Hi everyone,
This is next week's Friday update a little bit early :)
Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 48: For the Realm
Next Day …
Lannister camp, near the Walls of King's Landing, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Arryn) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms
Kevan rushed through the tent flap, "It is time."
"Mmm," Tywin grunted as he lifted himself from behind his desk, subverting the stabbing pain he felt in his stomach at the movement into a single-minded focus on what he was going to say to Stannis's chosen messenger.
"Are you ready? Kevan asked and upon receiving one of his brother's notorious icy glares he clarified his concern, "You've been stabbed and your daughter was the one to do it. I would be remiss in my duties as your brother if I did not even ask the question."
"I will handle it," Tywin replied knowing Kevan had only his best interests in mind, "Who has Stannis sent to receive my surrender?"
"Lady Kenna," Kevan said bluntly as the memories of being captured by the said Lady at Casterly Rock clouded his feelings on the woman. "And she is alone."
Tywin's face scrunched up in thought, Why would Stannis send Lady Kenna and not his Hand? And why did she come alone?
Tywin and Kevan watched as Kenna elegantly jumped off her horse and handed the reins to the Lannister guard that had been escorting her. She was indeed all alone.
Tywin appreciated the courage it took for a woman to ride into an enemy camp full of men on her own but he knew there was a reason for her confidence. If harm came to her, harm would come to his family and by accepting Kenna's offered terms by raven earlier he had already shown he wasn't willing for that to happen.
The Vale Lady approached them, throwing a glance around her at the many rows of tents that now surrounded her.
"My Lord, Ser Kevan," Kenna greeted them as she walked towards them. "An impressive camp, shame it will all have to be packed up."
Tywin didn't acknowledge the gloating woman's words as he spoke to his brother, "Make sure we are not disturbed and no one will overhear us."
Kevan gave his older brother a slight nod and walked past Lady Kenna, giving her a hard stare before he started shouting some orders at the armoured audience that had gathered at the sight of a lady in the camp.
"My Lady," Tywin said as he turned to stride back inside his own tent.
This is going to be fun, Kenna thought as she looked at the Lion Lord's back disappearing into the tent.
Once Kenna had pushed aside the tent flap herself, she saw the central room was dominated by a large oak table and Tywin had seated himself at the head of it.
Kenna smiled at his early mind games. She walked to the other end of the table and sat down. The message was clear.
We are equals.
"Are you not going to offer me some wine my Lord? I am after all your guest," Kenna said as she sunk back into her chair.
Tywin's hands twitched on the surface of the table and his eyes went to the centre of the table where a wine jug and cups were placed but he didn't move, "Why did you want this meeting to take place at my camp and why did you come alone?
Kenna smirked to herself and a warm feeling settled in her stomach, she really did enjoy being the one with all the answers especially if the person asking was Tywin Lannister.
"Someone had to see you bend the knee and turn your army around. You certainly weren't going to go to Stannis and he was never going to come here so here I am," Kenna said with her hands outstretched while hiding the power shift that had occurred in King's Landing behind clever words, "As for being alone in your war camp, if you decide to kill me now it wouldn't really matter how many men protected me, they would just have been unnecessary casualties."
Still not satisfied Tywin continued to push, "Why are you here and not Stannis's Hand?"
"Unfortunately, Lord Davos is no long the Hand of the King."
"What, you are Stannis's Hand?" Tywin asked with an undertone of disbelief. There had never been a female Hand before but Tywin could imagine Kenna in that position and doing it well too.
"No but I am the one that needs to see you bend the knee and I am getting impatient," Kenna replied enjoying being the one demanding something and not the one giving in this scenario.
At Kenna's words Tywin's eyes narrowed and his posture straightened. A smart proud man was still a proud man.
"We have already agreed the terms of my surrender but I will only bend the knee to the man that sits on the Iron Throne, no other." Not to you, not here, where the unspoken words.
"That might be problematic," Kenna replied as an ecstatic smile engulfed her entire face.
I am missing something, Tywin realised before he sought to rectify his lack of knowledge, "Why?"
Smugness dripped from Kenna's next words, "Because a man no longer sits on the Iron Throne."
A thinking silence swept over the table as Tywin broke eye contact with Kenna to stare at his now steepled hands.
Kenna savored the complete look of concentration on the Lord's face as he set about deciphering Kenna's words. But she enjoyed the moment of comprehension that struck Tywin's face even more, when he worked out why she was really here, in his tent, alone, waiting for him to declare his fealty.
Tywin brought his eyes once more to hers, "You didn't come to watch me bend the knee for Stannis. You came to watch me bend the knee to you."
Kenna drummed her fingers lightly on the table top in bated anticipation, "Yes, and I am waiting."
Tywin's mind spun to catch up with the drastically changed situation he found himself in. Kenna had taken control of King's Landing from Stannis meaning she now held his House's future in her hands. But his objective hadn't changed whether it was Stannis or Kenna who held the capital.
"You will keep the same terms as before?"
Instead of replying Kenna stood and went to the centre of the table. She started to pour out two cups of wine. She carried the cups over to Tywin and offered the seated Lord one.
He took the cup from her grasp, their fingers touching for a moment before he immediately brought the metal cup to his lips.
Kenna didn't return to her seat but leaned back against the table so that her right leg was almost touching Tywin's right knee.
Kenna sipped from the cup as Tywin awaited her answer.
"Tommen will be sent to the Wall, Jamie will stay by my side as my husband, and I have half a mind to make Tyrion my Hand," Kenna said with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, "I have no ill will towards the Tyrells but Margaery will remain in King's Landing to ensure it stays that way."
"You will let my family live if I bend the knee," Tywin said slowly, seeking clarity with the new person who held the key to his descendants' lives."
"That is what I offered you on behalf of Stannis and it is what I am willing to do if you surrender to me now."
"I hesitate dear good-daughter," Kenna smirked, he can't say your Grace yet, "to accept any more promises and words of trust. You still haven't delivered on your last promise to me."
Kenna's blood turned cold at Tywin's well aimed words. She looked into her cup and swirled the liquid around as she deliberated what her honour was worth in the eyes of the man sitting before her.
She was an Arryn. Honour meant everything. Her time in King's Landing may have tainted her view of the world but the upbringing she received in the Vale, the love of Lord Royce, and adoration of the people in the Vale would always push her back onto the path of the honourable no matter how much she wandered into the bloody undergrowth either side of it.
Kenna finished her cup of wine in two large gulps and forcefully placed it back on the table. She closed her eyes before taking in a deep breath to centre herself, "An Arryn always keeps their word my Lord. I have fulfilled my side of the promise."
Kenna heard the scrapping of a chair being pushed backwards and Tywin's hand gripped her chin in a firm hold. She opened her eyes to see Tywin's flecked gold green ones searching her face for any sign of deception.
"You are carrying my child?"
"I am."
"You think it will be a boy?"
"It doesn't matter if it is a boy or not. As I remember that day at the Eyrie when we made our promise to each other you explicitly said 'first born son by Jamie'. You altered the terms of our promise so it is only fair I can make an alteration myself if the child is a girl."
"If you sit on the Iron Throne then your child will be heir to the Seven Kingdoms not Casterly Rock," Tywin noted with an undertone of frustration.
"You should have chosen your words more carefully then my Lord," Kenna snarled as she broke Tywin's hold on her chin with a twist of her neck. He let his hand fall to his side but his face remained mere inches away from Kenna's as he loomed over her.
"My son will be King," Tywin murmured.
Whether he was referring to Jaime or the unborn child in Kenna's belly she was unsure but she took this moment to reclaim control of the situation.
"Kneel."
Tywin's eyes snapped back to Kenna's. There was cold fury in them at being commanded in such an abrupt manner but there was also an acceptance of defeat mingled with reluctant respect.
The proud Lord kept Kenna's gaze as he wordlessly lowered himself to the floor, only to break it when he bent his head.
Kenna basked in the image of the Great Lion of the West kneeling before her but it was only a partial submission.
"There is more to bending the knee than the action of bending a knee my Lord," Kenna stated in a self-assured tone.
She heard a strained growl come from the Lion Lord's mouth. She couldn't see his face but she imagined the kneeling Lord had an annoyed look on his face to go along with the tensed muscles on his neck.
"I Lord Tywin Lannister, Lord of Casterly Rock and Warden of the West, bend the knee to Queen Kenna Lannister, First of her name, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Protector of the Realm."
Kenna let the words dance and fade in the air around her but she knew that they would live forever in her memory with the image of the most powerful man in Westeros kneeling before her. Shame this new power balance wasn't going to last.
"This is why you make a better leader than Stannis," Kenna said down at Tywin who lifted his head in a questioning manner, "Because you can adapt to the situation and understand what you need to do to get what you want for the betterment of your house. You can compromise for the betterment of the Realm."
Tywin's eyebrows furrowed even more as he shifted his head to look at his chosen Queen.
"Rise Lord Tywin."
As he did so Kenna noticed the slight wince he made as he returned to his full height.
He is injured, Kenna noted to herself but kept quiet.
"Now that you have honoured me with the knowledge that you would have me as your Queen I must regretfully decline to be so," Kenna said while turning away from Tywin to walk back to the other end of the table.
A heavy hand landed on her shoulder, right over where her now fully healed scar was, stopping her and spinning her back to face Tywin, "What do you mean?"
"I don't want to be Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, I just wanted to see if you would bend the knee to me. If you would submit to me as I had submitted to you."
"Stannis is he still-"
"Rotting in the Black Cells? Yes, he is. And yes, I still control the fate of your house."
"I tire of your games," Tywin growled as he walked down Kenna so her back pressed firmly against the edge of the table.
"That is a shame my Lord because I believe that we are all playing a game. A game which starts with our first breath and only ends with our last," Kenna replied craning her neck upwards to keep eye contact with the Lord cornering her against the table.
"I tire of your riddles too," Tywin vented as his grasp on her shoulder intensified.
Kenna smiled at how riled up Tywin had gotten, having never been able to crack his calm mask with so much success before.
This wasn't the reaction Tywin was looking for. He shoved Kenna down onto the table so her feet no longer touched the floor and her back was flat against the tables surface, ignoring the burning sensation in his midriff as he pushed.
One hand enclosed around Kenna's throat, tangling with the golden lion pendant chain that rested there, while his other hand that had been on Kenna's shoulder was now splayed on the table for support.
"Enough pretty words, tell me why you are really here and why I should let you walk back out of my camp," the Lion said showing his teeth.
Kenna felt Tywin's legs in-between hers and cursed that fact she had lost control of the situation, "I am here to trade Kingdoms."
Tywin peered down at her keeping the pressure on her throat steady, "Go on."
"I will give you King's Landing and Tommen if you give me the Vale independence and a truce."
Ah there it is, Tywin though as he looked down on the trapped woman carrying his child, she wants to be a Queen, just not the Queen.
"You have the Iron Throne at your mercy. Why not take it? Why not simply take the Eyrie and claim Vale independence like the Northmen did?"
"Because I want peace," Kenna breathed out as if she hadn't vocalised the word before.
"Peace?"
"Stannis's reign would have proffered the instability in Westeros and fuelled the war for years to come. My reign might have fared better but I have no desire to take something I cannot keep and I do not want to stand between the Iron Throne and dragon fire," Kenna reasoned as if she was reconfirming the ideas in her head.
"You fear the Targaryen girl?"
Kenna bristled at the implication that she feared anyone. She feared no living person but three fully-grown dragons were a different matter.
Her father had told her how the Eyrie had fallen during their ancestor Shara Arryn's regency and there was a reason that the fearsome Shara Arryn had bent the knee to Visenya Targaryen all those years ago in the name of her son, Ronnel Arryn, the last King of Mountain and Vale. Shara Arryn was not a suicidal idiot and Kenna thanked her ancestor every day that she had bent the knee or she wouldn't exist.
But the Targaryens had over generations shown that they were unstable leaders prone to flights of destruction and illogical acts that sent the realm into catastrophic turmoil every few decades.
Kenna wanted to rule the Vale as its Queen yes, she was ambitious, but she also saw Targaryen rule over the entirety of Westeros as a disaster waiting to happen.
How many people throughout the Targaryen dynasty had lost lives to a mad decision by a Targaryen monarch?
In Kenna's head a Targaryen rule was a disaster that could be potentially avoided if she worked with the man whose hand was currently wrapped around her throat. The Dornish managed to resist Aegon and his dragons, why couldn't they resist Daenerys Targaryen and her three dragons if they worked together?
Kenna placed two hands on Tywin's wrist that was supporting the hand at her throat, 'She is coming with three dragons. I don't think I need to remind you what happened last time a Targaryen crossed the Narrow Sea with three dragons."
Tywin let out an exhausted grunt, "Varys was right to see you as a threat just as you are right to see the Targaryen girl as a threat. When she comes, she will come for all Seven Kingdoms. She won't leave the Vale untouched if you resist her."
"I know. The only chance for your family to retain the Iron Throne and for me to rule an independent Vale is if we work together in peace as partners," seeing Tywin's unconvinced face above her she added, "I am sure Littlefinger and Joffrey's hired assassins would agree that we make a formidable team when we are working together and not against each other."
"You think that if we work together, we might be able to defeat three dragons?" Tywin relaxed some tension in the hand around Kenna's throat but not enough to release her.
"Dragons are not invincible, hard to kill but not invincible and thanks to her father and brother's actions she is not a welcomed pretender to the Throne among the nobles and there will not be much support for her in Westeros from the commoners either as she will be seen by many as a foreign invader with a foreign army with a foreign way of ruling."
What are you proposing?" Tywin questioned as he removed his hand from her throat and took two steps backwards away from Kenna allowing her the space to upright herself on the table and sit on its edge with her legs dangling of the side.
"You will sign a declaration stating I am the Queen over the Mountain and the Vale, and that the Crown and the Vale are at peace. I will then take the Golden Company, my men, Lady Sansa and my husband with me to the Eyrie. I will release Tommen, Margaery and Tyrion when you have secured King's Landing."
"And Stannis and his men?" Tywin questioned as he walked over to a desk in the corner of the room.
"They will be yours to deal with when I leave King's Landing," Kenna replied watching Tywin return to the table, sit in his original seat at the head of the table and start writing on a piece of parchment.
"And how will I know to attack King's Landing?" Tywin inquired while concentrating on what he was writing.
Kenna slide of the table and walked to stand beside Tywin's shoulder, "The same way you did last time. The gates will be wide open for you."
"Fine, we have an agreement then," Tywin announced as he leaned back in the chair and presented Kenna with the piece of parchment he had been writing on.
Kenna took the offered piece of parchment and started to read. It was an official letter with the Hand of the King's seal on it declaring Kenna as the Queen over a Crown recognised independent Vale as well as a truce between the Crown and the Vale sealed already by the marriage between Jaime Lannister and Kenna Lannister.
Since she had gotten what she wanted Kenna was about to dismiss herself when Kevan came charging into the tent with his sword drawn. He stepped into the room with the point of his blade tracking Kenna as she moved away from Tywin, further into the back of the tent.
"Brother?" Tywin asked sternly demanding to know why his meeting had been disturbed and in such an aggressive manner from his usually calm little brother.
"She has done something Tywin. Cersei is missing as well as Prince Oberyn," Kevan said accusingly at Kenna.
"I am not involved in that. If I was do you really think I would put myself in the middle of it all?" Kenna said in a biting tone as she watched the point of the sword threatening her float a few metres away from her.
Tywin ground his teeth together. He knew instantly that Prince Oberyn's escape was Cersei's doing. In a twisted way he scolded himself for not see this possibility as now the famed Red Viper and his daughter had one thing in common.
They both hated him with a burning passion for causing the death of a loved one.
"Let her pass Kevan, she has nothing to do with their escape," Tywin commanded with his usual authority restored to his posture and voice. "We have concluded our arrangement and I expect to see the gates of King's Landing open soon."
Kevan looked shocked but he obeyed his brother and let Kenna pass him.
"What now?" Kevan asked as the tent flap swung back after Kenna's swift exit.
"Who was guarding Cersei?"
"The Kettleblack brother's," Kevan answered as he sheathed his drawn sword but maintain a worried look on his face. "They are also missing so we presume they helped Prince Obeyrn escape and took Cersei captive."
Captive, more like mastermind, Tywin fumed while not disagreeing with his brother. Tywin didn't want to know how Cersei had gained their loyalty he only wanted her back.
"Send out our best trackers, they will be heading to Dorne," Tywin deduced before giving Kevan a cold glare, "I want my daughter and Prince Oberyn back."
A few hours later …
Somewhere south of the Lannister camp, South Crownlands
Prince Oberyn urged his horse onwards at a neck breaking speed as his three companions struggled to keep up with him. They had been riding for hours non-stop and now the darkness was impeding their progress.
Oberyn slowed his horse down to a trot, then a walk and waited for his four saviors to catch up.
"Why are we stopping? Lord Lannister's men will be chasing us," Osmund Kettleblack grunted from his horse.
"Very true but our horses are spent so we and they need to rest. It will take us a few more days of hard riding to reach the boarder to Dorne. I do not intend to walk the rest of the way."
"I agree," Cersei said behind exhausted pants.
"Fine," Osfryd Kettleblack rumbled as he dismounted from his horse to start setting up a few blankets on the ground. The third Kettleblack brother and youngest of the five strong riding party remained silent but started to help his brother with setting up the camp.
After a few more minutes fumbling in the darkness all five escapees where under their respective covers underneath the starry sky but only two of them were going to have an easy sleep.
Cersei woke to a wet sensation dripping down her back. If that is Osmund Kettleblack I am going to kill him, Cersei thought venomously remembering what she had promised the man if he and his brothers had aided in her escape.
Cersei rolled over to come face to face with a still sleeping Osmund Kettleblack but she knew instantly something was wrong. The man was too silent, too unmoving then her hands felt wet. She looked down at them. They were covered in sticky blood, it was all coming from a slash in his throat.
Cersei yelped and scrambled fast as she could to get away from the dead man. She threw the blanket off her as she shuffled backwards.
Movement caught her eye.
She saw Oberyn Martell with a hand round Osfryd Kettleblack's mouth as he finished jamming a knife into the knight's neck. His younger brother lay flat a few meters away, his throat too was covered in blood.
Cersei watched frozen to the spot as Osney Kettleblack died before her very eyes. Oberyn looked from his recent victim to Cersei.
He read her mind, "Don't worry Lady Cersei. I don't intent on killing you too."
"W .. Why not?" Cersei stuttered realizing she had no protection now. She was all alone with a dangerous man who had a notorious hatred of her family.
"Because we both want the same thing and we can help each other get it," Oberyn said as he approached Cersei.
The mention of killing her father snapped her out of her daze and she stood up while wiping her bloodied hands on her red dress, "I will help you kill my father but Jaime and my children will remain unharmed."
Oberyn practically skipped the last few steps towards Cersei, "You have my word that when the Dragon Queen comes your brother and children will not burn as long as you help deliver Lord Tywin's head to me and the Iron Throne to Danerys Targayen."
Cersei wordlessly nodded.
Oberyn smiled and clapped his hands together as he walked towards the five tied up horses, "Marvelous, we better get going. I wouldn't want this interesting partnership to be cut short by your father's men."
"Allow me," Oberyn said joyfully as he held out a hand to help Cersei onto her horse.
Cersei reluctantly accepted his help as she pulled herself onto the horse.
She knew what she had done and what she was going to do would be detrimental to House Lannister but she had done enough for the family name and legacy all she cared about now was her children first then Jaime.
Same time …
Somewhere in the North wilderness, A days ride west of the Dreadfort
Arya sat with her eyes closed listening to the surrounding woods prepare for the coming winter. Her odd party of the Hound and Yara Greyjoy were now within a day's walk of the Dreadfort and seeing Robb again. She knew that Jon would be with Robb as well and she couldn't wait to see her half-brother again. To show him what she could do with Needle now.
Arya allowed her mind to float around the forest to centre herself and think on what the future may hold. She heard the birds singing their songs, the gentle pitter patter of small mammals scurrying along the woods floor and the sound of tree leaves rustling in the wind.
All were expected sounds to hear when sitting on the floor of a forest. But one sound stuck out like a sore thumb.
The snapping of a twig.
She opened her eyes and rolled just in time as a couple of arrows lodged themselves where she had been sitting. She didn't have time to see who her would be attackers were. She knew who they were.
Arya sprinted back towards her camp where she found the Hound and Yara sitting around the fireplace. They needed no words from the sprinting lady to know what had happened.
They had been found by Ramsey's men.
Author' Notes:
The Tywin Kenna scenes took up a lot of this chapter I know but they are really important in setting up the board for ARC III and establishing why characters end up where they end up.
Also did anyone see Cersei breaking Oberyn out of the Lannister camp? I couldn't let the opportunity for a Cersei Oberyn team up to slip away, they finally have a common goal and Cersei was never going to accept being sidelined at Casterly Rock and it was time for Oberyn to rejoin the game.
I know pregnant woman shouldn't drink alcohol but the scholars at the citadel haven't discovered that nugget of knowledge yet and Cersei was drinking wine in Season 8 ….
Reviews:
Trojan Prince – Thank man! I personally love the dynamic between Tywin and Kenna too and I did focus on that a lot in this chapter so I hope you liked it :) I think Stannis was more stressing that he was the rightful King and that Kenna should take her lead from him and was pissed she had done things without his authority.
MiaSlytherin - Muchas gracias! Estoy muy feliz de que estés disfrutando la historia :) Me esforzaré por mantenerte interesado : D (I replied using google translate so if that doesn't make sense blame technology and my lack of linguistic skills)
NightlyRowenTree – Well Littlefinger is super dead in this story so no more pimping for him! Thanks Tree :)
DannyBlack70 (Commented on Chapter 47 48) – Thanks for the reminder when I get time (probs in my break in between ARC II and ARC III) I will correct all grammar and spelling of names which I have mucked up. I appreciate you pointing out the mistake thought! I did debate with myself if the Tyrells would accept the terms so easily but I am happy with their portrayal.
Haha, a lot did happened and it was all quite pivotal. I had been writing Stannis and Kenna as confrontational for a few chapters as I genuinely don't think they would work together as an effective partnership or actually like each other.
Nbh – Thank you!
Guest (Commented on Chapter 47 on 24/02/2020) – Thank you, I was so excited to write and post the last chapter as it was so full of twists and WTF moments :) You were pretty close with how the Kenna Tywin scene went but totally wrong on who sprung Oberyn, I would be surprised if anyone saw it coming thought :)
Guest (Commented on Chapter 45 on 25/02/20202) – Thanks for saying you love the story. Hey no worries if the baby scene was too much for you, I actually thought I did a pretty good job of just leaving that scene to playout in the readers imagination because I didn't actually describe the death but I totally get it that killing babies is a sensitive topic and I can't guarantee I won't do something more gruesome in the future so thanks for reading my story up to that point :)
Supremus85 – You were right! I know, not many people seem to like Ramsey … I wonder why :P
Cashy7183980 – Hey! You bet she did and it was pretty slick too :D
NCVII – Hey dude, no worries :) We all get into shitty moods. Tywin Lannister is Tywin Lannister, he doesn't really change he just adapts to overcome whatever is in his way. Sorry about Stannis I know you were seeing him through the book version and I totally did TV Stannis with all his flaws but in my mind there was only going to be one winner as soon as Stannis tried to take out Kenna. Possessed LOL no :D Go get that Throne! The North will return to the story before ARC II is finished. Oh I can tell you now that Danny and Kenna will not get on I mean Kenna is plotting to resist Dany so ….. Yeah Seson 8 Sansa bugged the hell out of me too! Thanks for keeping the review on your mind for a whole week! I hope your weeks improve and you turn all the frowns upsidedown :P See you next time :)
PS still working on that Merlin AU so keep your eyes peeled for that, I am exicted for when I release that actually :D
SarahELupin – Hey! Kenna is getting very reachy (ambitious) isn't she …..
IMPORTANT NOTICE: I moved countries this week and I am starting a new job next week so I don't really know what the future posting schedule of this story will be as I settle down. This isn't a message saying I will never update or that it will be once a month, just that I have no idea until I settle down what my schedule will be like so can't guarantee anything right now.
Next up: Kenna leaves King's Landing, Stannis's faces the consequences of his decisions and Arya suffers a blow.
If you are enjoying this story please *Toss a coin to your writer, Oh valley of readers* and review, follow and favorite :)
See you guys next chapter!
