Author's Note 1: Hey guys, this is somewhat of a slow chapter, but I believe it is important to show what each kingdom is doing. Obviously, I will not do so one after another since that would waste too much time. But yeah, since the North will be the main kingdom in the future, I needed to show what was happening while Robb is busy in the South. Also, I tried to illustrate Ned's mentality; in my opinion, he is somewhat of an overthinker, so he is blaming himself a lot. However, I tried to show him pushing past that by seeing his children do so much and all that. Let me know what you think.
Important Note:
Hey guys, sorry for the delay... Like I told my subscribers, things really hit the fan in my family last week. I won't bore you with too many details, but my mother was laid off from her job on Thursday, and she was the sole earner in my family. It was a really tough thing to deal with, especially since she had worked at that company for almost thirty years. So yeah, things went downhill, and that news hit me hard. A lot will have to change in my family because of this, and even if she manages to find another job, the pay will obviously be much lower.
I study in another city, and my mother helped me with those expenses, so right now I'm debating if going back home next year is the best idea, since I'm nowhere near being self-sufficient.
Ugh, life sucks... but there's nothing else I can do but face it head-on. Wish me luck, guys/gals. If you'd like to help, I'd really appreciate it if you could share this fic so more people can see it or gift powerstones to help it rise in the ranks.
Also, I WILL need to start another fanfic to see if I can grow a bigger fanbase, which would help me—or at least I hope so. The new chapters won't be as long as these ones, but don't worry, I won't post less from my first fanfic. I plan to finish this one, since I hate leaving fics unfinished.
Eddard Stark
Winterfell
I didn't know why everything went to hell. No… I did, it was because I tried to do the honorable thing and save the Lannister children, giving Cersei the opportunity to flee. I didn't expect that she would answer in the way she did. Killing her husband, taking control of the throne with her forces, and ignoring Robert's last wishes.
It shouldn't have surprised me; not everyone put the same weight in their honor as I did, but that just meant I had been foolish.
Foolish to help Cersei, foolish to trust Littlefinger, foolish to leave Winterfell trying to help my best friend even with all the bad feelings his visit gave me.
And the ending of my honorable action? War, I started a war that consumed the Riverlands, the lands of my Catelyn were burning because of me.
I always believed that doing the right thing was the best course of action, speaking the truth, and honoring the promises made. But the path I paved since my youth, since Robert's Rebellion, felt twisted, a road paved with corpses. My friend, Robert, dead. My family, scattered, trying their best to fix my mistakes, the North bleeding, my men dying in a war that was my fault. My logic said that this war would have started even without my meddling, but a nagging voice inside my head whispered that everything was my fault, that I started it, and thousands of people have died and it was my fault.
I tried to protect the realm. I tried to save them. Yet here I am, a father who has failed his children, a lord who failed to protect his people, a man whose honor cost him so much.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even notice someone approaching me, startling me when I felt a soft hand on my shoulder.
"Husband," Cat said with a soft tone in her voice, and I couldn't help but smile slightly. Even after everything, here she was supporting me when I needed it the most.
It had been only a week since we reached Winterfell after Robb saved me from the Lannisters' clutches, and seeing her hurting but supporting me all the same lifted my spirits. I couldn't even imagine what would become of me if I didn't have her in my life in these harrowing times. Cat, Sansa, Arya, and the rest of the children were what helped me the most. Something I was sure Robb took into consideration before sending me here.
The thought of Robb gave me a surge of pride in my chest. He had become everything a Stark should embody. Honorable, ruthless, capable, and most importantly, a caring person. He honestly cared for his people, and with his actions, he had become the King of these lands. It was not done; a child wasn't called a King if his sire was still alive, but the people of the North did so because he was the one who could lead us to greatness.
He was like the Starks of old, nothing like me. I knew of the whispers of my fellow lords; they disliked the decisions I took, they felt I wasn't Northerner enough, sometimes that I was weak, and I couldn't deny it. I was only a second son, I shouldn't have been thrust into the position of the Warden of the North, it wasn't my fate to do so. But the Mad King came, and then Father had to die, with Brandon dying not long after. And here I was, thrust into a position I shouldn't have, I was never taught how to do this work, and while I tried my best, I knew it wasn't enough.
Shaking my head, I tried to focus on the present, tilting my head, and leaning into the support of my wife.
"Cat," I said softly, "How are the children?"
"They are well, Ned," she replied, "Sansa has been following Lady Elise like a lost pup, trying to learn everything she can when she is not helping around the castle."
I smiled upon hearing that. Sansa had matured so much in this short amount of time. I always knew she was intelligent, and I couldn't thank Robb enough when he showed us the peak Sansa could reach with the proper nurturing.
It all started all those years ago when Robb had the proposition to teach Sansa how to be a true lady of the North, learning alongside him and the other boys under Maester Luwin, and she took the lessons like a fish to water. I snorted at that thought, considering the Tullys' banner. But that wasn't all, she was a true political beast, better than anyone in the family even with her younger age. She learned and learned until there was no more, and Luwin was so happy with it that he continued nurturing her, often approaching me to take her to court so that she could learn in practice, asking for her opinion in alliances, bartering with merchants, and talking with the smallfolk.
"That is good," I sighed, "I just wish she could enjoy her life as a kid her age should."
"She is happy helping the family, dear," Cat replied, and I felt a knot in my stomach hearing that. It was because of my actions that she couldn't play or do other childish things to pass the time. Instead, she worked from waking up until dawn trying to fix the mess I made.
Cat, seeing this, jabbed me softly in the head. "None of that, dear," she huffed. "I don't know how many times we need to say this, but this is not your fault."
I lowered my head, knowing that if I couldn't show weakness outside my solar, Cat was the one who had seen me at my most vulnerable and loved me despite this.
"It doesn't feel that way," I sighed. "If I hadn't trusted Littlefinger, if I didn't try to save Cersei, none of this would have happened."
Catelyn sighed, her hand moving along my head with surprising tenderness. "Your honor is one of the reasons I fell in love with you, dear."
Taking a deep breath, she continued, "You made mistakes, we cannot say the opposite, but you did them because it was the right thing to do. It is not your fault that other people see honor as something that can be used only when they gain something out of it."
"Besides that, stop thinking about them. I'm sure Robb will make them pay for their sins." She continued with an air of certainty, and with what we had heard, she might be right.
News traveled slowly in Westeros, but since we came back to Winterfell, we heard about his victory against the Freys. The same nagging voice in my head that told me everything was my fault condemned Robb's ruthlessness against the male line of Freys, but logically I knew he had done the best he could. They had been blocking the access to the south, neglecting their oath to their liege lords.
Walder Frey's character was known to me; I had to personally deal with him during Robert's Rebellion. He was self-serving, greedy, and ambitious beyond his level. He asked for things no lord would accept if they weren't anxious for the meager support his house could provide.
Shaking my head to get rid of these thoughts, I focused on the present.
"Any news of Robb?" I asked.
"Nay," Catelyn replied, "The last time we heard of him, he was traveling to Riverrun to support my father."
I felt a pit in my stomach at that. Robb was blessed by the gods, and while that was enough for most of the northern population to follow him to the south, as his father, it preoccupied me. I knew he was capable—hells, he was way more capable than I was at leading people—but he was going to fight against the Lannisters. The Lannisters, while I despised them for what they had done in the past and would probably do in the future until Robb stopped them, was a house filled with genius in warfare, and they had the gold to splurge on supplies and bribery.
"I will pray to the Old Gods for his victory," I said firmly. "But enough about that, please fill me in with the happenings in the North while I was away."
With everything going on, I didn't have the time to learn about what had changed. I was in meetings with the rest of the lords every day to find out what was the best course of action to take to fulfill Robb's orders. We had been debating all these weeks who should focus on which parts of the North, planning supply lines from the Neck to the Wall. I had been so busy, I wasn't able to even check on my children personally.
Hopefully, all that would end today, since last night we finished planning with Lord Umber, Lady Mormont, and Lord Karstark. Today we would talk with the rest of the lords so that everyone knew what to do for the prosperity of our kingdom.
"As you told me that Robb explained, the military force of the North is a third of what we had. Besides the esteemed lords of the North, every young able-bodied person has gone to the south with Robb, including some of the heirs of different houses. But thankfully, Robb was able to predict this and didn't leave us defenseless. With the recruits every house was ordered to teach, according to Maester Luwin, we have over ten thousand apprentices. Ser Rodrik says that most of them are still green, but they will help if push comes to shove."
"And with half of the army, we will be able to secure our borders just as Robb decreed," I nodded. "Is there any news of the Wall and the Ironborn?"
"Yes, dear," Catelyn replied, taking a seat next to me. "Maester Aemon sent a raven thanking us for the support we provided. They have started manning the Wall and using the supplies we sent to fix some of the castles. But even with all our help, they still need people for that."
"Aye," I nodded. "Robb told us in his last message that more than four hundred Frey soldiers decided to join the defense of the Wall. They will arrive in the next couple of weeks by Maester Luwin's estimate."
"Anything else?" I asked.
"Yes, Lord Flint of Flint's Finger sent a raven. According to him, there have been multiple sightings of pirates on his shores. I'm afraid that means the Ironborn will start moving soon," Catelyn continued, pressing her body against mine.
Leaning into her warmth, I felt myself relaxing, and I couldn't help thanking Robb for this idea. I truly needed the support of my wife and children if I ever wanted to escape this slump I found myself in, and I was sure that participating in another war would only make it worse.
"Good. Today at the meeting we will start sending parts of the army to each keep," I said firmly. "No invader will shed northern blood without paying the consequences. I will not fail again."
Catelyn, instead of replying, kissed me, and I felt myself leaning into her.
At night
Winterfell Great Hall.
Being back in the Great Hall of Winterfell felt more peaceful than I had imagined. The last weeks I had been here, I was swamped with work and meetings in my solar, incapable of sharing my time with my children or wife while they feasted. Thanks to Robb's power and ideas, the North no longer felt the fear of going a long time without food, not that Winterfell ever felt that besides the truly dangerous winters in the past. But since I was alive, there was never a shortage of food in the castle, and thanks to my son, there would never be one again if the gods willed it.
The northern lords had gathered for this feast, the ones that had come with me from Moat Cailin, along with the ones who had their territories closer to Winterfell. But despite the warmth the castle provided, there was a palpable tension in the air as they awaited my orders. While I was no longer the Warden of the North, I was named by our king to be in charge of the protection of our lands, and I would not fail anymore.
I stood at the head of the hall, and I could feel the weight of this responsibility in my bones. Robb was far in the south, fighting for our lands, to see them prosper and bring justice to the realm. And now, the North itself faced threats from within and beyond, and it fell on me to protect it.
As soon as I stood up, the room fell silent.
"The Ironborn stir on their isles," I said with a grave voice. "Reports came from Flint's Finger that some raiders are testing our shores, scouting them. We cannot wait for them to strike while our strength is already spread thin."
Lord Manderly, the only lord who had come from afar, was seated nearest to the fire. "White Harbor stands ready, Lord Stark. Since there are no movements from the Three Sisters, we will send what ships I can spare to patrol the coast. The ships of the mermen that had been in King's Landing and Essos started to move to Flint's Finger and Sea Dragon Point when the war started. Some of them will probably arrive in the next couple of days, but the ones that were far away will take longer."
Lady Mormont interjected at that point, "The Ironborn are despicable, but they know how to raid. They will seek the weakest spot."
"Then we must not give them one," I replied. "We will send men to the shores, reinforce our coastal keeps—Flint's Finger, Bear Island, Deepwood Motte. Since Lord Glover is taking care of Moat Cailin, is there someone who volunteers to protect his lands while he is not there?"
Lord Harclay, one of the northern mountain clans, stood up. "This is an important moment for the North. If you would like, Lord Stark, I will take care of Deepwood Motte in Lord Glover's stead."
I nodded at him in thanks. Lord Glover had left his keep to fulfill Robb's request, and if something were to happen to his lands while he was away, I would not be able to forgive myself. "I appreciate the help, Lord Harclay. You will ride at dawn and take six thousand men with you. There, you will work with Lord Flint and Lady Mormont and spread the forces across the coastal keeps."
"With our coast taken care of, there is one topic we need to talk about," I said firmly, my eyes scanning the room. "The Wall needs men as well. I've had ravens from Castle Black. According to Robb's dreams, winter is closer than any of us expected, and with the threat of the White Walkers, the Wall needs every sword they can get. The Ironborn may be a present threat, but what lies beyond the Wall will be far worse."
Lord Jon Umber stood up with a scowl on his face. "Aye, and the Umbers will have to guard the south and the north both? My men are strong, but we can't fight shadows and raiders all at once."
"I know that what I ask is hard, Lord Umber," I said with a soft tone, "But the Wall is our first line of defense against the darkness that approaches. If we do not send men to support them, the dead will be our enemy soon enough."
"What about the prisoners His Grace is sending to the Wall?" asked Lady Mormont.
"The last we heard, four hundred men of the Frey will willingly help the Wall," I replied, "But as you know, that won't be enough."
"I will send five hundred of my boys in the meantime," Lord Umber grunted, "I'll mix them if the Ironborn manage to reach Last Hearth, but it must be done."
I nodded with gratitude towards him. Besides his gruff demeanor and toxic tongue, he was the lord I could trust with my life. The Umbers had never rebelled and supported the Starks in every venture possible.
"We will make sure they don't manage to reach your keep, Jon. We will hold the south. The Wall is our duty, but there is one more matter, a grim one," I said with a frown on my face.
The lords exchanged glances as I continued, "Skagos has not answered our summons. They hold the dragonglass we need—dragonglass that may be our only defense against the White Walkers, should they manage to reach the Wall. But the island remains silent. We must deal with them, one way or another."
Lord Karstark, who had been silent until now, spoke, "The Skagosi are wild and proud. Perhaps they see no reason to heed our call. The North does not have the ships for an invasion when we are using them to take care of our shores, but perhaps a delegation can be sent. One that shows our strength, maybe that will convince them."
"We need the dragonglass," Lord Manderly agreed with a firm tone, "Perhaps a hundred men could accompany whoever leads this delegation. I can spare a galleon for this venture."
"You have my thanks, my lord," I nodded, "If they continue to refuse, we will deal with the Ironborn first and then invade the island. It is not something I want, but I will do so if needed. We need the dragonglass, and their pride is not worth the lives of the rest of the North."
"Well said, my lord," nodded Rickard Karstark, "If you want, my master-at-arms can lead the delegation. My family has experience dealing with the Skagosi."
The lords murmured in agreement, but I could see the weariness on their faces. The North was vast, but we were surrounded by enemies.
"The rest of the army will remain here at Winterfell, ready to be sent wherever they are needed. My son is fighting in the south, and we will make sure he returns to a North that he can be proud of," I banged the table.
"For the Starks!" shouted Lord Umber, raising his cup.
Before the rest could continue, Maester Luwin, who was so busy he needed to eat in his office, entered the great hall with great haste.
"My lords," he panted, "I bring great news."
Motioning for him to join me at the main table, I could not help but wonder what this was about. In all his years under my employ, I hadn't seen Luwin with this much emotion; he was almost trembling in agitation.
"What news do you bring, Maester Luwin?" I asked, feeling anxious at seeing him like that.
"My lords," the maester continued, "His Grace Robb Stark has just finished his first battle."
A silence fell over the hall when the maester finished those words, and I felt my anxiousness spark. This would have been Robb's first battle, at least at that level and in the open. He always preferred to do so while his enemies least expected it, so the nervousness came back with a vengeance.
"How did he do, Maester?" Cat asked with a tremor in her voice, and inwardly I thanked her for asking, since I was sure my voice would come out the same, and I couldn't show weakness to my vassals.
"He did spectacularly, my lady," the maester replied, "In fact, I'm sure he will be the talk of Westeros in the near future."
Roars and cheers could be heard in the hall, and I allowed a small smile to appear on my face, feeling the anxiousness disappear. "Details, Maester. We want to hear about Robb's victory."
"Of course, my lord," the maester nodded and took a piece of cloth to clean the perspiration on his brow. "His Grace gave half of his army to Lord Edmure Tully, which he took to Mummer's Ford to battle against Jaime Lannister's host. According to the news, Tywin Lannister was laying siege to Riverrun with twenty-five thousand soldiers, and Jaime's host has a little under fifteen thousand men."
Cat's hand went to her mouth with concern hearing that her brother would be leading that host, and I put my arm around her to calm her down. I was sure that everything would be good. Robb had good commanders with him who could help him plan, and they would not leave something like this to chance.
"So His Grace fought with seventeen thousand men against Tywin's twenty-five?" asked Lord Karstark with a frown.
The maester shook his head, but I could see he was excited to continue, and everyone was listening with their utmost attention, including Sansa, who was praying in her seat, and Arya, who was jumping with emotion. Of the boys, only Bran was listening with attention, since Rickon had left with a servant to sleep as it was late. At his side, Jojen and Meera Reed had smirks on their faces, which made me wonder if they somehow knew what had happened.
According to Cat, they had arrived some weeks after Robb left to save me, and they had been spending time with Bran, helping him with something all three were tight-lipped about.
The maester continued, "His Grace gave ten thousand men to Ser Brynden Tully, and then helped them to hide in the mountains near Tumblestone. Then he met Tywin Lannister's forces with only seven thousand men."
Before anyone could interrupt him, the maester continued, and I was glad that he did so, since it seemed like a stupid decision by Robb. But since Luwin said he brought good news, I just waited to hear about them.
"Robb and the Northern heirs met Tywin's vanguard. Lord Tywin sent five thousand men against the two thousand that His Grace sent at the beginning, and then they started the battle. The letter was written by the maester at Riverrun, and according to him, the northern army showed their strength, cutting down the Lannister men without problems."
"After that, it appears that Lord Tywin sent his cavalry against King Robb, but he had opened some burrows in the ground where they fell and started killing them. According to the maester, His Grace killed Ser Mambrand and continued to hack through the men of the Westerlands." After finishing that part, the maester drank some wine, and I could see that his excitement hadn't lessened.
"What else?" asked Lord Karstark, sitting at the edge of his seat, the same as most lords present. Luwin had told the tale like it was something from the age of heroes, and everyone wanted to hear more. Arya wasn't sitting anymore, running all over the place saying that she had the best brother ever, something that made me hide a snort. People of Robb's caliber weren't easy to find.
Sansa had her eyes opened wide, and Lady Elise was next to her showing the same excitement.
"It ended up being a trap set by His Grace," the maester smiled wildly, his composure forgotten. "When Lord Tywin attacked with all his forces to try and save his cavalry, Ser Brynden attacked from behind and King Robb separated the Lannister men with wildfire based on the maester's studies. He writes that it was different from the one the Mad King used since it didn't spread and it died by itself when the battle was over. Not a single Riverlander or Northerner died thanks to the fire."
Cheers erupted all around, and the maester cleared his throat.
"But that's not all..." he said but trailed off to create suspense. "King Robb has captured Lord Tywin, his brother Kevan Lannister, and the Mountain that Rides."
If I thought the screams of joy I heard before were loud, they could not compare to the ones I was hearing right now. Everyone was out of their seats chanting for the Starks and banging their mugs on the table. People were hugging each other and some even teared up with emotion.
"What of our children?" asked Lady Mormont, with a happy smile that dimmed a little when she thought something had happened to them.
"All are good; no one suffered any injuries among the heirs that followed King Robb," the maester assured the lords, and I felt the weight of my responsibilities disappear altogether.
Robb had done wonderfully, and as his father, I would do the same. There was no time to feel depressed about my past actions. Now, I would work with everything I had to do as he asked. I would enjoy life with my family, and when we reunited in the future, I would make sure to correct all the wrongs I had committed.
"What about his losses?" I asked, and the maester frowned for a moment.
"The maester says that Lord Torrhen counted five hundred dead and over a thousand injured. I have no more information about that," he shook his head. In truth, it was a resounding victory. Losing so few people against an army almost twice its size was commendable. I would not have been able to do the same in his place, and that showed that he truly was the right option to lead the North.
I am pretty sure that a lot of lords would have felt angry if their son surpassed them, but I was not one of them. I was proud of him, and I would follow him until my death.
"Any more news, Maester?" asked Lord Umber.
"Aye," he nodded. "It appears young Torrhen is traveling back to the North."
Lord Karstark frowned deeply upon hearing that. "Did you not say that none of our children suffered injuries? Why would His Grace send my son back?"
I was afraid of this; if Lord Karstark was offended, it could complicate things.
"He is fine, my lord," the maester shook his head. "According to the letter, young Torrhen was chosen by His Grace to lead over five thousand loyal men in a caravan toward the Wall. He is bringing five thousand Lannister soldiers, picked by His Grace himself to help at the Wall."
Lord Karstark's frown lessened and he nodded, taking his seat back. "What of the rest of the Lannisters?" he asked.
"Lord Jon said that it wasn't a good idea to have so many enemies in one place. That's the reason only five thousand men are coming here right now. It appears that they decided to send them in groups so that they can acclimate to the Wall and not try to escape, knowing the threat of the White Walkers," the maester replied, walking around to gather his thoughts. "He is right; if they had sent more men at once, there is the risk that the Lannisters could take over the Wall and cause danger to the rest of us. The best approach would be to follow their lead."
"Aye," I nodded resolutely. "Is there anything else?"
"Only a message to Sansa and Lady Elise. It appears that His Grace wants to bring Dorne to the fold. He is asking for you both to send a message to Prince Oberyn Martell, that he has the Mountain sedated and wrapped for him as a gift."
Sansa nodded, and I felt proud to see her act so mature. She and Lady Elise stood up from their seats and started bouncing ideas of what way would be best to approach the notorious Prince of Dorne.
"If everything is done, we can rest," I said with a firm voice. "Everyone knows their duty, and I trust we will be victorious."
Everyone started to leave, but I raised my voice one last time.
"Lord Manderly, I hoped that you could accompany me to my solar."
The fat lord nodded seriously and stayed back. When everyone was gone, we started walking to my solar, accompanied by Cat and the maester.
"To what do I owe this honor?" joked the lord.
"There is one topic Robb asked me to talk to you about, my lord," I replied with a sigh, wondering if having Cat with me was the best idea.
"Oh?" he asked. "Do tell, my lord."
"What of the secret cargo you were in charge of? Do you have any news about that?" I asked, wondering what this was about. Robb only told me to ask, but he didn't explain anything to me.
Lord Manderly went silent for a second before he sighed. "Lord Tyrion has arrived safely in Astapor. It was a trying journey, but my men took him safe and sound."
"Lord Tyrion?" asked Cat, and I wondered what Robb had planned. Since his stay here, I knew Tyrion wasn't like the rest of his family, but I asked myself what Robb hoped to accomplish with this.
"I don't know much, my lady. I'm afraid I just did as His Grace asked me to," Lord Manderly replied softly. "But if I've learned something about His Grace, it is not to doubt him. He, at fourteen, has managed to do things no one else has, and while I follow the Faith of the Seven, it is easy to see he has truly been touched by the Old Gods. King Robb will lead us to greatness. I'm sure he knows what he is doing."
"Aye, he will," I nodded. "I suppose he asked me to talk with you about this so that I could inform him about this... Astapor, you say?" I hummed and my eyes widened.
"Surely not," I murmured, and the rest looked at me in alarm.
"What are you thinking about, dear?" asked Catelyn, anxious.
"The last location known of Daenerys Targaryen while I was in King's Landing was Vaes Dothrak... and she was traveling to Qarth according to the Spider," I replied, deep in thought.
"What does Robb want with the exiled princess, I wonder?"
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