The Shadow Queen of Tywin Lannister

LIII. Limited Offers & Tough Decisions

War Council Room, Harrenhal - Riverlands - 4 days before Stannis' army Reaches King's Landing

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After the latest raven reached them, Tywin wasted no time to have another war council. This time, the topic was not Robb Stark but Stannis Baratheon; who was ready to sail his army and head straight for King's Landing.

With most Lannister soldiers either at Casterly Rock or across the Riverlands, the capital city did not have the numbers and neither had the walls to defend itself against an army coming from the water.

And of course, the fact that Winterfell had fallen to Theon Greyjoy and had the two youngest Stark boys killed to secure his power and claim.

Tywin was as per usual sitting as head of the table with Visenya by his right and Kevan on his left, while other Lannister generals and bannermen were present. Of course, Arya was there to attend to them by refilling their goblets with water while listening to their conversations in silence.

"King's Landing will fall an hour after Stannis lands his force. It's not too late for King Joffrey and Cersei and the court to ride west to safety." Kevan suggested, from the few capable of speaking freely enough without worrying that their head would be put on a spike.

"Surrender the Iron Throne?" Tywin asked with a hint of mockery and annoyance.

"Better than seeing their heads mounted on the city gates. Stannis will execute them all."

Tywin placed his goblet on the table with enough force that it echoed across the now quiet room. "No, a king who runs will not be king for long. He's a Lannister" he reminded everyone by looking at them one at a time. "He'll stand and fight. Stannis is four days from the capital and the wolf is at my doorstep."

"The scouts assure us Robb Stark remains north of Ashemark."

Visenya scoffed. "Oh please, cousin" she started. "The last time the scouts assured us of Stark's movement, he lured us into a trap and where did that lead us?" there was silence amongst the group, no one having the guts to say it out loud.

"My son is his prisoner," Tywin said as he stood up, trying to control his temper.

This foolish war had dragged on too long; too many mistakes and traps had been set. Tywin had been put in a tough position, his side of the board with fewer available movement squares and fewer pieces while his opponent spread across the board.

He had to end this now but the stakes were too high, the attacks coming on multiple fronts and he had to narrow down which was more worthy of losing and which was not. The fact that he was surrounded by incompetent men and scouts did not help either, in fact, it made his job even harder in winning that war.

"Too close to Casterly Rock." He added, one hand placed on the upper rock part that made up the light fireplace and leaned on it as he tried to think.

"He sent a splinter force to recapture Winterfell. The Greyjoys have done us a great favour. Stark won't risk marching on Casterly Rock until he's at full force."

"He's a boy and he's never lost a battle" Visenya cut in. "He'll risk anything at any time because he doesn't know enough to be afraid." She pointed out.

She felt a migraine forming for this discussion was taking them nowhere. People forgot who Robb Stark truly was and that would cost them greatly unless someone did something. With having to face multiple fronts and key places under threat of an invasion...this real-life game of Cyvasse was becoming too much.