章節 58: Small Council Meeting - V
Cersei knew by the look on Tyrion's face that he was hiding something from her, something that concerned them because for all his guile and tact, the little monster did value his family far more than they ever did.
Yet, as Queen Mother, there were certain things expected of her.
So, she kept her thoughts to herself and sipped arbour gold from a silver goblet, embedded with emeralds that mirrored her own gaze. It was no secret that she quite enjoyed the white wine, but most often forgot what it meant.
The prized drink was one available only to a select few for its exorbitant prices, and as Queen, it was the only one that fit her.
But for a reason she couldn't quite place, it felt dry and tasteless on the tongue. The slight wind from the open small council chamber window against shoulders left naked by her exquisite red dress embroidered with gold felt far chiller than ever before even though the Sun shone high in the sky.
Her gaze flickered to Tyrion and his mismatched eyes refused to meet hers.
"What's wrong?" She questioned unceremoniously.
The dwarf sighed, "Dorne refuses to treat with us. The Reach is... well, they aren't exactly known for their loyalty. We're surrounded, dear sister..."
"You say that as if it is something new."
Tyrion jumped off his chair and stumbled over to the window. Then, he turned back to her, pointing a hand at the gates beyond.
"It might be on the morrow or a moon later... or perhaps a year or even after two winters and two summers."
Cersei cocked her head, "What?"
She never did enjoy his theatrics.
"But they'll surround the walls. They'll set up camps outside," He took a long gulp from whatever piss he'd taken to drinking now. "Stannis' ships will sail into the bay. And we'll be like birds in a cage."
Cersei's lips curved into a mocking smile, "We have the numbers. House Tyrell will join us. They'll be bound by honour. Mace Tyrell has promised it."
Tyrion turned around and stared at her as if she was the greatest fool he'd ever seen, "Mace Tyrell couldn't promise meat to a butcher, sister. The fat oaf would eat it all himself raw."
Cersei scoffed... but she knew his words to be true, deep down.
"The Tyrells, who so easily march into King's Landing now, will bend the knee and open those gates for Stannis," He cocked his head, leaning about his heel, "And he will put all of us to death as traitors, ending the tale of House Lannister forever."
"A good fairytale."
Tyrion closed his eyes and pursed his lips, making his way back to his seat, "It's likelier than you think. It'd be wise to accept it as it is."
They had nearly as much men as Stannis did. With the Reach, they had the food for it and with the Westerlands and its gold mines, the coin. For some reason, Tyrion failed to see this. The next Queen would be Tyrell and Mace Tyrell had been made Master of Laws. Paxter Redwyne had been made Master of Ships bringing them the Redwyne fleet. The Tyrells had no reason to betray them.
Their situation was not grim.
It would be a war of attrition and that was a war they would always win.
"Why do you choose to ignore the existence of a God among men when you know he walks with them?" Tyrion cut into her thoughts, disbelief written all over his monstrous features. "He is helping them. Even the Seven know he's helping them."
"He's only helping himself."
It wasn't that Cersei denied his existence. Just that she knew full well that someone like that would never have loyalty to their foes, or ever do their bidding simply because they asked.
"Well... hm..." Tyrion halted for a moment before pouring more wine for himself, "You might be right."
Content with her victory over her brother, Cersei curiously looked about the empty Council Chamber.
"Why are all of them so late?"
To her annoyance, Tyrion averted his gaze.
Not long after, Joffrey blustered into the room, red faced from drink but with all the pride that came with a Lannister King. "Where is my council?! How dare you convene without me?!"
"Has your stupidity come to affect your vision?" Tyrion stared at his nephew calmly. "There's no one here, you oaf."
Joffrey glared at the dwarf and, as Cersei watched in amusement, he moved to strike Tyrion with his hand, having grown more and more daring with the passage of time and his frustrations about not getting his way.
Unfortunately, such a spectacle did not come to pass. Her father walked into the room, followed by four men in Lannister armour. He only cast a brief glance at Joffrey before moving to sit at the head of the long table.
"Where is my council?!"
"Varys has left for Yunkai, at my command, with Jaime."
"Yunkai?" Cersei echoed.
What business did they have in a city past the Narrow Sea? On a different continent entirely? Yunkai was one of the Free Cities of Essos and had nothing to do with Westeros.
"It is where Daenerys Targaryen plans her next move," Tywin explained briefly.
Cersei shuddered from a sudden chill wind, and caught the faint smell of night soil. She looked to Tyrion for answers but the dwarf averted his gaze... He did know something.
Joffrey stared at his grandsire with a gaping mouth, unable to form words.
"W-What busines-"
"House Lannister and House Tyrell will bend the knee to Queen Daenerys of House Targaryen, and her three dragons. Varys has gone to invite her to her kingdom, with our surrender. Olenna Tyrell has agreed to this."
Words left her at the sudden declaration from her father. Joffrey, however, had much to say.
"I am the King! Me! I won't bend my kne-"
"Shut your mouth, boy," Tywin's ever calm gaze moved to Joffrey, and the boy king's words got caught in his throat. The Hand of the King beckoned his men with a nod as Cersei's lips parted wordlessly. "Escort him to his room. See to it that he can not leave."
"Father... Father, you can't do this."
"Unhand me! I'm your KING!"
Quiet and solemn, the Lannister men grabbed their 'King' by his arms, and dragged him out of the room as he kicked and screamed to be respected and released. Cersei could hear his shouts long after they had left and the shock left her unable to do anything but whisper.
Her sweet boy, the rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms, was dragged away like common filth.
"Why?" The strength returned to her, and she screamed at her father, "Why?! Why would you do this?!"
"Because House Lannister will be ended once Stannis begins his march with Karl at his side. With the dragons, we have a chance at preserving our House."
His words were calm, collected... and as a child, they had always reassured her. Her father could do anything. He was indomitable, and the cleverest of all. But now, now they infuriated her beyond measure.
"That's all you've ever cared about isn't it?! You! Your House Lannister! You imprison your own grandchild and bend the knee to a girl who'll kill him!"
"You'll all die otherwise! All of you!" Her father raised his voice, fists clenched.
Tyrion's goblet slipped from his grip, and clanged across the floor, spilling wine all over the expensive carpets over the floor. But none of them dared to look at it.
Her father breathed heavily, unclenching his fists as he calmed himself down even though his face was trembling. "If you'd given that fat idiot a child and not slept with your own brother. Stannis would bend the knee to your Joffrey."
"Now be silent, foolish child. Let me protect and maintain my family as I have done all my life. No matter what I must do to make it so." Tywin stood up and moved to leave as Cersei fell back into her chair, eyes wet.
Only once he was gone did Cersei regain the courage to speak. Instead of following after her father, she turned to glare at her younger brother, "You knew."
"I did," He made no excuses.
"You'll all pay for this."
"I don't doubt it."
Cersei saw sadness in his gaze but ignored it, a monster like him didn't have such emotions, he'd just proven it. Her thoughts became grounded when he knocked on the door thrice and two more Lannister men entered.
"I know how dangerous you can be, sister. These men will ensure you do not leave your quarters."
"I have allies!" She shouted at him.
"You don't. Now follow them, peacefully. Don't make this harder than it already is."
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Hope you enjoyed.
Comment ya thoughts and/or suggestions for the story.
I really liked this chapter.
You can find 10 chapters ahead at patre0n.com/Bleap
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I hope what he did makes sense for his character, and from a logical point of view.
In the story, Tywin disregarded the power of the dragons for the most part and refused to consider Daenerys a significant force. But now, with Karl there, he saw just how much devastation seemingly 'fairytales' can cause. They have an insane number of men, more than a hundred thousand. But Dorne would declare for Stannis in this situation without hesitation, and the total army Stannis would have would then be close to 200,000 or something. GRRM kept it pretty vague.
Tywin is a realist. They won't win a war of attrition because all those men won't be besieging King's Landing. They'll be invading the Westerlands and the Reach. He's done it before too, by betraying Aerys and bending the knee to Robert Baratheon when Aerys' loss became a certainty.
IF you wanna say he personally hated Aerys, that's true, but he was realistic then too seeing as he waited till the end of the war to change sides when he had something to give the other side. Here, he gives her the throne. If he doesn't do this, Stannis WILL win and all of House Lannister will be put to death as usurpers and accomplices. Even if Stannis doesn't want it personally, he'd need to do it for the allegiance of the Trident-North-Vale coalition Lords.
I thought it would be wholly in character for Tywin, who values his House, family and legacy above all else, to do whatever was necessary to ensure their continuity. And cause Karl kinda fucked his whole worldview and lives in his head rent-free with the shit he's pulled till now.
A fairytale of their own to beat the fairytale set on ending them.
Still, if you disagree, feel free to explain. We can have a discussion.
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