Valyrian Steel

Chapter 9

The Gift

Tyrion

Tyrion puked over the edge of the ship for the fifth time that day, Ser Barristan offered him a towel to wipe his face with. Tyrion thanked him with a nod of his head and a weak smile. They had been out at sea for a little over a week and were making good time, the winds were in their favor and they were barely a day away from their destination when a small storm hit. The captain of the ship decided it was best to anchor the ship off the coast and wait for the storm to pass, when they set sail again the waves were choppy and Tyrion could not keep his meals down. Selmy and Varys were also miserable in their own ways. Varys refused to eat and kept a scented bag near his nose, and Selmy had turned green on occasion before solemnly closing his eyes and resting at everyone's behest.

The only person who seemed unaffected by blasted sea was Arya who was going by the name Cat for the trip, apparently she had spent several years on the streets of Braavos earning the nickname Cat of the Canals. She was seated cross-legged on the floor, her eyes had gone white and the rest of the crew avoided her for the time being. Before this latest warging incident she had been climbing the mast with the rest of the crew helping to furl and unfurl the sails. A few nights ago one of the sailors tried to tumble her, in the morning he was found stark naked and tied upside down to the mast with a bump on his head. She spoke on occasion to Selmy and Varys but Tyrion thought it was best to avoid her. His family and hers did not have the best relationship and he thought it best to keep his distance from the trained assassin.

The ship rolled violently and he fell to his side knocking into Arya. Instantly her eyes cleared and she held something cold and sharp to his troat, her steel grey eyes fixed onto his green and he was reminded of Jon and his wolf Ghost. He wasn't sure if she reminded him more of Ghost or Jon, but she looked wild. Selmy rushed to their side.

"My Lady St-"

"Cat" Arya interrupted with a sideways glance. She looked down at Tyrion and grinned.

"Apologies Lord Tyrion, you startled me." She withdrew her knife and let him go gently.

"Apology accepted." Tyrion said as he brushed himself off

"Would you like a drop of sweet sleep to take the edge off?" She said with what seemed to be mild concern.

"No, but thank you for the offer," Best not let an assassin administer medicine.

Arya, patted a space on the floor next to her and motioned for him to sit. He could not think of a polite way to refuse so he joined her. She looked comfortable and decidedly unladylike in her trousers and boots with white tunic.

"Were you in your wolf?"

"Rhaegal, he and Drogon are hunting with Daenerys, she's somewhere interesting." She smiled and looked away into the distance.

"Where?"

Arya didn't answer instead she fixed her gaze on him again. "Did you have my sister?"

Tyrion stilled, "No, she was little more than a child."

"But you wanted to," She said turning towards him. "And your father probably wanted a Lannister-Stark mutt to take Winterfell and the North."

"My father wanted a lot of things that I would not give him. She was kind, polite and pitiable. Sansa did not need to suffer more than necessary."

Arya let out a cruel laugh. "Suffer?! It's what she wanted; to have Lannister babies, to live in a castle in the South, to be Joffrey's betrothed. She sided with your lot from day one. I had to hunt in the streets and forest for food. I killed several men before I had my moons blood and many more after. I ate bugs and camped out and avoided rapists and worse. The last time I saw her she was smiling while my father was forced to give a false confession. She suffered. " Arya scoffed and Tyrion was angered on his wife's behalf.

"Joffrey tormented her, he had her publically beaten and tried to have your brothers head shipped in so he could serve it to her at dinner. She handled herself well, better than you could have. You probably would have been brave and told Joffrey and my sister exactly what you thought of them. Yes you would have been brave and loyal till the very end when Joffrey would inevitably have had you killed for your smart mouth. Sansa could not have survived in your situation and you would not have survived in hers."

Arya glared at him and for a moment he worried that he had said too much, but then she smiled. "Good to know she wasn't entirely alone there." Tyrion let out a relived sigh. "How did Cersei's people know we were leaving that day?" Arya said the smile gone from her face. "Who betrayed my father?"

"It was probably some nameless servant." Tyrion said as he held her gaze.

"But it wasn't, and you know who it was." Tyrion froze at this comment and noticed she looked bored. "I'm not only trained to lie but to notice when someone's lying. You looked me in the eyes to see if I would believe your lie and your shoulders were too stiff. Who was it?"

Tyrion looked away and she scoffed "I thought so."

"She was a child!" he shot back at her.

"So was I" There wasn't anger or sadness in her voice, she just sounded cold. He met her gaze again and felt a chill. There was nothing there.

"Lady Cat, you told me to warn you when we were a few hours from our destination. The captain informed me that we will dock in a three hours."Ser Barristan said as he started to armor himself.

"Thank you." Arya said then muttered sarcastically something under her breath that Tyrion barely could make out. "Lady"

She pulled her satchel from behind her, held it on her lap and closed her eyes. Tyrion watched as she whispered to herself over and over. "I am no one." For a while she stayed that way murmuring the same mantra over and over again until finally she stilled. She rose her head and went below deck. When they began to dock Arya never appeared from below deck, but Lya did.

They were greeted by Tycho Nestoris, one of the representatives of the Iron Bank of Braavos the current Sealord Tormo Fregar and several sellswords and Bravos.

"Greetings Tyrion Lannister and company, we were not aware that we would have the honor Tormo said with a slight inclination of the head.

"My apologies Sealord Fregar," Tyrion said with a bow "We did not wish to be accosted by pirates along our way here." He motioned towards the three large ships that they had just docked.

"And what have you brought to our free city." Tycho said with apprehension and Tyrion stilled. Everyone was prepared for a fight, they should have only brought one ship, but Daenerys insisted on a large payment. They thought that the dragons were within. Lya stepped forward.

"Forgive our discourtesy, we should have sent word ahead." She said with a graceful bow. "Queen Daenerys did not wish to tarry in her payment."

"Payment?" Fregar said in slight confusion while Tychos smiled.

"While my queen did not have any say in the loans incurred during Robert Baratheon's reign. She accepts the responsibility of payment, these three barges carry an estimated amount of 3.5 million crowns worth of gold, silks, and precious treasures recovered from slavers. Our queen is dedicated to the fiscal health of the crown and wishes to show her dedication to you." Tyrion added after having regained his composure.

"Queen Daenery Stormborn did not wish to concern you with the presence of her children and thought it wise to keep them at a distance." Varys mentioned with another bow.

"The Queen would also like to assuage any concerns you may have about her intentions with Braavos. She has no quarrel with your people only with slavery, which she has successfully stamped out of Essos. All she wishes from you is that you withdraw your support for Stannis Baratheon. He will never sit on the Iron Throne. " Tyrion continued.

"I will have to confer with my associates but I believe that we can come to an agreement." Tychos said with a satisfied smile. He snapped his fingers and indicated to one of the cutoms officials to investigate the ships.

Fregar laughed when they started unloading the ship. "For a moment I thought her children were below deck."

"Dragons and wood do not do well together." Lya said with a small smile.

Fregar chuckled at that comment and summoned for some chairs to be brought while they waited for the inspection to be completed. Lya left them for a moment to talk to a girl selling clams and oysters by the docks. The girl brought her wares closer and everyone had fresh oysters and clams. After they had finished their meal Lya took Fregar and Tychos aside to whisper to them in love voices. When Tyrion approached they he only heard the end of the conversation.

"It would be a good gift to foster positive relations between our countries, " Lya finished while Tychos and Fregar nodded in agreement.

"If they can be found, I will have to look through our inventory and grease a few palms.
They shook hands and smiled leaving Tyrion slightly nervous over the faceless girls plans.

After the initial inspection was completed the Sealord invited everyone to stay at his villa as guests. Tyrion readily agreed, anything to stay off the ship. They feasted to celebrate, Tyrion passed out shortly after being showed to his room and slept deeply.

He had a dream about a woman singing next to an open window looking over the cliffs of Caterly Rock. She looked a bit like Cersei, only she had a gentle expression on her face and she was heavily pregnant.

"The mother's good and kind." She sang as she stroked her stomach with a gentle smile.

"Have you thought of a name?" His father embraced her from behind and she stopped. His face seemed tender and gentle and he smiled as she turned her head and kissed his cheek.

Joanna, it was his mother. He was seeing his mother. Everyone had told him that his father only smiled for his mother.

"Cersei wants another brother, she's been listing names. Joffrey was one, but I like Tyrion or Tion."

"All good names", he said as he sat next to her. "Are you so sure it will be a boy?"

A small frown marred her lovely face and she looked away from him, "I met that witch in the woods, she told me we would have a son, that he would be Hand of the king and posses all of your cleverness and my wit. But she also said his life would be difficult."

"I take no stock in the mad ravings of women in the woods, how could any son of ours lead a difficult life. Jaime and Cersei have everything that they could wish for and this child will have the same", he said as he placed his hands over hers and looked her in the eyes. "Do not trouble yourself with this madness."

She smiled sadly at him, "You will love him, right?"

Tywin frowned and Tyrion saw a shadow of the father he knew and not the happy stranger he had been watching. "Of course, no matter how difficult he may be. I just spent two hours helping Jaime to read and half an hour reprimanding Cersei for how she was treating the poor Hetherspoon girl. If I didn't love my children I wouldn't take the time."

Joanna smiled brightly and Tyrion saw his father smile tenderly back. This was what he destroyed when he was born.

Someone shook Tyrion awake and he woke up with a sluggish groan. Arya was shaking him awake.

"Wake up or you won't get your gift" she whispered.

Tyrion fixed his eyes on her, she had referred to death often times as "the gift" and he felt a sense of dread. Arya rolled her eyes. "Not that kind of gift. Come on get dressed."

Tyrion rolled out of bed and obeyed, She leaned against the wall and peered out the door. Gone was the gentle image of Lya, instead Arya was dressed in a light tunic and leather pants with some supple boots that barely made a sound when she walked.

"Was it a bad dream ?" she asked with minor concern.

"Can't remember, but it felt bitter-sweet." She nodded in understanding as she waited for him to finish.

Arya ushered him out into the hallway, she was careful to avoid guards and only told him to shut up when he asked why. They made their way out of the manor without incident and walked towards the docks. When his legs started to cramp he sat down to rub them and she waited. A few bravos passed by and laughed at him causing Tyrion to quietly bristle at them. Arya shouted something at them in Braavosi they started to approach when she drew her blade and murmured something else in Braavosi. The three of them were still and Tyrion felt the tension in the air until the Bravos backed away slowly and left.

"What did you tell them?"

"Just the name of the man who trained me, are you ready to go?" Tyrion nodded and asked once again where they were going, Arya stayed quiet and guided him to a brothel where a woman with huge breasts greeted them as they entered.

"Cat!" She called out jovially and greeted Arya as an old friend.

"Hellos Merry" She said with an uncharacteristically gentle smile. They embraced briefly when a delighted squeal sounded from the opposite side of the room. A very pretty girl with blonde hair and green eyes rushed towards them and hugged her in delight. She looked to be a little older than Arya and chatted happily to Cat. Who laughed at a few of the clever things she said about her latest client. Tyrion looked around and was surprised by the attitude of Braavosi whores. He was briefly reminded of Chataya's whores who enjoyed more freedom than Baelish's whores. One of the men, a Westerosi, became angered with the blonde girl for leaving her post, he made his way towards him and Arya indicated that Tyrion should hide under a table and he complied, Cersei still wished for his head.

"I payed for an hour! Get back here and do your work he growled. Arya stood in between him and Lanna and met his eyes.

"I'm paying triple", she said handing a purse over to Merry, "get your dick wet somewhere else."

The man almost turned purple in his face and lunged forward. Arya dodged grabbed his arm and flung him over the table. She launched herself with a growl at him and kicked him in the crotch. The rest of the patrons laughed as Arya dodged around the drunk with a wild grin on her face until she finally drew a knife and told him that if he did not leave they would never find his body. The Westerosi man stumbled out the door muttering threats and Arya kept her eyes on him.

"Sorry, about that Lanna, I'll pay for your time."

"Don't be Cat, he smelled."Lanna said with a broad smile. Tyrion wondered if this was his gift. She was beautiful but a little young.

"Is your mother here, I've brought her a husband." Arya said indicating towards Tyrion.

"Husband?" He asked with confusion.

"She's upstairs. Were you the one who reserved her tonight?" She said looking at Tyrion with a bright smile. There wasn't scorn or disgust, just a good natured smile.

Before Tyrion could answer Arya grabbed his hand and took him upstairs. They reached a room with lush red and gold curtains over the doorway.

"Sometimes the answers we get aren't always the ones we want. You protected my sister, and this is my gift, the only way I know how to thank you." Arya drew the curtains and let him in.

On the bed was a woman with dark black hair and blue grey eyes and delicate features. She looked up and smiled at Arya. "Cat, did you bring oysters?"

"Just your lord husband, Tyrion."

She stilled and looked at him. He knew those eyes. He loved those eyes a long time ago when he finally felt loved for the first time in his miserable life.

"Tysha?" he whispered. She seemed to drift out of whatever spell that held her and looked away from him.

And why wouldn't she? Last she saw him he had taken part in his father's cruel joke. He had hurt the only person who had truly loved him, not his name or his wealth, but him. He approached her and she refused to even look at him until he knelt down.

"I'm sorry," he said as he looked down at his stunted feet and ignored the impending cramp in his leg. "I should not have believed them. I didn't believe father when he told me you were a whore, but when Jaime fed me that lie I believed him like an idiot. He was my brother and I loved him, but I should have known. I should have fought for you. I should have killed everyman there and then myself for doing that to you." The room was silent save for their breaths and Tyrion continued. "Jaime told me the truth before I left Kings Landing. I went to my father to ask where you had gone, I wanted to find you. He called you a whore and I killed him. That doesn't mitigate your pain or my guilt, but you should know."

He didn't know what else to say when his leg finally cramped and he collapsed from the pain. She knelt down by his side and he noticed the tears in her eyes. She helped him rub his legs and then silently sat him down on the bed.

"I don't blame you." She said quietly. "Of course you would believe your brother. I was angry for a long time, and that night still haunts me. Your father told me that if I spoke the truth he would kill me, and you. I would not have cared for myself but I had two people to protect that night." Tyrion stilled, the blonde girl.

"She is mine?" He said in wonder. How could anything so beautiful come from him?

Tysha nodded, "I found out a bit beforehand. She is beautiful is she not?"

Tyrion smiled with a pride that he did not recognize. "Very, and kind. She did not look at me with disgust as other's have."

"She's also smart," Tysha said with obvious pride. "Merry and a few of the other girls taught her to read. She picked it up faster than me. And she knows how to speak in five different tongues." She seemed happy speaking their daughter's accomplishments until she stopped and looked down.

"Are you disappointed that your daughter is a whore?"

Tyrion vehemently shook his head. "I'd be lying if I said that the idea of my daughter being a whore delighted me, but she is obviously a good girl and you have done your best." He reached out for her hand and was delighted when she didn't recoil from his touch. "I am just disappointed that I wasn't there to protect the two of you and to watch her grow."

Tysha smiled, "You would have loved her,"

"I already do.", Tyrion said without even the barest hint of doubt. "Does she know?"

"All she knows is that her father is a lord but her grandfather disapproved and would have had her killed. She is headstrong and brave, she wanted to know your name for the longest time and still asks. I knew if I told her she would run off and look for you, your father would have killed her." There was fear in her voice

"He's dead, he can't hurt us." Tysha finally looked at him and brought her hand to his cheek. She frowned. "What happened to your adorable nose?"

Tyrion rubbed his stub of a nose and was suddenly self conscious. "Battle scar. I got this on the battle of the Blackwater, a member of the Kingsgaurd attacked me at Joffrey's, or my cunt of a sister's, behest."

"You were in battle?" She said in wonder and for a moment Tyrion was reminded of their time in that cottage.

"Joffrey ran away and someone had to rally the men against Stannis."he said with pride. Tyrion suddenly felt like a young man regaling a maiden with tales of his bravery.

Tysha stroked his his stub and smiled sadly. "I loved your nose, but this is a good scar. You were protecting people"

"Come home with me", he said suddenly. "Daenerys and her forces are returning to Westeros and she's agreed to make me Warden of the West.

Tysha frowned "This is my home. What place does a whore have in Casterly rock?"

"You are my wife and the mother of my child, the only woman who has ever loved me and worth two of most of the noble ladies I have ever met. You will be Lady of the Rock."He said with determination.

"And how would you feel once they started to talk about what I did for a living, what your daughter did for a living? What if some Westerosi lord already had me or Lanna? What about the guards from that night? How will you manage with the laughs and the sneers?" He could see the tears in her eyes threatening to spill. "I can not make this decision for her, she must decide on her own."

"I have always suffered laughs and sneers. I am not ashamed of you or our child. The Queen is kind and does not look down on practitioners of your profession, neither do I or many other members of her court. If Kings Landing is not to your pleasure we never need to leave Casterly Rock. If we meet any of the men from that night I'll kill them. I will protect you, you are my wife." Tyrion kissed her cheek and she turned and kissed his lips.

They collapsed on the bed and gently explored eachother's bodies and mouths. There were tears, laughs and declarations of love, Tyrion spent himself and hoped for another child. He would have happily dozed off but there was something that he had to do.

Tysha wore a robe and brought their daughter to the room. Tyrion knew that a girl who had wondered about her father for years would have romanticized him. He knew he would disappoint her, if only he looked like Jaime. He stood there, very much aware of his stunted form and of the disappointment he would cause her. She walked in, tall and beautiful with a look of curiosity.

"Lanna, this is your father. Tyrion Lannister." Tysha said gently as she sat beside him.

Lanna looked at him and tilted her head to side, she observed him quietly and Tyrion resisted the urge to fidget.

"I know I'm not everything that you've dreamed of." He said simply. "Until an hour ago I did not know of your existence, but I promise that as long as I have breath in my chest I will love and protect you and your mother if you'll have me."

Lanna approached him and touched his face with all the gentleness of her mother. She smiled. "How did you get that scar?"

Tyrion smiled and told her the story, he told her about being captured by Catelyn Stark, about both his trails by combat, how he slapped Joffrey and how he met her mother. Tysha, they had agreed to not tell her about his father's punishment, only that he did not approve and that he would have killed them. They talked until the sun rose and Arya came back for him.

For the four nights they spent in Braavos Arya helped sneak him out of the Sealords manor and into Happy Port where he reacquainted himself with his wife and got to know his daughter. They had agreed that if they decided to leave with him they would be at the docks before his ship left, if not he promised to return after helping Daenerys to her throne. He would juggle for a living if it meant keeping his family.

The day finally came that Tyrion boarded the ship to leave, he looked desperately at the dock. His wife was nowhere to be seen, until Lya placed her hand on his shoulder and pointed them out. They were rushing towards the ship and Tyrion could feel his cheeks hurt from how hard he was smiling. He rushed to greet them and turned towards the crew to introduce his wife and daughter with all the pride and joy in the world.