After a long while, Tywin suddenly spoke. "Send Tyrion to King's Landing first."
Kevan froze at the name and asked in disbelief, "What?"
"Send Tyrion to King's Landing," Tywin repeated evenly. "He has a quick wit. During his years growing up at Casterly Rock, he handled financial affairs well. He also knows how to deal with Cersei, and he can use his little tricks to delay the Targaryens. So I have decided to make him acting Hand of the King and put him in charge of the defense of King's Landing."
Kevan stared at Tywin incredulously. "Tyrion has never commanded in a war. Besides, he's a..."
"Whatever he is," Tywin interrupted firmly, "he is still a Lannister, at least for now. And I never expected him to command a war. I only want him to stabilize the situation and buy us time, until we can deal with the northmen and return to King's Landing."
He looked at Kevan and continued, "Cersei controls power in King's Landing now. You cannot handle her, and neither can Jaime. Only Tyrion can hold his own against her."
"What if King's Landing cannot hold?" Kevan asked hesitantly.
Tywin fell silent for a moment, then said, "Then we retreat along the Goldroad to the Westerlands and hold Casterly Rock. Casterly Rock is easy to defend and difficult to take, and we have the gold mines to sustain us. If the Targaryens want to take the Westerlands, they will have to pay ten times the price."
Kevan looked at him, suddenly feeling that the elder brother before him had become a stranger.
"You intend to abandon King's Landing?" he asked.
Tywin shook his head and looked at Kevan, enunciating each word. "It is not abandonment. It is a choice. House Lannister is more important than King's Landing.