Chương 38: Greeting & Farewell
Ned
Seeing Jon Umber walk through the library door was as much of a surprise as seeing the King and Jon being with him too. The look on his face was both annoyed and concerned as he looked at him, along with what looked to be a swollen nose.
Who's he been fighting now?
The look on Jon's face was blank as his eyes fell on him, his face softening as he gazed towards his children. The King also had a blank look on his face as he looked around the room, closely followed through the door by Ser Jaime, the Lannister man looking at him like he was quietly judging him.
Let him. The only judgement he cared about was his children's at this point.
He just hoped they could one day forgive him.
"Ned!" Lord Umber said as the library door closed behind him, his friend patted a bear paw of a hand on his shoulder before looking at the rest of his family and nodding.
"Jon, what are you doing here?" He asked his friend, he caught his nephew looking at him, until he realised that the question wasn't aimed at him.
"I've come to hear it from the horse's mouth Ned. I've heard it from him," He said as he pointed at the King without even looking at him "...but more importantly, I need to hear it from you."
"Address the King how he should be addressed my lord." Ser Jaime said as he stepped forward. Rhaegar held a hand out to stop the knight from advancing any further.
"Shut it, Lannister. I haven't got the patience to deal with you as well." Lord Umber said as he kept his eyes on him, waiting to hear what he had to say.
He sighed as he momentarily looked at Jon, the lad taking a seat opposite him in the spare chair that was next to Arya "I don't know what you've been told Jon." He said.
As brash as ever, the Greatjon nodded in Jon's direction "That he's Lyanna's lad and you're being sent to the wall."
He nodded, Lord Umber letting out a heavy sigh as he deflated in the chair he was sat in.
"Your grace?" Catelyn said from the other end of the table. He turned just in time to see her standing up before giving the King a small curtsy.
"Lady Catelyn." The King answered.
"Your grace," She said again "..surely you can reconsider the punishment you are handing to my husband? We've been nothing but loyal servants to the crown ever since you claimed the throne." She said as she then reluctantly turned and looked at Jon. To her credit, she managed to leave out that ever lying undertone of annoyance she had whenever she looked at the boy "The boy has grown up to be a strong and healthy young man, a man that numerous ladies would have dreamed of taking as a husband even before his parentage was revealed. Surely the care and upbringing of your...son counts for something?" His wife said in an attempt to help him that he himself thought was futile.
He knew that every word that came out of her mouth about Jon was horseshit, and unsurprisingly, so did Jon. If he could weaponise the look he was giving Catelyn, this entire castle would have been levelled.
"My lady," The King began "...I understand your need to defend your husband and his actions but his punishment was already reconsidered in the first place. Originally, your husband would've been punished for high treason, the sentence being death. But because of certain circumstances, mainly in the form of Jon here pleading his case," He said as he motioned towards Jon, who was still looking at Catelyn like he couldn't believe what he'd just heard her say "...the sentence was reduced to a mandatory duty within the Night's Watch." The King explained in a diplomatic tone, surprising Ned as he was certain the man still wanted to rip his head off.
"Surely you can look past this your grace." Catelyn asked, almost pleading. "I mean, if the stories are true, my husband is your brother by law, he's family! Would you really send a member of your family to rot on the wall?"
His wife was playing a dangerous game. He didn't know whether or not to be thankful with her attempts at guilt tripping the King.
Before the King could respond, Jon scoffed and shook his head.
"I am in awe, do you know that?" He said as he looked at Catelyn.
And it begins.
His wife sniffed "I'm not quiet sure what you are referring to your grace."
Now that shocked him, until he realised what she was doing.
It wouldn't look well treating the son of the King like she normally did while the King was actually in the same room as them.
"Keep going. I'm intrigued to see how far you can go with this before your real colours shine through." Jon responded as he stared at Cat in mild disgust.
His wife looked confused and seemed to look at the King for some help.
What is she playing at?
"Don't look at him, you're talking to me right now." Jon said as he folded his arms and lent back in his chair.
Oh, she didn't like that.
Catelyn turned and looked at Jon, he could tell she wanted to say something, the way her face hardened momentarily before feigning respect for his nephew.
"Of course your grace." Catelyn replied as she bowed her head.
He couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Jon just sat there with his arms folded, head cocked to one side, that cold look on his face that he'd become accustomed to in recent months.
"You can't stand this, can you?" Jon said, a small grin upon his face. He turned and caught his wife blinking rapidly, her mask showing slowly cracking.
"You can't stand me, can you?" Came Jon's next question. The way Catelyn was fidgeting suggested that Jon was slowly getting to her.
"I'm not sure what you mean." She replied in a feeble attempt to regain her footing in this conversation. It was in vain though, everybody in the room was now seeing how Jon's words were affecting her.
"You can't stand it, can't stand that I've won." Jon said, smiling in victory as they all saw his wife stand abruptly from her seat with a look of pure anger on her face.
She'd walked right into his trap.
Catelyn stood their almost vibrating on the spot as she looked down at his grinning nephew. The flare of her nostrils really spoke of how worked up she was getting.
"Lady Stark!" The King said as he, like the rest of them, watched the entire thing unfold. His wife turned to Rhaegar, her face still showing that look of loathing that was aimed at Jon "Control yourself or you will be dismissed."
It looked like she was about to say something she was going to regret but she caught herself just in time. With a plastered on smile, she looked at the King and spoke.
"My apologies your grace, it's been an awfully long day, I imagine you can understand." She said before pushing her chair back under the table.
"I think me and the children will retire back to camp. It's getting late and we still haven't eaten our evening meal." She continued as she motioned for the children to follow suit, something they seemed to reluctantly do as their eyes bounced between him and Jon.
"I'm afraid that won't be happening my Lady." The King said, that made both Ned and Jon look towards him.
"Your grace?" He said, an anxiousness brewing in the pit of his stomach.
The King looked to him "You and your family will be housed within the castle tonight, given appropriate rooms for your nights stay. You have to realise that we have to keep a close eye on you given the situation." He explained.
"You'd imprison children!?" Lord Umber said in that booming voice of his.
"Lord Umber, I'm not imprisoning them, I'm merely keeping a close eye on them." The King said "...and prisoners don't normally get feather beds and servants."
"Just because you give them a fancy bed doesn't mean they aren't prisoners!" The Greatjon replied back. Ned didn't miss the way Ser Jaime rested his hand on the pommel of his sword.
"It's just for tonight Lord Umber, everybody is returning home tomorrow so can you really call them prisoners? If for whatever reason they do need to leave the castle before then, an escort will suffice."
Gods he wanted to hate the man, he w as just to tired to do so at this point .
"This still doesn't sit right with me, not one bit." Lord Umber said to himself as he shook his head.
"Lord Stark will be allowed to say goodbye to his family before he makes his journey north to take the black my lord. I'm a father myself, I won't deny him that. I believe I'm being more than fair in this situation." The King said to his friend.
The Greatjon sighed as he looked at him, he lowered his voice as he leant close to him.
"Are you sure you're okay with this Ned? We won't give up on you, you just have to say the word." He said to him. Ned felt blessed in that moment knowing he had support.
But at the end of the day, the support wasn't needed. He'd come to terms with his fate, feeling somewhat fortunate that he could clear his conscience while somehow keeping his head in the process.
He shook his head at his friend, he didn't want more people dying, especially for him. He also didn't think it was a smart idea for the Greatjon to essentially plot against a man who was stood literally five feet away from them, regardless if he even heard him or not.
Which he had.
"Lord Stark doesn't get a choice I'm afraid Lord Umber, he forfeited that power when his crimes came to light." The King interrupted. Lord Umber looked truly fed up of the man as he turned and looked up at him, that was before his face scrunched up in confusion.
"Crimes? As in more than one? What else has he supposedly done?" Umber asked, his eyes taking a glance his way before looking back for his answer.
"Apart from kidnapping my son and keeping him hidden from me for the good part of seventeen years, Lord Stark here also ignored my given orders towards the end of Robert's rebellion in which he was given a sealed note to hand to my Queen's uncle, Prince Lewyn Martell. The Kingsguard knight was protecting Lyanna during her pregnancy and was ordered to stand down per my sealed note." Rhaegar said before his eyes moved over to him "Lord Stark withheld that note and instead fought and killed the Dornish Prince so that there would be no eyewitnesses for the next crime he was about to commit."
The fact that the Greatjon lowered his head and didn't even look at him showed what he thought of his actions.
"Which brings up another question," The King said as he looked towards his wife, who was still stood up behind her chair, the children had returned to there's.
"Were you aware of Lord Stark's crimes for all these years, my lady?"
He froze, his eyes instantly landing on Jon. The way his nephew looked at him made him realise that Jon held a considerable amount of power right now.
Catelyn never knew about Jon's parentage, and Jon knew that. But a small part of him feared Jon would say otherwise. All to spite the woman who has been a thorn in his side for most of his life.
Catelyn floundered with the question, looking at the King wide eyed.
"Absolutely not your grace, I swear it. I found out when you did, by the seven I swear it." She said, understandable fear on her face.
"She speaks the truth, I hid it from everyone, even my wife." He announced, turning to the stern faced monarch.
The King looked at him for a few moments, seemingly deciding whether or not to believe him. His eyes eventually turned to Jon, and so did Ned's, pleading with his eyes alone that Jon wouldn't do something he would come to regret in the future.
"Jon? What is your opinion on the subject? You lived with her for years so you probably have a better understanding of this." The King asked. Jon seemed to mull the question over as he looked at his wife, taking his time to make Catelyn sweat no doubt.
He eventually spoke.
"No, she didn't know." He said as he looked from Catelyn to the King. He did well to not show how relieved he was hearing him say that.
Catelyn was about to say something but she was interrupted by Jon before she could do so "She couldn't have known, she would've treated me with a little bit of human decency otherwise." His nephew growled out.
"What do you mean?" The King replied, his eyes bouncing between Jon and his wife. Ned didn't like the look of the frown on his face.
"It doesn't matter, none of it really matters now." Jon replied as he took a deep breath.
"Well," The King said with a sigh "...I think I've heard enough, and I hope you have too Lord Umber." Rhaegar said as he looked to the Greatjon.
His friend's eyes turned to him, a defeated look to them "Aye, I've heard enough too. I'm just sorry that it came to this Ned."
He gave the man a small smile.
"Me too friend."
He received a paw sized clap on his shoulder as the giant lord rose to his feat, a small chuckle released "Hey, at least Castle Black is closer to Last Hearth than Winterfell is. I'm sure his grace isn't against a recreational visit once in a while? Even bring you up some proper ale instead of the piss you'll be drinking there eh?" His friend said followed with a small laugh.
Leave it up to the Greatjon to make light of this type of situation.
He just gave the man a nod and a polite smile before the lord of Last Hearth nodded to the rest of the room, a pat on Jon's shoulder without looking at him and a kind smile aimed at Ned's children were his last actions before leaving the room.
"Ser Barristan." The King said as he turned to the veteran knight. The knight in question nodded to his King.
"Be so kind as to escort Lady Catelyn and her children to guest wing of the castle, make sure to give word to one of the servants that the King has requested rooms for the Starks to be prepared." The King instructed to Ser Barristan, who nodded again in reply.
He gave each of them a hug as they passed him, Rickon still a little confused about what was happening as he copied his siblings. He could feel how stiff Catelyn went when he brought her into an embrace, eventually, and reluctantly returning the hug.
She didn't even bother showing and courtesy to the King or Jon, the latter came to no surprise.
The library door finally closed with a click, the only people left in the room were him, Jon, the King and Jamie Lannister.
His eyes seeked out Jon's, his nephew looked tired, which was confirmed as he let out a long yawn.
The King moved over to Jon's side of the table and took a seat next to him, momentarily looking at Jon before turning to him.
"Lord Stark, even though you did something that has created much resentment, I do understand that the question I'm about to ask you is a difficult one to answer." The King said as he clasped both of his hands together and leaned on the table in between them.
He knew what was coming, and in all honesty, he'd hoped he'd somehow forgot in the middle of all this mess.
"As you know, I made you aware that due to your actions, sending you to the Night's Watch wouldn't be the only thing that I would require. A ward of the crown would also be required, not as a punishment per se, but as a deterrent for any possible ideas of rebellion due to what has happened today. Do you understand?" Rhaegar explained. He knew it made sense, his wife seemed to have it all worked out, on her own warpath until she was told one of the children would become a ward of the crown.
It still didn't mean he had to like it though.
He cleared his throat before speaking "I understand, but is there really no other way. The children didn't do anything wrong and I feel like they are being punished for my actions."
"For your mistakes Lord Stark, lets make that very clear shall we?" Rhaegar replied, evident ire upon his face.
If you say so…
He nodded once, eyes searching out Jon's who was sat next to the King, lent back in his seat with his arms crossed as he looked to be in a world of his own.
"Don't look to him for answers Lord Stark, because he won't have what you seek." The King said to him. He could tell that the man really wasn't happy about the fact that he was walking out of this whole situation with his head still attached.
"What if I did though?" Jon spoke up, everybody in the room looking at him.
He looked at his nephew eagerly, noticing the way the King frowned as he turned to look at his son.
"Jon?" The King said. "I'm not sure..."
"Hear me out." Jon interrupted, something the King didn't look best pleased with. Rhaegar nodded for Jon to continue though and Ned hoped his idea was realistic.
Please be realistic.
"You say you need a ward to keep the peace?" Jon asked, Rhaegar nodding for him to continue.
"Wouldn't it be preferable for the crown to seek out ties with House Stark instead of holding a glorified prisoner?" He proposed, his gaze looking in between Ned and Rhaegar.
Where is he going with this?
"Instead of keeping prisoners, making peace through a marriage is surely more advantageous to everybody involved?" He continued.
Rhaegar shook his head "How would that look to other houses hmm? People will be queuing up to defy the crown if they knew they could get a preferable marriage out of it, all in the guise of "making peace"."
"This will be a one off, a gift from the King to his long lost son to make up for all those namedays that were missed." Jon replied, a small smirk on his face.
His mother's smirk.
The King looked at his son incredulously "You can't be serious?"
"Of course I'm serious." Jon said as the smirk on his face dropped, a look of anger growing on his face, almost like something had snapped.
"I'm trying to resolve this somehow, I'm trying to find a way that doesn't fuck both sides of my family over! Is that really something that is hard for you to believe I would try and do!?" His nephew said, getting louder the more he spoke.
"Your grace?" Ser Jaime said, looking concerned as he spoke to his King, eyes wearily looking at Jon as he eyed the two blades that could be spotted behind him.
Before Rhaegar could speak, Jon stood abruptly, making everybody jump "No!" Jon said as he pointed at Ser Jaime "He needs to hear this, they both do!" He continued as he looked back at him and the King.
"I get it, he fucked up, he's human, it's what we do, and we were designed to learn from those mistakes." Jon began as he looked at Rhaegar as he pointed at Ned "He was a young man barely older than me, with the weight of the world on his shoulders when Robert Baratheon marched on King's Landing. He didn't give a shit who sat on the throne in the end, he just wanted the mad fucker who killed his father and uncle dead, and his sister back, back from her apparent kidnapper." He said, a raised eyebrow aimed at his father.
"Careful, mind how you proceed Jon." The King growled, his face showing how unimpressed he was right now.
"Or what? Hmm? I'm genuinely interested to see what you will do if I carry on like I plan to do." Jon replied, he gave the King that look he'd seen a couple of times, the one that had been aimed at him a few times.
The King stared at Jon like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
Jon pointed at Ned while still looking at his father "He made a decision seventeen years ago when he took me back north, he decided that he was going to do what he thought was best for his family."
The King answered back in anger "A decision he had no right making!" He said before turning to look at him.
"No, but he made it anyway, doing what he thought was his duty to his family. He chose his duty to his family over his duty to the crown." Jon replied, looking down at the King from where he stood.
"Treason." The King announced.
Jon sighed "Yes treason." He said as he looked at Ned "...but he'll be paying for it for the rest of his life. The duty he should've given to the crown seventeen years ago he'll be doing for years to come in the Night's Watch."
"Work on fixing ties with House Stark instead of tearing them up even more." He said more calmly, looking at his father intently.
The only thing that Ned could think of at that moment was his sister. She'd not had the opportunity to bring Jon up as a parent but it was easy to see that the apple hadn't fallen far from the tree. Defending his family till the bitter end, even if Ned didn't feel like he deserved it.
He's not doing it for you, he's doing it for your children.
The King sat forward "Me!? You want me to work on fixing ties? I'm not the one who committed treason!" Rhaegar said as he looked at his son.
Jon pointed at Ned and replied back "Well he can't do it can he? Your sending him to the bloody wall!" He said, almost shouting at his father.
"Jon." Ned said softly, his nephew looking at him with clear annoyance on his face. He knew he needed to calm him down before something regrettable happened.
"It's okay." He assured. He appreciated what he was doing but it looked like he was about to blow his top, with the King no less.
Jon took a long breath in through his nose and out through his mouth before retaking his seat next to the King. Ser Jaime seemed to ease up after that, the man seemingly torn on what to do earlier.
The King looked at his son intently, Ned could clearly see the man was weighing up some sort of response to Jon. A few moments later after drumming his fingers on the table, the King closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh.
"I hope I'm not making a mistake here, but since my son is so incredibly stubborn, not too different from his mother," Rhaegar said with a small smile, Ned feigned a smile in response. In truth, he hated it whenever the man mentioned his sister, somebody he knew a hell of a lot more of than he did.
"...I'll make the first step fixing ties with our houses by retracting the crown's need for a ward. With aims of tying House Stark to the crown in the not too distant future, whether it be with marriage or something else." The King finished. Ned felt a huge weight lift from his shoulders.
"All I've got to do is convince the Queen and her family that this is the right course for moving the realm into a more stable future. I can already tell that they won't be happy that the man who killed their uncle will be joining the Night's Watch with no further action taking place." The King added as he looked at him unimpressed.
Jon let out a humourless chuckle "I suppose I'll be receiving the brunt of their ire eh?" He said shaking his head and smiling to himself "One of Prince Oberyn's daughters can't stand me already, might as well add on to that."
He looked at Jon confusingly, the King beating him to it as he asked him what had happened.
"One of them got a bit gobby with me in one of the practice yards, seemed she hated me before she'd even met me."
It was the King's turn to chuckle this time "That'll be Lady Obara. The Queen has told me before how unimpressed her niece is with most things. Though to her credit, it's turned her into a no nonsense combatant, very respected amongst her peers." The King explained.
"Couldn't care less to be honest, Miserable bitch." Jon said to himself as he folded his arms and sat back in his chair. The King didn't seem to know what to do as he looked at Ser Jaime. Ned held back a smile, this was something the King would have to live with now, zero filter from the lad.
Good luck leashing him to your southern pleasantries and teachings. Lya is probably cackling her fucking head off up there seeing her boy being unleashed on them.
Rhaegar blinked a couple of times "Well..." The King said as he rose to his feet, hands pressed into the table to help him. "...I think that concludes this conversation. You are free to return to your family Lord Stark, tomorrow you and a personal guard will be travelling to Maidenpool where you'll board a ship, this will take you all the way up to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea where you will travel from to Castle Black to take your vows. A raven will be sent in the morn detailing Lord Commander Mormont of everything that has transpired here today, do you understand Lord Stark?."
His nod was automatic, he had already come to terms that he'd be a brother of the Night's Watch in the not too distant future, all this was just a formality.
"I'll take him."
His brow shot up as his eyes fell on Jon, his nephew looking back at him. He didn't look angry but he didn't look happy either. The King turned and looked at his son like he'd gone mad.
"What do you mean?" Rhaegar asked. Jon just looked up at the King with a blank look on his face. Both him and Rhaegar must have come to the realisation at the same time, the King shaking his head and Ned becoming a little bit anxious at what had gone unsaid.
"Absolutely not." The King exclaimed.
"I'm going back north anyway, I need to see Robb. I might as well take him with me, he'll be able to speak with his son before he joins the watch. Uncle Benjen and uncle Aemon will be pleased to see me again as well." Jon explained to the King, Ned's head shook side to side as he refused to come to terms with what his nephew was suggesting.
I can't, I can't ride on that...thing!
"Jon," The King said as he sighed "...you can't just disappear whenever you want, you're my son, a prince of the realm, there's protocols."
"And what are these protocols?" Jon asked like he was already fed up with the conversation.
The King looked somewhat surprised that Jon was being somewhat reasonable "Well...you need a guard for starters. I know you're very capable yourself, we all saw the melee, but you need somebody watching your back at all tim..."
"What about him?" Jon said as he pointed in Ser Jaime's direction "He can come with me."
Ned looked at the Lannister knight to see what his reaction was to the idea of experiencing something that Ned was having trouble even coming to terms with.
"I'm not getting on that bloody thing." The Kingsguard answered as he looked between Jon and his King.
"I'll tell her you said that, it will make it even more awkward when you're on her back." Jon replied as he gave the knight a small grin.
He's enjoying this.
"Your grace?" Ser Jaime said as he looked at the King, a subtle look of concern on his face.
The King in question looked deep in thought as he looked at his son, the small sigh indicating that he'd come to a decision.
"Ser Jaime will travel alongside you." The King declared as he looked at the Lannister man "...that's if you're sure the dragon is capable of multiple passengers." He continued as he looked back at Jon for an answer.
"She'll manage, even with his fat arse being towed along." Jon replied as he nodded his head in Ser Jaime's direction, the knight frowning and looking down to look at himself.
A knock on the library door sounded through the room, Ser Jaime gripped the hilt of his sword as he checked to see who it was.
The door was opened wider by the Lannister man as Ser Barristan entered "Your grace," He said as he bowed "...Lord Stark's family has been settled in the guest quarters."
The King nodded at the legendary knight as he made his way towards the door, turning as he realised that Jon was still sat down.
"Jon?" He said as he looked to his son in confusion.
"I won't be long, just want a little chat with my uncle that's all." Jon replied without looking at his father.
"Ser Jaime will be just outside if you need him." Rhaegar said as he finally exited the room, Ser Barristan and Ser Jaime along with him.
The room was silent as the two of them looked at each other, Ned eventually looking away from Jon's uncomfortable gaze.
"What did you want to talk about?" He finally asked, somewhat pleased that he'd decided to stay behind instead of going off with his new family.
It isn't a new family, it's always been his family, you just decided otherwise. His mind answered back.
Jon shrugged his shoulders as he looked down at his hands rested on the table, he was slowly picking away at the skin at the edge of his thumbnail.
"Just thought we'd have a talk alone. Not like we are going to be able to do this again anytime soon." He replied.
He smiled back at him.
It was nice to know that he'd not completely destroyed his relationship with him.
Elia
What a mess. She thought as she took a seat and let out a sigh. Everybody else finding their own places to sit within her husband's solar. He motioned towards Margaery and her daughter-in-law handed over a tired looking Alysanne for her to hold, Margaery quietly thanked her as she walked towards the wine decanter that Rhaella was already at.
"We need to be prepared." Her son said as he took a seat behind the desk, his eyes roaming the room for everybody's reaction. He placed Blackfyre on top of the desk.
"If you are speaking of what I think you're speaking of then I think you're getting a little carried away Aegon." Rhaella said to her son as she took a swig from her goblet.
"And what are we speaking of?" She asked as she looked between the two.
"War." Her son replied, a heavy sigh released as his shoulders dropped. Seeing him sat behind that desk gave her a subtle image of what he would look like when he one day took his father's place.
Rhaella shook her head as she took a seat "It won't come to that."
"You don't know that grandmother. You saw the northerners in there, everybody saw how they reacted, especially Lord Umber." Aegon replied as he got to his feet and poured himself his own cup of wine. Margaery held her hand out and her son took it as he sat down on the lounger next to her.
"Lord Stark seems to have accepted his punishment for what he's done, if he has, the northerners should follow suit. They'd be no reason for them to spark a war unless they knew there was no doubt of their victory. No," Rhaella said as she shook her head "...bloodshed would be their spoils, something nobody would thank them for. War would damage the northerners exceptionally, all for the sake of a man who has accepted his punishment."
"What if there was no doubt of their victory?" Viserys asked from the corner of the room. His voice surprised her, he'd been eerily quiet in general while all this was happening.
"And how do you suspect they can guarantee their success hmm?" Rhaella said to her son, an unimpressed look on her face.
The question was left unanswered but the implication was as loud as Jon's dragon.
Rhaella started shaking her head, a finger pointed at her youngest son "Oh no, I won't have you playing games boy. I love you like I love all of my blood but I won't hesitate in locking you up in a gilded cage and throwing away the key if you start playing mind games within this family. I will NOT stand for it, do you hear me?" Her mother-in-law asked to her son. The mother dragon was out to play it would seem.
Viserys didn't answer as he went and poured himself a drink, and it would seem it was as good as Rhaella was going to get.
"Your grace?" Margaery said, all of them looking up in habit at the title, the girls eyes solely on the Dowager Queen "...you have to admit, there is a slither of truth to his graces concerns, that's if we are speaking about the same thing." The girl respectfully spoke as she bowed her head in respect.
Alysanne squirmed in her arms at the sound of her mother's voice but she eventually rocked her back to a more calmed state.
"I'm going say this only once. Jon isn't going to start a war over a man who lied to him for seventeen years." She said resolutely.
"Yes, he has great love for his cousins, and some would think he would wage war on this realm for their sake, but his love for those cousins is the same reason he isn't going to fight against us. Jon isn't the type of man to go to war with his own blood."
"I can't imagine what that boy is thinking right now, both sides of his family at each other's throat, him right in the middle of it all." Rhaella finished, a shake of her head in disgust.
The room went quiet after that, everybody deep in their own thoughts. Her daughter looked especially torn on something.
Her eyes widened momentarily, with everything that was happening, she'd completely forgot.
Rhaenys' little crush has just collapsed and crumbled around her.
She cleared her throat as she looked at her daughter "Rhaenys?" She said, her indigo eyes looking up at her like she'd just been caught daydreaming.
"Hmm?" She answered.
"You okay?"
Rhaenys seemed to go over her answer in her head before she replied. She could tell straight away that whatever was going to come out of her mouth wasn't going to be what was truly on her mind.
"Just thinking of Jon's name that's all. Wondering why Lady Lyanna gave him such a northern name."
Across the room, she heard Rhaella clear her throat "Jon is the name that Lord Stark gave him, mainly to hide his real identity I suspect but a part of me makes me wonder if he did it because he didn't like the name his mother gave him."
"And what did Lyanna name him originally?" Elia asked, butting her way into the conversation because she really had to know.
I miss her.
Rhaella gave her a soft and understanding smile "She named him Jaehaerys, a good strong Targaryen name."
She nodded as she looked down at her lap, the day had finally caught up to Alysanne and she'd fallen fast to sleep.
All of a sudden, she chuckled, Rhaella was still smiling at her but a confused look appeared on her face as she cocked her head.
She nodded down at the sleeping Alysanne "His name has good company." She said as she thought of the Conciliator and the good Queen. Rhaella just chuckled and smiled at Alysanne.
A knock on the door disturbed the momentary peace that had come over her, Ser Loras opening the door and bowing.
"Your grace." He said to nobody in particular, but his eyes were solely on her.
"Lady Ashara has requested an audience with the Queen." He announced, looking proud that he sounded so sure of himself. Margaery looked at her brother with a smile, she seemed happy that her brother was getting settled within the white cloaks.
She nodded and stood up, carefully handing a sleeping Alysanne over to her great grandmother. Rhaella looked happy as she looked down at the little sleeping angel.
She exited the solar and noticed straight away that Ashara wasn't alone, along with her was her daughter and it seemed that their escort would be her brother.
"Ash? Is there something wrong?" She said as she approached the group. The look on her best friends face screamed that yes, something was wrong.
"Can we go somewhere more private?" Ashara nervously spoke. Elia looked up at Arthur but his face gave nothing away, Clarissa on the other hand looked exactly like her mother did.
She nodded and it wasn't long before Ser Arthur was escorting the three of them into a spare room near the solar. The room looked a lot cosier than the other room she was in, large cushioned seats and numerous decanters of wine spread around the room.
The door closed behind them, Ser Arthur looking very capable defending the one door into the room. Ashara took a seat and Clarissa squeezed in next to her. Elia followed and sat opposite them, waiting for them to speak so she could find out what else had happened on this crazy day.
Ashara took a deep breath, seemingly to centre herself before opening those beautiful eyes in her direction.
"I need to tell you something." She said. The look on her face didn't instil confidence in her that's for sure.
"Whatever it is you have to say, just tell me Ash. Today has been incredibly long as you can expect and I think I'm just counting down the seconds before I can climb into my bed." She explained as her eyes bounced between mother and daughter.
The two of them reminded her of herself and Rhaenys, both daughters looking similar to their mothers.
Ash's eyes looked over at her brother momentarily before landing back on her, the face she pulled made out like she'd come to some sort of decision.
"Lord Stark is Clarissa's father."
She looked at her friend is astonishment, gaze slowly drifting to her daughter.
One thing came to mind as she took a calming breath.
Will this day never end?
Clarissa
Well that was awkward. She thought as her and her mother were escorted by the Queen and Uncle Arthur to the library where Lord Stark was being held.
Her father. Her mind whispered as she wiped her clammy palms on her dress, signs of anxiety seeping in.
When the Queen had been told the truth, her reaction had been interesting. She knew she'd had a long day like the rest of them so her exasperation when her mother told her everything had been unsurprising.
Everything had happened so fast, one minute she was watching the joust like everybody else, the next, a dragon once again existed in the world, Jon was no longer her brother but her cousin and a secret prince, and her father was being sent to the Night's Watch for hiding him from the King all these years.
All in one afternoon.
She'd wondered if it was the right time for her mother to reveal it to her father but after quickly thinking it through, she knew there was no other way. Who knew if she'd ever see him again after today.
She didn't know how to feel when she saw him, whether to be angry, sad or sympathetic with him since they now knew that a lot of the things they believed turned out to be false. She turned to look at her mother as they got closer to the library, she could tell by her face that she was having the same kind of thoughts that she was having herself.
She squeezed her hand, her mother giving her a small smile and her returning it. She turned back the way they were going and noticed Ser Jaime standing guard outside of the library.
Is the King still in there? She wondered.
Both Queen Elia and her uncle nodded to the Lannister man as they entered the room, inside sat at the table having a conversation was her father and her brother, now cousin, Jon.
Prince Jon now, you need to remember that.
Her father stood to his feet when he noticed who had entered the room, Jon remained seated but looked like he realised why they were here.
"Your grace." Her father said as he bowed to the Queen, his eyes quickly glancing in her and her mother's direction behind her.
The look on his face dropped as his eyes connected with hers, a pale complexion taking over.
Does he know? Does he see something in me?
"Lord Stark." The Queen replied as the room became increasingly uncomfortable already. The Queen nodded in Jon's direction, her cousin giving the Queen a little smile and a nod in reply.
That seems somewhat promising between the two. She thought. She expected a lot of awkwardness between them given the circumstances.
"Lady Ashara." Her father said as he nodded to her mother, a look of longing on his face. His eyes fell to her and she swallowed the lump in her throat.
"Lord Stark." Her mother replied as she placed her hands on her shoulders, almost presenting her to her father.
"This is my daughter, Clarissa." She said, her voice sounded strong as she declared it to the room. Her father approached her like she was a wild animal ready to bolt. She almost shivered as he pulled her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. As he looked up at her, she could see the beginning of tears forming in his eyes.
"Well met my lady." He said as he dropped her hand, he turned and looked at Jon, something must have show on his face because as soon as Jon looked at him, he was getting to his feet to greeting them.
She stuck her hand out for him to kiss it but she made a small noise instead as she was brought into a bear hug, her mother was the recipient of the next one, a smile on her face as Jon embraced her.
Her father is probably so confused right now.
The clear of a throat could be heard to her right, the Queen looking between her best friend and her...what was Jon to her? Son? Stepson? A somewhat amused look on her face.
Jon seemed to misunderstand what was happening because as soon as he let go of her mother, he was giving the Queen a somewhat awkward hug. She didn't miss the way her uncle went for the hilt of his sword as Jon embraced Elia, he did ease up though when he saw the soft smile on his Queen's face.
They're still a little nervous around him.
Jon pulled back and looked at the Queen, coming to his own conclusion, that he might have misunderstood.
"Sorry." He said as he looked down at the Queen, the Queen herself shaking her head with the smile still on her face.
"No, it's fine." The Queen simply responded, her cousin nodding before turning away and looking at Lord Stark. The look he gave her father didn't try to hide the sympathy he seemed to feel for the man.
The Queen turned and looked towards her father as well "Lord Stark, Lady Ashara and her daughter would like to have a word with you, if that isn't a problem with you of course."
Her father shook his head "It's fine. What..er...what is it you would like to talk about?"
The Queen looked at her mother and nodded, she turned back and replied.
"I'll let my friend here tell you that." She said as she linked her arm with Jon's, catching him by surprise whilst doing so. "Me and Jon will leave you to it. Ser Arthur can stay to keep an eye on proceedings." The Queen explained as she nodded towards her and her mother.
"Ser Jaime." The Queen said as she walked towards the library door, Jon within her grasp. The three of them left the room, closing the door behind them, the only people left in the room were her, her mother, her father and her uncle.
To call the silence that enveloped the room uncomfortable would be an understatement.
Her father cleared his throat as he motioned towards the seats at the table, her mother nodded and moved to take a seat, she followed automatically, thanking her mother as she pulled a chair out for her.
Her father took a seat opposite them, her uncle was visible out the corner of her eye, stood next to the door, not at all hiding his apparent dislike for the man sat opposite her.
Her eyes moved back to said man opposite her, catching him staring at her intently, when their eyes connected, he broke his gaze and looked at her mother.
She saw him visibly swallow before speaking.
"How have you been?" He asked her mother. Her uncle scoffed from where he was stood, her mother gave her brother a look before turning back to her father and answering.
"I've been better, seems like you have as well. I mean, what in the world were you thinking Ned?" She said, clearly talking about the whole mess concerning Jon. Her mother needed to tread lightly or she'd quickly find herself being a little hypocritical.
Her father dropped his gaze to his hands resting on top of the table, before he could speak though, her mother spoke again.
"It doesn't matter now I suppose, what's done is done. You'll be paying for what you have done for the rest of your life." She added, in a slightly sympathetic tone.
She still cares for him.
Her father gave her mother a soft smile "Why are you here Ash?" He asked, taking a quick glance at her before looking back to her mother.
Her mother scoffed "After all these years, that's what you ask me?" She replied. Clarissa dropped her gaze to her lap, this was never going to be an easy conversation for her parents to have.
Her father replied, and it sounded pained "Ashara..."
Her mother took a deep breath and shook her head "Like I said, it doesn't matter now does it." She said as she turned and looked at her. She closed her eyes and took another deep breath.
"You need to know something." Was all her mother said into the silence of the room. She looked up to check her fathers reaction and noticed that he was already looking at her like he already knew what was about to be said.
"I think I already know what you're about to say." Her father said with a soft smile on his face as he carried on looking at her. She decided to smile back at him in response.
"You do?" Her mother said, her tone clearly showcasing how surprised she was. Her father just nodded without tearing his eyes away from her.
Her father sighed as he looked down at the wood of the table "None of us could have known that Aerys was going to do what he did to my father and brother." He said as he looked at her mother.
She looked on confused as her father carried on talking.
"I didn't know about you and Brandon," He said as he looked up, eyes connecting with Ashara's before looking at her "...I'm sorry you never got to meet him."
He thinks I'm his brother's daughter.
"Ned..." Her mother began to say but was quickly interrupted by her father.
He shook his head as he looked away from them "No it's fine. I knew Brandon was fond of you so it's not much of a surprise rea..."
"Eddard Stark you silly man!" Her mother snapped, both her and her father looking at her mother in shock.
Her mother had a stern look on her face but it wasn't devoid of softness, a small smile beginning to grow on her face.
"Me and Brandon never did anything, he knew how much his brother cared about me to even try." She said, what was left unsaid might as well have been screamed in her father's direction.
She had very little difficulty pinpointing the moment of realisation on her father's face.
She saw the tear run from his eye as he dropped his head.
"I'm sorry." He said, the urge to walk around the table and hug him becoming more and more irresistible.
"I should've been there for you." He added. She looked at her mother, her eyes reflecting the same sadness that she was feeling.
"You didn't know Ned, you didn't know because I didn't tell you." Her mother said, she could see the sorrow in her father's eyes as he looked up.
"I didn't tell you because I thought that everything that you'd said to me the last time we were here at Harrenhal was just said to get what you really wanted. The news that you had married somebody else after you'd promised yourself to me along with the fact that you already had a son from some unknown woman broke me Ned. It broke me enough for me to rebuild myself in a much harder material Ned, with a cage around my heart that very few people had access to, you not being one of them."
"And then everything that I thought was a hard truth I had to swallow turned out to be far from the truth. You taking Jon from his father did more damage than you think Ned." Her mother said as she looked in her direction "Our daughter grew up loathing you like her mother did." She said as she looked back towards her father "And now that the truth has come out, that you're a very silly man for what you did but not the man we thought you were, she now has very little time left to know her father before he's shipped off to the wall." She explained.
Her father looked at her with longing "Can...can I give you a hug?" He asked. She nodded to him and stood up, her father following suit.
The hug she gave him was crushing, the one she received back was just as tight. She could feel him slightly shaking as he buried his face into her shoulder.
He pulled his face away from her shoulder, signs of tears in his eyes, something that reflected her own eyes no doubt.
"With the little time I have left, I would love to spend it getting to know you." He said, his eyes looking towards her mother.
"Would you join us for dinner? I'd like you to meet your brothers and sisters too." He asked before looking towards her mother.
She felt nervous at the thought, her mother seemed to feel like that as well.
"Is that a good idea?" Her mother said. "I've heard stories from Jon about your wife, I'd rather my daughter not be subjected to that." She explained, a hard look on her face at the mention of her father's wife.
"My wife will have to accept that I want my daughter to meet her siblings and that Clarissa is my firstborn, conceived a long time before we were even betrothed." Her father explained in an iron tone.
"Do you think the Queen will allow my request for Clarissa's legitimisation?" Her father asked her mother a few moments later, his arm rested across her shoulders.
"My niece already has a name Lord Stark." Her uncle said from the side of the room "She has our family name, the family she has always had."
Her father reluctantly nodded before looking back at her mother "So she can meet her siblings then?"
"If that's what Clarissa wants." She said as she looked at her. Clarissa nodded within her father's grasp to which her mother nodded to in response.
She had to admit to herself, she was both anxious and excited to meet the siblings she'd known about for years.
She just hoped they accepted her.
Jon
The rain that came down heavy last night seemed to have subsided as he walked out of the room he'd been given last night. It was by far, the comfiest bed he'd ever slept in, though it didn't do much for the tossing and turning he did in the middle of the night.
He nodded at the Kingsguard that had been stationed outside his room, it felt bizarre if he was being honest, having somebody guarding his back, making sure he was safe even while he was asleep.
"Your grace." The knight bowed, the cringe on Jon's face clearly visible as the man smiled at him like he knew that the title bothered Jon.
"Ser Oswell...wasn't it?" He replied as he started walking towards the great hall of the castle. The man nodded as Jon readjusted the strap on his shoulder that held his swords in place. The walk was quiet and brisk as the two of them made their way through the corridors of the castle. Most of the inhabitants were still asleep given that the sun was just on the cusp of dawning.
He wanted the least fuss he could possibly get this morning. Plus if they left this early, they'd arrive at Winterfell with enough time for him to have a talk with Robb and some supper before bed.
That's if he isn't kicked out the moment Robb finds out what has happened.
He sighed as he got closer to the great hall. Last night after he left the library arm in arm with the Queen, he arrived in what seemed like the royal family's personal dining room. He tried his best but he couldn't help but feel awkward sat in that room with everybody.
His long lost family, who also happened to be the ruling family of the entire country.
The food he'd eaten last night was the finest food he'd ever been served, but he couldn't help but compare it to those pies that Gage made back in Winterfell.
Gage's pies won that contest with ease really.
He'd left that meal early, using the excuse of retrieving Ghost. That had caused a few faces to scrunch up in confusion, an explanation that Ghost was his direwolf and that he was still in his tent. He had a feeling some of them didn't know he even had a direwolf with the looks he got back.
He didn't give them chance to ask questions though as he made his swift exit, Ser Jaime following him like a steel shadow, something he was finding hard to adjust to to be quite honest. He was a lone wolf, used to the freedom of being alone and doing his own thing.
The northern camp was dark as he entered it, he didn't miss the couple of looks that were sent his way, looks from people who didn't seem to know what to make of him now. He held their gazes though as he walked past, a lot of them turning away before he did.
He wasn't going to be made out as some sort of villain in all of this.
Ghost was happy to see him as he entered his tent, even giving Ser Jaime the once over, sniffing his hands and around his feat. The Lannister man looked calm but he didn't miss the way he kept his hand on the pommel of his sword.
He packed his measly tent up and returned back up to the castle, with two shadows this time, glaring at the guards when they even dared to slightly draw their swords when they noticed Ghost.
As he entered the entrance hall, he instantly noticed two of the hardest people to look at during dinner, both princesses seemingly waiting for him along with Ser Loras and Ser Jonothor.
If the dinner was awkward, then this was a test set by the gods. It was hard not to essentially perv at the two beautiful women petting his wolf like he was a common dog, didn't help that Ghost was eating up the attention he was getting from them either.
Ghost had continued to bathe in the attention he got as well, to the point that when Jon excused himself, Ghost had stayed put, staring at him stubbornly. He didn't like it but the way the two princesses beamed at him when he said Ghost could stay with them if he wanted was kind of worth it.
And that's where Ghost had stayed all night, or he guessed that was what happened since it was the last time he saw him.
I hope they don't mind me asking them to look after him while I'm gone.
As he entered the great hall, he instantly noticed his uncle stood in the corner of the room talking to his children as Jory watched on. He also noticed that Lady Stark and Rickon were nowhere to be seen.
He wasn't surprised by this in the slightest.
What he was surprised to see though was the fact that Ashara and Clarissa were stood in the room. He noticed that Sansa was having a conversation with Clarissa too.
The conversation last night must have gone well. He mused.
"Jon!" He heard Arya shout from the corner of the room as he noticed the King and Queen along with Rhaella, Aegon and Rhaenys stood at the other end of the hall.
This is gonna be hard.
The first thing he noticed was that the hug she gave him wasn't as tight as they normally are. He patted her on the back as she released him, Bran taking her place.
"I wish we weren't parting on such unfortunate circumstances little sis." He said as Arya gave him a sad smile.
"Me too." She said as she looked to her right where Sansa and Clarissa were stood "I got a new sister out of it I suppose." She seemed to say to herself, like it was some sort of consolation prize.
"Will we see you again Jon?" Bran asked, he could see him biting the skin on the inside of his cheek.
"I hope so Bran. Let's hope Robb doesn't ban me from Winterfell." He said, the end said with a small chuckle. Bran just gave him a small smile.
"He better not, or I'll get Nymeria to eat him. I bet she's getting big now, just like Ghost." Arya said. He heard his uncle chuckle at his daughter's antics.
A daughter he won't get to see grow up. He thought sadly to himself.
He moved over to Sansa who politely hugged him, no words, just a polite smile. Clarissa gave him a hug similar to Arya.
"Fly safe, and don't drop him okay?" She joked as she nodded towards her father. He smiled in response.
"You owe me a ride on a dragon Jon, remember that." He heard Arya shout at him.
"Your mother would kill me," He said as her face dropped "...but we'll see, okay?" He added which cheered her back up.
"Jon!" He heard somebody else shout, he turned and noticed the other side of his family approaching. The voice in question happened to be Aegon, or Egg as he was told to call him after they got talking last night.
Egg, what an odd nickname.
Aegon gave him a smile as he approached before greeting the rest of the Stark's in a manner the crown prince would normally do, surprising him by even given his uncle a small nod in acknowledgement.
"Gonna be sad to see you go so soon after meeting you." Aegon said as Rhaenys came up to him and gave him a hug that felt like it lasted longer than it should have.
"I don't think I'll be gone that long, Kireina doesn't mess around." He replied as he gave his grandmother a hug.
"Have you got everything?" She asked as she broke away from him.
"Everything except for Ser Jaime, is he done pissing his breeches yet?" He asked with a grin as he started pulling on his black gloves.
Aegon chuckled "He's on his way, he didn't look too happy."
The Queen gave him a small hug before backing away "You'll have to excuse Daenerys, she's still sleeping, she isn't very pleasant when you wake her." She explained with a smile and a shake of her head.
He shook his head himself and smiled back "It's fine, I'm the same to be honest." He replied. "Ghost wasn't with her by any chance was he?" He asked.
It was Rhaenys to answer this time "He hasn't left her side since last night, even slept in her room."
"He isn't being a nuisance is he?" He asked.
She shook her head "Far from it. Between you and me, I think Dany has a new best friend." She said with a small laugh.
She has a nice laugh. He thought to himself.
"Do you think she would mind if I left him with her to look after while I'm gone? I don't think Ghost will fend too well on a dragon's back." He asked, worried that he'd have to leave Ghost to fend for himself for a few days. He was a direwolf capable of many things but he was still a pup really, easy pickings for a pack of wolves if he was on his own.
"I think Dany will be delighted by the suggestion." She replied, looking at him with those deep indigo eyes.
He nodded, a little uncomfortable under her gaze, Aegon seemingly noticing this and changing the subject.
"Margaery would have been here too but I left her and Alysanne to sleep." He said "Viserys isn't here either because...well he's just Viserys. You'll learn what that means in due time I reckon." He said with a small chuckle. Jon just nodded in response, it wasn't a surprise that Margaery and Viserys weren't here this morning, they were the most quiet last night, almost as if they couldn't decide what to think of him.
"I'm waiting." Kireina informed him through their bond, she sounded somewhat impatient.
Thankfully, Ser Jaime entered the hall just in the nick of time, almost as white as bed linen.
"Are you alright?" He asked to the knight with a little chuckle.
Ser Jaime visibly swallowed but nodded "I'm fine, just had a little trouble with the latrine, not to worry."
He grinned "You been throwing up?"
"C'mon," Ser Jaime said, ignoring his question as he started walking towards the door heading outside "...let's get this over and done with shall we."
The King placed his hand on his shoulder, he held back from not shrugging it off. Even though he knew his uncle had to pay for what he did, he still couldn't help but feel a slither of resentment from his apparent father.
"Be careful son, and fly safe." He said, Jon just nodded in response "I'll see you back in King's Landing."
He gave Arya, Sansa, Clarissa and Bran one last hug before nodding to his uncle. Ned gave them all one last hug too, there were only a couple of tears but it still made him feel like shit seeing them. He couldn't help but feel like all this was all his fault.
"Give a hug to Rickon for me please." He asked Sansa who just gave him a small smile and nodded.
"Let's get this over with then." His uncle said as he made his way to his side.
"Lord Stark." The King said in an iron tone behind them, both him and his uncle turning to see what he wanted.
Rhaegar had a blank look on his face "I wish you good fortunes." He said before nodding. His uncle gave him a reluctant nod back before giving his family one last smile.
He could sense the whole group following them outside as they exited the castle, Kireina's huge bulk easy to be seen. She'd made her self comfortable as she waited for him, attracting a small group of people off to the side as she laid there. The group in question bolted backwards as she unfurled her wings, a clear sign that she'd spotted him.
"How is this going to work?" His uncle asked as they approached her.
"Watch closely as I get on, then copy what I do." He said as he walked away from both his uncle and Ser Jaime and begin his ascent up Kireina's flank. He saw a few people pointing and talking as he got settled in his spot, a spike right in front of him to grip hold of.
"You first." He heard Ser Jaime say as he nudged his uncle forward. He was impressed when he made his way up Kireina's side, not as fast as Jon but clearly following the same path as he had. He settled in behind him as he got to the top.
"You alright?" He asked his uncle got settled. All he received in response was a nod, he guessed that he was too awestruck to speak as he ran a hand across Kireina's scales.
Ser Jaime wasn't so elegant as he ascended the dragon's side, and he looked like he was glad it was over as he took a seat behind his uncle.
"Do you really need to wear all that armour? That would've been a whole lot easier without it." He said as the Kingsguard knight scoffed, shuffling into place.
"With all due respect your grace, this armour makes it harder for somebody to kill me, and I cant afford to be dead if I'm supposed to be guarding your arse." He replied. Jon just laughed.
"Hold on to my waist." He said, his uncle realising what he was saying as he circled his arms around him. Ser Jaime did the same with his uncle.
He waved to the small group that had followed them out, Jory was looking after the Stark children and the King and Queen were both stood with each of their children, his grandmother stood to the side with Ser Barristan.
"Hold on." He shouted as Kireina rose to her feet, the grip around his waist tightening as the height from her back to the ground doubled.
He'll no doubt deny it till the bitter end, but he was pretty sure he heard Ser Jaime scream as Kireina set off and propelled herself into the morning sky over Harrenhal.
..
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