Lys was incredible. The sight of it made Tyrion forget for a moment that he poisoned and subsequently killed an entire pirate crew. The walls, the palaces, the markets, the brothels, the very atmosphere of the city was something so new and different for the dwarf. And the people! The people were dressed in colorful fabrics and the smell of their perfumes filled the air. Lys wasn't the largest Free City, not by a long shot, but for Tyrion it seemed the largest place he's ever been in.

"Nephew, let's go to an inn. I need to rest for a bit."

Gerion was glad to leave the Lion for a few weeks, as the atmosphere on the ship became tense after the pirate attack. Still, everybody thanked Tyrion for what he has done, even though he felt awful, and still does. After a small walk throughout a splendid park, a group of noblemen approached the Westerosi convoy. One of them spoke in the Common tongue:

"My lords, welcome to Lys, the Lovely Free City."

"Well met, friend. With whom I have the pleasure of speaking?"

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Haekar Ormollen, son of merchant prince Tregar Ormollen. My father cordially invites you and your men to his palace."

"Your father is very kind. We accept his invitation. It's been a long journey."

"Very well."

Haekar signaled a group of slaves who immediately went to carry the luggage from the Laughing Lion. Tyrion was disgusted. These were men, not animals. One of them, a young boy, younger than Tyrion, had his back full of scars, from the whipping the masters applied to him. After a few more moments, they arrived to a splendid palace, larger than any in that neighborhood. Inside the courtyard, a huge fountain in the form of a fish, made entirely from gold, glittered in the sun. And they say the Lannisters shit gold…

Inside the mansion, a small, baldheaded man, probably a bit younger than Emmon Frey, descended from a large staircase. He was dressed in a green cloak with grapes embroideries. With him, a tall, blond woman with skin the color of cream wearing a beautiful golden dress with a broch that resembled a tower and a pearl necklace around her neck approached the guests.

"Welcome to my house, dear guests. I am prince Tregar Ormollen of Lys."

Gerion Lannister shook the man's hand.

"I am Gerion, son of Tytos, of House Lannister of Casterly Rock. With me, my nephew, Tyrion, son of Tywin and my good-brother, Emmon, son of Walder, of House Frey of the Crossing."

"I am thrilled to have Westerosi nobility as guests in my home. Ah, where are my manners. This goddess of beauty is also from one of the sunset kingdoms. Allow me to introduce you Lynesse, of House Hightower!"

Lynesse Hightower was something of a legendary figure in Westeros, known in certain circles as a femme fatale and a devourer of men and wealth. The tenth child of Lord Leyton Hightower, Lynesse married a northern noble, Ser Jorah Mormont, soon after he won the Tourney of Lannisport, held to celebrate the end of the Greyjoy Rebellion. Even though she loved him, after moving to Bear Island, she was unhappy as she had none of the comforts of her former life in the south and thus, she convinced her husband to sell poachers to slavers from the east to gain more money. After Eddard Stark declared Jorah Mormont a traitor, he and Lynesse left Westeros for the Free Cities. After Jorah joined a sellsword company, she left him and became the concubine of Tregar and soon after, she was ruling his entire household. The ambitious and beautiful Westerosi had more importance for Ormollen than even his lawful wife, who lived in fear of her. Tyrion didn't have pleasant memories about the Hightowers as his father once tried to broker a marriage between him and one of Lady Lynesse's sisters, but it didn't work.

"A pleasure, my lords. But I suppose it's good to see you again, as we've met long time ago, in… another life."

She was referring probably to the tourney of Lannisport.

"The pleasure is all mine, milady."

A small banquet started, with food, drink and women. Gerion spoke with Tregar while fondling a slave's tits:

"So tell me, prince Tregar, why this hospitality? We didn't come to Lys to trade."

"It's the right thing to do. When Lynesse told me she saw a ship in the port flying the banners of a noble house from the West, especially one as great as House Lannister, I knew that I need to prepare her a surprise. Not every day she has a chance to speak with people from her homeland. Usually, the only Westerosi coming to my palace are merchants or explorers."

"We actually are explorers too. We intend to sail to Valyria."

Tregar's eyes opened even more. Lynesse was smiling, her full lips looking as appetizing as the rest of her body.

"I'm sorry, my lord, but did you say Valyria?"

Tyrion acknowledged:

"Yes. My uncle said the truth. We want to recover the ancestral sword of House Lannister. It was lost long ago by a King of the Rock."

"Why? House Lannister is a powerful house even without a Valyrian blade. As for you, Lord Tyrion, as your brother can't inherit due to his white cloak, you are the heir of Casterly Rock. Yet you endanger yourself travelling to that cursed ruin."

"Ah, your brother is the one they call the Kingslayer!"

Tyrion wasn't surprised that his brother's fame reached even the Free Cities. Jaime Lannister is a controversial figure in the known world, revered for his martial prowess and talent as a fighter but shunned for killing the king he swore to protect. The irony… Jaime killed hundreds and was glorified for that, yet when he killed only one man, he became the Kingslayer, universally hated by everyone.

"Yes, prince Tregar, but he won't be happy if you call him that."

Lady Lynesse laughed:

"Well, by only a swish of his sword, he ended a dynasty. He should be proud of his moniker. I remember how much pain and suffering the Mad King inflicted on the people of Westeros. You are better off without him."

"If only everyone in the Seven Kingdoms would think as you!"

"If only…"

From what Tyrion could perceive of Lynesse Hightower, he realized the fact that she missed her home, even though her fate in Westeros would be a tad worse than in Essos. In the Seven Kingdoms, women didn't have much of a status. Tyrion could count on his fingers the number of women which held some kind of authority. He could think of the ladies of the North: Lady Barbrey Dustin of Barrowton, Lady Mormont and her daughters, fierce as bears and formidable in battle and of course the Dornish ladies and his own aunt Genna Lannister. But in the other regions, a woman, even though she is of noble birth, she is nothing more than an object to be traded for power and alliances for her father and a mean to bear sons for her husband. Many women have been spurned by their husbands in the history of Westeros for not producing male children. It was sad, but it was the truth. Lady Lynesse wore pretty much the pants in the family she had with Ormollen here in Lys, something that wouldn't happen in Westeros, unless your name was Genna Lannister or you were born in Dorne or you were the daughter of a bear.

"Now, now, don't be sad, my dear. I know you miss your family but here you have everything you need."

And more, Tyrion thought. The dwarf looked around the room and saw his uncle Emmon drinking a cup of wine and not being interested in the slightest in the girls around him. That one, though… He needs something in his life.

Tyrion climbed down his chair and went straight to the Frey:

"What is wrong, Emm?"

"Nothing, nephew. I'm just sad, that's all."

"Why?"

"Just look at this place. I've never had a chance to offer Genna something like this."

"Well, you can't say she didn't have luxury at Casterly Rock. But, you know, happiness isn't just money. Love, kindness, those things matter. And you are offering her those things, and even more."

"Maybe. But…"

"Hey, I'm not going to even pretend that my life experience is as great as yours, because I'm still just a child and you are old but don't despair. Enjoy the party, I certainly do."

Emmon smiled, a sad red smile, full of pain and regret. Deeply enjoyed chewing sourleaf and, because of this, his teeth were red. He once told Tyrion that a traveler from Volantis who peddled his wares at Casterly Rock believed that Emmon was some kind of a blood drinker, much to the Frey's dismay. His life has never been easy and it's hard to get accustomed to another lifestyle, especially at his age. Gerion on the other hand didn't have this problem, as he deeply enjoyed the company of the whores provided by Tregar Ormollen:

"Tell me, love, do you speak the Common tongue?"

"I do, my lord."

"Are you Westerosi?"

"No, my lord, I'm from Tolos."

"Tolos? So you are from the other side of the Valyrian Peninsula. Tell me, love, could you teach me some… tricks you've learned in your birthplace?"

"Umm, I can teach you things I've learned here. Tolosi are more warriors than lovers."

She was right. Tolos was renowned for using a type of infantry armed with slingshots, not swords but instead of using stone pellets, the Tolosi slingers use small lead balls which can inflict severe damage on contact.

"Well, shall we go to… our lesson?"

"After you, my lord."

Gerion left with the Tolosi whore while Tyrion remained downstairs, in the company of the merchant prince. The man viewed the dwarf as more of a curiosity than anything else. In Lys, dwarfs were usually either part of theatre troupes or fools. To see one as highly educated as Tyrion was certainly something interesting. The Imp courteously smiled towards Tregar Ormollen and went to the balcony which gave a beautiful view of Lys, especially in the evening. How many hours did it pass? Certainly a lot of them, as the sun was already starting to set. Lynesse Hightower approached him, having a glass of wine in her hand. Those with the Hightower blood in their veins were tall and proud people, with a regal bearing about them. Lynesse was no different, but there was something about her that made her different from her siblings.

"Lord Tyrion, do you like the view?"

"Absolutely, milady. It's breathtaking."

"Well, I don't really want Lys to take your breath, milord. I want me to take it."

She took out one of her breasts, making Tyrion blush. Not that he never saw a tit in his life, he's seen quite a few of them but the situation in itself was strange. He was invited into a noble's house and now he was supposed to fuck the man's concubine?

"Umm… milady, are you sure you know what you are doing? If your… protector comes here?"

"Maybe he will watch us… maybe he will learn something. In bed, he is… awful. I don't even know how he got that son of his in the first place."

"Lady Lynesse, it's… unbecoming of a lady, even though you look absolutely ravishing but… I am a guest and I can't just violate guest rights."

"Essosi don't give a shit about guest rights. As for my behavior, I believe that fucking a noble, especially a Lannister, it's proper behavior of a lady such as myself. I am tired of stable hands and manwhores."

"Stable hands and manwhores?"

"Yes. I am one of the many concubines of my beloved prince. One would say I am the greatest of them. But does that satisfy me? Does that give me what I truly crave?"

"And what do you truly crave, milady?"

"What do you think, silly boy?"

"A… good, faithful husband?"

"Ha, ha, ha! You are so funny. I had such a husband. And I loved him. I believe I still do. But what about my other needs? The need of my… fiery blood?"

"I didn't know Hightowers had such… fiery blood!"

"Only me, dearie. Only me. See, I was the tenth-born child of my father and initially he wanted to give me to the Faith. How could I become a septa when my body had other urges? When Jorah claimed me as his wife, I was the happiest woman in the world. I had a fierce, Northern husband who once fucked me until I passed out. He loved me with all his being. But he got us exiled from Westeros. He did it for me but now… I am Tregar's woman, with all the boons and the shortcomings that come with it."

"Are there many shortcomings?"

"Well, firstly his cock. Look in the garden, Lord Tyrion. See that black beauty over there?"

Tyrion saw a young man grooming a horse in the garden. He was tall, well built, thus probably extremely strong.

"This one is Dessi, from the Summer Isles. He has the biggest prick I've ever seen and all of it is mine. But, if I leave with him, what life would I get to live? Would I have any of this luxury? See my predicament? I can go for cock and be poor or I can go for money and luxury and live unsatisfied. This way, I found a way to balance both."

"By fucking your lover's slaves while you spend his money?"

"You are a fast learner, my lord. But then, you arrived here. People from Essos believe that a dwarf's cock has magical powers. Oh, what do they know… I don't believe it, I know it. But its magic is more of a carnal, corporeal, debauched kind of magic, the one I want, the one I crave."

Lynesse put her hand inside Tyrion's pants, touching his already hardening cock.

"I see you crave my magic too…"

"Well, if you're putting it this way…"

"Then let's go. Let's make magic together."

"What about the prince?"

"Don't worry. As long as I fuck him once a week, he lets me do what I want."

"Fine…"

Lynesse and Tyrion returned to the hall where Emmon Frey and Tregar Ormollen talked about cyvasse, a new game that was becoming popular in the Free Cities.

"My love, me and Lord Lannister here are leaving for a bit. I want to show him the mansion, if you let me."

"Of course, my dear lady. I am sure you have a lot to show to the young lion here."

"Absolutely. Come, Lord Tyrion."

They went upstairs, into a room with a small fountain in the middle and a large bed.

"Here, that wife of his won't disturb us. Once, she saw me suck Dessi. I am tired of telling her that if she gets in my way, I will kill her son. And it would be a shame to kill such a bright and… potent young man."

"You've…"

"Yes. But I don't like him that much… That one's a biter."

With this, Lynesse proceeded to undress. Her body was perfect, one to die for. She removed Tyrion's pants, revealing what she coveted so much to have. She then proceeded to put her mouth on his cock, giving him sensations that even the most talented whore or King's Landing or Lannisport couldn't give him. Seemed like the years of exile made Lady Hightower perfect her abilities. Gods… Now I understand why that lord sold men into slavery…

After a few minutes, that were the most pleasurably in Tyrion's life, he eventually finished. Lady Lynesse swallowed all, throwing away her nobility only to receive what she needed so much.

"My lady… that was…"

"Up for some more?"

He could only nod.

After an hour, Lady Lynesse and Tyrion descended back.

"Ah, my love. I was starting to get worried."

"Silly Lord Tyrion got lost. So I had to search for him."

Emmon Frey smiled while Gerion, who returned from his own adventure outright laugh:

"Of course he got lost, he is so small!"

"Not that small, Uncle."

Lady Lynesse nodded. She knew that Tyrion wasn't small at all.

"My lords, I am very happy to have you in my house. You can stay here for as long as you want."

Gerion answered:

"We wouldn't want to abuse your hospitality. We will leave in a few days towards Volantis, our final stop on the road to Valyria."

"I see. Well, I am at your disposal, for anything you need!"

"Me too."

Tyrion winked at the Hightower lady.