章 27: -Chapitre 23-

I smiled and said:

"You won't regret this."

"I hope I don't, I'm investing a lot in you," she said, resuming her haughty, condescending grandmother tone.

"It's just you left, Lord Tywin," I said, looking at him to see what decision he had made, peace or war?

He sighed and then said, "Very well, but there will be no trial."

I pierced his thoughts in a second and shook my head. Everyone was going to know what his children had done and witness my mercy, the mercy of the new Dragon King, The White Dragon, The Immaculate Dragon.

"There will be a judgment for everyone, I am a compassionate, kind, gentle, and just king, and everyone should know it. Let's go, it's time to resume this trial," I said, not giving him a chance to deny what I had just said. He had already lost, and he knew it. Now either we would win together or he would lose, as the Tyrells had apparently sided with me.

I went out, and in the throne room were already all the nobles who had agreed to come and swear fealty to me. They all knelt, and I gestured for them to rise.

"Bring me the Kingslayer," I said to my soldiers.

My guards dragged Jaime Lannister to the foot of my throne, and I addressed him in a slightly condescending tone:

"Ser Jaime Lannister, nicknamed the Kingslayer by the previous King and all his sycophants, I love you as much as I hate you, to be completely honest with you."

"You stopped the madness of my grandfather and the alchemists serving him from burning this city, but at the same time, you betrayed him."

Everyone seemed shocked by what I had just said, and even more so that I was admitting it, as it wouldn't be good publicity for me if everyone knew that my grandfather had wanted to take everyone with him in his madness.

I continued without paying more attention to their shocked expressions: "You served King Robert Baratheon for over a decade loyally, but you fucked your own sister, the queen, and fathered bastards, passing them off as royal children."

At the second shocking revelation, everyone began whispering.

"I don't know if you are brave, oblivious, or just stupid, but what I do know is that I am a very good friend of your father, that you are one of the best swords in Westeros, and that I wouldn't want to deprive myself of you. So, if you admit all your crimes with all the honesty your title as a Knight requires, and with the little honor you have left, I will pardon you."

He looked at me with a bit of fear, mainly for his children and sister. He turned his head, and only upon seeing the remains of Pycelle, for the remains of Varys and Meryn Trant had been sent outside to be burned, did he resign himself and say:

"It was my fault, this incestuous relationship was born because of me, Cersei only followed me, I took advantage of her weakness, these three children are mine, I beg you, do nothing to them, I am ready to do whatever you want in return."

I nodded my head and then said, "I want nothing; you have already given me what I wanted, and I forgive you all your crimes. You will be reinstated in the royal guard if you wish."

By admitting that he was the father of Cersei's children in front of a hundred lords, Cersei had lost her title as queen forever, and her children would never again be mentioned in the same sentence as the word 'King,' giving me the opportunity not to kill them and ensure that no 'Baratheon' branch would try to take the throne through Joffrey, Tommen, or their descendants.

"Bring Cersei and her children."

A few minutes later, my guards returned with Cersei and her children. They brought in Cersei, and I said:

"Jaime Lannister has confessed to being the father of your three children."

Her eyes widened, and she turned towards her brother, who was now wearing his armor and white cape at the foot of my throne with Ser Barristan guarding my throne.

"How dare you, you filthy traitor."

If Jaime's revelation of their relationship hadn't confirmed the bastardy of her children, then this reaction told everyone all they needed to know.

Cersei didn't look like a queen but like a whore coming out of the slums of King's Landing. It had been three weeks since she had been able to sleep. I had specially requested the guards to mentally exhaust her by suddenly taking her children without saying anything and bringing them back in the evening or by preventing her from eating for a whole day. It wasn't very serious, but for a noble lady who had never lacked anything, she was now on the verge of madness.

She realized her mistake, and before she could recover, I said:

"Don't worry, you have been found guilty, but as you and your children have been pardoned, you will be forbidden from leaving the Red Keep for an indefinite period."

She was smart enough to keep quiet, and then I continued, saying:

"From now on, you will be known as Cersei Lannister and only that, no more Baratheon, no more queen, and your children will all be bastards, therefore named Waters."

She was boiling with rage, but a look at her father dissuaded her from saying anything. She lowered her head and said:

"As you wish, Your Grace."

"You and your children may leave, escort Lady Cersei to her apartments."

I then released Loras and accepted the oaths of the 300 lords gathered, mainly from the Westerlands, the Crownlands, and the Riverlands. Then I left to rest a bit; I had earned it.