ROBERT'S REBELLION |BOOK ONE|

Chapter 2 | EDDARD I | the quiet wolf

the quiet wolf

The feast was held within the Hall of a Hundred Hearths. A thin man in a long blue robe asked for their names then directed them to their tables. Among the other northerners present at the feast were the Umbers, Hornwoods, Dustins, Manderlys and Mormonts.

Much of the castle was cracked and charred and uninhabitable. The ground the castle stood on was all hard dirt and rock and grass didn't grow for yards. Although Harrenhal was magnificent in size, the living space was down to a few solars, some bedchambers, a whirling maze of catacombs and a massive kitchen the size of a hall.

Howland Reed accompanied Ned and his siblings to their table and sat amongst them. He looked much nicer wearing a blue doublet borrowed from Benjen with his hair trimmed neatly.

Ned found himself looking around the hall nervously many times. He felt intimidated and unsure. The fanciness of the southern highborns, the glistening chandeliers, the tapestries of Tyrell, Lannister, Baratheon, Martell and many other influential houses hanging from the walls of the massive hall made him feel small. Like a goldfish in a sea of sharks.

Brandon only had to sit down and all of his friends gathered around him, eager to hear from him and laugh together. Lyanna took Howland off to meet Maege Mormont and Benjen moved between talking with Ned and trying to include himself with Brandon's friends.

Ned sat silently at the table for a few minutes, looking around the hall at all the highborn people and famous knights until Robert leapt up behind him and pulled him into a painfully tight hug. He could smell the strong scent of alcohol on his breath even though the food hadn't even been served yet.

He hoped he wouldn't drink much more so he could keep him close for company that night.

"Why aren't you sitting with your bannermen?" Ned asked once he was released from the hug.

Robert scoffed as he sat down beside him. "Why should I sit with them? They just want to impress me with tales from battle or how large their fortunes are. All power-hungry cretins. I can't stand that. I'd rather sit with you."

"Where's Stannis?"

"I left him at Storms End,"

Robert had two younger brothers. Stannis and Renly. Stannis was much different to Robert in comparison, silent and serious and seldom ever smiled. Reply was hyper and athletic, eager to run around and do new things, but still a boy and tucked away at Storms End with Maester Cressen and his wet nurse.

"Why?" Ned asked. "He might not want to be left alone with Renly. You should have brought him."

"Brought him?" Robert laughed at the suggestion. "And then what? Bore to death? He'd be glad with that... always criticising the way I rule my own castle. As if he could do any better."

"He's your brother. He needs you."

Ned disliked being dragged into Robert's troubles with his brothers but he hated seeing the two boys being excluded like how he oftentimes felt with his siblings.

He often didn't voice an opinion when Robert quarrelled with his brothers as to not overstep in their friendship. The fights were usually intense in the moment but short lasting and were quick to fade like the morning mist.