The Red Keep hummed with barely contained chaos in the days following Robert Baratheon''s arrival. Servants scurried through halls still bearing the scars of recent battle, while lords and ladies jockeyed for position in the new regime. Amidst it all, Jaime Lannister moved like a golden ghost, confined to the keep by Robert''s order but refusing to hide away in shame.


    It was in the gardens, a rare moment of solitude, that Jaime found himself confronted by the one person he both longed for and dreaded to face: Cersei.


    His twin''s emerald eyes, so like his own, burned with a mixture of fury, fear, and something deeper, more primal. "You magnificent fool," she hissed, her voice low but thrumming with intensity. "Do you have any idea what you''ve done?"


    Jaime met her gaze unflinchingly. "I saved the city. I saved you."


    Cersei''s laugh was as sharp as Valyrian steel. "Saved me? You''ve put us all at risk. Our secret, Jaime. What if they had executed you? What if they still do?"


    "They won''t," Jaime said, a hint of his trademark arrogance creeping into his voice. "They can''t. I''m the hero of King''s Landing now, whether they like it or not."


    For a moment, something flickered in Cersei''s eyes – a hint of the pride she felt in her twin''s audacity. But it was quickly replaced by cold fury. "Hero? You''re the Kingslayer now. Do you think that makes you untouchable? It makes you a target."


    Jaime felt a familiar ache in his chest. He reached out to touch Cersei''s cheek, but she jerked away. "Cersei, please. Try to understand. I couldn''t let it happen. Not even for us."


    "Us?" Cersei''s voice dripped with venom. "There is no ''us'' anymore, Jaime. You made sure of that when you decided to play the hero. Do you think Robert will let his queen consort with the Kingslayer?"


    The title hit Jaime like a physical blow. "Is that all I am to you now? The Kingslayer?"


    Cersei''s face softened for a moment, and Jaime saw a glimmer of the love they had shared since childhood. But then her mask slipped back into place, tinged with a mixture of desire and disgust. "You''re my brother. My twin. My other half. But you''re also a liability now. And I won''t let your recklessness destroy everything we''ve worked for."


    With that, she turned to leave, but paused, glancing back over her shoulder. "You should have let the city burn," she whispered, her voice a mixture of regret and admiration. "It would have been glorious."


    With that, she turned and swept away, leaving Jaime alone with the scent of roses and the bitter taste of rejection.


    As he watched her go, a new voice piped up from behind a nearby hedge. "Well, that was suitably dramatic. I do so love our family reunions."


    Tyrion waddled into view, a goblet of wine in hand and a sardonic smile on his mismatched face. Jaime couldn''t help but feel a surge of affection for his little brother, even as he braced himself for more recriminations.


    "Come to heap more shame on the Kingslayer?" Jaime asked, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice.


    Tyrion took a long sip of his wine before responding. "On the contrary, dear brother. I''ve come to offer my congratulations."


    Jaime blinked in surprise. "Congratulations?"


    "Indeed," Tyrion said, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "You''ve managed to scandalize the entire kingdom, enrage our sweet sister, and give Father the largest headache he''s had since I was born. It''s quite an accomplishment."


    Despite himself, Jaime felt a chuckle bubble up in his chest. "When you put it that way, it does sound rather impressive."Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Tyrion raised his goblet in a mock toast. "To Jaime Lannister, savior of King''s Landing and bane of everyone''s existence!"


    As Jaime laughed, he felt some of the tension leave his body. Leave it to Tyrion to find humor in even the darkest situations.


    But his brother''s face grew serious as he set down his wine. "In all honesty, Jaime, what you did... it was brave. Foolish, perhaps, but brave."


    Jaime sighed, running a hand through his golden hair. "Brave or not, it''s done. Now I have to live with the consequences."


    Tyrion nodded sagely. "Ah yes, the consequences. I hear Robert and Ned Stark have been quite busy investigating your claims about the wildfire."


    Jaime''s head snapped up. "Have they found anything?"


    "Oh yes," Tyrion said, a grim smile playing at his lips. "They''ve uncovered caches all over the city. The pyromancers are singing like canaries, confirming everything you said about Aerys'' plans."


    A wave of relief washed over Jaime, quickly followed by a surge of anger. "Then why am I still confined to the keep? Why do people still look at me like I''m a monster?"


    Tyrion''s mismatched eyes were full of sympathy. "Because, dear brother, the truth is often less important than the story people want to believe. You broke your oath. You killed the king. For many, that''s all that matters."


    Jaime slumped onto a nearby bench, suddenly feeling the weight of his actions more keenly than ever. "So what do I do now? How do I... how do I live with this?"


    Tyrion hopped up beside him, patting his arm awkwardly. "You do what Lannisters have always done. You adapt. You endure. And you never forget what you are."


    "And what am I?" Jaime asked, his voice barely above a whisper.


    "You''re the Kingslayer," Tyrion said bluntly. "But you''re also the man who saved King''s Landing. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you."


    As Jaime pondered his brother''s words, a commotion near the entrance to the gardens caught their attention. Robert Baratheon strode into view, his massive frame dominating the space. Behind him came Ned Stark, his face as solemn as ever, and to Jaime''s surprise, his father, Tywin Lannister.


    Jaime stood, squaring his shoulders and adopting the mask of arrogance he wore so well. "Your Grace," he said, his voice dripping with false deference. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"


    Robert''s face was a storm of conflicting emotions. "We''ve confirmed your story about the wildfire. Seven hells, there was enough of the stuff to turn the whole city into a pyre."


    Ned Stark stepped forward, his grey eyes cold. "It doesn''t change the fact that you broke your sworn oath, Ser Jaime. Such an act cannot go unpunished."


    Jaime felt his temper flare. "Punished? For saving half a million lives? Tell me, Lord Stark, in your infinite wisdom, what would you have done?"


    Before Ned could respond, Tywin''s voice cut through the tension like a Valyrian steel blade. "Enough. What''s done is done. The question now is how we move forward."


    All eyes turned to the Lord of Casterly Rock. Tywin''s face was impassive, but Jaime could see the calculations running behind those cold eyes.


    Robert ran a hand through his beard, clearly uncomfortable. "Aye, that''s the crux of it. We can''t ignore what he did, but we can''t exactly punish him for saving the city either."


    "A compromise, then," Tywin suggested smoothly. "Ser Jaime remains in the Kingsguard, but he is publicly censured for breaking his oath. A punishment that acknowledges his transgression while recognizing the... extenuating circumstances."


    Jaime felt a mixture of relief and resentment wash over him. It was better than he had hoped for, but the public censure would still sting.


    Robert looked to Ned, who nodded reluctantly. "It seems... fair," the Northerner admitted grudgingly.


    "Very well," Robert declared. "Ser Jaime Lannister, you are hereby publicly censured for breaking your sworn oath as a member of the Kingsguard. However, in light of the circumstances and your actions in saving King''s Landing, you will retain your white cloak and continue to serve as a sworn brother of the order. Let it be known that your actions, while in violation of your oath, saved King''s Landing from destruction."


    As the proclamation echoed through the garden, Jaime felt a strange sense of both victory and defeat. He had kept his cloak, but at what cost?


    Tywin approached his son, his voice low. "You''ve made your bed, Jaime. Now you must lie in it. But remember, you are still a Lannister. Act like one."


    With that, the Lord of Casterly Rock turned and strode away, leaving Jaime to face the mix of curiosity, fear, and resentment in the eyes of those around him.


    As the group dispersed, Tyrion sidled up to his brother once more. "Well, that went better than expected. Shall we celebrate your public shaming with more wine?"


    Jaime couldn''t help but laugh, even as he felt the weight of his new reality settling around him. "Why not? It seems I have a new title to drink to."


    As they made their way back into the keep, Jaime caught sight of Cersei watching from a balcony above. Her face was a mask of cold beauty, but he could see the calculations running behind her eyes. Whatever happened next, he knew their relationship would never be the same.


    The Kingslayer. The title rang in his ears with each step. It was a burden he would bear for the rest of his life. But as he walked beside his brother, Jaime made a silent vow. He would wear it like armor, just as Tyrion had suggested. He would make it his strength, not his weakness.