Bab 59: Chapter 58
Cersei worried for her son. Ned was convinced it would all pass but she was unsure. Jon mourned something. He lost that wildling girl and he was not the same again. She sighed and ran her fingers through Rickon's wild locks. Bran was asleep by the fire. Summer curled next him. Lan waited by the door. They were at the Wall.
Cersei held her four-year-old son and kissed his forehead. Benjen was convinced there were Others. He spoke of white walkers and sacrifices as soon as he was back from beyond the Wall. Jeor Mormont had perished in a mutiny. Benjen had executed the traitors and accepted all the wildlings that were willing to fight. Her brother in law was now Lord Commander of the Night's Watch.
"They are real Ned. I saw them with my very eyes. There are thousands of them. The Wall will not be enough. We need men." Benjen looked crazed.
Ned had ordered more men to man the Wall but it seemed to not be enough. Ned and Jon decided to prepare to leave for the a few months ago and so Cersei raged and threatened to follow them alone with Bran and Rickon without their knowledge. Ned relented but not until Robb and his men arrived. Cersei had lived in the North for more than half of her life but in some ways she was a foreigner. Lady Stark did not put much thought to the increasing vivid dreams her second youngest had but Ned did. Her child spoke of great fires that came from the skies. He spoke of battles in the ice. "Papa will have Ice with him. Robb and Tommen will come too. They will fight." Bran said fearfully. He trembled after his dreams. Cersei held him for hours until her boy calmed down. Cersei however was not worried about Bran. Her young son felt better after Cersei hugged and sang to him or when Ned took him aside and listened to some dreams that he would tell his mother.
Her Jon was another matter entirely. Jon did not confide in anyone. She felt him slipping out of her reach. Jon was reserved like his father but he did not smile anymore. He did not spend any time with his siblings or with anyone but Ned or Benjen for that matter. She hoped that Robb and Tommen's arrivals would lift his spirits. Jon was somber, a shadow that took every opportunity to patrol the North and range with Benjen or Ned.
She waited for Ned to come back from speaking with the Wildlings. They were being relocated to different keeps and houses from the North. There had been uprisings; especially after Mance Rayder was attacked and killed by a wildling leader. The different wildling tribes felt their king had betrayed them and sold them into slavery. Many perished under the Night's Watch and the northern armies. Ned was a capable and strong leader. He did not want to lose more men, wildling or westerosi. He agreed to give them the Gift and other lands, the other Northern house followed with smaller offerings.
Ned entered their quarters and sat by her. He kissed Rickon and put him on his small cot. Her husband carried Bran to the adjacent room where he slept.
"How were the negotiations today?" Cersei asked as she kissed him. Ned shook his head and undressed.
"We have fought them for years and now we have to live with them by our side. The Umbers called me a traitor, a wildling lover." Ned said while sighing.
"Do you fear treason my love?" She knew him better than anyone.
"Not yet. I will take the Boltons, Umbers and Karstarks with me for our next ranging. Let them see what Benjen and I saw. The dead are rising." Ned said fearfully. "What have Tyrion and your father said."
Cersei frowned, "Tyrion is trying to convince father to mobilize our armies but father had given a categorical refusal to your plight."
Ned frowned too. "My plight. Do you still not believe? Lioness, these are not old stories or mere dreams of a boy. The Long Night approaches and we need a bigger and stronger wall. We are not prepared. We need many more men and we need to get as many wildlings in our side as possible." Ned explained for the hundredth time it seemed.
"I trust you my love but the kingdom is weak. The war left the kingdoms in disarray. Stannis has not ruled even for a year and yet you ask for three quarters of his men to protect the Wall. They do not believe in Others or White Walkers." Cersei tried to get him to see reason but Ned only rose from his spot in bed.
"What has Tommen said?" Ned now paced in front of her.
Cersei did not stand up or try to calm him down just yet. "Cassana gave birth to a girl. They have named her Myrcella. Tommen marches with the Tully and Frey forces and has left a host of northerners to hold Riverrun. Uncle Kevan is expected to reach the riverlands and rule in his stead." Cersei relayed, a little tense because the idea of having riverland men in the wall did not sit well with her, especially Freys and Tullys. They were traitors, all of them.
"Good. Robb will wait for him and then joins us. I need them by my side." Ned stated clearly. Cersei knew her husband expected their children to fight with alongside him.
"Stannis has offered his armies in Storm's End and they sail as we speak. Sir Seaworth has sent men as well." Cersei smiled and stood up to kiss him gently. There were not only bad news. Stannis trusted Ned and sent men to appease him or so Joanna wrote.
"Joanna is with child. She thinks it will be a boy." Ned smiled. He missed Joanna and Arya so much. They had heard nothing of their youngest child as of yet. Cersei missed her horribly but it had been her choice to leave with Gendry. Lady Stark could not begrudge her anymore.
Ned kissed her back. "The Seven Kingdoms will have an heir to the crown."
Cersei laughed. Ned kissed her hands, "You are an old lady now. That will be your third grandchild in less than two years."
She kissed his jaw, "I'll have you know I have a four-year-old baby." She kept kissing him. "I wish I could give you a little girl." She said sadly. Maesters had been wrong before and Cersei had hoped for another child but no luck.
"What news of the Eyrie?" Ned asked while kissing her neck.
"Yohn Royce keeps it safe for our son." She bit his earlobe. "Tyrion is expected to travel back to the Vale. My baby brother was most displease with the news. He and Sansa barely made it through Riverrun before the raven reached them.
"Margaery and little Eddard should have stayed in the Vale." Ned continued.
"Absolutely no. Margaery is a poisonous snake. She would have the Vale knights compete for a place in her bed before Tyrion made it back to the Bloody Gate. I do not like that woman. I do not trust her Eddard." Cersei glared at him.
"The Tyrells needed to be put in check." Ned argued once more.
Cersei adopted a haughty air about her, "It matters not. She is in our lands with our grandchild and under our men's supervision. I plan to keep it that way. She will be useful to our son. We only need a spare from her."
Ned kissed her, "do not say such heartless things. She is a Stark now." He kissed her forcefully.
"Do not be foolish my love. Anyone who is not us is our enemy." She said sweetly and then kissed him with the same force that he used on her.
Ned grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her closer. Cersei kissed his neck and tried to remove his clothes. Ned was faster than her. He yanked the sleeves of her dress. "You are going to rip it. This is a nice one." She complained when he tried to pull her out of it.
Ned growled, "You should not have worn it then." He pushed her to the bed and yanked his breeches down. Cersei smiled. "No time to undress you." She appreciated his passions but drew a line at being fucked with a dress on.
"We have time." She moaned and turned. "Undo the laces." She asked. Ned busily untied the strings and then helped her out of the grey dress. It took them another five minutes to get her into her smallclothes. Cersei stroked him up and down to keep him interested. She was wet from his face and the determined look in his eyes. She knew that look; it was the one he gave her when he fucked her all night long. She squirmed and stepped out of her shift.
Ned pushed her to the bed and touched her quickly. He entered her and pounded her into the skins and furs. She moaned and tightened her legs around his lower back. "Ned." She chanted as he fucked her. She could tell her was releasing his frustrations on her. She rejoiced in his single minded task of taking his pleasure and satisfying her by default. Cersei arched her back and flipped them until she rode him. She held him close, just enough so he could almost reach her nipples. He loved her breasts; it drove him wild to almost taste them. Cersei smirked when he sat up and devoured her breasts. "Fuck me Ned." She felt her belly contract around his cock. "I love your cock." She whispered. Her husband mounted her once more and this time she had to hold onto the furs because her lord husband bucked wildly into her. Cersei was sweaty and loved every minute of it. Ned made her see stars for the rest of the night and well into the morning.
She rested on his chest when Rickon opened his father's eyes. Cersei laughed. She put on her shift as watched as her baby climbed to his father's chest and opened his eyes with his fingers.
"Up papa. Up." He said and smacked his father on the face. Ned woke up and swatted Rickon's hand from his face. "Rickon do not hurt your papa." He said and smiled when Rickon grabbed his nose.
"He looks exactly like Robb and Jon. Remember Robb used to grab my nose too." Ned said humorously. Cersei handed him breeches.
"Come here pup. Let's wake your brother." Cersei loved when Rickon hugged her and squeezed her cheek with his.
"Sweetheart. It's time to wake up." She looked at Bran and was surprised to see him dressed for the day. He sat by his desk. He wrote a letter. "Who are you writing my love?"
Bran grinned, "Arya."
Cersei approached him. Rickon squirmed down and went back to retrieve his father.
"What are you saying Bran? Your sister escaped with Gendry." Cersei continued.
Bran nodded, "Yes, but I saw her in my dream. She has Nymeria with her and Gendry. I know where she is. Sam taught me the place."
Cersei nodded. Sam was a Tarly, his father sent him away. The boy was younger than Robb. He was taken with a wildling girl and her young boy. He served as a maester of sorts although he lacked the proper training. He was like Tyrion. The man had his nose up in books all the time. She sighed, "Where do you suppose Arya is?"
Bran finished his letter. "I told Arya about the white walkers and the wildlings. She has to come back." Cersei frowned and read his brief letter.
"A raven will take it to Braavos. Arya and Gendry are there having adventures." Bran said wistfully.
"Is your sister happy my love?" Cersei asked carefully.
"Very much so. She is going to board a ship with Gendry. They are going to explore Old Valyria. They will go further than Valyria. That is why I have to send the raven now. She needs to get the raven mother. She cannot board the ship. She has to come back mother."
Cersei kissed his forehead, "did you see it in your dreams? Will she fight alongside your brothers and father?"
Bran shook his head, "No, but I want her to be here. She is supposed to go to Old Valyria."
Cersei grabbed his hands, "then let her have her adventures sweetling."
She folded the letter and threw it to the fires. Bran sighed, "Maybe it is for the best."
She kissed his forehead once more. "We'll break fast with your uncle and brother."
Cersei helped him with his walking stick. Bran was heavier now. He had more control over his legs it seemed. He could walk with the aid of the walking stick now.
Rickon ran around Lan and Summer ran as soon as Ned opened the door. Rickon tried to catch them unsuccessfully.
Bran watched longingly. "You are going to be an uncle again." Cersei did not want her son to dwell too much. Ned ran after Rickon who slipped into ice and laughed when Lan licked his face.
"Joanna thinks she will have a son." Cersei said happily. "Shireen will be happy. I like her very much. She's nice." Bran made small conversation until they reached the dining hall.
Ned was in charge of feeding Rickon which was a feat in itself. She gave all her attention to Bran who seemed in very low spirits since she threw the letter to the fires. Cersei questioned her actions then. It might have been better to pretend to send the letter. She tried to cheer him up. "Mother, you don't have to. I am fine. I miss them. I miss us all together. It will pass." He kissed her cheek.
Cersei kissed his cheek back, "Why don't you stay with me? Sam and you can meet tomorrow. I am sure he would not mind you being away from your lessons for a day. We can have fun. We can ride horses and visit the keeps around here."
Bran shook his head, "you hate horses."
"I do, but you love them." Cersei said happily. "We'll take Summer with us." Bran nodded. "We'll leave Rickon with your father. He can take care of your brother for a day. Bran grinned more.
The hall emptied considerably. Jon did not make an appearance. "Where is Jon?"
"He is with Benjen they left first light this morning." Ned replied.
"Bran and I are going to explore some of the keeps." Her husband nodded, "Take some of the men just in case."
"I am to meet Bolton and his men. They should have settled in Long Barrow by now" Ned grabbed Rickon and restrained him. "We will be heading back to Castle Black by the morrow."
Cersei frowned, "then leave Rickon with me."
Ned nodded. He kissed her and then kissed Rickon. He looked at Bran, "Protect your baby brother and mother. If you have any dreams go to Jon or maester Aemon."
"Can I go with you father?" Bran asked excitedly.
Ned looked at her. She nodded, "Very well but remember to listen to your father."
Bran kissed her soundly and walked to the yard. One of the Night brothers strapped him to Dancer. Bran looked happier than she had ever seen him.
"We'll see the keeps when I come back mother." Bran waited patiently until Ned came back.
Eddard kissed her one last time and kissed Rickon, "We'll be back by nightfall in the morrow. I will take care of him." Cersei nodded.
"How many men are you taking?" Cersei let Rickon chase after Lan.
"A small party of my men and fifteen brothers from the Watch." Ned's horse was inpatient.
"Take the Umbers. I'd feel better if Greatjon went with you." Cersei asked.
"Find me Greatjon." Ned yelled at a young recruit.
The party left about an hour later. Ned and Bran were to ride first; they would be flanked by their bannermen and the watchmen. She watched as Bran and Ned rode away. She could not help but feel unease; the Roose Bolton was not trustworthy. Cersei frowned when the gates opened once more. Lady Stark saw Jon bringing in two children with him.
She waited until they were in the middle of the yard with her. "Mother." He dismounted his steed. "I need a word with father."
"Your father has gone to meet with the Boltons." Cersei stated. "Did you not see the men?"
"These are the Reeds. Their father Howland Reed has sent them to be fostered under us. I found them near the Gift."
"Why were you at the Gift." Cersei asked at once but Jon kissed her cheek. "I have to leave. Do not worry, I have good news for father. Thormund and I have reached an agreement." Jon mounted and galloped away.
A boy about Bran's age approached her immediately. "You should have not let Brandon Stark go with Lord Stark."
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
MissRias
MissRias Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!
Creation is hard, cheer me up!
Status Power Mingguan
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Power 
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