Part Two
Snafu's Notes: So I've received an review in which the reader pointed out that Ned would have preferred that Jamie would be sent to the Wall for his actions, rather than to be granted a lordship and authority over Moat Cailin. That is true in canon, but in Consequences, Jamie has somewhat redeemed himself in Ned's eyes when the truth about why Jamie stabbed the Mad King in the back (i.e., the Wildfire Plot) is revealed early on, not to mention his attempt in defending Elia and her children.
In his greatest act of dishonor, Jamie was doing the right thing by killing a madman who wanted to destroy an entire town. And seeing as how Tywin had disowned him and Robert doesn't want him in King's Landing, Ned does the honorable thing and allows him to settle in the North, as he sees the potential in him.
Also, as Jon did not join the Night's Watch in this story (as he squired under Jamie), he does not meet Ygritte. He instead hooks up with Mya Stone. I was also asked about why Theon was not in the story. Tragically, in the Consequences storyline, Theon, along with his brothers, sister and father were killed by Euron Greyjoy, who seized the Seastone Chair and kicked off the Greyjoy Rebellion, which is why Rainer Lannister is in Theon's place.
Depending how this story goes, I may write a series of side stories detailing the years in between Robert's Rebellion to the War of Two Kings.
In regards to Jamie's family, they are modeled after the following actors/actresses: Rainer Lannister: Torrance Coombs (Sebastian from Reign); Valencia Lannister: India Eisley (Eve from Underworld: Awakening); Jason Lannister: Jeremy Shada (Austin Mahone from The Millers); Joanna Lannister: Jade Chynoweth (13-year-old Artemesia from 300: Rise of an Empire)
For the House of Targaryen, they are modeled after the following: Elia Martell: Talisa Soto (Princess Kitana from Mortal Kombat); Aegon Targaryen: Luke Evans (Dracula from Dracula Untold); Rhaenys Targaryen/Talisa Maegyr: Oona Chaplin.
Enough talking. On with the second chapter.
Lionsden (formerly Moat Cailin), 301 A.L. – eighteen years later.
With a groan, Jamie Lannister rolled onto his side in an attempt to shield his face from the sun's rays, pressing his chest against his wife's back. But as much as he tried, he could not return to sleep. Normally, he would be up at the crack of dawn, as would Valeriya - an old habit from their stint with the Golden Company, one that was hard to break. Right now, all he wanted was to stay in bed with his wife, who was still sound asleep, nestled under the myriad of furs that covered the bed.
Jamie looked at his wife, a smile spreading on his bearded face. She looked so peaceful, so beautiful, considered to be one of the most beautiful women in Westeros, even after nineteen years of marriage. He would turn thirty-seven this year, while she would be thirty-eight. Cersei was enraged over the fact that his Valeriya was more beautiful than she.
Jamie gave Valeriya a soft kiss on her cheek, causing her to smile and whisper Jamie's name as she continued to sleep. The Kingslayer rose out of the bed, naked as she was, as the night before was the anniversary celebrating the founding of the trading and mining town that sat in the shadow of what was Moat Cailin.
Among the guests celebrating Lionsden's founding were the representatives from House Stark: Robb Stark and his new wife, as well as Jon Stark, his former squire, and the new Lord of Wolf's Den (formerly the Dreadfort) and his bastard companion.
Jamie looked out the window and into the town. The town was one of Jamie's many achievements ever since becoming Lord of House Lannister - the Northern Lannisters, as the smallfolk and the other Noble Houses took to call them. The Greatjon Umber, as a joke, named the town Lionsden, and the name stuck. When Lionsden first started out, it was nothing more than a hodgepodge of tents in a swamp. Now, nearly twenty years later, the swamp had been drained, and it was a thriving mining and trading town under Jamie's watch. The banner of House Lannister flew proudly in the cold morning air; a combination of both his sigil and that of his wife's house, consisting of two silver mountain lions circling one another on a black field.
Winter had finally settled in the North, and from what Ned has said, it would only get worse. Thankfully, the Northern people were hardy folks and had made the preparations to survive. As Lionsden sat further south, the full brunt of it did not hit just yet, although Benjen Stark, the newly-appointed Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, sent word to his brother that it would only be a matter of time before the Long Night would be upon them.
Lionsden was home to a melting pot of people from all corners of Westeros; Dornish traders, wine sellers from The Vale, artisans from the Westernlands, just to name a few. One of the settlers was the former Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Gerold Hightower. He served as the master-at-arms for Lionsden, and he had a family of his own; a robust Northern woman and two children – a boy and a girl. The town received many visitors over the years. Stannis Baratheon, Robert's younger brother and his right-hand man, Davos Seaworth, were impressed with the town when they came to check it out at Robert's behest.
Even Mya Stone, formerly of the Vale (and one of Robert's royal bastards) made her home in the North, running a caravan north from Lionsden to the other Keeps and to The Wall. The town was home to a sept, as some of the villagers worshiped the Seven, a Godswood for those who held to the Old Gods, an orphanage a foundry, and even a brothel.
Just as the Westernlands was known for its gold mines, the North became known for its mines of iron ore and gems. Northern steel became very valuable and was known for its reliability. That and Valyrian steel, as Jamie not only had the knowledge of how to make it by means of several Valyrian scrolls and documents he had recovered whilst serving overseas, but he also had a master weaponsmith and a sorcerer from Essos with the expertise and know-how to make Valyrian steel that made their home in Lionsden at his invitation. Only thing he needed was dragonfire.
It was said of Jamie Lannister that he could piss silver to match Tywin Lannister shitting gold, given as to how prosperous the North was. Jamie found the jape amusing. The reputation of the Northern Lannisters grew, much to Tywin (and Cersei's) dismay.
Speaking of his father, Tywin had been all but irate when it became known that his disowned son was not only a Mountain Lion of the North, but was also in posession of Brightroar. Tyrion had wrote to him about that little episode in which he went on a row inside Casterly Rock as Addam Marband and Kevan Lannister watched. But there was nothing he could do, as Tywin himself disowned Jamie, which meant that he was no longer under his influence.
Cersei, on the other hand, was furious. Furious over the fact that Jamie had married another woman. Furious that said woman had given him four children. Furious that said woman was not only more beautiful than the Queen, but was more cunning and ruthless.
'You see, Father?' Jamie thought. 'Valeriya and I built this. Lord Stark trusted me, put his faith in me. Something you never did. Not with me, nor Cersei, nor with Tyrion.'
Jamie's greatest achievements, however, were his children. He was the proud father of four children; two boys and two girls. The Cubs of the North, as Jorah Mormont once joked.
Rainer Lannister was the eldest son at eighteen, a year younger than Robb Stark. To anyone who knew Jamie in his youth, they said that Rainer looked a lot like his father, save that he had his mother's eyes. He also had his father's skills in swordplay, as he had been squire to the legendary Arthur Dayne of Starfall.
There was also a friendly three-way rivalry between Rainer Lannister, Jon Stark, and Robb Stark, as the Starks also shared a love for swordplay. The Silver Lion of the North, the Silent Wolf, and the Young Wolf. Rainer also had a knack for archery, something that he picked up from his mother. He wasn't as good as she was, but he was a force to be reckoned with. Even Tywin himself had to admit - albeit grudgingly - that Rainer was a much better knight than his own son, Tyrin. The three boys also served in the Golden Company for a year, returning shortly before Jon Arryn's death.
There was the eldest daughter, Valencia. She was seventeen, conceived during the first anniversary of Lionden's founding. She had Jamie's hair and eyes, and her mother's complexion, which made her exotic, even for the North. Some of the Northern Lords compared her to Nymeria Sand, the second-eldest of the Sand Snakes, as both were beautiful, graceful...and had the habit of carrying numerous knives on their person. Interestingly enough, both Jamie's eldest daughter and Oberyn's bastard daughter were friends, and traded letters often.
Jamie would dread the day that he would have to set up a betrothal for his daughter. There were several prospects who were sniffing at her skirts, but respectfully kept their distance, out of either respect or fear of either him or his wife. Jamie hoped that it was the latter.
The only person who was petrified of Jamie or his wife was Quentyn Martell, Doran's son and nephew to Oberyn and Elia. Doran had pitched the idea of a marriage contract between his son and Valencia following Jamie and Valeriya's last trip to Dorne, as his son was quite smitten with Jamie's eldest daughter, and much to his dismay, Valencia returned the feelings. Oberyn would be arriving to arrange the betrothal at Doran's behest, bringing Ellaria and his three eldest Sand Snakes with him.
Aside from Valeriya, Oberyn also wrote about Tyene's interest in Rainer. Which meant that there were two betrothal contracts on the table for discussion. There was the matter that Tyene herself was one of Oberyn's bastards, a problem easily rectified by legitimatizing the false septa. Even more surprising was that Rainer had voiced his interest in the Dornish bastard as well.
The impending betrothal between his daughter to Doran's son wasn't the only contract being considered. Following Cersei's cruel rejection of Joffrey marrying Sansa Stark, Olenna Tyrell approached the Starks and proposed that Sansa marry her grandson and heir, Willas. Ned and Cat had agreed, thus bringing the North into an alliance with The Reach. At the same time, Edmure Tully agreed to a marriage betrothal between himself and one of Walder Frey's offspring. Jamie shuddered at the thought, only to find out that Edmure had chosen Roslin Frey, who took after her mother, rather than her father. Hoster had approved of the marriage, as did Walder, seeing as how his grandchild would become Lord of Riverrun.
Jason was the youngest of the Lannister brothers at fifteen. Rather than to have him squire under Arthur Dayne, as he had done with Rainer, Jason was sent to squire under House Mormont's Lord, Jorah Mormont. There was talk that Jason would be knighted before or around his sixteenth nameday, as he was, in Jorah's words, "a brilliant squire who would make a fine knight." Once that was done, then Jason would enlist with the Golden Company, now considered to be a rite of passage for the House of Lannister. It was where Jamie had met his wife, and where Rainer had served for two years, along with Jon and Robb Stark.
Last, was Joanna Lannister, named after his late mother. Like Arya Stark, she was a tomboy. Unlike Catelyn Stark, who disapproved, Valeriya approved. Just as Jamie saw the raw potential in Jon Snow, as he took the boy as his squire, she saw potential in both her daughter and Arya, given the latter's desire to become a warrior It took a lot of convincing on Valeriya's part, but she convinced Lady Stark in allowing her to take Arya on as her student.
When Valeriya wasn't teaching Arya how to use the bow and tracking skiils, she had hired the services of a Braavosi bravo - her former teacher - to train both girls in the Water Dance. That man was Syrio Forel, and both Arya and Joanna took to the lessons with great enthusiasm. As for Valeriya herself, Jamie's wife had also established herself in Westeros, both as a warrior woman, and as one of the more dangerous players in the game of thrones. As she was wife to one of the best swordsmen in Westeros, the former heir of a powerful family, she had earned herself the nickname 'Lion Tamer,' of which she found amusing.
She was already an established warrior and archer with her background in the Golden Company, but she made a name for herself during the Greyjoy Rebellion. The other Lords had called her the 'Goddess of Death,' and since one of her patron Gods was the Stranger, it was fitting. Even Tywin himself was in awe of her battle prowess as he watched her slash and shoot her way through the Ironborn. She was even credited with killing Euron Greyjoy, the mastermind of the Rebellion once it became known that he had returned from exile to the Iron Islands and had slain his brother, Balon, and his children.
There was a reason why both the highborn and the smallfolk called her 'the most dangerous woman in Westeros.' Valeriya Lannister was in some cases, even more dangerous than her father-in-law when it comes to the game of thrones. So much so that even Tywin recognized that had things been different between himself and Jamie, he would have been proud to call Valeriya his daughter-in-law, a woman worthy of both the Lannister name and his son.
After the Greyjoy Rebellion, her skills with the blade drew all challengers from all corners of Westeros, some from Essos as well. Even Oberyn Martell tested her skills with the blade against his spear and came out the loser in their match, but developed a deep respect for Valeriya.
Aside from Oberyn, Valeriya's victories also included Garlan Tyrell, his brother Loras, Brienne of Tarth, even Arthur Dayne. Aside from being a warrior, Valeriya had a passion for knowledge, given her Volantene upbringing. Tyrion found in her a verbal sparring partner whenever he visited Lionsden.
Olenna Tyrell and her granddaughter, Margaery, also respected her for her keen mind and sharp wit, which was second to Olenna's own, the Tyrell matriarch had to admit, as she and Valeriya spoke for hours on end, the Lion Tamer impressing the Queen of Thorns with her intellect. Even Stannis Baratheon himself once appealed to Valeriya to settle a dispute, of which Valeriya had done with great success, thus earning the respect of her brother-in-law, an amazing feat in itself, seeing as how Stannis was cold and unyielding.
And there was Jamie himself.
His time with the Golden Company had humbled him, yet helped him mature and grow. His marrying Valeriya showed that there was a life away from Cersei. He was originally an outsider, he had earned the trust and respect of the other Northern Lords, including that of Lord Stark himself.
They didn't call him the Kingslayer anymore, as he earned himself another nickname, one he actually prefer over his old one – The Mountain Lion of the North. Jamie felt more at home in Lionsden than he did in either King's Landing or in Casterly Rock. The North was peaceful. Aside from the occasional gang of bandits that sometimes messed with the caravans coming and going from Lionsden selling their wares to the Southtron countries and further up north, he was content. He had received his absolution.
"Jamie?"
Jamie turned around. His wife was awake. "Valeriya?"
"Come back to bed," Valeriya cooed. "Lionsden can survive without you a little while longer."
"And what kind of incentive is for me to come crawling back into bed?" Jamie asked.
Valeriya said nothing as she threw the furs aside, exposing her naked body. Jamie grinned as he walked back to the bed, his little lion standing at attention. Given how Valeriya had him wrapped around his finger, the Lion Tamer had him whipped, Tyrion had japed. But to Jamie, she was his wife first, his warrior woman a close fucking second.
Sometime later...
Jamie knew that the morning started out too good to be true. Following his and Valeriya's 'morning interval,' he was on his way to the dining hall for some breakfast when two ravens came, bearing messages. The first was from the Blackfish in Riverrun, while the second was from the Sansa Stark, who was spending time with her betrothed in Highgarden.
Both contained bad news. Well, not bad news for him, per se. Rather, bad news for the Lannisters holed up in King's Landing and the surrounding Stormlands. While things had been calm elsewhere, Tywin Lannister and Stannis Baratheon had been fighting a war over the Iron Throne. The War of Two Kings, with the Stormlands as a virtual warzone.
And his son, along with Robb Stark and his cousin, were there when the flames of war were ignited.
As the three boys once served in the Golden Company, they were returning from Essos, having been invited to attend a wedding of a Golden Company comrade in Pentos, when Stannis Baratheon found out that they were in King's Landing. So he tracked them down and hosted them inside the Red Keep, where they kept him and Robert entertained with their past exploits with the Company. Much to Robb's surprise, Robert had expressed regret over the lost friendship between himself and Robb's father.
Of course, Cersei, Lancel, and Joffrey treated the Northerners with nothing but scathing contempt. For Cersei, Rainer was a reminder of Jamie's life without her.
While Robert was away on his hunting trip, Stannis had brought Rainer to the side. There, the Young Lion of the North learned the secret that his aunt had been hiding. Cersei's children were not Robert's, but rather Lancel's. All Baratheons had the dark hair and blue eyes, yet Cersei's children didn't. Rainer was skeptical, but it had been Varys who had all but confirmed it. Cersei's children were bastards born of incest.
Rainer had seen several of Robert's bastards. Mya Stone, for one from a past visit to The Vale. There was Gendry Waters, Tobho's apprentice, and Barra, a newborn babe, her mother being Mhaegen, a whore in one of the brothels.
Following Robert's death, Stannis was named Protector of the Realm in Robert's will. Renly Baratheon, however, made plans of his own. Jealous over the fact that Robert had named Stannis regent until he was of age, he made the fatal choice of hiring Petyr Baelish to help him with his coup. While Stannis was away in Dragonstone preparing for the inevitable war, Renly (having overhead Stannis and Rainer) attempted a coup d'etat, only to find himself warming a Black Cell, and his lover, Loras Tyrell, a head shorter, thanks to Littlefinger's betrayal.
Rainer, Robb, and Jon managed to escape the Red Keep with Margaery in their care, Renly entrusting her to the trio to see her safely to Highgarden. But they were not alone. Whilst hiding in King's Landing inside a merchant house owned by the Northern Lannisters, word reached them of Joffrey's order to murder Robert's bastard children throughout the Seven Kingdoms. Two of the bastards known to them were in the city: Gendry and Barra. They were nowhere to be seen, as they were also hiding inside the merchant house, Robb and Jon having retrieved them before the Goldcloaks could murder them.
Rainer knew of the ramifications of being caught in King's Landing, as did Jon and the others. While Robb and Jon would be held to make sure that the North and the Riverlands fight for the Lion, Rainer would be killed just to spite Jamie. But deception was a Golden Company specialty, and one the three boys knew very well. Cersei had the city on lockdown, but not the harbor, as they gained passage on a Dornish ship, fleeing the city, all the while having Cersei and Joffrey think that they had escaped through the city gates.
After recovering in Sunspear (and Rainer having a fling with Tyene in the process, which led to a threesome between himself, Tyene and Mhaegen), the group sailed along the Dornish coast until arriving in Reach territory. Once there, they delivered Margaery to Highgarden. Even though House Tyrell mourned the loss of Loras, they were grateful in having Margaery back home. It was while in Highgarden that word of Renly's execution and Stannis's declaration of war reached them.
When Joffrey denounced House Tyrell as traitors, Olenna severed all ties to King's Landing, promising retribution at a later date in regards to Loras's death. "Lannisters are not the only ones who pay back their debts," Olenna had said in her letter to Tywin when he demanded that she send the banners of House Tyrell to aid the Lannisters in the war against Stannis.
Tywin had been irate at both Joffrey's rash actions and Cersei's inability to control her son, both which cost them a powerful ally in the Tyrells. At the same time, he was also impressed with his grandson and the Stark boys' abilities to escape King's Landing with two of Robert's bastards, thus once again proving Cersei and Joffrey's incompentence.
While in Riverrun, (in which Robb and Jon explained the events leading to this point to their uncle, great-uncle and grandfather and the River Lords' representatives), they received an unexpected newcomer from The Vale: Mya Stone, the eldest of Robert Baratheon's royal bastards. A year older than Jon Stark, she had been in the employ of House Royce when word came of the Massacre of Robert's Bastards. But Joffrey and Cersei were not satisfied. They wanted to purge all of Westeros of Robert's seed.
Upon hearing of how the Goldcloaks and several members of the Kingsguard had tracked down and butchered Edric Storm and his mother, and that Cersei's men were coming for her, she fled the Vale at Lord Royce's urging. Her journey led her to Riverrun, where she told her story to Rainer, the Tullys, and the Starks. With a letter from Lord Royce backing her story, the right thing to do was to bring her along.
It was during this time, that Mya and Jon had begun a friendship. Seeing as how they both were bastards born into noble houses, they had something in common, Rainer had japed.
Following a trip up the Green Fork, the Northern party had arrived in Greywater Watch. After that, it was up the Kingsroad and to the safety of Lionsden, where Jamie and Ned awaited their arrival. For Jamie, given his past sexual relationship with Cersei, he was not surprised following Rainer and the Starks telling their parents what had happened. Ned took Gendry back to Winterfell, while Mhaegen and Barra were put up in a small home near Lionsden (at Rainer's request), Mhaegen finding worked at the Black Lion Inn as a serving girl.
That was the official story in regards to Mhaegen. Unofficially, Mhaegen was Rainer's mistress. Their sexual relationship began when they had fucked inside his cabin whilst on the voyage from King's Landing to Sunspear, as she had offered herself to him in payment for saving both her and Barra, and had went at it again in Sunspear, with even Tyene joining in. In the two years since the war started, Mheagen had accepted her place as Rainer's mistress. Jamie and Valeriya had raised a big stink over it, but relented upon finding out that the former whore could no longer bear children following Barra's birth, which meant that Rainer could fuck Mhaegen without getting her pregnant.
That was two years ago. Now, the war was over, as Stannis's head was now rotting on a pike in Storm's End, the end result of House Florent's betrayal at Tywin's behest, 'The Rains of Castamere' played over House Baratheon of Storm's End. However, House Baratheon was not extinct, as Stannis sent out legitimization papers for the three surviving bastards, Barra, Mya and Gendry, so that the Baratheon name would not die with him. Gendry, Mhaegen, and her daughter accepted the Baratheon name, while Mya kept her surname Stone.
But Tywin could not rest easy, nor could Cersei. Stannis had made sure that their victory would be a Pyhrric one. Tywin had won the war, but the cost had been dear. His son and heir, Tyrin Lannister, had been slain during the victory feast by a dead-man's cell of Faceless Men on House Baratheon's payroll. Joffrey and Tommen Baratheon also endured the same fate. Only Tywin, Kevan, Cersei and Myrcella survived what was to be called the Black Dinner.
But these two messages...
He flagged down a servant. "I will be in the solar. Have my wife, my eldest son, and my brother meet me there. Oh, and summon the Starks. And have them bring along the septa. You know the one I speak of."
The servant nodded. "Yes, Lord Lannister."
In one of the chambers...
Rainer Lannister sat on the edge of the bed, trying to fight off the impending hangover. As last night was the anniversary of Lionsden's founding, he had been out celebrating with his family and with the Starks who had came from Winterfell and Wolf's Den. In his bed, naked, was Mhaegen.
Mhaegen was formerly of King's Landing, a whore who once worked in Chataya's brothel. As she was the former favorite of his late uncle, Robert Baratheon, she was the mother of his daughter, Barra. The baby had been a newborn when the order came from his aunt and cousin to purge Robert's bastards. Out of sixteen children, Barra was one of three survivors, the other two being Gendry Waters and Mya Stone.
Now, she was Rainer's mistress. Mhaegen didn't love him, but she respected him, and Barra liked him. His actions in protecting both her and Barra during their escape from King's Landing had proven that. Somedays, Mheagen wished that Barra would be Rainer's child, rather than Robert's. But she was content with her new life in Lionsden, as Rainer had set her up with a small house to raise her daughter in, and a job working at the Black Lion Inn, Lionsden's inn and tavern.
Growing up in the North, he was friends with Robb Stark and Jon Snow. He was the more pragmatic of the trio. He even joked about it with Lord Stark, saying that Robb was a lot better in being honorable than being pragmatic, and that Robb usually left the dirty work to him. Jamie and Ned encouraged the three-way rivalry between Rainer, Robb and Jon, as it made them more effective soldiers and tacticians, which came in handy when during their flight from King's Landing.
Rainer was Jamie's heir to Lionsden, and his actions stemming from his service in the Golden Company to the escape from King's Landing and the escort mission in regards to Margaery and his bastard cousins had proved that. To anyone who knew Jamie back in his Kingsguard days, they would say that Rainer looked like his father at seventeen, save that he had his mother's brown eyes. He had grown up as a Lannister of the North, with the combat skills of his father and the archery skills and cunning like of his mother.
Unlike Tywin, who had belittled his children and reminded them always of their shortcomings and berated them constantly, Jamie and Valeriya were supportive of his children. Maybe that was why he was not only the best swordsman in Westeros (yet his father could still beat him nine times out of ten), his skill matched only by both Robb and Jon, but also the most desired man from the highborn ladies. Even Margaery Tyrell once said that she would have jumped on Rainer if her grandmother allowed it.
Sometimes, Rainer would spend the night at Mhaegen's home. Or Mhaegen would spend the night in Rainer's chambers. Rainer had his uncle Tyrion to thank for his sexual appetite, as for his fifteenth nameday, he had taken Rainer to a brothel to lose his virginity. At least he didn't have bastard children running around Westeros, much to his parents' relief. They only condoned Mhaegen as she was unable to have anymore children.
Rainer knew that it would only be a matter of time before his parents had set him up with a betrothal. He knew that the Westerlings had a daughter. Only problem was that the Westerlings were in the Westerlands, and his grandfather would disapprove. Tyene Sand was attractive, even disguised as a septa, but her cousin was making inqueries about his sister, Valencia. Sansa Stark was out of the question, as she was in Highgarden. He had spent time in the Vale in the past, and several highborn ladies were fairly attractive. But he was drawn to Tyene Sand. So much so that he had taken her maidenhood while in Dorne recovering from his and the Starks' escape from King's Landing.
A moan from behind him caught his attention. Mhaegen was awake. Rainer thought that had Mhaegen been born into a noble family, she would have made a fine wife for a noble lord. Then again, his grandfather had disowned his father and fought a war to keep his bastard cousin/brother on the Iron Throne.
Mheagen smiled. "Hey."
Rainer smiled back. "Good morning."
Mheagen sat up and stretched. "Is is morning already?"
"It is. You need to go and check on Barra," Rainer said of her now two-year-old daughter. Mheagen had left her with the innkeeper's daughter the night before, allowing her to spend the night with Rainer.
"She'll be fine," Mheagen said, kissing his shoulder. "If I know her, she's still sleeping."
A knock on the door had caused Rainer's reply to die on his tongue. The door opened and a servant entered. Mheagen covered herself as the servant bowed. "Pardon the intrusion, Lord Rainer, but your father and mother request your presence in the solar."
Rainer nodded. "Thank you." He gestured to Mheagen, now out of the bed and was getting dressed. "See that she is taken safely to her home."
The servant nodded. "Now, for Lord and Lady Stark."
Rainer stopped him. "Father and Mother requests their presence as well?"
The servant nodded.
"Leave them to me. Go and see after Lord Snow and Lady Stone," he said.
"By your leave, Lord Lannister."
In another chamber...
Robb Stark, heir to Winterfell, known to friend and foe as The Young Wolf, looked at his naked wife, who was lying facedown on the bed. "You know, I can't promise you that I will not attack you again if you don't put some clothes on."
His wife, one Rhaenys Martell Targaryen, now Rhaenys Stark, giggled. "Then attack, attack, my dear wolf."
Robb chuckled to himself as he helped himself to some fruit and a cup of wine that the servants had left in the room. His direwolf, Grey Wind, now the size of a foal, slept in the corner. If anyone asked Robb Stark what he would be doing after returning to Westeros from the Golden Company, 'being married to Rhaenys Targaryen' would not top that list.
He had always known her as Talisa Maegyr, the Volantene-born niece to Lady Valeriya. She was four years older than him; twenty-three to him being nineteen. Unlike her brother and aunt, who were fighters, Rhaenys was the diplomat, having been mentored by both her mother and her surrogate aunt in the game of thrones.
But falling for Robb Stark was not part of Elia's plans for her daughter. But she saw that her daughter was happy with Lord Stark's son, so she adapted her plans. As the War of Two Kings raged in the Stormlands, Elia, her daughter and Jamie travelled to Winterfell, where Elia revealed herself to Lord and Lady Stark, explaining that thanks to Jamie's actions during the Sack of King's Landing, it allowed for her brother and Varys to sneak her and her children out of the city.
Now, Aegon and Dany were in the final stages of the planned invasion of Westeros, waiting for the Stag and the Lion to bloody themselves so that they would offer little to no resistance. Not that it would help anyway, seeing as how the Targaryens had dragons. A marriage between the Wolf and the Dragon would not only heal old wounds, but also bring the Houses of Stark and Targaryen into an alliance, Elia had offered. And the one thing a mother wished for more than anything was the happiness of her children.
Thus, Robb Stark and Rhaenys Targaryen were married in a private ceremony in the godswood of Winterfell. The Northern Lannisters, Prince Oberyn Martell, the four elder Sand Snakes, Edmure Tully, and Elia Martell were the only guests in attendance, along with a representative of House Targaryen - Jon Connington, now serving as Aegon's Hand. Connington did not think highly of either Ned Stark nor Jamie Lannister, given the roles they played in the Rebellion, but he welcomed the alliance between the Starks and the Targaryens, which meant that less blood would be spilt when the time came for Aegon and Dany to make their move.
The pair - along with Robb's direwolf Grey Wind, and Robb's cousin, were in Lionsden as representatives of House Stark as Lionsden celebrated both its founding as a town and the founding of House Lannister of Lionsden. That and Jon once served as squire to Jamie, while Robb himself was sent to Riverrun to squire under his great-uncle, the Blackfish, while Rainer had been sent to Dorne to squire under Arthur Dayne.
It had been a dangerous time to fall in love with Stannis and Tywin at each other's throats, not to mention Roose Bolton turning his cloak and rebelling against his father. Robb knew this well, as he had narrowly avoided death from Rainer's vindictive aunt and his spoiled nephew.
But he was happy. And so was Rhaenys.
"I almost forgot...a runner from the Company arrived in Lionsden last night," Rhaenys said. "He spoke with Mother. My brother and aunt have launched their invasion of the West."
"Seriously," Robb said as he took a drink of water. "Don't tempt me, woman."
Rhaenys chuckled. Then her expression grew serious. "Aegon and Daenerys has launched their invasion of the Westerlands several days ago. They are halfway across the Westerlands. In two weeks, they will be at the border."
Robb nodded. In the two years he had spent with the Company alongside Rainer and Jon, he had met Rhaenys's younger brother and aunt. Daenerys didn't like Rainer much, as he was part of the family which had betrayed and driven the Dragon from power. It helped that Jon was half-brother to Aegon and nephew to Dany, meaning that got along quite well.
"Targaryen and Stark," Aegon had said of Jon. "Ice and Fire."
"I remember Aegon saying something about when he invaded the West, he would burn down Casterly Rock with Tywin still inside," mused Robb.
"Oh, that he did," Rhaenys said. "He saw to that personally with Balerious."
Robb shuddered. He had forgotten about the dragons. When Jamie and Valeriya had served with the company 19 years earlier, they had left a series of maps and notes detailing what they had found in the ruins of Old Valyria. Aegon and Dany had used those same notes for their own expedition to the Valyrian Ruins.
There, the pair found something that Jamie had missed. Two chests full of dragons' eggs, sealed inside a hidden alcove, thirty in total, and the secret to bringing them back to life once again.
Robb, Rainer and Jon had seen the three dragons that Aegon and Dany had hatched. Aegon had named his Dragon after his namesake's dragon, Balerion, 'the Black Dread.' Daenerys named the other two after her deceased brother and father, Viserion and Rhaegal.
"Shame that Tywin wasn't inside," Rhaenys mused. "But the better for us."
"How so?"
"By making Tywin watch as everything he holds dear is destroyed by the Dragon," Rhaenys replied, now sitting on the edge of the bed, still naked. "Casterly Rock, the fable gold mines, everything." She then snapped her fingers, as if she had remembered something. "Another thing. Aegon and Aunt Dany are on their way here."
Robb blinked. The Dragon Commander and the Mother of Dragons, on their way to Lionsden? "What do they want?"
"To offer their congratulations to the both of us, and to speak with Lord Jamie."
"I'll bet that is one conversation the Kingslayer wishes to avoid. Your aunt does not think too highly of him, let alone the Baratheons."
Before Rhaenys could reply, there was a loud banging on the door. "Look alive, Stark!" Rainer's voice boomed from the other side. "Meeting in the solar! Both you and your wife are to attend!"
Robb groaned to himself, while Rhaenys chuckled. "Remind me why I'm friends with him again?" he grumbled.
"Because your life would be boring without him," his wife replied.
"True."
As Rhaenys stood up, Robb closed the distance between them and wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her close. "You owe me, you temptress," he whispered.
Rhaenys kissed him on the lips. "I'll be waiting, lover."
And in another chamber...
A naked Mya Stone laid on her side, head propped up on one elbow, looking at her sleeping companion. She couldn't call herself Stone anymore, as one of Stannis's final acts before he died was to legitimize Robert's surviving bastards so that the Baratheon name would not end with him.
Two years earlier, she was under the employ of House Royce in the Vale as a guide, leading travellers through the dangerous mountain passes. She had hoped that despite her bastard status, she could marry Mychel Redfort once he became a knight. Mychel's father, Lord Horton Redfort, had other plans for his son, those who did not involve him marrying a bastard. When Mya found out that Mychel was to marry Ysilla Royce, one of Bronze Yohn Royce's daughters, she was heartbroken.
Unfortunately, she did not have time to shed tears. Her Lord, Yohn Royce, had warned her that Lannister guards from King's Landing, along with a squad of Goldcloaks, were on their way to the Gates of the Moon, with the intention of murdering her, as she was the eldest of Robert's bastard children. As she used her knowledge of the mountain passes to her advantage, she eluded her would-be killers. however, as the Lannisters and Goldcloaks suspected that she would head north, Mya instead travelled southwest, into the Riverlands.
It was while in Riverrun, she met Jon Stark, his cousin Robb, and Rainer Lannister. Whilst recovering in Riverrun, Mya told them of the events which had led her to this point. She always knew that she was one of Robert's bastards, but was placed under Jon Arryn's care until she was of age. Then came Robert's death and the Massacare of the Bastards. Out of sixteen children, three survived, herself included.
It was there, that Mya learned of Rainer and the Starks' story. Of how they went from guests of Rainer's uncle, Stannis Baratheon, to wanted fugitives, thanks to Cersei and Joffrey, as they were there when Robert had died, and knew the truth behind his death. Even worse, Joffrey and his siblings were bastards born of incest, a secret in which Cersei would like to keep under lock and key, hence the reason why she was demanding the heads of her nephew and those of the Starks.
As Rainer made both Mhaegen and little Barra his responsibility, and Robb was looking after Gendry, Mya had Jon watching her back. As they left Riverrun and headed north with a caravan from Lionsden, Mya and Jon had struck up a friendship. Rainer had japed that they had hit it off because they both were highborn bastards. "Lord Snow and Lady Stone," Rainer had joked, using his father's nickname for Jon back in the days when Jon was Jamie's squire.
Mya just didn't expect to fall for Jon, but she did, having gotten together in the aftermath of Bolton's Rebellion. They have been together for over a year, Mychel Redfort now forgotten in her eyes.
Mya gently brushed the curls back from his face. Jon stirred, but remained asleep. Even when there was a knock on the door, her lover remained asleep.
Mya turned to the door. "Yes? What is it?"
"Pardon, Lady Stone, but Lord Lannister requests the presence of both you and Lord Snow," the servant replied.
"I will let Jon know. Thank you."
Mya gently shook Jon. "Jon. Wake up."
Jon mumbled incoherently before turning on his side. Sighing, Mya got out of the bed, and walked over to where there was a pitcher of cold water on the table. Smiling to herself, she retrieved it, all the while telling Ghost to stay quiet, and walked over to the sleeping Jon.
"GAAAH! COLD!" Jon shouted, jumping out of the bed as Mya upended the pitcher over his face. Looking at his grinning companion he shouted, "THE HELL, WOMAN?!"
"Our presence is being requested by the Lord and Lady of Lionsden," Mya said. "Get dressed."
Grumbling to himself about shorthaired bastard women, Jon complied. But he did wonder what did the man who was like a surrogate father to him wanted with him and Mya.
As he finished getting his clothes on, he turned and saw that Mya was already dressed. She favored leather over dresses. Sansa once said of Mya that she would be pretty had she dressed like a girl.
Jon could care less how Mya dressed. After all, she looked better naked.
But business before pleasure.
The solar was the largest chamber inside Lionsden. Sitting on the top floor of the keep, it was obvious that Jamie had been inspired by the Painted Table Chamber inside Dragonstone, following a visit Jamie had made in his Kingsguard days. The chamber was as big as the Small Council Chamber in King's Landing.
In the center of the room, was a table. The Nothern Lannisters' Painted Table. Unlike the Painted Table seen inside Dragonstone, this one was much smaller; twelve feet across and six feet wide. Carved into the surface of the table by some of the best woodworkers he had hired whilst repairing Lionsden, was the continent of Westeros.
The Liondsen solar also had several bookshelves lined around the room, each filled with books. Books that Jamie had read. The solar was Tyrion's favorite room, due to the rare books Jamie and Valeriya had collected.
Jamie and Valeriya Lannister stood on one side of the table. Rainer Lannister stood beside his mother. Perched on a chair, standing beside his brother, was Tyrion Lannister.
Tyrion Lannister was one of few family members who Jamie had gotten along with following his banishment. Nicknamed 'The Imp' due to him being a dwarf, he served as Jamie's confidant and adviser following his own expulsion from King's Landing. Their relationship had been shaky when Jamie had told Tyrion the truth about his first wife shortly after he returned, but Tyrion had forgiven him. The fact that Tyrion had once again become an uncle with the birth of Jamie's children helped mend the broken bridge between brothers.
Cersei had expelled him from King's Landing following the Battle of Blackwater Bay, in which her father had won a major victory. Since then, the War of Two Kings, had bogged down to a stalemate, as Tywin would later find out that despite destroying Stannis' navy with wildfire, Stannis still had a reserve of 50,000 banners.
The war had been confined to the Stormlands, as none of the other Great Houses did not involve themselves in the war, refusing to answer the call of both Tywin and Stannis to send their banners for their slights wrought by the Lannisters or by Stannis on their respective Houses.
For House Stark and by extension, House Tully, it came in the form of Cersei openly insulting both Lady Stark and her daughters, Sansa and Arya during the tourney at Harrenhal celebrating Stannis's appointment as Hand to the King.
"I would rather destroy House Lannister myself than to allow my son wed the daughters of a Northern savage," Cersei had said with scathing contempt when Robert suggested a marriage between Sansa and Joffrey, as she was still bitter over the fact that another woman not only was in her brother's bed, but had given him four children.
Cersei's brutal refusal was heard by said 'Northern savage' in question and his wife, leaving them both embarrassed and furious. Tywin had been present when he heard Cersei's brutal refusal and thought nothing of it, given his dislike for Ned Stark over making Jamie a vassal of the North. Cersei's contempt for the North would come back to haunt them due to both her and Joffrey igniting the War of Two Kings.
When war erupted, Ned Stark had declared that the North would remain neutral, while Hoster Tully did the same, declaring the Riverlands' neutrality in the war.
When Tywin ordered that Lord Stark send his banners to support the Iron Throne, Ned had refused, saying that the North and the Riverlands will remain neutral for the duration of the conflict. When Cersei sent a letter demanding that Lord Stark summon his banners in defense of the Iron Throne, Ned's one-sentence reply was priceless, throwing Cersei's previous insult to him back in her face.
What does a Northern savage and his people benefit from taking your side in this war when you have showed us nothing but contempt?
The fact that she also threatened Jamie's wife and insulted his children, calling them 'Northern bastards,' did not help much either. Or the fact that she called for the heads of Rainer, Robb and Jon following their escape from King's Landing.
To add insult to injury, Hoster had refused Tywin's host to march through his lands. When Tywin threatened to invade the Riverlands, Hoster called forth his banners, threatening that Stannis would be the least of his concerns should he take one step into Tully territory. Tywin was forced to sail around the southern half of Westeros and land in the Stormlands.
For House Tyrell, it was the murder of Loras Tyrell, and Joffrey denouncing House Tyrell as traitors to the Iron Throne. Not only did Olenna servered all ties to King's Landing, she also called in the money they had loaned to the Iron Throne, and declared The Reach's neutrality alongside the North and the Riverlands.
For Stannis, it was more simple. Stannis had converted to the Lord of Light, a religion not held in very high esteem in Westeros. Especially when his intention was to convert the people by the sword. 'Turn or burn,' as the smallfolk japed.
Five of the Seven Kingdoms had refused to join either side, leaving Tywin and Stannis to conduct a short, yet brutal war. One which Tywin had to resort to treachery to win.
Which leads to the two messages in Jamie's possession. The two messages were different, but had one thing in common. An old, yet new player in the game of thrones, has returned.
The House of Targaryen, backed by the Golden Company, has come to play. Hence, the first message from the Blackfish himself.
Lord Jamie. Much of the Westernlands have fallen to the Golden Company, with Casterly Rock burned to the ground It is confirmed that the Company is being commanded by Aegon Targaryen himself, with Daenerys Stormborn as his second-in-command. Rumors are going around that they have dragons. Brynden Tully.
'It's no rumor,' Jamie thought, remembering what Rhaenys had told him. 'They really do have dragons.'
Rainer, Robb and Jon had served overseas in the Golden Company, where they learned how to fight. It was there, that they met Aegon and Dany, and witnessed the pair hatching three dragons' eggs they had discovered in Asshai. Aside from the three they hatched, they had the others in reserve.
To anyone who knew Rhaegar when he was alive, it was as he had been reborn in his son. He had spent his entire life with the Company, learning how to fight, and how to lead. Rainer had said that the Dragon Commander was a charismatic individual.
"You trust him with your life," Rainer had said. "He's got that natural strength. You'd die for him."
Then there was Daenerys Stormborn. The word going around was that she was Visenya reborn, as she can outfight most men, wielding the ancestral Targaryen sword Dark Sister. It was also said that she idolized Valeriya Lannister and wished to cross blades with her someday.
On the opposite side of the table, stood the Starks; Robb Stark, the heir of Winterfell and his wife, Rhaenys. Next to her was Jon Stark - formerly Snow, as Ned had legitimitized him six years earlier, and his companion, Mya Stone. Next to Mya, was the aforementioned septa that Jamie had spoken of. But Jamie knew that she was no septa.
"There has been several developments in the past couple of days," Jamie said. He handed Robb the message sent by the Blackfish. "Aegon and Daenerys has launched their invasion of Westeros. Unlike his namesake ancestor, he has invaded from the west, using the Iron Islands as a base of operations." He looked at the table. "From what I found out from the Golden Company's scouts, Aegon and Dany attacked during the night." He tapped one finger on Casterly Rock. "Casterly Rock has fallen. Aegon has reduced it to a second Harrenhal."
"Aside from Casterly Rock, the Company has seized several villages and towns along the coast," continued Valeriya, pointing out the locations on the map as she named them. "We've confirmed that Aegon has taken Crakenhall, Castamere, Lannisport, Feastfires, the Crag, Kayce and Ashemark. After seeing what had happened to The Rock, the other towns surrendered without a fight."
"It also helps that the people are letting Aegon pass," Rainer added. "The fact that Grandfather fought a war to keep a bastard on the throne does not help matters much."
"Aegon should reach Ashemark by the end of the day," Jamie said. "Come the end of the week, he and Dany will arrive in Ashemark by the end of the week. By that time, he will have most of the gold mines under their control."
The septa, who had been silent, smiled.
"By taking Casterly Rock, he takes the gold mines," continued Tyrion. "I think losing Casterly Rock to the Targaryens is more of a shock than losing the mines. Despite the winter weather, he is making excellent progress."
Jamie nodded. Ever since the days of when the Lannisters ruled as kings in their own right, Casterly Rock stood as a symbol of the Lannisters' power. Now, it had been transformed into a second Harrenhal. But to lose the Lannister ancestral home to a House you had screwed over for power...that really must have stung Tywin more than the death of his son.
"What about the other Houses?" Robb asked.
"The Stormlands are still embroiled in the civil war to replace House Florent," Valeriya explained. "More than likely, Aegon would appoint House Connington as the replacement for House Baratheon. Your marriage to Rhaenys has brought both the North and the Riverlands into an alliance with the Dragon. If I was Olenna Tyrell, she would probably try to marry Margaery off to Aegon in order to secure an alliance between the Reach and the Targaryens."
"Are you sure about that?" Rhaenys asked.
Valeriya smiled at her surrogate niece. "It's what I would have done."
"What about the Vale?" Mya asked of her old home.
"With the death of Lady Arryn, Lord Royce is now Lord Protector of the Vale until Robin comes of age," Jamie replied. "He has sent a representative of the Lords of the Vale to swear fealty to Aegon."
Mya nodded. "I know of Yohn Royce. I served his House back when I was in the Vale. Good man, but he has his hands full with Robin."
Valeriya nodded. "I don't think that Robin would make a good ruler. That boy is not right in the head. Sad to say that the Arryn line may very well end with him."
"Aegon knows how to make quite the impression. I can understand why my son and Lord Snow sees him as a rival," Jamie noted, using the nickname he had for Jon.
"As he should," the septa spoke, before removing her headdress, giving the Starks and the Northern Lannisters a clear view of her face. The face was that of a woman thought to have met a violent end nearly twenty years earlier alongside her family. She still looked frail, but carried herself with a quiet dignity worthy of a Queen. The Queen she would never become.
"Aegon's half-Dornish, after all," Elia Targaryen said with a small grin on her face.
"Father would be proud of him," Rhaenys added. "That and I also see Uncle Oberyn's influence on him, as he has a penchant for being dramatic. It was his idea to attack Casterly Rock rather than just invade King's Landing."
In the nineteen years of exile, Elia had groomed her children and Daenerys in becoming instruments of vengeance. As Rhaenys was the eldest, she was the heir to the Iron Throne. But Rhaenys had refused, leaving Aegon to become the heir, while Daenerys would claim Dragonstone.
While Aegon and Dany were warriors, Rhaenys was more of a diplomat, yet she could wield a blade if necessary. Elia had been keeping a close eye on events in the North, thanks to Varys and her Dornish relatives. She knew that Jamie and Lord Stark had disagreed as how she and her children were to be dealt with.
Elia didn't even blame Lord Stark for his role in the Rebellion, although Dany thought otherwise. She wanted Ned Stark to be sent to the Wall for his role in the Rebellion. It was just as Aerys's fault that they had been driven from power, Elia and her children realized. After all, Rhaenys would be quite upset if her father-in-law had been sent to The Wall.
Rhaenys had been in Westeros under the protection of the Nothern Lannisters for ten years. Under the alias of Talisa Maegyr, the niece to Valeriya, Rhaenys had learned how to play the game of thrones from her surrogate aunt. No one didn't suspect that Valeriya's niece was in fact Elia's eldest child, thought to have been killed. Only Jamie knew the truth.
Shortly before the War of Two Kings, Elia and had returned to Westeros under the guise of a septa (as it had been Tyene's idea). No one didn't expect Rhaenys to strike up a friendship with Robb Stark, let alone fall for him. She had met Robb whilst under her alias during the Lord of Winterfell's visit to Lionsden. She had been twelve, while he was eight at the time. Despite everything, Rhaenys was smitten by the Young Wolf, and he returned those feelings.
So Elia killed two birds with one stone. A betrothal contract was made between Robb Stark and Rhaenys Targaryen. Not only did Rhaenys married the man she loved, but it also earned the North's fealty to House Targaryen...and a pardon for Eddard Stark. When Aegon and Dany found out what Elia had done, Dany was less than impressed, while Aegon was amused.
Using Jamie as a middleman, Elia had a private meeting with Lord and Lady Stark. There, she told them the truth and Talisa's true identity. Cat was a bit upset, but Ned understood the deception, given who was in power. Tywin already despised him for making Jamie a Lord of the North, and the last thing he needed was that wretched song playing over his House upon finding out that his son had married Rhaenys Targaryen.
With Casterly Rock and much of the West cut off from the Lannisters, Aegon had sent out the Declaration. It was officially known as The Declaration of House Targaryen, but shortened to the Declaration. One copy had arrived in Lionsden shortly after Jamie had called for this meeting.
To the Great Houses of Westeros. The Dragon has returned to take back what is rightfully his. Contrary to popular belief, House Targaryen had not been obliterated. As I am the son of Prince Rhaegar, the Iron Throne is mine by right. To all who have supported the Usurper in his Rebellion, I am offering a general amnesty. Refuse my offer, and you will be destroyed.
To Lord Tywin Lannister, there will be no negotiations, only the unconditional surrender of your House. Refuse, and we shall see whether or not if you can shit gold.
To Queen Regent Cersei Baratheon, your children are illegitimate, bastards of incest. Your children have no claim to the Iron Throne. You and Lancel Lannister are guilty of kingslaying. You will abdicate, or we will show you and your children the same courtesy your father tried to show to our mother and us.
You have one month to decide.
Daenerys Stormborn, of House Targaryen. Aegon of House Targaryen and House Martell. Rhaenys of House Targaryen and House Martell.
Even though the War of Two Kings was contained within the Stormlands, it did not mean that the North was spared in spilling blood. One year earlier, just as the snow began to fall, Roose Bolton launched his own rebellion. Upon finding out the true identity of Robb Stark's wife, Roose believed that by not only delivering the body of Rhaenys Stark, but all of House Stark and the Northern Lannisters in a show of fealty to Tywin Lannister, then his House would finally be recognized as a Great House of the North.
The Northern Civil War, or Bolton's Rebellion, had begun.
And it would be a short-lived one as well.
Roose even went as far as to unleash the Bloody Mummers, led by Vargo Hoath and two thousand of his banners on Lionsden. Fortunately, Jamie and Valeriya had summoned their own banners, and were backed by the banners of the Riverlands. After twelve hours of fighting, the Battle of Lionsden ended in a Northern Lannister/Tully victory. Jamie, however, was far past irate. Roose Bolton had awakened the proverbial sleeping lion.
"I can never trust a traitor, especially one to their liege lord," Jamie had said to Tyrion. "Roose Bolton sent his men to try and kill not only me and my family, but to raze Lionden to the ground. That, I cannot forgive. Valeriya and I will march North with our banners and remind Roose Bolton that Lannisters pay their debts."
With his banners and his wife by his side, Jamie marched North. While the Blackfish and Jon Stark assaulted the Dreadfort, assisted by the Wildings, Jamie attacked Roose Bolton at Winterfell, thus breaking the siege. Jon Stark was credited with killing Ramsay Snow, while Jamie himself took Roose's head.
Said heads of the Bolton traitor and his bastard son were now sitting on pikes in Winterfell. House Bolton had rebelled in the past, and was shown mercy. Not this time. Among the casualties on the Stark side were Rodrik Cassel, Jory Cassel, and Jeor Mormont.
Ned took a page out of Tywin's playbook on how to deal with traitorous houses and ordered House Bolton to be purged. With extreme prejudice. In a show of mercy, however, he allowed Roose's wife, Fat Walda Frey, to return to The Twins, thus earning the gratitude of Walder Frey and his family. Out of the tragedy, it did push Jon and Mya closer, until one night, they were found in bed together.
Bolton's Rebellion had all but changed how people in the South looked at Eddard Stark. Even Tywin himself was shocked by the intensity and brutality of how House Stark obliterated the traitors. When it became known as to why Roose Bolton had rebelled, Tywin had said in private that he would had supported House Bolton's attempt had it given him an edge in the war against Stannis.
House Stark's exploits regarding Bolton's Rebellion was immortalized in a song called 'The Wolf Awakens.' Like 'The Rains of Castamere,' the song had a single purpose to those who listened to it: don't fuck with the House of Stark if you like your head on your shoulders. Some say that Jamie's influence on Ned made him more pragmatic when it came to war and defending his family.
"Look at my father," Jamie had said to Ned one day as the Lord of Winterfell visited Lionsden to inspect the town. "You know that wretched song that he likes is no myth. What is to stop him from killing twelve generals eating dinner than ten thousand on the battlefield if it saves lives for his forces?"
For his actions in Bolton's Rebellion, Ned gave Jon the Dreadfort, and made him a Lord. Lord Jon Stark then rechristened the Dreadfort as Wolf's Den. His sigil was the Stark direwolf, save that it was in red-and-black, the colors of House Targaryen, a sign of his mixed heritage.
Jamie held up the second message. "This is from Sansa, in Highgarden," he explained. "It confirms what we have heard. Although my father had won the war with House Florent's betrayal and the extermination of House Baratheon, Stannis had the last laugh. Joffrey is dead, as well as Tommen. And Father lost his heir."
This time, Jamie passed the message to Elia, who read it.
Lord Jamie. A second raven is being sent to my lord father with the same message. From what Lady Olenna managed to find out, it seems that Stannis had a contingency plan in the event he did not survive the war against Lord Lannister. Lord Stannis had two dead-man's cells of Faceless Men under contract, which activated upon his death. The first cell had targeted House Florent, while the second cell infiltrated King's Landing.
I am sorry to say this, but your brother, Ser Tyrin Lannister, is dead, as is the Bastard King and his brother. Your father, uncle, sister, and niece, has survived. Petyr Baelish, the Master of Coin, was also slain. Lady Olenna has received a copy of the Declaration and is making plans to send a representative to Lord Aegon and talk of a marriage between him and Margaery. In spite of all this, I am rather jealous that Margaery is going to marry Aegon should he agree, but I am content with Willas. Lady Sansa Stark.
"Oh, Jamie..." Elia began. "I'm so sorry."
"You have our condolences as well," Robb said. He had no issues with Jamie. After all, Jon had squired under him, while Robb squired with his great-uncle the Blackfish whilst in Riverrun. Jon held the Mountain Lion of the North in high esteem and Robb respected Jamie for building Lionsden and showing that not all Lannisters were pompous, self-centered pedants.
"Mine as well," Jon added.
Jamie nodded. "Thank you. Even though there was bad blood between us, they were still family. Tyrin. Joffrey. Tommen." He leaned back in his chair and sighed. "It's funny. Even with so much bad blood between Father, Cersei and I...the hatred is gone. Only thing I feel now is a sense of longing and pity. Longing for my father's approval, of which I know will never come, and pity that it was both Cersei and Father's ambitions that has brought his House to ruin. He had put all of his hopes in Tyrin...and now he is gone."
"I see it as justice," Rhaenys said, reaching over and scratching Grey Wind by the ears. "Tywin's actions robbed me of my father and uncle. Stannis robbed him of his son. Fair trade, if you ask me."
Tyrin Lannister. His brother. Following his banishment from the House of Lannister, Tywin had remarried a woman from a minor House in the Westernlands, and had given birth to a third son. Jamie had met him once, during the Hand's Tourney. Both brothers traded barbs and Tyrin had the audacity to demand that Jamie hand over Brightroar. Jamie refused. Fortunately, Lord Stark and Barristan Selmy had quelled the argument before it came to blows. Jamie made sure that Rainer gave Tywin's heir a lesson in humility, as Rainer soundly beaten his uncle in the melee.
"And now, the Southern Lannisters stand on the brink of oblivion," Jon said. "All because of Cersei."
"Father always said that it would always be the Imp who would bring the family to ruin," mused Jamie. "Ironic that it would be Cersei, not Tyrion."
"Do you think he knows the truth? About his grandchildren being bastards born of incest?" Rhaenys asked.
"More than likely, Princess," Jamie replied. "Your father once said that tower is a seductive mistress. An addictive thrill. One taste leaves you yearning for more. He also said that in order to test test someone's character, give them power. Look at what it did to your family and mine."
"The game of thrones could be summed up to that word, Jamie: ambition," Elia said in a sage-like tone. "No. That's not the word. Limitation is more like it. And the importance of knowing your own. Take the Usurper, for example. His reputation was built on killing my husband, which we all know would not happen if Tywin hadn't interfered. Robert was no King, yet he understood his place in the game, of how high he could climb, which is why Tywin left him where he was."
"What about you?" Valeria asked.
Elia shrugged her shoulders. "Me? Unlike my brother Oberyn, I'm more reasonable. Even ambitious in my quest to see House Targaryen back on the Iron Throne. But in the game of thrones, you have to take things one step at a time."
"So by your reasoning, Tywin and Cersei should have been some dozen steps away from something like this," Valeriya said.
Elia nodded. "Precisely. Which is why we have reached full circle."
"Ambition and limitation," Tyrion finished. "So what happens now?"
"A messenger stopped into town shortly before you summoned me here," Elia said. "What Sansa has written has been confirmed. A messenger from Highgarden has approached Aegon with a marriage contract between himself and Aegon."
"What? No marriage prospects for Dany?" Jamie asked.
"Dany seems content in being a warrior woman for the time being," Elia replied. "I have no say over what she does, as it is her life. She's only nineteen."
"Still doesn't like me very much, from what I hear," Jamie grumbled. "Guess the only thing to do now is wait for Aegon's ultimatum to pass."
"You think Tywin will take Aegon's offer?" Rhaenys asked. "Even more so, would he call on you to help defend King's Landing against my brother and aunt in a futile attempt at resistance?"
"Knowing him...no," Jamie replied. "He would see it as the ultimate insult to call on a son he disowned, a son he has publicly denounced as being worthless to save his hide. But he's desperate, as the other Great Houses has turned on him, especially after Varys had leaked his role in Rhaegar's death."
"I've received a message from Aegon and Dany," Elia said. "They wish to meet with you, Jamie."
Jamie frowned. The Dragon Commander and the Mother of Dragons on their way here? "And what does your son and sister-in-law want with the big bad Kingslayer?"
"To extend their congratulations to Robb and Rhaenys. Since you're here in Lionsden, they want to discuss matters regarding the Rebellion with you."
Jamie and Valeriya exchanged glances. "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" he asked his wife.
"Don't ask me. You're the one who stabbed the Mad King in the back, remember? The smallfolk and the highborn may have forgiven you for that, but despite being a madman, Aerys was still family." Valeriya turned to Elia. "When can we expect their arrival?"
"In a couple of days. Probably once they reached the border of the Westerlands. I'll know more once they make the arrangements."
Jamie sighed. He knew that sooner of later, he would have to own up to killing the Mad King. He was just worried as to how this little confrontation would play out.