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- We'll wait for the Tyrells and storm the city,' came his uncle's voice to Light's ears.
- What about Cersei, Tyrek, and my son? - Ser Kiwan asked.
- I will not negotiate with the usurper, no matter how many hostages he has,' Lord Tywin replied. - If Stannis executes them, then that is their fate.
Cersei turned pale and clenched Light's fingers. With his other hand, Light pulled back the canopy.
Father and Uncle were alone in the tent. On the table between them lay a map. One lion figure guarded a deer figure in the capital, another sat on the southern shore of the Trident, peering at a wolf figure on the northern shore. Several rose figures stood at the Bitter Bridge, about halfway between Highgarden and King's Landing.
Ser Kiwan was the first to come to his senses.
- Lancel! Tyrek! You're here! Praise the Seven!
Father hugged Light tightly and patted Tyrek's head. Cersei released Light's hand and strode dutifully over to Lord Tywin, who hadn't moved.
- How good to see you, dear father,' the queen's voice oozed venom. - And how glad I am to hear of your willingness to sacrifice your own daughter. If I had known beforehand how little I meant to you, I might have preferred to stay with Stannis.
- Don't be silly, Cersei,' Tywin said irritably. - Of course I'm glad you're free. But who do I have to thank?
All eyes crossed on Lighta.
- It was my plan. Podrick, my squire, helped me realise it. He's not here yet?
- I heard of a squire who came into the camp an hour ago and had the audacity to demand to see my brother,' Ser Kiwan said. - I didn't pay much attention to it, I mean, I didn't think....
- Bring him here at once! - shouted Light.
Ser Kivan called the soldiers and gave the order.
- Podrick will have to wait until we're done,' Lord Tywin said. - 'As will everyone else. Close the curtain and don't let anyone in. We need to talk in the family circle.
The five Lannisters settled around the table. Cersei was seething, her father looked annoyed (because Cersei had overheard something she wasn't supposed to hear, Light guessed), Ser Kivan and Tyrek just cheered. Lord Tywin's gaze settled on Light.
- Tell me what happened,' his uncle commanded. - From the Battle of Blackwater to your escape. The rest of you, do not interrupt!
Light briefly brought Lord Tywin up to speed.
- Stag Men,' his uncle muttered. - That's who I owe my present state of affairs to. Some rabble...' Lord Tywin exhaled sharply. - They will pay. When the city is taken, they will all be executed.
- And Merrin Trant,' Cersei added. - My son is dead because of that traitor!
The Hand of the King nodded.
- Tommen is here and he's fine,' Kiwan said soothingly. - One of our scouting parties travelled to Rosby and met a Kingsguard. Ser Aris told the commander that he was guarding the prince on my son's assignment. Since our camp is a safer place than Rosby, which Stannis's men can reach by sea, it was decided to bring Tommen here.
- The boy misses his mother, Cersei.
Light realised that Lord Tywin just wanted her out. So did Cersei.
- He's missed her for a month, and he won't fall apart if he misses her for a few more hours,' the queen cut him off. - I'm not going anywhere!
Uncle sighed.
- 'I have heard rumours of a love affair between you and Lancel,' Cersei shuddered. - Is it true?
The queen looked at Light, a question in her eyes. Light decided it was pointless to lock himself away. All the servants of Red Castle, all of Stannis's men, and most of the townspeople were probably already aware. Light nodded.
- 'Yes, Father,' Cersei said. - 'It is true.
Light's father looked at him with surprise and, he thought, some judgement.
- The septons say it's a sin to have an extramarital affair,' Lord Tywin said, 'but I'm not a septon. You're a grown woman, Cersei, and it's only natural that when your husband died, you wanted a lover. At least you had the sense not to stoop to stableboys and cooks.
Cersei flared up.
- Do you take me for Tyrion in a skirt, Father?
- Thank the gods it hasn't come to that yet. But I will not condone your debauchery. Especially not with your cousin. You know the rumours about you, don't you?
- Stannis and Stark conspired to take the throne from my children,' Cersei said separately. - They killed my husband and slandered me. You know that as well as I do, Father.
Golden sparks flashed in her uncle's pale green eyes.
- Of course I do. Tommen is the rightful king, Stannis only a usurper. But if you don't want that usurper to gain new supporters, you should be more discreet. Your association with Lancel must end. I'll find you a new husband worthy of a daughter of House Lannister.
- And Lancel isn't worthy? - Cersei was furious. Lord Tywin's eyebrows rose.
- You want to marry him? He's half your age!
Cersei bit her lip. Light knew what she really wanted: to stay single and sleep with him or Jaime or someone else. But she couldn't say it.
- Do you have any other candidates, Father?
- I do. Willas Tyrell, Oberyn Martell, Edmure Tully and a few others. No final decision has been made yet. We'll put it off until after Stannis is defeated.
Cersei is furious.
- Is that how it is? When I needed saving, you, Father, didn't lift a finger! Lancel did it! And now you're telling me I have to leave him and go to some lord you want! I've had enough!
Cersei jumped up and stormed out.
- She'll come round, Ser Kiwan said. - Tywin, what about a reward for Lancel? He saved your daughter and took Stannis hostage.
- But he lost a battle before that,' Lord Tywin pointed out. - And let my grandson die.
- The latter was not my son's doing, and the former, with ten times less power, is not surprising. What is surprising is that he lasted so long and managed to inflict such damage on Stannis. If not for the rebels, the battle would have ended in our victory.
Tywin nodded.
- 'I'm not talking about that new weapon, the fire vents.' Lancel, how did you come up with this idea?
- I read some of it in books, Father, and the rest I thought up on my own.
- But Stannis has the vents in his hands now,' Lord Tywin argued. - Lancel, how much damage can they do to us?
- Not too much. They weren't very effective at Blackwater, and wildfire was much more useful. Yards take a long time to charge, cool down when they get too hot, and they're not very accurate.
- Then what good are they? - Kiwan wondered.
- They can be improved, Father. What we have now are just prototypes that we've managed to make with limited time and resources.
- I think they would be more useful for sieging castles than in battle,' Lord Tywin said. - Their disadvantages, their low rate of fire and lack of accuracy, are no longer important, for the castle will not run away. But their advantage, high destructive power, may prove decisive.
- I agree with you, Uncle.
- We spoke of the reward,' Lord Tywin put his elbows on the table and interlocked his fingers. - I acknowledge that you played an important role in the defence of the capital, Lancel, and if you lost, it was for reasons beyond your control. Besides, you saved my daughter. Whether it was lust or duty, you did it. I suppose land and castle would be a fitting reward. Do you have a preference?
Light had his preferences, but he preferred not to voice them for now. I'd have to put a price on myself first.
- I need to think, Uncle. How soon will the Tyrell army be here?
- In about a week, I reckon.
- Then I'll wait until the city is stormed. Speaking of storming. I have an idea, Uncle. The underground passage we used to get out of Red Castle could be used for sabotage. Our party could use it to sneak in and surprise Stannis in the rear.
- Unless Stannis discovered it after you fled and had it bricked up.
- Unlikely, Uncle. I closed the slab behind me and told Podrick to do the same. Stannis won't find a way in unless he stumbles across it by accident. As I stumbled upon it while investigating Varys's death.
Lord Tywin rubbed his temple.
- Oh, yes, Varys. I'd forgotten all about him. How did he die?
- An accident. Fell from the tower. It's possible he was pushed,' Light said, 'but we couldn't find the culprits. I was busy preparing the defences, I just didn't have the time...
Lord Tywin dismissed the excuses with a wave of his hand.
- You did what you had to do, and you did it as well as you could. You were right to arrest Slynt. That butcher's son thought too much of himself.
- He was stealing from the treasury, Uncle. When questioned, he confessed to acting with Lord Baelish's approval. When we take the capital, I'll show you the records.
Lord Tywin seemed pleasantly surprised.
- You're making progress, Lancel. Perhaps I underestimated you.
Light allowed himself a smile.
- Perhaps, Uncle. I was the one who suggested the alliance with the Tyrells.
- Did you?
- If you don't believe me, ask the Grand Maester. He can tell you much about the King's death. Pycelle identified the poison used to kill the king and it was found on Theon Greyjoy's blade that proved his guilt. I interrogated the culprit myself. When I found out that Theon was acting on Lord Stark's orders, I forced him to admit it publicly in court.
For a second, Light thought Lord Tywin was about to smile. It didn't happen, but Light was still impressed.
- So you did this? Brilliant work, Lancel.
- You're too kind, Uncle. All I did was establish the truth. And helped disprove Stannis' lies about the queen's involvement in her husband's death.
- Robert was a drunken fool. He had only himself to blame for his death. And Lord Stark, of course. My daughter had nothing to do with it. Nothing.
- Exactly,' Light said.
Uncle and nephew stared into each other's eyes for a few seconds. Then Lord Tywin held out his hand to Light.
- It's been a pleasure talking to you, Lancel. I have much to do at the moment, and I think your squire is waiting. But we'll talk again.
- Of course, Uncle. I look forward to it.