I've changed the cover picture. Before it was Loren and Cerenna, but now Loren is stepping up as the Lord of Casterly Rock, I felt he needed to grow up and look more adult and I found this piece of fanart.

It's been a poor week of writing for me as more personal circumstances have cropped up, but don't worry I'll be on schedule for at least one more week with Chapter 40 being written and hopefully I'll be able to write more this weekend.

I own nothing but the OC's. All other characters and locations from the books and show are the property of George R R Martin and HBO, respectively.

Her footsteps echoed loudly in the stone halls as Princess Myrcella walked quickly into the dungeon tower. She initially thought of heading down towards the black cells to speak to Obara Sand but shook that thought away as soon as she realised her anger would get the best of her. Instead she travelled up the stairs towards the top floor, where the lordly prisoners were kept if they were to be treated with comfort. She was once again being followed around by her once loyal guard Ser Arys, a direct order from Tommen to have her protected at all times.

Together with the gaoler they arrived at the room holding Trystane, and Ser Arys turned to the Princess with a hint of worry on his face. "Princess, are you sure about this?"

Myrcella nodded. "He will not harm me, Ser." She told him confidently. "Open it up."

The gaoler did as she told him to, and the metallic lock clicked loudly before he pushed open the door. Myrcella stepped inside as the door closed behind her and she saw her betrothed lying on the bed, his head in a book. "I thought you had forgotten about me, my love." He commented dryly, turning a page.

"There is much to do, and the mess that your men left yesterday needed cleaning up." Myrcella bit back.

Trystane snorted angrily, snapping the book shut and pushing himself upright. "The mess my men made? Lannister men slaughtered them!" He exclaimed, raising his voice.

"Princess?" Ser Arys called from behind the door.

"It's alright, Ser Arys!" Myrcella called back before turning to Trystane with a scowl. "Keep your voice down, everybody inside the Red Keep is looking for an excuse to include you in the murder charges. You're being kept here for your own safety."

Trystane had a look of mirth on his face. "My own safety? The King cares that much?"

"No, but I do." She said sternly, pushing down the feeling of hurt that had started to grow in her chest.

"If you care for me my love, let me and Obara go back to Dorne." Trystane said firmly, getting to his feet and walking over towards Myrcella. "You've already taken one cousin from me, do not be a part of taking another."

"Obara Sand will be tried to the full extent of the law." Myrcella responded formally. "The evidence against her is more than enough to already call her guilty, Trys, and that evidence is only growing as the hours go on."

"It is Lannister lies!" Trystane roared, kicking out at a wooden chair in his room causing it to fall on its side.

"Enough!" Myrcella raised her voice. "I am a Lannister, remember. If you care for me as I do you, you will stop attacking my House as you are."

Trystane still looked angry, but he wasn't shouting anymore. He took a breath and moved over to the desk in the room. "We have spoken long and often about your House, my love." He said calmly. "You know my feelings, and I know that you never felt loved by any of them."

"You misremember." Myrcella said sadly. "My Mother could be cold and favoured Joffrey when I was younger it is true, but she loved me. My Uncle Jaime kept his distance and I rarely saw Tyrion and my Grandfather, but Uncle Tyland…" She stopped before a sob was choked out, taking a deep breath. "He cared, and he showed it often. Perhaps only to me out of everyone he ever knew, but I felt his love for me."

"Tyland Lannister was evil. The only thing that monster loved was power." Trystane scowled, and Myrcella could see that there was no point in eve trying.

"I came here to see if we could work together towards an outcome that wouldn't set Dorne against the crown." Myrcella said calmly, feeling the wave of hurt rising. "I see that that is impossible while you continue to be so stubborn towards my family."

Trystane turned back to glare at Myrcella. "Do not presume to tell me what I am feeling, Myrcella." He snarled. "House Martell has long since suffered at the hands of House Lannister. Elia, Oberyn, now Nymeria too. We want vengeance! We want justice!"

Myrcella took a deep breath. "I hope you reconsider your aggressive stance, my love." She said softly. "Because if this continues and you carry on berating and offending my House, then I will find it difficult to convince Tommen to go through with our betrothal."

She turned on her heels without giving him the satisfaction of seeing her anguish on her face and banged on the door twice. It very quickly opened and Myrcella walked briskly out of the room, not feeling strong enough to stop and say anything to her loyal protector. She didn't stop walking until she reached her chambers, slamming the door shut before Ser Arys could enter. Shakily, she made her way over to her large bed and got on it, grabbing the book that was on her pillow. It was the exact same book that she had been reading 8 years earlier the first time she had spoken to Tyland, a story about the Tourney of Ashford and the Laughing Storm of House Baratheon. Holding it close to her chest she felt the tears begin to fall freely down her face, and Princess Myrcella wept.

Myrcella ended up falling asleep holding her book, and she was awoken with a startle by a knock on her door. "His Grace King Tommen is here to see you, Princess." Ser Arys called.

Myrcella rose to a sitting position and placed the Ashford Tourney book to one side, wiping her eyes to look somewhat presentable. "Let him in!" She called back, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and rising to her feet, smoothing out the creases in her dress. The door opened and Tommen walked in, and Myrcella noticed how annoyed and frustrated he looked. "Apologies Your Grace, I fell asleep." Myrcella said calmly.

"You look awful." Tommen told her, not unkindly, as he moved to the wash basin in the corner and wet a cloth. "Here, wipe your face a moment."

"You're too kind." Myrcella muttered dryly in response to the insult, but she did as he had told her to and did begin to feel a bit fresher. "What can I do for you?"

Tommen sighed and moved over to her window. "When you left Dorne with Trystane, why did you not stop the Sand Snakes from boarding?" He asked.

Myrcella was a smart girl, and she could sense the unspoken accusations behind Tommen's words and knew where they had come from. "I didn't have a choice." She bit back defensively, wondering why the Queen would be intruding on the sibling's relationship. "I am but one girl that had been sent to live in a strange and unfriendly place because of an alliance that I had no choice but to accept."

"Grandfather told me that you agreed to the match…" Tommen began, but Myrcella turned on her brother and snapped back, interrupting the King rudely.

"Do you really expect me as an 11-year-old girl to have been able to tell Tywin Lannister no when you couldn't even do that as the King?"

Tommen winced. "Cella…"

"State your accusation, Tommen." Myrcella snapped again. "Let this murder tear even us apart. That's what they want. That's what they all want."

Tommen shook his head. "I'm not accusing you of anything, I'm just trying to understand. I wasn't in Dorne…"

"No, you were not." Myrcella said firmly, tears threatening to overwhelm her again. "I won't lie and say that it was horrible and that I was treated poorly, because I wasn't. Prince Doran was very kind and explained how things were with the Dornish people towards our family and told me that I was his hope for a lasting peace. Trystane was kind and loving and allowed me to integrate with all of his cousins without any hesitation. Even Prince Oberyn's daughters were kind enough to me, but I'm not stupid. Behind my back the girls would whisper plots of revenge, of what they would do if given the choice to me and my family." She took a breath, her emotions threatening to get the better of her. "I grew and I learned how to manage them, but after I went back without Ser Arys I noticed I was looked at differently, more like a cyvasse piece than a Princess. You are wildly unpopular in Dorne, Tommen. Not as unpopular as our Father, nor as our Grandfather and Uncle, but they would still rather see you dead than on the Throne." Tommen's eyes were wide with fear and Myrcella soon calmed down, half regretting her strong words. "Prince Doran doesn't, he thinks you are good for the realm, but he is only one man."

"I don't like it." Tommen whispered. "Being King. Everyone wants something and people close to me get hurt. I don't want you to get hurt too."

Myrcella softened at that, remembering that he was still her little brother above all else. She moved and wrapped Tommen in a gentle hug. "I will be fine." She insisted. "And I will be by your side for as long as you want me to be. We are a team, you and I. We have been since we were small children."

Tommen smiled and tightened his grip around his sister. "We always will be. I know I can count on you, I'm sorry for thinking you could have stopped this."

Myrcella shrugged as she stepped back. "It's been playing on my mind too." She admitted. "I knew their resentment, I should have guessed Trystane allowing them on the ship would be trouble."

Nodding, Tommen then had a thought. "What do I do about him?" He asked her.

Her heart was breaking at that question as she remembered their conversation from earlier that day. "We keep him in the cell until Obara's trial." She told him. "Then we should send him back to Dorne."

"You aren't going with him." Tommen insisted. "I want you here, with me."

Myrcella smiled fondly at her sweet brother. "I love him, Tom. I truly do, but if Obara is found guilty you must break the betrothal."

Tommen frowned. "But that will make you sad." He commented.

"For a time, it will." Myrcella admitted, her heart melting at his concern for her happiness. "But who we are is more important than our happiness. Everyone else out there will try and use us for their own gains. Mother will try to make you do things, Margaery will too. You and I are the only people we can trust, the same as when we were small."

Tommen frowned and was about to retort at her accusation against Margaery when another knock on the door came. "Apologies, Your Grace." Ser Burton Crakehall of the Kingsguard called. "Riders have been spotted heading towards the Lion Gate with Lannister banners."

The siblings looked at one another, immediately knowing what was coming their way, though Tommen was the one to say it. "Loren is here."

The last time Loren had entered King's Landing as a squire and a boy he remembered being disappointed. The stink of the place had got to him and he had longed for Casterly Rock. This time however as he led a force of 300 mounted knights through the Lion's Gate it was a completely different man entering the city. He had cut his hair a little shorter and let his beard begin to grow out to look more assertive and adult, while his Lannister style armour had a lot more gold detailing on it than before. Above all else however, he was glaring as his horse thundered through the Lion Gate.

Riding beside Loren was his ever-faithful friend Lambert Turnberry, now also a Lord after Lord Turnberry had succumbed to his illness while Loren had stopped at Redramble on the way to King's Landing, and also riding with the Lord of Casterly Rock was Ser Benarr Prester and Ser Eldrick Sarsfield. All of them loyal friends and all of them equally as pissed off at another liege lord being murdered within the Red Keep. As he rode down the streets of King's Landing Loren noticed the people of King's Landing eying his party with a sense of fear, but he held his posture and continued through the city towards the Red Keep.

Once they arrived the majority of his men were led to the barracks while Loren and his three friends were quickly shown towards Maegor's Holdfast, where they were met by Ser Lyle Crakehall and Ser Damion Jast, both already in the Capital having escorted the Frey prisoners. "My Lord." They both bowed their heads as Loren dismounted.

"Uncle Lyle, Dame." Loren greeted the pair. "Tell me everything."

The Strongboar did just that, his voice deep and angry. "The Dornish arrived with the Princess a couple of weeks back, and the murder wasn't long afterwards. The King locked himself away to mourn whilst the Council dithered, being led by the Princess and Ser Jaime it seems, and they finally made an arrest just yesterday."

"Who?" Eldrick asked.

"A Dornish bastard." Damion told them. "One of Prince Oberyn's daughters."

Loren had heard about the trial and death of the Martell Prince. "So revenge. Petty and unhidden revenge." He muttered. "Where is the King?"

"In the Throne Room, awaiting you, My Lord." Damion explained. "A number of the court are with him."

Loren took a deep, audible breath with his nose. "They want a show, to see me bend to the King." He noted. "Very well, let us act out the part of the loyal subject in front of the court, I shall speak with my cousin in private after my Father has been sent back to the Rock." Loren's Crakehall Uncle then led them all towards the Throne Room, and as they walked the length of the room Loren noticed a number of people. The Queen and Lady Olenna were up in the gallery, and so was Loren's Aunt Cersei, the Tyrell and Lannister women being separated by Princess Myrcella. Loren also passed his Great-Uncle Kevan and the other members of the Small Council before he was in front of the stone steps, and he looked up to see Tommen Baratheon sat on the Iron Throne. Loren got to one knee and lowered his head. "My King. Casterly Rock is yours." He stated loudly.

"Rise, Lord Loren." Tommen exclaimed formally. "Your presence in these trying times is most welcome."

Loren did as he was asked to. "I feel it isn't amiss to say that I wish I did not need to be here Your Grace, but circumstance has made it necessary."

Tommen shifted nervously. "I am deeply sorry for your loss, My Lord."

"As am I, Your Grace." Loren said calmly. "I would like to see his body as soon as possible, if I may."

"Of course." Tommen nodded. "Then I shall do this quickly. Loren of the House Lannister. I, Tommen of the House Baratheon the First of my Name do hereby pronounce you as the Lord of Casterly Rock, Lord Paramount of the Westerlands and the Shield of Lannisport. I also proclaim you to be the Warden of the West, charged with defending Western Westeros from all who may harm it."

Loren fell to one knee again, though they were titles that he expected to receive. "I shall do my duty to you as both your loyal banner and your cousin, Your Grace."

Tommen smiled. "Good, please stand. Court is dismissed and you may go and see your Father's bones, Lord Loren."

Loren rose once more and bowed his head to the King who quickly got out of the Iron Throne and walked out of the room, followed by a couple of Kingsguard knights. Loren noticed that his Uncle Jaime hadn't been one of them and presumed that he must be standing vigil. He turned to his friends and said quietly. "Go and get yourselves settled in, then start asking questions. I want to know everything."

"Of course, My Lord." Lambert, Benarr, Eldrick and Damion all said quickly, whilst Loren's maternal Uncle just nodded with a grunt.

Loren watched them leave before his eyes met Myrcella's sad ones, but before he could walk to greet her he was accosted by Captain Vylarr. "Ser." Loren greeted.

"My Lord, my men are at your command." Vylarr stated.

Loren forced a smile on his lips. "How many are you now?"

"48, My Lord." Vylarr explained.

That surprised Loren. "When I left King's Landing to take up the position of Acting Lord of the Rock you numbered nearly 100." He said sharply. "Where is everyone?"

Vylarr had been around Tyland for too long to be anything but professional, and he stood up straight as he replied. "28 have been conscripted as Gold Cloaks My Lord with your Father's blessing as they wished to stay in the city even after we are not needed here, whilst Ser Jasper has taken some 10 men with Lady Sansa to Riverrun."

Loren frowned. "I had hoped to speak with Lady Sansa, but it is no bother. She likely wished to visit her sister." He said calmly. "Very well, if you would escort me to the Sept of Baelor, I must pay my respects to my Father."

Vylarr bowed. "I am at your command, My Lord."

Loren just nodded and looked back up at the now empty gallery. Sighing, he led his new protector away, his mind racing as he wondered what he was going to say when he saw his Father's corpse.

It was a sombre ride through the city as Loren and his new protection made their way towards the Sept of Baelor. Once more the citizens of the city kept a wary distance, and Loren just ignored the stares that he was getting as he pushed his stallion into a trot. Eventually they made it to the bottom of the Sept stairs, and Loren dismounted quickly. "Stay here." He ordered his men. "I wish to mourn alone."

"As you say, My Lord." Vylarr bowed his head, moving to take the reins of Loren's horse as the young Lannister began climbing the stone steps.

Once he got to the top he saw a pair of Gold Cloaks outside the main doors. They both snapped to attention as they realised who he was. "Lord Loren." The one on the left said. "Ser Jaime is inside, he is expecting you."

"Thank you." He told the man, letting him open the door for Loren. The new Warden of the West entered the dark room, lit only by some candles around the room. In the middle of the floor surrounded by the statues of the gods lay Tyland, dressed in an expensive crimson doublet, Loren noticed. His footsteps echoed loudly as he moved down the stairs to stand next to his Kingsguard uncle.

"It doesn't seem like long ago that I was in this very room standing vigil over my Father." Jaime said solemnly. "Tyland was there standing next to me bickering with Cersei standing over Father's barely cold corpse."

"That sounds like them." Loren noted dryly. "Don't worry, Uncle. I don't plan on any arguments."

Loren looked down at Tyland Lannister's white face. Already the skin was sagging in his jaw and Loren could notice the overpowering aromas littered around the table. "I presume I am the last to visit?"

Jaime nodded. "You arrived quickly, but he has been dead for a week. Our enemies wanted to make sure he was dead, our friends did the same."

Loren wanted to laugh, but the sight of his still Father stopped that before it threatened a noise. "Do we have any friends?"

Jaime shrugged. "Who knows these days."

Loren's eyes were still firmly on his Father. "Tell me what happened." He said.

And Jaime did just that, explaining everything that had happened leading up to the murder with the Dornish, and even told Loren about some threats that Cersei had made towards Loren's baby brother. "Thankfully, she won't ever get the chance."

Loren nodded, his teeth clenched in anger. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, calming himself slightly. "I'm going to stay in King's Landing for a while." He told Jaime. "I know you are leading the investigation into Father's murder with Myrcella. I will be a part of that too."

Jaime nodded. "We presumed as much. I am due to meet with the Princess at noon tomorrow."

"I will be there." Loren nodded. He continued staring at Tyland, however. "You can stop your vigil now, Uncle. I will have the Silent Sisters prepare his bones for travel and he will leave for Casterly Rock in the morning. I just want a moment alone before he is prepared."

Jaime dithered for a moment, but he nodded his head. "I will meet you early tomorrow, Loren. There are some things that belong to you."

Loren barely registered that, but he nodded anyway, his eyes firmly planted on the blue stone pupils covering his Father's eyes. He then heard clunky footsteps and a door shutting before a few moments of silence followed. Sighing again, Loren began to speak. "I don't know what to feel." He admitted. "I know what I need to feel, but there is so much more beneath that. I feel anger and sadness, but also relief that you can't hurt any more innocent people. Does that make me a terrible son, or were you just a terrible Father?" He sighed again, raising a hand to the bridge of his nose. "That's unfair, you weren't a terrible Father." He admitted. "You were a cruel man to whomever you perceived as an enemy, but I am grateful for you in a way. I got the best of you and the best of Mother. You were the first to teach me to fight, the first to teach me to swim and the first to teach me to lead." He felt a tear drop down his cheek. "I am sorry for the last words I said to you. We disagreed at the end, but that doesn't mean I don't cherish those early memories of you. You raised me to be my own man, to have my own opinions and way of doing things, and even if you disagreed with my methods you gave me the chance and the space to get better, and I thank you for that." He placed his hand on Tyland's, wincing at the cold skin. "Whoever did this will pay, I swear it on all of our ancestor's memories." He snarled, his green eyes narrowing in a scowl. "Enjoy your peace, Father. I hope you feel more content than you ever did in life."

He snatched his hand away and took a deep breath along with one final look at the man who had raised him in Loren's early years. Nodding contently, he called out an order to the lurking Silent Sisters. "Prepare him for travel to Casterly Rock." He didn't bother waiting for the silent response, instead he walked back out of the Sept of Baelor ready to punish somebody for attacking his House.

Tyland's body was wheeled out of the city in a carriage at dawn the next morning escorted by Lord Lambert Turnberry and Ser Eldrick Sarsfield. A sea of golden hair was there to say goodbye and Loren noticed that for a man of many enemies, there were a fair few teary faces watching the carriage leave the castle. Loren however remained strong on the outside, knowing he needed to show a certain image now as the Lord of Casterly Rock. Once the carriage and the King had both left the courtyard, Loren followed both Jaime and Kevan Lannister up to the Tower of the Hand.

It felt strange being up there knowing that both his Father and Grandfather had been murdered in the same room through one of the doors that he could see now, and so a slightly unnerved Loren stayed in the Small Council area of the Tower while Kevan, the newly appointed Hand of the King, went to fetch whatever Loren was here for. Loren went to stand behind the chair for the Hand of the King, running his fingers on the wooden back.

"Lord Tarly will be the new Master of Laws." Jaime explained. "The Queen had fought for him before your Father encouraged the King to place Kevan in the role, but we couldn't stop this one. We are a little concerned with the influence that the Reach are getting."

Loren nodded. "It is only natural I suppose, the Queen will be whispering in Tommen's ear even more now. At least Lord Randyll will do a good job." He couldn't think of anybody better himself. "And at least he is tied to House Lannister through Myrielle and Lancel."

Jaime looked confused for a moment, before he realised. "Ah yes, I forgot that my Lady cousin married Dickon Tarly earlier this year."

Loren nodded, his wife's twin was apparently well settled at Horn Hill now, and while his lack of interest in bothering to talk to Lancel Lannister had meant that he had rarely seen Lord Tarly's daughter Talla around the Rock he knew that Cerenna often included her in her activities. "Was there any mention of Dickon and Ella coming to King's Landing with Lord Tarly?" He asked. The last he had heard was that Myrielle would be staying in Casterly Rock for the time being as Cerenna got used to motherhood.

Jaime shook his head. "None." He said quickly, before Kevan was back holding two separate scabbards.

Loren recognised one of them, its crimson scabbard with golden stitching had rarely been seen off of his Father's belt. "Red Rain."

"It is yours now." Kevan Lannister explained. "As Lord of Casterly Rock, you should wield your Father's blade."

Loren nodded, taking the scabbard from his Great-Uncle and unsheathing the Valyrian Steel blade. He marvelled at the red rippled steel that met with the silver pommel, and all Loren think of was that this was the sword that had killed the Greatjon Umber and had also killed Lyn Corbray, a sword steeped in both ancient and recent history. "The pommel could use a bit more of a Lannister touch." He noted with a wry smirk, placing the blade back into its scabbard. "Thank you, Uncle."

"Don't thank me, it is yours." Kevan said dryly. "As is this blade for the time being."

This blade was a lot more Lannister. The golden ripples in the hilt alone made Loren think of the Rock, let alone the ruby embedded in the cross guard and the lion head pommel. Loren placed Red Rain on the table and was handed the new sword, unsheathing an inch of it. "Another Valyrian Steel blade?"

"It was forged from the Stark blade, Ice." Jaime explained. "The King has it's brother."

"This one was originally meant to be yours, before your wedding." Kevan grumbled, still unhappy about that fiasco clearly. "Although, you now have Red Rain."

Loren immediately knew what to do with the new sword. "It was forged from the Stark blade, it should go to a half Stark." He explained, snapping it back into its scabbard. "When Arthur comes of age, this shall be his gift from Father."

Jaime smiled. "A wise choice."

Kevan agreed. "Quite." He looked at Loren questioningly then. "Jaime tells me you are staying?"

"For the time being." Loren admitted. "Somebody has insulted House Lannister, and whether or not the realm believes I am ready for the responsibility, I am now the head of that House. I will be here to see that justice is served."

Kevan grinned, gesturing for Loren to sit down at the Council table. "Good. Then you should know more about our Dornish guests before we meet with the Princess…"

I very rarely include much of Dorne of Myrcella in my stories, so this is a nice change. The argument and bickering between Myrcella and Trystane was really fun to think of, and I felt the nice call back to Chapter 2 I believe it was with Myrcella's book was good to show how affected by Tyland's death she really is.

It's important to remember that Tommen here is still only 13 while Myrcella is 14. The show aged them up more drastically than the other children by the end, so they are still just children that have been thrust to the very top of the pile. Myrcella is right in saying everyone will want to use them, and thankfully she is smart. Tommen however just wants everyone to be happy.

Loren is pissed, but he doesn't really know what to think about Tyland. He is focusing more of his energy onto revenge and justice. I struggled a bit with his speech to Tyland's body I won't lie, but I'm happy enough with it now.

The other major thing was Red Rain being handed over to Loren. He's already a deadly swordsman, but now he has his Father's sword to wield…

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know your thoughts!

Next time: Daenerys and Tyrion face a naval blockade, while Tyland's body is mourned in Lannisport

Reviews:

Jason Kreuger Myers: Loren will hold to his oaths, but you're right he would be very conflicted when realising that Tyrion is with Daenerys.

ALPHAomega239: Spoilers…

roggerlopez99: I think I'm doing the murder scene from the killer's perspective, so while you might get final words, you probably won't get final thoughts.

Guest (Artos): Artos is with Sansa.

Trane671: Sansa was there because she was a captive, she's gone from a naïve child to a forced bride of someone old enough to be her Father that killed her family. I think it's only natural that she would hold on to her Stark heritage as much as she could instead of calling herself a Lannister.

sniperbro1998: It's certainly a sword with a bloody history, though after this chapter it now has another owner that will no doubt spill more blood with it.

Tokha123: Thank you!

Silver crow: You're very right about Tyrion! Loren will fight for who he believes to be his rightful ruler, you're right he doesn't overly care about dominance over the entire realm, but he does care about his family name being respected.

Supremus85: Olenna is definitely underestimating Loren, but she doesn't know him other than through his actions so it's a fair assumption to make.

Rolling Mist 13: Perhaps you're on to something, or perhaps that's intentional…

max-452fan: Because this is a story told from the perspective of the Lannisters in which up until now they are winning.