Eddard

297 A.C Volon Therys

Ned sighed the heat of the morning in Essos at this time of year always bothred the Westerosi man. Distant dreams of the North had plagued Ned's mind sense he first set foot in Essos. His tent was set up near the center of the camp his company had set just a few miles off of Volantis. Exiting the tent he found his son waiting for him Jon was wearing a dusty set of boiled leather chain mail and his sword at his hip. He had been trained by his father to fight in the Westerosi style of fighting. The style was effective against Dothraki fighters. Offcourse that was a fight every Free Company in Essos avoided like a bloody plague. Lucky for Ned he and Robert weren't dumb enough to accept contracts involving Dothraki. Well there was that one time in Pentos. Ned grinned putting his hand on his son's shoulder, Jon gave him a small grin.

"Where's Robert?" asked Ned.

"In the town visiting the brothels like always" Jon mumbled. Ned shook his head Robert would leave them and the company poor with his lust for women and wine. Ned felt his face scrunch up a little, thinking of Lyanna again. The one thing that had marked Robert and Ned, while Ned held other losses the one him and Robert shared was Lyanna.

"Come on then let's go pick him up before we have another incident" Ned said finding his horse his son finding his.

"Like Pentos?" grinned Jon this time more like the young lad he was. Ned laughed a deep laugh from his belly that made him feel light.

"Aye like Pentos" Ned snapped the reins of his horse and thy rode out of camp into Volon Therys. They asked around for the brothel and they found it near the town center. Dismounting his horse he told Jon to remain and guard the horses. His son nodded and Ned entered was about to enter the brothel when a body flew out of the front door. Ned sighed entering the city noise becoming less and now he could hear Robert, leading the men and whores drunk on wine in off key singing. Robert himself had a whore with copper skin and big teats free to look at but pricey to touch no doubt on his lap. Behind him rubbing his shoulders was one with white hair like a Targaryen her eyes a deep blue like the Summer Sea. Just next to Robert his bastard son Gendry from Kings Landing Robert took the Lad with him. What little gold the lad made was sent to Kings Landing to his mother a young thing when Robert had bedded her. Ned stopped when he saw a whore come in through the right side of the room. She passed through transparent curtains and Ned felt his mouth go dry she had long brown hair styled like her. She as well had lilac eyes…like her. She had with her two tankers with foaming ale that she gave to two of their Company's men before finding her place on one's lap. She's dead don't look for ghost he told himself and made his way to Robert.

"Ned! Come on then! Two for me and one for you come on grab that one with the white hair!" Robert grinned with a grin. Ned shook his head when the white haired one placed her blue eyes on him and licked her lips her sharp face very seductive to look at.

"I'm fine, more importantly we need to march soon and we don't need you spending our gold here" Ned said.

"Aww come on live a little man! No marriage here just ale good songs, good men and, a warm cunt to stick your cock in!" Robert emphasized his point by grabbing a hand full of the copper skinned whore's ass with his hand. She gave a seductive moan if Ned had to guess practiced to earn gold.

"We should move father, Lord Eddard is right" Gendry said. The lad was the spitting image of Robert blue eyes slicked black hair and defined muscles. The lad stood placing a hand on Robert's shoulders.

"Gods Ned! Your turning my boy against me! Next thing you know he won't want to fuck whores anymore" the assembled men laughed and Gendry in stride grinned.

"I fucked more than you old man" Robert threw his head back laughing banging his cup on the wooden table by his sit.

"That's my boy!" Robert bellowed he dismissed the whore and stood.

"Come on then mother hen Ned wants us up" Robert said Ned shook his head.

"Gods Robert you should learn to be more dignified with the men" Ned spoke. One of their men spoke out.

"Come on Sir! We aren't the best fucking Company in Essos for just fucking" He said.

"Aye we do the best dying too!" another added and even Ned cracked a smile as they exited the brothel settling their tab. Gendry and Jon rode together while Ned rode with Robert near the middle their men riding around them. As they rode and the jovial mood of the brothel left behind Ned noticed Robert start to slack on his seat and his jovial face pull to an almost angry look. Whenever he wasn't drinking, fighting or, whoring Robert would think of the past and gone was the energetic man he called brother replaced by the broken man that remained. Ned himself felt the same way when he was alone or he swore to faceless gods he imagined…her. Jon had asked about his mother a few years back and Ned could not hold it from his son and told him of Ashara.

He told him of the woman he loved and then he told him what led him to coming to Essos with Robert. Robert himself had his own fair share of reasons but Ned could not bare the losses he suffered and abandoned it all. Like a cowrd, he thought his own mood down a bloody gutter.

"Thinking of the past again" Robert said. Ned sighed thinking as well.

"Aye, the guilt and shame I feel eat away at me every day" Ned said.

"I can't bare it sometimes either Ned but nothing is left for us back there" Ned wanted to remind Robert he had two brothers in Westeros but he had abandoned his. The state of Winterfell and the north weighed heavily on Ned for quite some time. Exiting Volon Therys Ned ordered the preparations to pack up and be ready to march in the morning.

By dayfall the next day the Rebel Free Company was marching to Volantis. Once there they book passage for the whole company a hefty price paid to Yunkai. Ned stared out into the smoking sea were most men lost courage. But to the Volantis ship captains who traveled these waters constantly it was just another day. On the journey there Ned thought of his deeds that led him to where he was now. How he went from Lord Eddard Stark Warden of the North, Lord of Winterfell to Eddard Stark Commander of the Rebels Free Company. The last time he saw Westeros was after the rebellion in 283. He fought the battles he avenged his brother and father. He broke the siege on Stormsend and finally he retrieved his sister.

"I went willingly Ned, forgive me please promise me Ned take him promise me!" Lyanna's last words had broken a man that was already tittering on the edge. Lyanna had gone willingly with Rhaegar they both caused all that bloody death. Robert and Ned had slayed so many men so many good men on both sides lost their lives. Jon Arryn who had been like a second father to Ned died in this bloody conflict Ned had lost it all.

"No" were his last words to his sister and she cried reaching for him tears in her eyes running down pale cheeks at deaths door. Ned took the babe left, he went and returned Ser Arthurs sword to house Dayne. Ned told Ashara of his marriage to Catelyn though he did not bed her. Ashara told him of their bastard son Jon. Ned had asked for some time to think but not two days later she had thrown herself over the highest tower in Starfall. Ned left with his son and Lyanna's bastard. In his agony and pain he gave the boy to Reed and left for Kings Landing telling Reed to do as he pleased with the boy. When he told Robert of the happenings Robert broke. Like Ned his friend and brother broke, he told him they could leave just leave it all behind and go to Essos. Ned took his son and Robert found his and took him as well leaving Kings Ladning on a Smuggler's ship who they found was knighted by Stannis. Davos Seaworth took them across the Narrow Sea to Braavos. There they were two men with a hundred golden dragons each two babes and sword and hammer.

The first year was hard and one of the wet nurses they had hired for the boys nearly left stealing all their money. But Ned had stopped her and delivered her to the guards, working was hard they were lords highborn never used to hard labor. Robert loaded ships and Ned taught swordplay to the Braavosi high lord sons. When their boys had been fourteen and properly trained by him and Robert they began working as sellswords. At first Ned had abhorred the idea but Robert away from the boys had reminded him.

We are killers Ned we were always good at killing men, at least let's get paid and give our boys a better life. Ned relented and they began looking for work, first it was just easy things kill a merchant here another there. Then they fought richer merchants who could afford muscle. They fought Unsullied, Dothraki always fights where they left with a few more scars on their bodies. Ned was able to kill a Dothraki Khal when his Kalasar attacked Pentos with reasonable force. Robert and Ned were part of the hired Sellswords to fight off their charge. The battle had been savage and the charging screamers as they got called often slayed many of them. Ned was able to unhorse the Khal and met him one to one on the field where he was able to take his head. On him was a Westerosi longsword. Valyrian steel it had a golden handle with red rubies and the blade was coming from mouth of a golden lion with ruby red eyes.

Think that's the Lannister sword lost by that cunt that went to Valyria? had asked Robert bloodied his war hammer a gore of brain matter and blood. Ned did not care and had attempted to give the sword to the son of the Khal. The Khal refused it and told him it was Ned's as he had earned it for defeating his father. Robert in his charismatic manner had celebrated and they left Pentos with five men, who wished to fight with the wild Stag and the Dothraki slaying wolf. By the time of the Greyjoy Rebellion reaching Essos they had gathered nearly four thousand men thanks to Roberts Charisma. Ned sold the gold on the sword and had the famous Qohor smiths forge him a new handle to the sword. His son had named it Wolf's Bane. Ned had smiled and had told his son one day he would inherit the sword. The years passed them and Ned had fought in so many bloody conflicts he had lost count. Friends met and lost he had seen war in Essos and bled all over it.

At a time in Volantis they had met with Jorah Mormont who was exiled with his Hightower wife. A beautiful woman that had a melancholy face. Robert had nearly gotten drunk and bedded her Ned was glad he was there to avoid that. Jorah had been exiled from the city too where Ned learnt his wife had been taken by a rich merchant prince and told Jorah to never return. They rode together for a while before he left the company with the parting words.

"A band of men led by former rebels…you'd be an interesting free company" he left them and they had not met him sense. Now over 15 years later and the Rebels Company was eight thousand strong and were second only to the golden company. Well equipped with even some Dothraki riders outcast from their kalasars who adopted the company's mixed culture. Ned found many worshipped many different gods, from the horse god of their Dothraki the seven of the odd Westerosi man. Only Ned, Jon and, Asher another exiled Northman worshiped the faceless gods.

They arrived in Astapor burnt and with new leaders a few weeks of riding later they made it to Yunkai to an interesting sight. Ten thousand unsullied soldiers were camping a few miles from the city. The rumors they had heard were soon based true. As they saw Dragons fly above the Unsullied camp their men had been spooked but Ned was able to keep them in line. They set up camp over a small ridge Robert and Ned had called a meeting of their highest ranking officers.

Asher Forester with a shoulder pauldron spiked an axe with the Forrester coat of arms on it was to Ned's left. Robert to his right and at the front was Achilles. A Braavosi who led a small band of men who joined their company. He quickly established himself as not only as a warrior but a capable leader, he was Robert's constant drinking partner.

"That's the Targaryen girl, she has gods damn Unsullied with her" Achilles said.

"Aye we came here for work chances are that would be from the Yunkai masters against the girl. We should leave" Asher said. He was always hot headed and up for a fight Ned had noticed but the lad was being cautious. Ned liked that he didn't want lead his men into the middle of a conflict were they would not profit from.

"Ned what do you think? We send someone over to the Masters and we can hit the girl at night she won't know what bloody hit her" Robert had fought and whored his Targaryen hatred out, but every now and then it would rear its ugly head.

"She has dragons Robert, dragons that were once smaller and burnt Astapor's bloody Punishment Plaza. We should leave" he said.

"Not an option we need the gold and supplies are low, we need a job" Achilles said. The commanders were tight lipped.

"Our scouts have orders to capture any of the Targaryen girls scouts, we just need to wait more and see what happens" Ned finally said.

"Jon and Gendry are looking now." Robert said and Ned wondered how his son and Robert's son were doing.

Jon

Jon Stark was subtly laying down on a rock formation on the small formation overlooking the Unsullied camp below. He had his sword pressed to his behind to keep from sticking out. Unsullied were in near perfect positions acting as watchers. They stood still unmoving and almost unblinking watching the camp's sides. Gendery slunk on the rocks next to him he had Dothraki curved sword strapped to his lower back and a war axe across his back. When the Dothraki had joined their company Gendry had taken interest in fighting like them and he learnt to use the Dothraki Arakh. Jon preferred the Westerosi style as he thought it closer to his home in the North and his mother in the Dornish Marshes.

"There's no other bloody way to try and get closer one wrong move and they can see us" muttered Gendry next to Jon.

"Aye we need to" the unmistakable Valyrian reached their ears and Jon and Gendry turned to see four Unsullied surround them. Jon cursed they had the high ground sword out and Gendry had his axe ready but Jon was no fool they were outnumbered with a trained enemy more so than any other soldier the two youth's had fought against in their years fighting in the Free Company. Jon cursed in the common tongue and used Valyrian to tell them they surrendered. Weapons taken they were taken away.

They went through the camp of the Targaryen queen finding Dothraki freed slaves and Unsullied. Gendry watched whistling and spoke to Jon.

"Almost as mixed as us" he said Jon scowled at him.

"Quite don't give anything away" he said Gendry shrugged not unlike his father with a grin. Even in this situation he was a cocky bastard. They were brought before the queen and their eyes looked her over the queen and she herself looked at his grey eyes. She looked queen enough, with her regal appearance and she was beautiful. Jon looked to her side and he met the wide eyes of Ser Jorah Mormont.

"Jon?" the old bear said.

"Fucking hell Jon look!" Jon snapped his eyes from Jorah to see the black scaled tail from the back of the Queens seat. The queen gave an amused smile as she was seemingly ignored as the boys before her ogled everything around her Drogo himself lift its his long neck over her throne his yellow eyes looking at the two boys.

"Now who are you? Seeing as jorah knows you" she said. Jon thought this over he couldn't lie about his name when Jorah said it and then again he doubted lying would be a good idea right now.

"Jon…just a sellsword" it wasn't a lie. She moved her purple eyes over him before landing on Gendry.

"Gendry another sellsword" he shrugged giving her a charming grin. The queen looked unaffected by Gendry's good looks and looked to Jorah. Jon looked at him almost pleading to not reveal his name, he knew his father's role in the rebellion after all. Then again she probably knew Ser Jorahs.

"Jon Stark he is the son of Eddard Stark" the older knight did not meet Jon's eyes and the young man closed his eyes. The queen looked at them weather she was angry or anything else they were none the wiser.

"The son of the usurpers dog…I will find it comical if you tell me your last name Gendry" she commanded not asked. He looked to jon and and Jon shrugged they were dead already anyways.

"Gendry Baratheon" the young man said. The queen actually laughed and Jon found it sounded pleasing to the ears. However he hope he wouldn't hear it before her executioner took his head that would be a shit way to die.

"Jon, Gendry why are you here?" asked Jorah.

"Ser Jorah" the old white haired man said.

"Let him talk Ser Barristan" the queen said watching intently no doubt deciding what to do. Jorah continued addressing him and Gendry again.

"Jon, Gendry why are you here…where are your fathers" he asked. The boys were quiet, Gendry howevere sighed.

"It's too late Jon we best save ourselves and tell the truth" Jon looked at Gendry eyes wide was he really hearing this right? Was he about to betray his father and the company? The company that was practically a family to them.

"We decided to depart from the company and try and make our own. We got hired by the Yunkai Masters and we were preforming scout duties" Gendry said. Jon sighed.

"I see…then why should I keep you alive?" Daenerys asked. "Do you have any information on the city?" Jon cursed in his head they had squat and he was not sure what to hink.

"Were just grunts they wouldn't tell us shit" Jon said. The queen closed her eyes for a moment opening them again.

"Well then you are of no use to me, unless you have any information" she motioned for an Unsullied who stabbed his spear on the ground and produced a curved knife. Shit I'm going to die here…mother I will see you soon. Thought Jon picturing his mother as his father described it brown hair and lilac eyes similar to the queen. Gendry next to him looked at the queen with a hard look and acted like Jon was sure Robert would in the face of death.

"Well shit, the stranger catches us all eventually" Gendry said his shoulders slacking no doubt he thought of his mother and father he was going to leave behind.

"Your grace they can be useful!" Jorah spoke up. Looking at Jon and the queen.

"How so?" she asked still in that mysterious tone. "They gave up on life quickly enough. What use do I have for craven men" she said Gendry growled at this and spat on the ground.

"I'm not craven one on one a'll kill any man you put against me! Just give me back Matilda and al show you!" the Baratheon temper ran deep with him as well. The great axe was in a pile by the queen along with Jon's sword.

"Their fathers command the second biggest Free Company you can use them to bring them into your service" Jorah said. Jon was angered at this he wondered if the old bear was trying to save their life or wanted to use them.

"Just kill us and be done with it, or if you're as gracious queen as you claim give us our steel back and let us die on our feet" Jon said. The queen's eyes flared at that she didn't particularly liked that last bite it would seem.

"Damn it do not be prideful, you are on your knees about to get your throats slits!" Jorah said. They boys almost felt reprimanded. It was with this when a woman with tanned skin walked to the queen and spoke.

"Your Grace there are Sellsword Commanders are here they say you have their sons and want them back" Jon closed his eyes wishing his father would not have come. The queen raised a brow and had Jon's father and Gendry's father come in.

"Robert don't open your mouth and get us killed" Ned said as soon as he was before the queen Robert opened his mouth and closed it shut glaring at the queen.

"Just get our boys out of here" he said.

"I'm Eddard Stark commander of The Rebels Company, my son and his friend were scouting your camp when you caught them and wish them back." Ned said.

"What would in it for me?" asked the dragon queen. Her dragon was looking over the seat again Ned and Robert gripped their swords at their hips looking at it for a second.

"We will not interfere with you and will not join the Yunkish defense" Ned said. Robert simply nodded his agreement.

"No" she said, Robert let an angry breath through his flaring nostrils.

"We came here looking for a job and ran into this war, we want no part of it, please just let us be on our way" Ned said closing his eyes and felt the wolf's blood in him stir. Ser Barristan spoke and Ned wondered why he was here as much as Jon was, he spoke to the queens ear.

"You want a job….then join me" she said.

"We" Ned began but the queen interrupted.

"Killed my father and usurped my throne, you are lucky I do not kill you where you stand" the queen said at this Robert roared.

"Fuck your throne! Girl that damn Rhaegar and…and SHE brought your downfall Areys was mad he had to be taken out" Robert growled.

"The Mad king murdered my brother and father I did what any son would have done" Ned said. There was a tense moment and Jorah spoke up.

"Eddard, Robert the queen offers you the job you seek even a return to Westeros if you fight for her to retake the throne" Jorah tried to convince them. Westeros Jon always told him how he thought of the land he never set foot on. He wanted to see it to see the land his mother came from. He looked to Ned with almost a hopeful look. Ned looked at Robert Westeros was something the two men wanted to return to and never to see at the same time. Jon knew that much from Ned and Robert. Gendry was no doubt thinking of his mother, and Ned sighed shoulders slacking.

"Fine…a contract but we aren't as cheap as any of those companies guarding Yunkai. We are the second largest Free Company in Essos eight thousand men. We are very self-reliant we have siege engines and Calvary of trained Westerosi knights. Dothraki fighters and have fought in this land for years" Ned spoke. The queen looked pleased.

"Very well Lord Stark" the queen said.

"Just…Stark I'm no Lord gave up that title a long time ago…your grace" Ned said. Robert looked at Ned and a silent exchange seemed to pass between the age long friends.

Eddard

Ned returned with Jon and Gendry to the camp Asher wasn't thrilled about the job but Achilles was just glad they could get resupplied. So they merged their host with the Unsullied belonging to the dragon queen. Robert just wanted to hit something with his hammer to get over the queen playing them and putting them to her side. The host together now numbered along with former slave army a good 20,000 men. Supplies were shared and the men prepared for battle Robert leading them wanting nothing to do with the queen. Ned wasn't too keen on the idea either but he had his son back and he felt pained as his son was excited about Westeros. Ned left Westeros in chaos a power vacuum to be filled and no word on their disappearance. The queen had tried convince the commanders of the Second Sons and Stormcrows. Daario Naharis had switched sides but did so in a manner that had no honor in Ned's eyes. He killed his commanders and brought their heads to the dragon queen as proof of loyalty. Ned frowned he had better things to think off.

While the Stormcrows and the dragon queen's Unsullied fought the Second Sons and the slave armie the Yunkai Masters had gathered outside the walls. Meanwhile Robert, Jon Gendry, Achilles and, Ned himself would be climbing the right wall of the city. Asher was to lead the Calvary and storm the gates when Ned and his raiding party opened the gate from the other side. Sheathing his valyrian sword he looked to his right to Robert. The boys were to Ned's left Achilles on Roberts right, they waited for a second and the signal was seen the flames of the attacking force on the drunken sellsword camp. Ned nodded and stood running as the forces on the wall quickly ran to the other side. Those left behind were way too few to be effective. Ned reached the wall and unslung the hook on his shoulder. Robert did the same and they launched them over the wall securing it. Instead of their regular armor they wore their breast plate and shoulder pauldrons but no further armor. The weight wouldn't allow them to climb the rope. Achilles was in his leather armor curved Arakh to his side. Hooks ready Ned and Robert led the climb grunting they pulled themselves up the wall until they reached the top. Waiting for a bit Ned waited for Achilles and the boys.

"Fucking Dragon Queen Ned we should just sell her out to these Yunkish slavers" Robert said.

"We took a contract Robert" Ned said reminding his friend.

"Yeah, yeah her gold better be fucking good" Robert said and staying low they ran down the wall until they reached stone steps down the walls. Following the walls they from below them found the gate and found at least ten men guarding it. Ned sighed cursing himself for thinking this ever being easy. Steel sang as they unsheathed their weapons. Gendry held his two handed axe Matilda by Jon Achilles infront of the boys. The sellsword had taken a liking to his and Robert's boys and often acted as their guard in battle. In Valyrian Ned spoke to the slave guards.

"Drop your weapons and you shall have mercy and your freedom, from the queen" Ned said. In a more butchered accent Robert grinned and spoke up as well.

"Or make it fun for me and fight" he said spinning his Warhammer once. The soldiers charged at having their manhood questioned and Ned glared at his old friend who looked beyond thrilled.

"Damn it Robert!" yelled Ned and sprung to action parrying a short sword with a follow up stab of a clumsy spear thrust. These slaves were hardly trained and though Ned felt bad for them he would not die today. So his Valyrian sword pierced their leather armor with a quick jab to the heart. Like butter the sword slid out and Ned blocked another spear thrust bringing his sword down on the shaft. The spear borke in two and the guard scrambled but Ned was on him when he turned to run Ned's honor nearly stopped him from striking. But he had given up his honor a long time ago when he started his Free Company with Robert. So he grabbed the leathered shoulder the courage the soldier had disappeared and before he could beg Ned slid his sword through his back into his heart. Kicking the body away Ned span Wolf's Bane once and gutted a soldier that tried to attack Roberts back. His friend punched the helmet off a gurad and then slammed his hammer down on his head caving the skull in. Robert turned to see Ned standing sword bloodied over the body. Ned looked and saw no more guards and saw Jon finish of the last guard taking the final guards hand and stabbing his sword into his neck. Sliding it out the guard gurgled choking on his own blood.

"The gate come on!" a big piece of Timber was on the gate preventing it from being opened. The five men grunted and lifted the timber dropping it at Neds end they lifted it up and propped it up on the wall next to the gate. Grunting they pushed the gates opened Jon grabbed a torch by the gate and ran into the open field waving the torch signaling Asher and the Calvary soon thundered across the sandy fields Asher led the charge and they rode through the streets to reach the Masters in the pyramid with the gold harpy resting on its peak.

By the time the sun had risen bodies were piled the Masters were captured or killed. Ned was with his son in the Pyramid their men had already started celebrating. The city was theirs and Ned had watched as the queen nailed the Masters to displaying them on the Pyramids. Ned stared into the city and he thought of how he would return to his home. One day he would follow this queen to Westeros a conqueror he hoped he could turn his brother to his favor for he wished to avoid bloodshed as much as he could. Eddard Stark could only think of one thing of what he got himself and his into.

This is a one-shot I wrote as a sort of story I was going to originally wanted to write. I wanted to write this as Ned and Robert broken after the Rebellion leave Westeros with their respective bastards. Yes Lyanna still has a son and dies this time left with Howlad Reed. So yeah I hope you like this little one shot idk I might make something of it later.

Also as far as Ned I thought of that theory some people think that Septa Elanore is Ashara? I was going to use it for Ned's charater development. But yeah enjoy guys.