298 AC, Winterfell…
By the noon, a priest was seen leaving the room of the fallen and unconscious Bran Stark. It was a miracle as the boy left the bed with his own strength. Though his mind was not right as he did not remember what happened to him and everyone who had heard this was sad for the boy except some golden haired people.
Lord Stark was mounting his horse to go South with King Robert as his son already awoke so the king didn't want to wait anymore. The news was not welcomed by the Stark family but both girls were going with him so at least one of them was happy for going to the South.
While they were moving to the South, another group was going North. Jon Snow, bastard of the Winterfell, with a group of black brothers and some men from the temple was going to the Wall. Jon's plan wasn't changed as he was still persistent on becoming a black brother. Jon talked all the way from Winterfell to the Wall with the priest through his journey.
On the other hand, the king's journey wasn't as quiet as Jon's. Crown prince was attacked by a butcher's boy and Arya Stark. The conflict of the two houses was ended for now by the death of the butcher's boy and one of the two Stark direwolves. Though the other wolf escaped the cruel fate, it was to be seen whether he will survive the harsh lands of men.
...
As soon as arriving at the King's Landing, Ned went to chambers of the small council to have a meeting. The chambers were wide and luxurious, unlike his home up to the North. Though the luxury was a feast to the eyes, he liked the basic lifestyle of the North more than this lavish style.
The members of the council were already waiting for him and the eunuch Varys greeted him the moment he saw him.
"Lord Stark, I was saddened to hear about your troubles on the kingsroad. We have all wept for Prince Joffrey and will pray for his health." Eunuch's powdered hands had a strong sound and the smell of them was disgusting for the people who were not used to it.
"The prince is strong and his recovery will be immediate." Ned passed the smelly eunuch and saw a man that reminded him of the past. The man was talking with another man of small stature.
Ned recognized the small man as the Littlefinger, a man he knew was the friend of his wife and a man who was wounded by his brother. And beside him was sitting the brother of the king, Lord Renly.
Renly looked like Robert's old self. His smile was more gentle then Robert but Ned still saw his old friend in him.
"Lord Stark, I'm happy to see you safely arrive," Renly said.
"You must forgive me, but sometimes you look exactly like your brother Robert." Ned smiled in response.
Littlefinger opened his mouth to jape but Ned moved to the council table and sat beside the king's seat, as the right hand of his king. "My lords," he said formally, "I am sorry to have kept you waiting."
"We serve at your pleasure, Lord Stark," Varys said.
Ned nodded his head as he observed the members seating on the seats but all he could see was four people. "I see only four people beside me," he pointed out.
"Lord Stannis went to Dragonstone not long after the king took himself North." Varys said, "Ser Barristan is definitely with the king, as befits the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard."
"Maybe we should wait for Ser Barristan and the king to join us," Ned suggested.
Renly laughed loudly and said, "My brother's chances of visiting this chamber is slim to none."
"Our good King Robert has many things to care," Varys cut in, "He looks after the important things while we handle small things."
"What Lord Varys meant is all this business of coin and crops and justice falls to us," Renly said, "This morning a command came from him and he has an urgent task for us."
Littlefinger took the paper from Renly and handed it to Ned. He broke the wax and opened to see what was the urgent matter. His eyes widened seeing what was he planning in his name.
Ned read the letter, "In Lord Stark's honour a tourney will be organized. Forty thousand golden dragons to the champion. Twenty thousand to the man who comes second, twenty to the winner of the melee and ten thousand to the victor of the archery competition."
Littlefinger sighed, "And we must not forget the other costs; feast, cooks, carpenters, serving girls, singers, jugglers, fools…"
"Will it be the treasury bears the expenses?" asked Grand Maester Pycelle.
"Treasury?" Littlefinger answered with a wry smile, "You know as well as I that the treasury has been empty for years. In the end, I shall have to borrow the money. I am sure Lannisters will be accommodating as another hundred thousand golds won't matter after two million at present."
Ned was flabbergasted, "Are you saying that the Crown is two million gold in debt?"
Littlefinger raised an eyebrow, "The Crown is more than three million gold in debt, my lord. Of course, this is thanks to the temple and the Faith. After all, it was their rivalry that saved us from four million debt."
Ned was rooted to the spot, "Three million? How could you let this happen? Aerys Targaryen left this treasury flowing with gold."
Littlefinger shrugged, "I find, the king and the Hand spend it."
"I will not believe that Jon Arryn allowed this to happen," Ned said hotly.
Grand Maester shook his head, "Lord Arryn was a wise man but His Grace is not a man that always listen to wise counsel."
"Nevertheless, the tourney is bound to happen and it would be good for us to start planning," Renly said.
Ned thought about talking with Robert about this tourney but after remembering him talking with the priest for his son, he decided to let him have this one.
"We can talk about the tourney tomorrow, the journey wore me out so if there is nothing important to talk, I will be taking my leave," Ned said while raising himself from his seat but a little cough stopped him. He sat back and raised his head and saw the eunuch looking at him.
"My lord, there is still a little matter to talk so…" Varys said.
"Talk…" Ned spoke impatiently.
"The temple invaded Myr and Pentos. Though there was resistance, small rebellions in other free cities put an end to all the resistance. The so-called Prophet now call the lands he conquered, Holy Union."
Littlefinger creased his eyebrows while everyone on the table was stunned. Littlefinger was a man with connections but even he did not receive this news, yet.
Ned tapped his finger to the table, "I need to talk with His Grace about this. We will discuss this in detail at the next meeting." He began raising himself again but stopped midway, "And there will two additional members on the council from now on."
However, Ned did not get the shocked expressions he was expecting. On the contrary, all of them greeted the news with a calmness. He sighed and raised himself from the table and made for the door.
The king didn't arrive yet so he made his way to the Tower of the Hand but just when he passed the outer yard, Littlefinger appeared before him. "Lord Stark, you are going the wrong way. Your wife awaits you, this way."
Ned was stunned and before he could say anything, Littlefinger turned around and led him into a tower, down a stair, across a sunken courtyard and along a deserted corridor where empty suits of armour stood sentinel along the walls.
Ned followed him warily, wondering if this was ever going to end. He wanted to ask him where he was leading him but he still kept his words to himself. Littlefinger was not a brave man so he was not worried about him doing anything to himself.
They rode two horses down the streets of the smelly city and soon they reached a brothel. Littlefinger dismounted his horse and turned around to smile him.
Ned also dismounted but it was in a fury, "A brothel! Brandon was too kind to you," Ned slammed him against a wall shoved his dagger up under his chin.
"My Lord, no," an urgent voice called out to him and footsteps came behind him, "He speaks the truth."
Ned spun around saw a man with a big belly and upon seeing him he sheeted his knife, "Ser Rodrik?"
Rodrik Cassel nodded, "Your lady awaits you upstairs, my lord."
"She is really here?" asked Ned.
Rodrik nodded his head while eyeing to the man holding his throat behind his lord.
Ned turned around and spoke to Littlefinger, "Lead the way."
Littlefinger mumbled something under his breath but still lead the way. They went up to the third floor and passed through a door.
Inside, Catelyn was waiting upon his feet. She yelled when she saw Ned, ran to him and embraced him strongly.
Ned also hugged him but he was still in confusion as he did not know why his wife came to King's Landing. "My lady, I thought you were going to be staying at home with our children?"
"Petyr has been informing me. He told me what happened on the road. How are my girls?"
"Both are full of anger, "Ned told her." Cat, I do not understand. Did you come just because of what happened on the road?"
Catelyn pressed her lips together and showed him her left hand, "A week later after you have left, a man came begging for help. Apparently, his village was attacked by some bandits so Robb went with some men to hunt them down but it was all lie. We gave the man a place to stay in the castle as he did not have anywhere else but he tried to kill Bran on the first night. Luckily, he couldn't get any real steel so he had only a kitchen knife."
"I was still uneasy after all that happened so I let Bran sleep with me. When the man came at night, I tried to stop him but he cut my finger." Catelyn tried to grasp her lost finger but there was nothing in its place. "Thanks to Bran's wolf I was saved as he tore off the man's arm."
Ned's eyes were nearly spitting fire as he listened to his wife. "But… who… why would…"
Catelyn cut his words with a shake of her head, "Robb and Ser Rodrik returned with haste when they discovered it was a ruse. They chanced upon when the man's arm was torn off. Robb called some men and they took the man to the dungeon and they were able to eject some information from him…"
Ned waited with a clear rage and curiosity on his face.
"Robb said the man spoke about a young man with golden hair and green eyes. At first, I thought about the crown prince but the man was clear that he was not the crown prince. However, amongst those who came with the king, only the Lannisters have those treats. I know these are not enough to blame someone but after that incident, Bran remembered seeing a green eyed man at the Broken Tower…."Catelyn spoke with creased eyebrows while Littlefinger was plotting behind them.
"I will not have you put yourself into trouble anymore." Ned held her hands, "You return to Winterfell, I will deal with this matter, personally. Bran has already remembered somethings, Robert will punish them accordingly."
Littlefinger laughed mockingly, "Do you Starks all have snow in your head? Do you really think your boy's words will have any weight against the queen's and her family's?"
Ned regarded him coldly, "Lord Baelish, I am a Stark of Winterfell. My son was nearly killed and my wife would have gone with him, if not for a wolf pup found in the snow. Do you truly think I could forget that?"
"Of course not, in the end, I could never bring myself to refuse your wife to anything so I shall try to keep you alive for her sake," Littlefinger responded with mocking sad face. "Now, if you are done, we need to go as eyes will be looking to where you are and we would not like them to see sweet Catelyn in a place like this."
Ned stiffened hearing the words as he remembered where they were but still, he had things to say to his wife, "Lord Baelish, I need to have a word with my wife, in private."
Littlefinger nodded his and winked to Ned shamelessly and closed the door behind him. Ned turned back to his wife, "Once you are back, send word to Tallharts and Glovers under my seal. They are to raise a hundred bowmen and fortify Moat Cailin. Send word to Lord Manderly to strengthen and repair all his defences at White Harbor. And from this day on, I want a careful watch kept over Greyjoy. If there is war, we shall have sore need of his father's fleet."
"War?" Catelyn's face frozen with fear.
"I hope it will not come to that but it is better to prepare then to fall prey to a lion."
Catelyn nodded her head hugged her husband one last time...