The day had finally arrived. As Robert pulled himself out of his bed, the dreams of the previous night slowly faded from memory. The servants knocked shortly after he had stirred, and he gave permission for them to enter. They prepared hot water and his grooming tools for him to begin his morning routine. He freshened up and got dressed trying to apply what Jon had taught him yesterday. He needed to focus on what was happening in the here and now and not get lost in thoughts of the future. But that was easier said than done. He was truly excited. This was where things could really start changing for the better.
First, he would properly court Lyanna, then gods willing he would win the tourney, crowning her Queen of Love and Beauty. He'd make sure She and Rhaegar would stay as far away as possible from each other so that he couldn't sweet talk her into running off. Once that was all taken care of, he could marry his love, keep his head down till Aerys finally died or was deposed, and then live the life he always wanted before stepping up to help with the whole long night thing. Five and twenty years is a long time after all, plenty of time to establish himself as an influential lord paramount, and even sire a brood of mighty warriors to fight by his side. Who knows, maybe one of he and Lyanna's children could marry into the royal family to help shore up support from the kingdom when the time came. They'd be cousins after all, and the damn dragons just loved keeping it in the family. A part of him, one that sounded awfully like Ned, was telling him that it wouldn't be so easy, but the loud brash optimist in him drowned that out. The gods had sent him back to this time for a reason, and he wouldn't waste this opportunity.
He finally finished getting ready for the coming day and stepped out of his room heading to the great hall in order to break his fast. He was the first to arrive and the staff hurried to bring out the morning meal. It was a hardy spread of sausage pies, rye bread and butter, and preserved fruit. Perfect for someone preparing for a long journey. It wasn't long before others started filing into the hall. When Robert finally saw his travelling companion enter, he called out.
"Ned! Come over here and eat up. We need to get going so we can be at the Bloody Gate by nightfall."
"Yes, good morning, Robert. I slept well, thank you for asking." Eddard replied straight faced.
"Hah, you know how I get sometimes." Robert replied with mirth.
"Yes, you get an idea in your head, and nothing can change your mind. It falls on me to bear the burden of picking up the pieces once it all falls apart." Ned replied with a solemn tone. Robert knew the game his friend was playing well. Beneath the stoic exterior was a man who was fiercely loyal and kind to those he loved. Robert felt blessed to have him in his life.
"Come now Ned, if it was so bad you would have never let me tag along with you up north."
"Let you? You practically invited yourself." Eddard replied raising his eyebrow.
"Yes, well I saw a good opportunity and decided to take it. If you had told me otherwise, I would have stayed behind." Robert said as innocently as he could.
"Right, after ranting and complaining about it for days." Eddard said finally tearing into a loaf of bread.
"Maybe, but this was a good idea and you agreed to it so what does it matter anyway? Now, less talking and more eating."
The two young men finished their meal as quickly as they could while still greeting and being cordial to the other members of the household arriving in the hall. Eventually they moved out to the stables to oversee the packing of their supplies. It was going to be a long trip as Robert preferred to travel by land rather than by boat if time allowed. Memories of watching the Windproud break apart and his parents drown in Shipbreaker Bay would always resurface when he stepped aboard a boat. Not long after they had begun preparing their horses, Robert heard a cry and turned to see his little daughter toddling towards him as fast as she could. Laughing heartily, he moved to pick her up and spin her around.
"Paa! Pay Pay Pay!" Mya called out laughing. Robert looked to Ned with a pleading and apologetic face.
"Go on then," Ned said with a rare smile. "I'll finish up here." Robert returned the smile and began chasing his daughter around the yard. Robert wished he could have spent more time with her, but he knew he had to go and if he waited any longer it would only make it harder. Eventually he took his daughter back to her mother.
"Okay my little rock, papa has to go away for a while, but I'll be back someday soon, and we'll play again." Mya looked at him obviously not truly understanding. Tears welled up in her eyes and she buried her face in her mother's shoulder.
"Pa no go. Pa pay." She cried. Robert was about to say something as he tried his best to steel his heart. Fortunately, Piper stepped in.
"It's okay sweetie. You'll play with pa another time. You can play with the other children now." Piper gave a comforting smile to Robert. "Please my lord, let me take care of this. I believe your travel companions are nearly ready to go." Robert gave a conflicted smile but nodded to her.
"Thank you, Piper. Take good care of her while I'm gone. If she needs anything at all just ask Lord Denys. Tell him I will pay for everything."
"Of course, my lord Baratheon." She did her best to curtsy while still holding the sniffling child. With that she turned to go. Robert took a moment to watch his little one go before taking a deep breath and heading to the small group waiting by the stable. Lord Arryn had personally provided ten of his household guards to accompany the two young lords to Winterfell. They were to return back when they were able, but Robert appreciated the concern.
"I can't believe you were about to leave without saying goodbye to your closest friend." Robert heard the voice of Denys call out.
"Oh? Ned, were you planning on leaving without me?" Robert questioned before turning to Denys. The knight held his chest in mock dismay for a moment before both men broke out in laughter. They embraced in good nature.
"Take care on the road Robert. Try not to father any more bastards during your trip, I know that young maidens at inns can be quite pleasing to the eye." Denys said with a teasing laugh. In the past Robert would have laughed and told some crude jape. Now he tried his best not to snap at his friend, six days was not enough to overturn his well-known reputation. His smile turned a little pained and Denys' fell a little as well.
"No more bastards for me. Take care of yourself and watch over my daughter please while I'm gone. I'll back for her someday."
"You have my word, Robert. I think little Jasper could use a new playmate." Robert's smile grew at that. It meant a lot that Denys would overlook her status as a lowborn bastard and take an active role in her care.
"Thank you." Was all Robert could manage.
"Does this make me your closest friend now?" Denys teased. Robert just laughed as he started to mount his horse. By this time, Jon had also come to say his farewell.
"Take care my boys. You are always welcomed in the Vale."
"Thank you, Jon," Eddard replied. "We will not forget all that you have done for us."
"Of Course. We received a raven back from Winterfell while you were readying to go." He paused to hand the letter to Eddard. "As always, your father does not waste words." Eddard took a moment to read through the missive.
"Well at least we know he's expecting us." Eddard mumbled before handing it back to his foster father. After a few more moments of everyone saying their final goodbyes, the dozen man party rode out of the gates and down the mountain road towards the Bloody Gates.
Robert spent the trip riding down the mountain pass talking and jesting with the men in their party. He always found it easy to ingratiate himself into a given group. His gregarious nature, booming laugh, bravery, and bravado endeared him to most men. So, their first day of travel passed quickly enough having managed to reach the bloody gate in good time. Which was good since snow began to fall as the night fell. Having been welcomed by the knight of the gate, the weary travelers supped and went to bed.
Robert laid his head to rest and drifted off into the realm of dreams. He once again dreamed of his previous life. This time he dreamed of the sack of King's landing. Echoes of the emotions he felt that day rippled through his heart. A sick satisfaction seeing the family that wronged him laid low, destroyed. He reeled in self-loathing disgust at it. He couldn't help but imagine if it was little Mya wrapped up in those red shawls. He saw the look of horror, rage, and betrayal on Ned's face as he argued against the injustice. His dream self was yelling out to his friend his regrets and sorrow even as his past self grinned and uttered that damnable word. Robert heard the flapping of wings and a crow's shrill cry behind him. As he turned, he found himself in a snow-covered land looking at a hill topped with a wild copse of weirwood trees, their blood red leaves rustling in a gentle breeze. Siting in the branches of the largest tree was a large crow levelling a bale-full gaze at him. As Robert focused on the unnerving creature, he saw that it had a third eye filled with terrible knowledge.
"You should not see these things." It stated in an aged raspy voice. "They have not yet come to pass."
"Who are you?" Robert yelled out.
"What are you?" The crow replied tilting its head inquisitively. "I will find out." It continued in a disturbing tone and spread its wings menacingly. It was as if the black feathers stretched out all around Robert blocking out the light, threatening to engulf him in never ending darkness. Icy cold and fiery heat invaded the very core of his body and he cried out in pain. It was then that Robert heard a terrifying yet familiar voice. One that sounded of crashing waves, pealing, thunder, and falling stones.
He is our champion, crow. He is not yours to touch and toy with. Go back to your vigil and plots do not interfere.
Robert felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see the divinely gracious features of the Mother smiling over him.
"Wake up, Robert. Your brother calls."
Robert tried to call out to her, but his words caught in his throat. Distantly he could hear Ned's voice calling out to him. It was muffled at first but grew louder and louder in his ears. Soon he felt hands grasping him firmly as his mind finally broke into the waking world. His body ached much like it had when he had first reawakened from death. As his eyes opened, he saw the panic-stricken face of Eddard Stark looking into his eyes.
"Robert, oh gods you're awake."
"Ugh what…" Robert groaned as he attempted to sit up before his body failed him and he fell back down. "What happened Ned?"
"I heard you calling out to me, so I came to check on you. You were saying…" Eddard paused for a moment searching for the right words. "You seemed to be having a nightmare. I tried waking you up, but then you seized up and then started convulsing."
"Oh," was all Robert could manage for the moment. He heard others approaching the room and Soon after, one of the men from their party entered with the keep's maester. Eddard stood up letting the man inspect Robert. After checking Robert's head and extremities the maester concluded that there seemed to be no lasting effects of the convulsions, and that it might have been caused by any number of factors. He left the room promising to return with some herbal concoction that would relieve the lingering aches and pains Robert felt. They sat in silence until the maester returned to administer the drink. Robert nearly gagged on the bitter liquid but drank it down. Once the healer had gone and closed the door Robert spoke up.
"Thank you for watching over me Ned."
"If I didn't, who would?" Ned replied with a gentle smile.
"No one. I am beyond fortunate to have you in my life." Robert let out a long breath and grimaced as he tried to sit up. Eddard placed a shoulder keeping him down.
"No Robert, you need rest. I know that sleep hasn't been coming easy to you over the last few nights. Ever since that day we found you covered in blood actually." Ned's voice lingered there as if he wanted to say something else, to ask a question. Robert felt panic slowly rising but knew he couldn't deny his friend at least some kind of answer.
"Say your peace, Ned." He said his voice laden with doubt and fear.
"You have changed since that day Robert; you haven't been yourself." The words tumbled out of his mouth as if he couldn't hold them in any longer.
"Is that such a bad thing Ned? I've never exactly been a paragon virtue." Robert said bitterly.
"You're eight and ten years old, nobody expects you to be so wise at this age. You've always been a good man at heard. Foolish, brash, and hot-tempered yes, but also honest, straightforward, and charismatic. I wouldn't have grown so close to you if I didn't see these things." Eddard said with more emotion showing than normal. For his part Robert only smiled letting Ned continue to ask the question he was dreading. "What happened to you? Really."
Robert sighed and stared up at the ceiling not able to meet his friend's gaze. He contemplated what to say and how to say it. He knew that letting it all out, explaining everything that had happened, would sound insane. True, it would be a burden off his shoulders to let it all out, but did he want to place that burden on Ned's shoulder's? Absolutely not. So, Robert decided to proceed cautiously but as truthfully as he dared. He finally turned back to his friend.
"What if the gods showed you the entire path your life was to take? So that you could see all of your mistakes and see the death and destruction left in your footsteps and see the ignoble end that awaited you." Robert searched Ned's face and saw him struggle to accept Roberts words.
"You sound like old nan talking of the legends of the old gods. I'm sure it is nothing but dreams."
"What did you hear me saying when you came into my room tonight?" Robert asked. Eddard swallowed and looked disturbed.
"You said you were so sorry, that you wished you could take it back, that little Rhaenys' and Aegon's blood were on your hands."
"Yes," Robert had to reign in the emotions rising to overtake him as he remembered. "It has become one of my biggest regrets and nearly broke our friendship."
"You aren't making sense. Princess Rhaenys has only seen one name day and the last Aegon has been dead for decades." Eddard replied contentiously.
"Aegon son of Rhaegar actually. He will be born shortly before the Tourney."
"You can't know that Robert, you aren't some greenseer of legend."
"I know it because I lived it, Ned. I died and the gods, old and new, thought that I should have another go at things." The words left his mouth and there was a heavy silence between the two young lords. Robert rubbed anxiously at his face before continuing. "I know you've seen it Ned, you've suspected something but didn't understand. I've slipped up over the past few days."
"Yes, but this? This is madness!" Eddard practically yelled. Robert let out a soft chuckle, nodding his head in agreement.
"No doubt it is madness, but that doesn't make it any less true."
"No, some malady of the mind has overtaken you. Perhaps lingering trauma from the blow that put you in such a state when we found you." Robert could hear the conflicted tone of Eddard's voice. Could hear the struggle as he weighed the evidence. Robert thought further evidence was needed.
"The Stranger thought I needed something to remember my old life by. So that I wouldn't forget and follow the same path again." He lifted up his night shirt and showed Eddard the scar that ran across his torso. Eddard gasped and took a step back. "You know that I've gone through nothing in this life that would leave a scar like this." Eddard turned and paced back and forth across the room a few times before sitting down in a chair across from the bed.
"What happened?" He finally choked out.
"More than I care to burden you with."
"You killed…kill… the Princess and Prince?" Eddard said in disbelief, obviously hoping it was not true.
"I might as well have. Though it wasn't by my hands I approved of it and stepped up the stairs of the Iron Throne over their dead bodies." Tears came unbidden to his eyes as he once again lived through the memory. He looked over at Ned, who obviously wanted to know more but didn't know what to ask.
"We Rebelled against the Dragons. Half of the kingdoms rose up against them for all the injustice inflicted upon us." He saw Eddard about to speak but interrupted. "No Ned, I don't want to burden you with the causes of the war. It isn't a pleasant tale." Eddard looked like he wanted to protest, but Robert's glare silenced him.
"I don't think being king would truly suit you, Robert. And I doubt Lyanna would have enjoyed being queen either." Eddard said in a lighter tone hoping to move away from such a dark topic. The look on Robert's face said that he had failed to do so.
"Lyanna was… one of the casualties in the conflict. We never married." Robert nearly choked on the words but continued. "I was stuck with a Lannister as queen and made a right mess of everything. You are right, being King didn't suit me. I ran the realm into debt with frivolities and in my pain over the loss of Lyanna I drank and whored my days away. I don't know why the gods thought I deserved a second chance, but I won't waste it." Silence once again descended on the room, and Robert watched his friend try to take in and process everything that had just been shared.
"What do we do?" Eddard eventually replied with a steely resolve. Robert was surprised by the response but couldn't help but smile at the sheer loyalty his friend was displaying.
"So, you believe me?" The question was answered by a solemn nod. "Well, I am going to need your help to win Lyanna over. After that, we enjoy our lives and maybe you can find a nice young lady for yourself at the tourney. If your father doesn't plan to give you a holdfast somewhere in the North, I know of a few keeps in the Stormlands that could use a lord."
"Robert, can you explain how you courting my sister will prevent a war?" Ned replied with a skeptical tone.
"Ah, right, well things started with her running off with the prince in order to escape the betrothal with me. She apparently didn't think I would be able to honor our marriage bed. Which to be honest might have been true back then, but I've learned my lesson and that won't be a problem now." Robert said quickly trying his best not to give too much away while also changing the topic. But it seemed as if Eddard was not going to let him get away with so little an explanation.
"You started a war over a broken betrothal?" Ned's voice might have sounded calm to most, but Robert knew that anger was bubbling beneath it.
"No! No! Look Ned, do you really want to know the whole tragedy? It is not a good tale." Robert felt almost small under his friend's intense gaze.
"Perhaps you might think it best if I don't know, but how can I help you prevent this tragedy if I don't know the whole story?" Eddard reasoned.
"Damnit Ned, why do you have to be so reasonable! Fine, yes Lyanna's disappearance started the avalanche, but things really turned for the worse when your brother Brandon rode to King's Landing demanding Rhaegar come out to face him. To make the whole horrifying story short, Brandon was imprisoned and when your father was summoned the king executed them both for treason. He called for our heads too, banners were called, and well things were out of hand by that point." The uncomfortable silence once again returned as Robert finished the terrible tale.
"Winter Roses" Eddard eventually said.
"What?" Robert wasn't quite ready for that response.
"My sister's favorite flowers are Blue Winter Roses. Maybe we can find some before we get to Winterfell." Eddard explained. Robert for his part let out a booming laugh.