Winterfell, 280 AC
Lyanna storms out of the stables, Eddard right on her tracks. She is furious, and he cannot deny she is right to be.
"Lyanna, please…" he tries to say, but she cuts him off.
She grabs a saddle outside, and steps in the box of her horse, wide open, and places the saddle carefully on his back. She strokes his neck gently, and turns to Ned. Immediately, her eyes turn dark again and her mouth contracts with rage.
"He has a daughter! From another woman! While we are betrothed! Don't tell me he loves me, Ned!"
The young buck does not know what to say: Lyanna is right, in his opinion. He had warned Robert of not thinking she was like any other girls. And he could have not helped himself. He had a baby with a commoner, in the Eyrie. Ned could have not kept it to himself, especially when Robert was paying visits to the little baby. The mother had called her Mya. And, as she was a noble's bastard, her last name was Stone. Ned felt terribly ill at ease when they were visiting them. Robert was not interested anymore in the mother, but he looked happy to have a child. He would hold her, turning to Ned and asking him if he thought she was looking like him. Ned would agree, very pale and sometimes so angry at the boy he sees as a brother. Robert has been reckless, totally reckless. He has not thought about Ned, or Lyanna. He has thought only about himself. As usual, Ned bitterly has thought. And now, he has to visit Winterfell, and tell his beloved sister the man she had been promised to has already been cheating on her. He has tried to ask Robert why, why he had to sleep with a commoner, when he just had to wait a few years before marrying Lyanna. Robert had shrugged, and said he couldn't have restrained himself, that he had needs that should be fulfilled. "I love your sister", he had said, "I really do. I was thinking about her when I was with Mya's mother." He had probably hoped it would soften Ned up, but it had just disgusted him even more. Since then, something was broken between the two young men. But, still, he should convince Lyanna. A betrothal cannot be broken that easily, especially since the King gave his consent to the marriage. He sees her getting on her horse. He frowns:
"What are you doing?"
Lyanna huffs:
"If you wanna go with me, take a horse."
With that, she spurs her horse and it gallops out of the stable. Ned quickly follows her, but she is a better rider than him and he loses her in the woods. He comes back to the castle, then back in the woods again, calling out at her. Why does she have to be so savage? He wonders. He hears a snort, and knows it's her horse. He follows the sound and finds the horse alone, his reins wrapped around a tree. Leaning on the tree is Lyanna, sat in the snow. Ned sighs and joins her:
"You're gonna fr…"
He cannot finish his sentence. Lyanna is crying. And even she quickly wipes her eyes and nose off, she cannot deny it: she is crying. Ned remains dumbfounded: from as far as he can recall, he has never seen her cry. Never. She could fall from a horse, burn herself, cut herself, she would never cry. Never. He quickly kneels down in front of her, and strokes her hair gently:
"Lyanna…" he sighs. "I am so sorry."
"I do not want him as a husband", she sniffles loudly. "I deserve better than him, Ned. I deserve better than cheating. I want to be the only woman in my husband's heart, do you understand?"
"I do, sweet sister, I really do."
He sits by her and wraps an arm around her. He feels the frozen snow under his butt, and he shivers violently, holding her tighter.
"How can you be friend with such a man, Ned?" he hears her asking.
He lets out a sigh and leans his head against the tree, smelling the mixed scent of the snow and the wood.
"He has qualities, Lyanna. He is brave, good at telling jokes, always smiling."
He feels her head nodding against his chest:
"Those are the qualities of a friend, not of a husband. I could never be happy with him, I know it. He is handsome, yes, for sure. That does not do everything."
"I know", Ned whispers.
He feels so heartbroken with her words, not because she speaks them, but because it is the truth. And yet, she does not have a choice. She has to marry him. It is her duty, as the daughter of a Lord, and because the King, when he gives his consent, turns the proposal into an order. Maybe, when they will be married, and that she will be Robert's, he will stop sleeping around. Ned hopes so, with all his heart: he knows Lyanna will not stand it, and even he will have difficulties being nice to a man who cheats on his sister. Lyanna and he remain this way for almost an hour before the cold make them stand up and get on their horse again. They go on with their ride, not willing to go back to the castle straightaway, and go back to Winterfell only when they know their family is waiting for them to share a meal.
A/N: oh, the irony. Next chapter: Harrenhal. So excited for this one! Please, do not hesitate leaving reviews!