Jon II
He stood on a balcony overlooking the courtyard of Riverrun as Tywin Lannister and a small group of guards rode in. Jon, like each man in the courtyard, marveled at Tywin's armor. Thick red steel enameled with dark crimson and inlaid with gold. Across his back was the biggest cloak Jon had ever seen, so big it even covered his horse's hindquarters.
Jon couldn't help but laugh and shake his head. Almost two months ago, Jon was Ned Stark's bastard. Even though his lord father treated him well and raised him alongside his trueborn children, Jon still felt like he dwelled in the shadows. Now, he was a riding companion and to hear the Lord Commander tell the story, Jon was the King's closest confidant.
When I see Robb again, we will both have stories to tell that the other will never believe.
Jon wore a dark grey doublet made of fine fabric with a running white wolf across his chest. His face was clean-shaven, and his dark hair pulled back and tied, and at his hip, a longsword.
Jon could hear the shuffle of feet and chairs behind him. He turned and ducked back into a large room decorated with the blues and reds, and the jumping trout of House Tully. King Robert dressed in the finery of a king, his crown grasped in his large hand. The Lord Commander sat beside him dressed in the white enameled armor of the Kingsguard. Lords Edmure Tully, Jonos Bracken, and Tytos Blackwood wore their house colors and sat on the same side of the table as King Robert. Across from Robert were three seats, left open for Tywin and two lords of his choosing. Jon could see the worry on Edmure Tully's face. Lord Hoster was bedridden and no longer able to speak, making Edmure the acting Lord of Riverrun.
"Jon."
"Yes, Your grace?"
"Don't stand behind me. Keep your back against the wall and look as menacing as possible. If Lord Tywin glares at you with those green eyes of his. Give him a taste of his own medicine. Flash those gray eyes his way and hold your stare."
Job moved quickly, and Robert laughed as he smacked the table.
Jon watched as the large door opened and Tywin Lannister entered. Behind him, another lord dressed in fine armor with purple spirals throughout and a large purple unicorn on his chest.
In the north, I would say Skagos. Below the Neck, this man must be from House Brax.
The last person to enter was Joffrey Baratheon. Dressed in the dark red of his house, his face still half bandaged. Jon couldn't help but think of the boy he saw in Winterfell a few weeks before, the boy Sansa called, "a perfect prince". He had an arrogant smile and made japes under his breath. This boy wore no smile, his face contorted in a rage. The bandage used to cover his right eye made the golden strands of his hair disheveled.
Jon noticed Robert make a small move toward his son, but Joffrey moved away from him. Joffrey sat next to Lord Tywin, his lone emerald eye fixated on King Robert. Even Lord Tywin gave his grandson attention for the look the boy gave his own father.
What would my father need to do or say to me for me to give him that look?
"Lord Tywin, what happened on the road was a damned mess."
Robert breathed deeply and stared at the wooden table. His finger tapping the table.
Lord Tywin's eyes never left the King. "Your grace, why were my daughter and grandson thrown out of Winterfell?"
"Thrown out!"
Robert stood, his fists smashing the table. "I did not throw them out, Cersei left in a rage."
Tywin did not move. His face gave away no emotion. "I have spoken to multiple witnesses. They all tell me that before my daughter, our queen, left Winterfell, your Lord Commander threatened her about the dangers of the road."
Robert was still on his feet when the last word left Tywin's mouth. As that word left, the King's hand swept across the table, sending cups, jugs, and wine across the room. Jon could not see the King's face, but he could see his massive back swelling up and down.
"I won't have this, Tywin. I admit, I wish things would have gone differently, but no one in this room is to blame for her death. Ned Stark turned down my offer to be my hand, but he agreed to take Tommen and Myrcella as his wards. Cersei and I argued, and she left the next morning."
Tywin adjusted in his seat and turned his attention to the River Lords. "And, I am to believe that the hedge knights who did this, who were from the Riverlands, were just a mere coincidence?"
Robert continued to lean on the table, his hulking mass spread halfway across. "Am I to believe the red-dressed knights and the lone Kingsguard who slaughtered innocent small folk were not Lannister guards or your damned son?"
Around the room, every lord seemed to hold their breath. Lord Tywin and King Robert seemed to volley each statement like two armies firing arrows and now neither man spoke.
"Why did you send your brother, Kevan, to the Golden Tooth?"
"My brother is a knight, your grace. I sent ser Kevan and a small group of men to help those who depend on the Golden Tooth for protection. They were also to help manage the fires and report on the damage."
King Robert walked away from the table and turned toward Jon. "Jon, you saw the men Lord Tywin sent?"
Jon felt his body stiffen. He cleared his throat and tried to use a deeper, less boyish voice. "Aye, your grace."
"Jon, what men did Lord Tywin send to survey the damage to a castle?"
"Knights, your grace. Well armored and ready to fight if need be."
Lord Tywin kept his eyes on King Robert, but every set of eyes in the room moved toward Jon. Jon felt each set, and they made him feel smaller and smaller. Even Joffrey took his eye off his father and glared at Jon.
"A mere coincidence, Lord Tywin? Sending your brother and armed knights just a day's ride away from Riverrun? Are they there to investigate, or was there another plan?" Said, King Robert.
"Your Grace, Lord Tywin," said Edmure Tully. His voice was firm and serious. "We cannot quarrel now. I can't accept that anyone in this room is responsible for what happened to our queen or the destruction of the Golden Tooth. Lord Tywin, my lord father, wrote to you after the attack about his concerns and our findings. You failed to respond."
Tywin's eyes moved from King Robert to Lord Edmure. Lord Edmure's demeanor must have impressed the Riverlords, as they nodded and gave subtle smiles.
"Where is your lord-father?"
Lord Edmure shifted in his seat, his voice struggling to be at the same strength.
"He is bedridden and can no longer speak. I sent a raven to my uncle, but I am afraid they will not see each other again in this life."
Tywin just nodded and cleared his throat. "Ill, news, Lord Edmure. It seems we have had much of it lately. I did not respond to your father, as I was busy dealing with other affairs. My daughter's body arrived in Casterly Rock at the same time as a raven carrying this."
Lord Tywin swept his arm across the table to Lord Edmure. In his hand was a small scroll. Lord Tywin handed Lord Edmure a small scroll, which prompted a curious face from Edmure before he passed it to King Robert.
"The Hooded Man," said Lord Tywin, his tone serious and with little emotion. "It is the symbol of House Banefort, but it came from the Clegane Keep. I rode there myself and found ser Gregor dead, a dozen or more bolts in his naked frame."
"The Mountain that Rides, dead? I don't believe it". Lord Blackwood's words elicited nods from the other Riverlords, and King Robert raised one of his eyebrows.
"I sent my son to investigate House Banefort, but I have not heard from him."
"Your son, ser Jaime, is accused of taking the lives of innocent people after the attack. I'm sure you have heard of it." Lord Bracken's voice was gruff and accusatory. Until this point, Lord Tywin remained composed and emotionless. His hand slightly shook, and he cleared his throat.
"I heard the rumors, and Lord Hoster's raven told me as much. I spoke to ser Jaime, and he has told me they attacked no one on the road. He mourn his sister so much, he held on to her horse the entire way back home."
Lord Tywin ended his statement and leaned back into his chair. The air in the room felt heavy as Lord Tywin looked at each lord in the eyes.
Barristan Selmy rose to his feet, his lips clenched and his finger slowly circling his temple. "Lord Tywin, at this moment, we have no choice but to believe you. However, we will investigate and ser Jaime may face a trial. Until then, I want to make everyone here know where we currently stand. We currently have twenty-five hundred men broken into five groups patrolling the area around the Riverlands and the Golden Tooth. If you would like to add to our numbers, that would help our cause. When we first arrived at the broken tower, young Jon here found a message from House Mudd, taking credit for the attack. Around the same time, Lord Stark reported a would-be attack on King Robert's children. His heir and the guards of Winterfell thwarted it. One man claimed he was from House Hook, another dead and ancient house. Your grandchildren are safe. Lord Bracken?
Lord Bracken stood as the Lord Commander said his name. Lord Bracken was a powerfully built man with brown hair that matched his doublet. "My son has reported that the Freys have left the Twins and are on their way here now with most of their strength."
The Lord Commander stopped and let that information settle within the room and began speaking again. "We received a raven from Lord Stannis in King's Landing. The King's spymaster, Varys, and his Master of Coin, Lord Baelish, are missing. The Gold cloaks have been searching but both men seem to have disappeared."
Robert grunted before he spoke and shifted in his seat. "If the Spider or Little Finger are involved in this plot, I will take their heads myself."
Jon couldn't help but notice the way Prince Joffrey looked at King Robert when he spoke. Prince Joffrey clenched his teeth so tight that his lips spread apart and he had a strange, evil smile. The prince's nostrils flared so much, it looked as if he was trying to take all the air out of the room.
"Your grace," Tywin said. "If Varys has a part in this plot, it is already too late. Send a raven and men to King's Landing immediately. Flush out the passages and tunnels in and around the castle. Tell them to arrest every child seen coming and going within the Red Keep."
The idea of arresting children shocked the Riverlords. Lord Blackwood stood up and slammed his fist on the table, knocking over the last standing goblet and spilling wine across the table.
"You Lannisters have no decency. Children?"
Once again, Tywin did not flinch. He showed zero emotion.
"They are not children, they are spies. He calls them his birds. They see and hear everything, and he pays them in trinkets, candy, and gold. If cornered, they would try to kill you. You should have killed him when you took your throne. I told your predecessor the same, but by then I had lost his confidence."
Tywin's voice trailed off, and now Jon could see the emotion on Lord Tywin's face. The man was deep in thought when he turned to Lord Edmure.
"We plotted against Aerys long before your rebellion, your grace. Harrenhal was supposed to be the start of his downfall. A new dragon would rise, one we could control. But the spider found out our plot and weaved a tale of treason."
King Robert rose to his feet, and every lord sitting rose as well. Only Joffrey continued to sit, his eye still focused on his father.
"I will send a raven to my brother Stannis immediately. Lord Tywin, send a rider, I want ser Jaime here within a fortnight. I want to know what happened on the road, and I want to know what he found at the Banefort."
Tywin nodded, and all the men in the room began exiting. Jon followed behind, but he was the last to leave the room. The stairs heading to the courtyard were narrow, each man filed in behind the other. King Robert had Selmy in front of him and Trant behind him. Behind Trant was Prince Joffrey, just a few feet in front of Jon.
At the end of the stairwell was the door to the main courtyard of Riverrun. Earlier in the day, the door looked like a burning orange square at the end of an endless cave. Now that endless cave had torches to illuminate it in the darkness.
As they walked through the courtyard, the lords dispersed. King Robert and ser Barristan talked together, their voices hushed. Prince Joffrey was walking behind his father, but was over six feet away. Jon couldn't help but notice Joffrey's hunched shoulders. Jon knew his own face could easily betray his feelings. But Joffrey's entire body seemed to sulk.
As the moon rose, Jon couldn't help but think of supper and his bed. He wanted to sleep for the next three days. Suddenly, he felt something inside him stir. He was sure what he was feeling. He felt anxious. There was a voice inside his head, screaming at him.
"Look, Jon. Look!"
Ghost's body slammed into his legs, and Jon looked down to see Ghost staring ahead. Even the wolf was shaking.
When Jon finally look ahead, his entire body shivered. Prince Joffrey was a few feet behind King Robert and his sword drawn and in his right hand.
Jon and Ghost sprinted ahead. Jon unsheathed his sword and ran toward Joffrey. As the Prince raised his sword, Jon screamed, "Your grace!"
Ser Barristan turned quickly and slide his body in front of King Robert's colossal frame. As Joffrey's sword came down, Jon's sword blocked the blow, and Jon used his legs to push Joffrey away.
"You Bastard!" Joffrey screamed.
The entire court of Riverrun now had their attention. Jon could hear blades being unsheathed. Joffrey swung wildly again and Jon parried his attack with his blade and drove his shoulder into Joffrey's side. Joffrey fell into the mud, and his blade fell away. As the blond Prince reached for the blade. Ser Greenfield kicked the blade away and grabbed Joffrey by his collar.
"Get your hands off me!"
As Joffrey struggled to free himself from ser Greenfield's hold. Robert stormed over to his son. Jon could see the sadness in the King's eyes.
"You raised your sword to me, your own father?"
As Joffrey struggled to free himself, his eye patch fell to the ground. His right eye was stitched closed, there was purple bruising around the eye. His other eye was green and filled with contempt.
"I know what you did to mother. She told me all about your bastards and how you hated us. How you never loved her or your own children. You were a fool for a king and an even bigger fool as a husband. You left my brother and sister with a savage northerner because you loved his slut sister!"
Robert moved toward Joffrey far quicker than a man of his size should be able to move. His large hand grasped the Prince's throat, and Robert lifted the boy off his feet and pulled him close. Robert didn't say a word. He just squeezed his hand and breathed heavily, spit flying from his mouth. Joffrey's green eye was now filled with water and fear.
"No, your grace. Put the prince down," said ser Barristan.
As the king's grip tightened, additional knights and lords ran to the scene. Each lord and knight gasped at the sight they saw.
"He is your son, your grace. Just a boy," said ser Greenfield.
Joffrey's legs, which were once kicking wildly, slowed. His face was now so purple, his bruises looked as if they had faded away. Jon moved toward the king, and his hand grasped the king's shoulder and their eyes met.
"No man, or king, is so accursed as the kinslayer. Don't do this, Robert," said Jon. His voice mimicking his lord father's.
Robert's eyes grew wide as he stared into Jon's gray eyes. The King's hand opened and Joffrey fell. The prince grabbed his throat and wept before being pulled away by ser Meryn Trant.