Game of Thrones: Frozen Fire

Interlude II

Pacing the room as he drank a cup of wine seemed like the right thing to do considering the circumstances in which he had found himself. It wasn't supposed for things to go like this. Yes, he had never underestimated Ned Stark's pup but, in reality, he had hoped the boy at least showed weakness and not the heartless facet he had until then. He hadn't made one mistake so far, except maybe taking Jaime as his prisoner.

Glaring once more at the message his father had sent, he sighed. How was he supposed to react to it now that things were upside down?

Renly Baretheon had just died and now the forces from the Reach would probably join the northerners since already half of them were fighting with them. The only option his father saw was to promise Joffrey to marry Margaery, since at least the Young Wolf couldn't really offer her more – he was already married to the Targaryen girl and she was popping out pups for them, little hybrids, half wolf and half dragon.

Unfortunately for Tyrion, it wasn't just that his father wanted when he wrote the message. He wanted to remind the boy king who had the upperhand, and that it didn't matter how many battles he was winning, this was a war he wasn't going to come up as victor.

It was supposed to be a message, to show him that it didn't matter if Jaime was fighting for him, if he had been taking prisoner – no one really blamed the Young Lion for making whatever he had to in order to keep his head over his shoulders.

Still, the measures Tywin wanted to take seemed too much. Or maybe it was just that Tyrion's heart was soft when it came to things broken and abused such as Sansa Stark.

"A finger!" Tyrion shouted at no one but Bronn shrugged a shoulder as he toyed with a dagger. "He wants me to cut her finger to send it to the boy."

"It might do some good," Bronn provided with that air of carelessness he always had, as if a life was just a commodity – which probably was for him, since he got paid to end them.

"Good?!" Tyrion exclaimed, slamming his cup against the table. "Do you believe Robb Stark will be more merciful if he finds out that we have not only killed his father but also are mutilating his sister? What if he already knows we have lost Arya?"

"If he's as good as people say, he is not keeping your pretty brother without a plan."

"Destroy my father, of course. It's no secret Jaime is my father's favorite," he scoffed. "More now that my dear sister has taken all the wrong decisions regarding this situation."

"Then I say follow your Lord father's instructions," Bronn said, not without a good portion of sarcasm.

"I won't cut that girl's finger!"

"He would do it."

It was hard to know in certainty if Bronn was referring to Tywin or Robb, but Tyrion knew quite well the two of them wouldn't doubt on maiming an enemy in order to save their family. The thing was Tyrion didn't see a threat in Jaime's captivity. If his brother had fought along the northerners, he must've had more reasons than just the possibility of losing his life.

"And my nephew would be eternally pleased to satisfy my Lord Father's orders, which serves as proof of how wrong this is."

"So what are you going to do?"

Tyrion pursed his lips, quickly planning on how to fulfill his father's wishes but also doing things his way. He knew the Young Wolf better than his father did and knew for fact that he wouldn't be stopped by sentimentalisms now, his skin had gotten thicker and he was no longer fighting for just his family. Besides now he had the advices of the Mother of Dragons in his ear, and she probably wanted more blood spilled.