Archive of Our Own ^beta

The first two cubs, the twins; came out to the world roaring. With two sets of strong lungs, they demanded attentions since the day they were born. Long limbs and height were inherited from their parents; they were also stubborn, hot-headed and strongly opinionated. Highly awaited by people of Westeros and Tarth, Lord Galladon Lannister and Lady Joanna Lannister were stars in their own show.                               

After several years, the third cub was born unexpectedly. Lady Alysanne Lannister came to the world much too early with a weak mewl, weighing much less than her siblings. The Maester declared her a lost cause, she would only able to last for two moons the most.

Her parents absolutely refused to give up on her. One look from her doe eyes and they were tightly wrapped around her tiny fingers. The first two moons was a nightmare full of fears and tears. Lord Jaime Lannister was often seen at Sept, praying and begging to old gods and new for his youngest cub’s fragile life.

Just after two moons, the tiny cub still fights for her life. She latched to her mother’s breast easier; she gained more meat to her arms and thighs, her cheek turned into rosy color and the first time she showed toothless smile at her mother, Lady Brienne Lannister was weakened at the knee.

At the age of tender four, even outsider can see that she was different from the rest of the family.

The odd child of the pack, she was called.

She cried easily when she was sad and she smiled widely when she was happy. Putting flowers on her hair would without a doubt made her giddy. She loved to explore the ground wearing colorful skirt with the lightest material; she exclaimed that the skirt made her feel like she’s flying. She despised sword lesson, archery lesson or any type of fighting lesson. She only enjoyed riding horse if she was safely seated between her mother or her father’s steady legs.

She took pleasures in the colorful side of the world, either in the form of music, poetry or painting. When Jaime invited singers or painters to the castle, knowing how her youngest was fascinated by everything beautiful; she would jump around the castle in giddiness for days to come. She’d often seen with her tiny nose buried under books, or with her tiny hands busy embroidering golden lions, sun and moon on everything she’s allowed to modify, or with her feet barefooted and dirt on the edge of her skirt exploring the castle and its surrounding.

But the most passing time that she enjoys was daydreaming. She created her own imaginary world that she shared with no one; not even her most trusted lord father and lady mother.

Unlike Brienne and the rest of the Lannister, her height didn’t grow rapidly; even on her adult days, she only reached her mother’s chin and her father’s nose. Unlike Brienne’s straw colored hair or Jaime and her sibling’s golden hair; her hair, light blonde at birth, turned into strawberry blonde almost red growing up. And unlike Jaime’s emerald eyes or Brienne’s sapphire eyes, her eyes were light green with specks of golden brown.

She and her siblings shared Jaime’s high nose and beautiful mouth that cuts like a knife when they were smiling. Her skin was pale and easily burned by the sun, unlike her golden twin siblings with skin that tanned nicely when touched by the sun. She shared the same array blotched freckles with Brienne, once again differentiating her and her siblings who has golden freckles perfectly placed on their nose and cheeks.

Tywin Lannister

She softens the hard edge of Lord Tywin Lannister.

Her soft-spoken nature and silent determination reminds him a lot of his late lady wife, Lady Joanna Lannister. Only Alysanne was allowed to enter Tywin’s office unannounced without consequence. A bowl of peaches, Alysanne’s favorite fruit; were always ready to be served all year long, no matter what season; at Tywin’s office. Tywin’s smiles and laughs, once belongs to Lady Joanna alone, were now shared with her.

A lesser Lannister tried to question her Lannister blood once, what’s with her different physical tributes and lack of Lannister wits. The tales reached Tywin’s ear, and the poor man got a taste of Tywin’s outrage, providing example for people who dare to remotely badmouth Alysanne.

Selwyn of Tarth

She helped mended the Evenstar’s broken heart.

On her second name day, the first time they visit the Isle of Tarth; the Evenstar burst into tears seeing the resemblance of Alysanne and the late Lady of Tarth, the same hair and the same eyes.

After Brienne left Tarth there were barely merry occasion on the castle. Now every time Jaime, Brienne and their children visits Tarth; Alysanne’s delighted laugh and melodic humming can be easily heard from the hallway and her swishing skirt could be easily spotted on every corner of the castle.

Unlike Brienne as a child, Alysanne didn’t try to conceal her feelings; her emotions were easily seen on her face. She easily made Selwyn laugh his signature booming laugh by speaking her mind, no matter if she’s being asked or not.

Pod

Pod found a mutual kindred spirit in her.

Sometimes she followed Pod around with her story of the day while Pod quietly doing his chores; and sometimes they sit together in silence just looking at the sky while laying their head on grassy part of Casterly Rock.

“You and I Pod, we are kindred spirit after all.” She used to say that to Pod all the time.

Tyrion Lannister

She admired her uncle Tyrion greatly.

The fact that Tyrion has collection of books in his old room at Casterly Rock drew her in. Every time Tyrion visits from King’s Landing, he brought books as a present for her. She will tail Tyrion all day long, eating up all of his stories as King’s hands and his journey all around the world.

She gave Tyrion the highest respect that he deserved. With sparkly eyes, she would listen to Tyrion’s tales, declaring him as the smartest man she knew.

Joanna and Galladon Lannister

She brought serenity and vulnerability for the twins.

Joanna and Galladon Lannister grew up understanding that someday they will inherit both Tarth and Casterly Rock. Although, unlike their parents; they accepted the duty inherited to them and they are busy studying and practicing; determined to defeat the other twin in everything. Their competitiveness toward each other often results in brawl, who’s the better swordsman or who can run the fastest among many others.

But both of them adore Alysanne dearly.

With the same bold, strong-willed personality; the twins hated to lose. When they fell and grazed their knees while practicing swordfight, they grit their teeth and immediately wiped away their tears in case the other twin seen the tears; Alysanne will see the scratch and cry for them instead.

When they ride horses around Tarth, they would compete of who’s able to ride the fastest. But then Alysanne will ask them to slow down because she hates speed; resulting in no broken bones when they came back to the castle later in the evening.

Brienne

Brienne sees herself as a child in Alysanne.

As a child she was a dreamer. Before her mother died, before she was handled by Septa Roelle, before she was betrothed to three men in her childhood. Alysanne brought her back to the time that she already forgot. Brienne promised herself that as long as she lived she wouldn’t let anyone changed Alysanne.

Alysanne’s love for her was unconditional.

Some nights when Alysanne already fell asleep, Brienne would tuck her in and sit beside her bed. She focused on her fluttering eyes and the rise of her chest, making sure that she’s breathing. She always choked up thinking of living in a world without her youngest daughter.

Her baby, whom she almost lost to the Stranger; was here breathing and very much alive.

Every morning Alysanne has to give her mother a hug little bit longer than usual, in her languid state of waking up. Didn’t matter if her mother was dirty and fresh from her morning practice nor soft and sleepy from sleeping in, she has to hug her mother in the morning.

She always nuzzled her face to her mother’s neck, where the scar from the bear resides, her left arms circling around her neck, while her right hand softly caressing the scar on her mother’s cheek.

When she’s sick and her body didn’t feel good she only wants her mother. She will ask to be held and she can only sleep on her chest, listening to her steady heartbeat and soft humming.

She’s proud of her array of freckles because that is the only thing she had exclusively with her mother, she often connects the freckles on her arms to her mother’s arms and decided that it will be their connection even after her mother died.

Jaime

She gave Jaime reassurance.

She listen to all Jaime’s outrageous made tales. She shared the same sense of humor with Jaime; minus the sarcasm and vile that resides in Jaime’s tongue. She’s opened with her affection, never hide it. She puts her heart on her sleeve.

She despised her father’s golden hand; it’s heavy and ugly in her eyes. She loved to give feathery kisses to her father’s stump, decorated it with flower crowns she picks from the garden.

When she’s upset about something she wants no one but her father to hold her, while sitting at the rocking chair in her father’s chamber. The lull of the rocking chair and her father’s warm body behind her never failed to calmed her down.

When her mother was being strict, he’s her comrade, they will share the same grin behind her mother’s back; most of the times her mother would pretend not to notice the exchange behind her back.

He’s the sun in her eyes, just like she’s the sun in his eyes.

Besides Jaime, Alysanne is the only one who enjoys the slow life. When they visit Lady Sansa at Winterfell, his wife and the twins woke up before the break of dawn to practice. Jaime, who since the beginning hates the cold refused to get out from the bed, until she heard Alysanne crying from the next door chamber. He woke up, pick up the toddler from the crib and immediately goes back beneath the furs.

‘My poor baby,’  he thought, looking at Alysanne’s red nose, cheeks and ears. He covered her ears with furs and slowly brushed her cheek in attempt to warming her up while she slowly blinking away the sleep from her eyes.

After a while, they just stay there under the furs, content with the warm, looking at each other’s eyes. Alysanne’s teeny hand going around Jaime’s face, from his eyebrow to his eyes, broken nose, lips and finally settled at Jaime’s grown beard. Jaime didn’t know that he can fell this deeply in love to another human being.

Jaime knew it was not right to have favorites, but if he had to pick, he will have to pick his quiet child.

When she’s a toddler, barely after her first name days, he often teached her how to walk. Unlike his firstborn who fell and immediately goes back trying, Alysanne would fell on her bum and cried. Jaime always has a mixed emotion when she fell and cried. He found it hilarious and adorable yet he wants her to be determined in life. When she was able to take her first toddling step towards Jaime, he’s the one who cried a river while catching her.

In fact, Jaime always has a mixed emotion in everything that Alysanne does. She was naturally gentle and he just wanted to shield her from the world, yet he wanted her to be able to protect herself after he’s gone.

He reassured himself every day that even if she was not able to protect herself, and he would not able to be with her until the end of her days, she could easily captivated other’s heart.

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After all, Lady Alysanne Lannister may not be the greatest warrior and knight like the rest of her family, but the once sick lion cub runs the strongest household in Westeros.