A/N: Standard disclaimer here. I don't own ASOIAF and only write for fun.
Theon
Time seemed to crawl forward once she had gone. It was like the world had stopped both figuratively and literally. Once Lord Stark watched until the ship that carried his daughters North had gone, his orders had been simple.
"No man or woman who doesn't serve house Stark enters my tower. I don't give a damn if it is the king himself banging on those doors, he will wait for me to exit."
It was a strange command, paranoid even but his word was law and so no one questioned it, and no one dared break it. He found himself impressed. This is what true loyalty bought.
He did find himself quite bored, however. He spent most his time during the day training with the men in the small hall, and most of his nights were spent standing guard at the main entrance with Jory.
Jory took his duty seriously, he wasn't one to say much or speak often, so most nights, he was left alone with nothing but his thoughts… and often time his thoughts were of hair kissed by fire shooting arrows into random trees. In Winterfell, she had been just Lord Stark's daughter, but in King's Landing she became something more.
He tried and failed to make the thoughts leave. He thought instead about what Robb or even Jon would do to him if he ever acted. He thought about how Lord Stark might feel. It wasn't meant to be. He was the disgraced son of a Lord that no one liked or respected. It would never happen.
So instead, he tried to be like Jory but that was hard because Jory was so boring. He never seemed to laugh at any of the jokes Theon attempted, and only seemed to grunt responses to other questions at him.
What made it worst, is that only one person tried to enter the tower. It was Petyr Baelish, and even as they told him that Lord Stark was busy at the time, they had sent a man who had given them an answer, the man still tried to insist on entering.
Jory put a sword to his throat and told him to leave.
It was odd, the only thing Lord Stark seemed to care about in the few days that his daughters had gone was whether or not the king had returned or the list from the gaoler. It was a simple thing that Lord Stark did when they arrived in King's Landing. He assigned one of the men to take over the duties of the black cells.
"I need to know anybody who is imprisoned there and when," he had told the man. These days, he scoured over that list daily, seemingly looking for a name that had not shown up yet. He tried not to show it, but Theon knew the signs. He had grown up under his watchful eyes, Lord Stark had taught him lessons, and sparred with him. Theon could see it.
Lord Stark was worried about something.
A light towering in the distance cast a large shadow that betrayed the man approaching the tower of the hand took him from his thoughts. The person hadn't even gotten the chance to round the corner when Jory, next to him, yelled. "Halt! Who goes there?"
The man rounded the corner with urgency. "I come on behalf of the King. His grace commands the lord Hand's presence at once."
The Red Keep was dark and still as Lord Stark led them across the inner bailey. It was not hard to figure out where they were going, the royal apartments were in Maegor's Holdfast., the famous castle-within-a-castle. Ser Blount guarded the far end of the bridge, but Theon was barely spared a glance as they rushed past him.
Everything seemed to happen so quickly. Lord Stark was already awake and seemed to be waiting for someone to come to the door. He had commanded two other men take over his and Jory's guard duties, and before he knew it, Theon was staring at the face of Ser Barristan the bold. He would never forget it. He was as pale as his armour, and his face gave away something that the king's stewards did not. Something was terribly wrong.
The steward opened the door.
"Lord Eddard Stark, the Hand of the King," he announced as they entered the chamber. It was hot and reeked of rotting flesh.
"Bring him here," Robert's voice called out, but it had not been the loud, booming voice that Theon had grown to expect from the King. This voice was but a shell of that man shouting drunkenly at the tourney.
The new Grand Maester hadn't arrived yet, so King Robert was surrounded by Pycell's acolytes. His brother, Lord Renly, paced before the shuttered windows while servents moved back and forth, feeding logs to the fire and boiling wine. The Queen sat prettily on the edge of the bed beside her husband, but her eyes were glued to Lord Stark.
"Ned," the king whispered when he saw him. Now that they had gotten closer, it was hard not to gag, the smell of rotten flesh was powerful. The King obviously had been hurt, that was clear, and if his condition was as serious as it looked, he would die soon. "Come….closer"
Lord Stark rushed to his side, collapsing next to his friend. He wondered what he would do if Lord Stark were him and the King were Robb. How would he be able to handle that?
"What happened?" Lord Stark asked.
"A boar." Renly was still in his hunting greens, he cloak and face spattered with blood.
"A devil," the king corrected. "My own fault. Too much wine, damn me to hell. Missed my thrust."
"And where were the rest of you?" Ned demanded. "Where was Ser Barristan and the Kingsguard?"
Renly's mouth twitched but Theon did not hear his response. His eyes were glued to Lord Stark's hand as it grasped the blanket covering the king. He lifted the blanket, and Theon looked at the ceiling. The boar had ripped the king from groin to nipple with its tusk. He wanted to gag. He knew he couldn't. He was grateful when lord Stark let the blanket fall.
"Stinks," Robert said. "I can smell it. Bastard did me good, but I paid him back in kind, Ned." The king actually smiled, his teeth stained with blood. "I drove a knife right through his eye. For the feast," he whispered. "Now leave us. The lot of you. I need to speak with Ned."
"Robert," the queen tried, but the king dismissed her anyway.
"Jory and Theon stay," Ned said before they could turn to leave. Again, the queen went to complain, but again, the king dismissed her. Soon the room that held many only held four.
"Damn you, Robert," Lord Stark said when they were alone. He sat on the bed now, he body twisted to look back at him friend. "Why do you always have to be so headstrong."
"Ah, fuck you, Ned," the King responded. Lord Stark smiled. "I was living life, how could I have known? I killed the bastard didn't I? Ought to do the same for you. Can't leave a man to hunt in peace. Ser Robar found me. Ser Arthur got Gregor did he? Don't think I don't know who gave that command."
"It was Jon," Eddard replied. "Jon got the Mountain."
The kings laugh turned into a grunt as a spasm of pain hit him. "Good for him. Not much for a bastard to do other than make a name for himself. You raised him right Ned, all of them. Wish that I could've done the same." He lifted his hand, and pointed at the table. "Paper and ink. There, on the table. Write what I tell you."
Lord Stark took the paper without saying a word, and grabbed the quill.
The will was standard. He gave command that Lord Stark would serve as his regent and protector of the realm when he died to rule in his stead until his son Joffrey came of age. When Lord Stark was done, he looked at his friend, sorrow deep in his eyes.
"Robert," Ned said in a voice thick with grief. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I should have done more, I could've did more… I should of went with you. I wouldn't have let you face that boar alone. I'm not afraid of you."
"Nonsense," Robert responded quickly. "I couldn't listen to advise, I was never wrong. The realm knows what a wretched king I've been. You know but your grief won't let you admit the truth. Bad as Aerys, the gods spare me."
"No," Ned told his dying friend, "not as bad as Aerys, no one could be."
The king closed his eyes and seemed to relax. "Killed by a pig," he muttered. "Ought to laugh, but it hurts too much."
"You always said you would go out with riding into battle, a hunting spear in your hand, or a woman at your waist," Lord Stark smiled.
The king smiled back. It was odd, the man knew he was going to die but he seemed happy now. Content. "A woman at my waist would be much better. Do you think Cersei….?"
Lord Stark laughed but ignored the questions. "Shall I call them back?"
The servents were the first in the room, rushing as quickly as they could to feed the fires. The queen did not come back, which was odd to Theon, but it seemed to relieve Lord Stark of any burden he may have had.
King Robert did not seem to miss her. He called for Ser Barristan and his brother to stand in witness as he pressed his seal into the hot yellow wax that was on his letter. "Now give me something for the pain and let me die."
A acolyte rushed forward and gave him milk of the poppy. He drank from the cup happily and threw the empty cup aside. "Will I deam?"
Lord Stark responded. "You will, my lord."
"Good," he said, smiling. "I will give Lyanna your love, Ned. Take care of my children for me."
He paused for a moment, before nodding. "Tell her something for me?"
"Aye," the king responded.
"Tell her I kept my promise."
They were walking quickly across the bridge when Lord Renly emerged from Maegor's Holdfast. "Lord Eddard," he called after him, "a moment, if you would be so kind."
Renly walked to his side. "Send your men away."
"No." They met in the center of the bridge, the dry moat beneath them. "My men stick with me."
Renly paused, stopping for a moment to stare at him and Jory before he spoke. "That letter." He got close to Lord Stark, there faces almost touching. Jory's hand immediately went to his sword, but Lord Stark gestured to him, telling him to stand down.
"Was it the regency? Has my brother named you Protector?" He did not wait for a reply. "My lord, I have thirty men in my personal guard, and other friends beside, knights and lords. Give me an hour, and I can put a hundred swords in your hand."
Theon snorted. That was stupid. Lord Stark agreed. "And what should I do with a hundred swords, my lord?"
"Strike! Now, while the castle sleeps." Renly's voice dropped so low that he could barely be heard. "We must get Joffrey away from his mother and take him in hand. Protector or no, the man who holds the king holds the kingdom. We should seize Myrcella and Tommen as well. Once we have the children, Cersei will not oppose us. The council will confirm you as Lord Protector and make Joffrey your ward."
Lord Stark shook his head coldly. "Robert is not dead yet. Besides," this time it was Lord Stark who stepped closer and used a hushed voice, "we still would be outnumbered. I sent most of the men I had back North with my daughters. I have 500 fighting men here. You have 100. The gold cloaks number in the 1500's."
"They are easily bribed. We could get Baelish -" Lord Renly started.
"You trust Baelish?" Lord Stark cut him off coldly. "We easily could be overrun, and even if we had the children, I refuse to hurt them if Cersei was to order an attack."
Lord Renly sighed. "Then what should we do? We cannot wait for the Lannisters to strike. Every moment we give Cersei is dangerous."
"We retreat," Ned responded. "I understand that you have friends in Highgarden? I will meet you at the hour of the wolf. War is coming Renly. Tywin Lannister is already summoning an army to attack Riverrun. I have much to tell you, but it must wait until we are safe."
"The hour of the wolf then." Renly turned away and went back across the moat, to the tower where his brother lay dying.
Lord Stark waited until they returned to the tower before he spoke again. "Ready the men. We leave as soon as possible. Tell them to pack lightly. Theon, walk with me."
"Check the gaolers list for new names," Lord Stark commanded as soon as they entered his bedchambers. He had quickly lit a few candles so that they could better see and began hastily packing everything that was important to him. He then sat down and began to write a letter.
Theon quickly found the list he was asked to read and shook his head. "There are no new names on these list my lord."
Ned sighed heavily.
"Is there a name you are looking for?" Theon looked up at Lord Stark. He didn't look up from the letter he was writing. When he was finished, he sealed it with his sigil and only then did he respond.
"Aye." It was a simple response, a response that meant he expected no more questions. Still Theon asked.
"What name are you looking for?"
"I dare not tell you Theon, that would put you in danger." He sighed and frowned, seemingly deep in thought. "I've already put you all in too much danger as it is. I just pray to the gods that I am wrong."
"About what my lord?"
Lord Stark stared at him for a moment, long and hard before shaking his head. "Do not let it concern you for now Theon, just go and prepare yourself for departure. I do believe that we will be taking in the comforts of Storms End and Highgarden soon."
Theon nodded and turned to leave, the names on the gaolers list stuck in his head.
A:N/: Another one for you guys on a fine Thursday evening. I actually updated the previous two chapters as well. The last one, because as one fantastic review pointed out, I confused the godswood and the wolfswood in my haste to edit. It has been fixed. And then one before that, I updated due to the fact that Ned told Sansa Robb would be gone by the time she returned back home... thats actually super inaccurate lol. I think in the books it took two weeks from White Harbor to King's Landing, and then the ride from White Harbor to Kings Landing should only be about another two weeks. I believe it took about two moons for Robb to summon all of the banners. Atleast thats what I found when I tried to find a timeline that was accurate.
Anyways, once again I appreciate your thoughts and likes and follows! Thanks! Tell me what you think!
Until next time!
