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[ she's very valid for that, and jaime would argue said point were he not additionally irate over another left out detail. ]
You failed to mention that Prince Jacaerys Velaryon is also here.
You failed to mention that Prince Jacaerys Velaryon is also here.
[ Does it suddenly feel tense in the connection between them or is it just him? 🚨 ]
Did I?
[ The very thing he got into his fight with Aegon over? The aftermath of which Jaime cleaned him up from? His bastard nephew that wants to kill him? The one that pouts too much and grunts like an angel when he's all mad and flustered? That Jacaerys Velaryon? ]
It must have slipped my mind.
Did I?
[ The very thing he got into his fight with Aegon over? The aftermath of which Jaime cleaned him up from? His bastard nephew that wants to kill him? The one that pouts too much and grunts like an angel when he's all mad and flustered? That Jacaerys Velaryon? ]
It must have slipped my mind.
Oh, I'm sure it did.
[ tense is one word for it. a better word would be irate. disappointed. frustrated. jaime doesn't have the patience for schemes and deliberate misdirection. ]
A very purposeful slip. Send me to your mother in hopes that I would not notice you and the king plotting your nephew's demise.
[ tense is one word for it. a better word would be irate. disappointed. frustrated. jaime doesn't have the patience for schemes and deliberate misdirection. ]
A very purposeful slip. Send me to your mother in hopes that I would not notice you and the king plotting your nephew's demise.
[ It would seem his mother rubbed off on Jaime quick. A shame, he was taking a liking to him. He's accustomed to this sort of energy directed at him. It almost feels like home. If he's bothered, it doesn't show.]
It didn't concern you.
[ He'd hardly consider it a scheme or that Jaime could do anything to stop either of them. He's outranked twice fold. ]
Your concerns are keeping my mother safe. My matters in dealing with a traitor are my own.
It didn't concern you.
[ He'd hardly consider it a scheme or that Jaime could do anything to stop either of them. He's outranked twice fold. ]
Your concerns are keeping my mother safe. My matters in dealing with a traitor are my own.
[ jaime is not the wordsmith that his brother is, but he tries to phrase this delicately without treading on historical recent events that he barely recalls learning about. they want to kill rhaenyra's son because of what happened to aegon's, he knows that much. he also faintly recalls that blood and cheese were tasked with assassination because of the death of another of rhaenyra's sons at aemond's hands. the details are beyond him, were never of any interest to him.
how he hates that he wishes he'd paid more attention to his lessons. ]
The consequences of our actions, no matter how just we believe them to be, are often felt by more than just ourselves. I cannot effectively protect your mother or anyone else in your family [ aemond himself included ] if you fail to keep me informed.
how he hates that he wishes he'd paid more attention to his lessons. ]
The consequences of our actions, no matter how just we believe them to be, are often felt by more than just ourselves. I cannot effectively protect your mother or anyone else in your family [ aemond himself included ] if you fail to keep me informed.
Mayhaps you didn't hear the woman, what happens outside these fortress walls is moot to their interests. A stateless boy meeting his end in the fog whether it be by brother's brutish hand or my blade is little of their concern.
[ Jaime is behaving like this hasn't been thought through by at least one of them, a notion that irks him more than the accusation that he might be working with Aegon to do a kinslaying.]
It's clear this was not information you could be trusted with as you were so easily led by my mother's hysterical claims.
[ Jaime is behaving like this hasn't been thought through by at least one of them, a notion that irks him more than the accusation that he might be working with Aegon to do a kinslaying.]
It's clear this was not information you could be trusted with as you were so easily led by my mother's hysterical claims.
You think I brought this up because your mother was worried about you? [ oh no, there's traces of jaime's attitude problem penchant for snark and sass finally peeking through. ] I am not so easily swayed. I heard the damned woman and it is not her or whatever unworthy lord that may or may not hold this castle's seat that I am concerned about, it's the other people here. This is not Westeros and your being a prince carries about as much weight as my being a Lannister does in a place like this.
[ was the boy this unaccustomed to being looked out for? what the hell were ser criston's kingsguard even doing?? what the hell had viserys i been doing??? ]
[ was the boy this unaccustomed to being looked out for? what the hell were ser criston's kingsguard even doing?? what the hell had viserys i been doing??? ]
[He can't comprehend the idea that someone is concerned for his well-being when that has never been the case before. His father, who was too consumed by the loss of his first wife and the love of his first daughter to see him. His mother, who long failed to protect him in the first place. Jaime's concerns now only seem to accuse him of a weakness he doesn't see himself. ]
I may not have Vhagar at my side, but do give me the respect of understanding that I am not some soft-handed noble who cowers at another's blade.
I may not have Vhagar at my side, but do give me the respect of understanding that I am not some soft-handed noble who cowers at another's blade.
[ he wishes he didn't care, that he could say something flippant along the lines of "fine, go die, then" and walk away, but he can't. and he hates that he can't. his biggest secret isn't that he killed aerys to save king's landing from the wildfire plot, it's that he genuinely gives a damn. ]
Seven hells, I'm not insulting your skills as a warrior! I'm saying that we don't know what these people are capable of or how they will respond to one of us killing another. We are all in the same fucked up situation while trapped within these walls.
I don't want to see any harm come to you.
Seven hells, I'm not insulting your skills as a warrior! I'm saying that we don't know what these people are capable of or how they will respond to one of us killing another. We are all in the same fucked up situation while trapped within these walls.
I don't want to see any harm come to you.
[ There Jaime goes again, being absolutely perplexing with this outpouring of concern. All of this yelling inside his head is enough to give Aemond a headache. Jaime's passion for his duty is unprecedented, leaving the prince uncertain how to handle it.
Pause follows long enough for it to seem like he may have walked away, but the connection remains. Never in his life has a kingsguard attempted to scold him. Cole certainly knew how to nudge in his opinions but he kept his mouth shut. What is he meant to make of this of a man he barely knows?
When he responds, it's calmer. Borderline attempting to be reasonable:] It is not a failure upon you if I do, if that is your concern.
Pause follows long enough for it to seem like he may have walked away, but the connection remains. Never in his life has a kingsguard attempted to scold him. Cole certainly knew how to nudge in his opinions but he kept his mouth shut. What is he meant to make of this of a man he barely knows?
When he responds, it's calmer. Borderline attempting to be reasonable:] It is not a failure upon you if I do, if that is your concern.
[ and yet, that's emotion that radiates the strongest across the connection: concern. genuine, heartfelt concern. ]
It is not my reputation I am concerned with, my prince — it's you. Your wellbeing.
[ jaime barely knows aemond. he looks so much like rhaegar, yet he also sees shades of himself reflected back at him. echos of both the bright-eyed boy he'd been before he'd sworn his vows and the disillusioned, bitter man he became after slaying aerys. ]
It is not my reputation I am concerned with, my prince — it's you. Your wellbeing.
[ jaime barely knows aemond. he looks so much like rhaegar, yet he also sees shades of himself reflected back at him. echos of both the bright-eyed boy he'd been before he'd sworn his vows and the disillusioned, bitter man he became after slaying aerys. ]
[ In return is just confusion, some annoyance, hesitancy to accept it for what it is, and perhaps even a bit of longing to sink into it like a palm to his cheek. The truth is, he's been rogue for too long— feral as the dragons that circle the Dragonmont that don't know the touch of a rider.
When was the last time someone cared enough to speak it, show it? When was the last time he let them? Before his arrival here, no one was speaking to him. No one left to turn to. They all had grown to revile him, unable to see what he'd all done in his own concern. For the wellbeing of his family and their continued survival. ]
Stop. [ What else is he supposed to say? Flustered. He moves on quickly. Back to reason, justifying his action in all of this. ] Jacaerys is formidable enough to fight Aegon should Aegon provoke him. The effort needs to be curtailed before he can enact. My nephew should want his fight in the honor of his brother. I took Lucerys' life... I will not deny him the honor of his revenge, but I will not lose to him.
[ These are facts or assurances..?]
It will be done discreetly, as I said.
When was the last time someone cared enough to speak it, show it? When was the last time he let them? Before his arrival here, no one was speaking to him. No one left to turn to. They all had grown to revile him, unable to see what he'd all done in his own concern. For the wellbeing of his family and their continued survival. ]
Stop. [ What else is he supposed to say? Flustered. He moves on quickly. Back to reason, justifying his action in all of this. ] Jacaerys is formidable enough to fight Aegon should Aegon provoke him. The effort needs to be curtailed before he can enact. My nephew should want his fight in the honor of his brother. I took Lucerys' life... I will not deny him the honor of his revenge, but I will not lose to him.
[ These are facts or assurances..?]
It will be done discreetly, as I said.
[ if anyone understands what it's like to be alone and reviled, it's jaime lannister. a man — no, boy who'd gone from promising young knight to murderous villain practically overnight.
he doesn't know the details of prince lucerys velaryon's demise, only that it happened and aemond and vhagar were involved. that blood and cheese killed aegon's young son in retaliation upon... someone's command. the rogue prince's? he doesn't fully recall, just as he doesn't remember anything about the tension that's existed between alicent's sons and their nephews. he is, however, quick enough on the uptake to understand that there's more to it than simply a boy's untimely death. ]
And if he doesn't want a fight?
he doesn't know the details of prince lucerys velaryon's demise, only that it happened and aemond and vhagar were involved. that blood and cheese killed aegon's young son in retaliation upon... someone's command. the rogue prince's? he doesn't fully recall, just as he doesn't remember anything about the tension that's existed between alicent's sons and their nephews. he is, however, quick enough on the uptake to understand that there's more to it than simply a boy's untimely death. ]
And if he doesn't want a fight?
So dealing with him took priority over the servitor?
[ seven hells, he signed up for protecting some of rhaegar and rhaella's ancestors, not getting caught up in the greens vs the blacks nonsense. ]
[ seven hells, he signed up for protecting some of rhaegar and rhaella's ancestors, not getting caught up in the greens vs the blacks nonsense. ]
[ instead of answering either question, jaime huffs and states: ]
I don't like any of this.
I don't like any of this.
It doesn't matter what you like.
[ A cold truth that's less directed at putting the kingsguard down and more a fact of life. The prince who hasn't gotten anything he wanted without force, without great sacrifice. When it mattered to no one and changed nothing when it was something that never suited him.
Something in him relents, tone softening when he speaks again: ]
Do you think I enjoy this? Do you think I wanted to become a kinslayer?
[ A cold truth that's less directed at putting the kingsguard down and more a fact of life. The prince who hasn't gotten anything he wanted without force, without great sacrifice. When it mattered to no one and changed nothing when it was something that never suited him.
Something in him relents, tone softening when he speaks again: ]
Do you think I enjoy this? Do you think I wanted to become a kinslayer?
[ kingslayer, a chorus of cruel, judgmental voices shout inside his head.
jaime's own voice softens, the irritation having bled away. his tone is more than just empathetic — it's understanding. ]
No. I don't think you do. Life sometimes throws us down a winding path where we find ourselves backed into a corner. Sometimes that corner is a split second moment wherein something happens faster than our ability to stop it. Other times, it's being faced with a choice where you are damned regardless of what you choose. I do not believe that boy's death was your intention.
[ lucerys or jaehaerys. ]
jaime's own voice softens, the irritation having bled away. his tone is more than just empathetic — it's understanding. ]
No. I don't think you do. Life sometimes throws us down a winding path where we find ourselves backed into a corner. Sometimes that corner is a split second moment wherein something happens faster than our ability to stop it. Other times, it's being faced with a choice where you are damned regardless of what you choose. I do not believe that boy's death was your intention.
[ lucerys or jaehaerys. ]
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