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Chapter 26

She was dying. Pycelle said it so. It would not take long now. Ned cried and raged when the man said it. He would never forgive himself. Ned rode back as hard as he could when he learned of Jon's illness only to find that it was Cersei on a bed, sweating and slowly dying.

Maester Pycelle thought that she had Jon's illness only it wasn't. It was something else. His wife bled. He was forced out of the room and then the maester came to him. "She had a babe in her belly."

"Your grace, the prince was ill. The queen insisted that she must be the one to take care of the prince. She tasted all the medicines and applied the oils to the child. These medicines may have provoked her miscarriage. She must not have noticed the bleeding until too late." The man said.

Ned blinked, "why is she still bleeding?"

"It happens sometimes. I am afraid, we have nothing more to do than to make her comfortable." The man said. "Bring her family. She asked for her children and her brothers."

Ned was numb. He nodded and entered the chambers once more. It was heartbreaking to see her so pale. Cersei was filled with light. She was proud, high cheekbones and sweetness. He held her clammy hands in his. She begged him to not leave her. She swore she would try. Ned cried when she said those words and held her.

She begged for the children and they were brought in. She was delirious, Daenerys and Jon cried. He promised Cersei that Tyrion and Jaime would be in King's Landing but he knew they would not see her. Pycelle did not give her much time. She was given milk of the poppy. Ned waited but she did not pass on. He had no sense of time but soon he had a room full of Lannisters.

Tyrion barely looked at him. He went straight to Cersei's bed and cried as if he were a small boy.

Jaime punched him on the mouth. "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF HER." He roared and tried to hit him again. Tywin stopped him.

"Enough." Tywin said. "Your sister is dying." The man said.

Cersei spoke, "You're here." She said and kissed Tyrion's hand.

"Jaime." She called with her hand. Ned watched as Jaime Lannister went to her.

"Oh Cerse." He said. Ned had never seen his brother in law so disheveled.

Cersei shivered, "you have to take care of him. Remember, you have to love him dearly for no one else will." She kept saying.

Jaime nodded and kissed her forehead, "I promise. I promise sweet sister, sleep, you have to get better." Jaime Lannister's face contorted with pain and cried. Ned watched his wife shiver from pain. He would never know, a part of him felt jealous then, it was a petty feeling but Cersei looked at her brother with so much love. She did not look at him that way.

Tyrion cried and kissed her hand, "you can't die. You can't. Cersei please." The young man said.

Tywin could not stand it. He left the rooms. Cersei was asleep again. The three men stayed in the room for an hour before maester Pycelle ordered some of them out.

"You must leave. There are too many people." The maester said and ushered the Lannisters out. It was Ned's right to stay, this was his wife, the most important woman in his life. He would lose her and the last months he spent with her were bitter. He avoided her, he should have spent every single day with her, watching her, making love to her. Soon she would leave him and the children.

Ned remained with her and cried when she called his name again. He remembered crying when he learned of father and Brandon. He remembered rage and a grief so painful when he found Lyanna bleeding out. Seeing Cersei so weak, almost gone, it broke something in him. He was ready to sacrifice anything.

"I promise that I will forget. I promise that I will be fine with whatever you are willing to give. Cersei please, I swear, I will make you happy. I do not care if you never love me as much as I do. All I want is for you to be alive with me and the children." He begged her. There he was, the most powerful man in the Seven Kingdoms on his knees, weeping for her.

Cersei shivered and sighed. Ned feared the worst and placed his head on her chest. He could hear her heart beating. It was strong. He felt her hand on his forehead, "Stay with me." She rasped, "Hold me." She said. Ned did so. He held her and fell asleep.

He woke up the following morning to Cersei's green eyes. "Ned, we need to bathe." She said while wrinkling her nose.

Ned frowned, "How are you feeling? I have to call the maester." He stood up and left the quarters. The maester was outside.

"Your grace, I am most sorry" Pycelle began.

Ned shook his head, "She is awake, asking for a bath." He grinned. Surely this was good. The maester moved past him. Ned followed hot in his heels.

Cersei sat up and blinked when the maester checked her. "Any discomfort?"

"Yes, I think I may have bleed but my courses were done just before Jon fell ill. Where is my Jon?" Cersei appeared to have remembered.

Pycelle frowned, "Your grace, did you have your courses? How heavy were they? Any cramping?"

It was Cersei's turn to frown. "some spotting, shorter than the previous month. No cramping."

Pycelle nodded, "My lady, you had a miscarriage. May I examine you?"

Cersei gasped but nodded. Ned watched with discomfort as Pycelle did his duty. "No fever, there is light bleeding still."

"What happened?" Cersei asked.

Pycelle explained, he had a better account of the days, "You spent a week in and out. Your grace, I thought you would be with the Seven."

Cersei frowned, "I need to bathe." She felt weak and she was hungry too.

The maester glanced at her once more, "You must rest, we have to make sure the bleeding stops. You have bled steadily for days. You should not strain yourself."

"I need to bathe." Cersei said once more, "And I hope to see my children." Ned watched as the maester helped her into a standing position.

"Your legs will be weak." The man said. Ned came in close to her and helped her walk for a bit. Four handmaidens brought in a large tub. The maester left but not before ordering her to rest and eat something.

Pycelle pulled him aside. "She must rest. She is weak and needs to heal, otherwise, she will be sick again. Your grace, she may not be able to bear children."

Ned shook the maester off. He did not care. All he cared about was that Cersei was awake. Ned nodded when Cersei called his name. The king stayed near her. He dismissed the servants. "Bring food for her." Ned began washing her hair as soon as the servants left. He helped her wash her body and rinsed her once the other handmaidens brought clean water. He was silent as he helped her into fresh garments. Her eyes were clear, she looked pale but there was life to her. He felt as in a daze. Ned could not look away from her, from her beautiful eyes, her nose, her chin, her cheeks. He vowed to commit to memory every single detail from her face and have an artist come to draw her. He heard of a nobleman in Volantis who had portraits of himself and his wives. He would have Jon Arryn send for the artist.

She was in bed eating some light food, for sick people. She finished half a plate and asked for the children once more, "I want to see them." She stated after he forced her to eat the rest of her food.

"You'll be happy to see your brothers. They arrived earlier. They were here to see you." Ned told her.

His wife smiled, "they're here too." He nodded and was happy to see her so lively. "I must see them too."

Ned nodded once again, "I shall have them come first. The children should wait. I am sure your brothers are beside themselves."

Cersei arched an eyebrow, "you will bring them."

"I will." He kissed her forehead and she gave him a smile.

Ned left the room. He needed a bath as well. He would have the maidens bring a tub to another of the rooms. Tyrion and Lannister were on the corridor. He was not surprised.

"My sister." Tyrion began. His voice was forever changed. It was deeper, Ned just noticed.

"She is waiting for you." Ned replied.

"The maester said she needed rest. He was very sparse with his words." Lannister glared at him.

Ned deeply disliked him. "My wife is recovering. You may see her now." He must never forget that Cersei was his. Jaime had been her protector for years but the man must never forget his place.

"Let's go." Tyrion pulled on Lannister's sleeve.

Ned walked to some other quarters and had a bath drawn. He bathed quickly and had clothes brought to him. Ned dressed quickly and walked to the Daenerys' quarters.

He found Jon in there. They were both asleep, they had their hands intertwined.

"Sweetling." He said to Dany who stirred first. He smiled at her sleepy face.

She immediately cried, "you've come to tell me my mamma is with the Stranger." Ned shook his head. Cersei taught them of the Seven while he taught them about the Old Gods. The children understood death as the Stranger.

"Shush my little Sun, mama is fine. She is waiting for you. We must wake Jon." Ned said as Daenerys clung to his tunic.

Jon was harder to wake up. He almost burst into tears as Dany did. "Mama is fine. She will be fine." His son smiled then and stood up. He raised his arms at him. It was becoming rare that Jon asked to picked up. He was a big boy now or so he claimed and he was training with horses. Daenerys had to no problem being picked up and kissed. He carried his children to Cersei's quarters and heard some of the voices inside.

"You must come West. It is dangerous here. You were always safe West. Who is to say they did not poison you Cerse?" Lannister said.

Ned heard enough. "Push the doors." He instructed Jon. The little boy did. Ned noticed Lannister pacing while Tyrion sat on chair placed almost on the bed.

Daenerys and Jon squirmed from his arms and ran to the bed.

"My babies." Cersei opened her arms to welcome them.

"You must be careful." Ned called when Jon made for the bed. Dany climbed carefully and then Jon tried as well. Lannister placed him on the other side. The remained quiet for a bit.

Cersei kissed their cheeks and hugged each of them. Lannister looked on while Tyrion readied himself for a kiss as well.

"Why is everyone so quiet?" She asked the children.

Daenerys, always the most outspoken, said it first, "Jon and I thought the Stranger would take you. We cried and you made us promise to be good."

"Oh sweetling, I am so sorry to have scared you so but I am fine now. You must forget about those silly promises." Cersei said planting a smile on her face.

Lannister looked at her harshly, "it was like when mother died. You made me promise like she did."

Cersei nodded at her twin, "you must always remember that promise."

Tyrion looked uncomfortable then, "So you two. I am your better-looking uncle." The young man said. "Last time I saw you. You couldn't speak."

"I don't remember you." Jon said.

Daenerys grinned at him, "you have funny eyes. I have funny eyes." She said brightly.

Tyrion laughed. Cersei kissed Dany's forehead. Cersei winced a bit.

Ned moved the children to the floor.

"Your mama needs the bed to herself." He said as they frowned.

"Who are you?" Jon asked Lannister. It appeared he finally noticed the other man.

"I am your uncle Jaime. Your mother and I are twins." Jaime said to the young boy.

They were interrupted by Tywin Lannister and Jon Arryn.

"Your grace. I am relieved by your recovery." Jon said while Tywin glanced at her.

"Father." She said with a forced smile. The older man came to the bed and kissed her cheek.

Cersei looked at her children on the floor, "Jon, Daenerys, this is your grandfather."

Jon bowed while Daenerys curtsied. Tywin nodded at them.

"Well, your grace, we must leave. You have council meetings that cannot be delayed any further." Jon Arryn began.

Ned frowned and then looked at Daenerys. "I shall stay with you." He said to his wife. He was not about to leave her. Ned still needed convincing that she was alive and fine.

"Go, they need you. Come back to me when you're done." Cersei told him with a half-smile. Ned came close to her and tenderly kissed her lips. He was not one for public affection but he resolved to kiss her as much as he could. He would not restrain himself, she was back from the dead and he would keep her. He did not care that other men saw him. She was his, alive, whole, the feeling of her lips kissing his was the sweetest thing.

"I shall see you soon." He kissed her hands and pecked her lips once again. Cersei nodded.

"Come along children. You will see mama again in the morrow." Ned grabbed their hands. They knew better than to complain.

"Are we to go to meetings with you?" Jon asked.

"No, you are to go play." He said and they ran off to one of the gardens.

Arryn and him walked to the council room. Arryn sent a maid to look after the children. "Jon is the heir. He must not be unattended." He said.

The meetings were long and he grew hungry. Arryn asked for food during a break. They were alone at last. Ned ate quickly. He wanted nothing than to be back at his quarters with Cersei.

"The Grandmaester informed me of the queen's loss." Jon began.

Ned stopped eating and drank some ale. He remained quiet.

"You two have been married for almost five years no and this is the first time she's brought forth fruit." The older man continued.

"I fail to see why this is a topic of suitable conversation." Ned pointed out.

Jon frowned, "the line of succession happens to be on her hands. You need a spare."

"We have a spare." Ned continued.

"Do not be ridiculous, the lords of Westeros did not fight a war to put a Targaryen back on the throne." Jon said back.

Ned frowned, "she is a Stark."

"She is a dragon and she will not sit on that throne. You need another child, a son, in case Jon perishes." Jon said in what could be described an affable voice.

Ned's appetite was lost. "Jon is strong."

"He is a child. You saw what happened, a fever, anything could take him. We are but mortals, the line of succession must be secured, otherwise this was all for naught." The older man continued.

There was a tense silence. "She may not produce another child."

Ned cursed the grandmaester, "and yet she may. We are not Gods to know what the future holds."

"You must produce a child." Jon carried on, "a lady in her court would do. The queen may choose the lady herself but you must have a spare. He would only be legitimized should Jon die or not produce heirs."

"No. I will not have any bastards." Ned refused to do Cersei such a dishonor.

Jon frowned, "Jon was a bastard himself, your wife is fond of him. She may be fond of another."

"I said no and the matter is closed." Ned had enough. He stood up and left the chambers. He rushed to his quarters and found Cersei asleep. He came in closed and watched the steady rise of her chest. He felt relieved and sat by a chair to watch her sleep. He imagined a world where she was not there with him and shuddered. Cersei was the world and he would not let go.