Eyes Open / Ned Stark / Oberyn Martell

6. Infestation of Lannisters

Take You Back/ Gwayne Hightower / Davina Targaryen out now!!

"As your brother, I feel it's my duty to warn you: You worry too much. It's starting to show." Jaime remarked.

"And you never worry about anything. When we were seven, you jumped off the cliffs as Casterly Rock. One hundred foot drop into the water. And you were never afraid." Cersei countered. Satori laughed, she remembered that, she was just a youngster herself at the time, laughing out, Cersei was in a fit but Jaime kissed her cheek, smiling back at Satori his eyes full of love and wonder before leaping off the side of the cliff.

"There was nothing to be afraid of until you told father." Satori recalled. "Then Jaime was scared." Jaime grumbled.

"We're Lannisters. Lannisters don't act like fools." Jaime mocked keeping an arm around Satori's waist.

"What if Jon Arryn told someone?" Cersei murmured killing the mood as they stood beside the dead body, Satori supposed they really shouldnt be smiling about the good ole days when they were supposed to be grieving the hand of the king.

"But who would he tell?" Jaime questioned.

" My husband." Cersei spat.

" If he told the king, all our heads would be skewered on the city gates by now. Whatever Jon Arryn knew or didn't know, it died with him." Jaime assured. "We dont even know if he knew about Satori or not."

"Heavens help me if he did." Satori murmured.

"And Robert will choose a new Hand of the king, someone to do his job while he's off fucking boars and hunting whores. Or is it the other way around? And life will go on." Jaime assured.

" You should be the Hand of the king." Cersei remarked bringing a hand to his cheek. Jaime rolled his eyes.

"That's an honor I can do without. Their days are too long, their lives are too short." Jaime assured.

"If Robert wasnt king, father would be a great hand." Satori remarked.

"Last time father was here he tried to match you with a man and you hid in your chambers with Clegane all night." Jaime corrected.

"I like Sandor, he is sweet." Satori agreed.

+

"The king is riding to Winterfell to seek you out." Catelyn remarked. It took Ned a moment to comprehend her words, but when the understanding came, the darkness left his eyes.

"Robert is coming here?" Ned questioned in disbelief. When she nodded, a smile broke across his face. Catelyn wished she could share his joy. But she had heard the talk in the yards; a direwolf dead in the snow, a broken antler in its throat. Dread coiled within her like a snake, but she forced herself to smile at this man she loved, this man who put no faith in signs.

"I knew that would please you," she said. "We should send word to your brother on the Wall."

"Yes, of course," Ned agreed. "Ben will want to be here. I shall tell Maester Luwin to send his swiftest bird." Ned rose up happy before he realized how much had to be done. "Damnation, how many years has it been? And he gives us no more notice than this? How many in his party, did the message say?"

"I should think a hundred knights, at the least, with all their retainers, and half again as many free riders. Cersei and the children travel with them."  Catelyn pondered.

"Robert will keep an easy pace for their sakes," he remarked. "It is just as well. That will give us more time to prepare."

"The queen's brothers and sister are also in the party," Catelyn told him. Ned grimaced at that. There was small love between him and the queen's family, Catelyn knew. The Lannisters of Casterly Rock had come late to Robert's cause, when victory was all but certain, and he had never forgiven them.

There was much known about Jaime. The king slayer. A knight of the kings guard. Tyrion, the imp, his love for women and wine spread wide and far. Satori, the middle child though, there was little Ned knew of her reputation besides she had gone this long unwed and without children.

"Well, if the price for Robert's company is an infestation of Lannisters, so be it. It sounds as though Robert is bringing half his court."

"Where the king goes, the realm follows."