The Young Lion

Act 1 Ch 13 A Soothsayer

“Lord Stark.” He said respectfully. “We need to talk.”

Servants then entered the room and brought a plate of food opposite to Ned Stark. They set the table and poured wine into both chalices then stood at attention. Joffrey ordered them to leave and for his guards to remain alert outside the door. They bowed their heads before excusing themselves and shutting the door behind them. Joffrey then sat down across from the old wolf.

“Don’t mind me, help yourself.” He said nonchalantly.

Ned just looked at the plate in front of him with skepticism. Joffrey, seeing the look, switched his plates with him and ate some of the roasted meat. The old wolf who hadn’t eaten for two days gave into his hunger and gulped down the food. Joffrey sat back and took a sip of the fine dornish wine he had prepared. Waiting patiently for the north lord to finish his meal. After a few minutes Ned finished his meal and then sat back into his chair.

“What do you want?” He asked with a bitter look.

“Wow, not even a thank you?” He chuckled. “Don’t they teach manners in the north?”

“You want me to give thanks to a blonde little shit who butcher my men, just cause he gave me some chicken?” 

“You're blaming me for your men’s deaths? He asked with a surprised look. “Oh gods I hope you're joking.”

Ned looked confused. “It's the truth.”

“Really? If I recall correctly I gave you the chance to surrender and you and your men could return home, and you didn’t take it.”

“Well that was-” He started to say.

“You thought you had the upper hand.” He said, interrupting him. “And you thought I was begging for my men’s lives. But I wasn’t” He said, shaking his head “I was offering you yours.”

Ned was a little taken aback by his words mostly because he couldn’t refute them.

“I was doing my duty!” He shouted. “Making sure the throne passed to the rightful heir, you have no claim to the throne!”

“Why? Because Robert Baratheon isn’t my real father?” Joffrey asked, completely calm.

Ned's mouth hung agape at his question.

“I’m young lord Stark, not stupid. I saw how my mother and “uncle” looked at each other. Pretty disgusting I must say.” He said with a disgusted face as he took a sip of wine.

The old lord was still shocked and silent at the false king's admission to knowing his true parentage.

“If you know the truth then you must do the right thing, and abdicate for Robert’s true heir.” He said his voice filled with self righteousness.

“True heir? And who might that be?”

“Robert's oldest brother Stannis.”

Joffrey began to laugh at Ned’s suggestion. “Stannis really?”

“He’s Robert’s eldest brother, the throne is his by right!” He yelled.

“You know you high borns never cease to amuse me with your logic.” He said, still laughing. “That because you were born to a certain family, at a certain time, you think that makes you entitled to something.” He said wiping a tear from his eye at the stupid logic.

Ned was again stunned silent.

“If I recall correctly Viserys Targaryen was the rightful king to the throne, after the mad kings death what right did you have to keep it from him?”

“That was different.” He tried to deny it. “The Targaryen's slaughtered hundreds of innocent people!”

“I know and then you all used your strength and stripped them of their power correct?”

“Yes”

“Well there you have it.” He said smiling. “Nothing gave you the right, you took it. Which is exactly what I'm doing now.”

Ned just looked at the boy silent.

“Stannis would make about as good of a king as my “father” did; he inspires no love or loyalty, only fear.”

“Stannis is a commander, He’s led men into war twice!” He yelled.

“Yes he is a remarkable soldier, but so was Robert. How well do you think he did?”

Ned was getting frustrated by the youth’s logic mostly because it made sense and conflicted with his point of view.

“He was an oaf and a drunk who has nearly destroyed the realm with his frivolous spending.” He said looking the lord in the eye. “The only kingly act he ever did for the realm was making sure he stepped into an early grave.” He said his tone was stone cold.

Eddard finally lost his temper reaching out and grabbing the youth by the collar dragging him in front of him. 

“He was my friend and he thought of himself as your father!” He yelled his face inches from Joffrey’s.

“Tsk tsk.” He clicked his tongue. “So emotional.” He pressed the dagger he brought with him into Ned’s side.

Ned looked down at the dagger as he continued to hold Joffrey’s shirt.

“I could snap your neck before the wound kills me.” He said his voice filled with killing intent.

“I don’t doubt it.” Joffrey remained calm. “But then what do you imagine would happen to your daughters? What do you think my mother would do to them?” 

Ned’s face twitched as the realization of his daughter’s predicament dawned on him. He then slowly let go of his collar and Joffrey stepped back.

“See, that inability of yours to think things through is what got you in this situation in the first place.” He said as he sheathed his dagger.

He then picked his chair up and dusted it off leaving his back to the still standing lord.

“What do you want?” Ned asked bitterly as Joffrey turned back to face him.

“For us to talk.” He gestured for the lord to sit back down. 

“About what?”

“The future to be exact, because all of us are in danger and I need your help.”

Ned Stark looked confused but decided to sit down and hear him out.

“Do you believe in the gods Lord Stark?”

“Of course.”

“Well then you must believe in fate and destiny as well, correct?”

“I suppose, why?”

“I’m a soothsayer lord Stark I can see the past as well as our futures in my dreams.”

Stark looked at him like he was a mad man.

“Yeah I know how it sounds, I used to believe it was nonsense till the dreams started to come true.” He said, taking a sip of wine.

“Like what?”

“Like the Greyjoy Rebellion,or the Targaryen girl’s marriage, or even your plot in the throne room the other day.”

Ned just looked at him skeptically not believing a word he was saying.

“I know you don’t believe me and that's fine, but I still need you to listen to what I have to say.” He said dead serious.

Stark straightened up and looked at Joffrey's change in demeanor.

“Your son marches south with eighteen thousand men to free you and his sisters.”

“Robb?” He asks, trying to sound surprised.

“Don’t play games with me, I know the eunuch came to see you.”

Stark looked surprised and decided to give him his full attention.

“I need you to convince him to stand down, assume his role as the new Warden of the north, and give me back my “uncle” Jaime.”

“Jaime?” He asked.

“Yes as it happens Lord Stark your son is a brilliant strategist. He tricked my grandfather by sending two thousand men to their deaths and in return defeated Jaime and his thirty thousand men.”

“How do you know this?” 

“Like I told you I have dreams, but the one that's haunting me the most lies north.”

“The long night is upon us and death comes with it.” He said, looking Eddard in the eye. “The White Walkers have returned.”

“The White Walkers?” He said with a scoff. “The White Walkers have been gone for thousands of years.”

“No they haven't, they went into hibernation waiting, replenishing their numbers, but they aren’t sleeping anymore.”

Eddard wanted to laugh at the boy king's nonsense but something about his tone made him understand he was scared.

“What that deserter in the north told you was the truth. They’re back and they will kill all of us.”

“If what you're saying is true, what would you have me do?”

“Convince your son and your bannermen to stand down, we’re gonna need as many men as we can get. Then head to the wall and help the Night’s watch prepare.”

“And what will you be doing?” He said with an distrusting look.

“I will end the war that you’ve helped start down here, and unite the other six kingdoms. Then together we will defend the north when the long night comes.”

“You’re asking me to sacrifice my honor and memory of my friend because you're afraid of a bedtime story.” He said with a bitter scoff.

“No, I’m asking you to sacrifice your honor for something greater than yourself like you did before.”

“What in the seven hells are you talking about?”

“Just like when you made that oath to your sister in that tower all those years ago I’m asking you to do the same thing now in this room.” He said in a serious tone.

Eddard shot to his feet in realization and shock.

“How do you know about that!” He shouted his eyes wide in shock.

“Starting to believe me now?” He asked calmly, rising to his feet.

Eddard was still stunned silent at the realization that the boy king knew his greatest secret.

“Good,” he said. “We have a lot to talk about then.”