Bastard // Ned Stark

29. Lannister

'You broke my nose bastard!' Jon turned around to them, the three men he had easily taken down.

'It's an improvement,' Jon said smugly and he was grabbed immediately from behind a knife shoved to his throat.

'we can throw you over the wall and not even the wolves will find you.' They warned.

'What you're looking at half man?' they question Tyrion as he came in, watching them.

'I'm looking at you' Tyrion said 'Yes you've got an interesting face. Very distinctive faces all of you.'

'What do you care about our faces?'

'It's just I think they would look marvelous decorating spikes in Kings Landing perhaps I will tell my sister the queen about it.' Tyrion told them.

'We will talk later' he muttered removing a sword from Jon's neck as they all moved sending glares Jon's way from across the room.

'Everyone knew what this place was, nobody told me,' Jon told Tyrion, as they approached, 'no one but you and Everly, I should have listened to her. Everly always wanted what was best and I thought this was it. She told me... she told me not to... My father knew and he left me to rot all the same.' Jon said ashamed.

'His father left him outside the wall when he was three and Pip was caught stealing a wheel of cheese his little sister that hadn't eaten in three days...' Tyrion said pointing at his accusers. 'He was given a choice of the right hand or the wall... I've been asking the commander it's interesting stories.' Tyrion told him.

'Everybody hates me because I am better than they are!' Jon told them, shooting the Crows a glare.

'It's a lucky thing none of them are trained by a master of arms like you were. I don't imagine any of them have held a real sword before they came here.' Tyrion glanced at the two who had held Jon hostage moments before. 'Oh your brother Bran has woken up.' Tyrion said delivering him the note.

'He's okay?' Jon questioned taking the note.

'He's alive.' Tyrion told him hopefully.

+++

'His lungs and his heart all fried up but when you're 100 miles north of the wall if you ask me you leave nothing for the wolves.'

'And how do bears balls taste?' Tyrion questioned.

''A bit chewy. What about you my Lord what is the strangest thing you've eaten?' Tyrion just chuckled.

'Do dornish girl count?' Tyrion questioned. 'Ah Ranger Benjen... you wander the seven kingdoms collecting pickpockets and horse thieves bringing here?' Tyrion questioned.

'Well it's not all bad, some of them are just poor lads looking to be set free some of them are highborn lads looking for glory.' Benjen told them. 'The nights watch is important but you must think us a bunch of jesters and fools?' Benjen questioned.

'You don't have enough men to be an army.' Tyrion informed them taking a sip from his jug.

'You have plenty of stories to tell when you go back to Kings Landing when you're drinking your wine down there enjoying your brothels, half the boys you see training will die north the wall. Might be sickness might just be the cold they die in pain and they do it so plump little lords like you can enjoy afternoons of peace and comfort.' Benjen told him.

'Do you think I'm plump?' Tyrion questioned. 'Listen Benjen, may I call you benjen? I'm not sure what I've done to offend you I have great admiration for the nights watch and I have great admiration for you as a first ranger-' Tyrion told him.

'You know your brother once told me that nothing anyone says before the word but really counts.' Benjen said waiting for the But.

'But,' Tyrion added 'I don't believe that Giants and ghouls and white walkers are looking beyond the wall. I believe that the only difference between us in the wildlings are in that wall was built and our ancestors just so happen to live on the right side of it.'

'the Wildlings are no different from us, a little rougher maybe but they are made of meat and I know how to track them. I know how to kill them so the Wildlings give the slickest blades... you've never been north of the wall so don't tell me what's out there.' Benjen said getting up.

'You're going below?' a crow questioned benjen nodded.

'Keep warm and keep safe.' Tyrion added, kindly.

'Enjoy the capital' Benjen said leaving.

'I will.' Tyrion assured

++

'It's time to review the accounts my lady... do you want to know how much this royal visit has cost us?'

'Talk to Paul about it.' Catelyn said distractedly. Ned was right she had wasted so much time trying to be the perfect lady of winterfell to a man that didn't spare her a glance and she didn't spend any time with her children. She didn't know them she didn't understand them. she didn't understand men either apparently.

'Paul went South with Lord Stark my lady you need a new steward and there are several other appointments that require our meeting.' The maester went on.

'I don't care about our appointments.' Catelyn spat

'I will make the appointments.' Robb said 'we will talk about it first thing in the morning.'

'Very good my lord.' the maester said 'my lady.' He turned back to Catelyn before exiting

'When was the last time you left this room?' Robb asked

'I have to take care of him' Catelyn told him

'He's not going to die mother the master has assured us that the dangerous time has passed.' Robb assured.

'I do not care Brandon needs me.' Catelyn told him defensively.

'Rickon needs you,' rob corrected with Everly gone Rickon felt so lost and confused. Everly would know what to do and Robb was the new lord of winterfell he was trying to do as his father did but he didn't know how to mother his brother. Everly just had a way with them all, she always knew what every child needed and wanted. Robb stared at his mother making a stupid stick and twig witch craft bullshit. That wasn't helping anyone. 'he is six he does not know what is happening he follows me around all day crying I try to comfort him but he's scared and confused. He needs his mother.' the wolf started to howl outside.

'Close the windows I can't handle that make them stop!' Catelyn said in outrage.

'Fire.' Robb noted 'you stay here I'll come back.' he ran out Catelyn moved around to look out the window only to see a fire blazing below

'You're not supposed to be here...' she spun around to see a guard staring at her, 'no one is supposed to be here... it's a mercy. he's dead already...' the guard said coming at Bran but Catelyn ran ahead charging at the man she screamed out NO. she was going to protect her son after all she had not done for him she had to try and save him now but he threw her down she tried again and had a blade at her throat she gripped it her hand bleeding in the process she bit him trying to get him to stop but he threw her to the ground. his target was bran, but summer came tearing at the man protecting her master, once dead Summer jumped up on the bed sitting next to Brandon her dead kill bleeding out on the floor. A lannister lion blade in the assassins hand.