The King of Winters

Chapter- 25

TYRION 

The paper sat rolled up in Lord Jon's hands, his eyes wondering up and down the words written upon them. Robert Baratheon, Hoster Tully, Brynden Tully and his sister all gathered round him. They looked to Tyrion as he entered and Tyrion found neither warmth nor calm in their eyes. Robert cared not a whit about him as always, Lord Tully's eyes looked at him with a mute appeal and so was his mouth, Ser Brynden followed him with his blue eyes in silence. Edmure Tully for his part nodded at him. But it was Cersei's eyes which made him intrigued. Her green eyes were wild and raging like wildfire and her mouth pressed in a tight line. But Tyrion could have sworn that she was fuming at him in her heart for some reason. 

Tyrion walked the length of Hoster Tully's solar and claimed his place next to his sister, propped up by cushions so he could gaze down the length of the table. As always, Hoster Tully was at the head of the table, behind him Tyrion could see the Tumblestone rushing down. Though he was not seated in the high seat, the council surrounded Jon Arryn and the letter in his hand. Lord Arryn kept his foster son to his right while Hoster Tully was to his left. Lord Tully's brother and son occupied his side and Cersei sat at her husband's side. 

He was late as always. The game they had been playing had commenced already while he lay sleeping in his bed. 

"Look who decided to show up," Robert Baratheon said in a jolly tone as Tyrion sat in his chair. Despite the cheerfulness of his sister's husband, the room looked glum with gloomy faces. 

"Hope you had a good night, Dwarf. We've got some grave tidings in the cover of the night." 

Grave tidings, that was not going to be good. "I did have a good night, my lord. Thank you." He did have a good night indeed, with some hot food in his belly accompanied some good sweet wine and a whore in his bed, he had slept surprising peaceful under Hoster Tully's roof. They have broken his good night, it seems. Looking at Cersei, he could definitely tell that they had spoiled his night. She had such ruthlessness etched in her emerald eyes, directed at him. 

Jon Arryn rolled the paper in his fist and kept it there, hidden. Tyrion had wanted to see it. If they saw it fit to rush him off his bed to some cushioned chair he better see it first. 

There was no smile nor comfort in the Lord of the Eyrie's face. "We have news from Braavos." Tyrion moved forward in his chair eager to learn about how his plan had worked out. "It looks as though your plan has worked well, Lord Tyrion. Your anonymous killer came out to face Rhaegar Targaryen and his men. Losses were heavy on Rhaegar's side, but in the end he prevailed and your killer lays dead in the gutter of Braavos."

That was disappointing. He'd had high hopes for the man or boy or whatever he was. If he had dealt with Rhaegar in Braavos they could've very well used the unrest in the kingdom for their sake. Now he had died. It had been a good gamble with him. Either way, he would have won. If he had succeeded in killing Rhaegar, then they could've very well used it for their advantage but now even though he failed to do that there were no losses in Tyrion's side. All he has to do now was to find another plan to shake out the Targaryen dynasty. 

"That's not all," said Jon Arryn bringing his attention back to him. "Your brother was killed in the fight. He fought valiantly and gave his life for the king, it is written here." 

Jaime is dead? He felt something hard within his heart. Something he had not felt ever since Tysha. He had loved his brother, as he loved his life. During all the terrible long years of his childhood, only Jaime had ever shown him the smallest measure of affection or respect, and for that Tyrion was willing to forgive him most anything. Him and uncle Gerion. Both are gone now, uncle Gery lost in the seas and Jaime lost in his vows. Oh, brother... Why did you have to stick to your vows so seriously? After killing the Mad King his brother had chosen to stay in the kingsguard even after Rhaegar Targaryen gave him the choice to leave the white cloak and be Lord Tywin's heir. A gesture of his goodwill to Tywin Lannister but Tyrion had always suspected it to be more likely as to not have a kingslayer in his kingsguard. His brother had chosen to stay in the kingsguard and right his wrongs in Rhaegar's rule.