20. Hightower

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"Its ugly." Joffrey sneered when they got back. Tyon heard joffreys whines before he saw them. 

"A King should have scars, you fought off a direwolf. You're a warrior like your father." Cersei declared.

"I'm not like him. I didn't fight off anything. It bit me and all I did was scream. And the two Stark girls saw it, both of them." Joffrey sneered. Tyon of course had heard through Celina what happened and she exaggerated the story because saying joffrey was attacked by wolves but was fine wasnt good enough for Celina, she was drama. It made for an entertaining story though. 

"That's not true. You killed the beast. You only spared the girl because of the love your father bears her father. When Aerys Targaryen sat on the Iron Throne, your father was a rebel and a traitor. Someday you'll sit on the throne and the truth will be what you make it." Cersei explained.

" Do I have to marry her?" Joffrey whined.

"Oh you went north for marriage?" Tyon questioned. 

"Uncle Tyon!" Cersei declared hugging him. "Oh what are you doing here?" 

"I missed my favorite niece." Tyon assured. 

"Aelsa isnt here." Joffrey cut in. Cersei gaped back at him.  Tyon chuckled. 

"he meant me." Cersei sassed. 

"I heard there was trouble on the road, Cel told me."

"Aunt Celina is here too? It must be name day! This is wonderful!" Cersei declared. 

"MOTHER!" Joffrey demanded. They turned to him. "Do I have to marry the northerner?" 

"Yes. She's very beautiful and young. If you don't like her, you only need to see her on formal occasions and when the time comes, to make little princes and princesses. And if you'd rather fuck painted whores, you'll fuck painted whores." Cersei remarked.

"Wow, how old are you again kid?" Tyon countered. 

 "And if you'd rather lie with noble virgins, so be it. You are my darling boy and the world will be exactly as you want it to be." Cersei went on. Tyon chuckled.  "Do something nice for the Stark girl." Cersei knew what it was like to be shipped off and sent away to a new land, she could try and help Sansa where she could.

"I don't want to." Joffrey declared.

"No, but you will." Cersei assured. 

"You can't baby him." Tyon whispered. "Telling him he is going to get everything he wants and then making him to the opposite of what he wants, its misleading."

"He is right." Joffrey agreed.  

"The occasional kindness will spare you all sorts of trouble down the road." Cersei remarked hoping to guide her son into a better relationship than she had with Robert. "You are not helping Uncle Tyon." 

"Sorry." Tyon offered with a shrug. "Not my forte." 

"We allow the northerners too much power. They consider themselves our equals." Joffrey spat.

"How would you handle them?"

"Handle? I thought you went up there to collect Ned Stark? Not handle him." Tyon countered. 

"I'd double their taxes and command them to supply 10,000 men to the royal army." Joffrey decree with a smirk.

"A royal army?" Tyon countered. "He doesnt have the Lannister smarts thats for sure, your father would not approve. He is also here." Tyon added. Cersei's smile faltered, she loved her father but she could never be what he wanted her to be. 

"Why should every lord command his own men? It's primitive, no better than the hill tribes. We should have a standing army of men loyal to the Crown, trained by experienced soldiers... Instead of a mob of peasants who've never held pikes in their lives." Joffrey agreed.

"And if the northerners rebel?" Cersei countered.

"When," Tyon coughed out. "Sorry.." He cleared his throat. "WHen!" He said clearly. 

"I'd crush them. Seize Winterfell and install someone loyal to the realm as Warden of the North. Uncle Kevan, maybe." Joffrey offered.

" And these 10,000 northern troops, would they fight for you or their lord?"

"For me. I'm their King." Joffrey reminded her in this hypothetical.

"Why would they listen to you?" Tyon countered. "you've just invaded their homeland, asked them to kill their brothers." 

"I'm not asking." Joffrey declared.

"Oh we are fucked one day." Tyon realized. 

"The North cannot be held... not by an outsider. It's too big and too wild. When the winter comes, the Seven gods together couldn't save you and your royal army. A good King knows when to save his strength... And when to destroy his enemies." Cersei knew the game, she played it well and she didn't want Joffrey losing his head.

"So you agree... The Starks are enemies?" Joffrey questioned confused.

"Everyone who isn't us is an enemy."

"Thats the way to live, its no way to make allies." Tyon countered. 

"Marriage forms alliances." Cersei corrected. "You know that well enough. Tyrell, Bolton, Hightower, fucking Tully. All the great houses are loyal to Lannister through our blood." 

"Are you sure about that?"

+

"You know what we need?" Celina questioned.

"Wine". Cersei agreed.

"Oh I will the thingy!" Adelaide declared running to the wine rack.

"Adelaide". Tyon loved her to pieces but she wasnt that handy with tools.

"Umm how do I

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"Umm how do I..." adelaide questioned. "Which do I... oh Gods."

"I got it." Tyon assured.

"Thank you honey." Adelaide agreed. "Okay now, catch us up." 

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