Chapter 29: Long Dead Secrets
Ned rubbed his eyes, the hour was late, but he had a lot to read through. He'd found another batch of letters that Jon Arryn had written, stashed away in a cupboard. And he had meant to read them before, but so much other stuff had happened. With the King soon to return from Tyrosh, Ned wanted to get ahead on this reading, in case there was some sort of stunning news he would need to give to the King. He took a breath, took a sip of wine, and then started with the first letter.
The Tourney of Harrenhal was where things really started to go wrong. Of course, one had thought that Lord Steffon should have found a bride for Rhaegar, and yet he did not. I believe that Varys had a hand in that. The eunuch has never been the most trustworthy of people. Despite his protestations of loyalty. Regardless, at Harrenhal, we were all to meet and discuss removing Aerys, for the King had become madder with the passing of the seasons. I was to attend, and then I learned that Aerys himself was to attend.
I decided against attending then. Aerys still remembered the role I had played in the minor uprising his cousin Maegor had attempted some years ago, during the reign of King Aegon. I call it an uprising, but it was more like a legal challenge. Of course the judiciary is controlled by the crown and therefore Maegor lost. He was exiled and I was barely kept alive, thanks to the role my father played in giving Aegon the throne. Aerys had not trusted me since then. Indeed, I was quite surprised that he had even consented to allowing Robert and Eddard to come and foster with me.
Regardless, when I learned he was to attend Harrenhal, I decided against going. I did not want my boys to put into danger because of something they knew nothing about. Elbert was to be my representative. But Elbert being Elbert he just had to flex his political muscle. What he said to the Dornish was not sensible. It risked inflaming war, and it made the possibilities of removing Aerys ever harder. Then Rhaegar had to do what he did. Taking Lyanna Stark was not smart, whether she wanted to leave or not, did not matter, he was older and wiser, he should have known better.
Ned exhaled deeply, had Jon suspected? He had worked so very hard to keep that from ever coming out. Perhaps he should have tried harder? He did not know. Though the thought that Jon had been a rebel in his youth made Ned laugh, it seemed almost insane. Then he remembered the events that had brought him to Jon Arryn and he pushed that thought down. There was more in the letter and so he kept reading.
When the war began, I did not know what to expect. Robert and Eddard were both grieving, though I suspect Robert grieved more for his friend than for fear of what might be. Eddard though was not thinking rightly. And I cannot blame him, to lose his father and older brother, to not know where his sister was, and to be Lord of the North when he had never expected to be, must have been a great burden. The war was fought and we won, but I do not know whether we made the right choice.
Robert was never meant to be King. Hells, sometimes I got the feeling he did not even want to be Lord of Storm's End. But here we are, Robert sits the throne, he has three heirs from his wife. The Lannister woman did her duty, despite the looks she shares with her brother. And as such the succession is secure. At least that is what I thought until I learned about something terrible that Robert had done long before the rebellion, when still betrothed to Lyanna Stark.
Ned took a breath, what he'd just read didn't seem that positive about Robert. That surprised Ned. For when they had been younger, Jon had been Robert's greatest supporter. The one who would always find some way to get the best out of Robert. Ned sighed. Perhaps in his grief and his own anger and regret at the end of the rebellion he had missed a lot. Perhaps he should have been more involved. It was no good thinking of possibilities now, the past was the past. He went back to reading the letter, curious as to what this thing Robert had done.
Robert does not know I know, for I am sure that if he did he would break down and do something rash. Once, when he was a young man, after his father died, he, I do not know whether I should commit this to paper, but I know none shall find this document. Once when he was a young man, after his parents had died, Robert fell in love with a woman, a woman who I know well, for she is my own niece. She would not sleep with him unless he married her, and Robert, being a man with honour did as was demanded. And there was a product of this union.
When I learned of this, I did what I could to ensure Tywin Lannister did not know, or that anyone else knew. I paid the girl a good amount of money, and sent her on. The child, the child I brought with me and kept somewhere where no one would think to see him if they ever found out. I have kept the child under my watch since then. I hear that he has kept the Bull at his side ever since then. He is strong and he looks much like Robert did at that age. I hope that no one ever finds him, for then there will be war, and we cannot survive that.
I am old now, and I know that I will not live to see what comes of everything. I simply hope that I have done my best to prevent any more chaos. Westeros must have peace.
The letter ended there. Ned sat back and sighed, then it fully hit him and he swore. "Shit." He took the paper, and kept it within a secret box he had found and locked the box. Then he muttered. "Robert you damned fool."
A knock on the door made him panic. "Enter." He said.
Jory entered. "My lord Hand, the King has returned, he had called for you."
Ned nodded, he got up and walked out of the room, making sure the box was secure and hidden. As he walked to meet the King he thought to himself, there is another heir out there, with a bull at his side. It took him a moment and then he swore again. Gendry.
