A/ N-
I know it's been quite a while since I uploaded a chapter. But I'm in my 12th standard and academic pressure has suddenly increased. So please enjoy this chapter.
Tywin
Tywin stood in the dais waiting for his trial to begin. There was something hilarious about the entire situation. He already knew the outcome of the trial. Why was his dear mother wasting time and resources on conducting one? It was like a mummer's farce. His mother had orchestrated the entire event.
Tywin was dressed in black out of respect to the now late Lord Stark. Apparently he and Lord Stark were guilty of treason, a treason Tywin was not aware of. The only color on his dress was a small stag stitched onto his jacket.
He was interrupted by the arrival of his mother and the two judges who had been brought to deliver a judgment. Lord Varys and Grand Master Pycelle waddled behind his mother like two ducklings behind their mother duck. Tywin tried to hold back his laughter. He wondered whether that one week in prison had rendered him mad.
"The court shall now proceed with the case at hand." His mother ordered. Tywin noted that Joffrey was not present. Clearly his mother cut too much slack for his twin brother.
"The first witness to approach the judges shall be Ser Lancel Lannister." Cersei stated taking a sip of her precious wine.
His dull minded cousin walked towards the dais which was placed a few feet away from Tywin. Tywin stared with a look of boredom at his cousin.
"Ser Lancel, what do you know of Ser Tywin's association to Lord Stark?" Grand Pycelle asked. His mother obviously told them exactly which questions to ask and evidently had told Lancel exactly how to answer them.
Lancel cleared his throat as if reciting a monologue from memory.
"Ser Tywin was clearly very close to the late Lord Stark. It seems Ser Tywin believed that he was the true heir to the throne. He conspired with Lord Stark and promised to reward him with lands of the Lannister's." Lancel said. He took a gush of pride on completing his task . He clearly enjoyed having an advantage over Tywin.
"Ser Tywin, how do you wish to reply to this comment?" Lord Varys said with a smile.
Tywin wished he could grab his sword and cut off those plump lips.
He crossed his arms as if to make a very serious comment.
"Yes, Lord Stark and I wished to rule the entire Westeros. He promised me that I could fuck any noble lady I wanted to after the conquest." Tywin said with a cackle.
"Ser Tywin! You will mind your tongue in court!" Grand Maester Pycelle said.
From the corner of his eye, Tywin saw Sansa staring at him with shock. Even she, the poor little thing was part of this farce. She had been told by his lady mother to sit there like a good little lady and not move a muscle or utter a word.
"Where is the next witness, or should I say puppet? What did you promise them mother? Something between your legs or grandfather's wealth?" Tywin said leaning over the dais and making eye contact with his mother.
"Tywin, if you will not keep quiet, I shall have to bar you from making any future comments." Cersei barked at him fuming with rage.
The court was in uproar now. Lords and ladies were whispering among themselves. Was the Queen Regent actually an adulteress they must be wondering, Tywin thought. Good, at least I'll die after creating some chaos, he thought.
"Order, this court shall have order!" Grand Maester said banging his fist on the table.
The court was ushered quiet by the guards and the members of the Kingsguard.
"The next witness shall be Lady Sansa Stark!"
Sansa? The Queen was really cruel. Pitting him against a girl who he thought he loved.
"Lady Sansa, did you know of your father's treason activity?" Lord Varys asked.
"No, your lord." Sansa muttered.
"Of course she did not! Sansa was busy being a prim and proper lady in court so she could get into Joff's bed and have golden haired children with him!" Tywin remarked rudely. He did not know how that came out. He normally had a soft side towards Sansa. Being in prison had really driven him towards being insane.
Sansa had an expression of hurt on her face. He saw tears forming in her eyes. She had been crying most probably.
"Lady Sansa that will be enough." A grumpy lady mother said.
"The court shall now break for lunch and resume after we are done dining." Cersei announced.
Tywin saw the gaolkeeper approaching him. If he only had a sword at hand! He could have killed the keeper and slayed a few guards to escape out of here. But where could he go after that? Run to Robb and declare his allegiance to him while Robb kept his Uncle Jaime prisoner?
He saw Sansa staring at him. Her eyes were brimming with tears. She clearly was scared for his death.
"Come on, little bird." Tywin saw the Hound approach to take her. The Hound was donned in the white cloak of the Kingsguard. He looked as ugly as ever with the burnt side of his face twitching.
The Hound grabbed Sansa by her arm and began pulling her. Sansa got on her feet and began walking. She most probably knew disobeying would only lead to more trouble for her.
Tywin felt his wrists being chained together by the gaolkeeper.
Suddenly Tywin felt extremely alone. All the people he loved or cared for either dead or too far away to help him.
The cell was spacious and well furnished. But Tywin could feel the impending doom of his death pressing him down. The keeper had sent him some wine and stew. But Tywin did not touch it. He tried to sleep and fell into a disturbed sleep.
The dragon dreams came again.
This time a dragon with black scales and golden eyes was devastating a city. In the middle of the fire was a red haired girl dressed only in her night clothes. She was crying and holding a dead body close to her breast. He looked closely and saw that it was his body. And the girl was Sansa. Sweet innocent Sansa Stark. Holding his dead body. He felt like laughing but he could not.
He woke up to the voice of his Uncle Tyrion. Uncle Tyrion, wait, wasn't he with grandfather?
"Uncle Tyrion!" He said getting up with a sudden jolt.
"Yes, it's me Tywin." Tyrion said with a grim smile.
"You've come in time to see me beheaded." Tywin said with a bitter cackle.
" Tywin, listen… your hanging has been cancelled." Tyrion said.
"What about the trial?" He said sitting down on the bed and pouring himself a glass of wine.
"The trial also is cancelled. You are a free man. It seems your lord grandfather has realized that he needs you for a purpose." Tyrion said.
Tywin for some reason did feel a sense of relief. The axe had been removed from his neck but it still loomed a few inches away from it. He was safe but just for now.
"What is this purpose?" Tywin asked curiously putting the glass of wine to his lips.
"Your Uncle Stannis has declared war on King Joffrey. Renly tried establishing his own kingdom also but failed since Highgarden is already aligned to the Starks. So Renly and most of the Baratheon liege lords have pledged their loyalty to Stannis." Tyrion replied.
"But a few of the Tyrell's vassal lords have pledged to Uncle Stannis' cause, right?" Tywin asked raising an eyebrow.
"Ser Loras was not ready to turn on the man he had squired for, your Uncle Renly. He gathered the few Highgarden lords willing to turn against their liege lord and has taken them to Storm's End where your Uncle has set up his camp." Tyrion informed.
"This is clearly going to be a naval battle, isn't it?" Tywin asked.
"Your Uncle Stannis has always felt more comfortable fighting on sea than on water." Tyrion said pouring himself a glass of wine.
"Do we have an estimate of the number of ships and men he has?"
"If we were just fighting Stannis, we would not have to be this worried. But with Renly and the storm lords willing to fight for him, Stannis has a fair chance of beating us."
Tywin looked down into his goblet of wine. He swirled it around looking at the crimson liquid dancing in his glass.
"But this is not where the information ends. Stannis has a strange clause which must be agreed to stop the war." Tyrion said with a sly smile.
"What is that?" Tywin said looking up at his uncle.
"You must be crowned King."