Chapter 78

Her husband looked tired. "I did not have the time to tell you." Ned said without looking at her directly.

Cersei stood up from the bed and walked up to him. "You can do better than that." It was an outright lie and they both knew it.

"Jon rides dragons and you do not tell me. Eddard, you should have led with that fact before mentioning this foolishness with the queen." She was upset at Ned for not telling her.

He frowned at her, "I did not want to overwhelm you."

Lady Stark laughed bitterly. "Flimsy excuse. What did you think? That I would never notice him riding a dragon?"

Ned pinched the brigde of his nose. "You only learned about it today so the plan must not be so outlandish."

Cersei frowned back. "Now is not the time for you to be saracastic."

Her husband nodded and grabbed her hand. "I will tell you everything." He said and so Ned explained how Jon rode Rhaegal into battle. Apparently the dragon had claimed him. Cersei knew her husband very well. He was worried about Jon's ability to ride a dragon. Tyrion's words haunted her as they must have hunted Ned. Only Targaryens can ride dragons. Their boy was a Stark.

She looked at him directly in the eyes and said. "It means nothing. Jon is a Stark. He can ride dragons, nothing extraordinary. He is mounting that girl. The beasts can probably smell her on him. That is all."

Ned nodded and kissed her lips until she gave him easy access to her. Cersei knew then. He was afraid. Ned was deathly scared that Jon could in true be a Targaryen. The thought was too horrible for him to bear. "Remember that night. He is your son, our son." She whispered gently. Ned held her. "Riding dragons is quite telling." Her husband said quietly.

"Only Tyrion has asked." Cersei replied assuredly. "You said it yourself. The men think Jon as brave, reckless enough to ride a dragon into battle."

Ned held her tightly and caressed her face, "They are not quite the reading type but once words gets out that could be…" Her husband said lowly.

Cersei kissed his forehead, "Howland Reed is dead. No one else knows about Lyanna and her dead son. Her son died, yours lived. End of the story my love. Jon rides the queen and he rides her dragons." Cersei finished. Jon was much safer as a Stark than he would ever be as anything else. Ned helped her undress. She convinced him that night that it was just fine. She would talk to Jon and disabuse him of his silly notions.

Cersei woke up to Ned's hands on her. She moaned and moved her legs so he could get his fingers deeper inside her. "I love it when you wake me up like this." She said and shuddered when he rolled her little button.

Ned rasped into her ear. He breathed heavily and rubbed against her back. Ned rolled her onto her back and bunched her nightdress. Ned entered her swiftly. Cersei felt his hands on her hips and the rought movement of him. She bit the pillow when he pulled her hair back. "Fuck you're heavenly." He said as he sped up. Cersei felt her knees give out by the force of her orgasm. She was sweaty and he was on her back moving her hair to the side and peppering kisses. "Good morning." She said and kissed him some. Cersei turned to face her. Ned moved her hair from her face.

Her husband looked at her with a satisfied smile. "I want to be inside you all day. Never leave this bed or you." Ned kissed her collarbones.

Cersei nuzzled his cheek. She opened her legs to welcome him. "We have time for another one." She bit his earlobe and rubbed him. He growled at her. "You will have to give me some time Lioness."

She nodded and kept on rubbing hin against her wetness. She felt him harden against her. Ned slipped inside and moved quickly. He was focused on her tits and told her so. "I love to watch them bounce."

Cersei laughed and moved with him. She urged him on by bringing him closer to her. He came with a growl and manhandled her right breast a bit. Cersei kept rubbing until he made her come with his fingers once more. She bit his lips. "What are you going to do today?" She asked her husband.

He sighed, "continue dismissing the men. Rickon will be with me today as well. What about you my lady?"

Lady Stark sighed back. "The dammed feasts preparations my love. I will have my hands full. The first feast in by the end of this week. The dragon queen is full of ideas." She commented.

Ned kissed neck and placed his hand on her right buttock. "Are they any good?"

Cersei felt him ran his hand up and down. "I would not say they are bad. She does not like to keep with tradition and could upset the lords."

Her husband frowned, "well my love. She upsetted seven kingdoms. She put a few of the lords through fire. She rained fire and blood on six of the kingdoms. I daresay the lords are used to being upset at her." Ned finished.

"They fear her but I think they could come to love her." Cersei pointed out. "The girl is not thoughtless my love. She has a girl advisor ruling in King's Landing. She has ideas of bettering the lives of the common folk and the lords alike. She consults with Tyrion, you and other men who have experience. I believe she could make a just ruler under the appropriate counsel." Cersei mused.

Ned was honest with her, "I do not care a fig as long as she leaves Winterfell soon enough. Has she given indication as to when she will march South."

Cersei stood up from the bed, "sweetling, I will be working night and day to get her away from us as soon as possible. I have already implied that the roads will be heavy with snow in a few weeks. The feasts will be done in three weeks. One each week. Robb and Tyrion will leave in fours weeks as should the queen and the royal party. I will make sure to have it that way my love."

She had the maids draw a bath and watched as Ned left for the day. "I will travel to the nearby keeps today as well." He kissed her.

"Will you not break your fast with me?" Cersei asked her husband.

"No lioness, I have to leave early. See to it that Rickon is readied and by the training yards." Her husband said as goodbye.

Cersri finished her bath and went to wake Rickon for the day. Her little boy was sprawled on his bed. "Dearest, it's time for you to wake. Your father awaits you." She said as the boy rubbed his eyes.

"Am I spending the whole day with Papa?" He asked sleepily.

"Yes, my love. Do you not want to?" Cersei replied questioningly.

Lan yawned and moved down. He scratched the door and left as soon as the maid came in. Rickon stood up. "Of course I want to go with Papa. I am a big boy now." He said and dashed out to the privy.

Cersei dressed him and had breakfast with him. Tyrion and Robb were discussing matters when they came into the hall.

"Nuncle, it will be perfectly fine. I was Warden of the East for a few months after you left and the Eyrie was not in shambles." Robb said good naturedly.

"All I ask is that you spend sometime thinking about the upcoming winter. You have to make sure the Vale is properly stocked." Tyrion added. "Sweet sister." He said and kissed her cheek.

"Good day to you Tyrion. Robb." She said as her son kissed her too.

"I am all done mamma." Rickon announded and jumped out of his chair.

Cersei nodded and stood. "There is no need mother. I will take Rickon to the yard. I will leave with father." Robb said while gulping some fruit and bacon.

"You need to break your fast properly." Cersei admonished but it was useless. Robb scooped Rickon. Lan and Grey Wind trailing after them.

Cersei sat back down to finish her meal. Tyrion looked as if he wanted to ask her something. "Out with it. I know you want to ask." Cersei arched an eyebrow at her baby brother.

"What did Eddard say?" Tyrion asked bluntly.

Lady Stark sighed, "my husband harped on about your theory on Targaryens and dragons."

Tyrion interrupted her, "it is not my theory sister. There are no records of anyone but Targaryens riding dragons."

Cersei rolled her eyes, "you are not a fool brother. You read and your mind is sharp I give you that but you have facts from books. I doubt there is a very accurate record of who rode and who did not ride dragons. The beasts have been extinct for at least a century before this girl came and hatched three dragons out of thin air."

Her brother insisted on the topic. "You must know that Eddard told me about the story of Jon's birth and about Howland Reed's letter."

Lady Stark had suspected as much. "There are pieces of the puzzle that you do not have brother mine. You and Eddard have speculated but there is no sure way to know. He looks like a Stark. Would anayone say that he is not mine son?" She grew tired of convincing men that Jon's parentage was not an issue of concern at the moment.

"No one dear sister." Tyrion said but seemed like he wanted to speak more on the matter.

Cersei cut him off before her brother could speak more. "Does he not look like a replica of Ned? Tell me Tyrion. Does Robb not look like his older brother? Jon is a Stark. Ned's son. I do not want to hear more on the matter." She said quickly. It was exhausting. No one in Westeros would raise questions on Jon's parentage but suddenly Ned and Tyrion wanted to sprout conspiracy plots left and right.

"Yes sweet sister." Her brother said. He seemed chastised, served him right Cersei thought.

The rest of her day went uneverntuflly enough. She gathered the hens and the dragon girl once more to start the feasts. It was all clear. They all had roles and parts to play. She wrote to Tommen and Joanna. It had been a few weeks since she heard of Joanna.

A messenger boy came back late that night. Ned and her sons would stay in Torrhen's square for a few days before coming back. Cersei smiled tightly. Ned had played her. She assumed that he would not take Rickon far. She had been mistaken.

Cersei occupied herself with the first feast. It would be for the Northerners whole lived father down. The commonfolk from the White Harbor, the men of the Neck and the majority of the royal armies, as well as Lannisters. It was the third day when she saw the dragons flying overhead. She was walking from the yard to the castle. Sansa, maester Luwin and the queen were by her side. Ned and Rickon were due to come back the following day.

The whole yard was in awe of the beasts. She had to admit it was extraordinary to see such creatures. The men stopped working. They all looked up.

Cersei looked up and saw a third dragon. Her heart sped as she saw her Jon flying. She felt faint. Lady Stark let out a gasp. The other two dragons flew away while Jon directed the third dragon down. He landed and patted the beast. "Good girl." He said as if he were talking to Ghost.

The men around them continued working. Jon came to greet her. "Good afternoon my queen. Mother, lady Lannister." He said and bowed to them.

Lady Stark glared at her son. "How dare you scare your mother so?" She hissed.

"Come with me now. We have to speak." She continued. Cersei was furious with her child. Jon looked puzzled.

"My queen, Sansa you must forgive me. I have to have words with my eldest son." She said and took Jon's arm.

They walked to her parlor. "Mother, I must confess I am rather confused." Her son said surprised.

"You very well know why we are here." She said quickly as she shut the doors.

Jon frowned and sat in one of the chairs. "I am sure father has filled you on my relationship with Daenerys."

Cersei took a calming breath and sat by him. "Your father is worred as I am." She said carefully. Cersei knew she had to choose her words very carefully. The woman willed herself to give him the saddest looks. Ned and all his male children always fell for that look. Tyrion even fell for it as of these past years. She gave him a disappointed glance and willed herself to think of what would happen if everything went wrong. Cersei felt tears well up.

Jon looked alarmed. He held her and whispered, "oh mother." He said in a soft voice. "Please don't cry. Tell me how to make it better." He repeated.

Cersei wiped some of her tears. "Help me understand." She said carefully. It was not the time for her to start demaning that he stopped seeing the queen or remind him of duties like Ned had done. It would not work; not now. According to Ned, their son was beyond talks of duty and land ownership.

Jon began explaining how he fell in love with Daenerys. Cersei tensed every time her son said the woman's name. It was not appropriate for him to call the queen by her given name. Cersei learned that Jon had "dreamed" of the queen for at least a year before they met. According to her son they loved each other from the moment they saw each other. Her son blushed when he explained that they had been as husband and wife from the first night. Jon told her about the babe. "I will fight for her mother. I am sorry mamma but there is nothing you or father can do to stop me."

Cersei let a few more tears and then held his hands. "Sweetling, we don't want another war."

Jon kissed her forehead, "Mamma, there will not be another war. Daenerys has not pledged herself to Aegon. He is her heir. Daenerys has dragons and armies. Aegon does not even have an army."

Cersei sighed and caressed his face. "You are so much like your father at times. Both honorable but I raised you better my love. What will happen when the Prince realizes that the throne he coveted for so long will not be his? He will wage war. Targaryens wed within the family. He is expecting to marry her."

Jon frowned and spoke hardly. "Daenerys will not marry anyone that is not me. I will not let that happen. I can beat Aegon easily. Mother there is no more to discuss." He tried to stand up and leave the rooms but Cersei took his hand. "You marry her and becoming her prince. You will have to leave Winterfell and live in King's Landing. Jon, you would be giving up your independence, your life to be with her. The queen will not give the up the throne. You will be in her shadow, trailing after her and living surrounded by rates and snakes. There will be no shortage of plots to kill her, you and any children you may have. Could you live like that?"

Jon was silent. Cersei looked at him once more. "Let her go. Let her be the queen that she is supposed to be. Your place is here with us. You are of the North. Starks do not do well in the South." She finished.

Her son shook his head, "I beg of you mother. Let us not speak of this once again. Father and I have had multiple discussions on the matter. I have decided to follow Daenerys. I could never let her go. She is mine as I am hers. I love you and father. I love our lands but what I feel for her. What I feel for her is undescribable. There are no words. I am so sorry mamma but I will not give her up." He said and kissed her cheek. Jon left the parlor.

Cersei sighed. It would take more than a discussion to make Jon see reason. Lady Stark retired early that night. She was in no mood to withstand polite company. Ned arrived in the early morning. "We were delayed by some of the men." He said in greeting when he joined her in bed. "Rickon is fast asleep in his quarters." He kissed her shoulder.

Cersei turned and held him. "I spoke to Jon."

"How did it go? Did you make him change his mind?" He asked eagerly. Ned expected good news. It was clear on his hopeful face.

"He is determined that the queen and him are in love. He declared her love for her and announced that he would declare war and fight for her. I planted a seed of doubt." Cersei said. The conversation was not a total waste."

"How?" Ned asked quickly.

"I reminded him of all he would have give up to be with her. I reminded our son that Starks are not designed to live South and that he would have to be constantly watching for plots and danger. I reminded him that loving the queen is a threat to him and his future family. I hope for his sake that Jon understands the impossibility of his infatuation with the queen of the Seven Kingdoms." Cersei conveyed as he held her.

"What do you really think Cersei?" Ned asked.

She looked at him, "that it will be hard. Hardest than we both thought. We will have to mind our mouths and think very carefully. We have to make him understand how different his life would be if he left Winterfell for the Red Keep."

"How do you propose we do that my love?" Ned asked her gently.

Lady Stark sighed, "we ask the queen her plans for King's Landing while in open conversations. We ask prince Aegon about his role in the future of our continent. We keep Jon busy on tasks pertaining Winterfell and the Dreadfort. Let him remember that he loves the North."

Ned kissed her forehead, "I hope it works." He said and held her tightly. Cersei slept easily. The dragon queen would not take her son.