Winterfell.
Ned felt frustrated, it had been almost a year since Jaime Lannister had taken Jon away and while he'd received a couple of ravens, the news had been sparse, he barely got the most basic of details.
Father,
I am well, the rock is an amazing place,
The people are treating me well and my training is coming along.
Jaime has me sparring with the older boys and I'm holding my own.
How is everyone?
Is Robb still keeping up his training?
Has Arya started to speak yet?
Does Sansa still like ribbons?
I miss them all so much, you too father,
Love.
your son.
Jon.
Father.
I received your raven, It gladdens me to hear that you are all well,
I'm doing fine, I've started my lessons with Maester Creylen, they're really insistent he's teaching me languages like high Valyrian and teaching me about all about the southern houses.,
My other training has come along really well, I'm even learning to play the harp,
Tyrion and I have paid a number of visits to Lannisport and he's shown me how the city trades with others.
I hope everyone is well there, please give my love to Robb, Sansa, Arya and baby Bran.
Love.
y our son,
Jon.
Ned didn't know how to feel reading the letters, it was good of course that Jon was learning things and it seemed he was thriving now he left Winterfell, but the things he was learning concerned him, trade, high Valyrian, southern politics and the damn harp, just what the hell was Lannister playing at.
"Ned." his wife's voice called as she entered the solar.
"Ah, you are here."
"hmmm, oh sorry Cat, is there something wrong?."
"No, it's just Robb was about to take his archery lessons and I know you like to watch."
"Oh sorry, I was lost there for a minute, why don't I put these away and we can go together."
Ned noticed the grimace on his wife's face when she saw what he'd been reading, she pursed her lips as if to say something but then obviously thought better of it, no doubt she'd been ready to make some complaint about Jon, even though he was no longer here it still didn't seem to be enough for her, out of sight out of mind was not in Cat's vocabulary, he sighed as he placed the letters away.
"Shall we."
"Of course my Lord."
Pentos.
Illyrio read the letter with great interest, Tywin Lannister was dead, the great lion no more and he couldn't help but smile, he motioned to the Lyseni girl and she poured the wine as he waited for his guest. He disliked Connington immensely but needs must and he was needed to keep Griff safe, he knew the man would enjoy the news of the lion's demise but for Illyrio the only satisfaction he took from it was that it would make things easier.
Jon walked through the gates of the manse, he had left the shy maid near Ghoyan Drohe as it was the closest point to Pentos and he didn't wish to be away from Aegon for too long, but the note from the magister had said the news was important so he had rushed here and was tired from the journey, he followed the dark haired slave that was Illyrio's housekeeper and made his way into the courtyard to find Illyrio waiting and as usual eating.
"Come, my friend, you must be famished from your journey."
"I'm fine, magister, what's so important you take me away from my duties?."
"News Griff, news from Westeros."
Jon felt his heart beat faster, had the usurper fallen, did the damn Iron Born get him, surely not, but the smile on Illyrio's face meant something big had happened, he sat down and nodded to the Lyseni for something to drink, the girl moved quickly and gracefully, filling his glass and also a plate with fruit and cheese just in case he was hungry. He abhorred slavery but at times like these he saw the benefits over the paid servants of his homeland, efficiency really was easier to instill when the consequences were severe.
"So, what is this news?" he asked gruffly.
"Tywin Lannister is dead."
Jon almost choked on his wine, while not as good as if it had been the usurper himself this was probably the best news he had heard since he found out that Aegon lived. Tywin's betrayal was the worst of all of them, oh Stark, Arryn. Tully and Baratheon were all guilty and would pay dearly but what the Lannister's did was unforgivable.
"How?"
"He was killed during the fighting on Harlaw against the Iron Born, some men snuck into his camp and caught the old lion unawares, he killed two of them but it was no use, the gutted him and would have took his head but the alarm was raised.
Jon did something he rarely did he laughed, loudly and for a long time he just laughed.
Highgarden.
Olenna looked out on the spread for her granddaughter's name day celebrations, like with most things Mace had his hand's in it was elaborate, overly so Olenna thought considering the girl was just reaching her seventh name day but sometimes it wasn't worth fighting with her fool of a son. She looked over to her grandsons, Willas was talking with Garlan about the upcoming Lannisport tourney a tourney to celebrate the victory over the Greyjoy's and as a memorial to Tywin, she almost smiled at the thought that the old lion was dead.
Without the lion guiding them the Lannister's would find their influence dwindling, oh Cersei may be queen and there would be Lannister blood on the throne but Jaime Lannister cared more for swords than politics and would be too dumb to block whatever moves Olenna made. She noticed her granddaughter entering the room, her eyes wide as she saw the large spread of sweet deserts and pastries they'd laid out for her.
"Happy name day my love." Alerie said as she walked with her daughter to the high table.
"Is this all for me mama?"
"Well we should probably share some with your friends shouldn't we." Alerie smiled at the over eager girl.
Olenna watched as they moved to where Mace was grinning like a fool, at times she couldn't believe that he was her son, if she had been a man she'd never have believed that he could be from her loins, alas she knew unfortunately that he was most definitely hers. She saw Loras enter with his friend, their closeness seemed odd, perhaps something to worry about later she thought, before Margaery came over to show her some trinket or other that Willas and Garlan had given her.
"Look grandmamma, isn't it lovely."
"It's beautiful my dear, just like you."
"Would you like my present now or later my sweet girl?"
"Later, grandmamma, it'll be better that way."
"Of course my dear."
Olenna smiled as Margaery turned to her friends and walked to where her aunt's and uncles sat,, the girl charmed the room with ease sure it was her name day and of course she'd be the center of attention but Margaery had something special, something intangible and it drew people to her. Olenna motioned to her bodyguards left and right and began her own working of the room.
Margaery made her way to her grandmother's solar, the party had been fun but it dragged on and on, her father really did know how to celebrate she thought as she saw her grandmother giant bodyguards standing guard, Erryk and Arryk were their names but her grandmother called them left and right and it never failed to get a smile from her. She knocked on the door and entered as she was bid, the room itself was large and nothing like her father's, where his was full of gold trimmings and paintings, her grandmothers was simpler, much more imposing especially the dark wood of the large desk that occupied the room, her grandmother would hold court there but for more intimate meetings she would use the small sitting room which was where Margaery found her.
"Grandmamma."
"Come here my sweet child."
"Did you enjoy your celebration?"
"Yes grandmamma, it was fun, but tiring."
"Well we know who's to blame for that don't we."
"Father" Margaery said before they both laughed together.
"Indeed, now come here and let me give you your presents."
"Present's grandmother?"
Olenna took the two small packages from the table to her left and handed them to her granddaughter, one practical and one simply because she felt the girl deserved an extra one, she watched as Margaery opened the packages a look of confusion on her sweet face. The first present was a small gold necklace adorned with tiny rubies shaped into roses, she noticed the smile that lit up her face before she quickly opened the second.
The book was small but precise, it was Maester Argyss's history of the fall of great houses, she watched as Margaery immediately began to look through the book and couldn't help to smile to see her eagerness to read it.
"This is wonderful, grandmother, absolutely wonderful." Margaery said before hugging her tightly.
"I knew you'd like it dear."
Olenna smiled at her granddaughter, she was everything she hoped she'd be, clever, charming, witty with a keen mind that she wished to develop, she'd make a great queen one day and Olenna would do everything in her power to ensure she sat the throne, she raised her wine glass and looked at the girl.
"Growing Strong."
"Growing Strong, grandmother."
Bravos.
Ser Willem lay in the bed, he was dying and he knew it and yet that wasn't what he feared, it was the fate of the princess and king that weighed heaviest on his heart, he had tried his best, done everything he could to ensure their safety and comfort and for almost seven years he had been successful, but the sickness had come on too quickly and he hadn't been able to set things in motion for once he was gone.
He took little comfort in the news that had reached him, Tywin Lannister was dead killed by a damn reaver but he hoped the old lion suffered, he deserved it for his monstrous actions, to kill the children that way. Apparently his son Jaime was now warden of the west and even thinking of the man forced bile into his throat, Aerys may have deserved to die but an oath is an oath and a kingsguard killing a king deserved to rot in the seven hells.
The little princess sat at the edge of the bed and Willem hated to see the fear in her eyes, it would be up to her brother now to protect her and he hoped he'd done a good job in teaching the boy and the glimpses of Aerys he'd seen in him where just the mistaken remembrances of an old man.
"Ser Willem." the little voice said.
"Princess, oh my sweet princess, you should not be here."
"But you are poorly Ser Willem and it's the job of a princess to make you better."
"Thank you my princess, thank you." he coughed and spluttered and held her hand tightly.
"Where is the king?."
"The servants are arguing with him, I don't know what's going on." her voice cracked as she looked to the door.
"You must stick together princess, you and the king, you're the last of your family."
He watched as the little girl nodded before his coughing came on again, he knew it was time and it tore his heart to think he'd failed.
"Go find your brother, my sweet princess, together you'll be safe."
She got up from the bed and kissed him on the cheek before running from the room, his coughing got worse and his breath harder to find, he gripped the sheet tightly and coughed feeling the blood as it dripped down his face and with his final breath he besieged the gods,
"Protect her, I beg you,"
Kings Landing
The small council meeting dragged on and on, the king's return hadn't lessened the load any and Jon grimaced at the directives, a tourney of course he wanted a damn tourney, he wanted one to celebrate the most minor events and beating the Greyjoy's wasn't minor. But the cost as usual was what bothered Jon, the gold would need to come from somewhere and he hoped that the new Lord of Casterly Rock was as accommodating as the old.
Perhaps he should bring Lysa's friend from Gulltown to court, the boy had a way with numbers, he'd managed to turn the port's finances around significantly and increased them massively, plus it would please his wife to have her young friend close in court, with how busy he was he had been neglecting his wife, yes he thought, he send a raven to young Petyr as soon as he could.
He looked around the room and wished he was elsewhere, being Robert's hand was a time consuming affair especially considering Robert's aversion to actually ruling, oh he'd lead troops into battle and feast and throw tourneys to his hearts content but rule, actually take an interest in the daily workings of the realm, no that was beneath the man.
"So another tourney is it?" Stannis said in his usual grumpy tone.
"It's what the king want's," Jon replied.
He watched as Stannis frowned his teeth grinding even more than usual, Varys sat there the same blank expression on his face he always had when he held no interest in the things they discussed, although Jon noticed something else on the eunuch's face and couldn't quite place it, he was just about to call an end to the meeting when surprisingly Pycelle spoke up.
"My lords, I received a raven from Casterly Rock earlier, from Lord Jaime, it seems that he intends to throw his own tourney at Lannisport in memory of his father and to also celebrate the victory over the Iron Born."
Jon looked at the man incredulously, they had been going round and round about this damn tourney for the past week and this fool hadn't bothered to mention the damn Lannister's were holding their own, he was about to berate the man before suddenly it hit him, they could kill two birds with one stone, the king would get his tourney and the Lannister's would pay for it, ok it would have to be in Lannisport but the king would go along with it, as long as he gave him a reason.
"Very good Grand Maester, I shall need to send a raven to Lord Lannister when we're done here."
"Of course Lord Hand,"
He noticed the smug smile on Pycelle's face and dearly wished to wipe it off but he thought better of it as Varys began to speak.
"I hear Lord Jaime has taken on a new page." he tittered.
"What's that got to do with anything?" Stannis asked irritably.
"Well it's who the new page is that's interesting."
"Identifying pages, is that what the master of whispers is busy with?"
"My Lord Stannis, when said page happens to be the bastard of Winterfell, my birds begin to sing."
Jon coughed, did he hear that right, had Ned allowed his bastard to be Jaime Lannister's page, surely this was wrong, a mistake, Ned would never place his son with a Lannister, this was strange, he'd have taken the boy if asked or surely a banner man of Ned's.
"Are you sure about that Lord Varys." he asked.
"I'm certain Lord Hand, the king and he traveled for a while before they went in their separate directions."
"Robert knew of this?"
"I would expect so my Lord."
Later that day he entered the king's quarters, the room was a mess and Robert was sitting alone he thanked the gods for that having spent too many times waiting while the king sent his ladies away, Robert was drinking though and Jon sighed nothing he could say would change the man it seemed.
"Your Grace."
"Ah, Jon come sit, have a drink,"
"No, I'm fine your grace."
"Ah piss on that Jon, it's just the two of us none of that your grace bullshit."
"Of course Robert."
"Now that's better, so what brings you here, did you organize the tourney?"
"Well about that, it seems Jaime Lannister is throwing a tourney."
"Damn the Lannister's, it's my tourney, I won the damn war."
"Of course you did Robert, but Jaime wants to throw one in memory of his father."
"Well let him, two tourneys are better than one."
"Robert, we can't afford a tourney, however" Jon quickly added seeing the anger begin to build on Robert's face "If the Lannister's throw one and are paying for it, then you as guest of honor would still be the most important person there."
"But it won't be mine, Jon it'll be theirs."
Jon almost grimaced at the petulance of the man, still a boy really, he wanted what he wanted and if someone else had it then he wanted it more he thought, before quickly shaking those thoughts from his head.
"We'll need to go anyway Robert, the man was your goodfather and you'll have to show your respects"
"Dammit Jon, would it not be easier for them just to pay and have it here?"
"It would, but this is in Tywin's memory it must be in Lannisport."
"Fine, then I'll go, I suppose the Queen and her damn wheelhouse will need to accompany us."
Jon sighed, sometimes the sheer lack of empathy Robert could show staggered him, he had raised him better than that, raising him and Ned was the proudest thing he had even done yet only one of them had been raised a good man.
"It's her father Robert."
"Fine, fine." the king said as he took another swallow of his drink, Jon turned and left unable to spend time with the man he considered his son.
Varys,
The whispers his little birds had brought him concerned him greatly, Ser Willem was ill, maybe dying, he wondered if perhaps he and Illyrio should move their plans up. Without protection the prince and princess were vulnerable and if anything should happen to them then it could set them back years. He wrote out his note and dressed to walk to the port, he would send his friend a letter and await the response, there was little else he could do from here.
Walking through the streets of King's Landing Varys cut a strange figure, the beard and shaggy hair along with the rough nature of his clothes made him out to be a weary traveler or a man of limited means but his walk despite his best efforts still made him out to be a noble. He moved as quickly as he could and entered into the side streets, feeling much more comfortable walking and working in the shadows he soon arrived at the tavern.
"Hello old friend." he spoke as he moved to the table in the back.
"Ah, my good friend, Alliyris it is good to see you again." the large stocky man said to him, Varys had lost count of how many different names he'd used over the years.
"I have a message for our friend in Pentos."
"Of course my friend, my captain sails on the morrow."
"Good good and you are well Ikyrs?"
"Alliyris I am as well as can be, we have earned good coin on this trip and no trouble and the ale here is most pleasant."
"For your troubles should they ever arrive," Varys said tossing the small pouch to the man before handing over the letter.
"This will help my friend as always, be well."
"You too."
Varys quickly left the tavern, in his business it didn't bear well to stick in the one place too much, as he waked back to the Red Keep he considered the other piece of news that was on his mind. Jaime Lannister's new page was not normally something he'd consider intriguing but said page being Jon Snow perked his interest, just why would Ned Stark let his son page for a Lannister, the issue confounded him the whole journey back to his rooms, he'd need to set his little birds a task it seems.
Cersei Lannister.
Cersei was annoyed, well that was an understatement she was furious and had been ever since the fat oaf had returned from dealing with the damn Iron Born, the fact that he hadn't wiped them from the face of the earth once her father had fallen had caused no end of vases to be broken in both her and the fat oaf's quarters. When she had heard the news she had been stunned surely it was a lie, a cruel joke, her father was invincible, a lion, everyone bowed to lions, but he had fallen and he was gone.
She then hoped to speak to Jaime when he returned, surely with their father gone they could be together again, they were destined, two parts of the same whole and yet in what had been her greatest moment of triumph when she finally became what she was born to be he had abandoned her.
" We're supposed to be, we belong together."
" No, we don't, we never did."
" You love me Jaime. I'm the only woman you'll ever love."
" Perhaps, but I'll never love you again."
" Why, because of the damn dragonspawn."
" They were children Cersei, children."
Just thinking back on it flamed her fury and she looked around for something to throw, not finding anything she instead poured another glass of wine and stewed in her anger, It had been a mistake to tell him she knew of Father's plans she knew that now, but she had expected he'd get over it in time, how wrong she'd been, he refused her time and time again, she had other lovers of course but it was supposed to be the two of them against the world, it was supposed to be their children, not just hers.
She loved Joffrey more than anything, he was her golden prince, her special baby boy, but he was supposed to be hers and Jaime's and instead she had to seduce her damn uncle, Tygett was a good lover though and eager to share her bed once he saw her naked, but Jaime he wasn't and it hurt her every time she looked at Joff to know what could have been.
"Your Grace, is their anything you need," the young girl asked.
"No go, begone."
She watched the girl scurry from the room and went right back to her wine, she heard her husbands footsteps outside the door and swallowed and quickly filled another glass, hopefully she'd be drunk enough before he took her.
As she woke the next morning her head felt heavy, the fool had barely managed to stay erect and she'd finished him with her hand as she had countless times before, she would bear him no children that was what Maggy had told her, six and ten for him and three for her, she had convinced herself then they'd be Jaime's but Joff hadn't and it confused and annoyed her.
"Your Grace."
"Your Grace."
Her handmaidens entered and quickly got her bath ready, after they washed and dressed her she went to break her fast hoping her husband was elsewhere, she was lucky finding only Joffrey and his sworn dog in the small family hall, Blount was outside and she was glad of it, she disliked the way the man looked at her, as if she'd ever with a common guard.
"Mother."
"My sweet boy." she kissed his cheek and sat down breaking her fast on fruit and washing it down with some Dornish Sour.
"Your Grace, the Grand Maester is her to see you." Blount said while not discreetly staring at her cleavage,
"Send him in."
She watched as the old fool staggered and stumbled into the room, she wondered if he really believed anyone both this mummer's act of his, but as he began to speak she instead felt her heart begin to quicken.
"Your Grace, I have a letter from Casterly Rock addressed to you."
"Hand it here." her impatience beginning to show.
Pycelle handed her the letter and seemed to wish to hang around, she had no wish to spend anymore time than necessary with the old fool so dismissed him, eager to read the missive, had Jaime wrote to her, was he missing her as much as she missed him, perhaps a visit home was required. Disappointingly she read the letter to find that they were having a tourney in memory of father, a damn tourney, they wrote to her for a tourney, who did they think she was Robert.
She tore the letter up and threw it on the table, reaching over for her glass she drank it in one gulp before refilling it, she was about to do the same to the second when a thought came to her, one that quickly made her smile, as she looked at Joffrey who seemed confused her smile grew bigger, three children the witch had said and she only had one, she could do nothing about that but the second.
"Joff my love, we're going to go visit your uncle."