Wish You The Best / Jaime Lannister / Tywin Lannister

20. Escape

"Fucker tried to escape."

Arthur looked at his father as Jaime was being led in chains by a mounted soldier, back into camp. The other soldiers assaulted him verbally. They jostled at one another in an attempt to make the assault physical, but his captors kept the other men away.

" Kingslayer!"

" Kill the fucking Kingslayer!"

" Hang him!" That was a popular statement. " Hang him!"

" You'll die today."

" Justice for the Karstark."

Arthur heard shouts and curses of what happened. His father killed a man or two trying to escape. That was the price of war. He didnt blame his father he knew this wouldnt be easy.

They proceed further into the camp, but the angry soldiers eventually overpower jaimes protectors. One man clubbed him over the head and jaime collapsed to the ground. Arthur tensed but tried not to show too much emotion he didnt want to be thrown in a crate beside jaime. He would never see his mother and brother again. This was foolish yet he was so close. The crowd gathered around to further abuse him. Jaime groaned out in pain, it was official, he was sick of these people.

" Get back! I want his head! Any man who stands between a father and his vengeance asks for death." Rickard Karstark declared.

"Lord Karstark, this man is our prisoner." Catelyn corrected.

" This monster killed my son." He corrected.

"And crippled mine. He will answer for his crimes, I promise you, but not here."

"Fucker is going to die tonight. Sorry boy you wont be the one to deliver that blow to his ego." One of the men arthur traveled with informed him.

"Wouldnt it be better to trade him for lady catelyns daughters?" Arthur offered hopefully.

"Fucker isnt lasting the night."

" I will have his head. And if you try and stop me-" Rickard seethed.

" You will strike me down? Have you forgotten me, ser? I am the widow of your liege, Lord Eddard Stark. I am the mother of your king!" Catelyn demanded.

" And where is our king now?"

" You know very well." Catelyn answered.

" He has gone to the Crag to accept the surrender. Aye, gone to the Crag, but not to negotiate. He brought that foreign bitch with him." Rickard shouted.

" How dare you!" Catelyn demanded and brienne pulled at her sword as she stepped forward.

" Threatening my lady is an act of treason."

" Treason? How can it be treason to kill Lannisters?"

" I understand your grief, my lord, better than most, I understand it. But in the name of my son, the King in the North, stand down." Catelyn begged.

"When your son returns, I will demand this murderer's head." Rickard shouted.

" Wise men do not make demands of kings." Catelyn countered.

" Fathers who love their sons do. I will have his head."

"You forget, im a father too," jaime countered from the ground. "And there is nothing i wouldnt do to get back to them."

"Im gonna-"

"No." Catelyn demanded standing between them.

" Thank you for fighting on my behalf, Lady Stark. I would have come to your defense, but-" Jaime began but Catelyn shouted over him

" Take him to the stockades. Bind him with every chain you can find!"

" You've become a real she-wolf in your later years. There's not much fish left in you." Jaime decided.

"And gag him!"

"Let me help you with that- geeze you reek."

"Arthur." Jaime breathed back. "What are you- how are you-"

"Im probably grounded forever. Put in a good word with mum will you?"

"Arthur you brave idiot i have never loved you more." Jaime decided.

"Mums a mess. Grandfather too. You are not allowed to die." Arthur told him.

"And you missed me?"

"I missed you." Arthur agreed as he heard whispers outside jaimes cage.

"Then why wait?"

" We're sworn to the king."

"There's not a king."

""That's treason."

"Ao is saving Lannisters, yeah?"

"Your son returns at dawn, my lady?""

" So they say." Catelyn agreed.

" The Kingslayer won't last the night. The more they drink, the angrier they'll get. And when the Karstarks draw their swords Who wants to die defending a Lannister?" Brienne warned.

" Come."

"Gag me." Jaime whispered

"What?"

"Someone is coming. Gag me." Jaime instructed "and hide. I wont have you captured as well."

" I need to be alone with him." Catelyn decided when she got to jaimes makeshift cell.

" My lady, our orders-"

" Your orders, which I just gave you, are to leave me alone with him." Catelyn corrected.