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Tyrion

They have my son," Tywin Lannister said

"They do, er’s voice was dulled by exhaustion On the breast of his torn surcoat, the brindled boar of Crakehall was half-obscured by dried blood

One of your sons, Tyrion thought He took a sip of wine and said not a word, thinking of Jaih his elbow, re him of his own brief taste of battle He loved his brother, but he would not have wanted to be with hiold in Casterly Rock

His lord father’s assembled captains and bannermen had fallen very quiet as the courier told his tale The only sound was the crackle and hiss of the log burning in the hearth at the end of the long, drafty co relentless drive south, the prospect of even a single night in an inn had cheered Tyrion h he rather wished it had not been this inn again, with all itspace, and it had taken its toll Men wounded in the battle kept up as best they could or were abandoned to fend for the they left a few more by the roadside, men ent to sleep never to wake Every afternoon a fewa fewoff into the dusk Tyrion had been half-teo with the the comfort of a featherbed and the warmth of Shae’s body beside him, when his squire had woken him to say that a rider had arrived with dire news of Riverrun So it had all been for nothing The rush south, the endless forced ht Robb Stark had reached Riverrun days and days ago

"How could this happen?" Ser Harys SwyftWood, you had Riverrun ringed in iron, surrounded by a great hostwhat madness made Ser Jaime decide to split his men into three separate camps? Surely he kne vulnerable that would leave them?"

Better than you, you chinless craven, Tyrion thought Jaiered him to hear his brother slandered by the likes of Swyft, a sha his equally chinless daughter to Ser Kevan, and thereby attaching himself to the Lannisters

"I would have done the saood deal ht have "You have never seen Riverrun, Ser Harys, or you would know that Jaime had little choice in the matter The castle is situated at the end of the point of land where the Tumblestone flows into the Red Fork of the Trident The rivers forer threatens, the Tullys open their sluice gates upstrea Riverrun into an island The walls rise sheer from the water, and fro view of the opposite shores for er must needs place one camp north of the Tumblestone, one south of the Red Fork, and a third between the rivers, west of the moat There is no other way, none"

"Ser Kevan speaks truly, my lords," the courier said "We’d built palisades of sharpened stakes around the ca and the rivers cutting us off from each other They ca an attack Marq Piper had been raiding our supply trains, but he had no one out to deal with theht was them We were told the Stark host was east of the Green Fork,south"

"And your outriders?" Ser Gregor Clegane’s face ave a soe cast to his skin and put deep shadows in the hollows of his eyes "They saw nothing? They gave you no warning?"

The bloodstainedMarq Piper’s work, we thought The ones who did co"

"Ahas no use for his eyes," the Mountain declared "Cut theive theht see better than twoand if not, the man after him will have six"

Lord Tywin Lannister turned his face to study Ser Gregor Tyrion saw a gliht shone off his father’s pupils, but he could not have said whether the look was one of approval or disgust Lord Tyas oft quiet in council, preferring to listen before he spoke, a habit Tyrion himself tried to emulate Yet this silence was uncharacteristic even for him, and his as untouched

"You said they caave a weary nod "The Blackfish led the van, cutting down our sentries and clearing away the palisades for the , riders were pouring over the ditch banks and galloping through the ca in the west ca and saw the tents being fired, Lord Brax led us to the rafts and we tried to pole across, but the current pushed us downstrea rocks at us with the catapults on their walls I saw one raft s and three others overturned, men swept into the river and drownedand those who didfor them on the riverbanks"

Ser Flement Brax wore a silver-and-purple tabard and the look of a man who cannot comprehend what he has just heard "My lord father--"

"Sorry, er said "Lord Brax was clad in plate-and-allant"

He was a fool, Tyrion thought, swirling his cup and staring down into the winy depths Crossing a river at night on a crude raft, wearing arallantry, he would take cowardice every tiallant as the weight of his steel pulled him under the black water

"The caer was saying "While ere trying to cross, more Starks swept in from the west, two coluiant-in-chains and the Mallister eagle, but it was the boy who led the at his side I wasn’t there to see, but it’s said the beast killed four men and ripped apart a dozen horses Our speare, but when the Tullys saw theates of Riverrun and Tytos Blackwood led a sortie across the drawbridge and took them in the rear"

"Gods save us," Lord Lefford swore

"Greatjon U, and Lord Blackwood found Ser Ed the other captives, and made off with them all Our south camp was under the coood order when he saw that the other camps were lost, with two thousand spears and as many bowmen, but the Tyroshi sellsho led his freeriders struck his banners and went over to the foe"

"Curse the ry than surprised "I warned Jaihts for coin is loyal only to his purse"

Lord Tyove his fingers together under his chin Only his eyes olden side-whiskers fraht have been ahis father’s shaven head

"How could it happen?" Ser Harys Sailed again "Ser Jaie brokenthis is a catastrophe!"

Ser Addarateful to you for pointing out the obvious, Ser Harys The question is, what shall we do about it?"

"What can we do? Jaiht, and the Starks and the Tullys sit squarely across our line of supply We are cut off from the west! They can march on Casterly Rock if they so choose, and what’s to stop them? My lords, we are beaten We must sue for peace"

"Peace?" Tyrion swirled his wine thoughtfully, took a deep draft, and hurled his empty cup to the floor, where it shattered into a thousand pieces "There’s your peace, Ser Harys My sweet nephew broke it for good and all when he decided to ornament the Red Keep with Lord Eddard’s head You’ll have an easier ti Robb Stark toor hadn’t you noticed?"

"Two battles do not make a war," Ser Addam insisted "We are far froainst this Stark boy"

"Perhaps they would consent to a truce, and allow us to trade our prisoners for theirs," offered Lord Lefford

"Unless they trade three-for-one, we still coht on those scales," Tyrion said acidly "And what are we to offer forhead?"

"I had heard that Queen Cersei has the Hand’s daughters," Lefford said hopefully "If we give the lad his sisters back"

Ser Addam snorted disdainfully "He would have to be an utter ass to trade Jaiirls"

"Then we must ransom Ser Jaime, whatever it costs," Lord Lefford said

Tyrion rolled his eyes "If the Starks feel the need for gold, they can melt down Jaime’s armor"

"if we ask for a truce, they will think us weak," Ser Addarn argued "We should march on them at once"

"Surely our friends at court could be prevailed upon to join us with fresh troops," said Ser Harys "And soht return to Casterly Rock to raise a new host"

Lord Tywin Lannister rose to his feet "They have h the babble like a sword through suet "Leave me All of you"

Ever the soul of obedience, Tyrion rose to depart with the rest, but his father gave him a look "Not you, Tyrion Remain And you as well, Kevan The rest of you, out"

Tyrion eased himself back onto the bench, startled into speechlessness Ser Kevan crossed the room to the wine casks "Uncle," Tyrion called, "if you would be so kind--"

"Here" His father offered him his cup, the wine untouched