Hi,

This story (All In) is inspired by the James Bond Movie Casino Royal and is not linked to any other story in this publication. It will be a multi-chaptered one because I can't leave it on that cliff hanger XD

I have tried to make it so even if you don't understand poker you will understand what is going on regardless.

All In Part 1

The Year 2015 AC

Littlefinger's Casino, King's Landing, Crownlands, Westeros

Tyrion swirled his wine glass as he observed Euron Greyjoy leave the poker table. He was the latest player to leave a table that had housed ten poker players and now there were only two left with this latest departure. The Greyjoy man was fuming; he had just lost his last chips to the woman smiling behind his back.

"Who is that?" Jaime asked, taking in the lean and toned body that fit snuggly in the light blue silk dress.

Tyrion turned away from the poker table, "That dear brother, is Kenna Arryn."

"One of Jon Arryn's daughters?"

Tyrion took a sip of his glass, "Yes, Lady Kenna, although I hear she isn't a fan of that title."

"I thought the Arryn's were a pasty bunch," Jaime said keeping his eyes on the tanned woman as she lifted the large red wine glass to her lips.

"Perhaps they have a family holiday home in Dorne or Essos."

Jaime eyed the plentiful pile of chips that Kenna was rearranging in front of her, "She is doing well but there is no second place in poker."

"You don't think she stands a chance against Father?" Tyrion asked.

"Does anyone?" Jaime grumbled back.

"We'll see, won't we?" said Tyrion as he watched his father peek at his cards.

The words "All in," cut through the air, silencing the mindless chattering and clinking of glasses in the room as everyone's attention fixated on the poker table, and the two competitors sitting across from one another.

Tywin flexed his fingers on the table beside his cards, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Kenna said confidently flashing Tywin a sly smile as she pushed all her remaining chips into the pot.

Tywin's eyes scrutinised her sun-kissed face, searching for her tell. She licked her lips. He almost grinned. That was her tell. She had done that exact movement a few times when folding. She was bluffing.

"All in."

There was a collective gasp in the room as Tywin tossed all his chips into the middle, matching Kenna. The pot now totalled fifty million pounds.

"Shall we?" Tywin asked gesturing to the dealer but looking at Kenna.

She gave a firm nod, not trusting her voice at this tense moment.

The dealer started to flip the last two cards. An Ace of spades and a seven of diamonds joined the seven of hearts, the Queen of clubs, and the four of hearts.

"Lord Lannister?" the dealer asked.

Tywin revealed his cards. A Queen of spades and a seven of clubs. Three of a kind and a pair.

Tyrion shook his head; it was a strong hand.

"You should know by now brother; our Father doesn't lose," Jaime whispered.

"Mmm," Tyrion murmured while downing his wine before refocusing on the poker table.

Kenna pushed her two cards towards the middle of the table before slowly turning them over. Two aces. Three of a kind.

Tyrion's eyes went wide. Three aces beat three sevens. Tywin Lannister had lost; he had lost everything. Tyrion couldn't believe what he was seeing and neither could the entire room that had remained silent, waiting for the reaction from the so-called Old Lion.

Tywin's eyes moved from the cards to the woman who had just beat him. She had faked her tell. It seemed that the daughter took after her mother not her father. Jon Arryn was too honourable to bluff with such expertise as his daughter had just done.

"Well played, Lady Kenna."

Kenna inclined her head as her defeated opponent rose from the table, "I prefer Miss Arryn but thank you."

Tywin gave her a parting nod as acknowledgement before he strode through the crowd past his sons and out of sight.

Only the full moon and a few stars broke up the pitch-black canvas of the evening's sky. Kenna stood next to a high circular table and leaned on the golden railings of the balcony. Behind her was the indoor area of the casino's exclusive bar for high rollers. She was the only one willing to brave the cold night's air for the beautiful sight of stary moonlight illuminated sky. In truth that was the main reason she had come outside. A winner was always popular with people wanting to ride on their coattails and suckle on their generosity. But Kenna was a firm believer in generosity being earned, not handed out, and none of the vultures inside deserved or needed help of the financial nature.

She heard the door behind her swing and she was about to send the latest cocky punter back inside with their tail between their legs when she turned to stand face to face with Tywin Lannister.

He had two whiskey tumblers in his hand and wordlessly offered her one.

Kenna straightened from the railings and accepted the drink. She took a deep sip, letting the oaky tones and burning sensation that accompanied the amber liquid down her throat warm her up.

She closed her eyes and released a soft sigh, as the burning sensation reached her stomach. Whiskey had always been her drink of choice.

"That was quite the performance you put on," Tywin finally said after admiring the moon for a moment, "You fooled me."

"That doesn't happen to you a great deal, does it?"

"It never happens."

"I feel honoured to be the first to have achieved such a feat then," Kenna said playfully while shivering from the cold night air.

In the next moment, Kenna found Tywin's suit jacket surrounding her bare shoulders and back.

Tywin gave an amused huff at Kenna's surprise at his action, "I am many things, Miss Arryn, but a sore loser isn't one of them."

"Thank you," Kenna responded digging out her dark-brown hair from under the jacket's collar so it once again fell down her back.

"What are you going to spend my money on?"

Kenna returned her smirking gaze to the moon; she had already thought long and hard on where her winnings would go.

"In truth, I don't need the money, I will donate it to various charities that help out the vulnerable in the Vale."

"How noble of you. The Vale, that is where your family is from?"

"Yes, I'm sure you have met my Father, Lord Jon Arryn. A man like you must have had dealings with the Deputy Prime Minister."

"A man like me?"

"A man with his fingers in all the pies, as it were."

"I started in mining."

"And now you are in everything."

"Quite," Tywin remarked before turning the focus of the conversation back on her. "Why are you here, in King's Landing, at Littlefinger's casino. Hardly a place for a woman of your stature."

"Are you suggesting women can't gamble, because I think I just demonstrated our ability to do so."

Tywin smirked into his drink, "No, merely pointing out that I doubt your father would be happy you are here."

"I'm a grown woman Lord Lannister, I don't obey my father's every wish anymore."

"I can see that Miss Arryn," Tywin said not so subtle looking her up and down, "What is it that you do exactly that allows you such autonomy from your father?"

Kenna chuckled at the chosen wording, "I work for the Westerosi Museum, just got back from an excavation in Essos, near Old Valyria."

Tywin cocked his head, "I would never have guessed."

"I know," said Kenna as she rolled her eyes, "it isn't conventional for the daughter of aristocracy to actually have a job."

"I just can't see you getting your hands dirty."

"You clearly don't know me very well."

"A mistake I want to remedy as soon as possible."

"You seem to be a man that gets everything he wants."

"I want my money back."

"Almost everything then," Kenna's eyes shone as she leaned over the railings with the whiskey tumbler clasped between both hands.

Tywin placed his empty tumbler down a bit too forcefully on the circular table and came up behind Kenna moving his head so it was next to hers.

"Don't stare at the moon for too long; I'm not a patient man," he whispered into her ear as he slid a plastic white card onto the circular table.

Kenna flicked her eyes to the card; it was a room key card with the words Penthouse Suit engraved onto it in black ink.

How presumptuous, Kenna thought but she couldn't deny feeling the allure of the implication, quite literally put on the table, was having on her. She was by nature a bold risk-taker and someone who was easily bored; so far, the evening had been anything but boring and she wanted that to continue.

She watched over her shoulder as Tywin returned to the indoor bar area without so much as a second glance back at her.

Kenna rolled her body so her back was now resting on the golden railings of the balcony and sipped at the last inch of amber liquid at the bottom of her glass. She had already made her mind up on what she was going to do but that didn't mean she wasn't going to make him wait for a little.

Once the warmth of the whiskey was fading and the jacket around her shoulders wasn't shielding her from the plummeting temperature as it once did, she picked up the card key and walked away from the balcony, leaving the moon and the stars to dance in the sky without anyone to watch them.

Author Notes:

Kenna is an archaeologist in this story and Tywin is a titan of business; both are still aristocracy (Lord & Lady). Their ages are the sameish as in 'Dance of the Falcon' – Late fifties & late twenties.

So, this one will obviously be a bit more romantically inclined that the first story (The Family) so in Chapter 2 of 'All In' you should know what to expect but there is a twist coming as well.

Reviews:

Guest (commented on 26/01/2021) - Thanks, there will be more chapters for 'The Family' as well as more short stories.

Supremus85 - I knew you would comment on Pod lol. Thanks, and the spin-off will be at the end of 'DotF.'

Ksyushangel - I think this publication will be something you enjoy ;)

If you have any prompts for me, please let me know! Or if there is a certain story you are interested and want me to continue just say so.

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