Just to clarify, Sansa and Tyrion are NOT married in this fic. Hope you enjoy!
It had been two weeks since she had found out about the baby. Two long weeks.
She was sitting in Tywin's chambers like she did so often, he had summoned her mid-afternoon. Catelyn didn't let herself panic, didn't let herself think that he knew. How would he know? Amorea had been the only maid changing her sheets and the wine had served as blood for all the others who had seen it. "So." Catelyn said, twirling her hair in her fingers. "Why have you summoned me today, my Lord?"
"My name is Tywin." His voice was as stern as ever. "I suggest you start using it, we are married after all."
"I suppose you can call me Catelyn." Never Cat. Ned always called me Cat. "Is that why you asked for me, or is there something else."
Tywin had been writing a letter before, but now he was looking into her eyes. "Before you, as you already know, I was married." He hadn't spoken of his previous wife to Catelyn at all since her arrival and King's Landing. Catelyn had heard very little about the late Lady Lannister, but knew that she had died in the childbed when delivering Tyrion. "She was my cousin, so we grew up together, we were always good friends. I loved her, and married her. I remember, when Jaime and Cersei were born, it was the proudest day of my life. When I held Jaime in my arms for the first time, I saw something we had made together. Our own son, and then lived it again with Cersei."
"I had five children, Tywin." It felt strange to call him that. "I am no stranger to the feeling."
"You also know how it feels to have the person you love taken away from you. Joanna died in the childbed after delivering Tyrion." Tywin looked back down, biting his lip to stop himself looking really angry. "I couldn't help thinking, take it back. Her life was not worth the dwarf she had given me in return. Take it back. But I couldn't take it back.
"That day I vowed to never let my feelings get in the way of my family, to strive to continue the line and never get held down by love. Not even the love I bear for my children."
This wasn't hard to believe at all. He had always seemed to be quite a cold man, though Catelyn had always just thought that was his nature. "I believe that for every gift of love the gods give us, two are taken away." She could not help thinking of her boys and Ned. They did not deserve what the gods gave of them. "I suppose this is your way of saying you'll never love me or any child I may give you." Gods be good you'll never know about this one. "I understand. You do not need to explain yourself further."
She got up to leave, but Tywin grabbed her hand. "That is not why I summoned you here today."
Catelyn sat back down and looked at him with curious eyes. She noticed he had spilled his pot of ink when he grabbed for her hands, and realised how very out of character that was for him. "Why did you summon me then?"
"I needed to tell you that I...have broken my vow. It pains me to think it, to feel it, but I have broken my vow." Tywin couldn't look her in the eye. "You have made me...break it."
"Me?" I have made this man fall in love with me. And I plan to leave him without a trace. Why don't I feel bad? "You...love me?" He nodded sheepishly. Catelyn had never thought she'd see Tywin Lannister nod sheepishly. "I am just...I was Catelyn Stark. I am Robb's Mother, I was Ned's wife. I captured your son and tried to have him executed! My son kept Jaime a prisoner for over a year, led a war against you. How can you love me?"
"You think I have a choice?" Tywin seemed to let his anger now, he pushed everything off his table in his rage. "You think I want to feel like this? I keep telling myself no, that it's not true, but my mind keeps coming back to your face, your voice. Your spirit, your kindness, your strength. Gods, you had the courage to hit even Joffrey! I've never met anyone else like you...even Joanna wasn't...she wasn't..."
He came from behind the table and kissed Catelyn in the moment of passion. Catelyn kissed him back gently but was unsure how to react. She pressed her hand against his chest and pushed him back slightly. "I do not doubt your feelings for me. Though I must be honest. I do not love you. You have shown me kindness while I have been here, but you butchered my son at a wedding and planned my own murder. Your grandson had my husbands head removed. Perhaps one day I will be able to forget and give you my heart, but I can never forgive you. I'm sure you'd feel the same if you were me." She rushed out of the room and shut the door, leaning against the wall and taking deep breaths. Fuck.
Catelyn didn't want to leave it like that. She hated what Tywin had done, but in a way she hated herself for leaving him like she planned to. Catelyn pushed the door back open and rushed into his arms, pressing a kiss to his lips with the passion he had shown her only a moment ago. I might as well give him something to remember me by. His hands rested on her hips and he carried her from his solar to his bedchamber, pushed her down against the mattress. Catelyn undid the laces on his breeches and pulled her skirts up. One last time...
The presence of the person inside Catelyn made her want to slice open her stomach and rip the babe out. She wouldn't though. She could never accomplish that kind of thing without killing herself. Varys was her only hope to leave the city now. Catelyn had hoped to find someone else to rely on, but she had no such luck. Before long the babe would begin to show, and she needed to leave before that happened. "So are you certain this will work?"
"Yes." Varys had never looked more serious.
The plan was simple. Joffrey's wedding was only one sleep away, and such an event would mean all the guards would be focused on Joffrey. The gold cloaks wouldn't be so focused on guarding gates and patrolling streets, it was a celebration after all. Varys had assured Catelyn that a distraction would be made for everyone to focus on during the feast (Catelyn wasn't exactly sure what the distraction was, but hoped it would be good enough), and then Amorea would escape the feast during the chaos with Catelyn and Sansa. They would take a ship to the Vale, the ship was from the Summer Isles so no one would trace it back to Varys. Every instinct in Catelyn's body urged her not to trust Varys, not to trust anyone at all. But what choice did she have?
If she stayed much longer, the babe would become apparent and she'd never be able to leave. She would not let Sansa suffer hear any longer, because if they found out her life would be forever in King's Landing.
Catelyn didn't want to be in King's Landing with Tywin and Cersei and Joffrey.
She wanted to be in Winterfell with Ned and all her beautiful children.
Catelyn woke up as soon as the light came through the window and touched her face. When she looked out over King's Landing, she realised why people were so attracted to it. It's a wonderful place really, unless you've ever been here. The maids were sure to come into her room early to prepare her for Joffrey's wedding, everything needed to be perfect. Catelyn had been invited to help plan the wedding, but had declined because she really didn't care.
About an hour after waking, three handmaidens came in and prepared Catelyn a bath. They scrubbed her clean and soaked her hair in sweet-smelling oils. While she was being washed, Catelyn couldn't help noticing that her flat stomach had started to curve slightly. Not really a visible change to anyone else, but it looked slightly fuller than it had done previously. If anything it made her look more healthy.
After being washed and dried, she saw the dress that had been made for the specially occasion. It was a dark burgundy silk with a plunging neckline and a dark swirling pattern sown into the material. Of course it had to be a slutty one. The maids tried to convince her to wear jewellery, a necklace or a band around her wrist, but Catelyn could wear her ring and only her ring. A few braids were wound around the back of her head, leaving the majority of her deep auburn locks cascading down her back. Whenever her hair caught the sun, it burned red like a thousand fires and made her blue eyes look deep and pure. That's why everyone always loves my hair. Ned loved my hair. Tywin loves my hair.
The southron hairstyles had never really been too appealing to Catelyn, she preferred to have her hair more free than tied up tightly like so many other ladies. She had hoped for a little less revealing dress, but in truth she had gotten exactly what she expected. I guess they wanted to make me as appealing as possible. I'm the King's eye-candy.
She heard a knock on her chamber doors and the maids all ran away, that could only mean one thing. It seems my husband had come to see me. Catelyn poked her head through the door. "Good Morning."
"Good Morning, Catelyn." Tywin bowed his head. He seemed to be ignoring everything that had happened the day before, his confession and their spontaneous sex. "I've come to escort you to the sept of Baelor."
Catelyn opened the door fully and Tywin's eyes widened at the sight of her. "You look exquisite, I have never seen a woman as beautiful as you are now."
"My corset is so tight I can barely breathe, the world can see my breasts and I have an eyelash in my eye that really fucking stings. Let's not make me wear this gown any longer than I have too, and save complements for those who actually desire them. Now come on, we have a wedding to attend." He took her arm silently and they walked down to the front gates where horses were waiting. Catelyn was supposed to go in a box with the other ladies, but she loved to ride Visenya, and hadn't been able to so much recently.
Lady Tanda was in front of them with her daughters, Lollys and Falyse. Lollys was heavy with child since she lost her maidenhead to about 50 men in flea bottom, and the poor girl hadn't wanted to leave her chambers. Poor girl? She's one year my junior. "It is a lovely day." Catelyn said, striking up awkward conversation with her husband.
He nodded. "I suppose the gods are blessing Joffrey and Margaery's wedding."
"I never took you for a religious man, Lord Tywin." Some gold cloaks were leading the horses through the streets, going at a painfully slow pace. Catelyn grasped Tywin's hand and kissed it softly, showing the world how 'happy' she was in her new marriage. This day had to show how much she was enjoying her new Lannister life, so no one would expect her to escape.
He raised an eyebrow. "I never took you for a hand-holding type of woman. And it's just Tywin."
"I don't know...I'm happy. I want to dance and drink and sing, I want to..." Run away with Sansa. "Maybe the oil in my hair is doing something to my head."
"Perhaps it is, but the change is welcome." Tywin got off his horse and helped Catelyn down, leading her inside the sept to stand with Cersei, Myrcella and Tommen. The ride had been made sour my the constant shouts of Get your tits out Lady Cat! and I swear I fucked Lord Tywin's wife once. Swear on my life. The man who had said that was killed promptly. I suppose he did swear on his life, she mused. As Catelyn looked out on the crowd, she saw many familiar faces. Across from her were the Tyrell's; Lady Alerie, Lady Olenna, Ser Garlan and The Knight of Flowers. At the back she noticed Ser Kevan and his wife Lady Dorna, Catelyn had only spoken to her once and wasn't in a hurry to do it again. Lady Tanda and her daughters, a servant girl holding the infant Lady Ermesande, though Catelyn wasn't quite sure why the babe was required to attend. Amorea was hidden by the door, Catelyn needed to know where she was at all times. On the far left she spied Prince Oberyn and a woman she didn't recognise. Shouldn't it be Prince Doran who attends the King's wedding, not his younger brother?
Joffrey was standing by the high septon with a grin fixed on his face, crown resting on a bed of golden curls. There was soft chatter going throughout the room, but all was silenced when the big oak doors opened and Mace Tyrell came into the candlelight with Margaery on his arm. Cersei rolled her eyes at her dress, she was always making jokes about how inappropriately revealing Margaery's gowns were, but this time Catelyn was inclined to agree. The neckline scooped so low that you could see almost all of her stomach, Joffrey was grinning madly at her. I really am surprised this boy doesn't live in a whorehouse. Though, I suppose he would find as much pleasure in killing the whores.
Margaery's walk was elegant, Mace kissed her hand and left her standing by the high septon and Joffrey. "May you cloak the bride, and bring her under your protection." Joffrey placed the red-and-gold cloak on Margaery's shoulders and smiled at her chest. Good thing she'd got that cloak on, she must have been freezing. I suppose I am being a tad hypocritical, but even my dress isn't as bad as hers. Besides, I don't pride myself on being a slut. It is useful though...
Catelyn zoned out when they started speaking, wondering when Varys's distraction would take place. She only snapped back into reality when she heard a round of applause and felt inclined to join in. Joffrey was kissing Margaery, the sight made her want to laugh. He looked like such a bad kisser.
Everyone started to leave the sept, the feast was to begin soon. How lovely...
Sansa was walking with Myrcella over to one of the boxes, Catelyn was surprised that Cersei had let them be together. That was one thing she would miss about King's Landing, Tommen and Myrcella. After acting as their surrogate Mother for a time, Catelyn had become genuinely fond of the young prince and princess. She mounted Visenya and rode along the streets with Tywin next to her, the common folk throwing flower petals over them and making remarks abour her breasts. "How many courses does this feast have, again?"
"Too many." Tywin rolled his eyes. "But it is a royal wedding; everything is extravagant."
"This is nothing like my wedding was." Catelyn closed her eyes recalling it. "It was a joint wedding with Lysa, and she spent the whole time hysterical. She must have made poor Jon Arryn feel awful. Ned was a stranger to me then, he had almost called off the bedding ceremony because he was so worried about embarrassing me. He didn't have a choice about it in the end, the Greatjon doesn't take no for an answer." Her smile turned to a frown. "The Greatjon didn't take no for an answer. He's gone now..."
Catelyn was surprised at how convincing Sansa's happiness was today. The girl had no idea about what Catelyn was planning, no clue at all, so really she had nothing to be happy about. My daughter's acting skills are improving tremendously. It was saddening that Sansa had been forced to develop good acting skills at such a young age. She was three seats away from Sansa, Tyrion, Myrcella and Tommen were in between, and Tywin was closer to the king.
The whole feast was a blur.
Joffrey had brought out five dwarfs to re-enact the war of five kings. It seemed no one was laughing sincerely apart from the king himself, she could see Margaery forcing some giggles. Catelyn wanted to cry. How could he make fun of Robb like that? Has my sweet boy not suffered enough, only to be tormented once he leaves the earth? I'm going to strange that little shit...
Tywin had tried to comfort her, but she just gave out glares and sipped anxiously at her wine. Across the table Mace Tyrell was eyeing her up, and she tried to ignore him.
"I am ever so sorry for my son, he always had looked at women that are far to pretty for him." Catelyn turned to see Lady Olenna touching Sansa's hairnet, the older woman startled her. "Though I must say, you do look a great deal like your daughter, she'll be as pretty as you one day. Better keep her away from my son."
"Sansa will be much prettier than I am, Lady Olenna." Catelyn smiled at her. "Besides, Lord Tyrell already had a beautiful wife. Why would he be looking to me?"
Myrcella looked at her with a grin. "Because you are so much prettier than Lady Alerie!"
Catelyn blushed a deep red. "Myrcella! You can't say that! It's not true, Lady Alerie is much more beautiful than I am. Lord Tyrell is very lucky to have married her."
"He would have been a lot happier married to you, I'm sure." Olenna snorted and walked away to Sansa, taking Catelyn's hand and squeezing it softly. "You know, I don't believe we have met before. It seems silly doesn't it, that I am grandmother to the bride and you the groom. You're young enough to be my daughter, I think granddaughter might be a bit of a push, but I'm sure it's possible. Protect young Sansa, she deserves so much more than she's been given."
Catelyn nodded. "She deserves the sun and stars." She whispered, and Olenna went back to her seat. Contemplating all her life choices, Catelyn downed another bottled of wine. The rains of Castamere began to play, Catelyn resisted the urge to throw her goblet at the singer. Gods Varys, when is this distraction happening? This feast feels like it's never going to end.
Joffrey had taken to bullying his uncle again, using his uncle as a cup bearer. I don't understand why people think Tyrion wants to be a dwarf. It isn't his fault that he was born that way. Gods, I was just as cruel to Jon Snow...If I ever see him again I'll apologise. I swear it, he will know how sorry I am.
And then it happened.
At first it just looked like Joffrey had choked on his pie, but then Catelyn realised what it was. The distraction. Everyone was rushing around their King, Sansa looked horrified herself. There were cries of help your King! and The Imp! It was the Imp! Tywin walked over to comfort Cersei and Catelyn saw Amorea standing behind the tables, gesturing for her and Sansa to get out quickly. She grabbed Sansa's arm and hauled her away to the side. "Mother, what's happening...?" Sansa wasn't upset, she looked more shocked than anything else.
"No time for questions, we need to go." Amorea led them away, giving them cloaks to hide what they were wearing. They climbed down some rocks to the blackwater, to see a little rowboat floating by the shore. Catelyn ushered Sansa inside and offered to help Amorea to row, but the handmaid insisted she could do it alone. She was surprisingly stronger than Catelyn thought she would be, though perhaps years of labour resulted in more muscle than Catelyn's many years of being a Lady.
"Mother, what's happening?" Sansa was whimpering now, looking across the water to see the red keep getting smaller and smaller. "I'm scared."
"Shh, don't worry sweetling." Catelyn leaned over and kissed her forehead softly, running her hand through Sansa's red locks. "We're going to the Vale. We'll be safe there, I promise."
Catelyn couldn't recall very much about the day after that, no jesters or fools, no food or speeches.
Only freedom.
"WHERE IS MY WIFE?" Tywin Lannister roared so loud it seemed that the whole of Westeros would hear him.
"We...can't find her, My Lord. She had seemed to escaped the city with Lady Sansa." No, no. I can't lose another wife. I was kind to her, I protected her. AND THIS IS HOW SHE REPAYS ME? She leaves while my grandson chokes to death. It was probably her who did it, not Tyrion. No...I need to get her back. "There is something else..."
"What?" Tywin didn't know the name of the man he was speaking to, but already found them frustrating. If this is about bloody Margaery marrying Tommen...
The man gulped. "The girls washing their sheets found wine stains on the sheets, they told queen Cersei. After closer inspection...Grand Maester Pycelle has determined that Lady Catelyn was hiding the fact with child. She has not bled for a month and a half, the girls have been keeping track of the sheets coming from her bedroom."
Tywin stopped pacing, as he had been for the past half an hour. Wherever she was, if Catelyn delivered a boy it would be heir to Casterly Rock. She had a hostage inside of her. Where would she go? She would have been caught if she'd taken the King's Road, and her horse was still in the stables. She must have taken a boat. But where would she go?
Winterfell? It had been burned down by the Greyjoys', and her two youngest sons that had been living there were dead. Riverrun was under Lannister control. It was unlikely that she'd go to Stannis, the red priestess he had had begun burning people alive. The Eyrie...
Lysa Arryn was her sister, and it wasn't very far away by ship. She was likely already in the Vale. Tywin felt stupid for admitting he loved Catelyn now, so stupid. Of course she didn't care for him at all. She only loved one man, and Eddard Stark had been killed at Joffrey's command. Of all people, why did he have to love Catelyn Stark? It wasn't her name by law, but everyone knew she would always be Ned Stark's wife. Catelyn and Tywin were never to be.
He should have seen this coming, especially after Joffrey beat her in public. But what scared him more than anything else was what she was going to do with the babe. Would she drink Moon Tea? I can't marry again...if this baby dies, house Lannister relies entirely on Jaime leaving the Kingsguard. It seemed the obvious option, but by doing so she would be killing a valuable hostage. Would she able to kill her own child? Catelyn had always been so bound by the love she beared for her children, three were gone, probably four, would be able to kill another?
Of course she could. She isn't fragile, she's smart and strong.
And I need that goddamn babe safe and alive.
I admit that the escape scene was a bit rushed, and I'm sorry if you actually wanted a lot of detail. If I'm honest I'm really rubbish at that kind of thing, and I just wanted Cat to escape. I'd love to know what you think Cat's gonna do about the baby, and what Tywin's gonna do to get her back!
