These next two chapters are shorter than usual for me, mainly because there is no Loren due to his travelling which will please some of you reading no doubt, but they do include some quite important moments in them. I suppose I could have merged them if I wanted to but there's a very mild OCD part of me that wants to stick to the 60 total chapters in this story.

I hope you all enjoy the chapter, I'm pretty sure you'll all be excited at the return of a certain someone…

I own nobody other than the OC's involved. Everybody and everything else is the property of George R R Martin or HBO.

With an opened letter in his hands Tyland greeted Ser Arys Oakheart and Ser Burton Crakehall with a small nod as he entered the King's chambers. Tommen was being fitted for an outfit, the dull gold shirt was detailed with what looked like a dark green on a second viewing. Looking around the room the Hand of the King noticed that Cersei was sat in the corner of the room holding a glass of wine tightly, clearly unimpressed.

"Uncle!" Tommen greeted him. "What do you think?" The King then did a semi turn, posing.

"I personally prefer a crimson colouring more than green, Your Grace." Tyland admitted, and Tommen scoffed amusedly.

"Mother said similar." He chuckled. "But the Queen is right, with the wedding being between House Tyrell and House Lannister, the King of all the Kingdoms should wear a mixture of House colours. So my cloak will be crimson."

Tyland honestly couldn't care less what the King wore, but he couldn't openly disagree with Margaery's point without inevitably causing a debate with the enamoured King, so he just nodded and said. "The Queen is wise."

"It doesn't matter what the Queen insists you wear, the occasion is not happening." Cersei said derogatively. "We've been over this, Tommen."

"As have we." Tyland said firmly. "This alliance will be strengthened, whether I have to drag you into the sept myself or not."

Cersei glared at Tyland fiercely, but she could see that nobody was on her side and scoffed, draining her glass in one gulp and storming out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Tommen let out a deep breath and sat down on the bed. "She won't stop complaining."

"Let her complain, Your Grace." Tyland said dryly. "We have more important matters to attend to than my sister's happiness. I have received a response from Prince Doran."

That perked Tommen up. "Is Myrcella coming?" He asked excitedly.

"She is." Tyland nodded, handing over the letter. "As is Prince Trystane. Prince Doran is too unwell to accept your offer, but his heir will be taking up the position of Advisor to you, Your Grace. With one condition."

Tommen read the letter thoroughly, sucking in a breath as he got to the end. "They want Ser Armory Lorch."

"I would advise against this." Tyland said carefully. "Ser Armory is an important bannerman of mine."

"Is he?" Tommen asked with a single raised eyebrow. "I know enough about the Westerlands, Uncle. Ser Armory is a landed knight, hardly one of your more powerful bannermen."

"Yet still one of them." Tyland said slightly firmer. "I must protect him as such."

Tommen sighed. "He should at least have a trial similar to what we had planned for Ser Gregor, Uncle. The rumours…"

"Are simply that." Tyland insisted. "We can discuss this at a later date if you insist, Your Grace, but if we appease the Dornish now then we will need to keep appeasing them. If they get Ser Armory then they will turn their attention to me and my siblings as accomplices because the Dornish cannot accept that only an individual would be to blame. All of my siblings would fall under their wrath, and then once we are gone, they will look to the next generation."

Tommen gulped. "They wouldn't…"

"The Dornish are cruel, Tommen." Tyland said quietly as he prepared to leave the King alone to his fitting. "Read your histories on the Targaryen attempts to conquer them by force, and what they did to those they feel have wronged them."

It had been an interesting few weeks for Olenna Tyrell in the Red Keep. Initially she had been due to return to Highgarden after Margaery's wedding, but the clashing of Prince Oberyn and the Mountain had intrigued her enough to stay, and with the Hand of the King pushing for Loras' wedding to Cersei she felt the need to stick around.

Tyland Lannister intrigued her. He wasn't as refined as his father, that much was for sure. He had his moments of ruthlessness of course, but often they were more luck than planning she felt. She often observed the man from afar, noticing that he had many enemies within his inner circles, let alone without. Feeling that she could use that to her advantage, she happily made her way over to the Tower of the Hand at his request, unsurprised when the Lannister Lord wished to finalise the wedding organisation.

"Lord Hand." Olenna greeted, holding her hand out for Tyland to dutifully press his lips too. "You have been extremely busy, I have noticed."

Tyland nodded curtly. "There are many things requiring my attention with the King in his regency. Some expected, others not."

Olenna wanted to snort at the obvious answer, but she held her fake smile and sat down opposite the younger man. "I presume we are here for a final discussion on my Grandson's wedding."

Tyland nodded. "The Riverlands have been pacified, Walder Frey is dead." He explained. "Not that the Frey's would have had any cunning ability to threaten the nuptials, but peace has fallen on Westeros and if we are to host this wedding in Highgarden, the time is now."

"We are paying for the damn thing, of course it will be in Highgarden." Olenna insisted. "Though, preparations will take a couple of weeks at the least."

Tyland nodded. "We are expecting a ship from Dorne in the next week so we cannot begin to prepare for departure for a couple of weeks. If we arrange for it to be held a month from today, is that agreeable?"

Olenna thought for a moment, before nodding. "Very well, a month from now. I will need access to a raven to issue the orders to Loras."

Tyland nodded again, noting the use of word that the old women had used. "I will ensure that Pycelle comes to see you this evening."

After a little more small talk Olenna left the Tower of the Hand and met up with her granddaughter for a stroll around the gardens, quickly getting the necessary catching up out of the way before topic of conversation quickly fell onto the upcoming wedding. "I can't believe you're actually going through with it." Margaery admitted. "Loras deserves so much better."

Olenna agreed. "He does, but with Renly dead who is he going to accept? Loras will never fuck his wife, so better to tie us all further to the House that has been running amok all over the Seven Kingdom's with barely anybody capable of stopping them than antagonising them against us by forcing Loras into bed with some poor dear from the Reach whose father is only willing to ally with us in order to get his grubby hands on Highgarden."

Margaery sighed. "You are right of course, but it still feels as if we are dancing to the tune of House Lannister. They surely can't be all powerful?"

Grinning, Olenna shook her head. "The Targaryen's were once when they had dragons, but of course, they are no longer. The Velaryon's were also an extremely powerful House once too, now they sit alone on Driftmark sulking and dreaming of days gone by. No my child, House Lannister is only as strong as its leader and one day he will fall, and we will be there to pick up the pieces. With Cersei gone you will have the most access to the King and you must be sure to use that to our advantage, and be sure to use Sansa Stark too."

"Sansa is sweet." Margaery admitted. "She's become a good friend to me, she doesn't deserve what is happening to her." She then chuckled. "She'd be perfect for Loras, really."

Olenna had a thoughtful look for a moment. "Perhaps something can be arranged in the near future." She muttered quietly, the cogs in her mind whirring. "Keep close to her."

As the Red Keep began to prepare for the arrival of yet another Dornish host Sansa and Margaery decided to get away from the activity of the Red Keep and the pair took a quiet walk in the gardens together. The weather was slowly turning and the air was cooler than Sansa had grown used to, a sure sign that winter would soon be upon them. Even Margaery had dressed for the weather, her emerald green dress had an extra thickness too it along with sleeves.

"My Father isn't happy about more Martell's being invited to the Capital." Margaery was saying as they slowly walked. "Though His Grace is excited to see his sister once more."

Sansa smiled. "It will be good to see the Princess." She explained. "She was always kind."

Margaery grinned and gripped Sansa's hand. "I hear that she actually makes Lord Tyland somewhat kind too."

"In a way." Sansa shrugged. "She isn't scared of him and views him as both a friend and an ally, and Tyland actually cares about her."

Margaery shuddered. "I can't imagine our Lord Hand caring about anybody myself." Sansa giggled at the comment and the pair continued on their path. "I've heard that Prince Doran is sending dozens and dozens of guards for his son."

"Well that's understandable." Sansa said. "Prince Oberyn was killed here."

"As was Princess Elia, both by the same man." Margaery said, her voice lowering into barely a whisper. "You know the stories?"

Sansa nodded. "Ser Gregor was tried and pardoned."

"Ser Gregor won a fight, barely." Margaery corrected the Stark. "It was smart of him to entice Prince Oberyn into a trial by combat and now Ser Gregor's legacy is that he died pardoned. Prince Doran won't care though, he knows the truth."

Sansa stopped suddenly, pulling on Margaery's arm. "This is dangerous talk."

"I'm worried, Sansa." Margaery explained. "Tommen is too kind and good to understand the truth of this Dornish invasion, but I'm not." She sighed. "Prince Doran wants revenge and it's well known throughout the castle that Ser Gregor went straight to meet with your husband when he arrived in the Red Keep. What they spoke about nobody knows, but it wasn't long afterwards that Prince Oberyn challenged Ser Gregor to a duel."

Sansa looked at her friend questioningly. "Are you suggesting Tyland planned it all?"

"I'm suggesting, that like in the Sack of King's Landing and the deaths of Princess Elia and the children, Tyland Lannister is at the heart of it." Margaery said cautiously. "I want you to be careful around the Dornish. We know our feelings on your Lord Husband, but they don't." Sansa nodded and the pair continued on their walk. They had soon arrived at the Godswood, and after a brief look out at the water and the purple sailed ship that was heading towards the Narrow Sea, Sansa looked up at the great oak tree that was the Red Keep's substitute for a Weirwood, sighing softly. "I also heard a story of a great argument that happened here at this spot." Margaery explained. "Your Father."

Sansa took a sharp intake of breath as she thought about her Father. "The argument with King Robert." She knew the stories as well as anyone.

"Even despite their agreements he was loyal to the King. My Father told me once of the Northern host arriving over the hills in the Stormlands and that he couldn't tell that Lord Stark had been arguing fiercely with the King as they sat down and parlayed." Margaery said. She chuckled. "I wish I could have met him, he seemed loyal to a fault."

"Until he wasn't." Sansa said, her court voice appearing. She thought sadly on Ned, thinking that if he were still here she wouldn't be married to a monster, that she would be home in Winterfell with Robb and Mother alive, with Arya, Bran and Rickon. All of them happy as they had been before. "He was loyal, and then he was a traitor." She said monotonously. "Excuse me, I should check on Arthur."

Sansa didn't wait for a response, instead she quickly strode away from the Red Keep Godswood and pushed past Ser Garth Hightower, eager to lock herself away in her rooms.

The waves lapped at the King Stannis gently as the large ship eased closer towards the bay. Tyrion Lannister was stood on deck staring out at the vast city ahead of him, the Great Pyramid the standout landmark. He sighed deeply, steeling his mind for the likelihood of today being his last day alive.

The last few months had been chaotic. After escaping the Red Keep he and Shireen had sailed quickly to Storm's End, where the words of Davos Seaworth alone had kept the Imp's head attached to his shoulders. From there the planning began. The Stormlands from the outside seemed loyal to the Iron Throne but with Tyrion's knowledge of the true parentage of the King and the festering resentment that sat among the Lords of the region for House Lannister, it was clear that the Stormlands were clearly going to be at war with the Iron Throne once more sooner rather than later. Thankfully, Tyrion's kind treatment of his almost wife had been noted by the Stormlords, and his strategy of seeking strong alliances had been agreed to, despite some heavy resistance from those that fought with Robert during the Rebellion.

Despite that, the question of an alliance with the Dragon Queen was still in the air and Tyrion was half eager and half hesitant to meet the conqueror of Slaver's Bay. His split opinion was clearly noticeable however, and he heard the footsteps of Bronn walking over to him.

"Onions over there reckons we'll be docked in an hour." The former sellsword explained. "You might want to calm yourself down."

Tyrion grimaced. "Inside that pyramid is a woman that without any doubt detests two Houses of Westeros above all others. House Lannister and House Baratheon. Here I am delivering her the last of House Baratheon and I don't particularly fancy dying myself."

"The way you explained it." Bronn said. "Is that this woman wants to murder the people you want dead, and she has dragons."

"She does."

Bronn scoffed. "I've seen you worm your way out of tighter spots than this, dwarf. Tell her what you did and what you want, and she will welcome you with open arms. Even this Targaryen girl knows that the support you bring can't be squandered."

Barely 12,000 men after Stannis' wars, Tyrion figured. But it was more than nothing and they had all pledged allegiance to Shireen as the last daughter of House Baratheon. "I need a drink." Tyrion grumbled as his thoughts threatened to consume him. Almost instantly a skin was thrust into his hands. Smirking at his faithful companion, Tyrion took a deep gulp of the sour liquid and winced as it scorched his throat before taking another one. "Well then Ser Bronn of the Blackwater, let us go and woo a Conqueror." He grinned.

After excusing herself from the Queen Sansa had quickly gone to her rooms to spend some time with Arthur. She could see the features of her father in the baby, despite his tufts of blonde hair and green eyes that screamed Lannister. His face was long, like Ned Stark's, and his eyes were kind and observant. After a couple of hours of just simply watching her son, Mira Forrester entered the room with a couple of plates of food.

"My Lady." She curtseyed. "Lord Tyland sends his apologies, but he will not be joining you this evening."

Sansa smiled. "That is welcome news." She said softly, picking up Arthur and placing him down in his crib. The girls ate their meals in relative silence, and when it came time for the plates to be collected, Sansa held Mira for a moment. "I need to write a letter." Quickly scribbling out a lengthy letter, folding it and stamping it with her Father's Direwolf seal, she scribbled the recipient's name and handed it to Mira. "Discreetly, please."

Mira's eyes widened, but the Forrester handmaiden nodded her head firmly. "It will be done, My Lady." She told Sansa, tucking the letter in her bosom and picking up the plates to go back to the kitchen.

Alone again, Sansa moved over to her small bookcase. She didn't have many books to read, but she had managed to get Mira to smuggle a few Northern tomes out of the Red Keep's library. "Where did we get to?" She said allowed, listening to the gurgles of her son as she ran her fingers along the spines. "Ah, yes." She picked up a heavy book and opened it up to a specific page. "King Raymund Redbeard had invaded the North and our ancestors had ridden to defeat them. Lord Willam was killed in combat and his younger brother, Artos, took command. Artos killed the King Beyond the Wall himself with Ice and forced the Wildlings back to where they came from beyond the Wall." She closed the book again, looking down at her attentive and peaceful baby. "He avenged his family and killed a King, keeping the rest of House Stark and the North safe from those who would harm them." She bent down and pressed a kiss to Arthur's head, thinking on the handful of subtle hints that she weaved into conversations with her husband during her pregnancy. "And that is who you are named after my love, a brave warrior that was fiercely loyal to House Stark. One of only three Starks to have been honoured with a statue in the crypts without ever becoming Lord of Winterfell." She stood upright once more, staring down at her calm son. "Sweet dreams, Artos."

Sansa Stark, the Lady of Casterly Rock and the intricate background player of the Game of Thrones manoeuvring herself into fooling the Hand of the King…

Before that though there were a few important bits. The Dornish are coming up in numbers inevitably to cause problems, whilst at the same time the Tyrell's plot amongst themselves to increase their own power over Tommen. Of course with Myrcella coming back who knows how that will play out.

Tyrion returns! He's been missing for a while but there is the backstory for you. He's firmly aligned himself against the Crown and is off with Shireen to forge an alliance with Daenerys Targaryen. I've not been shy in saying that internal family drama will be the main antagonist to the Lannister rule, not outsiders. Here is a taste of that.

I hope you all enjoyed today's chapter. If you have any comments or queries then the review section is a great place for that and really motivates me to write faster.

Next time: Prince Trystane and Princess Myrcella arrive with a couple of surprises and Daenerys Targaryen decides what to do with her new guests…

Reviews:

tommyginger: The Dornish 'officially' are sending those mentioned here, but with Oberyn dead I'm sure there are a few women that would be happy to pay the Lannisters a visit…

Supremus85: I honestly don't think Sansa is in any position to obtain poison with only one or two actual allies in the Red Keep, and Cersei won't help her! Jon will be a fun one to write when he comes into it in a few chapters time, we're getting close to Season 6 now!

ALPHAomega239: The Sparrows were stopped early by Tyland executing the High Sparrow in Chapter 32.

Mister LaGuardia: He's not going to become his Father, but he needed to prove that he would be a strong leader for the entire Westerlands and wouldn't be walked over by anybody. Perhaps he overcompensated, but he's learning.

roggerlopez99: Most of the things Tyland has done in regard to Tyrion have been because of that promise and how Tyland interprets protecting Tyrion. That won't change.

isaka: Jon makes his first actual appearance in Chapter 41, while Arya will be a while after that. Shireen and Tyrion are an interesting pair to write, and now that they are back, they will have more involvement as a duo as the chapters move on.

expert93: That is the question…

sniperbro1998: Tyland was obviously very fond of Joanna and her death led to him becoming who he is now by proxy of Tywin. Tyland would never actively kill Tyrion, but he wouldn't shed too many tears if the dwarf died through a war against him.

Rolling Mist 13: Tact isn't something he cares at all about really! I'm enjoying the harsher Loren a lot too.