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

48. Son of a Bitch. Literally

'Good news?' Petyr said approaching Ned in the throne room Ned held a scroll tightly in his hands. 'perhaps you would like to share it with your wife?'

'Catelyn is in Winterfell' Ned told him.

'Is she?' Petyr grinned walking past him. Ned followed him begrudgingly into the city, down to one of Petyrs brothels.

'I thought she would be safest in here, this is one of the safer establishments I know-' Ned pushed Petyr up against the wall.

'you're a funny man you know that?' Ned said 'a very funny man.' he said strangling him.

'Ned.' catelyn called from above, ned released Petyr and moved to the Brothel.

"seven fucking hells." Ned grumbled.

'The starks and their tempers,' Petyr muttered fixing his jacket. 

"Father!" Rickon declared. 

"Rickon?" Ned spat. "What are you-"

"Hayley! Hayley!" Rickon shouted before running down the stairs. Ned spun around.

"I thought I heard you." Hayley declared picking him up. "What are you doing at the capital?"

"He stowed away." Catelyn sneered.

"Oh, you must be hungry then." Hayley declared. "We can get you something delicious and I know Bran will be excited to see you."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Rickon agreed.

"We are leaving." Catelyn corrected.

"NO!" Rickon whined out. "I want to stay!"

"I want you to stay, I was telling your dad the whole way here how unfair it was." Hayley agreed as Rickon hugged tight to her. 

"We are leav-"

"Hayley would you mind getting Rickon something to eat?" Ned cut in. 

"Of course." Hayley agreed. "They got all the smells here." Hayley mused as she led rickon off. 

"Rickon?" Jon questioned. 

"Hi Jon!" Rickon declared running to him. 

"What are you doing here?" 

"I stowed away and mother was really angry and don't let her take me back, I will be punished until I'm a million!" Rickon declared. 

"Wow, you people live that long?" Hayley half mused, she honestly didnt know life expectancy of Westerosis. 

'Until we know who the enemy are-' Ned began

'I know it is the Lannister's in my bone they are not to be trusted I know it.' Catelyn assured him. She was confident in that and that alone right now. "Petyr said that-"

"Catelyn you should not be here." Ned demanded. 

"It was petyrs blade and he lost it to Tyrion Lannister." Catelyn told him. "They are evil all of them. Must be punished."

'If little fingers right I can't do anything without proof.' Ned reminded her.

'And if you find the proof?' Catelyn questioned her voice rising.

'Then I bring it to Robert and hope he is the man I once knew.' Ned informed her.

'You are a weak man, Brandon would have done something, would have done what was right, he didnt cower away.' Catelyn informed him sternly. Weak? Being in a place where Hands of the king were being killed off possibly... brave enough to stay in place to try and protect his oldest friend... not weak. Ned was always the problem he rolled his eyes annoyed, Petyr saw the distaste Ned had for Catelyn. Catelyn was weak and Ned had been faithful and protected her for years tried to be a good husband when she was still comparing him to  Brandon. "If you wont do anything. I will." She hissed shoving him back. Ned ran a hand over his hair with a heavy sigh.