State of Grace / Ned Stark

6. Calculated

"Where have you been?" Catelyn demanded.

"Made a fire for Lady grace." Ned answered as he fixed his shirt.

"I everything ready for the feast? The king is already eating." Catelyn remarked.

"I dont know, I was with Lady Grace." Ned countered.

"This whole time?" Catelyn spat. Maybe if she was paying better attention she would have smelt the sex on him, saw the perspiration on his brow.

"I was with Robert and then I walked lady Grace to her room. I dont need to explain myself to you." Ned reminded her.

"Get in there." Catelyn demanded.

"Who is in charge here?" Ned spat back.

"Okay, I have two options for tonight, also we are being fashionably late." Cersei remarked when she came into Grace's chambers.

"Obviously.'' Grace agreed.

"Perfect, we are in agreement."

"We usually are." Grace agreed.

"So, as you can see-" She held up the options before dropping them to her sides. "It smells like sex in here." Grace looked up from her mirror. "Like hot steamy, orgasmic sex." Cersei declared slowly. "Well done, who is he?"

"Clegane." Grace offered.

"Liar," Cersei countered without missing a beat. "Come on tell me." Grace offered her a coy smile. "Grace not Stark."

"He... it was orgasmic, it was some of the best sex I have ever had and it was - he was, he was so fucking sexy. He just took charge and, heavens!" Grace declared. "I wanted him to rip my dress right off."

"And you love that dress." Cersei declared.

"Yes but the way he said it I wanted him to rip it off like the idea of removing clothing was just stupid when he could have his hands on me and fucking hell, I'm screwed."

"Because he's married?" Cersei countered.

"I didnt think about that." Grace countered. "And clearly he didnt care about that, but father."

"You are thinking about father after mind blowing sex?" Cersei questioned.

"Says the brother wanker." Grace whispered. Cersei swatted a hand at her. "And thats not what I meant, I meant father will never approve. He doesnt like the starks."

"You want us to get rid of Catelyn? He could take you as a second wife." Cersei offered.

"You went from no, he is the devil to, yeah lets make him my brother in law very quickly, its frightening how fast you came switch sides." Grace remarked.

+

"Is this one of the direwolves I've heard so much of?" a familiar voice asked Jon as he appeared in the courtyard. Jon looked up happily as his uncle Benjen put a hand on his head and ruffled his hair much as Jon had ruffled the wolf's.

"Yes," Jon agreed. "His name is Ghost. I'm glad you are here."

"You have grown Jon, look at you." Benjen remarked. "it's been a while hasnt it?"

"It has," Jon agreed as he put down his sword giving his uncle a proper hug.

"A very quiet wolf," Benjen observed.

"He's not like the others," Jon agreed. "He never makes a sound. That's why I named him Ghost. That, and because he's white. The others are all dark, grey or black."

"There are still direwolves beyond the Wall. We hear them on our rangings." Benjen gave Jon a long look. "Don't you usually eat at table with your brothers? Didnt want to leave you alone with the royal family?"

"Most times," Jon answered in a flat voice. "But tonight Lady Stark thought it might give insult to the royal family to seat a bastard among them."

"I see." Benjen whispered. "Well no man has ever been turned away from the nights watch.

"Is Tyrion not back yet?" Cersei questioned.

"You honestly want him here? You only ever complain about him." Grace countered.

"A united front." Cersei corrected. "Plus we need to have a family meeting about you and- Hello Lady Catelyn, thank you for having us." Cersei was good at putting on a show.

"Yes, your home is beautiful." Grace agreed.

"Thank you, your grace, my lady."

"I am Grace." Grace mused, Cersei rolled her eyes. "Come on, wine is calling my name."

Benjen glanced over his shoulder and through the doors to the banquet hall at the raised table at the far end of the hall. "My brother does not seem very festive tonight." Benjen added.

"The queen is angry too," Jon told his uncle in a low, quiet voice. "Father took the king down to the crypts this afternoon. The queen didn't want him to go." Benjen gave Jon a careful, measuring look.

"You don't miss much, do you, Jon? We could use a man like you on the Wall." Jon swelled with pride.

"Robb is a stronger lance than I am, but I'm the better sword, and Hullen says I sit a horse as well as anyone in the castle."

"Notable achievements." Benjen remarked. "We will talk more later, I should go save your father from his guests."

Ned wasnt festive, he was nervous but seeing Grace all smiles put him at ease, she winked back at him from across the hall.

'You are Tyrion Lannister.' Jon remarked as Tyrion came up. ''the Queen's brother.'

'My greatest accomplishment. And you... you are ned Starks bastard aren't you?' Jon turned away annoyed, that was not what defined him. 'Did I offend you? Sorry.' Tyrion said following him. 'But you are the bastard though.''

''Lord Eddard Stark is my father.' Jon told him

''And lady Stark is not your mother... making you the bastard..' Tyrion told him simply, 'let me give you some advice, bastard. Never forget who you are or what you are the rest of the world will not, wear it like armor, that way it can never be used to hurt you,' Tyrion told him turning away from Jon.

'What the hell would you know about being a bastard?' Jon called after him

''All dwarves are bastards in their father's eyes.''

Tyrion looked around as he got inside and saw Jaime harassing Ned, Cersei drinking her way through the night and Grace was surprisingly cheery. Tyrion took a calculated step towards the wine.