Chapter 221 - After the War (II)

"Only family matters and nothing else." Tywin Lannister, Lord of Casterly Rock.

---------

"I think this is the first time we've talked alone, Lord Tywin." Aenar spoke, looking at the man sitting inside an iron cage and tied to a log.

Even the mud couldn't hide the noble fabric of his clothes. It looked as if it had been sewn with gold threads and knowing the identity of the owner of the clothes, he thought it was indeed gold.

Tywin didn't speak and stared at Aenar's face, he seemed lost in memories for a moment, before finally answering in a calm, deep tone. "You look like your father, but without that melancholy aura around him. Sometimes it was even hard to stand next to your father."

"I've heard those words a lot. Fortunately I'm not a depressive like my father." Aenar could guess that tormented by dreams, Rhaegar was definitely not of sound mind, depressed was the least he could think about his father.

"This should never have happened, you were supposed to be my grandson if Aerys had agreed to marry Cersei to Rhaegar, but he chose that Dornish whore." Tywin took no notice of Aenar's words and spoke in a calm tone, looking straight into the young king's purple eyes.

"When a king is weak, he fears his subjects. At the same time, your reputation has surpassed even that of a king. How could my grandfather, who was an arrogant Targaryen, accept being considered weaker than a mere lion?" Aenar spoke about the reasons for Aerys not agreeing to marry Rhaegar to Cersei.

In political terms, his grandfather really did make the right choice. If Cersei married Rhaegar and became queen, the powerful House Lannister would be at its peak, even surpassing House Targaryen, which had no dragons.

"You were too powerful for House Targaryen without dragons." Aenar sighed and looked at Tywin calmly. "Distrust, arrogance and ego. They are all characteristics of the king, but you violated all three, Aerys not killing you still showed that he had a trace of reason in his insane mind."

"He was weak and couldn't see anyone more powerful than him." Tywin spoke sarcastically, but did not deny Aenar's words.

As the young king had said, he was indeed very powerful, both in military might and wealth. If he had been in Aerys' place, he would have done the same, although never as madly and insanely as his old friend.

"At the beginning of his reign, he was brilliant, I thought we would be like Viserys II and Jaehaerys I, creating an era of lasting peace, but as time went by, madness began to consume my friend's mind, turning him into an animal who couldn't even control himself." Tywin spoke with a strong tone, but Aenar detected nostalgia and regret, although they were almost non-existent.

"The end of this story you already know, Your Grace." Tywin looked at Aenar with an extremely strong intensity.

"Yes, I know the end of the story." Aenar nodded and let out a sigh.

"You will not die by my hand or my judgment." Aenar spoke and Tywin showed no happiness at his words.

"You will want a trial by combat, something my sister will happily accept. After all, she wants to kill you, maybe butcher you first, it really depends on her mood at the moment." Aenar said with an amused tone, but Tywin's expression still remained indifferent.

"Has anyone ever told you that you have no sense of humor?" he said to Tywin, who was speechless at the young king's false irony.

"A fool would laugh at his own death." Tywin replied with a sarcastic tone, full of mockery at Aenar's childish provocation.

"I want to see if you'll be so calm in the face of death, Lord Tywin." Aenar commented with a smile, he didn't look into the future so as not to spoil the fun, but it was almost certain that the man before him would die with dignity.

Looking at his calm expression, the smile on Aenar's lips widened. "You look like Tyrion in that respect, always hiding your own emotions through a calm, deep face. Like father like son."

Tywin raised his head and spoke coldly, with such disgust that it surprised even Aenar. "I have no son called Tyrion."

"How cruel, but he's a competent Hand of the King, he saved me from doing a lot of bureaucratic work, especially about finances." Aenar said, sitting back in his chair more relaxed, as if he were talking to a longtime friend.

"Monsters like to play the competent, but they'll never stop being monsters." Tywin said with an indifferent and cold tone, there was no hint of fatherly love in his voice when he mentioned Tyrion.

Rising from his chair, Aenar smiled and walked towards the exit of the iron cage. "He'll no longer be a monster in the eyes of the world. I wonder if when he's older, he'll be like you, Lord Tywin."

Tywin remained silent, silently watching the young king's back move away, then slowly closed his eyes.

"You're just like me, Your Grace."

"A man who puts his family first."

"Maybe in the future you'll be in the same place as I am now."

Aenar stopped walking for a moment, but resumed with calm, steady steps.

-

"How was the conversation?" Visenya asked as she stroked Syrax's golden scales affectionately, The dragon was still in a slight state of rage, which was relieved with a few sheep.

"Worthy of being Tywin Lannister, the man still stands firm with his beliefs and convictions. I can see why he turned the weak House Lannister into the most powerful House in Westeros." Aenar replied while looking at Syrax with a calm gaze.

Although the effect of the horn was somewhat disappointing, the Dragonbinder would be of great help in taming young and rebellious dragons, especially in their more unruly phases.

"A monster like that man wouldn't show weakness and fear at that moment." Visenya nodded, not at all surprised about Tywin's status. From her mother's description, she already knew what kind of person the Lord of Casterly Rock was.

"Aenar, will we be like Tywin one day? Always thinking of family above all else, including above all our morals and judgment?" Visenya asked in a low tone, looking at Syrax with a complicated gaze.

That war was very brutal, more than twenty thousand people died, although many were enemies, but in the end, they were just commoners who were obeying orders from their lords. It made her wonder if she and Tywin were really so different.

Aenar looked surprised at Visenya, but soon realized his wife's thoughts and spoke in a calm tone. "You must already have the answer, right?"

There was a bitter smile on Visenya's lips as she realized that Tywin had done nothing wrong, at least from his point of view towards House Lannister. But she wondered if she could do the same as Tywin if the need arose.

In the end, she discovered that she couldn't order the death of innocent women and children. It felt wrong in so many ways. Although it seemed a little hypocritical given that she had killed many people in war, but she felt it was different.

Men and women at war had a sacred right to kill in order to survive, but killing people who didn't know how to protect themselves was quite wrong in her eyes.

Suddenly, Visenya felt an arm around her waist and a strong, broad chest pressing against her back. She just turned around and snuggled into the comfort of the arms that brought her the enormous feeling of security.

"Don't worry, Visenya." Stroking her hair tenderly, Aenar murmured in a calm but gentle tone. "As your husband, let me carry the weight of these decisions."

Visenya just nodded and sank even deeper into Aenar's embrace. Aenar was calm, he didn't feel that Visenya was wrong, everyone had a boundary they didn't want to cross, it was totally normal.

But he couldn't have such a limit, because in order to guide humanity, entire civilizations would be destroyed or enslaved, he didn't have the luxury of kindness in the face of the cruelty of the survival of the human race.

Raising Visenya's face with his finger, Aenar looked directly into her eyes and asked with a laugh, trying to lighten the depressing and heavy atmosphere around them. "I know this isn't the right time, but since we've conquered Harrenhal, will you marry me?"

Visenya widened her eyes and looked incredulously at Aenar, then her eyes lit up with excitement, forgetting everything else at that moment. An innocent, happy smile involuntarily appeared on her lips.

Seeing her smile, Aenar erased the slight guilt he had for manipulating Visenya at this moment. Although it was a manipulation to make her happy, it was still a clear manipulation of her feelings.

"We should wait for my mother, she's the one who has to pass me on to you officially." Visenya spoke with an animated tone while showing a big smile on her lips.

"Anything to make you happy, my dear wife." Aenar replied with an amused smile as he gently kissed her forehead.

"My king and queen." Just as Aenar was about to say something, Oberyn approached and greeted them both.

Looking at Oberyn before him, Aenar was surprised to find a wound on his neck and one on his face, which would make quite large scars. Like Tyrion, Oberyn had also suffered relatively serious injuries.

"The Usurper fled with the Baratheon army to Casterly Rock." Oberyn spoke with an irritated tone.

"Even if he has fled, Westeros is ours, Lord Oberyn." Visenya, with a big smile on her face, replied cheerfully. Even Robert's escape didn't dampen her happiness at the moment. Robert was completely insignificant in the face of her marriage.

Oberyn's irritation disappeared when he saw Visenya smiling so happily.

"Oberyn, order the army to rest for two days and we'll head towards Riverrun, surround the castle and get Hoster Tully out of that castle to suffer my trial in Harrenhal." Aenar spoke, leaving Oberyn stunned for a moment, but he accepted the orders without any hesitation.

"I've wanted to kill that old fish for a long time." Oberyn said with a smile full of malice. House Tully was a devout believer in the Faith of the Seven, so every time Oberyn visited Riverrun, he, his mistress and his daughters were scorned by Hoster Tully.

"Our wedding will take place after Hoster Tully's trial and the dismissal of House Tully as Lord Paramount of the Trident. I will try to return as soon as possible." Aenar spoke to Visenya, who nodded and still had a happy smile on her face.

Listening to their conversation, Oberyn finally understood why Visenya was so happy, the news of the wedding really did cheer up even the bitterest of women, let alone someone as happy as the queen herself, who would officially become queen after the wedding.

"Arianne and Ellaria can help with the wedding preparations, Your Grace." Oberyn offered his niece and wife to help with the preparations, as he might miss the chance to strengthen ties with House Targaryen.

However, remembering the rumors between Arianne and Aenar, Oberyn looked helpless. He could imagine what his niece intended by getting involved with the king, but he didn't stop it.

In his eyes, Arianne was the Heiress of Dorne and would sit on the Throne of the Sun, just as the Dornish Laws commanded.

"Thank you, you'll be a great help." Aenar thanked him with a smile. It wasn't just Oberyn's wife who would be helping, all the nobles would be sending their wives to help Visenya with the wedding preparations.

"Thank you, Lord Oberyn." Visenya also thanked him with a sweet smile.

---------------

Read more than advanced chapters in my Patre on!

Read chapters ahead on Patreon. Two chapters are updated every day except Sunday

/GOTSW