Tyrion looked down at the letter in his hand and sighed. It had arrived by raven earlier that morning. He'd read it at least a dozen times since then. He wasn't exactly sure what he was expecting. That somehow the words would change? That he would magically find a solution that didn't include him having to face the thing he was most anxious to forget? The content of the letter was simple enough. The lords of the Westerlands wanted a steward to be chosen for Casterly Rock. While his families gold mines had gone dry, their holdings were still the greatest in Westeros and with Tyrion in Kings Landing it was important to have a vassal in place to run the day to day business. The lords had several names to put forth but in the end it came down to the Lord of Casterly Rock to make the appointment. The Lord of Casterly Rock, Tyrion knew his father must be turning over in his grave at the thought of Tyrion being addressed as such. There were few things in life that Tywin Lannister had been passionate about, but the idea that Tyrion would never inherit the family seat was one of them. Jokes on you father, Tyrion thought.

In truth, Tyrion had no interest in returning to the Rock. He hadn't been there in years, and in that time he had murdered his own Lord father, which he was sure had not won him any extra favor with his subjects. He couldn't even imagine going there as Lord, but in the end he knew it was inevitable. Better to get it out of the way now and get things set up the way he liked so he could put a good long span of time between this visit, and the next. He put the letter down on his desk and hopped down from his chair. He could tell by the angle of the sun that it was creeping towards noon, and he had somewhere to be. He walked across the room and out into the hallway. He had only walked down two corridors before he bumped into Davos.

"Davos my old friend! You're back!" He said cheerfully. Davos had taken a trip to inspect the newly made ships for the armada and on his way back, stopped to spend some time at home with his wife.

"Only just." The older man said, "It seems I've returned just in time for quite a spectacle."

'I see you've been filled in on today's events." Said Tyrion as they continued walking.

"Gendry explained." Said Davos, "he said it was her idea from the start. Is that true?"

"It is." Tyrion confirmed.

"That girl..." Davos said, shaking his head, "she's got more brazenness in her than most men I know. It's a wonder she hasn't gotten in worse trouble." The way Davos spoke of Tess was always so familial, as if she was his wild an impulsive daughter.

"Bronn seems to think this whole thing may spawn from desire the two of them are hesitant to admit to." Tyrion said.

"Don't know about that. But I can't say it's the most far fetched idea I've heard." Davos answered.

They had reached the giant front entry doors to the Red Keep. Brienne, Podrick, Gendry, and Bronn were already there.

"About time!" Said Brienne, "We were about to leave without you."

"Calm down it's not as if they'd start fighting without us. The spectacle is half the fun." He said to her, "I'm somewhat surprised to see you joining in." He added towards Bronn.

"I don't see why." Bronn answered, "I love a good fight as much as the next man. I especially like watching women fight. Admittedly I'd prefer watching her fight another woman, but if I get the chance to see Clegane get his ass handed to him by a woman."

"Again." Brienne interjected with a smile.

"Again," Bronn repeated, "then that's all the better."

They made their way out the gate, but instead of turning left as they usually did to head to Tess's in, they turned right making their way towards Rhaenys' Hill and the husk that was the remains of the dragon pit. As they walked into the arena Tyrion's eyes found Tess. She was wearing the armor that was consistent with what he'd seen on Dornish warriors. A full breast plate of woven leather, thick enough to protect from a sword, but light enough to not inhibit her movement, and she was certainly moving now. It was uncanny to Tyrion how much she reminded him of Oberyn Martell, when Tyrion had watched him battle the Mountain. She had a spear very similar to the one he had fought with, a long wooden handle ending in a deadly jagged tip. As he watched Tess spun it in circles through the air with deadly precision bringing it behind her back, to each of her sides and over her head so quickly it was a blur. She spun and flipped, moving so fluidly at times it seemed as if she were almost floating. Tyrion admitted to himself there had been times in the past when he'd wondered if she was overplaying her skill level, but seeing her now he knew he'd been wrong. She was just as deadly as she claimed to be.

Tess saw them enter and stopped. She jogged over to them lightly and smiled.

"Hello friends!" She said brightly, she may be dressed as a warrior but underneath it all she was still Tess.

"Where's your opponent?" Bronn asked, "Decide he wasn't man enough to fight you after all?"

"Some of us have responsibilities that can't wait." Answered Sandor, who'd walked in behind them without them realizing, "We can't sit in castles counting coins all day." He added.

He walked past them and up to Tess.

"Well aren't you a fearsome creature." He said.

'There's still time to back out if you're scared." She responded with a sly smile. Sandor unsheathed his sword.

'Let's do it then." He growled in response.

The rest of the group went and took seats in the grouping of chairs that were on the dais a few feet away. Tess and Sandor moved onto the sandy ground of the pit a few yards in front of them, and faced each other.

"Melee rules apply." Tess said, spinning her spear back and forth at her side, "No quarter is given, we fight until an opponent yields. Agreed?"

"Agreed." Said Clegane.

Tess danced backward away from him and the fight began. They circled each other slowly each one eyeing the other. Sandor moved first, lunging towards her and bringing his sword down in an arch that she easily side stepped.

"Too obvious Sand." She said playfully, darting to the right and aiming a spear thrust at his unprotected left side. She hadn't been posturing, she was fast, but Sandor was fast too. He got his sword around just in time to parry her thrust send her spear back at her, but she quickly spun it, redirecting it's momentum towards him. They were circling again. Sandor charged, he slashed left and right while Tess bobbed and weaved to avoid the blows. He adjusted bringing the blade low to sweep her legs, but she executed a stunning flip over it and landed crouched like a cat grinning up at him.

'Told you that you couldn't catch me." She said with a sly smile before spinning away and catching him slightly off balance with a jab to the ribs as he turned to follow her.

"Is it just me...or does this whole thing seem a little..." Podrick fumbled for the right words, his ears turning pink.

"It's not just you." Said Gendry smirking, "I think we're all wondering a bit."

"I mean..." Brienne said quietly, "that is the nature of fighting isn't it. It's a passionate experience. There are few things quite as freeing as a good rough fight. When it's between a man and a woman...well...speaking from my own experience, it can get...primal."

"Are we speaking of your experience with him?" Said Bronn curiously, leaning to look at Brienne and then back out to where the fight was happening. Brienne's face turned a brilliant shade of red.

"It was different when we fought obviously." She said, "we were genuinely trying to kill one another, not playing. But yes...there was, an energy." The men sitting next to her all smirked.

"Oh shut up!" She grumbled.

Sandor was pressing his advantage now. Using his superior strength and size to push Tess back. He brought down blow after blow that she deflected, but she was losing ground. She stumbled and he took the opportunity. He knocked the spear from her hand with his sword and with his other hand he grabbed her by the throat. Brienne jerked up instinctively wanting to go to her friends rescue.

'Oh sit down." Bronn said lazily, " there's no way in hell he'd hurt her, and you know it."

Sandor tilted Tess's head back still holding her by the throat and brought his face down so it was inches from hers.

"Yield." He growled. Tess looked back at him, unafraid, and a deadly smile spread across her face.

"No." She whispered so softly they barely heard it.

Quicker than Tyrion would have believed possible she grabbed the arm that was holding her, and using it for leverage she jumped, aiming a kick directly in the center of Sandor's chest. They all heard the whoosh of the air leaving his lungs as he fell hard on his back. She kicked his sword hand sending his sword flying across the arena, and then she pounced, straddling him with her knees pinning his arms to the ground she slipped a small knife from her left boot and pressed it hard to the artery pulsing under his jaw.

"You yield." She purred. They were both breathing heavily and staring each other down intensely. Tyrion was definitely staring to feel as if they were intruding on an intimate moment.

"I yeild." He agreed, and she stood up offering him a hand. He took it and stood, they were still looking at each other like no one else existed.

"Well done Tess!" Brienne cheered, and they all began to clap. Tess and Sandor jumped slightly as if they'd just realized the others were there. Tess looked over to them smiling, and gave it a small bow.

A few hours later Tyrion was walking back through the streets with Bronn. After the fight was over he'd taken advantage of his time out of the castle to further distract himself, and they had visited several new ale houses Bronn had been pestering him to visit. He felt slightly hazy as he made his way up the street, it had been awhile since he'd been this drunk.

"So can you finally admit that I've been right with what I've been saying all along?" Bronn asked, he was momentarily distracted winking at a dark haired woman who was smiling at him from an open doorway.

"About what?" Said Tyrion, trying to ignore the way women's eyes followed Bronn. Women never looked at him like that. Stupid handsome bastard.

"Don't give me that shit. You know what. You were watching the same fight as me. Those two were eye fucking each other the entire time, and don't you dare tell me you didn't see it." Said Bronn obstinately.

"I saw." Tyrion admitted, "but passion in the heat of battle doesn't necessarily mean the actually want to fuck each other. Brienne as much as admitted she felt the same way fighting him, and I don't see the two of them jumping in to bed together anytime soon."

"There's a fucking picture." Said Bronn, "can you imagine the monsters their children would be?"

They had reached the gates of Tess's inn once again. Their friends were already inside drinking and eating. Tess was no where to be seen, but that wasn't unexpected, the place was packed. They walked across the courtyard and joined the group at the table.

"There you are." Said Davos, "Tess was starting to worry we were going to have to go pull the two of you out of whatever ditch you passed out it."

"Never fear. We have returned only slightly the worse for wear." Said Tyrion, "So what are we discussing."

"The current topic of discussion is whether our Lord Commander here, is in danger of losing his reputation as a warrior renown seeing as he's been bested by not one, but two women." Said Gendry.

"Honestly if he's been defeated by plenty of men over the years. Why should it matter that two of the opponents who were better than him happen to be women?" Said Brienne reproachfully.

"I'm not concerned with it." Said Sandor, he seemed more relaxed than usual, Tyrion was willing to bet he'd had quite a bit of wine himself, but there was something else, his usual gruff demeanor seemed softened somehow, "If I had to lose to a woman, I'm glad to know it was to two of the fiercest bitches I know." He raised his glass in toast and there was a round of "hear hear" from the table as they joined him in drinking.

Tess came hurrying out of the inn, a whirlwind of energy as always. She'd changed back into her regular clothes and was carrying another pitcher of wine.

"Ok, I have five minutes!" She said breathlessly, plopping herself next to Sandor on the bench and offering the pitcher of wine around the table, "catch me up, what did I miss?"

"Sandor said he didn't mind losing to you because you're such a bad ass." Said Tyrion with a smirk.

"Of course he did. He's not an idiot." She replied, and she nudged his shoulder with hers making him smile dryly.

They were sitting very close. Had they always sat that close to each other? Their shoulders were pressed together and it looked like she was almost leaning in to him. They weren't even looking at each other but it seemed like something was passing between them silently all the same. Tyrion shook his head slightly and looked away. Bronn had gotten into his head, and besides he had other matters he needed to discuss with his friends, no matter how much he wished he didn't have to.

"Since we are all here currently and it looks as if Tess's time is limited tonight it seems as good a time as any to let you all know, I'm going to be going away for a few weeks." He said.

"Where are you going?" Asked Tess.

"Much to my displeasure I have been summoned to Casterly Rock on Lannister business. As Lord of the Rock there are certain things that I have to be present to make happen. I've asked Bronn to accompany me, seeing as we are going through the Reach, which he is Lord of, and also because if I don't have someone to lighten my mood I may very well pitch myself off the top of the Rock within a week." Tyrion said, taking another long drink of his wine.

"It can't be as bad as all that..." Gendry said.

"Oh it can. I assure you." Said, Tyrion.

"Tyrion..."Tess was looking at him with a peculiar expression, "I was wondering...could I possibly come as well?" Tyrion stared at her blankly.

"You...want to come with me? To Casterly Rock?" He asked.

"Well...yes. If it's not too much trouble. I haven't been much of anywhere except this inn, and the streets of this city in almost a year. I'm itching to see something new. I've never seen Casterly Rock, or Lannisport. It's the ideal time really, Elle has been wanting to take on more responsibilities here. It would be the perfect chance for her to try her hand at running the place. What do you say?" Tess looked at him expectantly.

"I mean... of course I'd love to have you Tess." He said, "but I warn you it may not be the most exciting trip. I'll be meeting with Lords and sitting in meetings the majority of the time."

'Oh that's fine." She said quickly, "I'm sure there plenty of ways for me to spend my time in Lannisport and the surrounding area."

What was that? At her words, a look had passed between her and Sandor that was significant. Tyrion had no idea what it meant, but he knew he definitely wasn't imagining it this time. Something was going on here, he couldn't shake the feeling that Tess had ulterior motives for joining him, though he hadn't the slightest what they could be.

"Tess!" Elle called from the doorway.

"Shit! Gotta go!" She said, jumping up from the table and hurrying back behind the bar.

The conversation at the table meandered from one topic to another. Tyrion added a comment here and there but for the most part simply tuned them out and drank. He wasn't sure why the idea of returning to the Rock bothered him this much. He supposed it was because he knew it would mean facing things he'd been burying for a long time. He knew there would be no escaping his memories there. Memories of Jamie, Cersei, and his father. How was he supposed to walk into the room his father had slept his whole life and lay his head on the pillow of a man he murdered? It seemed indecent. He grabbed the pitcher to refill his cup but it was empty. He picked it up and hopped off the bench, making his way to the bar. He scrambled up onto one of the empty bar stools and plunked the pitcher down hard.

"Wench I require more wine!" He said loudly. Tess spun on her heel and gave him a reproachful smile.

"As you command my Lord." She said, giving a mocking curtsy and grabbing the pitcher from him.

She refilled it and brought it back. As he made to take it she pulled it back out of his reach and fixed him with an her most appraising look. Tyrion loved and hated when she looked at him like that. It was like she could see through all his facades to the heart of him, and as usual she didn't mince words.

"It's not going to be as bad as you think." She said gently. Tyrion snorted in disbelief.

"Oh yes, going back to a place where every stone I see brings back a memory I'd rather not revisit. Should be a jolly romp." He said.

"You want to know what I think?" She asked.

"If I said no, would it actually stop you from telling me?" Tyrion replied smirking at her.

"Absolutely not." She said, and then contain without pausing, "I think this might end up being one of the best trips of your life. You need to let it go Tyrion. You're carrying all this weight around with you. It's time to face it head on, and then just let it fall away. Let it finally be in the past. Don't you like the idea of just putting everything being Tyrion Lannister used to mean behind you? Starting fresh?"

"Starting fresh does sound appealing..."he admitted.

"And either way...I'll be there with you. So you know it can't be too bad." She winked at him and squeezed his hand.

"I've missed this." He said, squeezing her hand back, "We haven't had a good talk like this in awhile. You've been...preoccupied." He thought he saw a little flush in her cheeks.

"I'm never to busy to make time for you darling friend." She said warmly, "you were my first real friend in this city. And I'm very excited to get to see where you come from."

She patted his hand again and handed him the pitcher of wine. He took it back to the table and sat down. Feeling markedly lighter than he had a few minutes ago.

A few hours later they were making their way back to the castle gate. When they reached the spot where Sandor traditionally broke off from the group to go back to the Gold Cloak barracks he stopped and turned to Tyrion.

"Lannister. Can I have a word?" He said.

Tyrion stopped walking and turned to him, curious what he could possibly need to discuss. Sandor watched the others continue through the gate of the Red Keep before he continued.

"I'd like to come with you. To Casterly Rock." He said.

"Alright...but you realize I'm traveling with Bronn? And we'll be staying in rather close quarters on the road. I've gotten the impression the two of you don't get along particularly well."

"I'll deal with it. He's not the first travel companion I've had who's company I don't enjoy." Said Sandor.

"If this is about Tess...I promise you I won't let any harm come to her." Tyrion assured him, "She's very precious to me as well."

"It's not about Tess." He answered, "Let's just say that you aren't the only one with things from your past in the Westerlands that need dealt with, and leave it at that alright?"

"Fair enough." Said Tyrion, "I plan on leaving by weeks end. Can you put things in order with the Gold Cloaks by then?"

"I'll be ready." He said brusquely, and then he turned and disappeared into the darkness.