By the time the wedding feast gives way to the evening's quieter hours, there is only one thought that seems to follow you through the halls of the Red Keep; you have married into House Lannister.

The lions of Casterly Rock cultivate fear. Every corridor lined with whispers, every smile edged with calculation, every glance measuring what use you might be to someone else's ambitions. Cersei's gaze alone could strip paint from the walls, Jaime carries himself with the easy confidence of a man the realm has sung about since boyhood, and somewhere in the castle, Lord Tywin is undoubtedly already considering how this marriage might strengthen or unmake his house.

One ceremony alone and you are off into the lion's den.

Tyrion finds you lingering on a balcony overlooking Blackwater Bay. A goblet of wine is balanced carelessly in one hand while the sea breeze toys with the loose strands of his fair hair. He watches you for a long moment before the corner of his mouth curls into that familiar, knowing smile.

"Well," he says, raising his cup ever so slightly. "You're still alive. Better than most people's first day among my family." His humour is effortless, but there is sympathy tucked quietly beneath it.

"You've met my sister." He winces theatrically before taking a sip of wine. "If she smiled at you, be worried. If she did not, also be worried." The jest earns only a quiet chuckle from himself, at the very least he finds himself amusing.

"I should apologise," he admits. "Not for marrying you, that would be rather insulting, but for the company my name keeps." He glances back through the open doors towards the feast, where laughter and politics mingle so freely they have become indistinguishable. "Being a Lannister is rather like being born into a nest of particularly well-dressed vipers. Everyone assumes they're the cleverest person in the room, and they're usually willing to prove it at someone else's expense."

He steps beside you, resting his forearms against the stone balustrade, his shoulder your arm. "Allow me to offer one piece of advice. If anyone tells you they're acting for the good of House Lannister, lock your door, count your silver, and if you have any sense, tell me."