The Birth of Dragons

King Robert I Baratheon

There was an intense ache in his gut, Robert did not know what it was, but it was as if he was being eaten from the inside. The death was coming, Pycelle said as much, but even Pycelle was known to exaggerate, and it would suit his purpose. The Lannisters wanted him dead, had wanted him dead for a very long time, but he had fought on, through their schemes and intrigues, he had fought on. But now, now he was too weak to keep fighting, now he wanted only to sleep. First though, he needed to speak with Ned, his oldest and only friend. Ned who was a fool, who did not know his arse from his head, and now, well now time was running out.

"Ned." He calls out, his friend walking toward him, slowly, his vision blurred.

"Your Grace?" Ned asks.

Robert laughs, the movement making his sides hurt with pain. "You have done a terrible job, but you did not have a great start. And for that I would ask you forgive me." Ruling had never been his strong point, he was always more about fighting, and fucking.

"There is nothing to forgive Your Grace." Ned responds, good as always.

"Ah bugger it Ned, you can curse me, just once. I am a dying man; we both know this." Robert responds.

Robert sees the way his friend reacts, and he smiles internally, good, at least Cersei did this one thing right. "At least Ser Barristan was there to intercede on your behalf, before my wife took over."

Ned nods, and Robert can tell his friend looks uncertain and even a bit resentful. "Why did you do that? Why not simply summon me?"

Robert can tell the important time is coming, the end of his road. "Because I wanted to see what you would say. What your honour would make you do, when you discovered the truth."

He can tell by his friend's gasp, that this was not the answer Ned had been expecting. Indeed, his friend's voice is accusatory when he replies. "So you knew? You knew the children were not yours, and yet you did nothing?"

Robert laughs again, his laughter causing his body to ache in pain. "Do something? How could I do something? I am not a child killer Ned, and executing Cersei would bring war. There are still dragons across the sea, I could not afford to destabilise the kingdom. I owed it that much."

He can tell his friend is angry with his response, that he wants to yell, but Ned has never been one for yelling, instead his friend merely asks. "What do you want me to do Your Grace? The rightful heir is some way away, and Stannis has been getting swords to his cause."

"That red witch of his has been doing much good for my brother. Varys tells me, they've been fucking. I never thought Stannis would ever have done such a thing. As for Renly, Renly has no brains." Robert replies.

Ned looks at him confused. "So? That does not help me Robert."

Robert sighs, sometimes his friend could be quite thick. "Do not do anything, now Cersei knows you know, there will be nothing stopping her from killing you and your family. You must leave King's Landing."

Ned looks horrified at the thought. "Leave King's Landing? But then that will leave her free to do as she pleases. She will put her bastard on the throne, and claim him as your son. I cannot do that."

Robert uses what is left of his strength to grab Ned by the collar, and growls. "You will do as your King commands. Your daughters are out of here, now get yourself out of here. Raise your banners and march back south, and put the rightful ruler on the throne."

He feels his friend stutter to a stop. "What… what rightful King?"

Robert grunts in laughter, and he feels a little bit of blood dribble out of his mouth. "Come now Ned, enough nonsense. We both know Cersei was only partially right. There is a boy in Winterfell who could sit the throne, who has been raised by you. He would make a good King, he would be a far better one than I. So tell me Ned, are you going to tell him?"

"I… I…" Ned stutters in response, Robert feels his power on life slipping away, something in him is telling him now is the right time to go, but another part of him is telling him to remain.

"Do it Ned. Do it. The boy deserves to know. He needs to know now." Robert replies. "I know you have told your wife the truth, it is time the boy knew who he was."

"How… am I to do that?" Ned asks.

"You are to leave for Winterfell tonight, during the chaos of my death. You will go back, and you will tell the boy what he needs to know, and then you shall raise the banners. The Tullys will rise for the boy, as will the Arryns if Lysa has any sense. Tywin will try and cause a fuss, but he will be out manoeuvred. I know Renly and Benjen have been planning something, therefore you will need to do something to make sure that is solidified." Robert says, his breath coming out quickly.

Ned is looking at him as if he has grown a second head. "How do you know?"

Robert laughs, his brain aching, his mind telling him to rest, but he needs to say this, to have one last laugh. "You think I would not know about the boy? Ned, I knew Lyanna, I knew her better than you did. She was my love, she was to be my wife, before that whoreson Rhaegar took her. Of course I would know."

Ned lowers his head, and murmurs. "Forgive me for not telling you sooner."

Robert snorts. "Nothing to forgive, just make sure the boy gets his throne." He sees Varys emerging from the shadows. "Now go Ned, go and right the wrongs." His friend nods, and then disappears, and Robert laughs, he laughs until blood emerges from his mouth.