First story, and its A Song of Fire And Ice/Game of Thrones. Love the show and books, although I don't like how Martin plays out Daenarys. Nothing bad ever seems to happen to her apart from the having to kill her husband and mutated stillborn baby but that's for another day. But still, I want those bad things to happen more! I loved the Starks and now their only hope is Sansa, Arya and Jon...and Jon got shanked recently after climbing all the way to the top of the Night's Watch...I just want more bad things for Dany! Come on Martin, give us some bad things Martin! I want bad things!

Well here goes anyway...

Disclaimer: I don't own A Song of Fire And Ice/Game of Thrones

The Black Prince

The north was always cold. It always was, even during this decade long summer, it always had a certain chill to the air about it. The cold would creep onto your skin and have a certain bite to it. When the wind blew, it felt like small pricks digging into the body and on the worst days, like blades slashing across the body.

Caspian had wondered once how anyone could live in such a cold place. Until he had spent a year here in the care of the Starks, he had learnt something important, the northerners were a tough and sturdy people who he couldn't help but come and respect.

They had lived off this patch of Westeros for thousands of years and they have never complained about it, but just carried on with their lives.

It had been nearly a month since the king's company had set off from King's Landing towards the capital of the north and the home of the wardens of the north, Winterfell. A little more had passed, a week or two maybe since the death of his old mentor Jon Arryn. He had only been in the capital for the better part of several hours before he had been summoned to the sick chamber of the man that had defined him for the better part of his formative years.

Jon had tried to tell him something, but the fever that had taken him had worked quickly and made him delirious, half-mad maybe, he couldn't tell. He could barely make-out what the dying Hand of the King had tried to tell him, what he had said did not register with Caspian, not in the slightest.

He had stayed with the man until he had finally passed. He had gone to pay his respects to Lady Lysa and her son Robert but had found them to be gone from capital to the Vale.

That had been rather...strange.

Caspian was located in the rear of the company, lying down on one of the supply carts, eyes closed with his arms serving as a cushion for his head as they were crossed behind him. Trailing slightly behind the carriage was his black steed, Shadowfax, its reigns tethered to the cart to stop the horse from running off, and surrounding the carriage was Ser Arys Oakheart of the Kingsguard and a company of House Baratheon armoured guardsmen riding as additional protection, dressed in the black and gold colours of their liege House.

His older brother, only by a few seconds at most had been given the honour of riding at the front of the column and he to ride at the rear whilst his younger brother and sister were located in the middle of the column in a carriage with his mother.

"We'll be approaching Winterfell soon Caspian."

Caspian peeked open an eye, revealing it to be of a purple coloured eye, a shade of lilac. He slowly rose from his rest and scratched his shaggy mane of black hair that reached the back of his neck, "Now when you say soon..." He trailed off as he looked towards his sworn shield, a former Dornish sellsword by the name of Asher Sand, a bastard of a Dornish lord and Tyroshi woman.

Considering the libertine lifestyle of the Dornish people, Asher would have found himself not wanting for attention from his father, but he was a rather independent boy. When he was only twelve years of age, he had managed to garner passage to Essos were he soon joined a mercenary company, the Stormcrows and ran amok with them for a few years before coming back Westeros before he had reached his twentieth year.

Out of a whim, he had participated in one of the many tourneys the king held, he had gone on to win the melee, which resulted in him getting the honour of being asked if he was willing to become the sworn shield of Caspian after his impressive display.

Although in Asher's case, he had accepted simply because he would get paid regularly and stay in fine accommodations, rather different from his time in Essos, the two eventually managed to build a rapport and Asher would honestly say he might be more than a little willing to lay down his life for his charge.

But he would never say that to Caspian's face.

Asher himself said that he looked more like his mother rather than his father and the bastard born swornsword never said anything about his father other than that. He had thick black hair that reached his shoulders and his eyes were an amber so full of colour they may as well have been gold with a clean shaven features. Caspian had come to know that most women who looked upon him, found him to be fair to look at due to his very comely features.

Asher raised a hand covered in a gauntlet and pointed forward, "Soon as in the castle is in sight." The man former sellsword said with a slight hint of an accent that Caspian couldn't be able to identify, "You know what that means?"

Caspian simply sighed as he shook his head as he stood up, balancing himself on the back of the cart as it continued to travel along with the column, "I can't be lazy anymore." He said as he undid the reigns that were tied to the cart and whistled his horse closer to him.

"You have been doing nothing but sleeping on the back of carts for nearly the whole journey." The dark-haired sworn shield said, amusement in his tone as he spoke watching Caspian manage to move himself from the cart and onto the horse with a jump. He didn't need to see the faces of the guardsmen to know that they had held their breath as they watched the Second Prince make the leap from the cart to his horse.

Caspian reigned in his horse as it moved around, getting used to the sudden weight on its back, "I like sleeping." He looked around, "Where is my darling little brother anyway?"

Ser Arys indicated behind himself, having to shift slight to move his white cloak to the side as it blew in the wind, "Back there on the carriage my lord."

Caspian turned his head in the direction where the kingsguard was pointing and saw the frame of his younger bastard brother who also doubled as his squire. He grinned as he waved at the boy who returned it, a bored look on his face, "Look at him having fun."

Asher didn't agree with that sentiment, "I don't think he's having fun. He looks rather bored."

"And that is where me and you disagree old buddy." The second prince remarked as he turned his head to face the front, his eyes now glued on the distant form of Winterfell, "Still looks like a gloomy place, like the last time I was here."

Asher scrunched up his nose, "At least you are used to the cold. I'm not. I prefer my weather to be of a more warmer climate." He had disliked the year he had spent here during the time Caspian was fostered to the Starks. It was cold, grey and depressing in general, but he would have to admit that the northerners knew when to have a good time.

Caspian turned his head slightly to look at him, "I can see that." He said, a rather amused look on his face when he took in the large cloak with the furred hood that Marko was wearing, his body hunched up to keep the warmth within his body, "I almost mistook you for a bear."

"If it wouldn't be for the fact that nearly everyone here would want to cut my hand off after doing it," He said, his tone and voice dry, "I would give you the bird."

"Then it's a good thing you don't then." Ser Arys chimed in, amusement in his voice and from the looks of some of the Baratheon guards around, they shared his thoughts.

Asher humphed and looked away rather childishly, "Loyal bastards." He grumbled underneath his breath, but then again, he couldn't really blame them. There was something about Caspian that inspired loyalty, an inner strength so to say. Marko could only put that to the fact that Caspian was Caspian was rather a likeable person considering everything else.

And considering how his brother was, it was a small measure that he was preferred by many of the nobles of the court. He sometimes couldn't believe that Joffrey was related to Caspian, even more so when he learned they were twins.

He certainly wouldn't have thought of them twins. They looked nothing alike, but then again, he had heard of twins that looked neither alike and met some in his life, but Joffrey and Caspian were two extremes.

They were both tall and could be considered handsome by many, Joffrey taking after his mother with long blonde curly hair, bright green emerald-like eyes like his mother and pouty lips. Caspian on the other hand took after his father, his hair jet black and a messy mane sitting atop his head and two strangely mismatched eyes, one the deep blue of his father's and the other a dark shade of purple and his frame was lean but it had more muscle to it than his brothers, but not overly so.

Caspian had once seen the Mountain That Rides and had been adamant he was never going to have anywhere near as much muscle as that man in his life.

The grand maester had assumed that the purple was a dormant trait from his great-grandmother, Princess Rhaelle Targaryen or the Valyrian blood within House Baratheon. Other Houses that claimed Valyrian descent in Westeros also shared purple eyes.

When they finally reached Winterfell, the people were lined up outside on the street that led to the castle, wanting to see the Baratheon-Lannister column that held the royal family. When Caspian finally entered the castle of Winterfell itself, with Arys, Marko and the rest of the Baratheon guardsmen, he could see people kneeling in front of his father.

He dismounted once his father bluntly told them to rise before going to hug Lord Stark and talk to him like they were old friends, 'Well, they are old friends to a certain degree.' The two men hadn't seen each others faces in nearly seventeen years and here they were talking like no day had gone past. That was some friendship they had Caspian had to admit.

He approached the waiting Lady Stark and her children as his father and Lord Stark went towards the crypts to pay their respect, 'No doubt to Lyanna.' Caspian mused to himself, 'Mother probably isn't pleased with that.' Even after all these years, his mother still played second fiddle to a dead woman. He couldn't help but find some dark amusement in that was the reason their marriage was so shambolic.

He bowed pleasantly in front of Catelyn, "My Lady Stark," He said as he straightened himself, "It's been too long. I hope you can remember me from the scrawny boy I used to be last time I was here."

Catelyn smiled at him as she looked him over, "Prince Caspian, you have clearly grown."

Caspian refrained from rolling his eyes, by now she should have known that he didn't like being called prince, especially by those he considered close. Instead, he just smiled before his attention turned to Robb. A smug grin came onto his face, "Sorry there Robb..." He said slowly, addressing the older boy, "I didn't see you...down there." He finished off, alluding to the point that he was taller than him.

"Haha." Robb replied dryly before smiling before the two enveloped in a hug before releasing, "Look at you all so tall and everything." He frowned though before looking, "Still ugly as ever though."

"At least I'm ugly, I don't know what you are."

Robb flicked his auburn hair back in a showy manner, "Beautiful is what I am."

"...Yeah, if that's what you keep telling yourself at night to go to sleep, I won't stop you." The second prince quipped as he turned to the other Stark children, "Look at this, a line of fish and a lone wolf. I didn't know wolves like fish."

Bran, Rickon and Arya chuckled at the quip but for the oldest among them, not so much. Sansa rolled her eyes, a small smile on her lips, "That wasn't funny the first time you said, it isn't funny now."

"I like to think it is..." He muttered somewhat dejectedly before picking himself up again, by now having known his quirks since they had lived with him for a little more than a year, the Stark children merely ignored it. Caspian then saw Tommen and Myrcella looking all sweet and shy behind him, he grinned before deciding to introduce them, "Tommen, Myrcella, meet Bran, Rickon, Arya, Sansa and Robb." He said before looking around before noting that Rickon had disappeared with Lady Stark, "Well, Rickon isn't here anymore, but there's another one I want you to meet, but he's hiding around somewhere the bastard..."

"I'm surehe'll turn up somewhere." Robb said with a smile on his face, knowing who he was referring too.

Caspian nodded before going underneath his cloak and pulling out a flannel, "Alright, since we haven't seen each other in so long, how about some wine?"

Myrcella gasped as she looked up her older brother, "Mother let you have wine?"

Caspian cringed a bit, much to the other's amusement. The second prince quickly looked down at his sister, "It's not wine Myrcella," He replied quickly and rather shakily, "It's just some water. Nothing else, nothing more. Don't tell mother." He finished off with a beg that brought several laughs to the older children.

"If its just water," Myrcella began, looking at him with inquisitive green eyes, "Why would I tell mother?"

'You keep on believing that.' Caspian thought before rubbing his sister's hair in an affectionate manner, "That's a good girl. Now why don't you two go play with the others? Me, Robb and the bastard are going to catch-up." He watched them go off with the other children and a smile came onto Caspian's face. He sighed contently, "Ah, the joy of being young. So gullible."

Robb looked down at the flannel in his hand and then back to Naruto, "You realise we're going to be drinking later on at the feast right?" His royal friend nodded his head, "And you plan to drink before that?" He nodded once more, "...Should I be worried?"

Caspian turned to look at him with a hint of amusement on his face and a small smirk, "Come on now, it's not like I'm trying to get you to come with me to a brothel."

"I'm surprised you aren't."

Caspian smiled as he looked to the side to see the other dark-haired Stark in the family although he deigned the last name of Snow, "Jon, been a while. Where were you hiding?" He asked as he held out a hand.

Jon clasped the hand in a shake, "You might be fine with me, I don't know about your siblings."

"Well, speaking of siblings..." Caspian turned around and called over Edric who had been busy being entertained by Asher. The dark haired boy answered the call and went towards him, "Robb, Jon meet my younger brother, Edric Storm." The two brothers had confused looks at first before they registered his name. Jon looked down at the boy with a curious look about him, noting that he did share similarities with Caspian apart from his rather noticeable large ears, "He's also my squire." Caspian finished off rather nonchalantly as he buffed his knuckles on his cloak.

The last part caught both boys off-guard as they had looks of shock on their faces. So much that they were able to barely miss the boy when he bowed at them in greeting, "Greetings."

Jon was still stuck in shock so it went to Robb to be the one to speak for both of them, "Greetings to you too." He said before looking quickly at Caspian and voicing their thoughts, "Squire?"

Caspian grinned an easy grin, "Oh right, didn't I say? I'm a knight now, so you can address me as Ser Caspian Baratheon if you wish." He said rather flippantly, "Oh the Great, whatever you want."

Edric had a look of amusement on his face as he looked up to the still shocked brothers, "Or you can call him by the other name he's known as."

The two boys managed to regain their wits long enough to look down at Edric in curiosity, "Which is?"

Edric grinned, "Caspian, the Black Prince." He declared, ignoring the slight twitch of the brow of his older brothers.

Jon blinked before laughing, "That rather suits you, considering the rest of your siblings." He then looked over Caspian with a narrow eyed look, "But still...you a knight? You southerners will make anyone a knight nowadays wouldn't they?"

Caspian just smiled, a predatory smile, "I can and will hurt you."

"Maybe later." Jon said with a laugh, "Right now, I want to have a taste of some of the eh, 'water' you brought. Let us see how it compares to the northern water."

XxX

(Later)

It was the time for the feast and Caspian stood outside the great hall, Arya stood beside him dressed in a clothing fit for a lady of her status, not that she seemed to enjoy that fact. He got on well with Arya and even found her rather boyish behaviour amusing, but he was rather sure that she didn't want to be doing this but only did it because she was the second daughter and he was the second son, and once again, by a few seconds.

If he had been the first to come out of his mother's womb, he would have been standing at the front with Sansa instead of Joffrey and he would have the title of Crown Prince, but he liked being the second prince. Not much was expected off him thus it gave him a large amount of freedom to do whatever he wished.

It was at times like this he didn't like being a prince, he was never one for ceremony and would have just preferred to just enter the hall and eat like everybody else instead of coming into the hall in the proper manner.

But it seemed as if the gods had smiled down upon him as when he finally paid attention to his surroundings, he had found himself seating in his seat, eating his food amidst the roaring laughter and celebration in the hall. He sighed when he saw his father had already found some rather pretty wench and was already having his hands all over her.

Either it was due to his position as king or the alcohol did no-one call out on his actions. He didn't need to look behind him to know that his mother was glaring at the wench with a cold fury in her eyes at the spectacle. He felt sorry for Lady Stark who sat next to his mother, the tension must have been unbearable.

Arya seemed to notice his boredom before elbowing him slightly, "I bet you I can launch these peas at Sansa." She said as she held up her spoon and pointed at her older sister with the eating utensil.

Caspian, sceptical and his face showed it, "You can't make that shot." He said, his attention away from his food and surroundings as he conveyed with the younger girl.

She grinned a rather toothy grin that showed her confidence in the matter, "I so can."

Caspian looked at Arya then to Sansa who was seated some yards away before shaking his head, "You don't have the power or accuracy to make that shot."

Apparently, Caspian had been wrong as Arya had gone on to prove that she did in fact have the power and accuracy to make the shot. Unfortunately, making the shot also resulted in her getting send to bed early by her brother, Caspian could only laugh at that, especially when she tried to blame it on him.

He just acted as innocently as he could.

XxX

Arya bolted from the room that held the other girls as fast as her legs could take her, but she managed to stop herself to give a quick bow to Princess Myrcella before continuing out through the door. She had heard Septa Mordane call out to her along with the dreaded threat that she was going to tell her lady mother.

Maybe today would be her lucky day and the septa wouldn't be able to find her mother? Maybe, maybe not.

She couldn't stand to be in that stupid room doing all that lady stuff like needlework. She was horrible at it, Sansa was far better than her when it came to needlework and she always made sure to show it, even when she didn't want to. She would rather ride horses, feel the wind rush past her body as she raced among the moors and plains or even swing a sword left, right, to and fro.

She ran fast among the keep before finding herself in a walkway that overlooked the courtyard, and her eyes brightened at who she saw. She came to a halt beside her older brother, "Jon!"

The bastard of Winterfell turned his head ever so slightly and looked at his younger half-sister, "Arya," He greeted with a smile, "Shouldn't you have lessons?"

She perched herself on the edge of the bridge to get a better look, "They are boring." She replied quickly enough, her attention on the courtyard where she could see Bran and Tommen were having a spar. She wanted to laugh. Both boys were covered head to toe in padded armour which made it difficult for them to walk around and she could only say they looked more like they were waddling than walking, like those black and white, flightless birds she once saw at the coast, "This is much more fun." She said, a half smile on her face that was straining not to become full-blown laughter.

"If you say so." Jon replied with an easy smile about his face, looking down at the courtyard, himself leaning onto the railings of the bridge to get a closer look, as much as his neck would allow him.

Arya looked around and noticed that the courtyard was split into three groups. The Stark guardsmen were at one side watching the fight, laughing occasionally when one of the two boys did something that was hilarious, on another, near the courtyard wall were Lannister men and she could see the Crown Prince leaning against the wall surrounded by squires. She had to look down directly to see the Baratheon men that were also watching the happenings between the younger two.

She could make out Jon cheering Bran on along with other Stark men as he fought against Tommen. Arya turned her head slightly to glance at her brother, "Why aren't you down there?" She asked, curious, "You could beat any of them."

She frowned when she felt Jon ruffle her hair as he laughed, "Bastards like me can't hurt royal blood. It has to be another high-born, like Robb."

Arya frowned at how her brother referred to himself before smiling, "I could do it." She said proudly, her hands on her hips and a confident look on her face.

"I doubt you could lift a longsword with arms like that."

Arya's heart jumped to her throat as she nearly shrieked loudly at the sudden voice that spoke out. She quickly snapped her head to the side to notice Caspian standing beside her, "When did you get here!?" She demanded, a hand on her heart trying to calm it down.

The second prince glanced at her with an amused look in his eyes, "I've been here for a while now."

Arya frowned, "I would have noticed."

"But you didn't." Jon chimed in, holding back a laugh. He then pointed a finger towards Joffrey, "Caspian, I've been meaning to ask, why does your brother wear that sigil?"

Caspian's nose scrunched up in disapproval, "Because he's a mama's boy."

Arya was confused at the subject and decided to voice it, "Why shouldn't he wear that sigil?"

A look was shared between the two older boys that was quick and fleeting as they decided silently between them who was going to answer, "Because it shows equality between his mothers and father's house."

Caspian laughed in amusement, "If only it showed equality."

Jon glanced at him, "What do you mean?"

"Look at it." Caspian said, a finger pointed in the direction of his brother, "Look at it closely."

Jon and Arya raised an eyebrow and tried their best to make-out the finger details of the Crown Prince's sigil. Arya's eyes were beginning to hurt from all the squinting she was doing so she stopped and rubbed her eyes, "What am I looking for?"

It was Jon who answered, "The tail..." His voice holding surprise in it, "I can't believe it. He's actually doing that?"

Arya confused, turned her attention back to the sigil once more and looked at the sigil. She frowned in confusion, "So the tail crosses over to the stag side, what's wrong with that?"

Jon laughed quietly, "The tail is crossing over to the stag side..." He said slowly before looking at his sibling, "How is that showing equality? Both should be equal, no crossing over whatsoever. He might as well be saying the Lannisters are superior to the Baratheons."

Caspian nodded his head, "Exactly." No small measure of distaste in his voice, "But he is the Crown Prince and he can where whatever the hell he wants."

Jon looked at him in amusement, "If you had been the first to come out of your mother's womb, you would have been the Crown Prince and heir." He laughed, "I would have preferred you as my king rather than him, he looks like a little shit." The bastard didn't even feel like apologising for the way he had talked about the crown prince, knowing that Caspian wouldn't care. The laugh he had heard showed that he didn't particularly care at all.

"A lot of people do..." The second prince mumbled underneath his breath. He quickly had to deny if he had said anything when he was questioned by Arya.

The three continued making small chatter as they watched the action below. The fight ended in Bran's victory after he was able to send Tommen sprawling to the ground and Rodrik had to call the match after the young Stark had held his wooden sword high above him ready to continue if Tommen had stood.

"Well, I believe I do owe your brother an ass kicking." Caspian said as he placed both hands onto the edge of the walkway, "I should go and give that to him." He finished off as he vaulted over the edge to the ground below, making a forward roll when he made contact with the ground to spread the impact across his body rather than allowing his legs to take it all.

"Show off." Asher remarked from the side lines, idly juggling a throwing knife with one hand.

Caspian just smiled, "You are the one who taught me how to do that."

Asher just shrugged, "Still a show-off."

Robb watched Caspian make his way towards him, dusting his coat of any dirt he could see. He smiled as his old friend stopped in front of him, "And here I thought you had run away."

"Me? Runaway?" Caspian repeated, mock offence in his voice, "I am hurt." He finished off as he picked up a wooden longsword and gave it several twirls to get used to it, "Alright, let's do this."

Robb was the first to move when they had gotten themselves in the centre of the courtyard. He came at Caspian with fast and powerful swings and swipes of the sword, yet Caspian was always on hand ready to dodge, block or parry to the side. Arya could tell that her older brother wasn't giving his opponent any time to think as he repeatedly attacked him.

The two clashed swords and a battle of strength started as they pushed against each other. It wasn't long before it showed that Robb was the stronger of the two, but before he could capitalise on this, Caspian pushed their swords to the side, unbalancing Robb who didn't expect such a thing before he found himself at the receiving end of a shoulder barge that sent him reeling backwards.

He managed to keep himself on his feet but had to quickly steady himself whilst at the same time be on the receiving end of an assault from the prince himself. Unlike said prince, Robb found himself hard-pressed to defend himself as Caspian's attacks were far faster than his own and he felt some stinging pains on his body at the times that he couldn't protect himself properly when the wooden sword hurt.

He knew that if this was a real sword, he would have found himself dead several times over.

There was something to the way Caspian moved, like he had been in real combat before hand. He knew what to do and at the same time, knew what not to do, as in this instance, he didn't give his opponent any chance to come to the counterattack and tried his best to always not clash swords with him and have a battle of strength where he knew he was going to lose.

Robb brought his sword up high to block a downward swing only to find his feet kicked out from underneath him. He blinked in surprise when he found Caspian's sword held out at his face.

"You got better." The prince remarked as he withdrew his sword and helped his friend up. From the watchers, their was applause coming all around at the battle between the two young lordlings.

Robb took the hand and had something of a frown on his face, "You got even better." Like he wasn't already good enough back when they were children. He could now start believing that he had actually been made a knight.

He just shrugged his shoulders, "Nothing a little dedicated training would do."

Robb didn't think that was all there was to it. He voiced his opinion, "It seems like you have actually been in real combat."

At that Caspian couldn't help but laugh as he nodded, "Yeah, I spent a year in Essos." Robb's eyes widened and his jaw hung open slightly. The prince rubbed his chin in thought, "Ended up spending my time with some old friends of my sworn shield...who also happened to be sellswords. I'm sure you can figure out the rest."

Robb managed to get himself together before shaking his head in amusement, "I don't think my mother would have allowed me to do such a thing."

A mischievous grin came onto Caspian's face, "It's a good thing mine didn't know that I did now wouldn't it?" He brought a finger to his lips and made a shushing sound, "Shh, don't tell anyone now. Especially my mother, she would probably have a panic attack, or something." He finished off with a shrug.

Robb once again gaped, but this time, he managed to get over it and shook his head, "I want to say I'm surprised, but I'm really not."

"I can't see how you would enjoy swinging a play sword around brother." Joffrey chimed into the conversation from his side, a smug look on his face, "I expected more from you, I didn't expect you to start playing around."

Robb held back a snarl, he didn't like Joffrey. This was the first time he had met him, but even all the way this far north, they had heard rumours about him being a little shit and since he had come here, he hadn't been proving those rumours wrong, not in the slightest.

He couldn't even believe he was related to someone he could say was close to a best friend towards him, let alone a twin. They were polar opposites.

Caspian merely smiled evenly at his older brother, "Well, we could always play with real swords if you want brother. In fact, why not? Have a spar against Robb here, I'm sure he's dying to see your superior sword skills." Robb looked at him with a raised eyebrow. Caspian leaned in and whispered into his ear, "Don't worry about it, he's a lost cause when it comes to fighting. No skill, no strength, nothing. I gave him a tiny little cut once in a spar and he went crying to our lady mother."

Robb couldn't help but snigger.

Unfortunately, Joffrey saw this and was quick to ask or more demand than anything else, what his brother had just said to his northern friend, "What did you say?"

Caspian grinned, "I was just telling him about your physical prowess...like all those time we trained with each other..." He said slowly as he thought of a recent example, "Like say...what was it? Four years ago? I remember-."

Before he could finish speaking, Joffrey cut him off, his face slightly red, "It doesn't matter what you think brother. I don't really care about your opinion."

"It's so nice to know we share one thing in common." Caspian remarked with a grin on his face before turning around and began to make leave of the courtyard along with Robb, "Even if that's the only thing we share in common apart from our parents."

XxX

(Some Time Later)

'I don't want to be here.' He didn't want to be here, he wanted to be anywhere but here, but here he was and although he didn't like it, he knew he had to be here.

Caspian stood on one side of his father within his tent who was sat down on a raised chair and on the other side was his mother and brother who was clutching his arm. The tent was crowded, filled with knights among others.

They had been on the king's road for the past several weeks as they made their way back to King's Landing. His father having done what he needed to do when he had sat out for Winterfell, which included two objectives, paying his respect to Lyanna Stark. He had once told him about the woman who had his heart before his mother...no wait, that was incorrect. He had told her about the woman that still had his heart, even his mother had been unable to push the memory away from his father's heart.

He had morbidly mused that was probably/definitely the extenuating reason as to why his mother always looked at his father with such a cold, loathing look in her eyes. The same kind of look that she occasionally cast in his direction but had learned by now to ignore and set it aside.

He wasn't going to bend over backwards for anyone, even his own mother, to try and prove something he wasn't even responsible for.

The second objective his father had travelled north was to visit Eddard Stark whilst at the same time, recruit him to replace his old mentor Jon Arryn as Hand of the King. He couldn't help but agree that Lord Stark was probably the correct choice in that manner as he seemed to know how to handle himself but he couldn't help that he was a little worried about how he would be able to handle himself in court.

He seemed a little too trusting for Caspian's liking.

Everything had been going well, the journey had been fine that was until now of course. Apparently, Arya and a butcher's boy by the name of Mycah had beaten on his brother without provocation and then Arya's direwolf had gone on to attack Joffrey and nearly 'chew' his arm off.

Caspian had snorted at that, from what he had seen, his arm didn't even look like it was nearly anywhere been chewed off. He had seen the fighting pits of some of the Free Cities and had been made witness to something actually be chewed off and Joffrey's hand didn't look anything like it.

Lord Stark clearly didn't like what was happening if the cold look on his face was anything to go by and his father was clearly uncomfortable about the whole ordeal. In fact, he looked like a man who wanted to be anywhere but here.

"I'm sorry Ned," Robert was the first to speak, his voice gruff and disgruntled, "I didn't want to bring her here so quickly, but its best we get this whole business dealt with quickly."

Ned's face still had a look of ice as he spoke, even his voice followed the same suit, "And what business is that?"

His mother was the next to speak after she took a step forward to bring attention to her, "You know full well Lord Stark. That girl of yours and the butcher's boy attacked my son. That animal of hers tried to tear his arm off."

Caspian once again couldn't help but glance at his brother. Joffrey felt his brother's eyes on him and he turned to meet his emerald with his mismatched blue and purple. The two just stared at each other before Joffrey looked away with a haughty look on his face.

Caspian just had a victorious looking grin on his face.

"That's not true!" He was brought back to the proceedings happening at hand by Arya's shout, "She just bit him a little." Caspian couldn't help but grin. If the wolf had been able to tear off the arm, he would have been looking for that wolf and thrown a feast for it. Maybe a loss of an arm would serve to toughen up his brother and beat-no, bite sense into him, "He was hurting Mycah!" Arya continued fiercely, not backing down from the queen's gaze.

"Joff told us what happened," Cersei replied icily, "You and that butcher's boy beat on him mercilessly with clubs and then set your wolf on him."

"That's not how it was!" Arya was close to tears by now, the tears had already moistened her eyes and she felt them pricking from behind her eyes. Her father placed a hand on her shoulder in a show of strength.

"Yes it is!" Joffrey yelled back at her, opening his mouth for the first time, "They all attacked me and she threw Lion's Tooth into the river!"

The second prince could barely hold back a chuckle at the name of the sword. He never did understand, wasn't fang much better than tooth? It sounded far more fierce than tooth.

"Liar!" Arya shot back heatedly.

"Shut up!" Joffrey shouted back.

"As amusing as this is," Caspian chimed in, getting attention to him although he wondered if he had been able to suppress the smirk of amusement he had on his face when they had started talking, but he decided to put that to the side for now, "We could do this all day and I would like to go to sleep this night. So why don't we hear both stories of what happened? Although I'm rather sure one side is complete bullshit and the other not so much." He finished off with a dry look levelled at his brother's direction who looked affronted but at the same time, didn't bother to meet his eyes or couldn't meet his eyes being more accurate.

"Well you heard the boy," The king spoke up, getting attention on the subject at hand once more, "Get on with it, but know it is a crime to lie in front of the king."

Arya was the first to speak. She looked directly at King Robert and told her side of the story. Of how she and Mycah were playing by the river and then Joffrey and Sansa's arrival. She told of how Joffrey began to bully the boy and started hurting him by cutting him on the cheek with his sword, how she disarmed him and threatened him before throwing the sword into the Trident.

Caspian nearly cried, but good, hearty cries at that. He could tell he wasn't the only one as he could see some of the people in the tent just wanted to burst out laughing, but managed to hold their tongue in front of the king.

The second prince had a hand to his mouth, "Well, your turn big brother." He said as he looked at Joffrey, "Please do tell us what happened from your side of the story."

Prince Joffrey was pale as he began to recount his own side of the story, albeit his was markedly different and unlike Arya, he could do everything but look at their father right in the eye. Caspian couldn't believe it, if he was going to lie, the list he could do was look at the person he was lying and try to make the lie as believable as possible.

Looking around the way he was doing just wouldn't help anyone believe him.

After Joffrey was done, the king rose from his seat, "What am I suppose to make of this? He says one thing, she says another." Robert's eyes immediately locked onto Caspian's, "What do you make of it?"

That had managed to catch Caspian of guard. He didn't think that his father would ask his opinion. He knew that probably out of all his siblings, he was the closest with his father, maybe because of the hair, or because he knew how to swing a sword correctly or maybe because of hundreds of other reasons, but he never expected his father to ask him for his reason.

"Well," Caspian began after collecting himself, "It's rather obvious Joffrey's lying."A silence went through the room and Caspian looked around the room, "What? You have to be blind and deaf to not notice he was lying. He couldn't look at the king in eye at all when he spoke, and really Joffrey? A bite, what the fuck? Are you that much of a wimp that you make such a fuss over a thing? You still have an arm don't you?"

Caspian wasn't at all that surprised when their mother stepped up to protect his older brother. She always favoured Joffrey over the rest of her children, even when Joffrey was in the wrong, it would always end up being either his, Tommen's or Myrcella's fault, "That bite could leave scars. Don't you care about your brother?"

"I do, he's my brother, whether I like him or not, I still care about him." Caspian returned evenly, "But really? I could be doing better things with my time than stand here listen to him whine over a soft injury. I hope it does leave scars, at least it will serve to toughen him up some more. If he's going to whine about soft things in his life, how does he expect to lead his armies in battle in the future when he's king?" He looked back to his father, "Frankly father, I would just forget this entire incident ever happened, but at the very least, I would suggest that the last direwolf be sent back to Winterfell. My brother has a fond habit that never ends well when it comes to animals." He finished off coldly as he eyed his brother who flinched at the ice in the voice and looked away.

Robert narrowed his eyes at his dark-haired son before turning to his old friend and comrade in arms, "Well you had the boy Ned. Your girl is free of no wrongdoing and I would listen to his advice."

Ned slowly nodded his head before bowing, "As you wish, Your Grace."

Caspian watched as Arya was led out of the tent with her father and soon enough Robert also left the tent followed by everyone else leaving only him, his mother and brother. He glanced in the direction of the two blondes and bowed his head, "By your leave mother." He turned and made to leave.

"Caspian," He stopped and turned to look at his mother who was looking at him with nothing more than an icy visage on her beautiful features and an smouldering ice within her eyes. He could also see something else behind that ice but what, he couldn't tell, "Aren't you going to apologize?"

Caspian blinked before realising what she meant, "Why should I?" He asked, "Father asked me what I thought and I told him what was on my mind. Joffrey was lying and I simply told him so."

"I was not!" Joffrey blazed heatedly, glaring at his brother, "I was not lying and then you went and embarrassed me in front of everybody."

Caspian then glared back at his brother, a glare that startled his older brother. He held up one finger before speaking, "One, you were lying, everyone here knew it, I simply called you on it." He lifted another finger so that he was raising two now, "Two, if you don't want to be embarrassed in front of everybody, then stop doing embarrassing things you fucking idiot. You're going to be king, hells, I don't even need to be around for you to embarrass yourself, you do that a lot by yourself already." Joffrey had an affronted look about him but Caspian didn't care. Instead, his eyes then shot to the other person in the room, his mother and gave her a stern look. He pointed at Joffrey, "He turned out this way because you coddled him too much, I don't know why, but it happened because you did!" Cersei had a look of surprise on her face at how her son had spoke to her.

With his piece done, the dark-haired prince left the tent, leaving his brother to his fuming and his mother to her own thoughts.

AN: Yes! It's a trueborn son story! Why shouldn't it? I love those stories! Especially when they have the anathema to Joffrey who goes around making him feel like an idiot. But this won't be a curb stomp or anything, I plan on making this a proper fic. Not everything will go in our hero's way, who knows, he might even end up dead at the end of this tale, and with him the Baratheon line of kings! But you don't know what to expect.

I plan on deviating from canon on some major plot points. Already have ideas on how I could work my story around, I think you guys are going to enjoy it.

Maj~~~~~~~~~~or Plot Points! MA~~~~~~~~~JOR!

So how was it? Comments, questions? Give me whatever you want. It's my first story so I wouldn't mind any constructive criticisms. No flames though, they just serve to do nothing but make me want to crawl into a hole and cry myself to sleep.

I guess you have questions about how Joffrey and Caspian are twins but look nothing alike. It's simple really, in extremely rare cases when it concerns twins, sometimes, the stork will get its order of twins mixed up and carry one baby from one donor and another from a different donor. I should know, I have two friends who are twins but are half-brothers genetically :L

I'm sure you can guess who the donor of Caspian is, you're all intelligent people.

I was rather confused about the whole thing also.

Well, byebye, leave a review!

TheForeverKing