*Philip I : Warden of the West* 

 
 
 
"Rise now as Warden of the West and Lord of Casterly Rock, Philip Lannister!" The crowd erupted in 
cheers but the young boy just nodded and cocked his head, not even a shadow of a smile on his 
teenage face.  
Lady Priscila Lannister, his mother, looked upon him with pride and tears of joy were in her face but 
all that Philip remembered he thought during those moments was _father is dead, his corpse not 
even cold and here she is, praising me._ 
 
As he walked on the corridors of Casterly Rock, another memory of the past pierced Philip’s mind. 
This time it wasn’t a proud moment. It was kinslaying. 
 
Philip saw his uncle with the nose broken and bleeding from a wound on his chest. Kneeling in front 
of his nephew and all the Lords that gathered to see how treason it’s punished. The young Lord’s 
words were swift and brutal. 
“Darglin Lannister, you plotted to kill me and my lady mother. You plotted to steal my title and my 
lands that rightfully belong to me as heir to your brother and my father, Damien Lannister. Your 
treason mocked the King, the Gods and the family. _your family_. In the name of Naerys Targaryen, 
First of His Name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms 
and Protector of the Realm, I, Philip Lannister, rightful Lord of Casterly Rock and Warden of the 
West, sentence you to death.” 
Brightroar glared when the Lord unsheathed it. He wasn’t a warrior but he was a Lord and a Warden. 
_Great swords for great lords._ What he did that day, the gesture of executing a traitor with his own 
hands, something that has never been done in the Westernlands before in thousands of years, spread 
fear and respect in the hearts of every Western Lord.  
 
The golden lion on his tunic bathed in sunlight as the Warden of the West stepped in the balcony and 
one of the servants poured Arbor Gold in a silver cup. He enjoyed this time alone, letting his mind 
wander free, his thoughts unchained. A man that just turned forty, Philip Lannister was blonde, 
handsome with elegant, thin features. In his moves and words everyone could easily see the nobility 
and his highborn blood. He sipped from the wine and then overlooked the city of Lannisport and 
another flashback came to his mind. 
 
Lord Damien was dead. Carried on strong arms by sailors on the streets of Lannisport. Screams 
filled the Rock that day. Philip was mute, unable to say a word but in a weird way, not being able to 
cry either. He watched as his mom fell in despair and hugged the corpse of what was her Lord and 
husband. He watched how the knights, the servants, the court, they all bowed their heads and shed 
tears for the Warden of the West. Not that those tears would have been able to bring back Lord 
Damien. He also remembered his uncle’s barely contained smile. He’d never forget that smile.  
 
_Lannisport, there started a new age for Westernlands._ The Warden of the West finished the wine 
and without a word walked down the halls once more.  
“My lord, Lady Alessia wants to see you. She is with Edwyn and Olenna in her rooms.”  
Ser Tygett Lefford, the captain of his guard that came with him from King’s Landing, let the Lord 
know. Tygett was a man of thirty, brave and loyal, taken by Philip into its service after Lord Leon 
Lefford helped the Lannisters in putting down House Reyne’s rebellion around fifteen years ago.  
“Lead the way, Ser.” He nodded. 
 
The Lady of the Rock’s chambers were separated from the Lord’s ones by a thin wall. That happened 
at Alessia Lannister’ behest after Philip accepted to be Hand of the King. Rich decorations, girlands 
of gold and silver, Myrish carpets on the floor.  
 
Lady Alessia was a Mallister at birth. She married with Philip when he was barely nineteen and soon 
she gave birth to Edwyn. But as the years passed, their love got colder. Other kids were born out of 
their marriage, Olenna, Martyn and then the sweet Priscila, named so after the Lord’s mother, but 
their love wasn’t even nearly as warm as it was at the beginning.  
 
She stood up and bowed her head when the Warden walked slowly into the rooms. Alessia wore a red 
dress, ornated with golden stripes. She was comely with thin brown hair and looking much younger 
than her age of thirty and eight.  
“My lord, so you’ve came.” 
“So I did, Alessia.” Philip’s tone was feelingless and he retired his hand when she wanted to kiss it.  
 
Philip sat on a sofa and invited Alessia to sit next to him. Then, the door opened and a young, blonde 
and very attractive girl sprung into the room and without warning, hugged her father by the neck. 
The Lord was surprised by the gesture and his only reaction was gently caressing his daughter’s back 
in the hug.  
 
In the one year while he was in King’s Landing, Olenna Lannister, his elder daughter grew even more 
beautiful. She had his piercing green eyes and her mother thin, elegant lips.  
“Father, you’re home! I will have the servants whipped for not telling me earlier.” Olenna said in a 
half-amused, half-serious voice. 
“I heard you were in Lannisport to buy new dresses.” Philip made a sharp remark, knowing very well 
his daughter’s weakness for expensive things.  
 
“Martyn was supposed to come with me but Ser Roger stopped him for archery lessons. Edwyn is 
also gone in town, you’ll punish him, right father?” Her eyes seemed humble and begging but Philip 
knew that she despised Edwyn Lannister, his eldest son, the most. For Philip, the rivalry between 
siblings was a foreign thing. He had no brother or sister, not even bastard ones. Lord Damien 
Lannister stayed true to his wife, Priscila Rowan even after Philip was born and the Maesters told 
Priscila that she can’t have any other kids. 
 
“I wish to speak with both of them when they return, Olenna. Now, go try your dresses. I have 
something to discuss with your lady mother.” His voice was calm but also demanding. With the 
utmost respect he imposed to everyone around him, Philip Lannister made his daughter lower her 
eyes and get out of the room in a fast pace.  
 
His green eyes turned towards Lady Alessia who shifted uncomfortably in her place. Philip knew that 
she despised the alone moments with her husband.  
“I’ll get straight to the point, Alessia. What’s wrong with the kids? Why are they so hell bent against 
each other?” This time, the Lord’s tone sounded commanding. 
“They’re brothers… they have this rivalry it’s all normal… me and my brothers…” Lady Lannister made 
a small try to excuse herself and the children when Philip waved his hand. 
“I don’t care what you and your brothers did at Seagard even if it was incest. My children should be 
united. I don’t want frictions inside my home, understood? Can’t live easily in the capital knowing 
that my blood fights against each other. You have a duty as Lady of the Rock. Do it.” The Warden of 
the West accentuated every word and then stood up, grim expression on his clean-shaven face. 
“We’ll see each other for dinner, my lady. Prove me right.”  
 
_You need the Mallisters, Phil, if you want to have a base against the ironborn._ As he left the room, 
the words of Markus Tarbeck rang into his ears. That’s how his marriage with the Lord Mallister’s 
daughter got secured. Philip remember he nodded and turned back to his letter. He was sending 
letters to all the lords for a gathering. At that gathering, the young Warden named Tarbeck as his 
right Hand and Lefford as his Lord Treasurer. 
Tarbeck was old and soon he passed away, but his eldest son, Fedor Tarbeck, took his stead. All of it 
to Angus Reyne’s fully dissapproval. The marriage strenghtened the relations with Riverlands, made 
a clutch around Kraken’s Bay and gave Philip the influence he needed. 
Fedor Tarbeck proved to be the most capable in ruling troops on field and he showed his worth when 
Reyne dared to go in open rebellion.  
 
Philip Lannister went into the yard to clear his mind. A soldier with the golden lion on his 
chest,came running bearing a letter.  
“From King’s Landing, my lord.” The Warden took the thin piece of paper and checked the sigil. 
Three-headed red dragon. With a hint of a smile, Philip opened it and read it for himself. 
 
 
Phil, 
 
I love to hear you're having a great time in your birthland. But I must say, I await you in King's 
Landing, old friend, I long for our colorful talks.  
 
Food and excitement is all the people need; reach and riverlands provides the the first, and I am 
happy to hear you'd provide the latter.  
 
We shall discuss furthermore when you're back in the capital. 
 
Matarys 
 
With the same smile on his face, the Lion of the Rock pocketed the letter in his tunic and kept 
walking through the yard. Everything was neatly organised, clean, proper. For the first time in one 
year, the Lord came home and everyone wanted to please him. _Everyone aside from my own family, 
too busy bickering among themselves._  
The sound of the hooves made him turn his head towards the main gate of one of the many interior 
yards. A young man, around twenty dismounted of a brown steed and only afterwards saw the Lord 
watching him from afar. 
 
With a forced smile, the young person approached Philip and knelt. 
“My lord father, happy to see you back.” 
“Raise, my son.” Philip picked Edwyn Lannister by his shoulders and studied his face for a few 
seconds. He was resembling his mother much more than he looked like his father. With brown eyes 
and a darker shade of blonde hair, Edwyn was easily mistaken for a Riverlander  
“Two days you went missing, Edwyn. Two days I waited for you to show up. Where have you been?” 
The Lord’s question was innocent but a deeper, hidden meaning lied beneath the seemingly 
benevolent tone. 
“I was just riding around, father. You know I use to do that a lot.” His son answer came on the same 
tone, but he lacked Philip’s dexterity with words. With a sudden gesture, the Warden of the West 
grabbed Edwyn’s collar and pinned him to the nearest wall. 
“Listen to me, you prick. You’re the future of this House, of this region, maybe one day to the whole 
Realm. I know exactly where have you been. Lannisport is mine and all it’s ears too. That peasant 
girl, Miriam… One day you won’t find her there anymore.” The sharp whisper cut like a red blade. 
 
Edwyn tried to remove his father’s hand but Philip kept him there for a while with ease. 
“Time has come for you to marry. At this tourney that I’ll organise for the King, I’ll find you a 
highborn wife. I don’t care if you love her. You’ll wed her, bed her and make a Lannister heir and then 
you can father a hundred bastards with your peasant girl, did I made myself clear, Edwyn?” 
This time, the Lord’s son bowed his head and only then the Lion let him free from the grasp.  
 
A half an hour later, Philip was getting dressed for dinner when Ser Tygett Lefford knocked on the 
door. 
“My lord, it’s me, Lefford. My father, Lord Tarbeck, Lord Farmann and Lord… Reyne, gathered in the 
main hall and request audience.” 
The Warden’s eyes flashed for a bit. He coughed and then on a tedious tone, replied. 
“Lead them outside the hall and introduce them one by one after I’ll be there…” He made a pause. 
“And Tygett… make Reyne wait the longest.”  
“