The great lion's wife

Meeting lady Bolton

Lord Tywin Lannister finally arrived in Winterfell, after a month of exhausting traveling. The cold northern wind was mercilessly brushing in his face, but he didn't mind it at all, as his whole attention was captured on the widely opened gates and the group of people already flocked at the entrance, eager to welcome him in.

Unfortunately, the lord Hand wasn't at all sharing their enthusiasm, as this small trip to the North was not something he'd enjoyed. He was generally not so fond of traveling and, honestly, after all the time he'd spent in field conditions during the war, sleeping in a tent and riding through the snow was the last thing he wanted.

But there was no other way.

There is no other way, was Tywin's whole attitude towards his future marriage. And really after Tyrion's categorical refusal to bed Sansa Stark without her consent ( which according to Tywin equalled never) and Jamie's not less final decision not to leave the King's Guard, house Lannister was left without suitable heirs - another problem Tywin had to solve in the fastest way possible. An heirless house was a weak house, and lions couldn't be weak. The Lannister bloodline had to be continued at all costs, even if that meant Tywin had to provide the needed heirs himself.

When he got off his horse, the first thing he noticed was the fake smile on lord Bolton's unpleasant face.

Under different circumstances, the savage flaying practices his future father-in-law's ancestors were so famous with and the not less dreadful rumors about his son, the Bastard of the Dreadfort (who was now a legitimate heir) would have been enough to make the lord Hand reconsider his willingness to join the two houses but, unfortunately, that was not the case.

With her savage father being the Warden of the North, lady Annalise Bolton was one of the most eligible maidens in the Kingdoms and that had been enough to convince Tywin into making a  proposal. He had to marry someone and a Warden's daughter, no matter how unnoted, was as good a wife he could hope for.

"I am glad to welcome you in Winterfell, my lord Hand. I hope your travel was comfortable," lord Bolton greeted him respectfully, failing to hide his excitement.

"It was." Tywin came closer, causing the Warden of the North to step back gingerly.

"May I come in?"

"Of course, welcome in. I organized a little feast for your arrival, it will start a few hours later," lord Bolton explained while Tywin and his guards were passing through the gates. The lord Hand wasn't listening.

His bride-to-be was nowhere in sight and her inexplicable absence was making him anxious. Why wasn't she there? Was he hiding her? Was she sick? Or old? Or (Tywin didn't even want to think about it) ugly?

He knew nothing about her apart from her name and for a time her name had been enough. It was not any more. He wanted to see her and the procrastinaton was driving him crazy.

"Let me show you your chambers, my lord, you must be tired," lord Bolton suggested, but Tywin was too curious to appreciate his thoughtfulness.

"Not at all. I am eager to see my betrothed. Where is she?"

"She...she is probably in her chambers, my lord, I will sent for her at once."

"No need. I would like to go to her directly," Tywin said and Tywin Lannister's word was law.

After passing through a great number of long, dark corridors, which annoyed Tywin greatly, as he was already far beyond impatient to see his future wife, they finally arrived in front of lady Annalise's chambers. But just when everything seemed to go on its place, a sudden obstacle appeared - no matter of lord Bolton's great efforts to open the heavy wooden door, he still failed, being forced to admit the obvious fact that the door was simply locked. And just when he started to panic that although the insignificant amount of time they had to spend together, he had already managed to embarrass himself in front of the Warden of the West, one of the passing maids approached, ready to help.