The Redfish (Chapter 27) (Patreon)

Confrontation

Edmure POV

Chataya’s brothel was the last place that Ned led me into. If my information was correct, it was of few brothels that didn’t belong to Littlefinger. It had women mostly from Summer Islands, tall, dark, exotic, and beautiful women, who every man would have a hard time resisting. Even for me, it was hard to look away from some of the women. Ned, on the other hand, didn’t even bat an eye to any of them.

Alayaya, the owner’s daughter, led us to a room where we were awaited by another woman. She was young, younger than I liked, and it seems that Ned agrees with me on that. He looked at the girl thoughtfully, sad and maybe a little angry. The girl was holding a baby with black hair and blue eyes.

After talking a little bit with the girl, Ned then took a good look at the baby. Barra, the baby girl, was named. Thinking it would please the father. With a last look at the baby, Ned gave it back to mother and took a pouch from this belt.

“Take it and go as far as possible from the King’s Landing,” Ned tells the girl and hands the pouch full of copper and silver.

“My lord, I don’t understand,” The girl looks at us, confused.

“The father of your child won’t come to see you,” Ned informs the girl with a cold face. “If the Queen finds about this baby, even I won’t be able to save it. So just take the silver and go, forget about your child’s father and live a peaceful life.”

After leaving the Chataya’s place, we climbed on our horses and started to ride back to the Red Keep. On the way, we talked about how all the King’s bastards were similar to their father. I didn’t want to tell Ned the truth yet. He has to find it by himself or don’t. It wouldn’t matter. Either way, the pieces are already moving.

“So, are we done?” I ask.

“It was the last place. Jon Arryn and Stannis visited those places too. I was wondering what they were doing, as Stannis wouldn’t even answer the letters. I had to look for answers myself,” Ned answers.

“Well, now we know. Jon and Stannis were just checking on the bastards of the King. It wasn’t hard to see the resembling in them,” I comment.

“No, it isn’t,” Ned replies thoughtfully. “Now that I am leaving, there won’t be anyone else to look after them, and if Lord Tywin Lannister becomes next Hand, the children’s lives will be in peril.”

Just as we were about to leave Silk street, we were confronted by men in crimson cloaks. It didn’t take long for us to be surrounded. A score of red cloaks circled the dozen of us. I knew why they did so. And as to confirm my speculation, the man in gold showed himself.

“What is the meaning of this, Kingslayer?” Ned asks, with one hand on the hilt of his sword.

“It doesn’t concern you, Lord Stark,” The Kingslayer replies and then looks at me. “I came here for Ser Edmure Tully, his sister, Lady Lysa Arryn, has abducted my little brother, and I want answers.”

“Aren’t you the Warden of the East? Surely you could order the lords and knights of the East to help with your predicament, or is it just an empty title that has no meaning?” I respond with a smirk. “I have no idea what you talking about, and as you said, Lady Lysa Arryn is an Arryn now, regent of the Vale. She doesn’t answer to me, and I have nothing to do with it.”

“Maybe so, maybe not, but she has my brother. I wonder if her brother would be a fair exchange. Brother for a brother,” The Kingslayer says.

“If you touch me, you won’t see your brother ever again,” I reply coldly.

“Enough, order your men to back down, now,” Ned orders the Kingslayer.

“You’re no longer the Hand of the King, Lord Stark. You don’t order me,” He responds to Ned and then looks back at me. “You regret taking my brother, and even if I can’t touch you, your men don’t need to live.”

With a wave of his hand, he orders his men to attack us, but he turns back and rides away. Looking at the red cloaks with their spears pointing at us, I simply unsheathe my sword and order my men to attack them. We only clashed our steel against each other once when two scores of gold cloaks appeared of nowhere and broke our fight.

“Who is the ones that are trying to break the peace of the King?” Asks one of the gold cloaks. “Drop your weapons. Every single of you is going to dungeons. You will answer the King for your crimes.”

While the red cloaks looked confused, I motioned my men to do as he said.

Eddard POV

The night in the dungeon wasn’t pleasant, but I tolerated it. It was better than a bloodbath that was about to happen on the street of Silk. Only in the late afternoon did Robert show up and get us out of there. He then led us to his personal chambers to question me and Edmure about what happened.

“What is there to talk about, dear. It was seen that Lord Stark and Lord Tully came from a brothel, drunk. The Lannister men just wanted to apprehend them.” The Queen began first, standing next to Robert.

“I didn’t know that red cloaks had the authority to arrest anyone. And was going to brothels a crime these times?” Edmure replies with a spiteful smile. “Let’s not forget that among those men, there was your brother who gave the order.”

“He only asked of you about our little brother that your sister had taken,” The Queen responds. “Every man has to serve their family after all.”

“Ser Jaime Lannister is a Kingsguard. He should only serve the King,” Edmure replies.

“Enough, both of you. Ned, what happened? Why were you in the clash with Lannister men?” Robert shuts them both and asks me.

“Ser Jaime Lannister confronted us on the streets and ordered the red cloaks to attack us. We were only defending ourselves,” I answer.

“Dear, you can’t believe them, right?” The Queen asks.

“And who should I believe, woman. Your brother? I might if he was here,” Robert shouts angrily.

“Your grace, we have a bigger problem than the Kingslayer running away,” Edmure interjects himself.

“What do you mean, nobody was hurt? It seems to me that all ended well,” Robert replies.

“Not even a day after you had an argument with Ned, your kingsguard confronts us and orders his men to attack us,” Edmure tells Robert calmly. “Like I said, the Kingsguard serve the King. It could be interpreted as the King ordered to attack the lord of the North and heir to the Riverlands. A declaration of war, if I may say.”

“What are you talking about?” Robert asks angrily. “People know that Ned and I are close as brothers. I would never have ordered something like this.”

“Robert,” I called out to him. “What Edmure said is true. Ser Jaime Lannister is your Kingsguard, and he attacked us. No matter what we say or how we explain it, it happened. The only way is for Jaime Lannister to answer for his crimes. He broke vows to his order.”

“His crimes? What about your crimes. Lysa Arryn is holding my brother,” The Queen asks.

“As you said, it is Lysa Arryn, not Tully or Stark, that has your brother,” Edmure calmly responds. “Lysa Arryn doesn’t answer to me, nor does she answer to Lord Stark. She only answers to the King. That is the law.”

“Damn you all,” Robert yells and drinks a cup of wine. “Ser Barristan, come inside, now!”

“You have called me, your grace?” Ser Barristan Selmy enters the room and asks.

“I want for you to go to Grandmaester and write a letter to Casterly Rock. If Jaime Lannister doesn’t come back to the Red Keep, he is to be sentenced to death for breaking his oath,” Robert orders.

“Robert, you can’t do this. He is my brother, your good brother,” Cercei pleads.

“What do you want me to do? He broke his vows one too many times,” Robert dismisses her. “Ser Edmure, I want Tyrion Lannister to be returned home, or I proclaim your sister as a traitor to the Iron Throne and her acts as acts of rebellion.”

“I will go back to Riverrun immediately, with Ned and his family,” Edmure replies with a bow.

“Ned isn’t going anywhere,” Robert informs us.

“I don’t have a reason to stay,” I tell Robert.

“Damn it Ned. I need a hand in these times more than I ever needed,” Robert replies and gives me the pendant of the Hand.

“You can’t be serious, Robert? He is from a traitorious family. How can you trust him?” The Queen complains loudly.

“Get out. I won’t hear another word from you,” Robert shouts at her, and she storms out of the room.

“Even if Ned stays, I taking the girls,” Edmure informs us. “I mean no disrespect, your grace. But I can’t trust you to keep them safe, not anymore.”

“They are safe in the Red Keep as they would be anywhere,” Robert says.

“Are they? How can I trust that any more of your Kingsguard doesn’t answer to Lannisters and not their King?” Edmure asks.

“Enough, Edmure,” I interject before it is too late. “I heard that Hoster is sick. My girls only saw him once. They should go with you to visit him before it is too late.”

“Yes, you right, I become too hot-headed after the ordeals of the past days, my apologies your grace,” Edmure quickly wears and regretful smile.

“They are not my children. I have no say to where they go,” Robert dismisses it quickly. “Anyway, I going hunting, and if by the time I return this mess isn’t resolved, there will be war.”

With those words, he leaves the room. Looking at the pendant of the Hand, I become resolute to clean this mess before it is too late.