Tyrion
With things on a much better note than the day before, Tyrion felt confident that relations between the Queen and the King in the North would improve from here on out. They were all graced with a timid morning which was far better than the stormy days with nothing but rain and wind. Today was just clouded.
Tyrion walking along a balcony with Varys, both of them looking out to the sea where two of the dragons were flying. Varys kept his hands tucked in the warmth of his robes all the while. Both were reflecting on the current situation of things.
"With Elliara captured," Varys said, "Dorne will look to another House for leadership. Most likely one with the blood of Dornish Kings."
"Is that what you have been hearing whispers of?"
Varys nodded. "Cersei made it quite clear that Myrcella's death will be avenged."
"While I'm beguilted of losing an ally, I feel no pity for whatever Cersei intends to inflict on Elliara. A rare occasion that I find myself glad of my sister's intentions." Tyrion almost wished he could see what was done to her. He had the guilt of what happened. He never should have sent her to Dorne. Maybe if he didn't kill his father, Elliara would have been too much a coward to dare and touch Myrcella.
"And while you are filled with joy, our list of allies grows thinner by the day." Varys stopped and leaned his hands on the stone railing. "The North has the Vale which has retained all of it's fighting strength through the war thanks to Lysa Arryn's influence."
"Which can be ours if we can convince Jon Snow to bend the knee to Daenerys."
"He made it rather clear that he won't. Not until his war with the white walkers and the dead is waged."
"And what do you think of that?"
Varys looked like he wanted to roll his eyes at Tyrion. "I trust the whispers when they come."
"But what of right now? What are your own thoughts about such things? What does a spymaster believe of the legends of White Walkers?" The Spider never struck out as one who believed in such things given what he felt about religion. although he did act estranged during their meeting with Kinvara at the Great Pyramid.
Varys sighed out. "Aside from dragons, Jon Snow commands not only men but giants as well."
Tyrion didn't even blink at that. He just stared out to the sea and looked at the dragons.
Varys inserted his hands back into his robe. "Creatures thought to be nothing more but legend are growing frequent among us. I don't see a reason why the most feared of them are only stories anymore."
"Regardless of what legends are true or not, The North is rising back to a great strength. And with Winter upon us, they won't be matched by any others in battle. Especially with two dragons."
"Perhaps you should have invited the Lady of Winterfell to discuss terms instead. I hear that Sansa has been ruling well in her King's sted. That reminds me, isn't she still your wife?"
That completely slipped by Tyrion's mind. Though the marriage was unconsummated, they were still technically husband and wife. But it was a marriage neither of them had wanted. "She is Sansa Stark, not Lannister or Bolton. But If I can gain an audience with her, I think an annulment would be best discussed."
"A shame. She was a wonderful girl in the capital and a great woman in the North. She might not be opposed to the idea of sustaining what your father forced. A woman like her would be a great wife to a man in your position."
It was a possibility, Tyrion had to accept. Sansa was rather resilient to the pain Joffrey and Cersei put her through and if she could survive the bastard son of the man who killed her brother than she was surely one to reckoned with. But Tyrion merely shook his head at the idea. "No. Her family has been suffering from mine for far too long. She deserves better than an imp."
"Even dwarves can cast large shadows. But as it seems, a certain flesh peddler constantly lingers in Lady Stark's."
There was only one flesh peddler in the whole world worth mentioning. This only raised questions, such as how did Petyr Baelish come into Sansa's company, or did she come into his? "When did their paths ever cross for him to get the chance?"
"I believe it's safe to assume that it was when Joffrey was poisoned at his wedding. How else could Sansa escaped the capitol?"
It was all starting to make sense now, in certain terms at least. Baelish was involved with Joffrey's murder, but he is not the one who carried it out. Whoever that was is the other side of the coin. "And now, as Lord Protector of the Vale, he's pledged himself to the Starks."
"Worse. He acts as Sansa's advisor over others. He wouldn't have done it unless there was something he wanted to gain in return."
"The North, no doubt." Tyrion furrowed his brow. "If his affection for Catelyn Stark remains, then he'll want Sansa too."
"Do you think she will fall in his grasp?"
"Baelish is too smart for that. He'll make it so she walks into it willingly. If she does and the King isn't there to help her, then the North will just as easily follow."
"If we fail to gain the North, then where are we to look for strength? The Riverlands may be free of the Freys, but Cersei's grip has not loosened enough for them to freely choose sides."
Tyrion remembered everyone's reaction the day they learned what happened at the Twins. There was no pity or discontent of the death of every Frey who meant a damn to the family. In fact, there was great satisfaction that such weasels and snakes were given what they deserved. The rumors surrounding the circumstances were still only that, rumors.
Some say that Walder Frey went mad and butchered his sons and then ate them as pies. Others say that a little girl wore his face and poisoned them all but openly spared the women. And then there were those that mocked all whispers of the tale by saying old Walder meant to have a joke and pissed in the wine his family drank but the taste was so awful it killed everyone who's lips touched it.
Regardless of which story was true or not, the current truth was that Edmure Tully was practically a hostage in the castle but given the reign of his family's kingdom. Cersei merely had no one she had enough trust in nor the time to arrange for a loyal House to take command. Instead, she arranged Edmure's son and wife to be killed if Edmure steps out of line.
Tyrion frowned as he looked up to Varys. "So far, only the Stormlands remain. Stannis almost brought their fighting strength to ruin. But there is still some left. If we can get them to side with us, we'll have Cersei surrounded on three sides. Even if Jon Snow does not join us, he won't allow Cersei to escape in his direction and it will be the only one she can take."
"That, of course, is if Jon Snow wins his war against the dead. He may have dragons and giants, but even the mightiest of creatures can fall from the right wound."
Tyrion was reminded about what Ser Davos said about his King. "Do you think I was wrong? To keep our knowledge of him a secret? He might lose trust in us if we tell him too late then we should."
"Perhaps. He's an honest man. Too honest in this world if I say so, like his father. I fear it might be his undoing against Cersei if he ever has to face her."
"As long as Sansa is there to help him, that won't happen. I just wish the Priestess gave us more knowledge of the King of the North. I feel that it's not just the dragon in the North that makes her believe him to be the Prince that was Promised."
"Why would you assume it's more than dragons?"
"Daenerys had them long before Jon Snow did, yet Melisandre continued to side with Stannis up until he lost the war. Something happened between then and when Jon Snow left the Night's Watch."
"We will know soon enough. My little birds are listening to whispers at all the manned castles of the Wall. I merely await what they foretell. He really did amaze me last night, however. So willing to give our queen his own dragons at one point."
"To protect them, he said. Though I feel it would have been rather to raise them. Dragons will make great allies to fight against an army of dead men. But at their sizeā¦"
"Bigger by the day," Varys commented.
Tyrion sighed out. "If we had five dragons, the thought of that makes a tremble a little. It would make lesser men fall to their knees immediately."
Tyrion's assessment was interrupted by one of Varys's little birds, a young boy from the fishing village just a mile east of Dragonstone, came with a raven scroll in his hands. "From the mainland." He whispered as he gave it to Varys and scurried away as quickly as he came.
Tyrion watched as Varys broke the wax seal and unraveled the scroll. He felt a bit of doubt arise within him when he saw Varys's blank expression grow as dim as the weather. "What is it?"
"Grey Worm and the Unsullied succeeded. Casterly Rock is ours." Varys eyed him with no joy of the news of the success.
"At what cost?" Tyrion asked.
"The castle only housed over a thousand men. The rest were gone with your brother and Randyll Tarly to the Reach. Highgarden was taken and Olenna Tyrell is dead."
Tyrion felt a stab in his gut. Cersei predicted what he would do and set a perfect trap for him. 'Fuck!' Tyrion clenched his jaw in disappointment. His strategies have been losing more than they gained.
"Best we tell the Queen sooner than later." Tyrion was followed by Varys as they made their long journey to the dragonglass caves. It felt far longer than it took. All the while Tyrion kept trying to think of what to do to counter what happened. The Blockade was the right plan, but Cersei's efforts were doing everything they could to stop it from happening.
Finally, at the mouth of the cavern, Tyrion stood silently with Varys as they waited. Soon enough, the flickering light of a torch appeared and out of the darkness came Daenerys with Jon Snow. Ser Davos and Missandei followed behind them.
Daenerys approached the two of them. "What is it?"
"We took Casterly Rock," Tyrion informed.
Daenerys looked pleased. "Well, that's good to hear." Tyrion shared a glance with Varys, feeling weighed down to tell of the disappointing news. "Isn't it?"
