Tywin had been... listening in to some extent. Who couldn't. It was out enough in the open, and the Lannisters were gathered together. When he had heard that Ellyn had wanted to send Meredyth to Highgarden he had been in shock. His aunt knew he has been courting her. How dare she? To go against Meredyth's wishes too - he assumed. Deep down, there was a sense of resigned acceptance. What did he offer, as Lord of Lannisport? Nothing. A few men, docking of her ships, and a rich city. The anger was there, of course. A fury at Ellyn for betraying him. That was how it felt, anyway. After all father had done for her, she was just spitting in Tywin's face. Tybolt was allowed to court a fucking Northener for love. Myrcella and Lord Payne. Yet it was Meredyth used as a pawn. Because Tywin had no importance.

Hopes that has risen meteorically had been dashed as the conversation took an ugly turn. Ellyn disgusted him, that she would be so easily swayed by the words of a viper. And she was the Lord Paramount? Any silver tongue could sway her, then. Gods, it felt good when Meredyth stepped forward, and began to argue back. Perhaps there was hope, after all.

Any semblance of optimism was shattered when she asked for Victor's oath. He felt sick, betrayed to an even grander scale now. Wild thoughts ran through his head; so everything they had together had been a lie? Tywin was just to make do until a more successful match came along, of course. Any words to him, any sweet notions of courtship and love had been bitter lies. He'd been played, toyed with like a mouse in the paws of a cat.

He wanted to rush forwards, shout them all down, beg Meredyth. That wouldn't be lordly, however. It would be beneath him. Instead, he remained mounted, staring straight ahead, face slowly turning red, shaking slightly, hands gripping the reins hard enough for them to turn white, his nails digging in hard enough to cut his hands. Jason noticed, of course. Drawing upon his expertise as a father, as Ellyn's loving brother, as a man famed for diplomatic compromise, he said nothing, and just grimly stared ahead. No one deserved ill feeling for this. It was politics. Perhaps he'd believe it himself if he said it enough.