With Aerys' paranoia growing, Visenya knew it was a matter of time before things turned for the worse. She could not let Tywin be out of the game because the whole kingdom would collapse.

In addition, if Tywin were to retreat then the Capital would lose one of its most powerful allies both in terms of gold but also power. War and a rebellion would come right afterwards and there was only one way to stop it from taking place.

To do so, Visenya had requested a private meeting with the King. To her surprise, he accepted but he did have his remaining 6 King's guards in the room while he kept a safe distance from her. He was sitting on his chair behind the desk, trying to remain posed and calm but his anxiety was visible to her.

"It is not like you to privately ask me about it. What is it that you want to tell me?" he asked, choosing to start first to remind her that he was in control and he was the King.

Visenya, who easily understood, simply chose to play it clueless and be as less aggressive as possible. For her plan to work, she had to keep Aerys believing he was in control while honeycoating all the necessary information to appease his ego.

"I wanted us to discuss about the rift between our House and House Lannister" she started, quickly drawing his full attention. "I am well aware of the rising power of your Lord Hand and I can see that you see him as a future threat, which is a very wise insight"

Her words seemed to make him think one thing and then quickly change it, as she turned the conversation to be about hi. "Of course I do. You think I am some sort of a fool, to let him control me? The King?!"

You are a fool for other things, dear brother, she commented in her mind as she thought of her next words carefully.

"I do not, your grace. You are the King and no one can ever fool you" she said, slowly easing his sudden burst of anger. "However, House Lannister is one of our best allies and we cannot risk losing their support. For that, I have a proposition to make" she said, her hands relaxed by her side.

Aerys was tense and stressed, holding one arm of the chair with a lethal grip as he heard her. Her fake praises seemed to bypass his paranoid defences, making him a little bit more at ease but he was still careful; never letting go of his mistrust.

"What do you have in mind?" he finally asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.

"Father always said that a daughter's position is to strengthen her house through marriage and I believe it is due time I step in" she started as she kept her head high and decided to throw her idea out in the open. "I will abdicate my claims to the throne and I will unite our houses by marrying Lord Tywin Lannister. Any heirs of our union will have no claim to the throne as well"

Her suggestion made Aerys think for a moment as he eyed her carefully. He was never truly that good to see through people, getting easily deceived by someone trying to appease his ego. Yet, he still felt reluctance at the idea.

Visenya had made his reign a living hell by turning down all the suitors who had come for her. If it were up to him, he would have sent her away a long time ago but he had chosen not to bother with her defiant nature.

Now to listen from her own mouth that she wished to be married, it did not settle well with him. This had to be a trick, right?

"Why would you choose to marry now? You put us in all that trouble by avoiding marriage altogether" he pointed out, trying to make her confess to her lies.

"I did not wish to marry to a house that could not offer us what we needed. House Lannister is the exception and both you, your grace and the Kingdom, only benefit from this decision"

A white eyebrow was arched. "Such as?"

Visenya held back the need to smirk, clearly baiting her brother like a naive fish in the river. "Gold, your grace, for starters and an army. With the marriage, House Lannister will come to your aid and fight for you; never to betray you. They would simply have no reason to betray our house and go against the sacred union"

Aerys clearly thought about it for a moment but the idea of Tywin as his good-brother left a bitter aftertaste on his tongue. "How can you be so sure? Tywin killed that Bastard brother of his in Casterly Rock"

Visenya knew to whom he was referring. Pitt Lannister, the bastard leader of the Silver Lions. She had ended his life but they had let anyone believe it was Tywin, who did it; to further boost his power as Lord of Casterly Rock.

"To protect his family, your grace" she pointed out, making him look at her slightly confused. "Pitt Lannister tried to take back what he expected to be his birthright and would eventually have Lord Tywin's family killed to ensure his claims. Lord Tywin killed someone of his own blood, to protect his family. Imagine a man such as him, willing to kill anyone threatening his family. Now, imagine that this family extended to you and anyone from your lineage with the Royal Targaryen Blood"

The Princess was so good at speaking, so persuasive that even the King's Guards seemed to be affected. Many were actually thinking of the idea even though they had no say in all of it.

Words are a woman's best weapon, her grandmother had told her when she was very young.

She had lived up to those words, doing exactly that and at that moment she could truly see the truth behind it. Years of spending time in court, years of being put down and under-estimated by prideful men had shaped her to be like a striking viper with her tongue.

She adapted to use her words to win her arguments, insult or order without the other truly realizing it until it was too late; and that if they were lucky.

In the end, the King stood up slowly. "You will sign that you and your heirs abdicating any claims to the throne, first. Then, a marriage will be arranged, if he agrees of course"

Visenya gave a formal deep bow. "I will make sure he cannot deny it. Thank you, your grace" she said and slowly stood up.

Unknown to him and everyone else across the world, the idea of marriage had already been discussed in secret by the two partners; arrangements of their own having already been laid on the table.

A few hours before Visenya's private meeting with her brother, she had paid a visit to the Hand's study. There, after ensuring they were alone, she proceeded to inform Tywin of everything she knew and Aerys' plan to get rid of him.

"Next thing you will tell me is that he suspects me behind the drowning of Lord Baratheon" he commented, annoyance evident in his voice.

"With how his mind is nowadays, he might. The point is, we cannot allow him to strip you of your power or send you back to Casterly Rock" Visenya said as she walked towards the tray with the wine.

From her tone and words, Tywin already knew that she had something in her mind. "You have a plan, I presume?" he asked, leaning back on his chair.

Visenya hummed in agreement and filled two goblets with the sweet Arbour wine. "A marriage proposal, between you and me" she said, dropping the bomb as she turned with a goblet in each hand.

Her plan has, for once, left the mighty Tywin speechless. She did not blame him, for she was certain this was something he would have never truly expected; because she didn't either even though the idea came from her own mind.

She marched his way and passed him a goblet over the desk, looking down at him as he regained his composure. The gears in his mind worked, processing the information and thinking it through.

"He will not accept it because it will increase my influence over the crown, not reduce it" he pointed out, taking the goblet from her.

Their fingers brushed against one another for a moment but their focus went on the subject at hand.

"He will if I abdicate my claims to the throne," she said, making him look at her. "And my heirs as well. The only power you will be given is having a direct connection to the Royal Line"

Tywin studied her while still holding the goblet in his hand. Over the years he had learnt how Visenya thought, what she truly wished to have or what she was after. He knew that her right to the throne was of importance to her, her only chance to take over when things were bad; like with the Defiance of Duskendale.

He also knew that if worse were to come, she could still help rule this damned kingdom whether many approved it or not; not caring of their opinion on her gender. If she abdicated them, her own status would be reduced and so would the power and protection she had.

She would still be a Princess but not a successor of the Throne.

It made him narrow his eyes faintly, mostly out of disbelief but also curiosity. "You are aware of what you are giving up, Visenya," he said, a serious look on his face. "You lose more than you win with that term in our marriage"

The Princess took a sip of the wine, not once breaking eye contact with him. She was in a serious mood, mentally feeling weighted by her decision but she knew there was no other choice.

"I am well aware and while I lose certain things, I do earn others" she said, taking a few steps slowly around his desk to approach him. "Like ensuring you stay in King's Landing, continue ruling from the shadows as you did. I refuse to lose my partner over the childish paranoia of a useless King, common blood or not" she confessed as she now stood in front of him.

Tywin had leaned back on the chair and even turned his body faintly, observing her as she walked his way. She was always graceful, each step radiating power even when she was talking of giving it all up.

Their eyes met and she confessed to him how important he was to her. The word partner could be so vague sometimes but in that context and with their past, both meanings were fitting.

It made him think of it carefully, surprised by her confession and of how she expressed the importance of his presence in the Red Keep...in her life.

Truth to be told, the mighty Lion did not wish to leave. He had yet to finish strengthening his house, ensuring it would stand strong in a world that would not perish under steel and blood. He had yet to wed the twins, create alliances and increase the influence of House Lannister.

If he were to leave, he knew most of his plans would have to be changed; drastically. He did have the chance, though, to remain and it was offered to him on a silver plate by the last person he would ever expect.

The Untamed Dragoness, the Warrior Princess, the Prideful Dragon...

All those were titles the world had given her, due to her need for freedom and autonomy. She made sure to show everyone she could handle things without the need for a man, breaking years of taboo about women marrying early and only carrying heirs.

Now, she was about to give it all up and forever tie herself to him through marriage. She would take the oath under the 7and she would never have the same freedom she used to, the chance to find someone and childishly marry out of love.

Slowly, Tywin stood up to be at his full height. With only half a head difference, he did not have to turn his downwards by a lot to lock eyes with him.

For the first time in his life, Tywin let a new emotion be so clear on his face; utter respect. He always respected someone up to a certain degree but this time, he would offer the greatest respect to her.

The woman was willing to sacrifice most of her selfish needs to ensure the continuation of their legacy, of peace across the seven Kingdoms.

He lifted her free hand and to her surprise, brought her knuckles to his lips. He placed a gentle kiss on them and while he pulled his lips back just an inch, he did not lower her hand nor did he break eye contact.

"I see no person more equal for me to agree in this marriage" he confessed, making her look at him with her lips parted and her eyes wide. "We ruled from the shadows as unofficially a King and Queen, it seems it time to fully legitimize our position"

Visenya looked at him in utter shock once he called her his equal, something he had never done. She knew she was always just beneath him but he respected her intelligence and knowledge and thus that's how they worked.

She never thought he would ever see her as his equal but once she heard it, she could not ever forget it.

When he mentioned them as Queen and King, the realization hit her like lightning during a stormy night. She was to truly marry this man, and bind her life to him even though it was unclear where their feelings stood.

This was supposed to be a political marriage, one of opportunity but would it truly remain like that? The more they kept looking at one another, the more she questioned it but she was not going to back down because of that.

She pressed her lips to close and she offered him a smirk. "To us, then?" she asked and lifted her goblet.

Tywin mimicked her move and the two goblets clinked against one another. "To us, Long may we Reign" he added and the two of them took a few big sips of wine, not once breaking eye contact.

[A/N] - And Curtain!

I do wonder, did any of you suspect Visenya's plan or see it come? I think it was about time for them to make it official and the next chapter will be all about it