It was a pair of house guards in crimson cloaks and lion-crested helms that greeted him, standing on either side of his brother's solar. Kevan recognized their
captain, an old veteran and Tywin's trusted men. "My brother?"
"He is inside, my lord.", the guard answers respectfully.
The heavy door are swung open for him to enter, and Kevan finds the room accompanied by another. "Tyrion", he asks in surprise. He knew it was far too uncommon for Tywin to be in presence of his youngest. And right now even with the windows of the solar shuttered against the night, the chill in the room was palpable. What sort of of things happened while I was gone?, he thinks considering Tywin needed advice of Tyrion this late at night though he nor could his siblings could deny the imp's intellect.
"Uncle," Tyrion answers, bowing in respect. "It's good to see you return in good health after ardious journey to Braavos".
Lord Tywin did not stir from his chair, but he did gave a good look to his brother checking for his being and questions. "Did your voyage there reaped anything, Kevan?", thrusting the wine by Tyrion's side to his front.
"Sorry to disappoint you, Brother," Kevan says. "I feel as if all those days turned out to be waste, not procuring an absolute result." He crosses the room from the door to the table, "The House of Black and White rejected the idea of them assassinating the target, no matter the increment I proposed." he continues as he settles himself into a chair and helping himself to the wine.
This make Tyrion make a double take at his father though there was nothing that could be made out from that stone face. Tywin rarely gave something through expression, other than threat but it did aroused Tyrion's curiosity, What made those mummer monster deny The Lannister's proposal.
"No matter," Lord Tywin break the moment of silence "Its of no use to uncover what those religious fanatics think or decide what matter is the proposition that silence the rebels and brings usurping kings head to spike."
Kevan leans forwards giving one glance to Imp and then turning to his brother, "The alliance with Reach still holds I believe."
Tywin glances in Kevan direction and gives a nod in agreement. "The Tyrells are happy with their girl becoming queen and their hold on their bannermen looks promising enough."
Tyrion unable to keep his mouth shut begins immediately after his father cutting his coming words, "No doubt some play to undermine rising and prosperous houses by Queen of Thorns and her grandsons."
Lord Tywin's eyes were on him, pale green flecked with gold, so hard that they gave Tyrion a chill, his face expressionless as ever as Tywin continues, "I have send Renly as the bait to rally houses of Stormland torn between loyalty to Stannis and the crown. Loras will keep him grounded to our side while Stafford and Forley keeps eye on fools eyeing much more than their station."
A confused expression soon takes over Kevan hearing his brother's words, "Loras?", he asks as if missing something.
Tyrion takes over the second later with a suppressed snort, " He bends that way, Uncle". It took the nod from Tywin to see for Kevan to believe Tyrion's words.
"Renly is the best way to extinguish the revolt of Stannis, he troubles me more than that vain fool", Kevan says in agreement though it was not strange, Kevan seldom had a thought that Tywin did not had first.
Tyrion eager to bring his father down the notch with problem surrounding House Lannister because of his lovely nephew questions where another problem lay, "And what of Riverlands father. Wolves and Fish still trouble our hold in the North". Kevan too turns his head at his brother knowing full well that Tywin may have already had planned it out for the rebelling Northerners.
"The crown has contacted sellswords, The Brave Comapanions from Essos are to deal with compromised lords of Trident. Their unsavory action will prove deterrent enough for many to turn to our side. Once the tide is turned, the crown will push forward a hand as help by removing these unwanted foreign pests." Lord Tywin says calmly, "As for the North, without grains from the South, how long do you think they will keep up their front."
It's well thought, Tyrion thinks, conceding to his father's plan, but the smallfolk will suffer the most. "Far be it for me thinking to be cunning, Father, but as you said I too think it be best to let the sellswords bloody their own hands and us being the hero", he chirps, like a trained bird, cocking his head.
Kevan looks at Lord Tywin for upteenth time since he entered the solar and starts softly, "This leaves us with the Targaryen boy breathing down our necks having already gotten hold of Valyrian Houses of Narrow sea and possibly in talking terms with Dornish."
Tyrions gulps loudly, now on his last dregs of wine, it was the only name that made him feel threatened, the dark history with the last line of dragons not even fifteen year past. Yet as he turns to look at his father's face already imagining the same stony line, he is shocked to see thin lined smirk threatening to flood. Kevan too is shocked to see his brother expression though he covers it with barely committed cough.
Tywin ignore their faces and gets up from his seat throwing a letter on the table, infront of Kevan previously hidden in his doublet and walks to the window of his solar in the Tower of the Hand. Kevan intrigued by the sigil of the letter, three black castles on orange, opens the letter and his eyes widens as he continues reading thoroughly by it. Tyrion all the while keeps an eye on his Uncle, he too curious by the arrival of letter from one of the most infamous house of Westeros, House Peake of Reach. Though he didn't get much time to dwell on it as his Uncle Kevan soon stands up from his seat, slamming the letter down, that's now picked by him.
Kevan turns to Tywin and speaks in frantic tone, " What are you thinking off, brother", Kevan asks knowing Tywin must be planning something off the news received.
Tywin looks away from the window and questions him in turn, " How much do you trust Margot, the Lady of Peake."
Kevan turns silent for a moment looking past Tywin out of the window then turns to him and says softly, "She is our cousin, born a Lannister, related to line connected to main branch, to you and me. She had been close to Genna the most when child so I would trust her too, considering how close we had been and the news she shares."
"Its true," Tywin remarks, "I had it confirmed, through Petyr Baelish. Her good-brother, Ser Laswell Peake, a knight and exiled lord serving with the Golden Company together with his brothers Torman Peake and Pykewood Peake. They could help us turning the young queen with right words and motives, give her a stage to begin the conquest all for a marriage of alliance, a Lannister having a dragon at hold."
Hearing his father's words Tyrion jumps of his seat and asks in revulsion, "You would trust Littlefinger tongue on such matter, place your family future in peril, for plans that would possibly not succeed."
For the first time since the beginning conversation Tywin's face turns snarky cutting through whatever Tyrion wanted to continue with, "I trust a pawn motivated solely by money and status, rather a dangerous, high-born rival thinking he could station himself together with Lannisters," Tywin gives a dark look to Tyrion and continues, "I promised him Harrenhal for it, big castle for man of low birth filled with nothing but moss, broken walls, darkness and no strength to hold it."
Kevan nods his head understanding his brother motive and asks a question now gnawing on him, "What of Margaery and the Tyrells brother, the Reach is in their hold."
Tywin walks to his seat leisurely and fills his ornate glass with Arbor wine, "They will do their duty that is commanded to them, as for the hold on Reach. It will be House Peake who will turn lords to its side." He takes sip of the wine savouring it and then looks at Tyrion who has been quiet all the while and continues, "I would sooner bring The Dance to Westeros than see my blood off the throne and power."