RICKARD

He felt himself drowning. He tried to swim up towards the few specks of dawn showing above but something held him back, pulled him down and Rickard Stark came to brief consciousness amidst immense pain. His vision was blurry and his throat as dry as the deserts of Dorne. He saw his surrounding and found it to be a closed room on a featherbed, four blurry figures and a little child were standing next to his sleeping form. He felt himself screaming aloud due to the wracking pain coursing through him. He felt a person come near him and forcibly pour a white liquid down his throat that suspiciously tasted a lot like the milk of the poppy. His vision blacked and he felt himself drowning again.

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"My lord, you must not be awake! ", he heard a voice call out as his eyes shot open again. He was on the shore for only a brief while and then he was dragged back into the sea as his vision blacked and yet he struggled and fought with the pain and soon came back to the dawn. As his eyes shot open a horror greeted his sight as he looked down to see his lower body covered with blood. The figure sitting next to him bought a burning instrument to his wound and then he screamed louder than he had before. He screamed and screamed till the creature in his dreams pulled him back into the sea and into unconsciousness.

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The pain had subsided as he felt himself opening his eyes to faint streaks of sunlight entering into the room from a window beside him. The person sitting next to him wasn't the maester this time but the man in the black trout armour who had come to save them.

He made to speak but no sound came forth till he struggled to utter, "W-wa-water-"

The man shot up to attention and brought a waterskin to his lips. Rickard made the mistake of drinking up hungrily and paid for it when he spluttered and the man had to serve him in small sips. As his vision cleared he came to the realisation that the man in front of him was none other than the famed knight, Brynden 'Blackfish' Tully.

He felt himself enquiring, "B-brandon?.."

"He's alright my lord, a few scratches here and there but nothing a few days of rest couldn't heal. There's the little prince and his kingsguard knight too alongside him. Care to explain how that came about? "

Rickard sighed, "It's a bloody long story. "

"Ha! I bet it is, no need to say it now, it's time to rest, my lord. "

After saying that, the Ser made towards the door while a servant made his way in carrying a plate of food for breakfast. As Ser Brynden was about to leave, he requested Rickard to join him and Lord Hoster for dinner together. After whatever Hoster had done for them, the least he could do was accept the invitation and he did so gladly.

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It was a while later when he was lying in bed resting when the door knocked and in came his son, Ser Jaime and Prince Viserys.

"Father! "

"Brandon, I wish I could get up and hug you but I fear it will be a few days before I can manage that", he replied.

As his son came to sit near him he looked over at Ser Jaime, the Kingsguard knight was wounded by the shoulder and had the part covered by cloth, he otherwise seemed fine enough and was looking at Rickard with a reassuring look. Then he finally set his sights upon the most interesting person from the trio and the Person he attributed his life to, the little Prince Viserys who simply looked relieved to see him alive. It had always struck him curious as to why the boy had helped him, against his own father none the less, he didn't put much faith in the boy's grand speech in the Kingswood, spouting off about his father's madness. He believed it only slightly. Sure, the king was mad, that much was evident but it was not enough for a boy of nine namedays to simply leave his family on that basis. Furthermore, the boy's mature way of speaking and outlook set him on edge and downright frightened him. A boy so little was not supposed to do what he did. No boy that age was supposed to have the balls to set free 'rebels' and abscond with them all on his own. It just wasn't supposed to happen.

Thinking about such things strained his head and he pushed the thought aside to think on later.

He listened while his son regaled him about Ser Jaime's bravery and how he had showed up to save Brandon personally and later almost killed Marq Darry. Brandon seemed to have found respect for the knight while before he would trade barbs with him now, he seemed to have found a newfound respect for the lad.

The Ser too had came a long way from the arrogant and prideful behaviour he had shown back at King's Landing. Rickard knew the lad had squired during the time of the Kingswood Brotherhood but this was his first real fight as a knight and he had excelled. The experiences he had gone through seemed to have made him mature. Rickard was no great judge of character but he could at the very least tell that Western Knight looked far more humble than earlier. The trio talked with him for a while before they had to bade goodbye to provide him further rest. Brandon and surprisingly even Prince Viserys hugged him while Jaime gave a respectful nod before leaving.

He spent some time idling till the time for dinner arrived. Maester Vyman sent a lad along with a contraption that looked like a chair although it had little crude wheels at both sides of it which allowed him to move forward with the help of a servant pushing the chair. The brief shame that engulfed him of imagining himself being led out like a cripple throughout the hall faded at the thought of the discussions that will take place with Lord Tully.

The servant pushed the chair from behind as they went up the raised platform in the dining hall where the trout lord and his brother sat.

"Lord Rickard, come help yourself to some bread and stew", welcomed Lord Tully.

He accepted the gesture and sat down while Hoster made small talk. After indulging with Hoster about the weather around the Riverlands, he finally asked what he wanted to.

"Any news about Eddard, Lord Tully? "

Hoster hesitated a bit before replying, "Only rumours so far, he is said to have departed the Eyrie to gather banners in the North. "

Rickard felt relieved to hear the news before he spoke about something that hindered his thoughts, "Only rumours? I thought you were in close contact with Jon Arryn. "

Hoster looked a tad bit embarrassed now as he stuttered, "Well I... I-I wanted to but... "

It was the so far silent Blackfish that interrupted, "-What he wants to say is that he didn't wanted to get drawn into something he figured would fuck up the riverlands. "

He smiled further to quip more barbs,"My brother is adept at figuring out chivalrous acts that everyone can see under, he recently assigned me to be 'honor guard' to Ser Jaime while he makes his way back home, I reckon even a dumb person could see that all that bullshit is just a layer to makes sure Tywin Lannister is grateful and makes a match between his son and Lysa ", he finished by guffawing aloud while his brother glared at him, his face resembling the colour of his hair.

Rickard politely ate his food while the two brothers tried to keep their voices low while exchanging subtle barbs at each other.

"You don't disparage your brother in front of your guests. "

"I was just being frank, northerners love it that way"

"Why do you have to be the black sheep of the family. "

"For nothing am I called the Blackfish eh? I am so glad you finally recognized my title publicly."

In any other normal circumstance, Rickard would had doubled over in laughter, even now his mouth was twitching a bit as he was containing his humor. He had far better and important things to ask of them. And so he interrupted their bickering.

"Lord Hoster... I mean to go back to the north."

"My lord? ", He appeared blank for a while before his and his brother expressions went serious again.

"You would surely not deny me travel back to my home, my lord, I am truly thankful for your help but it is time the North must be properly assembled. There is a big war coming and I can feel it, the North shouldn't be left unprepared. "

Hoster hesitated before replying, "Returning to your home is entirely plausible my lord, but my daughter Cat, I can't delay her marriage any longer, her betrothed was almost lost to her and I wouldn't extend it any further."

Rickard mulled over it for some time before declaring, "Alright then, the marriage happens tomorrow, a short ceremony would do for me."

"Tomorrow? ", Hoster appeared surprised, "Bannermen need to be invited and.. "

"No Hoster, as Rickard says almost everyone in Westeros can feel a damned war coming, our men would prefer preparing themselves then wasting time at a wedding. There would time for pomp later. "

Hoster took some time to reply before finally deciding that he was fine with the proposal. A short ceremony could arranged by the next day's afternoon and a few nearby lords could be invited.

The mood of the table relaxed once that big matter went out of the way. Ser Brynden asked him about his escapade from King's Landing and he indulged them. They came to the matter of Prince Viserys, a person that now intrigued all three of them. Hoster appeared deep in thought as he exclaimed, "What an interesting little person, an almost unbelievable story, I wonder what could we do about him. "

"Make him king perhaps",wondered Ser Brynden which got the attention of the other men who sat up straighter. Hoster appeared worried.

"That would not do, it would be another Dance of the Dragons, the damage would be irreparable. "

"And yet we don't have a better option, the King is mad and his first son is madder than him by the looks of it. Viserys is young and has shown far more virtue and honour in the last few days than his father and brother have done in their lives so far. Think about it Hoster, your Bannermen wouldn't even contest the decision so much if you back a Targaryen in rebellion than a Blackfyre or someone entirely else", Rickard exclaimed.

"Are you sure about the Boy's sanity. "

"As sure as I can be"

"Then we declare him king-", uttered Ser Brynden before Hoster intervened.

"Not so quickly now, among the three of us, he is king already but we shan't declare it till we confer with Arryn and Lannister. "

He agreed with Hoster, "Aye, you have a point."

They continued on putting on some final touches to their delicate plan till time came for saying goodbye.

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He made his way towards the sparring yard to enjoy some air and decided he wouldn't shame himself further sitting in this contraption. The servant hesitated a bit but a firm look sent him in his way while Rickard took a cane to support a himself.

He was the Lord Paramount of the North. The Stark of the North. It just wouldn't do for him going about like a cripple. So he struggled and half crawled his way to the yard and was surprised to see Brandon sitting alone on a lone bench. His son stood up to support him but Rickard wouldn't have any of that. They both sat down and Rickard made to break the news to him.

"Brandon"

"Hm? "

"You would be married to Catelyn tomorrow. "

His son sighed before replying, "Alright. "

His reaction shocked Rickard who expected some fightback. His son probably figured out his expression and made to explain.

"I have been such an immature lad. It was my stupidness that resulted in all the mess I fell in at the capital. My friends died for the sole crime of believing me. It's hard to forget father and it will haunt me for the rest of my life that my actions resulted in the death of my dear friends. Everything appeared so different after our journey after the escape. That was real life right there. Everything I did before was plain stupid and I have realized it now. "

As Rickard looked on, Brandon continued, "I don't love Catelyn, but I'll do my duty father, she seems to be a good woman and I will try everything I can to put effort in this marriage."

Rickard felt a sudden wave of pride engulfed him. He never expected his son to change so quickly. His rebelliousness was always a flaw of his and one thing he worried about the most about his son.

Brandon wondered aloud,"I just want to go back to the happy times father, the whole family sitting together at supper in the great hall, all of us living happily again. Catelyn too along with us this time."

He put an arm around his son's shoulder before holding him close.

"Perhaps we may see it actually happen. "

He couldn't help himself realising the fact that this was simply the few blissful moments of calm before the disastrous storm. He could only hope that they'd be on the less affected side of it.

XxxxxxThanks for reading and do review.