The Rise of the Lion

Tywin

Casterly Rock lies at the highest point of the Westerland, looming over Crag and Lannisport, like a lion's den, watching over its subjects and preys. The Hightower of Oldtown might boast the way their tower lights the farthest seas but the maesters of the Citadel will disagree. Casterly Rock looms the sky higher than any other castle in the Seven Kingdoms and House Lannister rules the west of Westeros since the Age of Heroes. Some might say Lan the Clever swindled his way into power but every sensible man knows the truth behind it. House Casterly was gullible and its Lords were stupid enough to throw away the richest lands in the Seven Kingdoms. If it wasn't for Lan, there might've been a war which would've taken a great many of lives. Lan was a Clever man to see it through and Casterly Rock was a mere gift for his efforts. The Lords of the Rock changed but it is named remained after their previous Lords. It was a reminder to all those weak men who poses themselves Lords and it was the proof of the fact that the Lions never minded the ravings of sheep. The descendants of Lan ruled as the Kings of Rock. Most of them were strong men. Men with wit and the sense of duty to their family. As the DragonLord landed on the back of Baleryan the Black Dread, they even led a war against him. Later named the Field of Fire, it was never a fight that they could've won. So, the King of the Rock yielded his lands to Aegon and retained them as the Warden of the West. Even after that, House Lannister thrived at Casterly Rock, with mines that were overflowing with gold. Tywin of House Lannister, a boy of 10 years, recalled the history of his House with contempt in his looks. He recited the names of the great Lannister Kings, Tommen Lannister, the one who conquered the Fair Isles, Loreon Lannister, the first ever King of the Rock, Gerold Lannister, who successfully attacked the Iron Islands, and Loren Lannister, the last King of the Rock. He might've lost the war but it was the dragon that defeated lion. That great line of Lannisters has come down to one unfortunate name. Tytos Lannister, Tywin's Lord father.

Tytos Lannister was the Lord of Casterly Rock and the warden of the west and a terrible one at that. Lord Damon Lannister had sired two sons and Tybolt Lannister sired a girl who lived nearly four years. Tybolt Lannister himself died at a young age which made Ser Gerold 'The Golden' Lannister rule the Westerlands as the warden of the west. while Damon Lannister died of the Great Spring Sickness, Tybolt and her daughter Cerella's death seemed so unnatural at the time. The maesters couldn't even explain the causes of their death as the father and the daughter perished of the same symptoms. There was a bedchamber rumor that it was orchestrated by Gerold himself to rule the west. Rumor as it was, no one dared to question Gerold over that. Anyone who spites House Lannister casually used the incident as a misgiving of Gerold the Golden but not to his face. Little did Tywin knew about the events since it was a long time ago. He came to know about his dead great-uncle as a fierce warrior who was the champion at Ashford tourney, defeating Ser Jon Penrose using only his shield and according to measters, Gerold loved his brother. He did everything possible for his brother during his sickness and his niece later, at least according to the maesters. That was what Tywin liked to believe because he admired his grandfather. There weren't much of memories about his grandfather for Tywin to remember as he perished long before Tywin could know the man better. Seeing what his father was, Tywin really wanted for his grandfather to return so that he could learn to rule from him. Old maester Beldon once said that the first time Lord Gerold held Tywin and caressed his hair, he bit his grandsire's fingers. Tywin never bothered about the truth of it but he wished he had a live memory with Gerold The Golden. He never knew Tybolt and Cerella and whether they would've done a better job than his grandfather but Gerold Lannister ruled the west with strength and wit that his father lacked, that Tywin was certain of.

The night winds were flowing through the high windows of the tower where Tywin was standing. From there he could see the ships that sail from Lannisport. Ships filled with gold and goods, sailed along the narrow sea to the free cities, Oldtown, Seaguard and King's Landing itself. There was enough gold below the Rock, enough for ten generations of the Lannisters to survive but only a fool would settle with that. Gold was just another rock but in trading, it had more value than the others. It was trading that held the Lannisters rich, while Gold was just a commodity and that's why Lannisport so important for the West. For Tytos Lannister, it was his friends that were important. The way he pleased his friends, he could've opened a new port in the middle of Crakehall and Lannisport and started trading with YiTi or even Asshai by the shadows. He spent a lot of gold for the pleasure of being with people who called him the Laughing Lion. They would join him in feasts, laugh with him while they ate his food and drank his wine and when everything gets over, they would laugh at him like he was some fool who entertained them during the feast. Perhaps they should call him The Lion in Motley instead of The Laughing Lion which was more apt for his misrule. Tywin knew how gullible his father was when it came to managing money as Tytos ushered his gold to anyone who bothered to ask him for it. There wasn't a proper agreement and recently the return was poor. As the eldest son, even as a ten-year-old, Tywin knew how shattered the rule of the west under his father and it only made him angrier. As he watched the dim lights of the ships moored on Lannisport, Tywin knew that there was a feast today and he wanted to be ready for it.

As Tywin returned to his chamber, he saw his brother and sister ready for the feast already. Kevan, a couple of years younger than Tywin was, wore a red tunic with trimmed velvet on the side. He wore a brooch with their House sigil, the golden lion of the Lannister. The golden lion had died with a weak bladder, Tywin thought with the memory of his grandfather. Gemma, his sister, wore a golden gown laced with Myrish silk. She was younger than Kevan by months but with her gold locks and fair skin, she promised to be a beautiful maiden. She will be a perfect match for the Targaryen princes, with their silver and her gold. Tywin's blue eyes glittered along with his thought. Both of his siblings were looked so happy to attend the feast and as they saw Tywin, they rushed to his side with smiles.

"Tywin, look, Septa Marella said that this gown was bought from the free cities for me. Isn't it beautiful?"

Tywin made himself inspect the fabric. It was quality work, Tywin had to agree on that, though he didn't let his surprise to his sister.

"It is a fine work, sister. I hope our Lord father want you to be beautiful for the feast today." Tywin made himself look admiring the dress.

"Oh, no. It is not father's gift. It's from the Lord of the Crossing. He said he sent his men personally to purchase it from Pentos, or was it Volantis? I have difficulty in recalling which city. To tell you the truth, I wasn't actually listening to half of what he was saying."

A chill went through Tywin as his gaze went from Gemma to Kevan. Kevan was a brother he always trusted. The boy always followed him and he was loyal to a fault. All this while, Kevan was keeping his silence and sensing his brother's eyes, he opened his mouth.

"The Lord of the Crossing came an hour ago to gift her the gown. He had his sons with him too."

Kevan didn't know what was happening as he was too young to grasp it. Yet he wasn't an utter fool to feel that everything was fine. His face and his silence spilled his discomfort for himself. Tywin read those and he was too wise not to show it to them. He kept his grace and bid his siblings his leave.

Tywin walked the steps two at a time and shut the door to his bedchamber as he entered into it. A fear of uncertainty hovered over his thoughts and his face grew weary as he paced along the room to his wardrobes. There were rumors and in Tywin's experience, rumors died as rumors in the mouths of their creators. But this was turning out to be true, as it shaped into a spearhead that was aimed at the head of a prancing lion. Sure, Tywin knew his father to be an utter fool when it comes to satisfying his friends. It came from his obedience and his want to be loved. He was the third son of Gerold Lannister, born after the golden twins Tywald and Tion. Tytos Lannister was never a gifted swordsman, nor he was good with books and letters. Gerold didn't have any intention to improve his son as his elder two were exceptional warriors and good at ruling. Little did he knew that their lives were too short as one perished during the Peake Uprising and the other at Wendwater Bridge. When it came to the third son to rule, Gerold had so little time to prepare him and House Lannister is paying for that mistake now. Tywin was furious about the way his father dealing with his gold but he kept his mouth shut due to the matter of nobility. But, with Walder Frey on the rock, it feels like Tytos Lannister has outdone himself in making blunders. If the Lord of the Crossing is being generous with Gemma, there is only one reason. He means to have her hand for his son. That was the word in the wind when Walder Frey visited the Rock for the first time a few months before. Tywin heard on of his maids whisper it, but it eventually faded off as nothing happened and Frey left the Rock empty handed. But Tywin knew how shrewd the man was. He never visited the Twins himself but the way the Freys handled the Crossing the Testament for how greedy he was. House Frey was a minor House in the Riverlands and aspiring to be a great one, for that matter. A match with the Lannisters will be a big push for them and Tywin knew how eager was his father top lease his friends. He could only pray that there won't be any announcement today and after the feast, he will have a word with his father. With collecting his words in his mind to confront his father, Tywin traced his fingers over the tunics. There were crimson coats made of velvet and silk, golden ones with leather catches on the side. Tywin pulled all of it aside and took a black one with gold buttons studded on it. He felt it suited the mood, as every feast at Rock lately turned into a mockery in which his father was the prey and his trusted bannermen poking him with their sharp word. They even had a name for that- Twisting the lion's tail

By the time he reached the main hall, the feast had already begun. All his father's bannermen were theirs. The Red Lion, Ser Roger Reyne was seated right to his father, as was Lord Walder Frey, seated next to Lord Tytos on the left, whispering something in his ears. Ser Roger was busy with his Goblet as the serving lady was having a hard time filling it with Arbor Red. Ser Reynard Reyne was also there, speaking to the woman sitting next to him. Tywin didn't have any hard time finding who she was, as she was once the Lady of the Rock. Lady Ellyn Reyne was betrothed to one of his great uncles, married to another and even tried to entice his own father, so that she could rule the West as a Lannister. His great uncle Tywald who died at Peake Uprising had his betrothal to this wretched woman and his responsibility to her passed to his brother Tion after his death. She did marry him and lived a splendid life with Lannister gold and court until the second of the golden twins had died at the Wendwater bridge. As Tytos Lannister became the heir to the Rock, she tried to play her tunes to his father but Tywin's mother was a strong woman who fought with her for her husband. lady Ellyn's scheme to trap Tytos by having fornication with him failed, as Tytos failed to perform and he ran to Lady Jayne and confess his crime. Lord Gerold saw it as an insult and sent Lady Ellyn from the Rock as a bride to an old Lord of House Tarbeck. So, now she sits in the presence of his father as Lady Tarbeck. A woman so crooked, who named as a Reyne, a Lannister, and a Tarbeck. Lord Gerold sent her away with a warning of never to return to Casterly Rock again but she returned as Lady Tarbeck with two of her Reyne brothers at her side. His father never had the courage to object and his mother was so sick, she left her chambers seldom. Another matter for a steaming discussion, Tywin noted in his mind.

The hall was filled with men from all around the nobleHouses of the west and the Twins. from Crakehall, Westerling, Marbrand and every other House who swore allegiance to the Rock and his father. Their Lords were seated around the high table, with wine goblets in their hands. Their banners were hung along with the golden lion of the Lannister around them. The Unicorn of Brax, The Red Lion of Castamere, The Red Bull of Prester and much more. Tywin knew all of the banners and he counted them as their subjects. The maesters taught him that a liege Lord should win his subject with fairness and passion, but seeing his father had only those two virtues, Tywin wanted to correct them so badly. As they hover over his father with laughs and jokes, Tywin wondered how many of them were true to their Lord and to their vows. The serving women were swarming like bees over the table with chalices in their hands as the call for refill came so frequently. The food was already served on the table and some of them were spending all their efforts on it. He saw his siblings seated in the middle of the table. They were seated together and a third seat was kept vacant on the right of Gemma. Tywin knew it was meant for him and him strode towards it. He approached the table politely and paid his courtesy toward his father, but Tytos Lannister was too busy to notice that. So were the other Lords on the table, as they were rather busy with what was on their plate. He looked at Kevan, who was slicing his small piece of ham into small bits. Gemma was drinking her soup, as graciously as she could and she was looking splendid from the candle light. There was a singer who was working with his harp at the corner of the hall and no one was paying any attention to him. Tywin himself despised singers and so as he saw them as an excuse for weaklings to exist. Any man who survives by pleasing others should consider themselves a slave. That was what came into Tywin's mind when he heard him singing. Tywin sat there without saying a word as his plate was filled with fried capon, fried snails and bread dipped in honey. The look of it promised to be delicious but Tywin kept them in the plate unscathed. His sister was done with the soup and took a bowl of berries filled with cream for the dessert and from time to time, she listened to the songs came from the harp. The rest of the table continued to be noisy with their laughs and sniggers. 'Let it pass', Tywin thought in his mind. 'Let this night pass so that I could sing a song of my own. A sharp one that could open my father's ears.

Dishes came and went, goblets drained and filled and songs were repeated and Tywin sensed the end of the feast at hand. 'Might be I could eat some of the food', Tywin thought as he took his fork from the table. As he plunged his fork into the meat of the capon, Tytos Lannister rose from his chair, clinking his spoon to his cup. Tywin's hand felt a shudder and the fork slid out of his hand and fell over the snails with a small thud. Of course, no one noticed it as every eye were set on the face of Lord Tytos and every ear were sharpening itself to hear his words. 'No, no. This is not happening. Not tonight. Not now'. Tywin desperately wished it was a dream that he could wake up from but deep inside he knew what was happening.

"My Lord... My Lords... I have an announcement to make", Tytos began as the chatterings were dying out.

"I am so happy that you are all here for this humble feast under my roof.." You are their Lord father. You don't need to be humble in front of them. " and all of you are my friends. So is Lord Walder Frey..." And he wishes to be more than your friend, is that it? " of the Twins. Lord Walder was generous to join our feast and gift my lovely daughter with the beautiful dress she is wearing..." He can have a dress made of gold in return if he wants but don't overpay him, father. " As you all know, I am generous when it comes to friendship..." They all know it a bit too well father. " So, it's quite just to pay him likewise for his generosity..." Just? what do you know about Justice father? "I would like to celebrate our friendship by making a strong bond..." There it comes. " I announce the marriage between my daughter Gemma and Lord Walder's son Emmon when both of them comes of age..." The lion in motely does his best jape.

The hall kept silent for a short while and then it gave away to murmurings and protest. Everyone except Lord Tytos knew how absurd the proposal was. Tywin knew it all too well. The boy Emmon was younger than he was and older than Kevan by months. A scrawny lad who hasn't even had the strength to lift a blunted sword, Emmon Frey always invoked pity in everyone's eyes. To see Gemma with such a creature was unpleasant to every sense. It was like matching a skinny swine with a lioness and that wasn't the worst. The proposal will earn Walder Frey the courtship with Lannisters. For a House that was so meager in strength, an alliance with one of the greatest Houses in Westeros was their greatest achievement. As for House Lannister, it was a downfall. Walder Frey was famous for making new brides and children. It was an enormous family tree that he grew in time and he had true-born sons and bastards alike and Emmon Frey was his third son. His elder sons had sons of their own and each of them had better claim to the Twins rather than this weakling. Walder Frey played a cruel game with Tytos Lannister. He twisted his tail and made a bow out of it and Lord Tytos praised his efforts. Tywin clenched his teeth in rage as the murmurs turned into sniggers and laughs. Most of the men kept them it themselves, except for the Reynes and Tarbecks. Lord Reyne was so furious that he threw his goblet onto the table and stormed out of the hall, cursing to himself. He didn't even turn back to see his Lord trying to call him back in an apologetic tone. It was honor or self-interest that made the red lion made that, Tywin didn't know. He always suspected the Lord Reyne had his own marriage proposals ready in his hand for Gemma. The other Lords kept their seats, without saying a word against their Lord's announcement, except for Lady Tarbeck. She was enjoying this, Tywin knew, as her laugh kept echoing in the great hall. She was celebrating the deeds of the foolish Lannister Lord. She was celebrating the fate of the daughter of the woman whom she despised her entire life. She was laughing at her Liege Lord's face and no one was telling her to stop. His father kept a dumbstricken face and Walder Frey was busy with his wine. There was a satisfied look on his face, a look that made Tywin wanted to smack his face. Gemma was shocked to her core and her face told him the horrors inside her mind. Keven on her left was watching her too, as tears were shedding on her eyes.

Neither Lord Tytos nor Lord Walder anticipated any objection to the proposal from any of the subjects of House Lannister and when Tywin Lannister, the eldest son of Tytos Lannister raised from his seat with a stern look on his face, they found it some play of a ten-year-old. The great hall of Casterly Rock itself turned to face the boy and Lady Tarbeck's laugh faded away with it. Tywin faced his father with all the dignity he could muster but that wasn't enough to cover up the rage rising inside him.

"Father..." Tywin began,", the great Lords of the West and Lord Walder. We all know what House Lannister is. It has its story written from the Age of Heroes, the descendants of Lan ruled made this place their Kingdom and ruled as the Kings of the West. They bent their knees to no one but dragons. The Targaryen conquered the Seven Kingdoms with fire and blood but the roar of the Lannister lion was so furious that they kept their keep and their wealth. A lion is not a prey as he is the ruler of the jungle. A Lannister speaks not just for the family but for his subjects. He speaks for the West. We are men from proud families that could sing stories about our deeds from centuries ago. Westerling, Marbrand, Crakehall, Brax. Noble Houses with a lot to claim and House Lannister always stayed just to all of them. I ask you all, what do House Frey have to come here and claim a maiden of House Lannister? They don't have a rich heritage like us and all their wealth came from some old man's notion to build a bridge between a river. They became a strong House by bargaining for the crossings but remember, nobility cannot be earned by bargaining. A lion is meant to mate with animals strong as it is, not with swines and mules. The match my father just proposed is idiotic as well as preposterous and with that, he forsakes the honor of House Lannister and the West."

The word was short but sharp and they reached the target well. As Tywin sat down and started to work on his food, the great Lords of the West were staring at him, some with proud and some with wonder. Lord Tytos and Lord Walder looked pale as milk as the word of a boy just skinned them alive. Both of them sat on their chairs with a dumb look and after a short while they began to empty their wine cups to wash those words from their senses. Gemma drew an admired look against her big brother as she swept away her tears from her cheek with a piece of silk. Lady Tarbeck's face grew dark and what was in her mind was unclear but for one thing. She wanted the destruction of House Lannister and she just witnessed the rise of it from the ruins. She always hated Lady Jayne for coming on her way and now her spawn had shattered a beautiful evening with his words. Indeed, Tywin was his mother's son. He wasn't a weakling like his father and the whole west saw the truth of it. They heard the lion roar.

(Inspired by the characters and events from A Song Of Ice And Fire series written by George R R Martin.)