Lord Tyrion and Ser Jamie's return to King's Landing was a quiet affair, as far as the common people knew there had been nothing strange about their absences, if they had even noticed them. As for the nobility, while the captivity of Ser Jaime was perhaps the worst kept secret at court, they all knew how to keep up the farce of unawareness. As a result their return was treated as the return of any other noble common at court was, without fuss. In fact the quiet reception of the two Lannisters had been kept so quiet that Lyanna wasn't even made aware of it until she found Lord Tyrion seated by the table for the mid-day meal. Though both Lyanna's husband and the Queen were notably absent. The King however was there for once so instead of dwelling on the fact Lyanna smiled sweetly at the young King, as she had come to do every time she entered a room, while he hasted to his feet in the same way as any young courtier would when catching sight of his infatuation. And she in turn did her part and curtsied.

"My King." She said softly, the smile never leaving her face. "I see your uncle has returned." For a brief second the King's eyes moved away from her and towards his dwarfish uncle, who was taking the scene in with interest.

"Yes, I am very relieved." He said, though his expression as he looked at Lord Tyrion spoke a different story. The same eyes that turned hesitant as he turned them back to Lyanna. "Uncle Jamie has returned as well, he is with mother. Should I send for him?"

"You are too kind, nephew. But that is not necessary. Should Jon return from a long journey I would very much have liked to see him as well. Leave them be. I am sure I will see my husband soon enough."

Her word seemed to please him as he gestured for her to take her normal seat next to his younger bother and sister. Both whom smiled at her when she sat down, though neither spoke.

"Were you my wife I would have sought you out the moment I returned." The King spoke again when she was seated.

"You will have to forgive me, but you are not a twin. Being away from Jon pains me, as I am sure being away from Ser Jaime has pained the Queen. Especially during a time such as this, she has after all lost her husband of many years. It is only natural that visiting her would take priority."

"I suppose." King Jeffery offered. Though he didn't sound convinced. "What are your plans for today?"

"I was hoping to go for a short ride, would perhaps the King like to join me?" She asked, knowing that even with the Queen's orders to keep her in the Keep, they would not deny their King.

"And am not I invited?" The all too familiar sarcastic tone made Lyanna smile as she looked over at her short friend. "And here I thought I would have been missed by my new sister, I seem to be all but invisible."

"Naturally you are welcome to join Lord Tyrion. I have dearly missed our conversations. I merely thought you too tired from your long journey to be social at the moment." She said, and the King glared at his uncle before he replied to Lyanna's earlier question.

"I would be delighted to accompany you. But mother says you need to take it easy due to your condition…"

"I am fine, many women ride during their pregnancy. And I do so miss the fresh air of the wild woods."

"We have some fine woods just west of the city." Lord Tyrion offered. "They are not as wild as the Northern woods, but I think you shall enjoy them all the same. I would be happy to show you. If the King is too busy."

"I will take her!" he nearly yelled, before composing himself after Lyanna gave him a disproving look. "I will be honored to accompany you, if you wish it. Though I think the King's forest south of here would be a better choice."

"Sound wonderful." She smiled at him, then looked at Lord Tyrion. "Perhaps you will show me the Western woods another day?"

"Of course, sister." He said, and his smile seemed genuine, though she thought she saw a brief flash of disappointment in his eyes. She ignored it.

"Now, tell me, what is the wall like? How long did you stay? What did Jon think? Is he adapting well to his new home?" Lyanna began firing off question after question at the dwarf.

"So many questions." He said amused. "You had such tales to tell before we left, one would have assumed you had seen it."

"Only in the distance. I have never been on it, or even close. My uncle was never one to tell us much of the wall, much less take us to see it. Instead he told us about the myths surrounding it, or of times of old. The one time I asked to go with him he told me it was no place for a lady. He did not care when I claimed I was not one."

"You have never been anything but a lady." The King said, trying to regain her attention, he did not succeed. Instead her eyes were only for the little lord.

"No, I suppose it is not." Lord Tyrion agreed with her uncle in a moment of unusual seriousness, taking her example and ignoring the new King. "Many of the men has not seen a women in many moons, some times even years, much less one as fair as you, my lady." At this she almost rolled his eyes. She had never been one to enjoy flattery, and Lord Tyrion had never been one to give it to her. He had always been direct and sarcastic, and she wondered what had changed. Or if something had changed at all, perhaps she had simply began to read too much in to small things, perhaps he was merely trying to rile up his nephew. "You would need an army with you, should you go to see it."

"Please, my friend, do not waste your time on useless flattery and tell me of my brother's new life at the wall."

"I do not know what you wish for me to tell you. The wall itself is a true marvel, that our ancestors of old were even able to build such a thing will never cease to amaze me. The construction alone…. it is unlike anything I have ever seen. It is both grand and awe-inspiring. And on the other side… it is not just white… it is as if it is a place forgotten by both the gods and of time. There is no color, only snow… there is no life, only silence…"

"I have seen wildlings that have made it passed the wall, there is life." Lyanna disagreed. "There are people living on the other side, they may be savage, but they are human non-the-less… it can't be as you describe. They wouldn't have survived."

"Perhaps it looks different far from the wall, just as the south and north are different." He conceded.

"At times I wish I could go and see the other side." She confessed almost wistfully, then shook her head and with a self-deprecating smile added. "I suppose all children of the North do at some point."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Lord Tyrion disagreed, though there was a hint of teasing in his words that made Lyanna smile. "Most women I know, be it mostly ladies of the night or whores of the court, have no sense of adventure, and are all sourly lacking curious minds."

"Then I shall take you. I plan to expand the Kingdom and then the wall will cease to be of importance. You can come and go as you please. I will become a great warrior, like my father, and before my 25th name day celebration everything under the sun will belong to me." The King suddenly declared, looking intently on his aunt and uncle, before zooming in on Lyanna. "I will show it all to you. I will even build a castle for you with a view of the wall from the other side, if you wish it."

At first she didn't know how to respond, the statement took her by genuine surprise. But then again it probably shouldn't, his brave words shouldn't have surprised her at all. If she had learned anything during their acquaintance it was that the King was a child, a spoiled child, who constantly had his delusions fed by his Queen mother. Thankfully Lord Tyrion did not bother hiding his snort, saving her from the need to give a reply.

"And how do you plan to do that, my king? The kingdom is nearly broke, it is only my father's gold that is keeping in afloat. No, what you need to focus on is forging alliances, stabilizing your rule, and filling your coffers."

"What would you know about anything?" The king snared at his uncle. "Mother says you are as useful as any other dwarf, just a court jester. A blemish on the house of Lannister. Besides, the assets of the house of Lannister will be at my disposal as long, and often, as I need them. But soon I won't need them. I am a born leader, and soon I will rule all. That is my fate."

"You are a fool." Lord Tyrion told him calmly. "Not to worry, father assigned me as the hand of the King, I will to my best to get the horse dung my sister have been feeding you out of your head. Hopefully we can make a good king out of you yet."

TBC….