Author's Note: Hello! I want to thank everyone that has read/followed/favorited this story. When I decided to publish the first chapter, I honestly wasn't expecting such love coming towards me. I am truly overwhelmed! So, thanks! I hope you will enjoy this chapter. And I also hope that it is not ooc. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Once again, I own nothing. Everything is the property of G.R.R. Martin and HBO!

Tywin II

He had forgotten how grand it was. Storm's End. Not as magnificent as Casterly Rock, of course. But grand and majestic in its own right. Its massive, thick wall seemed impenetrable and made the castle look impregnable even to him.

It had been a different time when he had been here last. The day of Steffon's wedding. A happy day, he remembered. His friend had been a smiling idiot the whole time. So much that Aerys had started making crude remarks about the bedding. Joanna… oh, his dearest Joanna, had grabbed his arm painfully and whispered in his ear to do something. Steffon had been faster, though. He had laughed heartily dismissing everything as a joke. But that was who Steffon Baratheon had been. A man who always laughed at the insults and the affronts made against him by his kingly cousin. Ah… How the world had darkened after his demise...

Tywin looked sideways at Stannis. His resemblance to his father was remarkable. His black hair, his bushing eyebrows, his thin mouth and straight nose, but most importantly, his midnight blue eyes. For a moment he felt like he was brought back in time. But only for a moment. Because Stannis' eyes had something darker in them. A long-hidden, painful memory that would never leave him. His eyes did not seem capable of laughter like his father's. And Tywin was certain that they would never be. Because, he admitted to himself, his own eyes had been looking the exact same way since… Oh, Joanna… I will avenge you, my Love...

He glimpsed at the boy's bare chest. It looked terribly sickly. So osseous. No wonder why the people had reacted the way they had. It was astonishing that the boy was even standing. How did he carry his tall body without even wincing? And as if that was not enough, the bird- Proudwing- was perched on the boy's shoulder which was slightly bleeding from the beastly nails. And he was walking with his back straight and his face unreadable. Was it all a mask? Or did he not feel any pain?

They arrived at Stannis' solar. One by one they got in. Proudwing immediately flew to the window sill. Strange. Stannis did not react at all. He simply excused himself and entered another door. A few moments later, he returned fully dressed and composed. His eyes were on the children.

"My Lady, should it be of your convenience, you may have my room to rest. Your children seem to be worn out from your travel."

Tywin observed Elia. She looked surprised and yet relieved. And she did not even attempt to hide it. What a peculiar snake she is...

"I thank you, my Lord. It is most considerate of you." she replied and holding her son and her daughter's hand she walked inside the other room.

Once the door was closed, Tywin saw Stannis gesture them to have a seat in front of the fireplace. The boy put some wood in the pit and lit a fire. The warmth hit the Lion Lord at once.

"Now," the young man started, "I saw the truth in your eyes, Lord Lannister. You did come to save us. I am in your debt for that. Which you will definitely claim someday. Your reputation precedes you after all. And I am no green boy. What is the purpose behind this generosity of yours? Have you joined the Rebellion? Is this your part in it?"

Hmm, straight to the point.

"In a manner of speaking." he answered apathetically. "I do not take orders from others. My brother, Kevan was instructed to contact the new Lord Stark and inform him personally of the situation. Nothing more and nothing less. When I conceived of this plan, my purpose, as you put it, was to disorganize the Targaryens. I needed the Martells on my side. And I have them. When we reached Dorne, we met and created a strong alliance. And so, in a little more than a fortnight, Lannister forces will join them here and take down the Reach. The Targaryens will not know what hit them. Then, your brother will be free to fight Rhaegar…"

"You said was. Something has changed?"

Oh, an intelligent boy...

"One thing. The Targaryens will be no more." he stated flatly.

The boy stared at him.

"So are they prisoners?" he asked gesturing towards the door. "Because they do not seem to be."

Intelligent, indeed…

"No." he answered simply. "They are free. But, they are Martells, not Targaryens."

He observed how the boy's face did not even crinkle. Whatever he was feeling, he was very good at masking it.

"So you mean to destroy the name. Why?"

His tone of voice was inquiring.

"It is of no concern to you." came the annoyed response of his son.

Stannis turned to Jaime.

"Is it not, Ser? Or shall I call you Kingslayer? You are not wearing the White Cloak. Are you an Oathbreaker?"

Tywin saw Jaime bristle. He decided to keep quiet. Let us see who will win this battle of wills…

"I do not serve monsters." his son spat, his face deformed by a disgusted expression.

Stannis nodded slowly.

"And yet, you swore an oath." he shrugged nonchalantly.

Jaime stood rigid.

"What do you know about oaths, Baratheon?"

Tywin closed his eyes disappointed. Ah, Jaime, Jaime, you never learn…

"On the day Ser Arthur Dayne put his sword on my shoulder and named me a knight, I swore an oath to protect the innocent. It was the most sacred of oaths, he told me. But then, I kneeled in front of the King and I rose as a Kingsguard. Do you know what that meant, Baratheon? No. You think you know. It meant having to hear that same King torture his own wife by raping her whenever he chose to. Is this what a knight would do? Of course not. A knight would kill such a man. But he is the bloody King. He can do as he desires! Is that not a break of my oath? When I hold my head low and try to forget this violence against an innocent woman? A helpless woman! But, no, you see I do as my King commands! And one day I learn about the cause of my mother's death. That raping monster killed her. He killed her soul, her will, by what he did to her. And I want to murder him, to cut him in so many pieces that he ceases to exist. But, I do not do it. Because I know that I cannot do it alone. And even if I succeed, I will die, too. And I am the only heir of my Father. What if he is executed because of me? What about the Lannister name? SO, I WAIT. And I do not wait for long. Because my Father is there to save me from this hell. And I take the chance. I take it and I swear one final oath. I will do my duty as a son. To avenge my Mother and to be my Father's heir. That is my only duty. NOBODY… Nobody will question me. And definitely not you, Baratheon. Did you not join your Brother against your sworn King? Does that not make you an oathbreaker?"

By the end of his son's outburst, Tywin was speechless. He was transfixed by this stranger who wore his boy's face. Everything that had come out of his mouth had been seriously considered. Not expertly laid out, of course. He did not think that his son would ever learn how to speak properly. And yet, this outburst showed him one very important thing. Jaime had matured abruptly. He had finally become a man.

Tywin took a sneak peek at his brother. Gerion was openly shocked. He did not even try to close his mouth, the imbecile! He shook his head disapprovingly and glanced at Stannis. The boy had just stood and started creeping towards the window. It was as if he had lost his strength, his face a grimace of pain. The stern and proud young man had all of a sudden morphed into a lonely, sickly boy.

Stannis turned towards them and fixed his gaze on Jaime.

"Aye. I did." he whispered.

It took a moment to realize what the boy was talking about.

"I will not challenge you more, Ser Jaime. You seek justice. I respect that." he said louder.

He lowered his head.

"I broke my oath for the same reason."

Tywin did not understand. And he could see the confusion on his son's face.

"When the Mad King ordered my Father to find a bride of Valyrian blood for the Prince, my Mother entrusted me with taking care of my brothers. Renly was a baby and Robert… well, he was Robert. I promised that I would. She must have seen my terror because she laughed. And she hugged me, promising that they would be back sooner than I imagined. It was the last time I ever saw her."

His voice broke.

"When Windproud could be seen on Shipbreaker Bay, Robert and I ran to the parapets. We saw the ship being smashed against the rocks and swallowed by the sea. I did not wait for Robert. I ran to the beach. They were alive. Surely, they were, I told myself. From a distance, I saw a figure lying on the sand. I thought it was Father. He was a great swimmer. Surely, it was him."

The boy closed his eyes. A lone tear ran down his right cheek.

"It was that fool. Father had written about him. He was a gift for me. He would teach me how to enjoy jokes, how to laugh… HA! My parents drowned and that fool lived. Ι lost everything that day. I became the man I am today. And after I swallowed my pain and turned it to iron, I realized that it was Aerys' fault. It was his fault that the only people that ever loved me were dead. Had it not been for that order, they would be with me. I blamed the Seven and I blamed him."

Stannis opened his eyes and stared at Jaime.

"Choosing my Brother over my King was the most difficult decision I have made. I did not choose him because he is my Brother. He does not love me and neither do I. I chose him because he is my Father's pride and my Mother's joy. I did it for my parents. To avenge them."

Tywin had not expected that. The boy still had trauma from the death of his parents. He got up and approached the slumping figure.

"I came here because of your father." he revealed quietly.

Stannis' eyes widened.

"He was the only man I called a friend. I could trust him and he could trust me. He never betrayed me. Neither did he judge me. Oh, he challenged me plenty. Especially after the dirty business that raised my Name. But he remained until his death my brother in all but blood. I needed to be reminded of that fact because I would not have made a single move from the Westerlands. There is no ulterior motive here. Or if there is, then it is quite insignificant. We need your hospitality. And when the time comes, your help with the strategic plans. You and your men know the Stormlands better than anyone else. The Princess of Dorne needs to be safe along with her children. And as for what my son has revealed to you, I expect that you will not repeat a word outside this very room. That is your debt. Nothing more. Nothing less."

Stannis straightened his shoulders and nodded curtly. Then, he raised an eyebrow.

"The Targaryens will be no more, you said. Is this going to be another Raynes and Tarbecks?"

His tone was not mocking. Simply cautious.

"You are part Targaryen yourself, Lord Baratheon." he answered tersely.

Stannis' second eyebrow joined the first.

"I am. But not a full Targaryen. My Brother left Storm's End with the promise that he would kill Rhaegar with his Warhammer. I do not think that will be enough to relieve his thirst for vengeance. He will definitely harm the children, too."

"I gave my word that I would protect Elia's children. That means even against your brother."

The boy seemed somewhat satisfied.

"Good. But what about the other child?"

Tywin's gaze hardened.

"He will perish. He and his incestuous family."

"Will they?" was the challenging reply. "The Queen, too? My Father would never do such a thing."

Tywin almost shouted then.

"This is my revenge. Your father would understand if he knew."

"No. He used to speak about his cousins. Not so much about Aerys as he did about the Queen. He said that she suffered a lot being Aerys' wife. And he also said once that only one person made her look dignified when he spoke to her. Even protected her once. When I asked who the man was, he answered it was Ty, his dear friend."

Tywin closed his eyes.

"I admit that I had forgotten that Ty meant Tywin. I had forgotten about you and our meeting in King's Landing when I was but a small child. But, now I remember. I can even hear my father's voice talking to me about Ty. I know now it was you. You protected the Queen. You were her hero. But why? I do not understand. You stand here before me with the desire to kill her and her children. How can this be the same person?"

"That was in another lifetime, boy." Gerion answered before he could.

Stannis looked at his brother then.

" A true man does not change his morals. A true knight does not forget his duties. Ser Jaime here chose to denounce his duty to his king in order to uphold the ones that he has as a son and a knight. And I respect that. Ser Tywin Lannister once chose to protect a princess from her husband overlooking the dreadful consequences that would come if it became known. Yes, it has been a long time since then. He has become Lord Lannister, fearful and cruel, cold and unmerciful. Yet I clearly remember Father say that there was no better man to run the Seven Kingdoms than his golden friend. That the people were treated fairly while he was in power. I finally know that it was you, Lord Lannister. And that was after you became the fearful Lion. So, I wonder. Who are you, my Lord? The executioner of children? The Lord that everyone fears? Or the knight that my Father respected?"

Tywin looked straight into Stannis' eyes. The boy did not waver. His eyes were unmoving. Yet also, lacking any kind of judgment.

"My Brother is all of these things combined." Gerion spoke loudly.

Tywin turned to reprimand him, but he hesitated when he saw his face. It was devoid of any emotion. Totally in contrast with who Gerion was.

"He protected Elia Martell and her dragon children as a knight would. He is leading us against tyranny as a Lord should. And at the same time, he is planning his revenge. I do not support him in murdering innocent children. I never will. But it is his revenge. Nobody can change his mind when he is truly angry. Not me, not Jaime, and certainly not you, boy."

"I can try." came a feminine voice from behind them.

They all turned around and saw Princess Elia watching them with determination shining in her eyes. How long had she been spying on them?

"The Queen is with child." she declared. "You protected her once, My Lord. I beg of you, show her mercy."

"The same mercy that my wife was shown? No. There will be no mercy."

"Is there no other way, Father?" murmured Jaime.

"NO!" he said firmly.

"Bring them to Dorne." Elia shouted. "Take their name away, too. I do not care. Destroy their legacy. Destroy their reputation and history. The Targaryens have been our rulers for 300 years. No more than that. We were independent Kingdoms before them. They had no right to be kings and queens. They just had dragons. Show them that their blood is not higher. Show them that they are no longer welcome by the people. But let them come to my home. I will protect them on my word as a Martell. I will treat them fairly. They are my children's family after all. And if they refuse to come with me, then send them back to their rotting lands in the east. But do not kill them. Please." she begged.

"Viserys or his possible brother will want to avenge their father. Rhaella will want to avenge her son. Do not be foolish. They cannot remain alive." he said more restrained.

"If Viserys shows any inclination at all for revenge, then send him to the Wall. And the Queen might have a girl this time. Maybe the child will not live at all. The Queen will not be able to create any political situation and if she does, deal with her then. Not now."

Tywin's eyes bore into Elia's. They were pleading… He felt himself softening. And slowly he relented. He nodded at her and returned to his chair. He saw Gerion and Jaime exchange a shocked glance. He could not blame them. What was he doing? Being merciful was not who he was. Was he suddenly becoming gentle? No, no. That was not it. He would have not subsided, but the past… He was reliving his past.

He was a green boy, young and unmarried and full of bitterness. He was at court serving King Aegon as his cupbearer. Prince Jaehaerys had just announced the betrothal of his two children. The King had become furious. He did not want another incestuous marriage. Tywin himself had been disgusted. Marrying one's sister… That was so wrong… He had seen Aerys sneer at his sister, though he had not given it much thought at that moment. Only later, when he had come across a tearful Rhaella had he realized that something had been off about his childhood friend's behavior. For some peculiar reason, he had approached her and sat by her side. Only a guard had been there, not paying attention. He had brought a handkerchief from his doublet and given it to her. Immediately she had risen her violet eyes and he had seen pure, unadulterated terror in her gaze. That had taken his breath away. What could have possibly happened? Not the announcement, surely. So, he had asked. And to his utter astonishment, she had thrown herself at him and brokenly confessed how Aerys had whispered what he would do to her that night. Tywin had not needed to hear more. He had taken her hand in his and all but dragged her to the King's solar. There, he had revealed everything to Aegon. The King had been mad with anger, but Rhaella had been so scared that she had begged her grandfather not to reprimand the young heir to the throne. She had feared that Aerys would be terrible to her otherwise. So, Tywin had spoken up. And confidently he had asked the King to send Aerys away. Let the future heir to the Iron Throne get acquainted with his future Kingdoms, he had said. Until the time for the wedding, at least. The King had agreed without much thought. And he had hugged his granddaughter promising that Aerys would be leaving that very day. The Princess had been overjoyed. So much, that she had unceremoniously thrown her arms around Tywin and held him with a painful grip. She had thanked him profoundly again and again. And when she had been satisfied, she had grabbed his young face and kissed him soundly on the cheeks. He had been so startled that he had remained completely frozen. When she had removed herself, Rhaella had laughed so sweetly that he had smiled a little in response. The King had stared at him after that. Tywin had fearlessly stared back. And after a silent communication, the King had bowed to him and shaken his hand strongly. That moment had been the first time Tywin had felt powerful.

A knock on the door and Stannis' voice interrupted his memory. A small boy, no older than six, entered the solar carrying a plate with juicy chunks of boar. The Maester was right behind him.

"What is it?" Stannis asked curtly.

"Young Renly has something to tell you, my Lord." the old man said.

Renly. Steffon's youngest son. He seemed to be nothing like Stannis. On the contrary, he looked exactly like Robert had at the same age.

"I brought you some food." the boy said seriously. "We have all eaten except you. So eat. Now."

He brought the plate in front of his brother.

Tywin saw Gerion shake in silent laughter.

"I assure you, little Brother, I will most definitely eat." Stannis choked out.

"Renly!" the Maester hissed.

The boy turned red.

"I am sorry that I'm not sorry that I ordered the men to allow the Lions to come ashore." he said stubbornly.

Stannis glared at his brother. The boy glared back.

"And to think that it never crossed my mind to ask who had given the order." the older boy finally sighed. "For once, little Brother, I am grateful for what you did."

Tywin saw Renly smile widely.

"However, for future references, you will come straight to me. What would have happened if these ships were from Redwyne's fleet?"

"I am not stupid. I recognized the flags."

For a moment, Tywin thought that Stannis would retort back, but the young man only sighed again.

"Alright, Renly. But promise me. You… will… come… straight… to… me.

The boy finally nodded.

"Good. Now. Maester Cressen please give the order for food to be brought here for our guests. We have a lot to discuss. Also, have rooms ready for the brave men that sailed here. My order is for them to be treated as brothers."

The Maester nodded and left.

"Now… Shall I properly introduce you to my Brother, Renly..."

Tywin allowed Stannis' voice to calm him. He lay back in his chair shoving any remaining memory away. The past was the past. It was time to make plans for the future...

Thanks for reading! I will try to update at least twice a month from now on. Writing a chapter is not that hard. What is demanding is editing. I find it quite hard and time-consuming. So, please be patient with me!

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