Chapter 17

EDDARD

"Robert, you can't be serious!"

"Of course I'm serious, Ned! What seems to be the problem?"

When he had been told his daughter Arya was missing for several hours, he had groaned at first, thinking she was off exploring in some dark corner of the Red Keep, and had sent his guards to look for her. However when none of them had turned up any sign of his daughter, he began to worry frantically, fearing that she had suffered the same fate as his sister Lyanna.

Promise me, Ned.

And then when she was found, it was in a most surprising and concerning way to Eddard. Her appearance was a little worse for wear, due to her torn clothing which was filled with blood. Not only that, but she was escorted by Prince Oberyn and his paramour, along with one of Robert's bastard sons who had helped her kill the men who had nearly disgraced her and most likely would have murdered her after they were done, a fact which worried Eddard greatly but did not surprise him in the least bit, for he knew Arya had the wolfblood just like his late siblings Brandon and Lyanna. Still, something worse could have happened to Arya. If Jon hadn't had that sword made for her.

Ned sighed. Catelyn was not going to be pleased about this, along with Prince Oberyn agreeing to train her, along with fostering her in Dorne, which had so many freedoms for allowing ladies to train in battle along with their fellow men. Still though, at least Arya would be on her best behavior there. Or at least that's what Ned hoped... considering the announcement that his friend Robert had made, regarding the betrothal between his newly discovered son and his daughter, who Ned knew had not taken the news well as she had fainted in his arms.

"It's too soon, Robert."

"Nonsense, Ned," Robert said. "It's perfect. My son looks exactly like I did when we were young, while your daughter looks exactly like my Lyanna. It's exactly the way it should have been all those years ago, had that bastard Rhaegar not taken her away from me." Robert then paused for a second, before looking at Ned and studying him carefully.

Ned's face remained still, but deep down he worried whether his late good-sister Lysa Tully's words had gotten to Robert and start making him suspect the truth of who Jon really is.

Promise me Ned.

If the moment ever arose where Robert found out the truth and declared war upon Rhaegar's surviving son, Ned knew he would have no choice but to turn against him to betray his blood. That was something he dared hope would never occur.

"Robert?"

"I've been wondering, Ned," Robert spoke softly Ned barely heard him.

"About what, Your Grace?"

"Was your sister that much of a fighter, like your little girl?"

Ned's eyebrows shot up in surprise, for he had not expected that question. Still though, he didn't see the harm in answering.

"Very much so, your Grace. Although she had to do in secret without getting caught by Father. In addition to that, she also rode a horse well than any other man."

Robert laughed. "It's a good thing that your girl knows how to defend herself at least. I always imagined my children with Lyanna to be fierce warriors, the lot of them, just like your little girl. Instead of Lyanna, I got that lion bitch as a wife who bore me useless lionspawn." Ned winced at the words, hoping Robert would not realize Jaime's incestuous affair with the late Queen. However Robert was ignorant of his words. "At least I can look forward to the next generation of Baratheons, now that your daughter is betrothed to my boy. Gods, I can already see it now, my son Gendry Baratheon, fighting alongside with his wife Arya of House Stark, and children in battle, garnering themselves the honors and glories of war. The Storm Warriors, that's what they'll be known as." Robert's eyes widened at that last statement. "The Storm Warriors. Now's that something I shall look forward to seeing." He then turned to Ned. "Has your eldest daughter bled yet?"

"I don't think she has, Your Grace," Ned said.

"Good, because we need to betroth your daughter as soon as possible," Robert said.

"Your Grace, I don't want to bother--"

"Nonsense, Ned. And please don't call me Your Grace ever again when we're alone. You know better than that."

"Of course, Robert."

"The sooner we can marry off your eldest daughter, the more I can look forward to seeing our Houses unite the way it was meant to."

"Your Grace--" Ned said, which caused Robert to glare mightily at him. "Robert. Are you sure it's right to betroth Arya to Gendry, so soon after Arya's... predicament?"

Robert sighed. "You're being too tense on yourself, Ned. I understand the way you feel, your daughter somehow ended up outside the Red Keep and was almost raped by those bastards in the Street of Flour. It's a miracle from the gods that my son happened to be passing by, otherwise I would end up wishing that Rhaegar had taken the Iron Throne instead. Well not quite." Robert shook his head. "But enough contemplating on what could've happened and start thinking on what will happen. Your daughter. My son. United together in marriage. In battle. In bedding." Robert laughed, enjoying his own joke. Ned stood there, staring at him, wondering if the man he knew was gone forever. "I think I know of an early wedding present for them."

Before Ned could ask what, the Small Council members all walked in the room. Ned wondered what they were doing here. Something big must have happened recently.

As they took their seats, Varys ended up being the first one to speak, not surprisingly, for if anyone had any clue as to the latest updates in Westeros, it would be the Spider himself. "Your Grace, Lord Stark," Varys nodded in each of their respective directions. "Before I begin, I would like to congratulate you both on the betrothal between your newly found son and Lady Arya. I also pray for her recovery. The gods be merciful she did not suffer anything unfortunate under those men and that your son happened to be passing by."

"Thank you very much, Lord Varys," Robert said, grinning. "I appreciate your kind words. Now tell us what news have you received as of late?"

"A very disturbing one, I am afraid, Your Grace," Varys said, before staring into Ned's eyes as he spoke. "Daenerys Targaryen was made aware of Ser Jorah's loyalties."

"So now she knows her precious saviour was nothing more than a turncloak, good," Robert said, which caused Ned to glare at him, which the king ignored.

"You said that it was a disturbing report, Lord Varys," Jon Arryn said. "What is so disturbing about it?" That piqued everyone's interest.

"Ser Jorah had been taken ill at the moment of the Targaryen girl's discovery of his deception when he was slashed by a rogue Dothraki's arakh, tipped with poison. My little birds report that she was furious when she found out and sought to punish him as quickly as possible."

"She killed a dying man? What better way to put him out of his own misery," commented the Master of Laws, causing his brother to glare at him. "Shut up, Renly."

"And that, my lords, is the disturbing part of the report," Varys said. The Small Council remained silent and stared at him expectantly. "Daenerys Targaryen had her husband's khalasar build a pyre to which she tied Ser Jorah to, before setting it ablaze and walking into it herself, coming out unburnt and hatching three dragon eggs in the process. She has become the Conqueror reborn."

Pycelle coughed, while Ned, Renly, Barristan, and Jon's blanched in fear and shock, while Robert's held a fierce determination.

"But that's impossible," Pycelle said. "The dragons have been extinct for a hundred and fifty years."

"Yet now they have returned, along with the White Walkers," said Varys calmly.

Pycelle started wheezing, while Robert smashed his fist down on the table and looked to Ned, pointing his finger at him. "I knew it, Ned. I knew it. I knew that dragonwhore would end up being a threat to my crown. Not only has she proven herself mad just like Aerys, but she's awakened three dragons in the process! We need to send our best assassins to deal with her and kill those abominations before it's too late."

"Your Grace, I implore you to just calm down--"

"Calm down? CALM DOWN?!? How in the Seven Hells am I supposed to be calm down, Ned, when that whore has awoken three dragons, THREE, and is seeking to take me out to avenge her damn family?!?"

"They've barely been born, Robert. They haven't learned yet to breathe fire."

"But soon enough they will, Ned!"

"That is not the honorable way."

"The Others take you and your sense of honor," Robert shouted, shocking all the other men present. "Honor isn't what wins our wars. It's fear. Fear and power! And right now that Targaryen girl has exactly just that! We can't waste another moment any longer. They have got to go."

Ned looked for an argument to counter Robert's, but he could not find none. This could not be happening right now, two wars on different fronts. Why was this happening? Had he really forsaken the Old Gods that badly that they saw fit to have the White Walkers and dragons return at the same time? To top that off, it appeared that Jon's aunt Daenerys was starting to become like her father. He needed to send his children away to Winterfell for safety, should the king discover information on Jon's true heritage. A son of ice and fire. Ice and fire. An idea suddenly occurred to Ned.

"Robert, what if we can use the dragons to defeat the White Walkers?"

"Are you out of your fucking mind, Ned? No, that is out of the question."

"Robert..."

"I said no, Ned! There is no fucking way you will get me to side with a fucking Targaryen or use any of her fucking creatures to defeat those ice monsters beyond the Wall. I will not hear any more of it."

At that moment, the King's squire, came in.

"Damn you, Lancel Lannister! Can't you not see we're in the middle of discussing something here!"

Lancel reared back and looked about the room, stuttering, "Yo... Your Grace. My lords. Lord Tyrell and his family have just arrived from Highgarden."

"Well, why the hells did you not say something, huh?" Robert roared, causing Lancel to tremble. "Well don't just stand there, shaking as if the White Walkers are already here, Lancel, although in your case I feel like you would be the first to die. Now go out and tell my new Queen that I will be there, and not a moment SOONER!"

Lancel nodded quickly, before running into the door on his way out.

"Well, my lords, it's time to meet my new bride," Robert said.

A/N: Hey everyone, I'm back! I'm sorry for not updating sooner, but I've been really busy working in between jobs, so I really haven't had much of a chance to write, but here it is.

Also, I wish to announce that I will be collaborating with rivanpaat on a new story entitled Game of Thrones: The Next Generation, a sequel to his story, Game of Thrones season 8 redone: The Great War, which I am super excited about. We can't wait to share it with you.

Also, I'm thinking of doing another Game of Thrones story, set in modern times, soap opera style. Let me know what you guys think and what pairings you would like to see.

Until then, see you next time.