Loki: Game of Thrones

Chapter 59 - Harrenhal

Loki returned to Tywin's camp a few days later, and found that he was picking up, and moving his forces to the ruined Harrenhal, the castle that had recently been given to Baelish as a reward. "More like it was burning a hole in Joffrey's pocket, so he transferred it to Baelish," Loki muttered to himself as they rode through what was left the stone archway, and parapets. The enormous amount of Lannister red Loki saw made him sick to his stomach. He waited for a squire to come up, and took command of the head of his horse. Loki dismounted, and followed Tywin to where a bunch of prisoners were being held in pen. Loki watched the way they were all standing there; their shoulders hunched, their heads bowed. They were like sacrifices waiting to be butchered. That was when Loki caught sight of a boy standing. His head was turned away slightly, but he was definitely straighter than the others. As Tywin approached, they all knelt in the dirt before the Lord of Casterly Rock. Everyone, but the boy. In that instant, Loki narrowed his eyes, and scrutinized him. A pair of blue orbs looked back up at him, and he saw that glint of recognition. The boy was Arya! That was when one of the guards drew his sword, and pointed it at her.

"Kneel! Or I'll carve your lungs out boy!" he ordered.

Try that, and I'll carve your balls off, Loki thought as he walked swiftly around the pen, and gripped the soldier's wrist. The man winced as Loki twisted it. Tywin dismounted at that moment, and also walked over to the pen.

"You'll do no such thing. This one's a girl. You idiot," Tywin said, and Loki snickered. Even though his opinion of Tywin's sanity had gone down, he could still respect the man for being observant. "Dressed as a boy. Why?" Tywin asked.

"Safer to travel, my lord," Arya obediently responded. Loki released the guard and looked at her. She cast a fleeting glance in his direction, but she did not dare smile at him.

"Smart," Tywin said, nodding his head. "Which is more than I can say for this lot," he added, indicating the soldiers with a tilt of his head. The man straightened up, and frowned when he heard Loki chuckling to himself. "Free this lot. We need the workers." Tywin started to walk away, when Loki placed a hand on his arm.

Pulling him in close, he whispered, "Didn't you say you needed a new cup bearer? That girl seems to be a fine candidate." Tywin looked at Loki, and saw the gleam in his eyes. Nodding his head, he turned back to Arya.

"And bring the girl. I need a new cupbearer," he added casually. Loki breathed a sigh of relief. With Arya working as Tywin's official cupbearer, she would be relatively safe from the ruffians around the ruined castle. Clearly, his protection spell had worked thus far; she was alive. But if he could get her in good with Tywin, so much the better. He followed the head of the Lannister House across the courtyard, to where some stone steps led up into the castle. The Mountain stepped aside for Tywin, and bowed to him. However, Loki got his customary glare. Loki smirked wickedly at Gregor Clegane, and he walked up after Tywin. "I'll be needing your advice in the next weeks to follow," Tywin informed Loki as they entered a crumbling room. A long table had already been set out, and a fire was started in the hearth. Other captains looked up when Loki and Tywin entered, and they all raised their eyebrows at him. Loki just wrinkled his nose up at them, before turning back to Tywin.

"I'll see what I can do. I still have my other business to attend to," Loki reminded Tywin, and the old lion waved his hand dismissively.

"Surely you could leave your other business till after urgent affairs with the Starks have been settled?" Tywin suggested.

"No." Tywin raised his eyebrow. Loki had not meant for it to be that firm a response, but the idea of leaving Sansa all by herself in the portis satis tuto was an unsavory thought. She had not required Loki's physical presence in her room for a while, but she did have a habit of waking up in the middle of the night, going to his chamber, and sitting on the edge of his bed watching him sleep. It was just to cement in her mind that he was in fact there, and nearby. Still, Loki did not want Sansa on her own, and that was final. "My business aids you in round about methods. It would be better for you to let me go," Loki informed Tywin. Tywin opened his mouth to say something, but that was when Arya was brought up by a guard, and shoved into the room.

"Have a care, man! She's a girl!" Tywin ordered. Of course, Arya's reaction was to stomp on the instep of the soldier's foot (a trick Loki had taught her). The man's undignified squeal was music to her ears, and Arya turned on him, growling. Despite Tywin's warning, the guard still reached for his dagger. Loki was across the room in an instant, his one arm pulling Arya to safety, while the other pushed the man out of the room, and down the stairs. Tywin, and the other Lannister captains just looked on. The clatter of the guard's armor on the stone made a loud clash, and the groan when he reached the bottom of the stairs seemed to echo up the narrow corridor. Loki simply glanced at Tywin, and closed the door with his free hand before releasing Arya. She looked up at him, the admiration for him clear in her eyes, but, Loki could not acknowledge it. Not with so many men in the room.

"What affairs with the Starks are you talking about? Also, I would have thought Stannis' growing army, heading in the direction of Kings Landing to be more of an immediate problem then they are," Loki pointed out. Tywin Lannister nodded his head, sitting down at the table. Loki approached, taking a seat opposite him.

"One thing is certain; the Tyrells have left the fight, and have retreated to their fortress of Highgarden. So, at least we don't have to worry about them. And, I have a plan in motion to rid us of the Starks," Tywin added. Loki raised his eyebrow slightly, and he had to conceal the smirk that flitted across his face. Arya also paused, but Loki casually flicked his hand in her direction, signaling for her to keep doing what she was doing. Arya went back to filling the goblets. Loki leaned back in his seat, his fingers tapping on the wood of the table.

"Well, I guess you've got everything figured out. When you need me, I'll be there," Loki told Tywin.