27

Chapter 27 Love makes fools of us all

Myrcella Lannister

She sat down at the table as her father gave her his usual smug smile.

"You're late," he started, "a Lady should never be late."

She huffed and then stuck out her tongue at him before dissolving into giggles.

Father laughed heartily, "That's not ladylike either."

She just smiled as she got comfortable in her chair. The small dinning room they were in was one of the private family rooms that were scattered across the personal floor of the Lord of Casterly Rock. A place that members of the Lannisters had gathered with close family since the time of Lann the Clever.

Father had said this one had been the one he'd shared meals with his own mother once upon a time, a very long time ago. It was also the nearest to the traditional solar of the Lord of Casterly Rock.

The room was very cosy and very opulent. Lannister red and Golden Lions were everywhere she looked. A servant waited patiently for orders to bring them their meal.

"And where is my dear, brother?" asked father, "I doubt he was able to resist your charms and refuse to break for dinner." He leaned back easily in his chair.

She gave her father a bright smile, "And if I had managed to speak with him, he would have come," she answered assured of her words.

Father frowned, "He refused to speak with you?" he asked in a doubtful tone.

She shook her head, and thought carefully before wording her response properly, "I didn't try to speak with him, he seemed...a little busy, with his own amusements."

"Really? You think Tyrion is a little busy now? He's been busy since the day he became Lord of Casterly Rock," father retorted in amusement. "Which is why we decided to distract him bit with this quiet dinner."

Myrcella rolled her eyes at his amused tone, and denseness. "He's a little busy with his old friend," she stressed the word, knowing what her Uncle was probably busy doing now. She'd been in Dorne long enough to know how some men amused themselves. And she'd know her Uncle's tendencies long before that.

Father raised his eyebrows at that, as recognition began to appear in his eyes, "And which old friend is this? Someone I know?"

She nodded, "You know her. It's that foreign one– what was her name? Uh...Shar...No! Shae! That was her name," she exclaimed, as the proper name came to her.

The amusement disappeared from Father's face as it went blank for a moment, then he paled, horror blossoming on his face. He jumped up, knocking his chair over, and ran from the room suddenly frantically shouting for the guards.

Myrcella gaped at the vacant spot for a moment at the sudden action.

What's going on?

She rose, gathering her skirts and raced after her father, suddenly fearful for Uncle Tyrion's safety.

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Jaime Lannister

His heart pounded in his chest like a drum as he raced through Casterly Rock. The Last time he'd run like this in the Rock he'd still been a small boy and Mother had still been alive. He'd never run like this as an adult in the Rock.

A group of servants where in his way and he barreled into them sending them flying to the floor. He paid them no attention and continued onwards towards Tyrion's solar.

The distance wasn't far, but as every second passed, Jaime's dread grew. He remembered Shae. He remembered how angry Tyrion had been at the trial at her appearance and how he completely lost it as he heard her lies.

He also remembered how she had been found strangled to death in Father's bed and Father dead with two quarrels in him as he sat on the privy.

He ran faster.

He came to Tyrion's door, and kicked the door open.

He rushed in and found himself in a scene from his nightmares...

Shae was standing over a prone and still Tyrion with a bloodied dagger. His brother's clothes were Lannister red and hid his blood, but the small pool of blood around him...

Jaime tried not to think of the blood as he ran at her. She turned to him, surprise and anger written across her face. She raised her bloodied dagger and met his approach with a downward stab. He dodged the dagger and grabbed her wrist, before pulling her off balance and towards him. She stumbled forward and his fist met her face with all of his strength. Her head rocked back as he put all of his fury and fear into the blow.

Shae dropped like a rock, as if he'd hit her with a mace. She fell bonelessly to the ground, as he released the hold he had on her.

He paid her no more attention before rushing to Tyrion's side, kneeling down next to him. He grabbed him and shook him.

"Tyrion!"

Tyrion's eyes remained closed but he gave a painful groan when Jaime shook him. Jaime's hand moved over Tyrion's body looking for where his brother had been stabbed.

Myrcella was suddenly by his side, white faced and wide eyed, ripping off a strip of her pretty dress. He grabbed the strip from her and applied pressure to the biggest wound he could find.

He could hear the commotion behind him. Other's were coming into the solar, Jaime turned towards them and saw Redcloaks with draw swords standing around stupidly.

"GET THE MAESTER! GET MASETER CREYLEN!" he screamed at them as he continued to put pressure on Tyrion's bloody wounds.

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Time passed and Tyrion remained sleeping despite old Maester Creylen's assurances that the wounds were healing well with no sign of corruption.

In the aftermath of the attack, he'd had to take over Tyrion's solar to deal with everything...starting with how the in the seven hells did Shae manage to get so close to Tyrion in the first place!

Heads hadn't rolled as he found his answers fairly quickly. Tyrion had been a victim of his own reputation. Shae was an exotic, sensual woman. Combined with Tyrion's own lecherous reputation...it didn't take a genius to imagine how someone could use that, trying to get in good with the new Lord of Casterly Rock.

The guards, the stewards and various head maids had been warned about this happening again, he, Daven, and Bronn had given them a list of Tyrion's real enemies. As well as enlightening them as to just what would happen if something like this ever happened again...

He sighed, the real headache was dealing the rest of Tyrion's duties. Uncle Kevan and Daven helped, but Kevan was insistent that Jaime deal with the bulk of the issues and reports...and preparations.

All the preparations needed for a long winter and a hard war.

The reports in front of him strained his eyes, the words moving around in front of his eyes as he strained to read them properly. Farmers were sowing extra crops, more Redcloaks were bring armed and armored. Scouts were reporting some worrying movements along the border with the Reach...

Knocking interpreted his work.

"Come!" called out Jaime irritably.

The door open and in walked in a Redcloak. He bowed deeply and stepped forward. He stood at attention in front of Jaime.

"I'm assuming there's a good reason for this interruption?" he asked irritably when the Redcloak didn't immediately speak.

"Yes, my lord, there are visitors demanding to see you." the Redcloak quickly reported to him.

Jaime sighed again, lamenting the situation again, ever since Tyrion had been injured he'd been thrust into a position of authority. Tyrion was still sleeping, recovering from his wounds and Uncle Kevan had made sure that everyone knew Jaime was the one in charge now.

"What visitors?" he barked. They could wait till he held court. Unless for some mad reason, Jon or Daenerys had come here, whoever they were, they could wait for court. He already had too much to do. He told the Redcloak as much.

"Yes, my lord, but they insisted that someone inform you of their arrival. It's an arrogant Stormlander...a Lady Brienne of Tarth..." the Redcloak began with derision.

Jaime was out of his chair before the Redcloak had finished speaking, "Take me to her!" he demanded, not even listening to the rest of the Redcloak's words.

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Haste was undignified, and he was the acting Lord of Casterly Rock. Not that he cared at this moment one iota over how he looked. He wasn't running but he was setting a fast pace for the Redcloak that was trying to guide him towards wherever he'd had Brienne wait.

The Redcloak guided him to a large atrium two floors under the top one, where Tyrion's solar was located. It was mainly empty, with only a few guards standing at attention in their places.

The world seemed to freeze for Jaime as he caught sight of her standing proudly in the middle of the atrium. She looked just like she did the first time he saw her. Her hair was a little longer than he remembered, but still very short for a woman. She had the same armour he'd first seen her in- nowhere as good as the armour he'd gotten for her in King's Landing, he'd had have to rectify that. He couldn't give her another Valyrian steel sword, but better armour was something he could- and would do.

He waved the Redcloak off, and approached her, a smile on his face.

"Brienne," he called out almost breathlessly.

She turned at her name and her eyes fell on him, but instead of smiling, she gave him a serious nod and said gravely, "Ser Jaime."

He came to an abrupt halt at the lukewarm greeting. He'd expected more after her untimely death fighting Euron Greyjoy.

A unknown knight suddenly stepped up to her side with a nervous face.

"Ser Jaime..." called out the knight as Jaime turned his attention to him and gave him his best arrogant Lannister look.

The knight's was nervousness got worse and he wavered for a moment before finding his courage again. He had a black eye covering most of left eye. The white and purple chequy and gold coins of his heraldry identified him as a knight of House Payne.

"...I am Ser Cedric Payne, my lord," the knight introduced himself as he bowed deeply to Jaime, "And this is..." he gestured to his left to as his young squire approached.

"Podrick Payne!" Jaime exclaimed happily, as he recognized the younger Payne. No one had seen Pod since coming back. Getting him and Brienne back on the same day, made today a very good day. A very good day indeed!

Ser Cedric was taken aback by the warm of the greeting, "...forgive me, my lord, but they both said you would want to meet you immediately and not in court...they said it was because of this remembering business," the man explained quickly and apologetically.

Jaime smiled and nodded, "They were right...and you have done well bringing them here," he stated smugly.

Ser Cedric seemed to let out a breath and with it what appeared, his nervousness. He stood with a straighter back and smiled a reassured smile at Jaime.

"Never fear Ser Cedric, you have served House Lannister well, but come along now we have business to take care of," Jaime commanded. He turned and headed out of the atrium with the rest following hastily behind him. They left the atrium behind and as the came to a deserted corridor Jaime stopped abruptly and turned to Ser Cedric.

"Oh and I'll be taking your squire. He'll be squire to Tyrion Lannister, the Lord of Casterly Rock," Jaime commented simply.

Ser Cedric's eyes practically bugged out of his head in surprise at that announcement.

"...Pod go talk to Bronn, you'll find him another floor down with the Leffords, he'll find a place for Ser Cedric here at the Rock," Jaime ordered Pod.

"He's here as well, my lord?" Pod asked with a growing smile.

Jaime shrugged and gave him a smug smile, "Where else would he be? Tyrion finally found him a castle."

Pod laughed and bowed, he gestured for Ser Cedric to follow him before casting a knowing look at Brienne. Pod and Ser Cedric left Jaime alone with Brienne.

They stood in the hall looking at each other for a long moment.

"Ser Jaime," Brienne finally said with a nod, repeating her previous aloof greeting.

"Lady Brienne," Jaime returned the greeting cautiously, hiding his frown.

Again silence overcame them both.

Jaime let his frown show, "Are you mad at me for something?"

The first hint of emotion appeared as she glowered at him in response, "Do you have any idea how long I've been riding through the Seven Kingdoms? I made it all the way to the outskirts of King's Landing from the Stormlands before I heard word that you weren't there- that you'd escaped and no one knew where you'd run to! So I decided to head North to Lady Sansa, if she remembered she could explain all this madness! I was halfway to the North when I heard rumors of you in the Westerlands. Which is when I decided to turn westwards...so yes I am mad. Mad at the damned chase I ended up doing searching for you!" Her lips were thinned, pressed together and her eyes with filled with supreme annoyance.

With each sentence describing each step of her journey, she'd taken a menacing step towards Jaime. By the end of her tirade, she was standing almost nose to him now. He smiled smugly at her and then reached up and pulled her head down to his. He kissed her and after a moment's surprise she was kissing him back.

Jaime felt a part of him relax, having Brienne here with him. He wrapped his arms around her, her armour making it a little awkward, she reciprocated as the kiss lengthened.

Finally they broke apart and he said simply, "I missed you."

Her expression softened and she smiled back, "I missed you too." she admitted with annoyance. "But I'm still mad about the chase you put me through."

They turned and were going to resume their walk, but they discovered that they had had an audience.

The Hound was standing there an amused and mocking smile on his lips, and with him was Myrcella. She was standing there staring at the two of them as if couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her mouth was hanging open and it didn't look like she was going to close it any time soon.

Brienne and Jaime turned red and flustered.

"That mad ginger Wildling is going to be disappointed," The Hound japed, with a nasty laugh.

"Tormund can go fuck himself," Jaime retorted with an incensed scowl before looking at the shocked Myrcella and wincing at his behavior in front of her.

He cast a look at Brienne, who seemed to be trying to turn invisible. He grabbed her hand and pulled her forward, "Myrcella, this the lady, Brienne of Tarth. A good friend of mine. Brienne, this is my daughter the lady, Myrcella Lannister."

Brienne cast a questioning look at him before she bowed to Myrcella, "My, lady."

Myrcella still seemed shocked, it took her a while before she found her voice. She closed her mouth before raising a eyebrow at him, "Good Friend? Is that what they're calling it now?"

Brienne turned redder as the Hound started laughing again.

Jaime gave her a hard, unamused look, "I think someone's been spending too much time with Tyrion. Don't you have lessons with the maester now?"

Myrcella sniffed, she lifted up her skirts and curtsied gracefully, "Father, Lady Brienne." She walked off giving them both long lingering looks. The Hound nodded at them, before following in her wake, a big amused grin on his face.

That was unexpected, he...he'd never given any thought to how Myrcella or Tommen would react to Brienne. Of course, having Myrcella catching him in a comprising position with Brienne was not how he'd intended to introduce them. Now that he thought about it, it also had gone better than he'd expected. He turned back to Brienne.

Brienne seemed to have recovered her composure with only a slight tinge of red coloring her cheeks.

"Come on Brienne, there's a lot that I need to tell you." Jaime admitted with a sigh.

He began filling her in on what had been happening as he led her to Tyrion's solar. He had a spring in his step as he walked, in spite of Tyrion's illness, he felt happier now.

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The fourth day, Tyrion finally awoke, seemingly as grouchy and irritable as father ever got. Awake and alive and asking about Shae.

As they stood in Tyrion's rooms, a part of Jaime admitted that Tyrion looked frightful now. Pale from the lost blood. A bruised face, though his eyes still shone with light and intelligence. The bandages around his midsection and shoulder made him look round and fat.

Perhaps frightful was the wrong word. Absurd was a better one. The fright was all Jaime's feelings. He tried to imagine a world without Tyrion and he couldn't...he didn't want to. Tyrion had to live and rule the Westerlands, too much depended on him for them to lose him now.

"Well?" asked Tyrion impatiently with a scowl on his face.

"You lost a lot of blood, she stabbed you in the shoulder and in your left side, thankfully she managed to miss anything vital..." Maester Creylen explained slowly.

"It's also been four days, Tyrion," Jaime quickly admitted cutting in.

"...but you should make a full recovery- if you rest properly, and allow time for your body to heal," finished Creylen firmly glaring at Jaime for second before giving Tyrion a kindly smile.

"At least after this assassin, you still have your good looks," Jaime joked not in the least intimidated by the maester's disapproval.

Tyrion laughed snidely and then quickly groaned wincing as a hand went to his side, "Don't make me laugh, it hurts," he commanded in annoyance.

"Well heal quicker and then it won't hurt at all," retorted Jaime.

Tyrion gave him an unamused glare, but didn't retort.

Jaime continued talking ignoring the glare, "...in any case I do have some good news for you, while you were taking your enforced rest," Tyrion let out an indigent sound at that remark and Creylen gave him another unamused and disappointed look, "Brienne showed up and she wasn't alone." He raised a hand and gestured for Podrick to come forward.

The boy stepped forward and bowed, "My lord, it's good to see you awake," declared Podrick Payne with a wide smile.

Tyrion grinned, "Podrick Payne! I'm stealing you back from Brienne. You're my squire and it seems I need someone to keep an eye on my back...it seems some people are forgetting their place...and our arrangements," he finished with insulting look towards Bronn.

Bronn didn't look guilty, he just shrugged nonchalantly, "Had wedding preparations to see to."

"Anyway, I already stole him back," Jaime admitted quickly, "He's your squire...though I've been teaching him a few things on the training field."

Tyrion nodded with a smile, "Good, good," he paused as his face suddenly lost it's good cheer, "Where is Shae?"

"Perhaps, later once you've rested more-" began Creylen.

"She's in the dungeons," Jaime answered quickly cutting off the maester.

"I want to see her," Tyrion commanded, throwing off his covers and struggling to get out his bed, "Pod! Help me up!"

Jaime frowned angrily, "You need to rest first."

"No! Now! It wasn't a suggestion! I am still Lord of Casterly Rock and this is my command!" Tyrion stubbornly commanded and as started to get out of bed.

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Shae

The pain in her jaw ached. Her whole head ached and she felt nauseous. The dampness of the cell didn't help any. Jaime Lannister hadn't been gentle and neither had her guards.

As the days passed, they'd kept her alive and hadn't touched her yet, but each time the goalers brought her food, they'd gloated. They'd threatening her, telling just how they would rape and violate her once Lord Tyrion was awake to hear her screams of agony. She'd dared to attack the Lord Of Casterly Rock in his home and now she would hear him roar!

Time didn't have any meaning to her now, except when they brought her food that was the only thing she had to measure the passing of time.

Things hadn't got as planned, she'd thought she'd have more time with Tyrion. She'd avoided everyone who knew her from before. She known that Tyrion usually spent the nights in his study going over his papers and planning, usually alone. He'd been arrogant, keeping his guards distant from him, he'd never imagined that something could threaten him inside the walls of Casterly Rock.

Damn you, Kingslayer. She almost done it, she'd almost had her revenge, if it hadn't been for him! She'd almost paid Tyrion back for every broken promise, for every lie, for way that Tyrion had used her faithlessly with his honeyed words!

She sat and fumed in a corner of her darkened cell, with her dark thoughts and recriminations...they were all she had left now.

She didn't know how much time passed when the clinking of keys interrupted her wrathful contemplation.

She looked through the bars of her cell toward the sounds. Muffled low voices came to her and steeled herself for the coming insults they would throw at her. She could hear the shuffling of feet on the floor approaching.

Surprise blossomed in her, as instead of seeing the goaler, Tyrion himself came waddling in, heavily bandaged and leaning heavily on a wooden cane. His face was stony and he grimaced with every step he took. Innocent little, Podrick Payne stood behind him giving her disapproving looks. She ignored the young boy. He didn't matter now. Her eyes focused on Tyrion and she sneered at him, enjoying every moment of pain she saw in him.

Tyrion came to a stop at the bars of her cell and stared in at her, an unreadable look on his face. They stared at each other, eyes locking.

Tyrion broke the silence first, he sighed and looked as a defeated look came to his face, "Shae."

She sneered at him and spat, "My lion."

He flinched at her words, his lips thinning and pursing but he remained silent and had no smart retort for her.

The silence was oppressive and prolonged

"Meeting you was the worse thing to happen to me!" she shrieked angrily, rising up and taking menacing steps towards him.

"On that we can both agree..." Tyrion retorted sadly, not moving away from the bars, as he stared up at her.

His retort incensed her, "That's it? That's all you can say?"

He frowned, "It's the truth! What more can I say?"

"You used me! Then you discard me like a whore! You kept saying I wasn't your whore and then you treated me like one at the end!" Her anger boiled over and even she knew she sounded a little unhinged and hypocritical.

"That's why you betrayed me?" Tyrion retorted bitterly.

"What was I supposed to do? You used me and scorned me. You cursed me. And then you discarded me! I had to look out for myself!" she screamed back, her rage rising.

Tyrion's face was indescribable now and she enjoyed the colours he turned. She didn't enjoy the words that he threw back at her.

"I scorned you and I cursed you because I loved you!" he screamed at her, his blood rising and overcoming all of his cleverness. "I lied to you! I wanted to keep you safe and away from my father! And Cersei! I kept telling you how much danger you were in! Varys told you! Bronn told you! You didn't believe us! How else was I supposed to protect you? You left me no choice!" Tears were streaming down his cheeks now. His face broken with grief.

Shae's rage came to an abrupt halt. No...he couldn't have been lying, she'd have know! She'd heard the truth in his hurtful and angry words! Suddenly, she was unsure how to react. Her tongue stilled, her face blank, she watched in silence as Tyrion broke down.

He fell down to his knees, he was sobbing now, "I killed my father for you. He kept calling you a whore, I warned him not to...but he kept calling you a whore...and I killed him for it," he admitted hoarsely and trembling, "Why did you have to go for that knife? Why, Shae?"

She couldn't answer him. Her mind had ground to a halt. Whatever she was expecting from confronting him- this wasn't it. A quick death. A painful drawn out death...probably...but not this. He hadn't been that good of a liar, she'd always known when he was lying, she'd heard the hate and truth in his words.

He was kneeling down in from of her cell, sobbing...and all she could do was stand and stare down at him in bewilderment.

She didn't know how long they stayed that way, her standing stunned, he kneeling. It felt like an eternity. She still couldn't answer him. After a while, his sobbing slowed and stopped. He wiped his eyes on his sleeve. He looked up at her with sad eyes.

"I'm truly sorry Shae. You will never know how truly sorry I am this all happened...but I can't spare any more time on you. I want to live too much...and the Dead are coming for us all," Tyrion spoke fearfully.

Wait...what? The Dead? Has he gone mad?

"The Dead are coming. The Long Night is coming and I have too much to do. I don't have any more time for you..." His voice still trembled as he spoke, but it didn't break. He gabbed his cane from it had fallen and rose from his knees. He cast a look at silent, loyal and disapproving Podrick, "Come along Pod, we have to go and save the world..."

He turned away from her and without a backward look, he walked away, his cane making the only sound that Shae could hear in the oppression silence to the dungeon.

He left her alone to her thoughts as she tried to come to terms with how everything she'd thought she'd known was wrong. His final comments had made more questions for her, but truthfully, she didn't care about that...she'd lost too much to care about it.

Later, it matter...but not now.

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Tyrion Lannister

He'd thought long and hard on what to do with her. Another two days had passed before he decided Shae's final fate. Thoughts of her ate at her him. He'd loved her, she'd been his escape from reality when dealing with Joffrey and Cersei had been too much. He wouldn't have survived King's Landing without her. She'd been kind and happy with him, even after he'd been forced to marry Sansa, she'd helped. It had been a hard decision and one that would not make anyone in his family happy.

The meeting in his solar was filled with his family, Jaime, Uncle Kevan, Aunt Genna, and Daven...they were all waiting for him to hand down her sentence.

"Put her on a ship to Braavos," Tyrion announced quietly.

The looks of surprise and disapproval that met the announcement were just as he imagined they would be.

Daven was the first to react, "But Tyrion...", he began, rising up from his chair in surprise. Jaime and Kevan both gave him identical looks of disbelief, while Aunt Genna pursed her lips.

Tyrion didn't give him a chance to add more, "I am not killing her a second time!" he exploded angrily. "I'm not going to kill her again..." he repeated in lost quiet voice.

"Tyrion, she tried to murder you! She almost did!" Uncle Kevan sputtered, "This is not something that can forgiven! Tywin would have had her drawn and quartered!"

"And I am not my father!" Tyrion roared back at his uncle in a harsher tone than he had intended.

Uncle Kevan rocked back in his chair at the harshness of the words. His face shocked and the disapproval still written there, but he didn't add anything else.

"Be rational, Tyrion," Jaime started, rising from his chair, banging his fist on the table, "You'll look weak after this!"

Tyrion stared at Jaime for a moment, "I. Don't. Care." he spoke each word clearly and firmly. "Killing her was the one thing I truly regretted most. I will NOT repeat it." He stopped and glared about at the rest of his family, "She will be put on a ship leaving the Westerlands, with enough gold to start a life in Braavos...and never comes back...and I never have to think about her again!"

"You're sending her away...and giving her gold?" Daven asked gaping in disbelief, "She tried to murder you! She almost did!" he repeated Uncle's point.

Tyrion gave Daven a murderous glare.

Daven closed his mouth quickly at the glare.

"Uncle, you will escort her to Lannisport and send her to Braavos," Tyrion commanded, moving forward. Ignoring the silent look Jaime was giving him with narrowed eyes.

Uncle Kevan gave him an unhappy nod, but didn't argue.

"I can do that," Jaime cut in quickly, "I can take her to Lannisport."

"No! Absolutely not!" Tyrion decried, understanding just what his brother probably intended to do.

"In this you don't trust me?" Jaime asked giving him a mock hurt look.

"In this...absolutely yes. Oh you'll put her on a ship, yes...but probably to Pyke or Slaver's bay or somewhere worse," Tyrion retorted without missing a beat, "I know you too well brother."

Jaime sat back down heavily, an annoyed look on his face.

Tyrion looked about at each of them, gauging how they might try to defy him in this command. He stopped as he stared at Aunt Genna. She was giving him a strange look. She had been strangely silent while the others all argued with him.

She broke her silence now as she locked eyes with Tyrion, "Leave us alone. I wish to speak with Tyrion privately."

Tyrion frowned at her, she'd been very accommodating with all the changes that had been happening. She'd helped smooth things over with various Lords, she'd taken to supervising Tommen in this difficult time. She and Uncle Kevan were the only ones that Tommen was listening to now. She'd also been the only one who willingly dealt with father after he'd been removed from power. That had been a headache and burden that she'd willingly shouldered.

One he was very thankful for.

"Leave us," Tyrion commanded, whatever she had to say, he had to listen to her.

The others rose, Jaime looked to her, "Aunt Genna, please knock some sense into him."

Aunt Genna didn't answer him, she merely shooed him away with a curt gesture.

When they were alone, she gave him a long look, the unreadable expression still on her face.

Tyrion raised his head defiantly, "Yes, dear Aunt? What did you wish to say?"

Her eyes narrowed, "I'm not going to try to change your mind. Tywin is the same when he makes decisions we didn't like. I couldn't change his mind then. I can't change your mind now."

Her words hurt, "That stung, Aunt." he retorted.

"Doesn't make it any less true," she retorted smartly. "I have said it before and I will continue to say it. You are Tywin's son more than Jaime will ever be."

Tyrion frowned unhappily, "If you're just going to insult me...I have more important work to deal with..."

"...But you are also Joanna's son." Aunt Genna finished with a sad smile.

Tyrion felt his throat closing, no one ever spoke of mother. Not to him. Not since Uncle Gerion left. At least never when father had been in charge.

"Tywin never wanted to hear it, but that is the truth. You can be as merciless and destructive as Tywin, but you have a merciful streak you inherited form Joanna," Aunt Genna looked uncharacteristically sad, "We all say that the best of Tywin died with her and that is another truth. She would never have allowed him to commit the atrocities he committed when he sacked King's Landing," Aunt Genna shuddered, "The Queen and the Princess of Dorne were like sisters to Joanna. Joanna would have stopped Tywin. If she had seen what happened to Elia and her children...she would have wept and never stopped..." Genna shuddered, shaking her head in grief.

Tyrion was uncomfortably aware of that. The few stories he'd heard of mother had described her friendship with Queen Rhaella and the previous ruling Princess of Dorne. And just how close all three of the women had once been. It was uncomfortable for him to imagine just what the three of them would think of what came after their deaths.

"...I sometimes wonder how things would have different if she'd lived. Would she have seen the monster Cersei was becoming? Could she have prevented it? It is a certainty that she would have restrained Tywin's actions. She was his mercy. And all of Tywin's mercy died with her."

Tyrion gulped his feelings away, and put on a brave face, "Are you going somewhere with this, Aunt?"

Aunt Genna gave him a scathing look, "You could do with a little more patience, Tyrion...and yes I have a good point." She paused and sighed, "You have her mercy. I can imagine her sparing the girl. It's why I haven't argued with you like the rest...but I need you to understand if you do this, the next person to cross you must be dealt with harshly. Very, very harshly." she finished dryly.

Tyrion was still reeling but he managed to nod, he understood her reasoning, "I can understand that."

Aunt Genna nodded firmly, "Good. I am glad that you are listening to all of my hard truths," she chuckled suddenly, "It's a new feeling for me."

"I can imagine," he deadpanned. Father would have had a fit if she'd said all those things to him while he was still ruling.

"Tyrion...Joanna would be proud of you...never forget that," Aunt Genna added softly.

So many emotions whipped through him at Genna's admission. He trembled in his seat, as unshed tears threatened to come forth. No one had dared speak of mother to him before, not since Uncle Gerion. And not like this. It was surprising and bittersweet to hear Aunt Genna's words do so now.

"Thank you, Aunt." he said quietly.

xoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxox

More days passed and life continued on. Shae was gone and time waited for no man's injuries and more meetings dragged on as Tyrion's wounds healed.

"There's been raiding on our border with the Reach," Daven declared gravely.

That was an unwelcome development...Tyrion thought unhappily.

He paced around his solar. Maester Creylen had recommended mild exercise to help him recover quicker. He'd even had a small cane with a lion's head made, replacing the simple piece of wood he'd been using before, to help him walk. Or hobble around as his waddling had become. He was meeting with Jaime and Daven now. Aunt Genna running the household and was pestering father again. Uncle Kevan was still in Lannisport after escorting Shae there.

Tyrion walked around the room, he sighed, no an attack from the Reach was not welcome, in any shape or form. He came to stand behind Jaime's chair. He sighed again and then quickly cuffed Jaime- hard , on the back of the head.

Jaime sat forward and reached back, rubbing his head, "OW! What was that for?" He complained turning to face Tyrion.

"This is your fault, you know?" Tyrion grumbled unhappily, "You couldn't have just knocked the Tyrell boy unconscious? Did you really have to kill him?" He sighed again, "If I didn't know that Sam has something up his sleeve...I'd be really upset now!"

Jaime looked like he was going to complain again, but instead he kept his mouth shut.

"We cannot afford to fight amongst ourselves- not with the Night's King coming for us all...oh, we'll have to fight Robert, there's no escaping that." Tyrion paused as his wounds ached more. He took a deep breath, "Daven. Take a hundred men and head south. Find the Reach commander and parley...try to talk some sense into him. If he doesn't remember explain everything! Stress the coming Dead to him at every opportunity! And promise him anything to stop the fighting- except Jaime's head! And make sure to keep the fighting to a minimum till Sam finishes whatever he's begun in the Reach." He sighed deeply as he walked back to his chair, the strain on his body making his limbs tremble, "I don't know who's ordered this, but if Lady Olenna remembers she will not want to oppose Daenerys- and by extension Jon. I'd offer her Cersei's head, except Robert still probably killed her by now." He rubbed his face, everything was so difficult and uncertain now. Even with the backing of half the Seven Kingdoms, the outcome of the true war was still uncertain and the Reach's raiding wasn't helping. He looked up and gave Daven a steely gaze, "Make sure my bannermen know that you carry my full authority in all matters."

Daven didn't look pleased, but he nodded obediently as he rose, "I'll sort things out," he cast a reproachful look at Jaime, "It's not going to be easy."

Jaime had the decency to grimace and acknowledge the rebuke, "Thank you cousin, I am well aware of who's fault this is." He rubbed the back of his head again, but didn't throw back a snide remark at Daven.

Daven nodded again, "With your leave, my lord."

Tyrion waved a hand, "Go cousin, time is wasting and will wait for no man."

Daven left without further comment and Tyrion was left alone with Jaime.

Tyrion turned to Jaime and gave him a hard look.

"What?" Jaime asked after a moment.

"Please try to keep your self destructive tendencies to a minimum," he waved an irritable hand around, "this second life of ours is hard enough with so many people running around with only half the truth or less..."

Jaime looked chagrined and gave Tyrion a sheepish smile, "I'll do my best, brother," he answered sedately.

Tyrion looked at his brother. Jaime meant what he was saying, he'd changed. He'd finally grown some common sense. Not a lot, but it was there. The end of the world tended to always help people grow common sense.

Tyrion sighed, he moved on to lighter matters, taking a lighter tone, "Moving on...you're been running my squire ragged. He's not here to bring me my wine! He's too tired! Give him the night off, I know a very good establishment where he can relax, he can even use my tab...I'm much to busy use it now. Not that I think that he will need money after his first time," he snorted with a knowing smile.

Jaime smiled and snorted with derision, "He's too honorable for that now...too much time spent with Brienne and our dear king," he retorted snidely, "Best to keep training him. He'll be a proper knight in no time."

Tyrion laughed despite the pain in his side. It felt good to laugh despite everything.