"You're doing it again."

Tywin's mind snapped back to reality. The setting sun painted a beautiful picture from the comfort of the Red Keep's balcony. But his mind was grinding over the events of the day. Even when the day was done and he was trying to spend his time in leisure, his brain kept overthinking about what happened in the Great Hall.

"Why do you insist on carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders? You're not a lord yet. Why can't you let them take care of it?" teased Joanna, with a sly smile.

"I am a Lannister," he replied, shaking his head. "My part is different."

She sighed, rolling her eyes. It had been an incredible week, having her back in his life. It took her just one day to make this city her own. Princess Rhaella took to her as quickly as Aerys did to him. She made sure she spent at least some time with him every day, and he began to enjoy her presence. There was a certain warmth in her. Comfort. She felt like home.

"All I'm saying is... you don't have to," she insisted. "Look at your friends. The prince is much higher in station than you. And he's much more fun to be around."

"Go then," he replied, with a stony face. "I'm sure he'd enjoy your presence."

She smiled, tilting her head. He had been making a conscious effort not to look back at her when she looked at him. He felt like her eyes were staring down into his soul. Like she could read his mind like a book. He never liked it when people knew what he was thinking. And somehow, he felt much more uneasy when it felt like she knew what he was thinking.

"I could have, but he's been spending quite a bit of time with Rhae now, I think he's hoping his father would betroth them now. And, while you're no fun, its better than watching the prince moon over her."

Twyin didn't think that would be likely. After what happened to his father, his Grace would want to marry him off to someone from another house. "I could be... if I wanted to."

"Could be what?"

"Fun."

She laughed at his words. The sound. He was never one for nostalgia. Whatever happened was irrelevant. It happened. Looking back was a waste of time. Yet, her laugh. It took him right back to the happier times he spent at the Rock. Back when things were simpler. Easier. Familiar. It felt like music to his ears.

"Oh, you used to be. You still are... to an extent," she said, placing her hand on his. "But tell me this: there's a certain... rumor going around the castle. Are you now the squire to the Lord Commander?"

"Yes," he replied, trying not to show the pride on his face. Gloating and smugness were for lesser men. "Not exclusively, though. I just do it for the tournament. I'm still working for the king."

"Well, well. Tywin Lannister. Squire to the Lord Commanders... Only two men can claim that. Both very famous men. Not a bad company to keep."

"No. Like I said. It isn't permanent. I would rather work for the King. It's much more... well-rounded educationally," he replied.

"Not as interesting, I'm sure. You'd be fighting in the melee then. You couldn't do that if you were working for the King."

"No, I can't. But still, it is very interesting. Like today."

"Today?"

He sighed. It had been a long day. The court was almost like a shouting match. "The King had an extensive list of reforms he wished to enact. Adding to the ones he already managed to push through. Not everyone agrees with him."

"Like what?" Joanna asked curiously.

Tywin shrugged. "Many ... like this one, to give the peasants more control to dictate the price of the crops they produce. Giving them autonomy over their lands so they could get the price they wished rather than the price the Lords of the land decide. And one to increase the taxes over luxury goods coming into Westeros. He wishes to reduce the taxes on the essentials and massively tax the luxuries so it could fund his projects in King's Landing. It favors the smallfolk while hurting the Lords massively."

Joanna looked at him intently, taking in everything he said. She spent quite a while in thought on the issue. "And where do you stand?"

He took a deep breath. He had been deep in thought about this very issue all day. "I understand where the King is coming from," he replied. "It has been a long winter. And we've been through two bloody rebellions. With Bittersteel still looming over across the seas, having the smallfolk grow wary with resentment isn't good." He shook his head. "But, they aren't the ones with the power to influence the results of a war if it comes. Houses like ours wouldn't be affected by any of these laws. But the Riverlands. The Reach. They would very much bear the brunt of the cost if these laws passed. And they might look favorably towards the Blackfyres if they decide to cross the seas again. And controlling the Lords is more important than pandering to the love of the smallfolk. Maybe not to a knight's or lord's. But as a king. You shouldn't act to be loved. It isn't a luxury a king should have."

Joanna sighed deeply, shaking her head. Her eyes drifted towards the setting sun, as darkness descended over the city. "That's a really cynical view... Everyone deserves to be loved. Even a king. Are you saying people in power should sacrifice love for more power?"

"No," he frowned, looking at her like she missed the point. "Love is... immaterial. Maybe it makes you feel happy and content with yourself. Keeps you warm at night. But what is love compared to your legacy? How will love ensure your stability? Maybe you'll be remembered fondly for a generation after you die. But after that... people have short memories. We have a purpose in this world. A purpose that peasants aren't burdened with. It's the cost of all these comforts. It's the duty that comes with all this privilege. You have to ensure to live up to this legacy that comes with your family name. Do things that some people wouldn't or don't have the strength to do. Work to make sure that your name and your House are in a much stronger position than you have inherited. Everything else doesn't matter. Love. Family. Happiness. They are a luxury. It's good if you come across them in your pursuit of your duty. But making them your primary focus is a stupid move for a family like us... or the Targaryens."

Joanna sighed deeply, shaking her head. Her eyes drifted towards the setting sun, as darkness descended over the city. It was weird how Tywin hated that look of pity on her face. His principles were something he took seriously. His father never understood them. Genna is too young to comprehend them. Kevan... Kevan doesn't care. He would blindly accept whatever Tywin told him. But he thought Joanna would understand. Somehow, a part of him wanted her to understand.

"You'll be a great lord, won't you? I'm certain of it... Although you consider it a luxury, I hope you turn out to be a happy one. You could afford it," she said, turning to him. "Lannisters are made of gold, after all."

Tywin walked up the stairs, his head still abuzz from their conversation with Joanna. He didn't like the idea of seeking her approval. It wasn't like him to be concerned about other people's opinions. He was a lion.

But so was she.

He tried to shake himself off. He couldn't afford to get his mind stuck on these trivial issues. He never really cared what other people expected of him. He only cared about what he expected of himself. Whatever it would take to make himself immortal in history.

"I hope you turn out to be a happy Lord. You could afford it"

His mind snapped back from the voice in his head to the imposing figure of Ser Gerold Hightower standing guard in front of him. His eyes followed every movement Tywin made as he approached the door he was guarding. He never understood why the man unnerved him, nor did he want to care.

"Good evening, Ser Gerold," Tywin said with a curt nod. "Is the king inside?"

"He is," Ser Gerold replied with his usual stoicism. "I've heard you've been appointed as a squire to Ser Duncan. Congratulations."

"Thank you, Sir. I hope I can do a good enough job."

He grunted with a dismissive look, "You certainly couldn't do as badly as your friend Steffon... Don't keep the King waiting," he said, opening the door.

The inside was much more disorganized than usual. To prove himself, he made sure to keep the King's room as tidy as possible. He made sure the servants reorganized everything in its proper place. But King Aegon wasn't one for appearances. But today it was worse than usual. Parchments and letters lay discarded all over. A broken vial of ink lay on the table, covering a pile of books. Chairs were overturned and goblets on the floor with spilled wine.

Montereys Velaryon stood in the corner, eyeing him nervously. He prided himself on knowing how to please the King. However, even he seemed to be without an answer to the current situation.

Aegon V, The Unlikely. Even for his usual simple appearance, he looked disheveled. Tywin admired the man's ability to never show his emotions to the outside, but today, all his pent-up frustrations seemed to explode.

"The world... is a stubborn place," the king said, his voice heaving. "Why are people so afraid of the idea of change?"

"It is a minor setback, Your Grace," piped Monterys. "They will come back into the fold sooner or later. They won't go against their king."

Aegon chuckled, throwing his head back, staring at the ceiling. "Their king. And who made this king? Not war… not conquest… certainly not my qualities. Aegon the Unlikely. I am king because I was all that was left. While these lords chose me in the end, none of them wanted me on the throne". His eyes found Tywin standing silently. The age and the stress echoed on the King's face. "And you? What do you think? You were never one to try and soothe me like Monterys. Will you also tell me to be patient and hope the lords come back to the table?"

Tywin sighed, cursing his age. Answers coming from him would be laughed at by most men. But King Aegon always seemed to appreciate his thoughts. However, Tywin had yet to speak against the man.

"No, Your Grace. I wouldn't," he said, trying to pick his words carefully. "If you are determined to see this through, I would suggest striking hard and fast. The Tyrells, the Brackens, the Mallisters, the Freys, the Redwynes, and the Ashfords. They were the ones who stayed strongly opposed to your reforms. I would advice you to identify the goods which they profit from the most and tax them heavily. At the same time, reduce the taxes on their strongest rivals, the Tarlys, the Blackwoods, for starters. Maybe we can send a word... discreetly that a favorable opinion on the King's laws can relax the new taxes. It might change their minds. You're not their King, Your Grace. You are The King. You don't need to say it or have them say it. You just need to act by it."

Aegon looked into his eyes. The same look Joanna had. Like he could read his mind. He could see right into his soul. A small smile crept to his face. "But that's not what you'd do."

"No, Your Grace," Tywin replied, with his head down. "I would prefer not to go through with this in the first place. With the Blackfyre threat looming over our heads, you would need all the lords and their men on your side. But what's done is done. The idea of the reforms is out there. Backing off now looks... weak. And a king should never look weak."

Aegon looked out the window, his eyes vacant, as if he were somewhere a million miles away. He picked himself up slowly and walked to the window, where he could see the city, which was beginning to end its day. Tywin glanced over at Monterys, who looked uncomfortable with the whole situation. The older of the two would never have dared to speak his mind to the king like he did.

"My hand seems to think along your lines as well. Although he advises me to forgo the whole thing... what would you say?"

"I wouldn't presume to openly advise you, Your Grace," Tywin said, trying to choose his words carefully. "But if you are seeking my counsel, I would advise you to forgo some of the reforms. Not all of them, and not at once. Take a few days to confer with your small council. Strike down the laws that would take away too much power from the lords. Make it look like you felt it would hurt those you care for deeply, yet keep the ones which would hurt the ones who openly opposed you. For starters, the Tyrells. You can boost your coffers by hurting them and showing them your displeasure. But at the same time, show others that you are open to their suggestions. With that gold, you can still fund many of your projects, Your Grace."

Silence filled the room as he finished. Aegon studied the young boy standing in front of him, a boy more mature than his years. He realized the wisdom in his words, even though he wished otherwise.

"All this power..." he sighed, shaking his head. "All this power. And I bow to the whims of a couple of lords."

Tywin watched as he walked toward the fireplace. The age and the stress were becoming more apparent these days. Aegon reached down to unlock the chest in front of the fireplace. Tywin had seen it many times, but he had never given a thought to what was in it. It was a curious thing, made entirely of metal, with large rubies embedded in it. Aegon reached inside and brought out a large egg.

"Power," he said, gently stroking the egg in his hands. "Power... it's a curious thing."

"Tell me, young Tywin. My namesake. The Conqueror. He wasn't a king. No one chose him. He was some petty lord of a tiny island, a warlord from Valyria. Yet, people bent their knees to him. The Vale, the North. They didn't even put up a fight... why do you think that is?"

"He wasn't just a warlord, Your Grace," Tywin replied. "He had dragons."

"Dragons..." Aegon repeated, almost to himself. "A Targaryen's power doesn't come from the Iron Throne or this Valyrian steel crown on our heads. It's not these little lords who bend the knee before us. No... our power has always been dragons."

Tywin watched as Aegon knelt in front of the fireplace and gently placed the egg into the fire. The king's eyes watched the flames dance around the egg with longing, as if he expected it to hatch right in front of his eyes.

"The day the last dragon died was the day our power dwindled by half," Aegon continued. "We can't sustain our rule without them. We are interdependent. Dragons and Targaryens. If I mean to rule... to truly rule, I need dragons."

"That sort of knowledge... no one has it, Your Grace," Tywin said.

Does this world truly need that kind of knowledge? Does the world truly need more dragons? History has shown what kind of world it becomes when dragons are placed in the wrong hands. Should they truly need to be brought back?

"Maybe. Maybe no one in Westeros does," Aegon said with a grim determination. "I will take what you said under advisement. You have a good head, young Tywin. It always seems to be one step forward, two steps back," he said with his eyes fixated on the egg in the fire. "But one day, there won't be any more steps. One day, I shall fly. And no one shall stop us."

There never seemed to be a quiet night in King's Landing. Every day, his head would be filled with thoughts as he retired. Today, most of all. The king seemed determined to find an answer to waking dragons. Was that really something to prioritize? If it was a possibility, a dragon could squash any idea of rebellion with a flick of a finger. It was as the king said... absolute power.

But if history is anything to go by, dragons can be killed. And the more there are, the bloodier the conflict becomes. Does he really need to complicate things?

His muscles ached from the long day as he entered his room, hoping to just throw himself onto his bed. A small groan escaped his lips as he noticed the hulking figure already occupying it.

"Why do you insist on lying here? Your room is right there," Tywin exclaimed as he collapsed into a chair.

"Eh, it's lot more comfortable here," Steffon replied nonchalantly.

"I need some sleep, Steffon. Unlike you, I actually work through my day."

"You wound me! Are you saying I slack off on my duties?"

"No... Ser Gerold does."

Steffon didn't have an answer for that. Although, like the king and Ser Duncan, Ser Gerold never asked much of his squire. But still, Steffon seemed to ignore much of his duties that didn't involve fighting. Tywin noticed he had a sharp mind, but he refused to use it much. He always seemed to see through most of the court's politics and knew what people's ulterior motives were, yet he never had the patience to use that knowledge.

"So, is your father arriving tomorrow?" Steffon asked, sitting up.

"No," Tywin said. He had written to Kevan, inquiring if his father would be attending the tourney. It was something he excelled at. But apparently not. If what Kevan said was true, his father seemed to have distanced himself from the public since his departure to King's Landing.

"Well, mine is at any rate. Not to say I'm eager to meet him. Well, I'm looking forward to seeing my mother, though, so..."

"Good," Tywin said. "The king's spirits could be lifted, seeing his daughter."

"Why? What's got him down?"

Tywin shook his head. Steffon did not have enough patience to get through all of the laws, and he lacked the will to go through all of it again.

"Tell me... you half a Targaryen. Would you want dragons back?"

"Dragons! Why would I want a dragon?"

Tywin frowned. "Why would you want a dragon? They are the pinnacle of power. You could be invincible with one, in theory."

Steffon boomed with laughter. "Tywin, I'm already invincible. And I would prefer to fight on my feet anyway. How boring must it be flying above the battle while all the excitement goes on below? Either way, it doesn't matter. I'm a Baratheon. I can't have a dragon."

Tywin watched him with interest. Only he would refuse the ultimate power in exchange for a chance at excitement and battle. How it must be to see life from a different perspective. Is this what Joanna wished he was? Happy? Full of joy? A simple man?

"What's with dragons suddenly?" Steffon asked.

"The king," he said, getting up and trying his best to pull the massiveness of Steffon off his bed by his hand. "He's looking into trying to wake them up from their eggs."

He looked up with wide eyes as Tywin continued to pull him up, in vain. "Truly? That would be a sight, though... dragons!"

Tywin sighed as he clutched his knees, heaving. "If he could find a way... could you just get out of that damned bed?"

"All you have to do is say 'please,' my friend."

"Please," he said through gritted teeth.

Steffon shook his head, smiling as he got up, patting Tywin's shoulder. "Still… if he could… Aerys would love that!"

"That would be something... Aerys with a dragon," Tywin said quietly as he fell onto the bed.

"I'll assume the first thing he'll do is ride out to Sea Guard and set the castle on fire just to piss off Patrick."

Tywin shuddered at the thought. Although Aerys wasn't a cruel man, sometimes he scared him. He wouldn't admit it. He wasn't one to take an insult, and with his skill with a sword, he was a formidable man to cross. And if he had a dragon...

"Well, you seem down and out. I'll let you rest. I'll see you tomorrow. Come say hello to my parents, eh?"

"Yeah, sure..."

His eyes closed on their own as the sound of the door closing hit him. Sleep wasn't something he enjoyed often back at Casterly Rock. There was always something he'd rather be doing. But once he arrived at King's Landing, sleep was a blessing. His body was thankful for the soft bed, which embraced him warmly. He quietly cursed Steffon for soiling it with his sweaty body. The man had no boundaries. Still, he couldn't care less. The quietness started soothing his aching muscles, and with each breath, he felt the weight of the day almost lift off his shoulders. And as the thoughts of the day slowly began to leave his mind, they were just as slowly replaced by the sweet laughter of Joanna, bringing a quiet sense of peace with it. He wouldn't remember these thoughts when morning came. He never did. Yet it left a distinct impression on him whenever she came across. The way she smiled, her intense eyes. Her laugh... the sound of her voice.

"I hope you turn out to be a happy Lord. You can afford it."

"I hope I can, Joanna."

AUTHORS NOTES:

I Guess most of the avid readers knows what's in store for Aegon in his current path. But still...Thank you all again, for giving this story a chance. I really did enjoy writing this chapter. Especially with Aegon's character. I'll hope to get on with the next one soon. perhaps not too soon cause I'm sick a little. but up next. The Tourney of Kingslanding.