Game Of Thrones... With A Twist

A Game of Thrones - Chapter 5

Ned was silent as he looked at the armor of the Kingslayer before he spoke, "Very handsome armor. Not a scratch on it." Ned commented.

"Oh... people have been swinging at me for years, but they always seem to miss." Jaime boasted with all the bravado he had in a quiet-ish tone. "You've chosen your opponents wisely then." Ned said, his face cold as he insulted the Kingslayer with a compliment, something the Kingslayer caught if the loss of his smile was anything to go by.

"I have a knack for it." The Kingsguard knight said as his smile faded somewhat.

There was a tense silence before Jaime decided to speak, "Must be strange for you, coming into this room. I was standing, right here when it happened. He was very brave, your brother. And your father too. They didn't deserve to die like that. Nobody deserves to die like that." Jaime said somewhat sympathetically, recalling one of the horrors that he had been forced to witness under the Mad King Aerys.

"But you just stood there and watched." Ned growled quietly, some wounds never having had the chance to heal... especially when it was the Lannister before him that had stolen his vengeance.

"500 men just stood there and watched. All the great knights of the Seven Kingdoms. If you think anyone said a word, lifted a finger... no Lord Stark. 500 men and this room silent as a crypt. Except for the screams of course. And the Mad King laughing. And later, as I watched the Mad King die, I remembered him laughing as your father burned. It felt like justice." The oldest son of Tywin Lannister said calmly and confidently.

Ned only regarded Jaime a bit bemusedly before he spoke, "Is that what you tell yourself at night? You're a servant of justice? That you were avenging my father when you shoved a sword in Aerys Targaryen's back?" Ned asked with some disgust and loathing in his voice as he looked at the man before him, Jaime's face hardening with every word Ned spoke.

"Tell me, if I stabbed the Mad King in the belly instead of the back, would you admire me more?" Jaime asked Ned, wondering what was it that he did so wrong whenever it came to how he gained the title 'Kingslayer'.

"You served him well... when serving was safe." Ned said in a chilling tone before he walked pass the Kingslayer, not even giving the silently shocked man another glance, even as Jaime turned to glare at the receding back of Ned Stark as the man left to the Small Council chambers, where his first official duty as Hand of the King was about to take place.

<Small Council chambers, The Red Keep, King's Landing, The Crownlands...>

Ned entered the Small Council chambers, still dressed in the clothes he had worn when he arrived and was greeted by a tinkling voice. 

"Lord Stark." A balding and somewhat pudgy man (eunuch) dressed in robes said, holding out his hand.

"Lord Varys." Ned greeted as he took the eunuch's hand and shook it. 

"I was grievously sorry to hear about your troubles on the Kingsroad. We are all praying for Prince Joffrey's full recover." Varys with a trademark simpering smile of his. 

"Shame you didn't say your prayers for the near death of the poor butcher's son." Ned remarked as he walked past the Master of Whispers, the Spider losing his smile.

With a small smile of his own, Lord Stark called, "Renly! You're looking well!" He said as he hugged Robert's youngest brother, the current Master of Laws, who hugged the stern Lord Stark and his brother's best friend in return. 

"And you look tired from the road." Renly quipped, the youngest Baratheon well-known for his charismatic and charming behavior. "I told them that this meeting could wait another day but-"