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Ned was soaked through to the bone, and his soul had grown cold "It had to be er shook the rain frohed "Now I see Lord Arryn learned that His Grace had filled the bellies of some whores and fishwives, and for that he had to be silenced Small wonder Allow a man like that to live, and next he’s like to blurt out that the sun rises in the east"

There was no answer Ned Stark could give to that but a frown For the first tiaryen He wondered if Rhaegar had frequented brothels; so harder now, stinging the eyes and dru down the hill when Jory called out, "My lord," his voice hoarse with alarm And in an instant, the street was full of soldiers

Ned glireaves, steel hel to their backs, sodden with rain He had no time to count, but there were ten at least, a line of theswords and iron-tipped spears "Behind!" he heard Wyl cry, and when he turned his horse, there wereoff their retreat Jory’s sword ca from its scabbard "Make way or die!"

"The wolves are howling," their leader said Ned could see rain running down his face "Such a ser walked his horse forward, step by careful step "What is the "

"He was the Hand of the King" The mud muffled the hooves of the blood bay stallion The line parted before hiolden breastplate, the lion of Lannister roared its defiance "Now, if truth be told, I’m not sure what he is"

"Lannister, this is er said "Let us pass We are expected back at the castle What do you think you’re doing?"

"He knohat he’s doing," Ned said calmly

Jai for my brother You remember my brother, don’t you, Lord Stark? He ith us at Winterfell Fair-haired, ue A short man"

"I remember him well," Ned replied

"It would seem he has met some trouble on the road My lord father is quite vexed You would not perchance have any notion of who ht have wished my brother ill, would you?"

"Your brother has been taken at my command, to answer for his criroaned in dissword froed his stallion forward "Show me your steel, Lord Eddard I’ll butcher you like Aerys if I must, but I’d sooner you died with a blade in your hand" He gave Littlefinger a cool, contelance "Lord Baelish, I’d leave here in soet bloodstains on er did not need to be urged "I will bring the City Watch," he proh, and closed behind hier put his heels to his mare and vanished around a corner

Ned’s ainst twenty Eyes watched from nearby s and doors, but no one was about to intervene His party was mounted, the Lannisters on foot save for Jaiht win them free, but it seemed to Eddard Stark that they had a surer, safer tactic "Kill slayer, "and Catelyn will most certainly slay Tyrion"

Jaiilded sword that had sipped the blood of the last of the Dragonkings "Would she? The noble Catelyn Tully of Riverrun hed "But I a to chance my brother’s life on a woolden sword into its sheath "So I suppose I’ll let you run back to Robert to tell hihtened you I wonder if he’ll care" Jaiers and wheeled his horse around When he was beyond the line of swordsar, see that no harm comes to Lord Stark"

"As you say, m’lord"

"Stillouldn’t want hiht and the rain, he glimpsed the white of Jaime’s smile--"kill hisfor his sword Jai off down the street as he heard Wyl shout Men closed fro at phantoave way before hied A steel-shod hoof caught a Lannister guards crunch A second man reeled away and for an instant Jory was free Wyl cursed as they pulled hialloped to hiar’s helar stumbled to his knees, his lion crest sheared in half, blood running down his face Heas hacking at the hands that had seized his bridle when a spear caught hi the from his sword "No!" Ned shouted "Jory, away!" Ned’s horse slipped under hi down in thepain and the taste of blood in his s fro and failing as they closed in around him When Ned’s horse lurched back to its feet, he tried to rise, only to fall again, choking on his screah his calf It was the last thing he saw for a time The rain came down and down and down

When he opened his eyes again, Lord Eddard Stark was alone with his dead His horse alloped away Ned began to drag hiony in his leg It seemed to take years Faces watched froe from alleys and doors, but no one er and the City Watch found hi Jory Cassel’s body in his arold cloaks found a litter, but the trip back to the castle was a blur of agony, and Ned lost consciousnessahead of hiht of dawn The rain had darkened the pale pink stone of the massive walls to the color of blood

Then Grand Maester Pycelle was loo, "Drink, my lord Here The , and Pycelle was telling so and fetch him clean silk, and that was the last he knew