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Tywin Lannister looked at Robert with cold green eyes. Damn the man, Robert thought. He seems to have your very soul and he'll only give it back once you've paid a small price.

"So," his good-father began. "You want me to help you kill Rhaegar Targaryen's last living child? Well, I'm afraid you'll have actually have to kill this one yourself."

Robert was at Casterly Rock, sitting across from Tywin Lannister. He had sent letters to Dragonstone and Storm's End as soon as he had arrived, informing them to raise their banners to help get rid of this Targaryen threat.

Robert nodded at Tywin's words. He had no qualms about whatever or not he would be able to kill the boy, with how Targaryen he must look. "I understand," he responded gruffly.

Tywin narrowed his eyes. "What do my children think of this? I've heard my son is not happy."

Somehow the knowledge of the boy had gotten out, though Littlefinger had sworn that he had no idea of how. When Robert had asked how Littlefinger had found out about the boy in the first place, the man had just said that he heard rumors that Ned Stark's bastard was not truly his bastard. Where he heard these rumors, Littlefinger would not say and Robert didn't bother to ask.

"Your son does not approve of my plans for Jon Targaryen. I don't know how Cersei feels." He honestly didn't care.

"He's not happy," Robert continued saying. "He doesn't think we should kill the boy, though he was perfectly happy killing his grandfather. That's why I dismissed him from the Kingsguard, and he is now your heir again. You'll need one now that you're my Hand."

Tywin nodded. He was pleased, Robert could tell, though he couldn't really give a fuck. He need Tywin Lannister and he would do just about anything to get on his good side.

"Casterly Rock is behind you, Your Grace. There is, of course, the question of allies."

Robert nodded as he took a sip of his wine and Tywin went on. "Highgarden will side with you if you betroth your son to Mace Tyrell's daughter. I saw him a few months ago for business and he mentioned it. It would not be a bad idea.

"Riverrun will almost certainly side with Winterfell, and I would worry about the Vale if it weren't for Jon Arryn having been near father to you."

Robert sighed. "Jon does not approve of the fact that the boy needs to die, but he has never approved of me and Ned fighting. He'll stay neutral."

Unless I start winning this war.

"The question now is Dorne and the Iron Islands. The Iron Islands will want much to do with picking a side and more to do with looting the loser. Still, I'll write to Balon Greyjoy. They might be able to distract the North long enough with raids for us to gain the upper hand.

"Dorne will never side with us for the incident with the Princess and her children, and we just have to hope that the fact it's Lyanna Stark's son will be enough for them to decide not to put another Targaryen on the throne.

"The Stormlands will side with you, of course, but there is the question of the Crownlands. Many of them are still loyal in their hearts to the Targaryens. All you have in guarantee is Dragonstone and that is not enough."

"I am their king, they will side with me!" Robert nearly growled at Tywin.

"Perhaps," Tywin said curtly. "But House Velaryon is one house Ned Stark can surely count on. Can you say for certain there are no others?"

Robert looked away. He knew that the peace of his kingdom was fragile. He knew many Lord's that he counted as his friends would not hesitate to turn to Ned and this false boy king, if they decided that the stability of the realm had been better when the Targaryens ruled.

"I am their king. They will side with me," Robert said. He had to believe that.

Tywin narrowed his eyes, but he didn't say anything else. "Very well, Your Grace. I might suggest you send the letters to your brothers and Mace Tyrell himself, it will carry more weight."

Robert nodded. He didn't really care about anything else Tywin had to say, he just wanted to leave the solar and find some pretty girl to fuck until he was forced to do his duty.

Later that night, after he found a pretty bedmaid with long brown hair and probably gave her a bastard, Robert sat down to write the letter's he knew he had to. Stannis and Renly were easy, just a simple command to prepare for war. Mace Tyrell required a gentler approach, asking for both his support with the war and for his daughter to marry Joffrey when they both were of age. Robert couldn't make it seem though that the reasons were interconnected, even though anyone with a half a brain in their head would be able to figure it out.

Robert had thought that one day he would marry Joffrey to Ned's daughter, only a few months old now, but of course that could now never be. He decided that he wouldn't kill Ned's wife or children, though he would obviously have to kill Ned and the Targaryen child.

Gods, he hated that boy, the monster that had grown in Lyanna's womb and that killed her as it clawed its way out. He remembered what Jon Arryn had said about if Lyanna had truly not wanted that child, she would have figured some way to get rid of it. Robert didn't believe that for a second. Rhaegar and his men probably watched her like a hawk throughout the entire pregnancy. But Robert knew that the first chance she had, Lyanna would have killed the child. She would have known that he would have taken her back, would have wanted to produce true-born children with her no matter how much Rhaegar despoiled her.

For the thousandth time, Robert cursed Rhaegar Targaryen for kidnapping Lyanna and now cursed Jon Targaryen for killing her. Robert wondered how Ned could claim he felt any sort of love for his sister if he had not killed this young dragon when it had just been born and not for the first time, cursed his friend's soft heart.

Once Cersei had yelled at him with tears in her eyes, and slurring with wine, that she had wished that she had married Ned instead of him, even if that meant only being Lady of Winterfell. Robert had slapped her hard enough that she fell to the floor and he had simply responded that it was all very well that she wished she had married Ned. If he couldn't have Lyanna, he'd rather have Catelyn Tully.

Not for the first time, he wished Ned had married Cersei now. Gods know those two deserved each other in their treachery.

Robert finished the letter to Mace Tyrell. It could probably be better, more flowery, but he didn't really care. All it mattered was that it got the job done and Robert knew that it would.

Robert had met Mace Tyrell once, an ambitious man who reminded Robert of Tywin Lannister. Mace Tyrell that wanted his daughter to be Queen and would do everything he could to ensure it. Robert wondered if he should say that in front of Lord Tywin, and laughed as he imagined the man's face upon hearing those words.

Robert briefly wondered where Jaime Lannister was. Tywin had not seemed surprised when Robert told him that he had released his son from the Kingsguard, which did not surprise Robert, but the only son of Tywin's that Robert had seen at Casterly Rock was the dwarf. Jaime Lannister was nowhere to be found, and he had a day's head start than Robert. With being a better rider and without a court retinue and other members of the Kingsguard, he should have arrived here a few days ago at least.

Yet he was nowhere to be seen.

Robert pushed it out of his mind. Tywin had most likely sent his son to a brother, as he surely heard about the fight between them.

There was nothing more to worry about. Yet Robert couldn't stop feeling like he had much to worry about when it came to Jaime Lannister.