Bringing the Dawn

XIX.

Eddard Stark

Kings Landing, 299AC

Not much had changed at all ever since that raven arrived at the small council meeting, something Eddard was glad about. The quiet Lord was never someone who coped well under a lot of pressure or a lot of differing scenarios, but that was something he had to endure these last few months. His father had raised him to say things as they were no matter what others thought of the statements, and it was something Jon Arryn had endorsed. Yet here he is, being loyal to his King but having to remain loyal to his nephew who was going to be plunging the continent into a war in the foreseeable future.

It had been a little more than a month since he had sent the communication and it unsettled him greatly he had yet to receive a response from either party. With Jon it was understandable considering he had to send a raven to the Wall first and then to Greywater Watch to evade detection. But his son and wife not sending any response to it all was the strange thing, they had been in regular correspondence ever since he and the girls had left. It had taken Sansa more than a week to forgive him for telling her Jon was likely dead, and Arya had still not forgiven him. They had always been the closest, and with the fact that they looked almost identical to one another would easily make people think they were twins.

Well, perhaps not anymore. If what Howland's ravens said were true, then Jon was beginning to look exceptionally like Rhaegar in the face. Perhaps he always had but his Stark colouring just disguised it. Ned hadn't known Rhaegar very well, only met him a couple of times, and his face was as familiar as the Summer Isles to him. It had been seventeen years since he had last seen him, and the last time he had it was when he pushed through the massive crowds of the battlefield to see the silver Prince in the river with his chest caved in from Robert's spiked warhammer.

At the time, he had felt relief, had thought he had gotten justice for his father, brother, and sister from the act. But everything was thrown into the sea when he found Lyanna dying with her stomach cut open, her newborn son against her chest. Guilt was something he didn't feel often, but he sure did then. Even now, it was difficult to pinpoint where it all kicked off. Had it been when his head was called for alongside Robert's by Aerys? Had it been when Lyanna disappeared? Had it been when his brother went to the Red Keep and was imprisoned? Was it when his father was burned alive with Brandon just out of reach with a rope tied so tightly around his neck that he strangled himself trying to free their father? Or was it when Rhaegar rode past Elia to lay that crown of winter roses in Lyanna's lap?

It had all happened so quickly, everything was a blur now. And now it was beginning to kick off again. His nephew training to be a master politician with his wife helping out alongside Howland Reed, Robb helping out whenever he could amongst his own Lordly duties, Arya accidentally finding out that Jon had dragons that according to Catelyn were the size of war horses now. A boy Varys was hiding as a Blackfyre, Stannis fleeing the city and allying with the Velaryon's. War was imminent now, and it was a waiting game he was not prepared for nor was it one he wanted to be involved in. But family comes first for him, no matter what. It was only more difficult due to the betrothal that was in place. If Jon presses on the claim, Sansa will become a hostage. If the truth comes out, all will be hostages. There was only one thing he could do, and that was getting the girls out and finding a way to break this betrothal.

But he didn't want to hurt his daughter. He saw the way she looked at Joffrey, as if he had hung the sun and moon for her and her alone. However, people talked, and it wasn't good. His lip curled in a little as he remembered that once the young Prince had cut open a pregnant cat as he wanted to see unborn kittens and then presented them to Robert. Ned had asked his friend about that, and the way his face darkened was all the confirmation needed. Plus, he was still nowhere near figuring out what Jon Arryn had died over. He eyed the book in front of him with trepidation, completely confused on why the elderly man was researching every member there had ever been of any House. There was something here, and it had led to his predecessor being poisoned by the Lannister's.