The Birth of Dragons

Lord Eddard Stark

The godswood of King's Landing was dark and gloomy, but there was a lack of the peacefulness, that could be found in Winterfell. He was just relieved that the girls were out of the capital, even if Sansa wasn't speaking to him right now. The Queen was stood before, the heart tree, looking ominous and regal, as he came to stand before her. "Your Grace." Ned says nodding his head.

"Lord Stark," the Queen responds. "What is the meaning of this meeting?"

Ned takes a deep breath, thinking over what Benjen had said, but he knows this is the right course of action, he would not want something like the sack happening to her children. "I have come to give you a chance to confess to your sins."

The Queen quirks her head to the side and asks. "And what sins might you be speaking of Lord Stark? I have not committed any."

The audacity of the woman makes him grit his teeth in frustration. "Every Baratheon child since the day of Orys Baratheon has had black hair and blue eyes. Every bastard that the King has had, have had black hair and blue eyes, and yet your children do not."

The Queen laughs slightly. "And have you met many of the King's bastards, Lord Stark?"

Ned nods. "I have met three of them, Your Grace, and they have got more Baratheon features and characteristics compared to your children. And why is that?"

The Queen snorts. "And tell me Lord Stark, do your children all look like you? Or do they favour your wife more?"

"My daughter Arya looks like me, Your Grace, and my other children look like me, but…" Ned replies.

"Precisely, so are you going to tell me that your goodbrother, Edmure Tully, is the father of your children?" the Queen interjects.

"No, of course not." Ned responds, angrily. "I remember the conception of my children, and their births. Can the King say the same?"

"No, though can the King remember anything of anything?" the Queen responds. "Now before you say anything else, ask yourself this, Lord Stark, what comes from presenting this evidence to anyone? What do you gain?"

"Justice, the truth." Ned replies. "You have committed a grievous treason, and as such it must be brought before the King, for you to face up for what you have done."

"And say that this happens, Lord Stark, what happens then?" the Queen asks.

"Then the rightful heir can be revealed, and as such the King and the kingdoms can move on." Ned responds firmly.

The Queen snorts once more. "You are really naïve, are you not my lord. My father will never stand for whatever nonsense you are talking about. The lords of the realm will laugh at you, for providing an accusation with little to no proof. So tell me this my lord, what exactly are you planning on doing?"

Ned stares at the woman for a long moment, wondering what to say, some of what she says makes sense, but he also knows that there is an element of manipulation going on here. He finds himself wondering why has come to this point. Eventually, he finds his voice, and states. "You have committed a crime, you have fornicated with your own brother, to create, three children, and have tried to pass them off as the King's own children. Not only that, but when Jon Arryn and Stannis Baratheon tried to get you to see reason, you killed one and drove off the other."

He had expected a variety of responses, but he had not expected the one he got. The Queen bursts out laughing. "Oh my Lord, you truly are naïve, but not only that, you are a hypocrite. Arryn and Stannis had no proof, neither do you. Furthermore, I did not kill Arryn." The Queen pauses, her chest heaving up and down in anger, before she eventually continues. "And what of your own treason?"

"My treason?" Ned asks, surprised, and a little nervous.

"Yes, your treason." The Queen responds, as if he is some sort of slow minded idiot, the thought makes him angry. "You have kept someone hidden from the King since the rebellion, and you have never thought to reveal them to the King. In doing that, you have committed your own treason."

"And what treason is this?" Ned asks curiously, his heart pounding.

"The boy you claim as your bastard. He is not really your bastard, is he Lord Stark?" the Queen replies tauntingly.

Ned feels fear surge through him at the words of the Queen. "I do not know what you mean, Your Grace."

The Queen smirks in response. "Of course you do, Lord Stark. You might have fooled everyone else with your story, but not me. Rhaegar Targaryen and your whore of a sister eloped with one another, and had a child."

Ned feels his heart nearly beat out of his chest. "No, you are talking nonsense. Jon Snow is my son."

"Oh please do not insult my intelligence. We both know this is the truth. Anyone who knew Prince Rhaegar can see that the boy is his. He has the Prince's build, and his attitude, no doubt helped by you. Your treason has come to light, the question is how long will you survive, now that I know?" the Queen taunts.

Ned stares at the woman, his heart hammering in his chest, he feels sick, and he regrets coming here, and asking for this meeting, but he knows that it is too late to do anything about it, and so he replies. "I do not think that you have this right Your Grace. There is no treason on my part, only on yours."

"Ser Jaime, did you hear that?" the Queen asks, calling out, into the darkness, the Kingslayer soon appears, smirking, thirty other men with him.

"I did Your Grace." The Kingslayer responds. "What do you want done?"

"Arrest him. The King will want to see him." The Queen responds. She then looks at him and whispers. "My son, the King."