A Ned chapter immediately after a Ned chapter? Is that legal?

I will make it legal.

Ned IX

It had only been a few days but ill news had come from the Riverlands. Lord Piper and Lord Vance had led their combined host down the River Road toward the Golden Tooth, to hold the path as instructed by their liege lord, Edmure Tully. It was there they hoped the mountains that surrounded the road would create a chokepoint for the army that the Lannister's would send at them, eliminating any numerical advantage while they waited for reinforcements from Riverrun. It was a sound plan that unfortunately did not work out for them. Their force numbering a little over three thousand five hundred was set upon by a force estimated to number around fifteen thousand and was routed. The Rivermen hadn't been able to get far enough down the road for the mountains to offer them protection for their flanks before they were set upon by the Westermen. The battle had cost Vance and Piper half their men, either dead or captured.

Lord Vance was killed in the battle and his surviving men fled to Wayfarer's Rest. Lord Piper led his surviving men in a more organized manner, past Wayfarer's Rest, where they ran into the reinforcements from Riverrun, Stone Hedge and Raventree Hall. Edmure decided to return back to Riverrun and set this army up beneath the walls of his family home. It was there this new force of 9,500 would wait for the men Edmure had called from Seagard, Pinkmaiden, Darry, and the Twins.

Ned didn't think his good-brother had what it took to stand up to Tywin Lannister or the other experienced commanders of the Westerlands. Edmure should have had the Piper and Vance troops meet his at Riverrun, even if it meant sacrificing some keeps, towns, and smallfolk to the mercies of the Lannisters. You can't protect everyone you want to in war, and sacrifices have to be made whether you want to make them or not. The best commanders knew what sacrifices to make to leave them in a stronger position. Ned knew how much such decisions could chafe at one's sense of honor and justice, he had his own internal struggle with such thoughts sixteen years ago, but in the end he realized he needed to be pragmatic and that had helped lead them to victory over the Mad King.

It didn't help that the Lannister armies were already marching while the Riverlands were still gathering. The ones who moved first aways held a great advantage in the opening moves of war. If Edmure had started calling the banners at the same time as Tywin Lannister, then he could have held off the army under the Golden Tooth because even if he couldn't have had time to march the hosts of Riverrun, Stone Hedge, and Raventree Hall into the pass as well, at least the Piper and Vance men could have had time to move further into the mountain pass and set up defenses.

Westeros was no longer in peace, so Ned needed to do away with who he had been this past decade. He needed to again become the man who led armies to victories.

"Lord Renly, you will call your banners. I have already sent a raven to the Vale for Lysa Arryn to call hers. The Vale shall march down the High Road and the River Road, while the Stormlands will march up the Kingsroad and then down the Gold Road. If Tywin Lannister wants to raise his armies in rebellion against the King, then he shall meet the armies of the Seven Kingdoms as Balon Greyjoy did ten years ago."

"Of course, I will do what I can to assist the realm," Renly said, bowing his head with a confident look upon his face. Ned had a flashback to his youth with Robert sporting the same look before they separated at the Vale, with Ned heading north to rally his father's bannermen and Robert heading south to rally the Stormlands.

By the time Renly's forces were passing King's Landing, Ned should be healed enough to accompany, and lead, the Stormland troops. He trusted Yohn Royce to lead the forces of the Vale. Even if Tywin Lannister defeated the Riverland and Crownland forces that were marching against him, stormed the Tower of the Rush, freed his son, marched his entire army back to Casterly Rock and bent the knee in submission again, Ned would not let his actions go unpunished. Tywin Lannister would be deposed and either executed or sent to the Night's Watch, the same for Jaime Lannister and every lord who supported Tywin in his treason.

The real issue was how he was going to deal with Cersei. Robert confining her to Maegor's Holdfast had kept her rather limited but Ned knew it wasn't going to last. He knew of her pride in her family, and there was no way she'd allow them to get rid of her father and brother without raising hell. If she wasn't the Queen, he wouldn't care but she was. That was why they needed the King.

"Lord Velaryon, has the search turned up anything?"

Being the Master of Ships, and being the King had gone missing in Blackwater Bay, Monford Velaryon was the one leading the search efforts. The Royal Fleet under the Lord of Driftmark's command sailed up and down the coasts, and back and forth across the open sea between King's Landing and Dragonstone. Many trade ships had been temporarily conscripted into the fleet to help with the search, and incoming trade had been slowed to a crawl, likely costing the economy tens of thousands in coin.

"There has been … debris in the water spotted by several of the ships. It is definitely from a ship, we just don't know if it is from one ship or many, and what ships it could be. Some of the captains have remarked many of the pieces of wood found floating have burn marks."

Burn marks? There hadn't been any reports of pirates in the bay, and it seemed unlikely any pirate or raider would be able to overcome the giant galley that was the Lady Lyanna. If any ship had been attacked and then set ablaze by its attackers it was either a trading cog or a fishing sloop.

"Keep looking until something definite is found. Lord Varys, have you heard anything?" Ned asked.

"My little birds have no news on the King," Varys said, bowing his head. His voice had a sad tinge to it, as if he was on the brink of tears and might start crying at any moment. Ned thought it all an act. He doubted the man known as the Spider cared at all whether Robert lived or not.

"It has been three days since news came that the King's ship was missing, and ten days since he set sail," Baelish pointed out, implying what they were all likely thinking; that the King was dead.

"Until we have evidence suggesting the King is dead, we shall act as if he is still with us," Ned stated, hard gray eyes staring at each of those who sat around him. Out of all of them, only Ser Barristan seemed upset at the potential death of the King. Even Renly, the man's own brother, didn't seem upset that his older brother might be dead.

Grand Maester Pycelle cleared his throat, and slowly blinked his eyes. "The King did leave a recently updated will behind. I'm not suggesting he is dead," Pycelle quickly put in when Ned glared at him, "but he named a Regent should anything happen to him. It should be stored somewhere in his solar. Perhaps, given his absence, we should declare a regency until he, erm, returns to us."

The elderly scholar had a point. "Ser Barristan, if you could find that will so we can see who the King would name as Regent. We will adjourn until this time tomorrow, unless any of you have anything else you believe should be brought up before the council?" Ned looked at each of the men but they all remained silent. "Then you are dismissed. Lord Renly, if you could stay behind for a moment."

"What do you wish to discuss without the others knowing, my Lord Hand?" Renly asked with a smile as he approached.

"I doubt anything is said in this castle without Varys knowing."

"That is true. Something anyone who lives here must learn quickly, or suffer the consequences."

Ned hummed in agreement. "Your niece, Stannis' daughter, what does she look like?"

"Shireen?" Renly asked, eyebrows going up. "A rather ugly child, and that's not even taking into account the greyscale. She inherited the worst features from both her parents, her father's jaw and her mother's ears."

Ned had heard of the poor girl contracting greyscale as a baby, from some doll purchased from an Essosi merchant. That she had been cured at all was a minor miracle. Still, that wasn't the information he was looking for.

"What about her hair and eyes? Does she take after her mother?"

Renly laughed. "By the gods no! She has the Baratheon coloring, black hair and blue eyes. Like myself, Robert, and Stannis, like our father and his father before him. Robert told me that father often said the Baratheon colors run strong, even stronger than the Targaryens as he was evidence of."

"But not as strong as the Lannisters."

Renly's laughter died and a frown overcame his face. "No, I suppose not." The youngest Baratheon brother appeared contemplative for a moment before he shook his head. "Why do you ask about Shireen, my lord? Are you interested in a betrothal? I pity the son you match with her."

Ned gave a tight smile. "I was just curious about Stannis' only child. Are you leaving tonight?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Yes, I'll have my servants and men start packing immediately. I can hopefully get a few hours of riding in before the evening meal. I'll, of course, send out the ravens before I ride. I should have thousands gathered and training outside Bronzegate when I arrive."

It was a one week ride from King's Landing to Bronzegate. When Ned had marched down the King's Road to relieve the Tyrell siege of Storm's End, it had taken him three weeks to reach the seat of House Buckler. At a minimum it would take a month for Renly to come back with a host, but if it was going to be a host of decent size, at least twenty thousand, it would likely be two to three months before Ned saw Renly again.

Ned allowed Jory to wheel him toward the room the small council was meeting in. The small council had to meet in one of the spare rooms at the bottom of the Tower of the Hand due to Ned's inability to climb stairs. The room, which was bare outside of the plain wooden table and chairs that had been brought in, was not nearly as opulent as the small council chamber and had a musty smell to it.

There was a good chance Robert had named him Regent, as it was similar enough to being Hand for an indifferent King. If, on the off chance, someone else was named, he would have to make whomever it was aware of what he knew about Cersei and her children. Together he and the Regent would present a united front in the arrest of the Queen and the royal children. Unless the gods were cruel and Robert had named a Lannister as regent that is.

When he arrived in the room, he found that half of the small council was not there. Renly he knew was on his way to Bronzegate to gather the army of the Stormlands. Littlefinger and Monford Velaryon were also absent, and their whereabouts Ned did not have a clue. That left him with Grand Maester Pycelle, Lord Varys, and Ser Barristan. Not ideal, but really he only needed Ser Barristan.

"Where are Lords Velaryon and Baelish?" Ned asked as Jory pushed him to the head of the table.

The others shared looks but none of them had an answer. Ned couldn't wait on the men. If he was going to make his move and arrest Cersei today, he needed to find out who the Regent was so he could start making moves. His men still in the Capital not assigned to protecting Sansa were armed and armored, waiting in the small hall of the Tower of the Hand, maybe a few hundred feet from their current location.

Ser Jacelyn Bywater was to gather the Gold Cloaks loyal to him and have them outside in the outer yard of the Red Keep when the sun was at its zenith in less than an hour. Ser Jacelyn said he would likely be able to gather close to three hundred Gold Cloaks. Ned knew the Commander of the Gold Cloaks was curious as to why he was being asked to gather these men, but he also knew the man would follow orders without having his curiosity satisfied.

"Should we wait for them?" Lord Varys asked.

"We will proceed without them," Ned instructed. "Ser Barristan?"

"I have the King's will," Ser Barristan said, holding up a rolled up piece of parchment sealed with the royal stamp. "As you can see the seal still remains on it."

"Let's not sit in suspense, Ser Barristan," Lord Varys said. "Break the seal and let us confirm whom most of us suspect was named Regent."

All three of the men looked at Ned at those words. Ser Barristan gave a nod and used a small dirk on his sword belt to carefully break the seal. He unrolled the parchment and read over the words before giving a short nod.

"King Robert has indeed named Lord Stark regent should anything happen to him."

The will was passed to Grand Maester Pycelle who read it with drooping eyes before passing it to Lord Varys, who gave a small half giggle as he looked it over. At last it was given to Ned and he confirmed what Ser Barristan had said. Robert had named him Regent and tasked him with helping Joffrey become a better man and king than Robert had been. If only his friend knew that his son was not actually his.

"We all confirm this is the King's signature?" Ned asked.

All three of them agreed and Ned nodded his head.

"Then I don't believe much else is needed for today. This meeting is adjourned. Ser Barristan if you'll-"

Ned found the words dying on his lips as six Gold Cloaks entered the room.

"Excuse me milords, but your presence has been requested in the Throne Room."

"By whom?" Ser Barristan asked.

"The King."

The eyebrows of Ser Barristan and Grand Maester Pycelle went up at those two words. Even Varys seemed surprised and that man knew almost everything that happened in the Red Keep. Ned knew he should have felt elation at those words but there was something about these Gold Cloaks that gave him an uneasy feeling.

"Ser Barristan, if you would take possession of this again," Ned said holding out the will.

The white haired knight took the will and rolled it up again. He placed it in his sword belt and carefully stood from his seat, making sure his sword didn't catch on anything.

"If you'll allow me a moment," Ned said to the Gold Cloaks.

The men bowed as they left the room with the three members of the small council. Ned waited a beat before turning to Jory who had stepped back against a wall. He waved the head of his guard over.

"Jory, I fear something is afoot," Ned murmured.

"My lord, isn't this good news, that the King has returned?" Jory asked.

"Let us pray it is indeed Robert that sits the throne, but let us be ready should that not be the case. Get the men who have gathered in the small hall. Send one of the men to Sansa's quarters, I want her ready to leave at a moment's notice. And tell the man you send to her that there is a letter for Jon in the writing desk in my solar. I would like Sansa to carry it to Winterfell for me, just in case."

"I will be right back."

Being in this chair prevented Ned from carrying a sword around with him but he still carried a dagger at his waist. His hand drifted to it, feeling the hilt beneath his fingers as he thought about what was happening.

Jory was only gone for a minute before he returned to wheel Ned out of the room and to the Throne Room. All his men were gathered and formed up in rows of four, except the last that had three. They fell into step behind Jory and Ned, the clank of their armor as they walked almost in unison.

The outer yard was empty of any gathering of Gold Cloaks, and Ned's unease increased. Perhaps Ser Jacelyn and his loyal men were inside the Throne Room? That would make sense, especially if Robert had indeed returned.

When they entered the Throne Room, it was not to see Ned's childhood friend sitting the chair but rather a tall teen with curly blond hair. Joffrey wore a surcoat, half in the yellow and black of House Baratheon and the other half in the red and gold of House Lannister. On his head was a crown of gold encrusted with rubies and black diamonds. Being limited to Maegor's Holdfast hadn't limited Cersei as much as he had hoped. It seemed that in the days since Robert's disappearance she had been busy getting everything ready to anoint her son as the new King of Westeros.

At Joffrey's side stood his mother, dressed in a multi layered silk dress in red and gold. Next to her was Ser Preston Greenfield in his white Kingsguard armor. On the other side of the throne was Sandor "The Hound" Clegane. At the foot of the throne was Littlefinger, which explained why he was not at the small council meeting. The man must have allied himself with Cersei at some point. Maybe it had happened years ago, when Jon Arryn was still in good health, or maybe it had happened in the last few days. It was still something Ned should have foreseen, but there were so many vipers within these walls it was difficult to keep track of them all.

Along the walls were a few hundred Gold Cloaks. Ned looked them each over but recognized none of them, and he could not see Ser Jacelyn anywhere. Had the man betrayed him as well, or had something happened?

"If you're looking for Ser Jacelyn and his men," Littlefinger started, seemingly reading Ned's mind, "he's dealing with a riot at Fishmonger's Square."

Littlefinger's always present smirk was somehow wider and more sinister looking. Ned felt something in his stomach drop as he realized not only had his maneuvering been discovered but it appeared he had been out maneuvered. The Gold Cloaks that lined the walls weren't loyal to him, they were loyal to Littlefinger and Cersei. There was a commotion behind him and he turned to watch as the Lannister men that had been banished from the Red Keep by Robert marched in and guarded the main entrance. Only about fifteen of them, but that was more than enough to cause a problem.

With a start, Ned realized he had overlooked something in the room. Several feet away from the steps that led up to the throne was a table. On the other side of the table from the throne were Ser Barristan, Grand Master Pycelle, and Varys, whose bodies partially his the table from Ned's view. The table was made of thick wood and had something large laying atop it. Whatever it was, was covered by a white sheet, though that sinking feeling in Ned's stomach told him the thing under the sheet was a body.