PART ONE-CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

"To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold."

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Her mother wasn't going to be angry that she missed the tournament because she did too. The reason as to why- Rhea still had trouble figuring out. But she had learnt long ago to not act on just snippets of a whole conversation, and she wasn't going to judge her mother for that very reason.

She did her hair and walked out when the footman outside her door came to inform her about the organized luncheon, walking through one of the most well-lit passageways. But then she realised that all passageways would be lit for a while, at least until the Hand's Tournament reaches its end.

She was hearing a lot of noise, and so she looked out a balcony that she was supposed to pass on the way and looked out. She saw lots of people who were leaving the ground, suggesting that the Tournament was over.

She was going to turn around and leave when she saw her uncle Renly walk toward her. "Don't think I didn't notice that you weren't there at the Tournament for more than a minute or two." He said and laughed a little.

"Uncle Renly. It always has been a pleasure to see you."

"Hopefully your opinions of me haven't changed in the while that you haven't seen me?" He said, with a slight grin on her face.

"Oh, and you actually thought I had a good opinion of you?" She said playfully and laughed as she was nudged in the shoulder.

"Alright, alright! Renly the Ravishing! You are as smart as ever. Happy?"

"Very much."

"How's your wife? Has she come? The last I saw of either of you was at the wedding, and I rather enjoyed her company. She's a nice conversationist."

"That she is."

She would have walked away with him to lunch if she hadn't seen Arya walking on the rocks that lead to the castle gates. At least she hoped it was Arya, she couldn't be sure, but she looked too much like her father to not be recognized. Also, the fact that she's been missing...again, doesn't help.

"Uncle Renly...I have something to look after, will I see you at lunch?" she said, with a half amused look on her face.

"Sure."

"Very well then, save a seat for me!" She said, even though there was no need for it, kissed his cheek and ran.

She finally reached the castle gates, just in time to see the wildly energetic little girl take on soldiers on her own. Her pants were very dirty. And her face had dirt too......wait, pants?

"Off with you, no begging." one of the two men said, and Rhea stood behind, easily far to not be noticed, and close enough to hear.

"I'm not a beggar, I live here!" Arya said.

"Do you want a smack on your ear to improve your hearing?" The same man said.

"I want to see my father!"

"You want your father, boy? He's probably drunk at a tavern with his friends pissing on him." Oh, did they know, who the man actually was? If they did, then they wouldn't have said that.

Did he just call her boy?

Rhea did everything in her power to not laugh or smirk at that statement.

"My father is the Hand of the King! I'm not a boy, I'm Arya Stark of Winterfell! Now, are you going to let me pass, or do you need a smack on your head to help with your hearing?" she said, and the guard would have pushed her out if Rhea didn't intervene.

"Well, if you're going to treat my sister-to-be in that manner, I might have to ask my father to reconsider the choice of guards he puts at the castle gates. Not very charming, the way you spoke to her. Gods know how you've been treating all the noble lords and ladies who've attended the joust?"

"Your Highness-" She put a hand up, and just like that she shut them up. "Just make sure to listen twice before you insult somebody. Now, come along, Arya!" She said and smiled a little, which the Stark returned.

She gave them a smirk and walked to her, and they laughed as they walked back. "You know that your father has half his guard out in town searching for you?"

"Well, I'm here now."

"You certainly are. I like that smack on the ear threat that you returned to the guard who said it to you in the first place, very classic." She said, and they both laughed a little and Arya said between laughs, "You should have seen his face!"

They kept walking and she saw Tommen and his little kitten sitting in a corner, and then she said, "Come! Let's go talk to Tommen." Arya looked to her with that little look on her face that Rhea likes to call an I'm-annoyed- and-very-annoyed and look and said, "Really? He plays with cats. You seriously want to accompany him with that?" But she looked like she instantly regretted it.

"I'm not going to tell you to not be honest with me- in fact, I'm very glad you are. But you realise that not all people are made for the sword?"

"Yes."

"Your brother Bran, his strengths don't lie with a sword or a bow, do they?"

"No, he's very bad actually. I beat him every day!"

"Exactly. But he makes up for it by being very smart, doesn't he? I've heard he might just be the smartest in the five of you...No offence to the other four."

"None took, Princess." She said, with a little smile.

"That's what you should think here too. Tommen might not be good with a sword, but he is a very smart little boy. Knowledge has to be built from a very young age, just like your sword and fighting skills."

"Right..."

"Which means that both are equally important, and one cannot be weighed against the other. A person might be soft, but that doesn't mean he's weak. I want you to remember that, always...In here." Rhea said and pointed a finger to her heart. And then she continued on.

"Or, if you don't agree with me, then remember that when I marry your brother, Tom will be your family. You would love him as I do."

"That's better, but I'll keep what you said in mind."

"Arya! We've been looking all over for you!" Jory Cassel came running to her. "You know we've had a search party out! Half the guard is out there!" He noticed Rhea only then and said, "Your Highness." She nodded in return and smiled.

"Was she with you, all this time?"

"Oh, no. I just found her at the gates. But I have to admit, she handled herself well enough." She said and winked at Arya.

"If you don't mind, Your Highness, I'd like to take her to her lord father. He is very worried." Jory said.

"Oh please do. And Jory, I think I've made it clear that I am Rhea to you. Not 'Your Highness'."

"Very well." He said, smiled and nodded.

"How are your daughters? Have you heard from them?"

"I've yet to receive a raven, but I am sure they are well. They're home, after all."

"And there is no better place than home, is there?"

"None."

"Well, make yourself at home Jory. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable as long as you are here."

"Thank you."

"Oh, sorry. I don't want to keep you. Give Lord Stark my regards." She kissed Arya's forehead and she went on her way toward her brother.

"Hello, Tommen...What do you have here?" She said and sat next to him, and Myrcella joined them and soon followed.

It wasn't until hours later that she had found out that Lady Catelyn Stark had captured her uncle Tyrion on the grounds of an attempted assassination on Bran.

And she didn't think it was for the good that the family she was born into and the family she was to marry into are fighting, capturing, hating and possibly killing each other.

***

Robert wanted to murder a young Targaryen girl, a girl who is nowhere near coming back to Westeros. Eddard knew it wasn't right to murder Daenerys Targaryen. A girl who is only sixteen name days of age and is legions away from the place that she could call home. Ned knew that Robert thought the same at the bottom of his heart. He wouldn't kill a girl just as old as his own daughter, but with him, ever since he became King, it was all about killing every Targaryen he could find just because they took Lyanna.

But the matter at hand was a lot worse now. Now that he might be on the King's bad graces for quitting his designation as the Hand, he knew it wasn't safe for him, his daughters, or any of his companions, because it was Robert, whether he knew it or not, that had kept the Northerners from the lions all this time. The Lannisters would now wait to tear them apart.

And the fact that Cat had captured Tyrion Lannister on the grounds of trying to kill Bran doesn't help right now.

"Well, she looks very healthy." He said to the whore standing in front of him, the woman who had given birth to the King's bastard child.

It's a dangerous gamble, this investigation.

He knew it was hard, and disgusting to admit, but it was the truth.

Princes Joffrey and Tommen, and Princess Myrcella were not Robert's children. They are Cersei's, but they're not Robert's.

Which means, Rhea is the only trueborn child that came out of this marriage, and Stannis is the rightful heir to the throne.

Jon Arryn had noticed this, and it had cost him his life. Now I am in the same position.

Petyr Baelish walked him out of the brothel when he saw soldiers in metal armour wearing Lannister cloaks align themselves in front of the brothel, being led by Jaime Lannister, who looked every bit majestic on his white stallion. Petyr ran inside the second he saw it, and Jory stood beside him.

"Such a small pack of wolves!" Jaime said, as he gestured toward Ned and Jory, and got off his horse.

"Stay back ser, this is the Hand of the King." Jory said, but Jaime just waved it away.

"Was the Hand of the King. Now I don't know what he is...Lord of somewhere very far away."

"What is the meaning of this, Lannister?" Petyr Baelish surprisingly came out and asked.

"Get back inside, when it's safe. I'm looking for my brother. You remember my brother, don't you, Lord Stark? Blonde hair, sharp tongue....short man."

"I remember him well." Ned said, knowing he had to deal with this carefully.

"Seems he had some trouble on the road. You wouldn't know what happened, would you?" Jaime asked.

"He was taken at my command, to answer for his crimes."

At that second, all the knights and Jaime Lannister pulled out their swords from the sheaths, as Petyr said, "My lord, I'll get the City Watch." And left to do so.

"Come Stark. Or would you rather die sword in hand?" Jaime asked.

"If you disrespect My Lord again-" Jory said, until he was interrupted.

"I'm going to open your Lord from balls to brains and see what Starks are made of."

"You kill me, your brother is a dead man."

"Well, you're right. Take him alive. Kill his men."

And the fight began.

Swords slashing out each other, the cling-clang being very scary for the people around the area. Ned fought off three of them as Jory fought off another three, and when Jory was done, he faced Jaime Lannister, who put a dagger straight through his left eye, and killed him.

His best friend, and trusted companion, the man whose daughters he considered his own, gone.

He then lashed his sword at Jaime Lannister as they fought, both of their experiences at war showing clearly for anyone to see. Every ounce of anger Ned had for him came out, and as they both took a step back, he didn't expect one of the knights to put a spear through his leg from the back, as he fell.

Jaime went to the knight and killed him with one stroke, and Ned still sat on one knee, shivering from the pain of losing Jory more than the spear that still resides in his leg.

Jaime Lannister got back on his horse and rode away after he said, "My brother, Lord Stark. I want him back."

And then Ned Stark fell unconscious.

***