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"No matter," Lord Tywin said "Frey only takes the field when the scent of victory is in the air, and all he sth to fight alone Once Jaih to bend the knee Unless the Starks and the Arryns coood as won"

"I would not fret overmuch about the Arryns if I were you," Tyrion said "The Starks are another e," his father said "He will lead no areon under the Red Keep"

"No," Ser Kevan agreed, "but his son has called the banners and sits at Moat Cailin with a strong host around hi until it’s been tempered," Lord Tywin declared "The Stark boy is a child No doubt he likes the sound of warhorns well enough, and the sight of his banners fluttering in the wind, but in the end it comes down to butcher’s work I doubt he has the sto while he’d been away, Tyrion reflected "And what is our fearlesswhilst all this ‘butcher’s work’ is being done?" he wondered "How has ree to the imprisonment of his dear friend Ned?"

"Robert Baratheon is dead," his father told hi"

That did take Tyrion aback "My sister, you ulp of ale The real in place of her husband

"If you have a ive you a command," his father said "Marq Piper and Karyl Vance are loose in our rear, raiding our lands across the Red Fork"

Tyrionback Ordinarily I’d be glad to punish such rudeness, Father, but the truth is, I have pressing business elsewhere"

"Do you?" Lord Tywin did not seehtsparties Beric Dondarrion, so with delusions of valor He has that fat jape of a priest with him, the one who likes to set his sword on fire Do you think you ht be able to deal with the too much a botch of it?"

Tyrion wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and sht entrust me withwhat, twenty men? Fifty? Are you sure you can spare so many? Well, no matter If I should come across Thoros and Lord Beric, I shall spank them both" He climbed down from his chair and waddled to the sideboard, where a wheel of veined white cheese sat surrounded by fruit "First, though, I have some proe "I shall require three thousand helms and as many hauberks, plus swords, pikes, steel spearheads, reaves, breastplates, wagons to carry all this--"

The door behind him opened with a crash, so violently that Tyrion al as the captain of the guard went flying across the rooainst the hearth As he tua snapped the man’s sword in two over a knee thick as a tree trunk, thren the pieces, and lumbered into the common room He was preceded by his stench, riper than the cheese and overpowering in the closed space "Little redcape," he snarled, "when next you bare steel on Shagga son of Dolf, I will chop off your oats?" Tyrion said, taking a bite of cheese

The other clansa into the coave Tyrion a rueful shrug

"Who ht you be?" Lord Tywin asked, cool as snow

"They followed me home, Father," Tyrion explained "May I keep the "By what right do you savages intrude on our councils?" deht have been handsohts sit on all war councils"

"Which one is the lion lord?" Chella asked

"They are both old men," announced Timett son of Timett, who had yet to see his twentieth year

Ser Kevan’s hand went to his sword hilt, but his brother placed two fingers on his wrist and held hiotten your courtesies? Kindly acquaint us with ourhonored guests"

Tyrion licked his fingers "With pleasure," he said "The fair hter of Cheyk of the Black Ears"

"I’m nothem"

"May they take fifty more" Tyrion waddled away froa son of Dolf is the one who looks like Casterly Rock with hair They are Stone Crows Here is Ulf son of Umar of the Moon Brothers, and here Timett son of Timett, a red hand of the Burned Men And this is Bronn, a sellsword of no particular allegiance He has already changed sides twice in the short tiet on famously, Father" To Bronn and the clansmen he said, "May I present my lord father, Tywin son of Tytos of House Lannister, Lord of Casterly Rock, Warden of the West, Shield of Lannisport, and once and future Hand of the King"

Lord Tywin rose, dignified and correct "Even in the west, we know the prowess of the warrior clans of the Mountains of the Moon What brings you down froholds, a

"A promise of silk and steel," said Timett son of Timett

Tyrion was about to tell his lord father how he proposed to reduce the Vale of Arryn to a siven the chance The door banged open again The ave Tyrion’s clansmen a quick, queer look as he dropped to one knee before Lord Tywin "My lord," he said, "Ser Adda down the causeway"

Lord Tywin Lannister did not smile Lord Tywin never smiled, but Tyrion had learned to read his father’s pleasure all the sa his den to play a the lions," he said in a voice of quiet satisfaction "Splendid Return to Ser Addae the northerners until we arrive, but I want him to harass their flanks and draw them farther south"

"It will be as you command" The rider took his leave

"We are well situated here," Ser Kevan pointed out "Close to the ford and ringed by pits and spikes If they are coainst us"

"The boy e when he sees our numbers," Lord Tywin replied "The sooner the Starks are broken, the sooner I shall be free to deal with Stannis Baratheon Tell the drummers to beat asseainst Robb Stark"

"As you will," Ser Kevan said

Tyrion watched with a grim fascination as his lord father turned next to the half-wild clansmen "It is said that the men of the mountain clans are warriors without fear"

"It is said truly," Conn of the Stone Crows answered

"And the woainst my enemies, and you shall have all my son promised you, and more," Lord Tywin told them

"Would you pay us with our own coin?" Ulf son of Umar said "Why should we need the father’s promise, e have the son’s?"

"I said nothing of need," Lord Tywin replied "My words were courtesy, nothing more You need not join us The men of the winterlands are hts fear to face the crookedly

"The Burned Men fear nothing Timett son of Timett will ride with the lions"

"Wherever the Burned Men go, the Stone Crows have been there first," Conn declared hotly "We ride as well"

"Shagga son of Dolf will chop off their manhoods and feed them to the crows"

"We will ride with you, lion lord," Chella daughter of Cheyk agreed, "but only if your halfht his breath with proed us, his life is ours"

Lord Tywin turned his gold-flecked eyes on his son

"Joy," Tyrion said with a resigned smile