BRAVENESS [GAME OF THRONES]

|PROLOGUE|

The rays of moon seeped through the gaps of curtain and cast a white halo in the room followed by gentle breeze.

Having woken up in the middle of the night from pain, Lady Joanna didn't feel sleepy anymore. Tywin Lannister, who has woken up countless night during his wife's second pregnancy, found himself sitting next to her rubbing her stomach to soothe her pain.

She leaned on the shoulder of her husband and stroked her nine months large belly "Just wait, once this little brat comes out, I'll definitely punish him for waking me up continuously!"

Tywin Lannister wrapped his arm around his beloved wife and echoed "Yes, he needs to be punished for being so badly behaved."

"Did you hear that baby? If you don't want to be punished by your papa and momma when you come out, start behaving better and stop throwing your legs."

Right after these words were said, it seemed as if the little fellow in her belly understood her words. The baby responded with a naughty kick causing her to wince.

"Are you alright dear?" Tywin asked with worry clearly sounding in his voice.

Getting a nod from his wife, he started talking trying to divert her mind from the pain “Momma, Papa?”

“Yes, I want the baby to be carefree, not to follow some stupid rules like calling mother, father. It’s so formal,” seeing his serious expression; she explained softly “Of course the baby will learn etiquettes and manners. But I want him to be his own person. Not how his surrounding people wants him to be. Besides Lion doesn’t bow down to anyone. Then why should our baby care about what other thinks. But that doesn’t mean, I will allow his every rule breaking. Fun is on one side and Duty is on the other side.”

"Okay as you wish, my lady. Besides, I also think the baby will be a boy and of course with my facial structure as usual."

"I am not just thinking. Okay!" Joanna exclaimed in disbelief before continuing "I am sure it will be a boy, a naughty boy. This one punches more than twins, what a troublemaker we've got here," narrowing her eye, she added "And he will look like ME. I have already told him to look like me. He will be a momma’s boy" smiling down at her belly.

"Weren't you calling the baby a little brat few moments ago? Now you are calling him momma’s boy! And how are you so sure it will be a boy? Maybe Cersei will be getting a naughty sister" proposed Tywin enjoying the argument he is having although it would be trillionth time they are having the same argument.

"Firstly, he will be a momma’s boy so he won't mind if I call him brat here and there. Right?" looking down at her belly, she asked for which she got a soft kick as if agreeing with her causing a proud smirk to form in her face before looking at her husband she continued “Secondly, I am carrying him so I will know more about him than you do. Even maester was saying that I would definitely give birth to healthy and naughty baby boy.”

Feeling her words were not doing enough justice to his naughtiness, she received another kick followed by two more but this time slowly, as if making sure his momma doesn’t get hurt.

“Ow” Joanna mumbled rubbing her belly.

“Is he still kicking?” Tywin asked and without waiting for reply, he turned his attention to his wife’s belly “Hey brat! Stop kicking your mother otherwise when you come out, I am going to be very much strict with you.”

“Shush Tywin, you are scaring him. My baby was kicking but slowly. He will be a very considerate person in the future” replied Joanna.

After that, Joanna leans in to whisper to the child “Don’t mind your papa. He can be mean sometimes but he loves us a lot. Come out soon, my baby boy.”

It seems like he heard her because next moment Joanna felt an intense pain coming from her lower part. Tightly furrowing her brow, she quietly winced in pain. Her pale face showed her pain too. She inhaled deeply with attempts to ease the pain.  

She grabbed Tywin’s hand and urgently said “Tywin, TYWIN!”

“Breath, dear, breath” before Tywin screamed for maester.

“The baby, the baby is coming! He listened to me!” She yelled squeezing his hand.

“Yes, he listened to you. It seems like you are getting a little follower who is going to follow your every command. He will really be a momma’s boy” It didn’t take long for maester to enter the room and like always Tywin didn’t leave the room.

As soon as the fall of first followed by many rays of sun across the stone of the majestic Casterly Rock, the cry of the newborn baby is heard who was later on named Christopher Lannister.

And true to Joanna’s word, he was really a momma’s boy. Not only he is a momma’s boy but he also looks like her when she was a baby according to her brother, Stafford Lannister.

When Christopher Lannister started walking, no one would find him in his chamber. He would be always beside his mother. Even his first word was also “momma” like Joana wanted her to be called. Grudgingly, he called Tywin “papa” when his mother asked him. After all, whatever his mother asks him to do; he will do it without question.

It is a known knowledge in Casterly Rock how they fight for the attention of Lady Joanna. But if any third party comes to join the race of getting her attention, they become best friends to eradicate the unwanted competition. And no enemy will want to face off with them after all together their cunningness is of another level.

Though Christopher fights with his father to get his mother’s attention, the scenario is completely different in case of twins. They fight with their mother to get their youngest brother’s attention and in doing so they help their father.

Everything was perfect, everyone was happy but all that changed one night which left a deep scar in everyone’s heart.

Two years after the birth of Christopher Lannister:

Thunders roared in spurts and a drizzle started.

Once again Joanna Lannister found herself in childbed giving birth to their fourth child with Tywin Lannister beside her. And their three children are in their respective rooms or so everybody is thinking.

Christopher Lannister is hiding behind the curtains of his parent’s room. He was told that he will be getting a little brother or sister if he stays in his room. But the two year old Christopher was never without his mother for such a long time and so he went towards his parent’s room and that’s when he heard his mother’s painful scream. Seeing the guards stationed outside the door, he knows he won’t be allowed inside and so he sneak his parent’s room through corridor windows soundlessly.

But what he saw shocked him to the core. And this scene he won’t forget in the future. There laid his mother grabbing his father’s hand and screaming out loud in pain with blood all over her leg and bed sheets. An inaudible gasp left his mouth.

His brain is shouting at him to run to her, to console her but his body is not coordinating with it. He is stuck in the same place with a horror filled eyes.

With time, his mother’s voice grew faint and the cry of a baby grew louder followed by his father’s shouting. In the midst of all this, he can hear his mother’s faint call for him “Chris””Chris”

“He is in his room, dear” replied Tywin ensuring his dying wife that their two year old son is safe, away from seeing his dying mother, when her next words left not only him but also everyone present in the room shocked.

“He is here. I can feel him his presence” said Joanna. It was known to everyone that Joanna always has a way to know if Christopher is around her or not. So Tywin wasn’t surprised that his wife knows the current location of their son but what surprised him is the presence of their son in such horrific situation.

But before he could say anything although he is speechless, he was cut off by a soft voice with a hint of whimpering coming from behind the curtain of corridor’s window “Momma?”

Without waiting for a moment, he swiftly dashed forward and hugged her with tears streaming down his eyes without inhibition. Joanna tightly clutched her son knowing it will be her last moment shared with her son. She can feel her end nearing.

“What are you doing here, Christopher Lannister?” asked Tywin with fury visible in his eyes not wanting his son to go through any such trauma.

“Shush Tywin, you are scaring him,” said Joanna to Tywin before a reminiscing look plastered in her face “Ah, it feels like yesterday when I said the same thing. Such a long time has passed my dear husband”

Clearly remembering the day, Tywin replied “Two years, my dear” trying his best not to cry out loud.

Tywin’s heart aches immensely. He would pay anything to have those blissful days back. He, the head of House Lannister and the richest man in the Seven Kingdoms and Lord Paramount of the Westerlands, was feeling useless.

What’s the use of such wealth if he couldn’t save his own wife?

What’s the use of such wealth if he couldn’t ensure his family’s happiness?

Joanna turned her attention to her son who was sniffling while looking down “Chris, look at me” getting his attention, she continued “You know how I tell you about so many adventures stories. Momma is also going to a new adventure”

“Where? Can I also come?” Christopher asked innocently.

“No, my baby. It’s not your time to go there. But while I go, you have to be a good boy. You are Christopher Lannister. A Lannister.  A Lion. Don’t bow down to others. Don’t try to change yourself for others. Always be who you are. Now go outside. I have to talk to your papa okay?” Joanna finished with difficulty feeling out of breath.

“O…Okay” sniffled Christopher before going outside.

After Christopher left the room, Joanna held Tywin’s hand who kept his back facing her “A…angry?”

“Hmm” replied Tywin in a low voice while discretely trying to wipe his tears.

“Tywin, scary Tywin, won’t you listen to me?” getting no reply, she continued “If you don’t turn around I will start calling you my Lord. Hmm?”

He shook his head in reply before turning around but still keeping his head down not wanting to see his beloved’s pale face.

“Tywin, I am sorry. Sorry for breaking our promise of living together, Sorry for leaving you alone like this, Sorry for putting four children responsibility on you alone which was supposed to be our responsibility. Sorry…”

Cutting her in between, Tywin said “Don’t go” before pulling her in hug which was soon returned.

While Tywin kept on repeating ‘don’t go’, Joanna kept on repeating ‘sorry’. Later on, only Tywin’s voice is heard in the room. Without looking he knows that she left, leaving him alone for forever.

‘Chris’ he suddenly remembered his two year old son who is standing outside now, who was always dependent on his mother, who unfortunately saw this scene of his mother dying. He quickly rushed out but what he saw broke his heart.

His son was sitting on the floor crying his heart out while trying his best to muffle his cry by clasping his mouth.

He knows his son knows. After all he was always intelligent for his age.

Tywin put an arm around Christopher and gently pulled him into his arms.
“Papa…”

Christopher deeply burrowed his head in his father’s arm seeking comfort. Tywin could feel his son’s tears soaking his clothes.

“Hmm” Tywin quietly replied.

“Papa… I… I miss momma… I miss her…”

“I… I miss her too…”

A second later, Christopher tightly hugged his father, trembling in his arms slightly.

As Tywin watched his son’s trembling form and his beloved wife’s cold body, his eyes coldly glinted and fell on the newborn baby who, according to him, is the reason of all this.

After that nothing was same. Tywin Lannister really became the cold hearted person who keeps himself engaged with how to acquire more power. Cersei Lannister engaged herself with prayer asking for her mother’s return. Jaime Lannister is the only one who can see the struggle of his younger brothers; one who is blamed for being dwarf, for killing his mother and another who is plagued by nightmares continuously.

Nobody knew about the turmoil through which Christopher Lannister was going through not even Jaime Lannister. Only he knew, the nightmares are related to his mother after all his siblings didn’t know about his presence during their mother’s last moment.

Later on Tywin Lannister knew about the problems his son was going through and he felt he failed again. To correct himself and to stop this his maester suggested Hypnosis which only the maester of The Wall can do and that’s how the memories related to his mother was locked in a deep part of his mind.

From people, he just knows he was a Momma’s boy and all other rumor’s was suppressed by Tywin Lannister.