[Chapter Size: 2600 Words.]
Third Person POV.
Kingsland.
...
...
The Northern army had finally surpassed Moat Cailin after weeks of gathering all the Northern lords and organizing them to march south at last.
Now, all the banners of the North—House Stark, House Bolton, House Umber, House Karstark, House Manderly, House Mormont, House Hornwood, House Dustin, House Cerwyn, House Reed, House Flint, House Ryswell, House Tallhart, House Locke, House Whitehill—swiftly marched south. This had happened just two days ago.
Their goal was to reach the Riverlands and fight the Lannisters in the realm of the Tullys. Meanwhile, Robb was beginning to establish his position as the current Lord of Winterfell and representative of House Stark, being the heir and eldest son, since his father had been imprisoned in a cell in the capital for weeks.
At first, it was difficult to convince the lords to follow him, but thanks to his direwolf, he had a little help in gaining the loyalty of his banners. Now, they marched full speed ahead, ready for Robb to prove his worth on the battlefield, leading the North and rescuing his father.
His mother had met him at Moat Cailin. Catelyn was following him to Riverrun, not returning to Winterfell, precisely to strengthen the ties between the Starks and the Tullys, as well as the houses of the realm, since the conflicts in Riverrun against the Lannisters were already intensifying. The Blackfish was at full throttle, trying to drive the men of the West out of the kingdom.
At night, the army set up camp as news from the south began to arrive. Robb made a point of discussing events with his men while reading the scroll about the situation in King's Landing.
"My father is still imprisoned, but there is a frenzy in King's Landing about a monster in the shape of a wolf walking like a man, killing guards and townspeople, terrorizing the city." He spoke openly after receiving information from some men about the state of the capital.
It was impossible to keep everything that happened in King's Landing a secret for too long. There were thousands of eyes watching, and many of them belonged to nobles who passed information among themselves and even to some houses in the North.
"A monster in the shape of a wolf... What are these southerners saying now?" Greatjon Umber murmured upon hearing that.
"I heard that such a creature appeared in the King's Wood as well." One of the lords commented.
"I don't know. There are many things happening in the south that are hard to understand. The mutilated king, the accusation against my father..." Robb murmured while his mother kept a nervous and distressed look.
"Robb... Any news of the bastard?" Catelyn suddenly said, clenching her hands tightly.
It was no longer a secret to anyone at that moment that Jon Snow was being mentioned as one of the main suspects in the attack against the king. He had been accused of torturing Robert Baratheon, while Eddard Stark was being used as a scapegoat. They claimed that Ned was trying to usurp the throne, driven by his past and a desire for power. However, some pieces of information simply did not make sense. And Catelyn swore that Jon Snow had orchestrated this to kill Ned.
Robb turned to his mother.
"They are saying that Jon Snow is this monster that has been appearing and killing Lannister soldiers. Some even believe it could be the interference of the Old Gods."
"It's him. I'm sure of it." Catelyn immediately affirmed, her voice laden with revulsion. "He came with evil powers somehow. He is a demon and he is here to destroy us!"
She trembled, and the lords around exchanged uncertain glances among themselves. Greatjon Umber raised an eyebrow, while Robb furrowed his brow. None of them saw his mother as a sane woman at that moment, but they could not blame her either.
"Anyway, let's leave this discussion for the coming days. We don't know what will happen, but the first thing we must do is drive the Lannisters out of the Riverlands. After that, we will march to King's Landing to reclaim my father." Robb said.
"Alright, Lord Robb. Perhaps in a week, we will already be leaving the North, and in three, we'll be knocking on the doors of the Freys. Unfortunately, an army is slow, and moving more than forty thousand men is no easy task." One of the men replied.
Robb nodded. "I understand, Lord Bolton. In any case, I hope everyone gets a night of rest."
And so, the men of the North headed to their tents, unaware that they would not arrive in time, for the next day, King's Landing would wake up in a different way. Something that, had it been a few days ago, would not have happened.
Despite the rumors and the fear surrounding the monster that usually appeared at night, people were now afraid to go out even during the day. However, the city's atmosphere was different that morning. There would be a public trial for the traitor Eddard Stark, and no one talked about anything else. Even the monster was forgotten for a moment.
The day went on like this until midday. While some were anxious about the trial, the majority was excited. After all, they would see the man who had tried to take the kingdom be judged. Even for those who believed that the monster was a manifestation of the Old Gods, watching the trial was something they did not want to miss for anything.
"This will be risky, Arya. We should go back." Yoren murmured.
He had managed to gather a good number of recruits for the Night's Watch and would soon have to move them out of the city. Their time there was running out, and they finally had the transportation they needed.
"No! I will see my father! We must find a way to rescue him!" Arya immediately exclaimed.
"If you're not careful, it won't just be your father who dies. You will be captured and held prisoner like your sister, and I will be executed for helping you." Yoren warned, giving her a serious look.
"Sansa... you idiot!" Arya grumbled, irritated and worried. She knew that Sansa had helped the queen, but at the same time, she was her sister above all else.
Yoren only sighed, trying to find a safer place to watch the trial. Meanwhile, the crowd began to move toward the front of the Great Sept of Baelor. Since the execution of Viserys Targaryen over a year ago, there had not been such a great commotion in the city.
Hours passed until, when the sun reached its highest point in the sky, a great movement began. A swarm of royal guards and city watch soldiers approached, pushing people aside as they passed. Among them came the prince, the queen, Lady Stark, and several other nobles, along with the members of the council.
The crowd cheered for Joffrey like never before, perhaps for the first time since his coronation. He was about to put on a grand spectacle that day, and everyone wanted to see it and would be grateful for it.
However... it was not as glorious for the current king of Westeros.
"Bastard!"
Hearing someone call him a bastard, Joffrey immediately looked around, making everyone near him frown.
"Who said that?" He exclaimed at once.
"Bastard!"
A voice from behind him echoed once more, while he scanned the crowd, unable to pinpoint its source. His eyes quickly moved over each face, trying to find any suspect.
"Arrest whoever is saying that immediately!" The queen shouted furiously.
The city guards pushed through the crowd, trying to locate the culprit. However, without success.
"Bastard!"
Meanwhile, Joffrey kept advancing, glaring at anyone who dared challenge him, but it seemed as though that voice was calling him repeatedly. It would leave him frustrated and furious, wishing to torture whoever had the audacity to mock him in such a way.
It wasn't long before the prisoner finally arrived, escorted by the city guards. As soon as Lord Stark was brought forth, people began insulting him, throwing fruits and other objects at him.
That seemed to improve Joffrey's mood. Sansa watched the scene with tearful eyes, while Queen Cersei allowed a small smile to appear as she witnessed Eddard Stark's humiliation. Even Petyr Baelish seemed to be enjoying the situation, as if it were a spectacle created for his own entertainment. As someone Jon had once mentioned, he hated all the Stark men.
"Place the prisoner on the platform immediately!" Joffrey demanded.
The guards dragged Eddard Stark to the spot where, a year ago, Viserys Targaryen had knelt for the last time before being condemned to death.
The crowd continued to gather, the insults did not cease, and the murmuring of the city grew louder and louder.
"Everyone, take your places.
"Let us begin! I ask for silence across the city!"
An authoritative voice echoed.
The High Septon then approached, raising his hands, and gradually, the people quieted. The place fell silent for a moment.
Then, he began.
"We are gathered here today to publicly judge Lord Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, condemned for treason and an attempt to seize power. Additionally, he is accused of participating in the murder of King Robert Baratheon, in conspiracy with his..."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"...bastard, who is said to have poisoned the former king and left him to die after torturing him in the King's Wood, as well as killing a member of the Kingsguard. A fruit of sin, as all bastards are!"
The crowd murmured among themselves, many nodding in agreement with the accusation, as if it all made perfect sense.
The public trial began immediately, with witnesses being called to give their testimonies. Nobles, members of the council, and even Kingsguard soldiers presented their versions of the events, while Eddard Stark remained there in silence, listening to every word spoken against him, without anyone there to defend him.
His eyes wandered through the crowd, searching for someone. He was looking for a specific presence, but he could not find it anywhere.
However, something caught his attention and made his eyes widen. His daughter, Arya, had discreetly climbed onto a statue, seeking a better view of the trial. She was watching everything with an anguished expression.
Ned swallowed hard.
He wanted to shout for her to leave as quickly as possible.
But although he was already accustomed to everyone being against him, something else caught his attention: his own daughter was about to give her testimony.
"My father was blinded by ambition and plotted to seize power along with his bastard, Jon Snow."
Sansa murmured in a soft voice, while King Joffrey watched, satisfied. He saw his betrothed saying exactly what he wanted to hear, after being corrected and manipulated by his mother.
Arya, hidden among the statues, watched everything with indignation, wishing to scream at Sansa for her lies. She knew her sister was distorting the truth, just as she had done when they traveled south and lost Lady and Nymeria. Sansa was lying again to please Joffrey, even if it completely destroyed their father's reputation.
Eddard Stark simply lowered his head, looking deeply saddened by it.
"Lord Stark, how do you respond to these accusations?" The High Septon asked, turning his attention to him.
Ned kept his eyes on his daughter for a moment, then closed them, trying not to show his anguish.
"Do you wish to confess?" The High Septon insisted.
He had three options: deny everything, request a trial by combat, or confess. He took a deep breath. Choosing anything other than confession would be useless at that moment.
"I wish to confess."
He murmured finally.
The crowd erupted in murmurs of interest. Even those who had testified against him seemed surprised. Varys, on the other hand, nodded discreetly, pleased that Eddard had chosen the agreed path. Sansa also felt relieved, after all, the queen had promised that he would be sent to the Night's Watch.
"I confess that I tried to seize power and that Joffrey Baratheon, First of His Name... He is the legitimate son of Robert Baratheon, First of His Name, and also the true king of the Seven Kingdoms." He declared, his voice firm.
The reaction was immediate. The crowd erupted in outraged screams.
"Traitor!"
"Bastard!"
"You killed the king!"
"Death to the traitor!"
Rotten fruit and stones began to be hurled at Ned Stark, who remained standing, enduring the insults and attacks in silence.
Then, Joffrey raised his hand, and the place plunged into a tense silence. The trial was reaching its final moment.
And it was in that instant that Eddard looked up and finally saw something—or rather, someone—he had been searching for since the beginning.
Jon was on top of one of the rooftops, watching the scene with interest. He seemed to have remained hidden until that moment, waiting for Lord Stark to notice him. When Ned finally saw him, he frowned.
From up there, Jon kept his gaze fixed on him and then moved his lips silently.
'Looks like you're going to die soon.' His lips formed those words—or so Lord Stark understood.
"As he admitted... I am not a bastard. I am my father's true son. Moreover, I will start cutting out the tongue of anyone who dares to challenge this ever again." Jon paused before continuing.
"But in any case, you have all heard his speech."
He then raised his voice, addressing the crowd.
"I accept the traitor's confession!"
The crowd exploded in cheers of approval, demanding Lord Stark's death.
Joffrey then smiled and pointed toward two figures standing in a corner.
"My mother and even my betrothed, however..." He said, gesturing toward Cersei and Sansa. "...wanted me to send Lord Stark to the Night's Watch, so he would spend the rest of his life on the Wall."
The crowd reacted with displeasure. They did not want exile—they wanted blood. But Joffrey was not finished yet.
"However, he is still a traitor... And I don't know if I can tolerate that in my kingdom."
Sansa was horrified upon hearing this, the color draining from her face. Even Cersei widened her eyes, stunned. This was not part of the plan.
Joffrey lifted his chin, full of arrogance.
"I will be a strong king, and I will not tolerate traitors. I will not be merciful to my enemies, and I will start with Lord Stark!"
Then he turned abruptly.
"Executioner, immediately!" He shouted.
The same man who had executed Viserys Targaryen, Ilyn Payne, stepped forward, now serving a different king.
"Cut off Lord Stark's head!" His voice rang out clear and loud.
The crowd erupted in celebration. Sansa fell into despair, pleading for mercy, but no one listened to her.
Nearby, Littlefinger allowed himself a small smile, pleased with how events had unfolded.
But no matter how much Lord Stark had foreseen this outcome, his eyes were fixed on nowhere else but the rooftop. He did not even look at his daughter, who was trembling, trying to deny what was about to happen.
His eyes remained locked on the figure above, as Jon Snow watched the scene.
And then, he smiled.
A small smile.
'Pretty pathetic way to die after everything, don't you think?' Jon said it as if he took pleasure in it.
Ned Stark saw that before closing his eyes.
He knew there was nothing more that could be done.
"I'm sorry."
It was the only thing he murmured before accepting his end.
-------------Nexts Chapters ----------------
Chapter 96 - Meeting the Montain.
Chapter 101 - Destroying the Clegane's Keep.
Chapter 111 - Speaking with the Sea Lord.
Chapter 120 - The Wall was Conquered.
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