Chapter 33: The Trials of Casterly Rock

Cersei Lannister had been locked in her cell for days before the door opened and the man she had expected filled the entrance. She looked up at him in disgust, noticing the bright yellow leather gambeson with the black Baratheon stag emblazoned on it. He was also wearing black steel plate covering his shoulders and neck. It was not the full body armour that he wore into battle, however.

"Are you expecting a battle in the prison cells?" She asked him mockingly.

Robert just stared at her, judgingly. "You look like shit." He said bluntly.

Cersei scoffed. "You shoved me in here. Your Queen."

"No longer." Robert was quick to counter. "Your treason was grounds enough to have the entire marriage annulled. Even if the bastards were my own, which they are not, no brood of yours will ever sit the Iron Throne."

Cersei scowled. "Of course they aren't yours. Do you really think I would ever bring myself to carry any of yours to term?" She shook her head with a bitter laugh. "Never again I vowed."

Robert sighed, knowing what she meant. "The first babe."

"Damon." She spat, tears in her eyes. "His name was Damon." She laughed, getting to her feet from the rough bed that was in her cell. "It's funny, even after that I still felt something for you. But you preferred your wine and your whores, shaming me at every chance you got. Once I'd recovered and you forced your way back into my bed stinking of wine I swore to myself that my son would be a Lannister in every way."

"So you fucked your brother." Robert said in a low, angry tone.

"I fucked my brother." Cersei admitted it, there was no reason to deny it now. "He's thrice the man you'll ever be. We are one, Jaime and I. We were born together, and we shall die together too."

Robert's lips twitched for a moment, but they settled in the angry glare quickly. "Your Father will be judged first." He told her. "Then your brother, and then you. You'd do well to scrub up well." He sniffed before grimacing. "You smell like sheep shit."

"And then I suppose I'll be killed, like you killed my son." Cersei narrowed her eyes at him in pure rage.

"I didn't kill your bastard." Robert said calmly. "You should have kept him on a better leash, it seems he pissed off the wrong Stark."

"Of course, it's always a Stark." She laughed bitterly again. "First you whisper a dead girls name into my ear while inside me, and then you go running to them when things go wrong…"

"Go wrong?" Robert asked, his voice raising. "You cuckolded me, woman. I was your King and Husband and you committed treason against me, plotted behind my back."

"And now you've got a younger woman to disappoint." Cersei shrugged. "I pity the girl, having your fat body writhing on top of her."

Robert raised his hand again in outrage, ready to slap his former wife as hard as he could. He stopped himself at the apex of his swing however and lowered his hand. "You want to portray me as a monster." He began. "You want me to hit you so that you can show the world what an evil man I am, assaulting an imprisoned woman. Well no more, Cersei. You do not have that power over me any longer." He stared into her green eyes. "I am sorry for all the things that caused you to detest me so, I was a poor husband to you and a poorer King."

"Don't you dare do that." Cersei spat venomously. "You don't claim the moral high ground here, not after all you've done!"

Robert sighed. "I've done many a bad deed it's true, but my only treason was to protect my own life and my families." He paused, remembering Jon Arryn telling both him and Ned about the Mad King's declaration. "Yours was done out of spite and you've made a mockery of the crown." He turned and began to walk out of the cell, before he turned around in the doorway. "Your death will be extremely painful, make peace with that." And with that he walked away, hearing the cell door slam behind him as he went.

In a separate, more comfortable cell, Tywin Lannister sat at a desk wondering just exactly how it had gone wrong. The loyalist army had somehow come from within Casterly Rock and the fact that the old Lord didn't know how they had gotten into the great castle truly grated on him. His legacy was in pieces, he was the first Lannister to lose the Rock in its entire history, and the realisation of that angered him.

His door was unlocked, and Tywin turned around to see the tiny form of his son. "You survived." He said unhappily.

Tyrion nodded as the door closed behind him. "I did."

"How?" Tywin wondered.

Tyrion shrugged. "If it were just me I'm sure my head would have been flung over the walls of the Rock, but luckily I had the children with me."

"So they took mercy on you." Tywin snarled. "You surrendered to the enemy."

Tyrion laughed. "The enemy? We were fighting a losing battle right from the start!"

"We were betrayed." Tywin corrected the little Lannister. "Casterly Rock could have withstood a siege for decades, and in that time Kevan would have taken King's Landing. This war was winnable."

Tyrion shook his head. "No, Father." He handed the man a letter. "Kevan is dead. They executed him after Renly Baratheon brought a host down on him. He was caught between Stannis and Renly and the Golden Company began to flee."

Tywin's teeth clenched together in anger. "Sellswords." He snarled again.

"You lost." Tyrion added. "Accept that. Take the Black and you may still live."

Tywin stared at Tyrion as if he was an idiot. "You really think I'll serve at the edge of the world?"

"No." Tyrion shrugged. "But I thought I'd give you the option."

The cogs turned in Tywin's head. "You betrayed us. You gave them a route into the castle."

Tyrion nodded. "I did it to save Myrcella and Tommen. I did it to save Jaime's life."

"Jaime would rather die than serve at the Wall." Tywin boasted.

Tyrion shook his head. "He's agreed to it, Father. I spoke with him before you."

Tywin opened his mouth a couple of times, not knowing what he was going to say. "My children." He finally said, leaning back in his chair, defeated. "The whore, the fool and the traitor."

"So you admit it's true?" Tyrion asked quickly, ignoring the jibe at him. "About Jaime and Cersei?"

"Of course it's true." Tywin said bitterly. "I knew enough of Joffrey to know the signs, he was Aerys come again. And Joanna…" He trailed off as the memory of her returned for the first time in a long time. "Before she died, she warned me about them. I thought they were the delusions of a dying woman at the time."

"Then why fight?" Tyrion asked. "Why risk us all? Devan is dead. Stafford is dead. Myrielle was raped!" He was shouting by the end.

"I wasn't about to meekly surrender as my legacy crumbled around me." Tywin bit back. "You wouldn't understand, you're too soft."

"I'm soft?" Tyrion laughed, his eyes watering. "I was given the choice of death or betraying my family."

"And you should have died." Tywin spat. "It's my own fault I suppose, I wanted to drown you at birth, but I stopped myself."

Tyrion felt a tear drop down his cheek as the words sunk in. He closed his mouth tightly and nodded. "Very well." He said sternly. "I shall not see you again. I hope the ghosts of your past haunt you for eternity." And with that the dwarf turned on his heels and stormed out of the room, leaving Tywin to sink further into his seat as Joanna's face came into his mind once more.

The Butcher of the Rock. That is what they were all calling Torrhen. He had slept for the longest time after the battle was over, but the first time he awoke and walked about the Lannister stronghold he had heard the whispers. He had gotten on with it, ignoring the comments when he could, but he knew that it was a moniker that was going to stick.

He thought back to the list of the dead that had been compiled after the battle, the most notable for him and the North being Roger Ryswell, the heir to the Rills. Also dead on their side was a Ryger and one of the Vance's of Atranta, although he didn't know either of them personally.

The day of the trials had come, although Torrhen laughed at that. These were no trials, merely sentencing that made the King sound a lot more just. He groaned as he got out of bed, putting on his black Stark armour as usual and tying Winter's Bite to his waist before he left his temporary chambers to go to the main Lannister hall. As he arrived, he saw Robert standing by the old Lannister Throne talking to Ser Barristan Selmy, as well as his Father. He made his way over to Ned and sat down beside him.

"After today is done, we shall go home." Ned whispered to Torrhen.

"And stay there for a long time, I hope." Torrhen whispered back. He missed Mira, he hadn't heard from her since he left Moat Cailin all those months ago and he just wanted to hold her, he didn't want to be sat in the Lannister castle watching as these farces went on.

His mind was brought back into the room when the doors opened, and in came Tywin Lannister in chains. The sight was an odd one for Torrhen, the great Lord of the Reyne/Tarbeck rebellion being dragged into his own castle. Tywin was placed before the Throne, and Robert, now sat in the chair, leaned forwards.

"Tywin Lannister." The King's voice boomed. "You are here to answer for your crimes of treason. For failing to adhere to the commands of your King and rising up in open rebellion."

"What I did." Tywin said strongly. "Was nothing less than Jon Arryn did all those years ago. I was protecting the life of my own children."

Robert's eyes narrowed in anger. "Jon knew that the charges were unjust. In your case, the charges were in line with the law."

"Lies." Tywin spat. Torrhen groaned as he realised the man was still blind to the truth. "A lie fabricated by Lord Stannis Baratheon to grant himself more power."

Robert actually laughed aloud. "Stannis wanting power?" He laughed again. "There's more chance of your daughter being a maid than that." He chuckled again, before the King's face grew dark again. "No, these aren't lies. Your children lay with one another in the bed of King's and passed three bastards off as my own. Ned!" He called.

Ned stood up from beside Torrhen and cleared his throat. "Lord Arryn and Lord Stannis shared their concerns with me and provided the evidence." Ned told the room. "The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms show that every Baratheon and Lannister union has only ever produced Baratheon looking babes."

"All my bastards have my look. Every one of them." Robert admitted. "All Cersei's do not."

"Circumstance." Tywin protested. "Lord Stark, do all your children look like you?"

Ned shook his head. "But no Stark has had children with a Baratheon, we do not know the predominant House."

"And every Baratheon child has had the look." Robert countered. "Oh, and your daughter admitted her crimes to my face."

Murmurs swept across the hall as that news registered with Tywin. "She lied to me as well then, Your Grace." He said through clenched teeth.

Robert nodded. "You still rose up in rebellion and lost. I am not as patient as I once was, Lord Tywin, you have two options. Take the Black and serve the Night's Watch until your last day, or you can lose your head."

Gasps were heard throughout the room from those that didn't already know what was to happen. Torrhen stared at the old man intently, wondering what he was going to say. Tywin looked up and stared at the King intently. "I am an old man now, Your Grace, the cold would do me no good. Kill me if you must but remember who it was that won you your crown in the first place. Remember who it was that funded your frivolities."

Robert nodded, his face growing red with rage. He stood up, and all minor murmuring halted as the room fell silent. "Then I, Robert of the House Baratheon. First of my name. King of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men. Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm do sentence you to die. Take him away."

Torrhen let out a relieved breath as the sentence was announced. He watched on as Ser Arys and Ser Perwyn led the Lannister out of the room, leaning back in his chair as he waited for the next trial to occur.

Next to be brought in was the Kingslayer himself, Jaime Lannister. Torrhen was more attentive here, as whilst he knew the King had promised to spare the knight, Robert was temperamental at the best of times. The Kingslayer looked miserable, his head was firmly looking downwards at his feet and his shoulders were slumped. The beginning of a beard had started to form on his face too, he was a far cry from the perfect knight he portrayed himself as.

"Jaime Lannister." Robert boomed again. "You are here to answer for your crimes of treason. For cuckolding the King you were sworn to protect and obey. For incest, and for passing off your bastards as my own. For the murder of Lord Jon Arryn." Jaime stayed silent. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"I did it." Jaime croaked quietly. "It's all true."

Robert was taken aback by how easy it was. "Your brother." He gestured to the dwarf of Lannister sat in the stands. "Has pleaded for your life to be spared, although I would much rather take your head for your betrayal and be done with it."

"Your Grace…" Tyrion began to protest, but a large hand being raised by Robert silenced him.

"You have every right to take my head." Jaime admitted.

Torrhen went to stand up at that point, but Ned stopped him. "What are you doing?" Ned whispered frantically.

"Saving the future." Torrhen whispered, more harshly than he intended. He rose to his feet and the attention was soon on him.

"Lord Torrhen." Robert greeted him formally. "You have something to say?"

"I do, Your Grace." Torrhen nodded. "I would argue for the Kingslayer's life to be spared."

Odd murmurs flew from the mouths of the gathered nobles. Torrhen saw Tyrion breathe a sigh of relief, as well as Loras Tyrell look at him aghast. Robert was also confused. "You wish to spare his life? You fought against one another…"

"I did, but I wasn't fighting him alone." Torrhen told him. "Many of you know my gifts, and while you may be disbelieving, the Old Gods have truly blessed me with visions. Some of the future, and some of the past." He said, remembering his experience on the Isle of Faces before he looked directly at Jaime, the Lannister's eyes filled with confusion. "I have seen the truth of what happened at the Sack of King's Landing, years before my own birth."

"Don't…" Jaime began.

"I saw the Mad King order his hand, the pyromancer Rossart, to light the barrels of wildfire beneath the city. 'Let him be King over charred bones and cooked meat.' The Mad King said. 'Let him be the King of ashes.'."

"What are you saying?" Robert asked.

"I'm saying that without Jaime Lannister stopping this order by killing the King and all of the senior pyromancers, the likelihood is that many people sitting here today would be dead." Torrhen stated firmly. "Including my Father, who was close to entering the city at the time."

"How could you know that?" Jaime said horrified. His eyes wide in fear.

Torrhen shrugged. "The Old Gods wanted me to know."

"Is this true, Ser Jaime?" Ned asked the Kingslayer. He had briefly known the story from Torrhen, but not in as much detail.

"It doesn't excuse my crimes." Jaime said, defeatedly.

"But it might lessen the sentence." Torrhen spoke firmly. He turned to Robert. "Your Grace, without this man you may have had trueborn heirs it's true, but you also might have lost your best friend, your city, and a lot of coin rebuilding King's Landing. His later crimes are still relevant and deserve punishment, but for his heroic actions in your rebellion against the Mad King, please spare his life."

A silence was felt in the room at that moment as Robert digested the information. He gulped the once and turned to the Kingslayer. "Is it true?"

Jaime looked like he was about to shake his head, but he caught a glimpse of Tyrion pleading silently and sighed. "He ordered me to murder my own Father, before he turned to the pyromancer Rossart and said as Lord Torrhen told you. Then he wouldn't stop saying 'Burn them all.'." Jaime shook his head as he was lost in the memory, the bitterness coming out in his tone. "'Burn them in their homes, burn them in their beds. Burn them all.' I killed the Pyromancer first outside the Throne Room, and then I went back to kill the Mad King, thrusting my sword through his back as he died saying the same three words, 'Burn them all.' I cut his throat to make sure, and then I just sat there until Lord Stark found me."

Ned looked almost ashamed at his actions after that point, but he kept his silence as Robert worked out what to do. "You did us all a great service back then, but as both you and Lord Torrhen have admitted, those actions don't negate your later crimes." Robert pursed his lips as he stood. "Ser Jaime Lannister." He used the man's true title. "I hereby sentence you to a lifetime of servitude at Castle Black. You are to take the vows of the Night's Watch and live out your days guarding the realms of men from what lies beyond."

Torrhen sighed a breath of relief as he sat back in his seat, a small smile on his lips. "I hope you know what you're doing." Ned whispered again.

Torrhen nodded. "Jaime is important. For us all to live, he must too."

After Torrhen being the centre of attention in the last trial, the last thing he wanted was for everybody to be staring at him again as Cersei Lannister was dragged in. That was what happened however, as the Lannister woman spotted him almost immediately and pointed at him. "MURDERER!" She screamed. "You killed your prince!"

"QUIET!" Robert yelled as she was put into place by the Kingsguard. "You've already admitted to me that Joffrey was no prince, but the ill-born spawn of you and your brother. This is but a formality. Cersei Lannister, you are charged with the crimes of treason, cuckolding your King and birthing illegitimate heirs. You are charged with incest, laying in the bed of King's with your own brother…"

"The Targaryen's did that there for years!" Cersei cried out.

Robert's eyes narrowed dangerously at the outburst, the mere mention of that family sending him into a rage. "You are no Valyrian." Was all he said, and Torrhen had to admit he was impressed at the King's ability to stay fairly reserved. "With that admission, all that is left to do is sentence you. While your Father fought a rebellion against me he was lied to by you into thinking his cause just. You are the reason so many men died for justice, and your punishment should be as severe as possible. You will die, Cersei Lannister, by hanging, drawing and quartering. Take her away."

Torrhen felt ill at the thought, and he watched on as Cersei screamed obscenities at the King as she was being dragged away kicking and flailing her arms around. Ned quickly stood up and walked around to his royal friend leaving the younger Stark sat there, finally happy to think that the whole ordeal was over, and he could rest for a while before the main war arrived.

Once Cersei's trial was over the sun was starting to set on the horizon of the aptly named Sunset Sea, and Torrhen made his way down to the cells to go and see the Kingslayer. Once he was inside he noticed Jaime curled up in one corner, staring at the walls.

"Is it done?" Jaime asked, broken.

Torrhen nodded. "Cersei and your Father will be executed at high noon tomorrow." He told the man.

Jaime wiped a tear from his eye. "You should have let me join them." He spat bitterly.

"You are far too important, Ser." Torrhen said formally. "You dying here dooms us all."

"What if I throw myself off the Wall when I get there?" Jaime asked.

Torrhen just chuckled. "You are far too prideful for that and we both know it. You wouldn't leave Tyrion alone with the guilt, he made the Wall an option, I just persuaded the King that it was the right one."

Jaime nodded. "You did, and I've been racking my mind as to why a Stark would do such a thing."

"There are more important things than inter house rivalry." Torrhen shrugged, going to the tiny, barred window in the cell and looking outwards at the sea. "The entire realm needs to band together now, for Winter is well and truly coming for all of us."

"Winter." Jaime scoffed.

"By that, I obviously mean the White Walker's." Torrhen said quickly, and Jaime barked out a laugh that didn't reach his eyes.

"You truly are mad up in the North." The Kingslayer mocked.

Torrhen shook his head, turning to face the man and leant back on the wall crossing his leg over the other. "No, just as I saw you in the Throne Room with Aerys, I saw what was coming. White Walker's and ice spiders, wights and giants and cold, the extreme cold." Torrhen was speaking fearfully now. "Even with all of our planning, nobody will be ready."

The tone frightened Jaime more than the words did. "How can it be real?" Jaime asked.

"Time is deadly." Torrhen shrugged. "Things that should never have been forgotten get lost and history becomes legend. Legends then become myths and myths get scoffed at as fantasy. They've always been out there, you didn't really think we built a wall across the entire continent just for Wildlings, did you?"

"I didn't think about it." Jaime admitted. "But why spare me? Why go to war now if we need to unite the realms as you say?"

Torrhen sighed, using a lie this time. "I saw another vision, of a world where your treason went unknown by the King. Jon Arryn still died investigating your bastards and my Father became Hand of the King, and his execution by Joffrey spiralled out of control tearing the land apart. By the time the Long Night came, we were barely ready. I sought to stop that by cutting out the main problem early, your sister and your Father."

Jaime grimaced. "And your visions are to be believed?"

Shrugging, Torrhen said. "Some are still sceptical, but my visions got us through the Golden Tooth." A rap on the door came then. "It seems I must go. We will meet again, Jaime Lannister."

And Torrhen left the Kingslayer alone in his cell, pondering upon every word that the Stark had said.

The sun was high in the sky in the main square of Lannisport as a large crowd gathered, waiting for the executions to take place. Torrhen looked around briefly, noticing multiple heads of Lords and other Nobles that had died on the Lannister's side in battle or been executed either side of the storming of the Rock. The Clegane brothers were both up there, Gregor being executed before the battle, and Sandor falling during. Daven and Stafford Lannister were also up there, as was a number of other blonde-haired men from somewhere in the family tree.

The Lord of the Causeway had his Direwolf by his side this time in the hastily erected box for the Lords and Nobles to attend, while the smallfolk and soldiers were gathered in their thousands down below them in the square. The two Lannister's hadn't been brought out yet, but the anticipation was building as the crowd chattered to one another.

Looking down at the platform Torrhen saw the execution tools all laid out. The block where Tywin was to die was a brand new one, fitting for the infamous Lord. The gallows were to one side of the block, no trap doors or barrels to make the death a quick one, and to the other side of the platform sat a table with a small number of tools and a flaming brazier beside it. It was going to be gruesome, but Torrhen couldn't help feeling how well deserved it was.

Suddenly a drumbeat could be heard, and the crowd fell silent. A carriage pulled up and Tywin and Cersei were both dragged out, the difference in their attires staggering. Tywin was resplendent, dressed in a pure black doublet and black trousers, the only colour being a red sash that was draped from his left shoulder to his right hip. Cersei meanwhile was in typical prisoner garbs, with a dull brown tunic, and her hair was tied up roughly. It was so far away that Torrhen couldn't really hear what was being said on the platform, but he didn't really want to hear, he just wanted to see it happen.

Tywin's final rites were read out to him before his outer layers were stripped and he was left in a fine red undershirt only, and then he was placed on the block, the block being so low down that the Lannister Lord was forced to lie prone rather than kneel, a final insult to his dignity. Moments later, the drumbeat stopped, and the axeman brought down the weapon and severed the old lion's head cleanly.

"That's one pain in my arse gone." Robert grumbled from beside Ned, who were also in the box with Torrhen.

"Are you sure you want to do this for Cersei, Robert?" Ned asked. "Get it done with cleanly…"

"No, Ned." Robert said, although Torrhen could tell his resolve was being tested as a crying Cersei was placed in position and the noose was being wrapped around her neck. "I've been lenient with the Kingslayer, but this is a statement to the entire realm. Treason will be met with the ferocity that my House is famous for."

Ned grimaced. "Very well."

The drumbeat had continued after Tywin's body was removed and his head spiked within view of the gallows, and it built up to a crescendo until it stopped suddenly, and two men hoisted the rope to raise Cersei up by the neck. Her legs had been bound together and her hands bound behind her waist, so her flails were symmetrical. Torrhen could hear the sounds she was making from where he was, but his face stayed stern. He watched her flailing around unable to breathe and all the atrocities from both of his lives were flashing through his mind.

Before the lack of air made Cersei lose consciousness, she was lowered down from the gallows. The woman staggered as her legs hit the wooden floor and she dropped to her knees, coughing and spluttering for air, although her punishment wasn't close to being over. Her legs and arms were unbound, and her dress cut off exposing the former Queen's naked flesh to the crowd. Torrhen heard a mix of cries, from "Mercy!" to "Gut the whore Queen!"

"I can't watch this." Ned muttered, and he turned away and left the box. Torrhen couldn't take his eyes off if it though, all of his rage at the Lannister from before he died coming to the forefront.

"It's a shame." Torrhen heard Robert mutter. "A body like that on such a vile woman."

Torrhen held in his snort of amusement, thinking that of course King Robert would only think of that. Focusing back on the execution, Torrhen saw Cersei being picked up and clamped down to the table with metal cuffs forcing her arms and legs to be spread. She tried struggling, but quickly gave up when she couldn't free herself.

The hooded executioner grabbed a blade and plunged it into Cersei's bare stomach, opening up the body as she cried out in agony. More cries of mercy were heard from the crowd, but the executioner ignored them all, pulling out the organs one by one and placing them into the brazier, burning them before Cersei's very eyes.

At some point, although Torrhen didn't know when, the former Queen stopped struggling, her life giving out from the shock of it all. The rest of the event was more muted after her death, as the executioner finished ripping out her internal organs and brought back his axe, putting an end to the proceedings by cutting off her head before quartering her body.

"What are you going to do with the body?" Torrhen eventually asked the King.

Robert sighed. "The head will go to King's Landing and placed on Traitor's Walk. The body will be put in the four corners of Lannisport as a reminder." He nodded at that before he took one last look at the platform and turned away.

Torrhen did the same, looking once more at the platform where two of his most hated enemies had just died. He couldn't find any regret or remorse inside him, and instead Torrhen left the platform with a satisfied smirk on his face, just eager to go back home.