Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Game of Thrones or A Song of Ice and Fire. Everything here belongs to George R.R Martin.

Chapter XIV - Truth of the Parentage

Alyssa POV

The past few days in King's Landing has been rather chaotic. One thing the court in King's Landing was famous for was gossip. So it came to a surprise for Alyssa to hear that her mother had kidnapped Tyrion Lannister. She heard Joffrey loudly said that he hoped his uncle was dead. That made Alyssa horrified, how could anyone wish for their uncle to die? Alyssa couldn't imagine Robb wishing their uncle Benjen do the same time. Anyway, the kidnap of the imp, Tyrion Lannister, had resulted Lord Tywin Lannister to declare war on the Riverlands. Her mother was born of House Tully of Riverrun, and House Tully ruled the Riverlands. So as a result, the Great Lion couldn't deal with the spite and decided to declare war on the Riverlands.

According to Arya who tended to eavesdrop on the Small Council, Lord Tywin had ordered the Mountain, Gregor Clegane to raze Riverlands. Even in King's Landing, they heard girls as age seven being raped while their mother watched as their babies were torn from their arms. Alyssa couldn't help but be furious at her mother, she asked her father why did her mother do that. Her father confessed to her that they believed Tyrion Lannister had planned to assassinate her younger brother Bran. This made Alyssa forget about her fury of her mother.

Then, the most unthinkable thing happened. Queen Cersei said that her father was caught drunk out from a brothel and attacked the Kingslayer. Alyssa knew her father would never go to brothels to fuck whores. The realm knows Ned Stark to be an honorable man, and besides, her father doesn't drink wine unlike many of the Northerners. And how could her father's men attack the Kingslayer? The Kingslayer had ordered his men to kill all of her father's guards including Jory who died. This made Alyssa slightly furious that she couldn't look at Joffrey in the eyes for several days. Worst of all, her father was injured by the Kingslayer and he had to rely on a cane now.

Currently, Alyssa, Sansa and Arya gathered in the Tower of Hand. Alyssa sat between Sansa and Arya, hoping that both wouldn't start to argue. Their father came in relying on a cane. Alyssa wanted to help him and stood up but her father said, "I'm alright. I want you all to pack your bags, I'm sending you back to Winterfell."

"What?" Three exclamations came out from the Stark sisters.

"I'm betrothed to Joffrey? Didn't you say I have to stay in King's Landing?" Alyssa asked from her father.

"Please father, I've got my dance lessons with Syrio. I'm finally getting good at it-" Arya began.

"Who cares about your stupid dancing master." Sansa snapped at Arya. "Father please, I love King's Landing. The party and the tourney and the court and the dress, I don't want to leave. Alyssa would marry Joffrey and she would be Queen and I would be her sister and marry some noble knight. Alyssa would be like Queen Alysanne Targaryen, and Joffrey would be like King Jaehaerys II. And Prince Joffrey is like Aemon the Dragonknight and he would love Alyssa as much as he loves Queen Naerys."

Alyssa turned red at what Sansa said, though she was flattered, she didn't really like to hear her sister proclaim about this. Especially, since she saw her father and Arya shared a smirk.

"Father, I'm betrothed to Joffrey-" Alyssa began. That's not what she was worried about, she was just wondering of the humiliation that her betrothal with the future King would be broken. She remembered her mother once told her of their grandfather's aunt, Celia Tully who was once betrothed to Prince Jaehaerys Targaryen. After his elder brother Prince Duncan married Jenny of Oldstone, breaking his betrothal with Lady Jocelyn Baratheon, Prince Jaehaerys in turn broke his betrothal with Lady Celia and married his sister Shaera. Though romantic, but it must have been horrible for the two woman who were disgraced by their betrothed.

"Alyssa. When you are old enough, I will make a match for you, someone brave, gentle and kind, someone who would protect you and love you." Ned assured.

Before Alyssa could express her thanks and relieve, Sansa immediately whined, "She doesn't want to marry some brave, gentle and kind, she wants to marry Joffrey. She will give Joffrey children with golden hair and green eyes, beautiful lions."

"Seven Hells, I will never carry his children-" Alyssa began.

"The lion isn't his sigil you idiot." Arya snapped at Sansa. "He's a stag like his father."

"Technically, he doesn't even look like his father at all." Alyssa told Arya, she noticed her father suddenly looked pale.

"Father?" Alyssa asked concerned.

"Girls, pack your things, we're leaving tommorow." Ned said and Alyssa nodded and grabbed her siblings arms. Before her father left the room, Sansa screamt, "It's not faaaaaair!"

oOoOo

Ned POV

Ned Stark thought deeply of what his daughters just said.

Sansa immediately whined, "She doesn't want to marry some brave, gentle and kind, she wants to marry Joffrey. She will give Joffrey children with golden hair and green eyes, beautiful lions."

"Seven Hells, I will never carry his children-" Alyssa began.

"The lion isn't his sigil you idiot." Arya snapped at Sansa. "He's a stag like his father."

"Technically, he doesn't even look like his father at all." Alyssa told Arya.

For some reason, hearing his daughters speak led him go to his solar where the book which listed the houses of Westeros. Great or Small. Ned then remembered looking at the necklace which Alyssa wore on her neck. It was a golden lion pendant, instead of a stag pendant. He then recalled seeing how neither Joffrey, Tommen or Myrcella had ever wore Baratheon colors. No, they were dressed in Lannister colors. Crimson red and gold, instead of black and yellow. He searched deeper in his memories and remembered Robert during his days in the Eyrie, dark hair, blue eyes, tall and strong with a square jaw. Joffrey although had a strong jaw, but was gold hair and green eyes, and he and his siblings bore no resemblance to any of the Baratheons.

Ned flipped the book of The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms. He turned to the pages of House Baratheon and skimmed through the history, then reached to the lists of Lords of Storms'End along with the current Royal Family.

Orys Baratheon. Black hair, blue eyes.

Davos Baratheon. Black hair, blue eyes.

Rogar Baratheon. Black hair, blue eyes.

Boremund Baratheon. Black hair, blue eyes.

Borros Baratheon. Black hair, blue eyes.

Royce Baratheon. Black hair, blue eyes.

Lyonel Baratheon. Black hair, blue eyes.

Ormund Baratheon. Black hair, blue eyes.

Steffon Baratheon. Black hair, blue eyes.

"Robert Baratheon. Black hair, blue eyes." Ned read out loud. "Joffrey Baratheon. Golden hair, green eyes. Myrcella Baratheon, golden hair and green eyes. Tommen Baratheon, golden hair and green eyes."

It all makes sense now, everything seemed to click together. He double checked his theory and flipped a few pages forward, there has been two occassions when a Baratheon male married a Lannister female, and their children all resembled more of Baratheons than Lannisters. Ned thought about his own children, to be fair, Robb, Sansa, Bran and Rickon had inherited the auburn hair and blue eyes instead of the dark hair and grey/blue eyes like Alyssa and Arya did, but Ned could see himself in all of his children. Robb, Bran and Rickon had Ned's or Benjen's face in them. Sansa although may resemble her mother but sometimes reminded Ned of his own mother.

Then, he thought about Jon, his nephew. Jon had dark hair and grey eyes, they were Lyanna's coloring. But Jon was Rhaegar's son. Ned remembered the Tourney of Harrenhall and saw Prince Rhaegar and his son Prince Daeron Targaryen. Jon resembled little Prince Daeron a bit. So regardless of coloring, the children have to have something that is inherited from their paternal side. Neither Joffrey, Tommen and Myrcella resemble Robert or his parents in anyway. In fact, Joffrey looks like the young Ser Jaime Lannister.

"Jon, this is why they killed you." Ned whispered.