Young Tywin took his place at the table in the tower of the Hand. He watched as Garnet moved from the window and toward the table. She took her dear across from him. Tywin's young eyes watched her pouring water for the both of them.

"Now I have something for you before we begin."

She said pushing forth the small box. Tywin gazed at it in question.

"You are by far the longest standing cupbearer that I've had, and that deserves something."

She told him nodding toward the box.

"A reward?"

He asked unfazed by the sudden gift. Garnet's lips twitched a bit but she dis not smile. She sat silently watching as Tywin took the box and opened it slowly. He looked at the gift, rather startling of the type it was.

Pulling it out he raised it up so to see it better.

"Who made this?"

He asked wondering about the craftsmanship. It was a golden lion with ruby eyes. Such a gift for a cupbearer was unheard of by anyone. Garnet was currently chewing on a piece of deer meat that was aquired earlier that day from hunting.

She pointed her finger toward the small trinket.

"It was made long ago. It's creator is long since dead."

Tywin ran his fingers across the lion. The lion, he then noticed, that it wore a golden crown. He was obviously curious about the thing but instead he laid it down upon the table.

"Thank you for the marvelous gift my lady."

Garnet nodded taking her fork and stabbing a grape with it before popping it into her mouth. Tywin watched as this very odd woman sat there eating with such a beast like way but somehow still managed to keep manners about her.

-----

The days turned into weeks and weeks into months. Tywin had been deployed in Garnet's services for a little over a year now being 10 name days old now he started to notice small things with his Lady.

First and foremost he noticed that Garnet had started to plie on more work for him. But this work wasn't really something of a cupbearer would take. And the moment that he attempted to question her about it she would return to his question with a following question and even sometimes --

"You're to be Lord of Casterly Rock one day, distracting your family name is the last thing you should want, which is why you learn what you learn. Anyone else and I wouldn't even bat an eye toward."

Was the most simplest and unexpected reply that he had ever revived from her. But it pushed him to continue to strive to  become a ruler of his house that he himself could be proud to become.

"She's teaching you to rule, how absurd."

Areys laughed looking to Tywin.

"Allowing a woman to teach you how to act, speak, and think is absurd and you Tywin shouldn't listen to a word she says."

The Prince scoffed as he walked beside the young lord. Tywin narrowed his eyes unseen to Areys and tried to ignore his words.

"She councils your father, our king."

"My father is weak!"

Areys shouted causing Tywin to glance toward the Prince. Areys scoffed and smoothed out his sleeves.

"When I am king I'm going to send her away. Far away. No man should ever listen to a woman."

He stated. Though Tywin had no room to argue, he couldn't help but feel as if Areys had a grudge against the woman. A problem that Tywin wanted nothing to do with at all.

And so the subject was dropped, never to be spoke of again.

-----

Garnet sitting in her chair in the middle of Casterly Rock holding the golden lion in her hands looked up at Tywin. He stood there with a stoic look upon his face.

"Lord Tywin, I would prefer to not think about when you are gone, but as for your son Jaime I will not become his ward. I cannot."

She said shaking her head. Her actions caused Tywin to frown deeply. A frown that she had seen only a handful of times since knowing the man.