Always Two, There Are

Casterly Rock, Jaime Lannister (281AC)

The only thing worse than knowing the future is not being sure of it.

I gave up certainty of the future ever since I convinced my father not to squire me at Crakehall. I decided that my faded memories of this world's future were less important than determining my own fate. Sure, I might worry about what will happen to the people of King's Landing without a Kingslayer there to stop it. But, I made a commitment early on in life to not live according to what another Jaime Lannister would do.

That didn't mean I would dismiss my knowledge out of hand. Sure, I might not remember most things, and the things I do are primarily from a future that will never happen. But some things I feel are rather unavoidable.

One. I expect Aerys will do something sufficiently insane to warrant getting killed, even if it isn't a full-scale rebellion like Roberts.

Two. I feel the White Walkers are unavoidable, so any plans that include living past 40 should include a way to combat them.

And finally… Tywin Lannister will commit countless atrocities and pull the kingdoms into war if it means his family will sit on the Iron Throne.

So I knew from the start that I would have to make a choice, and in the end, I believe I chose well. I will not delude myself and imagine my choice will have no consequences, some I may not have predicted. But in the end, Tywin stood between me and the ability to make my own choices in life. While his existence made the Lannisters powerful, it also pushed most of the family to be the worst versions of themselves.

So, in between being a squire for Baelor Hightower and studying at the Citadel, I took an interest in poisons. One thing I will give Westeros is that the thousands of years and many weird semi-magical plants have given them ample time to develop numerous types of poison. It only took a few scrolls from the library, one helpful friend, and an anonymous trip to the markets of Oldtown to get me something that would work.

The merchant said it was made in Essos and was called something I couldn't understand for the life of me. But I did understand watching as the man used a small drop to give a rat a heart attack. So, in the end, Tywin would die in the same way his own father did. But more importantly, he would tragically die before his son would even be of age to inherit the lordship, leaving his brother to be appointed Regent for a scant few moons.

The fact that I could only technically inherit my position once I was 16 was rather annoying. But it would only slightly hinder me for some moons as Ser Kevan would be appointed Regent of the West. Though it wasn't like Joffery had much trouble exerting his power while still underage…

Maybe I shouldn't compare myself to Joffrey.

~~~

As Maester Creylen checked over Tywin's corpse, we all waited with bated breath. The aging man had arrived minutes after I finished examining the body, along with the few Lannisters who were already on their way before I sent the guards to secure them. We were still technically on high alert after the lord's death, after all.

"It appears Lord Tywin has suffered from a burst heart, My Lords." His words sent whispers through the gathered crowd of shock and despair. Of course, I and what I assumed to be many others' reactions were mostly feigned. Tywin Lannister was many things but loved in his household, he was not.

Still, I would need to be seen as strong in this situation. "I concur with the Maester's observations." I stepped forward and let a glimmer of my genuine emotions through. I was a knight, so this was not my first blood… But there was a marked difference between killing some outlaw in the Kingswood Brotherhood and a man who was supposed to be your father.

"This… is truly a tragedy." I waited a few moments to allow my words to sink in. "But I will not dishonor my lord father by allowing his passing to be the death knell for the Westerlands. Maester Creylen, I assume you have my father's final will and testament?"

I could leave no doubt as to who is in charge in this situation. I loved my uncles, but that didn't mean I trusted them completely. They had spent most of their lives living in the shadow of Tywin, and I could not be sure they would be content to stay in my much smaller one. That is not to say I planned on keeping them down. Their air of experience would be necessary if I wished to maintain even a portion of Tywin's allies and respect.

"Ah! Yes, my lord, I gathered it before I came." The man pulled a scroll out from inside his robe and began to read aloud. "Should I, Lord Tywin Lannister, Lord of Casterly Rock, Shield of Lannisport, and Warden of the West, pass without giving final testament, know that these words enclosed hold my will."

The tension in the room had skyrocketed. Even though I knew my father had named me heir, I couldn't get the idea out of my head that this would be a suitably dramatic time for my actions to bite me in the ass.

"I name my trueborn son Ser Jaime Lannister as my rightful heir to the Lordship of Casterly Rock and all my holdings. Should my heir not be of suitable age, I name Ser Kevan Lannister as his Lord Regent until the boy's sixteenth names day."

The entire room took a breath, and that was my cue. I took control of the situation, as while Kevan was away from the castle, none would challenge my power. But that also meant I would be responsible for managing our house's response to this 'shock.' So I sent orders to the guards that the danger had passed, called on men to inform the silent sisters so they may properly prepare the body for a funeral, and many such minor orders necessary to keep the castle running after this tragedy.

Finally, I paid the whores twice what was owed for the trouble and ordered the room to keep quiet about the… exact circumstances of the lord's death.

I knew it was a largely futile act, but it would be beneficial if the knowledge could be stymied. While for some, the act of dying while fucking a whore would be their preferred way to pass. Many would see the fact that THE Tywin Lannister died in such a manner as a rather shameful blow to the Lannister reputation. And while I disagreed with the man in many things, I knew that said reputation was something I would need to win back from the other lords of Westeros in the coming years.

Thinking of the rest of Westeros made me realize I still had to write letters for the Ravens tonight. The major lords would have to be told of the death of a prominent lord like Tywin. Though maybe I should wait till we had a date for the funeral before sending anything out?

Of course, that would have to wait because we can't have Cersei miss her own father's funeral. Maybe I could even get the Mad King to send her back for good? Though I can't boast knowledge of his mad thoughts, I expect my father's death to lessen his suspicion of my house, at least to a small degree.

Gold Road, Kevan Lannister (+6 days)

Ser Kevan Lannister rode down the snowy Gold Road, looking toward the steadily approaching Casterly Rock to the west. The sight filled him with an uncharacteristic melancholy that he hadn't felt in quite some time.

His attention was brought back to the present by the chill in the air and his retinue of knights riding behind him. It had all been going so well. Fifty of the greatest knights in the west, riding down group after group of bandits and even the occasional robber knight around Deep Den. It almost reminded him of the time his brother had given him five hundred knights to cleanse his kingdom of the rot that had been allowed to settle in under their father.

But those times were in the past, it seemed, and would forever stay there. Just 3 nights ago, a rider had come bearing the news of his brother Tywin's early death in Casterly Rock. Kevan had only just learned of his brother's resignation and intent to return to their ancestral house. Now, he would never get to see his brother again.

Kevan and his men were exhausted after pushing themselves and their horses to the limit. Jaime, the good lad, had matured well, but he was still not yet a man-grown. Kevan had seen him doing well helping to manage the castle's day-to-day but knew the boy was not yet ready to rule the realm. Especially just days after his father's death.

So, with Tygett away and Gerion his unreliable self, it was now up to himself to support the boy through their grief and lordship responsibilities.

~~~

As Kevan rode up the steps to the Lion's Mouth, he studied the lad waiting for him at the entrance to the Rock. Jaime looked very similar to when he had left, the only easily discernible difference being his black mourning clothes. But as Kevan got closer, he could see more of the boy's features and the stress written all over his face.

"Uncle, I welcome you back to Casterly Rock." Gods, the boy looked tired, but he sounded firm and welcoming a rather good sign.

"Nephew," He acknowledged the boy and dismounted from his horse. "It is good to see you again, though I wish it was under better circumstances."

With the formal greetings done, he and Jaime mounted up on the specially bred horses of the Rock. Kevan's legs ached from long days in the saddle. Still, with how large the Rock is, riding these specially bred horses through the long tunnels is almost necessary if you want to get anywhere in a reasonable amount of time. At least he was finally out of the wintery cold.

As they were still in public, Kevan kept the conversation to matters of the castle. He was rather impressed when Jaime told him of the work he had been doing. Writing to the nobles of the west, planning the funeral, and caring for household matters.

Eventually, they were forced to dismount and continue on foot. From there, it was just a few minutes of walking, and a couple lifts until they were both in the Lannister living quarters section of the Rock. Kevan followed Jaime past some Lannister guardsmen and into his brother's… well, now his solar.

After closing the door, there was a few seconds of awkward silence before the boy crushed Kevan into a hug.

"Gods, I never realized how much fucking oil this huge ass castle takes to light for a single day."

Kevan chuckled before hugging the kid back. One thing the man was happy Jaime didn't inherit from his father was his non-existent sense of humor.

"Yes, well, there isn't too much room for natural light inside a mountain." Reaching up, Kevan put his hands on Jaime's shoulders and looked the boy in the face. "Other than matters of oil, how is my favorite nephew fairing?"

Jaime smiled awkwardly before answering. "As well as could be expected, I suppose. Work has been helping, but I can't say I'm disappointed that you're here to share in my pain."

Kevan released the boy while shaking his head fondly. "Yes, well, I do have some experience in all this. Your father left most of those duties to me while he was Hand of the King." Glancing at the desk, he was surprised at some of the documents he saw. "Should you not be delegating work like this?"

Jaime looked him in the eyes before sighing. "I was hoping to wait for you to return with more knowledge of the people here. I expect my father's death to send waves out through the entire kingdom, and I wanted to make sure those boats closest to home are steady before delegating anything important."

…Well, at least the boy understood the position they were in. While the Lannisters had a reputation, Kevan could admit that most of the spotlight fell upon Tywin, leaving others in the late lord's shadow. These next few years were when Jaime would need to prove himself, especially as a young and untested lord.

"While that may be a good idea, please remember not to neglect your health too." We couldn't afford any more Lannisters dropping of burst hearts.

Jaime nodded and smiled a much more genuine smile. "Of course, I did manage to spend some time with Tyrion over the past few days. He always manages to cheer me up."

The thought of the dwarf brought with it complicated feelings. The man knew the young boy was not responsible for what happened to Joanna. Still, he could not help but resent the boy's effect on Tywin. For while his brother had always been a hard man, the best part of Tywin had died with his wife.

Still, he kept his thoughts off his face. "Good, and speaking of, the best option to delegate responsibilities to at a time like this is family. If you can't trust your family, then who else can you trust?"

He meant his words reassuringly, but something on his nephew's face made Kevan think it was anything but. "What's wro-"

"Lord Jaime! I was told to inform you urgently if we got a response from King's Landing!" Maester Creylen's voice called out from behind the Solar's door.

Jaime almost seemed relieved at the distraction and responded quickly. "Thank you, Maester Creylen. We need to know if Cersei will be joining us before we can plan the funeral date and invite the other lords."

"I'm afraid you won't get much say in the plans, my lord. This letter says the King will be coming to Casterly Rock to pay respects to his recently departed friend."

All men were silent as they took in the news.

"Fuck."