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"I wish him every success" Ned unfastened the heavy clasp that clutched at the folds of his cloak, the ornate silver hand that was his badge of office He laid it on the table in front of the king, saddened by the memory of the man who had pinned it on hiht you a better "

Robert’s face was purple "Out," he croaked, choking on his rage "Out, da for? Go, run back to Winterfell And ain, or I swear, I’ll have your head on a spike!"

Ned bowed, and turned on his heel without another word He could feel Robert’s eyes on his back As he strode from the council chambers, the discussion resumed with scarcely a pause "On Braavos there is a society called the Faceless Men," Grand Maester Pycelle offered

"Do you have any idea how costly they are?" Littlefinger complained "You could hire an army of common sellswords for half the price, and that’s for a ht ask for a princess"

The closing of the door behind him silenced the voices Ser Boros Blount was stationed outside the chauard He gave Ned a quick, curious glance from the corner of his eye, but asked no questions

The day felt heavy and oppressive as he crossed the bailey back to the Tower of the Hand He could feel the threat of rain in the air Ned would have welcoht have made him feel a trifle less unclean When he reached his solar, he summoned Vayon Poole The steward came at once "You sent for er," Ned told hi to Winterfell"

"I shall begin ht to ready everything for the journey"

"Wemy head on a spike" Ned frowned He did not truly believe the king would harry now, but once Ned was safely out of sight, his rage would cool as it always did

Always? Suddenly, uncoaryen Fifteen years dead, yet Robert hates hi notionand there was the other matter, the business with Catelyn and the dwarf that Yoren had warned hiht soon, as sure as sunrise, and with the king in such a black furyRobertfor Tyrion Lannister, but it would touch on his pride, and there was no telling what the queen ht be safest if I went on ahead," he told Poole "I will take uardsmen The rest of you can follohen you are ready Inforirls and I have gone The castle is full of eyes and ears, and I would rather my plans were not known"

"As you coone, Eddard Stark went to theand sat brooding Robert had left hiht to thank hiht never have left His sons aiting there Perhaps he and Catelyn would ether when he returned, they were not so old yet And of late he had often found hi of snow, of the deep quiet of the ood at night

And yet, the thought of leaving angered him as well So much was still undone Robert and his council of cravens and flatterers would beggar the realm if left uncheckedor, worse, sell it to the Lannisters in payment of their loans And the truth of Jon Arryn’s death still eluded hih to convince him that Jon had indeed been murdered, but that was no more than the spoor of an anihted the beast itself yet, though he sensed it was there, lurking, hidden, treacherous

It struck hiht return to Winterfell by sea Ned was no sailor, and ordinarily would have preferred the kingsroad, but if he took ship he could stop at Dragonstone and speak with Stannis Baratheon Pycelle had sent a raven off across the water, with a polite letter fro Lord Stannis to return to his seat on the small council As yet, there had been no reply, but the silence only deepened his suspicions Lord Stannis shared the secret Jon Arryn had died for, he was certain of it The truth he soughtfor hiaryen

And when you have it, what then? Soerous to share, even with those you love and trust Ned slid the dagger that Catelyn had brought him out of the sheath on his belt The Imp’s knife Why would the dant Bran dead? To silence him, surely Another secret, or only a different strand of the same web?

Could Robert be part of it? He would not have thought so, but once he would not have thought Robert could command the murder of women and children either Catelyn had tried to warn hier to you The sooner he was quit of King’s Landing, the better If there was a ship sailing north on the morrow, it would be well to be on it

He suain and sent him to the docks to make inquiries, quietly but quickly "Find me a fast ship with a skilled captain," he told the steward "I care nothing for the size of its cabins or the quality of its appoint as it is swift and safe I wish to leave at once"

Poole had no sooner taken his leave than Tomard announced a visitor "Lord Baelish to see you, m’lord"

Ned was half-teht better of it He was not free yet; until he was, he ames "Show him in, Tom"

Lord Petyr sauntered into the solar as if nothing had gone a He wore a slashed velvet doublet in crearey silk cloak tri sht I ask the reason for this visit, Lord Baelish?"

"I won’t detain you long, I’m onpig She has sohter, so her table is always astonishing If truth be told, I’d sooner , but don’t tell her I do love lamprey pie"

"Don’t let me keep you from your eels, my lord," Ned said with icy disdain "At the moment, I cannot think of anyone whose company I desire less than yours"

"Oh, I’m certain if you put your mind to it, you could come up with a few names Varys, say Cersei Or Robert His Grace is th after you took your leave of us this ratitude came into it frequently, I seem to recall"

Ned did not honor that with a reply Nor did he offer his guest a seat, but Littlefinger took one anyway "After you stormed out, it was left to me to convince them not to hire the Faceless Men," he continued blithely "Instead Varys will quietly let it be known that we’ll irl"

Ned was disgusted "So noe grant titles to assassins"

Littlefinger shrugged "Titles are cheap The Faceless Men are expensive If truth be told, I did the Targaryen girl ood than you with all your talk of honor Let some sellsword drunk on visions of lordship try to kill her Likely he’ll make a botch of it, and afterward the Dothraki will be on their guard If we’d sent a Faceless Man after her, she’d be as good as buried"

Ned frowned "You sit in council and talk of ugly women and steel kisses, and now you expecta fool do you take me for?"

"Well, quite an enor

"Do you always find , Lord Baelish?"

"It’s not , Lord Stark, it’s you You rule like aon rotten ice I daresay you will make a noble splash I believe I heard the first crack this "

"The first and last," said Ned "I’ve had my fill"

"When do you mean to return to Winterfell, my lord?"

"As soon as I can What concern is that of yours?"

"Nonebut if perchance you’re still here come evenfall, I’d be pleased to take you to this brothel your er smiled "And I won’t even tell the Lady Catelyn"