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                    [King's Landing]

It was an early morning in the Red Keep, a certain old lion was currently the most powerful man in the seven kingdoms. He had the biggest army, wealth, and power all around.

Yet, what he didn't have was a legacy secured to leave all of his hard work behind. Future generations established a powerful dynasty for House Lannister.

If only his family weren't such disappointments, none of them had what it took to take his place. Not even his golden son who was currently in a mourning mood.

The golden lion analyzed the weapon in his hand staring at it in awe. "Magnificent."

"Mm-hmm."

"Looks fresh-forged."

"It is."

"No one's made a Valyrian steel sword since the Doom of Valyria. " Jaime remarked."

" They are three living smiths who know how to rework Valyrian steel. The finest of them was in Volantis. Came here to King's Landing at my invitation." Tywin repiled, quite proud of his recent achievements.

" Where did you get this much Valyrian steel?"  asked Jaime, who had a sneaking suspicion about his brand-new present.

"From someone who no longer  needs it."

"You've wanted one of these in the family for a long time."

"And now we have two."

"Two?"

" The original weapon was absurdly large. Plenty of steel for two swords."

"Well, thank you. It's glorious".

"You'll have to train your left hand. Any decent swordsman knows how to use both hands. You'll never be as good." spat Tywin, without making it sound like he did.

"No,"  confirmed Jaime

"But as long as I'm better than everyone else, I suppose it doesn't matter," he added, trying to hold on to whatever remained of his Lannister pride.

"You can't serve in the Kingsguard with one hand."

"Where's that written?" he questioned. "I can and I will. The Kingsguard oath is for life."

"The war is over." reminded Tywin. After all this time, even when he had lost a have, Jaime still wanted to wear that god-forsaken white cloak!? If he recalled correctly. It had been Aerys Targaryen that gave him that cloak.  "The king is safe," he added, glaring at his son.

"The king is never safe." refuted Jaime. "How many people in this city alone would love to see his head on a pike?"

"Other knights protected the king while you were a prisoner. They will continue to do so when you go home."

"Home?" Jaime asked, his eyes glancing up  at his father."

"You'll return to Casterly Rock and rule in my stead," Tywin replied.

"You are the Lord of Casterly Rock," Jaime said.

"I am the King's Hand." The old lion answered."My place is here."

"I don't expect to see the Rock again before I die," Tywin explained. No, he was not about to give up his power, not when everything went bad according to plan.

"You know what they call me? Kingslayer. Oathbreaker. A man without honor. Now you want me to break another sacred vow." Jaime pointed out, glaring intently at his over-ambitious father. If he had remembered correctly, it was this man before him that desired a golden warrior. He had gotten his wish... for a time. Now he's lost a hand, but that was not stopping him from becoming a warrior — not for Tywin, not for Cersei, but for Lyarra, and the family he had lost.

"You won't be breaking anything." his father replied coldly.  "There is a precedent to relieve a Kingsguard of his duties. The king will exercise that prerogative."

"No."

"No?"

"No."

"I don't believe I asked you a question," Tywin said, sternly.

The golden lion stared at his father with a stern look refusing to let his father intimidate him anymore. " There's my answer."

"If you think your bloody honor comes before–"  Tywin was about to say but was cut off by his son.

"My bloody honor is beyond repair, but my answer is still no. I don't want Casterly Rock. I don't want a wife. I don't want children!"

"What do you want?"

Jaime had no answer. He had loved Lyarra, but she was gone. Now he truly did not want another wife or the children she may bear him.

He cleared his throat and spoke. " Supper would be nice."

Tywin rolled his eyes at his son's sarcastic words wondering if would ever grow up.  " For 36 years I've tried to teach you. If you haven't learned by now, you never will."

The old lion glared at his son coldly and said. " Go If serving as a glorified bodyguard is the sum of your ambition, to serve."

Jaime stared back at his father, handing him back the sword. "  I suppose you want the sword back."

Tywin pushed the sword back across the table and said. " Keep it." A one-handed man with no family, wife, and children needs all the help he can get."

The golden lion glared back at his father and said. " I already had a wife  who I loved dearly and she was taken from me."

The old lion scoffed at his son's words and said. " A lion loving a wolf, how weak you've become."

" You loved Mother, then that would make you weak as well, " Jaime said, pointing out. " Love is not a weakness father."

Tywin's eyes began to darken regarding his son's comments for a moment.  A smirk formed on his face staring at his son in amusement.

" If you truly loved your wife as I did your mother, then why didn't you fight harder to stop those heretics from sweeping her away? "  He clapped back.

The golden lion's eyes blacken within a moment at hearing his father's accusations. " Or, perhaps it wasn't the heretics that killed her; maybe it was you who ordered her to be killed."

" What are you trying to accuse me of? " Tywin demanded.

" When I was a prisoner at the Stark camp, I heard chattering about how my wife was set ablaze  by Lannister's soldiers ordered by their commander chief."

" The young wolf backed up this claim, telling me you or Cersei gave the order. " I'm only  going to ask you this once Father, did you order those Lannister soldiers to kill my wife.?"

The old lion gazed at his son for a brief moment and spoke. " Now, why would I order the execution of your wife when she was carrying your children inside of her." Lannister heirs, my grandchildren."

Jaime's eyes enlarged at what he was hearing, glancing at his father in shock. " What are you saying, Father?"

" Your wife still lives! " Tywin exclaimed. " She has given birth to triplets, your children; two boys and a girl."

Relief, confusion, and curiosity were among the various feelings that rushed through Jaime's mind. He sought more specifics. " If this is true, then where are they?"

The old lion shook his head and said. " Unfortunately, I don't know." Lord Varys has been trying to locate them for months now, but there are no new leads yet."

" It seems as if she doesn't want to be found ."

Jaime quickly emerged from the rooms, a hand on his forehead and a sword on his belt. Retreating to his chambers, he placed another hand on his face and let out a muffled cry. Lya lives.... she has been alive this whole time...!

Worse still, was the implication of his father's answer — no, he would never in his whole life kill his grandchildren. Tyrion would be glad to meet the triplets, but Cersei, on the other hand...

          •❅────────── ✦ ──────────❅•

Speaking of Cersei, she was in the royal gardens, walking with the expecting Euphraise Tyrell. It had been a few months since the court found out that new Lannisters were on the way. It was quite a surprise that the dwarf of the Rock was proven... quite potent.

The lioness wanted nothing more than to see how her sister-in-law was doing with her condition, hoping to get some intel.

" How do you fare, Lady Euphrasie? " Cersei asked, glancing over at the Tyrell girl.

Euphraise turned to look at the queen smiling widely and spoke. " I am very well, your grace. " I can hardly wait for my cubs to be here."

Cersei let out a snort at the Tryell's girl's words and said. " You should be thankful that they haven't arrived yet, it's a dangerous world we live in."

Euphraise already knew they. She glanced at her sister-by-law, a blank expression on her fave.

"Indeed, it is a dangerous place. "

" You would do best to keep your cubs close to you " Cersei advised. " Danger lurks around in every corner, sister."

Euphraise nodded in understanding, her smile fading slightly. "I am well aware, your grace. Tryion and I  will do everything in my power to protect them. Just as you do for your children."

The lioness let out a laugh at her hearing her monster of a brother. " You think he  will be able to protect those little cubs, you would do better putting your trust in a cat ."

The Thorn Lion closed her eyes not liking how her lion was being insulted. She wanted nothing more than to bark back at the queen, yet knew she had to hold her tongue.

She cleared her throat and spoke. " I have every faith in him, your grace."

Cersei glanced at the Tyrell girl seeing the love she held for her monster brother. She almost wanted to scoff, never thinking her brother could find someone that loved him truly, rather than his wealth.

" You love him? " She asked, in a snickering tone.

Euphraise nodded at the queen, smiling widely, and said. " I do very much, he is such a sweet, clever, handsome man.

Cersei's eyes enlarged at what the girl was saying, almost wanting to gag. " It seems the little thorn loves him, though not for long wondering how she would feel if she knew about her brother's mistress, Shae."

The lioness cleared her throat and spoke. " That is very kind of you. " You should guard your heart close, my brother is who you think he is

" What do you mean, " Euphraise asked, glancing at the queen."

" Oh, I shouldn't say, " Cersei said, shaking her head. " Wouldn't want to start spreading rumors now."

The Tyrell girl stared at the queen wondering what she was planning now. " I won't tell a soul."

A smirk formed on the lioness finally getting the girl where she wanted her to be. She turned around facing the young girl and whispered in her ear. " My brother has a whore, her name is Shae. She's a handmaiden of Lady Margaery, he brought her a year ago."

Euphrasia's eyes widened at what she was hearing, she backed away from the queen, shaking her head not believing what she was being told.  " No, he's not that type of man."

" If you don't believe me, then ask his whore yourself, " Cersei said. " I told you before that my brother would never love you, he's not into that type of thing. He's into whores and gambling just like my late grandfather Lord Tytos. The apple doesn't fall from the tree, sister.

" That's what his lifestyle was before he meet me and changed his ways, " Euphriase said.

The queen shook her head at the girl's nativity thinking she wouldn't be as stupid to fall for her brother's trick. " You stupid girl, my brother has been leading you on this entire time. He only married you because he desires Casterly Rock seeing as my brother Jaime will never marry again, my father needs a new heir to leave the rock.

" Though, my father will never leave the rock to that little monster! " She exclaimed. " He is still seeing her behind your back, rumor has it he went to her chambers a few days ago.

Tears began to well in The Tyrell's girl's eyes and started to debate whether or not her husband was dishonorable with a whore. He hadn't been around for days, always working late hours and never coming to bed.

Cersei embraced the girl in for a hug patting her back in a sarcastic way. "At least, you will have your children. to look for." And, if I were you I would place all my love towards them, love no one but your children."

She pulled away from the hug, placing a hand on the girl's cheek and patting it gently. " Good day, sister."

The lioness walked away feeling triumph wash over her, enjoying the chaos she has created, determined to keep making her brother's life a living hell as he did hers.

Euphraise covered her hands over her face letting her tears fall freely from her eyes. " I will never forgive him."