Chapter 8 Eddard

(Hello everyone! So, this is a fanfic that I've been working on for a while now. I borrowed several elements from Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire. This is my first fanfic on this site, so constructive criticism is welcome. Appreciate!)

Morning came and Ned Stark awoke on a narrow bed in the house where he and Tyrion Lannister had talked the night before. There was no blanket as that had been soaked through with Ser Marcus Lefford's blood, but it wasn't very cold and the mattress was reasonable soft. He was stretched out on his back with his arms and hands above his head. If only his hands hadn't been tied to the bed post he might have gotten a good night's sleep.

No, Ned thought, maybe not so good a night's sleep. He still did not know what had happened to Arya. The whole time the Imp had been talking Ned could think of nothing else but Arya. Well, almost nothing else. He had also wanted to leap across the table and smash the Imp's face in and choke the life out of him and then run screaming his daughter's name hoping to find her still alive. But the Imp's small army was outside and in the house was his sellsword, the man called Bronn, who had an insolent tongue and brash manner as well as a sword. Ned had never had much use for sellswords, who couldn't be trusted since they would often turn their cloaks for the right price. Maybe this one would turn his cloak. Then Ned thought, no, he and the Imp got on like two close friends, he would not turn. Besides, he had nothing to promise Bronn that the Imp could not match or double. Varys, in one of his visits to the black cells, had told Ned that the Imp had been released from the Eyrie after a sellsword had defeated Lysa Arryn's champion. Perhaps this was the man.

"Tyrion said to get you up," came a voice from the door and it was Bronn, in his dark clothing and almost black leather armor, with his sword and dagger at his side. He stepped toward the bed and cut the rope holding Ned's hands together with the long, sharp dagger. Ned sat up and rubbed his hands and let the blood flow back into them.

Bronn leaned against the wall. "Bet they'll hurt for a while."

"Aye," said Ned. "Did your lord also tell you cut me loose?"

Bronn shook his head. "No need to tell me. A man can eat better and use the privy better with his hands free. I'm not going to hold your cock while you piss or wipe your arse for you."

Ned had to grin. "Aye, I suppose not." Then his grin disappeared. "Bronn, answer me a question. Did anyone survive from the holdfast?"

"No."

Ned's heart beat faster and a lump formed in his throat so hard he found it difficult to talk. "No one?" His voice came out in almost a squeak. The sellsword stared at him in puzzlement.

"Yoren is dead, if that's who you're thinking of. The Imp and I went looking at first light. We found him with four dead Lannister men around him. Also, two dead gold cloaks were inside and a lot of those Night's Watch recruits. Some were supposedly in the small tower house loosing arrows, Ser Marcus' men said, but when we checked it this morning it was empty. Imp said they must have run off in the confusion. The barn roof collapsed and we found two more bodies inside there, both burnt as crisp as a roasted pig."

"Boys or men?"

"Men, next to an iron cage on what is left of a wagon."

"Aye," Ned told him. "Yoren said they were from the black cells in King's Landing, rapists and murderers."

"They take rapists and murderers in the Night's Watch?"

"If they didn't the Night's Watch would have a lot fewer men."

"Suppose so," said Bronn. "Come now. Lord Imp wants you to break bread with him in his tent."

Ned rose to his feet and Bronn waited as he walked slowly out of the room, still favoring his bad leg. The sellsword put his dagger back in its sheath and now he was close, close enough to knee in his manhood and then…but then Ned saw the two Lannister men in the kitchen area and gave up that idea. They took him to the house's privy first and after he was done a basin of water was placed on the kitchen table for him to wash up a bit. It was cold but it gave Ned a chance to wash his hands and face and feel more refreshed. After that Bronn and the two men escorted him to the Imp's large tent which was set up next to the house. As they walked he saw many Lannister men and also some large men and women in rough furs and leather clothing.

"Who are this lot?" he asked Bronn.

"Lord Imp's wild men. And women. Hill folk from the Mountains of the Moon," Bronn told him. "We ran into them when we escaped from the Vale. They were all set to kill us but Tyrion put that smart mouth of his to work and now they are our allies."

"Paid allies, like you."

"Aye," Bronn said.

"Did you champion him in the Eyrie?"

"I'm the fool. Your lady wife was not too pleased with that. I was on her side when we left the inn with the Imp."

"So you turned your cloak?" Ned knew he was like all the rest.

"Not really," Bronn replied. "Your wife promised me nothing. I went along just to see how it would turn out, maybe get something from it besides her thanks. I thought we were going to Winterfell. But she turned us to the Vale and the Mountains of the Moon. Never been there, wanted to see the Eyrie. Foolish of me. Almost cost me my life on three or four different occasions."

Hearing about Cat made Ned want to know every detail about what had happened in the Vale but he also wanted to know where this man's true loyalties lay. "So why did you champion the Imp?"

"You know what they say about Lannisters and debts. Besides, the little shit actually convinced me he was innocent."

"He talks long enough he'll have you believing he built the Wall and flew a dragon with Aegon against Harrenhal."

"Aye, he has that gift. Here we are."

They were at the tent door and the two guards stood outside as Bronn and Ned entered.

Inside, Tyrion Lannister was sitting at a small table with many dishes on it, dried fish, fried bacon, boiled eggs, jam, butter, and bread. The boy who had brought the wine the night before stood by, ready to serve. The Imp's squire, Ned guessed.

"Lord Stark," Tyrion said without rising as Ned entered the tent. "Welcome. Please sit and eat. You must be famished."

Ned looked at the Imp and still wanted to choke the life out of him. But he was surrounded and he was hungry and weak and so he sat and Bronn sat also.

"You have your sellswords sit and dine with you?" Ned asked Tyrion as he looked at Bronn grabbing a loaf of bread and tearing off a chunk.

"Bronn is more than a mere sellsword, Lord Stark," Tyrion answered.

"He told me he saved your worthless life in the Vale."

"On more than one occasion. My father promised to make him a lord after the war for crawling through the sewers of Harrenhal and taking the castle."

"I'd like to forget about that while I'm eating," Bronn said around a mouthful of bread. "The stink was unimaginable."

Tyrion looked to his squire, who then poured them all wine. Ned didn't want to eat with this enemy but he was hungry and he needed food to gain his strength. He took a piece of dried salted fish from a plate and then some bread and ate and sipped his wine as the Imp talked.

"Yoren is dead," he said to begin.

"I told him already," Bronn said to Tyrion.

"I want to see his body," Ned told Tyrion. "I want to see all the Night's Watch recruits' bodies."

Tyrion looked at him steadily. "Why?"

"I traveled with them, got to know them. I want to see how they died."

Tyrion gave him a suspicious look. "Is that the only reason?"

Ned was suddenly aware that they knew something he did not. "Yes," he answered and the Imp nodded, dipped his bread in bacon grease, ate and sipped some wine.

"You know, Lord Stark," he began after a few moments. "Bronn thought you told a big fat lie last night while we talked. You mentioned your 'daughter', not 'daughters', when we discussed trading Jaime for them. Why is that?"

"A slip of the tongue." A very stupid slip of the tongue, Ned now realized.

"I think not," said Tyrion. "A father would not forget he had two daughters, especially if he believed they were held prisoner in King's Landing. Was she here with you? Was she the one they called Arry? Arya Stark, lady of Winterfell."

"Arya is in King's Landing," Ned lied. "Your sister has her and Sansa." They knew. Somehow they knew Arya was with him, but he would not admit it.

The Imp smiled briefly, then grew serious. "Yes, I did believe that and my father still believes it, mainly because Cersei has not told us otherwise. But now I think I know the truth. You are too honest a man to make a good liar, Lord Stark. It so happens one of the recruits did not die. Took a blow to the head and woke up at the dawn. I have been questioning him about last night. He's a bit groggy but has not lost his memory. He said you and the rest were on the walls of the holdfast. He told us who was with you. He said the boy everyone called Arry was crying and screaming at you to let him fight, but you told him to run away. He said you told a big boy named Gendry to take him away and the boy leaped from the wall with Arry in his arms. He said this boy Gendry is the bastard the gold cloaks were looking for, and who, by the way, is not among the dead. Now why would you tell Gendry to take a little boy away from the fight? Unless it was not a little boy. Unless it was your daughter Arya, pretending to be a little boy."

Ned stared at him for a long moment and then he knew they had him. "Just tell me if she is dead or not."

"Not," said the Imp and Ned almost gasped in joy but held it in. "None of the dead is a small boy or girl at least. Bronn found a trap door in the floor of the barn. It leads to the lake. There were many footprints in the mud there plus some links from a chain, broken. Who was in chains?"

"The three men in the cage."

"Two are dead," said Bronn as he ate some crisp bacon.

"Which ones?" Ned asked him.

Bronn shrugged. "Bugger if I know. They're burnt bad I told you. Smell worse than the sewers of Harrenhal."

"Aye, but what do they look like? One of them had no nose, the second was going to fat and had sharp teeth and the third was a foreigner. He…"

"The first two," Bronn told him. "No nose and fat with sharp teeth. They're the dead ones. Outside the cage, but still in chains."

"So," Tyrion said as he sat back, smiled, and sipped some wine. "Your daughter and this third prisoner and maybe one or two others escaped, and I think this bastard Gendry the King wants to see dead is one of them. Now they are on foot. Where would they go?"

Now it was Ned's turn to smile. "Like I would tell you, Imp. Arya outsmarted that lot of fools in King's Landing, Cersei, Varys, the gold cloaks, the lot. She'll outsmart you, too. And your lord father."

Tyrion sighed in impatience. "I did not take you for a fool, Lord Stark. I am not trying to harm your daughter. I want to trade her for my brother. Your son will not give us Jaime for just you and Sansa. He will demand Arya as well. What are we to say to him? So sorry, we've lost her? He'll think we killed her and are trying to hide it. And there are worse things on this road than myself and Bronn here. Amory Lorch is plundering, Gregor Clegane is out there cutting a bloody path, Beric Dondarrion as well, plus a band of ruthless sellswords led by Vargo Hoat, a foreigner who does not care a fig about Westeros or its people as long he is paid well."

"Vargo Hoat?" Ned asked. He had never heard this name before.

Bronn spoke up. "Heard rumors about him in the Lannister camp. Has a goat for a sigil, talks in a funny way, has a bunch of foreigners from across the sea riding with him. And some scum from here. Likes to be called 'lord', the Lannister men said. Also likes to cut the feet and hands off his prisoners. He's a tall man, rides one of them funny horses from the east."

"A zorse," said Tyrion. "Black and white stripes. Apparently my father hired him and his so called Brave Companions to do a bit of plunder and forage. A mistake, I think my father knows now. The band is ruthless. If he finds your precious Arya first we may find her in bits and pieces."

Ned knew he was right. If Arya was on the road trying to hide, trying to make it to Riverrun or Winterfell, and ran into one of these bands, especially Hoat's, they might kill her without even knowing who she was. She had short hair, was dressed like a boy, even looked a bit like a boy. Even if she told them she was a Stark of Winterfell, who would believe her.

"Then help me find her first," Ned said, not believing he was throwing in his lot with the Imp but knowing he had no choice.

"Well, that is settled then," Tyrion said and he wiped his hands on a cloth and turned to his squire. "Pod, get the men ready to move in twenty minutes. We have a young girl to find."

"Do you trust your men?" Ned asked Tyrion after Pod had left.

"Of course," Tyrion replied.

"No, you don't," said Bronn as he continued to eat.

Tyrion sighed slightly. "Well, not entirely. Why do you ask?"

"My daughter and I would be worth a lot of ransom money to one of your men or any sellsword or your wildlings or this Vargo Hoat character. Best keep the fact that we're looking for her to as few people as possible."

Tyrion nodded. "Agreed. Bronn…"

The sellsword was up. "I'll tell the boy to keep his mouth shut." And then he left the tent. Ned Stark was alone with the Imp and his hands were free and there was a butter knife on the table.

He stared at Tyrion Lannister, his eyes intense. "I could kill you right now."

Tyrion raised his eyebrows and for a second Ned saw real fear there and then it was gone and Tyrion sighed deeply. "I did not hurt your son. I want to save your daughters. I want to end this war and go back to reading my books, fucking my whores, and enjoying being sneered at by all the lords and ladies of the land. I am trying to help you, you great big oaf. Can't you see that?"

"All I see is a Lannister," Ned said, his blood ready to boil in rage.

"The least of the Lannisters, as my father is happy to point out to me on occasion."

"Still a Lannister." The knife was right there. The Imp was small and weak and wore no armor. All it would take would be one knife thrust. But then he thought of Arya, thought of Sansa, and knew he would be dead and they would all be dead too if he killed this little monster. Ned breathed deeply and forced himself to calm down. He could not kill him, not here, not when so much was at stake. But he still wanted to do it. Then the sellsword came back and the chance passed and so did Ned's brief madness.

Ned knew Bronn sensed the tension in the tent as he looked from one to the other. "Did he try to kill you?" he asked Tyrion.

"He thought on it," Tyrion replied dryly. "But then reason prevailed. Perhaps in future I should not be left alone with him."

"Aye," said Bronn. "Everyone is getting ready to leave. That gold cloak cunt of a captain wants to come with us, said he still needs to find the bastard. King's orders and all that shit."

Ned snarled. "No harm will come to that boy or you can piss on any peace you want me to make with Robb."

"Fond of him, are you?" Tyrion asked. "Yes, he is your friend Robert's son, so I suppose that is not too surprising. I will deal with this gold cloak idiot."

"What about Ser Marcus' men?" Bronn asked next.

"Those unhurt will come with us, the wounded will stay here with a few men to help them. And may the gods help them if Dondarrion finds them. Now if there is nothing…"

Bronn spoke quickly. "Ser Jason wants to know if we are heading to King's Landing."

"King's Landing?" Ned said to Tyrion, feeling anger rising again. "You said your father is at Harrenhal. Or is that just another lie?"

"Haven't you heard?" Tyrion quipped. "I am to be the new Hand of the King."

"Acting Hand," Bronn added.

"Quite true," Tyrion concurred. "Until the war is over my father wishes me to take his place by Joffrey's side. As a previous Hand, I would dearly love to hear any sage advice you have."

"I'd tell you to turn it down, but then again maybe it's just what you deserve," Ned told him with half a smile on his face. "The position is cursed and hopefully you will come to a bad end like the rest of us have."

"You truly do despise me," Tyrion said and Ned could not deny it. "My father was Hand for almost twenty years and he still lives and prospers."

"Then he'd be wise not to try his luck with a second turn at it. The Hand does the king's bidding. But Joffrey is no king, as you and I both know. Even if he wasn't a bastard, he's a cruel little shit. I heard stories about him when I was in King's Landing. I thought it not possible for a son of Robert to be so cruel. But now we know he is no son of Robert. The realm should not have such a person as its leader."

"Perhaps not," Tyrion replied. "But he is king and I am to be his Hand, even if for a short time. No, we will find Arya first, we will go to Harrenhal, and then I will take my leave of you and head for King's Landing. And my part in this drama will be over."

"Not until I find out who really hurt my son."

Tyrion rolled his eyes and looked at Bronn. "He is not going to let this go."

"Would you?" Bronn asked.

"No, I suppose not. But then again I have no children so I am in no position to judge. Very well, Lord Stark. When the war is over you shall have your justice, or at least I will summit to a proper judgment before a neutral party, despite already being judged innocent by the gods through trial by combat in the Vale. Even your lady wife agreed to that outcome."

Ned sneered at him in disgust. "Spare me your promises. You and I both know there is no lord in the land who would risk your father's wrath by judging against you in a trial."

"I wouldn't bet on it. My father might actually pay them to do so. At the Green Fork he placed me in the most extreme position of danger. I actually believe he was hoping I would be killed in an honorable way, thereby sparing him from looking at me the rest of his life while he could say I at least upheld the Lannister name by dying in battle. But I survived, to his disappointment. Well, I do go on. It is time to ride. Bronn, we can find Lord Stark a horse I hope."

Ned now felt a slight embarrassment. "I can't ride properly. My leg was broken by your brother."

"Ah, yes," said Tyrion. "My father told me that tale. Jaime's blood does get up and then he acts before thinking enough. Then I fear it is the wagons for you Lord Stark. Not so noble, but we shall make you as comfortable as possible. I would not like to have to waste men to guard you, if I can trust your word not to escape."

Ned snorted. "You are taking me to my son's army and hopefully to find Arya. Why should I escape?"

"My thoughts exactly," the Imp replied.

"Where is Yoren's body?" Ned asked them, suddenly remembering something.

"Among those we found in the holdfast," Bronn told him. "Too many to bury so we're going to burn them."

"Not yet. He had a message from the Queen for my son. Perhaps it is still on him."

"Bronn have a look…after Lord Stark leaves."

Ned drained his cup of wine and stood. "I won't kill you, Imp. Not yet at least. Not till I know my children are safe and I know the truth about what happened to Bran."

"Why thank you, Lord Stark," the Imp replied theatrically. "See Bronn, he is not such a bad fellow after all."

"I never said he was a bad fellow," Bronn replied. "Now if you are done enjoying listening to yourself talk, we have work to do."

Bronn turned without waiting for a reply and waited for Ned to leave the tent. Ned almost laughed at the brashness of the sellsword. Most lords in the land would have his head off or at least banish him for talking like that. But not the Imp, who only chuckled, shook his head, and drank some more wine.

Ned turned without another word and left the tent, knowing Bronn was right and that the Imp would keep him here all day talking just to hear his own voice being clever. They had to find Arya. She had a twelve hour head start on them at least. But she would have to sleep and eat and they were on foot. He just prayed to the gods old and new that she was safe. Gendry was with her and he was strong and honorable and would protect her. But he knew who else might be with with her. Jaqen H'ghar, the murderer. Did he go with them or did he run another way?

"Show me Yoren and the other two that were in the cages," he said to Bronn.

"This way," Bronn told him and they walked toward the holdfast. All around everyone was getting ready to break camp. Tents were coming down, men were coming out of houses, servants were putting out fires and gathering supplies. A string of horses and donkeys was nearby and Ned recognized them as the ones that had carried the Night's Watch group from King's Landing. At least someone had the sense to set them free when the barn was on fire. The gates of the holdfast were smashed in and Ned saw several Lannister men carrying bodies out and putting them in a big pile in front of the gate. Yoren was being carried by two of them.

"That's Yoren," he told Bronn.

"Hold there!" Bronn yelled to them and ran up as Ned slowly followed. "Put him down for a moment."

They laid him down and one of them spat on Yoren's body. "Fucking black crow! He killed five of our men!"

Ned stared at him hard. "Because you tried to kill him." The man looked like he wanted to say something else but then he and his companion turned away.

Ned bent to look at the body and saw at least five stab wounds in front and knew there were more in back. He started to look through his blood soaked clothing and didn't find anything but a few coppers and a silver stag. He handed them to Bronn and the sellsword took them and pocketed them.

"Scroll must have been on the wagon in his bag of clothes," Ned said.

"All the wagons are burnt."

"Show me."

They moved inside the holdfast and there on the ground were bloody stains where men had died. He wondered if Arya and Needle had done any of the cutting and then shook that thought away. He did not want his little daughter killing people. What man did? Little girls should play with dolls and puppies, not swords and dire wolves. Then again, Arya was of the north, and life was hard. Better to be ready for anything then die helpless. Winter was coming. Maybe it was already here.

The barn was still smoking a bit and had no roof. The two burnt bodes of Rorge and Biter lay by the remains of the metal frame of the cage and the axles and metal fittings of the wagons.

"If the scroll was in the wagons it's burnt," Bronn told him. But Ned already knew that. He looked down at the two bodies, all charred and contorted where the fire had burnt them. He couldn't see any wounds. Then he looked closer and saw blood stains in the ground under Biter's neck. Someone killed them first before they burned. Maybe that was a mercy, but he was sure these two miserable men were facing judgment right now in whatever hell they believed in.

Next they walked around the holdfast and down to the lake where Bronn showed him the footprints in the mud, just above where the water was lapping at the shore. Ned bent close and studied them carefully. After a moment he stood.

"Four, maybe five people, heading east along the shoreline."

"Aye," Bronn answered. "Looks like that's where we'll be going as well. East around the lake and then north along its shores to Harrenhal."

"Is Tywin Lannister really there?"

"He didn't lie."

"Would you tell me if he did?"

"No," Bronn said with a grin. "But I think Lord Imp really wants to end this war."

"What happened at the inn? When my wife took him."

"I was sitting and having a pint of ale," Bronn began. "Shaking the dust of the road out of me. Hardly a coin left to my name, looking for work, thinking maybe to try the Riverlands, see if any lord needed a man good with a sword. Peacetime is a hard time for sellswords. Though I didn't know who they was, your wife was there, with this big man, older."

"Ser Rodrik."

"Aye, that's him. Then the Imp walks in with two of his men and Yoren. I knew who he was, had heard stories about him. He saw your wife and seem surprised but was cordial enough. Didn't look like a man who had committed a crime against her son."

"No, he hides his crimes well."

Bronn shrugged. "Anyways, your wife didn't even say hello or nothing to Tyrion. She started asking different men in the inn about the sigils they wore, and if they knew who she was and if they were still loyal to her father at Riverrun. They all answered yes, and then she accused the Imp of trying to kill your boy and soon he had a dozen swords on him and he was in fetters and on his way to the Vale."

"Your sword included."

"Not at first, but then I just tagged along. Had no other prospects in the offing." The sellsword turned back towards the holdfast. "Best we get back before Lord Imp thinks I turned my cloak and took you off somewhere safe."

"Would you?"

"No," Bronn said with a laugh. "Life is good so far with Lord Imp."

"And when the day comes it isn't?"

Bronn shrugged again. "When that day comes I'll look for a new lord and I'll give him a price and if he can meet it my sword is his."

"Aye. But the Lannisters promised you a lordship."

Bronn grimaced and snorted a short laugh. "Promises don't mean shit till they are fulfilled. Come on."

They moved to the front of the holdfast and there Ned saw the recruit who survived, helping move bodies to the growing pile in front of the holdfast. Ned didn't know his name, but remembered him. The man was young, not much older than Gendry, and had lanky dark hair and a bit of a scar on one cheek. Now he sported a large bruise on the left side of his head near the eye.

"Lord Stark," the man said with a dip of his head.

"Morning. Did you eat?"

"Yes, my lord. I'm…I'm sorry. I told these men things about you and…and the boy, Arry. And Gendry. I was confused…my head."

"Not to worry," Ned told him. He looked at Bronn. "What's to be done with him?"

"Lord Imp said to let him do as he pleases, but he's not to come with us. A drag on our food and someone he doesn't know or can trust."

Ned looked at the man. "Do you want to head north and still join the Night's Watch?"

"I took a hit on the head but I've not lost my wits," the man said. "I'd sooner not go north."

Ned had to grin at that. "Where you from lad?"

"King's Landing."

"Don't go back there," Ned told him. "You'll end up back in the dungeons. What was your crime?"

"I was in a tavern fight over gambling. Some man cheated me and my friend. We nearly killed him."

"But you didn't so that's not so bad. Anywhere else you can go?"

"Maybe," the man replied. "I have family in the Reach."

"Safer," Bronn advised. "No war there. Yet. It's still a long walk to the Reach."

"Good point," Ned stated. He looked over at where the donkeys were. "Tell Tyrion to give him one of the donkeys and a bit of food. The donkeys were with our party and he can spare a loaf of bread and a bit of dried fish." So it was done and before long the man was on his way south with a donkey and small sack of food.

Fifteen minutes later Ned was seated in the back of a wagon between many sacks of flour and oats, just like the serving women and boys he saw in the other wagons. They were mostly common looking except for one dark-haired girl who had a beauty to her. Probably a camp follower and whore to one of the knights, he thought. That's the way it was when armies were on the march. Maybe she was even the Imp's whore. Ned knew the Imp liked his whores. The whores of Winterfell had a fare share of the Imp's gold when he stayed there. Or then again maybe the beauty was just a servant girl.

Off near the front of the column he saw the Imp in his chain mail armor on his horse talking with Bronn and a tall man in Lannister colors, maybe this Ser Jason that Bronn had mentioned. Five of the big hills people were with them, leaders of the tribes no doubt. Ned had learned a thing or two about the hill folk while he was a ward of Jon Arryn's in the Vale. They were a ferocious lot, but were undisciplined and would squabble over plunder and kill a man over perceived slights.

After the little meeting broke up, the gold cloak captain and three of his men who survived the fight approached the Imp on horseback. There seemed to be some arguing, and gestures were made and finally he heard the Imp shouting. They all heard the Imp shouting.

"You will take your men back to King's Landing or you will die here!"

"The King will hear about this!" the gold cloak officer shouted back.

"Good!" Tyrion shouted louder. "Now go before I let my wild men cut your cocks off before I hang you!"

The gold cloak officer growled and then turned his horse and they were soon gone off to the southeast.

After that there was only one more thing to do. Two Lannister men approached the pile of bodies in front of the holdfast. Around it they had piled some brush. One man took a large jug of something and poured it on the wood. Cooking oil, Ned guessed. The second man took a lit torch and dropped it on the wood and soon it was blazing. Goodbye, Yoren, Ned said to himself. Thank you for my daughter's life. After that, they started moving to the east.

The first day they made good time but saw no sign of Arya or any other people for that matter. They started turning more northeast as they rounded the southern shore of Gods Eye. There was no road, but it was mostly flat farmland, the farms deserted, with some tracks across the land to help ease their passage. They passed a few empty and burned out villages, but kept going northeast and then north and in the late afternoon made camp in the open near a small stream.

That night the Imp asked Ned to dine with him again in his tent and Ned reluctantly agreed. The Imp drank a lot and talked and talked. Ned got some stories about the Wall and Jon and Yoren and his brother Benjen from Tyrion and the same story Bronn had told about Cat at the inn. The Imp and his sellsword spoke more on their journey to the Vale and all that had happened, and from what they said it sounded like they had saved Cat's life on the road. At least that's what they said. The Imp also went on about the sky cells of the Eyrie and how they would drive any man to jump after a while. Ned spoke little, drank little, ate till he was full and then left as soon as he could. The Imp's squire took him to a small tent and Ned slept fitfully on a thin straw filled mattress on the ground. It was more comfortable on the sacks in the wagon.

The next day it starting raining as soon as they were off again and they all got drenched but the Imp insisted they keep moving. But the rain grew too much by late afternoon and after a wagon got stuck in the muck again for the fourth time Tyrion called for a halt near a small wooden copse and they made camp close to the trees with the horses tied up in long lines nearby. The stuck wagon they left where it was after first unloading its supplies of barrels of ale and salted fish and beef and stacking them under the trees. They had trouble lighting fires and everyone was miserable and wet and supper was a cold meal of dried salted fish and beef, hard bread, and strong ale. The Imp insisted Ned dry off in his tent where he had a brazier of charcoal burning brightly. It was warm and the steam rose from his clothing as he stood by the brazier.

Tyrion was sitting on his camp bed drying his feet while his squire was pouring wine into cups at the small table when Bronn entered the tent. A bolt of lightning cracked the late afternoon sky outside the tent. "The gods are making war," Ned said automatically. It was something his mother had said when he was a boy and he was frightened by the lightning.

"Aye," said Bronn and then he looked at Tyrion. "One of Ser Jason's scouts just came back. Said there is a small village about two miles ahead. Looked deserted, but its not burned out yet."

"If only the rain would stop, we could press on and make camp there tonight," said Tyrion with a sigh. "But we can't leave the wagon or its supplies behind. It's still a long way to Harrenhal and we have more mouths to feed. Tell Ser Jason we must wait till the weather improves and the wagon is free from the mud."

Ned spoke up. "If it does not stop raining by morning, you could redistribute the supplies to the other wagons and press on." He was worried about Arya and any delay could be dangerous.

"A sound idea," the Imp replied.

Ned left them soon after, despite Tyrion's offer to join them for drinks, claiming he was tired and needed rest. He was mainly weary of the Imp, who could talk a man to death on all subjects. Ned found his tent already set up under some trees nearby and crawled inside. The ground was wet and his mattress was too but he did not care as he stretched out and was soon dozing.

How much time had passed Ned did not know. He woke up and it was still dark but also silent. The rain had stopped, but the air was heavy and damp. Ned sat up and realized he was not alone in the tent.

"Do not shout," came a whispered voice in a strange accent. "This man is not here to harm you, Eddard Stark."

"If you wanted to kill me I'd already be dead," Ned told the man. He was not afraid and then he knew who it was. "Jaqen H'ghar?"

"Yes."

"Where is Arya?" Ned asked quickly in a low voice.

"Safe nearby, with the baker's boy, the one with green hands, and the Bull."

"The Bull…aye, Gendry."

"Yes. Come. We must go. This man has made a promise to Arya Stark to free you and will be done of this debt."

Ned hesitated and decided to tell him. "Tyrion Lannister is in command here. He is taking me to Harrenhal to his father to help bring peace. Arya and I and my other daughter will be traded to help free Tyrion's brother. My son's army captured him. I want you to go back to Arya and tell her all this and at first light have her come in and surrender. I will be waiting for her with Tyrion and some guards. The others can come in too or go as they please. Afterwards, you can run if you want. I won't turn you in. I thank you for helping my daughter."

"This news Arya must hear from you," Jaqen said in the darkness. "The girl will not believe this man."

"Aye," Ned said after a moment of indecision. "Lead the way."

Jaqen opened the tent flap and soon slipped out quietly. The camp was silent, the only noise the water dripping from the trees and the sound of crickets in the grass. Ned followed and stopped when Jaqen stopped. A guard was nearby taking a piss against a tree. Jaqen stood and slipped to another tree and then another and Ned followed as best he could. His bad leg was slowing him down but within five minutes they had slipped past the other guards and were heading along an animal track in the copse. Soon they came out in a clearing. The moon was out, the sky was clear, and between the moon and the red streak in the sky they had enough light to move well. Ned caught up with Jaqen.

"How did you find me?"

"Finding a man was easy. A large group is always easy to track."

"Yes, but my tent, you…"

"This man was in the trees watching as the Lannisters made camp. This man was waiting for Eddard Stark to be alone."

He must be soaked to the skin if he sat in a tree in the downpour, Ned thought. They walked in silence for a few moments. "Did Arya free you? Is that why you are helping me?"

"Yes. A man pays his debts or the Red God would be angry. The girl made this man promise to help you if she freed him from the iron cage. The strong Bull broke the lock at Arya's command and then he broke the chains with his hammer. In the village ahead he found a forge and managed to take off this man's manacles."

"Who killed the other two? Rorge and Biter."

"This man."

"Good."

"Eddard Stark, you believed your daughter killed those two?"

"I did."

"The girl has killed before?"

Ned hesitated and then spoke. "A boy in King's Landing who tried to stop her from escaping."

"And now two men at the holdfast. Maybe more. The Bull saw her kill two, he told this man while she slept. Arya saved his life from one."

Ned said nothing. My daughter, he thought bitterly, a killer. This is what my mistakes have brought my family to.

"Who are you?" Ned asked after a long silence as they walked across a field of short grass on a bluff looking over Gods Eye to the left.

"This man is Jaqen H'ghar. Eddard Stark, you know this already."

"Yoren said you were a murderer."

"Yes, Yoren did not lie. This man has killed. Many times."

"Why?'

"Eddard Stark you have many questions this man cannot answer."

"Answer one more. Why are you helping Arya and me?"

"This man owes a…"

"A debt, aye. But most men accused of murder would run away after being freed from that cage. Not you."

"Most men have no honor. This man does."

A killer with honor. Perhaps such men existed but Ned knew none, not murderers at least. Murderers killed for many reason. Revenge, love, and gold were the main ones. But Ned had heard many stories in his long years as lord of Winterfell, stories from men and women who had killed, trying to explain their reasons and Ned had to decide their fate. In some cases they had good reasons to kill, but murder was still murder, as Yoren had said, no matter if the reason for it was good. Ned condemned most of them to death, taking their heads with Ice, his Valyarian steel sword, as was the custom in the north. Some he sent to the Wall, but not many.

After another ten minutes they came to a small stream that was flowing into Gods Eye, the water moving at full force from the day's rains. They slowly forded it in waist deep water, the water cold and the stream bed slippery. At one point Ned almost slipped with his bad leg being a hindrance, but Jaqen caught him and he did not fall under. On the other side there was a small hill and on top a wooden fence and a farmer's field, full of corn. Jaqen took many ears of corn as they walked and Ned decided to do the same. Twenty minutes later they came through more fields and gardens to the outskirts of a small village with about twenty mud and wattle thatched roof houses, a few smaller wooden ones and one larger wooden one. No lights were in the windows and no smoke was coming from any chimneys. They approached the larger wooden house. As they came in Jaqen grew very still and Ned stopped beside him. They listened and then Jaqen smiled and then Ned heard what made him smile. Someone was snoring.

A scant moment later they came on the baker's boy, Hot Pie, asleep on the ground outside the large house. Jaqen toed his leg and the boy gave a small yelp and scrambled to his feet.

"I yield!" Hot Pie yelled and then the door to the house flew open and in the moonlight Ned saw Gendry was there in his helmet with his hammer in his right hand and Arya was there with Needle out, with the blond boy called Lommy not far behind them, carrying a knife. They all stopped and then Arya shoved Needle into her belt and flew into his arms and all the corn he was carrying fell to the ground. He hugged her tight and she looked up at him.

"I knew Jaqen would find you."

"A man's debt is paid," Jaqen said to her. "A girl's father is free."

Arya looked at him, chewed her bottom lip like she always did when thinking, and then nodded. "Yes, he is free. A man's debt is paid."

"Let's get inside, there are things to explain," Ned told them. They all went in. It was dark except for some embers in a fireplace. Gendry lit a stub of a candle on an ember, placed it on a table, and soon a low light filled the room. Ned took a quick look around. The house had one main room with a small kitchen off it and two doors leading to other small rooms off to the side. The fireplace had a kettle hanging over it, and there was a small table with three chairs. The walls had a few drawings and etchings, the kitchen had some dishes, bowls and cups, next to a bucket full of water and a basin full of water. The heel of a loaf of bread was on a pewter plate on the table.

"Our supper," Hot Pie lamented. Then he smiled. "But now we have corn." He and Lommy had picked up the corn Ned had dropped and placed it on the table and Jaqen also put his arm full on the table.

"We'll cook it later," said Ned as he sat and then looked to his daughter who sat next to him. "Arya, listen to me. Tyrion Lannister. You remember him?"

"The Imp?"

"Aye, the Imp." Ned quickly told them the story. "So we will be traded for the Kingslayer and then we can all go home."

"Home," Arya said with a sigh. Then she looked at the other three boys in the room. "I…I guess you can come, too. If you want. My father will find you places at Winterfell."

"Aye," Ned said as he looked at the boys. "I am in your debt for helping Arya, all of you."

"What about the Night's Watch?" Gendry asked.

"Yoren is dead."

"We know," said Lommy. "Arry saw it."

Ned looked at her and she had a sad look on her face. "Aye. He was a good man. As for the Watch, you haven't taken your oaths yet. Winterfell is cold but not as cold as the Wall."

"I will come to Winterfell and serve, my lord," said Hot Pie right away.

"I hope you are better baker than a guard, lad," Ned said and they all laughed.

"I will come, too, my lord," said Lommy.

"You steal anything and I'll have those green hands off," Ned told him.

Lommy's eyes went wide. "I'll never steal again, my lord."

"Good. Gendry?"

"I've got no where else to go, my lord."

"Aye," Ned said with a nod. Then he made a decision. "We'll stay here tonight. In the morning we'll go out to meet the Imp before he has a fit when he realizes I'm gone." He noticed right away Gendry casting his eyes about, as if worried. "Gendry, the Imp sent the gold cloaks scurrying back to King's Landing. Ser Marcus is dead and the Imp has the rest of his men in hand."

"Can we trust him?" Arya asked.

"No," said Ned seriously. "But he's the only chance we've got to see our family safe and all back in Winterfell. I'll kill the first Lannister man who tries to lay on a hand on any of you, so don't worry about that."

Then Arya chewed her lip again and looked worried. "But…what about the Wall? Your oath?"

"I told you any oath made with a sword at your throat is not an oath the gods will hold you to."

"The Queen might be mad about that."

"Piss on her and her son, the false king. They can come to Winterfell and drag me to the Wall if they dare." They all had shocked looks on their faces and then they laughed. Arya was smiling again and Ned liked that.

"Good," she said. "Now Jaqen what about…?" She turned to look for him but he was gone. "Jaqen?" He was not in the house.

"He's gone Arya," Gendry said after he opened the door and looked outside a bit. "You knew he would go once he found your father."

"But he didn't even say good-bye," Arya said with a touch of anger mixed with sadness.

"He's a wanted man," Ned told her. "He's done enough to pay his debt to you. Let him go if he wants."

She nodded slightly. "Good," Ned told her, hoping they had seen the last of Jaqen. He did not want his daughter consorting with killers, no matter if they were helping her or not.

Ned got them to work, making a fire and getting water for the kettle. They covered the two windows in the house with blankets they found to hide the light and soon they had it warm and the corn was boiling in the big kettle.

Then they sat, Arya and Gendry at the table with Ned, the other two on the floor in front of the fireplace, and told their story, about the fight, and how they escaped, and how Jaqen had taken them in hand and brought them here, and they found the village empty and found some food left behind and then Jaqen went back to find Ned.

"We thought he'd left us for good," Arya told him. "We were going to wait till morning and then leave."

"Good thing we didn't," Hot Pie commented from where he was minding the corn.

"Aye, Jaqen kept his promise," Ned said. "No matter want else he is he has some honor at least." He looked at Arya. "Did he know who you were or did you tell him?"

"He knew, my lord," said Gendry first. "Don't know how, but he called her Arya Stark that first morning and then these other two nearly had a fit."

"Thought she was a boy," said Lommy from where he sat on the floor by the fireplace. "Not a lady."

Arya growled. "I told you to stop calling me that!"

"Aye, all of you stop it," Ned said quickly. "You don't call her anything but Arry and go on pretending she is a boy if you can. There are men riding with the Imp that would ransom me and her for a bag of silver and kill the rest of you quick. The Imp needs us to free his brother so he'll protect us but he's just one man."

"A small man," said Arya with a grin.

"What's an imp?" Hot Pie asked.

"A dwarf," Gendry answered. "I seen him a few times in King's Landing. He walked in a waddle but with his head held high like he was the king himself. Proud he is, people said. Then they laughed behind his back."

Ned nodded. "Aye, they did, but they don't know him like I do. He's a ruthless man like all Lannisters. Don't mistake him for weak because of his size. If he asks you anything you answer quickly and truthfully and call him 'my lord'." He looked at Gendry. "He knows who you are so don't lie to him."

Arya slammed her fist on the table. "Who is he?" she asked in frustration.

"I told you to let it be," Ned said to her in a scolding tone.

"He's a bastard," said Lommy. "And we're orphans. That's all."

"No," Hot Pie told Lommy. "The gold cloaks and that ser wanted Gendry. He's someone special."

"I told you two to shut up about that!" Gendry growled. His beard was growing on his square jaw, just a short beard yet, but dark like his father's Ned noted, and it made the boy look fiercer.

"Leave it be," Ned told them, giving Arya an extra long stare until she sighed and nodded.

After a while the corn was ready and they ate and we're happy for a bit. They found places to lie down and soon they were all asleep except Ned, who sat in a chair near the door the rest of the night with Arya's Needle in his hand. It was a good little sword, and it had saved her life. He would have to thank Mikken when they got back to Winterfell.

Dawn came and he woke them and they had the rest of the corn, used the privy, and washed a bit with some water in a basin. Ned peeked out behind the blankets covering the window and saw it was misty out and he could not see far.

"Come on, let's go before they can hear the Imp screaming and cursing from the Arbor to the Wall."

He stepped out into the street and the others followed him. The mist was thinning but it was still hard to see past one house over. Ned tried to get his bearings, tried to remember which way they had come the night before. As they stood there they heard the soft clop of a horse hoof.

"A horse," Arya whispered.

"Quiet," Ned told them. They all got their weapons out, Arya with Needle, Gendry with his hammer, and even the two other boys had short clubs of wood. And once again Ned didn't have a weapon. He silently cursed. Then the boy Lommy took out his long knife from his boot and handed it to Ned.

The horse hoofs came closer and then a mounted figure emerged from the mist. On the horse's back sat the strangest man they had ever seen. He was very brown, and wore all leather, and had a long braid of dark black hair with many small bells in it. In his hand he had a wicked looking curved weapon of some sort.

"Dothraki," Ned said quietly. Then a light breeze blew and the mist suddenly started to clear and more figures emerged from the mist, all on animal back and all a mixture of the strange men of the west and the east. One man, very tall, with a long ropey beard, was sitting on a striped zorse. He rode forward till he was beside the Dothraki.

"Seven hells," said Lommy softly.

"What have we here?" asked the tall man. He was thin and had a chain of some sort around his neck made of many kinds of metal. On his saddle was a helmet shaped like a goat's head. At least a score or more other men were behind him, all mounted and with weapons. One of them carried a banner with a goat on it.

Ned knew who they were now. The Brave Companions. This had to be Vargo Hoat. He had only one chance to save them. "I am Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell. I would be grateful if you would escort us to Lord Tyrion Lannister's camp which is but a few miles to the south. You are his father's sworn bannermen are you not, Lord Hoat?"

"I and my company are employed by Lord Tywin Lannithter," said the tall man, slobbering his words. "I know who you are, Lord Thtark. You thay Tyrion Lannithter ith nearby?"

"Aye."

"Very well," said Hoat. "We will take you to Lord Imp." He turned to his men. "Take Lord Thtark, unharmed."

The Dothraki next to Hoat spoke, the Common Tongue but in a strange accent. "What of the boys?"

"Kill them all," Hoat commanded.