Conspiracy - VVSIGNOFTHECROSS

7^th Month of 284 A.C. Winterfell

Lady Catelyn Stark

It was strange to think about it now, but there had been a time when Catelyn had not been happy that it was Eddard that she was to marry not his dashing elder brother Brandon. She had met Lord Eddard once before, at the tourney of Harrenhal, that damned tourney where the rebellion had truly begun. She had not thought much of him when she had seen him, how could she, when he stood in the shadow of his older brother? How could anyone see Eddard-Ned- who was quiet, and shy, when his bold older brother commanded attention, demanded it even. Catelyn had been enraptured with Brandon, had not paid that much attention to Ned, had thought him plain and boring. To her shame, that was a view she had held long after the tourney, even in the moons that followed and even when word came of her betrothed’s death and that she was to marry his brother, she had not done as Lysa had done and wept and screamed, instead she had accepted it with grace, but inside she had wept and raged. She had not wanted to marry Ned, had resented him at first for not being Brandon. And then she had grown up and realised that if she was in pain, his pain must out do hers, by so much, he had lost his brother and father, and his sister had been missing. What was her pain compared to hers? It was with that revelation that she had sworn before meeting him a second time that she would do all she could to help him, to make his life easier, as easy as it could be. And thankfully that had been made easier by his presence. He had spoken with her about the marriage, and asked her all the things Brandon had never thought to ask and she had found herself coming to care for him, and then they had married and he had ridden off to war the next morning. The more she thought about it the more she came to realise she cared for her husband, deeply, truly she did, and she would like to think he cared for her.

Then there were the children, she knew her husband doted on their son, Robb, at first she had been worried that Ned would not care for Robb, because he did not look like him. Robb, had auburn hair, and blue eyes, he looked more like Edmure had done at his age than he did his own father. And yet, her husband had never expressed any disappointment in his son’s appearance, indeed he seemed to love their son, seemed to cherish anytime that he got to spend with their son, and Catelyn found herself caring for her husband more because of that. Then there was his nephew, their nephew rather, the true king, Aegon, or Jon as her husband had named him. The boy looked like her husband in that he had the long face common to Starks, and yet his hair was different, it was dark with shades of grey running through it, and his eyes, they changed, one moment they were grey, the next they were violet, and then they were violet and grey. It was confusing, for Catelyn, and her husband did not seem to know the answer to that either. She knew her husband loved their nephew, treasured him as the last of his sister, and as his own person as well. Catelyn, well she found herself unable to not care for the child, such a helpless babe, he had to have a mother, and Catelyn well she found herself more willing to play mother to the babe than anything else. When the child had spoken for the first time, his first word had been Mama, and Catelyn had cried then, tears of joy and sadness. Robb’s first word had been something akin to Winterfell, and they had laughed. But gods, they were running such a risk by doing this, and yet as Catelyn looked at the two babes as they slept and placed her hand over her belly where another babe sat nestled, she would do it again, of course she would.

She smiles as she feels her husband’s arms wrap around her. Usually he does not show any emotion other than in their bedchamber, but now it seems he is in a good mood. “You are well my lady?” she hears him ask.

“Hmm.” she hums in contentment. “I am well now that you are here my lord. How went the meetings with Maester Luwin?” Her husband had met with the maester as well as with several lords to discuss various things of importance within the north that morn, and it seemed he had just gotten out of said meeting.

“It went well, as well as can be expected with Roose Bolton demanding the right to damn some lake or the other. And Hornwood arguing against it. Where Bolton merely demands it, Hornwood tries to make it seem like something that would benefit me if I were to refuse. I do not understand that.” her husband responds.

Catelyn sighs and then turns to look at her husband, she puts a hand to his cheek worried at how tired he looks. “They are testing you my lord. They are trying to see whether or not you will break and give in to their demands. I think Lord Bolton especially is trying that.”

Her husband sighs. “I know that, but it does not make it any easier. Especially when one is stuck meeting with them for hours. It seems they are going to try and get me to make some judgement through tiredness and then make me regret it later.”

Catelyn looks at her husband and asks. “What can I do for you Ned?”

“Tell me how you are. What have you been doing?” her husband asks.

Catelyn considers this question for a moment and then responds. “I am well Ned. Truly I am. I’ve been looking over the accounts for the past few months and I noticed something.”

Her husband looks at her then concerned. “What did you notice?”

Catelyn looks at her husband and says softly. “I noticed that around five moons before the tourney of Harrenhal, there was a large payment made to an account that is not listed within the book.”

Her husband looks at her somewhat worried. “How much for?”

“Some six hundred thousand dragon’s worth. And yet some three weeks later the same amount was noted as being put within the coffers.” Catelyn responds.

“And there is no record of who the payment was to?” her husband asks.

Catelyn shakes her head. “No my lord. It seems that whoever made a note of the payment, did not deign to note who it was to.”

Her husband looks concerned then, he moves toward the door and closes it and then turns back to her and he responds. “I think I might know who that payment was to.”

“Who? And how could you know my lord?” Catelyn asks.

Her husband sighs then. “I have been hearing rumours from the people within Winterfell, that my brother might well have been planning something before his death. I think there might well have been a payment made to the Ryswells for some service or the other.”

“But for such a large amount? What could it possibly be, that Brandon asked the Ryswells to do that required such a large payment?” Catelyn asks confused.

Ned looks at her then, and then responds softly. “I do not know whether I should tell you or not my lady, it might damage certain images.”

“What images my lord? I am your wife, you can tell me whatever it is. I shall not think worse of you for it.” Catelyn responds.

“But, it would curse the dead, and I do not feel comfortable doing that.” her husband responds.

Catelyn feels her nerves begin to grow then, she looks at the children sleeping in their cots, and then looks at her husband and whispers. “Whatever it is you do not wish to tell me, perhaps you could not tell me in the room adjoining this one?” she smiles, and feels her heart flutter a little when her husband smiles in return. He looks very handsome when he smiles. She takes his hand and leads him to a secret room she had found attached to the nursery some moons, ago, opens the door and sits him down, sitting opposite him, the room is quite sparse, but it has one thing on it, the initials L.R. engraved in red ink, she does not know whose those initials belong to and she is not sure she wants to know.

Her husband looks at the room and says. “I have always heard about this room, but until now, I do not think I have ever actually been in it. How did you find it my lady?”

Catelyn looks at her husband and responds. “I found it one day when the boys were sleeping. I stumbled upon it rather. But yes, what was this thing that you were not wanting to speak to me about?”

Her husband smiles then, and she feels her breath catch. “I cannot hide anything from you now can I my lady.”

“I did help raise my brother. I know when someone is trying to keep something from me.” she replies smiling.

Her husband sighs then. “Well, are you sure you truly want to know what this amount of money was truly for?”

“Yes, Ned. What is it? Surely it cannot be so bad, not as bad as you think it would be.” Catelyn responds.

“Brandon made that payment to the Ryswells, according to what I have heard, because he was guaranteeing their loyalty should he ever make a move against my father. It seems my brother was no longer content with merely being heir to Winterfell.” Ned says.

Catelyn feels something akin to surprise hit her then. “Are you sure?” She finds it somewhat hard to reconcile this with the image she has of Brandon. But then something he once told her keeps coming up now, and it refuses to go away.

Her husband nods. “I am sure of it, as sure as I can be of anything. I spoke with Martyn Cassel before the war, and he mentioned something of it to me. And Lord Ryswell was always quite cold toward me whenever I spoke to him during the war. I also found some papers in my brother’s old room when I was looking through it.” Her husband draws the papers out and hands them to her.

Catelyn draws in a sharp breath then as she recognises Brandon’s writing, the neat perfect writing is too much for her to read through. And yet read through it she does, as she reads the letter, and then another she finds herself wondering why she never thought of this before. She had never taken him seriously when he had spoken of it to her, and yet now she sees the proof of his claims and she wonders at that. She finishes reading and looks at her husband, he has been studying her intently, and she blushes slightly. “What do you make of them Ned?” she asks.

Her husband looks at her and then, his voice heavy. “I think my brother lost his way. Somewhere between becoming a man and dying he lost his way. I do not know why, but I think the Ryswells had something to do with it.”

“I think he might have spoken of this to me when we were betrothed Ned.” Catelyn says softly.

Her husband looks at her alarmed then. “What do you mean?”

Catelyn swallows then, nerves coming to the fore. “When we would meet in Riverrun, and go for walks, he used to tell me of the grand plans he had for the north. Of how Lord Rickard was slowing things down, and he intended to make the north great again. I laughed at those words then, thinking he was merely boasting. But now, having read those letters I wonder.”

Ned takes her hand then and says. “You did not know he was going to actually go through with these plans. Seven Hells, I do not even know if he had gone through with these plans. From what I have been able to see he died before he could put anything into action.”

“There are more of these letters?” Catelyn asks surprised.

Ned nods. “Many more of them. Brandon kept a lot of these letters in hidden places in his rooms. I managed to find them by accident. And yet I noticed my brother was quite predictable when it came to hiding them.” Her husband hesitates then.

“What is it Ned? What more is there?” Catelyn asks.

“He mentions something about Barbrey Dustin and a marriage agreement. It seems my brother was more than willing to forgo a pact our father made to ensure that his planned removal of my father was successful.” Her husband responds grimly.

Catelyn feels something akin to anger and shock spring inside of her, she looks at her husband, who is still holding her hand and is looking at her intently. “I am fine Ned. Truly my lord I am fine.” she says, though her voice is shaking.

“I am sorry Cat, I am sorry, truly I am. I did not want to bring this to your attention because I knew it would cause you pain.” Ned says.

“It is fine Ned, truly. I am not angry at you, but at your brother. It seems he was not as genuine as we both thought him to be.” she says in response. She pauses then, and a thought hits her. “Ned, if you were able to find these letters, what is there to say that Lord Ryswell, does not have letters as well? If he does, what stops him from using them?”

“What would he use them for? Brandon is long since dead, and they did not marry.” Ned responds.

“That does not matter my lord. If there is enough discontent with your reign as Lord, these people could use that to rally people to their cause.” Catelyn says.

Ned looks horrified then. “She gave birth, I did not think anything of it. Willam was married to her quite quickly before the war, and before Brandon’s death. But I did not think to consider whether this was the case.”

Catelyn looks at her husband. Nervousness floats through her then. “Ned, what are we going to do? We cannot allow this to happen.”

Her husband looks at her, his own eyes reflecting something of the fear she feels. “I…I do not know. Lord Ryswell and I are supposed to meet some time soon. I can speak with him about this.”

“Don’t bring it up then Ned.” Catelyn responds. “Bringing it up then, would make him more aware of what you know. It is better to keep him in the dark and to make him wonder at things. People make mistakes when they are uncertain, not if they have time to prepare.”

Her husband looks at her, his face showing worry. “I can speak to Martyn and see what he might be able to do.”

Catelyn nods. “That is good Ned. But, what else is there that can be done? Ryswell’s daughter Bethany is married to Lord Bolton is she not?”

“Yes. Why, what do you think about that?” Ned asks.

“I think, I can understand why Bolton was pressing the issue of the damn today my lord.” Catelyn responds. “I think this is being used by the Boltons and the Ryswells, to distract you from what other things they might be planning. After all, with the growth of the canal and the money coming in from that, or that will be coming from that, they will want something from that. They also know that, that is where most of your attention is, so that is what they will focus on in the front, whilst they try other things from the back.”

Her husband looks at her then. “What’s the name of your handmaiden?”

“Jocelyn? What of her my lord?” Catelyn asks.

“Did she come with you from Riverrun, or did she come here from somewhere within the North?” her husband asks.

Catelyn considers for a moment and then says. “She came from somewhere within the north. From the Berstarks I believe. Why?”

“I think we might need to ensure that she is not doing anything that might bring us into trouble my lady. After all the Berstarks are a family that has not always had a good relationship with my family over the years, and have over time drifted closer to the Ryswells. We cannot allow them to gain even more influence.” Ned responds.

“I agree. But then how do we make sure that the children are protected?” Catelyn asks.

“You do not think they would go for the children do you my lady?” her husband asks.

“I do not know. From what I know of them, from what you have told me, it does not seem as if anything is beyond their reach. I do not want either Robb or Jon being hurt because of this.” Catelyn says.

Her husband stands then, as does she. “I promise you no harm will come to them. Not whilst I am alive.”

Catelyn looks up at her husband then and whispers. “I know you will try Ned. But I am scared, truly scared.”

Her husband goes to respond, but then there is a knock on the nursery door. Her husband curses, and leads her out of the room, and back into the nursery. Ned opens the door, and they look at Maester Luwin who stands there looking somewhat breathless. “What is Luwin?” her husband asks.

“A letter for you my lord.” the maester responds handing her husband the letter.

Her husband reads the letter, and then looks at her and says. “Lord Rodrik Ryswell is dead.”