Author's Note: Hello! This is my first story. Apologies for any mistakes in grammar. I am actually Greek, so writing this first chapter has been quite a challenge. I don't know how many chapters there will be in the end. I have a lot of ideas... We will have to wait and see! This story is completely au! I might use some scenes from canon, but I am not yet sure. I am hoping for your reviews!

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Tywin I

"Tywin?".

The gentle voice of his brother made him turn his head sharply from the serene view of Lannisport. He hadn't heard his door open. He had once again been thinking of Jaime while breathing in the fresh air when Tygett's quiet tone almost made him jump. Having been a silent witness to his growing from child to man, Tywin had come to respect his second brother for developing a keen and strategic mind. He respected him even when they didn't see eye to eye. He even dared to say that he loved him in his own pragmatic way. But for the life of him, he could swear to the Old Gods and the New that he had never before been the recipient of such softness from his brother. And that meant only one thing. Something had happened. Something utterly serious that affected even the bitter third son of Tytos Lannister.

"What news do you bring, brother?", he asked sternly without wasting time for small talk.

"We intercepted a goshawk carrying a message addressed to Robert Baratheon.". Tygett's voice was still gentle as he passed him the parchment.

"This is unsealed.", Tywin said with a raised eyebrow.

Tygett considered him with a calm expression on his face. "I was curious.", he admitted, and before Tywin could protest he continued. "Just read it.".

Intrigued by his brother's behavior, Tywin concentrated on the words in front of him.

Robert,

You always said that Proudwing would never fly. You were wrong. She does fly. Just not a long distance. She was never trained for what I am asking of her. Most likely she will never reach you. But she is my last hope. His fatness has succeeded in hitting all the ravens we have been trying to send. No matter. You are not only my brother but also my liege lord. I have a duty to inform you that the situation is bad. Our people are dying and I can do nothing. There is simply no food left. We have been eating our horses for the past two moons. There are none left. Not even Renly's pony. He hates me for it. He doesn't understand that I am only doing my duty. No one understands. You asked me to hold Storm's End. And I will die first before surrendering our ancestral home to that cow of a flower. His jovial feasts are heard by all. We can smell the roasted meat. He is mocking us. And I am afraid that I cannot keep our people loyal to me. They are asking for you. They mock me. When I am only doing my duty. The only things left to eat are cats, dogs and rats. And there are not many. We have to take really small portions to keep living for at least one more moon. You know what my feelings for the Gods are. But even I am praying for a miracle. I am giving more than half of my portions to Renly. He is a boy, Robert. A boy. He needs to live. And he needs parents to look after him. To help him grow. What would they say if they saw me? Mother would be furious with me. And Father? He would be so disappointed. What does a second son know of running a keep? Isn't that what he used to say when he was angry with my bitterness? He was right, of course. What do I, a second son, know? I miss them. I miss you. I am scared that Cressen will die. You would probably be laughing right now with my sentimentality. But I am not expecting you or anyone else to ever read this. And for once in my life, I want to express my feelings. To let go of my pain. So that I can die peacefully. Because I know with absolute certainty that I am not going to survive this siege. No matter. Let this be my last act. I swear that Renly will live. And he will be the brother that you always wished for. If I see that things get worse I will smuggle him out. He will be sent to a safe place. I will not let him die. I swear.

Farewell Robert

My brother, my blood, my liege

Tywin returned to his previous position by the window and took a deep breath. 'Stannis', he thought. The second son of Steffon Baratheon and acting lord of Storm's End. He had met him only once in what now seemed to be a very long time ago. He had still been the Hand of the King when his childhood friend had introduced his two sons to the court.

He still remembered both boys.

Robert, the heir, had been overconfident and arrogant, despite his young age. For the few days the family had stayed in the capital, he would always be found training with the knights and the young squires, bloodying his small fists and bragging about his love for fighting while laughing loudly.

Stannis, on the other hand, had been a very reserved boy. At only five name-days old- if Tywin remembered correctly- he hadn't expressed the desire to play around. He hadn't done anything that children his age usually do. Instead, he had been his father's shadow. Wherever Steffon went, Stannis followed dutifully one step behind, paying attention to everything and everyone without asking questions. His quietness had made most people forget about his presence. Tywin himself, despite his initial intrigue about the serious little one, had usually ignored him. That is until the boy had finally opened his mouth.

On their last day in King's Landing, Tywin had invited Steffon to dine with him in his private rooms on the Tower of the Hand. He had wanted to have some privacy with his childhood friend. No masks, no fake courtesies, no formality in front of the other lords and the royal family. Just a small dinner between 'brothers'.

Of course, Steffon had brought along his sons.

Everything had gone smoothly and after dinner, Tywin had suggested enjoying a cup of wine near the fireplace. That, unfortunately, had been a bad idea. Because, as soon as they had relaxed after sharing some of their fondest memories with the children, Robert had decided that he was bored. And he, as per usual, had started talking about fighting in wars and 'spilling his enemies' blood'. Tywin had honestly felt bad for his friend, who had only sighed as if from exhaustion. Little Stannis, however, had not been able to hide a snort or two. Which had resulted in his brother turning on him and using all kinds of inappropriate words to describe his 'grumpiness'. Stannis had said nothing. He had just lowered his head and clenched his jaw so hard that Tywin had thought that his teeth would shatter. Steffon had admonished his heir, but Robert had not seemed to hear a word. He had stared at his little brother and then very childishly told him that once he was the Lord of their House, he would send Stannis away without giving him anything. And to make things even worse, he had loudly wished that his Ma and Pa would give him a real brother so that they could finally be rid of him. Steffon had been so appalled that he had instantly run and lifted his second son in his arms while holding his head softly as if that could have taken back the poisonous words. Tywin, on the other hand, had only lifted an eyebrow disapprovingly. He had been contemplating sending the boys to their beds when Stannis' small voice had broken the silence.

"Maester Cressen taught me two new words.", he had murmured with his head hidden in his father's black hair. "Duty. Loyalty. He said I am very little to know what they mean.".

He had hugged his father with more force. Tywin had seen the tiny arms trembling.

"But I wanted to know.", he had said louder with all the seriousness of an adult. "He said I have a duty to do what you tell me to do, papa.".

He had finally lifted his head and looked at his father's blue eyes.

"I said alright. And he said I must do what the King tells me to do. I said alright. And he said I must be loyal to my family. To love and protect papa, mama and my big brother. And I said I am loyal. He said I must be loyal to my people and protect them.".

His voice had become more frantic.

"I am little. I know. I am not as strong as Robert. I know. I will not be lord of anything. Robert says so. He is my big brother. So he is not lying. I don't understand a lot. But I know Maester Cressen says 'to protect is to have peace. To have peace is to not fight and kill with no reason.' He says sometimes war happens. Grandpa Orys died in a war. And I don't want you to die in a war, papa! I... I... I don't understand. How can Robert love war, if it means... how... how can he love fighting and killing? Where is his duty? His loyalty? And... and you see, papa... how tall and big and mag...mag...mag-ni-fi-cent Lord Ty is. I thought he was the King. And I wished to be like him when I grow. And you told us about the Raynes of Casta-mere. And the song in the feast... I know it happened cause they were not loyal to him. Not dutiful. So they were punished! He saved his people from war! He never smiles... so he doesn't love spillin' blood. He did his duty! I'm five and I would have done the same!".

Stannis had looked at his father with passionate eyes. And Steffon had embraced his boy even tighter than before. Tywin had seen the pride and the silent tears in his friend's eyes when he had approached him and after inclining his head had left the room with quick strides. He had only stopped at the door and looked sternly at his firstborn, who had quickly followed after his father.

The last thing Tywin still remembered seeing was Stannis' eyes. Stormy blue. The mirror image of his father's.

He had not slept that night. He had spent hours and hours thinking of the little boy with a Lord's heart and mind.

Even years later, after his son had joined the Kingsguard and he had returned to Casterly Rock bitter and angry, he had thought of that same small boy, who had in childish sentences proved to be wiser than the King and his Small Council.

And now, a man grown, Stannis Baratheon continued to impress him. In a situation most dire he still held strong on his duty. He had an iron will that could not be bent. However, seeing the world in black and white was no less than naive. Stannis had no one to teach him that lesson. But he was young. And Tywin knew that with the right person to guide him, Stannis could become someone great. Someone powerful. Someone who could rival even a good king.

He had been so lost in his thoughts and his unconscious machinations of the future that he almost missed his brother's question.

"What are you planning?".

Tywin didn't answer. He tried to clear his mind from his musings and concentrate on the matter at hand.

"Surely you are planning.".

Tygett's voice was a little more stressed.

"What is there to plan?", he pretended to be bored.

"How to save the Baratheon boy!".

Tywin finally looked up. It was obvious that his brother had forgotten a very important detail.

"As long as Jaime is in the hands of that mad dragon, I cannot act.", he reprimanded him. "And before you interrupt me once again, let me make myself clear. I will never endanger my son's life.".

Tygett seemed to calm down hearing this explanation.

"I know that, Tywin. I would never endanger any member of our family, either. I am not asking you to join the rebellion. It would mean death for my nephew. Or maybe worse. After all, he did burn the Warden of the North.".

Tywin threw him a glare and he stopped talking.

"What are you asking, then, Tygett?", he demanded in a dangerously low tone.

Tygett took a deep breath.

"You, brother, are the most intelligent person I know. It pains me to admit it and you know it. I have always felt this rivalry between us. You have always been the Golden Lion and I the third son. This will never change. Since we were children, I have tried to be better than you. I have tried to make you seem smaller. But of course, that will never happen. Because when my wish is simply to be more than you, yours is to make our House bigger, more respectable, more powerful. What matters more to you is not the selfish desire of being powerful. No. If that was the case, you would have never left King's Landing. You would still be the Hand. You would probably be working with the Crown Prince to overthrow his mad father. You would use everything for your gain. No. I understand that now. You do not wish to be powerful. You only wish for the family name to remain powerful. Everything you do is for the family name. For the future. And that is what will always make you better than me. Whatever I achieve in my life, I will never exceed that. And I have finally come to terms with that.".

Tywin looked at his brother's eyes. They had a distant look. He had always known Tygett's bitterness was caused because of him. He had never wanted to antagonize his own blood. But the two of them had too many similarities to be able to thrive together. They just never seemed to find common ground. He had accepted that they would never be close. But he had promised himself that he would always care for his brother because of their family. He was, as Tygett had put it, the Golden Lion. And a lion always protects his pride.

"I always envied your relationship with Kevan, you know.", Tygett said after the silence had become awkward. "I wanted that for myself. I wanted your love. And now I know I have it. It is your way that made it difficult to understand. But, what I never understood was how you could love someone who was not of your blood more than me...".

Hearing that, Tywin raised both of his eyebrows.

"Whenever you spoke of Steffon Baratheon I felt that... that should have been me. Your admiration, your fondness and yes, your irregular affection. I craved that...".

At that, his brother stared at him with a tentative smile.

"That's why I am asking you, Tywin to think hard. This boy who is ready to die of starvation is your chosen brother's son. So I am certain that you are going to help him because you never step away from your family. You always look out for us. And this boy is your family, too.".

Tygett didn't give him the time to answer his plea. He bowed lower than expected of him and left his solar.

Tywin returned to his previous position by the window. His brother's words echoing in his mind.

Thank you for reading!