283AC

Tya had persuaded Rhaella sit the Iron Throne to receive her errant son. Though at first the Queen Regent had been very uncomfortable about sitting on the throne of her husband, father and grandfather, she had grown more used to it in the past months. Though still as calm and softly-spoken as ever, Rhaella had a way of getting people to quieten to listen to her; not unlike Tya's own skill, albeit not borne out of fear.

Cersei sat in a smaller chair at the base of the right side of the throne, with Aegon in her lap, both dressed in red and black, though she wore a golden lion necklace. Tya stood behind her daughter, dressed all in black, unadorned with jewellery, with a face of stone. 

Young Viserys was on the other side of the throne, along with a nursemaid holding baby Daenerys. Rhaegar's three daughters were with them; dark-haired Visenya, aged three, was holding Viserys' hand, whilst the younger silver-haired princesses, Daena and Valaena, were being monitored by another maid. Tya had the girls dressed in variations of purple and silver; Dayne colours. Ser Arthur, who doted on all three, glanced at them occasionally then returned to narrowing his eyes at the door, waiting for his former friend to enter.

Tya gave stern instructions to be passed onto Jaime, to report with Lyanna Stark to the throne room immediately, rather than going to change or bathe. It was not a public audience; they were the only ones in attendance, aside from the Kingsguard. Not even the Small Council was present. Rhaegar may join them, or he may not. She did not wish to open the inevitable conflict with summoning the heir to the throne - gods help us - to his own throne room like a scolded child. Never mind that was exactly what he was. 

She did not immediately recognise Lady Lyanna when the group entered. She did not recognise that it was a woman who walked at Jaime's side at all, not until she saw the telltale bump through the roughspun tunic she wore. Tya had already been warned of that complication beforehand; it did complicate matters, but was hardly unexpected given that a son was Rhaegar's entire reason for doing all... this. 

Lyanna's hair was tucked under a peasant's cap, and she wore men's clothes; no doubt to prevent any ransom attempts. Her son wasn't as slow as he often liked to act. The girl walked between Jaime and Rhaegar - with Oswell Whent on Rhaegar's other side - though she had drifted clearly towards Tya's son. That spoke volumes... unless Jaime had told her to do that as well. Even if he had, it was most likely to their benefit.

"Mother," Rhaegar had the grace to lower his head to acknowledge Rhaella, sat far above him, the throne that would have been his seat now if it wasn't for his stupidity. 

The Queen Regent looked very sad. 

Jaime and Lyanna bowed and curtseyed to her respectively, the girl's made slightly clumsy from her swollen stomach. 

"Cersei," Rhaegar turned to his wife - Cersei's bared-teeth smile was laced with poison - and then to his goodmother. "Lady Tya," 

He did not hold her gaze very long. Good. Rhaegar had always been one of the few who was least affected by her glares and sharp words, even less so than Aerys; her glares had always riled him, at least made him grumble at her, whilst his son just stared back, impassive and above it all.

There was a heavy silence. 

"Why did you do it?" Rhaella's words spilled from her lips, sorrowful, imploring, already going off-script. Tya was glad she had made this a private audience. The Kingsguard were forbidden from speaking the secrets of the royal family, whilst the two nursemaids were both in her own pocket. "Rhaegar, they're calling you a kidnapper, a raper. Please... please tell me you didn't,"

"Lady Lyanna went with me of her own free will," The prince said, voice calm and clear. Cersei was now glaring daggers at the girl, still wearing that fixed smile. "She wished an escape from her marriage to Lord Robert,"

"And then what happened, your Grace?" Jaime smiled sharply, as Lyanna glowered at them both. 

"Don't speak for me, Lannister," She practically snarled, though Tya sensed her fury was more directed at Rhaegar. She looked half-feral, unkept and dirty as she was, particularly when she turned to the Queen Regent with wild eyes. "I was a foolish, desperate girl who fell for false promises. I apologise for all the trouble and hurt it caused," She looked straight at Cersei, who seemed slightly taken aback by her directness. Then to Rhaegar, and Whent. "I may have gone willingly, aye, but that changed by the end. Did it not, Ser Oswell? You heard me begging and crying to go home, telling the prince no more. You stopped me throwing myself down the stairs to get rid of the brat inside me,"

Rhaella's hand had flown to her mouth in horror, and she looked sick to the stomach. Viserys was looking between his mother and the elder brother he idolised, confused and upset. Cersei's eyes were narrowed, though she was clearly calculating, reconsidering things. 

"I explained everything to you, Lyanna," Rhaegar looked at her with what seemed like genuine hurt and sadness in his eyes. Not regret, however. Hurt that she could ever think badly of him. "You knew how much was, and it still, at stake. Our son - "

"If you say a single word about that thrice-damned prophecy, I'll tear your eyes out with my bare hands," Lyanna rounded on him, and Tya saw both Cersei and Jaime smirk, though not at each other. Gods, she's as bad as her brother Brandon. "And drink a gallon of moon tea," She then had the nerve to turn in their direction and say, "Though I'm sure you've got that waiting for me, Lady Hand? Princess?" She glanced between Tya and Cersei, challenging, irreverent and surprisingly agreeable.

Jaime smothered an incredulous laugh with a cough. At least the boy had the sense to attempt to hide his amusement.

"Moon tea after four moons of pregnancy will likely be fatal to both mother and child," Tya replied smoothly. "We are on the brink of war as it is - when Lords Stark and Baratheon realise you have returned, they'll call their banners. Forcing poison down your throat - or giving it for you to take willingly - will hardly improve relations with the North and Stormlands," 

The girl raised an eyebrow briefly; otherwise you'd do it. She probably would. And the girl would have freely taken it.

"Even so," The prince gave her what he seemed to think was a warning look. "I would never allow such cruel action to come to pass. Lady Tya is the Hand, not the Regent,"

And finally, just as everyone had been waiting for, Tya turned her full attention to Rhaegar. The whole room seemed to tense, balancing on the edge of a knife point, as she raised one dangerous eyebrow.

"Cruel?" Her voice was icy cold. "You utterly selfish, delusional fool," She stepped out from behind Cersei, moving to stand directly between her and Viserys, framed perfectly by the Iron Throne. "If House Targaryen falls in the next year, it will be entirely your fault. Even if it does not, any fall of your house in the next three decades would be easily traceable back to your actions. In a matter of weeks, you will have the wolves howling at your gates, the stags right behind them. Dorne will not come to your aid, not after the death of Ashara Dayne," She would make sure of it. "The Vale are their close allies, as are the Riverlands - they would all keep out of any conflict. At best, you'd have the Crownlands and perhaps the Reach, and that's if they forget that their heir is betrothed to Lysa Tully,"

"And what of House Lannister?" The prince asked evenly. "You are my Hand, Lady Tya. Your daughter is my wife. My son is your grandchild. Lord Kevan's loyalty rightly belongs to the throne,"

"You have not laid eyes on this boy until ten minutes ago," Cersei tossed her hair, voice cold. "You sought a son from another woman scarcely two months after our wedding, shaming all of us. Aegon is as much your son as I am your wife - that is, in name and title alone,"

"I apologise, my lady," Rhaegar said, unruffled. "I did not mean to cause you grief," 

Cersei riled instantly.

"Grief? How dare - " She broke off at a look from Tya. She had a vague idea where this was heading, and wanted Cersei to stay on the right side of things.

"You shamed my daughter, abandoned my grandson before he was even born, tore the kingdoms apart and humiliated me as a result of my public support of your rise to Regent," She snapped. "You took advantage of a child's naivety, imprisoned a highborn maiden for months and forced her to bear your child. And yet you have the nerve to ask for my house's aid? I have cleaned up too many of your father's messes for too many years, boy, to dig you out of this grave you dug yourself. House Lannister will not be coming to your rescue on this occasion,"

Rhaegar went very still. The entire room seemed to be holding its breath, stunned at the words that had left her mouth. Then the prince's face twisted in sorrow once again. 

Tya knew what was coming a second before it did, and her heart skipped a beat, though she refused to show it.

"Ser Gerold," His voice was still calm and even, and she would not let it show how much that irked her. "Ser Barristan. Arrest Lady Tya and escort her to a tower cell. Treat her gently, with the respect afforded to her station, but take her there nonetheless,"

Everything she had spat at Aerys over the years, and it was these words to his son that finally got her dragged off by armed men? In all fairness, she had said she would essentially leave him to die at the hands of Stark and Baratheon and called him a raper. Both of which were true.

"Rhaegar, don't, please," Rhaella immediately rose from the throne and hurried down the stairs, horrified. 

"Gods, you really are insane," Lyanna looked disbelieving.

Jaime simply drew his sword without hesitation, to which Whent drew his own, matching him. Her son was better than half the men in this room, and stood a chance against all of them, but not all at once. 

"Mother, where are the Lannister men?" Cersei looked determined, green eyes flashing. "If he wants to make this a fight, I'll fetch them,"

"Stop," Her voice had them all freezing, even the Kingsguard. "Jaime, Cersei stand down," She slowly turned to Rhaegar. "Locking me up was something even Aerys knew better than to try, boy. Do not make this decision lightly. But if that's your will, I'll play along for now," She was already being arrested, why not add another threat or two?

"This decision is anything but made lightly, my lady," He said, nodded at the Kingsguard.

Tya could get her own men to help her fight her way out of this, but it would be a bloodbath, and there were considerably more Targaryen guards in this castle. Even if they won, it would be seen as a Lannister coup, which the lords would not stand for. Besides, she could still rule from a cell, and she would not be there for very long. If anything, this gave Kevan a genuine reason to join the side of rebels, which would save her a lot of letter-writing.

"Rhaegar, you cannot do this," Rhaella was near weeping now, as the Kingsguard approached Tya. "You foolish boy! You're too young to remember Castamere, but gods, you've heard the song. Tya, please, he doesn't know what he's doing,"

Whilst Tya misliked hearing her friend beg her for her son's life, there was something rather satisfying in knowing that her reputation was sufficient enough to threaten the man who was currently throwing her in a cell.

Neither Hightower nor Selmy dared manhandle her in any way. Ser Gerold merely gestured to the door, grim-faced, and she left walking between them, and slightly ahead. She only glanced back at Cersei, a meaningful look that she hoped her daughter was bright enough to interpret as visit me as soon as you're able.

The cell they showed her to was a tower cell, meant for noble prisoners, a far cry from the dungeons, and sheer luxury compared to the Black Cells. This room was sparse but clean, containing a narrow bed, a basin, a table and chair, though there was no fireplace. The only window was barred, which amused her slightly, given the hundred foot drop. The tower rose above the walls, and her view was of the entire city spread before her, the walls and beyond. Ironically, it was better than her view from the Tower of the Hand.

Had Jason heard by now? Surely he had; he was hardly expecting this confrontation to go well. Jaime had likely raced there before Tya even made it to her cell.

Sure enough, within ten minutes of her arriving, Jason, Jaime and Cersei had all appeared at the door and were being let in by the gaoler. With four people in the cell, it had become suddenly very cramped, made worse by the fact that the twins were both furious and thus took up far too much space. Tya was immediately faced with the full force of both her children's rage, demanding why she had let Rhaegar have her arrested, why they weren't fighting back, both swearing revenge on her behalf.

"Jaime, what is your impression of the Stark girl?" She cut them off mid-rant.

Her son gave her an odd look, but reigned in his temper.

"Lyanna just wants to go home," He said. "She hates Rhaegar, hates that she let herself be deceived, hates she's pregnant with his bastard. There's not an ambitious bone in her body. She's praying for a daughter, just to spite him,"

"Well she still can't marry Baratheon," Cersei scoffed. "Not if she's with child,"

"Rhaegar told her he wants her at court as his mistress, and that their child to be raised alongside his other children," Jaime shook his head. "She'd sooner fall on a sword than let that happen, Cersei, so stop looking so murderous,"

Tya shared a look with Jason. That would not do at all. There was a pause.

"You both are going to listen to me closely," She said, and the twins nodded as one. "Jaime, you need to leave. Take Damon, Rohanne and Tyrion, and enough guards to get you to Casterly Rock,"

"I'm not leaving you all here!"

"You will escort your siblings to the Rock, and you will deliver a letter to Kevan," Her tone was not to be argued with. "House Lannister will raise its banners for House Targaryen, yes - for Aegon not Rhaegar, though he needn't know that yet,"

"Gods, if the next in line to the throne was not a blood relative, I'm not sure anyone would let you near him," Jaime said darkly. "That'll be two rulers you've brought down,"

She was not in the mood for japes.

"You'll do it?" Her tone implied, woe betide you if not.

"Fine," He said grudgingly. "Surely we could smuggle you out - Father, Cersei and Aegon as well. No need to go down with a sinking ship,"

"We could leave, but we won't," Tya said flatly. "Kevan will explain when you get to the Rock," She saw the look on his face and softened ever so slightly. "I do... appreciate your willingness to come to my aid in the throne room. But it would have ultimately done more harm than good. It is a good thing too that you got to Lady Lyanna first - it gives us room to bargain,"

Her son inclined his head, looking less mutinous than before, simply frustrated at the fact he could not do anything he deemed to be helpful. Tya turned to her daughter.

"Cersei, you will remain here with Aegon," She said. "You will play a part and you will make it believable, which will be difficult after that display in the throne room. Tell Rhaegar anything you need to convince him that you are not allied with me. Even if you act as though we fought, or that you're trying to tear his attention away from Lyanna in a fit of jealousy," Her daughter nodded, not looking happy but knowing she was capable. "Good, now both of you leave,"

The twins both looked like they wanted to object, but saw her expression and ultimately left, leaving Tya and Jason alone.

"I'm assuming I've read your plan right," Jason raised an eyebrow. "I'll make a good show of helping Rhaegar smooth things over with Stark and Baratheon. And I suppose I'll be writing to Kevan - what man would not send armies to support his king in exchange for his dear sister's safety and release?"

Tya smiled faintly at his dry tone.

"Write to Stark too," She said. "They're angry enough try to crown Robert Baratheon otherwise - he has Targaryen blood from his grandmother,"

Over the coming week, Tya heard from Jason family at least once a day. Rhaegar was evidently still taking his advice - still benefitting from her family even after throwing her in a cell - for he offered to pay Lyanna's dowry to both Stark and Baratheon, and give a public apology. He promised her return to Winterfell and a place at court for her child.

This offer was thrown back in his face, as the two houses continue to raise their banners and march on the city. Rhaegar came back with more generous terms; lowered taxes in the Stormlands and the North, Viserys fostering at Storm's End, even a marriage between the future Stark or Baratheon heir to one of his daughters. Still to no avail. As hoped.

As instructed, Jaime had - grudgingly, according to Jason - left the city with his brothers and sister a day after Tya's arrest. A shame they could not smuggle out Cersei and Aegon in the night, but they were too closely guarded, and it would not have fitted with her plan besides.

Though three weeks after his departure, very unexpected word came through Jason from Casterly Rock. Jaime had absconded with his betrothed, Janei, in the middle of the night, leaving only a note for Kevan written by both him and the girl. It stated that Janei dreaded the idea of being Lady of Casterly Rock, of marriage and children, and wanted nothing more than to be a septa. Jaime had obliged and they were on their way to the Starry Sept in Oldtown so she could swear her vows.

From anyone else, Tya would see that as an attempt for Jaime to be the sole claimant of the Rock - Gerion having renounced his claim years ago - and to take power for himself. She could have admired that, for quite honestly this was to her benefit, but she knew that was not the reason her son had done such a thing. Jaime clearly had no desire to wed his shy little cousin, who idolised him but equally dreaded the idea of marrying him. And he had little interest in ruling in the first place; it was only via Kevan's tutelage that he was agreeable at all.

Tya found herself having to thank her son for this unintentionally helpful move, however, for it opened up another opportunity. One that Jaime would not be best pleased with, but they were at war and she had to take every chance she was offered. Tya had Jason discreetly send word to Stark, requesting Lyanna as a bride for her eldest son.

Yes, it would rankle having a Lady of the Rock who had already birthed another man's child, and doubtless there would be many who called Lyanna a whore behind her back; not to mention that Brandon Stark was already marrying Rohanne. But it wasn't like Lyanna had been disgraced by a common hedge knight - no, it had been a Targaryen prince - and most everyone believed she had been kidnapped besides. Lyanna and her bastard son would go to Casterly Rock, be away from court, away from Aegon. Now Janei was not an option, Jaime was more likely to be agreeable to a match with a girl he seemed to get along with. 

And most importantly, Stark could hardly complain given his daughter had been offered an equally respectable match as the one she had lost. A solution that Tya had come up with, not Rhaegar. It helped that she had come up with an even better solution for when they marched on King's Landing and were inevitably met with a siege.

Quite honestly, she would have offered far more than her son's hand and her brother's armies to ensure that he and Baratheon supported Aegon's claim rather than going rogue.

Rickard Stark accepted, though clearly stated that he had still not forgiven Rhaegar the insult and was still out for revenge. Robert Baratheon too was infuriated that he would not have Lyanna for a bride, no doubt having expected to rescue a blushing, grateful young woman and take her for his wife as a reward for all those battles. 

Finally, the armies of the North and Stormlands arrived at the city gates together, having waited a moons turn for the Westerlands to prepare. 

As far as Rhaegar was concerned, Kevan's larger force would be hidden from the besieging armies, then launch a surprise attack from the west, drawing the Starks and Baratheons away from the city walls. Rhaegar would then ride out from the city with his men and attack them from behind. Caught in the middle, fighting on two fronts, would lead to a crushing defeat of the rebels. 

Tya knew that Kevan's men were in place when she heard the preparations for Rhaegar's attack begin throughout the city. From her tower she had a very good view of the whole thing.

It was both amusing and immensely satisfying to watch. Stark and Baratheon made a good show of sounding the alarm at the advancing Westermen, organising their men into battle formation and rushing forward to meet them. Rhaegar then led the charge out of the gates of the city, and that was when he was done for. 

They let the charge of Targaryen loyalists clear the gates by quite a way before Stark and Baratheon roared the order to change course. Slowly the order spread, and soon the entire forces of the North, Stormlands and Westerlands were charging in the opposite direction, straight towards the city. 

Rhaegar, to his credit, reacted quickly. Not quickly enough to get him and his men behind the city walls before they were caught up with, however. That was a fatal flaw of the prince's; he refused to be the first through the gates, and thus was caught against the walls. She knew this because she could see that the gates were still open. There could be no other reason for this than loyalist lords not letting the guards close the gates without the prince behind them. Thus, the gates were not shut when the Starks, Lannisters and Baratheons reached the walls. 

It was laughably easy, really. The battle had turned in an instant, and the invaders were pouring into the city. 

Unfortunately, those holding the castle were not taking any more chances. The door to Tya's cell was flung open and three men barrelled in, all common guardsmen. 

"Treacherous bitch," One had the gall to spit at her feet, whilst two more strode in and seized her arms, dragging her away from the window and out of the cell. "We know all this was you,"

"Mind your tongue," Tya said coldly as she was manhandled down the stairs. "Surely you are not so foolish that you can't tell who will hold this city before the day is out?" Her glare snapped to the man behind her, whose hands had begun to wander. "I will have that hand removed, and if you dare touch me like that again, it will be your head,"

He flinched instictively at the venom in her tone, but recovered enough male pride to slap her around the face, hard. Tya's head snapped to the side, but she refused to raise her own hand to her stinging face, refused to show any weakness at all.

"Devan," One of the other, wiser men muttered a word of warning. 

The warning did not come soon enough. Her own hand delivered a sickening crack to the face of man who had struck her. Though he yelped in pain, he didn't take it lying down. Before Tya knew it, she was pinned to the wall by the brute, head smacking hard into the stone with his hand at her throat.

"You might be a high lady, Hand of the King, but here you're just an unnarmed woman alone with three soldiers," He hissed, breath warm and foul against her face. "No amount of being a stuck-up bitch would save you from us doing whatever we liked with you,"

"Devan, you fool, stop it," One of the others snapped, dragging him off her. 

"Do you want to sign our death warrants?" The third looked nervous. 

Rightly so. Tya hid the fact she was struggling for a breath, did not check to see if her head was bleeding, simply wore a look of cold fury as she turned to the one who had dared strike her.

"If you can do anything you wish to me, then why did you not kill me in my cell? Rape me over that table? Shove me down these stairs?" Nothing but angry silence in response. "Do not make threats you cannot follow through on. The only reason you have dragged me down here is to save your own sorry hides," And all you have done now is guarenteed your deaths.

"The king wishes to see you, actually," The other guard said, cringing slightly as her glare turned on him. Oh, you've got to be joking... "Sorry for him, milady - he shouldn't've hit you,"

"The king didn't say escort her there unharmed," Devan scowled as they continued on down the stairs. "She's a traitor - we all know what he's going to do to her anyway,"

"The king is supposed to be locked up in his rooms under strict guard," Tya said sharply. "The king is a menace to this city and himself. Or have you forgotten the daily wildfire pyres and execution of innocent people?"

"As if you care," One muttered under his breath. He was right, in a way; she cared, though more about the impression it left. 

"Well there's no guards left to keep him locked up," Another of them replied to her, shrugging. "They're all up on the walls. Someone must've let him out. We was just walking past the throne room when he called us in. It's not for the likes of us to disobey the king, even if he's wrong in the head,"

"Aerys is in the throne room?" She closed her eyes briefly. 

At least Rhaella was shut away safely in Maegor's. Jason would have left with Cersei and Aegon already; apparently he trusted Varys the Spider to get them out of the keep. One Lannister hostage was enough, they did not need two, especially now they had so obviously betrayed the crown.

"Sat on his throne," The man nodded. 

I hope he impales himself on it.

"Did the king ask you for anything else?" She asked through gritted teeth. 

"Aye, milady," For all their talk and bravado, they fell back into taking orders very easily. "He asked our friend to bring him the pyromancer. Lord Rosshart,"

For the first time that day, Tya's blood went cold in her veins, and her stomach clenched unpleasantly in fear. She had been in the process of dismantling Aerys' caches of wildfire, having them cleared in the dead of night by small teams of discreet men. But she had not yet got all of them - the work was slow, given the care one had to take transporting the substance - and she could not be sure she even knew where they all were. 

"You fools. Rosshart and Aerys hid an enormous amount of wildfire all over the city," She hissed, settling on the blunt and honest truth, with a little exaggeration. "One of the many reasons we locked him up. The pyromancer is the only one who knows where all of the caches are. Get me to the throne room, now, unless you want the entirety of King's Landing to be blown a mile into the sky. And you, give me your knife,"

*

The throne room was empty aside from the king. Aerys was pacing up and down in front of the throne, muttering to himself, volume rising and falling with each sentence. He looked a fright, as he had done for years, lilac eyes snapping up and fixing on them as the three guards dragged Tya through the doors, forcing her to her knees at the king's feet.

As the men bowed and backed away, closing the doors behind them - they had their own orders, to find Rosshart and cut his stinking head off - Aerys looked down at her, smiling.

"I've longed for this sight for many years. The great Tya Lannister, kneeling before me, battered and broken,"

Tya forced herself to remain on the floor, forced herself not to snarl or even glare at that. Simply remain blank-faced and numb.

That became a whole lot harder when the king bent down and gently took her jaw in his hand, tilting her head up to look at her. She'd have rather he hit her.

"What did you do to earn that blow?" His thumb brushed over the bruise on her cheek in a sickeningly tender manner. "I must say, I prefer you in red than brown," She had not been given her own clothes to wear during her imprisonment, merely plain, roughspun servant's garb, and it rankled. Tya had never worn something so common in her life. "Though I always did like your hair loose," 

He stroked her hair, taking a lock of it in his hand, strands catching in his hideous nails, and she really had to fight not to cringe away or strike him. Then his grip tightened painfully, and his face abruptly changed from tender to furious, mad in the blink of an eye.

"Your treacherous brother betrayed me," He stood, voice raising with every word, hauling her up with him by her hair. Tya could not help but wince at that, especially given the wound on the back of her head. "Was that on your orders? Oh, how I laughed when I heard my son had thrown you in a cell! But instead of being humbled, realising your place, I wouldn't put it past you to plot treason whilst imprisoned,"

Still she said nothing. He tilted her head back with her hair, face merely inches from her own.

"I would kill you right now with my bare hands, you traitorous wretch!" He was practically screaming in her face now, before suddenly quieting again. "But it doesn't matter anymore. I sent for Rosshart. You know well enough what that means," He grinned, and it was horrifying. "Whilst this city burns, you and your army of traitors with it, I will rise again. Fire is in my blood, the blood of Old Valyria, the blood of kings and dragonriders. It is impossible for a Targaryen to die from fire. I rise from the flames - the mighty dragon, reborn," 

By the gods... His voice was feverish and his eyes were pits of madness. Not a single rational thought behind them. But Aerys' grip on her hair had slackened as he rambled on, staring off into the distance, distracted, waiting eagerly for the explosions of wildfire around the city. 

It was the last mistake he ever made. Tya drew the dagger from her sleeve and in one smooth motion had slid it between his ribs.

The king gasped, as though it had simply been something very cold, rather than sharp.

"What - " He slowly looked down, letting go of her entirely. It took a few moments for him to register the dagger sticking out of him, still attached to her hand. Then he looked back up at her, horrified, shocked, pained. "Tya,"

Without hesitation or sympathy, she twisted the blade. He gasped again, making a strangled choking sound. She held his stare the entire time. He had the gall to look betrayed, as she pulled out the dagger. 

The king staggered to his knees. With one heeled boot, Tya kicked him so he landed on his back, then stepped forward, looming over him, blocking the Iron Throne from his view and making sure that she was the only thing he could see.

There were many things she could say in that moment. How Rosshart was likely being butchered in the courtyard at that very moment. How Rhaegar was either dead, or captured and likely to die soon. How the Red Keep was being overrun with rebels. How the Iron Throne belonged to her grandson, and would be in her hands until the day she died. How she would ensure that the Mad King's legacy was one of insanity, cruelty and incompetence. 

Judging from the way the blood was flowing out of him, and his increasingly laboured breathing and panicked eyes, there wasn't time for that. Instead she simply said,

"I won, Aerys,"

Tya Lannister smiled as she looked down at the king. His eyes bulged in his last few moments, as Aerys Targaryen took in one last gasping, choking breath and died. 

* 

And he's dead at last! How was that last scene? The hardest bit of this story to write was when Tya and Rhaegar reunited, hands down. I wasn't planning on having her arrested, but everything fell in place that way. I also apologise for my depiction of the battle; it is far from the finest thing I have written but my focus was more on Tya. This chapter will definitely be heavily edited after I've finished the whole thing haha.

To summarise the battle plan in case it was not clear; Rhaegar arrested Tya for treason, essentially taking her as a hostage. To guarentee her safety and future pardon, it would make sense for Kevan to send his men in support of Rhaegar, particularly as Cersei is queen. Tya, Jason and Kevan played off of this; after cementing their alliance to the Starks and Baratheons, ensuring that Lyanna had a promising future despite bearing another man's child, they convinced Rhaegar that the Lannisters were on his side through giving him good advice about how to handle the situation peacefully, knowing that Stark and Baratheon would refuse his terms. From Rhaegar's point of view, the Lannisters were going to launch a surprise attack from the west, whilst he attacked them while they were distracted, resulting in them being caught between two forces and crushed. What actually happened was that the surprise attack was a ruse, the Starks and Baratheons were in on it, and once Rhaegar had been lured away from the city the Lannisters switched sides and all three of them attacked him. It's difficult to fit a lot of people through one gate quickly, hence they were crushed agains the walls. Rhaegar was presumably still out there when this happened, for no one shut the gates, so the invaders got into the city.

God I didn't realise how complicated that was, sorry about that.

Anyway, I haven't yet decided if the next chapter will be another chapter or the epilogue. Either way, this story is coming to a close. The idea of not writing Tya anymore is quite sad, so I'll likely add a bonus chapter at some stage when I'm bored. Please let me know any requests/ideas for this!

Thanks for reading, please comment/review!