Hear Me Roar for Fire and Blood

Chapter 3: The King Rides

A thousand years of moss laid thick upon the forest floor, swallowing the sound of Lady Catelyn's feet as she walked, making her way among the dark tree trunks, their twisted branches weaving a dense canopy over her head. In her hand, she held a small parchment scroll.

She reaches a small grove at the center of the wood, where an ancient weirwood tree broods over a small, black pool. Looking like no tree on Earth, the weirwood's bark is bone white, its leaves dark red. Long, long ago, a melancholy face was carved into its trunk; its deep-cut eyes are red with dried sap. They seem to follow her as she rounds the tree.

Seated on a moss-covered stone on the other side of the tree, Ned rested his sword, Ice, across his knees as he cleans it with a cloth dipped in the black waters at his feet.

"All these years, and I still feel like an outsider when I come here." She spoke softly coming to stand beside her husband.

Ned looked up and smiled at her, "You have five northern children. You're not an outsider."

"I wonder if the old gods agree." She questioned, smiling softly

Ned smirked cheekily, "It's your gods with all the rules."

Catelyn paused for a moment before speaking, "I am so sorry, my love."

Eddard lifted his head to look at her. He registered her somber face, and the scroll in her hand. He stopped cleaning his sword. "Tell me."

"There was a raven from King's Landing. Jon Arryn is dead." She paused to let him absorb the news, "A fever took him. I know he was like a father to you."

"Your sister, the boy?" he questioned calmly, though he was anything but calm.

"They both have their health, gods be good." She paused once more, "The raven brought more news. The king rides for Winterfell with the queen and all the rest of them."

Ned considered this prospect for a moment. Clearly Catelyn already had. They both knew what it meant. "He hates the cold." Ned spoke finally, "Always has. If he comes this far north, there's only one thing he's after."

Catelyn frowned worriedly, "You can always say no, Ned."

Ned allows a grim smile, taking his wife's hand and helping her to her feet, "You don't know the king very well."

Catelyn took a deep breath, this bit of news would be the hardest, "There was one more thing in the letter."

Ned turned to watch his wife, noting her frowning disposition, "What more could there be?"

"The King has decided on a betrothal... for Rheanesa."

Ned opened and then closed his mouth, shutting his eyes tightly, "I have a feeling he did not make a good match, did he?"

Catelyn hesitated, "....The king wants her to wed Tywin Lannister's bastard, Daemon Hill." Ned looked up at his wife, horrified, "He has already sent a letter to Lord Tywin. The letter says that the wedding will take place here during his visit."

Ned looked up at his wife, horrified, "Dear gods no." He whispered, shutting his eyes tightly in sorrow, "She's going to hate us for this."

"What do we do, Ned?" Cat asked nervously.

He sighed and stood to his feet, taking his wife into his arms, "What can we do? We cannot disobey the king."

Catelyn laid her head on her husband's chest, "Rheanesa is a smart girl; she will know you had no part in this. And she Know's that she will always be welcome home."

Ned nodded, he knew his wife was right but still the idea of their sweet Targaryen princess marrying the Lannister bastard nearly made him ill.

~*~