It felt strange, that nearly a year after she had arrived to Casterly Rock in a carriage with her sister to meet her betrothed, that Diana would be leaving the same place in an even grander carriage-one Tywin had commissioned specifically for her so that they might tour the Westerlands once the war was done- with her husband to see her sister and new nephew. A tiny jacket was on Diana's lap, she had been studiously stitching her family's sigil of the three headed dragon onto the back. They were to arrive in King's Landing by midday, and two weeks of travelling had yet to bring her moon's blood, making is a month late. She was not ready for the whole court to know, so she decided against visiting the Grand Maester. Perhaps a midwife in Flea Bottom? A few dragons can buy silence just as it can buy loyalty. Diana made sure to keep her handmaiden's unaware, making sure to always go to Alyssa whenever she needed anything of the sort, as her head handmaiden it made sense why they were not privy to when her flower was blooming. Alyssa had yet to ask after it yet, but the knowing smile she gives when she helps Diana to hide from others the nausea and vomit that occurred every morning before she went to the Hall of Heroes to break her fast allows her to not have to say it out loud just yet. Lady Tarbeck's mocking voice reflects in her head, 'The Barren Dragon.' Her hand fell to her stomach, her thoughts halting the steady rhythm of her stitching.

"My lady?" Alyssa questions softly, and for a moment Diana forgot she was not alone in the carriage. Her handmaidens followed like obedient mice, Alyssa Velaryon, Gemma Lannister, Lyna Lefford and Chrysti Brax. Alyssa had been with her since she was thirteen, Gemma having joined her as a clause in her marriage contract, while Lyna and Chysti joined her service under the promise that she would show them how to run households and be good wives, and then find them advantageous marriages. Lyna was a sweet girl, although slightly shy. Diana could not stand Chrysti, for house Brax was an affluent house with enough gold to spare, so as the only daughter Chrysti was spoilt. Diana had made a mental note to find a husband just as obnoxious for her, out of the Westerlands so she would see the girl as scarcely as possible.

"Just the movement of the carriage." Diana replied, assuring her handmaidens she was fine. She moved the silk curtains slightly, peeking out the windows to see Aegon's Hill in the distance, thank the gods.

She could see Tywin riding a few scores ahead, they had an escort of a hundred men. They would arrive just in time for the funeral, she had been told. There were no bodies to burn, it had been done for them. Instead of laying in the Great Sept of Baelor for seven days, her grandfather, her uncle, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard and her uncle's wife were simply represented by urns filled with ashes gathered from the ruins of Summerhall. 'A Dragon does not fear fire, a Dragon is fire' Her grandfather had told her, yet he was reduced to dust by fire. Perhaps he was not a true dragon after all.

They began their decent up through the Lion's Gate, rather fitting, she thought. The Great Sept loomed in the distance, and Diana wanted nothing more than to lose her breakfast from the constant rocking of the carriage from the old road. "Princess! Princess!" The small folk cheered, waving little banners with the three headed dragon and a lion on a black field. It seemed a vendor was selling them for a copper a piece, and making quite a steal. Tywin grinned down at her, having ridden up next to the carriage as they rode into the city.

The carriage pulled to a stop before a great series of steps that lead into the Sept, and Tywin dismounted his horse as a servant opened the door to the cushioned space his wife occupied. He offered his hand to Diana, and she took it gently, regal as a queen. Her black silk dress swished around her, long sleeved with a high neckline, it was somber enough for a funeral, yet the bright gold of her hem drew the eye of anyone around, a golden lion. It was her first time returning to King's Landing since her wedding, and there was no doubt which house the Valyrian beauty had been bonded to.

They took the steps slowly, a procession of mourners. When the entered, the king had already arrived. Her father had always been a sickly man, but grief had aged him even further. 'This crown will kill him' Diana thought, he wore the crown of her great grandfather, King Maekar. It was a crown of war, and he would never survive the weight of it.

Diana kept her neck straight the entire memorial, and only let a few tears shed. She would not let anyone see her weep again. The High Septon seemed to prattle on and on about how the deceased would be missed, in the highest of the seven heavens, and that the wood's witch who beguiled the king's mind would rot in the seventh hell. When he finally concluded the service, Diana immediately went to her sister's side, ignoring her princely brother's lustful gaze. She had already promised to wed off Chrysti so that she could take Joanna Lannister on as a handmaiden in her place. Rhaella had seen the way her husband looked at the woman, and wanted it to escalate no further.

Rhaegar was five weeks old, and swaddled in silks in his mother's arms. A small army of nurses and handmaidens stood a polite distance away, ever vigilant. "May I hold him?" Diana asked, trying not to start crying again. Her heart swelled as the babe was passed to her, she so much wanted one of her own. He had Rhaella's eyes, the lighter shade of lavender that her sister possessed, but he had Aerys's nose.

Aerys seemed pleased with his heir, but Tywin stared at her queerly. There was a hooded longing that made her feel as if she had failed him, even though they had been wed just under a year. "Lord Tywin, or should I say, son." King Jaehaerys began, though it did not escape Diana's notice the fury on her brother's face at her father's words, "I am calling a small meeting, the lord paramounts and the small council, we shall eat and discuss the Blackfyres." He spat the final words, and Diana knew her husband's fate was sealed, war was coming.

"Come sister, let us have luncheon together." Rhaella said kindly, and Diana kissed her husband's cheek as they separated.

Diana held Rhaegar in her arms the whole way from the Great Sept to the Red Keep, praying silently to herself that she might have a cub of her own on it's way. Rhaella rode with her in her carriage, and commented on the grandeur of it, Diana had merely quipped, "If Tywin does anything, he does so to the best of his ability." Her sister gave her a suggestive look, and then glanced down at her stomach and they both laughed.

"I have missed you so, sweet sister." Rhaella said, grinning at her sister. They entered the Red Keep and went to luncheon in the gardens, both sisters' sets of handmaidens travelling with them. After they had eaten, Diana turned to her sister and asked if she would like to take a stroll around the gardens, alone. A Lannister and a Targaryen guard followed a respectful distance behind, while the handmaiden's chatted amongst themselves.

Rhaella kept looking over at her, as if she were waiting for Diana to reveal a secret to her. "What?" Diana asked, "You're looking at me as if I were about to hatch a dragon."

"Perhaps you are," Rhaella had responded with a smug smile, "Or a lion cub." Her hand motioned to her sister's chest, and Diana blushed. "You have always had a chest sister, but not the gods did not bless you that much. Mine swelled when I was pregnant with Rhaegar."

Diana smiled tightly, "My moon's blood is about a moon late, and I have trouble keeping breakfast down, but I haven't seen a Maester yet, I'm afraid." She blinked away tears, cursing herself for being so quick to cry as of late, yet another indicator of what she was scared to affirm to herself just to be wrong.

"Then we shall not take you to a Maester, come." Rhaella said brightly, and Diana furrowed her brow at her sister. They returned to the flock of women and Rhaella announced simply, "It's time for Prince Rhaegar to have his lunch, and I would so like to show my sister the nursery. You all are dismissed for the afternoon." Her handmaidens looked to her for approval, and with a nod from Diana curtsied and left with a chorus of, "Princess, Lady Lannister" they were gone, except for the nursemaid who followed the princesses back into the keep.

Inside the baby's crib was a green dragon's egg, the size of the one that still burned at Diana's hearth in Casterly Rock. She smiled at the tradition, and followed her sister past the main room of the nursery and into a smaller nook with a comfortable chair that served as a private feeding room. Rhaella fed her son from her own breast, and turned to the nursemaid. "Alice, this is my sister, Diana Lannister."

Alice curtseyed to her, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Lannister." She was a squat woman in her mid forties, with a hint of grey in her brown hair, but sharp blue eyes. Her eyes looked over Diana for a moment before asking, "If I may?"

Unsure of what she meant, Diana turned to her sister to see her nod encouragingly. "Go ahead." Diana breathed, and the woman pressed her hand to Diana's stomach, then her breasts.

"I'd say around two moons, maybe a little less. Any nausea? Sensitiveness of the breasts? Perhaps strange cravings?" Alice prodded, as if to confirm.

"I lose my breakfast more often than I break my fast, and my dresses all seem to chafe against my chest." Diana responded honestly, and could have wept when she saw the triumphant smile of the nursemaid.

"You'll start showing soon, I've no doubt." Alice said, "Congratulations, my Lady."

A/N:

And baby Lannister is a go! Should she have twins? They are common in house Lannister after all