Ch. 5 Broken Family Pt2
Standing in front of the statue Ned's voice was lost in his throat as he saw Benjen setting flowers down in front of it. Looking down he notices dead flowers, some looked as old as a couple of weeks, while others looked to be left there for months. How long has he been putting them here he thought to himself. "We need to talk about your actions just now, Ben."
"There's nothing to talk about if she wasn't your wife, I would have already taken life by now," Ben replied not even turning to face him.
"How can you say that, I know she's not your mother but she still raised you." Ned tried saying before he was interrupted by laughter.
"Hahaha, do you really believe that uncle? Well, let me tell you how she raised me and Jon while you were out of Winterfell. This might be the first time she laid her has on me but it's not the first time she put her hands on Jon. Did you know Jon has a wonderful voice, it sounds like an angel. Your wife walked in on him singing and playing the harp and do you know what she did? She slapped him and broke the harp. "Saying how dare a bastard like you have a good enough voice to sing like that. That he doesn't deserve a beautiful voice because he's a bastard born out of sin and lust. That is the only reason she doesn't throw us out to freeze in the cold is because she doesn't what to mark your honor with another stain. The first stain is you bringing us back and declaring us as your bastards instead of killing us. Saying that she will do everything in her power to make sure we can't do anything to make a name for ourselves. I found Jon crying under the stair, and I had to force him to tell me what happened. I wanted to cut her down right then and there when I learned that was the first time she did something like that to him. He begged me not to do anything, so I let it go. Tell me, uncle is that how you imagined us getting raised? What did we do to deserve that time of treatment? And that's just a small part of everything."
"Let me tell you another story so you understand the love she gave us. Did she ever tell you what she did to Jenny Poole the servant girl for Sansa? Your wife made the rest of your kids other than Robb and Arya believe we're demons born out of sin and lust. That we were going to bring ruin to your house. So when Sansa saw Jenny kissing me, she went to tell her mother what she saw. And did you know what she did? She made the guards take turns on her for the whole night, saying it was better to be a whore than to love a bastard and give birth to more bastards. She took her life the next day after writing me a letter saying she was sorry, but she couldn't take it not knowing who the father would be." Benjen barely got the words out of his mouth while tears were falling down his face and his hands dripping with blood from his wolf like claws piercing his flesh. " I loved her, and your wife took her away from me. She calls us demons but to me, she's the real demon."
After hearing everything Ned felt sick to his stomach. Wondering how all this happened under his nose. "Tell me what their names are, tell me what guards took part in that, and I'll" Ned tried saying before Ben said
" I already killed them, I killed them all. The only people still alive that took part in it are your wife and daughter. The only reason they're still alive is because of the respect I have for you uncle."
"Why do you keep calling me uncle"
"Because I'm not stupid, I can smell the dragon blood within me and Jon. Jon might be oblivious to the truth but not me. You know there was a brief moment when Jon and I wanted to be knights and protect Robb and let no harm befall him, but now that's over. You might have been able to convince Jon to join the Night's Watch, to give up his right to the throne but not me. I'll right every wrong that has been done to my family, through fire and blood and ice, and death. You can thank your wife for the monster that she created. Now if you will excuse me I have a hunt to go on, or would you rather I vent my anger here?" Ben said walking away. "One last piece of advice, Starks don't far well in the south. So don't trust anyone, especially anyone that your wife says is trustworthy. I mean, after all, she did all this under your nose. What does that say about the people your trust? I'll be back in a week in time for the king's arrival."
Those were the last words Ned hear before he was left alone in the dark with nothing but his thoughts. He didn't leave the crypt until the next day. Ned didn't know what to do, he couldn't even find the strength to look Jon in the eyes much less Ben. Wondering if he broke the promise to his sister. For the next week, Ned ignored every attempt his wife made to talk to him especially when she brought up wanting to punish Ben for what he did. Ned didn't know if he could ever look at his wife the same. When did she become so bitter and cruel? why didn't he notice sooner? He could only hope the king's visit would go smoothly.