The tournament started. Ale was freely given, gold betted and lost, all the while armed men were trying to beat each other into the ground in the name of glory and in greed of gold. Eddard didn't care about glory himself, he never liked fighting, nor was gold reward big enough to make it matter. Brandon was the one to compete in southern jousts if only possibility arose, but he was more of a wolf than Eddard himself was.
"Gods only know how I miss the battles. All this ruling is weighing on me." Eddard of course was asked to sit next to Robert during the competitions, though his mind stayed on the Frey matter, and their 'brigands' stopping the construction of the road. He could move against the Crown wishes, siege down the Twins together with Hoster and get rid of the Freys. For what though? Jon Arryn would simply cancel any plans for the planned road in spite of this, and demand the castle to be given to the Crown just like Riverlands had no say in ruling Harrenhal. It would be a loss greater than simply allowing brigands to be.
Eddard sighed, which Robert noticed. "I hear you Ned, these flower knights playing with sticks are nothing like the battles we had back in the days." It just so happened that the two knights on the grounds were of the Reach. Ned himself didn't miss battles, nor the war. He had to prepare for winter, the true winter.
There were words that had to be said, secrets that had to be shared and things that had to be stopped. With those thoughts Eddard found himself seated in front of Tywin Lannister.
"I have heard from the men I sent that the construction is going well." Eddard would never get used to Tywin doing smalltalk, the man wanted something, for he was the one to invite Ned for a tea. "It is from Yi Ti, Braavosi claim it to be the best in the known world." He closed in, and put a cup of steaming tea in front of Ned.
"What do you want, Lord Tywin?" Eddard was not one for smalltalk, nor did he like tea.
Tywin sat back in his seat, yet showed no irritation over Ned's bluntless. "There are words stating Ironborn rearmament and return to the Old Ways. Balon Greyjoy has ordered fifty war galleys to be built. Longships have been spotted in places they are not supposed to show up, villages were reported to be put to torch here and there." Raiders doing raider things. Eddard knew it all too well, burnt down villages weren't rare in the North. Both Ironborn and Wildlings made for bad neighbors.
'Remember that you have to tell Tywin that his kids are fucking each other.' Voice spoke to the dismay of Ned, as he had no idea how to do that. "I have heard of it." Eddard half-lied, answering Tywin.
The Lord of Casterly Rock continued. "It can mean trouble for the proposed trade route. From the Cape of Krakens on route to Lannisport a ship has to pass close to the Iron Islands. Not many ships can outrun a Longship, especially not when carrying cargo." The man took a sip of the tea. 'The man is leading you on like a child… He wants to take a measure of you.' Voice commented, yet it was unneeded.
Eddard couldn't tell Tywin of the coming war, at least not yet. He couldn't speak about his plans either, though somehow he doubted that Tywin was worried about pirates. 'Just tell him that Jaime and Cersei are screwing each other like bunnies behind his back.' Voice was not helping, but it was right, he had to say it before it was too late. Ned opened his mouth to speak, yet as he caught the sight of a wall behind Tywin he stopped. It would be better if no little bird overheard him. "I also have heard some words of import. Ones that would bring trouble to the entire realm, if not taken care of quietly enough." With that said he grabbed a piece of paper and a quill, a single phrase was written on it, then passed to Tywin Lannister.
Passive face that Tywin held for their entire meeting was shattered as he read the few words that Eddard wrote, followed by the first outburst of anger that Ned saw for the first time. "Is this some kind of jape?" There was no screaming or threats in Tywin's voice, but the man's face and tone used told Ned everything that he needed to know. Were it not for his own father, Rickard being the same when angry, Eddard would be scared, would be.
Ned's voice remained still as ice. "It is a problem that has to be taken care of." Those words wouldn't calm down the Lord of Casterly Rock, as such Eddard got up from the chair and moved to leave. He stopped as he reached the doors, he could still feel Tywin's eyes boring a hole at his back. "As of Ironborn… the only language they understand is that of iron and blood. Day will come when we will speak with them, and solve the raids all together." A promise of war, it was all that Ned could give.
'Hopefully it will make Cersei hate Tywin and keep away Jaime, now is the time to make Robert hate Lyanna.' Eddard sighed as left Tywin's chambers, hopefully the Voice was right and Robert didn't truly love Lyanna. This wasn't what Eddard wanted to spend his time on in the Capital, he wanted to sign trade deals not play mother with Robert and Cersei.
"You dare to lie to me?!" The man, or rather the King raged. Wine landed on the wall as the golden goblet was thrown in due rage. "Lyanna would never…!"
"Never would have loved you!" Eddard shouted himself, yet his face was still as ice. Robert had to know this, he had to stop leaving in the past. The man in question stayed silent, but Ned knew him well, the man was boiling anger inside right now. "I had no heart to tell you this before, not when she passed so quickly…" He never liked talking about Lyanna, in fact it was the first time he spoke about her since her passing. Eddard never liked reminiscing about his dead family.
"Gods… Ned…" Eddard would sigh in relief if he was one to show emotions, Robert was calming down, it worked, Robert finally calmed down, of only a little. "Why…?" An empty question, but Eddard planned to answer it anyway.
"She heard of your escapades, heard of the bastards you fathered, saw you at the Harrenhal doing things you weren't supposed to do as a bethroded man." Robert's face was covered in his palm, hiding away any reaction from Ned. "She could never love someone she would never trust." It was the truth, it was a shame she trusted Rheagar so quickly though. 'In the end she was just a foolish teenager believing that love triumphs everything.' Eddard grimaced for a split second, but he himself agreed with the Voice, even if he didn't like thinking such of his own sister.
"Leave me." A command Ned was glad to obey. After bowing and turning he left the King's solar. Ser Barristan was on the other side of the door, the man's face was passive, yet Ned still could feel irritation directed at himself, caused yelling at the Kingsguard's King. It was weird that he trusted the man, the one who was one of the commanders of Aerys, more than some of his own allies and so called friends.
Three Stark guards followed after him as he left the King's Tower, while still in the Royal Keep, there were hundreds of people keen on stabbing him, many blaming him for Targaryen fall, or rather his family. Eddard could not imagine blaming someone because they were murdered, and their death caused a war. 'Do the people really think there would be no war if Rickard didn't die?' Voice stayed quiet, it seemed even it didn't have the answer for it.
As he walked around the corner a person with no guards was in front of him. The man was overweight and bald, and well known to Eddard. "Lord Varys." He spoke, yet the man was no Lord. 'A former slave, possibly a Blackfyre, possibly planning placing his nephew on the Iron Throne.' Possibilities… so many of them, yet even the Voice wasn't sure.
"Lord Stark." The man bowed quite deeply. "It is an honor to meet you." A fake smile appeared on the man's face, the Essosi were quick to smile, and quick to place a knife between your ribs if you were to believe it. The two stared at each other for a few seconds, none willing to start a conversation and the mutual distrust clearly visible to one another. "My apologies my Lord, but I believe a Small Council meeting is about to begin. If you would accept an apology."
"No need to apologize, Lord Varys. The needs of the realms dwarf everything else." Eddard spoke back, yet meant none of the words, he once again felt like a venomous snake, no better person than the ones Brandon so often cussed on. You are a wolf, Ned. A big bad wolf, a werewolf.' Eddard didn't know what a 'werewolf' was.
"Ser Karton of the Reach!" It was no surprise that Eddard wouldn't be sitting inside the royal booth, this time he was at the Nobles' seat, together with other Lords, Ladies and Knights of some renown. "Ser Cartly of the Riverlands!" Named he didn't know appeared more often than those he knew, then again he wasn't one to care about betting or glory.
A person he knew well sat next to him, the man being a veteran of Robert's Rebellion. "How is Cat?" Brynden Tully, also called the Blackfish asked, the man just arrived at the stands, keeping close to his niece, Lysa Arryn closely who now sat at the royal booth.
"She is well I hope, were it not she had to take care of little Rob she would be here by my side, or rather by her sister's side." Brynden laughed at it, knowing well the jape. He had his years already being the younger brother of his godfather Hoster. Age didn't show much at his face or body, still looking sharp and capable.
"Good." Ned had a feeling the man didn't sit next to him just to ask about his niece. His beliefs were proven right as the man changed the subject quickly enough. "I would like to visit her, if possible." Eddard smiled, the man didn't trust him, but then again would he thrust himself after what happened?
The man was asked to sully his honor by Ned, in the midst of the Battle of Fire Bells. It was the first important battle they have won, bloody for the loyalist side, but not for theirs as they set fire to the city. Eddard could still remember the sound of screams and sounding bells as they surrounded the city and caught every straggler. Few hundred townspeople died, but it was worth it in the end, more would die if they were to enter the town unorganized. Brynden, commanding light cavalry, was the one that did the deed, but on Eddard's command. Gladly Robert survived back then.
"I will ride North two days after the Royal Marriage, if you wish you can join us on our way. My wife's family will always be welcome at Winterfell." His smile was strained, Eddard didn't like reminiscing about the battles, especially the ones that he commanded, the ones he was responsible for deaths of thousands.
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