This is probably my favorite. A Lannister story is always a good concept and only four I can count have been posted. I'm going to clear one hole and say that Joanna is the mother, she doesn't die giving birth to Tyrion and instead is left ill until Loren is born, then she dies sometime after. She was ill like Elia after Rhaenys and Aegon were born.

Chapter 1: The Lion Grows

289, Casterly Rock

Watching the golden lion sails burn etched itself on the green eyes of a ten-year-old boy. His long golden locks waved in the wind as he heard the sounds of cries coming from Lannisport.

Loren despised ships, it held too much risk when sailing and just like now. It's too easy for one to be taken by surprise by reavers and pirates. The Greyjoy Rebellion is terrible but not threatening, without their ships they are simply undisciplined men who can't fight in formation worth a horses dung. He shook his head and turned away from the window, he has places to be.

Everyone was in a panic, scurrying about the castle and worrying if they will live. Fools!, the city of Lannisport is a city and like any city, it isn't impregnable. Casterly Rock, for instance, is an entirely different matter because it is impossible to enter once its gates are shut and even if by miracle an enemy gets through, the western lions will bare their teeth once pushed.

The ten-year-old walked about with a plain expression on his face and past many of his cousins and kin as they looked around, worried as if they would die at any moment. He was never one to shy away from danger, his sister had once stated it as his best quality when she actually cared about him, his cousin Damon said its the sign of someone being a dangerous person, and he was right.

His aspirations for the future are grand as it were, his older brother squandered his inheritance to stay a member of King Roberts Kingsguard. And now his other older brother is the heir apparent to the Rock, he shows mighty intelligence and an eye for the court but is mocked because of his, short stature. As for himself, he desires the seat of his House like a dragon to gold.

It is a pipe dream at best, his brother will inherit the West and he will either be named Castellan or is given a seat and lands to rule over, all of it is quite boring and he has no wish for it.

He spent the remainder of the day reading in his fathers solar as he dealt with the Ironborn invaders, hours past when word came that the Greyjoy found defeat at Fair Isle, and at Seagard. It's only a matter of time before the coalition of all the Great Houses bare their swords on the Iron Islands, and several days past when it did happen and he was in his room when Tyrion came in.

"Hello my brother, care to hear some news?"

Yes, yes he would.

Six years past... (295 AC)

Highgarden

Now sixteen the young lion of Lannister evaded a sword aimed at taking his head, though blunted it can do some damage to the head. He moved right and parried for three paces before punching the enemy squire in the jaw after forcibly removing the helm and kicked his left leg, sending the man plummeting to the ground. He put his blunted weapon to the squire's neck.

"Yield." He commanded once and didn't give the bastard a chance to respond after he spits at him and whacked the poor boy in the skull, effectively rending him unconscious.

The Tourney of Highgarden came to an end with this. The prize for the joust was 800 gold dragons, for the archery contest it was 300 gold dragons, and for the squire's melee a knighthood by the King who stood alongside his wife and below him was the members of House Tyrell and House Baratheon and House Lannister. He wasn't interested in this but thought he should be a knight.

The King unsheathed his sword and recited the words, "In the name of the Warrior I charge you to be brave. In the name of the Father, I charge you to be just. In the name of the Mother, I charge you to defend the young and innocent. In the name of the Maid, I charge you to protect all women." He then put it aside and signaled with his hand, "Now rise, Ser Loren Lannister."

Just a year after his brother during his time, Jaime was knighted by Ser Arthur Dayne at fifteen and now he was knighted by the King at sixteen. His sister looked at him nervously and turned away, an embarrassed blush on her cheeks, his two brothers said he could accomplish what he must and she insisted that he is too young to obtain such a title, the look brought a smile to him.

The tourney was to celebrate Princess Myrcella's name day. She a sweet child and is a surprise that such an innocent thing came from his sister or the Demon of the Trident, he smiled as the crowd gave him praise, his first real accomplishment and it won't be the last, he will rise higher than any man of House Lannister. His former mentor, Ser Damion smiled at him with a nod.

That night at the feast where the celebrations truly began with drinking, singing, and dancing was where he was approached by a young woman, three years younger than himself with long and curly brown hair, her large brown pools eyed him as she curtsied and he caught the small smile on her face and he was immediately suspicious, What was she planning? he wondered.

"Hello, my Lord. I am Margaery, Mace Tyrell's daughter."

"I am Loren Lannister, son of Tywin Lannister." He introduced politely and the rose giggled charmingly and shook her head.

"Do you think I introduce myself to any nobles son?, I think we'll be good friends, Lord Loren."

Yes, that would be nice.

Three more years later... (298 AC)

Lannister Camp

"Tywin Lannister. You are commanded to come and answer for the crimes of your banner-men, Gregor Clegane. If you do not arrive within a fortnight, you will be named an enemy of the crown. Chuckles Poor Ned Stark, honorable man and terrible judgment." Loren sighed at Jaime's mockery of the seriousness of this matter, there is a war being waged right now and he has the nerve to make light of the situation at hand.

"Is that all you can do, is make jokes?, You should have killed him and shown some pride, they captured Tyrion!" He shouted sternly and his brother just shrugged it off like he was just a child. Their father spoke up as he continued to skin the fresh deer the Old Lion had hunted this morning and for once the man agreed to his words, against his eldest son for starters.

"Loren is correct, he would have done the right thing and took him. Not left the man maimed by the leg, now Tyrion has brought us in this mess." Jaime put his head down a little after this and then his father turned to him, "Your brother will take half of our forces, 30,000 men and march on Riverrun, you and me will take the other half and march on the lessor holds belonging to the Riverlands, we will have Catelyn's homeland bow to the might of the lion." His father is right, Starks son is taking some time getting south and the Riverlords will fall one by one.

The traitors will hear the lion roar.

Later on in the day his brother and his half rode out of the encampment, and then straight down the Golden Tooth. As for himself, he spent the time training his half of the army, he commands 8,000 mounted men and with his companion and lieutenant, Wilhelm. His father and uncle Kevan command the other halves of the army and all while his brother was given thirty thousand men.

This is one big mess. First, his idiot brother is kidnapped by Catelyn Stark for one reason or the other, then Jaime attacks Eddard in the open and makes the situation much worse. Now his sister has the former Hand of the King imprisoned and his daughters put in a hostage state, it didn't exactly help when his father let the Mountain loose on Hoster Tully's kingdom.

Killing Stark would have solved the matter entirely, and then threatening the life of his daughters will have kept the mutt on his leash and made the trout cow-tow and release Tyrion. He is mostly annoyed and not worried, this is a war and his first war, he'll make it his mission to see every battle he participates in will be a victory for House Lannister and he will prove to his father that he deserves the praise and the right to rule Casterly Rock. He never gave up the ambition to have the Westerlands, he envies Jaime because his father still wants him to be his heir.

And worse, when his father dies and the Jaime still remains in the Kingsguard. His other brother will be put in place, it annoys him to no end.

"What is to be done, young lord?" Wilhelm asked him and he smirked and unsheathed his sword and rose it to the sky.

"What do you think? Win this war and achieve my ambitions!"

And that is all I am willing to write, I know they are short but my time is stretching more and thinner. Work and such get in the way of my favorite hobby. Although I am glad that the stories I put out are getting feedback, favs and follows. It really warms the heart and I appreciate it very much, I hope they get even more support as they continue on.

Now I want to address something important, I saw that A Song of Gold and Red has been losing a lot of steam, one or two reviews pops out and I am worried something is wrong. Been thinking of rewriting to the point where it all began going off track and would like some advice on it, you can put it in review or pm me.

Oh shit guess I have to get some things out of the way, I changed Arthur to Loren, a good Lannister name and his age is nine and ten if anyone is confused.