Meanwhile, In King's Landing:
Eddard Stark sits in the dungeon and rots. After the execution of Sansa, Ned lost all will to fight and any hope of seeing his family again. Now he sat in his cell waiting for death that would probably never come for him. Ned tried starving himself to end his life, but his jailers would force-feed him. And when that stopped working, they threatened him with Arya's execution if he didn't comply. Ned didn't know that Arya had escaped King's Landing the day of Sansa's death, so Ned did what the jailers told him to do. Though Ned had no more tears to shed, he still wallowed in the memories of his family and the death of Sansa. Ned cursed the day he had ever accepted becoming the Hand of the King.
Three months had passed since Ned's imprisonment and Sansa's execution. In that period, Ned had heard rumors that Robb had called his bannermen and was marching South to Kings Landing to set him free and get his sisters back. Word of Sansa's execution had not reached the North yet, per Tywin Lannister's orders. But Ned knew that it was a secret that couldn't be hidden for much longer. And once that news got out, things were going to get a lot worse. The only thing that Ned worried about was that Robb wouldn't be able to overcome the Lannister forces without help, but where would that help come from?
As Ned sat in his dark cell, contemplating how he could help his son in his time of need, the door to the dungeon creaked open, and someone came in holding a torch. Ned didn't bother to stand up as the cloaked figure approached him. The person kneeled and removed his hood; Ned wasn't surprised to see that it was Lord Varys kneeling next to him.
"It would seem your idea of my confession backfired, Spider," Ned said without looking at the man.
"Yes, I suppose it did, Lord Stark. I am so sorry for your loss."
Ned scoffed, "Are you?"
"Yes, of course, children are innocent, and what Joffery did was not something that I expected."
Ned sighed, "He's going to be worse than the Mad King."
"I believe you're right, Lord Stark. But that doesn't mean there is nothing we can do about it." Varys tells him.
"What can I do in this cell? I have already sent word to Stannis about Joffery not being the true born son of Robert, and there's nothing more I can do."
"Why not help the true heir to the throne?"
"Stannis is the true heir to the throne," Ned tells him.
"I didn't mean Stannis Baratheon or any Baratheon for that matter," Varys tells Ned.
"Then who do you… You want me to help a Targaryen take back the Iron Throne?"
"I do."
"I made a vow to Robert that I would end the Targaryen line."
Varys crossed his arms, "And what have your vows gotten you, Lord Stark? Betrayed, captured, and your daughter executed. And were you really going to hunt down and kill the Targaryen girls for Robert?"
Ned sighs and looks down, "No, I only wanted to ease his passing. It is not in me to kill innocent girls."
"Then help the Targaryens reclaim what is rightfully theirs. If you agree, I will smuggle you out of the city and have you on a ship bound for Essos this very night. I will even inform your family of your escape."
"Why don't I return to the North?"
"Because that is the first place, Tywin will look for you, and you can help the Targaryens prepare to take back the Seven Kingdoms."
"And if the oldest is like her father, what then?"
"Why don't you go to Meereen and find out for yourself."
"Meereen, why, Meereen?"
"Because, Rhaesa, Daenerys and Khal Drogo freed the people of Slaver's Bay with little to no bloodshed and are now ruling from Meereen. Why don't you see what kind of rulers they are then from there decide if you want to help them?"
Ned thought for a moment, could this man be trusted. After thinking for a while, Ned decided that yes, Varys could be trusted. Everything he did was for the good of the realm. Ned slowly nods his head, "Alright, I accept your offer."
"Good, be ready, later tonight someone will come to collect you."
It was very late indeed, and Ned was asleep when he heard his cell door unlocked. There at the door stood two of Lord Varys' Little Birds, one had a cloak in his hand, and the other was carrying his sword Ice. They both bowed to Ned and quietly came into the cell.
"Greetings from Lord Varys, My Lord. Lord Varys asks that you put on his cloak and hide your face. We were able to retrieve your sword and will lead you out of the Red Keep."
Ned nods and puts on the cloak then takes Ice from the little boys; he then secures the sword to his hip. Once he's ready, the two boys lead Ned out of his cell and take him through the secret tunnel that leads under the Red Keep where the dragon skulls are kept. In the mouth of Balerion the dragon, there is a change of clothes and a sack of gold for Ned. He quickly changes and follows the children out to where a boat is waiting to take him to the ship that will take him to Essos. As soon as the boat makes it to the vessel that is anchored further out on Black Water Bay, Ned is hoisted aboard, and the ship sets sail. Ned is led down into the vessel to his room where a bath has been prepare for him, and food has been laid out. When Ned has finished bathing and has eaten, he lays down and has his first good night's sleep in a long time while the boat sails to Pentos. Back on shore, Varys watches from the garden as the ship disappears. He lets out a sigh of relief and lets the raven fly that will take the letter to Robb Stark that would inform him of his father's escaped and tragic news of Sansa.
The next day Ned got up and dressed. He noticed that Lord Varys had supplied him with everything that he would need to make this trip to Esso. As Ned got dress, he noticed that a rolled up piece of parchment fell to the floor. He reached down and broke the seal. Ned's eyes widened as he read the contents.
"This cannot be," Ned said to himself.
"Rhaegar Targaryen cannot be alive."
Ned let the parchment slip through his fingers as he stood there numbly. He knew for a fact that Rhaegar had died at the battle of the Trident. Why would Varys think that Rhaegar was still alive and in Slaver's Bay? No, it was not possible. Robert himself told Ned that he killed Rhaegar. Varys must be mistaken. Nevertheless, Ned was going to go to Meereen and help the Targaryen girls in any way he could to regain what was rightfully theirs.
A few hundred miles away, Robb Stark had started his march to the capitol. He and Catelyn were determined to free his father and sisters from the Lannisters. Joffery had sent a note demanding that Robb come and bend the knee and swear allegiance to him, but that was not going to happen as long as Ned was in prison.
"The only reason Joffery wants you to go to King's Landing is so he can execute you," Catelyn tells her son.
"I know, Mother, Starks does not fair well in the South. So, the only other option is war."
But it would be difficult, Tywin Lannister's army lay between them and King's Landing and leading that army was Jaime Lannister. They had yet to engage the enemy, but it was only a matter of time. And once they did, it would be a long and bloody battle.
As they march South, a Raven arrived from Stannis Baratheon declares himself King of the Seven Kingdoms. It informed them that Joffery was not a true Baratheon but a bastard born of incest along with his two younger siblings, he demanded that Robb come to Dragonstone to bend the knee and support his claim.
After reading the note, he passed it to his mother, "What do you think, Mother?"
"I think this is the reason your father rots in the dungeon. He found out the truth and sent the raven to Stannis. Then they arrested him to keep him from telling the truth," Cat tells Robb.
"How many soldiers do the Lannisters have," Robb asked Great Jon
"30,000 soldiers, My Lord. From our understanding, that is only half of their army."
"And how many soldiers does Stannis have?"
"With Renly supporting his claim, 20,000 soldiers."
"Renly is supporting his claim?"
"Aye, Renly is supporting his claim, and Stannis is making Renly his heir, provided that Stannis' wife produces no sons," Robb explains.
"Then, I believe it would be in our best interest for you to bend the knee to Stannis Baratheon, My Lord." Lord Bolton tells Robb.
Robb thinks for a moment, he rubs his chin and nods, "I believe you are correct, Lord Bolton. Mother, I need you to deliver a message to King Stannis, telling him that I will bend the knee as soon as we are in reach of Dragonstone. Take Ser Rodrick and several men with you to ensure your safety."
Catelyn bows then leave the tent. A few days later, a raven arrives with a note for Robb. Theon comes into the tent and hands the note to Robb. He looks at the seal but does not recognize it. Breaking the seal, Robb begins to read the letter.
"Who's it from?" Theon asks.
"It's from Lord Varys. He says that my father has escaped King's Landing."
The men in the tent cheer at hearing the news that their liege lord has escaped, "Is he returning home?" Lord Karstark asked.
"No, he's making his way to Essos, Lord Varys said that the North would be the first place they would look for him. He's going to gather more allies."
Suddenly, Robb stumbles and falls into a chair, and he lets the letter fall to the ground and begins to cry. Theon places a hand on Robb's shoulder, "Robb, are you alright?"
Robb only sits there and lets the tears fall from his face, Theon bends down and picks up the note. He gasps when he reads it, "What does it say," Lord Umber asks.
"Sansa is dead. She was executed as punishment for Lord Starks treason."
There is a collective gasp, and Maege Mormont snatches the letter from Theon, "It can't be true. This letter has to be a lie."
Robb looks up, "It would be a far greater punishment for Father to watch one of his children die instead of himself. There's no question, Joffery killed my sister."
"This is an outrage! Lady Sansa was an innocent girl." Lord Umber booms.
"And Joffery is a sadistic bastard. Doing something like this would give him great pleasure. He thinks that it would have weakened my father and the North," Robb stands up, "But we will show him that the North Remembers."
A cheer went up from all the lords in the tent as now they were even more determined to march South to Avenge Sansa and get Arya back. Nothing was going to stand in their way, not even 30,000 Lannisters.
Meanwhile, Ned's ship had finally docked in Pentos. He gets off the ship and finds a man waiting for him of the dock. Illyrio Mopatis bows and greeted him, "Lord Stark, I am Magister Illyrio Mopatis, a friend of Lord Varys," The man says and offers his hand, "You shall be staying in my home until arrangments can be made for your trip to Meereen. It will only take a few days."
Ned eyed the man suspiciously, "Thank you for your help Magister, but why are you helping me?"
"I have known the Targaryen family for quite some time and would like to see them take their rightful place as rulers of Westeros."
"And of course, you expect to be compensated for your generosity," Ned says.
"Of course," Illyrio says with a smile.
Ned nods, "Follow me, Lord Stark. You've had a long journey, and I'm sure you would like to rest and change. I have acquired lighter armor for you. That Northern armor will only slow you down in this sweltering heat, and as you get closer to Meereen, the heat becomes more intense."
Ned bows graciously and follows Illyrio back to his palace. Upon arriving, Ned is led to his room by the servants where a bath has been prepared and food has been laid out. After Ned bathes and changes into some lighter clothes that his guest has provided, he sits down and has his first decent meal in quite a long time. Once he's had his fill, Ned retires for the evening.