Catleyn

Of all the rooms in Winterfell's great keep, Catleyn's bed chamber was the hottest. She seldom had to light a fire. The castle had been built over natural hot springs and heat rose up through the pipes like blood through a man's body.

Catleyn lay in bed with her husband, her head resting on his chest hearing his heart pounding. Nothing on them except for his thin undershirt, she in a delicate evening gown with the color of her house and the furs on top of them. Ned rested his hand in her hair and twirled at her long, red hair with one finger. Catleyn sat this whole time thinking and after a while spoke her mind.

"Robert made you his hand, didn't he?" she said. She heard his heart beat starting to beat faster and that answered her question." What are you going to do?"

"I will refuse him." Ned said." My place is here in the North not in King's Landing."

"He will not understand that." She sat up and faced her husband." He is a King now, Kings are not like other men. If you refuse him he will wonder why and then he will begin to think you oppose him. Think of what that would do to us and our children." This was just another one of those times Catleyn saw a large, darker picture than her husband. But Ned stood his ground shaking his head.

"Robert would never harm me we are close as brothers, he loves me. Even if that bond had faded he would not harm me for fear of Lyanna. If I refuse he will curse and roar but in a week we will laugh about it." Catleyn turned over and sat on Ned's lap then leaned forward, resting her head against his.

"The realm's lasted this long because Jon Arryn was the Hand. Robert still has many enemies. Would you not accept the position if not to help your friend, your sister and their children?" A cold grimace graced Ned's features.

He remembered the Tower of Joy. The showdown with the Kingsguard and Lyanna close to death. No, he told himself. Never again. He faced his wife with newfound purpose in his eyes.

"Yes." He said in an authoritative voice." I will accept." Catelyn hugged herself close to him." And some of the children will come with me."

"All of them?!" She said sharply sitting up.

"Robb is fourteen, he'll need to learn how to rule." Catleyn shook. It felt like a punishment to be parted form her husband never to hear his voice or feel his arms around her. She asked a question she most dreaded.

"What of the other children?" she shook. He took her in his arms and held her close to him.

"Bran and Rickon are very young. They should stay here with you and Robb. I would take Sansa and Arya with me." Sansa would shine in the south, Catleyn knew and it was time Arya learned the ways of court. But Catleyn felt lonelier already.

"And Snow?" she asked her voice tense. Ned paused a moment. The bastard boy was the dark part of their marriage. But he'd been born even before that, which Catelyn could accept. She could accept that Ned had a bastard. But what she couldn't accept was that he lived with them, lived with their true born children. They may have loved him but Catleyn could not. She feared that he might one day fight for inheritance of her own children. That she could not allow." He must go with you."

Ned knew it was probably better that way. It was time for his son to find his own way. His brother had come to him earlier in the night and told him of Jon's desire to join the Night's Watch. That would be good for him. The Night's Watch was a shadow of its former self and a skilled boy like Jon would do well for himself there. And for Catelyn he would be out of sight forever.

With his arms around her Lord and Lady Stark slept, knowing it may be the last time they ever would.

Jon

Jon woke the next morning his mind still fluttering with thoughts of the Kingsguard. So enthralled was he that he decided to practice his swordsmanship that morning. He had hoped Ser Barristan would notice and speak to his Lord Father even sooner.

He stood with a wooden sword, stabbing and slashing at a practice dummy made of hay. With each strike hay was beaten out of the dummy and landed on the ground.

"Hardly a worthy opponent." A voice said from behind him. Jon turned around to see none other than his Aunt, the Queen standing before him. She wore a leather shirt with the animals of her two houses sewn onto her forearms and dark blue breeches. In her hand was a wooden sword, just like Jon's.

He turned and faced his aunt with a smirk on his face. Is father had told them time and again what his sister was like, namely when comparing her to his youngest daughter Arya. She enjoyed more manly activities like sword fighting and riding rather than sewing.

"Your move, M'lady." Jon said raising his sword. In one swift move Lyanna swatted his sword and poked Jon in the head with it. It shook him and he rubbed the spot that had been hit. He looked forward at his Aunt to see her smirking at him.

Evidently she was better with a sword than he though. She had learned at a young age from her older brother Brandon, and in more recent years from her very own Kingsguard.

He gripped his sword tightly with both hands and prepared for another bout.

Eddard

Robert and Ned stood on the wall, the same place they had the night before. They watched with smiles on their faces. Lyanna and Jon fought back and forth back and forth with smiles on their faces. Eventually Edric and Gendry joined in, Robb and even Arya. It became a Baratheon vs. Starks, Boys against Girls and eventually just an all-out free for all.

Robert let out a hearty laugh as he saw his wife and children playing.

"Gods look at 'em go." He said, leaning against the ramparts. Edric fought with the same strength and ferocity as his father, he'd make a great warrior yet. Robb and Jon were the same, years of practice had clearly done them well. Though Jon was not as big and broad as Robb. Looking at all of them together he was reminded of his youth with Robert in the Vale. He was the resemblance of himself in Robb and Edric, Gendry and Arya. Even Jon was regarded as one of the family by all.

Ned nodded his agreement and leaned down next to Robert. The King turned and faced his old friend.

"Have you thought about my offer Ned?" He asked solemnly.

"Yes, your grace."Ned answered. He turned and stood up straight." And I accept."

"HAHA!" Robert bellowed out. "Excellent!" He slapped a hard hand on Ned's shoulder." Stark and Baratheon, together again!" At Robert's joy Ned couldn't help but smile.

"Your grace." A voice called. Turning around Ned saw Lord Commander Barristan Selmy walking towards them." Lord Stark." He greeted.

"Ser Barristan." Robert said." Ned here has just agreed to become my hand!"

"A great honor indeed." Barristan agreed." I wonder Lord Stark might I have a word with you."

"Surely Ser Barristan. Of what?"

"Your son has approached me, expressing interest in becoming a Kingsguard."

"Robb?" Ned said confused." He's just a boy." A great honor indeed but not his first born, not his heir. He thought the idea must be coming from Bran. The boy always wanted to be a knight but he'd never even held a real sword before.

"You misunderstand my lord, I meant your other son." Barristan looked down into the courtyard where Jon was sword fighting with his family. Ned followed the old knight's eyes and saw Jon." He has told me he has some skill."

"One can plainly see that. "Robert said.

"I told him I would speak with you in the morning." Told Barristan." So here I stand." Ned was shocked but beamed with pride.

"The Kingsguard is a great honor." Ned managed to find the words.

"I was hoping he would return with us to Kingslanding." Barristan continued." With your approval Lord Stark. He could Squire under one of current Kingsguard, perhaps Ser Arys. They are closest in age. He could be knighted in a few years and a few years after that." He finished with a soft smile.

Last night his brother had told him about Jon's interest in the Night's Watch. Now this morning Ser Barristan tells of the boy's interest in the Kingsguard. Ned could agree either way but the final choice was Jon's.

"This has my approval surely." Ned said. "But the final decision does lay with my son."

"Very well." Ser Barristan nodded.

A day later Ned set out with King Robert and Queen Lyanna back to King's Landing. With him came his daughters Sansa, Arya. Jon Snow rode with them as well now studying as a squire for the Kingsguard, each child with their direwolves. Robb would stay behind and rule Winterfell with his mother and younger brothers.

The summons came in early hours of the dawn as the sun rose. Jory, Captain of Ned's guards woke him from his sleep at the King's command. Ned stirred in bed getting to his feet quickly and looking outside the tent. There was Robert with black riding gloves, a big fur coat and his fierce black beard looking down at Ned from his great black stallion.

"Up, Up Stark!" He called. "We have matters of State to discuss."

"By all means, your grace." Ned stood aside expecting him to enter the tent.

"No, No, Not here!" Robert shook his head, his breath steam with every word. "I want to ride out and see this country of yours." Ned looked past his King to see Ser Barristan and a dozen guards waiting on horses of their own. There was nothing he do but rub the sleep from his eyes, dress and mount up.

Robert set the pace. Riding with Ned beside him and the guard just a few trots back. Ser Barristan rode with several dozen of the King's bannerman.

But neither Ned nor Robert said anything as they rode along, at least not until the guard had fallen back some. And by that time the sun had already risen high into the morning.

"Gods this is country." Robert said looking off across the green covered fields and white-tipped mountains. Ned kept his mind on the matter at hand.

"Your grace." He said inching up besides the Robert." The matter you called me here for."

"Damn it Ned, hold on a moment. Let me enjoy this ride."

"Robert." Ned said in a scolding tone as if he was talking to his children. Robert fiddled around with his coat, pulling out a sheet of paper and handing it to his Hand.

"There was a rider in the Night." He told. Ned took the paper and read it.

"Daenerys Targaryen has wed some Dothraki horse lord, what of it?" he responded." Shall we send her a wedding gift?"

"A knife perhaps. A good sharp one, and a bold man to wield it."

"She's little more than a child."

"Soon enough that child will spread her legs and start breeding."

"Tell me we're not speaking of this." Ned said darkly.

"Oh it's unspeakable to you, is it?! What her father did to your family that was unspeakable! What Rhaegar did to your sister, the woman I love that was unspeakable!" The fury grew in him and his face turned red as blood, his eyes burning like a storm." I'll kill every Targaryen I get my hands on, until their dead as their dragons. Then I'll piss on their graves!"

"But you can't get your hands on this one can you?"

"This Khal Drogo." Said Robert." They say he has one hundred thousand men in his horde."

"Even a million Dothraki are no threat to the realm. And if they do, we'll throw them back into the sea." Ned told in a voice as cold as his friends. Robert shook his head and grumbled under his breath, his face turning a lighter shade of red.

"There's a war coming Ned." He said next." I don't know when or who we'll be fighting. But it's coming." An interesting first day for Ned as Hand of the King. He hadn't even officially been given the position and he was already at odds with his King.