CHAPTER 10

Robert asked lustily, "What made you come to Westeros, my dear?"

Ivy said simply, "I came here because I have never been here before. I had learned about it but wanted to see for myself. My accent is different and just grew from speaking Lorathi, other languages and people I have met, your Grace."

Then came honeyed ham, buttered carrots, white beans and bacon, and roast swan stuffed with mushrooms and oysters. She was not partial to the swan and only took one bite, she thought, 'Was there an odd flavor to the meat or was it the mushrooms?'

It seemed that Tywin, Robert, Tommen and Marcella didn't eat it either. It gave her an idea. The two targets were Queen Cersei and Prince Joffrey. She had other targets here also in the castle. She passed by one as she walked to the dining area on the way with Tywin.

Ivy subtly casts magic from under the table on the meat on Cersei and Joffrey's plate as highly toxic mushrooms. She continued to eat and talk softly to Tywin. They had blackberry tarts for dessert.

Once the evening meal was over, Tywin and Ivy said their thanks and goodbyes. They headed to his room.

The moment the door was closed, he grabbed her by the waist and started kissing her. Ivy wrapped her arms around him and gave as good as she got. He started undressing her. The maid came in, he shouted, "GET OUT!", and she turned around and left. They undressed each other and fell on the bed kissing and having vigorous sex immediately.

Later on, she walked into the sitting room with his black shirt on, hanging down to her knees. He was in his robe drinking a glass of wine and staring off into the fire in the fireplace in heavy thought. She walked up to him, he liked how his clothes looked on her and he could see her naked figure through the shirt weave in front of the flames. Tywin ran his hand up her body and ran his thumb over her nipple on her breast. He put his cup down and pulled her onto his lap straddling him with his arms around her back. She pulled her hair to the side and he started kissing her neck.

Ivy wrapped her arms around him and said, caressing his ear, "What were you thinking about staring into the fire?"

He said deeply in a soft voice, "I was thinking that I was going to miss you, when I go back to Casterly Rock in three days. You have been such a pleasure to have around for the last twenty two days. You don't pressure or demand things from me like most women do."

She kissed him and said, "I'm not selfish like most women of titles and houses."

Tywin said, "I know. You even talk differently and have just as much desire to have sex as I do."

She said nuzzling his jaw, "I think you have had nothing but the burden of taking care of your family, home, involvement in fighting wars and skirmishes all your life. You need to have someone in your life as a companion to relieve your stress, take care of you and hold your confidence." He kissed her lips passionately.

He pressed her to his body as she laid her head on his shoulder cupping his neck while caressing his jaw with her thumb. Tywin said quietly, "I want you, but I know you're needing to go on in your own direction when I'm done here."

Ivy said softly to him, "You are a handsome older virile man with a very hearty and vigorous sexual appetite. Don't make yourself be alone all your life. You deserve something else for yourself other than duty, Tywin my dear. You still won't have to give up your self control that you need to perform your duties just to have someone. I want you to promise me to try and find someone even if she is not the right one. Just don't give up trying."

He actually liked that she was intelligent and could tell him the truth about himself. They hadn't known each other long but she already knew him better than most, even his own family. He thought she was a lovely creature to have come along his path. Tywin said looking into her blue-green eyes, "I'll try for you but I'm still going to miss touching you, my beautiful girl."

She smiled and hugged him saying, "I'll miss you too, sweet Tywin." She kissed him. He broke the kiss and picked her up and took her to bed opening his robe. That's when there was a loud knocking on the door. He growled and got out of the bed, closing his robe again. Tywin yanked open the door to a soldier.

The soldier said, "My Lord Tywin, you must come the queen and the prince!" He closed the door and put on his pants.

Ivy said frowning, "What is it?"

He said quickly, "Something about Cersei and the prince. I'll be back when I can." Tywin rushed out the door. She laid back looking up at the ceiling blinking a few times and hoped she wasn't becoming too indifferent in her tasks. Nicodemus jumped up on the bed and laid down next to her. She rolled over and went to sleep cuddling him to her neck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sometime later, Tywin came back into the room. He took off his robe and slippers and pants getting into bed next to her naked. Ivy woke up and took off his shirt, feeling him naked and turned over facing him and wrapping him in her arms. He silently wrapped his arms around her too.

She asked him sleepily, "Is everything alright, my dear?" Tywin shook his head no.

He said softly, caressing her lips, "Make me forget it for now, my beautiful girl." She kissed him and wrapped her leg over his hip. He rolled her on her back and entered her. They began slowly and easily as it built up the flame of desire. Tywin was thrusting hard into her as she moved with him. When they both came, they stifled the sound in a lusty kiss, he rolled her on top of him and grasped her body to his possessively. He enjoyed the comfort she could give him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Over the next seven days, King's Landing had not one, but two funerals. People came from far and wide to pay their respects. Ivy stayed by Tywin's side during his whole stay in King's Landing.

She was alone one evening in front of the fire and warged through the flames of the fireplace into a cat in The Erie. She walked around and waited for her moment. Lysa Arryn had a red aura, who was talking to herself of poisoning her husband staring into the moon door. Ivy had her cat claws in her flesh making her lose her balance. Lysa fell to her death through the moon door. The poor cat died too as she immediately warged out of the cat in time.

Another death was Grand Maester Pycelle being beheaded for not saving Queen Cersei or Prince Joffrey in King Robert's grief. A breakout of bleeding stomach poisoning happened to three of the King's Guard with red auras, Meryn Trant, Ilyn Payne and Boros Blount. Two Lannister soldiers came down with the bleeding stomach too that had red auras, Polliver and the one called The Tickler. King Robert was beside himself with the queen and Prince dying along with three King's Guard.

She spent the last night together with Tywin. Ivy made love with him all evening. He had asked her to stay again and go back with him to Casterly Rock. She made him promise to 'try' like he said he would. Tywin told her he wanted her to come back because he was holding on to her dresses just for her. That night they fell asleep in each other's arms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning they woke early, had sex and took a bath in the big bathtub together. He said as she was washing his back, "I want to thank you for spending time with me while having to extend my stay here in King's Landing. You have been nothing but the perfect companion and friend to me. I'm still amazed how easily you fit next to me." She giggled, kissing his neck and washing his chest with her arms wrapped around him.

Ivy said softly, "You are so welcome, Tywin. I'm glad I could be here for you when you needed me. I loved spending time with you too." She reached under the water and washed his genitals. He rolled and closed his eyes at her administration. She wrung out the cloth and soaped it some more, washing his arms and hands as he watched her hands move over his skin.

Ivy said in his ear, "I enjoy that gentle side you don't show to anyone. I'm honored you gave me a glimpse." Tywin turned around and took the washcloth from her hand, pulled her on top of himself and started kissing her deeply. He broke the kiss and soaped up the cloth. He began washing her body. They had sex one more time before getting out of the tub. They dried off and got dressed in their traveling clothes. Once she had her weapons on and her cloak with her hair braided down her back, she was ready. They broke their fast quickly and the soldiers helped bring their bags down to the stables. The horses were already saddled. She clipped the lead on her second horse. She had paid for a room at a better inn and her horses in a stable next to it until her ship arrived.

Tywin gave his horse reins to the stablehand and walked over to her and said, "Are you ready?" Ivy smiled and nodded. He grabbed her so tight and kissed her with such passion that it took her breath away at first. She had her arms around him kissing him back with the same intensity he was so all about.

He broke the kiss caressing her face and said, "Be safe in your travels, my beautiful girl. I'll miss you… terribly."

She smiled up at him and caressed his lips with her fingers and said, "You be safe too. I'll miss you too, Tywin." Ivy pecked his lips and led her horses out with her cowl hood up. She mounted her horse holding Nicodemus and putting him on the saddle in front of herself as they turned and rode to the inn.

Tywin watched her go and wondered if he would ever get to see her again, he hoped so. He led his horse out with his guards and wagons. They headed for the Lion's Gate.

~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been about seven days, when Ivy was entering her room at the inn after looking at the local shops. She found Lord Varys who she had met before but never had a long conversation with. Ivy paused at the door looking him in the eyes.

She said with a sly smirk on her face, "Well, if I had known you wanted to see me, I would have met you here sooner if you gave me a message. How did you get in? Don't tell me… you are friends with the proprietor of this establishment."

He smiled his subtle smile and said, "Yes. Well, I thought it better this way because what I have to say doesn't need to be heard by anyone." Her eyebrows went up. Ivy subtly cast a sound muting spell in the room so nobody outside of the room could hear anything. She locked the door and took off Nicodemus' leash as he went to his water bowl.

She walked over to the bed and sat facing Lord Varys sitting in a chair across from her. Ivy asked, "What have you learned about me, Lord Varys?" She folded her hands in front of her.

Varys smiled and said, "That you are not quite who you say you are. My little birds have brought me information that makes no sense to me, which leads to only one conclusion."

She smiled at him and asked, "And what would that be?"

He said, "You may be a Brightflame. I want to know where you have been and what you are hiding? Who was your father and mother?"

Ivy said, "What if, I told you, dear Spider, that I woke up one day in a world I have no memory of at approximately a eight name days old. I was picked up floating in the middle of the ocean by a band of pirates and cutthroats on a pirate ship with no memories of where I came from and no name." Varys was studying her face.

She said seriously, "I somehow managed to escape the pirates in Myr before they could rape or molest me. I ran out into the desert when a sandstorm suddenly enveloped me. After hours, I leaned against a wall of scrub and fell through into a cavern. It was filled with treasure gold, silver and gemstones. There was a good water source inside there with it. I had collected food that would not perish, a flint, steel and a candle while with the pirates. I collected the treasure and went back to Myr four days later to check if the pirates had left. I checked into an inn for a room and took a bath."

She then said, "I booked passage to Braavos, opened an account at the Iron Bank in a name given to me in a vision and dream I had. I got the gold processed and sold the gemstones. I put it all in the bank, except for an iron coin I found on the skeletons in the cavern. I took it to The House Of Black And White that I saw in another vision. It was a higher up ranking leader who went missing 120 years before. I was owed a favor, so I asked to be trained. I stayed as a Faceless Man for eight years."

Varys was intrigued and asked, "What then did you do?"

Ivy smiled and said, "I left amicably at approximately sixteen and was told to keep the coin and use it. I booked passage all the way to Asshai and into the Shadowlands. I spent eight almost nine years learning magic from Asshai, Stygai and The City Of Winged Men. I bought a ship, saved people at the slave auctions and sailed back to Braavos. I had acquired much treasure up in the Shadowlands." His eyes got big.

She said, "My forty crew, fifty guards, captain, cook, four servants and my sworn knight are all highly paid with double wages with the best food and lodging." Varys was speechless.

She said, "I have been visited by two harbingers sent from the gods to tell me what my purpose is and guiding my path. I am to prevent a war in 298AC and prepare for the greatest war of all in the end of 304AC. When King Robert dies there will be squabbling over who gets the throne. It is so petty and sickening to me to see that when it happens because you can't fight over who gets the throne, if everyone in the world is dead."

Varys looked puzzled and said, "I don't understand."

Ivy looked him directly in the eyes and said, "There are somethings in this world, Lord Varys, that are so terrifying, things that are so frightening, that you will want so badly to deny its existence than being real. All just to feel safe in your denial so you can sleep at night."

Varys asked curiously with his eyes wide open, "Like what?"

She said monotone, "Something coming real soon that will kill every man, woman, child and animals in the entire world, if it is not stopped here. I am trying to stop tensions from rising before a war breaks out that will take so many lives that will be needed for the following war. I promise you, I will stand before you with literal proof in the next few years and you will remember this conversation today. I know I am right to be on this path to save all life. It will occur approximately at the end of 304AC into 305AC. Winter will come for everyone."

Varys asked, seriously intimidated, "How do you know all this will come true?"

She asked him, "Do you think magic doesn't exist? That dragons don't exist? That the gods don't exist?" He shrugged.

Ivy said seriously, "What if all three can be proven to exist to you? Would you then believe me, or would you be like those who would just make the list longer of things that may or may not exist to keep me having to prove it more and more?"

She said seriously and intensely looking at him, "I am not a threat to anyone right now. You must swear to me that you will keep my existence quiet between you and I? If it gets out, it will stop my tasks that I am doing by stopping the death of the entire world. If that is not important enough to you, I'll know it was you who told someone. You will be threatening not just my life by saying one word to anyone, but all life. Then you will never sleep safely again in the shadow of night because I will come for you before the Army Of The Dead does. Like what happened to Petyr Baelish, perhaps?" Varys' eyes got wide.