Author's Notes: That last chapter was super short and posted forever ago, so here's a long one.

Disclaimer: GRRM owns all of these characters and also my soul. Sucks to be me.

In the Lion's Den
part x

The days and weeks flew by for Catelyn after the wedding. It turned out that she and Tywin did not have to spend a lot of time together. Tywin became busy with his duties as Hand of the King and left Catelyn to her own devices for the most part. For the first three weeks, she always had a guard on her. The only time she didn't have a guard with her was when she bathed or did other business. It was tiring always having someone behind her. She knew that there would be a guard at her door the moment she opened it. Despite the fact that she was married to Tywin Lannister, she spent more time with a young gold cloak named Ser Broderick Vaughn than her actual lord husband.

She liked Ser Vaughn though. He was only one and twenty and looked like he had the North in him. When she'd asked him where he was from, the boy had stumbled over his words and clumsily told her that he was from a small village in the Rills. Over the weeks, she'd managed to learn a few things about Broderick, making him feel more like an actual trusted guard than her captor. He'd had a little sister named Flora. His mother had worked for Lady Dustin in Barrowtown, but had died when he was nine; after that, his father, who was a carpenter, had packed up and they'd traveled to King's Landing. Broderick had apprenticed under him but had become a gold cloak after the Battle of Blackwater Bay. Both his father and sister had been killed during two separate riots before Blackwater; and Broderick had decided to let go of the failing business to join the depleted gold cloaks. He wasn't an excellent swordsman, but he did well enough, better than most of the new recruits at least, according to him. He liked being a gold cloak, but he didn't like many of his fellow knights. "Not a lot of honor in that lot," he'd explained, though he didn't have to explain it to her. The gold cloaks had betrayed Ned, which had led to his capture and death.

Catelyn could see why Tywin had chosen Ser Vaughn to be Catelyn's main guard. The boy was polite to a fault, much kinder than what most people would expect from the gold cloaks, which had become known as being ruthless. He was easygoing and would make plenty of quips and jokes. Despite being lowborn, he knew how to deal with and talk to people better than most highborns. She assumed it had to do with his mother having served for Lady Dustin. He even looked a bit like Robb. He had curly light brown hair that peeked out from underneath his helmet and bright blue eyes. He was more like the Robb that had lived in Winterfell though, before he'd taken on a crown. Though he'd lost both his parents and had no family to speak of, he remained positive and resolute.

She admired him for that. Only once had she asked him how he managed this, and he'd just shrugged. "I don't know, m'lady," he'd told her. "I just figured it'd be a waste to always be sad. Being sad and moping about all the time wasn't gonna bring my da and mother back. Sure, I was sad at first, but you've only got so much sadness in you before you're out."

How he could look at things so simply – so easily – was beyond her. Of course he knew what she had lost. Everyone knew that she had lost her husband, her children, and her father. But being around Broderick was nice. Very few people were capable of understanding what she'd gone through. She could not help but appreciate, however grudgingly at first, that Tywin had managed to find a gold cloak that was not only sympathetic and kind but also could understand her plight as well. She had almost thanked Tywin, but had stopped herself short; still, he seemed to know that she was happy with his choice. She had four other gold cloaks that guarded her throughout the week, but Broderick was definitely the main one, despite being the youngest, least skilled, and lowest born.

Today, the morning shone brightly and the birds chirped outside of the window. Tywin almost always rose before she did. Some mornings, she rose before him so she could steal a moment in the sept as the sun rose. She had tried to become acquainted with all the gods again, though it was slow going. Broderick would follow her faithfully and while the other guards that went with her on his days off would leave her be, Broderick almost always lit a candle as well when he was there. He always lit a candle to the Mother; he'd been so red-faced when he'd explained that he lit a candle for the Mother in hopes that she would protect his little sister in the afterlife now that he had failed.

This was one of those mornings that Tywin had raised before her. She'd watched him slip out of bed and into his clothes. There was an early small council meeting today. News from the Riverlands had come in. Jaime Lannister was dealing with the Seige of Riverrun. Despite Edmure being captured and now Catelyn married to Tywin, her Uncle Brynden was still being difficult and causing problems. Catelyn could not help but smile at that (the Blackfish would never change), but it worried her nonetheless. Brynden Tully had apparently been outraged that his niece had been forced to marry a Lannister, but things were starting to finally thaw. Catelyn had offered to write to her uncle, in hopes that no one would be hurt, but Tywin had been so aggravated that he'd dismissed the idea immediately.

Catelyn did her hair simply and dressed for a cool morning. Winter was coming for true and the fall chills were finally starting to set into King's Landing. She'd heard a few of the younger people complain, but she could not help but roll her eyes. It had almost always been cold in Winterfell, even during the lovely summers. She'd had a winter in Winterfell as well. No other winter so far could compare to that one.

It was the third day of the week, which meant that it was Broderick's day shift. The guards always kept the same schedule. Catelyn was somewhat excited to tell Broderick that she wanted to go for the walk outside of the Red Keep in the city, but when she opened the door, she saw that the halls were completely empty. There was not a gold cloak to speak of outside of her room. For the first time in two months, she was completely alone. At first, Catelyn didn't know what to do with herself. Though she'd rather hated always being followed and knowing there was someone outside of her door if Tywin or a handmaiden was not with her, she had come to expect someone to be there. Now that there wasn't, she felt a strange sort of emptiness and confusion.

Besides, Broderick was a lot more interesting to talk to than the ladies of the court. Catelyn had no intentions of speaking with Cersei Lannister or Maergery Tyrell for at least another month, instead choosing to leave them in the cold. Tywin had understood that well enough. She still felt like clawing Cersei's eyes out and she felt somewhat embarrassed to be seen by Maergery. So much had changed since the last time Catelyn had seen Maergery Tyrell at Storm's End.

Glancing around the hallway, Catelyn realized that no one was coming to guard her, so she stepped out of the room completely and shut the door. Instead of leaving the castle though, she started to wander around it again. She'd been in this castle before, when she'd been a young girl and her father had been Lord of Riverrun, but it looked very different. Back then, the Targaryens had reigned as kings in these halls. The colors had changed to yellow and black, but there was more red and gold than anything else. The Lannister mark had been made. Tywin had been…kind enough to make sure that she only had one red and gold gown. She had not worn it yet, though she knew that she would have to eventually.

Somehow or another, Catelyn found herself nearing the Great Hall where she heard voices. Her curiosity got the best of her, and she slipped inside, only to find it filled with people. She carefully made her way through the crowd so that she could see.

"…my only daughter, m'lord Hand, and she's homely, but she's a maid, you see," an old man was saying as he twisted a worn down cap in his hand. "She's a girl of four and ten, and he thought it was his right, m'lord Hand, he thought it was his right to take her maidenhead since he's a highborn. He tried to take her while she was tending to our sheep. If she's ruined, no good man is like to want her. But if there was some sort of punishment, m'lord Hand, he might not try again…?"

Women were sniffling behind napkins and whispers of "oh how dreadful, the poor girl" danced in the air. Catelyn fought to roll her eyes at the sight. None of these women had experienced the fear of nearly being raped. They had been pampered all their lives from birth to adulthood. The only time they'd had to fear such things had been when Stannis Baratheon had tried to take the city, but it was as if all these women had forgotten it. Had they understood the girl's and father's plight, then they would've been as silently outraged as Catelyn. When she turned her attention to the Iron Throne, she did not see the boy king Tommen or his maiden wife. Instead, Tywin sat on the throne with his daughter and Lord Mace Tyrell on his left and Maester Pycelle and Lord Varys on his right.

"And you know for certain it was him that attempted to rape your daughter?" Tywin asked.

"Yes, m'lord Hand. My son and I chased him all the way back to the castle. His father told us that he'd have us killed if we didn't leave his land, which we did quick as can be."

Tywin nodded his head. "They will be fined for twenty gold dragons, which shall be given to you as a dowry for when your daughter marries." Catelyn imagined that twenty gold dragons was nothing for Tywin Lannister, but for the poor old man in front of him, that was enough to keep him afloat for the rest of the year. "If the boy should try again though, it'll be his cock that is taken and not just money. I want peace in the Riverlands. If we are to survive this winter, no one is to act like a common bandit or outlaw."

"Thank you, m'lord Hand, thank you," the old man said, bowing erratically, before slipping back into the ground. People actually began to clap at Tywin's ruling. Catelyn thought it strange, but did and said nothing. The people were clearly happy and relieved that peace had begun to fall on the Seven Kingdoms. She had not been able to see it before, but she could see it now. The guards talked loudly, and she heard bits of news here and there about how outlaws were being hunted down and punished harshly for their pillaging. Just a year ago, it had been Tywin Lannister's men doing the pillaging and raping; and though she wanted to deny it, she knew that it had been a problem in Robb's men as well. Robb had punished rapists in the ranks coldly, but he could not catch everyone.

The session came to an end. People began to dissipate from the room and the members of the small council stood to take their leave as well. Catelyn looked around, trying to find the door through the people that brushed passed her. She was about to start walking when she felt a hand on her wrist stopping her. When she turned around, she saw that it was Tywin holding onto her. "My lord," she said, curtsying slightly and fighting the urge to turn pink at having been caught. She'd wanted to slip out before Tywin saw her.

"My lady," Tywin responded. "I did not expect to see you at court today." He sounded genuinely surprised, if only a little, though he didn't look it. "This is your first time here, is it not?" She nodded her head, spotting Cersei Lannister watching the two of them from afar. She had a disgruntled look on her face, but the moment she realized that Catelyn had caught her staring, Cersei swept out of the room. Catelyn looked back to her husband. "It was a…pleasant surprise to see you walk in."

Things had become…lukewarm between them. She could not say that she cared for him or even liked him – she was sure that she never would – but the cold animosity that had hung between them for the past two months had started to thaw. The pleasantries were less mechanical, their conversations longer and filled with more vibrancy, and their intimacies less awkward. She still found it humiliating and awkward when she did her duties in bed, but he was not mean to her. She did not wake up to lilies like she had with Ned during the first few months they were truly getting to know one another, but she found that she did not terribly loathe his company. He was smart and witty when he wanted to be. He did not joke around a lot, not like his sons, but he was not always so serious like Ned had been.

Slowly but surely, the two of them were opening up to one another. Catelyn had tried to hold back, but she had come to the realization that it was quite pointless. She was married to the man, and that was not like to change. She would never love him – would never forgive him – but perhaps she could grow to become comfortable around him, as much as possible. She had started to accept things, even in her undying anger towards the situation. He had been right, after all. She could have been married off to someone much worse. Tywin Lannister may have ordered cruel and terrible things – he may control cruel and terrible men – but he was not a monster. He was not gentle or sweet to her, but he was not unkind or ever cruel either. The world was run by cold and ruthless men like Tywin Lannister; and whether people knew it or not, Catelyn knew that the world needed men like him.

There is no room for honor and mercy in politics. And Tywin Lannister was brilliant at politics.

"I was going to walk around the city, but Ser Vaughn was not at his post." Catelyn was actually worried about the boy. In the two months that she had known him, he had never once been late for guard duty. The boy was more prompt than all her children had been together, even more than Sansa.

"I decided to…cut your guard detail," Tywin told her. She arched an eyebrow at him. He held out an arm to her, which she took, and the two of them walked out of the hall together. "Ser Vaughn told me that he didn't think you were likely to run or cause harm to yourself."

Catelyn felt taken aback and froze in her tracks. "He told you that?" She paused, thinking of all the times that she had spoken to the young man. He always seemed so earnest – and so willing to listen to her as well. She'd told him things that she hadn't told anyone else in King's Landing. Her eyes snapped back to Tywin. "You had him spy on me?" She felt a wave of betrayal wash over her and then immediately felt stupid for it. How she could have trusted anyone in this city or castle, she had no idea, but in a fit of weakness, she'd let one boy trick her into becoming comfortable with him.

"Yes and no," Tywin answered. The hurt feelings did not leave her. She pulled her arm from him and stepped back, leaning against the sill. "I did use him to spy on you. I knew you would not speak to me directly. Jaime found Ser Vaughn and spoke with him at length. The boy was so excited to speak with my son that he couldn't help but talk. Once Jaime told me about the young man, I knew you would be more likely to open up to him, and so I picked him to be your main personal guard."

She felt so stupid. To think she had actually thought that Tywin had picked someone that would make her feel more comfortable and at ease – to think he had picked someone for her – when he had really picked someone that would suit his own personal needs. And even worse, she fell for it as well after she'd told herself that she wouldn't allow herself to be deceived by anyone.

"You feel hurt and betrayed, I'm sure, but do not blame the boy," Tywin told her.

"I don't care." Catelyn pushed away from the wall, but Tywin stood in front of her, stopping her short. "I just want to return to my quarters."

"Listen to me." Tywin did not move. She sighed and leaned back against the sill. "I know you liked the boy. A good-natured, earnest young man like that – it's hard not to, especially when he bears resemblance to your oldest son." Tywin had even caught on that. Catelyn felt defeated all over again. "In his defense, I doubt he even knew that I was using him to spy on you. I have all four gold cloaks report to me after guard duty. I asked all of them questions about what they did, when in reality, I was asking what you were doing. Ser Vaughn was the only one you talked to, so of course I was able to gleam more information about you from him."

Though she felt even more stupid to feel it, Catelyn could not help but feel a bit relieved to know that Broderick had not been actively spying on her. Of course he was so earnest that he wouldn't even realize that he was being used as a spy. He wasn't the most intelligent person, but he was the nicest person she'd met in King's Landing so far. She truly hadn't wanted to think that he too was like everyone else in this gods forsaken city. Still, it made her feel wary to know that she could not even trust people that were honestly trustworthy. Everyone was a spy, even people that didn't know it. If it wasn't Lord Varys' little birds, then there was Cersei Lannister's spies and now Tywin Lannister's as well. Sometimes, it felt like Catelyn was the only one that didn't have spies in this city.

"It was his idea that your detail be lessened actually," Tywin added.

"Really now?"

A strange, little smile appeared on Tywin's face. "Apparently the other gold cloaks were complaining about how guarding you was an insult to their skill and a waste of their time, so I had them sent to clean all of the latrines of the Red Keep."

That was more like the young man she had come to know. He was always defensive of anyone that seemed to need it. One time, while walking through the Keep, a gold cloak had made a crude comment about her when they'd been walking past and Broderick had knocked him right on the nose with the butt of his sword and told him to "never be rude to Lady Stark again." He hadn't even realized that he'd slipped up with her name, but she'd been secretly happy that he had. Apparently, Jaime Lannister had told him that Tywin would not want anyone insulting his lady wife and to defend her honor as best as he could. When she'd confronted Jaime about it, he'd just laughed and said that the gold cloak's nose had swollen up like a melon.

"From now on, you'll have free reign to roam the Red Keep," Tywin told her. He took her hands in his, causing her to look down. Her hands were small in his gloved ones. "I trust you with that. When you leave the Red Keep, you will be guarded by either Ser Vaughn or Jaime. Is that clear?"

Catelyn glanced up at her husband. "Of course."

"Good. Now I must leave to attend to some other matters, but I will see you later tonight when I am through for the day." In a strange moment of tenderness, Tywin kissed the top of her hand. Every now and then, moments like this one occurred, and Catelyn didn't know what to make of them. She didn't know whether to feel confused, afraid, irritated, or pleased. "I have been working late into the night, so I thought we might have dinner together."

Catelyn didn't know what to say. She knew that she should say that she would very much like that or that she was looking forward to it, but she could not say those things. Courtesies were just another form of lying, so it wasn't that she was a bad liar. She was just growing tired of it. But even stranger, she found herself feeling slightly…content with the idea of not eating dinner alone. "That would be…nice, my lord."

"I thought so." And then Tywin left her standing in the hallway, feeling more confused and frustrated than ever before.