You're Losing Me / Ned Stark / Sandor Clegane

14. Girl Code

 "How is your son, my Lord?" Varys questioned.

"He'll never walk again." Ned answered putting down his quill as Varys came into his office.

"But his mind is sound?"

"So they say." Ned agreed when Nessa peered out from under the desk. Ned scooted back but she held up a finger hiding back down again. Ned turned in his chair moving away from the table to peer down at the little girl hiding there. 

"A blessing then. I suffered an early mutilation myself. Some doors close forever... others open in the most unexpected places. May I?" varys questioned gesturing to the chair. Ned nodded slowly. "If the wrong ears heard what I'm about to tell you, off comes my head. And who would mourn poor Varys then? North or South, they sing no songs for spiders." Nessa jumped, hitting her head on the desk. Varys face turned down at the noise. "Am I interrupting?"

"Lady Nessa, what are you doing?" Ned requested. 

"PLaying hide and seek-" There was a knock on the door. Sofia peered in. 

"Found you!" Sofia declared. Nessa giggled out getting out of her hiding spot. "Sorry Ned." Sofia added moving to him and picking up nessa. 

"Quite alright." ned assured his hand grazing along her back as she stood beside him.

"Go on lord Vrays." Ned requested watching Sofia and Nessa go. Nessa waved back at her over Sofia's shoulder. 

"Yes... there are things you must know. You are the King's Hand and the King is a fool... your friend, I know, but a fool... and doomed unless you save him."

"I've been in the capital a month. Why have you waited so long to tell me this?" Ned questioned incredulously.

"I didn't trust you." Varys admitted.

"So why do you trust me now?" Ned countered.

"The Queen is not the only one who has been watching you closely. There are few men of honor in the capital. You are one of them. I would like to believe I am another, strange as that may seem. Sofia... well she is honorable but her judgment is clouded by her love for her big brother."

"What sort of doom does the King face?" Ned questioned.

"The same sort as Jon Arryn. The tears of Lys, they call it. A rare and costly thing, as clear and tasteless as water. It leaves no trace."

"Who gave it to him?" Ned questioned.

" Some dear friend, no doubt. But which one? There were many. Lord Arryn was a kind and trusting man. There was one boy... all he was he owed to Jon Arryn."

" The squire, Ser Hugh?" Ned pondered.

"Pity what happened to him, just when his life seemed to be going so nicely." Varys agreed.

"If Ser Hugh poisoned him, who paid Ser Hugh?" Ned questioned.

"Someone who could afford it." Varys offered vaguely.

"Jon was a man of peace. He was Hand for 17 years -- 17 good years. Why kill him?" Ned questioned.

"He started asking questions."

"What?" Sofia questioned as sandor stared at her. "You have a staring problem." 

"ONly at you." sandor corrected. Sofia smiled shifting Nessa in her arms. 

"There you are!" Tyanna declared. "Oh look at the cutie, steal her," Tyanna decided nudging SOfia away from sandor. He watched them leave. 

"Stealing your daughter." Sofia called back.