Lone Wolf || Tyrion Lannister

Chapter Twenty Three

"For what my family has done to yours," Tyrion would never not feel guilty. Anari was his friend and his wife, yet his family had taken so much from her. She didn't deserve it, yet it happened anyway. With the exception of Anari, none of the Starks seemed to be able to really play this game.

They were too honorable and trusting, and in trusting the wrong people, they died for it. While Anari understood why he felt the need to apologize, she couldn't help but sigh. He shouldn't carry that guilt, as he wasn't the one who did anything wrong. "You had no part in what happened to my family," Anari replied softly.

"That doesn't mean I can't feel guilty," Tyrion said. With another sigh, Anari walked over to him and knelt down next to him. It seemed she wasn't alone in feeling like she carried the weight of the world. Tyrion was also under a lot of stress, and Anari would do anything to take that away from him.

"What's done is done, Tyrion," Anari said. "I don't blame you for what happened. You had no part in what transpired, so you shouldn't feel the need to carry that guilt."

"You should blame me," Tyrion said softly. "I'm a Lannister."

"I'm a Lannister now too," Anari replied. "Should I blame myself for what happened?" She questioned softly. "It doesn't matter that you're a Lannister, you are far better than any of them. Your family's mistakes don't fall onto you, Tyrion. You've been nothing but kind to me and my sister."

Tyrion glanced down, unable to meet her eyes as she spoke. However, Anari wasn't having any of that. Boldly, Anari reached up and turned his face so he would keep looking at her. She wouldn't stand for Tyrion blaming himself over things he had no control over.

While she may not be able to completely help him with other things, she was sure she could help lessen the weight he carried by ensuring he understood that this was not his fault. "You've helped me, Tyrion. You've made me laugh and smile during times I thought I would never do such things again. You're a good man, a brave man. I'm proud to be your wife." She stated firmly.

With their eyes locked, Tyrion could see nothing but honesty. There wasn't a single shred of doubt in her eyes as she looked at him. No one ever said those things to him, so Tyrion was unsure how to respond. To hear that she was proud to be his wife struck a chord within him.

No one seemed to be proud to know him. Certainly not Cersei or Tywin, they didn't even bother to hide their disdain for him. That wasn't the case with Anari, and it was something Tyrion had, almost desperately, wanted to hear. Silence ensued as Tyrion found himself speechless.

Even if he did find the words, Tyrion doubted they would be able to properly convey how he felt in that moment. To him, Anari was almost perfect in every way. Of course, she had flaws of her own, yet she readily accepted them. Anari was wise beyond her years, and her intelligence made her exceedingly attractive.

So many emotions were present in Anari's eyes as they maintained eye contact. Most of them, Tyrion was able to identify, but there was something else that shone in her eyes that he couldn't quite tell what it was. Anari smiled as she looked at him.

She wasn't sure what to say anymore either. It seemed that the longer she stared into his eyes, the more entranced she became. There was a sliver of doubt there, but there was so much hope in his eyes. Not only that but admiration and something else.

Neither one was certain as to how deeply they cared and liked one another. Neither one had felt such intense emotions, and it scared them. However, Anari and Tyrion found that, while they couldn't identify their feelings, they enjoyed them.

In the silence that ensued, both of them were suddenly aware of how charged the air around them seemed to be. Anticipation loomed over them as the silence grew. Feeling her courage beginning to grow, Anari decided that she would be the one to make the first move.