Snow on the Beach // Tyrion Lannister

6. Smile

"Do you think they will come?" Danaerys asked when she found Tyrion staring into his cup. He looked up at her lost in a memory.

"I hope so." Tyrion told her. It would be nice to see Jills smiling face again after all this time.

+

Tyrion opened his door to see Jill wrapped up in a blanket sitting on his bed, only her face visible. She looked to him as the door closed.

"You asked to see me?" Jill asked.

"I was going to come to you." Tyrion remarked. She just shrugged tossing his book aside that she had grabbed from his bedside table. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine Tyrion." Jill assured. He moved around the bed sitting next to her but she flopped down to the pillow. He lay beside her and pushed the blanket from her face but it fell back so he could only see her eyes. He rested his forehead against hers.  "I was worried about you." Tyrion said softly.

"I gathered that..."

"Did you?" Tyrion remarked, her skin was hot to the touch. "Snow... I think you are melting." Tyrion whispered and a smile crept onto her face as she pushed off the blanket. "Ah, there is your gorgeous face."

"Flirt." Jill told him.

"You want me to keep going?" Tyrion mused.

"Yes. Please it helps my ego." Jill informed him. Tyrion was confident that her smile could make anyones day brighter.

"You know with head injuries the maesters usually want someone to keep an eye on the patient for a good full day. To make sure they are alright"". Tyrion remarked

"Oh? They left that out of my instructions." Jill remarked "probably because im a bastard and they dont care if my brain explodes."

"Well I do." Tyrion countered. "Stay." He requested. "Give me some peace of mind that your brain isnt going to explode in the night". Jill stared back at him. "It's purely selfish i assure you. If you leave i wont get any sleep thinking you brains are on the walls of your chamber and then i will have to get up and go to your chambers wake you up and make sure your gorgeous head is still intact." Jill smiled leaning into him her nose brushed against his as she closed her eyes.

"Okay." She agreed. "Only because your bed is more comfortable than mine".

"I will accept that". Tyrion agreed.

++

''You're the master of whisperers.' Joffrey spat at varys 'You're supposed to know everything.''

''No man can be in all rooms at all times. I have many little birds in the North, My Lord, but I haven't heard their songs since Theon Greyjoy captured Winterfell.'' Varys told him

''The Stark forces are distracted. Now is the time to strike.'' Joffrey demanded

'To strike?' Tyrion asked 'My dear nephew, you do see these men preparing the walls for siege? You do understand Stannis Baratheon sails this way?''

''If my Uncle Stannis lands on the shores of King's Landing, I'll ride out to greet him.'' Joffrey said confidently.

'A brave choice, Your Grace.'' Varys offered

''I'm sure your men will line up behind you.''' Tyrion mused

''They say Stannis never smiles. I'll give him a red smile from ear to ear.' Joffrey declared. "Give  you one too Bastard!" He called seeing Jill.

"I want nothing you could ever give me." Jill countered softly.

'Imagine Stannis's terror.' Tyrion mused

'I am trying.' Varys agreed

"Hello Snow." Tyrion said fondly.

"Hey... you two look like you are up to something." Jill remarked.

"Just preparing for war." Tyrion told her.

"Against Joffrey?" Jill asked hopefully. Varys eyes went wide as Tyrion tried and failed to hold back a laugh. "Just so you know when Stannis invades and Joffrey is shaking and crying in his room I'm going to be the welcoming committee for Stannis."

"Jillian Snow." Varys said appalled.

"Private conversation, no nuts." Jill told him. Tyrions smile only got larger. "I think he would even allow me to have the final blow." she added walking off.

"That's treason." Varys warned.

"I know." Jill told them turning around as she walked backwards. "Jon always told me, me mouth would get me killed one of these days... might as well go out swinging." and with a wink she was gone.

"Isnt she supposed to be under guard?" Varys asked looking to Tyrion.

"Snow doesn't follow the rules... its one of the things I love about her."

+

"What are you doing snow?" Tyrion asked as she paced the halls nervously.

"Well, Sansa bled and now your sister is tormenting her." Jill told him. Tyrion looked to Cersei's door. "Probably saying how Joffrey is going to mount her like a broodmare because once they are wed, she might hold the title queen but she will still be a slave here. Used and used to pump out heirs until one day it kills her..."

"Snow..." Tyrion grabbed her hand and she stopped pacing.

"I don't want that life for her. I want her to find love, real love. I want her to be happy and not in this constant state of panic."

"How are you coping with all this?" Tyrion asked as she leaned back against the wall and slowly slid to the ground, knees tucked into her chest, arms wrapped around them.

"I'm good at faking smiles." Jill told him. He sat down next to her as a heavy breath filled her lungs. "Gods to think about how all this started, she was so smitten with the little shit." Jill seethed. "and now... I heard Theon took Winterfell... I heard that he hung up my youngest brothers at the entrance... everyone is so fucking far away and I thought that-" She swallowed the bile rising in her throat. "-I thought that if I was here I would be able to protect her but once she is wed, she becomes his property. Marriage is a death sentence for most women and for Sansa it will mean her literal death."

"We can protect her." Tyrion offered.

"I can take her beatings and you can in threatening the king." Jill retorted. "We are both going to lose our heads before their first child is born." The door opened and Jill shot up to her feet. Sansa looked rattled as she grabbed Jill's hand. Cersei stared over at Jill before scoffing at Tyrion on the floor and closing her door.

"Lemon tarts?" Jill offered. "and lots of ale." Sansa sobbed out a laugh as Jill pulled her closer. "Come on I know where Tyrion hides the good stuff." Jill remarked smiling over her shoulder at Tyrion.