Cersei
She woke to the sounds of fire and immediately went to her balcony and saw the old ruin of the Dragon Pit, burning to the ground but no wildfire, just regular oil and the looks of men working the area and she assumed right away that this is Loren's doing. Her brother or Kinslayer has been Hand of the King for almost a month. A month of her searching for ways to tear him down, and to bring order and rule back to the Realm.
Jaime has actually been using his authority as Kingsguard, replacing a number of men loyal to Loren with their own numbers. Along with this he has also been at Tommen's side and poisoning Loren's goodwill, whilst she informs her son on questionable and false things that Loren has been doing as Hand of the King.
Sadly it isn't all false, Loren has been training and bringing in more sellswords and recruits to the Goldcloaks. Now none of them she recognizes and cannot use as her informants on her brother's future plans. What's worse is that the bastard is now engaged to Margaery Tyrell who has been sauntering around as if the new Queen, now that has her worried.
Her intentions are to get Loren away from the Red Keep, even being inside the Tower of the Hand is much too close for comfort. Only when her brother and his tart of a Ward and his betrothed are away is when she can reaffirm her grasp on the power she clawed and scratched for. She sighed and turned away from the balcony, heading to Loren's chambers to find out what he is doing.
Along the way, she passed her sons new betrothed, and her behemoth of a guard dog. Shireen is unfit and no real beauty, the greyscale scarred the good side of her face. She guessed it would suit her plans, this way the future generations will be Baratheon and none could contest against that knowledge. Maybe when her brother is dead and gone she can forge this girl into the perfect puppet, to be used until she has given her son a son and daughter before ridding her of the title of Queen Consort.
Her brothers two new guards stood watch of the door, two new knights he made during the campaign within the Stormlands. One was Gylon Nightwater, big man and had a bald head and big black beard, the man's eyes were a dark green. The other was Daeron Rockwood, a handsome man with slicked brunette hair and grey eyes, this one saved her brother from an assassin sent by Lord Connington of Griffins Roost. "I came to see my brother." She told them and they looked at each other before letting her in, she strode past them and went inside.
"Cersei? What do I owe the pleasure." He said cheerfully and the smile and tone annoyed her, she wished she could order the man dead but only her son can do this.
"Who allowed you renovate the Dragon Pit?" She would have her answer, then she will try to stop it. He smiled and sat down to continue writing letters, just like father had done when they would be in trouble and they would be made to wait for their scolding.
"The King. I asked him, telling him the first step towards creating a lasting reminder of his reign is to create." She was confused, what was being created.
"And? What has my son bid you to make." She demanded and her brother only smiled once more, "Don't be coy, Loren. What is being created." Loren put down his ink and quill before getting to his feet.
"There are three pillars that carry the realm. The King. High Septon. And the Hand of the King. The King has this, the Red Keep and the Iron Throne, powerful symbols. The High Septon has his many convents and the Great Sept of Baelor, also powerful if those religious men would see it. But what about the Hand of the King?" She was confused again, her brother is lecturing her and expects her to have an answer to such a silly question.
"The Hand has his pin and the Tower." She said and he shook his head no, "Then what?" She said and this time with frustration.
"He has the King's Authority. Commands the King's Armies and makes decisions for the King himself. The Red Keep can be suitable, but over the months and my butting heads with you and Jaime on matters of politics, I need a place of my own to work. I need a larger symbol of power." She widened her eyes in both surprise and delight.
Her brother means to build a castle, the hill where the Dragon Pit is large enough for an averagely sized hold. This is truly a boon, he would be away from the Red Keep, questions did spin in her mind about how council meetings will be held, here or will her brother move them to his new castle, a route will need to be cleared so officials can move from spot to spot. She sighed and let her brother know that she understands what he intends, through an expression of sorts.
"What will its name be? Surely you have a 'clever' name planned when it is complete." She questioned him and he smirked before walking over, extending his hand to hers, gesturing she take it but she won't and stood up on her own free will.
"Tywin's Den seemed a good name, but Lancaster seemed so much more." Lancaster, combining the names Lann in Lannister and Caster from Casterly Rock. She could have named it much better and liked the first choice, but it will do and the knowledge that her brother is far from the Iron Throne sends a good feeling down her spine. She nodded and broached another subject.
"What of the Tyrell, Margaery? Will you be marrying before or after Tommen weds Shireen." It was a question she would like to know. If after Tommen then she can keep the whore and her family hostage, seizing the Reach and their food and gold. If before then she can kill them both with the poison Sansa and Tyrion used to kill Joffrey, seizing the remaining Tyrell family. Loren tensed and caught onto her acting nice since he returned to the capital, turning away from her and opening the door behind him.
"My betrothal is none of your business, and neither is the Kings and Lady Shireen. I hoped you would be happy that you aren't engaged to that boy-lover. Now you can go." His rudeness was a mix of anger and a tad bit upset. She sighed and left, the objective she came for is finished anyway.
Loren
He was a fool to actually believe his sister was being kind to him, that maybe, just maybe that all the animosity over the control of power could be set aside and that House Lannister can truly thrive since the last 300 years that it's been the servants; being spat at and insulted by some many weaklings and terrible Kings, but no.
Cersei came for information, whether she had got it or not he doesn't know. He can simply believe that she hadn't and he can counter whatever she is planning, he called back to his plan for the new castle and felt glad he will be out of here and somewhere safe, because as of now he is to be ready for his siblings to take him out.
Later on in the day came a personal visit to his nephew and Shireen, since the girl's arrival he has sunk his claws in deep. She is watched by handmaidens of his choosing, guards to report to him upon seeing or hearing anything suspicious. On other days he would sit the child down with Margaery to mold the girl into a pawn to keep Tommen's interests.
Not that his nephew needs to be convinced, having someone around the same age brought some form of comfort for the boy. Especially with not having anyone to call a friend here in the Red Keep with most being a pawn or spy of his sister, neither truly wanting to be friends with the golden-haired young King. They were having supper when he and Margaery arrived, invited of course.
"Thank you for coming, uncle." He smiled and saw Shireen and the gold mask he had made for her to hide the more unattractive side of her face, the girl curtsied and he and Margaery did the same in respect.
"Well we four are going to be married soon, it is only natural we sup with one another from here on out." He said whilst walking past his nephew and sitting down, Margaery and Tommen followed suit and the dinner was finally served, cooked fish and potatoes with a bowl of tasty lemon cakes.
"So uncle, how is the realm doing since you became Hand? I am eager to know." Is he now? He thought and stewed on the question asked to him.
As for the Westerlands, the Reach, Stormlands, and Crownlands all are rather peaceful at the moment. No fighting and a million dragons were paid back to Braavos with the promise to have the full amount soon, with the help of the Tyrells once he marries Margaery of course. Now onto the troubles still brewing in the northern kingdoms.
The Riverlands is still in chaos despite the King in the North had been slain, the Houses have been split between rebels and loyalists. In the Vale, his and Olenna's partner in assassinating Joffrey has been quiet and hasn't come south to swear fealty to his nephew, sooner or later Baelish will be summoned south and he will be dealt with, the man isn't so trustworthy and other than Olenna the Mockingbird is a liability and he hates liabilities. The North is also quiet but ravens swearing fealty have come from Bolton and their allies, the Iron Islands are still in open rebellion so nothing new their with their land invasions failing on all sides of the west coast.
"Peace is assured as I have promised, now. What about you two, what have you done today." He asked and Tommen eagerly answered him.
"Shireen told me a lot of stories, and helped me finally get some confidence in myself." He was pleasantly surprised with the last bit, that his ward is aiding the boy in getting self-respect, its a dangerous thing when uncontrolled but he has faith in his ability to do so. Shireen attested to Tommen by saying he is growing into a fine man.
"I am happy for the both of you, so young and dare I say it... In love?" Margaery teased with a smirk, yet her eyes showed how envious she is of the girl. Understandable since for as long as he's known the daughter of Mace is that Margaery was fascinated with the prospect of being Queen, not realizing she is Queen in all but name with how much control he has over the court and by title the King himself.
But like all good things that last, so can the bad come without notice... He just doesn't know when it will come.