Heroes of Man

by Wake the Wind

Chaldea has fallen. Ritsuka is fighting for his life after a black key nearly rips out his heart. And a dozen Servants disappear when encountering a strange power. Emiya deploys on a mission to recover those Servants, and restore the defenders of human history to full power. But it will take him to a history that was never recorded. With many dangers that he cannot forsee.

14. Ned III

Ned III

283 AC

"And who, are you-"

Ned was where he had been for the past four hours, staring at his plate. On it were a half eater leg of roast chicken, some of it having been dipped in strange butter sauce mixed with a spice from Qarth. That was next to the smashed shell of the claw of a crab, bought from Cracklaw Point, as Tywing refused the idea of Lobster from Lannisport itself. That was commoner food, found in every other bowl of brown the small folk of the port ate each day. And on the third part of his plate was a venison pie, with the deer having only been slain earlier that very morning only a few miles from the Rock.

All that was only a sampling of the food around him. Along with the chicken, he saw every breed of fowl he recognized, and several others that he could not, lining the tables and filling the bellies of the lords and ladies in the hall. There were pounds upon pounds of different spices, fruits, vegetables, and fish sliding off massive dishes, tempting anyone with unique and varied tastes of earth and sea. And the deer had been perhaps the smallest beast killed and cooked today, with a boar being the traditional centerpiece of the feast, alongside multiple different cuts of beef, pork, hare and mutton tumbling off plates, all cooked to look at their most tender.

And it was all ash.

Ned couldn't bring himself to even put anything else in his mouth, and he could only barely raise his head to look out over the tepid gathering of the nobility of the Westerlands. The Hall was only half full, which made sense, as they had all only been called three days ago, and only those nearby had been able to make the journey fast enough. That Tywin had been able to still make this one of the most lavish meals Ned had ever laid his eyes on despite such little time only indicated his wealth. And that so many nobles had managed to make the journey from as far away as Sarsfield in such a short time showed the fear that the Lion of the Rock inspired in them.

"-That I must bow so low."

Ned wanted to take his knife and stab the throat of the singer at the edge of the table he was sitting at, but he couldn't move, not when doing so would draw the gaze of every man and woman in that room. Seated at the center of the Lord's table, in the largest and most ornate hall in all of Casterly Rock, the whole of the Westerlands' eyes were squarely on him. Him…and his new bride.

He looked to his right, to the seat that shared the center of the great table, and saw Artoria nervously shoving a slice of the wedding pie, a mix of hare and boar meat, into her mouth. Her plate was almost completely cleaned off, and Ned was shocked as the girl used her knife and fork to lift a full honeycake off of the nearest platter, and began to cut into it. He then felt his jaw drop as he saw her lift a piece of cake the size of a full slice of the wedding pie from earlier to her mouth, and the whole thing disappeared in less than a second. As she wiped her mouth, Ned had to remind himself not to openly shake his head.

'She eats as though she were an actual lion,' he thought, before looking at her small stature and thin, almost boyish, frame, and asking to himself, 'Where does all the food go?'

Yet, as his eyes moved upward, he at least liked looking at the girl rather than looking at her father sitting on the other side of her. Even now, Ned thought his expression had not changed at all since he had departed the Lion's solar that night those months ago. The older man's eyes were prowling the tables beneath his gaze, likely keeping watch for any sign of imperfection. And if Ned had come to know Tywin, he knew that meant he was looking to make sure that Gerion wasn't drinking too much or feeling up a serving girl. Tywin had refused to allow Gerion a seat at the high table. Tyrion was the only other member of Tywin's immediate family who Ned had met at the rock that hadn't been allowed up to the main table, though Ned could see the Dwarf sitting next to Stafford Lannister, Tywin's wife's brother.

'He treats his family like burdens,' Ned's eyes switched back to Artoria, and he hoped that her no longer bruised face was the results of normal healing, rather than merely than the powders and ointments used to prepare her for the wedding. During the whole thing, she hadn't looked her father in the face, and Ned couldn't imagine what was going through her head as she sat next to Tywin. He couldn't imagine being so afraid of his own fath-

'Do not think of it,' Ned thought, catching something in his throat, and forcing it downward, back inside him, burying the grief and misery back inside his guts, 'You cannot think of it, not with your own head so precariously placed.'

Yet he couldn't help it. As he looked around the empty seats of the long tables, barely filled out with the many knightly and minor houses primarily located in Lannisport, he cursed that there weren't any northmen there to wish him well. He gripped his hands together so tightly, and again had to work to keep his emotion covered in a layer of ice. The outrages he was faced with…

That his wedding would be filled with men of Turnberry and Clifton and Lanntell and Clegane, but there were no Dustins or Manderly or Umber or Glover. That the great banner hanging above his head showed only the Lion, not the Wolf. That his wedding would be his sentencing. That his godfather would be his jailer.

That his wife would be his headsman.

"My guests," Twyin Lannister stood up, the bard was cut off before he could reach the second verse of the Rains of Castamere, and the whole hall stood up as well, some taking a moment from strange positions or too much wine in their bellies, "It is once again an honor to have you all here, at the wedding of my daughter," Tywin moved his hand to Artoria, who had her attention pulled away from another piece of the honeycake, and did her best to remain calm as a smattering of applause and cheer came from the hall. Tywin didn't grimace, though if he had been expecting a greater celebration, perhaps it would have been prudent to wait more than three days to have the wedding, "However, the hour has grown late, and I must insist that the my daughter and goodson retire to their rooms for the night."

Ned felt the back of his neck clam up. He watched as the several in the crowd seemed to glare at him, though from the looks on some of the men, their eyes were locked on Artoria. They were likely thinking of the bedding, and all that entailed. Their leers caused a heat to burn in Ned's belly. It mixed with the loss and the wine already there, and he almost felt the need to vomit it all out. All of it left him with nothing but misery.

"To that end," Tywin said, fully turning to his left, to his daughter and Ned, "I would suggest that the new husband and wife excuse themselves for the meeting, and allow us to continue the activities here," he looked pointedly at his daughter, who for a second had seemingly been staring at the honeycake, "Now."

Artoria didn't need to be told anything else, pushing her chair back and standing to her feet. Ned for a second felt his eyes widen, and he wondered what of the bedding. And as he heard some grumbling from the rest of the hall, he realized he was not the only one to realize the lack of the ceremony. However, the grumbling became quiet as Twyin merely looked out among the crowd once more. Nothing more needed to be said. If Tywin didn't want to have a bedding, then there would be no bedding.

Ned was sure this was perhaps the only time he had ever been grateful to now have the Lion as his goodfather. He followed the lead of his "bride" and was soon following her to the side of the hall. As the reached the side double doors, the heavy wood was opened, and outside were a half dozen men, all in Lannister Red, and armed. They kept their eyes on Ned, all to make sure that Ned did not seek to escape, and before the door could be closed behind them, Artoria led both Ned and the guards up a set of stairs, towards what Ned knew to be her room.

As he climbed the stairs, he was able to see out a few windows along this ascent. Unlike his tour with Cersei, these windows were larger, and thus had long vertical iron bars, meant to keep anyone from falling from them. Being so open allowed Ned to stare out, and his eyes caught the stars dancing on the surface of the Sunset Sea. The water so placid, that Ned's mind nearly thought it glass.

'Will I ever see the stars again outside the Rock, he wondered,' he had not had the time to leave Casterly Rock much in the six months since he had been swallowed by the beast. For the first few months it he had simply been too busy, meeting with all the members of his family and their household, attempting to learn how he would fit in at the Rock, only occasionally getting out into Lannisport, with an expectation he would be back in time for supper. This last month…

He looked up at the front of the party. Artoria was keeping a straight gait, eyes locked forward, likely thinking of the duty she was about to undertake for her family. Perhaps she thought this was the way to return herself to her father's good graces, or perhaps she thought this was simply her duty as a daughter of her family. Yet he knew what she was about to do was not because she had come to love him.

The marriage was a farce, a sham thrown together upon the revelation of Ned's new position. He'd seen the first raven arrive a month ago. By the end of the day, he had been locked in his rooms. That was the reason he had been unable to leave the Rock during the second month of his life there as he had planned. Two days later, it was revealed to him that Brandon had charged into the Red Keep, the seat of the power of the Targaryen Dynasty, and demanded the head of Crown Prince Rhaegar Targaryen.

The news had knocked the sense from Ned, and he had spent a few days just sitting in his room, dumbly staring at the message. He had only been pulled from his stupor when Tyrion, desperate for conversation from anyone who would give it to him, had come into his room and given him further details. Rhaegar Targaryen had supposedly stolen Lyanna away from Riverrun, and Brandon had charged into King's Landing as soon as he had been informed. Ned asked if Rhaegar's kidnapping was true, and Tyrion said all anyone knew was that Lyanna was missing.

Still, it had not mattered, because Rhaegar had not been in King's Landing. His father, King Aerys had. And Aerys had locked Brandon in the dungeon, and then summoned Rickard Stark to King's Landing to answer for Brandon's crimes. Rickard had gone. And Rickard had died. As did Brandon.

That was what had come in the Raven that had arrived three days ago. News that both Rickard and Brandon, his father and brother, were dead. That he was the oldest member of his family left alive. That he was Lord of Winterfell.

Alongside that news was the order for Tywin Lannister to hand Ned's head over to Aerys as a show of loyalty. Ned reached up and wrapped his hand around his throat by instinct.

Ned had not learned this all until this very morning, when a group of tailors who he had met previously had arrived, carrying him a fine new set of clothes, from fresh leather shoes to a wool doublet. They had informed him that he was now the head of his house, and what more, that today was to be his wedding. Before he was even able to cry from the deaths of his family, Ned had been pulled into the wedding precision, taken to the largest Sept in the Rock, and been married to Artoria.

The marriage was obviously done quickly. Tywin had likely only decided to pursue it in the last three days. Not only had the crowd in the hall been sparsely filled, but several important pieces of the ceremony were missing. In particular, Ned had had no gray cloak of the Starks to place over Artoria's shoulders, and instead had removed the red cloak of the Lannisters, and replaced it with a gold one. Though Ned supposed it was a message to all those in attendance of which family Artoria would belong.

And perhaps more importantly, which family her children would belong. It was quite easy for Ned to realize what the plan was. Artoria would marry Ned, and then they would be made to have children. As soon as Ned's first son was born, and judged healthy enough to be likely to make it to his majority, they would kill Ned, and send his head to Aerys as a peace offering. Then, with the Stark Heir in their possession, the Lannisters would make a play for Winterfell, and Tywin's family would rule the North as well as the Westerlands.

'Then they do not know the North,' Ned thought darkly, his mind filled with flayed men and giants and bears, 'The North will accept a Stark of Winterfell, for we are of them. But the North would never accept a Stark of Casterly Rock. Especially since Benjen is likely up in Winterfell,' there would always be a Stark in Winterfell, after all, and Rickard had probably sent Benjen to their home to make sure that rule was in place, 'If Tywin Lannister tries to put some child of the West as the Lord of Winterfell, then he wil…'

Ned stopped, and nearly vomited again. He barely regained his composure, until one of the guards hit him in the back. This time, he couldn't control his vomit, and a mix of meat and bread and wine poured from his mouth onto the stairs beneath him. A burst of laughter came from the men around him.

"Little pup's worried about not being a virgin anymore?" one laughed.

"Why are you scared, it's your lady wife whose about to bleed?" cackled another.

Ned didn't care. He barely even registered that Artoria was looking back at him, her eyes…her eyes seeming sad.

'I was cheering for the death of my son,' Ned thought, his stomach still turning in his belly, 'God's I almost hoped a Bolton would take my son's skin,' he wanted to slam his head against the stone of the wall around him, but kept up his pace, 'I'm so sorry. Old Gods,' he shook his head, 'Please forgive this fool, who almost wished death on his own child,' he felt his feet wobble, barely able to keep them straight, 'Forgive this spiteful child, who no longer has father or mother or brother to guide him from his selfishness.'

Finally, Artoria disappeared, and Ned knew they had arrived at the floor of her room. Ned was soon up on the floor as well, and he stared at the doors that his bride had emerged from those months ago. The girl once again opened them, and handed the handle to the nearest guard. She turned to Ned.

"Eddard," she said, keeping a straight and powerful voice, "Our room has been prepared. I ask that you take my lead into this room for…"

She didn't need to say anything else. And Ned didn't need to hear it. His own disgust at his inner cruelty had killed whatever protest was still in him. He slipped past Artoria, into the room that he had stood outside those many weeks ago.

The room itself was far more plain than he had imagined. There were two bookshelves, with the usual smattering of books in them. The bed was there, once again covered in a large red and gold blanket, with the posts of the bed made into the great snarling cats. There was a large window, though instead of bars, there were glass panes with two iron bars that could be lifted up and down to allow for the windows to be opened to the sea air. A small fireplace sat on the side of the window, and Ned imagined that the smoke was easily let out by a pipe in some crevice of the Rock. And there was a table with a large mirror, with jewels and earrings and other lady adornments sitting half full, the other half Artoria having added to her wedding attire.

Only a second later did Ned realize that there were also signs of things that had been taken. On the wall, a rack for swords was now empty. A stand for armor and helmets was bare as well. The girls open wardrobe no longer had anything in it except dresses, and the trousers and shirt he remembered seeing her when she was carried from the tourney no longer there.

'He took everything that had any relation to being a knight,' he thought absently. For all his misery, it was true that his bride was likely as much a pawn in Tywin's game as he was. And she was no longer to be given an option in what she might do. Perhaps she had never really had it, but it was undeniable that her bruises had not been the only wounds opened by her father.

"Thank you for your service," Artoria continued to speak to the guards outside the door, "Now, if you will excuse me, I have my duty to my husband," and she then shut the door, cutting off any protest from the men. Though with only one door in the room, they only had to remain there to make sure that Ned was still where he was supposed to be, so there really was no reason to protest it.

As she closed the door, Ned let his eyes rest on the bed. And then panic shot up his spine. God's he was going to have to sleep with Artoria. He had come to this bed a virgin, and he didn't have the first idea about what to do. He'd walked in on Robert enough to know the general idea, but he hadn't really considered the act of having sex, only the political implications. What was he to do? Does the man take off his clothes first? Do you start clothed, or start naked?

'Almost enough for me to wish for a bedding,' he thought, his fingers hitching along the collar of his doublet, 'Least then I wouldn't have to worry about my bloody clothes.'

As he felt this sudden rush of doubt, he thought again of his wife. He turned, and looked, and saw that there was now an iron rod between the handles. It took Ned a second to recognize that this iron bar was actually a thin fire poker, likely from the furnace. Artoria stood there, her hands out after she stepped back, and Ned almost thought she was waiting for the men outside to try and break in. When they did not, she turned around, towards Ned. She then began to march forward…

Right past him.

"My lord," she said, her voice pushed beyond normal speech, and her eyes focused on a small drawer at the side of the bed, "Would you please grant me a moment before we begin," as her voice was high, she pulled out the drawer, "you may undress yourself while I do this."

Ned blinked, and he wondered what was happening as Artoria suddenly pulled out a long piece of fabric. For a full second she pulled out, and a white sheet kept spooling from the drawer. Ned felt his mind blank as he saw it.

'Is this some strange Southorn ritual?' he hadn't heard of this sort of thing before, 'mayhaps a Westerlands tradition?' he had been only exposed to Valish and Riverlands customs, so perhaps-

He then saw that at the end of the long sheet there was a knot where it was tied to another identical piece of fabric. As his mind took that in, Artoria's pace quickened, and at the end of that sheet was another knot and the beginning of another sheet. With how thin they seemed, it was almost as if the sheets were…

A rope.

"My Lord," Artoria had taken a second to look back up at him, a her voice still a level louder than one would expect. Her eyes were looking at the door, "While I do this, it would be well for you to undress," Ned's mind was still trying to fully take in the revelation of the rope, "Wedding clothes are very cumbersome, and shall inhibit us."

"Ooof course," Ned nodded, and suddenly, he began to unbutton his doublet. He quickly did his best to bump into the bedpost as he was taking off the wool garment, a loud sound coming from the scrapping against the floor. His body began to breathe once more as the padded thing no longer restricted his chest, and his lungs took in the first full load of air since he was told he was to be married. He began to untie the cuffs of along his wrists, could not help but smile as he felt his wrists no longer encircled. As the last knot was pulled, the heavy thing finally fell off, and he sighed loudly, "Ah!"

His mind had caught up, and he now saw that Artoria had already pulled out what looked like forty feet of tightly tied sheets from the drawer, and was in the process of tying it to the head of the bed, through not one, but three holes in the heavy wooden frame. She made sure to bump into the post once more as she finished, a small smile one her face. Ned, in response, bumped into it as well, and for a second Artoria looked at him, before nodding.

"Give me a moment," Ned said, again mimicking Artoria's volume, sitting on the bed, making sure to do so as loudly as possible to create the sound of a man flopping onto a mattress, "I do not know how to remove the buckles on these shoes, first time I've seen them like this," he was in the process of removing the shoes quite easily. They were tight, high fashion, but likely not made for any activity beyond walking.

"Flip the clip to the side," Artoria, walked with the long end of the makeshift rope to the window, and then, as her hand came on the latch holding the window in, stopped, and looked at him.

Ned nodded, and then said, "Thank you dear," as loudly as he could while slamming his fist into the bed frame. At the same moment, he heard the latch barely make a sound, but he knew that his pounding fist had managed to cover it up for those outside, "Now that is good to have those things off my feet," he was being honest about the shoes. More important, he saw Artoria begin to allow the rope to hang. She finally looked at him, and motioned her head.

'This shall either be my escape, or my death,' There was still the chance, Ned thought as he slipped off the bed as quietly as he could, that the plan was for him to attempt to climb down, and for the rope to be cut. Yet it would leave Twyin without an heir, and despite everything, he probably knew that Artoria pulling such a stunt would result mean that despite following the orders of the king, she would not survive what Tywin might do to her. Still, as he gripped the makeshift rope, hoping beyond hope he could pull this climb off, he couldn't push the thought from his mind.

Then he looked back at Artoria, and there eyes met, truly for the first time since she had fled after the dance at Harrenhal. For but a moment, they merely stood there, before finally Artoria nodded, and Ned nodded back.

"Allow me to remove my dress my lord," she said, beginning to unbutton the heavy outer gown of her wedding dress. He nodded as she tried her hardest to cause the fabric to rustle, and as she did so, he got onto the window, and looked down. There was not a sheer drop, but rather a steep decline, and right below this window hew was in was another open window, with glowing candlelight coming from it. Ned gripped the rope as tightly as he could, and began to descend downward, keeping his feet on the rock as he slowly went downward.

'Thank the gods for the Vale,' he had spent years of his life having to shimmy around the high cliffs around the Eyrie, so this was…not easy, but not completely foreign to him. As he made a hop down, he saw Artoria allow her long red outer gown fall to the ground, revealing and under blouse and a short skirt. He pushed the thought of the girl from his mind as he continued downward, and with every small hop, the hope that he would be getting closer to his freedom.

After a few moments, he came to right above the open window. His hands were slightly sweaty, but he pushed out one final time, before finally swinging directly into the opening. He lost his grip at the sudden change in momentum, but it was enough, as he was already inside this other room. Just as he crashed to the floor, the adrenaline of the escape was enough to force him to his feet, and he saw a tall blonde man standing there.

But not the one he was expecting.

"Tygett?" the third of Tytos Lannister's sons, only older than Gerion, was a massive man, with a head as full of hair as a lion's mane. He had always seemed the most open in his angers of the brothers, or at least if one did not consider Tywin's barely cloaked rage as out in the open. The man looked down at Ned, and for a moment, he wondered if this was another sort of trap, only for man to grab up Ned's hand, and pull him into the strangest embrace Ned had ever felt.

"Calm yourself Stark," there was fire in those green eyes, but there was…warmth, "We must make sure my niece makes it here too."

"Your nie-," Ned suddenly felt himself turn around, and push through Tygett's embrace to return to the window. His eyes turned upward, and he felt his face blush as he saw the girl following him down the side of the Rock. For a moment, he wondered if he should cover his face, only to see that Artoria had hiked her skirts to allow herself to climb down, covering everything above her mid-thigh. The relief that he had felt from that slowly disappeared, however, as he slowly saw Artoria begin to struggle, and he wondered what was wrong.

And then she was no longer attached to the mountain side. With not an instant to think he reached out, arms outstretched, and steeled himself. He felt her legs hit his left arm, and her back his right. He nearly fell out the window himself, before strong hands gripped the back of his belt. With all his strength Ned pulled backward, and he managed to get Artoria to the windowsill, where her own arms grabbed at the bottom, and pulled her in. She blinked for a second, the realization about her near death in her mind, before she pulled up a sheet, and showing both Ned and her uncle that one of the knots had come untied.

"Get in here girl," Tygett said, his voice still low, as he retreated into the darkness, making sure to blow out the candle in the room as he did so. Artoria complied, pulling herself into the room, and taking a stand. Ned could only sit there, having been knocked onto his ass from pulling her back. Staring at the woman who had risked her life to save his as she was illuminated in the moonlight.

And for a moment, Ned was sure there had never been a woman more beautiful.

"Quickly," Ned felt a heavy fabric cover his head, and looked to see a long gray cloak, "Cover yourselves. We must move before they get suspicious and break open your room," Artoria nodded, as she put her own yellow cloak around her shoulders, "We only have an hour to get you out of the Rock," Tygett was looking directly at Ned, "Or else Tywin will be able to catch you and we will have lost our one chance to get you home."

Ned couldn't say more. This was his one chance and he'd take it. The cloak was over his shoulders and his head within a second, and he followed the taller man as soon as soon as he was covered. Tygett opened his door, and led the two of them into the hall. With a quickness in his older body, the Lannister lead them not to the staircase Ned had come up the two times he'd taken to this side of the rock, but to the other side of the hall. He then gripped a small hole on one side of the wall, and a second, tiny staircase came into the open, twisting downard. He stood outside it as Artoria went first, and then Ned followed, with Tygett following up in the rear, making sure to close the cover behind them.

"This was a passageway that servants used to use a hundred years ago," Tygett said, his voice still low, but enough for Ned to hear. The staircase was an iron thing, twisting downward, only barely lit by small sparks of light coming from other openings, "It was judged as unneeded when Jaxon Lannister was Lord two and a half centuries ago, when he expanded the main staircase to allow up to four people to go up that one side by side," Ned could almost imagine a sad smile on Tygett's face, "Gerion was the one who found this thing. Showed it to me, and no one else," and then the sad smile Ned imagined turned into a spiteful smirk, "At least one thing I know over that bastard."

'Tywin,' Ned didn't have to fill in the blank of who Tygett was referencing. For all that Tywin hated Gerion openly, he did seem to have a certain disdain for Tygett as well, if hidden by general acceptance. Still, Ned couldn't help but wonder…

"Ser Tygett," he asked, "Why are you helping me?" he made sure to keep his voice as low as possible, "I expected Gerion if I am to be honest."

"Ha," Tygett's hidden laughter was almost enough to actually be a problem, but he stopped, "You think only Gerion has a desire to light Tywin's beard?" but his voice then grew darker, "But that's not the only reason," Ned could imagine a great Cat's growl as the three had at least made it five stories down, "no, my anger is with that mad wyrm."

"Aerys?"

"The madman just murdered a Lord Paramount," Tygett spat, and Ned winced at the thought of his father, "he's a mad dog that should have been put down after Dunkensdale, but Tywin couldn't let power from his fat paw," Tygett was slowing down, and Ned imagined that Artoria was slowing down too, "And now, the whole of the Seven Kingdoms will burn."

Ned wanted to ask more, but he stopped. He could see there were more stairs downard, but they had stopped at what Ned could guess was a seven floor descent. Artoria reached out, and slowly opened it to the hallway. For a second, she stood there, then pushed it all the way open, and rushed out. Ned followed, and was soon joined by Tygett. The three looked around, and saw what was a relatively dusty hallway, and no servants around. Tygett looked at the two of them, before twisting his head, and they followed him over to another nearby stairwell, which he lead them down.

This stairwell was a mid sized one, where Ned and Artoria could stand side-by-side, but they had to follow Tygett as he led them downard. Ned took a moment to look back, but saw no one behind them. Ned wondered to ask them something else, but decided against it, as they were no longer in a secret passage. To make this cover greater, he pulled the hood of the cloak over his face further, trying to keep his disguise.

It did not take long before they arrived at a major corridor, at least thick enough for twelve men shoulder to shoulder to go down. There were not that many there, but a few servants were meandering through the hall. However, none seemed to pay too much attention, as the few that did look only noticed Tygett, and quickly turned away, likely intimidated by the man. They continued along this path for a few moments, before great corridor ended, and they had arrived at another small stairway, though this one was behind a door. Tygett looked back at them as he opened the door, and then led pointed upward, saying aloud, "Above here is the way to the nearest stables and a bridge out the north end of Casterly Rock."

'Why annou-,' Ned was about to ask, when suddenly, Tygett pulled them in, and closed the door. And then, standing above the three of them were two other individuals, each wearing a cloak, one gold and one gray, 'What the-'

"This is where we part ways," Tygett said, "I and these two," the two were both male, but covered in the similar cloaks it was difficult for Ned to tell the details of them. Yet if one looked closely, it would be quite easy to tell that the one in gray was far too large and hairy to be Ned himself, and the one in yellow had red hair and too masculine a face to be Artoria, "Will ride out. We should be able to make it to the stables in time before they are shut off. You two will be lead by-"

"Me."

Ned looked downard, and spotted a one of the largest men he'd ever seen. He was a head taller than Ned, and half a head taller than Tygett. He wore a yellow doublet, with three great black dogs along it. Artoria almost seemed to jump back, until her eyes turned up to his face, where there was a large busy white beard surrounding a massive jaw. The Tall man looked them over, before nodding at Tygett. Tygett nodded back, and left to go to the stables.

"Follow me," the massive man said, and gingerly Artoria made to follow. Ned pulled up behind her, hoping to keep a lookout for anyone tailing them.

For the next few minutes they followed the massive man downard. Ned wondered how he had fit inside the stairwell, before they came to a small door. The man turned his body to the side, his massive frame barely allowing him to do so, and opened the door to allow Artoria through, quickly followed by Ned, and then himself. As they moved forward, Ned felt the air change, as the whole of the Rock seemed to get wetter, and he could smell a distinct saltiness in the air of these levels.

"Only a few more steps," the massive man spoke, and Ned could hear the years on his voice. His mind finally recognized that this was a Clegane, and from his age, likely the head of the family itself, "Come along you two, even Tywin's men have likely figured out something is amiss without your sounds," he looked upward, "Though hopefully they fear Tywin enough to give us a bit more time."

"Why are you helping us?" Ned snapped his head to Artoria, who had said the first words since they had left Tygett's room. Her eyes were shaking as she looked at the Clegane, who gave her an strange look at the question. Finally, the great man sighed, before shaking his head, and placing a hand on her shoulder. Artoria almost pulled back, but at the last moment, she stopped, and allowed the old man to touch her.

"I was named for the man my father loved most in this whole bloody world," he said, "And that man's first son is a monster that has left this once great land, a land whose knights were as honored as those of the Vale or the Reach, a symbol of evil and rot," he stared off into the distance, "Once, when men said "Lannister's Pay Their Debts" it was with smile and laughs, not tears and terror," he stopped staring, shaking his head, "I was not as great as my namesake, and yet I share with him that my loins produced a monster," he let go, and continued downard, "We must hurry. Evil will soon be after you."

Ned looked over at Artoria, who just stared at the man, not moving a foot. Finally, he looked back, and Ned grabbed at Artoria's hand to try and pull her along. Artoria blinked at him, before nodding, and the two were quickly behind the massive man. And as they followed, Ned felt a heat rise to his face as the girl's hand gripped onto his wrist, holding as tightly as the cuffs of the doublet had throughout most of the day.

Before long, they were in the very bottom of the Rock. Ned could tell because he could see puddles of water laying about. Luckily, there seemed to be no one out in these tunnels, it was likely too late for many servants to be watching. As the moments ticked past, the massive man began to whistle under his breath, and he almost seemed to be giddy as they got closer and closer to…

The docks of Casterly Rock. The great paws of the lion extended into the Sunset Sea, so there was no reason not to have some inner docks where supplies could be loaded for use of the whole Rock. It was another reason for Casterly Rock's reputation, the ability to resupply by sea.

Still, they weren't large docks, only enough to get a small galley inside. And next to that galley was the man that Ned had expected to run into during his descent from Artoria's room along the cliffside of the Rock. He would recognize the combed beard and shining earrings from anywhere.

"Uncle Gerion," Artoria let out a sigh of relief, rushing over the wooden docks and grabbing at her uncle, who grabbed her up, and held her. Ned stood back for a moment, trying to allow for his companion to connect with her family, and likely allow her to relieve what stress had been building through her from the whole ordeal. He felt a massive hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Clegane pointing at some rope that was around metal outcroppings on the dock.

"Boy, help me get these untied," the hulk said, "We need to get you moving as soon as possible, and I think we should allow the girl one last moment," at that, he walked back, and Ned, feeling his eyes widen, nodded. He gave one quick glance back at Artoria and Gerion, likely speaking about how the plans had been going, before he followed.

As Ned began to unravel the rope, he heard a strange whistling. He looked over at the Clegane, and could see the man's lips to be the source of the sound. He was about to ask, when Clegane looked up, and smiled, though it was intimidating still since the man was missing many of the teeth that made up such a smile, "Just a little song of better times."

And then he began to sing.

"Jolly Lord Lannister jumped from his bed
Dancing along the floor, a thought in his head,
He'd pay all the debts away with gold-
A rather funny thing for which his dreams had told!"

Ned stopped for a moment, not quite prepared for a man that size to sing.

"Stomp your feet,
Pound the drums,
Step back-make way-
The Jolly Lion comes!"

"Ser," Ned asked, having made sure to finish his first rope, and moving on to his second, "What song is that," the smile on the Clegane's face was gone, "Tis clearly a song of the Lannisters, but…"

"You never would have heard it," Clegane nodded, before sighing, "Twas a song that Lord Tytos had when he had come to rule the Rock," the tall man shook his head, "As I told you, there was a time when "A Lannister pays his debts" had a very different meaning than it does now," Ned could almost see the tears in the man's eyes, "Gods, what a wretched old cretin I am now, wishing that man to be brought back and to suffer what Tywin would do to him."

"What!?" Ned nearly jumped at the sound of Artoria's voice, "I refuse!"

"Stark," Clegane said, his hand in the process of untying another rope, "That girl is trying to make this harder than it needs to be."

Ned wasn't sure, but he jumped up, and turned around the galley, and towards where he had last seen Artoria and her uncle. The girl had in her arms a set of clothes, trousers and a small tunic, and yet she wasn't looking at them, but up at her Uncle, whose eyes were filled with exhaustion. Artoria was gritting her teeth, glaring up at the taller man.

"I will not be leaving in this boat," she said, and Ned stopped as she spoke up, "I have a duty to our family to remain here in the Rock."

"Artoria, you must leave," Gerion pointed at the galley, "If Ty-if your father get's his hands on you after tonight," he stopped as he heard her put her foot down, "Please Artoria, I only want what's best for you."

"And that led to this whole situation," Artoria shook her head, and Ned could hear her voice quiver a small bit, "I should never have made you take me to Harrenhal, never made you sign me up for the tourney. Father would not be so angry with me, and we would never have had to have this escape."

"Artoria," Gerion placed a hand on her shoulder, "I saw what Tywin did to yo-"

"Father didn't do that," She said far too quickly, "He simply asked for," she stopped, "He simply asked for disciplin-"

"Please don't repeat what he says," Ned could almost see tears in Gerion's eyes, "Please, you are not simply another limb of Tywin's. I know he believes you are, but just because you are his from his loins doesn't mean you must act like an extension of him," he then looked past Artoria, and saw Ned. Ned just stood there, and then Gerion's eyes brightened before holding Artoria back, and she moved like a board, "Besides, Stark can't possibly take this ship by himself, and you have spent more than enough time on the Laughing Lion to know how to pilot this thing," Gerion's eyes were pleading, and he didn't need to say anything more.

"I can not," he looked at the ship, which likely meant for a small crew, and perhaps he might be able to, but, "I have no experience with boats and the sea," he admitted, as Artoria turned back and looked at him, "I would need to have a sailor of greater experience than myself if I am to make my way out of here safely."

For a moment, Artoria could only stare at him. Ned could see her bite the side of her cheek, conflict raging. She then, far too quickly, turned back and again spoke up to her uncle, "You could go with Eddard Uncl-"

"No my sweet Niece," Gerion shook his head, "Gods, I'd love to get out of this prison, but our plan needs me here," as Artoria was about to ask why, Gerion cut her off, "Artoria, remember, your father likely thinks that Tygett is riding off with the two of you in tow," Artoria, hearing that nodded, "But if I'm not in front of him, he might send out ravens to check the sea. Me being here keeps Tywin's eyes on the roads, and should give Stark enough time to return to his lands," and then he returned his eyes to Ned, "And since Tywin already thinks you are with the riders, he won't think of your absence or your sailing skills."

"Bu-," Artoria was shaking. Ned could hear her near acceptance of her uncle's words, the points well made and thought through. But still, "My place is here," she said, a desperation in her voice, "This is where I have spent my whole life. This is my home," Ned could almost hear in her voice the same cries he heard from behind her door those months ago, "I am a Lannister."

"Artoria," Ned spoke up, and then Gerion and Artoria turned. Ned nearly winced, but he forced himself forward. In his mind's eye, he saw great hands descending down on Artoria, and her faced once more bruised and swollen, "Today, I removed the cloak of your father, and by the Seven, I placed mine on your shoulders, even if the color was gold and not gray," It was similar enough to the traditions of the old gods, so Ned understood the custom well enough, "That meant you passed from Tywin's protection to mine," Artoria's face rose a bit, a redness coming up and her eyes widening at the scandal of the suggestion, "Your father gave you to me, and I must ask that by the Seven, you escort your husband to his home."

"I…I-," she was shaking her head, and Gerion was blinking at him. Ned stared, and Gerion nodded. Ned sighed, trying to find one last thing to push the girl to leaving this lion's den.

"Artoria," he reached over, and grabbed her hand, and she seemed to take a step back, "Please, you already have taken so many risks to get this far," he could feel her hand shake inside his, "Would it not be right to make sure that I arrive home?" and for a moment, he imagined the open sky above Winterfell, "Please?"

Artoria just stood there, silent. Finally, she nodded, blinking to try and pull back her tears. She then took up the trousers and hid behind the crate, and with the sounds of rustling, he guessed she was changing into an attire for sailing the ship. Gerion walked next to him, and nodded, placing a hand on Ned's shoulder.

"Thank you boy," Gerion, unlike his niece, was crying. Ned, if he weren't so exhausted from the day, would have felt strange looking at an older man weeping so openly, but at the moment, he almost felt like crying, "Thank you."

"Tis I who should be thanking you," Ned responded, and Gerion let loose a little laugh, before he grabbed Ned by the shoulder, " winter has come, but the most recent storm has passed over and is on the other side of the Neck," Ned nodded, his mind following the mental map of the continent, "You will come out of here, into the sea, and take an immediate right," he pointed to the small one door, "There are hammocks and enough food and water for two people to last three weeks, it should be less than two for you to arrive past the neck," he pointed at a small fabric around the mast, and his eyes widened at the stone hand, "This sort of boat is often used by the Flints, so using that flag should allow you to hug the coast and not be caught by suspicion," he then looked deeply into Ned's eyes, "Do not abandon the coast. If you attempt to do so, the chances are there the Ironborn might find you, and I will hunt you through all Seven Hells if you somehow let my niece become a saltwife."

"If I did that, I'd gladly wait for you and offer you my neck," Ned nodded, and Gerion snorted.

"Not if you knew what I'd do to you when I get my hands on you," Gerion shook his head, as Artoria walked out, in her trousers and tunic, "Alright, time to go you two," he then turned, "Everything ready Tytos!?"

"Everything's ready," Tytos Clegane responded. Ned looked at the girl who had rescued him, before nodding. He stepped into the boat, the small little ship rocking as he entered it. He stuck out his hand, and caught and Artoria looked down at it. Finally, she reached out, and grabbed it. Ned slowly pulled her over the side of the boat, and then he felt the push from the dock. He looked back, and watched at the two older men waved, before quickly rushing out of the dock, and into the rest of the Rock. Ned, even as he grabbed oars and began to row into the darkness, kept expecting the door to swing open and Tywin's men-at-arms to emerge, but they didn't.

It took a few minutes of rowing before they emerged from beneath a lion's paw. As Ned kept rowing, Artoria stood up, and began to work with ropes and sails around the mast. The rowing was still easy enough in the clear waters, but as the sail became unfurled, and a gust of wind caught their little boat, he felt the fear flow out of his body. He pulled the oars back in, as Artoria did her best to push the boat out further, so no one would hopefully suspect that they were coming from the Rock. Before long, they were over a hundred yards out from the Rock, and moving North, the wind catching them and sending them shooting away from Lannisport, and hopefully…

'Home,' Ned thought, 'Gods, Winterfell is my home again,' It was supposed to be Brandon's. If the world was right, it still would be Brandon's and Ned would have remained in the Rock as a guest rather than a prisoner. Or perhaps…less of a prisoner than he had ended up as.

He looked at the great Lion in Repose, and he could see more and more windows lighting up along the face of the Rock. More than likely their escape had been discovered. Ned watched, his breath hitching as he thought of the possibility that they might still be pursued by boat. Yet as the moments passed by, they went further and further beyond the great lion. And just as they were behind it, Ned could see what looked like riding parties going out from the back of the beast. As no ships went out, Ned allowed himself a moment to rest.

"Eddard," Ned turned. Artoria was hanging on the mast. He could see her muscles beneath her tunic still tense. He looked at her, "We must keep moving. We need to get as far north as possible before my Father manages to find Uncle Tygett," Ned nodded. Part of him felt his bones aching beneath his flesh, but the rest refused to be stopped. He placed his hands on the rope, and looked over at her, "So, the wind is only being caught by two halves."

Ned blinked.

"Doesn't two haves mean all?"

"Ah," Artoria's eyes widened, and Ned swore he saw a large bead of sweat illuminated by the stars, "I meant, if you cut something into three things, take two," she shook her head, "Tis very late, and the day has been very long."

Ned nodded, before gripping where Artoria's hand was, "So, if we are to get the full burst of the wind," he looked at her, "How far should I pull?"

"Um," the girl, clearly trying to recoup her thoughts as her body reacted to so little sleep, looked up at the sail, "Just pull until I say when."

And so, they would spend the rest of the night sailing, doing every little trick to help their boat move faster. They would constantly adjust the sail to catch the most wind possible. Ned would twice stick oars into the ship to push past a small stalling current. Artoria would continue to give him instructions on how best to guide and rule the ship. The constant movement of rope, and wind and wood seemed to jumble in Ned's head, and he could barely understand how he was able to get the vessel to move as it needed to. And through it all, they continued to sail, passing by the edge of the peninsula and the town of Kayce, with only a few lanterns illuminating it. The then went about the edge of the peninsula, and then hugged the Eastern Shoreline of Fair Isle, keeping the mainland in sight. Ned, had he taken a moment to think, would have been shocked that in the dark they had made so much progress.

And then the first peaks of light broke over the hills to their East. As they did so, Ned couldn't help but be in awe of how the land he had been on seemed to rise as a great dark wave, massive ripples and peaks hanging over their heads. And yet, as it continued to rise, Ned and Artoria looked around, and Ned realized he could only barely make out the edge of Fair Isle. They'd made such progress, that they were already leagues away from Casterly Rock. Even better, Ned could not see a ship coming up behind them so there had been no word sent out for the Lannister fleet to pursue them, the only one nearby being another ship, one with the Mormont Bear strangely enough, coming in the opposite direction. Ned was almost glad of it, as he saw that the Flint Hand flag was hanging over their small vessel, and the Mormont's ship would only make their own vessel less unique to anyone looking out.

"I think," Ned said aloud, before he coughed, "I think we have made good time," it wasn't perfect, and a Raven Might still catch them, "But by the Gods, we shouldn't have been able to do this at all, it's as though we were blessed to make such good time," he looked over at Artoria…who was staring at the coastline, "Artoria?"

"Castamere," her voice barely escaped her mouth, and Ned looked over. He saw broken stone buildings atop the hall, and blue waters pouring down boulders strewn along the hill, down to the sea. Ned felt terror in his heart, and again the song of Tywin Lannister sang at the back of his head, before he shook his head.

'Tywin isn't here,' he told himself, 'he can't hurt her.'

…

'Her,' he turned his eyes to Artoria, whose own eyes were fixed on the ruins of the Reynes. He reached his hand out, and grabbed hers. It was clammy from the sea and the sweat, but Ned did not mind. He pulled, and he experienced no fight against the motion. He led her to the small door in the side of the dingy, and opened it, taking her towards one of the two hammocks.

"You need sleep," he said, ignoring his own body's protest, "I will sail us north, and shall allow you to sleep for the nonce," she did nothing. So Ned, his aches ignored, reached down, and picked her up by the back of the knees and by the middle of her back, and rested her in the hammock, his mind merely glad that she was still so small, "Please, rest," he reached out to touch her face, but stopped, and pulled away as her green eyes looked into his eyes.

Ned turned, and marched to the outside. He would have to keep going. He couldn't expect the girl to take much more, and allowing her to rest would let him rest later, once they hopefully made good enough time to get over past the Crag, and toward the coast of the Riverlands. Yet as he opened the door, he heard one last thing from the exhausted girl, fading into sleep.

"Now the rains weep o'er his halls," Ned stopped, and gave one last look at the girl.

'Even now,' he thought, about to close the door, 'Tywin Lannister won't let her forget him.'

"And not a soul to hear."