Son of the dragon

GAME OF THRONES SON OF THE DRAGON by jman007

SON OF THE DRAGON

CATELYN TULLY PART I

Riverrun is the ancestral Home of House Tully the Wardens of the Riverlands. Their words, Family, Duty, Honor. Hoster Tully is the Lord of Riverrrun and Warden of the Riverlands. His wife Minisa Tully nee' Whent died giving birth to their youngest child Edmure Tully. Together they had three children in all. Then there is Hoster's brother the Blackfish Bryden Tully. Called the Blackfish because he refused a marriage arrangement by his brother.

Catelyn Tully, often referred to as Cat stands in disbelief as her childhood friend Petyr Baelish challenges her betrothed Brandon Stark to a duel for her hand. She always knew that he loved her, but she never thought he would go this far. It was a romantic gesture, but Cat had no romantic feelings for Petyr Baelish. She had met and fallen in love with Brandon Stark. "I love her and I am willing to fight for her!" He declares to everyone gathered.

"I accept his challenge..." Brandon responds.

"No...Petyr don't do this..."

"I must..."

Lysa runs out of the hall in tears. "Lysa!" Catelyn calls. She looks at her father Lord Hoster Tully, "Father please stop this."

"Some people must learn the hard way..." Hoster Tully coldly replies. He is still upset about Baelish deflowering his other daughter Lysa Tully who just ran out of the main hall.

"Brandon please...If you love me..." Cat begs

He grabs her hands, "I do love you and that is why I must do this..."

They all gather in the courtyard to witness the duel. Petyr charges Brandon roaring at the top of his lungs. Anyone with an eye for swordsmanship can see that Baelish had been training, but clearly Brandon is the better swordsman and is toying with Baelish. He doesn't allow Baelish to land a blow, but he does allow him to show off his skills. Then Baelish makes the mistake of trying to use a dirty trick to land a blow.

It works, "Seems I have drawn first blood..." He arrogantly mocks.

Brandon goes into a blind rage and attacks Baelish with everything he has. He disarms Baelish and slashes him from neck to navel. Down he goes and Brandon is ready to finish him off when Catelyn runs into the arena. "Brandon please! Spare him...He's just a boy trying to be something he is not...Spare him I beg you..."

Hoster Tully allows Petyr to be tended to by his Maester. "Will he live?" Catelyn asks.

"Yes my lady, the wound wasn't deep and no organs were damaged..."

"Cat..." He weakly calls.

"Rest My Lord..."

A few weeks later Petyr leaves Riverrun without saying goodbye to anyone. The time for the wedding is fast approaching and every lord in the Riverlands is invited. Catelyn is happy beyond words, but news is received that Prince Rhaegar Targaryen had kidnapped Lyanna Stark. Cat is summoned to the main hall. "Father...Ed...Bran is something wrong? Maester Arland said it was urgent..."

Brandon walks up to her and takes her hands. He looks at his father Rickard Stark and Lord Hoster, "I must go with my father to the Capital..."

She frowns, "Why?"

"My sister has been kidnapped by Prince Rhaegar...Our wedding will have to wait..."

"I understand..." Catelyn wants to tell him to stay out of it, but it is his sister and the words of House Tully are Family, Duty, Honor. She couldn't be selfish. "Be safe and come back to me..." Secretly Cat is afraid, because they often refer to Aerys Targaryen as the Mad King. The Mad King loves to burn his enemies and all those he thinks is plotting against him.

Many weeks pass with no word from Brandon or his father. Then as Catelyn is going about her daily routine she is summoned by her father to his Solar. When she arrives Edmure, Lysa, and their Uncle are waiting. "I just received a Raven from the Capital..." Cat grabs her Uncle's hand, "The King is calling for all those loyal to him for war..."

"But why?" Brynden asks.

"I am sorry Cat, but the King has executed Brandon and his father for treason..."

"No...Brandon!" She falls to her knees, but doesn't make it as her Uncle holds her up. She calls his name over and over again. No one notices as Lysa smiles at the news of Brandon Stark's death.

("Serves him right for wounding my beloved Baelish...") She thinks to herself.

Brynden takes Cat to her room. A few days later her father comes to speak with her. "I wanted to give you time to mourn...Sides are being chosen all over the Realm...Those keeping faith with House Targaryen and those banning together to overthrow the Mad King and his son...As you know Brandon has two younger brothers...With Brandon and his father dead, Lordship of the North and Winterfell goes to Eddard Stark..."

"You want me to marry Eddard Stark?"

"Yes I do...I want this alliance...it will make House Tully stronger...More importantly I intend to support those who wish to see an end to the Targaryen rule..."

"Family, Duty, Honor..." Cat says hugging her father.

"One more thing...I will need your help with Lysa...Despite what happened with Petyr Baelish Lord Arryn has agreed to marry your sister..."

"This will not end well..." Cat says regretting the coming storm.

CATELYN TULLY PART II

EDDARD STARK

The weight of the world had fallen squarely on the shoulders of Eddard Stark. He was a second son and never expected to lead men into battle or become the Lord of House Stark and Warden of the North. When word came of his father and brother's death Ned as everyone called him took it hard. Thank the gods for Lord Jon Arryn of the Vale. Jon Arryn was a second father to him. Jon's encouraging words and words of comfort were a great help to Eddard in these trying times. It gave him the strength to summon the Lords of the North, form an army fifteen thousand strong and rebel against the Mad King.

Eddard rides up the King's Road with Howland Reed, Great Jon Umber, Rodrick Cassel, and the entire Northern army. His younger brother Benjen Stark remains at Winterfell as there must always be a Stark in Winterfell. "Looking forward to meeting your bride?" Great Jon asks.

"Excited and nervous...But my mind is on revenge."

"Don't worry Ned...I mean my Lord..."

"Please call me Ned...Robert always says you find your real friends on the battle field..."

He laughs, "To true..."

When they arrive at Riverrun Jon Arryn is waiting with his Banners, he stands in the main courtyard with Lord Hoster, his son Edmure, Catelyn, Lysa, and Brynden. "Welcome my Lords to my home...In the sight of the gods I offer you all guest rights...enjoy the protection of my home and my hospitality." After guest rights are observed Lord Hoster introduces Ned and Jon to his daughters.

"An honor to meet you my lady...I know I am not my brother...He spoke very highly of you...I hope that I am not too much of a disappointment..."

Cat smiles, "Not at all My Lord..."

Lysa makes a cold stare as she greets her intended. Later the Lords gather in the main hall. "Lord Robert Baratheon has defeated the Targaryen loyalists in the Stormlands..." Brynden says to the gathered Lords.

Jon nods, "I heard he defeated three armies in one day..."

"Yes and now the hot headed Robert Baratheon is marching into the Reach to face the Tyrell army at Ashford..." Lord Hoster says in a disapproving tone.

"Robert was always a brash young man..."

"My scouts report that Jon Connington is marching an army on his flank..."

"What of the Lannister forces?" Ned asks.

"They have not stirred...The Old Lion sits in his castle waiting..."

"We should keep an eye on him anyway." Ned says. "He has no love for the Mad King not anymore...He could be waiting to see who wins the war and clean up afterwards..."

Brynden looks at him, "I was thinking the same..."

"Perhaps we should wait in the in the Riverlands...Let the Targaryen forces come to us..." Ned suggests.

"Aye but where?" Howland Reed asks.

Brynden points at the Trident, "Here we lure them here and annihilate them..."

The food had been prepared and the decorations put up, the Septon called and the time came for the wedding or rather two weddings at the same time. Ned and Jon stand before the Septon in their finest clothes as Hoster Tully escorts his daughters to the front. Lysa is teary eyed, while Catelyn wears a smile on her face. The words are said and the feasting begins. Ned looks at Catelyn and leans over, "Did you love him?"

She flinches and looks at Ned, "Who my Lord..."

"My brother..."

She smiles, "Yes I did...do..."

"I miss him...Wanted so much to be like him..."

She kisses Ned on the cheek and that is when Edmure stands up tapping his goblet, "Father honored guests...It is time for the bedding ceremony..."

Everyone cheers, "THERE WILL BE NO BEDDING CEREMONY!" Eddard announces in a loud and stern voice. It goes quiet.

"But my lord Stark it is tradition..."

"Ed!" Lord Hoster warns.

"It is also tradition that wishes of the groom be respected and I have no wish to punch a man in the face on my wed day..." And with that Eddard Stark stands up and takes Catelyn's hand and leads her from the dining hall.

"Thank you..." Catelyn says after he locks the door to the bridal chamber.

He sighs and walks up to Catelyn. "I want you all to myself..." He takes her hands in his, "I promise that nothing shall happen without your consent..."

"I will try to be a good wife and fulfill all your needs My Lord..."

Ned smiles and strokes her hair, "Your needs are just as important as mine My Lady..."

They share a second kiss and then Ned starts to undress her slowly. Catelyn lets her hair down and then she starts to undress him. They are now completely naked. "You are so beautiful..." He lays her down on the bed and climbs in between her legs. She moans as he gently enters her for the first time. They make love three times that night before falling asleep holding one another.

The next morning Ned sits beside the bed watching Cat sleep. She starts to stir and wakes up. "Morning..."

"How long have you been up?"

"An hour or more...Are you hungry?"

"Yes..." They eat and then make love again.

A week later word arrives that Robert had been defeated by Randyl Tarly on the battlefield and is in retreat to the Step Stones with Jon Connington on his tail. A month after that word arrives that Robert had defeated Jon Connington and is sailing his army to the Salt Pans. Meanwhile Rhaegar Targaryen was spotted near Bitterbridge with ten thousand Dornish troops.

"The Dragon Prince wants to Parlay..." Jon says reading the letter before the allied forces.

"Rhaegar can parlay with my War Hammer!" Robert bellows in the main hall of Riverrun. He had arrived at Riverrun with his army a few days ago.

"AYE!" A few Northerners reply.

"We stick to the plan..." Ned says speaking up, "...Let Rhaegar and his supporters come to us." He looks at Robert. "Are we agreed..."

"I don't like all this waiting around for a fight to come to me...But I will do things your way Ned..."

A few days later word arrives that Rhaegar is personally leading the royal army and is marching up the Rose Road towards the Riverlands. "Come back to me..." Catelyn says kissing Ned.

"I will do my best..." He replies and then they kiss. She gives him a favor before he mounts his horse. Then Cat, Edmure, and Lysa watch as their husbands leave with their father to war.