Chapter 3: A son

The journey from Dorne was not pleasant. I knew that I had screwed up. I never calculated the vast distances on this continent. I never considered that I might be delayed too much to arrive in time to acquire Jon. I never expected those crazy zealots that were the Kingsguard to murder my sister.

Because of my assumptions I screwed up royally and now I had no idea where Jon might be. At first I wanted to ride after them to try to catch them in Dorne or even go to Starfall. But that would be foolish. Dorne is hostile territory, not just because they were in rebellion still after the murders in the capital but also because there was no love for the North here.

I did realize something that I should have known already. Just because I am in the body of Eddard Stark does not mean I have plot armor to guard me till his death int he first book. I needed to be more careful and plan better instead of just react.

We rode North to the Stormlands and safety from Dorne. From there we worked out way at a brisk pace for weeks to get back to the capital. I had sent my army back North towards Riverrun and planned to meet up with them after speaking with Robert. I knew that Wyman had already had ships coming to pick up people and ship them North. But Robert had to be told about Lyanna.

The Red Keep looked slightly better then the condition it was in before. It seemed that repairs had started on it already by craftsmen. I was escorted right away to the Great Hall with Lord Reed and my guard escort.

On the throne sat Robert looking regal and the type of King I knew he never would be. I stopped before the throne and bowed while my escort took a knee. I could hear a few in the court whispering about my lack of kneeling but Robert seemed not to care.

"Jarl Stark. You have returned but where is my Lyanna?" Robert asked as he stood up walking forward to embrace me as a brother.

I slowly shook my head with a frown on my lips, "Murdered by Aerys Kingsguard."

I paused and wet my lips before speaking. "I found her strung up and hung by the barbarians that those monsters are. They murdered my sister Robert most likely when their King fell and fled away."

The rage that filled Robert's face was something I felt in my own heart. She was a young woman not even two decades and she would see no more. It was sick and wrong. War was hell and I knew this well. But what happened to Lyanna was beyond something from the battlefield. "They will pay in time."

"Yea they will. This I swear." The voice of Robert started small to my quiet words. But then grew to fill up the court, "I place a bounty of twenty five thousand gold dragons for the heads of the Mad King's remaining Kingsguard. Bring them back to me dead or alive. I want their heads."

The court was silent as the voice of Robert filled the chamber and echoed off of the empty walls. I noticed at that moment that the dragon skulls were gone and new tapestries were being hung up for the Baratheon family. I reached out and grabbed the arm of Robert, "I am going home Robert. My people are tired, my realm needs it's remaining men and my son needs his father."

For a moment the blue eyes of the King furrowed with continued anger but when they met my own grays they calmed. A sadness filled his face at the realization perhaps that he could not convince my otherwise. "Aye, I understand Ned. You have been away a long time."

"Indeed. I would see my people find harvests and build the plans I told you about. It is time for the North to plant seed and grain for Winter is Coming." I answered back to him with a small smile.

"You Starks and your Winter." He shook his head with a deep chuckle from the huge man.

"Indeed. It is our way. But we will be here when you need us for the city or troubles that might come." I said and reached my hand out towards Robert.

The king took hold of my arm at the elbow and gave a squeeze and shake with a smile before pulling me into an embrace.

Before stepping away I whispered to Robert, "Don't let her loss haunt you. She would not have wanted that. Live and make this realm grow strong. It is the best way to punish the damned dragons for what they have done."

I met the eyes of Robert and he smiled sadly with a nod back to me. "Very well Jarl Stark. But know I will call you down here after a time."

"I look forward to it." I have a last squeeze to Robert's elbow and then a smile to Jon before I turned and left the throne room and that cursed chair of metal.

Eddard Stark

Riverrun

283 AC

over thirteen thousand men of the North were camped outside the walls of Riverrun. Half of the strength of the North. The rest had been sent back North to hold the neck or to White Harbor to take control of the Three Sisters.

I waited to see how Wyman performed on that campaign. I had told him to be firm but not harsh with the inhabitants. I did not want another Rape of the Sisters to become the talk or the Kingdom. But, I expected answers for whom had been attacking our ships and an example to be made of those people.

I felt like I had a lot to do before I could return to Winterfell and settle down. Far too much and at this rate I could end up going gray early! But, first I had a Trout to deal with.

I road through the gates of the keep or Riverrun with a group of lords of the North at my back to be greeted by the strength of Lord Hoster Tully.

I dismounted to see the older Lord there with his brother the blackfish. In the show they had been old men but now they were still younger men with auburn hair that was only starting to go white here and there. They stood in the courtyard with a number of men hail and ready at hand.

I handed off the reins of my horse and stepped forward before the Lords. Lord Hoster spoke up, "Lord Stark welcome to my home."

"Thank you Lord Tully. I am glad to be back from the battlefield. I am sorry to hear of the fate of my lady wife. I know words can never make up for the loss of a woman with such kindness and character. She had a heart that could love anyone and a warmth to her that could melt the snows of my homeland." I said calmly as I stood before the lords. I knew that Eddard had barely known her but it never hurt to be polite.

A sadness came over the face of Hoster. I could see the deep sense of loss from the man and I felt bad for him. While I knew Catelyn not and in the show she came off as a fool it seemed Eddard had grown to love her. For a moment I could feel the loss of what could have been but I dismissed it as the future was unwritten. "Thank you Lord Stark. I am sure you will want to see your son."

At least I did not show up with a bastard like the Eddard in the books had when he came to Riverrun. I gave a smile and nod as a young woman, the boy's wet nurse came forward and presented to me the baby.

I slowly picked up the bundle shifting him to the crook of my arm with a smile filling my lips. I gently brushed the cloth away from his hair and saw the little blue eyes staring back at me brightly. He had the Tully auburn hair of his mother but he had the Stark long face and nose. I could see a mouth and cheekbones that looked similar to my mothers.

A smile broke out on my face as I looked down upon my son. I couldn't help the immense feeling of joy and wonder that filled me. It was something I never had in my past life. It was something I always hoped to have someday. Now I had a child, I would protect him and care for him. I will do everything in my power to see h boy grow into a great man.

"She named him Robb after your friend and our new King." Hoster added with a quiet voice as if it was almost painful to say the words.

I looked up from Robb and gave my good father a small nod and smile, "It is a good choice."

I turned away from him towards the Lords of the North and presented Robb to them. "I present you Robb Stark future Jarl of the North!"

The Lords let out a cheer of enthusiasm so loud my boy started to cry. I tried to shhh him back to calmness before the wet-nurse took him back.

Bread and salt were brought forth for me then Lord Hoster beckoned me into his home.

I stayed at Riverrun for a week. Lord Hoster was a gracious host and didn't make any extreme demands from me to being my son home. His only request was that the boy be allowed to visit in the future to Riverrun. It was a condition I was happy to allow as the better relations I had with the Riverlands the better chance of trade for my people.

My hope was to lower the dependence on foreign food but I knew that it would take time to do so. The Riverlands would be useful to help feed my growing populace especially with the extra mouths I planned to soon add to my realm. That didn't mean I wouldn't use the fact the Reach was selling us food at a cheaper price to demand the same price from the Riverlands.

In the end I was able to refill my winter stores for far cheaper then expected and should be able to handle surpluses for the next decade which will help to foster population growth. If people did not need to worry about their next meal they were more likely to have more children. After all of Grampa has to go out into the winter to die to make sure the family survives the winter, then I doubt anyone would be in the mood for more little ones.

I also used the time at Riverrun to acquire more artisans like stone workers, carpenters, masons to travel to Mot Cailin to help build the new keep and city I hoped to build. It was my hope to secure these people to settle with their kin in the city.

Still the time passed too quickly with Robb and the Tully family and we had to depart. I sent Robb North with Lord Reed in charge of his safety to Winterfell as I split up the remaining army. Six thousand men traveled North to their homes with their lords while seven thousand men from Stark lands with those of the mountain clans of Wull, Knott, Liddle, Burely, and Liddle coming with me. In addition the Blackfish, Sir Brynden Tully whom was going to take up residence in the Vale with his last niece.

Travel about the lands was rough and long but it did have one benefit it gave me a chance to look into my game. It seemed that it wasn't like video games or books that people got to pick their stats or skills. I couldn't just slap points into anything actually. I didn't have points and couldn't see my stats except for bland titles. That is not to mention no observe or inventory. I found only one function and thought again for Status

Name: Yarl Eddard Stark

Age: 20

Home: Winterfell, The North 

Level: 25 Lord

Strength: Above Average

Dexterity: Above Average

Constitution: Elite

Intelligence: Elite

Wisdom: Above Average

Charisma: Above Average

You are the leader of the semi-independent country of the North. Your family has ruled these lands for thousands of years and installed loyalty in your banner-men with their fairness and harsh consequences for those that stood against them. 

Special abilities:

Ancient Blood - A: Wolfsblood minor- when angry your blood will pump stronger and make you stronger and faster. But you may not make the best decisions then always. 

Ancient blood major- First men magic - Your blood calls to you and you can feel the flow of the world around you. If trained you could use this to perform feats of magic not seen since the olden days. Further you have an immunity to the cold. You will never die from it for it is your friend. 

Linguist - You are gifted with the ability of tongues. You can read or write any language that you find and understand and speak any language you hear. You are a prodigy at understanding languages with no limit. 

That was all I had to go by and determine for my powers. The ability to speak the old tongue would be handy as I considered the future and the free folk that lived North of the wall and the mountain clans I traveled y see now.

It was ironic as it had been a concern of mine when I came to this world originally that I wouldn't understand anyone. Hell how did I know they people here would speak English or something like the system understood that concern and this was the solution? Who knew how it worked but I had time to try to figure things out for now.

I was brought out of my thoughts when a man riding next to me cleared his throat. "The Ned"

"Yes Liddle?" I answered with a smile to the larger man. He was huge almost the size of the mountain. I was not sure what they fed the mountain clan members but they were definitely made of hardy stuff. He held a sling on his hip and a large great sword on his back like my own. He had shaggy brown hair that was tied back and and a long face that was wearer from the elements. His nose was large and a bit red on the end from the heat of the south. His eyes were a deep brown of fresh dirt dug up healthy and strong.

"The Ned seems to upset about something?" I he man asked with a smile showing two teeth missing from his mouth.

"We have been away from home for far too longThe Liddle. I miss my home and I want to bring our men home to settle." I offered back with a smile for the man.

"Yet we come here to these mountains?" The man tilted his head as if to finish the question of why.

I knew the ma. Spoke better in the old tongue then the common tongue so I answered in that language, "Aye, unlike the North the first men that once lived here were pushed from their home to the mountains. They live and die fighting for their lands back now for thousands of years. Their clans have weakened and often they starve to death. These are our brother and I want to give them a chance to return to a place they can raise their people. It would be a boon to our numbers to have them join us. It would be a boon for them to live peacefully with us. It is a waste to see them strive for something that will never be in the Vale."

A light of appreciation of my using our native tongue came upon the older man. Now his lips split into a great smile as he answered, "That seems a good plan. Especially if the south will be giving us cheaper food for years to come. The gifts given back can be farmed and return crops and feed for the sheep and goats of the mountains and all of our people will be able to be successful together."

"I agree. Plus I have plans to make food even in winter as with more houses of glass like we have in Winterfell. My goal is for every clan in the north to prosper and even in the harshest of winters the old and young will be safe." I answered back to him with a warm smile. The feeling of talking in this tongue made me happy for some reason.

I got a slap on the back from the large man and a chuckle. "That is why we always will follow the Stark. You care for us all no matter the clan we are in."

"You are all my clan Liddle." I answered then stopped and stared as before us rose the massive Bloody Gate blocking all passage through the valley. It was said it had repealed hundreds of invasions just as Moat Cailin had done for the North. It was closed now but slowly the doors were swinging open for our passage.

I turned back the Liddle clan chief and smiled, " Soon we will be able to return home."