The Dragon and The Wolf (Game of Thrones - Season 1)

5. The Wolf and the Lion

KING'S LANDING

Ned was walking across a bridge towards the tournament, walking into the tent where Ser Hugh was being prepared for burial by the Silent Sisters.

Ned looked at Ser Barristan. "Does Ser Hugh have any family in the capital?"

"No," Ser Barristan told him. "I stood vigil for him myself last night. He had no one else."

Ned looked at Ser Hugh's armour, which a Sister was cleaning. "He'd never worn this armour before."

"Bad luck for him," Ser Barristan said. "Going against the Mountain."

"Who determines the draw?" Ned asked.

"All the knights draw straws, Lord Stark," Ser Barristan answered.

"Aye," Ned said. "But who holds the straws? You've done good work, Sisters."

Ned walked out of the tent.

Ser Barristan followed, taking his helmet from his squire. "Life is strange." The squire fastened on Ser Barristan's white cloak. "Not so many years ago, we fought as enemies at the Trident."

"I'm glad we never met on the field, Ser Barristan," Ned told him. "As is my wife. I don't think the widow's life would suit her."

Ser Barristan chuckled. "You're too modest. I've seen you cut down a dozen great knights."

"My father once told me you were the best he'd ever seen," Ned said. "I never knew the man to be wrong about matters of combat."

"He was a fine man, your father," Ser Barristan replied. "What the Mad King did to him was a terrible crime."

"And that lad, he was a squire until a few months ago," Ned told him. "How could he afford a new suit of armour?"

"Perhaps Lord Arryn left him some money?" Ser Barristan suggested. "I hear the king wants to joust today."

"Yes, that will never happen," Ned stated.

Ser Barristan chuckled. "Robert tends to do what he wants."

"If the king got what he wanted all the time, he'd still be fighting a damned rebellion," Ned told him.

>*~*<

Robert was in his tent.

Lancel was trying to fasten on his armour.

Ned walked in.

"It's made too small, Your Grace," Lancel told him. "It won't go."

"Your mother was a dumb whore with a fat arse," Robert replied. "Did you know that?" Lancel pulled off Robert's armour. "Look at this idiot. One ball and no brains." He looked at Ned. "He can't even put a man's armour on him properly."

"You're too fat for your armour," Ned told him.

"Fat?" Robert repeated. "Fat, is it? Is that how you speak to your king?" Ned just looked at him. Robert started laughing. He saw Lancel chuckling as well. "Oh, it's funny, is it?"

Lancel's smile instantly faded. "No, Your Grace."

"No?" Robert asked. "You don't like the Hand's joke?"

Lancel looked from Robert to Ned, hesitating.

"You're torturing the poor boy," Ned told him.

"You heard the Hand," Robert said. "The king's too fat for his armour. Go find the breastplate stretcher. Now!"