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Chapter 13

Chapter 13: The Lion returns
...
Tywin Lannister

A moon later

I rode at a steady pace, the road beneath my horse's hooves familiar, each mile bringing me closer to Casterly Rock. The seat of House Lannister loomed ahead, a towering monolith carved into the very bones of the land. It was a fortress unlike any other—a mountain of stone that signified the power of my house, my legacy. Soon, I would return to it, and with it, to my family.

The thought of Joanna and my children filled me with a rare warmth. Away from the capital, away from the prying eyes of court and the politics that bound my every step, I could be a husband and father again. For eight moons without Joanna and my cubs, I'd been in the capital, forced to keep a cold, impenetrable mask to protect myself and them.

At court, enemies lurked behind every smile. As Hand of the King, my every action was scrutinized, and the pathetic king, Aerys, seemed to delight in stirring the snakes that hissed around me. It was hard to believe that we had once been friends. How petty and small he had become.

It was jealousy, I knew. Our friendship had ended the day I married Joanna, the only woman who could have ever truly been mine. She was my equal in all things, my sweet, steadfast wife. But Aerys had seen her, wanted her, and from that moment on, I had become his enemy.

The memory made my fists clench around the reins. Joanna had suffered humiliation under Aerys's lecherous gaze, and I could do nothing to stop it then.

He had ridiculed her in front of the court, tried to touch her in ways that made my blood boil. I had to watch, had to endure, because the king still held the crown, and I had not yet played my hand. But the day would come. He would pay for his insults.

For now, I had to be patient. There were greater plans in motion. I needed Aerys alive just long enough to secure the betrothal between my Cersei and his son, Rhaegar. When that was done, the dragon would fall. I smiled darkly, letting the thought sharpen my focus.

One hundred Lannister soldiers flanked me, their red cloaks billowing like banners of fire. We moved as one, the might of House Lannister on display, a warning to anyone foolish enough to challenge my rule.

Casterly Rock awaited me, but before I reached its gates, my mind was already spinning with thoughts of the game that lay ahead. The game of thrones was long, but I was always three moves ahead.

"Brother, are you happy to be home?" came the playful voice of my youngest brother, Gerion, from behind me. His tone was light, as it always was, a stark contrast to the burdens I carried on my shoulders.

I glanced over to see him, clad in his Lannister armor, a smile playing on his lips. He had accompanied me to court, serving at my side, though not burdened with the same weight of responsibility.

"Let him be, Gerion," Tygett's gruff voice cut in as he rode up beside us. "He's thinking of his lioness and cubs." With a smirk, Tygett smacked the back of Gerion's head.

"Hey! Why'd you hit me?" Gerion grumbled, attempting to retaliate. But Tygett, the stronger of the two, easily maneuvered his horse out of reach, evading Gerion's playful swipes.

"Why can't I hit my little brother." Said Tygett with a smile.

I watched them tussle for a moment, their laughter and banter filling the air. Though I didn't show it often, I was thankful for these brothers of mine. In the capital, they had kept me sane, helping with messages, discreet tasks, and just being present when the pressures of court weighed on me. Without them, the burdens might have been heavier.

They continued their mock fight, trying to wrestle each other off their horses like boys rather than men. It was a rare sight, one that stirred something close to amusement in me.