Ser Damion Lannister rode into King's Landing with his party during what looked like several major construction projects.
It was clear that the city was preparing for war, the sounds of hammers pounding steel on their anvils could be heard throughout King's Landing. The gold cloaks were more efficient than Damion could ever remember them being, though the occasional Lannister man in their midst might be the reason for this uptick in efficiency. Certainly, they were actually patrolling and keeping the peace, not just taking bribes and roughing up the locals in Flea Bottom. No, they were doing actual work, and mayhaps they might stand a chance when the Baratheon brothers arrived at the city gates.
On their way to the Red Keep, Damion noticed a construction project going on in the distance. To his eyes, it looked as if the Mud Gate was being fortified. He knew that it was the gate closest to the Blackwater Bay, and that it wasn't named Mud Gate for the sake of there being mud around the harbor. He surmised that it was the strategically weakest of the city's gates, and it was good that the issue was being taken care of. Though, it might not be enough, and even with Robb Stark defeated in the West, the Baratheon brothers were the greater threat.
That was of course, when his party heard new from the south. It was the gossip of the city it seemed. Everyone from common beggars and smallfolk to what few lords remained within the city. From the Street of Silk, Damion heard mention of a green stag falling to a woman of the rainbow, or that was what he could make out from all the moaning and grunting that was also coming from that direction. From the Street of Steel, he heard the smiths and armors talking about how the Baratheon brothers had fought a great duel and that Stannis Baratheon had come out victorious, some saying he became both a kinslayer and a kingslayer to gain the Iron Throne.
Damion shuddered as he heard mention of that when they passed by the Street of Steel.
Cursed is the kinslayer.
There were few crimes greater than that one, and Damion tried not to dwell on it for long. Surely the realms and its people would see that Stannis Baratheon was cursed by the gods. To hear tell the man didn't even follow the Seven-Who-Are-One anymore, instead saying prayers to some Essosi filth. That he let a red witch counsel him in matters ranging from the running of his household to the war effort itself.
How a man like that could see himself as the King of the Seven Kingdoms Damion didn't know. It was clear that no one would accept Stannis as king, but from the few things that he'd heard about his own cousin, Damion wasn't too sure people would like Joffrey's rule any better.
It was a good thing that cousin Gerold was now in charge. Damion didn't know all the details as to what exactly happened to lead to such a change in leadership. Cousin Cersei was the Queen Mother after all and by all regards in a proper position to be Joffrey's Regent. Was cousin Cersei the best person for that role, mayhaps not, but Damion hadn't heard of anyone else competent enough to take up the role. That was until he and the rest of Casterly Rock had received word of the, change in leadership.
For all intents and purposes, it was a coup, but no one said that fact aloud.
Damion had made sure of that when this little party had been assembled. Cousin Jason wanted him in King's Landing, for what purpose Damion didn't know, but Jason was the Heir to Casterly Rock and the West so he couldn't say anything but agree. He didn't quite agree with being saddled with several of the lesser Lannister cousins, however. None of these men were of the main branch, and Damion himself wasn't either, but at least Damion actually lived in Casterly Rock.
The knight glanced over his shoulder and met the eyes of several of his riding companions. They were all also knights, but men of no great renown. None of them would win great tourneys and there would be no songs sung in their honor. They were simply there, to be seen but mayhaps not heard, Lannisters still, but not the ones that truly mattered. A part of Damion knew that he was just like them, relegated to simply being a household knight in service of the main branch of House Lannister, and he was… still debating if he was fine with that.
Who wouldn't want to win great renown, to win the war in one fell swoop like Barristan the Bold had done?
But cousin Jason had told Damion to remain in the here and now, to not risk his life and the lives of the men under his command needlessly. He was to not recklessly chase glory, but to keep House Lannister and remain on task, which meant arriving to King's Landing and meeting with cousin Gerold.
There might be an opportunity to win the war, mayhaps Damion might kill Stannis Baratheon in single combat, but that was something that might not come to pass. Still, it was good to have dreams, and Damion settled for asking his Lord Regent cousin for a position in the defense of the city in this upcoming meeting.
Damion the Kingslayer… there was a certain ring to it.
He intended to win some renown, some glory, in this war. If he was given the chance to, he was going to grab hold of it with both hands.
He was a Lannister after all.
When they had received the raven's message, Gerold Lannister expected one Damion Lannister to arrive at the Red Keep.
What he did not expect was the several other Lannister cousins to accompany the man, nor did he expect to realize that he knew none of their names. They had the Lannister look, the blond hair and green eyes, but that was also true for half of the people living in Lannisport. It wasn't an uncommon sight, and there were many Lannisport Lannisters, so for all intents and purposes it wasn't unique at all.
Still, they all bore the Lannister name, and that meant that they mattered, even if they would never actually come close to a lordship. Gerold could trust them to be at least competent with a sword and shield. Introductions had been made in the throne room as was protocol for all noble visitors. That meant that Gerold had to sit on that seven damned chair again, and it also meant he had to put on all the armor as well.
It was all about image after all.
Gerold felt like he'd be living in this armor soon enough, he rarely took it off as is, and that was becoming more of a reality as the war got closer and closer to King's Landing. The looming threat of Stannis Baratheon hanging over the place like a massive shadow. By the way some people were speaking of it, one would think that the Lord of Dragonstone was right on top of them.
But no, he was still somewhere in the Stormlands, gathering his strength and consolidating the Stormlanders' support. He wouldn't move to attack King's Landing until he had them under his own banner, and that would take some time. Would it be enough to get a messenger to Highgarden to negotiate for an alliance? Mayhaps. Gerold wasn't entirely sure if it would work out in the end. But he could hope.
The introductions had gone as expected. Damion Lannister was the most recognizable of all the Lannisters that had ridden to the city, being that he was the oldest of them, and that his armor was of the best quality. Gerold hadn't ever met Damion personally, and he had honestly forgotten that the man existed, but now that he had seen him, the recognition sparking in his mind. He had seen Damion before, and Uncle Tyrion mentioned that they both lived in Casterly Rock.
Granted, Casterly Rock was a truly massive keep, but Gerold was sure that they had met once or twice before that introduction in the throne room.
The other Lannisters that had accompanied his own cousin were less well known. They were all Lannisport Lannisters, and their names were all unfamiliar to Gerold. They were common Westermen names, ones that were heard from every corner of the West, and none of them registered to a face in Gerold's mind. He hadn't met any of them before that day, and they all looked similar in the way that they all had blond hair and green eyes. There was variation in shades of both hair and eyes, but it remained a fact that they had Lannister features.
Introductions were quickly concluded after names were given, and pleasantries were seen to. They had a war to fight, and everyone agreed that it would be better if they all played the political games after Joffrey's throne was secured. So, a meeting of the Small Council was called and that was where they found themselves now. A lot more Lannisters were now within the small council chamber, and a map of Westeros before them on the table.
"The Tyrells?" Damion Lannister asked.
"Aye, the Tyrells." Uncle Tyrion said.
"We mean to propose an alliance. One sealed in marriage." Gerold explained. "Grandfather is still tied up in the Riverlands and the threat of Roose Bolton's host is still present, which means he cannot move to our aid less he opens himself to attack. Even if he reaches us, his forces might not be enough to stop Stannis Baratheon."
"But the Tyrells? I thought they had sided with Renly, and now we're going to just offer Myrcella to them?" Damion said.
"What? No, Myrcella's not going anywhere." Uncle Tyrion said. "The Tyrells wouldn't even accept a marriage like that anyway. No, Myrcella is not the one involved in this marriage alliance, its Joffrey."
"Joffrey." Damion's tone was one of flat disbelief.
"Quite so Ser Damion." The Grand Maester said as he stroked his beard. "The Tyrells want a queen, and young King Joffrey is still unwed."
"Last I heard he's betrothed to the Stark girl." Damion pointed out.
"A betrothal that we shall break." Uncle Tyrion said. "Sansa Stark does not bring an army near a hundred thousand strong. She does not have the food nor supplies that Highgarden has. All of which we need and will get if we offer a crown to Margaery Tyrell."
"It's a risky plan." Gerold said quickly. "But if it works, we can do a pincer movement on Stannis Baratheon. If we get Tyrell support, they can come in from the other side of the Blackwater when the attack inevitably comes to Kin's Landing. He as the royal fleet, so he's going to attack from the Blackwater Bay, and that means the Mud Gate. With Tyrell support we can have King's Landing be the anvil to a Tyrell hammer."
"A most curious comparison." The Master of Whispers tittered.
"Sounds similar to what Ser Jason did at Oxcross." One of the other Lannister knights said.
"Aye, and it just might work, but only if we get that alliance." Uncle Tyrion said.
"And how are we supposed to get a message to the Tyrells? Something of this importance can't be trusted to a mere raven." Damion said.
That was when they all looked at him, and soon enough the recognition flashed in Damion Lannister's eyes.
"You are a prime candidate to send for the negotiations." Gerold said.
"And you are a Lannister, so you'll be speaking with Casterly Rock's authority at your back." Uncle Tyrion said.
"The Lord Regent will give you the seals of approval needed to negotiate on behalf of the crown." The Grand Maester said.
"And if this works, we might just end the war soon enough." Gerold said. "Robb Stark is a prisoner and Renly Baratheon is already dead. Who did the deed is not known, but the man's dead all the same. All that's left is Balon Greyjoy and Stannis Baratheon, and Stannis is the immediate threat."
"I'm a glorified messenger then." Damion said, and there was a hint of anger in his voice.
"Essentially, but you will also be negotiating terms of the alliance, and I don't doubt that you will be among the officers of the Highgarden host should they agree to the alliance. You may just yet gain glory in battle cousin." Uncle Tyrion said.
Damion Lannister took a moment to think it over, before he sighed and nodded his head. Gerold and Tyrion Lannister both gave the man a smile and a nod, and soon enough Damion's party was once again riding. This time however, their destination was Highgarden, and once there, they may just find a future queen amongst the rose bushes and thorns.