A/N: This chapter is mostly Tywin and Arya so...naturally, it was one of my faves to write. Enjoy!

Chapter 14: Interrogation

When Arya woke the next morning, it took her a moment to figure out where she was. The bed was softer than any she had slept in since before she left home. Maybe softer than that as well. It was tempting to sink right into the mattress and sleep again.

But she knew better than that. She was in the Lannister manor and she could not let her guard down.

She forced her aching body from the bed and went to the bathroom to drink a few cups of water. The doctor said she needed fluids, and she wanted to have a clear head. Then she checked her face in the mirror. Her face detailing was still there, though faded. It would be enough to get her out of the house at least. And she still had her colored contacts. She carefully adjusted her wig again to make sure no dark hair was in sight. Then she straightened and let out a breath.

Beth Rivers. I am Beth Rivers.

Beth didn't have all of her things in this room. They had taken her uniform and her gun. She would need to get them back before she left. It was best that she leave as quickly as possible. Find Cersei perhaps and tell her she was feeling better and she would be headed back to her apartment, if it was no trouble.

But before she could leave the room, the door opened. Beth spun around, but it was just a maid coming in with fresh clothes.

"Oh good. You're awake," the maid said. "When you've dressed, I'll be waiting outside for you."

"Ah... for what?" Beth asked.

"Mr. Lannister has asked to speak with you," the maid said and Arya felt her stomach twist. Fuck. If ever there was a test of her skills... this would be it.

Tywin Lannister's office was larger than Cersei's and the great, solid oak desk in the middle was the size of a small boat. Bookshelves lined either wall on either side of lush red and gold carpeting. It looked like a room fit for the Lannister patriarch.

He was sitting at his desk when Beth entered, flipping through something. He glanced up when the door closed and gestured to a chair in front of his desk. "Sit."

She obeyed without a word. This was Beth's main employer, after all. She would be respectful and only speak when spoken to.

She expected him to launch right into questions, but he continued with what he was doing, reading what looked like a contract. The silence made Arya feel deeply uneasy, and she fought not to shift back and forth in her seat. Still. She had to be still. Sometimes people used silence as a tactic to make others uncomfortable. She would not give him that.

After five solid minutes of silence, he set aside the contract. "How are your injuries this morning, Miss Rivers?"

"Fine, sir. Thank you," Beth replied. "All I need to heal now is time."

"And not a hospital, apparently," Tywin said.

"... No sir. Not a hospital." Her fingers twisted together in her lap.

He nodded once. "Well, the man you shot last night could not have benefited from a hospital either. He died from his wounds well before the security team reached him. His name was Dontos Hollard. A veteran from the last war who became the neighborhood drunk when he returned. But he still had some skill with a gun. We're still investigating, but my guess is that someone paid him to kill my granddaughter."

"So there may be others," Beth said.

"Yes," Tywin said. "You can understand if I'm wary of people who wear disguises."

Beth swallowed hard. "Yes, sir. I understand. But this is... unrelated to any of that."

"So I've heard. You claim that it's your way of avoiding your family," Tywin said. "Perhaps that is true. Perhaps not. Either way, I'm going to ask you some questions and I'd like you to answer them quickly. Understand?"

Beth lifted her chin. "Yes, sir."

She had played this game before. She assumed an identity and a Faceless man would question her about it to make sure she was consistent and did not forget any small details. More than that, it was a test of improvisation. If someone asked a question she wasn't prepared to answer, she had to come up with an answer quickly.

She had played this game with the likes of the Jaqen and the Waif. Surely she could win it against this man.

"Where do your parents live?" he asked.

"The Riverlands. A small town. You wouldn't know it."

"Give me the name, anyway."

"Maidenpool."

"And what did your father do for a living there?"

"Construction. Stone masonry specifically."

"Your mother?"

"She was a secretary."

"Any siblings?"

"No, I'm an only child."

He asked the questions rapid fire and Beth struggled to keep her expression impassive as she answered. Already he had touched upon some things she had not thought of, but she prepared for this. She let the answers slip off her tongue without thought.

He asked about her uncle and where he had worked as a bodyguard.

He asked about her education.

He asked how her uncle had died.

Sometimes he circled back to questions he had already asked, just to make sure that her answer was consistent. This was not the first interrogation he had conducted.

It would have all felt very invasive if Beth was not merely a facade. She began to slip into the rhythm of it, gaining confidence in her answers. She knew he must be running out of things to ask at this point.

"When is the last time you spoke with your parents?"

"Two years ago."

"Have they tried to look for you?"

"They called. Other than that, no."

"And what was your sister's name again?"

"Jeyne."

And there it was. The mistake. Beth saw the light of victory pass through Tywin Lannister's eyes and she stilled. He had asked earlier if she had siblings and she said no. But that had been so many questions ago; she had almost forgotten. Fuck. Fuck.

"I mean... sorry, I thought you asked my mother's name," Beth said, struggling to recover. It was pointless. She had already cracked, and he saw it. He leaned forward in his seat, steepling his fingers together.

"You know, I have a great deal of experience with people lying to me. Most businessmen are liars. They try to bluff, hoping they can trick me into a better deal than they're worth. They rarely succeed." His gaze was like ice, piercing right through her. "And then, there was my time in the military. Sometimes we had to question enemy soldiers to root out enemy camps. Do you know the easiest way to get them to make a mistake?"

"No, sir," Beth murmured.

"Make them think they're winning," Tywin said. "You're good. You lie almost too well, considering your background. But this interrogation was admittedly unnecessary."

Beth looked up at him. "What... do you mean?"

"I already know who you are, Arya Stark," Tywin said. "The real question is, how are you alive?"

Arya's blood ran cold. And just like that, Beth left her. She was compromised, and she needed to get out now.

She was out of her seat in a flash, running for the door. But it did not budge when she tried the handle and it was far too solid for her to kick open. She slowly turned back to face the Lannister patriarch and found him holding a key up to the light.

"I figured you'd try to run," he said. "Just like you ran three years ago."

Arya slowly turned, leaning her back against the door. "How? You of all people. We barely ever spoke to each other. My mother didn't even recognize me."

"She did," Tywin said. "She just brushed away the possibility, considering it was so unlikely. But her noticing you at the gala last night made me suspect." He tapped the key against the desk. "I knew you were hiding something from the beginning. This was not my first guess, I'll admit. Now... Sit back down. I have more questions and this time, you'll give me the truth."

Arya's mind raced as she tried to come up with some way out of this situation. She didn't have her gun so she couldn't fight. If she had to, she could take the key by force. She didn't know if Tywin Lannister was a fighter. He was in the military, but that was a long time ago. She likely had more training than him. But then there was still the issue of her failing her mission. She had to salvage this. Beth Rivers was no more... but perhaps Arya Stark could still make something out of this situation.

At last, she pushed off of the door and slowly returned to her chair.

"Good," Tywin said. "Now, let's review the timeline of all of this. Three years ago, you ran away from home. Two years ago, your body was presumably found and buried in the Stark family cemetery. And now, you've mysteriously reappeared in King's Landing, not dead, as a bodyguard for my granddaughter." He folded his hands together. "Your reappearing at all is strange enough. But instead of going home to your family, you end up at my house on my staff. I cannot begin to guess why."

Even I don't know, Arya thought. They haven't told me yet why.

"So," Tywin said. "Why are you here?"

Arya knew she would have no luck with a lie here, but she could not tell him about the Faceless men. So instead she grasped for a partial truth.

"I disappeared three years ago because I was looking for answers," she said. "My father's death wasn't an accident. He was murdered. I'm trying to find out who did it."

His eyes narrowed a fraction as he scrutinized her. "Go on."

"I've been spending the past three years searching. Investigating people that I think would have the most to gain from his death. His rivals in business mostly. He had a lot of enemies," Arya continued on. "I could never dream of getting close to this family. Not until Cersei asked for a bodyguard for Myrcella. I figured it was the perfect opportunity to see if my suspicions were correct."

"Your suspicions that someone in my family killed your father," Tywin said.

Arya held his gaze. "Yes."

She sort of expected him to get angry just then, but his expression remained calm. "And who are your suspects?"

"Everyone really," she said. "Except for Tommen and Myrcella. I don't know any of you well enough yet to say."

"So you suspect me then."

"Yes."

Tywin nodded once. "I'm sure you won't take my word for it, but I had nothing to do with your father's death."

"You're right. I won't take your word for it," Arya said. "My father always described you as the most ruthless man he'd ever met. If he was getting in your way, why not?"

"Well, killing a rival makes everything far more complicated than it needs to be," Tywin said. "It's actually far simpler for me to run their business into the ground. Or come to a compromise with them. And when your father died, we were in the midst of the latter."

Arya's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"We were trying to reach a compromise that would keep us out of each other's way," Tywin said. "It was nearly complete. The contract was in the final drafting stages. And then your father died, and it threw everything off schedule. It was more inconvenient for me than helpful."

"Inconvenient?" Arya's voice cracked. "You call my father's death inconvenient."

"Would you like me to say I mourned him?" Tywin asked. "You know that's a lie. We weren't friends. That does not mean that I wanted him dead."

Arya swallowed hard, looking down at her hands. He was right. She wouldn't believe him if he claimed to feel grief over her father's death. And yet the fact that he admitted his indifference so coldly made her equally furious.

"But I think you may be right about something else," Tywin said. "Your father's death was not an accident."

Arya looked up in surprise. "You... believe me?"

"Yes," Tywin said. "Miss Stark, do you remember three years ago, before your father died... there were a few other notable deaths in King's Landing."

"Robert Baratheon," she recalled. "Alcohol poisoning, right?"

"Yes," Tywin said. "Who else?"

Arya had to think for a minute before she remembered. "Jon Arryn."

"Correct," Tywin said. "He was presumed to have died of old age. The death of any CEO is suspect in my mind. Two deaths more so. Three in one year is practically unheard of, and it threw the business world into chaos. The dust still hasn't fully settled. Some call it a coincidence. I don't believe in coincidences. But I wasn't sure until you returned from the dead. Now I am."

"Why?" Arya asked.

He tilted his head to the side. "Why are you so sure your father was murdered? Did someone tell you?"

Yes, she thought. "No."

"We've already played the lying game, Miss Stark. Did someone tell you?"

Her jaw went taut. "Yes."

"Who?"

"I can't tell you that."

"Why?"

"Because I don't trust you yet."

He raised an eyebrow. "Well, you are the one who snuck onto my payroll with a fake name. So the feeling is mutual I'm afraid."

Arya dropped his gaze. "I'm just looking for the truth. That's all. I never meant Myrcella any harm."

"No. That much is clear. And I have not forgotten that you saved her life," Tywin said. "The fact that someone paid to have her killed still has me concerned. It means that something strange is still at work in this city and it could affect my family soon. So I will offer you a deal."

"A deal?" Arya asked.

"Yes," Tywin said. "I'm going to let you continue on as Myrcella's bodyguard. You can continue this little investigation of my family. I have nothing to hide regarding your father. I doubt my children or grandchildren do either. But you will keep me updated on anything you find out. And as long as you're here, I'll be running my own investigation. I also have a personal interest in this case."

"What personal interest?" Arya asked.

"Not becoming the next victim, obviously," Tywin said.

She scrutinized him. His offering to help was more than a little suspicious to her. "If you were behind my father's death… keeping me close would be an easy way for you to keep me off of your trail."

A cold smile twisted at his lips. "Miss Stark, if I was behind your father's death, I could kill you right here and eliminate the possibility of anyone finding out."

Arya lifted her chin. "With what?"

That was a bad question to ask. He reached under his desk and set a gun on the table in front of him, resting his hand on the barrel.

"This would do the trick," he said. "Your father called me ruthless, didn't he? If I killed him... do you really think I'd balk at killing you?"

A shiver went through Arya. She had no gun and no cover. No way to dodge if he pulled the trigger. So instead, she hardened her gaze and stared him down.

Do it. I'm not afraid to die.

His mouth twitched, and his hand left the gun. "Fortunately for you, I didn't kill your father. And I have no reason to kill you. So, do you take my deal?"

Arya tried not to look too relieved when he didn't turn the gun on her. It could be a bluff, but still, it made him less likely to be the culprit. "... Yes. I do."

It was not a perfect deal, but at least she could remain employed with his family as the Faceless men asked. And this might help her find the one who killed her father faster.

At least he hadn't found out about her employers. He had bought her half-truth.

"Good," he said, standing from his desk. "I have one other condition though."

"What's that?" Arya asked.

"I'm taking you home," he said. "Now."

Her heart sank into her stomach. "I can't..." she shook her head. "You can't do that. I mean, I can't go home. That's not possible."

I'm not Arya Stark. I am not meant to go home.

"Oh, it's entirely possible," Tywin said. "It's not a long drive from here."

"No, I mean, I just can't," Arya said. "Please. They've already buried me. If I showed back up then..."

Then I will have to explain, but I won't be able to tell them the full truth. They won't understand. And before long... I'll have to leave them again. It will make it worse. It will make it so much worse.

But she couldn't tell Tywin Lannister any of that.

"I don't really care," Tywin said. "I'm taking you back or I'm calling your mother and bringing her here. Your choice. But it's part of the deal."

"Why does it matter to you?" Arya asked. "You don't care about my family. Why should it matter if they know I'm alive?"

"Believe me, Miss Stark, my motivations are entirely selfish," Tywin said. "If I bring you back, your mother and brother will owe me a rather larger favor. It's simple as that."

She glared at him. Of course. He would never pass up the chance to put a rival in debt to him and she didn't like him using her in that way. But she supposed that was better than him doing it out of the goodness of his heart.

"So?" Tywin asked.

"Fine," she muttered. "Fine, I'll go home."

She did not want to. She knew in her bones that it would only make things worse for everyone involved. But beneath her fear and shame, she felt her heart lift a little.

Three years since she had left King's Landing, and she had not gone a day without thinking of her family. It was selfish... but it would be sweet to see them again.

A/N: Another cliffhanger, since Arya is going home next chapter. Should be a very interesting situation. And of course, Tywin is the first to figure it out (though Catelyn sort of figured it out first which helped him, she just dismissed it really quickly).

Anyway, Arya is unmasked and the mystery deepens. Until next chapter, review, subscribe and I'll see you next time!