EDDARD

      He dreamt an old dream, of three knights in white cloaks, and a tower long fallen, and Lyanna in her bed of blood.

      In the dream his friends rode with him, as they had in life. Proud Martyn Cassel, Jory’s father; faithful Theo Wull; Ethan Glover, who had been Brandon’s squire; Ser Mark Ryswell, soft of speech and gentle of heart; the crannogman, Howland Reed; Lord Dustin on his great red stallion. Ned had known their faces as well as he knew his own once, but the years leech at a man’s memories, even those he has vowed never to forget. In the dream they were only shadows, grey wraiths on horses made of mist.

      They were seven, facing three. In the dream as it had been in life. Yet these were no ordinary three. They waited before the round tower, the red mountains of Dorne at their backs, their white cloaks blowing in the wind. And these were no shadows; their faces burned clear, even now. Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning, had a sad smile on his lips. The hilt of the great-sword Dawn poked up over his right shoulder. Ser Oswell Whent was on one knee, sharpening his blade with a whetstone. Across his white-enameled helm, the black bat of his House spread its wings. Between them stood fierce old Ser Gerold Hightower, the White Bull, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.

      “I looked for you on the Trident,” Ned said to them.

      “We were not there,” Ser Gerold answered.

      “Woe to the Usurper if we had been,” said Ser Oswell.

      “When King’s Landing fell, Ser Jaime slew your king with a golden sword, and I wondered where you were.”

      “Far away,” Ser Gerold said, “or Aerys would yet sit the Iron Throne, and our false brother would burn in seven hells.”

      “I came down on Storm’s End to lift the siege,” Ned told them, “and the Lords Tyrell and Redwyne dipped their banners, and all their knights bent the knee to pledge us fealty. I was certain you would be among them.”

      “Our knees do not bend easily,” said Ser Arthur Dayne.

      “Ser Willem Darry is fled to Dragonstone, with your queen and Prince Viserys. I thought you might have sailed with him.”

      “Ser Willem is a good man and true,” said Ser Oswell.

      “But not of the Kingsguard,” Ser Gerold pointed out. “The Kingsguard does not flee.”

      “Then or now,” said Ser Arthur. He donned his helm.

      “We swore a vow,” explained old Ser Gerold.

      Ned’s wraiths moved up beside him, with shadow swords in hand. They were seven against three.

      “And now it begins,” said Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning. He unsheathed Dawn and held it with both hands. The blade was pale as milkglass, alive with light.

      “No,” Ned said with sadness in his voice. “Now it ends.” As they came together in a rush of steel and shadow, he could hear Lyanna screaming. “Eddard!” she called. A storm of rose petals blew across a blood-streaked sky, as blue as the eyes of death.

      “Lord Eddard,” Lyanna called again.

      “I promise,” he whispered. “Lya, I promise …”

      “Lord Eddard,” a man echoed from the dark.

      Groaning, Eddard Stark opened his eyes. Moonlight streamed through the tall windows of the Tower of the Hand.

      “Lord Eddard?” A shadow stood over the bed.

      “How … how long?” The sheets were tangled, his leg splinted and plastered. A dull throb of pain shot up his side.

      “Six days and seven nights.” The voice was Vayon Poole’s. The steward held a cup to Ned’s lips. “Drink, my lord.”

      “What …?”

      “Only water. Maester Pycelle said you would be thirsty.”

      Ned drank. His lips were parched and cracked. The water tasted sweet as honey.

      “The king left orders,” Vayon Poole told him when the cup was empty. “He would speak with you, my lord.”

      “On the morrow,” Ned said. “When I am stronger.” He could not face Robert now. The dream had left him weak as a kitten.

      “My lord,” Poole said, “he commanded us to send you to him the moment you opened your eyes.” The steward busied himself lighting a bedside candle.

      Ned cursed softly. Robert was never known for his patience. “Tell him I’m too weak to come to him. If he wishes to speak with me, I should be pleased to receive him here. I hope you wake him from a sound sleep. And summon …” He was about to say Jory when he remembered. “Summon the captain of my guard.”

      Alyn stepped into the bedchamber a few moments after the steward had taken his leave. “My lord.”

      “Poole tells me it has been six days,” Ned said. “I must know how things stand.”

      “The Kingslayer is fled the city,” Alyn told him. “The talk is he’s ridden back to Casterly Rock to join his father. The story of how Lady Catelyn took the Imp is on every lip. I have put on extra guards, if it please you.”

      “It does,” Ned assured him. “My daughters?”

      “They have been with you every day, my lord. Sansa prays quietly, but Arya …” He hesitated. “She has not said a word since they brought you back. She is a fierce little thing, my lord. I have never seen such anger in a girl.”

      “Whatever happens,” Ned said, “I want my daughters kept safe. I fear this is only the beginning.”

      “No harm will come to them, Lord Eddard,” Alyn said. “I stake my life on that.”

      “Jory and the others …”

      “I gave them over to the silent sisters, to be sent north to Winterfell. Jory would want to lie beside his grandfather.”

      It would have to be his grandfather, for Jory’s father was buried far to the south. Martyn Cassel had perished with the rest. Ned had pulled the tower down afterward, and used its bloody stones to build eight cairns upon the ridge. It was said that Rhaegar had named that place the tower of joy, but for Ned it was a bitter memory. They had been seven against three, yet only two had lived to ride away; Eddard Stark himself and the little crannogman, Howland Reed. He did not think it omened well that he should dream that dream again after so many years.

      “You’ve done well, Alyn,” Ned was saying when Vayon Poole returned. The steward bowed low. “His Grace is without, my lord, and the queen with him.”

      Ned pushed himself up higher, wincing as his leg trembled with pain. He had not expected Cersei to come. It did not bode well that she had. “Send them in, and leave us. What we have to say should not go beyond these walls.” Poole withdrew quietly.

      Robert had taken time to dress. He wore a black velvet doublet with the crowned stag of Baratheon worked upon the breast in golden thread, and a golden mantle with a cloak of black and gold squares. A flagon of wine was