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When the maester came to Tywin one day and told him of his son’s affliction, Tywin swore that it was a lie. He thought it was ridiculous to suggest that a person could not make sense of letters and numbers and dismissed it as a strange phase Jaime was going through. For a time, he ignored the maester’s advice to simply accept it as a part of his son. It wasn’t until Tywin caught Jaime storming down the corridors of the Rock with tears streaming down his face that his affliction wasn’t going to simply disappear as he hoped it would, nor was he helping Jaime succeed by forcing him to attend his lessons without some kind of aid.
For weeks afterward, Tywin sat Jaime down with a goal to read the first twenty pages of The Dance with Dragons . While Jaime was attempting to learn, it was an opportunity for Tywin to learn as well. He could not deny the frustration he felt with his son whenever he gave up trying. Tywin even bought different colored inks in an effort to help him no matter how expensive they were, but nothing he tried seemed to make a difference in how Jaime consumed the material. Today was one of those days where Jaime was keen on pushing the book aside in favor of training with his sword. However, Tywin was determined to make him read at least one page, even if it took up the whole four hours he allotted for him to learn.
Jaime tapped his fingers on the table while his cheek rested in the palm of his other hand. Tywin thought that Jaime would have been more excited to try his hand at learning after bringing the book about the Dance into the room, but there was no emotion on Jaime’s face, and it was clear that he wasn’t reading. He looked bored, his eyes absentmindedly flitting from word to word. Jaime’s lips finally pursed as that signature look of uncertainty crossed his face.
“It doesn’t make sense, Father,” Jaime told Tywin. “Every time I re-read the words, the letters become more confusing.”
Tywin let out a soft sigh in an attempt to conceal his frustration. “You must be patient with yourself, Jaime,” he told him. “I will not allow you to be illiterate. Knowing how to read and write is a valuable skill to have if you are going to succeed me one day.” Tywin gestured back to the book on the table. “You have only been reading for a short while. Try again.” Jaime huffed at his father as he yanked the book back to him and leaned his chin in his palm.
Tywin watched as Jaime’s eyes fixed on the first sentence on the page. His eyebrows twitched as he read, and eventually, his eyes completely glazed over again and sped across the page, a signal that he had given up. Jaime would do this each time he became frustrated with himself. Tywin put an end to him raising his voice and flailing his arms whenever he declared he was giving up. Eventually, Jaime resorted to less noticeable ways, thinking he could get out of his lessons for the day if he only pretended to read. However, it was more of a complaint to Tywin. He was letting his father know that he was tired and defeated, but the boy hadn’t even read two full sentences properly since he sat down. Tywin couldn’t ever recall meeting someone who lacked such willpower and determination to succeed.
Tywin leaned forward and examined the page. “It is the 'b's' and 'd's' for this one, isn't it?" he asked, pointing to the sentence Jaime was stuck on. “Speak it aloud. Repeat it until you understand it.” Jaime sat up a little, suspicious of his father’s advice. Tywin gave him a nod. “Go on. Show me what I’ve taught you.”
As uncertain as Jaime was, Tywin was prepared to encourage him more if he needed it. However, Jaime didn’t ask for further help. Instead, he sat up straight and read the sentence over and over again in his mind before he began to speak it. He recited the sentence on the page aloud, stumbling over most of the words. Tywin was almost sure that Jaime was going to frustrate himself again, but that wasn’t the case. Each time he stuttered, he stopped and reread the word aloud, correcting his mistake verbally instead of in his mind. Then, he repeated it without mixing up any of the letters. “High Tide was one of the few places in the Seven King… Kingdoms where the king’s… brother could be confident that he would not… be turned away.”
Jaime paused a moment, examining the next sentence on the page before he even realized what he had accomplished. Just as he noticed, he looked up at his father, his eyes widening as a smile shot across his lips. “I did it!” he exclaimed.
Tywin shared his joy, even if it wasn’t there in his expression. “When you are patient with yourself, you will find that it is easier to learn what is written on the page,” he said. “You should be proud.”
And Jaime was proud. His newfound motivation helped him read aloud for the next hour about the Dance, all of which Tywin realized he had forgotten until his son reminded him. There were moments when Jaime would stop and review what he had read, but he took it slowly and surely. Tywin felt somewhat of a weight lifted from his shoulders. He knew that Jaime would have his days where it would affect him more, but knowing that he can read at his own pace so that he may better understand what is written before him put Tywin at ease. It would help Jaime more in the long run than if he hadn’t attempted at all.
Eventually, Jaime became stuck on a certain word. He stopped in the middle of his sentence, staring at the page with utter confusion. Tywin couldn’t tell which word it was, but he had faith that Jaime would figure it out himself. When he finally did, Jaime gripped the book and pointed at the page, reading along his finger. “Helaena reluctantly chose Maelor, but Blood did the opposite and killed Prince Jaehaerys instead!” he blurted out, a smile upon his face.
“Yes, but perhaps don’t shout it with a smile on your face, you fool,” Tywin scoffed in amusement. Jaime’s face turned as red as a beet, but Tywin couldn’t help but chuckle at his son. He read more than a page, more than even five pages, and despite it taking up quite a lot of time that day, Tywin was proud of his son for giving himself a chance. It would be a long road, but Tywin had faith that Jaime would spend many an hour reading to him more about the Dance and other parts of history Tywin had forgotten.