So... yeah... hi... I know it's been a very long time since I uploaded but allow me to defend myself. I only write when I want to and when I don't feel like writing I just don't, I'm sorry for the massive delay and those who have waited so long for the update. Anyway, here it is.

...

It had been a week or two now since the King's arrival at Winterfell and Lucian was beginning to grow bored of the location and its inhabitants. Ever since the feast Lucian had met Lord Eddard only once and it had been a short one. Lucian had one day ended up leaning against a wall and watching as Robb Stark and the bastard duelled one another.

He had to admit that both had some talent with a blade as they danced about the area some others watching in fascination. One of them was the youngest child Bran who watched on in wonder as his elders fought. As he had watched he had felt an uncomfortable presence at his shoulder, an extremely wary one. He already knew who it was.

"Lord Stark," Lucian said staring still at the fight, "I must congratulate your son. He is a great swordsman and the bastard's not half that bad either." Lucian thought this a safe road to travel down, he did not intend to insult Lord Stark again but it was obvious Stark would not budge. He's like a fucking rock.

"I do not like you watching my son fight." Lucian turned to Stark there more out of compliancy than wanting to see Eddard Stark's scrutinising and judging gaze. Dammit Jaime is this how they all look at you?

"I apologise my lord, I did not intend to upset."

"No doubt you're lying," Stark spoke looking past Lucian to his duelling offspring, "and you'll be keeping away from Jon too." It took Lucian a minute to realise what Stark meant.

"The bastard?"

"You'll keep away from him," Lord Stark said coldly, "I don't trust you and I don't like you. If you want to change that, start obeying my commands without questions." Now Stark was asking a tall order. Lucian may be a composed person but he was still a Lannister, a Lannister who looked exactly like his father. He would not be taking orders from anyone without a question other than his own father. Nevertheless Lucian had swept past Lord Stark and left the clearing.

A hunt had already set off on that day with fat Robert Baratheon cheering at the front and his many excessive followers marching away behind him. Tyrion was nowhere to be seen. He wasn't in his quarters or the main hall and it was with a pang of realisation that Lucian realised he'd be back in the whorehouse. It had been two weeks since he'd ordered Tyrion away from the women he so craved and he supposed he could let this slide… just once… and only once.

Jaime and Cercei had refused to go on the trip meaning none of the Lannister siblings had gone on the hunt. Lucian didn't feel at home riding with Stark and Baratheon soldiers with no red cloaks or golden hair to defend him. He would always prefer there to be support.

From what Lucian understood, to seal the deal between Stark and Baratheon, Robert had put forwards a marriage proposal between dreamy Sansa and half crazed Joffrey. Thus the auburn haired child would be returning back to King's Landing with them. He had also heard that Arya and Bran would also both be coming. Wild Arya, so as to form her into a proper lady, and young Bran to start his training to become a knight. Such a fool of a boy… by the end he would be like all other knights.

Over the past few days Lucian's mind had been forced to wonder back to his father's letter. He himself had not seen it but he didn't see why the king and his sister would lie about it. Why was it that after all this time marriage had been thrust upon him? He had been of age for years to marry and yet father had said nothing, Lucian supposed he should have seen this coming from miles away.

It was inevitability that he would have to marry some day… even Tyrion had married… even if it had been to a whore. Lucian had never so much as kissed a woman let alone bedded one.

He walked out of the main gates of Winterfell planning to take a peaceful walk through its Godswood, he heard it was a place of the Old Gods but Lucian reasoned it wouldn't hurt to beg favours from all possible Gods would it? The Gods have some humour indeed.

As Lucian went he walked slowly but surely, as if his thoughts were solely on walking, which of course they weren't. The walls of Winterfell were old and cold, much like its inhabitants. Lucian had never tried to anger or abuse Eddard Stark but somehow he'd managed to achieve that simply by existing. Was Eddard Stark such a one tracked stubborn fool that he couldn't lay aside the past and just look beyond his own first thoughts? Lucian thought he was.

It was only because of the barking that Lucian's thoughts were brought back to earth. He looked up to see a direwolf… Lucian had heard rumours of these direwolves all the way from the kingsroad. Lord Stark had discovered a small litter of wolf cubs and had handed out one to each of his children who now cared for them. Lucian thought this an extremely irresponsible decision. The fur of the wolf was silver and a smoky grey. The moment Lucian walked towards the wolf its eyes snapped to him and they were a calculating yellow as if somehow the wolf understood everything about Lucian. I sincerely doubt anyone understands young wolf.

The wolf looked up the wall it was sitting by and Lucian glanced up to see a boy climbing there. It didn't take much thought to conclude it was Brandon Stark, the direwolf was the key evidence there. Lucian could see how fragile the tower was, how liable it was to crumble at any moment.

"Boy!" Lucian shouted and little Bran looked down towards Lucian with a look of shock upon his face. For a moment Lucian thought he was going to fall but suddenly he tightened his grip and the boy frowned a bit.

"Who are you?" called the small boy.

"Lucian Lannister, what are you doing?"

"Climbing," Lucian rolled his eyes.

"Blatantly, come down now."

"But I like climbing and there's noises up here!" Bran called back and Lucian frowned.

"What noises?"

"They've stopped now."

"Well how about you come back down here?"

"Bu-"

"Now." Lucian snapped and watched as the boy glanced up and then slowly descended. It took a couple of minutes before the boy was before Lucian looking at his feet.

"I'm sorry… my lord…" mumbled the young Stark looking to the floor. Lucian eyed the boy before looking back up the tower.

"What is it you thought you heard?" Lucian asked with a slight frown gracing his face. Personally he had heard nothing yet there seemed to be something strange in the air, a feeling that whatever Lucian had just done had avoided great tragedy.

"I don't know my lord. It sounded strange."

"Either way it's gone now," Lucian observed eying the broken tower again. It looked so possible for someone to fall or slip from one of the old stones… perhaps Lucian had just avoided the boy from slipping off the tower, "the others will be returning to the keep soon." Brandon sudden looked up with a slight look of horror upon his face.

"You won't tell anyone will you?" asked the boy and Lucian tried to make himself smile although it hurt slightly.

"No. As long as I don't catch you doing it again. I suspect your mother would not take happiness from your activities."

"I told her I'd stop."

"You'd do well to listen to her. Come, the party will be returning within the hour." Lucian watched the boy as the nodded before treading off back towards the keep, the direworlf at his feet giving Lucian and odd look that Lucian could not place. Somehow he suspected that these direwolves were beyond the usual hound that lords had in their stables.

It was with a final look up to the broken tower that Lucian turned and walked back behind the young Stark. For whatever reason Lucian felt wary, he felt as if now, more than ever, he should be keeping an eye out for something. The problem was he had no idea what to look out for.

…

"I think I can honestly say I enjoyed my stay."

"Is that so?"

"Yes I think so, the women of the north have been quite hospitable."

"I can imagine."

"Don't lie brother, you've never bedded a woman, you can't imagine a single aspect of their hospitality." Lucian glared at his brother who chuckled darkly.

"It doesn't much take my interest."

"It would do if you only came with me brother."

"You know I won't."

"Why not?"

"It doesn't take to my taste. I will bed a woman when I bed my love."

"Come now Lucian, in the time I've taken fancy to fifteen royal females you've taken fancy to none. How much longer until you find your love?"

"I shall tell you when I find her."

"You're no fun, brother," Tyrion complained as Lucian packed the last of his clothing into the pack for the travel back to King's Landing. The stay in Winterfell had been long, dreary and boring. Both Cersei and Jaime seemed to have stayed in line and ever since the feast Lucian had attempted to keep his nose out of Tyrion's business. Tyrion had seemed very upset and angry during the feast and Lucian had learned to simply let Tyrion be until he came back to Lucian.

"Fun is not in my interests, Tyrion."

"No I suppose it isn't, is it?" There was silence as Lucian glanced at Tyrion and the sad expression he wore before he sighed silently, "I'm going to the wall, Lucian." Lucian frowned.

"The wall?"

"You heard correctly," Tyrion said hoping down from the bed where he sat and waddling towards the door, "I must say that the north has taken a slight liking to me after its initial cold exterior and with watchmen from the Night's Watch here and heading to the wall I thought it the perfect opportunity to glance it. I've always wanted to go up there and just piss off the edge of the wall, an excellent conversation starter."

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" inquired Lucian standing straight and dwarfing his twin as they looked at one another.

"Well, I'm not the only one hiding secrets Lucian." Lucian narrowed his eyes slowly.

"How did you know?"

"Jaime."

"How did he know?"

"How do you think he knew, Lucian?" Lucian already knew how. Cersei was in charge of the entire marriage arrangement and the older twins of the Lannister family had always been close.

"Are you angry with me?"

"I won't deny that I'm disappointed you didn't even tell me, although I do admit you are paying for that upset with your imminent marriage." Lucian could not stop the shiver that raked through him, he had been trying to avoid this subject.

"I don't want to marry."

"I'm aware of that."

"This wasn't what I was meant to do."

"What were you meant to do then brother?"

"I was… I was meant to be your twin, Jaime was meant to be the heir and Cersei was meant to be queen. I was meant to be able to… choose about these things."

"You could always say no."

"I can't."

"Why not?" Lucian glared at his brother who knew full well why not.

"I can't disobey him."

"You're not his lapdog!"

"I know I'm not, but I have a duty to him and our family. If I am to be wed it is my duty to acknowledge that… even if I hate it."

"You deserve this." Lucian glanced at Tyrion's narrowed eyes as he spat these words. Somehow despite Lucian's height advantage, Tyrion was dwarfing him.

"Do I?"

"You abandoned me, your brother, you abandoned me for him. Despite everything he's done to me, you're going to throw me aside and side with him, despite how he's treating you now." Lucian was stunned by these words. I left you brother? Was it not you who ran from the rock and left me alone? Is it not I who was abandoned?

"This is not up for dispute, I will be wed and that is final." Lucian spoke sternly and Tyrion snorted with a glare.

"Fine, then I have no need to speak with you, brother, don't bother speaking to me until my return from King's Landing, I look forwards to meeting your unlucky bride." With that Tyrion left and slammed the door behind him leaving Lucian alone… as always. Lucian contemplated running after him and apologising but he knew he would be lying. He loved his father, was that so wrong? But he loved Tyrion too. It was extremely difficult to appease both when they so hated each other. The blunt fact was that when the going got tough Tyrion ran, he ran from his father and from Lucian leaving Lucian with father. Father never ran, he'd never ran once in his life, and that was the difference.

Because father never ran Tywin had always been there for Lucian, through thick and thin. Tyrion may have been there sometimes but he wasn't there nearly enough, he hadn't helped Lucian through all his troubles and hence Lucian always sided with his father. It seemed the right thing to do and it angered Tyrion, Lucian knew, but what could he do.

When it came to Tyrion it was always a fight between Tyrion and Tywin.

...

Yet again, sorry for the long update, I will try to keep it more frequent but no promises. I hope you like Lucian as a character, I promise that there will be a romance later but it's going to take time. I intend to go through nearly every event of the first few books aka season 1 and 2. Also for those who haven't read the books there will be spoilers as the stroy progresses, I'll put up a note saying when we pass past season 3 of the TV show. Anyhow, love you all and merry christmas!