Tyget Crakehall - Several miles outside of Casterly Rock
Tyget sipped his wine in his tent, it had been an eventful morning to say the least. First, Tyget had summoned his vassals to the war tent, and had them witness the breaking of Gerald's crow vows. Simple enough, they all understood a King could do such things, and none questioned him. Then, he told them of his intention to split his army, at first they had objections, but he explained that he would destroy the Iron born in order to earn the support of the North, and they mostly died down, especially considering 35,000 men was still more than enough to take Kings Landing. He informs them Gerald will be taking command, that Tywin will split with 2,000 men to Harrenhal, and telling them to convince as many crownlands lords to join them as possible. After this, Ser Robert Lorch would enter the tent, and be raised to Kingsguard. All the lords, as well as Ser Falwell and Lorch would then leave, Lorch to get his armor and Falwell to take him to it, and the lords because Tyget had dismissed them. So now, he sat drinking his wine before he would set off for Crakehall castle, until he heard his son enter the tent angrily,
You made Robert one of your Kingsguard? He isn't even the best sword in your army when not including me, Falwell and Payne! Why in Seven Hells have you made him a Kingsguard!", Tyget smiled malicously at his son,
"Tywin, you are one of the few people who actually knows why Lorch is on the Kingsguard. Besides, HE is good example of a chivalrous knight, unlike Falwell or Payne here. So, the Tyrells can't say I only put loyal murderers on my Kingsguard.", he sips his wine, looking his son in the eyes,
"Now, as for you. You will march with your uncle, and when you reach Harrenhal take 2,000 troops to meet with Jullon Tully's son. You will endear yourslef to him, and convince him you are fit to wed one of his sisters. You will then convince Jullon of the same. And, after that, you will marry one. If you do not, I will dis-inherit you, and when I die after taking the throne, Gerald will inherit.", Tyget casually took another sip, as Tywin gaped at him.
"You... you'd... but... I'm your SON!", Tyget glared at him,
"Yes, and I expect the heir to the throne to produce heirs, so the Crakehalls may sit on the throne long after my death. If you are unwilling to make that sacrifice, then I will make my heir someone who WILL have children, Your a Crakehall damnit, a Crakehall man hasn't had less than 5 children in twenty generations, I do not think the first heir to the throne should be the one to have no children.", Tywin was stone faced, looking at the ground... before he looked up,
"Fine... I'll do it... all of it... I'll marry one of the Tully girls and... make heirs...", he then stalked out of the tent, and Tyget sighed,looking at Ser Payne,
"Tell me Terrance, think he can do it?", Ser Payne looked at his King, then to where the prince had walked out, then back to his King,
"A lion may wear a sheeps clothes, but he will never be at home in them.", Tyget nodded, knowing the strange proverbial phrasing was all he would get... Payne was touched indeed... he just hoped that was enough for him to be able to protect Tywin.
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Leonette Crakehall - Crakehall Castle - two days later
In the late afternoon glow, the Crakehall gardens were almost like the ones back home in the reach. Tyget really had made it beautiful for her, he had expanded what had once been a small and rather tucked away part of the castle into a sprawling beautiful garden... and in the late glow little in the world was more beautiful to Leonette. Other than perhaps Leona, who sat a short distance away, Maester Illyn was with her, his lesson on the great families of Westeros unable to be heard by the distant Leonette, but she smiled at her daughter nonetheless. As she watched, she heard armored footsteps on the approach, a guard making his patrol no doubt. She lazily looked over, and her eyes shot wide open. It wasn't a guard, but Tyget approaching her, at first she didn't believe it, he had only just left, until he spoke in his commanding voice,
Hello darling... I suppose I'm home a bit early aren't I?", she stood and hugged him, she had had no forward information, it was as if he had meant for her not to know he was coming, she looked him in the eyes, speechless for a moment,
"Tyget... why are you back? Surely you did not receive your crown by raven... what is it?", Tyget frowned, and took her hands in his, before looking at their daughter, then back at Leonette,
"You... may wish to sit down for this... it is hard news.", so Leonette sat, and Tyget explained all that had happened.
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"Tyget this is not a decision you alone can make!", Leonette spoke quietly, but firmly, she did not want Leona to hear what they spoke of. Tyget responded to his wifes concerns,
"She is my daughter Leonette, I cna and will make these dec-", Leonette interrupted Tyget, practically hissing her words,
Were you the one to bear her? Or Tywin? Or Shiera, Amarei or Melessa? I bore them, they are our children, Tyget, and you will not choose our youngest's husband alone, especially not before she is even old enough to bleed.", Leonette stared Tyget down, even a flower could defeat a boar over her children. Tyget returned her stare, before sighing, sitting down and placing his head in his hands. For few moments he sat like this, before looking back to his wife,
"I did not tell you this because I wished to argue it with you, I simply wished for you to be informed. By making her Lord Starks ward and marrying her to his son I further secure the alleigance of the north. Besides, she would be married in not to many more years, and this ensures that she is married to one of the greatest familieis in Westeros, I am certain sh wi-", Leonette stood, right before her husband,
"You wikll NOT send our daughter to the North so you can buy Lord Stark's alleigance... our daughter is not some whore you can sell t-", Tyget stood and grabbed his wife's arm, forcibly pulling her close, a glare in his eyes,
"Do not EVER suggest that I am selling our daughter... she is my youngest daughter, but she still has a duty to her family. We will speak no more of this... go.", he released her,
"I intend to tell her of her now... you may wish to leave.", Leonette's eyes teared up, where Tyget had seized her was red and bruised from his metal gauntlet, and she stormed away. Tyget sighed... he should not have done that... but it was done, and could not be undone. he turned to look at Maester Illyn and his daughter across the way, and began to walk towards them.
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"Very good Princess, now, on to the northern horses,", Maester Illyn pointed to a sigil in the North, and Princess Leona responded,
"House Bolton, Sigil a flayed man on a pink field, words Our Blades are Sharp.", Maester Illyn nodded, and moved his pointer to a picture of a wolf, and Leona smiled,
"Oh this is easy, thats House Stark, sigil a dire-wolf, words Winter is Coming, Maester Illyn, is it true that all the Starks get their own dire-wolves?", Maester Illyn smiled and nodded,
"Yes, they have a breeding pin, and have made certain that no Stark will ever go without a dire-wolf, and-", Maester Illyn stopped as he heard armored footsteps, and turned to see his grace Tyget Crakehall, he smiled and looked at Leona,
"I believe someone else wishes to talk to you now, litte princess,", Maester Illyn stood, and moved to leave the garden to allow the King and his daughter time alone. Leona wheelsed around in her chair, her face lighting up as she saw her father, rushing to hug him,
"Father! Your Home!", he had kneeled, and was smiling as he hugged his daughter, though he sighed as he prepared to tell her what he must,
"Yes little princess, I am home... and I have important news for you Leona.", he pulled his daughter before him and took her hands in his, and looked his daughter in the eyes,
"Leona... you understand that I love you, but all the members of a family have a... duty to their family, we all have a role to play. I will be King of the Seven Kingdoms, your brother will marry and be my heir... you also have a role Leona, do you know what it is?", Leona thought a moment, then looked at her father,
"To... marry a lord? W-when I come of age... right father?", Tyget smiled, and looked down, then back at his daughter,
"Yes, my little Princess, but... you have recently gained... another duty... in a months time, after due preparation, you will travel to Moat Cailin... where you will then be... escorted to Winterfell, and become Lord Rickard Starks ward, until you come of age... and then you will marry his youngest son...", Leona's eyes widened, it was alot to take in all at once. She let go of Tyget's hands and stared at him,
"I... your... sending me away?... F-father you just got home... I-I don't want to go to the North! I want to stay here with you and mother! I don't want-", Tyget stopped her,
"I know... this is all fast for yoou Leona... but you must do this, for your family and me. Lord Staark will treat you well and I have heard his son Evan is quite... strapping...", he saw his daughters tears and had to hold back his own, his face remaining stern,
"Maester Illyn will help to prepare you, and... soon you will be at Winterfell, and you will... see the North and... see the Stark dire-wolves...", he sighed and let go of her hands. She ran, crying from the garden, leaving Tyget alone. He stood, walking out of the garden in his own time, to remove his armor and sleep in his own bed tonight.
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He sat alone on his bed, the stress of the day and of all the days before piling on top of him. He doubted Leonette wished to even see him, let alone sleep in their bed, his daughter was no doubt still distraught, his son was on his way to Harrenhal to lie to lord tully and his son, and the whole Kingdom was on the brink of civil war... when you named yourself King all these problems seemed to carry faar more weight. As he sat on the edge of his bed he heard his door creak open slowly, he turned and was surprised to see his wife in her night gown, he watched aas she entered, closing the door behind her, and coming to sit on the bed beside Tyget,
"I... I should not have grabbed you... that was not how I should act if I am to become King...", Leonette simply rubbed his back, putting her hand on top of his,
"I am fine Tyget... I understand that... you have alot to consider, but please... do not so quickly give our last shild to the Starks. We talked once, of how you wished she would be wed to one of the Martell boys, we can still-", Tyget shook his head, and looked at his wifes face, placing his other hand on top of hers,
"Stark has already been sent a letter, and if I am to be King the Lords must be able to trust me. What sort of man promises such things on parchment only to betray his word? If a mans word cannot be trusted he has no power, no one will follow him, no one will respect, or fear, or love him. I may not be the most honourable of men, but I must keep my word. I am sorry Leonette... but Leona will go to the North, it is done.", Leonette looked into Tyget's eyes, unlike most she had known him long enough to see through his eyes, and she knew there was no joy there, no happiness in giving his daughter to the north. She placed a hand on his face, a soft smile gracing her features,
"Very well Tyget... Leona will go... and I will stay by your side. From this day, until my last day.", she kissed him, and as they embraced all went black.
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Tyget Crakehall - Crakehall castle council chamber
Tyget was turned, facing one of the stained glass windows in the council chamber. It depicted Crake the boarkiller, impaling a boar as large as four of him with a spear... Tyget thought it was ridiculous. Behind him were two letters, both unfurled, one Tyrell and one Targaryen. Maester Illyn entered the great room, his long chain clanking as he opened and then closed the door. The top of his head was boald, the rest cut like a monks with hair on the sides and front of his head. He had no beard, and his thin gray hair was held above and aging face, he was older than Tyget by eleven years. He approached his king,
"You wished to see me your grace?", Tyget sipped his wine and stood, turning to look at his Maester, and gesturing to the letters,
"One of these is from Garland Tyrell, a threat asking me to rescind my claim to the throne. the other, is from my great nieces Rhaenyra and Baela Targaryen, politely asking me to rescind my 'lesser' claim and step aside, and THEN they threaten me with their dragons.", he set his cup down, looking at his maester who had picked up the Targaryen letter, and set it down looking at his King,
"Well Maester Illyn? Council me! I asked you here to hear what you would suggest I do. The Tyrells will run to my Great niece and support her. If I lay siege to Kings Landing I will bring the fury of the reach down upon me... what do I do now?", Maester Illyn sat the letter down and fixed Tyget with a cold stare... of all the men under him, Tyget trusted no one more than Maester Illyn, because the man was cold, cold the way an advisor should. He would tell Tyget exactly what he should do,
"Though I am but your Maester your grace... I suggest you do the one thing you have not done since this crisis began... wait.", Tyget looked at him confused and Illyn continued,
"Let the world drop the pieces where it will, and move accordingly. Focus on crushing the iron born now, do not lay siege to Kings Landing. When four Kingdoms bend to you the remaining three will folow, or be destroyed. Your great nieces have only the Tyrells, the Martell's are more than willing to spport you, as this letter states,", he placed Princess Martell's letter on the table, Tyget took it and smiled at the fact she referred to him as the king,
"The Baratheons may be... unknown. But, that will not matter. Garland is a soft man, he will not condemn tens of thousands to death for a chair, your nieces may have dragons, but they are young, and without an army they will not be enough. For now, wait for your opponents to make an error, and then move on them, it is that simple your grace.", Tyget sat down, then turned to Maester Illyn,
"Very well, I shall wait... and crush the Iron born. Send ravens to the 20 ships sailing for kings landing, bring them back. Contact our allies in Essos, Mereen, braavos and all other places. Raise as many ships as we can, pirates, mercenary ships, the warships of the Slavers bay, raise as many as we can. Go Maester, and gather my fleet.", Maester Illyn bowed, and left Tyget alone. He smiled looking out the window... soon the Iron born would sleep with their god... and I shall sit on the Iron throne.
