Out of the woods // Ned Stark

14. Blades

'Thank the gods you were here stark' Jaime said sitting alone in the throne room, 'it's about time we had some stern northern leader ship'

'Glad to see you are protecting throne,' Ned said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice

'Sturdy old thing. How many kings houses have posted it I wonder...' Jaime looked him over a smug look on his face. 'I heard there was trouble on the kings road.'

'Very handsome armor' Ned noted 'not a scratch on it.'

'well people have been swinging at me for years but they always seem to miss.' Jaime informed him.

'You've chosen your opponents wisely then.' ned marked

'I have a knack for it,' Jaime assured him, the men stared each other down, assessing the other. 'it must be strange for you coming into this room...' Jaime noted 'standing right here where it went down, you're very brave your father too, he didn't deserve to die like that. Nobody deserves to die like that-'

'You just stood there and watched' Ned remembered.

'500 men just stood there and watched' Jaime corrected 'all the great knights of the seven kingdoms and you think anyone said a word, lifted a finger? No one... 500 men and this room was silent as a crypt except for the screams of course. And the mad king laughing. And I watched the mad king die.' Jaime informed Ned. 'I remember him laughing as your father burned,' Jaime went on 'it felt like justice.'

'Is that what you tell yourself at night? You are a servant of justice, that you were avenging my father when you stabbed your sword in the Targaryen's back?'

'Tell me if I stab the mad king in the belly instead of the back would you like me more?' Jaime questioned with a smug grin.

'You served him well,' Ned told him 'when serving was safe.' Ned pushed past him, he had work to do.

++

'If that were a real sword you would be dead. Lord snow here grew up in the castles he looks down on the likes of you. Do you think Ned Starks bastard bleeds like the rest of us?' one of the Crows stepped forward to dual Jon but Jon got him down easily. He was surprised having only dueled against practice dummies in the courtyard never an actual person he was still quite good.

'Next!' the commander shouted again and again Jon took down each man

'Next!' He said two men approached Jon knocked them both down. 'Well Lord snow it looks you are the least useless person here.'

'go clean yourselves up there's only so much I can stomach in a day.' The commander said gruffly before walking off.

'Charming man,' Tyrion said watching from above.

'I don't need him to be charming I need him to turn this bunch of thieves and runaways into men of the nights watch.' Commander Mormont told Tyrion.

'how is that going commander Mormont?' Tyrion added.

'Slowly' he admitted 'the raven came for Ned Starks son,' he handed the note to Tyrion.

'Good news or bad?' Tyrion questioned taking the scroll,

'Both.'

********

'Don't listen to it. Crows are all liars. I know a story about a crow.' Old Nan told Bran.

''I hate your stories.' Bran told her

'I know a story about a boy who hated stories. I could tell you about Ser Duncan the Tall. Those were always your favorites.'

''Those weren't my favorites. My favorites were the scary ones.'' Bran corrected.

''Oh, my sweet summer child. What do you know about fear? Fear is for the winter, when the snows fall a hundred feet deep. Fear is for the long night, when the sun hides for years and children are born and live and die all in darkness. That is the time for fear, my little Lord, when the White Walkers move through the woods.' Old nan told him and Bran smirked, a scary story.