Tyrion

The next day, Sansa, Tyrion and Daenerys were alone in a private room, guards outside the door. Both Arya's (human and wolf) were playing with each other in the snow, having been rather taken with each other.

"Where is Cersei Lannister?" the Queen asked.

"In the dungeons," Tyrion replied. "She's being well treated, considering she held a knife to my sons throat."

"I forgot to offer my congratulations," Daenerys said. "Twins, I hear?"

"Yes, your grace," he said. "Robb and Maeri."

"I need to talk to Cersei," Daenerys said. "You know she must die?"

"Yes," Tyrion said shortly. "I know that. She is not a nice or kind woman, but she is still my sister. Speaking of which, my brother. Jaime?" he asked, fearing the worst.

"Dead," Daenerys said. "I'm sorry," she added.

"No, you're not," Tyrion said accurately. "You killed him."

"I didn't actually," she said. "He was found dead after the sack of Kings Landing. I don't know how he died."

"You would have, though," Tyrion continued. He loved his brother, and felt the tide of grief threaten to swallow him. He'd known rationally that Jaime was unlikely to survive Daenerys's take over. Since Daenerys had taken the throne, he'd heard no news of Jaime and had assumed he was dead. But to know it for a fact was a very different thing indeed. His brother was dead. Tyrion was the only Lannister left, once Cersei had been… dealt with. And she would be.

"He murdered my father, the rightful king," Daenerys reminded him. "He needed to die."

"He was still my brother," Tyrion said sadly. He didn't want to appear too argumentative in front of the Queen. She could very easily execute him if she wanted to.

"I know," Daenerys said. "We did bring his body back to Casterly Rock. So you could bury him properly."

"Thank you," Tyrion said, meaning it. He wasn't expecting that. He thought Jaime's head would be rotting above the gates of Kings Landing by now. It was a kindness that Jaime could be buried with his kin.

"Is Tommen Jaime and Cersei's child?" Daenerys asked, not being blunt at all. "And Marcella?"

Tyrion knew the truth, but he didn't know what to tell the Queen. He looked at his wife for a moment, putting off the inevitable. Sansa didn't provide him with any inspiration.

"Does it matter?" Tyrion replied. "Both Robert Baratheon and Jaime are dead. What does it matter who your predecessors father was?"

"It matters because I don't want to kill two children if I don't have to," Daenerys said.

"Tommen's still alive?" he asked in amazement.

"Yes," Daenerys said. "I want Cersei to sign an acknowledgement that all of her children are Jaime's."

"She'll never do that," he replied.

"In exchange for her childrens lives, I think she will," Daenerys said. "I want to know whether its true though."

"Yes," Tyrion said. "It is true. "Tommen especially is the mirror image of Jaime at that age."

"Good," Daenerys said. "I'd like to arrange a marriage between Tommen and Shireen Baratheon, Stannis's girl. Then, when they're of age, give them Dragonstone. After all, Stannis can't keep it. And a girl with greyscale will never become queen, neither will an acknowledged bastard borne of incest become King. It will let them both live."

"And what of Marcella?" Sansa asked.

"I'm not sure yet," Daenerys said. "Though the Dornish won't want her, when she's acknowledged as a bastard. I won't have her death on my conscience."

"Thank you," Tyrion said. "For my niece and nephew. None of this is their fault."

"I know that. They're children," Daenerys said. She took a sip of wine and then turned to Sansa. "I'd like to speak to you in private. Walk with me in the grounds?"

"Of course, your grace," Sansa replied, after just a little hesitation and surprise. "Now?"

"Sooner would be better I think," Daenerys said, smiling. They all stood up, and the Queen looked at Tyrion. "Alone, my lord."

"Of course," he said, feeling dread at what these two women might want to discuss without him there to listen.

Sansa

They'd been walking in the snow for five minutes, two guards their only company. The snow was compact which made it easy for walking. She had no idea what the Queen wanted to talk to her about, and was a little afraid. "Lady Sansa, I'm aware that you were forced into your marriage."

"Yes," Sansa agreed. "I was." On the day of her wedding she'd wanted to be anywhere else in the seven kingdoms than in that sept.

"I've had an arranged marriage," she continued. "To Khal Drogo. I was lucky. We grew to like each other, and more. But I realise that not all arranged marriages are like that. And you had no one to intercede for you, to make a better match for you." They walked along in silence for a little longer. "How does he treat you?" Daenerys asked kindly.

"Very well, your grace," she said.

"Come now," Daenerys said. "Don't lie to me. I won't take these tales back to your husband. You don't have to be afraid of him."

"I'm not frightened of him," Sansa said, completely honestly. She wasn't. She never had been. At the beginning, she had been frightened of intimacy and sex, but she never had any fear that Tyrion would beat her. He wasn't the kind of man who liked doing that to women."

"Sansa, if you want an escape from this marriage, I can help you. I can have the marriage annulled, and set you free. You would not be parted from your children either."

"You're telling me, I can leave Tyrion with no dishonour," Sansa said, slowly getting the point that Daenerys was making.

"There would be no disgrace," Daenerys added kindly. "You'd be a fine match for any lord in the country, with your family, your beauty and your clear fertility. You could take your pick of your next husband."

"I don't want anyone else," she said honestly.

"Sansa, Tyrion is…"

"I know exactly what he is," she said. "Tyrion is a dwarf. He is a Lannister. He is not the man I would have chosen for myself by a long stretch. He's intelligent, he's kind, he's brave, he adores our children and he loves me. And I love him. Please, Daenerys. My Queen, please don't take him away from me." She spoke urgently, because she couldn't imagine leaving her husband. Not now.

"Okay," Daenerys said. "But I can't offer this again. It will seem strange if you change your mind in a year or so, that I didn't do anything before. Are you sure?"

"I'm absolutely sure," Sansa said with relief.

Daenerys could see it on her face, and she laughed. "You're lucky. I hope you know that. And you're going to have a lot of Lannister children to fill up this castle by the looks of things. How old are the twins?"

"Just over five months," Sansa said. The Queen held her gaze for a moment too long.

"And…?" Daenerys prompted.

"And it's far too early for me to confirm anything about the possibility of baby number three," Sansa said, with a small private smile. Daenerys understood completely. They carried on making their circuit of the grounds, before moving into the warm castle again.

One chapter left, then the epilogue. Hope you're continuing to enjoy this story and thanks for your support for my first GOT fic.