Chapter 10.

-Mind or body? –had been the question that filled him with dread- If she must be gone but not fully, what do you chose?

The intense gaze on the deranged eyes that stared at him left little space for any reconsideration. The girl, of maybe seven, slid into his office, unannounced, uninvited, however behaving like she owned the entire West.

-You did signalled that services were needed, Lord Hand. –she whispered, reminding him of some of his previous dealings with the faceless, when he was still a servant to Aerys- So we came. Now we need your instructions.

He presented his expectations, realising that what he was asking was worse than death itself, but he needed to protect himself.

-It will take time, Lord. –the girl smiled- And it will be difficult. She's queen, you know what that means. People are always around. To kill is no trouble, but to do what you ask…

-That's the required service.

-Worse than death, Lord. Much worse. If mind goes, body is shell. If body goes, mind is prison. For that you must chose, what's the desired outcome? What flavour of suffering you wish to impose?

-Either. –he said, unable to make such decision- As long as she is fully neutralised.

And with the arrival of the news from the Continent, he discovered that the choice made was in favour of prison.

-It will be small, Lord. No more than a needle, right at the sweet spot. She will never move again, and with a twinge here and there, we make sure she doesn't speak. But she will be there, will see and hear everything. Will feel her feelings, but her limbs are numb. But if you chose to remove the mind, it will be harder and it will be messier. Will be slower. But once is gone, the body remains, it walks, breathes, sees, hears but doesn't understand or remembers. All but dead. We can fix this now, Lord. We can just make it all go away.

-No. Not dead. Just gone.

And he was never to know when or where, or even how. He paid the gold and watched as the little girl disappeared into the shadows of his office. That day, he decided to escape from everything. To take his new family away. To wait on the news as he grieved the daughter that he transformed into a queen but that would never again be. And when confronted with the news, he was made raw again.

-A terrible accident, Kevan said. –he told Catelyn- They removed a nest of the creatures from the Keep, but found one in her bedchambers, when she was no longer able to move. She doesn't speak. The meisters say that she might recover, but she won't.

-No scorpion did that, isn't it so? –Catelyn asked- Who else knows the truth of this, Tywin?

-She will be cared for, with all the best I can offer. –was the only response she obtained.

-No, this is not enough of an answer. –she insisted, filled with a type of rage that threw her back to her first years in Winterfell, when a husband refused to answer her questions, almost as if she was better not knowing. And that was the argument she decided to use. –There was a time in my life when the name of a woman would have been enough to give me peace, but Eddard refused me, and all I did was to obsess over it and believe the worse.

Tywin lifted his eyes from a spot on the ground, sat on a chair by the fireplace, head on his hands, feeling the weight of defeat –ironically after having achieved the exact thing he asked for. He did not need his wife to put him in such an uncomfortable position, but he figured that she was probably going through the motions herself. She almost never uttered Eddard's name, as he did not feel any need of mentioning Joanna, even if she was always in the back of his mind. She must be very upset, to bring up the dead husband and hint at the bastard.

-I will not respond questions, because I do not know the answers. All I am aware of is the service required and the service obtained.

-Required of whom?

-The Faceless. I contracted them to neutralise Cersei, and so they did. She will never have any independence, and will exist as she is now. She will eventually be moved somewhere so she can have proper care away from the Red Keep, in a more peaceful environment.

-I had thought you were going to…

-Assassinate her? –he chuckled sadly- I went to some extreme lengths to prevent Tyrion's death, Catelyn. And I despise him. What makes you think I'd kill my daughter?

"Well, everything about you, really." –she thought, but did not say.

Catelyn only wished to ask how could he? Even that being the only thing they could have done to tame her spiralling, it was still such violence against a child of his with the only woman he had truly loved. How did he manage that? Was that the reason why he barely ever slept, even in paradise? She felt fear of him for the first time in the longest time, but what had she expected? She knew she wanted Cersei dead, paying for her sins in the face of the gods, so why did the knowledge of her state was so upsetting? Tywin now only seemed numb, ordering the servants to prepare everything for their return to the Rock.

-It's time. –he told his wife, the face expressionless, the gaze empty- We have been away for too long, longer than I had anticipated.

-Are you going to King's Landing?

-I haven't decided. –he responded- Winter is already here, I do not wish to risk being stranded away from home because of weather, but the situation may require some interference, with the Tyrells so close to the Iron Throne. It'd be stupid to risk all we have worked for to have it taken away from us because Cersei isn't there anchoring the power.

At their arrival back at Casterly Rock, Tywin ordered full honours to his daughter. Lady Genna seemed to be only waiting for the news of Cersei's death, but Tywin quickly determined that mortuary traditions were not to be seen. They would celebrate the golden lioness's resilience and strength, and all the prayers were for her recovery, not for her soul.

-But Ty, no one survives such beast…

-Cersei will. –he determined, wiping away his sister's tears, as she sobbed on his arms- We need to believe.

Days passed and news from the capital were more hopeful. She seemed to be fighting the venom, managing to make coherent expressions and swallow by herself. Her colour looked better, they moved her limbs and massaged her body every day, took her outside for some air and sun. But she never moved, not even when painful stimulations were applied. She did, however, managed to smile at the sight of Tommen. And cried when Jaime returned to her side.

-She will never improve too much, Lord. –the girl had said- Only enough so people will believe on her resolve, but not enough so she'd be free from the prison of her body. If well cared, she won't be in pain. No pressure sores, no decaying on her bedchambers. She will eat and drink. Maybe wine is a mercy.

"If only she had learned her place…"

Catelyn wasn't surprised when Tywin announced to her that he'd be leaving to King's Landing for a while, to help with the current crisis of Cersei's state and the power gap created by it. He had predicted it, but he could never express to Kevan or Dorna the need to brace themselves for something big, so now they were struggling. They had been dealing with Cersei for that entire year, and were exhausted to exist in such a heightened state of alert because of her, and now with her "illness", the Tyrells were closing in, trying to place Margaery as Regent –being her wedded to the boy- on Cersei's stead, until her recovery.

-Help me understand… -Catelyn asked, sitting alone with him on their private dining room- Help me grasp the size of the threat we were under, if you deemed better to remove Cersei this way, knowing that the power dynamic of the Kingdom would crumble, rather than deal with her in other ways…

-What prompted my acting, meaning the threat to Tyler, was just the last drop in the bucket. Cersei lost her mind long ago. –and he narrated some of her outrageous actions since the beginning of the current demise- Did I ever believe she'd act against our son? I knew that this threat was empty, but it only signalled to me that she wasn't better or that she hadn't learned her lesson. Also, her being able to speak was becoming a risk too great to bear. She would blab on the parentage of her children once drunk enough, and that was very dangerous to everyone involved. The Tyrells were always too close, and although I do not believe they'd care about Tommen's origin at all if it represented them remaining in power through Margaery, it gives them evidence that they could use against us.

-But now the young queen is very near the throne. –Catelyn remembered the girl, now married trice, sitting next to Renly so very long ago…

-I know. I had expected it. I need them to feel comfortable that the Regency will be theirs for a while. Even with my arrival, I will not challenge it. Kevan was instructed to suggest it for the time being. And based on what I have heard, they are working well together, Kevan and the Lady Olenna.

-But what is your end goal?

Tywin looked at his wife always very amused that she saw things so clearly. She knew enough of everything to be aware that Tywin wouldn't just hand over power to people even more power hungry than himself. And his plan was about to make things much harder for a good while, but that was his last action towards making Westeros stable again. He remembered their letters, from when she was still held almost as captive in a war camp, when she expressed that those were not times for revolution, but to restauration.

-I intend on bringing Stannis to our side, and I in fact count with you to accomplish that.

Catelyn almost snorted when trying to contain her laughter. If there was a person that would never side with the Lannisters, that was Stannis. On her heart of hearts, she actually saw him as a King, as the rightful heir after Robert's death. She remembered dealing with him and Renly, each calling themselves a king, and the truth of it all was that Stannis deserved the crown, and he'd be a good ruler, even if with the Red Woman's influence.

-I plan on wedding Lady Shireen to Tommen, and offer restauration. Offer Stannis his place in the power wheel, through his only daughter and heir. Make his daughter queen, and their future children's legitimacy would never be a question.

-And how do you plan on eliminating the Tyrells?

-Is already happening.

Tywin left his wife with his heart broken, not sure when he would return to her. She stood on the top of the grand stairwell that overlooked the road, cold wind lashing around her as she wiped away a couple tears. He was relieved that he had someone so capable to lean on during his times of need. But it was also something of a relief to Catelyn that she would be able to return to the previous arrangement they had before his arrival, where she would be responsible for the workings of the Castle and the realm, unimpeded. But she would also miss him, as hard as it was to admit to it.

-I trust you to keep things running right, my love. –he had told her- You have my authority.

-Tywin, this all seems so dangerous…

-I assure you that we are not in any risk. Not anymore.

He also trusted that the news that would soon arrive to her from the Wall would distract her from her sorrows and worries, and substitute them with newer ones. He already knew that Jon Snow used some wildlings to remove his half-brother from the island he was being kept at, but Catelyn was still not informed of any of it, maybe meaning that the bastard boy was acting on a self-serving way, being the saviour of his little brother and planning on gaining influence and leverage with the Lady Sansa. He wasn't even sure if the Lady Warden of the North even knew where her sibling was at the moment, but he was sure Catelyn was oblivious, as she had never mentioned any of it after her daughter's most recent correspondence, not long ago.

Truth be told, he had so many things on his mind that he didn't cared that the rescue was performed. He didn't possessed a clear plan on what to do with Rickon, all he knew was that if he was ever to find Brandon or Arya, they were not very likely to live. Too many variables made things more complicated, and at this point, he had Catelyn happy enough and the qualms of the kingdom were mostly settled for the time being, only needing to cut some lose ends. She was also busy with their son. He wasn't sure how she would react when learning of Rickon's current fostering, but that was one of her problems to sort or obsess over, not his. It would keep her busy and preoccupied. In the end, it was serving him a purpose to have captured the boy in the first place.

Catelyn, on the other hand, not only already knew that Rickon was safe and sound back on the continent, she was aware that his current whereabouts were with his sister in Winterfell. Her relief had been so intense that Tywin mistook it for worry, fooled by tears. She wanted him to discover about not having custody of Rickon from any source other than her. And she knew that, by sheer luck, the Baratheon women –Princess Shireen and her Lady Mother- were, in fact, guests in Winterfell. She just could not mention it to him, otherwise she would have to speak of Rickon and she didn't want to be the one telling him such news. Maybe it was for the best that neither Stannis nor Tywin had a hold of the young Princess, if her fate was to be toss onto King's Landing to mop the bloodied floors that would probably come with the removal of the Tyrells from the Keep. Maybe, in the future, she would be a good match for Rickon.

Jon Snow had proven to be more resourceful and proactive than Catelyn had anticipated, surprising her with the undeniable loyalty he harboured for his siblings. She knew that Sansa and him were working together to allow the North to endure the winter as it should. Catelyn remembered how Ned and Benjen used to do the same and felt a different type of warmth on her heart for their current status. At least now, with some troubling reports of dark entities rising beyond the Wall, the support and precaution seemed warranted.

She was also thankful for Stannis manning the Watch, as it was the right thing to do. His actions reinforced on her the ideas planted by Tywin that maybe it was for the best if Stannis could have something to return when the winter was over, and that perhaps his ancient Seat would please him. And that maybe that was reason enough to give them his daughter to marry Tommen.

She knew what Tywin intended to do to dissolve the marriage between Margaery and the boy-king, and she was scared but also intrigued if it was going to work. And if that worked, how would Stannis take to the idea of having his daughter marry into the hateful Lannisters. It wasn't great, but not half as bad as she had expected, Catelyn could say if asked, but the man's resolve was notorious, so they would have to wait and see.

Apparently, based on evidence gathered by Kevan's spies, the young queen Margaery had taken favour to a White Cloak, put on Tommen's service. As far as the Lannister's knew, their little affair wasn't something recent, going back to times prior to the Purple Wedding, but it was very unlikely that the elders on her family had the faintest idea of it. Dorna was the one who found reason to suspect something was amiss, and Catelyn was dying to know how she had arrived at such conclusions, that would warrant such an operation to uncover evidence, but not even Tywin knew for sure what tipped her off. What they were certain of, was that the queen was no longer a maiden and that her ladies-in-waiting from the Reach were so loyal to her that her romance was very well protected. She was growing reckless, displeasing one of her ladies that knew too much… a lady that –since the beginning of the suspicions- was being courted by Lancel, Kevan's son, and who could provide them with the perfect opportunity to catch them on the act. Catelyn didn't knew what was to happen, but she wasn't against demoting a queen who would disgrace the crown even further than it already was. The consequences of such indiscretions being usually war and suffering.

She was glad by having such freedom now that Tywin and Lady Genna had both left to King's Landing, to tend to Cersei. She found herself protesting Tywin's need to leave her for so long, and had him convinced that if not for Tyler being so young and the roads being harsher due to the winter, she would gladly join him. In honesty, she had never wished to see King's Landing ever again, but Tywin's ego was one of her many obligations and she would tend to it dutifully.

She felt like she could finally breathe, even swamped by many obligations. Truth was that being busy suited her. She visited Lannisport a couple times, to attend the Sept and also to participate on a small vigil held on Cersei's name on Lannisport castle, hosted by some of Tywin's maternal blood, the Marbrands, coming from Ashmark. She met some nice people there, and felt the odd sensation of being introduced to family and being included. Catelyn also sent a good number of their criminals to the Wall, excluding their choice of other punishment, also finding some gold from Lannister coffers to send in support.

She only knew Tywin was safe at the Keep once a raven arrived with his news. But things seemed mostly settled.

Catelyn felt cold dread inundate her veins when she realised what the maid had just implied. Yes, she hadn't bled yet that month, even thought she had done the previous couple months after Tyler's birth. Surely it wouldn't be possible… It was too soon and Tywin had been very careful with her after the meister's warnings about it being unlikely for her to survive another child, or for the child to thrive at all.

-How long? –she asked the maid, as with so many things on her mind, she herself lost track of her own body.

-Well over a moon, my lady.

She stared at herself on the mirror of her dressing room and wished for Tywin to be there with all her heart, but he wouldn't be returning anytime soon. Was that the sign of a new child or the reminiscent shapes left by carrying Tyler? Was it possible that her childbearing years were gone and that was the beginning of it? She wasn't even forty yet, was she early to it? She had never cried of anything other than joy when realising the presence of a child on her, but this time all she felt was fear.

-Do not speak of it with anyone until I know for sure. –she ordered the maid, one of few she brought with her from the Riverlands- I must write my Lord Husband first and be certain.

But no words came to her when staring at the paper and holding the quill. Would that be received as good news or would he be as conflicted as she was now? Catelyn could tell quite clearly that Tywin hated sharing her with anyone, even their own son. And that was not a good feeling, as it was very emotionally immature of him, and always made her feel as a property rather than a person with more sides to her than just being his wife. Even with his assurances of enjoying her ways and capabilities, he also always wanted her to be at his disposal at a whim.

-I am sorry for not feeling much joy now. –she whispered resting a shaking hand over her womb- Mother is just taken aback, but you are already wanted, I promise you. Let's only hope you father feels the same.

When the courage to break the news finally came, she knew for sure and slept on it for a moon. His correspondence was not as frequent as they had expected it to be, due to the winter, and she felt as lonely and isolated as she had ever been on that marriage. Tyler was growing strong and smart, and she felt awful when realising his father was missing his little milestones. Not even Lady Genna was there this time, and the women in court were not her preferred company, but she found herself on the ladies hall more and more often, hosting a tea party or immersing herself on the bridal trousseau of some of the young ones.

All she wanted was to be back at the Island, the probable place where that baby was conceived, and remain there forever. Maybe visit Sansa and Rickon up north, take Tyler to meet his Stark siblings. She felt so alone, but grateful at the same time for being safe. The meister had been only short of scolding her when examining her to confirm the news, and somehow she felt shame for days and days, until she found herself sitting at the Great Seat of the West, dealing with some petty nobility squabble, and destroyed any grievances with a simple phrase.

-I am carrying the spare for the West. I do not wish to hear of any matter that does not involve making us stronger for this winter.

Her face was solemn and tired, as she stared down the agglomeration on the hall, as they knelt in front of her and celebrated Lord Tywin's new child. By the next day, the response to her letter to Tywin with their most recent news arrived by raven.

"I will be home in a moon."