Game of Thrones: The Road to Pirate King

Chapter 175 The Kingsguard—Jaime Lannister

The final match of the morning began under the watchful eyes of countless people.

The two sides facing off are Jaime Lannister, who is only fifteen years old but has already made a name for himself in the Seven Kingdoms, and his opponent, Erin Ambrose.

The match proceeded without any suspense. In the third round, James cleanly and decisively knocked his opponent off his horse with a precise and fierce thrust. His extraordinary martial arts skills and dazzling style drew a chorus of praise from the stands.

Just as everyone was still cheering for the victory, King Iris II suddenly stood up from his throne.

He completely disregarded the proper competition procedure, cheering loudly in a sharp and excited voice, and directly summoned Jaime Lannister to come forward and obey his orders.

As the young, blond knight approached the stands and bowed gracefully, Iris announced in a voice loud enough to be heard throughout the arena: "The position of Kingsguard is now vacant, as the former Ser Harlan Grandson committed a grave crime by smuggling wildfire to Greenwood Island and perished in the green flames!"

His burning, crazed gaze was fixed on Jaime below the stage, as if he wanted to devour him: "Ser Jaime Lannister! You are young and brave, your martial skills are unparalleled, and in my eyes, no one in the Seven Kingdoms can match your brilliance at this moment! I intend to appoint you as a member of the Kingsguard and to inherit the White Robe! Do you agree?!"

These words were like a thunderclap, plunging the entire room into a deathly silence, followed by a tsunami of gasps and discussions.

The Kingsguard is the highest honor a knight can attain, a sacred oath sworn by seven elite knights: to serve for life, until death do them part; even in old age, physical decline, or spiritual loss, they must remain steadfast in their duties. They are forbidden from holding land, marrying, or having children, and are absolutely loyal only to the King.

This is a coveted honor for any young person who dreams of being a knight.

Jaime Lannister is only fifteen years old. If this comes to fruition, he will become the youngest Kingsguard in history.

But after the initial shock, immense doubt and panic quickly spread among the nobles—Jaime Lannister, the eldest son and undisputed heir of Lord Tywin Lannister, the future master of Casterly Rock!

What will happen to Casterly Rock if he dons a white robe?

Wouldn't Tywin's carefully constructed succession system collapse in an instant?

Are we to make Tywin Lannister, the dwarf son who was publicly rejected by Lord Tywin, the future Warden of the West?

Moreover, Jaime was already engaged to Lady Lysa Tully of the Riverlands, a marriage that would unite the two families.

The Kingsguard are forbidden from marrying; how will Lysa Tully cope? What will become of House Tully's reputation?

The king's sudden decree was not a simple awarding of honors, but a decision that would cause a huge uproar and tear apart the political landscape of the entire seven kingdoms.

Tywin Lannister's anger was almost impossible to conceal, and his voice was as cold as the iron of the Westerlands: "The Lannister family appreciates His Majesty's kindness. But Jaime is my son, my heir. He will not, and cannot, become a Kingsguard. Moreover, at his age, he is far from being fit for such a responsibility."

Aerys II's voice suddenly rose, filled with provocation: "What? Is the supreme glory of the Kingsguard less important than being the heir to your Lannister house? Don't you have a fine son? Do you intend to openly refuse the King's favor?!"

Tywin Lannister stood firm, his words ringing with conviction: "Yes, I refuse! The king has no right to interfere with the succession of his vassals; this is the law and tradition of the Seven Kingdoms!"

Aerys II's face contorted with rage: "Tywin! How dare you!"

Their icy gazes clashed in the air. The guards beside them had already gripped their sword hilts, while the others, like Robert, wore smiles and held heavy hammers in their hands, staring intently at Aerys II—the tension was palpable, as if blood would spill at any moment.

At the critical moment, Varys's soft, feminine voice broke the silence: "My lords, why not listen to the opinion of the person involved—Ser Jaime Lannister himself?"

All eyes immediately focused on James.

A flicker of struggle crossed Jaime Lannister's handsome face. He looked at his father, whose face was ashen, then at the mad king on the throne, and finally, his gaze fell upon his sister, Cersei Lannister, in the stands.

Cersei gave him a barely perceptible smile and a very slight but firm nod.

This small gesture solidified Jaime's resolve. He took a deep breath, stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and his voice, clear and firm, resounded throughout the hall: "I do! Your Majesty, I do wish to become a member of the Kingsguard!"

Lord Tywin Lannister could hardly believe his ears and roared, "Jaime Lannister! Do you know what you're saying?!"

Jaime didn't look at his father. He raised his head and repeated, his voice even louder, "Becoming a member of the Kingsguard has been my lifelong dream! I accept this honor!"

Iris II burst into a triumphant laugh: "Good! Very good! Take the oath immediately!"

Jaime Lannister straightened his back, placed his hand on his heart, and his solemn voice echoed in the silent arena: "In the name of the Father, the Mother, the Warrior, the Maiden, the Blacksmith, the Old Woman, the Stranger, I swear:

He would not marry, would not have children, would not be granted land, and would not vie for honor or favor.

He would protect the king and his bloodline with his own life.

To keep royal secrets and obey the king's orders;

"To be loyal to one's duty, even unto death, is a duty one must perform until the very end."

The oath of the Imperial Guard was already etched into his soul; without any prompting, he recited it immediately.

A twisted, triumphant grin spread across Aerys II's face as he proclaimed, "Very well! Ser Geralt Hightower, drape the white robe over him! From this moment forth, Jaime Lannister is the seventh man of the Kingsguard!"

Ser Oswell Hogan of the Kingsguard stepped forward and, with a complex expression, helped his new colleague to his feet.

Captain "White Bull" Ser Gerald Hightower let out a barely audible sigh. He knew all too well that this was not an honor, but a poisonous plot that would tear father and son apart and shake the very foundations of the nation.

But the king's command was hard to disobey.

Geralt finally and solemnly took the snow-white Kingsguard cloak and draped it over Jaime Lannister's still-young but already upright shoulders. Following tradition, he gently patted Jaime's shoulder as a sign of acceptance and entrustment.

A thunderous cheer erupted from the stands as the audience applauded this historic moment, though many of them failed to see the undercurrents beneath the surface.

Immediately afterward, Aerys II issued his first order, his voice carrying a deliberately mocking tone: "Ser Jaime Lannister, you are now given your first mission as a member of the Kingsguard: depart immediately and return to the Red Keep in King's Landing to guard Queen Rhaela and Prince Viserys."

Ser Gerald Hightower, captain of the Kingsguard, immediately stepped forward, attempting to salvage the situation: "Your Majesty, Ser Jaime is still young, and his tournament is not yet over. I humbly request Your Majesty's permission to go to King's Landing in his place to carry out this task."

However, Iris refused without hesitation: "No, let him go. It's his duty."

Ser James kept his oath without hesitation. He immediately bowed to accept the order and turned to prepare to depart for the Red Keep.

This swift obedience stemmed partly from the newly made vow, but perhaps also from his inability to face his furious father in the stands, and his desire to temporarily escape the family storm he himself had instigated through distance and time.

On the other side, Lord Tywin Lannister had already stormed off his seat in anger. His tall figure was as stiff as a mountain, each step treading on icy fury. He could no longer tolerate seeing the Mad King's smug face for even a second, much less bear to watch his eldest son, the heir to Casterly Rock, draped in that white robe that symbolized stripping and bondage.

Tyrion Lannister stood frozen in place, watching his father Tywin storm off in a rage, and then his brother Jaime turn away resolutely in his white robes. The vast stands were instantly empty, leaving him alone, bewildered, as if a sudden storm had swept through, leaving only devastation and a void.

His small stature stood out starkly in the quiet after the noise subsided, his mind buzzing as he tried to process the dramatic changes that had occurred in the blink of an eye.

Me? A dwarf—and just like that, I've become Tywin Lannister's sole legitimate heir? The future—

The future guardian of the West?

The idea was so absurd that he almost laughed out loud, yet a chilling shiver crept up his spine.

Fate seemed to have played an extremely cruel and unexpected joke, suddenly pushing him, someone who had never been taken seriously by his father and was secretly ridiculed by the world, to the forefront of power.

The world is changing too fast!

It happened so fast that it caught him off guard and made him feel dizzy.