Queen of Kings / Ned Stark / Gendry Baratheon

16. Peace

"Pardon your grace I would rise but-' ned adjusted in bed, he had hoped to see his girls and he didn't try to hide his disappointment as Robert and Cersei entered.

'Do you know what your wife has done?' Cersei questioned incredulously. Ned remained silent.

''I didn't think she had it in her.' robert laughed out.

''How dare she lay hands on my blood!' cersei spat.

'I am the kings hand I was keeping the peace.' ned reminded her

'You were the kings hand.' cersei corrected. 'You will be held accountable-''

"I can't believe that bitch stole uncle Tyrion." Evie remarked with a huff. 

"MOther told me when we returned not to trust the northerners." Joffrey remarked.  "We allow the northerners too much power. They consider themselves our equals." 

"Thats true enough I suppose but thats only because they are so far away and we done like to deal with them." Evie remarked. "How would you handle them?"

"I said I would double their taxes and command them to supply 10,000 men to the royal army." Joffrey decree with a smirk.

"A royal army?" Gendry countered. "Acting as king are you?" 

"Well I'm suspecting you to be like father." Joffrey agreed. 

"Hows that?" Gendry questioned. 

"Useless." Joffrey decided. Gendry put JOffrey in a headlock wrestling him easily to the ground, Evie rolled her  eyes, boys. "Let go of me!" Joffrey demanded. 

''Will both of shut your mouths!' Robert shouted. ''Catelyn will release tyrion and you will make your peace with Jaime.''

''he butchered my men.' Ned reminded him defensively.

''Lord stark was returning drunk from a brothel when he attacked Jaime.' Cersei told Robert aggressively.

''Quiet woman,' Robert sneered.

"Why should every lord command his own men? It's primitive, no better than the hill tribes. We should have a standing army of men loyal to the Crown, trained by experienced soldiers... Instead of a mob of peasants who've never held pikes in their lives." Joffrey went on. 

"And when the northerners rebel? In this hypothetical?" Evie added.  

"I'd crush them. Seize Winterfell and install someone loyal to the realm as Warden of the North. Uncle Kevan, maybe." Joffrey offered.

"Gods, the north would be doomed with uncle Kevan." Gendry countered. " And these 10,000 northern troops, would they fight for you or their lord?"

"For me. For us..." he countered gesturing between them. "Their rightful prince and king-" JOffrey waved a dismissive hand at Gendry.

"But you've just invaded their homeland, asked them to kill their brothers." Evie reminded him.

"I'm not asking." Joffrey declared. Evie chuckled. 

"You want to take this?" Evie questioned. 

"Gladly," Gendry agreed. 

'Jaime has fled the city.' Ned remarked. 'Give me leave to bring him back to justice.'

''Justice, how dare you talk to the king-' cersei spat.

''Hold your tongue.' Robert demanded.

''He attacked one brother and taken the other I should wear the armor and you the gown.' Cersei told Robert and he slapped her across the face. "I shall wear this like a badge of honor.''

''wear it in silence or I will honor you again.' Robert threatened as cersei stormed out. 

"The North cannot be held... not by an outsider." Gendry remarked.  "It's too big and too wild. When the winter comes, the Seven gods together couldn't save you and your royal army. A good King knows when to save his strength... And when to destroy his enemies."

"Which is why you wont be king." Evie agreed patting JOffreys head. 

"So you agree though," Joffrey countered. "The starks are our enemies?"

'see what she does to me my loving wife... I should not have hit her, that was not... that was not kingly.' Robert remarked but there was no remorse in his eyes.

''if we don't act, there will be a war.' Ned told Robert seriously as pain shot through his leg. 

'So tell your wife to return that little shit of an imp to kings landing. You hear me send a raven and put an end to it!' Robert demanded.

'what of Jaime Lannister?' ned questioned reaching out for Rina.

'What about Jaime?' Robert said. 'I'm half a kingdom in debt to his father. I don't know what happened between you and those yellow haired shits and I don't want to know. This is what matters. I can't rule the kingdoms if the starks and lannisters are at each other's throats.'

'Robert we need to talk,' ned rasped. Joffrey, Myrcella, TOmmen were bastards, Cersei and Jaimes no doubt. Cersei was undermining him. He deserved to know half his children were not his. Gendry, Ned supposed he was lucky because Gendry seemed a good man but Cersei was not a good woman. 

''No I am sick of talk, I am going on a hunt tomorrow; whatever you have to tell me can wait until I return.''

+

"I wanted to check on you." Evie remarked fondly. "I heard what happened." 

"You are sweet." Ned whispered. 

"What the fuck?" Gendry shouted. "Mother, he hit you? I'm going to kill him." Cersei chuckled touching Gendry's cheek. 

"Oh my sweet boy." Cersei cooed. "I'm alright."

"He hit you. He had no right. A good king- a good husband should never hurt the woman they love." 

"Well your father and I share no love." Cersei countered. 

"So are you leaving?" Evie questioned. 

"I'm sending my girls home." Ned countered. 

"Oh?" Evie questioned sitting on the edge of his bed. 

"Sansa will be devastated that she won't be marrying Gendry but, I think its for the best." 

"What happened Ned?"  Evie questioned. 

"My wife made a mistake, I have written her but I dont know that she will listen to me." ned informed her honestly as he shifted uncomfortably in bed. 

"Here, let me adjust your pillows." Evie offered moving closer and putting a little pillow under his leg and fluffing the pillows behind his back. 

"You really dont have to-" Ned remarked as she fussover him. "Thank you, Evie." 

"I'm sorry my uncle Jaime hurt you and your men, Tyrion is his little brother. He just wants to protect him and he doenst know how to do that... from here ifTyrion is far away." Evie reminded him. 

''I understand, I just wish he... my men were innocent in this and yet they are the ones that are dead." Ned remarked. "Yet I live." 

"You live to make things right." evie suggested. "To make peace. Peace between Lannisters and Starks, try it out, people will think the sky is falling and pigs can fly no doubt if you and my mother can get along," She mused with a little shrug. "But wouldnt peace be worth it?"