Chapter 6:
Rushing through the stone portal, I ran up the steps two at a time, the words of Ser Gerold Hightower at the forefront of my mind.
Several minutes prior:
"She has delivered the babe just this morning, Lord Stark. Unfortunately it was a difficult birth, though strong willed, she is very weak right now." His deep baritone explained to me, his face impressive as the stone he stood upon.
"Take the steps to the top, her room is there, bring the Maesters with you, they will prove more helpful than the nurse maid." He finished.
I took off. Howland gathering the Maesters and right behind me.
Present:
Reaching the heavy wooden door, I stopped and took a moment to breathe before straightening my shoulders and pushing past the door.
The room held the heavy scent of blood, it permeated through the air.
The hot Dornish wind blew through the open window, stirring the dust in the afternoon light.
There upon a large Royal bed she lay. Lyanna.
Asleep with a single sheet covering her from Breast down, her near black Stark hair stuck to her forehead, her oh so pale skin almost matching the sheets of her bed.
I could see her chest rise and fall slowly, almost laboriously in motion.
Searching the room with my eyes, I found a single Dornish woman in a rocking chair, smock covered in birthing fluids, her own ink black hair plastered to her face, as she rocked back and forth.
Next to the woman was a cradle, swaying gently by the wind through the window. Soft snores rang through the room from, from whom I couldn't tell.
I was brought out of my daze by Howland and the two chained men in tunics and leggings, a sight you didn't see very often.
Maesters were notorious for only wearing their Citadel approved Robes of their order. However needs must, and riding 3 weeks required the unwieldy robes to be removed and practical travel clothes donned.
They rushed in behind me, past me and then to The bed that my little sister slept upon. I could feel Howlands eyes on me as he kneeled at her side asking me, 'Do you mind?'
Remembering what we were there for, I just nodded shortly in understanding.
"Lya, Lya, I am sorry but we must insist on waking you my friend. "
His tone soft, cognizant of sleeping babe a few feet from him.
Stirring ever so slowly, Lyanna opened her eyes and stared directly at me.
Those stormy grey orbs lost in the haze of sleep, her eyebrows scrunched, while reaching a too thin arm up to rub the sleep from them.
"I must be dreaming again, Ned's here! Oh and Howland too, yes I must be dreaming." Her voice was scratchy and clearly raw, probably from the hard labor the white Bull mentioned.
"No. No dream Lya, it's really us, we've come to collect you, to take you and the baby home." I Finally spoke, my tone soft, trying to keep my emotions under control.
"Home?" Her quiet voice asked.
"Yes sweet sister, to your husband, to the King." I told her, knowing she wouldn't be going back North, still bothered me.
"Rhaegar?" Her voice hitched, life began to fill her eyes, her voice stronger.
"Yes, we treated with him, before battle sister, and made peace so long as he sits the throne. " I told her as a sat on her right side, as the Maesters interrupted to begin checking her physical health.
The older man didn't seem very old, he still had all the brown still fully in his hair, though the crows feet at his eyes told a different story of his actual age.
The younger was probably a few years older than me, mid 20s most likely.
Both seemed to be very competent, firing off questions about pain, and bleed, how many hours the birth went.
They examined her from head to toe, when they checked her lower half, a sharp intake was heard. My neck nearly snapped off whirling around, on high alert.
"Liam quickly fetch the blue package, the three green vials with yellow strips, and rags. Now!" The older Maester snapped out.
"What's.." I began, but Howland grabbed my arm and lead me to the other side of the room, clearly getting me out of the way of the specialists.
"Lets meet your new nephew ay?" He whispered to me, as my eyes were still glued to Lyanna. The Maesters began having her drink the vials, and then they asked for the maid to join them to help with something.
"Ned, stop staring. " Lyanna's voice snapped at me, annoyance and tiredness all in one.
"His Name is Aemon, let these healers do their job please." She told me, her tone lacking tbe annoyance now.
Nodding I turned the rocker around to face the wall and the crib.
Looking down at the sleeping babe, I could tell right away he would have the Stark hair, little tuffs of jet black curls piled the top of his tiny head.
"Aemon Targaryen, hello my dear nephew." A voice from behind me spoke.
Turning my head slightly I looked up at the smiling face of my own uncle Tyne Bludhaven.
"A prince in the family, a fine man he will become one day, he will be our pride." Tyne chuckled softly, his hand resting on my shoulder as I gazed down at his tiny form.
My thoughts drifted off to my own child that would be born in a couple months time, of my new wife that I barely knew. A wife that was never supposed to be mine, just like the Wardenship.
' Would my first child look like me? ' I mused to myself.
Father was always very adamant that our blood would always be stronger should we marry at the Heart tree, that a Starks coloring was a reflection of our ancient ties to long forgotten magic. He always said,
'To be a true Stark you must marry under the leaves of a Heart tree, to establish the bloodline, to say the oaths of our ancestors, because that is our way.'
Whe. Jon and I were forced into marriage by Lord Tully, he had intended for us to do so in the Sept of the seven. Jon of course was compliant, and readily agreed to this as it was his religion.
I was almost swayed into doing so but Jon and Robert, as they said it was to be proper southron way.
but at the last minute before the joint weddings I stood up to the three of them, and made it clear that as a Northman, the 'Proper way' for a Stark was at a Heart Tree, and the seven be damned for all I cared.
Obviously they were less than pleased, Tully more so than Jon, while Robert laughed in his booming baritone laugh. He slapped my shoulder and backed me, as did every single Northern Lord including the Manderly's that attended.
So in the end, we performed Jon's wedding to Lysa Tully first. In the light of the seven, with the vow's, singing, ribbons and cup. A fussy affair I was glad not to be apart of, though the look on my soon to be wife's face spoke another story.
Then the whole procession shifted towards the Smaller than acceptable Godswood, that had.one of the only Heart Trees outside of the Isle of the Gods that I knew of in the Riverlands.
Lord Blackvyne performed our rites for us, the cloak made for Caitlyn showed the emblem of my House, and the oath given by the Stark men was recited,
'From ice to fire, and stone to glass may the blood of the Stark foreverlast.'
So simple a saying, more a chant really but it was spoken over the Heart Tree regardless, with the man taking a knife and spilling a few drops of blood upon the roots it was completed.
I did as I was meant to do, as my father had and how Brandon would have undoubtedly have done as well.
I remember the reverence my bannermen spoke of my commitment to our old gods that night. It had began then I believe, of when my Father's bannermen became my own.
Not long after I had sat down, did the babe wake, oddly enough he didn't squall as most babe's do. He just looked up at me with curious little eye's, so dark grey, but indigo underlying it making them seem black if out of the light.
I lifted the little one up as he began to squirm and rocked him softly upon my chest, his infant chest rising and falling to the same pace as my own, I knew at that moment I would love this child like my own.
I spoke Howland and Tyne as the Maesters cared for my sister, the looks on the Maesters faces much more relaxed than the hours prior, their voices calmer and actions less urgent as they finally stood straight and alerted me wanting to have a word.
Silently I removed myself from the chair and ambered towards Lyanna who was motioning for me to hand the child over to be fed.
Lyanna's face lit up at seeing her baby boy as I gently laid him into her waiting arms. I gave her a chaste kiss on the brow as I followed the elder Maester from the room, passing Ser Arthur who had taken up watch at the door.
Closing it behind us, he turned to me as spoke.
"If we hadn't gotten here today she would have died within two days, if we had gotten here even a day later she would have died, period."
His tone grim, his brown eyes conveying the severity of the situation.
"Thank the gods. "
" Yes, well she won't be fit to travel for several days, so I would suggest having the army to move in until then, but you are the Lord and I the servant." His tone snarled, telling me what he thought of typical Lords.
'Good to know there's an honest Measter out there.' I couldn't help but chuckle.
" No, that's an excellent plan.." I said, waiting for the name that I couldn't quite remember, if I knew at all.
"Lynol Berne, my Lord. "
"Just Ned, or Eddard, you saved my sister after all." I replied back to him. No one that saves someone I love will ever be forced to refer to me as their Lord, proprietary be damned.
"Lynol if you please, Ned." He smiled slightly, the tiredness on his face showing.
"My apprentice will keep watch over her for the rest of the day, and I will take some time to rest and will personally stay with her this evening." He told me matter of factly.
Turning to Ser Arthur I asked where the good Maester could find a cot to rest.
He gave me directions to his own room for the man to use, amd he would wake him when he left his shift.
Thanking the Morning star the man left us for cot, and a few peaceful hours of rest.
"Lord Stark. " Arthur's voice called to me before I headed down the stairs to organize a messenger to the main camp.
"Yes?" I said stopping and facing the most feared sword in the known world.
"Thank you. I would never be able to face Rhaegar if anything had happened to Lady Lyanna. I would have taken a sword rather than let a single hair on either of their heads be hurt. I swear that to you." His voice was quiet, urgent even. I looked at the man in his eyes, to see if he was indeed being honest. I could see no lie, no trick, he was honest.
"I am glad we made it in time, regardless of everything else, I know that King Rhaegar loved Lyanna, I could see that clearly once we had finally spoken." I replied back, feeling that honesty was important to this man, as much as it was to myself.
"I will take care of travel arrangements with the Lord Commander. Thank you for protecting my family, Ser Arthur." I said as I began the descent towards the entrance of the tower and mountainous desert of Dorne.
King's Landing:
It had been 6 weeks since the 'Trident Accords' as it was now being called by the gossip-mongering courtiers of King's Landing.
As expected entering the city with the Lion of Casterly Rock, Falcon of the Vale, and various other prominent Lords had cemented his place as a King in the minds of his people from the most common man to the high nobility.
Looking out over the balcony that extended over the ocean that was attached to my quarters I couldn't help but brood. I was lucky to have lived through this war. My children were blessedly safe and their mothers both alive and well.
I had been foolish, I could see that now more than ever. Lost in dreams and grandeur, I didn't think of the consequences of my actions.
Staring out at the sea in the early dawn light my eyes followed a gull dive and loop aimlessly over the sparkling sapphire waves.
Resting my hands on the rail, I began to think of my good-brother and what would happen when he passes judgement in the coming weeks. The raven I had received a few days prior gave me a rough time of their arrival here in the Capitol. Lyanna was weak from childbirth and my son was hail and healthy.
Eddard Stark was no fool. After so many weeks with his countrymen surrounding me I knew for a fact that the man was an ally I couldn't do to slight. Robert may have been dubbed the leader of the war, but Stark was the strategic mind behind it.
Honorable, cautious, but ruthless to his enemies, he was revered by his northern people.
No, Ned Stark will pass his judgement and I will accept it without complaint. My father would die most likely and I couldn't help but feel relieved that I would not have to do it myself.
Even now in his madness, I still remembered the man he had been, of the charismatic King and father I hac once looked up to. He was a shadow of that man now. The gods only know what would have happened if I had died and Elia and the children had been left in his unstable hands.
It had been a busy time since arriving In the Capitol, difficult really. Elia stayed with the children at all times, not attending dinner In the great hall or even court. She wished to return to Dorne, but knew the children wouldn't be able to join her if she pressed the issue.
It broke me heart. Elia deserved happiness, and even though we had agreed to the annulment it was a complex situation we had to navigate. Our relationship was whispered by the gossiping servants and nobles alike. How the King and the Princess still smiled and spoke softly to each other, but the King refused to share his bed with her the times she had tried.
That had been the one rumor that held a sliver of truth so far unfortunately.
Elia had tried to enter my quarters but had been turned away by her own uncle Ser Lewyn without my knowledge. I knew why he did it, but I would never had done it. I was livid when she told me the next day as we broke our fast in private.
Ser Lewyn and I had a very uncomfortable conversation after that.
Elia and I loved each other, but not as lovers. Our friendship was strong, and she was hurt to know I wouldn't see her while she had so terrified by the days events.
Sighing at the situation, and the morning sun beginning to rise higher I turned back towards my quarters to dress and see my children before my day began in earnest.
I had spent the morning with Elia and the children, though Rhaenys was still being cold towards me, out of fear or dislike I couldn't tell.
1.5 month prior:
Entering the Red Keep had been incredibly simple, as soon as he trotted in sight, the drawbridge had been dropped, and iron gates opened. A half dozen of the advanced party had been there to greet him, on bent knees with Ser Darry giving an impromptu briefing as I hastened my way to Maegor's holdfast.
Passing scatterings of tied up servants or guards who refused the change of the status Quo.
Making it to the pathway that lead to the large wooden doors of the tower fortress I couldn't help but stare in disgust of the two dark clad corpse that were piled to one side of the hall, though the bodies of those they had helped send the the afterlife were laid with more care several yards down from them.
"Do we know who they are?" I asked Ser Darry in a forced calm.
" No Sire, but we will." Was his answer, I could almost physically feel his fury, without turning to face him I nodded in my acceptance. Standing at the entrance of the holdfast were two more of our advanced party, covered in blood while carrying spears of leaf shaped steel. Both wore the red and black Three Headed Dragon upon their chest armor as they were Men at arms from Dragonstone that were sworn to me.
Glancing at the worn warriors I spoke,
"Thank you men, you have served the realm well today. You will be rewarded. " I announce briefly before pushing open the doors. My worry must have been clear as the men nodded and didn't attempt to hold me in useless chatter.
I had been away from my children for too long, would little Aegon remember his father? Would my dragonlily remember her papa? The anxiety was eating at my heart and mind. After all this senseless conflict how am I supposed to look my children in the eyes and tell them it was for the greater good? Causing shame to hang over their mother, the stigma of being the offspring of the foolish prince?
Coming upon them finally sitting in a lounge I saw Rhaenys sitting against her mother, her tiny arms around her waist, and little Aegon in his mother's lap sound asleep.
"Rhaegar!" The sudden shout took me out of my trance as I rushed forward to Elia and the children, but arms wrapping around them all as tears began to fall.
"Thank the godsâ" She whispered into my chest with our children pressed between us.
I didn't see Jaime Lannister standing next to the door I had entered, nor his furious green eyes that burned into me.
