Queen Dowager Cersei Baratheon

Robert was dead, the man she had been married to and loved for fifteen years was gone, dead on a battlefield. Grief had consumed her when she had learned what had happened, and then slowly she had come to the conclusion that it was better that he had died on the field of war, as he had always wanted, than as an old man with his body failing. Robert was dead, but their son was alive, and so she would do her best to serve their son as she had served Robert, with wise counsel. They were all in the courtyard, awaiting the King's return. When the gates opened and the royal party streamed in she saw her son dressed in black as night armour. He stopped his horse before her, his hair black as the armour he wore, and dismounted. She curtseyed.

"Your Majesty." She said.

Her son smiled at her and placed his hands on her shoulders, he helped her up and hugged her. "I am sorry I could not save Father, Mother." He whispered.

"It was not your fault, sweetling." Cersei replied.

Her son pulled back and then said. "Come now, I have not seen any of you for some time, let me hear what has happened." They linked arms and walked back into the Red Keep, with Tommen and Joanna talking about what they had gotten up to at turns, Cersei watched her son and smiled, seeing how he interacted with his siblings, he had grown into a fine young man. Myrcella was watching Joffrey in her rooms, the boy had been acting up again, and Cersei just hadn't had the patience to deal with that. Eventually Tommen and Joanna had to leave for their lessons, leaving Cersei alone with her son. Jon looked at her and asked. "How are you doing, Mother?"

"I am well enough, I miss your father, but I know that he is resting easily. Did you bring his ashes back?" Cersei replied.

"I did." Her son answered. "I know he wished his ashes to be interred in the crypt, I intend to do that as soon as possible." Her son paused and then asked. "I have a query for you Mother, and it has been bothering me for some time."

Cersei was aware that her son was still in his armour. "Why don't you get changed first and then we can discuss this."

Jon nodded, and servants were summoned, his armour was removed and he put on yellow shirt and black trousers. Once that was done he sat down as did she. "Uncle Renly and his lover killed Lord Florent and his heir, as such, the rightful claimants to the Florent inheritance are Lord Tarly's wife and Uncle Stannis's wife. However, I do not think giving either the actual Lordship of Brightwater Keep and its associated lands would do any good. No doubt there would be a war over that very matter at some point in the future. Furthermore, it would upset the balance of power within the Reach. The next in line to the Keep, as Father said before the war is Axell Florent a man who father fought alongside during the rebellion. However, he is unmarried and without children. Who do you think I should name the new ruler of Brightwater Keep?"

Cersei considered the question, whilst the laws of the land had only been codified during the reign of Jaehaerys the Wise, there would be those who would rather a Tarly than a Florent hold Brightwater Keep in lieu of the treason the Florents had committed. "I believe, that you are right to be concerned. Tarly served the crown well in putting down the rebellion of the southern Riverlords and exposed a flaw in Lord Edmure's control." Lord Edmure had been most apologetic about this in his missives to the council. She had a feeling he was too busy trying to put a baby in his wife Roslin Frey. "However, Tarly and Lord Stannis are both not within the local of the lands of Brightwater Keep and therefore I feel that naming either one of them lord would increase antagonism. Axell Florent was dedicated to your father, and as you pointed out in your letters fought alongside Lord Renly during the war. I would suggest naming him and arranging a marriage between him and one your cousins of Lannister."

"Cerenna will be happy to become a Lady of a powerful house." Jon said, smirking. "Though Uncle Stannis's daughter Shireen is soon to be of an age for marriage. However, I do not think she should marry a man who is old enough to be her grandsire."

Cersei thought of her father and his attempts at courting some of the younger ladies in the Westerlands and nodded her head. "I agree." There was a brief pause as her son wrote that down, he truly was organised. "What are you going to be doing about the betrothals your father organised?"

Jon looked uncertain about this. "I think the marriage between Myrcella and Robb should go through, it would do us a lot of good and ensure closer ties between the throne and the Rock. However, as it comes to the Tyrell marriage I am not sure I am comfortable. Ser Loras and I do not get along, I find Lord Mace to be a fool, and I think they did not fight as well as they could during the war."

"Your concerns are reasonable, son, but there is the fact that they bring with them the largest army in Westeros, and should Viserys Targaryen ever decide to invade, you will need them. As the royal army has not yet been declared ready for fighting." Cersei said, whether that had been her husband's caution or genuine response from Ser Brynden she did not know. "There is also the dowry that Margaery Tyrell would bring, which will help fill the coffers."

Her son nodded in acknowledgement. "I suppose there is no real other choice then is there."

Cersei took her son's hands and said. "You are the King, Jon, you have all the choice in the world."

Lady Asha Greyjoy

She sighed with relief, then sat up in the bed, the sheets covering her body. She looked at the form next to her, panting and sweating just as she was and smiled. "You know that's the fourth time you've done that move with your tongue. Are you getting predictable?"

The man, dwarf really sat up and laughed. "I would hope not. Do you not like it?"

Asha shook her head, and leaned down to kiss him, before breaking away. "I love it." She whispered throatily.

"Well good." Tyrion replied getting up. "You know the more time you spend here with me, the more my father is going to consider marrying you off to Devan, or some other cousin."

Asha got up as well and moved to the bath. "Well he can try and force my hand, the agreement that was reached with the King and my uncle Rodrik states that they both need to consent to this marriage before it can happen. My uncle won't agree with it unless I do."

Tyrion laughed as he joined her in the bath. "How fortunate for you then. My father continues to look for the most insulting options of marriage for me. I think he wants me to knock some wench up and then kill me to raise the child as his own."

Asha kissed him, he tasted like cinnamon he always did. "You know he won't do that. He's not a kinslayer. However, he might force you into a marriage. That's why I keep saying you should just run off with me, let's get married and then we can take the Islands and use the ships there to force him to recognise you as heir to the Rock."

Tyrion laughed and placed soap across her body. "I know that might be something they'd do in a story, but in real life, things are bit more complicated. Since the rebellion your father failed in, my father has had the port at Lannisport watched. Fair Isle has ships patrolling constantly. Nothing gets in or out of the Westerlands without my father knowing about it. Hell, remember that one time when Uncle Gerion tried to smuggle in some fire wine from Volantis, Father knew about it long before any of us did, and was there waiting for the wine to be brought int."

Asha groaned, she remembered that, and she remembered what had happened afterwards. "Gods that was a good night." That had been the first night she and Tyrion had made love, fumbling and moaning into one another.

Tyrion stood up then and got out of the bath. She watched him change. "I think there might be something in going to King's Landing though. My nephew sits the throne and he's far less likely to have to pander to my father than Robert was. He might be more willing to listen to my arguments."

"Won't he be under a regency? That's what happens isn't it when the ruler is underage?" Asha asked, she knew that in the Iron Islands they simply let the young ruler sink or swim on their own merits.

Tyrion shook his head. "No." he put on a red doublet. And golden trousers. "It seems that Robert decreed that he'd have his son rule on his own without a regency council. A smart move, though my sister will be there advising him no doubt."

Asha sighed, she did not know why Queen Cersei continued to insist that Tyrion was responsible for her mother's death. Especially as she was herself a mother and must know the difficulties that came with childbearing. She could tell that Tyrion did not want to focus on that just now though, so instead she said. "I got a letter from Theon, he mentioned that he would be leaving Winterfell for the Islands in a moon's time." Despite her best efforts, her brother still wrote incredibly formally to her. She supposed it was only natural they'd both been children when they'd been taken from Pyke. It still hurt though. She got out of the bath, dried herself and started putting her own clothes on. "I think he wants to know when I shall be venturing to Pyke, and whether or not the Lannister family will be bringing anyone with me."

Tyrion looked surprised. "What, does he think that you are followed around all the time?" Asha grinned, whilst she wasn't followed around by Lannister guards, she and Tyrion did spent a lot of time together.

She moved to her lover and bent down to kiss him. When she pulled away, she could see the hardness in his breaches. "I think he still thinks that your father is watching my every move like a hawk waiting to swoop in and pounce." She sighed then. "I get the impression that the Starks have done a lot of that to him." The northmen never had liked the Ironborn and they likely never would. She only hoped the Starks hadn't done something to completely hurt her brother, otherwise they would pay.

Tyrion nodded, and as food was put on the table before him, he said. "They aren't exactly known for their common sense, are the Starks. Two of them died at the Mad King's court, for all that they knew how mad he was. Jaime told me." Asha snorted, Tyrion idolised his older brother and from the few times she'd seen the Kingslayer she thought he was nothing more than a glorified bodyguard.

"I see. So, what do you think? Want to come with me to Pyke? See how the Ironborn handle their drink, and meet my uncle? I think you'd get along quite well with him." Asha asked, trying to keep her voice level.

Tyrion moved to her then and said. "I would love to, but first we've got to do something about my father."

Asha grinned. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, there's a whore I know. I think she might finally come of us." Tyrion replied and Asha laughed, she loved it when he thought like that.