Guest: I would have to reread A Game of Thrones to be absolutely sure, but I'm 90% percent sure that it does mention Robert laughed. But even if I'm wrong about that, 'I see only Dragon spawn' is hardly indifferent. Robert was pleased by the deaths of two children whose only crime was being Targaryen, it's mentioned multiple times in A Game of Thrones by Robert's biggest cheerleader Ned and was even the reason Ned told Cersei of his plans. Both the show and the books depict Robert as a drunken, abusive manwhore who rarely thinks of anyone but himself with the books even revealing that Robert displayed similar behavior even before Lyanna was 'kidnapped'. Robert was never a good guy; Robert stans just like to rewrite history, pretending he was this great guy who got screwed over.

It had been a few days since the incident with Robert and so far, things were progressing normally as they waited for Robert to return. Discounting the fact that The Mountain was raiding villages and trying to blame House Tully for that. Ned, as Hand, had ordered him brought to justice but Rory doubted it would be that easy.

Currently, Rory was in his room, sharpening his sword when there was a knock on his door. Rory put his sword down before walking over to the door. Opening it, he saw a servant on the other side.

"I apologize for the early hour, Lord Centurion, but Lord Stark wishes to speak with you in his study," the servant told him and Rory frowned.

"Did he say why?"

"No, just that it was urgent," the servant said.

Rory wracked his brain, trying to figure out what Ned could want to speak with him so early in the morning about, as it wasn't even light out. Finding nothing that could explain Ned's behavior, Rory nodded at the servant.

"Thank you for telling me. Tell the Hand I will be there shortly."

It wasn't even sunrise when Rory entered Ned's study. He found Ned going over 'The lineage and history of the great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms'. Ned looked up as Rory closed the door behind him.

"What's wrong, Ned? You're usually not so cloak and dagger about this kind of thing," Rory noted.

"I know the secret Jon died for," Ned said bluntly and Rory started.

"Did someone say something?" Rory asked urgently and Ned shook his head.

"No, I just figured out what Jon meant. 'The seed is strong'. He meant the Baratheon line," Ned said, confusing Rory. "He went looking for Robert's bastards to confirm his theory. Every Baratheon child has born Baratheon features, all with black hair…until Queen Cersei's children, all of them with blond hair."

It took Rory a moment to understand what Ned was trying to say. Then, he looked at Ned, making sure he wasn't confusing what he was trying to tell him. Seeing it written on Ned's face, Rory finally spoke.

"You're saying that the Queen's children are Bastards, none of them are Robert's? Based on what, that none of them resemble Robert? That's not proof Ned," Rory pointed out.

"It makes sense though, doesn't it?" Ned challenged.

"How many of your own children look like a Stark? Sansa bears little resemblance to you, but I somehow doubt Lady Stark laid with another man," Rory argued and Ned looked angry at the mere suggestion of someone accusing his wife of such a crime. "It's not unheard of for a child to resemble one parent more than the other. Just because it's never happened before doesn't mean it's impossible. Besides, who would Cersei be unfaithful to Robert with anyway?"

"The Kingslayer," Ned said and Rory was stunned into silence. "I didn't think much of it before, but Prince Joffrey…he looks so much like Jaime Lannister when he was young. He guards the Queen's chambers at night, giving him ample opportunity and…"

"And what?" Rory asked, seeing a look of realization wash over Ned's face.

"In Winterfell, there was a hunt when I chose to accept the position of Hand. Both the Queen and the Kingslayer stayed behind. When I returned…Bran had fallen from a tower," Ned said softly.

"You think he saw them in the act and was pushed," Rory realized.

"It makes sense, doesn't it?" Ned pointed out.

"This is all just assumptions Ned. But, if you're right, what do you plan to do with this information?" Rory asked and Ned was silent for a moment.

"None of the children has a right to the throne. I will tell Robert once he returns from his hunt."

"And you know what Robert will do to them," Rory pointed out and Ned nodded.

"Aye. That's why I will warn Cersei first, try to convince her to leave King's Landing," Ned said and Rory stared at him horrified.

"Ned, you can't do that," Rory pleaded.

"I won't sentence children to death, Rory," Ned argued.

"I agree, but if you tell Cersei what you plan to do, it will be the end of you," Rory told him and Ned looked at him sharply. "She had Sansa's Direwolf killed for the crimes of Arya's. What do you think she will do if you tell her that you're going to put her and her children in Robert's crosshairs? She will do something far worse to you. If you do this, it will be the end of you and your daughters."

"What would you suggest I do? A Bastard stands in line to the Iron Throne. None of the Seven Kingdoms will ever accept a bastard as their king," Ned shot back and Rory knew there was only one card he could play that might knock some sense into Ned.

"If this was really about birthright, we both know who would really be sitting on that throne right now," Rory snapped and saw shock and fear cross Ned's face before he schooled his face into a neutral mask.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Rory," Ned played dumb.

"Cut the crap, Ned. You wanna play it that way? Fine. Almost twenty years ago, you went off with Robert after your sister had been taken by Rheager Targaryen. You came home with her body and a baby that looked even more like a Stark than you did. It didn't take a genius to figure it out. The only reason no one has ever put it together is because it is inconceivable to anyone that the noble Eddard Stark would lie to his best friend, to his family, to his wife, to seven kingdoms. But they don't know you like I do. They don't know that the only thing more important to Ned Stark than honor…is his family. Even a newborn nephew he'd just met," Rory said hotly and Ned grew paler with each word, eyes silently pleading Rory not to speak the truth they both knew. "Jon Snow isn't your son. He's Lyanna's son, with Rheager."

Ned wanted to deny it, to keep the secret he had kept all this years, not even telling his wife. But it was no use. Rory knew, had always known apparently.

"Aye," Ned finally said, the word feeling much heavier than any weight Ned had ever carried. "When I found Lyanna, she was in the birthing bed. The Maesters were unable to stop the bleeding. On her death bed, she begged me to protect Jon from Robert. I knew there was only one way I could do that."

"By claiming him as your bastard," Rory noted and Ned nodded silently. "What exactly was your plan, Ned? You couldn't expect to keep him hidden forever. Was it really that easy to choose Robert over him?"

"I didn't choose Robert. Not in the way you're thinking," Ned said with a sigh and Rory noticed how tired Ned seemed. "When Jon was born, I had lost my father, my brother, and now my sister. I had a wife I barely knew and a son I had never met, along with the nephew I was now entrusted to protect. And I was…tired. I was tired of all the fighting. I wanted to go home. I told myself that I was protecting him, and I was. But I see now that I was also protecting myself. But by the time I realized that…"

"You felt like you in too deep," Rory muttered and Ned remained silent.

Rory stared at Ned for a long time, unable to help but relate. He was tired as well. He wanted to rest. But he couldn't. Not until his Watch was over. Not until he was able to hold Amy in his arms again.

"I get it. I don't like it, but I get it," Rory said with a sigh. "You never told him?"

"I thought about it, many times. But children are not always so closely guarded with their secrets; I did not want to risk it getting to Robert, no matter how slim. And as he grew up…it just seemed too much of a burden to put on his shoulders. And perhaps I'm merely too much of a coward, who does not want to lose his son. Jon may not be mine, but I raised him, and I think of him as mine," Ned said and it was silent for a long moment.

"Secrets have a way of coming out, Ned. You should tell him, before it's too late," Rory said before pausing, putting his thoughts in order. "I can't make you do anything. I've learned by now I can't control the actions of other people, even when I disagree with them. But if you go down this path of telling Cersei your plan…I will have no part in it. I'll be gone by nightfall," Rory said, looking at the stunned Ned sadly. "Whatever you decide…I hope your daughters don't pay the price for your decisions."

Rory then turned and walked from the room, leaving Ned alone to consider his next course of action.

I've been wanting to write Rory confronting Ned about Jon the whole story, so I hope I did the scene justice.

Buckle up everyone, it's about to get wild.