71. Bloodline Pure

                                    

                                          
Rich Man / Tyland Lannister /Aislynn Hightower out now!!
'My Lord... Perhaps it's time to go home the south does not seem to agree with you.' Cersei said calmly as she approached Ned. 
''I know the truth.' Ned told her 'the truth Lord Arryn died for.'' Ned countered. 
''Do you Lord stark? Is that why you called me here... to pose for riddles?' cersei questioned with a laugh.
''Has he done this before?' Ned asked pointing to his cheek a bruise forming on Cersei's own cheek.
''Jaime would've killed him if he had. My brother is worth 1000 of your friend.' Cersei snapped.
''Your brother? Or your lover?' Ned offered
''Targaryen's wed brothers and sisters for thousands of years to keep the bloodline pure.' Cersei reminded him.  ''Jaime and I am more than brother and sister we share the womb came into this world together we belong together.'
"I know... but you are not Targaryen like your mother is." Ned corrected and Cersei faltered back a step, Ned knowing her secret was one thing but knowing Avalon's was another. "I have spoken with Avalon, I trust her." Ned remarked. "I dont trust you though."  Cersei grit her teeth. 'My son saw you with him....'
''Do you love your children?''
''With all my heart.' Ned answered. 
"As do I... let me offer you some advice, Lord Stark... go home, live out your days as fat country lord, leave the politics behind. Leave us be." Cersei instructed. 
"I have to tell Robert." Ned corrected. "He deserves to know that truth." 
 
''You damned fool.''
''There is paper and ink on the table' Robert said through labored breaths. 'write down what I say... in the name of Robert of the house of Baratheon first of his... You know how it goes fill in the damn titles... I hear by command Eddard of house stark titles, titles.' he moaned, 'as Lord Regent and protector of the realm upon my death to rule in my stead until my son Joffrey comes of age.' Instead of writing Joffrey though Ned wrote the rightful heir. 'Give it to me.' Robert requested ned handed it over to Robert and he signed his name at the bottom, handing the ink back with a groan of pain.
'Give it to the council after I'm dead.' Robert instructed 'at least they can say I did this right this one thing... you will rule now. You will hate it worse than I did but you'll do it well.' Robert choked out a breath 'Daenerys Targaryen, the girl you were right, varys, little finger, my brother, all worthless no one to tell me no but you. Only you.' Robert remarked. 'Let her live, stop it, if it is not too late.'
'I will.' Ned agreed. Avalon would be happy to hear it but he didnt know if it was too late or not. 
''My son, help him Ned, make him better than me.'' Robert begged through a choked breath. 
''I... I will do everything I can to honor your memory.' Ned assured.
 
Ned didnt know what to do, he knew he should have spoken to Avalon right away but he did the stupidest thing imaginable, he told Cersei he knew her secret and expected her to bow down and give up the crown. Robert would be furious. Have them killed, maybe they could hide but Robert would have been on a different war path and Ned didnt want Avalon's family, or cersei children hurt, Ned wasnt a monster. 
''My Lord Protector,' Petyr remarked closing the hand of the kings door with a humorous bow. 
 "the King has no trueborn sons Joffrey and Tommen are Jaime Lannister's bastards.' Ned informed Petyr.
''so when the King dies-'' Petyr began
''his throne passes to his brother Lord Stannis.''
''so it would seem... unless-' Petyr smirked
''there is no unless, he is the rightful heir nothing can change that." Ned reminded him
''-and he cannot take the throne without your help you would be wise to deny it to him and to make sure Joffrey succeeds .' Petyr countered
''do you have a shred of Honor?' Ned asked incredulously.
"you are now hand of the king and protector of the realm all of the power is yours you need only reach out and take it ...make peace with the Lannisters." Petyr suggested. The lannisters were not the problem, it was certain lannisters that he held anger towards.  "Wed your daughter to Joffrey we've plenty of time to get rid of Stannis and if Joffrey seems likely to cause problems when he comes into his throne we simply reveal his little secret and seat Lord Renly there instead." Petyr offered
''We?'
''you'll need someone to share these burdens I assure you my price would be modest.'' Petyr offered.
''to suggest is treason." Ned spat
''only if we lose.'' Petyr countered
''make peace with the Lannisters you say," Ned scoffed ''the people who tried to murder my boy.''
''we only make peace with our enemies my lord that's why it's called making peace." Petyr reminded him
''no I won't do it." Ned declared
''so it will be Stannis and war." Petyr told him confidently.
"there is no other choice he is the heir." Ned spat back.
"so why did you call me here not for my wisdom clearly." Petyr mused
''you promised Catelyn you would help me... the Queen has a dozen knights and a hundred men-at-arms enough to overwhelm what remains of my household guard I need the gold cloaks, the city watch is 2,000 strong and sworn to defend the King's peace.'' Ned informed him
''look at you, you know what you want me to do you know it has to be done but it's not honorable so the words stick in your throat... when the Queen proclaims one king and the hand proclaims another whose peace do the gold cloaks protect? who do they follow?' Petyr asked him. "the man whos pays them.''
"You know I keep forgetting to bar that door." Tywin grumbled as Cersei burst through. 
"Ned Starks knows!" Cersei demanded. 
"Close the door, this seems like a door closed conversation." Avalon offered. 
"I wish we were home." Tywin grumbled. 
"Ned Stark KNOWS!" Cersei repeated. 
"We spoke, he remembered me from when he was younger, the tourney... the stupid tourney that started this mess." Avalon remarked. "Ned remembered me from that, told me at Winterfell but its okay, he isnt going to tell Robert-"
"Robert is going to die, Robert doesnt matter." Cersei corrected. 
"What?" Tywin cut in. 
"Hunt went wrong." Cersei offered with a shrug. 
"Sorry for your loss," Avalon giggled out. 
"But thats not what I'm talking about, I mean i was but- Mother. He. Knows." Avalon watched Cersei's hand touch her stomach and Avalon understood. Tywin liked to be ignorant, forced ignorance Avalon called it. 
"Here I thought Ned was a smart man." Avalon remarked. What idiot tells someone they knew their secret? Ned Stark clearly had a death wish going up against Cersei.