Harrenhal, Riverlands - The following morning since Lord Amory was killed
The moment the guards were summoned, Tywin took the lead and started to shout orders. Before anyone knew it, guards had started to grab and gather potential suspects or those that Lord Amory had talked to last.
The Mountain had taken it upon himself, the amount of suspects piling up in the main courtyard while others watched; a warning that such attempts would not go unpunished.
By the very next misty morning, men had been hanged and an equal amount of them had been tortured.
Tywin was looking outside the window at the prisoners, his face hard to read. He did not seem to be angry at the attempt, rather pleased by its findings and the fact that someone had tried to take him or Amory down with a single dart.
The very same dart was held by Visenya, who was leaning on the stone wall right next to the window.
"What do you make of it?" he asked her since his dear wife had spent almost a decade studying poisons.
The Dragoness brought the bladed edge of the dart close to her nose, taking a quick whiff of a familiar scent before he studied the dart.
"Wolfsbane. Rare to find, even rarer to use. It stops the heart and the lungs, paralyzes and leads to quick instant death" she explained, her eyes not once leaving the simple hand-made dart.
She had heard of people using poison in drinks and food, she even used it in wine. Some might use it with their blades and spears, like the famous Red Viper of Dorne but it was the first time Visenya saw it on a small dart that was meant to be shot through a simple bamboo pipe.
The Mountain stood not too far away and listened. "We hanged twenty men last night."
"I don't care if you hanged a hundred. A man tried to kill me. I want his name and I want his head." Tywin said rather calmly as if his life had not been threatened a few hours ago.
At the same time, Arya was busy setting the table while listening to the conversation without being noticed.
"We think it was an infiltrator from the Brotherhood Without Banners."
A small scoff drew the attention of the men on Visenya, who did not move from her position.
"A band of outlaws with a pretentious name, that's all they are. I truly doubt they would have the means or the minds to plan something so delicate and smart"
Tywin had moved towards his chair but had not taken a seat yet. "Either way, we can't allow rebels behind our lines to harass us with impunity. We look like fools and they look like heroes. That's how kings fall" he explained and kept walking past his chair until he stopped right in front of him. "l want them dead, everyone."
"Killing them isn't the problem. It's finding them"
He was amused, mockery visible in his eyes and soon followed in his voice. "Have you gone soft, Clegane? I always thought you had a talent for violence." Before the man could reply, his master continued. "Burn the villages, burn the farms. Let them know what it means to choose the wrong side."
With a small head nod, the mighty Ser Gregor Clegane left the room and closed the door behind him.
It was then that Tywin noticed the food that had been served.
"Mmm. Is that mutton?" he asked.
Arya, standing in front of it, nodded.
"Yes, my lord"
"Don't like mutton."
He explained and Visenya arched a single eyebrow while she watched silently from where she was standing.
She said nothing as Tywin sent her a silent glance. Not a word.
The girl was confused for a moment and kept looking forward even as Tywin moved closer to where she stood.
"I'll bring something else."
"Leave it."
He ordered and then glanced at his wife again, remembering their discussion before the assassination.
"Are you hungry?" he asked the kid.
"No."
A lie, both adult thoughts but it was Tywin, who kept talking.
"Of course you are. Eat."
"I'll eat in the kitchen later."
Visenya pushed herself off the wall, pocketing the dart into a single sewed pocket of her dark red leather jacket.
"It's bad manners to refuse a lord's offer, child," she said, making Arya look at her. "Trust me, I know personally" she amused and the disguised Stark noticed how Tywin rolled his eyes at her comment.
Amused, Visenya continued.
"Sit and eat, now that you have the chance"
Arya looked between the two of them as they stood and stared her down like two parents trying to discipline their child during supper.
It was an amusing but also unsettling sight, one that Arya was not sure how to feel.
Yet, with the smell of the freshly made food in front of her; she chose to obey.
She hesitated at first, taking a small bite but then slowly became a little more confident.
She remained quiet and mannered, not remembering when was the last time she had a proper meal.
Tywin stared at her a little too long, a small pleased expression on his face.
"You're small for your age. I suppose you've been underfed your whole life."
"I eat a lot." The girl said, trying not to speak with her mouth full. "I just don't grow."
Visenya smiled as she moved towards the table where Arya was eating while Tywin headed for the window.
She seemed amused by the eagerness of the child to eat or her words as well.
"My son was like you" she commented, grabbing the jug and filling a goblet with water before sliding close to her plate. She then filled a different goblet and filled it with wine.
"He was quite small when he was a child despite being well-fed. One day he started to grow, becoming taller with each passing year. I was almost sure he would surpass both of us before becoming of age"
Arya was surprised when Visenya handed her a goblet of water but she gladly accepted it, since fresh water was not truly available to the servants and was not given as often as it did to the high lords and generals.
She heard the story, seeing the Dragoness' gaze softening as she recalled the past time.
She then remembered seeing her son in Winterfell. She never truly talked to him but she had taken notice of his height, which apparently he seemed to take from both of his parents.
Hearing that he did not take much of a height until later, made her hope that she would also grow to be taller.
As she kept eating, Visenya moved away with two goblets of wine and headed for Tywin.
That was something that the Stark girl had taken notice of.
She always seemed to fill two cups, always offering one to him or offering hers instead.
She wondered if this had any true meaning but guessed it was perhaps a subconscious move, a way to look after him or one another without truly doing much.
Unlike any other couples she had seen, they had the most unique and odd ways of communicating.
There was less physical touch and more mental conversation in their minds.
Small quirks and signs of smirks or specific gazes were the way they communicated and always had a way of working with one another.
Even when it was not pre-plan, they seemed to know one another to the point that their actions and words were always complementary.
And there were always those subtle hints, small repetitive movements like the wine goblets or the way they were always positioned with her by his right side.
Rarely would they be seen away from one another or even too far away within the same room.
And the way they were almost always positioned, subconsciously covering each other's back.
Tywin took the goblet from her as he kept looking outside, his back turned to the girl.
Visenya on the other hand, was pressing her shoulder against the wall by the window, her body turned to face Tywin but also allowing her to have a full view of the room with her peripheral vision.
"Mmm. This will be my last war. Win or lose." Tywin suddenly said.
"Have you ever lost before?" Arya questioned.
"Do you think I'd be in my position if I had lost a war?" he asked, glancing at her above his shoulder.
"No, my lord," she said after shaking her head. "Your lady wife is said to have lost one" she pointed out, talking without truly thinking for a moment.
Seeing the look Visenya gave her, made her immediately regret her choice of words but the Dragoness did not hold that sharp warning look for long.
"And what war have I lost?" she asked, curiosity growing within her.
Arya swallowed some of the food.
"The war against Robert Baratheon, my lady. In the battle of the Trident"
The Dragoness seemed to expect that as she took a few sips of her wine, her head turned to fully look at her.
"What do you think about it?"
There was a moment of silence before Arya chose to speak with more honesty.
"I think that Robert Baratheon played dirty, my lady. He knew that he could not meet you when you were ready and he chose to attack you when your guard was down"
A smirk of approval formed on her lips, proof that Arya had spoken right.
What she had said was true for when she was taught about the war in the Trident, she always thought it was a nasty move to attack the camp in the middle of the night; there was no true honour behind it.
Silence spread quickly after that, Tywin having been studying his wife silently as she interacted with the girl; having taken a liking to her.
He took a sip of his wine and focused outside the window again.
"This will be our last war and one that I'll be remembered for" he commented, making Arya notice that in terms of titles and fame; it was Tywin, who was after it but surprisingly not Visenya.
"The War of the Five Kings, they're calling it. My legacy will be determined in the coming months."
He drank from his goblet, thinking for a moment before he continued.
"Do you know what legacy means?"
"No, my lord, my lady" she replied, making Visenya chuckle silently.
"He is asking you the questions, you can only refer to him for now" she informed her and placed the goblet by her lips.
Tywin continued talking.
"It's what you pass down to your children and your children's children. It's what remains of you when you're gone."
He explained as he fully turned to face her.
With his hands behind his back, his green eyes glanced around the room.
"Harren the Black thought this castle would be his legacy. The greatest fortress ever built."
He started, slowly marching towards the fireplace.
Winter was coming and the temperatures were falling with every passing day.
Standing by the window long enough he felt the chill through his clothing, thus choosing to regain some of his warmth from the fires in the fireplace.
Visenya, on the other hand, did not move from her position.
Unlike him, she never truly seemed to be affected by the cold.
Even with thinner clothing, her skin was always warm... too warm sometimes and she never seemed to feel the drop in temperatures like many others.
"The tallest towers, the strongest walls. The Great Hall had thirty-five hearths. Thirty-five. Can you imagine? Look at it now. A blasted ruin."
He continued and Arya looked around at the destroyed parts of the walls and the abandoned state of it.
"Do you know what happened?"
She was quiet for a moment, thinking.
She had an answer but she was not sure until Tywin smirked in amusement and turned his attention to his wife for a moment; passively hinting at the answer.
"Dragons?" the girl asked after connecting the dots.
He looked at her pleased. "Yes. Dragons happened." He answered and marched towards the table, pouring himself some wine. "Harrenhal was built to withstand an attack from the land. A million men could have marched on these walls, and a million men would have been repelled. But an attack from the air with dragon fire, Mmm-mmm." He sat down on his chair and took a sip of wine. "Harren and all his sons roasted alive within these walls. Aegon Targaryen changed the rules. That's why every child alive still knows his name."
It was evident by the way Tywin walked about Aegon that he had some respect for the Targaryen King, due to his intelligence and smart thinking. Like he had said, Aegon knew he had power no one else had ever encountered and used it; fighting the game with his own rules and winning.
Hearing about her ancestor, Visenya smiled faintly but there was pride growing warm in her chest. Some of her ancestors truly were worth to be remembered and some that did not. Sometimes she wondered under which label she would end up once she would no longer be alive.
"Aegon and his sisters." Arya suddenly commented.
"Mmm?" Tywin exclaimed.
"It wasn't just Aegon riding his dragon. It was Rhaenys and Visenya, too."
The girl explained, making Tywin smirk at her.
"Correct. A student of history, are you?"
"Rhaenys rode Meraxes. Visenya rode Vhagar. Visenya Targaryen was a great warrior and a leader. She burnt down her enemies and fought on the front lines. She had a Valyrian steel sword she called Dark Sister."
She continued, amusing the two adults; the Dragoness even more than the Lion.
"Hmm. She's a heroine of yours, I take it?" he pointed out and Arya smiled to show her agreement. A small chuckle was heard from him. "At last girl admiring your predecessor" he commented, his words directed towards his lady wife.
Visenya had moved silently behind his chair and leaned on it, one hand holding her goblet that was almost fully empty but she made no move to refill it. Her unique eyes locked with Arya's dark ones and the girl swore she could see realm flames burning within them.
"She was my heroine too, growing up" she commented.
"Both of you are my heroines" she corrected, making the Dragoness lift an eyebrow.
"And what do you know about me that makes you look up at me?" she asked out of pure curiosity.
Arya felt a little more confident.
"You are a warrior. You led men and fought amongst them. You refused to marry and let no one force you. You defeated many high lords in a Jousting Tournament disguised as your nephew" she explained, surprising the Dragoness. "You also carry a valyrian steel sword called Dragon Heart. People say you are from the Dragon Whisperer family. A Family capable of taming any dragon"
Visenya was speechless, staring at the insightful girl with a surprised expression.
Truth be told, she had never truly met anyone; let alone a young girl that was admiring her. For years she had been shunned by anyone outside the Westerlands and even those, who respected her didn't truly look up to her actions.
Women were against her history since she broke many taboos and was a bad example for younger girls; who were meant to marry young and only breed heirs. Yet, this particular one seemed to have her as a role model for what she did; admiring the ways she went against society and customs.
Tywin glanced at his wife, who was still leaning on his chair and had a glint of amusement in his green eyes but it was also evident by his smirk. He took pleasure hearing the child that was indeed intelligent; far too intelligent and well-read for a common girl.
"Aren't most girls more interested in the pretty maidens from the songs? Jonquil with the flowers in her hair?" he asked since it was evident his wife was not going to add anything.
"Most girls are idiots."
A small chuckle came from Visenya, who seemed to snap out of that small freezing moment.
"Reminds of a particular someone" she commented and leaned more on the chair.
He nodded.
"Indeed. You remind us of my daughter. Where did you learn all this stuff about them and their Valyrian steel swords?"
"From my father."
"He was a well-read stonemason. Can't say I've ever met a literate stonemason."
"Have you met many stonemasons, my lord?" the girl asked, almost making Visenya choke on her wine.
Tywin ignored her for now and focused on the quick-mouthed kid.
"Careful now, girl. I enjoy you, but be careful. Take that back to the kitchen. Eat what you want."
Without another word, the girl stood up and cleared the dishes. However, as she was walking away, he called her.
"And, girl" she came to a halt.
"M'lord." He corrected her, making her turn and look at him confused. "Lowborn girls say 'm'lord' and 'm'lady'. If you're going to pose as a commoner, you should do it properly."
Surprisingly, Arya was not concerned nor did she let him corner her.
"My mother served Lady Dustin for many years, my lord. She taught me how to speak properly."
Her words pleased both of them but it was the Lion that chose to continue speaking.
"You're too smart for your good. Has anyone told you that?"
"Go on."
Visenya waited for Arya to leave before she chuckled and moved her hand to rest on Tywin's shoulder.
"She could easily be a daughter of ours," she said, clearly pleased with what she saw.
Tywin leaned back on his chair and grabbed his goblet.
"With that mouth of hers, she could easily be yours" he commented.
There was something intelligent in the girl's brown eyes, he could see that. Whether she was high-born or not, she was smart and was doing just fine surviving so far in such a dangerous environment.
She was well-read and with good observation skills, uncommon for most kids of her age; girls especially.
He felt Visenya's hand moving across his chest as she brought her face closer to his cheek, a smile on her rosy lips.
"Now you can see why I have taken a liking to her. Although, I can see you have to"
He merely scoffed but did not deny it.
Tywin appreciated and respected intelligence, something that he found was lacking in most people he knew and kept knowing or meeting.
He merely saw some potential in that girl but he could not truly forget the discussion from yesterday.
If they were to have a daughter, one intelligent and cunning like they were, then she would be like that.
She would be kept close, tutored in real-life lessons and tested on her knowledge.
If Visenya had born him a daughter as well, he would have been able to make a proper lady and a ruler out of her since Cersei did not possess all the necessary traits for that.
"I respect her intelligence that is all" he commented and grabbed her wrist, gently moving her hand off him and around the chair. He always preferred talking to her face-to-face. "However, if you wish it; she can come with us once we depart" he continued and watched her as she took her usual seat by his right.
"You already know what I wish, although I can imagine you would find next war council meetings boring you without her presence" she commented, testing her luck.
Tywin rolled his eyes at her.
"Glad to see your mood is changing. For a moment I was certain you left that humour of yours somewhere on the battlefield"