The sound of horse trotting and loud conversations blended together in Lucian's ears resulting in him scowling darkly as all the noise only made him frustrated. Lucian preferred order, order that he understood, although he could bare the chattering and laughing between the men it somehow seemed to blend badly with the horses. It was like adding two perfectly good tasting foods together and resulting in something that tasted like manure. For some reason it just didn't work.

They had been travelling for weeks now and Lucian was bored of riding. Within the first week or so Tyrion had departed with the Night's Watch without even a glance to Lucian and Lucian took it as Tyrion still refusing to talk to him. Although Lucian hated it when his twin was like this Lucian would never change his mind, he was nothing if not stubborn. The end of the matter was that Lucian loved and respected their father and would happily do as he ordered, Tyrion may not like it but that was how things were and Tyrion should take the effort to accept and live with that if only to please Lucian.

By no means did Lucian think himself above Tyrion but sometimes Tyrion was a bit… melodramatic… he blew things up to twice their actual size and like Lucian he too was stubborn and refusing to relent in his views and ideas hence they were at a stalemate.

Since the departure from Winterfell there had been little to report. Jaime had kept strangely out of the way and Cersei suspiciously in line, not that Lucian was complaining, it made his task that much easier. Lord Eddard spent the vast majority of the time riding next to the king with the kingsguard only just behind them. Lucian noticed that Robert Baratheon seemed happier now than he had done on the journey to Winterfell. Perhaps he was happier now that his demands had been met, or maybe he was pleased to have dragged his childhood friend down to the capital, Lucian was unsure.

Lord Stark had brought both his daughters and the boy Brandon with him. The eldest daughter, Sansa, was being brought for the obvious reason of her betrothal to Joffrey… the poor thing. The younger girl, Arya, was being brought down to the capital so as to learn how to be a lady, or so Lucian had heard from some soldiers. Lucian sincerely doubted they would make a lady out of her. The boy Brandon was travelling south in order to learn how to be a knight, Lucian had heard Robert and Eddard talking of it and had glanced Lord Eddard talking to Ser Barristan on the road.

All of the direwolves were accompanying their owners and often kept close. When the young ladies were riding in the Queen's carriage the direwolves were kept on leashes and led onwards.

Lucian had only encountered the Stark boy once more since the tower incident at Winterfell. The boy had been trying to find his father when he had bumped into Lucian.

"Lost?"

"I'm sorry, my lord, I'm meant to be with my father but I think I lost him."

"I know where his tent is, I can lead you there if you want."

"Thank you, my lord."

"I didn't tell anyone about your little adventure."

"Thank you… my lord…"

Lucian had then led the boy off to where he knew Lord Stark's tent to be before leaving the Stark and returning to his own tent, perhaps the boy would tell his father of Lucian's kindness and then Lord Eddard's aggressive attitude would die down.

As it was Lucian sat in his tent upon the small bed that had been set up for him. Most of the higher families slept in the acquired inn that night. Certainly Cersei, Robert, the royal family and the entire Stark family were sleeping there tonight. Jaime was a member of the kingsguard and therefore had been given a tent outside with the rest of his brothers in arms whilst Lucian had decided to be outside. He didn't think he'd like to endure the drunken garbling's and raucous that would no doubt ensue in the inn that night, Lucian actually wanted some sleep tonight.

As it was he lay on his bed reading a book, The Life of Aegon the Conqueror, it read upon the cover. Although Lucian knew very well of how Aegon had sailed from Dragonstone and conquered the seven kingdoms he had not read this specific scripture. He read it out of interest mainly of how it differed to other versions he had read, he liked to see how different events were portrayed by different people. It was just a shame that most histories regarding the Targaryens had been burned when Robert had come to the throne. It had been Tyrion who had given Lucian this book, had said Lucian would be interested in it, it left Lucian with a ebb of guilt which he brushed away swiftly as he read onwards, he didn't need those worthless emotions now.

It was as he read that he heard what sounded like a distant shout causing Lucian's sharp green eyes to lift from the book and narrow slightly before laying down the book and exiting his tent.

The sun was lowering in the sky, the sun starting to throw merging colours across the blue expanse. None had camped near him, most wanting to be closer to the inn… or the king, either way they had all camped away from Lucian, which Lucian could not fault. He would rather be kept away from the no doubt repulsive things that the soldiers did and the primitive games they played.

From the corner of his eye he caught movement and his head snapped to the left as a girl with auburn hair came running towards the campsite. Lucian knew who she was, he had memorized all the Starks, as was his task, it was important that Lucian learned all their appearances and names in instants, a talent Lucian had perfected at Casterly Rock. So it was that the elder Stark girl ran towards Lucian shouting for help.

"Help! Someone! Please help!" she almost cried and Lucian considered grabbing his sword but reconsidered swiftly upon judging there was no one following her or putting her in imminent danger as she drew up before him and other soldiers looked towards her, their faces confused.

"Lady Sansa," greeted Lucian with a calm demeanour and one that he had learned perfectly from his father, one that could get answers swiftly, the girl may want comfort but it was obvious she was in distress, better he get answers now and Lord Eddard comfort her later, "what is amiss?"

"It's the Prince!" almost whined the tall girl making Lucian almost groan, he hated whiners, "we were just having a small walk when we found Arya and the stupid butchers boy and then Joff attacked Arya and then she attacked him and her stupid wolf bit him!" Sansa spurted out at a speed that startled but otherwise did not faze Lucian as he looked carefully upon the girl.

"Where is the prince now?"

"Back there!"

"Take me to him," Lucian spoke glancing to his left and seeing a group of soldiers staring at them oddly, "you two," Lucian spoke pointing at the two closest soldiers, "alert the King and Lord Eddard that the prince is injured and Lady Sansa is in distress. Go." The two soldiers quickly left and Lucian had Sansa lead him away from the campsite and alongside the river whereupon a slightly shaking and curled Joffrey lay on the ground.

Behold the next King of the Seven Kingdoms, Lucian thought as his eyes came upon him, what a reign it shall be.

"He's hurt look," Sansa said gesturing to the hardly injured arm that Joffrey was sporting. Upon Sansa's voice the prince looked up to see Lucian there a small frown upon his face.

"What are you waiting for? Get me up!" snapped the prince at Lucian and Lucian inwardly frowned further at the demanding tone of the boy, nevertheless he complied.

"As you command, my prince," he hefted Joffrey off his feet, a task Joffrey could have easily done himself before Joffrey gestured with his uninjured arm towards the river.

"And my sword, I'll need it back."

"Where is it?"

"Arya threw it in the river," supported Sansa from Joffrey's side and Lucian raised an eyebrow.

"You allowed a little girl to disarm you?" Joffrey's face went very red at this and he looked away with anger in his eyes.

"It wasn't his fault! Nymeria bit him and made Joffrey drop it."

"I have no doubt," Lucian spoke before looking to the river, "there'll be no retrieving your sword from there. You will have to have a sword forged for you when we return to the capital. It shouldn't be too difficult to find a blacksmith to forge a blade for the crown prince." Joffrey seemed content with this as he nodded simply before the sound of horses reached Lucian's ears and he turned to see, with a quickly falling heart, that Eddard Stark had arrived with a number of his men at his side. His gaze seeing his daughter with relief, then the prince with another look of relief and then to Lucian with a look of dread and suspicion.

"Lord Stark, I see my message reached you. Lady Sansa came to me and-"

"Quiet Lannister," snapped Eddard dismounting his horse before walking over to his daughter, "Sansa, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, but Joff's been bitten." Eddard looked at Joffrey's wound, seemed to immediately dismiss it and turned back to Sansa.

"Sansa, where's Arya?"

"I don't know, she ran off with her stupid wolf after it bit Joff." Eddard nodded once before turning to those gathered.

"Spread out and look for Arya, she can't have gone far, if she's found bring her to me immediately," he turned to Joffrey, "have the prince escorted back to the Queen," then his eyes fell on Lucian and narrowed, "Lannister." He spoke before turning, mounting his horse and riding off.

"With me, Lady Sansa," spoke one of Stark's men and she nodded before starting to move off with him. Joffrey had already been led a way away and Lucian felt a slight clenching in his gut.

That's right just ignore me. It's not as if I exist or anything.

Suddenly Sansa asked the man leading her to stop and walked over to Lucian before she curtsied gracefully.

"Thank you, my lord, for assisting me." Despite all Lucian's doubts and dislikes of the girl up to this point he could not help but feel a small smile grace his mouth as she rose and looked into his face.

"It was my pleasure, my lady," assured Lucian with a small kiss on the back of her hand which caused the young lady to blush madly and sent almost sent a smirk to Lucian's face, was this how Jaime felt? "You should go, you're father does not seem to much approve of me." Sansa nodded before joining her escort and leaving before Lucian sighed and looked out over the calm river.

…

Returning to his tent that night took a lot longer than Lucian would have liked it to take. Firstly he had returned to the inn to find search parties already setting out to find Arya and her little wolf as well as the butcher's boy Joff had condemned. Lucian had joined Jaime in his small group and had eventually found Arya before they escorted her back to the inn where Robert, Cersei and many others waited before Ned Stark was called for.

Lord Eddard came swiftly enough demanding to know why his daughter had not been immediately returned to him. Events had only really gone downhill from there. Lucian felt that he should urge Cersei to steer away from the path of violence she seemed convicted on but he knew Cersei and he knew what she was like. She would be inconsolable now, with her eldest child maimed by the pet of a child. Lucian had the feeling that if she had even the slightest chance of having the girl's head off too then she would have urged it. Cersei was nothing if not protective of her children and especially Joff.

Lucian had watched on and narrowed his eyes as the small trial progressed. Joff preached one story, the young Stark another, Sansa was called forth and Lucian had watched as she had lied, sided with Cersei and Joff over her own family causing quite the tantrum from the younger Stark girl. Eventually, since Arya's little wolf had vanished, the other wolf had been sent to the sword and hence Lucian was finally content with himself to return to his tent.

It was not for the first time since Winterfell that Lucian wished Tyrion were here with him. They often rowed or fought but this trip felt so boring and slow that he could rather use his brother's quick wit and wicked words to keep him smiling and awake… not that Lucian smiled much. He wondered whether he should have gone to the wall with Tyrion and seen the wall, perhaps not piss off it but at least to see it.

He scolded himself for thinking it, he had no intention of ever joining the Night's Watch and had every intention in honouring and serving his father to the letter, father had made Lucian into the man he was today and Lucian was bound by service to the family, he was still tasked with trying to ease tensions between Stark and Lannisters, not helped by todays events. And then, once he returned to King's Landing, he would be surrounded and hearing the dreaded 'M' word from everyone he met and he would preparing to have his bed shared… possibly by Margaery Tyrell…

On the one time he had been to Highgarden he had met all the Tyrells. They had sat at a single table, father and himself with the rest of the Tyrell family with them. Father had been in need to discuss trade and payment of grain, which Lord Tyrell had insisted, could be discussed over dinner, so Tywin had brought Lucian along.

Margaery had been sat next to Lucian on that night, something Lucian found particularly strange since he often sat by his father at the high table. As it was Tywin sat besides Lord Tyrell and talked with him whilst Lucian and Margaery had been at the end and oddly isolated, neither of them had been seated next to anyone else other than themselves. It had been awkward to say the least, Lucian had been only fourteen and Lucian still remembered Margaery as being the young girl with the pretty eyes and face who hadn't yet developed into a woman. Many years had passed since then and Lucian was now convinced that Lord Tyrell had proposed a betrothal between Margaery and Lucian but his father had declined. Yet still now that marriage loomed he could not imagine the name 'Margaery Tyrell' and see the little girl all those years ago. It would be odd to say the least.

With a sigh Lucian concluded he would finish the book off at another time and laid it carefully on the floor by the bed before he changed garb and lay in his bed looking up at the tent with thoughts of Tyrion, Margaery, father, marriage, direwolves, lies and Starks circulating in his head.

The sad fact was that although he despised this trip he dreaded the destination. He was unlike his brothers, both of them, and from what he could judge he was unlike most other normal men. He remembered listening to boys when he was sixteen and hearing how they exchanged tales of young loves they'd slept with, he heard fully grown soldiers speak of 'conquests' of those they found attractive and how they had made the lucky women moan their names. Tyrion was no doubt an expert in the area having whored excessively and Jaime… he just seemed to radiate smugness, a sort of smugness that Lucian saw on those who shouted about their sexual activities too.

Although Lucian knew full well how the process worked he had never once had sex with any woman. He could only imagine the embarrassment and disgrace that would befall him if it was spread that upon Lord Lucian's wedding day he had no idea what to do, that would complete the set he supposed. The Kingslayer, the Dwarf, the Queen and the Incapable, that would round it off nicely enough.

He also had heard about planned marriages and although he understood his duty he would much rather bear a wife he loved, a woman he chose but that was a fantasy, a dream, and Lucian could not afford dreams. Not even in sleep, which he coincidentally drifted off to now.

...

Author's Note

Once again, another long wait, as I think I've said I won't ever give up on this but updates will be erratic. Things will be getting more interesting once we enter King's Landing (next chapter) and then events of the series will be involved. I know I kept Bran from ever falling from the tower, a major plot point, but I still believe that even if Bran had no fallen that the events that happen in the series still would happen and I'll explain why in time. In the mean time, tell me what you think!