Editing A Storm of Swords-Chapter 19 (section)

==Synopsis==

The [[small council]] meets to discuss the progress of the war, and [[Tyrion Lannister|Tyrion]] learns that [[Lancel Lannister|Lancel]] is still near death. [[Randyll Tarly]] [[Battle of Duskendale|defeated]] the northmen attacking [[Duskendale]], with [[Helman Tallhart]] reported dead, and [[Robett Glover]] fleeing west and being chased by [[Gregor Clegane]]. Tywin informs them that [[Daven Lannister]] is rounding up a new army and will join with men from the [[Golden Tooth]], and then march on [[Riverrun]] when [[Robb Stark]] returns north. They all agree that Robb will march for [[Moat Cailin]], for he is a king without a kingdom. 

[[Kevan Lannister|Kevan]] reveals that [[Balon Greyjoy]] has sent letters with terms of alliance. Greyjoy wants the [[North]], but Tywin says they will not treat with Balon while other options may present themselves. [[Petyr Baelish|Littlefinger]] agrees to go to the [[Eyrie]] to marry [[Lysa Arryn]], and once he is consort, deliver [[the Vale]] of Arryn into Tywin's hands. Since Littlefinger will be leaving within a day, Tyrion is named [[Master of Coin|master of coins]]. [[Pycelle]] informs them that 300 [[Dornishmen]] ride for [[King's Landing]] in response to Tyrion's negotiations, despite the hatred between [[Dorne]] and [[Highgarden]] that has gone on for hundreds of years. 

[[Mace Tyrell]] does not like the idea of Dornishmen riding across [[the Reach]]. Tyrion considers how the Lord of Highgarden talked like a general although he had never won a decisive battle. His victory over [[Robert Baratheon]] at [[Battle of Ashford|Ashford]] was won by Randyll Tarly and the [[Siege of Storm's End|siege of Storm's End]] lasted for a year without result until [[Eddard Stark]] relieved the castle.

[[Garlan Tyrell]] has been named Lord of [[Brightwater Keep]] since [[Alester Florent]] is a traitor. [[Varys]] brings word of a three-headed dragon being born in [[Qarth]], and that the [[Night's Watch]] is begging for help against a [[wildling]] army. [[Tywin Lannister|Lord Tywin]] does not want to hear about rumors of dragons, and is disinterested in news of wildlings, claiming that if [[the Wall]] is overrun, the [[House Stark|Starks]] and [[House Greyjoy|Greyjoys]] will have a new enemy to deal with, even speculating they may be able to make a deal with [[Mance Rayder]], overriding the attempts of Varys and Tyrion to have gold cloaks who deserted during the [[Battle of the Blackwater]] forced to take the black. He adjourns the meeting, asking Tyrion, [[Cersei Lannister|Cersei]] and Kevan to stay. Tyrion warns them not to trust Littlefinger with this quest to the Vale, but Tywin is resolute, believing it better to have Baelish ruling the Vale as opposed to the likes of [[Yohn Royce]] or [[Lyn Corbray]] and adds that Littlefinger has proven his loyalty, telling Tyrion that just the other day Baelish informed them of a plot by the Tyrells to bring [[Sansa Stark|Sansa]] to Highgarden and marry her to [[Willas Tyrell|Willas]]. The Hand is aware that should Mace Tyrell ask leave to bring Sansa to Highgarden, they must consent or else offend the Tyrells. Tywin wishes to circumvent this problem by offering Cersei's hand in marriage to Willas. Cersei adamantly refuses but her father has the final say, and Cersei storms out of the room in a fury. Tywin then tells Tyrion that he will wed Sansa Stark, further solidifying the Lannisters's position, because should [[Robb Stark|Robb]] die and Sansa and Tyrion have a son, the child will become Lord of [[Winterfell]]. 

Tyrion protests, arguing that a marriage to Sansa is worthless while the Greyjoys hold the north and questions why he isn't being forced into a marriage with Balon's [[Asha Greyjoy|daughter]], but Tywin counters that the [[Ironborn|ironborn]] won't rule the north, they will just plunder it, uniting the northmen against them, which the Lannisters can use to retake the north when Tyrion brings Ned Stark's grandson home to claim his birthright. Tyrion argues again, protesting that Sansa is still a child, but Tywin retorts with Cersei's testimony the girl has flowered. Tyrion suggests sending the girl back to [[Catelyn Stark|her mother]] as a gesture of goodwill that might make Robb Stark bend the knee, but Tywin coldly retorts that if they do that, Sansa will be married off to one of the northern or Riverlords to shore up her brother's alliances. Tywin adds that this marriage is a reward for Tyrion's previous service and threatens that if Tyrion won't go through with it, they will marry Sansa off to Lancel or another of his cousins and find Tyrion another bride; the threat of being married to [[Lollys Stokeworth]], as well as the prospect of being made Lord of Winterfell if he is to be denied [[Casterly Rock]] is enough to cow Tyrion.

As a last attempt at protest, Tyrion argues that any claim Sansa might have to Winterfell will be made irrelevant when her brother gets a child from whichever Frey girl he marries, and learns to his surprise that Robb Stark has broken his pledge with the [[House Frey|Freys]] and married [[Jeyne Westerling]]. Ser Kevan reveals that [[Gawen Westerling|Lord Westerling]]'s [[Sybell Spicer|wife]] is a Spicer, a house of extremely low birth having descended from traders. Tyrion is confused by the lack of fury in his father's eyes at this betrayal by the Westerlings, a house sworn to Casterly Rock. Lord Tywin states, "Jeyne Westerling is her mother's daughter, and Robb Stark is [[Eddard Stark|his father]]'s son."<ref>Jeyne's mother had wed a man of much higher birth than herself, and Robb married Jeyne after deflowering her because he was as honorable as his father.</ref>