The marriage of his son Jamie to Janna Tyrell was carried out with all the necessary pomp and splendour that he expected, the feast afterwards was carried out in the Great Hall itself, but Tywin was paying for everything. Well not everything, the Tyrell's were desperate to get into the good graces of the Iron Throne and had provided much of food for free. Stannis had taken off to Storms End on some flimsy pretence, with his new Florent bride, so that he did not have to meet Mace Tyrell, who gave away his sister.
In the Great Sept of Baelor Cersei stood meekly beside Ned Stark, their betrothal had been officially announced a few days ago, the Northman surprising Cersei with a magnificent diamond ring as a 'token of his affection and intentions'. The diamond shone and sparkled like trapped sunlight, he had never seen anything like it if he was honest. He remembered when Lord Stark had presented it to an icily sullen Cersei her eyes had lit up with astonishment when the diamond sparkled and glittered in the candle light.
"I spent a fortune with the jewellers of Kings Landing getting it just right… no one had thought to use other diamonds to cut and facet diamonds it seems. But I knew that my Lioness needed a special gift, and what better to give a rare Lannister beauty than another rare gift of the earth's beauty?"
The northern Lord was full of surprises it seemed, and soon Cersei was showing off her brilliant diamond to everyone who would care to be shown it. He casually glanced over at Cersei, she was still holding herself with a haughty reserve, like any proud lioness would, but he thought he could detect a hint of moisture in her eyes. His golden twins were always close, now they would be separated from each other, he supposed it would be hard for them, at first, but they were his children, they would do their duty to the Lannister family, come what may.
Up ahead the High Septon was droning on, Jamie was resplendent in Lannister Crimson, the bride in a dress of shimmering green with golden flowers embroidered over it.
After Jamie had thrown his cloak around the girl's slim shoulders it was finally over and Tywin let out a small sigh of contentment. Now all that remained was to get Cersei to Winterfell and married in the heathen tradition of the North. Lord Stark had been immobile on this point; it was marriage in the Godswood of Winterfell by the traditions of the Old Gods or no marriage at all. He shrugged inside, it was no great pain to him, he did not believe in any Gods himself, any lingering faith that he had was burned out of him by the death of his Joanna. But he understood the importance of faith and its symbolism, and he knew that Ned Stark's banner men would have trouble with a southern bride, but that said trouble would be lessened by her marrying Lord Stark in Winterfell and according to the traditions of the North. Cersei herself had taken the entire betrothal rather badly, acting sullen and withdrawn. So he had ordered her locked into her rooms for a whole day until she had relented and agreed to behave in a proper and ladylike manner.
Once back in the Red Keep Tywin was seated at the High table as the father of the groom and every now and then he would glance over at Cersei, who seemed to be enjoying her betrothal now much more, drinking and laughing with Lord Stark, even flirting with him if he was not mistaken. He smiled, good, maybe his daughter had finally grown up and realised that she would have to make a go of her upcoming marriage to Ned Stark; the young northerner should be putty in her hands if she was smart enough. She was his daughter, so she should be smart enough, of that he was confident. But there would be more asked of Cersei than just being a good wife, mother and Lady of Winterfell, much more. For she would be only the first in hopefully a long line of Lannsister's who would make their way to the North to exploit the vast and untapped resources of its empty plains and shadowed forests. It would be up to Cersei to make sure that Lord Stark was kept amenable to all of this, and to assist Lord Stark to make the right decisions when the time came. And if his daughter did not know what those decisions were, or if she forgot who she was? Well he would always be there as her father to tell her what to do to advance the cause of House Lannister.
He divided his attention between his son and his daughter, but was never too obvious about it, Jamie was polite and attentive to his new bride, Olenna Tyrell had the look of a lizard that had just eaten a very satisfying meal and was basking in the sun, digesting it. Mace Tyrell was blabbering on about something to him; but he was trying his best to ignore the fat fool.
Cersei looked much happier now as the feast wore on, though she did leave early before there was any call for a bedding ceremony, and thankfully there was not. King Robert was drunk to incoherence as usual, Queen Catelyn sitting stiffly beside him and looking miserable. Tywin smirked inside, his Cersei would have had Robert Baratheon eating out of her hands in no time, and his control on the Iron Throne would have been complete. As it was he had been thwarted in this desire, but House Targaryen was almost extinct, and Aerys killed by his sons own sword, a fitting revenge if there ever was one. No, he was content with what he had, his son back as his heir and married, his daughter betrothed to a Lord Paramount, he had no use for the Iron Throne for now, let Robert Baratheon see if he could keep the dammed thing.
Jamie and his new Tyrell bride soon retired for the night, though he had wanted to leave shortly afterwards he felt that for appearances sake he should stay a while longer, though soon all that was left was King Robert, a gaggle of his old drinking chums from the Stormlands and a handful of busty serving wenches. The majority of the quality had left shortly after the newlywed couple, most knowing that what followed was a little rougher than what many were used to. Given how raucous the Great Hall was getting he decided it was time to leave and quickly made his way out of the hall, spying as he did so King Robert with his trousers down, grunting and thrusting vigorously into one of the serving wenches from behind, her body bent over a keg of ale.
Again he smirked, Cersei would never have tolerated such behaviour in her husband, nor would any husband of hers have felt the need to stray he would wager. His daughter was the most beautiful woman in the whole of the Seven Kingdoms, what man would ever scorn such Lannister perfection for a tumble with a low born serving wench?