Chapter 149

He looked at the man and stared.

If it had been a month ago then he would have definitely made some sort of jape to start the conversation with the unknown man in a friendlier and lighter note.

Now… now he just didn't care anymore.

The man put his hand inside the leather bag he was carrying and took out a small letter from inside it and passed it on to him.

One of his guards took it and passed it to him.

He looked at the letter and then at the man with confusion.

"A letter from Lord Bolton." The man explained and then gave him a bow "Have a good day Lord Tyrion."

And then the man turned around and left.

He stared at the letter on his hands.

Lord Bolton.

His thoughts about the young lord had been a mired in confusion and conflict ever since he revealed the presence of Tysha as well as told him the truth about his past.

On one hand, the Bolton boy definitely manipulated him. But on the other, the boy also gave him the truth and gave him a chance to redeem himself.

'But at what cost?' the insidious voice inside him asked. He ignored it and tried to make a sense of how Lord Bolton was able to know all the things that he knew.

Was it really true that Lord Bolton was Chosen by the Old Gods.

He scoffed at his line of reasoning. But after seeing Giants, wargs and Children of the Forest with his own eyes, he was much more reluctant to ignore that line of thought.

For all he knew, Lord Bolton might really be chosen by the Old Gods.

He felt envious of the boy who seemed to have everything given to him on a silver platter.

Good looks. A loving family. Decent height. Great swordsmanship. Loved by his people. Great subordinates. Gold. Land. Everything.

What did he have aside from his stunted body and his sharp mind?

He shook his head and opened the letter in his hands.

Tyrion,

I'm writing this letter to ask for your help. There is a task that you must do. It is of the highest importance and you're the only one in the position to do it. Go to the Lord of Dragonstone and buy the right of the mining of Dragonglass in his lands. Spend as much gold as is required and set up a mining operation in Dragonstone within 3 months.

Don't care about the gold. It's of no consequence. I'll have it sent to you within a few days.

Good luck in your task Tyrion.

- Domeric Bolton

Tyrion closed the letter and put it in his pocket. Not knowing what to think about this letter.

Dragonglass? Why would Lord Bolton want Dragonglass of all things. Had the boy lord suddenly found some way to make use of the otherwise worthless Volcanic stone.

He also realized that if he did what was asked of him, then he won't be able to have the talk with Tysha for a good while.

The thought filled him with a sense of relief and then a sense of loathing toward himself for being a coward.

Regardless. At least now he had direction for himself. A reason to enter the Red Keep where he would inevitably meet his brother and have the much needed conversation with him.

He didn't want to have the conversation with his brother. He knew that if confronted his brother about the truth then that'll break any and all bonds they had between them.

He didn't want to do it.

But…

He was not going to remain standing here and be indecisive anymore.

Being indecisive was what got him here in the first place.

For now, he'll not think about all the problems he was facing and just focus on the task straight ahead of him.

Talk with Stannis the Dour. And buy mining rights of Dragon glass from him.

Yes, he could do this.

He felt himself fill with a sudden strength as the goals in front of himself became clear and he wondered if Lord Bolton had foreseen him being indecisive and sent this letter as a way to help him.

He didn't know. And right now, he didn't care.

He had a task to do.