act ii . chapter xlvi

TWO HANDS
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Jaime stood tall among the other six kingsgaurds that were present in the throne room. Behind them stood Queen Rhaella, Prince Viserys, Princess Elia, and her children. They were the closest to the Throne and the King besides the Council. The remainder of the court was present, filling up only a fraction of the room when Jaime so fondly remembered it being full. Those times were over now.

"Lord Jon Connington," scratched Aerys from his looming throne. Jaime searched the crowd, careful not to meet anyone's gaze. It was not a problem anymore, but he was still careful. All the whistful stares seeemed to end after he was set back to Kings Landing from Harrenhal. The people seemed to be completely distracted with their king and the state of the realm. There was no longer any need to stare at the young knight, Jaime Lanninster.

He was thankful or the loss of attention. He was not very fond of Aerys, however. Everyday that it got worse, Jaime found himself thinking of the whereabouts of his father and of Rhaegar Targaryen. He thought of the strength of their leadership and wondered how the war would be at the moment if the two of them had been participaring. Jaime finally found Jon Connington as he emerged from the crowd and stood before King Aerys

"You, my good ser," Aerys started, "are sworn to whomever sits this chair."

Lord Connington took a knee before the Mad King. "I am, Your Grace. No matter who my liege chooses to follow."

Jaime could see it as Aerys drank in those words like a fine Dornish red. "Valor such as yours must be rewarded!" The king announced to the throne room as his stood weakly to his feet. "Lord Jon Connington of Griffen's Roost, I, King Aerys the Second of House Targaryen, name you hand of the King."

Jaime looked to Ser Barristan in confusion. Barristan's eyes were wide and searching. "Did he forget that he already had a Hand?" Jaime whispered.

Barristan turned his head to meet Jaime's eyes. The expression that this face held screamed at Jaime to hold his tongue. Jaime did just that, and stared back out to the scene. "Your Grace, it is an honor," Jon Connington said up to him, his voice never wavering. Jaime could see the fear In his eyes, however. Though Owen Merryweather was already the Hand of the King, Connington could not reject this notion. Not when it was put forth by the Mad King. Jaime silently prayed that Aerys remembered that he had a hand.

Then he regretted it. "Lord Merryweather," Aerys said, not bothering to look back at him. The portly older man, who looked like his was already dead from fear stumbled forward and scraped at Aerys's feet beside Lord Connington.

"My King," he whimpered, trying his best to sound strong.

"Lord Owen, do you know why this is happening?" Aerys asked, drawing it out.

Merryweather shook his head. "No, my king. I know nothing."

"You have betrayed me!" he growled down at his hand. Merryweather flinched closer to the ground.

"Your grace, I swear upon all the gods. I never did such a thing."

"I called for Eddard Stark and Lord Baratheon's heads!" Aerys screeched. "Where are they?"

Lord Merryweather began to cry. "I don't know, your Grace, I don't know!"

Aerys scowled and walked behind his throne, and picked something up. Jaime knew immediately what it was. Just not who. The Mad Kind walked around the throne and dropped the head down the stairs with slimy sound that Jaime wished he had not heard. The head rolled across they red tile, leaving a trail of greasy blood. It hit the knee of Lord Merrryweather, face up. It was Lord Caffren.

Lord Owen retched. Jaime did his best not to flinch. The smell of the rotting head filled the room and Jaime wanted to do the same as Lord Merryweather.

"I CALLED FOR EDDARD STARK AND ROBERT BARATHEON'S HEADS!" Aerys screamed, spittle fllying from his mouth. Then his voice was eerily quiet. "Look at him, my former Hand. Is that the right head?"

Owen did not move his head to look. He instead stared at the threatening head of Balerion the dread, for even that monster was more welcoming that the orders of Aerys the Second. "LOOK AT HIM!" Aerys screamed again.

In tears, Lord Merryweather looked down at the stinking head that was at his feet. In the forehead, a name was carved. Rhaegar's name. When Lord Owen saw those words, he began sputtering and swearing and praying to all the gods. Jaime cringed. He could not help it. He moved his focus to the new hand, trying to block out everything else.

Jon Connington looked over to the head with his friend's name carved Into it. Jaime knew the young better than many of the men in here. It was strange to hear his name in court moreso that's in a small group of friends. They called him Griff. Never Jon. The man was tall and he was strong. He wore no armor, but he did wear his sigil: two combatant griffens in red and white. His curled auburn hair reached his shoulder in tight ringlets and his face was strong and threatening. He was a skilled knight and Jaime respected the hell out of him. He was always seemed to be very close to Rhaegar Targaryen even when the prince seemed to be closer to others. It never seemed to bother Griff, however.

Jaime was never close to Rhaegar Targaryen even though had spent most of his life in court. He was always much younger than the group of boys who ran the castle. Rhaegar Targaryen was the regretful leader. He and Ser Arthur Daryne were inseparable. Rhaegar was a knight at sixteen, so his squires, at first were his age. Myles Mooton was his first, and even after he was knighted he ran with the group of boys.

Thought Jaime was younger, he respected the prince. Even after all that had happened, Jaime could not shake that respect.

He watched with wide eyes as Griff stood to his feet with fire in his eyes. "My king," he addressed. "I can see it as well," he lied. "This man has obviously betrayed you. Robert Baratheon and Eddard Stark must die before they kill alll of us. But first, we shall deal with this traitor who cowers before you. What does my king suggest?"

Jaime was surprised. He knew that Griff did not agree with the king. He was not cruel. But he supposed that he was a good politician. If he was not going to die, he had to appeal to King Aerys.

"He should die!" Aerys growled. "He should burn!"

That was when Jaime could finally find horror on Griff's face. Lord Owen had done nothing to Aerys. The only terrible thing he had ever done was Aerys's bidding. Those actions were forced down his throat and he had no choice of it.This man did not deserve to die and Griff knew it. He almost faultered in his voice, but he found he way along his words quickly.

"Your Grace, that would be giving him what he wants!" Griff told him. Aerys looked at him as if he were a halfwit. "The only reason he would have betrayed you would be if he wanted to die. He must have known that he could not escape you vast knowledge."

Aerys grimaced. He must have wanted to burn someone today. "As much as I think he must die, you are right, my Hand. You are right. Exile." Aerys said. Jon grimaced. Exile was harsh and often worse than death itself. The land across the Narrow Sea was no easy place to live. Especially when one has a family thousands of miles away. He turned to Owen. "No to the wall, no. You may never show your face on this continent as long as you may live. Your lands are mine, your titles are mine. Get him out of my sight." He waved off the court and Barristan grabbed Jaime's arm, pulling him out of the line of six to drag Lord Owen away. The two of them pulled him to his feet and each took an arm, leading him out of the throne room. Griff followed them. It took minutes to get out of the throne room and out of sight. When there knew Aerys could not see or know, Owen dropped to his feet before Griff and thanked him fo his life.

Griff frowned. "I did not mean to have you exiled either." Owen waved it off and continued to thank him.

The two kingsguards handed Owen off to the castle men. "Put him on a ship to Myr," Barristan ordered them. The nodded their heads and took the former hand away. Griff turned to Jaime and Barristan with fear and anger in his eyes. "How can I keep this up?" He asked them, his voice fearful and frantic.

Barristan put his hands on Griff's shoulders. "If you can control the king like that, you cannot leave the city."

He shook his head. "I am leaving. I am leaving at the break of dawn. I am going to kill Robert Baratheon. Rhaegar will be here soon and will take care of his father, Everything will be fine."

Barristan squinted at him. "You cannot leave. Not now."

"I have got to go back in there. I am going to present the idea to the king, then I am going to gather a force. Robert Baratheon will die, if it is the very last thing I ever do. He will not cut of the head of one of the last loyal to the crown and threaten the prince the way he did. It is barbaric."

"Griff," Jaime began taking a step towrds him and taking his arm In his hand. "Think it through."

Griff wrenched his arm away and turned around with a threatening expression. He pointed at Jaime. "No matter how many titles are put by your name, you are still six-and-ten. You are a green boy held hostage to something you do not know. Do not stand to correct me." Jaime took a step back, surprised and confused by Grifff's reaction. He was acting strange about all this.

The new Hand of the king walked back into the throne room. Jaime and Barristan shared a look and followed him.

As they made their way back down, Aerys started on the next order of business. "Elia Martell," he rasped, ordering the new mother before him. Jaime watched she gave the new baby, Aegon, to Ynys Yronwood and stood to her feet painfully and slowly. She wore a strong expression and walked out to kneel before King Aerys.

"You arrived in the week. Where is my son and where were you?"

"I was on Dragonstone my Lord. I gave life to your grandson there. Aegon the sixth. Rhaegar was there with me. When it was time to return home, he told me that he had important matters to see to in Dorne. I know not his business, nor where he went."

"Do you know the whereabouts of Lyanna Lyanna stark?"

"No, my king," she told him, her voice never wavering. Jaime was scared that he would harm Elia. Even Jaime would take her words as suspicious. There was no knowing what was going through Aersy's head. The fact that Aegon held the look of a Targaryen did wonders for her case in Aerys's eyes.

"Very well," he said. " Return to your children."

After that, the court dismissed, many thankful that there were no deaths today. Next, a council was called. Jaime and Lewyn Martell stood out side the door, listening in while they protected their king. At one point he heard Aerys scream that he will never ask for Tywin Lannister's help. He heard that the Tyrells had, in fact responded with help. They were gathering their armies, one under Randyll Tarly and the other under Mace Tyrell.

Lewyn seemed to grow nervous when they called upon Doran Martell. Jaime knew why he was nervous. The Martells would not fight for the Targaryens when their Princess was so sorely disrespected by a Targaryen Prince.

Instead, Griff rounded up the entirety of the fighting men of the Crownlands. Before Jaime could say "stop" (as if he could), the army was already in the vast courtyard of the Red Keep and everyone was armored up to leave, Jon Connington at the forefront, Aerys smiling from the battlements.

Jaime grimaced as he looked back at the Queen and princess who were both projecting themselves as mighty. This really was war.

A/N: I am soooo busy guys I am so sorry! Do you like the chapter name? It's a pun...