Bastard // Ned Stark

44. Lowest of Lows

Lannister red tents filled the camp, lion banners blowing in the wind.

'Gregor Clegane, the mountain will ride within a fortnight or be branded an enemy of the crown,' Jaime said 'Ned stark... brave man terrible judgment.'

'Attacking him was stupid,' Tywin said 'Lannister's don't act like fools' he went on as he gutted the beast in front of him. 'You're going to say something clever?' Tywin questioned his son, 'go on say something clever.'

'Catelyn Stark took my brother.'

'Why is he still alive?' Tywin asked

'Tyrion?'

'Ned stark.' Tywin corrected

'One of our men interfered speared him through the leg before I could finish him,' Jaime informed him.

'Why is he still alive?' he questioned again

'It wouldn't have been clean.' Jaime told him

'You spend too much time worrying about what other people think of you.' Tywin muttered.

'I could care less what anyone else thinks of me.' Jaime assured him

'No that's what you want people to think,' Tywin told him.

'That's the truth' Jaime protested.

'When you hear them whispering king slayer behind your back, that doesn't bother you?' Tywin questioned

'Of course it bothers me,' Jaime told him

'But a Lion doesn't concern yourself with the opinions of sheep,' Tywin told him 'I suppose I should be grateful that your vanity got in the way of your recklessness. I'm giving you half of our forces you will bring Catelyn Starks girls home and you will remind her That Lannister's pay their debts.' Tywin said through clenched teeth.

'I didn't realize you based such high value on my brothers life.' Jaimie said

'He's a Lannister, might be the lowest of the lowest but he is one of us and every day that he remains a prisoner the less our name demands respect.' Tywin told him.

'So the lion does concern himself with the opinions of-' Jaime began.

'It's not an opinion, it's a fact.' Tywin corrected. 'If another house can seize one of our own and hold him captive we are no longer a house to be feared.' Tywin informed him. 'Your mother is dead before long I will be dead and then you and your brother and your sister and all of her children all of us dead all of us rotting in the ground, it's the family name that lives on, it's the war that lives on not your personal glory, not your family, but your name. Do you understand?' Tywin questioned Jaime.

'You are blessed with skills that few men possess you are blessed to belong to one of the most powerful families in the kingdoms and you're still blessed with youth and what have you done with these blessings? Do you have served as a glorified bodyguard for two kings one a madman and one a drunk,' Tywin reminded him, 'The future of our family will be determined within the next few months what we do now will either last us 4000 years or will crumble us to nothing. I need you to become the man you were always meant to be.' He said turning his attention back to his son. 'Not next year, not tomorrow, now.' Tywin told Jaime.

++

'Tyrion...' Bronn hissed 'Tyrion... Tyrion!' he said again standing up Tyrion looked around finally seeing what Bronn saw nervously he stood behind Bronn men getting closer

'Come share our fire, help yourselves to our meat.' Tyrion suggested

'When you meet your gods tell them that Shagga son of the dolf of the storm crow sent you.' The man said.

'I am Tyrion son of Tywin of clan Lannister.' Tyrion informed them.

'How would you like to die Tyrion son of Tywin?' The man asked

'In my own bed at the age of 80 with a belly full of wine and a girl's mouth around my cock.' Tyrion informed him and the man started laughing.

'take the half man.' he said 'he can dance for the children, kill the other one.' they charged forward Bronn held out his second dagger

'No no no.' Tyrion pleaded 'my house is rich and powerful if you see us through these mountains my father will shower you with gold.'

'We have no use for A half man's promises.' shagga said

'Half men maybe but at least I have the courage to face my enemies or what do the stone crows do? hide behind rocks? shiver when the knights of the veil ride by? those the best weapons you could steal? Good enough for killing sheep but sheep don't fight back.' Tyrion told him Shagga swiped his blade at Tyrion nicking his cheek

'Do you think you can win us over with your trinkets?' shagga questioned and Tyrion pulled the ring off his finger handing it over to him.

'That trinket is worth more than everything your tribe has ever earned.' Shagga put on the lion ring silver and beautiful. 'I will not give you trinkets I will give you this.' He gestured around them.

'What is this?' Shagga questioned

'The veil of Arryn.' Tyrion told him 'the lords of the veil have always spat upon the village tribes the lords of the veil want me dead I believe it is time for new lords of the veil.' so together they walked a force to be reckoned with when they saw the Lannister red tents below. He had made it.

'From here it might be best if Bronn and I go alone to meet my father.' tyrion told him

'Best for Tyrion son of Tywin but not best for me.' shagga said 'if the half men betrays us shagga son of Dolph will cut off his manhood and-'

'Feed it to the goats yes.' Tyrion finished 'all right then time to meet my father.'

+

Ned was pouring over the book that Lord Ayryn had been looking at of the houses in the succession of the families when he came across the Baratheon chart

Black of hair

Black of hair

Black of hair

Steffon Baratheon Black of hair.

Robert Baratheon Black of hair.

Stannis Baratheon Black of hair.

Renly Baratheon Black of hair.

Joffrey Baratheon golden hair.

He flipped the book closed. Bastard.