Hello everyone!

Please enjoy this early update that dips into the North and King's Landing :)

Chapter 39: Wrath of the Sun

Next day …

Castle Black, just beneath the Wall, Two weeks ride from Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark in the North, Capital of the Kingdom of the North

Robb watched from the wooden bridge as the Wildling's cautiously wandered through the courtyard of Castle Black and past the gates into the Gift. The few remaining Brothers of the Night's Watch looked at the trudging Wildlings with absolute disgust on their faces. They had just burned the bodies of their friends mere hours ago and now they were letting their killers walk through the gates of the Wall and Castle Black. The very thing their friends had died to stop.

"Having second thoughts" a singsong voice said to Robb's left.

"That would be quite hard considering your rabble is already halfway through the Wall," Robb replied to Mance Rayder as the dark-haired man stood beside the King in the North.

"Very true," Mance agreed in a light tone, hardly able to believe that he had led his people peacefully through the Wall instead of battering it down.

Robb had let Jon negotiate on his behalf and he trusted his brother but it was time to build his own opinion on the King Beyond the Wall.

Robb turned to look Mance directly in the eye, "We will march for Last Hearth to regroup and plan our strategy to take Winterfell."

"You think a rabble of twenty-thousand is capable of taking Winterfell?" Mance questioned using Robb's own words against him.

"With training and a clear plan. Aye I do but I will need your … men to heed my commands."

Mance smirked, "Oh Good. Wildlings are known for their obedience and ability to carry out instructions."

"This is serious," Robb said angrily picking up on Mance's sarcastic tone. "What we do in the coming weeks and months will decide the future of the North. The future of my family."

"You are misguided. It isn't about your family; it isn't just about the North. If the White Walkers get past the Wall, we are all dead. You, your people, the Southerners, even those that live beyond the Narrow Sea. Everything will die. So, don't lecture me on what I should do boy," the King Beyond the Wall chided Robb.

Robb stayed quite in the wake of Mance's outburst, unsure on how to respond to such a dire assessment of not just the future of the North but the future of the world as they knew it.

Mance shook his head before returning his attention back to Robb, "My people know what lies beyond the Wall and it is no myth. We will fight for you Robb Stark because you gave us our lives. You let us pass through the Wall. But once we have fought your battles, once we have won you your crown back and we have our land we won't bow to you. We will not call you King."

"I don't need you to bow. I need you to fight," Robb said firmly.

Mance grinned at the young King beside him, "That we can do."

Jon stood in the courtyard surrounded by his friends.

"We'll miss you," Sam stated genuinely with a tear threatening his eye.

"Yeah, come visit us when you are a proper Lord and all," Edd said as he clapped Jon into a hug.

Jon turned to Grenn, "Take care of the new recruits. Make sure Ser Alliser doesn't drill them to death."

"Of course, how could he deny Grenn the Giantslayer anything," Grenn proudly stated.

They all rolled their eyes at Grenn. He hadn't shut up about kill the giant since the moment he had achieved the feat.

"This is goodbye for now then. My family need me," Jon started to justify before Edd held up a hand.

"We all understand and Sam here has filled us in on what has been happening down south. Besides we need you to spread the word about what lies beyond the Wall since no one will act on Maester Aemon's letters," Edd said in an understanding voice, giving Jon a way to keep his oath intact if he so chose to return to the Wall.

Jon smiled at them, appreciating their compassion, before turning and mounting his waiting horse. He rode through the gates of Castle Black to catch up with his brother and the Northern men leading the Wildlings south.

A few days later in the middle of the night …

Winterfell, Seat of power of House Stark in the North, Capital of the Kingdom of the North

Arya sneaked through the corridors making no sound. Chasing those cats actually paid off, Arya mused to herself as she glided silently through the hallways of Winterfell, dodging any half-asleep Bolton solider with ease.

Since Winterfell had been captured by the Bolton bastard Arya had managed to avoid his men by hiding in the Crypt and stealing food when necessary from the kitchens. After the first few days the consensus among the Bolton men was that she had escaped Winterfell and they no longer actively looked for her.

She had been close to being taken prisoner when the Bolton's and Karstark forces had initially battered through the gates of Winterfell. Some Bolton men had managed to corner her in one of the library rooms of Winterfell. The only reason she had managed to slip past the dozen or so men was due to the Hound. He had burst through the door and started swing and cutting down the men allowing Arya to slip away and hide.

From her various excursion from the Crypts she had overheard a few conversations that indicated that the Hound had survived the initial capture of Winterfell and that Ramsey Snow had thrown him in the kennels with the hounds for his own amusement. Some of the soldiers had talked about betting on fights involving the Hound and Ramsey's hounds.

Remembering her last words with Syrio Forel, Arya promised herself that she wouldn't leave the Hound to Ramsey's mercy after he had saved her. She wouldn't do that again.

Her destination this night had nothing to do with the Hound though. She crept around the corner and spotted the door she was after. A Bolton guard sat on a stool lightly snoring.

Arya tiptoed up to the guard making sure to listen for any other footsteps. She spotted the keys resting on the guard's belt and with one hand she held a dagger inches from the sleeping man's throat while her other hand tried to prise the keys from his belt.

Luckily for the man she was successful and quickly found the right key for the door. She unlocked it and swiftly closed the door behind her.

What she saw when she turned around horrified her.

Maester Luwin's robes were covered in blood. His fingers didn't even look like fingers anymore. His head hung heavy on his chest and his breaths were wheezy and faint.

There was a dirty wooden table beside Maester Luwin which displayed an assortment of knives, long and short; thin and wide. They all shared one thing in common.

They were all stained with blood.

Arya approached the old man cautiously and slowly trying not to startle him. She gently shook his shoulder but placed a hand over his mouth to silence any cries of surprise but he simple raised his eyes to hers.

Arya lifted her hand and whispered," Who did this to you?"

Maester Luwin took a few moments to reply and wet his dry lips, "Our new Lord did."

Arya felt a pang of rage course through her. She was going to kill Ramsey.

Maester Luwin must have identified the look in her eyes as he said softly, "Just leave Arya. Find your brothers. They are at the Wall. Just get out of here."

"What about you?" Arya said quietly and in a tone that betrayed her tender years.

Maester Luwin raised his head and really looked at Arya, "You know what needs to be done. Ramsey will come back and he will torture me and I can't guarantee I won't tell him you are still alive to stop the pain."

"I … I didn't intend… He won't find me … even if you tell him I am still here" Arya spluttered.

"Calm child. I don't want to take that risk and besides look at me. I won't last much longer. It will be a mercy Arya." Maester Luwin saw that Arya was still wavering and added in an exhausted voice, "Please."

Arya silently nodded. Tears had started to trickle from her eyes as she unwrapped a long piece of cloth from the Maester's robes and placed it around the Maester's neck.

"Thank you, Arya," Maester Luwin breathed, "Your brothers will need you. They will need you to do the things that they can't or won't do."

From behind Maester Luwin's head Arya replied in a soft voice, "I know," before she started to tighten the piece of cloth around the scholarly man's throat.

He didn't struggle. He just silently faded into the night.

When Arya had returned safety back to the Crypts she curled up on the ground before her father's tomb. She gripped a thin bloody knife to her stomach as she started to say the names of those that had wronged her and her family.

The last name she said was Ramsey Snow.

A week later on a quiet evening …

The Hand's Study, Tower of the Hand, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms

Tywin heard the stone slab move. Kenna hadn't used any secret passageway to see him in his Hand of the King chambers since the night of the failed assassination attempt. She always met him at Chatayas's brothel. Their normal rendezvous occurred much later than this hour. He still had work to attend to. Shame. She would have to be sent away.

When Tywin did look up from his parchments of paper, he was surprised to see a smiling Prince Oberyn saunter into his study and plop himself down in the chair opposite Tywin.

"Lord Tywin, a pleasant evening no?" the Prince said in a jovial manner.

Tywin stared at Oberyn. He used the secret tunnel; how did he know of it and why has he used it. Tywin knew the answer before the question had reverberated around his head.

"You intend to kill me," he stated as he put down his quill.

Oberyn's grin widened to reach his eyes as he playfully clapped his hands together in a mock celebration.

"And if I call for my guards, I am guessing no-one will come?" Tywin deduced.

Oberyn swung one leg over the other as he relaxed into his chair enjoying every second of this encounter, "Dead guards can't hear."

"How did they die?"

"Poison, naturally."

"You didn't give it to them personally, so who betrayed me?" Tywin's mind bounced back to the woman he had presumed had been his visitor. "Who told you about the passageway?"

Oberyn laughed. "If you are thinking Lady Kenna betrayed you, she didn't. It was the Spider, Lord Varys. He also gave me the name of a whore that could help me gain access to your chambers. I did try to enlist Lady Kenna in my revenge but she wasn't interested. She seemed to have her own plan to escape King's Landing and it didn't involve killing you or being an exile in Dorne."

Tywin nodded taking in all the information Oberyn was giving him. Tywin wondered why Kenna hadn't taken Oberyn up on his offer? It certainly wasn't their affair that had stopped Kenna. Tywin suspected Kenna wasn't above killing a lover. No, it wasn't their arrangement that had and was stopping Kenna attempting to flee the city. Maybe it was her honour to keep her promise to him but thanks to Oberyn and his talkative tongue he knew it was this plan of Kenna's that was stopping her. She had a better option than killing him and stealing away to Dorne.

But discovering Kenna's plan was a matter to be dealt with in the future. If he could manoeuvre himself out of his current predicament to have a future.

Oberyn suddenly leaned forward in the chair opposite Tywin, "Lord Varys told me an interesting thing."

"Oh?" Tywin said trying to keep the conversation going.

"He said that you and Lady Kenna are fucking each other. Is that why she refused my offer? Are you that good in bed you managed to turn her head away from honour, away from justice?"

When Tywin didn't answer him Oberyn brought down a knife in a flash and it impaled Lord Tywin's hand to the table.

Tywin let out a gasp of pain as his other hand enclosed around Oberyn's hand that held a firm grip on the knife. Their faces were mere inches apart now.

"I have waited so long for this moment," Oberyn sneered, his eyes were on fire as he savoured the position, he was in.

Oberyn pulled the blade back out of the table and Tywin's hand. He made his way slowly around the table so he stood next to the seated Lion Lord who held his injured hand with his uninjured one.

"You killed my son's whore," he stated loudly up at Prince Oberyn as his face tensed in pain.

"Yes, I did, after a most wonderful evening with her," Oberyn replied before punching Tywin square on the jaw.

The Prince landed half a dozen more strikes before relenting and taking a few breaths to calm himself. He didn't want to go too fast. He had waited more than two decades for this moment, for this feeling of wanderlust, for his revenge.

"You would be the prime suspect," Tywin managed to spit out as blood dribbled from his mouth and nose.

"No, I would have been the prime suspect," Oberyn said as he lifted his hands to reveal two slight blades. "I'll make sure to stab you enough times that your death resembles Euron's and the court gossip should do the rest. Cersei's grief will connect the dots and probably add Tyrion into the equation as well."

Oberyn sent Tywin a smug smile as he bent at the waist to lean closer to Tywin, "If I were to have killed you, you would have died of poisoning. Everyone knows I studied poisons at the Citadel but blades, they are more Lady Kenna's thing aren't they."

Oberyn straightened up and his smugness was replaced with deadly fury, "Now confess to ordering the Mountain to rape and murder my sister as well as kill her children. If you confess your death will be quick," he said as he flipped one knife in his hand. "If you do not your death will be slow and you will beg for me to finish you."

Tywin looked coldly up at the hot-headed Prince, "Even if I confess my death will be slow and painful."

"Yes, you are right," Oberyn said as he stepped toward the still seated Lord. "There is no quick and easy escape for you."

Oberyn started to throw punches again but this time Tywin responded by rushing out of his chair at the Prince. Before he could land a hand on the younger man Prince Oberyn swept his leg along the floor tripping Tywin up so that he landed on the floor.

Oberyn's shadow fell over Tywin and he rained down blow after blow pausing only to demand a confession. "Admit, you ordered the Mountain to rape my sister, to killer her and her children."

Even if Tywin had wanted to confess the rate that Oberyn was landing blows to his head would have made speech impossible.

Suddenly the onslaught of punches stopped.

Tywin looked up to see that Oberyn had a crossbow bolt protruding from his gut.

Oberyn gripped the study desk as he collapsed to the floor, breathing heavily and clearly in pain as he tried to remove the bolt.

Tywin's hands also found the study desks edge and he dragged himself up to lean on the table. The crossbow was rapidly becoming his favourite weapon. He looked straight ahead.

"Took you long enough to take the shot," Tywin said to his saviour.

"What can I say I was enjoying what I was seeing," Tyrion said back as he held a crossbow in his hands.

Tyrion started to reload the crossbow.

"Don't kill him Tyrion," Tywin said as he continued to catch his breath and ignore the ringing in his head. "He is more valuable to us alive and will give us the edge in the negotiations."

"Always thinking ten steps ahead," Tyrion acknowledge but pointed the loaded crossbow back at Oberyn anyway. Oberyn had managed to crawl to the wall and was sitting against it with the bloody crossbow bolt discarded on the floor. His hands held his stomach but were doing a poor job at keeping his blood inside his body.

"Enough Tyrion," Tywin demanded in a strained voice.

His vision was still slightly blurry as he tried to move towards his son. His step faltered and only his hands stopped him from completely collapsing onto the floor face first.

Tyrion took a step towards the gasping Dornishman, "He killed Shae."

"Yes, he killed your …," Tywin stopped himself as Tyrion sent him a demented look. "But we can use him, alive."

"He took the only think I loved in this world and killed it," Tyrion said as silent tears ran down his cheeks.

Oberyn coughed blood onto the floor catching both Lannister men's attentions, "Yes I killed your whore but what you father has done to you your entire life is so much worse. He has treated you like shit."

What Oberyn was trying to convince Tyrion to do wasn't lost on Tywin but his body refused to move and his mind was still fighting to focus on his surroundings.

"You could blame me," Oberyn said in between gasps as his eyes flickered between Tyrion and his father, "Just point and pull the trigger."

Tyrion with years' worth of anger swirling in his eyes slowly swivelled to face his half-collapsed father.

"Do you know why I am here Father? Why I used the secret tunnel to come visit you in the middle of the night carrying a crossbow?" Tyrion said sharply as if remembering himself why he was in his father's study.

When his father didn't answer him, instead choosing to spit blood onto the floor, Tyrion advanced to within a metre of the grounded Lord and continued, "I thought you had ordered Shae's death. That action wouldn't have been beyond you."

Tywin stared intensely at Tyrion. For once they were at an equal eyelevel.

His son's intention when he had crawled through the stone slab after Prince Oberyn had been to kill him but he had overheard Oberyn's confession and switched targets.

If you could switch targets once. You could switch targets again.

Tywin lifted his head slightly to look at his emotional son, "Tyrion … you saved my life. Are you now going to take it?"

Tywin was tired of crossbows being pointed in his direction.

Tyrion hesitated but lowered the crossbow, "We can't have the future Lord of the Rock grow up without a suitable father figure can we. The Gods know Jamie and myself wouldn't be up for the job."

Tywin's face twitched as he pushed himself into a standing position.

"Yes, I overheard that bit about you fucking Lady Kenna too. I wonder how Jamie will take it," Tyrion's face lit up. "I wonder how Cersei will take it."

"No," croaked Oberyn at the conversation unfolding in front of him. "Kill him."

"I am not the agent of chaos you think I am," Tyrion said softly to the bloodied Prince. "If I shoot my father now, it will be me verse Cersei till there is only one standing and the survivor would only be standing in the Tyrell's shadows."

"You hate him," Oberyn pleaded.

"I do," Tyrion replied locking eyes with his father, "but he is family. And what is a man without family. In the end that is all we truly have."

Tywin looked through suspicious eyes at his son. If he were a betting man, he would have staked a considerable amount of gold dragons on his son impaling him with a crossbow bolt. But as with everything else his youngest had managed to subvert his expectations. It seemed Tyrion understood the true dynamics in King's Landing. If Tywin fell so did his pride. A pride Tyrion understood he belonged too. He was after all a lion.

"What do you intend to do," Tyrion asked letting the metal point of the loaded bolt tap on the stone floor as he glanced towards Oberyn.

The Prince was sweating profusely and his torso was covered in blood but he still had the aura of a man that was going to live, like he couldn't let go of life until he had completed a final task.

"Go get Pycelle. I will claim that I shot Oberyn in self-defence. His being in my study and the dead guards outside will support that."

"So will the state of your face," Tyrion said with twinkle in his eyes as he looked up at his father's face. "You will get the credit for capturing Oberyn then. I can imagine the songs already, how the Great Lion stomped on the Red Viper."

"And I will get the blame," Tywin pointed out. "The Martells already hate me. There is no reason for them to also hate you and perpetuate the bad feelings between our families into another generation."

Tyrion nodded at his reasoning and started to move towards the door, "What no thank you for saving your life and not killing you?"

"You are, above all else, a survivor Tyrion," Tywin said as he tore a strip of cloth of his own sleeve and started to wrap it around his injured left hand. "You know King's Landing becomes a much more dangerous place for you if I am dead. You didn't kill me because it is better for you if I am alive."

Tyrion spun around at the study entrance eager to take full advantage of the vulnerable position his father was in, aware that it wouldn't happen again for a while if ever again.

"Oh, before I go. Lady Kenna, are you going to continue with her?" Tyrion questioned. He couldn't wait to confront Lady Kenna over this newfound piece of knowledge. What a conversation that would be. It seemed all Lannister men had a weakness for choosing unsuitable women, it had just taken his father longer to succumb that it had Jamie and himself.

Tywin's back tensed and straighten as he regained his composure to face his youngest son, "I am securing the line of succession."

"Is that what you are calling it," Tyrion scoffed, "It is all about your legacy then?"

"No, it is also about honour," Tywin replied, "She promised me an heir and in exchange she demanded Lysa and Littlefinger's deaths. I accomplished my end of the bargain and she will fulfil hers."

"Of course," Tyrion said. Lannister's were equally good at paying debts as they were at demanding they be paid. "Funny how the promise you made allows you to fuck a very beautiful and desirable woman. All in the name of family."

"Tyrion," Tywin warned his son but he had already scarpered from the room leaving the crossbow on the floor.

A few minutes later Maester Pycelle and a few Lannister guards entered the Hand's study to find Prince Oberyn still breathing, slumped against the wall staring daggers at Tywin with blood seeping through his yellow tunic. Tywin was at his desk furiously writing letters, completely ignoring the wounded Prince.

A bloody crossbow bolt rested between the two formidable men.

"My Lord," Pycelle squeaked as he took in the bruised and bloody face of Tywin and eyed the loaded crossbow that rested on the Lion Lord's desk.

Tywin glanced up from his desk, "Tend to Prince Oberyn Grand Maester. Make sure he doesn't die. He is more valuable to me alive than dead."

Tywin switched his attention from Pycelle to the Lannister guards as he thundered, "Convene the Small Council and bring me Lord Varys now."

"You," he said to one of the departing guards, "Take these letters, make sure they are sent within the hour."

"Yes, M'lord," the guard stuttered under the intense scrutiny of his liege Lord.

Tywin sat back and lightly rested his wrapped hand on the arm of his chair as he watched the men before him scramble to carry out his orders.

Tywin's eyes followed the bleeding Prince as he was carried out of the chambers of the Hand.

His blood wouldn't be the only spilt because of his foolish actions, Tywin thought.

He knew what was coming next and he had to prepare. There was no time to waste.

Next day in the afternoon …

The Red Keep's Courtyard, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms

The sound of a marching army was never a comforting noise to Tyrion. He looked out into the courtyard to see the Tyrell soldiers making their way out of the Red Keep.

Loras Tyrell was marshalling his green and golden covered men towards the gate as his oafish father sat atop his own horse and watched the proceedings. Tyrion's own father had left earlier with his main force that morning to join with Jamie's host and march on Dorne.

Before Tywin had left, he had given Tyrion back his old position of acting Hand of the King and clear instructions to keep the peace between the Roses and Lions. Tyrion rather thought his father had forgotten an animal in that equation but he had held his tongue at the time.

From brother to the Queen, to acting Hand of the King, to Master of Coin, to accused kin and King killer back to acting Hand of the King again. At least my life isn't boring, Tyrion told himself.

A subdued voice came from behind Tyrion, "Is it true? Did Prince Oberyn try to kill your father?"

"We wouldn't be mustering our forces against Dorne if it wasn't my Lady," Tyrion replied as he turned around to face Kenna.

Kenna walked up to Tyrion and looked over the balcony bannister to watch as the last Tyrell men march through the Red Keep's gate.

Tyrion thought he saw concern flash in Kenna's eyes, but what was it for?

The men marching below? Prince Oberyn's fate? His father injuries? Tyrion shuddered at the thought. No, there was something else concerning Kenna and occupying her mind Tyrion deduced.

"Well acting Lord Hand, what are you going to do now?" Kenna asked still mesmerised by the measured striding of the rose covered men in front of her.

"In the words of my father, I will rule," Tyrion said as he pushed off the balcony's banister and started to walk back inside the Red Keep.

Kenna rolled her eyes at the little Lord understanding her good-brother's jesting nature by now and easily kept pace with Tyrion.

Tyrion noticing she was following him asked, "Was there something else?"

"How did Oberyn get captured?" Kenna questioned as she held open a door for Tyrion.

"My Father shot him with a crossbow bolt in self-defence," Tyrion lied.

Either Oberyn was incredible sloppy or that isn't the truth, Kenna thought but kept that sentiment to herself.

"What was discussed at the Small Council meeting last night or would you consider that hour in the morning?" Kenna pried.

"If you weren't there my Lady take that as a hint you don't need to know what was discussed," Tyrion said as they started to walk up the stairs.

Kenna smirked at Tyrion's sassy comment, "Now you have be elevated to Hand of the King have you forgotten who your friends are?"

"We are friends?" Tyrion shot back with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"Allies at least. I did save your life or don't you recall your recent tangle with the law," Kenna reminded him in a playful tone.

Tyrion smiled up at Kenna appreciating her being able to keep up with his humour, "Lord Varys has disappeared in the wake of Oberyn's assassination attempt on my father. Which is rather suspicious is it not?"

"Makes sense to disappear if you are behind the failed attempted murder of the most powerful man in the Seven Kingdoms," Kenna concurred.

"Yes, it does but why move against my father now?" Tyrion pondered out loud.

"I have no idea my Lord but if anyone will figure that out it will be you." Upon seeing the enjoyment Tyrion was deriving from trying to come up with possible explanations she continued, "You are made for a place such as King's Landing you know."

"And you aren't?" Tyrion remarked back.

"No," Kenna replied in a harderned voice as they stopped before a guarded door.

Tyrion pushed his way past the red clad guard and Kenna followed unwilling to let go of the conversation. She entered the room and realised they were in the chambers of the Hand. Now Tyrion's chambers.

"I disagree," Tyrion said while locking eyes with her and entering the study. "You seem to be doing extremely well for someone who was dragged here as a fallen Queen of a conquered Kingdom. I would have expected my sister to have found a way to murder you by now but here you are. Still among the land of the living. You will have to tell me your secret."

Something in Tyrion's gleeful tone made Kenna's hairs stand on edge. He knows about my deal with his father.

"You know, don't you?" Kenna asked trying to hide her anticipation at his answer.

"Know what?" Tyrion said playing along as he poured a cup of wine.

"You are enjoying this conversation way too much for you not to know," Kenna said correctly reading Tyrion's behaviour while declining his offer of a cup.

Tyrion kept a hold of Kenna's eyes but a childlike excitement seemed to take grip of him, "Did you know my Lady there are six reasons that a person does anything: Love, faith, greed, boredom, fear... revenge. Most people are motivated by fear of something or faith in something. You were clearly motivated by revenge in the past. My brother is motivated by love, my father by greed, …. I guess my sister is also motivated by love for her children.

"And let me guess, you are motivated by boredom?" Kenna said as she eyed her surroundings.

"You know me so well," Tyrion teased as he took a swig of his cup. "What are you motivated by now?"

Kenna took a few moments to think through her answer, "Mostly boredom now."

"Mmmm," Tyrion murmured in delight as he couldn't resist saying what was on his mind, "was it boredom that led you to start fucking my father?"

Kenna panicked eyes found Tyrion's gleaming ones. She stood frozen in the centre of the study, stunned at Tyrion's direct words and unable to conjure up a reply.

Tyrion chuckled at Kenna's mute reaction. He was enjoying this encounter way too much. "To answer your earlier question. Yes, I know."

Kenna looked away from Tyrion once she had fought through her shock at Tyrion vocalising the truth, "I made a promise. A deal. I gave my word."

"Justify it how you like my Lady. It doesn't matter to me. But I would advise keeping it from my sister I don't think she would take too kindly to your ….. arrangement with my father."

Tyrion turned from Kenna and strutted away from the still partially stunned Lady to sit behind the study desk, already enjoying being Hand again.

Oh, how he had missed being Hand of the King. He could let his sharp tongue go to work without fear of the consequences.

"Don't worry I won't tell anyone. My father made it clear that if I valued the new found trust he has placed in me that there should be no hint of a scandal on his return from Dorne."

"You think the Lannister and Tyrell armies will be victorious?" Kenna said slowly finding her voice again.

"Who says there even has to be a battle. My father normally tries to win the wars before the swords need to be drawn and battle cries uttered," Tyrion said as he finished his wine.

Kenna indicated she would take that offered drink now as she noticed flecks of blood on the desk before her. Tyrion obliged his good-sister and they sipped their goblets in silence as their minds plotted and schemed for their future selves.

Author's Note:

Seems like Tyrion is enjoying his new/old position of power and the fun he is going to have :P He also seems to know all the secrets that are flying around King's Landing. Just to be clear Tyrion isn't threatening Kenna he just enjoys toying with people and their secrets, especially when it involves his father.

Shae's murderer is revealed! And it was Prince Oberyn! After Tyrion sent Shae away, she got off the ship and started working again in Chataya's brothel. Varys of course found out and pushed Oberyn in her direction as Shae has the knowledge of the tunnels from visiting Tyrion when he was Hand of the King. Oberyn essentially killed her as he didn't want an alive Shae being able to testify against him or accuse him of Tywin's murder. Loose ends and all that :)

I feel like Oberyn was a bit more ruthless here than we have seen him in the TV show but what drives him is getting his revenge and returning to Dorne. He also felt slightly betrayed by Kenna over her 'arrangement' with Tywin so when it comes to who to frame for Tywin's murder, he doesn't have a problem with framing Kenna.

Varys has been busy in the shadows pushing and pulling people together and his work finally bared fruit. His aim (ironically) is to cause as much chaos as possible in King's Landing so it is easier to take for his new chosen leader.

Shout outs/Reviews:

Supremus85 – I facepalmed when I read your review … Changed it pretty quickly thanks to you though :) Yeah although I wouldn't call the murder of two young boys an 'accident' :P See Chapters 10 and 11. Those two chapters deal with the Karstarks and their actions in the War of the Five Kings and a Queen.

NCVII – I don't think Stannis is heading where you think he is ;D Stannis will be making an appearance next chapter kind of :P Oh no, everyone seems to get ill around this time of year. No chance that with me I take plenty of rest day LOL.

Since you hate him hope you enjoyed Tywin's beat down :) I would say, although I do use material from the books (as I research plots and characters) my interpretation, tone of character I use, and general feel for the personalities of the characters come from the TV show, not the book which might explain why some characters don't align exactly with their book counterpart.

As I said I was conflicted over Roose but I needed Ramsey to come into his own to move the North plot on.

Well I said season 4 was my favourite season, but I think season 3 had the best scene in the entire series (Red Wedding).

Kenna does still value honour very highly so when she gives her word, she intends to keep it. Glad I could brighten you day and entertain :D If you do write something, I would love to see it but no pressure :)

Christmas was great thanks and I am sure New Year will be awesome too even if it will be spent in the middle of nowhere!

Hope you had a good one too :)

Raw666 – Well she is deadly from the shadows but only Maester Luwin felt death at her hands this chapter :(

Chm01 – Robb is certainly not screwing around anymore. He has been pushed to his limit trying to be the King he thinks he should be instead of the King he needs to be to hold the North. He going to go old school on taking back the North ;D

NightlyRowenTree – Thanks for reading :)

Bvg (Guest) - "I believe in second chances. I don't believe in third chances."

Who said it? To whom did they say it to? In what episode did they say it?

Svenion – *shrugs* It's Game of Thrones and people are going to die in battle. I think Lord Umber and Tormund would have been drawn to one another on the battlefield at Castle Black and I went with Tormund besting Lord Umber due to age and missing fingers. Once Robb found Lord Umber dying, he would have gone after Tormund to avenge Lord Umber and I have already explained in Tormund's RIP section why Robb won.

Death Lantern (Commented on Chapter 5) – Very true. If I get time once ARC II of this story is complete, I may revise this. Thanks for pointing it out.

R.I.P

Maester Luwin (Strangled by Arya so he wouldn't have to suffer Ramsey's torture anymore)

This death unexpectantly hit the feels with me. The circumstances (mercy killing) just make it incredibly depressing as there really was no escape for Maester Luwin and death was the better option in the face of Ramsey's torture but for Arya to do it … mmmm I mean that is like killing your favourite primary or high school teacher :(

Next Up: Third time lucky for Margaery? Robb demonstrates his commitment to Mance Rayder, The Dornish muster in the Prince's Pass, and King's Landing sees the return of an old face.

If you like what my mind is conjuring up please consider reviewing and following the story :)

SIDE NOTE: I am in Scotland for the New Year and (I didn't know this until today) we are staying in a place that doesn't have wifi …. so I wasn't sure if I would be able to post on Friday so that is why I posted this chapter early today :)

Wish my millennial ass luck on surviving in the wilderness that is the Isle of Arran -_- (Yes I know ironic considering this story is based on House Arryn XD)

See you next chapter which should be next Friday :)