Game of Thrones: Short stories.

Only the strong survive - Part 1 - Tyrion x Reader

They had all fallen. Her father by her brother's hands. The twins together as always, buried by the rubble. Joffrey, poisoned by Oleena Tyrell. Tommen had thrown himself from a high window of the Red Keep, after the destruction of the Great Sept. And Myrcella had been poisoned by Ellaria Sand. Now only the strongest and most intelligent survived. Only two of the pride were left. The littlest lion, and the golden child. Tyrion and (Y/n) Lannister. And here they were, still together. (Y/n) feeling as though they were back right where they had started. That despite the war. Despite the Night King and his undead army. Despite all they had lost. In a way, in the strangest way, their current situation was at once so familiar, yet so different to what had always been.

Bran Stark had appointed Tyrion his Hand when he had become Lord of the Six Kingdoms. Bronn was now Lord of Highgarden, and Master of Coin. The old sellsword finally getting his hands on the castle that he had always wanted. And (Y/n), well (Y/n) felt as though she had nothing.

She had lost so many people. So many friends. Not just her father, her older siblings, and niece and nephews. But she had also lost Baelish at the hands of the Starks. Though many would say that that was no loss, (Y/n) had always liked the Master of Coin. Though she did not blame Bran, Sansa, or Arya for what had happened. Petyr had done too much harm, to not deserve to pay for his misdeeds. Though that didn't mean that she didn't miss their conversations.

She had lost her friend Varys at the hands of the Mother of Dragons. Varys had always been good to her. And she had always enjoyed the time she had spent with the Master of Whispers. (Y/n) always finding that she relished the contrast between the Spider and the whoremonger. The two rivals often asking about the other during their conversations. And Varys death was something that she could blame the Targaryen whore for. And despite her death at the hands of Jon. (Y/n) knew that she would never forgive Daenerys for that, and many other things.

She had lost Sandor. (Y/n) always believing that despite his tough, rough, gruff, and unamiable manner, under that hard shell had beat a golden heart. A heart that she couldn't help but like.

Even Jon had been sent into exile. Tormund and the rest of the Free Folk following the Lord Commander as he returned to the Wall. Leaving (Y/n) without a pride. And with no knowledge of what role this new world had planned for her.

"Are you alright, (Y/n)?" A concerned voice suddenly enquired. (Y/n) not hearing her brother's question as she continued to stare blankly out of the window.

Tyrion had been concerned for his sister for some time. She seemed lost. Like a part of her was missing. And despite all his knowledge. All his experience. Tyrion had no idea what to do to help his beloved sister. He knew how (Y/n) had felt for Jon. He had seen it in her eyes from the first moment that she had looked at the dark haired northerner. , in order to prevent a war between the Unsullied and his own supporters. Tyrion not failing to notice that a little of the light had left his sisters emerald eyes as Jon and the others had left. But now, now as they sat looking out over the world, every last skerrick of light and hope appeared to have vanished from her soul.

"(Y/n)?" Tyrion called out again. This time the sound of her name bringing his sister back from wherever had wandered to. The beautiful lioness brushing tears from her cheeks as she turned to look at him. A small, sad smile coming to her lips as he took a seat next to her at the window.

"Has the small council finished for the day, already? Is Bronn still wanting to re-open the brothels?" (Y/n) chuckled. Smiling a little broader as her brother took her hands in his.

"Strangely enough, that was one thing that he didn't mention today. Though I am sure that it was an oversight that he will make up for at the next meeting." Tyrion replied jokingly, though both lions knew that he was probably right.

"Are you alright, (Y/n)?" Tyrion enquired again, as his sister seemed to drift off back into her own mind.

"I'm fine, brother. Why wouldn't I be alright?" (Y/n) replied with a heavy sigh. Her distant stare suggesting otherwise to Tyrion.

"I think that I am going to leave. I think that I want to see what is left of the world. I want to discover things. Meet new people. The world is such a big place, and I don't feel like I belong in Kings Landing anymore. Maybe there is somewhere out there that I do belong." (Y/n) suddenly said, turning her attention to looked at her shocked brother.

"But you are needed here, (Y/n). I need you. Bran is a new King, and even though he sees much, he still has much to learn........."

"You do not need me Tyrion. You were always the strongest of us. And Bran can learn what he needs to know from you. For he has the best Hand that any king could wish for. I am not needed here. Bran does not need my help. And the walls of this castle hold too many ghosts for me. I know that they are there around every corner. I feel father's eyes watching me. I hear Cersei whisper and plot in the dark. Sense Jaime's reassuring hand on my shoulder. I wake to Joffrey's mocking laugh. I can eavesdrop on Petyr and Varys discussions. And even Sandor's gruff voice grumbles to me when I sit in front of the fire. I will never be happy as long as I remain here. Though where happiness lies, I am not sure." (Y/n) interrupted. Part of her wishing that she had just disappeared into the night without a word. The other part of her knowing that she could not leave her brother without telling him of her intentions, or how she felt.

"But where will you go, (Y/n)? It is still not safe out there. You could be hurt, or even worse. And I do need you. All of us need you. I am sure that without you I may not even be here. Why don't you think about it further? I could send word to Sansa and you could travel north for a while. I am sure that she would love to see you, and.............."

"I have no intention of travelling north!" (Y/n) interrupted again. Suddenly getting to her feet. Her words harsher than she had meant them to be.

"Forgive me, brother. It is not that I have any ill will towards Sansa. She and the others did what they had to. But the north holds nothing for me. All it holds is the cold. A bleakness. A barren landscape that I have no desire to see further." (Y/n) continued. Her words softer as she took back her seat by Tyrion's side.

"And I do not need to think about it any further. I have made up my mind. I don't wish to leave you Tyrion. You are that only family that I have left. But this is not where I belong. And I think that you see that as much as I do. I am not scared of the perils that this new world holds. For no matter what, I am still a lion. A Lannister. And only the strongest of us survive in this world. So, I will be setting off at first light to prove just how strong I am. But for now, why don't you and I find Bronn and get drunk. It will be fun to get him complaining about the brothels." (Y/n) explained, as she took her brother's hand and squeezed it tight. Tyrion knowing that there was nothing he could do to dissuade his sister, now that her mind was made up. The little lion nodding sadly as he and (Y/n) made their way through the corridors of the castle to find Bronn.