Casterly Rock,
"Twenty years more, if the Gods are kind. Maybe a few beyond that."
Tywin Lannister looked at the sheets of paper placed on his table, handwritten by Kevan, only for his eyes and then to be burned. It was the survey of the mines, a true in-depth survey.
"This alters nothing," Tywin said evenly. "Our position is strong. We have both the strength and the time to search the Westerlands for new veins."
"Aye, my Lord brother, I'm aware. Still, it's only sense. The mines have been yielding for ten thousand years. They'll empty sooner or later, and when they do, we'll have less gold left to lend or spend as freely as we've grown used to, unless we find more."
Tywin grabbed the papers and threw them in the hearth, scorching them to ash. "You misjudge the danger, Kevan. We hold more power than you seem to recall. And there is an event soon to turn in our favor. By the time the last vein runs dry, my grandson will sit on the throne. Then, why limit ourselves to the Westerlands? We'll look beyond for mines."
Kevan nodded strongly. That was the plan from the beginning. To put Lannister blood on the throne. "Am I to proceed with the expenses? It'll be quite an expensive wedding."
"And we'll receive tenfold returns for it," Tywin said dismissively. "Leave no stone unturned. Make it a spectacle fit for our new King. Turn King's Landing into a one big festival. It'll do us good if they forget the sacking."
"Robert Baratheon is a simple creature," Genna Lannister voiced right then, considered a trusted advisor by Tywin. She hadn't read the report, but it wasn't hard to make sense of what was being spoken. "Unlike a certain other towering man, Robert is straightforward. He doesn't think in circles. He's easy to read. The lavish wedding will serve to remind him who truly pays for the Crown. And, of course, my dear niece will revel in all the grandeur."
A very faint one, but Tywin did smile a little. He had stopped doing that since Joanna died. He truly cherished his sister, as she had acted as a mother figure to Jaime and Cersei. He knew his children weren't without faults, but they might have turned out worse if not for Genna.
"That she will." Kevan smiled more openly, fondly.
"But…" Genna continued, taking a more serious tone as she straightened her back. "I never thought his idle words would demand my attention. Do you recall when we let Lord Wylis Kaiser wander the Westerlands to chase bandits?"
"Man nearly wiped out banditry for a year on his own," Kevan said. "Not something you forget easily."
Tywin nodded but said nothing, waiting for Genna to continue. He was certainly curious why the new Lord of Ramsgate's name was brought up.
"Yes, well, I spoke with him a few times while he was here," Genna said smoothly, careful not to dwell on the details of their meetings. "He mentioned, rather casually, that he'd come across traces of gold, silver, and even a few gems on his travels through the Westerlands."
That instantly had both Lannister brothers alert. Tywin was better at hiding his surprise. Kevan was more excited.
"How? We've been searching for centuries," Kevan mumbled.
"I don't know, but he didn't strike me as one to lie."
"And he will share these locations with us?" asked Kevan.
"I suppose, but—"
"Not without receiving something in return," Tywin interrupted. "A man does not rise from the stables to his station by handing out secrets for free. The world is not so kind. Already, the bards make him a legend."
"And he's already married," Kevan added with a sigh. "We could have offered him a Lannister hand in marriage. We have plenty of girls in our family."
"He would have refused. From what I've learned, Wylis Kaiser is a man who values his own counsel. Even his concessions serve his purpose in the end. He dreams beyond his station and takes what he wants with his own hands. They say he married for love," Tywin stated, being a much better judge of character. In a way, he admired Wylis as a capable man.
"Genna, after Cersei's wedding, you'll go North. Officially, you visit the Twins, but you will continue to Ramsgate. Learn what it is he seeks from us. I doubt it's gold."
Genna nodded urgently, masterfully hiding the sheer excitement palpating in her chest. She loved her son, Leonel, so beautiful and strong. She wanted more.
"I'll depart directly from King's Landing."
####
Winterfell, The North,
"What troubles you, Ned?" Catelyn asked softly, her arm resting across his chest as they lay beneath the warm quilt. "I can see the weight of it in your eyes."
"That easy?" Ned smiled, feeling her warm presence. "The Boltons have been our bane for thousands of years. Time and again, they turned their swords on Winterfell, and time and again, we brought them to heel. We let them keep their lands, their titles, even their pride. But they never let go of their old ways. Father prepared Brandon for that fight, not me."
"You fear you cannot manage the Boltons?" Catelyn asked softly, her fingers tracing his roughened chin.
"I worry I may not see their betrayal coming. I can't see the reason they press Lord Wylis. The man has never lost a battle in his life. Still, I question him. There's more behind his smile than he lets on. He's a man of ambition. A warrior the realm hasn't seen the likes of in many years. If they come to blows, House Stark may have no choice but to choose a side."
Catelyn Stark remained silent for a few moments. She had only met Lord Wylis once, and it was during her wedding. The memories were still vivid: how he saved her modesty from those groping hands, how he carried her to the bridal chamber. While she had noticed his curious gaze over her nude chest, there was nothing truly indecent about that tall man. And the words he spoke… She truly believed his wife was amongst the realm's luckiest women.
"I know… I have little right to speak on matters of House Stark. I'm not of the North. But from where I stand, I see no reason for such distrust of Lord Kaiser. He has brought no harm to House Stark, nor sought betrayal. Your father never recognized his strength, and even when southern lords tempted him with lands and fortune, he remained in the North. That says much of his heart. He is ambitious, certainly, but compared to the Boltons and their long cruelty, should he not be granted one chance?"
She wanted to mention that Brandon Stark was living in Ramsgate as well. But she knew it would sour Ned's mood. That man… was her betrothed, and she had truly fallen for Brandon Stark; he was charming, handsome, a true warrior. Ned was… good, but lesser than Brandon. But she had come to love Ned nonetheless, having already borne him a son.
"Cat," Ned said softly, brushing a stray lock from her face. His touch lingered, warm. "You've every right to speak on this. You're a Stark, whatever others might say."
And that was why Catelyn didn't mind Ned; why she loved him. Ned treated her with love and respect and allowed her to speak her mind. It was a privilege she knew not many ladies enjoyed in the South. She felt a purpose with Ned, beyond just bearing him children.
Smiling, she pecked her lord husband's lips. "That means to me more than you can imagine, Ned."
He gave a simple nod. Ned wasn't the best at reciprocating emotions and intimacies evenly. "I hear you, Cat. After Lord Wylis's efforts in rebellion alone, he deserves my trust. I'll write to him, offer what counsel I can about the Boltons. But I can't spare him blades. We have bled enough."
"I believe he can manage without that, if the stories the maids whisper hold any truth."
Ned nodded in silence. He had seen the Tyrant of the Trident in action. He could vouch for those stories, and they weren't exaggerated enough. Killing a full-plated knight was a hard job, unless struck in gaps; no blade or arrow could pierce that kind of armor.
Yet he had seen Wylis thrust his sword flat in breastplates and cleave men. He had attempted it as well and had failed. The pure physical strength required to stab through an armor plate was inhuman.
"Aye… they're true."
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