"Brother, are we really going to war with Robert and his men?"
At that moment, Tywin was holding his son's severed hand, staring expressionlessly into the distant darkness.
Their army had already reached King's Landing, but under Aerys' threats, they had been forced to retreat.
Stafford, worried, asked Tywin about his decision.
◇If they attacked King's Landing, Jaime would surely die.
◇If they attacked Robert, they would face an even stronger enemy.
"What time is it now?" Tywin did not answer his question but asked about the time instead.
"It is... the Owl Hour."
"Turn the army around at Owl Hour. Begin the assault at Wolf Hour."
Tywin had never pinned his hopes of taking King's Landing solely on Pycelle. After serving as Hand of the King for over a decade, he knew every secret passage leading into the city.
Those hidden ways were his true trump card for taking King's Landing.
......
The Owl Hour was when most people had fallen into deep sleep.
The Wolf Hour was the darkest part of the night.
Tywin's army flowed like water through the secret passages into King's Landing. The Dragon Gate, the Lion Gate, the Gate of the Gods — all were captured one after another.
When the Mad King was roused from his sleep, he made no military arrangements.
Instead, he ordered the pyromancers to ignite the wildfire hidden throughout the city, while he prepared to flee through a secret tunnel.
He also sent Rossart to kill Jaime.
Receiving the order, Rossart realized that the Targaryens' days were numbered. In the days when House Velaryon was at its peak, like the Targaryens, they too had more than one dragonrider.
Rossart had flattered Aerys and accused Rhaegar not out of loyalty, but to restore his own family's glory.
He had no wish to die alongside the Targaryens.
When he arrived at Jaime's cell, he planned to release him.
The once high-spirited, tall, handsome, and youngest member of the Kingsguard, Jaime Lannister, now curled in a corner, clutching his severed arm.
Whether he was unconscious from the pain or simply asleep, he was jolted awake when Rossart called him.
Jaime's first thought was of the pyromancers and their "wildfire conspiracy."
"Go deal with the pyromancers. I'll plead with my father to spare your family."
Though Jaime's voice was weak, it was firm and unwavering.
For the sake of his family, Rossart, who had once betrayed Rhaegar, would have no hesitation in dealing with the pyromancers.
Without a moment's doubt, Rossart agreed immediately.
"And you?"
"Give me a sword."
Jaime's eyes were bloodshot, his heart burning with hatred and rage.
Since childhood, he had dreamed of becoming a knight as legendary as the Sword of the Morning, and the sword in his hand was everything to him.
A Lannister always pays his debts — and now, it was time to collect.
.........
After Rossart killed the last of the pyromancers, he opened the gates of the Red Keep.
As the armies of the Westerlands poured in, Jaime, sword in hand, entered the throne room.
Aerys sat atop the towering Iron Throne, muttering to himself. He wore a white nightgown, his silver hair draped over his shoulders, looking less like a king and more like a ghost.
At first, Jaime could not make out what Aerys was saying.
As he drew closer, he finally caught the words.
"Burn them all, burn them all, burn them all, burn them all..."
Watching the mad king mutter like a lunatic, the anger on Jaime's face turned to disgust.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward, prepared to ascend the Iron Throne and strike down Aerys. Even with only one arm, the Mad King to him was no more dangerous than a chicken.
"Burn them all, ha ha, yes! Burn them all, burn them all..."
Aerys' muttering continued, seemingly unaware of Jaime closing in.
It was unsettling. Jaime suddenly suspected that Aerys was possessed by something. A wave of fear mixed with his disgust, like finding a mass of ants inside one's clothing.
Soon, he stood just five steps away from the king.
He could see the king's long, twisted nails and his greasy hair.
Suddenly, Aerys noticed Jaime and shouted with excitement:
"Quick! Jaime! Burn them all! Burn them al--" *SWOOSH!*
With a sharp thrust, Jaime's sword pierced Aerys' chest, bright red blood spreading outward from the wound.
The Mad King looked up at Jaime, his dark purple eyes flashing with a moment of clarity and relief. The life drained rapidly from Aerys' face until he breathed no more.
Jaime felt a swirl of complex emotions inside, but determination soon hardened his heart.
Though he had killed the king, he had saved countless innocent lives.
Gripping Aerys by the shoulder, Jaime dragged him down from the Iron Throne, tossing his corpse aside like a piece of dried, salted meat.
.........
On Dragonstone.
The embankments struggled against the pounding waves, carving out a fragile refuge for their masters.
But whether they could withstand even greater storms in the future remained an open question.
It had been more than half a month since they fled King's Landing. With no one watching him anymore, Viserys could visit Elia and her children freely.
He, of course, harbored no inappropriate thoughts toward his sister-in-law.
Despite the widespread rumors that Rhaegar had "abducted" Lyanna, Elia still believed in her husband.
Their bond remained strong.
Whenever he visited, Viserys would borrow books.
Rhaegar had been an avid reader, and his room was filled with books — many of them about mysticism and prophecy, taking up nearly a third of the collection.
"Elia, I've noticed there are glass candles in many rooms on Dragonstone. Did my brother ever mention what they're for?"
Cradling little Aegon in her arms, Elia smiled and said:
"Rhaegar told me that during the time of the dragons, the glass candles would often burn brightly, but ever since the dragons died out, they've stayed dark for a long time.
He also said that if a Valyrian steel weapon or ornament is placed nearby, it can extinguish them."
As she spoke, Elia showed Viserys a Valyrian steel pendant Rhaegar had given her. It was about the size of a palm and shaped like a three-headed dragon.
"So both the glass candles and Valyrian steel have something to do with magic?"
"Magic?"
"Nothing."
From what Elia said, Viserys concluded that the glass candles were influenced by magical forces.
After all, dragons themselves were magical creatures.
Perhaps he could think of the glass candles as "magic detectors." As for Valyrian steel... beyond knowing that it made superb weapons, Viserys understood little.
As the two chatted idly, a sudden knock came at the door.
Ser Willem entered.
He first bowed respectfully to both Elia and Viserys, then spoke:
"Your Highness, the Queen requests your presence."
Viserys paused for a moment and asked:
"Has King's Landing fallen?"
Willem looked slightly startled. He hadn't expected the young prince to be so perceptive and calm.
"Yes. Tywin has sacked the city."
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