Jaime blinked as the door to his room opened. Since the Battle of Whispering Wood he'd been a Stark prisoner and his ego had not known quite how to handle that. It was one thing to lose a battle to someone experienced like Randyll Tarly, quite another to lose it to a green boy.
But then, he supposed he should not be surprised. That green boy was Eddard Stark's son, and Eddard Stark had helped win Robert his throne. Still, it rankled a little, and Jaime was allowing himself to feel that.
The boy, Robb, and Jaime's niece Myrcella entered the room. Robb was dressed in grey, Myrcella in the black and gold of her house. Jaime inclined his head to them both.
"Lord and Lady Stark," he said, he'd overheard the guards talking about Lord Eddard's execution. Cersei was a fool. "Or should I say, Your Graces." He'd also heard about the declarations and the will.
"Uncle Jaime." Myrcella said softly, taking a seat opposite him. Her husband remained standing. "How has your stay been?"
Jaime looked at his niece. She looked a lot like Cersei, from her hair to her eyes. But the way she held herself, that was all Robert, at least Robert before he'd given up on life.
"As well as can be, considering the circumstances, Your Grace." Jaime replied.
Myrcella's husband snorted, which prompted Jaime to look at him. The boy had a shock of auburn hair and piercing eyes. His direwolf was also the size of a small horse, and the boy himself looked hardened by battle.
Jaime looked back at Myrcella.
"We've come to ask you a few questions."
"You want to know why I was laying siege to Riverrun." Jaime said.
"Yes." Myrcella said simply.
Jaime exhaled. "Well, Lord Tywin had received word that the Riverlords were raiding into the Westerlands and causing all sorts of issues. Violating a boundary agreement reached during the time of Lord Tytos. They ignored any and all attempts to bring mediation into this. So, he responded by amassing his men. I was sent by your mother, Cersei, to assist him."
"Why would Riverlords ignore any attempt to stop the fighting boiling over into all out war?" Robb Stark asked.
Jaime looked at the boy and said. "I'm getting to that."
He took a breath and continued. "I fought a battle with Rivermen beneath The Golden Tooth. The battle was short and the Rivermen were routed. I then followed them to Riverrun, using the logic that once my army turned up outside the gates of the fortress, Lord Hoster would have to reconsider."
Given what he now knew, that had been foolish. "That did not happen, instead there was another battle. This one ended with me capturing Ser Edmure. It was only then that I realised that something was wrong."
"What do you mean?" Stark asked.
"We spoke, Ser Edmure and I, and we both realised that we had been given false information about one another. Neither one of us actually knew the truth." Jaime said.
"Someone had manipulated you into fighting." Myrcella said. "No doubt hoping there would be a larger war between Stark and Lannister as a result."
"Indeed." Jaime said.
"So, if you knew this why did you engage in a battle?" Stark asked referring to the Whispering Wood.
"Because there was a large army heading south, an army whose intentions had not been stated. I might have been wary, but I was still a knight of the Kingsguard. I knew nothing about what had happened in King's Landing until after our battle." Jaime replied.
"And now that you know?" Myrcella asked. "Now that you know what my father's will was. What will you do?"
For a brief moment, Cersei's image floated in his mind. He remembered her lips, her eyes, her mouth on his, and then he remembered her anger, and the things she'd said to him before he'd left. He remembered those things and he remembered what Joffrey was and he looked at his niece and said. "I will fight for you."
The room was brightened as the door opened. Tyrion blinked. He did not know what day it was, nor did he know what month it was. All he knew was that at least he was getting some light. That was more than he'd had for some time. The door remained open, allowing light to stream in.
The figure who greeted him looked haggard. His skin was sticking to his face, in such a way that it seemed as though his bones would show. His eyes looked lifeless, and where before there had been at least some teeth grinding, now there was nothing.
Stannis Baratheon looked dead.
"You look like shit." Tyrion said to the man who was holding him captive.
Baratheon merely grunted.
"What have you come for now?" Tyrion asked. The last conversation they'd had had been some time ago.
"To tell you that things have changed in King's Landing." Baratheon replied.
"What things?" Tyrion asked.
"Robert and Eddard Stark are both dead. Robert died from a longstanding illness, whilst Eddard Stark was executed." Stannis said simply.
Tyrion nodded but felt as if he'd been hit by a rock. Robert dying was not a surprise. The man hadn't been taking good care of himself for years now. But Eddard Stark being executed? That was something else.
"Why was he executed?" Tyrion asked.
"Because shortly after Robert died, he entered the throne room and announced that Robert had written a will disinheriting Joffrey and naming Myrcella and her husband-Stark's son- as his heirs. Cersei it seems did not like this and had the man arrested. He was offered the chance to recant but refused to take it and so was executed." Stannis said simply.
"Idiot." Tyrion muttered, whether about Stark or Cersei, he didn't know. "That will bring the entire north down on them."
"And the Riverlands." Stannis said.
Tyrion raised an eyebrow at that.
"Whatever caused the fighting between Lannister and Tully has ended. Jaime Lannister was defeated by Robb Stark and is now a prisoner." Stannis said.
That means Myrcella has Jaime as a member of her Kingsguard then. Jaime might have loved Cersei, but Myrcella had always had a special place in his heart. She always would do.
"So, what does this mean for you?" Tyrion asked.
"It changes nothing." Stannis said. "The children are not my brothers. They are all illegitimate and I am the rightful King. The fact that Robert disinherited Joffrey plays into my hands as it shows he is incapable."
"And Myrcella?" Tyrion asked. "She has the north on her side and the Riverlands. Her husband has beaten Jaime. They are not people you want to annoy by claiming she is not legitimate. Your proof is lacking."
"It is the truth!" Stannis said simply. "And either they will see it that way, or they will be broken."
"How?" Tyrion asked.
"Where is your army? Where are your men? Where are the clamours for you? I presume you sent those letters off the moment that Robert died and you learned about it. And yet no one has called for you. Where is your brother?" Tyrion demanded.
Something flashed in Stannis's eyes then. "Renly has declared himself King."
Tyrion would have burst out laughing if he wasn't scared that the man in front of him would've executed him there and then. Instead he simply said. "How unfortunate."
Stannis growled and said. "Renly will be the figure I handle first, then your father." With that the man left.
Tyrion watched him go and once he was sure he was safe, he burst out laughing. Was there anything more tragic than Stannis Baratheon?