A Lioness Still Has Claws | Female Tywin Lannister | ASOIAF/GOT

The Ghosts Of Harrenhal

281AC

"What do you mean 'the king will be in attendance," Tya fixed the bearer of such unfortunate news - her own husband - with an icy glower. 

Jason did not flinch, used to her glares as he was - not that he ever had, even when they were children - but no doubt felt about as pleased as she looked.

"Aerys decided this morning that a gathering of most every lord in the kingdoms, high and low, was a prime chance for his treacherous son and Hand to plot against him," He had the nerve to smile faintly. "Not an unreasonable concern, in all fairness,"

True, that was exactly what Tya had been planning on doing. Well, not so much plot, more celebrate the many betrothals between great houses, and feel out which of the lords would be more open to replacing the current king with someone less insane. Though at the rate Rhaegar's wife was pushing out children - Ashara was pregnant once again, for the third time in two years - she wasn't so sure the heir would turn out much better than his father.

Still, was that the case then removing Aerys would set a new precedent. More power to the lords, less to the monarch. As long as she was Hand of the King, that could work either in her favour or against it, but at this moment it was in everyone's interests that the Mad King be removed from the throne. 

The image Rhaella had planted in her mind of Aerys throttling his wife and calling her Tya's name was not a pleasant one. How long before he grew too mad to remember that her brother was the most powerful lord in Westeros? Not that she would let him survive such an encounter - she still carried a dagger on her at all times - but being known as the Hand who killed their king would not improve her chances of remaining Hand to Rhaegar.  

That was part of the agreement she, the queen and the crown prince had come to, in a series of meetings held by candlelight and kept utmost secret. Tya would support Rhaegar's usurpation of his father - for the prince would not be crowned until Aerys died, merely assume all duties of a king early whilst his father still kept the title - if he kept her on as Hand.

The other part of the agreement was that if Ashara died - which looked increasingly likely, given she had struggled with her last pregnancy and was with child again far too soon - Rhaegar would take Cersei as his bride. The prince had glowered slightly at that, and Rhaella had frowned reproachfully, but Tya would not back down.

In return for the reluctant agreement to her conditions, she had made herself invaluable to the whole process through the arrangement of a series of marriage alliances. Her daughter Rohanne was already betrothed to Brandon Stark, heir to Winterfell. Lyanna Stark was promised to Robert Baratheon. The Martell-Arryn match had already taken place, and the Martell-Tully wedding was swiftly approaching. With a persuasive letter to both Hoster Tully and Olenna Tyrell, Tya had prompted talks to betroth the younger Tully daughter to the young Tyrell heir, Willas (who was only ten, so that would have to wait a while).

Not wanting such treason in writing before they were ready to enact it, they would have to wait to speak to the lords in person at Harrenhal about the more delicate matter of Rhaegar taking over from Aerys.

Which would be considerably more challenging now the man himself had decided to attend.

Why now, of all times? The king hadn't left the Red Keep in years, not since Duskendale. He looked truly awful as well; too paranoid to let a blade near him, Aerys' nails and hair had grown to unacceptable lengths, and he smelled atrocious due to not trusting anyone not to drown him if he bathed. He was slightly younger than Tya, yet looked at least two decades older. There was only so much that fine silks and brocade could hide.

*

All of Tya's family was in attendance at Harrenhal; she had thought about only attending with Jason, but the absence of any Lannister would no doubt provoke suspicion. And her children's protests at not going would be far too vocal, considering she had no good reason why not.