20. Tower of Joy

As we rode to the Tower of Joy, I chatted with Ned.

"Mister Stark, I think I need to explain a few things. I didn't participate in the war because I think it's a useless thing to do. The only people who suffer in this time are the poor, and I have seen neither you nor any of the other lords care about the people.

I hope that when you go back to the North, you will stop living like us and start living like you, since it won't do you any good to be a Southerner in the North. There are a lot of things that are not explained in this war, and I bet there are hands playing puppeteer," he looks at me confused.

"You didn't find anything strange about how all this started?" I ask as we move forward.

"Well my father learned through Hoster Tully that my sister was kidnapped by the prince sending a raven to my father." he replies still trying to understand.

"So let me ask you sir. How could she be kidnapped in Winterfell without anyone noticing? No one noticing her absence, or even how it was the Tully's who knew before you from the north, and who lived with her." he stops his horse, understanding now that there is a lot of lump in that soup.

" What makes this even stranger is, who would gain from this war? What movements would take place in the midst of all this, and who would be the biggest beneficiary of it all? Who would gain the most influence not only in the capital but in everything else? There are so many questions..." I let the words go with the wind.

"Many people would gain a lot from it. The faith of the Seven would win, since it would increase their influence, the Lannisters would win, since they helped Robert take King's Landing, the Vale and the North would win, since they were the ones who influenced the victory of the war.

The Baratheon would win, since one of them became king, the Riverlands would win since they mediate the North and the South, and could have gains on both sides. The hard part is who would gain the most and who would put the wheel to spin." he replies indignantly.

"One thing you can't deny sir. It has weakened the kingdom as a whole. If you look at the number of soldiers from the big and small houses, the reduction was monstrous, and what actually increased were the numbers of orphans and thieves.

"But who would be the victor in all this. Who would gain so much influence and power in all this barbarism?" he looks up at the sky, trying to find something.

"The thought is on the right track sir, but the eyes to the wrong place. Just think of who never loses his strength in the midst of all this chaos, and emerges as a salvation at a modest price. Someone who could influence those great and small without worry."

"If you have someone in mind, it would be good to talk you know. I'm very good with my sword, but when it comes to administration and espionage, I've never been the best player." Ned looks at me intensely, hoping to get his answer.

"Sir, I am also a terrible player, that must be why we are in this situation. Since I was able to look in from outside the events, I could notice the weirdness, but to actually know who is the head of this problem, I am not smart enough for that."

We rode for a few more hours, and were able to see the Tower of Joy. At its gates, the three best knights in Westeros.

Ser Arthur Dayne, Ser Oswell Whent, and the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Gerold Hightower, see us coming, a large group of knights and some lords of great and small houses. Besides Ned, came Howland Reed, Willam Dustin, Ethan Glover, Martyn Cassel, Theo Wull and Mark Ryswell,and further back, my men.

"Welcome gentlemen, by the looks of it, the prince has fallen." Gerold Hightower comments getting up, already with his hands on his swords.

"Ser Gerold, I don't believe any more casualties are needed in this war. I believe you are here to protect the most precious thing left in the tower, Lyanna Stark, or rather Lyanna Targaryen and her unborn child, right?" I dismount from my horse and approach.

"You are right young man, but who would you be?" ser Arthur approaches also with his hand on his sword.

"I am Skyggedrage Leviathan. Lord of Serpent Island. And before we end up falling into a dilemma, let me tell you something. We've all been tricked." not just the three but everyone else looked at me strangely.

"Just ask yourselves, who has lost influence in recent times? Who would benefit from the war, and who controls every message, every lord in our times. Then everyone will understand." I look at Ned who has nothing but fury in his eyes.

"You said you weren't a player, or smart enough for that matter." he stares at me.

"Indeed I am not, but these last few miles I have asked myself that question and have come to an obvious conclusion. The only people who would benefit would be the church." Sors looks at me in confusion.

I then ask one of my soldiers to water the horses and the soldiers, and to prepare some light food, since the heat here is a bit raw. I look at the three Sors.

"Gentlemen, by any chance, did you participate in the kidnapping of Lyanna Stark?" I glare at them.

"We never kidnapped her, she decided to leave with the prince and left a letter with her Meistre before traveling with us. Since then, we have protected her here." Gerold answers, and I just look at Ned, who has begun to foam with anger.

"So gentlemen, they have done well what they wanted. The fall of House Targaryen, the rise of the Baratheons, the mess in the kingdom and if I'm not mistaken, a forced marriage between the North and the Riverlands, thus increasing their influence right?" I look at Ned again.

"So you are saying that the war was influenced by the Meistres? To increase their popularity and sphere of influence? For what?" Ser Whent asks in a mixture of surprise and disgust.

"You see sir, who else could influence a king than his meisters, and knowing that the old king had gone so far into madness as to hunt down his own son, wouldn't it be easier to get that risk out of the way and put a new, influential one in place?

The problem is not the church or the religion masters, the problem is the power-hungry men who used people's faith to their advantage. No religion asks for as much money as these men who wear chains. No religion has as much political influence as they do.

I ask you, who here wants to give up their power for the benefit of their neighbor? I know that some may say they would, but that doesn't mean that others will. Humans like us are susceptible to mistakes, and we will make them even when we don't want to.

So, I finish my speech, I think you have understood the bigger problem and know that there is nothing we can do at the moment to fix it. Now we have to be careful what happens from now on," I drink a lot of water.

In the meantime, we hear Lyanna's scream, and Ned doesn't think twice, he just runs into the tower. Ser Whent wants to stop him, but Ser Hightower stops him. Then they follow behind and enter the tower, I go along, not letting anyone else in. My men close the doors.