CHAPTER 14- The Great Lion

Tywin POV

267 AC

When I was born the name of House Lannister was in tatters. My father was a weak man with loose morals which greatly increased after my mother's death after she gave birth to Gerion. To make matters worse my father betrothed my sister to the Freys. House Frey, what a joke. A Lioness marrying into a house which makes their living by taking tolls, what a shame.

I truly loathed that man. That was when I decided that I would single-handedly change the future of House Lannister. Then the perfect opportunity lay in front of me when the whore Tarbeck decided to rebel alongside the Reynes. Tearing down Tarbeck Hall and watching the tower fall on the bitch and her son gave me pleasure but not as much as damming the pool's stream and diverting it into a mine entrance, flooding the underground chambers of Castamere and drowning those trapped inside. It gave me as much if not more than sleeping with Joanna.

The crowning achievement was when I was made the Hand of The King by Aery's. House Lannister was stronger than ever. There would be no rebellion by my bannerman. It was not loyalty but fear that kept them in line.

I believed that everything was perfect and nothing bad would happen, but the gods spat on me and I got to know that horrible secret. I wanted to shove my sword through him for what he had done, but I decided not to. Instead, I did what Harwin Strong did. I never thought it would result in the birth of a child. Of course, no one knew whose child it really was, the idiot suspected but I made sure that Pycelle convinced him otherwise with the fact that Alyssa Targaryen the mother oF Daemon too had a green eye.

It was quite ironic when he was named Daemon Targaryen since the last one had led the Seven Kingdoms to war while the first one was a rogue.

Daemon was truly an anomaly. People many times his age would cower when I would lay their eyes on him, but he never did. Just like his brother the crown prince he too would read books all the time but it was obvious that he had a keen mind as well as an interest in matters of war, since he would come every day to see the Kingsguard and men at arms practice.

It was when Jonna gave birth to our children I realized what it meant to be a father. My daughter would become queen and Lannister blood would rule the Seven Kingdoms, while Jaimie would become the Warden of the West. Holding Jamie and Cersei made me truly happy about becoming a father and I realized that I would give up my own life to save theirs.

Then the raven came from Pycelle saying about how smart Daemon was and that he had already finished learning the various names of the house and their words. I was astonished by the fact that A child of three namedays would be so smart.

After some time I received a letter from the king saying that he would be visiting Casterly Rock along with Daemon. But I knew the real reason why he was coming. It truly made my blood boil.

When they entered Casterly Rock I could see the king along with the prince. I felt relieved that the prince had inherited the Valyrian looks excluding the eye. I did not have to introduce the members of my family to the prince since he already deduced them just by their appearance.

But I truly realized how wise Daemon was when I took him to the Hall of Heroes and he could name the previous Lannister lords just by seeing the engravings on their respective tombs. Then when I told him about my father and what a failure he was he retorted by saying that one should not speak about their father in such a way after all what kind of father hates his own son?

Hearing that I realized despite all my father's shortcomings he truly loved us all. As I looked at the prince I could see his eyes staring at me as if looking into my soul and that is when I knew that I truly did love him, after all, he was my firstborn and I needed to make sure that such a thing should never be revealed since it could well lead to war.

As I bent down and hugged him I could feel that he was a bit stiff but then gradually he hugged me back. It felt warm since that was the first time I had held him in my arms.

Prince Daemon could well become the wisest Targaryen since Jahaery's the First and I would make sure of that. With Cersei married to Rhaegar and Daemon the Hand I could well see my blood ruling the kingdoms.

That is why when I spoke to Aery's he agreed to my proposal. As I went towards the prince's tent I saw him get up and greet me.

"Daemon", I said with a soft tone," I have spoken to your father and once we reach Kingslanding you will become by cupbearer and assist me in ways fit of a prince".