Summary
Highlights
Jaime Lannister greets Ned Stark, commenting on his Northern leadership and the throne. He makes a provocative remark about a King's Hand and brings up an old saying, subtly mocking Ned's new role.
Jaime notices Ned's armor is unscratched, boasting about his own ability to avoid injury in fights, implying his strategic prowess. He then reflects on the unsettling nature of being in the room where Ned's father and brother were killed.
Jaime recounts the horrific deaths of Ned's father and brother, emphasizing how no one, including the King's Guard, intervened. He describes the silence of the room, broken only by screams and the Mad King's laughter.
Jaime describes his memory of the Mad King laughing as Ned's father burned, which made killing the Mad King feel like 'justice'. Ned challenges this, questioning if Jaime considers himself a 'servant of justice' for a betrayal.
Jaime provocatively asks if he would be admired more if he had stabbed the Mad King in the belly instead of the back. Ned delivers a cutting final line, implying Jaime only 'served him well when serving was safe'.