CHAPTER III

A scream coming from the Tower was all it took for Ser Arthur to lose focus and missed Howland Reed dashing towards him, knife in hand Howland plunge it in Ser Arthur's back. Ned quickly picked up Dawn from the ground and brought it down towards Ser Arthur. What a dishonourable way to die, a dagger in the back thought Ned, as he climbed the steps of the castle. Another scream came from the top and Ned was going as fast as he can towards it, he searched every room at the top of the tower until he found her sister covered in blood, blue roses all around her as she wept. "Ned!" sad Lyanna clearly exhausted.

"Lyanna" replied Ned, as he we towards her sister placing Dawn at the foot of her bed, "is that you?" she asked, tears rolling down her face, "is that really you?" she asked, her breathing was heavy and her throat dry.

"You're not a dream" she said while smiling, "no I'm not a dream, I'm here, I'm here" he said as he held her hand.

"I missed you big brother," Lyanna said, Ned could only look at her as he could do nothing to ease her pain, he was joyed to see his sister yet, pained as she lay their dying. "I want to be brave" she sobbed, Ned tried to make feel better, reassuring her that she would be fine.

"I don't want to die" she whispered "you're not going to die" Ned said as he ordered the servants to get water, "is there a maesters?" he asked in a pained tone.

"No, no, listen to me Ned" urged Lyanna, as she leaned closer to Ned and whispered something about protecting her son, from Robert and how his friend would hunt down her son.

"You have to protect him," Lyanna said, as she was breathing really hard "promise me Ned, promise me" as a handmaiden handed a babe to Eddard he looked at the babe, and was dumbfounded at the process. "Promise me Ned, promise me" she said as she closed her eyes and rested forever, at this point Eddard could no longer hold his tears back.

Ned came down the tower looking like a man who lost his entire world; he approached Howland as he nursed his wound. "I'll ride for Skyreach," said Ned to Howland "go up the tower you should find something to patch you up, take care of the babe for me, he is Lyanna's son" he gathered his horse and rode for the ancestral seat of house Fowler to send a raven, and ordering his other Lords to send men towards the Tower of Joy.

All that transpired in the South made him miss the comforts of Winterfell, he would have to return home with a babe, how would he explain to his lady wife how he returned from war carrying a babe on his arms? He would return home and would rule his father's lands, knowing that his brother was supposed to be the one to inherit it, all that he would own, was supposed to be his brothers, his wife, his castle, his lands.

Ned was at Ashemark when he received new of Robert, he was set to retuned home when he received news that he was at Storms End; his friend was demanding his presence at the castle, he left his host with a minimal ridding party, he was sure that Robert wanted news of Lyanna from himself, Robert always hated ravens, Ned thought, how could I explain to him about Jon? He would be angry, I suppose I could just say that he is my bastard, how would he react? He was thinking of all the possible things they would talk about as he rode towards Storms End, this would not end well he worried.

"Tell me about her," Robert signalled as he entered his solar, Robert was already on his cups when he entered "she was weak when I found her at the tower" Ned said, "She just gave birth to a boy" Robert was shocked, he did not know what to think.

"Where is the boy?" asked Robert in a sober voice despite being in his cups "he is here with me, you cannot touch him Robert, he is my blood and I would protect him just as I promised Lyanna I would" said Ned in his usual monotone voice.

"You know he is Targaryen Ned", Robert said with a bit of venom in his voice "but none the less he is Lyanna's child, and I would not touch her last remaining semblance to life, I swear to both the Old Gods and the New" this shocked Ned, he expected Robert to call for blood, he expected him to want to make sure that his reign would go unchallenged.

"You do know his father is Rhaegar, he has a claim to the Iron Throne," he said this despite wanting to protect his nephew; "you think I do not know that?" yelled Robert "You think I do not fear what he could do when he grows up? What the name Targaryen could muster in the future? I know all of this Ned, but I would not cower in the shadow of a mere babe, you would raise this child as your own, he would grow as a Stark not a Targaryen, but he would not carry your name Ned, not until you we are certain that he would rise and claim what is not his, one whiff of madness and I would personally his head on a spike" he said with a straight face.

"I see," Ned sighed and scratched his chin, "you want me to be his father, you want me to name him as my bastard, for the love I bear my sister I have no qualms if it" he would tarnish his honour for his family.

"Raise him in Winterfell," Robert said, "give him his own keep should he deserve it, or ship him off to the Wall for all I care, just make sure he would not raise to claim the Throne we won Ned". Robert made a fair point, Ned pondered as he would have to keep an eye for his old friend, it is not like Robert to go against his word but he was know for short burst of rage that would create a tidal wave of madness

"You shouldn't fear him Robert," Ned reassured his friend, "Jon would grow as a Stark, and should you come to harm him, the entire North would rise against you, this is not a treat Robert but a warning for the future" Robert's face grew dim after Ned's statement, he understood what the North means for his reign, they do not need to be put in check as long as they are not disturbed. They talk for some more after that, Robert even offered Ned the position Hand of the King but he refused and said that Jon Arryn was the man who could hold the Kingdoms together in his stead. Even talk of marriage discussed, Robert pointed out that with the North and the Crown together no one would risk rebelling, to this day, the talk that happened between the two would be the foundation that would lay the building and the destruction of the Seven Kingdoms.

That night Ned did not sleep well, he just reminisced what happened the past year, what would he do when he goes home, how would the Northern Lords treat him once he goes home, how will he explain Jon to his lady wife, so many thing ran through Ned's head that night, not many knows this but Eddard Stark of Winterfell can play the game, and this would be his advantage in the coming years. Come morning and it was finally time to leave south, he charted a ship bound to White Harbour it's finally time to return home.

Short chapter i just wanted to thank all the guys who followed and reviewed my story its greatly appreciated and would be put to good use, the next chapter would be longer hopefully reaching at least 3k, please follow and review if you guys liked it, if you have any questions feel free to message or comment.