Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Game of Throne


Catelyn Stark

Catelyn loved her husband. She loved him more than anything in the world except for the children he had gifted her. It was a strange feeling even now after so many years. She had been raised with her family motto ingrained into her. Family. Duty. Honor.

And her duty to her family was to marry and secure alliances for the House of Tully. Her honor would keep her from straying from her husband no matter how unfaithful he may be to her. The Septa who taught her and Lysa had never sugarcoated what life would be like for them once they married. She had known Brandon was as big a whoremonger as Robert Baratheon and she had accepted that her husband would not be faithful and her marriage would never one of love for she could never love a man such as Brandon Stark.

But then her husband to be had been murdered by the Mad King and she married Ned instead. Who had ridden off to war with Robert and returned with a bastard he proclaimed would be raised in Winterfell. That night as Ned sat with both Robb and the bastard she had laid awake in her chambers knowing that her marriage would be a loveless one despite not marrying Brandon.

Yet I love him so.

After he had returned from War Ned had taken everything she expected her future to be and crushed it underneath his boot. He didn't stray from their marriage bed again, he had a Sept built inside the Castle so she could pray to the Seven and gifted her more children that she loved. And no matter how much the sight of the bastard burned her she couldn't hold onto her hate and the rest of her children were not born out of duty but from the love between her and her husband.

"Mother, did you see?"

Smiling down at her eldest child who was staring up at her from the yard she nodded. "Very good, Robb. Your father will be proud."

Robb grinned and waved before turning away and notching another arrow.

Which made the small ember of hate she held for her husband all the more painful. She didn't want to hate her Quiet Wolf. She loved him but he was doing things she couldn't understand and when questioned clammed up and dismissed her. Not as a husband but as Lord Stark, Warden of the North.

All because of the bastard. Ned spent hours every day holed up in his solar with the bastard doing what, she didn't know. All she knew was he was spending more time with his illegitimate child than he did with his trueborn. Not that any of her children seemed to notice. Robb, Bran and little Arya were just happy their 'brother' was healing and acting normal again. Sansa had never paid much attention to what the bastard did and that hadn't changed. Rickon, who was not even reached his second name day was too young to notice such things but she did.

She saw the way Ned made room for the bastard at the main table during meals and how he asked Maester Luwin and Ser Rodrik more about the bastard than he did Robb. She heard the rumors and even saw with her own eyes has the bastard won every training match he was put in, so much so that he now clashed swords with actual Northern Warriors leaving Robb and Theon behind.

And she could see what was happening. The bastard was trying to take Winterfell and Ned was letting him. But she wouldn't allow it. Her sons would inherit Winterfell, not her husbands bastard.


Jon Snow

"Father, are you sure? Lady Stark won't like this."

"Do not worry about that, Jon. I will have a talk with my lady wife." His father said and handed him the bundle of papers wrapped in deerskin. "You just worry about staying safe once you leave Winterfell."

Taking the bundle from his father Jon set it in his pack and tied the satchel closed tightly before slinging it over his back and tightening the strap stretching across his chest.

"Remember Jon, stay true to the route we planned and-"

"Keep out of towns when I can. Don't sleep out in the open and only spend two days at most in the other Lord's homes." Jon repeated the rules his father had been drilling into his head since they began planning his journey across the North.

His father while not willing or able to punish the Houses that had betrayed House Stark in the future but he trusted them no longer. House Bolton, House Umber and any others that sided against the Starks were being watched carefully and no Stark would step foot in theirs keeps unless they had enough men to escape at their backs.

"I'm sorry for asking this of you, Jon."

Pulled from his thoughts by his father's words Jon smiled and reached out wrapping his arms around his father's shoulders. "You didn't ask, father. I volunteered. I am just happy you trust me enough to make the journey alone."

"If I could spare the men you wouldn't be going alone," Ned said bitterly and hugged Jon tighter before releasing his hold on his son.

"Winterfell and Winter Town needs to be fortified. We also need Queens crown rebuilt and men to ferry supplies to the Wall." Jon had done the same things once he had been named King in the North and knew exactly how many men would be needed to complete just those four things. His father could spare the manpower to send guards with him.

"I will be fine, father."

Jon wouldn't promise he would come back as he had been taught not to make promises he couldn't keep. 'A man's word is a powerful thing' father would say. And even with all his future knowledge if he was unfortunate enough to run across a band of thieves while traveling he would be hard-pressed to escape with his life.

The North was a harsh place after all. "But not as harsh as beyond the Wall."

He had lived with the Free Folk for months in the wild. Surviving the woods of the North would be challenging but not as hard as it would be if he was truly ten and three.

"Hodor should have your horse packed and ready, Jon. And I'm sure Arya and your brothers are waiting to say goodbye at the stables."

Jon nodded and opened the door of Lord Starks solar a solemn look washing over his face. "I'm going to miss them. I just got them back and now it feels like I'm losing them again."


Arya Stark

"Try to come back in one piece, Jon. Who will I knock around the training yard if you go missing in the woods?"

Standing at her father's side holding onto his pant leg with one hand Arya watched her two eldest brothers clap hands and hug with Robb shoving Jon a bit in jest when they separated.

Robb was smiling and Bran who had said his goodbyes quick because mother called him away had smiled but she wouldn't. Smiling would mean she was okay with Jon leaving and she wasn't. He should stay in Winterfell. Why did he have to leave anyway? Father had an entire castle of men and a full rookery of ravens to send messages with, why did he have to send Jon?

"Arya, aren't you going to see your brother off?" Father asked looking down at her.

Letting go of his leg she crossed her arms over her chest and looked away from Jon who had stopped laughing with Robb and was looking at her. "No, because he isn't leaving."

"Arya-"

"Why does he have to go anyway? Send someone else to deliver the stupid letters!"

"Arya Stark! You are a Lady of the North and you will act like accordingly."

Ignoring her father's words, because there was no way she was ever going to be a lady, Arya huffed and turned her chin up refusing to look at Jon. He had to know what he was doing to her. Leaving her alone with her other siblings and mother who were trying to turn her into a proper lady. Robb and Bran didn't drag her to Septa Mordane's lessons but they wouldn't hide her like Jon did.

She had spent hours in his room hiding from her Mother and talking to him. What was she supposed to do now?

"Arya, I won't be gone long." Jon smiled. "I'll be back before you know it."

"Don't lie." She pointed at the sacks strapped to the horse Jon would be leaving on. "I looked in your packs when no one was looking. Dried meat and a set of extra clothes? A hunting bow and arrows? You've packed enough to be gone for months!"

Jon smile grew and Arya frowned. What was he smiling about? Didn't he care she was mad at him?

"It's good to know you've been listening."

Grey eyes opened wide and Arya shot a quick glance at her father who didn't look surprised. He knows!

But if he knew why didn't he ever say anything.

"Say goodbye to your brother, Arya. When he returns I'm sure he will make up for his absence." Her father said before sharing a weird look that she didn't understand with Jon.

It was like they were talking without words.

"Goodbye, Jon." She said and then squealed when he shot forward and lifted her from the ground spinning her around.

"I'll miss you the most Arya." He whispered and against her will a smile bloomed on her face.

"I'm really going to miss you, Jon." She whispered just as quietly holding onto his shoulders tightly not wanting to ever let go.

Mother would have a fit if she knew and she didn't want to hurt her other brother's feelings by saying it out loud but she did love Jon the most. Maybe it was wrong to love her half-brother more than she did her 'true brothers' but she couldn't help it. Jon always just seemed to understand the way she was. Why she wanted to shoot a bow and wield a sword instead of sewing and talk about southern knights. He always just accepted it and when he could sneak her out of sight give her lessons. No sword work yet but she was a better shot than Bran with an arrow despite not getting real lessons.

"Be good for Father and your mother and I'll bring you back a gift." Jon set her down and tousled her hair messing up all the work that had been done that morning.

And she knew he did it because he knew she hated having it tied up.

"Jon," Father sighed next to her and her smile could have lit up crypts beneath the castle when Jon shot her a wink and mounted his horse a sixteen hand tall midnight black stallion that she had heard her mother complaining was too costly for a bastard.

Winking up at him she turned on heel and sprinted away darting between the people in the yard. With everyone caught up in Jon's departure, it would give her time to find a good hiding spot for the day.

"Arya!" She heard Father as well as Robb call but she kept running pulling at the rest of her hair out of the messed up bun that was barely holding together atop her head. This was why Jon was her favorite.


The second chapter is done! Hope you guys enjoyed it and leave a review with what you think so far.