**15 years ago**
"DO you know what he wants my lord?"
"I do not Benjamin, nor would I ask. When my brother summons someone you do not ask questions."
"As you say my lord."
Ben Westford followed Kevan Lannister through the halls of the Red Keep. Even at twelve he knew he was in the Tower of the Hand. He knew he was headed towards the solar of the Hand of the King. But the Mad King was two days dead and there was no king so certainly there was no hand, yet Lord Kevan and Ben Westford marched on anyways. Upon reaching the solar Ben saw his liege lord, Lord Tywin Lannister, sitting behind a desk gazing over this paper and that.
"Brother..."
The Lord of the Westerlands gazed up from his desk, his piercing green eyes moving from his brother Lord Kevan to the small boy at his side.
"Thank you Kevan...you may leave us."
There was silence for a long while after Ben Westford's lord left. Tywin Lannister shuffled through papers stopping at time to read one more carefully. All the while there was a knight that Westford recognized as Amory Lorch standing in the corner. Finally the Lord spoke...
"You are Benjamin Westford are you not?"
"Yes my lord."
Even Ben was surprised by the courage he responded with.
"Benjamin...your father has betrayed me."
"My Lord!"
"Yes...he defied my orders. My direct orders. But do you know what he did instead of facing the executioner?"
"No my lord..."
"He took the Black...Your father has fled, as have your mother and sister. It would seem you are the only Westford I might punish."
Ben hung his head for what seemed like an eternity. For a moment a tear even crossed his eye, but he wiped it away. Then he stood up tall and spoke with a strong voice.
"All men must die my Lord. My father told me that.
Tywin Lannister set his papers down and looked across his desk. For a moment Ben though he was on the verge of smirking. Finally Tywin shifted in his chair and intertwined his fingers.
"Your father had the right of it. However my brother tells me that you are dutiful, loyal to the Lannisters, brave, and smart...which happens to be a quality I'm particularly fond of. Is this true?"
"I suppose my lord."
Tywin smirked and drank deep from his cup.
"You suppose? Kevan told me of a particular incident involving you, a fellow squire, and a few Stags. Care to expain it to me?"
Ben shuffled his feet and wiped nose trying his best to look like a young boy.
"Well you see my lord, what happend was myself and another boy bet on a fight going on in the camp outside King's Landing. They were just fist fights my lord I swear! Well what happened was I bet on the winning fighter...the other boy didn't like that to much."
Tywin Lannister took another long drink from his cup.
"And this boy...he was bigger than you? Older?"
"Yes my lord...and he didn't feel like paying me what I'd won."
"So what did you do Benjamin?"
For a time the boy was quiet. He knew what he did but was unsure if his liege lord would approve, and the presence of the angry knight made him even more hesitant to speak the truth. Finally he decided that the other boy was a piece of trash and that he was right to expose him for a cheat.
"What I did my lord? What I did was hire three soldiers from the Crag. I promised them 5 silver Stags a piece for helping me. We snuck into Bradford's tent and one of the men held a rag over his mouth while the other two held him down."
"And you did what?"
"I took a big stick and beat him on the chest and belly. Then, when I was finished, I told him that if he didn't pay me my winnings by midday tomorrow I'd be back the next night...except that next time I'd be holding a knife and not a stick."
"And what happened Benjamin?"
"The next day at lunch Bradford came and paid me my money."
"And how much did you make from this exchange?"
"Nothing my lord...Brad only owed me fifteen Stags."
Tywin took another drink from his cup and smiled over the brim. When he set it down he spoke.
"You are a clever boy you know."
"My lord?"
"Do not act like some commoner. Not with me. With that you made the other squires afraid of you and convinced the soldiers that you would pay your debts. Well done."
"Thank you my lord..."
Westford stared at his feet still unsure what the Lannister lord intended to do with him.
"My lord...spoke of punishment."
"Yes...I suppose I did. Come and read this letter."
Westford stepped forward and took the letter from his liege lord's hand. It was from a Ser Etan. Ser Etan swore that despite being in Baelor's Sept during the fall of King's Landing he had no knowledge of a large sum of jewels that had gone missing from the Sept. Westford finished reading the letter and looked up at Tywin Lannister.
"I do not understand my lord?"
"What is there to understand Benjamin? I have a Sept with missing jewels. I have a knight who was there. Ser Amory suggests we torture Ser Etan's servants. What do you suggest?"
Westford stared at Amory Lorch for a long while thinking of what would be the best thing to say. When Lord Tywin appeared to give up Westford finally spoke.
"Speak to his friends my lord...as a servant I often carry packages and letters for my lord and never know the contents. But I know Ser Etan from the camp. He's a braggart. You need not torture them, most will turn on him for your favor alone."
Lannister smiled to himself.
"I must punish you for you father's mistake. I strip you of your lands and titles."
"I understand my lord."
"You should not worry though Benjamin."
"My lord?"
Tywin Lannister reached across the table and took Benjamin Westford by the hand.
"You have impressed me Benjamin. I will take you as my personal squire until you are of age. Welcome to Casterly Rock."