A Game of Thrones 4-Book Bundle

was Stannis, Lady Catelyn said. His . . . his shadow. I had no part in it, on my honor . . .”
    â€œYou have no honor. Draw your sword. I won’t have it said that I slew you while your hand was empty.”
    Jaime stepped between them. “Put the sword away, ser.”
    Ser Loras edged around him. “Are you a craven as well as a killer, Brienne? Is that why you ran, with his blood on your hands?
Draw your sword, woman!
”
    â€œBest hope she doesn’t.” Jaime blocked his path again. “Or it’s like to be your corpse we carry out. The wench is as strong as Gregor Clegane, though not so pretty.”
    â€œThis is no concern of yours.” Ser Loras shoved him aside.
    Jaime grabbed the boy with his good hand and yanked him around. “I am the
Lord Commander of the Kingsguard
, you arrogant pup.
Your
commander, so long as you wear that white cloak. Now
sheathe your bloody sword
, or I’ll take it from you and shove it up some place even Renly never found.”
    The boy hesitated half a heartbeat, long enough for Ser Balon Swann to say, “Do as the Lord Commander says, Loras.” Some of the gold cloaks drew their steel then, and that made some Dreadfort men do the same.
Splendid
, thought Jaime,
no sooner do I climb down off my horse than we have a bloodbath in the yard
.
    Ser Loras Tyrell slammed his sword back into its sheath.
    â€œThat wasn’t so difficult, was it?”
    â€œI want her arrested.” Ser Loras pointed. “Lady Brienne, I charge you with the murder of Lord Renly Baratheon.”
    â€œFor what it’s worth,” said Jaime, “the wench does have honor. More than I have seen from you. And it may even be she’s telling it true. I’ll grant you, she’s not what you’d call clever, but even my horse could come up with a better lie, if it was a lie she meant to tell. As you insist, however . . . Ser Balon, escort Lady Brienne to a tower cell and hold her there under guard. And find some suitable quarters for Steelshanks and his men, until such time as my father can see them.”
    â€œYes, my lord.”
    Brienne’s big blue eyes were full of hurt as Balon Swann and a dozen gold cloaks led her away.
You ought to be blowing me kisses, wench
, he wanted to tell her. Why must they misunderstand every bloody thing he did?
Aerys. It all grows from Aerys
. Jaime turned his back on the wench and strode across the yard.
    Another knight in white armor was guarding the doors of the royal sept; a tall man with a black beard, broad shoulders, and a hooked nose. When he saw Jaime he gave a sour smile and said, “And where do you think you’re going?”
    â€œInto the sept.” Jaime lifted his stump to point. “That one right there. I mean to see the queen.”
    â€œHer Grace is in mourning. And why would she be wanting to see the likes of you?”
    Because I’m her lover, and the father of her murdered son
, he wanted to say. “Who in seven hells are you?”
    â€œA knight of the Kingsguard, and you’d best learn some respect, cripple, or I’ll have that other hand and leave you to suck up your porridge of a morning.”
    â€œI am the queen’s brother, ser.”
    The white knight thought that funny. “Escaped, have you? And grown a bit as well, m’lord?”
    â€œHer
other
brother, dolt. And the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Now stand aside, or you’ll wish you had.”
    The dolt took a long look this time. “Is it . . . Ser Jaime.” He straightened. “My pardons, milord. I did not know you. I have the honor to be Ser Osmund Kettleblack.”
    Where’s the honor in that?
“I want some time alone with my sister. See that no one else enters the sept, ser. If we’re disturbed, I’ll have your bloody head.”
    â€œAye, ser. As you say.” Ser Osmund opened the door.
    Cersei was kneeling before the altar of the Mother. Joffrey’s bier had been laid out beneath the Stranger, who led the newly dead to the other world. The smell of incense hung heavy in the air, and a hundred candles burned, sending up a hundred prayers.
Joff’s like to need every one of them, too
.
    His sister looked over her shoulder. “Who?” she said, then, “Jaime?” She rose, her eyes brimming with tears. “Is it truly you?” She did not come to him, however.
She has never come to me
, he thought.
She has always