Would've, Could've, Should've // Ned Stark // Hayley Marshall

35. Like A Date?

Fetish/ Larys Strong Out now!
Yes You read that correctly.

"Can I come?" Arya asked.

"No."" Ned answered for the 50th time.

"Why not?"

"Because I want to thank Hayley for saving Bran's life." Ned answered fixing his collar.

"Like a date?" Arya asked.

"No. Go away." Ned begged ushering her towards the door.

"You like her." Arya declared.

"I do. So do you." Ned agreed. "She saved your brother."

"You like her like her." Arya said with a grin.

"Arya go away please." Ned begged.

"Does mother know you are going on a date?'

"It is not a date." Ned reminded her.

"Is Hayley going to be my new mommy?" Arya questioned and Ned let out an audible sigh. "Taking a second wife like Aegon Targaryen did! Father thats-"

"ARYA!"

"What! I would love that! I would quite like her to stay forever." Arya remarked.

"I would like that too." Ned agreed softly. "But we are going to the capital soon and I... just wanted to thank her here."

"So you are going to marry her? Like aegon the conqueror and have two wives?" Arya asked again.

"No." Ned spat but he would rather be married to Hayley, at least entertain the idea of them. The past fortnight with her had been bliss. 

"So it is a date."

"Arya" Ned groaned.

"What's going on?" Sansa asked.

"nothing." Ned said as Arya shouted out.

"Father is going on a date with Hayley!"

"What?" Sansa shouted shaking her head. "Father how could you-"

"Not a date, just dinner." Ned corrected. "To thank her for saving Bran's life. You remember Bran dont you?"

"But we can't go with so it is a date." Arya added smugly.

"What's going on? Party in fathers room? Robb asked and Ned sat down on the bed with a groan as he tied his boots.

"Father is going on a date with Hayley!"  Arya declared.

"Damnit I called dibbs." Theon remarked.

"All of you out!" Ned demanded.

"Does Hayley know it's a date?" Robb questioned. "Does the king? Does mother?"

"Not a date." Ned declared. 

"Does she knew because right now she is in the courtyard with Bran and I'm sure he is boring her about every knight on the kings guard, plus shes in boots and a sexy leather jacket but not the typical date attire."

"What would you know about date attire." Sansa countered.

"Out all of you. It is not a date. It is just dinner." Ned corrected.

"But we cant go." Arya added as Ned pushed past them.

Maybe this was a sign, Ned thought bitterly as he kept getting interrupted. 

"Ned you got a moment?" benjen questioned. 

"Make it quick, Ben." Ned begged. 

'Jon spoke to me of joining the nights watch.' Benjen informed him and Ned's face dropped.

"I heard about that." Ned agreed bitterly.

"Yeah, he doesn't have a place here, I think him sitting outside at the feast was a shove to the heart.' Benjen told him.

"He has a place with me." Ned corrected.

'Yes but he is thinking long term. He is thinking of the future and he is not going to stay here forever. If you go to the capitol, there will not be a place for him.' Benjen reminded him.

'You think he would do alright? Be safe at the wall?' Ned pondered.

'Something dark is coming but he is a strong boy, skilled, better than most,' Benjen assured.

'that wasn't a real answer.' Ned remarked.

'I cant tell you he is going to thrive but hey I'm still here and hes much better with a sword that I was at his age.' Benjen reminded him.

+

"Serwyn of the Mirror Shield. Ser Ryam Redwyne. Prince Aemon the Dragonknight." Bran informed Hayley.  "The twins Ser Erryk and Ser Arryk, who had died on one another's swords hundreds of years ago, when brother fought sister in the war the singers called the Dance of the Dragons."

"Dance of dragons, that sounds fun." Hayley remarked. 

"It was bloody!" Bran corrected. 

"You will have to tell me about it then." Hayley agreed. 

"Then The White Bull, Gerold Hightower. Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning. Barristan the Bold. Two of the Kingsguard had come north with King Robert." Bran went on. 

"Yes, I met barristan I believe at the capital in passing." Hayley remarked and Bran's jaw dropped.  Bran had watched them with fascination, never quite daring to speak to them for he had always wanted to be a knight his little scare with death although swayed him away from Lannisters not knights. 

 "Then there is Ser Boros, he was a bald man with a jowly face, and Ser Meryn had droopy eyes and said to have a beard the color of rust."

"Not the stunning knights in fairytales." Hayley mused. 

"Ser Jaime looks more like the knights in the stories," Bran said but his words faded.

 "Jaime is on the Kingsguard." Hayley agreed. "But i"m not too fond of him and his sister." Bran hushed her. "What?" Hayley questioned. 

"Well... lots of things but... well..." Bran whispered and Hayley gently raised his face to meet her. "Robb said he had killed the old mad king and shouldn't count anymore that he has no honor, he is a kingslayer." Bran offered. 

"I agree. No honor in a king killer. Possibly honor is a queen killer." She mused and Bran smiled just slightly. 

"But the greatest living knight is Ser Barristan Selmy," Bran declared.  "Barristan the Bold, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard." Bran informed her. 

"You know your knights." 

"I'm going to be a knight." Bran agreed. "Father promised that he would introduce me so I could meet Ser Barristan when we get to King's Landing," Bran remarked. 

"You still want to come? Thats wonderful, I had worried that you wouldnt." Hayley remarked. 

"I just... you are going to stay near, right?"

"Near?"

"Like... you arent going to leave... to storms end or dragonstone, you would stay at the capital with me... with us." Bran requested. Hayley crouched in front of him. 

"No place I would rather be." Hayley agreed kissing his forehead. 

"Hayley." Ned called out and Hayley glanced to him, suddenly feeling under dressed.  "You ready?"

"Ready for what?" Bran questioned grabbing Hayley's hand as she stood up. 

"Yep." Hayley agreed.

"Ready for what?" Bran asked again.

"Food." Hayley told him simply.

"I'm hungry." Bran agreed. "What's for supper?" 

"No, no, just Hayley and-" Ned began when Arya raced out. 

"Father is going on a-" Arya began but Ned clamped a hand over his mouth, she licked at his hand.

"I'm going to remove my hand and you are not going to finish that sentence." Ned begged and Arya licked his hand again.