A/N All right people, I'm back with a second chapter. I got some messages that asked me to clarify some of my intentions, so to set the record straight:

* My story isn't about Lord Damon the Red Lion who got killed by Tywin, that happens in 8260, and my story begins in 7999, when Lord Damion rules the halls of Castamere.

* It's not a AU, but an untold story. Since there is not a lot written about the time before Aegon's Conquest, I can pretty much write what I want. So in my story there is a war breaking loose between the Iron Islanders, who rule the Iron Isles AND the Riverlands (in accordance with Martin's Black Harren).

*About everything I write is what I make of Martin's universe, so the feud between Reyne and Lannister is something I created, I don't know if they're actually related in a struggle for the Kingdom of the Rock.

REVIEW! I like reviews, they make me happy, and when I'm happy, I get inspiration, and when I get inspiration, I update ;D. So if you like it, review to read more, if not, review and tell me what you don't like. If you got an input for the story, you can always tell me. AuroreMartell gave me the inspiration to include the Tarbecks, and they will play a part in the tale.

Also on a side note, I will write this chapter from the first person aspect, I would like your opinion as to what reads best for the story. If you would take the time to PM me about this, the story would continue in the way the majority prefers.

All right, that was a rather long A/N, but I had a lot to clarify I guess, so without further ado:

CHAPTER 2

The following morning I woke up a little hungover. The feast had run a little late, since most noblemen where having to much fun watching my father jest with the Lannisters over and over. I grunted as the servant who had come to wake me persisted in talking to me.

"My lord, your father has requested your presence in his chambers." The women said, gracefully lowering her eyes when I lifted out of the bed, naked as on my nameday. My head pounded and my eyes felt dry.

"Hand me my tunic women," I moaned, as the sun stabbed my eyes when I took my pants from the window sill.

"At once my lord," curtsied the woman, and rambled trough my closet. "The red one my lord? Or the blue? My lord." I filled a cup of water at my lavatory, a wooden cupboard with a jug of water on it, and felt the headache lighten with every sip.

"You're new here, aren't you?" I asked the servant as I looked at her from the corners of my eyes. She was a pretty lass, long curly blond, a bit of a sharp nose, but that didn't make her ugly, gave her more character. I estimated she was about seventeen years old.

"Yes my lord," She said, her eyes still lowered.

"I noticed," I said smiling, "No one says my lord so oft, as a new servant girl. You don't need to say it twice every breath. When adressing my father, you start with 'Your Lordship', after that you call him my lord every time he asks you something. With me and my brothers, you can be a bit less formal. Still call me my lord, but not every two seconds, you're getting on my bloody nerves." As I was finishing my explanation, I buckled my belt.

"Thank you, my lord," she said still looking down.

"And don't look at your feet all the time, you'll bump into someone." She looked up, and stared defiantly into my eyes, while suppressing a smile. Here blue eyes were caught in mine. "What's your name?" I asked her.

"Lyanne, my lord." She said with a cool voice, still looking in my eye.

"Lyanne what?" I asked, getting curious about the lass.

She sighed almost unremarkably, "Hill, my lord, Lyanne Hill."

A bastard, as I thought. "Where do your parents come from?" I wondered why my father took a bastard in.

"My mother was a serving woman in Lannisterport. My father comes from the Rock." Lyanne kept her eyes on the ground again.

A bastard of Casterly Rock, I thought, that's amusing. "All right, get my boots Lyanne, if father has summoned me before the breakfast, he'll probably have some urgent matters to attend to."

"At once my lord." As Lyanne went about to fetch my boots from the cornet, I put my socks on. Soon I was dressed appropriately for a meeting with my lord father.

"Clean my rooms and make a saddlebag with my best tunics, I fear I might be going on a trip. Make sure it is done when I return from my lord father." I ordered Lyanne, she curtsied, and I went on my way to my father's rooms.

One of the Household Guard stood at the port of my father's chambers. "He has sent for me." I explained when I stood before him.

The Guard frowned, "That indeed he did my lord, about an hour ago. Didn't that servantwoman fetch you?"

"Probably got lost on the way over, she's a new one that lass, and Castamere is a big castle if you are new to it." I riposted.

The Guard shrugged, "It's also a big castle when you try to take it, I'd wager."

I bellowed, "I'd follow you in that bet, but I'm afraid I'll have more trouble from my father than from any invading army if I don't get in there right away."

"You're probably right my lord, he's in the salon." He said, as he opened the door.

I entered the rooms, to land up in the main room, at the left the sleeping quarters of my father were, and at the right, the salon. My father sat at his desk, bent over a large amount of papers, his sealing wax and sealing ring next to him.

"Boy, finally, how long does it take to get here?" Lord Damion asked.

"Sorry father, they sent the new serving girl, she doesn't know her way around." I apologized, whilst informing him I knew about the girl

"Our dear Lyanne, how is she?" My father smiled.

"Very good father, she seems to have a knack for nobility." I said neutral, but he knew what I was going for.

"What do you think of her?" Damion said, his eyes glistering with anticipation. .

"I think it's a bold move, harboring a Lannister bastard in Castamere. She's Loren's isn't she?" I said him.

He looked as if it was his birthday. "I knew you'd recognize the genius in the idea. She is a bastard princess of Casterly Rock, and Loren can't say anything to us holding her here as a servant, or he'd have to admit to having committed adultery again. The High Septon wouldn't be pleased with that."

I let out a laugh. "Father, father, will you ever get enough of provocating Loren?"

"Probably not boy, that's part of it. He's a bloody Lannister." My father said, still smiling.

"So what do we do about this war situation? We can't refuse, that be an open declaration of rebellion, one we cannot hope to win." As I said that, I looked my father stern in the eye.

"You're right Robert, we cannot win an open rebellion, so we have to heed the call of arms. And we'll have to go full out a well, because I don't want him to think he can overpower us." My father said, as he stroke his beard in thought while he looked at the map on his desk.

"If I may father," I began

"-You got a plan son?" My father gave me a halfsmile, and I didn't know if he was mocking me or approving my enthousiasm.

"Yes father. Prince Tybalt gave us direct orders to call up a host and join the rest of the Goldeshire army at oxcross right?" My father gave a small nodd. "Well, if we call all of our bannermen, we'll have an army of approximately 12 000 men, whilst leaving a small host in the castles to hold them in case of deceit." My father got a thoughtful look on his face. "Goldshire could muster 9000 at most, if they want to keep a hold on their lands. With the men that Marbrand brings from Ashemark, that will come to 17 000 men."

"Yes," my father interrupted, "but Loren himself will have about 10 000 people from Lannisterport and the Rock as well, making 27 000."

"Yes father, that's why I propose this. If we send Tommen to Lord Peckledon, he could muster another 10 000 for us, easily, and he owes it to us, you took his sister as second wife after mother, which allowed him to assume High Lordship of Peckledon."

"Peckledon lies 5 dayrides away for a small compagny of riders. We need to be there in three."

"Yes father, but he's not in Peckledon, he's in castle Drox, for the summer fair. A small compagny could arrive after a day and night of hard riding. He'll need approximately 3 days to raise his banners, if he marched hard, he could be in Pinkmaiden within 10 days." I said.

"Where we would meet up with him. If we had 25 000 men, Loren would think twice before he tried anything stupid. But he would have a week vastly superior armies. A week is a long time in war son."

I smiled, "Yes father, but you have not heard the full length of my plans. Send a raven to Marbrand that you will be two days later in Oxcross, say you need to rally troops in Deep Den, and the rains have made roads hard to travel. Call all your banners here and march north on the third day."

"What would that change to our numbers?" My father said, not convinced.

"When you march the third day, I'll make sure Tarbeck Hall sends a host as well, and they should arrive in Oxcross the same day."

My father looked surprised. "Tarbeck Hall? Why would they march for us?"

"King Loren has ended the engagement between their daughter Sylvia and Prince Tybalt, to the benefit of Lady Cersei Crakehall. Everyone knows Crakehalls and Tarbecks can't stand one another. They will not soon forget the insult. I think I can win over the Tarbecks using the perfect leverage, that the Lannisters have lost."

My father grew interested. "And what leverage is that?"

"An unmarried son." I said.

"You wish me to marry Roland to a Tarbeck? It would be interesting for a long term alliance but still." Lord Damion said skeptical.

"You want to marry Roland to Lyanne to get a claim at Casterly Rock, I already anticipated that plan, I saw it as soon as I knew she was a Lannister. No I aim to engage myself with her."

Father chuckled. "Well you have a lot of guts, taking your own engagement in hands. But they won't do it. You do not have enough importance, you're a third son." The way he said it, made it sound like he regretted the fact.

"That's why I'd ask you to give me Castamereton." I said, suddenly feeling cold sweat when my father gave me one of his famous glares.

"You want one of the crown lands of the High Lordship of Castamere?"

"The High Lordship contains 12 castles. I think you can spare the one to form a lasting alliance with a powerful house."

"And what will your brother make of this? He won't be glad that his title is broken for his younger brother." Damion leaned back in his seat and looked me in the eyes, clearly curious how I'd dissolve this problem.

"You will talk to him about his claim to Casterly Rock, a claim his children can make as well. I think that claim is worth the Barony of Castamereton if it's combined with the friendship of House Tarbeck. As for Tommen, he'll hardly argue, you know he wants to receive his chain in Oldtown."

My father watched my silently for a minute or two. Then he started laughing. "Robert, if your looks didn't proof it as much, you would now have proved to be a true Reyne. Go tell Balon to give you an escort of 25 men, you're going to Tarbeck Hall, I'll give you the necessary documents that give you permission to arrange the marriage, and I'll make up the document making you Baron of Castamereton. Wear a suit of armor when you come to me in the main hall in an hour. You can't be a Baron without being a Knight."

With these words he dismissed me. I barely could see where I was walking as I left his rooms, so exulted by the stunt I had just pulled off. I, not second but a third son, had managed to secure a knighthood for myself, a hereditary title for my children, and a wife to have those children with. All in one bold move.

May the 7 gods bless the Lannisters and there useless wars.

A/N Don't forget to review and/or follow my story as Robert continues to dwell the dangerous paths of court politics and battlefields. But which is more deadly?