The tale of Ice and Fire

Chapter Seventeen

King's Landing, 283

The next day had began like any other. Except it wasn't. Iclyn's oldest brother was about to undergo a trial presided by none other than the Mad king.

Iclyn had tossed and turned around all night, unable to sleep, dreading the sunlight and what was about to come.

He had been confined in his rooms the night prior, unable to visit his brother, by the king's orders and after he had been escorted to his rooms by two members of the kingsguard, the king had come to talk to him.

“Iclyn, my beloved good-daughter” he had said, with a falsely sweet voice “I know your pregnancy is taking a toll on you. I understand you are stressed because of the situation with my son.” he took the northerner's chin between his fingers, grazing the northerner delicate skin with his unkept fingernails. “But remember who I am. I'm the king. You'll not disrespect me. Or, if you will, you'll pay the consequences. You don't want to wake the dragon, do you?” he had finished his threat with a glance at Iclyn's baby bump. Leading the Northerner to fear for his unborn child's safety.

Iclyn knew he had to escape. Maybe, if they could survive the trial, Brandon would be willing to take them north with him and protect them from the mad king's wrath. After all the pack always protects its members.

After the king's visit, another knock was heard.

The Lord Paramount of the North had rode incessantly to his son's trial and had arrived just before dawn. He immediately went to his youngest's chambers to see how his child was faring, after all he hadn't seen his pup in almost two years. 

When his son told him to come in, he couldn't believe what his eyes were seeing.

His youngest, his pup was pregnant!

Well at first he did think that the one in front of him was Lyanna, but when his eyes met his son's, he immediately recognised him. Iclyn had grown his hair and wore beautiful dresses, but Rickard could recognize his youngest child's eyes everywhere.

Lord Stark entered his youngest son's room and the boy ran (waddled) towards his father's open arms. “I've missed you, father.” he whispered in the familiar warmth.

“I've missed you too, son.” he whispered back, as See Jaime closed the door behind them. Leaving the small family to catch up in the safety of the princess' rooms. He stood outside the chambers, still close enough to help the princess if needed, but further enough to guard the corridor and concede the duo their privacy.

“How?” was all Rickard managed to say, when he realised his son's pregnant form. Iclyn chuckled at his father's astonishment and gently caressed his bump.

“We have a lot to talk about, father.” he said, motioning to the Lord Paramount of the North to sit next to him on the bed.
They had spent the next hours catching up, Iclyn had told his father about his magic and the baby, making his father comment about how his mother had always said that it was no coincidence his birthday was on the day the southerners celebrate as the day of the Mother.

They had always believed their youngest son to be special, too kind and generous, even though they didn't know how special he truly was.

They had then come up with a plan to smuggle Iclyn out of the capital, after the trial, and bring him north with them away from the mad king's clutches.

He told Iclyn about the secret passage that connected the keep with the beach of Blackwater bay. After Lord Stark would have left with Brandon (to not arise suspicions of the North's involvement), he would wait for Iclyn with a horse on the beach. Even though the princess was eight moons pregnant, they would need to ride for a list the first part of their journey to the North, since it was the fastest way to travel. They would need to arrive at least to the stormlands, where they would be safe from the king's wrath.