This chapter brought to you by: Castamere in Concert. Make it Reign on your Foes.
Chapter 39: All's Fire On The Western Front
Fall had come to the Westerlands. The aspens were turning gold, a last show of color before the chill of winter crept in. Through the rough hills and crags over roads covered in carpets of gold marched the steel and chivalry of the Westerlands. As they went, more and more joined them, the bannermen of the Lion swelling the ranks. They knew what it was to defy their lord, and all hastened to not be the last joining in the battle.
Tywin Lannister did not ride at the forefront of his army. He believed such an act was for fools; a commander was better served behind the front lines, directing the battle, instead of running about like some fool knight. A general's weapon was his mind, according to Tywin, not his steel.
Rain wondered what that said about her, when what she could fight with really was her mind. She had been riding before of course, having gone out frequently with the queen as one of her ladies in waiting, or near Casterly Rock as a girl, and had thought herself an experienced rider. She was learning that she had no idea what it truly meant to be saddlesore and weary from a long day of hardship, far more than the leisurely journey to and from Winterfell.
Worse still, she could not ride side-saddle for this campaign, and her uncle would not suffer the slow pace of a carriage. As such, she had been forced to wear divided skirts like a merchant's wife, though of a finer cut, and keep up with Tywin's party. It was slightly embarrassing to ride so amongst men, but she had two lady's maids with her, both chosen by her mother, and at least she did not need to suffer alone.
There was much talk of war, and the making of it, but Rain didn't really understand much of it. What she did understand were the talks of supplies, paymasters, and the quartering of troops. Battles, scouts, and troop deployments were not a part of a lady's education, but knowing how to run a castle and see to the provision of her husband's forces was. The second time she went to Great Uncle Stafford to privately correct his reports, he angrily told her she could do them herself if Rain thought she was so much better of a quartermaster.
"Done," Uncle Tywin declared, upon overhearing the conversation. "And if the maid proves to have a better head than you for numbers, Stafford, than she shall be my new quartermaster."
Rain was incredibly nervous when she presented her first set of reports, but did her best to do so in a clear, steady voice, though her hands trembled enough that the papers rustled slightly.
"Excellent. You will continue in these duties."
That had been all Uncle Tywin had to say on the matter, but Rain's father spoke to her privately afterwards.
"You did well, Rain," Kevan said, patting her on the shoulder and smiling. Her father gave her a gentle smile. "I thank Eris every day you were returned to us."
"Thank you, father. I...I am grateful I survived as well. I wish…" Rain looked down, feeling both sorrow and guilt. She should have been able to save her royal cousins if she really was a Child of Destiny.
"Not even my brother blames you for those deaths. They can be laid solely at the feet of Stannis the Kinslayer," Kevan said, his tone grim. Though he was going thick in the waist and balding as he entered middle age, he was still a formidable man. Rain had never really feared her father, for he was gentle with her even in discipline, but she understood why others did.
A Lannister always paid their debts. And Rain owed Stannis a large one indeed.
Still, it was terrifying the first time Rain rode out with two score of their Household Knights led by her father. Stannis's men were raiding their lands. A light horse detachment was burning farms and villages along the Gold Road towards the Deep Den, and the Lyddens were hard pressed and outnumbered. Tywin marched partially to relieve them, and partially because this was the most direct route to Stannis and to vengeance.
"It is time we see what you are capable of," Uncle Tywin had ordered Rain and her father. "Call down the fury of the goddesses upon Stannis, for he has turned his back upon them."
If the rumors out of King's Landing were to be believed, it was true. Rumor had it he had been crowned by a Maester, rejecting the blessing of the Magi, and by extension that of Madoka herself.
"Eris, grant us fortune," Rain whispered under her breath as they rode past burned out farmhouses and smoldering orchards. "Athena, grant us wisdom and valor." Rain swallowed, seeing the crumpled forms of bodies in the fields. "And Satella, grant the dead mercy."
Despite the gnawing acid in her belly, the party rode unmolested through signs of war for some hours without an appearance from the enemy besides the devastation they had wrought. They were just coming to a small hamlet, over which a dark haze of smoke lingered. The party was riding between two low hills, when there was a sudden cry, and a man fell from his horse with a crossbow bolt in his side.
Rain turned as a yell went up, and riders in the uniforms of House Baratheon stormed down the slope, bellowing out, "FOR STANNIS!"
Rain didn't think, even as he father barked orders. The same strange power that she had felt weeks ago flowed through her, and she pointed at the riders with a finger as Claire's words echoed in her mind.
At sea, you use ice and wind magic. Not lightning and fire.
"BLIZZARD!" Rain roared, and cold winds rushed out from behind her. Dark clouds formed over the charging riders' heads, and they didn't even have time to look up before hailstones the size of grapefruit pelted them with the force of an avalanche. Horses screamed and riders swore, and men and beast both died in the tempest. After only a few seconds, it relented, but the time Rain had bought had been enough.
Her father led the charge, and the Lannister knights slammed into their bloodied foes. The melee was short, and brutal, and when it was finished only a few riderless Baratheon steeds could limp away. No prisoners had been taken.
Rain looked up atop the hill, and saw two men hastily remounting, their crossbows tossed down and forgotten. She raised a finger, pointing, and screamed, "WIND BLADE!"
One man screamed so loud he was heard even over the shriek of the wind, and fell to the ground, his legs severed from his body. The other scrambled into the saddle and fled, with Lannister knights in hot pursuit.
For her part, Rain sat in her saddle, panting as though she had just run a mile. Then she looked over at the body of a man whose head had been caved in by a shard of ice, and promptly leaned over and retched, emptying her belly of its contents loudly and messily.
Someone rubbed her back, and she was vaguely aware of her father speaking softly to her, but couldn't make out the words from the ringing in her ears. When she came to her senses, she took the canteen her father offered and took a long swing, then spewed it out the ground, coughing and retching anew.
"I remember the first battlefield I saw," Kevan said grimly, reaching over and rubbing Rain's back. "The Stepstones. A grim, filthy business. I emptied my stomach as well."
"T-truly?" Rain gasped, wiping at her lips as she trembled like a leaf in the wind.
"Aye. And not a sane man that hasn't. Even your uncle saw his breakfast again after he killed his first man. He was a boy then, but all the same. I've seen grown men, brave men, sick up after a battle."
"It's true," Cousin Daven agreed, bringing his horse next to Rain's as he cleaned his blade with a rag. "I remember my first battle as well. I wept for a night. There is no shame in grief, cousin. But what you did... Goddesses be good. I've seen magic done true enough, even saw a Red Priest burn a man before we rode him down. But that? I've never seen that."
"No man has since the last dragon died, and the Targaryens' magic with them," Kevan said grimly. "Compose yourself, Rain. We may have need of your abilities again."
Rain steeled herself, but thankfully there were no further attacks as they returned to the Lannister host. When they returned to camp, Rain was given no time to refresh herself, instead being brought before Uncle Tywin as soon as she was off her horse.
"Well?" Tywin demanded, standing over his maps and lists of scout reports.
Rain swallowed, and looked to her father.
"She killed a dozen men at a word, and crippled a dozen more. Ice rained from the heavens thirty yards from where she was, then she launched a blade of wind that could cut leather and steel as though they were sack cloth at twice that," Kevan reported. He grimaced. "One who saw what she could do fled, and we could not find him. Stannis will know of her abilities soon, if he does not already."
"Unfortunate. But perhaps something we can use. If the man knows we have a mage out of legend, he shall be more cautious, and Stannis Baratheon was ever a cautious man," Tywin observed. He looked at Rain, frowning. "Can you do it again?"
"I... Yes, Uncle. I did not enjoy killing but... but they killed my family as well. This time, I will not be found wanting," Rain declared, forcing herself to stand up straight.
Tywin nodded, a haunted look in his eyes. He was looking slightly gaunt, and he took few meals these days. It didn't take a maester to know that knowing that his children and grandchildren were all dead was gnawing at him like one of the demons of the Seven Hells.
"Good. We shall have need of it. Stannis has conjured forth a monstrosity of his own. He calls them cannons. My information indicates they are a kind of siege weapon, able to hurl stones five times the distance of a catapult. I have my doubts, but even if it can achieve only half that it shall be a dangerous weapon. We too must be wary. Stannis is no man's fool."
Rain was not sent out again with the outriders, instead being kept inside the camp with her father and uncle. Due to the revelation that she was a Child of Destiny, favored of Eris, guards were assigned to her. She was used to having guards around her all the time by this point, though it was a somewhat unique experience to have them be concerned about her safety instead of simply being a result of being in the halls of power.
After a few more days, the armies of Stannis Baratheon and Tywin Lannister clashed at a decently sized town near the Deep Den known as Sheepswood, for the flocks that were kept there. It was an important trading center, and goods from all over the Seven Kingdoms passed through it to the Crownlands, thanks to it being near a navigable river that flowed down to the Lesser Mander as well as the Gold Road.
There had been clashes there for a week and more, including the one where Rain had unleashed her spells. Judging by the movement of his troops as well as scouting reports on the composition of his armies, Stannis was moving to besiege the Deep wished to force Stannis back, with the eventual goal of driving his foe all the way to King's Landing before the Reach or Vale could ride to Stannis's aid.
The first portion of the battle happened in the evening, as outriders from Stannis's force ran into a column of Lydden men moving to link up with the Lannister forces. The fighting was fierce, and it looked as though Stannis' men would prevail and take Lorn Lydden, Lewys Lydden's son and heir, captive. Then some of Tywin's scouts arrived to reinforce the Lydden men, and rescued Lorn. Before they could break free, more of Stannis's outriders joined in, and soon the battle swirled out of control, with more men from both sides hurrying forward to the fight.
Sensing an opportunity, Tywin moved his main force forward, offering battle. Stannis's forces withdrew to Sheepswood, but arrayed themselves on the ruins of the town wall, preparing to accept the challenge the next day.
That evening, Tywin met with his lords to discuss their strategic options for the next day. Rain hovered in the background, uncertain of what to do. In the end, it was decided that they could not go around Stannis's troops, and that while they did have a defensive position, the river to one side and the woods on the other, as well as the Deep Den to Stannis's rear, would serve Tywin as a means to hem in Stannis's forces.
"He's pinned himself, and he has no way out. We beat his host here, and they can't retreat," Stafford pointed out.
"He has good defensive terrain though. Assaulting the town could prove costly," Kevan argued. "We need to draw him out."
"Would you have us stall him, here? The Reach, the Vale, and even the Dornishmen are mobilizing. We have the numerical advantage, for now, but that will not last," Damon, Stafford's brother pointed out.
They went back and forth for some time, until Tywin stood from his seat. Everyone fell silent, looking to the Lion of Casterly Rock. In the end, all their words were wind: Only Tywin's decision mattered.
"Stannis is here. He cost me two sons, a daughter, and my grandchildren. I intend to teach him the same lesson I taught to the Reynes and Tarbecks: I always pay my debts. We attack at dawn."
With that, all arguments evaporated, even Rain's father's objections. They bowed, and went to inform their men. Rain stayed behind with Tywin, who was leaning over the maps, his head lowered, hiding his face in shadows.
"Leave us," Tywin growled, and the servants and guards scampered away. Rain made to leave as well, but Tywin stopped her. "You stay, niece."
Rain waited nervously until the last of the help had gone. Tywin looked up, and Rain saw that flash of raw pain again. Then it was gone. "So. You are a Child of Destiny. Sent by the Lady of Fortune herself."
"So my father and mother tell me," Rain agreed.
Tywin grunted. "So your powers tell me. You will be needed on the morrow."
"They were my kin as well," Rain whispered, her voice raw, her throat sore and aching with unshed tears. "I...I am sorry I could not save them."
"I as well." Tywin was silent for a moment, then glanced at Rain. "I do not scold you, Rain. I wish I could have seen Stannis's treachery coming. I do not usually hold with superstition. I say my prayers to the Goddesses, and give Eris her cut: I am no fool. But... perhaps."
Tywin walked over to a small chest and opened it, taking out a velvet bag. "Come. Sit."
Rain hurried over, and Tywin sat down, giving her the back. Rain glanced at her uncle, and when he nodded, reached in and withdrew a deck of cards. She gasped, nearly dropping them. "A Fortuna Deck! Uncle, I am no septa…"
"You are the favored of Eris. Perhaps if I had the cards done for me more often I could have seen the danger coming. Read them for me now."
"I... I do not..." Rain swallowed, then slowly began to shuffle the deck. She knew how to read the cards, most nobles in the Westerlands, if not all of the Seven Kingdoms, did. Technically Eris warned against using the cards to tell the future, but her Septas and Septons could use her blessing to catch glimpses of the future with a Fortuna deck. It was no mere superstition when done by one favored of Eris: they did see the future through the cards, if only dimly.
The first two cards Rain flipped were the Winged Heart, and the Other World.
"The first card is the Sign of Hope, which means that our endeavor is not doomed," Rain said slowly. "But the Other World...Hope is Far? Or…"
"Hope comes from another world. A Child of Destiny," Tywin grunted.
Rain bit her lip and nodded. That was her reading as well. She flipped over four more cards. The Devil King, The Trial, the Seven Fingered Hand, and the Ancient King.
"Evil is here, a trial for us to face unto death itself. We should be cautious," Rain said, the words coming unbidden to her as she looked down at the stern gaze of King Seiya, his hand raised in warning.
Next came the most important part of the reading. Rain laid out seven cards from the deck, then flipped them over in quick succession. As she did so, a card slipped from the deck, landing face up on the last card.
Rain blinked. Sometimes the Fortuna Decks were finicky. If an extra card was dealt...it was meant to be. She read the cards.
"The Healer comes after the King: caution is the word of the day. Next is the Maiden of Battle, so if we are cautious, we shall triumph. The Masked Demon and it is followed by... by the Kinslayer. There is treachery afoot, and it brings death, Uncle. Next is the Saint of Swords and the Lost Treasure. I think... I think it means that a divine champion is lost, and must be found. Last is... Last is the Fair Maid, under... under the Kraken."
Rain licked her lips and looked up. "Uncle, I think… I think Claire Greyjoy is the Saint of Swords, the treasure that is lost. The fair maid...it's me. I... I am uncertain but..."
"You are associated with the Greyjoy woman," Tywin muttered. He glanced at the map, his mouth thinning into a line. "Caution. Hmph. Well. We must attack, but I shall make some alterations to the plan."
Tywin stood and turned his back to Rain, who gathered up the cards, then tucked them into a pouch. She waited a moment, then hurried to her own tent.
She spent that night in prayer, sleeping hardly more than an hour or two. While Rain directed her prayers to all Seven Goddesses, she prayed especially fervently that night to Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, Lady of Battle. Typically Athena was not a goddess Rain directed much of her devotion towards. She asked for Wisdom, yes, but usually she felt drawn to Ristarte or Madoka when asking for that. This night, however, Rain knew she would ride to war and death, and she had already had a taste of what that was like.
"Shield my family, Athena, Goddess of Battle, and give Uncle Tywin your own mind as he directs our troops. Grant me valor and strength, that I might strike down evil and attain justice for my slain kin," Rain whispered.
Rain, of course did not forget her patron, and took out an entire purse of gold, setting it on her bed as an offering.
"Eris, Maiden of Fortune, Thief of Destiny, grant me your favor once more. Let me steal victory from the foe, and send ill fortune upon Stannis."
Rain lit scented candles for the rest of the Seven, their fragrance an offering to the divine.
"Aqua, Lady of Waters, let us know the joy of victory and let our hearts be pure and free of guilt."
"Satella, Lover of All, delay the coming of our soldiers to your halls, and let your judgement fall upon the guilty, as you judge the souls of all mankind."
"Hestia, Mother and Comforter, shelter your sons this day, and preserve their lives. See that our cause is just, and let your fires warm our hearts."
"Ristarte, Healer and Friend, give my uncle caution, and let your blessing save the poor souls of the wounded from death."
"Madoka, the Hope of Mankind, Chooser of Kings, let us strike down this false king, who crowned himself without your light. Guide my path, and give me strength to face my fears."
All too soon, Rain's maids dressed her, and she mounted her horse, riding out as the men assembled. Septas and Septons walked the ranks of their soldiers, saying prayers similar to the ones that Rain had spoken. She edged closer to her uncle, who spoke with a Fortuna Septa and a Brother of the Faith Militant.
"We cannot cast our blessings upon your men this day," the Brother was saying. "You know the laws of the Seven: Only when Men face Great Evil may the goddesses intervene. When Men fight Men, the Seven take no part, for it grieves them."
"Stannis crowned himself outside of the Light of the Seven," Tywin said calmly. "Have you asked?"
The Brother exchanged a look with the Septa, who sighed. "I have not, my Lord." She closed her eyes, her lips moving slightly. A moment later, she started, and looked to the Brother, her eyes wide. He was clutching his chest, his own eyes wide with shock in the early morning light.
"My Lady, she says... she says she has already blessed you this day with her favor," the Septa said, and looked at Rain, an expression of awe on her face. "You truly are a Child of Destiny, are you not?"
Rain nodded, her heart thundering in her chest.
"I cannot bless all here; Athena will not countenance it," the Brother declared. But then he held his hand towards Rain. "But one among you is favored: Go with the Valor of the Seven. You fight this day for Justice."
A silver owl erupted from the Brother's Hand, and flew towards Rain, settling on her shoulder. It opened its beak, and whispered, "I hear your prayers, Rain, Champion of my Sisters. Fight this day with my blessing."
Then the owl dissolved into silver sparks that sank into Rain's skin. The hairs on the back of her neck and arms rose, and she felt strength surge through her. She raised a hand, and a shining spear of pure light formed there. She stared at it in shock, then clutched it, the warmth from the object filling her.
"THE GODDESSES ARE WITH US THIS DAY!" Tywin bellowed, turning his horse to face his men. "LET NONE DISPUTE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF OUR CAUSE! STRIKE DOWN STANNIS THE KINSLAYER, THE FALSE KING WHO KNOWS NOT THE LIGHT OF THE SEVEN!"
The Lannister host roared with passion and fury, and sprang forward even as the first rays of the dawn broke over the horizon before them.
Rain rode beside her uncle, who stayed slightly back. He and his captains made for a low rise, and their reigned in as their troops streamed around them. Tywin looked pleased, his jaw set in grim determination, but his eyes burning with an eager light.
"You are not normally so religious, Uncle," Rain said quietly. "A change of heart?"
"Hardly," Tywin said dryly as he watched his men march towards Sheepswood. "But there is little that can motivate a man more than the knowledge that a goddess has his back. Gold may put steel in a man's hands, and fear may lead him to fight for me, but love will make him charge into Satella's arms with a smile on his lips."
"That seems callous," Rain said, feeling a bit dirty, as though she had been used in a lie.
"That is war. Do not underestimate the importance of morale. An army that lacks courage can break and flee, but one that fights for a cause they think righteous can suffer outrageous misfortune and still press on," Tywin declared. "Now. Make ready. You know your place."
Rain nodded and steeled herself. The task before her was simple: Find the strange weapons called cannons, and destroy them before they could unleash their destruction.
She did not have to wait long. When the Lannister host was still half a mile from Sheepswood, there was a sound like thunder. A moment later, a spray of earth kicked up fifty yards in front of the lead troops. Rain peered down at the town, and spied a plume of white smoke rising from a section of the town wall.
"There," Tywin declared. "Damon, escort Lady Rain and ensure she is able to work her craft."
"Aye, Lord Tywin. Men! Form up around the lady!" Damon barked, and instantly a score of riders formed around Rain as she heeled her horse down the gentle slope towards the town.
"How close do you need to be?" Damon asked, and even as he did there was another peal of thunder. This time, there were screams from the soldiers as several were flung into the air at the impact of a projectile. The ranks were quickly filled though, and there was no step missed.
"I'm not sure exactly, but I need to be able to clearly see this cannon, I think," Rain replied.
"We'll need to be close then. We'll stay behind the front ranks of foot," Demon declared.
The cannon thundered again and again, one shot coming every few minutes. The Lannister troops were closing the distance rapidly, and soon arrows and conventional catapults joined in the bombardment.
Sheepswood had a stone wall six feet high around it, but the wall was already damaged from days of fighting, and the gates of the town had been torn down, with only a hastily made barricade in the way. It was an obvious weak point to push for the gate, but Tywin had not wanted to bottleneck his men, and the front ranks of men carried short ladders. This would not be a proper siege; the town was no castle, and the wall rough enough that a man could climb it without a ladder given time.
Still, as Rain got closer, she made out the cannon. It was a long tube of bronze on a wooden carriage, with a crew of half a dozen men working it. She did not understand the device's machinations, but she did know it had to be destroyed. This was a time for fire and lightning.
"FIREBALL!" Rain roared, and a ball of flame the size of man's chest shot out of her palm and raced towards the cannon. It caught one of the crew in the back, and the poor man screamed as he pitched from the wall. His body, however, had shielded the weapon, and the startled crew managed to continue to reload it.
Rain focused, taking a deep breath, and pointed again. "LIGHTNING!"
This time the bolt from the rapidly brightening sky struck the bronze tube, arching over it and into two of the men working it. It also set off an explosion, killing another man as he shoved a stone into the barrel. The wooden frame burst alight with flame, and the two remaining men dove away from their weapon. Rain sent a Wind Blade at the thing, and the burning frame shattered. The bronze tube rolled off the wall, and disappeared from sight.
Rain grinned in triumph, only to scream in frustration as more thunderous reports sounded from the wall. Two additional cannons revealed themselves, and they were trained upon Rain this time. Stannis had indeed heard of a mage in the Lannister ranks, and he would not suffer one to rule the battlefield uncontested.
Horses screamed as two of Damon's knights were caught in a blast from one of the stones ramming into the earth, the shards of rock slicing them and their mounts cruelly. They did shield Rain from harm, however, and with Athena's blessing burning in her breast, Rain turned towards the second cannon.
"BLIZZARD!" Rain screamed, and the shot from the cannon was spoiled as a shard of ice slammed into it. The crew cried out in alarm and dashed for cover, and Rain bared her teeth in triumph. She turned towards the third cannon and-
Sound roared in Rain's ears, then vanished as she was flung through the air. Pain, horrible pain, wracked her body, and she tried to scream, but the noise was tinny and distant. A moment later, a Damon's pale face filled her vision, and she was hauled into the air by his thick arms. She staggered to her feet, trying to walk as Damon dragged her over to a horse.
"GET HER OUT OF HERE!" Damon bellowed, but it was like a whisper in Rain's ears. The knight she'd been given to tossed her over his knees and kicked his horse into a gallop. Sound slowly returned, and Rain saw that the Lannister forces were retreating. Had she failed so badly?
After what felt like an eternity, but was no more than a handful of minutes, Rain was deposited into the arms of two Renewal Cultists. They muttered prayers as their hands glowed green and passed over Rain's body.
"There, that should fix you for now. You are whole, My Lady. Nothing too serious," one of the healers told her, then turned away to see to more injured men.
Rain turned and watched as the Lannister forces retreated, the lone cannon she had not destroyed still thundering. It was doing damage, yes, but surely that one weapon was not enough to cause a rout?
Then Rain saw a line of cavalry burst from the tree line to the north. It raced for the retreating Lannister soldiers, and Rain saw the trap they had nearly fallen into. It seemed that Stannis had planned to wait until Tywin's forces were engaged at the wall, then send his horse into their flank. But because they had fallen back before they had engaged, that hadn't worked.
And Rain was still healthy. She pointed at the horses, and screamed out half a dozen spells. It wasn't until she spoke the last one that she realized how tired and dizzy she felt, and she nearly collapsed until strong arms grabbed her and steadied her. She looked up to see the face of her Uncle, who gave her a grim smile.
"The Goddesses advised caution. And only a fool does not heed them," Tywin said, a note of triumph in his voice as his foot moved to butcher Stannis's broken line of cavalry. "You did well, Rain. I have the measure of those weapons now. Dangerous. Very dangerous in a siege especially. But they alone will not win a war. Not with so few."
"I destroyed two of them," Rain gasped. "There is but one left. Is... is that enough?"
"For now. But I believe those cannons to be much like a sword or catapult," Tywin said grimly. "You can destroy one. But more can be built. A pity we did not capture one. But Stannis' attack is spoiled, and his advantage in weaponry is mostly blunted."
"What will we do now?" Rain asked, shivering again as she looked out over the field of carnage. She could see the devastation she had wrought, where the earth was burned or ripped asunder and men lay scattered like cast away toys.
"Now we fortify," Tywin said grimly. "I had a scout's report just before the battle was joined: Randall Tarly is only a few days' march hence. He is the best general in Westeros, and together with Stannis, they will outnumber us. We must fight a defensive campaign."
"Yes, Uncle," Rain agreed, feeling a sense of hopelessness. Her powers were great, but they hadn't been enough to turn the tide of battle alone.
"You however, shall not be with us," Tywin declared, turning to Rain. "You shall go to the Iron Islands and do what you must to make an alliance with them. I care not for Baleon, but his daughter and son sound as though they are ready to rise against him. Get them on our side. Stannis' navy is weak after what happened at King's Landing, and if we can press him at sea we shall gain an advantage. Offer then anything."
"A-anything?" Rain stammered, her cheeks flushing slightly.
"Claire Greyjoy's preferences are as well known as Renly Baratheon's. Formalize a relationship with her if you must, or perhaps her brother. One of them will be the next Lord of the Iron Isles, and remind them that Lannister gold and steel would be enough to tip the balance in their favor."
"Marriage with Theon is out of the question," Rain babbled, her mind racing. "He is sleeping with the Drowned Goddess."
Tywin blinked at that. "And you did not consider that a detail worth mentioning before?"
"I thought you would think me mad if I said a goddess had taken him to her bed, even the Crawling Chaos," Rain explained, looking guiltily down at her feet. Then she looked up. "Have you spoken to my father about this?"
"My brother understands duty well. If giving you to the Krakens will give us the alliance we so desperately need until the Northmen can make their way here, we shall do it," Tywin growled. "I will have my legacy, and it will not be one of a ruined house that bent the knee to false pretenders."
"I... I understand," Rain agreed. "I... I do not mind the thought of being lady Greyjoy's... companion."
"Just see to it that you find a suitable septon to get you with child. I'll have a Lannister on the Seastone chair, even if one through unconventional means."
"Er, yes, uncle," Rain agreed. She wondered absently what Nyarko-san could manage. Either way, she would do her duty to her house and family.
And find a way to bring Stannis Baratheon tumbling down.