King's LANDING was the most terrifying place Alys had ever had to wander before. It was filled to the brim with filthy beggars and orphans and was hardly safe for a young girl alone, however Alys had grown up with the Shakri tribe where women fought and earned for their men and she knew how to fight, even without a sword in hand. They had cut her HAIR , which was once long and golden and was now chopped harshly beneath her ears, and stripped her of warrior's attire before leaving her at the city gates. Alys knew they weren't coming back. The girl being only a head taller than the half-man that resided in the Red Keep despite the fact she was fast approaching her seventeenth year, the people of the city thought she was a starving orphan. She'd been wandering the city for days but the heat, starvation and thirst had gotten the better of her and she now lay outside the Red Keep, her head resting on the hot stone as her strength had gotten the better of her.

As Ser Jaime Lannister rode through the city gates he was greeted by cheers and thanks from the people of the city. Some even chanted 'king slayer' as he rode by on horseback. The man knew he was admired and bathed in the honour of it. However as he approached the Red Keep, the glint of Lannister gold caught his eye. A young girl who could barely hold herself upright leaned against the wall as Jaime's eyes cast over her and he was sure from the moment he saw her that she belonged to his family. No one in the seven kingdoms had hair as golden as the Lannisters and she reminded him of his mother, but as far as he was aware the House of Lannister were proud of the fact that they had no bastards, unlike other houses. Jaime stopped abruptly, climbing off of his horse and reaching the girls side quickly. Upon seeing the girl's exhaustion, he lifted her over his shoulder and lead the horse into the castle with her. If she was indeed a Lannister bastard, no one could know.

"Is this some sort of joke, Jaime?" The Queen was furious with her twin brother, bringing common folk into their home. "We were all led to believe that there were no bastards burdening our family and yet you CLAIM to have found one?"

"Have you ever seen a person that looks so much like our mother?" This quieted the Queen, as the girl kneeling in front of them was the spitting image of the late Lady Lannister, and there was a moment of silence.

"If she is a Lannister bastard, who is her father?" Cersei sighed in exasperation, "No one must know about her."

Just as Alys mustered up the strength to speak, the doors opened and the half-man entered. She'd heard many Shakri tales about half-men, but had never seen one in the flesh before.

"What's this I hear about Jaime dragging a young girl into the castle against her own will? I thought it was only my sister he… oh." He received glares from Cersei, as his eyes SCANNED Alys with curiosity. "We believe we found Lannister offspring lurking around the castle walls," Jaime gestured to the girl in front of them.

Tyrion grimaced. "Well, I suggest you get her washed and fed before you question her. The stench in here is unbearable and the girl looks as if she's on the brink of death."

The last place Alys expected to end up in King's Landing was kneeling in front of Lannisters galore. They had fed her and clothed her and she had slept like a baby in chambers that couldn't begin to compare to the finest Shakri tent, yet she refused to trust these people and doubted every word they said. They observed her quietly at first, Cersei, Jaime and Tyrion all in complete silence, which seemed completely out of character from what she'd heard previously about the House of Lannister. Yet Alys daren't make a sound, as she'd been taught in her time in Westeros that when it comes to high families you never speak unless you're spoken to first. She'd learnt that from an old friend who lost his head.

"She's quite beautiful, isn't she-." Tyrion spoke up but he was cut off by Cersei.

"Enough," just the look in her eye could turn any object into ice, "What is your name and how old are you, girl?" There wasn't an ounce of respect in her voice or manner.

"My name is Alys of the Shakri tribe of the seven kingdoms, your Grace. I am approaching my seventeenth year." Alys tried her best to keep eye contact with Cersei as she wanted her to see the strength in her soul, after many years of training and fighting with the Shakri.

"Shakri? I've never known the Shakri to be born with beautiful, yellow hair before, or to be born so small?" She jeered at the girl's lack of height.

"Thank you, your Grace, and you are quite right. A Shakri has never been born with yellow HAIR . During my time as a warrior I had to colour it with coal, because the Shakri have a certain longing for gold and they would take my hair from me. As for my size, being a warrior is about strength and speed, you don't need to be able to touch the ceiling to pull a person's innards out." She heard Tyrion stifle a laugh. Alys had been a part of the tribe for most of her life, but she always knew that she wasn't a true Shakri warrior and this was confirmed by the way they dumped her on their travels. She had never and knew that she would never fit into that tribe, although she was rather handy with a sword.

"So, you aren't Shakri at all then? Where do you come from?" Cersei took a step towards Alys as if to frighten her but her position or expression never faltered. She was taught by the best to never back down but still had to swallow the lump in her throat.

"I have been told that I was born in Casterly Rock to a SICKLY woman. She asked the Shakri tribe to keep me safe and died not long after. There's a tale told about her to the Shakri children, of the woman who died of a broken heart. She was fooled by a man that she loved so very much that she couldn't bear to be reminded of it and even the sight of her own child tore her apart," She found herself suppressing a sad smile thinking about the tale's of her mother.

"What was her name?" The half-man finally spoke after being shot down by the Queen.

"Tyrion."

"No, Cersei, let me speak. What was your mother's name?" He looked at Alys in a way that she'd seen no one look before, as if he was remembering something painful yet he wanted it desperately.

"I don't know, my Lord, she went by many names in many places and I may not be able to list them all," Alys knew little about her mother. She'd died when she was still suckling at her breast and the tales told by the people who cared for her since was all she knew of her. Her mother had traveled Westeros through her lifetime and CLAIMED to have seen sleeping dragons, which was why the Shakri tribe had agreed to care for her daughter in the first place. She stood slowly, her eyes never wavering from the people in front of her. Although she was dressed she felt naked without her warrior attire and was embarrassed by the fact that she wasn't showing her battle scars. "What do you want from me?" Her question was firm.

"I ask the questions and give the orders, Alys of the Shakri tribe. List the names you know." Alys' question seemed to have angered the Queen, but she didn't want to look weak.

Alys stared her straight in the eyes and took a deep breath, "Christys, Brise, Julienna… Tysha… I'm sorry, I remember no others." She watched on, her expression solid. The Queen gave another sigh before turning towards the doors, whilst Jaime's eyes were on Tyrion who in Alys' opinion, looked as if he had been shot with poison dart and his life was about to end.

"Brothers, come. We have some important decisions to make." And Alys was left alone in a foreign castle, where even the threadbare rug lying on the floor was worth more gold than she'd ever known.

The Lannister's entered the small council chambers in a hurry, Cersei bolting it after they had all entered. She turned, rushing towards Tyrion, seething with anger. "You've ruined it all, burdening our family with not only your presence but now a perfect little bastard. Thank goodness the poor thing isn't as ugly as it's father, because then we'd have a real problem on our hands," the Queen took a moment to get her breath back before continuing, "No one will know about her. We are the most powerful family in the seven kingdoms and we pride ourselves on our purity. No one can know about you and the whore." At first Tyrion didn't respond, but stared past Cersei as she placed her head in her hands.

"We were married. The girl is no bastard," Tyrion spoke, looking significantly more miserable than he did the day before.

"She's as good as any bastard, Tyrion, and you know that yourself," Jaime made himself heard for once. Despite the fact he had the higher position and was heir, he always let his sister overshadow him. "But what are we to do with her?"

Cersei looked up. "I'll send for our father. She'll stay here in the Keep until he arrives and then we'll decide on what truly must be done." She unbolted the door and swung it open, Jaime following along behind her until she stopped. "Tyrion, see to the girl's well-being and make sure she doesn't escape. The thing is your little catastrophe after all." The Queen finally exited, her twin brother following behind her like a lost puppy.

Tyrion waited until the sound of their footsteps had faded before sitting down and pouring himself a cup of wine. He drained it within seconds, slamming the cup down on the table afterwards. "Well, fuck."