Ned 1

293AC

He had heard of the Galleons of Arthur Baratheon from Lord Manderly of course, but it was another thing to see them in person, great castles that sat on the ocean, with their sails scraping the clouds.

Or at least, that was what it seemed like to him. He had never liked the ocean much. Sailed all of twice I'm his life, to and from Pyke at Robert's request. He half chuckled to himself, now Robert needed him again, and so he came, with a martial of some of his best men, though less than he had hoped. Not all of his vassals were willing to war against a foe so far away as Volantis, even out of respect for Robert or for Ned himself. Only half of them had sent men and not all of as good a quality as he would hope. Lord Manderly at least had been an exception, tied in as he was now to the missing Prince Arthur's company. Indeed, down at the docks, he could see the distinctive three-story building which Wyman had informed him was the Prince's office. Apparently supported in its height by steel pillars in the walls, of all things.

Ned honestly couldn't imagine having enough steel to waste on buildings when it could be used for swords, but then southerners did like their status symbols. Lord Wyman seemed quite taken with the Prince in general, and White-Harbor did seem to be doing well by the increased trade, especially in Ironwood.

"If the Seven had only given me a daughter Lord Stark I might have won myself the richest son in law in Westeros." The Lord had chuckled. "Honestly I'm surprised you didn't put your little Tully up for the betrothal. Would have been nice to have a visit from the fleet that every Mummer in Westeros is writing sad songs about."

"Sansa?" Ned sighed, it had been a… tumultuous issue in Winterfell. "Cat Wanted to. She thought the marriage would be good for the house, and she was probably right." Ned closed his eyes, it hadn't been an easy decision. "But as much as I wouldn't mind tying my house to Robert's, I wasn't going to marry my daughter away so young. Every time she brought it up I just saw Lyanna in my mind and I couldn't do it. I won't go offering Sansa's hand to someone she's never met."

The Manderly lord nodded. "Aye, I can see your reasoning at that, though frankly, I'd have married my boys off to a Frey if it meant keeping them out of the maid's underclothes, though thankfully it never came to that and they've both straightened out with age." The old lord looked at him with a hint of sadness in his eye. "Do look after Wendel, won't you? You're going a lot further than King's Landing this time, and I love the boy dearly."

"I'll try to see your son through this in good shape Lord Manderly, don't you worry," Ned said, putting a hand on the old man's shoulder. His word was as good as an oath, and his vassal knew it by the relief on his face. "I don't intend to lose the pride of the North to some Essosi sellswords."

Wyman nodded at that, before turning to the dock. "I imagine the King is on one of those big Galleons, probably the Great Stag." The Lord gestured to one of the ships coming into the wide docks of the harbor. "If you can't guess that's the one with the Stags all over the sails."

"I think I could have figured that out." Ned chuckled, before patting the old Lord on the back. "I'll be sure to see your son to you when I get back."

As he departed the balcony, he wondered if he would be able to do the same for all the other sons he was taking with him on this voyage. One was manageable, but as in every battle, there was no way he would be able to keep every man alive. How many would lose sons, fighting in a foreign land against the last vestiges of a dynasty that by all rights should be dead.

'Well, not entirely dead.' He thought, his mind turning to the young boy who remained at Winterfell, but then, Jon would never be the kind of monstrous tyrant that Robert now called him to fight. The Red faith was, from what he had heard, as monstrous as the Boltons of the Dreadfort in the worst of their stories, and perhaps beyond even that, what with their slavery added atop their cruelty.

And wasn't it Aerys who had burned his family alive? The son taking after the father was a little surprise.

He gripped Ice's hilt as he thought of the cold wrath that had filled him in those days, so much thrust upon him by the hand of the mad king, his father and brother dead, Lyanna gone?

He would give anything to avoid that happening to his family again. That was something worth fighting for. Just as much as his friendship to Robert.

And speaking of his friend, he saw the great armored for of the King, guarded by his white cloaks as he stepped off of the enormous ship, and soon found himself drawn into a crushing hug, laughing along with the other man, who he had to admit, he had not seen in far too long. His troubles seemed to melt away in the enthusiasm of the man's presence, and Robert seemed to look younger without the beard he had worn in the Grey joy rebellion. A tad sadder than he had been in their youth, but more the old Robert he knew and loved.

As they laughed and joked it felt like a return to form almost, and Ned realized why after a moment.

This was war. There was nothing confusing about it. They had an enemy to fight, and an army to lead, and he was together with Robert once again. They might be older, gimme than they were before, but it was still war.

There was nothing the two knew better, even now.