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Chapter 31
Ned's meetings were tedious to say the least. He finished the last one and saw Cersei and the children dressed.
Cersei offered him a tight smile. "We are to see Lady Stark and Tyrion off too."
Ned nodded. He never thought Cersei and Catelyn could get along so well. He picked up Daenerys and grabbed Jon's hand. He knew Jon wanted to be picked up too but it was not proper. Jon was a boy. He needed to be strong.
They went to the private port. He shook Tyrion's hand and then kissed Catelyn's hand. "I hope I shall see you soon enough Cat."
"Winterfell is yours my king." Catelyn said. Ned forgot himself and hugged her. "Take care and write to me."
Cersei also hugged Catelyn but Ned noticed a stiffness that was not there before. He frowned but was distracted when he saw Daenerys hug Tyrion.
"Don't go." She cried when Tyrion walked down.
"Now Dany, you must let me go. I shall bring you beautiful toys and tell you stories of whights and white walkers when I come back." Tyrion said and hugged Dany for a last time.
Ned picked her up. Jon looked somber and hugged Tyrion again. "What shall you bring me?"
"What does my prince want?" Tyrion asked him.
"I want a direwolf and a dragon." Jon said. Ned stiffened. Tyrion chuckled, "I am not sure I can bring you those my prince but I shall try my best."
Jon grinned at him. "Bye nuncle."
Cersei kissed Tyrion's forehead, "be good and write often. Be back soon. I shall miss you so much." She said and hugged her brother.
Ned knew how much she loved Tyrion. Ned was convinced his brother in law was his wife's first baby. She treasured him and Tyrion in turn worshipped her. In many ways Cersei was the only mother the boy knew.
"Be off." Ned said as goodbye.
They watched as the small boat took Catelyn and Tyrion to their ship. The children did not want to leave until the ship sailed. They ran around the shore. "Stay with us." Cersei asked him.
Ned could never tell her no. He refused to go with Jon Arryn and Baelish. "Your grace, we have two meetings scheduled."
"They shall have to wait." Ned replied simply. He also dismissed the kingsguard. "Go back to the castle. Now." He commanded.
Cersei and him watched as Jon and Dany raced each other. Cersei sat down on some rocks once the others left. Ned sat by her. Sometimes it was nice to be quiet for a bit. As usual, it was Cersei who broke their silence.
"I spoke with Catelyn this morning." Cersei began. "I asked her if she was in love with you."
Ned frowned. "Why would you do that?"
His wife looked at him with her beautiful green eyes, "I saw the way she looked at you. I saw her face light up when you spoke. I grew worried so I asked her."
"She is not in love with me. I remind her of Brandon it's all." Ned replied.
Cersei nodded, "it was the same answer she gave me. Only, I do not think that is all. I think she wants you. I think that if given the choice she would bed you."
Ned was speechless. His wife was entirely calm as she spoke, "Jon Arryn brought her here in hopes that you would bed her." Ned had to laugh at that.
Cersei's eyes glowed in fury. "I discovered the plot and I wondered. Why would Arryn think it could work? There had to be a reason."
Ned let her speak. "So I thought about you and her. I thought of when you were in Winterfell. I asked her about your time there. She refused to speak of it. So I ask you. What happened during that time?"
They watched as Jon pulled Dany and they jumped to get away from the water. He looked at Cersei and grabbed her hand. He never felt guilty of kissing Catelyn. He'd forgotten about it.
"Catelyn is not in love with me. I am not in love with her. I love you." Ned said quietly. "I was hurting. I was silly and I regretted it as did she."
Cersei's face crumpled. She shook her hand away from his and sobbed. Ned tried to hold her.
"How could you? How could you fuck her?" Cersei hissed while trying to wipe her tears.
Ned frowned, "I did not. It was merely a kiss in the woods. She wanted Brandon and I wanted to stop hurting."
Cersei looked at him. "A kiss."
"A kiss, an ill-advised moment." Ned defended himself.
Cersei nodded and grabbed his hand. "I don't want you to be so familiar with her."
"She is my friend." Ned said simply.
Cersei shook her head, "she wants you. She wants to take my place. I can feel it."
Ned sighed, "she could never be queen. Why are you so obsessed with the throne?" It hurt him to know that she was so power hungry.
His wife glared at him, "I don't care about the stupid kingdom. I don't want her to be your wife and take the children. I don't want her to be by your side and take care of you. I hate the idea of you touching her."
"I don't love her. I love you." Ned explained.
Cersei nodded and kissed him. "I love you too." She said softly. "I think I have for a while but I was stubborn."
Ned blinked and kissed her once more. She kissed him back and he moaned when she deepened it.
"Tell me again." He asked her.
"I love you." She said and he attacked her lips once more.
Jon ran to them. "Stop kissing mamma. Come and play with us." Jon grabbed his hand and pulled him. Cersei nodded. Daenerys' dress was wet and she was tumbling down the shore.
"I cannot tumble." Ned said softly.
"Silly papa. You have to carry me while we chase Jon." Dany said and attempted to climb over him.
Ned glanced at Cersei who looked more beautiful than ever. He played with the children but kept stealing glances at his wife who glanced back. He wanted to her words again and again. They walked back after an hour. A kingsguard came back for him.
"Your grace. I have explicit instructions to escort you back to the Red Keep. There is a situation." Trant said. Cersei sighed and took the children. "We shall go with you. These two have to bathe and have lunch."
Ned hated to part from them. He kissed her lips. "I shall see you soon."
"More like suppertime." Cersei said and kissed his hands, "Go."
The king met with his small council. The situation was none other than a sprouting of greyscale in the Arbor. Ned frowned but could not shake the meetings. He thought of Cersei all afternoon. Jon came in for the last meeting. Cersei's words resounded with him. Jon Arryn brining Catelyn in hopes of deposing her. They concluded the meeting after an hour.
"Jon, please stay. I must speak with you." Ned said. He decided he would confront Jon Arryn. The man was under no illusions anymore. Jon did not like Cersei but he needed to know if there was a plot to place Catelyn on the throne.
"It has come to my attention that Catelyn's visit had a secret agenda." Ned said carefully.
Jon remained quiet. It was the admission he expected. "I advised you to not interfere. You leave me no other choice." Ned said somberly.
"No choice in what exactly?" Jon asked him.
"You do not respect me. I am not a child to look after any longer. I clearly asked you to not interfere twice before this." Ned said while trying to push down the fury and disappointment he felt. It was clear to him a couple of years ago that Cersei ruled him. She would ask him to do anything and he would without a second thought. All to make her happy, all to be in her good graces and have her love him. She was his weakness.
"I am trying to keep that throne for you. All I do is for your benefit." Jon Arryn said impassively.
"Bringing Catelyn and hoping for what exactly? That I would fuck her and cast my true wife aside? How has my Cersei wronged you? Is she not a good queen? The lord and ladies love her. The peasants worship her. Why are you so against her? I ask you again, were you not the one who advised for the marriage?" Ned asked him.
"I did not expect you to be king. You were to take her North." Jon finally said what they both knew. He would never have chosen Ned to sit on the throne.
"She's blinded you. This woman has bewitched you. She's all sweet now but she is waiting. You will have Tywin Lannister as hand of the King before the month is out. This is what she wants. She wants you to cast me aside and have her family rule." Jon said firmly.
"You know nothing of her." Ned hissed back.
"And you know so much of her? She was always a risk. I knew that and I thought you would learn that as well. I thought you a smart if quiet man. I rejoiced when she did not manage to produce heirs. How I wish Robert had lived! He would have put her in her place had he been you." Jon said spitefully.
Ned's anger rose, it always took a lot for him get properly angry. Lyanna and Brandon had the quickest tempers of them all. Maybe it was why they went so young. Benjen and him were more even tempered. He did not raise his voice as he spoke, "He isn't here and he isn't king but I am. Leave for the Vale as soon as you can. You are feeling ill, you are not a young man any longer. You need your rest. The crown thanks you for your service." Ned said and stood to leave.
"You would reduce me to a feeble old man." Jon Arryn's voice rose for the first time.
"Better than dismissed for treason. I wish you the best in all the wars to come." Ned finished. He was done with Jon Arryn.
"You are making a mistake Eddard. I shall go and not come back. I cannot bear to see what she will make of you." His mentor, the man who was a father to him said as parting.
Ned walked away from the room and went to the Godswoods to pray. He needed peace, he needed to think. Jon would be gone and not in good terms. Would he have dismissed Jon in any other circumstances? Probably not but he had Cersei. Ned was very surprised to see her walk with Jon and Dany hand in hand.
It was getting quite dark, the children ran to him and climbed to his lap. "We were looking for you." Jon said.
Cersei came closer. She looked at him differently, as if she did not know his face, as is he were new to her and yet she smiled the same way she always did. There was recognition but there was something else, a shine to her already beautiful green eyes.
"I have been here." Ned replied and watched as Jon quieted.
"Were you praying?" Dany asked. She sat on his lap.
"I was but not anymore." The man replied with a smile.
"We've interrupted you." Jon said and stood up. "Mamma says that we mustn't interrupt when you pray."
"I think it is fine for now." Ned said. He looked up to Cersei who looked uncomfortable. "Come and sit with us."
"I do not wish to intrude." Cersei said, she looked out of place.
"You never intrude when you are with me. Wherever I am you will always be welcome." He said sincerely.
Cersei's mouth quirked up. She sat by him, the children joined hands and went to their hart tree. They joined hands and prayed.
He grabbed her hand, "Jon Arryn rides for the Eyrie."
Cersei's eyes rounded, "why?"
"The official statement is that his health is poor and he is tired. The truth is that I can no longer trust him to keep my best interests." Ned said bitingly.
"The plot." Cersei said with a furrowed brow.
"Aye. He did not deny his involvement." Ned confirmed. Cersei frowned further. "He is a good Hand of the King."
"He was. I shall have to find another one. Maybe your father will accept and come to King's Landing."
Cersei frowned even further, "never my father. I do not wish to give him such power."
Ned laughed, "so what would you have me do?"
"I don't like him but you care for him and you need him. I shall have you do nothing. I will speak with him. You will of course be next to me. It will not be you taking your word back. It will be me, the queen offering a truce." Cersei said.
Ned looked at her as if she were insane. "He's plotted against you twice. Why would I want him back?"
"He is useful. You must be careful but he is helping the kingdoms. You yourself know what it was like when you were by yourself. You need his counsel, you have learned so much but you need his advice." Cersei replied.
"You would really turn him away because of me?" She asked gently.
Ned touched her cheek, "you've never understood how much I love you. You have been my light." He chuckled.
"What is so funny?" She asked him.
"When Jon Arryn came to me and arranged our marriage, he spoke of your beauty and how advantageous our union would be. "They call her the Light of the West." I'd already met you. I had seen how truly beautiful you were but went along. I cannot help but think of how wrong his plans were. I fell in love with you and became king. He never thought he would have you to contend with. You are a formidable foe."
Cersei frowned, "you overestimate me."
"I don't. I have seen you, how much you work, how well you fit. You are cunning, smart and ambitious. You navigate all of them so very easily while I just want them to go away." Ned replied. His wife shook her head.
"Do not let Arryn leave King's Landing. You need him. We need him still; his time is not up yet." Cersei said.
"He will not stay. Our bond is forever broken." Ned was sure Jon would not be further humiliated.
"He will stay. You think he is honorable like you. He may have been once upon a time but power is seductive. I do not think that he is ready to relinquish it yet." She said and stood up. "Come along, we must make sure that no one knows of his departure." Cersei said and offered her hands to the children.
They walked back and headed for the Tower of the Hand. Daenerys and Jon were given to a maid. "You must be good and bathe. Papa and I will be with you after we meet with the Lord Hand." Cersei advised.
Ned followed her to the steps to Jon's solar. A maid let them in. Jon looked up from his papers and scowled, "have you come to gloat?"
His wife shook her head, "I have come with a peace offering." She said and sat in front of Jon. Ned remained by the door.
Jon did not address her, "What is the meaning of this?"
"The king has dismissed you from the royal service because of your ill-fated attempts against our family." Cersei said.
The older man frowned, "I am merely trying to do what is best for the crown."
"And yet you insist in undermining my position as queen, as mother of his children." Cersei said softly.
"A wrong statement. You are neither the mother of his children as Ned only has one child, whom you did not birth." Jon said. Ned frowned.
"Lord Hand, I will choose to ignore your comment. For Ned and I have two children. Daenerys and Jon Stark. They are legitimized heirs and mayhaps we shall have more if the Gods decide." Cersei said with an uneven tone. Jon got to her, her temper rose ever so slightly.
Jon however did not detect the wavering in her voice, "I will leave in two days."
"You shall do no such thing for your queen commands you to stay and serve the King as his Hand. You and I loathe each other but we love him and we care for the realm. We have to learn to cope with one another for Ned's sake." Cersei stated simply.
"My husband's word is irrevocable which is why it is me who is asking for you to stay. Eddard was hasty in removing you so I have come to right that." She continued.
Jon was red on the face, "I will not stay."
"Oh but you will. You are prideful. Ned will of course circulate that your departure is because of your health. You see my husband unlike you is loyal and a good person. If you leave, I will make sure all high and low people know of your brothel visits, the plots to remove me as queen. They will also learn of your wives' untimely deaths. How is it that you have managed to survive two wives and make with their dowries and lands? Rumor has it that you have poisoned them. I will also add that you have dabbled in slavery deals from the East." Cersei said carefully.
"Lies, all lies." Jon defended himself.
Cersei nodded, "but of course they are, every single one and yet, all it takes is for one person to believe them and records will begin to appear, witnesses come forth. The Lannister's always pay their debts. Yours will be paid one way or another. I would choose to pay it by staying. It would require less work on both our parts."
Jon looked at him. "I am proven right. This woman is a threat to you."
"I daresay she is a threat to you. My wife has been kind enough to let you stay. I have no input on her brand of justice."
"Lord Arryn, I am a rather impatient woman, what say you?" Cersei asked, unperturbed by the older man's glare and discomposed state.
"No one would believe these lies. No one could ever believe such things of me." Jon said.
Cersei frowned, "I would not like to find out if I were you. I am Tywin Lannister's daughter. You would be surprised of how much I have learned from him."
Jon looked older than his years then. "As High as Honor. You are the last of your name. I would not be so hasty to let your legacy be besmirched by brothel visits, plots and other scandals. What will you be known for? The Lord Hand who built a kingdom or a lecherous old man who sold men and women." She wondered out loud. "Continue to do your job as you have for you are an excellent advisor. Do not presume to interfere in my marriage or my children."
Ned watched as his wife stood up, "you have yourself your Hand once more my love." She kissed him and caressed his face and left the tower.
Ned looked at his mentor. Jon looked feeble then. "It would have been easier to let me go." He said.
"It would have been easier for you to stop your meddling. Let this be a lesson to you Lord Arryn. You must decide your own fate." Ned opened the door.
"I shall stay." The man said.
"I think it is best." Ned finished and left the tower.