Hello everyone! Have the good news of giving you all a new chapter. Sorry for the long wait, this one was honestly the hardest to finish for some reason and I have been busy with work. But as you can see a new chapter is here and our favorite Halfman is the POV for it. Hope you enjoy:
Tyrion
The North was quite different from the South, was the one named Tyrion of the House Lannister's first thought when entering the largest kingdom of Westeros. As he looked around the vast landscape, Tyrion was amassed by the innovation of the First of Men. Towns mixed with forests dotted the landscape, with swathes of farmland having pasted them as they neared Winterfell.
The North own a whole seemed to catch Tyrion's attention like the Westerlands never could. Seeing Moat Cailin and its nineteen towers was awe strucking, though not as much as seeing the mammoth herd being shepherded by two giants. They looked at the awestruck royal party and greeted them with a simple node before leaving. They make Ser Gregor look like a dwarf, he seemed to reasonably thought.
"What seems to have you transfixed so my love?" said the woman to his left. Tyrion turned to his left and smiled at his wife. Tyrion had meet Asha after the so called Greyjoy Rebellion. She had been sent to ward at Casterly Rock while her brother Theon was sent to Highgarden. When both of them came of age, Tywin Lannister decided to finally wed his dwarf son to the only Greyjoy daughter. Surprising everyone, (themselves included), the two eventually fell in love. It helped that Tyrion let his wife be her true self and that Asha was more than willing to share him with other women, sometimes even hogging them to herself.
"Nothing Asha, I was merely observing the beauty around us my love. It's strange to see how much the North has accomplished with very little contact from the South is a not?" His lady wife smiled and nodded to her husband, silently agreeing. Tyrion slowly trodden behind to the Lannister carriage behind him and his wife. He looked in to check on his children. Gerion his heir was of four years while his daughter Joanna joined them two years ago. When his sister heard of his daughter's name it was said that all of King's Landing could hear her screams. His father merely gave him the coldest stare imaginable, making the Wall seem like a nice summer day to Tyrion.
"How much longer papa?" Asked Gerion. Tyrion smiled as he looked upon his children, who both had thankfully not inherited his dwarfism. They had the classic Lannister looks and hopefully they would be as beautiful as his older siblings. Hopefully that's all they inherit from them, he thought
"Soon my child. Maybe if you're good Lord Stark will let you pet his direwolf" he said, though he would never truly let his soon near such a dangerous beast. It is said the during the Rebellion that Ned Stark's direwolf killed more men than any on the rebels side and that it was the wolf, not Stark, who slew Ser Arthur Dayne. I wonder what he has to do to get his wolf all nice and friendly, Tyrion thought.
He was pulled out of his thoughts as he saw a knight in splendid gold armor and a white cloak ride towards him on a white stallion. His dashing brother Jaime riding towards him meant that they must be near, so Tyrion rode to him to speak to him.
"Ah there you are little brother! I was just riding here to tell you the Queen requires your presence at her tent tonight" Jaime said in his jovial way that was equal parts sincere and sarcastic. More likely she wants you in her tent tonight, he thought, but knew that such thoughts would get him killed if said at loud. " Unfortunately Cersei wishes only the two of us to dine with her tonight, but I certainly will miss your wife and children brother."
Tyrion groaned at that as he truly did not want to dine with his sister alone, but he nodded to his brother. When the King's party finally stopped, they made camp near a large hamlet, where many men would go and find some women to sleep with, the King being the loudest in 'Wanting to fuck a wild Northerner woman' insulting his lady wife once again. As night finally came, Tyrion made his way to his sister's tent. Ser Mandon Moore and Ser Meryn Trant were guarding her tent as he entered.
"My beloved sister has so kindly asked me to dine with her good sers, so if you would let me in it would be much appreciated." Tyrion smiled as both knights moved from out of his way as he entered the tent. As he entered, the smell of dinner made his stomach growl loudly. Before he could sate his hunger, Tyrion knew he would have to pay his sister his respect.
"Why sister, you look more beautiful than you ever had before. Truly you must tell Asha your secrets so one day my wife can have the same ethereal look as you." Tyrion didn't truly think that as unlike Jaime he was not attracted to his sister. She was resplendent in her usual red and gold, with her golden Queen's Crown firmly on her head. While Cersei might be the most beautiful woman in Westeros, she had nothing on Asha's legs. He was taken out of his pleasant thoughts as he could honestly feel Cersei's withering stare. Well so much for common courtesies, Tyrion bleakly thought. He went to the table with the dinner spread to sate his hunger. He made a plate with honeyed chicken, warm bread, and a large mug of sweet northern mead. He quickly finished his meal and started the discussion.
"Well Cersei, we're all here so please tell me why this is necessary?" Tyrion was in no mode to simply dilly dally and was cranky from the absence of his lady wife. "Is this a simple family gathering or am I to believe that something is afoot?" Cersei was still glaring at him but seemed less irritated.
Cersei then turned to Jaime and said "That fat oaf wishes for Joffrey to marry Ned Stark's northern slut. He means to give the North more power than they ever deserved." Tyrion rolled his eyes at that. Cersei, like much of the South, harbored a resentment towards the Winter Kingdom. That is not to say the North didn't look down on the southern half of Westeros either, especially the First Men houses that converted to the Seven. That the North was able to prosper without Andal influence was a great anger to the Faith and those houses of born from the Invasion as the North calls it.
"Well it seems Robert actually has a brain in that fathead of his" Tyrion told his siblings. Jaime gave him a questioning look while Cersei's was downright furious. Tyrion sighed and explained "House Stark has never had a child of theirs married into the royal family. While the King's motives are probably simply wanting to have a grandchild of Ned Stark's blood, the marriage would bind the most powerful house of Westeros with the Crown while also giving the North what Aegon the Third foolishly denied them: a Queen."
Cersei nearly screamed at Tyrion saying "How dare you say that those northern savages are the most powerful! They are nothing more than wildling lovers who know nothing of any true culture whatsoever! I would rather burn this wasteland to the ground than let one of those beast be my Golden Lion's queen!"
Jaime moved to calm his sister. "As loathe as I am to agree with Tyrion on this" he said while shooting an apologetic look to his dwarven brother, "He is right sister. We might be richer, but the Starks can call on as many men as the whole of the Reach, and that's not including their giants and mammoths. There is a reason that father told us to never go to war with the North Cersei. We might have the gold and influence but they can take on all of Westeros with their forces."
"Only if their in the North" Tyrion says to his siblings. "If they decided to invade they maybe able to overrun our armies, but not the entire South. Afterall only the Riverlands are truly their allies, the rest are only trade partners at best, resentful enemies in the case of Dorne and the Vale. If we ever did go to war, which I am not advocating" he says, eyeing his sister with uncertainty, "We could win, though it would take decades to recover."
"So you want me to let this happen" Cersei said to her to brothers, "Let that Stark mongrel wed my son and steal my position? Why don't you just give them the Westerlands while you're at it Imp, it's not like you or any of your abominations will ever have claim to it." She ended her rant, looking at him with a smug smile. That did it for Tyrion. Say what you will of him he cares not, but insult his children and you will learn that this lion's bite is far worse than his roar. But before he could say anything, his older brother put his arm on his shoulder while giving Cersei the coldest glare he'd ever seen him wear.
"Whatever you may think of our brother Your Grace" Jaime said, emphasizing her title in his own cold way, "You will not insult his children. Do I make myself clear?" While Cersei had nothing but true hatred for Tyrion and his family, Jaime loved his Niece and Nephew and would never let any harm come to them.
Tyrion did not know what to do. While grateful for his brother's aid, the shear rage emiting from Cersei was enough to melt the wall. They shared a look and for a second Tyrion thought they would kill each other. But then he looked closer and felt the bile in his stomach turn. Gods she wants to fuck his brains out, he realized to his horror. So he quietly left the tent, trying to ignore his disgust as he heard them embrace. He looked to the two Kingsguard on duty and was for once glad that they were his sister's men.
As he left, Tyrion could not help but think about his siblings relationship. When he first figured it out all those years ago, while he was shocked he didn't think much about it. It was only when he became a father to Gerion and Joanna did the horror of the his siblings' sin sink in. He was not a religious man, but he truly hoped that the gods would listen this time and not curse his children like they did Jaime and Cersei.
As he finally made it back to his tent, Tyrion was greeted the the pleasant image of his wife and children. Tyrion is a cynical man, but every time he looked upon his family he felt just a little blessed by the gods. He looks and sees Gerion playing with his toy knights with his mother, while Joanna played with her dolls. Tyrion joined his daughter in play, making all sorts of silly voices to amuses his children till sleep takes them both.
As they put their children to bed, Tyrion spoke to his lady wife "I fear that this visit will cause more harm than good for us." Asha looked at her husband with her black eyes and smiled reassuringly. They quietly left for their bed to discuss more.
"What did your sister say to you?" Asha quickly asked her spouse. Tyrion sighed, there would be no keeping any secrets from her. Than again there were no secrets between them already as both told each other everything. He told her of Tysha and all that was done to her and she told him of her training from her uncle Victarion in war, which was continued by Tyrion's uncle Tygett. So he told her the truth.
"Well", she responded, "Your sister is definitely a cunt." At that he smiles. Asha always cut to the truth of the matter quickly. "So what if the Starks get some more power? Cregan Stark was Hand to Good Queen Rhaenyra and the realm prospered for it." She is right, Tyrion thought to himself.
"While that is true my love," Tyrion says to her, "You forget that most of the South resented Cregan Stark as Hand. He was often called kingslayer by his critics for slaying Aegon the Usurper, mistrusted by the Faith for his believe in the Old Gods, and failed to gain the Queen's heir Aegon the Divider's love. For as much good he did, the Stark Hand alienated too many people from him with his Northern ways. Who is to say Ned Stark is not the same?" He finishes with a pointed look at his wife.
"Maybe he is maybe he isn't. But that is not what I care for right now husband." She said to her love with a seductive smile.
Tyrion looked at her quizzingly. "Then what is it you do care for my lady?" He says, though he has a guess where this was going.
"What I care for," she says with a sensual grin as she loosens her dress, "Is if you can take out that cock of yours and fuck me like those giants you go on about." She drops her scarlet dress to the ground, revealing her exposed pale flesh to her husband. She walks towards their room in their tent, swaying her hips seductively to get her husband to quickly join her.
"Work, work, work." Tyrion says playfully as he downs the rest of his wine and waddles as fast as he can to join his wife. After a few hours of passionate work (which surprisingly does not wake their children, but does keep their neighboring tent occupants awake), Tyrion and Asha hold each other close as sleep takes them.
Before he sleeps however, Tyrion thinks on the discussion with his siblings. What would a Stark Hand mean for the Realm? Would it be the same as Jon Arryn, trying to teach a child of a man how to be king before giving up and settling for cleaning his messes? Or would it be the second coming of Cregan Stark the Dragonslayer, the Woe of the South, Queenmaker, and Kingslayer. Will he bring a war as destructive as the Dance? Tyrion looked to his sleeping wife and thought of their slumbering children. He prayed to whatever god was listening that none of that would come to pass.
Will Tyrion's fears be true? only time will tell. Some of the Dance of Dragons is mentioned and I will fill you guys in on what happened in this world: Because of the North's strong navy and the canal system, the North played a huge part in the war, leading to a victory for the Black faction over the Greens. Cregan Stark killed both Aegon II and his dragon Sunfyre and secured himself as the first Hand of the Queen. Well tell me if you liked the chapter in the commentsand if you have questions either comment or PM me. See you next time! Game of Thrones belongs to George RR Martin and HBO.
