FIRE AND BLOOD ( CHAPTER ELEVEN ) "WE'VE NOT YET LOST ALL OUR GRACES"
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290, THE RED KEEP
AEREA TARGARYEN TRULY HATED TYWIN LANNISTER. The man had the audacity to call her for a meeting and yet didn't even bother to show up on the time set. Aerea honestly had enough of the man and she hadn't even met with him yet. Brienne, who decided to stay with her just in case Tywin tried something which was very unlikely but Brienne insisted, just gave her a long look before returning her attention to the door. Aerea sighed and glared down at the table in annoyance.
Just as she was about to call the meeting off and go into the city, there was a knock at the door. Aerea wasn't sure if she were more pissed that he actually showed up or that he was late. "Come in," she said and smiled lightly when she saw Jaime was the one to open the door.
Just as quickly as her expression lightened, it fell as she saw Tywin Lannister standing behind him. "You're late," Aerea said coldly, motioning to the seat in front of her and Tywin Lannister just nodded as he sat down.
"I apologize, Your Grace," he said, "My daughter had been insisting on joining us."
Aerea was sure that her face was twisted into one of even more disgust if that was possible. It was one thing having to sit with Tywin Lannister and talk civilly but it was another for him to bring up his daughter, who married the Usurper, in the conversation. Honestly, did he want to piss her off because he was succeeding?
"What did you want to speak about?" Aerea finally asked after a moment of silence and for a moment, Tywin looked thoroughly uncomfortable--as if he didn't want to say what he was about to and Aerea's eyes narrowed.
"As you know, Prince Oberyn's soldiers and my own are heading the hunts for Robert Baratheon. I wanted to let you know that we just got word that apparently he fled across the Narrow Sea," Tywin said.
Across the Narrow Sea.
Aerea was sure that it took every ounce of control she had not to react to his words but she knew that an infuriated look must have flashed across her face because Tywin Lannister immediately tensed up. Aerea let out a breath, "And why, exactly, were you the one chosen to come to tell me? Oberyn could have."
"It was my men that initially received the information," Tywin said and Aerea's eyes narrowed suspiciously. She knew that Tywin Lannister wasn't a stupid man, but she couldn't help but wonder if he had a hand in it. She knew, deep down, that he didn't because Tywin Lannister didn't particularly like Robert Baratheon and he wouldn't want to further anger her. "Your Grace, with all due respect, we didn't have anything to do with Robert Baratheon's escape."
Aerea looked away, "I know that," she said before reluctantly adding, "I appreciate you coming to me about it."
Aerea knew that there was more to this meeting--that there was something else Tywin Lannister was trying to get at and Aerea wondered if he would bring it up. It probably had to do with him trying to get into her good graces, somehow, but Aerea really wasn't trying to hear it and she'd appreciate it more if she could end the meeting now because there was only so much Lannister she could handle in a day.
