Arianne took her decision. “Tyene, could you play the ballad of Garth Greenhand? Margaery would you like to accompany her? .”
The Queen of Thorns raised an eyebrow but didn’t protest. “Yes, Margaery, music would be lovely,” she said.
They started to play the melody. Garlan had not lied, his sister had a beautiful voice.
“It’s not common knowledge yet but the Stranger has answered our family’s prayers. Tywin Lannister is sick, at death’s gate.”
“The Stranger,” repeated Olenna Tyrell slowly.
“It’s an illness from the bowels. They say he will drown in his own shit.”
“You are lucky, in my experience the Gods rarely respond,” said Willas.
“We pledged mountains of gold to the Stranger if my aunt and her children were avenged.”
Comprehension dawned on his face. “It an heavy sacrifice for Dorne.”
“A simple token of our gratitude. There are fates worse than death for men like Tywin Lannister. They hate nothing more than weakness.”
“It is an interesting news,” intervened Olenna Tyrell. “But why tell us?”
“Because we are family.” And because sharing a secret of your enemy with an uneasy ally build trust. Maybe enough to get them to divulge the secrets they knew.
Olenna Tyrell tapped her cup, deep in her thoughts. “There is a rumour that the Queen has a lover.”
Curious, Tyene had not heard this rumour. Arianne played along, “What a vile lie! The King must be wroth.”
“It has not reached Robert’s ears,” said Willas. For the moment was left unsaid.
Arianne considered his words, gossip was an useful weapon. There were no love left between the royal couple. She didn’t see Robert dismissing the rumour. No, he would be eager to believe, even more if it gave him an excuse to get rid of Cersei. And with Tywin too sick to defend his daughter, well the Lannisters were feared, not loved. To see them brought low would please many, specially in Dorne.
“It’s for the better. Ser Jaime would cut through half the court to protect his sister’s honor from these baseless accusations.” She made a point of shuddering.
Tywin neutralized, it left his oldest son as a obstacle. Cersei and Jaime Lannister were as close as Queen Naerys was with her brother, Aemon the Dragonknight. He would win every trial by combat to defend her honor.
Willas leaned towards her, “I have an interest in breeding animals, horses, hounds, you name it. The rules that govern breeding can apply to people.”
She frowned, what did it have to do with Cersei’s supposed infidelity?
“For example, the Florents are known for their big ears.” Olenna snorted indelicately while her grandson continued, imperturbable. “The Targaryen for their white hair and purple eyes and the Baratheon for their black hair and blue eyes.”
“Except for Robert’s children,” she remarked.
“Precisely,” said Olenna Tyrell, with a vicious smile.
Getting rid of Cersei and her children based on a rumour was quite ambitious, just like the Tyrells. Uncle Oberyn had warned her, said they charmed you until you lost your favourite sand steed to them in a bet you somehow agreed to. She had seen the results of the addition to the Tyrells' stables when Willas had sent a mare to Ellaria for her nameday.
