As I have said in my Baratheon fic this story has been on my mind for a while and I have up to the equivalent of Season 5 planned out, so as long as I can stick to schedule, every Thursday there should be a new chapter.
I've also gone and fixed some of the errors in the first two chapters (I couldn't find any worth reuploading in the third) so hopefully this fic reads a lot better now.
For Loren Lannister, Tyland's son and second in line to Casterly Rock, I imagine Jason Dolley as his IMDB picture looks. The shorter hair and beard one, although I imagine him with Jaime Season 1 hair. For Cerenna and Myrielle Lannister, I imagine Abigail Breslin but of course blonde.
I own nothing but the OC's, everyone else belongs to HBO or George R R Martin.
Tyland sat in his solar taking care of some letters when a knock at the door came, and the Captain of the Lannister forces in King's Landing, a man named Vylarr, entered the room when Tyland allowed it.
"Vylarr, why aren't you at your post?" The Lannister asked.
"Sorry My Lord, but I was at the establishment and got given this." The guard replied, holding out some parchment. Tyland took it knowingly.
"Thank you Vylarr, I hope you enjoy your next visit." Tyland said. The man bowed and left Tyland alone.
The message was from a whore in one of Littlefinger's brothels. Not a place that the uninterested Tyland would ever visit, but a valuable source of information when a number of the whores were under Tyland's payroll. He opened the letter and confirmed the code was genuine before deciphering the letter.
His discovery worried him, apparently Ned Stark himself had visited with Littlefinger, but not to betray his ever-present honour. Catelyn Stark had smuggled herself into the city, and presumed to taint Tyrion by claiming the dwarf would attempt to murder a child.
"Fools, the lot of them." He whispered. His brother was a whoremonger and a drunk, but he was always soft for those in need that couldn't help themselves. Killing a child was completely unlike his youngest brother. The dagger too, he would need to see it but he couldn't recall Tyrion ever betting against Jaime for anything, let alone a Valyrian Steel dagger.
The accusations however, Tyland couldn't ignore them. If Ned Stark truly believed that a Lannister tried to murder his son then war between the lion and the wolf was a distinct possibility. Getting new parchment out, he wrote a letter.
Father,
I have received word that the Starks believe the dwarf plotted to kill the boy, Brandon with a Valyrian Steel dagger that Littlefinger has made them believe links back to our house. They seem to be of the mind that he is trustworthy, and I fear it will lead to war. I will aim to diffuse the situation in the capital, but your bannermen must be made aware that they may soon be needed.
Folding it tightly and using the Lannister seal, he left his chambers and headed over to the ravenry. He found Pycelle there tending to the birds.
"Grand Maester." He nodded courteously.
"Lord Tyland. I was about to come and find you, a message from Lord Tywin." He said, handing the Lannister a message. Tyland opened it to see an agreement for the tourney loan.
"Rest and feed the bird and then send it back. Privately." Tyland warned, handing Pycelle his letter. The Grand Maester nodded his head knowingly. Tyland didn't stay to chat with the old man, and instead his thoughts shifted to how he could verify the Valyrian Steel dagger and see if he could trick the Northerner into saying anything.
The next day when the arrangements for the tourney had been made, Tyland walked up towards King Robert's chambers to give him the details. Robert cared little for ruling, but any mention of a tourney and he was as excitable as a man could get. Jaime was the man guarding the door.
"Brother." Jaime said amicably. "What a surprise, what brings you to His Graces chambers, you're not taking the place of our sweet sister are you?"
Tyland wasn't amused. "You're rather jovial for a glorified doorman." He responded.
"We can't all be the heir to Casterly Rock." Jaime grinned.
"No, instead you disowned us all and we gave Castamere to the spawn of a witch." Tyland rolled his eyes. "Is His Grace free?"
His answer came as the door opened to reveal a shaken Lancel, and King Robert ordering. "Tell your cousin to get in here!" Tyland walked through the door then. "Both cousins then. Damn Lannisters, everywhere I look I can see your blonde hair and smug, satisfied faces. What is it?"
"The itinerary for the Tourney you requested for Lord Stark, Your Grace." Tyland said, ignoring the comment about his family. He placed the paper on the desk, and was surprised that Robert put it to one side.
"I'll look at it later. We're telling war stories." Robert told them, and Tyland noticed Ser Barristan stood by the desk too. Who was your first kill?" He aimed at Jaime.
"One of the outlaws in the Brotherhood." Jaime replied calmly.
"I was there that day." Ser Barristan turned to the younger Lannister. "You were only a squire, 16 years old."
Jaime looked pleased at the praise coming from his Lord Commander. "You killed Simon Toyne with a counter riposte." He reminisced. "Best move I ever saw."
"A good fighter, Toyne. But he lacked stamina." Ser Barristan responded.
"Your outlaw." Robert said to Jaime. "Any last words?"
"I cut off his head, so no." Jaime replied. Tyland held in the smirk, but Robert turned to him next.
"And what about you, Kingslayer." He said. "Who was your first?"
Tyland had to think back. "Before the tourney of Lannisport we had trouble with a group of bandits on the Gold Road, my Uncle Tygett led some men to deal with them." He replied. "He was a few years older than me, and I recall him begging me to spare him but my sword found his belly nonetheless."
"I remember." Jaime said, smiling at the memory. "Tyrion wouldn't stop asking when you were coming back."
"What about the Mad King?" Robert asked, darkening the mood. Tyland looked at Jaime briefly before looking back at the King.
"What about him, Your Grace?" Tyland asked.
Robert shifted in his seat. "Any last words?"
Tyland sighed. "I wasn't listening for any last words, Your Grace. I'd just had to fight my own brother. As soon as I was chasing the King putting a sword through his back was my only focus."
"His last words to me were to stop you." Jaime said to Tyland, his eyes far away. "And then he was going to burn them all." He shook his head to try and rid himself of the memories, before turning to the King. "If that's all, Your Grace."
Jaime turned and walked out of the door, closing it firmly behind him. Robert let out a breath. "What did he mean, burn them all?"
Tyland shook his head. "I'm not sure, Your Grace. I didn't wait to find out."
Robert nodded. "You can go." He said, and Tyland bowed his head slightly before exiting the room again, seeing Jaime staring at the wall.
"Are you alright?" Tyland asked.
Jaime nodded. "How long are we going to pretend for?" He whispered.
"As long as we both live." Tyland said. "Better I be known for the act than his sworn guard."
Tyland hated walking through the Throne Room to get to the Small Council chamber on the best of days, but even more so today. The talk with the King had brought all of the memories flooding back, and shaking them was a burden.
"Joffrey does." He heard somebody say as he turned the corner to see Sansa Stark and a Septa. He walked towards them as they carried on their conversation.
"Nonsense." The Septa argued. "Why would you say such a thing? That business with the wolves? Sansa… I've told you 100 times…"
"Then one more isn't going to help, Septa." Tyland said as he got closer, startling the pair.
"Lord Tyland. Forgive us." Septa Mordane curtseyed. Sansa followed suit.
"It's not my place to forgive you for shouting at the Lady." Tyland told the woman. "Lady Sansa, are you alright?" Sansa nodded, though Tyland could see she wasn't. Tyland continued. "If anything, it should be I apologising to you for the behaviour of my nephew."
"He hates me." Sansa said sadly.
"The Prince hates a great many people." Tyland admitted. "Though not you, I assure you. I will have a word with him."
"That's alright, My Lord. He has good reason to be upset with me." Sansa said sadly.
Tyland shook his head. "He needs to grow up and learn what savage assault truly is, instead of claiming it for a bite on the arm." Tyland looked around. "This room has seen plenty of savagery."
"You killed King Aerys here." Sansa said, it wasn't a question.
"Sansa!" The Septa hissed.
Tyland waved his arm to quiet the woman, before turning to Sansa and stepping towards her. Sansa's eyes widened in a hint of fear. "I did, does that scare you?"
Sansa shook her head. "He killed my uncle and Grandfather here too, didn't he?"
Tyland nodded, looking towards the spot Jaime had told him about. "Yes, the Mad King certainly earned his name." He replied. "If you'll excuse me."
With that he walked through the room and into the Small Council chamber. He hadn't meant to scare the girl but it was obvious she was blind towards Joffrey's true nature, and a bit of fear might wake the girl up.
"It's the Hand's tournament that's causing all this trouble, my Lords." Janos Slynt was saying.
"The King's tournament." Stark corrected. "I assure you the Hand wants no part of it."
"Call it what you will, Lord Stark Ser, the city is packed with people and more flooding in every day. Last night we had a tavern riot, a brothel fire, three stabbings and a drunken horse race down the Street of Sisters." Slynt responded.
"Dreadful." Varys shook his head.
"If you can't keep the King's peace, perhaps the City Watch should be commanded by someone who can." Renly Baratheon exclaimed.
"I need more men." Slynt argued.
"You'll get 50. Lord Baelish will see it paid for." Stark told him.
"I will?" Baelish replied.
"You found money for a champion's purse, you can find money to keep the peace." Stark told Baelish, a comment that amused Tyland to see Littlefinger rebuffed. "I'll also give you 20 of my household guards till the crowds have left."
"Make it 30 men, Lord Baelish." Tyland said. "I'll match Lord Stark's gift."
"Thank you, My Lords. They will all be put to good use." Janos Slynt bowed before departing the room.
"The sooner this is over, the better." Stark moaned, taking a drink.
"The realm prospers from such events, my Lord. They give the great a chance at glory, and the lowly a respite from their woes." Varys said.
"And every inn in the city is full and the whores are walking bow-legged." Baelish grinned.
"I'm sure the tourney puts coins in many a pocket." Stark said unamused.
"Some more than others." Tyland added coldly. "I'll front the costs of the guards, Lord Stark."
Stark didn't look overly happy at the idea, but nodded anyway. "Very well, now... If there's nothing else, my Lords?"
Tyland took the cue, and stood up swiftly exiting the room, his thoughts solely on how the crown was becoming more and more dependent on House Lannister as the days wore on.
Loren Lannister wiped the sweat off of his brow with his armoured sleeve. His cousin, Ser Daven was giving him a fierce sparring session, although he was winning as usual. He glanced up to the stone balcony that overlooked the training arena and grinned when he saw the two twins, Cerenna Lannister dressed in a sharp red dress and Myrielle Lannister in a pale blue. He only had eyes for the former however, the girl he was sure he was in love with.
He gasped when a rock hit him in the chest, and looked to see Daven grinning from the other side of the ring. "If you'd stop ogling my sister and get back to training."
Loren could feel his cheeks grow red, but put his helmet back on, shutting the face part. Unsheathing his sword again, he twirled it a couple of times before tapping the golden lions on his shoulders for luck, as he always did. Daven had gotten into an attacking stance, but Loren didn't wait. He pounced forwards, slashing his sword with incredible pace towards his cousin. Daven could barely defend himself when his sword was knocked to the side and Loren jump kicked Daven in the chest, sending him flying to the floor, before holding his sword at the man's neck. "Yield." He commanded.
Daven dropped his sword. "Alright you fucker. I yield." He wheezed. Loren grinned and sheathed his sword, offering an arm to help Daven up, before taking his helmet off again and looking up to the girls. Cerenna was applauding happily, and Myrielle had clearly groaned and buried her face in her arms leaning on the bannister. He gave Cerenna a wink, before turning to Daven again. "You're too fast." He panted.
Loren just shrugged. "If I slow down then I'm not testing myself."
Daven nodded, and suddenly stood straight up almost to attention. "My Lady." He said. Loren turned around to see his Great Aunt, Genna Frey, walking down the steps towards them.
"Well done, you've shown off remarkably for one-day Loren." She told him. Loren felt a bit annoyed at that, but kept his tongue.
"Aunt Genna." He said. "Are you after a bout?"
Genna barked out a laugh. "Not a chance you cheeky Snark." She said, cuffing him gently around the ear. "Your Grandfather requests your presence."
Loren's smile dropped as a determined look crept on to his face. "I'll run and get washed up and meet him."
Genna nodded. "Go quickly, he's in his solar."
Loren nodded, and the 15-year-old rushed through the castle to his chambers to put on some fresh clothes, before rushing up the main tower of Casterly Rock, and entering Lord Tywin's solar.
His Grandfather was sat at a desk writing out a letter. Loren always felt nervous in this situation, and walked towards the desk, sitting down and waiting to be spoken to. Tywin waited a minute or so, before pouring wax on the letter and stamping the seal.
"I received a letter from your Father." Tywin said. Loren perked up at that. Tywin handed him the raven message, and Loren read it, and then read it again as he couldn't believe what it said.
"The Starks believe Uncle Tyrion tried to murder their son?" Loren asked. "But that makes no sense, and even if it were true why would he give the cutthroat a Valyrian Steel dagger in the first place? Surely a normal one would do not a decorative piece."
"Exactly." Tywin said. "But the fools believe it anyway, and so we must prepare. An accusation such as this cannot just appear, they will take action somehow and we must be ready."
Loren nodded, and walked over to the map of the South that Tywin had on a separate table. He took a look around the Westerlands and pointed to the Golden Tooth. "We need to fortify the Golden Tooth as soon as we can, we don't want to be caught unaware while we wait to gather forces."
Tywin nodded. "Very good, that's what this letter is." He said, holding up a sheet of parchment. "Lord Lefford will call his bannermen and hold the Tooth, while we tell the other Lords to start enlisting and training men until action is needed."
Loren nodded. He read the letter again. "So Father isn't coming home any time soon." He noted.
"No." Tywin said bluntly. "He is ensuring our House gains the respect it deserves in the Capital, and his position on the Small Council gives him the ability to voice our needs to those that make the changes. No, he shall stay and keep an eye on Lord Stark and the rest of the fools Robert Baratheon leaves to do his work for him, but we shall prepare. I want you to squire for me now."
Loren couldn't contain his grin. "I'd be honoured, Grandfather."
"Wipe that grin away." Tywin said sternly. "I expect the best from you, boy. You'll be listening to every command meeting we have and as the future Lord of the Westerlands I expect you to be engaging productively."
Loren nodded firmly. "Yes, Grandfather."
Tywin shuffled some letters, before holding out a pile. "Here, hand these to Creylen and get them sent out, then have the day to yourself."
Loren bowed slightly, before taking the papers and running back down the tower, wondering where Cerenna had gotten to.
The door to Pycelle's rooms opened, and Tyland stormed in angrily, his guard waiting outside the door.
"Ah, Lord Tyland." Pycelle exclaimed.
"You presume to have me summoned?" Tyland growled. A gold cloak had arrived at Tyland's solar claiming that the Grand Maester had had him summoned, and he wasn't happy.
Pycelle held his hands up. "I did not mean to offend, My Lord, I just thought you should know…"
"Know what?" Tyland asked impatiently.
"The book that Jon Arryn asked me for, Lord Stark has it now." Pycelle told him. Tyland stopped in his tracks.
"The lineage book?" He asked, confused. "Why? What's in there?"
Pycelle shrugged. "Lots of boring information, My Lord."
Trying to think, Tyland realised he needed to see Stark as soon as he could, what with the dagger incident and now this, it was clear Stark was trying to dig into something. "If he comes by again, I want to know about it." Tyland ordered.
"My Lord." Pycelle nodded, and Tyland walked out.
He turned to his guards as they were leaving Pycelle's chambers. "I want Stark followed. I want to know his every move."
As the tournament got underway, Tyland knew that Ned Stark would be sat in the Tower of the Hand rather than admit that the tourney was in his honour, so the Lannister paid the Northerner a visit. After he was let in and announced by Jory Cassel, Stark came back over to his desk.
"Lord Tyland." He greeted cautiously.
"Lord Stark, I'm glad to find you here, your absence from your own tourney has been noted." Tyland told him.
"I've told enough people, putting my name on it doesn't make it mine." Stark said. "What are you doing here?"
Tyland expected this. "I came to warn you, Lord Stark. You're being incredibly noisy."
"Noisy." Stark laughed. "You've been spying on me, you mean."
Tyland didn't deny it. "And you've been spotted taking advice from Littlefinger." He looked to the desk and his eyes lit up at the dagger and the book being open for all to see. "A fine blade. May I?" He asked. Stark just nodded quickly, not happy. Tyland picked up the Valyrian Steel dagger that apparently belonged to his brother and inspected it. He recognised it after a few moments. "I've seen this before."
"I bet you have." Stark accused, causing Tyland to turn around at his words. He placed the dagger gently back where he found it, and glared deeply into Stark's eyes.
"It was a gift for the King a few years back from a Volantene triarchy hoping to open a new trade deal." He answered. "I think he threw it in the armoury somewhere, His Grace is so attached to that knife that Jon Arryn gave him." He could see Ned didn't believe him. "Oh, if you look hard enough it's not difficult to figure out, ask Robert himself if you like. One word of advice though, Lord Stark." Ned just stared at him, his grey eyes piercing to look at. "Everyone in King's Landing is only ever out for themselves. Nobody does anything that does not benefit them in some way."
"Does that include you, now?" Ned asked, annoyed.
"Perhaps." Tyland chuckled, heading towards the door before stopping and turning back. "I like to think that you could influence the King positively though, and I don't think scheming with a man that's claimed he took your wife's maidenhead to all who could listen is the way to do that."
He opened the door and left before Stark could react, but hopefully he had put enough doubt in the man's thoughts to stop any action from being taken against his brother, while also cutting out a dangerous alliance on the Small Council before it truly began.
So, we're building up a bit now, Tyland is on to Ned and is keeping a watchful eye.
We meet Loren properly as well, he will be an important character in the story, as will some of the other Lannisters such as Cerenna.
I hope the Tyland and Sansa scene was alright, I wanted to portray a side of him that was a bit firmer, but he has a good relationship with Myrcella so I felt like most young girls he could have similar feelings towards, but Sansa doesn't know him, only of his deeds hence she's a bit scared. (Sorry Sansa it will only get worse)
Until next time then, where things start to pick up the pace thanks to an unnecessary kidnapping.
Reviews:
Ataxius: I think most Lannister OC's are good people meant to redeem the family which clearly puts them at odds with Cersei mainly, but with Tyland I think it's simply his personality clashes with all of them and to him they're disappointments to House Lannister
tommyginger: You make an interesting point about Sansa… I think I have to look into that as the story progresses, we will certainly see Tyland have thoughts on his family, good or bad.
Blackphyre: There's more to come!
Dipsyy: Thank you!
ShpperofTrashyShips: We shall see…
Guest (Sansa): You're harsh on her. She was never taught of court intrigue and the 'Game of Thrones' and had grown up wistfully picturing the South and the Prince, then she was a prisoner and forced to put on a smile as she was beaten and belittled. It wasn't until she left Ramsay in canon that she could finally take control of her life.
L'etranger0: Merci!
Guest (bullshit): You'll have to explain what you mean by bullshit.
Sceonn: The war will happen, it was bound to happen with the treason Cersei committed, but it won't be the same at all.
jiubantai-taichoCalmejaneJose: An interesting thought about Myrcella, we shall see.