The Hand's Study, Red Keep - King's Landing, CrownLands — The Next Morning
The morning had come rather fast for the couple, who had managed only to partially rest that night. Yet, when the sun was up and they knew they had to continue with their days; they did not hesitate.
They both had gotten dressed, Tywin helping her due to her injury and then both had moved to the study to break fast but also hear what the soldiers had to say. All the reports were the same, no sign of Tyrion or Varys.
After the last soldier left, Tywin leaned back on his chair and let out a small sigh; choosing not to hide his annoyance on the subject.
"Varys' disappearance is not random" Visenya commented, sitting on the chair across his desk. "He was the one that freed him and led him through the secret paths but I still can't see why"
She had a theory in her mind, one revolving around her dream but she had not given him all the information. She had been vague, because vague was the dream to begin with. He could not have known that Tywin would get harmed or killed in the dream.
So, there should be something more behind his actions.
"The only logical conclusion is that he chose to support your niece," he said, flexing and unflexing his fist while thinking. "He most likely wanted to use Tyrion to kill me and unsettle the realm, making it easier for her to invade."
She shook her head, not fully agreeing with the idea.
"Even if that is the case, how did he know that Jaime had told Tyrion about Tysha?"
It was evident that Tywin had heard everything when Tyrion was talking to her and he heard the confession that Jaime spilled the beans.
He had not met with his son yet, he would meet with him, though, when Visenya would not be present. He had to talk with him because it was his actions that helped lead to last night's outcome with Visenya getting injured. He was not going to take it lightly, even if Visenya had asked him not to unleash his anger on him.
"He is the Master of Whispers or was, to be more precise. Who knows whom he had spied on all those years," he reminded her and grabbed his goblet from the desk.
"Speaking of Master of Whispers, now that Varys is gone; the position remains empty," she pointed out, watching him as he drank some wine.
"You have someone in mind?" he asked as he lowered the goblet.
Her lips twitched to a faint side smirk.
"Olenna."
"Absolutely not," was his reply, faster than a striking snake.
Visenya, though, was not going to back down so easily.
"Think about it for a second," she suggested as she started to make her case. "She is cunning and she knows how to use her resources, for example, the wedding," she pointed out first. "She could do just fine in taking over Varys' little birds and we know she will not betray us since it is her granddaughter, who is on the throne. She will not side with anyone else or risk losing her. In addition, Lord Mace is weak and rather useless," she said and he only pressed his lips to form a thin line, not openly admitting that he agreed with her. "However, if Olenna is around she will keep him in line and ensure he does not do anything stupid that will eventually prove harmful to us and our plans."
Tywin was silent for a moment as he swirled the red liquid in his goblet while thinking about it carefully. Once again, Visenya did make a very good case with lots of solid and right points that he could not easily argue.
Yet, he did find a loophole in her recent plan.
"If she is to join the Small Council, this means there will be two Tyrells present."
"And there are also two Lions, you and Jaime as Captain of the Kingsguard."
"Hmm," he exclaimed, finally looking at her after he had processed everything and had come up to a decision. "I will agree only if you become Master of Coin in Tyrion's place," his lips formed a small side smirk upon seeing her shocked expression.
Her white eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"Me? Master of Coin?" she repeated, not believing what she had just heard.
"You have done more than excellent work at Casterly Rock and Lannisport," he brought up. "You might actually be the most suitable for this job and do it better than the previous Masters of Coin."
She thought about it for a moment and in the end, she nodded.
"I agree then," she chuckled faintly, earning his attention and an arched eyebrow. "Two women in the Small Council. I can already see the bones of the old misogynistic Lords shaking in their tombs."
He could not help but roll his eyes at her drama but the faintest of amused smiles was evident upon his lips. Her humour could sometimes be unnecessary but it was part of her and Tywin had learnt to accept it all those years.
"If I am not mistaken, the first Master of Whispers was originally a woman," he pointed out, making her smile.
"Tyanna of the Tower," Visenya added. "I remember the tale. It was also said she doubled in sorcery and alchemy."
"I suppose it is a good thing that the only thing Olenna doubles in, is being a thorn at my side," he said, making her chuckle silently and he smirked ever so faintly; proud to have drawn such a reaction from her.
"One more thing," she suddenly said, her smile long gone as the mood turned serious again. "Pycelle."
"What about him?" he asked with a matching expression.
"I think it is time to retire. He has grown old and I do not see how reliable he can be to us."
Tywin remembered the meeting he had with him by the shores when the Old Lion had gone to fish to clean his head and Pycelle had approached him.
"His ridiculous act has drawn long enough, to that I agree," he drank some more wine. "Who do you have in mind as a replacement?" he asked and left the empty goblet on the desk.
"Qyburn," Visenya said and wasted no time explaining her reasoning behind such a decision. "He is knowledgeable on things and he has done a good job both with Jaime's hand and my injury. I would trust him more than Pycelle. Worth mentioning that if we make the Citadel return his chain and appoint him as Grand Maester, we secure his loyalty to us for good."
Not once did he take his eyes off her, observing her as she pointed out the reasons for each of her plans and decisions with terrifying accuracy. She knew what she was saying, clearly having thought about them for a while now or at least until the discussion on those topics had started.
He silently admired that, another proof of how mighty and skilful his wife was; how worthy of being by his side and equal, she was. In the end, he leaned silently on one side of the chair.
"I will think about this a little longer. For now, we have to persuade Olenna to accept her new position."
She offered him her signature mischievous smirk.
"Leave that to me."
Olenna's Solar, Red Keep — King's Landing, CrownLands
It was time for lunch and Visenya had been, ironically, invited to dine with Olenna and Margaery. The Queen of Thorns had postponed her trip for a few days until things had calmed down a little bit.
This offered Visenya enough time to put her plan into action and persuade her to keep her latest position. However, before she could do that, the two Roses were busy discussing the most recent of topics.
All three of them sat on comfortable chairs covered by cushions in the solar, a round wooden table in front of them. Since it was time for lunch, their food was far more diverse and fulfilling than a few fruits and cut pieces of cheese.
Behind them was a huge window that had a great view of the Blackwater Bay and even a small balcony, for the Queen of Thorns to enjoy if she wished. Needless to say, she had been given one of the best rooms a guest in the Red Keep could have.
They ate and had small talk, mostly about the latest news that was spreading like wildfire not only across Westeros but one could say they would reach Essos.
"I still cannot believe Lord Tyrion did that," Margaery said, sitting between the two older ladies on the comfortable cushions with the view of the Blackwater Bay Sea behind them.
"Considering what he was put through during that ridiculous trial, it is a miracle he did not just choose to burn the whole Red Keep to the ground or at least the Tower of the Hand," Olenna commented, a servant filling her goblet with wine. "I did not have him capable of such acts, I will not lie. Shooting your own good mother with a crossbow just to get back at your father? Terrible." She drank some wine.
Visenya had remained with water for now and had taken a few sips from her goblet. Tywin and she had agreed not to let the truth about the injury escape the walls of their chambers. So, they twisted the reality and made it look as if Visenya got injured by Tyrion because the dwarf wished to harm Tywin.
This way, Tywin would not look weak to anyone else around him; considering how his son escaped and infiltrated his chambers. At the same time, it would not ruin the facade that their marriage was a political one. If the truth had gotten out, one would start to suspect why Visenya had acted that way and rushed to protect Tywin; thus reversing everything they fought all those years to preserve and the lies they had told.
"And how are you Lady Visenya? You seem well considering..." Margaery hesitated, looking at her hands.
The Dragoness smiled.
"Considering I was shot with an arrow last night?" she finished for the young rose and placed her goblet on the table. "The wound is being treated and the milk of poppy in certain amounts helps with the pain."
Olenna observed her carefully as she took a cherry and placed it between her lips. The Dragoness indeed looked fine with her red dresses that covered her neck and arms, offering little show of skin to anyone.
The Queen of Thorns had noticed the variety of dresses and how some were far bolder while others were far too conservative. She had also seen how her usual choice of clothing was usual Westerosi-fashioned dresses but on certain occasions, she covered her skin almost completely; as if trying to hide something.
She had some basic suspicions but she never chased them, not that she had the time or the chance to do that in the first place; if one were to be honest.
"Well, you take it far better than your Lord Husband. The Old Lion has not given the guards a break from what I hear, having them running around and searching every crook and every alley; leaving nothing unattended," she informed.
Visenya held back the need to smirk at the extreme measures Tywin was taking, for that was like him. He always went over the edge when his family was truly threatened, like a true Lion in the suit of a mortal man.
"Considering what he did to the Riverlands when Jaime was caught, one should consider this light I would say," the Dragoness commented, amusing Olenna.
"Well, word says that it was not his decision alone to burn down the lands," the Queen of Thorns said, hinting something and Visenya could see that twinkle in her aged eyes.
"Mayhap. A council of generals and trustworthy advisors, someone could have suggested it to him," she said with ease, covering her tracks with expertise.
This amused Olenna, evident by the way her lips turned into a ghost smirk. Both women knew what they were doing and despite their 'alliance', if one could call it that, none were truly too close to the other.
They helped one another with a common goal and could work together again, but that did not mean they would expose all of their deepest and darkest secrets to one another like two young friends.
No, they were far smarter than that.
Margaery had been watching them with interest, few ever capable of handling a conversation with her grandmother without being intimidated or offended by her words. She enjoyed seeing the two of them in action, unaware of how they had worked together to save her from Joffrey.
"Have they found Lord Tyrion or Lord Varys?" she asked, interested in the whole ordeal.
After the murder, things had calmed down in the Red Keep and now... things were on edge. It was slightly thrilling to know one was almost murdered inside this very building, while everyone else was sleeping and had not a single clue.
Visenya shook her head a few times, a negative silent response.
"From what I was last informed, they have not. They must have either escaped King's Landing in the cover of the night or they are temporarily hiding somewhere." She took a grape from the tray.
"Well, they better be good at hiding because they will have to leave eventually, and that's when they will most likely get caught," Olenna said, earning a head nod from Visenya, who had been thinking the same thing.
If Tyrion was somewhere in King's Landing, it would be a matter of time before he was found. Of course, Visenya did not suspect those two had remained but had somehow left with a ship; similar to how Sansa had escaped despite soldiers halting all anchored ships.
She wondered if Varys had pre-planned this and had the ship and everything ready, which would only explain their quick escape from all those soldiers. Of course, one could never play it too safe and thus they chose to continue with the research; for now.
"Speaking of Lord Varys," she started and chewed quietly on the juicy grape. "I do believe you were informed of the decision of you taking his place in the small council."
After she and Tywin had agreed on the new members of the small council, they had discussed it with Tommen; who agreed. Then, a report was sent to each of those members; written and signed by the young King himself.
Olenna grabbed her goblet.
"Ha! And here I was wondering when you would bring that up." She drank some wine, clearly expecting that Visenya would try to persuade her. It was one of the reasons why the Queen of Thorns had invited her over. "I do not see why I should accept such a position at my age. What can an old frail woman do as Master of Whisperers?"
Visenya looked at Olenna with an arched eyebrow, clearly seeing right through her act.
"A lot of things considering your famous reputation."
The idea of having her grandmother close, seemed to make Margaery bolder; as Visenya expected. The young Rose dived right into the conversation, offering her opinion and making Visenya's work far easier.
"Oh, please Grandmother, you must accept," she said, placing her hands on top of the woman's old ones. "I would be delighted to have you close to me while I rule. I could always do with your wisdom and your presence."
The Queen of Thorns almost rolled her eyes but she did have a soft spot for her granddaughter in the end, the only one who seemed to have inherited at least some of her wits and cunningness.
"Oh, well... fine..." she finally gave in, although one could never say if she had made her decision already and simply liked seeing people begging her. "I will stay and take that bloody position even though the walks in the Garden have become tremendously boring," she joked.
The Dragoness smiled.
"Rest assured Lady Olenna, we will find you other places to enjoy a nice walk," she said, earning a small chuckle from Margaery.