Robb Stark stared at the books in front of him, the rows of numbers, and fidgeted. Ned waited, knowing that whatever was bothering his eldest boy would come out sooner or later, though hopefully sooner so he would focus on the accounts again.

It didn't take too long, predictably. Robb had inherited more from his mother than just looks, and while Catelyn could sit on a secret for a while, when something was really bothering her she wanted to talk about it.

"Ser Rodrik wouldn't let me challenge Joffrey with steel today."

Of course, he had already heard about the incident, in full, but nonetheless he raised his eyebrows. "Prince Joffrey, Robb, and go on."

"After J- Prince Joffrey challenged me. He said he didn't want to play with children."

"He was trying to goad you into rising to the bait."

His son's temper, hotter than his own, more like Catelyn's, rose quickly. "And he did! Ser Rodrik made me look like a child, an idiot – worse, a coward."

Ned set aside the ledger he was working on and focused on his son. "And if you had fought him with live steel?"

"I would have beaten him!"

"And if you hadn't?"

"At least I would have tried," Robb said, hotly. "Father-"

Ned sighed. "Robb, by getting angry and challenging him back, you gave the prince what he wanted. A rise out of you. He wanted sport, and you gave it to him. What if, say, you had instead stepped back, conceded generously that you were done for the moment, and walked away?"

"He would have mocked me."

"And could you not have ignored it? Don't you have enough pride for that?" Ned sighed. "Robb, soon there will be a day when things you will have to tolerate with grace will be greater than taunts from boys younger than you. Holding back one's full strength is not necessarily cowardice."

"No one ever makes you look like a fool, father," Robb said, furiously. "No one dares slight you. You're the Lord in Winterfell."

"True," Eddard conceded, "In the North, here, I have respect from my liege lords, my place is secure. But elsewhere?" He hesitated. "Robb…soon, I will be going south, to King's Landing, to take up a new responsibility. And then you will need to be my voice, here; and more than that, after a short time; you will need to take your place here you are meant to have."

Robb stilled. "You mean you're leaving? For how long? Why?"

Ned took a deep breath. "Because I must. Responsibility demands things of us sometimes that we do not necessarily wish, and if nothing else, I hope I've taught you the importance of holding to your responsibilities."

Robb drew himself up, looking a little prouder. "I would like to think I've learned." He paused, and deflated a little. "But father…how can holding back not be cowardice? Or at least, not be seen as such?"

'Holding back can be seen as restraint," Ned said, calmly. "The man that refrains from action for small things, when he moves, is taken all the more seriously. A lord who flares up at every small insult as a reason to call a duel – he will not hold his men's loyalty or respect long. Better to hold back, wait, and strike when it's truly important." He paused. "Do you understand?"

Robb's brow was furrowed, but he nodded, slowly. "I think so, but…how do you know? When to move, I mean."

"Listen to your men. Listen to your instincts. Ultimately, it's not me you'll have to ask, Robb, when I'm south. If you must act – I hope everything will be peaceful, but if you must – then the choice is yours, and only yours." He hesitated, then added, "Perhaps…a man's pride is not always the most important thing there is. If you think to move to save your pride, I would say hold. If you think to move to save your house's pride, I would say to still wait, no matter how difficult. If you think to move because it would be right; because it would be the just thing to do – then you can be sure you are doing the right thing."

Robb hesitated, was quiet, looked away. Finally, in a hushed voice, he said, "You talk like you're not coming back. Ned smiled, reached out and ruffled his boy's hair as he had when Robb had been very small.

"Of course I'll come back. I can't leave your siblings to grow up all alone, can I?" He let his voice say that Robb was already grown up. The boy's pride had taken a blow, and while it wasn't necessarily a bad thing…he needed to keep his head high. And perhaps it would be a buffer from more taunts, though Ned planned to have a word with Robert about his son.

Robb straightened, catching the implication and drawing himself up in his chair. "I certainly think they would feel that way," he said, with a tentative little smile, and Ned allowed himself a chuckle, ruffled Robb's auburn hair again.

"Those accounts won't finish themselves, Robb," Ned said, sternly, and Robb groaned, smiled a boyish smile, and lowered his head again. The boy had his rough edges yet, but they would be smoothed out. And he was a son to do his father proud.