"Cersei."
...until another woman comes... she will be younger than you... she will be more beautiful than you... she will take away everything you cherish... when you are drowned in tears... your brother will choke you... and take away your... "Cersei?" Ser Jaime called out again.
Jaime's voice finally brought Queen Cersei back to her senses. She blinked, turned around, and said coldly, "I'm fine."
Ser Jaime spread his hands, a helpless expression on his face as he looked at Cersei's retreating figure.
After a pause, her skirt swirling, Queen Cersei turned to Ser Jaime, her eyes slightly red: "Jaime, do you truly love me?"
As her words fell, Ser Jaime was momentarily stunned, then said, "Cersei, you know I only love you."
Queen Cersei took a step towards Ser Jaime: "You promised me you would be my sword, but you just refused me."
Ser Jaime reached out and grabbed Queen Cersei's shoulders. After a moment of eye contact, he sighed, "Cersei, you can dislike Margaery, even hate her, but you cannot harm her. She is your son's future wife, they are already betrothed, and the Golden Rose…"
Queen Cersei interrupted angrily: "I don't want to hear your reasons. I'm asking you, why did you refuse my command? Is your so-called love a joke?"
She angrily shook off Ser Jaime's hand and added, "What do I see? You are defending another woman in front of me!"
Growing angrier with each word, Queen Cersei raised a hand, but Ser Jaime seized it.
"Cersei." Jaime's voice contained a hint of anger.
"Let me go!" Queen Cersei's other hand was also grasped by Ser Jaime.
Ser Jaime's chest heaved. He softened his tone and said, "Cersei, this is King's Landing, this is the game of thrones, not a game of murder."
Queen Cersei scoffed, "Do you also know what power is?"
"Let me go!"
Once Ser Jaime released Queen Cersei's hands, she continued, "Holding a sword is power, Kingsguard who doesn't listen to commands."
Tears sparkled on Queen Cersei's long eyelashes: "Why did your good brother dare to imprison me? Why did your good father treat me like a broodmare? Because you weren't in King's Landing, and I had no sword in my hand. You're finally back, I've finally waited for you, but what are you doing? What difference does it make to me whether you are here or not?!"
Ser Jaime sighed inwardly and said, "Cersei, think about the consequences. I refused you to prevent you from being harmed."
Queen Cersei gently wiped the corner of her eye, still scoffing, "You're just a coward, Jaime."
Ser Jaime said helplessly, "Cersei, you have no need, and no reason, to kill her. You and she…"
She will take away everything you cherish… Queen Cersei suddenly looked him in the eye and said, "What if Margaery becomes my enemy?"
Hearing this, Ser Jaime was first stunned, then replied, "No one can harm you, I promise, Cersei."
Queen Cersei willingly fell into his embrace. Ser Jaime sighed in relief, smiled slightly, and hugged her.
Hiss.
As Cersei's slender fingers moved, a knock suddenly came at the door.
The two separated. Queen Cersei tidied her clothes, glanced at Jaime, and with a corner of her lips hooked, said, "Go see who it is."
The door opened, and Osney Kettleblack saw Ser Jaime. He subconsciously tilted his head slightly and quickly scanned the room inside.
Seeing Ser Osney's small movement, Ser Jaime couldn't help but frown slightly. He silently stared at the person in front of him.
Ser Osney bowed slightly.
He was not armored, but wore a red Lannister guard's tunic directly over his clothes, so… as Jaime bowed, he noticed his dark, thick chest hair.
"Ser Jaime, Ser Kevan sent someone to find you. He said Ser Kevan is waiting for you in the White Sword Tower."
Golden hair and black hair intertwined… black hair… For some reason, Ser Jaime suddenly thought of Greene's riddle.
He nodded and said, "Thank you, Cate Black."
After closing the door, Queen Cersei's voice came through: "Jaime, what is it?"
Black hair… Ser Jaime shrugged and said, "Uncle Kevan is looking for me."
At this moment, Queen Cersei was already seated in a large wooden chair, barefoot, one hand propped against her cheek, the other holding a wine glass, her posture alluring.
"Kevan?"
Ser Jaime spread his hands: "He's already waiting for me, I have to go now."
After speaking, he even sighed regretfully.
Queen Cersei looked Jaime up and down, then hooked her lips and said, "Kingsguard, don't neglect your night watch duties."
"As you command, my Queen."
The White Sword Tower was very narrow, leaning against the Red Keep's wall, overlooking the bay. It had four levels: the ground floor was the Kingsguard's meeting room, the second and third floors were the living quarters for the six Kingsguard brothers, and the top floor was exclusively for the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.
Ser Jaime had lived on the second floor for eighteen years, until the day before yesterday, when he moved his belongings to the top floor.
The Kingsguard's meeting room was a circular chamber. White wool tapestries covered the walls, and above the fireplace hung a white shield and two crossed white swords.
The meeting table in the room was made of ancient Weirwood, ashen white like bone, carved in the shape of three steeds supporting a giant shield. By tradition, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard sat behind the shield, and the six Kingsguard brothers sat on either side of the three steeds.
Standing at the doorway, Ser Jaime saw his Uncle Kevan standing by the table, looking down at the open the white book.
the white book's formal name is "The Book of Kingsguards," and it preserves the entire history of the Kingsguard. Every knight who joins the Kingsguard has a page in the book, used to record their name, surname, and deeds.
the white book was extremely large, two feet long, a foot and a half wide, and over a thousand pages thick. Golden hinges and silk threads bound the white parchment to the bleached leather cover. The upper left corner of each page bore the crest used by its owner before joining the Kingsguard, while the lower right corner always displayed the same Kingsguard emblem—a blank and pure white shield. The drawing of the crests was the responsibility of the monks of the Great Sept of Baelor, and the writing of the text was the duty of the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.
Thump, thump, thump, thump, Ser Jaime walked over.
"Uncle."
As he got closer, Ser Jaime realized that the page Ser Kevan had turned to was his own record.
Ser Kevan glanced at Jaime, then began to read, his voice deep and rhythmic: "Ser Jaime of House Lannister, eldest son of Lord Tywin Lannister of Casterly Rock and Lady Joanna. As a youth, served as a squire to Lord Sumner Crakehall, accompanying him in the extermination of the Kingswood Brotherhood.
At the age of fifteen, for his bravery in battle, he was personally knighted by Ser Arthur Dayne of the Kingsguard. In the same year, he was chosen for the Kingsguard by King Aerys II Targaryen.
When King's Landing fell, he slew King Aerys II Targaryen beneath the Iron Throne, thereby earning the epithet 'Kingslayer.' Afterward, he was pardoned by King Robert Baratheon I.
After King Robert's coronation, he had the honor of serving as an escort, accompanying Lady Cersei of House Lannister to King's Landing to marry King Robert, and won the tourney held to celebrate the wedding."
After reading Ser Jaime's brief deeds, Ser Kevan paused. He spoke as if with emotion: "From the records, Ser Barristan the Bold truly didn't like you."
Jaime first shrugged, then casually sat in an old black oak chair, smiling as he said, "He couldn't get over the Kingslayer's… feat."
Ser Kevan stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at his nephew for a moment, then said, "Jaime, perhaps… you should have voluntarily taken off your white cloak at that time."
Ser Jaime spread his hands and said, "Uncle, the Kingsguard swear lifelong fealty, until death."
Ser Kevan came before Jaime. The amiable uncle he remembered… now exuded an imposing sense of authority.
"Jaime, the one you swore lifelong fealty to was Aerys II, but he is dead."
"Robert…" Saying this, Ser Jaime stopped. This king was also dead.
"If you don't wish to speak up, we can ask King Joffrey to dismiss you from the Kingsguard, just like Ser Barristan."
Ser Jaime knitted his brows and said, "Uncle Kevan, did Father send you? I thought I had already told him…"
Ser Kevan interrupted, "I guessed it; he doesn't know I came to see you. If Lord Tywin were to act…"
After a pause, he continued, "Perhaps, he doesn't want to make things… unpleasant yet."
After a moment of silence, Ser Jaime asked, "Uncle, what did you guess?"
Ser Kevan said coldly, "A family heir, burdened with a family mission, abandoned his family and his loving father for his own selfish desires."
Ser Jaime closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said, "Uncle Kevan, I am Kingsguard, this is my mission."
Hearing his nephew's reply, Ser Kevan's chest slowly rose and fell. His face showed clear disappointment as he sighed, "I understand."
Before leaving, he reached out and firmly squeezed Ser Jaime's muscular shoulder, saying, "Protect your brother."
Tyrion? Jaime wanted to ask, but Ser Kevan ignored him.
Silence.
Ser Jaime sat alone in the white Kingsguard meeting room. He missed the youth he once was. Back then, everyone around him was like newly forged longswords, sharp and bright. How simple the world was then.
All his Kingsguard brothers were in their graves (Barristan ignored), was his life a dream?
Dusk arrived, and shadows lengthened.
Ser Jaime lit a candle and sat before the white book, picking up a quill. On his own page, below Ser Barristan's handwriting, he began to write: During the War of the Riverlands, he was defeated by Robb Stark in the Whispering Wood and subsequently held captive in Riverrun. Later, with the help of Tyrion Lannister and Ser Adam Marbrand, he escaped Riverrun. On his return journey, he was again surrounded by the pursuing Robb Stark, rescued by Lord Greene Crabb, and finally returned safely to King's Landing under Lord Greene's protection.
After he finished writing, three-quarters of the space remained blank between the roaring lion crest in the upper left corner and the pure white emblem in the lower right corner.
The history of Jaime Lannister began with Ser Gerold Hightower (Lord Commander of Aerys II's Kingsguard), continued by Ser Barristan, and now it was his turn to take up the responsibility.
Ser Jaime threw down the quill. From this day forward, his path would be written by himself.
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