3 Rewards of the Rebellion

We sailed on the marrow and two days later arrived at King's Landing. The city still smelled like blood and death. Burnt houses and hateful glares greeted us on the way to Red Keep. Tywin made a good job while sacking the city but the hate he granted to us, rebels, was not good.

When we passed the gates of the Red Keep, a herald greeted us and said the king was waiting for us in his chamber. Damn, this spy network thing is really good, I should get one. We passed from a long corridor and climbed a long staircase and finally reached the king's chambers. Looks like Robert is quick to fill his white cloak ranks as I saw a different face wearing the white cloak, Mandon Moore who fought side by side with Jon Arryn at the war and I can attest that he was a good fighter and a suitable man to Kingsguard.

Mandon eyed us with a hand on his sword but seeing me, he lowered his hand and opened the door for us. Robert and Jon were already in and Robert was downing a glass of wine.

"Ned!" He barked out like a boar. "Where is Lyanna?"

Confusion took over Robert's red face as he gazed behind me and saw Howland, Ashara, Arthur and Wyla with little Jon in her arms. However, realizing one of the men was Arthur Dayne, I saw anger painting his face.

"Ned," I could see that he was barely containing his anger, "What does this man do here? Why is he not dead?"

I sighed at Robert's reaction. I should have expected this as he hated anything related to Targaryens but I couldn't allow him to do anything so I tried to placate him.

"I took him prisoner and was planning to bring him here to be punished but…" I put my hand on Howland's shoulder as he blinked with confusion. "Howland here caught with Ashara in bed, red-handed."

Robert raised his eyebrows as I saw anger slowly slipping out of him. A good fuck, even if it was not him, was a solution to him for every problem.

"So I thought you could exile him to the Neck and forbid him from leaving there." As the words left my mouth, I felt a snort coming from behind me. Obviously, Arthur did not wish to be forced to stay in Neck but a look from me was enough to silence him for now as he knew that if he spoke with Robert things could get ugly.

Robert looked at me then his eyes drifted to Arthur and lastly, to the newly wedded couple. At last, he gave up and agreed to it but he looked at Arthur and told him that if he ever leaves the Neck then he was going to bury his head deep into the marches. With this, I motioned for Arthur to leave as he left grudgingly.

However, Robert's questions were still not at an end. "Who is that woman and baby? Howland's?" he asked.

I turned my head and beckoned for Wylla, little Jon's wetnurse, to come forward. I took him to my arms and showed him to Robert.

"My bastard, I named him Jon." Robert began laughing while Jon Arryn spews the wine in his mouth at the name I gave to the "bastard".

"Honourable Eddard Stark having a bastard, hahaha!" Robert's laughs continued but my stiff glare cut them short. He put his hand on my shoulder and looked at my eyes mockingly, "The war must have been hard on you. Anyway, you still didn't answer my question. Where is Lyanna, did you leave her on the ship?"

Was Robert this thick-headed? I mean Lyanna was kidnapped and held captive for a year. Does he think I wouldn't bring his betrothed with me if she had been alive? Aye, love can make men stupid that was obvious.

I turned to Howland and gestured to him to leave with others. When they left, I turned back to Robert and looked at him with a serious face.

"Robert… Lyanna is dead." I said.

Robert did not give the reaction I had expected. He turned around, went to the table, attempted to pour wine into his glass but stopped midway. He threw the glass to the wall and drank all the wine in the pitcher.

He did not turn around and put his hands on the table. "Leave…" He said with a low.

Jon went near him and just as he was going to put his hand onto his shoulder, he stopped and sighed. He turned to me and nodded his head towards the door. We left the room and wandered to the garden with Jon.

"My condolences, Ned." He said to me with sadness in his voice.

I nodded my head but changed the topic, "I heard Tywin Lannister offered his daughter as the new queen?"

"Yes, the realm must be united. She is the best choice we have at hand." Jon said.

I nodded my head. Indeed, despite her personality, she was politically the best choice. Tywin had gold coins and soldiers to support the Crown. And his influence would deter anyone from doing something wrong. However, even if the marriage happened I intended to stir things a bit.

"Aye, a good choice. However, I would advise you to be careful about Tywin's children. They look more close to each other than normal siblings." I said.

Jon stopped in his tracks and frowned at me, "And how do you know that?"

I shrugged, "Just a hunch," Well, I can't say that I know the future and I do not have a legit argument so I changed the topic "Also, I have two requests from you."

Jon ignored my raving and nodded his head for me to continue.

"You see, we fought as five-kingdom if you include Westerlands. Stormlands got a king, Westerlands got a queen, Vale got a Hand of the King and Riverlands put his blood into two other kingdoms but North did not get anything." Damn this is awkward, "So I was thinking North would also get a position in the small council for its contributions."

"I didn't know you for an ambitious type, Ned. Nevertheless, you are right. None filled Master of Coins and Master of Laws as of yet. Choose one. However, I hope you would be careful about the man you choose because we just came out of a war and the realm needs skilful hands to govern it." Jon said with rapt attention.

That was good but Master of Coin was out of the question as Robert was going to spend all the money and the fault would lie with the man who counted them so if I put someone as the Master of Coin then that could reflect on me. Thus, the only choice was the Master of Laws and I had the perfect man for that, Martyn Cassel.

He was the father of Jory and brother of Rodrik and also one of the men who accompanied me to the Tower of Joy. His family served mine for centuries and I had no doubt of his loyalties.

"We are not good at counting coppers. However, the law is something we respect and regard high. I also have the perfect man in mind for it. One of the men who accompanied me, Martyn Cassel. He served my family as master-at-arms and also helped in many other matters. He would make something out of the guards, you can be sure of that." I said.

Jon thought for a while then nodded his head and told me to send him to him tomorrow. "What is your second request?" he asked.

"I want the New Gift back. Targaryens forced the Watch to turn its eyes to the South instead of North. They don't have men to protect that place and they couldn't mow it because of the raiders. I plan to distribute it to back to its owners. They will mow it and give half of the food to Night's Watch." I waited with a bared breath. Although Jon might not agree to my second request, I was adamant to make it happen so if denied, I was planning to go to Robert and ask from him.

Jon stayed silent for a few minutes then looked at me. "The Crown will give you permission but you have to talk with the Night's Watch itself," said Jon.

I gave out a smile for my small victory. We parted our ways after we talked for a while. We stayed for a few days but Robert told us to stay for a few months for his wedding. However, I was insistent on going so he had relented but I can say that we parted on friendly terms.

We followed the kingsroad and entered the Riverlands with the remaining Northern soldiers in King's Landing. While we were passing by Gods Eye, a new quest popped up before me.

[Quest: Visit the Isle of Faces.

Reward: 2 Random Attribute Points.]