Tywin did not respond immediately. He took a few long moments to organize his thoughts before finally breaking the silence.
"Kevan," he said. "Casterly Rock is one of the strongest, most powerful, and most well defended castles in Westeros. The castles that can be compared to the might of Casterly Rock are so rare and so few."
"To lay siege and conquer Casterly Rock from the outside is an almost impossible feat. A thousand men inside the castle can hold on their own against a force as big as twenty-thousand or even thirty-thousand."
"This same thing was said about Harrenhal," Tywin continued with a scoff. "That its walls were so thick that no siege machine could breach them. That it was so strong and powerful that it could never be conquered. That the castle of Harrenhall could never be infringed."
"And this was true. No doubt about that. Even today, the ruins of Harrenhal are stronger and more formidable than most of the castles in Westeros. They are still majestic."
"But this holds true only for an army," he said.
"For an army," he repeated.
"And not against dragons," Kevan finished his brother's thought.
"Yes," Tywin responded. "Not against dragons. Aegon Targaryen swooped down on the castle of Harrenhal and burned everyone inside alive. Not even the slightest resistance could be mounted against him."
"Similarly, Rhaenys Targaryen could descend on Casterly Rock from the sky, and we would not be able to do a thing."
Kevan did not respond. He knew that his brother was not exaggerating. He was speaking the truth. Casterly Rock and House Lannister were in an extremely vulnerable position today.
"As for your question," Tywin said, "I do not know."
"But," he continued, "if I had to take a guess, then I think we have some time."
"Rhaenys Targaryen, for the moment, does not seem to want to take her revenge against us. If she had wanted to, she would have already flown over Casterly Rock, and we would be dead rather than having this conversation right now."
"But given how she has holed herself up in a city so far away from the Narrow Sea, I believe she is consolidating her empire first. She most likely wants to build a proper army, have a proper kingdom to her name, and only then will she invade Westeros."
"I could be wrong," he clarified, "but this is my guess."
"I agree with your thoughts," Kevan said.
He concurred with his brother's view. If Rhaenys had not made a move until now, then they most likely had some time. Maybe a few weeks. Perhaps even a few months if she moved slowly.
"But are we going to remain idle?" Kevan asked, his voice on edge.
"Dragons are formidable, I do not deny that but we are surely not going down without a struggle. It is not as if dragons have never been killed before. We can do it too. It might almost be daydreaming and far-fetched, but if we are smart about this and maybe with a little luck, we might even win."
Tywin nodded.
"Yes," he said. "We are surely not going down without a struggle. It is not in my nature."
"In fact," Tywin continued, "I have already ordered the construction of scorpions."
"For now, this is the only method we know of that kills a dragon. I have tasked quite a few people, intelligent and capable people, to try and improve the design of the scorpions. To give them a longer range, with faster and heavier bolts. Bolts that can not only pierce the eye of a dragon, but shatter their scales."
"How wonderful it would be if we had something that could crack through those scales and find its way to a dragon's heart," he mused with narrowed eyes.
"It is good that we are taking action," Kevan nodded.
"Not only that," Tywin continued, "but I have also ordered the maesters to find some other way to kill the beasts."
"I have all the maesters under our influence scouring old texts and records, looking for any weakness. Anything that we can exploit. Anything we can use in our favor. Some kind of poison that can at least disorient them when inhaled in large quantities. Anything."
Kevan nodded. He felt a wave of relief and was thoroughly impressed. Not that Tywin ever disappointed his brother.
"But if the dragons ever reach Casterly Rock and we are forced to battle them here," Tywin continued. "Then we have already lost."
"What do you mean?" Kevan questioned, his eyes narrowing as a frown creased his face.
"If it were one or two dragons, we might have had a chance to kill them before they destroyed us. But she has five. No matter what method we use or how much luck we have on our side, if we battle her at Casterly Rock, we might not be completely wiped out, but we surely would not be winning."
"We must draw the war away from here," Tywin added.
"To where? The Red Keep?" Kevan questioned, frowning. "The Stormlands?"
"Those are the only two places I can think of that Rhaenys might attack before coming for us."
Tywin shook his head, and Kevan became even more confused.
"Even farther," Tywin said. "Essos."
"You want to battle Rhaenys in Essos?" Kevan asked, genuinely surprised.
"If we are to take her down, we must take her on, in Essos," Tywin replied.
"How?" Kevan asked.
"Lord Aeos," Tywin uttered, shocking his brother. "The rise of Rhaenys in Essos threatens the grand dreams that Lord Aeos envisions for himself."
"If both of them vie to enlarge their territory and influence in Essos, they are bound to come into conflict. It would not be a surprise if they went to war against each other."
"I want you to go to Essos," Tywin continued. "In secret, of course."
"Meet this Lord Aeos," he said. "Place our offer before him."
"Convey that we will provide him with all the resources and all the gold he needs to fund this war. We will provide the coin to hire mercenaries from all over Essos. If need be, we will even send our own forces from Westeros. He just needs to take Rhaenys out by any method possible."
"Given how cunning he has been in all his campaigns," Tywin added, "I am confident that he can come up with some better or more unique methods to kill those dragons."
Kevan sat there with an expression of pure shock on his face. He had never thought his brother would propose anything of the sort.
"Why would he help us?" Kevan asked. "In case you have forgotten, he is a Stark by blood. Ned Stark's son. I do not think I need to remind you that our relationship with Winterfell is not exactly pleasant."
Tywin scoffed.
"Being a Stark does not matter to him," Tywin responded. "If it mattered, he would never have run away from Winterfell."
"Additionally," he continued, "the other party is a Targaryen. The very same family that killed the father and brother of Ned Stark, in case you need reminding."
"We might have a bad relationship with the Starks, but we have not fought a battle against them and killed an incumbent Stark Lord by burning him alive."
"Most importantly," Tywin added. "Lord Aeos is a clever, cunning, and ambitious man. Those kinds of emotional and sentimental things matter little to him."
"Just go to Essos," Tywin said. "And get it done."
Kevan could only nod his head in agreement.
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