I didn't realise until I'd posted the chapter that this story now has over 60,000 words taking it over the penultimate word limit for searches. That's exciting and allows more people to view the story as I know I normally look to read stories over at least 60,000 words.
While I'm committed to focusing on this story and only uploading this story, in the last week I finished the first chapter of The Golden Dragon (my Targaryen OC story) and I'm super excited about how it went. It's a bit shorter than my usual chapter lengths but it's already so different to my usual things.
For now though, enough about the future and lets get into this chapter. I own nothing, I'm just playing in the world that George R R Martin and HBO have given us.
Loren's duties as a squire meant having to help Lord Tywin into his armour, and that is what he found himself doing now, tightening the straps of Tywin's pauldrons until the elder Lord grimaced from how tight they were.
"A little looser." Tywin commanded, and Loren adjusted the straps before moving to put on Tywin's body armour. "You're quiet this morning."
Loren took a breath before replying. "I have a lot on my mind Grandfather, I apologise."
Tywin scoffed. "You're 16, at 16 the smallest of problems can feel world ending."
"I just heard a harrowing tale from Uncle Tyrion is all." Loren said before he could stop himself. Tywin stood deadly still for a moment, before Moving out of Loren's reach and turning to face his grandson.
"You shouldn't listen to the dwarf's tales." Tywin replied hauntingly. "The lecherous beast doesn't remember his boundaries."
Loren nodded, gulping slightly. "There was one thing I wanted to ask you… about our alliance with House Frey."
Tywin shook his head. "Enough about the girl Loren." He warned.
"But…" Loren began, forgetting himself.
"Come." Tywin said, walking over to a map of the entirety of Westeros. Since the war with the North was over Tywin had taken to strategizing over a map of only the South. He pointed to the Twins. "What do you know of House Frey?"
"That I hope their Lord drops dead today." Loren said under his breath, but looked apologetic at Tywin's glare. "House Frey. Banner is two stone grey towers and bridge on a dark grey field surmounting an escutcheon of blue water." He told Tywin, echoing Maester Creylen's exact teachings. "Words are 'We Stand Together'"
"And what of their history?" Tywin asked.
"They were granted lands and nobility over 600 years ago by Arlan III Durrandon." Loren remembered. "So that he had an ally controlling the Green Fork. They grew so rich from their crossing that they managed to build two great stone keeps and grew into the strongest bannerman of House Tully."
"600 years." Tywin noted, pointing to Riverrun next. "House Tully dates back to the Age of Heroes." Then to Winterfell. "Age of Heroes." Then Casterly Rock. "Age of Heroes. House Frey are a new House, one that can't command thousands of years of respect and we just gave them dominion over the Trident. How are they to remain strong?"
"Alliances." Loren said quietly, not happy at where this lecture was going.
"Exactly." Tywin nodded. "They need alliances to the strongest houses, and House Lannister is the strongest House in Westeros. There's another reason why we need the Frey's on side too, do you know what that is?" Loren shook his head, and so Tywin pointed to the North again. "Eventually the Northerners will grow bolder and want vengeance, it's in their nature. When that time comes you or your son will likely be Lord of Casterly Rock do you want us to have a weak alliance at their border or a strong one?"
Loren sighed. "A strong one… but why Cerenna?"
"She is the closest female of a marriable age to our line of Lannisters." Tywin explained.
Loren knew that, but still questioned. "Grandmother was a Lannister though, what made your circumstance different?"
Tywin clenched his teeth, but knew Loren was only asking out of desperation rather than insolence. "I was wed at a time of peace. The Reyne's had been put to the sword and the Westerlands was beginning to return to stability. I wed Joanna to prove that House Lannister was above all other Houses, to prove one final time our superiority. Our vassals know that now, the entire realm know that so now we look towards future alliances. Which is why you are soon to be betrothed."
Loren stopped in his tracks. "I'm what?"
"Betrothed." Tywin told him. "I received a raven yesterday from Lord Tristan Payne who accepted my offer of betrothal to his daughter, Kathryn. You will wed when she turns 16 in two years' time."
It was too much to take in for Loren. He stumbled backwards, his eyes widening in shock. "Do you have any further need of me My Lord?" He asked, trying to keep the venom he felt rising out of his words.
Tywin shook his head. "Go." He allowed, and Loren just walked as quickly out of the chamber as he could, his mind reeling.
The Small Council meeting for the day was over with, and Tyrion wasn't sure how to feel about the news that they had received from Lord Rykker. Deciding to apologise to his nephew for the night previously, Tyrion made his way over to Loren's chambers in Maegor's Holdfast. As he neared the room and saw the single guard posted outside, he began to whistle the Rains of Castamere.
The guard popped his head through the door. "Lord Tyrion here to see you My Lord." Tyrion didn't hear the response, but the guard was soon back in his spot. "You may enter Lord Tyrion."
"Why thank you, Renford." Tyrion bowed his head exaggeratingly. He entered the door to see Loren slumped over his desk writing a letter. "Ah, the forbidden love letters. I remember those days."
"Who were you writing?" Loren raised an eyebrow in disbelief.
Tyrion hadn't prepared that far. "Never you mind." He chuckled. "How is my cousin?"
"I don't know, this isn't for Cerenna." Loren replied moodily.
"Oh?"
"What do you know of Kathryn Payne?" Loren asked. Tyrion sat down at one of Loren's tables and poured himself some wine.
"Not a great deal, is she the fat one with the buck teeth?" Tyrion asked. "No wait, that's Bessa Payne. Kathryn is the slim young one."
"I know nothing but her name." Loren admitted. "And yet in two years' time we're to be married."
Tyrion felt for his nephew. "I'm sorry." He said honestly. "The Payne's are a loyal House though, I can send you my squire if you like, he is somehow related to the girl."
Loren nodded. "I just need Stannis to come now, I really want to hit something breathing."
Tyrion recognised the sheer anger in Loren's eyes and poured a half glass of wine out, handing it to his nephew. "Drink, it'll calm yourself." He told Loren.
"How did it come to this?" Loren sighed. "If I could only go back a year or two."
"At least she's pretty." Tyrion offered. "You won't have to place a bag over the girls head in order to give yourself an heir."
Loren shook his head. "That isn't helping." He finished up the letter and attached his personal seal to it. "Gods, this is horse shit. Flattery and mummery and 'I hope this letter finds you well' nonsense. I don't know this girl, I don't care about this girl."
"You're doing your duty though. I'm impressed." Tyrion admitted. "Had I have had your abilities I'd have disobeyed my Father years ago and run away with some whore just to spite him."
"I can't stop thinking about Tysha." Loren admitted, and Tyrion stopped in his tracks. "The cruelty."
Tyrion's voice dropped, darkly. "She was well compensated."
"That's not the point and you know it." Loren argued. "I understand the mantra about making our enemies fear us, but our family?"
"Forget about Tysha." Tyrion said, placing a hand on Loren's shoulder. "Forget about Cerenna, forget about Kathryn Payne, forget about Tywin bloody Lannister. We have more important things to worry about tonight nephew."
"Oh?" Loren asked.
"Your wish has come true." Tyrion told him, trying to put a grin on his face. "Stannis approaches, his ships have been seen in the waters of Duskendale within the last day or so. Put your armour on, the war shall likely end tonight."
It was a rare occasion that Jaime found himself alone with his sister nowadays, but that was the scenario he was in as he was sat at her table having a glass of wine while off duty. He had left Joffrey in the tiltyard but had no idea if the King had stayed there to train as instructed. Cersei seemed nervous, more withdrawn and quieter than usual.
"Are you ok?" He asked her.
"Am I ok?" Cersei raised an eyebrow, scoffing. "Stannis Baratheon bears down on our gates with an armada and my brothers all wish my son to be there to fight him when he wants all of our heads on spikes. Of course I'm not ok."
She sat down and poured herself another wine. "You drink more than you used to." He remarked.
"I know." She said quietly.
"We're going to be alright." Jaime assured her. "Tyrion came up with a good plan…"
"Tyrion?" Cersei was surprised. "We're basing our survival on that little monster?"
Jaime shifted uncomfortably. "He wishes to see us win this just as much as you do."
"Tyrion, Father, Tyland." Cersei listed. "All three would be more than happy to see Joff dead. I don't trust them, Jaime."
"I will protect the King." Jaime promised. "I'm Lord Commander of his Kingsguard, I'll be with him at all times. He will be safe."
Jaime noticed a single tear fall down her eye and he leaned over the table to gently wipe it away, his hand lingering on her cheek for a moment too long as she reached her own up to hold it in place. "I've missed you." Cersei told him.
"You see me all the time." Jaime said awkwardly, retrieving his hand. Cersei stared up at him with her beautiful green eyes.
"You know what I mean." Cersei told him. "We're one, you and I. Or so we're meant to be." She added unhappily.
Jaime sighed, standing and walking over to her balcony to stare out into the gardens as the sun began to disappear on the horizon. "We can't." He sighed.
He felt her snake her hands around his chest and her body up against his back. "I'm just scared, Jaime. Stannis… I know what he'll do if he breaks into the city. I'm scared for Myrcella, I'm scared for Tommen, I'm scared for Joff."
Jaime turned in her arms. "I won't let anyone harm our children." He whispered to her. That seemed to be the cue for the Queen Mother, as Cersei leant up on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his lips.
Jaime tried pushing her away for a moment. "Cersei…" He protested, but his protests were weak as his blood rushed southwards and he crashed his lips into her own. He wrapped his arms around her too, not breaking the kiss as he picked her up, relishing the feel of her legs around his waist.
"Oh Jaime…" She moaned into his mouth, her hips bucking against his own. That was it for Jaime, as he carried her over to her bed and dove on top of her, breaking yet another vow that he had made.
As his Aunt and Uncle were rutting in the castle, Loren was brooding once more in the training yard handing a humiliating defeat to his friend, Ser Lambert Turnberry.
"How is it that I am an anointed knight and you're a mere squire, yet every single time we spar you hand me my arse on a golden plate." Lambert groaned.
Loren couldn't hide his smirk, though it didn't last very long. "Whoever knighted you ought to be outed as a halfwit." He japed.
Lambert got to his feet, groaning and stretching out his aches. "You have no idea how much I wish you weren't a Lannister right now so I could knock you senseless."
Loren agreed, but kept his internal struggles silent. "Didn't you just try and do that?" He said as he moved over to grab a water skin. His other friends from the Westerlands were all stood over to one side having watched the bout.
"You were particularly hard hitting today Loren." Benarr Prester noted, chucking the Lannister a skin.
"We have to be ready." Loren told them. "It won't be long, Stannis Baratheon was spotted by a fisherman from Duskendale a couple of days ago."
The mood shifted to a more sombre one. "I need a stronger drink than this." The heir to Sarsfield Ser Eldrick groaned.
The sun had completely disappeared now, and the torches were the boys only source of light. "Will we win?" The youngest of the five and squire to Ser Daven Lannister, the 14-year-old Damion Jast, asked.
Loren nodded. "We have the men, we have the city. Stannis doesn't have a chance against the might of Casterly Rock."
The Jast heir looked happier at that, taking a swig of water. Ser Lambert turned to the youngest member of the group and reopened an old joke between the boys. "Your Mother can't really be called Lanna Lannister, surely?"
"Here we go." Eldrick rolled his eyes as Benarr burst into laughter.
"She is!" Damion cried. "A Lannister of Lannisport."
"Figures." Loren chuckled softly. "The main branch wouldn't be so stupid as to name a daughter 'Lanna'" The young Jast went red with annoyance, as Loren lightly punched his breastplate. "Lighten up Dame, we're only messing. Keeping our mind off of things."
"Things like Kathryn Payne?" Lambert raised an eyebrow. Loren scowled at the reminder. "Oh come on Loren, she's quite pretty really!"
"How would you know?" Eldrick asked.
"The Paynes are basically neighbours, theirs is the nearest castle to Redramble." Lambert shrugged. "We saw one another from time to time if there were balls at Payne Hall."
"I don't care though." Loren sighed. "I should be grateful, a match with House Payne is one of the better ones in the Westerlands but I'm just numbed by it all. None of it matters when I know Cerenna will be getting molested by an old man."
Benarr shuddered. "It's tough Loren, but we don't get a choice."
Loren nodded his understanding, when a loud chime of a bell from the very top of the Red Keep was heard. Quickly focusing on the sound as another chime followed soon after, Loren sprang into action. "All of you get to your stations. Stannis is here. Come Damion." He commanded his friends, as the two knights and Benarr Prester shook hands with Loren and departed, Loren led his distant cousin back into the Red Keep so that they could find the knights that they were squiring for.
I know it's a bit of a short chapter, but it's pretty much just the calm before the storm. Next chapter holds the Battle of Blackwater Bay however and will hopefully be a fun one to write!
Some important bits here though, Loren finding out he is betrothed to a Payne and his reactions from that, as well as Jaime sleeping with Cersei for the first time since Tyland discovered them way back in chapter two. I figured it like Cersei is playing him to get what she wants, and he is there too entranced in her to say no after she called Tommen, Myrcella and Joffrey his.
I hope you all enjoyed it. I will try and get the next chapter out soon but like I said in my intro, my Targaryen story is keeping me awake thinking of all the cool ideas that stem from the Golden Company being allies to start with.
Reviews:
ShpperofTrashyShips: Thank you! It will only get better in my opinion, we're getting closer to some of my favourite parts of the story.
Freakdogsflare: Both the Greatjon and the Smalljon died at the Battle of the Whispering Wood, meaning that 5-year-old Ned Umber is the Lord of Last Hearth. A boy of age with Rickon…
Hail King Cerion: A fair enough reason, although not a theory that I particularly subscribe to. Perhaps, I want to leave some things a mystery though…
TheOnlyKing: I shouldn't have used main character, as the story is focused on the Lannisters in general, but Loren will grow in importance within the family as things begin to happen. And perhaps they always get rid of the evil one because writing non-stop villainy without consequences gets boring.
Guest (Aerys theory): I know the theory and I don't subscribe to it. There's no clear proof that Joanna saw Aerys again after her wedding to Tywin. For this story it's a definite no.
Silver crow: I'd uncross them to be honest, you'll get cramp! An interesting idea about Walder Frey but I believe the Lannisters care more about keeping the alliance strong than they do the feelings of a child. The difference between the Tully's and the Tyrell's though is that the Riverlords seem to be loyal, whereas half a dozen Reach houses seem to have designs on Highgarden due to claims from about 10,000 years ago.
Intemperance24: Thanks for saying that, I try to think realistically about the knock on effects of my actions. Tyland isn't meant to draw you in to be honest, he's cold, he doesn't really have many emotions, he doesn't take enjoyment out of his actions he just does what he feels he has to in order to keep his family strong.
Guest (Lannister Conflict): As it stands I'm not sure about whether or not I'll do the Night King. I didn't want to but then I ran into a problem with Jon's storyline and I've also got a good idea for towards the end that might need the threat from the North, but if I can work around that then I will. There's no faceless men involved though, that I'm sure on.
Stories: The only requests I take are on my Black Wolf One Shots story where I change a moment in the Black Wolf Rises story and go on a tangent from that. I do eventually want to come back to my all of Aerys' children lived idea though, but that won't be for a long time.
Chimaera1201: He's not the sort of person to fall in love unless it's someone extremely special, and he hasn't met that person yet.