'You father has proved to be an awful traitor, my dear." Varys actually seemed sadden at that.
"King Robert's body was still warm when Lord Eddard began plotting to steal Joffrey's rightful throne." Pycelle, actually believed the words he was saying to be truth.
"He wouldn't do that." Sansa told them. "He knows how much I love Joffrey. He wouldn't." sansa pleaded. "Please, Your Grace, there's been a mistake." Sansa looked between them. "Send for my father. He'll tell you. The King was his friend." Sansa continued to pleaded she wanted her sister's. If Josie was here she would fix this, somehow.
"Sansa sweetling, you are innocent of any wrong. We know that. Yet you are the daughter of a traitor. How can I allow you to marry my son?" Cersei sat there, tall and proud of her accomplishment.
"A child born of a traitor's seed is no fit consort for our King. She is a sweet thing now. Your Grace, but in ten years who knows what treasons she my hatch?" Pycelle's reminded her.
"No, I'm not. I'll be a good wife to him, you'll see. I'll be a Queen just like you, I promise. I won't hatch anything."sansa pleaded.
"The girl is innocent... your grace. They should be given a chance to prove their loyalty." Varys told her. "Little Dove, you must write to Lady Catelyn and your brother, the eldest.."
"Robb." Sansa filled in his name for her as Cersei nodded and grabbed a piece of paper for Sansa.
"Word of your father's arrest will reach him soon, no doubt. Best it comes from you. If you would help your father urge your brother to keep the King's Peace. Tell him to come to King's Landing and swear his fealty to Joffrey."
"If...If I could see my father... Talk to him about-" sansa tried.
"You disappoint me, child. We have told you of your father's treason. Why would you want to speak to a traitor?"
"What will happen to him?" Sansa's mind raced thinking of the worst.
"That depends." Cersei told her.
"On...' sansa swallowed the lump in her throat. 'on what?"
"On your brother. And on you." Cersei gave Sansa the paper and quill. Sansa nodded, and cersei told her what to write, a smug smile on cerseis face.
++
'You are summoned to Kings Landing to swear fealty to the new king.' the master told Robb.
'Joffrey put my father in chains and now he wants his ass kissed?' Robb questioned incredulously.
'You refuse to obey-'
'I don't refuse. his grace summoned me to Kings Landing then I will come to Kings Landing.' Robb said 'but not alone.' he handed back the scroll 'call the banners'
'All of them my Lord?'
'They've all sworn to protect my father have they not?' Robb questioned
'They have.' he agreed
'Then we will see what their words are worth.' Robb told him, Theon nodded in agreement Ned Stark was like a father to him. He was willing to go to war for him to get him back.
++++
Ned was taken into custody and put into the cells, arya was missing and sansa was being held captive by the queen, Josie was the only one of his girls that he knew was safe but he didn't realize that she was riding her way back, right into the lions jaws.
'Lord stark you must be thirsty.' Varys said kneeling before him handing him a jug of water. 'I promise you it's not poisonous.' he said uncorked it, taking a sip before handing it over. And Ned took a long chug. 'Not so much my Lord I would save the rest if I were you, hide it men have been known to die of thirst in the cells.'
'What about my daughters?'
'The younger one has seem to escape the castle even my birds cannot seem to find her.'
'And Sansa?'
'Still engaged to Joffrey, Cersei will keep her close the rest of your household though are all dead it appears. I hate the sight of blood.' Varys admitted.
'You watched my men being slaughtered and you did nothing.' Ned sneered
'And I would again my Lord I was unarmed and surrounded by Lannister swords. when you look at me do you see a hero?" Ned took another sip 'what madness led you to tell the queen the truth about Joffrey's birth?'
'The madness of mercy. That she might protect her children.' ned admitted
'the children, it's always the innocent to suffer... It wasn't the wine that killed Robert or the boar though the wine slowed him down and the boar ripped him open but it was your mercy that killed the king. I trust you... but you are a dead man lord Eddard stark.' Vary told him.
'The queen can't kill me we have her brother.' Ned reminded him.
'The wrong brother sadly.' Varys informed him. 'Besides, your wife has let the imp slip through her fingers.'
'If that is true then slit my throat and be done with it.' Ned declared.
'Not today my Lord'
'Tell me some thing Varys who do you truly serve?' Ned questioned.
'The realm my Lord. Someone must.' Varys said walking away and leaving him in darkness.
++++++
'Do you deny your father's crime?" Petyr questioned.
"No, My Lords. We know he must be punished. All I ask is mercy. I know my Lord Father must regret what he did. He was King Robert's friend and he loved him. You all know he loved him. He never wanted to be Hand until the King asked him. They must have lied to him, Lord Renly or Lord Stannis or somebody. They must have lied!" Sansa spoke truthfully and honestly, begging for her father.
"He said I wasn't the King. Why did he say that?"
"He was badly hurt. Maester Pycelle was giving him milk of the poppy. He wasn't himself. Otherwise he never would have said it." Sansa pleaded.
"A child's faith. Such sweet innocence. And yet they say wisdom oft comes from the mouths of babes." Varys said solemnly.
"Treason is treason!" pycelle declared.
"Anything else?" Joffrey in the iron throne.
"If you still have any affection in your heart for me please do me this kindness, Your Grace." Joffrey leaned back in his chair debating sansa's words.
"Your sweet words have moved me. But your father has to confess. He has to confess and say that I'm the King. Or there'll be no mercy for him."
"He will." Sansa assured.
+++
'The riverrunns are cutting back with Lord Tywin Lannister at the heels.' Robb said exasperatedly 'they have a second Lannister army coming from the south our scouts confirmed is even larger than the king slayers.'
'Our best hope, our only hope,' Catelyn told him 'is that you can defeat them in the field.'
'And if I lose?' Robb countered
'If you lose your father dies.' Catelyn told him 'your sisters die... we die.'
'Well that makes it simple then.' Robb told them.
++
'Tyrion' Tywin said in a very dead voice.
'Uncle. Father.' Tyrion said walking in. he searched the room for wine and food.
'The rumors of your demise were unfunded.' Tywin informed him.
'Sorry to disappoint you' Tyrion said sitting down opposite him.
'And who are these companions of yours?' Tywin asked ignoring tyrions question.
'This is Shugga son of Dolph chief of the stone crows. Timett son of timett ruler of The burned men. This fair maid is chella daughter of cheyk the leader of the black and here we have Bronn son of...' Tyrion trailed off looking to Bronn.
'You wouldn't know him,' Bronn said
'May I present my Lord father Tywin son of Tytos of house lannister. Lord of Castlery rock warden of the west...' Tyrion told his new... friends. He looked to his father nervously. 'Kind of you to go to war for me' Tyrion said reaching for the wine but Tywin pulled it away.
'You left us no choice the honor of the house was at stake, your brother would never have submitted to capture so meekly.' Tywin informed him.
'We have our differences Jaime, he is brave, and I am better looking,' Tyrion said cheerfully.
'Yes some thing we can agree on.' Tywin said glancing out the tent flaps.
'He's been covering himself in glory Jaime has... now they siege Riverrun Catelyn Starks homeland-' Kevan told him.
'The Lord Eddard stark is our hostage he will lead no armies from his dungeons..' Tywin informed Tyrion.
'How did my sweet sister convinced the king to imprison his best friend?' Tyrion questioned
'The king is dead.' Tywin informed him. 'The king is dead, Joffrey is now the king.' Tywin informed.
'My sister rules you mean?' Tyrion countered.
'The stark son has called his banners he moves south.'
'One taste of battle and he will run back to Winterfell with his tail between his legs.' Tywin said
'Maybe,' Tyrion debated, 'the boy does have a certain belligerence you'd like him. While we're on the subject of war I made promises to my friends here and Lannister's always pays his debts .' Tywin rolled his eyes. 'For which I require 3000 Helms and shields plus swords pikes maces-'
'If it pleases my lord,' a squire came running in. 'Ser Addam Bids me report that the Northman have crossed the neck.'
'The wolf rushes into the Lions jaws.' Tywin said 'Kevan command drummers beat assembly,' he turned to the squire. 'Send word to Jaime that I'm moving against Robb stark.'
'At once my Lord' he said leaving. Tywin looked over Tyrion's traveling companions as tyrion finally got himself a glass of wine.
'It is said that men of the mountain clans are great warriors, ride with me against my enemies and you should have what my son promised you and more.' Tywin told them.
'Only if the half man fights with us.' They said looking over at Tyrion, Tyrion swallowed his drink stiffly. 'Until we hold the steel he pledged us the little lions life is ours.' Tywin looked back at his son
'Deal.'
'The boy may lack experience battle but he does have a certain mindless courage,' Tywin said to his counsel