Martyn Lannister
When he'd been captured by the Young Wolf's forces at Oxcross, Martyn had never thought that he'd live to see the next day let alone the next year. He still remembered the carnage, the brutality of the battle, Uncle Stafford had been lax even Martyn knew that, yet his position as a lowly squire had meant that he had not been able to question his uncle's motives. There were times when he deeply regretted that, his silence had cost him the life of his twin, his soul mate, Willem had been killed alongside Uncle Stafford by some large brute of a Northman. He can still see his brother's green eyes staring vacantly into space, such a sight would never leave him, not for as long as he lived.
His imprisonment had been relatively short considering how resounding a victory the Young Wolf had won. He had spent perhaps two weeks no more as a prisoner in Riverrun when he was exchanged for some Northman called Robett Glover, he knew not why he had been freed, only that he was going home. It was only when he was back at the Rock that he learnt that he had come an inch closer to death, Lady Catelyn Stark, had freed cousin Jaime and the Young Wolf's goodfather had come so very close to killing Martyn. He had felt surprisingly numb when he had heard that from his cousin Daven, with Willem dead he was not sure whether or not he would have welcomed death.
Then the Young Wolf and his mother had been killed, and all had celebrated the ending of the war in the Rock, Uncle Damion the castellan of the Rock had thrown a large feast and had invited all those in the West to attend, Martyn had gotten good and drunk at that feast, not because Joffrey's reign was secure- as far as he was concerned Joffrey could go to hell- but because it meant that he would not have to go back into the fighting, he would not have to see more bloodshed, no more screaming and dying. Then Joffrey had died, and he had been brought to Riverrun by cousin Daven, and had been knighted that day, Uncle Tywin had died, and all had gone to chaos.
More than once Martyn heard his cousin and others in the army muttering about how inefficient cousin Cersei was, how uncle Tywin, even cousin Tyrion would have done a much better job at making sure all was in order in the Riverlands, and that this siege was pointless. Martyn spent as much time as he possibly could with his cousin learning about warfare and tactics from a firsthand perspective, he spent as much time as he could away from the Freys, those treacherous weasels that Uncle Tywin had made their allies to end the Young Wolf, cousin Daven did not trust them, and so Martyn did not.
Father had taken Martyn back home to the Rock when he had come back from seeing Lancel established in Darry, Ser Kevan had seemed very angry and annoyed about something, but whatever it was he would not speak of it to Martyn, he had briefly thought that it might have been the fact that Daven had been named Warden of the West and not him. Though after overhearing a conversation between father and mother, Martyn had learnt that his father was deeply annoyed and angry with Cersei over her poor managing of the situation in King's Landing and that she was more than likely going to bring the family name into disrepute with the Faith and with the rest of the Lords in Westeros, driving them into the arms of Stannis Baratheon.
Father had left for King's Landing three days later, but not before giving a letter with the royal sigil on it, and saying to Martyn "If something should happen to me, I want you to wait for the outcome of Cersei's trial before you open it. And when you do decide to open it, I want you to have Damion, Daven and Genna present. Is that understood?"
Martyn had nodded but had been very, very curious as to what was written within the letter that had gotten his father sounding so urgent and insistent. Of course a moon after father had left for King's Landing a raven had come from the capital, written in the hand of Mace Tyrell informing them of father's death. Martyn had been struck dumb by the news, he had never truly expected father to die, how he had died Martyn still did not know, all he knew was that when he had broken the news to his mother she had wept and wept, and now was close to death herself.
Father's body had come back to the Rock and had been interred in the Hall of Heroes along with uncle Tywin and Uncle Tygett, Daven had come back with father's body and had been muttering about how much of a fool Cersei was for allowing the faith to rearm, Martyn still remembered the conversation he'd had with his cousin the day after his father's funeral.
"We must tread carefully now Martyn do you understand me? Since Jaime has decided to go wander off somewhere, our army has drifted away. Cersei is no longer in power in King's Landing, in fact I think not even the Tyrells are in control anymore. We cannot make any accusations as to whom murdered your father, we must wait and bide our time." Daven had said.
Martyn had merely nodded, before saying. "Before he left, father gave me a letter with the royal sigil on it, and said that should anything happen to him, I should ask for you, uncle Damion and Aunt Genna to come to the Rock before I opened it. Do you know what is in the letter coz?"
Daven had looked at Martyn very strangely before replying. "Do you have the letter on you now?"
Martyn had nodded and had handed his cousin the letter, Daven did not open the letter but merely stared at it before whispering almost to himself. "Of course, clever old bastard." Before he turned to look at Martyn, a strange glint in his eyes, "Ask Damion to send a raven to Riverrun Aunt Genna will be needed here most urgently before King's Landing gets whiff of this."
Martyn had nodded, and later that night a raven had flown to Riverrun.
Now a two moons later, Aunt Genna had arrived from Riverrun, thankfully not with her weasel faced Frey husband but with Martyn's cousins Lyonel, Tywin and Willem. In that time, the snows had thickened along the Westerlands, and the rest of Westeros, the lands had gotten much colder, Stannis Baratheon had claimed the support of the north and had retaken Riverrun, and someone by the name of Aegon Targaryen had taken the Stormlands had gained Dorne. King's Landing's response seemed muted at best, cousin Jaime was still missing, and none of the search parties in the Riverlands had been able to find him.
That was all a problem for another day though, now Martyn found himself in the Lord's Solar of Casterly Rock, but not sitting in the Lord's chair, with Maester Creylen, Cousin Daven, Uncle Damion and Aunt Genna sitting next to him in chairs around the solar. All were looking at him expectantly, and so he coughed slightly to clear his throat before saying. "I thank you all for coming here now. Before he left for King's Landing, my father gave me a letter bearing the Royal Sigil, and instructed that should something happen to him, I was to ask for you four to come and bear witness as I opened the letter. That time has come, my father lies interred in the Hall of Heroes, my mother lies in her sick bed, my brother Willem died fighting for Joffrey and Lancel has more than likely died doing some foolishness."
His speech done, Martyn opened the letter and gave it to Maester Creylen to read. He heard Creylen give a deep intake of breath before the man spoke, and his words shocked Martyn to the core. "This letter contains the official word and decree of his Grace King Tommem Baratheon, first of his name. In this letter King Tommem has decided to solve the issue of succession for the Lordship of Casterly Rock. With Ser Jaime sworn to the Kingsguard, his uncle Tyrion exiled and serving an usurper, and his mother currently incarcerated. The succession of Lord Tywin Lannister, passes to his eldest brother Ser Kevan Lannister, with Ser Kevan dead and his sons Lancel and Willem either serving the faith or dead, the Lordship has passed to Martyn Lannister. King Tommem formally acknowledges Martyn Lannister as the rightful Lord of Casterly Rock and Warden of the West."
There was a shocked silence before Daven got down on one knee and said. "In recognition of his grace's wishes, I Ser Daven Lannister do recognise and pledge fealty to you Lord Martyn of Casterly Rock from this day till my last." Martyn was still in a state of shock as the other three people in the room got down on bended knee and made the same pledge as Daven had.
Finally finding his voice to accept these pledges, he spoke in a quiet voice. "What must be done now?"
It was his aunt Genna who spoke. "The rest of the household must know about this, and then ravens must be sent out to the rest of the Western houses so they may come and pledge you fealty. And then you must decide which king you will fight for. Stannis, Tommem or this boy Aegon."
Martyn nodded, and for once in his life wished he had not been born a Lannister, there was so much that needed to be done. Not to mention the wrath that this would incur from the Tyrells and Cersei.