The One True Heir

Chapter 19

"What do you think? A boy or a girl?"

"The realm wants me to push a boy out of me and put a prince in your arms, husband."

"And what do you want? Or what do you feel you'll be putting into my arms, wife?"

"A girl. I have a strong feeling that it'll be a girl."

"A little princess? Oh my, I would need to carry a stick around to beat back any man or boy that lays their eyes on her."

"You're the King, the realm would trip over itself to protect the princess. Just to earn your favour."

"You think I would let the safety of my daughter in the hands of another? I am King, but I will be a father as well. I will protect her with my all."

"Your Grace" the raspy voice of Grandmaester Pycelle snapped the King out of his thoughts. "The Hand requests your attendance for important matters."

"Tell me Grandmaester, what are these important matters the Hand wishes me to attend?" the King's snappish tone made the old man flinch.

"Your Grace, he has not told me"

"Then make yourself useful and find out, before you come to me and relay these messages" he paused a bit, hearing the Maester shuffle behind him. "Wait! Tell him to wait in my chambers. I will meet him there."

"Your Grace" the master spoke softly and Edric heard the sound of feet shuffling and then the movement of the gates. He remained there for a moment longer, reaching out to caress her face one last time before leaving the halls of the Sept.

The Hand of the King waited for the King in the King's Chambers, looking out the window with a chalice of wine in his hand. But he was not alone in the chambers. Winifred was there looking after the child born to the King, the royal Princess and heir to The Iron Throne. She was the only one that Edric allowed to remain near the babe. Others come and go, but she remains.

"Lord Hand, Pycelle tells me that you had matters you wanted my insights on" the King stated.

The old lion turned away from the window, placing his chalice down on the table. He gave Winifred a look and the woman walked out, bowing to both men. But the princess was left behind.

"Small matters, your Grace" the Hand spoke, taking a seat when the King gave his permission. "I wanted to check in on you. To see how you're doing."

There was confusion in Edric at the statement. Tywin Lannister was not known for his care towards anyone, not even his family. He was cold, calculative and worked more from the mind than the heart.

"It's rare to see you care, Lord Grandfather. You have a reputation of being quite cold" Edric commented, leaning back against the chair he had sat on.

"Yes, I believe I earned myself that sort of reputation with my actions" there was a ghost of a smirk on the man's face that made Edric smile as well. "Once upon a time, I too had lost a wife. That too to childbirth as well. I suppose I understand how you feel, and wanted to know how you were dealing with it."

Edric had forgotten about that fact. His maternal grandmother had lost her life birthing his uncle Tyrion. The little monster had clawed himself out of our mother and killed her, his mother had told him once. He was young then and the story was probably so Edric would be too scared to approach his uncle Tyrion and they would have no relation. Once he was old enough, he figured out that his uncle was probably coming out the wrong way and cutting the mother was probably the only way to bring him out.

"It's a tragedy, above anything else" Edric spoke, finding a lack of words to express how exactly he was feeling. "But I suppose death is a part of life. I'm just heartbroken that Joanna won't know her mother."