Chapter 298: Scheming

"You said Caesar was doomed, didn't you?"

In the council chamber of the Red Keep, Queen Mother Cersei demanded an explanation, her tone sharp with frustration.

"That small island in the Dornish Sea should have been his grave," Kevan Lannister replied, his brows furrowed. "But it seems something unexpected happened…"

"Doran, that fool, can't be trusted!" Cersei declared.

"If Doran Martell is a fool, then there aren't many clever men left in the Seven Kingdoms," Tyrion Lannister quipped. "I'm curious—what exactly happened on that island? How did Caesar end up crowned king? And why would the Stormland lords all swear fealty to him? It's unbelievable."

All eyes turned to Varys, who sighed and said:

"My little birds haven't uncovered the full story yet. All I know is that Caesar didn't die. Instead, he was crowned Storm King and is now holding several Dornish lords as hostages."

"Useless!" Cersei snapped, though it wasn't clear if she was cursing Varys or someone else.

Tyrion shifted on his elevated chair, his small form fidgeting. He asked with curiosity:

"So, what was the plan to kill Caesar? The man took down four Kingsguard with one sword stroke. You'd need a foolproof plan to assassinate someone like that."

"We hired a Faceless Man," Kevan revealed.

"A Faceless Man?" Tyrion whistled. "That must have cost a fortune, especially for someone as high-profile as Caesar. Did father send half of Casterly Rock's gold to the House of Black and White?"

"No. Not a single golden dragon came from the Lannisters," Kevan replied, glancing at Varys. "The Faceless Man wasn't hired by us."

Tyrion raised an eyebrow at Varys. "You hired them?"

"I did," Varys admitted openly.

"And what did it cost you?"

"Merely a piece of information. The price was paid by someone else."

"Who?"

"Petyr Baelish."

"Littlefinger?" Tyrion was even more confused. "What does he have to do with this?"

Varys explained:

"Do you recall the deaths of the two heirs of House Dayne—the incident that triggered the conflict between Starfall and Eyrie? That was orchestrated by Littlefinger. He hired a Faceless Man to kill the heirs of House Dayne and ignite the war between the Reach and Dorne.

At the time, I wondered how Littlefinger managed to afford a Faceless Man, especially for two targets.

Later, I discovered that before Littlefinger died, a Faceless Man came to collect from him.

That unusual visit made me realize Littlefinger still owed the House of Black and White a debt."

"You're saying Caesar killed Littlefinger?" Tyrion quickly pieced it together but remained puzzled. "But wasn't Littlefinger killed by the Red Viper?"

"No, it was Caesar," Varys said firmly. "When Caesar killed Littlefinger, he inherited Littlefinger's debt to the Faceless Men. I informed the House of Black and White, and they sent someone to collect."

Understanding dawned on Tyrion, though he still had questions. Before he could ask, Cersei interrupted:

"Enough! What's the point of this now?"

Her lack of understanding made her impatient.

"Focus on what we do next," Kevan interjected, aligning with Cersei for once. "The North is still unsettled, and we can't spare the resources to deal with Caesar in the South. We need to distract him, and the key lies with Highgarden and Sunspear."

Kevan turned his sharp gaze to Tyrion. "Your father wants you to marry Princess Arianne."

"Me?" Tyrion exclaimed. "But isn't Myrcella already betrothed to Trystane Martell? Why do we need another marriage alliance with Dorne?"

"Myrcella bears the Baratheon name," Kevan stressed. "And she and Trystane are too young to marry anytime soon. You, however, can wed Princess Arianne now. If Doran Martell doesn't return, you'll need to solidify Lannister influence in Sunspear and stabilize Dorne's politics."

"But Arianne has quite the fiery reputation," Tyrion hesitated. "Do you really think she'd marry a dwarf like me?"

"At least you're self-aware," Cersei sneered, her mockery sharp. "Only whores willingly spread their legs for you."

"Ah, yes," Tyrion shot back, "but if I had Jaime's pretty face, even my sister might open her legs for me."

"Imp! You deserve to die!"

"Enough!" Kevan slammed the table, glaring at the squabbling siblings. Their public display of animosity was shameful and left the Lannisters vulnerable to exploitation by their enemies.

Once they quieted, Kevan addressed Tyrion again.

"Don't sell yourself short. You're Tywin Lannister's son—clever, witty, and charming. Arianne will come to see that if she gets to know you."

"And if she doesn't?" Tyrion still had doubts. The reputation of the Dornish was anything but reassuring, and he had no desire to be thrown into a snake pit by a fiery princess.

"She'll agree," Kevan assured him. "House Martell is in a precarious position. They need Lannister support, and Doran Martell knows how to make the right choice. Even if he doesn't, Arianne will, unless she's utterly foolish."

"I've never even met the woman…" Tyrion muttered.

"She's more than good enough for you, Imp," Cersei sneered, though her words were laced with mockery. "Remember when father wanted you to marry Lysa Tully? Lord Hoster said his daughter deserved a whole man, not half of one."

Tyrion rolled his eyes, unfazed. He didn't mind missing out on Lysa, who had become a deranged widow rumored to have poisoned her own husband.

"Fine," Tyrion relented. "I'll go to Sunspear and meet her."

Satisfied, Kevan nodded before turning to Cersei. "Now, it's your turn."

Cersei froze. "What do you mean?"

"Your father's original plan for the Riverlands was to replace the Tullys with the Freys. But now that Walder Frey has allied with the Starks, we need to reconcile with House Tully to stabilize the region.

Your father wants you to marry Edmure Tully, Lord Hoster's heir."

"No!" Cersei shouted. "I'm the Queen Mother of the Seven Kingdoms, not a pawn for your alliances!"

"You're Tywin's daughter," Kevan said firmly. "You know what happens when you defy him."

"No…" Cersei's face turned pale.

"That trout is still better than a stinking old kraken or a crippled rose," Tyrion chimed in, relishing his sister's discomfort. "But isn't Edmure a prisoner in Dorne?"

"We'll negotiate his release," Kevan said. "If Lord Tully agrees to the marriage, the Riverlands forces held in Dorne will also be freed."

"Then Lord Tully has no reason to refuse," Tyrion whistled.

"Exactly." Kevan softened his tone. "Hoster Tully is on his deathbed. You'll soon be Lady of Riverrun. What's so bad about that?"

"I'm the Queen Mother of the Seven Kingdoms! Why should I settle for Lady of Riverrun?"

"We all make sacrifices for the family," Tyrion said with a grin. "It's our duty as Lannisters."

"Yes, duty," Kevan agreed. "That's your father's decision. If you object, take it up with him."

"I will!" Cersei stormed out of the chamber, her face livid.

Kevan shook his head in frustration. Turning back to Tyrion, he said,

"I'll head to Highgarden next. The Tyrells are in a precarious position, and we need to secure their loyalty."

(End of Chapter)