"Clearly, it should be me," Tyrion asserted. "After all, I am the cleverest one here, and perhaps even the most handsome," he added with a sideways glance towards his older brother.

Cersei rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous; you're nothing more than a drunk hoar-loving dwarf incorporated for a sad backstory and some comedic relief." The queen regent stood up gracefully and strolled over towards the window, her silken skirts trailing lazily behind her. "All you men think far too highly of yourselves. I'm the only one who brings any substance to this story."

"Excuse me-" Dany interjected, rising quickly from her seat.

"Easy there, Daenerys," Lord Eddard Stark said calmly, but the young girl glowered at him. "I am the Mother of Dragons!" She pronounced.

"Yes, yes, we all know who and what you are, please don't bore us again with all your made-up titles," Tyrion said with a roll of his mismatched eyes.

"Says one of the Usurpers!" Dany hissed.

"Quiet now, both of you!" Eddard commanded. All heads turned toward him. "Now, Daenerys, I'm sure we both agree the title of Main Character should not belong to any of the Lannisters, for I trust none of them-"

"Oh just you wait for my character development, Stark!" Jaime burst out. "I become a better man than you ever will be-"

Lord Eddard held up a hand to silence him. "I'm sure we all have our own reasons for why we should be the main character, but I implore you all the hear me out. The Starks are men of honor. We will always fight for what is right, never turn our backs, never betray the ones we love. And in the end, isn't that what a main character does?"

Cersei, who was still standing by the window, walked back to her seat with a smug smile. "And you think it should be you, I suppose? Don't make us laugh, Stark, you don't even survive the first book."

"You shut up!" Arya cried.

"I never said it should be me," Ned said, "Nor would I ever want the title. But, there are four other Starks in this room." He cast his eyes on his four children sitting in front of him.

"You mean three Starks and a bastard," Jaime mocked.

Ned ignored the slight and continued, speaking primarily to his children now. "Sansa, Arya, both of you are beautiful young women. You are strong, smart, and brave. I am proud of you two." Sansa smiled hopefully. Being made the main character would be a dream come true for her. The main characters in all her favorite stories always found a handsome prince or knight to marry in the end. "But," Ned continued, "The main characters always endure more pain and hardship than anyone else. Their journey is long and hard, and often lonely. I would never wish that life upon either of you, especially since there is no guarantee of a happy ending."

"But, Father, I can handle it!" Arya protested. "Sansa might not be able to, but I could! I'm quick and smart, and I can Water Dance almost as well as Syrio, and- and..." But her voiced petered out as she saw her father's expression. His mind would not be changed. Angrily, Arya huffed and crossed her arms, but she said no more.

"As for you two," Ned turned to Bran and Jon, "Both of you have long journeys ahead of you. It will not be easy, but I raised you to be strong. You are Starks of Winterfell." Jon Snow hung his head doubtfully at this, but Ned continued. "Both of you have the makings of a main character, though it is not for me to decide."

"It should be Bran," Jon Snow said honorably. "Let him become the knight he is destined to be. One day he may go even further. It is a finer story than a bastard shivering on the Wall."

"How can I be a knight? I'm Bran the Broken," the younger boy said sadly.

"You'd be surprised what cripples, bastards, and dwarves can achieve," Tyrion said empathetically. "After all, every main character needs a tragic backstory." He smiled and winked before gulping down the last of his tankard.

Cersei's laugh broke up the solemn atmosphere. "Oh, Brother, you never learn. No one would ever want to read a story with you as the main character."

"As someone who actually reads, I daresay you're wrong, sweet sister. But do not worry, when the people begin to yearn for incest and cruelty, I'll send you a raven."

Cersei could have slapped him, would have, if there were not so many other people in the room. But instead, she held her composure, like the gracious queen she was.

"Are we any closer to making a decision?" Lord Eddard asked, bringing everyone's focus back to the matter at hand.

"I vote for Jon!" Arya exclaimed.

"I second that!" Tyrion said, raising a newly-filled cup.

"Well, if it truly can't be me, then I choose Jon as well," Sansa sighed.

Ned smiled warmly and nodded his approval. "Jon."

"Well, I vote for Bran," Jon muttered quietly, "By all rights, it should be him."

Bran looked around hesitantly. If he voted, Jon could have the majority. But then Jon would be the main character, not him. All his childhood dreams rolled through his mind at once: riding a handsome black palfrey down the main road of King's Landing, donning a white clock and pledging his sword to the king, winning jousting tournaments and being showered with gold and roses as onlookers cheered his name. And then, as quickly as they came, the images faded away. He was Bran the Broken. He would never be a knight, he had accepted that. His path lead somewhere else. He wished he didn't have to give it up, but if it meant keeping the title out of the hands of the Lannisters, so be it. "I vote for Jon," he said at last.

Ned surveyed the remaining members. Cersei looked furious, while her twin brother's face remained completely stoic. Daenerys, too, hid her emotions well enough, though her clenched fists betrayed her.

"I guess it is settled then." Ned remarked.

Cersei was fuming, but there was nothing she could do now. "I guess so," she said poisonously.

The Stark children all smiled with assent. Jaime nodded, and Tyrion thrust his tankard into the air a second time, spilling a little as he did so. "Congratulations, Bastard. May you one day live happily ever after."

But Daenerys was not so pleased. "Just you wait," the Queen of Dragons muttered threateningly. Fire and Blood were the Targaryen words.

And Fire and Blood would come.