LION LEGACY
6. Always and Forever

   In the Red Keep, Lyanna sat at the head of a table alongside Eddard with many lords of Westeros sitting at the same table alongside her. Ser Kevan sat to her right alongside Olyvar while Torrhen, Joanna, and Rickard were sitting to her left.

The remaining Queensguard, all but Jaime and Edric were lined up along the dining hall, there to defend Lyanna and her siblings if need be.

"For ten years, I've been making corpses out of men while fighting for your mother and father, I'm the one you want commanding the armies," Lord Mallister spoke up confidently and Olyvar eyed the man closely.

He didn't remember the man, even though Lord Mallister happened to be his grandfather. In truth, Lord Mallister always despised Olyvar, who costed his daughter her death while birthing him. His eldest daughter and firstborn. When Olyvar stayed with his mother's side of the family for the first two years of his life, Lord Mallister hadn't even acknowledged the boy. It had been his wife who had taken care of the boy. Now, here he way.

"Greatjon Umber will be commanding the armies alongside Ser Kevan," Eddard responded in a stern tone, much to Lord Mallister's anger.

"It will snow in Dorne before a Mallister takes orders from a Lannister and an Umber," He shouted out, causing Lyanna and Eddard to exchange an uneasy look with Olyvar, "I will command the armies or I'll take the Riverlands men and march them back home."

Eddard and Olyvar shifted uncomfortably in their seat as they watched Lyanna slowly look up at the man who was at least four times her size and at least forty years older than her.

As she stared at him, her entire expression became cold and threatning. The look on his eldest sister's face caused little Rickard to gasp, nearly choking on his food as he became scared. He knew the expression all too well. His sister was angry and bad things always happened when she was angry. It was the same look Annalys gave people.

Lyanna was the one most similar to her mother out of all her siblings when it came to her temperament.

Grey Wind, who laid at Eddard and Lyanna's feet underneath the table, lowly growled, clearly sensing Lyanna's significant change in mood.

"Go ahead, do it," She encouraged the man in a stern tone as she stood up from her seat, continuing to keep her eyes locked on Lord Mallister, "When we've found my mother and returned home with both her and my sister Torra, I'll be more than willing to have your head mounted on a spike on the traitor's walk for being an oathbreaker."

Hearing the girl's words, Lord Mallister abruptly sat up from his seat directly across from the Princess. He glared hatefully at Lyanna, paying no mind to the five members of Annalys' Queensguard who immediately took a large step toward him, Ser Edmyn being the closest to Lord Mallister with his sword already half drawn.

"Oathbreaker, is it?!" He roared loudly, causing the entire hall to fall silent, "I will not sit here and take orders from a ten-year-old girl who knows nothing about warfare but the bedtime stories she heard from her wet-nurses as a babe."

"I dare say I know more than you, My Lord," She mockingly replied, glaring at the man as she showed no fear toward him, despite the fact that she was at risk of getting hurt by him at any given moment, "I'll be sure to remind you of that once I've returned from battle and travel to the Riverlands to take your head for refusing an order."

Enraged, Lord Mallister went to draw his sword and the Queensguard immediately drew their own. However, before they had the chance to defend the princess and heir to the throne, Grey Wind growled as he jumped onto the table. He ran down the long table within the blink of an eye and lunged at Lord Mallister. The man screamed in fear, only to get cut off as Grey Wind's sharp teeth ripped into the man's throat.

Lord Mallister's body dropped to the fall with a large thud with Grey Wind on top of him. Once the man was dead, Grey Wind pulled away from Lord Mallister, whose entire front side seemed to be covered into blood after Grey Wind killed him.

Blood soaking his fur, Grey Wind walked past the members of the Queensguard who stared at him in shock and stopped when he was standing in between Lyanna and Eddard, the children he always seemed to be the most protective of.

He placed himself in a seated position, growling at each and every one of the men who stared intently at the twin siblings, especially Lyanna.

Lyanna's expression remained calm and almost threatening as glanced around at each of the men now standing at the table. "Now, would anyone else like to question my decisions?" She announced loudly and each man tensed a bit, feeling as though Lyanna's way of ruling was a lot like her mother's.

She intended to inspire fear first in order to make sure everyone always obeyed her and then, she intended to earn their love later, which gained their loyalty forever.

The silence in the room was suddenly interrupted as Qyburn walked in. He didn't even acknowledge the dead body on the ground as he made his way over to Lyanna and Eddard. He bowed to them, just before holding out a piece of paper.

"Princess Lyanna. Prince Eddard," He greeted the prince and princess, who gave him a questioning look, "A raven, from Daenerys Targaryen."

Kevan Lannister went to take the scroll from them, seeing as though he was placed in charge of them and the Seven Kingdoms during Annalys and Robb's absence. However, before he could succeed in doing so, Lyanna snatched it away.

She opened the scroll, she and Eddard immediately beginning to read it. After reading it, Lyanna remained silent, allowing her brother to continue on reading it due to his constant struggle when it had to do with reading words.

She sighed in frustration, growing impatient with him, but still remained silent.

"She demands my sister to bend the knee and surrender to her. She claims she'll allow my sisters to live as wards while my brothers and I take the dlack." He announced loudly, causing Lyanna to face palm herself.

She turned to him, an annoyed look on her face as she mouthed, "The black, you idiot," and Eddard immediately nodded in understanding.

"My apologies, I mean, the black," He corrected himself loudly, causing Torrhen and Joanna to quietly giggle to themselves before Olyvar told them to shut up.

"She can't send you to the Wall anyway, brother. She isn't our queen. She never will be," Lyanna argued with him, just before turning to address the lords surrounding the large table, "I will send back a letter. The Seven Kingdoms know no Queen but the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms whose name is Annalys Lannister," She paused, smiling almost devilishly, "Perhaps then she'll know what she's gotten herself into. We will not surrender. It doesn't matter if she has three dragons. My mother wounded the largest one with a single scorpion bolt. Let us make one hundred more. That'll be more than enough to kill all three of them before they have time to kill any of us."

The men shouted in approval, causing Lyanna to smile as she turned to exchange a look with Eddard and Olyvar, who smiled as well.

___

That night, Lyanna found herself standing in front of the Iron Throne, eying it closely. She always seemed to do that when her mother wasn't around. It made her think about the fact that when her mother died, she'd be queen. She wondered to herself most of time if that was even what she wanted. Yes, the thought of being queen seemed amazing, but she couldn't help but feel as though it would make her a prisoner of some sort. She wouldn't have freedom like her other siblings would when they came of age.

She didn't know if that was what she wanted for herself. Just then, the double doors to the Great Hall opened. Eddard and Olyvar soon entered, Grey Wind standing alongside them.

"So you mean for us to go to war?" Eddard asked, sounding deeply frustrated.

Lyanna sighed in annoyance, turning to face her two brothers, "Even if I'm not Queen, you're Lord of Winterfell and I'm Lady of Casterly Rock. We have the right to." She reminded her twin brother in a calm tone, but it was clear that he did not feel the same way about the whole ordeal.

"Not until we come of age," Eddard reminded her as he shook his head in response, "And I don't know if you've noticed, but we're not even eleven years old yet. We shouldn't be waging war."

"Mother needs us, don't you understand that?" Lyanna exclaimed, giving Eddard a look of disbelief, "She's out there. Nobody knows where she is."

"What if she's dead?" Olyvar quietly spoke up, an uneasy look on his face as the thought.

"Don't say that. Don't ever say that," Lyanna snapped at Olyvar coldly, finding herself filled with rage instead of sadness as she thought of having the chance of her being dead, "Mother's not dead. She's most likely on her way here."

"Which means we shouldn't do this. Let Mother handle it," Eddard complained, causing Lyanna to turn her head to glare at him.

"Daenerys Targaryen burnt thousands of Lannister men alive a month ago! We can't just let that go." Lyanna argued angrily, clearly having the need for justice for the Lannister men who had lost their lives because of Daenerys' dragon.

Most of Robb and Annalys' children were more Starks personality wise than Lannisters, all but Lyanna and in a way, Torrhen. However, Lyanna was called a Lannister more frequently than she was called a Stark.

She had more of a connection to the people of the Westerlands than the rest of her siblings, for some reason.

"It isn't our job to wage war!" Eddard shouted at Lyanna while Olyvar looked uneasy as he was stuck as a bystander to their argument.

"They have our father, Eddard!" Lyanna exclaimed loudly, giving her brother a look of disbelief, "She refuses to let him leave Dragonstone!"

"Father knew what he got himself into. He did it on purpose. He isn't a fool." Eddard continued to argue with Lyanna, who in no way was intending to give up.

"It doesn't matter. I refuse to sit back and let this happen," Lyanna complained, earning a loud scoff from Olyvar.

"Since when were you queen?" Olyvar suddenly asked, causing Lyanna to turn to him with a look of disbelief while Eddard smirked slightly in satisfaction, "What?" He asked his elder sister, oblivious.

"Who's side are you on, Olyvar!" Lyanna screamed at him, feeling betrayed due to Olyvar always seeming to take her side in arguments with Eddard.

"No one's!" Olyvar immediately responded, glancing between his brother and sister with a frustrated look on his face, "I think this entire conversation is pointless!"

"The Lannisters never forget," Lyanna recited in a loud, powerful tone, only to have Eddard roll his eyes in annoyance, "Those are mother's words."

"Made up words!" Eddard shouted at Lyanna in frustration, "Those aren't House Lannister's words. It's a common saying Mother made up to replace 'A Lannister always pays his debts' since she grew tired of it."

"They mean something, Eddard!" Lyanna argued, taking a step toward her mother, "They do right now as we speak. We are Lannisters as much as we are Starks and Lannisters do not forget. We will not forget what Daenerys has done and we will make her pay for it. Justice for the men who have lost their lives." She explained confidently and in a way, she had a point, but it wasn't like Eddard was going to admit that.

"Technically, I'm not a Lannister---" Olyvar began to remark, which didn't sit well with his older brother and sister.

In sync, Lyanna and Eddard turned to Olyvar, glaring at him, "Shut up!" They shouted at him and in response, Olyvar simply rolled his eyes, mockingly lifting his arms in surrender.

Eddard slowly turned to look back at his twin sister, beginning to speak in a stern tone, "We mustn't do this, Lyanna."

"We have to," Lyanna replied, her tone stern and confident, "For our Houses, for our family, and for the Seven Kingdoms."

Eddard remained silent after hearing Lyanna's words, staring at her closely. Lyanna looked back at him, noticing how hesitant he looked.

"If you both don't want to do this, don't. I'll do it myself." Lyanna snapped at them, turning on her heel to leave since she assumed that she would have to go to war alone.

It scared her, in all honesty. The entire idea of going to war at her age scared her, but she felt as though it was necessary. No one else would do it, that was clear. However, the thought of Eddard and Olyvar not doing it alongside her was what scared the most. The three of them were closest in age out of all the children. Torrhen and Joanna, of course, were twins, but Rickard was nearly two years younger than them.

Eddard and Lyanna were twins while Olyvar was only about few months younger than them. It was different between the three of them than it was with the younger children. They were the ones who had gone through the most together.

They had to endure two wars by the time they were five and didn't have the luxury of living in a constantly peaceful home life as toddlers like Joanna, Torrhen, and Rickard did.

They had to endure Annalys dying twice, their mother and father leaving them with people who were practically strangers even though they were technically family while Annalys and Robb headed off to war for months at a time, they even had to endure assassinations attempts on their lives due to the enemies Annalys had made over the years. They were there before Annalys had taken the Iron Throne.

However, through it all, the three of them had one another and it was all that mattered. Despite not getting along all that much, it was the fact that they were still each other's constant during those times.

Now, Lyanna felt as though she was utterly alone in her decision, despite assuming from the beginning that her brothers would be standing right there beside her on the battle as the years passed.

However, before Lyanna could get far, Eddard grabbed her by the arm. Annoyed, Lyanna slowly turned to face her brother, practically glaring at him. "What?" She questioned in annoyance, trying her best to hold back the tears just dying to spill from her green eyes, "Want to rub it in more that you're leaving your own twin to fight in a war alone?"

"If you face one of us, you face all three of us," Eddard suddenly recited, much to Lyanna and Olyvar's shock.

It was a sort of phrase that Robb and Annalys had created together years before in order to finally convince them to get along.

Eddard slowly turned to look at Olyvar, gesturing for him to recite the next part of the promise. "We stick together as one." He continued on before turning to look at Lyanna for her to finish the vow.

"Always and Forever," She spoke up softly, smiling slightly at the words.

Always and forever had been Annalys and Robb's promise to each other years before the twins were even thought of, but it continued to be recited long after they were born. And in an attempt to get the three children to get along, Annalys and Robb created a vow for them to recite together that included those same words but made it apply to them specifically by adding the rest.

The three children grabbed each other's hand, forming a circle of some sort. They nodded at each other, knowing what must be done. "This is it, then," Lyanna uneasily spoke up, glancing between her brothers, "We're going to war together."

Olyvar nodded in confirmation, "For our Houses, for our family, and for the Seven Kingdoms," He repeated the statement Lyanna had said several moments before, causing Eddard to nod and smile.

_____

The following morning at Dragonstone, Daenerys stood in her war room, speaking with Tyrion. She held a scroll in her hand, one that had been sent by a raven from King's Landing. "Do you know this stubborn girl Lyanna Stark?" She questioned Tyrion, sounding deeply annoyed at the mention of the girl she grew to despise just by a single message sent from her.

Despite being confused by the sudden mention of the girl, Tyrion nodded his head, "My great niece and Annalys' daughter. Haven't had the pleasure of meeting her myself, though." He responded, the last part of his statement meant to be sarcastic, but clearly, Daenerys didn't get that.

"No pleasure, I assure you," Daenerys suddenly replied, causing Tyrion to frown in concern, "I asked her to bend the knee due to her being Queen of the Seven Kingdoms now that her mother is presumed dead," She paused, holding up the scroll in her hand, "This is what she responded with. A girl of ten, might I remind you."

Daenerys wasted no time handing Tyrion the scroll. He unrolled it, reading over the message that was written in a child's handwriting, Lyanna's, more specifically.

To the woman who cheats on the battlefield with dragons since she'd be nothing without them,

The Seven Kingdoms know no Queen but the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms whose name is Annalys Lannister.

I'd advise you return to wherever you came from before you decided to invade our shores, unless you'd like to meet me in person on the battlefield.

And I promise you, despite my small stature and my young age, my wrath is far worse than my mother's, which I know you've already faced and one of your dragons was mortally wounded because of it.

Pick the right choice before you lose your life and everything you love.

Sincerely, Princess Lyanna of Houses Lannister and Stark, First of Her name, Heir to Casterly Rock and Future Queen of Westeros.

Despite how threatening and cold the girl seemed, Tyrion found himself smiling slightly, despite trying his hardest not to.

Daenerys frowned, immediately noticing his actions. "And the amuses you?" She questioned in a cold and threatening told.

"My apologies, Your Grace," Tyrion immediately apologized, forcing himself to stop smiling, "It's just blatantly clear that she is, indeed, her mother's daughter."

"Yes, and just like her mother, she is a threat," Daenerys replied with an attitude, much to Tyrion's confusion, "What shall we do about it?"

Hearing Daenerys' question, Tyrion immediately frowned in concern, "Nothing," He replied without hesitation, giving his queen a look of disbelief, "As you said, she's ten years old. A mere child."

"Even if she isn't sitting on the Iron Throne, she's still Lady of Casterly Rock after her mother's disappearance. She can gather what remains of the Lannister army and rally them against us. Not to mention, her twin brother would presumably be acting Lord of Winterfell during his father's imprisonment here at Dragonstone." Daenerys continued to explain why they were a threat while Tyrion continued to argue against it due to them being just children.

"They're ten years old, Your Grace," Tyrion complained, giving the woman a pleading look, "They aren't a threat."

"This message says something else entirely," Daenerys complained, pointing to the scroll which consisted of Annalys' eldest daughter threatening Daenerys' life.

_____

In the Red Keep, Lyanna was pacing the Throne Room, wearing armor made just for her size. On one sleeve of her armor, there was a direwolf sigil while the other had a lion sigil.

Suddenly, before Lyanna could react, Torrhen ran in, tears threatening to spill from his green eyes. "Please, Lyanna," He begged in a pleading tone, "Let me go with you."

"It won't be safe for you, little brother," Lyanna argued, letting out a sigh in defeat as she turned to face him.

He was five years old and had been hidden away from how horrific war really was. Their mother spoke of it so highly, but that didn't mean it was actually like that. The younger children didn't understand that.

"I'm coming with you," Torrhen demanded, a stern look on his face.

"You can't," Lyanna told him, shaking her head in, "You must stay here, with Joanna, Rickard, and Lady Jeyne. Mother's Queenguard will protect you, I promise. Ser Edmyn is the only one who will be coming with me. The rest will be here to protect you, no matter what happens."

"Then who will protect you?" Torrhen questioned, practically ignoring the fact that she told him that Ser Edmyn was coming with them.

"I'm waging war, Torrhen. No one can protect me." Lyanna reminded him, letting out a small sigh in defeat.

Hearing his sister's response, Torrhen's eyes lit up, "I can!" He exclaimed, a determined look on his face, "I'm your brother. I have to protect you."

"Right now, I have to protect you, and Joanna and Rickard, and Mother and Father and everyone else in the seven kingdoms," She responded, a sad look growing on her face at the reminder of the fact that she was forced to have such a big responsibility at such a young age, "And if something happens to Eddard and I during our journey, you will be heir to Winterfell and Casterly Rock. Not to mention, the Iron Throne."

Hearing her words, Torrhen immediately became concerned for his siblings. "I don't want you to leave. Please don't leave," He pleaded, shaking his head frantically as he began to cry.

Lyanna moved closer to her younger brother, immediately hugging him tightly as she tried to comfort him as best as she could. "Shh. It's alright," She told him in a soothing tone, "You'll be alright. We'll all be alright, I promise."

All of a sudden, the duo's conversation was cut short when they heard people shouting just outside the Great Hall.

"Your Grace!"

"My Queen!"

"Long Live the Queen!"

"The Queen has returned!"

"Long live Queen Annalys!"

Just then, the doors to the Great Hall burst open and suddenly, Annalys entered alongside Jaime, blood covering the raggedy dress clothes she wore that was clearly not hers, with her sword in hand.

Lyanna's eyes widened, tears immediately beginning to fill them at the sight of her mother. "Mother!" She exclaimed, absolutely relieved to see Annalys alive and well.

"My daughter. My son," Annalys greeted her son and daughter, wasting no time rushing over to them.

She immediately hugged them tightly, tears filling her eyes as she became filled with relief that she had returned to the capital to see them unharmed. Within seconds, Eddard, Olyvar, Joanna, and Rickard entered as well, stunned speechless at the sight of their mother.

"Mother?" They called out in unison, shocked by the sight of Annalys.

Annalys turned to her other children, smiling happily. Each and every one of them wasted no time running in their mother's arms, an entire group hug forming among them while Jaime watched on, a smile on her face.

It had been a fortnight since the Battle on the Goldroad and the entire time as they fought to return to King's Landing, all Annalys had spoken about was her children and her need to return to them. Her children inspired a fierceness in her that caused her to fight with everything she had to return to the capital as quick as possible.

Annalys found herself frowning suddenly, noticing that Lyanna, Olyvar, and Eddard were wearing armor. "What is this?" She questioned, running her fingers over the heavy armor her eldest daughter wore, "Why are you three wearing armor?"

Lyanna, Eddard, and Olyvar exchanged an uneasy look with each other, not knowing how to tell their mother the truth.

Olyvar was the first to look down at the ground, clearly feeling uneasily, "We were going to go to war for you." He admitted under his breath, causing Annalys to almost not be able to understand him.

Hearing the boy's words, Annalys immediately frowned. "What?"

"Lyanna got angry and Grey Wind killed Lord Mallister!" Rickard suddenly exclaimed, causing Annalys' eyes to widen in disbelief, "Bit him right in the throat. There was blood everywhere!"

"He what?!" Annalys exclaimed, turning to look at Grey Wind, who whined as he found himself laying on the ground. Even he was afraid of Annalys' reaction.

Lyanna chuckled nervously, giving her mother an uneasy look. "A lot has happened, Mother, and I assume you won't be happy for most of it." She confessed to Annalys, who glanced around in confusion.

"Where's Torra?" She found herself asking in concern, finding the girl to be nowhere in sight.

"Gone," Joanna replied quietly.

"What do you mean, gone?" Annalys questioned, frowning in concern

"She's been gone since you left for war," Torrhen informed Annays, causing her to tense up, clearly concerned for her adopted daughter.

"She said she was going North for some reason," Olyvar told Annalys, which was something the rest of the children didn't know.

Only Olyvar did since he was the only one who had seen Torra right before she left. Torra refused to leave without saying goodbye to her favorite sibling.

Annalys found herself deeply concerned for her daughter, "Seven hells," She cursed under her breath, "That girl is going to be the death of me."

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

How do you think Robb and Annalys will react to the letter Lyanna sent to Daenerys? cuz clearly, it's a BIG deal. Lyanna openly threatened to kill Daenerys, who technically wants her dead now because of it, despite being just a child.

Lyanna is a total badass, if you haven't noticed tho, lmao.

The first scene in this chapter was supposed to a parallel to the one of Robb in Season One of Game of Throne with Greatjon Umber.

Do you think what sent Daenerys was smart, though? She was clearly intending to do the same thing that Annalys does. Get her enemy so angry and pissed off that they don't think clearly when going up against them, which leads to an almost definite victory for Annalys/Lyanna.