King Robert Baratheon
Every night had been torment for Robert, he'd lost his foster father only moons ago, and had meant to find comfort in the renewed companionship of his adoptive brother. Yet since the King's arrival everything had turned to shit before his eyes.
Indeed Lord Eddard had been a different man than the Ned Stark Robert had grown to know in the Vale.
When the royal retinue had arrived in this cold dreary place Winterfell's Lord had been of an equally icy disposition to the man he'd once held as a brother.
Ned hadn't been initially warm to Robert's paying respect for the Love of his life, and he'd not taken immediately to the idea of becoming the King's Hand.
Once upon a time Ned might've jumped at the opportunity to join Robert's court, he was a second son after all. Brandon was to have Winterfell, and Robert had meant to take Ned and Lyanna. It was certainly a more honorable position for Ned than joining the Night's Watch.
And Ned might've accompanied his sister south had Rhaegar not abducted her. Yet even now, after so many long years things had not returned to the way they'd been before. The Way Robert wanted them to be...
The War had changed everything.
Robert became King after taking the Capital, But what did it matter?
In the ensuing war he'd lose his best friend, and the love of his live.
Now things had gotten even worse.
Joffrey, the King's eldest son, had always been a monster. That much Robert had known since the day that his golden haired boy cut open a pregnant kitchen cat.
Such a cretin had the boy been that he'd found pride in his act.
Robert had been so disturbed by his son's action that he'd knocked from his mouth two teeth. He learned swift enough that even parenting his own children had repercussions.
Cersei was so enraged by Robert's striking of the boy that she threatened to see ill done towards Robert's eldest bastard.
She'd have never done as Lord Steffon's wife, not after the way he'd beaten and disciplined Robert.
Yet those thoughts had given way to the threats upon little Mya's life.
"You can't touch her." He'd wanted to say, The Eyrie was impregnable and Jon had given the girl every hospitality since Robert had taken the Crown.
But such an assertion would've only fueled her more.
That had been the worst their relationship had ever been, no longer had they merely suffered each others presence, but actively sought to avoid one another. It had taken little Cassie's birth for reconciliation to begin.
Yet now Joffrey had ruined all that which Robert had for so long worked.
Robert's Queen was once more up in arms against him after the sentencing. At first she'd been inconsolable, even to her bloody brother, but now she'd sworn open vengeance, and declared that her son would not become the Kingdom's mockery.
For the King though, his eldest son had ruined plans long made.
He'd had never sought the throne, but Robert had always meant for his children to wed Ned's own brood.
We could've really been family.
Yet the boy had proven his cruelty ever further and forever more by having assaulted the dragon spawn and her middling born friend.
Never before had Ned stood in such defiance of Robert,
And not once had his friend ever made a demand. Not even when they'd been boys in the Vale.
But Lord Eddard Stark had called for justice, and seen it done.
One member of the Kingsguard, Ser Meryn Trant, was dead and would be needing replacement. Another had proved himself an utter craven. Ser Jamie Lannister, the White Lion of Casterly Rock, had also submitted in acknowledgement of Prince Joffrey's guilt.
The Steward of Winterfell was dead, Sandor Clegane was near death, and Lancel Lannister had lost a hand.
As such the Northerner's had seen vengeance enacted whilst embarrassing the King's host.
There would be plenty of problems when they returned south, Tywin will not be happy that his grandson had been disinherited, and Ser Kevan will not be pleased that his eldest son was more crippled now than he'd been before. He would've never been a great fighter, but possessing both hands meant he could be passable.
Yet it was not their allegiance with which Robert concerned himself, for instead he thought only of the here and now.
A proposed betrothal had been broken, and with Guest Right having been violated, their alliance and even Northern fealty might've been at question had Ned and Robert not once been as brothers. Yet everything was up in the air right now, with even the smallest detail of their continued friendship able to be questioned.
Ned had been silent, and so Robert did wonder.
Where does that all leave us?
The King meant to find out such a thing.
So it was that Robert sat within one of his formerly dear friends council chambers. The room was not so great a sight for King Robert, especially after living many years within the Red Keep. In truth though this fortress was of a far superior quality.
For while the Red Keep might receive more prestige for having been home to Westeros greatest dynasty, it was poorly designed relative to Winterfell. The innumerable amount of people whom the city below it housed caused the reeking of air within Robert's home, yet here in Winterfell fresh air was available to all whom inhabited.
It was by no means more luxurious, but the castle also housed a underground hot water supply that maintained the castles internal temperature, allowing House Stark to forever fend off the long freezing winters.
It's just cold enough here to do some fucking though, and surely after eight thousand years of breeding the Starks did plenty of that instinctively.
What Robert would've done to have lain with Lyanna but a single time...
The only girl to have ever been denied him.
Winterfell was the home to House Stark, and as such had a certain prestigious mystique to it.
Of all the Great Lords Robert had visited, Ned's home was sure to standout in his mind once departed from. For despite a relative lack of glamour, so well as the eight millennia since its inception, such a fortress was one of the most architecturally sound castles in Westeros.
Nothing less could be expected for a House whose founder had been named "The Builder."
Casterly Rock was a sight for certain, standing near nine hundred feet high, overlooking the quaint city of Lannisport, and being near two leagues across from ends. A natural harbor was in the Lion's mouth, and the Lannister's themselves were far better off than the Starks. Yet it had been the Stone Hill they'd tunneled into that had made them into the great house they'd become.
And where the Lannister's had the Hall of Heroes, House Stark had the Crypts. Similarly ancient, yet not close was the intrigue could Casterly Rock conjure as to what one felt when entering the Stark resting place.
House Tyrell similarly had a beautiful set up about their fort. Highgarden was surrounded by three rings of white stone whose crenelated curtain walls increase in height. Between the outer and middle walls was a famous labyrinth of brier's which would work to entertain guests while slowing would be invaders. Such a place was undoubtedly more beautiful, and riddled with life throughout. House Stark was blessed with a glass garden though, one that allowed for fruit and other such niceties to be raised where they might not be otherwise.
Yet regardless of the fortress status, Highgarden was not made for nor designed by House Tyrell, and they'd only came into possession of it after Aegon the Conqueror had brought Westeros to heel. In addition it was not so well regarded as impenetrable, for it had once before been sacked utterly by Dornishmen, with their mighty Oakenseat destroyed, and the castle burnt.
Winterfell had allegedly been sacked by House Bolton, but surely such defeat was not similarly severe, and doubtlessly less memorable to the South.
Riverrun was the seat of House Tully, yet it was not considered a great castle, even being lesser in its own lands to Black Harren's seat. Yet Riverrun was not without a certain critical featuring much like Winterfell. For on each side of the three walls could a river be found should House Tully chose to isolate themselves. Such privacy was something that Robert might've made had he designed some great castle.
Pyke was a shit show through and through. Robert had determined such when he'd bashed down Lord Balon Greyjoy's great gate so many years ago, but to dismiss the castle entirely would've been disingenuous. Yet it could no longer be considered stable, after thousands of years the cliff that it had been built atop was waning and had fallen into the sea bellow. Now House Greyjoy itself held on similarly to prevent their decline into obscurity.
Robert had never visited the home of House Martell in Dorne, and he doubted he would ever receive such a chance after what had transpired during the Rebellion, yet regardless there was no way Sunspear could stand in the sight of Winterfell and hope to receive favorable comparison.
As he gazed out an open window Robert decided that Winterfell was far larger than the castle he and Ned had grown up in. For indeed Lord Jon's Eyrie was the smallest of all great castles in Westeros. With only seven slim white towers, such a fortress could house no more than five hundred men, and it was once the home of first men for its central garden had been intended for a Weirwood.
Yet none would take hold, and neither too did the Old Gods linger once House Arryn had taken the Vale. Though despite its small size, the Eyrie had ways of tormenting its prisoners more than any castle in Westeros. With the Moon door being used as capital punishment, and sky cells as holding facilities, many men might have rather not been taken so far into the air at all.
It was strong though as well, indeed with the Bloody Gate guarding their high road and the Gates of the Moon sat beneath the Giant's Lance none could hope to impregnate the Eyrie without dying at her hand.
But still even Jon had stated that Winterfell was a life long home, whilst the Eyrie itself was only suitable for spring, summer and fall.
Only Storm's End could hope to stand in the light of Winterfell.
Durran Godsgrief's fort came with its massive outer curtain wall, which was one hundred feet high and forty feet thick on its thinnest side, whilst remaining eighty feet thick facing the sea. A single drum tower reached forth towards the heavens, and it was similarly plain but sturdy to Winterfell.
It should be, after all it was Brandon the Builder whom helped Durran Godsgrief build such a holdfast.
Robert had always taken such a tale as example for what the Stark's of Winterfell and Lord of Storm's End could do once allied.
Ned had always been meant as my best friend. Nothing will change that. I won't allow it.
So it was that the Warden of the North arrived within his own private chambers and greeted his king.
"Your Grace" he said solemnly, as if he were in trouble.
Gods I might've smacked him around back in the day, used to be that Ned was excited to spend time with the slightly older boy.
Ohh what mischief we used to cause...
"Ahh sit down Ned, I know things have been tough lately, but it's us! Jon would've locked us in a room until all of this ugly business was fixed!"
Ned Stark reeled in pain and frustration. When he made such a face the icy grey eyes of Lord Stark became those of his long lost sister.
"Ned I..."
"Robert you must understand, these past few days have been incredibly difficult and at their center has been your family!"
Finally, after all these years he's starting to let loose.
I knew he was Brandon's brother.
Truth be told Robert had befriended the elder son of Lord Rickard Stark, but Brandon had been much like Robert. Tall, handsome, a future great lord, even if they'd become good friends such distance between them would've prevented fraternal bonding. Yet Ned was unlike his brother, biological or adoptive. He needed to be pushed into social situations, and who better to do that than Robert?
"You are right, I've done your family a wrong by coming here. But I need you Ned, you're the only one I could hope to trust with running the Seven Kingdoms."
Ned turned as he blew a breath out in disbelief.
"We won the damn thing now I'd have you help me keep it."
Icy eyes were no longer cold, but instead angry. Almost like those of Cersei.
"This burden you've brought upon me Robert, I've to chose between my home and running your Kingdom."
"Once upon a time it might've not been so difficult a choice but now..."
Robert saw his friend falter for a moment, Ned had never believed himself a worthy lord, and so always hesitated with thoughts of what Brandon might've done.
"Did you know that after my sixteenth name day, when I became the actual acting Lord of Storm's End, I meant to have you serve at my court?"
Ned Stark looked for a moment as if he'd suspected such a thing. It was most definitely a topic of their youth.
"Such a thing might've been fit for another life time Robert but..."
"Well let me life in that moment for a minute damn it. I'm the King after all, hear me out." Such was not a command, yet Ned became quite as if it had been one.
"Stannis was always going to be my Steward, but I'd have given you the title of Master-at-arms, or anything you might've liked instead. I meant to have you there as my best man when I wed your sister, for you to be the one whom closed the door on our wedding night. I knew that Lyanna wasn't my biggest fan, but you were her brother and having you by my side might've aided our relationship to no end."
"I'm a Stark of Winterfell, my place would've been here."
Blind Honorable Fool.
"Brandon might've been Lord had the treacherous Rhaegar not done what he did. Yet what need would he have of you? If your Lord Father had lived he might've married you to a northern bannerman's daughter or sister to make amends for Brandon wedding Cat."
"Such a thing doesn't matter now Robert." Ned was about to shut down.
"I'd have never done that if you'd have come into my service. Any match you might've made would've been suitable for me, so long as the lady made you happy. There would be no need for you to fend on your own, no reason for you to seek the Night's Watch as an honorable reprieve, nor a reason to travel Essos along with the Company of the Rose or Second Sons." His friend was hooked once more, and all that Robert spoke was true.
"I would have let you marry Ashara."
"What? Ash.." Ned clearly thought Robert had either never known or long forgotten.
Yet how could a good friend forget the singular time that his adoptive brother sought a girls attention.
"Truth was I'd drunk quite a bit with the Knight of Skulls and Kisses, even stared at a few wenches that had not been your sister, Ashara had been foremost amongst them, but I'd not given thought to dance with her. Only Lyanna would receive such an honor, but she was entranced by that damned Prince, and I should've known it then, yet I focused on you instead. I was not lost to my cups when Brandon abandoned our drinking table for the corner that you had been huddled in. None had missed your gaze and it was truly a sight to see."
"Eddard Stark, Lord Rickard's quiet dutiful pup, lust stricken. I had thought to see whom you were giving favor, but Brandon beat me to it. He knew whom you lusted for, and so made such an ordeal that Lady Ashara agreed to dance with you."
It wasn't anything that Ned hadn't known before, yet Robert was about to drop that which he could not know.
"Ashara was a beautiful woman Ned, second only to your sister herself among those in attendance. Any man might've been lucky to claim her, but she fell into your arms." Ned's eyes began to widen, and he almost denied such interaction, yet Robert cut him off.
"Do not deny it Ned, I've known that look aplenty. Given it out myself many times, but upon your face I'd never seen such desire. Ashara fell for your rigid sense of honor by the nights end, and you took her to bed. But you did not dishonor her my friend! You would've married her had the chance been given to you, I know such to be true! And you'd have never given into lust if you'd not conjured thoughts of continued fucking!"
Ned squirmed just a bit, he was getting a little too uncomfortable.
Yet Robert was not finished.
"That boy of yours, the one you came back to King's Landing with all those years ago. He was the offspring of the union you started at Harrenhal. That's why you went to Starfall yourself, it had nothing to do with honoring Ser Arthur, but everything to do with that babe. You might've left it in the South, but after you'd been forced to wed Cat, well...Ashara couldn't live without you and her brother." Pain was welling on Ned's face. The truth must be hard upon him.
"And so the child's upraising fell to you."
"Why are you telling me all this Robert." The ice in his eyes had finally melted.
"Because things shouldn't have been this way. You should've been by my side these last twenty years, and you might've held your lady love forever amidst my company. I wouldn't have denied you a wedding by the Old Gods, and you might've had as many or so few guests as you desired. You are my brother Ned, always have been since those days in the Vale, and you always will be. I can't stomach the thought of losing you, and I've let it rest within me for far to long now."
Ned straightened up then, and returned to the Lord of Winterfell he'd been only moment's prior.
"We might've had it all, but that was another lifetime Robert. One that never came to pass, and now we are our own men, as such decisions made must take into account the welfare of our family."
"So shall you abandon me and return your position of Hand?"
"I will never be one to refuse a royal command, so long as it comes justly."
Robert felt his heartbreak at such a cold response. Then the blood within his veins suddenly began to boil.
"Dammit Ned, I'll not force you to do anything, especially not now. But I need you in the Capital, I've no friends even as the King. Too many around me seek only privilege or gifts, they flatter me to no end and bring before me daughters that I might deflower. I've decided to make something of my reign Ned, but I cannot do it alone."
Lord Rickard's second son remained distant, yet Robert asked once more if the Northern Lord would refuse his formerly accepted offer.
"No. I will serve in Jon's stead."
"For that I am grateful. So long ago I meant to have you in my court, and now it is reality. If you really will return back down south with me then I'd have you speak about your plans regarding the family you mean to bring."
Ned Stark was sullen at the mention of his children. As if he knew Joffrey would once more be exposed to them.
"I'll keep the damned boy away from your party Ned, you've nothing to fear from him."
"Perhaps not, but if the Capital is so dangerous a place as you've said, then I'm concerned for their safety."
Normally Robert might have laughed, no one was more highly guarded than the King himself, but if Robert was in search of true help then why would he overlook that friends household sanctity.
"I can promise you the finest guards that money can provide."
"That's the problem Robert, money. I have enough of it for sufficient protection, yet not so much of it that I could outbid Tywin Lannister. No instead of gold I require loyalty, so it shall be that I provide my own guard."
"Well and good old friend, I take your meaning. The Tower of the Hand is quite spacious, though a bit monotonous, but it's sufficient for Cat to ride southwards with us."
"Catelyn will be remaining in the North so that she might aid Robb in ruling from Winterfell."
"Nonsense, I'll not have you go without a wench to warm your bed, and I know you'll take no other. I now it is not my place, especially after everything that's happened, but should I command it would you be inclined to bring her?" Robert said the words in jest, and finally Lord Eddard Stark cracked a smile.
"You must understand Robert, Robb is just a..."
"The pup you've raised is being hailed as the Young Wolf Ned! He's seventeen years of age, a man grown indeed. Ashara's son shall doubtlessly remain by his side until such a time that his own castle is complete. Benjen will be close enough, and the Northmen are already falling to his command more than your own. It's time to let him roam on his own Ned. I mean for fuck's sake he defeated the White Lion of Casterly Rock in single combat!"
"What? Ser Jamie..."
"Doesn't fucking matter how it happened Ned, word'll spread and men will jump to conclusions for themselves. If your boy never fights again many will still hail him as the greatest swordsman of his age. Same that's true of you, in the South men sing of how you slew Ser Arthur Dayne, who was greater than any that wielded a white cloak in Aery's guard."
Robert leaned in, holding within him his laughter for the moment.
"Though I know it's all horseshit. Even now, after decades of feasting I'd demolish you in your prime."
"Don't be so sure old friend. You're wrong about more than you could know. Yet I must learn what proof you could have that Jon is Ashara's son to make such claims."
So I was right. Ned did have a child with her. He wouldn't have brought it up otherwise.
"Simple enough really" Robert said with great pride prevalent for his deductive skills.
"Your ba...boy's eyes are nearly black. Only way that could've happened to deviate from your own icy grey pupils might be if someone with an exotic color came along and took your seed. Everyone remembers what beauties had been laid within Ashara's eyes, and the faintest hint of them remains to this boy. I'm glad that after so many years I've finally solved such a mystery. But for my respect of her and you I shall tell not a soul the truth. I swear it so Ned, as your King and friend."
Once more the Lord of Winterfell gave a smile, he'd finally begun to win his adoptive brother back.
Yet more must be done to make amends.
"Ned, I know it will be no easy thing, but I must make right what had been wronged. Long have I desired to see our two prestigious houses sworn as one in matrimony, I'd meant it to be Joffrey yet such an evil I would never force upon you now. Instead I mean to offer you something different."
His friend seemed at least like to listen.
"With my eldest son gone and the betrothal to your eldest daughter with it, I seek to forge another betrothal. My heir is now the boy Tommen, I know he's not much to look at right now, but he is of an age where perhaps your Sansa might still consider? If she truly desires to be the Queen, yet if you find my boy to young then I'd propose Tommen to your second daughter Arya."
Ned took that statement into deep consideration, perhaps he'd given up on betrothals.
"Sansa has been put through a lot Your Grace, I desire for her to find love of her own volition, as I would see done for all my children. Yet I will speak to her about such a thing, Arya though...She is a lot like her aunt. Willful and curious. She would not submit to such an arrangement unless she took a certain liking to Tommen."
"Then we shall do everything in our power to see such a thing done! Should the betrothal be accepted of course. If your girl really is like Lyanna then tell her she won't be marrying the Prince, then perhaps she'll find her way to his bed."
Robert laughed despite the real pain he'd inflicted upon himself.
"I'm as yet not ready for such a talk, but I promise a time will come. I've not made my decision regarding my children yet Robert. Robb must surely stay in Winterfell for one Stark must always remain, such is known to us as truth. Yet Sansa is a girl nearly grown and she desires to be fostered in the South, whilst her little sister seeks for nothing but our family to remain in Winterfell. Young Bran is ready to become a man, but he's still years away. Little Rickon is but five, and of an ill temperament much the same as my elder brother."
Robert's friend was frozen in his indecision, and so the King sought to free him from such.
"If you'll not bring them all to King's Landing, then you should foster them out."
Such a thing brought about distaste from his best friend, yet Robert was insistent.
"The Realm would not be what it is today had our fathers not lent us to the Eyrie. We would not be the men we are today without Jon. I'm not suggesting you send them to Tywin Lannister, not the Lion's jaws, but perhaps you could send one of Lord Hoster Tully's grandchildren to him at Riverrun. There is no limit to what you can do old friend, but do not slink back into doing nothing. The North must once more reenter the fold."
"I know, it might've been something that Jon told me to do himself. Yet I've..."
"You are worried about your families well being, such is understandable. Here is what I would tell you, if you are afraid to freely send your children from your hearth then ask for wards in return. Many would be willing to serve as the Hand's squire, or else be raised in Winterfell amidst the companionship of your Robb."
"Did Jon tell you that?" Ned smiled with warm icy eyes.
"Indeed he did. Even told me whom you might consider fostering or taking as ward."
"Truly? If so I would hear that which he said."
Such a thing would take the weight of Eddard's mind, it was indeed he who'd learned more from their adoptive father. So it was of little surprise that Ned could be made agreeable to Lord Jon's last piece of advice.
"Jon made it clear that what ever you chose was likely to be the correct decision, yet he himself stated that if he'd been Lord in your stead he might've fostered your daughter Sansa with House Tyrell in Highgarden, he said that despite their Targaryen loyalist roots they'd be like to treat your southern favoring daughter with the experience she'd so long desired. In addition, if she'll not marry Tommen then she might find company in the arms of Ser Loras Tyrell, or even better his elder brother Willas."
"Jon said this?"
"Indeed he did. You know how he was Ned, always trying to bring the realm into one. He said Highgarden and a marriage to Willas would be better than marriage to Joffrey, said that Tyrell loyalty was of more question than the bond between you and I."
"Such is true but..."
"There is no need to make a decision now Ned, not while we have many moons of riding before us. Yet in addition to his suggestion for your eldest girl he gave possible foster homes for your other children. For the wild girl he suggested bringing her to King's Landing."
"Did he really?"
"No, but if at all possible I'd see her wed to Tommen when they come of age."
Ned rolled his eyes, but was clearly still interested in what Jon had actually said.
"What was really advised?"
"That you take your youngest daughter to Bear Island so that she might be around women who hold her standard, or even Martell Dorne but I wouldn't ask that of you. Regardless she must be at a place that allows her to become who she desires, else wise she might never find happiness."
Such had been the wise council of a dying Jon Arryn.
"What of my younger sons?"
"Jon advocated for Lord Hoster Tully to be entrusted with one of his grandchildren, preferably the second son. Yet for Brandon, who aspires to be a great knight you might entrust with Lord Bronze Yohn Royce, though I know you hold dear to that Crannogman of your's and so might foster him there."
Ned turned to look from the window, it must've been a lot, yet Robert had not finished Jon's final offer.
"I know that you are hesitant to bring a five year old boy to King's Landing, but as the boy is so young, and I would see Cat come with you. I think it best if little Rickon comes to live within the Red Keep."
"Robert..."
"Listen Ned, I've an offer of my own for you. I know you'll always be hesitant now to give one of yours to my court, and so I'll be the one to give first. I am willing to give the hand of my beloved Cassie, young as she is, to your little one."
"They are so young, such a thing..."
"I betrothed your Jon to that Daenerys girl when they were both only a few moons old, and from what I've seen and heard they are infatuated with one another. Let such a thing happen between our children. For the love I bear you and the sister whom was stolen from us both, let this be a thing as it was always meant too transpire."
A little bit of hesitation came forth from his friend, but Robert continued.
"Since the truth is upon my tongue I'll reveal you this. Jon had recommended that ties as yet unbound needed to be solidified first, he said that since you and I had become brothers there was no need for a marriage between our families. Instead the realms loyalty needed to be secured. He wanted me to have Joffrey betrothed to Margaery Tyrell, Lord Mace's youngest child. In addition, Jon desired for Myrcella to wed Trystane Martell, and for young Tommen to wed Lord Balon's daughter."
"If I'd done such then I would've had not a thing to offer you, and so I required of Cersei one more child. It was the first time I'd done my husbandly duty in quite some time, yet it was not insufferable, and indeed led to a daughter I might offer your son."
"Well thank you then Robert, I..."
"I hope you'll take this quite seriously Ned, it's not something I've given lightly. My Cassie is everything to me, for some reason I've grown more fond of her than my others, but I love her deep and true just like Jon told us a father should. I would entrust her care with no one else."
Ned Stark smiled at such words, yet Robert had promised to tell his childhood friend all that Jon had said in his final days.
"Like I said though, Jon also desired for you to take wards of your own. He recommended bringing some of Lord Walder Frey's brood into Winterfell so they might become close with your Robb, and that any of your bannermen whom have children of such an age should be fostered for safe keeping. According to Jon several houses from the Vale might be willing to have a child fostered in the North, his explicit examples were Lord Grafton's son Gyles, Terrence Lynderly, one of Lord Triston Sunderland's young boys, or a grandson of Lady Waynwood."
"That could be arranged, yet what would Jon have asked of me, knowing that I was coming to take his place?"
"Ned, as I've said you are considered alongside Ser Barristan Selmy as the greatest fighter alive today. Many even name you better than me, but that's beside the point. You are known to have defeated Ser Arthur Dayne in single combat, and with your son having defeated Ser Jamie, regardless of the manner of his victory, people will say that House Stark indeed breeds the greatest warriors unto the land."
His old friend seemed a bit clueless to the point. Such a hard headed fucker.
"It means that any noble lord might be jumping at an opportunity to have his son squired by Lord Eddard Stark. Jon mentioned recruiting several sons since you are not a knight, saying that as you don't follow the Southern traditions, you wouldn't have to abide by our rules. As such you might turn the Red Keep into a place filled with those whom could be trained."
"And who did Lord Arryn feel compelled to have me train?"
"He mentioned Willem and Martyn Lannister, the younger sons of Ser Kevan, Tywin's brother. In addition he thought bringing a son of Ser Baelor Hightower to the capital might bring about increased relations with the Reach. Monford Velaryon could be another, whilst still you could bring in Tytos Blackwood's sons, they follow the Old Gods same as you. I've even heard the Lord Bronze Yohn wishes for his youngest son Waymar to learn at your side, and Jon did wish for you to take on at least one of his countrymen. Though he did mention entrusting you with his nephew Sweetrobin's upraising should Elbert be willing. Trystane Martell might be brought to King's Landing and could serve you as well."
"So Jon would have me take all these children as hostage?"
"No dammit! Not hostages, they would be your wards. In the south people don't see fostering children as handing over hostages, though true enough that might be what it boils down to most of the time. But it need not be, especially after we've experienced a proper youth in such a situation."
Ned Stark silenced himself, and so Robert spoke.
"I'll not ask anything of you right now, but I desire for you to think upon these things."
"Then I shall Your Grace."
"Will you fuck off with that shit already? It's starting to make me uncomfortable, I don't like hearing it from your lips."
"My apologies...Your Grace." The corners of his friends mouth began to curl.
"Damn you Ned." Robert bellowed as the chuckles came forth onto his tongue.
The two shared a long and deep laughter that had been many years overdue.
"I do have one thing I would like your opinion on though Ned, with Ser Meryn Trant dead I will need to replace him. I know that as a follower of the Old Gods you probably don't give two shits about knights, but I need to find one who is actually worthy of this position, and might be loyal to us."
Such pondering would require time though, yet they didn't have anything else too...
"Your Grace!" came a half winded call, as if whomever sought to deliver the message had ran a great distance.
In strode the Winterfell Maester, and within his hand was a open parchment with a broken Baratheon seal.
"You've unsealed a letter addressed to your King?" Robert asked.
"No Your Grace, instead it had been the Queen who'd done such. I merely read it on my way here."
"Well then what does it say?"
"The Raven brings word of your brother Stannis, it says he's been injured by a would be assassin, and that he lies near death."
What in the Seven Hells has been happening in the South?