"The Princess of Dorne will arrive shortly," said Kevan.

The table was quiet, Kevan and Genna facing the head of the table where I, Joanna Lannister, sat newly a widow, newly a mother.

"She intends her children to mine," I raised my eyebrows, "At least one, by her hopes."

"To Dorne?"

The look Genna gave me was equal, not missed by Kevan, careful not to exclude him. His was a male presence we would need for the soldiers.

"Cersei to Oberyn," I cut. "Though I would prefer her to Willas Tyrell… "

Such a silence could only invite curiosity on their side. Mine was that whatever prescience I had, must remain.

"I will write to Lord Hoster, and betroth his Catelyn to Jaime. Doubtless, down the line, Lysa will be his pick for if another family wishes to join with him… I should predict Brandon Stark."

Genna and Kevan glanced at another. I sighed.

"And Tyrion. Never an heir, but a spare. A boy, where my Jaime still is. A spare. A dwarf."

I rallied myself, knowing I must appear as Tywin was, however much the effect failed.

"Aerys lacks a Hand. Nobody could meet the challenge. Let us be grateful he does not lack a wife ."

It was easy to feel safe within Casterly Rock, if I did not wonder if my vassals and household staff felt uneasy, for so many years since Tywin's death, being led by a woman .

"Jaime is of age," said Kevan. "Lord Hoster should like to see his Lysa wed to Brandon Stark in the moons to come, and then… a wedding to be held at the Rock?"

"For Jaime and Catelyn Tully."

"Precisely. We are not without coffers, and she comes with a dowry besides."

Genna spoke up.

"Do not forget Cersei. She is only just of age, and must go to Dorne. Will you travel, Joanna?"

"I will leave Kevan in charge," I said, knowing it would not happen soon. "Rhaegar's wife, Valyrian from across the sea, is also sickly. Two babes, and the king is unwell."

Kevan peered. "What do you know, Joanna?"

Such a question he had wanted to ask, and so he had, and I shrugged.

"As much as I daresay Tywin did."

His name spoke aloud, and though we wanted a comfort back, we wanted our loved back, and none would dare say we wanted him back instead of me , and I denied if I wanted him back to guide me, for it would mean a lessening of my authority.

"Jaime will rule," I said, "Yet I will remain his advisor. He cannot balk at an advisor, as with the two of you? A small council, of sorts. Of advisers. He wants to play the knight. He wants to spar and fight. How can he administrate? That he will delegate. That is how the king and his Hand operates. That keeps our sensible heads in this room. And if Jaime attends, we persuade him. For he is malleable by my hand."

The others nodded, and so did I at their agreement.

"Soon it will begin," I said.

"The wedding at Riverrun?"

"And more."

"Do the men grow tired?"

I watched Kevan sit beside me.

"Of what, Joanna?"

"Their impatience to see Jaime lead, and not me."

"The realm is at war. Jaime wishes to fight, and so do the men, but on which side?"

"Riverrun and Dorne remain neutral and are tied to us by marriage," I said. "The Starks, Baratheons, and Arryns fight the crown, and House Tyrell has already marched for Storm's End."

"What do you propose?"

"That we wait for the right opportunity."

"It never comes to me, Joanna, how much you are alike Tywin."

"I feel of love as much as he did, as little as he showed, and there must be blood, let me not deny it, but nor would I be deprived of my authority, much as it would please me to rest ."

I stood at the Lion's Mouth of Casterly Rock, seeing off Jaime who was to lead the complement of Lannister men, armored in crimson and gold, with precise instructions. The men were many, well armed, and only through their own persuasions, could such spell disaster.

No plan was perfect.

When I swept up into Casterly Rock, the men glad for a plan of action which they privately thought was Kevan's and not mine, I stood on the parapets looking out at the Sunset Sea, imagining Lannister horses trekking through forests and across rivers, Jaime in his most private self unsure, for how could his mother know…

"There."

I pointed to the riverlands, where Genna turned her head, for Kevan was martialing the garrison just in case.

"Where, Joanna? What am I looking at?"

"Robert runs from the Tyrells, ever north, to find the Starks, to hide within the riverlands, and the crown army marches under Jon Connington, but for one thing. Us ."

"You suppose that Jaime will lead our men to victory?"

"He will spring the surprise, if he is good, if the gods are good; he will not defeat but merely cause serious chaos to Jon Connington, and in the confusion, Robert and his remainder might rally out. If the gods are good, we will rout early Jon Connington's force, prove ourselves an ally of Riverrun before my son's wedding to Jaime which must cement us, also, of the rebels."

"But, Joanna! Such would tip the odds. And with the crown and the Tyrells against all of the rest… "

"Dorne, if they would stir, would add some numbers, but Aerys does still hold Prince Lewyn his Kingsguard. Likely, as much as the Tyrells play on the fence, so will Doran Martell, and I can take no offence. Soon, the north, riverlands, Vale and stormlands will unite in their forces and with us from the west, Eddard Stark must wed Lysa Arryn, and we will no longer have to pay for a wedding yet recoup the dowry if Jaime should wed Catelyn to truly unite us… at least, Lord Arryn must continue. He can hardly rebuke his cause, for how vocal he has been, in lieu of a wife. So sad."

"And then?"

"Rhaegar cannot hope to best a force so assembled, even if Dorne provides soldiers which it will not, especially emboldened by the west and Jaime's skills - "

Genna grabbed my wrist.

"But the Tyrells!"

"They are encamped with Storm's End, and should they remove themselves - "

"Their force might split and supply the crown."

"And to what end? Five of the seven kingdoms oppose them, and even should forty thousand or thereabouts of those roses spring up to meet our men, ours have seen blood. It is far more sensible, I should think, that the Tyrells will stay out, and when Rhaegar is killed, they shall all - "

Here, I blanched and swallowed. Genna turned.

"What is it, Joanna?"

"Nothing. But I have made it clear, for him, not to seek glory… "

"Will you tell me?"

"You will guess it, but I will not."

"You mean for the realm to be - wholly dependent on the Rock."

"Yes. Jaime will stay back, and if he does not, that is by the gods. By the gods, Catelyn will carry a son. And as I have said, Tyrion is the spare."

"You mean it?"

"If Jaime does not ride to glory, then the rest shall be the vanguard, and Robert, Ned, Jon Arryn, Hoster Tully shall perish, and so will the king and the capital."

Genna turned away.

"It seems to me that you should warn Robert, and besiege it that the threat is removed. To knowingly allow such - "

"Rebuilding is an effort of gold, and the loss of lords remedied by heirs and spares," I spoke, trying to keep calm. "Gold, which can only help flow from us."

"But if Jaime - "

Genna faced Joanna.

"You do not mean Tyrion the spare. You hope you are certain Catelyn carries!"

I turned to her, a hard look.

"Yes. Precisely."

"You mean to rule through your grandchild! Ever longer!"

I hissed. "I must, to keep everything steady."

"At what cost?"

"You would not dare to ask Tywin such."

"I would, and you know it, and you are not - the Joanna I know."

The peace of the sunset, eclipsed by the footsteps of Genna leaving, could not fill me with peace. I glanced down at my hands which shook and faced the red. It was the Lannister colour, that and gold , which everybody wanted from us. More important, everybody wanted something from me , not this husk called Joanna .