Chapter 85: Chapter 85
Cersei saw the column of flames from her spot on the ground. It was tall and it kept burning. The dragon burned Aegon's body as well. There was nothing but ashes where the body of the prince had been.
Cersei did not think anyone could feel as much pain as she felt in that moment. She lost her two eldest children. She did not have a body to cry for her Jon. He would be ashes, next to the ashes of those who had brought tragedy to her family.
Ned was pale and stood up. "By the Gods." He said.
Cersei traced Robb's brows, his eyes, his nose, his lips. She cried and kept rocking him. Her boys were gone. Her children gone.
"Cersei." Ned breathed and helped her up. "You have to see it."
It did not make sense; what did he want her to see? What could be so important? And there it was. Cersei saw Jon and Daenerys Targaryen naked. They were untouched by the flames. Daenerys clung to him. She opened her eyes and looked around. She made eye contact with the girl. The few men around the courtyard were astonished.
Ned and Tyrion leaped into action. "Cover them, get inside the Castle." Tyrion said. Her brother hurried the whore and his wife. It did not take any long until they were out of sight. Viserion screeched and howled all in the skies. The other two dragons flew around it.
The woman looked up. Cersei realized the dragons were crying. She did not see Jon and Daenerys go inside. Ned gathered the men. He said something quick and they nodded. She faintly heard "of course Lord Stark." He then came back to her and Robb's body.
The woman did not know gow long they stayed by Robb's. "We have to go inside." Ned said. His voice was broken.
"We cannot let him stay here alone." Cersei replied and kept rocking her child. She kissed Robb all over his face.
"He's no longer here my love. Our boy is gone." Ned said gently and helped her up once more. "I will have them clean him."
Cersei went along with Ned. Ned and her cleaned themselves. She cried and Ned held her. "He's gone." She cried pitifully.
Ned cried with her. "And Jon. Jon is her nephew." Cersei finished.
"Yes my love. He is a dragon. I think we both knew for a long time. Ever since she came." Ned finished. A handmaiden came in and helped her into a dress.
Cersei held no concept of time. She remembered pieces here and there. Suddenly, she was in Ned's solar. Jon and Daenerys were dressed and Tyrion was there.
Ned sat by her. "Why did I not burn?" Jon asked, his eyes were red. He looked so young and yet his eyes were so old.
Daenerys sat very calmly, "Fire cannot kill a dragon." The girl intoned. She was perfectly still by Jon's side.
Jon looked at her even more confused. "You are a Targaryen my love." The queen replied and took his head.
Her son looked at them. Cersei nodded as did Ned.
"I cannot be." Jon said exasperated. He shook the queen's hand as he stood up.
"But you are." Ned said carefully. He was pale. Cersei must have looked a fright herself. Her Ned looked so old. They were old and tired she realized.
"Remember when you asked me about the woman who birthed you? All those years ago. I told you about that woman and your cousin." Her husband said softly. Cersei heard the story.
"We all thought that Jaehaerys died in the Riverlands. The woman who birthed you decided to go back to Dorne. The fever must have taken her son. She must have been mad with sadness and thought that you were hers. I went back to Dorne and I thought you were mine as well. I have raised you as mine. Cersei and I named you our firstborn child. Heir to Winterfell and Warden to the North." Ned said with finality. "Howland had doubts but your mother and I could not bring ourselves to believe."
Cersei felt the need to look at her boy and go to him. "You were mine from the moment I nursed you."
"You knew." Jon said with some anger. It was misplaced anger. Cersei understood.
She caressed his face. He let her. "Sweetling, we did not. Your father had doubts when the Targaryens came to the North. You were too close to her and that murderer. Your father grew fearful when he saw you riding that dragon. Only Targaryens ride dragons. We all had doubts but we did not say anything."
Daenerys looked at her hands, "we thought that it was because we were sleeping together."
"That is what the rest of the world will think as well." Tyrion continued. His eyes were red too. "Jon will remain a Stark."
"They saw him burn and be without a mark." Daenerys replied. The girl looked weary as well. "They will all know."
"Those men are my men. They will not speak of it to anyone." Ned said clearly. Cersei knew her husband to be correct. Those men had fought alongside Ned during Robert's Rebellion, The Ironborn wars, the Baratheon Wars and the Wars against the white walkers. They would not speak.
"There were only three men who saw what happened and the maester." Tyrion continued. "They will not speak. You will continue to be a Stark."
Jon nodded, "I am a Stark." He said in a daze. "I am Jon Stark named after Jon Arryn." Her boy seemed to try to convince himself.
Ned nodded as well, "You are my son. I am your father. You are Jon of the Houses Stark and Lannister. Jahaerys Sand died in the Riverlands."
Jon nodded and hugged her and Ned. "Robb is gone." He said brokenly.
Cersei held him tight. "He is but we have Eddard." Cersei replied. Lady Stark wanted to convince herself.
"He will come with me. I will take care of him. He will be like my son." Jon said quickly. The queen blanched. She obviously thought of the babe in her belly.
Cersei saw many different difficulties. "No, dearest. Please do not rob your mother of this. You will have your children. He is the last of my Robb."
The queen seemed relieved. Cersei understood perfectly. Jon nodded, "of course mother. I did not think." He looked apologetic.
"It is fine. He will be fostered here until he is old enough to be Lord of the Vale." Cersei then looked at the queen.
"The Knights of the Vale will run the Eyrie until Eddard is old enough." The queen said gently.
"Where is Robb?" Jon asked.
"In the Sept." Tyrion replied.
"Mother." Jon offered his arm. They walked side by side to the Sept. Ned joined them soon after. The queen was in her quarters probably. Cersei could not have cared less. She was numb from the pain.
Cersei stayed in the Sept for three days. It was time to burn him. Jon and Ned lit the pyre. They placed the ashes in a small wooden box and placed them in the crypt next to Joffrey and Lyarra.
Cersei did not like to come down here but she would have to do so more often. Cersei forbid Ned to have the sculptor work on Robb's image. "Nothing would do him proper justice."
Ned held her every night. She could not bring herself to stop crying. She cried for a week after Robb died. Rickon would hug her and little Eddard did not fully understand that his papa would not come back.
It was three days before Tyrion was to leave. Jon had decided to stay longer and Daenerys could not refuse him it seemed. She walked with Rickon and Eddard when she found her.
The little snake opened her arms and received her son. She had a smile on her face. The smile disappeared when they made brief eye contact. "Lady Stark." The woman curtsied.
Cersei continued walking and a horrible thought formed in her head. The rose needed to be cut down.
She walked with Rickon and smiled at him when he ran around with Lan and Greywind.
Cersei ordered one of the handmaidens to mind Rickon. Lady Stark then visited the kitchen. "Mylah, what are you making today?" She asked the cook. It was not strange to see Lady Stark in the kitchen but the sight was unsettling now. The lady of Winterfell spent her days as if in a haze and all the staff knew it.
Mylah had been with her since she was a little girl. "A stew m'lady." The girl had been Robb's.
Cersei kindly talked to her for a few minutes and then explained. "I want you to find the herbs for moon tea and put them in the little whore's tea and meal. Not all of it at once."
The girl nodded, "she deserves to die. I would have never cheated lord Robb." Mylah sniffled. Good girl, Cersei thought.
"She does sweetling. Remember no one must know. Only her plate." Cersei said quietly and left the kitchens.
Cersei felt calm and visited the gardens. She was surprised to see the queen. "Your grace."
The queen sat by her. "How are you feeling lady Stark?" the girl asked her.
"As fine as one can be when one loses a piece of herself." Cersei replied.
The girl quieted. "I am so sorry for your loss."
Cersei nodded, "I do not blame you. You had nothing to do with what Aegon did."
"I should have sent him to King's Landing sooner." Daenerys replied.
Lady Stark patted her hand. "I knew your family would bring tragedy to mine."
The queen stiffened. "I do not blame you for Robb but I do blame you for Jon." Cersei said quietly.
"You and your dragons will take him away from us." the woman continued.
"I do not know what to say lady Stark." The girl said.
"Make him happy." Cersei replied. "Make sure he is happy."
The queen began to cry. "He will not touch me anymore. I think he's disgusted that we are related."
Cersei nodded, "Jon has a tendency to blame himself for everything. Always has. He probably feels guilty about Robb. Do not make him feel guilty. Do not give him time to brood. Go to him and love him. Force him to love you. You did it once. You will do it again."
The girl nodded, "I wanted to thank you for what you did with Eddard."
Cersei smiled and patted her hand once again. She felt more clearheaded after she spoke to Mylah. Cersei had a goal. "I did not lie. He is the last thing from my Robb but I do have to admit, I will not give that little whore the satisfaction of seeing her son be King one day." The queen was quiet. She seemed surprised.
"You could be carrying a girl for all we know." Cersei said and left. She saw the queen's puzzled face.
Lady Stark visited the crypts and then went to see Ned. He smiled sadly at her. "The Tyrells are asking for their rose."
Cersei shrugged, "Let them have her. I want her away from my grandson."
Ned sighed, "she will leave with Tyrion then. I am sure she can find safe passage from Casterly Rock to the Reach."
Cersei agreed. "How are you?" he asked her. He had been stronger than her. Ned was there for it all. The nightmares, the cyring, the panic and the horrible times where she forgot Robb was gone.
"Better than yesterday. She did not cry as much. Cersei remembered Robb every day but they became happier memories. Little Eddard helped as well.
"I am happy to hear that." her husband replied.
"How are you?" She asked him and sat on his lap.
"Less sad but so very angry." He said quietly. Ned shook a little
Cersei hugged him. "I love you more every day." She said quietly.
She kissed him and he kissed her back. "Can you make love to me?" She asked him.
Ned nodded and grabbed her hand. They went to their rooms. They undressed quietly, gently. Ned kissed her very tenderly and entered her just as gently. He needed her as well.
Cersei heard him sigh and she moaned when he picked up a little speed. Cersei hoped that he could give her another baby. She hoped for another child and felt a little sad that it would not happen. Ned spilled deep into her. She slept easy that afternoon and night.
Ned and her spent the following day making love all day. Soon it was time for Tyrion and his family to leave.
Ned and Jon took Rickon and Eddard to Barrowtown. It would be best if their grandchild did not see his mother leave.
The little whore left Winterfell kicking and screaming. "I want my son. I will not leave without my Eddard." She cried. The baby bump was evident.
"Please lord Lannister. Let me see my son." The little snake begged.
It was to no avail since the boys and Ned had been gone since the night before. Tyrion ushered the Tyrell woman inside one of the carrriages.
Sansa wept when she said her goodbyes. Cersei kissed Jon and Tyrek and her as well. "Take care of my brother."
Cersei then looked at Tyrion. "This is goodbye." Tyrion said and kissed her hands.
Lady Stark crouched down a bit. "I will miss you very much." She said honestly.
"I will be sure to write." He said. Tyrion was somber. He had loved Robb better. Cersei knew the boy had been his baby brother's favorite.
Cersei felt sad when she saw them leave. She went back into the castle. The queen was in her quarters.
It was not a week later when Ned received the ravens. Lady Margaery died near the Neck. It appeared that she miscarried. She bled out. They buried her there since they could not carry the body to the Reach.
It was terrible news. Cersei had nodded and told little Eddard that his mama and papa were with the gods. Eddard did not really understand.
Cersei brushed her hair and smiled softly. "It was your doing was it not?" Ned asked her from the bed. Cersei looked at him and did not even contemplate lying.
"It was." Cersei replied clearly.
"Did it make you happy?" Ned asked emotionlessly.
Lady Stark nodded, "It still does." Cersei stated without remorse and joined him.
Ned kissed her forehead. Cersei kissed his chest. "Do you hate me for it?" She asked softly.
Ned kissed her lips. "I do not. I could never hate you. Never." Cersei smiled and snuggled into him. Her Ned would never cease to surprise her.
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