The Shadow Queen of Tywin Lannister

XXXI. Long Live King Robert Baratheon

Tywin told Visenya everything, sparing no details. She was no child but a grown-ass woman, one smart enough to understand the motives behind each action. She did not comment on anything but the night she spent mostly thinking and glaring at the ceiling.

She felt bad for Elia and her children, whom she had not truly met. Elia was a frail but kind-hearted woman and Visenya knew she was not a bad person. She had learnt of the two children through letters since she had already moved to Casterly Rock when Rhaegar came to show them to his parents.

The Crown Prince had written to her how his father refused to touch them, saying that 'they smelt Dornish' to him but she was not even surprised. The way they met the Stranger was the one she did not approve but it was clear Tywin had not planned it that way either.

She knew of the Mountain, having seen him from afar those two years she was at Casterly Rock. She did her best to avoid him and keep Trystan away from him as well. There was something...eerie that did not settle well with her.

She was not intimidated by him but her instincts were on alert whenever he was close. Perhaps it was his immense height and unnatural strength, perhaps it was his past of rapes and brutal murders or that bloodthirsty look he always had in his eyes...

Visenya never truly understood.

Tywin did not have an explanation truly as to why Jaime stabbed Aerys in the back but he did mention that they found Rossart dead as well. Visenya had a suspicion of what might have taken place but she wanted to discuss it with Jaime in private.

One would expect her to be angry at Tywin but she was not, because he only did what many would expect him to do. She understood that and while not approving of his order to harm the children, based on Robert's reaction; she knew the Stag would have done the job himself if he had been given the chance.

His anger was redirected elsewhere that night, to those truly responsible for all this chaos and the situation they ended up with. One of them was Rhaegar, whose childish naiveness had caused that rebellion but the boy had paid for it with the ultimate price; his own life.

On the other side of the coin was Robert, whose obsession with Lyanna and bloodthirst made him rile up troops and go as far not only to kill Rhaegar but to take the throne for him. Unlike her nephew, the Stag was still alive and she would have to bend the knee in front of him.

It angered her, more than anything else had so far but her cunning mind brought her different ideas. She would bend the knee and remain silent, for now. She would wave her web like a patient spider and she would take her time but in the end, she would take her revenge.

One day, she would give justice to her nephew and all those, who perished under this stupid war.

One day, she would remind the world that dragons never forget and rarely forgive.

But until then, she had to play her part. The only thing offering her comfort was Rhaella and Viserys and she slept that night, hopefully dreaming of their return to take down Robert and bring up the power of their family.

That night, she dreamt of an older Viserys surrounded by topless muscled men on horses; his sister by his side as they rode through open green fields.

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Alas, the day of the coronation arrived; 4 days after Robert sat on the throne for the first time. It was the day Visenya dreaded but knew she could not avoid it. Many Lords that were allies of Robert had presented themselves and many former Lords that had once pledged loyalty to Ares.

With the new King, they had to bend the knee or suffer the consequences and no one wanted the latter option; no one was stupid enough to do so. The only one missing was Eddard Stark, who after his argument with Robert had decided to continue alone.