Chapter 9.
Those had been the most convoluted assortment of days she had lived in a fair while. Attending the Feast and pretending everything was great had proven to be much harder for Tywin than for herself, Lady Genna being the only one who had noticed that something was amiss. People were in a festive mood for days after the event, and Tywin encouraged it, even if abstaining from participating. Catelyn, still having the very good excuse of the childbed, was not expected to join, although she would occasionally appear from time to time, attending to Tywin's only request thus far:
-We need to pretend nothing is happening.
-People will start to notice you heightened guard, and some comments about Tyler being kept with us at all times are starting to circulate.
-Yes. –he agreed- But I cannot be in peace otherwise.
It had never been a matter of choice, even if he had phrased it that way originally. The letter contained only despair, loss, grief. The letter said many things, but the most prevalent wasn't expressed in words: his daughter was dead, even if she still breathed. Cersei could not live if she was bold enough to play such a game. She had placed the fabled last straw and that camel's back was broken.
He had endured her antics for too long, and at this point felt as an enabler. From the moment he arrived at King's Landing until the day he left, Cersei had presented herself as a challenge. He resented her for not doing what had been expected of her as a queen, he was disgusted by her promiscuity, tired of her inability to think straight, worried about her drinking habits… He had so much on his mind at all times that the least he'd ask would be for his own children to do the bare minimum to help him maintain their current status, something he worked tirelessly to achieve.
Cersei was too is wilful, beyond ambitious, and not half as bright as she believed herself to be. Her political ineptitude had been painfully highlighted to Tywin after he started dealing with Catelyn, who was able to act with such subtlety that he had been played with a number of times –which was another type of resentment. But Cersei's ways were so obvious, whilst believing herself to be so subtle, that anyone with an eye at court could see her scheming, granted she had improved of late. But she still didn't believe in parsimony, which proved dangerous when added to her short temper and heightened self-worth. Tywin would not be the one to criticise the pride of a Lannister, as he was a symbol for it to a fault, but his daughter severely overestimated herself, often having to resort to using her body as leverage when her smarts didn't suffice.
Cersei had allowed Joffrey to behead the Warden of the North when Jaime was a hostage of his son, and proceeded to not stop him from torturing Sansa even though Jaime hadn't been released yet, therefore risking his life. She had enabled Joffrey twisted and dark mind his entire life, and lost her grasp on him when the boy was crowned. She had fucked whoever could give her any advantage at any given time, even when Robert was still alive, risking her life and her children's lives. And dared to risk Jaime's as well, as it had been clearly stated by her that the kids were his, always a puppet to his sister, having given up Casterly Rock for the chance of remaining near her when they were not much more than children. She displeased the Tyrells, very powerful people indeed, out of jealousy of the girl who represented further stability for their rule, and failed to control Joffrey's behaviour when he was being closely observed by his in-laws. And Joffrey ends up dead.
She seemed incapable of strategizing anything properly. Of seeing how an alliance with the North and Riverlands would pacify the realm, especially with Stannis obsession with the Wall. She wanted Catelyn dead right on the aftermath of the Red Wedding, as punishment. She started influencing Joffrey to order her execution, and only stopped when Tywin convinced the King of how lucrative Catelyn's influence would be on a short term. All of the Riverrun negotiations happened in secrecy, as the crown could only be informed of the successes. By the time Tywin decided he would be the one to take Catelyn as a wife, he had been walking on eggshells for so long that the idea of caging Cersei somewhere was really quite enticing.
He never knew what would happen when the King called a meeting, as if he was to order Catelyn's execution publicly, Tywin would be left with no other option than to comply. And at the time, that meant no peace on that war that bled their coffers, no hope of uniting the kingdom against a possible second uprising from Stannis. Cersei could not see that.
"The only way of Jaime returning home soon is if this ends." –Tywin had said- "And the only way of making this peace long-lasting is if Catelyn Tully is wedded to a Lannister." -to which Cersei understood that Tyrion would be the one to do it, as Tywin lied of that being the intention when dissolving the union with Sansa. Her agreement steaming only from the fact that wedding the traitor to an imp would humiliate both parties.
"Once that's done, she can remain here as my mistress." –Joffrey said, forgetting Mace Tyrell's presence on the solar, the father of his precious bride, whilst the king seemed to ignore the fact that Sansa was the key to the North pacified.
It was obvious that the girl needed to be removed from the Keep, and Tywin braced himself for the fallout that would happen once both Cersei and Joffrey noticed her absence, which actually happened on the Purple Wedding itself. Thankfully, that day Joffrey was dead and better distraction Tywin would not have been able to fashion. And Tommen was easier. By then, Cersei's rule was fickle and her focus had turned to blaming Tyrion. She had barely given much of a thought about Sansa's absence of the capital.
Tywin couldn't know that his wedding by proxy would have ended up happening only a handful of days after his grandson's assassination, but it worked out that way. He only informed the council of his own wedding once the trial had been over, and Tyrion had escaped, even with the gossip circulating on the capital for a long time by that point. Jaime having arrived only to help with his brother's rescue, turning his back on his sister –Tywin was unaware why, but had suspicions about her many lovers being the reason- and disappearing to Dorne.
Cersei then lost her mind. Nothing had happened as she wished, and rejected by Jaime, her ways turned even nastier.
"If you need an heir to the Rock I can give you one." –she propositioned, her incestuous ways out in the open now, when all of her focus was turned on the marriage with Catelyn being annulled and her mother's place remaining sacred.
Tywin hadn't been able to believe how low his daughter was willing to go, and under the guise of helping the queen grieve, he secluded her from the court and Tomen, keeping her guarded by well-paid men who wouldn't fuck her and the best septas he could find. She would speak almost openly about the prince's parentage once inebriated enough, so her wine had been limited. For the public court, the Queen was going through a mother's worst nightmare, and Tywin didn't think she wasn't suffering for the loss of her son, but comparing what he was witnessing with the reports of Catelyn's state after Robb's death, it was almost as if Joffrey's demise was only about Cersei and not the lost boy.
Tywin's presence on the Red Keep would only make Cersei behave worse, Kevan being the only one who got some semblance of positive influence on her. He would take Tomen there and allow for supervised visits, he encouraged correspondence between her and Myrcella, he would accompany her to the Sept and walks around the gardens, he would talk to her about the state of the Kingdom whilst keeping things bright.
And was only when Cersei had been able to hold a civilised conversation with her father about the future and what she expected to accomplish as a support to Tomen, recognising the success of his strategies on achieving peace, apologising for her behaviour and explaining it as grief, was that Tywin had decided to leave Kevan as Lord Hand, still under strict orders to keep Cersei under supervision, and return to Casterly Rock. Dorna, Kevan's wife, main function being the one of surrounding Cersei with enough support so she would rely less on wine and more on family.
During the entire year that spun from Tywin's arrival home and the birth of Tyler, Cersei's ways started to shift once again, and they had expected it. She had intertwined herself with the Faith –the Militant kind- and funded some of their endeavours, and that way secured herself some influence, bringing the religion onto the Throne room. She started to displease the Tyrells on that matter, as the Militant Faith behaves more aggressively on enforcing their beliefs, and nobility is usually more secular on their private lives. And all that happened so slowly that Kevan and Dorna only noticed when things had started to stir and turn dangerous. They managed to infiltrate their son, Lancel, onto the ranks near the High Sparrow, and realised how close they had been on losing control and facing another rebellion, as Cersei had started to poison the Faith against Margaery Tyrell.
And again, it costed Tywin a lot of gold to supress the uprising, funding a literal army to expel the Faith from the city, to siege the Red Keep until it all was over. Thankfully, Kevan caught up to it in time, as even Tywin had suggested to his brother that maybe turning Cersei to the Faith would be for the best, after all the fornicating and scheming. Kevan's guard had been heightened once more, as he felt unable to believe any word out of his niece's mouth. Whilst she would say that a new brother was indeed a blessing to the Rock, in the occasion of the announcement of Tyler's birth, it contrasted with her whispered conversation's with Tomen, even under supervision, when she would say that his grandfather's new child would take what was meant to be Myrcella's.
So, with all of it examined, Tywin wasn't even that surprised when reading about her threat against his son. Because she had been behaving in a threatening manner from the beginning, in the span of years, reinforcing her incapacity of being trusted with anything, jeopardizing the stability of the realm and their House. Risking everything out of pride and twisted morals. Tywin had no patience left, not that he believed that the letter held any power, but that was just something he was not willing to overlook. And he suffered for what had to be done.
He would not respond well to ultimatums, and he had expected Cersei to be smart enough to not provoke him. She had seriously underestimated her father and overestimated her own value. She believed the crown would protect her, forgetting that Tywin owned it all. She bit the hand that fed her, she threatened the most important thing in his life… And she signed her own execution with that. His tears were in the memory of his firstborn, of Joanna's little girl, as there was never a possibility that she'd survive after crossing him in such a way. He would never risk his son and the future of his House for her. He would not wait and see, as the stakes were too high.
-I am doing everything I can. –he had promised, holding Tyler against his shoulder and shushing him lightly as the baby fussed in the middle of the night, now spending every night in a bassinet by their parents bed- The nurse is coming, my love. Let's not wake mother…
Catelyn, already awake, remained observing them in silence. Tywin was in a dreadful state, but he had been absolutely uncompromising with their safety. She couldn't fully understand what was happening, but their household members were joined by some stern looking people. Their habitual guard was changed. Maids told her that some Lannister men had being prodding on them and looking at their lives for signs of something. It felt for Catelyn that Casterly Rock had been holding its breath, as the days passed and something inched closer.
-We are traveling to Lann Island for an undetermined amount of time. –he told her before supper- Everything will be prepared by the household and we will leave the day after tomorrow.
-Lann Island? –she did not recognise the name or had ever heard anything about the place.
-Is a little ways southwards, a small island we have been using as a retreat for hundreds of years. Isn't highly talked about, as the intention is to keep it private.
-And what are we doing there?
-Waiting it out until everything is settled.
-Settled how?
-Do you understand the concept of plausible deniability? –he asked, knowing full well that she did- You do not need to know anything other than I am working on it.
And soon she found herself in a slice of paradise, even despite the cold. They were half a day away from Lannisport and the crossing hadn't been pleasant, with the unsettled sea, but the sense of safety and relief the couple felt once placing their baby on his new nursery was beyond anything they could describe. Tyler would have his wet nurse, who had been allowed to bring her own child with them, and a couple of dedicated riverlander maids at his entire disposal. Catelyn and Tywin would be able to enjoy the one thing that eluded them the most on that passed fortnight: sleep.
It was undeniable for Catelyn that her priority at this precise instant had been Tyler, but she never stopped interceding for her two Stark children she still knew for sure were alive, and glad by Tywin's distraction with the entire ordeal with his daughter, she found ways of communicating with Sansa about Rickon and what she needed her daughter to do about him.
Once they had been reunited in Riverrun, many moons ago, Catelyn told her daughter to always examine carefully any letter sent by her mother, to look for handwriting inconsistencies and odd phrasing. If ever sent a package of some kind, to take it apart and inspect if nothing else had been hidden on secret compartments. And Sansa had not only adhered to the new habit, but also started to send her own hidden messages to her mother.
Just as they boarded the ship to Lann Island, a beautiful bear pelt of light brown fur had arrived as a gift for Tyler from his Stark sister. It had been lined with coarsely made cotton. Catelyn knew that Sansa would never match such a dissonant combination of materials, and she suspected that hidden on the seams she would find at least a message. She had been right. And her little lady had acted perfectly, for Catelyn's delight.
-You have been consumed with this pelt. –Tywin commented, barely lifting his eyes from his book to observe his wife very carefully refinish the gift from her daughter, having already read and burned the message contained inside.
-Sansa wanted me to change the lining; poor thing couldn't get hold of velvet with the winter cutting off the roads.
-And how is she doing? –Tywin asked, half interested.
-Well, married life is a novelty and her lord husband is being kind. The winter is raging, as it's normal for the change of season.
But her biggest news was regarding something that Catelyn could not tell her husband. After pulling her most dangerous stunt moons ago, whilst still pregnant, Catelyn sent Sansa a letter, hidden inside the hem of a dress, which expressed the need for a rescue mission to remove Rickon from under Tywin's protection. And as Sansa herself couldn't spare men to the task, Catelyn counted that Jon Snow would be able to come through with a plan. She knew that he was now involved with and protecting free folk from beyond the wall, and Catelyn had seen enough winters to know that the only people able to achieve such a feat were the wildlings.
"We have a reserve of gold hidden in the crypts, which you, as the Lady of Winterfell, are meant to use to support the people during this winter." –Catelyn had told Sansa once they met in Riverrun- "Is hidden for a reason, and it exists there for a long time, with us enduring winters where the fund wasn't touched, as it was no need. This time, with the war and our supply so depleted, you need to buy grain from Essos. That's why this gold exists. You mustn't spend it all, only a small part of it, as we don't know how long the winter will last. This fund must remain a secret. We lived well below our means to make sure to never be in a position of seeing Winterfell starve or unable to help the vassals."
And now, Catelyn had told her daughter to dip onto their safety fund to send supplies to the Wall, as she'd request for Jon Snow's assistance to fashion Rickon with a rescue. Did it hurt her pride, to need Jon Snow for anything? No, as she had none left, and would do whatever necessary to ensure her boy's safety, because she was sure that Tywin was not trustworthy when it concerned her Stark children. She did not believe that a rescue wasn't possible, when he would have regular news on the situation with her son. But even if Tywin's people were unable to accomplish such travel, the wildlings that hunted seals on the bay all winter long would navigate those waters as if it was just another hunt. And it would be very hard to deny rescue.
On Sansa's secret response, she conveyed that Jon had assembled a group of wildlings to go on the mission. This people were used to navigating the coastline north of the Wall, and for them a round trip for Skagos was just something they'd do for some catch of seals, as Catelyn had predicted. Even their vessels had been built with only ice in mind. The expedition had been organised a couple moons ago, and they had already gathered intelligence about the actual island Rickon was being kept at and how many men were stationed there, as they would never risk being outnumbered. By the time Catelyn read about the expedition setting off, the rescue had already been attempted, even if she wasn't aware of it yet. She only waited for news on that, and by the time anything reached her on that island, Rickon would probably be safe at the Wall. God's willing.
Tywin had known that Sansa was aware of her brother's location, and that she had also informed the bastard-brother on the Wall, as it seemed like a natural thing to happen, good news being shared. Catelyn had also planted a little seed on Tywin's mind about Sansa's forces maybe being able to assist in the removal of Rickon and Tywin's men from the island, to which his only response was: let's not risk your son's life. And Catelyn vehemently agreed with him, stating that it was for the best that they all weathered the winter where they were, as the Bay of Seals was notoriously dangerous.
That had been moons ago. Then Tyler was born and the pelt had been the only secret message received since the beginning of Rickon's quest. And as they waited for the resolution of Cersei's issue, she was also secretly waiting for the news that his son was safe with his half-brother. And she needed to work on the dedicated wife image, as she had been doing since all of that started, to protect all of them.
Tywin not only had no reason to complain about being cared for, he had started believing his wife when she would, somewhat rarely and in a natural manner, call him her love or act romantically. She didn't have to say anything, as her actions were much louder than her voice. The Cersei situation had caused them to obsess over safety and stability, but Catelyn's arms were always there for him, and he would always be met with a kiss -even publicly. He felt appreciated and validated on everything he was doing, because he now had a family again, a doting wife and a little son that smiled at the sight of him and that grumbled words when spoken to by his father. Tywin was happy, even with his heart broken.
-This place is marvellous. I finally feel like myself after all the tension.
Lann Island was small, but contained a couple of fishing villages, inhabited by people of Tywin's trust. The place they were occupying, had been built before the Conquest, and consisted of a stone building that could never be called a castle or a palace. It was a large seafront house, surrounded by moss covered walls, facing south. It had been beautifully decorated and was very comfortable and safe. Tywin loved there, and had beautiful memories of taking the twins there with Joanna decades ago. After the loss of her, he'd go there mostly alone, to escape his sorrows and pressures of the kingdom. And now, with Catelyn and Tyler, it felt like home again.
-Why don't you put this pelt aside and come here? –he asked, watching as her dress pooled down exposing her legs, that she stood on an ottoman as she sat next to a window, distracted by her needlework.
"It has been a long time." –he thought, and not for unwillingness on her part. He had decided to listen to the meister and wait all forty days before coupling, even if they had shared a beautiful moment right before everything crumbled around them. And even with all the hurt, she was good and represented all things that were worth fighting for. And because she didn't say anything when standing up with a soft smile on her face, approaching him with a tender touch, he was sure that he was doing the right thing.
-I will always strive to keep you safe. –he said, when she sat on his lap and held him- I'd prefer to have brought you here for the right reasons, and not to…
-Shhh… -she silenced him with her fingers- We do not need to talk on this now. I know you are doing what's best, and I love you for it.
-Oh, Catelyn… -his hand held her by the back of her head, as he pressed their faces together- You make all this worth it.
Her response was a kiss, as she already knew what he was after. And truth be told, she wouldn't oppose it. It had been turning increasingly easier to match his advances, as there was no resistance on her heart when her dress was unlaced, as they exchanged the usual caresses. He lifted her on his arms –in a remarkably easy manner- and carried her to their bed, where she felt like a young bride for the faintest moment. There were no rush for anything, and he was on her service in this occasion, almost as if to compensate her ministrations the last time they shared any deeper intimacy. He found his place inside her with a moan and their movements had been so well tuned one to another that even Catelyn considered it as lovemaking. It was important to him to extract an orgasm from her before he found one for himself, and with a little bit of guidance from her, his goal was achieved. Mere instants after, he separated himself from her right before his own high, laying next to her trying to catch his breath, his seed spluttered on her thigh.
With the passing of the days, their intimacy had been properly reclaimed, but also the quiet and comforting contact that they shared when his tension and worry threatened to overcome his senses. Catelyn found herself holding Tywin for a long time, every time he seemed to succumb to the reality of whatever was happening on the capital. He had started allowing Tyler to sleep on his chest, when the baby was too fussy, but also because he seemed to take solace and enjoyment on the bond they had clearly created.
The island was slow, cosy, private. They spend time apart, as she enjoyed going on morning walks on the beach and he enjoyed fishing. He had been nervous when watching Catelyn dive in the water, on a calm ocean afternoon, only then to be reminded that she was a Tully and the Trident was way more violent than the ocean on this occasion. The cold water meaning nothing for someone who lived on the north for so long. She looked so happy and free there, and he felt like the island was probably her favourite place in the world at this point. Tyler thrived, as his parents mended their souls.
-What is the matter? –she asked concerned, having rushed from her walk to him, once her maid found her and warned of news from the Continent.
"Lord Tywin seems distressed, my lady." –the woman had said, and it was no exaggeration.
Tucked in bed with bloodshot eyes, he seemed to be finally reaching some calm, wavering when observing his beloved lady staring at him in such deep concern.
-It is over, my love. –he was chocked up with tears- It has been done.