Catelyn

The sky seemed to run red with blood. A red comet had appeared only four days past, and it had made for a marvelous sight.

It might have been the only beauty in the world, Catelyn thought to herself. She had been forced to write to both Robb and Bran, summoning them to King's Landing on the Queen's orders; neither boy had come yet.

Today though most of her thoughts had to be about Ned. This was the day that they were going to be allowed to see each other again, before he was brought before the Sept of Baelor to repent his treason.

He had been brought out from the Black Cells several days past, to give him comfort and Grand Maester Pycelle's treatments, though he had not been brought to join her or their daughters yet. He had agreed that he would repent his treasons and return to Winterfell to be Lord, proclaiming Joffrey to be the rightful king.

Catelyn knew it did not matter to her whether or not Joffrey was the rightful king, just so long as their girls were safe.

Robb would be named to the Small Council to serve on it as his father had, though not as Hand of the King like Ned had. That would belong to Lord Tywin when he assumed his place in King's Landing. He wasn't likely to be able to leave the city she knew, and would live for some time as a hostage in King's Landing with his wife, but Catelyn just hoped it would keep him safe.

She wasn't certain what would become of the rest of her children. Bran would be happy to continue his adventure in the south, as a squire for Lord Bryce perhaps, though from what rumors she had heard, House Caron was one of the houses that had answered to Lord Renly's summons. It might be some time before they would get him back.

Arya and Rickon would be a hassle even with Ned, but she would be glad to have them with her at Winterfell. Her daughter still mourned the loss of her dancing master, the man Syrio Forel, but Catelyn had assured her they would find another in time.

And there was Sansa too. Sansa was not pleased to learn that she was no longer to marry Joffrey, and that she was now instead to marry Tyrek Lannister, though Catelyn had tried to assure her that it was for the best. Better to have Sansa marry Tyrek than some bastard, but she had stormed out of the room crying. One day her daughter would understand, she hoped, though that day wasn't now.

Soon they would be safe, she prayed. Or at least, as safe as they could be now.

Catelyn paid a visit to the chamber pot and made water, before she began to dress herself, wearing a green-blue dress, and walked to Sansa and Arya's room next to hers.

Both were already awake and dressed, Sansa wore a fully blue silk dress that brought out her Tully features and made her look quite beautiful, with a jeweled net in her hair too.

Catelyn did not fail to note the grey cloak that Sansa wore too. The queen had insisted that she was to wed a Lannister, and had settled on the boy Tyrek, and that they would wed tonight after the ceremony. 'On the morrow, you and your husband and your younger girl will set sail for Winterfell, and it would be best that Sansa be under someone's protection until her brother arrives,' the Queen had said.

Catelyn had not been pleased by that, but she knew her objections would not make a difference. But with Sansa to wed later today, she looked every bit like a bride should at least.

Meanwhile Arya had put on a grey dress. Normally it might have been a struggle to get Arya to look the proper lady, though since Ned had been arrested she had been the slightest more compliant and less willful since Catelyn had made it a point to let her know that that this was no longer Winterfell and their father was not the Hand of the King even, and especially today when Ned would be presented before the Great Sept of Baelor. Arya looked even a little beautiful today, which pleased her.

"Good morning mother." Sansa greeted her politely, while Arya remained silent.

"Your father will be here shortly." She told them.

The girls nodded readily. "Yes mother," Arya said. They had been waiting for this day for a while now she knew.

Catelyn led them out from their chambers amidst the royal apartments that they had been given, now that Ned wasn't the Hand of the King anymore, and together they walked to break their fast.

The rest of their small household joined as well, Jeyne and Walda, as well as the boys, Edmund and Elmar, as they walked. The Queen had never truly said what would happen to them after today, but Catelyn was certain they would be cared for as well.

They broke their fast in the Great Hall, beneath the Iron Throne that loomed large.

As Catelyn was finishing eating she caught sight of Ned entering. He seemed to be walking with more pain than he had been before Robert died, but he was still walking which she was glad to see.

When Sansa and Arya caught sight of him, they both got up and rushed over to him and hugged him together.

When Catelyn saw him, she realized the clothes the Lannisters had given him were bastard colors. His rich velvet doublet was grey, as was his wool cloak, but the wolf that had been sewn into his clothes was white.

He smiled as the girls hugged him, and favored each of them with a kiss, before he continued to walk towards her at the table, and gave her a sad smile.

"My lord," she greeted, as warmly as she dared. Having Ned there now gave her great joy, but she couldn't show it. Not now at least. Soon they would, but for the time they needed to remain professional. Sansa tried to help her father the rest of the way, though he managed it on his own.

When Ned finally had sat down across from her, he finally addressed her. "Cat…" He said, looking as though he wanted to embrace her.

She ate a greasy grey sausage with applecakes to break her fast, and Ned spent most of it speaking with the girls, rather than her. Catelyn wanted to speak with him too, but many might fear they were plotting some more treasons against the throne. The time for talk wasn't quite now.

For a time she considered telling Sansa and Arya to stop, but they were only girls, and men knew that they wouldn't plot any treasons with their father.

Catelyn didn't pay much attention until she heard matters turning towards Sansa's marriage.

"You're not to marry Joffrey anymore, you're to marry Tyrek," Arya had reminded Sansa.

Sansa wasn't pleased to hear those words though. "Surely Joff will-"

"-He won't," Ned interrupted. "I'm sorry Sansa. I know that you loved the prince dearly, but he is not worthy of such a match."

"He's a king!" Sansa insisted, her face a little red.

"Sansa…" Ned said back. "Listen to me. Tyrek will be kinder to you than Joffrey ever would be. You will be happier with him, I am certain."

"He's not. He's not as gallant, or handsome and he's no prince," Sansa argued.

Catelyn saw the faintest hints of a sad smile on Ned's face when she said that. "You don't want to marry Tyrek, not yet, but you must trust me Sansa. One day you will understand."

There was a tear running from Sansa's eye. Ned wrapped his arm around Sansa's shoulder, and planted a kiss on her forehead. "You will make a far better wife than either Tyrek or Joffrey is worthy of," he said quietly, not wanting to be overheard.

"Why aren't Joff and I to wed anymore? Was it because of you, or Robb?" Sansa asked.

Both, Catelyn thought, though she didn't answer. "Because of me," Ned told her.

For a moment she was confused why Ned would tell such a lie to her, but she realized the purpose. Sansa was to be alone with Robb in King's Landing soon, and it would not do to have her resentful towards Robb for it.

"But why did you… Why did you commit treason?" Asked Sansa.

"There are some truths that you would be better off not to know now. One day you will know the truth, I promise, but I cannot tell you that now, and certainly not here," said Ned.

"Why do I have to marry Tyrek though? Why today?"

To keep you as a hostage, Catelyn thought, though she didn't say it aloud. "The Queen… She wanted your marriage to seal the peace between our houses." Catelyn said instead. She reached across the table to straighten Sansa's hairnet, and smiled. "I know that you will make Tyrek very happy."

That seemed to cheer Sansa up some. "What will happen after the wedding? Will Tyrek and I have to return to the Rock? Or will we remain here in court?" Sansa wondered, now with her father here to answer too. Catelyn had not told the girls much of the plans for what would come after this day.

"You'll stay here," Ned told her. "Your mother and I will go back to Winterfell with Arya on the morrow."

"You're leaving me here alone?" Sansa said with a little bit of disbelief. Catelyn could understand her daughter's fear though. At just two and ten she had been betrothed to Brandon, but it would be another six years before they wed, and she certainly had never had to be left someplace other than Riverrun without her own father there.

"You will do well here Sansa, I am certain," Catelyn said. "And your brother will join you soon."

"Bran?" Arya asked, confused. She had been quiet for much of the breakfast, even before they had spoken of Sansa's marriage. Sitting next to her father, Arya looked so much like him, and for that Catelyn was glad.

"Robb," Ned answered.

"Oh," Arya said back. "He is leading forces against Lord Tywin and Ser Jaime though isn't he?"

Catelyn didn't fail to note how she called him Ser Jaime rather than Kingslayer. The Queen was not likely to take well to Arya calling her brothers Kingslayer and Imp she had figured, and so she had told her daughters to both make certain they never did now.

"After today… We hope that peace will be made,' Ned said. Catelyn was not certain it would be made easily, but Robb would be certain to bend the knee quickly enough once he got heard they were going North. "Once his host has disbanded, he will come."

"Will he bring Princess Myrcella with him too?" Sansa asked.

"Before long, yes," Catelyn told her. Only two days past they had gotten a raven from Maester Luwin, who had written that the girl was likely to be due for the birthing bed in the next few days, and perhaps it would be some time before she was well enough to make such a journey.

Myrcella would still likely be at Winterfell when they arrived too, Catelyn figured. It would be easier on her to sail south, she supposed, both on her and the babe, and faster too, though they would have to pass close to Dragonstone and Lord Stannis. Dimly she wondered what Lord Stannis would do if he captured Myrcella and her child. Catelyn decided she'd rather not know.

Sansa nodded back though.

"Why is Robb coming here after we're leaving?" Arya wondered. "Is it because the Princess misses her family?"

The other way around, Catelyn thought, though she didn't correct her daughter. Robb and Myrcella would be hostages too, to ensure Ned remained true to the crown.

Instead it was Ned who spoke up. "The Queen will name Robb to Joffrey's Small Council, to serve as the King's Master of Laws."

Arya knit her eyebrows together, still a little confused. "Why didn't they keep you as Hand if they wanted our family on the Small Council."

"We can explain at Winterfell," Ned promised.

Arya didn't seem too pleased with the answer, but it was the only answer she was going to get.

"When will Bran return? Is he safe?" Sansa asked.

"We do not know," Ned admitted. "He will return soon though, I don't doubt."

Catelyn decided to speak up. "Don't worry about your brother, Sansa. We will do that plenty ourselves. You will need to make certain that you take care to ensure you are safe. The life you will live on the morrow will be very different."

Sansa lifted her head up. She is a beautiful girl, Catelyn thought to herself. She hoped Sansa might grow to be even more beautiful than she had been when she was younger.

Their conversation might have continued, but it was interrupted when someone began to speak up in the Hall, making the announcement that breakfast was over, and they were to begin making for the Sept of Baelor.

Catelyn rode with her daughters to the Great Sept of Baelor, separately from Ned, who was brought there by a litter instead. They rode near the end of the column, and by the time they had finally reached the Sept of Baelor at the top of Visenya's Hill most the rest of court was there too, though some were still coming.

Bells were ringing to summon the people of the city, that had been audible all the way over in the Red Keep, but here seemed quite loud.

She looked around as they dismounted, seeing how a crowd was gathering around at the foot outside of the sept, while Catelyn walked into the sept, and took her daughters with her too.

The Sept of Baelor was like other septs, with seven walls. This was the biggest sept she had ever set foot inside, far bigger than the small sept that Ned had built for her at Winterfell, and even the sept at Riverrun she had prayed too many times as a girl.

Outside there were seven high towers at the corners of each one of the walls, each containing bells within that were ringing, summoning people to the sept. The queen wanted the whole city to watch Ned proclaim Joffrey to be the true king she realized.

Inside the sept they began to walk through a hall filled with lamps, until they reached the end, where the double doors were opened, and they entered into the true sept within.

There was a good deal of space in the middle, allowing the Sept to be used for many functions, and altars to each one of the Seven in the corners. She spotted some Septons, Septas and nobles were already praying, and Catelyn thought to join them, bringing her daughters with her as she made first for the Altar of the Mother.

It was the second largest of the seven great statues, and had almost as many candles lit to rival the Father and Warrior.

Catelyn knelt, and prayed that the gods would be merciful. Protect my children, please, Catelyn thought. Robb at his war, Bran on his adventure, and Rickon who must have been alone still at Winterfell, and her girls too, the ones who were kneeling before the altar with her.

Robb was just a boy of five and ten, who had answered the letter she had been made to send by the queen summoning him to the city by calling his banners instead. Now he was leading men to war against Lord Tywin and the Kingslayer in the Riverlands, much to Catelyn's dismay.

The Kingslayer had beaten her father and brothers and was laying siege to Riverrun too, and she wondered how Robb would succeed where her own family had failed.

And worse was that when last they heard it was not the Kingslayer he marched against either, but rather he was marching south along the Kingsroad to do battle with Lord Tywin, an even more imposing foe.

When she closed her eyes she could still remember the first time she had been given him, at Riverrun all those years ago. She had named him herself too. Some had cautioned her against the name, since it was likely to bring the Mad King's wrath down upon her and Robb, but she had kept the name anyways. All that had concerned her at the time was choosing a name that her husband might like for their son, and naming Robb for his best friend seemed the best choice.

And now that babe had grown, and was soon to be a man if not one already too. Will it be enough to protect him, and keep him safe?

He would be a father himself too. Catelyn prayed the mother would grant Myrcella an easy labor and a healthy babe that she and Robb might delight in to ease their woes.

She feared for Bran even more. Last they had heard, Lord Caron after returning to Nightsong had begun raising his forces, and answered Lord Renly and Lord Mace Tyrell's summons to Highgarden. Catelyn was not certain what they were possibly plotting there, but she hoped that they would be willing to return her son to her at least.

Rickon waited for them at Winterfell too. Thinking of him filled her with shame. She had left him there, for her selfish wish to find the truth. Now that she knew it though, she wished that she hadn't, that she had remained at Winterfell and never discovered the secret Jon Arryn had died for.

Catelyn prayed the mother would smile on Sansa's marriage too. She hoped Sansa would find happiness and children aplenty so that she would forget all about Joffrey. Tyrek may not have been as pretty as Joffrey, but he was kinder, and she hoped Sansa would grow to see it. Hopefully Tyrek would be a good husband to her at least.

She would be marrying him here in this very sept later tonight Catelyn thought to herself, which almost made her want to weep, wondering how her children had grown up so fast.

Sansa would sleep in her husband's tonight though, not in a bedchamber she shared with Arya. The thought made Catelyn a little sad.

But tonight she would be able to fall asleep together in the same bed as Ned at least, and take comfort in being together once more. And they would be going home soon after that. It would've been sweeter if they would have all of their children with them in the North, but it seemed Robb and Sansa were the price they would have to pay.

Catelyn paid visits to other alters too, praying to the Father Above that he would know the truth of what Ned was about to say, and know he had been given no choice, and to the Warrior to bless her son with the courage he would need if he should come to battle with the Lannisters.

She prayed for her sisters too, Lysa, Wylla and Marissa, all of whom Catelyn knew to have lived less kind lives than the one she had, and her brothers and father who seemed in danger in this war with the Lannisters.

Let it end soon, Catelyn wished.

Soon though the time for prayer had ended. Catelyn took Sansa and Arya outside of the Great Sept onto the outer plaza where there was an elevated platform to be used when the High Septon addressed the people, though now it was being used for Ned's confession.

They stood waiting, and Catelyn didn't fail to notice others who had come. All of the Small Council was there, and the Queen, and most of the other members of court. Joffrey stood proudly too, and there were many guardsmen, Red, gold and white cloaks alike.

At one point she spotted Tyrek Lannister, though noted that he didn't come to join Sansa.

For a moment she wondered if the boy did it because he didn't wish to be with a traitor's daughter, but she realized it was because Tyrek and Sansa were not wed yet. They would have each other for the rest of their lives starting tonight.

It was the boy king who consumed most of Catelyn's attention though. She supposed she could see how her daughter had fallen so in love with him despite his nature. His golden hair, emerald green eyes, and fair skin gave him quite a beautiful face, and he was tall too, taller than she was even, and almost as tall as Ned despite only being two and ten.

Today he seemed to be playing the role of the Prince, speaking with some of the members of court, and charming some of them with japes and kind words.

His brothers and sister who were in the city had not made the trip to the Sept though, Catelyn noted, while the queen had taken care to make herself seem as beautiful as she could too.

She spotted the two Redwyne twins, comely young, who stood, one of them sharing his arm with a woman that looked much like Theon, that Catelyn remembered dimly to be his sister. She tried to remember what her name was, Ashara or Anya, Catelyn thought she remembered, though she couldn't say for certain.

The crowd seemed calm at first, chattering amongst themselves in anticipation, until Ned finally came.

He was the last because of the litter he had traveled in, and was made to pray in the Sept of Baelor first before he came out onto the platform.

The crowd threw stones at Ned as he was brought forward limping. Most missed, though one took a gold cloak in the middle of the chest and bounced harmlessly off his chest. Thankfully none hit Ned though.

They were calling for his head though, and wanted him dead. The boy king silenced them all though by simply raising his hand.

All eyes seemed to still be on Ned though as he looked out across the crowd. Seeing him like this filled Catelyn with some sadness. It had not been so long ago that he had been confronting the Queen in the throne room, attempting to place Robert's only true son onto the throne, but now he was proclaiming the false one to be the true king.

"I am Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell, the Warden of the North and Hand of the King," he announced to them, his voice sounded a little weak, but it was loud enough."I come before you to confess my treasons and beg for forgiveness in the eyes of gods and men."

There were some angry shouts among the crowd after he said that, and Ned waited for them to finish before he continued again, raising his voice as high as he could now. "My king and dearest friend, Robert… He entrusted me to defend and protect his children with his dying wishes, but I betrayed his faith. Before his grace's blood was cold, I plotted at the demise of his son, Prince Joffrey, and tried to seize the throne for myself. Let the High Septon, Baelor the Blessed and the Seven themselves be witness to the words truth of what I say: Joffrey of the house Baratehon is the one true heir of King Robert, and as the gods will, the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm"

Catelyn could see the pain on Ned's face as he uttered the words, a complete lie, and the crowd was not pleased when he finished. More stones came flying in from the crowd now, one that even managed to take Ned between the shoulders, while several more hit guardsmen around them. Catelyn and her daughters were safely behind the guards though.

Once the crowd had settled some again though, it was the High Septon who moved, kneeling before the false king and his mother. Catelyn wondered how his great crystal crown was able to remain atop his head as he did, but it stayed.

"As we sin, so do we suffer," he announced, his voice easily louder than Ned's was able to be. "Lord Eddard has confessed his crimes and sins before the eyes of gods and men, here in this holy place. The gods are just, but, Baelor the Beloved taught us they may also be merciful, particularly for those who repent. What will be done with this man, Your Grace?"

The crowd began to shout again with a deafening roar that Catelyn couldn't make out anything in, but she knew it was all the same. They wanted Ned's life's blood to flow.

It was only when Joffrey stepped out from behind his Kingsguard that had moved in front of him and his mother to protect them from the stones they finally were silenced. "My mother would have me allow Lord Eddard to return to his seat at Lord of Winterfell, stripped of his position as Hand of the King. And Lady Sansa who had been my betrothed has begged for mercy for her father as well," he said. Catelyn felt her heart rise a little when Joffrey looked over at Sansa who stood next to her, and gave a smile.

Then the boy turned back to the crowd, and addressed them once more. "Yet they are of the gentler and weaker sex, with the hearts of women. So long as I rule as king, traitors shall never be left unpunished. Ser Illyn, bring me his head!"

The words had hardly registered for Catelyn before the crowd began to cheer loudly, and suddenly Ned was being pushed down by one of the Gold Cloaks, Janos Slynt, she realized.

Everything seemed to be chaos around her. She felt Sansa was trying to go forward, to plead with Joffrey she guessed, while Lord Varys, Queen Cersei and the High Septon were trying to stop him too.

She caught a brief glimpse of Littlefinger, unconcerned and unmoving, watching the scene unfold without a care in the world.

It was all Catelyn could manage to hold her daughters close to her and keep them from seeing what came next, as she shared a brief glimpse with Ned, his face grimacing with pain, before Ser Illyn had a sword in his hands.

Not just any sword Catelyn realized, Ned's sword, Ice, the Valyrian Steel Greatsword of House Stark. Her husband was not allowed any last words though as Ser Illyn brought his sword down, and Ned's head came off in a stroke.

Author Notes:

Sorry to anyone who though Ned would live in this fic… Obviously he didn't…

Also, just a quick note that after Ned was executed, Sansa's wedding to Tyrek was postponed for… Obvious reasons…

This is also the last chapter in King's Landing for this book. There will be a sequel where of course we'll get many more King's Landing chapters, but that's it for now.

We'll be taking a trip even further south in the next chapter.

Thank you guys for reading, as always.

And of course, I don't own ASOIAF, but you all knew that, right?