Chapter 4

The next day

Nik looked over the parchment that Ned handed him as the two worked in tandem to get everything set up for their leave of the castle. Ned explained most of it, with Nik answering some questions, to Robb as he listened intently and copied some of what his father was doing.

"You will rule the North, my son. You must be prepared." Ned said as Robb looked over to Hadrian watched with rapt attention to all that his father said as if it were gold.

"Our home is north of The Neck, but farther south. So our home is situated at one of the North's strongest defensive points. One that is needed. Especially if those nasty Frey's decide to try and take over The Neck. The Twins is a key point to strategy, but Moat Cailin, is what, my son?" Nik asked as Hadrian's eyes glanced up to meet Robb's before he turned them back to his father's. Ty and Kol looked to each other and waited on bated breath to see if their nephew could answer the question correctly. The sudden opening of the door halted everyone inside the solar.

"It is a fortress and the first to be introduced to battle, should others think it wise to rise up against our house and lands." A feminine voice spoke from the doorway, a deep and booming laugh rang out behind her. "Should they think that they could take us or your father's army, for that matter. And to think our banner men are not as loyal to us."

They all turned to see Izabel as she strode into the room without a care in the world. Her eyes crossed as Robert walked behind her. The four of them tried to keep their smiles from forming. "You forget, Izzy, they are loyal to you because you are still Stark." Robert said as Nik looked on unamused by that.

"You also forget, those lands were mine before they knew of my relation to my Lady Wife, Your Grace." Nik said as Robert smiled at him.

"I did not forget and yet I still hear your name praised along Moat Cailin and the Barrowlands, Lord Mikaelson." Robert said with a bite.

"As well as they should. But I hear a new name being praised along with it, Nik." A deeper voice said as another body was added to the pile of people within the solar. Ned looked up to see Benjen stood there with a big smile. "I hear my nephew's name has been given life to the Barrowlands. I also must ask a request of our King here."

Robert looked to his younger friend and nodded for him to continue. "I wondered, Your Grace, if you could release me of my post. I had made my oath but I have a feeling my Nephews will need me in the meantime. I wish to make sure my family is safe." Benjen said as his eyes travelled to his sister's and saw them sparkle in joy.

Robert then turned to see that same joy in Izabel's eyes and he knew that Benjen was not asking for his own or nephews' sake; but for the sake of his only living sister. He knew he couldn't back out of this. He vowed to make his soon-to-be family as happy as he could. He turned back to look at Ned, who looked shocked and startled, and nodded. "I grant your request, Benjen. You are hereby released of your duties to the Night's Watch and reinstated as Lord Benjen Stark."

Everyone smiled and Ned looked to his lifelong friend in awe. "You understand everyone will see favoritism in this, my King."

"It matters not, Ned. I am King, I can choose what to do with my rulings. I need not defend my actions to any." Robert said with a smile.

"Well said, Your Grace, but I'll thank you none-the-less." Izabel said as she hugged Robert.

"Of course, Lady Mikaelson." Robert said with a laugh. "Now I've come seeking your answers. I have awaited a week, enough time to come with your answers to my proposal."

"I accept your proposition, Your Grace." Ned said as he looked to Nik, who let out a sigh, with a smirk.

"I, as well, accept your proposition, Your Grace." Nik said as he looked over to his son, who looked over to his mother in confusion.

"Mother?" Hadrian asked as Izabel chuckled and wrapped her arms around her son tightly.

"Your betrothal, my son." She said quietly as his eyes widened and he turned to see Robb snicker behind a gloved hand.

"Shut it, prick." Hadrian said with a smile as he moved to nudge his cousin from the side.

"The north and the Crown connected so closely. That'll get those Tyrell's knickers in a twist." Robert said with a loud guffaw.

Izabel turned to the door to see Cersei in the doorway. "My Queen? Are you in need of something?" Izabel said with a smile.

"Yes, Lady Mikaelson, I am in need of your company. Will you join me?" Cersei asked with the same smile.

"Of Course." Izabel said as she looked to all the men in front of her. "Gentlemen, I'll leave you to your business."

"Izabel, shall I accompany you as well?" Ty asked as Izabel nodded in acquiescence. Ty turned to his brothers and nodded farewell to them.

The three left as Robert looked to Ned in concern. "You'll be alone in King's Landing, Ned. Do you think you can handle it?"

"I will do my best to do what is right." Ned said as he looked to Nik, who gave a subtle nod. "Nik will be with me, Your Grace. He knows more of southern politics than I do."

"You'll help him, Lord Mikaelson?" Robert asked as Nik nodded.

"Of course, can't have him drowning in snakes, can we?" Nik said with a smirk.

With Cersei and Izabel

"We leave in three weeks time, Izzy, will you go with us?" Cersei asked as they walked among the castle halls.

"We will, Cersei. We will leave two days. A stop at our home for rest, before we leave to meet you on the Kings road to King's Landing." Izabel said as Cersei nodded in acknowledgement.

"Do you still practice your magic's, dear Izzy?" Cersei quietly inquired as they passed by two maids. She looked to the maids and then to her friend.

"Yes, dear Cersei, I still practice. It would seem my son is also shares my gift, my friend. He has embraced it with such ferocity that his uncle Kolten has decided to help him hone it. I am grateful to my good brothers, for they have been such a great part of my life." Izabel said as a hand landed on her shoulder and she turned to look back to her 'good brother' and smiled to him. "Tydus give us a moment and check on Jon to see if he has all of his belongings ready for when we leave."

Ty nodded and turned to leave the other way. "What is it that you need to speak with me over to have your good brother leave?" Cersei asked in concern.

"Your son is what concerns me, Cersei. Will he treat my niece as she deserves to be treated? Or will he treat you as Robert has treated you? Robert has wronged you and I will see to it that he will straighten himself. I will make sure it happens. But my question remains the same, my dear friend." Izabel asked with great concern in her voice.

"He will treat her as a lady should be treated. I will make sure of it. I do not wish my treatment from my husband on any one. Especially a well-mannered Lady that has done nothing wrong." Cersei said as she thought back to her son's ill-boding actions. She would see to it that he change his ways before he throws away a very strong queen.

"You deserved to be treated better, Cersei. The love you have for your children is the greatest love I have seen in so long." Izabel said with a soft smile.

"And you'll have your chance once again, so I've heard, my dear friend." Cersei said as she laid a hand on Izabel's flat stomach. Izabel laid her hand over her hand and smiled softly to her friend.

"Yes it was a surprise, but a welcomed one none-the-less." Izabel said as they continued their walk and talk.

With Ty

Ty looked around the castle as he turned the last corner and walked out of the open door only to run into Jon. "Ah just the person I was sent to call upon." Ty said as Jon looked up to him in a bit of awe.

"Sorry, Ser Tydus. I was only going to my room." Jon said as his eyes cast their way down.

"You'll not anger me if that's what you think, Jon. Look me in the eyes when you speak to me. Where I'm from it shows respect, son. From now on you'll look me in the eyes. Also I would rather people look me in the eyes because it's easier to determine if they're lying to me or not." Ty said as the boy looked up to his slightly taller stature. "My mother once told me, the eyes are the window to the soul. If you can't read them, than that person more than likely had no soul."

"Window to the soul?" Jon parroted in slight confusion as Ty nodded his head.

"Like the windows on the castle. Yes. They are like those. You can see straight through them and know what you see is real." Ty said as Jon finally nodded in comprehension. "But I was sent here by your aunt. She wishes for you to make sure that your belongings are packed. We leave in two days, Young Jon. I also think she wishes you to be legitimized. I'm sure she'll get her way, if I know her at all."

"Legitimized. Can she do that?"

"She'll probably bully the king into doing it, and he would. He seems to want to please her most out of all of the Stark siblings." Ty said in a laugh. "Although, I'm not sure if she'll have you legitimized as a Stark or Mikaelson. You should probably speak to her about that."

"If I could I would gladly take my father's name." Jon said sadly as Ty patted his shoulder.

"Then that's is how it shall be. You, Jon Snow, from this day forth are legitimized Jon Stark of House Stark." Robert said as Jon and Ty looked to him with wide eyes.

Robb and Bran had happened upon them and froze. Behind King Robert were Nik, Ned, Kol and Hadrian. Lady Catelyn came up from behind with Cersei and Izabel. Izabel squealed in happiness as she ran to her nephew. She held him tight and then turned to Robert.

"I thought I was going to have to hit you to do it." She jested as he laughed loudly.

"Never, dear Izzy, Never. I would have done it sooner, had Ned asked it of me."

Izabel looked to her younger brother and laughed at the light blush that dusted his cheeks. "So, now young Lord Stark, you are legitimized. You shall learn the proper way to hold yourself. I shall teach you the ways of court, my dear nephew." Izabel said in a happy tone. "Robb, run off with your brother and make sure he is packed and ready to go."

Robb nodded with a big smile. He now had his brother the way it was supposed to be. He knew he was really his cousin, but in soul they were brothers.

Izabel turned to Lady Catelyn and saw a scowl on her face. Her eyes drifted to her brother and noticed a sheepish look. She shook her head. He did not tell her.

"Excuse us, Your Grace. I need to borrow my brother and good sister for a moment." Izabel said as she looked to Ned and Lady Catelyn and nodded back toward the solar.

Ned slunk toward the solar as Cat stalked toward it. Izabel pranced behind them before she turned to her husband and winked. He shook his head and turned to Benjen to relay all that had happened.

Izabel closed the solar doors and then turned to Ned. "Tell her the truth, Eddard." Izabel snapped as Ned flinched at the use of his full name.

"Jon is not my son." Ned said as Cat looked to him in shock. "Lyanna made me promise that I would keep him safe. So I did what I had to, to keep him safe. If Robert had learned of his birth, he would have ordered him killed and I'd rather die than let him kill my flesh and blood."

Catelyn nodded slowly as the information began to sink in. "He is Lyanna's son. Who is his father?" Catelyn asked shakily.

"His real name is Jon Targaryen. He is the legitimate son of Rhaegar." Izabel whispered as she sat on the long chair on the side of the solar. Catelyn moved to sit beside Izabel and took up her hand. "Catelyn he was supposed to tell you after I had arrived here. I told him to tell you, but it seems he froze."

Ned rolled his eyes and kneeled in front of Catelyn and laid his hands on her knees and looked up to her. "Don't be angry with Jon, he just found out, Izabel noticed first off. Now that he is legitimized means that he has more options than he had before."

"I am not angry with him, I am angry with you. Did you not trust me?" Catelyn asked as Izabel looked over to her brother.

"Catelyn, he was honoring our sister's wishes. He did what he had to do. You cannot be too angry with him. What would you have done?" Izabel asked as Catelyn looked shocked to her good sister and started to think hard.

She realized, if she had been in her husband's shoes she would have done the same thing. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulls him to her. She pulled his face up to look at hers. "Take care of him, my love."

"I will take care of him, Catelyn. He will be staying at Moat Cailin with my good brother Tydus. Tydus will teach him all he needs to know." Izabel said as she turned to look at her brother. "He will travel to King's Landing in six moon cycles. Kol will come back to Moat Cailin so that Tydus and Jon can travel the King's Road."

"You've had this planned, haven't you?" Ned asked his sister with a soft smile.

"Of course, little brother." Izabel said with a nod.

Sorry it's so short. I've been quite busy with life and it's been driving me crazy. Here is a little insight.