Bride To Be // Sandor Clegane

12. Took the IMP!

Thea doubled over with laughter, literally on her knees laughing until her cheeks hurt from smiling and her stomach hurt from the depth of her laughter.

'Tell me again,' she said through short breaths. 'Tell me again!"

'Catelyn stark has-' Willas began for the 10th time.

'Taken the IMP!" Thea shouted. 'Fucking hell, give that woman a prize!' Sandor watched as Thea was most certainly unlike any woman he had ever met, certainly not like any lady he had met. She was, unique. 'Sandor!' she declared standing up. 'did you hear?'

"Lady stark-'

'Took the IMP!" she shouted her laughter filling the halls. 'oh, gods my stomach hurts.'

++

Tyrion watched in horror his hands still bound as the soldiers fought the attack.

'Untie me!' Tyrion demanded holding out his hands to Catelyn, 'if I die what's the point?' Tyrion told Catelyn and she untied him. Bronn was fighting bravely slashing down men after men. Bronn sliced the throat open of one of the men while Tyrion bashed in the head of another with a shield. Catelyn was surprised to say the least that Tyrion was protecting her, he killed a man that was about to attack her. maybe she was wrong, but maybe she was right and the Lannister's were vicious.

'Was that your first?' Bronn questioned, Tyrion nodded looking down to the body. 'we need a woman I always feel like a woman after a good fight.' Bronn told him

'I'm game if she is,' Tyrion remarked, but Catelyn had no intention of letting them go, even though Tyrion had just saved her life. ''m supposed to get married if I ever make it home and my goal before this unfortunate mishap,' he glared at Catelyn. 'was to fuck my way to kings landing, much like I did on the way to winterfell.'

++

'The whore is pregnant.' Robert snapped

'You were talking about murdering a child.' ned declared.

'I warned you this would happen, back in the north. I warned you but you didn't care to hear well hear it now!' Robert demanded 'I wanted them dead mother and child both. And that fool viserays as well is that clear enough for you?' Robert shouted.

'You will dishonor yourself if you do this.' ned told him

'Honor! I've got seven kingdoms to rule one king 7 kingdoms.' he screamed 'do you think honor keeps him in line? Do you think it is on our keeping the peace? It is fear. Fear and blood.' Robert shouted

'Then we are no better than the mad king.' Ned told him

'Careful Ned careful.' Robert warned

'Do you want to assassinate a girl out of spite or because of a rumor you heard?' Ned questioned.

'It is no rumor.' Varys said 'the princess is with pregnant with child'

'Based off of what information?' Ned questioned

'So Jorah moment he is serving as an advisor to the Targaryen's.' Varys told him.

'Mormont? You bring us the whispers of a traitor half a world away and call it a fact!' Ned questioned incredulously

'Mormont was a slave or not a traitor.' Varys reminded him 'I know it's a small difference to an honorable man '

'He broke the law betrayed his family and fled our lands we commit murder on the word of this man?' Ned shouted back.

'And if he is right and she has a son?' Robert shouted 'a Targaryen at the head of a Dothraki army what then?'

'The narrow sea still lies between us' ned reminded him. 'I will fear the Dothraki the day they teach the horses to walk on water.' Ned added

'Do nothing that is your wise advice? Do nothing until our enemies are on our show us! You are my council, council speak sense into this honorable fool!' he demanded

'I understand your misgivings' varys said. 'Truly it is a horrible thing we must consider the realm, to rule sometimes we must do a vile thing for the good of the realm.'

'I wish this girl no ill will,' Pyselle said 'but should the dothraki invade how many innocence will die? How many towns with bleed? Is it not wise that she should die now so that tens of thousands might live?'

'We should've had them killed years ago.' Renly told him

'When you find yourself in bed with an ugly woman' Petyr told them. 'You must close your eyes and get it over with. Cut her throat and be done with it.' he smiled over his cup.

'I followed you into war twice.' Ned reminded him 'without doubts without second thoughts. But I will not follow you now.' Ned told him 'the Robert I grew up with didn't tremble in the shadow of an unborn child.'

'She dies.' Robert informed him. 'She dies.' Robert repeated staring ned down.

'I will have no part in it' ned informed him.

'You are the kings hand Lord stark you will do is I command or I will find me a hand that will!' Robert warned him. So Ned pulled the hand pin off of his jacket throwing it to the table

'I thought you were a better man.' Ned remarked.

'How dare you!' Robert said standing up 'get out of here go run back to Winterfell. I will have your head on a spike.' Robert shouted.

++++

'... JORY!' ned called and he came rushing out sensing the panic.

'Lord stark?' Jory questioned.

'We must leave, get the girls and...' ned began as they walked. 'It is no longer safe here, we must leave for winterfell at once.'

'My lord?' Jory questioned confused.

"Catelyn has taken lord Tyrion.' Ned told her. 'We must go, leave now before-' but as they stepped into the light they saw red coats, Lions. They were surrounded.

'It looks like a small pack of wolves' Jaime noted

'Stand back ser this is the hand of the King.' Jory told him

'Was the hand of the King.' Jaime corrected 'I'm not sure what he is now....'

'What is the meaning of this Lannister?' Petyr said running outside

'Get back inside where it is safe. I am looking for my brother.' Jaime informed Ned 'you remember my brother don't you lord stark? Blonde hair, sharp tongue, short man.'

'I remember him well' ned admitted

'He had some trouble on the road you wouldn't happen to know what happened to him?' Jaime questioned.

'he was taken at... My command to be punished for his crimes.' Ned knew as soon as he spoke the words he was going to die. Jaime and his men unsheathe their swords.

'My Lord,' Petyr said stepping forward 'I will bring the city watch.' but ned held him back.

'Come on stark I'd rather you die sword in hand.' Jaime said

'If you threaten my lord again-' Jory warned.

'As in I'm going to open your lord from balls to brain and see what's starks are really made of.' Jaime clarified.

'You kill me. Your brother is a dead man' ned informed him.

'You're right...' Jaime acknowledged 'take them alive, kill his men.' Jaime instructed and Lannister soldiers stepped forward attacking but ned was not about to go down without a fight.

A sword, Jamie's sword was drove through Jory's chin, all the way out the other end of his skull. Jaime pointed his sword Ned ready for a proper duel as the rest of the Lannister soldiers waited circling them ready for an attack if necessary. They were at a face off when one of Jaime's men came from behind Ned stabbing him through the leg. Jaime stepped forward punching that man in the face.

'that was dishonorable.' Jaime informed him. Ned watched in complete agony spear still through his leg as Jaime mounted his white horse.

'He is my brother Lord Stark and I want him back.' Jaime spat riding away as Ned collapse to the ground.