278 AC, The Eyrie
Robert and Ned wake up early this morning. Ned is all smiles, since he has known about his sister coming to visit him. Robert is overjoyed too: he has seen Lyanna before, once or twice, but she was a little girl back then. Now, she is 12, almost a woman in Westeros. They hurriedly swallow their breakfast and go get ready to welcome her. Jon Arryn stands between them, giving them loving looks. Himself has never have kids, and, spending so much time with his two fostered children, he had grown very fond of them. Lord Arryn sees them as his own sons. He turns his head to the huge gate, ready to welcome the young Stark. She gets in, with her father, Rickard, riding a beautiful white mare. Jon is pretty surprised to see her dressed up like a boy, but he doesn't say anything and watches Ned run to her, smiling softly. Robert has not moved, his mouth wide opened, and Rickard gets off of his horse, laughing at his heart's content with Robert's face. He walks to Jon and shakes his hand:
"Lord Arryn" he greets him.
"Lord Stark", Jon lays a hand on Robert's shoulder:
"This is Robert Baratheon."
Lord Stark stares at him, in a pretty weird way, in Robert's opinion. The teenager holds his gaze and shakes as firmly as he can the hand of his best friend's father. Rickard wraps his arm around Jon and he leads him inside:
"So", Jon says. "I heard you betrothed Brandon to the young Tully…"
That's everything Robert can hear before they disappear inside. Ned and Lyanna are laughing and hugging, squealing with the happiness of being united again. Robert walks to them and clears his throat.
"Oh, Lyanna, this is Robert. He's my best friend!" Ned says proudly.
"Robert Baratheon", she nods and curtseys.
Robert remains speechless, unable to realize this beautiful girl standing in front of him, was the same he saw the other times. Ned chuckles and Lyanna grins huge. Robert glares at Ned and bows slightly:
"Lyanna Stark", he greets in turn.
"Can I see Lord Arryn's stables?" she asks excitedly.
"Of course, follow me", Ned says.
The three young people walk to the stables and Lyanna cuddles every horse there. Ned watches her, a tender smile roving on his lips. Robert watches her too, but not for the same reason. Despite being still young, he has already grown affection for the fair sex. And most girls had given this affection back. He had lost his virginity a while ago, as they were resting to eat in a tavern. The daughter of the innkeeper was beautiful, laughing eyes, and a huge smile. He had led her outside and had shagged her in the woods by the tavern. He was 12, back then. Once he had tasted to the pleasure of sex, he had never stopped. Every handmaid in the Eyrie could tell about that. Lyanna is young, and unattainable. For now, he thinks as he stares at her. Each girl he has wanted, he had them. This one will not be different. But she is the daughter of a Lord, not of an innkeeper. His eyes drift off from Lyanna to Ned. He loves his sister. It shows as the look in his eyes. And suddenly, as an evidence, Robert knows the solution: marrying Ned's sister. Ned and he would be like real brothers, after that. He would rule Storm's End with her, they would ride on the cliffs, and she would give her strong boys, as strong as wolves during the long winter. Ned would have a wife too, and their children would be fostered together, as they are. Robert smiles softly at this thought: this life promises to be perfect. But he needs to talk to their father first. Lyanna is too young anyways; they will have to wait for a few years before actually getting married. When she is tired of staying with the horses, the teens walk back to the castle with her and show her around. She admits it is beautiful, but she still misses the North, the real North, she precises. Robert wonders if she would be happy in Storm's End, which is far southward than the Eyrie. He would know how to make her happy, he is sure of that. Around noon, they join Rickard and Jon for lunch. Robert talks a lot with Rickard, hoping to make him appreciate him, and thus be favorable to the marriage. Ned chats with Lyanna, asking for news from everyone back at Winterfell, his brothers Brandon and Benjen, the baby of the family, their mother, Lyarra and Walder, the stable boy. Being only one year apart, Lyanna and Benjen are pretty close, as Brandon and Ned are. They have grown up together, Benjen following his sister in everything she was doing, following her examples. It was by watching her he had learnt how to walk, how to run. She has been the first one to take him with her on a horse. Jon, at the head of the table, looks upon every one of them, a smile curling his lips up. He knows, one day, the boys will leave to get married, have their own lives. He will be alone in this castle, and how much he is gonna grieve their departure. They could always meet each other, it is true, but it would still be hard.
Once they are done eating, the grownups stay together for a talk, as the youngs decide to have a horse ride. Jon pours some wine in a cup for Rickard and he takes it, sips it and exhales loudly:
"What is it?" Jon asks, sitting by him.
"Ah, you know… Brandon…" Rickard sighs. "I was scared he refused the betrothal. He is really infatuated with this Barbrey girl. You know, sometimes I envy you. You don't have children. You don't know the trouble they can be."
Jon raises an eyebrow:
"Your children are good people, my Lord."
Lord Stark stands up and paces around the room:
"Brandon and Lyanna are wild. I fear for them. They act before thinking, and are driven by their feelings. Benjen is a good lad, but quiet. Ned, though… Ned is a true good boy. But that's mostly thanks to you", he nods at Jon, who nods back, pretty surprised. "He has spent more time here than in Winterfell. And what about Robert? What do you have to say about him?"
Jon can't hold his smile back:
"Robert and your son are as close as brothers, and as different as night and day. Ned is shy and serious, Robert is outgoing and always laughing. In a way, Robert makes me think of your eldest son."
"I saw the way he was looking at Lyanna", Rickard starts, waiting for Jon to go on.
"Yes… I saw it too…" Jon cautiously says.
He doesn't know what Rickard thinks of Robert and he's not sure the comparison with Brandon will be in favor of the young man's case. He hastily adds:
"I've never seen him looking at a girl this way."
"Lyanna fascinates a good many men", Rickard smiles.
"She is quite extraordinary", Jon admits, even if he barely knows the only daughter of the Starks.
"She is… Maybe too much", he mysteriously adds.
Jon quickly changes the subject and they talk about what is going on in King's Landing.
The Stark stay here for a fortnight and, when they leave, Ned is not the only one who is sad. Robert and he sit on a rock, staring at the mountains surrounding them. Robert comfortingly rubs his shoulder:
"You're okay, Ned?"
The Stark boy nods silently and Robert leans back, his strong hands gripping the rock:
"You'll soon visit them in Winterfell, don't worry. I will have a letter for you, which you'll give to your father."
Ned looks up at him and frowns slightly:
"What are you talking about?"
Robert flashes him a huge smile:
"I am gonna ask your father to betroth me to your sister."
He expects him to yell with joy. Instead, Ned looks at him with a weird look, almost sad.
"Are you sure?" he asks slowly.
Robert frowns:
"I thought you would be happy. We would be part of the same family."
Ned nods slightly:
"Yes but… Lyanna is way more than a pretty girl, Robert. I know how you are with girls. Just… don't treat her like that. She would not stand it."
Robert keeps staring at him, and his blue eyes turn dark with anger:
"I am not talking about a simple girl here, Ned! I'm talking about the woman I wanna marry, I wanna have children with! I will love her! She'll be the only one I'll ever love, I assure you. I swear it on the friendship that binds us."
He holds his hand at Ned, defying him with his eyes. Ned holds back a sigh, and shakes his hand firmly.