Chapter 14: Secrets Revealed, Tempers Stoked
Summary:
The lions confront the wolves, and the Old Council's secrets are finally revealed. A she-wolf and a lioness are not happy about having been kept in the dark. A trout takes a morning stroll and gets more than she bargained for.
Notes:
Another Friday, and another chapter! We're getting into the thick of the politicking now, and we are introducing another POV to help extend the web in the future. We hope you enjoy!
Join our Discord Server to talk with us and other ASoIaF fans: discord.gg/9a7fJmThG9
Chapter Text
Joanna III
Camp of House Stark
The ride in the wheelhouse with Tywin had been a silent one. It was fortunate for them that not too many people were awake at such an early hour, otherwise the next juicy gossip of Harrenhal would be of the Lannisters visiting the Stark camp shortly after rumors had erupted that the Targaryens had made a betrothal offer for Lord Eddard.
Joanna knew something wasn't as it seemed to be. Tywin had told her about the betrothal of Cersei and Lord Eddard, and he'd said a contract had already been signed. She knew Tywin well enough to be sure he had not left any loophole for the Starks in that contract.
Something else Joanna noticed was that Tywin was tired — so tired it seemed as if he hadn't gotten much sleep the previous night. Still, that was a topic to discuss later. The betrothal was all that mattered at the moment. Joanna didn't want to see her daughter sad again; Cersei had been in enough pain when Aerys had declined their proposed betrothal of her to Rhaegar.
A knock could be heard, clearly coming from the coachman to announce they had arrived in the Stark camp, and would soon have to get out of the wheelhouse. Joanna took a few more deep breaths before the carriage finally stopped.
After a moment the door was opened, and Tywin got out. He offered her his hand as soon as he was standing on the grass, and helped her out of the wheelhouse. Normally Joanna would have taken a look, but right now she didn't care about the camp's layout: she simply walked straight for the largest tent and was only stopped by Tywin who clasped her arm, his grip as strong as iron.
"Calm down," he whispered to her before making a few more steps towards a guard. "Good day," he said to the guard who returned the greeting with a bow. "My wife — Lady Joanna — and I — Lord Tywin Lannister — would like to speak with Lord Rickard Stark. It is about an urgent matter," the words were said in Tywin's lord voice, the tiredness gone and replaced by the face he normally wore in public.
The guard briefly looked at the other guard and then nodded. "I will inform Lord Stark; please wait for my return Lord Lannister, Lady Lannister," and with that the northerner disappeared into the tent. Muffled voices could be heard outside the tent, but Joanna also didn't dare to get closer: the second guard had all his attention on her and Tywin.
Soon the tent opened again, and the guard stepped outside. "Lord and Lady Stark are ready to welcome you," he announced before opening the entrance to the tent once more, and this time he held it open.
Before they could step inside Tywin turned to the coachman and gave a nod. Joanna saw how the wheelhouse was pulled away by the horses before they stepped inside.
"Lord and Lady Lannister," the guard announced before stepping out of the tent again and closing the entrance.
"Lord Stark, Lady Stark, thank you for welcoming us on such… short notice," her husband said with a small nod.
"Thank you," Joanna gritted out and gave a small nod. No matter how angry she was, she wouldn't forget the manners her mother had taught her.
"Lord Lannister, Lady Lannister," Lord Stark and his wife returned. "I assume you have an important reason to visit us so early?" Rickard Stark had the nerve to ask.
"You know exactly why we're here Lord Stark," Joanna gritted out, unable to hold it back any longer.
"I beg your forgiveness, but I really don't know what reason you might have Lady Lannister," Rickard replied, and she saw how Lyarra Stark nodded, agreeing with her husband. Did the two of them really want to act innocent and play dumb? They acted as if they didn't remember the contract.
"Don't lie to my face Lord Stark," she made a step towards the tall man and looked into his grey eyes. "Or are you not as honorable as your son Lord Eddard? He surely wouldn't act the way you're acting right now: he is too honorable to act as if he had forgotten something so important," her blood was boiling as she continued looking into Rickard's eyes, wanting an answer.
"Lady Lannister, I really don't know what you're talking about," the man replied again. "And I can guarantee you that I try to be just as honorable as my son: it makes me proud that you think so highly of him," he even curled his lips into a small smile, making Joanna fume even more.
"Do you really want to play games with me now Lord Stark?!" she gritted out.
"I don't know what you mean Lady Lannister," the man even looked at her in confusion, and Joanna snapped.
"It doesn't matter," she made another step towards the head of house Stark. "We will match the offer the Targaryens made," the words were said louder than she had intended to say them, but it felt good to see Rickard Stark's eyes widen in surprise — just like the eyes of his wife. "We want the betrothal of Lord Eddard and our daughter Cersei, and you know we can afford to support you during winters without a problem."
It was then that Joanna felt Tywin take a firm grip on her arm again.
"Lord Stark, Lady Stark, please forgive my wife for the outburst," he said in a calm and collected tone. "Maybe you have a… more private place? A place where we can talk without having to worry about little birds with very good ears," Joanna looked at Lyarra Stark who still seemed completely confused while her husband just nodded.
"Follow me," Rickard Stark simply said before turning around, taking hold of his wife's arms to pull her with him just as Tywin did with Joanna.
Joanna was surprised when a short man suddenly appeared, standing in front of them. The man was wearing a dark green cloak, and his face was so deep within his hood that it was unrecognizable: it could very well have been a woman for all Joanna knew. It looked as if the man was guarding the entrance to a smaller tent within Rickard's tent.
"We need privacy," Lord Stark said, and the figure moved to the side, the tent opening as if by magic. Joanna slowly followed Tywin into the small room, surprised when the tent closed again behind her.
"I assume you told your wife, Tywin?" Lord Stark suddenly asked her husband who gave a small nod.
"And I assume you didn't tell your wife, Rickard?" Tywin asked back with a raised brow as his eyes shortly moved to Lyarra Stark.
"Am I the only one who doesn't know what all this is about?" Lyarra Stark suddenly growled, and she looked at her husband with hard eyes.
"Well," Rickard sighed as he turned towards his wife. "Tywin and I made a deal moons ago. We already signed a contract to betroth Lady Cersei to Ned, but this couldn't be publicly announced," he told his wife, and Joanna was sure she could see fire in Lyarra Stark's eyes.
"You betrothed our son without my involvement, and didn't think it was necessary to talk with me about it?" The other woman growled out and stepped closer to Rickard. "NO!" Lyarra suddenly shouted, and her index finger poked in the middle of her husband's chest. "You didn't even think it was necessary to at least inform me about what you had done," Joanna watched in surprise.
"Lyarra," Rickard said in a soft tone.
"Don't you dare 'Lyarra' me, Rickard Stark," Lyarra growled out, and Joanna slowly started to like the woman who was currently scolding her husband.
"Please listen," Rickard attempted once more, but Joanna could see the pure fury in the other woman — and she could understand why. She would have been the same with Tywin had he not told her.
"Lady Stark," her husband suddenly interfered. "I think I know why Rickard didn't tell you, mayhaps you can give us a chance to explain?" Joanna was surprised by that, but anger flared up inside her again.
"Does that mean you didn't tell me everything Tywin?" she demanded of her husband, looking at him now with hard green eyes.
"Why is it that you both made such a secret of this?!" Lyarra demanded to know right after her.
"You both had better have a good explanation — especially now that a second offer is on the table for Lord Eddard's betrothal," Joanna growled out.
"A second offer that we can't simply refuse because you two decided that the existing betrothal needed to be kept secret," Lyarra added in a low growl.
"I think we should sit down for this discussion," Rickard Stark said with a sigh, and he nodded towards the desk that was placed in the small room. It had exactly four chairs placed around it, each looking rather comfortable.
Joanna looked at Lyarra, who looked back at her. After a moment they both nodded at one another, and then they walked to the chairs. Without even thinking about it they sat down side by side, waiting for their husbands to take their places on the chairs opposite them.
"You had better have a really good reason — the both of you," Lyarra growled once more, and Joanna nodded in agreement.
"It all started a few moons ago," Rickard began, and then he lifted a slip of parchment. "This was brought to me by a crannogman. As you can see there is only a sigil — nothing more," he said as he placed the slip on the desk and pushed it towards her and Lyarra.
"What does this slip mean?" Lyarra asked after a moment.
"I have never seen this sigil before," Joanna added and raised a brow.
"This sigil is the sigil of the Old Council," Rickard continued as he raised a hand, probably anticipating that Joanna had wanted to ask him what the Old Council actually was: she had never heard of it, after all. "My ancestor, King Torrhen Stark, invited all the old houses that he trusted to Greywater Watch before Aegon started his conquest. It was two years before the conquest that Sharra — as ruling regent for her son Ronnel — of House Arryn, Loren I of House Lannister, Mern IX of House Gardener, Argilac of House Durrandon and my ancestor Torrhen of House Stark came together in Greywater Watch," once more Rickard stopped, and he waited until he got a nod from her and Lyarra, showing that he could continue.
"For three days and nights the rulers discussed Aegon's letter and his demands, none of them wanting to simply agree and bend the knee. But they also knew that their chances were not the best. House Targaryen's dragons posed a very large threat to any army. Even though they didn't want to admit it, they recognized that defeat was the most likely outcome, and they agreed that precautions should be taken," he said, before pausing again. What Rickard told her impressed Joanna: she had never before heard of something like this.
"It was on the fourth day — well past sunset — when Lord Reed — elected to be the witness of the pact — finally put his signature at the bottom of all six copies of the pact the rulers had agreed upon. This was the moment the Old Council had been founded, each ruler leaving with a copy and a sigil made by the crannogmen; the original pact is still hidden and protected today," Joanna noticed that even her husband seemed to be interested intently to the story, simply listening to the other man and sometimes nodding.
"As we know, two of the ruling houses were extinguished during the conquest. The remaining three houses met again after the conquest and decided that the Old Council should be kept, but the vacancies shouldn't be filled with new houses: they didn't trust any of the newer great houses," he said. Joanna had to admit it wasn't hard to understand why they were suspicious about the new great houses.
"It was agreed in the pact that a meeting should only be called in situations where the Old Council might have to intervene, or when overthrowing a regime was deemed to be direly needed," he finished. Joanna was sure her eyes had gotten as wide as Lyarra's, her blood suddenly rushing through her body, and she felt cold sweat running down her neck.
"That… you—" her eyes moved to Tywin, green meeting green before her husband simply nodded.
"Tywin informed the Old Council about Aerys' madness, and that Rhaegar had also shown the first signs. Two successive reigns of madness would break Westeros; it would destroy every hope that we, our children, and future grandchildren would have for peace," Rickard said, and Tywin nodded once more. All Joanna could do was gulp then.
"But… when?" Lyarra asked, and Joanna looked at the other woman. She didn't even think about it when she reached over and took hold of her hand. She gently squeezed Lyarra's hand as they listened to their husbands speak.
"We wait for the right moment, until the Targaryens inevitably give us a reason to rebel," Tywin answered this time, and Joanna felt Lyarra squeeze her hand tighter.
"The betrothal…" Joanna said with wide eyes, and she looked again at Tywin who nodded.
"For us it was our greatest wish to repair Westeros, to lead it to a time of peace, freedom, and prosperity. We wanted a guarantee that our children and grandchildren won't live under the rule of madness and tyranny," Rickard said in a quiet tone.
"It was clear we needed to install a new king: a man who is intelligent and honorable, fair and respected, a leader who can unite the people… and we knew it could not be any of us," Tywin added.
"And so we talked about candidates. Jon said Elbert wasn't an option. This was a moment where I couldn't lie to myself, and so I said the same on the matter of Brandon. Tywin told us Jaime also wasn't an option," Rickard sighed.
"No," Lyarra gasped, and Joanna squeezed her hand again.
"The Old Council agreed that Lord Eddard Stark shall become king after the rebellion," Rickard continued, and he looked to Tywin.
"And to prove the loyalty of House Lannister I offered the betrothal of Cersei to Lord Eddard, agreeing to make a contract immediately," a sigh escaped Joanna's lips as she shook her head.
"But what shall we do now?" Lyarra asked with a sigh. "I understand why this betrothal needed to be kept secret, but we can't decline Princess Elia's offer, it would make us look like fools," Joanna had to agree with the woman: it would be madness to deny the offer if there was no betrothal.
"We talked about that in the Old Council last night," Rickard said with another sigh, and Joanna anticipated the worst.
"It was agreed that the offer from the princess will be accepted; Lord Eddard will marry Lady Ashara," Tywin said, and Joanna now squeezed Lyarra's hand to stop herself from standing up and slapping Tywin then and there.
"But Cersei—" Joanna tried, and Tywin interrupted her with a raised hand.
"The contract we have — the betrothal to Cersei — will still be honored, and Lord Eddard will marry her after the rebellion," he finished. Joanna was so shocked she was speechless.
"But what about Ashara?" Lyarra asked, and now squeezed Joanna's hand. "You can't just toss the poor girl away after the rebellion: she is no puppet for you to play with." Joanna realized Lyarra had taken a liking to Lady Dayne.
"That is not what we have planned," Rickard said, and Joanna's eyes got wide.
"You don't mean that…" she shook her head while looking at Ned's father.
"The old gods do not forbid it, and they have never punished a King of Winter for taking multiple wives, so we think Ned should marry them both; the first born son will become his heir," Joanna blinked once, twice, and then a laugh escaped her lips, and everyone's attention was on her.
"Yesterday I talked with Lord Eddard. We actually talked about Cersei and Ashara," she started with a smile. "I told him that I think Cersei and Lady Ashara could become good friends if they weren't so stubborn," another laugh escaped Joanna's lips while she noticed that even Tywin's lips twitched as he tried to hold back a smile.
"Actually," Joanna finally calmed down and looked at everyone in the room. "I think you two morons," she looked at both men and then to Lyarra who nodded, "made a good decision. Lord Eddard should marry both of them, but before that happens, they need to become friends," Joanna said with a smile on her face.
"And how shall that be done?" Tywin asked her with a raised brow. "They had years in King's Landing and didn't become friends."
"But in King's Landing they had no common ground besides their contest of beauty," Joanna answered with a smile. "Here they both will try to win Lord Eddard, and if I judge him correctly, they may have to work together to get Lord Eddard to understand that they are actually interested in him, and don't simply want to use him to get closer to someone else," she continued and Tywin nodded slowly.
"And while they work together, they build a friendship," her husband said thoughtfully.
"I'm sure we could ask princess Elia to keep the betrothal a secret until the end of the tourney," Lyarra added after a moment of silence.
"We can tell her we would like to make it a big announcement, and that we think the best possibility to do this — while still respecting Lord Whent — would be the last feast in Harrenhal," Rickard offered, and Joanna thought it a good idea.
"I agree," her husband said.
"Me too," Lyarra slowly added.
"It is the best option, so count me in," Joanna finally agreed.
A sigh escaped both men as Rickard got up.
"I need a drink; is it okay if I pour one for each of us?" he asked as he got four cups out and filled them with a Northern spirit before simply handing each of them one.
"To new alliances," Rickard said, and everyone took a sip.
"And to new friendship," Joanna said as she turned to Lyarra and raised her cup again, clinking it with the Northern woman's cup.
The four of them spent a bit more time together, just talking before Joanna and Tywin decided that it was time to leave. They needed to make sure Jaime didn't do anything stupid… again.
Catelyn I
Camp of House Stark
Catelyn had arrived at Harrenhal the previous day. Her father sadly wasn't able to accompany her, Lysa, and Brynden — their uncle. He told them he had some important things to take care of, and that these couldn't be deferred.
As sad as Catelyn was about her father not accompanying them, she was happy he had also decided Petyr would stay at his side and not travel with them. Catelyn and Petyr had been really good friends while growing up, but since her betrothal to Brandon Stark the boy she grew up with had changed.
The innocent boy was gone, replaced by a liar and cheater. More than once Petyr had tried to impress her with money — money he probably had not gained in any legal way. She also felt as if he was following her, always appearing when she least anticipated it, even when she only wanted to hide and have a moment for herself.
It was creepy and made her nervous — so nervous she had actually gone to her father and told him. She had hoped he would talk with Petyr, but her father had just dismissed it, telling her she shouldn't grow paranoid because of a boy living with them.
Her uncle Brynden had reacted differently. The Blackfish — as most called her uncle — wanted to talk with the boy, even though Catelyn had the feeling that the talk might actually be more of a beating. In the end she had calmed her uncle down again, agreeing to his compromise of having guards around her and patrolling more often around her chamber.
Catelyn shook her head with a sigh; these thoughts shouldn't occupy her mind on such a beautiful day. The sun was just rising over the grounds of Harrenhal, and birds were singing their songs while life slowly started to come into the various camps.
She stopped when her eyes fell upon a banner dominated by a huge direwolf's head — the banner of House Stark. For a moment she just stood there and looked at the banner. Mayhaps she should take a stroll through the camp and look for her betrothed?
She had never met Brandon; she had only heard tales about the eldest son of House Stark. He was described as tall with a broad chest, muscled without any traces of fat. It was said his hair was brown and wild — reaching his shoulders — while a full beard made his face look rough, but at the same time handsome.
All she had heard about Brandon had caused her to imagine him in her mind, the tall Northern man — thought a savage by many but in reality honorable and noble — who only had eyes for her. A man who would never stray from her bed, who would keep her warm in the cold of the North.
Did he also think about her? Did he want to know how she looked?
After a moment Catelyn decided it was time to finally meet her betrothed; there was nothing bad about visiting your betrothed and his family — even if it was still early in the morning and the sun was just rising.
She slowly walked through the Northern camp, surprised by how clean the camp was compared to others she had passed on her stroll. It was clear the Starks respected nature and their surroundings, unlike many other houses.
After walking for a bit she noticed the Starks had set their camp close to the Gods Eye. The biggest tents were the closest to it, and Catelyn was sure these must be the tents of the Starks.
Catelyn got a bit nervous and walked a bit more to the side, putting a bit more distance between her and the tents."Yes, it would be better to look from the side and see if a visit would be welcomed and appreciated,"Catelyn thought, as after all, it was possible the Starks weren't even awake at this hour, and she didn't want to disturb them.
Her eyes were still fixed on the Stark tents while she walked — trying to stay hidden — between other tents. Catelyn hadn't noticed how close she was to the Gods Eye until she had nearly walked into a tree. Her eyes widened as she stopped at the last second, her hands pressed against the trunk of a tree.
"You were right, it is good to get in the water so early," a booming voice suddenly said, and Catelyn pressed herself against the trunk, hoping it hid her.
"It always helps me to clear my mind," another voice — a bit deeper than the one before — replied.
"Maybe one of them is Brandon?"Catelyn thought, and a light blush came to her cheeks as she imagined her betrothed right there in the water."It won't hurt anyone if I get a bit closer and take a peek,"she thought, and she suddenly felt bold. After looking around and making sure no one had noticed her, she sneaked to the next tree, then the next, and another one, until she was as close as she could get in the cover of the trees.
Catelyn took another deep breath before she finally dared to lean out on one side and look towards the Gods Eye. As expected she saw two young men, but what surprised her was that both were actually walking out of the water and towards her.
Both men were tall — and probably of an equal height — but one was… different — in a good way.
He had dark brown hair that reached his shoulders and framed his long face. Somehow the full beard made him look rougher and wilder, fitting the land he came from.
"This can only be Brandon,"Catelyn thought as her eyes kept moving over the man's body. It was hard not to notice that her betrothed was well-trained, his arms big and his shoulders broad. Hair covered his equally broad chest and tapered into a small strip as it moved down along his abs and disappeared within the smallclothes he was still wearing — as if they wanted her to pull them down.
Thanks to the water, the smallclothes of both men were clinging to them, and what Catelyn saw made her smirk while her cheeks at the same time grew as red as her hair. It was clear to see that her betrothed was bigger than the man next to him, but 'big' actually seemed like an understatement.
"Brandon is huge,"Catelyn thought. If she was honest, she had never thought it possible for a man to be so… blessed by the gods.
"We should return to your tent my friend; your parents won't appreciate it if we walk around like this after everyone has woken up," the other man with black hair suddenly said, and he gave Brandon a strong slap on the shoulder. Yet Brandon took it without moving a single inch. If he hadn't smiled and turned to the other man, Catelyn wouldn't be sure he had even noticed it.
"You're right, we shouldn't waste anymore time," he said, and Catelyn suddenly panicked. She moved behind the tree again and looked around.
"By the seven, I don't want to get caught,"Catelyn thought, and she suddenly rushed back towards the camp and through a few tents. She searched for cover at the side of one of the taller tents, hoping nobody would notice her.
After some time she heard the two men again, the black haired one making a jape before the opening of a tent rustled. Catelyn slowly dared to look towards the biggest tents of the Stark camp, and she noticed it seemed to be safe to come out of her hiding place.
She slowly approached the tents again, determined to now just stand in front of them and wait until someone came out so she could introduce herself and tell them she would like to meet her betrothed in person.
With a small smile on her face Catelyn walked towards the tents and stopped close to their entrance. At first she thought she had imagined the muffled voices, but then she made a few steps closer to the biggest tent. Now it was clear people were talking inside the tent.
"It doesn't matter," a female voice said. "We will match the offer the Targaryens made." After a moment Catelyn remembered that earlier today there had been rumors the Targaryens had made a betrothal offer to the Starks. "We want the betrothal of Lord Eddard and our daughter Cersei, and you know we can afford to support you during winters without a problem."
Catelyn's eyes opened wide when she realized what she had just heard. The rumors of the Targaryen offer were true, and now the Lannisters had matched the offer in an attempt to get their daughter betrothed to Brandon's younger brother.
She simply had to tell Lysa this news; who would have expected the second son of House Stark would garner such interest? The only thing she knew about Lord Eddard was that he was described as a plain and shy young man, whose family called him the quiet wolf, but either those rumors were incorrect, or something must have changed.
More and more people had woken up, and the camp of House Stark had become busier. Catelyn only hoped nobody paid too much attention to her as she sneaked away from the camp. Without wasting any time she went back to the camp of her own house, and made her way back into her tent where Lysa was just getting ready for the day.
"Lysa," she said, and she looked behind herself to make sure nobody had followed her. "I was just in the Stark camp, and you won't believe what I overheard," and with that Catelyn told her sister that there was an offer for the betrothal of Lord Eddard from House Targaryen, but also from House Lannister.
"I think we should make it known the Lannisters also made an offer," her sister said with a small smirk on her face that worried Catelyn.