11. Tyrion
He sipped his wine and tried his best not to feel too intimidated, though it was of little use. The only other person whom Tyrion had considered an intellectual equal sat beside him, his hands hidden beneath his cloak. Of course, Varys would be smart enough to hide his disdain and fear at the recent turn of events. The mere thought of the memory had Tyrion's stomach-turning again.
"You think I made a mistake?" Daenerys asked them. "Burning the Tarly's?"
It was of course a trick question. Had it been any other lord or lady, Tyrion would have snorted derisively at the painstakingly obvious tactic. But this was no ordinary lady; one simply does not dismiss the Mother of Dragons in any manner.
"I think you made a decision as Queen. As is your right." Tyrion answered as diplomatically as he could.
"A decision all monarchs must take for the good of the realm," Varys added.
"But not the right one." Daenerys insisted.
Tyrion turned to Varys, who shared the same uneasy look in his eyes. Had he not known the man for so long, sailed across the narrow sea and then back again, he would have thought the Spider infallible. As it was, Varys was just better at hiding his emotions than himself.
"Speak your minds freely, my Lords," Daenerys ordered. "I seek your counsel."
Tyrion wondered if she truly meant it. "It is not for me to say." Daenerys looked entirely unimpressed with his answer so he added, "These lords of Westeros are not used to such … treatments. For many, the likes of which had not been seen since the reign of your father."
"I did say I was going to break the wheel, did I not, Lord Tyrion?" She asked sharply.
Tyrion resisted the urge to groan. "You did, Your Grace."
"But?"
"It is one thing to break the wheel, it is another to break a Kingdom," Tyrion said.
"How am I to establish myself as the rightful ruler if these lords you're so fond of won't fall in line?"
"Forgive me Your Grace, but I think you've confused the masters of Yunkai and Meeren with the noble lords of Westeros," Tyrion said. "These lords won't so easily fall in line because they are not slave masters. They cannot be bullied into submission."
"What exactly are you saying?" She asked frowning.
"You need allies, not soldiers, Your Grace." Varys finally spoke.
It seemed Daenerys didn't so much like that idea as she had them telling her not to join the Battle of Goldroad.
"I had thought Lord Tyrion's plans to invite the bastard Jon Snow and his motley crew here would see some return on our part." She commented.
Tyrion almost winced. That had been his folly. Thinking Jon Snow would come so far to bend the knee.
"Instead, I'm entertained by songs of the walking dead and they've mined god knows what beneath my keep." She rounded on Tyrion again. "He went back North with not even the thought of fealty on his lips; your sister holds the capitol as well as The Reach. The Dornish have yet to respond to us and with the Starks ruling in the North it means everything passed the Vale is lost to us." She looked between Tyrion and Varys with pure fury. "Now tell me, how am I to win allies by playing nice? None of these Westeros Lords," she all but spat the name, "will ever think of me as anything but a little child. I have to prove them wrong."
"I do understand, Your Grace," Tyrion said slowly. "But there is a fine line between proving yourself worthy and proving the rumours true."
Immediately he knew that had been the wrong thing to say. "I do not have to prove anything to anyone! I am the rightful Queen!" Tyrion was almost taken back to a time when Joffrey had so petulantly declared the same right. Except now, the person in question was right. "I do not wish to prove myself to these little lords. They will kneel or face my wrath. I will have my throne, in fire and blood." She said with deadly calm.
Tyrion gulped and beside him, Varys tensed. "Your Grace, I must advise against that," Varys said. "Lord Tyrion speaks rationally. If you want to win allies, you need to tread carefully. The events of the Battle of the Goldroad, have brought forth new whispers."
"Such as?"
He looked almost hesitant and Tyrion wondered how awful those whispers were before he watered it down for her. "That you are truly your father's daughter." Daenerys narrowed her eyes at him but didn't interrupt. "After witnessing the very swift executions of the Tarly's, many believe you have the same touch as the late King Aerys." He finished looking down at his hands innocently.
"The same touch of madness you mean?" Daenerys challenged.
Tyrion almost prayed for Varys not to answer. Of course, he did no such thing. "That is what my little birds tell me."
Stupid fucking birds, Tyrion thought.
Surprisingly, Daenerys didn't look too bothered by this. "Perhaps they are right." She turned to Tyrion, "And then again, maybe it's nothing more than just whispers of my enemies wishing to cast doubt upon me."
"Wisely recognized, Your Grace," Varys said bowing his head.
"What else do your little birds tell you, Lord Varys?" Daenerys asked.
He smiled. "It would seem Jon Snow has gone north, beyond the Wall."
"Why?"
"To catch a wight. He believes if he brings proof the walking dead exist, he can convince the Northern Lords to join his cause." Varys answered.
Daenerys leaned forward in her chair. "So the Northern Lords are just as sceptical of his stories as I am?" They both nodded. "Then why not march north? If they are unwilling to support their King, perhaps we can convince them we mean greater things for them."
"That would be unwise, Your Grace." Tyrion immediately said.
"But he's not in the North, any more is he? He's left it unprotected. We could easily take it." She reasoned.
And Tyrion had to agree that they could very easily take it. But he'd also spent a lifetime understanding the loyalty of the North cannot be so easily overthrown.
"He has not taken his army with him. They remain at Winterfell, under the command of Sansa Stark." Varys informed them.
Daenerys scowled unhappily at their explanations. "We make them the same offer we did the Tarly's and surely now that they see we are serious they will bend the knee."
"They will not. It is, as they say, the North remembers," Tyrion said carefully, "And they will bow to no one but to one of their own, even if they do not yet believe his stories."
"You say that as if you're positive he's going to find something beyond the wall." Daenerys scoffed.
"It's uncharted territory, Your Grace. Who are we to say what he finds there?" Varys replied.
"So where does that leave us?" she snapped.
"In a rather precarious position. But we are not without options." Tyrion told her. "We cannot take the North. We'd never be able to hold it without the support of the Northern Lords. It's simply too vast. My sister does hold The Reach, but her army took a great hit in their defeat to you. And the Dornish men are without any allies at present. They will no sooner side with Cersei than with you. You have the fraction of the Greyjoy fleet but that is nothing compared to the one Euron has given Cersei."
"Then tell me, Hand of the Queen, what do you suggest we do?" Daenerys asked angrily.
"Wait," Tyrion said. "Wait until Jon Snow comes back from beyond the wall… if he should come back. Wait until we know there is proof and then you decide." He reached for his wine goblet, draining it quickly. "You can decide to go North and help Jon Snow and the Starks or if it is all just song and lore, you go South to Kings Landing and take the throne."
"And if I take Kings Landing, then what becomes of the North?" she questioned.
"That depends entirely on the sort of relationship you should have with them," Tyrion said with a little smile.
Daenerys looked at him for a moment before she sighed and reclined in her chair. "You want me to marry Jon Snow?"
"I think it would be of great help if you did, yes."
"He's a bastard," Daenerys said not that she cared much for those things, Tyrion knew.
"A bastard king." He reminded her. "You marry him and you'll gain control of the North." He looked at her almost in a matter-of-fact way as he said, "Your armies combined with the strength of the North will be unbeatable."
"Perhaps so," Daenerys conceded. "But he hardly wanted to entertain the thought of bending the knee, I can't see him reciprocating well to the idea of marriage."
"Well it's not entirely just marriage now is it. If he wants to keep the North safe, well … there are some sacrifices he will have to make as King." Tyrion shrugged.
"You'd want me to hold his Kingdom hostage?" she asked shrewdly.
Tyrion smiled. "It's not so much a hostage as it is a discussion."
"Done over the flames of dragons?" Varys quipped from beside him. "They won't take kindly to such threats." He warned.
"But it's not a threat, Lord Varys," Daenerys said slowly. "It's an agreement." She looked, for the first time that afternoon, quite pleased. "If he wants help in fighting whatever evils he believes to come from beyond the Wall then he will have to make some sacrifices as King."
"There is no guarantee he will agree," Varys advised.
Tyrion almost wanted to kick the eunuch. "And there's no guarantee he'll deny me either." She said confidently. "Very well, Lord Tyrion. Inform me when Jon Snow returns to Winterfell."
"As you wish, Your Grace," he bowed as she stood and left the room without another word.
The silence between himself and Varys last only until the click of her boots disappeared and then Varys turned to him with questioning eyes.
"What?" Tyrion asked defensively.
"Jon Snow will not marry her. Sansa Stark will forbid it. Not to mention that other little lady he brought with him." Varys warned.
"I am not so much as interested in the whores Jon Snow uses to warm his bed and neither is Sansa Stark. This is a political move. One she can see has its benefits. The Starks have nothing to lose here." Tyrion answered but even he could taste the burn of the lies on his tongue.
"You don't believe that." Varys wisely called out. "A political move though this may be, they will see it only as a threat. And they will respond in kind."
"So let them, she's got three dragons at her side," Tyrion said smugly.
Varys was quiet for a moment before he leaned back in his chair. "Is that what this is? An opportunity to undoubtedly prove she's Aerys' daughter?"
"Isn't she though?" Tyrion spat.
"That is treason," Varys whispered harshly.
"I am aware," Tyrion said tersely. "But can you honestly tell me you think she's the right person for the job?"
"As opposed to your sister?" Varys asked snidely.
"Please, Cersei is only interested in Cersei." Tyrion scoffed. "No, she's no better suited for the throne than … well …" he trailed off.
"What game are you playing my friend?" Varys asked with great concern.
"I believed you when you told me she would be better for the realm. I believed it. I saw what she did across the narrow sea and I believed it. But now …" Tyrion paused taking a big gulp of the honeyed wine. "She's not the same queen."
"Well of course she isn't." Varys chided. "She had to win battles and gain an army. That takes strength and resolve. She conquered three cities. That doesn't just happen."
"Yes, I am aware. But Westeros does not need conquering does it?' Tyrion questioned testily.
Varys was silent, Tyrion assumed, in agreement.
"So what do you have in mind, my friend?" Varys finally asked him. "Surely all your genius is not confined to her proposing marriage to the King in the North?"
"It's a stalling tactic I am aware and a very weak one at that. But it's all I have right now." Tyrion admitted. "At least until we know when or even if Jon Snow comes back."
"And if he does come back?" Varys questioned. "Do we ride North?"
"I suppose that depends on what he comes back with," Tyrion said shrugging. "If his stories are true, then there is another war to fight. And I am almost certain, Cersei will not look to involve herself in this. That means the Lannister army will be of no use to us. If Jon Snow comes back with proof, it will be the perfect opportunity to go north with a marriage proposal. Offer our forces to aid their war and in return –"
"They give us the North," Varys concluded. "I don't see them agreeing to this."
"Have you completely forgotten about the Stark's and their damned honour?" Tyrion smirked. "We help them, in their greatest hour and Jon Snow will have no choice but to repay our debt, in kind."
"This is dangerous," Varys warned not for the first time. "But you have forgotten one important detail."
"Oh, what's that?"
"He's not a Stark," Varys said.
"Yes, but Ned Stark's blood runs through his veins and even that is subject to a certain amount of insufferable honour," Tyrion responded.
"I should hope you know what you're doing my friend. These are dangerous games you're playing." Varys said seriously.
"I know. But do you have a better plan?" Tyrion retorted sharply.
"Sadly, no."
"Well then, it's this or nothing," Tyrion said firmly. "It's what's good for the realm." And though there was much resolve in his voice, he didn't quite believe it himself yet.
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