A Dragon In Wolf's Clothing ~A Game of Thrones fan fiction~

Chapter Twenty Two: The End of an Era

It wasn't many days after Joffrey arrived back at the Red Keep that the rest of the hunting party came back. However, they didn't come back in one piece.

King Robert was injured beyond recovery.

Lyanna had been walking with her father when Renly Baratheon bore them the news. Lord Stark had rushed to see Robert, whilst Lyanna headed back to her chambers where Joffrey was with Brandon. No doubt he had gone to see his father, which most likely meant that Cersei had her son.

Lyanna was right. As she walked into her room, she found no sign of Joffrey, Alize or Brandon. Lyanna rarely left Brandon alone with anyone except for her sisters, especially after the attack, but Joffrey had insisted he could look after him. Lyanna didn't doubt him on that - Brandon was his son, after all - but she hated leaving him with Cersei.

Cersei was a liar. She knew how to play the game of thrones, and she knew how to manipulate it in her favour, or at least Lyanna believed she could. She didn't want her son growing up to be a manipulative, lying boy who'd one day be a king as terrible as her grandfather Arys. Even though he was so young now, Lyanna didn't want Cersei to teach her son what she had taught Joffrey since he had been young; the truth was what you made it. The truth was the truth.

Speaking of truth, Cersei had lied to everyone about her children's origins. They were created from incest, not a legal marriage between herself and King Robert. Joffrey was a child of incest and inbreeding. What would he have been like if Robert had been his father? Would he have been stronger? More courageous? Less whiny? None of that mattered. He was no Baratheon, which meant he was no heir to the throne. The King was about to die with only Lannister's around him.

Lord Stark was an honourable man. He had planned on telling Robert about Cersei and Jaime when he returned home from the hunt but now? How could he when the man was on his deathbed? They would have to take the throne from the Lannister's, Lyanna knew that. However, no man -or woman- in their right mind would plot against the Lions of Casterly Rock.

There was going to be a war. There was no way around it. No amount of civil discussion could stop the Lion and the Wolf now. Not now, when the truth was so close to becoming uncovered to everyone, when it was so obvious that Bran had seen Jaime and Cersei together in the broken tower, when Lyanna knew deep down in her heart that her little brother would never walk again, never fulfil his dream of becoming a knight of the King's Guard, because Jaime Lannister had pushed him from the tower.

No matter how much she knew, Lyanna couldn't say anything to anyone, except for Lord Stark. The were surrounded by enemies and one false move could leave everyone she cared about dead. She just thanked the Old Gods that she was leaving for Winterfell with Brandon, Sansa and Arya the next morning.

When Lyanna finally found Cersei, she was stood outside her chambers with the King, her grandson in her arms. Lyanna felt sick looking at the woman who could have caused her little brother's death. Not wanting her son anywhere near Cersei, Lyanna rushed over and took him out of her arms. He had been sleeping soundly, and Lyanna feared the sudden movements had woken him, but lukily he was still asleep.

"I want to see the king," she said firmly after a second of silence between herself and Cersei.

"A sick room is no place for a babe," Cersei said, a shadow of a smirk on her face. Her husband was dying and yet she couldn't show any remorse.

"You want Robert to die without seeing his grandson?" Lyanna raised her eyebrows at the Queen slightly.

"Of course not," Cersei said, rather smugly. "You're his mother, you obviously know what's best for Brandon,"

Lyanna hesitated for a second. She didn't want to take Brandon in there, but if she left him outside with Cersei, she'd be proving Cersei right. Sighing, Lyanna knocked quietly before slipping through the door.

The room smelt like blood. Lyanna had only smelt this stench this strong once before and that was when she had killed the assassin sent to murder her and Brandon. Her head sun with awful memories and she suddenly felt dizzy. She wanted to get out of there as fast as possible, but she knew she had to stay.

Lord Stark, who was stood by the doorway with Ser Barristan Selmy saw Lyanna and frowned.

"Lya, you shouldn't be here," he said gently, his hand gripping her shoulder. Lyanna saw the pain in his face. She couldn't imagine how it felt to see him best friend dying, but yet here he was, the great, honourable Ned Stark.

Pycelle, who was stood over by the King's bed where Joffrey was also knelt, noticed Lyanna and spoke up. "A sick room like this is no place for a lady," he said, making here eyes roll. 

The King, who was so drugged up on milk of the poppy it was a wonder he could see straight, noticed her hesitating in the corner and shot her a tired grin.

"Nonsense... Come here, Lyanna..." He said weakly. She did as she was asked, taking the seat next to his bed, close to where Joffrey was knelt. Her arms going dead from holding the baby so long, Lyanna changed Brandon's position so the King could see him better. Robert chuckled at the sight. "Is this the little prince I've heard so much about?"

It was so inappropriate, but she couldn't help but beam down at her son. She regained herself slightly, holding the small boy in a position that the King could see him in.

"That boy's a pure Stark... No Lannister or Baratheon," he said weakly, smiling slightly. "He looks like your Uncle Brandon,"

"That's who I named him after," she smiled gently, glancing up at the dying king.

"He'll be a good king, not like me... Raise him right, Lyanna... You'll be a good Queen, I know you will be," he smiled weakly at her again.

"Lyanna," her uncle said quietly approaching her and laying his hand on her shoulder again. She stood, knowing that she was no longer wanted here. She shot Joffrey a final glance before walking out.

The King was dying. Within a few days, a Targaryen would be Queen once more. It was the end of an era.

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Whoop hey guys!

I really wanted to post this sooner but studying/family/endless Star Wars and Shadowhunters marathons got in the way. Plus I've been working on other stuff too, which you should check out!
I wanted to pot this because last week I met Mark Addy (Robert Baratheon) after I saw him in a play! I can feel your jealousy through the screen (jokes). He was so nice and great and meeting him got me pumped to post this chapter.

I hope you guys enjoyed reading this, remember to vote, leave me a comment and stay tuned for the next chapter!

~Olivia