I'm sorry I missed a week, as I have said previously life is a bit hectic right now and I only like uploading when I have spare chapters… I'll hopefully only ever miss one week at a time though so don't worry, I'm not having any breaks like I used to with this story!

This is a shorter chapter, but by the Seven is it an important one… So I will leave the intro short and sweet as well, and I shall hope that you enjoy this chapter almost as much as I enjoyed writing it.

I own nothing but the OC's. Everyone and everything else is the property of George R R Martin or HBO.

It was a rare occasion nowadays that Cersei got to spend a prolonged period of time with her only living son, but she was allowed a chance when Tommen invited her to join him for lunch, and it was an invitation that she had no hesitation in accepting. Thankfully for her, they were alone as they began eating.

"You look tired, my love." Cersei noted once their meal was well underway.

Tommen nodded. "I am. I'm hoping now that the matter of Uncle Tyland's murder has been sorted that I can have some more peace. Mayhaps I'll take Margaery out on the boat soon, that will be nice."

"You deserve a break." Cersei nodded, the smile on her face was forced at the mention of the Tyrell harlot. "But I fear this situation is not entirely over."

"How do you mean?" Tommen asked.

Cersei took a breath. "Do you remember your lessons in history my love, about the heinous crimes the Dornish committed whenever they felt wronged?"

Tommen gulped. "They murdered Queen Rhaenys and whatever they threatened the Conqueror with it got him to pause his conquest. They murdered Lord Lyonel Tyrell in his bed with hundreds of scorpions…"

"They are vengeful creatures the Dornish." Cersei explained to her boy. "They won't stop. Prince Oberyn still has a number of daughters, all of which will be eager for vengeance."

Tommen frowned, looking downwards at his plate. "I just want this over with Mother."

Cersei's heart almost broke for her son. "It will be, you just need to be firm my love. With your sister sending our best hostage away without consulting us we need new leverage. Send an order to Prince Doran to send two of them as hostages for their good behaviour."

"That will anger them even more." Tommen shook his head, but his Uncle's words from before his death sounded in his mind. "If I keep appeasing them, the more they will want." He said softly. "They've killed Uncle Tyland, they will be after more of us."

Cersei grinned. "Exactly, and we can stop that if we have hostages."

Tommen sighed. Cersei could see that he was reluctant, but he nodded. "You are right Mother, we need to get ahead of them before they get an army together."

"Very good, my love." Cersei smiled.

"Thank you." Tommen said honestly, reaching his hand over the table and grabbing Cersei's hand. "This talk helped."

Cersei smiled, rubbing her thumb on Tommen's hand. "I am always here for you, my love. And I will always have your best interests at heart." She told him kindly, meaning every word. She would happily slaughter thousands if it meant keeping her last boy safe.

With a swift flick of his wrist Loren sent his opponent down to the ground with a hearty thud, and the panting Lord of Casterly Rock viewed the scene around him. Four groaning Lannister soldiers were on the floor writhing after a thorough beating, and Loren just twirled his sword and smirked. "Well fought, everyone." He called out.

"Fuck off." One of those on the floor sighed, and Loren just laughed at his Uncle Lyle Crakehall trying to push himself up to his knees. The Lannister moved to help his Uncle up, patting the Strongboar on the shoulder when he was upright. "Apologies, I meant fuck off, My Lord."

Loren grinned, moving over to help the rest of his sparring partners up before he moved over to one side and took off his helm so he could have a large swig from a water skin. "It was a good bout, really helpful." Loren admitted. "In a battle situation I will be the prime target, so will need to prepare to face as many opponents as possible. Tomorrow we will add one more."

Lyle's eyes widened as he grabbed his own skin. "5 men?"

Loren shrugged. "It'll be difficult, but worthwhile." He noted, taking another sip. "War is coming, Uncle. I already have Lambert and Daven gathering men in the Westerlands, it's simply a matter of when."

"Perhaps sooner than we think." He heard the Princess' voice sound, and both the young men stood upright as Myrcella and Ser Arys walked towards them, with Varys the spymaster nearby. "I need to speak with you."

Loren nodded. "As you wish." He turned to his maternal Uncle. "Same time tomorrow."

Lyle groaned, but he nodded. "I best go and rest up then and prepare for another beating." He smirked, before walking away.

"What is it?" Loren asked his cousin.

Myrcella turned to Varys. "Tell Lord Lore exactly what you told me."

Varys bowed, and begun his tale. "I was recently informed by one of my little birds about an unannounced royal trip to Braavos." He began. "Some time before Lord Tyland was killed, one of the Queen Mother's personal guards boarded a ship for the Free City and paid handsomely out of the crown's coffers for discretion."

Loren frowned. "What does Cersei want with Braavos?"

"I have a few ears in the Free City, My Lord." Varys told him. "And I heard this morning about a Westerosi knight poking his nose around the House of Black and White."

Loren's face paled as the implications became apparent. "The Faceless Men." He whispered.

Myrcella nodded, her eyes furious. "I looked into the docks logs. The only Westerosi booked onto Braavos in the last few months was Ser Osney Kettleblack."

"Who?" Loren asked, never having heard of the knight before.

"Queen Cersei's new sworn sword." Varys explained.

Loren ran his gauntlet covered hand through his hair. "Shit." He whispered. "So there's the how."

"The why would be because of her wedding, I'm sure of it." Myrcella told them. "She had the means, she had a reason."

"Obara Sand could have been innocent." Loren muttered. "This is bad. Does the King know about this?"

Myrcella shook her head, her eyes were brimming with rage. "The King in his infinite wisdom sought out my Mother's counsel yesterday and today has summoned two of Prince Oberyn's young daughters to King's Landing to act as companions for me."

The unspoken message was obvious. "He wants hostages." Loren said. "That will never happen, the Dornish would turn on Doran if he even suggested it."

"War is coming, My Lord." Varys said bluntly. "A war seemingly orchestrated by the Queen Regent."

"What about Uncle Kevan? He needs to know." Loren told the pair. "We need to get Cersei under control."

Myrcella shook her head. "Tommen won't allow it, and Uncle Kevan doesn't believe we should be fighting amongst ourselves without definitive proof of Mother's treachery whilst also fighting the Dornish."

Loren clenched his fist at that news. "We can't wait. Who knows what else she could do?"

"I will investigate further, My Lord." Varys bowed his head. "As of now, all we have is guesswork."

"Bloody good guesswork." Loren countered, but he conceded. "You are right though, we need proof that Ser Osney met with the Faceless Men and came back with a companion. You work on that, Varys, and I will prepare my men for battle with the Dornish."

"While I try and undo my Mother's plots and rescue Tommen from her influence." Myrcella sighed. Nodding though, she looked intently at Loren. "It's up to us, Loren. We can't trust anybody else now, not my Mother, nor the Queen, nor even Ser Kevan now."

Loren nodded. "I agree." He kissed Myrcella on the cheek once more. "Stay safe, little cousin." He said calmly before he walked briskly off to change and write out a handful of letters to his Lords.

It took no longer than a week for word to come from the Dornish Marches that the Dornish had an army stirring beyond their borders. Loren had arranged for the armies of the West to meet him at Ashford to join up with a host of Reachman before making their way through the Prince's Pass. His men from King's Landing were ready and waiting, and all he had to do was saddle his horse before departing the Capital. As he tightened the straps on the white destrier he noticed a singular member of the Kingsguard making his way towards him. Expecting more orders from Tommen, he finished his task and went to greet the Kingsguard, who turned out to be his Uncle.

"I wish I could ride with you." Jaime admitted.

Loren shook his head. "We need you here, Uncle. The Dornish have resorted to trickery before, this could all be a ruse."

Jaime nodded his agreement, but he still looked up at the saddled Red Rain longingly. "Give them no mercy, Loren." The elder knight snarled bitterly. "For Tyland."

Loren nodded, but his mind again raced towards his aunt. "They will pay, for sure." He said quietly. "I just worry about what I'm leaving behind."

"How so?" Jaime asked.

Loren sighed audibly. "Cersei and Myrcella are at each other's throats. Accusations are about to get thrown around, accusations of us getting the wrong killer."

Jaime frowned at the cryptic words. "Speak plainly, nephew. What are you trying to tell me?"

Loren looked around and was grateful that they were basically alone. He leant forwards and whispered. "Cersei was looking into the Faceless Men before Father was killed. What if she succeeded?" He leant back and checked his saddle quickly before mounting up, noticing as he was sat atop his horse Jaime's look of confusion. "We were investigating, Myrcella and I, but duty calls me away."

"Cersei would never." Jaime insisted. "She was devastated after your Father's death... No, there must be another explanation."

Loren shrugged. "She's a good actor, Uncle. I always believed her marriage to be a happy one as a child." The Lannister Lord looked around one last time. "Just… keep an eye out." Jaime nodded, and Loren, knowing he needed to go and met up with Captain Vylarr and the rest of his men outside the city walls as soon as possible, nodded back firmly. "Until we meet again, Uncle." And he kicked his horse into movement, racing away from the Red Keep, hoping that he hadn't left Myrcella alone in a future battlefield.

The invited Lords and Lady Lyessa had all arrived swiftly since the summons had gone out of White Harbour, and the final guest to arrive had done so on a cold but clear day in the North. Jon was stood up on the walls of the New Castle looking down into the courtyard watching as the new Lord of Ironrath, the returned Asher Forrester, rode in. Immediately the former sellsword was set upon by his sister Mira and the pair reunited with a ferocious and tearful hug. The scene made him once again think of Arya, his sister all alone in a castle surrounded by enemies and it made him angry.

"Your anger is a strength, Jon Snow." The Red Woman's voice came from the stone steps leading back down to the courtyard. "Use it wisely and your enemies will fall beneath your blade."

"There is only one enemy that matters." Jon told her. "Though nobody will focus on that while the Bolton's rule Winterfell."

The Red Woman leant on the battlements beside Jon as they both stared down at Mira and Asher's reunion. "This is the enemy they understand, they cannot fear what they don't understand."

"Then it will be too late." Jon sighed.

"The embers blow in strange directions, Jon Snow." The Red Woman began. "Following their path may see you move further down your own."

Jon shrugged. "Dealing in maybes and what if's will let the Night King grow his army and move closer."

"The path forward is set. You are Azor Ahai, and no matter the battlefield, no matter the army behind you, you are destined to bring back the dawn." The Red Woman added mystically. "It is foretold."

Jon didn't believe a word she said, but he couldn't just dismiss her given the power that he had seen she possessed. "You see visions, right?" He asked.

"When God allows them."

"Can you see Arya?" Jon asked hopefully.

The Red Woman closed her eyes, but before too long she shook her head. "It does not work that way. I only see what I am allowed to, and lately all I have seen is a dragon of ice flying above Winterfell."

Jon sighed sadly, but he nodded. He looked down and noticed Howland Reed leaning on a wall in the courtyard, staring eerily up at Jon as if he had heard everything. "Keep looking for her." He told the woman, pushing himself upright and making to walk off. "If there's a way to save her before we are bogged down in a campaign for the entire North, I would."

"As you say, Jon Snow." The Red Woman said, and Jon left her there as he walked away, lost in his own thoughts.

It was an extremely southern, Northern council that had gathered within the Merman's Court in White Harbour, but once Asher Forrester had arrived on behalf of Lord Robett Glover, the proceedings could begin. A circular table had been brought into the centre of the room and Sansa sat on the right side of Rickon, with Jon on his left. She looked around the table and recognised the majority of people there, Wyman and Wynafred Manderly, Howland Reed, Asher Forrester, Lady Lyessa Flint and Lord Ondrew Locke all in attendance, and all looking towards the Stark's with an air of caution.

"Thank you all for coming." Lord Wyman announced. "For too long we have watched as the Bolton's run rampant throughout the North, strangling our purses or flaying us if we refuse. Now is the time to act."

"I presume you have a plan then?" Lady Lyessa said, almost accusingly as she stared at Sansa.

"We do." Sansa didn't back down under the glare but stared right back at the proud woman. "House Bolton will have no allies from the South, they are all mixed up in their own wars and struggles after the death of Tyland Lannister."

"The monster." Asher Forrester growled.

"Aye." The rest of the room agreed.

Sansa nodded. "And so now is the time to strike."

"And we should listen to you?" Lady Lyessa asked. "Why? As far as I remember you are now a Lannister."

Sansa expected that. "I am a Stark, now and always, Lady Flint." She explained calmly. "But my time in the South gave me a perspective we need on what the Lannisters fear above all else. Daenerys Targaryen."

Scoffs and refusals sounded from Lady Flint and Lord Locke, with the latter exclaiming. "You come here and expect us to ally with a Targaryen?"

"We have no other choice!" Sansa raised her voice. "Everybody here lost family at the Twins that day, everybody here wishes for the Lannister's to be stopped, but we can't do it alone. We need allies."

"I know Daenerys Targaryen. I helped her take Meereen." Asher Forrester said calmly, his face angry as it stared down at the table. "She didn't help when I asked for aid afterwards, what makes you so sure that she will help now?"

Howland answered that. "Ironrath as an ally is less enticing than the entire North, Lord Asher. As harsh as that may sound, Daenerys Targaryen has her eyes on a wider prize and sparing men to take one castle when the North is in the hands of Roose Bolton was unwise. I would have made the same decision."

Wyman nodded. "Our plan is to rally those still loyal to House Stark. We take the North from the Bolton's, we solidify, and we join in when the Targaryen girl is ready to destroy the Lannister's and the Frey's. To take the North however, we need all of you."

"There are two sons of Ned Stark in this room." Ondrew Locke said quietly. "Why are we hearing from the wife of the Red Lion on behalf of a mere child?"

Sansa sighed, noticing Howland Reed shift uncomfortably. "My Lord…"

"I want to hear from the bastard, not you." Ondrew interrupted angrily.

Jon turned to Sansa and nodded, saying it was ok. "I am a bastard, it is true. That is why I will not even consider whatever you are about to suggest, My Lord. I will happily lead men into battle and I will happily give my life to restore House Stark, but I will not sit as Lord of Winterfell once this is all over while my siblings live. I fight for Rickon, as should you all."

Wyman had a big grin on his face. "Well said." He commented. "And the plan has been adapted and agreed by myself and Lord Reed, Lord Locke. It is our plan, not just Lady Sansa's."

"She is a Lannister." Lady Lyessa repeated. "How can we trust her?"

"I know the South better than anybody in this room." Sansa said firmly. "You see me as the wife of Tyland Lannister, I see myself as a survivor of him. I learnt at his side the politics of the realm and I know exactly who would join us in the South and who would oppose us."

"You birthed a Lannister!" Locke shouted. "You allowed a Lannister in your bed! Your interests are skewed."

"Artos is a Stark!" Sansa exclaimed loudly. "He is his Mother's son, the grandson of Ned Stark. And I wouldn't repeat that about my bed, Lord Locke. You are a man, you have no idea what it is like to be kept hostage and forced to wed a man you detest. He killed my Father, he killed my Mother and my Brother, he alone killed more of our families than anybody has in history. He raped me nightly and got me with child, I hardly let him do anything, I had no choice."

Lady Flint looked angrily at Ondrew Locke. "The girl speaks true, Ondrew, you know nothing of a woman's ordeals in the marriage bed."

"I learnt at his side." Sansa said, seething with rage as she reached down to her right leg. "I waited and waited until the right moment, seething at the man I hated above all else treating me like his property and making his plots to get rid of anybody that stood in his way, until finally he went too far and I stabbed him in the heart with this." She slammed the Valyrian Steel dagger that had been strapped to her leg into the table. "You believe I don't have the interests of the North because I was married to its killer? You could not be more wrong, Lord Locke. I killed Tyland Lannister myself, I freed us all from the Red Lion."

A couple of references to Chapter 35 in this chapter, firstly we have Tyland and Tommen's talk where they discussed the Dornish, and then a tiny hint that nobody picked up on… a purple sailed ship sailing away from King's Landing!

There's also a reference to the Telltale game again, with Asher Forrester knowing Daenerys Targaryen.

Cersei is back in the game… with Tyland and Tywin now dead she doesn't have anyone to constantly squash her down into a nothing role, and she's already making the most of that with Tommen… of course Myrcella is on to her perhaps, but what can she do against her own Mother?

Loren is once again riding off to war, but it's for a cause that could have been easily avoided had the truth been known to them. That truth of course, is covered in the last few words as the true murderer is revealed. Some of you guessed it of course, but not all of you did.

Jon is worried about Arya and I felt a scene where he tried to get the Red Woman to see something important given that he knows she can do remarkable things. All she sees though is a separate vision…

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, especially the reveal!

Next time: We find out exactly what happened that night in King's Landing, while tensions between Mother and Daughter continue to grow…

Reviews:

Rolling Mist 13: It's really interesting to delve into the younger ones actually and I'm glad you're enjoying it as much as I am! I hope the reveal was good…

carvacho13: Nope! She was a red herring, but that doesn't mean she isn't dangerous…

Supremus85: Tyland's plan was outright control instead of control through fear of hostage deaths and he managed that, though only for a short period of time.

E. Minor25: There's still a lot of time before Dany arrives… but as things stand it is interesting to think on what the Reach houses will do.

Silver crow: It probably is saltiness but that's ok! I'm glad I could write a character you feel that strongly over, I just can't get on board with him being anything other than what he was here. Loren will do what is best for the Westerlands and his family. His family does also include Tommen and Myrcella in King's Landing though you have to remember.

sniperbro1998: Cersei is angry at Obara making out as if she did a good deed, but then again she's a good actress…

Mister LaGuardia: I suppose that's what happens when you have a Targaryen loyalist on your Small Council who is in charge of feeding you information, or not as it goes…

iiv: Thanks… I guess? I wouldn't have killed Tyland unless I genuinely believed the story would be good without him, and I do. The last third (Chapters 40-60) is my favourite of the entire story and the things I have planned wouldn't be possible with Tyland alive. Don't discount Cersei, as shown in this chapter she's very much back in the game now that she doesn't have a big shadow to avoid.

suppes1: As I said last time it depends on what happens when this story is over. I left The Golden Dragon in an awful place I know and I'm eager to share with you my battle between Luke and Stannis, but then again I'm also excited for my As High as Honour sequel.