"Is this necessary Ben?"
Benjen Stark turned his face to gaze at his brother who rode alongside him on his own black stallion, studying the newly formed lines upon his face. It had been a little less than a month since Eddard Stark had returned home to take on the role of Lord of Winterfell following the death of his father and elder brother. The war had been won, with all Targaryens wiped out of Westeros and Robert Baratheon declared King.
They were traveling through the region of The Gift, on their way to Castle Black. Ned had protested violently when his little brother informed him of his intention of joining the Night's Watch a few day's after Ned's arrival home. He had shouted, begged, and spent the entirety of the few days following the disclosure of Ben's intentions convincing him to stay. For reasons unknown to him, however, Benjen was adamant on leaving. Eddard Stark then decided that, after failing to make his little brother stay, the least he could do was accompany him on his journey. He couldn't let him go alone - Ben was still his baby brother, after all.
Sighing, Benjen slowed down the pace of his horse, "Yes, it is. What is unnecessary, however, is you coming all the way down here to see me off. I'm a grown man! I can make a couple of miles on my own."
"Gods know when I'll see you again!" Ned exclaimed, growing increasingly tired of his brother's ignorance. Straying from the Kingsroad, they had come to a halt inside of Queenscrown, the stone tower of the abandoned village a few meters away from them. "You are my brother, you are my family. This could very well be the last time we're in each other's company, pardon me for wanting to make the most of it!"
Ben opened his mouth to reason with his elder brother, but closed it shut upon hearing a cry. Acknowledging his brother's change in expression, Ned furrowed his eyebrows.
"Listen to that," Ned tried concentrating upon Ben's instructions. "Is that a child?"
The two men spent a few more seconds trying to figure out where the cries were coming from before riding towards the back of the tower. They came to a halt before a tiny bundle of cloth and exchanged weary looks. Ned dismounted his horse and hesitantly approached their source of delay, kneeling down to unwrap the white fabric around it only to gasp. Eyes with irises the transparency of crystal, containing glowing specks of blue stared back at him, widening as the infant stopped crying in Ned's arms.
Benjen strode towards his brother, looking down to study the babe in his arm. It was a girl, merely a few months old. Her eyes were like none other he'd seen before, the hair atop her head a darker black than night itself. It was the oddest combination of features the two men had ever witnessed. Her haunting gaze remained fixated on Ned, taking in the appearance of the man holding her.
"Ned, you must take her back," Ben gently shook his brother's shoulder, urging him to stand up. "Gods know how long she's been lying her. Look at her! She has no proper protection against the harsh weather, just a cloak of velvet. It's a wonder she isn't dead yet!"
Ned only then realised the truth in his brother's words. The babe was naked, other than the yard of velvet wrapped around her, and the weather was not merciful. He gave Ben a pained look, "Cat's already losing her head over the arrival of Jon, I can't burden her with the responsibility of another child."
"Ned, she's barely seen two moons. I can't take her with me, you know that. We have no choice. I did not spot a single soul along our journey that could claim responsibility of this child. You have to take her back. You have to." Ned knew Ben was right. Nothing in the world was worth the life of a child, and he knew she had no chance of survival if he did not take her back with her. "Winter is coming, Ned."
Ned looked up from the babe to stare at his brother. It felt like hours before he nodded at him and they strode back to their horses. Following a long hug, they bid farewell and mounted their horses, finding their separate ways. Ned glanced down at the babe secure in one arm of his as the other held onto the reigns of his horse, galloping forth. "It's alright," he turned her face into his chest to shelter her from the wind. "You'll be okay."
Within the week, Ned was back home. The gates of his castle drew open as he entered, the babe asleep in his now tired arm. Sparring was nowhere near as exhausting as holding a child. Coming to a stop, he dismounted his horse and shifted the sleeping child into his other arm. He returned the greetings of the men who rushed to receive him and then bolted towards The Great Keep, striding towards his room.
"Ned," Catelyn grinned upon the sight of her husband entering the room, standing from her position on the bed with a sleeping Robb in her arms. Her eyes then travelled to the babe in his arms, her grin dropping before she pursed her lips into a straight line.
"Before you ask," Ned started as he stepped forward. "I found the poor babe left on the ground in the middle of an abandoned village near The Wall. There was no one around to tend to her, she would've died within days on her own."
Catelyn was a kind woman, a good woman, but the wound in her heart cast by the existence of Jon Snow was still fresh. It would always remain fresh. "Maybe if you had actually bothered to look for someone to tend to-"
"Seven hells Cat, there was nobody!" Ned cut her off. "Would you rather the death of an infant be on your husband's head?"
Catelyn lowered her gaze. Her husband was right, she knew that. The babe was barely three moons of age, but she couldn't help the way she was acting. Fortunately for her, Ned understood. He always understood.
Sighing, he existed the room and strode down the corridor, reaching another door. He knew his wife would warm up soon enough; his wife's anger was not worth the the value of the life of a child.
He entered the room, startling the septa who had begun to doze off in her chair. "Lord Stark," she whispered.
Ignoring her, Ned stepped towards the crib next to her, unable to help the smile that formed on his lips upon seeing Jon sound asleep. As quietly as he could, he laid down the sleeping babe in his arms next to Jon.
"Care for them as you would care for Robb," he spoke to the septa as he continued to gaze down at the two infants. Raising his head in time to see the septa nodded, he exited the room.
A/N: Just joined this site because Game of Thrones Season 6 has ended and I was suffering withdrawals. Any who, this is my first attempt at a fan fiction. Please do review it and let me know what you guys think! I have big plans for this