King of my Heart // Ned Stark // Jorah Mormont

4. Would you rather?

Jorah found the newly legalized princess Maeve Targaryen shaking in the corner of her room. He was supposed to kill her. Her lip quivered as she stared at him tears in her eyes.

'Please I didn't do anything. I didn't do anything,' maeve sobbed. 'Let me go I won't tell anyone I promise. I will disappear and the targaryen name will fade from everyone's minds...' she sobbed as jorah got closer. 'Please,' she whimpered he held out his blade as maeve pursed her lips in fear she closed her eyes giving in to her fate tears slipped down her cheeks. Jorah put his sword back and touched her arm she jumped at his touch.

'I won't hurt you.' Jorah told her and she hugged him sobbing into him. 'I'm so sorry princess,' he whispered her whole body shook in his arms. "My name is Ser Jorah Mormont, Princess.' He told her softly. "I won't hurt you.''

'I'm so sorry ,I didn't do anything please tell them I didn't do anything.' Maeve sobbed into him.

'Come on Robert will benefit in having a targaryen on his side.' Jorah told her but she shook her head digging her heels in.

'Please ser Jorah don't do this he will kill me too.' Maeve pleaded as her eyes scanned the halls, she saw guards marching down the halls, Lannister red.

'Princess come now,' he coed holding onto her hands. 'Today is not the day you die.' But Maeve didn't believe him.

"Please!" she screamed trying to get back to her room. "Please, he will slaughter me."

'Princess,' he knelt before her, "You are the last Targaryen, there are many people loyal to your family."

"I was a bastard, I can tear up my legitimization, I can go back to being a bastard, no one, nothing.' Maeve negotiated.

"Having a Targaryen at his side would be beneficial for him, if he hopes to win favor with the people." Jorah told her and she sobbed in his arms.

"I would be a prisoner.' Maeve sobbed.

"No,' he told her softly wiping at her tears. "I can convince him otherwise."

++

"What is this?" Catelyn questioned.

"My son.' Ned told her.

"Your... son?" she asked accusatorily. "I hold your son, who is that?" Ned looked down at the little bundle in catelyn's arms. He had been gone fighting in Robert's war trying to get his sister back for almost a year, he had a son, a real son.

'This is Jon.' Ned told her. "He is mine, his mother died in childbirth.'

"How do you know he is yours?" Catelyn countered. "Whores lie!'

"She was not a whore.' Ned told her defensively. 'This is Jon Snow and he is mine." Ned told her.

'You are unbelievable, all of you men are the same.' She hissed. Their marriage never stood a chance.

"I am going to the capital." Ned told Catelyn and she stopped in her tracks.
"Why? Have you not given enough for that man?'

"Robert is to be the King." Ned told her. "He is my friend, he was to have wed my sister, we were to be family."
"Obviously family doesn't matter to you or else you would have left that abomination to die!" Catelyn shouted pointing at Jon and Ned held him protectively to his chest.

"I suppose you don't care to know that Lyanna is dead." Ned offered and Catelyn stared at him before stomping inside. "My sister is dead.' Ned shouted back at her. "And you...' he muttered turning around. 'are a monster.' He looked to Jon. "I will keep you safe.' Ned assured. "Maybe the capital will be fun.' Ned offered, Jon stared up at him.

+

"Another one.' Robert screamed pulling his blade free, Maeve clutched onto Jorah trying to hide behind him. 'Bring her here, I will slit her throat." Maeve whimpered nervously.

'Your grace." Jorah said as he could feel Maeve's hand fisting his shirt trying to keep him back, to keep her safe. "I think that it would be beneficial to keep Maeve Targaryen alive.'

"ALIVE?" Robert's voice boomed 'are you mad?"

'Many people still value the name Targaryen, if you joined houses-' Jorah began.
"Marry the enemy? Fuck the enemy?' Robert shouted. "Are you mad?"

"I think that with the Targaryen's long standing history on the throne it would make your transition to king that much easier." Jorah told him. "If you keep Maeve Targaryen alive, she swears loyalty to you and proclaims your rule...' Jorah felt a hot breath on his arm as he wrapped a hand around trying to comfort the clearly distraught Maeve. "No one would stand against you."
"You think they will now?" Robert demanded. "I killed them all the targaryen's are gone because of me."

'Your grace.' Varys said stepping forward. "If I might... I was on Aerys Targaryen's council for many years and Maeve has never once shown any of his more fiery qualities.' Varys offered Maeve a small smile but she had her face buried in Jorah's back to nervous to look up.

"Let me see her.'' Robert demanded and Jorah turned around. Maeve immediately shook her head.

'No,' she whimpered into him.

'Would you rather die?" Jorah questioned brushing the hair from her face. If Maeve only knew the trauma that she would suffer she would have rather died. She was the last, Rhaegar, Viserys and Daenerys slaughtered. Daenerys was just a baby, her cries had echoed a shrill little scream. If Maeve knew what was to come she would have begged for death instead of life.

Maeve took a step forward and held her head high. But her eyes refused to look up from Robert's feet. he sat on her father's throne, he called himself king.

"Look at me bitch.' Robert demanded and slowly her eyes moved up to him. He was handsome but he was vile and Maeve would rather have a man scarred, no eye, or no name compared to a man that was handsome and vindictive.

'Bend the knee and declare me your king.' Robert demanded. Maeve glanced over to Varys and he nodded. Slowly Maeve got down to her knees.

"I Maeve Targaryen do proclaim that Robert of the house... Baratheon is the rightful heir of the iron throne...' her breath hitched in her chest. "Long may he reign.' She forced out.

"I think you are right Mormont. She will make a good bitch.'' Robert agreed. "I want my coronation set as soon as possible.' He went on and Jorah helped Maeve stand up, her legs weak under her.

'It's alright,' Jorah coed and she clung to him. What had she done?