Capítulo 4: Fosterage II
- 269 AC -
(Tywin POV)
I look at my son without saying anything. It is the look I use on everyone when I want to intimidate them and have them start talking and explain themselves. It works every time and hasn't failed me yet. The clever plan, crafted by my son, didn't work out at all. Neither House Tyrell, nor House Hightower agreed to foster him and now here we are, on the docks of Oldtown, about to take the ship back to Lannisport with nothing to show for the trip, but embarrassment.
I still look at Leonard and wait for him to say something, but it just won't happen. He can stare into my eyes without flinching. Sometimes I wonder what goes through his mind. What is it that he is thinking about when we have this minor battle of wills? As much as I like that my heir and the future Lord of Casterly Rock has a strong mind, I don't appreciate the disrespect directed towards me.
"Say it!" I say.
"What?"
"..."
"It didn't work."
"Oh? Is that so? I was not aware of that. Tell me something I don't know. What happened there? Tell me your theories and make it clever, because I have just been embarrassed for your foolishness and that will not happen again!"
He doesn't say anything. The raising of my voice doesn't faze him at all. He looks as unperturbed as he did at the start of this discussion.
"They were told not to accept."
"What?"
"The Hightowers were told not to accept me to be fostered in Oldtown."
"By the Tyrells? Why would they do that?"
"To 'get one over you' of course. Olenna Tyrell is an old pear and about to dry out. Getting a win over you in anything, even as minor as fosterage, she probably pleasures herself."
"Stop using such disgusting words. You are a Lannister and not a common thug," I say to him sharply.
...
But he's right. Olenna Tyrell is a skilled player at the game and she was likely informed of our visit beforehand. The Hightowers must have been eager to score some loyalty points with the old Tyrell matriarch, to tell them that.
"So she knew, now what? What are we going to do about this loss?" I challenge him. I want to see how he handles this loss, despite his demeanour. He will have to learn how to deal with victories and losses.
"Who says it was a loss?"
"..."
"..."
"What?"
"I said, who said-"
"I heard what you said. What do you mean by that? We were just outplayed by the old Tyrell woman. Or maybe I should say, you were thoroughly outplayed by her."
"Not really. This was to be expected. The relationship between the Hightowers and the Tyrells might not appear to be bad, but it's not good either. From the last reports, it is clear that they aren't doing well. The Hightowers used to be at the top of their game a few decades ago and now it is the Tyrells who rule the Reach."
"...So? What does that have to do with anything?"
"The fact that we were not really looking to ask the Tyrells to have me fosterd there, and instead wanted them to reject us, only to then have me fosterd with the Hightowers was something that Olenna Tyrell couldn't allow. As much as she might dislike you or see you as her rival, the Hightowers would gain far too much if the heir of Casterly Rock were to be fostered there. Naturally, she couldn't allow that. So she had to 'order' the Hightowers to reject us."
"So you-"
"I knew the Hightowers were going to reject us because the Tyrells told them to, causing their relationship to plummet further and giving us much more of an opportunity to put a wedge between them."
"... You used me. You knew this would or might happen and lied to me about your intentions."
I can't believe it. My own son, 6 name days old, outsmarted and played me. He used me for this and kept me in the dark intentionally to achieve the effect he desired.
"..."
He doesn't answer me. I stare at him in disbelief. It has been many years since that happened. I am long used to being the smartest man in the room, having the most plans for many situations, being prepared and knowing what my enemies would do before they do it. But this ... this genuinely surprises me.
"It is simple now. I will go back to visit the Citadel. On my way there, I will meet Lord Hightower per chance and tell him that I want to have a look at the Citadel. We will start talking and he will welcome me to stay at an inn where I will stay for a while."
I look at Leonard for a moment and then turn to our ship. Many thoughts run through my mind as I look at the red and gold colours, the colours of House Lannister. Finally, I turn around and then nod at Leonard.
"Very well. You may do as you please. I will leave and sail back to Lannisport. If you can make plans like this, you will also see how you can handle seeing them through to the end, without help from me or your House. I expect frequent reports about everything that is going on and should what I read displease me, I will take away your title as heir to Casterly Rock."
He only nods his head and nothing else. No reaction at all, concerning staying here alone with practically no money whatsoever and also no reaction about losing his Lannister title and the title as heir of Casterly Rock. I nod my head as well.
"Good. Then let us see whether you are a true Lannister or if it was just hot air you produced," I say and walk towards the ship.
I don't see a smile on his face or something like a farewell from his lips. He is like stone. It feels like ... looking at a mirror.
.
.
(3rd Person POV)
Leo watched Tywin board their ship and set off, sailing back to Lannisport. It might not have been obvious for Tywin or for Leo himself, but his wish to be like Lion El'Johnson brought with it some things that might or might not be pleasant.
Malacor the Sigillite put it best.
"Of all the Primarchs, save perhaps Mortarion, Lion El'Jonson stands apart. Partially this is due to his taciturn nature -- a brooding silence hangs over him at all times. Yet there is something more ... something buried beneath his noble exterior. Perhaps this is a result of his upbringing, growing to maturity alone in the monster-ridden forests of Caliban. Even at a council of war, the Lion moves like an apex predator. He is always watching, always planning, always hunting. He unnerves even his brothers."
— Remembrances of Malcador the Sigillite
During his life, the Lion counted few as friends. Jonson was raised in the dark forests of a foreign world, surrounded by nothing but predators who wanted his blood, body, and soul. He developed the senses of an utterly unparalleled predator, being pursued by an air of intimidation so profound that when Horus entered a room and many Legionnaires felt they should kneel and the Lion entered the same room, every single Legionnaire dropped to the ground on instinct.
Where Leman Russ was a genius who masqueraded as a savage to force his opponents to underestimate him, Jonson was a noble knight whose shining armour hid the fact that he was raised a beast that could never trust anyone or anything in any meaningful way. Almost all of his brothers were forced onto planets which tested their resolve, survival instincts, and might, but few were so utterly secluded as Lion El'Jonson. Curze was able to become a monarch of sorts, Mortarion was tentatively accepted by villagers, and even Angron had his gladiator brothers and sisters. The Lion had no friends of any sort and never spoke a word to anyone for years, developing a keen sense of individualism and independence with no room for pride, error, or misguidance.
That's what Leonard was working with. When he wished to be like Lion El'Johnson, he wasn't fully aware of what that meant and this action of using his father as if it was nothing, was proof of that. He was slowly unlocking more of his Lion side and became more like the Lion he wished for. But whether that is a good or bad thing ... we shall see.
But one thing is for certain, Westeros was not ready for it.
.
Just like Leon had told his father, he met Lord Hightower 'by chance' and the two got into a discussion. What Leon told Tywin was again not the full truth, as there was more to his idea than simply getting into House Hightowers good graces and hitting a wedge between them and House Tyrell. No, he was here to spy on the Maesters and gain as much knowledge as he could while he was at it. He was here to gather information and spread lies as well.
The Reach would not be happy when he was done with them. After he had settled in an inn, Lord Leyton recommended him, he started to visit the Citadel like he told everyone. He put on an act to have everyone think he was truly there to gain knowledge. The more time passed, the more Leon impressed the Maesters who were there and came to know about him. He played his part and told them lies about his life and his goals in life.
Thinking that they had the perfect chance to acquire information about House Lannister, the Maesters spent a lot of time with the boy and asked him question after question. What they didn't realise was that he never told them anything and fed them one lie after another. And while he was doing that, he asked them things as well.
Leon played multiple fronts at the same time. He stole wine and put some into the drinks of the Maesters. At first very little to not have them notice the difference. Over time, after they had gotten used to it, he increased the amount until they were basically drinking pure wine. Leon wanted them to not realise what was going on and have them tell him all their secrets. He had theories about the Maester order and its goals. He didn't trust them one bit and knew that having a Maester at home was basically the same as having a weakness. If the Maester was bought off by another House, like Grand Maester Pycelle, just to name one, it could prove fatal.
The Maesters didn't even realise what was going on. All of them, who had contact with Leon started to get more and more drunk very early in the day. Leon was not holding back at all. He didn't care about the fact that someone might notice. There were scribes and young ones who were taught by the Maesters who noticed of course, but what were they going to do and what were they going to say?
The Maesters had turned into alcoholics and no one would ever suspect Leon.
.
Apart from turning the Maesters into drunkards, Leon also spent his time with Lord Leyton Hightower. He listened most of the time and offered his input. He became the Lord's confidante without the latter realising it. Leon seemed to know what to say and when to say it. He only said very few words but what he said, had the Lord hooked and hanging from his lips. Had Leon wanted, he could have demanded a fat fee for his services, but that was not his style.
He preferred the Lord of House Hightower and the Maesters to offer him their money on their own accord ... which they actually did.
.
The years passed and it was not until the year 273 AC when disaster struck in Oldtown. It was a terrible thing too ... a great fire erupted in the Citadel ... what could have happened there?
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