Loki: Game of Thrones

Chapter 57 - Losing A Lannister Head

Loki spoke the truth when he said he would know when Robb Stark had returned. As soon as he, and Talisa of Volantis had ridden back into camp, Loki materialized in the main tent. Catelyn Stark noticed him, but did not greet him. Brienne of Tarth saw him as well, and made a show of standing near him, in her armor, and looking imposing. Loki noticed and snickered. "I've fought creatures ten times your size, and defeated them. You are not frightening me," Loki told her. Brienne would have responded, if Robb Stark had not walked up with Talisa at that moment.

"Ah! Ser Loki Frostborn! It has been a while," he greeted. Loki nodded his head to the only congenial Stark in camp. Right before he handed him the communication. "What is this?" Robb asked him, before he flipped it over, and saw the Lannister seal.

"A message from Cersei Lannister to Tywin Lannister. I intercepted it, and thought you might find it interesting," Loki responded as they walked into the tent. Robb's eyebrow went up at this as he allowed his squire to remove his cloak and armor.

"You read it?" he queried. Loki shrugged.

"If I hadn't, I wouldn't have said it was important," Loki answered. Robb Stark nodded his head, opened it, and began to read. Loki's eyes watched him like a hawk, waiting for the reaction he knew was going to happen. It came soon enough. Robb's face contorted with anger, crumpled the letter up, and threw it across the floor. Talisa picked it up, and passed it to Catelyn Stark, who begrudgingly took it from her. Loki saw the exchange between them, and sighed. Is there anybody this woman doesn't like? Loki wondered to himself.

"They've been lying!" Robb growled. Catelyn finished reading it, and she dropped it. Brienne helped her to a chair, and stood by her side. "They don't have either Sansa or Arya! They've been trying to bargain to free the Kingslayer with nothing! They were going to give us nothing in return!" Loki walked around the table to stand beside Robb. Theon Greyjoy had entered along with Ser Rodrik Cassel, and he saw Loki's proximity to his friend. He frowned.

"Then what purpose does he serve?" Loki whispered in the boy's ear. Robb glanced up at him, and Loki shrugged his shoulders. "You must have heard that he killed the son of Lord Rickard Karstark trying to escape. The man is calling for his head. This letter gives you a reason to take his head, without really sanctioning a man's thirst for revenge." Robb Stark straightened up and looked at Loki with a raised eyebrow.

"How can you be so logical during a time like this?" Robb asked. Loki smirked, and turned his back on the rest of the room, putting his hands behind him.

"Because there is nothing to be gained by being illogical. You can get rid of a dangerous prisoner, appease your men, and send a message to the Lannisters without endangering your sisters," Loki said, and Robb Stark nodded. He walked around Loki, and snatched his armor back from his squire.

"Have the Kingslayer brought to the center of the camp. And bring the executioner's claymore!" Robb ordered. Theon Greyjoy and Ser Rodrik Cassel bowed, and left the tent to carry out their king's orders. Catelyn Stark looked up at Robb, and her eyes were red.

"Send them his head!" she said bitterly. Robb Stark paused in having his armor put back on, and his eyes flicked to his mother.

"Mother?" he asked, not quite believing what he was hearing.

"Send those bastards his head! I don't care if you send it to Casterly Rock, or Kings Landing! Just as long as a Lannister feels my pain!" Catelyn Stark hissed vehemently. Robb glanced in Loki's direction, and the god waved his hand.

"You can do as you like," he commented. Robb Stark nodded his head, and that was when the squire finished with the last buckle. He put his fur trimmed cloak on his shoulders, and Robb Stark walked out of the tent, with Loki on his right, and Catelyn Stark on his left. Brienne of Tarth followed her lady, but Talisa remained behind. She did not feel like witnessing an execution. The men had gathered outside the tent in a circle, leaving an open area of mud clear. Robb Stark noticed Lord Karstark, and he approached him.

Putting his hand out, he said, "Lord Rickard Karstark, my condolences for the death of your son. Today, the murderer will pay the price." Lord Karstark nodded his head, a vindictive smile plastering itself on his face. That was when Jaime Lannister was dragged up, and thrown at Robb's feet. He looked down at the Kingslayer, and his expression was murderous. "Jaime Lannister, son of Tywin Lannister, of Casterly Rock; judgment has been passed upon you." Jaime smiled and glanced at Loki.

"Judgment of your own making, or of his influence?" he posed. Theon kicked him in the ribs for questioning Robb, but the King in the North waved his hand, and he stepped back.

"He brought us a letter from your sister to your father. That letter stated that they were going to make a deal to have you released, but they had nothing to trade for you. They don't have my sisters! They were going to pretend, and then ambush us at the exchange sight," Robb answered.

"Treachery! Deceit!" Theon Greyjoy shouted, and all the Stark men agreed.

"They lost both girls not long after they executed my father. This new lie, as well as your murder of Lord Karstark's son, is enough for me to call to have your head removed," Robb told him. Jaime Lannister stopped smiling, and that was when Theon Greyjoy was given the executioner's claymore. He held it out to Robb Stark, and the king withdrew it from its sheath. Jaime Lannister sighed. His end had come. Lord Karstark and Ser Rodrik held him by his shoulders, and everyone else took a step back. Robb Stark glanced at Loki, and he nodded his head. "I, King Robb, of House Stark; sentence thee, Ser Jaime of House Lannister, to die. The charges are murder, and treason against House Stark. Any last words?" Robb asked. Jaime raised his head, and his eyes found Loki.

"I hope you can live with yourself. You've just sent an innocent man to his death," Jaime told him. Loki snickered, before he stooped down to his level.

"If every condemned man believed he was innocent, the concept of heaven and hell would be obsolete," Loki responded. That was when Robb Stark brought the claymore crashing down. Loki had taken his safety step back, and narrowly avoided getting blood all over his face and clothes. Ser Rodrik and Lord Karstark let go of Jaime Lannister's twitching body, and the angry father made a move to pick up his head. "Leave it!" Loki hissed, and the man froze. "It is to go to the Lannisters in the south. Which ones?" Loki asked, turning to Catelyn. She was still staring at Jaime's corpse, before she glanced back at him.

"Send him to Cersei Lannister. I want her to know my agony." Loki saw Theon Greyjoy take the head, and walk away to carry out his lady's bidding. Robb Stark gave the claymore to the sword master, and turned to Loki. Putting his hand on his shoulder, he led him away.

"I want you to search for my sisters. I know that you have many duties and tasks that keep you occupied, but if you could find them, and bring them safely back to us, I would be forever in your debt," Robb Stark told him. Loki looked at him, and saw the genuine concern in his eyes. Loki paused as he thought. The only person he really felt that for, was Sansa Stark. He either knew the person could handle themselves (like Daenerys) or he did not care what happened to them (Petyr Baelish). But Sansa? He always wanted her to be safe. Loki nodded his head, and smirked slightly at the young wolf.

"I'm sure I'll be able to carve some time out of my schedule to scour the land for them," he assured him. Robb Stark nodded, and slapped him on the back.

"You are a good man, Ser Loki," he told him. Loki allowed him to walk away, before he turned his back on the camp, and left the Starks to their duty of sending the Lannisters the head of Jaime.

"I'm not a good man, Robb Stark. Just a great god," Loki muttered to himself, before he vanished. His work for that day was done.