The Stag and The Frog - (GendryxMeera, GOT Fanfic) Part 2: Together

9: Make the bad man fly

Author's Note: This chapter is also featured in The Lion and The Falcon but from a different POV.

Stairs, so many stairs. All the way up to the clouds. Tyrion sighed as he looked at them. Certainly not made to be traversed by a man with short legs.

The last time he was here he at least didn't have to walk up those stairs. That was the good thing about being held prisoner, you got carried up the stairs. His other memories of the Eyrie weren't as pleasant. But at least he had escaped being pushed out that damn hole in the floor by that spoiled brat of a boy who now called himself lord.

Hopefully, he would be as lucky this time.

Another sigh, then he started his journey up the stairs. One step at a time.

***

As he waited for his cousin to arrive Tyrion stood glancing down the moon door. Pondering how painful his death would have been if Robin Arryn had got his way, and he had been thrown out through it.

Tyrek sure was taking his sweet time arriving at the hall. But the boy was crippled so he probably should have patience with him.

He did feel sorry for what had happened to Tyrek. Of course, he did. He blamed himself.

He should have protected Tyrek. After all, he was all House Lannister had left. The only remaining male heir. Because Tyrion did not trust his own ability to produce heirs. He suspected that his physical condition prevented him from doing so. Since he, despite having had relations with many women, didn't have any known bastards. And even if he was able to produce children he worried they would look like him.

But Tyrek was everything a Lannister should be. Young, pretty, tall, charming, smart. And hopefully very fertile.

So Tyrion had given him everything. The castle, the title, a pretty wife. Everything needed for Tyrek to make their house rise again.

Then came Highgarden. Tyrek got trapped. He almost died. He lost most of his armies. He lost his leg.

And then he lost the castle.

Their house was now truly on its last leg. Pun intended.

Suddenly the door to the hall swung open and there he stood. Lord Tyrek Lannister, accompanied by Lord Robin Arryn.

It never ceased to amaze Tyrion how much his cousin looked like his own brother Jaime.

Maybe that's why he had saved him. Maybe that's why he had given him everything. He had done it for Jaime.

The crutches, and the absence of a left leg from the knee down, was hard not to notice. It was a bit jarring to see his cousin like this, even though Tyrion knew what had happened to him. To see such a young and handsome man irrevocably damaged.

Their eyes met. Tyrion saw hesitation and fear. Tyrek looked like he wanted to run away around. He averted his gaze and stopped in his tracks.

A deep breath. A pat on the hand by Robin. A whisper of encouragement. Then he looked up again. Eyes now filled with hatred and determination. And he continued forward on his crutches.

Hopefully, he wouldn't use those crutches to push Tyrion down the moon door. Tyrion moved to the side slightly so he wasn't perched right in front of the hole in the floor, just to be safe.

"Dear cousin," Tyrion said, trying to defuse the situation with a smile. "I figured I would find you here."

"Tyrion...." Tyrek replied, not smiling back. "How did you know I was here?"