Out of the woods // Ned Stark

27. Truth and Lies

'Our scouts have found that Tywin Lannister moves north.'

'we need to get him on broken ground so we can get around him.'

'No we need to stop him so we can stop Jamie Lannister at the siege of river runn do that and the river Lords will join us!' Umber said

'To do that we need to cross the river the only crossing is at the twins.' robb remarked

'Lord Frey controls that bridge.' Theon told them

'So what should I be doing? move against Jamie? Or lord Tywin?' Umber questioned, Robb looked around the room, the youngest one in the room was in charge. Everyone looked to him. Lord of Winterfell. Maelia's smug face came to mind, her confidence that radiated off her he could do this.

'Pardon me my lords but we captured a Lannister scout!' a man said running into the tent. Robb looked over the man, he stood nervously before them. robb hatched a brilliant plan, he stepped forward staring down the Lannister scout.

'Let him go.' robb instructed 'tell lord Tywin Lannister that winter is coming for him. 20,000 northerners are marching south to find out if he really does shit gold.' With that the scout ran off.

'20,000? Umber began.

Deception...

++

'The boy may lack experience battle but he does have a certain mindless courage,' Tywin said to his counsel as Tyrion entered sitting down and getting glass of wine.

'Continue I did not mean to interrupt' Tyrion told them adding food to the plate in front of him as well.

'I do hope your savages are going to be of some use otherwise we've wasted good steel.' Tywin remarked

'The great hairy one,' Kevan said 'insisted he must have two battle axes heavy black steel double sided.'

'He likes axes.' Tyrion said simply.

'When the battle commences you and your wildlings will be in the Vanguard.' Tywin told him.

'Vangurd?' Tyrion questioned.

'Me and the tribesmen on the front lines?' Tyrion questioned choking on his wine.

'They do seem rather ferocious.' Kevan added

'Ferocious... last night Moon brothers stabbed a stone craw over a sausage three stone crow sees the moon brother and opened his throat. Bronn managed to keep shagga from chopping off the dead man's cock which was fortunate but even still they are demanding blood money which shagga and gunthor refused to pay.' Tyrion informed them all.

'When soldiers lack discipline the fault lies with the commander' Tywin told him simply.

'There are other ways to have me killed,' Tyrion reminded him, 'that would be less detrimental to the war effort.'

'There will be no more discussion on the matter' Tywin said taking a long step

'It appears I'm not hungry after all excuse me my Lord's,' he said marching off.

++

'You have seen better days my Lord.'

'Another visit?' ned questioned varys.

'Sansa came to court this morning to plead for your life.' Varys informed him.

'I don't need her begging for me, did you laugh with the others?' Ned asked snidely

'You do me wrong my Lord your blood is the last thing I want.'

'What do you want?'

'When I was still a boy before they cut my balls off with a hot knife I traveled with a group of actors through the free cities they taught me that each man has a role to play the same is true at court. I am the master of whispers. I am a good actor my Lord.'

'Can you free me from this pit?' ned spat.

'I could but will I? No. As I said I'm no hero.' Varys reminded him.

'What do you want? no riddles no stories tell me what you want?' Ned begged

'Please do you know that your son is marching south with an army of Northman?' He said kneeling before him 'fighting for his father's freedom'

'Robb, he's just a boy.' Ned muttered.

'Boys have been conquerors before but the man giving Cersei the keys is the Kingdom... the Brothers ban together with Stannis. He has the best claimed to the throne he's a battle commander and he is-'

'Renly doesn't think so.' Ned remarked

'Sansa pleaded so sweetly for your life it would be a shame to throw it away. Cersei is no fool she knows a Wolf is useful to her more alive, than a dead one.'

'Do you want me to serve the woman who killed my king? who butchered my men? who crippled my son?' ned questioned incredulously.

'I want you to serve the realm.' he corrected 'tell the queen you will confess your vile treason and tell your son to lay down his sword and proclaim Joffrey as the true heir that he is. Cersei knows you as a man of honor if you give her the peace she needs and promise to carry her secret to the grave I believe she will allow you to take the black and allow you to live out your days there with your bastard son.' Varys informed him.

'You think my life is some precious thing to me? That I would trade my honor for a few more years... Of what? You grew up with actors you learn the craft and you learned well.' Ned told him 'but I grew up with soldiers. I learned how to die a long time ago.'

'Pity,' varys said 'such a pity. what of your daughters life.... my Lord? is that a precious thing to you?'

Maelia walked past Varys he stared at her a moment but she didn't look twice at him.

''Dont confess.'' Maelia told Ned

"It is his only choice." Varys informed her.

"Thank you Varys. Private conversation... run along now." Maelia told him waving a hand to leave. Varys nodded as he left.

''Maelia I think it is my only choice.'

''No.'' She corrected. ''Tell them the truth. Tell them all.'

''Thats a death sentence,'' ned told her.

"You know he is going to kill you either way. Or at least try to. The truth is the truth, once you lie no matter what happens that is what everyone will believe because they know you to be a good and honest man...'

''Maelia... I don't want to leave you and the kids. If there is a-" Ned reminded her

'I wont let them kill you.' Maelia told him confidently ''just tell the truth.''

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'Wake up your missing the fight.' Bronn said barging into Tyrions tent.

'What are you doing? What do you want?' Tyrion questioned drowsily, an arm still wrapped around a whore named shae's naked body.

'You are sleeping through the war.' Bronn told him

'What?'

'They got to jump on us in the night they already are approaching.'

'Get my squire.'

'You don't have a squire.' Bronn called leaving the tent

'If I die.' Tyrion told her as she lay back against the pillow 'weep for me.'

'You will be dead how will you know?' shae reminded him before falling back asleep

'I will know.' Tyrion said as he armored up