Chapter 12: From One Hand To Another
Ned looked at the candle, and then sighed. He turned back to the papers before him, reading through the letters it was like there was a ghost clawing at his back. Trying to get him to see something that he just couldn't find. Discovering Jon Arryn's letters in the secret caches of the Tower of the Hand was something he'd not thought would happen and yet here he was. There were about fifty of these letters dating throughout his time as Hand. Ned was reading through them to get a better understanding of Jon as Hand and to see how he had let things get to where they were now.
He took a breath and went back to reading the current document.
Seven moons have passed since we made the visit. It seems that the child is healthy and strong, which is good. The King knows little and cares even less about this child. That is sad, for the Queen continues to remain without child, despite two years of marriage. There is talk that her father, Lord Tywin has been giving her all sorts of things to help with pregnancy. Something that must be a Lannister trait, for the King's own mother was married and with child within a few moons of one another. However, we cannot wait for too long. If Lord Tywin or the Queen finds out about the visit then we are all doomed.
Sometimes I wonder whether the right decision was made, in declaring Robert King. Since the death of his lady love, he has thrown himself into fighting and drinking. He leaves the ruling of the realm to me, and though I think myself worthy of the task, the truth is I am tired. I cannot stomach everything that must needs be done. I know Robert wants there to be war with Dorne. He thinks that he can achieve what the Targaryens did not and conquer Dorne completely. It is that that makes me wonder if perhaps we should have declared for Aegon, it was Rhaegar and Aerys we had issue with, not the babe or his mother and sister.
But for now, we must content ourselves with what has happened and move on with life. I do not know how long we can last on the throne without something happening. Robert is far too volatile for something peaceful to occur. More money shall need to be taken out to bribe people.
The letter ended there, and left Ned confused. There was a child in the capital, it seemed that was Robert's. That was not the part that surprised him, Robert had sired a child when he was in the Vale before the war. The part that surprised him was the fear Jon had had that the child might be killed by the Queen. Surely she would not kill a babe, a bastard babe at that. They would be no threat to the children she had with Robert. He blinked and moved that letter to the side, and picked up another letter, this one from closer to the time of his death.
My stomach pains me. I know that some will think that this is just old age catching up with me, but I know what it is. I know that someone at court has poisoned me. They wish for me to die to protect their secrets whatever they might be. I do not much care anymore. I am old and tired. My line will die with me as well. I am not sure whether the boy my wife claims is mine, is actually mine. I have seen the way she looks at Baelish, and I know that my seed is not strong. If it had been I would never have married her, despoiled as she was. But that is the matter for the gods to decide. I have other things to write about.
I visited the boy again, this time with the boy's uncle. Stannis and I both agree that the boy looks every bit like Robert did at that age. And our recent discoveries make it even more crucial that the boy is protected, for the seven knows what will happen when I am dead. Ned will be named Hand, for Robert will want someone he trusts near him. Yet I fear Ned is not someone who is ready for what must be done. But that is neither here nor there. I know what must happen, and I know what must be done. I have spoken with Varys, though I do not trust him, and I have spoken with my cousin Ronnel, they know what must be done.
Ned put aside that letter and thought through it all. Clearly Jon had been in a lot of pain, and if he knew he had been poisoned then he had been poisoned. But if he compared this letter with the one he had written many years before, then perhaps the Queen had indeed poisoned him. Though why? She could not have, or rather would not have poisoned someone simply for visiting the King's bastard surely? Ned did not like the woman but he did not think she was that vindictive. And if Robert Arryn was not Jon's son then he was not the rightful lord of the Vale. But how would Jon know that? There was no way to know, Robert had darkish hair, whilst Jon had always had blonde hair, but Ned's own heir had auburn hair like Cat.
Cat, she had said she suspected something had gone amiss with the Lannisters at Winterfell, and then the dagger. What had Bran seen? What had he seen that he was not supposed to see? He would need to speak with Stannis, the man had not bothered replying to the summons nor had he arrived. He could issue a warrant for treason to get the man to come here. But such a thing would not endear him to Stannis. Seven this was difficult. He took a breath and thought through everything he knew.
Bran had been pushed whilst climbing, though he never fell normally, the Queen and the Kingslayer had been missing for some time. Jon Arryn had visited Robert's bastard both when the boy was young and a few days before his death. He had feared the Queen would have the boy killed if she knew about him. Jon regretted seating Robert on the throne, and wished they had declared for Aegon-which was odd as it was Jon who had suggested Robert be crowned, Robert had wanted Aegon on the throne- and Jon had also suspected his own son was not his. He also knew he had been poisoned.
Ned swore. "Why did you need to make this so difficult?" He looked through the rest of the letters, not finding anything until a letter dated right at the start of Robert's reign gave him the answer he was looking for. He read the sentence out loud. "We have placed the boy with Tobho Mott, to ensure that he is safe and that he can learn a skill that will endear him to his father."
Ned sighed, then took the three letters, folded them and placed them within his pocket. He then got up and called out. "Jory ready the horses, we have a blacksmith we must visit."
