Chapter 54
CREGAN STARK
The war was over, and after the demise of Renly, the men of the Reach and the Stormlands' were quick to lay down their arms, and so hostages were taken and divided between the various castles of Riverrun, until a final accord was reached.
But winning the war was the easier thing. It was winning that was troublesome. The legitimacy of their war came from Myrcella's heritage and the honor of House Stark, both of which were equally essential for binding the realm together.
Already the two houses had begun fighting for power, though it was mostly the Lannister lord who had begun his usual powerplays. Cregan had thought much about what to do with the Lannister lord, and in the end, he had decided to take him head on.
And so, he denied the man's command of making him and Myrcella come to him in his tent outside the castle and called for him to come in. He remained polite and respectful, but he wanted to make it clear that while he may hold much power over the Crown, it was not he who sat the Iron Throne.
In the end, they had met in the solar of Riverrun's steward.
"Marriage," Myrcella gasped, and even Cregan was equally surprised, as he saw Myrcella's face grow warm.
"Yes, marriage," Tywin Lannister though, remained wholly unbothered by his granddaughter's shame, as he continued.
"The rebellion has caused great rifts within the realm. A marriage will help in mending these rifts while allowing the people to heal," and she nodded.
"As you say, grandfather," and the man nodded as he turned towards him.
"Lord Stark agrees with my words, and preparations are underway at the capital as we speak," and that was a surprise to him, for he had not heard anything about it all.
"With the death of Cersei, you will need a guiding hand in these matters," he added, and the way he mentioned his daughter's death with such detachment showed him just the kind of man the Old Lion was.
He spoke of his own daughter as if she were nothing but a common soldier, and Myrcella seemed to still at the mention of her mother, her fists balling up but thankfully she did not cry.
"I have asked Genna to come and help you in that regard, she is my sister and your aunt. You would do well to learn from her," Myrcella said, and Myrcella simply nodded in embarrassment, casting a small glance towards him, though she turned away her head as soon as their eyes met.
"Is that all, grandfather?" and the Old Lion nodded, as they made to stand, he called out to him before he had gotten up fully.
"Stark, you stay," and Cregan had expected that, as Myrcella seemed to hesitate for a second, but as he gave her a nod, she stood up and left the room, leaving him alone with the Old Lion.
And Tywin Lannister was old, though it did not show. Unlike the rest of the lords of his age, he was thin and lean, with sharp, intelligent eyes—eyes that were locked onto him, as if trying to read his mind.
"Tyrion was right about you," he began, and Cregan raised a brow himself.
"You are a smart one, so I don't think I will need to explain to you how important your marriage is for the realm," and Cregan nodded.
"I know," and he nodded, settling as he indicated for the cup-bearer to pour them wine. The young boy poured out two cups, and afterwards was dismissed from the room by the Old Lion.
"What do you think caused this war?" he asked, and Cregan frowned, for he could think of a hundred reasons, though he had an idea about which answer he was expecting.
"King Robert's infidelity," and the man raised a brow.
"You are right. The marriage between my daughter and Robert Baratheon was supposed to bind together the realm. Yet, Robert put little focus on the realm and remained busy in eating, drinking, and bedding whores," and there was disapproval in his tone.
"I much like the rest of the lords ignored it, for he was the King, and one does not question a King. But rot festered, treason sprouted in his own halls, in his own kin, and Robert remained oblivious to it, and that caused this rebellion, killing thousands and ending his dynasty before it had even begun," and Cregan nodded.
"Well, you need not worry about that," Cregan answered, and the man nodded as he sipped his wine.
"I know, as I said, Tyrion was right about you. You are a smarter boy than Robert ever was," and that was quite a compliment.
"He has also told me how you hold quite a sway over your father's decisions," Cregan said, and he took a sip of his wine, finding the spicy Dornish not to his taste. The spiced wines of Dorne had never truly settled well with him,
So, he put it down and nodded.
"I do," and the man nodded.
"Then I need you to convince him of something," and Cregan was surprised that the man was being so direct, which made him wonder just what had Tyrion said to make the Old Lion think so highly of him.
'I probably owe Tyrion a casket or something,' he wondered as he cut in with a smile.
"I think I know what you desire, Lord Tywin," and unlike Myrcella, he had little endearment for the man.
"And what is it that I desire?" he asked.
"Your heir," he answered, looking him straight in the eye, and there was a glint of power in that eye, and the man had need of him because though he was the Queen's grandfather, Myrcella was too young and so for some time the Crown will have a regent.
The choice of the reagent was obvious, and though Lord Tywin may have much in the name of wealth and power, he lacked allies in other kingdoms, and their rule would be built on alliances.
And the lynchpin of all the major alliances in the realm was none other than his own father, Eddard Stark, who had been like a son to the late Lord of the wale, was a husband to a Lady of Riverrun, and had six unwed children to build alliances all over the realm.
He was also the Hand that had been appointed by Robert himself, and so if Lord Tywin wished to have his eldest back as his heir, he would need his father's aid or compliance. However, the relationship between Tywin Lannister and his father had always been somewhat rocky, and it was up to him to act as a bridge between these two men.
"And I am willing to help you in that regard, but I believe it is time that we reach an accord on what each of us can expect out of this alliance," the man said, raising a brow.
"One would say that kingship is reward enough," and Cregan scoffed.
"Well, you were not the one who betrothed me to Myrcella. The match was made on King Robert's command," and the man tried to push back.
"And yet Robert is dead and I could dissolve it just as quickly," and if he had not thought about this retort, he might have stumbled, but Cregan leaned back and raised a brow.
"And plunge the realm into war once more. A war which you will have to fight without three of the major Kingdoms, for Vale, Riverrun, and the North are all allied to the Starks, and it is well known that Dorne and the Stormlands hold little love for the Lannisters," and the man's lips thinned, his expression dulled as Cregan dissected his threat, for the hubris and boast that it was.
"If you break this marriage, the seven Kingdoms will be reduced to two, at most three kingdoms. It would plunge us back into the anarchy of times before Aegon's Conquest," and none here desired that.
"So, let us not make empty threats, my lord," Cregan said, offering him respect to avoid offending him, but he clarified that if they were to reach an accord, he must treat the Starks as equals.
"This is the start of a new era, one which will define your legacy. Would you like to be remembered as the man who broke the Seven Kingdoms, or would you like to be known as the man who brought them together?" that was what he was offering, and Tywin Lannister was quiet for quite some time, as he sat there looking at him.
"What do you want then..."
"Your heir...."
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And the subsequent discussion lasted for hours, but in the end, a sort of understanding was reached between him and Tywin Lannister. He doubted that either of them was truly happy with what they were forced to give up, but in the end, this was how alliances were made.
"I never thought that you would be the first one of us to get married," added Robb, and it had been years since the two of them had gotten an opportunity to sit down like this, but now they sat in the Godswood, as Robb teased him about his marriage.
"Neither did I," Cregan replied, as Robb took a gulp of the flagon and offered him some as well, but he refused, having had enough of wine for a day.
"Still, I never expected that my little brother would one day be the King of the Seven Kingdoms," Robb punched him in the arm, as Cregan chuckled, and neither had he.
"Well, technically, I am not the King, but I am a king consort," for the claim was actually Myrcella's. But this was a world ruled by men, and even though Myrcella had a good enough mind, it was the men who held the power.
"Consort?" Robb asked, having never heard of the term.
Well, it's a technicality only. So, it matters little," and he nodded.
"Sansa's pretty angry with you, you know," and he did know that, for she was angry at him for not attending their mother's funeral.
"She has good reason to be," but they were twins, and he knew that the ice in her heart would thaw in all but a few days.
"No, she does not. We all loved her, but she has to understand that you were fighting a war," Robb defended him, as he slapped him on the back.
"Any new word from the Vale?" he asked, as Robb's lips thinned.
"Yes, Lord Royce is now leading the Vale lords against Lysa's men," and the anger and hate were obvious from how his tongue spoke of their aunt's name. Cregan's own fists balled up as he remembered how that wretched woman had killed their mother and had even tried to kill him.
"He has written to us seeking aid, but father is hesitant to agree," for though the Starks shared a deep bond with the Arryns because of his father's fostering, the Vale had nearly come against them during the war and it was only because of Lord Royce that they had realised that their liege Lady had been lying to them and was nothing more than lying wretch.
"But they have a crisis as well, for with Robin's heritage called into question, the Vale lacks a proper heir," and there were a few bastards that Jon Arryn had sired over the years. Then there were a few distant cousins, but this was a matter of the Vale, and Cregan had enough troubles of his own at the moment.
"Well, speaking of marriage, I am not the only one with a rather promising prospect vying for them," Cregan teased, as Robb tried to play innocent for a while. However, as Cregan continued to smile, Robb finally gave in.
"How the hell did you hear about that?" and by that he meant, none other than Lady Margary Tyrell. The daughter of Mace Tyrell was being held as a hostage in Riverrun until the fate of her family was decided, and in the few weeks that she had been here, the Rose of Highgarden had already set her eyes on a new prize.
"You are not as subtle as you think you are, brother," and he had a sinking feeling that the instructions had come from her grandmother, who knew that the foolishness of her son had put their house in a rather precarious situation.
Twice now, Highgarden had been on the losing side of a war, and though the last time they may have been spared much humiliation, their fate this time still hung in the air. And as honorable as his father was, he was not so forgiving as his old friend the King, and so they were trying to endear themselves to the Starks, and the best way for their House to secure favorable conditions in this war was through a pact of marriage.
The only other option was the Lannisters, but they had no groom to offer as of yet except Tyrion and Olenna Tyrell would die before wedding her precious rose to an Imp, as smart as he may be.
"You do know that she was married once," Cregan warned his brother, and it was entirely unfavorable for them either. For a match with Highgarden would give the North access to their plentiful harvests and help alleviate the burden of the Great War, while tying the kingdom of the Reach to the Stark-Lannister alliance against the possible invasion of Daenerys Targaryen.
"I know, but she says that the marriage was never consummated, that Renly was far more interested in..." and Robb seemed to hesitate, so he finished the sentence for him.
"Her brother," and his head snapped towards him as he nodded.
"Yes," and the Rose of Highgarden seemed to have worked her magic, as Robb continued.
"She never wanted the match," he defended her, and added.
"She was only following her father's command," and Cregan sighed.
"Well, the match is not entirely without its merits, but let me caution you, brother," Cregan began.
"Pretend as she may, the Rose of Highgarden is not as innocent as she may appear," and he frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"Do you know who rules Highgarden?" he asked, and unlike him, Robb knew little of politics —a weakness that Margery and her family were trying to exploit.
"Her father, Lord Mace Tyrell," he answered confidently, but he shook his head.
"Well, that is not the actual reality, you see. He may be the Lord of Highgarden and the Lord Paramount of the Reach, but it is well known that the real power lies in the hands of his mother, Margery's grandmother, the Lady Olenna Tyrell," and Robb had never heard of her.
"And I can assure you that these leanings from Lady Margary are all happening at her direction?" and Robb frowned, for though he may have little experience with politics, he was not an idiot.
Once prompted, Cregan saw his mind racing, making connections until he finally realised.
"She is trying to sway me to protect her family from the retribution of their treason," he realised, and Cregan nodded.
"Exactly," he snarled, and he seemed a bit angry.
"She was playing me for a fool," and Cregan shrugged.
"Well, not exactly. Believe you are the future Lord Paramount of the North, and are now kin to the Iron Throne, that makes you quite a desirable match in the eyes of Lords and Ladies all over the realm," and he sighed as the realization of his new position settled in.
"Now I can see why Father hates the South," and Cregan chuckled.
"Well, you have to get married one day. And Margary Tyrell is as beautiful a maiden as any in the realm," and she truly was beautiful, with her thick, brown hair and large brown eyes. She was one of the most prized maidens in the entire realm.
"But you just said that she was lying," Robb complained, and Cregan sighed.
"Well, given her House political situation, she has no other choice. Moreover, you are still forgetting a rather important point...."
"What?"
"Say what you will, but you will hardly find a maiden more beautiful than her..." and Robb's face flushed, and Cregan looked up and saw the very woman standing there on the balcony with Sansa.
Robb followed his gaze, and as soon as their eyes met, he saw the Rose of Highgarden smile shyly, before she turned her head to the side, as Robb shook his head.
"Damn you, brother. Damn you and all this Southern Politics," and Cregan slapped his shoulder.
"Don't worry. Give me a month, and I will make you an expert," he said, but only if he knew that their time together would be cut short, for just then a servant would rush into the Godswood, carrying missives from the North and the Capital.
"My Lord, the Ironborn have attacked...."
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Miles away across the Narrow Sea, a mighty khalasaar lay siege to the city of Qarth.
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