12 Chapter 12

"We all sincerely regret that your father and brother were the first of the war's casualties, Lord Eddard," Elia professed, "But please do not place all the guilt for their deaths at Lyanna's feet. I am just as much to blame for your sister's flight as she or my husband is."

"I can accept that, Your Grace," Eddard uttered, still quite furious, "But my father and brother might still live if you had not been so hasty."

"Enough!" Gregor Clegane bellowed, causing everyone present to jump.

When all eyes were on him, he pronounced "What's done is done and cannot be undone. There is no use lamenting over it. I understand your frustration, Lord Eddard, but you just waged a war to rescue your sister. I would do the same for mine. I would not care whether or not she was the reason for all the fighting. I would thank the gods if they just kept her alive and reunited me with her."

There came an interval of silence as everyone absorbed the Mountain's point.

Eddard let out a slow breath and commented "You've an excellent point, Ser Gregor. I am happy to be with Lya again, I assure you. I could never hate her for this or anything. But even so…"

He did not finish his sentence. He just sighed and leaned against the wall, brushing his long dark brown hair out of his eyes.

"Ned, when I heard about Father and Brandon, I was devastated," Lyanna apprised her brother, not wanting him to think her heartless or thoughtless, "I was so overcome with guilt that I wanted to kill myself at one point. Luckily, Elia and Rhaegar talked me out of that. Later on, I thought about coming out of hiding, but they talked me out of that, too. My reappearance would not have been enough to cease the fighting; it would have only made things worse. Also, I was already with child by then. There would have been no way to explain that without telling the truth. The only solution was for me to go somewhere untouched by the war. So Elia and Rhaegar sent me here for the duration of my pregnancy. Ser Arthur, Ser Oswell, and Ser Gerold have not been holding me prisoner. They've been protecting me."

"They performed their job admirably," Doran Martell noted.

The three Kingsguard knights appeared indifferent to the prince's remark, but they were evidently pleased to have their obedience acknowledged.

"So, where do we go from here?" Oberyn Martell asked curiously.

Gregor stepped forward and announced "For now… I'd recommend doing nothing."

At least Doran will approve of that strategy.

Few others there did, though.

"Nothing?" Gerold Hightower murmured, as though he was disgusted.

"What would you do?" Gregor firmly debated, "The rebellion is over. The realm has been torn apart by war. Most of those who were loyal to the Targaryens have sworn fealty to the Baratheons. There is no point to start the fighting up again. Not when the Seven Kingdoms have been weakened so. Tomorrow you can plan a counterrevolution. Tomorrow you can scheme to restore the Targaryens to the throne. Tomorrow you can plan another war. For today, we should cut our losses and focus on repairing Westeros."

Once again, the Mountain had everyone at a loss for words. They could all agree on at least one of his points. None of them wanted another war so soon after the last one.

"Ser Gregor is correct," Prince Doran contended, "The best course is the gradual one. After all, was it not Rhaegar's impulsiveness that incited the rebellion?"

"Does anyone have anything to say against that?" Arthur Dayne inquired in interest.

When no one spoke, Ser Arthur observed "Then we're all in agreement. Much as the concept of the Usurper on the Iron Throne may repulse some of us, there is little we can do to protest."

"Then for now, we'll allow Robert Baratheon to keep his crown," Doran Martell proclaimed.

"But only for now," Oberyn Martell added in.

Gregor was positive that the Martells were already plotting to put the Targaryens. Needless to say, they would do it in a way that would benefit Dorne heavily.

While he doubted he had the capacity to talk them out of this venture, he figured he could at least attempt to get them to consider alternate different approaches.

"I have a proposal," Gregor declared.

Once he had everyone's attention, he went on with: "Give Robert Baratheon a chance. He may be a Usurper, but his grandmother was a Targaryen. He does have some claim to the Iron Throne, small though it is. Aside from that, he was the one the rebels selected as their king. They could have chosen Lord Eddard, Lord Tywin, or even Lord Jon. They picked Robert. I would like to believe they did not pick him without reason. They have faith in him. That's more than anyone ever had in Aerys."

"Well, he could hardly be worse than Aerys, either," Elia argued.

"Anyone is better than that fucking madman," Lyanna said flatly.

Except maybe for that shitstain Walder Frey.

"Very well," Gerold Hightower proclaimed, "We'll give your proposal some consideration, Ser Gregor. The wisest course of action would be for some of us to remain in hiding. The children in particular."

"You will provoke no argument from anyone there, Ser Gerold," Gregor proclaimed, "As long as the children are alive, they are not safe. When I placed those decoys in front of the throne, Robert smirked and called them 'dragonspawn.' "

"Yet you would still have us support his reign," Oswell Whent pointed out, grimacing.

"I am holding out hope that he may eventually overcome his prejudice," Gregor claimed, "Until then, the survival of Rhaegar's heirs must be assured."

"Indeed," Doran Martell concurred. A few seconds later, he proposed "Perhaps the surest way to guarantee their safety would be if they were not all kept in the same location."

"I agree," Arthur Dayne coincided, "The children should be kept separate for their own protection."

"I refuse to part with Aegon," Elia declared straightaway. An answer to her concern was devised almost as quickly.

"It would not be difficult for us to keep him in Sunspear," Doran told his sister, "Oberyn could claim him as one of his bastards."

"Certainly," Oberyn stated approvingly, "I already have four daughters. Some would say I was overdue for a son."

"Fair point," Elia stated, amused at her other brother's logic.

"I can shelter Princess Rhaenys in Greywater Watch," Howland Reed offered, "I can ascertain that she will be happy and comfortable there. She would not even have to go under a false name. As long as she is under my protection, no one will ever find her in the Neck."

"Are you absolutely certain of that, Lord Howland?" Elia enquired out of concern for her daughter.

"Quite, Your Grace," the crannogman asserted, "Even little birds can get lost and drown in swamps."

Varys won't like that.

"There is just one aspect that bothers me," Elia pronounced, "She won't have anyone she knows with her."

"Not so, Elia," Lyanna refuted, sitting up a little more, "I'll go with Rhaenys. In what time I've spent with her, I've come to think of her as my own daughter."

Elia was notably pleased by that revelation. She placed her hand on Lyanna's shoulder and remarked "As long as you're with her, I know Rhaenys will be in good hands, Lya."

Lyanna placed her own hand on her friend's hand "Thank you."

Gerold Hightower then stepped forward and observed "But, my princess, that implies that you will have to disappear, as well."

"You assume rightly, Ser Gerold," Lyanna affirmed, "It may be best for all of us if I remain in hiding, as well."

"What of Prince Jon?" Oswell Whent inquired.

"He should be with his family," Lyanna declared, gazing to her brother.

Eddard Stark nodded and stated "I'll take him back to Winterfell and raise him alongside my own son."

"How will you explain him?" Doran Martell asked.

"I'll claim him as my own," Ned stated decisively.

"That would be unwise, Lord Eddard," Gregor immediately disputed, "If you say he is yours, your wife will hold ill will towards both you and Jon. Jon more than you."

"How can you be certain of that, Ser Gregor?" Eddard queried.

"You must trust me, my lord," Gregor contended, "Princess Elia may have been willing to share her husband with your sister, but not all women are as open-minded as she. Furthermore, the Riverlands are full of inherently unforgiving families. The Blackwoods, the Brackens, the Darrys, the Freys… the Tullys are no exception. Catelyn Tully may tolerate Jon if he was your bastard, but she would never accept him."

"Then what would you do, Ser Gregor?" Eddard inquired.

"Would it not be more practical to claim he was Brandon's?" Gregor advised, "From what I've heard of your late brother, he was quite popular with the fair sex."

"He was," Eddard and Lyanna replied in unison.

"In that case, I might have a solution," Ser Arthur Dayne interjected, "My sister Ashara was quite taken with your brother during the tourney at Harrenhal. Recently, she gave birth to a stillborn daughter whom she claimed was his. We could use that situation to our advantage."

"You want me to tell everyone that Jon is the product of Brandon and Ashara's free union?" Eddard assumed.

"If you've a better proposal, I am listening, Lord Eddard," Arthur retorted bluntly.

****

POWER STONE!!!

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