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Chapter 13

Tommen Baratheon, with no other contenders for the throne, flourished under his Grandfather's counsel. He exercised kindness and wisdom during his rein, and soon the Hand was able to transfer the majority of the responsibility to the rightful overseer. Eventually, Tywin Lannister stepped down as the Hand, and turned his attention to Casterly Rock, with Lady Arya by his side.

Tywin Lannister was a harsh man, no one could deny that. However, there was a news softness there that he only showed her. It took her many moons to take the sporadic, odd gestures as a such, but now she was able to recognize his subtle communications for what they were.

It was well into the night as they sat over a small desk in his office at Casterly Rock. The golden glow of the candles illuminated their outlines so that they were tinged with a warm, rich brown as they faded in and out of the other's vision.

He touched her hand. The side of his thumb brushed against her wrist, the soft pressure lingering for a moment before retreating. If it had been anyone else Arya would have labeled it accidental, but she had become familiar with his small displays of affection and support. Neither flinched at the contact, and the mismatched duo continued their discussion unhindered, as if the graze never happened at all. Tywin continued to speak about how she would control funds, guardsmen, and trade, and Arya found it was these times she felt most at peace. The subject was irrelevant to her, as she'd rather be planning battle tactics, but her husband's simple, open respect for her was most welcome.

The seven kingdoms only knew the strict professionalism in which they conducted their public relationship, and only the subtle touches allude to a deeper connection between the two. But anyone who truly knew them were never in doubt.

Although there had not been any official lessons since the early stages of their marriage, Arya still looked to his experience and guidance. Over the years she watched him order his knights around, and manage his resources effectively. Instinctively, she adopted many of his mannerisms. Sometimes, when she recognized the change within her, she cursed herself. Yet, he was one of the greatest players of the game the world had ever known, and she was his protégé. The thought never failed to make her smile [3].

Behind closed doors their fondness for each other was obvious. After the battle against Stannis their relationship took on a new air, more intimate than before; equals inside the bedroom and out. Not long ago, Tywin would have called it a weakness, what she had become to him, but now she was his strength.

She was fire and he was ice, but rather than falling into a mutually assured destruction, they played off one another and emerged stronger than either of them could have achieved alone. She was a wolf and he was a lion, and they were a force to be reckoned with.

END

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