Boys Like You / Tyrion Lannister

45. You Know What You Know

"Is it bad that I'm not sad?" Tommen questioned. RIeka looked to him. "That he's dead." He clarified. 

"No." Rieka assured. "I'm not sad either. I'm sad for your mother, but not about Joffrey." 

"He was always mean to me." Tommen remarked. 

"And you are the sweetest boy." Rieka encouraged. 

"Will I be a good king?" Tommen questioned. 

"Joffrey and your father were not the best of role models." Rieka offered. "I think they were rock bottom bad kings, you can only get better." Rieka agreed. TOmmen chuckled nodding. "You have a heart Tommen, I think you will be a better king, but you are young... you know what you know and what you dont... Robb. My Robb went to war and he won and won again, but he was tricked... he was robbed of his life..." at a wedding, Rieka thought bitterly, she understood why she was blamed for a moment, getting revenge for her family, she wished she had poisoned him. 

They rose as Tywin and Cersei entered. Rieka gave Tommen's hand a squeeze and he returned her a smile before moving to his mothers side. 

'Your brother is dead. Do you know what that means?' tywin questioned Tommen as they looked upon Joffreys corpse. 'I am not trying to trick you.''

'It means I'll become king.''

Rieka didnt know what to think. They had wanted to throw her into a cell but Cersei told them no. Rieka was not the problem. Rieka had clung to Cersei sobbing into her. Sansa was gone and tyrion was in jail, Joffrey was head. It should have been a happy day, but it wasnt. 

'Yes you will become king. What kind of King do you think you'll be?'

'A good king?' tommen suggested.

'I think so as well.' Tywin agreed 'you've got the right temperament for it. But what makes a good king? What's a good king single most important quality?'

'This is hardly the place or the time.' Cersei muttered. Rieka stood beside her staring down at the stones on Joffrey's eyes, she couldnt be here, she couldnt stand here and grieve this awful little boy. 

'Holiness?' Tommen questioned. Rieka looked to TOmmen, he offered her a small smile. 

'Baylor the blessed with holy and pious he built the sept he also named a six year old boy high Septon because he thought the boy could work miracles he ended up fasting himself into an early grave because food was of this world in this world with sinful.' Tywin told him

'Justice.' Tommen said

'A good king must be just ORYS the first was just everyone applauded his reforms nobles and commoners like but he wasn't just for long he was murdered in his sleep after less than a year by his own brother. Was that truly just of him? To abandon his subjects to an evil that he was too gullible to recognize?' tywin questioned.

'No'

'No' Tywin agreed

'What about strength?'

'Yes strength King Robert was strong he won the rebellion and crush the Targaryen dynasty... And he attended three small council meetings in 17 years. He spent his time whoring and hunting and drinking until the last two killed him. So we have a man who starves himself to death a man who lets his own brother murder him and a man who thinks that winning and ruling are the same thing. What do they all lack?' tywin questioned. Tommen looked to Rieka again. 

"You know what you know." Tommen repeated and Rieka smiled touching his chin, Cersei would rather have Rieka as a daughter in law, she was sweet, Tommen already liked her. Tywin looked between them confused before Tommen answered. ''Wisdom.'

'Yes.'' Tywin agreed.

''Wisdom this was makes a good king.'' Tommen agreed still smiling at Rieka. 

''Yes. But what is wisdom? A house with great wealth and lands asks you for your protection against another house with a strong navy that could one day oppose you. How do you know which choice is wise and which isn't? You've any experience of treasuries or granaries or shipyards and soldiers?''

'No' Tommen admitted.

'No of course not.' Tywin told him 'a King knows what he knows and what he doesn't. You are young. a wise young king listens to his counselors and heads advice until he comes of age. And the wisest kings continue to listen to them long afterwards your brother was not a wise king. Your brother was not a good king. If he had been perhaps he'd still be alive now...' cersei glared over at her father, 'as the king you will have to marry. Do you understand why?''

''A king needs a queen' Tommen answered, his gaze shifting to Rieka again as tywin led him away. She gave him a little wave. 

''Yes but why?' tommen didn't answer. 'To further the family line do you know how that happens?'

'Yes' tommen said slowly.

'Yes but did anyone explain the details to you?' tywin questioned.

'I don't think so.'

'It's all relatively straightforward.' Tywin assured. 

''How are you?' Jamie questioned as they were leaving the sept

'I'm all right.' Tommen answered

'You are, you will be, I'll see to that,' Jamie encouraged. Jaime moved to Rieka and Cersei, Rieka framed Cersei's hair around her face wiping at her tears. 

"You know Tyrion didnt-"

"RIeka. Please dont." Cersei corrected. Rieka looked to Jaime giving his arm a squeeze. 

"I will let you two have a moment." RIeka offered as she headed outside the hot sun hit her, taking her breath away, what was she going to do?

'So am I the queen?' Margaery questioned Olenna.

'More than you were with Renly less than you would've been if Joffrey had of done you the courtesy of consummating the marriage before dying,' Olenna told her 'in any case this would not be an opportune moment to press the issue.'

'clawing at his own throat looking to his mother to make it stop,' Margaery said shaking her head 'it was horrible.'

'The world is overflowing with horrible things but they're all a tray of cakes next to death they brought me your grandfather's body when they died and made me look at it.' Olenna told her.

'What was it like?'

'They took me to the great Hall and there he was the man I married and suffered to father my children a great doughy lump. I'd sat next to through useless dinners and tedious gatherings,' Olena told her 'and there he was lying on the table.'

'One of my husbands preferred the company of men and was stabbed through the heart, another was happiest torturing animals and was poisoned at our wedding feast I must be cursed.' Margaery told her

'Nonsense,' Olena declared 'your circumstances have improved remarkably you may not have enjoyed watching him die but you enjoyed it more than you would've enjoyed being married to him I can promise you that.'

'I would've been the queen.' Margaery reminded her

'Our alliance with the Lannister's remains every bit as necessary to them as it is unpleasant for us. You did wonderful work on Joffrey the next one should be easier.''

"What if they dont want me-"

"They will." Olenna assured. 

+

'In the light of the seven I now claim Tommen Baratheon the first of his name the king of the andals and the first men and Lord of the seven kingdoms.' he crowned tommen 'long may he reign.'

'Long may he reign.' they echoed and everyone cheered happily as Tommen stood before them looking over his subjects. Rieka gave him two thumbs up and he chuckled smiling down at her.