Chapter Text
Ned found Jaehaerys wandering the yard of Darry’s castle like a wraith. It wasn’t by any intent or design. After the incident with Arya, Joffrey and Lady he’d been unable to rest. He knew well that on nights like this sleep would never find him.
At first, he’d tried to go comfort Sansa, but his daughter refused to see anyone. She simply stayed locked in her room. He knew there was nothing he could say to stem her tears. Not when her wolf’s blood lay upon his hands.
So, he found himself walking, hoping that the exercise might bring clarity, or at least exhaustion. Even at this time of night, there was activity: some freeriders sat around their fires, drinking and telling stories, sentries kept up their patrols, torches outlining the camp as it stretched out past the castle’s walls, and Jaehaerys wandered through the night, each of his soft footfalls followed by a clank of Payne’s armour.
Jaehaerys was deathly pale as Ned approached, the deep red of his high collar looked like a bloody gash where it peaked out beneath the black of his cloak. The boy didn’t seem to notice Ned’s approach until he was within arm’s reach.
“Jaehaerys,” Ned said. His nephew jumped at the sound of his voice.
“Lord Stark, what brings you out at this hour?”
“I could half ask you the same question.” Ned was almost certain that the two would share an answer.
“I’m within the castle yard. I have Ser Ilyn with me. I’m well within my rights to be here,” Jae said.
Ned could see Ser Ilyn glaring at the back of his nephew’s head. No doubt the King’s Justice didn’t appreciate being dragged about in the small hours of the morning by his charge.
“Ser Ilyn. You may retire for the night, I’ll take charge of Jaehaerys.”
Ilyn stared at Ned for a long moment, but eventually, he nodded deeply and set off towards the castle.
Jaehaerys stared at Payne’s retreating back with wide eyes. “He left.”
“The Hand speaks with the King’s authority.”
Jaehaerys laughed. It was a thin, airy laugh, but it was more joy than Ned had ever heard from his Nephew.
“Gods, it’s been more than two years since I’ve seen him gone,” Jaehaerys whispered.
“I’ll speak with Robert. I doubt he’d let you be without a guard, but I may be able to put one of my own men up to the job.”
“You may try, Lord Stark.”
Ned looked about the darkness, the sounds of the camp easily carried to the pair of them, but further off in the distance, he almost swore he could hear the gurgle of water.
“Care to join me for a walk, Jaehaerys?” Ned offered.
“Very well, Lord Stark. You’ve deprived me of my usual company. It would seem that it’s your duty to substitute.”
Ned led the way for the pair. They crossed the yard and it only took a brief discussion to have the pair allowed into the camp. After the debacle with his own daughters and the prince, it seemed the sentries were far less concerned with Jaehaerys’ comings and goings in comparison.
As they passed through the camp, Jaehaerys did not speak, but Ned could feel a gradual loosening of tension in the air. This silence did not feel born from fear of punishment.
When they reached the edge of camp, Jaehaerys stopped in his tracks. “Lord Stark, should we not turn back?”
“Do you wish to turn back?” Ned still felt the need to move, but he’d promised to safeguard his nephew. If Jaehaerys wanted to return to the castle, Ned would accompany him back.
“We’d best get a torch,” Jaehaerys said, after a pause. “We don’t want to trip in the dark.”
“Aye, a fair point.” Ned stopped a passing sentry and asked for one of his spare torches. The light would likely just make them more of a target to anyone stalking the night, but this close to the King’s camp, he thought it unlikely there’d be any cutthroats about.
It would also scare off any wolves. Ned was in no mood to see another wolf tonight.
“I had almost forgotten what could happen,” Jaehaerys said when they were a dozen paces out of camp.
Ned sensed there was more to come, so he waited for his nephew to continue as they walked on.
“I saw what Clegane did to Mycah. Joffrey made sure I did.” Jae spoke softly, his violet eyes scanning the darkness as he did so.
“He should not have done that.”
“Joffrey or Clegane?”
“Both.”
Jaehaerys shook his head. “It’s not the first time. On the way north, Joffrey pulled me aside once. ‘Sand, perhaps I should cut your throat here. My father killed yours in these waters. I think he’d appreciate the symmetry.’ That’s what he said.”
“A cruel joke,” Ned said quietly.
“He tells a lot of them.”
Ned swallowed down any argument. He wanted to believe that his friend’s son was just distraught and overreacting to the day’s stresses. But the more he thought on it, the more his doubts began to grow.
“Clegane will not hurt you, not while I’m here,” he said instead.
“And what of when you’re not? What of when the King dies someday? When he drinks and whores himself to an early grave! I know it’s only his affection for my mother that keeps me breathing,” Jaehaerys snapped at Ned. “I’d almost forgotten. I’d almost forgotten ...” He trailed off quietly.
All the anger fled from Jaehaerys and left him weak. He sunk down into a crouch amongst the long grass. He gave a few choked sobs, but Ned could hear him biting them back.
Ned grabbed a hold of his nephew’s arm and tried to pull him to his feet again. The boy shrugged him off.
“Leave me be.”
“I won’t,” Ned said firmly. He grabbed hold of his nephew’s arm once more and pulled him to a stand. Jaehaerys tried to shake off his grip again, but Ned held strong.
Jaehaerys glared at him, his eyes were red from the tears he’d shed, but somehow it only made the boy look more furious. A punch of guilt hit Ned in the gut. He’d let things get to this point, where his nephew had to live in constant fear for his life, an executioner’s blade always poised above his neck. Ned knew Lyanna would hate him if she could see him now.
“What now? Will you say some empty words about how things will be alright? They ran down a boy who’d done nothing wrong! Killed him like a damn dog. He probably put up a better fight than I’d be able to. His Grace has seen to that much.”
Jaehaerys was full of hatred, and anger, Ned could see that much clearly. For Robert, for Joffrey, for his position, for himself. It was so much like Lyanna, railing against every rule and law that their father laid down. Yet Jaehaerys had all but forgotten how to fight back.
“No. I won’t lie to you.”
“Well you-”
“Let me finish, Jaehaerys,” Ned commanded, and his nephew bit his tongue. “I cannot promise that you will always be safe. I can’t say what’s to come, and I won’t lie to you, you’re almost a man grown, and you deserve the truth at least. But I can show you something you need to see.”
“What is it?”
Ned glanced over his shoulder; they were still only a short way away from camp. “Not here.”
He led Jaehaerys further away from the camp, until the fires were mere flickers in the distance, no brighter than the stars above, and the ground beneath their feet became spongy and soft. The light of Ned’s torch reflected off the dark expanse of water before the pair.
“The Trident. You wished to show me The Trident?” Jaehaerys scoffed.
“No.” Ned planted his torch in the ground by the water’s edge and drew his sword.
He heard Jaehaerys suck in a breath, and when he looked closely he could see that his nephew’s wide-eyed gaze was locked firmly upon his sword.
Ned took a step towards Jaehaerys, and Jaehaerys took a step back. Ned sighed.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” Ned held his sword out, handle first, towards his nephew.
“If His Grace finds out-”
“Then the blame will not fall to you. I will make sure of that,” Ned promised. Jaehaerys searched his face intently. Ned met his gaze calmly, and stood perfectly still, sword held out for his nephew.
After a few long moments Jaehaerys reached out and snatched the sword. He tried a few clumsy slashes in the air, and a giddy smile appeared on his face. “It’s heavier than I thought it’d be.”
“You’re not holding it right. Here, grip it with both hands. Move your right further up, towards the hilt.” Ned took hold of his Nephew’s hands and moved them just so.
“I see,” Jaehaerys said. He took a step back and tried a few more cuts through the air.
“Your form is quite good.”
“I’ve spent a lot of time watching knights,” Jaehaerys said sheepishly.
“You have a point to begin from, then.”
Jaehaerys nodded, and Ned started to walk him through some basic exercises, the sort he’d started Robb on when he was a boy. Jaehaerys was surprisingly adept, picking up the basics of footwork and the different slashes and thrusts fairly quickly. It was still only a beginning, but with a couple of years of practice, Ned could easily see him catching up to Robb.
Jaehaerys lacked stamina though. After a while, he became clumsy and Ned could see him start to tense up to try and overcome the shakiness of his arms.
“We’ll leave it there, Jaehaerys.”
Jaehaerys pouted but relinquished the sword back to Ned. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome lad. You’ve got some potential, but one lesson won’t teach you everything.”
“No, it won’t.” Jaehaerys deflated and all his excitement from sword practice bled away.
Ned clapped him on the shoulder. “I think it’s for the best that I take my daughters and my men and travel ahead of the King’s Party until we reach the city.”
Jaehaerys stared at Ned’s boots and nodded solemnly.
“I’d like you to travel with us.” Jaehaerys' head shot up, a desperate hope in his eyes.
“But His Grace-”
“I will speak with Robert, after today, he certainly owes me more than some time with my nephew.”
Jaehaerys smiled. “Aye.”
“We should head back for tonight though. We’ll need our rest for tomorrow, Jaehaerys.”
“Jae. You can call me Jae, if you’d like, Uncle.”
“Alright, Jae.” Ned gave Jae’s shoulder one last squeeze before letting go. He quickly made his way over to their torch. It was burning low and would likely sputter out soon.
As Ned reached down to pry the torch from the earth, he saw a glimmer of light in the water. Curious, he reached down and took hold of it, in the light, he could see it to be a single red ruby.
Ned uttered a quick prayer to the gods under his breath and slipped the ruby into his pocket. Perhaps he’d find some use for it yet. He then plucked up the torch and led Jaehaerys back to camp. The whole way back, he could feel the prickle of eyes on the back of his neck.