When Jaime Lannister walked out of the red and festive wedding chamber, he felt like a drowning man.
He gasped for several breaths before finally struggling to the surface, greedily inhaling his first steady breath of air.
Father?
The word, spoken by Myrcella herself, was like a key, unlocking the shackles that had been sealed deep within his soul for years.
Now, he was no longer Cersei's secret lover, no longer Robert's Kingsguard, no longer the "kingslayer" reviled by the world.
He was Jaime Lannister.
Just a father.
He walked along the seemingly endless corridor of the The Red Keep.
The carpet under his feet was a dazzling red, like an unceasing river of blood.
He had floated and sunk in this river for half his life.
For an illusory vow, for a forbidden love, he had personally cast his honor and soul into it.
But what did he get?
The humiliating slap mark on Cersei's face, the faded innocence in Myrcella's eyes.
And far away in Winterfell, the child he had personally pushed from the high tower, shattering him.
Bran Stark.
He suddenly wanted to see that child now.
Not to seek forgiveness.
He knew his sins were unforgivable.
He just wanted to see.
To see what kind of tragedy he had personally created in order to protect that dirty secret.
Jaime stopped.
He did not return to his room, but turned and walked in another direction.
White Sword Tower.
The holy place of the Kingsguard.
The tower was empty, with only cold stone walls and white shields hanging on them.
Jaime walked to the center of the hall, where a weirwood table was placed, with a thick book spread open on it.
"The White Book."
This legendary book recorded the lives and achievements of every Kingsguard for three hundred years in golden ink.
Arthur Dayne, Sword of the Morning.
Barristan Selmy, Barristan the Bold.
Every name had once shone brightly.
Jaime turned to his own page.
There were only a few words.
"Ser Jaime Lannister, eldest son of Lord Tywin, knighted at fifteen, joined the Kingsguard the same year."
Then, there was a large blank space.
Below the blank space was the title that had followed him for half his life.
kingslayer.
Jaime looked at the dazzling blank space and suddenly smiled.
He would personally write new content for this blank space.
He did not pick up a pen, but simply turned and walked out of this white cage that symbolized supreme honor but had also imprisoned him for half his life... Cersei's chambers.
When Jaime pushed open the door, Cersei was sitting by the window, a glass of wine in her hand.
She was drinking again.
This was her usual way of venting.
The swelling on Cersei's face had been treated, but the mark was still clearly visible, like an ugly flower.
"You went to see her?"
Cersei did not turn around, her voice devoid of any emotion.
"Yes."
Jaime walked to sit opposite her.
"You told her everything?"
"Yes."
The wine glass in Cersei's hand trembled slightly, and the crimson liquid swayed in the cup.
"Does she hate you?"
"No."
Jaime shook his head.
"She said she doesn't hate anymore."
Cersei fell silent.
She drained the wine in her glass, then placed the empty glass heavily on the table.
"Very good."
A strange smile appeared on Cersei's face.
There was relief in that smile, and a hint of loss that she herself hadn't noticed.
"My daughter saw through all of this earlier than I did."
Cersei stood up and walked in front of Jaime, looking at him.
"So, why are you coming to me now?"
Cersei's eyes became sharp again, like a lion protecting her food.
"Are you here to show off your fatherly love that's more than a decade late?"
"Or are you planning to take your daughter and her husband and run away, leaving me here alone to face that madman Robert?"
"I'm going to the North."
Jaime interrupted her, his voice calm and firm.
Cersei was stunned.
"You're going to help him?"
"Yes."
"Why?!"
Cersei's voice suddenly rose.
Her green eyes were filled with incomprehensible anger.
"Are you leaving me?"
"Just because he's your daughter's husband?"
"Jaime, are you mad?!"
"Do you know what Robert wants to do?"
"He just wants Lynn to die!"
"What's the difference between going now and going to your death?!"
The three thousand troops Robert gave were just ordinary militiamen, without even decent armor or weapons.
He just wanted to see a three-way battle and had no intention of taking responsibility for it.
Anyone involved would not end well.
The waters here were deeper than they thought.
Robert didn't know because he was foolish.
Cersei wasn't that foolish.
Of course, Jaime wasn't stupid, he knew too.
But he just wanted to go, and no one could stop him!
"I know."
Jaime looked up, meeting Cersei's gaze.
"I know he wants Lynn to die, and I know he wants the three Houses of Stark, Arryn, and Tully to fight among themselves."
"I also know that once they're all crippled, it will be our House Lannister's turn next."
At the end of the "Usurper's War," Princess Elia Martell of Dorne married Prince Rhaegar of House Targaryen.
Her children were brutally murdered in King's Landing by Ser Gregor Clegane.
This created an irreconcilable enmity between Dorne and the then victorious King Robert and House Lannister.
Unlike his radical younger brother Oberyn, Prince Doran Martell, the ruler of Dorne, was more restrained and far-sighted.
He outwardly accepted the rule of the iron throne, even once declaring support for Joffrey.
But in reality, he had been secretly building strength, waiting for the opportunity to take revenge on House Lannister and House Baratheon.
If House Lannister suffered losses, they would certainly be pleased.
Moreover, Jaime had heard some internal news.
Robert planned to have his son Joffrey marry a daughter of the House Tyrell.
Adding to that, Stannis and Renly of House Baratheon were not so useless either.
Although this was an ideal situation, Jaime could only consider the worst-case scenario.
Jaime looked at Cersei directly.
This was the first time he hadn't looked at her with eyes full of love, desire, and possessiveness.
His gaze was clear, calm.
Like a mirror, it reflected all the madness and unease on Cersei's face.
"Cersei, we have already lost."
"From the moment I pushed that child off the high tower for you, we had already lost."
"Our love is not honey, it is poison."
"It poisoned us, and it almost poisoned our children."
Jaime reached out, wanting to caress Cersei's cheek as usual, but he suddenly stopped in mid-air.
Jaime withdrew his hand and put it in his pocket.
This subtle movement made Cersei's heart sink.
Without physical entanglement for a long time, Jaime had sobered up.
"I'm not here today as your lover."
Jaime's voice was very soft.
"I'm here as your brother to say goodbye."
"Cersei, be my sister."
"Like when we were children in Casterly Rock."
"We are twins, we are lions."
"We should fight side by side, not hide in dark corners like two mating beasts."
Cersei's body trembled violently.
She looked at Jaime in front of her, the man she had loved all her life and on whom she had placed all her spiritual comfort.
He had changed.
In his eyes, there was no longer the flame that had made her fall for him.
Only a golden color belonging to House Lannister remained.
"Are you... abandoning me?"
Cersei's voice carried a tremor she herself hadn't noticed.
"I will never abandon you."
Jaime shook his head.
"I just don't want to love you that way anymore."
"I'm going to the North to protect our daughter, to protect our House Lannister's last hope."
"And you, Cersei,"
Jaime looked at her.
"You need to stay in King's Landing, wear your queen's crown, keep that madman Robert in check, and buy time for our father."
"Haven't you always wanted power?"
"Now, the opportunity has come."
"Prove to me that without me, you are still the proudest and strongest lion."
Cersei bit her lip hard until she tasted a hint of blood.
She wanted to scream, to question, to tear Jaime in front of her to shreds.
But as she looked into Jaime's resolute eyes, all her madness and anger eventually turned into a powerless sorrow.
She knew she had completely lost Jaime.
The Jaime who belonged only to her was dead.
The one who survived was Myrcella's father, the lion of House Lannister.
"Get out."
After an unknown amount of time, Cersei squeezed out a word through clenched teeth.
"Get out to the North."
"If you dare to make my daughter a widow, Jaime,"
A hint of ruthlessness flashed in Cersei's eyes.
"I swear, I will kill you myself."
Jaime smiled.
He knew she agreed.
"Don't worry."
"I won't let him die."
With that, Jaime turned and walked out of the chambers without a trace of nostalgia.
The door closed.
Cersei's body went limp and she collapsed to the floor.
She buried her face in her knees, letting out suppressed sobs.
She didn't know why her life was so bitter... Early the next morning.
Small Council chamber.
Robert Baratheon was suffering from a splitting headache due to a hangover.
He sat on the iron throne, impatiently listening to Varys report on trivial matters.
Just then, Jaime Lannister walked in.
He wasn't wearing his iconic gilded armor, nor was he carrying the gilded longsword famous throughout the Seven Kingdoms.
He was simply dressed in a plain white linen tunic, with an ordinary knight's sword hanging at his waist.
He walked directly to the foot of the iron throne and knelt on one knee.
"Your Majesty."
"What do you want?"
Robert impatiently waved his hand.
"Can't you see I'm busy?"
"I, Jaime Lannister, hereby,"
Jaime's voice clearly echoed throughout the hall.
"Formally resign from the Kingsguard."
As his words fell, everyone was astonished.
Robert suddenly sat upright on the iron throne, looking incredulously at Jaime kneeling below.
"What did you say?!"
"I said, I quit."
Jaime looked up, a hint of a playful smile on his face.
"I'm tired of wearing this white cloak."
"You..."
Robert trembled with anger.
He pointed at Jaime, unable to utter a single word for a long time.
He thought of Cersei, and he thought of House Lannister.
He felt that this must be Tywin Lannister's conspiracy!
"Where do you want to go?"
Robert asked through gritted teeth.
"To the North."
Jaime's answer was simple and direct.
"I heard there's going to be a war there, and I want to join the fun."
"And incidentally, do my part for my nephew-in-law."
Robert's face instantly turned ashen.
He understood.
Jaime was openly defying him!
He was telling him that he was on Lynn's side!
"Good! Very good!"
Robert laughed in anger.
"Get out! Get out of my sight!"
"I've always hated you, kingslayer!"
"I should have let Ned hang you back then."
"Get out, you ungrateful Lannister scoundrel!"
"As you command, Your Majesty."
Jaime stood up and bowed gracefully.
Then he turned and, under everyone's astonished gaze, strode out of the Throne Room.
He was going to the North.
To fight a war that truly belonged to him.
He walked on the streets of King's Landing.
The sun shone on him, warm and pleasant.
He felt he had never been so relaxed.
Just as he was about to exit the city gate, a figure blocked his path.
It was Lynn.
He seemed to have been waiting there for a long time.
"Ready?"
Lynn looked at him.
"Of course."
Jaime grinned, revealing a set of white teeth.
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