court of lies | robert's rebellion

the labyrinth

"let the chaos reign"

282 AC, The Eyrie

"Robert, Robert!", Ned was pacing around, panicking, trying to calm himself down as he threw every piece of clothing he could find into the wooden chest. "You heard what happened? I heard what happened?", he was speaking fast, worry taking control of him. "They say Prince Rhaegar has abducted Lyanna. We must go to the capital, we must learn what is happening. My sister-"

"Ned.", he stopped moving abruptly and turned to Robert, shaking unvisibly. He never heard Robert sounding that way, as if there was a storm gathering in his voice. He looked too solemn, too grim, too angry and approached Ned in two big steps, holding him by his arm. "Your father and brother got executed."

"What?", he whispered. "What? No!", he tried to push Robert away but he just gripped him harder.

"There was not even a trial. They got executed just because the king ordered so."

"No, no, no, no, no!", Ned was shaking his head in denial. "No, Benjen wrote to me, see!", Robert let him go with a deep breath that broke his heart. Ned picked up the letter and showed it to Robert. "He said the king summoned them to the capital to sit down and talk, he said they are fine and they will be fine and everything is just a misunderstanding-"

"It was an ambush, my friend.", Robert closed his eyes. "The king did not listen to them. They got executed in a horrible way out of high treason. I am so sorry."

"No, Robert no!", Ned's tears started to fall without him realizing and Robert's hands found his arms once more to calm him but Ned was pushing him away." Tell me you are lying, no, my father is alive, Brandon cannot be dead, no!", Robert hit his back to the wall due to his friend's force and closed his eyes. "No trial, no charge, no chance to defend themselves?", he ran his hands through his hair. "This is not fair, it is not just!", he was crying and Robert felt his own tears starting to gather around.

He knew what it exactly meant to have your father killed due to the king.

"It was an execution. They were charged for plotting the death of the crown prince."

"The prince who took my sister away?", Ned yelled. "I will have their head for this.", he declared as tears burned his cheeks as they fell. "I will have all their heads for this, they all will pay.", his anger didn't last long though, his pain was too much. He shook his head as he slowly fell to the ground. "Brandon was so young.", he cried out. "So young, so good. He had a life in front of him. A woman to marry, children to sire, a region to rule, he didn't plot anyone's death. He would never plot for a thing in his life. He just wanted our sister back, that is it. Just our sister back."

Robert took a deep breath and sent back his own tears, moved to his friend's side, kneeled and pulled him for a hug. "You have my word, brother.", he swore. "They will all pay, I promise. I will help you get your sister back, my Lyanna back and I will help you get your family's revenge but first,", he pulled himself back and cupped Ned's face in agony. "first we must save each other."

"What?", he had a pulsing headache, couldn't even think straight.

"The mad king has ordered our deaths as well.", he said with seriousness in his tone. "Jon has locked us here. He will make a decision soon enough and I am not going to die without a sword in my hand."

*

282 AC, King's Landing

"How is Lord Velaryon?", they were walking in the gardens. Cersei couldn't endure the Red Keep any longer, not after everything she had to witness. The fear was keeping her awake at night and consuming her mind. "I heard his sickness increased after ...everything."