Family Progress
When Ailyn woke up the following morning, she was startled to see Lord Tywin still in bed beside her. He had stayed a respectful distance away from her but he moved a little closer as she woke up.
"Tywin?" she murmured sleepily, rubbing her eyes with her good hand. "You're still here?"
"You once asked me to stay in bed in the morning. I thought I would honor your request," he said quietly, as she placed her hand over his on the bed.
She smiled a sad smile at him.
"Were you able to sleep the rest of the night?" she asked, hoping his nightmare had not returned to haunt him.
"Yes. Thank you for waking me," replied Lord Tywin quietly, dropping her gaze.
Ailyn nodded.
"I was hoping that sleeping in our bed again would be more conducive to better rest. Maybe I was wrong," wondered Ailyn sadly.
Tywin met her eyes again.
"You wanted me to stay…" he trailed off uncertainly.
"And I still do. Perhaps tonight will be easier," Ailyn suggested, adjusting her position on the bed. She winced as she put too much weight on her wounded arm.
"Come, you should eat something so you can have milk of the poppy for your shoulder. I can see it is troubling you," urged Lord Tywin in the businesslike tone she knew so well.
He sat up and got out of bed, leaving the curtain half drawn so she could have a moment to herself.
She heard him order in servants, presumably with food ready and waiting. Servants who could not anticipate the Hand of the King's wants did not remain in his service long. She moved the curtain aside with her good arm and Gana was waiting in front of her with a robe. They exchanged greetings and smiles, then Ailyn joined Tywin at their table.
"Kevan returned yesterday. He wishes to see you," Lord Tywin informed Ailyn as he cleared his plate of bacon.
"Were his talks with the Greyjoys of any use?" asked Ailyn, finishing her toast.
"Marginally. I think the long term benefits remain to be seen," answered the Hand of the King.
There was a pause while Ailyn considered if she should ask what she wished to ask.
"Have you spoken with Jaime?" hazarded Ailyn gently.
Lord Tywin cleared his throat with narrowed eyes.
"No. I see no reason to," he replied coldly.
Ailyn sighed and took a sip of her tea.
"You were expecting a different answer?" prodded Tywin.
"I was just hoping you would tell your one remaining child what he means to you before he is lost to you as well," murmured Ailyn quietly.
"He is not lost. He will live at Casterly Rock with that wench who dresses like a man if he ever gets around to asking her and she has the sense to accept him," growled Tywin, still clearly displeased at the thought.
"Tywin, do you not remember the day I found you hunched over on our bed, distraught at the idea that you had lost all your children?" pressed Ailyn. "Where is that worry now?"
"As I said, he is not gone and I have resigned myself to his useless match. So long as that woman can bear him children, the Lannister name will continue," concluded Lord Tywin, pushing back his plate.
"And that is all that matters to you?" Ailyn asked sadly.
Lord Tywin looked at her in mild annoyance.
"Yes." The word came out flat and emotionless.
"And you are disappointed with me that I still have not grasped this concept." Ailyn said it more as a statement than a question.
Tywin Lannister merely stared at her and they looked at one another in silence before Ailyn looked away and asked Gana to fetch something for the pain in her shoulder.
Lord Tywin excused himself to dress and Ailyn pushed back her chair as well but did not rise. She watched him walk away, thinking.
Gana brought her a vial and Ailyn downed its contents gratefully.
"Which dress would you like to wear today, my lady?" asked Gana, taking back the empty vial.
"The blue wrap dress, I think. I'd rather not wear a corset if I don't have to," decided Ailyn.
Gana nodded and left to get it out of her mistress' wardrobe.
Lord Tywin strode over to her as she was gathering the energy to stand and placed a hand on her good shoulder.
"Do not overexert yourself," he cautioned, his voice resuming its concerned authority.
"I won't," Ailyn promised softly, and raised her hand to touch his but he moved away before she could do so.
Ailyn dressed mechanically and then carefully slipped her arm through a sling of the same color as her dress.
"I should like to see Ser Kevan this morning unless Lord Tywin has need of him," requested Ailyn and Gana departed in search of Tywin's brother.
They both returned a surprisingly short time later.
"Ailyn! Thank the gods you are alive. Tywin told me what happened while I was away," said Ser Kevan anxiously coming to stand before Ailyn and taking her good hand.
"Kevan, it is good to see you too. I'd like to walk a little this morning if you'll accompany me?" asked Ailyn, leaning in and kissing his bristly cheek.
"Of course I'll come with you but shouldn't you be resting?" asked Ser Kevan with concern.
"I have rested enough and I am getting tired of this room," countered Ailyn, gesturing for them to walk back out the doors.
They had a short argument about where they should walk to once they reached the door. Ailyn wanted to see the gardens and Kevan preferred that she stayed closer to the room in case she needed to lie down suddenly. In the end, they compromised and walked together down the long hall leading up to the Hand's chambers.
"Are you in a great deal of pain, Ailyn?" asked Ser Kevan eyeing the bulging bandage on her shoulder.
"No, I believe the worst is over. Now it is mostly an ache or an uncomfortable stretching pain when I try to use it too much. It will heal well given time," Ailyn reassured him.
"I cannot believe Tyrion capable of this. I know he and Tywin have always been at odds but this is too far," murmured Kevan.
"I am still not entirely sure who he was there to shoot, Kevan. I think he decided at the last minute to shoot Tywin instead of me," reasoned Ailyn.
"It was brave of you to throw yourself in front of him. He was angry with you for doing so although it was hard to tell beneath the worry. I had several letters from him while I was away. Just once, I wouldn't mind having good news from him," Kevan grumbled, glancing at Ailyn to make sure she didn't think he was making light of this situation.
"He is rarely optimistic," agreed Ailyn. "I think Tyrion is gone now, for good."
"Perhaps that is best for both of them," said Ser Kevan, taking her hand as they went down a short flight of stairs.
"I think so. It seems sad that Tywin may never see his second son again but I don't think they ever took comfort from each other's company," concluded Ailyn.
"Tywin could never make himself warm to Tyrion; not when he felt the boy was responsible for his wife's death," Kevan told Ailyn quietly. He put up a hand to stop her tirade when she turned her head to speak to him.
"I know he should not have blamed Tyrion for such a thing but it was the only way Tywin could face that situation and not be driven out of his mind with grief," insisted Kevan heavily.
"It seems a hard thing to lay at the door of a child."
They walked in silence for a time.
"Are things in the kingdoms getting any better?" asked Ailyn after a moment.
"The Greyjoys I think are ready to see reason after what happened to the Starks although the North itself will be a problem for a long time to come," replied Kevan Lannister.
The old knight turned his brother's wife around and urged her back in the direction of her room.
At the doors, Kevan turned to Ailyn and took her good hand in his.
"Thank you for saving my brother's life. I will always esteem you for that. Tywin tells me you are torn about how to deal with what Tywin did to Tyrion's first wife. I don't condone what Tywin did either but it would hurt my brother deeply if Tyrion drove apart his second marriage as well as ended his first," said Ser Kevan quietly looking at Ailyn.
"I know," answered Ailyn sadly, pressing her brother in law's hand.
"You should get some rest now," insisted Ser Kevan, in an excellent impersonation of his brother.
Ailyn nodded, thinking hard as she watched him walk away from her.
She was about to go into her room when another soft voice stopped her from the opposite direction.
Ailyn turned to see Lord Varys coming down the hall in her direction, a young servant carrying several large tubes followed in his wake. Ailyn nearly gasped when the Lord of Whispers drew up to her. Varys had lost weight and was favoring his right leg as he walked. There was a new pale scar down the side of his right cheek.
"Lord Varys, what happened?" asked Ailyn in surprise.
"I appreciate your concern, my lady. The Hand of the King, ahem, had a few questions put to me after Lord Tyrion broke into your chambers," replied Lord Varys with a tight smile.
Ailyn winced.
She was sure Tywin had been none too gentle in his 'questioning' even though Lord Varys was a respected advisor.
"I am sorry for your suffering, Lord Varys. This incident with Tyrion can hardly be laid at your door," commiserated Ailyn, opening her door and gesturing him inside.
Varys bowed respectfully and walked in. He indicated to the servant to set the tubes down on a large table in the middle of the room which he did and then hastily withdrew.
"I am pleased that you are walking about, my lady. It would have been such a shame to have lost you just as you were settling into your new life with the Hand of the King," said Lord Varys, taking up one of the tubes and opening the end as he spoke.
"I am relieved to be here as well, Lord Varys. What is it you have brought to me?" asked Ailyn curiously.
"I believe just before your … injury, you requested to see some maps of the city?" replied Lord Varys pulling out a large scroll and laying it flat on the table.
It was a highly detailed layout of King's Landing and a little of the surrounding areas.
"Yes, I did. Thank you, Lord Varys. I wished to see a map of the city and speak with you about its districts, their interconnectivity and find out where the biggest problems lie," said Ailyn bending over the map eagerly.
"Problems?" repeated Lord Varys softly.
"King's Landing is dealing with the fallout of a large scale war. The number of inhabitants in the city has probably doubled in a short time. That alone will create many problems," said Ailyn, glancing at Lord Varys for confirmation.
"It would be more accurate to say the number has nearly tripled and more are still coming in everyday," replied Varys looking at her with interest.
"Then if you would be so good, I'd like you to walk me through this map and then elaborate on the city's problems. If I am to spend a great deal more time sitting and healing, my mind at least can be useful," said Ailyn settling herself down in a chair at the table and motioning for some wine to be brought over.
"You are a rare woman, my lady. I can't say that many high born women would be interested in the workings of the capitol," complimented Varys taking a seat next to her and pulling the map closer.
"My husband is tasked with cleaning up the Seven Kingdoms now that the fighting is done. I would like to help alleviate some of his concerns, at least in King's Landing. I'll leave the rest of the politics to him," conceded Ailyn with a smile.
Varys returned it and they spent the next several hours going over the map. Varys informed Ailyn of all the districts and their positions in relation to others, how many inhabitants there were, the state of housing and sanitation in each area. Soon Ailyn, asked Gana to sit beside her and take dictated notes.
When Lord Varys left, Ailyn's head was spinning with information and starting to ache. She resolved within the next few days to seek Maergery out too. She had actually walked around in some of these areas and her information might be more accurate even than Varys'.
She napped until dinner and then made a point of dining with Tywin. Their conversation was civil and easy although Tywin frowned at how long Ailyn had been bent over the maps with Varys. She waved away his concern and retired early, asleep before Tywin finished his last letter of the day and crawled into bed beside her.
The next day, another member of the Lannister family visited her.
"Lady Ailyn, Ser Jaime is asking to see you," said Gana quietly.
Ailyn looked up in surprise from a section of map she had been studying.
"Of course, please show him in."
Gana quickly returned to the door and ushered in Lord Tywin's heir.
Ser Jaime was well dressed in white breeches and a long, white leather tunic but it was odd seeing him without armor. He had a dazed and slightly scared expression on his face as he came up to Ailyn.
"Ser Jaime, what's wrong?" asked Ailyn starting to rise but Ser Jaime put his good hand on her shoulder and pressed her back gently.
"Forgive me, Lady Ailyn. I should have come to see you sooner… only I was…I didn't know if you would want to see me," said Jaime, furtively meeting her eyes.
"Why wouldn't I?"
"I almost got you killed. I helped Tyrion escape. I didn't know he was planning on coming back…" worried Jaime pacing before Ailyn's chair.
"You were right to help your brother, Jaime. I don't blame you for that. If you had known what he intended to do, that might be another matter since you did not warn us but now, what's done is done and no one has died. But that isn't why you are here," intuited Ailyn, narrowing her eyes a little at her son in law.
Jaime looked distractedly around the room.
"I want to know what you said to him." The old Lord Commander's voice was a harsh whisper.
"Tyrion?" asked Ailyn, confused.
"No. To my father. Just now, he came to my chambers and told me…how proud he was of me and… other things that I had never thought to hear from him," recounted Jaime, still sounding shocked.
Ailyn smiled at him and then looked down into her lap.
The Lord of Casterly Rock and Hand of the King had taken her advice after all.
"Ailyn, I… what did you do to him? I've only ever gotten the scantest of praise from him all my life, barely any affection and he just embraced me as though he hadn't seen me in twenty years," continued Ser Jaime.
"I am glad of it," Ailyn said, still smiling.
"I can't remember the last time I was this scared," muttered the son, running his hand through his hair nervously.
Ailyn laughed.
"Jaime, he loves you. He's always loved you; he's just been very poor at showing it," Ailyn assured him.
"But what did you say?" pressed Ser Jaime urgently.
Ailyn took a breath and gathered her thoughts.
"I told him that since you were the only child of his still remaining in King's Landing who had not fled from him, he should tell you what you mean to him before it was too late," replied Lady Ailyn.
Ser Jaime's mouth worked for a moment without any sound escaping his lips much the same way Lord Tywin's did when he didn't know what to say to her.
"If you had been anyone else, he would have done horrible things to the person who had the gall to say that to him.
"He may yet decide to do so. I annoy him quite easily of late," Ailyn responded.
"No, he won't. He treats you differently from all of us," said Ser Jaime quietly not looking at her.
Ailyn wasn't sure if the 'us' meant other Lannisters or other people in general.
"I didn't ask him to," she reminded him gently.
"I know. I know. I've known him for thirty five years and I still don't understand him most of the time," muttered the frustrated son.
"Neither do I. That's just who he is," Ailyn supplied.
"Did he give you his blessing to ask Lady Brienne or have you done so already?" prodded Ailyn with a small smile.
Jaime glanced at her like a frightened deer.
"I haven't asked her yet," he confessed looking down at the ground.
"You fought with your father for her," Ailyn reminded him.
"I'm starting to think that was the less frightening of the two tasks," he retorted, pacing around restlessly in front of her.
Ailyn laughed.
"You're a brave man Ser Jaime. I'm sure you can talk to the woman you love for five minutes," goaded Ailyn.
Jaime snorted.
"You women have it easy. All you have to do is wait around to be asked and then pass judgment on us while we agonize over whether we said everything right or used the proper words to describe how beautiful they are."
"Just tell her the truth," prompted Ailyn firmly.
Jaime looked at her for a moment.
"Is that what my father did?"
Ailyn looked away from him as she thought back to Lord Tywin's proposal.
"I think he told me as much of the truth as he could," answered Ailyn after a long moment.
Jaime looked out at the balcony and nodded.
"Tommen's nameday will be here soon. You should stay for that if you are able. He should have as much of his remaining family about him as he can," requested Ailyn gently.
Ser Jaime nodded.
"Of course I will be here for that."
He glanced around suddenly.
"I should go. I don't know how my father is going to act around me anymore and one shock is all I can handle for today," muttered Jaime, looking anxiously at the door.
Ailyn laughed again.
"Thank you for coming, Jaime. And good luck. Whatever you decide to say, if she loves you in return, it will be enough," Ailyn said with a warm smile.
Jaime nodded again and pressed her shoulder before walking out.
Ailyn settled down comfortably on the bed to read through some notes Lord Varys had sent her about King's Landing and before long, she felt herself drifting off to sleep.
She woke some time later, to Gana's gently nudging.
"Ailyn, the King is here," whispered Gana urgently, as Ailyn gradually woke up. At her maid's words however, Ailyn's eyes went wide.
"Let him in," said Ailyn instantly, sitting up in bed and setting her book aside.
The boy King walked slowly into the room and in the general direction of the bed. He stopped ten feet away, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet, his eyes were red from crying and he looked disconsolate.
"Your Grace what is wrong?" asked Ailyn with concern.
"My name is Tommen! I don't want to be the King!" the unhappy little boy burst out, stamping his foot.
"Tommen, will you come sit with me and tell me what is bothering you?" asked Ailyn gently.
The little King sniffled and nodded. He trudged around to Tywin's side of the bed, took off his boots and then climbed up to sit beside her. Ailyn put out her good arm and he nestled into her side.
"They're all gone," he whispered desperately, after clinging to her for a moment in silence.
The hurt in his tone tugged at her heart.
"Tommen…" began Ailyn gently but the little boy went on.
"My father and brother are dead. My sister is far away and Mother left me. Maergery is in the city and I don't know where Ser Pounce is!" cried Tommen and began to sob into Ailyn's dress.
Ailyn held him tighter and looked over meaningfully at Gana. Her maid came closer and Ailyn mouthed, 'Find the kitten.' Gana nodded and went to the door to find the King's guards.
She rested her cheek on the boy's head and comforted him as she used to do with Mardyn as he was growing up.
"Tommen you are not alone. You have Maergery, your grandfather, your uncle Jaime, and me. We are here with you," cooed Ailyn softly into his hair. "You like Maergery, don't you?"
Tommen nodded into her chest.
"Grandfather scares me."
Ailyn smiled.
"Your grandfather scares a great many people but you have nothing to fear from him. He is here to protect and look after you as well as the Seven Kingdoms," said Ailyn reassuringly. "And I am not going anywhere. You can come see me whenever you want."
Tommen raised his red, wet face and looked at her.
"Anytime?" he asked softly.
"Anytime," she promised.
Din came in and brought a small cloth over to Ailyn so the King could blow his nose which he did very loudly. She handed Ailyn a small cup of water for the King as he finished wiping his nose.
"I'm sorry," he pouted, "I know I shouldn't cry."
"Tommen, it's alright to cry," offered Ailyn, taking his soiled cloth and handing him the glass of water instead.
"Lannisters never cry. It is weak to cry," recited the little boy as though the lesson had been drilled into him from the day he was born.
"Tommen, you are the King as well as a Lannister and you can cry if you wish to. No one will stop you. I'm sure your grandfather would prefer that you did it in private but there is no shame in showing how you feel," explained Ailyn.
Tommen looked at her like he wanted to believe her but he still looked a little embarrassed as he drank the water.
"Would you like to stay with me until Maergery gets back from the city?" asked Ailyn, handing the empty cup back to Din.
Tommen nodded, his face brightening a little.
"Good. Do you like stories? I have quite a few books that we could look at," suggested Ailyn, motioning to the shelves.
"Do you have one with animals?" asked Tommen eagerly.
Ailyn thought for a moment and then turned to Din again.
"Din, would you pick out The Animals of Westeros and Essos for me? It should be that green book on the far right," directed Ailyn, pointing to it with her good hand.
Din retrieved it and set it carefully down in Ailyn's lap.
"Would you like to hold it up for us, Tommen?"
The King nodded. He settled in next to her and held the book open so they could both see the pages. Tommen turned the pages excitedly.
For the next hour or so, Ailyn told him about the animals he was looking at and encouraged him to read to her. Gana eventually returned holding a struggling orange kitten in her arms.
"Pounce!" cried Tommen happily. He set the book down and reached out for the kitten, leaning over Ailyn. Gana gave the little creature to the King and it stopped mewing once it was in his arms. He hugged it close to his chest and it batted at his nose.
"This is Ser Pounce," said Tommen proudly, showing it to Ailyn.
Ailyn grinned and held out her hand so the kitten could sniff her. It mewed uncertainly a few times and then licked her finger with its tiny, rough tongue. She rubbed the wild orange fur by its ears and then watched as it pawed at Tommen's stomach and then curled up in a tiny ball of fluff, purring contentedly in the King's lap.
Tommen yawned and nestled more closely into Ailyn, letting go of the book.
Din gently removed it as Ailyn put her arm around the sleepy King and urged him to sleep if he wished to. Tommen made sure to have both his hands resting on the kitten before his head drooped against Ailyn's chest. Hesitantly, Ailyn brushed her fingers through his hair and rested her cheek on his head.
Tears filled Ailyn's eyes and she blinked them away quickly.
'So this is what it's like to have a child to care for,' she thought as the familiar, unfulfilled ache gripped her heart again.
She carefully wiped her remaining tears away with her hand and calmed down for Tommen's sake. The boy was already unhappy and distressed and she had no wish to add to that. Ailyn listened to his breathing and the gentle purring coming from the sleepy kitten in the King's lap.
The shadows grew longer in the Hand's chambers and Ailyn started to worry about Maergery. She let out a soft breath of relief when the door to their rooms opened but Maergery did not come through the door. Lord Tywin strode into the room and was about to speak to Ailyn when she shook her head at him with a warning frown.
Lord Tywin paused, his own brow creasing at her reaction to his presence and then he noticed his grandson asleep next to Ailyn. He stepped soundlessly up to the bed and looked down on both of them.
"How long has the King been here?" asked Tywin quietly.
"Only a few hours," whispered Ailyn.
Even though they were speaking softly, Tommen stirred and began to wake up.
"Tommen, your grandfather is here," said Ailyn in a soothing tone.
At that, the boy's eyes opened wide and he sat up quickly, moving out from underneath Ailyn's arm.
"Grandfather," said Tommen, lowering his head a little as though he had been caught doing something he shouldn't.
"Your Grace, what brings you to my chambers?" asked Lord Tywin, his sharp eyes moving between Ailyn and the King.
Tommen opened his mouth but only managed to stammer something incomprehensible.
Tywin frowned and Ailyn saw the little boy clutch his kitten almost too hard, the creature mewled and flailed his little paws in protest.
"The King came to see me while Maergery is in the city. We looked through a book about animals for so long that His Grace became tired and feel asleep next to me," Ailyn quickly interjected, placing a hand gently on Tommen's shoulder.
Tommen relaxed slightly, glancing between her and his grandfather.
"I see."
"Why don't you let me hold Pounce for you while you get your boots on?" suggested Ailyn gently, wishing Tywin's gaze did not look quite so stern.
Tommen quickly handed the kitten to Ailyn and clambered off the bed to pull them on. Thankfully, their chamber door opened again and Queen Maergery was announced. Ailyn leaned around Tywin and smiled at her friend who beamed back.
"My Lord Hand, Lady Ailyn, I was looking for my husband and was told he was here," said Maergery sweetly, coming into the room.
Tywin turned to her, about to speak, when Tommen came around the side of the bed.
"Maergery!" he cried happily and ran to her. The Queen from High Garden hugged the young king affectionately.
"Don't forget Ser Pounce, Your Grace," called Ailyn, smiling at them as the kitten nibbled her finger in a feeble attempt to escape.
Tommen let go of Maergery and ran back to her to take the kitten.
"Thank you, Lady Ailyn," he said politely.
"You are very welcome. Come back whenever you like and we can read about more animals," promised Ailyn with a smile.
The King nodded happily and then went back to Maergery.
"I am glad you are feeling better, Ailyn," she said, glancing at Lord Tywin.
"I am, thank you. We shall talk in a few days," Ailyn offered.
Maergery nodded and then with a respectful curtsey, both their Graces left the Hand's chambers.
"The King has never come here before. Was he looking for me?" asked Lord Tywin, looking down at Ailyn.
She thought back to how afraid he had sounded of Lord Tywin.
"No, he was distressed and wanted some company. He is a lonely boy, Tywin. He has no one to play with his own age and very little family left to rally around him," said Ailyn, meeting her lord's eyes and getting up.
"He shouldn't be playing, he's the King," retorted Tywin, helping her to her feet.
"He's a child and should be allowed to have a childhood regardless of what you think," insisted Ailyn firmly, standing in front of Tywin.
"I warned you about preaching to me about parenthood," growled Tywin.
"And you married me, in part, to save you from yourself when you needed it. Which duty would you rather I perform?" Ailyn shot back.
"Do you care for me at all?" demanded Lord Tywin.
Ailyn winced. She went to him and gently cupped his scruffy cheek.
"Oh Tywin, of course I care for you. That's why this is so hard," said Ailyn, turning away from him again.
Lord Tywin didn't speak and soon Ailyn turned to him again.
"You are not sorry for what you did to Tyrion?"
"No. He needed to learn a lesson and he has," growled Lord Tywin.
"At what cost? How did emotionally scaring him for life benefit the Lannister family?" persisted Ailyn.
"He learned to never make a life decision without my blessing," returned Tywin in a hard voice.
"You also taught him to hate you."
Tywin Lannister bit back a reply, glancing away from her for a moment. Then he straightened as she knew she was speaking to The Hand of the King and the Warden of the West, not her lion.
"I know what I have done and I stand by all my actions. I will not apologize for the steps I have taken for the betterment and elevation of my family, however heinous they may seem to you. The Lannisters are in control of the throne now and whatever it takes, I intend to keep it that way. This is who I am, Ailyn. This is who I have always been and will continue to be."
Of all the things he had said to her, she knew that he was speaking the truth now. He was the Lannister's fiercest lion; he could never be anything else.
"It seems to me that two options now lay open to you, Ailyn. Either you find a way to accept this, to accept me so that we can move forward with our lives," stipulated Lord Tywin.
"Or?" asked Ailyn softly, meeting his eyes.
"Or we part company. You may have your own set of rooms wherever you wish and I will not disturb you unless you are required to be with me for a state occasion. You can do as you please so long as you behave in a manner befitting your position and do not embarrass me. We will be husband and wife in name only, nothing more," finished Lord Tywin heavily.
Ailyn looked at the ground and swallowed hard.
"I don't want that for us," she whispered.
"Neither do I but nor will I suffer your constant judgment and disapproval for everything I have done to make the Lannisters what we are. I will be ready to listen whenever you wish to speak to me. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some matters to attend to," said Tywin, inclining his head to her, picking up his leather case with his papers and walking out of their rooms.
Author's note: Thanks for not giving up on me! More to come much sooner than before.