A/N: Welcome to the most controversial chapter in this fanfic and the true beginning of the shitstorm. School has bogged me down for a month as I close things up, but thankfully, it's summer, and I will have much more time to update you all. There was a little writer's block coming into this chapter, but it's at a good place, and it will (hopefully) rock your world. So, onward to poor Ned, trying to survive King's Landing!

Also, a necessary disclaimer: I own nothing of GRRM's works, or else TWOW might be finished by now.


INTERLUDE: Northerners, Stuck in King's Landing

NED

King's Landing was a miserable place.

A million souls, all trapped in the same horrible place that stole his father and older brother away from him. A web of deceit and lies draped in finery, with knives in the back everywhere one looked. And yet, there he was, in the heart of the den of beasts that was King's Landing. He had not become Hand for prestige, nor for legacy - rather, he was there to solve a mystery and protect his childhood friend, King Robert.

Had Ned truly had a choice, he would have stayed North and protected his family the best way he knew how, but with inklings of Lannister plots on the wind, and Robert's proposal of a betrothal between his daughter and Robert's son, Ned knew well and truly that honor and duty would compel him to King's Landing in the end. He would make the best of his time in King's Landing, and ensure his family was safe and protected.

Even so, strange events surrounded Ned's departure to King's Landing. First, the madness with House Frey's civil war, which had stopped the King's Party from departing towards King's Landing faster. The stress of the situation, as well as the realization that the King's powers were laughably ineffective in resolving the disputes in the Twins, made Ned doubt his decision to go to King's Landing, thinking it would be a mess.

He had received a rushed letter, then, about Robb's sudden collapse in Winterfell and his subsequent coma, to the distress of Ned's wife and good-daughter, and had almost wanted to resign his position as Hand right then and there to go North, but he had stayed his hand, for what could he do to stop a coma? The coma was strange, but Ned reasoned that it mayhaps could have just been a fever that had struck at the wrong time, and thus, continued to travel towards King's Landing.

Yet, his arrival marked the strangest incident yet - Ned had entered the solar of the Tower of the Hand to see a book on the desk, and upon further inspection, a letter, hidden inside of the book. Curious, Ned had opened it, quickly reading the letter's contents.

Lord Stark,

If you are reading this letter, you should be in King's Landing, at the Tower of the Hand at this point. Though you have been named Hand, there are plots afoot that could put you and your family in danger, and as my granddaughter is married to your Robb, it is our duty as family to protect one another. Though you may be used to the politics of the North, the world of King's Landing is much deadlier than any political game in the Seven Kingdoms.

I will be blunt with you - it is too dangerous to reveal the exact nature of the plots afoot in a letter easily intercepted, though I have enclosed a book that will be an extremely invaluable resource in this investigation. The seed is strong, the falcon had cried, only to suddenly be silenced. As rumor would have it, hair of black and eyes of blue are a telltale sign of its own, which you will learn more of when you find the blacksmith. Be wary of the Lions and the Mockingbird, as they are false friends who seek only their own victory and your loss. The eunuch will not be a foe you need to face, though he may have his own plots. Most importantly though, my grandson, Loras, and Renly Baratheon will be valuable allies in this investigation. I have also instructed, at my granddaughter's pleading, for there to be a ship prepared at any moment to sail for Highgarden if you have reason to believe that you, your daughter, and your son are in danger. Highgarden will protect you, just as you have protected Margaery.

Lastly, a note - the world as we know it is changing, and old actors seek to rise into prominence once again. To keep your promise, and protect the bed of blue roses, you must keep vigilant for the changes in the wind by following the sun, and avoid the stag's wrath. Golden roses now grow in Winterfell, and they will assuredly protect all members of the Pack.

The Queen of Thorns

Shock filled Ned as he finished the letter. On one hand, It was good that the Queen of Thorns has offered her, and House Tyrell's help in this investigation into House Lannister, as well as a natural ally in Renly Baratheon. This book - The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdom - was a key piece that must have been useful for his foster father before his passing, and likely poisoning by what Catelyn suspected to be the Lannisters. He also knew that he was to look for black hair and blue eyed children, though he could not think why that would be particularly important.

The letter also warned Ned of foul play by House Lannister and a mockingbird, which was likely Petyr Baelish. His good-daughter had warned him and his wife not to trust Baelish, and if the Queen of Thorns also suspected him as a part of the game, he would be wary around the other man. Most importantly though, the Queen of Thorns had offered an escape in case things went wrong in the form of a ship for Highgarden, which was crucially important to ensure Sansa and Bran's security in the nest of vipers that was King's Landing.

However, the very last paragraph chilled Ned to his very bone. The Queen of Thorns had known, or had learned about what could only be Lyanna's secret, and Jon's heritage with it. Ned was no fool - he knew that the letter hinted at a restoration of old actors, through invoking Jon's heritage, and that could only mean that a Targaryen restoration was being planned. Had Ned been as honorable as he, and the rest of the world, had claimed, Ned should have immediately gone to Robert to let him know that House Tyrell, as well as House Martell, were planning some type of rebellion, but with Jon's life at stake…

"His name is Aemon, you must promise me, Ned! Robert will kill him if he ever finds out, you know he will!"

No. He could not protect his friend over his family, his pack. Jon's safety was too important, and with the possibility of deadly plots afoot, Ned knew that his best course of action was to patiently play the game set out for him. Olenna Tyrell had implied that Jon's safety was paramount as well, which would make sense, as Robert's hammer would crush his good-daughter's head just as much as it would crush any other Stark's head if he knew that Winterfell had been harboring dragonspawn. House Tyrell was tied to House Stark, and House Martell, and so through the bonds of blood, he was obligated to keep his secrets and prepare for the worst, even if it meant betraying his boyhood friend.


Life in King's Landing had been similarly disappointing to Ned. Ruling the Seven Kingdoms was tedious work, especially as the King seemingly had no interest in ruling. His good-daughter may have warned him partially about the Crown's debt, but even he had widened his eyes when he had asked the small council about it; a whopping six million golden dragons of debt, with much of it going to either House Tyrell, Lannister, or the Iron Bank. Aerys had left a treasury flowing with gold, and yet, if the throne owed that much in debt, they would be in deep trouble indeed come winter.

Robert had even suggested hosting a tournament, with a total cost of about a hundred thousand golden dragons, and when Ned had heard the news, Ned had wanted to throttle his former foster-brother and king. Fortunately, the delay the King's party had faced coming across the Twins had made the schedule of the tourney too closely conflicting with Princess Myrcella's departure to Highgarden for her betrothal, and Ned had used those grounds to shut Robert's talk of a tourney down quickly and effectively, to the rest of the Small Council's relief. Instead, to appease Robert, Ned had suggested the possibility of taking a few hunts with him, in remembrance of the olden days they had shared as children, which had mollified Robert's desire for action and saved the realm some coin.

Instead, Ned turned his eyes on the biggest issue of all - solving the puzzle of Jon Arryn's death, and the warnings given to him in the Queen of Thorns's letter. Lysa Arryn had fled back to the Eyrie, and Stannis Baratheon had fled back to Dragonstone, but as for what reason, Ned scarcely knew. Only one person remained for Ned to question, and that was Ser Hugh, Lord Arryn's squire. To that matter, Ned summoned Ser Hugh to the Tower of the Hand.


"Ser Hugh, you were a squire to Lord Arryn, correct?" Ned asked. The newly knighted man did not impress Ned very much in his opinion - he had all the cockiness of a green, summer boy, with the desperation of a young knight looking to claim accolades.

"Yes, my lord, I was a squire to Lord Arryn. May the Seven bless him, for he passed too young," Ser Hugh replied. "He took me in when I had nothing, and I owed him everything. Even after his passing, he still managed to secure me the one thing I wanted more than anything - a knighthood."

They both bowed their heads in remembrance of the kindly old man who had mentored them both, though, in very different aspects. Eventually, their silent vigil stopped, interrupted by the sound of the door opening, and two figures appearing from the door.

"Lord Stark, you called for us?" Loras asked the Hand, as Renly and he moved to take a seat in the solar. Ned nodded quickly, causing Ser Hugh's face to pale.

"Peace, Ser Hugh, you are among friends here," Renly noted. "Whatever occurs in this room will stay in this room, I promise you this."

"L-lord Renly! Ser Loras! What a surprise!" Ser Hugh stuttered nervously. Ned furrowed his brow, but continued his questioning.

"Ser Hugh, you were particularly close to Lord Arryn around the time of his death, correct?" Ned asked.

"Yes, my lord, Lord Arryn trusted me with all important duties." Ser Hugh replied.

"Can you recall anything important from that period of time, perhaps?" Ned questioned.

"I- Lord Arryn spent time asking a lot of questions, and if I remember correctly, he had spent time talking with Lord Baratheon about fostering his son in Dragonstone. He had also spent a lot of time in brothels with Lord Baratheon, though looking for what, I do not know." Ser Hugh began. His voice then dropped to a nervous whisper.

"The Lannisters though - the Queen was nervous, after hearing that. I remember that Lord Arryn had been frustrated with something, and he had begun to suspect the Lannisters. He had found something important too, which is why he was sending Lord Robert to Dragonstone. Then, he fell sick, and Grandmaester Pycelle called away Maester Coleman and Lord Arryn burned with his fever and passed away."

Absolute silence filled the solar. Ned's hands were massaging his temple, and Loras and Renly looked at one another, both lost for words. Ser Hugh clearly pointed to the Lannisters as the targets to blame, but even so,

"Stannis too had left for Dragonstone, and Lysa Arryn to the Eyrie…" Renly pointed out in shock. "It speaks of greater plots and greater deceptions, though to what, I do not know."

Ned sighed.

"You have given me much to think about, Ser Hugh." Ned said quietly. "Are there any other leads I can follow?"

"Just one," Ser Hugh replied quietly. "There is a blacksmith in King's Landing named Tobho Mott. Lord Arryn did business with this blacksmith, and he may have some clues."

Loras laughed abruptly, causing Renly to look at his lover in confusion, and for Ned to raise his eyebrow at Loras.

"Renly, that was the blacksmith who made my new armor - the one I told you about, remember?" Loras exclaimed joyfully. "Lord Stark, Renly, I can lead you there, if you'd like."


Tobho Mott's workshop was an interesting venue. Loras was excitable as he introduced Ned and Renly to the blacksmith who made his armor, and cheerily discussed how good the quality of the armor that had been made for him was. Loras had explained the intricate designs that had come about through Tobho Mott's masterful work, and Renly was eagerly soaking it up as Master Mott boasted about the quality of his armor. Eventually though, after Renly ordered a set of armor to be made - taken as he was by Loras's explanation, Ned cut the three off.

"Master Mott, did you, perhaps, craft anything for Lord Arryn or Stannis Baratheon?" Ned asked quickly.

Tobho Mott paused for a long moment. "The Hand and the King's brother called upon me, but I regret to say that they did not honor me with their patronage." After another few moments of silence, the master armorer's face relented even more.

"They asked to see the boy," the armorer explained wearily, "so I took them to the back of the forge."

"The boy," Ned found himself echoing. "We should like to see the boy as well." Loras and Renly nodded in affirmation, causing Tobho Mott to give them a strange look before nodding and escorting them to the back of the forge.

Inside the forge, the master armorer called on the lad, a tall boy about Robb's age. Loras audibly gasped at the sight of the boy, and Ned himself did a double take as well at the sight.

"Renly, stand next to him." Loras commanded quietly. Renly was confused, but followed Loras's instructions exactly, and when the two stood, side by side, Ned himself could not deny the resemblance. Even with sweat soaked hair and sullen blue eyes, the frames of both men, as well as their jet-black hair and stormy blue eyes, made this apprentice and Renly look as though they were brothers.

"This is Gendry. Strong for his age, and he works hard. Show the Hand and his companion your new helmet, lad." Tobho Mott said. Gendry nodded, and shyly, went to show them his helmet. Though it was raw steel, the bull helmet was expertly shaped, a clear reminder of the master's work himself.

"Your apprentice's work is astounding, Master Mott," Renly exclaimed in surprise. "Is there any way I could convince you and your apprentice to relocate?"

"Thank you, my lord, but I cannot do so - King's Landing has too many clients, and I cannot abandon them all." Mott answered sheepishly. "As for the lad, though, it would be a possibility. He does good work, that is certain."

"Gendry, is it? I was told that Lord Arryn came to see you. What did you and he talk about?" Ned asked, steering the conversation back in its proper direction.

"He asked me questions, my lord."

"What sort of questions did he ask you?" Loras asked gently.

Gendry shrugged. "How I was, was I well treated by Master Mott, if I liked the work, and stuff about my mother. Who my mother was, what she looked like, and all."

"And what did your mother look like?" Ned continued the line of questioning.

"She had yellow hair. Died when I was little, and sometimes she used to sing to me too, I remember. She worked at an alehouse." Gendry answered.

Yellow hair, the same color of Cersei Lannister - how interesting, Ned thought.

"Did my brother, Stannis, question you as well?" Renly asked.

"The bald one? No, no him - he never said no word. Looked at me like I was some raper set out for his daughter, he did."

Renly laughed, even when the master armorer chastised Gendry to mind his tongue.

"Who paid the boy's apprentice fee, Master Mott?" Ned asked.

"Such a strong boy - those hands of his were made for hammers. I took the boy on, without a fee." Tobho Mott replied, with a look of panic crossing his face.

"The truth now", Ned urged, "The streets are full of strong boys. The day you take on an apprentice without a fee will be the day that the Wall itself comes down. Who paid the fee?"

"There will be no trouble here, Master Mott," Renly added to soothe the panicked armorer. "We do not want trouble, nor will we give trouble, so long as you answer the question."

"A lord. He gave no name, wore no sigil on his coat, and paid in gold. Twice the customary sum, once for the boy, and once for my silence. Stout, round of shoulders, not so tall, Brown beard, with a hint of red, I swear, my lord, with heavy purple threads on his cloak and a shadowed hood. I could not see his face clearly." The man answered nervously.

"Thank you, my lord," Renly answered, satisfied. Loras then gave Renly a significant look, and both of them nodded, asking Tobho Mott to wait, before talking to Ned.

"Lord Stark," Loras started, hesitantly. "Margaery told me that the old blacksmith in Winterfell, Mikken, was in need of some new hands to replace him. Mayhaps we can send the boy there, for his safety."

"Mikken is not so old that he requires a new apprentice," Ned replied, confused, causing Loras to sigh, and Renly to give Loras another, even more significant look.

"We can send the boy to Highgarden or Storm's End if need be. He would be valuable, and who better than the King's Hand to gather the pieces?" Renly suggested.

Ned saw Loras mouth "Grandmother" to Renly, and realization filled Ned. The boy would be useful as a replacement to Mikken, but he was also useful to solve the puzzle in King's Landing. Renly and Loras wanted him in Winterfell as a key piece of the puzzle, most likely because he was one of Robert's bastards.

"I will take him," Ned stated, understanding the subtext behind the words. "It would be good for my son and good-daughter to have their own household when the time comes."

Satisfied, Renly called the armorer and the apprentice back. In low whispers, the armorer talked to Renly, and after frantic whispering and hushed talking, Renly pulled out a bag of golden dragons, which the armorer took quickly.

"Gendry, pack up boy!" Tobho Mott exclaimed. "You're to go with these fine gentlemen to Winterfell, to join the Lord Hand's household himself."


The visit to the blacksmith had solved a few questions and created a few new ones, Ned noted, and in the end, he had gained a new blacksmith. Gendry was headed to White Harbor and then Winterfell by ship at Ned's direction, and letters were sent to Winterfell to inform the household on the proposed change. Eventually, good news reached Ned, in the form of a letter detailing Robb's recovery from his coma, and Maester Luwin's conclusion that it was, indeed, a fever gone wrong. Catelyn had noted in her letter that Margaery had rarely left their son's side during his coma, and after the coma, they were inseparable as a married pair as can be. Gladdened by the news, Ned continued to work on the puzzle of Jon Arryn's death, his full attention turned to it.

Renly and Loras helped Ned with the puzzle as he attempted to figure out why Jon Arryn was killed for asking questions, and what type of questions he had been asking. He had the book of genealogy, the knowledge of Robert's bastards as a key piece of the puzzle, and the knowledge that Lysa Arryn and Stannis Baratheon had suddenly fled King's Landing.

Days went by as Ned did his utmost best to solve the puzzle - falling into a routine with Sansa and Bran as they all adapted to the strangeness that was King's Landing. It gladdened Ned's heart to see his children flourishing in King's Landing. Bran was settling in nicely as a page, and eventual squire to Ser Barristan, and his practicing with Tommen reminded Ned very strongly of him and Robert while they were boys, despite Tommen's lack of resemblance to his father. Sansa had blossomed, learning the intricacies of the court and learning the ways of the South, while still keeping her caution in the face of courtiers, other people, and worryingly enough, her own betrothed. The safety of his children ensured, Ned worked tirelessly with Loras and Renly to solve the case and figure out who killed Jon Arryn. Ironically enough, the solution to the puzzle came a moon later, after one of Sansa's offhand comments at a meal served in the Tower of the Hand triggered a realization.


"Bran, how is training with Tommen and Ser Barristan?" Loras asked politely, as they shared a meal together in the Tower of the Hand. Bran was picking at his food, while Ned pretended not to see Sansa sneaking a few pieces of meat to her direwolf, Lady.

"Ser Barristan is an amazing knight, and he teaches Tommen and me how to use our swords after we help him with page duties. Ser Barristan says I have the makings of a great knight, can you believe it?" Bran answered excitedly.

"And how are you getting along with my nephew?" Renly asked curiously. "He's a sweet boy, Tommen, but he never struck me as someone who liked swords."

"Tommen is my best friend," Bran answered, stars in his eyes. "He's so nice, and he works so hard too - he's nothing like mean Prince Joffrey, and Ser Barristan really respects him too. He's a little shy, but he knows the best places in the Red Keep to climb."

Sansa's smile turned a little nervous at the sight of her betrothed, but Ned reasoned that Sansa's exposure to Prince Joffrey in King's Landing must have made her realize the gravity of the situation. Very rarely did Sansa chat about Prince Joffrey, other than when he took her on walks, and even then, she was nervous. Perhaps there was strange behavior there, but Ned thought that exposure would mayhaps help with that.

"You know," Sansa said thoughtfully, "It's so strange that the Princes are so different from the King. Father, was King Robert like Prince Joffrey or Prince Tommen when you were boys?"

"Robert was very much the same boy as he was as an adult - boisterous, adventurous, and prone to laughter, and very fond of training in the tiltyard." Ned replied thoughtfully. "But not all fathers and sons are alike, sweetling, but…"

Ned trailed off in thought. It was true that the Princes were different from the King in personality, and yet, now that Sansa had noted their differences, he realized that the Princes and the Princesses had an almost entirely Lannister look to them. Even Gendry, the King's bastard, held Robert's looks, but none of Robert's children contained his look. The book given to him was a genealogy book, and Lord Arryn had asked Gendry questions...about his parentage.

"I apologize, but I must go to my solar once more. Jory, keep track of our guests and the children for me. I will be in my solar if any emergency happens." Ned said, running to his solar.

He found the book and frantically opened up the pages to see Lannister and Baratheon matches. Perhaps if one entry featured a child with golden hair and eyes of green, his paranoia would just be paranoia, but if he were right…

...and correct he was - no matter what entry he opened, whether it was Tya Lannister and Gowen Baratheon some ninety years back, or other Baratheons before then, whether they were noble men or ladies - always, always, did the golden hair yield before the coal. The three siblings were not Robert's children, that was for certain, but who would Cersei Lannister have bedded to get the children she may have had? Cersei allowed no man close to her at all times, and Robert would have killed whomever that had cuckolded him if he had known, and killed Cersei in the process, so he clearly was unaware, but…who would Cersei Lannister have allowed to father her children, if not Robert? Other than her brother, Jaime, Cersei spent time with other women, as far as he knew...but then Cersei and Jaime spent a lot of time together, and Jaime was Kingsguard. Could the Kingslayer have broken his vows and lain with his sister to produce three children? It was highly likely that it was the case, and the thought made Ned almost retch.

The seed is strong, the Queen of Thorns' letter had described, words that had supposedly been echoed by Jon Arryn on his deathbed. Jon Arryn had been asking questions, and he and Stannis were planning to send themselves and their families away from King's Landing, especially with Lord Arryn's attempt of getting Ned's nephew a chance to foster with Lord Stannis. They likely knew too, and they had likely been preparing their banners for the inevitable outcome that would follow once Robert found out. Yet, his foster father had been interrupted after too much questioning, and likely, killed by the Lannisters - the only suspect that Ser Hugh had noted. They simply had too much to gain.

This was the sword that had slain Lord Arryn, and this was surely the sword that would slay Robert as well, if left unchecked. Joffrey would inherit the throne, and a bastard child of incest, especially one as unstable as Joffrey was, boded ill things for King's Landing and the Seven Kingdoms. Robert's wrath would be terrible in its aftermath, and the children would be slain. No matter what sort of misgivings Ned may have had about the mother or possible father of these children, they were still innocent children besides. Robert would surely slay these children in the same way he had laughed at the death of dragonspawn, and after Lyanna, Ned knew that he would not abide to the murder of innocent children again.

Tywin Lannister would also not take the death of his grandchildren lying down, and would likely storm the Red Keep in the process, if his children and grandchildren were in danger. And yet, if Robert knew that a bastard was pretending to be Prince, and attempted to claim a throne, Robert would never rest.

War, Ned realized. He had found a secret that would unleash civil war on the Seven Kingdoms. No wonder the Queen of Thorns had been so careful about the secret, and had asked for the aid of Loras Tyrell and Renly Baratheon in these situations. House Lannister and House Baratheon would begin warring onto each other instantly, but then, if Robert won, and Jon's secret were ever revealed, then Jon would die. If Jon's wife gave birth to a baby with white hair and purple eyes, as Rhaegar Targaryen had held, Lyanna's secret would be revealed, and the realm would suffer for it. Panic filled Ned's veins as he thought of the implications of this secret, and how dangerous it would be for the realm.

Yet, he couldn't do nothing, and not tell Robert - honor demanded no less, and he was Hand of the King. Every day in King's Landing, however, was a volatile risk, and to Ned's horror, he realized that Sansa and Bran were particularly vulnerable; as Sansa was betrothed to Prince Joffrey, and Bran was a page under Ser Barristan with Prince Tommen. He knew he had to tell the realm, and he knew that he would need to convince Cersei Lannister to take the children and place them under exile, to prevent the murders of other Jons and secure the realm, so that Robert could find a new wife and make legitimate heirs. His first priority though, was to get Sansa and Bran out of King's Landing. If he were to tell Robert, he would not wait to begin his retribution, which meant that Bran and Sansa had to leave, now.

Ned rushed back down to the dining area of the Tower of the Hand. The meal had finished by then, and so Ned ordered the guards to lock down the Tower of the Hand - nobody coming in, and nobody leaving the Tower. Renly and Loras were summoned to the office of the solar, and Sansa and Bran were immediately sent to the same room, with guards to protect them and their direwolves, Lady and Winter, respectively.

"Ser Loras, Lord Renly," Ned said quietly, when they had entered the solar and he had assured privacy in this conversation. "In the case of Lord Arryn, there has been a most terrible secret. You must swear to me that you will not tell anyone before we are ready, for it could mean all of our heads."

Both men looked uneasy, but they nodded at Ned's serious look. Satisfied, Ned laid out his findings and suspicions to the two men, whose uneasiness advanced into a complete pallor at the conspiracy and the implications hidden there.

"Lord Stark, are- are you sure?" Renly asked. "This would mean war against the Lannisters if it was true. My brother must be warned immediately, and the city, most likely seized, in order to prevent Tywin Lannister from controlling the city itself."

"I am certain, Renly," Ned answered wearily. "We must get the children out of King's Landing. Loras, is the ship to Highgarden still in the docks?"

"On my last visit, yes," Loras answered.

"Then it will be your duty, Ser Loras, to protect my daughter and my son en route to Highgarden. Lord Renly, it would be advisable if you were to join them, or were to ride towards Storm's End. War is likely to occur in King's Landing, and I would rather that you both are safe in the face of what is to come."

Loras gave Renly a significant look, before both men nodded. "I will accompany your children and Ser Loras," Renly affirmed. "They will be safe in Highgarden once these events are revealed."

"I will go prepare the ship, Lord Stark," Loras stated. "Have any members of the Stark Household who will need to leave to be prepared to leave at dawn."

"Then I will inform Robert and resign as Hand the next day," Ned stated. "I am not fit to be Hand to the King in wartime, and the Old Gods know that the North will continue to need strong leadership in the days to come. I must rally the North, the Riverlands, and the Vale to Robert's side, and that cannot be done from King's Landing."


"Sansa, Bran, you two will be sent for Highgarden, and then for Winterfell," Ned announced gravely. "King's Landing is unsafe, and you two must be sent home for your protection."

Sansa paled at the words. "Truly, Father?" Sansa asked nervously.

"Truly, sweetling. Ser Loras and Lord Renly will keep you both safe." Ned answered quietly.

"But...Tommen and Ser Barristan aren't safe in King's Landing if I am not safe!" Bran exclaimed. "Father, Tommen needs to go with us, he needs to be safe in Highgarden too."

"I am afraid I cannot do that, Bran. Tommen cannot leave without the express permission of the King, and you and Sansa must leave posthaste."

"But Father, I can't leave Tommen, I can't."

Bran looked miserable as he thought about his separation from Tommen and Ser Barristan. Bran was a summer boy, Ned knew, and filled with dreams of knighthood as he was, Bran would need some convincing.

"Bran, you must leave with Sansa. I know you care for Prince Tommen, but you cannot stay in King's Landing. Not when danger is so present." Ned explained gently.

"Bran, remember what Margaery said? We're in danger here, and we need to follow our Lord Father's instructions, or else we could end up severely hurt or dead. We have to go." Sansa added, gently holding onto her baby brother as he looked inconsolably.

"Can I say goodbye to Tommen, Father?" Bran asked, near tears. "Father, please, can I?"

Ned's heart almost broke at his son's distress, but to warn Tommen would be warning the Lannisters, and only one ship was ready to leave.

"I'm sorry, sweetling, but you cannot," Ned replied. "You must leave as soon as possible. The ship will leave at dawn tomorrow - your items are being packed as we speak, Sansa."

Sansa nodded and tried to smile bravely. "Father, when will you leave? Will you be safe as well?"

"I will charter a ship that will leave soon after you and Bran leave. I cannot leave right away, but you and Bran must leave first."

"But Father, that's not fair, I need to say goodbye to Tommen! I need to become a knight, and you can't make me leave, Father! Please, Father, I want to become a knight!" Bran cried.

"I promise, Bran, you will get the chance to squire under another famous knight once you are safe in Highgarden," Ned offered. "You can still be a knight."

"But not with Ser Barristan! And not with Tommen! Father, please!" Bran continued to scream. The normally sweet and thoughtful boy of eight began throwing a tantrum at the thought of leaving. Sansa tried to console her brother, but instead, he cried harder and ran away from his older sister.

"I'm saying goodbye to Tommen whether you like it or not, Father! I won't be leaving until you leave!"

Bran then stormed out of the room, accompanied by guards. Ned motioned at the head guard of Bran's room to speak with him, and after a few seconds of conversation, the guard nodded and headed back to Bran's room.

"I am sorry, Sansa, if you are disappointed at the thought of leaving King's Landing as well," Ned said gently.

Sansa smiled weakly.

"This is important, father, or else you would not be forcing us to leave so soon as this. I will do what is best for my family, as I have been taught. Just…"

"Just…"

"Promise me, Father. Promise me that you will be safe. House Stark can't lose you. I can't lose you." Sansa begged weakly, her face filling with tears at the thought.

"Promise me, Ned…" He heard a voice in the wind, and Ned did the same thing he had done almost four-and-ten years ago - he solemnly swore to keep his promise.


Dawn had risen, and a new set of problems with it. Bran had been well guarded, but unfortunately for Ned, and for Bran, Bran had long been experienced in finding tiny nooks to climb up and down from, and had explored the Tower of the Hand thoroughly. When dawn had come, Bran was missing, and disappeared from his room, to the shock of his guards. Only Sansa had accompanied Loras, Renly, and a few members of the Stark household, towards the ship to Highgarden. Ned, worried beyond belief for his children, yet frustrated, knew that he could not delay the departure any longer, or risk even more trouble, and as such, was forced to acquiesce to a modified departure where Bran would depart with Ned towards White Harbor as soon as possible.

"Are you certain of this, my lord?" Jory asked. Ned had penned letters by ravens to be given to each of the other houses, as insurance, and had given another letter to be delivered with the Stark sigil on it. Then, he began walking to the Godswood.

"Honor and mercy demands no less, Jory," Ned said wearily.

"Why are we meeting here, Lord Stark?" Cersei asked, as they stood in the godswood.

"I know the secret that killed Jon Arryn."

"Why here?" Cersei asked.

"So the Gods can see, Lady Cersei. Your children are not Robert's but are anothers, most likely your brother's."

"So you do know, after all," Cersei remarked. "My brother is worth a hundred of your friend, and why not him? The Targaryens wed brother to sister for three hundred years to keep the bloodline pure, and Jaime and I are more than mere brother and sister - we are one person in two bodies. When he is with me, I feel whole."

"All three are Jaime's." Ned stated quietly.

"Thank the gods," Cersei answered.

"Twelve years, and yet no children by the King? How could it have been?" Ned asked.

"There are ways to deny the fat fool, and I can scarcely bear for him to touch me. I tried once, but then I had my brother cleanse me. I have never forgiven him for his slight, for the first night of our wedding feast, the first time we shared a bed, he called me your sister's name. He was on top of me, in me, and instead, he called for Lyanna."

"I do not know which one of you I pity most, Lady Cersei." Ned stated.

The queen's face was amused. "I have no need for pity."

"Then you know what I must do. Honor demands no less."

Cersei laughed incredulously. "Honor? Where was honor when you stole a bastard child from their mother? Some say that you raped a Dornish peasant as her holdfast burned, and others say that you took a grieving sister's son, and in her anguish, she threw herself out into the sea. What makes you so different from I, Lord Stark?"

"I do not kill children, and I will not abide to their deaths," Ned stated firmly. "I will only say this once, my lady, out of mercy, and out of my Bran's love for your Tommen. Flee with your children, not to Casterly Rock, but to the Free Cities, for I intend to tell Robert tonight. If you are in King's Landing by the end of the knight, I cannot guarantee your head, nor your children's. As far as the winds blow, to avoid Robert's wrath, for he will surely kill you and your children if you do not leave."

"Exile. A bitter cup, and an even more bitter taste."

"A fate kinder than you deserve. Your father and your brother would do well to go with you, for your father's gold will buy you comfort, and mayhaps protect you from the King's wrath."

"And what of my wrath, Lord Stark? What of my father's wrath? The lion will not leave quietly. You will hear us roar."

Cersei slowly walked out of the godswood.

"Mark my words, Lord Stark, you will lose. When you play the Game of Thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground."


Ned had entered the small council meeting expecting a quick meeting that would allow Ned to catch Robert in private for the horrid conversation that would soon follow, but instead, entered into chaos. With Renly's departure from the small council, and Varys's sudden disappearance, the council was smaller, and yet more argumentative.

"The whore is pregnant!" Robert bellowed. "The fool Viserys is dead from poison, but the dragonspawn still lives. I warned you this would happen, Ned, but you didn't believe me. I want them dead, the mother, the son, all of them."

"Robert, please, hear what you are saying! You are talking of murdering a child! You will dishonor yourself forever if you do this!"

"Then let it be on my head. The dragonspawn are a threat, and they need to be eliminated. Let that hang over me in the Seven Hells, so long as they are dead."

"The Dothraki are hardly a threat with the Narrow Sea between us," Ned reminded his king. "I will fear them the day they teach their horses to run on water, but until then, they, and the girl, are a shadow of a threat to you right now."

"A threat that could still threaten my throne, and must be killed immediately."

"Daenerys Targaryen is a fourteen year old girl. She is younger than my Robb. And here you are telling me that it is the best decision to kill her and her babe? I thought we fought the Rebellion to end the killing of children under Mad Aerys, not to kill more children. Have your years on the throne unmanned you so that you tremble at the shadow of an unborn child?" Ned asked, wryly.

Robert purpled. "We fought to end the Targaryens. I will have no more word of it. Have you forgotten who is King here?"

"Should the Gods grant Daenerys Targaryen a son, the Realm will bleed," Littlefinger noted. "When you get into bed with an ugly woman, the best thing to do is to close your eyes and get on with it. This is no different."

"But a child?" Ser Barristan noted, aghast. "I have to agree with Lord Stark on this issue - we cannot kill an innocent simply for existing."

"Then we kill her and be done with it! As King, I order it so!" Robert growled. He reached for another flagon of wine, gulping it down heartily.

Ned prayed that the conversation would end soon, for he was at the end of his patience, and resolved to resign as Hand of the King the moment he was to tell Robert.

Suddenly, Ned and the rest of the small council in attendance heard a choking sound. The King's face began to turn blue purple again, not from anger, but from asphyxiation as he struggled to breathe.

"Robert!" Ned exclaimed in panic. "He's choking! Grand Maester!"

Pycelle rushed over, trying to ineffectually stop Robert's choking. He scrambled around in his pockets for some kind of cure, and then attempted to pour liquid into Robert's mouth as his face turned a pallid shade of white.

"P-p-poi-" Robert stuttered. "Tell- Lyanna-"

"Robert? ROBERT!" Ned cried, as he did everything he could to help his friend. Unfortunately, it was too late, as Robert's eyes closed and his body drooped in death. Ned wanted to cry, but he could not, things must be done. Shock filled the room, as all of the members of the small council processed their King's assassination.

"The King has been assassinated. We will reconvene shortly to discuss the future of the Realm." Ned stated, with a strength hadn't realized he had possessed. That statement done, he fled to the Tower of the Hand. Things had gone very wrong, and he had no time for his grief, not when lives were at stake.


When Ned arrived back at the Tower of the Hand, he immediately sent out the ravens with letters, with the addendum that King Robert had been murdered. Bran had arrived back to the Tower of the Hand, and stood in front of Ned.

"Father, I-" Bran stated

"There will be no more word from you, child." Ned interrupted, severely. "Do you have any idea how worried we were when you were missing from your tower? Do you have any idea of what you have interrupted? No, you will follow Jory to the ship that will lead you to White Harbor, and you will think about what you have done."

Tears started to fall from Bran's eyes at the stern lecture. Bran had gotten a chance to say goodbye to Tommen, but even so, he still did not understand the situation, and hated the thought of leaving.

"I HATE YOU!" Bran screamed. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" He made a motion to run from the room, but Alyn grabbed him in a strong grip as he kicked and screamed.

"We're going, lad," Alyn said firmly, nodding at Ned, before leaving the room hastily.

Old Gods, why me? He had not thought that Bran would be the difficult one, but how could Bran not? He was a child who had his dream granted and suddenly and terrifyingly taken away, with no real explanation, and he had no idea of the seriousness of the situation before him. Sansa knew, perhaps because of her maturity, or perhaps the warnings of the other members of House Stark, but even so, Ned Stark knew the situation was beyond the pale. He should not have warned Cersei to take the actions that he had, but he thought he had some form of advantage, How could he have expected that Cersei would go so far as to murder Robert so hastily to cover her tracks?

Regardless, he knew the situation had changed. If he went to the meeting and attempted to claim his position as Lord Regent, he would likely be captured, or harmed - he had not built a strong enough base for support, for he had not considered that the situation would change so drastically. He had truly well and mucked things up the moment he had told Cersei Lannister, and now, he would have to pay the price by fleeing as quickly as possible like a common coward.

Thankfully, Ned had prepared a safeguard for an emergency. The Queen of Thorns had offered him a ship, and that action was a sign that he took to also prepare at least another ship as an emergency. It was a good thing he had planned it out.

"Jory, gather the household quickly. We are leaving by ship to White Harbor immediately." Ned barked. "As discreetly as possible, but we need to go now!"


Ned and his household quickly abandoned all pretenses of discretion as they rushed to gather everyone to leave via ship in White Harbor. Alyn had escorted Bran, and Ned prayed to the Old Gods that they had managed to get on the boat and were prepared to leave immediately. Only a letter was kept in the Tower of the Hand, as Ned hastily penned his findings and his reasons for leaving for the Small Council, but he knew that it was a useless sort of thing, as war would likely break out regardless of who there was because of the nature of the accusations. If Cersei had the temerity to poison Robert as indiscreetly as possible, Cersei would likely do the same or worse for him and poor Bran, if they did not escape quickly enough.

With that done, Ned and his household finished their packing and quickly moved towards the harbors of Blackwater Bay to hopefully give them enough time to leave via ship, and the bells of the city were ringing heavily as news of the King's death spread around the city. Their travel was light work, and Ned almost hoped that it would go smoothly, until he arrived at the harbor, and found Jaime Lannister, Sandor Clegane, and an assortment of Gold Cloaks at the Harbor.

"Stark. Didn't expect you to be fleeing King's Landing like a happened to the discussion of the future of the Realm?" Jaime taunted smugly.

"You know as well as I do that I never would have been able to stand there and read my proclamations, not with Lannister influence over King's Landing the way that it is so," Ned growled."Men, get the ship running! We fight here if we need to."

"Father!" Bran cried from the ship, and Ned knew that Bran had made it there safely. Despite the massive numbers disadvantage of a small household to Jaime Lannister's large group, it bolstered Ned's confidence, and he knew he would do his best to ensure Bran would leave alive, even if he did not.

Jaime smirked. "Not with a numbers disadvantage such as this, my Lord Hand. Kill his men and stop the ship from leaving!"

And the sounds of battle commenced, and blood sprayed the docks of the Harbor as two parties did their best to make their escape.


SANSA

Sansa had never been so scared in her life. She had known that King's Landing was a dangerous place, but she had not realized how dangerous it was, exactly, until her father interrupted her dinner by preparing for an emergency departure. She had not even had enough time to pack anything other than her most essential clothes, and only the most essential members of the household were to leave on the ship to Highgarden with them.

And yet, when dawn came, her fear grew even further, for her crafty little brother had managed to escape his pursuers at the exact wrong time. Sansa despaired even more at the thought. How could he not see the danger in front of him, the danger that we had been warned about all along? He sees a world of knights and friendship without realizing the danger underneath.

She had been the same way once, she knew. Dreaming of her prince, dreaming of leaving the dreary North, and dreaming of freedom, without being aware of the costs. Had it not been for the countless warnings by everyone else, and her political training with her mother, Robb, and Margaery, Sansa doubted that she would have managed to see through the deception in King's Landing as easily as she did. Bran was a child, and of course he wouldn't be aware of the consequences, for he was only eight.

Ser Loras and Lord Renly were still tight-lipped and grim, even as their ship left King's Landing for Highgarden, and Sansa could see the worried looks that they held when they stared towards King's Landing. Sansa herself tried to ask what the situation was, but both men refused to tell her any details, to her anguish.

Father and Bran are in danger right now and I don't even know why. I hope Father can get them both back home as soon as possible.

They had sailed up the Blackwater, found land as quickly as possible, before riding towards Tumbleton at a breakneck pace before entering the rivers to head straight for Highgarden. Sansa had noticed that the horses had been prepared, almost as if someone was expecting them to have to flee to Highgarden, especially after she had seen the two riderless horses that could have only been specified for Bran and her Lord Father.

Once they had entered the other river, Loras and Renly both looked more relaxed, for they had entered the Reach. Sansa once again interrogated Loras and Renly to find a most startling secret - Prince Joffrey, Princess Myrcella, and Prince Tommen were not old King Robert's children, and instead, were born of incest between the Queen and her brother. Sansa had retched at the realization, but thankfully, over the railing of the ship, and into the water.

Her father and Bran were still in danger, and no word would be received until the ship made it at least to Highgarden. If her father really intended to oust Queen Cersei and her bastard children from the throne, she could see why she and Bran needed to be out of King's Landing so quickly, and why there was such a panic - it would most likely mean war between House Stark and House Lannister. Bran didn't leave with her, and she fretted over the possibility that her father and brother were still in King's Landing, but it was unlikely, considering that nobody else knew of the secret. With any luck, Bran and her father would be en route to White Harbor, and they could put the madness of King's Landing behind them.

After a sennight of travel, the ship landed in Highgarden's port. Renly and Loras made quick time to disembark from the ship, and the party was escorted to the castle itself. Once they were inside, Loras immediately steered Sansa and Renly, alongside a few of the guards of House Stark, to the Lord's Solar, to greet his family.

When they had arrived at the solar though, Sansa had known right away that something was wrong. Lord Mace, Lady Alerie, and Lady Olenna were wearing grim expressions, which, though it may have brightened at the sight of Loras, was a sign that something had gone wrong. Then, Garlan embraced his brother firmly, with a hint of tears in his eyes at the sight of his brother, hale and hearty in Highgarden, and Sansa knew something was really wrong.

"Lord Renly, Lady Sansa, and Loras, we are glad to see you safe in Highgarden!" Lady Alerie exclaimed. "We had feared the worst with the news in King's Landing."

"The news? What news?" Renly asked in confusion.

"King Robert is dead, poisoned, and most likely by Cersei Lannister's hand," Lord Mace said grimly.

"..not only that," Garlan continued nervously, "Sansa, we have also received word that your lord Father is captured, and in the Black Cells, and your brother, Bran, a hostage to the Lannisters. The entire Stark household in King's Landing was killed in the process."

Old Gods, please, no, anything but that.

"I am so sorry, Sansa," Lady Alerie consoled quietly, taking Sansa into her arms the way her Lady Mother would, and Sansa began to cry.


A/N: All hail the Tommen/Bran friendship. It's great, but man, did it ruin some lives!

Okay, just to preempt some questions or comments: Ned was always going to get himself captured in King's Landing because he warned Cersei. It might be a stupid political move to make, but it was mercy, and mercy will always be the downfall of Ned Stark, rather than honor.

Ned was:

1. Still traumatized over Lyanna's death, Jon's secret, and the possibility of retribution from Robert, which is why, even in canon, Ned argues so fiercely against the deaths of Daenerys and baby Rhaego. Ned's PTSD over the situation means that he will never see the death of innocent children rationally, and he knows that Robert will smash their heads open because they have a different name, which means that he was always going to try to protect the children in an irrational manner. Ned was ALWAYS going to tell Cersei - with his assumption that his children would be safe, he decided to go for mercy.

2. Hampered by the fact that the Game and timeline had sped up. Losing the tourney had massive ripple effects because Ser Hugh never got "Mountained", which meant that Ser Hugh actually had the time to confess to Ned. Though he was clearly a plant by Littlefinger, he still provided enough information for Ned to question the blacksmith and start crafting clues on his own. By the time Ned himself realized the secret, Ned knew that he had to act to make sure the kids survived while still ousting the Lannisters.

of how far Cersei would actually go to protect her children. Cersei is prone to making stupid moves in canon, and with Ned suddenly figuring it out and telling Cersei, Cersei knew that she HAD to kill Robert in order to keep her son alive. Cersei would have never gotten away with her sudden poisoning in canon, but keep in mind that Pycelle was working for Tywin Lannister the entire time, meaning that if Cersei told Pycelle to fuck off if Robert suddenly chokes, he would do that. If any other Maester had been there, and had been effective, Robert would have lived, and Cersei and the kids would have gone splat right there.

4. Also underestimating Cersei here, because he rightly assumes that a rational Cersei would not have rushed to kill Robert so quickly and so indiscreetly. Cersei's move worked in the short-term to contain the damage, but Ned also manages to send out letters to the rest of the Great Houses, meaning that Cersei's actions hindered her in the long term - though if Robert had found out, it would have been over quickly, so it was the only move Cersei could have realistically made.

Ironically, another part of it is that Margaery fucked up Ned's work in King's Landing. Ned had too many clues too quickly, and without the tourney, Ned found a way to quickly gather up the clues and solve the puzzle earlier, meaning that he would tell Robert earlier (as Ned Stark would NEVER sit on information that could hurt the realm if he could avoid it, and it didn't damage his family). Margaery herself is at fault here for speeding up the destabilization in King's Landing, and with Olenna providing the pieces herself, and a safety Ned, it was too easy for Ned to slot the puzzle. The Realm itself, the moment Cersei had her incest moment, was already a keg of wildfire, and so it was going to go off regardless so long as Ned reveals the incest to everyone.

As for Bran: Bran, in this world, is a eight year old child living his dream, with his best friend, under Ser Barristan. His thoughts are only on knighthood and spending time with his friend, so when his father suddenly tells him that he needs to leave without saying goodbye? And the only explanation being "you are in grave danger?" Bran is eight. It is perfectly normal and perfectly reasonable for eight year olds to throw tantrums at the thought of leaving their friends, and unfortunately for Ned and Sansa, this eight year old was adept at scaling walls and finding spots to hide in and climb down. In Bran's mind, this is just "let me say goodbye to my bff Tommen and cry because I'm leaving forever," but then it goes to "Dad, I hate you, why won't you let me talk to him?" It is perfectly rational for Bran not to realize the danger he is in, and as such, it made it easy for Bran to be captured. Not all is lost though, a certain Ser Barristan is there and this certain Ser Barristan will not be happy.

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter - I know it's going to be controversial, but it's where it has to go, plot-wise. Next time: Robb Reacts to the shitshow down South!