Arya grew restless. They had been in Dragonstone for over a month now. She remembered when they crossed through the gates. The men pointed their arrows and swords at them. They were a sight. Joanna was barefoot, her feet bloodied. Arya had cuts over her arms and was the dirtiest of them while Gendry bleed heavily from an arm wound that needed to be checked by a maester.
"Who comes this way?" A man asked in a very unfriendly manner. The direwolves around them growled and paced around them.
"Gendry." She looked at the young man beside her. He was so unused to using his titles.
"You are prince Gendry. Say it." She hissed to him. Joanna looked lost, afraid, her clothes were torn and her hair was dirty. Arya held her hand.
"Go back where you came from." The man said and turned his back on them.
"You will open these gates and call Lord Baratheon." Gendry grew impatient when the man refused to open the doors. "I am your prince. You will open your gates and take me to my uncle." Gendry barked commandingly.
The man opened the gates but did not let them inside the castle. "The prince is dead." The man announced.
"I assure you I am alive." Gendry tried to make his way inside the castle but a group of men surrounded him.
"I swear upon the Seven if you do not let us in I will personally see to your imprisonment for treason." Arya knew for a fact Gendry would not act on his words. He forgave too easily, forgot too easily.
They did not let him in. The man however sent a man inside the castle.
It was cold. Joanna shivered, Arya looked as the sun rose. It was a brand new day. The wait felt like hours. "Why is this taking so long?"
Gendry looked pale. "This is the first time I set foot here. No one has ever seen my face. I suppose they have to get my uncle first."
Arya had never met Stannis Baratheon nor seen any portraits of him but it was obvious he walked their way from the moment Gendry and him locked eyes. The man looked stoic but there was relief in his eyes. The prince was not as skilled or self-contained as his uncle. The relief was evident in his blue eyes.
She thought Gendry would break into a run and hug Stannis but either the young man was too tired to run or he did not feel comfortable with public displays of affection. Tommen would have hugged father, as Robb and Jon would have but she couldn't picture uncle Jaime or Tyrion hugging grandfather after any circumstance.
Gendry hugged him as soon as he was close enough. "She tried to kill me." Gendry whispered. Stannis hugged him back and kissed his forehead quickly, Arya would have missed it if she weren't obsessively looking at her betrothed.
"You're alive." Lord Baratheon stepped away from him and took a look at his nephew's arm. "You are hurt. Maester Cressen must see you at once." Gendry nodded.
The man noticed her and Joanna at last. Confusion marred his features for a second. "The Stark sisters. I will explain everything once we are inside I swear." They made their way into the castle.
Dragonstone was different. It was beautiful but in a sad way. She did not have time to contemplate much because as soon as they were inside Gendry was shipped away to a maester while her and Joanna were shipped another way.
She did not feel comfortable leaving Joanna alone. A woman drew them baths and tended to their minor wounds. Joanna swatted the woman's hands away. "No, no, no." She kept whispering. Her sister must be in shock. Arya grabbed her face softly. "We are fine. Joanna, we're safe, in Dragonstone." Joanna focused on her face.
"Father is dead." She said hollowly.
Arya stared back and agreed. "We're alive." She looked into Joanna's green eyes and willed her to focus on her.
Her sister did. "We have to send ravens to mother or grandfather." Arya nodded.
The woman came close to Joanna and she let her heal and bandage her feet. She drew them baths. Joanna and her sank into the water and washed each other's hair. Arya was grateful they were together and had this time for them.
The servants lead them to guest quarters. "M'ladies, we have different rooms for you."
The possibility of not having Joanna close to her bothered her more than she wanted to admit. "Keep close. Winter is coming." Father reminded them about the pack that survives.
"No." Arya held onto Joanna's hand and tightened her hold on hers.
"As you wish my lady." The woman said and left them in their quarters with new clothes. "We should rest." Joanna changed into a shift and handed Arya another shift.
They went to bed and faced each other. They used to sleep like this when they were little. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the comfort a good bed offered.
Later that day Lord Baratheon called them for dinner. Neither Joanna nor her realized they had slept the day away. The maid woke them up with her soft voice. Joanna was the one to wake her and encourage her to dress properly.
"I'll comb your hair." Arya knew it calmed her down so she let her brush her brown hair and put it in a braid reminiscent to the ones mother was prone to wearing.
She returned the favor. "I can't braid you hair properly." For some reason it ashamed her that she couldn't make her sister's hair stay in a braid.
"We'll be late. It doesn't really matter Arya. Just brush it and be done with it." Joanna rolled her eyes. Her sister could have kissed her for that little gesture. Normalcy, it was what they needed when their world was over and their family scattered. They were not even sure if any of them were alive anymore.
She combed Joanna's hair until it shone. They walked together to a brightly lit room. Gendry sat next to Lord Baratheon, discussing something. A girl, probably younger than Bran sat in front of Gendry, her face was scared. The girl had suffered from Greyscale. Septa Mordane spoke of it in one of her endless history lessons. She saw an older man, a maester sitting next to the girl. A woman sat at the other end of the table. "Arya." Gendry said smiling and offered her a seat next to him. There was only one chair; an older man occupied the other chair. Arya refused to let go of Joanna's hand.
The man stood up, "My lady." He said, bowing and offering his chair to Joanna who even in cases like this never forgot her manners. "Thank you my lord." She smiled.
The man stuttered, "Not a lord my lady." He said and sat quickly but Arya could tell he liked Joanna. Everyone loved Joanna and for once Arya wasn't envious of that little fact.
Lord Baratheon spoke as soon as both girls were seated. "Your father was an honorable man, just and trustworthy. I offer my condolences." The man said stiffly.
Joanna nodded. "We thank you for your hospitality my lord." She said proffering a small smile at the stoic man.
He looked away from her eyes. "If we could write to our mother or our grandfather." Joanna started.
"That would be unadvisable for the time being." A woman with red hair said.
"Who are you?" Arya said quite rudely. She meant to be rude.
"Lady Melisandre of Asshai. Our priestess for the Lord of Light." The woman at the end of the table said with a glint on her eyes.
"You have brought darkness into our home but what can you expect from the daughters of murderers and traitors?" the woman said with spite.
The lord of Dragonstone ground his teeth, "Selyse. That is enough." The man looked annoyed by the woman's behavior. The woman in red remained impassive.
"My lord husband should reconsider and send this filth back to King's Landing. Let Catelyn see to their punishment." Arya could have easily leapt and slap that woman but it wasn't necessary.
Gendry came to their defense. "I think not Lady Baratheon. Arya is my betrothed…"
"You dare address me bastard." The woman said with vitriol.
Suddenly Stannis Baratheon slammed both of his hands on the table. The girl with Greyscale let out a small gasp, as did Joanna. The rest of the occupants were silent and watched Lord Baratheon as he spoke. He did not yell but his voice seem to acquire a potent like quality, "I said enough. They will stay here under our care and be treated as the guests they are." He then stood up and made for the door.
"Gendry." He called and the prince followed his uncle. For their part Joanna and Arya were ushered by the maester and into their quarters.
The girl with Greyscale was Shireen Baratheon, Gendry's cousin. She knocked on their door and wanted to introduce herself. Arya had liked the young girl as had Joanna who took delight in her company.
A month passed. Selyse Baratheon despised them and made no secret of it. The Red Woman as Gendry called her was a constant presence in the castle. There were rumors that she was Stannis's mistress but Arya doubted it very much. The man was cold; although Gendry seemed to love him dearly, better than he had loved his father at any rate. The girl could tell just by the way Gendry spoke of him and how they interacted.
In any case the Red woman tried to make Stannis seize the throne as his and only his. She believed he was the reincarnation of some god. Gendry told her so. He had been so happy to tell her that his uncle refused the woman and she was due to go back to Asshai.
"Uncle Stannis wants her gone from Dragonstone. She will leave in a week. She said she was mistaken and would be ready to leave the castle in a week." Gendry said as they sparred in an abandoned part of the castle, away from prying eyes.
She was quicker than him but he was stronger and surprisingly agile for a man his size. She aimed her needle and managed to graze his side but he moved to his right and laughed. "You have got to be less predictable m'lady."
Arya smiled, he smiled back, openly, with a happy glint. She aimed her sword at his heart. "You play dirty." He said and scowled.
"You are predictable too my prince." The girl laughed and he laughed too. He held her to him and gave her a kiss. Arya kissed him back. She grabbed his hand when his eyes darkened and his hands wandered. "Come on. Joanna must be looking for us." She ran and he ran after her.
Arya stopped her musings when Shireen and Joanna approached her. "You have to come with us to the gardens. You have to see the new flowers." The little girl spoke animatedly and held onto Joanna's hand.
Arya didn't want to be rude, not to Shireen but the last thing in her mind were the flowers they planted or anything other than to know more about the war. Stannis had been eerily quiet about his plans. She trusted Gendry and therefore trusted the older man but she felt uneasy. It had been a month and they were not even near to raising an army or taking King's Landing.
Joanna frowned at her. "Arya, you have to see the flowers."
She nodded, walking alongside Shireen. Joanna was very fond of the girl and so was she. Arya was fonder of Selyse's rage. The woman looked positively enraged whenever she saw her daughter in the Starks' company.
"Lady Melisandre leaves tonight. Mother doesn't speak to father anymore. She's threatened to go back to Brightwater Keep." The small girl said as she watered the plants.
Had it been a week already? It must have been. Arya couldn't care less if that horrible woman left Dragonstone. It would be better if she were gone. Joanna however seemed a little too interested. "Your father would never let his wife live away from him."
Shireen shrugged, "Mother and father do not care much about each other." The girl said it as if she was saying it would rain later.
Arya observed the interactions between lord and lady Baratheon. They were cold to each other, Selyse looked at him with sad eyes while Stannis avoided her as much as possible.
They spent the afternoon in the gardens. Joanna asked a lot of questions about Selyse and Shireen. Arya yawned more than once. Her sister seemed to have forgotten about her, not that the girl cared too much. A busy Joanna was better than her listless counterpart. She would be unbearable if she were idle. It was nightfall when Arya stood up and ushered her companions out of the gardens and into the courtyards.
The girls walked back and saw the fires down by the sea. Arya ran to one of the balconies. There were fires around the beach. "They're burning the gods." Shireen said next to her.
They ran down, thinking they would reach the bay. "My ladies. You have to stay put." Ser Davos and some of his men restrained them. Joanna gasped when Stannis and Gendry came close to them. They were dirty with sand and soot, a strange combination. "Get inside, there's nothing left."
The party walked back. Gendry was pale and his hands shook. The hall was well lit. Davos called for a maester. She was surprised when the old maester did not come. She was used to seeing the old man attend to her betrothed and his uncle.
The younger man looked over Gendry and some men. Arya and Joanna were given supplies to help the wounded. Shireen had been ushered back to her quarters. The girl didn't dare ask anything and went back to her rooms with a meek gaze toward her father.
Stannis had his back toward them. The man sat down away from them. He did not glance at anyone; his gaze was fixed at a wall.
"Your hands, they're burned." Joanna stepped forward and grabbed some ointment and bandages.
Only Joanna sat by the man and saw to the man's wounds. Arya expected lord Baratheon to refuse her sister's care but he didn't.
She couldn't contain her curiosity any longer. "What happened?" She asked as gently as possible.
Gendry grabbed her hand. "Lady Baratheon opposed the Red Woman's departure. Uncle refused her pleas and had the woman leave Dragonstone in the late afternoon. Her ship was gone before the sun fell."
Arya did not understand. Gendry should be happy the woman was gone; instead he looked discomfited. "I don't understand. She is gone. You should be happy."
"I am." He shook his head. "I was. I saw the ship become smaller and smaller and then noticed something amiss. Lady Baratheon had some of the men carry the Gods, the statues to the bay."
Arya could tell Gendry was remembering, picturing the events in his head. "Maester Cressen tried to stop her. He called for uncle Stannis. He came of course but it was too late. I should have seen them. Why didn't I pay more attention to the beach, instead of looking at the ship?"
He rambled, "What happened?"
"The idols burned. She pushed Cressen when he tried to stop her from lighting the Father. The men tried to stop her too but it was too late. Lady Selyse pushed maester Cressen and then threw herself to the fire. "She thought she was going to be purified. Uncle Stannis burned his hands trying to get her from the flames but she fought him. She looked possessed."
"They're dead."
Arya looked back to Shireen who stood by the doorway and then went to her father. Stannis looked at those remaining in the hall. There were only two men who looked badly burned. "Wildfire. She used wildfire, it was how it spread so quickly."
"Leave at once." Stannis motioned to the maester and the men. They went away. Gendry, Arya and Joanna left too. Everyone but for Shireen who stayed by her father's side.
They heard as the girl cried. They also heard the man quieting the little girl.
Gendry was escorted back to his rooms while Joanna and Arya went to theirs. They faced each other. "What are you thinking?" Arya asked her sister.
The girl could practically hear her sister's thoughts bouncing off her head.
"Nothing of importance." She said barely audibly.
"Are you thinking about Selyse?" Arya guessed.
"It sad how she died. That Red Woman drove her to madness." Joanna said forgetting her attempts at secrecy.
If there was anything positive about being cooped up in Dragonstone it was the fact that Joanna talked to her. They were talking and being friendly again. Her sister didn't look at her with pained eyes anymore. She looked at her like old Joanna did and even treated her better than old Joanna ever did.
"She was not so nice Joanna. She didn't like Gendry or us. I don't even think she liked Shireen much." Arya said trying to make conversation.
"He always looks sad." Her big sister said and looked at her hands.
Arya lost her. "Who?"
"Lord Baratheon. He looks sad, and is always very quiet. You wouldn't think he would be related to King Robert or Gendry."
She looked at Joanna. "I suppose he is more reserved."
"He is a true lord. Shireen said he reads to her sometimes. He has a pleasant voice." Joanna said distractedly.
"How would you know? He's barely spoken to any of us." Arya said suspiciously.
"I suppose he does. He looks like he has a good voice, a gentle, and kind voice but also strong because he's a warrior."
"You're raving mad Joanna." Arya couldn't deny that Stannis was a warrior. Father had said he was a just, if hard man.
"He will have to marry." Joanna said and then turned away from Arya.
Arya for her part closed her eyes, the events of the day catching up to her. She couldn't help but think that Joanna was up to something.
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!
Creation is hard, cheer me up!
Tommen was still very weak. He had almost died twice since they left King's Landing. His son almost bled out and then a fever took a hold of his body. He hallucinated and shivered for a week. Ned stood with him and watched as his son fought death.
The shipmen left them at Gulltown. They were unable to continue their journey North. They had no money left. Ned nodded when the captain informed him they would not continue to White Harbor.
Tommen was pale and it was clear he would need more than a few weeks to recover. His sons were not weak; they had never been sickly. Ned wasn't used to Tommen being so defenseless.
"Father, I don't think I can walk any longer." Shaggydog helped his master stand. Tommen leaned into the beast who licked the boy. The direwolf was great help. He hunted and served as protector for both Tommen and him.
They made their way to Saltpants. Ned had grown a beard, as so did Tommen, although his was less hairy and much fairer than his.
The news around the Riverlands was that he was dead and a traitor. Robb and Lannister had raided the queen's ancestral home and were to leave for King's Landing soon. Renly Baratheon had the strength of the Stormlands and the Reach. He proclaimed he was King of the Seven Kingdoms. There was no news of his daughters and Gendry yet. No one knew what Stannis planned, if he decided to back Renly or seek the throne as the rightful heir. Ned hoped Tommen was correct and the girls reached Dragonstone. He prayed to his gods Stannis realized Gendry was the true heir and king of the Seven Kingdoms.
"We'll find an inn soon." Ned helped him up and half carried him to the Crossroads Inn. He remembered staying here decades ago when Brandon was still alive and they visited Catelyn for the first time.
The place was filled with Lannister men. Eddard Stark could say it was the first time he was glad to see the golden lion against the red field. He could hear the men singing that blasted song that Cersei liked so much.
"And so he spoke, and so he spoke
that Lord of Castamere
but now the rains weep o'er his halls
with no one there to hear
Yes now the rains weep o'er his halls
And not a soul to hear."
Ned didn't frown and welcomed the loud singers. They would take him and Tommen to the encampment. He needed to see Lord Lannister and join him. Tommen would of course go North and comfort Cersei. They all thought him dead. His lioness needed to know the truth. He would fight and make sure Gendry ascended to the throne, as was his right. Robert and him fought a war for that throne and Eddard would make sure Gendry remained there.
He didn't recognize any of the men there. The innkeeper looked annoyed, betrayed to have all those strange men in her inn. Tywin Lannister was ruthless. The lord of Winterfell was sure his father in law sent the Cleganes first. He needed to get Robb and Jon under order. They were not Lannisters. They were Starks and would not murder, rape and steal as if they had no honor. Stories of horror and pain filled the Riverlands most of them involved Lannister men committing atrocities in their wake. He would sort his children and lead his men away from the Lannister men if he had to.
Tommen looked at him pleadingly. They had travelled two weeks without rest, hunting and sleeping on hard grounds. The days grew shorter and colder. Winter was coming too soon.
Ned approached a man of slight build. He was blonde and looked a lot like Lannister twenty years ago. "Take us to Lord Lannister."
The young man sputtered. "I do not speak with peasants." Of course he was an arrogant little shit. They all were.
Eddard lost his patience rather quickly. He grabbed the boy by his tunic and pulled him close. "Take me to Tywin Lannister now." He spat. The whole lot quieted and pointed swords at him. Tommen paled even more. Shaggydog circled his master and growled at the men.
"How dare you touch me filthy bastard?" The little shit lost his courage when Ned tightened his hold on his neck.
He felt as two men grabbed his arms and punched him in quick succession.
"Stop." Tommen yelled. Shaggydog growled and mauled a man who tried to get near Tommen.
The little shit spoke once more. His voice was strained. "Take them to the camp. Hold the beast down too."
Eddard complied with the men and was escorted out the inn. The men and the Lannister had horses. They tried to get close to Shaggydog but the direwolf growled and bit a man's hand.
"Let the beast with the boy. Once we reach camp we'll cage it properly." The men must know they were important. Direwolves were not common. They must have seen Grey Wind by now. If the rumors were any accurate Robb and Lannister were still around these parts.
They rode for a day and half until they reached Harrenhal. Tommen had a fever and looked worse by the hour.
They reached the massive castle. The encampment was massive. He realized Jon must be there as well. He saw some of his bannermen and a lot of Westerners.
His son stumbled and fell to the ground. He saw Alysane Mormont by a fire. She was a mother. She could know about fever and herbs. "Alysane." He barked.
The woman turned and saw him. She smiled. "Lord Stark." She came to his side at once.
The men stepped away from him and Tommen. They looked at the Mormont woman with wary eyes. "Good." He thought.
"Find the woman, the Volantese woman now." She said and motioned for two men to help her carry Tommen to a tent. Eddard followed them.
They put in in a cot and left the room. "Your sons are here. We prepare to storm King's Landing in three days."
Ned nodded and was glad to finally be in the right place. This senseless war would end once and for all. He was made for this, for war. They all were; Lannister, Stannis and him. They would reclaim the throne for Gendry. Stannis would become the Lord Hand and he would go back North to Cersei, where he belonged.
The woman entered. She carried bandages and a case.
"All of you leave now. I need space." She said hurriedly without looking at any of them but at Tommen. Alysane left and pulled him out of the tent.
"She is the best, better than any maester I have seen." The girl said. She wanted to say more but seemed to think better of it and left.
Ned turned and saw his sons running. They were in armors but looked like the boys who ran to him whenever he came back from the Karhold or the Dreadfort after a few days of not seeing each other.
Robb was the first to reach him and hug him. Jon hugged him too. He laughed, his dark eyes sparkling with happiness.
Some of the soldiers looked at them. Cersei would condemn her son's behaviors. "You're alive." Robb was crying.
He smiled. "Your brother isn't well."
"Tommen is here. You have Tommen." Jon laughed. He looked giddy with happiness.
More people stared openly. Ned smiled. "Stay with your brother. He's inside there." Robb hugged him once more and entered the tent.
"Find me a tent." He said to his oldest son. Jon nodded and led him to a big tent.
"These are my quarters." Jon said.
"What do you need?" His son asked immediately.
"A bath, clothes and for you to tell me exactly what is happening." Eddard said as he divested his filthy clothes.
A maid set up the tub and left quickly. The lord of Winterfell stepped in the tub and relished the hot water against his skin. He was in need of a bath and nourishment.
"Tell me." He said and looked at his son. The boy looked older, he was growing a beard too.
"Lord Lannister sent one of his nephews to alert mother. I called the banners and met Lannister in the Neck. Soon after I received the summons from queen Catelyn. She accused you of regicide and conspiracy against the crown. The Seven Kingdoms believes you to be a traitor and murderer."
Ned remembered Baelor's Sept and the people of King's Landing jeering at him and most of all he remembered Catelyn's stony face. He remembered each of her words, her lies against his person and his family.
"No. Tell me about your mother. How is she? Does she believe me dead?" All he could think about was her, his wife.
Jon nodded. "Uncle Tyrion arrived safely. We just received the ravens. Mother gave birth to a healthy boy. She wasn't well but she's better now. She thinks you're dead."
Eddard felt his heart on his throat. "Birth?"
His son didn't look at him. "She was pregnant when you left. The baby is fine. His name is Rickon, the pregnancy wasn't easy on her. I left when she started showing." The lord of Winterfell did not have time to process the news. His son spoke more and more.
"Robb and I learned of your execution. Lord Lannister and his host procured the Twins for us. I had to marry a Frey girl. Uncle Tyrion wedded lady Sansa of Arryn." Ned looked confused but remained quiet.
"Uncle Jaime and Robb secured the Riverlands. The North is ours still. I left Moat Cailin secured with Mormonts and some of our forces. The Greyjoys tried to invade the North. I sent half the Hornwoods back to strengthen the forces around Moat Cailin, Deepwood Motte and the North."
"What is Balon claiming?" Eddard asked as he scrubbed the filth away from his skin.
Robb stormed in. "He's sleeping. Lady Talisa patched him up and gave him some herbs." He looked happy. He smiled and reminded Ned of Cersei when she was happy. She would have a manic grin on her face like the one their son sported now.
"Sit down. Next to your brother now." Ned needed to hear all the developments in his absence. He was ecstatic to see the boys but the immensity of it all started to sink in.
Robb did as he was told and hung his head. Jon continued with his explanations. "He styles himself as king of the Iron Islands. He appears to be the least of the crown's problems. Renly Baratheon proclaimed himself king of the Seven Kingdoms. Lord Baratheon prepares to meet with his brother in their ancestral home. Prince Gendry and my sisters are well protected inside Dragonstone.
Eddard closed his eyes and sighed in relief. The girls were fine. They were alive and safe.
"Send ravens to your mother first and then to all the great lords and houses. I am alive and not a traitor." Ned said and then looked at Jon with new eyes.
"What are your plans?" He asked his eldest.
"I planned to wait until we received news from Lord Baratheon. If Renly desisted from his claim then Robb and I would join their forces and put Gendry back on the throne. If however Renly continued with his claim Robb and Uncle Jaime would join Stannis Baratheon and bring Renly down."
His son spoke in the past tense. "What about the queen?"
"She has King's Landing, the fealty of Dorne and most of the Reach. The Tyrells have declared for Renly Baratheon.
Robb spoke then, "We were going to take King's Landing after sorting Renly Baratheon."
Eddard nodded and stepped out of the tub. He dressed with clothes Jon handed him. "Where is your grandfather?" Jon looked at him with hurt eyes. He remembered he knew the truth of his birth. That would have to be a conversation for later, much later.
"He remains in the Twins. He plans to storm the Eyrie or join me in taking King's Landing if necessary."
The lord of Winterfell frowned while dressing. "Lannister plans to sack the city."
"Grandfather helped us." Robb said.
Eddard replied bitterly. "The last time Tywin Lannister helped me or any Baratheon. He sacked a city, and killed innocent women and children, among those were Elia Martell and her children. Make no mistake, Dorne still mourns for Elia and blames the Lannisters."
"We will wait until Stannis convinces Renly to stand down. Lannister and his men will go and meet with Stannis and the prince." Ned continued.
"We'll advance to King's Landing and retake the Throne for Gendry." Eddard stepped out the tent and went into Tommen's tent.
The woman was still there. She undressed his son. He had a rag on his forehead and had his eyes closed. "How is he?"
"He'll live. He needs to rest for a few weeks and eat better. I cleaned his wound but it has to be cleaned again or he will surely have another infection. He's a strong one I give you that." She smiled and placed another rag on Tommen's feverish forehead.
"I'll stay with him for tonight." The woman said and gently and caressed his son's cheek. He felt Robb tense by his side. Jon came closer to Tommen. He smiled and then left, he assumed to gather the Northerners.
Robb left too. "I will look for uncle Jaime and tell him of the news." He nodded, trying to sit by his son without hissing.
"You're hurt too." The woman pointed out and went to her case. "Let me see." She made him stand up.
The woman poked around his side. He winced but did not cry out. "Your ribs are broken. Could you let me bandage them? Those cuts also need some cleaning." She motioned to his arms and legs.
Eddard let her. She wasn't westerosi. "You're from the East."
"My name is Talisa Maegyr." He watched as she placed the bandages around his middle.
"Volantis." He tried first.
Lady Talisa nodded and averted her eyes. She became shy, remembering they way she was supposed to act. She was highborn, a lady. Eddard could tell by her demeanor and way of speaking. "Maegyr. An old name in Volantis I assume."
"Sit down please." She avoided his gaze and proceeded to clean the shallow cuts.
He planned to remain quiet until she was finished and then send her away. "A very old name, one of the oldest." She said distractedly.
"You can go back to your tent Lady Talisa." He offered.
"Oh no. I'll take care of him. They will be looking for you shortly." Robb entered as soon as the words left her mouth.
"Uncle Jaime wishes to see you as do our men." He didn't take his eyes off of lady Talisa.
Eddard stepped outside the tent. Robb was by his side. "They're all through here."
He understood this was the strategy tent. A map of Westeros stretched out in two tables. Lannister, Karstark, Umber, Hornwood, and many others were there.
Greatjon embraced him, as did Karstark. He smiled. His brother in law looked at him with the same hateful eyes he reserved for him. Eddard had a similar look reserved for him.
"You managed to survive." The golden fool said without much emotion.
"The Starks endure." He said simply and took a seat in front of him. All these men had been to war. He had fought alongside these men and knew many of them.
Greatjon let out an uproar of laughter. Some of the men followed suit.
"What news do you have of Gendry and Stannis?" He asked Jaime.
"As Jon must have told you we're still waiting for the ravens." Lannister said in a bored tone.
"How many men does Catelyn have at her disposal?" He addressed Lannister again.
"Five thousand without Dornish men." The man replied.
"How many do we have?" He asked to no one in particular.
"Three thousand Northerners." Jon replied.
"A thousand Westerners under my command." Ser Jaime continued.
He pointed to the map. "Here." He pointed to the Stormlands. "This is where Renly and Stannis will meet. We will send your thousand men to help Stannis. We wouldn't have to wait for Stannis's ravens."
Jon stepped in. "Baratheon would be less likely to renounce his notions of kinghood if he feels threatened."
Lannister spoke then. "Your father isn't suggesting an ambush. We wouldn't attack. The boy does need to feel surrounded. He needs the additional shove to make the best decision. If we sail tomorrow we would be there two days after Baratheon and our prince arrive to their home."
"It is decided then. Take your thousand men and meet Stannis." He said icily.
"For once we agree." Ser Jaime said through his teeth.
They discussed war tactics for two hours until they had a plan. "Send ravens to my father. He needs to learn of these new developments." Ser Jaime said to the little shit who brought him to the camp.
Many of the men left until only his sons and Jaime Lannister remained inside the tent. "I have matters to attend to." His brother in law attempted to leave the tent.
"What you did was rash and endangered my family. You took my son and started a war."
"You started a war. If you had listened to Catelyn Baratheon you would be in the North by now." Lannister replied.
Eddard stood in front of his brother in law. "What do you know of honor Kingslayer?" He wanted to rile him up. What did the golden fool know about Catelyn and her misguided advances?
The man delivered. "Honorable Lord Stark. How does it feel to know you have started a war? You could have stayed quiet and let the world believe the princesses were Robert's." Lannister came close to him and looked at him with hatred.
"You chose to expose them. Catelyn was unstable to begin with and now she's over the edge and this madness became what it is now. Forgive me lord Stark but I am picking up after your mess."
He was enraged, few men managed to infuse him with such anger. "There haven't been rumors about the girls. No one knows."
The other man had the gall to laugh; "It was never about the girls. You and I know better. Girls don't matter, not in our world. You have given them free reign. They needed a provocation and you provided it. We have a war Lord Stark thanks to you."
Ned Stark watched him go and fumed. Jon and Robb stayed by his side. His second eldest looked as if he wanted to follow his uncle. For some reason it bothered him that Robb wanted to follow Lannister, he was jealous of the man, the feeling almost as corrosive as when he fell in love with his wife and she had nothing but tales of her golden twin.
"Your uncle will leave at dawn without you. Jon, you and I will march for King's Landing. We'll corner them until Gendry and Stannis meet us." He saw as his son shook his head.
"There's no place for me here. I'm going with uncle Jaime." The boy said defiantly.
"Robb don't." Jon pleaded.
"No, uncle Jaime is right. I'm not a boy anymore. I want to go with him. I can make a name for myself." Robb said and looked at him pleadingly.
Eddard shook his head. "You aren't his. You're mine son. You belong here with me, with your brother."
"You're going to send me back to Winterfell. I will have to take Tommen back. It won't be you who will have to see mother's saddened face." Robb said angrily.
Lord Stark shook his head. "Tommen is strong, stronger than I ever thought possible. He will not go back to Winterfell. We'll take King's Landing and return North together, all of us. We'll return to your mother."
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