Editing A Clash of Kings-Chapter 44 (section)

==Synopsis==
Within the [[royal sept]] of the [[Red Keep]], [[Tyrion Lannister|Tyrion]] learns from [[Lancel Lannister|Lancel]] that [[Cersei Lannister|the queen]] intends to hide [[Tommen Baratheon|Tommen]] away at [[Rosby]] under the care of Lord [[Gyles Rosby]]. He is disturbed that [[Varys]] has not learned of this, or decided not to inform him. 

Later, Tyrion has [[Bronn]] deliver word to Ser [[Jacelyn Bywater]], commanding him to take fifty men and capture Lord Rosby's party, and to expel the garrison and keep Tommen safe at Rosby. He does not want Gyles hurt, nor any killing done in front of Tommen. For this, Jacelyn will earn a [[lord]]ship. Bronn offers to do the job instead if there is a lordship in it for him, but Tyrion refuses, privately noting that Jacelyn's men will defend Tommen whereas Bronn's are more likely to sell Tommen to the crown's enemies if the coming battle goes against them.

Tyrion sets out for [[Chataya's brothel]], but abandons his patience and rides directly to the [[manse near the Iron Gate]]. He finds [[Shae]] listening to a singer, [[Symon Silver Tongue]], and has the man expelled and sworn to silence. When one of the [[begging brother]]s appears, Shae recognizes him as Lord Varys. The Spider informs Tyrion that [[siege of Storm's End (299)|Storm's End has fallen]] and that [[Stannis Baratheon|Stannis]] will soon be marching on [[King's Landing]]. Tyrion bids Varys to wait at the stables while he talks to Shae.

Once alone, Shae asks Tyrion to make her his lady in court, and even suggests he kill Cersei, but Tyrion tells her, "The man who [[kinslayer|kills his own blood]] is cursed forever in the sight of gods and men." When Tyrion proposes to take her to the [[Red Keep]] and hide her in the kitchens, Shae balks, and mocks him for being afraid of his father, [[Tywin Lannister]]. Tyrion slaps her in the face, telling her never to mock him again. Feeling remorseful, he tells her the story of [[Tysha]] and his father's wrath.

Tyrion departs to meet Varys at the stables, and the eunuch suggests that Shae be placed as a maidservant to Lady [[Tanda Stokeworth|Tanda]]'s daughter [[Lollys Stokeworth|Lollys]]. Shae would then be able to access the [[Tower of the Hand]] through a [[secret passage]], which Tyrion is surprised to learn exists. 

Varys then attempts to tell Tyrion how Ser [[Cortnay Penrose|Cortnay]] died, and when he suggests it was [[magic]], Tyrion disbelieves him. Varys recounts the story of how he came to be a [[eunuch]]: that he was a member of a [[mummers]] troupe, and that one day in [[Myr]] [[a certain man]] bought Varys from his master. The sorcerer castrated Varys, and burned the parts, creating a blue flame from which a voice spoke in a language he did not comprehend. Varys claims he has hated magic since that day, and means to see Stannis dead if the man practiced magic. 

Tyrion is somewhat skeptical, believing it more likely that Stannis has hired a skilled assassin from the [[Free Cities]], musing on how he used to dream of being rich enough one day to hire a [[Faceless Men|Faceless Man]] to kill his sister. There has been no word from Tywin or from [[Petyr Baelish]], and [[Randyll Tarly]] is reported to have seized [[Renly Baratheon]]'s stores at [[Bitterbridge]]. Tyrion's greater concern is that Stannis is now bringing his army to bear against King's Landing, and he is the only one standing in the way of Stannis's victory. With the city's people's hatred for [[House Lannister]] and himself in particular at its highest, defeating Stannis seems unlikely.