Chapter 10. Hand of the King

Casterly Rock

Kevan Lannister had finally made it to Lannisport with Sir Gregor Clegane and a hundred men. Upon arriving a man is sent to Tyrion's secret passage to see if it is blocked or not. The secret passage is undisturbed and operational. Kevan assumes command of the conscripts in Lannisport. There is a regular fighting force in Lannisport of ten thousand men. Kevan splits the two forces in half; five thousand conscripts and five thousand soldiers. Then he sends the Mountain with two thousand men to infiltrate the castle.

"Open the gates!" Kevan commands. He leads the rest of his army up the road towards Casterly Rock. As they approach the bells sound and the defenders on the wall and forward positions get ready. A volley of arrows is fired, but Kevan and his men are out of range. Kevan waits for two hours then he hears the screams, bells, and sounds of sword on sword.

The horse gate is opened and a signal sent so Kevan leads the charge up the causeway to the Horse Gate. As they rush forward a hail of arrows rain down on the attackers, then the Lion's Gate opens. The rest of the forces rush through the gate and join their comrades in the secondary courtyard. "Are my wife, children, and sister safe?" He asks riding up to the Mountain.

"Safe my Lord…"

The battle lasts all night and the next to high noon. At high noon the Lannister sigil flies over the castle once again. Every man is put to death and Vance Cobray is beheaded by the Mountain and his head placed on a pike. Kevan walks up to the Mountain, "Have the men strip the bodies of the Vale armor…I have an idea…"

King's Landing

As Tyrion approaches the city he is greeted by the rage and animosity of the refugees outside the city. "Bloody hell…"

"Make way!" When the soldiers draw their spears, the people part and allow Tyrion and his men to pass unmolested. As Tyrion's party approaches the Red Keep Jaime is leaving with twenty men. "Brother!"

They hug, "I was hoping to see you before I joined father on the battlefield…How are you?"

"Travel worn…"

"Is it true they named Eddard Stark King in the North?"

"I heard the same as you…" They stare at each other for a while. "Be safe out there."

Jaime smiles and looks at the Red Keep standing tall over all other buildings in the city. "You be careful in there."

Tyrion sighs, "Right!"

At the Red Keep Tyrion finds Joffrey hosting a tourney for his name day. "Uncle!" Myrcella says in excitement.

"Ah my beautiful niece you grow more lovely everyday…And this can't be Tommen…Why if you keep growing the way you do you will be as tall as the Hound…"

"Why are you here?"

"I come to clean up the mess you made…" Tyrion says and walks off. He finds Cersei holding a meeting with the small council. "Hello big Sister…Please everyone remain seated…"

"What are you doing here? This is the Small Council meeting."

"And the Hand of the King attends the small council meeting." Tyrion replies arrogantly.

"Father is Hand of the King…"

Tyrion pours himself some wine with Bronn standing at his right, "True! But father isn't here…He is fighting our war against the usurper…He sent me to act on his behalf as acting Hand…"

Tyrion hands the letter to Varys, "This is from Lord Tywin naming Lord Tyrion as acting Hand of the King…" Tyrion smiles on the inside, as Cersei doesn't take well to the news and orders the rest of the members to leave. They discuss Joffrey's behavior in slaughtering Robert's bastards. Then he convinces her to open the gates of the city for the war refugees.

Later after Tyrion is settled in he, Bronn and Shagga tour the Red Keep and inspect the troops and defenses of the city. As he walks the wall Tyrion is joined by Varys. "Lord Tyrion…"

"Lord Varys…Tell me something whose bright idea was it to slaughter all those innocent children?"

"That was the King's doing…"

"And that idiot Janos Slynt carried it out. Not the kind of man we need as Lord Commander of the City Watch…"

"No I don't think so either…"

"Anything else I should be made aware of?"

"Well the King chose Lady Shierle Swyft as his betrothed. As you know Lord Mace Tyrell sent his niece Lady Danielle Tyrell, but the Tyrells are playing both sides and has married Lady Margaery Tyrell to Renly Baratheon…"

Tyrion laughs, "They should have wed Loras to Renly not Margaery…"

"My birds tell me they have yet to consummate their marriage, but the problem…is that the King has taken to tormenting Lady Danielle. He slapped her or rather he had Sir Meryn Trent slap the poor girl and he had her hand maiden beheaded and forced the poor girl to watch it…I am telling you this in confidence but that girl is not the real the Danielle Tyrell…She is a servant sent here in lady Danielle's place…"

Tyrion nods, "That sounds like the Queen of Thornes…Play both sides…"

"She has a hand in it…My Lord…"

Tyrion sighs, "I will handle this at once…" The first thing Tyrion does is move Lady Danielle or rather the fake one into the Tower of the Hand and assigns her a special guard. Then he has a meeting with Lord Commander Janos Slynt. "Come in Lord Commander have a seat…"

"Thank you for the invitation Lord Tyrion…"

"I hear the King has named you Lord of Harrenhal…"

"Yes he has…After the war I will retire and lay claim to my titles and lands…"

"You do know that the castle is occupied by two thousand Northmen and three thousand men of the Riverlands…"

"Semantics…I am sure your Lord Father will be able to drive out those traitors…"

"I'm afraid you will be fulfilling your last days on the wall, as a member of the Night's Watch."

Slynt had picked up a golblet to drink but pauses, "I beg your pardon…"

"The Night's Watch…I am stripping you of your titles and sending you North to the Night's Watch, by sea…You leave tonight on a supply ship I am sending North so that the Watch doesn't get it into their heads to support Eddard Stark…"

"You are just acting Hand of the King…I am the Lord Commander of the Watch…"

Slynt walks to the door, but finds Bronn and four men behind it, "You can either go willing to the watch or I can hand you over to the people of King's Landing shackled with a sign around your neck saying that it was you who murdered an innocent baby in the brothel…"

"I demand to see the King!"

"Bronn shackle the hands of the angry man and place the sign around his neck…"

"No wait! I will go willingly."

"Good man…"

"I think the bastard shit himself…"

Tyrion laughs and asks Bronn to join him. The next day he sends a Raven to House Martell to form an alliance through marriage. Princess Myrcella will go to Dorne and be a ward of Lord Doran Martell's and marry Prince Trystan. When Cersei finds out she is upset and confronts Tyrion. They argue for hours then she leaves after throwing a drink in his face. Because the Blackwater is blockaded Mrycella must travel by land. Then Tyrion sends a Raven to Cortnay Penrose naming him Lord of Storm's End if he broke faith with Renly.

Next Tyrion has Sir Meryn Trent bought to the Tower of the Hand. He has Bronn remove his sword hand and place Trent in the black cells. Neither Cersei or the King are pleased with this move. The day finally comes when Myrcella is sent off to Dorne with an escort of a thousand men. A Dornish escort will meet them at the edge of the King's Wood and take her the rest of the way.

Tyrion is at morning meal with Varys, "My little birds tell me that your sister has the Pyromancers creating pots and pots of Wild Fire…"

Tyrion sighs shaking his head, "One bad mistake and we will all be dead before Renly can take the city." Tyrion orders the Pyromancers to stop making Wild Fire. Then he starts making plans for the defense of the city.