12th Month of 282 A.C. The banks of the Trident
Eddard Stark
The battle echoed in his mind, when he slept he dreamt of it, when he woke it was there burned into his eyes. It was an endless cycle, he dreamt and he woke, but bells kept chiming in his ears. He did not know why that was the case, but it happened, it continued to happen and it increasingly frustrated him, he did not know what to do about it, and he was not sure if he could do something about it. Robert did not seem to be as affected by it as Ned was, Robert seemed to revel in it, almost as if this was something he was born to do. Ned found himself wondering, not for the first time how it was that he was friends with a man such as Robert, there seemed to no explanation for it, no reason for why they were friends or why they were fighting together, when really they should be enemies. And then it came back to him, Lyanna, she was at the root of all of this, whether she had fled with Rhaegar or been kidnapped, Ned did not know, but she was the thing keeping them together. The thing holding their alliance together and Ned did not know if he could stomach it going.
Robert spoke then. "We have waited for long enough, where in the seven hells are they? You would think the dragons have gone cowardly on us."
Ned thinking of the black hound, says. "I do not think that is a fair assumption to make Robert. They took a severe beating during the fight at the Stoney Sept no doubt they are recruiting more men."
Robert laughs at this. "They are cowering, their prince has not shown his face, and now they will fall before us. Admit it Ned, we are winning this war, and there is nothing those fools could do about it."
Ned looks at his friend and not for the first time during this war wonders at his friendship with Robert. "I do not know Robert, I think there is something going on there, within their camp. Something that suggests there is more happening than might meet the eye."
His friend sighs then. "Not this again Ned. For the love of the maiden. How many times will you bring up this damned thing of suspicion?"
"As many times as it takes, there is no coincidence that during the fighting at the Stoney Sept I saw the black hound. I have not seen that thing in years." Ned responds.
Robert looks at him, and says coldly. "Brandon is dead Ned. I know that is painful to hear, but he is dead and there is nothing that can be done about that. Stop trying to cling onto something that is not there."
Ned feels anger grow within him at that, he feels a retort on the tip of his tongue, but stops himself from saying that. Instead Jon, as has so often happened during the course of this war says. "We cannot be caught fighting one another now. We must remain united and strong. There are things that we must discuss."
Ned looks at Lord Hoster, knowing his brother's goodfather shares his suspicions, and sees that the man is looking at Jon Arryn through narrowed eyes. "Yes, we must discuss when we shall ride out to battle."
Ned is about to ask what the man means by that, when he sees a man enter the tent and say aloud. "My lords, word has come, it seems the Targaryen army is marching toward us."
"And now they come forth to face the hammer once more." Robert booms sounding delighted. "Excellent."
Ned, remember, remember me….The voice comes into his head once more, sounding like Brandon, but Brandon is dead. Ned tries to shake that off, but it remains there insistent. Do not ignore me Ned, you know that there are things about this that do not seem real. You have seen me, now why do you ignore me? The voice asks, and Ned wants to retort but he knows that doing so would only lead to suspicion and so instead he pushes the voice down and focuses on the conversation before him. "We must form into rows, a supreme commander and then sub commanders." Jon says.
"I will be the main commander." Robert booms instantly. "I shall face the whoreson commanding this army, and will make sure he falls to his death."
Ned sees Lord Hoster staring at Robert, and he wonders not for the first time, what exactly is going on inside the man's head. "Alright then," Jon says. "Lord Hoster you are okay with commanding the centre?"
Lord Hoster nods. "Yes."
"Good, and Ned you are okay with commanding the right?" Jon asks him.
"Yes." Ned replies.
"Good then it is settled. Let us prepare ourselves for this fight and prepare well." Jon says.
They leave the tent, and Ned walks toward his own tent his thoughts laden with heavy thoughts. Lord Hoster comes to him then and whispers. "I am afraid Eddard, I am deeply afraid."
Ned looks at the man and asks. "Why? Is it because of Robert? You need not fear, he knows what he is doing in the heat of battle."
"No, I am afraid because the black hound was seen during the battle at the Stoney Sept." Lord Hoster replies.
"You saw that as well?" Ned exclaims.
"Yes. The last time I saw that was when your father and I fought at the stepstones, and your father is most definitely dead." Lord Hoster replies.
"What could it mean?" Ned asks.
"I am not sure, but we must be careful, terribly careful." the man replies before he walks off.
During the time it takes him to armour up and prepare for the battle, Ned's thoughts are plagued by the stories he had heard about the legend of the black hound, and its relation to his family. The stories are dark and terrifying, but he knows one thing, they have never harmed one of their own. Though, is he one of them? He does not know, not anymore. These doubts are resting inside his head as he mounts his horse, nods at his guard and rides to the sound of feet on the ground. The thoughts that had plagued him from the time he was a boy in the Vale. The fear that he would never be as good as his brothers, even Benjen was more of a Northman than he was. Somethings never left you, even as you grew older, his father had said that once. And how true he had been.
Mounted on his horse, Ned leads the army, his part of it anyway toward the bank of the trident, the crossing as it were. And there they stop and wait, Ned sees the other parts of the army doing the same, Ned wonders at this. Wonders if something has been preordained, he does not believe in such things, but a bit of belief never hurt anyone, especially at times such as these. Eventually, his patience turns into surprise when he sees a figure break out from the army coming toward them across the crossing, flying the three headed dragon banner of House Targaryen as well as another banner, a banner he recognises and at the same does not. A dragon flying proudly, its claws around a sword. He sees the riders coming toward them, seven riders, and the riders come to a stop. "We come to speak with the commanders of the rebel army." the leader says, Ned feels a chill go down his back when hears that voice. He knows that voice.
Ned looks at his guards through the eyes of his helm, and then spurs his horse onward, just as Robert, Hoster and Jon are doing so as well. They come to a stop before the crossing of the trident. "What do you want?" Robert snarls.
"I want to see who it is that is rebelling against their rightful king." the man replies, in such an arrogant tone that Ned can only think of one person.
"And why should we do that, for a man who fights for a rapist and a mad man?" Robert snarls back.
The man laughs, and says. "Oh, I should know this foolishness anywhere. Fine, I shall show you my good intentions." The man signals and his men remove their helms at the same time that he does.
Ned gasps then, he hears them all do the same, as he looks at the man before him, with long brown hair and long face, the handsome man before him, his older brother. "Brandon." he whispers.
He looks at the man's companions and feels as if the wind has been knocked from him. Ethan Glover, Kyle Royce, Elbert Arryn and the last man he does not know. All of them, thought dead, are now alive. He looks at them and then asks. "How?"
His brother fixes his gaze on him and responds. "Remove your helms and I shall tell you how."
Ned finds himself doing just that without thinking, seeing his brother's own expression of surprise at seeing him. The expression widens comically then when he sees Robert. His expression hardens when he sees Jon Arryn. "What are you doing alive Stark? We thought you dead. Or have you turned traitor?" Robert snarls.
Ned wants to hit Robert, but as he looks at his brother, he wonders. "I have not turned traitor. Though it would seem you all have turned traitor. Tell me, why are you fighting the king?"
"His son kidnapped Lyanna, and he killed you and Lord Rickard. At least that was what we had been told, but now it seems that was a lie." Robert responds.
"Pycelle." Brandon whispers, and then he says aloud. "You have been gravely misinformed about many things my lords." his brother pauses and then goes on. "My father, Lord Rickard is dead, killed somewhere within the riverlands, by men loyal to Prince Rhaegar." At this he looks pointedly at Lord Hoster who merely nods, dumbstruck. "King Aerys had been poisoned and driven mad by Pycelle the Grand Maester on the orders of Lord Tywin and Prince Rhaegar. They were attempting to remove the king from the throne, to place Rhaegar on the throne. Of course, various things that I have done, alongside my friends here has made sure that did not come to pass. And yet, much has happened, and now I must ask you to put down your weapons."
Jon laughs then. "So you wish for us to believe that this has all been some misunderstanding, and to put down our weapons? What of justice?"
Ned looks at his brother, and sees the stubborn jut of his jaw, and he knows, he just knows what is coming next. "The king is not in the wrong here, the king is as much a victim as all of us are. Put down your weapons and come with me to King's Landing, and this can all be solved."
"Why? What will Aerys give us, he is mad. Mad men do not make reasonable decisions. Despite what he might have told you Brandon." Robert responds. "Then again you always were a fool weren't you?"
Ned groans then, and his brother snarls. "You are a fool Baratheon. Put down your weapon now, and I will not have to kill you."
Ned closes his eyes then, frustration growing within him. "Is that a threat? Are you threatening me?" Robert roars.
"Will you bend the knee to King Aerys?" Brandon asks, his voice cold.
"Never." Robert booms.
"What of the rest of you?" Brandon asks, looking right at Ned.
Before Ned can reply, Robert says. "Single combat right now. Let us deal with this problem right now. I kill you, we shall destroy your army and march for King's Landing, you kill me, then they can bend the knee."
A protestation is forming, but it dies on his lips when Brandon replies. "Very well then. Let us do this now."
Ned knows what is going to happen before it does, he knows, has known from the time he saw the black hound coming before them. His brother fights with skill, Robert with anger. Anger might have carried the day at the Stoney Sept, but it cannot carry the day here, and Brandon, Brandon has always been good at fighting. Robert dies, and Ned cries inside, but he sighs when Brandon removes his sword and Robert falls down his body gone, and crumpled. Leaving behind ash.