Harrenhal - RiverLands - A few Hours after Baelish left
Dusk had finally arrived although, with the constant clouds above, no one could truly tell if it weren't for the candles burning and the temperature falling a few degrees.
Inside the council chamber, Visenya and Tywin were alone. The letter was lying on the table and it had put them into deep thoughts.
"Marching ten thousand west to Lannisport through the Tooth. Estimate to reach you by week's end. Scouts report Robb Stark moving troops south by coast. Alert Serrett he should turn east at Silverhill." The letter said.
They would have a new addition to their army, which was good for after the last battles, they truly needed all the extra men.
However, Robb Stark moving south was puzzling them. They were moving further away from them and if they were to take the coast, they would eventually reach Lannisport although first they would have to pass through the Golden Tooth itself.
Unless they would try their way over Silverhill to avoid any true resistance from that narrow path. House Serrett was the lords of Silverhill but they did not have the manpower to stop the full forces of Robb.
Since most army was sent their way and the other was left at King's Landing, it did make them think about what their next plan should be.
Visenya kept her eyes on the map right beneath the letter, leaning over the table while Tywin was looking outside the window.
"If the troops do not get delayed to reach us and we move fast, we might be able to surprise them while Lord Serrett holds the front lines," she thought out loud, a small sigh leaving her lips.
Her hair had been let loose, falling to one side of her neck and face as her unique amber eyes were locked on the map.
"We underestimated that boy long enough. We are not being taken for fools" he said, hands behind his back and his gaze locked outside.
Visenya straightened her back and turned her body slowly to look at him.
"You think if we go for the plan, we will fall into another bluff?" she questioned, although she knew the answer already.
She marched his way slowly after not receiving an answer, her wine goblet held in one hand.
"I know what you are thinking"
Tywin scoffed faintly.
"Do you, now?" he asked, annoyance clear as day.
However, she knew that it was not directed to her intentionally.
She moved and stopped by his side in front of the window, looking also outside.
"Jaime is your son. If there is anyone who can survive this long, it's someone who carries your genes" she said, eventually looking up at him.
Finally, he turned to look at her with a cold expression but she could see the worry and exhaustion inside his green eyes.
"We will get him back and we will put an end to all of this" she continued with a more comforting voice and handed him her goblet.
He let out a heavy breath, his shoulders tense and yet when he moved his hand to take the goblet; he was gentle.
His fingers cupped hers for a moment as he slowly took the goblet from her and took a few deep gulps.
"I am patient man but this is getting tiresome" he commented and she offered him a small sweet smile.
"Try being at my place. Been trying to be patient my whole life" she commented.
Tywin did not have to be told more to know what she was referring to.
Dragon dreams were a curse because what one person saw, couldn't truly change.
They didn't know when the dream would happen, whether be months or years after. They couldn't do anything and simply had to wait until it unfolded, sometimes with ten forward and sometimes not.
Arya had been listening to another war council, picking up all kinds of important information. After Baelish left, she had been a little more on edge though; afraid that he had recognised her.
He hadn't exposed her, which was a good thing but yet again; who knew what he would do with that information.
Arya had met him only once and she never liked him, always making her have this bad feeling in her stomach.
It was those times she wished she had Nymeria with her, to feel more secure and safe. Maybe even order her to attack the creepy man.
She was busy cleaning the table once again, glancing momentarily at Visenya as she was hunched over the map for the past 10 minutes, ever since they received that letter.
Arya had refilled her goblet a few times, always earning a small smile and even a quiet "thank you" from her.
As she picked up a few plates and placed them to the side, she heard Visenya talk to Tywin and as she turned; she saw the Dragoness approaching him.
Silently, the young Stark continued her job but slower as she observed the rare scene in front of her.
For the first time, she saw a less strict and tough persona of the two famous strategists.
As she heard them talk, she could understand that Tywin had his mind on his captured son.
It made her think about how her father might have felt when he was a prisoner and how he would have reacted if he had been alive and seen his daughters held prisoners.
She knew he would have the same worry, although Tywin was better at hiding.
She paid attention to how Visenya's gaze softened and so did her voice, her words trying to offer some passive comfort to her husband.
Arya did wonder if they were always this professional or if they were truly alone, they would be more physical and affectionate like her parents.
Yet, as she saw this small interaction between them; it made her think of something she knew.
She had been told that their marriage was purely political, that Tywin mostly had her as a trophy wife due to her heritage, although there were questions as to why he hadn't forced her to have more heirs other than the one she gave birth to.
After all, he had killed the children of her nephew to end in Robert's good graces. Not to mention that his son had killed her brother while she was a prisoner of Robert.
In her mind, Visenya should hate that man and he shouldn't truly care for her in any way.
Those days spent undercover, though, had made her see that this was not truly what was going on.
She saw mutual respect between them, especially from him towards her.
There was this unique equality when they were around the war council table that Arya had never seen or heard of.
And now...she saw the faintest changes in their attitude.
She saw that Visenya looked at him in a similar way her mother would look at her father.
He, even, seemed to see her as more than just a trophy wife.
While a strict figure, he was still human and he seemed to have a hidden side other than the Terrifying Old Lion of Casterly Rock.
As the two of them talked about patience and whispered something she could not truly hear, Arya saw the letter nearby.
She silently moved closer and started to read it, only for a voice to stop her.
"Who taught you to read?" Tywin asked, making her jump slightly and turn to face him.
As the two looked at her, Arya could see curiosity in their eyes and the slightest of suspicion.
Did they leave the letter like that to test her?
She didn't know but she knew she had to find a way to excuse herself.
"My father, my lord, my lady."
She replied that it was not truly a lie and remembered the way people always addressed both of them.
This made Visenya smirk in pride, once again Arya proving that she was a smart girl.
She moved towards the other side of the room to fill herself with a new goblet of wine since Tywin had hers.
At the same time, her husband continued talking. "Hmm. I taught my son Jaime to read. The Maester came to me one day and told me he wasn't learning. He couldn't make sense of the letters. He reversed them in his head. The Maester said he'd heard tell of this affliction and that we simply must accept it. Ha! After that, I sat Jaime down for four hours every day until he learned. He hated me for it, for a time. For a long time. But he learned" he said. It was unlike him but as she suspected, he did have certain worries for his son. "Hmm. Where is your father? Is he alive? Who was he?"
The question surprised Arya. It made her reflect on another ending, one where her father was a common man and he was alive. Would he let her go or return her to him? Would he keep her as his cupbearer since it was considered a great honour?
Since he was waiting for an answer, she gave him one.
"A stonemason."
"A stonemason who could read? Hmm."
"He taught himself."
"A smart man, then" Visenya commented as she was leaning with her back on the small table, her goblet close to her lips. "It seems he passed that to you" she commented and took a few sips. "What killed him?"
Arya was surprised that they realised he was dead since she never answered that question but yet again, they must have suspected it.
What would a northern girl do so south and a prisoner nonetheless?
In the end, Arya thought of a fitting answer.
"Loyalty."
Visenya smirked behind her goblet, exchanging a silent look with Tywin.
Those two seemed to do it quite often and Arya had come to realise that they shared similar thoughts or had known each other well enough to read one another without many words.
Then, the Old Lion turned his eyes on her.
"You're a sharp little thing, aren't you?"
She didn't comment on it, clearly a rhetorical question.
"Did..." she started but stopped herself, realizing that perhaps she was crossing a line she shouldn't; too risky after gaining their trust for so long. "Forgive me, my lord. I shouldn't ask questions."
He smirked.
"No. But you've already begun."
"Did you know your father, my lord?" she finally asked.
The question lingered in the air for a little longer, no one answering.
Arya saw Visenya walking towards the window to look below at the yard, her goblet half empty.
"I did. I grew up with him. I watched him grow old." he confessed and moved to take a seat, turning his back on her.
With both their attention diverted, mostly due to the seriousness of the question; the witty girl stole the letter that she was reading.
Visenya knew the story, having heard it first-hand from him and others, especially Genna and Kevan.
She knew it was a tough topic and she chose to let him be, focusing her attention on something else like the men moving in the yard.
She was not surprised that the girl was asking about his father specifically.
Anyone who knew who she was, which was pretty much everyone; knew of her story too well.
"He loved us. He was a good man, but a weak man. A weak man, who nearly destroyed our house and name" he said, his mood shifting at the dark memories while anger from the past slowly resurfaced along with bitterness.
"I'm cold."
Arya understood what he was trying to do and played along, especially now that she had the letter.
"I'll fetch more wood for the fire, my lord, my lady"
They watched her go and once she was away, Visenya turned to fully face the room.
"She is a smart one. Perhaps too smart for someone of her background" she commented, moving towards the table.
"You sound as if you admire her" he pointed out and she sat on the chair by his right.
She said nothing and so Tywin chose to address the elephant in the room.
"You have taken a liking to her"
She scoffed faintly as she placed her goblet on the wooden table.
"I am just keeping an eye on a child in times of war, that's all"
Lie, his expression said and she tried to avoid it by drinking from her cup but he grabbed it and kept it away from her lips.
"There are children everywhere around us, even part of the prisoners. Yet, none seem to have your attention like her" he said, forcing her to look at him.
Defeated, she let the goblet down and leaned back on the chair.
"It makes me wonder...if we had a second child, a daughter...." she stopped talking for a moment, her hand leaving the goblet completely as she let it rest on the wooden table. "She would be smart, like her...observing us as we discussed plans, learning from us the same way Trystan did..."
There was a small silence after she confessed, Tywin looking at her with an expression that even she had a hard time reading through.
The topic of children was one they often avoided, especially since Trystan left for King's Landing.
It was not unknown that each did wish for more heirs.
Specifically, Visenya often thought of a girl since she already had a boy.
Tywin, wishing to promote more of his legacy and have a chance to leave competent descendants after his passing; did want more children as well.
However, he was not going to risk her health the same way he risked Joanna's.
He had come to terms with it, although sometimes he wondered if she did.
She had promised him she would not bother with it but on days such as those, it was becoming clear she didn't fully keep up to that promise.
He did not truly blame her, since Visenya always had a soft spot for children.
He had witnessed it long before they got married and even after, with random children, his own or Trystan.
Maester Val had warned him in private once, that miscarriages and the inability to produce children often affected a woman.
Perhaps this was what he was referring to or something else, Tywin was never sure.
He did not pressure it, though and did not discuss it either.
Visenya was a tough woman, hardened by conditions and battles alike.
She was a brilliant mind and his Lady Wife, proudly holding the Lannister name and carrying its sigil.
She would pass through it and return to her normal self, as he would do once Jaime was back.
Realizing that he had been quiet for too long and that he was simply staring forward at the open door, Visenya left a heavy sigh.
"You asked, although you knew the answer," she said and moved her hand to grab her goblet again.
In one quick movement, Tywin had placed his hand on top of hers and pressed it on the table; stopping her from moving it.
He turned his head and looked at her with those intelligent green eyes, the golden specks always standing out like pieces of true gold.
"This is enough wine for today" he said and with his other hand, pulled the goblet out of her reach.
"I suspected the topic, which is why I didn't argue with your choice to put the girl as my cupbearer" he continued, not once breaking eye contact with her.
She shook her head faintly.
"This war is bad for both of us. When this is all over, I wouldn't mind returning to Casterly Rock and just be away from all of this" she confessed.
He chuckled ever so faintly in amusement.
"Let us end this war, clean the mess left at King's Landing and then we can see it to our leave" he said, the grip on her hand increasing faintly to a more comforting tone. "This will be our last war. We win it and we retire from the game"
She nodded her head, agreeing with his idea.
They had been at enough wars, at enough battles and dealt with enough enemies.
Each war exhausted them both physically but also mentally and they did not turn any younger with each passing year.
Suddenly, they noticed Amory by the door but before he could take another step; he collapsed.
A poisoned dart was protruding from his neck and Tywin immediately summoned his guards, since this could be a clear hidden attack from Robb against them.