Would've, Could've, Should've // Ned Stark // Hayley Marshall

30. Not Proper

'Rough night imp?' Sandor questioned fixing his boots.

'If I get through this without scratching one end or the other it will be a miracle.' Tyrion told him drunkenly, his head was spinning, he hated the north.

'Didn't pick you for a hunter.'' Sandor countered his gaze shifting to Hayley and Renly. He didnt understand, no one understood and yet the Baratheons got their mother back. He wondered if his own mother would have been like Hayley, kind, sweet, strong. His father never spoke of her and Gregor was certainly a monster.

'I am the greatest in the land my spear never misses.' Tyrion said drunkenly, his words slurred.

'It's not hunting if you pay for it.' Sandor remarked getting up as Tyrion closed his eyes again leaning against the stables as Lady ran up sniffing him. 

"I would come but apparently women are not allowed, which is ridiculous, leave me here alone, I could get into trouble. I'm good at it." Hayley mused and Renly chuckled looking to Robert. 

"Lord Snow, would you keep an eye on my mother?" Renly pondered. 

"I like that. Lord Snow, it has a nice ring to it." Hayley remarked but saw Jon's face turn down. "Bad Renly, so mean." Hayley gave him a shove. "I'm sorry honey," Hayley remarked moving to Jon. 

"It's fine." Jon assured. 

"Clearly less fine." Hayley corrected. 

"I'm a Snow not a stark." Jon reminded her. 

"You are Jon whatever the hell you want to be." Hayley corrected. "And I like you much better then Joffrey and he holds a very impressive title and is a complete and total-"

"Mum!" Robert declared moving towards them. "I should have know you would be with Ned's Bastard."

"Jon." Hayley corrected. "You know his name, dont make me slap both your and renlys heads together." Hayley remarked sternly. 

"Sorry, Jon boy." Robert offered clapping a hand on his shoulder. "I hear you might be joining the watch." 

"Thats the wall right?" Hayley questioned. 

"Yes, your grace." Jon agreed. 

"Swearing off women, thats a shame, dont you want little snow balls running around?" Robert mused. 

"That was funny but I do have to do this." Hayley remarked as she thumbed Roberts forehead. 

"We are heading out," Robert remarked. "Come on Renly." 

"Have fun." Hayley called back to them. 

Lady moved away from Tyrion and took a step away from him standing between Sandor's legs.

"Wolves are a good judge of character." Hayley remarked coming up to them.

"She must sense what a cunt you are little lord." Sandor chuckled rubbing between her ears. She tipped her head back looking at him. Lady ran to Hayley licking at her legs.

"She's a Lady." Hayley reminded him. "Dont speak like that in front of proper little ladies Sandor, dont you know?"

"Been spending too much time with improper ladies." sandor offered. Hayley winked back at him. 

"So Jon... the wall? Nah, come to the capital with us." Hayley declared. 

"It's not proper." Jon corrected. 

"Did you not just hear Sandor? I'm not proper." Hayley declared.  

'I know what I'm putting you through. Thank you for saying yes. I only ask you because I need you. You're a loyal friend. You hear me? A loyal friend. The last one I've got." Robert remarked

'I hope I'll serve you well.' Ned told him.

'You will. And I'll make sure you don't look so fucking grim all the time. Come on, boys, let's go kill some boar!"

Ned nodded goodbye to Bran as the riding party headed off, a smile crossed his face as he looked to Jon and Hayley.

' Come on, you.' Bran instructed summer as she jumped off.

Bran had been left behind with Jon and the girls and Rickon. But Rickon was little, and the girls were only girls and Jon and his wolf were nowhere to be found. Bran did not look for him very hard though.

Jon was still debating going with Uncle Ben to the Wall, to join the Night's Watch. That was almost as good as going south with the king Bran thought happily. Robb was the one they were leaving behind at winterfell. But Bran and the girls got to go with their father and Hayley back to the capital, it was going to be grand.

Since Bran was told of their journey south he could scarcely wait to be off. He was going to ride the kingsroad on a horse of his own, not a pony like a baby but a real horse like the man that he was. 

Ned would be the Hand of the King, and they were going to live in the red castle at King's Landing, the castle the Dragonlords had built. 

Old Nan said there were ghosts there, and dungeons where terrible things had been done, and dragon heads on the walls. It gave Bran a shiver just to think of it, but he was not afraid and he wanted to explore, he thought Hayley might explore with him too. Besides how could he be afraid? His father would be with him, and the king with all his knights and sworn swords. It must be the safest place in all the realms. 

 Bran was going to be a knight himself someday, one of the Kingsguard. He was going to be one of the finest knights with one of the finest swords in all the realm. 

The knights of the kingsguard wore white armor and had no wives or children, lived only to serve the king. Bran knew all the stories, he told Hayley a few too. Their names were like music to him, he would be a knight, he knew it. 

Bran had been marking the days on his wall, eager to depart, to see a world he had only dreamed of and begin a life he could scarcely imagine.