Chapter 8: Entry Seven
Date: 298 After Landing, Autumn
Peg,
It has been the better part of a year since I last saw your face. God, has it been 8 months already?
I had hoped to write sooner, but things are moving fast and I had little time to write. So much has happened that I can scarcely decide where to start, but I will endeavor to explain.
After the melee in the streets, Jaime Lannister and his men were arrested and carried off to the dungeons while Lord Stark went to meet with the King. I was asked to go and stand guard over his children until his return. Sadly, he never did. I only learned of this a few days later, but apparently Robert died while Lord Stark was in route. Evidence was found in Eddards quarters, giving the impression that the former Hand had his best friend poisoned and killed. Cersei had Lord Stark arrested and thrown into the dungeons, while also releasing her Brother and guards as acting Regent.
I refused to believe it, and so set out to do what I thought was right. While Stark's men were being killed (not even attempting to arrest them and make them stand trial), I did what I was asked to do and protected the children. Syrio, who was teaching Arya at the time, was ambushed by Lannister men as well Ser Trant of the Kingsguard. I arrived just before Syrio could be overwhelmed, saving him and dispatching his attackers. I then guided them to Sansa, who to my surprise was being watched over by the Hound. While I had no doubt about being able to handle him, I really didn't want to and asked him to step aside. He took one long look at me, then back at Sansa, and told her, "Remember to sing," before walking away.
I tried to save others, but most had been cut down before I had known what was going on. By the end of the day it was just Syrio, Arya, Sansa and myself. Plus the two direwolves. But I was determined to make sure the children didn't grow up without a father. Once I was sure the girls would be safe for a few hours, I slipped away under the cover of darkness and infiltrated the Red Keep. It took me a half hour to reach the "Traitor's Walk," a squat half-round tower near the back of the Castle, and another half-hour to slip inside without being noticed. The dungeons below the tower are rumored to have 4 floors. I searched the upper floor, normally reserved for common criminals, and then the second floor which is where you would normally find highborn captives. But I found Lord Stark on the third, where there are small cells and the only light comes from torches. He was surprised to see me there, and at first he refused to leave his cell out of misplaced honor or fear for his children, but I eventually convinced him that his family was safe and he would be of more use to them back home in Winterfell.
Although regretful, I had to knock out a dozen guards on the way back to the surface. While I could move quietly and quickly, Stark could not. After another two hours I had him reunited with his children at a farm outside the city. There, around a small table, as the Warden of the North, Lord Stark named me a Lord of the North and offered me a place in his lands. Considering the situation, I found myself unable to refuse him. Syrio was offered a chance to leave and go his own way with no hurt feelings, but instead he found the whole situation to be humorous and wanted to stay.
We spent a few hours trying to decide what to do now. It was fairly obvious I could easily have infiltrated the castle, but what would I do there? Robert's wife and son were in charge now, and ravens would have spread word to the whole realm of Eddard's supposed crimes. As horrible as the situation was, I wouldn't kill a woman who was simply doing what anyone else would in her situation and going after the man who killed her husband. Just because she was wrong about who committed the crime, that didn't mean she needed to die.
So, the only real option was for Eddard to return to Winterfell and claim his innocence. We surmised that guards would be sent out to find us as soon as they realized Stark was gone, so we needed to make speed as quickly as possible. With my winnings from the Tournament, we bought some horses from the farmer and traveled off-road to the town of Duskendale. From there we booked passage to the North. We arrived in White Harbor, run by House Manderly who were kind enough to give us a few days of rest in their castle before we hit the road once more. It took a little over two weeks, but eventually we arrived in Winterfell. Sadly it was only too late that we realized Ice, the Stark family sword, was left behind in the Red Keep.
When we arrived all of us, Stark most of all, was surprised to find nearly all of his bannermen had been called up and gathered at the North's capital. After the introductions and greetings were shared, Syrio, myself and Stark family sat down to discuss what was going on. It wasn't surprising to find that Cersei had spread word of the crimes, but what was were the additional crimes she had tacked on as she told the world that Eddard and the children was still in her custody. Catelyn Stark, wife to Eddard and mother to the children, was overjoyed to find everyone safe and back home. She explained what had set everything in motion, with her arrest of Tyrion Lannister for attempted murder of her son, Bran, and how he was found innocent with a trial by combat at her sister's home and allowed to go free. I admit that I can't see the little man doing what she said, but I kept that to myself.
In response to that arrest, Lannister men had begun tearing though the Riverlands, a region allied to the Starks. After meeting him, I can't say I was surprised to find the Mountain was leading the charge by razing (and raping) his way across the countryside. Meanwhile the rest of the Realm has erupted in fire as Roberts brother, Renley Baratheon, has raised an army in the Stormlands and formed an alliance with the Reach, then declared himself King of the Seven Kingdoms with a massive army at his back.
Meanwhile there is word of fleets gathering around the Iron Islands as well as Dragonstone, but no one knows why.
With the Lannisters causing trouble in the Riverlands, enough to make the Tulleys who run it to seek help, Stark honor forces Eddard to answer the call. Everyone is afraid to say what it really happening, but it is clear that a rebellion has begun.
As unhappy as people were under the mad king, everything has been worse under the "fat king." Robert may have been a great warrior, but he made a terrible King. And Eddard has started to realize that. He may be loath to admit it, but the North needs to separate itself from the rest of the realm and stand on its own feet. Neither the North nor the rest of the Realm has a need for one another, and has only been united under the threat of Dragons. With no such threat remaining, I can already see the fractured lines and old rivalry's returning. The people of Westeros need something to fight FOR, not against. Something that can unite people of different faiths, cultures and regions. Sadly, I don't see anything like that here in the North, nor in the Capital. From everything I read, the only thing that brings these people together is fear. What they need, is freedom.
In any case, Eddard said he wanted two things of me. First, mostly because of all the time we spent together on the way back to Winterfell, I am one of his advisors. He wants me to help come up with ways to govern the nations. Basically the medieval version of Secretary of War. Second, he wants me to lead an army south to fight the Lannisters. Reluctantly, I agreed. The lies the Queen spread claimed I was in collusion with Eddard to take the crown, so I won't be welcomed anywhere outside Northern territory and leaving me little choice but to fight.
As I write this I have to say I feel equally silly and proud. I'm at the front of a warhost, 3000 men strong, wearing a suit of armor enameled in Red, White and Blue. A Standard is held by a bearer beside me, a White Star on a Blue circle atop a field of Red. I am Steven of House Rogers, my words are "Duty, Honor, Liberty."
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