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Chapter 15

He hurt, his body and his heart ached. He was not the same since he saw Lyanna bleed out. She named him Aegon. Howland came back from Casterly Rock; the babe was now Jon. Jon Sand. He smiled when he learned that Cersei kept the child. She was good, so very good. He was taken aback when Jon Arryn told him about the marriage proposal and aid from the West. He agreed to it even after Catelyn's hand was thrown in the mix. It was a good idea. He was attracted to Cersei. He found her beautiful from their first meeting in the woods.

Howland relayed the message as soon as they met. Only Cersei knew that there was Targaryen blood flowing through the babe's blood. Ned was now near King's Landing about to storm the city when Howland's words replayed themselves.

"Jon must come to his inheritance." He was a Targaryen, but a bastard. There was Aegon and Rhaenys, the true heirs. Rhaegar was gone. He would win the throne for Robert. Lyanna was gone. Winterfell was safe and his. He would go to Winterfell with Cersei and have Jon as his bastard son. He would be protected, maybe he would go to the Wall. Catelyn and her daughter would always have a place to eat and a hearth in Winterfell.

Ned found Jaime Lannister who looked somber. They were to storm the city in a few minutes. Ned rode alongside him.

"You'll take care of them. Cersei and Tyrion. If I die. You'll have to take care of them." Jaime said as they prepared to ride in.

Ned nodded, "what of your child?" He learned that his brother in law would have an heir soon.

"I suppose." Jaime said.

Ned thought him cold then. How could he not care for the child? only Ned did not care much for Jon. He cared for Benjen. He must care for Jon too; he was the last he had of Lyanna. His poor beloved sister.

They stormed the city. Ned heard explosions and fell off his horse. There was fire everywhere. He ran ahead and saw people burning. He fought a few men and made his way to the Red Keep. He would kill Aerys with his own hands. It was his right after he killed his father and Brandon. That hatred fueled Ned to fight and kill all the men who stood between him and the throne room.

He was surprised to see Aerys on the floor with a vial of poison. The Targaryens took refuge there. He walked and saw Elia and her children lying on the floor too. He found a maester. Pycelle nervously looking at him.

"Leave." He thundered.

Jaime reached the throne room next. He and a few of their men. "They are dead, poisoned."

Ned looked at the throne and then at Jaime. "Any news of Robert?"

"Dead from his injuries." Jaime replied and walked alongside him.

Ned looked at Jaime, a first-born son. Jaime walked ahead of him. Ned understood that Jaime would claim the throne for himself, but should he? It was Ned who lost his sister, brother and father. It was Ned's nephew who was alive and who had the last legitimate claim on the throne.

Ned grabbed Jaime's shoulder. He drew his sword out. "You should ride to Casterly Rock and bring Cersei to me."

Ned walked up the last steps and sat down on the throne. He frowned when he felt the blades stab him lightly on the back.

"Of course." Jaime walked down the steps.

No one ever said anything about the aftermath in war. Ned learned things very quickly. He needed help. He sent for Jon Arryn. He needed counsel. He was the King by rebellion, by cause and by the fact that his ancestors were once Kings of the North. It was almost a week before the Spider made his presence known. He spun his tale. "Rhaella Targaryen is dead; her children will set out East in a fortnight." The Spider said slowly before skulking away.

Stannis arrived two days later with his host to help with the aftermath. He gave him his sword.

"You have my host and my sword." He said. Stannis was not jovial like Robert. He had a serious face, somber, but determined. Robert had described his younger brother as a bore.

Ned met Stannis only once years ago when he was no more than a child. He nodded, "I need you to sail to Dragonstone. Bring Prince Viserys and the babe to King's Landing. Their place is here."

"My brother died trying to stop the Targaryens. There will not be a Targaryen on that throne." Stannis said.

"Will you bring them for me?" Ned asked him. Could he kill them? Could he order them to be killed? He would not. He could not. He needed someone to talk to.

The answer came from the West. His lady wife arrived with her father three weeks after King's Landing fell to him. He was glad to see her face.

"Your grace." Tywin Lannister bowed in the throne room. Ned watched as Cersei entered with a small bundle on her arms.

Ned went down the steps to her and the babe. His father in law looked at him. "You need to form a council now."

"You need to have your vassal houses accounted for. There is a rumor that you have asked Baratheon to have the Targaryen boy and the babe come to King's Landing. It is a good start." The man began. Ned nodded. He would not take advice from Tywin Lannister. He was dangerous everyone knew so.

He looked toward Cersei but he was forced into a room with Lannister and other people he barely met. There was Mace Tyrell and three other men. Kevan Lannister, Yohn Royce and a tanned man. Dornish, this was Doran Martell, the Prince of Dorne.

"I have come to retrieve my sister and her children's bodies." The man said somberly. "Dorne is in mourning. We do not want any more wars." The man said and stood up. He limped and left the room.

Tywin took over. He had a plan of action. Ned found himself agreeing to things that appeared to make sense. The hosts were to return to their lands. There needed to be mass burials, ways to clean the city. Tywin spoke of a coronation. "You and Cersei need to be crowned in front of people."

Ned stood up. "I need to leave." He said and stood up. His head ached. He left for his quarters. He did not know it the first night he slept in them but they were Rhaegar's chambers.

Cersei was there seated with Jon in a crib. Where did she find a crib?

"We have to talk." Ned said in greeting.

Cersei nodded and followed him. She had Jon fast asleep. "He will sleep through anything. He's been fed. We had to find a nursemaid nearby. His old one could not come with us. She has two kids of her own."

Ned grabbed her hands and guided her to the weirwoods. It was the only solace of the stinking city. The weirwoods were home.

"I don't belong here." Ned said what was on his mind for once.

Cersei looked at him, "you are the king."

"Not yet. There needs to be a coronation and the Warden of the East has not agreed." Ned said quickly.

"Jon Arryn fought in Robert's rebellion." Cersei replied easily.

"You said it. Robert's Rebellion. I am Ned." He finished quickly.

His wife looked him with her green eyes. Cersei was pretty, very much so. He desired her greatly. He wanted her now. She spoke once more.

"Ned. Do you understand?" Cersei asked.

"I'm sorry. I did not hear you speak." Ned apologized to her.

"I said we will do whatever you want to do." Cersei said and led him to a bench. From the moment they married, Cersei had shown to be helpful to him. She was accepting, easy to talk to.

Ned looked at her. "You know."

His wife nodded, "I know that he is your nephew and that his father was Rhaegar." She said while looking at him.

"How did you know?"

Cersei looked at him, "you said you were only with one woman after your brother died. The babe is older."

"I could have lied to you." Ned said with a frown.

"Did you?" Cersei asked him frankly.

"No. I have not lied to you." He told her clearly. The headache returned, "what do I do? Your father is here. He is managing everything now. Jon is still far. He has no date to be here yet and I promised Lyanna."

"What did you promise her?" Cersei asked him.

Ned looked at her, "to keep him safe. To keep Aegon safe."

Cersei wrinkled her nose, "Jon. His name is Jon."

"Where is he the safest?" Cersei asked him.

"North with me, far from here." Ned immediately replied. "The Starks don't do well south. We simply don't."

Cersei grabbed his hand, "so you go North, who claims the throne? My father? Stannis Baratheon or perhaps someone rules until Viserys comes of age or the Targaryen babe? I was told she is a girl. I also know that you requested for them to be here. What happens when they learn that Jon is a Targaryen? He will have a target on his back."

Ned looked at her, "don't you see? You are the most powerful man in the Seven Kingdoms. You can protect your nephew. All you have to do is decide." She said.

"I can't." Ned said.

"Why did you climb the steps? Jaime said that he was closer." Cersei asked him and looked genuinely curious.

"I felt like it." Ned replied. He could not tell her that it was because he felt jealous of Jaime. He could not tell her that he did not want to be second best. It was a snap decision, a moment that he regretted ever since.

Cersei looked at him, "what will you do with Jon?"

"I don't know." Ned did not feel like the most powerful man in Westeros.

"I heard a rumor." Cersei said almost nonchalantly. "I heard that you deflowered me during Harrenhall's tourney. I heard that my father found us and I had to leave early. I also heard that I was pregnant with your child when we married in Casterly Rock. Jon is also said to have my high cheekbones."

"They saw you. Lysa, Tully and Jon Arryn. They all saw you marry me. You were not with child. The servants, the maesters. No one will believe it." Ned said.

Cersei did not appear defeated, "the world will believe whatever you want them to believe. You are the king after all."

Ned watched as she stood up, "Ned, you don't have a lot of time to think. What will it be? Lyanna's promise or going North, knowing that the lie could be unraveled?"

"What will you do when he understands where he comes from?" Cersei asked him. "You can protect him here, now, as the king. I don't think you will have the same chance if you are the Warden of the North." She said with a frown.

"What are you saying? Cersei, what are you thinking?" Ned was tired, exasperated. He needed space. He needed to be alone, away from her but near her. He did not understand any of this.

"You legitimize him. He becomes Jon Stark, crown prince. He inherits the throne. He is protected. He becomes king when you die." Cersei replied once and for all.

Ned looked into her eyes, "what of our children?"

Cersei smiled at him, "they were never meant to be kings or queens. You are a second son and I was never meant to marry a prince. Father tried."

Ned chuckled. He found himself startled by the sound. She did that, Cersei managed to make him chuckle and smile. It could not be enough. She was correct, he was a second son. He was not supposed to be king. He was supposed to have a holdfast up North or maybe become a knight or marry some lady and manage her lands. He even considered joining the Watch. Never, in a million years did he imagine that he could have Winterfell. It belonged to Bran, but now it could be his, only he held a bigger prize. He held the throne.

Cersei kept looking at him, "you think you can't do it."

Ned rubbed his eyes, "how could I? Cersei, I feel so lost, your father spoke and spoke and I had no idea what he said."

"You will learn. Your family comes from the First Men, do they not? Your ancestors were kings before the Targaryens arrived and united the Seven Kingdoms. All you need is help." Cersei repeated.

"Jon Arryn. He will be my hand." Ned told her.

Cersei nodded as they stood up, "you'll be breaking my father's heart but he will survive."

Ned chuckled again, they made their way back inside the castle. It would be hard work and he was unsure but the alternative was too uncertain. He needed the throne to protect Jon. He would have preferred anonymity for the boy but it was too late now. He could not go back, not now, not ever. The decision was made.