CHAPTER 5
The next day, Lyra woke up to her big baby hrakkar lion licking her hand. She was giggling at her. Crystal jumped on the bed laying down and started nuzzling her neck with her big white head like a kitten.
Lyra said hugging her, "I love you too, my sweet girl." She kissed her in the middle of her big forehead.
She got up and did her morning routine taking a bath in seawater, and getting dressed feminine in a emerald green ruffled blouse with the brocade black outside corset with a little cleavage showing but not a lot. She still wore her men's leather pants and her wide belt with weapons on. She had her large opal necklace on and opal earrings she bought. She had her hair french braid falling over her shoulder with a thong tying it off. It hung to her waist and at the bottom was an emerald green silk scarf tied in a bow. When the joust was an hour away she went to the location to give Jorah her scarf as a lady's favor and to wish him luck.
Lyra walked up to the waiting area for the knights. She saw Jorah with a woman in a fancy dress hanging on him and kissing him. Lyra stood there and saw that he was truly enjoying it. He broke the kiss, looked up and made eye contact with her. She frowned and turned away, going back to her ship. She knew that woman would be the ruin of him from the dream. She left instructions not to allow anyone on board. She went to her cabin and tore the scarf from her hair, poured a pitcher of blackberry wine and drank it all and laid down on the floor with her cat, who wrapped her paws around her huffing softly in Lyra's ear. She knew Lyra was sad.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~316 days
The next day she entered the archery contest which was a day of eliminations of two hundred bowmen. The following day, she had split arrows and shared bullseye's disguised in her cowl hooded cape. In the final round, they were down to four contestants. Lyra and a man were the last two. The man shot a perfect bullseye. The man came back strutting and said snidely, "Beat that boy."
Lyra went up, aimed true and just let the arrow fly. It split the arrow down the middle and went into the same bullseye and pushed the other arrow off the target. The crowd was silent and then all hell broke loose. The cheering was deafening.
Lyra couldn't believe it herself. The man she shot against yanked her hood down roughly and to his surprise found a beautiful woman. The crowd got quiet again with whispers and mummers. Lyra looked at the king who was giving the prize out. He was staring at her as well as all the judges including Tywin Lannister.
King Robert came down to her and said to her, "Dear lady, what's your name?"
She looked up at him and said, "Lady Lyra Wyldwood." He saw the citrine ring on her finger.
He said, "Come, my dear, with me." They walked up the stairs to the presentation stage. He hefted one of two big sealed bags of the two thousand dragon coin prize. Tywin Lannister stood up with his two guards following him, and went to the stage stand close by.
King Robert shouted out, "The Lannisport archery tourney winner is Lady Lyra Wyldwood of Storms End and the first woman to win an archery tourney contest in Westeros history!" The cheers were loud.
Tywin stepped up and said, "I will escort Lady Wyldwood to wherever her destination may be." Lyra looked at Tywin and smiled.
King Robert said, "Tywin, you surprised me. I didn't know you knew of such a rare and lovely beauty?"
Tywin said a bit aggravated, "We had met many months ago. May I assist you Lady Lyra?"
Lyra was in shock seeing Tywin again and said, "Of course, my Lord. It would be an honor." The one guard took the bags of gold and escorted Lyra and Tywin off the stage. They walked to her ship with her on his arm.
Tywin said looking straight ahead, "It's good to see you. I thought I never would again."
Lyra said looking forward but seeing him in her peripheral vision, "I didn't either. It was a very cold thing your man did when I brought you back in one piece safely."
He said sternly, "My brother is an idiot to treat you like that after everything. I made him go after you to apologize and invite you back at my request, but he couldn't find you. Believe me, I was very angry at him for a while."
She smiled and asked, "How long did it take to recover?"
Tywin said stoically, "About a month. My arm still hurt but I exercised it back to gain strength."
She said smiling, "I'm so glad." At that moment Jorah came running up to her.
Jorah said panting from running, "Lady Lyra, I've been wanting to find you and talk to you but your men won't allow me on your ship and I haven't seen you til now."
Lyra said to Tywin, "Excuse me moment, Lord Tywin." She turned to Jorah and said, "Ser Jorah, the woman you were kissing will be the one that will ruin your life, Lady Lynesse Hightower. I saw her cheat on you and force you to break the law selling poachers into slaves for more money to support her because you decided to marry her."
Jorah asked, taken aback, "You're a greenseer?"
Lyra said, "No, I am just a seer. I thought you cared about me the night before, or so you said sincerely, but it was sobering to see you kissing another woman and completely enjoying it so quickly the next morning. Good luck and goodbye, Ser Jorah Mormont." She turned away from him and took Tywin's arm and they walked away leaving Jorah standing there with his mouth open.
Tywin was impressed because she not only warned him of his mistake of being with another woman but told him what would happen if he pursued her without animosity. She was a true lady to walk away from being cuckolded by him so quickly without retaliation.
Tywin asked, "What happened?"
Lyra sighed and said, "We met, we kissed and he wanted me to be at the tourney. I was prepared to give him my favor but found him in the arms of another and liking it far too much to be unintentional. I just walked away. The next day, I signed up for the archery tournament. So here we are on the second day. I thought of you from time to time hoping you were well."
Tywin said, spitting it out like a bitter taste, "He's a fool, by kissing you first and then letting another afterwards. You are the rarest of gems."
She blushed flattered and said, "Thank you, Tywin. You're sweet to me." He smirked. She walked him and his guards up to her ship's gangway with the sea green maelstrom on it.
Tywin asked, "Your carrack?"
Lyra said, "Yes, 'The Wyldwynd'. I have been at sea for almost a year traveling from all the cities up and down in the Narrow Sea trading, then from Volantis to here." She opened her cabin door and was pounced on by Crystal. She stood up with her paws on her shoulders chuffing and rubbing Lyra's face with hers. Tywin was startled looking at the huge white lion with huge fangs and claws.
Lyra was laughing, rubbing, embracing Crystal and saying, "Crystal, did you miss me, big girl? It's ok I brought friends with me." She kissed her on the head. She backed off getting down and they moved into the room.
Lyra said to the guards, "You can put the bag on the table over here." She stood by the table. They were hesitant at first because of the huge lion but sat the bags of gold coins on the table.
Lyra said, "My cat will not harm you." She snapped her fingers and made hand signals and Crystal laid down on the floor relaxed and licking her paws. She said, "I told her not to worry about you all. Tywin, would you like some very good blackberry wine?"
Tywin smiled and said, "Yes, thank you, Lyra." He turned to the guards and said, "Wait outside." The two soldiers hesitantly left out the door.
Lyra drew a pitcher of wine from her cask and took two cups to the table, moving the gold to a spot on the sofa in the room. She sat with Tywin at the table and poured them each a wine.
Tywin said looking around, "This is a very nice ship."
She said smiling, "It is. I have an excellent captain, forty top crewmen, fifty trustworthy sellswords and ten servants I care very much about. I bought some of the servants as slaves in the slaver's markets of Essos. I, of course, set them all free and gave them jobs that pay very well. Some wanted to leave and I even outfitted them and set them wherever they wanted but most stuck by me and liked it on my ship."
Tywin said looking her in the eyes, "You have been busy since you left. I'm glad you have done well for yourself."
Lyra said looking him back in his eyes studying his face, "I have. I have quite a bit of money in the Iron Bank, but have made a lot as a merchant in rare item shipments. I don't worry about pirates, they don't have much interest in me.
Tywin took a sip of his wine and said, "How much are they extorting from you?"
She laughed at that, smiling at him, "You're a sharp man with a sharp mind, Tywin. I like that a lot. Not a thing. I think they are afraid of me."
Tywin raised his eyebrow up and asked incredulously, "Why is that?"
Lyra said smirking, "I have magic."
Tywin said, "I bet you do."
She said slyly looking at him, "I have many skills. That's all I will say about it. A girl has to keep up her mysteriousness."
Tywin smirked and said, "I'm sure you know white lions are extremely dangerous. Where did you find one to trust you?"
She smiled and said, "Tywin, I'm pretty dangerous too. I found her at an auction in Braavos very sickly at only a moon's turn old. I fed her a steady diet of goat's milk, vegetables and meat later on while keeping her warm and sleeping under my chin at night as she sucked my neck. She is very strong and I am proud of her. We hunt together in the wilderness. I taught her a lot in order to survive if she has to be alone, but she won't be full grown until three name days old. I am her mother. She slept under my chin and a burlap bag on my hip after I collared and leashed her. I only leash her when people are around. She doesn't need it because she is able to walk me instead, but people seem to be less intimidated if they think I'm in control of her. She is a brilliant cat. But then she would kill anyone for me if I let her or told her too. I pray that situation never happens." Tywin was impressed with her keeping herself safe and protective of everyone and the creature she loves or cares about.
Tywin said, "Will you come stay with me in Casterly Rock castle with your cat?"
Lyra asked, "For how long, Tywin?"
He shrugged saying, "As long as you wish. I would like the pleasure of your company and the comfort of your presence."
She said leaning over to him, "Oh Tywin, you enigmatic man. I know you are so much more than what you present to the world."
He said leaning towards her, "Then be mine and let me show you." She smiled and caressed his face and lips.
Lyra said, "I would be honored."
Tywin said, "You can bring your money and I can lock it up for you."
She said, "I can pay my men for six months to maintain my ship and release my sellswords, but my servants and my cook go where I go too."
Tywin said, "Then bring your staff, cat, money and anything else you want. I will have them accepted into my household. I will have a wardrobe made for you immediately. I just want you near me, my beauty."
She smiled softly and kissed his mouth. He put his hands on both sides of her face and pulled her in closer and deeply kissed her with his tongue. She opened her mouth and stroked his tongue. He groaned and she sighed.
Tywin broke the kiss, looking in her eyes, lightly moving his thumb over her lips and said quietly, "I will not lose control of myself but I will let you in some."
She caressed his shoulder lightly, "Good, because I hate the cold. I know you need that control but in my bed, you will share control with me because I like it both ways." He lit up in his eyes with desire and she saw it ignite.
When Tywin left her, he was going to see her the next morning when his men moved anything she wanted to the castle with her. Lyra was excited to move there for a change and she always wondered what Casterly Rock looked like.
She wondered how his people were going to feel about him taking a consort or mistress. She guessed she will find out tomorrow. That night she paid everyone on the ship, except the staff that wanted to go with her. She paid them three months at a time as it was.
The crew was happy because she was in a big city and they could sleep for free on the ship and do as they wished in shifts.