The sobs had become outright wailing not so long after the scene had faded. Rhaella was inconsolable, crying her eyes out for the son she saw die. She never expected it to be this hard. She had expected that she would be seeing her son die with how he acted. But actually seeing it happen, him begging for his life, the fear in his eyes, every part of it broke her. Rhaegar her eldest tried to calm her down but she wasn't ready for it yet, she was not ready to lose any of her children.
Ned watched the scene with a heavy heart. Viserys Targaryen was not a healthy man, on road to becoming like his father. Ned felt nothing seeing him die before he could cause any harm. But his heart went out to Rhaella Targaryen. With everything he'd seen so far, his children, he knew he wouldn't be any better if he saw even one of his children dying. He had lashed out when Bran had been pushed, he knew the death of his children would be something that would break him.
His eyes shifted to the side and he saw Robert stirring. The heaviness in his heart was replaced by steel, knowing that he would have to speak with his friend now. It was important.
"Ned?" Ashara asked when the man beside her stood. Ned said nothing and stalked away. Her eyes followed the direction he walked and saw Robert sitting up. Beside her Lyanna looked at her brother's back with no emotions, as did Brandon, Catelyn and Rickard. They all understood that he needed to do this alone.
With Ned and Robert
His head felt heavy, confusion clear on his mind. The last thing he remembered was him choking the life out of that shithead blonde, and then nothing. How had he appeared here, far from the rest? Had he been knocked out? He didn't feel pain anywhere near the back of his head so maybe it was not that. He heard the wailing of a woman. He looked up to see who it was and saw his friend approach him with a stoic face.
"Ned, what the fuck happened?" the man groaned.
"Bran knocked you out" Ned replied. He stopped before Robert and looked down at his friend. "We need to talk. Right now."
"Alright" Robert went to stand but Ned put a hand on his shoulder and had him still sitting. He looked at his friend in confusion but Ned's face was a cold stoic mask.
"You hit Cersei" Ned stated and Robert blinked. The memory came to him then and he felt his shame come back to him. "You hit her and you said it was not kingly of you. Would you have not felt bad if you were not king?"
"Ned," Robert stood this time and looked his friend in the eyes. "I would never hit her, I would never."
"But you did."
"That man is not me! That man is nothing but a broken shell of what I am now, filled with bitterness and malice. I am not that man, you know me, Ned. I would never do something like that."
Ned looked his brother in all but blood in the eyes before sighing. "Lyanna hates what she saw, and it isn't a surprise that she has started to dislike you for it all. She was already unhappy with the betrothal knowing your whoring nature. I had assured her that once she married you, you'll be better. But this? The things we all saw?"
"Ned, I would never hit her, never" Robert blanched.
"Lyanna is not some meek southern girl. She is a woman of The North, outspoken and wilful. She would not sit down and do something she is unhappy with. I will not force my sister into something she does not want to be part of."
"But Ned-"
"Win her over" Ned gave Robert a hard stare. "This is something you have to do, and only you. I will not hold your hand in this. That is my sister, and if you do not win her over, the betrothal is off. I will personally see to it. Understood?"
"Aye," Robert muttered in defeat. In all honesty, he felt a little betrayed by the distrust Ned showed towards him. But at the same time, Robert understood where Ned was coming from. Seeing how he would end up in the future, the state he was in both physically and mentally, Robert would not trust that man with a woman of his family, especially his own sister if he had one. Robert understood and Robert vowed to win her over by his own deeds, rather than relying on Ned to help him.
"Now" Ned calmed himself with a deep breath, "you have also wronged your brother Stannis. You realize this, right?"
"With me King and childless, it is normal for my younger brothers to be my heir" Robert explained, a little confused with what Ned meant. "And Dragonstone is the seat of the heir to The Throne. I don't understand what I did wrong here."
"Dragonstone is the seat for the heir from House Targaryen. You are a Baratheon of Storm's End, and so are Stannis and Renly. Any heir, not your children would come from Strom's End. By removing Stannis from the line of inheritance, not only are you slighting him by implying that he is unfit to be Lord of Storm's End and The Paramount of The Stormlands. That you're prioritizing your youngest brother and grooming him."
"I did not think-"
"You need to. If all goes well then you won't be King. But you will still be Lord of Storm's End. You need to understand these things. You need to understand the politics, as do I."
"We still have our foster father to help us with this" Robert half grinned and Ned snorted.
"Come on, I think we've been talking long enough" Ned began his walk back, Robert following him. "Apologize to Stannis," he said sternly before they each went to their families.
The Starks, Catelyn and Ashara looked at Ned expectantly for how the talk went. Ned looked at his father stoically. "Robert will need to prove himself to Lyanna before we go forward with this betrothal."
"Women have had worse husbands than Robert, both this one and the one we are seeing. Lyanna could grow to love him in time" Rickard gruffed. While Lyanna and Brandon looked at their father in surprise, Ned's eyes just narrowed. He saw the glint in his father's eyes, the expectant look. This was a test, and Lord Rickard was judging his second son for something.
"Lyanna is not most women" Ned stated calmly, "she is a Stark of Winterfell and she'll get nothing short of what she deserves."
Lyanna tackled her brother for a tight hug, and one Ned returned. Brandon was smirking, as was Rickard Stark. The look of pride being sent from his father made Ned's heart swell.
Queen Rhaella had calmed down by then, her wailing now sniffles. She was holding her eldest's hand tightly for comfort. They all went back to their seats and Raven started the memories again.
Trumpets sounds from the Lannister camp. Going inside a tent, we see Tywin Lannister sharpening his knives, preparing to skin a deer, while Jaime Lannister starts reading the received letter from Ned Stark.
"Wait why are they in a war tent?" Jon Arryn questioned. He was one of those experienced men that knew what the inside of a war tent looked like.
"In retaliation to mother abducting Tyrion, Lord Tywin began attacking the Riverlands" Raven explained. Catelyn winced when she heard it. But to her relief, nobody told her anything.
Jaime Lannister: "Summoned to court to answer for the crimes of your bannerman Gregor Clegane, the Mountain," Uh, "arrive within the fortnight or be branded an enemy of the Crown."
"You have some balls on you" Brandon whistled. Ned just sighed while Tywin bristled at the terms.
Jaime Lannister: Poor Ned Stark. Brave man, terrible judgment.
Tywin Lannister: Attacking him was stupid. Lannisters don't act like fools. Are you gonna say something clever? Go on, say something clever.
"He isn't easy even on his children" Oberyn whistled.
"If it wasn't obvious from how he and Jaime interact already, he isn't. He has an image to uphold, the honour of his house is always paramount" Elia explained after a roll of her eyes.
"Well, his children don't seem to share that sentiment" Oberyn smirked.
Jaime Lannister: Catelyn Stark took my brother.
Tywin Lannister: Why is he still alive?
Jaime Lannister: Tyrion?
Tywin Lannister: Ned Stark.
Jaime Lannister: One of our men interfered, speared him through the leg before I could finish him.
Tywin Lannister: Why is he still alive?
Jaime Lannister: It wouldn't have been clean.
Tywin Lannister: Clean... You spend too much time worrying about what other people think of you.
"Maybe you should think about that more" Jon Arryn suggested. "You'll lose whatever respect you hold."
"Killing the enemy and doing my duty will get me all the respect I need" Tywin answered sternly.
Jaime Lannister: I could care less what anyone thinks of me.
Tywin Lannister: Now that's what you want people to think of you.
Jaime Lannister: It's the truth.
Tywin Lannister: When you hear them whispering "Kingslayer" behind your back, doesn't it bother you?
Jaime Lannister: Of course, it bothers me.
Tywin Lannister: The lion doesn't concern himself with the opinions of the sheep. I suppose I should be grateful that your vanity got in the way of your recklessness. I'm giving you half of our forces. 30,000 men. You will bring them to Catelyn Stark's girlhood home and remind her that Lannisters pay their debts.
Edmure gulped. 30,000 men at Riverrun, they won't be able to hold them all off. He wasn't even sure calling the banners would help them much. Well, he could think of one family that could rival those numbers, but Edmure was sure that man wouldn't step a toe out of his home until a clear victor was determined.
Jaime Lannister: I didn't realize you placed such a high value on my brother's life.
Tywin Lannister: He's a Lannister. He might be the lowest of the Lannisters, but he's one of us. And every day that he remains a prisoner, the less our name commands respect.
Jaime Lannister: So the lion does concern himself with the opinions of...
Tywin Lannister: No, it's not an opinion, it's a fact! If another House can seize one of our own and hold him captive with impunity, we are no longer a House to be feared. Your mother's dead. Before long I'll be dead. And you and your brother and your sister and all of her children. All of us dead, all of us rotting in the ground. It's the family name that lives on. It's all that lives on. Not your personal glory, not your honour, but family. Do you understand?
"I don't think you're completely correct, Lord Tywin" Lyanna spoke, drawing the old lion's attention to her. "Sure they'll always remember House Lannister and its ferocity. But the first thing they'll remember is The Rains of Castamere, about how Lord Tywin Lannister righted the wrongs done by his once bannermen. Your stories, your legacy makes what the family history would be."
Tywin gave her a hard stare before he looked away. He showed no signs, no reaction to what she said.
Jaime nods gently.
Tywin Lannister: Hmm. You're blessed with abilities that few men possess. You are blessed to belong to the most powerful family in the kingdoms. And you are still blessed with youth. And what have you done with these blessings, huh? You've served as a glorified bodyguard for two kings. One a madman, the other a drunk. The future of our family will be determined in these next few months. We could establish a dynasty that will last a thousand years. Or we could collapse into nothing, as the Targaryens did. I need you to become the man you were always meant to be. Not next year. Not tomorrow. Now.
The scene changes to a garden in Kings Landing, we see Queen Cersei approaching the sitting Ned Stark.
Cersei Lannister: You're in pain.
Ned Stark: I've had worse, my lady.
Cersei Lannister: Perhaps it's time to go home.
Ned Stark: The South doesn't seem to agree with you. I know the truth Jon Arryn died for.
"You are not that stupid!" Lyanna hissed, wide-eyed and gaping as she looked at her brother on the screen.
"You shouldn't be telling Cersei about what you know" Ashara spoke with a deadpan, but the look in her eyes told Ned about how worried she was.
"I'll be sure not to do it this time" he reassured both women.
Cersei Lannister: Do you, Lord Stark? Is that why you called me here, to pose me riddles?
Ned Stark: Has he done this before?
Cersei Lannister: Jaime would have killed him.
Ned closed his eyes and felt a wave of relief pass over him and a weight lift from within. So that was just a one-off thing for Robert. He wasn't too far gone then.
Cersei Lannister: My brother is worth a thousand of your friend.
Ned Stark: Your brother Or your lover?
Cersei Lannister: The Targaryens wed brothers and sisters for 300 years to keep bloodlines pure.
"It isn't as simple as that" Rhaegar sighed. His mother had already explained it, he didn't need to elaborate.
Cersei Lannister: Jaime and I are more than brother and sister. We shared a womb. We came into this world together. We belong together.
The more Tywin heard his daughter, the greater his rage became. He needed to have a stern talking-to with her after all of this. It may have been a good idea that she was not here. The mannerism and the glint in her eyes sat at odds with the old lion.
Ned Stark: My son saw you with him.
Cersei Lannister: Do you love your children?
Ned Stark: With all my heart.
Cersei Lannister: No more than I love mine.
Ned Stark: And they are all Jaime's.
Cersei Lannister: Thank the Gods. In the rare event that Robert leaves his whores for long enough to stumble drunk into my bed, I finish him off in other ways. In the morning, he doesn't remember.
Ned Stark: You've always hated him.
Cersei Lannister: Hated him? I worshipped him. Every girl in the Seven Kingdoms dreamed of him, but he was mine by oath. And when I finally saw him on our wedding day in the Sept of Baelor, lean and fierce and black-bearded, it was the happiest moment of my life. Then that night he crawled on top of me, stinking of wine and did what he did, what little he could do, and whispered in my ear, "Lyanna".
The longer Cersei spoke the more Robert felt disappointed in himself. They wanted him, she wanted him. For her to hate him as she does, he had to mess up badly somehow. And he knew how he did when Cersei revealed the night of their bedding. He could not lift his head to meet anyone's eyes.
Cersei Lannister: Your sister was a corpse and I was a living girl and he loved her more than me.
Ned Stark: When the King returns from his hunt, I'll tell him the truth. You must be gone by then. You and your children. I will not have their blood on my hands. Go as far away as you can, with as many men as you can. Because wherever you go, Robert's wrath will follow you.
"It was a mistake, telling Cersei of your plan" Tywin of all people spoke, rightly surprising many. "She thinks herself clever and will try to make you vanish so she lives a blessed life, consequences be damned" he grunted.
"The worst-case you'll end up losing your head" Olenna spoke, "and best would be the Night's Watch. But I'm guessing it wouldn't be that?"
"I'm not sure" Tywin pursed his lips, "this Cersei is older and with a lot more resources at hand than the one at Casterly Rock right now. What she would do with them is not known to me. But it won't be simple and smart, I'm sure of that."
"Yes I know I did a stupid thing" Ned argued over on his side, confronted by his siblings and his love. "I should have found another way to secure the children and reveal all of this to Robert" he explained.
"You should have kept your mouth shut, made way back North and then sent a bloody raven to every corner of Westeros declaring this with what proof you have" Brandon growled. "The children wouldn't have died with so many Lannister loyalists in The Capital!"
"Just, don't do something like this, this time around" Lyanna urged her brother.
"There won't be a this time around" Ned sighed. "Nothing of that will happen now. Not with all of us actively changing things!"
"Thank the gods for that" Ashara mumbled, "last thing we need is you doing that."
Cersei Lannister: And what of my wrath, Lord Stark? You should have taken the realm for yourself. Jaime told me about the day King's Landing fell. He was sitting on the Iron Throne and you made him give it up. All you needed to do was climb the steps yourself. Such a sad mistake.
"I wouldn't have a claim to it," Ned said in confusion, "they wouldn't accept me as a rightful monarch."
"You don't need to be of blood" Rhaegar spoke, "if you won it through war, through conquest and felling the previous King, you wouldn't need of a blood tie. Like Aegon, the Conqueror had done by conquest."
"I see" Ned mumbled, then he shook his head. "No, the Kingship would be too much trouble than what it's worth."
"That it is" Rhaegar chuckled.
Ned Stark: I've made many mistakes in my life, but that wasn't one of them.
Cersei Lannister: Oh, but it was. When you play the Game of Thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.
"If threats weren't clear before" Ashara muttered softly. Cersei was plotting Ned's downfall, Ashara knew.
The scene changes, now at the wall with The Lord Commander addressing the recruits.
"Jeor's Lord Commander? Why's he in The Watch?" Rickard asked gruffly.
"He wanted to see his son lead House Mormont while he lived. So he joined The Watch and left duties to his son" Raven explained.
"A wasted effort that was" Brandon grumbled.
Jeor Mormont: As you wish, lad. You've all been assigned an order, according to our needs and your strengths. Halder to the builders. Pyp to the stewards. Toad to the builders. Grenn to the Rangers. Samwell to the stewards. Matthar to the Rangers. Dareon to the stewards. Balian to the Rangers. Rast to the Rangers. Jon to the stewards. Rancer to the builders. Echiel to the builders. Gordo to the stewards. Niko to the Rangers. Escan to the Rangers. Vorkoy to the builders. Joby to the stables. Mink to the kitchens. Allo to the builders. Nelugo to the Rangers. May all the Gods preserve you.
Jaremy Rykker: Rangers with me.
Othell Yarwyck: Builders!
Everyone walks to their designated leader. Sam, Jon and Pyp walk towards Maester Aemon and await their tasks.
"Uncle Aemon" Rhaegar sat a little straighter. "He still lives!"
"Outlived almost us all, the old man" Rhaella gave a weak smile, still heartbroken but on her way to recovering.
Maester Aemon: Samwell, you will assist me in the rookery and library. Pyp, you will report to Bowen Marsh in the kitchens. Luke, report to one-eyed Joe in the stables. Dareon, we are sending you to Eastwatch. Present yourself to Borcas when you arrive. Make no comment about his nose. Jon Snow, Lord Commander Mormont has requested you for his personal steward.
Jon Snow: Will I serve the Lord Commander's meals and fetch hot water for his bath.
"He does not look too happy with his assignment" Lyanna winced.
"He'll need to suck it up. He's a brother now, he will do as is expected by him" Ned said grimly.
Maester Aemon: Certainly. And keep a fire burning in his chambers. Change his sheets and blankets daily and do everything else the Lord Commander requires of you.
Jon Snow: Do you take me for a servant?
Maester Aemon: We took you for a man of The Night's Watch. But perhaps we were wrong in that.
Jon Snow: May I go?
Maester Aemon: As you wish.
Jon walks away, while Sam and Pyp follow him.
Samwell Tarly: Jon, wait! Don't you see what they're doing?
Jon Snow: I see Ser Alliser's revenge, that's all. He wanted it and he got it. Stewards are nothing but maids! I'm a better swordsman and rider than any of you! It's not fair.
"He's whining like an impudent child," Rickard said in disappointment. "He does not see the opportunity that's been presented to him."
"What opportunity?" Catelyn asked curiously.
"Being selected as the Lord Commander's steward means he's being groomed to be the next Lord Commander. He'll be staying close to the lord commander, learning from him, serving him and watching him closely. It's an opportunity for him to grow into the role."
"Is he that good?" Brandon questioned. "Sure he's good with a sword and he's done a good job in teaching the lads over there. But what else does he have that made Jeor choose him specifically?"
"We don't know" Ned shrugged. "Bran hasn't shown us those parts."
"It was unnecessary" Raven informed them.
Pypar: Fair? I was singing for a high lord at Acorn Hall when he put his hand on my leg and he wanted to see my cock.
"Wasn't he caught stealing?" Lyanna asked in confusion.
Pypar: I pushed him away and he said he'd have my hands cut off for stealing their silver. So now I'm here. At the end of the world with no one to sing for, but old men and little shits like you. I'll never see my family again. I'll never be inside a woman again. So don't tell me about fair.
Samwell Tarly: I thought you were caught stealing a wheel of cheese for your starving sister?
Pypar: You think I was gonna tell a bunch of strangers that a high lord tried to grab my cock?
"Ah" the lady nodded her head. She understood.
Samwell Tarly: Could you sing me a song, Pyp? I'd like to hear a song.
Angrily Pyp walks off. Sam talks to Jon.
Samwell Tarly: Now listen to me. The old man is the Lord Commander of The Night's Watch. You'll be with him day and night. Yes, you'll clean his clothes. But you'll also take his letters, attend him at meetings, squire for him in battle. You'll know everything, be part of everything. And he asked for you himself. He wants to groom you for command.
Jon Snow: I just, I always wanted to be a Ranger.
"Like Benjen I'm guessing" Ned smiled fondly at his son.
The scene changes to Kings Landing, Ned stark walks with his men while being called by a messenger.
Messenger: Lord Stark!
Varly: Stop!
Ned Stark: No, all right. It's all right. Let him through.
Messenger: Lord Stark, King Joffrey and the Queen Regent request your presence in the Throne Room.
"King Joffrey?" Robert sat a little straighter.
Ned Stark: King Joffrey?
Messenger: King Robert is gone. The Gods give him rest.
"I'm what now?" Robert blinked in shock.
"You had an accident in the hunt you went. Too drunk to properly hunt that boar. It gorged you open" Raven explained.
"And you thought it was not important enough to show?!" Ned asked in shock.
"What would you have done if you had seen it? His death leads to many things, but the scene of his death does nothing. Unlike Viserys' which showed you the change in Daenerys. That was necessary to show" Raven explained stoically.
Robert held his friend's shoulder and gave his head a shake. "Leave it. He isn't wrong. It matters what happens after it, so we know what we're walking into" Robert spoke. Ned huffed but kept his silence. Robert felt a hand on his shoulder and looked to his other side. Jon Arryn was giving him a sad smile. Robert smiled back and gave his hand a comforting squeeze. It was bound to happen anyways with what he had done to himself. But to think hunting would od him in. He could laugh at that.
Ned seems petrified by the news. Shortly after, Ned arrives close by the Throne room, where Littlefinger, Varys and a few Stark men await him.
Petyr Baelish: All is accomplished. The City Watch is yours.
"Why is the City Watch his?" Ashara asked.
"Father plans to use the City Watch to separate Cersei from her children and let the people know the truth" Raven explained.
Ned Stark: Good. Is Lord Renly joining us?
Lord Varys: I fear Lord Renly has left the city. He rode through the old gate an hour before dawn with Ser Loras Tyrell and some 50 retainers. Last seen galloping South in some haste.
"Why has Renly left?" Ned asked.
"He wanted you to take control by force. Push Cersei aside and arrest her while you filled Joffrey's ears with nonsense so he's easier to control" Raven explained.
"He needs to be taught what honour means and why it should be upheld" Stannis muttered, Robert nodding beside him. They were the older brothers. It fell on them to educate their younger brother.
When moving on, affront of the Throne room, Janos Slynt and the Gold Cloaks await Ned.
Janos Slynt: We stand behind you, Lord Stark.
Messenger: All hail his Grace, Joffrey of Houses Baratheon and Lannister, the first of his name, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm.
King Joffrey: I command the council to make all necessary arrangements for my coronation. I wish to be crowned within the fortnight. Today I shall accept oaths of fealty from my loyal councillors.
"He's excited to ascend The Throne" Oberyn mused.
"It's like his father did not just die" Elia scoffed.
Ned Stark: Ser Barristan, I believe no man here could ever question your honour.
Barristan Selmy: King Robert's seal. Unbroken. "Lord Eddard Stark is herein named Protector of the Realm, to rule as Regent until the heir comes of age".
Cersei Lannister: May I see that letter, Ser Barristan? Protector of the realm. Is this meant to be your shield, Lord Stark? A piece of paper?
Cersei shreds Robert's letter into pieces
"It was naïve to think that would have worked"Brandon shook his head.
"Just leave and don't come back" Lyanna practically begged.
Barristan Selmy: Those were the King's words.
Cersei Lannister: We have a new King now. Lord Eddard, when we last spoke you offered me some counsel. Allow me to return the courtesy. Bend the knee, My Lord. Bend the knee and swear loyalty to my son and we shall allow you to live out your days in the grey waste you call home.
"Take her offer and advice, please" Ashara prayed. Catelyn too looked like she was hoping for the same.
Ned Stark: Your son has no claim to the throne.
"You fucking idiot" Brandon growled. "Why are you saying that now?!"
"Blind honour will get you killed" Jon Arryn stated grimly.
Petyr is still there, him and The City Watch, Catelyn thought hopefully. Ned had the numbers, he could come out of this alive.
King Joffrey: Liar!
Cersei Lannister: You condemn yourself with your own mouth, Lord Stark. Ser Barristan, seize this traitor.
Ned Stark: Ser Barristan is a good man, a loyal man. Do him no harm.
Cersei Lannister: You think he stands alone?
Gregor Clegane draws his sword.
King Joffrey: Kill him! Kill all of them, I command it!
Ned Stark: Commander! Take the Queen and her children into custody. Escort them back to the royal apartments and keep them there, under guard.
Janos Slynt: Men of the Watch!
The Gold Cloaks draw their swords.
Ned Stark: I want no bloodshed. Tell your men to lay down their swords. No one needs to die.
Petyr Baelish: Now!
Suddenly, the Gold Cloaks switch sides and attack the Stark men. Littlefinger sneaks up to Ned Stark. He grabs him from behind, and then holds a dagger to his throat.
Petyr Baelish: I did warn you not to trust me.