Chapter 10 - The Future of a Kingdom

<One moon after a stag was crowned>

Becoming the king was the last thing he had expected to happen, but alas what other choices had been? His friend and brother in all but blood was too honorable to become one while the man who raised both of them was too old to care about that piece of iron that all nobles have wet dreams about.

As for Jon Arryn, himself… the man has started to wonder what had he done wrong with Robert. His hate for the Targaryens, his reaction to hearing about the death of a babe, not even one name's day old… And his words, gods his words…

"I See no Babes, only Dragonspawn."

He tried to change his mind, by the Seven he had tried, but alas nothing he said went in that thick head of his, instead, he was ready to march to Dorne if not for Ned's promise to bring Lyanna back home. Never would he have imagined it, never could he have fathomed the boy he'd raised to be so callous, to care so little as the body of a babe that was not even laid before him, his other foster son had stood tall and called it out for what it was murder. Not that it had made any difference to Robert, nor Tywin, and now the lion and his whole family surrounded the stag king ready to feast upon the now ripe path to the throne, and his fool of a foster son couldn't see it.

Not only was he blinded by rage, but he was also too focused on his other head to think about anything other than that pretty blond hair and the thoughts of bedding Cersei Lannister, even while he claimed to be hoping for Lyanna's return. If Lyanna does come back well, he will do anything in his power to break that thought. The girl doesn't deserve this kind of life, not after what she was forced to experience.

The moment he walked into the throne room, Jon heard his foster son's excited voice calling him. "Jon, is it true, have they returned?"

"Apparently so your grace. But we have to wait to see if that's true, your grace."

Taking a look around the room, Jon saw to his displeasure that there were far more Lannisters than Baratheons and the old lion looked immediately at his daughter, and for the first time since he put a foot in this damned city, Jon smirked to himself when he saw just how concerned the old lion was waiting for Ned.

Alas, after a few more minutes of watching the lions almost dying of worry, Ned entered with one of his bannermen, a wet nurse carrying a babe and no sign of Lyanna in sight, and that's when he knew that they had lost and that the lion just made the iron throne his home.

 "Ned, Ned, where the fuck is she?" Robert shouted not caring at all about the little babe that was in the wet nurse's arms.

"I was too late Robert, she's gone, my sister is gone… she passed."

"He took her from me! He took my Lyanna!"

For the next five or so minutes, the stag raged about killing the late prince over and over again, to Ned and Jon's disgust. No matter what he had done, it was not right to talk badly about the death of a man who was born into the wrong family.

After Robert calmed himself down, he turned his head towards the wet nurse and once again raged at Ned, demanding to know who the babe was.

"Who is that? Who is that child in her arms?" And for a second Ned feared the worst.

Taking a quick glance at the wet nurse, who was holding the babe close to her chest, Jon could see the fear in her eyes. He knew he had to lie, he knew he had to protect his sister's son. He knew Robert would kill him if he ever found out the truth.

"Mine, he's my bastard, Jon Snow," Ned answered and Robert looked at him and laughed while Jon like most of the room gasped, Eddard Stark had a bastard, no one could believe it.

"Hah, I thought you didn't have it in you, bring the boy forward let me have a look at him."

Only after Ned nodded at her did the wet nurse move forward and Jon looked on as Robert cooed over the babe, the image bringing up not feelings of warmth but of disgust in both Ned and Jon Arryn. After all, where was this concern over Rhaegar's children, where was this fondness for them? Nowhere is the answer and even now, one moon after taking the throne Robert still wants to send an assassin after a three years old little girl and her mother.

Trying not to get angry at his foster son and now King, Jon approaches the wet nurse to look at the babe, as soon as Ned permits him to do so. Looking down at the boy's face, seeing his deep purple almost black eyes, his face, and the fact that his foster son went down south after his sister, he also knew the mummery they were about to perform. Before he could even try to make his second foster son realize just how dangerous it was the game he was playing, Robert smacked Ned's arm before laughing loudly.

"His mother Ned, who got you to share her sheets?"

For a second, Jon Arryn could see the pain in Ned's eyes, but before the old lion or the stag king could see it, Ned gave him a pained smile before answering.

"Ashara Dayne, your grace. She died at birth, and with her brother also dying at the tower of joy… I couldn't bear to leave my son behind."

Jon was surprised to hear Ned's words. Never would have he thought that his foster son, the same honorable and serious Eddard Stark would dare to lie straight to his best friend's face, then again with how Robert became after taking the throne, mayhaps this was for the best. A mummery, for sure, but one that no one alive could deny other than Ned's two companions who survived the journey south.

Once Robert got bored of making fun of his brother in all but blood, Ned and his entourage excused themselves before leaving the throne room. Not wanting to lose the chance of speaking with Ned and his men, Jon Arryn also excused himself by telling the king that he wants to speak with Ned before he leaves for Winterfell. He was worried and what father wouldn't have been when he had seen the look on Ned's face when he lied to Robert about the babe. He had seen the pain and the fear in his eyes, as well as the fear in Lord Dustin and Lord Reed's eyes.

So, before the old lion or the bald man with an obsession for birds could realize something, he decided to act. He followed Ned and his men as they left the throne room, ignoring Robert's protests and insults. He caught up with them in the corridor and spoke to them in a low voice.

"Ned, Lord Dustin, Lord Reed. I need to talk to you. All of you. Follow me."

He led them to a small chamber that he had used before for private meetings. He made sure no one was watching or listening as he closed the door behind them before locking it and checking for any hidden spies or traps, and luckily there were none.

 "Ned, I know you lied to Robert. I know that child is not your bastard son."

All three men looked at him as if he just turned into a giant, making the old Lord Paramount of Vale smile. "Ned, I raised you like a son, of course I would know when you lie, but that's not why I wanted to speak with the three of you. I will not speak of my guess since I fear that many ears might still listen, instead, I want to know what you plan to do with the babe."

"Jon, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for lying to you, for lying to Robert, for lying to everyone. But I had no choice. I had to protect him, I had to protect my brother's son. He is the last of his blood. If my lords know the truth, that he is the rightful heir to Winterfell, my family would be in grave danger. The lords would kill for him if they knew, so would my enemies, and so would anyone who wants a piece of the North.

Ned looked at Jon with pleading eyes. "You are the only one I can trust, Jon. You are the only one who can help me. I don't want bloodshed in the north, Jon. I don't want to scheme and plot and betray. I don't want to put my son in harm's way. I just want to raise him and for him to be safe and happy, I need your advice, Jon."

It wasn't easy and Jon could see that. Ned for all the things he did right, was by no means made for the Game of Thrones, and no matter how Jon thought about it, the only to keep this mummery hidden was to play the bastard game, albeit his foster son soon to be a wife would need to learn about this so that the babe could grow with a mother.

<Somewhere on a ship>

He made it, after more than three moons on the run from both knights of the vale and assassins sent by someone named Littlefinger, Tyrek managed to escape with both the young lord as well as Lord Yohn, the eldest son, Andar. At first, neither of the boys wanted to leave, but when the second party of assassins attacked them, Andar realized that someone was keen on having his cousin dead and because of that reason alone, he agreed with Tyrek to take Konrad as far away from the vale as they could.

While their only clue is the name of the person who bought the assassin's services, Tyrek could guess from what kingdom this Littlefinger was. If this were to happen before Jon Arryn married, then mayhaps he wouldn't have put the blame on them, but with the old man being married to Lysa Tully, the only kingdom that would make sense would be the Riverlands and judging by what rumors he had heard, it wasn't all that strange for someone that might have bedded this fish to want the firstborn of the lord of the vale dead.

A second later, Tyrek shook his head, trying to chase away those thoughts. He had no proof that Littlefinger was from the Riverlands, or that he had any connection to Lysa Tully. He had no idea why he would want Konrad dead, or what he hoped to gain from it, no forget about that, he knew exactly what someone that was in love with the woman would get with no heir for the Vale alive.

He turned his head towards the two boys who were watching the sea, with Konrad giggling to himself every time a fish swam past the ship. They looked happy and innocent, unaware of the danger they had escaped and the enemies they had made. Tyrek felt a pang of sadness and guilt, knowing that he had taken them away from their home and their family, but at least he would everything in his power to teach both of them how to become knights and above all protect them with his life.

Smiling to himself, the blonde knight walked towards them, ruffling their hair and joining them in their game.

"Look, there's another one!" Konrad exclaimed, pointing at a silver flash in the water.

"That's a herring, my lord," Tyrek explained, his voice gentle and patient. "They are very common in these waters. They are good for eating too."

"Can we catch one?" Andar asked, and Tyrek could swear the lad was salivating.

"Maybe later, my lad," Tyrek said while smiling at them. "We have more important things to do right now. We have to think about where we will live from now onwards. I know that this is hard for you lad, but it's for the best."

"I know that, ser. I saw how those assassins wanted to kill my cousin and by the old gods, I would have taken him away from that blasted castle if not for you. As for our new life, ser… where are we going… the ship I mean."

"Pentos. We might be able to live there for a while, a few moons mayhaps before your father and Lord Arryn start sending men after us. Not to mention that …" Tyrek moved a little closer to the boy before whispering. "We haven't managed to get rid of assassins yet. There are two of them watching us right now. A woman and that bald scared man that acts asleep."

Andar gulped while quickly looking at his cousin who was watching the fishes, ignoring him and Tyrek. " Wh-what should I do, ser?"

"You know how to use a sword?"

"My father taught me, ser."

"Listen closely, lad. I want you to take the little lord to your room, but don't close the door and hide behind the door, once Konrad falls asleep. The woman will want to kill him and I want you to kill her as soon as she walks into your room."

"What about you, ser?"

"I will make the bald assassin swim."

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