Lord Roboute Tyrell

This may seem like a bit of a filler chapter to those who already know about Tytos Lannister. If you do, skip to the last bit. I needed the build-up for future plot points. 

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- 263 AC - 

Fate worked in mysterious ways. One moment, a lion lay on the edge of death, between his mistress's legs, forgotten and mocked; the next, he stood breathing still, with growing strength of will, a powerful friend... and death never came for him. Everyone believed Lord Tytos Lannister would disappear into the background, while Tywin Lannister took over the reins, and then eventually die. 

And yet, the Lord of Casterly Rock endured. Not by his own strength. And most definitely not through fate or because of destiny. The reason for this can be found in the year 263 AC, the day Tywin married Joanna Lannister. But to understand things better, one must go back further. 

Tytos Lannister became Lord of Casterly Rock in 244 AC after the death of his father. Unlike what the Lannisters were known for, Tytos was a weak-willed and eager-to-please man. Through this, the kind man was quickly taken advantage of by both his bannermen and the merchants of the Westerlands. That was the nature of the world; such was their reality that weakness was preyed upon. 

Under his rule, the power and prestige of House Lannister, which each Lord had worked hard on building up, declined, and neighbouring houses rose in strength and confidence because of it. Many began to say that the Lion of Lannister was no longer a beast to be feared, japing that the lion had lost its teeth. And in a way, they were right. Had Tytos not been born a Lannister, with the station and merit of his ancestors, he would have been killed off quickly, and no one would remember who he was. But since he was a Lannister, that was different. 

Tytos's inability to assert his authority led to growing defiance among his vassals. Not only out of spite, but sometimes also through necessity. Lord Farman of Fair Isle began constructing warships to protect his shores from the ironborn raids, defying Tytos's objections. However, these objections were rooted in his fear of offending House Greyjoy of Pyke and not because he disagreed with Lord Farman. 

But that wasn't the only moment Tytos didn't show any backbone. One time, three landed knights and a minor lord whose lands bordered the Reach renounced their allegiance to Casterly Rock and swore fealty to Highgarden, citing greater protection under House Tyrell. This was the only time when his hesitation and refusal to do anything was somewhat forgivable, considering what sort of bureaucratic monster Roboute Tyrell truly was and how much more the Reach would prosper compared to the other kingdoms. 

Other bannermen acted without restraint: Lords Jast and Falwell settled a private feud with a melee instead of seeking justice from their liege lord, resulting in nine deaths and twenty-seven injuries. At the same time, Lord Stackspear ignored Tytos's decrees and doubled taxes on his smallfolk. He even hired a company of Volantene sellswords to enforce his edicts.

Tytos's weakness extended to matters of marriage and family. In 252 AC, when a celebration was to be held at Casterly Rock, the Freys arrived uninvited. Despite that, Tytos welcomed them as honoured guests. And while that was a severe slight to the Lannister pride and way of conduct, since it was House Frey after all, it didn't stop there. As the celebration was going along, Lord Walder Frey stood up and loudly announced the betrothal of Genna Lannister to his second son, Emmon Frey. 

Imagine the Warden of the Westerlands, Lord of Casterly Rock, makes uninvited guests, the Freys as well, honoured guests, and then they do something like that. 

Everybody clapped and congratulated, despite the awkwardness which must have been staggering. And what did Lord Tytos Lannister do? Embarrassed and having been put on the spot, he smiled and nodded his head as though this had been his intention from the start. Upon hearing the news, Lord Roger Reyne, known as the Red Lion of Castamere, stormed out in anger, while Lady Ellyn Tarbeck laughed aloud. Most lords kept their silence, but Tytos's eldest son, Tywin Lannister, publicly objected, calling the match beneath their house. Tytos later sent Tywin to King's Landing to serve as a royal cupbearer at the court of King Aegon V Targaryen. The poor Genna was forced to marry a small pig, which they claimed was Emmon Frey. And the biggest insult was that it wasn't even the heir to the Twins. It was his second-born son. 

By 252 AC, Roboute Tyrell had just passed his fifth name day. But had the Freys or anyone arrived unannounced and dared to announce a betrothal with him or his younger siblings, he would have used a week of his life to make them lose all their wealth, turn that house into a joke, ruin them, only to kill all of them later on. But we digress. 

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Under Tytos's ineffective leadership, House Reyne and their close allies, House Tarbeck, grew more powerful. Lady Ellyn Tarbeck, Roger Reyne's sister, borrowed heavily from House Lannister and used the funds to restore Tarbeck Hall, reinforce its defences, and lavish the castle with splendour that rivalled any seat in the west. Tytos, ever generous and eager to avoid conflict, gave freely. It wasn't his first mistake, but refusing wouldn't have worked either at that point. But he was an idiot. The only reason banks and loans worked was if the one who gave away the money had the strength to demand the money back with interest. But Tytos did not. 

Things got worse in 255 AC, when Tytos' beloved wife, Jeyne Marbrand, died one moon after giving birth to their youngest son, Gerion Lannister. The usually jovial and happy man grew sorrowful and depressed. He was a simple and kind man, not fit for the position he held. The little control and authority he had slipped away, descending the Westerlands into further disorder in the following years. 

During the War of the Ninepenny Kings, Tytos answered the call of King Jaehaerys II Targaryen by sending eleven thousand Westermen to join the royal cause, led by his younger brother, Ser Jason Lannister. His sons Tywin, Kevan, and Tygett also took part in the war, gaining experience and making names for themselves. Tytos, though, remained at Casterly Rock and took Gerion's wet nurse as his mistress. 

Roughly one year later, the sons of House Lannister, hardened by war and appalled by the state of their house, were determined to restore House Lannister's power. Tytos offered only a faint protest before withdrawing again and hiding in the bed of his mistress. 

Tywin took control, demanding repayment of the vast sums Tytos had lent. Those unable to repay were required to send a hostage to Casterly Rock until their debt was cleared. Tywin tasked his brother Kevan with leading five hundred veteran knights to purge the region of robber knights and bandits. Some lords submitted quickly. Elsewhere, Tywin's collectors were met with sullen resistance and outright defiance. Lord Roger Reyne laughed at Tywin's edicts and encouraged others to ignore them, having grown arrogant and far too used to Tytos' way of conduct. 

Lord Walderan Tarbeck, assuming he could intimidate the old Lord, rode to Casterly Rock to demand that Tytos overrule Tywin's actions. A ridiculous notion under any other circumstances, but since it was Tytos Lannister... it may have worked. However, Tytos was absent when Lord Walderan arrived, and Tywin seized the opportunity, ordering Walderan's arrest for disloyalty. 

In retaliation, Ellyn Tarbeck seized three Lannisters—two of Lannisport and Stafford Lannister, whose sister Joanna was betrothed to Tywin and threatened to harm them unless Walderan was released. This finally stirred Tytos into action. Ignoring Tywin's advice to send Walderan back in pieces—one for each captive Tytos returned Walderan unharmed and forgave the Tarbecks' debts entirely. 

Imagine that. 

In 261 AC, less than a year after being humiliated at Casterly Rock, Walderan Tarbeck and Roger Reyne openly renounced their allegiance to House Lannister, sparking the Reyne-Tarbeck rebellion. Acting without his father's leave, Tywin Lannister responded with swift and uncompromising force. He led a brutal campaign that ended with the destruction of both Tarbeck Hall and Castamere, and the complete annihilation of Houses Reyne and Tarbeck. Following the rebellion's crushing end, Tytos remained at Casterly Rock. 

Tywin's decisive leadership earned him the position of Hand of the King to the newly crowned Aerys II Targaryen in 262 AC. With their most powerful rivals obliterated, no vassal in the Westerlands dared defy House Lannister again.

In the next two years, Tytos grew fat and took a new mistress, a commonborn daughter of a candlemaker. She topped the previous one and enriched herself with the late Lady Jeyne's jewels and gowns, dismissed longtime servants, ordered about household knights, and even presided over court in Tytos's absence, behaving as if she were lady of the castle. Her influence over Tytos further weakened his rule, though, by that time, real power rested entirely with his son. 

.

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Now, two years after the Reyne-Tarbeck rebellion, in 263 AC, Tywin Lannister married Joanna Lannister. Tytos Lannister had not been invited, as his son was disgusted with his father and did not want to see him. Tytos was in his mistress's room and was allowed to pull down his pants when a knock was heard at the door. 

Tytos looked confused at the door and then at his mistress, who had a displeased look on her face. She hated being interrupted and was in a bad mood since she hadn't been invited to the feast. She walked to the door and opened it. 

"Who is it--" she said, but stopped talking when she saw the people at the door. 

She recognised Rhaella Targaryen, the Queen of Westeros. 

"Ahh..."

"Greetings, I am Rhaella Targaryen and--" the Queen started, but was interrupted.

"She knows who you are, Rhaella. You need to act like a Queen," Roboute said. 

"W-what do you mean?"

"Julith, would you please show her."

The young girl walked forward, pushing the candlemaker's daughter aside, and entered the room as if she owned it. Rhaella looked at the scene, confused and surprised. She turned to Roboute, who moved his hand, indicating that she should also do it that way. She didn't do it right, but it was a start at least. What the Queen lacked, Ronard made up for in spare. 

"Hey! What is this?! Do you know--" the woman was about to go on a fit, when Roboute looked at her. 

The sound of a slap was heard, and everyone looked at the young Julith, who had dealt with the woman, understanding Roboute's intention, before anyone else. They shared a strange connection, those two. Tytos, meanwhile, had finally managed to get himself off the bed and give the intruders the attention they deserved.

"Wh-what is this? What are you doing in this room, your Grace?" he addressed Rhaella. 

"Lord Lannister, I was attending the feast of your son's wedding when Lord Roboute Tyrell expressed his wish to meet you. So here we are."

"Ahh... Lord Tyrell, I have h-heard a lot of things about you. Please allow me to express--"

"Enough with he small talk. You are wasting my time and air. I am here for you, Tytos Lannister," Roboute cut right to the chase. 

"F-for me? What can I help you with?" the man asked timidly. 

"I think the question is: What can I do for you?"

"I... I don't understand."

"That does not surprise me. Tell me, Tytos Lannister, are you happy with your life? Are you content with the whispers behind your back and the lack of authority in your own castle? The way your mistress takes the jewellery of your beloved wife?"

"..."

"Do you wish to change this?"

"I..."

"You will have to answer," Ronard said. 

"I don't..."

"Look at her," Roboute said and pointed at the woman on the ground. "Do you see it? Do you see the things she's wearing? Has she earned that right? Do you love her? Does she love you? What would your wife say if she saw you? Are you that weak and pathetic that you can't tell me what your beloved wife would have thought?"

It didn't take long until Tytos started to sob and then cry tears of sadness. He cried out the sadness he had experienced, while he only wanted to be a good husband and father. Seeing this, Rhaella looked around and, seeing that no one was going to do anything, she was about to comfort the Lannister when Ronard stopped her. 

"Crying won't help you. I know a boy of three name days who lost everything and managed to get through without crying as much as you do. It is time you took your life into your own hands."

"... H-How?"

"It is time to concern yourself with Tarbeck Hall, Tytos Lannister. It is time to prove that you are the Warden of the Westerlands and the Lord of Casterly Rock."

...

The actions of this meeting would have a lasting impact, proving that sometimes all it took was the slap of a little girl to start an avalanche. 

Fate worked in mysterious ways... or rather, Roboute worked in mysterious ways.