299 AC, Winterfell...
The Stark family broke their fast at an early hour and following that Ned recounted what happened to him and why he was not around. Everyone listened to him with rapt attention.
By the noon a raven arrived at Winterfell announcing the death of Edmure Tully because of an accident. Edmure did not have any child so Catelyn's children were first in line and Brynden "Blackfish" Tully called upon his niece and grandnephew to Riverrun. He was the one ruling over as regent but he did not want to undertake such a heavy task and marriage was not for him after what Hoster did. He wanted Bran to inherit the Lord Paramountcy as he was old of age and had no intention of taking a wife or making an heir.
Catelyn wept for all day and night at her room but come the morning she was already ready to go. Though she did not want to go right now as Ned returned just yesterday, it was her brother who was dead and she needed to be there.
They were on their way after they broke their fast and Bran was going with her albeit a bit too much willingly as he had dreams about knighthood and glory and Blackfish was the epitome of knighthood. Though there were some protests Ned sent Lurs with them as protection and advisor to Bran.
Ned also left Winterfell the next day for the Wall as the wildlings were descending upon the Wall and already, the news of them did arrive at Winterfell. Though Robb asked his father to take back the lordship, Ned refused it and said his son was already doing a better job than him and he had to be at the Wall to take care of the wildling issue and to find Jon. At the mention of Jon, Robb was taken aback as he reminded of his uselessness at this problem. He should have been the one who went to the Wall to search for his brother but he was stuck with lordly matters and it was the easy way for him to do so. Even though Arya repeatedly pestered him about Jon, he had put that matter aside and did not want to deal with it.
However, the hardest thing to decide was not Jon's disappearance but Theon's stubbornness. Though Theon was a good fighter and fought beside him during the war, his rashness and stubbornness gained him no favour amongst the lords and after the war, his advises in lordly matters gained him many enemies as he always gave wrong advises and were harsh with them. Of course, Robb trusted him in many matters and this resulted in bad relations between Winterfell and other keeps for a time.
Thus, Robb distanced himself from Theon and focused on his lordly matters. Theon began whoring and drinking all day while running his mouth fast about his good suggestions to Robb. This created a rift between two brother-like young men.
…
The Wall
Ned arrived at the Wall several weeks later as wildlings groups attacked them on the way but were slaughtered in return. However, what greeted him upon entering the Castle Black was not the Lord Commander but Alliser Thorne and the old maester.
"Lord Stark." Thorne and the old maester greeted him but Thorne did not bow and regarded him coldly as he was still stuck at the Rebellion's days and held grudge against him.
Ned also greeted them back and they made their way to the meeting room while his men went to their lodgings. The room was as old as the castle itself and the heart fire was not lighting every corner.
"We heard the news about your coming, Lord Stark. However, we were not expecting this much men and we do not have resources to feed them." Thorne said.
Ned looked at his frowning face and said. "We will not be last to come as there will be many more coming from other houses to give support. Of course, the North will provide the food they need and will contribute to the stores of the castle for lodging."
"And we are grateful for that, Lord Stark." the old maester said. "We prepared the King's Tower for you as I'm sure you must be tired from your journey."
Ned nodded with his head and left the room. From the stares he received on the way, it was obvious that the ale and wine he brought with him from the Winterfell's cellars was going to meet a quick end by tonight.
And indeed, the night passed with laughter and roars in the great hall and many were wasted and lying on the floor come by the morning. Headaches were common and the door the maester was full of knock all day.
In the meantime, Ned had a brief meeting with the Bishop of the Wall's temple and received orders from him. He was to meet with the King-Beyond-The-Wall and offer him their terms. If accepted, welcome them to their lands and if refused, exterminate them.
It took nearly two moons but the wildling army finally arrived before the Wall and many things happened during that time. First of all, Karstarks, Umbers, Norreys, Flints, Glovers, Ryswells, Boltons and many other houses sent their men to the Wall and with them came most of the lords. They received news about a mutiny at the Craster's Keep and the death of the Lord Commander Jorah Mormont. Jon returned from the south side of the Wall with the news about a vast wildling army with giants amongst them and some tall tale about White Walkers.
Ned was not worried about the threat posed by the wildling army as with the men sent by the houses, nearly thirty thousand men were manning the Wall and with their advantage of being the one sieged, they were in great odds.
Jon's claims about the White Walkers were seen as nonsense by the lords and his brothers. An election was held for the position of Lord Commander and the only prominent candidates were Denys Mallister, Cotter Pyke and Janos Slynt.
By the tenth day, the votes were nearly even; Denys Mallister 352, Cotter Pyke 295 and Janos Slynt 296. For someone to be elected there had to be at least ⅔ of votes given to one person and at this rate it was impossible. The rivalry between Denys Mallister and Cotter Pyke was known by everyone as Mallisters and Ironborn was enemy to each other since the ancient times and it was impossible for them to give each other any votes. On the other hand, Janos Slynt was new to the Night's Watch and he was known to be a commander of the City Watch so his chances were higher but he was a Lannister man throughout and Ned couldn't let him be elected as a Lord Commander.
At first, Ned thought about bribing those two rivals to elect Jon as the Lord Commander but the boy's raving about White Walkers and his recent sympathy towards the wildlings were concerning so he had to find someone else and to his rescue came one of the mountain clansmen when he was talking with lords. Lord Torren Liddle's firstborn, Duncan Liddle or known as Big Liddle. He was one of the rangers serving in the Castle Black and was known as an honourable man. Also, him being a noble before joining the Night's Watch and receiving education about the ruling was a bonus to his cause.
Ned solved the problem that could have been continued for at least a few months with a few subtle threats and promises of food during winter to the castles they were commanding. On the twelfth day, Duncan Liddle was nominated by a sworn brother and elected as the Lord Commander receiving ⅔ of the votes.
The next day, a party consisting Denys Mallister as the representative of the Night's Watch, Lord Eddard Stark, Jon Umber and Rickard Karstark with some guards went beyond the wall to parley with the wildlings on a neutral ground. The heart tree was selected as the neutral ground and only the lords and chieftains were to be at the sight.
Ned talked about their terms on the way with his lords and all of them tried to argue but Ned reassured them this was just a formality and the real purpose was not accepting them but accepting their children to the North. They were to be raised as proper Northmen and trained to guard against a possible invasion from the South. In the end, they relented albeit unwillingly as the wildling children were going to be, at least, out of sight.
Soon, they reached before the heart tree and saw the wildling party awaiting them. However, what surprised them was a real giant amongst them sitting on a big trunk of a tree and looking at them menacingly.
Northern lords stopped at their tracks and looked at the wildling party and the giant cautiously. However, laughing sound entered the ears of the Northern lords as one of the wildlings with black hair rose to his feet.
"How is life treating you, turn-cloak?" Deny Mallister asked maliciously. "Do you still remember Sweet Larry you have slain to escape?"
"Ah, Mallister!" The man referred to as turn-cloak smirked. "Long time no see and I missed you too. However, I'm sure you did not come here to have a little talk. Isn't that so, Lord Stark?"
Ned frowned at his words as the man looked like a thief from the streets. "And who might you be?"
Before the man could answer, Deny Mallister spoke. "A turn-coat, my lord. An old Night's Watchman and the new King-Beyond-The-Wall, Mance Rayder."
Ned felt like he saw the man before somewhere but still, he couldn't recognize him.
"Lord Stark, when we heard a Stark coming here we expected your son, not you. Last I heard, you were either dead or missing." Mance Rayder said. "You must have forgotten me but I still remember you. I was at the feast when you welcomed King Robert, as a bard you can remember."
Ned frowned and recalled the feast but the bards were so unimportant that he did not remember them as they sang the same songs all night.
"Cut the shit short, wildling!" Lord Umber roared out. "We did not come here to listen to you rumbling."
The red-haired man beside Mance snorted, "Do you want to be food for old Duh Wan Mag Mar Tun Doh Weg!!?"
The giant showed his teeth while Lord Umber held the hilt of his greatsword. Finally, the tension was broken by Lord Stark's words, "Enough! No blood will be shed under an oath." He turned to Mance, "Our terms are simple. Bend the knee and we will let you pass the gates."
A long silence befell to the weirwood and only after a long while waves of laughter from the wildling's side broke it. "There is a reason we are called free folk, Stark. We do not bend the knee. Now, hear my terms; you will open the gates and will let us pass so we won't kill you or… in a more peaceful way, you can let us stay below the wall until winter passes and we will return to our lands after winter."
"Bullshit I say!" Lord Karstark yelled out, "There is no guarantee you will go back. Ned, there is no need to talk with these savages. We should just kill them if they attack."
Ned looked at Rickard with a stern look then turned back to Mance. "Looks like we won't have an agreement. However, I will give you one last chance. After your defeat, you can send your children below the age of nine to us and we will accept them without a condition but only the healthy ones." Ned looked at the giant and waited for a few seconds, "Even your giant friend can his kin."
Mance grumbled and looked at his men. A wariness and hopefulness took over their eyes but it was quick to go deep into their eyes and hide there and a stern look took over it. "There is no certainty of winning so no need talk so soon. However, we will consider your offer, Lord Stark."
"I will be awaiting you by the Shadow Tower, Mance." Denys Mallister said and turned his back. These were the last words uttered as both groups went back to their camps.