Winterfell, The North, Westeros - Day
The sound of horse hooves kicking snow could faintly be heard all the way to the castle, carried by the northern wind. Many had moved to see who was arriving, some expecting to be the Royal Reinforcements they expected ever since King Tommen agreed to send men to help with the upcoming battle.
However, they were disappointed as they only saw a small group of Lannister soldiers with Jaime and his brother, Trystan, leading it.
No one knew why the two lions had come with such a small army but they were soon to find out. The moment their horses came to a halt, everyone made it clear that Jaime was not welcome but he had been expecting that.
One might say they expected worse treatment but no one tried to stab or attack them as they were guided into the castle, which was an improved beginning; at least from all those bad scenarios Jaime and even Trystan had expected.
Great Hall, Winterfell - The North, Westeros
Jaime and Trystan had been led into the Great Hall, while their small escort was left outside. Once the two brothers stepped into the room, they could feel the angry and hateful stares coming from almost every person in the room.
One good look around and they could see a lot of familiar and unfamiliar faces, but the sigils on their clothes were enough to tell them from which house they came from.
On the left of the room, there was a shorter table which was occupied by Tyrion, Varys, Missandei and Jorah. On the right side, the table was occupied by Davos, Lyanna Mormont, Yohn Royce, Alys Karstark and Brienne.
Of course, at the head of the room was the biggest and longest table. Right in the middle sat Daenerys with Jon on her left, Sansa on her right and Bran by her side; a child of the forest known as Leaf standing next to him. Arya was standing in a corner, watching them in silence as Trystan and Jaime were left to stand in the middle of the room and face the Mother of Dragons.
Daenerys sized them up and down for good, now free to do so and in a slightly less hostile environment than the Dragon Pits. She took notice of the golden arm Jaime had that was constantly pressed against his body, while also having been informed prior on how he lost his original hand.
She paid attention to Trystan as well, the only one whom she shared common blood with. She did not truly have anything against him, although she did feel a small disappointment to see him bearing the Lannister colours.
She would feel better if he had the Targaryen colours instead. Yet again, it could make it easier for her to kill him; if they met on the battlefield and fought for opposing sides.
However, for now, she did not have any beef with the younger Lion. Instead, she had with the older one, who kept looking at her.
"When I was a child, my brother would tell me a bedtime story about the man who murdered our father." She started, making Jaime subconsciously stiffen his muscles. "Who stabbed him in the back and cut his throat? Who sat down on the Iron Throne and watched as his blood poured onto the floor." She continued, making the said Lion cast his eyes lower. "He told me other stories as well. About all the things we would do to that man once we took back the Seven Kingdoms and had him in our grasp."
Jaime was not fully surprised by her words, sort of expecting it. He knew that she would want justice, something he did not blame her. If it had been his father, who was murdered and didn't know the true reason behind it, he would also seek revenge and justice for the crime.
It was the main reason why he had chosen to ride first, to face Daenerys and make sure that his past actions would not ruin the chance of this alliance; would not ruin their odds against the undead army.
He kept his eyes lowered for a moment longer, but he could feel Trystan's gaze on him. He truly wished he was not forward to witness this or hear the confession he was soon to make; to appease those who wanted his head to be severed from his body.
"Your King has sworn to send his army to assist us" she continued.
Jaime finally looked up at her. "He did and he will. My Father and Good-Mother are gathering their banners and should be on their way here."
"Then why did you come first?"
He took a step forward. "Because I know of the blood that stains my hand and I know that you seek justice. I came first to face you and give you the full side of the story if you wish to hear it."
"Brother," Trystan whispered.
The Half-Lion had agreed to join Jaime when he would face Daenerys, to be by his side and ensure he would not become food for her Dragons but he did not know he was also willing to confess.
"The full side of the story?" Daenerys repeated, arching an eyebrow. "You think your words are the ones we will believe? For all we know, you could be lying to save your own skin."
Before Jaime could try to argue with her, someone else did.
Tyrion stood up from his chair and walked towards the middle of the room but his attention was fully on Daenerys. "Your Grace, I know my brother," he started, glancing at Jaime for a moment before focusing on her once again. "He came here, knowing full well how he'd be received, to make things right. Why would he do that if he weren't telling the truth?"
The dwarf found a small sense of irony in their situation. Ever since he was little, he always had Jaime to defend and look after him. That was their relationship, one he was thankful for. Now, it looked like the tables had turned and it was time for Tyrion to return the kindness his brother had shown him all those years.
Unfortunately, Daenerys did not seem to be persuaded by his words. All those years she had been told the same tale, she had been told the same story about the man that killed their father and helped the usurper to steal their throne...their birthright.
"Perhaps he trusts his little brother to defend him, right up to the moment he slits my throat." She snapped back, not caring how cold she might sound at that moment.
The dwarf could see it in her eyes that she was not going to back down or even listen to them. As a last chance to truly save his brother and the alliance, he looked at Sansa and Jon; hoping they would be more open-minded and willing to listen.
Yet, he was mistaken.
"You're right. We can't trust him. He attacked my father in the streets. He tried to destroy my house and my family, the same as he did yours."
Sansa said, not a hint of remorse in her grey-blue eyes.
Surprisingly, Trystan stepped forward. "Lady Sansa," he said, finally able to look at her in the eyes after all this time. He took notice of how faintly she held her breath and tried to keep her face neutral. "Please," he continued, not once looking away from her. "I understand your pain and your need for revenge but right now, listen to him." He saw her hesitation. "You trusted me back in King's Landing and I am asking you to trust me, one last time when I am telling you to listen to my brother."
There was an odd silence in the room as Wolf and Lion looked at one another, not once breaking eye contact. It was clear that Trystan was honest with his words and he was trying his best to help his older brother, not wishing to leave him alone to face the demons of his past.
It was evident that Sansa believed in Trystan. After all, he had been the only good thing while in King's Landing, the only one that truly comforted, helped and was there for her through all kinds of shits.
There was one problem though, she could not just think for herself. At that moment, she was talking for the whole North and her House as well; many who wished justice for what happened during the war.
Jaime was not fully aware of what had taken place while he was away, especially between his brother and Sansa. However, he was not an idiot either. He could see that there was something between them, being suppressed but not fully ignored or denied.
He was thankful for his move and his attempt to help him, but he was the big brother between them. It was his duty to keep him safe, to protect him and he was not going to let him ruin what he had for his sake.
He placed his good hand on the shoulder of his brother and gently pulled him a step back. "It's okay, Trystan," he said, for the first time using his name and not some nickname he had for him; indicating just how serious he was. He then looked at Daenerys. "Do you want me to apologize? I won't. We were at war. Everything I did, I did for my house and my family. I'd do it all again."
To his surprise, it was Bran who commented.
"The things we do for love." He said.
Daenerys, Sansa and Jon all turned slowly to look at him, confused by his random choice of words that did not seem to make sense. At least it did not make sense to anyone but Jaime, for those were the exact same words he told Cersei after she persuaded him to push Bran off the tower; after he caught them having sex there.
He looked at the crippled boy, surprised and even slightly worried; wondering if he remembered and how much he had told others. The last thing he needed was for the North to hate him even more by knowing that he pushed a kid from the tower, even though he was a different man back then.
When no one else said anything, Jaime understood that the boy had remained silent about the incident; something he was thankful for.
Realizing that time was passing and no progress was truly made, Jaime turned to Daenerys. He had said his part about Ned Stark, now it was time to say the rest about the Mad King.
"As for your father..." he started, earning her violet eyes on his form. "If you expect me to apologize for what I did, I cannot...but I am willing to tell you exactly what led me to such a decision, one I had no choice but to take."
Daenerys was not sure she wished to listen to him and rather just execute him on the spot but something stopped her. Whether it was a voice at the back of her head or the begging look coming from Tyrion, she chose to wait.
"Very well," she exclaimed.
Jaime took a deep breath, ready to confess the biggest secret he carried with him all those years. He momentarily glanced at Brienne, who gave him a head nod; passively encouraging him to do the right thing.
"The battle of the Trident had been lost. Your brother Rhaegar had been killed by Robert and your aunt had been taken prisoner. Your father...he thought the Martells had betrayed him and fearing that Robert would come for him, he closed the gates. Eventually, it was not Robert that arrived first but my father, Tywin Lannister," he started, deciding to summarize certain parts. "I had long begged him to surrender, for I knew the wrath of the Northerners would be too much but he did not listen. He did not listen when I told him not to open the gates for my father, knowing very well he was not there to assist us...he did not listen to anyone, who told him not to do it. Lord Varys was present, he remembered that day."
Everyone looked at the Eunuch, who had been silent all this time and was simply watching.
"Is this true?" Jon asked him.
Varys nodded his head. "I am afraid it is. We all tried to persuade the King not to open the gates, all but Grand Maester Pycelle. He used the union of Lady Visenya and Lord Tywin as an excuse to persuade him to open the gates to the Lannisters, telling him they were our allies."
Jaime was thankful that he was present, for the first time in his life. It was becoming evident that with Varys backing up his words, he was believed slightly more with each phrase that left his lips.
"The Lannisters sacked the city and once again, I went to the King and begged him to surrender but he refused. He, instead, ordered me to bring him my father's head but I refused."
"And that's why you killed him," Daenerys concluded.
He shook his head. "No, I wouldn't break my oath for that. I killed him because I heard of his next plan...one that he had formed without anyone else knowing but a Pyromancer named Rossart. Endless barrels of wildfire were placed all beneath the city, ready to be used."
Some silent gasps could be noticed by the crowd around him.
"While the Lannisters were sacking the city, he turned to his Pyromancer. 'Burn them all,' he said. 'Burn them in their homes. Burn them in their beds.' He was ready to take down the whole city and everyone in it, instead of surrendering it and saving the lives of millions... I killed the Pyromancer first, preventing him from carrying on the plan. When I returned to the throne room, the King realized that I had turned against him and tried to flee...to ignite the wildfire on his own...that was when I chose to kill him, even though I knew what would follow next."
He took a moment to let the information sink in, to let people imagine and rethink what they thought they knew all those years. He glanced around the room and saw many who were surprised by the news and even slightly horrified.
The only ones that did not truly react were Bran and Brienne, with the latter already knowing the story and in far more detail.
Jaime could feel the gazes of his brothers and he momentarily looked at them, seeing their lips parted and the shock written on their faces. They didn't know the story, they never found out the heavy burden he carried all those years and now he could see the guilt in their eyes; guilt that they had judged him without truly knowing.
"Why would my Father do that?" Daenerys asked, although based on her expression, it was not clear whether she was asking Jaime directly or someone else.
"Your Father had become paranoid in his last years...he burnt anyone he thought was an enemy, anyone who dared to argue with him..." Jaime confessed. "But about the wildfire...I don't think he expected to die. He kept repeating the same phrase...saying that he meant to burn with the rest of us and rise again, reborn as a dragon to turn his enemies to ash."
Another silence quickly covered the room.
The Kingslayer did not look away from his judges and he did not try to hide the darkness of that day that was haunting him all those years. It was clear to his face that he had suffered because of that decision but had chosen to remain quiet, not speaking about it to anyone.
He felt odd, telling the story to so many people; who until now would think he was a man that broke his oath for fun and had no true honour.
In the past, he most likely would not have done that but he was a different man now.
He was a man who tried to live with honour, to do the right thing for once. He was a man who had come to save the alliance because a big enemy was coming their way and everyone needed to stand next to each other; if they wished to win.
The silence lasted for almost a full minute, many looking at Daenerys since this had to do with her and her father. The Stark children did not say anything, fully aware of how the Mad King killed their grandfather and uncle after Rhaegar stole Lyanna away.
Eventually, the Mother of Dragons got control of her thoughts. She was still divided by the truth, unsure how much to believe but surprisingly; she could not exactly call him a liar.
She had heard some stories about her father, about the things he did that were indeed cruel; that had no true explanation behind them. She never imagined he would go that far, to burn innocents and himself as well; instead of surrendering or trying to find some other way out.
Yet, a question rose into her mind.
"Have you told my aunt that? Did she ever find out why you killed her own brother?"
She was curious to know if the woman that had raised him, knew the truth as well. After all, the King was her brother, one of the few left from her family and he had been murdered by the very same boy she had taken under her wing and helped raise, if the stories were correct, when she was forced to marry the ruthless Lion.
Jaime was not surprised by the question and he could see that his siblings were equally curious, and he did not blame them.
He nodded his head. "I did," he answered. "She actually came on her own, one day and asked me why I did it. I told her the same truth I had told you right now; I told her everything up until the end."
"And how did she react?"
He took a deep breath, remembering her sweet embrace and her comforting words. Similar words she had told him before he left King's Landing, talking about how proud she was for the man he had ended up becoming. He tried hard not to smile but someone observant would be able to see the tiniest of changes in his expression as he remembered.
"She forgave me," he confessed after a small moment of silence. "She told me that she understood everything, the situation and what had to be done when faced with the wildfire plan...she still saw me as family," he chose not to add the last phrase that Visenya had told him, of how he did the right thing. He did not wish to make the relationship between her and her niece worse than it already was. "I cannot speak for her of what she would have done had she been at my place, but she did not judge me nor hold it against me even after all those years."
Once again, Daenerys was divided internally by what she had to do. As more and more clues were thrown on the table, the more she found her original image of the Kingslayer changing in her mind.
He was still the killer of her father, but he had not done it for the glory or to help his father control the city. He had done it and yet he confessed to his good-mother, who forgave him in the end.
My aunt did not have to forgive him. She could easily hate him for what he did but she didn't.
She thought but said nothing yet, letting everyone wait in silence.
People exchanged looks, many wishing to discuss what had happened but chose not to make a sound yet. It was evident that the story had shocked many but it did not change the past nor did it erase the blood staining his hands.
Seeing that Daenerys was rather quiet, the Lions exchanged a look in silent worry. Jaime might have said the truth but that did not mean she was willing to listen or even change her plans to kill him.
Trystan felt the most uneasy, trying to wrap his head around everything. He was feeling guilty, for not once seeing through the fake cocky mask his brother wore; for not trying to find more details of what had taken place with the Mad King.
Sure, he was merely a baby when it happened but after all those years; not once did he think there was more to the story behind it. He did feel like an awful younger brother but also truly admired the internal strength and strong will Jaime had, to handle and carry all of this without bending from the pressure.
Suddenly, Brienne stood up and started to walk towards them. She had been watching everything, she had been hearing the story for the second time and she could remember what Jaime had told her back at the baths.
How Eddard Stark would judge him either way and telling the truth would not change anything. Back then, he thought it was ridiculous but seeing the silent gazes from everyone; she was starting to understand what he was talking about.
She feared for Jaime and she refused to stand aside while they judged him, even after everything that he confessed. She would at least try as well, hoping to keep his head away from the chopping board; at least for now.
She stood next to Jaime and focused on Daenerys. "You do not know me, Your Grace but I know Ser Jaime. He is a man of honour. I was his captor once. But when we were both taken prisoner and the men holding us tried to force themselves on me, Ser Jaime defended me...and lost his hand because of it." She explained and then focused on Sansa. "Without him, my lady, you would not be alive. He armed me, armoured me, and sent me to find you and bring you home because he'd sworn an oath to your mother."
This made Sansa look down for a moment, deep in thought. She then looked up, momentarily locking her gaze with Trystan; who was silently begging her to listen and not execute his brother.
She then turned to Brienne. "You vouch for him?""
"l do."
"You would fight beside him?'
"l would."
That was all Sansa needed to hear from her. "l trust you with my life. If you trust him with yours, we should let him stay." She said, earning sighs and smiles of relief from the Lion siblings and even her.
Daenerys did not have anything to comment but instead turned to look at Jon. "What does the Warden of the North say about it?"
He let out a sigh, thinking about it. Despite the story, it did not change the fact that Jaime had wounded their father and had gone to war against their family. The Red Wedding was said to have been caused by the Lannisters and justice needed to be served.
However, he also knew that right now it was not the time for it.
Justice would be served after the War was over, as much as it pained him. Because right now, it was the living against the dead; Houses did not matter in this war.
"We need every man we can get." He finally said, leaving the last word to Daenerys.
Before she could say something though, Trystan jumped into the opportunity.
"If I might add something," he said, taking once again a step forward.
The trio nodded their heads, giving him the okay to continue. "I understand you might not be satisfied and you need justice but like Lord Jon said, you need every man you can get. If you wish to punish my brother now, you risk losing the alliance of our parents and the Crown."
"You think your Father would turn his back on us and risk us losing this war? The undead will come for him next," Jon argued.
"We are Lions and we look after one another," Trystan quoted, earning a small weak smile from his brothers. "If you kill his son, Father will be more than willing to turn back to King's Landing and find a way to take down the undead; should the North fall into this Great War." He confessed. "He is a logical man but he is also one that does not play around when it comes to his family."
Daenerys glanced at Tyrion, who pressed his lips to form into a thin line.
"I am afraid he is right, Your Grace. My father can be petty enough in such matters. I believe it is wiser to just hold back any trials, at least until the War is over."
The Mother of Dragons thought about it for half a minute. In the end, she gave her answer.
"Very well." She said.
The brothers exhaled in relief for the second time that day. They glanced at one another, a small smile on their faces as they had done it and all three of them were not only alive but also together; after so long.
Jaime turned to Daenerys. "Thank you, Your Grace."
"Thank you, Your Grace," Trystan repeated, his eyes going once again to Sansa; mentally thanking her for the trust and the second chance she gave his brother.