Lyanna
While the first trial by seven in nearly a hundred years was taking place there was entirely different business going on in the Capital.
The one thing she still wasn't use to was the heat. The Starks were meant for cold winters and these long summers were too warm for any wolf. But if she was to understand correctly it would seem winter was on it's way. At least that's what Samwell Tarly was saying.
The Queen was breaking her fast with her son and daughter and Lord Stannis, the Castellan of King's Landing until Robert returned. Ser Loras Tyrell and Ser Balon Swann guarded them with the older knight behind the Queen as the Knight of Flowers stood by the door.
Samwell Tarly was before them. Since his teacher's demise it had fallen onto the young boy to be a Maester in his place until he forged his chain or most likely until a new one could be found.
"And we've heard reports as far as the wall." Sam told as he held the note in his hand. He looked as if he'd take a step closer but hesitated at the sight of big Balon Swann looming over the Royal Family.
"If I am to understand it's always cold up North." Stannis said.
"Y-Yes My Lord." Sam said." But they write of the nights getting colder and colder."
"Winter is coming." Lyanna said in a voice as gloomy as her brother's. And that silenced the room.
"We will keep this in mind." Stannis said to Sam." You are dismissed."
"Thank you My Lord." Sam said with a bow." Good day, my Lord, your Grace." And he turned to leave. He approached the door greeting Ser Loras as he reached for the doorknob. But just as he was about to open it another person walked in.
It was none other than Margeary Tyrell. She walked into the room with a dazzling smile and a wiggle in her steps. At the first sight of the girl Lyann filled her cup with wine.
"Good Morning Samwell." She greeted him cheerfully when she saw him on the other side of the door.
"G-G-G morning Lady Margeary." Sam said.
"And brother Loras." She reached up and kissed him on the cheek." How are you this morning?" The sing-song sound of her voice made Lyanna roll her eyes. Margaery had the same drive that her father had, though she was cleverer the Queen could admit.
After greeting her brother the Girl in question suddenly appeared before her with her big doe eyes and smile like the morning sun. It was almost enough to make the Queen gag. But there was something strange about her that caught the older woman's attention this morning.
Normally Margeary wore the finest silk dresses. That was one thing she and Renly had in common the most, they like to dress in the most colorful and most expensive things. But this morning the flower of HighGarden wore a grey and white dress, very strange colors on the southern girl.
"Do you like it?" she asked when she noticed the Queen starring at it." Their my husband's colors or rather my husband-to-be's colors." Lyanna's eyes suddenly bugged wide open." Weren't they your colors once your grace?" Lyanna was still to shell-shocked to say anything. So it was true? Ned had gone along with it, he listened to the song that fat oaf Mace Tyrell sang. Or maybe this was Catleyn's doing. But Lyanna at least knew her lord father was smiling in his tomb as he watched his son follow in his footsteps. At not having her question answered she went to another." Though I don't know much about him. And I was wondering if you could tell me, your Grace." But Lyanna said nothing." My Aunt married up North." She continued." Though I don't think it ended well for either of them."
"Ser Jorah Mormont." Stannis said." He was a slaver and a law-breaker. We are well rid of him."
"Justly so." Margaery said." But I don't need to know about my distant Uncle but about my new husband." She looked again to Lyanna but would get no answer from the Queen's startled face.
"The Starks are an old House." Edric spoke up." They trace their roots back to the Age of heroes and Brandon the Builder." Brandon a common name among Starks. It made Lyanna shudder to think of a spawn of Margaery Tyrell with that name. Her brother and nephew's name.
This was a good match for the Starks and really the only option for Robb outside the North. The Reach was a good ally who would bring food and troops to the Stark cause. However Lyanna didn't like Margaery because she thought she was a superficial bitch.
"So the histories say." She smiled." But what of Robb Stark?"
"He favors his mother's side." Edric spoke up." He has the auburn hair of his mother's side but make no mistake he is all Stark." Margeary put a finger to her chin and began tapping.
"Auburn hair." She said." I don't think there's ever been a Tyrell with auburn hair." She smiled. Lyanna jerked forward in her chair, look down to the floor.
"Oh Seven Hells." She groaned.
"Mother!" Edric jumped over to her." Are you alright?"
"Ser Balon." Stannis commanded on his feet." Take the Queen back to her room. She is not feeling well." Lyanna did not protest as Ser Balon put one arm around her and helped her to her feet. All she wanted was to be separated from Margaery Tyrell and all her prattling.
"Feel better you're Grace." Margaery said." I hope to talk again soon." Lyanna rolled her eyes once more. But when she opened them she got one last look at the Tyrells. In Ser Loras as he opened the door for her to exit.
Jon
Sam had always enjoyed his books. They were his enjoyment, his passion. But Jon's passion was always in swords. He and Robb always used to spar back in Winterfell since the time they could hold swords. It had been over a year since Jon had last seen his half-brother. Wherever he was he hoped he was doing alright.
Since the siege of King's Landing it didn't seem like any fighting was going to come back this far south. But that didn't stop Jon. He kept practicing till his arms were bruised and swollen, his hands hard with calluses. And he had a great Teacher in Brienne of Tarth.
She advanced swinging her sword forward only for Jon to put his up to block, supporting it with one hand on the hilt and the other on the blade's tip. But then using her greater strength Brienne moved forward swinging once more with enough force to knock Jon off his feet.
When he looked back up he saw her sword pointed at his head and he was glad it was only a blunted one.
"I yield." He panted with smile. She stepped back and Jon jumped back to his feet ready for another bout.
"Let's rest a moment." Brienne said to him." Catch our breath." Jon agreed tucking the blunted under his arm and joined her. Sitting down on the ground while she leaned against a column.
The city had gone back to its usual routine namely smelling of shit. His father was away, his Uncle was away, Ser Barristan and Ser Jaime had gone with them. He was always thinking about them, about whether they were safe or not. What if something happened to them? Maybe if he was there he could do something? But how much could a boy of sixteen really do?
"Jon!" called a voice. He turned to see Sam walking towards him. Jon got up from his feet and greeted him.
"What are you doing here?"
"Just finished my meeting with the Queen." Sam told." And I was wondering if you wanted to go and do something."
"I don't know if I could. "Jon said looking over his shoulder." Lady Brienne and I-"
"Go on Ser Jon." Brienne said to him." There will be plenty of time for swords later." There was a strange look in her eyes and a sadness in her voice Jon had never heard before. And he think he knew what it was about.
"Come on. "Sam said turning and leading the way. But Jon didn't follow him at first he instead stayed looking at Brienne." Jon?" He said turning back to them.
"Don't worry." Jon said to her." I'm sure their okay."
"Even Ser Jaime?" she asked.
"Yes, even him."
Eddard
He hadn't been this furious since the Sack of King's Landing. The Grafton's had risen against them which made them rebels. But Ned was not one to put such labels on people given his history. But what made him even more cross was that the people of the Vale were butchering their own people like livestock.
Whether by some strange twist of fate or by mere luck just as Robert led the charge off the ships into Gulltown another army attacked from the land. Lord Yohn Royce of Runestone had rallied his Vale allies and with ten thousand spears chose to take back their home.
"My Liege!" The Bronze Royce said bending a knee before Robert. Ned recalled him very well from his time in the Vale. He was a frequent visitor of Jon Arryn's and had participated in many a hunt with Robert and Ned.
With a wave of his hand Robert commanded him rise.
"Thank the Gods you have come!" Royce said.
"What's happen here?" Ned questioned.
"The Grafton have allied themselves with the Targaryen's Lord Stark." Royce said." Though they aren't the only ones. The Corbray's joined them as well and sit by her side in the Eryie."
"The Eryie?" Ned questioned." Lady Lysa, the boy?!" Royce only shook his head.
"I am sorry my Lord." It seemed that even more members of Ned's family were dying. Now a sister-in-law and a nephew. Ned remembered how he and Jon Arryn had wed the Tully sister's together; that was the price for the swords of Riverrun." The Targaryen girl sits on your wife's sister's seat."
"Then that is where we must go!" Robert howled. At that moment the Kingslayer made himself known and stepped up beside the King.
"It would be a long march from here to the Eryie your Grace." He said." Perhaps we'd best take it slow." Ned saw that Jaime's white cloak was more red than white.
"But we must move while there is still time." Royce advised." We have risen against them and driven their forces from our lands. But it won't be long before they return and in greater numbers."
"And there were three dragons." Jaime said." If what we've heard is true." He spoke the truth but there was something about the way he spoke that just made Ned's blood boil.
"There were." Royce said." But if what we've heard is true the dragons have left the Vale."
"How?" Ned asked. If the dragons had left the Vale that meant they were in the Riverlands. And they were most likely unopposed burning and killing as their master commanded. This had just gotten even more complicated.
"From my own sons." Royce said." Andar and Robar are with Harrold Arryn now, protecting him as best they can. Though I have not seen or heard from them since the Dragons left the Eryie."
"Then we must move indeed." Robert said." If these dragons are real we must take back the Eryie while they aren't there to defend it. How many do we face Lord Royce?"
"Many of the Dornish have ridden out in the main force into the Riverlands. Only the soldiers from across the Narrow Sea remain. They'll have pooled all their strength back into the Eryie now. And there is a chance the main force will not have heard this yet. We must use it to our advantage to take back what we can."
"We can handle them." Robert boasted." We have enough numbers to take back the home of Arryn. Then if Rheagar's spawn still lives we can catch him between our army and Lord Tywin's." Ned did not know if he agreed with that plan. True they had the numbers but war was strange and maybe their enemy wasn't as far off as they thought. Even if they did take back the Eyrie passing the bloody gate was no easy feat and they were likely to lose half their army doing it even if they outnumbered their enemy a hundred to one.
"That would mean leaving the Vale after we've reclaimed it." Ned said." At such a delicate point we cannot leave it unguarded."
"Then maybe we can wait." Royce said." For even if we did take the Eryie there's still the bloody gate to contend with. The Targaryen's have made no friends in their conquest of our land. If they should return they will feel our vengeance!"