TYRION I

Standing at the front of the Red Keep, the badge of the hand of the King shining on his chest, and flanked by Bronn and Podrick, Tyrion watched as the small procession of Lannister guards rode into the courtyard, his gazed fixed upon the smallest member of the group.

Now a girl of 13, Lyra didn't look much like a Lannister, but she didn't look much like a Mormont either. Her long hair could either be described as dark blonde, or light brown, depending on the light, or how much time she had recently spent outside. Her hair was wavy, much like Cersei's, unlike both of Lyra's parents, who had straighter hair. She had inherited Jaime's green eyes, and there was something distinctively Lannister about her cheeks and jaw line. Her nose, however, was small, and reminded Tyrion vividly of Dacey Mormont. Despite both of her parents being tall, Lyra had always been small for her age, although she'd surpassed Tyrion in height a few months before her eleventh name day.

Tyrion had not seen Lyra since before he'd journeyed up to Winterfell. Lyra had wanted to accompany him, but Tywin had wanted to keep her in the South, with him, and Cersei had agreed. Lyra had been bitterly disappointed, but she had concealed it well. Tyrion had only noticed because he'd spent so much time with her when she was growing up.

The root of her disappointment was two things. Firstly, she had wanted to spend time with Jaime. Jaime had been a distant, although not uncaring father to Lyra. Whenever Cersei travelled to Casterely Rock to visit, Jaime would accompany her, and spend time with Lyra then. Lyra had on numerous occasions spent a few months living in the Capital with the Royal Family as a guest throughout her youth, and Jaime had spent whatever free time he had with his daughter during those months, but it had never been enough, for Lyra and for Jaime. The trip North would have offered another opportunity for them to spend time together.

The other reason for Lyra's desire to go North was her mother. Tyrion had made sure that Dacey Mormont didn't become a forbidden topic of discussion at Casterly Rock, like his own poor mother had, and he'd shared as much information as he could with Lyra. Lady Maege Mormont had visited the Rock a few times during Lyra's childhood to check on her young granddaughter, but Lyra had never been allowed to journey North to Bear Island, to see where her mother grew up, or to meet her aunts Alysane, Jorelle, and Lyanna. The isolation from her mother's family had made Lyra highly curious about them, and the expedition north with the royal family would have answered many of those questions, even if Lyra didn't get to meet any members of the Mormont family while she was at Winterfell.

Tyrion was fond of Lyra, just as he was fond of all of his nephews and nieces (Joffrey being the possible exception). She was more intelligent than Jaime, and observant, but she didn't have Tywin and Cersei's ruthless ambition, and she didn't have their pride either. While at times in her childhood she had been known to make some rather foolish choices, not backing down from a sparring match with Joffrey was one such occasion, Lyra was kind, and considerate to those less fortunate than herself, including Tyrion. What Lyra had, it turned out, inherited was the stubbornness and determination of both of her parents...as well as, to the surprise of everyone, their skill with weaponry.

True to his promise to Dacey as his wife had lay dying, when Lyra had been six years old, and Jaime had been at Casterly Rock, Tyrion's brother had taken his daughter aside one day and asked if she wanted to learn how to wield a sword, just like he and her mother had. Lyra, who had grown up watching the knights training in the courtyard wistfully, had eagerly agreed. In the months that had followed right up until the day before Jaime had returned to King's Landing with Cersei and the children, Jaime had taken two wooden training swords, along with Lyra, out onto a private terrace, and begun to teach her how to use a sword. The master at arms at Casterly rock had continued Lyra's lessons In Jaime's absence, although not every day, and certainly not with the same commitment that Jaime had. Tywin had not agreed with the training, but he'd let it happen, if it was only because Jaime had persuaded him to allow it. Tyrion was sure that, if had been him asking, then the training would never have been permitted.

One thing that had surprised Tyrion, up until this point, was that Lyra had never been betrothed to anyone. There had been rumours, of course. Robb Stark had been one such candidate, as had young Robin Arryn or Loras Tyrell, or even Renly Baratheon, but nothing had ever been committed to by Jaime, Tywin, or anyone else. Tyrion knew that his father was hesitant to send Jaime's only child, and the only one out of Tywin's grandchildren to carry the Lannister name, off to marry into some other great house, when she was the one who might need to carry on the Lannister name. If that was the case, it was likely that Lyra would be married to a second son, or to a lesser house, permitting her, and her children to continue to carry on the Lannister name, and eventually inherit Casterly Rock, preventing it from falling into Tyrion's hands.

With the outbreak of the war of the five kings, however, things were far less certain. Robb Stark and Renly were both no longer suitable options, and the Tyrells had openly declared for Renly, so Loras was also no longer considered appropriate. Tyrion had long held doubts about Renly and Loras anyway, as he'd heard rumours that they both preferred to bed their own sex. Lysa Arryn would never consent to her precious son marrying Lyra (and Tyrion was sure that neither Tywin, nor Jaime were keen on that match to begin with, even if it was solely because of Robin Arryn's delicate health.)

Tyrion watched as Lyra dismounted her horse, scratching the beast affectionately between the eyes, before she approached Tyrion, her riding clothes splattered with mud from the journey from Casterly Rock. Lyra was very much at home on the back of a horse, and Tyrion knew that she would never have consented to the use of a wheel house for the trip from Casterly Rock to the Capitol. Without Tywin there to force the issue, she would have easily gotten her way. Kevan Lannister had a soft spot for Lyra…most of the family did.

"Lady Lyra," Tyrion greeted his niece with a smile and a respectfully bowed head.

"My Lord Hand of the King," Lyra sank into a deep curtsey. Tyrion felt a thrill go through him at the title, the one his father had given him, a chance to prove himself at last.

"How was your journey?" he enquired.

Lyra shrugged, "Fair, we had no trouble, although there was much evidence of the War that we beheld."

"I am surprised that father arranged for you to come here, considering we are at war." Tyrion observed, offering Lyra his hand to guide her up the stairs to the Keep.

"You are not the only one," Lyra agreed, taking his hand and allowing him to guide her, "I was surprised myself. I'm not sure how the Queen Regent would have taken the news. How have things been here?"

Tyrion stopped and gave Lyra a warning look, and she nodded in understanding. Growing up Lyra and Joffrey had never gotten along. The first time they'd met Joffrey had been cruel to his cousin, and Lyra had been too frightened of him to be anywhere near him. As they'd gotten older things had not improved. Joffrey had enjoyed tormenting his cousin, just as he enjoyed tormenting his brother and sister, and anyone else who he came across and decided to be cruel to. Lyra was no longer quite so frightened of him as she had been as a small child, but she had learned to be cautious. It was no secret at the Royal Court that Joffrey hated Lyra, a feeling that mirrored the king's mother's own feelings towards her niece. It was why Tyrion questioned his father's choice to bring Lyra here, especially now that Joffrey was King.

"Like that, I see," Lyra sighed, and they continued up the stairs.

"You must be mindful, Lyra," Tyrion warned, "Joffrey holds more power now than he ever held before. He is cruel to those who anger him, or even those who have done nothing to earn his ire. He would not hesitate to have you punished for the smallest thing. I cannot control him as well as I would like to, so you must mind yourself."

Lyra nodded, "I understand, Uncle Tyrion. I will not poke the sleeping lion."

"Good, I do not want to be the one to tell my brother and father that you are dead." It was only then that Bronn cleared his throat.

"So, are you going to introduce us to the pretty girl, or are we just going to stand here like a pair of idiots?"

"Ah, yes, forgive me. Lady Lyra, allow me to introduce you to my companions, Bronn, my champion from the Vale, and my squire, Podrick Payne. Bronn, Podrick, allow me to introduce my niece, Lady Lyra Lannister."

Bronn stepped up to Lyra and took her hand and pressed a kiss to it, "M'lady," he greeted with a small bow, "pleasure to meet another of Tyrion's family."

Lyra smiled, "It is likewise a pleasure to meet the man who ensured my uncle was safely returned to us from his captors at the Vale. I thank you for bringing him back to us."

"Hm, that's more than I got from your father and sister," Bronn observed thoughtfully, shooting a sideways glance at Tyrion, before Tyrion cleared his throat, and continued to guide Lyra into the Red Keep. She would be staying in the tower of the Hand, with him, rather than in the Royal Family quarters, something Cersei had arranged, perhaps to increase the distance between Lyra and Cersei and the children. Tyrion wasn't going to object.

"Where is he?" Lyra asked as they entered the tower and began to climb to her room.

"In the Great hall, holding court. I should get back there, before he…does something foolish."

"I will join you shortly, I should get changed into something more appropriate. Cersei would have a fit if I presented myself like this."

"Yes. I will leave Podrick with you to escort you once you are ready." Tyrion acknowledged, opening the door to Lyra's room. A bath of hot water had already been brought up, and two handmaidens were there, ready to help Lyra wash and get dressed, ready to present herself to the court.

"Thank you, Uncle Tyrion. It is good to see you."

"It is good to see you too. I've missed you, little Cub."

"And I missed you too, Uncle."