"Forgiving the crown's debts, requesting the King to show mercy to Myrcella and Tommen and naturalizing them both. They do not sound like things your father would do" The voluptuous Lannister sipped at her wine, her tone gentle and ponderous.
"They do not. Yet that is exactly what he'd done" The Lannister Imp inhaled slowly before exhaling. "Draw it up to age, or whatever shame he'd felt at what Jaime and Cersei had been caught doing, he has done it. I was there, as were the King and the Hand."
"And here you sit, the Lord of Casterly Rock," the broad-shouldered Lannister said in a whisper, "do you honestly believe Littlefinger killed your father?"
"He did not" the imp shrugged. "By all logic, it was Jon Arryn he'd aimed to kill. It has been found that Baelish and Lysa Arryn were having an affair, and as such, killing Jon Arryn and marrying Lysa Arryn after would make Baelish the Lord of the Eyrie. The man was ambitious and ruthless, everyone knows that."
"Are you saying it was all bad luck on my brother's part then that got him served the tainted wine?"
"Maybe. Unless you insinuate that it was I who assassinated my father?"
The broad-shouldered Lannister said nothing.
The Imp snorted.
"I can assure you, uncle, I had no hand in this. Father was adamant about naming Tommen his heir after raising him in the way he saw fit. His death has only delayed that. I will be Lord of Casterly Rock and Tommen will follow me to the seat after my death."
"And what of your children?" asked the voluptuous Lannister.
"With what woman, Aunt Genna? Only whores can love someone like me."
"I'm sure you will have women lining up to marry you, Tyrion," the voluptuous Lannister said kindly.
The board-shouldered Lannister kept his silence.
"For the status I hold now and the legacy that is now firmly attached to my name. I can assure you, Aunt Genna, I will not be taking these women as my wife. That ship has long since sailed. My focus will be on making sure Tommen receives the best education and becomes a man better than his father and grandfather. I promised my brother as much."
"And Myrcella? What about her?"
"I don't need to worry about her with such capable women in Casterly Rock," the Imp said kindly and with a smile. "Had Cersei listened to you and perhaps even Aunt Dorna when she tried to guide her, we wouldn't be in the mess that we are today."
The Imp stood, and with his stood the woman and the man.
"I am tired. The journey has been long and the thoughts have hardly let my mind settle. Uncle Kevan, please ask someone to ready the paperwork that may need my insights so I may begin working on them once I've rested enough. Aunt Genna, please make sure Myrcella and Tommen are well settled in. They would need your gentleness."
-x-
He hadn't even begun his duties as Lord of Casterly Rock, and he already wanted to step down and put Tommen on that chair.
It was not as if Tyrion shied away from responsibility. Some would say he even thrived with them on his shoulder. He was even used to all the stares. He was a dwarf born into nobility, people were meant to stare. It was the whispers of Tyrion supposedly killing his father to get to the position he was in now.
His uncle had brought that question up, but Tyrion was not stupid enough to think that he would spread gossip. Ser Kevan Lannister was an almost perfect shadow of the deceased Lord Tywin Lannister, matters of gossip were not things he invested in. No, this was the nature of these people, gossip and spread rumors. Tyrion would need to put leashes on these people like his father had put them during his time as Lord of Casterly Rock.
The Imp wondered just how much of his father he'd need to emulate to earn the respect and probably even the fear of these people. The latter was most important, fear worked better than respect when it came to Westerlanders.
"I remember saying I wanted my bacon fried to a blackish crisp" Tyrion pushed the plate away.
The servant bowed her head and scurried away with the plate.
At least someone feared him.
"That was unnecessary."
"On the contrary, Aunt Dorna, I think that was perfectly reasonable" Tyrion smiled a charming smile, "breakfast is the most important meal of the day! We must all have our fill of what we need. I would suggest you all do the same and let the servants know exactly what you wish for."
The cousins all smiled at that, while the uncles and aunts either frowned in good nature or sighed with a resigned smile.
"Speaking of having a healthy fill, where are my niece and nephew?"
"Tommen did not want to leave his room, so Myrcella asked if she could break her fast with her brother in her room. I did not see the harm in it so I allowed her to have breakfast with Tommen in his chambers" Genna Lannister explained.
"Should we not keep those two separate?" Emmon Frey, the husband of Genna Lannister, asked. "With the nature of how they were made, it wouldn't be a surprise if they try to emulate their parents."
"I thank you for your insights and your care on the matter, uncle" Tyrion's smile was tight. He did not appreciate the comment, and neither did the other members present at the table.
Especially his wife who was shooting him disgruntled glares not so discretely.
"But I can assure you that both of them are as far from their parents as they can be. Myrcella has no such notion in her as Cersei had, rather she finds it all disgusting and finds ways to be disgusted in herself for the deeds that led to her inception. I am trying to help her see that it was not her fault and that she is not the one who should be the subject of disgust. It is a slow process, but it has led me to be aware of the fact that she would not walk the same path as her mother."
Ser Emmon Frey nodded meekly.
"I would say Tommen takes after Jaime some" Lady Dorna spoke, "had Lord Tywin been gentler with the boy, he would have been just as gentle as his son."
"He was gentle," Tyrion said with a soft smile. "Jaime was a gentle and kind-hearted soul, but he rarely showed it around his father or even Cersei."
The Imp inhaled softly before exhaling.
"I suppose this is a good time as any" Ser Kevan muttered softly before he turned to his nephew, "we've received a few ravens a day before your arrival. The Lords of the West ride to come and meet you."
"And you chose to tell me now?" Tyrion raised a brow.
"I would have told you earlier, but you were adamant about rest and dealing with the works of a Lord once you were refreshed" Kevan countered.
Tyrion could not quite argue with that.
"Are they all coming?" Tyrion questioned.
"I'm afraid so" Ser Kevan nodded.
"Then we mustn't waste time and prepare as Lannisters do. A ball perhaps?"
"Is that… necessary?" Lady Dorna asked, "Surely they are here to pay their respects to your father."
"I envy your good heart, Aunt Dorna, but I do not believe these people to be coming for such a purpose. Uncle Kevan, how many of them owe father in any way? How many of them have daughters of age? How many of them have grandchildren?"
"Too many" Kevan muttered.
"But, I suppose we can hold off on the ball. Aunt Dorna may yet be right that few do come to pay their respects. Perhaps a feast then? I don't see us going wrong with a feast."
There were no arguments against it.
Breakfast went by smoothly after that. Tyrion and Kevan left together for the Lord's study, while the rest went about performing their duties.
"I believe I owe you an apology" Tyrion stated.
"About?" Kevan asked.
"The Hand named you as a potential Master of Coin," Tyrion said, surprising his uncle, "but I took it on myself to request he look elsewhere. Casterly Rock is in need of your services uncle, I need you beside me to help me run this place. Father and I may have never seen eye to eye on a lot of things, but he is my father and I know of his character. You helped father and he has never spoken badly about your abilities. That is enough reason for me to hold you in high regard."
A lie it was, the first part at least. There were no offers or anything like that. But Tyrion needed the man on his side if he wanted to be a good Lord of Casterly Rock.
What were a few lies to get him in line?
Ser Kevan nodded stiffly.
"I thank you, nephew. I promise to serve you as I have served your father."
"Assist, uncle, not serve. You are a Lannister of Casterly Rock, you don't serve anyone but the King."
Kevan smiled at that.
"Aunt Genna and Aunt Dorna will deal with the preparations for the feast, and I intend Myrcella to join them so she too may start learning her duties. Tommen will need to work with skilled Knights to become a knight in his own right, and he will need education finer than what anyone can afford."
"And he will have everything he will need to succeed" Ser Kevan assured his nephew. "Willem and Martyn are training under a good knight from House Payne. Tommen can start with them."
Tyrion paused a moment before looking at his uncle.
"This Knight from House Payne, he wouldn't happen to have a squire from the lesser Branch of House Payne would he?"
"I believe he has a squire, but I'm uncertain where he comes from. Why?"
"No reason" Tyrion couldn't help but smile, "I would like to meet this knight."
Maybe he was going to get Pod earlier than he planned.