Hello dear readers, I checked the reviews, one away from twenty... and I said to myself, damn they are really nice readers those readers of mine, and will probably hate me once this chapter is over...

for those who were asking bout the pairings, patience people, patience. You'll see.

Everything that is, is not. Everything that's not, actually is. ;)

if you truly want chapter 3 ... you know what to do.

- Alex

PS. DONT HATE ON ME, I TRIED MY BEST, I TRULY DID.

Year 269 AC.

The trip back to The Rock was bittersweet, as she had to part with her father who was meeting a bigger host in the Cross Roads Inn so he could march to King's Landing. Alessandra didn't cry when her father said goodbye to her, but she had hugged the man like a lifeline before returning to stand with Brandon Stark until her uncle Kevan hoisted her up onto his horse. The party consisting of Lannister and Stark guards reached The Rock in a fortnight as they rode with haste as they wanted to return Tywin's Crown (the name the common folk had given Alessandra) to her home.

Upon arrival Alessandra and Brandon became attached at the hip, wherever the Stark heir was, the little Lady followed. If he was training with Kevan, Alessandra was not far behind with a small sword in hand. Although Kevan and Tygett had tried to dissuade the small lady from pursuing the knowledge of the blade, she always presented them with a good argument, that mostly baffled the adults enough into agreeing.

"Come on Brandon" she said pulling the sleeve of her friend's tunic, as she made way for the kitchens.

"I don't understand the haste Alessandra" he said as he tried to get his sleeve free from her hold, something that was easier said than done.

"Lemon cakes, we have to take them before Cersei eats them all" she reasoned as they walked into the kitchens, the cook smiled at the sight of the two children and offered them the proffered cakes.

"I don't think your sister knows where the kitchens are" Brandon reasoned as he took a bite of one of the cakes "These are really good"

"I told you Stark" she said with a smirk that looked unsettling on the five year old's face, not at the Stark heir knew.

Year 272 AC.

King's Landing.

Tower of the Hand.

"Papa!" Screamed Alessandra as she ran to her father's arms, Jaime and Cersei following at a more sedated pace, Tywin grabbed his eldest daughter as she collided with him, hoisting her to his hip despite the fact that she was eight, she pressed and kiss to his cheek and smiled at him "I missed you"

"I missed you too, little lady"'he said, he then placed a kiss to her golden hair that now reached her waist and that she refused to wrap or wear in the elaborate Southern way. He then placed her down and moved to greet the twins and her mother.

Alessandra returned to her place next to Brandon, who had come to the capital with them. Jaimie greeted Tywin happily, while Cersei looked as if she had swallowed a lemon, a few moons ago a maid had discovered the twins in a compromising position and so Joanna had separated them, Lady Lannister also tried to keep an eye on her eldest but Kevan assured her that the Stark heir and their Lady were just friends and the most out of place thing that they did was steal lemon cakes from the kitchens. Thing that had calmed the Lady of The Rock, although deep inside she knew that her eldest would have no problem in her life.

While staying in King's Landing for the Anniversary Tourney, Alessandra had been roomed with Cersei, as a ploy to get the sisters to get along. The fact that she couldn't get along with Cersei bothered Alessandra because she had honestly tried to get along with her sister, but the girl was too vile for her tastes, always too envious and mean spirited. Jaime she liked, the boy was sweet and while he often did as Cersei told him, Alessandra was sure that she could influence him positively now that their mother had separated him from Cersei. Rooming with Cersei was a total menace, Alessandra decided after a few days, at least she had Audrey Hill, her new handmaiden, to be with her during the nights.

"Papa, what are you doing?" She asked as she reached her father's solar, Tywin had a frown upon his face that dissipated when he looked at her.

"Some lords approached me with offers for the hand of your sister" he explained as she took the chair next to him observing the letters.

"Any of them worthy?" She asked, Tywin looked at her and smiled.

"Not really, although Lord Arryn, may be a good candidate" he said, Alessandra frowned.

"How about the Baratheons?" She asked innocently, "Brandon keeps receiving letters from Ned who is fostering with the Baratheon heir in the Erye, are they not cousins to the crown?"

"That is an Idea, I shall write to Lord Steffon proposing the marriage, in the meantime we can propose yours to the King" he said, Alessandra frowned.

"I don't think the time is right Papa, I heard that he will try looking for a wife of Valyrian descent for the prince" she reasoned, making Tywin remember that she was a prodigy with intelligence older than her years.

"What do you propose then Little Lady?" He asked, she shrugged.

"We wait a little more, mamma says that patience is the greatest virtue" she said with a smile.

"Your mother is right" he said poking her nose, Alessandra couldn't help but to giggle "And what about your brother? Who would be a perfect Lady for him?"

"Princess Elia, Jaime deserves no less than a princess to be the Lady of the Rock on day father, I'm sure Princess Loreza would accept, she and mother are good friends" she said, Tywin seemed to consider it.

"A dornishwoman for Jaime?" He asked, Alessandra nodded.

"Dorne has spices and wine and lemons that would do well in a trade, they also hold the south and are the only region that the Targaryens could not conquest and are the descendant of Queen Nymeria, I'd say that they are very worthy of us" she said Tywin ruffled her hair and smiled.

"And here I thought that you found your lessons dull" he said, she grinned at him.

"The lessons were dull Papa, but knowledge is still power" she said, he smiled proudly at her.

"I shall speak to your mother about the matches, now little lady, how about you, in the events that they do find a Valyrian wife for our prince" Tywin asked and Alessandra immediately knew that it was a trick question for her to say Stark.

"I shall trust your judgement Papa, that you will marry me to someone that will respect me and will not think less of me for being a woman" she answered truthfully, her father smiled sadly at her.

"If whoever you marry disrespects you in any way I will tear him apart and the rains of castamere will pale in comparison" he said, she moved to his lap and hugged him.

"I love you too Papa" he returned her hug and pressed a kiss to her hair, holding her until she fell asleep.

During the actual Tourney, Alessandra spent her time sitting always by her father, while Brandon sat by Kevan and Tygett, the twins preferring to stay by their mother. Alessandra liked the jousting and her uncle Tygett had promised her to crown her if he won. Which he did crowning the little lady as his Queen of Love and Beauty, it was the first ever crown she wore, a crown of red roses that she managed to keep intact even after she returned to the Rock.

During their stay in the capital Alessandra met Elia and Oberyn Martell, who were fifteen and fourteen respectively, for a moment Alessandra wondered if perhaps she had been wrong to suggest to her father a match between Jaime and Elia, but after getting to know the Princess of Dorne, she realized that Elia would be good to Jaime, and she would be safe in the Rock. Oberyn was another character altogether, and during their stay in the capital often taunted her relationship with Brandon, thing that the friends took it in good stride.

Alessandra managed to convince her father that sending Jaime to Dorne instead of Crakehall was the way to go, as she innocently slipped out that a maid had seen Jaime and Cersei too close, although Alessandra alluded that she didn't knew what the maid meant but that 'Mamma had been anxious for a full week". Causing Tywin to agree to send his heir to foster in Dorne once the Tourney ended.

During their stay in the capital Alessandra also met Rhaegar Targaryen, who she thought, looked a little delicate for her tastes. But if her father got her way Rhaegar would be her husband. The prince was kind, she could give him that, and had an alluring look to him, but once he started talking about prophecies and poetry Alessandra was out of it. Although her father was proud that she had made an impression on the prince, Alessandra and Brandon spent the better part of their journey to the Rock mocking the prince's behavior while Kevan looked at them with a troubled yet amused expression.

Year 273 AC.

Casterly Rock.

Life at the Rock without Jaimie was emptier than usual as her younger brother usually followed her and Brandon around like a puppy when he was not after Cersei. Cersei had been bitter since she had been informed of her betrothal to Robert Baratheon, luckily she didn't knew that Alessandra had given their father the idea and thus all her resentment went towards her parents. Alessandra also felt dread whenever she watched her mother's belly as that meant that Tyrion was to be born soon and her mother would depart the land of the living. She knew that her death would affect her father, so while she wanted Tyrion to be born, she wanted her mother more, so she took a decision one night and laced her mother's wine with moon tea and tansy that she stole from a maid.

She spent the next few days at the small godswood that she and Brandon had planted when he had arrived to Casterly Rock and also visited the sept as she prayed for forgiveness. Her mother soon enough got sick and lost the babe and the Maester declared her barren. Lady Joanna Lannister remained abed for the better part of the year with her eldest daughter in vigil. Kevan thought that the girl was too scared of the possibility of loosing her mother as she even refused her sword lessons with Brandon.

Even Tywin had to return from the capital, to coerce Alessandra to leave her mother's side, ordering Kevan to take her and Brandon along with Gerion to Lannisport. Her uncles and her best friend had tried everything to make her happy, but she only contented herself admiring the waves splashing on the docks. A fortnight later when her mother's fever broke, she felt at peace again and promised the old gods and the new that she would never again kill an innocent babe. She then spent the next week glued to her mother's side, fetching her water and wine whenever the opportunity arose, when the third week passed and Lady Joanna was again hale and healthy, Alessandra returned to her usual self battling in the training yards with Brandon and Kevan and in the afternoons sewing and singing for her mother.

Her lord father found that the girl had been deathly scared of loosing her mother and those agonizing weeks had sobered and tempered his favorite daughter. Although whenever he talked to her she always managed to be the sweet daughter that she had always been.

Brandon Stark had also been affected by his friend's sorrow, and promised himself that he would slew whoever caused his friend pain, for Alessandra deserved only to be happy in her life, he even went as far as telling Lord Lannister that he would ever be Alessandra's protector and that the Lord of the Rock better chose a good husband for her or else said husband would meet the end of his sword. A thing that unbeknown to the Stark heir, endeared him to the Lord of the Rock.