Boys Like You / Tyrion Lannister

24. Suffer

'You father has proved to be an awful traitor, my dear." Varys actually seemed sadden at that as they sat down. Eyes glaring down at them. If they thought Ned was a traitor then they were all in danger.

"King Robert's body was still warm when Lord Eddard began plotting to steal Joffrey's rightful throne." Pycelle, actually believed the words he was saying to be truth.

"He wouldn't do that." Rieka told them. "The king was his eldest friend. My father is a good man."

"Please, Your Grace, there's been a mistake." Sansa looked between them. "Send for my father. He'll tell you. The King was his friend." Sansa continued to plead, she wanted her father,

"Sansa sweetling, you are innocent of any wrong. We know that. Yet you are the daughters of a traitor. How can I allow you to marry my son?" Cersei sat there, tall and proud of her accomplishment.

"A child born of a traitor's seed is no fit consort for our King. She might be a sweet thing now. Your Grace, but in ten years who knows what treasons she may hatch?" Pycelle's reminded her.

"I won't hatch anything." Sansa declared nervously. Shoot me now, RIeka thought miserably she was already planning many hatching schemes, all involving Joffrey's head on a fucking spike.

"The girls are innocent... your grace. They should be given a chance to prove their loyalty." Petyr told her as he looked to Sansa, and she believed that he was on their side as he smiled softly at her. Rieka didnt know Petyr, she just worried for Arya right now, where ever she was, everything happened so quickly. 

"Little Dove, you must write to Lady Catelyn and your brother, the eldest.."

"Robb." Sansa filled in his name for her as Cersei nodded and grabbed a piece of paper for Sansa. Rieka felt sick thinking Robb would be reading this, seeing this, seeing their submission. Hated that she couldnt speak freely to her father to her brother, she wanted to weep but she had to be try and be brave. 

"Word of your father's arrest will reach him soon, no doubt. Best it comes from you. If you would help your father urge your brother to keep the King's Peace. Tell him to come to King's Landing and swear his fealty to Joffrey."

"If...If I could see my father... perhaps I could... Talk to him about-" sansa tried. Rieka felt dizzy, her head spinning, when was the last time she ate or drank anything? 

"You disappoint me, child. We have told you of your father's treason. Why would you want to speak to a traitor?"

"He is my father." Sansa whimpered. "What will happen to him?" Sansa's mind raced thinking of the worst.

"That depends." Cersei told her.

"On...' sansa swallowed the lump in her throat. 'on what?"

"On your brother. And on you." Cersei gave Sansa the paper and quill. Sansa nodded, and cersei told her what to write, a smug smile on cerseis face. Rieka felt weak, her mind racing, her heart pounding she tried to stand up but her face was pale and she collapsed to the ground.

"Rieka!" Sansa shrieked moving to Rieka's lifeless body.

+

'You are summoned to Kings Landing to swear fealty to the new king.' the master told Robb.

'Joffrey put my father in chains and now he wants his ass kissed?' Robb questioned incredulously.

'You refuse to obey-'

'I don't refuse. his grace summoned me to Kings Landing then I will come to Kings Landing.' Robb said 'but not alone.' he handed back the scroll 'call the banners'

'All of them my Lord?'

'They've all sworn to protect my father have they not?' Robb questioned

'They have.' he agreed

'Then we will see what their words are worth.' Robb told him, Theon nodded in agreement Ned Stark was like a father to him. He was willing to go to war for him to get him back.

"Rieka..." Theon whispered.

"We get them all back." Robb declared confidently but he felt light headed, he felt Rieka's pain and fear and wondered if she knew he was coming for her.

+

'Lord stark you must be thirsty.' Varys said kneeling before him handing him a jug of water. 'I promise you it's not poisonous.' he said uncorked it, taking a sip before handing it over. And Ned took a long chug. 'Not so much my Lord I would save the rest if I were you, hide it men have been known to die of thirst in the cells.'

'What about my daughters?'

'The younger one has seem to escape the castle even my birds cannot seem to find her.'

' Sansa?'

'Still engaged to Joffrey, Cersei will keep her close the rest of your household though are all dead it appears. I hate the sight of blood.' Varys admitted.

"Rieka?"

"She had a fall. The maesters are with her, probably the stress of it all." Varys offered. Neds breath hitched in his throat. 

"Fall?" 

"She will be fine, I will check on her again, I wanted to check on you." varys agreed.

''You watched my men being slaughtered and you did nothing.' Ned sneered. "Now you wish to check on me?"

''And I would again my Lord I was unarmed and surrounded by Lannister swords. when you look at me do you see a hero?" Ned took another sip 'what madness led you to tell the queen the truth about Joffrey's birth?'

'The madness of mercy. That she might protect her children.' ned admitted

'the children, it's always the innocent to suffer... It wasn't the wine that killed Robert or the boar though the wine slowed him down and the boar ripped him open but it was your mercy that killed the king. I trust you... but you are a dead man lord Eddard stark.' Varys told him.

'The queen can't kill us,' Ned said confidently. 'we have her brother.' Ned reminded him.

'The wrong brother sadly.' Varys informed him. 'Besides, your wife has let the imp slip through her fingers.'

'If that is true then slit my throat and be done with it.' Ned declared.

'Not today my Lord'