Chapter 18: -x-x-x- Chapter 18 -x-x-x-
We returned to King's Landing after spending but one night on Dragonstone to find an unexpected surprise waiting, for standing next to Kevan as I walked down the gangplank to the royal docks was "Uncle Tygett!"
I moved quicker, just barely slow enough to not be said to be running, and quickly extended an arm to pull him up even as he kneeled "None of that Uncle" I said before pulling him into a brief, backpatting, hug.
"It's been years." I said as I stepped back, finally giving him a chance to speak.
"I returned as rapidly as I could once I heard of my brothers passing. With the chaos of a new King, I figured that you needed all the family you could get by your side." the blonde giant, nearer to seven feet than six and all of it muscle, said in answer to my implied question.
I gave a firm nod "And I'm glad to have you back, but what of the Golden Lions?" I asked in reference to the mercenary company he had spent much of the last twenty years building up and leading in wars the breadth of Essos.
"I left one of my captains to manage things, they will do well enough without me for a few years at least." he said, waving a hand in dismissal.
"Well, as I said, it's good to have your back. I'm in the process of rebuilding our army along an entirely new pattern, and if you're interested the position of Lord General of the Westerlands is available." I offered, earning myself a hearty bellylaugh.
"Back less than a day and you're already shoveling work my way, Tywin would be proud." he said.
I chuckled slightly "Perhaps, although I'm not sure that's exactly a complement coming from you Uncle. Still, we can talk about your commanding my army once we have returned to the Rock and you've had a chance to see my ideas first hand. For now though, we have a future King to celebrate and a tourney to prepare for."
Tygett nodded "Aye, have to show these weak wristed pansies how to wield a blade."
I sighed slightly in commiseration "Alas, I think that I'm confining myself to only the joust for this one."
A slight handwave to indicate Tyrion, whose shorter legs had meant it took him longer to make it off the ship, "But we can talk later Uncle, I'm sure Tyrion is filled with questions and eager to hear what wonders you have seen in Essos."
Tyrion blushed slightly while Tygett laughed "Aye, you're looking good Tyrion. Responsibility appears to agree with you."
We ended up stealing a few hours for a family get together despite the hectic schedule as the celebrations of Cersei's pregnancy continued apace. It was nice to just chat with family and hear Tygett share his adventures, it made it easy to forget the stresses and strains of my position for a little while at least.
Those stresses and strains were back in full force at that nights feast, for I was standing off to one side sipping my wine and watching the courtiers dance and jape when who should quietly come to stand besides me but Olenna Tyrell.
She was quiet for a moment, looking out over the partying crowd as well, before she started the conversation with "Don't care to dance, Lord Lannister?"
I took another sip and turned to face her "Only two women in this room have the brains to interest me, my sister is entertaining with the King and I'm talking to the other."
She exaggeratedly waved her hand at her face "Hitting on a married woman old enough to be your mother, Ser Jaime? You flatter me."
I held up my wine glass slightly in salute "Only giving you your honest due, were you but forty or so years younger and unmarried you would have found yourself the Lady of Casterly Rock."
She chuckled slightly "I almost was, you know?"
I cockeyed my head in question, "No, I didn't."
She gave a nod and laughed "Aye, I was almost betrothed to your grandfather. Alas, Jeyne managed to capture his heart and Lord Gerold didn't have the heart to make his third son marry for something besides love."
"Oh what a different world that would have been, somehow I doubt you would have allowed the Laughing Lion to be so weak." I replied, briefly playing out that little "what if" scenario and wondering what the world would have looked like then.
Olenna snorted softly "Different yes, but I still would have been doomed to keep a fop on his throne regardless."
"True enough, but under your guiding hand the Tyrell's have weathered storms and still stand strong." I complemented before taking another sip of my wine and continuing "Now what has caused the Queen of Thorns to seek me out this night?"
The old lady chuckled "You will be Uncle to a King one day, it behooves me to know your metal for myself."
I gave a nod of concession "And how do you judge that metal?"
Her eyes flitted over me in deep assessment "Dangerous. The perfect Lady Cersei suddenly changes her behavior before your fathers corpse has even finished cooling and now acts like some barbarian warrior queen half the time? Someone she listens to told her what appealed to Robert."
At her implied question I gave the most fractional of nods, one more perceived than really seen, "At the Queen's direction, the Red Keep's servants have been almost entirely replaced as well. And yet instead of the expected old crones and men so as to keep the King from satisfying his appetites with them, they have been replaced with rare beauties at the same time your brother disgraces your house by becoming the Whore Lord of King's Landing.
"Something that your Uncle, the new Master of Law, didn't put a stop to despite his public opposition to your brothers antics. Indeed, the Gold Cloaks have seemingly been helping young Tyrion expand his business."
"Interesting conjecture Lady Tyrell, but what would be the purpose of these actions? Assuming that they are coordinated at all, as you seem to be implying." I replied, my face and voice carefully masked in polite, barely interested, apathy.
"That someone is building their own network of spies and informers throughout King's Landing and the Red Keep, and in the process purging a court filled with the spies of a dozen factions. Someone who can command even this Queen of ours and who has done nothing to stop his Heir's disgracing their House. Someone who can convince Kevan Lannister to not just allow, but actively aid and abet, that disgrace despite having spent twenty years as his brothers closest confidant while your father rebuilt your houses reputation." she said before turning to face me and finishing with "Someone like you, Lord Lannister."
I held my glass up in salute, acknowledging the hit, "As I said, an interesting conjecture my dear Queen of Thorns. Why it's almost as if one is going to do whatever is necessary to ensure his future nephew sits a secure throne some day, regardless of the antics of that nephews father."
Olenna gave a slight nod of her own, accepting my implied threat and explanation, before moving on "And yet you replace the Star with the Falcon. An interesting choice for one who professes to desire a secure throne."
I waved that off win one hand "A minor matter, done to appeal to the King's vanity and love for Jon Arryn. Is that why you have been trying to ferment opposition to my new bank?"
She laughed, "I wonder what our Hand thought of the thorns that came with your gift. And no, we're opposing your new bank for leverage. Thanks to the actions of my idiot son we have no friends at court, and indeed some bitter enemies."
A slight nod of understanding "And so you create leverage in hopes of encouraging me to help you with that minor matter. A dangerous game that, why a few whispers and the appropriate incident being manufactured is all it would take to get Robert to call his banners and ride against the Reach. A barely foiled assassination against the Queen, or in future the heir, that traces back to Highgarden and suddenly the army of the Westerlands is marching down the Ocean Road while the same host that tore down the dragons fords Blackwater Rush."
I gave her a moment to marinate in the not so subtle threat I had just issued before offering the olive branch "Still, wars are always such messy affairs."
We stood there in silence for a moment before I said "To entirely change the subject, my brother was telling me how keen he was to see branches of the Bank of Westeros set up in all the major cities of the Seven Kingdoms. He even made special mention to me about how much easier it would be to buy grain, from the Reach for example, if one did not actually have to physically ship gold across the breadth of the realm. Perhaps House Tyrell would be interested in extending its backing to such a venture in the Reach? I could almost guarantee that the increased ease and safety that would come from such a venture would see a significant increase in the amount of food being purchased from its granaries."
The old lady hesitated for a moment as she weighed things in her mind, "That is indeed an interesting suggestion Lord Lannister, one that I could even envision Highgarden supporting in future. Unfortunately, with the instability of the realm as we change dynasties I fear that the Reach will simply be too hesitant to take the risk." she riposted.
"Entirely understandable, but I think the Reach over estimates the instability. I believe that you should talk to my Uncle, Kevan. I'm sure he would be more than willing to listen favorably to any matters that the Reach felt it necessary to bring before the court. Now what kind of reception do you think my brother would get from your son if he were to journey to Highgarden in the hopes of clearing up any issues with his bank?" I counter offered.
Before she could respond though I mused "Perhaps we could even see the Iron Throne's first female Master of Whispers one day in the future."
She suddenly went very still at that last point before, slightly hesitantly, asking "Is the King displeased with the service of Lord Varys?"
"Oh no, at least not to my knowledge. But one can never know what the future brings. After all, the eunuch has no true allies and it is always possible that his extreme competence might fail someday in a manner that he can't recover from. This is all just idle speculation though, something to worry about in the years to come.
"So what reception do you believe my brother would receive?" I finished, stressing the "years" bit just enough for her to get the message.
She faced me full on and looked me over again before finally saying "It's a pity my daughters are already wed, and I do think that Lord Tyrion would find a receptive audience in Highgarden after-all. It seems our fears of an unstable throne were a bit over exaggerated."
I gave a nod "I'm sure he will be pleased to hear that, so pleased in fact that I think he will beg my leave to ride to Highgarden once the celebrations are over here."
"It would be my pleasure to have him as a traveling companion, Ser Jaime. I'm sure we will be able to find much to discuss." she said before toasting my glass with her own and disappearing back into the crowd.
'A dangerous woman that Olenna Tyrell, I'll have to make sure that Tyrion is fully briefed. still, they are desperate for support at court and I think she just might bite on my offer to have her replace Varys. I wonder how much instability she will seek to cause, the master of whispers missing the signs of brewing rebellion that results in open war could easily be used to justify his removal afterall.'
With that thought I too returned to the crowd, appearances must be maintained.
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