Eyes Open / Ned Stark / Oberyn Martell

16. Spear

 Bran saw her face, the queen. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was open, moaning. Her golden hair swung from side to side as her head moved with her brothers forceful movements. What the hell was the queen doing half naked with her brother?

He must have made a noise of terror or disgust because suddenly her eyes opened, and she was staring right at him. She screamed an ear pinching scream and Bran froze. Everything happened at once.

Cersei pushed Jaime away wildly, shouting and pointing, he saw us, he saw us. Bran tried to pull himself up and away, he reached for the gargoyle he needed to be far away. His mother always said that one of these days he would be climbing and see something he wasnt supposed to. Today was that day.

Bran was in too much of a hurry to get away. His hand scraped uselessly across smooth stone, and in his panic his legs slipped, and suddenly he was falling back, this was the moment he died.

His head whipped back and he felt a rush of instant vertigo everything was spinning, a sickening lurch as the window flashed past.

Bran reached uselessly, blindly for the ledge, before he finally grabbed it. His body swung against the building, hard once he got a hold of the ledge. The impact of the wall slamming into his chest took the breath right out of him. Bran dangled, one-handed, panting.

"He saw us," Cersei said shrilly and Bran's dizzy gaze shifted to them.

"So he did," Jaime agreed calmly. Bran's fingers started to slip. Jaime ran to the window and grabbed Bran holding him still. Bran started to breathe heavy confused and scared as his eyes flickered between the twins.

'Are you completely mad?' Cersei questioned ' He saw us.' Cersei reminded Jaime.

 Ned marched on Robert was too loud for a hunt, he was letting every creature know they were coming as he bellowed out. Ned remembered the days Robert was a formidable fighter, a great hunter, in those days it seemed like a million years ago now, the smell of leather and blood had clung to Robert like perfume. Now the stink of ale and surely a whores perfume clung to his oversized cloaks. 

"What do you think of them?" Robert questioned. 

"Who? Ned questioned in return. 

"The lannisters." Robert sneered the name. "I know you havent been fond of them, neither have I."

"They are your family." Ned countered. 

"My family," Robert scoffed. "RIght." 

"Robert?" 

"You know it will be nice to have someone I can trust at the capital." Robert went on. Ned glanced around realizing they had pulled back from the rest of the group. Joffrey was walking along beside Sandor, spear in hand. 

"They seem lovely. You have a good family Robert." Ned offered and he laughed out. 

"I'm not paying you to tell me lies." Robert corrected. 

"Lady Satori seemed lovely." Ned corrected and Robert pat his back. 

"LIttle miss sunshine, right hound?" Robert barked back, sandors eyes drifted to him. "Satori is unwed, I think she is debating becoming a septa." 

"What?" Joffrey spat back. 

"She doesnt like men or women," Robert laughed out. "She just dotes on your shits." 

"Dont talk about her like that." Joffrey demanded. 

"This one is ready to start making the rules, bossing me around." Robert cackled like it was the funniest thing in the world. Ned's gaze shifted to a rage filled Joffrey, he looked like he was about to take that spear and stab it through Robert's skull. 

'It's all right. It's all right.' Jaime assured his grip still tight on Bran's shirt.

'He saw us!' Cersei shouted as she righted herself.

'I heard you the first time.' Jaime remarked he turned to a very nervous Bran. 'Quite the little climber, aren't you? How old are you, boy?'

'Ten .' Bran said nervously

'Ten.' Jaime repeated looking to Cersei. "Ten, cersei...." Jaime repeated. But Cersei's stared was harsh. 'The things I do for love.''