Okay, the beginning is a mix of the book and series. The rest is my own idea with a twist on events. Not sure how long I will continue with this fic. Hope you all enjoy Credit of creation to George Martin of course 3
Catelyn Stark rushed to the fire to burn the letter from her sister. Ned moved to cover her naked body from the Maester's eyes. "What news?" He asked.
"She has fled the capital," Catelyn turned to look at him while pulling the robe closer to her body, "She says Jon Arryn was murdered," She searched his face for his reaction before continuing, "by the Lannisters. She says the king is in danger."
"She is fresh widow, Cat. She doesn't know what she is saying" Ned looked at his wife. Not sure whether what her sister had written her was true. Would the Lannisters risk killing the hand of the king? He was not sure. Jamie Lannister was not worth trusting. His twin sister Cersei, did she have what it took to kill an innocent man who was like a father to her husband, the King of the Seven Kingdom and Protector of the Realm.
Catelyn shook her head, cutting him off, "Lysa's head would be on a spike right now if the wrong people had gotten that letter." Her eyes showed determination and trust in her sister's words. "Do you think she would risk her life, her son's life, if she wasn't certain that her husband was murdered?" Ned knew she had a point. Turning away from his wife, he rubbed his chin in thought as he idly walked to the window.
Maester Luwin took a few steps forward and offered his council, "If this news is true and the Lannister's conspire against the throne, who but you can protect the king?"
Catelyn turned to the Maester, "They murdered the last hand, now you want Ned to take the job?" Her voice shook with fear.
Maester Luwin remained calm, "The king rode for a month to ask Lord Stark's help," He said to Lady Stark, "he is the only one he trusts." Ned kept his back to them, as he contemplated their words, "You swore the king an oath My Lord." The Maester reminded Ned.
"He spent half his life fighting Robert's wars, he owes him nothing." Catelyn stared the Maester down before taking steps towards her husband, "Your father and brother rode south once, on a king's demand." There it was. Brandon. A constant scare between them, he would know what to do. Brandon was born for this, not Ned. What would his father have done? Ned was not sure.
"A different time. A different king." Maester Luwin countered.
Ned turned slowly and faced the two. Catelyn's eyes were frightened, unsure of what his answer would be, while the Maester was calm and sure of his council. Ned stared at his feet before answering. Looking into his wife's eyes he saw the tears beginning to well, fearing what he was about to say. "Maester Luwin," Ned begun in his lord's voice, "I wish to speak with my wife alone. I will send for you in the morning with my orders for preparation."
"Very good My Lord." The Maester bowed. Catelyn hung her head in defeat. Her shoulder's begun to shake as she covered her mouth in attempt to silence her sobs.
When the Maester had shut the door, Ned took his wife into his arms. "Cat, I must go. Maester Luwin is right. I will take Sansa, Arya and Bran…" Catelyn pulled back and stared at his face.
"No. You can't take them from me Ned!" She pulled from his embrace, putting distance between them, the robe falling open.
"Cat," Ned moved closer towards her and closed the robe as she stared into the fire. "What else am I to do? I swore an oath."
"What of your oaths to me." She looked up at him, tears streaking her face, "Your oaths to your children. If you leave, you will split the family Ned. You rode out on his commands. Seventeen years ago you rode out with Robert Barratheon, you returned home with another woman's son. I can't do it Ned. I just can't!" She moved to the chair and collapsed onto it. Her face in her hands as her body shook from sobs. Ned looked into the fire, remembering the Targaryan's final days. He wasn't sure how long he had stood there, remembering and picturing a similar outcome for Robert. Would his family be at risk? Most definitely, his loyalties to Robert ran to deep. He looked to his wife; she had calmed slightly and now looking at her hands. He moved to kneel in front of her.
"Cat," he took her hands into his own, "If I left, you can…. You must rule in my place. Show Robb the right way." She began to protest but he silenced her with his stern eyes. After all the years together, learning about one another, she had learnt to read his eyes. "I said if Cat. I may not. I said before that I belong in the North and not in the South. I belong here, with you and the children." Catelyn's eyes had softened and she smiled down at him. "I will speak to Robert on the morrow, ask if of Jon's death. I know you believe your sister right…"
"I know Lysa is right, Ned." Determination returned to her eyes.
"Family, duty, honour are the Tully's words, Cat. You are born to believe your family. You have a duty to them. I do not want you to speak of your sister's words to anyone. She is fresh widow and will believe anything. Let her calm down, let her think sense. If she writes again, than we will think more of it." Catelyn nodded and looked at their entwined hands.
"So you will not leave?" she asked, still unsure of his intentions.
Ned gave a small laugh, "No. I will let you tell him that I belong to you now." Catelyn smiled and left the chair to kneel beside him.
"Thank you, Ned." She looked into his eyes and found love, solace and trust. Love did not just happen to them. There was no rushed passion and sneaking amongst the woods in their childhood. It grew on respect and trust within one another. Too this day, Catelyn trusted him with her life. If he left and did not return from the South, she did not know what she would do or who she would become. He was the rock of her life. Her life was built upon and around him. He centred her.
"There is no need to thank me, Cat." He played with her hair that cascaded around her, "Let us go back to bed. I expect the morrow to be troublesome enough without enough rest." She let out a squeal as Ned, unexpectedly, scooped her into his arms. He gave her a grin. "There is still some unfinished business to attend to before though." Ned placed her on the bed and kissed her with a passion of a new lover. She relaxed under him and wrapper her arms around his neck.
It was sometime before they fell asleep wrapped in each other's embrace; content in their surroundings and life. Neither wanted change, neither wished the other to go south and reopen wounds that were best left forgotten.