Highgarden 295 AC.
Jon.
He had wished to speak to his uncle after the meeting, but he could see there was something upsetting Margaery and so after promising his uncle he would speak to him as soon as he finished, he had gone with Margaery and Olenna to Olenna's room. He had tried to reassure her along the way but for whatever reason, he found that while she smiled she never seemed to relax.
Once inside the room he took a seat and was upset to see she sat closer to her grandmother than to him and so when he spoke his tone was far harsher than it should have been.
"What's going on?" he asked and Margaery gave him a startled look which made him shrink back in his chair "Margaery please what is it?" he asked far softer this time.
"Are you competing in the joust?" she asked nervously.
"I am, me and Loras both, why?"
"And if I asked you not to?" she said and he looked at her not sure why she was looking so scared.
"I don't understand, why would you not wish me to compete?
"Littlefinger." Olenna said making him turn to look at her.
"My lady?"
"Lord Baelish met me outside my room, what he said Jon, how he said it, I think he plans something against you in the joust." Margaery said.
"What did he say?" Jon said and tried to keep his anger in check, thankfully it was Olenna who spoke.
"He tried to suggest he was bringing this." Olenna said holding up a piece of paper and handing it to him "From that spoilt prince as an apology, that we were all mistaken and he's not a sadistic little shit but a hero trying to protect my granddaughter." Olenna said with a snort.
"And about the joust?"
"That perhaps given your age you shouldn't compete, that one never knows what may happen." Olenna said and Jon calmed himself before going over to Margaery and kneeling down in front of her chair.
"Margaery." he took her hand and looked up at her "He can't influence the joust in any way, the draw we can change who does it at the last moment so he has no influence. I can have him watched so he doesn't get to speak to whoever I would face."
"I don't want you to compete Jon." she said looking at him and he looked to Olenna who nodded before he took her in his arms.
"Do you trust me?" he whispered.
"You know I do."
"I promise I'll be well, I need to do this Margaery to be seen to do this, Loras does too, but I swear it we'll both be unharmed. If I even think for a moment that there is some danger, I'll cheat." he said and she moved from his arms looking at him.
"Cheat?" she asked.
"I'll warg into my opponent's horse, have them ride away." he said and she smirked.
"You can do that?"
"Of course I can, if I even for a moment think myself or Loras are in any danger then prepare to laugh." he said and she smiled more true now "I mean what could be funnier than seeing a horse suddenly run off in a completely different direction." he said and finally got a laugh.
"Promise me you won't take any risks?" she asked.
"I promise." he hugged her again and rose to his feet walking over to the table and handing Olenna back the note, he never even bothered to read it knowing that it wasn't Joffrey who wrote it. Looking at the woman he mouthed that they'd speak later and walked back over to Margaery.
"I think its time we went to our beds." Olenna said and he nodded.
"I need to speak to my uncle, can we meet before you break your fast on the morrow?" he said to Margaery who nodded eagerly "Lady Olenna, Margaery." he said then as he walked from the room.
As soon as he rounded the corridor he moved his fingers from his palm, surprised to see there was no blood there as he'd been pressing them hard against it as he spoke. He closed his eyes and he breathed deeply and reached out for Ghost, the white wolf was hunting with some of the pack, Grey Wind, Lya, and Nymeria with him while Dusk, Summer, and Fang slept in their rooms.
"Protect the Pack." he whispered and felt the white wolf give him his agreement and he knew he'd go to Margaery's room when he returned.
"Jon?" Arthur asked and he shook his head to suggest there was nothing to worry about.
"We need to speak to my uncle, I'll explain this later." he said and Arthur nodded as they walked to his uncle's room.
Littlefinger hadn't threatened him, he doubted he was even making such a threat to Margaery, what he had done though was scare her, he'd hit upon a fear she would no doubt have. Given Willas's injury she and her family would be concerned about Loras competing, him too, and Littlefinger had managed to hit that nerve, the question was why?
He knew how the man felt about him, he'd arranged for him to be killed once already, but he doubted he'd make a move here. It was too hard to control, to fix the lists and then find an opponent you were sure to face was much too difficult. He could try something with Winter or his equipment but Jon would know if he had, so no he wasn't actually trying to hurt him, more he was playing on Margeaery's fear and it was then that it hit him, he knew?
He knew of them, or he suspected at least and he thought then of what Olenna had said and felt a fool. As he reached his uncle's room and knocked on the door though he shook that from his head, he had plenty of time to deal with Littlefinger and he suspected it would be far easier than what he was about to do anyway.
"Jon."
"Uncle." he said walking into the room.
He could see his uncle looking at him both eagerly and with a large amount of nervousness while he himself only felt the latter.
"I didn't wish to tell you this, to speak to you on it. I had hoped that you'd never need to find out."
"This is what we spoke of in the Godswood?" his uncle asked.
"Aye, it is."
"Tell me Jon." his uncle said determinedly.
He sighed as he began to tell his uncle it all, the attack in the Riverlands, how the men were Essosi and had been paid for by Edmure, and how they believed that Lady Catelyn had asked her brother to arrange it.
"Jon, you cannot know this, you cannot be certain of this."
"On this no, on what happened in the West though there is no doubt."
"Jon?"
He told him then of Bronn, of Richard watching Littlefinger, of seeing Lady Catelyn and him together and of hearing of the plan being made. How Richard had arranged for it to be their man who was hired and how Littlefinger had used one of his brothel managers to act as the go-between. When he explained the mummery and the reason behind it, how Edmure had shown his pleasure and raised a toast to his death, he saw his uncle's expression quickly change.
"How have you let them live, gods Jon I'm sorry, I.." his uncle said shaking his head.
"You have nothing to be sorry about uncle."
"She is my wife Jon, she is my wife and I….I…"
"Uncle."
"How can you be so calm about this, how are you not screaming it out loud, we've just ordered the deaths of how many men, why are you not doing the same here, Littlefinger, Edmure, Cat, I don't..Jon?" his uncle said and while there was anger in his voice there was hurt and confusion too.
"For three hundred years people have plotted to kill my family, uncle, they've sought to end our line. A line which as of now is me, an aunt who is somewhere in Essos, an aged uncle stuck at a wall of ice and a sister who's somehow a dragon. For three hundred years, my family has been killed off, manipulated, drawn into wars and conspired against, even now I don't know the full extent of what was the Maester's fault and what was our own hubris."
"Jon."
"You think I've not thought it, I've not thought of taking Littlefinger and seeing him fall, of bringing Riverrun and House Tully to the ground? I'm a dragon uncle, of course I've thought of it."
"Then why have you not?"
"Because I'm not only a dragon, I'm a wolf too. Littlefinger will pay when it serves me best, Edmure will pay when it serves me best…"
"And Cat?" his uncle asked worriedly.
"Is the mother of my brothers, the mother of my sisters, if I hurt her then I hurt them and while it may be unavoidable, I'm trying uncle, I'm trying.." he said as he shook his head "I'm trying to think of how it could be."
They sat in silence for a few moments afterward, neither knowing what to say and neither wishing to be first to speak, in the end, it was his uncle who did so.
"They can't know." his uncle said.
"I know."
"A part of me wants to ride to Riverrun, to drag them both out and take their damn heads myself."
"You can't, uncle should you see her, you can't speak of this."
"I know, you wish me to be a wolf." his uncle said looking to him.
"You are a wolf, uncle."
He got up from his chair and walked over placing his hand on his uncle's shoulder, feeling his uncle's hand reach out and touch his own and after nodding he turned to walk to the door.
"You shouldn't have had to face this Jon, this life it shouldn't have been the one you had."
"It's the only one I could have had uncle." he said a soft smile on his face as he thought of Rhaeny's words.
"I am here for you Jon, always."
"I know, I'm most grateful for it uncle, goodnight."
"Goodnight nephew."
Highgarden 295 AC.
Genna.
She had enjoyed the tea immensely, knowing that Lady Alerie was no longer in the dark was a weight off her mind. She liked the woman and felt it wrong that she didn't know the truth, so finding out she did was something she was happy about. The tea itself had started benign enough, soon though talk had turned to her niece and grandnephew and she knew then Jaime had been right, the war had always been coming.
" Ladies' I'm glad you could all join me today." Alerie said.
" We're most happy to be invited sister." Lynesse answered.
" My nephew?"
" Is with his cousin being looked after by my goodsisters." Lynesse said and she looked to Dacey who actually seemed relaxed to be away from Joanna even if only for a few moments.
" How are you enjoying the tourney Lady Genna?" Alerie asked.
" Apart from the race I'm enjoying it very much."
" What's wrong did you bet on the wrong horse?" Dacey said chuckling which made her chuckle too.
" No, only someone who's not seen Jon ride would bet against him, I mean no offense to the rest of those riders but only my niece could have given him a match today."
" Your niece?" Lady Olenna asked.
" Joy, she's the closest I've ever seen to him, he's had her up on a horse since she was far too young for it." she said smiling.
" Speaking of Jon." Lady Alerie said "I take it all here are aware of certain truths?" she asked and seemed relieved when everyone nodded.
" We are my lady." Dacey said.
" Please let's use names here, I'm all for formality when it's proper but by the gods if it's not a chore." Alerie said to laughs.
" Thank the old gods for that Alerie." Maege said to a smile from the other woman.
" Does everyone know of Jon and my daughter?" Alerie asked and they all nodded.
" They are good together, they'll be the king and queen we need." Ellaria said.
" Better than the king and queen we have anyway." Olenna said to some chuckles.
" Genna, forgive me but your niece, her son, I don't, the other two Myrcella and Tommen they seem a different sort?" Maege asked.
" Cersei was always spoiled, no, that's not it, we all were, she was, she is a law onto herself. She has always thought herself above everyone else, far above and it seems to be something she has allowed her son to think also."
" There is more than that wrong with that boy, forgive me Genna but you know it's true" Olenna said.
" I know, it was my niece he tried to attack Olenna, he's lucky I wasn't there at the time had I been then Gerion would have been fighting for me and not a wolf." she said to laughs.
" Ladies, we can't do much about the crown now, but we have a chance to do something in the future." Alerie said to a surprised look from Olenna.
" Alerie?" Olenna said.
" Jon, Margaery, you all know what they did in Flea Bottom. Genna, Lannisport I know it's your nephews and brother who've been responsible for a lot, but is it not Jon who is the reason why the smallfolk are doing better?"
" He is, the coin, the improvements, trade, some of it would have come without him, but aye, Castamere, and the ships have changed it."
" He's doing the same with the North, Bear Island, White Harbor, even Wintertown." Maege said and it was her daughter who asked the question back, Dacey not having heard of the changes it seemed.
" Wintertown?"
" It's been built up, more people are moving to it, it's now a proper town, soon to be a city."
" That's my point Ladies, with Jon, with my daughter, they already wish to change things. I've no doubt that when they're on the throne they will also." Alerie said.
" What is your point Alerie?" Olenna said grumpily.
" My point is we have a chance to be influential in some of those changes, Margaery will listen, Jon will listen, we'll have a king and queen who care, shouldn't we care also, shouldn't we play a role in the changing of the realm?.
As she walked down the corridor she smiled, for a woman who according to herself and to Olenna cared not for politics Alerie had a knack for them, she'd hit on something they'd not thought of. Aerys was mad, given how he treated Rhaella he'd never listen to her suggestions, Robert and Cersei were different but even if Robert would, Cersei was not someone who'd do anything to help the realm.
Margaery though Jon already listened to and Jon himself he listened, he may not take your suggestions on board, he may go a different way but he listened, and if you were right he accepted it. They had more than a chance of not just having a good king and queen, but of actually changing things, something which had her excited by the possibilities.
"Is my niece inside?" she asked he Kingsguard when she reached the door.
"Her grace asked not to be interrupted." the dead-eyed man said.
"I think she'll see me." she said leaving no room for questions and watching as the man knocked and then walked into the room.
It took a few moments for her niece to get ready and when she was finally allowed inside the room she could smell the wine already, her niece slurring her words when she greeted her.
"Aunt, it's so good to see you, I've been meaning to catch up."
"Have you indeed? I've come for one reason and one reason only niece and that's to tell you to get a grip on that boy of yours, do so before others do." she said angrily.
"How dare you, I am your queen."
"You are the same spoiled little girl you've always been and yet despite it all you were never unnecessarily cruel or violent. That was my niece your monster of a son pulled a knife on, my niece your very own cousin and as for whichever of you put that fool Blount up to what he tried to do to my brother, god's if your father was alive to see that."
"Father would have taken up for Joffrey, he was in the right, that wolf scarred him, it scarred my boy."
"Scarred, where is he? Let me see this scar you're so concerned about and if you think your father would have approved of what Joffrey did then your further gone than I thought. Prince or no prince your father would have punished that boy, not coddled him."
"All of you, all of you are in it together, I'm a Lannister too and yet you've all left me alone." Cersei whined.
"Maybe if you acted a Lannister we would not, mark my words Cersei if one hair on my nieces head is harmed, one hair, if that boy of yours even looks crooked at her then I'll show you the meaning of our words. Believe me, niece, you do not want to hear me roar."
She watched as her niece huffed and then reached for the wine glass and she shook her head, leaving the room she walked further down the corridor and hoped the fat stag was only drunk and not entertaining when she reached his rooms.
"Ser Barristan is his grace presentable?" she asked and the knight smirked when he nodded.
"He is Lady Genna, if you'd wait a moment."
She waited until the knight retuned and he escorted her into the room, the fat stag was drunk yet he seemed in good spirits and at least seemed capable of speech which she welcomed.
"Your grace." she said biting her tongue as she curtsied to the false king.
"Lady Genna to what do I owe this pleasure?" he said meaning anything but.
"I was wondering your grace with the joust on the morrow if I would be allowed to escort my grandniece and nephew to it. I'm sure my children would love to meet the prince and princess and they may have more fun sitting with other children than alone."
"Aye, that sounds like a good idea, Barristan see to it that Horpe knows Myrcella and Tommen will be accompanying Lady Genna to the joust tomorrow."
"I will your grace." Ser Barristan said
"I thank you your grace." she said curtsying yet again as she turned to leave.
Jon wished Tommen to be his squire and Myrcella would be marrying Brandon Stark, it was time she paid more attention to her grandniece and nephew and perhaps with luck, she could get them to be allowed come visit the Rock too.
Highgarden 295 AC.
Joy.
She had laughed at the others in the crowd when they had talked about who would win the race, only Apples could beat Winter and even then only when Jon let her win. One day she'd beat him for true but sometimes he'd let her win and she could have easily beat all the others, she had even asked her papa to let her race but he wouldn't. When she had seen Jon leading though she had cheered and soon so had everyone else, but she had seen him first, she had known he would win.
When he read her the story that night he told her that they could have a proper race when they got back to the Rock and that he'd not cheat and let her win, and she had almost wanted to leave right then. She was missing Apples and Ballon, and unlike the other night, she didn't have Ghost with her tonight, though she was now no longer scared of the prince.
Dusk had bitten him and papa had to fight to save him, and she had been so relived and happy when he'd won, just like he and Jon promised he would. Now she was dressing for the joust and she wondered if she'd get the flowers again, her cousin had given her them last time, but she thought he may give them to Lady Dacey or to Joanna if he won again. Yesterday's joust had been no fun, no one she knew was riding in it but today would have a lot, even Jon and Loras would ride and so she looked far more forward to going.
"Do you wish your hair up Lady Joy?" Mara asked.
"Yes please." she said and the woman tied her hair up.
"All done." Mara said a few moments later and she looked and smiled at herself in the looking glass before she made her way to break her fast.
She stopped as she entered the room seeing one of the men in the white cloaks, the Kingsguard standing at her table, was papa in trouble, was Jon? She looked to see that Jon wasn't there, Cregan or Loras weren't there either, she was about to leave when aunt Genna called her over and so taking a breath she walked to the table. I am Lady Joy Hill, I'm not afraid she said over and over to herself as she walked, and then she stopped seeing the blond boy and girl sitting at the table looking at her.
"Joy this is princess Myrcella and prince Tommen they'll be joining us today."
"Your grace." she said first to Myrcella and then to Tommen curtsying to both.
"Lady Joy." the princess said smiling.
Sitting down at the table she looked to her aunt who was smiling at her and then to the prince and princess who were looking at her and she knew what she needed to do.
"Will we have candied apples, today auntie?"
"Maybe."
"Candied Apple's yummy princess." she said smiling at the girl who smiled back "Pen nuts too, you like pen nuts?" she said to Tommen who looked confused before she explained how yummy pen nuts were.
As she ate she played and found the princess and prince liked to play too, she was about to stop her game when Ghost came in, and then the Kingsguard who seemed to have been nice moved when Tommen made a noise.
"Ghost to me." she said and the wolf walked to her as she reached her hand to the plate and grabbed a sausage "Ghost loves sausages, hmm yummy Ghost." she said to the prince and princess as the wolf ate the sausage and she reached for another when Jon walked in and took his seat.
"There you are, I should have known you'd run here." Jon said to Ghost before looking at her "Morning Joy."
"Morning Jon, prince and princess Jon." she said with a smirk as she nodded her head in the direction of Myrcella and Tommen.
"Forgive me where are my manners?" Jon said rolling his eyes at her "Prince Tommen, Princess Myrcella an honor." Jon said and as she leaned down to give Ghost another sausage she giggled.
"Your Jon, you won the race?" Tommen said and Jon nodded.
"Aye I did my prince, though it was really Winter who won, I just held on, I had to otherwise I'd have fallen off." Jon said as Tommen and Myrcella giggled.
"Is Ghost your's, Ser Jon?" Myrcella said and she wondered why she called Jon Ser, Jon wasn't a Ser, he was a Jon, just a Jon.
"This lazy sod, aye he's mine, though truth be told." and she sat up when he began to lean in close to them and whispered "He's anyone's as long as they feed him sausages, wanna try?" he asked and both the prince and princess nodded.
"I don't think that's a good idea, your grace." the Kingsguard said to Myrcella.
"I give you my word Ser Richard, Ghost won't harm the prince or princess I swear it on my honor." Jon said and the Kingsguard nodded as Jon told them to grab a sausage and feed Ghost.
By the time the others arrived both the prince and princess were laughing as Ghost licked their hands when they stopped feeding him, Jon then talking to them about the day's jousting. They had finished eating and yet no one wished to get up from the table until the others did and she saw Jon speaking to Sansa and Arya and then to Cregan before he and Loras stood up to leave.
"Cregan will get you your pen nuts Joy. I'll see you later, my prince, my princess." he said as he left and she was happy that Ghost was staying with them rather than going with him.
"Is Ser Jon not taking Ser Ghost with him?" Tommen said and she shook her head.
"Ghost like's pen nuts too Tommen." she said and he giggled.
When they were done they got ready to ride to the tourney grounds, it wasn't far and she was glad now that Myrcella and Tommen were joining them. They arrived and she was surprised they'd be sitting with them too but as they took their seats she felt excited to see the joust begin. Loras and Jon wouldn't be riding for a while, but Oberyn would, Jaime would, and she had many people to cheer on.
"Pen nut Ghost." she said throwing the peanut to the wolf and he gobbled it down quickly looking to her for more.
"Pen nut Ser Ghost?" Tommen said softly a moment later and when the wolf looked at him he threw the peanut to him laughing as Ghost ate that one too.
Highgarden 295 AC.
Ned.
He had not slept well, no that was a lie he had not slept at all, hearing what Jon had said, knowing the truth of things had been almost more than he could take. When Jon had left he had rushed to the privy and emptied the contents of his stomach, he had retched as he got sick, as he felt the bile in his throat. Then as he lay down on the bed, as he tried to clear his mind he found himself unable to.
He had known, deep down inside he had known, the letters, the ravens, what Luwin had said, what the Blackfish didn't, he had known. House Tully had tried to kill his nephew, they had played a role in the death of his brother and his sister too, and had he access to dragon like his nephew did then he'd have had no compunction about seeing Riverrun in flames.
He needed to know of the Blackfish, the truth of him, no way would he allow his son to be squired to him if he played a role in this, though again deep down he knew he had not. Still, he had taken a walk to Jon's room and had found Arthur and Walder on guard, leaning close into the knight he had asked for a moment to speak to him. Arthur leaving Walder to guard the door and both of them walking to a small garderobe, once they were sure they'd not be overheard he had asked.
" The Blackfish is he part of it?"
" No, we think he may have suspected, may even have known afterward, he argued with his nephew, with your wife too, but he is not a part of it nor did he approve as far as we can tell." Arthur said and he breathed a sigh of relief.
" He wishes to squire Bran."
" Jon knows this, Stark, he approves."
" So you think I should allow it?"
" I think the Blackfish is a good man, out of all that family the only one who ever was."
" I didn't know." he said shaking his head.
" I know that, but you still did wrong by him, by your sister."
" I know, I'm trying to make amends."
" That and because you're his kin is why you still breathe Stark." Arthur said leaving.
He was in no mood for the meal that morning so while his children broke their fast he sat in his room, and he may have spent the day there even with the jousts to go on if Jonelle had not come to speak to him.
"What's wrong Ned?"
"Many things, I wish I could speak on it, and maybe some day I can, but not today." he said and was happy when she left it at that.
"We're getting ready to leave."
"Can you ask Robb and Sansa to come to speak to me, I'll bring them with me and we'll meet the rest of you there."
"I can, are you sure you're well Ned?" she said reaching out and touching his arm.
"I am Elle, thank you, we'll speak later." he said and she nodded.
He had put this off enough too, he knew both his children wished to know why he'd set Cat aside and he had thought to come up with something that wouldn't make them think badly of their mother. He didn't wish to drive a wedge between them even if it seemed that Cat was doing that enough herself, given what he now knew he needed them to be certain of how things were. The truth but not the full truth he thought as his children entered the room.
"Robb, Sansa, take a seat we need to discuss your mother."
To say it was difficult was an understatement, he told them of the things she said of Jon seeing both of them look unsurprised and he wondered had she been saying it to them too, Sansa's letter had suggested it, but still he wondered. When he told them of the betrothal, something Robb didn't know, of how long their mother had been away from home, of what she'd said when she returned and of the letters, though not to whom they were sent, they were shocked.
"She came to me in White Harbor and she argued against Wynafred and me, said it was part of Jon's plan." Robb said catching him by surprise.
"It was the same when she was here, Jon, the Tyrell's all of them were plotting against us, all of them to take Winterfell from Robb, what she said about Jon, about the wolves." Sansa said shaking her head and Robb looked to her.
"About the wolves?" Robb asked.
"When we thought Jon had died, when we got the ravens. I was upset and she comforted me but later as I slept when I was in Fang, she wished them dead, just like she did Jon." Sansa said and while Robb gasped at the part about Jon he found himself thinking of the part about Fang.
"When you were in Fang, you're a warg?" he asked his daughter.
"We all are, haven't you had wolf dreams?"
"I have, but.."
"I have too, but you can control it?" Robb asked eagerly.
"Jon taught me how and once you know it's easy." Sansa said as she closed her eyes "Fang is waiting with Grey Wind and Lya, they're at the end of the corridor, playing with Jory."
"Wait, you just did it?" he asked shocked.
"Aye."
"Father?" Robb asked.
"We can speak to Jon of it later, if he taught Sansa then he could help us too." he said and Robb nodded "About your mother.."
"I understand father, she's my mother still, but I understand." Robb said and Sansa nodded.
"I'm sorry." he said and Sansa got up to hug him.
"It's not you who should be father." Sansa said and he felt himself breathe easier at that.
"Come, we'll be late, your brother is competing in a joust of all things." he said to laughs from both his children.
They decided to walk to the tourney grounds, the wolves running ahead of them and as they reached it he saw him walking towards him, a man he had no wish to see, a man he had avoided since he'd gotten here. He saw Sansa look at him strangely and then close her eyes, and he wondered if she was reaching out for her wolf.
"Ah Lord Stark, Lord Robb, Lady Sansa, I'm so glad I've bumped into you, I was just heading to the tourney." Littlefinger said and Ned felt that to be a lie, he was waiting but whether it was for him or his children he didn't know.
He was about to push past him when the wolves arrived and he looked on as they growled, as the man began to sweat, and surprisingly as Sansa smirked.
"Robb, Sansa, why don't you go to our seats, I'll be along in a moment."
"Yes father, Lord Baelish." Sansa said curtly and then she Robb and the wolves walked away quickly, he looked as Littlefinger watched them leave and then turned to him smiling.
"Strange animals wolves."
"Pack animals Lord Baelish, you should be wary of animals that hunt in a pack. I've seen them tear an elk to pieces in moments, have you ever seen the size of a fully grown elk?" he said enjoying the fact the man smirked no more.
"I had hoped to speak to the children Lord Stark, Lady Catelyn and I are very close I'm sure she'd love to know what her children have been up to."
"Indeed, well you've spoken to them, if my wife wishes to know of them she can write."
"Cat was always very fond of writing if I remember correctly." Littlefinger said smirking once again.
He moved quickly, his hand on this throat pushing him against the wall and he began to squeeze watching as the color left the man's face. Behind him, he heard swords being drawn as Jory and his guards faced off against the two that Littlefinger had brought with him.
"You're a funny man, a very funny man." he said glaring at the man as he squeezed and then he let go allowing the man to gather his breath "You should be careful Lord Baelish, some people may find your humor offensive." he said as he moved away.
"Starks quick tempers, slow minds." he muttered and Ned turned back moving to him once again.
"A clever man or a man who's temper is up, which do you fear my lord? And think long and hard before you answer, a clever man may cause you problems, but a man with a temper will end you." he said moving away.
"I'll give your wife my regards Lord Stark."
"Give her what you like Lord Baelish, I care not." he said as Lya arrived back and looked at him and then Littlefinger, the wolf walking over and climbing up on the man who was now shaking, her paws either side of Littlefinger's head as she snarled at him.
"Lya to me." he said and heard the wolf growl once more before she was back by his side and they walked away.
Highgarden 295 AC.
The Joust.
Ser Barristan.
He had not really had a chance to spend any time one on one with the king, though he had as the meeting came to a close had a brief moment to speak to Arthur and Jon. The king telling him that he'd find a time and place for them to meet privately before the tourney ended. Now though he was walking to the tent and a part of him wished to talk the boy out of it, tell him no, though he was his king and it was not his place to do so.
Competing in an honor joust was one thing, competing in a tourney against knights, against some of the knights that he could face here in an open draw, was quite another. As he arrived at the tent he nodded to Ser Walder, the man who would be his brother one day had impressed him in the melee and he would be proud to wear a white cloak with him.
"Ser Walder."
"Ser Barristan."
"Is there anyone inside?" he asked hoping Walder knew what he meant.
"Jon, Loras, and Ser Daeron, Ser Barristan." Walder said as two hedge knights walked by.
Inside the tent he found both boys putting on their armor, Arthur standing there speaking softly to the king. When they saw him he saw Jon smile while Loras tied up the king's breastplate.
"Ser Barristan it's good to see you."
"You too Jon." he said knowing it was better not to take the chance with so many people milling around outside.
"I take it just like Ser Daeron you've come to ask us both not to compete?"
"I have Jon, I understand the wish to compete in a tourney, and while your horsemanship, and I've no doubt Loras's is also is up to the task and may make you feel ready, taking a lance from each other in your practices is far different than taking one in a proper joust Jon."
"Which I've been trying to tell them." Arthur said as the tent opened and Jaime walked in.
"My lord, it seems I now have two knights telling me not to compete, will you be joining them?" Jon asked a smirk on his face.
"Me, I want to face you and knock you on your arse." Jaime said and both boys laughed.
"It's dangerous Jaime." he said and Jaime nodded.
"What age were you again Barristan, or you Daeron. I was three and ten when I rode my first, and even then it was only because I had missed the one when I was two and ten." Jaime said.
"It's different Jaime." he said and Jon looked at him.
"Forget who I am, would you have come here for Loras, Ser Barristan." Jon asked and Barristan was ashamed to shake his head.
"Nobody loves me." Loras said getting a chuckle and an arm around his shoulder from the king.
"I love you, ugly though you are." Jon said and Loras laughed.
He had to admit he enjoyed the banter, were it not for the knot in his stomach and his worry over who Jon was he'd have played a part in it himself, as it was though he reluctantly nodded.
"Come it's time to see the lists, let's go find out who we're facing." Jon said picking up his helm and all five of them walked from the tent.
It turned out he was facing a Frey and Loras laughed, though Ser Perwyn was not a typical Frey which he soon told them and didn't like the excited look which then appeared on Jon's face. Loras was drawn against a hedge knight, while Jaime had drawn Lord Yohn Royce and he the Blackfish, much harder opposition than they'd expected first off.
"Who did I get?" they heard the voice behind them as Oberyn arrived, the Red Viper someone he hadn't known how to take, knowing he was close to Jon had surprised him, seeing how close though had soon removed any doubts of the man's intent.
"Ser Lyn Corbray."
"I'm going to enjoy this." Oberyn said making him wonder why.
"He's one of Littlefinger's friends." Arthur whispered in his ear.
As they moved back to the tents to wait to be called, Jon walked over to him, the others walking a little distance in front and he spoke very softly.
"I appreciate your worry Ser, but I need to do this, for me, I need to ride, I wish to, I'll not take any chances but I want to do this." Jon said and he saw him touching a small ribbon.
"Do you have someone you'd crown?" he said smiling and he enjoyed the little blush that appeared on his king's face.
"Ser I may be confident but I'll not tempt fate." Jon said and he chuckled knowing that he'd already picked his queen.
"Then I wish you good fortune, Jon."
"And I, you, Ser Barristan."
It was Loras who was up first and he watched on standing close to the king but not too close, Jaime and Arthur standing beside Jon as his friend took the tilt in three rides, the boy's lance work was excellent and his riding though not on a par with Jon's was pretty good too. His own ride was next and he lined up to face his old friend, the Blackfish a man he only respected now even more given what his house was involved in and his own attitude towards it.
Charging down the field he saw his king look on expectantly, he heard the roar of the crowd and the lance struck home, though the Blackfish didn't move. The next tilt was the same, the lance broke and still no movement from the Blackfish, on the third he caught him with as good a shot as he had hit and it almost unseated him, the fourth it seemed would be the one and he was right, and he looked on as Brynden got to his feet and nodded he was unharmed.
Riding back he saw the king on his horse and he eagerly dismounted and rushed back to see him ride, keen to see him return safely.
Arya.
Jousting was not as much fun as the melee, but she had a bigger reason to cheer today as her brother would be riding soon. She had enjoyed the rides so far, a fat knight from House Frey had fallen almost without being hit to much laughter in the crowd. Lord Beric had beaten a Royce from the Vale, someone her father had cheered on while seeing Loras ride and beat a bigger man had been fun.
Ser Barristan against her granduncle had allowed her and Lyanna to get their own back on Bran for cheering for him during the melee. While he was family and Bran would be squiring for him, Lyanna and she had been cheering for Dacey, and hearing her brother cheer when she was beaten had annoyed them, though they knew he was right to do so.
So seeing him fall to the Bold had allowed them to annoy him back though her stupid brother had only laughed saying "It was the Bold, the best knight in Westeros.". Now though she moved to the edge of her seat when she saw Jon and Winter come out, the shield he held in his hand wasn't the one she'd heard about, she'd have loved to see that one here, instead, it was just Ghost alone with no fish in his mouth.
"He'll beat him for sure." she said to Lyanna as the knight from the twins rode out.
"What if he doesn't?" she heard someone say and she turned angrily but couldn't find who it was.
Before she had a chance to really look she turned back and the horses were riding down towards each other, the sound of the lance hitting the shield seemed even louder than it had been just the ride before.
"He's hurt?" she heard someone say and she looked on worriedly as Jon leaned back in his saddle barely holding on as Winter rode on.
"Jon." she shouted and was happy then to see him right himself and soon they rode again, she felt her mouth dry up, her heart begin to race and she looked on as Jon's lance hit and then she found herself standing and cheering as did everyone around her when they saw the knight fall.
Jon just stopped his horse and looked down to see the knight rise and nod his head, and then he looked towards them and she found herself laughing as she sat back in her seat.
"I told you he'd win." she said and she sat there smiling and looking forward to his next ride.
She watched Ser Jaime beat Lord Yohn in six rides, both men almost coming off in the third and fourth, and then she felt the hush in the crowd as the Red Viper rode in. she liked the prince, he had laughed with her, he mussed her hair like Jon did and he let his daughters fight. He was also friends with Jon and so she cheered him on as he looked to the crowd.
His horse was decked out in bright yellow, his shield the sigil of his house, the gold spear piercing the red sun on a bright field of orange, she found she liked the colors, she liked the sun even if it made her sweat too much. As the prince rode she wanted to see the other man fall though, she didn't know him but she didn't like him already and she was glad to see him move in his horse on the first ride.
She like the rest of the crowd were stunned on the second ride, what the prince did with his lance was unusual, and hearing the gasps she wondered if it was even allowed. Instead of aiming at the shield, the prince aimed it at the horse, it forced the knight to pull the reins and when he did the lance rose to catch him in the chest and as he flew from the horse he landed hard on the ground.
"What was that?" she said turning to Lyanna who looked as clueless as she was.
"I don't know, but prince Oberyn won." Lyanna said and she looked around to see the crowd looking at the prince oddly.
The knight got up and moved a little stiffly but Oberyn was already gone and she wondered if the man had done something to upset the prince or his daughters, or was it just how he rode.
Oberyn.
Corbray being one of Littlefinger's men raised his ire, so much so that he at one point he thought of aiming to do far more harm than he did. In the end, though he decided to go for the horse, to make it look like he was being dishonorable and for it to give him the opening he wished for. Since his lance would hit the horse first Corbray would need to pull his reins and as soon as he did so Oberyn switched up catching him flush in the chest.
He would feel the pain of that for a few days at least and when he rode back he found Jon waiting for him, he expected to see some annoyance, some judgment, instead, he found his nephew smiling at him. Climbing off his horse he walked with Jon to watch on as some of the other competitors took to the field and they were soon joined by Lord Beric and his squire.
"Jon, it's good to see you again." Lord Beric said.
"You too my lord, you rode well,"
"I thank you, Jon, I missed your own ride but then I missed you in the horse race by some distance also." Beric said with a chuckle.
"Have you met Prince Oberyn, my lord?"
"No, an honor to meet you, my prince, my betrothed, and squire are also from Dorne, Ned come over here." Beric said and the small boy came over as Oberyn greeted the man.
"Ned?" Jon asked.
"Lord Edric Dayne, Jon." Beric said and Jon looked to him.
"Lord Dayne." Jon said and the boy looked to him and then Jon and seemed nervous.
"Lord Jon, my prince." Ned Stammered.
"No Lord, Lord Dayne, though Prince Oberyn really is a prince." Jon said with a smile on his face which seemed to put the boy at ease.
"I'm sorry, Jon." Ned said and Jon's smile was even broader now and so the boy relaxed even more.
"My lord, my prince if you'll excuse me, Ned I wonder if I could speak to you a moment, about your uncle and his sword?" Jon asked and Ned looked eagerly to Beric who nodded.
Watching them both walk away he was left with Lord Beric and he wondered if Jon was talking Ned about Cregan and had the boy seen him or Arthur and did he even know of them. He was about to follow when Lord Beric began to speak and he found himself laughing with the man until Jon came back with Ned, the young man seeming far more comfortable with his nephew now.
"It seems the next round is to be posted soon, Jon, Prince Oberyn perhaps we could speak later?" Beric said.
"I'd like that my lord, young Ned you're a credit to your House and it's a true pleasure to meet a fellow Dornishman here." he said and the boy looked to him as if he'd given him Dawn itself.
"My prince." he said as he walked away after his lord.
"Interesting man Lord Beric." he said as he and Jon walked.
"Most interesting, a Stormland's lord, most interesting indeed." Jon said and he chuckled.
"And here I thought you were just being friendly."
"Oh, I was my prince." Jon said and he laughed properly now.
He shuddered when he saw the list and then he laughed at both the excitement on Jon's face and the jealousy on Loras's. Both boys had draw Kingsguard but Loras had drawn Ser Arys Oakheart while Jon had drawn the Bold, as for him it seemed he and Lord Beric would be getting reacquainted much sooner then he'd have liked and Jaime was to face Lord Renly.
"The Bold, you got the Bold." Loras said and Jon laughed.
"Want to swap Loras?"
"Can we?" Loras asked before he realized he was being japed.
"No."
"I hate you." Loras said chuckling.
He was up first and so he wished them both luck and mounted ready to face Lord Beric. It only took two lances and he unseated him easily, though he rode it fair and used no tricks and the Lord took it in good spirits and was thankfully unharmed. He made his way back and walked up to Arthur who was looking on as Jon rode out.
"I met your nephew." he whispered.
"Jon spoke to him, I kept my helm on, but he invited him to the Rock."
"Is that a good idea?"
"I don't know, but my sister is to marry the man he squires for and he's bound to see Cregan here, it may be for the best."
"It may." Oberyn said "As for this?" he said looking out as Barristan and Jon faced off.
"Reckless." Arthur said annoyed.
"Brave." he said with a smirk.
Margaery.
Between her grandmother and Jon they had calmed her down some, reassured her and as she had gone to her room that night and dressed for bed she had been feeling a little better. When she heard the scratching at her door she had thought it to be Fang and she found herself smiling when she opened it and it was Ghost that walked in, the white wolf looking to her before moving to her bed.
She had thought it was Jon warging but even finding out it had not been, that it was just him having sent Ghost to comfort her she had been more than happy and so had snuggled comfortably beside the wolf that night. Jon had come to her room early the next morning to fetch the wolf and to once again reassure her, even going so far as to tell her if he didn't compete how could he crown her.
" I don't need a crown if it puts you at risk Jon." she said and he leaned in and softly kissed her lips, the kiss far too short but understandable given where they were.
" I would not put myself at any more risk than necessary. I promise Margaery both I and Loras will be safe, I'd not see you hurt by allowing myself to be."
The first few jousts had her calming down some more, she saw each competitor rise after they had been unseated and so she felt her nerves gradually recede, though she was not the only one to look on nervously when Loras rode. He did so excellently and she along with her brothers and father and mother cheered while her grandmother smiled a small proud smile.
When it was Jon's turn though she felt her nerves rise again and as the two lances crashed she saw him move so far back in the saddle that she had thought him lost and she would have been happy if he'd not rode again. Though even through her nerves she felt a little swell of pride when he righted himself for the second tilt. Seeing him knock Ser Perwyn from his saddle she rose to her feet cheering, thankfully so did pretty much everyone so she didn't look out of place.
"That was an excellent ride." Willas said beside her and she felt her brother grab her hand.
"It was, most excellent." she said smiling.
She heard Willas's chuckle while others practically hissed at Oberyn's ride and she wondered why Oberyn seemed to be riding dishonorably only to see it be a mummery and to watch him win. By the time it came around for Oberyn's second ride the news had reached them of the draw, Loras was to ride against a Kingsguard and she knew her brother would love that. But it was knowing Jon was to ride against the Bold which had her calming down almost fully.
When the time came and she looked out as the two of them faced each other she knew that the Bold would be honorable, he would be fair. So now the danger that Jon faced was the normal danger one would in a joust and while that was still much, it was far lesser than against someone wishing you harm. Barristan's horse was decked out in the colors of the Kingsguard, the white barding tinged with the three stalks of wheat to signify his house. Winter, on the other hand, was completely bare but for the saddle, and she felt her heart in her mouth as they rode towards one another.
The crashing of the lances had her closing her eyes and when she opened them she saw that both had hit home, but Jon remained seated still. She felt more comfortable with the next one and she thought she saw Barristan move a little but she wasn't sure. By the third she was watching eagerly, the lances practically smashing as they broke against the shields.
She could hear the king sing Jon's praises and the crowd too seeming surprised, with the fourth tilt she saw Jon move in his saddle and putting everything he had into the thrust, and then Winter was riderless. Jon seemed to almost float in the air while the horse ran off, the noise of the hit still reverberating around the grounds, and then came the crash as he fell to the ground.
"He's hurt." she heard someone say.
"He's not moved." she heard someone say.
It took her a moment to realize it as she who'd spoken and by that time the Bold was off his horse helping Jon to his feet and as she saw them walk, as she heard them laugh, she was glad it was over. She looked on as Jon spoke to the Bold and then looked back to the stands, his helm was off and he seemed to be looking to her and so she smiled, seeing him smile back before he turned to nod at something the Bold said.
"He did very well, four lances against the Bold, people will talk." Garlan said and she found that though she was proud of her future husband, she cared more for his safety than of what people thought of him.
Jon.
Flying was not all it was cracked up to be he thought jokingly as he and Barristan walked back to the tent, he had been doing well he thought, managing to deflect rather than absorb Barristan's lances. He had even felt the knight move which was why he had put so much effort into this thrust and he had left himself open in the process, something that Barristan told him as they arrived at the tent.
"I got to break lances with Ser Barristan the Bold, that Ser is a dream come true." he said as the knight smiled.
"You are sure you are unhurt?" Barristan asked.
"I am Ser, go I wish you good fortune, I'll need to hurry to see Loras's ride."
Once the knight was gone and he was checked over by Jaime, Arthur, and even Walder, he was thankful that Loras was getting ready for his own ride or no doubt he'd be checking him too. He was quickly helped out of his armor and he arrived at the yard just as Loras was riding out, wishing his friend well as he nodded when he passed.
Loras though didn't need it and he beat Ser Arys in three to very loud cheers, Jon himself cheering even louder than most. Watching Jaime face Lord Renly he for some reason wished to see the man on the ground, he knew Renly had danced with Margaery and he wasn't sure if it was just jealousy that he felt. Whatever it was he didn't need to wait too long and Renly was beaten in two, he even felt some concern for the man when he heard the crack as he hit the ground, only for it to be one of the gold antlers on his helm.
When he saw the next lists he worried for Loras, seeing him face the Strongboar he felt he had no chance, Jaime too was facing one of his men from the West in Ser Addam and Prince Oberyn was to face Ser Rolland Storm while Barristan was facing Ser Richard Horpe once again. He squired for both Loras and Jaime, helping to ready their horses and making sure their armor was polished, even while they wore it still.
"You really don't have to do this Jon?" Jaime said.
"I am your squire am I not?, besides, I can see better from down here anyway." he said and Jaime chuckled as he readied for his ride.
Standing beside him and handing him the lance he readied himself to watch the ride and was surprised by how cleanly Jaime caught Ser Addam, the man losing in one, though good-naturedly as always, Jon grabbed the man's loose horse and brought it to him after he'd gotten back to his feet.
"I hate facing him." Ser Addam said smirking as he and Jon walked back to the tents and Jon handed him back his horse's reins.
"Well at least we both walked away unharmed Ser Addam." he said and the knight chuckled as he walked off.
He helped Loras prepare and felt more nervous about this ride than any of his own, he had managed to do as he promised Margaery as far as he was concerned, but he needed his friend to be unharmed too if he was to keep the promise fully. Wishing him well he paid even more attention to this joust than he had to any of the others, he was ready to warg for what good it would do, and as he heard the lance's crash he saw Loras move, but stay seated.
The Strongboar though brushed it off as if it was nothing, Loras caught him twice more, perfect shots to the chest, and yet they didn't move the man an inch. On the fourth he caught him with a shot that was even better and the man at least was knocked back some but it was clear his friend lacked the strength to unseat him. Something the fifth tilt showed as once again he caught him flush, though it was Loras, not Lyle who was knocked from his horse.
He was moving before Jon had a chance to, and so Jon grabbed his horse and then helped his friend walk a little gingerly from the yard.
"Are you well?"
"Damn that hurt."
"You caught him perfectly Loras, each time, I've never seen such good work with the lance." he said and Loras smiled as the Strongboar rode over.
"Do you really think so Jon?" Loras asked but it was the booming voice of Lyle Crakehall they heard.
"Well done lad, had you more weight or strength I'd be on the ground, you should be proud of your performance today."
"I thank you Ser Lyle." Loras said and Jon could see how prideful his walk became then as they reached the back, the gingerness now was gone and the pain quickly forgotten.
Jaime fell in the semi-finals to the Bold, Jon doing as he had the last time they met, taking his place in the stands so he showed no favor. While not as epic as their tilt in King's Landing it was still an excellent ride and as Jon sat amongst his family and with Joy making sure he was unharmed every few moments, he tried his best not to laugh.
"Ouchie Jom?"
"No, no ouchie."
"You sure?" she asked raising her eyebrow.
"Sure, you get pen nuts Joy?"
"Hmm, all gone, we get more?"
"Maybe later, maybe we'll get a candied apple before we go back." he said making her smile and seeing both Arya and Lyanna stare at him eagerly while Sansa just smirked.
Oberyn faced off against the Strongboar who had surprised many by making it this far and Jon looked to Ellaria and his cousins who looked on eagerly. Five lances it took and while Loras may not have had the strength, his uncle suffered from no such shortcoming. When it came time for the final he looked on nervously, hoping for the result he wished for.
"Who'll win Jon?" Bran asked and he saw Cregan and Robb look on with interest.
"Who do you think will win?" he asked.
"The Bold, no one can beat the Bold." Bran said his hero worship for knight's clear.
"Even me." he said and while the others chuckled, Bran thought he was having a go at him and began to apologize.
"No you could have, I cheered for you Jon, honest." Bran said and Jon reached over and mussed his hair.
"Thank you little brother and there's nothing wrong with thinking who'll win, but look, it's about to happen, let's see if you're right."
The two horses rode fast and it was the Bold's lance which hit better, the same on the second and the third tilt. It took to the fourth for Oberyn to get a hit of equal measure and the fifth was a draw. The Bold was almost immovable, almost solid and Oberyn it seemed was getting frustrated given how he grabbed the lance, as the two raced for the sixth it happened.
The Bold's lance hit flush and Oberyn flew from his horse, he heard Ellaria's gasp from where he sat and then looked on as Oberyn seemed to roll on the ground before he basically popped up on his feet once the roll was done. He looked to his aunt to see her relieved smile and he like the rest of the crowd cheered Ser Barristan's victory.
"Your graces, my lord and ladies, I give you the victor of the joust at the Tourney of Highgarden for Lady Margaery's Nameday, Ser Barristan Selmy, the Bold himself." the herald said to even louder cheers.
He watched as the Bold rode to the garland and then he picked it up on the end of the lance before he rode to name his queen.
"Lady Margaery I would name you the Queen of Love and Beauty" Barristan said and Jon saw first her smile and then the surprised look on her face when she saw it, her smile beaming even more.
"I thank you good Ser." Margaery said as she looked towards him, a small nod was all she did but it was enough for him to know she'd seen her favor tied to Barristan's belt.
'My queen.' he thought to himself as he watched her put the garland on her head.