'Sword!' Gregor screamed out as everyone cheered. Gregor was given a sword and he chopped his own horses head clean off with one swing then he came at Loras knocking him down again and again. Hayley rose up moving Rickon to Neds lap. Loras's shield was not strong enough to fend off against Gregor but Hayley jumped forward.
"Not today ass hole." Hayley grumbled.
"Hayley no!" Ned begged.
"MOther?" her boys declared rising up.
Hayley pulled gregor back with a strength none of them could have guessed. He stumbled back as she helped Loras up. but Gregor wasnt done. She took Loras sword and swung it through the air before her foot connected with Gregor's chest sending him flying backwards, he landed with a thud on the ground.
"Stay down." Hayley growled back.
Once the shock of my Gods she isnt going to die faded the crowd erupted in cheers and shouts of delight. Robert almost had a heart attack. Renly ran down and hugged her tight.
"That was so stupid." Renly rasped against her.
"I know but hell, all the fun things are." Hayley remarked.
"I declared Lady Hayley Baratheon the winner of the tourney!" Loras declared holding her hand up, Renly lifted the other. Now she felt silly but Ned stood up clapping and she liked the way he looked at her.
+
'Does ser hugh Have any family in the capital'
'No.' Ser Barristan said as ser hugh was sewn back together after a joust went through his neck at the tournament 'I gave a vigil to him last night he had no one else.'
'He never wore this helmet before.' Ned noted
'Bad luck for him going against the Mountain.''
"Yet Hayley did it..." Ned rasped.
"What a woman she is." Barristan agreed.
''Who determines the draw?' Ned questioned
''All the knights draw straws.' Barristan told him.
''Who holds the straws?" Ned pondered. Barristan shrugged. "You've done good work sisters,' ned said as they cleaned up the dead knight.
+
"I heard what you were saying to Littlefinger." Sandor remarked.
"He's a dick." Hayley answered nonchalantly. "And you dont deserve others fear and hatred over something your brother did to you."
"Why are you so nice to me?" Sandor questioned. "Got a thing an ugly hound like me?" Hayley smiled back at him. "No you got the hots for Stark."
"Possibly.'' she agreed.
"You protect everyone ?"
"No. But you're my friend." Hayley corrected.
"You are? You sure you are not flirting?" He mused. "Want a piece of this ugly mutt."
"No. Im your friend." Hayley declared.
"I protect my friends from the bad guys, Petyr is a bad guy in my book." hayley remarked.
''Life is strange not so many years ago we fought as enemies at the trident.' Barristan remarked.
'I'm glad we never met on the field Ser Barristan.' Ned remarked.
'You are too modest I've seen you cut down a dozen red knights.' Barristan informed him.
'My father once told me you were the best he's ever seen. I never knew the man to be wrong about matters of combat.' Ned told him
'He was a fine man, your father... bad business with the mad king though it was a terrible crime.'
'That knight was a squire up until a few months ago... how can you afford a suit of armor?' Ned questioned as they walked.
'Perhaps his Lord had left him some money? I heard that the king wants to joust today.' Barristan remarked and a laugh could be heard coming up behind them.
'That will never happen.' Ned remarked turning to see Hayley.
'My Robert? Joust? Ha! You make me laugh.' Hayley said happily clinging to ned, he wrapped an arm around her. it was almost like he could pretend this was real. This thing, this flirting they were doing. Completely harmless it seemed but it was slowly killing him.
'The king tends to do what he wants.'
'that's why he has me, to stop him from doing stupid things like that.' Hayley informed them.
"So you can do the stupid things for him?" Ned offered.
"Yeah, I'm more skilled, clearly." Hayley agreed bluntly.
"You are." Barristan agreed. "I thought your son was going to have a heart attack when you jumped down there."
"I would bring him back to life." Hayley offered innocently and barristan chuckled.
''You know if the king got what he wanted all the time we would still be fighting a rebellion.' Ned told them.
"Good thing he listened to you." Hayley agreed.
+
"Hayley have you seen Arya anywhere?"
"No, I thought she was with her sword fighter. Syrio."
"How did you-" Ned stopped himself. "I should just accept that you know things you probably shouldnt."
"Smart." Hayley agreed. "I will find her.
Calm as still water, Arya told herself. Strong as a bear. Fierce as a wolverine.
"Found one bastard." one said. "the rest will come soon. A day or two days a fortnight.."
"And when he leans the truth, what will he do?" a second voice asked.
"The gods alone know." the first answered and arya held her breath. "The fools tried to kill his son, and whats wrong they made a mummers farce of it. He's not a man to put that aside. I warn you, the wold and the lion will soon be at each others throats, whether we will it or no."
"Too soon, too soon." the second man countered. "What good is a war now We are not ready. Delay."
"As well bid me stop time. do you take me for a wizard?"
"No less." he agreed with a chuckle.
Arya had found a cat, a tom cat, she was excited, she was quick and light on her feet, but it scratched at her trying to get away and then she stumbled upon a clearly private conversation but she couldnt move, if she did she would be caught. She had to just sit and hope they left her alone and didnt see her at all.
"What would you have me do?"
"If one hand can die, why not a second?"
That made Arya's heart race.
"You have danced the dance before, my friend."
"before it not now, and this hand is not the other."
Still as stone, quiet as a shadow, Arya thought to herself.
"Nonetheless, we must have time. the princess is with child. the Khal will not bestir himself until a son is born. You know they are savages."
"This is no longer a game for two platers if ever it was." The short man countered. "you should hear the whispers."
"Arya." Hayley rasped and Arya jumped but Hayley held to her. Arya put a finger to her lips and Hayley peered around. Arya silently begged Hayley to stay silent. They listened to the footsteps fade away and the torch disappear.
"What was that about?" Hayley questioned.
"Someone is going to kill father."