WiSh - Chapter 40

Chapter 40: The Letter

Tyrion said, "Ser Harris, I feel it necessary to remind you that everyone knows the Lannisters always pay their debts, but there's another saying—revenge will be had."

"I'm well aware, Imp," Harris said as he mounted his horse. "You may leave."

"I won't leave until you release Jaime."

"Suit yourself."

Tyrion followed alongside Harris, cooperating the whole time. No one laid a hand on him.

"Ser Harris, Lord Eddard and King Robert are hunting bears in the Wolfswood. Where are you planning to take us? Besides the king and Lord Eddard, who has the authority to judge us?"

Harris did not answer and rode ahead, leaving Jaime and Tyrion to the cavalry.

***

In the dark dungeon beneath Winterfell, it was pitch black. Tyrion said, "Jaime, why did Eddard send men to capture you?"

"How should I know."

"Tell me the truth, so I can help you."

Harris had not intended to lock Tyrion and Jaime together in the dungeon, but Tyrion had requested to be with Jaime.

Jaime said, "Eddard found out about me and Cersei."

"You and Cersei, what happened?"

"Cersei and I were in the broken tower, and Bran saw us as he climbed the tower. I was about to throw Bran off the tower when Ely saw me from below."

Tyrion frowned. Fortunately, it was too dark for Jaime to see his expression. Jaime fell silent, knowing that when Tyrion didn't speak, he was always coming up with ideas that Jaime wouldn't have thought of.

"Jaime, what I can confirm now is that Eddard hasn't told Robert about you and Cersei. If he had, you wouldn't be sitting here now. So, when Lord Eddard comes in, answer whatever he asks and ask him to keep your secret with Cersei."

"What did you say?" Jaime was incredulous. "You want Eddard to keep my secret."

"Yes, but Eddard isn't doing it for you; he's doing it to save face for his good friend, King Robert, and to preserve the dignity of his family."

Jaime said, "Hmm, Eddard secretly gets rid of his rival for his good friend's honor and covers up the scandal between the royal family and the Lannisters. In that case, I should thank Eddard."

"He doesn't want the country to be shaken by this. If he told Robert, Robert would have your and Cersei's heads. What do you think our father would do then? If I died, maybe Father would send Eddard a gold medal, but if something happened to you and Cersei, Father would fight for the family."

"Without a just cause, Father couldn't stand up to Robert and Eddard. The nobles from the other six kingdoms would rise up to crush the Lannisters."

Tyrion said, "No, no, no, you don't understand our father at all. His wars are fought with swords and spears, as well as ravens and letters. In the early stages of this battle, Father won't use swords and spears, but ravens and letters. In short, if you and Cersei die, the peaceful era of this kingdom is over, and that's not something an honest Northman like Eddard would want to see. He certainly hopes that Robert's kingdom can continue, preferably in peace for a thousand years."

"Even if you're right, then what?"

"Then you need to volunteer to join the Night's Watch in front of King Robert."

"I won't join the Night's Watch," Jaime said firmly. "Just kill me now. I won't join the Night's Watch."

"You have two choices: either truly become a member of the Night's Watch, or volunteer to join and then escape along the way."

"What do you mean? I don't understand."

"If you truly become a member of the Night's Watch, there's no need for me to say more. If you volunteer to join, you can escape along the way."

"Deceive Eddard and the king and then escape on the way to the Wall?"

"There are many ways to put it. It could also be called changing direction, or going missing, of course, it could also be called escaping. Aegor Rivers also went to the other side of the narrow sea on his way to the Wall. The famous mercenary group in Braavos, the Golden Company, has a close relationship with him. The leader of the Golden Company is a descendant of Daemon Blackfyre."

Aegor Rivers and Daemon Blackfyre were both legitimized noble bastards of Aegon IV. After being legitimized by their father, they became eligible to inherit the throne, leading to the later rebellion by the Blackfyre family. Because they believed they also had legitimate claims to the throne and were entitled to compete for it.

"You want me to flee overseas?" Jaime's voice was incredulous. He thought his brother's suggestion was simply terrible.

"Jaime, choose between being a free man overseas or a Night's Watchman at the Wall," Tyrion said.

"I want to stay on the continent of Westeros." Jaime couldn't bear to leave Cersei. He knew that in this life, his heart could not accommodate any other woman.

"Then go to the Wall."

"I refuse to go to the Wall." Becoming a Night's Watchman would mean never seeing Cersei again.

"That's fine too. Let Eddard and the king hang your and Cersei's heads on the city walls, and then let your grieving father plot day and night on how to avenge you. From then on, both the Tully and Stark families will be the Lannisters' eternal enemies."

Jaime fell silent. After a long while, he said hoarsely in the darkness, "Tyrion, help me protect Cersei."

"Now, only you can protect Cersei, Jaime," Tyrion said. "No matter what Eddard says later, agree to his demands, and Cersei will be safe."

"I can refuse to admit Bran's accusations."

"You can, but once Eddard decides to tell Robert what Bran saw, the truth or falsehood of it becomes irrelevant, Jaime. The dignity of the royal family and Robert's wrath will override everything." Tyrion said coldly, "You and Cersei will both be burned to ashes by the king's anger. In his fury, Robert might even declare war on the Lannisters immediately. An angry Robert is not a rational man."

After a suffocating silence, Jaime's voice was hoarse: "Tyrion, do you want me to cross the narrow sea and join the Golden Company of Blackfyre?"

"I'm just giving an example, Jaime. Once the situation here stabilizes, you can return with a new name and many respectable identities. With your abilities, you are destined to return in glory." Tyrion said, "If you choose to be a brother of the Night's Watch, you will never see Cersei again and never escape that black nightmare. But as a free man on the other side of the narrow sea, you can."

"Maybe one day, you'll return to King's Landing dressed in silk and satin, with a ship full of goods and dozens of servants as the Governor of Pentos. The Faceless Men organization in Braavos across the narrow sea has the secret technique to change a person's appearance, and it's easily done. Although their price is steep, an astronomical figure to ordinary people, our Lannister pain has always been having too much gold."

"You need to arrange for someone to get me across the narrow sea." Jaime suddenly saw the light and made his decision. Tyrion always found good solutions to problems, didn't he?

"Don't worry."

The two brothers reached a consensus and began to plot the many things that would follow. They didn't know how long it had been when footsteps were heard in the dungeon, and torches were lit. Jaime and Tyrion stood up. In the light of the torches, Maester Luwin and Ser Harris appeared.

Eddard Stark did not show up.

"Jaime, this is a letter from Lord Eddard," Maester Luwin said politely, handing the letter to Jaime.

Jaime opened it and read that in a few days, Lord Eddard and King Robert would return from hunting in the Wolfswood. Lord Eddard hoped that Jaime would be gone by the time they returned. He wanted Jaime to go to the Wall immediately to serve as a Night's Watchman, dedicating the rest of his life to guarding the peace of the kingdom. In exchange, Eddard would not tell King Robert about Jaime and Cersei.

Except for Eddard's absence, everything was as Tyrion had expected!

"Lord Jaime, is there a problem?" Maester Luwin asked.

Jaime looked up and smiled slightly: "Maester Luwin, tell Lord Eddard that I will do as he says in the letter."

Harris stepped forward and threw a bundle at Jaime's feet.

The bundle opened to reveal a golden sword, black underclothes, and a black robe.

Maester Luwin took out a pen and paper from his robe with hundreds of small pockets and handed them to Jaime: "It's getting late outside, Lord Jaime. Please leave a letter for King Robert and then be on your way."