The Shadow Queen of Tywin Lannister

LXXIX. Rising Tensions in the Small Council

[A/N] - Happy New Year! 🥳 Two chapters so 2024 can start well for all of us! Wishing you all the very best and only that to come!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hand's Study, Red Keep – King's Landing, CrownLands

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It has been almost two days since Visenya spent her day with Sansa. After their return, the Dragoness had become quite busy with the latest problem of Robb Stark. Most specifically, with his plan to marry his uncle to one of the daughters of Lord Fray to regain the alliance he lost when he broke his betrothal.

Eventually, a plan was formed and two days later they received two letters. One was from Lord Frey, coded but claiming their success and the other was from Roose Bolton; ironically their latest ally.

Upon reading the letter of Lord Bolton, Visenya felt the blood in her veins boil and her gaze hardened. She glared at the piece of paper with such ferocity; one might expect it to burst into flames any moment now. She slammed the paper on the desk with enough force to make the ink pot shake and as she pulled her hand back, she started to curse in High Valyria; something rare and happening only when she was really furious.

She marched up and down like a caged animal, fuming while Tywin sat in his chair without truly being affected by the news. "You can be angry but the point remains. Robb Stark is dead and this 2-year-old War is about to end, very soon" he reminded her, watching and letting her voice out her temper.

"I know that" she argued and took a deep breath, not wishing to snap out at him. She passed a hand through her hair in an attempt to occupy herself but also push away any strands that fell in front of her eyes. "He went out of plan though. Robb Stark and his loyal men were to die. Catelyn Stark was supposed to be left alive for us to control the Tullys and there was no need for Robb's pregnant wife to perish that way. She should have been unharmed, taken prisoner"

Tywin did not comment on her temper and did not seem to be influenced either. "This is war, Visenya. You remember too well that plans do not go accordingly when you are at War. The child would be a competitor for the one that Stark Girl will bear for us. It is better that way" He said, leaning back on his chair

Visenya did not seem to fully agree. "It could still be used by us once it was born. The child did not have to die and neither had the mother."

"Our orders were apparently not thorough enough for Lord Frey, which allowed him to take liberties" he concluded.

Somehow, this made them both realize the irony of the situation; a sense of déjà vu hitting them at the same time. A long time ago, Tywin had not given clear enough orders to the Mountain and the incident with Elia Martell happened.

Now, Visenya had not clarified to Lord Frey how each member of the Stark family had to be handled; and the blood of an unborn child and its mother was now staining her hands.

She sat down on the chair and grabbed her goblet, emptying it all in one go. She then lowered it slowly and let out a heavy sigh. "What now?" she finally asked him, unsure how to proceed.

"Now" he stood up slowly and walked around the desk. "We have a Small Council Meeting to summon" he offered his hand to her like he always did. "Better not delay it. It is getting late and I do not wish to deal with more than I have to for today"

His wife looked up at him and placed her hand into his, allowing him to help her get up. He did not let go of her directly and his eyes locked on her face, checking on her and ensuring she was good before he ordered the servants to summon all the members while they would move to their respectable places to the table; being not that far away from his desk.