Tywin never understood the necessity for participating in a tourney, he was the heir to Casterly Rock, not a hedge night or third born son. So he sat in the main stands, watching his father drink himself into an early grave, his whore upon his lap, growing ever bolder with every year his mother remains in the dirt. His brother, Gerion, was only sixteen, but was happy to joust in the name of house Lannister. He had made it into the final tilts, beating the heirs of Westerling a few Freys hoping to earn a bag of coin. Yet now he was to go against Gregor Clegane, the son of the man who had saved his father from a lioness when he was but a babe in the cradle. Tytos had given the man some land for his son and his son's son, Gregor junior, who had just been born a few moon turns ago. Clegane's keep was but a days ride away, and Lord Gregor wished to earn favor of his lord the way his father had before him. Shame the only lioness around was dear Gemma.

"Clegane is as much a dog as the sigil of his house." Steffon Baratheon commented, as a cousin of the princesses and a lord paramount himself, he was allowed to sit in the main box with house Lannister. "I'd bet a few hundred dragons on the beast."

"Two hundred dragons on my future good brother." Diana spoke demurely, as if it were every day a princess participated in bets. "Gerion is young, but as feisty as his sigil. Two turns, no more, and Gerion will be the victor." It was oddly specific, and Princess Rhaella seemed to pale at her sister's words. Was there a plot afoot? Tywin watched his betrothed and future good sister whisper softly to each other, attempting to glean the words being spoken. Perhaps it was her keen intuition that allowed the rumours of dragon dreams to manifest about the princess.

"Begin!" Tytos shouted, raising his wine glass as if to wave the combatants along, when he was merely asking for another glass of arbour gold brought by the Redwynes as a gift for the tourney.

Gerion and Gregor lowered their lances in sync as the horses trotted forward, the wooden blocks slamming into each others shoulders, enough to bruise the skin and splinter the wood, yet both riders remained a horse. Fresh lances were presented, and Tytos shouted yet another, "Begin!" The riders rushed forward, and Gregor Clegane went flying from his horse, biting into dust and dirt. Proclaimed the victor, Gerion unseated himself from his own horse and went to help his defeated opponent to his feet. The crowd roared at the act of chivalry.

"It seems you have a keen eye, my princess." Steffon lamented, "I shall bring you your dragons to the feast tonight." Diana only grinned, her purple eyes a light.

A squire brought forth a crown of red roses with golden thread interwoven into it, and rode up to the Lannister box. Gemma was as red as her crown as she was presented the title of Queen of Love and Beauty. "Your majesty." Gerion spoke with a flourished bow, grinning at his sister, who had never received the title before.

With the Queen of Love and Beauty crowned, and the victors rewarded, everyone slowly made their way back into the castle from the tourney grounds, for Gemma's name day feast. Diana never understood why one needed to extend name day celebrations for so long, when Aerys turned sixteen, and officially reached the age of adulthood, the celebrations had lasted an entire week! While the coffers may be full, why bother with such a waste? Hopefully his betrothed would not believe herself to be able to spend as she pleased, princess or no.

Tywin escorted his betrothed on his arm, ever mindful of the rumor mill that was spewing forth with so many nobles in one place, Diana seemed at ease though, having grown up in court. "My lord, I have been thinking." Diana began, "If we were to hold the wedding in Summerhall in ten moons time, my grandfather was already planning a grand feast there. So the costs could be split between the royal family and yours."

Tywin felt the corners of his mouth rise, "How frugal of you, my lady." Did she wish to ensure her family was there, or the whole kingdom? Not many nobles would travel all the way to Summerhall for a feast, but a wedding they would. "But no bride of the Rock has ever been wed outside of the great sept overlooking the Sunset sea. The view at sunset is quite striking, I've been told."

"Have you never visited your own sept?" Diana quipped, amusement dancing in features as they maneuvered through the halls of Casterly Rock. Tywin was sure that she had waited for him to escort her not just to keep up appearances, but also due to the fact that a servant had to be fetch the lost princess, who was twenty minutes late to breaking her fast because she had gotten lost attempting to find the great hall.

"I do not keep with the Seven, but I have visited the sept before on formal occasions. At sunset, however, was something Gemma remarked." His sister was a more faithful believer than him, no matter if she only prayed because her septa brought her to the sept once a day, more if she misbehaved. His sister often complained of how the virtues of the maiden was all her septa ever talked about, that and even stitching.

"I'm sure it will be lovely." Diana offered, "Lannisport is known for it's fine colored glass, the sept is decorated with it, correct?" Tywin smiled at that, the glass was actually imported from Lys, but Lannisport was the only dock in all of Westeros to ship in something so delicate. It had been Tywin's idea.

"Yes, my lady." Tywin replied, "A great storm destroyed the previous glass, and one wall is mainly just that, so when it was replaced, we opted to use colored glass."

"Diana." She said, "My name is Diana, although everyone seems to think it's your highness, but you are to be my Lord husband after all." Her silvery hair was down today, with little crystals glinting in the light, her fingers played with a strand absent mindedly. The princess seemed to be bashful one moment and overtly confident the next. It was as if she were a mummer who was not sure of the character she was meant to play. There was Princess Diana, who put lesser lords in their place and held her head high and then there was just Diana, the maid of sixteen unsure of what part she was meant to portray.

"Diana." Tywin tasted her name on his tongue, the last Targaryen with that name had been Dyanna Dayne, who had wed to King Maekar, yet died before she ever became queen. Yet Tywin had discovered that she was given the Andal spelling of the name, rather than the Valyrian, a choice stirring quite a few whispers at court, or so he had been told. As a second daughter, it was known she would not likely marry the next king, so many proposed it meant she was meant to wed into an Andal household, which she now was. "Are you going to be leaving with your sister to return to King's Landing at the end of the sent night?" As his betrothed, it would not be scandalous if she were to stay until the wedding, but she could also wish to see her family once more before her wedding.

"I shall stay." Diana replied, "My siblings need time together, and your sister has offered to help me learn to be the Lady of house Lannister." And not get lost attempting to fulfill the role, Tywin thought with a smirk. Tywin had heard of Aerys's wishes for an heir, his old friend had spoken of it in his letters, yet had failed to mention that his sister would become Tywin's bride.

"I assume your family is pleased with your betrothal?" Tywin asked, watching her face closely as the thought over her words.

"My grandfather shall be pleased, I've no doubts. A lion is the only one who can match the ferocity of a dragon, he said, except perhaps a wolf." Amusement danced on her features, her Valyrian beauty shining through. "But Rickard Stark is a bit too...wild for my tastes." Thee south's view of the barbaric north were well known, and no Targaryen had ever been a Queen of Winter or a Lady of Winterfell, fire melts ice.

"I do not believe the cold would suit you, my lady." Tywin responded, warily noting that the great hall was quickly approaching, and his father's page was searching, presumably for him. Jon Tarbeck was a young lad of twelve, who approached him quickly and gave a quick bow.

"My lord, your father requests that you and the Princess Diana join him at the head table as soon as I found you." Jon spoke with a shaking voice, where Tytos did not have teeth, his son seemed to inherit duel sets.

"Thank you, Jon." Tywin said dismissively, and guided Diana onward. Tytos was sitting, deep into his cups when the first course had yet to be served, bulging belly bouncing with laughter from a lick spittle before him, a Westerling.

"My boy!" Tytos called, and Tywin resisted the urge to openly glare at his father. "Lord Westerling has the most exciting business opportunity!"

The lord in question seemed to begin to sweat when he locked eyes with his liege lord's heir. "How much is it this time?" He ground out, and noted Diana's frown.

"Ten thousand dragons, my lord." Lord Westerling replied shakily, "To invest further in the mines of the Crag to increase trade."

"I did not realize that the mines were still active." Diana interjected, "Were they not depleted?" Or sold to neighboring keeps, Tywin added silently.

"Their production has slowed, but not halted completely." Gawain Westerling responded.

"And what is the interest on the loan? Surely if the mine is not producing enough to support itself, pouring money into it is not wise." Diana queried, her eyes alight, watching the lord cower under her scrutiny.

"Yes...well…" Gawain trailed off.

"How about this instead, Lady Sybell Spicer is in need of a husband, her dowry can be covered by house Lannister, which should pay for the mine." Diana offered, "If my betrothed and future good father agree, that is."

Tywin stared at her for a moment, for Tytos to take back the deal agreed would only make him look weaker than he already appeared by loaning out money that would not be returned. To form a marriage alliance between two houses, and with house Spicer, those rich but low born, was a perfect way to save face. "I agree, you and Lady Spicer may even wed in the upcoming days to my own, it is customary for smaller weddings to take place, and the week long celebrations will end with the main wedding ceremony. I trust that is enough time to send the ravens to those necessary?"

While Diana at least mentioned his father, Tywin did not even spare the drunken fool a glance, and Lord Westerling simply nodded, his newly betrothed was at least a member of a rich family, spice trader ancestors or no.

Tywin sat next to his betrothed as the feast began, grinning to himself. Why bow to a dragon when one can make others bow to you?

A/N:

Thanks to those who reviewed, followed and favorited. There's a little Easter egg for Nekaper, who asked why Diana's name wasn't spelled Dyanna, there will also be a bigger tie in later in the story about it, but for now I'm laying ground work. I do not have a Beta currently, so sorry for any errors. If anyone would like to be my Beta, please let me know in a review.