EDDARD II

The meeting with Robert was long and tedious, yet he had convinced the King to appoint Lord Yohn Royce Hand instead of him. Bronze Royce wasn't only a more experienced nobleman, but he freed him from the tedious charge of Hand and the inquisitive gaze of the Martells.

Prince Doran had made his opinion clear by marrying Jon to Princess Arianne. The wedding had made him a prince, but also a hostage not only of the spiteful ruler of Dorne, but of his lustful daughter. Ned couldn't blame Jon, as he himself had fallen victim to his carnal desires after the Tourney at Harrelhal. And he would never regret sleeping with Ashara.

"Come on Ned! You owe it to me", roared King Robert.

"Do I owe you?" Ned raised an eyebrow.

"You will not be my Hand, at least allow your daughter to be queen."

"I don't know, Robert, King's Landing isn't a place forthe Starks..."

"You told me the same thing eighteen years ago, Ned. Back then I let it go, the case, you're no longer a Stark Ned, you're a Dayne, your kids are part of House Dayne."

"Robert…"

"Your king is speaking," he exclaimed to interrupt him.

"We've already had Dayne queens, haven't we?" The wife of the third Aegon if my memory serves me right."

"No", Ned replied. Lady Dyanna Dayne was the wife of King Maekar, but died before he ascended the throne."

Robert didn't answer, but kept thinking, as if he struggled to remember his history lessons.

"Well, you'll do my great-great-grandmother justice. You remember my grandmother Rhaelle was a Targaryen, right?"

"Yes, I remember", said Ned, who remembered that Rhaelle was the legal reason Robert was on the throne.

He realized then that Robert was right, Dyanna Dayne was his great-great-grandmother. Ned knew that House Dayne mourned Lady Dyanna's untimely death and that, like many of the houses of Westeros, he wished to put a queen on the throne. Few houses had accomplished such a task, as at least half of the Targaryens had married between brothers.

"Okay", Ned replied, "but it's nothing official, I don't want to turn Ashara against me."

"Come on Ned, it's your fourth child, I'm sure Ashara will be satisfied. Your Jon married Dorne's heiress while his twin will become maester, according to rumors. That takes away an alliance, if Emma marries my heir, House Dayne will not find another opportunity to have so much influence."

Robert was right and although Ned did not like playing the game of thrones, he could not miss the opportunity to counterbalance the Martells. In addition, he could still break off the engagement if Emma did not like Prince Joffrey, as he would never force her to marry a man she did not love. And as for Edric, he would already have time to combat the spies.

"Maybe Ser Gerold Dayne isn't such a bad match", he thought to himself.

"Queen Emma Dayne", sighed Ned.

"Sister of the future Prince Consort of Dorne and cousin of the future Warden of the North, Westeros will be closer than ever... And if you want I will appoint Edric as Grand Maester, Pycelle is old and I need a loyal man on my council", the King suggested. "Anyway, let's take a walk", he ordered. "I'm bored with negotiations."

When they arrived at the training yard, her daughter was already there, in the company of Ser Gerold, Ser Barristan and the Kingslayer.

"What is happening here?" asked the King.

"A training fight, majesty", replied Ser Barristan. "Ser Gerold versus Ser Jaime".

"And who won?"

"Ser Jaime and narrowly", said Ser Barristan. "I must admit that Ser Gerold has the talent of Ser Arthur."

"Oh yes?" Tell me Ser Gerold, wouldn't you want to be part of the Kingsguard when there is a vacancy? Unless you're married like Ser Jon."

"I'm not married, majesty, but I'd like to get married."

Ned stared at the man calling himself Darkstar, waiting for what he might say or do. Both he and Ashara knew of the affair between Ser Gerold and his daughter Lyarra, yet they had not arranged the link, as Lya never asked for it, nor did she violently oppose her mother's idea of marrying her to Quentyn Martell.

"Oh yes? And with whom?" asked Robert curiously.

"With the most beautiful woman in the world, Lady Lyarra Dayne."

Robert stared at Lya, whom he had barely detailed when he entered the courtyard. Ned knew then that the king was stunned, he saw Lyanna in Lyarra, despite the almost Valyrian features of the Dayne he could detect the features of the North.

"Your daughter is certainly the most beautiful woman in all of Westeros, Ned. And you're certainly lucky, Ser Gerold ", the king said for everyone to hear. His voice was so clear that it reached the ears of the queen and princes, who had just entered the training ground.

Ned saw fury in the queen's eyes. She was a beautiful woman and for that reason she found it outrageous that her husband praised another woman in public. Even so, anger only remained in her eyes, hiding behind her regal aura any feelings against Lyarra.

"It's an honour to have you at King's Landing, Lord Dayne", said the Queen, addressing him.

Ned bowed and kissed her hand that she stretched out.

"And it's also an honor to have Starfall's heir here", she added, addressing Lya, who also bowed. "My husband, why don't you pay for the wedding between Lady Lyarra and Ser Gerold? I know Lord Dayne is an old friend of yours, what better gift can you give him?"

Ned did not expect such words, so he had no choice but to kneel before Cersei and thank her for her generosity.

"It's a good idea, my wife", the King added with joy. "Paying for the wedding is the best gift we can give to House Dayne, who will become an ally of the Crown, as Joffrey will marry Emma, Ned's youngest daughter."

"How do you say?" asked the queen with all possible politeness.

"I arranged it in my private meeting with Ned. Emma will marry Joffrey and the Seven Kingdoms will once again have a Dornish queen, the king confessed."

"A Queen Dayne is worthy of our son, I agree", replied the Queen.

Ned struggled to read the intention behind the Queen's words. Something in she points to sincerity and at the same time, contempt for everyone. Everyone except her children and her brother.

"If your sister is as pretty as you are, I'm sure I'll be the happiest man in all of Westeros", Prince Joffrey added, surprising everyone present.

"I assure you, my prince, that my sister is a beautiful woman. She is almost your age, you will form a beautiful couple."

And for a moment, Ned relaxed. Lya looked so happy that he couldn't help but feel happy. How could he deny his daughter the opportunity to marry the one she loved most? He only prayed to the Old Gods that Emma would fall in love with Joffrey, so that her children would be happy. For the happiness of his little Emma was above any title. Edric was the perfect example, he had renounced marriage in favor of being a maester, Emma could be a septa if she wanted to, after all she loved the Seven. Or even, she could be a queen.