The One True Heir

Chapter 4

The days leading up to the departure of The Royal Party's departure had been anything but happy. Lord Stark's son Brandon had fallen from the old broken tower. How he even was able to climb it was a wonder to Edric. The climb up was treacherous and Edric would have no doubt fallen a foot off the ground, never mind the dizzying height of the tower. Personally, the boy shouldn't have been allowed to climb something like that in the first place. He did not voice his opinion though, now was not the time to poke at mistakes.

Edric had been there every other day to either check on the boy or to give his condolences and sympathies to Lord and Lady Stark. Lord Stark was thankful for it, while Lady Stark was too distraught to answer him. The woman looked broken and acted like it too. Edric couldn't blame her, not when it was her child after all fighting death after all. He prayed that Brandon would wake up.

But it seemed he was the only one in the family to pray for it. His father thought ending the boy would be a mercy on him and his family, while his mother thought along the same lines. Joffrey seemed to dance to the tune of their father. Tommen and Myrcella had no opinion on this, choosing instead to ask anyone and everyone whether Brandon would wake up or not.

On another hand, in this time Edric had gotten closer to some of the Stark children, mostly Jon and Robb. Arya was willful but she had stopped glaring his way when she thinks he isn't looking. Rickon was young but he'd taken a liking to watch him with Tommen while he sparred. But the most disappointed he had been was getting to know his betrothed. It was a given that neither of them would have anything in common, he had always prepared himself with that in mind. Women and men rarely if ever have similar interests. Sansa was sweet though, kind and with a childish naiveness to her. Those were endearing, but at the same time, it was irksome. Her insistence on songs, stories and other things she grew up with where the world was full of gallant knights and all that irked him greatly. But he wasn't holding it against her. She was young still and in time she would grow out of it. That's what his mother had told him, even if she didn't look all too happy about Sansa either for reasons that were not similar to his own.

Little by little the day finally arrived and the final day started with Edric was sat in the great hall having breakfast with his mother, the Kingsguard uncle and his youngest two siblings. They were soon joined by his other uncle, the imp.

"Bread. And two of those little fish. And a mug of dark beer to wash it down. And bacon, burnt black" Tyrion Lannister requested of the serving girl that was walking away.

"Little brother" Ser Jaime smiled.

"Beloved siblings" Tyrion grinned as he took a seat.

"Is Bran going to die?" Myrcella asked right away. She knew only Tyrion would give her the blunt truth and not mince his words. Tyrion Lannister had a way with words, but he was always blunt with his niece and nephews.

"Apparently not" Tyrion confessed, much to the delight of Myrcella and Tommen. Edric smiled as well, which fell when he noticed the frown on his mother's face.

"What do you mean?" the Queen questioned.

"The Maester says the boy may live" the imp replied, tearing into his bread.

"It's no mercy, letting a child linger in such pain" the Queen countered.

"Only the gods know for certain. All the rest of us can do is pray" Tyrion answered, "the charms of the north seem entirely lost on you."

"I still can't believe you're going. It's ridiculous, even for you" the Queen muttered with clear distaste on her face.

"Where's your sense of wonder?" Tyrion asked in mock shock, "The greatest structure ever built, the intrepid men of the Night's Watch, the wintry abode of the White Walkers!" then he turned to his oldest nephew. "I would have thought you'd want to accompany me on this journey."