A/N: This is the last chapter in through Ned's perspective. The next one will be in Jon's.
P.S. To all those who've commented so far, thanks so much. I know that the story is kind of heading into a very obvious direction and I am really thankful that you still read this Fic. I hope you enjoyed it so far, guys. Let me know what you think.
Disclaimer: Game of Thrones is not mine.
Summary: When Ned finally told Catelyn about Jon Snow's mother, he had not expected for things to turn out the way they did in the end. It was so unfortunate that Robert had been smarter than Ned ever thought he was.
IV
When Ned woke up, he was alone in a cell, chained to the wall.
It was dark and damp, rats skirting about around him. He pulled at his chains as hard as he could to no avail. He tried calling out to the guards but no one came. Hours became days and days became weeks. It wasn't until the third week that Robert deemed it worthy to visit the Lord of Winterfell. He came like an angry storm and Ned was reminded why the Baratheon's ancestral seat of power was named Storm's End.
"Where's Jon? What have you done to him, Robert? I want to see him!"
Robert said nothing. He raised his hand and two Kingsguards came in with Jon towed between them. His breath hitched at the sight of him. His head was bowed but Ned could plainly see all the blood that nearly covered Jon's face along with bruises and cuts from blows that came from the king himself, Ned knew for certain. The way the boy bent his body told of more injuries that the thin rags they've dressed him in covered and the unnatural angle of some of his fingers froze Ned's northern blood.
"Jon," Ned breathed. He tried to reach for Jon but was stopped immensely short by his chains. Jon raised his head and looked at Ned pleadingly with tantamount of pain in his eyes. They tortured him. They tortured Lyanna's—his—son. The rage that boiled within him had almost threatened to overwhelm him. He turned his wrath-filled eyes at Robert. "He's her son, Robert! Her boy! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?"
There wasn't any shred of doubt as to whom he meant and judging from the way Robert's eyes darkened in fury, he knew as well.
"His father abducted and raped her! He took her away from us! From me! Or have you forgotten that?" Robert spat. He grabbed Jon by the scruff of his shirt and strode in front of the bars of Ned's cell and threw Jon at his feet. "When you coddled this dragonspawn up there in the North, have you forgotten why she isn't here with us—with me?! Why we went to fucking war?! Why we murdered every last one of those damned incestuous cunts! DO YOU REMEMBER THAT, NED?!"
There was silence save for the sound of heavy and ragged breathing. It was Robert who broke it this time.
"I should have you killed for treason." He said quietly. Ned said nothing and could only look at Robert as if he could no longer recognize him.
"No," Jon pleaded. He slowly and painfully tried to prop himself up against the bars as if he was trying to shield his father away from the king. "Not my father. Please."
Robert raised his fist and with a single blow, he sent Jon sprawled back on his feet, coughing blood.
"HE'S NOT YOUR FATHER, YOU FUCKING DRAGON SHIT!" He roared with a kick on Jon's side. The boy gave a pained groan and rolled protectively on his side.
"DON'T TOUCH HIM, ROBERT!" Ned growled, pulling at his chains.
"Robert, that's ENOUGH!" Jon Arryn stormed through the Kingsguard, with Barristan Selmy right behind him. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"
"Your Grace," Barristan whispered in horror as he saw what's been done to Jon Snow.
"Stay out of this, Jon." Robert growled dangerously low. "This does not concern you."
"That's where you're wrong, Robert." Jon nearly hissed. "This concerns all of us! You have declared war—"
"They have declared war! That fucking upstart son of Ned's!" Robert retorted. At Ned's surprised shock, Robert turned to him with unchecked hostility. "He raised his banners and demanded of his king to have you and that dragonspawn returned to the North! That little shit! Truly, Ned, that boy is your son! Traitors and backstabbers, the lot of you!"
"You took his father and brother, Robert! What's the boy to do?"Jon tried to reason with him. "You say that Ned has forgotten what caused the last war but so have you, Robert. Lord Stark and his son marched into King's Landing only to be apprehended by the king and kept prisoner without any reason! We have been here before, Robert. I beg you. Remember what happened to the last king who dared to harm the Starks."
"Aye, I do remember." Robert said. He turned back to Jon Snow, lying helplessly on the floor, returning his gaze with an intensity of his own. "And I crushed them. Every fucking last one of them."
Jon Arryn face paled in horror but it was Ned who spoke. "You're going to plunge this entire country to war for the sake of revenge?"
"I'll kill them all." Robert grimly promised, fury almost pulsing through the dark chamber and Ned truly believed then that he had lost his dear friend. They were dead. They were all dead and Ned was all that was left to see what remained of the ashes.
"There doesn't have to be a war." A ragged voice said. All eyes turned to Jon who had propped himself up enough to speak with as much dignity as he had left. The look in his piercing Stark grey eyes was burning with a conviction and resignation that could only bode one thing and Ned never thought to see the day he'd be terribly proud and disappointed in his son. Whatever Jon would say now, Ned knew, would not end well for the boy but a sacrifice he'd be willing to give to keep all of those he loved safe.
"What are you going on about, you fucking bastard?!" Robert spat.
Jon flinched slightly at the insult but he answered with an unnervingly calm raspy voice all the same. "You imprisoned the Liege Lord of the North and his bastard son without just cause. It is more than enough reason to rally all the lords who support and are sworn to House Stark and declare war. It's more than enough to enrage many other lords for what is stopping you from imprisoning them as well the moment they step in King's Landing. They will no longer feel safe with you as their king." At this, Jon inhaled a ragged breath. "But you have not harmed Lord Stark. You've merely kept him imprisoned for reasons that most of Westeros will probably know by now. That is something the North may forgive. That is something all the other lords may understand. But if you kill him, Robb will not rest until fath—Lord Stark is avenged. The Seven Kingdoms will fall into chaos, many will die, and many will suffer. That is not worth one bastard's life. Spare him his life, Your Grace. Let him live. Keep me here instead."
Ned's eyes widened in horror, seeing what the boy intended to do. It was worse than he had imagined. "No, I'll not leave you here—"
"A Snow is worth nothing." Jon insisted, glancing as much as he could at Ned, pleading with him to keep silence. Lyanna's words drifted up from the grave and echoed around his skull. Promise me, Ned. He did and he's failing. "No lord, no matter how loyal to House Stark, will go to war for a bastard. But Lord Stark is my family and so is the future ruler of Winterfell. Robb sees me as a brother and he will stay his hand if it keeps me alive. Keep me here as your hostage and the North will fall back in line. Do what you want with me but please spare my family."
His voice wavered in the end but Jon did not lose the determination that lit his grey eyes that shone even in the dim light, almost challenging and defying the king. They brimmed with tears and almost shut closed but he forced himself to stay absolutely still, waiting with baited breath. Jon Arryn looked at Jon as if he cannot believe what the boy had just said and Barristan Selmy held nothing but respect in his eyes, looking as if he's just seen a ghost. Robert merely looked on with disdain.
"You'll not have him, Robert." Ned growled but it came out as a plea because Jon was right and there's nothing he could do about it. "He's all I have left of Lya. He's my sister's son. He's my son. I raised him since he was a babe. I watched him grow along with my children. I fed him, clothed him, sheltered him, and I loved him. I am Jon's father, no matter who sired him. He is my blood and you will not have him."
"The boy…" Jon Arryn began and swallowed thickly and casted a very apologetic look in Ned's direction. "He speaks sense, Robert."
Ned's heart sank at the words and he heard Jon sigh in relief.
"We need not go to war, Your Grace." Jon Arryn implored. "Robb Stark will not march for King's Landing if we return his father to him and keep his brother here—"
Robert turned and stormed out of the Black Cells and with one last apologetic look sent to Ned, Jon Arryn trailed after his King. Barristan Selmy casted Jon Snow a sad look then followed them as well. The remaining Kingsguard took Jon and locked him in the cell next to Ned's.
When they left, Jon curled into a ball on the far side of the wall, facing away from Ned.
"What have you done?" Ned whispered in horror.
A moment passed before he was answered. "There's nothing we can do to change it now, Lord Stark."
Ned flinched. "You are my son. I won't let them take you!"
Jon struggled to move and face him. He sat with his back to the wall, hands kept protectively close to his chest. Tears were now freely flowing from his eyes and they looked so sad that it felt like they were breaking something inside of Ned.
"You have to."
Ned wanted to yell at him that he didn't have to, that he can save and protect him as a father should, as he had promised he would, but a lump in his throat prevented him to do so.
"I want to be brave."
The words were so familiar that it took his breath away.
So, he answered as he had once before. "You are."
"Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, Rickon, and Lady Catelyn. You have to protect them."
You have to protect him, Ned.
"Promise me, father."
Promise me, Ned.
With a quiet sob that befit the Quiet Wolf, he nodded. "I promise."
END OF PART I
PART II IS DEFINITELY COMING SOON