The moment the establishment came into view, Ned saw red. He grabbed Baelish and pinned him against the wall.
"What is this? Why have you brought me here?" He snarled.
Baelish didn't smile, he didn't flinch, but he did gasp out. "For the exact reason that I said I would. To bring you to Cat."
Baelish's use of Catelyn's pet name infuriated him even more. He pressed harder on the man's throat. "Why would she be here in a brothel? What are you trying to suggest about my wife?"
Before Baelish could reply, a woman's voice called out. "Ned, my love, he's speaking the truth." Ned looked up and saw Catelyn leaning out of a window. He let go of Baelish and took in his wife. Her hair was done up, and she was wearing the green dress he liked. He looked at her and he realised then just how much he'd missed her.
"Cat?" He said. "What are you doing here?"
"Maybe if you come in, I can tell you?" Cat said, smiling.
Ned looked at Baelish who was nursing his throat. "My apologies." He said to the man. Baelish nodded then moved away from the wall and opened the door to the brothel, he stepped inside, Ned followed, the door shut after them. Ned waited and Cat came hurrying down the steps, she threw herself into his arms.
Ned breathed her in, Gods, he'd missed her, terribly so. He pulled back and looked at her, really drinking her in. "what are you doing here, Cat?" He asked again.
"There's a more private room at the back that we can use for this." Baelish said.
"Lead the way." Ned barked at the man, wondering how he'd known that Cat was coming when even he hadn't known.
Baelish walked past them, Ned took Cat's hand in his and together they followed the man, settling into a slightly darkened room at the end of the hallway. The door shut behind them and then they sat down.
"What brought you south, Cat?" Ned asked again.
"Something happened." Cat said, her voice soft.
Immediately a million thoughts entered his head. "What?" He asked.
"There was an attempt on Myrcella's life." Catelyn said.
"What?!" Ned exclaimed, an attempt on the life of Princess Myrcella, in Winterfell? Why?!
"The assassin failed thanks to Myrcella and Robb working together, but it came close. And afterwards when we talked about it, Myrcella said she knew who had sent the man." Catelyn said.
"Who?" Ned asked.
"Her brother, Prince Joffrey." Catelyn replied.
Ned looked at his wife and a thousand thoughts ran through his mind. Foremost amongst them why. Why would Prince Joffrey do that?
As if she could read his mind, Catelyn continued. "She said that Prince Joffrey has long considered her a threat and that her marriage to Robb simply consolidated that in his mind."
"He thinks she'd try and claim the throne?" Ned asked.
"Yes." Cat replied.
"Why?" Ned asked.
It was Baelish who replied. "Because that is the way that the Queen raised the Crown Prince to think." Ned looked at the man and raised an eyebrow, prompting Baelish to continue. "She taught him that anyone who wasn't a Lannister was a threat. And he never liked the fact that the King gave more attention to Princess Myrcella. So, now that she is married to your son, she is a great threat."
"But to try and have his sister killed?!" Ned exclaimed.
"It is not too far-fetched, my lord. After all think of Prince Tommen." Baelish said.
"What about Prince Tommen?" Catelyn asked.
"He has been 'ill' for some time." Baelish said.
"How long?" Catelyn asked.
"About a moon and a half." Ned said. "Maybe longer."
"So, around the time this letter came." Catelyn said. She pulled out a letter and handed it to Ned. He read it and looked at her. "Myrcella says that this is Tommen using the code that they had created to talk to one another in letter. She says this is Tommen warning her."
"And what? Joffrey found out and has beaten Tommen?" Ned asked. The mere thought of such a thing was horrifying.
"Yes." Baelish said.
Ned looked at the man and then at Cat and he knew from her expression that she was having the same thought as he was. What sort of boy had they betrothed their daughter to?
Baelish broke the silence then and asked. "Do you have the weapon that was used?"
Cat nodded and pulled it out of her bag and placed it on the table. "Myrcella didn't recognise it."
"That's not a problem because I do." Baelish said.
"You do?" Ned asked, wondering why the man would recognise it.
"Yes, it was mine originally, but I lost it in a bet with the King. It was during a tourney held before Lord Arryn died. The King won it and then decided to gift it to the Crown Prince for his name day." Baelish said.
Ned looked at Baelish and then at Catelyn, a sinking feeling settling in his stomach. Just who had they betrothed their daughter to?