The Birth of Dragons

Lord Eddard Stark

"I am telling you Ned, if you go down this route, the kingdoms will burn. That is not what we had planned." Benjen says, and Ned feels anger grow through him.

Ned looks at his brother, and says. "I do not think you understand, Benjen, what I have told you is the truth."

Benjen looks at him as if he has grown a second head. "You understand what this is Ned? This is nonsense, where is your proof, of any of this? You claim that the King's children, are actually the children of the Queen and her brother? But where is your proof."

Ned sighs. "Look at them, they are blond of hair and green of eye, whilst all of Robert's children are black of hair and blue of eye. Every Baratheon child known to exist has that colouring. It is suspicious is it not?"

"And most of your children have Cat's colouring, are you going to tell me that her brother is their father?" Benjen quips.

Ned tenses. "No, because I know I am their father, and they have some of our family look in them. There is nothing of the King, in his supposed children."

Ned can tell his brother is getting frustrated with him, and he is getting frustrated with his brother also, how can Benjen not see it? "Jon Arryn and Stannis Baratheon were looking into this, Ben. They found something, clearly they found something. Otherwise why would they have gone looking into Gendry and looking through the lineage of the Baratheons?"

"Because they were curious. I admit, children not looking like their parents is curious, but I do not think is not enough to go through with these accusations. You do that, you are going down a very dangerous path." Benjen responds.

Ned sighs. "What more proof could you want Ben? There is a trail there for anyone who wants to look at it. Jon Arryn died for a reason, furthermore, why do you think that Stannis Baratheon has not responded to anything I have sent? Because he is scared of what might come around." He pauses for a moment, then tentatively says. "It could also help our own cause."

At this, Ned sees his brother stiffen. "You would use this excuse, this sham as a chance to bring him here?"

"Yes. If it is a chance, then I will take it. We have waited for a long time, and it is only right that, should this come to light, that we bring him here. Robert deserves to know." Ned says.

Benjen runs a hand through his hair, then responds. "You are being naïve Ned. The Lannisters, have a vice like grip over the court, they have eyes everywhere, do something like this, you will be finished."

"Why? I have brought my own men here with me, we have enough support to do some serious damage. I will need you to make arrangements over this." Ned states, knowing that his brother will likely protest.

As expected, Benjen stares at him grimly. "You would make use of my services, for something that would likely go south, the moment you open your mouth? Do you have any idea, how stupid you are?"

"Watch yourself, brother, I am still your liege lord." Ned growls warningly.

"And yet, you are not acting like it. Do you have any idea how ridiculous what you are suggesting is? You are accusing the Queen and her brother of treason yet have nothing of note to prove this accusation. Ned, you understand this will come back to bite us harder than anything father planned, ever did. You have no plan, no back up, nothing. What do you expect to happen? That Robert will just accept what you say without question?" Benjen questions.

Ned hesitates here, he knows that some of what Benjen has said is true, Robert is not the man he once was, the incident at Ruby Ford proved that, and yet, and yet, he holds out hope. He takes a breath then responds. "I will not know unless I try. I must prevent an injustice being done. Allowing the treason of the Queen to stand would not be doing that."

Benjen seems unimpressed by his reasoning, and Ned feels a slither of annoyance at that. Benjen might have spent a long time in the capital, but Ned is still the older sibling, he is the one who cleaned up the mess after Harrenhal, who cleaned Brandon up after his fights with various northern nobles, he has always done as he was told, or asked to. And now? Now he is asking for something simple from his brother, he gets this. He feels his anger rising, and steals himself to it, forces himself to say once more. "I will ask you this once, brother. Before I make any move, I want you to take the girls out of King's Landing. Take them from here, and move for Winterfell."

"And what about you? How long do you think you could remain within King's Landing after you do what you plan on doing?" his brother asks, sounding completely resigned.

Ned sighs. "I will be fine. Robert will work with me once he knows the true implications of what I tell him. Baelish might not be trustworthy, but if what you have told me is right, he will have no choice but to support me. Varys as well."

His brother does not look convinced, indeed if his words are indication, he most definitely is not. "Varys and Baelish, what has our world come to, if those are the two people you must rely on to bring you great support. I am telling you Ned, use Renly, use him and you will not be disappointed."

Ned considers his brother's words, and though he knows Benjen likes Renly, might even love him, he does not. There is something about the youngest Baratheon that does not sit well with him. So instead of responding directly to his brother's plea, he merely says. "Take the girls tonight, and go." He breathes a sigh of relief when his brother nods.