[Chapter Size: 3400 Words.]
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Third Person POV
North, 300 AC.
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"No information from the Riverlands, the North, the Vale, or the Westerlands? Nothing?" In the Small Council chamber, Tywin asked as he turned his gaze toward Qyburn.
Qyburn met Tywin's gaze for a moment before slowly shaking his head. There was no fear in his expression, only quiet frustration at the complete lack of information.
Tywin was certainly quite frustrated by all of this. His forces had been in disarray ever since communications had simply vanished. They were still receiving messages from the south, but nothing relevant. There was nothing that could explain the absence of important information.
"I have no information from the Riverlands. I have no information about what happened in the Iron Islands. We no longer have any information from the east. It makes me think they're tampering with the flow of information as well," Kevan said, who was also present in the Small Council chamber.
He sighed, looking just as tense as his brother. He had just returned to King's Landing after organizing all the troops that would march west. The thirty thousand men had already begun their march, and he had returned to take care of a few matters.
No one had any idea what was happening. If the Arcticans simply attacked the coast of the Westerlands, it would be a major problem, since there was practically nothing there to defend it.
That was why those thirty thousand men were racing against time.
"My Lord Hand, whether it is sorcery or merely knowledge we have yet to understand, I cannot say. What I do know is that our agents vanish, our reports cease, and every attempt to learn more ends in failure. Whatever Jon Arctic is doing, it is remarkably effective," Qyburn said calmly.
"Perhaps." After Qyburn finished his analysis, silence fell over the room as the council considered his words.
Tywin turned his eyes toward the map. "Perhaps it's only a matter of time before the Boltons fall. The real problem is that we don't know the true strength of that kingdom, especially after they remained isolated for a year. They had a war in the North, didn't they? Surely they suffered casualties... Assuming we can even believe that."
Tywin did not want to admit it, but even the fact that he knew absolutely nothing about the lands beyond the Wall was beginning to drive him mad whenever no one was watching. They were dealing with an enemy about whom no one possessed any concrete information.
"No one has managed to capture a damned Arctican over the past few years?" he asked, even though he already knew the answer.
Kevan knew his brother was simply frustrated with the situation. "There were a few captures while they were trying to sell their goods in the Free Cities, but they were always rescued, and those behind the captures were killed. Attempts involving bribes, alcohol, and prostitutes didn't help much either. Although they would talk about a few things, it was never anything substantial. Those people have always been extremely loyal to their homeland, always describing it as a paradise that no one south of the Wall could ever reproduce."
"They're an enigma," Tywin muttered.
"They truly are, but whenever we hear about their battles and diplomatic campaigns, we always hear about victories. No matter where they are," Kevan replied.
It was something he had repeated many times before. Now, however, they were Arctic's enemies. And they would be the ones fighting this war.
"As far as we know, there are only three hundred ships in the west. Who knows, there may be more..." Kevan suggested.
Tywin did not dismiss that possibility either. After all, they were still in the dark... They could wake up one day and find King's Landing surrounded by an enormous fleet.
There were no spies. Arctic's men simply would not talk, and worst of all... there was not even a single Arctican prisoner.
"Perhaps we should hire some mercenary assassins," Kevan suggested.
"We've already done that, and so far we've gotten nowhere." Tywin had already sent letters throughout the Riverlands offering a generous reward for the capture of even a single Arctican soldier, due to the lack of even the most basic information they possessed.
"It's been weeks since they arrived in the south... and there hasn't been any more news about the ironborn in that area... Do you think..." Kevan began.
Tywin frowned. "You're saying the battle for the Iron Islands is already over? It can't be that simple." He had to admit it.
With the offensive power they possessed, they could easily deal with the ironborn by simply blowing up their ports and ships as though they were nothing.
That power... Why did that power have to belong to them? It should have belonged to House Lannister. But instead, the gods had favored a dragon living as a bastard in the North, rather than the lion. Tywin could only curse the gods.
'You must be laughing at me, Aerys. In the end, your descendant is getting his revenge, and soon he may be placing his swords at our throats if I don't do enough...' He could not help but think.
"That also makes me think about Castle Darry," Kevan said. Tywin turned his gaze toward Kevan. "You left the Mountain there," his brother said.
"I left him there because I wanted to hold that place... But it was supposed to be used as a trap. We could have used it to lure Jon Arctic." Tywin shook his head, disappointed by yet another poor decision he had made.
"And now it's too late... My letter was never answered when I summoned the Mountain back to King's Landing." He had certainly intended to use Gregor Clegane as bait.
He himself was willing to discard the knight, even after what he had done to the Targaryen boy and Elia Martell. Tywin would never hesitate to do so.
Kevan merely sighed. He understood his brother. He also knew there was no one Tywin trusted more than him. Not even his own children were present at that meeting.
"I think you should stay," Kevan suddenly said, then continued. Tywin turned his eyes toward him. "Think about it. You need to remain here and organize the largest army since you first took command of our forces." Kevan continued to insist.
Tywin showed no emotion. He merely remained silent for a few moments, reflecting with his usual indifferent expression.
"I think you're right." He finally replied.
Leaving the capital at that moment, even to deal with the west, would be a mistake. He was now the Hand of the King and needed to keep the entire realm under control. And he trusted no one to assume that position during his absence.
His children would be a disaster. Tyrion would fill the Tower of the Hand with that prostitute. Cersei would act on her irrationality and turn King's Landing into a kingdom of terror. As for Jaime, he could think of nothing but revenge. The worst part would be his grandson without anyone to keep him under control... The consequences were almost impossible to predict.
"Very well. I'll stay." In the end, there was no reason to leave the capital. Although a certain king would be somewhat disappointed not to see him in the Westerlands, it was not as if Jon had not already expected that decision.
Even while trying to lure him to the west, there had always been the possibility that Tywin would remain in King's Landing. And, rationally, it made perfect sense. He should never have considered abandoning his position in the capital with the realm completely divided, on the verge of collapse, and with the threat of Arctic practically at its doorstep.
It was obvious they could not allow that to happen.
"And what will you do about Jaime?" Kevan asked.
Tywin seemed to reflect for a few moments. "The boy has been remarkably stubborn about many things," he said, disappointed. "But if he wants to go, so be it. What I don't like is the influence his sister is having over him."
"Cersei will become even worse. You know the Stark girl's guards were changed precisely because we needed to do that." Kevan muttered.
"Yes. But as long as she doesn't kill the girl, it's fine. I have other concerns."
"And Robb Stark?" Kevan asked again. "He doesn't have more than two or three days left to live."
Kevan muttered those words while Tywin merely nodded. "There's nothing we can do. I hope he can still be of some use, but I doubt it."
Tywin remembered that enemy who had proclaimed himself king and was now imprisoned in a cell, with an amputated and infected leg.
He was dying. And, in Tywin's opinion, he was not even an important enough enemy to move Jon Arctic.
He doubted the Arctican army would arrive in time to rescue him alive. 'We can even use him as a threat, even if he's nothing more than a corpse, as long as no one sees him, but that's all...'
"Well, in any case, you must leave tomorrow." Tywin turned to Kevan, who nodded.
He would finally lead the troops toward the west. He would march through the Westerlands as quickly as possible.
Now that Riverrun was their ally, the journey would be much faster than crossing the devastated Riverlands and the Golden Tooth once again.
At the same time, Tywin also sent a force of five thousand men to assess the situation in the region, since they simply could not obtain any information from there.
At that moment, the door opened. Qyburn entered briskly, carrying a freshly sealed scroll in one hand. There was a rare spark of interest in his eyes.
"Lord Tywin... We've finally received new information."
"Information from where?" Tywin asked immediately.
"From the West Coast. From House Westerling..." Tywin took the letter and began reading it in silence.
His expression changed. "So that's how it is..." Tywin muttered, frowning.
"Two hundred ships entering the Westerlands," Kevan said after finishing the letter, handing it to his brother.
Tywin read it as well, making no attempt to hide his concern. Two hundred ships meant at least ten thousand men, considering the carrying capacity they had already estimated for each Arctican vessel.
"Which means the Westerlands are about to be invaded."
"We must hurry to get there," Kevan murmured.
He nodded shortly afterward. "Yes... But it's strange that only this letter managed to arrive from the west."
Tywin remained uneasy. What troubled him most was that they were still completely in the dark.
"Do you think they'll do something against Casterly Rock?"
"They've already invaded Casterly Rock once." An immediate surge of anger washed over Tywin.
To his shame, that defeat still haunted him. Knowing that someone had invaded his own home, taken someone of his blood, and vanished as if nothing had happened...
As if the pride of House Lannister were nothing more than a beautiful castle. They had climbed more than six hundred meters up the rock to capture a little girl, then descended through hidden passages, disappearing without anyone noticing a thing.
Joy Hill, the bastard daughter of one of his younger brothers, was an asset he possessed. Not only because of the sword she would one day inherit, but also because of her importance to the family against that northern kingdom.
His brother had nearly placed her into the hands of those cursed Arcticans, on the condition that she be taken to Arctic. At the time, Tywin would have readily agreed. He might even have shown a rare smile.
However, after the incident at Winterfell, everything changed. The girl ceased to be merely a bargaining chip. She had become someone of direct interest to Arctic.
After all, Joy herself had said that the Stark girl had mentioned the king's interest in her.
But all it took was for Tywin to leave to deal with the chaos in the North, while the kingdoms began to divide and his grandson was about to become the next king, for them to strike again.
They invaded Casterly Rock from below. They entered the enormous labyrinth of stone that, throughout its thousands of years of history, countless people had tried unsuccessfully to map.
It was incredibly easy to get lost there. Far easier to find corpses, bones scattered across the ground, and dead-end tunnels than to discover the correct path.
Yet somehow, they not only found a passage when no one else could...
They also moved through the castle knowing exactly where to go. As though they had been there before.
It made Tywin think of mystical powers. Coming from those people, he should no longer have been surprised.
"We cannot allow Casterly Rock to fall. Even if we're already late, I want you to leave before the end of this afternoon." Tywin changed his mind.
Kevan nodded. He could understand his brother.
After all, Casterly Rock was his home as well. If it fell, it would be a disgrace to the Lannister name. Furthermore, the lions would once again be seen as pathetic by all Seven Kingdoms.
They would even lose the image of power they had spent so many years building.
After the meeting, Qyburn and Kevan left the room. Kevan headed straight to his chambers, while Qyburn lingered for a brief moment, studying the scroll once more as though searching for details everyone else had overlooked.
He was also worried about Lannisport. His wife had already been instructed to leave for Casterly Rock as soon as they learned that the Arcticans were marching against the Iron Islands.
In the letter, he had asked them to be as careful as possible and to be prepared to flee to King's Landing immediately at the slightest sign of an attack.
At the same time, in the main towers of the Red Keep, a servant walked through the corridors carrying a tray of food until she reached one of the towers.
Two guards stood at the door and looked at her.
"Hello, Mell," one of them said.
The girl smiled. "Hello, sers. May I come in?"
They nodded and opened the door.
She stepped inside, but before doing so, one of the guards slapped her on the backside while calling her by name. She merely gave him a mischievous smile in return, turned around, and went in.
Inside, she found a girl reading a book.
Mell had been a servant at the Red Keep since she was fifteen years old. She had learned all kinds of things in that place and had served there for five years, ever since King Robert still ruled.
She could say she had seen everything. Like many other servant girls, she had accumulated many lovers.
She knew that the women who worked at the Red Keep were unlikely to ever find a husband. After all, they were merely servants surrounded by the most powerful men in the realm. It was not allowed, but in a way, it was tolerated. The pay was worth it, so families sent their daughters there, even though it gave them a chance to ruin their future, even if it was nothing like being a prostitute.
It was a taboo, obviously. But that did not prevent them from rarely being able to refuse a nobleman when he desired their company.
They were not forced into it, but the servants had to attend to the nobles' chambers, and many eventually gave in. Not because they were prostitutes or earned money from it, but because they could hardly oppose the wishes of a powerful man. Some even enjoyed it.
Mell was not a hypocrite. She herself had slept with all kinds of people. Other servants looking to relieve stress, soldiers, guards, knights, nobles, and even a few ladies.
She even worked with a servant who had slept with King Robert. You could even end up sleeping with a king while working there... Well, if he happened to like you while he was drunk, there wasn't much you could do.
But after seeing so many things, Mell had never met anyone like the girl standing before her.
That foolish girl she had been serving over the past several moons. A young woman who had spent her entire life trapped inside a crystal bubble, never knowing what the world was truly like.
And unfortunately for her, it was already too late. The girl no longer showed the same sparkle or the same smile. Mell had been there when she arrived at the Red Keep, shortly after her father had been imprisoned. Even then, the girl still displayed fascination and an almost childlike innocence...
It was strange.
She had remained hidden even from the king's eyes all that time, until his death and her father's capture. Then, from one day to the next, she began living in the Red Keep, believing that her father would be saved and that everything would be fine by the queen's side.
Mell had known many naïve girls. They were always little girls around that age... They all dreamed of becoming princesses and queens.
But this one surpassed them all.
There were rumors that her sister was the most beautiful woman in the Seven Kingdoms and was called queen by that king from the North. They said that, since she was not the sister of the King of Arctic, she now shared his bed and would one day be treated as a future queen, since the king had adopted polygamy in that kingdom. Many called him a savage driven by his desires.
They also said that she had come to King's Landing full of hope, wanting to prove that she was worth more than her sister. From what Mell had heard, there were some men who had been in Winterfell.
And all that joy and innocence vanished the moment her father was beheaded and it was announced that the king from the North was, in fact, a hidden dragon, the rightful heir to the throne.
King Joffrey had not stopped mistreating her since then, especially when the old lion was away from King's Landing. The queen humiliated her openly.
Mell looked at the girl, who had been hiding her face ever since she entered the room.
Even after so many moons, she still had not gotten used to the large scar on her face and the burn marks. Queen Cersei had proven herself to be a true monster and had done all of that to the girl.
Even Mell had to be careful. She had seen servants die, have their tongues torn out, and disappear. If the Queen Mother thought you were laughing at her misfortune, you were doomed. The entire keep feared Cersei more than the old lion himself.
That girl had only not been killed because she still seemed to have some importance, and that woman must also have taken some pleasure in hurting her.
Even though she considered her the most foolish of all the ladies she had ever known, Mell also saw her as one of those who had suffered the most at the hands of the Queen Mother. Even so, she was still alive.
Deep down, she felt sorry for that girl from the North. She had come expecting to become a queen. Instead, she had found a living nightmare.
Both Joffrey and Cersei seemed to take pleasure in their cruelty after Lord Stark's death. And now, according to the rumors, she would marry Tyrion Lannister, the dwarf.
"My lady, your meal is here," Mell said as she placed the tray on the table.
The girl, still hiding her face behind the book, merely nodded. "Thank you," she replied simply.
Mell nodded and started to leave. As soon as she opened the door, she stepped outside and looked at one of the guards.
"So, what are you doing here?" she asked curiously.
"We were assigned here two days ago. If you want to know, we're the ones guarding the girl now. Our shift will last until the end of the day," the guard replied.
Mell nodded. She did not understand why the guards had been replaced, but considering the rumors that the queen bribed some of them to visit the girl and torment her, it seemed entirely possible.
Be that as it may, it did not stop one of the Kingsguard from approaching her. He asked her to deliver a message hidden among the food trays to the girl.
She did not know what was written. And honestly, she did not want to know.
Poor thing, she could only pity the girl in the midst of that persecution.
"Come to the kitchen at midnight," she said in the end, giving the guard a wink, and he simply nodded.
She saw no problem in having some fun with that man. The poor fool thought he was her only lover.
He even believed that he could marry her. As if that were possible... After all, this was the Red Keep, where every kind of murder, scheme, and betrayal for personal gain took place.
As far as she was concerned, she was just going to have a little fun with that man.
Mell returned to the kitchens after that.
At the same time, Sansa shuddered when she opened one of the trays and found a small message hidden beside the food.
[I heard you're going to marry my brother. I confirmed it with my father yesterday. You two are quite a match. After all, now there are two monsters.] The message was signed by Cersei. She had never cared to hide it.
The girl began to cry, overwhelmed with regret. Her life had become a nightmare she had never imagined she would have to endure.
The people who claimed they would help her had turned out to be monsters. Monsters who only wanted to torment her or use her to satisfy their own desires for revenge.
She knew very little about what was happening. She remained confined to that room. Her father was dead, her mother was dead, her brothers in the North were dead... she could not visit her brother, who was imprisoned in the Black Cells.
She received almost no news, aside from a few isolated remarks, and even that information was extremely limited.
And now... She would have to marry the dwarf.
'How did my life go so terribly wrong?' she asked herself.
Raccoon Here:
I wanted to put Tywin in the war in the Westerlands, but I realized that would be unrealistic. After all, he needs to keep the allies united when everything in King's Landing seems so fractured.
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