly sorry for Cersei, to have been saddled with Robert all this time, it must have been terribly painful for her. Jaime is not sure when he stopped caring for Cersei in the way that he had always cared for her, he was only aware of feeling something akin to brotherly love for her, and yet he still indulged her, in her whims, there was a part of him that loathed himself for doing that, for never knowing how to say no to her, but he did not love her. Not anymore, had not done for some time. He had had his heart broken by her far too many times to ever care for her anymore. Still he would do his duty, he was in her rooms now, listening to her speak, observing, and making a note of what it was that she said, so that he might make sure that the rightful king could use it later.
"Now that Robert has gone, I can begin making sure that Stark will not make any sudden moves. His son is a friend of Tommen's and I do not think the boy will want to turn on his friend. Especially after what happened with regards to his sister." Cersei says.
Jaime looks at his sister and asks. "So you think because of his sister's death, the boy will remain firm with Tommen and turn on his father? Why?"
Cersei looks at him as if he is simple. "Because, the boy clearly blames his father for the girl's death. Tommen told me of the conversation the two of them had. And even Joff has said that the boy has come to him asking for help. I do not think it could be any more obvious. The boy is angry and he is lashing out through the only way he knows how."
"And you do not think Stark might have gotten his son to act this way? To try and make sure that you did something like what you are planning?" Jaime asks.
His sister snorts. "Come now Jaime, Stark might be good at some aspects of this game, but he would never think to use his own son against me. He does not wish to become what he has to become to survive here. And that, that is what will make him fall down to the ground."
"The fact that he will not use his own children, in this game of adults? That is what you think will make him fall down and die?" Jaime asks incredulously.
"Yes, do not look so surprised Jaime. Surely you have realised now just what it takes to survive here within King's Landing. Even your own former sworn brothers would play the game. I know Ser Arthur most definitely did." Cersei says.
Jaime stiffens at the mention of his old mentor's name, but Cersei does not seem to notice this. Cautiously he asks. "And how exactly do you know this?"
His sister laughs then. "Some maester who is writing a history of the seven kingdoms told me this. He sent me a look at the work he is writing for Robert, and it mentions that Ser Arthur was the most dangerous of Prince Rhaegar's men, and as such I did a bit of digging, and I find somethings."
Jaime feels himself stiffen then. "What sort of things?" he asks.
"Letters between Ser Arthur and the prince, it took some time to figure out what they were speaking of, but it seems clear now. They were plotting something at Harrenhal, and father was involved. So you see, Ser Arthur, your hero, was no better than me." Cersei says.
Jaime feels anger grow within him at his sister's words. "Ser Arthur had no children to use against his enemies sister. I think there is the difference that you are not seeing."
His sister looks somewhat angry then. "I am not using my children for anything. I am trying to protect them. Stark has not yet learned that there are other ways of gathering information than from mere simple informants."
"So you are using your children then, to gather information." Jaime counters.
His sister looks as if she wants to snap at him. "I am doing what must needs be done to ensure that they are safe and secure. Stark is a great threat to them, and he cannot be allowed to remain in their way."
"How is that any different to what father did to us? You so often complained of what father did to you when we were children, how he used you as a tool to further his own goals, and now you are doing the same." Jaime responds.
"This is different, I am not a mere lord, I am the Queen of the seven kingdoms, and I must make sure that my children are safe and protected from all harm." his sister says.
"Even if that means putting them within harm's way to get that information?" Jaime asks.
"They were not, and never will be in harm's way Jaime." his sister says.
Jaime can feel his anger growing. "For the love of the seven sister, Brandon Stark has a direwolf as his companion, should the boy feel uncomfortable, and you know damned well that there will be trouble for all of us. Those wolves are dangerous."
His sister waves a dismissive hand. "The boy's wolf is not dangerous, the boy likes Tommen as does the wolf. Therefore there is no harm there. The boy trusts Tommen, and as such he will continue to trust Tommen, my son does not have any reason for the boy to not trust him."
Jaime says nothing, he does not know how to respond to that, and so he remains silent. Eventually he asks his sister the question, he wants an answer to. "So Robert has gone out for a ride and a hunt, was that you who proposed he do such a thing?"
His sister says nothing for a moment and then she says. "Yes. I told him I was with child, and so he quickly scampered off to get his hunting gear."
Jaime feels as if he has been hit by a stone. "Are you pregnant?" he asks.
"No, of course not. I have not slept with him in many moons now, and I took moon tea after that last time we were together." his sister says smiling.
"So then, what will happen in the forest?" Jaime asks.
"Robert will drink his wine as he always does when he is out hunting, and he will get drunker and drunker, and slowly but surely the poison will drip into his system." his sister says.
"Poison?" Jaime asks. "Where did you get poison from?"
"Pycelle, the man was all too willing to give it to me. Lancel is the one who is putting the poison in his drink. Robert will die before he gets back to the keep." Cersei says.
Jaime nods. "And what do you intend to do about Stark? We both know he knows about the other boy. What will you do to stop him from getting his claws into him?"
"The gold cloaks are mine, as are the red cloaks. Stark is outnumbered, the boy will be dealt with accordingly. Stark will not stand a chance of trying anything." Cersei says.
"And? Then what will you do? Robert will be dead, but Joffrey will be the king, and he has no reason to think his future goodfather would turn traitor on him. How will you convince him otherwise?" Jaime asks.
"Varys." His sister says, smiling as if she is a lioness who has just caught her prey. "The eunuch had a conversation with Stark, where he got Stark to admit that was what he had been planning on doing. That he was planning on putting forward a bastard on the throne."
Jaime feels himself shift slightly. "And, will the eunuch clarify this? You know what he is like, he might well deny the whole thing."
Again his sister grins like she has caught prey. "Oh, he will most definitely comply and come forward to speak. He will face death otherwise, I made that quite clear to him."
Jaime nods. "Very well, so you've got Stark sorted, what about his family? His daughter and son will not simply stand there whilst their father is arrested for treason. Will you have a trial, or nothing at all?"
His sister says nothing for a moment, and then smiling she replies. "There will be no trial, Stark is guilty, many have seen him speaking with this bastard, and making his own plans with some traitors within the court. His time is done. Joffrey will do as I ask him to, Stark is a dead man."
"And what of his children?" Jaime presses.
"The girl is enraptured by Joffrey, she will do whatever he asks her to do. As for the boy, he will do whatever needs to be done to remain on the good side of the throne. Stark's style of parenting will come back to hurt him." his sister says gleefully.
"Are you sure you will be able to control Joffrey sister? I know he can be quite unpredictable at times." Jaime asks.
His sister laughs. "He knows what is at stake here, he wants to be king, and so he will do what needs to be done to make sure that happens. Stark will fall, and his daughter will remain here as our prisoner."
"And what of the north? They will not take well to their liege lord being imprisoned and called a traitor." Jaime says.
Once more his sister laughs. "What can they do? We hold two Starks, one of whom is a male Stark. The boy who sits there in Winterfell now, will not risk his sister and brother. He will bend the knee and things will go on as planned."
Jaime harbours doubts about this but he merely nods. "It seems you have it all planned out my queen."
His sister nods, smiling, she kisses him on the lips and then whispers. "You may go now Jaime, I shall summon you later."
Jaime bows, then rises, turns and walks out of his sister's rooms, his mind whirring with activity. He knows his sister, he knows that she will have some sort of half-baked plan forming in case this one does not go according to plan. He also knows that whatever she thinks, it will not happen bloodlessly, he knows that whatever else Stark might be planning, he will not allow himself to simply be taken, he will fight, and there will be blood spilt. Innocent people might well die, and after what happened last time, Jaime is not so sure that he is okay with that happening. He walks through the Red Keep, passed members of the court as well as some of his fellow Kingsguard, he does not acknowledge any of them, and he does not have the time or the patience to. As he gets to the tower of the hand, he notes the activity that is raging within it, and he knows Stark is preparing for something. He walks on, opens the door to the tower, and walks up the stairs, he knocks on the door to the hand's solar and when told to enter he does.
Eddard Stark is sat at his table, reading over something or the other, he looks up when Jaime enters. "Ser Jaime, to what do I owe the pleasure?" the man asks.
Jaime looks at him and then says. "You have heard that the king has gone hunting then?"
A look crosses Stark's face, and then it is gone. "Yes, I have heard. Why do you ask?"
"Because, I saw that there was a lot of activity going on within the tower, as I came here. Are you planning something my lord?" Jaime asks.
"Close the door." Stark says his voice serious.
Jaime does as asked and then moves forward to sit in the chair before the hand. "What are you planning my lord?"
"I know that your sister plans on having Robert killed during this hunt, he will not come back alive from it, and then her boy will sit the throne." Stark says.
"And how do you know this?" Jaime asks.
"My informants told me of it." Stark says simply.
"Okay, and what are you planning?" Jaime asks.
"Cersei will come for me the moment Robert is proclaimed dead. I am too great of a risk to whatever plans she has for herself and her son. I do not intend to go without a fight, the city watch are mine, and my own household guard is preparing for the fight to come. I do not intend to wait for her to send men after me, I shall go after her." Stark says.
"Cersei believes that the city watch are hers." Jaime says.
Stark looks at him a moment and then says. "That might be true, Baelish might well have offered her his services, just as he offered his services to me."
"And you trust Baelish?" Jaime asks incredulously.
"No, I do not. But he has his uses, and therefore I took him up on his offer. The city watch might belong to him and him alone, but I have men prepared to kill him should he try anything that goes against what we agreed." Stark says.
"My sister will have men ready and waiting to do the same thing as well my lord." Jaime says.
"I know she will, and I am counting on it. The king will be coming south soon enough, regardless of what happens here, he will sit the throne soon." Stark says.
"Are you sure of that?" Jaime asks. "He might not come south if he thinks that there is not the right time for it."
Stark looks at him a moment and then asks. "Tell me Ser Jaime, do you want your sister to live or not?"
Jaime stares at him unsure of how to respond. "I… I do not understand."
"Do you love your sister?" Stark asks.
"Yes, of course, she is my sister." Jaime responds.
Stark takes a sip of wine then. "Then saddle a horse and leave the city tonight Ser."
"What? Why?" Jaime asks.
"Because whatever happens here, I do not want you here to be confused by any side. The king will need your service in the time to come. And you will not serve anyone if you are dead." Stark says.
"You are asking me to run like a craven." Jaime says angrily. "I will not do that."
"You will if you want to serve the rightful king and make up for the wrongs you did during the rebellion. We all must make sacrifices for this to happen Ser Jaime. Now the time is coming for you to make yours." Stark says.
"And where would you have me go?" Jaime asks. "Winterfell?"
"No, do not go there, not yet anyway. Allow for some time to pass before you meet the king. Go to Riverrun, your brother will be there soon enough, if he is not already there." Stark says.
"Why would Tyrion be in Riverrun?" Jaime asks.
"Because I made a promise to him, and I intend to keep that promise." Stark responds.
"What promise was that?" Jaime asks intrigued.
Stark is silent for a long moment, as the silence grows, Jaime begins feeling nervous, uncertain of what to expect, or how to react when the man does eventually reveal what it was that he promised. Stark speaks, and Jaime feels his heart plummet. "I told him I would let him see his wife again."
Jaime looks at Stark shocked. "How?"
"I knew where to find her, and she came willingly." Stark responds.
Jaime closes his eyes then. "I shall ride to Riverrun then."
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AlexanderBlackfyre If you’re ready for a story that dives deep into the struggles between family, loyalty, and the harsh reality of Westeros, Winter’s Promise is your kind of ride. And if you want to see what happens before anyone else, check out early chapters on https://alexanderblackfyre-shop.fourthwall.com
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