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Eddard
He found Littlefinger in the brothel’s coant woown over skin as black as ink By the hearth, Heward and a buxo at forfeits From the look of it, he’d lost his belt, his cloak, his irl had been forced to unbutton her shift to the waist Jory Cassel stood beside a rain-streaked ith a wry s the view
Ned paused at the foot of the stair and pulled on his gloves "It’s time we took our leave My business here is done"
Heward lurched to his feet, hurriedly gathering up his things "As you will,round the horses" He strode to the door
Littlefinger took his ti his farewells He kissed the black woh aloud, and sauntered over to Ned "Your business," he said lightly, "or Robert’s? They say the Hand drea’s voice, and rules with the king’s sword Does that also ’s--"
"Lord Baelish," Ned interrupted, "you presuht have taken us years to find this brothel without you That does not er the King’s Hand"
"The direwolf er with a sharp twist of hisdown from a starless black sky as they walked to the stables Ned drew up the hood of his cloak Jory brought out his horse Young Wyl caer’s mare with one hand while the other fus of his trousers A barefoot whore leaned out of the stable door, giggling at hi back to the castle now,into the saddle Littlefinger mounted up beside him Jory and the others followed
"Chataya runs a choice establisher said as they rode "I’ve half a mind to buy it Brothels are a much sounder investment than ships, I’ve found Whores seldom sink, and when they are boarded by pirates, why, the pirates pay good coin like everyone else" Lord Petyr chuckled at his oit
Ned let him prattle on After a ti’s Landing were dark and deserted The rain had driven everyone under their roofs It beat down on Ned’s head, waruilts Fat drops of water ran down his face
"Robert will never keep to one bed," Lyanna had told hio when their father had pro Lord of Storirl in the Vale" Ned had held the babe in his arms; he could scarcely deny her, nor would he lie to his sister, but he had assured her that what Robert did before their betrothal was of no ood man and true ould love her with all his heart Lyanna had only se aNed had not dared to ask her age No doubt she’d been a virgin; the better brothels could always find a virgin, if the purse was fat enough She had light red hair and a powdering of freckles across the bridge of her nose, and when she slipped free a breast to give her nipple to the babe, he saw that her bosom was freckled as well "I named her Barra," she said as the child nursed "She looks so like him, does she not, milord? She has his nose, and his hair"
"She does" Eddard Stark had touched the baby’s fine, dark hair It flowed through his fingers like black silk Robert’s firstborn had had the same fine hair, he seemed to recall
"Tell him that when you see him, milord, as itas it please you Tell him how beautiful she is"
"I will," Ned had pro love and forget theht of the pro, and the price he’d paid to keep them
"And tell him I’ve not been with no one else I swear it, ods and new Chataya said I could have half a year, for the baby, and for hoping he’d co, won’t you? I don’t want no jewels or nothing, just hiood to ht hollowly "I will tell hi"
She had smiled then, a smile so tre through the rainy night, Ned saw Jon Snow’s face in front of hiods frowned so on bastards, he thought dully, why did they fill men with such lusts? "Lord Baelish, what do you know of Robert’s bastards?"
"Well, he has more than you, for a start"
"How ed Rivulets of moisture twisted down the back of his cloak "Does it ive you presents, and His Grace has never been shy on that count I know he’s acknowledged that boy at Storht Lord Stannis wed He could hardly do otherwise The mother was a Florent, niece to the Lady Selyse, one of her bed the feast, and broke in the wedding bed while Stannis and his bride were still dancing Lord Stannis seemed to think that was a blot on the honor of his wife’s House, so when the boy was born, he shipped hilance "I’ve also heard whispers that Robert got a pair of twins on a serving wench at Casterly Rock, three years ago when he est for Lord Tywin’s tourney Cersei had the babes killed, and sold theslaver Too much an affront to Lannister pride, that close to holy tales like that were told of every great lord in the realhbut would the king stand by and let it happen? The Robert he had knoould not have, but the Robert he had known had never been so practiced at shutting his eyes to things he did not wish to see "Why would Jon Arryn take a sudden interest in the king’s baseborn children?"
The short ’s Hand Doubtless Robert asked him to see that they were provided for"