A Dragon In Wolf's Clothing ~A Game of Thrones fan fiction~

Chapter Twenty Five: Baelor

"Oh Lyanna," Lord Stark sighed, cupping his hand around her bruised cheek. She could feel tears brimming in her eyes but refused to let them show. She had to be strong for her father; today was the day he was confessing to his treason.

Neither of them were fools. They knew that Joffrey wasn't going to let Ned go back to the north, or be sent to the wall. He wasn't going to split from Lyanna and let her go north. Lord Stark would be killed and Lyanna would remain in the South as Joffrey's play thing. That was why Lyanna had snuck down into the black cells to see him one last time, to say a proper goodbye.

"I'm fine, I will be fine," she shook her head, trying to brush away her own worries as well as her uncle's. Even as she said she was fine, the horrid memories of her torture flashed through her mind. She'd had constant nightmares about it for the last few nights.

"My sweet girl, what has the south done to us both?" he said, almost with a laugh.

"Stark's belong in the north, we should have realised that," she said with a sad smile. "Joffrey hasn't spoken to me since... since he had me beaten. I'm hoping he'll overlook me a little,"

"We both know that won't happen, Lya," he stroked her hair lovingly. "Promise me you will try and keep yourself safe, and your sisters, and little Brandon,"

At the thought of Arya, who was still missing since they day all hell broke loose, Lyanna nearly broke down. Arya, her favourite after Jon and Robb. Arya, who all the men used to call Arya Underfoot. Arya, who would ditch sewing lessons in a heartbeat to join Lyanna and the boys. Arya, who was probably dead in a ditch down Flea Bottom. It was a horrible thought, but a realistic one. She didn't want to voice her thoughts to Lord Stark, so she merely nodded.

"I've told Alize to watch Brandon today. I would have brought him, but..." she couldn't hold it in any longer and let out a sob. Ned sighed, pulling her close, pushing her head against his chest. She continued to cry for a good ten minutes, but even when she was done, she remained curled up by Lord Stark.

"I'm so sorry, I should have fought against Robert, I should have fought to get you to the night's watch," He apologised. Lyanna didn't say anything, she just listened to his heartbeat through his shirt, feeling his chest rise and fall.

"I... I just want you to know that I love you," she sighed out eventually. "I want you to know, no matter who my true parents are, you are and always will me my father, Ned Stark and I am forever in your debt for raising me. Thank you for not leaving me to starve as a baby, thank you for letting me fight, thank you for raising me in Winterfell. Some days, I wish I had gone north with Jon, but if I had, I wouldn't have Brandon, the only good to have come out of this situation. I used to be so angry at you for not fighting to keep me as Lyanna Snow, but I've suffered, and Sansa hasn't and that will always stay with me that I protected my little sister by doing this,"

"I should have said no, I shouldn't have become Hand," he sighed.

"Too late for thinking like that," she sighed, wincing slightly as he stroked her back. "It still hurts a little, please be careful. I'll be damned if I let Pycelle touch me, Alize had to bandage me up. It could be worse though,"

"I'm sorry this had to happen to you,"

"What, the marriage or the beating?" The words tasted bitter in her mouth. "All those months of training and I just laid there,"

"No you didn't Lya, don't blame yourself," Alize had said the same as she tried to comfort her the night it happened, but the words had no effect on her then, and they certainly didn't now.