A/N: Sorry it's been a while, but here is the new chapter, hope you enjoy it!

Boramir: Thanks very much. Glad you enjoyed Lana's chat with Robb, I think he has a better chance now of moving passed it and living with what he knows. Jaime and Cersei certainly needed that talk as well! Not sure about Tyrion's POV, I haven't done any so far but I will never say never...

unnamed visitor: Thank you very much, glad you thought it was worth the wait! Glad you liked the reconciliation between Jaime and Cersei and the chat Lana had with Robb, he will certainly have it easier now but it might take a while for him to be fully comfortable around Jaime again. Jaime was a little slow to catch on to the idea of a baby but as worried as he is I think deep down he is thrilled, and of course, when the announcement is made Tywin will be doing cartwheels haha. There is certainly a lot for me to sort out with regard to what happens with the council and other matters now that Steffon is King. I will be trying to address these things over the next few chapters whilst also juggling in a funeral, a wedding and a coronation haha! Hope you enjoy the new chapter.

Right-ho folks, onwards!

:)

Black

"I got your message about the Gold Cloaks my lord, I can assure you, with the coin you have given you have secured their loyalty to the crown," Jon Arryn reported to him and Tywin nodded his head and allowed a tiny quirk of his lips as he drummed his fingers against the council table. Only he, Jon Arryn and Varys were present. Littlefinger had been called away on urgent business at Tywin's request. He did not trust the man as far as he could throw him, but he knew how to make gold of nothing and they would need it for the funeral, wedding and coronation that would be taking place over the next weeks.

"Good," Tywin finally spoke, nodding curtly to Jon Arryn again before he turned his beady eyes on Varys. "What news do you have of Renly?" Tywin asked him and the eunuch seemed to shift slightly before answering. "He left for Storm's End the day after the news came…overcome by grief so they say, but I heard tell he was entertaining many of his most powerful lords three days hence," Varys reported to him and Tywin's knuckles clenched white around the edge of the table. "But of course if he is challenged on it he will say he was holding a feast in honour of his brother…" Tywin nodded knowingly and Varys inclined his head.

"Forgive me my lord, do you really think that Renly would dare challenge for the throne?" Jon Arryn asked with raised brows and Tywin could swear that Varys rolled his eyes. "Yes," Tywin said simply, "Renly is stupid and vain enough and there are people stupid and vain enough to follow him. Steffon is green, barely a man and still unwed with no sons. Robert's untimely death has come just at the right time for an upstart like Renly. He is a popular man, likely the smallfolk would raise little complaint if he were to make a play for the throne."

"I can only agree my lord," Varys sniffed, "although…given the rumours surrounding Renly's personal…ah…preferences…their happiness may be short lived when any poor wife he takes does not produce him a son and heir…"

"Indeed," Tywin said drily, preferring not to think about Renly's preference and the rumours about him and Loras Tyrell. "But my lord, who would follow him? Stannis has already arrived and sworn fealty to King Steffon. Your own support is unquestionable, as is that of the Vale and the North. Dorne would no more follow Renly into war than they would the King…"

"The Tyrells," Tywin said before Jon Arryn could say anymore; "the Tyrells could prove decisive in this, which is why we need to move quickly.

"What do you have in mind my lord?" Varys asked.

"Steffon needs to be wed and crowned as soon as appropriate after Robert's burial. I would also suggest that a match be put forward to Mace Tyrell…Olenna may be sharp enough to realise Renly's potential but she has not arrived for the funeral and he has. Mace may be an idiot but he is also Lord of Highgarden and if he agrees a match then his loyalty is secured. His stupidity is to our advantage in this case," Tywin said.

"What are you suggesting?" Jon Arryn asked.

"I am proposing Loras Tyrell be betrothed to Princess Karenza," Tywin said.

"I see…a peaceful and simple way to neutralise the threat from Highgarden," Jon Arryn nodded.

"How will her Grace take that I wonder…?" Varys inquired and Tywin grimaced.

"Cersei will agree to it," he said after a moment, "she has no other choice."

"Do you think anyone will notice?" Amy asked Robb as she turned her body from side to side and surveyed herself in the full-length mirror. He took a moment to observe her, his eyes lingering on her stomach as he knew it was her pregnancy that she was referring to. In truth, he didn't think anyone would notice, not today of all days. There was the slightest of change in her, just a little thickening around her waist and a slight swell in her breasts. It was nothing obvious, something that he had no doubt only noticed because of how acquainted he was with her body. She was looking at him expectantly in the mirror and he knew that he had been silent too long, losing himself in looking at her as he often seemed to find himself doing.

He smiled, moved closer to where she was standing and snaked his hands around her waist, laying them flat against her belly. "I don't think anyone will notice a thing, not today anyway," he told her honestly and she let out a relieved sigh and leant back in his embrace. He pressed a kiss to her temple as they stood there, both draped in black in preparation for the King's funeral. When the bells tolled everyone would begin making their way to the Sept, and Robb imagined that no one would really be paying him and Amy much mind. "Have you noticed?" she asked after a long moment of silence and he smiled, meeting her eyes in the mirror and nodding his head. "Of course I have," he breathed and her own returning smile was as dazzling to him as ever.

Robb was about to kiss her again when the first bell rang out and Amy stiffened slightly in his arms before she made to move out of his embrace. He let her go, moving to pick up his doublet as she crossed to gather her thin lace shawl about her. From the way she arranged it about herself he imagined that she was trying to hide any hint of her condition. Robb thought she was being overcautious but he knew better than to voice his feelings. After trying for so long to conceive, now that they had, Amy was determined not to tempt fate and do anything that would risk their unborn child. To her that included telling people before she felt the baby stir, she was convinced that it was bad luck to do so and the Maester had warned her against it.

He himself wished he could shout it from the battlements of King's Landing, he wanted the world to know that his wife was carrying his child. Whereas Amy had been desperate before they had conceived he had been unaffected, now it seemed the roles had reversed. She was doing her utmost to pretend that there was nothing different about her where he wanted anyone and everyone to know. He grew more impatient by the day, just waiting for her eyes to widen in wonderment and for her to tell him that it had finally happened. That their baby had moved. So far she had said no such thing and so he reminded himself that it would happen in time and pulled himself back to the present. This day was not about them, it was about the King and his family and so he pushed all thoughts of Amy and their future to the back of his mind and offered her his hand.

Amy took it, smiling rather thinly at him. The bells tolling seemed to have snapped her own mind to the mournfulness of the say and so he squeezed her hand reassuringly before leading her to the door of their chambers. Once in the hallway he released her hand and she slipped it at once into the crook of his elbow. They fell into step as they walked slowly down the hallways and staircases down towards the entrance hall. A number of carriages were waiting in the courtyard to ferry the mourners from the Red Keep to the Sept and Robb glanced around for anyone familiar as they crossed towards the open doors.

"Do you think we should wait for someone? My mother and father perhaps?" Amy asked him and he swallowed rather hard before turning to meet her inquisitive gaze. "They may have already gone Amy, we don't want to stand here all day and risk being late," he said and to his relief she nodded her agreement and said no more as they walked out into the late morning sunshine. Despite his promise to her mother to try harder Robb had still found it difficult to be around Ser Jaime, especially since his good-father would fix him with a rather worried look every time their eyes met. How was Robb supposed to behave normally when his good-father only served to put him on edge each time they were in one another's presence?

He was only thankful that Amy had not picked up on the awkwardness around them. Likely she assumed him as awkward as she was about keeping news of the baby from them. Amy had never kept anything from her parents before and Robb couldn't help but notice the twisted irony in how she agonised over them being angry that she hadn't told them right away. Robb said nothing, just as he had promised. He was even more determined to keep Amy in the dark now that she was with child. He couldn't help but think what the shock would do to her as he helped her up into a free carriage, repressing a shudder as he did so. No. She would remain ignorant to it all, of that, he was determined.

"You tell me this now? When I am about to bid final farewell to my husband?!" Cersei hissed.

"If I did not tell you now, then when?" Tywin countered, "I will need to speak with Mace Tyrell before his mother can get any ideas about Renly."

"I believe your lord father is right my Queen," Jon Arryn backed him up.

"Let me be sure I understand this," Cersei said in a dangerously low voice, "you want my daughter betrothed to the man who is the lover of the uncle who you are convinced will try to usurp my son?"

"Karenza is old enough to be betrothed, and such a betrothal would give Renly pause for thought, without the Tyrells he cannot hold much hope of victory, stupid as he may be," Tywin said.

"He cannot hope to find victory even with the Tyrells, with all our allies he would be crushed," she argued.

"He can muster troops more quickly than we could gather all our armies together. He could take the Capitol before half of our forces arrive and if he got his hands on Steffon -," Tywin explained.

"He will not touch my son, do you hear me?" Cersei cut him off with a snarl.

"I hear you Cersei, but you must hear me. This match must be approved, I will seek permission from Steffon if I must and I am certain he would see things from my perspective. After all, the boy will not want to lose his throne," Tywin said calmly.

"You will never have my approval," Cersei said coldly.

"What about your permission?" he raised a brow and she stared at him for a long moment.

"If Mace Tyrell agrees to it, I will speak with my daughter myself…this will come from no one but me," she said determinedly and Tywin nodded.

"Of course, likely it would be for the best," he agreed with her.

"I believe you are making the right decision my Queen," Jon Arryn praised her.

"If I have made the wrong one it will not be me who suffers for it," she said bitterly, "it will be my poor, sweet daughter…now, if you will excuse me, I believe it is past time my husband was lain peacefully to rest."

Cersei stared blankly at the cold, stone effigy. It had long been put in place, hours had passed since the small procession had wound down into the crypts from the vastness of the Sept. They would all be feasting now but she had no desire to join them. Robert's loss was weighing heavier than usual after her conversation with her father. Robert would not have wanted Loras Tyrell for Karenza. She knew that. Even if he had he would have listened to her when she spoke of her own misgivings. Robert had been no fool, he knew about Renly's preferences even if he never wanted to admit it. Cersei was sure that that was the reason he had never pushed his youngest brother towards a marriage of his own.

She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly as she heard the sounds of footsteps echoing down the steps. If this was her father again she was not sure whether she would be able to keep her temper in check. "Your children are wondering where you are," it was Jaime's voice that spoke and she nodded her head slightly, keeping her back to him as her eyes still fixed on Robert's tomb. "Did father send you?" she asked him knowingly, she had heard the awkwardness in his voice. It was the same as ever it was whenever he opened his mouth to tell her something he knew she wouldn't like. So many years and yet something so simple and unimportant remained unchanged. It almost made her smile. Almost.

"He has spoken to Mace Tyrell," Jaime told her, the awkwardness even easier to detect in those words and she closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath. "Then I suppose I must now speak with my daughter," she said quietly and Jaime said nothing. She opened her eyes and slowly turned to face him, seeing him hovering sheepishly by one of the torch brackets. There was sympathy in his eyes and she remembered that he too had been in her place, having to send his daughter away because of a match their father had made. Amy's match was a favourable one though, on that had made her happy. Cersei could not envisage the same blissful union for her own daughter and it made a sudden stab of bitterness stab hard at her.

"How did you do it?" she asked Jaime.

"Do what?" he returned with a slight frown.

"How did you explain it to Amy?" she elaborated, "How did you tell her you were sending her away?"

"It wasn't like that," Jaime shook his head.

"Of course it was," Cersei smiled slightly, "she was sent away from her home to marry a stranger, how did you explain that to her?"

"Robb wasn't a stranger, Lana saw to that," he told her and she frowned; "they wrote letters to one another for five years before Amy left for Winterfell."

"Did she always know she was to marry him?" she asked.

"Amy knew she would have to marry befitting her status, her Septa taught her that," Jaime nodded, "when she was eight she asked Lana, and Lana told her."

"She had half her life to get used to it," Cersei nodded.

"Just because your daughter is getting married it doesn't mean you will lose her," he said.

"Doesn't it?" she raised her brows, a wry smile tugging at her lips.

"She will always need her mother," he said certainly.

"Loras Tyrell will break her heart," she said just as certainly, "and she will resent me for agreeing the match."

"You can't think that way," he shook his head.

"He is her uncle's lover," she laughed without humour, "and she is to marry him so said uncle does not try to usurp her brother…Gods…at least when I was forced to wed Robert I knew there was some hope that he could desire me!"

"Cersei…" Jaime started.

"Should I tell her? Should I tell her the truth so she is prepared or do I let her walk in there blindly and pray that he keeps his perversions discreet?" she asked desperately.

"I can't answer that," he said.

"I don't suppose anyone can," she whispered, turning back to the tomb and reaching her hand out to lay on Robert's stone hand for a moment, trying to draw some kind of courage from the carved likeness of her husband. How could he have left and caused such a mess to form in his wake? How could he do this to her? She closed her eyes before tears came, taking a determined breath before she turned to face Jaime again. "Where is she?" she asked him.

"At the feast," he told her.

"Would you go back? Have her escorted out to the gardens, I will wait by the duck pond," she said.

"Of course," he nodded and she inclined her own head before sweeping passed him without another backwards glance.

On the way out to the gardens she tried to find the right words in her mind to explain to Karenza that she was now betrothed. She hadn't envisaged doing this until she was older, more wary of the world. Karenza was young and innocent in a way that Cersei herself could never remember being. She was still a child. Flowered, but a child nonetheless. She clenched her hands tightly around the silks of her skirts as she quickened her pace, her guards behind her matching it as she strode towards the pond. Fifty feet away she halted, ordered them to come no further and they obeyed her, allowing her to walk onwards herself although she could still feel their eyes boring into her back.

Cersei sat herself down on one of the benches and stared out over the water, not moving until she heard the crunch of gravel under her feet. She turned her head and smiled at her elder daughter, patting the space next to her so she came and sat down. "You wanted to see me mother," Karenza managed a smile of her own but Cersei was not fooled, she could see the deep sadness sunken into her eyes that were so like Robert's. "I did," Cersei smiled back to stop her bottom lip from trembling, there is something very important I need to tell you."

"What is it?" Karenza asked, her eyes wide and innocent. Cersei tried not to think of the limited days of that innocence. Knowing her father he would want the wedding held soon after Steffon's. She would fight him on it but in her heart she knew that he would win eventually, even if her head was determined to fight him every step of the way. "You are a woman grown now," Cersei told her, moving her hand to tuck a lock of her dark hair back behind her ear, "you understand that don't you?"

"Of course, I flowered when I was three and ten which means I can be wed and bear children," Karenza said, reciting something that her Septa had no doubt taught her. "Exactly," Cersei nodded, swallowing hard, "and it has been decided that you will soon be married…your grandfather has found an excellent match for you."

"Who am I to marry?" Karenza asked her, her eyes wide, with fear or expectation Cersei could not quite tell. "Ser Loras Tyrell," Cersei told her and Karenza nodded her head slowly. "He was at the tourney father threw for Steffon's name day," he daughter remembered after a moment, "he wore armour with roses and he almost won but was beaten in the last…"

"Yes," Cersei nodded, scanning her daughter's face carefully and looking for any hint that she was unhappy about the match. "He is handsome," Karenza finally said and Cersei wanted to cry. This is what she was afraid of, the naivety and the unwavering hope of a child. In her mind she imagined that Karenza was thinking of a lifetime of happiness with her chivalrous and handsome knight. She believed in the gallantry of the stories, she would assume that was what she would get in Ser Loras. How could Cersei dash those hopes now? Gods she was torn…put her on her guard or let her live in her happy, fantasy world a while longer?

She couldn't break her today, she just couldn't. Perhaps she would never be able to but today she knew that she had not the strength nor the stomach for it. "He was gallant indeed," Cersei forced a smile and Karenza beamed. "He will be the luckiest man in the kingdoms to have you for a wife, do you hear me?" Cersei went on, cupping her daughter's cheeks gently in her hands and Karenza nodded, meeting her eyes. "Come here," Cersei whispered pulling her into her arms and holding her as tightly as she could, feeling Karenza holding her back just as fiercely.

"Today of all days? Your timing is impeccable my lord I cannot fault you on it," Lanette said drily.

"I had to speak to Mace, if I had made the arrangement without consulting Cersei first it would have been far worse believe me," Tywin said as he poured the wine.

"How did she take it?" Lanette asked him.

"About as well as could be expected," he raised his brows as he handed her wine to her.

"So much change," she shook her head before taking a sip, "but Loras Tyrell, really?"

"Believe me I would have preferred Willas, but he has recently become betrothed elsewhere," he said.

"All this to thwart a possible coup?" she pressed him and he sighed.

"One wedding in the place of thousands of funerals," he said pointedly and she made an angry little noise at the back of her throat but said nothing.

He had been expecting Lanette's visit since the feast had come to an end. Honestly he had hoped that she would leave it until the morning but it seemed that she could not wait and so he had let her into his chambers wearily and set about pouring drinks. She seemed calm so far but Tywin was always aware that Lanette liked to lull people into a false sense of security before she pounced on them.

"Your granddaughter will be miserable, does that not bother you?" she asked. Damn it, he knew she would do this.

"We cannot all be happy at all times," he said.

"I know that," Lanette said, "believe me I know that better than you could possibly imagine."

"Then what are you trying to say?" he asked impatiently.

"She's four and ten," she said.

"I know," that he did regret, but the wedding would have to happen soon lest Mace think he was stalling.

"Can you not put it off? Doubtless Loras would be glad of it as well. Think about it, name the same measures you did for Amy, say she has to be six and ten but agree to her becoming a ward at Highgarden first," Lanette needled at him and before he knew it he was nodding.

"They could still refuse," he warned her.

"But at least you can say you tried, that might soften the blow for Cersei as well," she said.

"Cersei knows it is necessary, we must all do things we do not like. You sent your own daughter away, you know what that's like," he said.

"At least I have the comfort of knowing my daughter is happy," she said with a raised brow.

"Won't Jaime be wondering where you are?" he asked hopefully.

"I doubt it, he is playing cards with Tyrion and the King," she snorted and he shook his head.

"More wine?" he asked.

"Please," she said, holding out her empty glass to him which he took at once; "have you thought of Dorne at all?"

"Dorne?" he repeated as he poured them both another measure.

"Don't tell me you haven't?" she snorted and he smiled wryly at her as he returned her glass full.

"Of course I have, I was just hoping you wouldn't," he admitted and she smiled almost wickedly.

"I have lived with you for many years my lord, I have learned some things," she said.

"More than my son without doubt," he said, "at least I can rest in peace knowing one of you will have a clue how to govern when I pass on."

"Jaime knows well enough," she said slightly defensively.

"Please Lanette," he shook his head, "you and I both know he prefers tiltyards to council."

"So what of Dorne?" she asked.

"There is still another Princess," he said after a long moment.

"By the Gods you are walking a fine line," she almost laughed at him and his lips twitched up.

"Of course I will not suggest any such thing yet, Eleanor is younger still than Karenza," he assured her.

"But it is in your thoughts?" she guessed and he nodded.

"It makes sense," she agreed, if grudgingly, "but I do not think it will be to everyone's liking."

"None of this is to anyone's liking," he said pointedly, "but Robert is dead and Steffon needs to be secure, that means negotiation and paying prices we may not otherwise have intended. I will not have my family crumble Lanette, you should know by now that I will do anything to keep us on top, whether people like it or not."

A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed. I will get more to you as soon as I can but I am now writing chapters from scratch and still have very limited time.

:)