Chapter 8 : The Dwarf and the Stag
King Robert was stunned when he heard his attendant announce the presence of Lord Tyrion Lannister. The Dwarf was here in response to his Summons? He could have bet his last copper that the Dwarf was scuttling on his way to Casterly Rock and here he was , bold as brass. Well not for Long - Robert Baratheon thought- he was a lannister and a traitor and belonged in the dungeons. Nevertheless Robert wanted to question the Dwarf personally. Where was he for six long days? How could the Goldcloaks or the Northerners not find him?
Tyrion Lannister walked in escorted by Merton and two other Northmen. He was not chained up. He walked freely. "Why is he not in chains?"- Robert growled. "Er...because he is not under arrest your grace...you only summoned the dwarf...you did not order us to..." - Merton stuttered. Robert waved the fool away. He was going to send Tyrion to the dungeons anyway so it did not matter if the Dwarf spent his last few minutes of freedom without chains. "Leave us" - Robert ordered. The men paused and glanced at one another. Robert glared at them - "So you think the King of the realm has cause to be in danger because of this Dwarf. Have you frisked him?". Merton nodded. The King glared at the men again - "Off with you now. Dont return until i summon you".
Once Robert and Tyrion were alone - Robert sat down. "Was it you?" - Robert asked the Dwarf. "Your Grace i dont understand"- Tyrion replied straightfaced. "Did you send me the message? A message tipping off your brother and sisters act at the old tower? It was unsigned". Tyrion shook his head. He had sent no such message. Robert nodded - "I thought so. So you are a Lannister traitor just like your father and brother and sister eh?".
Tyrion faced Robert Baratheon. "Your Grace! Look at me. Do i look like a traitor?"
Robert roared - "You are a Lannister. You are all traitors. You are your fathers blood".
Tyrion laughed. His laughter defused the Kings anger. You could not remain angry too long at a Dwarf who stood barely three and a half feet above the ground. "You laugh eh Lord Tyrion. You think it funny"
"It is funny your grace. You call me a lannister - something none of my family except perhaps my brother have done. I have always been a freak, an oddity, something for my father and sister to be ashamed of. Had it not been for a promise my father made to my mother - i would have been killed long ago. When you call me a lannister i find it funny. You say i am my fathers blood i find it funny"
Robert glared balefully at the Dwarf. "Where were you all these days? Why did you not come when summoned?".
Tyrion walked up to the soft chairs and looked askance. Roberts eyes opened wide and he gave a nod. The Dwarf sat down and looked again at the flagon of wine. Robert was speechless at the Dwarfs audacity but it soon turned into admiration. Robert had always admired pluck. He wondered how others would have reacted to such questioning. Renly would have been cowed, Ned would have taken it like a man, Stannis would have sulked for weeks but this Dwarf - he was literally fighting for his life and yet had such calm that genuinely impressed Robert. He waved his hands and Tyrion poured himself a glass of wine.
"Your Grace! I was kidnapped. Kidnapped by a group of bumbling wildlings who wanted to ransom me to my father".
"Kidnapped? You? Why would they kidnap you?"- Robert asked.
"Because i paid a whole gold dragon for the company of three whores and it got them suspicious" - Tyrion replied without flinching.
Robert gaped...slowly first and eventually began to roar with laughter. This Dwarf was something else. Three women? By god - even Robert at his prime could not handle three women satisfactorily. It went to show how size and proportions did matter. Three women...it took a lot of strength. Robert was certain the Dwarf was not lying. No sir. He was genuine.
"Did you know about your brother and sister?" - Robert asked Tyrion.
Tyrion shook his head. "I did not"
"You Lie Dwarf!" - The King thundered. His amusement of a few seconds ago forgotten. "You cannot be unaware. You are their sibling".
"Would they tell me your grace? Something your greatest spymasters did not find out. Something that nobody knew for almost fifteen years. Do you think they would confide such secrets to me. Cersei has always wanted me dead. You must remember - even when we arrived at Winterfell - Cersei wanted me gone. Jaime loved me - but he would never cross Cersei - so how could i know what was going on. Beside it was too terrible to imagine."
"And your father did he know?" - The King asked.
Tyrion shook his head. "He would have killed them himself if he had. You know he would have. He loved nothing more than his legacy and his family. "
Robert nodded. His anger was wearing off and it was making sense. "I have summoned your father along with all the Lords of the realm in a weeks time. I want the entire realm to be here for the trial of your sister. Do you think he will come here?"
Tyrion shook his head. "No your Grace. He wont. He will be preparing for a Siege and a War."
Robert stared at the Dwarf. "That is treason. Do you think he will commit treason".
Tyrion had a sip of the wine before talking "Treason? And What is treason? Jaime killed the King and committed Treason and he lived. My Father betrayed Aerys Targaryen and committed Treason, yet instead of paying with his life - he was rewarded by you. Treason is relative your grace."
"You talk well Dwarf" -Robert said. "Tell me what will your father be doing over the next few weeks if he chooses treason"
"Your Grace. He will prepare for siege. He will gather the harvest early and store all his grains and food in his godowns. I trust he already has been doing this from the day he received your summons. He knows he does not have enough men for a direct combat with you. He knows no Lord in Westeros will come to his aid while you still live so he will turn to Essos"
"Essos?"- "You mean the golden company?" - the King asked. His eyes bulging."The fiercest fighters out of the east"
Tyrion turned his back to the king so that the king could not see him choking back laughter. The fiercest fighters out of the east had lasted barely ten minutes against drogon and had burnt to the last man. He turned again to face the King and nodded "The Golden Company your Grace, The Second Sons, The Unsullied - all fighters of mean and terrible repute".
"And how can he pay for them?" - The King asked.
"The Iron Bank your grace. They will help him. You know that Essos could produce Fifty Thousand Men" - Tyrion replied
Ye Gods! Robert thought. And to think i wanted to throw this Dwarf in a cold dungeon. He knows more than Ned, than Stannis, than Renly.
"Why would the Iron Bank help your father? He is committing Treason"
"Treason is something the Iron Bank does not care about or get. They want the money the realm owes them. Your Grace the realm owes them Fourteen Million Dragons. Financing that was arranged by my father. The Iron bank may believe that the best way for getting their money back is if my father won" - Tyrion said.
"And if the realm could find the money?" - Robert asked. He had never really cared about money. Money was available when he needed it. He had never thought it would create so many problems.
Tyrion gave Robert a smile - "And how your Grace? How would you find the money? The money that was borrowed went to pay for wars against the Iron Islands and the war of Kingslanding. Money that went to pay for weapons, horses and loyalty of men. Who would collect the money? Would you tax your closest allies - if you do they might re-think of any alliance with you. They are loyal to the realm but more loyal to their purses"
"ENOUGH!" - Robert shouted. He got up and snatched a flagon of wine and began drinking directly. "The Master of the Coin - Lord Bayelish - he can collect."
Tyrion smiled again - "Lord Bayelish is competent but even he has his limitations. He has no nobility, no name, no birth and no armies. How can he collect a debt? How can be collect any taxes? No your Grace. Bayelish is a good man to have for his mind and for his ideas but he cannot help you pay the Iron Bank Fourteen Million Dragons"
Robert looked at Tyrion blankly - "And who has the competence to pay the Iron Bank their debt"
Tyrion looked straight at the King - "Only one person apart from Tywin Lannister. His son - Tyrion"
For a long time the King stared at the Dwarf. The Dwarf was good. Robert had gone from deciding which dungeon to put him in to deciding if Tyrion was capable of handling the Iron Bank of Braavos.
Robert finally shrugged and asked the Dwarf - "What do you suggest? How would you go about it so that the Iron Bank decides not to support your father. How would i convince the Iron Bank that their debt is safe and will be repaid"
Tyrion spoke to the King - "Your Grace! Make me your master of coin. Make me Lord of Casterly Rock. Send my father to the Watch. After all he is innocent in the matter of the incest as am i. I will ensure that the Iron Bank does not support any of your enemies and will make sure the realm will pay the debt within ten years. I shall take responsibility for half the debt from the income that the mines of Casterly rock generates"
Robert was astounded at the request. Master of Coin? It did seem sensible. The only question was if the Dwarf could be trusted. Cersei hated the Dwarf, that was true and common lore and rumours did say that Joanna Lannister took an Oath from Tywin on her deathbed to save Tyrion from any harm. Tywins closest allies had told him many times about how much Tywin hated his youngest son.
"And what if i seize the mines for myself? I can do that you know and use the revenues myself" - Robert told Tyrion.
"Of course your grace! With greatest pardon - how would you run the mines? The Lannisters have run the mines for generations now and they know and understand. Nobody else in the realm does. Dorne knows their wines, Highgarden knows its fruits and vegetables and the North knows their pelts but when it comes to gold, silver and metals from the mines - only a Lannister knows how to generate the maximum income"
Robert gave the Dwarf a glare. He was getting exhausted. He may have started towards becoming a better King but all this business with payments and gold exhausted him. The Dwarf would do very well. Tywin Lannister would also do well at the Wall. The Dwarf would also be at Kingslanding and not at Casterly Rock where Bayelish could keep an eye on him. It was a good idea.
"Alright Dwarf" - Robert thundered. "I agree. You will be Lord of Casterly Rock and you will be Master of the coin. You will ensure that the Iron Bank does not extend support to your father. You will also convince the bank that the realm will pay its debts. Your father shall be sent to join the watch when he is captured unless he is killed in the siege"
Tyrion bowed -"You couldnt be more fairer than that your grace"
Robert rang the bell on his side - and looked at the Dwarf again -"The slightest treason from you - and you lose your head. I hope you know that"
Tyrion bowed again "You will never regret it your Grace". Merton and his men arrived with anticipation - was the Dwarf to be quartered, drawn, beheaded or merely imprisoned? They had all cast their bets and the odds were in favor of beheading. The Dwarf talked too much.
Instead The King turned to Merton - "Escort Lord Tyrion to his Quarters, his old Quarters here. He is free to go whereever he wants. All previous orders concerning him are cancelled. He is to be given suitable horses and servants as benefits his status as one of my councillors"
The King then turned back to Tyrion. "You said you were kidnapped. How did you escape?"
"Two Swarthy Northmen and their mother saved my life. They killed the Wildlings and helped me escape. I bought them with me to save them from any retaliation. I intend to keep them as my servants here"
Robert gave an impatient wave. He did not care whom the Dwarf engaged as his servants. It had been a long night and the King was looking forward to turning in.
"Your Grace?" - Tyrion called. Robert turned back with a low growl "WHAT?"
"I beg your pardon but could i have a royal letter giving permission to these people who saved me to stay on in winterfell as my servants and under my jurisdiction"
Robert roared to Merton - "Do whatever he asks and affix my Royal seal. Now leave me the hell alone Dwarf" - the King ended as he walked back to his bedchambers exhausted and impatient to close his eyes and sleep.
Ten minutes later - Tyrion Lannister and his servants Stiv, Wallen and the Old Woman were on their way to his old quarters - a letter of entitlement for each of them, a letter signed by the King - so powerful that even Lord Stark could not longer execute them as deserters as long as they were under Lord Tyrions Protection. The Kidnappers had become the hostages now.
TYRION LANNISTER
When Tyrion Lannister had learnt the fate of his brother Jaime - his emotions were all in a whirl. The first emotion he felt was sorrow, immense sorrow. Of all the people in his life whom he had loved - Jaime was the only one who genuinely loved him back. In the previous timeline he had lost Jaime and now in this timeline he had thought he would get more time to build his relationship with Jaime, to make sure Jaime had a better life here and instead Jaime was dead. Tyrion felt hot tears stinging his eyes. The second emotion he felt was anger, cold ruthless anger against Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon. They had murdered Jaime without a trial. He wanted to destroy them both. If he could get away alive that is.
Inside - Tyrion was burning. He wanted revenge. He wanted Robert to die. A Horrible death - agony but Tyrion soon realized that it was the same anger that had resulted in his manipulating snow into killing Dany. His anger against her for Killing Jaime. The Dwarfs anger was a terrible thing but it was also misguided. Jaime had chosen his destiny. He had chosen a path that could only lead to death. He had committed incest which was a terrible thing in itself but with the Queen of the realm. Any King would have put him to death. Tyrion knew his anger could get out of control but control was what he needed now. Revenge was something he did not need here. This was not his world. In his world - Jaime was dead - killed under crushing rocks. This Jaime was not his brother. He had died because he had chosen a wrong path. Cersei was in a dungeon because of the same path. He had made the decision to forget Jaime or Cersei. Their stories were finished here. He had to think of the future. Surely he and Sansa were not sent here to see Robert Baratheon ruling for many years. Robert could not fight the night king - nobody could except Jon and Dany. Right now Jon was a sullen teen on his way to the wall and Dany was a frightened cowed little girl probably already married to a Horselord. Their destinies had to be shaped back. Perhaps it would be without his interference but he hoped not. Dany could not become Khaleesi. She had to learn to become a co-ruler not a ruler. It was this reason why Dany could never share the throne with Jon in the previous timeline. She had got too used to being Queen - to share her throne with a King.
No! Tyrion decided. He would forego any revenge for Jaime or Cersei. He would not save Tywin Lannister. He would do what was best for Westeros and for that he had to survive - to live and not to be tossed in a northern dungeon. He decided to meet the King and answer his summons.
He had learnt of Jaimes fate when Wallen had returned from Winterfell after a fishing expedition to find out the fate of Osha. The conclusion was dark. Osha was in custody, Cersei was in the dungeons, His father had been summoned by the King to explain the Lannister treachery and He was being hunted high and low - at least unofficially. Had Wallen been a more intelligent specimen of his species, he would have already sold Tyrions secret for a pardon. Robert would have happily pardoned a thousand deserters for someone who could bring him the dwarf. Luckily Wallen was an Idiot and he had rushed back in panic. If the Dwarfs father was in the King's Sights - how could he be ransomed? Who would pay his Ransom?
From that moment on Tyrion knew they were putty in his hands. He spoke to them about White Walkers, about the Night King, and watched them gape at him in Horror. Apparently the Dwarf knew more than what many Northern Lords knew. Tyrion had promised them safety if they went along with him and also the story about how a lannister always kept his debts. Finally - they had agreed to act as his servants and accompany him to Winterfell. He had even got them to purchase four horses with the gold in his purse.
And now - Tyrion Lannister was on his way to being appointed Master of Coin and Lord of Casterly Rock.
INSIDE THE CRYPTS
"Theon!" - "You actually told Theon" - Tyrion asked incredulously.
Sansa stiffened. "Of course i had to tell him. You were nowhere to be seen. I panicked"
"Oh Sure!"- The Dwarf said sarcastically - "I am surprised he bought it. I am also surprised he asked no more questions about the fate of westeros. Theon always had limited intelligence. I could always see them in his bulging eyes"
The meeting had been emotional in many ways. Sansa had heard of Tyrions return and also of the Dwarf now spending his time in his old Quarters with servants and horses instead of the Cold Dungeons. In many ways Sansa had believed in the previous timeline that Ser Davos and Tyrion could have settled the entire Game of Thrones with their speeches and diplomacy alone. This was yet another example. The Dwarf was now a member of the Council and Master of Coin. As expected he was in the Crypts and he was with Lady. She had forgotten protocol and had hugged the Dwarf, kissing him on the forehead - watching him shudder and move back. It annoyed her that he reacted this way but she had no time for this now. She spoke of the anonymous note, of Jons daring rescue, of Roberts sudden decision to spare the Lannister Children until the Great Council to be held in a weeks time and of her confiding in Theon Greyjoy. It was the last revelation that had caused such a reaction in Tyrion.
Tyrion agreed with her about the note sender. It could not have been Varys. It had to be someone new to the equation. Someone who had big stakes. Tyrion also agreed on Ned Starks strategy about Jon Snow. It was for the best that Jon go to the wall. It was only in the Wall that Jon would become a man - a man who would be made by the free folk and northmen alike as the King in the North.
"I had thought it would be a few days at most"- Tyrion confessed to Sansa. "I had thought merely preventing Bran from his fate would change the course of Westeros but it does not seem to be this way. It looks likely that we may have to spend some more time here".
Sansa nodded. "We were responsible for the fate of Westeros today...We have to change that. We have to leave Westeros secure and the Iron Throne Secure. We have to see that a good ruler sits on the throne - or good rulers. We will do what it takes for that to happen."
Tyrion nodded. Sansa continued - "You should ask for my hand in marriage".
The Dwarf choked and spluttered "What?"
Sansa continued calmly "My Hand in marriage. If we have to spend more time here - we cannot keep meeting in the Crypts every day. You will have to leave for Kingslanding and my father may marry me off one of these days. You surely cannot expect to talk and confer by Ravens do you?"
Tyrion was quiet. This was correct. If this was going to take longer and if they had to be together - they would have to find a way. Marriage was ridiculous of course. Lord Stark would not agree even if he could persuade Robert Baratheon. In the previous timeline - Sansa and Tyrion had been tied together in an act of mockery by Tywin Lannister but such mockery would not work here. Ned Stark was no traitor - in fact he was the closest friend of the King and the King would rather happily dispose with his Master of Coin than his oldest friend.
"I dont think we can be married here" - the Dwarf told her. His voice was low. He watched her look at him with some surprise. He continued - "It would be folly to ask for your hand. It would be deemed an insult to you and your father. Over here - i mean in this timeline - he is a hero - friend to the King - there is no reason why I would be worthy enough of your hand when you can have the pick of the realm"
"I dont want the realm. I want you" - Sansa hissed.
"Why?" - The Dwarf asked her. "I dont understand you. I am still a Dwarf. We have had no great moments together that would have you yearning for me. So why me? Why not someone else? You could have your own pick"
Sansa looked at the Dwarf closely "When you are at your worst, when you have nothing at all - it is at that moment that you judge a mans behaviour towards you. I am not the Sansa Stark of this timeline. I am still the same Sansa who was a toy of Joffrey and a whore to Ramsay bolton. Besides we have to be together if this was what fate intended. If we have to correct fate together - we must be together"
She made sense Tyrion thought and even though he felt great happiness pervading his inner soul- he knew such a scenario would be impossible. How could they be together? It was something that he had to decide on and quick...
ACROSS WESTEROS
Many Strange things were happening across Westeros.
The Commander of the Citys Watch Janos Slynt was murdered by an assassin as he left one of Littlefingers whorehouses. Nobody knew why. Janos was not an important man nor was he rich. Perhaps it was an old enemity. The Hand of the King Lord Bayelish appointed someone else as Commander and the inquiry was dropped.
In the North - an old Citadel reject named Qyburn was killed in Dreadfort. It was seemingly an argument that went out of control and Qyburn was one of the bystanders who was killed when a sword accidentally went through his rib cage. Yet it was surprising. When Roose Bolton lord of dreadfort summoned the soldiers involved in the altercation - nobody turned up. The soldiers were never seen again.
In Kingslanding - an Apprentice boy named Gendry had been kidnapped in the middle of the night. His Blacksmith had complained to the City Watch the following day but nothing had been done until now. A Missing Bastard Boy was not the greatest priority at the moment but still the complaint had apparently been important enough for the Hand - Peter Bayelish to interrogate the Smith himself and instruct the watch to investigate the disappearance more seriously.
Eighty Eight Huge Crates of Grain had been sold to Casterly Rock by the merchants of Kingslanding. Tywin had paid five times the price and the Crates had left despite strictest surveillance of the gates by Peter Bayelish the Hand of the King. Even Varys the master of whisperers could not get to the bottom of things. Each Crate could roughly hold a ton of grain and it meant Casterly Rock had enough food for at least six to eight months more. The other question that everyone had was why would Casterly Rock be buying grain from Kingslanding? Could it be that Tywin planned to invade Kingslanding with an Eastern Army and starve out the population.
As many as fifteen bastards of Robert Baratheon had been sent to Essos - either for their own safety or perhaps for the Thrones safety. This happened two days before Lord Bayelish instructed his guards to house all the bastards of the king together along with their mothers in an isolated stone house - miles away from kingslanding. Bayelish had not been pleased at the development. He had no idea where the bastards had been.
And finally - there were plenty of rumours from the east of a Dragon being spotted from time to time - always near Old Valyria. Ships and Captains would talk of sighting of the Dragon but the Dragon would never descend or attack any ships, nor descend to a level where he could be seen clearly. The Westerosi wrote off the entire thing as a rumour - something that the east had plenty of.
