Upon passing through the city gates, Lord Stark was immediately called to a Small Council meeting, his first as Hand of the King. He told Torrhen to take the girls and get settled into the castle, with Jory watching them all. Tor groaned when he witnessed the interaction between the messenger and his father. The messenger had asked if he wanted to change into "more appropriate clothing", his father had merely taken off his gloves and stared the messenger down. Lord Stark would not be earning too many friends while he was here, and Tor silently reaffirmed his vow to protect his family, though it seemed they were determined to make it hard on him.

When the three Stark children had gotten settled in the Tower of the Hand, Sansa stayed with the Septa, and Arya and Tor decided to explore the castle a bit. They ended up wandering the hall's of Maegor's holdfast when their superior senses picked up the voices of Prince Joffrey and his mother. Tor quickly shushed Arya and found the nearest alcove to hind behind that was still within hearing distance. The two focused on the conversation.

"A king should have scars. You fought off a direwolf and a mad boy. You're a warrior, like your father."

"I'm not like him." Joffrey replied, "I didn't fight off anything. They attacked me and all I did was scream. And the two Stark girls saw it, and my sister."

"That's not true." The voice of Cersei Lannister reached their ears. "You killed the beast, you only spared the boy because of the love your father bears his."

Tor and Arya's eyes widened and they turned to look at each other, in complete disbelief at the blatant lies spewing from the Queen's lips.

"When Aerys Targaryen sat on the Iron Throne, your father was a traitor and a rebel. Someday you'll sit on the throne and the truth will be what you make of it."

Tor sat in utter awe at the horrifying words Cersei Baratheon was spitting at her son. A horrible thought popped into his head. Has she been feeding her son these lies his entire life? If she has, then Tor almost couldn't blame the boy for what he was. His fist tightened, not to mention the possible repercussions. If the Prince sat on the throne one day, and believed these lies, he may truly become Aerys the Third. There would be another rebellion in the kingdom. Tor was brought back to reality at what Joffrey said next, and he and Arya listened intently.

"Do I have to marry her?"

"Yes. She's very beautiful and young. If you don't like her, you only need to see her on formal occasions, and when the time comes, to make little princes and princesses. You are my darling boy and the world will be exactly as you want it to be."

The queen was insane, Tor blinked. He honestly felt true pity for Joffrey now, he had been raised and indoctrinated to believe that the world served him, that he was entitled to have whatever he saw, that reality could be whatever he made it. Tor had had enough of listening to this, he motioned to Arya, and the two stood up and quickly made their exit.

"Enough young lady, eat your food!" the septa scolded Arya as she sat there slamming her kitchen knife into the table. Tor just smirked at Arya. He knew she was still comprehending the fact that the Queen could spew such utter bulls**t. He had barely recovered himself. He'd known that Lannister's were not often good people, but he'd actually pitied the Queen at Winterfell when the King had been groping servant girls in front of her. He still pitied her, but now it was because he was confident that she was out of her mind.

"I'm practicing."

"Practicing for what?" Sansa spoke with an air of condescension.

"The Prince." Arya stated matter of factly. Tor burst out laughing even as the septa began scolding her. "He's a liar and a coward and he drove Nymeria away." Tor's laughter began to calm down slightly. Once he had regained control of himself, he disputed Arya's point.

"The Queen drove our direwolves away, Arya, remember?" Arya smirked at his comment.

"Maybe I'm practicing for her then too."

"It might help with the Prince's attitude." Tor added.

"Stop it!" Sansa yelled. "The Queen and the Prince are nice, and kind, and pretty! They don't deserve to be treated like that." Arya and Sansa began arguing, but Tor just watched his red haired sibling in pity. She was far too innocent for a pig sty like this. He sometimes wished that father had never let mother build a sept in Winterfell. Perhaps Sansa would be less naive then, more like Arya, a lady of the North, rather than one of the south.

"Enough!" The septa scolded the fighting girls, pulling Arya up from her chair and taking the knife away from her just as their lord father walked in.

"What's happening here?" Lord Stark called out as he drew near.

"Arya would rather act like a beast than a lady." Septa Mordane immediately put forth. Tor's hands tightened, no one insulted his sister. He quickly warged into Seeker, who was resting on the window sill, and had him fly at the septa. She screamed and tripped over her long robes. Seeker flew out of the window and Tor sneered at the sight. His father looked at him warningly, clearly knowing who was responsible.

"What actually happened father," Tor stated matter of factly, "is that Arya and Sansa were having a lively debate on the pros and cons of the Queen and Prince." The elder Stark looked at his son skeptically. He shrugged back. "What Sansa doesn't know is that Arya is still angry from what we overheard the Prince and Queen talking about this afternoon. We should probably tell you that in private." Tor winced at his own words, knowing that it would hurt Sansa's feelings, but he didn't trust her not to share them.

When they were alone, Tor and Arya took turns sharing what they had learned, and then Tor put forth his personal thoughts on the matter. Eddard Stark sighed, "So you believe the Queen has been infecting the Crown Prince with things like that for years?" Torrhen Stark gave a nod. "You may well be right then. If he is as spoiled and entitled as you think he is, as well as the other things we talked about, there may be a war one day."

Torrhen's face hardened in resolve. "No matter what happens, I'll protect this family father, I promise." Lord Stark looked at the seriousness on his young son's face. Pride grew in his heart, he was nearly a man grown, but far more determined.

"Me too, I'll keep us safe!" Arya declared, childlike intensity on her face. Her brother and father's faces broke out in smiles then. Eddard Stark looked at both his children with warmth.

"Call Sansa in here Arya, you come back too. There is plenty of time for dark thoughts, but how about we celebrate our first day in the city before that?"

"Tor, Tor! Father got me a sword fighting teacher!" Tor smiled at Arya as she ran up to him. "And he told me you were the one to recommend him!" She jumped into him and wrapped her skinny arms around his larger frame.

"I figured it was time you got someone who could teach you how to swordfight. All I could do was teach you how to survive." Tor's smile grew a little wider at her obvious happiness.

"I'll miss our lessons though." Arya stated sadly.

Her brother ruffled her hair. "You still need more practice with knives don't you? Our lessons aren't over Arya, don't worry. I'll always have time for you."

Arya kicked him in the leg. "Don't be so sappy."

He chuckled. "Of course, milady. Now, this instructor of yours, he was the First Sword of Bravos. He'll be teaching you water dancing. A fine form for a lady such as yourself."

She wrinkled her nose. "Dancing? I don't want to dance."

"I can always tell father you didn't want him."

She gasped, "Don't you dare."

Tor laughed at her. "Aye, maybe I won't." He looked at her seriously and knelt down in front of her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "The world's a dangerous place Arya, the place we're in, even more so. Take this seriously, because the more you do so, the easier it will make my job."

"I will Tor." She clenched her fist determinedly, "What's your job?" she added curiously.

"Protecting my family."

"What would you want to be if you weren't a Princess?" were the words that came out of Tor's mouth as he and Myrcella sat together in the gardens. It was the most beautiful place in the castle, the bright colors of flowers and fruits was a relaxing sight compared to the cold stone that surrounded them most days. The garden was also the least smelly place in the castle, the trees, bushes, and flowers warding off the pungent smell that they had long grown used took these walks almost every day, always under the watchful eye of the Kingsguard. Today the two were followed by Arys Oakheart, who was the one most often assigned to Myrcella.

The Princess considered his question as she bit from the apple he had picked her. When she swallowed, she raised her bright green eyes to meet his own darker gray ones. "I think I'd want to be the captain of a ship." She sighed softly. "I want to see the world, what's out there past these walls, this smell." She leaned against Tor lightly, placing a head against his shoulders. "I want to sail for Essos, see the Free Cities, the Titan of Braavos, the Sunset Sea. I want to travel up to Eastwatch By the Sea. I want to see Skagos, the Hills of Norvos, I just want to see the world, Tor."

Tor wrapped his arm around her waist, drawing a blush onto her face. "Maybe we should, when we're married we'll have time. We wouldn't rule over anyone, we'll have no other responsibilities but to look like a perfect family for King Joffrey." He turned his head and whispered into her hair. "May I have the honor of being your first mate Captain Myrcella?"

She giggled at him. "There's no one I'd rather have."

Tor's face gained a contemplative grin suddenly, the kind that made his parents sigh in weariness, the face that meant he had just come up with an idea, and was deciding if the consequences were worth the fun. He lowered his voice to a whisper, so that their White Cloak wouldn't hear. "How would you feel about going out into the city with me tonight? I can sneak us out, I've been doing it for years at home, and I've memorized all the guard paths and some secret passages around here. We may not be able to set off round the world right now, but we can still have an adventure."

Myrcella's eyes twinkled at his own, and Tor knew she was in.

Five hours later, Tor set off to Myrcella's room, a sack over his shoulder containing everything they'd need to have fun in the city. His cloak was black, and under it he wore well kept, but old leather breeches and a rough dark colored shirt. He would be able to fit in as any low class merchant, sailor, squire, or sellsword. His only problem with blending in was his face. He was prettier than most people, and attractive people stand out. He wasn't a faceless man though, so he just had to deal with it the best he could.

The plan to get Myrcella out was simple. There was a constant guard posted in front of each of the royal family's rooms as they slept. First, Tor warged into Seeker, flew to Myrcella's window, and pecked the frame. She opened it with a smile, her blonde hair glinting in the candlelight. Now, Tor had to climb up to the windowsill. It was simple really, guards watched for people infiltrating from outside the grounds. No one checked for those already inside the castle. Scaling the tower was easy, fifteen feet up, and twenty feet around from the closest hall. He exited the open air hallway by climbing onto the stone barrier separating the hall from a twenty foot fall. He'd examined the holds a few nights ago. He had been paranoid since he entered this place, and he made sure to have multiple exits. He scaled quickly and confidently, not a move wasted. The stones in Winterfell were smoother, grinded down from thousands of years of snow and wind. These stones were coarser, the grooves deeper, Tor felt at ease. Doing this reminded him of his brother, Tor's hand tightened against his handhold. Best not get distracted, he told himself.

When he reached her window, he climbed up and into the window. Myrcella's hand was on the dagger strapped to her thigh. When Tor looked up, his hood fell back down, Myrcella saw his face and released the grip on her dagger. Tor frowned. He gave her a questioning look, but she just smiled to let him know she was fine.

Tor opened the bag on his back and handed her the clothes he'd pilfered from the laundries this afternoon. Myrcella didn't own any clothes that wouldn't stand out. Her clothes were all the finest quality. Myrcella went behind her dressing screen and quickly changed into the clothes he had brought her. Tor tried desperately not to think about what was happening behind the screen. When she came out from behind her screen she looked like a septa in training, not a Princess. She was wearing a thick, gray, wool dress that covered her almost completely, with a black cloak over her head to hide her distinctive Lannister hair. They were ready.

Now came the hard part of the plan. Climbing down with Myrcella on his back. They had tested before, Tor wasn't stupid. She told him she weighed about ninety pounds, a delicate girl all things considered. She was only 5'2 anyways. Arya and he had gone climbing earlier to test his idea. Arya was always willing to help him in his plans, even if she thought sneaking out to court a girl was stupid. Arya weighed about eighty pounds, and she had worn a chainmail shirt, which added about 5 pounds. He had carried her fifty feet up to reach the main room in the Tower of the Hand, an extra five pounds, going down, on a shorter distance shouldn't be a problem.

Tor nodded at her confidently, handed over the bag, which went onto her own back, and turned around. A second later, he felt a weight settle onto his back. "Hold on tight." He whispered softly to her, and he felt her squeeze him a bit harder. Tor slowly maneuvered his way out of the window with his betrothed still clinging to him. As he moved along, back to the hall he had started from, he tried not to get distracted by the warmth of his future wife's arms wrapped around him.

By the time they made it back to the hallway, Tor's arms and shoulders were aching slightly. He stepped onto the ground and sighed as he let his arms relax. Myrcella climbed down from his back and looked around. "What now?" She breathed.

"Now, you follow me. A guard will pass by here in about two minutes so we need to move." Tor's footsteps were completely silent as they walked, Myrcella's slapped softly against the stone. He paused. "You're going to have to get back on, your feet are loud. I'll teach you how to fix that later, but we don't have time." She nodded confidently and climbed onto his back. Apparently sneaking out had made her brazen as she leaned in and placed a kiss on Tor's cheek.

Tor's face twitched into a smile despite the slight blush on his own cheeks. They continued on from there, Tor occasionally ducking behind a wall or statue as he let a patrol pass. When the two had made it out of the castle proper, all that was left was the outer wall. They were watching for people to sneak out, not in, so they made it all the way to the gate, the watching guards were staring outwards. This wall was just fifteen feet high, so Myrcella stayed on his back as he made it to the top. Then, he warged back into Seeker as a distraction. The bird went to the opposite side as the young couple and let out a loud caw. It made the few guards look in that direction as Tor made his way down with Myrcella. Once they were over the wall, it was easy, they simply walked down the road that ran up against the side of the wall, nodding to the guards as they walked past them.

Myrcella laced her arm through Tor's own as they walked down the street. "That was fun!" Her voice laced with enthusiasm Tor laughed at her and nodded.

"Where to?" Torrhen asked. "You're in charge tonight." Myrcella took her time deciding. Most of King's Landing was asleep, but the two had a fine time walking around in the pale lanterns dotting the roads.

Myrcella's eyes lit up. "Let's see the wolves!" Tor matched her enthusiasm.

"That's a great idea! I haven't seen them for weeks! Not since we entered the city!" With that decided, they made their way purposefully towards the Kingswood. It would be guarded, of course, but they didn't need to sneak in, the wolves just needed to sneak out. So Myrcella guided the half aware, misty eyed, Torrhen as he brought the three direwolves into King's Landing proper. The two camped out in an empty dirt alley as they waited for the wolves to arrive.

When the three direwolves slinked into the alleyway, the two human teens' jaws nearly dropped in surprise. They had grown nearly half again in size in just a few months.

"They're so much bigger!" Myrcella gasped in surprise. The three direwolves walked up almost wearily. Tor knelt down in front of his friend. "It's good to see you, Shadow." The direwolf nuzzled him and licked his face. He let out a surprised laugh, patting the dark direwolf on the side. He quickly motioned the other two wolves over and said his hellos, Myrcella performing her own greeting with Shadow, followed by Nymeria and Lady.

That night, the alley was filled with soft laughter and the whining of wolves. Tor's heart had lightened that night, at least for a while. His brain didn't drift to plots or worries for his family. It was just him, his loyal companions, and the girl he was to marry.

Come dawn, Tor was standing on the balcony of Myrcella's room, preparing to climb back down to his worries, his fears, and his pains, but up here, he was free, he was happy. Myrcella stood in front of him, their hands clasped in each others, smiling softly at the other.

"Thank you, for tonight." She whispered to him, "I loved it."

Tor moved closer. "You never need to thank me for trying to make the people I love happy." He reached out a hand and pushed a strand of her golden hair behind her ear.

Myrcella's breath caught, "Love?:

Tor blinked, as if just realizing what he said, then he grinned sheepishly. "Aye, love."

Myrcella's face lit up then,and his own breath caught in his throat, Tor thought she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen in that moment, her smile rising like the sun, pure and bright. He leaned in, and kissed her. It wasn't a long kiss, a few seconds at most, but Tor felt, in that moment, an instinct long buried. Pack, Mate. She wasn't a Stark, not yet, but she was his, and he was hers.

She looked up at him, with her green eyes tearing up in happiness, "I love you too."

"Tor?" Tor looked up from the book father had set on his desk, The Lineage and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms. It was a droll read, but he was determined to figure out what his father was doing with it. He couldn't protect his family if he wasn't sure what mess his family was getting in too. Plus, if he could figure out what his dad was looking for, then perhaps he could lighten the man's load. He was quite stressed out these days.

"Arya, what's going on?" Tor furrowed his brow, she looked confused, and sad. "Are you okay? Who am I killing?" She gave a little giggle.

She struggled for a moment, before deciding to answer. "You'd have to kill father if you went through with that." Her older brother frowned at her before getting up out of the chair behind his father's desk. He moved over to the bench under the windowsill. "Tell me what's wrong." He opened his arms. Arya let a few tears leak from her eyes at that point, but quickly reigned them in. She let herself be drawn into her brother's protective embrace. "Tell me when you're ready." He whispered.

Arya steadied herself for a few seconds, taking comfort in one of three people who had never tried to tell her what she had to be, all three were her brothers, but Jon and Bran weren't here now. So she was telling her brother Torrhen, the brother who had always understood her best.

"I spoke to father today, he was carrying that book you were looking through. I started telling him about my water dancing, and what Syrio has been teaching me. Then I asked if Bran was going to be here and how he wanted to be a knight of the kingsguard, but he couldn't be anymore, so I-"

Tor interrupted her softly. "Slow down Arya, take a breath, then continue, calmly."

She took a steadying breath. "Father, he said that Bran couldn't be a knight, but he could be the Lord of a holdfast. So, I asked if I could ever be a Lord." Her face screwed up in anger, and her voice changed slightly. "But he said I would be a lady, that I'd run a house and have children who would be knights and lords! And I told him that wasn't me but he just smiled!" She balled up her fists. "I don't want to be a Lady, I want to fight and adventure and save people! I want to be like Ser Duncan the Tall and Aemon the Dragonknight, not some Lady!" She spoke the last word as if she physically felt revolted at the thought."

Tor just hugged her tightly for a few seconds, trying to figure out what to say to that. He had always known that Arya craved the excitement that he himself did, although, perhaps that was an answer. "Arya, when Myrcella and I wed, we promised that we'd buy a ship, and sail across the world, visiting everywhere we've ever wanted to go. Will you come with us?"

Arya looked at him suspiciously, "you're not making a jape are you?"

"Of course not, she'll be captain, I'll be first mate, and you can protect us from pirates and Ironborn."

Arya pulled herself out of Tor's arms. "Deal!" she chirped happily. 'That's one issue dealt with at least' Tor turned his head back to the book, now if only he could figure the book out. Perhaps he should just ask his father, he should have tried that before.

"What has you looking so distressed, father?" Tor asked as his father took off his boots and sat down behind the Hand's desk. "You know I'm ready to help you, you know that, don't you father?"

The Hand of the King contemplated the boy in front of him, nearly a man grown. "I don't need to burden you with this Torrhen. It is the father's job to protect his family, to hold the burdens that he does not wish for his loved ones to bear."

His son placed his arms on the table, folding his hands together, not begging, but seemingly thinking about how best to get an answer out of his lord father. "Aye, you taught me that. But I love my family too, I vowed to protect them, and I can help to protect you, Arya, and Sansa, but you must let me father." Torrhen sighed. "I'm nearly a man now, let me decide what I can handle."

His father remained stubborn for a few moments longer, before the harsh face of a man who had faced many winters softened slightly. He remembered something he had told the Master of Coin, Petyr Baelish, earlier today when he asked, "Is there anyone you trust completely?" He had answered yes. His son Torrhen, was one such person. He didn't trust him not to get in trouble, but he trusted him to get out of it. So Eddard Stark shared what he could. The crown's debt, his investigation into Jon Arryn's death, and even the conversation he had just had with Baelish. He even told him that his mother had been here, that someone had attempted to assassinate Bran, and his suspicions as to why.

Stark the younger sat across from his elder processing what he'd just been told, the older Stark observing him impassively. Suddenly, Torrhen grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. He began talking as he wrote. "You know how well practiced I am at stealth and blending in, yeah?" his father nodded at him. "Well, I've spent several hours each day exploring the castle, walking through town, the halls, everything. I'm writing down all the people that I know, or suspect, are spies. I don't know who they belong to, though I know Varys uses children, but I'm almost certain they're spies." He continued writing for a few moments. "It's a fairly short list right now, but I wasn't actively looking. Plus, I wasn't overly concerned because I can avoid them easily. From now on, I'll take note of these things. I already spend an hour at least per day warging with Seeker. I can use him to eavesdrop on our enemies. I can help you study the book too, also, with my skills, you may want me to visit the blacksmith. I can get in and out with ease. We-"

"Calm down Torrhen." His father interrupted him. "What do you mean enemies? Yes, there are those with their own agenda, but we are all subjects of the King, loyal to the crown."

The boy groaned at his father. "Is this why they call you the Honourable Ned Stark?" Tor gestured at him. "You are far too trusting, Baelish was right, I hate to admit. When he told you not to trust anyone, especially him, he was right. You need to be careful, it isn't just the Lannister's we need to watch out for. Who knows what Varys is up to, I heard from one of the servants that the rumor is that Pycelle convinced King Aerys to open the gates for the Lannister's, not to mention the fact that Littlefinger could easily be connected to Arryn's death. He grew up with mother, yes, but also Lysa Tully, Lysa Arryn, and we've all heard the stories about how crazy she is. Not to mention that Baelish is in love with your wife. He could easily decide to get you out of the way to raise his chances. Also, he's the Master of Coin, and we're six million dragons in debt. I could never trust a man who let that much cash slip out of the Crowns vault." Tor finished his rant with a heavy breath.

Eddard Stark looked at his boy in a new light. Torrhen had always been the troublesome one, the crazy, reckless, adventurous one. He had never seen this from him before, this cunning. He had never seemed to put any thought into his actions.

Torrhen just grinned at his father, "What? You thought I was stupid all these years?"

His father looked at him, "No, just dangerously reckless."

Tor's grin only widened, "Near everything I do is calculated, or it is now. Since I've come to this city I've learned a new kind of recklessness, a new adventure. Risk vs. reward. If I sneak out at night, and I'm caught, what are the consequences? Is that possibility worth the reward of whatever I choose to do when I'm out? It was always there, even at Winterfell, but the stakes were lower. Sneaking out then would get me a slap on the wrist. Sneaking out with the Princess for a night on the town would warrant a bit more than a slap on the wrist I'd think." He grinned at his father, who had paled.

"Tell me you didn't?" Lord Stark questioned fervently. His grin only grew. Tor's lord father put his hands to his temple. "Why do you do these things? Being alone with the Princess could get you a firm reprimand, but stealing her? You might have lost a hand Tor!"

"Good thing I didn't get caught."

"Unless you can give me a better reason than that, I will have to have a guard follow you at all times from now on." The Lord of Winterfell put his foot down.

Tor sighed softly, his eyes grew far away, "I love her father."

Eddard Stark observed his son. He'd seen that look before. It had been on his own face many years before. When he spent a week at Harrenhal. Ashara Dayne. But that was the past, thought Lord Stark, 'I love my wife and our children, and she's gone now.' He sighed to himself, a love born of duty, not a love born only of itself.

"I'm glad Torrhen." And he was. To marry your love is something few are blessed with, it was a gift. "Now, tell me more about these plans of yours."

That next day, Torrhen found himself approaching Tobho Mott's blacksmith shop, a master smith from Qohor. No one knew who he was, nor did they care. He was just a customer, same as everyone else. When he arrived, he pulled his hood back.

"My name is Torrhen Stark, the son of the Hand. I'm here to talk to you about what the previous Hand was doing here."

Tobho Mott introduced himself, and told Torrhen that the Hand had spoken to the boy a few times. He barked at the boy in the back, working on a piece of armor, and he came up.

The first thing that Tor noticed was his age. He appeared to be around Tor's age, maybe a year older. He was strong too. Black hair, strong features. He looked a bit like Renly Baratheon. Tor held back his surprise at his thoughts for a moment and decided to come back to that.

"When Lord Arryn came to visit you, what did you talk about?"

"He asked questions mostly." Gendry shrugged, his eyes pointed down.

Tor pressed, "What kind of questions?"

"First he asked me about my work, if I was treated well. Then-then he wanted to know about my mother." Gendry shuffled slightly, seemingly embarrassed.

"What did you tell him?" Tor held in his excitement.

"She died when I was little, she used to sing to me, she had yellow hair." Tor froze, his eyes glued to the hair on Gendry's head. Black Hair. Baratheon. The Seed is Strong. Tor gulped, "Oh, Sh**." Tor muttered to himself. He quickly got his mind back on track, think about that later.

"Thank you very much for your patience. I'm grateful to you for answering my questions. Now I have a request. Could you make me a helm like the one over there, but a wolf? I'll come back for it in a week?" Gendry nodded, and they discussed specifics for a minute before he turned back to his work. Tor quickly left the shop after that, his mind ablaze with furious thoughts. He still managed to remain aware enough so as not to draw undue attention to himself.

When he made it back to the keep, Torrhen's mind was awhirl with furious thoughts. He didn't even notice until he almost ran straight into his bride to be. They both blushed as he caught the both of them, stopping them from falling.

"Are you alright Tor?" He heard Myrcella calling, but it seemed almost faint, drowned out as his eyes came to rest on her hair. The Seed is Strong. Tor's heart began beating faster, his palms began sweating, and he took a step back from her. He snapped back to reality at the hurt look on her face as he backed away from her, his heart caught in his throat, and he felt stupid. It's still Myrcella.

"Tor? Are you okay?" Her Lannister eyes followed his own.

"I'm fine." The automatic response slipped from his lips before he could stop himself. Tor paused, "actually, we need to talk later." She knew what he meant by later. Tonight. "Right now, I need to go though." He smiled at her. "I'll see you."

Torrhen Stark quickly made his way to the office of the Hand. Luckily, Lord Stark was in. He walked in quickly and shut the door. Then he locked it, threw a towel down on the ground and stuffed it under the door. He warged into his raven quickly and had him fly around the outside of the tower, making sure no one was listening from the windows, even if they were fifty feet high. It was that serious.

"Lord Arryn was going to the blacksmith's to see the King's bastard child. He looks just like him." Tor gave his father a moment to work through his first statement as Tor pulled out the book of lineages. He ruffled through it until he found the Baratheon line. "The seed is strong father. It means that Baratheons always look like Baratheons. Look here, every one of them, black of hair. Even when they married Targaryen's, a notoriously strong line, every one of them is black of hair. That blacksmith's apprentice, Gendry, looks very much like the King, provided he wasn't, you know, fat." Eddard Stark took this all in for a minute before he finally asked his own question.

"Then what of the King's children?"

Torrhen Stark looked directly into his father's eyes. "You mean the Queen's."

Eddard Stark closed his eyes in silent horror. "Do we know who the father is?" Tor shook his head.

"No, but we will soon. I'll keep a raven on the Queen. If she had three children with the man, he's likely still around." Eddard Stark nodded in silent acceptance of this. He had just one more question for his son.

"Your betrothed?"

"I still love her father. This might just make it easier. After we were married, we were going to buy a ship and sail off, exploring the world." His father stared him down.

"So you're telling her?"

"I have too, I can't just lie to her. I trust her father." Tor hesitated for a moment. "I told her I'm a warg, showed her too." Lord Stark's eyes widened.

"She hasn't told anyone?"

Tor shook his head. "No, not a soul."

The Warden of the North sighed. "Do as you will, but we can't tell anyone else, especially not the King, until you know who. I fear the King may turn his fury on the children." Torrhen Stark's fists tightened at that statement. If someone touched her, there would be no hiding, no safety, only death.

"I'll begin working tomorrow, and I'll take a look at night too, might get lucky. But for now, I have a date."