TYWIN
When Tywin Lannister heard that his son Tyrion had been taken captive he sent Ser Gregor Clegane to attack Pink Maiden and all the surrounding villages and towns. The Hand of the King demanded that he come to King's Landing and answer for Ser Gregor's crimes. Then word is received that Lord Eddard Stark had been arrested for treason. He had no choice but to call his banners and assemble them at Golden Tooth. All the Western Lords are gathered in the main hall to discuss strategy. "My scouts report that Robb Stark is leading a host up the King's Road..."
"The boy has made his first mistake in war..." Lord Rykker says speaking up.
"We should strike now while they are in the open..." Lord Marbrand says.
"By the time we reach them...They will have the castle Riverrun to support them." Kevin Lannister says.
"We have the numbers." Tywin says, "My son Jaime will take thirty thousand men and lay waste to everything from the godseye lake to Seagard...Meanwhile I lead our main forces to Riverrun..." Just then Tywin's squire comes up and whispers into his ear. He doesn't react to the news, but finds it very interesting.
The doors open and in walks Tyrion, "Greetings my Lords..."
"Tyrion!" His Uncle Kevin says standing up, "We heard you were being held in the Eyrie..."
"I was Uncle..." He points at the Sell-Sword beside him, "I demanded trial by combat and this good fellow came to my defense..."
Jaime leaves his seat, walks up to Tyrion and hugs him, "I am glad you are safe little brother..." Jaime looks at Bronn, "And I am in your debt Sir..."
"Leave us!" Tywin commands. He watches Tyrion pour himself some wine. "I am told the Hill tribesmen have sworn themselves to your service."
"Yes they have...You are looking at a warlord father..."
"How did you manage that?"
Tyrion looks at his Uncle, "I promised them that we would help them take the Vale from House Arryn and his banners..."
"Don't make promises you can't keep..." Tywin says. "Your men will fight in the Vanguard..."
Tywin is a war veteran and a student of war, but he did the one thing no commander should do and that is underestimate his enemies. Despite having fewer troops Robb splits his forces; one group made up of two thousand men attacks Tywin head on while the rest of his army ambushes Jaime, routs his army, and takes him prisoner. The force Tywin engages meets him at Wayfarer's Rest. Defeated Tywin returns to Golden Tooth.
"How many did we lose?" Marbrand asks.
"Over fifteen thousand dead...That many more either fled, wounded, or uncounted for..."
"Perhaps we should sue for peace..."
Tyrion knocks over a glass goblet, "There is your peace...Any chance of peace we had for peace went out the door after Joffrey cut off Eddard Stark's head...Robb Stark is winning this war...His men love him...They call him the King in the North..."
"King Joffrey is our one true King!" Marbrand yells.
"Enough! My son is held prisoner and all you lot can do is bicker...Out all of you!" He looks at Tyrion. "Not you...You stay as well Kevin..."
"So what now? We can't fight the Stark boy...Stannis and Renly..."
"I hear Renly has the support of the Tyrells and the majority of the Stormlords…"
"Kevin you will return to Casterly Rock and raise more troops...Tyrion you are going to King's Landing..."
He frowns, "And do what?"
"Rule in my name as Hand of the King...Put that boy and his mother in line and if Pycel, Baelish, Varys, or any one else shows disloyalty remove their heads..."
"What of Jaime?"
"Stark won't hurt your brother, he's too honorable for that..."
"You are going to try and gain a win before turning to face Renly aren't you?"
He doesn't answer the question, Tywin just signals with his head for them to leave. No Tywin Lannister would not let the Stark boy humiliate him on the battlefield without answering in blood. After Kevin and Tyrion leave Tywin marches on Acorn Hall to draw Robb Stark towards him. Robb attacks with half his forces. During the battle Tywin sees an opening and takes it. That is when the other half of Robb's forces flank him from the left. A retreat is called and once again a victory for Robb Stark.
Once again Tywin withdraws to Golden Tooth and waits, but Robb uses game trails to sneak past Golden Tooth and attack Ashemark. Tywin rides to relieve the siege attacking the main camp at night hoping to rescue Jaime and either kill or capture Robb Stark. The camp is empty, straw dummies are set up and the beds are stuffed with pillows, straw dummies etc. "THE KING IN THE NORTH!" They shout before attacking. An arrow attack lays low many men and many more fall from the Calvary charge.
Tywin narrowly escapes and pulls back to Harrenhal.
PART II ARYA
ARYA
Arya found herself in a precarious situation. She got separated from Bran when she aided the prisoner recruits. They were about to be burned alive after the Gold Cloaks returned with reinforcements and started a fight. During the battle Yoren is killed, Lomi is severely wounded, and many others are killed. "I'm sure your brother is still alive." Gendry says as they are led by Lannister men.
"Yes..." She sadly replies. Her heart is heavy with the loss of her father, the uncertainty of Bran still being alive, and the deaths of Lomi and Yoren. Part of her is angry with her father for not better preparing his daughters for how cruel people in the world can be. But Arya had never given into those fanciful tales Septa Modane always filled Sansa's head with. She wanted to be a warrior, a fighter, and if Arya had to kill to survive then so be it.
Soon they reach the ancient fortress ruined fortress of Harrenhal. It was the largest castle ever built. A legacy to the greatness of King Harren who ruled the Riverlands and the Iron Isles from his great castle. Then came Aegon the Conqueror who blasted his castle with fire from the mouth of his Dragon Balerion the Dread and his sister's Dragons Vhagar and Meraxes.
"What in the world could do that to stone?" Gendry asks.
Arya pauses to look at the ancient ruins of Harrenhal, "Dragon Fire..."
Arya is placed in a pin with other prisoners, Everyday one person is taken, questioned, and tortured to death. If Arya was chosen she would have to reveal who she really is to save herself. "If they take you I'll tell them who I really am to save you..."
"Don't be stupid..." Gendry whispers back, "...Do you know what they will do to you if they find out who you really are and that you are a girl."
"I can imagine..." She coldly replies. Every night before falling asleep Arya whispers the names of the people she wants to kill. She had already killed twice in self defense now she wished to kill for revenge. Five days pass and Arya's heart sinks as they choose Gendry. "Wait...I have information spare him and I will tell you..."
"Don't listen to him he's crazy..." Gendry says.
The man slaps Gendry across the head, "Alright what you got to say..."
Before she speak Lord Tywin rides into the main courtyard. "On your knees you filthy scum!"
"Lord Tywin...We did not expect you..."
"I can see that..."
Arya had never seen the infamous Lord of Casterly Rock before. Not in person anyway, she had seen drawings of him on books. The man who slaughtered two houses to put down a rebellion. The man who sacked King's Landing, during Robert's rebellion. He is an impressive man, intimidating, and she can tell well feared by his men. "Why are these people not put to work?"
"They're criminals m'lord…"
He grunts, "Criminals! You...do you have a trade?" He asks looking at Gendry.
"Blacksmith m'lord…"
He walks up to the pin, "And you?"
"Carpenter..."
"Hey you on your knees or I'll bash your head in!"
Arya leaps back, "No you won't. This one is girl pretending to be a boy...Come here girl." She slowly walks up to him, keeping her eyes locked on his. "What's your name?"
"Annel…"
"Why are you pretending to be a boy?"
"Safer to travel..."
"Smart girl..." He looks at the man who threatened Arya, "Which is more than I can say for this lot..."
Arya is taken for a cup bearer to serve Lord Tywin. After she is bathed and given new clothes; she is taken before him. Her secret remains hidden for a little longer. It takes all her strength not spit in Lord Tywin's cup, she doesn't refrain from spitting into the cups of other Lannisters. One day Arya is getting water when she is confronted by one of the men she saved from a fiery death. "What you want?"
"A girl is no longer a boy..."
"I was always a girl..."
"And a man always knew this...A man wishes to repay a debt...A girl stole three deaths from the red god...A man wishes to repay this debt."
"How? She curiously asks.
"A girl keeps secrets...A girl has killed...And she wishes to kill again..."
"How do you know?"
"A man sees it in your eyes...A girl whispers names before she closes her eyes...I will give you three...Name three people and a man will do the rest..."
"I can name anyone?" He nods, "And you will kill them..."
"It is as a man said..."
Arya wants the man who almost killed Gendry. "The one who tortures everyone..."
"A man needs a name..."
"I don't know his name...They call him the tickler..."
"That is enough...go now your master is thirsty..."
Arya pauses, "Wait...what is your name?"
"You may call this one Jaqen H'ghar…"
Two days later the tickler falls from the second floor walkway with several openings to the courtyard. Arya is in the courtyard and is disappointed at first, but then she spots Jacqen H'ghar on the second level. He signals her that his death is one of two that he owes her. He then places a finger over his lips.
Three days later Arya is walking through the courtyard when she is stopped by Jacqen, "A man is dead and Jacqen owes a girl two names…Speak a name and it will be done…"
"I have to think about it…"
He nods, "Think quickly the Red god is impatient…"
Arya lays in her bed, thinking on all the people that need to die. She wanted to say Cersei and Joffrey. She wanted to give Jacqen their names, but she also wanted to kill them herself. A smile crosses Arya's face as she remembers how Joffrey begged and cried for his life by the river. She wished she had run the bastard through. "This war will be the last war I ever fight..." Tywin Lannister says to Arya as she serves him a meal, a few days later.
"Have you fought many wars in your life my Lord?" Arya asks.
He looks at her and smiles, "Are you hungry?" She shakes her head no, "Of course you are…Children are always hungry. Sit eat!" Reluctantly she obeys, "My first war was against House Reyne…"
"The Rains of Castamere…" There is a knife by Arya and she considers stabbing Tywin in the back.
"Yes…Then there was Robert's rebellion. I sacked King's Landing and hand the Iron Throne over to him…He was a great warrior, but he made a horrible King and now this war…The War of the Five Kings they are calling it…And I am losing at the moment…"
A man enters and whispers to Tywin. He looks at Arya, "Go on put that away and fetch some wine and two goblets…"
As Arya is exiting the solar she gasps because Petyr Baelish is walking towards her. Arya pretends to drop the plate before he reaches her. When he passes her by she gets up and runs to the kitchen. She gets the wine and cups placing them on a platter and hurries back to the solar. She stays in the shadows always keeping her face away from Baelish.
"You would have me ally with those traitors?"
"The enemy of my enemy my Lord…Robb Stark is on your doorstep and so is Stannis…Stannis now has the numbers to take the Iron Throne…" As they talk Arya serves the drinks and then leaves, but as she leaves Baelish tries to get a better look at her.
Later Arya returns for the cups and the wine. Tywin is not in his solar. As she is cleaning she spots an unopened letter on the table with a familiar sigil stamped on it; she picks it up and opens it. It is a letter from Roose Bolton concerning Robb's troop movements. She takes the letter and leaves to find a quiet place to read it. As she is walking through the castle Arya is stopped by Ser Armory Lorch.
"What are you hiding?"
"Nothing!"
He grabs her arm and takes the letter, "Where did you get this?'
"Lord Tywin asked me to give that to Ser Hanson…"
He sneers, "You're lying…Come with me girl we shall figure this out…" Arya steps on his foot and grabs the letter then she runs off. As Arya is running she looks back to see him chasing her. She runs through the castle into the courtyard and eventually loses him. She watches from an alley and he looks all around for her. when Lorch can't find her he heads back to the main castle.
"Gallon!" Gallon is the name Gendry tells everyone and the one he and Arya agreed on. She finds him with the other blacksmiths making weapons.
"Annel…" He says remembering her made up name.
"Have you seen Jacqen?"
"A few minutes ago he was heading to the baths…"
"Arya runs as fast as she can with all her might, "Jacqen!"
He stops and looks at her, "A girl comes…" They go to a private place to talk, "Does she have a name?"
"Ser Armory Lorch…" Arya replies out of breath.
He nods, "It shall be done…"
"No you have to do it now…"
"A girl cannot say when a thing must be done…"
"But he is going to tell him and …"
Jacqen stares into her eyes and sighs, "A girl has drawn attention to herself…And now she is in danger…"
"Yes you have to go now…"
"Where is he?"
Later Arya enters the solar with a tray of drinks as they carry out the lifeless body of Ser Armory Lorch. "Well! How did he die?" Tywin Lannister demands to his Maester.
"Poison…" The Maester says holding the dart he took from Lorch's neck. "Exotic…Very deadly could have been made from Manticoar venom…"
Tywin looks at a man by the name of Eastyn, "Search every inch of this fortress…"
Arya lies in he bed thinking about Jacqen and how he killed those people so easily, "He must have been trained...I wonder if he would train me?" She asks whispering to herself. A few days later Arya finds Jacqen.
"A girl comes tell me the name and the debt is paid..."
"I want to learn to kill like you do...Teach me..."
He stares at her and she at him, "If a girl wishes to learn she must come with me..."
"Where?"
"To Braavos...To the House of Black and White..."
"What about my friends?"
"What of them?" She just stares at him. Jacqen sighs, "If they wish to come so be it..." At midnight Arya, Gendry, and Hot Pie sneak out of the castle. They meet Jacqen a few miles North of the Castle and he takes Hot Pie to Raventree Hall and gets him work as a baker in the kitchens. Then he takes Arya and Gendry to Braavos.