The winds of winter
The cold wind snapped over his shoulders as he gazed out into the wilderness beyond Winterfell pondering on his past. "You'll catch your death out here," spoke a soft voice behind him. He turned to meet his wife and retorts, "If this is the way I go; I welcome it." Lord Eddard Stark has had a very interesting and violent past. His wife Cat understood this dark sense of humor and let out a small laugh. She asked him, "What do you suppose he wants now?" referring to King Robert Baratheon, Ned's best friend. "I don't know but it must be something very important for him to come all the way up here" Traveling to the north was no small feat especially for a king who normally travelled with a large crowd around him. Little did Ned know that Robert was riding with a couple of his most trusted kingsguard. This included Sir Jaime Lannister, the queen's brother, eyes and ears. The reason that Robert was riding with such a small counsel with him was because Robert needed Ned's advice and help on a matter and wanted privacy when he asked for it. Jon Arryn had been murdered and Ned does not know yet. Jon had raised and taught Robert and Ned how to fight, survive and most of all rule down in the Eyrie. Robert had assigned Jon as hand of the king and with him being murdered knew just who he had in mind for his replacement. Little did Ned know, who thought and knew that something strange was afoot and could not guess it. Ned got the news of Jon Arryn's death just before the king arrived. Everything came full circle then and then Ned knew somewhat of why the king has troubled himself to come all the way up north. When Ned opened his chamber door he saw two of his three sons; Jon and Robb. Jon wanted to talk to his father about joining the Night's Watch up on the wall. And Robb wanted permission to go outside of the castle walls. Ned gave Robb permission and told Jon that they would talk at a later time. When the king arrived not so later that day the whole of Winterfell was out to greet and show their respect for him. Robert got straight to the point and told Ned that he needed to speak with him alone. "Are you ready for another fight"? Says Robert " what do you mean?" replied Ned completely thrown off by what the king had asked him. "That bitch is going to have me murdered so she can sit the throne" Robert speaking about his wife Cersei. "You have proof of this"? Ned asked " of course I do" as he handed Ned a scroll of parchment. It read " For Robert's head the payment is 1000 gold dragons and whatever else your heart desires signed CL". Robert asked Ned again " are you ready for another fight? Your king is requesting your services Lord Eddard Stark." Ned couldn't deny that he did love to fight because he was damned good at it. Ned remained silent and the king took that as a sign of approval patted him on the shoulders and laughed heartily and said " Let us feast I am starving". During the feast Ned filled Cat in on the current situation and did not take the news well. "Robert has already drawn you into a war once". I could not bear another one as she started to cry. Ned quickly consoled her as to not draw attention to them by any open ears that may be around them.
The next morning came,the moment Ned woke to thoughts rushing at him like he had never felt before. His heart and thoughts told him to stay in Winterfell with his beloved family. But honor and duty were just as important to him. Ned informed King Robert of his decision to accept this honor that he had laid before him. Robert laughed and said "of course you are you son of a whore". Ned rose to his feet and asked his leave to spend his last day in Winterfell with his family. The king agreed and took his leave. His eldest son Robb was begging his father to go with him and learn to fight just like the knights do. His second eldest and bastard child Jon was also begging to go with him. Ned agreed that they would come and learn to fight from some of the best knights in the realm. His other two sons Brandon and Rickon as well as his two daughters Sansa and Arya will stay in Winterfell with their mother because they are to young to be in the capitol. That next morning the king and his company set out on the long journey down to King's Landing. The journey went as expected for Robb and Jon the king and their father laughing about earlier times as they ride behind smelling Robert's farts and bad breath. On the third night when they were safely out of the North the captain of the kingsguard Jaime Lannister comes to speak with Ned to which he explained " you do know that northerner's don't survive in the south don't you?" seeing the sly threat weaved into sweet words replied " and southerners usually die in the North kingslayer." Jaime chuckled and walked away. Meanwhile Robb and Jon were talking amongst themselves and overheard two Lannister guards speak of a plot to murder the king and Lord Edward later that night. They did not hear the reasoning and figured that they misheard the guards and continued to drink wine and converse about their excitement about the capitol. That night Ned awoke to his personal guard screaming "to arms to arms" he grabbed his valyrian steel greatsword named ice and rushed out of his tent to find king Robert being stabbed in the stomach by none other than Jaime Lannister. Who smiled and said " I told you that northerners die in the south and my sister makes such a better ruler than this fat shit". Ned replied " you would kill another king just for your sister?" "oh I would do anything for my sister" Jaime said ad he thrust his sword at Ned who blocked his attack skillfully and swung his own in return. The battle reached a high point when jon and Robb finished killing the rest of the Lannister guards found their father and tried to join in. "NO!" NED shouted "this is my battle" the stalemate continued between them until Jaime missed a strike and with a powerful stroke of his greatsword split the kinglsayer from groin to throat and dropped immediately. "get the ravens, call all of our banners and tell them that the king is dead, We go to war". They spent the next week fortifying their positions as much as possible then the first banner appeared on the horizon. A sun with a face, the Karstarks the oldest and most loyal of Ned's rest followed "this war will be long and hard but the Lannister treachery will go on no longer"! Shouted Ned. The next day they headed south because scouts reported Lord Tywin Lannister moving North to cut them off before they go to far south. They met at the trident; Ned had 20,000 men to Lord Tywin's 15,000. The battle lasted three days and three nights, Tywin rose the white flag and met a Ned that his sons had never seen before, covered in blood. The two nodded and Tywin proceeded with truce talks. Ned interrupted and said "you must misunderstand Lord Tywin, I have no intentions of accepting surrender" at that time the honorable and noble Edward Stark cut Tywin Lannister down and said " that is the end of the old lion". The next day they set March for kings landing and arrived in two weeks time. Ned was down to 15,000 men and the city watch of kings landing a mere 5,000. The city took two days to sack and Cersei beheaded along with her children. The easy part was done and the hard part began. Ned had don't the game of thrones and lived to tell the tale. Now he hears disturbing whispers of a Targaryen girl with the fully grown dragons and an army behind her looking to make her way across the narrow sea and take what is rightfully hers. Ned discarded these thoughts went back to Winterfell and slept peacefully for the first night In years.