Meanwhile

(Location: Westeros)

(Time: 1 day after Sansa and Jon left)

(3rd person)

Catelyn Stark was a very happy woman, ever since they arrived at White Harbour things had been going very well for her and her family. The city was as lovely as it was the last time she visited with Ned, it was beautiful, not as elegant looking as Winterfell but there is a certain charm that you feel with a port town that just doesn't compare to inland cities.

Ned had been engaged in a private meeting with Lord Manderley and from what he told Catelyn, a betrothal contract between one of the younger stark boys and one of his granddaughters was likely to happen.

This made Catelyn pleased as it freed up Robb her eldest and the current heir to have a nice southern bride.

'Not that I'm opposed to a northern bride... but they lack the elegance and demeanour that Winterfell so sorely needs' Catelyn thinks to herself as she walks through the Manderleys keep.

'Perhaps Ned could arrange talks with High Garden, the Tyrell girl is of a similar age to Robb, It would do good to bring the brightness and style of High Garden to Winterfell, mayhaps they could build a bigger sept, the one we have now is only suited for small gatherings' Catelyn ponders as she walks across a balcony overlooking the courtyard, it is only mid morning so only the guards and servants seem to be awake, with the exception of some of the younger children of the visiting lords.

'At least a match between Sansa and the royal family is all but guaranteed, The princess would've made a good bride for Robb but I don't think either family would be happy with having two marriages between them' Catelyn blows on her hands before heading towards the guest wing of the castle where most of the families of visiting lords are placed, as guests of honour Cat and Ned were both housed in the Lords wing.

Passing through the corridors and heading through the castle Catelyn can't help but be happy 'Things are going well for the family and I've get to run into that bastard again, mayhaps I'll be lucky and he will have disappeared for good' Catelyn thinks as she smirks to herself, right now she was on her way to wake up the girls when she turns a corner and runs straight into her eldest.

"Mother!" Robb says startled as he holds onto her to prevent her from falling.

"Robb! Be careful what're you rushing around for so early" Catelyn says still startled at suddenly walking into her son.

"Sorry mother but I was looking for Jon for a spar but he's not in his quarters, have you seen him?" Robb asks with a cool tone.

At the mention of his name Cat can't help but scowl, though she does her best to hide it in front of her eldest since she knew how much Robb loved him.

'If only he could see what I do, he's opening himself up to betrayal' Cat thinks as she sighs to herself.

"I'm sure that Bas-Jon is skulking around somewhere, perhaps check the courtyard he could be training there" Catelyn says almost slipping in her usage of the word bastard.

"I've just been there, I've looked all over the castle, Arya can't find him either" Robb replies with concern in his voice.

'Good maybe he'll stay gone' She thinks to herself as she listens to her eldest.

"He'll show up, he always does, now not another word on it we will be expected in the Great Hall to break fast with the Manderleys so hurry and get ready" Catelyn says to Robb in a stern voice.

Sensing that he will not be able to convince her otherwise Robb just nods and heads back to his quarters to get out of his sparring outfit and into someone more befitting.

'Honestly that boy' she thinks to herself as she walks towards the Great Hall, she was going to wake the girls up but seeing Robb awake who is usually the worst at waking up she feels she no longer needs to wake them.

'At least when we get back to Winterfell Ned promised he'd send the bastard to the wall, even if it is a bit early' She thinks pleased with herself.

'Then the bastard can freeze to death or get killed by a wildling'

(Great Hall / 1 hour later)

The Starks and Manderleys were now gathered in the Great Hall and were currently being served food by the kitchen staff.

Ned was sitting next to his wife and Lord Manderley with Manderleys wife being on the man's other side. Ned was feeling thoughtful as he wondered if Sansa and Jon had managed to make up as they were never very close with each other.

'Doesn't matter anyway she'll probably never see him again' a part of Ned thinks as he feels a rush of guilt hit him at what he was going to do to Jon when they got home.

*P-P-Promise me Ned*

The feeling of guilt keeps worsening as he is reminded of his failures as a younger man.

*He still has family promise me you'll take him to them*

*She'll look after him*

*No...*

Taking a big gulp of northern ale, Ned tries to get rid of these moments from the past.

'Does no good to focus on the past, my family of the present need me' Ned thinks to himself as he draws his attention back to the table.

"Arya where is your sister?" Catelyn asks as she looks around the table, they were being served food right now so it is quite rude that she had not turned up beforehand.

"I dunno probably brushing her hair and thinking about how pretty all the knights are here" Arya says while forking a sausage into her mouth.

Before Catelyn can reprimand her Wyman Manderley let's out a booming laugh shaking the table.

"I'm afraid she's right, from here onwards the boys only get prettier, none of that northern charm" Wyman says with a large smile as he picks up a piece of bacon.

"Robb, have you seen her?" Catelyn asks her eldest as he takes a sip from his drink.

"I haven't, I did knock on her door earlier to see if she knows where Jon went but she didn't answer" Robb replies.

'Jon is missing?' Ned thinks to himself as he remembers the last time he saw both of them.

Catelyn signals one of the servants and asks them to go and fetch Sansa from her room, they bow respectively and leave the Great Hall in order to compete their task.

Ned can't help but feel a pit in his stomach so he faces his eldest son "Robb, did you say you couldn't find Jon this morning?" Ned asks with a hint of concern.

"No father I looked all throughout the castle, he must've gone into the city" Robb replies causally as he continues eating his breakfast.

Feeling his concern grow Ned waits patiently for the servant to return with Sansa so he can ask her if she knows where Jon went last night.

The servant comes rushing back 10 minutes later and rushes towards the high table.

"Milord I knocked but there was no reply so I entered but the bed hadn't been slept in and I didn't see anyone there" the servant says as she mumbles out the words.

Feeling the pit in his stomach grow even worse he can't help but clench the sides of his seat almost breaking the wood.

"Ned! We have to do something, who knows where she is" Catelyn screeches as she grabs onto his arm a lot harder than needed.

"Robb, gather Jory and the household guard and form a search party, Start with the castle and then the city" Ned says calmly but he's feeling anything but.

"I'll close the city down Lord Stark, my guard will join yours in the search, don't worry Lady Stark we'll find your daughter" Lord Manderley says losing his jovial mood and standing up from his seat once again shaking the table.

Ned Nods his head in acknowledgement to his vassal and gets up as well.

"Arya stay here with your mother and the boys" Ned tells the girl as he knows she's likely to sneak off.

Before she can argue Ned looks at her sternly which makes her back down and nod her head.

"Robb, let's go"

(1 Week Later)

Ned and most of the Stark family can be seen sitting at a table in their guest quarters, having had no luck in finding either Jon or Sansa the mood has increasingly darkened, though for some members of the family more than others.

"I swear by the seven that I'm going to have that bastard executed!!!" Catelyn shouts as she gets up and paces around the room.

"After everything he's given this is what he does, I knew the bastard was no good, born from sin" She continues ranting.

Arya not wanting to hear anymore of this stands up "SHUT UP!" She shouts to the shock of everyone there, before Catelyn can say anything Arya cuts her off.

"Jon would never hurt his family! He loves all of us! Father you believe that right? You know he'd never kidnap Sansa" Arya says in a pleading voice as she looks to her father for help.

Ned has been quiet for most of the week, mostly in his own thoughts, when he's not looking Jon and Sansa. He didn't want to believe Jon had kidnapped Sansa, it wasn't in Jon's character.

'Or maybe he is his Fathers son' A part of Ned thinks to himself conflicting him even more.

'You thought you knew Lyanna but the Lyanna you knew wouldn't of caused so many to die' The voice continues.

"FATHER!"

Snapping out of his thoughts he turns his head to his youngest daughter.

"I'm not sure Arya" he simply says shocking the girl as tears start to build up in her eyes.

"Robb?" She says quietly as she looks at her elder brother with a hopeful look.

Robb just turns away, if father hadn't of told them that the last time they were seen was together then he would be defending Jon too.

"It doesn't look good Arya" Robb says regretfully as he grabs the pitcher of wine to pour himself a drink.

"You're all okay with executing Jon!!!" Arya shouts out looking at her family minus Bran and Rickon as they had been put to bed.

"Gods of course not Arya" Robb says almost spitting out his drink.

"He will be executed or sent to the wall! I will settle for nothing less!" Catelyn shouts.

Ned looks tired and doesn't feel like arguing with his wife, they can cross that bridge when they get them back home.

(8 months later)

"How've you been Ned it's been a few hasn't it" King Robert Baratheon booms out as he claps Ned on the back.

Ned has currently travelled to Kings landing after hearing rumours of a young women with a head of fire richly dressed travelling in the city. He knew there was a close to zero chance of it being Sansa but at this point he didn't know what to do. It also gave him the chance to see his old friend again. His friend had filled out even more since he had last saw him during the Greyjoy rebellion, he still had his massive height though instead of being full of muscle he had softened and grown wide around the waist.

"It's been a trying time" Ned simply says as he sits down in Roberts Solar and takes the offered cup of wine.

"I'm sorry I heard what happened to your daughter, and for your own son to be the one to do it" Robert says solemnly as he shakes his head in disbelief.

"I know how you must be feeling at the moment Ned, it does hurt" He continues as he gulps all his wine in one go.

"Of course, how're you and the Queen doing" Ned asks as he sips from his cup not even getting through half of it before Robert is already starting on his third.

"You know how it is Ned, the Lannister bitch has always been a ball ache and nowadays I don't even get the good parts" Robert complains with a small chuckle as he takes a big sip from his cup.

"I'm sorry Ned, it must be a difficult time for you to hear me complain about my cunt of a wife" Robert says as he rubs his eyes, the same tired look that Ned had was also present on his face.

"It's a difficult time for us both, Where is Jon?" Ned asks wondering where his second father was.

"Ah I'm afraid the old goat is in Dorne, trying to prevent a whole political incident" Robert replies, Ned nods in understanding as he takes another sip.

"Don't worry Ned we'll find them, and we will kill the fucker who's responsible" Robert says as he tries to reassure his friend.

(1 year after they disappeared)

The mood in the Great Hall of Winterfell was solemn Catelyn was barely eating, Ned had barely talked to anyone and Arya stopped eating with her family, she took most of her meals in the kitchen now.

The only one trying to keep his family together was Robb and it was for Bran and Rickons sake, they were young so they were impressionable and were still upset that their brother and sister hadn't come back. It didn't help that sometimes their mother would fly into a blind rage ranting about the bastard. Nearly everyone in Westeros at this point had heard the scandal, the story of the viscous Bastard Jon Snow who had taken his sister in a jealous rage and sold her but not before violating her himself.

Catelyn had made sure everyone knew about Jon as she hoped that it would increase the chances of her finding him, though it didn't help, only reinforcing the fact that Jon had left Westeros. Though they did start calling him the Stark Slaver.

Ned had to accept that Sansa was either dead or had been sold, and Jon either joined her in death or was the one to sell her and he was now living in a large manse in essos. While a part of him didn't believe Jon would hurt his family, he can't help but be reminded of Rhaegar Targaryen and how he was the perfect prince until he decided to take what was not his.

'Did you really betray your family Jon' Ned sighs in sadness as he picks at his food.

Robb though trying to stay strong for his family was almost as devastated as his mother was, he spent many nights sitting in front of his fire place reminiscing about the times he had shared with his brother.

Even now he hoped that he was wrong and that Jon didn't take Sansa, but after hearing testimony from Wynafryd and some people at the harbour it didn't look good.

'I'll let you explain Jon, I owe you that much, but if I'm wrong about you then I'll kill you myself' Robb thinks to himself resolutely.

(High Garden)

Olenna Tyrell, the Queen of Thornes the mastermind behind any successful Tyrell scheme was currently reading updates from her network across Westeros, her granddaughter Margaery was sitting before her in her solar and next or her was Loras her brother, the two were like night and day, while Margaery was much like her grandmother Loras is the typical meat head thinking with his sword first and head second, in both respects.

"Anything important Grandmother?" Margaery asks in a melodious tone as she sips tea from her cup holding in her dainty hand. Margaery at an age of 1 and 6 could arguably be one of the most beautiful girls in the seven kingdoms, her long curling brown her cascaded down her back, her bangs were tied behind her head to keep her hair out of her face, she had a well structured and symmetrical face and a small button nose, though her most prominent feature were her large eyes that almost shone golden, needless to say she was a woman who's looks were only matched by her charm and wit.

She was wearing a thin green summer dress that had no sleeves, as she was around family today she allowed herself to show more of her bosom than she normally would as her breasts were fighting against the lace strings of the dress.

She had a thin waist and large hood and a backside that was still visible even in a long dress, she was the desire of many lords and their sons in the seven kingdoms but Olenna would only have the best for her Granddaughter, nothing less than queen would do for her.

"Seems the Starks have finally come to their senses, they've abandoned the search for their Daughter and bastard" Olenna simply says, passing the scroll to her granddaughter

"It's a shame such a maiden was taken by the duplicitous bastard" Loras says with regret making Olenna smirk as a small chuckle escapes her.

"Don't think me the halfwit your father is, you'd be more concerned with the bastard than you would be with the Stark girl" She says making Loras blush in embarrassment.

"It is a shame though, she would've made a good wife for Garland, securing both the north and the Riverlands in one marriage would've been beneficial" Olenna says regretfully as she waited too long.

"Pffffft and what benefit would the north give us? Would you like some ice in your drink grandmother perhaps a new wolf pelt" Loras says with a laugh at the preposterous thought of the north benefiting the reach.

"You seem to forget that Robert Baratheon our current king follows Eddard Stark around like he's got Arbour Gold pouring from his arse" Olenna says in a reprimanding tone as Loras shrinks under her gaze.

"Being tied to the Starks would've got us back in the kings good graces, something we need if we ever want our blood on the throne" she continues as Margaery finishes reading the scroll.

"There is still the youngest daughter, she's only a few years younger if I recall" Margaery states in her sweet voice as the afternoon sun reflects off of her eyes almost making them glow.

"No she won't do, she's a feral child unbefitting of becoming a Tyrell" Olenna simply states.

"No it looks like we'll have to come up with a new plan" Olenna thinks to herself as she taps the table with her fingers.

(Dorne)

Doran Martell is the current ruling Prince of Dorne, a lot of people consider him to be weak and when it comes to the body they would be right but the mind is all one needs to prevail in the Game of thrones.

Doran was sitting down in his solar reading reports from the spies he had placed in Starfall, when his brother Prince Oberyn Martell came running in obviously not looking happy.

Sighing and putting down his report he looks up at his younger brother who was currently pouring himself a drink.

"From the look on your face your mission did not go well, No?" Doran asks as he leans back in his chair slightly to wincing at the pain the movement causes.

"I was so close brother, she was on a ship to Lys where I would be waiting, but the ship never came" Oberyn states angry as he gulps from his cup before throwing it at the wall.

"Brother... I miss her too but you have to accept she is gone, this person you've been tracking across essos is gone" Doran says with visible pain in his voice.

"It is her brother I know it is, I can feel it in my heart" Oberyn says as he bumps his fist on his chest.

"Oberyn I need you here, instead of chasing ghosts we need to focus on the present and punishing those who are responsible for the deaths of our family" Doran speaks more sternly now leaning forward onto his table despite the pain in his legs.

Oberyn could be seen to be conflicted as he wanted to believe his niece was still alive, the small hole that she was has led him to the furthest reaches of essos from north to south, he thought he had finally gotten ahead of her and could finally bring her home.

"I can't give up brother..." Oberyn says with tearfilled eyes and a trembling voice.

"She's our Little Rhae how can I sit here growing fat and drinking wine if there's a chance she's out there" He continues speaking more loudly as he talks.

Doran sighs he knows how stubborn his brother is but he can't fault him for feeling this way, he hoped for a long time Rhaenys was still alive but being a leader means being pragmatic, he could no longer afford to hold onto the hope she was alive.

"I need you here, if you find a lead send the sand snakes" Doran says with finality closing off his emotions once again.

"What is so important that you need me here" Oberyn asks with mild sarcasm.

"The church is stirring, not just here but in every port town in dorne, I need to find out why" Doran says his voice dropping low.

"Pffft they are a group of madmen and drunks what could they possibly achieve" Oberyn says laughing at the ridiculousness of the group doing anything apart from begging for coin.

"I don't know which is why I'm concerned with their movements" Doran says with a frown on his face.

(The Citadel)

In a dusty room full of books, half eaten food and lots of wine bottles a bulky man can be seen looking into a black candle.

*One condition*

*Any dragon eggs are mine*

Sitting back and rubbing his eyes the man looked pale as if he had not been sleeping much he had bags under his eyes, he reached out for a bottle and grabbed it taking a swig.

"It took me a while to find you, but I did" the man says laughing.

"You were right, he has been reborn, the glass candle awakened not long after he went missing, magic is returning" He continues saying.

From behind him a woman can be seen approaching from behind, she had deep red hair and a red silk dress on, she had a beautiful face with unnatural red eyes.

"It seems old powers are waking" the woman says before approaching the candle herself.

"If that statue is what I've theorised it to be then everyone on that island is going to die" The man says with a grim look on his face.

The woman looks into the candle and the flame on top of it before coming back to reality and looking at her friend.

"The Lord of Light illuminates all those who seek light even in the darkest of places" she simply says.

(Yeen)

"Don't worry master, we'll be free soon" a man says as he stands in the warehouse where Jon previously found his sword, the man was looking down at the crack that been caused when Jon had swung Dawn down in an attempt to strike him down.

"We'll be free very soon..."

(???)

"Be careful Jon" a woman whispers as she looks at the sleeping form of Jon while he was in Salladhors cove.

"Some things should never wake, I won't be able to help you this time" She says sadly.

(AN: so the long awaited interlude for how things are going in Westeros, tbh could've made it longer but figured 4000 was enough especially since the next Arc takes us back to Westeros didn't wanna focus too much, anyway I'm sure you can guess who some of the people in this chapter are I'm more interested if you found my more ambiguous hints. Let me know if ya enjoyed it)