I had a lot of fun with this one. While battle chapters are sometimes the hardest to write, they are often a lot of fun. This one is no different, so I'll leave this intro short and just let you get into the fight for King's Landing!

I own nothing but the OC's, everyone and everything else is the property of either George R R Martin or HBO.

The waves were calm on Blackwater Bay though the winds were against them. Lord Monford Velaryon had been put in command of the both the King's personal flagship as well as the overall naval assault and so he had placed himself at the rear, yet despite the darkness of the night the moonlight still illuminated the vast number of ships facing the Red Keep. To his left in the distance he could see the extremely large Arbor Queen of Lord Paxter Redwyne, and suddenly nerves filled him. He quickly rushed over to the side of the ship and threw up over the sides.

"Calm the fuck down." His first officer and the new Lord of Dyre Den spat from beside him. Lord Tristan Goldriver grabbed the Lord of the Tides by the turquoise surcoat that covered his chest plate. "His Grace picked you, don't fuck it up."

Monford gulped and nodded, grabbing a skin of water to rinse out the taste of bile in his mouth. He didn't know why the sight of the Lord of the Arbor's ship made him feel so nervous, but the veteran seafarer took three deep breaths before nodding once more to himself.

They waited for around ten minutes before one of the Golden Company sailors called down from atop the mast. "THE SIGNAL!"

Monford looked over towards the north of the city and sure enough there was a flicker of flame rising high into the sky. He gulped once more before looking back at Ser Tristan. "Drums." He commanded.

Ser Tristan grinned. "Aye, DRUMS!" The man bellowed down to the rest of the crew, and less than a moment later the instruments began to sound, the noise rising ship by ship. That was the signal for the vanguard of ships where the Loyal Bastard and Aurane was leading the mix of Reach and Golden Company ships that would try and breach the River Gate first.

Monford quickly found himself preoccupied with getting his men ready to push the Vhaegon forwards and it was a few minutes until he could stand in anticipation. They were among the last to be able to move, and he breathed a sigh of relief as the oarsmen eventually lurched the Vhaegon into movement. Monford then made sure to keep his breathing steady as he stared up at the torches adorning the walls of King's Landing until he started to see the ships at the front beginning to turn.

"Aurane what are you doing." Monford whispered through gritted teeth fearing that another betrayal was about to happen. His fears were unfounded however, and the reality was a lot worse as he noticed a slow flaming arrow moving in the sky towards the front of his assault, and immediately after the arrow disappeared behind the ships in front of him the bay in between the Vhaegon and the city exploded in a blinding green light.

Whilst Tywin and Joffrey had gone to oversee the defences on the walls of the Red Keep itself, Tyrion's plan was instrumental in lessening the threat of the vast force that was threatening them. Other, bigger Lannisters were focused on the ground assault, but Tyrion's focus had been on the gate closest to the Red Keep itself, the River Gate. Both Lord Monford Velaryon and Lord Paxter Redwyne were veterans of naval campaigns, being opposed in Robert's Rebellion after the Sack of King's Landing and allies in the Greyjoy Rebellion, and now they were allied again, facing King's Landing and House Lannister.

Cersei wasn't often full of good ideas, but her interest in wildfire while terrifying the Dwarf of Casterly Rock was also one that gave him an idea, and so he had filled two ships with barrels of the stuff sent out to meet the enemy navy, and once he saw the fire arrow signal of their assault from behind him, he dropped a signal of his own, a torch. Then it was simply eager anticipation and nervous watching that filled Tyrion's entire body as he saw Bronn's arrow be lit and then fired from the cliffs in the distance. As the arrow was lost to the sea, the green flames very quickly set the water aflame as they raced to both loyal ships.

The explosion that followed made the entire wall shake and Tyrion was forced to shield his eyes at the blinding light. Once he felt like he could look, he peered out from behind his arm to see a fire that looked almost as big as the Wall engulfing dozens upon dozens of Targaryen and Redwyne ships, with more being set aflame as the debris hit sail and wood. Thankfully, his plan had worked, and the entire width of Blackwater Bay was seemingly engulfed in ferocious green flames.

"Keep an eye out for ships landing beyond the flames!" He ordered the Lannister men around him. "If any of them try to land and make a rush for the gates, fill him with arrows!"

He let them roar victoriously as he took a step away from the side, the green flames still billowing upwards. "What are we to do now, My Lord?" His faithful squire Podrick Payne asked from beside him.

"We re-join my Father on the walls of the Red Keep." Tyrion instructed quietly. "We've done our part here, now we must hope that Ser Kevan does his atop the Dragon Gate."

Despite being at the opposite end of the city, the effects of the green explosion on the water was felt within Luke's camp with rougher winds. The Targaryen felt his coif trying to push its way off of his head and made to stop that by putting his dragon scale helm on his head. He had very quickly sent Edric up to a vantage point to see what was going on, but as he stared up at the gates he could see the green tinge illuminating the night's sky.

The roar of the elephants were growing louder, and before Luke had a chance to find out the truth of the explosion Chains had led the pair attacking the Dragon Gate along with the foot soldiers carrying the battering ram and the ladders. The Targaryen would ideally have wanted to be one of them, but he waited until Edric had returned before making a decision. That happened as the elephants were halfway to the walls and already Balaq's mounted archers were firing towards the walls.

"The fleet is gone, Your Grace." Edric looked panicked. "Green fire, I can't see beyond green fire all across the bay."

His mother had sheltered him well enough while he was a toddler, but Luke was a Targaryen, and he knew his history. "Wildfire." He muttered bitterly. "Well played Lannister."

"You're impressed?" Ser Caspor Hill asked from behind him.

Luke nodded, turning to his Kingsguard. "Everyone knows that my Father used Wildfire to dispense his justice. The sight of it will likely remind the people of the city about the Mad King and no doubt Tywin Lannister has been reminding the people about the Sack of King's Landing." He scowled. "That is the thing about conquests, Ser Caspor. The battles are the easy part, ruling afterwards with a populace that will hate you because of your Father, that is the true challenge."

"They will know you are different, Your Grace." Ser Barristan added.

Luke wasn't so sure. He looked over at the gates to see that Chains had reached the walls and had the elephants smashing their tusks against the wooden doors with their archers firing on the defenders atop the walls, whilst on the ground the ram was battering at the gates. "Mount up, Sers. It is almost time." He moved over with Edric towards his horse, unstrapping his sword belt and tying Blackfyre to his black destrier before he placed a leg in the stirrups to haul himself onto the large beasts back. Patting the horse's neck he was then handed a war lance by Edric. "Mount up, Ned. You are among the final wave. If we falter, then turn and ride back to Rosby, do not let yourself get captured."

Ned Dayne shook his head. "I won't."

Nodding happily, Luke pushed down the visor. "Go and mount up, we'll be riding soon." He couldn't see the boy rush off, but he heard the footsteps disappear into the distance. Luke kept his focus on the walls of King's Landing. He could see men atop the walls fighting ferociously while the ram kept splintering wood until finally a loud crack filled the air and the two elephants pushed the battered gates open with their tusks. Luke held his lance up in the air and roared with all his might. "FIRE AND BLOOD!" With the battle cry filling the hundreds of mounted soldiers about to follow him, Luke brought the lance down and kicked his horse into a trot, and then a gallop. Despite the fact he was about to enter the city of his birth for the first time in 17 years, the Targaryen's mind was focused on one thing, the steel tip of his lance.

A cheerful Tyrion quickly lost his grin as he returned to the point on the walls where his Father was stood with Joffrey and a couple of knights of the Kingsguard. Their grim faces said it all.

"Your trick was good." Tywin admitted. "But the Dragon Gate has just been breached."

Tyrion thought it could have been worse. "They still have to travel through half of the city." He said hopefully.

"They used the elephants." Tywin explained. "Two at each gate with archers to distract our defences while they batter the gates down. I've pulled the majority of our forces back behind the Red Keep and manning the scorpions. The bottleneck of the route to the Red Keep should be a bloodbath for their forces."

It was a risky plan, far riskier than anything that Tyrion would expect of his Father. "We could leave." He said quietly, making sure that Joffrey was still enraptured with the Wildfire so that only Tywin heard him. "Take the children and Cersei, escape and fight another day. Taking the Red Keep is one thing and has been done a handful of times in history. The Rock has never been taken…"

"He has the crown, he has the sword." Tywin stated bluntly. "They became the symbols of the King after the dragons died out, and if you are correct, he also has dragons." Tywin sighed. "And then to get to the Rock we must fight through Randyll Tarly and Robb Stark."

"You sound like we are defeated." Tyrion surmised. "That is unlike you."

"For as long as we hold the walls of the Red Keep we have a chance." Tywin explained. "Kill the last male Targaryen and his cause becomes the cause of two girls who will only manage to beat us by traipsing over thousands of dead bodies all across the realm. A prolonged war no doubt, but one we still remain in. And make no mistake, Lucerys Targaryen will show himself. Despite his force, if he wishes to win over the majority of the realm he needs to send a statement to the realm bigger than sending Stannis Baratheon fleeing and winning a few holdings in Crackclaw Point. He must take the Red Keep and he must be seen doing it."

The logic made sense to the dwarf, but he still felt uneasy. "His terms…"

"Are a death sentence to all of us." Tywin snapped angrily. "I will have no further talk of surrender, Tyrion. Unsheathe your axe and prepare to fight with us, or perhaps you will be another unfortunate casualty in this battle." He turned to Joffrey. "Your Grace, we should move to a different part of the walls, all of the men must see you."

Tyrion just simply stood scowling at the back of his Father and nephew as they walked off, his hand reaching down at his side for his axe and imagining it embedding in his Father's balding head. Shaking that thought he turned to the men he had been left with, all of them ignoring the tense discussions between Father and Son and ensuring the arrows were well stocked and the oil in place. Sighing, Tyrion went to help them, though in the back of his mind he could feel whispers of desertion tempt him.

Luke was the first mounted knight through the Dragon Gate, and as he immediately rode past the corpse of one of his elephants he jammed the tip of his lance through the chest of a Gold Cloak captain, puncturing straight through his body armour and out the back again. He then withdrew Blackfyre and got to work, hacking from horseback at any red or gold cloak that dared to come his way. He had managed to push his way through towards the Street of Silk when a large man in dark armour blocked his way, swinging a bloody two handed greatsword and carving two of Luke's horses legs off. The Targaryen managed to jump off before he found himself crushed by his mount, though the impact with the ground winded him. He just about managed to get his shield up in time to block the oncoming blow from the large man and jabbed Blackfyre up, though it was a weak thrust and easily knocked aside.

"Clegane!" Ser Barristan Selmy roared, his white cloak billowing as he rode onto the scene. He reared his horse and the front legs kicked Sandor Clegane away, giving Luke enough time to scramble to his feet and take notice of his surroundings. The buildings had been boarded up, but the fighting was all around him as red cloaks and gold cloaks tried to stop the rush of the Golden Company and Crownlander cavalry. A red cloak tried his luck as Luke regained his senses but the Targaryen quickly parried the man's blade and smacked him hard across the helmet with his shield, before stabbing the man in the heart. He looked back towards Ser Barristan and noticed the Kingsguard knight was now off his fleeing horse locked in fierce combat with Clegane. "To your king!" The elder man roared as he deflected a swing from the scarred man's greatsword, and immediately Luke was bundled into by the back of Ser Caspor, who was parrying a spear away from him.

Feeling back to himself, Luke held the blade out and roared. "TO THE RED KEEP!" To try and direct his men forwards, but his eyes were still flickering to his Lord Commander, with Ser Barristan ducking and weaving around Clegane. Luke went to join in but he was held in place by Ser Caspor, and an arrow buried itself in a nearby shop, having followed a path that went through the exact spot where Luke had been about to step. Ser Caspor grabbed a spear off the ground and launched it up onto the top of another nearby building, impaling the archer.

There was no time for giving thanks though, and Luke noticed the lines of defenders falter with fear in their eyes. Knowing Caspor was at his back Luke turned again to spot Ser Barristan, who was now stood over the dying form of the large Clegane, one side of his sword coated red. In awe at the knight, Ser Barristan marched forwards and grabbed Luke by the shoulder, forcing him forwards. "Don't stand still!" The man instructed. "Keep moving!"

It was chaos then. The rush of the Golden Company, some ahorse and some on foot, was overwhelming the already fleeing defenders of the city. Luke didn't bloody his blade any further as he ignored those trying to flee, but some of his men weren't quite so merciful as they rushed through the city towards the Red Keep. Ser Symon Cressey was the most recognisable of them all, his helm having been knocked off his face but he had the recognisable yet torn and bloodied cloak of Ser Kevan Lannister wrapped around his shield arm as the Crownlander joined the Kingsguard bubble surrounding the King.

"Prince Oberyn is through the gates too!" Ser Symon cried out over the screams and the cries. "The Reachman are atop the walls, but not through the gates just yet."

"They'll join us soon enough!" Luke called out. "We need to get to the Red Keep! Where is Chains?"

The Kingsguard didn't know, but Symon Cressey pointed further ahead. "When the first beast went down he pushed ahead taking a different route!"

Nodding at the good improvisation, Luke adjusted his grip on his sword and took a deep breath, before turning his fast walk into a jog, eager to get this done with as quickly as he could.

It was never a good sign when Tywin Lannister changed his mind, Tyrion thought as he and Podrick were summoned back inside the castle. It was also never a good sign when he sent somebody else as a messenger. Making sure to stomp his feet in displeasure as the dwarf was led to some side room, he had Pod open the door for him, only to be surprised at the occupant of the room.

"Either I've had far too much to drink, or you've shrunk, Father." Tyrion said dryly, but he didn't keep the jape up for long. "What am I doing here, Varys?"

The eunuch turned around, his arms wrapped inside a thick brown cloak. "I've grown very fond of you, Lord Tyrion, did you know that?"

"I did not." Tyrion admitted. "I didn't think you were fond of anything except your little birds."

Varys smiled knowingly. "I am fond of them, I suppose." He nodded. "But you are the best of your family, somebody that seems to actually care about the harm that the realm faces when House Lannister is in charge. I would save your life if I could because I believe a world without Tyrion Lannister is a darker one."

Tyrion rolled his eyes. "You have such little faith, Varys. Why my Father will smite down this Targaryen pretender with a snap of his fingers."

"He won't." Varys replied shortly, and Tyrion realised the game of words was over. "Lucerys was raised for this. He knows your strengths, and he knows your weaknesses."

"He is a young man that has spent most of his life in Essos." Tyrion countered.

"And he gathered information on Westeros regularly through me." Varys explained. "Robert Baratheon was a good man, but a terrible King. I always knew that after he was gone chaos would rule, and nothing harms the realm quicker than chaos. Knowing the… relationship, between your siblings and once Joffrey was born blonde and the spitting image of Ser Jaime I had contingencies in place to ensure that the realm could survive the fall from Robert's death."

"The Targaryen's." Tyrion surmised. "You've been working for them all along."

"No, My Lord." Varys shook his head honestly. "I've always worked solely for the good of the realm. I played my part in keeping them alive, of course, but as long as Robert Baratheon lived I also kept him alive to the best of my ability."

"Until you didn't." Tyrion smirked.

"Until Stannis Baratheon and Jon Arryn figured out that the children weren't Baratheons, but bastards of Lannister." Varys explained. "Until Ned Stark figured out the very same thing and confronted your sister before he was ready for the fall out. Until Cersei had Robert killed."

Tyrion scowled at the accusations. "Careful, eunuch. This is treasonous talk."

"Not in a few hours." Varys admitted. "He isn't the blood of the dragon that I would have wanted initially, that is true, but he is the best choice of the survivors of Robert's Rebellion. Strong, commanding, skilled with blade and with word. The right blend of Aegon the first, Maegor and Jaehaerys before him. A good leader, a fine King. The Father of Dragons."

Tyrion remembered the teeth of the little beast and shuddered. "Why are you telling me this?" He asked suspiciously.

Varys smiled. "Because despite my allegiances, I have no wish to see the children harmed."

Tyrion's face paled. "Tommen and Myrcella." He whispered.

"Are in danger, I can only advise the King, but I am still the spider spinning his webs this way and that. Lucerys has had warriors advising him, men that hate the Lannisters and the Baratheons more than anything." Varys added. "Men that remember well what happened to the last set of defeated children that were inside this castle when it fell."

Tyrion recalled his meeting with the Targaryen and knew exactly the pair of men that the eunuch meant. "So this is a plea, to flee for my life in order to save the children? Do you really think that the Targaryen won't kill me anyway? He butchered Stannis' garrisons, he burnt Rosby to a crisp…"

"And he has forgiven those that bend the knee towards him." Varys countered. "Survive, return on bended knee and he will give you what you've always wanted. Your niece and nephew safe as well as Casterly Rock to call your own."

Tyrion saw his home there and then, himself standing in the Lion's Mouth looking up at the castle, his castle. Then the mountain turned into his Father's face and the dwarf shuddered. "Even if I could reach the children without Cersei knowing, I will not abandon my family." He said stubbornly.

Varys tilted his head and considered Tyrion for a moment. "Very well." He said, resigned. "But if you change your mind, follow this passage." The bald eunuch turned to face the wall and rested his palm on the bricks over the fireplace. He traced his hand over some of the bricks before finding one and pressing, and suddenly a click sounded from beside the dwarf. Tyrion turned to see a trap door spring open, with a dusty set of stairs leading down into the darkness. Varys took a torch and descended the stairs, only stopping once his head was level with the floor. "Do shut the door after yourself." The eunuch said arrogantly, before he continued into the dark abyss.

Tyrion let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as he looked around the dingy room in bemusement. Shaking his head, he muttered. "Unbelievable." As he turned around to walk back to the door he came from. Opening it slightly he saw Podrick stood outside dutifully, but there were other men rushing out towards the courtyards. "What's happening?" He asked Pod.

"They're at the walls, My Lord." Pod answered. "They've still got elephants and ladders. The Targaryen has been spotted and they said… they said the Hound is dead, and Ser Kevan."

That hit Tyrion hard, he had always liked his Uncle despite how dutiful the man had been to Tywin. Clegane he cared little for, but if two renowned figures were dead… "Come in here, Podrick." He said quickly, waiting for the last of the reinforcements to leave their view. Podrick did as he was asked and Tyrion shut the door forcefully, bolting it.

"My Lord… there's a door in the floor." Podrick pointed out the obvious.

"Yes there is, Podrick. And we are going to go down it." Tyrion said quickly. "Grab a torch." The squire once again did as he was asked and was the first down the steps. Tyrion took the first one before stopping, realising that this would be the moment that turned him into a traitor. Closing his eyes and whispering a prayer to whichever of the gods that would be the more relevant, he grabbed the metal hook underneath the door and pulled it behind him, slamming it shut with a thud.

Roughly half a mile up the Rosby Road there was an accessible beach. Once when Jon Connington and Rhaegar had been squires together they had travelled there to train in secret. That beach was also the sight of a cave that had been the exit point for Jon as he smuggled Lucerys out of the city and onto a boat to escape Westeros. As his armoured boot hit the sand and the man recognised his surroundings he stopped, taking in the sight.

"Come on, Jon." Ser Rolly whispered harshly. "We haven't the time!"

Nodding, Jon moved his feet and tried to crush down the memories of laughter and late-night swims in these waves, and he made his way towards the cave and into the tunnels that would lead them and around 100 soldiers from Griffin's Roost into the city, including his cousin's youngest son, the 15-year-old that had been given to Jon as a squire, Raymund Connington.

He had forgotten how winding the tunnels were, and when they were around halfway back to the city an almighty boom shook them, sending dust down from the bricked ceilings. Shaking his head, Jon looked behind him at the group and said. "Keep moving."

And keep moving they did, until around half an hour after entering the beach they reached an open chamber with a singular, bald man in a dark brown cloak. "My Lord Connington." Varys the spider bowed.

"Spider." Connington greeted back.

"You are just in time. The gates to the city have been breached and His Grace is closing in on the Red Keep." Varys explained. "Tywin Lannister plans to rain fire and blood down upon him as they struggle to gain entry, I would have you avoid that."

"Stop speaking your riddles, spider, and tell me where we are to go." Connington muttered, annoyed.

Varys simply smirked and pointed to the tunnel on the left. "That way, keep following it until the second right turn. Then go that way until you hit some stairs. You will be in the barbican then and you can raise the gates for His Grace."

Nodding, Jon said nothing more. "You heard the eunuch." He told his men. "Our job is to raise the gates for the King." His men began marching the way they had been told, but Jon stayed behind and glared at the bald man. "You best not be playing us, Varys." He snarled.

"I have worked for this day for as long as you have, Lord Hand." Varys replied equally as coldly.

Jon simply grunted and followed his men, realising that Ser Rolly had stayed behind for him. "He's an odd one." The young Kingsguard knight noted. "He's the one that fed us all that information?"

"He is." Jon admitted. "A clever one, but he has his own agenda no matter what he says. The King's brother, Prince Rhaegar, always used to warn me to use the spider, but never trust him."

Rolly snorted a laugh and patted Jon on the pauldron. "That won't be hard for you my friend, you don't trust anybody."

Jon grumbled as the white cloaked knight moved ahead of him, but the words rang true. He had trusted the people of the Stoney Sept to deliver the Usurper to him and it had cost him everything. He had trusted Aerys' faith in him, and it had earned him exile. He had trusted Rhaegar…

He shook his head, knowing that to think on his silver prince would be no good when he needed to focus. He gripped his hand on the hilt of Truth, the Valyrian Steel blade that he had been given after it had been taken from House Rogare three years before. The Lannisters had killed Targaryen's within the walls of the Red Keep before and Jon could do nothing about it. He wouldn't let that happen again this time.

Since his knighthood over 40 years earlier, Tywin Lannister had been in plenty of wars. He had been there on the Stepstones putting down the final Blackfyre Rebellion, he had been there outside Tarbeck Hall and at Castamere when he set the West to rights. He was more than prepared to storm Duskendale when Lord Darklyn had imprisoned Aerys and he had stormed King's Landing when Aerys had imprisoned his son. The Greyjoy Rebellion was his final victory, but despite all of those victories over the course of his long life, the Lord of Casterly Rock and Warden of the West would be remembered for this battle right here, the first time he had ever been forced to put himself on the losing side.

It was a strange feeling as he looked down from the walls of the Red Keep at the gathering armies. Dornishmen, Reachmen, Stormlanders and exiles and Essosi that formed the Golden Company, all of them there, all of them sending arrows, stones and whatever they could find up at the defenders on the wall. Tywin would never surrender of course, despite the strange feeling that he knew his life was over.

Thankfully, Joffrey had remained at his side and his soldiers were firing back at the Targaryen assault. His scorpions had taken down a pair of elephants and so the Targaryen had withdrawn those beasts, a move which suited Tywin as he could predict the actions of men far greater than those foreign beasts, yet the Lannister was still wary of the dragon that his youngest son had spoken of.

His thoughts were interrupted when one of Joffrey's guards, organised by Cersei, cleared their throat nearby. Tywin hated the idea of sellswords guarding his family and didn't hide his distain at being interrupted by the Kettleblack. "My Lord… Her Grace wishes to speak with you."

"Tell Her Grace I am busy." Tywin replied, bored.

The Kettleblack gulped. "She asks after the King. We have been told that he was injured…"

Joffrey scoffed from nearby. "Who said that? I am perfectly fine." He aimed his crossbow down at the gathered crowd and fired, hitting a Dornishman in the leg. "My enemies fall at my whim!"

Tywin almost rolled his eyes. "Tell Her Grace that the King is perfectly healthy, and to stay in the Maidenvault where she will be safe."

The Kettleblack gulped nervously again. "My Lord Hand… she is in the Throne Room."

Tywin scowled. "Then escort her back to the Maidenvault, Ser."

"Her Grace… she won't move until she sees the King." The sellsword stammered. He looked at his brother, one of Joffrey's guards for help.

"Women." Joffrey groaned. "I will see Mother, persuade her that I am fine, and then return here."

Tywin wanted to smack the boy for stupidity. "Your Grace, if you flee then these men will lose faith."

"I am not fleeing!" Joffrey roared, gaining the attention of everyone in earshot. "I am merely speaking with the Queen Mother."

Tywin knew his daughter, and he knew that she would convince him to stay within the castle walls. Grimacing at the idiocy of everybody, he said. "We shall both go and resolve this quickly." He put the emphasis on the last word. "Ser Gregor." He turned to his favoured pet. "You have command here. If anybody tried to flee, have them thrown off the wall into the rabble in front of us."

"Gladly." Gregor smirked.

And so Tywin led Joffrey and his Kingsguard back inside towards the Throne Room where Cersei was presumptuously sat on the Iron Throne ringing her hands. As soon as she saw Joffrey she gasped and ran towards him, engulfing the King in a fierce hug. "Joff, you are alright."

Joffrey pushed her off. "Of course I am, and I do not appreciate you sending your pet sellsword to summon me."

"The King should be on the walls." Tywin added. "Not inside."

"I was told he had taken an arrow, they did not say where." Cersei snapped at Tywin. "I came to see he was safe."

She then continued to fuss over an unhappy Joffrey, but the cogs in Tywin's mind began to spin. Everybody that had been stood with them ready to be used as a messenger were his own loyal men, and none of them had been told to send word inside the castle. Cersei was also here alone. "Where are the younger two?" He asked.

"Safe inside the Maidenvault." Cersei explained. "With Ser Arys."

Ser Arys Oakheart was possibly the best of Joffrey's Kingsguard, but he was a Reachman. "What of Lannister guards?"

"Four, including Ser Ilyn. Mainly there to keep the Stark girl secure." Cersei replied, bored.

"So not enough if a man as skilled as Ser Arys decides he wishes to turn his cloak." Tywin replied as if he was a lecturer. Grimacing, he wondered internally if he was to be cursed with incompetency until his end. "Take both your sellsword friends and return to the Maidenvault. If Myrcella and Tommen are no longer there, then we have been betrayed."

Cersei's face paled at the thought. "No…" She whispered, before grabbing Joffrey's hand and trying to drag him away.

"The King stays with me." Tywin said firmly, before locking into a glaring competition with his daughter, something which he always won. The same occurrence happened then as Cersei gave up, stomped a foot and skulked off.

"What if they have got Tommen and Myrcella?" Joffrey asked him as Cersei's footsteps grew inaudible.

Tywin Lannister looked down at his grandson, recognising once again that he had the looks of Jaime but none of the strength. "Then we best hope that they do not get you." He replied coldly. "Kill the Targaryen, that remains our goal. If you do it yourself, then even better."

The sadistic grin that appeared on his grandson's face actually gave the Old Lion a little bit of hope.

Tyrion would have still done the Wildfire trick, and with more ships assaulting them, he needed an extra one filled with the substance. Of course this time however Wildfire is something very synonymous with Luke and his immediate family, given that it was Aerys' favourite weapon.

Tyrion isn't a coward, he's a survivor. When talking to his Father he's simply trying to live, whilst when he is with Varys all he can think of is saving himself and the innocent children. He isn't just running though, he has a plan…

Varys shows his true colours… of course it's an open secret that he was on Luke's side in this conflict because I've mentioned it before, but for Tyrion I'm sure it's a bit of a shock. He's a really interesting one because I genuinely think that show Varys cares a lot for peace and prosperity, which is why I mentioned him trying to keep Robert alive here.

Jon Connington… a man tortured by his past. Wait for next chapter for that to be shown in a much larger way!

This Tywin is interesting to me. Possibly, or probably, out of character a bit but he's here standing tall in an impossible situation, and I honestly can't see the old lion ever surrendering no matter how the odds stack against him.

I hope you enjoyed it!

Next Time: The battle converges on the Red Keep, where old grudges are settled with blood…

Reviews:

Juristen: The Stormlands have already been granted to Jon Connington with his marriage with Shireen. The thing is while Luke will probably look at expanding the Crownlands a little bit if he wins, wholesale changes to the current structure will be met with fierce resistance. Add that to the fact that currently the Riverlands aren't under his control, all he really has loyal to him is Dorne, the Reach, the majority of the Crownlands and some of the Stormlands. He can't just get rid of the Lannisters either, for one there are far too many of them and two, just as the North are loyal to the Starks and the Vale are loyal to the Arryn's, the West are loyal to the Lannisters and just giving it to an outsider is a recipe for disaster.

Tony McNucklz: I have a plan for Jaime that I really like, and I really like him as a character too. Robb wouldn't execute him because even if the Lannisters lose drastically, Robb would still consider the slayer of the last Targaryen King a valuable hostage against Luke, who he would imagine will want to punish for killing Aerys.

Guest (Wink): I don't write sex scenes, I end after the build up to them or I start the scene with the aftermath of them.

suppes1: The actors certainly did excellently with their characters, I hated them too!

Gtopia: He could never truly show off who he was much before reuniting with Daenerys and Viserys because his entire existence was meant to be a secret for the most part. Now he's home, he's the Targaryen patriarch and he's enjoying that.

Guadamontiel18: Será duro, pero está decidido a ganar para vengar a su familia. (I used google translate, sorry if it's wrong).

10868letsgo: He'll certainly try.

Makanie: He's grown up as a sellsword remember. He's got that mentality as he's effectively constantly been in war since he was 5 years old and he's had to do bad things for what he considers good reasons. Maybe I brushed over it too quickly, but in Crackclaw Point there were far more Houses that he welcomed into his ranks than he destroyed for opposing him. As for his end, well there's a long way to go until the end of the story, and lots of things will happen to Luke and the others.