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Face Claim for Lady Sanira Tremaine: Caitlin Stasey.
Chapter Thirteen: The Laws of Gods and Men.
The doors to the throne room opened allowing Tyrion to be lead inside, his arms in manacles and his brother leading the way with two guards flacking them as they made their way towards the stand. The crowds that lined either side of the aisle jeered at him as he was led further into the room, the words 'Kingslayer' were thrown at Tyrion who stared straight ahead towards the Iron Throne.
Sitting upon the Iron Throne was Tommen with Tywin at his side, watching as Tyrion is led to the accused dais where his wrists are freed from the shackles that had restrained him for the walk from the cell. Taking measure of the room, his eyes focusing in on this that he had once called his friends who now would deny knowing him if for a moment, they thought it would free them of implication to his 'crime'. Tywin signaled for Tommen to stand with a move of his hand, as Tommen rises in response so does everyone in the hall.
"I, Tommen of the House Baratheon, First of my Name, King of the Andals and the First Men, and Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, do hereby recuse myself from this trial. Tywin of the House Lannister, Hand of the King, Protector of the Realm, will sit as judge in my stead. And with him Prince Oberyn of the House Martell and Lord Mace of the House Tyrell. And if found guilty... may the gods punish the accused," Tommen announced. His voice cracking slightly at the last part, even if he wanted to there was nothing that he could do for his uncle. Making his exit, Tommen avoided the gaze of Tyrion while Oberyn and Mace joined Tywin on the main platform and took their seats; a sign that everyone else might be seated although Tyrion remained standing.
"Tyrion of the House Lannister, you stand accused by the Queen Regent of regicide. Did you kill King Joffrey?" Tywin asked getting straight to business, his arms rested on the sides of his chair as he spoke. Tyrion replied that he had not, a frown set upon his face as he stared up at his father knowing that this was just the beginning and it was going to be a long day.
"Did your wife, the Lady Sansa?" Tywin asked although there was little that they could do in that regard, as they had no idea where Sansa Stark had disappeared to during Joffrey's death. It irked Tywin that the key to the North had slipped through his fingers in such a way, right under his very nose as well.
"Not that I know of," Tyrion replied with a shake of his head, not that he would have blamed her if she did; Joffrey had tormented her since the death of her father at his own orders. A part of him did wonder if Sansa was at all responsible in some way especially considering how she had disappeared around the time that Joffrey had died and Tyrion had been arrested for his murder.
"How would you say he died, then?" Tywin asked him, a bored look on his face as he watched his youngest son; who seemed just as disinterested as he did about the proceedings that were taking place. They both knew how this was going to end, this entire trial was nothing more than a formality that they needed to get out of the way.
"Choked on his pigeon pie," Tyrion responded simply, he didn't care how it had happened anyone in their right mind could see that Joffrey would have given the Mad King a run for his money when he came into his power. No matter how much those around him could ignore the signs, when Joffrey came of age, he would have done away with whatever control Tywin thought he had over him.
"So, you would blame the bakers?" Tywin mused raising an eyebrow, his eyes continuing to stare down at Tyrion as he presided over this whole affair.
"Or the pigeons. Just leave me out of it." Tyrion stated with a shrug of his shoulders, he was completely innocent and that was all that mattered to him. The last thing he wanted was his head on a spike because Cersei couldn't see past the end of her nose, her hatred for him blinding her to the truth. The Lannisters had many enemies, there were still two rival kings out there that they had to worry about even if the Greyjoys posed much less of a threat than Stannis currently did.
"The crown may call its first witness," Tywin ordered, it was going to be a long day and running the Kingdom while they were at war was far from easy; the sooner this trial was over the better.
"You'd condemn your own son to death?" Jaime asked his father once they were in the privacy of Tywin's chambers during a recess from the trial. Testimony after testimony had been heard, the more he heard the more that Jaime realised that Cersei had stacked the odds in her favour, that every account told had been one bought by her.
"I've condemned no one. The trial is not over," Tywin reminded him, his lunch set out before him and he wasted no time in tucking in knowing that he would have to go back out there once he had finished. The trial was going as he expected and Tywin knew that there were still a couple of testimonies left to go before, they adjured to make their final decision of Tyrion's guilt.
"This isn't a trial. It's a farce. Cersei has manipulated everything and you know it," Jaime argued with a shake of his head, surely their father could see what Cersei was doing. There had never been any love lost between Cersei and Tyrion, their sister having always blamed their brother for the death of their mother; something which Jaime knew that Tyrion had no control over.
"I know nothing of the sort," Tywin denied without looking up at Jaime, his eyes focused on his meal and he wondered why his son had chosen now to come and disturb him on this matter. This was his only moment of peace before he had to go back and continue on with the trial, there was still much to be decided and Tywin knew that there could be no doubts that this was a fair trial.
"You've always hated Tyrion," Jaime accused him, just like Cersei, their father had never forgiven Tyrion for what had happened to Joanna. His father had changed after his mother's death and Jaime couldn't believe that like his sister their father was using this trial as a way to get rid of Tyrion.
"He killed his king," Tywin pointed out looking up from his meal, he reached to grab the goblet of wine that was set out before him as he eyed the look on Jaime's face. There was no escaping that truth, someone had to be punished for what had happened to Joffrey and he couldn't allow Tyrion to slide because of how that would make the family look if they excused his murderer.
"As did I. Do you know the last order the Mad King gave me? To bring him your head. I saved your life so you could murder my brother?" Jaime reminded him, surely his father had not forgotten what Jaime had done. He loved his brother, he did not wish to see him executed not for a crime that he had not committed nor for something that Jaime had done himself and been pardoned for.
"It won't be murder. It'll be justice," Tywin stated firmly, they could not allow such acts to go unpunished especially with their hold on the throne so weak right now. Stannis was still out there and it seemed that he now had the North's backing now that Robb Stark had been killed by the Freys. Jaime scoffed at Tywin's words, there was no justice here, there was only what Cersei wanted to happen and he would not forgive her if he had to watch their brother die for something that he did not do.
"I'm performing my sworn duty as Hand of the King. If Tyrion is found guilty, he will be punished accordingly," Tywin explained as if it was just that simple, he would do what was needed for the realm. They needed security and the people would raise up against them if he allowed Tyrion to walk free after murdering Joffrey.
"He'll be executed," Jaime argued knowing that this was just what Cersei wanted, he didn't know why she was do determined to get rid of Tyrion but he expected this sort of thing from her. The fact that their father was willing to go along with this unsettled him greatly.
"No, he'll be punished accordingly," Tywin disagreed, he took another sip of his wine while he looked at Jaime wondering why he was so upset by this. Surely, he understood better than anyone the need for justice in this situation, there was no other option but to see this through.
"Once you said family is what lives on. All that lives on. You told me about a dynasty that would last 1,000 years. What happens to your dynasty when Tyrion dies? I'm a Kingsguard, forbidden by oath to carry on the family line," Jaime said changing tactics. Their father had always been focus on the legacy that he would leave behind, surely, he realised that if Tyrion was executed then his hopes for the future would die with him.
"I'm well aware of your oath," Tywin muttered distastefully, he would never understand why his son had made such a decision, it was never his place to do such a thing when Jaime had been his heir. He had long held hope that Jaime would come to his senses, that he would resign from the King's Guard especially after the lose of his sword hand and take his place as his heir.
"What happens to your name? Who carries the lion banner into future battles? Your nephews? Lancel Lannister? Others whose names I don't even remember?" Jaime goaded moving towards his father, he knew the price that he was willing to pay so that he didn't have to watch his brother lose his head. It was one that he would pay, he knew what his father wanted and he was willing to give it to him for the right price.
"What happens to my dynasty if I spare the life of my grandson's killer?" Tywin asked not realising where Jaime was going with this, he would not stand for any threat against the legacy that he was trying to create. If he allowed Tyrion to walk from this then they might as well be handing the crown to Stannis, the man was breathing down their necks looking for them to make a mistake right now.
"It survives through me. I'll leave the Kingsguard. I'll take my place as your son and heir if you let Tyrion live," Jaime offered knowing that this was what his father had desired for many years. He would take any wife that Tywin threw at him, get plenty of babies out of her and keep his father happy as long as Tywin spared Tyrion from his fate.
"Done," Tywin agreed without a moments hesitation, he sat back in his seat as he looked at his son who seemed rather speechless at how quickly he had agreed to what Jaime was offering to him.
"When the testimony's concluded and a guilty verdict rendered, Tyrion will be given the chance to speak. He'll plead for mercy. I'll allow him to join the Night's Watch. In three days', he'll depart for Castle Black and live out his days at the Wall," Tywin stated going through his terms on the agreement. It was fair enough in his mind, he would never have to see the little monster fouling up his family name ever again.
"You'll remove your white cloak immediately. You will leave King's Landing to assume your rightful place at Casterly Rock. You will marry a suitable woman and father children named Lannister. And you'll never turn your back on your family again," Tywin stated with a nod of his head, there was nothing else for them to discuss here and the tolling of the bell told him that it was time to return to the trial.
The arrival and testimony of Shae was the last thing that Tyrion expected, to hear the woman say that he was not only guilty but had plotted to murder with Lady Sansa so that the girl would let him into her bed.
"Have you nothing to say in your defence?" Tywin asked after Tyrion had interrupted the testimony and announced that he was not on trial for murder but because he was a dwarf.
"Nothing but this- I did not do it. I did not kill Joffrey, but I wish that I had," Tyrion raged knowing that this was all just a set up. Jaime had pleaded with him when they had returned from recess to trust him, to not say a word but he could not be silent against such hatred that would claim his life.
"Watching your vicious bastard die gave me more relief than 1,000 lying whores. I wish I was the monster you think I am. I wish I had enough poison for the whole pack of you. I would gladly give my life to watch you all swallow it," Tyrion spat first looking to Cersei who had a smug look on her face, then he turned his attention to the crowd who had jeered him. The uproar from his words deafened the orders of Tywin for order, he turned to Ser Meryn and ordered him to return Tyrion to his cell now that there was no doubt how he would be dealt with.
"I will not give my life for Joffrey's murder. And I know I'll get no justice here. So, I will let the gods decide my fate. I demand a trial by combat," Tyrion announced making the crowd grow even louder in their outrage. Jaime could only stare after his brother as he was lead from the great hall, his eyes focused on his retreating form knowing that there was no coming back from this, his deal with Tywin meaning nothing. Cersei could not hide her smile of satisfaction as she watched Tyrion leave, she knew just the right champion for the crown to ensure the outcome that she wanted the most.
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