chapter 144 part 1
Chapter 144: Hunter and Prey 5
The Throne Room, a meeting of the Small Council.
Warm sunlight streamed through the high, narrow windows, dappling the floor. Dragon skulls had once hung high on these walls, but now they were covered by tapestries depicting hunting scenes.
"Should we assign people specifically to clean up all the shit in the streets..."
"Hah, I can't just conjure up more Gold Dragons..."
"Perhaps we can have the Gold Cloaks handle it..."
"Public order is still a problem..."
"The High Septon..."
...
Eddard Stark sat bolt upright in the seat of the Hand of the King. His expression remained stern, but his gaze was somewhat vacant.
The tourney Robert was holding in Eddard's honor was on an unprecedented scale, and so the complicated affairs that came with it were endless. He could no longer process the content of the Small Council's discussion.
*Why did Jon Arryn have to investigate Robert's bastards?*
Robert's bastards were scattered across Westeros, but he had only ever publicly acknowledged one, a boy about the same age as Bran, Eddard's son. The boy's mother was a noble, and he was now being fostered by Lord Renly's castellan at Storm's End.
Lord Eddard also remembered Robert's first child, a bastard daughter he'd had while still in the Vale. The little girl was adorable. The young Robert, despite having long lost interest in the child's mother, doted on her, going to play with his daughter every day for a time... and he always dragged Eddard along, whether he was willing or not.
Eddard thought of Lyanna again.
The night their father betrothed her to Robert, Lyanna had said to him in Winterfell: "I heard he fathered a child on some girl in the Vale."
Eddard had held that baby himself and couldn't possibly deny her words. Besides, he was unwilling to lie to his sister. So he had assured her that whatever dalliances Robert had engaged in before their betrothal were of no consequence, for he was a good man with a sincere heart who would surely love her with all his being.
Lyanna had worn an expression Eddard couldn't comprehend. "My dearest Ned," she had said, "love is precious, it's true, but it cannot change a man's nature... Robert will never be content with one bed."
He remembered it as if it were yesterday. Thinking back now, Lyanna had been dissatisfied with their father's arranged marriage from the very beginning.
Lord Eddard sighed inwardly. He imagined Cersei Lannister wouldn't be too pleased with Robert's habit of sowing his seed everywhere either.
After much deliberation, Lord Eddard was still completely lost. Perhaps Glyn would bring some good news after he finished questioning Heward.
Lord Eddard felt his head ache. What was Jon Arryn doing looking for Robert's bastards? What matter could have been so important that it cost him his life?
The lords of the Small Council were bantering amongst themselves, and Lord Eddard couldn't help but frown slightly.
Lord Eddard listened for a while. As expected... he currently lacked the excess energy to change the situation. Perhaps when Stannis returned to the Small Council, he could make this place a bit more solemn.
From his very first Small Council meeting, Lord Eddard had wanted to get Stannis back to assist him as soon as possible. Thus, he had sent a raven to Dragonstone the very next day. In the letter, Lord Eddard had politely invited Lord Stannis to return to the Small Council, but he had yet to receive a reply.
He rose to his feet and said, "My lords, that will be all for today."
With that, Lord Eddard strode out of the Throne Room.
...
As he neared the Tower of the Hand, Lord Eddard spotted Renly Baratheon, who seemed to be waiting for him.
Lord Eddard hadn't seen Renly at today's Small Council meeting. Petyr had told him, half-jokingly, that the Master of Laws was often absent from the Small Council, and that it was the only thing the two Baratheon brothers had in common.
Renly was friendly and always smiling. Lord Eddard was actually quite fond of the Lord of Storm's End, who bore a striking resemblance to Robert.
Lord Eddard hoped that Renly, as Master of Laws, would devote more of his attention to the affairs of the Realm and help Robert and Eddard govern it. He planned to find some time to have a good talk with Renly soon.
Renly broke into a bright smile. "Ned," he said.
Lord Renly made a few moments of small talk before suddenly asking, "Ned, look and see who this is."
Lord Renly showed Lord Eddard a delicately carved locket of golden rose. Inside was a vivid miniature portrait. The girl in the painting was lovely, with doe-like eyes and a head of soft brown hair.
"Isn't she..."
Lord Eddard recognized the girl in the painting. It was Margaery Tyrell, whom he had seen on the road to King's Landing. Margaery had left a deep impression on him; she was a girl both beautiful and intelligent. He hoped... Lord Eddard thought of his own little daughter who was obsessed with swordplay. It seemed that hope would be hard to realize... perhaps she would grow out of it.
Lord Renly's eyes lit up, his voice tinged with excitement. "Do you recognize who it is?"
Lord Eddard nodded slightly. "Yes, isn't she the daughter of the Lord of Highgarden?"
Lord Renly paused for a moment before saying, "Ned, you've met?"
After a short pause, Lord Eddard replied, "I saw her once in King's Landing."
Lord Renly's pupils dilated and contracted. He raised his hand, turning the portrait in the locket towards Lord Eddard, and said, "Ned, when you see her, does she not remind you of someone?"
Lord Eddard looked at the girl in the painting again and shook his head slightly.
An undisguised look of disappointment appeared on Lord Renly's handsome face. He spoke again, "Ned, don't you think Margaery looks like your sister?"
"Lyanna?"
Lord Renly stared at Lord Eddard and nodded.
Lord Eddard shook his head in denial. "The two of them are not alike..."
Although Lord Eddard wondered why Lord Renly would think Margaery looked like his sister, he didn't show it. He trusted Robert's brother.
"You have seen my younger daughter. Arya looks a great deal like Lyanna."
When Lord Renly had seen Arya, he hadn't paid much attention to the little girl, only remembering that she looked like a little boy.
Lord Eddard's character was trustworthy. Lord Renly had already confirmed the answer; the intelligence he possessed was flawed.
Lord Renly shrugged. "It seems I was mistaken. I thought I might give Robert and you a pleasant surprise."
Lord Eddard reached out and patted Renly's arm. "Renly, Lyanna has never left your brother's heart. It is the same for me."
He added, "But thank you for your kindness."
...
Tower of the Hand.
As Lord Eddard was about to head upstairs, he saw Arya Stark standing on one foot on the spiral staircase, her arms flailing constantly to maintain her balance. The rough stone floor had scraped her little foot.
Lord Eddard stopped in his tracks, his tone tinged with helplessness. "Arya, what are you doing?"
His youngest daughter was always giving him "surprises."
Arya glanced at her father, an excited smile gracing her small face. "Syrio says a water dancer can stand on one toe for hours!"
As she spoke, she waved her arms frantically in the air to keep her balance.
Lord Eddard couldn't help but smile. He teased his daughter, "Which toe?"
Arya huffed and answered, "Any one will do."