Chapter 23: Hostages for Peace

True to his word, Aelor Targaryen has taken into consideration the reasoning behind the rebellion.

The Prince and a few of his handpicked men had proposed and bickered for hours while the rebellion leaders waited out of earshot. A pair of pavilions and tables had been drug across the ford being slowly cleared of bodies for the key players on both sides to sit, still firmly in neutral ground. There was no guard on them, nor had their weapons been taken, leaving the Prince's implications clear; if a Lord Paramount had a change of heart he could leave and continue the war, though the Dragon of Duskendale had made it perfectly clear that his first offer of terms would be his most lenient.

For Eddard Stark, they had been lenient indeed.

When the rebellious lords had been summoned, they entered the Prince's pavilion to find Aelor seated at the head of the table, Barristan Selmy slightly behind his chair on one side and Alaric Langward on the other. Five other men sat the table as well, though three chairs were left open for the three Lord Paramount's, men Eddard learned were Randyll Tarly of Horn Hill, Jon Connington of Griffin's Roost, Cleyton Byrch of Byrch Hall, Oberyn Martell of Dorne and Kevan Lannister of the Westerlands.

All of the men in the tent watched as the Lord's took their seats, Aelor speaking directly to Eddard once all of the men had done so. "Lord Stark, your reason to rebel was stronger than anyone else here. We have not forgotten that." Aelor stared at him for a long moment, eyes thoughtful. "Your wife is with child, yes?"

Fear for that child plunged like a dagger into Eddard's heart, though he managed to keep his face impassive and firm. "Yes, Your Grace. She will be due soon."

Aelor nodded. "When the child is five namedays old, he or she will come to King's Landing as a ward of the crown, serving as a companion to King Aegon if it is a boy or Princess Rhaenys if it is a girl. From that age on they will alternate yearly between King's Landing and Winterfell, living one year in the Red Keep before returning North for a year to learn the customs of its people. This will continue until he or she is six and ten, when the crown will choose a suitable marriage."

Eddard waited for more, but none came. "Is… Is that all, Your Grace?"

Aelor shrugged. "As I said, your reasons for rebelling were the strongest of them all. Half of the Starks were wiped out by my family, and you would have lost your head as well if you hadn't called your banners. As it is, we will require ten hostages from the North, children of your high lords between the ages of eight and six and ten and of different houses, to serve as pages or squires for five years to ensure your bannermen do not revolt against either the crown or you."

Targaryen gave Eddard no time to comment, turning his attentions to Hoster Tully. "This will serve a dual purpose with you, Lord Tully, as the child will be your first grandchild. Your involvement in the war was driven strictly by ambition, not slights and offences against your family. I offered you a royal marriage to either of your daughters, and you bypassed it for a chance to marry them both into two other regions. You saw an opportunity to increase your family's standing, and your ambition drove you to try and take it. You failed."

Eddard's goodfather remained calm, meeting the Prince's eyes. Aelor held them, own eyes burning, as he continued. "Your son Edmure will be sent to King's Landing as soon as you return to Riverrun, to serve as my squire until I deem him fit to knight. Your bannermen will also offer ten hostages of the appropriate ages, all of different houses, to serve where the crown sees fit to place them. A marriage will be decided by the crown for Edmure as well. Your daughters will remain untouched with their husbands, though it was argued that an annulment between Lord Jon and Lysa may have been warranted, but the vassalage of Harrenhal and its own subsequent vassals is hereby retracted, Lord Walter Whent now a direct vassal of King Aegon the Sixth."

Tully took it all calmly, nodding when Aelor was finished. "I accept these terms."

"I imagined you would." Aelor turned to face the final lord Paramount, Jon Arryn. "Your role in the rebellion was also somewhat understandable, though not as much as Stark's. Your lords will also provide hostages, and any child of your union with Lysa will have the same situation as Lord Stark's own firstborn. The Vale will forfeit a quarter of its foreign trade revenue over the next five years to the crown for war reparations."

Arryn slowly nodded. The second son of Aerys sat back in his chair, eyeing them all. "I find these terms to be more than generous, but I believe they are just since you willingly bent the knee when you could have prolonged this war for months. You have my word, for what it's worth to you, that the hostages will be treated well and cared for as is befitting of their stations, serving as squires or ladies-in-waiting and educated by the best tutors in King's Landing. You rebelled against the crown, something that won't be forgotten, but my family forced your hand, and that cannot be forgotten either. If one or more of you find these terms unacceptable, you will be free to return unharmed to your men and continue this war, though I believe you know the punishments I will dole out if you do. If you all however agree, I as Hand of the King welcome you back into the King's Peace."

Each man looked at one another, Eddard meeting his goodfather's eyes and tilting his head in question, as Tully would be the most weakened afterwards. The Lord of Riverrun inclined his head, and Eddard turned back to the Targaryen Prince. "We accept."

Aelor nodded. "Excellent, my lords. Let us put this conflict behind us.

"A question, Your Grace," Jon Arryn said. "What of Stannis and Renly?"

The Dragon of Duskendale glanced to the table for a moment before looking up. "They followed their brother's lead, as is expected of younger siblings. I cannot fault them for that. There will be reparations for the Stormlands of course, including hostages-I intend Renly to foster either with me or a loyalist house-but I am not cruel. Robert is dead, as is my brother. The younger Baratheon's will not be unjustly punished for the elder's actions."

He looked to Ser Kevan as well, the Lannister knight watching the proceedings quietly. "The Westerlands will be reprimanded as well, Lord Tywin in particular, but Ser Kevan and his men served us faithfully on the Trident. Details will be worked out once peace is assured. I know my father has damaged the Targaryen name, as did my brother, but I intend to repair those damages promptly."

The Prince of the Iron Throne stood, Eddard noting as he himself and the others lords gained their feet that Aelor had to brace himself on his chair to do so. He was injured as well, it seems. "Go to your men, my lords. Stand them down, speak with them on these matters. I will send a retinue of men led by Lord Tarly to gather the names of those hostages you decide upon, and will visit your camp at nightfall to straighten out any details left lingering. Thank you, my lords, for seeing sense."

The men nodded, turning to shuffle out of the tent. "Lord Eddard, remain a moment," the Prince called softly. Jon Arryn met his eyes before nodding and leaving the tent, cane in hand. "Oberyn, Barristan and Alaric remain as well. The rest of you leave us. Lord Tarly, prepare your men and escort the lords back to their camp."

Once the tent had emptied, Prince Aelor limped to stand in front of Eddard. "I know the question burning in your mind, Ned." He turned to the map across the table, lightly placing a finger in northern Dorne. "And I have your answer. I do know where Lyanna is."

The soar of hope in Eddard's chest was dulled by the look on the Targaryen's face as he turned to face him again. His tone was somber as he spoke violet eyes dull. "But there is something you must know first."