18 Part 18 - Tywin's pride

281 AC

(Walter Whent POV)

Ah, yes. In a few days, the tourney will start. It will be a much bigger tourney than the one Tywin held in Lannisport. Thanks to my 'mysterious' friend who donated all that money I was able to outdo him. The rewards I offered were a total of three times higher than those of the tourney at Lannisport.

Who would have thought the Crown Prince himself would give me money to host this tourney? You do wonder what his motives are. I however don't care about that. I'll simply do as he said and use this chance to introduce my five sons into society and the higher nobles.

It's also a good feeling to be above the lion of Casterly Rock for once. Ah better prepare now.

(Omni POV)

"I assume we're not going?", Escanor asked his father during their meal. After he came back with Cersei, the family would break their fast together. Tyrion was never really spoken while they did that but he was expected to attend nonetheless.

"No. You should know that.", Tywin answered.

"Yes, I just wanted to make sure. Though some of the other houses are interested in attending the tourney, the Clegane brothers specifically."

"The others are free to do as they wish."

"Is Jaime going to attend the touirney father?", asked Cersei after listening to our talking.

"Hm ... I don't see why not, normally.", Tywin answered.

"Normally?", asked Cersei, "what do you mean normally?"

"He will most likely be sent off to King's Landing to guard the Queen.", Tywin said.

"What? Why would they send Jaime away? He's a Kingsguard now and their duty is to protect the King... why would they send him away to protect the Queen?", Cersei asked with a raised voice.

Her displeasure of having her brother humiliated seemed to be bigger than the one she showed when she returned with Father from King's Landing. Her love for her brother was still going strong, *sigh".

"Father's right Cersei. I already explained this to you. King Aerys only made Jaime a Kingsguard to hurt Father. He wanted to rob Father of his heir and humiliate him. And to continue with this, he will not allow Jaime to participate in the tourney and gain more glory and will even have him stand and watch the Queen.

It all serves to humiliate Father and House Lannister more and more."

Tywin looked at Escanor with a strange look. His eyes were narrowed like he wanted to make sure of something. After a moment he nodded his head slightly and resumed eating.

"Wha - what do you mean ... humiliate father and our house? I d-don't understand... How is that smart? There is s-still you ... no?"

"Haha, yes Cersei you're correct of course. The reason why the King did what he did was a combination of misinformation, hatred, pettiness and madness.

I'm sure that it wasn't his idea to accept Jaime into the Kingsguard. Someone must have suggested the King to do so. Aerys wanted to hurt Father and 'rob' him of his heir. Not even remembering that I still existed.

He is being manipulated and doesn't even realise it. My guess ... Varys. No doubt in my mind."

"But brother, why do they forget something like that? Doesn't everyone know about you?", asked Tyrion. Being the smart boy that he was and having learned from Escanor, he understood that the great houses should never forget someone of Escanor's standing.

The son of TYwin Lannister should be well known throughout the seven Kingdoms. And he was right of course.

"The reason for that is because I was technically never truly introduced into society like Cersei and Jaime were. Just like you weren't, Tyrion.

Mother died too soon to introduce me to many people and take me to many events like the tourney.

This makes other Houses forget about me."

Tyrion and Cersei didn't understand still. Before Escanor could explain it though, Tywin intervened.

"Enough about this. We will discuss this at a later date and not during our meal."

With that, the topic was off the table.

(Tywin POV)

I have been observing my sons and daughter for a while now. I was away in King's Landing for far too long.

Jaime was the born warrior with little interest in other topics like politics and the court. He also didn't have the brains to allow him such interests if I am being honest with myself.

He is rash, headstrong and quick to anger. He does not take after me in that regard.

What's more, Jaime comes across as arrogant, thinking his talent and prowess in the sword grant him to feel that way. He was similar to Escanor in that regard.

Only that it wasn't arrogance Escanor had ... it was just plain and unadulterated pride. Pride that shone and burnt as bright as the sun.

But while Jaime was rash and quick to anger, Escanor was calm and collected. To this day I have never seen him angry, once! Unlike Jaime, Escanor is a smart boy. He will become a formidable player in the future. His 'invention' proved as such. He knew how to read people only from reports alone and that was dangerous.

'The deck' was one of the greatest inventions in my opinion. It even helped me in some regards. I understood after reading his thought about the relatively new and unknown Master of Whispers that I also acted rashly when I gave up my position as Hand of the King.

It seems that Jaime does get it from me after all...

I can see now. These circumstances might not be as bad as I thought. King Aerys and Varys did me a favour in removing Jaime as my heir. Now ... I have someone far more capable and dangerous as my heir.

Westeros will tremble in the future. The Legacy of House Lannister will stand for the next thousand years.

(Omni POV)

On this day a change had occurred. Tywin Lannister had realised his mistake of simply stepping down from his position as the Hand of the King. He saw the benefits of having a son in the Kingsguards and having Escanor as an heir, who was by far the better choice anyway.

That day, marked the first day that Tywin Lannister was proud of one of his children. He felt pride almost as great as Escanor does in having him as a son.

Tywin knew why other noble Houses didn't know about Escanor or didn't care about him. He was never truly introduced to the public. All his accomplishments were indoors. His training outside that might have made him famous like Jaime was horrendous.

And due to Tywin working in King's Landing most of the years, he didn't change the situation. Tywin didn't think Jaime would offer himself to become a Kingsguard and had always planned to have him become the next Lord of Casterly Rock.

In the future, many noble Lords would think back to this important moment, when Jaime Lannister became a Kingsguard and made Escanor the future Lord of Casterly Rock.

Two people especially would think back to these times with great regret. Varys, because he killed any plans or ambitions he had. Nothing he wanted would come to pass due to the lion's sin of pride.

The other is Hoster Tully. As he was the one that refused to marry his daughter Lysa to Escanor. When Tywin asked him to join their houses through marriage he wanted to say yes, but when Jaime became a Kingsguard this notion died for him.

He had no interest in marrying his daughter to a 'half-man' or dwarf, like Tyrion and neither in an unknown, probably useless child like Escanor. Poor fool.

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The reason why Escanor is not talked about a lot or that people like Hoster Tully want to have their daughters married to him is because of his anonymity.

No one truly knows anything about him. Due to Joanna Lannister dying soon and Tywin Lannister not being at home to introduce Escanor sooner.

Everyone believes he is similar to Tyrion, useless.

His training in the sword was terrible. And all the spies of other Lords know this and have reported this. So they truly just underestimate him due to a misunderstanding. And this misunderstanding will cost them their necks in the future.

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