Tywin stopped his horse outside the place his Uncle Tyrion had taken him to. The place was a high end brothel.
"Uncle, why have you taken me to such a queer place?" Tywin impatiently asked his Uncle.
"Boy, it's for an experience. You might decide after seeing these lovely women that maybe the Kingsguard is too chaste for you." Tyrion answered with a hearty laugh.
"But I am only a lad of three and ten. If Lord Selmy hears of this, he'll curse me to die in the seven hells." Tywin replied with a shudder.
"You knights, with your vows and all. Have you ever heard Tywin that Lord Selmy had a liking for a certain maiden?" Tyrion asked.
Tywin was left shocked. He thought Ser Barristan was too caught up in his fighting to care about women.
The Hound, Ser Sandor Clegane had accompanied them on their visit.
"Yes Imp I remember that girl's name. Ashara Dayne wasn't it?" A laugh came across his ugly face. Tywin moved his horse away from the Hound's Stranger.
"Yes lady Dayne. She was the younger sister of Arthur Dayne wasn't she?" Tyrion asked the Hound.
"Aye Imp."
A lady had come to greet them outside. She was clearly the owner of the brothel. She was middle aged and had a stoop. Her once black hair had a few greys in the.
"My lords will it be the usual girls tonight?" She politely asked Tyrion and Clegane.
"Give me a virgin tonight, Jenna. The crown prince has given me a fucking headache." Sandor said.
"As you please my lord. Lord Tyrion?" She asked.
"Jenna, don't call me a lord. I ain't the lord of anything except maybe a pile of dung." This statement from his uncle led the Hound to guffaw loudly.
Jenna invited them inside. Tywin followed the two men inside. The brothel was packed with customers. There was a variety of beautiful girls to choose from, Lyseni, Dothraki and even Valyrian.
Tywin saw Jenna pulling a young girl by her hand towards the two men. She was a Dornish girl and she had lovely olive skin and black, luscious hair.
"Here's your girl, Lord Sandor."
Tywin didn't feel right about this. The girl in front of him was no more than four and ten. She was crying as Jenna pulled her towards the hungry dog.
"Stop it!" Tywin shouted.
The Hound gave a quizzical look. He was clearly angry. No one stole the property of the Hound.
"Please stop it Jenna. She's just a child." Tywin pleaded with her.
"Your grace most of the women lose their maidenhood at this age. It is our business." Jenna answered.
"I'll pay for her. But please don't" He said.
"It will be ten golden stags for that, my grace." Jenna, a look of greed had crept onto her face.
Tywin opened his purse and handed the woman her pay.
The Hound was clearly outraged. But he could not harm him, so he just asked Jenna for another lady.
Tywin took the girl by her hand and pulled her outside. She was on the verge of tears. Clearly she thought that he was going to take her maidenhood.
"Sweet lady," he said trying to be courteous, "I have no intention of harming you; I am taking you the castle. You shall be one of my younger sister's hand maidens."
"My lord, you're very gracious. My name is Saya Sand. My father was a trader in Dorne, my lord. He came to do some business here and at the same he laid with my mother, a common whore. My mother died shortly after she gave birth to me. Jenna promised to allow me to stay. She made me do all the cleaning and cooking. But when I flowered on my last name day, she decided to put me up in the market. Virgin whores are very pricey my lord. Jenna thought she could sell my maiden hood at a high price to some lord." She said, tears falling down her face.
"Well Saya, I promise no man shall hurt you at the Red Keep. My sister is gentle and kind. My mother was just informing me how she needed a new hand maiden after the old one passed away." Tywin informed her.
"I am most indebted to you, my lord." She said.
Tywin sat on his horse and pulled Saya up behind him. He should have never accompanied the Imp and the Hound. Whoring was not meant for men wishing to join the Kingsguard. It did not matter whether Ser Barristan had formed a liking for Lady Dayne, he never broke his vows to lay with a woman. Even Uncle Jaime had never lain with a woman after he took his vows. He was not sure about the rest of the members of the Kingsguard. They seemed an odd group. Ser Meryn Trant was cruel and had not a drop of kindness in him. Ser Boros Blount was all word and no action. Ser Preston Greenfield was as green as his name suggested. Ser Arys Oakheart was an amiable fellow but Tywin had seen him staring at his lady mother. Did these men deserve to be in the Kingsguard? But all the 'good' knights were dead. Ser Arthur Dayne, Ser Oswell Whent, Ser Lewyn Martell and Ser Gerold Hightower were all in their graves. They had died brave men defending their King from the threat of the Baratheons. But Uncle Jaime had broken his vow to protect the King and instead slayed him. Uncle Jaime had a few weeks back explained him why he had done so. Mad King Aerys had threatened to set Kings Landing on fire but Jaime to stop him from doing so had killed him. So were knights allowed to have exceptions when it came to their vows?
Once they reached the palace, Tywin handed Saya to a few of the hand maidens of the castle. He promised her, he would appoint her in Myrcella's service the next day. After doing so he made his way to the tower reserved for the Kingsguard. He walked by all the rooms until he reached the room reserved for the Lord Commander of Kingsguard.
He knocked on Ser Barristan's door. "Lord Commander, do you have a few minutes to talk?" Tywin asked.
He heard the shuffling of feet on the other side of the bed and in a few moments the door was open.
The Lord Commander had clearly been sleeping as he was in his under clothes and his white hair was messy but he noticed a sword strapped on his waist.
"Your grace. I did not expect you at this hour? Is something wrong?" Ser Barristan asked.
"I had a few questions to ask you my lord." He admitted.
"Please come into my quarters Grace. We shall talk over some wine? Though forgive me I don't drink so much wine. A member of the Kingsguard always needs to be alert." He said.
"My lord, the wine is not needed. All I need is your council over some matters." Tywin said.
"Well my Grace shall be pleased to know that he has me to council him." Barristan said.
"Ser Barristan was it difficult to become a member of the Kingsguard? Did you never think of the fact that you would never wed or bed a woman nor have children?" Tywin blurted out.
Ser Barristan was rather taken aback by the sudden question from the young prince.
After regaining his composure, he began to answer, "Women and children are not one's priority when one joins the Kingsguard. There is reason; the Kingsguard and the Nightswatch take a vow of celibacy. It's so their loyalty remains with the realm. One must forget which House he belongs to and serve the King. That is the worst sacrifice Tywin but it is also the greatest." He said looking Tywin straight into the eye.
"The Hound and my uncle Tyrion took me to a whore house today. I was shocked by their behavior Ser. They treated the ladies with no respect and the Hound was going to take the maiden hood of a fourteen year old girl, a mere child. I was shocked my Lord." Tywin admitted.
"Men are cruel and treat women as objects. I too once loved a woman. She had long silver hair and violet eyes. But I was a member of the Kingsguard and I could not pursue my interest in her. I gave up my inheritance to join the Kingsguard. Tywin you will not be the heir to the throne after Joffrey and you will no longer be a Baratheon after you join us." Barristan said.
Tywin was certain the silver haired woman was Ashara Dayne. Tywin's hands had started to tremble. Before leaving for King's Landing a year ago, Jon had confessed to him his wish to join the Nightswatch. He had told him that a bastard had no place in Winterfell. Tywin understood why Jon wanted to leave his loving family. Lady Catelyn had always hated Jon ever since Lord Stark had brought him home after the war. We both will be celibates he thought but we both will be protecting the King and his people against unspeakable danger.
A loud knocking on the Lord Commander's door knocked him out of his reverie. Tywin got up to open the door. He found Ser Jaime Lannister standing on the other side of the door.
"Tywin my boy what are doing here? Forget questions. Lord Commander, the King has called his small council for an emergency meeting. Lord Jon Arryn is dead. "Jaime said.
The words shook Tywin. Jon Aryyn had been a second father to Lord Eddard and his father. There was not time to lose though. By the time Tywin had recovered from his shock. Lord Barristan was already wearing his armor and his white cape. He nodded at Jaime and rushed out of his room.
"Uncle Jaime I wish to go too. I want to offer my condolences to father. He had lost his father." Tywin pleaded.
"A mere prince is not allowed to sit at the small council. Well I suppose it won't hurt." Jaime led Tywin up the stairs to the room used by the small council.
Tywin did not know what to feel. Jon Aryyn was his father and Lord Stark's second father. But he had never gotten to know the man. He had only been here for year.
Tywin and Jaime entered the small council's room. His father sat at the head of the table, his face visibly red from the wine. His mother sat beside her husband wearing black, the color of mourning. His uncles, Stannis and Renly were also present. Stannis wore a black cape as a sign of his mourning but beneath that he wore a yellow surcoat with the black stag of House Baratheon. His uncle Renly was rather extravagantly dressed for mourning. He wore a velvet black surcoat and black leather breeches. Lord Varys and Grand Maester Pycelle wore robes of black. Petry wore a black coat with brown breaches. Clearly they had been informed well before the Lord Commander.
They were in the midst of a heated discussion.
"Lysa Arryn is not a capable regent my lord. Perhaps I should go and take up regency?" Lord Baelish cleverly asked.
"You are to remain here Petyr. Where will I get my coin from?" Robert demanded.
"Maybe we could watch on Lysa Arryn using my spiders." Varys said rubbing his hands together.
"Quite the best thing we can do at this moment, my lords." Lord Renly said.
"Now that brings us to the all-important question. Who is the next Hand to the king?" Grand Maester Pycelle asked.
"I suggest Lord Stannis. He has served you well in times of need." The Lord Commander proposed.
"My own brother who did not aid me in the rebellion. No! " Robert grunted. His thoughts were muddy from the wine. Stannis simply grounded his teeth in reply and Renly patted his older brother on his back.
"Lord Tyrell?" Grand Maester Pycelle enquired.
"No! I've already decided who is going to be the next Hand! It shall be Ned! Ned, Ned and only Ned! " Robert shouted causing his whole small council to jump up in fright.
"Dear brother, you startled us." Renly said with a chuckle.
"Lord Stark has only visited King's Landing once. Are you sure he is the correct choice for us your Grace?" Varys asked.
"Obviously. The man is the only close friend I have left in this world filled with enemies." Robert said before bursting into tears.
The next day, the royal party set off for Winterfell.