A Game of Thrones 4-Book Bundle

cheerfully. “It’s the Lannisters hold the city now, old Lord Tywin of the Rock. They say he shits silver.”
    â€œGold,” Jaime corrected dryly. “And Littlefinger mints the stuff from goldenrod, I vow.”
    â€œThe Imp is master of coin now,” said the captain of the gate. “Or was, till they arrested him for murdering the king.” The man looked the northmen over suspiciously. “Who are you lot?”
    â€œLord Bolton’s men, come to see the King’s Hand.”
    The captain glanced at Nage with his peace banner. “Come to bend the knee, you mean. You’re not the first. Go straight up to the castle, and see you make no trouble.” He waved them through and turned back to the wagons.
    If King’s Landing mourned its dead boy king, Jaime would never have known it. On the Street of Seeds a begging brother in threadbare robes was praying loudly for Joffrey’s soul, but the passersby paid him no more heed than they would a loose shutter banging in the wind. Elsewhere milled the usual crowds; gold cloaks in their black mail, bakers’ boys selling tarts and breads and hot pies, whores leaning out of windows with their bodices half unlaced, gutters redolent of nightsoil. They passed five men trying to drag a dead horse from the mouth of an alley, and elsewhere a juggler spinning knives through the air to delight a throng of drunken Tyrell soldiers and small children.
    Riding down familiar streets with two hundred northmen, a chainless maester, and an ugly freak of a woman at his side, Jaime found he scarcely drew a second look. He did not know whether he ought to be amused or annoyed. “They do not know me,” he said to Steelshanks as they rode through Cobbler’s Square.
    â€œYour face is changed, and your arms as well,” the northman said, “and they have a new Kingslayer now.”
    The gates to the Red Keep were open, but a dozen gold cloaks armed with pikes barred the way. They lowered their points as Steelshanks came trotting up, but Jaime recognized the white knight commanding them. “Ser Meryn.”
    Ser Meryn Trant’s droopy eyes went wide. “Ser Jaime?”
    â€œHow nice to be remembered. Move these men aside.”
    It had been a long time since anyone had leapt to obey him quite so fast. Jaime had forgotten how well he liked it.
    They found two more Kingsguard in the outer ward; two who had not worn white cloaks when Jaime last served here.
How like Cersei to name me Lord Commander and then choose my colleagues without consulting me
. “Someone has given me two new brothers, I see,” he said as he dismounted.
    â€œWe have that honor, ser.” The Knight of Flowers shone so fine and pure in his white scales and silk that Jaime felt a tattered and tawdry thing by contrast.
    Jaime turned to Meryn Trant. “Ser, you’ve been remiss in teaching our new brothers their duties.”
    â€œWhat duties?” said Meryn Trant defensively.
    â€œKeeping the king alive. How many monarchs have you lost since I left the city? Two, is it?”
    Then Ser Balon saw the stump. “
Your hand
. . .”
    Jaime made himself smile. “I fight with my left now. It makes for more of a contest. Where will I find my lord father?”
    â€œIn the solar with Lord Tyrell and Prince Oberyn.”
    Mace Tyrell and the Red Viper breaking bread together? Strange and stranger
. “Is the queen with them as well?”
    â€œNo, my lord,” Ser Balon answered. “You’ll find her in the sept, praying over King Joff—”
    â€œ
You!
”
    The last of the northmen had dismounted, Jaime saw, and now Loras Tyrell had seen Brienne.
    â€œSer Loras.” She stood stupidly, holding her bridle.
    Loras Tyrell strode toward her. “Why?” he said. “You will tell me why. He treated you kindly, gave you a rainbow cloak. Why would you kill him?”
    â€œI never did. I would have died for him.”
    â€œYou will.” Ser Loras drew his longsword.
    â€œIt was not me.”
    â€œEmmon Cuy swore it was, with his dying breath.”
    â€œHe was outside the tent, he never saw—”
    â€œThere was no one
in
the tent but you and Lady Stark. Do you claim that old woman could cut through hardened steel?”
    â€œThere was a
shadow
. I know how mad it sounds, but . . . I was helping Renly into his armor, and the candles blew out and there was blood everywhere. It