Chapter 2 is up! I've already started writing chapter 3 so it should be up in a few days. I'm trying to do as much as I can before Uni work slows me down. I'm open to any suggestions anyone has.
This is another Ned chapter but the next one will be from Cat's POV
Ned and Catelyn walked in silence through the corridors of Winterfell. It was a comfortable silence, one he had grown used to in the two weeks he spent at Riverrun. He had never been the most talkative person in the world, and she seemed to understand, something for which he was truly grateful.
They entered his solar to find Benjen and Maester Luwin were there as he had instructed along with Wylla and Aemon. Both men were clearly confused by the baby's presence and he saw that Catelyn also looked shocked. He followed her line of sight to see it was focused on Aemon. He wondered if perhaps she thought the boy was his son. Catelyn was a perceptive woman and it seemed that even from afar she could see who Aemon looked like.
"My Lady, this is Wylla. Wylla, this is my wife, Lady Catelyn." The Dornishwoman curtsied slightly but the tension in the room was still frosty. Benjen rose from his seat, clearly annoyed with Ned's answers to his questions about the baby so far.
"Who is the baby?" Ned took a deep breath, and prepared himself for what he was about to tell them. He looked at the three of them and knew he could trust them.
"What I am about to tell you cannot leave this room. Ever. If it does, I fear Robert's wrath will kill us all."
"What has Robert got to do with a baby? Is that his child? Have you stolen a baby, Ned?" Unlike Catelyn who could clearly see Aemon's Stark features, it was clear that Benjen had not truly looked at his nephew. If he had, he wouldn't need to ask questions.
"This is Aemon. Lyanna's son." Three heads looked at him in shock, but Ned was focused on Benjen's face, which was starting to contort in anger. As Ned predicted he would, Benjen had jumped to conclusions.
"You bring him here! He's a product of rape! You bring Rhaegar's bastard here to Winterfell and insult our sister! What of father and Brandon who died, you insult them too!" Benjen was out of control and Ned worried that others could hear. He rarely raised his voice, but he felt that he should to calm Benjen down.
"He's not a product of rape and he's not a bastard! Lyanna only lived long enough to ask me to protect him. But she said his name was Targaryen, not Sand. I don't really know what happened." Ned turned to Wylla, asking for help.
"Lady Lyanna was not kidnapped, mi'Lords, mi'Lady. She went willingly with Prince Rhaegar. I cannot say whether they were in love, but they married. And Aemon is their trueborn son. He has more of a claim to the Iron Throne than Prince Viserys does." Ned saw Benjen struggle to contemplate what Wylla's confession meant.
"Who are you in all of this?"
"I am Wylla, mi'Lord. I am Aemon's wetnurse. Lady Lyanna was too weak to nurse him and so I did. I watched over her while she carried him. Lord Stark or Lord Reed couldn't feed him on the way North, so I travelled with them."
"Rhaegar already had a wife." Catelyn spoke for the first time, having been quiet since she entered the room. "He was married to Elia. How could he marry again?"
"I don't know. I don't know anything about the man other than the fact that he's Aemon's father."
"He really made a mess of things, didn't he?" Benjen was bitter, and rightfully so. Though Rhaegar didn't kidnap Lyanna, his actions still caused their family to be ripped apart.
"If I may, My Lord, might I ask who you plan to say the father is? We cannot say he is Rhaegar's son." Maester Luwin was, as always, the voice of reason, but Benjen interrupted before he could reply.
"Would Robert really harm him, Ned? He loved Lyanna, you're his best friend. Surely he wouldn't harm a baby." Ned's mind turned to that day in the throne room where he and Robert had fallen out over the bodies of little Rhaenys and Aegon.
"Robert, you must punish Lord Tywin for this. This is not what we went to war for. We fought to put an end to the madness of Aerys, not to slaughter children. They were only babes, Robert." Ned looked on in horror as Robert looked at him dead in the eye, with no remorse.
"I see no babes. Only dragonspawn."
"He would. He would kill him, Benjen. Aemon represents one of two things to him: a product of Rhaegar's rape of Lyanna, or proof that Lyanna chose Rhaegar over him and didn't have any affection for him. I love Robert, but he can carry a grudge unlike anyone I've ever met. And he's blinded when it comes to Targaryens"
"So Rhaegar cannot be Aemon's father then. Who shall we name as the father? One of the Kingsguard?" Ned shook his head at Benjen's idea.
"He can't be Lyanna's son. Everyone will know who the father is. Even if we say it was Arthur Dayne, no one will believe it and they will call us out on the lie. The boy looks like a Stark. I had planned to claim him as my own son." Catelyn looked shocked at his words, but Benjen just laughed slightly.
"That would never work. People are less likely to believe that you have a bastard than they would Arthur Dayne. Honourable Ned Stark fathering a bastard when married? The lie would never sell."
"It might. Men father bastards in war all the time. But I can't anyway. Look at his eyes." Wylla turned Aemon around so they could see his violet eyes. "You can see my problem now?"
"The Dayne's have violet eyes, don't they?" Catelyn enquired and Maester Luwin nodded at her.
"They do, My Lady. But Lord Stark has already said that naming Ser Arthur as the father will not work."
"I wasn't talking about Ser Arthur. What about his sister? All eyes turned to Catelyn. "I didn't know Brandon very well in truth, but I did know what he was like with women. My father heard rumours about an affair between Brandon and Lady Ashara at Harrenhal. What if we just expand on the affair? Tell people that Brandon visited her before he threatened Rhaegar. Tell people that the story of Lady Ashara having a stillborn daughter was false, spread by the Daynes to prevent shame from coming to the family. Tell them that the stillborn was Aemon, and he is their bastard son."
Ned listened with intrigue, aware that the plan could work. But there was a stumbling block. "It has merit, and it could have worked, but Brandon died far too early for Aemon to be his son. People will pick up on that."
"Now, perhaps. He is clearly younger than Robb. But in a few years, when they reach three or four, you won't be able to tell the difference. Try to keep Aemon hidden away from guests for a few years so they don't suspect anything. Your men in Winterfell are the most loyal men I've ever met and they will not gossip. If you say he is Brandon's son, they will accept that and those who suspect otherwise will not question you. When the boys reach four or five, a couple of months age difference won't be noticeable. We can say that Aemon is a few months older than Robb."
Ned smiled at his wife, who was far more intelligent than he realised. Her quick-thinking may have just saved Aemon's life. "That could work. It will be a hard lie to sell, but it could truly work. However, if we name Ashara his mother, and the Daynes find out, we may have a problem then."
"You could write to Lord Beric Dayne and invite him, his wife and their new daughter here. The Dornish remain loyal to the Targaryens and perhaps if they know that Robert didn't succeed in killing all the Targaryens, they may consent to the idea. You returned Dawn to Starfall, that was honourable of you and not many would have done that. Perhaps they may return the favour." Maester Luwin suggested.
"It's worth it, Ned." He turned to Catelyn. "It's a good plan. You are more intelligent than he is, My Lady." Benjen smiled for the first time since Ned entered the room.
Aemon's eyes had closed in a deep slumber while they had been discussing their plan.
"There are no other cribs in Winterfell. For now, he can share a crib with Robb in my chambers." Catelyn turned to Wylla, "I will send a guard for you when he needs feeding during the night."
"Yes, mi'Lady." Wylla handed Aemon to Catelyn and curtsied before leaving the solar. Aemon still slept on despite being handed to a different set of arms.
"He will have to be there when Brandon is laid to rest in the crypts. If we want to sell the lie, Brandon's son needs to be there, even if he won't remember." Ned nodded in agreement at what Benjen had said. Ned could see Aemon beginning to fuss slightly out of the corner of his eye, but the child slept on.
"Perhaps he should be put to bed." Ned gestured for Catelyn to walk in front of him, but turned back around to address Luwin. "I am grateful for your counsel, Maester. I thank you for helping me to keep this secret."
"I shall take it to my grave, My Lord." Luwin bowed his head slightly and then Benjen spoke up.
"As will I. I swear it. I will help you protect Lyanna's son."
"Ben, if you have any more questions, I will try to answer them, but I fear I do not know the entire story. And not tonight, it has been a long day," Ned said wearily, longing for sleep.
"It has. Good night, brother. I will see you in the crypts tomorrow." Benjen leaned forward and embraced Ned then, and Ned felt the slight tremble in his brother's body. He was trying to remain strong despite all that happened. When Benjen pulled back, Ned mussed his hair slightly as he had done when they were children making Benjen smile, and then he followed Catelyn out of the solar.
They walked back to her chambers, the only noise being Aemon's soft breathing. When they entered the room, Ned dismissed Old Nan who had been keeping an eye on Robb. Ned realised Old Nan would suspect the truth the minute she saw Aemon, but he trusted the old woman as much as he trusted anyone. She would never do anything to harm someone of Winterfell.
Ned watched as Catelyn made room in Robb's crib for Aemon. Robb remained sleeping but Aemon woke, bothered by the movement. He didn't fuss though, and his violet eyes stared up at them as they peered into the crib at the two boys.
"He's a quiet baby. He hardly made a sound on the ride home." Catelyn chuckled lightly at that.
"Quite the opposite to Robb then. He is all smiles and laughter until he is hungry. And then the entire castle will know about it." That brings a smile to Ned's face, along with a slight pang. He had been told numerous times by the staff at Winterfell that he was a blessing as a baby because of how quiet he was in comparison to his siblings. It appeared that Robb had inherited his Uncle Brandon and Aunt Lyanna's demanding nature.
"Thank you for this." He made a gesture towards the boys in the crib, Aemon now clutching Robb's hand.
"Aemon is my nephew by marriage. Either by Lyanna or Brandon. He and Robb are cousins, I suspect they will become close as they grow." She turned and looked at him, staring into his eyes. "You truly would've claimed him as your own?" The look of betrayal in her eyes as she contemplated what could have been made him glad he told her the truth, glad Aemon had his father's eyes.
"If he had grey eyes, yes, I would have."
"And you wouldn't have told me." Ned's silence was the answer she needed and Ned began to think on how she would have reacted had he brought Aemon home as his bastard to raise alongside Robb. He doubted it would have been a positive reaction, but there was no true need to think on that. Her voice snapped his attention back to reality.
"But that didn't happen. And I am glad you trusted me enough to tell me the truth. He is my family and he will always know a mother's love."
"Thank you." Ned was truly grateful to her. He felt Lyanna could rest in peace knowing her son was safe and loved.
"He needs a new name." Catelyn said, thoughtfully. Ned had known this, of course, but hearing Catelyn say it reminded him that now he was settled in Winterfell, they truly could never use the name Aemon again.
"He does. I can't think of one though. I had been trying to on the journey North, but nothing seemed to fit." They had stood in silence, contemplating, when Catelyn broke the silence with a name.
"Jon."
"Jon?" Her choice of name surprised him.
"I have looked at the Stark family tree. I have seen many Starks named Jon. And Jon Arryn is like a father to you. It would be nice to honour him." Jon was a name popular all over the Seven Kingdoms, but there were several instances of Starks named Jon over the years, including one of Brandon's heroes.
"It is fitting you thought of the name Jon, My Lady. Every night before bed, Brandon would beg Old Nan for a story about King Jon Stark. It's a perfect fit." She was right in that he felt he was honouring Jon Arryn with the name as well, a man who acted like a father to him, but wasn't. Ned would be the closest thing the child had to a father, so it was a fitting name.
"Jon Snow." Catelyn murmured with a smile on her lips. Ned couldn't make Jon a Stark, it would place him ahead of Robb and any future children he and Catelyn would have. But Jon didn't need the name in truth, they would make sure he felt a Stark in everything but name. The rightful King of the Andals had just become a bastard boy, but it seemed a small price to pay for his life.
Ned stood with Catelyn, looking at the two sleeping babies and realised that although he lost three family members during the war, he had gained three more. His own family.
