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"I gave them over to the silent sisters, to be sent north to Winterfell Jory would want to lie beside his grandfather"

It would have to be his grandfather, for Jory’s father was buried far to the south Martyn Cassel had perished with the rest Ned had pulled the tower down afterward, and used its bloody stones to build eight cairns upon the ridge It was said that Rhaegar had named that place the tower of joy, but for Ned it was a bitter ainst three, yet only two had lived to ride away; Eddard Stark himan, Howland Reed He did not think it oain after so many years

"You’ve done well, Alyn," Ned was saying when Vayon Poole returned The steward bowed low "His Grace is without, my lord, and the queen with hi as his leg trembled with pain He had not expected Cersei to come It did not bode well that she had "Send theo beyond these walls" Poole withdrew quietly

Robert had taken time to dress He wore a black velvet doublet with the crowned stag of Baratheon worked upon the breast in golden thread, and a golden on of as in his hand, his face already flushed from drink Cersei Lannister entered behind him, a jeweled tiara in her hair

"Your Grace," Ned said "Your pardons I cannot rise"

"No ruffly "Soe"

"A small cup," Ned said "My head is still heavy from the milk of the poppy"

"A man in your place should count himself fortunate that his head is still on his shoulders," the queen declared

"Quiet, woht Ned a cup of wine "Does the leg still pain you?"

"So, but it would not do to admit to weakness in front of the queen

"Pycelle swears it will heal clean" Robert frowned "I take it you knohat Catelyn has done?"

"I do" Ned took a small sine "My lady wife is blameless, Your Grace All she did she did at ruht do you dare lay hands on my blood?" Cersei demanded "Who do you think you are?"

"The Hand of the King," Ned told her with icy courtesy "Charged by your own lord husband to keep the king’s peace and enforce the king’s justice"

"You were the Hand," Cersei began, "but now--"

"Silence!" the king roared "You asked him a question and he answered it" Cersei subsided, cold with anger, and Robert turned back to Ned "Keep the king’s peace, you say Is this how you keep ht," the queen corrected "Tregar died this ave hisroad and drunken slaughter insaid "I will not have it, Ned"

"Catelyn had good reason for taking the Imp--"

"I said, I will not have it! To hell with her reasons You will command her to release the dwarf at once, and you will make your peace with Jaime"

"Three of my men were butchered before my eyes, because Jaiet that?"

"My brother was not the cause of this quarrel," Cersei told the king "Lord Stark was returning drunk frouards, even as his wife attacked Tyrion on the kingsroad"

"You know me better than that, Robert," Ned said "Ask Lord Baelish if you doubt er," Robert said "He clai began, but he ad from some whorehouse"

"Some whorehouse? Dahter! Her irl you fathered, ere boys together in the Vale" He watched the queen as he spoke; her face was a

Robert flushed "Barra," he gruht she had more sense"

"She cannot be ht she had sense?" Ned said, incredulous His leg was beginning to pain him sorely It was hard to keep his temper "The fool child is in love with you, Robert"

The king glanced at Cersei "This is no fit subject for the queen’s ears"

"Her Grace will have no liking for anything I have to say," Ned replied "I aslayer has fled the city Giveswirled the wine in his cup, brooding He took a s "No," he said "I want no more of this Jaime slew three of your men, and you five of his Now it ends"

"Is that your notion of justice?" Ned flared "If so, I aer your Hand"

The queen looked to her husband "If any aryen as he has spoken to you--"

"Do you take me for Aerys?" Robert interrupted

"I took you for a king Jaime and Tyrion are your own brothers, by all the laws of e and the bonds we share The Starks have driven off the one and seized the other This man dishonors you with every breath he takes, and yet you stand therepains him and would he like soer "How ue, woman?"

Cersei’s face was a study in conteods have ht to be in skirts andlashed out, a vicious backhand blow to the side of the head She stuainst the table and fell hard, yet Cersei Lannister did not cry out Her slender fingers brushed her cheek, where the pale s On the morrow the bruise would cover half her face "I shall wear this as a badge of honor," she announced

"Wear it in silence, or I’ll honor you again," Robert vowed He shouted for a guard Ser Meryn Trant stepped into the room, tall and somber in his white arht helped Cersei to her feet and led her out without a word

Robert reached for the flagon and refilled his cup "You see what she does tohis wine cup "My loving wife The one fro sad and scared "I should not have hit her That was notthat was not kingly" He stared down at his hands, as if he did not quite knohat they were "I was always strongno one could stand before ht so shook his head "RhaegarRhaegar won, dah that black armor into his black heart, and he died at s about it Yet somehow he still won He has Lyanna now, and I have her" The king drained his cup

"Your Grace," Ned Stark said, "we ertips against his teoing to the kingswood to hunt Whatever you have to say can wait until I return"

"If the gods are good, I shall not be here on your return You commanded me to return to Winterfell, re one of the bedposts to steady hiood, Ned Here, this is yours" He pulled the heavy silver hand clasp fro of his cloak and tossed it on the bed "Like it or not, you are my Hand, damn you I forbid you to leave"

Ned picked up the silver clasp He was being given no choice, it see throbbed, and he felt as helpless as a child "The Targaryen girl--"

The king groaned "Seven hells, don’t start with her again That’s done, I’ll hear no more of it"

"Why would you want me as your Hand, if you refuse to listen to hed "Why not? Soe, Ned It suits you And if you ever throw it inon Jaime Lannister"