The Children of Spring

Eddard II - Pyke

Their fleet was not a large one, however it was a good enough, because they would not be able to attack the Iron Islands with a very large fleet, surrounding it maybe, but they did not have the time or means to hold a siege. Besides, Eliot Pyke would be stupid enough to open the gates for them, for he had more boldness than sense and an ego of the size of Westeros. From what Yara Greyjoy had told them, the man had taken that after his father. No one had said much about Euron Greyjoy, except that he was an evil maniac that had died in the last war. After that, Eddard had realized for certain that no one had liked the man, he just liked to know why.
Eddard was with Joan on the main ship to Pyke to rescue his parents, something that he would never imagine he would be doing, still he was and by then he could have more control about his visions. He did not know if it was good or bad, because if on one hand he could see want he wanted and not things that would probably never be true, on the other hand it was very confusing and he did not need that right then. The last thing that he had discovered was something that he was still trying to cope with and something that he would have to be very calm and careful when the time came to tell his cousins, if he would ever tell his cousins... After he had had his last vision, he had gone to find his uncle Bran and the first thing he had asked was,
"Why did uncle Jaime push you from the Broken Tower?"
His uncle had looked at him surprised, almost without words, and then he had asked,
"What did you see?"
"I saw what I just ask. Is it true?" Eddard had said. It had been a shock to know of it, he had understood long ago that Starks and Lannisters did not fancy each other back then, but there had to be something else.
"It is." Bran had said.
"What?! How-why-?!" Eddard had been saying, when his uncle had interrupted him,
"I know it's very confusing, but I'll show you." Then he had offered his hand, Eddard had taken it and had put the other on the heart tree, What am I about to find out?, Eddard had thought. Then, suddenly, he was not in Storm's End anymore, he was in one of the halls of the Red Keep.
"We're in the Red Keep." Eddard had said.
"Yes and now, you're going to see a moment of the past that will explain to you what you want to know." Bran had said and then the doors of the hall had opened and everyone had entered. Everyone is here..., but it's even before Gal and Jen were born, is he going to tell them?, Eddard had thought. It could be seen that everyone was younger and that Joanna and Brienne were still pregnant. Everyone had taken a sit and Eddard had been starting to wonder when would someone speak.
"I have to tell you something." Jaime had said. He really is going to tell them, Eddard had thought.
"What is it?" Sansa had asked.
"Before he says anything, I want you to promise me that you won't do anything." Bran had said. Eddard had looked at his uncle from the present and then had asked,
"Why?"
"Somethings are meant to be. I would never be the Three-eyed-raven, if I had not fallen from that tower. And your uncle would not be the man he is today or even at this moment." His uncle had answered and the vision had continued.
"You can't ask them to do that. It's their right." Jaime had said looking down. He doesn't want them to do anything, but... he understands if they want to, Eddard had thought.
"I can and I am. It's their right, as much as it's mine. Sansa, Jon and Arya, promise me." Bran had said and they nodded.
"What is it?" Tyrion had asked.
"He didn't know?" Eddard had asked.
"No. Only, Jaime, me, Brienne, Joanna and Pod." Bran had answered.
"Well, this is not going to be easy to say. But..., the first time I came to Winterfell, uh, the time Bran fell from that tower. He didn't fall... I... pushed him... because he saw me with Cersei..." Jaime had explained, looking down.
"Cersei?! The woman was his twin sister?!" Eddard had said.
"Yes..." Bran had said.
"What?! It was you... why?" Arya had asked angry. That's what I'd like to know, Eddard had thought.
"Because, I didn't know if he was going to tell someone and, if he did that and Robert found out about it, then I was dead, so was Cersei, but, most importantly, so were Myrcella, Tommen and Joffrey. Eventhough I was never a father to them, they were my children..." Jaime had explained. That's so messed up in so many ways... but it was for the kids, Eddard had thought in shock.
"The things we do for love. But he hesitated. He only did it, when Cersei asked him for the third time." Bran had said.
"It still is my fault. I should have never done that. Never. And I don't deserve forgiveness for it, but... I had to tell you. I couldn't keep on pretending that I didn't do it. You all are my family now and... I just had to tell you. You had to know and from me. Now, it's up to you." Jaime had said.
There had been a lot of tension in the room, Eddard could feel it, there had been doubt everywhere and there had also been anger. Still, deep down, Eddard had known that they would not turn against each other, not again at least.
"I don't know what to say. I could kill you right now. But..." Jon had said and then everyone looked at him.
"You promised." Bran had said.
"Who knew?" Sansa had asked.
"Your mother, your brother Robb, Cersei and, much later, Bran, Brienne and Joanna." Jaime had said and then Jon, Sansa and Arya had looked at Bran. They had understood why Brienne and Joanna had not told them, but Bran?
"If you're going to ask why didn't I say anything. Well it's not only because he would not be able to help us fighting the dead if you knew, but also I would not have became the Three-eyed-raven if I had not fallen from that tower and he would not be the man he is today. He's not that man anymore. Besides, somethings are meant to be and this was one of those things. He did it to protect his family. It was all we did back then." Bran had said. The wars... it weren't them who started, why would they? And if they were only protecting their families, then who hurted their families in the first place?, Eddard had thought a bit confused, however if there was anything he had learnt with Thomas, it was that to get to a conclusion, one had to think of every single possible situation and find a loophole.
"Back then? When?" Jon had said, trying to get what he had been saying.
"In the War of the Five Kings every one of us were protecting our families, am I wrong? Father went south to protect Robert, Robb went south to save father, mother went south to save father and me and all of us. Sansa, you stayed in KingsLanding, but you were always praying for us to win. Arya, you managed to escape, but you were trying to get home. Jon, you almost deserted the Night's Watch to help Robb. Even Theon went after Robb. I woke up and tried to rule Winterfell when Robb marched south. In the South, Jaime went to war, because mother had Tyrion. Joanna and Tyrion went to war, because their brother had been captured. Later, Brienne and Jaime come to KingsLanding to return Sansa to mother, because Tyrion had made a deal with mother. It was all for our families and their well-being. Am I wrong?" Bran had said.
"No. You're not wrong. Did you forgive him?" Arya had asked.
"I did. And you should too. We're family now. None of us is who we were back then, we've grown. He apologized, when he came to Winterfell the last time before the battle, he was ready to be judged at the trial." Bran had said and they all had looked at Jaime and he had nodded.
"Why are you saying all of this? It's not as if I deserve it." Jaime had asked Bran.
"Because the point of the future is making a better world and every one of us is important to that future. Besides, it's true. My mother trusted you before, so I think we can do the same." Bran had said and he had nodded.
"He's right. If he forgave you, then we do too. We're not the persons we were back then. And everyone deserves second chances." Jon had said.
"Exactly." Arya and Sansa had said.
"Thank you so much. I will not let you down, I promise." Jaime had said. Then there had been silence for a while, I knew they would not turn against each other again, Eddard had thought.
"Then who hired the assasin?" Tyrion had asked.
"I don't know. It wasn't me." Jaime had said.
"That we know. If it was you, you'd do it yourself. So who was it?" Arya had asked.
"Joffrey." Bran had said. Joffrey? An 11 year old boy?, Eddard thought.
"What?" Joanna had asked.
"What? Why?" Eddard had asked.
"Listen to find out." Bran had said.
"The dagger was Littlefinger's." Sansa had said. Littlefinger..., Eddard had thought, it was a strange name and he had the feeling that meant something.
"Yes, but he lost it to Robert Baratheon. Robert always said that it would be mercy to kill me than left me crippled. So, Joffrey took the dagger and hired the assasin." Bran had said. Why would he do that?, Eddard had thought.
"That makes sense. He always tried to get Robert's approval." Jaime had said.
"That's enough." Bran had said to Eddard and he had nodded. Then they were back at Storm's End again.
"Wow. That was..." Eddard was saying, when he realized that he had not a single word to describe it.
"It was..." Bran had said, back in Storm's End.
"Is this why you don't tell us about the past?" Eddard had asked.
"Yes. We were at war against each other. Some even met in the battlefield. We always tell ourselves that it is because of the impact that it will have on you, but it really is about the impact that it has on us and on your opinions of us." Bran had explained.
"Well, after this is all over, you'll have to tell us. We've uncovered too much already." Eddard had said and the conversation had stopped there.
Afterwards, Eddard went to the deck of the main ship, just looking at the sea and thinking how was the situation in camp and if his sister and cousins had managed to get to Rhaella or not. We're in a mess, still we'll get out of it, we have to, Eddard thought. Even with that optimistic view none of that thoughts made the situation more bearable. The anxiety to get to the Iron Islands and get his parents out of there, so that they could go to the Capital to finally help winterfell, was finally catching up to him. Other thing that was never far away from his mind was what he had found out and, by that time, he knew that he had to tell his cousins and sister and brother, if not for them to know, for him to get that out of his chest. Suddenly, he heard,
"Hey, Ned."
"Hey, Jo." Eddard replied.
"Is everything alright?" Joan asked.
"Yeah, I was just thinking." Eddard answered as honestly as possible.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Joan asked.
"It's just that... I found something about our family's past. But I can't say anything, only when we're all together again." Eddard answered.
"I understand that. I also discovered somethings. Still, it will take sometime until we're all together again. But, maybe we should take it one step at the time, alright?" Joan said.
"Alright." Eddard said nodding.
"We are going to rescue your parents and get the Iron Islands back to Yara, then we'll see." Joan said and he nodded. Eventhough he agreed to it, there was something that made him feel like something terrible was about to happen, not to them, but to someone they cared about.
After some more days, they finally got to the port of Pyke. Eddard had never seen the Islands from upclose, only from afar when he was sailing with his parents, it were smaller than Eddard would have imagined. They were great rocks still and he started to wonder how did people live there, however he did not get into it, he needed to focus on saving his parents. Eddard had brought from Storm End's one of the war hammers and a weapon that looked like a spear but the blade was all black and more thick than usual, still it seemed that would be more useful than the bow and arrow. He had brought them, just in case they didn't find the weaponery room, which was good because in one of the meetings Yara had said that there was no way of going to the weaponery room before the dungeons. Joan had brought from Tarth a sword and also a crossbow.
They docked the ships on a secluded port and then went furtively into the Islands, Yara was the one leading the way, Joan and Eddard were next to her. Eddard was a bit afraid of what they were doing, still he felt sure it was the right way to do it. So did Joan.
"The dungeons are that way. Then, come back here and go up, you will find the High Room." Yara told Eddard and Joan. It sounds simple, if an egomaniac wasn't waiting for us in the said room, Eddard thought.
"Good luck." Joan said and Yara nodded. Then Joan and Eddard went the way Yara told them to go. The rooms looked all the same to Eddard and he was begining to wonder if they would ever find the dungeons.
"These all looked the same." Eddard said trying not to despair.
"I know. But we have to find it." Joan said surely.
"It must be at the end of this endless corridor." Eddard said.
"Well, there are no doors so I guess you're right." Joan said. At last, they saw the light of the torches, they slowed down the pace and approached more carefully, when they got to the end of the corridor, they finally saw the dungeons, they killed the guards for they offered little resistence, it was not very difficult, the guards were not the most skilled ironborn and Joan and Eddard fought well. Alright, we're here. Now we just have to find them, Eddard thought. It was the deal they had made with Yara, they set his parents free and then once she took the Iron Islands back, she would set the others.
They must have passed hundred cells and there was still no sign of his parents, Eddard was starting to think that perhaps they were not there. They have to be here!, Eddard kept thinking over and over again, with every step he took.
Then, at the very end of the dungeons, there was just one cell last, Eddard looked at Joan and she looked at him, they both knew that if they were not in there, then they would have to come up with a new plan. They took a deep breath and mooved to see who was in the cell. When Eddard saw who was, he sighed with relief.
"Father, mother." Eddard said relieved.
"Ned?" Gendry asked surprised.
"How did you know we were here?" Arya asked also surprised.
"Yara came to Tarth asking for help." Eddard explained.
"She knew you were here and we made a deal. Just moove aside, I have to open the door." Joan explained. And they did, then Joan fired the crossbow against the lock of the cell and after some moovements it opened. They got out of the cell and were surprised to see them there. Eddard hugged his parents, he was so happy for them to be there with him, he had missed them and was very worried about what might have happened. They hugged them back and were very relief for him to be there and for coming for them.
"I'm so glad you're alright. Me, Bran and Mia were so worried." Eddard said.
"We were worried too, sweetheart." Gendry and Arya told their son. Joan smiled to see them. I wish my parents were with me, Joan thought.
"Jo, thank you for coming." Arya said puting a hand on her shoulder. Arya knew that Joan was very much like her mother, despite liking to be a lady and her temper being more like her father's, therefore she knew that Joan would help Eddard in everything, like she would help everyone else, still she was thankful for it.
"You don't have to thank me, aunt. It was the least I could do. I'm really happy you and uncle are safe." Joan said with a smile.
"Still, thank you and we're really happy you came for us. Just one thing, where is everyone?" Gendry asked.
"We'll explain everything, but for now we have to go." Eddard said.
"Exactly, we have to meet Yara, take back Pyke and then we'll talk." Joan said.
"We sometimes forget that you grew up." Arya said.
"Sometimes?" Gendry said and they laughed a little.
"Uh, I brought these from Storm's End. We probably wouldn't be able to find your weapons right away, so..." Eddard said giving his parents the bag were he carried the weapons.
"Clever. Thanks, son." Gendry said, onpening the bag and then took the war hammer.
"I know it's not the best, but it was what I found in the armoury." Eddard said.
"It's a good one, besides the best ones on the ship are gone so-, what... I haven't seen this one in a very long time. Arya?" Gendry said and then gave Arya the spear.
"If in a very long time means 18 years to you. Where did you find this, Ned?" Arya asked surprised, she hadn't seen that since the Long Night.
"In the armoury, why?" Eddard asked.
"We'll explain it on the way." Arya said. Then they went to the High Room, like Yara had told them.
They were going up to the High Room, when they saw someone coming down and when he saw them he was going to surely sound the alarm, however before he could do that, Joan reacted fast and fired the crossbow and killed him. Well, there's a first time for everything, Joan thought a bit sarcasticaly.
"That was a great shot. You've gotten better." Eddard said smiling.
"Well, I had time." Joan said smiling.
Finally, after some squimishes, they got to the High Room. When they got there, they met Yara at the door.
"Are you two alright?" Yara asked.
"Yes, could've been worse. Who is the bastard?" Arya answered.
"He's Euron's son." Yara said.
"Is he as mad as his father?" Gendry asked. Does it matter?, Eddard thought.
"Pretty close." Yara said.
"It should be easy then." Arya said and Yara nodded. I really wish someone would tell me who the hell was Euron Greyjoy, Eddard thought, feeling he might have to find out himself.
Yara opened the doors of the room and then they entered, Eliot Pyke was sitting on the Salt Throne, clapping. What the Seven Hells..., Eddard and Joan thought.
"Do you think this is funny, kid?" Yara said seriously, but also with a bit of mocking in her voice. Eliot laughed.
"Not really, but I was starting to wonder when you would come in." Eliot said smiling, after the laughter.
"You know, you can still surrender." Joan said as if she genuinely meant it. I don't think he will. But maybe you don't want for him to surrender, just distracting him, Eddard thought. He knew his cousin was too smart to ask that to a maniac.
"I'm sorry, pretty face, but who the fuck are you?" Eliot asked mockingly.
"You're about to find out." Eddard said right away. He's right. At least, it gave us time to adapt to the room, Joan thought.
"If I were you, I would have chosen somebody else to mess with. You're make the same mistake, your father did." Arya said.
"My father was a great man! He would have been King to the Seven Kingdoms!" Eliot said outraged, standing.
"Your father was burnt alive by a dragon! Your father allied with Cersei Lannister, he would never be King, he would be a puppet." Yara said taking a step towards him.
"You're lying! But even so, I don't care. I'm not my father, but I will rule the Iron Islands! And then the Seven Kingdoms!" Eliot said. That does nothing for your ego, man, Eddard thought sarcasticaly.
"You still think you're going to win?" Joan asked.
"I know it. Come on, where is the great game of thrones!" Eliot said raising his hands up. Game of thrones?, Eddard and Joan thought. And Eddard was done with small talk.
"Let's cut the small talk and fight or we'll never get out of here." Eddard and Gendry said at the same time. Eddard looked at his father and smiled and he smiled back.
Then the fight started, the guards started to attack and they fought and fought and fought, Eddard swinged the sword up and down and was doing great, Joan was also fighting with the sword. They fought hard, ajusting to the confined space and a couple of layed traps, until, at the end, every single one of the enemy was dead except for Eliot Pyke. He was fighting with Arya, when Eddard turned to see what was going on, he was the closest to where they were fighting, he saw that Eliot was about to deliever the final blow. The sword will never get there in time, neither will I, Eddard thought and then he heard his father,
"Ned!" And he trew the war hammer to him, Eddard caught it and then it was as if he had been doing that always, he swirled the war hammer and trew it at Euron's bastard. But the hammer will, Eddard thought. Arya was seeing what they were doing and docked down. The war hammer hit Eliot right in the face and he died instantly. Eddard sighed of relief.
"It's over. Thank you." Yara said.
"I told you, it was the right thing to do." Joan said and they all smiled.
"So, now, where is everyone?" Arya asked curiously and a bit concerned.
"Well, uncle Tyrion, aunt Sansa, my father and Gerion are in Winterfell. I don't know if you know, it is still surrounded. Jeyne, Lya and Mary are in KingsLanding, there's going to be a battle, in Riverrun. The Arryns and the Freys rose a rebellion about some vengence." Joan explained.
"Shit. What else?" Arya asked.
"Bran, Rickon, uncle Jon, uncle Pod and aunt Daenerys, aunt Brienne and aunt Joanna are in Wolfswood, they set a camp there to try to aid Winterfell. There the situation is worst, they don't have the numbers and they have few commanders. Aunt Joanna was injured and almost died. Then Mia, Jen, Gal, Jorah, Cat, James and Thomas are in Braavos or probably Meereen already. They went to save Rhaella, she was captured by the warlocks, who are trying to get back at aunt Dany. I think this covers it pretty much." Eddard explained.
"So what's the plan?" Gendry asked.
"Save you, take the Iron Islands back to Yara, and then go back to Tarth and then to KingsLanding so we could figure things out." Eddard said.
"Great. So, you did go to camp after we telling you not to?" Arya asked with a knowing look. Shit! I thought that was over, Eddard thought.
"Uh. Mia, Jorah, Gal, Ger, Jen and Mary went first and they convinced us not to go. But then I had a greendream so..." Eddard explained.
"That's not an excuse, Ned. We are at war." Gendry said.
"Your father is right, But now it's done. What's the next step?" Arya said.
"Win the war." Eddard and Joan said.
Some days after they all were sailling back to Tarth.