Casterly Rock, Westerlands,
Genna had a smirk on her face. Kevan had a frown. Gerion was holding back a laugh. Tywin seemed cold and unaffected, but they all knew the truth. There was a furious current underneath the untouched surface.
"Should've taken his offer," Genna daringly continued, "Now he's flush with gold, and he handed a Valyrian steel blade to some house half the realm's never heard of, and the rest couldn't care less."
Oh, she enjoyed seeing Tywin's fist curl on the table. She and Kevan knew best how desperate Tywin was to get a hold of a Valyrian steel sword. It was an obsession, the final capstone for Tywin Lannister to prove himself the greatest Lannister Lord to ever live after the first King of the Rock. But all lesser houses Tywin had approached for the sword had rebuffed him.
And now, he learned that the man he considered nothing but an upstart had gifted such a blade to a worthless house. For gold, she and her brothers were sure. They were certain Wylis Kaiser knew of the gold in the river and made the trade.
But that hurt Tywin's pride more. Gold was what they had the most of. He would have paid that entire river's worth of gold for that sword, and lands in the Westerlands to boast. Yet, all that possibility now lay in dirt.
"He has acquired more, has he not?" Keval Lannister asked. "I'm told he salvaged treasure from some ancient wreck off the Braavosi coast. If that is true, we may consider commissioning another blade."
"Why would he consent to that?" Tywin coldly retorted. "He possesses gold, lands, and Valyrian steel. What reason would he have to surrender it? He is a man of war. More likely, he would forge a blade for himself and armor to match."
Genna enjoyed this humbling tone from her elder brother. Her beloved Lord Kaiser had humbled the great Tywin Lannister while sitting thousands of miles away.
"He only wanted fifty ships before," Gerion said, leaning against a nearby wall. "Now I reckon even a hundred won't please him. Just him and eleven men in the mines, wasn't it? Hah, we should've let him."
Everyone stared at Gerion. Genna shook her head gently, advising him to stop there. Tywin was already in a bad mood.
"In that case, Gerion, perhaps I should put an end to your plans of sailing to Essos and meeting your doom. You would do better to remain here, win Lord Kaiser's favor, and earn a sword from him. That has better odds than reaching Valyria and coming back alive," Tywin said coldly.
Gerion frowned. "I'm using my own coin for this."
"The ship is my property."
"You can't do this to me! I'm this close to setting sail for Valyria. I will bring back Brightroar!"
"And never return?" Genna coldly added, stern as Tywin. "Gerion, I love you. You are my brother. But I will not pretend blindness. We buried Tygett not so many moons ago, and our pride grows thinner. I will not see you vanish as well. Our lord brother spoke the truth. Lord Kaiser values his friends as he would blood.
"Earn his favor, and he may grant you the blade. And I wouldn't be surprised if he turns his sails for Essos one day."
All heads turned towards her. Genna noticed the inquisitive gazes.
"What? Do all of you truly believe a man like Lord Kaiser would sit idle forever? From the moment he drew his blade in that tourney, he has gathered feats, victories, and a name for himself. And since I see no war brewing in Westeros, a man of his sort has but few choices left to seek his thrill."
"That would be reckless," said Kevan.
"He has yet to prove himself that. He has won every time," Genna added, eyeing her brothers. "That was the reason. Living in Ramsgate, I saw no brute, my dear lord brother. I saw a man with vision and the will to see it through. You saw his ice trade. We have all tasted the result of it. We know what he's doing in Stoney Sept with that great slaughterhouse and those ice wagons rolling across the land. These are only the first steps of his grand vision."
Tywin Lannister leaned forward over his table, elbows pressed on top. "I agree. I misjudged it. I should've trusted your word on Lord Kaiser."
Genna's eyes widened. Tywin rarely acknowledged he was wrong. But it seemed the old lion didn't mind now since they were all siblings in that chamber.
"Yet I cannot bring myself to trust that man. Every spy we send to Ramsgate disappears. Not only ours, but those from every house with coin enough. The realm remains blind and deaf to whatever happens within those walls. But I won't dismiss his capabilities. He has proven them with his ice trade. He saw value where the whole North saw only waste."
Right then, Tywin's gaze turned to Gerion.
"You are unmarried, Gerion. You are to visit Ramsgate and get closer to Lord Kaiser."
"How?" Gerion asked with a frown. "Beg him? Bow to him? Be his whore?"
"If you do that, I would sooner deliver you to Valyria myself. The name of House Lannister must not be tainted. No, I want you to seek him out as a superior swordsman. Go there as his student. Remember, you are not going there as a spy. Your intentions are true. It is to bring House Kaiser and House Lannister closer."
Tywin finished speaking and rose to his feet.
"Now, Cersei has given this realm a prince. King Robert is on his way to King's Landing, and I intend to reach it first. Genna, you will remain here and carry your pregnancy to term. When you are well, you'll go to the Red Keep and keep Cersei company."
Genna frowned. She didn't want another chain around her neck after escaping one.
"Why? She has Jaime there."
"Because I trust you will keep her from doing something foolish."
At that, Genna couldn't help but nod. Cersei was indeed very impulsive. And since Tywin declared his trust in her, refusing would mean betraying it.
In the end, she nodded, swallowing her desire to run back to Ramsgate.
####
Castle Darry, Riverlands,
Robert was on his way back from his northern visit. After spending days with Wylis and weeks with Ned, he felt ready to return to the pit of vipers that was King's Landing. But he was a changed man now.
He had clashed steel with Ned every single day in Winterfell for hours. He could already see the signs of his strength returning, his muscles swelling, and his vigor rising. Fucking a few whores at the same time didn't tire him out anymore.
He had followed Wylis' diet as well, but still drank plenty of wine. Life was no good without it, especially without ice now. Gods, he loved ice and all that came with it. Chilled ale in the heat of the Riverlands in that summer was the greatest delicacy.
And Robert was looking forward to the war that Wylis had hinted at.
"Bah! Who in the Seven hells told you to take the side of those dragon whoresons?" Robert boomed drunkenly in the hall, staring at Raymun Darry seated beside him.
"If you hadn't, you would still have your damn lands, your gold, and your standing. And your fool father wouldn't be hiding his ugly cunt face from me."
It was insulting. But House Darry was in no position to refute the King. House Darry was proud and high under Aerys II's favor. Stood by Targaryens during the rebellion. And then lost everything once the rebellion ended. To the point that the three oldest sons of Lord Darry had died in the Battle of the Trident by Lord Kaiser's blade, sliced into bits.
Now, as Robert used Castle Darry to rest, he held no words back. He reminded them of their folly at every step, as the memory of the rebellion was still fresh; only three years had passed.
"Seven hells, where's my fucking wine? Bring more!"
Robert boomed drunkenly and lifted his cup.
"It's a celebration today! My brother Wylis has struck bloody gold in his lands. Gods bless him, the lucky fucker. He deserves every last speck. To Wylis!"
Where many were jealous, there were a select few like Robert who were genuinely happy about the discovery of gold in the North.
That didn't count the Northern lords, however.
####
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