Chapter 3: Hard Truths

Summary:

Robert learns some hard truths on the journey to Harrenhal, and must learn to be a better man in order to get what he wants.

Notes:

The next chapter as we promised, we hope you all enjoy it!

(See the end of the chapter formore notes.)

Chapter Text

EddardI

Travelling to Harrenhal

Harrenhal was close; according to Jon, they would arrive around midday, and Ned grew more excited with every tree they passed. After four name days apart, he would finally see his siblings again, and even though he was sad about it, he could understand why his father wouldn't come. There must always be a Stark in Winterfell.

"By the Seven Ned, I have never been this nervous in all my life," Robert said, pulling him from his thoughts. A sigh escaped his lips when looked at his best friend.

"Robert," he began, and when he was sure that he had Robert's attention he continued, "you don't need to be nervous. Just take a breath, relax, and be yourself. Don't pull another stupid stunt like the letter you sent Lya. She is probably still pissed about that."

Ned couldn't help but shake his head when he remembered that letter. Why Robert had listened to Elbert he wasn't sure, but he knew that it was one of those stupid southron love letters — the ones that Lya would definitely hate — and Lya's letter to him more than confirmed that.

"Lya is different from every other woman you have ever met, Robert. She is a wolf, just like my other siblings and me. If I know Lya, she doesn't even want to get married at all. She wants to fight with a sword, ride into battle with her horse, and go hunting. Adventure, Robert — Lya wants adventure in her life; she does not wish to sit in some keep as a dutiful wife."

His grey eyes were still on his foster brother, and it seemed Robert had finally started to understand. Well, Robert had always needed a bit longer.

"I do not know who put it into your head that you should court Lya like some southern damsel. She is a northerner Robert; just like me, she worships the old gods. Winter roses are the most beautiful flowers for her. Like my father and I do, she also has a strong sense of justice."

For a moment Ned considered what to say next. All the while he had been nice about the topic, but maybe it was time to give Robert a small blow so he really understood.

"Listen Robert, you're my brother in all but blood. I will be completely honest with you now. I'm sorry if the words hurt you, but please understand that I don't want to see you or my sister get hurt." After the nod from his foster brother Ned continued, "When I approached my father about the betrothal of you and Lya, I told him that I think you're the only man who could understand her — that in my opinion you're the only one who would ever be able to make her happy, because you wouldn't keep her from the things she loves. In other words, you wouldn't treat her like some prized trophy." Ned shook his head at that, silent for a moment to make sure he still had Robert's undivided attention.

"Maybe I was wrong, and you won't give her whatever she wants to make her happy. Yes, you stopped whoring around, and you drink just a cup or two if you drink at all… but my sister also deserves happiness." His grey eyes were cold and hard at the moment, looking just like steel. "Now tell me Robert, will you give Lya what she wants? Will you go hunting with her and teach her how to fight, or will I have to advise my father to break the betrothal? Was my judgment of you really so wrong?"

Ned's face was blank of any emotion, not giving away how he already knew Robert had likely finally gotten the message. It was just like with the whoring and alcohol: Robert needed to be told the blunt and honest truth to get it.

The silence was nice between them, but then Robert finally answered his question.

"Whatever Lya wants, she will get it, Ned. I will put a sword in her hand and personally teach her how to use it. She will accompany me on every hunt. Damn the Seven, I will even plant a weirwood in the godswood at Storm's End, and if she walks around all day in breeches, I won't complain. She will be my equal, and whoever dares to say anything against it will feel my hammer."

Ned gave a nod to that. "Good," he said before he looked forward again. Slowly his eyes got warm again, a small smile coming to his lips. There really might be hope for Robert and Lya.

Robert had disappeared from his side again after a few minutes, and Ned enjoyed the silence once more as he led them all towards Harrenhal.

It was not long after Robert disappeared that Jon appeared next to him, a smile on his lips. Jon had become like a second father to him; the man had taught him so much over the last four years. When he understood the lessons better than Robert, it was Jon who took him out of those lessons, teaching him alone in his solar.

"You're doing well Ned," Jon said. The statement surprised Ned, causing him to give Jon a questioning look. His foster father just smirked. "Did you not notice that you led us the whole way? You decided where we would camp, when we would leave, and when we would rest, and so far not a single man has complained."

Now that Jon had pointed it out, Ned noticed that everything he had done was normally Jon's task as Lord of House Arryn.

"This was one of your tests, wasn't it?" Ned asked his mentor, amusement in his grey eyes.

"You passed it with flying colors," was the simple answer from the Lord Paramount, his blue eyes showing that it made him proud. "It is important that you remember these lessons, Ned. Lead the people, but do not forget them, and be mindful of their limits."

Ned looked at Jon, his eyes showing confusion for a moment before he nodded.

"I should not be happy when the people I lead are suffering," Ned concluded.

The answer earned Ned a smile from his foster father, and Ned again noticed how much the lessons he got from Jon had changed over the last few moons. All of a sudden the man had taught him things that a lord would need to know. Not that Ned complained — he loved gaining new knowledge — but it had still surprised him.

Silence fell between them, but Ned knew that Jon enjoyed it just as much as he did. Robert had nearly gone mad with the two of them more than once, not understanding how they could sit in a chamber without saying a thing for hours.

"Harrenhal…"

The word pulled Ned from his own thoughts, and he noticed that Robert was riding to his left while Jon was at his right and pointing towards the ruins of the largest castle in the Seven Kingdoms.

All he could do was shake his head at the destruction, which became more and more visible the closer they got. How the Whents were still able to live in this place was a mystery to him.

"Can you imagine how majestic it must have looked before the conquest?" Robert mumbled next to him, and he could only nod in response.

"If you want to ride ahead, Ned, you are free to leave," Jon said after another moment had passed, and Ned just shook his head.

"We started the trip together, and we will end it together," he said and simultaneously ended the topic, the words spoken in a tone that would accept or tolerate no attempt at rebuttal.

Again he could see in Jon's eyes that his answer was exactly what the man had wanted to hear.

Jon and Robert started to talk with each other, now riding a bit behind Ned, Robert still being amazed by the view of Harrenhal.

Meanwhile, Ned looked around, noticing that the land around them was green and fertile. Why the Whents didn't use it for farming was another mystery. He was sure his father would love to buy corn and other things from them for the next winter: it would ensure that everyone in the north had enough food. Maybe he should write a letter to his father and ask him about that. It would not hurt to ask the Whents if they would be interested in a trade deal.

He was pulled from his thoughts again when a rider approached them. He bore no banner or weapons with him. It was only when the man got closer that he recognized him as a messenger. Ned gave his horse a gentle kick with his spurs, riding out and meeting the man ahead of the others.

RobertI

It was when Jon had been riding ahead with Ned that Robert's mind started to wander, his concentration not on the two men in front of him.

A few moons ago Jon had called him into his solar. What surprised him was that Jon had only requested him and not Ned, too. Normally Jon always called for both of them, knowing that they had developed a bond like brothers and that one would always support the other — even in the worst of times. So why would Jon call for him alone now? It really had not made sense to Robert at all, until John finally told him that this was about Ned.

"Ned will need a loyal friend very soon Robert," his foster father had said in a very serious tone. "A friend who will make his life easier, not harder." Jon's normally gentle blue eyes were hard when they looked into Robert's. It was something that made him gulp, not having experienced this kind of look from him. "I know that you started to listen to Ned, and I noticed that you're drinking less and not whoring around anymore. This is good, and I'm proud of you," Jon's hand was on Robert's shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze as he continued, "but over the next few moons that will not be enough. Keep working on yourself, and show Ned that he can trust you — that you will listen to him and follow his command."

Jon had told him a bit more about the importance of friendship, loyalty, and trust. It had confused Robert so much he could not sleep that night. Somehow, he had not been able to understand the words, or at least that was what he had thought until he realized that Jon must know something they didn't. It must be something that his foster father wanted to keep secret.

Robert knew that he had sometimes let secrets slip. A sad sigh had escaped Robert's lips at that thought, knowing that Jon had every right to not completely trust him. Too often he had been a fool when drunk, simply blurting things out and hurting the trust other people had in him, but this time he would prove that he had changed — that he was now a loyal and trustworthy friend.

With that thought Robert gave his horse the spurs and closed up to Ned and Jon again, slowing down when he was at Ned's left side and Harrenhal came into view.

To say he was amazed would be an understatement, even though the castle was mostly destroyed, and the first thing that came into his vision was one of the destroyed towers; it was still impressive.

Robert could imagine how majestic the castle must have looked before it was attacked and mostly destroyed. How he would have loved to have seen it back in those days, to have wandered through its halls and to have stood on its walls. The view from the top of one of those towers must have been impressive.

Still, it seemed to Robert as if Ned was not really interested in the topic, as he only got a nod in answer to his question, and so he slowed down a bit, riding a bit behind Ned to give him space to think. Jon soon joined him, and told him more about Harrenhal. It had been a nice talk until Ned's horse suddenly sprinted forward, pulling Robert's as well as Jon's attention back to Ned who was riding towards a man.

Robert had wanted to go after him, but Jon shook his head, as if the man exactly knew what Robert wanted to do. "Slowly Robert; Ned will be fine," Jon said as they kept riding at the same pace. They watched Ned have a quiet talk with the man, and as they waited for him it became clear that the discussion was serious. Ned had given a nod to the man more than once.

"Lord Arryn," the messenger said with a bow when they had closed up to them, "I have an important message from a friend. It is meant only for you." With these words the man had produced a roll from the inside pocket of his vest. Robert could see that it was closed with a sigil, but he was sure he had never seen it before. "Thank you for your service. Tell our friend I will get back to him soon," was all Jon said as he took the rolled parchment and it disappeared within one of his hidden pockets.

"It was nice getting to know you, Lord Eddard. Farewell, Lord Arryn and Lord Baratheon," the messenger said with a bow before turning around and spurring his horse back to Harrenhal, probably to deliver Jon's short answer directly to this 'friend.'

"Papa?" The high pitched voice directly got Robert's undivided attention, a loud laugh escaping his lips as he turned his horse around, and he rode towards one of the guards who had accompanied him. In front of the guard was a little girl, sitting on a saddle specially made for her. Robert reached over and lifted the girl up with one arm, holding her against his chest.

Robert adored his daughter, even if the manner of her conception was the most traumatic event of his life. King Aerys had started searching for a bride for Rhaegar years earlier than anyone had thought he would. He had tasked Robert's father with finding Rhaegar a Valyrian bride. Robert could still remember standing on the shore around Storm's End with his brothers when his parents' ship sank beneath the waves. Upon returning to the Vale, his grief had been a deep well he might not have climbed out of if not for Ned. Still, he wouldn't change a thing, as otherwise he wouldn't have Mya.

"Hey little sleepyhead. Night was a bit short, hm? Too many stories from Uncle Ned?" Robert's bright blue eyes were full of happiness, looking down into the identical blue eyes of the little girl. "I can't allow you to sleep in Uncle Ned's tent if you two simply ignore bed time."

"Nooooo!" the girl squealed in utter shock, looking towards Ned who had suddenly turned his horse around and was approaching them.

"Robert! How can you even think little Mya and I would miss bedtime? I'm shocked. As if I would keep your daughter awake with stories from the north and the she-wolf — on that note, she seems to like the stories about the she-wolf and her adventures."

"Yes! She-wolfy is funny!" Mya squealed, in delight this time while her small arms and hands reached for Ned.

Robert looked into grey eyes that were warm and gentle again, happiness playing in them as his foster brother ruffled the hair of Robert's daughter. These were the moments when Robert felt at ease, when Ned just showed this other side of him — his true self.

"I wanna ride with Uncle Neddy!" Mya suddenly exclaimed, her short arms and small hands still reaching for Ned who raised a brow and looked at the little girl. "I do not have your saddle Mya; you were so sleepy that we had to let you ride with a guard." Robert noticed the feigned sadness in Ned's voice, holding back a smirk. "How shall I ride with you without a saddle? We can not make another break now; everyone is exhausted and wants to set up camp." The little girl looked sad, a little pout on her lips as she looked at Ned. "Well, maybe," Ned started, "your papa would allow you to ride on my shoulders."

Mya directly squealed in delight at the thought, getting Robert to also laugh as he looked at Ned. "I guess you're both lucky that I trust Uncle Ned with my life." Ned had already positioned his horse next to Robert's so that Robert could simply lift Mya up and position her on his shoulders. "We have to get back to our position Mya, without us leading them we will never arrive in Harrenhal," Ned said as he gave his horse a gentle kick with his spurs, riding back to the front and positioning himself in the center.

"Yes! Uncle Neddy is the leader!" Robert could hear while a smirk was coming to his lips as he gave his horse the spurs too and closed up with them. Just like Jon he was again riding slightly behind Ned, one of them on either side.

The rest of the way to Harrenhal Ned was not silent anymore. He talked with little Mya, also involving Robert and Jon into it as they got closer and closer to Harrenhal.

Much sooner than Robert had anticipated they were riding through the first camps of hedge knights. It surprised Robert how many people had arrived already; the grounds looked full, and in the distance he could see the banners of his own house as well as Ned's. Nobody protested when Ned led them towards the Stark banners, soon entering the camp of his family where guards were bowing and greeting them.

Ned still had Mya on his shoulders when suddenly a man appeared who looked like an older version of Ned.

"Edd—" the man had started before his eyes fell on Mya and he stopped. Behind the man appeared four more people, two men and two women… and then Robert understood. This was Ned's family. The old wolf Rickard, the mother wolf Lyarra, the wild wolf Brandon, the she-wolf Lyanna, and Benjen the pup. All five of them were looking at the little girl who was on Ned's shoulders and then back at Ned, eyes moving up and down until Mya pointed at Rickard and said, "Grandpa Wolfy!" in a happy voice, reaching for the man with her short arms and small hands.