Prologue

You could hear the birds singing in the trees, as if they were congratulating the couple that were wedded beneath the canopy. The moment they said the words and were bound together the love was shing through their eyes. Though they were both awere of the tragedy that love caused, in that moment nothing else existed besides the two of them. The High Septon that held the cermony had seen many couples thoughout his life but few who was so much in love as the ones before him. It was without a doubt a happy moment but dread awaited them around the corner, the old man knew this. As the two lovers kissed he feared for their future, they if anyone deserved to be happy.

Far away from the joyful moment another man had bitter thoughts. His father was dead, his brother was dead and his sister kidnapped. He and his little brother was all that was left of their once happy family. A war was coming, which meant that the realm would soon bleed and many innocents would be killed simply because they were at the wrong place at the wrong time. He wanted to stop it but knew that wasn't possible. His best friend, his sister's betrothed, had started it. He called the banners of his house and went berserk through the enemies ranks. Sometimes you could think he started the war for the battles rather than getting his fiancee back.

The young man sighed, though he was barely a man grown he felt so much older, but he wanted his sister back and he had to fight for it. He hoped it would soon be over and justice would prevail in the kingdoms once more.

EIGHT MONTHS LATER

A tall lean man stood over his foe. He bled from many places and suspected he had more than a few broken bones but he was alive, unlike his enemy. With a huge hole in his breastplate anyone could see he was dead, As always victory was sweet, especially now when it meant he once again could hold his beloved in his arms. He could still recall that pain and anger when they had found out she was gone, but not anymore. Soon, soon he would see her again.

He kicked his fallen foe into the river, armour and all, and watched him disappear under the surface. The current was strong by the Trident and he knew the body would travel quite the distance despite it's weight. Afterwards he turned around and walked a few steps and then all the wounds he had suffered began to hurt. He fell to his knees while grunting in pain. He tried to get to his horse but soon realised it was in vain, his wounds were to severe. He cursed, the blasted kidnapper was finally dead and he was too weak to ride. He cursed again and again and again and were just the punched his knuckles bloody when he heard one of his soldiers shouting and soon strong hands helped him through the battlefield to his tent. There he lay down and a healer was called to his side. Irritated he told him to fetch his most trusted friend, his sister's younger brother, the Warden of The North.

She knew she would die, she knew even before her water broke she knew. It was a feeling that had lingered after she heard about her husband's death, she knew she would not see her child grow up. It made her sad to think about her child's furture, without a mother and a father.

Now when she lay there screaming and pushing for the child to come out she felt her body breaking and her blood flowing out of her in rivers, but it mattered not, as long as her child was safe. When the child finally left her womb she lay, blood still flowing, hearing the little one screaming. Suddenly the door flew open and a figure emerged.

"Lyanna."

He called her name and she wondered if she was dreaming, he could not be here, and yet he was. Her shy and sweet little brother.

"Ned? Is that really you?" Her voice was no more than a whisper and she understood she did not have long. "I want to be brave, but... I don't want to die."

He had tears in his eyes. Her beloved brother, so much responsibility on so young shoulders and she was to give him even more. She had no choice.

"No! No, you're not going to die! We're going home to Winterfell, Benjen's waiting for us there so you can't die, Lyanna."

"Ned." She whispered as he leaned closer. "Her name is Jeanaerys Targaryen, protect her from Robert. You know he will kill her. Promise me, Ned, promise me."She said as the last breath passed her lips, and then she was dead.

He looked at her with all the pain in the world squeezing his heart. Then he looked at his newborn niece and picked her up. Little Jeanaerys had fallen asleep but opened her eyes when she felt a new persons warmth. They were violet, just like her fathers, but her hair and features were all Stark. Eddard felt a feeling of pure love when he looked apon her as he held her close. Again he looked at his dead sister.

"I promise, Lya. I'll keep her safe. No one will harm her, but she can't go by her real name." He caressed the baby's head, she had fallen aslepp again. "You will be known as Helena Snow, little one. My bastard daughter. You will not know have an easy life, you will be scourned and mocked, but you will also be strong and brave as your mother and just as loved." carefully he placed a kiss on her snall forehead, before he draped her within his cape and left the Tower of Joy.