The tourney opened with a meele, Eddard stayed and watched with Robert for two hours but lost interest and went back to his quarters, it was almost empty, even most of the serving staff went to watch the melee, Ned was tired, not physically but emotionally, his five minutes audience with the King has wrung him dry and there was gleam in Kings eyes that Ned couldn't understand. The King asking about Ironeyes has put him on edge, Ned couldn't exactly leave Ironeyes at Eeyrie, for one thing Ironeyes himself didn't want to be left behind and for another Ned felt more complete and confident when the wolf is around. If five minutes with the King was so nerve wracking for Ned, he wondered how is going to manage breaking fast with him.
It was rumoured that the King is paranoid and quick to anger, Ned wondered how he would react on seeing Ironeyes, as the wolf is the size of a pony now and growing still. Most people haven't really seen Ironeyes, he doesn't really like Eeyrie as much as he liked Winterfell so he stopped staying in the castles kennels a month after coming to Eeyrie, he made a den in the mountains of moon and stays there, it's Ned who meets him in the forest once in two days when he goes riding, Ned can always feel him through the bond of course and has wolf dreams most nights and Wargs in to Ironeyes every day for ten minutes at least, so the seperation didn't bother Ned too much and Ironeyes is happier when he is in the wild. Only Robert has seen Ironeyes grow from the pup as high as his knee to the young direwolf who can look Ned in the eyes, that too because Robert insisted on accompanying Ned most times when he went to meet Ironeyes, the guards who escort them are usually a bit far and keeping a perimeter, they catched a few glimpses from distance but don't really understand the size of the direwolf, but tomorrow, tomorrow whole of Lannisport, Nobles and commoners alike will know exactly what a direwolf is and how big they can grow, all because the King wanted to see Ironeyes, as if he was some mummers act or a circus freak show, what's next, will he want Ironeyes to roll over and present his belly or throw a stick and ask him to fetch it? .
Ah, Ned was getting angry, that's new. It isn't that Ned was some unfeeling stone, but most his emotions consisted of embarrassment, fear, happiness and sorrow (when he thought of his mother). Ned wasn't one for anger, as far as he can remember he never did throw a tantrum even as a toddler, whenever he felt angry, he would just clamp on it with an Iron grip and shunt it aside, after awhile anger usually drained away. But something here, at this tourney is fraying his temper. Its probably the people, with their barely contained disdain and condescending remarks. Ned even heard smallfolk on the streets muttering 'Northern Savage' under their breath.
He was a Stark, born of oldest dynasty of rulers there is on Westeros and most of the Known World. His blood ruled North, largest of Seven Kingdoms, for eight thousand years. His ancestor built The Wall, Winterfell, Strom's End and possibly Hightower, greatest structures known to man. The Starks have repelled thousands of invasions against the North and Theon the Hungry Wolf razed Andolas to the ground for daring to invade the North. The North is the last bastion of First Men culture and Starks have always been just rulers and these Southron ponces who grew up in lap of luxury dare look down upon the North. It is when he finally arrived in this city did Ned understand why most Northerns hold the South in such contempt, Ned was ready to play nice and make friends but interacting with the Nobles and lordlings these past three days has soured Neds countenance, how many more veiled insults at the North and the House Stark he could take before punching someone's face in, Ned didn't know.
Ned should probably meditate, find his balance, the North needs the South, at least for next twenty to thirty years, if for nothing else but the grain. It will take time to secure their borders with Moat Cailin and another Castle on the western coast, to build ships, to construct infrastructure for more storage, to reclaim the Gift for the North and to find a means to increase their production of grain. All of those take time, careful planning not to rousing any undue suspicions in the South and gold, so Ned will find his balance, go out and make nice.
Ned wondered whether the Dornish felt this way too, as they too are of different culture than rest of the Kingdoms and have an unsavory reputation. Ned would find out he supposed and wondered whether there is anything North and Dorne can mutually benefit from.
But all of that is beside the point, Ned needs to be in control of himself when he meets the King, he didn't want to come across as fake or disingenuous, just reserved and deliberate, maybe even stoic, that would go well with the image of no non sense Northmen.
So Ned sat himself comfortably and slipped into a calm state of mind, it took a while but he achieved balance.