Ned walked through the inn to meet his daughters out the front. His mind was racing. Catelyn hurt, Bran crippled and the loss of a child. They had both prayed for another child. It had been three years since their last. Footsteps from behind broke his thoughts, "Lord Eddard?" a female's voice called. He turned to face Cersei. Bowing he greeted her. "Robert said you are to leave to aid your wife."
"I am your grace." She gave a curt smile.
"I am sorry. I had not known that you leaving would cause such grief within your family. But that is not why I have come. I want to ask if Sansa could continue the journey to King's Landing." Her voice was calm but Ned did not trust the motion.
"Catelyn will need all her children when she wakes. Sansa has asked to return with me. Maybe when she comes of age, I will send her to King's Landing, but now she needs to be with her family." His voice gave no hint of grief while he spoke to Cersei, he would not give her that pleasure.
"I see," She looked to her feet, "but how will she learn the Southern courtesies that she will need to be accepted into the court?"
"Catelyn is no stranger to the Southern ways. She was born there and has not forgotten that. Sansa will be ready for the South. Now, if you will excuse me your…" Ned was cut off by Robert briskly walking down the hall.
"Cersei, leave Ned be! Damn you woman, Sansa will stay with her father and mother until both feel the need to send her to us!" Cersei gritted her teeth before walking away from both the men.
"Look after yourself Ned."
"And you Robert." Ned bowed and turned.
Jory had both of the girls mounted onto a horse. Ned had arranged for Arya to be mounted onto his own horse so she could sleep while they rode north. "Thank you, Jory. If I knew was to happen, I would have never left."
"I know, my lord." Jory bowed. "It will not take us long to be ready to leave. We should be back not long after you."
"Jory," Ned called as the man walked back to the inn. "Do not rush home on the road. The girls have backed their things, as have I. They need only be put on the carts."
"Of course my lord." Ned mounted his horse and nodded to Sansa. He took a few men home with him. No chances of harm would come to his daughters. Nymeria and Lady rode next to the horses as the made way for home. Both demanded that the wolves would ride with them and not brought home with the rest of their things. Ned did not protest it, not after one had saved both his wife and son from death.
