11

Summary:

Short perspectives from Ned, Cat, Jon, Arya and Sansa.

Notes:

Sorry for the wait.

These 'Shorts' chapters will be similar to the multiple perspective ones but with even shorter perspectives and scenes. They will also be shorter in length than the Multi-POV chapters and sometimes have two sections from the same characters. Basically the same thing.

Jon's part is a bit crack-like family fluff. There is a part mentioned that can be interpreted as truth, an exaggeration or a lie, though it is said like it is true.

Ned's initial part starts right off at the Morning of day 2 where Arya made the deal with Septa Mordane.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Ned:

After quietly breaking their fast, the children and their future children were sent off to their normal duties and lessons. Though some did not follow his and Cat's orders on where to go, Sansa's eldest daughter, the Baratheon looking woman, and the younger Dornish girl all went with the boys to the yard instead of to the septa. The Targaryen haired girl might have been dead, when he entered her head was literally in a book and had not moved even after her siblings left.

It was still hard to accept their presence, his grandchildren displaced from their time. With their arrival came the reveal of his great lie. As much as that relieved him, it frightened him and many thoughts kept him up that night. Not even one day in and Ned knew that everything was going to change. 

Both he and Cat continued to sit in the hall long after they had finished their meals. Their lack of sleep made them sluggish. With the rest of the children and staff gone, Ned could make out the soft snores of the Targaryen-Stark girl, so she was thankfully alive.

Eventually, Ned came to be in his solar thinking over the future as he waited for the knock at his door. Soon enough that knock came. "Enter."

Sansa's eldest came through with Jory manning the door. The woman held herself like a queen, a princess to be accurate. "Lord Stark." She gave a slight bow of respect, like her mother she had perfect form with her courtesies. At his disappointed look she corrected her words with a smile, "Grandfather, you sent for me."

"I did." It had been on his mind all night, Ned needed to ensure his family survived and he would not be too late to save them. Hopefully he would also be around this time to help. "I want to know if there are any immediate threats. I'd like to avoid them."

She gave him an approving look but still tisked. "Robert's arrival brings greater threats, until then there is nothing of danger. Though there is one thing that may take time to deal with, it would save a rather great deal of trouble in the future."

He already knew Robert and the Lannisters would be the greater threat, he had hoped this conversation would help him avoid those threats. "What is it? I can put my men on it."

"The Boltons." Her answer made him freeze, even she shivered. "I believe Roose's son is already dead, is he not?"

"Correct. The lad died of a sickness in the past year."

Alsauna hummed. "To our information it is believed his bastard half-brother Ramsey poisoned him to become heir. He eventually kills his father, a new half-brother and the babe's mother. The man is a monster, everything bastards are said to be and worse. He forced the widowed Lady Hornwood to marry him, raped her, then locked her in a tower to starve to death. Whether for sick pleasure or to claim Hornwood lands I do not know."

Gods, the boy was truly a monster. Ned had yet to even think about casualties outside his family in this future. Halys and Donella dead. Had young Daryn Hornwood also perished? Ramsey must be dealt with, but Sauna said 'Boltons' as plural, so Roose was also problematic. "And Roose?"

Those stoney orbs which matched Ned's own darkened with her face. "He betrays House Stark to claim wardenship of the North and Winterfell. Allied himself with the Lannisters and helped orchestrate Robb and Grandmother's deaths."

Clenching his fists Ned had to resist sending ravens and calling his banners. The man helped kill Ned's son and wife. But his crimes had yet to be committed. Even if Ned was distrubed by the man and held little trust in Roose, he could not simply eradicate House Bolton with no evidence. "What do you propose we do?"

"I do not know enough. We must catch them in the act. Evidence will be hard to acquire. The Boltons have connections with Barbrey Dustin and House Ryswell which could prove problematic, though neither should have much love for Ramsey I would presume. They turned on him easily enough when Father marched to reclaim Winterfell."

Ned had to remind himself that despite being from the future they did not know everything. But he would be watching the Boltons closely. He'd inform Wyman, Halys, Rickard, and Jon of the rumor on Domeric's death. That and what had happened to Lady Donella and Roose proved the bastard was ambitious. None would betray him for Roose. Unfortunately that was all he could do for now.

Catelyn:

After Arya's nameday it became evident which of the time travelers she favored for company, and to no surprise it was the warrior woman. Many days the woman would be forced to carry Cat's daughter inside from the yard as the girl was exhausted from her training. It often worried her but Cassana would usually give Arya easier lessons the next day.

Cat still did not approve of the weapons training but her fears about the future made her more amenable to the idea. With the grim future Cat just wanted her children happy and safe so she conceded and allowed the training. Arya was clearly happy with all the changes and working out her energy meant a lot less trouble was happening in Winterfell. 

Repeatedly Ned has mentioned how Cassana had Baratheon coloring, Cat agreed. With the girl in front of her and close, Cat could see the dark ring that marked the edge of her pupils was grey rather than a darker blue. They were lighter than the Tully blue but she could see flecks of the eyes of Riverrun in those pools.

The girl or rather woman was quite beautiful and had a body just as well made for birthing and feeding babes as it was for fighting. Without her armor on, Cat believed the woman's breasts could suffocate a man as well as her hands, they were big and there would be no fitting them in a man's breastplate. 

"Do you need anything, My Lord, My Lady?" The question did not break Cat from her analysis. Cassana's voice was not one for singing but neither was it harsh on the ears, it was just plain. 

Ned spoke up for the two of them, "It came to our realization that we kept forgetting to ask you for your relation to us. Until now." It was true, first; the talk about Jon, then Jon and Sansa, then Arya. Everything just kept coming up and they never got around to it until now.

"Oh," the woman was surprised. Her hanging jaw made her long face all the longer. "Oh, oh. I'm Arya's."

The surprise made Ned spit out his quick sip of his ale. Stone eyes blown wide. He stuttered his question,"A-Arya?"

Cat was just as surprised and her jaw too fell. She was also pleased, so pleased, her wild rebellious daughter who never wanted to marry or have children did so. A grandchild that was not sired by a boy she shunned for the first fourteen years of his life. Though it was disappointing that her one Stark looking child did not pass on those traits other than the long face.

"Yes, Arya is my mother. Well, she birthed me, Sansa, Jon and the others raised me."

The Tully nearly squealed, her daughters finally caring for one another! Just why that was, was the sobering question. 

"And your father? You have the Baratheon look. But I can't name a Baratheon of age with Arya if Robert's children are truly not his." Ned asked the big question.

Cassana grimaced, "Uh, my father is named Gendry, he was one of Robert's many bastards."

Cat had to clamp a hand over her month to not gasp disrespectfully in horror. Her noble daughter married a bastard! She supposed it should not come as much of a surprise however. At least it was a royal bastard. Amusingly she noted that both her daughter's married the sons of kings. The two's standards were admirable even if Arya, like always, had a little skewed interpretation. 

Sighing, Ned seemed to be less bothered by the news. "And your father, was he worthy of marrying your mother?"

Once again the woman grimaced and Cat expected the bad news from Cassana's mouth this time. "They never got the chance to marry, too busy, and Mother too stubborn. I believe him worthy though, everyone speaks highly of him. He helped greatly in the Great War." Her soft smile dropped a bit before her next words. "He never got to see me. He died protecting Mother hours before I was born. So I'm a bastard but Sansa legitimized me as soon as I was born." Cass's eyes were wet as she stood straight.

Unable to resist, Cat hugged the taller woman. Bastard or not this was her granddaughter and if her gods dislike the woman for her birth then they would have to go through Cat, she should already have their ire for the pox incident. "I'm glad to finally meet you. My granddaughter! From Arya!" The fact she was Arya's made her seem more special than Sansa's children, those she expected, Arya's however was a welcome surprise.

Moving over to them, Ned joined the hug. "Another welcome addition to House Stark. No matter your birth, we will love you." A few moments later in the hug he spoke up again, "And we'll find your father again, he must be a good lad if he got Arya's attention."

Both Cass and Cat laughed at that. She had to admit her husband was right, he had to be a hell of a boy to make Arya like him.

Jon:

"You're doing it wrong."

"I'm doing what you said to!"

Jon stared blankly at himself in the looking glass wondering what the hell he got himself into. Behind him were the girls, Robyn, Myriah, and Sansa with Jeyne Poole and Beth Cassell. He just wanted to go riding…

A sharp tug on his long hair made him wince, the hand holding his locks belonged to Robyn. The girl was being taught to put his hair into riding braids as Sansa had caught them on the way to the stables. Robyn's hair was already tied off with ribbons done by Sansa herself. 

Unfortunately for Jon, his hair attracted his future wife's attention, he prided himself on his hair even though he had no part in making it the way it was. The length had convinced Robyn that he needed braids if she did as they were similar lengths and he fell into her trap. At this point he was sure it had been over an hour, they might not even go riding at this point.

"Wait!" Myriah nearly shouted.

All the girls turned to the quarter Dornish girl and he debated making a run for it but he was mildly afraid Myriah might stab him for attempting to escape. As he learned in their spars she never pulled her punches.

The girl scared him sometimes, not that he could not best her in the yard regularly but she carried blades everywhere on her person and there were well over twenty. She was scarily talented with throwing knives too, she can hit a bullseye three times the distance that Bran can hit a target with a bow. The Dornish demon smiled a mischievous grin and turned and looked him in the eyes through the looking glass. "Since we are doing his hair… What do you four think of pink ribbons?"

Oh-no. His poor reputation...

Every girl squealed, nearly deafening him. While the other girls swarmed over towards Sansa's ribbon collection, Myriah leaned down to his ear. "You know... Al and Lya did this to you when they were young. You held court and commanded the room that day. I heard multiple people pissed themselves after they laughed and you asked if they thought your children's braiding was funny."

Jon nearly smirked at that, imaging the scene. It gave him a bit more confidence in himself someday being a father, something he never expected. The same could be said for being king, at least he knew he was imposing enough to command respect even under such circumstances. "I hate you."

"You love me. Even if I do terrify you." She smirked evilly at him again. "Now behave and I'll give you a hat." 

The other girls returned giggling like madmen and Robyn had a handful of bright pink ribbons. Robyn seemed to be loving his misery and how weird he looked, if anything her, Myriah, and Sansa's smiles were the only thing that made the process bearable.

He could only hope that Robb, Arya or worse Theon don't find out about this, he would never live it down.

Apparently it was not his day as when they were nearly done after restarting to add the ribbons, Lady Catelyn walked in with Robb, Arya, and their father. He never felt so humiliated as that moment when even Lady Stark broke out in laughter. 

At least Theon never heard about it. Thank the gods. 

Arya:

Everytime she was about to smack the dummy with another swing of the sword Arya imagined Jeyne neighing in its place. "Horseface," Jeyne had called Arya like always. Jeyne's mocking was one of the few things that had gotten worse since the time travelers arrived. Now that Arya spends time in the yard, the steward's daughter had more dirt to rub in that Arya was a beast. Though thankfully Sansa did not participate anymore.

Suddenly a hand caught Arya's wrist mid swing. "You're ruining your form." Cassana's blue eyes pierced through Arya like they knew her secrets.

"I wanted to hit something."

The woman huffed. "Then do it in form."

Arya was angry she just wanted to hit something. "I'm not training."

"Anytime you hold a sword you are training. Your body will remember every flaw. Come, let's spar." Cass moved to pick up another thin wooden training blade.

"I don't want to spar today."

Cassana sighed. "Do you think you will get to choose when you have to fight? Will you sit a battle out because a bird shat on you that morning? Do you think you won't be angry and scared when men that you know or follow you are killed before your eyes? Days that you don't wish to spar are the best days to do so. Now raise your blade and fight."

Instead of simply raising her blade Arya attacked. Each time she'd end up 'dead' but she felt a little better each time their swords met. 

They sparred until Arya was exhausted of her anger and energy. Sitting on the fences Arya watched Bran practice with the boys. 

"So what got you so heated?" Cass' eyes shone with concern.

Normally Arya wouldn't speak about it with anyone but Jon, however Cass is Cass and her amazing daughter from the future. "Jeyne Poole called me 'Horseface' and neighed at me."

Jaw clenching, Cass growled before relaxing with a sad look to her eyes. "Because of your long face?" Arya nodded in confirmation. "Ironic, she insults the Starks as a whole by doing so."

She hadn't thought of it that way, Jeyne probably had not either. Not knowing how to reply, Arya just decided to rant about her abuser. " Jeyne is dumb, she thinks she'll marry some rich lord and she'll be a lady. She is just mean, I don't know who would want to marry her even if she is pretty. Just because I'm not, she thinks she is better than me!"

"Unfortunately many men make such choices based on appearances alone and so do women." Sighing, Cass continued. "You just called her dumb, why do believe her when she says you are not pretty?"

"Because I'm not pretty. No one says I am, they all say so about Sansa though." Arya tried to keep the bitterness, resentment and jealousy out of her voice but even she recognized she failed greatly.

"Do you think I am pretty?" Was Cass mad? Of course she was pretty.

"Yes."

"And Nissa?"

"Yes." The other girl had the same coloring as Arya and looked like a Stark but was as beautiful as any of her siblings. So one of the most pretty women Arya had ever seen.

"And you aunt, Lyanna?"

Everyone in the North knew about Arya's aunt's beauty. Many lords talked about the woman in Arya's presence whenever her father was not around. "They say she was one of the prettiest in the realm."

Cass smirked at Arya's answer. "Yes, yes they do. Now, who does everyone compare you to?"

Her first thought was her father and Jon but then she realized. "Aunt Lyanna…"

"Now you get it. You are plenty pretty. And will become more so as you grow." Leaning down with a smile, Cassana nudged Arya's head to look at the boys. "You should know our long faces tend to look awkward until we are grown. Even Jon's. If only Jael were here then you'd be able to see the difference age can be. He looks just like Jon will."

Arya would like to see Jeyne's face if she does become prettier than the older girl. Snorting at the thought, she wished future Arya got sent back too. "Do you know what I look like?"

"You know I don't. But from what Sansa has told me, imagine a mix between Nissa and I. Her body and coloring, mostly my face but a bit more Stark-like."

If that was true, Arya would get the last laugh against Jeyne. Good thing she is learning to wield a blade, she has seen how men clamor for either women's attention. She'll fend them off at sword point if they come for her one day.

Ned:

"Son." Ned's voice broke the silence in the crypts. His arm ached.

Jon did not look back at him. Judging by the action or lack of it along with the narrowed eyes and clenched jaw, the boy was still angry with him, rightfully so. The two had not talked one on one since the revelation. "Were you ever going to tell me?"

He was, but Ned himself had no idea when. "Sometime," he said honestly.

Picking up on the vagueness only made Jon more bitter. "Sometime. I'm sure you said something similar in the other time. There it meant never."

Ned bristled at the mentioned fact. "I intended to tell you one day. I suppose I died before such a day could come."

"That is no excuse! You let me swear away everything I did not know I had!"

"You'd be safe. Everyone would be safe." Ned did not wish to mention there was nothing Jon possessed of value.

The words made Jon turn, in the orange glow of the lantern the purple of his dark eyes were visible now that there was little grey to reflect. "That is utter horse shit!" The boy did not particularly swear often so it was another sign of just how angry he was. He jabbed two fingers against Ned's chest painfully hard. "I've had enough lessons to know that plenty of murders and accidents still remain mysteries, no doubt I would be one of those. You must see what letting me go to the Watch looks like to me?"

It would look like he favored Robert. "I did not do it for Robert. The realm is at peace, another war would hurt everyone. You have heard all the deaths that come with the wars to come, that is what I wanted to avoid. It was what you wanted, was it not?" Surely Tywin or Robert would not break the neutrality of the Watch to kill a boy who gave away his vows. Though the Watch had few men and was ever dwindling, they could not survive without the rest of the realm. Even if Jon was killed openly they would not fight for a dead boy…

"What choices did I have? I could not stay here without you so long as Lady Catelyn does not know. The South seems no better. What more was there left for me? Where else can I lessen the stain I am on your honor?" Jon stopped to take a big exhale. "My claim was the best thing you had against the Lannisters, I don't understand why you would ever give that up. My mother surely would not want me there. Was that your plan for me?"

No. Lyanna would hate Ned for it. Benjen too protested it. Ned never pushed Jon away from the Watch, it always felt the easiest and best option and he never pushed Jon towards it. He wanted Jon to have the freedom to choose his future but in doing so perhaps Ned never opened any locked doors for the boy. "I'm sorry." Ned did not know much more to say.

The fire inside Jon seemed to weaken. His shoulders sank and with them Jon collapsed onto the damp stone. "I just wish you told me something about her. I can't count the number of nights I can't sleep because I wonder about her, maybe I can, it was almost every day. I just wanted to know if she was out there. Did she want me? Was she noble or a whore? Did you love her or was I just an accident as everyone liked to say?"

Ned should have seen it, he did see it, he just didn't trust Jon enough. That was what hurt, his son suffered because Ned did not believe in him to keep it hidden. Jon had asked so many times when he was young and Ned was naive to think that would ever leave. "I'm sorry son I kept this from you. But there is one thing I must give you. Help me with the slab."

Jon looked at him oddly before sitting up and moving to the other side of the large stone slab that made up part of the single stair to the statue of his mother. After a few minutes of effort they had it moved and both of their backs were sore. Jon looked down in the rectangular hole and the large box in the fitted encasement. "What is it?"

"Everything your parents left behind at the tower as well as anything of value your mother left here."

Staring at the chest with wide eyes, Ned witnessed a flicker of light get caught on something falling from Jon's cheek, a tear. The next moment Ned was embraced in a hug. Hard to believe the talk began with Jon bruising Ned's upper left arm. 

Sansa:

She caught Jon on his way to the Godswood just like she planned. Almost everyday he went to the heart tree or the crypts. Since they got the direwolves and the time travelers arrived, he had been both more broody and sad as well as happy and confident. Sansa could understand it a bit, his parents' story was one worthy of a tragic song like Jenny's Song. What confused her was his lack of happiness about being king, or maybe he was, they haven't talked about it.

"Are you heading to the Godswood?" Sansa already knew the answer of course.

Halting at the sound of her voice, Jon turned and granted her a slight smile when he saw her. "Sansa." She loved the way he said her name now, something about his northern lilt warmed her more than any fire in the keep. "Aye, that was where I was heading, unless you need something?" It was sweet that he'd abandon his task for her needs.

"No, I wanted to accompany you. May I?" She'd use the puppy eyes as Robb called them if she had to. The Tyrells were expected to arrive any day now and Sansa wanted to be alone with Jon one more time before lady Margaery might try and steal Jon for herself.

Skeptical eyes examined her. She did not blame him for it, he knew her to dislike the weirwood, plus she was up to no good, plenty of good actually. "If you wish, my lady." He took a few steps towards her before slightly bowing with an offered hand. When she accepted it, he kissed her knuckles like they were playing princes and princesses when they were little. He always was good with his courtesies. 

Sansa giggled at the thought and he nearly chuckled too. She had to wait until they were through the gates of the Godswood before slipping her arm in his. One too many times she pretended to almost fall or stubble; while he caught her every time, there was once they most almost fell.

The two young direwolves ran besides them, Ghost seemed to have convinced his sister to run around and play. The white wolf was the second best behaved of the litter and despite being mute and an albino on he still remained the largest of the litter in size. On a few occasions Ghost has stolen his brush from Jon and found Sansa to brush him instead much to his master's chagrin and her amusement. 

Even though she was sure Jon knew that she was faking the falls he did not bring it up, it was the only thing that made her less embarrassed at making herself look clumsy. Jon clearly was impressed with neither her false blunders nor her her intent. 

Before the weirwood Sansa could almost feel the eyes watching her, perhaps someone was observing her if what her daughter said was true. That was why she came here with Jon, was it not, so whatever happened was never forgotten. The red eyes scared her just a little bit less now they reminded her of Ghost and his master. When Jon made no further moves to pray, Sansa spoke. "Have you ever kissed someone? Romantically."

Taken off guard by the question, Jon was at a loss of words for a few moments. "Uh, no." He looked away from her with slightly red cheeks, he was embarrassed she realized even though he gave the right answer.

"Good. Neither have I. The other girls will get your other firsts so I want this one." She gave him a couple of seconds to take in her words. Hoping he would not move away she put one hand on his shoulder and the other turned his face back to her. 

Under the red canopy and clear sky she noticed for the first time that his eyes were not grey but a dark violet like a cloudy sky on the final cusp of dusk and night. His hands moved to her waist as they did during some dances and his thumbs comfortingly rubbed her sides. Eventually he dropped his head lower.

Sansa met him halfway with her eyes shut. Her lips met his surprisingly soft ones without the awkwardness that she experienced when practicing with Jeyne. He was oh so gentle, his lips kneaded her bottom lip carefully. It was wonderful. Then there was a shift in the air around them and she felt relief, safe, and more feelings she could not identify. 

Eventually they parted and Sansa's eyes remained closed. It was chilly without his heat. When her eyes opened it was a stranger's face that greeted her, well not a stranger's, it was still Jon's but different.

Through their mixed breath that lingered visibly in the now cold air, Jon's face was no longer that of a boy but a man. Gods, was he handsome. His hair seemed darker and his violet eyes brighter. His closely trimmed beard and scars around his eyes made him look manly and found the perfect balance between pretty, rugged and handsome. Atop his head was a dark iron circlet with small swords protruding vertically from it and engraved with runes. He wore white, red and black and was lacking a cloak.

Though Sansa never looked away from his eyes, she could feel the weight of a heavy warm cloak on her shoulders, the white fur peaking just into her vision. A crown or something sat securely on her head. Shouts, claps and cheers broke her out of the daze and after blinking once then again, it all faded away to silence.

Jon, her Jon, stared at her. Had he seen the same thing? 

"That was nice then odd but nice…" Sansa blurted out the words from where they floated in her jumbled mind. 

"Aye..." Soon enough Jon came to his senses and removed a hand from her waist to offer her. "Shall we head back."

"Yes, Your Grace." She jested referencing the daydream she just had.

"Jon," he corrected. "Always Jon, for you."

"Jon..."

Notes:

The big thing: yes both Jon and Sansa remembered something from the other timeline. This will only happen when the characters know something of their other life. In this case they did not know the wedding attendants so they did not see them, only each other as they knew they married eventually.

Also Jon still does not quite see Sansa romantically but wishes to give her at least his first kiss as she wanted, she is by far the youngest of his wives and will have to wait out quite a bit. Margaery and Val don't seem the type to wait long. I will say seeing grownup Sansa is a pretty strong catalyst, we all know his possible thing for redheads. I don't know if I'll age her up by a year to help. He kissed her knuckles because he knew she would like him to do such.

I'm trying to avoid bashing characters in this, though there will be a few more cases of Ned getting some of what is due for his actions such as from Elia and Martyn Cassel. Cersei will get her due though, she is a horrible person but this will stem from in universe reasoning not just pure distaste.

Most of Sansa's thoughts will be explored in her own chapter later.

I forgot to mention I'm also aging up Myrcella by three years so she is about a year younger than Canon Sansa.

Next chapter will be Jon's second perspective chapter as both Val and Margaery's parties arrive at Winterfell.

Upcoming Chapter POV Order:

Jon II

Cat II

Ned II (Robert's Arrival)

Elia II

Multiple POVs III (Robert, Jaime, etc.)

Sansa I