Silver Stag

A Second Lannister In Winterfell

[Winterfell - Great Hall]

As the lords and ladies of Winterfell gathered in the Great Hall for their evening meal, the sound of a horn echoed through the halls, signaling the arrival of a visitor. The atmosphere in the hall grew tense as the guests exchanged nervous glances, wondering who could be arriving unannounced at such an hour.

Then, the doors to the hall swung open and Jaime Lannister was escorted in, his golden armor gleaming in the flickering torchlight.

Daemon, seated at the head table, beside his wife, looked at Jaime with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. He had forgiven the man for his pasr deeds, but he knew that not everyone in the room felt the same way.

Daenerys, on the other hand, was seething with anger. She had heard the stories told to her by her brother Viserys, who had been killed by her former husband Khal Drogo, and she saw Jaime as a symbol of everything that was wrong with the world.

The room fell silent as all eyes turned to him, and Daenerys Targaryen rose to her feet, her anger plain on her face.

"So, you've finally deigned to grace us with your presence, Lord Lannister," she spat, her voice icy with fury. "I'm sure you have a great many apologies to offer for your part in the death of my father."

Jaime's expression remained unreadable, but he bowed his head in acknowledgement. "I do not deny my part in his death, Your Grace," he said, his voice low and measured. "But I assure you, I acted in the belief that I was doing what was best for the realm."

Daenerys snorted in derision. "What of the stories Viserys told me?" she demanded, her eyes flashing with anger. "Did you not hear them? Did you not know the pain and suffering you caused my family? When I was a child, my brother would tell me a bedtime story about the man who murdered our father. Who stabbed him in the back and cut his throat. Who sat down on the Iron Throne and watched as his blood poured onto the floor. He told me other stories as well. About all the things we would do to that man once we took back the Seven Kingdoms and had him in our grasp."

Jaime's jaw clenched, and for a moment, it seemed as though he might speak, but he remained silent, his gaze fixed on the floor.

"Well?" Daenerys pressed, her voice rising. "Do you have nothing to say for yourself?"

It was then that Jon Snow, the King in the North, spoke up, his voice calm and measured. "My Queen, perhaps we should hear what Lord Lannister has to say before we pass judgment," he said, his eyes on Daenerys. "He may have information that could be of use to us."

Daenerys' anger was palpable, but she nodded, her jaw clenched tight. "Very well," she said. "Speak, Lord Lannister. But be warned, I will not be swayed by empty words."

Jaime bowed his head in gratitude, and began to speak, his voice low and measured. The hall fell silent as all ears were turned to his words, eager to hear his explanation for his actions.

As the fire crackled in the hearth of Winterfell's Great Hall, Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, and their allies gathered around Jaime Lannister, their eyes fixed intently on his face. The once-kingmaker had just revealed the reason behind his infamous betrayal of the Mad King, Aerys II Targaryen.

"I killed him because he was going to burn the city to ashes," Jaime stated matter-of-factly, his voice devoid of emotion. "Aerys had hidden wildfire all over King's Landing, and his intentions were clear: he was going to burn every last person in the city, including the innocent. I couldn't let that happen."

Daenerys was frozen. Viserys had led her to believe that their father was a hero, but now she saw him for what he truly was: a flawed and broken man who had let his power and ambition consume him.