DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GAME OF THRONES OR ANY ASSOCIATED CHARACTERS

Chapter 11

Austin shot up from his bed at the sharp rap on his oak door. Sighing, he rubbed his eyes and clambered out from underneath the heavy furs to answer it. Opening it revealed the elderly maester Luwin.

"Sorry to disturb you, my lord, but Lord Stark has requested your presence."

Austin nodded lazily. "One moment, allow me to dress."

Austin closed the door and quickly pulled on a bland tunic and threw a cloak on over his shoulders before slipping into his boots. He opened the door once again and followed the maester out of the castle, and into the Godswood.

Luwin led him to the great weirwood tree before the small pool where Lord Stark would often come and contemplate matters. This morning, Lord and Lady Stark both were already there, waiting for him.

"Sorry to wake you, Austin, but the quiet hours of the morning are the best times to have conversations such as these, away from prying ears," Eddard apologized.

Austin shook his head. "It's not trouble. I assume this is about the reason you called me back?"

Ned nodded gravely. "Aye. What we are about to tell you must remain between the four of us. I only tell you this because I want to fully prepare you."

At Austin's nod, the Lord of Winterfell continued. "Some two weeks ago, the night before my son Bran was pushed from the tower, we received a letter. This letter was from Lysa Arryn, Catelyn's sister. She says that the last Hand, Jon Arryn, was murdered by the Lannisters. Now that Robert has made me the new Hand, we are all worried what the Lannisters will do to the two of us. This is where you come in. I know this is a heavy burden, but I wish for you to accompany me to the capital, to act as my personal bodyguard."

Austin frowned. "As many backstabbers as there are said to be in the capital, I doubt just my sword would be able to defend you from them all. But nevertheless, I owe you a great deal, Ned. More than you know. As much as it pains me to dishonor my father's memory like this, you have been much more of a father to me than he ever was. Of course I will accompany you to the capital. I will remain by your side. Even though I may not enjoy war anymore, I will shield you from all visible threats for as long as you wish it."

Ned gave a small smile as thanks before pulling Austin into a hug. "I've only just gotten you back, and now I'm taking you to the most dangerous place in the world. I only hope I'm doing the right thing."

Austin chuckled before looking towards Lady Catelyn. "Don't worry, My Lady, I'll bring Ned home in one piece."

The castle was abuzz with activity as the host of the king prepared for departure. Lord Stark was taking fifty of his best swords, Jory as their captain to King's Landing with him, along with Austin. Sansa and Arya were coming as well. Robb was to remain in Winterfell and rule in his father's stead while his mother was watching over Bran, who had yet to wake from his coma.

Austin was deep in conversation with Edric, the two having conversed all morning, trying to catch up on all the things the two of them had missed, but the conversation turned serious very fast.

"No. Absolutely not. You're not going," Austin declared.

"And why not?" Edric demanded. "You're my cousin, I haven't seen you in nine years, and now you're going to the most dangerous city in the world. I need to be there to help protect you."

Austin chuckled. "You're stubborn, you know that? No, you can't come. Edric, I'm the swordsman of the family. You're the lord. You've been trained for the past thirteen years by Lord Stark on how to be a lord. Robb is going to need all the help he can get up here. He's a great fighter as well from what I've seen, but he lacks the courtesies and intelligence of a lord. You need to stay and help him."

Edric sighed. He knew his cousin was right, but he didn't have to like it. "Alright, cousin. I'll do as you ask. Just don't get yourself killed, yeah?"

Austin nodded before embracing his cousin. "I'll be back. Don't worry," Austin said with a wink.

Edric rolled his eyes as Austin walked off to find Robb and Jon. The two of them were busy saying their farewells in the middle of the courtyard. He caught the tail end of their conversation.

"Farewell, Snow."

"And you, Stark."

Austin quickly approached the before they separated. "My, how the world is changing. One of you is going to be acting Lord of the North, and the other is off to join the Night's Watch."

The two half-brothers smirked at Austin's statement. "You better bring my father back in one piece, you hear?" Robb demanded.

"Aye, I second that," Jon added.

Austin laughed. Why does everyone keep saying that? It's not as if I'm going to allow him to be beheaded, he thought.

"Don't worry, lads. We might not see eachother for a very long time, so I'll just say farewell and be on my way," Austin said, earning nods from the brothers as he embraced them one by one.

Parting ways, Robb headed back towards the doors to the main hall, where he embraced his father. Looking stern as ever, Lord Stark released his eldest son and mounted his destrier. Jon and Austin followed suit. Benjen rode up next to them.

"Are you ready?" he asked Jon, who nodded. "Good," he said before heading off towards the head of the column, where he was supposed to meet Tyrion Lannister. Evidently, the Imp had decided to visit the Wall.

Austin put his fingers to his lips and let out a piercing whistle. It was met by a guttural growl as Ingavar appeared from his stall in the stables to join him. The bear had a twinkle in its eye, as if it were ready for new adventures. Austin feared he'd planted a seed of curiosity in the bear's mind, and that it would fester.

Chuckling at his bear's giddiness, Austin nodded to Jon, the last farewell before he rode to join his long time friend Jory, Ingavar in tow.

"Austin," Jory greeted.

"Jory," Austin returned. "Sorry for not approaching you sooner, I've only just got back yesterday.

Jory waved a hand. "Nevermind that. I'm just glad to see you alive is all. And with a bear as a pet, no less," the captain of the guard noted, motioning towards the immense grizzly that lumbered alongside Austin.

"He's not a pet. Sometimes I wish he was. He'd be easier to control that way. No, he's just a friend. He's loyal, though," Austin explained.

Jory nodded. "Bears generally are loyal to their own, aye."

"Speaking of bears, how has Jorah been? I haven't seen him since we parted after the Greyjoy Rebellion," Austin wondered aloud. He and Jorah had become fast friends on the return trip up the Kingsroad.

Jory glanced at Austin with sad eyes. "My lord, I'm afraid that Ser Jorah...Ser Jorah's been proclaimed a traitor to the North. He sold poachers into slavery and Lord Stark was to behead him before he fled the country."

Austin's head snapped towards Jory. Why in seven hells, Jorah? I took you for an honorable man.

Austin sighed. It seemed his list of friends was about to grow extremely small, especially in the city they were going to.

"It is good to see you again, Austin. It's been too long. And you've certainly changed," Jory stated.

Austin raised an eyebrow at the man. "How's that?"

"You used to talk of nothing but revenge on your cousin, battle, glory, becoming a knight. But as soon as you realized what battle meant with the rest of us, you did what any sane man would do. You ran. And you came back better because of it," Jory elaborated.

Now normally, someone saying Austin ran would make the Dayne angry and offended, but this was Jory. They'd shared their first battlefield together, and both came out alive. They were bonded by blood and steel. Austin simply nodded.

"Aye."

The next few weeks were quiet. Travelling at a snail's pace each day, simply to accommodate the queen and her demands of luxury. Her damned carriage was making this trip take twice as long. Not to mention the addition of Lord Stark's household, which only added to the king's original travel time.

The days themselves were boring, full of riding. They spent the same amount of time riding as they did breaking and making camp. Such a large host and so many belongings saw to that. Austin found himself disapproving of the smug Lannisters on several occasions as they piled item after unnecessary item into the wagons after each night.

On one such occasion, Austin was sitting on the borders of the camp with Ingavar and Jory, letting the great brown bear gnaw on a slab of pork as Austin stroked the fur behind his head, where it was softest.

There were several Lannister men in their armour attempting to disassemble one of the tents, but evidently, someone had messed up the order, so it took twice as long for them to unload it and reload it as it did to just do it right the first time.

Austin chuckled with Jory as the Lannister soldiers glanced at the two of them with contempt. Austin was fairly certain they would have said something snippy or provocative to him if it weren't for the massive bear with bloody jaws laying down next to him.

Ingavar was certainly useful in many situations. Austin appreciated his fat, furry friend more each day. For one, he was a fantastic forager. Whenever Austin was hungry, he would always follow the bear through the trees, miraculously finding berries or some roots or an animal carcass when he was surviving alone.

Not to mention the bear's insane strength. Austin had rigged a harness for the bear on one occasion, and he'd dragged back over five hundred pounds of firewood to the cabin. Ingavar also intimidated the hell out of any predators or Lannisters, for that matter. No wolf was ever seen near Austin's log cabin in the four years of Ingavar's existence. Even Ingavar's appearance was something to behold. When he was on all fours, he stood some five feet tall, and had huge, hulking shoulders. His size came from the fact that he doesn't hibernate. Austin trained him to stay active all year round, only adding to the bear's appetite and strength.

The grizzly's face could easily be misread. He had a diagonal line across his muzzle that looked like a battle scar, but Austin knew it to be a birth mark, as he couldn't recall a time where Ingavar was ever injured. Except that time he'd nearly been killed by the bear when he'd pulled a thorn out of his paw.

Ingavar's eyes were the softest things about him. You could see more curiosity and warmth in the bear's eyes as opposed to coldness and hostility. The brown irises were easily to read, and as such, Austin often knew what the bear was thinking before he made it known.

All in all, Austin loved Ingavar, and was certain that the bear loved him as well, though Austin had no way of knowing other than the fact that he was still around.

"Hold the point up, Arya," Austin instructed. At the moment, he was begrudgingly overseeing Arya's 'training' ever since she'd asked him to. Austin couldn't very well refuse once he learned Jon had gifted her a sword as a parting gift.

Ingavar was currently basking in the sun on the riverbank as Nymeria cautiously danced around the much larger bear. Each time she got too close, Ingavar would raise his eyelids and open his mouth, baring his teeth, causing the young direwolf to retreat. As playful and harmless as it was, it was still far more entertaining than trying to teach Arya the art of the sword.

Austin didn't know how Ser Rodrik did this. He was two minutes into overseeing the match between Arya and the butcher's boy, and he was already out of patience. His patience ran even thinner when Prince Joffrey and Sansa walked onto the scene.

"Arya!" Snasa cried when she realized it was her sister that was playing with sticks with a commoner.

Arya whipped around, but Mycah wasn't paying attention and accidentally whacked her on the arm. "Ow! What are you doing here? Go away," she demanded, as if Sansa and Joffrey would actually listen to her.

Austin rolled his eyes. This is going to be a long day, he thought. If only he had any idea.

"Your sister?" Joffrey asked, turning back to Sansa, who nodded. Joffrey smirked and approached Mycah. "And who are you, boy?"

"Mycah, milord," the common boy answered, dropping his wooden stave.

Austin noted that Sansa was holding a wine skin when she said "He's the butcher's boy."

"He's my friend," Arya cut in.

Joffrey's smug grin didn't leave his face during the whole conversation. "A butcher's boy who wants to be a knight? Pick up your sword, butcher's boy, let's see you good you are," the golden-haired cunt of a prince ordered, drawing his steel.

"She asked me to, milord, she asked me to," Mycah said quickly, trying everything in his power to avoid having to fight the Prince.

Joffrey looked offended at his words, though. "I'm your prince, not your lord, and I said pick up your sword."

Mycah glanced down at the wooden stave before back up to Joffrey. "It's not a sword, my Prince, it's only a stick."

"And you're not a knight, only a butcher's boy," Joffrey said, lifting the point of his sword to Micah's cheek. "That was my lady's sister you were hitting, did you know that?"

Austin had sat back and watched the conflict so far, hoping that they could resolve the situation amongst themselves, but clearly that wasn't going to happen, so he decided to intervene. "No, he's not a knight, but I am. So lay down your arms and leave in peace, Joffrey."

Joffrey turned his head slowly towards Austin, the tip of his sword never moving from Mycah's face. "And who are you that you dare insult me with such a request?"

"Ser Austin Dayne."

Joffrey chuckled. "Ah, yes. The son of Ser Arthur. Though, you're only a pale reflection compared to such a warrior. No, Ser Austin Dayne, I think I'll do whatever I like."

With that, Joffrey began to drag the sword point down Mycah's cheek, leaving a thin red gash that began to bleed down the boy's face.

"Stop it!" said Arya forcefully, only to be quieted by Sansa. "Arya, stay out of this!"

Sansa's blind devotion to such an idiot and torturer of a prince was unnerving to say the least. In any case, Austin would have to find a peaceful resolution to the situation, and soon, before more blood was shed.

Suddenly, without warning, Arya swung and hit Joffrey in the back with her wooden stave. The prince stumbled and whirled around, swinging his sword at Arya. Thankfully, she was too quick, and ducked under the blow as Mycah ran off. Cursing under his breath, Austin rushed towards the two of them and grabbed Joffrey by the shoulder.

When the prince tried to wing on him as well, Austin grabbed the wrist of Joffrey's sword arm, stopping the blade in its tracks before angrily backhanding the royal prick. Before Joffrey had a chance to recover, Nymeria suddenly leapt at him and clamper her jaws around his wrist. Arya had to pry her wolf off of Joffrey as Austin picked up Joffrey's sword. Arya ran off with Nymeria and disappeared into the woods.

Hauling the prince up and ignoring his protests, Austin whistled for Ingavar and made his way back to the main camp at the inn, Sansa coming along behind.

After delivering the sniveling coward of a prince into his mother's hands, Austin joined the search for the missing Stark girl. Currently, he was with Lord Stark. The search lasted well into the night, and required the light of torches to continue it. Lord Stark's calls of his daughter's name seemed to have no effect, as she still had not revealed herself to them.

Suddenly, Jory appeared through the treeline. "My lord!" he called to Lord Stark before dismounting. "They found her. She's unharmed."

"Where is she?" Eddard demanded.

"She's been taken directly before the king," Jory informed.

Austin could literally feel the fury dripping off of Lord Stark at the news that his daughter had not been brought to him first. "Who took her?"

"The Lannisters found her."

"Right, get back," Ned ordered to Jory and Austin, as he was already on the move.

"The queen ordered them to bring her straight to him," Jor finished as Lord Stark hurried back through the trees.

"Back! Back to the inn!"

Austin followed Ned as he shoved his way through the crowds of disrespectful Lannister soldiers who refused to move for a lord. Austin noticed the sneers they gave the two of them, but Austin was a good four inches taller than the tallest of them. He stared a few in the eye and they backed down quickly. Austin smirked in triumph before moving to flank Lord Stark. Evidently, he had a reputation, he didn't know what for, though.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Arya ranted.

"Are you hurt?" Ned asked with care, trying to mask his anger before he let it consume him. "It's alright."

He turned towards King Robert and Queen Cersei. "What is the meaning of this? Why was my daughter not brought to me at once?" Ned demanded, practically shouting at Robert.

"How dare you speak to your king in that manner?" Cersei asked.

Robert turned his head towards her. "Quiet, woman." He turned back to Ned. "Sorry, Ned, I never meant to frighten the girl, but we need to get this business done quickly."

"Your girl and that butcher's boy attacked my son. That animal of hers nearly tore his arm off," Cersei said in her shrewd manner.

Arya was having none of it, though. "That's not true! She just bit him a little."

Austin had to hide a smile at that, noticing King Robert's amused smirk as well. "He was hurting Mycah," Arya declared.

"Joff told us what happened. You and that boy beat him with clubs while you set your wolf on him and the knight, Ser Austin allowed it to happen," Queen Cersei said, sounding sure of herself.

Austin scoffed, quite loudly in fact. Queen Cersei looked at him with cold eyes, as if he were challenging her power. "You disagree?"

Austin nodded. "Aye, I disagree. Joffrey's entitled self thought he could bully a commoner by running a sword across his cheek. When Joffrey tried to attack Arya, I intervened and knocked his blonde-headed ass to the ground as Arya and Nymeria ran off to save themselves."

"That's not what happened! They all attacked me with their beasts and beat me!" Joffrey said, but Austin could hear the lies dripping out of his mouth.

"Liar!" shouted Arya, countered by Joffrey's "Shut up!"

"ENOUGH!" Robert Baratheon intervened. Sometimes Austin was very grateful for such a battlefield voice that could silence any crowd and command attention. "Joffrey tells me one thing, Ser Austin tells me another. Seven hells, what am I to make of this? Where's your other daughter, Ned?"

"In bed, asleep," answered a very confused Eddard.

Apparently, Queen Cersei, ever the manipulator, had one last card to play. "She's not. Sansa, come here, darling."

All head turned to the back of the room, where Sansa was escorted down by Jory. When she came before the king, Robert spoke up. "Now, child. Tell me what happened. Tell it all, and tell it true. It's a great crime to lie to a king."

Sansa glanced from her father, to Joffrey, then back to the king. "I don't know. I don't remember. Everything happened so fast. I didn't see."

"Liar!" Arya exclaimed as she attacked Sansa in anger. Lord Stark broke it up.

That gave Cersei all the ammunition she needed to hold the weight over Ned's head. "She's as wild as that animal of hers. I want her punished."

"What would you have me do? Whip her through the streets? Damn it, children fight. It's over," Robert declared, but the argument was far from over.

Cersei looked down at her husband with disdain. "Joffrey will bear these scars for the rest of his life."

Robert shifted his piercing gaze to his lanky idiot of a son. "Good. Maybe he'll finally get some scars on him. You coddle him too much in the training yard for him to get any real ones," Robert stated, earning laughs from a few assembled, mostly Northmen, along with Jory and Austin.

"Ned, see to it that your daughter is disciplined. I'll do the same with my son," Robert said, seemingly putting an end to the matter.

Lord Stark visibly relaxed as he moved to take his daughters to bed. Austin shoved a few Lannister men out of the way to make way for them as the king stood up.

"And what of the direwolf?" Cersei began. "What of the beast that savaged your son?"

Fucking cunt of a woman, Austin thought. He didn't usually think this way about many people, but the queen, her brother, and her son were at the top of his list.

"I'd forgot the damned wolf," Robert said, turning to one of his Lannister captains.

The man shook his head. "We found no trace of the direwolf, Your Grace."

"No?" Robert asked. "So be it," he said, nodding to Ned.

"We have another wolf."

Austin's blood froze at that. This bitch was really trying to get an innocent animal slaughtered all because she couldn't admit her son's idiocy.

Robert turned to her slowly. "As you will," he said quietly.

Ned stopped him. "You can't mean it."

"A direwolf's no pet. Get her a dog, she'll be happier for it," Robert answered before moving to exit the room.

Sansa, ever the dense, slow learner, took a while to realize what the queen meant. "He doesn't mean Lady, does he? No, no, not Lady! Lady didn't bite anyone, she's good!"

"I backhanded Joffrey like the sniveling little boy he is, yet you would not punish me? You would rather slaughter an innocent?" Austin demanded.

Queen Cersei simply smirked, reveling in her victory. "You are of a noble house. I cannot command Ser Ilyn to snip your neck, not while you are under Lord Stark's protection."

Ned turned to the retreating Robert. "Is this your command? Your Grace?"

When Robert didn't answer, Cersei turned to the Lannister captain. "Where is the beast?"

"Chained up, outside Your Grace."

"Ser Ilyn, do me the honor," she commanded the mute.

He moved towards the door, only to be roughly shoved back by Lord Stark. Some of the Lannister men put their hands on their swords at the showing of aggression from the Northern Lord. Austin did the same and shook his head at the men, silently telling them not to even try.

"Jory, take the girls to their rooms. If it must be done, then I will do it myself," Ned declared, facing the queen with all the defiance he could muster.

"Is this some trick?" Cersei asked. Austin rolled his eyes at that.

Typical for a snake such as Cersei not to understand the meaning of honor, he thought.

"The wolf is of the North. She deserves better than a southern mute for a butcher," Ned said coldly. Slowly, the Lord of Winterfell turned on his heel and nodded to Jory, who took the girls upstairs. Austin followed Lord Stark from the hall, headed towards the small stable where Lady was chained up.

On their way, they passed the Hound, leading his horse by the reins, something bloody slung over his saddle. Taking notice of what it was, Austin cursed under his breath. "The butcher's boy," he said.

"You rode him down?" Lord Stark asked incredulously.

As the Hound continued his path, the only answer they heard was "He ran. Not very fast."

Out of respect for the North's traditions, Austin waited around the corner from the stable, choosing not to witness the execution of such a beautiful animal. He heard the dull rasp of a blade, followed by whimpering and a sharp yelp that sent chills down Austin's spine.