CHAPTER 15
~~~~4yr 9.25mo(4yr 8mo)293AD
When they arrived at White Harbor, Lyra had the captain notify the crew and get the ship ready to sail to King's Landing as their first port of call.
It took three days to stock the ship with provisions and they sailed for thirteen days to reach King's Landing. Lyra got off the ship wearing a white cloak with a cowl hood and Crystal on her leash. She was buying and sending crates of special goods to the ship as her guards followed her. The men on the ship were visiting the brothels and taverns in shifts.
There was a bit of a crowd gathered at a particular place in the city. She went to see what was going on and got her first look at Prince Joffrey Baratheon. He was out with Boros Blount, Jamie Lannister, Sandor Clegane, Barristan Selmy and several red cloaked guards. King Robert was riding a stallion.
Joffrey Baratheon was uncontrollably whining while throwing a fit and shouting, "I want to ride a stallion like my father does! I want it now!" Lyra stood there petting Crystal sitting next to her.
Boros Blount said, "Your highness, you're not as experienced of a rider as your father. You should…"
King Robert said boisterously, "Ser Blount, let him ride the stallion." They saddled the stallion. Lyra wished the horse would rear, Joffrey would break his neck once he was on it for five minutes and Boros Blount would be blamed resulting in his beheading. Lyra walked away towards the docks. Halfway to the docks, she heard screaming and a ruckus. She stepped up her pace and boarded the ship. She sat in her cabin and wished that if King Robert decided to legitimize any child of his, it would be Gendry Rivers, who would be eleven years old at this time, only. Two days later they set sail for Sunspear in Dorne that would take thirteen days.
~~~~4yr 10.25mo(4yr 9mo)293AD
When they got to Sunspear, Lyra got off the ship with Crystal and they walked the marketplace bazaar looking at all of the beautiful light clothes. She bought several sexy styles of lingerie, dresses and small clothes. She stocked up on wines, dried and canned fruit and vegetables. She also bought fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and cured or salted meat for Crystal. Her lion has been eating a lot of fish lately. After they were stocked, they set sail for Old Town.
~~~~4yr 11mo(4yr 9.75mo)293AD
Once arriving in Old Town, Lyra got off the ship dressed in her all black leather and black gauze shirt with all her weapons on with her light brown hair braided over her shoulder. She was wandering around the vendors looking at the offerings. People were leary of her with a three hundred pound lion walking with her. The four guards followed her everywhere she went. One of the vendors had an interesting table laid out, which was drawing her for some reason closer. It felt differently from the other vendors. She looked at his wares and nothing gravitated her to be interested. She looked up at the vendor. He was a man dressed in fine silks and dark kohl lined eyes.
He looked at Lyra and said, "Ah, a true seeker. You would not be interested in what I have on my table out here but what I rarely show only to a private… collectors." Lyra's eyebrow went up skeptically.
The man chuckled and said, "Come into my tent and I will show you my private collection." Lyra was on guard. She and Crystal went toward the tent behind the display. The man whispered to his assistant to take over.
The man said cautiously, "I trust your hrakkar will not eat me?"
Lyra said casually, "As long as I don't tell her too, she won't." The man nodded.
They entered the tent and he had her sit at a table and lit a lamp. Crystal sat down next to her leaning in on her. He pulled out a box with trays in it and objects. He laid the trays out with jewelry items and trinkets. He then pulled out objects lining them up on the table.
Lyra looked over the jewelry items and felt energy forces coming off one item in particular. It was a necklace inlaid with hematite and black tourmaline. It was like a choker. The stones were oval shaped in a silver filigree setting linked together. Magic was pulsing off of it. Lyra pointed to it. The man chuckled.
Lyra then saw a gadget that had a green aura around it. It was a brass circle with a clear crystal cluster floating in the center.
Lyra asked, "What does that object do? And what does the necklace do?" The man chuckled again.
The man said, "You have picked my most powerful items. The necklace is made of strong self protection stones. It protects you from harm whether it be in battle or from enemies. The round object here is a seer stone. You hold it against your forehead in the middle and visions occur. I want 500 dragons for the necklace and 300 dragons for the seer stone."
Lyra asked, "Can you explain what some of these other items are and what they do?" The man explained them all pointing at each piece. He had three charms of protection, luck, and agility she found interesting for Crystal to wear on her collar.
Lyra returned paying the man after haggling for the necklace, the seer stone, the three charms and an invisibility amethyst ring. She paid him 825 dragons total. She put on the necklace that fit perfectly around her neck with her large opal on its chain hanging just below it. She could feel the power rippling off of the stones. The seer stone was wrapped in a silk cloth and placed in its own box locked with a key. Lyra put the amethyst invisibility ring on her left pinky and put the three charms in her pocket. She was told to tap three times on the amethyst invisibility ring to turn it on and three times to turn it off.
Lyra left to go to a leatherwork shop and had Crystal's collar modified to have small metal rings put on it for the charms to hang from them. Lyra put the collar back on Crystal once the tiny steel rings were placed on it and the three charms hung off of it.
Lyra continued to look at everything the vendors were offering and had crates of specialty food sent to the ship. She picked up spices to replenish some of the herbs and spices she was low on if they had it. Lyra went back to her ship and she and Crystal had lunch together.
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After the ship was restocked, they sailed off to Lannisport which would take approximately three more weeks of sailing.
~~5yr 0.5mo(4yr 11.25mo)294AD
Once they had docked in Lannisport, Lyra and Crystal got off the ship and were wandering through the vendors looking at stuff. They both went to a tavern and ate an evening meal of chicken with cheesy mushroom barley and spinach. Crystal laid on the floor next to Lyra eating a whole baked chicken and her bowl of spinach with a bit of cheesy mushroom barley. Lyra laid a bowl of water down for her too. People were fascinated watching them as Lyra reached down with her piece of cloth she pulled from a bag she used to carry Crystal as a baby in. She wiped the lion's mouth off as she looked up at Lyra, licked her mouth and paws cleaning up. Crystal then took a long drink of water. Lyra put her platter of dishes on the table once Crystal was done. Crystal roweled to Lyra telling her she was happy. Lyra reached down and patted her head and scratched her ear while she finished up eating. Afterwards, they walked back to the ship. Crystal laid down in the middle of the floor. Lyra grabbed some pillows and laid down against Crystal's chest reading a book. After a while of all the gurgle sounds in Crystal's stomach. She roweled to go to the bathroom. Lyra got up and put her leash on her and took her to a safe place in a small wooded area to go to the bathroom.
When Lyra was on her way back to the ship a contingent of ten guards approached her and told her to come with them. Her two guards followed after she said she doesn't go anywhere without her guards. Four more men joined Lyra's two guards from the ship as they saw her being taken away by Lannister guards. The Lannister guards were not happy she had her own guards and a lion, so they were more accommodating being they were told to bring her to the castle not apprehend her.
Once she was taken to the castle her guards were told to wait in the hallway. They led Lyra and her lioness into the study. She looked around and saw Tywin sitting at his desk. The guards closed the door and stood outside.
Crystal sat down on her haunches. Lyra kept looking around. Tywin was trying to play his silent game of intimidation, but it never bothered her so she went over and sat down on the couch and Crystal went over and sat down leaning against her leg.
Tywin said stoically, "Most people wait until they are invited to sit down."
Lyra said looking out the window at the twilight sky, "Most people would have offered a lady a seat long before then, normally." He huffed and put his quill down.
Tywin asked looking at her, "What brings you back to Lannisport four years later?"
Lyra looked at him and said, "I have been around the known world to the Straits of Saffron and Asshai to both sides of the Narrow Sea several times. I stayed with Lord Stark and his family at Winterfell and I am sailing now to Bear Island to be married to Lord Jorah Mormont." Tywin flinched on the last part.
Tywin said dryly, "As I recall he tried to cuckold you."
Lyra said, sighing, "Yes, but I cut him off before that could happen. What do you want, Tywin?"
Tywin said emotionlessly, "I was curious at why you returned, is all. I wondered what may have happened to you and how you fared over the years that passed."
Lyra asked curiously, "Why didn't you stop me back then. You had six days to say anything to me before I left but you never lifted a finger. You said you cared but watched me go, Tywin. Why?"
Tywin said looking hard at her, "You left me! You wanted to go! You said it was time!"
Lyra said, "Don't tell me you were afraid of me killing your daughter. Don't tell me you were afraid of me and my abilities. Don't tell me you knew she would never give up until one of us was dead. You said nothing in six fucking days! I cried for three months over you. Then I got over it and moved on and lived my life as a merchant in rare items."
Tywin said bitterly, "Until the next man came along."
Lyra said looking him in the eyes, "The next man to come along was almost three months ago. I fell in love with him in Winterfell."
Tywin said firmly, "Why didn't you come back when you heard my daughter was gone a month later!"
Lyra said angrily, "Because you threw me away when I thought we meant something to each other!"
Tywin said, biting it out, "We did!"
Lyra snapped, "Not enough for you to hold on to though. All you had to say was my name and I would have turned around. You avoided your own bedroom for three days. I was in port on my ship for three more. One word, Tywin, but your pride or your fear of me kept you from saying a word. It's a shame really. I still was glad I saved your life though, perhaps some day you can return the favor." Lyra sat there. Crystal had laid down at her feet.
Tywin stood up and walked over to her and sat next to her on the other side of the sofa. He said, "I tried like you said to be in a relationship with other women, but they are demanding, selfish, wanting money and status climbing. They only wanted me for wealth and status, not me. They were…. not…. like you. I refused anyone's company for over a year and tried three times but I gave up almost a year ago. Cersei cannot interfere anymore. Kevan said after I got rid of the third woman, that he was sorry he wasn't nicer to you instead. Genna still hasn't forgiven me for letting you go. Don't marry Mormont, stay and be with me."
Lyra said, shaking her head, "I'm sorry Tywin, but our time is over. I do care for you, Tywin."
Tywin huffed and said, "Then marry me instead." She looked at him in shock.
Lyra said, "Why would you say that? You don't love me."
Tywin said, "You're the closest to love I ever felt since Joanna died. You're kind and not selfish or demanding of me. You were helpful and…. I loved how you felt just sleeping next to me or taking you in my bed, bath or in my study. I didn't have expectations thrust on me by you. You were content to read while I worked. I would have married you if you became pregnant and gave me children." She knew how much of himself he was putting out in front of her from a stoic and lonesome man.
Lyra said, taking his hand, "I am sorry the way we parted, but we can't go back to how it was. Things changed and I changed. I will be leaving soon and I want you to still try to find a woman who isn't cruel or selfish. I wish there was someone else out there that could understand you, love you for who you are and you would be able to love back in your own way in return soon. I will always want you to be happy, Tywin. I know you deserve it even if you aren't sure. She will be coming now to find you and you will know when you see her." She gave him a wish to help fulfill his happiness. She smiled and kissed his cheek while squeezing his hand. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her neck, closing his eyes tight. He hoped her magic worked, but he still would always feel a connection to her.
Tywin said softly in her ear, "Thank you, Lyra. For everything."
She patted his back and said, "You're welcome, Tywin. Be happy, my dear." He let her go.
Lyra stood up and said, "I must be going now." She smiled and waved goodbye. Tywin stood up and smiled back at her though it didn't fully reach his eyes that seemed a bit wistful. Lyra and Crystal walked out the door, closing it behind her.