Storm of the North

Chapter 16

Q&A

Khada Stevens: Yeah, the earlier chapter were pretty bashy. Let me know if they feel bashy now. The grammar is my fault, I don't have a beta reader and English isn't my first language. Thanks for the review.

This is a shortish chapter since I'm dealing with a migraine. No chapter next weekend since easter.

Kingslanding, 298 AC

The preparations for the Tourney of the Hand were coming along nicely. They had more money to use and the treasury was filling up slowly, yet steadily. So that was nice. What wasn't, was the message Naruto had just read out loud to Ned.

Apparently, an assassin had made an attempt at Bran's life, armed with a Valyrian dagger of all things. And the other message that came from Naruto's sources that told that Catelyn was riding south with all haste. The woman was even making good time. Naruto was actually impressed by her at the moment. Usually she insisted being a 'proper southern lady'. Naruto had actually expected her to ride a carriage or something similar, but no. The woman was riding with haste, barely stopping for food and sleep. How about that, Cat and Lyanna might not be different after all. Maybe it really was the culture where they came from.

The woman would be here soon, maybe under a week. The main questions now were, who all knew Catelyn was coming and who had sent the assassin?

Those who would most likely know she was coming, were Varys, Baelish and Naruto. Varys because of his multitudes of little birds, Baelish because there might be gold to make in any movements the ruling houses made and Naruto, because Naruto was sometimes an obsessive bastard about keeping an eye on the Stark House as a rule. Sentimentality was a bitch and a half sometimes.

Now, who sent the assassin. Not the Starks, nor their servants, they'd been vetted already. Some servant from the royal party that left? Possibly, but Valyrian steel is very valuable and if Naruto was an average working man or woman, he wouldn't use it for pay in assassination, he'd sell it. One of the royals themselves, very possible. Naruto knew Robert's thoughts on euthanasia if something becomes crippled, but even he wasn't uncouth enough to say it out loud or advocate for putting someone out of their misery, unless there was real evidence of them not recovery, so Robert was out. Barristan…no, just, no. Jaime and Tyrion were a possibility, but Tyrion had helped Naruto design climbing hooks and a brace for Bran's back if weight was needed to keep of the spot that had swelled and while Jaime would advocate for euthanasia to alleviate needles suffering, he wouldn't do so to someone with the possibility of recovery. Tommen and Myrcella were sweet and innocent still, they wouldn't have done it.

Cersei while being the most obvious choice, because they suspected Bran had seen her having an affair with someone, wasn't someone Naruto thought would do something like this. The woman, while clearly spoiled to the core and dismissive to everyone she wasn't directly and closely related to, wasn't one to kill children even too cover up her own tracks. Even if they did claim she was having an affair, how would that really prove or disprove anything? They didn't actually have proof, what they had was a young boy, that was slowly starting to be interested in girls and had hit his head on the wall of the tower when he fell. Which, at least to Naruto, left one person amongst the royals as the most likely culprit. Joffrey Baratheon, the insane little crown prince, with the same insanity in his eyes as some of the cruelest people Naruto had encountered. The boy had seemingly an instinctual need to prove himself, especially to his father. This coupled with the insanity in him, might have their king-to-be as a person who euthanizes people he thinks needs the euthanasia, even if they might not need it. An insane killer who thinks he's doing good things, as taught to him by his father. Great, they get a Mad King, then they get a Lazy King and then they get a Lazy Mad King, as Joffrey's work ethic was similar to Robert's now, instead of what it was before and during the war. The kingdoms were going down the sewers soon after Joffrey took over and started taking out imagined and actual slights against his person on innocents.

So, Joffrey was the most obvious choice of the royals. But it was possible someone else sent the assassin. Naruto's favorites included Roose Bolton because he still wanted the man's head on a stick, Tywin Lannister because weakening a possible enemy is never a waste of recourses, Baelish since the man might want to get revenge on another Bran Stark, the Uchiha in case they wanted to create a distraction and infiltrate or the Martells in simple revenge for the death of Elia and her children.

It wasn't Roose unfortunately, the man wouldn't bother and was focusing n his own heir and hunting for a new wife that could pop out some spares for him. Tywin wouldn't have given the assassin a Valyrian dagger when he was still a wee bit obsessed over his family's lost Valyrian sword. There was no sign of the Uchiha and if they wanted to create a distraction, they would have done it in a different way. The Martells were fond of poisons and were situated so far, the logistics would be bothersome. Baelish, while an opportunistic, rich and well-connected man, wouldn't do something like this, at least easily. His tax evasion scheme had proven that. The man didn't like to make plans quickly and sacrificing a Valyrian dagger is just overkill, unless he has multiple of them, which was completely possible.

Unless there was a hidden player no-one knew of, Naruto had his money on Joffrey. Again, no proof. Why couldn't something be easy.

It had taken a week for Catelyn to arrive. Baelish had tried to get to her first, only to be interrupted by Naruto and Ned arriving, just as Catelyn as led inside Baelish's brothel. Quite a coincidence that, they were just here to get an update from the Master of Coin on the treasury. Nothing else, Ned swears. Naruto wouldn't swear because he didn't like lying to someone's face.

Cat wasn't happy to be brought to a brothel and had started things of by tearing Baelish a new metaphorical orifice and demanding to know how Baelish knew Cat was arriving. Which is when Varys stepped from another room after indication from Baelish.

"Lady Stark" Varys bowed slightly

"Lor Varys" Cat ground out between her teeth.

Varys stepped forth and spoke as he approached with measured steps "To see you again after so many years is a blessing. Ah, your poor hands." Varys reached forward to grab at Cat's hand, but she yanked them from his hold before he could truly see them.

"How did you know I was coming?" Cat demanded.

"Knowledge is my trade my lady" Varys smiled slightly, then chuckled "Did you bring the dagger with you, by any chance?"

Cat looked shocked and glanced at Ser Rodrick who was her escort on her journey, who was getting a bit red at this man's knowledge of things they considered secret.

Varys smiled kindly "My little birds are everywhere" Naruto gave a cough at that and Varys rolled his eyes, but continued "They whisper to me the strangest stories."

Ser Rodrick drew the blade from his bag. It was wrapped in leather to hide it, handing it to Varys as Naruto stepped closer to get a better look. Varys drew the blade, holding it up to the light. "Valyrian steel" Varys spoke thoughtfully.

Cat nodded and peered at Vayrs "Do you know whose dagger this is?"

Varys was momentarily taken aback an almost shamefully admitted he did not.

Baelish chuckled, drawing their attention " Well, this is an historic day. Something you don't know that I do." Naruto simply tilted his head and focused solely on Baelish. He tried to take in the whole man. His pupils, his facial muscles, his speech patterns. At this moment they were all being analyzed as Baelish continued.

"There's only one dagger like this in all of the Seven Kingdoms." 'True' Naruto decided

"It's mine." 'Partial' Naruto continued staring, barely registering Cat questioning the fact.

"At least it was, until the tournament on prince Joffrey's last Nameday." 'True' Naruto still didn't deviate.

"I bet on ser Jaime in the jousting, as any sane man would. When the Knight of the Flowers unseated him, I lost this dagger" 'True' Naruto was getting fed up, where was the wrinkle, there's always a wrinkle. Cat bid Baelish to tell who won the dagger.

"Tyrion Lannister, the Imp" 'Lie' for multiple reasons. First Tyrion had proudly told them he always bet on his brother, no matter the opponent. The second was that the man's pupils enlarged for the first time since they saw him today, his breath quickened and there was a flash of a smirk upon his face right before the lie.

"Bullshit, little bird." Naruto said, drawing attention to himself. "You were doing so good up until you claimed Tyrion had won the dagger." Naruto stepped closer, his height making him look own on the man.

"See, I met Tyrion. I know he takes pride in Jaime's abilities and because of the brotherly love they share, he'd never bet against Jaime. I also know you're an opportunist, no man who finds themselves Master of Coin, isn't one. They need to be to have to potential of being a good Master of Coin. Third, I know you're lying. I know when you're lying. So, in the interest of me not taking that dagger and using it to get answers. Now, who won the dagger? Be honest. I don't feel like making the whores scrubs your piss, shit and gore off the floor after I interrogate you if you decide to be quiet." Naruto loomed over the man.

Baelish suddenly found his mouth very dry. This was a problem. He'd just blundered. Ned and Cat wouldn't spend their time talking with the Imp, most lords and ladies wouldn't. Naruto on the other hand was a pure wildcard. Here was a choice. He could either lie and hope Naruto was bluffing about knowing when he's lying and as a result possibly get tortured to death in his own brothel if he was wrong or he could tell the truth, but that wouldn't put the Starks in the direct way of the Lannisters. He could also try to appeal to Cat, which could work, but her husband was in the room. Her husband who clearly didn't like him very much. Baelish swallowed. He could use some water right about now. His throat was parched.

Naruto continued staring as Baelish was silently staring up at him. Deciding to get things moving Naruto spoke "Varys, please bring me the dagger."

"King Robert. It was King Robert" Baelish spoke in a rush.

"King Robert" Naruto rolled the name in his mouth, then hummed and backed down. This just got a bit more complicated.

The problem with working for or with continually drunk people is the fact that they are continually drunk. They don't remember things and as witnesses aren't trustworthy. When they asked Robert if he, the treasury or house Baratheon had a Valyrian steel weapon, the man claimed he couldn't recall. That led to them thinking that someone had stolen the dagger. And a dead end. How do you prove someone stole a dagger, when the owner doesn't know he owns said dagger. Unless they somehow got the dagger's thief to confess freely they were stuck.

What they were sure of was that Cat needed to go back North. Lyanna would take care of Rickon and Brann, but they still needed their own mother, especially since Lyanna would become busy with her and Naruto's child while still acting as regent. They were quick to get her going back north.

They were also looking at Baelish even more. The little shit had tried to lie to them for some reason and they didn't think that was funny. He was up to something and nobody knew what. Thank the gods for Ros. She'd finally arrived from the North. Do you have any idea what it's like to try and sell the idea of planting a prostitute into a whorehouse you're going to be living near for a time, owned by a possible threat to the family. Selling that to your new wife? Not fun, Naruto could attest to that. Still, Ros was good. So far they'd been using her to monitor Theon since she was his prostitute of choice. Men have loose lips around prostitutes, especially after they've finished their business transaction, which made Ros the perfect person to listen to Theon bitch and moan about things he wasn't satisfied with. Also, to listen if he was going to something stupid, like trying to ferment rebellion or trying to contact the Greyjoy's to attack the North or some such insanity.

Now they had a recourse near Baelish, they had money to make a Tourney happen, they hadn't borrowed money from Lannister and they had a clue about who might have attacked Brann. That was a net-gain in their books, at least for the moment. Now, how do you get a psychotic teenaged brat bragging about an assassination? Well, the answer should be obvious: You stroke their ego. The real question is, who should do the stroking?

To be continued…

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