Hands To Myself / Ned Stark / Jon Snow / Elia Martell

26. Mister Professional

The Lucky One / Rhaenys Targaryen / Taelon Targaryen 

"Be so careful Bran and you come down the moment I say so!" Lena demanded. Bran saluted her as he headed up. SUmmer started to howl. 

"Gods you are worse than mother." Bran whined. He waved a hand at Summer. "I'm fine." Lena laughed out. 

"See even your pup wants you to be careful." Lena agreed. 

"I'm a professional climber Lena!" Bran informed her. 

"Alright." Lena mused. "Be careful mister professional." Lena agreed. 

"Thank you." Bran agreed as he kept climbing. 

Bran was moving from gargoyle to gargoyle with the ease of long practice when he heard the voices. He was so startled he almost lost his grip. The First Keep had been empty all his life. No one went up here but him.

"I do not like it," a woman was saying. He couldnt see who it was but the voice was drifting out of the window on the side. "You should be the Hand."

Bran wanted to say father rejected the offer, dont worry. Someone else will be hand to that awful king. 

"Gods forbid," Jaime replied lazily. "It's not an honor I'd want. There's far too much work involved." Bran hung, listening, suddenly afraid to go on. They might glimpse him, if he tried to swing by he did not want to risk it. So he hung nervously.

"Don't you see the danger this puts us in?" Cersei hissed. "Robert loves the man like a brother."

"Robert can barely stomach his brothers. Not that I blame him. Stannis would be enough to give anyone indigestion." Jaime corrected.

"Don't play the fool. Stannis and Renly are one thing, and Eddard Stark is quite another. Robert will listen to Stark. Damn them both. I should have insisted that he name you, but I was certain Stark would refuse him." Cersei grumbled out.

"We ought to count ourselves fortunate," Jaime corrected. "The king might as easily have named one of his brothers, or even Littlefinger, gods help us." He muttered. "Give me honorable enemies rather than ambitious ones, and I'll sleep more easily by night."

They were talking about Father, Bran had realized, why did sound so hateful though?

"We will have to watch him carefully, the both of them. I dont trust an honorable man." Cersei sneered.

"I would rather watch you," Jaime corrected pulling his twin closer. "Come back here."

"Lord Eddard has never taken any interest in anything that happened south of the Neck," Cersei spat. "Never. I tell you, he means to move against us. Why else would he leave the seat of his power?"

"A hundred reasons. Duty. Honor. He yearns to write his name large across the book of history, to get away from his wife, or both. Perhaps he just wants to be warm for once in his life." 

"Ned," Elia requested. "Oberyn get Ned." 

"I- yes!" Oberyn agreed running out of the chamber. 

"Oberyn where is the fire?" Lena questioned. 

"Elia is in labor. Her water broke." Oberyn remarked. 

"My father is hunting with-" Lena began. 

"I know, she wants him, can you go be with her while I..?" Oberyn questioned still heading out. 

"Yes, yes go." Lena agreed. "Brandon! Come down now!" Lena demanded. Bran looked down at her carefully sliding down. Lena held out her arms for him helping him down the last bit. "Elia's water broke, she is having a baby. I need to be there and you need to keep your feet on the ground." 

"Lena I heard people talking..." Bran whispered. "They sounded mad, mad at--" 

"I knew you would hear something one of these days that got you in trouble." Lena remarked. "But come on, is anyone in trouble right this moment?"

"I dont think so." Bran admitted. 

"Then come on, you can play with Faolan while I tend to Elia." Lena suggested. "We will talk more about what you heard later. I promise." Bran nodded looking to faolan. He stroked Ghost's fur smiling back at Bran. 

"NED!" Oberyn declared. 

"Elia?" Lena peered in. Robb and Jon and Theon were out with Ned and the king on the hunt. "Elia, can I come in?"

"Yes my sweet girl." elia agreed. 

"The baby is coming." Lena whispered. 

"It is." Elia agreed. 

"What do you need? Can I get you anything?" 

"Is Faolan okay?" Elia questioned. 

"Bran is playing with him and the wolves." Lena remarked. "Jon and my father are out but Oberyn is bringing them back." She added. Elia nodded. She reached out for Lena and Lena moved to her side. 

"Just hold my hand." Elia requested. Lena nodded kneeling beside her. 

"You are so strong Elia." Lena remarked kissing her hand. "You are so brave. This baby is so lucky to have you as a mother." Elia teared up, from the pain and from Lena's sweet words.

"Thank you, Lena. That means the world to me." Elia agreed. The maester sat between her legs. 

"Lets start pushing Princess." Maester lewin remarked. 

"Can we wait?" Elia questioned, she wanted Ned to be here. 

"This is going to take a while, might as well get started." Maester lewin countered. 

"I'm right here." Lena assured. Elia nodded. 

"Alright lets have a baby."