Thank you so much for bearing with me so far! I appreciate your support so much.
Some conflict from Peggy's POV with some extra-Carol.

Disclaimer: I neither own Marvel nor GOT.

Margaery (Peggy)

Brookbridge, 280 A.C.

The moment she saw both of the Starshields who came to greet her party in the courtyard, Peggy felt like somebody had punched her in the gut. She had heard talk about Steven Starshield's good looks and met his cousin in King's Landing, but they had not given him justice. Peggy was used to being surrounded by attractive men, but something about the open, bright expression in his face made her heart stumble for a moment. She thanked her mother and her relentless training that kept her from blushing as he gallantly helped her to get off her horse.

"Lady Margaery," he greeted her, "we welcome you and your party at our halls."

She curtsied prettily, giving him her best smile.

"It is me who is honoured, Ser Steven," she chimed.

A woman who must be his wife - he was married, she quickly reminded herself - stepped next to him to greet her as well. As she looked into her very pretty face, framed by dark wavy hair, she felt punched again, but in a very different way. While Ser Steven had something positively glowing around him, his wife seemed to look into her soul, past her defenses and pretensions. That woman was dangerous, cunning, and ambitious, just like her, and made no effort to hide it behind false smiles. Peggy should probably feel flattered that Lady Starshield regarded her as equal.

"My wife Maryah, Lady Starshield" Ser Steven introduced her. Peggy noticed how his voice seemed to carress her name, though the woman in question seemed unaffected. Interesting, not a love-match then.
"My sister, Barbara Hill-," he pointed towards another beautiful blonde woman who was standing next to a man with more Northern-looking features, "- and our ward Carol."

So this was Tywin Lannister's "accident", Peggy mused, as she regarded the child with curiosity. From what she could tell she looked like the spitting image of her two older twin-siblings, but had a gentler expression than Cersei normally wore.

"I am sure you and your entourage will want to retire a bit and refresh before dinner," the lady of the castle now commented as some of her household-members appeared to take the horses.
Peggy nodded thankfully before introducing her party. There were curious stares as usually, but less than expected. She had the feeling people here were used to keeping their mouths shut. She was not going to lie, Peggy was used to luxury and was fairly spoiled, on their way they had usually stopped at nice inns or wealthy keeps, and she had somehow dreaded the stay at Starshield and the definite lack of comfort. As a result, she was positively surprised when she was shown into a room that was certainly usually a family room. the Starshields weren't that wealthy, they would not have afforded such a pretty bed with thick, lucious red curtains for a mere guest room. As she sat down heavily, every bone in her body hurting, she noticed the little lions that had been carved into the headboard - obviously a Lannister bed. Taken together with the stains on the carpet that told a story of clumsiness, Peggy guessed that this was the room of the younger Lannister bastard girl. She wondered whether Tywin Lannister had gifted her this bed and if so, what kind of father he was to her. She hoped he was a better one than he seemed.

She must have fallen asleep since May needed to come and fetch her for dinner, quickly helping her to tidy up her hairstyle that had become partly undone. She changed out of her travel and into a dinner dress that was a bit lower cut than strictly necessary, wondering idly about the dresscode. As they entered the hall where most people were already eating, she realized she should not have worried. While the Starshields and their immediate family were carefully dressed, most people had just come in from work. In the seating arrangement there had been a space left for her and May, and she found that she had ended up next to Maryah Starshield who herself sat next to her husband on the other side. Her husband was talking to the Northerner that Peggy didn't know, but greeted her as she walked by. He also certainly noticed her dress, and she noticed with some satisfaction that his wife noticed that as well. Still, there was no obvious reaction other than a little lift at the corner of her mouth. From what she gathered she had just stumbled into a heated debate about the Northerner's sister, whoever she was. Peggy hated nothing more than looking stupid, so instead of commenting, she started to concentrate on her food while listening. It was really good, she had the impression the couple wanted to impress their guests, which was something that was mostly expected following the rites of hospitality. May and Fil were talking in low voices next to her, and while the guard was watchful as ever, Peggy could see she wasn't overly tense. Apparently this keep did not appear dangerous to her, which was a relief. Peggy could really use a good night's rest after the ordeal at the road, especially after part of their tents and equipment had been stolen by forest people.

"They are talking about Natalia Stark," her host suddenly commented with a small smile, motioning towards her husband and ripping her out of her thoughts, "in case you were wondering. She is the Northern knight's sister and will arrive in two days or so."
Peggy nodded gratefully - she knew the name and the story, the redhead from the Eyrie had been the talk in King's Landing as well. She had to admit, she was curious to meet her, that woman must be more than interesting. Of course Tony had to throw in a crude comment about her charms on Ned Stark - which none of the women gratified with an answer. Sometimes Peggy really wondered why Tony didn't have a horde of children yet and whether marriage would make it better or worse.

Carol

The newcomer looked like a queen, Carol decided as soon as she saw Margaery Tyrell. She had only ever heard of queens, but that must be what they were like. Not that Lady Maryah wasn't... a bit scary... but to her, she was also simply Maryah, her teacher, whom she often clashed with but who was always there when she was feeling sick or sad. Not an abstract concept like a queen. Nevertheless, even Carol who did not care one bit about hair dresses could see that Lady Maryah had made more of an effort tonight - she had not only made Carol wear hair pretty blue dress and had Bobbi braid her hair, but she herself was wearing a deep green dress that looked rather new. Carol wondered idly if she wasn't feeling cold at her throat since there was so much more skin free than usually, but when she saw Lady Margaery's dress, she thought that maybe this was just what adult ladies dressed like. The only thing Carol did not really like about the whole visiting-thing was that she had to move out of her room. Sure, staying with Bobbi was fun, but Bobbi also slept spread out over the whole bed and she would have to take care not to fall out. Ser Steven had explained to her that Starshield was simply too small to host so many people without everyone squeezing together a bit, for that reason he would share his room with Lady Maryah for the next days as well. It made sense to Carol, they were married after all, even though she only partly understood what marriage meant, but judging by the way people were talking about it it seemed to be very very important - and it meant that two people belonged together. To Carol, that sounded like family, and there seemed to be some connection that nobody had explained to her.

It was nice they let her and Bobbi sit at the top of the hall at the big table, despite their lower status, showing everyone that they were real members of the household. From some very mean comments that Cersei had made, Carol was aware that this was really not something to be expected for a bastard-daughter. The other people around her were as fascinating as she had hoped. There was a tall man from Dorne, and as soon as Carol heard he was a Sand, she felt a sort of companionship with him. There was something that she couldn't describe about him, like a shine, that reminded her a bit of Jaime. Steven was shining too, but differently. While Jaime and this man - Tony - were sparkling, Steven was like a summer day. And this man from the North... she didn't know what to make of him. Lord Barnes was friendly, and he made Steven laugh. Which was good, because he did not laugh often enough. The woman in black was scary and Carol didn't dare to talk to her, the only person who was even more scary was the one-eyed man - but he also seemed somehow exciting. There was something about him that made her curious, but curiousity killed the cat, Bobbi always said that, so she was silent.

After dinner, she was sent to her room, which she did not like at all, while the Starshields met with Lady Margaery and her company made conversation. It was even more unfair since they let Bobbi come, but she supposed since Bobbi was Ser Steven's sister and older, he wanted to include her. Of course she tried to eavesdrop in front of Ser Steven's study - they had sent the guards away for more privacy - but the wood was too thick to hear anything besides some murmur. As a result, she abandoned the endeavour, deciding to needle Bobbi in the morning.

Peggy

They only talked about basic matters after dinner, since the details would be discussed when Natalia Stark arrived. However, she already breached the idea of a protective alliance to the Southern couple and the Northern lord. While she had considered talking to them seperately, since it should become a network, she considered it smarter to talk to them as a group. She could see that Ser Steven was in general not against the idea, but also very well aware of his own connection and precarious situation within the Lannister family. Peggy knew she was putting the Starshields in a horrible situation - either risk trouble in their own territory with the family while having the responsibility of two unmarried and unprotected girls and having to rely on the word of a Tyrell-agreement, or denying the Tyrells their help and risk problems in the future. She saw the couple exchange a long look that she could not quite decipher, but she had the impression there was something like amusement flickering in the woman's eyes - just for a moment - and she could not quite understand why. Then, Maryah Starshield, who had been leaning against the window, regarded her with a sardonic smile.

"I do congratulate you on this scheme, Lady Margaery," she commented, "and I assume you are aware of the situation you are putting us in."

She nodded. "I do apologize for the inconvenience, I but I do believe in the idea of protection."
"Your assumed idea of protection or your mother's idea of an increase of influence right under Tywin Lannister's nose?" the other lady asked back, outwardly absolutely calm.
"I personally care about the first, though I will admit my family will likely prioritize the second."
Lady Starshield raised an eyebrow. "I get the impression Stannis Baratheon should watch his back," she pointed out, throwing Peggy off for a second, "but be it as it may - you will construct an alliance with the Baratheons, and via Lady Lyanna back to the Starks and therefore indirectly with the Tullys via Catelyn Tully. Your family will be so well connected that we as a Lannister-Brax-origined household won't be able to rely on your support in the case of trouble, simply since we are not important enough."
"Lady Margaery,"Ser Steven went on, decidedly but not unkindly, "I do agree with my wife, we cannot offer you the support you are searching for, even though I personally very much agree with your motives and find them very honourable." He gave her a warm smile. "We are simply the wrong partners in the current configuration of powers, which shall not mean any animosity towards your House or relations, on the contrary."

"Would you need monetary compensation?" Tony suddenly asked out of the blue.
"And do what with it?" Lady Starshield almost laughed, "we are under scrutiny, it will be questioned as soon as we receive anything."
"Combat training," Fury suddenly argued, looking at the lady, "I know you want it for you and the other ladies. We could offer that for you."
"This really is a delightful idea," the older Hill suddenly chimed in. Peggy could see just how much she would agree to this, but she also seemed torn. "Nevertheless, I assume this would mean moving to Highgarden, which would either mean defying my father's wishes - and I like my head and hands where they are - or marrying some knight from there. While I am sbsolutely convinced that there a good men down there," she gave Peggy an apologetic look, "I want at least the fantasy that I will have some kind of a choice. So that's a no."

None of the others spoke against Bobbi, apparently happy to let her have the last word. Internally cursing, Peggy tried to look as nonchalant as possible.

"My mother won't be pleased," she remarked offhandedly.
"Which brings me to a proposal," Maryah Starshield jumped in, "since you are so charmingly threatening us. Starshield is after all not very big and also not very rich, we don't have many men and due to my personal rather ambivalent relationship to my father and Tywin Lannsiter also only diffuse influence in the Westerlands. If you were to convince your mother of our uselessness as a partner, avoiding conflict for us, we would owe you, personally, a favour of a reasonable size. You are a smart woman, smarter than your mother probably, but less influential. You need everything in your disposal that you can get."

Peggy did not have to think for long - there was no way she would be able to convince these two to go along with her and her mother's plan. Being able to act behind her mother's back if need be however would be more than valuable, so she nodded.
"Alright, I can take this deal," she confirmed with a sigh.

Then she turned towards Lord Barnes.
"What about you?"

He sighed as well, looking tired.
"It seems like a good idea, even though I have similar arguments and would hate the dependency on your family. However, in any case my involvement will clearly depend on the involvement of the Starks, so I will await my sister's answer first."

Peggy smiled brightly, acknowledging his plan, before leaving the room with Tony and the rest for her entourage. They tried to talk to her, but she really could not deal with this at the moment, too bothered by everything that had just happened. She seldomly failed when she wanted something and it hit her pride hard. Peggy was fairly sure that if they had been alone, would have been able to talk Ser Steven down. But not his wife. She was like steel and depite her annoyance, Peggy admired her - which annoyed her even more.