Jamie Lannister's hands tightened on the grip of his sword, while he watched Rickard Stark get dragged into the throne room of the Red Keep. He had been attacked as he entered the city, dragged from his horse along with the Northern nobles riding with him and brought before the king. The other nobles were already dead and Rickard Stark fared little better. Blood streamed from a cut above his eye, while his lip was swollen. His long, solemn face was emotionless, his grey eyes cold as he was forced to his knees before the Iron Throne.

King Aerys Targaryen grinned down at him, looking all the world like a gargoyle with his long uncut nails and unruly hair. "Stark." He barked "Your son is a traitor. He threatened my son. He insulted my house. You CANNOT INSULT THE DRAGON!"

Aerys rose form his chair with the last few words, glaring down upon him. "Bring in his son. Let them see each other one last time before they die!"

Minutes later Brandon Stark was similarly dragged into the throne room. He was forced to his knees beside his father. His hair and clothes were unkempt from his time in the Black cells and his left eye was swollen shut from a blow he had taken when he was arrested. He held himself gingerly, as though he had several broken ribs.

"What do you two have to say for yourselves? Any last words before you die?" Aerys asked.

Rickard tilted his head slightly and glanced at his son. Neither spoke a word.

Aerys shifted, unused to anyone ignoring him. "I am your King and you will answer me!"

Rickard shifted his gaze back to the king. "I demand a Trial by Combat." He said, so softly that everyone had to strain to hear him.

Jamie's heart sunk in his chest as he realised what Rickard Stark had asked for. He knew what would happen now, and now both of them were truly lost.
Aerys grinned and cackled maniacally. "The champion of house Targaryen is fire Lord Stark. You will burn like a roast on a spit! SEIZE HIM!"

The guards rushed forward and seized Rickard before suspending him from the rafters. On the floor Brandon Stark began to struggle. "You whoreson! Your son stole my sister! What about justice for him? Give him a sword to defend himself with!"

Aerys glared at the heir to the north. "You want a sword grab one." He nodded at his guards who bound a strange leather device around his neck

"Ser Jamie" The King called and Jamie almost fainted. "Your sword!" He cried. Jamie nodded and drew his sword from its sheath before ascending to pass it to the king. The king nodded and threw it just out of reach of Brandon Stark. "Grab the sword and you can free your father. Else he dies."

With that he nodded to his pyromancer who stepped forward with a jar of wildfire in his hands. Brandon stood there watching, clearly unaware of what was about to happen.

Jamie watched him though and he glanced up at the roof where two white ravens were perched. Jamie frowned. He had never seen white ravens before except the ones the citadel used to announce the coming of winter.

As he watched the two ravens flew down from their perch on high and attacked the pyromancer. He stumbled back as the birds attacked his eyes and hands.
The pyromancer rushed away from the mad birds, and towards Ser Jonothor Darry, who drew his sword and hit one of the birds out of the air. The other flew out of reach and started cawing loudly. The pyromancer stepped forward once more and threw the jar at Rickard's pyre. It landed and began to eat the wood hungrily, the flames already beginning to lick Rickard Stark's armour.

At this Brandon Stark truly began to struggle. He rushed forward in a vain attempt to seize the sword, but the leather device only tightened around his neck. He growled and Jamie was distracted by the first of Rickard Stark's screams. It cut through the air like a knife through butter and Jamie quickly swallowed the bile that rose in his throat. It would do no good to show weakness now.

Brandon was now bent over as Rickards screams continued, Brandon's face purpling as he struggled agasint the choker around his neck. As Jamie watched however, darkness rippled around Brandon Stark and his form seemed to drink in the lengthy shadows of the throne room. His skin darkened, and the hair on his body lengthenged. His mouth turned into a muzzle lined with teeth, and his fingers turned into savage foot long claws. As it staggered to it's feet a howl burst forth from it's lips. He watched in horror as the thing that had been Brandon Stark stood up to it's full height.

It seemed to be some half man, half wolf hybrid. It stood taller than any other man in the room and was broader than even Gregor Clegane. It was a hairy, brutish beast and as he watched it clenched its neck causing the choker that Aerys had ordered to be placed around it's neck to burst off. It immediately turned and ran to Rickard Stark, leaping through the flames to save him.

The weight of the beast snapped the ropes that bound Lord Rickard and together the man and beast tumbled to the Red stone floor. With Lord Rickard safe, the beast turned to the King who was perched upon his throne. The beast growled deep in its chest and took a single step towards the King.

This seemed to shake the entire room from the stupor that had taken over it and the guards rushed forward to stop it. The first to reach the beast was Ser Jonothor Darry, who was gutted and killed so quickly it was pathetic. Prince Llewyn Martell rushed forward to distract the beast while the Lord Commander and Ser Barristan Selmy rushed to protect the king. Jamie shuffled his feet, unwilling to go forward but unwilling to go back.

More guards rushed the beast but it was all to no avail, with an ease almost bordering on contempt, it threw five the guards into the walls with a single swing of its massive arms. In the next swing it caught Llewyn Martell's head in its paw like grasp and crushed his skull. The doors burst open then and more guards rushed into the room. The beast took them all on, and soon their blood decorated the walls.

Everyone began running from the room, the king already whisked away. The beast turned around and his grey eyes fellow on Jamie. Its eyes bore into him with a hate so intense that he felt water running down his leg. It took a step towards him but stopped when Rickard Stark groaned. It seemed torn for a moment before turning and rushing to Lord Stark's side. It picked the burnt lord up with a gentleness that belied the violence it had displayed earlier and rushed from the throne room and out into the Red Keep.