Chapter Three

A Crime and a Price

He pushed open the doors to the throne room and walked inside, his head held high in spite of his banishment. He had left Tommen in the care of Bronn when he decided to come to King's Landing to wish the king a pleasant nameday...no, in truth he had come for her –the woman who had bewitched him.

Tyrion Lannister had loved only twice before. First there was Tysha whom he'd discovered was no whore but genuinely in love with him and had it not been for Jamie telling him such a lie upon his father's request he may still be with her. After his father passed her around his guards like the whore they'd claimed her to be, she had taken her life by jumping into the Narrow Sea. Even now, after all these years, his heart was still heavy with that loss.

Then there Shae whom had stolen his heart when he thought it was too badly damaged for anyone to want it. She had stood by him despite his being an imp with an awful scar running across his face. He had loved her truly and when someone –a whore or a lady- would offer themselves to him for his pleasure, he would kindly refuse. He wanted nothing more than to be hers, faithfully and completely, and her to be his in much the same way.

Shae apparently had other ideas.

When he found her in his father's bed, his fury consumed and he, in his fiery wrath, had strangled her. He had fought with his father afterwards and while he loathed that they had ever been together in life, he felt it only just they should be together in death also.

She was different. So completely different to the two before her. Tysha was too fragile, too easily broken and Shae...? Shae was a manipulative wench. Oh, but not she.

His new love had all the beauty and charm of his two old loves, yet she was strong and pure. Her determination to survive without being corrupted by power -as everyone around her had been- met no bounds. He knew of no-one like her. Maybe it her house that had made her so, maybe it was in her blood or perhaps she had simply learnt that strength and the intelligence to use that strength wisely could conquer worlds without ships or weapons.

He had to admit when he had first met her he had seen only a young girl full of naivety, but now as he watched her full grown and with her small, blossoming family –not a bruise or a scratch to remind her of her past- he could truly say he felt inspired by her. She had such courage.

He shan't think of it. She had another man in her life, a strong man, a good one and for Tyrion that was enough. Or at least he told himself it was as he made his way towards the throne.

Robert's bastard had been kind to him since he'd learnt of his help with the war effort and despite his family's banishment, Tyrion was allowed to return to King's Landing on occasion. Of course those occasions usually meant when the King or his Hand had requested him to be there, but he thought that the gift he was about to bear would make up for it.

"Your Grace." The imp bowed and greeted the young king.

Gendry gave a kind smile, nodding his head.

"Lord Tyrion…" he said, "I was not expecting you."

"He wasn't invited, Gendry." Lady Arya rolled her eyes at the king's ignorance, "He's not supposed to be here."

Tyrion watched as the dark haired lad turned his blue eyes to the young woman's grey ones, his brows slightly raised –indicating that he knew the Lord had not been invited, but was trying to be polite nonetheless. Lady Arya just glared at him.

"I hear I am to call you Princess now." Tyrion said in that smooth tone of his. Only just remembering that her brother Robb Stark had claimed himself King of the North and upon his death Bran had taken his place.

Lady –no, Princess- Arya simply shrugged. The movement so typical of her character yet it seemed so odd to see a lady shrug whilst wearing a grand gold and blue gown.

It would appear one could put the now second eldest Stark in a gown, but one could not take the warrior's edge from her movement or the fiery glint from her eyes. No, the war had shaped her so that she would never truly be fit for the court life other ladies were forced into. She was a fighter now. She always had been. However now the innocence had been bled from her and it was all thanks to his sister allowing her monstrous child to run amuck.

His heart tightened. Oh, how his nephew had destroyed the people of Kings Landing. No more were they carefree and jolly, but cynical and pessimistic. Perhaps the new king could change that.

'"Lady' is fine. Though I'd rather just be Arya."

Tyrion looked at her with uncertainty,

"Which should it be?" he said, "I would not wish to offend you."

Now both Kind Gendry and Lord Tyrion were watching her. Both knowing she had an unstable relationship with the imp, not trusting him but forced to respect for the debt she owed him in taking care of her elder sister during the war.

She sighed, "Just Arya."

He smiled that dashing smile of his, turning his head back to the king, his hands folded behind his back as he climbed the steps,

"And you, Your Grace…you have no objections to this? Seven Heaven's forbid you to feel I am disrespecting your Hand."

From the corner of his eye, he saw Princess Arya tapping her foot. She knew he was playing with them. Being overly formal simply because he knew it grated on her nerves. King Gendry, however, was less observant of this.

The young king laughed, his blue eyes sparkling as he looked at his Hand,

"I'm afraid that milady has more say in what goes on than I do. If she says you are to call her Arya, call her Arya you must."

The imp was about to bow to them both and bestow the knowledge he had come with of Daenerys Targaryen's injured dragon and how it would be wise to rally the men together and strike soon, when Princess Arya discreetly kicked her king in the shin and marched off in the direction of the Red Keep. King Gendry half winched, half laughed before calling out her name. Tyrion watched as the young princess stormed out of the room.

The king rose from his throne,

"Forgive me, Lord Tyrion, I better go see if she is alright. But please enjoy the feat and help yourself to whatever you like."

And with that the young King Gendry vanished in the direction Princess Arya had fled, leaving Tyrion alone with his message still to be conveyed. The little lord stood there for a moment, undecided as to what to do. He found himself wandering through the hordes of people, pretty maidens with long flowing hair and smug looking lords with their tailored dress tunics and skirts. He kept his eyes on her as he passed through the crowds whilst sipping his wine and nibbling on a leg of wild Peafowl. However, he refused to make his way over to her and instead entertained himself with the company of Lady Lwiryn Mausdra, whom his love's brother was courting.

He gave the lady a little bow whilst she curtsied rather awkwardly in return. It seemed Princess Arya was not the only lady of court unsure how to take him since he helped bring about his family's downfall.

"Lady Mausdra, how are you?"

She was a soft spoken woman of five and ten with long blond curls and an angelic face; pale skin, thick curved brows, wide eyes and full lips with a scattering of freckles across her nose. She was very beautiful and –from what he'd heard- well educated. It was little a wonder why King Bran had taken such a liking to her.

"Very well, my lord. You?" her tone held a slight edge as if it were loathsome to simply talk to him.

"I've been educating my nephew Tommen with manners, morals and other such things my sister failed to teach him." He could see Lady Mausdra felt quite taken aback by this taboo topic, "See, Cersei was an intelligent woman, yet as I'm sure you know she put little thought to the behaviour of her children. I'm attempting to remedy that."

"Sounds as though you have much to do, my lord." She replied, her snide remark clearly evident.

Tyrion did not feel wounded by such talk, they were his sister's children and his sister had made the grave mistake of giving them all that they wished for. Tommen's new understanding that riches and gold were a privilege meant a chance for at least some redemption of the Lannister name.

"It's been tiresome." He nodded, "But Tommen's got a good heart…" Tyrion was no fool and could see she was biting her tongue so as not to insult him again. The imp took a sip of his wine, "I'm beginning to fear he was not even Cersei's." He laughed and had the pleasure of seeing Lady Mausdra attempt to hide the fact that she had very nearly choked on her wine "Though it would bid the question as to where he came from." By now Lady Mausdra's eyes were bulging, "Perhaps she stole him."

It was then that King Bran appeared by her side, his grey eyes possessive and weary as he watched his lady and the imp.

"To what pleasure do we owe your company, Lord Tyrion?" he said, with a tight smile.

King Bran had never had much problem with Tyrion, nor did that change after his nephew had Lord Eddard Stark's head severed from his body severed from his head and skewered on a pike outside the castle walls. One would rather think that would change his view of the little lord, but apparently it had not. Unlike Princess Arya and Prince Rickon, King Bran did not blame Tyrion for his sister's crimes.

The cause for his forced smile was merely that he knew the lord to be a womaniser and had little interest in losing his lady to the imp's charms. King Bran had no to worry there as not only was Lady Mausdra too pretentious for Tyrion's taste, but he was also not the kind of man the lady liked either; they merely tolerated one another and made conversation, nothing more.

Tyrion gave his third bow of the night,

"King Bran." He greeted him, "I fear I'm here on business and not pleasure. I was to bestow King Gendry with word about the Mother of Dragons, but he seemed to have a disagreement with your sister."

The King of the North rolled his eyes, a true smile breaking out onto his face upon the knowledge that he was making idle chit-chat and not attempting to woo his lady.

"Arya has quite the temper. It's a wonder he allows her to treat him so."

"Have you not considered he may feel something of love for your sister?" the ever perceptive Lady Mausdra asked.

It was the King of the North's turn to choke on his wine. He swallowed and let out a loud laugh,

"Arya?" he said it as if the lady had just suggested King Gendry had feelings for a goat, "Whatever could the king see in Arya?"

"She is very beautiful, my king." Tyrion spoke up in defence of the girl he had always admired and respected, "And highly intelligent with a mind as sharp as the swords she slays her enemies with."

King Bran looked at him incredulously, disbelieving his sister to be any of these things.

"He also spent a few years with her during the war. Troubled times can bring even the most opposing minds close." Tyrion explained, his eyes on the woman he loved as she danced with her young son.

The imp turned his head away from the sight when his heart sunk to the depths of his stomach and King Bran's eyes narrowed in bewilderment. The King of the North sipped his wine and shook his head.

"No. I cannot believe King Gendry could feel anything for Arya. Or how any man could for that matter…she would not let them."

"Perhaps not. Princess Arya can be rather terrifying."

Tyrion's remark caused the king and his lady to erupt in laughter –albeit Lady Mausdra was quite reluctant to laugh at Princess Arya's expense, she soon found herself giggling as what the imp lord had said was very true and King Bran's elder sister could invoke fear into the hearts of the bravest men on a bad day. Tyrion merely smiled as the two young lovers laughed. Pleased he had eased the tension yet feeling slightly guilty at his jibe. He bid King Bran and Lady Mausdra goodnight before turning on his heel to leave.

It was then that he saw her staring at him. Her bright blue eyes alight with shock and something else –something wonderful- when he saw him. Her hair was braided to the side and left to drape over her left shoulder, she wore the typical ladies attire in a gown the same colour as her eyes. For a moment she did nothing, made no attempt to move nor look away from him and even from this distance she could see was trembling slightly. He couldn't fathom why though. In all his time all he had ever done was try to protect her.

He gave her a small smile to show her he meant her no harm and was graced with an equally small one in return and a nod off her head before she turned back to her children.

Tyrion sucked in a breath and drained the metal cup of its contents. He remembered the day he had fallen for her and all those times leading up to it. He had seen her in the streets before, ever guarded by her father or with her brothers. Her elegance and beauty truly one of a kind. He respected her as he had respected her House since he'd known them, yet it was not until he saw he glance up at him that day, when her eyes met his for the first time that he began to feel something tug him towards her. It was the day Joffrey had heard of Robb's victories in the north and had decided to punish her for it. Luckily Tyrion had arrived moments before she was to be raped by one of Joffrey's henchmen before court, he had helped her to her feet and in that moment something passed between them. Something beautiful and whether he was to acknowledge the feeling or not it was there.

Lord Tyrion of the barbaric Lannister House had fallen for Lady Sansa Thoren, formally of House Stark. It if weren't a doomed romance, the little lord did not what was.