DEFIANCE
EDDARD
It did not take long for Ned to notice that something was amiss with the King's party. Their stay in Winterfell thus far had been pleasant, but an unspoken tension resided in his guests.
Robert was apt to long moments of moody silence and the Queen's face seemed to be cut out of rock these days for all the emotion it showed.
Ned had heard Joffrey boasting to Sansa one night at the feast that his father might yet let him ride to battle at his Uncle's side and it was then that Ned knew something was definitely wrong.
He had planned to confront Robert to gain the truth of the matter on their first hunting trip.
Ned had never expected the Queen would be the one to accost him first.
He stood alone in one of the halls of Winterfell, waiting for Robert; but when the door creaked open and he turned to greet his friend, it was Cersei Lannister who slipped into the room.
Her beauty seemed to radiate light in the dimly lit hall – her golden hair almost glowing.
"Lord Stark," she murmured, bowing her head.
"My Queen," he returned, puzzled.
There was small love between the Lannister's and himself, he knew. The Queen had never so much as spoken a word to him unless courtesy demanded it. And now she was here.
Cersei seemed to hesitate for a moment, standing a few feet away from Ned. Her head tilted to the side, regarding him carefully before she spoke, "I trust Robert has already requested that you be his new Hand."
"And what of it?" asked Ned, instantly defensive.
She smiled thinly. "You walk blindly into a vicious snakes' pit, Lord Stark. One you are woefully under-informed of…" Ned felt the hairs on the back of his neck begin to raise, though it was not cold in the room.
"What have I not been told?"
"My brother, Jaime, was betrothed to marry Caera Blackmore but weeks ago" Cersei informed him, disdain evident in her voice. "A stupid but pretty little thing who looked very much like some Targaryan bastard. Robert drank too much at her wedding feast and killed the girl."
Ned felt himself stumble – as if he had been subjected to a great physical blow.
He knew of Robert's hatred for the Targaryan's…but to kill an innocent young girl.
"Why has the King not been brought to justice," he demanded, "why –"
"- because he is the King," spat Cersei. "He stands above justice."
Ned scrabbled for some sort of bearing. "Why am I only just hearing of this?" he demanded, furiously.
"Because it benefited many to cover up her death" Cersei said, coolly. "…I was glad to hear that Robert had killed her – fool that he is – I detested the girl. So did Jaime. But the news was leaked…it would have been, eventually, I suppose. The Blackmore's were not best pleased to find out how Caera had met her end."
My father may let me ride into battle with Uncle Jaime, the Lannister boy had said, Ned recalled, we will squash his enemies until they are nothing but earth in the ground.
"War," he said. "…they declared war on Robert."
Cersei nodded. "The threat of the Blackmore's grows ever stronger, like a growing storm on our horizon."
Ned swore under his breath. "Why have you come to me with this?"
He did not trust that Cersei Lannister had shared this news with him merely for his own benefit.
The woman smiled. "Being frank, it is because I wish for you to stay in the North, Lord Stark. With your decline, the King would then pass the position for Hand on to my brother, Jaime."
"And he would be surrounded by Lannisters," spat Ned. "Your brother has killed one King – why not another?"
"Better Robert be surrounded by Lannisters who want his thrown than Blackmores who want his blood," retaliated Cersei, stiffly. "Stay out of this war Eddard Stark. Stay in the North with your honor and noble words of justice – there is no place for them in King's Landing as Robert's Hand."
"I am bound by duty –"
"Are you blind as well as deaf?" snarled Cersei, her green eyes flashing. "Your King is a murderer and yet you continue to swear allegiance to him. Listen to me very carefully: you are safe in the North. For once, do not think of your honor, Stark, think of your own hide, and how much safer it will be behind your own walls surrounded by your own men."
"Is that a threat?" asked Ned, deadly quiet.
"It is a promise," she replied, her voice equally soft and vicious. "Take Robert's position as Hand, and you will find no allies in the House of Lannister."
With that, she turned on her heel swiftly and left the room – leaving Ned with only his thoughts.
He relayed the news to Catelyn that night in their chambers.
The fire was lit, and Ned stared at the crackling embers as he talked. His wife said very little – only listened intently - but he was careful to keep his back to her.
They had just finished their lovemaking and Catelyn was still naked on the bed with the furs pooled round her feet. She no longer possessed the young woman's body she had; bearing five children had taken its toll, but he would never have her any other way than she was now. So intent on his problem's. So open to him. He could not bare the sight of her beauty because it somehow made the decision that would have to be made all the more harder.
"I did not think we would see war again in my life time," murmured Catelyn, once he had finished. "Another seems too cruel."
"Peace never lasts," Ned reminded her, turning. "But we will not be touched by it in the North, God's willing."
"You do not mean to become Robert's Hand."
It was not a question, but he replied anyway. "No."
"He will wonder why you do not join him," she cautioned him. "And with war coming, in time he will grow suspicious that the North's allegiance is not with the Crown."
"Robert is like a brother to me," Ned said, stubbornly. "He knows that."
"But this is not about alliances between people, Ned," Catelyn said, wrapping a fur round her like a cloak and walking forwards to gather his hands in hers. "It is about alliances between Houses. If war is coming, the Stark's will be expected to choose a side – for better or for worse."
He looked down at her small hands encasing his much larger ones, and then his eyes met her face and he pushed a stray lock of auburn hair away from her eyes. "Are you so eager to send me away again?" he whispered. "I left you once Catelyn – I do not plan on doing so again."
Catelyn's mind visibly filled with memories of Ned bringing back a young bastard child after a year away at war. "We did not share the love then that we do now," she replied, firm. "I love you, but you must do your duty, Ned. Give no cause for the King to doubt you – our House. If you become the Hand I trust in the Gods that I will see you again."
"A wolf never enters the sleeping lions' den."
Catelyn's mouth quirked. "Better Robert has a barking dog at his side than a sleeping lion."
Ned did not smile, however. The threat of the Lannister's troubled him more greatly than he would reveal to her.
"Sleeping lion's do not stay sleeping forever."
"Then Robert must have men he can trust at his side when they wake." Catelyn insisted. And then her face grew soft. She stroked his cheek, as if attempting to smooth out the lines of stress and wariness she found there. "Go to King's Landing. Right his wrongs. Repair his mistakes. It does not have to come to war – not again. And if it does, you make a strong and noble leader."
"The Blackmore's are good people," said Ned looking troubled. "Asgon and his son Garrett fought by my and Robert's side at the Battle of the Trident. Robert killed their sister. How can I fight for the side that I fear is not right?"
But that was not wholly true, Ned reminded himself. Asgon was long dead, and Garrett had been but a young man of eighteen during the battle: Ned had seen very little of him then. He knew nothing of the other two siblings and had only seen the youngest, Caera, once, and fleetingly, on a trip to Kings Landing. He and Catelyn had once talked of a possible marriage between Robb and the eldest girl – Gael – until they fully realized Blackmore tradition. The woman ruled. If she and Robb had married, one of them would have had to choose to relinquish rule of their kingdom to live with the other. He was glad they had not moved forward with their planning: the Blackmore girl had painted a target on her own back and Ned would not be surprised if she was dead before the year was out.
But did he really owe Robert so much that he would be the one to lead her destruction as the Hand?
And, a voice whispered in his head, what if he chose the wrong side? What if the Blackmore's over-threw the Baratheon's? He could be signing his own death sentence taking Robert's damned position - bringing the wrath of both the Lannister's and the Blackmore's down on him.
Seven Hells, but he wished that Robert had forgotten that he was in the North – Southron business was a mess.
"You forget that the Blackmore's are the Tully's closest allies: my father and brother will be forced to aid them in battle," said Catelyn, sadly. "I hope for their sake this rebellion is squashed before it begins."
Ned had not thought of that. "Isn't Edmure's girl Gael Blackmore's ward?"
Catelyn eye's sparked and she withdrew her hands from his. "Gods, yes!" she murmured. "I best write to Edmure and tell him to get Elayne home as soon as he can – the news of war may not have reached them as fast as it did us." She looked searchingly into his eyes for a moment. "You are making the right choice in accepting Robert's proposition, my love."
"There does not feel like there is a right choice in this blasted mess," Ned grumbled. "But I cannot leave Robert surrounded by Lannisters amongst this folly – even if he did bring it upon himself…"
There was a sudden and sharp knock on the door and Ned and Catelyn both turned to face the source of the sound. "What is it?" called Ned.
"My Lord, Maester Luwin is without and begs urgent audience," came the voice from the other side of the door.
A/N And you know what happens next.
Well done to LadyKatherine29 for spotting the Celtic reference – as George R.R Martin did, I have drawn several plot ideas from certain points in history, so see if you guys can spot them all over the course of this fic!
Also thank you very much to StephyCoCo89 – I do try to stick to the general tone of the books.
Please review.
Last Of The Lilac Wine
