Chapter 57 — Brothers, the Dwarf
"Cut the crap, Tyrion Lannister!"
Another voice followed right on its heels.
"Don't forget, you're my brother! I just crawled back from that hellhole in the Riverlands. You didn't even come see me first, and now when I ask for a tiny favor, you stall and complain?"
"Tiny favor?" Tyrion shot back.
"You call a bathtub full of gold dragons a tiny favor?"
"Do you have any idea how much gold it takes to fill a whole bath? At least ten thousand!"
"Seven bloody hells… do you think I, like our father, shit gold bricks, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard?!"
The other voice answered in a lazy, almost teasing threat:
"I already spoke to Father. He agreed — unless you're planning to defy him, Tyrion."
"And since when are the Lannisters too poor to scrape together ten thousand gold dragons?"
"When you were throwing money around in brothels, I never tried to stop you."
"Bullshit! Shut your mouth, Jaime!"
"Ten thousand gold dragons?! Even if I lived in a brothel until the day I died, I couldn't spend that much!"
Still arguing, the two men entered the room.
Ser Addam Marbrand looked up — and froze.
Seeing Jaime Lannister standing there in the pure white cloak and armor of the Kingsguard, he went completely still, mouth slightly open, brain lagging behind his eyes.
"What, don't recognize me?" Jaime raised an eyebrow and flashed a grin.
"Commander Marbrand."
"Seven save us — Jaime!"
Addam nearly leapt over the desk. He strode forward and wrapped Jaime in a crushing hug.
Their armor clanged sharply together.
"You lucky bastard! I knew you wouldn't die that easily. If Lord Tywin Lannister hadn't kept opposing it, I would've led a picked force myself and dragged you out of that hell!"
As the heir of House Marbrand, Addam had been sent to Casterly Rock as a boy to serve Tywin. He and Jaime had grown up together — alike in temperament, both blunt, both warriors at heart. Their friendship ran deep.
At the Whispering Wood, Addam had been sent with Lannister cavalry toward the Red Fork to face Edmure Tully's main host, missing Jaime's capture. He'd only learned later that Jaime had been taken.
Now, seeing him alive, his joy was completely genuine.
"Hey! Hey! Ladies!"
The figure who'd been left off to the side — barely half a man tall — spread his arms dramatically. Standing beside two tall armored knights, his small stature was even more conspicuous.
"Have you both forgotten there's another person here? Even if he only counts as half."
"Oh, look at that…" Addam and Jaime finally separated, and Addam's mouth curled into a sly grin.
Suddenly, Addam bent down and, without warning, scooped Tyrion Lannister straight off the floor, tucking him under his arm like a sack of grain.
"Honorable Master of Coin," Addam boomed, "did you bring my money? My men haven't been paid in three months — when are their wages coming?"
"I have money! I will have money soon!" Tyrion's short legs kicked wildly in midair.
"Put me down, Addam!"
"I'm going to vomit! I'm warning you — I will throw up, all over you. Then we'll see how you clean that pretty armor!"
He gagged theatrically, but Addam didn't fall for it. Instead, he bounced Tyrion slightly and threatened, "You say that every time. Pay up today, or I'll sell you to the Silk Street as a dwarf whore!"
He said it roughly, but anyone could see he was careful with his strength.
Both he and Jaime were seven years older than Tyrion — they had practically watched the boy grow up. At Casterly Rock, everyone knew Lord Tywin Lannister loathed his dwarf son, but men like Addam, broad-hearted and straightforward, never cared.
He admired Tyrion's wit — and the flashes of decency that didn't seem to belong to that twisted little body. They'd always gotten along.
"Alright, Addam, have mercy," Jaime Lannister said with a laugh, finally stepping in as Tyrion actually started sticking fingers down his throat.
"Our Master of Coin has been driven half-mad by an empty treasury and a mountain of debts. He's been whining about it to me the whole way."
Addam glanced down at Tyrion's flushed face, barked a laugh, and set him back on his feet.
But as Tyrion fussed over the wrinkles in his expensive doublet, Addam's gaze drifted — and landed on Jaime's right arm.
"Your hand… Jaime."
The smile vanished from his face. His voice dropped.
"Who did that?"
"The man who cut it off is dead," Jaime said with a shrug. "It's a long story…"
"I have time to hear it."
Addam didn't smile. His expression was deeply serious, eyes full of concern.
Back in King's Landing, Jaime had been stonewalled by both Cersei Lannister and his father, leaving him stewing in quiet resentment. That blunt, unfiltered care hit him harder than he expected.
"Thanks, Addam. Truly."
Jaime grinned, sincere. "But not now. I need a favor."
"Name it."
"I'm looking for a friend," Jaime said. "He saved my life. But after we reached King's Landing, we split up for a while."
"He said he'd visit my father at the Red Keep tonight. Father specifically wants to see him."
"But it's nearly dark, and I haven't heard a single word about him. That worries me — he never breaks his word."
"Give me a name."
Addam slapped a hand to his chest. "I swear to you, tonight Lord Tywin will see him."
Jaime smiled in relief.
"His name is Odin. He's a healer."
"Odin, hm?"
Addam nodded and immediately turned to the man standing respectfully nearby — Humfrey Waters.
"Send word to every Gold Cloak. Drop anything unimportant. Search the entire city for this Lord Odin!"
"I want news before nightfall!"
"Yes, ser!"
"And one more thing!" Addam added, irritation creeping back into his voice.
"Tell Swyft Rosby to stop wasting men. If he delays serious business again, I'll flay him myself!"
"Flea Bottom, fighting pits, whatever — I don't care. Tell him to wrap up that Rorge nonsense fast!"
"Yes, ser!" Humfrey answered again, turning to leave—
"Wait."
Jaime suddenly stepped forward, hand shooting out to stop him. He turned back to Addam, eyes sharpening.
"You just said… Rorge?"