~Tyrion~
Hours I waited, staring into the great nothing, wondering where I'd gone wrong. What had I not seen in the grand scheme of things, before the door opened and the familiar face of Lord Varys frown down at me.
"I imagine I look every bit the monster they called me." I chuckled before hissing as pain laced my face. I should have taken something for the pain. I thought as he came to sit next to me, Pod standing guard by the door.
"I'm afraid I have news about a great treachery your sister has committed against you. She being the reason you were struck down by one of your own." He spoke with a sigh. My guard instantly went up for Varys has been known to tell quite the colorful tale.
"Why should I believe you?" I asked as I searched his face.
"Why would I lie about it?" He asked, seeming rather at ease.
"To create strife between my sister and me." I stated, not wanting to believe my own sister would try to have me killed while I was out fighting her son's war.
"Well, before, there was nothing but love. Sir Mandon Moore, tried to kill you on your sister's orders. If it weren't for your squire's bravery, you'd be a dead man." Lord Varys spoke as Pod continued to stand, eyes cast towards the floor.
"Pod?" I called with a sigh.
"Yes, my lord?" He answered, quickly walking forward.
"Would it be excessive of me to ask you to save my life twice in a week?" I asked as I looked up at him.
"No my lord." He answered with a small smile.
"You're a good lad. Go get Bronn. Tell him I want four of his most loyal cloaks outside my door at all times." I ordered. He bowed as he turned to do my bidding before Varys stopped him.
"I'm afraid your friend has been relieved of his command of the city watch." Which was news to me, and quiet unsettling. "The gold cloaks are now firmly in the hands of your father, or your sister, it varies from cloak to cloak." Which unsettled me even more.
"Then my hills tribesmen." I announced, as I thought of the rough men I'd grown close to before all this mess.
"Have gone home." Varys announced with a frown. "Your father paid them quite handsomely." Then there was no one. No one I could really trust to keep me safe in my vulnerable state.
"I'm afraid we won't be seeing each other for quite some time my lord." Varys stated with a look that borderlined on regret.
"Wouldn't want to swim to close to a drowning man?" I laughed, wandering at the uselessness of it all. "And I thought we were friends."
"We are." He stated, before turning to look at the waiting squire. "Podrick, would you mind?" Podrick took the hint, flashing me one more look before turning to open the door. I was both relieved and terrified when Elena walked through the door, tears glistening in those icy eyes as she rushed to sit beside me.
"There are many who know this city faced defeat with out you. The king won't give you any honors. The history books won't mention you, but we will not forget." Varys stated with a bow before following Podrick out the door.
"I waited for hours without a word. There was no news, no whispers. I nearly drove myself crazy with the thought that perhaps you'd died." She whispered as she took my hand, wiping at a few stray tears that glistened against flushed cheeks. There were fresh scratches on her neck and bruising on her arms, but she appeared well, long chocolate curls falling across her shoulders, the pale blue of her dress making her eyes really sparkle. She's to beautiful for a monster like me. I thought sadly as I looked away from her.
"It was good of you to come see me." I stated softly, not wanting to meet her eyes.
"Why wouldn't I? You're mine, remember? Am I not yours?" She asked as she reached for my face. I slapped her hand away before I could stop myself, knowing a beast lay beyond these rags.
"I want to see." She stated firmly, lip tucked between her teeth as that look of determination crossed her face.
"No, you do not. A monster lays behind these rags." I stated softly. She chuckled then, drawing my attention as she folded her arms across her chest.
"Monsters induce fear. I am not afraid of you, so you must not be a monster." She spoke, recounting what she'd said to me the first time we met. I bit my tongue to keep the tears at bay as she reached for my bandages again, being gentle as she tried not to rip open the scab underneath. She stared at me then, running her eyes over my face, head cocked to the side.
"Well?" I asked, waiting for her to run screaming. She offered me a small smile, reaching out to touch my face again.
"See, I am not afraid. So you are not a monster." She declared as my heart thumped painfully in my chest, tears burning in my eyes once more. Her eyes grew hard then, her fingers curling into fist as she looked away from me.
"I knew it, you can't really look at me can you?" I spoke, feeling more hurt than I cared to admit. She shook her head, standing up, surprising me when she snatched up her knife and stabbed the blade deep into a small wooden table.
"I watched you on the battle field. Watched the guard slice open your face." She spoke in a watery whisper. My eyes widen at the news.
"How is that possible? You were in the keep with Sansa and my sister." I stated as she turned and looked at me, eyes feverish, cheeks flushed.
"I made sure Sansa was safe, then I came to look for you. I had finally made it to you when you were attacked by one of your own." She explained as tears of hatred gathered in those fiery eyes.
"And now to find out your family did this to you. I should kill them. All of them." There was a darkness in her voice that told me she was serious. A look in her eyes that told me she wanted blood.
"Come here." I urged as I held out my hand. The darkness faded as she came to sit by me, taking my hand in hers as she leaned down close.
"Let's leave. Let's go to Dorne. I can grab my sister and we can be away from this place. We can go tonight while everyone is sleeping." She spoke with a smile as she looked longingly out of the window. I chuckled then, wondering at her excitement.
"And what would we do in Dorne?" I asked as I caressed her cheek, running a thumb along her plump lips.
"We could go to the sky markets. Make love under the hot desert sun. We could live together in peace." Her voice told me she thought this was true and that she desperately wanted these things with me.
"I cannot go to Dorne." I spoke softly. Her face fell then, confusion etched into those strange icy eyes.
"Why not? There is no one here who could stop us. Not your sister, your father, the king. No one." How do I make her understand?
"I belong here. I'm good at this. The talking, the dealing with these people, out thinking them. This is who I am. I like it. This life. I like it more than anything I have ever done." My heart broke as tears pooled in her eyes. Wondering if she'd go anyways, back to a place that was familiar and safe. Back to her home.
"Are you going to leave?" I asked as the silence grew to smother me. She looked at me then, as if seeing me for the first time, her hand reaching out to caress my cheek, before she leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on my lips.
"You are mine, and I am yours. Until my last breath." She whispered as a single tears fell onto my chest. The tears came then, flooding down my cheeks with me unable to stop them. She kissed the tears away, leaning to lay her head on my chest as I hugged her close. Wondering how the Gods could give a pathetic half man life me, such a gift as she.