17

Notes:

A shorter chapter than the most recent few but this takes place in a single day and it is still longer than most of the early chapters.

Quite a bit of this chapter resembles canon with some minor changes.

Some quotes and direct wording have been directly taken from A Game of Thrones or the TV series and they belong to George R.R. Martin and/or HBO, as well as the characters and all the other canon stuff but that goes without saying, this is fanfiction.

Warning: creepy Robert is fairly prevalent in this chapter. No rape or anything sexual though, just him being creepy.

Edits: I changed a few parts in the previous chapter to make Val and Jon's interactions to be a bit less romantic and more lusty.

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

The thunder of hooves could be heard for minutes as they awaited in the primary courtyard. Knights and freerider in their polished gold, silver and steel armor. Billowing gold banners carrying the black crown stag of House Baratheon, yet half the banners carried the golden Lannister lion, the retinue more a pride then a herd. 

Some of the riders were of enough renown even Ned could identify them, others he had personally met for better or worse. Jaime Lannister had not changed much, or rather he hadn't based on Ned's original assessment of him in the throne room. Sandor Clegane was as scarred as they say. The lanky blonde beside the Hound looked smug astride his horse and unimpressed with the castle. Further behind them was Tyrion Lannister as recognized by his obvious impairment.

The residents of Winterfell dropped to a knee or curtsy as Robert arrived, shadowed by two white cloaks. As the children had said Robert was fat, very much so, he was a giant in both senses of the word, height and girth. His weight did not stop him from swinging off his horse like a young man, or that was the idea, Robert swayed on his feet for half a moment. Flicking his hand up everyone rose and by the time Ned had stood Robert had him in a bruising hug that gave Ned a whiff of heavy perfume, wine and sweat. "Ned! Ah, but it is good to see that frozen face of yours. You haven't changed at all. Though you have gotten fat."

Ned was in rather fine shape to be true, Catelyn had even said so many times, the same however could not be said for Robert. Raising a brow Ned mimicked Robert's assessment but judging the king, prompting a boisterous laugh from the Baratheon. Unlike Robert, Ned was almost the same man he was during the Siege of Pyke, admittedly a little more grey but five or six children will do that to a father, not to mention his other responsibilities. "Your Grace, Winterfell is yours." Not that Robert noticed but Ned's eyes were looking over Robert's head. 

It was well enough timed to give him just a glimpse of Jon, Val and their children inside the window of the covered bridge. The children and their mother had refused to kneel before anyone even if they were directed towards Jon rather than Robert. None wished to ask Jon to either, so he was supervising the group.

All the stable workers were busy ferrying mounts of the visitors. Cersei Lannister with her youngest two illegitimate children entered the courtyard on foot, her wheelhouse presumably too obscenely large to fit in the gates of Winterfell. Proper decorum demanded he kneel and kiss her ring when she offered, he wanted to do nothing more than scorn the woman for cuckolding his childhood friend and all the pain she caused his family. The woman probably would take pleasure in the act and his dislike if only she could sense it. 

Introductions went on. Robert gave Ned's children rather impersonal complements, he gave Arya a few more moments than the rest. Ned paid close attention to Sansa when the so-called prince greeted her, his daughter played the perfect lady as always and gave no impression of anything untoward. Arya was grumpy but besides that behaved well.

Turning to Ned as soon as the formalities were behind them, Robert spoke, "Take me down to your crypts, Eddard. I would pay my respects." Robert's queen protested but he brushed her off.

A part of Ned loved Robert for his devotion to Lyanna even after all these years but he could admit that no longer was it devotion but obsession. They only met once and Robert spent more time drinking with his bannermen and Brandon than giving his betrothed any time of mind. Lyanna was gone, had been for fourteen years and Robert's obsession with her might have crippled the realm. As he was calling for a lantern, Ned noticed Robert with all his weight freeze.

Tracing Robert's gaze past Theon in the second row, past Vayon in the third, all the way to Minisa in the back looking wide eyed. Ned cursed himself for his ineptitude, the girl looked like Lyanna, a more tame, taller and slightly lighter haired Lyanna. How did he let this happen?

"Robert." Ned's voice took a few seconds to get Robert's attention as if it had to bounce around a few times in his skull before hitting its mark. "The crypts."

The fat king nodded slowly and moved to follow the lord of Winterfell, though he did linger and look back ten too many times for Ned's liking, but he would let Robert have a few moments to process. They walked in silence, delved the spiralling steps as near silent as the king's heavy breathing could be. It was as they made it onto flat flooring that Robert finally spoke, "Who was she? That girl."

"Nissa. She is the daughter of a cousin." Ned used Minisa's false name, but if he slips and calls her Minisa as he had been then he would be lucky they sounded so alike.

"You've never spoken of any cousins." Robert had always strangely paid more thought to Ned's family than his own. As a boy, Ned had liked that, now though he finds it was something he shouldn't have encouraged or abetted.

"Aye, that would be because I didn't know about them. They are of my grandfather's bastard's line, conceived sometime during his time in Essos as a sellsword. I learned of their existence through my tracking of the two companies of Northmen, so I knew as much as you until recently."

The mention of bastard, sellswords and companies were enough to make Robert chuckle. "That should have been our life, Ned. Moving from one fight to the next, getting paid for it. We'd be free to fuck girls with not a care for marriage or bastards."

That never would have appealed to Ned but he had no desire to pain Robert any more than he had to, "Maybe if we were young again." Ned wouldn't have given up his children for the world, if he had been sent back to the Rebellion he didn't know what he'd do.

"You say there are more? Other cousins?"

Ned chuckled, too many, he thought. "A whole pack of them. The main family with the Tully blood and some half-siblings and their half-sibling's half-siblings, as well as a few strays they picked up. Fourteen of them, they gave themselves the name Wildpack under the customs of Essos. I had them come here to get to know them and have one of the girls train my younger daughter with a sword."

Sharply turning towards Ned just a few steps before Lyanna's tomb, Robert leveled Ned with a stare. "The small one?" The king threw his hands up when Ned nodded. "Can she even lift a blade? Let her have dolls or give her a needle and she'll be better off for it, you will be as well. I don't want another Lyanna in this place." Robert looked around at the damp stone and darkness. "They deserve someplace with the damn sun, flowers, fruits and the wind." 

Frowning, Ned thought that despite all that Robert wanted to be a part of the Stark's family, he didn't understand them, perhaps he never had. "This is where they would have wanted to spend eternity, with family. Come, she is right there."

A fresh winter rose had been placed in the cup of her hand, most likely placed there by Jon and forgotten to be removed but it could be explained easily enough. It felt traitorous to bring Robert before her, but he must, he hoped she could close her senses just for a moment. As talk turned to Robert killing Rhaegar, he couldn't help but feel this was torture.

Mostly they spoke of Jon Arryn and his young son but soon enough Robert made his proposal: "Lord Eddard Stark, I would name you the Hand of the King."

Inwardly Ned sighed, he knew it was coming but it didn't make it any easier. He didn't want to, he didn't want to leave Cat or his children or the North but he had to. To keep things predictable, they had to change as little as possible. They needed a man in the snake pit if just for a moment to get the snakes out of their holes. Ned took a knee before his childhood friend. "You honor me too greatly, Your Grace."

Robert went on to shock Ned with his lack of care towards ruling, he'd been told but to hear it straight from the source was another thing. It was all true, Robert was a glutton, drunk and a whoremonger, a disappointment all by his own admission. In an attempt to convince Ned, the king spoke heavily of the south, of its women, sun and fruit, none of which Eddard ever put much value in. When he started speaking of being brothers bound by blood, Ned knew what Robert wanted next. "My Joff and your Sansa shall join our houses, as Lyanna and I might once have done."

"Sansa is barely twelve."

Impatiently Robert dismissed the concern, "So a year or two they could marry. A betrothal would be fitting, do you not agree?

Sighing, Ned rubbed at his face. "Robert, I don't want either of my daughters to be queen. The pressures to birth sons, southern court, Stark don't fare well in the south. I'll be your hand but my daughter will not be Joffrey's queen."

"You can't be serious, Ned. She'd be a queen." Red bloomed acrossed Robert's cheeks in frustration, brightened by the orange glow of the lantern.

"I'm serious Robert. Cat would agree, we want our family close." Ned was frustrated, he hated this, the shadow of the crown was always present with this Robert. When they were boys Ned could win an argument using facts, now Robert got what he wanted so Ned needed to throw a bone. "Your daughter, I have two sons close enough in age with her, she could foster here and befriend Sansa. Whichever son she favors." Ned knew she wouldn't marry either of them, it was a waiting game, a dirty game.

Softening, Robert's shoulders sagged. "Damn you Ned. Cersei won't be happy."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Ned countered, "Neither will Cat. I once again ride south alone with you. Will you at least give me more time with her?" It risked exposing Jon but he needed a few more days with Cat, for his sanity.

"Cersei bloody wheelhouse made our journey a hellish crawl, I'll be damned if I didn't stay for a break."

His family had outdressed the royals, Cailin and Minisa had perhaps overdone it. The patterned silks of Robert's family didn't compare to the embroidering and designs of Ned granddaughters. He had seen the effect it had on the queen, she was none too pleased. Joffrey's eyes said he shared his mother's sentiment. His sister though seemed mesmerized by the beautiful outfits.

From his place at the high table Ned could see the entire sea of tables and people inside the Great Hall. Knight and squires seated closer to the door. Right below the dias his children and Cersei's sat together with Theon, Jon, Val, the Tyrells and the other girls. The next table over, held the time travelers.

"You've been hiding all these beauties from me, Ned." Robert eyed Ned's grandchildren or cousins to the king's knowledge. "They the cousins you spoke of"

A sickness rose in Ned's throat. "Aye." Naively he had hoped that was the end of it.

Humming approvingly, "The big one with the breasts, who's she?" Robert's comment made the bile creep even higher.

Forcefully swallowing back his disgust, Ned answered, "Cassana Wildpack, an adopted stray. She's ruled the yard since she arrived and the best smith I've ever met."

Snorting up some wine, Robert punched his chest as he coughed up air. "My mother's name…" his voice was quiet and reverent before he returned to his previous state. "She runs your yard? Surely you must have some capable men, one of your sons maybe?"

"I have plenty of capable men, that woman is just more so. The man that looks so much like me there, is the best swordsman I've faced since Arthur Dayne and he loses to her." Ned didn't mention he had never fought either Jonnel or Arthur.

"Really? Now, that is a fight I'd like to see. She is a whole lotta woman." Robert switched his lusty attention to another girl, "What about the redhead in white scales?"

His knuckles turned white but Ned gave no other sign of his disapproval. "Alsauna, one of the true Wildpack. Even though she is the eldest trueborn she is second in command to the dark haired woman in violet, one of her half-sisters."

When Jeor the raven jumped on to the table, Robert gasped as Minisa came back into view. "The one from earlier, what of her?"

Ned wondered if his grandchildren had planned blocking Robert's line of sight, if he had prohibited the animals from the feast would Minisa be seated on the other side of the table? "Nissa, she is one of the trueborn. My family's attire is made by her and her triplet sister Cailin, the other older redhead. She favors dancing. She even managed to make my youngest daughter catch up to my eldest in just two moons and Arya hates dancing."

"She's a beauty, she looks just like her."

Sighing, "Robert, she isn't Lyanna." Ned looked to the neighboring table for a change of topic and spotted one, "Tommen seems taken with Bran's direwolf." The boy prince fed meat to the wolf by hand.

The sight seemed to make Robert solemn, "He once had a pet fawn… one day it might have become a stag." Robert was not one to care much for life, especially true for animals, the man loved little more than a good hunt so his distress was odd.

Surprised by Robert's change of mood, Ned became intrigued. "What happened to it?"

Ignoring Ned's question, the king focused his attention on his massive appetite and the new course set before them. What could shame Robert into silence?

Taking the time, Ned observed his children and Cersei's. Joffrey sat by Robb and across from his brother at the table end, his golden hair hid his face but the boy's lack of interactions revealed his dark mood. Bran and Sansa appeared to have befriended Tommen and Myrcella, the two Lannisters seemed to have inherited little in nature from their mother and real father, they seemed good. It might be more work but they should be saved, Ned refused to liken himself to Tywin.

Down the table, Ned watched as Jon caught Val stealing a sip of his one permitted cup of wine, it only took the girl a smile to make Jon concede defeat. With Jon, Theon and Nymeria with her, Arya was entertained enough to behave, thankfully. When Robb wasn't entertaining Rickon his face held a false smile and Ned couldn't blame him, Joffrey's presence killed the mood at that end of the table.

Halfway through the courses Ned watched a group of his grandchildren exit the hall through the door at the back of the dias. They returned with Jonnel carrying a black harp strung with silvery strings, Rhaegar's harp. Gulping, his eyes followed Cailin leading Jonnel to the small staged area where a bard played a bawdy song that Robert and many of the men loved.

Sweat began pooling on his face as the diners applauded the bard as he stepped aside to join the feasting and let Cailin play. He prepared to hear the beautiful tones that made many ladies shred tears come from the harp, instead a beat of her boot echoed through the halls. The strings played an upbeat rhythm. The rhyming verses had the singalong tone to them, similar to the bawdy songs before. Cailin sang of a healthy kingdom rising out of a harsh winter and a ruler beloved by his people. 

"Oh the spring the king did bring,

Oh these strings a' ring and sing,

for my king."

Her arm raised in the direction of the high table but was slightly off target and was in reality pointed between Robert and Jon's table. Unless you knew better one would believe the song in tribute to Robert but the singer and her passion made it clear Jon was the real subject if not the specific use of 'my king' rather than 'the king' as the final words.

Ignorant, Robert loved every moment of it, clapping loudly at the end with those large hands of his. "I could use some more songs like that! Ned, she make any of you? Perhaps of your battle with the Sword of the Morning?"

"Not that I know of."

A few testing plucks of the strings sounded before Cailin closed her eyes and began a beautiful melody. Her euphonic soulful voice finally came in a few moments later as she sang of the wild grace and strength of winter roses. Lyanna and his daughters came to mind. 

Some songs later Jenny's Song nearly brought tears to his eyes as Harrenhall came to mind. He feared any who'd been there would link the song to the harp but none made any hint of noticing the connection.

A space was made for dancing soon after and Jael took up post guarding the harp as Cailin returned to their table and to dance with one of her siblings. Robb offered Myrcella a dance as expected of him. Sansa was forced to accept her first dance with Joffrey when he offered. Bouncing on her toes Minisa led her brother Jonnel to the open floor.

Robert's eyes tracked Minisa's every movement over the top of his cup of wine. "Such a beautiful smile." Ned was not going to mention that the smile the king liked so much wasn't from Stark blood or even Tully but the dragon's blood Robert so loathed. The man never caught the unease each of his comments caused Ned nor did he care for his wife's glare.

The next song came and Robb and Sansa paired, Myrcella joined Baelor with a crimson blush, Joffrey sought Margaery next, and Jon joined Minisa. 

"That your bastard?" Robert asked.

Ned wished he could know what Robert was thinking at the moment, or perhaps not, Robert's mind was a place best left unexplored. "Aye, that is my son."

"You ever going to tell me of the mother. What was her name again, Becca? No, that was one of mine, the one the gods blessed with those big tits. Aleena? No, that was another of mine. Merryl? Gods Ned, put me out of my misery." Robert leaned back in his chair and eyed Ned expectantly.

Sighing, Ned remembered what he was supposed to say. It wasn't hard to let guilt, shame and sorrow take him. "I told you her name was Wylla but I lied. Wylla was his wet nurse." Past Robert Ned could see Cersei and Cat listening in not so discreetly.

Balking, Robert's eyes widened. "You lied. Eddard Stark lying. I don't believe it." His voice was quiet as even in his drunken state he sensed the mood.

His heart became heavy all on its own. "It was just after finding Lyanna… Cat and I were married. I wanted to protect her honor. I wanted my family in Winterfell. She… she died because I took him away. She died because of me…" He hung his head, he told no lie but it felt horrible to use her memory like this. "She wanted me to side with Rhaegar so I could be pardoned, sailed from Dragonstone to White Harbor and caught me at Moat Cailin. I shouldn't have… not again, not when I knew I would marry Catelyn." That was the lie, his inability to speak only aided it.

Cat turned to look at Jon angrly before standing and leaving without a word. She did her part, he didn't imagine it was too hard for her to conjure up those memories and feelings.

"Gods Ned." Robert's breathy exhale smelled grossly of sweet wine. "Why now?"

Ned rubbed his eyes. "He's starting to look like her." Her being Lyanna, Jon had always had her look, but sometimes when his eyes had that violet tint and his hair was wet and darkened, it was so easy to think of Ashara.

"Fuck, Ned…I'm sorry." A heavy hand patted Ned's back.

Breathing in deeply, Ned tried to return to a normal state. That didn't work, so he downed a cup of ale. The conversation thankfully didn't continue. Though he caught Cersei's cruel grin at his distress.

A different song was playing now, Minisa and Robyn were doing their own little dance ignoring what everyone else was doing and both were more happy for it. The little redhead being spun around and twirling while giggling giddily.

Watching their two children while in their own dance Jon and Sansa shared grins. The two looked like they were meant to be together. Sansa's dress is the same light silvery color as Lady with blue roses and accents matching her eyes, the look paired well with Jon's white and red. They were their wolves, as they spun in circles he could picture the direwolves doing the same. Before everything Ned never would have thought of the pair, but it looked like it worked and reminded him so much of himself and Cat.

When the dancing died down Cailin went back to her harp joined by some of her siblings. The room quieted down noticeably as the group took seats around the harp. Even from a distance Ned knew Cailin's kind smile was directed at him. 

Jonnel's stomps set the beat as Cailin started on the harp, slowly hums and vocals came in. The group's feet created a rising tension to each chorus they sang together. The words described scenes of a wolfpack working together and aiding each other when wounded or against great threats. When little Aerea messed up a verse that no one could hear and looked upset she was swiftly pulled into a side hug by Jonnel who didn't miss a beat. The tension rises the highest for the final chorus as they sing the unifying but foreboding final line.

"For this pack hunts as one."

Celebrating the end of the song Varon downed a mug of whatever drink was in it and leaned into Dalla's shoulder. The whole group was leaned in together: Varon, Dalla, Minisa, Cailin, Robyn, Jonnel, Aerea, they were the essence of unity as depicted in the song. They received loud cheers from the two tables their close relatives sat at.

Robert now below the dias watched Minisa skip happily back to her table with her youngest sisters. Many heads turned to look at the woman. 

A haunting tune came next, slow ringing chimes that lingered in the air and rose the hairs on the back of one's neck..

"From the great north,

The cold wind blows,

The dark storm grows,

The ol' white death arose.

Winter's march never slows,

Not for the gold,

Not for the bold,

Not for the Wall o' old,

For their hearts oh so cold."

The remainder of the group continued to sing the dark rhyme of the Others. Despite his lack of interest in music he had to admit his grandchildren were talented at changing the mood of the room through music. 

Suddenly Jonnel stood and the harp halted instantly. The other arose as Jonnel rushed towards their table with an icy face. 

Ned's heart stopped at the sight he turned to. Robert held the back of Minisa's head with one hand and her rear with the other as he forced a kiss upon her. She had one arm between them futilely trying to push away, shiny wet streams flowed from her eyes. Myriah had a knife between her fingers readying a throw. Jon, Robb and the other boys were trying to stop it in a nonviolent manner and were even trying to gently pry Robert away.

Seeing Minisa's free hand dropping to her rising leg for her knife, Ned acted though he should have been quicker, no matter how much Robert deserved to be stabbed at the moment. Slamming his empty mug on the table as he stood. "Robert!" His shout silenced the rowdy hall in seconds. "Let the woman go. If you seek to dishonor your wife, get a whore. But I will not sit idly by as you force yourself on my blood, my staff or anyone against their wishes. Especially in my keep." 

The King turned on him red faced, whether from anger, embarrassment, wine or a mixture of them all was unknown until he spoke. "The hell you say to me Ned, I am your king!" Robert's drunken yell was heavily slurred. The two white cloaks drew their blade and stepped towards their king.

"And I am in large part why you are such. You named me your Hand and if you still wish me to be then show my family and people respect or you can leave my castle without me." Ned stared down his best friend. This may have been a mistake, it could get violent but Winterfell has withstood greater storms than Robert Baratheon. "Unhand her. Now."

The hand holding her head was removed but he still kept her as close as her stiff arm permitted. "She wanted me~" Nobody believed that.

"Look at her tears and say that again." Minisa's frightful tear covered face reminded Ned so much of Lyanna when death creeped closer to her and Jon. 

Robert released his grip on Minisa, she covered her chest even though thankfully the Baratheon did not rip the clothing. After a loud exhale, Robert spoke almost quietly, "Damn you Ned." He moved back to his seat of honor. 

With the king out of the way, Ned could see the odd bumps of Minisa's wrist, the one she had used to distance herself from Robert, it was clearly broken. Minisa was escorted back to her room by all her siblings as well as her father, mothers, aunts and uncles. Ned could not help but imagine that in the place of Jon's girl, it was Lyanna, Arya or Sansa who's tears were running in front of all in the hall. 

Was this man the man Lyanna saw while Ned could only see his best friend? What would her fate have been had they married? How many broken bones might she have suffered fighting back? Would Robert have been different? Had Cersei and kingship twisted Robert into this or was this always the man Robert was?

Unable to stand his former friend's presence for the moment, he gave Benjen command of the room and sought the others.

Peeking his head through the door to the crowded room, Ned was met with silence. Scowls and clenched fists or emotionless masks of ice that burned holes through the grey walls of the keep. If a dragon heated the keep's walls, then its fires were becoming hotter and the water boiling, all while a winter storm built outside. If their visitors overstayed their welcome, they'd burn inside or freeze outside.

Minisa sat at the center of the room, blank faced as Maester Luwin worked over her wrist. Ned hadn't noticed her brows before but they were neither they came from neither Stark nor Tully. Without her usual happy demeanor, they sat along the precarious edge of her eye sockets, the inside ends dipping slighting into the concavity making her look naturally solemn and displeased. On occasion she made a near snarl in pain when Luwin adjusted her wrist but the girl never so much as cried. Looking in those cold stone eyes, Ned finally understood his own reputation, they held a chilling bite to them. "Thank you." For a moment the stone turned as soft as clay before they hardened once again.

"He's a man who's rarely been told no. I should have noticed sooner. I'm sorry." He really should have seen it but his eyes and ears were focused on the dark song and blocked out the dark deed happening before them.

"A child more accurately. Adults are those who take the harder path, those who seek accomplishments and reap the rewards, they do not drowned themselves in easy pleasures, food, killing, power, gold, fornication, the past, they get their pleasures through sweat, hard work, emotional bonds, family, love, the future, all that is hard. It is easy to follow one's impulses, it is hard to resist them. Children make war, adults end them," Daena ranted in that soft voice of hers.

Nodding, Cailin addressed Ned's guilt. "You need not feel guilty. You did no evil, only Robert. You put an end to it as soon as you noticed. There was no greater action you could have taken."

"They are correct, my lord and wisely spoken." Luwin looked to Ned as he prepared pieces for a splint for Minisa's wrist.

"Thank you, I'll ensure your safety inside this keep. I promise you, inside these walls no further harm will come to any of you." Ned would vow that before the gods.

Alsauna eyed him, "That is a promise impossible to keep, you are soon to travel south to act as Hand."

True. Ned was going south to protect them in some manner. "Then I shall have to do my best to keep my words true." Nodding to his granddaughter, he turned his attention to his daughters. 

Silently stewing in her anger, Arya looked ready to stab someone. Sansa looked shakened, never before had she witnessed such an abuse of power, never had she witnessed the dark truth that reality could be. In fact Arya too seemed a little shocked. 

Kissing both his girls on the tops of their heads, Ned looked towards Robb and Jon. They had an air of self loathing, Ned could tell they were disappointed in their inability to prevent what occurred. Ned put a hand on each of their shoulders. "You two did good. Neither of you could have stopped him, Robert is still a strong man and you are still boys growing. It was wise to use your words but Robert was nearly drunk beyond reason, only my voice could have stopped him. I am proud of you two, all of you for standing up to him." After giving them a nod, Ned left the room, Catelyn needed to be caught up.

It was well into the night as he and Cat stared at the ceiling when the loud knock rattled the door. Both of them were still dressed to some degree, neither quite in any sort of mood for anything like they might have on other nights. He had upped the guards around the family chambers and Garlan had given a Tyrell man for each entrance as well, so his family shouldn't be in danger. "What is it."

"My lord, Maester Luwin urgently begs an audience." The guard answered through the heavy wood door.

A fear poked at him. Had one of the children gotten sick? Had Minisa's wrist been worse than believed? "Send him in."

Luwin watched Desmond close the door behind him before he turned to address Ned. "There is no imminent danger my lord and pardon me for disturbing you and the lady's rest but a message was left in my observatory while I was tending Lady Nissa."

"And no one witnessed the messenger?"

"No, my lord, my servants saw nothing. When I returned there was a fine wooden box upon the table, it was carved. Surely it must have been carried by a member of the king's entourage or the envoy from the glass merchant." Luwin deduced, though Ned knew if Martyn wished for a message to reach Ned he only had to give it to Jory.

Cat, perked up intrigued, her shift and underclothes protecting her modesty. "A wooden box?"

Nodding in confirmation, Luwin elaborated, "Yes, inside were new lenses for the Myrish eye in the observatory of the highest quality, but I have made no request for any and would have mentioned such a purchase to you over accounts. I believed they may have been a gift from the envoy but I discarded such an idea as they have no reason for secrecy. So I dismantled the box and discovered this for Lady Catelyn." From his sleeve the old man removed a small sealed roll of paper.

"Bring it here," Ned commanded.

The maester made no move. "Apologies, my lord but it is addressed to Lady Catelyn and her alone. May I approach?"

"You may." Catelyn allowed. She shared a look with Ned, they'd keep no more secrets. They needed complete trust for the times ahead.

Luwin set the roll on a bedside table and retreated to the door, awaiting dismissal.

Seeing the small moon and falcon of House Arryn pressed into the blue wax, Ned sighed. "You are dismissed Luwin." The old man didn't need to hear any lies Ned's good-sister may have spewed on that little roll.

Nodding, the grey clad maester disappeared through the door.

Moving closer to a candle, Cat read the letter. "Lysa, she claims the Lannisters killed Jon Arryn. Cersei to be exact. She even wrote it in a language we made as girls. I question whether that was Petyr's idea or her's." Catelyn let him look at the message, not that he could read it.

Slipping out from under the furs, Ned moved to the fire with the paper. It was a cold night, if there had been any clouds there would have been more summer snow. With a fire started he put the words to the flame and watched them burn until the flames neared his fingers. "We know better this time."

Catelyn embraced him as he returned to the bed. He can't imagine the betrayal she must feel. Her sister's lies and actions brought their family into a war that cost them nearly everything.

Just as he was about to drift off with Cat's head on his chest, more knocks came from the door. Groaning, Ned called out, "What is it this time?"

"A little girl, my lord, she refuses to leave until she sees you, she threatened to sleep on my boots or scream until you came." Ned could hear Desmond's tired yawn through the door.

Giggling at the threat Cat answered, "Let her in."

The door inched open and a slim little girl slipped through the crack before it was even a quarter open. She was smaller than expected and instead of bright red waves were wild curls of a dark soil brown. "Grandmother," a hesitant voice softly said once the door closed behind her, Ned hardly heard her. Being half way between the door and Ned, he had no fear Desmond might have heard Aerea's word choice. 

"Aerea?" Cat asked over Ned. He could tell she was a little confused on how to proceed, like him she probably thought it was Robyn at the door.

She nodded her little head. "I had a nightmare of the fat man. May I sleep with you and Grandfather?"

Both he and Catelyn had to resist laughing at her word choice, Cat had called Robert the exact same thing in their earlier discussions. Surprising Ned, Cat beckoned the girl over with her hands. " Of course, we'll protect you from the fat man. You'll be safe with us. Why did you choose to come here instead of your father?"

"Robyn beat me to him and all the other girls are grouped up in Mother's room because it is the biggest. I wanted to be different so I slept alone but I had the nightmare. I get all the attention here." Her round brown eyes looked like shining gold under the candlelight.

As the girl came to the edge of the bed, Ned smiled down at her, his granddaughter of sorts. "That you do. So come over here." Doing as he said, Ned lifted up the girl and placed her between him and Cat.

"You're hairy." Aerea commented about his exposed chest.

Cat laughed sleepily. "He's a wolf, they're furry."

Giggling, the girl snuggled into Catelyn who surprisingly reciprocated. "Dragons don't have hair," Aerea said softly.

"Do dragons snore because wolves do, or at least this wolf does." Cat teased him with her drooping eyelids covering half her mirthful sapphire pools.

Leave it to a little girl with a nightmare to bring back a happy mood after a long tiring day.

Notes:

I went with the trope of Robert being a creep to Lyanna look alikes but I think it is relatively possible, if not highly possible especially if he was drunk. It is a fairly common trope in FemJon fics. I tried to hint that something was coming with his obsession and mentioned his drinking a lot beforehand.

Also Ned doesn't know Ashara is still alive, he believes his lie about Arthur and his refusal to let her raise Jon caused her to throw herself from the tower.

I nearly had a part where Joffrey made a comment about Sansa becoming fat when Jon give her an extra lemon cake during dessert and all the Starks getting pissed at Joffrey, but I decided not to have Joffrey reveal himself to be a complete bastard to Sansa so soon.

Hopefully the song parts weren't too obnoxious, I have a strong distaste for songfics and that sort of stuff annoys me for whatever reason, so I hope it didn't bother anyone. This chapter and maybe one more down the road should be the only ones like that. I also wrote those bits of the songs, so forgive me if they are bad but I hate poetry and I wrote them anyway because I'm a masochist, not really.

This chapter included a fair bit of canon with the crypt discussion and the message from Lysa but I tried to make the little changes that would stem from the changes that have already been made. As we go more and more things will be different, as less and less remains unaffected by changes.

Next chapter will have perspectives from Robert, Jaime, Cersei and I think Mance or Val as well. Should be a fun time.

Upcoming Chapter POV Order:

Multiple POVs III (Robert, Jaime, etc.)

Elia II

Sansa I

Rhaenys I