Winterfell was in chaos as everyone ran around preparing for King Robert's first visit to the North, Ned Stark was in the wolfswood cleaning his sword when his eldest son Robb burst in.
"Father! Thank the old gods I've found you!" Robb exclaimed and Ned turned around confused. "Robb?" Ned said "Are you alright?" he added. "Goddamn it, dad! I need your help!" Robb retorted. Ned pointed to a chair and said "Perhaps you should sit and tell me the problem."
Robb took a deep breath and sat down on the chair "By the gods, I don't know what's happened. I've become...it's the dreams. They're driving me mad." he said. "I never thought you were a man that would be disturbed by dreams." Ned said with a smile. "You don't know...You can't understand...They beguile me with fantastical visions. In my dream, I'm at King's Landing during the war. In fact, in the dream, there is no war. I stay with mother, tending to my siblings. Peaceful and content." Robb said with a serious look.
"It sounds like paradise." Ned said.
"No, they don't stop there, the peace of the vision pushes me to...The dreams become unspeakable. You and Bran are in them, father." Robb said standing up before producing a round looking object "I believe the visions came from this." he continued. Ned fell back in shock as he had seen the object before "Where did you get this?" he demanded. "It was taken from the cyrpt. There was something compelling about it, so I kept it on my person. It's strange, for I cannot remember the soldier whor brought this to me." Robb explained.
"May I see it?" Ned asked and Robb immediately backed away "You're not thinking clearly lad!" he exclaimed.
"You're right. It is the dreams, the dreams that came from this...Apple." Robb relented and allowed Ned to touch it, but once Ned made contact with the Apple a blinding flash of light engulfed the garden.
"Dad! Wake up, it's time to go!" a young boy's voice could be heard as Ned Stark rubbed his eyes and the boy turned out to be Bran Stark. "Bran? You look...old." Ned said still confused. "Don't you remember? I turned twenty yesterday." Bran said looking back at his father before reaching out his hand "Come on, let's go!"
Ned smiled and took his son's hand and they both walked along the road when they heard a woman screaming, the two of them crept up behind the rock and saw three soldiers threatening a young woman. "Where is the leader of the rebellion?" a soldier asked with his sword pointing at the woman's face. "Right here!" Bran shouted and fired an arrow that wounded the soldier while Ned drew out his sword and killed the other two.
Bran grabbed the injured soldier by the neck and asked "Why has Robb Stark send his men to raid the North?"
"Robb?" Ned said with shock. "To find somebody...a young man who tried to steal it from him." was the soldier's answer before Bran slit his throat. "What has Robb got to do with all of this, he's back home at Winterfell." Ned asked. "A lovely fantasy father, you know Robb has gone mad with power long ago. I tried to stop him but failed and now I've brought his wrath upon the entire North." Bran replied as he tossed the soldier's body aside.
"King Robb's men are raiding the Dreadfort, murdering everyone, they are looking for you milord." the woman said. "KING Robb." Ned asked with open eyes as Bran call out for him to follow. The two of them made their way towards the Dreadfort and what Ned saw at the distance made him froze, the entire fort was burning and the screams of the innocents could be heard. "I'm in a nightmare." he said to himself as he followed his grown up son into the fort.
"Only tell us where he is and these people ;live. Refuse and they burn. It's really quite simple." Theon Greyjoy said as he stood outside a house. "We really don't know where the Lord is." a muffled voice replied. "Very well." Theon said and motioned for his men forward. "Wait! Wait! There are women and children in here! Are you a monster? Do not to this!" the voice said again. "You have your chance." Theon said with a smirk and mounted his horse and galloped away.
"We have to free those people!" Ned shouted. "As if I don't know!" Bran yelled back before killing the soldiers that were throwing burning sticks into the house while Ned hacked down the door. "Lord Stark! Thank the seven!" Lord Bolton said with relief "Your eldest son is attacking every single village and fort around the Northern border, we must pull our forces back!" he added.
"Lord Bolton, I want you to lead your people towards Winterfell and order the guards to stay alert in case Robb really does show up." Bran ordered. "There he is! The savage that tried to steal my Apple, the source and symbol of my power!" a new voice could be heard and Ned immediately recognized it was Robb's. "Gaze upon it! For it will be the last object you will ever see! I come to here to destroy both you and your rebellion, for none like you will be allowed to live." Robb said as more of his soldiers came to his side.
Bran was about to talk back when Ned pulled him back. "Robb! Why are you doing this? After all we've been through together! Take hold of your senses!" Ned yelled. Robb smiled evilly and replied "Another of my kin. My father no less, I have never had such firm grasp on my senses. Now bend your knee to your monarch, and make penitence before you're blasted away to your dread reward! Men! Finish them all!" and with that said all of Robb's soldiers charged forward.
Out of nowhere, arrows rained down on Robb's men, the arrows were too many to count that it forced the soldiers to retreat. Bran led his father towards the resistance army camp, where Jon Snow was waiting for them. "He tried to destroy the entire fort, it's all my fault." Bran said. "I do not understand. Robb knows us. He is a man of reason if nothing else. But that was not the man I would call my son." Ned said.
"Are you confused? When would you ever love that brat?" Jon asked. "I know him...I...Jon, Bran, this is all wrong. Robb, the violence, all of it!" Ned replied. "Have you truly forgotten father? Robb was the most arrogant child ever, he forced mother to death, he killed Sansa when she refused to have sex with him and Arya..." Bran retorted but broke down at the mention of Arya.
"He executed her for treason Lord Stark...you were there...I was there...we all were...her death was the reason for this war." Lord Bolton said softly. Ned stood shock for several seconds as he looked around at all the soldiers assembled, they were all mixed up from House Stark, House Tully, House Greyjoy and House Lannister. "We are all that's left of all the great Houses that once ruled Westeros." Bran said after regaining his composure "We need to pull our forces-" he didn't get to finish when an arrow flew right over his head.
"The mad king is here!" Lord Bolton shouted at the top of his voice. "Charge!" Jon yelled and the soldiers ran towards the oncoming forces despite being shot by showers of arrows. Ned scanned the battlefield and noticed his son Robb riding alongside Theon Greyjoy and Lord Rickard Karstark, but for some reasons he was able to hear their conversation.
"Lord Theon, Lord Karstark, I sometimes despair of our project. I question my abilities and my strength. But with you two at my side, I believe we will bring liberty to this country and we will bring it with fists of iron! Can I have assurance of your loyalty?" Robb said. "You have my solemn pledge." Theon replied with a bow. "And mine." Karstark answered with a nod. "Thank you, honorable gentlemen. Westeros will remember you." Robb added with an evil smirk. Theon smiled and drew out his sword and yelled "Give no quarter to the rebels!" and he charged forward.
Ned watched around frantically and he saw Lord Bolton standing a few feet in front of Robb. "You'll not succeed here! Traitor!" Bolton said with his sword pointed at Robb. "You? You survived? How astonishing. This time, I'll make certain of your death." Robb said mockingly. Lord Bolton raised his sword and charged forward, Robb raised the object and right before Ned's eyes he saw Lord Bolton fall to the ground his hands grabbing his head in agony before dying.
Ned decided he had seen enough and ran out to face his eldest son in combat. "Enough of this madness!" Ned exclaimed as he raised his sword in defense but no matter how many times he tried to attack Robb, there was always a barrier that will sent him flying back. As Ned continued to attack, the more tired he became and he made a huge mistake in letting his side open, Robb took the chance and thrust his dagger into Ned's side.
Ned felt the pain, and the impact sent him falling to the ground, he could only watch as Robb walked over with a spear. Robb looked down at his semi conscious father and said "Just in case." before piercing the spear in his father's chest. Ned awoke at the sight of dozens of dead bodies, he looked around gasping for air and wondered how did he survive Robb's attacks, he noticed Jon slumped up against a tree with an arrow sticking out of his chest.
"JON!" Ned shouted and ran towards his foster son's body. Jon reached his hand out weakly and Ned took it "Lord Stark, your soldiers fought well but there were too many." he said as blood spluttered out from his mouth. "I will kill the person who did this." Ned swore. "Good...first kill Theon and stop the madness here. Then kill Robb...you must succeed...father..if not you...nobody." Jon said as his eyes closed and his hand dropped down from Ned's tight grip. For the first time, Ned felt a tear dripping down his eyes, even though he knew this wasn't the Jon he knew but it looks exactly the same, just then Bran tapped his shoulder.
"Father, we must go...before he comes back." Bran said as Ned stood up and nodded. "Bran, I want you to tell me every single thing you know about Theon...we're taking him out." Ned said with fury in his eyes.
