8th Month of 298 A.C. Riverlands

Lord Eddard Stark

Gods his leg pained, every time the horse landed on some patch of uneven ground it sent a jarring pain through his leg and into his body. Forcing him to grit his teeth to prevent himself from crying out. It had been two moons, he would guess since he had been freed from the black cells of the Red Keep, why he had been freed he still knew not, and yet he was not going to complain. The gods had clearly decided they were not done with him yet and so he had kept riding through the pain, determined to get to Riverrun, to where his wife and sons were supposed to be. Ned had heard many a tale during his time riding and hiding of the things his sons had done, of their victories over the Kingslayer and the Lannisters outside Riverrun and he had felt immensely proud and worried for them both, and for Cat as well. It seemed his goodbrother had managed to beat Tywin Lannister as well if the reports, or the rumours he was hearing were true as well.

There had been a few occasions during his journey where he had had to hide behind trees and rocks so as not to be spotted by the patrols that had undoubtedly been sent out from King's Landing to find him. It was during those times that he had a chance to rest and to take stock of the things, to assess where he stood on many issues, he knew that supporting the Lannisters would be the ultimate betrayal to Jon and Robert, but he knew not what to do regarding Stannis. By all the laws of the land the man was the rightful king, and yet during his stops in villages, he had heard the strangest tales, of a red woman on Dragonstone that was poisoning Stannis's mind and making him do things that seemed completely irrational, which was not Stannis Baratheon, at least not the man Ned knew. And then there was the issue that Ned knew the man not at all beyond two brief encounters during times of war, was the man truly the right man for the north?

That was the main issue that plagued Ned's thoughts, he knew what sort of fate awaited him if he did not declare for Stannis, the man if he won the throne would do all he could to ensure that those he considered traitors were punished and that was a stain on his honour that he thought he did not want. But then he had already forsook his honour leaving his girls behind and allowing himself to be arrested. There was so much he needed to do and to think over sometimes it was a wonder his brain did not simply explode from the pressure of it all. He barely knew where he was, so consumed was he in his thoughts. That he knew that this town was Tumblers Falls was mainly because a man named Ser Morgan Dunstable was there, boasting to any and all of the fine wines he had procured that would make this inn the best in all of the Falls.

His hood up, he observed all those in the inn, he watched them eat, sleep and drink. These were the innocents who would pay for the Lannister woman's greed and it sickened him just as it had during the rebellion. So much pain and suffering for little reward or gain. How could…. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door opening, he turned to look and his heart nearly stopped, he would recognise those grey eyes and that long face anywhere. The girl and her companions entered the inn nervously. He looked at the girl's companions and saw that one was the boy, Robert's bastard, and the other he knew not, but his eyes followed his daughter as she walked to a table.

As if sensing his eyes on her, his daughter turned and looked at him sharply, she then looked at the sword by his side and her eyes went wide. Thankfully she said nothing, she merely looked at Robert's bastard and inclined her head slightly, and the bastard nodded. His daughter walked towards him and stood right in front of him for a long time staring at him, staring at him, and he felt his heart lurch. He wanted so badly to take her into his arms, but he could not do it here. His daughter stared at him a moment longer and then walked out of the inn. After a few moments Ned stood up and followed her out of the inn.

The moment he steps out into the open air he feels the wind get partially knocked out of him as his daughter has thrown herself at him. Her head buried into his chest as if she were still a little girl, he wraps his arms around her, his heart lurches again when she looks at him with grey eyes, his eyes, Lya's eyes and says. "Father? Is that truly you?"

His voice is hoarse when he says. "Yes sweetling, it is."

His daughter looks at him then in wonder and her voice is incredibly soft when she asks. "How did you escape? I thought you were a prisoner?"

"I was, but then I had help escaping the black cells. I could not get your sister out in time, but I swear to you Arya I shall get Sansa back. And we shall be a pack again." Ned says his voice sounding incredibly hoarse, full of emotion.

His daughter buries her head into his chest once more and sobs, she is saying something that he cannot decipher, but it sounds awfully like a plea for forgiveness. He tilts her face up then and says. "Arya, sweetling, there is nothing to forgive. You did nothing wrong. Neither you nor your sister did anything wrong. We must stick together, you remember what I always used to say?"

His daughter nods. "The lone wolf dies and the pack survives."

Ned smiles at his daughter and then asks. "Now your two companions who are they?"

His daughter hesitates for a moment as if she is hiding something but then she says. "Hot Pie and Gendry. There were others but they died as when the Lannisters came."

Ned's eyes widen but he manages to keep his voice calm when he asks. "And can they be trusted? Do they know who you are?"

His daughter shakes her head. "Well Gendry does, but he knows not to tell anyone. And Hot Pie, well I don't think he knows much of anything but how to bake."

Ned considers this, Robert's bastard is strong, and was good in the forge, such a person could be useful in the time to come, this Hot Pie though poses a problem, he does not want to be burdened with excess persons. He thinks for a moment then and says. "How have you been travelling sweetling?"

Again his daughter is silent and Ned suspects once more that she is hiding something, but then she says. "Foot father. We could not get horses."

Ned nods. "Very well, I have a horse tethered to one of the stables here, the town is not too small. But you must come with me, there is someone we must needs meet."

His daughter hesitates for a second and then says. "Okay, but I have to tell them where I am going otherwise they will start looking for me. And that will bring unwanted attention."

Ned nods, there is sense in what his daughter says, and then as she walks into the inn, he wonders how she became so weary of others. Gods what had his actions cost him and his daughters? Before he can begin stewing over that though his daughter returns and they walk towards the left side of the town where an old hut remains standing. The hut was built, some say in the age of heroes when the first men roamed and did all they could to maintain their hold on the land. There are runes there said to be as old as Winterfell itself, it was a famous place once upon a time, but now it is nothing more than a distant memory for many who do not keep to the old gods.

"Why are we here father?" his daughter asks her eyes wide.

Ned still has his hood up but he merely says. "There is someone of great import we must meet here before we leave for where your mother and brothers are."

His daughter nods though Ned knows she has a dozen questions burning in her mind. They come to the front of the hut, and Ned knocks once a voice musical in tone calls out. "Who is there?"

"It is I the quiet wolf, come to speak with the green man." Ned says his voice barely above a whisper.

And yet as always Ned is surprised when the door opens and a figure stands there, dressed as he was the last time Ned met him, all in green from head to foot, his armour is green, and the mask he wears is green, the only thing that is not green is are the black runes on his armour denoting the house he originally came from. "Come in quiet wolf," the man says his voice still carrying that musical lilt to it. The Green Man looks at Arya and then at Ned. "I see you remember what we spoke of last time you were here."

Ned nods and brings his daughter into the hut, the green man shows them into the room where Ned last sat and heard his future all those years ago at Harrenhal. His daughter asks. "Who are you? And why are we here?"

Ned goes to speak to answer his daughter's question but the Green Man answers before he can do so. "I have had many names and faces during my time on this mortal coil. In this day and age I am known as the Green Man, and you are here, because your father has come to seek guidance from me. Is that not right Lord Eddard?"

"It is my lord." Ned says deferentially.

The Green Man laughs. "Come now my lord, I am not that much older than you. Indeed it was a rare event for us to meet, for I had seen your death in that infernal city. Someone came and changed that did they not?" Ned nods and then the man continues. "Of course, it would be him, he always did have to meddle in things that were best left untouched. But I digress you are here because you wish to know whether or not the thoughts in your head are worthy of consideration."

"Yes, to declare for Stannis Baratheon is the honourable thing to do. But I have found out, just as you said I would that honour is not everything. And that it would cost me dearly. Well it has, and now I find myself wondering if perhaps the north would be better without being tied to the Iron Throne." Ned responds.

The Green Man looks at him then and in the dim light of the fire, his mask looks ominous, the face of the wierwood, the weeping face had always unnerved Ned when he was younger and now seeing it on this man again after so long is something that terrifies him even more. "The north will burn if you declare for Stannis Baratheon my lord. His red priestess has him so deeply enthralled that he has burnt the Sept at Dragonstone, and will begin burning those his red woman tells him to. His god is a hungry god. And you fought to remove a fire man once before."

"We both did." Ned says softly. "But surely being tied to the throne is better than being completely isolated."

The Green Man laughs. "Come now Lord Eddard, by virtue of your marriage to Lady Catelyn, you will never be truly isolated, there will be an alliance with the riverlands, for you to use. But the north, the north must needs be free, otherwise one shall never know the truth of what it means to be free. Break the shackles my lord, and do as your ancestors did."

Ned is about to respond when the sound of horses comes to them in the hut. Ned stands then and grabs Arya. "I thank you for your council my lord, but we must away." The man nods and shows them the back way out, Ned holds onto Arya as they practically run towards where his horse is.

"But what about Gendry and Hot Pie father?" his daughter asks as he helps her onto the saddle.

"We cannot go back for them. There are enemies coming we must go." Ned says before heaving himself onto the horse, he checks that Ice is still on his person, before he removes it and quickly fixes it to the saddle, and then he spurs the horse on,.

As they ride his daughter's voice comes to him then. "Who was that man father?"

Ned sighs and says. "Before he became the Green Man, he was a friend of mine, he was Kyle Royce. And he is our cousin."