The Birth of Dragons

Lord Eddard Stark

The days dragged on without company, ever since he had woken up, it had been the same routine, struggle to get up, eventually accept that his leg was quite badly damaged, and then have food, no contact with anyone, nothing. This had been the case for a long time, how long he did not know, all he knew was that he was going mad. Eventually, Ned had been able to get out of bed, without wanting to scream in agony, and he had walked slowly around his room, drinking in his surroundings. He had seen a few things, barren paintings of a wasteland, a Dothraki bell, and they had not given him a positive indication of where or who he was with. Finally, he had gotten outside, and had begun training with his sword, and onward he had tried to go, but he had fallen. Now he found himself looking at a man who clearly was once a warrior but had allowed himself to go to fat. "Who are you?" Ned finds himself asking.

The man smiles wryly at that. "I am Illyrio Mopatis, a Magister of Pentos."

Ned nods, he has heard the name somewhere before, where exactly he does not know, but he knows he has heard it before. "And pray tell me Magister, what exactly am I doing here? Why am I not in Winterfell?"

At this the Magister gives a dramatic sigh. "Alas, my lord, as I am sure you remember you were attacked by pirates. We found you floating in a boat in the middle of the sea. The Lannisters were coming quickly to find you, and we did what we thought best, which meant bringing you here."

Ned hears the explanation and tries to fit it against the memories he has, they do not make much sense, but for now he disregards that and instead focuses on something he can try and gauge. "How do you know about the Lannisters? And how would they know where I was?"

The Magister looks at him as if he has grown a second head. "My lord, they were the ones who sent hose pirates after you, they knew where you were going and how you would get there. It did not take too long for them to pin point what to do. You are too dangerous for them to let live."

"That does not answer my other question." Ned states pointedly.

The Magister chuckles, making his belly rumble, a disgusting sight. "Forgive me my lord, I have been most forgetful. I know of the Lannisters from our mutual friend. The Spider has many allies and contacts here, and as such he was the one who warned me of what might happen should something befall you."

Varys, the man has a web everywhere. Curious now, Ned asks. "And what did he say might happen should something befall me?"

At this the magister shifts around nervously, and Ned has to wonder at that. "Many things that we do not wish to happen. You are a father are you not my lord?" Ned nods mutely, wondering where this is going. "Well then, tell me, would you want a war to happen and ravage your children?"

This question is one Ned does not like, it is one he has thought long and hard about since he left King's Landing. When he had been in the capital he had gotten stuck thinking over the right and wrong of what the Queen and her brother had done, and how to protect the Queen's children from Robert's wrath, he had not thought about what this would mean for his own children. That is a thought that shames him, and will continue to shame him till the end of his days. Ned still does not know why he continues to put other people before himself and his own, but right now, he does not know how to answer. "If a war is just, that does not make it wrong." He replies instead.

This causes the magister to laugh. "Oh, how very honourable of you. You know, I had a uncle just like you, he always was saying if something was right, then it had to be put forward." The magister looks down at him then, contempt evident in his eyes. "You know what happened to him?"

"No." Ned states, his irritation with the man growing.

"He got himself killed. He got into an argument with a Prince and eventually found himself impaled on a spear." The Magister responds. "Sometimes my lord, it pays to think once in a while."

Ned bristles slightly at the implied insult to himself, and finds himself asking. "What do you want from me? I am no good to you, and whatever other plans the Spider has. So let me go, let me return back to my home and my family."

At this, the Magister looks sad, if that is even possible, and his words are whispered in response. "Ah but you are needed here my lord. You swore a vow; do you remember? A long time ago, alongside your brothers and sister, a vow sworn in good health and harmony."

A memory comes floating back into his mind, long since suppressed, and it makes him shiver slightly in fear. "Robert also swore that vow, and he broke it."

The Magister looks at him unimpressed. "And what do you think happened to him, my lord? How do you think he died?"

"What do you want from me?" Ned asks, hating how his voice shakes, an old and ancient fear stirring itself internally.

The magister moves closer to him, and in that moment, Ned can see the imposing man he had once been. "I want you to remember what you swore. And when you remember, then you can go and meet the man you swore the vow to. You can meet your rightful King, and remember your honour." Ned nods, though he feels sick inside, no good can come from this.