POV Eddard Stark

Ned woke early with a no hangover whatsoever, as he didn't indulge in any great amount of wines during past nights revelry, he has always been an ale person than a wine one.

Just as he finished his morning ablutions, there was a knock at his door, which turned out to be Ser Arthur sent by Rhaegar to collect Ned for a walk along the beach. Ned immediately consented and made small talk, well mostly Ned talked and Ser Arthur grunted.

"Ah, good day to you, my friend", Rhaegar called out once Ned is in the hearing distance.

"Likewise to you, Rhaegar. You seem to be in a good mood this fine morning", Ned replied with a smile.

"Why yes, I am, I didn't have the chance to tell it yesterday, but, I have made remarkable progress in my studies", Rhaegar replied happily.

"Is that so? May I hear of it, or are you going to keep me in suspense ?"

"I learnt how to conjure fire!", Rhaegar said almost jumping with excitement.

"Conjuring fire?! Really?", Ned asked stunned.

"Well yes, but no, I may have exaggerated a bit. Let me explain. Its a bit complicated than conjuring fire and lobbing fireballs. You were right, about there being caches of knowledge and artifacts at Dragonstone, I found some after searching for about a year, you would not believe just how many tunnels there are under and around the castle and the volcano. Anyway, I found some of Visenyas notes and things. It involves some alchemy, dragonscale clothing and ungodly amount of practice. Apparently what I am learning is the most basic of education for dragonlord children. I managed to decipher most of what I found with Marwyns help. It will take me years perhaps even a lifetime to make anything I found combat capable. From what I learnt I am a bit too old for what I am learning now. But I can learn it, it will just take more time", Rhaegar said almost jumping with excitement.

" Oh, I would like to hear more about it, perhaps another time at a more secure location. I wanted to ask, how is our lord, master and King, your father doing?", Ned asked.

Rhaegar deflated a bit at the change in topic, but replied, " He is well, my relationship with him is great. But my father has grown a bit paranoid since Duskendale. I am managing to curb most of it. You might not know this, but father handed out very disproportionate punishments when mother suffered miscarriages when I was young. Viserys being a healthy child and his birth being a relatively easy one helped a lot, but then Duskendale happened and all that good got swept aside. I shudder to think what my father's state would have been if he had been imprisoned longer. Lord Steffon is a godsent. For all that Lord Tywin was unparalleled adminstrator and perhaps greatest Hand seven kingdoms have ever seen, he was complete shit at managing my father's emotions. Lord Steffon though, he is much like Robert if a touch humbler. He is exceptional at reading my father and their boyhood friendship has survived mostly intact and they have grown even closer in their shared grief over Lord Tywin. For all my father's envy and jealousy of Lord Tywin, he was devastated at learning the news. My father attended Lord Tywins funeral as you know. It was initially my father's idea to foster Lord Tywins children. But Lord Steffon managed to talk him out of immediately arranging it, arguing that it might seem like the Throne is taking advantage of a child heir and effectively taking Westerlands into our grip. All things considered things are well. "

" That's a relief. I am glad to hear it, my friend. I hear you have taken on some large scale construction project in Kingslanding, want to tell me of it?", Ned asked gently to change the topic.

Once again Rhaegar brightened, " Yes, I have undertaken management and expansion of cisterns and sewers of Kingslanding. Not a glamorous job, I know, but the thought of any child of mine growing up with the stench of Kingslanding as I have is enough motivation. And fortunately the Thrones treasury is comfortably full, it seemed like their would never be a better time for new large scale construction projects. All that construction meant new jobs and wages for people of Kingslanding which in turn made the Throne more popular. It isn't as much as struggle as I thought it was going to be either. There are already some plans drawn up and work done during The Old Kings reign. I just have to repair the old and expand the original plans to account for Kingslanding's greater size in present day. This reminds how are the North's own projects going?".

" It's going well, my friend. You already know that four castles have been completely restored along the Wall, while they don't have Castle Blacks capacity, they can hold three hundred brothers of Nights Watch comfortably and already running at half the capacity, what with all the new recruits you have been sending the Brotherhood's way and there was some work done on two more before Winters arrival. My own future seat is almost finished, at least the first round of construction is. The main keep, the primary four towers and the first curtain wall are done. Secondary towers, another curtain wall and further expansion will start once I return from Essos and this winter is done. Most of the work has stopped due to Winter, but atleast the main towers for the Castle at Sea Dragon Point are raised before the winters coming", Ned replied.

"Hmmm, that's good, Ned. I thought of what you said last night regarding the Tullys, I know from my own spies that for all that Lord Hoster has maintained a strong front, he is getting a bit desparate about his daughters matches. There were some talks about a match between Lannisters and Tullys before Lord Tywins death. Nothing was finalized and presently Lord Kevin shut down all talks due to the fear of Tullys getting their hooks into young Jaime and gaining undue influence without Lord Tywin their to curb it. I can encourage Lord Hoster to accept a betrothal between you and his elder daughter if you issue the proposal, in turn for arranging a match between his younger daughter and Jaime Lannister. Do you want me to do it?", Rhaegar asked.

" I will have to think on it Rhaegar. As I have already said, it is a good match and I do want it and my father did give me free reign to choose my own bride. I have no true reservations against Lady Catelyn herself, yet I am a bit wary of Lord Hoster, the man is a wily politician, he will undoubtedly want to squeeze whatever he can out of any betrothal arrangements for his daughters. You will have my answer before I leave. If I decide to pursue the match, any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated", Ned replied with a smile.

" Very well, my friend. Let us part ways for now. We have a tourney to attend and lords and ladies to charm", Rhaegar said with a smile and the friends parted ways.