The journey from Casterly Rock to Kings Landing was a nightmare, I unfortunately had to travel with Cersei who wouldn't stop moaning and raging every other hour about either the bumpiness of the ride, the fact that the carriage had broken down more times she could count and that said carriage was uncomfortable. I did tell her that the fact it broke down so many times was probably due to the weight of all of the things she's brought with her but I stopped giving her my advise after she launched a number of insults at me. I had to put up with her ramblings every few hours as I struggled to ride a horse for such long periods of time at ten years old.
Leaving Tyrion was rough, we had never been separated up until that point, he would follow me around like a dog for the last week until we had to leave. There was no way Father would let Tyrion travel with us as he most likely didn't want to show him within court.
The Gold Road is the most direct and fastest route to travel from Casterly Rock to Kings Landing, it is one of the major roads ordered to be built by Aegon I, after nearly three hundred years however the condition of the road has worsened, affecting trade.
From what I could see not a lot of damage has been done to the countryside but then again the only battle that occurred near the Gold Road was the Battle of the Bells, and that was a few leagues north. Apparently most of the damage had been done in the Riverlands, before the two armies fought on the Trident.
The journey took nearly a month just to see the capital of Westeros, it would've been way less but the Gold Road was filled with traffic of people moving and migrating to untouched lands, it also doesn't help when the escort is half-a-thousand strong with a caravan of food as well. It was on Father's orders that food be sent with us as the war dwindled the provisions of Kings Landing and the sacking didn't helped such things either.
When we approached the Lion Gate of Kings Landing the first thing you noticed was the stench, it was nearly eye-watering, the smell of lingering death and smoke did nothing but embolden the smell. Allegedly the stench wasn't as bad as this before Aerys II fell into madness but as swapped his Hand of the King and members of the Small Council so many times out of paranoia that the city wasn't functioning efficiently, causing the sewers to overfill and be clocked due to the half-a-million living in its streets.
The city itself was a lot like its television series counterpart but more crowded. Now the Lion Gate is on the other side of the city than Flea Bottom, but if this was what the buildings looked like here then I am dreading to think what it might be like there. The best way I could escribe would be like a less magical, shittier (shittier as in the fact that there are faeces everywhere) and gloomy Diagon alley from Harry Potter.
Where I am going with this is that all of the buildings are slanted and leaning at a dangerous angle, which is most likely due to the fact that the city was built from nothing to a city in only a few decades, leaving a lot of the buildings with shoddy foundations.
Kings Landing is most likely a little smaller than Lannisport, this is because nearly all of the population of Kings Landing are all squished in, whereas Lannisport has been built and expanded over centuries since Lann the clever took the Rock, giving people more space and an overall better quality of life.
Moving up towards the Red Keep was difficult, partly due to the steep incline of Aegon's Hill and windy roads but mostly to do with the population of the city itself. Father taught me that the citizens have it hardest when under a siege, they could be crushed via artillery or a collapsing wall, shot with an arrow and could even end up being killed by the other inhabitants of the city. But when the gates collapse and the besiegers are inside then rapes, thievery and the killings of non-combatants is commonplace.
As I was saying, we were nearly swarmed by people, who looked as if they had seen better days, asking for food. Realistically we couldn't take the whole convoy of food through Kings Landing, about three quarters of it broke off outside the city, so we took the food that is to be used by the occupants of the Red Keep.
The Red Keep is a beautiful castle compared to the rest of the City, its pale red stone walls sit comfortably on the cliff sides, its seven massive drum towers crowned with its iron ramparts stand high over the mouth of the Blackwater Rush. A castle on the smaller side compared to the Rock or perhaps Winterfell, but what it lacks in size it more than makes up with its defensibility.
We weren't met by any large crowds or great lords in a small inner-courtyard we stopped in, instead we were met up with a contingent of Fathers Red Cloaks and Vylarr, the captain of the Red Cloaks, told Cersei and I that we were to follow them to the Tower of the Hand.
Now it has been a while since the deposing of the Mad King, and two weeks ago Robert Baratheon, with the support of Jon Arryn and Hoster Tully, became king. He had named Jon Arryn as his hand instead of the father, causing us to be led to a study a few floors down from the Hands chambers.
As we were approaching the door it opened, and outstepped a plump, bald man wearing purple silk robes that reached the bottom of his feet, causing him to have the affect that he glides as he moves. As he turns to face us his eyes glance over Cersei and I before settling on Vylarr, "Captain Vylarr, so this is why you left the room". he says in a soft, effeminate voice.
"Yes Lord Varys, my men told me of their arrival." Vylarr replies, "Might I introduce you, Lady Cersei Lannister and Cerion Lannister, Heir to Casterly Rock." he turns around to face us "Lord Varys, Master of Whispers."
"My Lord" "My Lord" both of us say in unison, performing the proper etiquette.
"My Lord and Lady of Lannister, how wonderful it is to meet the both of you, no doubt the two of you are glad that your brother Jaime is alive and well." he says in a rather curious tone as he focuses slightly on me.
"I am sure we all are glad of my brothers survival and wellbeing Lord Varys, if you wish I can make sure to pass on to my brother that your thoughts are of his preservation." I say with an innocent tone. He is might be trying to see if there is any strife between Jaime and me as he maybe relinquished from the Kingsguard and is therefore Heir again.
"There is no need for that, I will be sure to mention it to him myself. Good day to you My Lord and Lady." he nods at us before gliding down the corridor.
Shaking his head and muttering under his breath, Captain Vylarr proceeds to knock on the door and wait for a strong 'enter' before opening the door and allowing us entry.
Tywin Lannister sat there behind a reasonably large wooden desk in a spacious room with a balcony, he signalled us to sit down on the two chairs in front of him.
As we both sat down and got comfortable he started "The war is nearly over, The siege of Storms End has been lifted due to Lord Stark and the Northern army with little resistance, and a new king has been crowned. And a new King needs a new Queen." as he says this it seems as though stars appear in Cersei's eyes as she leans forward, "Jon Arryn has come to me with a offer for you to his grace, Robert Baratheon. I have accepted the offer and if nothing is to disrupt it, it will take place in tow months, after Jon Arryn returns from Dorne."
"What about the Stark bitch." Cersei asks as she somehow leans so far forward that I'm amazed she's still sat down and falling on the floor.
Showing his displeasure at her words choosing with a glare, he answers "You need not worry about her, Ned Stark came back to Kings Landing a few days ago with her body, The King has went on a hunt to.... grieve."
Seeing that she had nothing else to say, he continued "Your brother Jaime has decided to stay on as a Kingsguard, apparently the King found it humorous to have him in his glorified guards after he killed the man he swore to protect." he sneered "That means Cerion that you are still heir, and most likely will be for the foreseeable future. You are to stay here in King's Landing where you will stay for the Royal Wedding and then leave with me for the Rock. We will also be continuing our lessons daily." he says as he leans back in his chair.
"Now leave, Vylarr will show the two of you to your rooms. I do not want either of you two embarrassing yourselves in front of Court or the King." he says as we get up and follow Vylarr out of the rooms and presumably to our rooms.