A shorter chapter than last time, but it sets up one of my favourite chapters in the entire story in Chapter 52… I'm so excited for you all to read that but unfortunately you've got a full week to wait!

I own nothing but any OC's. All the locations and characters you recognise are the property of HBO or George R R Martin.

"I am his, and he is mine. From this day, until my dying day." Myrcella spoke proudly, and Loren applauded loudly with the rest of the gathered crowd as the Queen in the West pressed her lips to Prince Trystane, sealing their union.

It had been a hastily put together wedding, but it was also inside Casterly Rock and a certain level of extravagance was expected. Once the main ceremony had been completed Myrcella and Trystane led the gathered guests through towards the main ballroom, where a banquet had been put together of food that had been kindly donated from House Tarly. Loren was sat next to his wife on the High Table as he observed the west's finest bards and entertainers on display as the guests danced, ate and laughed as if they hadn't just fought a major battle a few days before.

Loren however felt the reminder every time he moved. Euron's axe hadn't cut deeply, but it had been sharp and Loren would wear a reminder of it for the rest of his life as a scar on his currently bandaged side. The broken axe head however now was mounted in Loren's solar whilst Euron Greyjoy's bloodied body was strung up in a major Lannisport square for all to see.

Thinking of the past battle reminded him that in one corner sat a pair of Ironborn. Yara Greyjoy was the last of her House now and she had wished to meet with him for a few days. Once the opening speeches had been said and the feast was in full flow, Loren hauled himself up and went walking around the room. He spoke at length with Lord Tarly, admired the fire eaters with a few of the younger Lannisters in the castle and he spoke solemnly with Ser Forley Prester and the returned Lord Lambert Turnberry about Benarr. Finally however, he came to that same corner where Yara Greyjoy and her male companion were sat awkwardly.

"I am surprised you accepted the invitation." Loren stated bluntly, pulling up a chair to join them. "The Ironborn are not well liked in the West, I would have expected you to move on."

"We will, once the repairs have been completed." Yara shrugged. "Then I sail for Pyke. Now that Euron is dead, the Iron Islands must be brought to the fold once more."

Loren nodded. "You can take his body with you, I do not want that monster in my city." He said firmly. "Throw him overboard if you like, I care not."

"He does not deserve such an honour as to re-join the Drowned God." The man to Yara's side spat venomously. "Burn him."

Loren shrugged. "It makes no difference, so long as he is gone and out of mind."

"I haven't thanked you for killing him." Yara admitted. "I wished it could have been me, but the only important thing is that he is dead, and my Father is avenged."

Loren wanted to curse that dead Greyjoy as well, but he of all people understood the want to avenge a terrible Father. "I played my part, but he would not have attacked if you had not sailed to our aid." He laughed as he drank some wine. "What an unlikely alliance."

"One that can't last." Yara said honestly. "You toast your Queen, yet one day soon she will be forced to fight Queen Daenerys."

Loren sighed. "One day." He nodded solemnly before he groaned as he got to his feet. "Do try and enjoy the festivities though, won't you?"

Yara smirked as she saw a blonde serving girl filling up drinks. "I might just be able to do that." She grinned, and Loren rolled his eyes and returned to his table to enjoy the rest of the night before his attentions were forced to turn to the future.

It had taken two days to travel from Dragonstone to Winterfell by dragon, and as Jon's feet touched the floor just outside the castle he immediately walked over to Daenerys, who was stroking Drogon's chin gently. "Well, you've entirely ruined horses for me."

Dany just smirked. "It seems your claims are true, Jon Snow. You have Targaryen blood." She smiled slightly. "For years since Viserys… I thought I was alone in this world. Now I am not."

"You never were." Jon noted. "When I was at Castle Black, the Maester there was Aemon Targaryen, brother of King Aegon V."

Dany's eyes widened. "He must have been almost 100 years old…" She said softly.

Jon nodded sadly. "I wish you could have met him. Whenever the rarity of news of your exploits in Essos came to us in Castle Black he was so proud." He gestured for Daenerys to start walking up towards the castle, a movement that she followed. "He was a good man."

"He will be remembered fondly once I come into my Throne." Dany said firmly. "All of our ancestors will be."

Jon just nodded, and the pair of them were soon at the East Gate of Winterfell. He noticed a gathering of Northmen and women all staring cautiously at the platinum haired Queen at his side. They stopped in the centre of the courtyard and nobody was moving a muscle. He saw Rickon itching to run forwards, but a hand on his shoulder from Lady Wylla stopped him. The men and women of the Regency Council were all eying Daenerys up, and so Jon cleared his throat and announced her. "I present Queen Daenerys of the House Targaryen." He said, quickly and bluntly, the Northern way.

Howland Reed was the first to bend his knee in the direction of the Targaryen woman, but eventually everybody followed suit. "Rise, My Lords and Ladies." Daenerys said calmly. They had spoken at length when they stopped for the night on the coast of the North about the decorum to expect, and so Daenerys didn't go into any flowery words, she just instead looked firmly at Rickon. "Lord Stark, I am happy to see you alive and well in your family home."

"We should go inside, Your Grace." Wylla Manderly, the Lady of Winterfell said calmly. "Winter is here, and you must be unused to the cold."

Daenerys didn't bat an eyelid at the condescending tone. "I have fire in my blood, Lady Stark. The cold does not trouble me. Some refreshments would be kind though, it has been a long ride."

Jon just smirked, and the Northerners soon dispersed towards the Great Keep. Howland Reed however was the only one to walk their way. "Your Grace." He bowed towards Dany. "Jon, they are in the Godswood."

Arya and Bran, Jon knew immediately. He tuned to Dany, who just waved him away. "Go, reunite with your family. I will be fine." She insisted. "Lord Howland, will you escort me?"

Howland bowed once again, taking Daenerys' arm as they walked to the Great Keep. "It would be my honour, and if you would allow I can tell you some stories about your brother…"

Their voices trailed away as they left Jon standing there on his own. He took a deep breath and moved himself towards the Godswood. He barely remembered the last time Winter hit the North but his overriding memory was of the blissful white blanket that covered the sacred area. He followed a set of footsteps and some wheel tracks towards the giant Weirwood tree in the centre and quickly spotted them.

Bran was sat in a wheelchair facing away from Jon, but Arya was leaning against the tree with her arms folded. She noticed Jon first, and after a moment of shock and recognition Arya ran at him, jumping into his willing arms as the two shared a tender moment.

"You're back." She whispered emotionally.

"Aye, little one. I'm back." Jon answered. "I can't believe you're here." He placed her down and walked towards Bran. "Both of you."

Jon then noticed something on Bran's lap as he neared the chair, small grey eyes and messy mousy brown hair staring up at him. Arya took the initiative then and held her hand out for the child. "Aly, come on." She said in a motherly tone that Jon had never believed could come out of Arya's mouth. "Come and meet your Uncle Jon."

Jon gasped, realisation hitting him. But he pushed all of that anger at House Frey to one side as the toddler walked gingerly up to him. "Aly." He whispered.

"Alysanne, named after Black Aly." Arya commented. "My reason for surviving that hell."

Jon dropped to one knee and looked at Arya's daughter proudly. "Hello." He said calmly. Aly then just giggled and wrapped Jon in a firm hug. Jon got back to his feet still holding the child, and he turned to both Bran and Arya and simply said. "Tell me everything."

After all the reunions and a meal to refresh themselves, Howland Reed led Jon and Daenerys down through the Winterfell dungeons to the deepest levels. It was dark, and both men had torches in their hands to illuminate the way. Eventually after a lot of walking through corridors, they were met with two guards wearing Stark colours.

"Step away for a moment lads." Howland said calmly. "The Queen is here to see our guest." The two guards didn't complain one bit, and they briskly walked away. "Nobody likes being put on guard duty here." Howland admitted.

Jon didn't blame them, and he rounded the corner to stare into the cell. "Stay back from the bars." He warned Daenerys, who just nodded. Jon then placed his torch against one of the walls and watched as the flames raced around the edge, lighting up the room. Almost immediately an ear-splitting screech filled the chambers and Jon jumped back startled as the wight ran towards them and crashed into the steel bars, his decomposing arm reaching between them trying to scratch and rip the living.

He felt Dany also jump backwards beside him, and so Jon turned and notice the distress etched across her face. "This is what is coming for us. A hundred thousand at least with one goal. To kill us all."

"It is impossible." Dany whispered frantically. "And we can all become this?"

"At Hardhome I watched as the Night King raised his arms and every man, woman and child who had died that day, thousands of them, all rose in unison." Jon explained to her. "The Night's Watch won't stop him. The North alone won't stop him. We need everybody living in Westeros to band together to face this threat, or our petty squabbles about the Iron Throne will mean nothing when there is nobody left to sit on it."

Gulping, Daenerys nodded, her eyes still staring at the shrieking Wight. "You were right, you need to see them." She moulded her face to a stern look and turned back to Jon. "We will help you. I shall write to Tyrion on Dragonstone and have my forces moved Northwards."

Jon breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Your Grace."

"But we need a truce with Cersei Lannister and Myrcella Baratheon." Daenerys insisted. "I will not abandon the Stormlands and the Reach on the hope that the pair do not try and capitalise." She thought for a moment. "Myrcella Baratheon sent a raven just before we left Dragonstone explaining that she is willing to ally against her Mother, perhaps she will be willing to meet for this too."

"The trick will be getting Cersei Lannister to believe this is real and not a plot." Howland Reed spoke up from behind them. "I believe Lord Brandon has some ideas on that…"

Daenerys nodded. "I will meet with him." She turned back to Jon once again. "But we must have that agreement. I will write to both Myrcella and Cersei personally."

Jon nodded too. "The ravens of Winterfell are yours, Your Grace."

"Good." Dany said calmly, looking with disgust at the Wight. "Let us leave and plan for this truce above ground, I cannot bear the sight of that monstrosity any longer."

With the wedding over with and Yara Greyjoy and her forces halfway to the Iron Islands, Loren could breathe a little easier and focus on rebuilding the parts of Lannisport that had been most affected by the siege and battle. He needed time to gather the final remnants of the Westerlands forces for the inevitable struggle with Cersei and Daenerys Targaryen, so the calm after the storm was welcome.

He had also put money into the private memorial to his Mother down within the city, decorating it a little more while putting in a gravestone that had the correct spelling as well as the Crakehall sigil. They never recovered her body of course, but the little garden made for a nice grave. Loren often spent time there as he ventured into the city, and this particular cloudy day was no different. He had been sat on a bench for around an hour when he heard his guards move outside, and a gate swung open to reveal both Myrcella and Cerenna.

Loren got to his feet, but he felt frustrated at the interruption. "Your Grace, My Lady." He greeted.

"I know you do not like to be disturbed here, my love." Cerenna said calmly. "But this cannot wait."

Myrcella had some parchment in her hand. "From Winterfell." She explained, and Loren's calm demeanour dropped.

"Arthur?" He asked, taking the letter from Myrcella and reading it quickly, but the words only caused his hopefulness at finding his brother to drop, and his worry deepen. "House Stark has retaken Winterfell and has allied with the Targaryen."

"Sansa has deceived us all it seems." Cerenna said bitterly. "She stole your brother away to the North, led a successful rebellion and has now allied with the one claimant that would love to see us all burn."

"She wants a truce?" Loren finished reading the letter. "White Walkers? What nonsense is this?"

"She says she has proof." Myrcella explained. "And we all agreed that we would open a dialogue with her." She sighed. "All of us here have privately hinted at our doubts about our chances. Perhaps if Mother was on our side we could defeat Daenerys Targaryen, but we fight on two fronts. If the Dragon Queen is being honest about a truce, then we could begin talks about peace."

"She would murder you as a threat." Loren said firmly.

"Perhaps, perhaps not." Myrcella shrugged. "I'm not saying I will bend the knee, but if she promises all of our lives, if she promises to keep you as Warden of the West and Lord of Casterly Rock then maybe it is worth discussing."

Loren sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "That line of thinking is putting our hopes into a woman who detests our family. I cannot trust that."

"Then don't." Myrcella said. "Trust me. I will not give up my crown unless I believe that it is the right thing to do."

Cerenna's eyes widened. "Prince Doran wanted a Great Council but was unsure how to approach the subject, right? Why don't we use this truce to settle the matter once and for all?"

"Mother will never agree to that." Myrcella insisted.

Loren however, was starting to agree with his wife. "Then let her ignore it. If we can gain a lasting peace with the Targaryen then we'll have the men to take King's Landing thrice over." He started pacing. "We have half of the Reach and Dorne on our side. Not forgetting the Riverrun and Harrenhal Frey's. We could win this."

"Or we could lose." Myrcella said. "But if we lose fairly by the will of the people, then I shall accept that. Send the raven back to Winterfell, suggest a Great Council."

"And write to Olyvar." Cerenna said. "Harrenhal is large enough to host us all and easy enough to get to for everybody." Loren gulped at that, he was on good terms with Olyvar and Kathryn Payne but even then the reminder of his broken betrothal stung a little.

Myrcella however, nodded, sighing as she stared at the flowers by the stone walls. "Whatever this new threat is, we stand a much better chance of facing that and Mother by joining with the Targaryen, but I say again, only providing she can guarantee our lives are spared and our parents crimes pardoned. I will offer her the same if I am to win, Dragonstone as her seat and a pardon from her families crimes."

"You should write to Daenerys Targaryen." Loren explained. "You are both Queens, it is only write. Once you are done I will see that the ravens are sent." Loren bowed.

"Have Ser Jaime write to Cersei as well." Cerenna suggested. "If anyone will get through to her…" She trailed off awkwardly.

Loren didn't appreciate the reminder of the rumours but he nodded nonetheless, and he turned his head to his Mother's grave hoping that the decisions that they had just made could spare some unnecessary bloodshed for his people.

Cersei Lannister sat in her husband's old chambers with a scowl on her face. She remembered night after night of displeasure in the room and no amount of wine nor reminding of her new position would ever wipe away the feel of that man climbing over her. She took another sip however and took another look back at the letter from Casterly Rock. She of course had hoped that it was from her nephew, asking forgiveness and pledging his allegiance to her against the Targaryen menace who had so audaciously asked for a truce for some Northern tales, but a letter from Jaime was a welcome surprise.

Until she read it, that was. Cersei scoffed at the thought of a Great Council. She was the anointed Queen after all and all the traitors in the world wouldn't pry her off of the Iron Throne. She had half a mind to tear the letter up, but there was a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that gave her an idea. Reading the letter again, she saw that the Council was being arranged for the first day of the new year in Harrenhal and that the Targaryen had already agreed to attend in good faith. Smirking, she took another sip of wine before calling. "Osfryd!"

In came the Kingsguard knight that was so besotted with her. "Your Grace summoned me?"

"I did." Cersei nodded. "Go to Pycelle, tell him to write to Casterly Rock that I shall be in attendance. Then go and fetch Master Hallyn, I have some things I would like to discuss with him…"

So Myrcella now has made Dorne an official ally! That is an important aspect in terms of the world, but the important part of the chapter itself was the conversation with Yara. This is a tentative peace, but everyone inside it was worried that it wouldn't last. Then of course, Yara's eyes are turned by an attractive blonde woman…

Jon and Arya are reunited! Bran as well of course, but it's the relationship of Jon and Arya that always interests me. Do you think that Arya told him everything that happened? I also wanted to show the scene of Dany seeing the Wight and coming to the conclusion that they are the biggest issue and agreeing to a potential truce, which the Western Lannister party have managed to twist into a Great Council. Of course, Cersei has her own plans…

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!

Next time: The Great Council of 307 AC, and the meeting of the Three Queens…

Reviews:

RohanVos: Thank you!

Silver crow: It was a really good idea that Jeyne had a lover that was a women. Originally I'll admit she wasn't ever going to really play a part again after her death but I liked it a lot. Thinking more on Jeyne has also given Lyle Crakehall and the rest of that family a little bit more to do.

Wildk: They fought in multiple battles in the War of the 5 King's as well as a big one at King's Landing, which a fair few got pushed to the Gold Cloaks once Tyland appointed Ser Addam Marbrand. Then they were sieging in the Riverlands which leads itself to diseases and other things. Loren also left men at castles in his Riverland campaign such as 3,000 at Riverrun. Then we have Dorne, and while there might not have been a major battle a few hundred died from skirmishes, the heat etc. Then the battle with the Golden Company was bloody… perhaps 35k is low but taking all that into account plus the inevitable injuries that prevent men from fighting again over the course of the story I feel it is fair.

McMysterio. That's the thing about Cersei, she always has a trick up her sleeve. Loren and Sansa meeting would be really interesting given Loren wanting to kill his Father's killer. If the truth comes out, not even Sansa's relationship to Loren as his brother's mother would stop him.

Supremus85: Thank you.

Lordaaric: The main point of the writing was, as I have stated multiple times, 'What happens when an unstoppable empire crumbles from within'. I haven't kept that a secret and I have mentioned that exact phrase countless times. I also disagree with your point about Lannisters. Tywin was certainly like that, but the other Lannister's throughout history were isolationists for the most part. At the start of the show there has only ever been 2 Lannisters in history (that we know of) to sit on the Small Council, Tyland Lannister in the Dance of the Dragons and Tywin Lannister. I'm sorry if you've lost the spark, but it seems the spark that drew you to the story wasn't ever going to be the way things lay at the end as even before I had fully plotted this out I knew that Tyland was dying and that a Lannister civil war would spring from his death.

BlackRaven: I've had a plan for the ending for a while now and I have stuck to that. I'm not going to say what it is, but I really like it.

Jason Kreuger Myers: Thank you for remembering that phrase! I only let others influence my stories if their ideas fit in with my overall plot, like Silver crow's have a couple of times over the course of this story. Major events however or completely changing directions are all me and how I would want them to go. Loras bent the knee because in his eyes the choices were the woman that killed his Father, a sort of known bastard, and the Targaryen. The only ones that didn't are those that have direct ties to House Lannister from the treaty after the War of the 5 King's, so House Tarly, Redwyne and Hightower. Ellaria and the younger Sand Snakes are alive but Nymeria and Obara are dead. They are also back in Dorne so not at the Rock for the wedding. As for your thoughts about the end… interesting. I'm not saying anything either way, but interesting.

Maester Dunn: See my response to Wildk.

Skinny Walder: I'm not interested in writing a Lannister wank all the way through and I never have been. I've said the premise enough for everyone to know what the idea of this story is now and it was never about the Lannisters winning every time. As for this being a Lannister fic… it is. The main POV's are Lannisters with only the odd one or two having no relation to them and the whole thing is because of my two Lannister OC's, but that doesn't mean I have to make them win all the time when if you look at what they've done throughout the story, that's just unfeasible.

PlaythegameOrDie: It is always guest accounts I find that have the most negative things to say, but that's fine I've come to expect that. You're bang on though and you've got the point of why I wrote Tyland and Tywin taking control in such a way. They bred resentment and murder to control the kingdoms through little girls, but now those little girls are growing up and fighting back while the Lannisters internally are falling apart.