8th Month of 298 A.C. King's Landing
Tyrion Lannister
Ah to be away from the field of battle, it was a relief. He had never been one of those boys who had dreamed of winning acclaim on the battlefield, he had always known he would be no soldier, and the battle of Ruby Ford had proven it. Tyrion had almost died about seven times during the battle to gods alone knows what, and he was sure that had been all down to his father's design and plans. But of course they had come close to beating the northern host, when the damned Riverlords had come in and began destroying whatever chances they had. That his father and the host had managed to beat a retreat was largely down to Tyrion and the clansmen from the Vale who had slaughtered those who had gotten in their way, of course Tyrion had not gotten the thanks he was owed for that, and instead had been told that he was going off to King's Landing to act as hand in his father's stead. He supposed that was thanks enough.
Of course upon arriving in King's Landing he had wondered if his father had sent him here another sort of punishment. So inept were his sister and his nephew's councillors at ruling that the people of King's Landing were constantly looking for some excuse to revolt, already there had been two attempted uprisings which the giving of food had managed to quell. Though he was not truly sure how long such good will could last. They were getting beaten in the war, and with the recent news to come from Riverrun as well as from Highgarden and Dragonstone, gods alone knew what was going to happen. It was this last piece of news that had become the central topic of discussion in the council meeting. "So Eddard Stark and Axel Tully have declared themselves king have they?" Tyrion mused. "Stark I can understand, there were no favours done to him here, and the north is practically impenetrable, but Tully? Now that most certainly is interesting."
"What does it matter what their reasons are? They have broken their oaths of fealty and are traitors who must be punished." His sweet sister Cersei snapped.
Tyrion sighed internally, sometimes he wondered how his sister could be so woefully ignorant. "It matters because there must have been some reason to prompt both men who are so known for their honour and their dedication to their oaths to declare themselves independent. That they did not even consider declaring for Stannis Baratheon is something that must be looked into."
"There is nothing that must be looked into. They are traitors all of them and must be punished." Cersei responds.
Tyrion sighs again. "The issue must be looked into because whilst the north is strong and firm, and there is no question about any of Ned Stark's bannermen and their loyalty the trident has always been a fractious and divided region and as such this is something that could be worked on."
At this his sister looks at him with interest. "How do you mean?"
Tyrion looks at his sister somewhat dumbfounded and then says slowly. "The Riverlords are a quarrelsome people. Slights done long ago are remembered even now, look at the Brackens and the Blackwoods. Then there is Walder Frey who is a man with more ambition and children than he knows what to do with. Right there, is someone who would turn with the right incentive."
"And what better incentive than having one of his brood in Riverrun as well as the north?" Lord Petyr Baelish says.
Tyrion nods, though internally he thinks of how he is going to deal with the little worm. "That is correct my lord. We know that Robb Stark is betrothed to one of Walder Frey's many girls, but the man wants to have a descendant in Winterfell, we could well give him that. As for the Riverlords we have men within the Riverlords camp do we not Lord Varys?" the master of whispers nods and then Tyrion continues. "Well then we might as well use them to sow the seeds of discontent. That kingdom will not last longer than a fortnight."
"And what of the Vale then? Lysa Arryn the little prude sits in the Eyrie with her men doing nothing but stew, she is an ever present threat." Cersei says.
Baelish speaks then. "If you were to give me the tools with which to do so. I could very easily charm Lysa into remaining out of this war. In fact I might even be able to make her commit to fighting against her own family."
Tyrion is suspicious of this and therefore asks. "Would the woman really fight against her family? The Tully words are Family, Duty and Honour in that order for a reason."
"Well considering Ned Stark broke his word of honour to the King, and is now a king, we cannot truly say what is what anymore now can we my lord?" Baelish says with a mocking little smile on his face. "Furthermore, Lysa has always been susceptible to my charms I am sure that has not changed. She will do what we want her to do if I ask nicely."
"And face the wrath of her bannermen for it. This is a plan that is not well suited to working my lord." Tyrion counters.
"Ah but the Lady Lysa is a single widow with a small child that needs being raised. Would you rather have some Valelord who would commit to aiding the rebels, or would you rather have someone who you know and who knows Lysa, helping her rule the Vale and raise her son?" the worm says.
He has a point Tyrion admits, he looks toward his sister who remains silent staring at the master of coin and then he says. "That is very true, when the time comes we shall remember this my lord. Now for the nonce we must put this issue aside and talk about Renly and Stannis. What news do you have Varys?"
The master of whispers is silent a moment and then responds. "Renly Baratheon has not done much since his crowning at Highgarden. He marches up the Rose Road at a leisurely pace and allows for there to be much merriment, all the while Mace Tyrell controls the food going to the camps and prevents any from leaving the Reach. The lords of the crownlands who border the Reach are growing more and more concerned as time goes by. Sooner or later Renly will decide to march and when he does the city will fall. As regards Stannis the man has called his men and his ships and sits and waits on Dragonstone."
The news about Renly was expected but the news regarding Stannis is surprising. "Waiting, what is he waiting for?"
"I am not sure my lord, but I do believe it has something to do with the red priestess that he has taken company with. It seems she has asked him to wait for some favourable conditions or some such. The man has begun doing as Aerys did and has begun offering burnings for good conditions."
Tyrion nods and then holds up the letter that had come earlier that day. "And what of this letter, what is his reasoning for this?"
The master of whispers is silent a moment and then responds. "It seems that these claims that the man has begun sprouting are to justify his rebellion and his attempted usurpation. Furthermore, the growing dissent within the crownlands towards King Joffrey might well be looked at as being part of the man's plan."
Cersei speaks then. "Those claims Stannis makes in his letter are filthy lies, and whoever speaks them must be dealt with. They must have their tongues removed and their eyes gorged out so they cannot speak nor see the lies he spreads."
"Doing that would not help our cause sweet sister. It would only make us look like we are trying to hide something. No, if we are to counter act Stannis Baratheon's lies we must give the commons and the lords something else to discuss. Something that will make them loath and laugh at Stannis even more than they do so now."
The room is silent as they all debate what issues must could be brought forward, eventually Lord Baelish speaks. "There is one thing that could delight the commons and the noble lords, Stannis Baratheon is not well liked that is true, but to truly prevent him from getting support we must make him to be what he is accusing others of. A cuckhold, he has a fool on Dragonstone that his daughter seems oddly enough attached to, it could be plausibly believed that she is that fool's daughter. For no man with good sense would want to sleep with Selyse Florent."
There is a guffaw of laughter then and Tyrion says between laughter. "If that works my lord then I would gladly see you as Lord Protector of the Vale. Pycelle see it done. Soon enough the commons will forget all about the accusations Stannis has made."
A silence follows this and then finally it is Cersei who speaks. "Has anyone been able to find Ser Barristan Selmy? The man was dismissed but has not been found."
Janos Slynt Lord of Harrenhal and Commander of the City Watch speaks then. "None of my men have been able to find him. And with the growing trouble within the streets we have not been able to give our full attention to the matter Your Grace."
Cersei grimaces and Varys speaks then. "It makes no matter, whilst Ser Barristan is a symbol he has nowhere to go, eventually he will come back here, or he will be found dead. His time is long done. He holds no love for Stannis or Renly, and as such there are no Targaryens here for him to fight for. He will come back."
There is something about the way the man responds that makes Tyrion wonder if there is more to what he is saying. But he decides to file that away for another time, for his sister has just called an end to the small council meeting and as they all begin to file out his sister asks for him to remain behind. Wondering what it is his sister could be wanting to speak with him about he sits down and waits. Eventually she speaks, her voice soft. "Have you managed to find out a way to get Jaime back yet?"
"I am working on it. We need someone within that damnable castle we can count on. Uncle Emmon might be good enough, if they send him."
"Will they truly come to talk terms do you think?" his sister asks desperation clouding her voice.
"We have Eddard Stark's daughter, he will want to come and discuss terms. So yes I believe we shall have a chance there." Tyrion responds.
His sister nods and then says. "I looked into what happened to you at the Vale Tyrion, I admit there is something very suspicious about what happened there. With what Littlefinger has been proposing today, I do believe you when you said that we must keep an eye on him."
Tyrion looks at his sister surprised. "What did you find Cersei?"
"It seems Littlefinger has deeper pockets than even I first thought. He has been working on something for a very long time, and it would appear that it is coming to fruition right now. He promised to help Eddard Stark with his investigation into Jon Arryn's death, and was also planning something on the side. It was him who came to me when you were kidnapped. I wondered how he knew, and then I realised, he has men in the Riverlands. Some of those who went with Catelyn Stark, were his men. Tyrion he has been playing a long game, and we are his pawns." His sister responds.
Tyrion looks at his sister and then asks. "What do you intend to do?"
"He will be used for now, and then when the time comes he will be dealt with." His sister responds a certain fire in her eyes that makes Tyrion glad that for once they are working together.
