- I've killed my own firstborn, - said she. - I did it.
She was so beautiful. Her long hair was red again, black tips hidden in the complicated knot below her neck. Not a child anymore, not a teenager. Sansa Stark (or should he call her lady Bolton now?) reunited with him, declaring that she wants to be called his wife again.
- It was too dangerous - to have a child fathered by Ramsey. I couldn't give Boltons another key to the North, - explained she calmly.
She's so unlike to the passionate and tender creature Tyrion used to know. That impossible noble woman.
- You could hide the kid. Lie about his origin, - disagreed he in a broken voice.
- Just like my father did with his nephew, - nodded she. - It never made life easier and safer for Jon. I prefer to think it was a mercy to kill my child before he became a part of the game.
What have they done to you, little bird? How have they sucked all the joy out of you? Tyrion was so angry with the war that destroyed them. Both of them were happy and cheerful kids once, but now they're just practical. No feelings allowed.
- I'm not a kind woman, my lord. I've killed my firstborn, now I'm asking you to do something even worse - to let your own firstborn live.
He was surprised by the offer.
- Are you asking me, - said he slowly, - to father a child with you?
It was so wrong on so many levels - it was hard to perform juridically because the laws were against...
- Yes, - said she, cutting all ifs and buts in his head.
- Why...
- We need to do this. After the latest events you're the oldest Lannister in the lineage. If you're not continuing it, your distant relatives will take it all - you can't afford this amount of money to support their sects or their bitches.
She was right. Twins were dead. He was the last of Lannisters in power.
- I can spend them on bitches myself, - sadly noticed Tyrion. Why doesn't this girl understand...
- And that's another problem, - nodded Sansa with all her new impassionate grace. She wasn't insulted by the thought of her first husband spending money on sex with some women. Not at all. Why should she, after all? - Your bastards can ask for the money and titles as well.
That girl knew her points. Law may afford these kids to do so, that's true.
- Why should I agree? - he felt empty. - You're Bolton now. I can marry some pretty noble girl and make dozens of dwarf Lannisters without your help.
- It would be so kind of you to destroy my honor and lie to everyone that our marriage was consummated and my second husband was nothing but a criminal. I would love to see him in court. But am I asking too much? Right, you need some good reasons, - she smiled, but her eyes were sad. - I'm still a Stark, with influence on North and Eerey. I'm not new in the Capitol. I'm clever enough to ask you before doing something political here. I have no intention to cheat on you. And I won't break your heart because you don't love me.
They both understood that they couldn't leave the Palace and try to live peacefully somewhere out of intrigues and aristocracy. But they could help one another - the Union of North and South was a good idea after all. And now her reputation was spoiled enough to call a marriage with the patricidical dwarf anything but mésalliance.
- I guess we can make it, my lady. But I have a condition. Be honest with me and be a friend of mine, Sansa.
- As you wish, Tyrion.
She stayed impassionate on their first night. She looked on everything but him when he moved in her. It hurt his pride. He never was so unsatisfied after a night with woman.
They both agreed to repeat the act only if it would be necessary to conceive - but in a month she had no regulars; Sansa was pregnant.
They shared a room to exclude any rumors, but hardly were communicating. Tyrion tried to speak with her about novels or news from other Kingdoms. She answered with same polite and calm expression, showing no interest in the small talk.
One day he brought her a puppy. It was a gift from one diplomat. The man has done his research badly - Tyrion wasn't into hunt or hunter's dogs. But the puppy was cute, so he gave it to Sansa.
For the first time in two months he saw her smiling. It was a shock. He forgot how beautiful and pure she was with a smile. Every time she played with her dog, Tyrion secretly looked at her from the corner of his eye. Her pale skin filled with a tiniest hint of healthy blood and it looked gorgeous with her fire-red hair and rounded pregnant body. But the broad smile he've seen that day never returned again.
It took another month for him to realize he fell in love with her.
It wasn't good. His chest was filled with pain every time he'd seen her stitching with that severe sad expression. Tyrion was angry she was nice to the puppy, but not him. And, gods, she was beautiful. It was too much to sleep in one bed with her.
He tried to fulfill his needs at the brothel. He failed - couldn't even take his clothes off. That redhead wasn't his wife. How bad is that - to desperately want a woman that would never willingly make love with you for pleasure, not children? She would never look at him during sex.
But among all the Lannisters men, a family famous for being outstanding in many ways, he always was a clever one.
- Sansa, can I ask for your help? - told he during the breakfast one morning.
She nodded as he continued:
- I miss the days I was paying my addresses to ladies. I've totally lost the skill. May I ask you to let me courtship you?
Sansa looked surprised and a little bit annoyed.
- You can always get a mistress, you know?
- Good to have your permission. No offense. But I want to be sure it's not a money thing. And I need a friend to tell me how I'm doing. It's a little bit selfish, I see, - agreed he.
- No, it's not, - said Sansa honestly. - I respect your high requirements. I can help you.
That's how the little bird got caught in his cage. Maybe he was into hunting after all.
He started with nice compliments and light kisses on her hands. Then he got little gifts for her. She was opening up a little bit more with every step he took.
His first triumph was when he read aloud a poem secretly made for Sansa. He noticed she was blushing, finding out how similar the girl in poem was to her. Then he finished the poem - declaring that he was fond of the girl with hair "yellow as fields of corn".
Sansa was insulted a little. She tried to keep her expression calm, but Tyrion has seen her wild passion rekindling deep inside and making her eyes shine again. She was not happy to be bested at anything by some other girl. That was an old Sansa he knew once.
- That's very nice. I think she will love it, - said she politely.
- Oh, really? - lively replied he. - I'm so happy to hear that! I was worried it's too cheesy.
- No, it's not - it's very, very romantic, - smiled she shortly.
He continued his game, discussing his cheating success with his wife. Slowly she was burning with jealousy - it wasn't a matter of love, though. Years ago she buried her passion under a mask of politeness and stupidity, so she could survive the Game of Thrones. Passionate ones died first then. Now she had relaxed and that brought her an ability to really feel something again.
- Can I ask you to kiss me? - asked he once.
- What?! - she was red, her calm mask gone long ago.
- I need to practice. You can take it as an enjoyable exercise. At least I will try to make it enjoyable, Sansa. May I?
She was shy and red as her hair, but slowly she nodded and whispered her consent. He asked her to take a seat in an armchair, and situated himself on one the of its arms.
He started slowly, playing with her hair, brushing his lips against her ear, her chick, her temple. Finally she was relaxed enough to be kissed properly. That was when he parted her lips with his tongue.
Was it unpleasant for her? She had bad time with men in the past. He tried to fix his attention on her skin under his palm, her tender lips and tongue answering him shyly. He continued the kiss until she gave a little moan of pleasure. Then they ended it.
- It was enjoyable, - said she panting. - You are totally prepared, my lord.
She quickly left Tyrion, wishing him luck on a date he pretended to have later that night.
In the evening after his "date" (actually he hided in a library for a couple of extra hours) she was silent and sad. They were in bed, preparing to go to sleep, when she told him:
- Once I promised to be honest with you, Tyrion.
- Is something wrong? - worried he.
Has he crossed the line in his game? What if she found out about it and was angry with him?
- I was lying to you.
He kept silent and with a small nod asked her to continue.
- I told you to have fun with your pretty blonde mistress, because you need it. And I promised it wouldn't hurt me. And I believed it, because I planned to care about nothing more but raising our child myself. I thought I can let you care about some women instead and that would be a reasonable price. But now it does hurt me, - she was nervous. Sansa looked in his eyes and whispered, - I think... I love you, my lord husband.
He tried to prevent smiling when he said:
- I wasn't honest with you as well , dear. I don't have a mistress, because I love nobody but my one and only wife, - he silenced her with the kiss before she started complaining.
And Sansa decided she can wait to tell him all her ifs and buts in the morning. They had decades ahead, after all.