State of Grace / Ned Stark

38. Mosaic Broken Hearts

"Dead?" Sansa questioned. Grace knew the news shouldnt come from herself, after all she was going to be the girls step mother. Arya stared back at her father his face void of emotion as he read the scroll. 

"Gods, I... I told her." RObb huffed. "This is my fault, she didnt want to come, she was running home and..."

"Don't blame yourself, your mother got herself into this mess when she abducted Lord Tyrion." Ned corrected. 

"You dont think the lannisters-"

"No." Ned assured but he was sure they did. Cersei had been an equal participant in Bran's fall and Ned was certain that Jaime was getting revenge for Catelyn taking his little brother. He looked to Grace, her face angelic and sweet. 

"What happened?" Grace questioned, Ned offered her a small smile gaging her reaction. 

"Our mother was found dead." Robb informed her. "You wouldnt know anything about that would you?" 

"Heavens no." Grace declared. "That's awful, what happened?" Actress of the year, give yourself a round of applause, Grace thought smugly but her face remained concerned. 

"Dont know, someone ravened the hand." Robb went on. His mother warned him about Lannisters and now he was in the lions den. 

"At least they recognized her, should you raven Bran and Rickon?" Grace questioned. "Let them know?" 

"Thats a good idea... but maybe best in person." Ned murmured thinking it through. He couldnt go to the frozen fucking north and come back Grace needed to wed him before she started showing not after. 

"I yelled at her, last thing I did I yelled at her." Robb whispered and Grace moved to him. 

"She knew you loved her, all mothers know." Grace assured. "Dont be too hard on yourself sweet boy." but Robb didnt know that he trusted Grace's kindness. 

It wasnt even a week later that Ned and Grace declared their engagement. Tywin was against it, refused over and over again. 

"I dont trust Starks, I dont trust them Gracie," he repeated. 

"I'm pregnant with ned's child so you going to get on the fucking Stark wagon of be civil because I say so." Grace demanded. 

"You're what?" Tywin shouted. 

"Lucky you, grandsire again. Listen to me, everything needs to move quickly and you being your normal stubborn self is not going to cut it. We need to trick them into liking us." Grace informed him. 

"You really like Eddard Stark?" Tywin questioned in disbelief. 

"I do." Grace agreed. "I love him. I wouldnt be doing all this if I didnt." 

"You thought you loved that Shelby boy but he died and-"

"I didnt fight for him he was miles away I could save Ned though. I want this union to bring us together, put the past behind us." Grace remarked. "Start fresh again. FOr all of us, no more backstabbing." 

"If you want this..." Tywin rasped. 

"And all we know is life is touch and go. We are alone with our changing minds. We fall in love until it hurts or bleeds or fades in time... I want our love story to be one that never ends, I want the love til it hurts, til it bleeds... And I never- Daddy I never saw a love like Ned coming." Grace admitted. "And I'll never be the same." her hand went to her stomach and Tywin sighed nodding. 

"Ned came around, and the armor fell, he pierced the room like a cannon ball. Now all I know is that I don't want to let go of him." Grace whispered.  

"Then you have my blessing." Tywin agreed. 

"Thank you daddy." 

Ned pulled Grace to her, the marriage was really just a formality, he didnt even really ask her, she just looked at him and declared it. They were getting married, she wanted him forever and Ned had to agreed, he wanted her forever. A clean slate for both of them, and their messy families. 

"We are alone, just you and me, and our slates are clean." Grace remarked as Ned pulled her to him. 

"I can't wait to marry you." Ned agreed kissing her fiercely. 

"Good thing you dont have to wait long then." Grace agreed as the door closed behind them. 

They learned to live with the pain life had thrown at them... Mosaic broken hearts that they helped each other mend, and their love was brave and wild and freeing.