Bastard // Ned Stark

45. Riddles

'You are in pain.' Cersei noted coming up to ned and Everly.

'I have had worse your grace.' Ned informed her.

'You are dismissed.' Cersei said to Everly but Everly kept a hold of Ned's arm.

"It's alright.' Ned assured and Everly let him go, taking slow steps out of the garden.

'Perhaps it's time to go home the south does not seem to agree with you.' Cersei said calmly her eyes veering away from Everly.

'I know the truth.' Ned told her 'the truth Lord Arryn died for.'

'Do you Lord stark? Is that why you called me here... to pose for riddles?' cersei questioned with a laugh.

'Has he done this before?' Ned asked pointing to his cheek a bruise forming on Cersei's own cheek.

'Jaime would've killed him if he had. My brother is worth 1000 of your friend.' Cersei snapped.

'Your brother? Or your lover?' Ned offered

'Targaryen's wed brothers and sisters for thousands of years to keep the bloodline pure.' Cersei reminded him 'Jaime and I am more than brother and sister we share the womb came into this world together we belong together.'

'My son saw you with him....'

'Do you love your children?'

'With all my heart.'

'No more than I love mine.' cersei told him

'And they are all Jamie's.' ned remarked

'And thank the gods in the rare event that Robert leaves his whores long enough to stumble drunkenly into my bed I finish him off in other ways. In the morning he does not remember.' Cersei said casually.

'You've always hated him.'

'Hated him? I worshiped him every girl in the seven kingdoms dreamed of him but it was mine by oath and when I finally saw him on our wedding day in the sept of Baylor lean and fit and black bearded. It was the happiest moment of my life.' she informed him 'but that night he crawled on top of me stinking of wine and he did it, with what little he could do. And whispered in my ear Lyanna. your sister was a corpse and I was a living girl yet he loved him more than me.' cersei snapped.

'When the King returns from his Hunt I will tell him the truth you must be gone by then you and your children I will not have their blood on my hands. Go far away, as you can with as many men as you can because wherever you go Roberts wrath will follow you.' Ned informed her.

'And what of my wrath Lord Stark? You should've taken the throne for yourself. Jaime told me about the day at Kings Landing. Said he was sitting in the iron throne and you made him give it up. All you have to do is climb the steps and claim it for yourself... such a sad mistake.' Cersei told him.

'I have made many mistakes in my life but that wasn't one of them.'

'Oh but it was.' Cersei assured him 'when you play the Game of Thrones you win or you die there is no middle ground.' she told him walking off.

+

'You damned fool.'

'There is paper and ink on the table' Robert said through labored breaths. 'write down what I say... in the name of Robert of the house of Baratheon first of his... You know how it goes fill in the damn titles... I hear by command Eddard of house stark titles, titles.' he moaned, 'as Lord Regent and protector of the realm upon my death to rule in my stead until my son Joffrey comes of age.' Instead of writing Joffrey though Ned wrote the rightful heir. 'Give it to me.' Robert requested ned handed it over to Robert and he signed his name at the bottom, handing the ink back with a groan of pain. 'Give it to the council after I'm dead.' Robert instructed 'at least they can say I did this right this one thing... you will rule now. You will hate it worse than I did but you'll do it well.' Robert choked out a breath 'Daenerys Targaryen, the girl you were right, varys, little finger, my brother, all worthless no one to tell me no but you. Only you.' Robert remarked. 'Let her live, stop it, if it is not too late.'

'I will.' Ned agreed.

'My son, help him Ned, make him better than me.'

'I... I will do everything I can to honor your memory.' Ned assured

+

'lord stark a moment,' renly requested. 'alone if you will?' ned followed Renly off. 'he named you protector of the realm. She won't care. Give me an hour and I can give you 100 men.'

'what can I do with 100 men?' ned questioned.

'attack, in the night, we take joffrey into custody. every moment you delay gives cersei time to prepare. By the time Robert dies it will be too late for us.'

''what about stannis?'ned questioned.

'save the seven kingdoms from cersei and give them to stannis?' He asked incredulously. 'You have odd notions of protecting the realm.'

'stannis is your older brother.'

'the line of succession doesn't matter, it didn't matter when you rebelled against the mad king.' Renly reminded him. 'It shouldn't matter now. what's best for the kingdoms what's best for the people. We know what stannis is he inspires no trust or loyalty. I do.' Renly told him.

'Stannis is a commander. He's lead men into war twice, he destroyed a Greyjoy fleet.' Ned reminded him.

'yes he's a great solider so was Robert tell me do you believe good soldiers make good kings?' Renly countered.

'I will not honor Roberts last hours by shedding blood in these halls'. Ned informed him. 'And dragging frightened children form their beds.'

+

'What are you going to do?" Everly questioned.

"I want you and the girls gone. I want you safe.' Ned told her.

'Too much has happened, I can't leave you now.' Everly told him.

'You must.' He put his hand on her stomach. 'Think of our baby, think of Jon. He needs you.'

"You need me too.' Everly whimpered. 'I wont leave you in this place, with these people.' Everly told him. 'I wont.'

'You must. Because I need to know you are safe. You will take the girls and go.' Ned told her. 'Please don't fight me on this.' Ned begged.

'I have been with you for 18 years Ned, I cant leave you now, not when it is clear that you need me.' Everly begged.

'This place is not safe. It never was. I put you at risk being here. I'm so sorry my love, I'm so sorry for everything I put you through.' Ned told her.

'You put me through?" she mused. 'You loved me, you took me in and Jon, you gave us a home and a family. You have shown me so much love Ned. I don't regret a single moment with you or the children.' Everly assured. 'I will love you past my last breath.' Everly assured.