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AN END AND A NEW BEGINNING

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Some said that it had all started with a search for power disguised as a rebellion.

Others said that it had started with a crown of blue winter roses.

The truth was that not many people knew for certain what marked the beginning of all the events that came to happen and changed completely the destiny of Westeros.

But the ones who were aware of these events knew that it had involved the Prince and heir to the Iron Throne, Rhaegar Targaryen, and the Lord of Wintefell's only daughter, Lyanna Stark. They had fallen so madly in love that they never hesitated to run away from everything and everyone they knew and held dear.

Believing she had been kidnapped, her father and oldest brother had travelled to King's Landing demanding her release to the King, gaining only the wrath of the man most of the kingdom now called the Mad King and dying along many others fellow Northmen.

What happened after that was common knowledge. Eddard, or Ned as people usually called him, second son of Rickard Stark, was now Lord of Winterfell and he, advised by his men and his own conscience, raised his army and joined forces with his best friend and her sister's betrothed, Robert Baratheon. Together, they were able to defeat the King's men and by the time Prince Rhaegar showed his face in battle, Robert was fuelled enough as to defeat him with his hammer, his weapon of choice.

Unfortunately for him, before dying, Rhaegar was able to pierce his enemy's stomach with his sword, ending Robert's life mere minutes after his own passing.

Lord Eddard had wished to mourn his friend's death, but there were more pressing matters to attend to. He still had to get justice for her sister's kidnap as well as for his father and brother's death. He had received news of his sister's whereabouts and he, along with both armies, went to King's Landing to recover her and take her back home.

He fought bravely and ruthlessly against the King's men, but he received the shock of his life when he discovered that the Lannisters had already breached the city walls and had finished the enemy. Of course, that shock only increased once he entered the King's throne room and found Jaime Lannister, member of the Kingsguard and sworn protector of the King, sitting in the Iron Throne with his sword red with blood and the body of the King at his feet.

"Greetings, Lord Stark." – said the blond Lannister, standing from his seat.

"What have you done?" – Ned asked, horrified and angered at the same time for the death of the King.

"We simply helped Robert conquer the Iron Throne." – Jaime explained, smirking. A smirk Ned wanted to wipe from his face with the force of his fists.

"You were a member of the Kingsguard. You swore to protect him." – he argued.

"I swore to protect the realm, too." – Jaime defended himself. – "No need to be so serious. After all, your friend is King now, just like it was planned." – he elaborated, as if that was all the explanation the other might need, clearly insinuating he had pushed his honour aside just for a crown.

"That is not why I started this war!" – Ned yelled, indignant by the other man's words.

"Alas, it is what it is and there is nothing that can be done now."

Something in his eyes made Eddard suspicious. It had always been rumoured that even though the Lannisters were the second most powerful family in all the Seven Kingdoms, they had always ambitioned more power. And with the King, Prince Rhaegar and Robert dead, there was nothing and no one standing in their way.

'No. there are still Rhaegar and Elia Martell's children. And Rhaegar's brother and his soon to be born sibling.' Just as he was thinking this, the doors to the room opened once more and Lannister soldiers entered guided by Tywin. Ned noticed some of the men were carrying small bundles in their arms, which they then lay on the floor near Aerys's body after being ordered to do so by the old man, who had been the Hand of the King until his death.

"The dragons are dead. Like King Robert wanted." – Tywin stated, revealing one by one the faces of Rhaenys, Aegon and Viserys Targaryen.

"What in the gods' names have you done? This… this is not justice… this is murder!" – Ned screamed, disgusted by seeing so much innocent blood spilled.

"We did what was needed to keep the realm safe."

"They were innocent!" – he argued, wishing he could just take his sword and end the man's miserable life.

"They would have been a threat to King Robert's reign." – he answered coldly.

'The gods help me, because this is the only way.' Ned prayed before looking Tywin straight in the eye.

"Robert Baratheon is dead." – he said, watching attentively the other man's reactions to the news that until that moment had only been known by his bannermen, who had been sworn to secrecy.

"That cannot be true. You're lying, Lord Stark!" – Tywin accused. This, Ned inferred correctly, changed all the older man's plans.

"He died at the Trident after killing Rhaegar." – he explained bluntly.

"And he didn't leave an heir." – Tywin stated more than asked.

'No trueborn heir, at least.' Ned said to himself, remembering that Robert had already sired two bastards. One who lived in Storm's End and the other in the Eyrie.

"He did." – Ned started, breathing deeply before continuing. – "He named me his heir just before he died." – he finished, turning around and walking to the Iron Throne before sitting on it.

At once, every soldier in the room kneeled, acknowledging him as their new ruler, thus leaving Tywin and Jaime no other option but do the same. After that, the Lannister men took their leave while Ned sent several orders with his commanders and went in search of his sister. Gods' be willing, the soldiers wouldn't have noticed the area where he had been informed she had been hidden by Rhaegar.

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Once he got to the hidden chambers in the deeper levels of the Red Keep, he would wish he had been there sooner.

Because all he found there was his sister nearly at death's doors and holding a small bundle with all the strength she had left.

"Lyanna." – he whispered brokenly, sitting next to her on the bed.

"I knew you'd come, my dear Ned." – she whispered back before she had a sudden coughing fit.

"Hush… don't talk. You need to rest." – he advised her.

"It's too late… for me, Ned. My Rhaegar is dead and I can't keep fighting anymore." – she told him. – "Help me sit, please." – he wasn't sure it was a good idea, but did as she told him anyway. – "I… I… I need you… to take care of… of him… for me." – she begged him, showing him now the bundle in her arms, which Ned had already suspected was his newborn nephew or niece.

"No, Lyanna… no…" - he kept repeating, but took her child into his arms when she extended her arms.

"Take care of him, Ned. Take him with you to the North."

"Lyanna… I…" – he didn't know how to explain to her that he would never return to Winterfell. That he would never be able to send her child, the last reminder of her he would ever have, to be raised that far away from him.

"Pro… promise me, Ned. Promise me." – she begged one last time, before closing her eyes, never to open them again.

"Lya." – he called her for the last time, holding her child against his chest and kissing his sister's cooling cheek. – "I promise I will protect him. I will make sure he becomes a great man and everyone knows he is the last legitimate Targaryen."

He dried his cheeks as best he could and rose, hugging his nephew protectively before leaving the room without turning back.

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The next weeks were the most exhausting in Ned's life.

After leaving his sister's chambers, he took his nephew to his new departments. He had decided to call him Jon, in honour of Lord Arryn, and had brought a wet nurse to feed him and take care of him whenever his duties didn't allow him to do so. But he still made sure to spend all his free time with the baby, mesmerised by his beauty and his northern looks and also looking to protect him

He had been forced to present the baby as his bastard, the love child he had sired with a lady he had met during the war. He hadn't wanted to do this to her sister's son, but until the kingdom was in peace, he had to do anything possible to keep the baby from harm and it seemed to be the only way. Still, when he had gone to the godswood in King's Landing and presented him in front of the heart tree, he had also promised himself that one day he would know the truth and would take his rightful place as the rightful King.

Besides taking care of Jon, Ned also had to pacify many lords and citizens of King's Landing as well as command his men and dispatch orders through his newly formed council. He had also named a new Hand, since he didn't trust the Lannisters, especially after witnessing their cruelty towards the Targaryen children. For this post, he had chosen Jon Arryn, his and Robert's mentor and guardian during their youth. According to his new council, he had recently married the youngest of the Tully girls, Lysa, and were soon to start their journey from Riverrun to the Eyrie.

He had been happy to hear news of his mentor's marriage, of course, but that happiness had also brought to light another problem to be solved. A problem related to the oldest Tully sister, Catelyn.

She had previously been engaged to his brother Brandon before Lyanna's elopement and after his brother's death, it had been expected that he, as new Lord of Winterfell, asked for her hand in marriage, allying the power of House Stark with that of the Tullys. Unfortunately, ever since Ned had seen her for the first time, he had only felt repulsion for the girl and there was nothing that would make him take her as his wife and Lady of Winterfell. Even less as his new Queen.

And of course that topic had taken him to another issue.

Now that he was King, it had been decided that his youngest brother, Benjen, would become Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North. At first, Ned had thought that maybe Benjen could marry Catelyn Tully, as the members of his council had also suggested, but after thinking it thoroughly, he resolved it would be better for his brother to decide. After all, his lifelong wish had been to join the Night's Watch, a wish that could no longer be fulfilled. That's why he couldn't take this choice from his brother, too. After reaching this conclusion, he hurried to send a raven to Winterfell informing him of his new status and his freedom to choose his bride.

Unfortunately, he wasn't entitled that same choice. Now that a week after his coronation had passed, his council had come to him with the issue of choosing a suitable wife. For this, most of the ladies who came to his coronation had been already trying to win his favour, clearly encouraged by their power seeking fathers. To him, however, they just looked like vultures waiting for their next prey.

And that had been his opinion until that afternoon.

When he had seen her.

The pearl of Casterly Rock and Tywin's only daughter, Cersei Lannister.

Of course, he had heard much about her beauty, but now that he could see her, he considered her the most beautiful creature he had ever seen in his entire life.

Just before they had been introduced, Ned had imagined that despite her great beauty, she would be just as power hungry as the rest of her family. Thus, he had been prepared to treat her respectfully, according to her station, but coldly. And he was greatly surprised when she acted so shy and submissive in front of him, refusing to meet his eye for nearly all their encounter, that he didn't hesitate to soothe her with a gentle smile. She had returned to her father's side after that and had he not followed her with his eyes, he would not have seen the look of fright on her angelic face after her father had whispered something to her ear. Also, he wouldn't have seen her wince when her father grabbed her arm before allowing her to retire to her chambers.

Ned, who had never seen his father or older brother behave with nothing but respect towards any lady, felt it was his duty and honour to take such delightful creature from that poisonous environment and to claim her for himself. Of course, he could simply talk to her father, who would definitely agree to join their houses and to be close to power once again. But what Ned wanted was to talk to her. He wanted, no, needed to become the most important and cherished man in her life, so that when he asked to be his wife and Queen, she would accept happily and not simply because it was expected of her.

And with that resolution, he started planning how to integrate himself in her life without raising suspicion.

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A/N: My second Ned/Cersei. I hope you like it and please be patient with me becaus English is not my mother's tongue and let me know what you think :)