The Iron Throne of Ice and Fire

Ser Jaime looked back and yelled, "Stop it!"

"Lord Brynden!"

"Lord Blackfish!"

"Lord Duke!"

The Tully guards screamed, spurred their horses, and rushed forward.

"Protect the Lord!"

While galloping, the captain of the guard raised his sword and yelled, "Shoot! Shoot Lannister to death!"

Swish, swish, swish!

Ser Jaime swung his sword to knock down several arrows flying from the wall, and watched Brynden retreat under the protection of the Tully knights.

Soon, the iron gate of the gate of Riverrun came down with a bang, and the spikes at the bottom of the gate pierced deeply into the mud.

More archers appeared on the wall, drawing their bows and arrows, and seeing this...Ser Jaime could only pull the reins hard and turn his horse's head.

"Lord Jaime, I..."

Ignoring others, Ser Jaime rode a long distance with a gloomy face and returned to the Lannister camp.

The atmosphere at the camp gate was solemn.

The Kingsguard, Sir Balon Swann, who had just jumped off his horse, came slowly to Jaime's side with trepidation.

He opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't know where to start, so he could only utter a weak call: "Lord Jaime..."

Sir Jaime, who had been suppressing his surging anger all the way, could no longer control his emotions at this moment. His eyes were red, as if burning with two balls of hot flames, and he suddenly swung a punch and hit Sir Balon's face hard.

"Asshole!"

Jaime's voice was full of anger and disappointment. Sir Balon staggered and fell directly to the mud mixed with horse manure and horse urine, looking extremely embarrassed.

His white robe and shining silver armor were instantly stained with mud, losing their former glory.

"You have tarnished the honor of the Kingsguard!"

After roaring, Sir Jaime suddenly had a deep doubt in his heart... He doubted whether he could really restore the former glory of the Kingsguard?

Moreover, what made him even more desperate was that he seemed to have no right to talk about the honor of a knight.

"Answer me!"

Sir Balon staggered to his feet, his face was covered with mud, and there was a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth.

Sir Jaime grabbed his collar and roared: "Who? Who told you to do this?"

The angry Jaime did not notice the pain flashing in Sir Balon's eyes. He moved his cracked lips and said hoarsely: "I did not defile the Kingsguard. Trout is dead, and this war is over."

"Shut up!"

Sir Jaime's fist landed hard on Balon's face again.

The white robe and silver armor on Balon's body were covered with mud. Sir James looked down at him, clenched his teeth, and said: "Blackfish is a good knight. He should die on the battlefield with dignity, not by a sneak attack." Sitting on the muddy ground, Sir Balon lowered his head. He was full of guilt and helplessness. He whispered: "Sorry, Lord Balon, I just want to end it all early. The battlefield here is too... cruel." "If you violate honor, it will follow you for the rest of your life. I can only be glad that your sneak attack did not succeed, Sir Sven." Sir Balon Sir Balon's tone softened a little, but it was still serious: "Once, I was like you, doing things that I thought were honorable... but violated honor. Don't follow my old path." James has always trusted and intentionally cultivated Sir Balon, but now... there is only deep disappointment in himself on his face. Sir Balon opened his mouth. He wanted to be honest and tell his captain that someone forced him to do this. But… that man was once known as the Bloody Earl. If that were the case, his family would never be forgiven and would be executed as traitors.

But the captain of the Kingsguard was… He was a Kingsguard, but his father and brother…

Sir Jaime looked at Balon, whose face was full of entanglement and regret, and then he took a breath and said, "I will record this matter in the White Book myself. Balon Swan, you are still young enough. I hope you will remember this lesson forever."

After that, he threw his snow-white cloak and turned away.

Until Jaime's figure completely disappeared, Sir Balon still couldn't squeeze out a sound from his throat.

Duke Green "instructed" himself that he didn't want the fight between lions and trouts to stop…

Baron didn't even know what he should do. He only knew that if he didn't satisfy Duke Green, the lord would "re-examine" the Swan family's crimes.

Later, he found that he didn't have to do anything, and the battle between the lion and the trout under Riverrun became more and more intense. He was secretly glad... Until Sir Jaime wanted to duel with Blackfish. How good is Sir Jaime's swordsmanship? Perhaps only he who has fought with him many times knows it best, and... Blackfish is still an old man, how can he be a match for Lord Jaime? But if Blackfish died in the duel, the battle between the lion and the trout would be declared over, and his "deal" with the Duke of Green would fail. So, he had to stop this honor duel, and he had no other choice. Everyone said that he was a natural archer... Yes, he deliberately shot off, and even if Brynden Tully didn't react, his arrow wouldn't cause much damage. His purpose was to stop this sudden duel and let the lion and the trout continue to bleed under Riverrun, because this was the premise for the Duke of Green to forgive the Swan family. Bullshit honor!

Sir Balon, who was sitting on the muddy ground, suddenly chuckled, and his laughter became louder and more desolate.

In this cruel battlefield, how should we choose between honor and survival, loyalty and betrayal?

What is right and what is wrong, and how to distinguish between them?

Sir Balon could not find the answer.

…………

…………

Morning in the Red Castle.

Lady Tanya and her maid were helping Cersei Lannister dress. This was a shoulder-baring long dress made of bright green satin and luxurious black velvet, with complicated black Myr lace on the chest.

It was expensive, but it matched the majesty and beauty of the queen mother. Cersei looked at herself in the long mirror with a little satisfaction.

She pointed to the necklace inlaid with emeralds among the many pieces of jewelry brought by the maid, and said casually: "Has anything interesting happened recently?"

Hearing this, Lady Tanya didn't know what interesting things she remembered, and chuckled, saying: "I heard that Miss Margaery has been very fond of singers and jugglers recently, which has made the jealous twin brothers of the Redwyne family start learning to play the harp..."

As she said this, she couldn't help laughing again: "The maid told me that the performance of the Redwyne brothers reminds people of a strangled cat."

Cersei curled her lips sarcastically, and at the maid's She chose a ring with emeralds from the jewelry box she was holding, and asked, "Are there any more?"

Lady Tanya thought for a moment, and suddenly said, "By the way, I heard that the prince of the Summer Islands is very keen to attend Miss Margaery's maiden home party, and he goes almost every time."

"The prince of the Summer Islands... is called Jarabal Thor, right?"

The lioness snorted disdainfully, and then said, "He is probably begging for support from the army and golden dragons to regain his old land."

Cersei remembered the prince from the Summer Islands, who had repeatedly asked drunken Robert for troops.

Although her alcoholic ex-husband was attracted by the glory of conquering the Summer Islands, it was obvious that in fact... he was only interested in the dark-skinned women in the Summer Islands who only wore feather cloaks.

So, it became a year-by-year evasion, and Robert's excuse every time was: wait until next year.

Although he had the title of prince, Jarabal Thor was ultimately just a high-class beggar in luxurious clothes.

When Cersei was reminiscing about the past, Lady Tanya's voice rang out: "I asked Ser Osney, and he told me that Miss Margaery seemed to be asking the prince of Summer Island about the language of Summer Island."

Queen Cersei looked at Tanya through the mirror with her clear green eyes, frowned, and said: "Why do you think she is suddenly interested in the language of Summer Island?"

"I really haven't thought about it..."

After thinking for a while, Lady Tanya's black and white eyes suddenly moved, and said: "Could it be for the Duke of Green? You once told me that, um... his fiancée is a princess who is stranded outside the Summer Island?"

Cersei's face flashed with contempt: "Rose only knows how to play such tricks."

Tanya's wit made Cersei feel good. After finishing her busy daily government affairs, she liked Tanya's company more and more.

She said happily: "You are really smart. It seems that even the court rose can't escape your eyes."

Lady Tanya smiled at Cersei through the mirror, and said in a slightly hoarse voice: "I just cherish the opportunity to serve you, my queen mother."

Cersei also looked at her through the mirror, raised the corners of her lips, and said: "Very good, you can take your son as soon as possible. Tommen needs a reliable playmate."

Lady Tanya bowed gratefully: "I really can't repay you. Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Please continue."

"As you command."

Lady Tanya carefully looked at Cersei's dress, and when she saw the small wrinkles, she reached out to smooth them out.

After a pause, Tanya's voice came from Cersei's feet: "By the way, Queen Mother, have you seen the gift that Little Rose gave to your son?"

Cersei lowered her eyes and looked at Tanya who was adjusting her skirt, and said: "What gift?"

"I'm sorry, I should have told you earlier."

Tanya stood up, bowed, and continued: "It's a little black cat. She should know that your son likes cute animals."

Cersei raised an eyebrow: "Black cat?"

Margaery's continuous childish plots almost made the lioness laugh out loud. Tommen was too young to seduce with a kiss, so she used a cat to please her son?

In the Red Castle, black cats represent bad luck, and Rhaegar's little daughter suffered a lot from it.

If it weren't for the black cat, perhaps the little girl hiding under her father's bed would not fall into the hands of the beast and die with dozens of swords.

Cersei couldn't help but think of the day when she was ten years old... The old lion specially held a grand tournament in Casterly Rock to welcome King Aerys (the Mad King)'s western tour.

During the day, the seventeen-year-old Rhaegar wore shining black armor covered with golden mail, and the red, gold and orange silk fluttering on his helmet was like a blazing flame.

In the lance competition, more than a dozen of the strongest knights under his father fell under his spear.

At night, he put down his weapon and picked up the harp. His ballad made her burst into tears.

When she was six years old, her father promised that he would let her marry Prince Rhaegar.

When Rhaegar put down the harp and her father introduced her to him, at that moment... she was drowned by his melancholy purple eyes.

She was sure that he had been injured, and after they got married, she would treat him well and make up for the pain in his heart.

Before the end of the tournament, Aunt Gina came to congratulate her and told her that her engagement with Rhaegar would be announced at the final banquet.

She was dizzy with happiness at the time. It was the happiest day of her life.

However————

When the tournament ended, there was no banquet, let alone celebration.

The king flatly rejected the marriage proposal made by the King's Hand.

The king said that Tywin was his most capable servant, and there was no reason for a servant to marry the heir of his master.

In the end, the king married Rhaegar to a frail and flat-chested Dorne princess.

It turned out that refusing to marry Lord Tywin's daughter to Prince Rhaegar was the biggest mistake King Aerys made in his life.

If Rhaegar had married her as the gods wished, he would never have been seduced by the little wolf girl, and there would never have been a wrong spring.

Rhaegar would have become king, she would have become queen, and their descendants would have inherited the Iron Throne for generations.

Retracting her thoughts, Cersei's fullness rose and fell slowly. Under Tanya's worried gaze, she opened her red lips slightly: "Have someone watch the black cat."

Joffrey...

Her purpose was to prevent Tommen from dissecting a female cat out of curiosity like his brother.

Then the lioness laughed at her own suspicion. Although Tommen did not have Joffrey's kingly demeanor, at least he would do better than his brother in this respect, cowardly kindness.

"Let's go to the restaurant."

The morning sun shone through the huge stained glass and fell on the floor of the restaurant, adding a warm halo to the entire space.

A long dining table was filled with exquisite tableware and delicious food. The king and the queen mother sat opposite each other, and only the slight sound of tableware colliding echoed in the air.

Cersei picked up the wine glass, sipped a sip of wine, and looked at her son, who was puffing up his chubby cheeks and turning the vegetable salad with a fork.

"Tommen, I won't wait for you. If you don't eat well, I will let you go to class on an empty stomach."

Tommen secretly glanced at Cersei with a cold face, paused, and said: "When I officially sit on the Iron Throne, I will abolish beets."

Cersei smiled indulgently: "Of course, it's your power."

Tommen immediately said excitedly: "Mom, I can sit on the Iron Throne today... No, I want to sit on the Iron Throne tomorrow."

Cersei frowned slightly: "According to the laws of the kingdom, you have to wait until you come of age."

Hearing this, Tommen She pouted unhappily: "But Joffrey sat on the Iron Throne before he reached adulthood, why can't I?"

Cersei's green eyes moved slightly: "You are different from Joffrey, he is older than you."

Tommen bravely refuted his mother for the first time: "But Joffrey is not an adult either, I am also a king, I want to sit on the Iron Throne like Joffrey..."

The lioness's eyes narrowed slightly, and her son's voice gradually became weaker: "Listen in."

Cersei held the wine glass, examined her son, and said: "Tommen, tell me, who told you this?"