Ned looked at his childhood friend Robert Baratheon. He couldn't believe his own ear. He couldn't believe what his best friend had just offered him. This was the chance of a life time. The chance to help Robert rule his kingdom in a fair and lawful way even though the death of their friend John Arryn still hung heavy over both men. They knew that the realm need a Hand to the King. And Robert was here in front of him now offering him, Lord Eddard Stark, the position. It was dream job any man would want but Ned had his misgivings about it. Something was telling him not to take the position.
"So what do you say, Ned," King Robert asked him expectantly. It was as if the King didn't want him to think about the answer and just run off and join him like the old times.
"I need some time think before I give you my answer, Your Majesty," Ned told him. He really did need to think about this. Also he wanted to run it by his wife Catelyn. He didn't want to make any rash moves without first consulting her because if he agreed this would affect her and their children the most.
The King didn't seem surprised by this proclamation from his long time friend. "Of course, Ned," he said with a jovial laugh. "Take as much time as you need."
The two of them went their separate ways after visiting Lyanna's grave. Ned knew he had to do some heavy thinking before he went to his wife Catelyn to ask her opinion. So he went to the one place that he knew he could really think clearly at. The Godswood. It was always peaceful here which made it easy for him to think here. He sat down underneath the gods tree and started to think.
There were a lot of good things that could and would come from the King's offer of being hand. He knew this as well as anyone. Just look at Tywin Lannister when he was the Hand of Mad King Areys. It was during his thinking about all the good things to come from this promotion from Lord of the Realm to Hand of the King that something strange happened.
It started out as little flashes of images. Flashes of battles yet to be fought. Flashes of the blood on the battle fields and floors of opposing houses. Flashes of deaths. Not just the deaths of the guilty but of the innocent too. It was almost to much to bear for Ned.
Then everything slowed into sharp resolve. When the images had begun he had thought he was having a waking nightmare from the War with the Targaryens. But it wasn't. It couldn't be. The one scene had his Sansa in it. Not just his Sansa but also his Arya. There was no mistaking Arya for his sister Lyanna not with Sansa there too. Ned tried to clear this image from his mind by shaking his head. It didn't work. The image still shone bright in front his eyes. Unshakable.
The vision got stranger yet. This vision he was having was not from his perspective. It was from the perspective of someone else entirely. It was from the perspective of the King's executioner. Sir Ilyn Payne. But Sir Ilyn had Ned's own sword Ice. How had Sir Ilyn gotten Ice from him?
"Sir Ilyn bring me his head," came the sadistic voice of Robert Baratheon's heir to the throne, Jofferey.
Ned watched from Sir Ilyn's perspective as raised the Great Sword Ice over his head and brought it crashing down upon his, Ned's, own neck. This brought him out of his visions with a gasp of fear. He felt his neck to make sure it still attached his head to the rest of him.
"There you are, Ned," came Robert's jovial voice as he made his way over to the startled Stark sitting under gods tree.
Ned really didn't need to ask Catelyn for her advice after the vision he had just had. No one could mistake what the vision was trying to warn him of. It was speaking of death and war if he agreed to become Robert's hand. So he made up his mind right then and there.
"I was just coming to find you, my dear friend," Ned replied as he got up from his seated position in front of the gods tree. "I have just now been thinking on the generous offer you have made and I have come to an answer. But you may not like it."
Robert nodded his head as though to tell his friend to continue on with his speech.
"As kind as your offer to make me Hand of the King was I must formally decline," Ned told the King. His old friend. "I belong here in Winterfell with my family. My oldest boy Robb still has much to learn and there is still much more I have to teach him. I do hope you understand. Both as a King and as a father."
Robert looked upset for a second then he let out great roar of laughter. A jovial smile appearing on his face. "Of course I understand, Ned," he told Ned pulling him into a hug. The two began to walk out of the godswood. "Both of our children have much left to learn." He stopped in thought for a second and then turned to Ned. "Perhaps my Jofferey could be fostered her and become close friend with your boys. Like we did when we were younger. And perhaps also he could grow closer to your sweet Sansa and the two of them could marry one of these days."
"I would like that Robert," Ned told his friend as the two men resumed their walk towards Winterfell's main castle. "But perhaps we should get our wives opinions on this matter."
Robert let out a jovial laugh as they continued towards where their wives waited to tell them of the deal they had just come up with in the godswood.
