A Father's Love

Night before Tyrion's execution for regicide

King's Landing, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms

Tower of the Hand

Tyrion pulled himself through the secret passage in the floor and quietly replaced the opening with the stone lid. He entered the main chamber of the Hand where the small council meetings took place. I could turn back now, it's not too late. No doubt Varys was waiting in the tunnels for him with a perfectly good escape plan. Tyrion was about to turn around and climbed back down the secret passage and make his escape but he couldn't turn his back on the years of abuse he had suffered at the hands of his father. His rage had been simmering all these years and his father's willingness to execute him for a crime he knew was committed by another was the last straw. No he would stay on this course. One way or another he would find his closure with his father and then leave his tortured life in King's Landing behind.

As Tyrion walked through the chamber he didn't know exactly what he was going to do. He just knew he had to confront his father. When he spotted the crossbow on the wall his plan became clear and he immediately headed over to grab it.

With the crossbow in hand Tyrion walked through the corridor to the bedroom of the Hand. He pushed the door open slightly, peaking around the corner. Tywin was staring out the window into the darkness with his back to the door holding a goblet of wine in one hand. His other hand brushed through his beard. Tyrion knew that this motion meant he was lost in thought, and normally that he was not to be disturbed.

Tyrion creeped around the door not fully opening it, afraid it would creak and give away his position. Tyrion positioned himself behind Tywin pointing the crossbow at his back. He could pull the trigger now and the Old Lion would be no more. He wouldn't be able to belittle and insult or terrorise and manipulate anyone else. Instead Tyrion cleared his throat. He needed closure after all and you don't get that from the dead.

Tywin spun around to face the source of the noise. His eyes narrowed when he spotted Tyrion and what he was pointing at him.

"Tyrion," Tywin said in a cold voice while putting the goblet on the window sill. "Have you come to kill me? Regicide not enough you want to add patricide and kin killing to your list."

"Isn't that a bit hypocritical father you are having me executed tomorrow but you probably think you are above such labels," Tyrion snarled and took a step towards the centre of the room.

"Everything I do is for my family, for the Lannister name," Tywin stated with absolute certainty.

"I am your family," shouted Tyrion his hands had begun to shake with the effort of holding the crossbow.

"Yes and that's why Jamie was allowed to rescue you," Tywin replied in a raised voice. After a few moments of stunned silence from Tyrion, he turned back to the window.

"You allowed Jamie to rescue me," Tyrion said slowly as if checking that those were the words that had come out of Tywin's mouth. "You knew he wouldn't let me die tomorrow and would stage a rescue attempt. Well my brother is quite the saviour he even convinced Varys to spirit me away to Essos."

Tywin turned from the window to lock eyes with his youngest son. "No he didn't I gave my permission to Varys to facilitate your escape."

Tyrion scoffed, "There it is, the lie manipulating the situation to save your own skin. Do you really think I would believe a word that comes out of your mouth after everything you have done to me? You wouldn't help me escape."

"Do you really believe that your brother would have been able to pull off an escape attempt from the Red Keep and the guile to enlist Varys in shipping you away from King's Landing. Your brother is many things but a strategist he is not," Tywin exclaimed. Lowering his eyes to fixate on the crossbow Tywin said in a soft voice that didn't seem natural for him, "I didn't anticipate that you might take a detour to the Tower of the Hand to kill your own father during your escape. But then again you have always found a way to ruin my plans."

The shock at Tywin's admission showed on Tyrion's face. "No you have always wanted me dead."

"If that were true you would have died on the very day you were born," Tywin shot back.

"Why didn't you," shouted Tyrion with emotion distorting his face.

Tywin backed himself against the window sill as if suddenly wanting the conversation to end but aware that his son intended to kill him when it did. "Because you are a Lannister, because you are my son, because ….. you are Joanna's son."

Tyrion swore he saw a tremor go through his good father at the mention of his mother's name.

"If I killed you, it would mean her death would be worthless. The last thing she did before she passed was to make me promise that I would treat you like a Lannister, like my son."

Tyrion was trying to process all this information and his grip on the crossbow loosened with its point lowering to the ground slightly. Tywin and his siblings had never discussed the day their mother had died and Tyrion had been starved of all information relating to her. I can't let this cloud my judgement, he deserves to die for what he has put me through.

"You know I didn't poison Joffrey but you were willing to put me on trial for it anyway," Tyrion managed to choke out as tears formed in his eyes.

"Yes," Tywin acknowledged while observing his son. "But the outcome was for you to be exiled to the wall not a trial by combat, that was your doing and it left little room to manoeuvre."

"Still I would have left for the wall with all the blame and you would have let Joffrey's true killer get away with such a slight on the Lannister name just to get rid of me."

"I would have found out who is responsible and they would have died a painful and slow death."

Would have found out who is responsible, father doesn't think he is going to survive this encounter and father is always right.

Tywin continued "and besides I remember you telling me that you always wanted to tour the free cities while now is your chance. Just leave Tyrion", Tywin ordered as if he was the one holding the crossbow.

"How good of you to remember that I wanted to travel, I wonder why I never did." Tyrion said sarcastically. "Don't worry father I will leave but not before I do this." Tyrion readjusted his grip on the crossbow and lifted the crossbow. Tywin saw the movement and made to cross the room. There was no way he could avoid the first bolt but he might be able to reach Tyrion before he had a chance to fire the second.

Tywin was right he couldn't avoid the first bolt as it ripped through his thigh. His long stride faulted and he tumbled to the floor a few feet away from his smiling son. He clutched his leg applying pressure around the wound. He wouldn't be able to remove the bolt and reach Tyrion. The irony that his son of all people had crippled him fuelled the anger in his eyes and mixed with the pain burning in his leg. Tyrion had reloaded his crossbow and walked up to his father. With Tywin crumpled on the floor their heads were at the same height for once.

"Goodbye father, I can't say that I will miss you."

Tywin closed his eyes and all he saw was Joanna. I will be with you soon.

Tywin opened his eyes to find Tyrion had left and discarded the crossbow by the door of his bed chambers. The pain in his leg made him act. "Guards, GUARDS," Tywin shouted knowing full well he had sent the guards away to aid in Tyrion's escape.

Tyrion walked towards Varys who had a confused look on his face. "Let's go," Tyrion said with an ear-to-ear grin as he passed Varys in the tunnel. Varys turned to where Tyrion had come from and thought he heard shouting in the distance.

Tyrion would say this moment was the highlight of his life so far. Leaving his father alive was a difficult choice to make but Tyrion thought on the whole that death would be too good and quick for him. Since Tywin had facilitated his escape Tyrion was in his debt. Tyrion thought leaving him alive paid that debt and Lannister's always pay their debts. Besides leaving his father alive gave Tommen a better chance at a successful Kingship and Tyrion held no ill will towards Tommen. Good luck to the boy, he will need it thought Tyrion as he climbed into the crate.

Author's Notes

Hi Guys,

Hope you enjoyed my story. It is based around the idea of what could have happened if Shae wasn't in the Tower of the Hand the night Tyrion escaped. It is my first story published on FF so let me know what you think.

Did I get the tone of the characters and their speech patterns right? Was it a believable encounter and a possible alternative ending to the version on the TV show?

If there are any grammar or formatting issues let me know and I will sort them out. Happy to receive advice and criticism if it is genuine.

It is a one-shot as I'm mainly writing to improve my skill so my novel length ideas aren't let down by poor execution.

Have a great day,

R.M