A Lioness Still Has Claws | Female Tywin Lannister | ASOIAF/GOT

The Golden Twins

EDITED: 7th Jan 2022

Tya was true to her word. She did not make a single mention of her pregnancy to anyone but her family, Rhaella and Loreza, and even when it became too obvious to pass off as a little extra weight, no one else dared ask about her protruding midsection.

Except for Aerys, of course.

"Are you going to keep acting as though your belly hasn't swelled to twice the size?" He said to her one morning. "Will I need to find another Hand to do your job while you go and whelp a new Lannister?"

He meant it as a joke but she could sense the undercurrent of annoyance underneath. It was impossible to tell if that was from the inconvenience any absence of hers would cause him with regard to ruling, or from the fact there was now actual proof she lay with her husband. In all honesty, it was likely both, and either way irritated her.

No doubt if she took any time away from her duties, there would be people everywhere using the fact as proof that women could not have such huge responsibilities, and that Aerys should keep on any temporary male replacement he named.

"No, your Grace," Tya fixed him with an even stare. "Being with child does not affect my ability to do my duties as Hand," She was constantly tired, her feet hurt, she was often nauseous and needed to visit the privy at least every hour, but she let none of that show. Her mind was as sharp as ever, which was what mattered.

"Good," The king seemed satisfied, but then smirked. "I heard that pregnant women are overemotional and prone to hysteria - overemotional for you would just make you a normal woman,"

"I somewhat doubt I will start weeping during a council meeting," She said dryly. "Nor throw a fit of hysteria on the Iron Throne,"

"Best hope not," Aerys snorted. "You'd slice yourself to ribbons," He held up his own hand, which bore the usual scabs and scars from where he cut himself on his own throne at least twice a week.

It was moments like these when she remembered why she hadn't minded his company when they were younger, even enjoyed it at times. Then she thought back to every slight he had given her, as well as the fiasco that was her bedding ceremony, and was reminded why that was no longer the case. When Aerys was in a good mood he was often tolerable, even good company, but with his mercurial nature, that could change in the blink of an eye, making him truly unbearable.

"There is no need to worry, your Grace," She reiterated. "You will not notice any difference in my work until the day I give birth,"

Sure enough, there was no difference all the way through Tya's pregnancy. She had no hysterical fits on the Iron Throne, did not burst into tears at any point, and ignored the well-meant but patronisingly-given advice of Grand Maester Pycelle that she should go into confinement, or at least relinquish some of her more stressful duties to her husband, in order to rest so that she and the child remained healthy.

Rhaella put it best, she thought.

"I spend half my life in confinement," The queen had said rather sadly when Tya mentioned the maester's increasing concern over her. "And I still lose every single child I bear. The only one who lived past six months has been Rhaegar, who was born after I was carried out of Summerhall as the palace burned behind me. I truly think it will make no difference, Tya, and don't let the men tell you otherwise,"

"I won't be taking advice from anyone who can't list bearing a child among their achievements," She replied, and Rhaella had smiled, amused.

Tya had felt an uncharacteristic stab of sympathy for the queen then, who had to watch her grow big with child whilst she herself suffered a series of miscarriages, stillbirths and cot-deaths since the birth of her first child six years ago.