Game Of Thrones : Starting as Tommen Baratheon

I smiled and nodded sagely, "Yes, he was poisoned, but Tyrion wasn't the one doing the poisoning."

"Then who did?"

"Littlefinger, of course."

...

Tywin's tone betrayed nothing, though I could tell he was intrigued, "Explain."

I shrugged my shoulders, "It's simple: Tyrion is no fool. If he really wanted to kill Joffrey, do you really think he'd plot to have him poisoned in such a manner that made himself out to be the obvious suspect? Of course not! He'd be halfway to Braavos by the time the poison ever touched Joffrey's lips."

Tywin quirked an eyebrow, "And that makes Baelish the killer?"

"Ask yourself: who had the most to gain from Joffrey's death? Tyrion immediately found himself in a cell, awaiting his own execution, meanwhile Baelish absconded with Sansa Stark to the Vale, where he has already married Lysa Arryn. If you're is keeping count, that brings the one of the two Kingdoms which has suffered no losses during this war under his direct control, alongside it's armies, whilst granting himself sizeable influence over two more. The Riverlands by way of being the Lord of Harrenhall, and the North by way of his possession of Sansa Stark."

Tywin scoffed, clearly acknowledging of my claims about Sansa, but unwilling to admit it. It was at that point I realised that Tywin was likely already aware of this. Hell, he may even have figured it out beforehand, but still allowed it to happen, likely because he believed that I would be a more pliable King. Tyrion's trial was just the icing on the cake, something he could used to get Jaime back as his heir. His next words seemed thick with implication, "I wouldn't concern yourself with Baelish. Men who aspire beyond their station rarely succeed."

"You know, he told Lady Catelyn that Tyrion was behind the attempted killing of her son, and Lady Lysa that Tyrion was responsible for the death of Jon Arryn? He made himself a friend to the Starks and the Tullys, and then he held a knife to Lord Eddard's throat at mother's behest. He poisoned Jon Arryn, and arranged for the attempted murder of Bran Stark. He pitted Wolf against Lion, and used the ensuing chaos to advance himself far beyond his station, going from lord of rocks and sheep to one of the greatest lords of the realm.

He is a man who knows no such thing as loyalty, and no limits to his schemes." I shook my head and allowed myself some disbelieving laughter to sell the act, "I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss him, if I were you."

Tywin was, by this point, eyeing me with some amount of suspicion, "You can't know that."

He kept his gaze level at me, and I stared him down, and then tried to find some way to explain it away, eventually opting for the vaguest and least helpful response, "Suffice it to say that a King must have many eyes, and many ears."

He narrowed his eyes slightly, "Is that so?"

Before Tywin could do something against my interests, I thought it best to placate him, "Yes, it is. And if you help me deal with him and all the rest of his ilk in court, then I'll give you the one thing you always wanted. Jaime may have no interest in being your heir, but he will have little choice if his King orders it of him." Tywin looked at me suspiciously, "Of course, I could just as easily keep Jaime as one of my Kingsguard, and have Tyrion inherit Casterly Rock instead, if only to whore and drink away everything you've built."

Tywin grit his teeth, his grip on the back of one of the chairs tightening till his knuckles turned white, his stare hardening at the threat to his legacy, "Baelish will die for his treason."

I nodded, happy at his implicit acceptance, "And Jaime will be your heir, though not for a while yet."

Tywin did not seem pleased at that, "And why is that?"

"I have a task for Jaime to complete first, something that will raise his profile enough to justify letting him go. I expect you will get him back in a year's time, perhaps eighteen months. It may even be sufficient to restore his reputation from when he killed the Mad King."

"And what task is that?"

It varied from plan to plan, but that would take time to determine the best course of action. It was all rather uncomfortably changeable, and I saw little point in speaking of a plan that might never be, not to mention anything of who might be listening in, precautions or no. As such, I wasn't going to reveal my true intentions, but a half-truth that would be true regardless of circumstance would suffice.

"I want him to help me pacify the Riverlands. Nothing major, just some cleanup work, hunting bandits and sieging the odd castle. When all is said and done, his reputation should be a lot cleaner, and Jaime a lot more respectable a lord. Don't worry, it will only enhance the prestige of House Lannister."

Tywin, unaware of this calculation, nodded his assent, "Hmm, I see."

"As for Baelish, he is too powerful to openly confront. We can always assassinate him, but if we do, you can rest assured that Lysa will turn the knights of the Vale against us. And if we somehow fail at killing him, he will then use Sansa to assert his influence over the North and the Riverlands, and with that he could wage a war that would drag on for years, and ravage the realm in the process."

He looked at me, clearly testing me, "The Boltons hold the North, and the Freys hold the Riverlands. Not to mention that Sansa is Tyrion's bride."

"Just as Margaery was Renly's?" I shook my head, "The Boltons may hold the North for now, but anyone who knows anything at all about the North could tell you that they won't hold it for long. The North is too large and too wild, and the Boltons are not respected in the same manner in which the Starks were, and already the lords of the North plot to put the Starks back in power. Sansa is yet still believed to be a maiden, and you can bet she will feature in such plots." I was tempted to tell him about Rickon and Bran, but thought better of it, and focused in further south, "The Freys are in much the same position. I doubt there is a single lord in the Riverlands that will be loyal to them for very long without Lannister blades at their back to compel that loyalty."

"All the better that we should rid ourselves of Baelish quickly, before he can rally support."

"Not if we want to avoid another war that we cannot afford, which I do." I shook my head, "No, if we are going to get Baelish, we first need to strip him of his power and influence without alerting him to the fact that that is our goal. Only once we have stripped him of allies, potential or otherwise, and lured him from the safety of the Eyrie can we have him executed."

Tywin looked at me with a strange glint in his eyes, "And how do you propose we do that?"

I reached up and sipped from my glass, the water pleasantly cold. I was aware that Varys was probably listening in, and desiring to reduce the chances of him overhearing, I stood from my seat and walked over to the ledge of the terrace, beckoning for Tywin to follow. When he finally joined me, he seemed irritated at having had to move, "Why are we here?"

"The walls of the Red Keep have many eyes and many ears, grandfather, and regretfully not all of them are mine. In times like these, I think you would agree when I say that there is no such thing as being too cautious."

Tywin nodded, "Hmm."

I spoke to him in a conspiratorial half-whisper, "Tell me, grandfather, do you remember encountering a young girl in Harrenhall? About my height, brown hair cut short, grey eyes, a Northerner?"

He frowned, "I made a girl matching that description my cupbearer. Why?"

Well, wasn't that interesting? "That girl was none other than Arya Stark." I couldn't help but grin at his surprise, which was evident to me no matter how much he schooled his expression, "She is currently wandering the Riverlands, and, as such, is within our grasp."

Tywin looked at me, "Arya Stark has been missing, considered dead, for more than a year. Our best spymasters have not been able to find not even a whisper of the girl's whereabouts. How do you know where she is?"

"Never mind how." Tywin looked doubtful, "If I'm wrong, what does it cost you? If, on the other hand, I'm right..." I smiled, "You ought to be discreet about it. Send your best and most trusted fighters, clad not in Lannister colours but in plain clothes. If my sources are correct, and they usually are, you ought to be able to find her at an inn near the Ruby Ford, in the company of the Hound."

"Sandor turned traitor?"

I waved away his question, "He was never one for loyalty in the first place. Kill him, but only if it's absolutely necessary. As it is, I'd prefer it if you could bring him in alive. I have many a task for a tool like that. As for Arya, make sure to let your men know to keep a keen eye on her at all times. She's a smart girl, and I wouldn't put it past her to steal a blade and kill her captors in their sleep in order to escape. I want her here, in Kings Landing, alive and unharmed."

Tywin nodded, "Hmm, very well. You can consider it done."

I smiled and clapped my hands together, "Excellent!" Tywin stood to leave, only for me to interrupt his departure, "Oh, and I thought it best to inform you, given that you are indeed my Hand, that I'm planning some changes in the Small Council. Some people will be leaving, and some new ones will be joining."

Tywin stared me down, "Who?"

I tapped the side of my nose, "All in good time, grandfather. All in good time."

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