Dark Sister

-Dragons Happened-

-Dragons Happened-

299 AC
Harrenhal

Valyria was off somewhere, Lord Tywin walked into the war room to find his cupbearer setting down his meal. "Is that mutton?" He spoke, causing the girl to look up in surprise. "Yes, my lord." Arya said quickly, "I don't like mutton." "I'll bring something else." "Leave it." Lord Tywin walked over to his servant.

"You hungry?" He questioned placing his hands on the back of the nearest chair. "No," Arya said, trying to flee from the room. "Of course you are. . .Eat." "I'll . . . Eat in the kitchen, later." "It's bad manners to refuse a lord's offer." He grabbed a fork and handed it to Arya. "Sit. . . Eat."

"You're small for your age. I suppose you've been underfed your whole life." He made sure Arya ate. "I eat a lot. I just don't grow." Arya said through mouthfuls. Tywin walked over to a window looking down at the yard below. "This will be my last war, win, or lose." He saw Valyria beating some squires in the sparring ring.

"Have you ever lost before?" The girl questioned, forcing the old Lion to turn and look at her. "Do you think I'd be in my position if I'd lost a war?" Arya shook her head. Tywin looked back out the window, "This is the one I'll be remembered for, the war of five kings there calling it. My legacy will be determined in the coming months, do you know what legacy means?"

Arya held the knife tightly in her hand waiting to strike but Tywin turned around again, she shook her head again in response, as she acted normal. "It's what you pass down to your children and your children's children. It's what remains of you when you're gone." He turned back to see Valyria now yelling at a soldier. "Harren the Black thought this castle would be his legacy, the greatest fortress ever built. Tallest towers, the strongest walls." He walked to the fire before continuing "The great hall had thirty-five hearths. Thirty-five can you imagine? Look at it now, a blasted ruin. Do you know what happened?"

Arya lit up "Dragons?" "Yes, dragons happened." Lord Tywin walked to his chair sitting down, facing Arya "Harrenhal was built to withstand and attack from the land." He tilted a flagon, rich red liquid filled his cup. "A million men could have marched on these walls, and a million men would have been repelled. But an attack from the air, with dragon fire, mmmm." The Lord of Lannister shook his head at the thought.

"Harren and all his sons roasted alive within these walls. Aegon Targaryen changed the rules, it's why every child alive still knows his name, three hundred years after his death." Arya furrowed her brows, "Aegon and his sisters."

The old lion raised an eyebrow in confusion. "It wasn't just Aegon riding his dragon, it was Rhaenys and Visenya too." "Correct," Tywin said, his mind drifting to the girl who he considered kin, titled Visenya reborn.

"Student of history are you?" He immediately honed back in on the present conversation. "Rhaenys rode Meraxes, Visenya rode Vhagar," Arya said giddily at the prospect of her heroines. "I'm sure I knew that when I was a boy."

"Visenya Targaryen was a great warrior, she had a Valyrian steel sword called Dark Sister." "She's a heroine of yours I take it. Ser Valyria wields that same sword, the woman with the silver hair? Visenya is her ancestor, she's a great warrior too, better than most of the men in my army." Tywin was irritated at the mention of the idiots in the Lannister army, Arya smiled

"Aren't most girls interested in the pretty maidens from the songs? Jonquil, flowers in their hair?" Tywin looked at the girl, Arya had heard this before, only it was her father who told her to be a lady. Sansa was like that, she thought everything was like a song, no, that's not me.

"Most girls are idiots," Arya stated. "Hah. You remind me of my daughter. . . Where did you learn all this stuff about Visenya and her Valyrian steel sword?" Arya reminisced about her father, how he would read her stories before bed. She smiled. "From my father."

"He was a well-read stonemason? Can't say I ever met a literate stonemason." Lord Tywin took a sip of his wine. Arya smirked, "Have you met many stonemasons, my lord?" He placed his goblet down and stared at the girl. "Careful now girl, I enjoy you, but be careful. . . Take that back to the kitchen, eat what you want."

Arya was relieved she stood taking the tray in hand as she turned away from the lord. "Girl. Milord." Arya turned back, confusion riddled her features. "Low born girls say milord, not my lord. If you're going to pose as a commoner, you should do it properly." He looked at her pointedly.

"My mother served Lady Dustin for many years, my lord. She taught me how to speak proper. Properly." She corrected herself. Tywin smirked at her "You're too smart for your own good. Has anyone told you that?" Arya smiled "Yes." "Go on." Lord Tywin watched as Arya left.