The sun was still beaming high up in the sky.
The day wasn't close to being done, but it still felt like it had gone on for far too long. At least, this was how it felt for Ned.
Perhaps if night came and everyone went to sleep, then the events of the day would just wash away like a bad dream.
If only.
Ned had to actively stop himself from pacing back and forth inside Elbert's tent as Robert, who was currently unconscious, was tended to by a maester. Robert's armor had been removed and his body cleaned as best as possible before he was examined. Ned's faithful companion, Grey Storm, rested to the side, his mood low. Subconsciously, Ned could feel the direwolf's sadness for him, but he did not actively pick up on that at the moment. His mind was far too occupied with Robert's condition to be able to do that right now.
The maester served under the Lannisters. He was an unassuming man, and he was one of many who was on standby in case of any injuries during the tourney. The Lannisters had both the resources and pride to provide such a service to the other lords, and it was coming in handy at the moment. It meant that Robert could receive treatment as quickly as possible, something the unconscious Baratheon desperately needed.
A part of Ned felt anxious to leave the care of his best friend in the hands of a man who was employed by one of the families whom Robert insulted today, but there was little that he could do about that. He didn't have the skills of a maester.
'Prince Rhaegal took an eye….and his hand….'
Robert's dominant hand had been nearly burnt to a crisp. Honestly, when Robert's armor was removed for the first time and Ned saw the hand, he nearly vomited. The hand was charred black all over, with the only parts of the skin that weren't completely burnt being filled with blisters. The burns extended down to the wrist too. Robert had other minor burns on the rest of his body. No doubt a side effect of being so close to the prince's magical flames. Ned doubted those burns would cause much problem.
This wasn't mentioning Robert's other wounds.
But the hand….and the missing eye….no doubt, Rhaegal Targaryen had wanted to send a message, and Ned understood it clearly.
Crossing the Targaryens meant getting burnt, literally.
There was also the prince's dragon. Ned still felt the terror in his heart when he first saw the beast landing on the tourney grounds. Many tents had been destroyed due to the beast's massive size. The prince said that he would recompense those that had been damaged, but that mattered little in the grand scheme of things.
How could a man command such a monster? Ned didn't understand how the Targaryens were still human with such beasts at their side.
The dragon had done nothing but land and roar, and yet it had been enough for Ned to grasp why the Targaryens were the masters of Westeros. There was no way to fight against something like that. At least, not through traditional means.
The scariest part of all was that there were more of them. One dragon seemed bad enough, but multiple? It was enough to give Ned nightmares.
Elbert stood nearby, his arms crossed. He had not looked happy from the moment that Robert rode onto the tourney grounds until now. He had not spoken either, so Ned did not know what he could be thinking about the situation.
Probably nothing good.
Ned could not blame him. He himself had been caught off guard by what had happened. He had no idea that Robert had been planning on doing something so foolish. If he had, then maybe he could have stopped him. Not only had Robert insulted the Lannisters with this stunt, but he had also tried to make a mockery of the Targaryens and the Starks. And the Martells too, considering the fact that he was betrothed to Princess Elia.
Well, maybe not anymore after what happened today.
To reveal such an important proposal before the king had a chance to do so himself, and to challenge that proposal in front of the realm….it was the epitome of folly. There were many lords present at the tourney. The only ones of note who were missing were the Martells. Robert probably thought that this would serve to make his "victory" all the greater if the eyes of the realm were on him when he crushed Rhaegal Targaryen.
So foolish.
'Robert, do you care for Lyanna this much?' Ned had been asking himself this question for a while.
His friend was never one to shy away from his growing interest in women, but to go this far for Lyanna….
Was it really for Lyanna, though? Or was Robert's pride wounded after discovering why he had been rejected by Ned's father? These other thoughts invaded Ned's mind sometimes too. He wanted to argue against them, but he always fell silent.
Standing inside the tent, watching the maester go about his work over his friend's unconscious body, gave Ned a lot of time to think about many things. This helped him piece together several clues, one of which was why his father had rejected Robert's proposal to one day wed Lyanna in the first place. Before, Ned hadn't understood why his father would turn down such an advantageous match. Now he knew better.
It was because he had a better offer lined up: a prince with a dragon.
Ned could hardly believe it. His little sister was going to be the wife of a dragon rider? It meant that his nephews or nieces could one day become dragon riders themselves. It was madness! And yet, also true. Such was the way of the world now, wasn't it? It was a world where Ned had a direwolf, and the Targaryens had dragons.
Conventional thinking no longer applied.
Thinking about his sister just gave Ned another headache. He had been kept in the dark about his father's dealings with the royal family, and so had his sister if her reaction to Robert's declaration before the duel was anything to go by. Ned wasn't all that surprised that their father would keep something like this from Lyanna. Their father did not have much faith that she would not do something to screw things up before the official announcement.
Ned wanted to be on his sister's side, truly, but he also knew just how willful Lyanna could be, and that was him being nice. If she didn't want to marry Daeron and found out about the betrothal beforehand, then she would try to make a mess of it, something that their father could not afford to let happen.
'Ugh, this is getting me nowhere.'
Ned was just thinking in circles now. And really, what did his thoughts matter? The situation was never in his hands to begin with.
'And Robert….'
Ned dared a glance at his friend's face. Even in his unconscious state, Robert did not have a peaceful visage. He was sweating, and his face was stuck in a grimace even as his wounds were tended. His rest was not a tranquil one. His body no doubt recognized the great pain that it was in even if the mind was not able to at the moment.
There should have been more than one maester present to handle Robert's condition, but Tywin Lannister probably held back from assigning more as a way to punish Robert.
'Maybe I'm just overthinking it.'
Ned didn't want to start seeing shadows everywhere he went even though there weren't any.
It was when the maester sighed audibly that Ned refocused on him.
"What is it, maester?" Ned wanted to know.
Elbert listened in as well.
"It does not appear that his life is in any danger," the maester said as he cleaned his face with a piece of cloth. "His eye was removed remarkably well. Prince Rhaegal did not damage the surrounding area but rather delivered a precise cut. No doubt partly thanks to his Valyrian steel sword. There is little risk of infection."
Ned had to stop himself from scowling at the maester. Even if Robert was at fault for what happened, he did not want to hear about the prince's incredible skills with his sword.
"What about his hand?" Elbert kept his calm as he asked a question of his own. "Can it be saved?"
"I'm afraid that is out of the question," the maester answered. It was not the answer that Ned wanted to hear, but it was the one he received anyway. "The hand has been irreparably damaged. The flames damaged even the bones underneath. It cannot move. It does not respond to any touch. I'm certain Lord Baratheon will be unable to feel anything with it when he awakens. It is practically dead. Lord Baratheon will never be able to use it again. My best advice is to have it removed. If left as it is, there is a high likelihood of an infection spreading to the rest of his body. He will be better served without it."
For a moment, Ned's irrational side wanted to believe that the maester was lying. That perhaps the Lannisters had planted the man as a way to further punish Robert for what he had done. But taking a look at the burnt hand again, Ned realized that he was just kidding himself.
Rhaegal Targaryen would not have let Robert live without any permanent damage.
'But to go to this extent?'
Not just Robert's eye, but also a hand? Was that not excessive? Cruel even?
'Am I just deluding myself?'
Ned felt tired. Not physically, but mentally. He could give no response to the maester as he knelt beside Robert's makeshift bed.
Elbert did not answer either. He merely closed his eyes as he sighed deeply.
After a few seconds, he uttered, "What a mess."
Ned could not agree more.
Before more words could be said, the entrance to the pavilion flapped open as Brandon stepped inside. He was not dressed in his armor but rather one of his many silk and linen tunics.
Unlike Ned, Brandon did not appear to have a shred of remorse as he took a glance inside the pavilion.
"Maester." It was but one word, but the maester understood its meaning as he bowed before quickly exiting the pavilion.
Elbert stepped closer to Brandon. "Robert still-"
"Is he dying?" Brandon cut him off.
Elbert couldn't hold back a grimace. "No."
"Then it does not matter."
"What?" Still kneeling, Ned looked up at his brother as he came to stand beside him. "How can you say that? Robert requires assistance!"
"If you ask me, he's already getting more than he deserves." There was anger in Brandon's voice that caught Ned off guard. "The idiot got himself involved in something that was none of his business. And for what? His so-called affection for Lyanna? Utter nonsense. I'm surprised you're degrading yourself like this, Eddard. Kneeling at his side like a common fool. He's made a mockery of father. Of us. Do you not realize how important of a match this is? What it means for our family to secure a royal match at a time like this? And to have it tarnished in such a way. Now everyone will think of this duel moving forward. Not to mention that the Martells will get involved, and there's no telling what Rhaegal will do."
Calling him Eddard. Brandon was mad, madder than Ned could remember.
Worse, Ned had no response to this. He knew he was giving Robert more leeway than he would grant anyone else. He wanted to believe that Robert did not mean for the situation to spiral out of control. That he was not thinking about the consequences of his actions but rather was focused on his heart, which longed for Lyanna.
But then, where did that leave him? Sure, it sounded romantic to say that Robert was following his heart, but reality was far more cruel. Not to mention that his "affection" for Lyanna was one that his sister did not reciprocate, so of what use was it?
Ned knew he had no defense to offer, and yet his body still hesitated to stand. His loyalty to Robert and his loyalty to his family were causing him to falter.
Perhaps he was just too soft to be a proper lord, to do what was necessary.
Elbert's face was troubled. "Is the crown prince calling for Robert's head?"
Brandon didn't bother to look at Elbert as he answered, "Don't be a fool. If he wanted Robert dead, then he would have killed him during the duel. No. Rhaegal will probably want to make Robert suffer for crossing his family. He's rather sensitive when it comes to that, you know. What that means I do not know yet. And who can blame him after this mess? He'll want to make an example of Robert….well, if the king doesn't do something about it first. He's demanded a meeting with our father and Steffon Baratheon, and he was not happy. That's why I'm here. To clean up after you, Eddard."
What?
Ned was not able to question his brother as Brandon roughly grabbed him by the arm and pulled him up. The younger Stark could not hide his flinch as he noticed Brandon's eyes. They were unwavering and cold like the winter. At that moment, they reminded Ned of his father's eyes.
"Elbert Arryn. As of this moment, my brother, Eddard Stark, will no longer be a ward of Lord Jon Arryn of the Eyrie. Once the tourney concludes, he shall return to the North with the rest of the family."
Ned was too stunned to say anything about the proclamation as Brandon began to drag him out of the pavilion with Grey Storm quietly following after them.
"Wait." Elbert had been just as stunned by Brandon's words as Ned but was able to recover quicker. "Did Lord Stark-?"
"My father gave the order, yes." Brandon wasn't giving Elbert a chance to speak. "He will be sending a formal declaration to Lord Arryn later. I'm sure you understand that we will keep our distance for now. Robert has made sure of that."
"The Targaryens trampled all over the sanctity of the duel. Using magic before the Seven. If you think it wise to-"
Elbert's voice was panicked. He sounded almost hysterical as he tried to form a case on Robert's behalf on the spot.
"It is more than wise."
It did not matter.
Brandon didn't bother to give Elbert time to come up with an argument as he walked out of the pavilion, still dragging Ned with him. Frost was waiting for them outside, his tail wagging. There were also Lannister guards posted outside. No doubt to keep an eye out for Robert to make sure that he did not escape.
Even as stunned as he was, Ned felt as though he was missing something important about that exchange just now. Still, he did not question his brother. He did not feel that he had any right to do so after hesitating to stand firmly by his family.
The decision had been made for him, but for the first time Ned began to see that maybe he had been living in a false reality in the Eyrie. Perhaps the charade could have lasted a bit longer if things had gone differently, but life was rarely kind.
It was time for him to start making his own convictions.
---
There was no blood on Rhaegal. There was no sweat either. Robert Baratheon could not be called a challenge. Perhaps if his cousin had not been so foolish and waited a few more years before challenging the dragons, then maybe he could have given Rhaegal a proper match.
Then again, Rhaegal would have been polishing his skills too, so who knew.
Rhaegal did not dwell on it. He had not fought Robert because he sought a challenge. It was the opposite. For the first time in his life, Rhaegal had allowed his anger to dominate his actions. The anger he had suppressed at knowing what the future could have been had he not been born had emerged during that fight, combining with his newfound anger at his family's honor being trampled. Even then, at the very end, Rhaegal had wrestled control back from his emotions just long enough to not take Robert's life. The fact that he had used magic in a duel before the realm was already going to cause headaches in the future. He did not need Robert's death on top of that. Not right now.
Not that it wouldn't have been easy….or even deserved.
Robert had gotten off lightly all things considered.
Honestly, Robert had done everything he could do to earn himself an early death.
And now, his father was demanding more blood. Rhaegal wasn't sure what would be decided in the meeting between his father and the other lords, but that didn't have anything to do with him.
Right now, he just needed to relax.
The first day of the tourney had pretty much been cancelled anyway, so there would be nothing else for him to look forward to.
This was why Rhaegal marched his way back to his tent. Arthur walked by his side. No one else dared stand in his way, not with the anger still simmering in him.
His family were already making their way back to Casterly Rock. His mother had asked him to join them, but Rhaegal wanted to change out of his armor first.
'T'ch, and now the armor's first appearance has been forgotten.'
Thanks to Robert's idiocy, Rhaegal's Valyrian steel armor was now a side note to the bigger issue at hand.
'After all the effort it took to make it.'
Rhaegal wasn't sure how Marwyn, Melisandre, and the other red priests were going to react about their creation being forgotten like this.
Or perhaps it was just Rhaegal's pride flaring up again. Honestly, that was probably the case.
'I shouldn't be getting so worked up again.'
He could already feel Ancalagon stirring again in the back of his mind. After defeating Robert, he had to reassure the dragon that everything was okay and that he could return to where the others were. Rhaegal had not planned for Ancalagon to intervene when he did, but it worked out well enough. He struck fear and awe into the minds of the lords, which was what he needed after Robert's stunt.
Rhaegal ordered Arthur to stay outside and not let anyone in as he stepped inside his tent. Ashara was with the rest of his family, so it was not like she would come. And right now, she would be the only one he would entertain seeing under these circumstances.
And yet, as Rhaegal took his first steps inside his tent, his brow furrowed when he found a young woman waiting for him inside.
The woman was around his age, perhaps younger? At a single glance, Rhaegal could tell that she was pretty. She wore a simple blue dress which did not hide her shapely breasts. She had long flowing dark brown hair, almost black, which reached down to her wide hips. Her skin was noticeably pale and held no blemishes. Her big brown eyes met his for a moment before she bowed.
"Prince Rhaegal Targaryen. I hope you pardon my intrusion."
She was well-spoken for one of the smallfolk. The dress alone was enough to tell Rhaegal that this was not the daughter of a lord sent here to seduce him. Otherwise they would have dressed her up more.
Still, it did not change his response to her ploy. Even if her timing had been better, nothing would have changed.
"Since you know who I am, then you must know how foolish it is to enter a prince's tent uninvited, girl."
"Forgive me, my prince." Despite Rhaegal's words, the unidentified woman did not waver. "I thought you might require some company after your match. I can only imagine the anger you must have felt at having your family's honor besmirched by the Baratheon."
This girl. She really did know how to speak, didn't she?
Despite himself, Rhaegal found some curiosity creeping in as he looked at her.
"What's your name?"
"Jeyne Rivers, my prince. I'm…a natural daughter to Lord Walder Frey."
A Frey? Rhaegal never would have guessed. Despite the old lord supposedly having as many kids as there had ever been Targaryens, Rhaegal had never actually met a Frey before. Or if he had, then he couldn't remember. Other than the fact that he was planning on ending their monopoly over their beloved river crossing, he hadn't given the Freys much thought. The rumors said that they were all "weasel-like" with pinched faces. Something of a side effect of being children to the less than attractive Walder Frey.
'I guess being a bastard must have saved her from that fate,' Rhaegal thought with some dry amusement before letting the thought go.
He walked past her as he removed Brightflame from his side and placed it down.
"So the old lord sent a bastard daughter to me. I see he has little shame."
"My father does not know that I'm here." Jeyne kept her head low. "With everyone still talking about your glorious dragon, my prince, I found an opportunity to sneak in after seeing that your tent had not been destroyed."
Yes, he imagined that no one wanted to get close to where Ancalagon had been without making sure that it was safe first.
Lucky her, but also gutsy.
"You know who I am, and you still dared to risk it?" Rhaegal wasn't sure what to make of that to be honest.
"Is there a risk, my prince?" Jeyne lifted her head. The intensity coming from her eyes made it clear to Rhaegal what her goal was, not that there had been any doubts already. "I saw how tense you were from everything that happened. I may be inexperienced and just a bastard daughter of the Freys, but I assure that I'm willing to do anything that I can to help ease that tension."
For a moment Rhaegal wondered if the old Walder Frey allowed all his bastards to learn how to speak properly or if Jeyne was an exception.
Well, whatever. It mattered little.
"I admire your boldness, my lady." Rhaegal would offer her some amount of respect for her courage. Whether she was ordered to come here by her family or if she was telling the truth and decided to act on her own, there were not many women who would dare step into his tent like this. "It is for that reason alone that I'm willing to overlook your actions today. Now leave my tent. I have more pressing concerns than what you want of me."
Rhaegal was prepared to have Arthur throw her out if she pushed her luck any further, but surprisingly the young woman bowed her head again. Even so, he did not miss the smile with which she did it.
"Your words do me a kindness, Prince Rhaegal. May we meet again."
She turned and left without another word.
Rhaegal almost missed Arthur's surprised expression as she opened the tent when she stepped out. There was a confidence in her steps that gave Rhaegal pause.
'Why did she walk out like she won something?'
Wasn't her goal to get Rhaegal to sleep with her? Was his anger and impatience making him lose sight of something here?
Rhaegal didn't understand but didn't dwell on it. Depending on what his father decided, he might have a stag to deal with once the day was through.
---
Rickard Stark never imagined that the first time he stepped into Casterly Rock would be under these circumstances. To be honest, he wasn't sure if any Stark had ever come to the historic fortress as far as he could remember. At the very least, not since the founding of the Iron Throne.
Unfortunately, Rickard was not able to enjoy the occasion for what it was as he found himself standing before King Aerys inside Tywin's private solar within the castle. The king had taken the head seat for himself, wearing the infamous crown of the Unworthy, while Rickard, Steffon, and Tywin stood before him. Two Wardens and a Lord Paramount standing before the king.
How historic.
Hoster was relieved the last time Rickard had seen him not to be involved in this mess, and Rickard could not blame him. Fortunately for him, the king's ire was reserved mostly on Steffon who was looking devastated after everything that had happened.
Rickard could not fault him really. As idiotic as Robert Baratheon's actions were, seeing your son crippled would bring pain to any man.
It was the first time Rickard had seen Rhaegal's anger for himself, and he was thankful that it had not been aimed at his family. There was also the dragon who decided to make itself known just as the duel was concluding. It was a powerful image for all to see. It was the first time that one of the dragons was seen up close by so many, and the manner in which it was done was effective, whether planned or not.
The strength of the Targaryens was clear for all to see.
And yet….
'Did you plan for this, Jon?'
Rickard was uncertain. He did not know whether Jon had somehow orchestrated all of this and if he did to what end. It seemed farfetched. Steffon had already admitted that Robert learned about the engagement of Lyanna and Daeron from him. But did Jon somehow push Robert to escalate the situation to this extent? Sure, Jon was not here, but Elbert was. And Robert and Elbert were close. Elbert was close to Eddard too.
Again, Rickard was uncertain. Hoster told him that if Jon was behind all of this then he did not know. Rickard was not so naive as to take Hoster's word as the truth, but in this instance he was willing to give the Tully the benefit of the doubt. Their houses were tied now, and despite Hoster's instance of playing the field, even he knew that he had to distance himself from Jon Arryn at the moment.
Rickard was of the same mind. He had given Jon his warnings, but he was met with silence instead. And now this? Rickard could no longer risk Eddard remaining in the Eyrie. Unfortunately, he could not take any direct actions. Doing so risked Jon naming Rickard as a past ally and turning the Targaryens' ire to the North. Rickard knew that removing Eddard from the Eyrie would upset Jon, but Jon couldn't retaliate as things were. Not directly. Doing so risked his own position.
They were in a stalemate, but ultimately Rickard knew that he would come out ahead. He still had the royal match, after all. What did Jon have?
It was a delicate position to be in, true, but such was the risk that Rickard brought upon himself when he decided to involve himself in the politics of the south.
"Do you understand the foolishness of your actions, Steffon!?" Aerys raged as he slammed his fist on the table between them. "Your son dared to challenge the blood of the dragon!? Before the entire realm!?"
"I…" Steffon kept his eyes low. He didn't dare to look at his cousin. It was unnerving for Rickard to see a man who was usually so confident and so charismatic be reduced to such a cowed individual.
"My son…Robert, he has expressed his….affections toward Lyanna Stark in the past." Steffon swallowed a lump in the back of his throat as he spoke. He was choosing his words carefully. "I wanted him to understand that such a union was not possible. That is why I told him. But I did not think that…."
"That your son harbored treasonous thoughts toward my house!?" Aerys finished for him as he glowered. "That he would challenge my son Daeron!?"
Steffon didn't give an answer.
Rickard could not fault him for that. There was no answer to give.
To be honest, as cold as it sounded, Rickard was no longer interested in his friend's current state. He was confident that Steffon would bounce back. No, the one that interested him more was Tywin Lannister.
The lion had not yet spoken. He was merely hanging back, his eyes studying everything. No doubt all of this was a surprise to him. The Lannisters had been trying to tie themselves to Rhaegal for many years now. To learn that not only was Rhaegal still unavailable but also Daeron as well….yeah, Rickard took some satisfaction in that.
The problem was what happened next. Was Tywin planning on retaliating in some way? Not at the Targaryens, but at the Starks?
"Did you have a hand in your son's treason?"
Rickard refocused on the king when he heard those words. Tywin's face became more guarded. And Steffon? Steffon stiffened.
'I see.'
Rickard had to fight back the urge to sigh. He had a good idea of what Aerys was planning on doing.
"No…I did not know what my son was planning on doing," Steffon whispered, his face defeated.
'Even if you try to phrase it differently, I doubt Aerys will be swayed,' Rickard thought.
Sure enough, Aerys snorted in derision.
"Be glad for my mercy, Steffon. If I didn't know any better, then I would have you in chains alongside that son of yours."
Aerys was no longer shouting. That should have been a good sign, but Rickard knew that that wasn't the case. It just meant that the king was thinking more carefully how he would punish the Baratheons.
The king drummed his fingers on the table as he glanced at each of them for a few moments, studying them.
"My son was kind enough to allow Robert Baratheon to keep his life, but I wonder if you think his treason has been paid in full yet."
He was throwing the question at them.
Rickard did not dare speak first. He was not happy with what had happened, but after what Rhaegal did his annoyance was more tempered.
"Robert…." Steffon hesitated. "I do not know his condition yet. Whether he will make a full recovery."
"One of the maesters is overseeing him at the moment," Tywin said, his voice more detached than Rickard expected. "I also have my men watching over him. As soon as he wakes, he will be brought to Casterly Rock. I did not think it wise to move him too much in his condition until it was certain that it was safe."
A small mercy perhaps.
Aerys ignored most of Tywin's explanation as his eyes settled on Steffon. "Whether he will recover or not does not matter to me, Lord Baratheon. As it stands, your heir has made an enemy of the crown. Are you willing to stand beside him in what is to come?"
The king's words were met with silence.
It was just as Rickard expected. He was certain that Tywin thought the same as him.
"No, your Grace." For the first time since the meeting began, Steffon stood straight as he did not shy away from the king's gaze. "I recognize the grave error that Robert has committed. As of this moment, he is no longer my heir. My second born, Stannis, will become the new heir of Storm's End."
Well. Steffon had a stronger heart than Rickard expected. He wondered for a moment if Steffon had been mulling this over ever since the duel first took place or if this was something he just decided upon seeing the anger from Aerys.
Aerys' lip curled into a smile. It was a twisted thing, but Rickard and the others could tell that he was pleased.
"Good. Then Robert Baratheon will be sent to the Wall once he's able and stripped of his lordship. He will take the black for the rest of his life, unable to inherit any titles for the rest of his life. Perhaps the cold shall teach the stag some humility in the face of his betters."
It was a heavy handed decree, one that could have severe implications for the future. Even with cause, the king had essentially forced his will upon one of the great houses with impunity. Not to mention that this decision would also impact the Martells as this nullified their betrothal. If they had any disagreements, they were unfortunately not here to make their case.
Would they be angered that such an important marriage had been stripped from them? Or would they be delighted to be rid of Robert after his stunt? Would they try to appeal somehow?
So many questions.
The events at the tourney at Lannisport would shape the future of the realm, and it wasn't done yet.
---------
AN: I meant to upload this yesterday, but I got distracted.
Anyway, I died but then lived. It's a whole story (not really).
I saw the last chapter had over 400 comments. Not gonna lie, I did not expect that. Crazy. I will be honest and say that I have not read them all. Too many for me to track when I logged back into my profile.
Anyway, the show must go on. Or the story or whatever.
Poor Robert and Ned. The star crossed lovers, ripped apart. Except not really. If Robert goes to the Wall, then he and Ned will be closer.
Poor Jon, though.
That's all I got to say. For a full update of why I've been missing for like two months, I went over that in my other story. Real world commitments was the big one really.
I'll be better with updates next time. If I have to take a small break from the story, I'll make an update explaining that so people don't think this story has been dropped. I saw some comments about that. I forget that this site is all about daily updates and whatnot. Still not used to that.