The White Wedding

A Game of Thrones Fanfiction

By Snafu the Great

Disclaimer: Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire belongs to HBO and George RR Martin.

This fanfic is something of a plot episode for a series I'm working on called The Westeros Chronicles, which mostly takes place during Rhaegar Targaryen's 15-year reign as Prime Minister of Westeros. If this fanfic does well in the reviews, then I will go on with the plan. We've seen a Red Wedding (in which the in-laws are butchered) and a Purple Wedding (in which the groom is poisoned), so what happens if Ned and Cat decide to renew their wedding vows?

About the Westerosi Federation: As it is in canon, Westeros is about the size of South America, with the best way to get around is by the high-speed rail system. Prior to the Dance of Dragons – the civil war between Aegon II and his half-sister Rhaenyra – the Targaryens ruled the country. Following the Dance of Dragons, seeing that the people had suffered enough, Aegon III abdicated. Now, the country is run by a Prime Minister, who serves a five-year term and can only be elected for a maximum of three times. The Targaryens hold the record of being mostly elected to the post of Prime Minister.

About the Targaryen's dynastic incest: In this series, the Targaryens do not marry brother to sister, which means that the Targaryens are descended from Visenya's line, rather than Rhaenys. Also, Valyria has not been destroyed in the Doom. The Targaryens marry from the old country to preserve their Valyrian appearance.

Also, some family relationships have been either modified or changed, such as Rhaegar having a twin sister, Myrcella being the daughter of Jamie and Brienne, Brienne herself being attractive (save for a couple of battle scars, but still tall), Jon being the son of Lyanna Stark and Arthur Dayne (still a bastard), Joanna Lannister being alive and well, Roose Bolton having a bastard daughter alongside Ramsay Snow, just to name a few.

I've modeled most of the residences of the various houses after the following locations:

- Stark Manor: Mentmore Towers (Wayne Manor in Batman Begins)

- The Lion's Den: Oheka Castle (Shadow Pond in Royal Pains)

- Baratheon Hall: The Breakers

- The Red Keep: Wollaton Hall (Wayne Manor in Dark Knight Rises)

- Oasis: The Desert Mansion

Finally, I've modeled the various locations in Westeros after the following cities. Yeah, I know that most of the names are the castles, but this time, they are the towns:

Winterfell: Whistler, British Columbia

King's Landing: London, England

Casterly Rock: Orange County, California

Sunspear: Seville, Spain

Part One

Stark Manor, Winterfell.

Eddard 'Ned' Stark was a pragmatic man.

An honorable man, respected by friend and rival alike in the Westerosi business world. He was the Chairman of Wolf Enterprises, headquartered in the resort town of Winterfell, having ascended to the position following the deaths of his father and brother in a car accident near Moat Cailin.

As Ned was the next in line, he inherited the family business.

Wolf Enterprises' main line of business was Winter Steel. It also owned several mines in various locations in the North and along the Wall - a massive glacier located an hour's ride by chopper north. Mance Rayder - Wolf Enterprises' resident geologist - was in charge of things there. Wolf Enterprises was also the mastermind behind the high-rail system in Westeros, the brainchild of Rickard Stark, Ned's late father. As Westeros was a big place, a train ride on a normal train from Winterfell to Riverrun would take four hours, three if you were going to either King's Landing or Casterly Rock. The bullet trains had cut that time down by half.

The contract for the high-speed rail system was split between four entities: Wolf Enterprises, Golden Lion Investments and Finance (as it had been backed by Tywin Lannister), Crowned Stag Construction, (as it had been Robert's father, Steffron Baratheon, who helped reinforced the railways), and the Westerosi Government (as it had been approved by the Prime Minister at the time, Aerys Targaryen). Every five years, the contracts had to be renewed between the government, the Starks, the Lannisters and the Baratheons. And it made everybody incredibly wealthy.

Under his tenure, Wolf Enterprises had grown, thanks to Ned's natural talents when it came to business. The underdog was now a major player in the Westeros business world, dealing with the likes of Tywin Lannister and Rhaegar Targaryen, running the family business from its main headquarters in Winterfell and at its King's Landing branch in the capital. It also helped that Ned knew both Rhaegar and Jamie from their past military days, as well as Balon Greyjoy, hence why Theon was in Winterfell attending King's Landing Prep. Ned Stark also had a reputation for honor and fairness. So much so that even the Chief Executive of Golden Lion Finance and Investments himself, Tywin Lannister, once appealed to him to settle a dispute, at the suggestion of Jamie Lannister. Ned did so with success, earning Tywin's respect.

Despite his reputation as a just and honorable man, Ned Stark was pragmatic man when it came to business. Some say that in the cutthroat world of Westerosi business, honor and fairness had no place there. But Ned proved them wrong. He relished the role of underdog, and ran Wolf Enterprises with a fair and just hand. His employees loved him for it.

As Rickard Stark once said, "Treat your subordinates right, and there is nothing that they won't do for you."

The Westerosi business world was dubbed the 'game of thrones' by Rhaegar's father, Aerys Targaryen. The main objective was to see which business entity would come out on top; the top four contenders being the Targaryen's Imperial Dragon Hotel and Resort, operated by Rhaegar's twin sister Visenya Targaryen, the Lannister's Golden Lion Finance and Investments, with Tywin Lannister at the head, the Crowned Stag Construction Company, which was ran by the Baratheon brothers – Robert, Stannis and Renly – and the Stark's Wolf Enterprises.

There were others who played the game. Petyr Baelish, Cat's longtime friend, worked as an attorney for the Golden Lion and also owned several high-priced brothels in King's Landing and the Vale. The Nymeros-Martell family, who owned the Casino of the Sun and the Water Gardens in Dorne, the Tyrells who ran Golden Rose Brewery, specializing in various types of liquors and coffees, and Kraken Shipping and Logistics, owned by the Greyjoy brothers. Even old Walder Frey and his family, originally a family of criminals, misfits and hooligans, now having gone straight – most of them, anyway – and running a legitimate business of funeral parlors in Riverrun and King's Landing, wanted in on the action ("It's just a racket. A legitimate one, as people die every day," Walder had said). The Tully family was a military family going back over two hundred years, with Colonel Brynden Tully in command of the Riverrun Military Academy and old Hoster Tully, a retired general, found themselves in the game as well, albeit unwillingly, mainly because both of Hoster's daughters were married to Ned and Jon Arryn respectively.

Cersei Baratheon also played the game, as she was not only the wife of Robert Baratheon and cousin-in-law of Rhaegar Targaryen, but she was also the Master of Laws – the District Attorney – of Westeros. Her main rival was Elia Martell Targaryen, the 'Desert Rose of Dorne,' Rhaegar's wife and a popular actress/singer, Dorne's favorite daughter. She was also the younger sister of the Martell brothers, Doran and Oberyn. Rhaegar's younger brother, Viserys Targaryen, was also a major player, as he ran the law firm founded by his mother, who was now semi-retired, but occasionally lectures at Crownlands Law School.

Ned's wife, Catelyn Stark, was an unwilling participant, as she worked at Pycelle Memorial Hospital in King's Landing, which means that she has contact with some of Westeros' major players...and its more unruly characters, as she was the Senior Physician and Chief Surgeon. Ellaria Sand, the bastard paramour to Oberyn Martell, also found herself in the game of thrones, as she worked at the hospital as the Chief Nursing Officer. She was also Cat's right hand and best friend, as they both worked their way up the ranks in the medical field.

It was a fragile balance. The businesses and the families respected the other's sphere of influence and does not interfere in the other's affairs.

As Ned had once said about the 'game of thrones' in an interview in Westeros Business Daily, "Our lives, our businesses, despite our differences, are woven together in a fabric - the Golden Lion, Wolf Enterprises, Kraken Shipping, doesn't matter. But our connections, despite making Westeros strong, also makes it vulnerable. Tear several strands, the fabric holds. Rip a gaping hole in the fabric and everything falls apart."

What was most surprising was that even Aerys Targaryen and Tywin Lannister agreed with what Ned had said. Jamie Lannister, Rhaegar Targaryen, Robert Baratheon and Balon Greyjoy were not surprised with Ned's analysis. After all, Ned Stark was the pragmatic one between them.

Above all things, Ned Stark was a father and husband. At the moment, Ned stood at the counter inside the manor's kitchen, clad in a gray-and-black hoodie (think Commander Sheperd's N7 hoodie), with a T-shirt underneath, track pants and a pair of tennis shoes. As it was Saturday, he was the only one awake, as everyone liked to sleep in before waking up and going about their day.

But now, as he combined strawberry and banana slices into a blender, combining it with orange-pineapple juice and ice, he was not the head of Wolf Enterprises. He was a family man, and the weekend was his time off. Within minutes, the fruit smoothie was made and he had poured himself a cup.

Saturday mornings were PT – physical training. Aside from being the head of Wolf Enterprises, he was a reservist for the Westerosi Marines, along with Jamie and Rhaegar, all three men holding the rank of Captain. He had jogged around the manor. His leg still bothered him – an old combat injury from his tour in the Disputed Lands, but he was used to it. At least he can walk without a cane or a noticeable limp. But while Balon and Robert had left the military following their tour, Ned, Rhaegar and Jamie remained in the Reserves.

Ned continued to sip at the smoothie, as he continued to think. Cat would say that he did that too much, even after nearly seventeen years of marriage.

The yawn behind him had told what Ned needed to know. His wife was awake.

Turning his head, he was greeted with the sight of his wife, one Dr. Catelyn Stark, robe over her pajamas, pulling her crimson Tully hair back into a ponytail. She, along with Ellaria Sand, had worked their way up the ranks in the medical field, starting as paramedics, until Cat had earned the attention of Dr. Pycelle, While Ellaria worked her way through nursing school, Cat was mentored under the legendary physician.

To anyone who knew the daughter of General Hoster Tully, they knew that Catelyn was a perfectionist, even more so than Cersei Baratheon, a trait going back even when they were still in high school. But behind the walls of Stark Manor, she was anything but. Once she got her cup of coffee, she would follow with a morning shower and as it was the weekend, spend time with her family.

Between her and her husband, it was said that Cat was the more honorable of the two. While Ned was the pragmatic man, Cat was the honorable one, as it had been instilled into her at a young age.

Originally, Cat had been dating Ned's elder brother, Brandon Stark. But following Brandon's death, she was drawn to her younger brother. It was also the same time that Lyanna – who had been pregnant with her son – went into early labor with her son. The baby was born healthy, but she ended up dying from complications following the childbirth, leaving her son an orphan, as the father had died while overseas, the promise to wed her upon his return unconsummated.

Strange how the Old Gods and the New would bring his both her and Ned together, united in their grief in regards to the loss of Brandon Stark.

And together, that meant Edmure – who had tagged along with his sister to Winterfell – found the both of them in bed together, with Cat dropping the bomb on Ned that she had just missed her period. Of course, Edmure told his father and uncle, which led to both Hoster and Brynden Tully on the next train to Winterfell hours later. After chewing both Ned and Cat out, they were both hauled to the courthouse in Winterfell for an impromptu wedding.

Cat had entered the kitchen hoping for a cup of coffee, but instead found her husband downing a drink which she knew was not coffee.

"Good morning, wife," Ned greeted.

Cat responded with a nod. She then looked at the smoothie her husband was drinking. "What is that?"

"Fruit smoothie," Ned explained, taking a sip. "It's only banana and strawberry slices mixed with ice, pineapple juice and orange juice. And according to both Balon and Robert, it makes for one excellent chaser."

Curiosity getting the better of her, Cat took Ned's cup and took a sip. After a moment, she nodded in approval. "It's good," she admitted. She then proceeded to down the cup and poured herself some while Ned produced another cup.

"I knew you'd like it," Ned said. "You're more of a health nut than I am."

Cat finished off the cup, and Ned poured what remained of the smoothie into her cup. "You know that our anniversary is coming up, right?" she asked.

Ned nodded. "So where do you want to go this year? Pentos? Braavos? Dragonstone? Maybe you can talk to Ellaria and see if you can get a deal with the Martells for a honeymoon suite at the Casino."

As Ned took a sip, he noticed the widening grin on his wife's face. "What? What is it?"

Cat then pitched her idea. It was one which had been on her mind for quite some time, stemming from a bridal magazine she had saw one of the nurses reading while working at the hospital earlier in the week. "I'm all for a vacation. But how about an actual wedding?"

Ned cocked an eyebrow. "You're kidding, right?"

"No. We didn't have the actual luxury of a wedding when we got married, remember?"

"Don't remind me. I never thought I've seen your dad and uncle so pissed after Edmure told them I knocked you up. Kind of late for an actual wedding, isn't it?"

"Better late than never."

Ned thought it over. His wife did have a point. "Okay. I'll bite. What do you have in mind?"

"Nothing too fancy. Just invite the Westerosi elite, family and friends."

Ned frowned slightly. The major players in the game of thrones under one roof – more specifically, his roof. And while most of them respected both himself and Cat, they did not like each other. He wondered if the insurance would cover a mass brawl should one take place.

"I wonder how the kids will take this once we tell them," mused Ned.

"So are you agreeing to my proposal?" asked Cat.

"I suppose. We got a month to prepare. I suppose you want the wedding done in the way of the Seven, right?"

Cat nodded.

Ned shrugged his shoulders. "Rhaegar owes me a couple of favors. I'll ask and see if his uncle can perform the ceremony. In the meantime..."

"...we got to let the kids know," Cat finished.

It would be an hour later when Ned and Cat called for a family meeting inside the den. The six Stark children, plus one godson each took their places on the floor, sofa and love seat. The six direwolves rested at their masters' sides, the wolves now the size of a Saint Bernard.

It was rare to see direwolves this far south past The Wall, but the mother direwolf had found its way inside Stark Manor's backyard, which consisted of the Godswood. The mother direwolf had given birth to six pups, and had been discovered by the groundskeeper, Luwin, as he made his rounds near Rickon's camp site in the godswood.

Ned, along with Edmure – who had been visiting at the time – and his younger brother, Benjen, had to work together to carry the laboring mother direwolf to the truck, while Luwin retrieved the pups and placed them inside a cardboard box. Following a visit to the vet, the mother direwolf had died, but the children – who had accompanied their father and uncles – had grown attached to the pups, much to Ned's dismay.

[Flashback]

Winterfell Veterinarian Clinic – nine months earlier.

Ned was adamant that the pups be taken back north and released beyond The Wall, but he saw that he was losing this fight. His children had already grown an attachment to the pups, and the pups returned the feelings. In desperation, he turned to Edmure and Benjen. "Edmure. Come on, man. Help me out here. Benjen, please..."

Edmure looked at his brother-in-law. Then he looked at Benjen. Then he looked at his nieces and nephews who were still holding the pups, looking at both men as if they held the pups' fate in their hands. "The direwolf is the sigil of your family, Ned," Edmure replied.

Ned balked. This was not going to end well.

"You have six kids," added Benjen. "There are six pups. One for each child. Maybe it's fate that the Old Gods delivered them to your children."

Ned sighed, while shooting Theon a dirty look when he heard his godson snickering at his plight. This was one battle he was not going to win. There was a reason why as Edmure Tully was tied with Benjen as the favorite uncle. Of course, the Blackfish had both men beat by a country mile.

'I'm never going to hear the end of this from Cat,' Ned thought as he accepted defeat. He turned to his kids. "The pups are yours." He raised one hand, silencing any cheers. "But...once I have them checked out, they will be your responsibility and your responsibility alone. You will look after them, care for them, and feed them. You will even bury them yourselves when they die."

[End Flashback]

Sure enough, Cat did confront him about the direwolves, but after explaining his logic in allowing the children to have their pets, Cat relented.

Jon Snow was the son of Ned's sister, Lyanna Stark. His father was Arthur Dayne, a Dornish soldier from Starfall. As Ned would find out later from Arthur's elder sister, Ashara, Lyanna had eloped with Arthur during a summer trip to Sunspear, but Arthur was called away to duty overseas. His death had pushed Lyanna into premature labor, and she was rushed to the hospital.

Ned was called to the Tower of Joy, but despite the hospital's name, what awaited him was sorrow. The baby was born healthy, but Lyanna was dying. Ned promised to care for Jon, thus honoring his sister's final request. Jon was a bastard, hence the surname Snow, which was given to illegitimate children born in the North (despite him being born in Dorne, which meant he would have taken on the surname Sand). Ned, being the honorable man, legitimatized Jon, and adopted him as his own son. But Jon still kept the surname Snow, as 'it made him unique.'

But what was most surprising was that Cat treated him like one of her own children. In most cases, bastards were mostly looked down upon, a trait that has long since endured following the abdication of the last Targaryen king, but Cat's father and uncle had instilled into her at a young age that 'a person's status does not make them, but rather their character,' which explained why she was such good friends with Ellaria Sand.

That, and Cat admitted to Cersei during the latter's physical, that Ned did not cheat on her during his overseas tour, which is one of the reasons she accepted Jon as her own child. During the summers, Jon would spend time with his aunt Ashara and her family in Starfall. He also met the infamous Red Viper himself, Dr. Oberyn Martell, during one of their trips to the Water Gardens, and was surprised to find out that Ned had worked with him in the past. His direwolf, named Ghost because of his albino fur, sat on his haunches next to him.

Robb Stark was the eldest son of Cat and Ned, the heir apparent to the Stark family business. Stoic like his father and with a sense of duty like his mother. Seeing as how the Tully family motto was 'Family, Duty, and Honor,' it was not surprising. He idolized his father, as it was Ned who had made Wolf Enterprises into a major player in the Westerosi business world. He even worked there in the summers, getting to know the employees and the Executive Council. But Robb would not be handed over the reins of leadership. He had to earn it. Grey Wind, his pet direwolf, sat beside him.

He was also seen around town with Talisa Maegyr, the daughter of Malaquo Maegyr, the Volantene-born owner of Maegyr Confectioneries, Winterfell's popular bakery and sweets shop. Seeing as how the Starks were the main family in Winterfell, it was no surprise that Benjen had notified his elder brother of the developing relationship between the pair. Both denied that they were dating, but it was pretty obvious for everyone to see. Robb was smitten with Malaquo's little girl, and Talisa was attracted to him. Despite the Maegyr family's past criminal history which would have made the Freys proud, both parents approved of the relationship.

Sansa was the eldest daughter, taking after her mother, as she had the red Tully hair and matching eyes. One of the most popular girls in King's Landing Prep aside from Rhaenys Targaryen and Margaery Tyrell, Sansa was also into creative writing, having written several short stories in her free time under the alias Alayne Stone. Her works had gotten the attention of Margaery's grandmother, novelist (and retired Westerosi agent) Olenna Tyrell, who had taken Sansa under her wing. Her direwolf, Lady, rested her head on Sansa's lap, Sansa scratching behind her ears.

She also had her own male admirers, from Aegon Targaryen to Willas Tyrell. Even Joffrey Baratheon – who was dating Margaery – flirted with her. But Sansa was drawn more to Willas. Both Margaery and Olenna approved.

Arya was the younger daughter, and a complete tomboy, the diametric opposite of Sansa. As Sansa was Cat's favorite daughter, she was Ned's favorite. She was also a prodigy in her own right, a rising star in the Westeros fencing world. However, she did not fight with the traditional Westerosi swordplay, but rather the Braavosi Water Dance, her trainer and mentor being the retired bravo, Syrio Forel, who ran a training gym in Winterfell. She was also the current Junior Fencing Champion, and had a friendly rivalry with Myrcella Lannister and Elia Sand, both fencing prodigies in their own right. Nymeria, her direwolf, named after the legendary warrior-queen of Dorne, sat by her side.

Nymeria Sand, Oberyn's second eldest daughter and one of the lawyers working under Ned Stark, found it amusing that her boss's youngest daughter named her direwolf after her illustrious ancestor. Her father thought likewise.

Brandon - Bran for short - was the second youngest of the Stark sons, named after Ned's late father. He was something of a prodigy, his specialty being computers and electronics, hence the reason why he was in an Advanced Electronics class at King's Landing Prep along with the Reed siblings, Jojen and Meera. He also had a nice side business repairing computers and laptops alongside the Reeds, which led to his father having him on call whenever one of the computers at Wolf Enterprises goes down. Bran ran his little business in one of the spare rooms in Stark Manor – called Three-Eyed Crow Repairs – where he would usually spend the most of the day, repairing and upgrading computers with the Reeds, who were constant visitors to the manor.

He was also something of an adrenaline junkie, with 'urban exploration' as his hobby. That is, he had a bad habit of scaling the walls of Stark Manor. He even climbed the walls of the Baratheon family home in King's Landing, and that of Cat's childhood home in Riverrun. He also broke both legs, one arm and fractured a wrist. Summer, his pet direwolf, sat at his side.

Rickon was the youngest. The wild child of the Starks. Even more wilder than Arya, in most cases. Rickon would run the senior servants Osha, Luwin and Mordane ragged with his antics. He hung around his uncle Benjen, who took him camping in the mountains alongside his own son. Despite his wealthy background, Rickon was more at home in the woods than within the walls of Stark Manor, given how he has his own personal campgrounds set up within the godswood on the property. He was also an amateur geologist, a trait he had picked up from his grandfather. Shaggydog, his pet direwolf scratched at his ear and yawned.

Last, was Ned's godson. Theon Greyjoy was the youngest son of Balon Greyjoy, the head of Kraken Shipping and Logistics. Both Theon's father and Ned had served together in the Marines and became friends. When Theon turned nine, Balon had called in a favor to Ned, asking him to host him in Winterfell so that his son could attend King's Landing Prep. With the deaths of his two elder sons, it had left Balon to groom Yara, Theon's elder sister, to take over the business. Now, Theon was seventeen.

Also present was Ned's younger brother, Benjen. In spite of not living with his brother and his family – as he had his own place in Winterfell – he was a welcome visitor at the manor. A devour follower of the Old Gods, he had no part in the family business. Instead, he served in the Winterfell Police Department – nicknamed the Night's Watch, due to their uniforms. His partner, Jorah Mormont, had ties to the Stark family, as his aunt, Maedge Mormont, served on Wolf Enterprises' Executive Council, and his father, Jeor Mormont, was the police chief of the W.P.D.

He was also married to a Northern girl working with Wolf Enterprises, and a father himself to a ten-year-old, named after his late father and brother. As it turns out, the woman in question was Val, the sister-in-law of Mance Rayder. Val herself worked alongside Mance and Dalla, his wife at the Wall.

Roose Bolton, Director of Human Resources and one of the members of the Executive Council, dismissed Mance as a 'no-talented drunk,' due to Mance's problems with the bottle. When Mance discovered several silver mines within the Wall, Roose changed his tune when presented with the evidence.

Once the children were settled in, Cat began to speak. "As you know, our wedding anniversary is fast approaching come next month. And as you all know, your father and I did not have the luxury of an actual wedding."

Jon and the others knew the story of how Grandpa Hoster and Great-Uncle Brynden had hauled both their parents to the courthouse once they found out from Uncle Edmure that their mother was pregnant with Robb. It was one thing that Ned followed in regards to his children: that there would be no secrets between them.

"In one month's time, we will renew our vows in an actual wedding ceremony," finished Ned. "Then we will be gone for the week in Volantis."

Sansa reacted first. She squealed in delight, causing the direwolves to flatten their ears against their heads. Ayra winced, as did Rickon.

"Seven Hells, can you yell a bit louder? I can still hear out of my other ear," sniped Arya.

Cat frowned. "Arya. Language,"

"So what do you have in mind?" Robb asked after Arya apologized.

"Nothing big or small," his father replied. "We're going to invite the Westerosi elite."

"You sure that's a wise thing to do, Uncle?" Jon asked. "I mean, you and Aunt Cat inviting all of the major players in the game of thrones here? Most of them don't like each other."

Ned glanced at his wife. "I told her the same thing. I'm hoping that the house is insured in case a fight breaks out. I'm hoping that since the majority of them respect the both of us, that they would at least be civil."

"Good luck with that," Theon snorted. "The Martells have issues with the Lannisters in regards to that hired psycho on Tywin's payroll, almost nobody can stand the Freys, and the Tyrells act like they got a stick up their asses."

Cat shot a glare at her godson. Theon apologized. Benjen chuckled, but kept silent while Theon continued. "And then there's my family. Dad's a pyromaniac and flies like crazy, my sister's just as crazy as Ygritte, and let's not go into details with my uncles."

Jon frowned. "Ygritte's not crazy," he said, defending his girlfriend.

"She punched you in the face when we were nine," Theon pointed out. "Never knew you were a masochist, Snow."

Cat cleared her throat. "Focus, please."

"And there's the Baratheons," concluded Robb. "No offense, Dad, but Robert would screw anything with a skirt, Stannis and Renly are the decent ones...and that's pushing it."

"None taken. I've had plenty of time to think about how this can play out without turning it into a brawl," Ned said. "Rhaegar Targaryen is the key to make sure that everything remains nice and civil."

"After all, no one would dare to disrupt the ceremony if the Prime Minister himself is present," noted Arya. "Not even his godfather or his godchildren. Especially, if they want to curry his favor. But the million-dragon question is will he attend?"

"Rhaegar would not pass up an opportunity to catch up on old times with Colonel Arryn and the rest of us," replied Ned. Even now, Ned still referred old Jon Arryn as the Colonel. "And despite our differences, Robert, Rhaegar, Balon, Jamie and myself are still brothers-in-arms, and we all hold Jon Arryn in high esteem."

"It's a gamble, brother," Benjen said, speaking for the first time. "But you do have a bad habit of making the impossible possible. And most of the Westerosi elite have various levels of respect towards you and Cat. Still...such an event would be pleasant for all to see. So how are we going to do this?"

"Cat and I were talking, and we decided to have the wedding in the Godswood, but I'll see if Aemon can conduct the wedding."

"The Old combined with the New," mused Benjen. "That would be worth seeing."

Snafu's Notes: So ends Part One. Part Two, the invites goes out and we see the reactions of several families.