New chapter, enjoy.

Chapter 10 – And the hits just keep on coming

"I don't trust him." Catelyn Stark said sitting across from her husband is his solar. "I don't trust him Ned. He's a Lannister and you know Lannister's can't be trusted."

"And what would you have me do Cat?" Ned asked her "I don't trust him at all but he accepted the bread and wine of guest rights and I will not break it, not even for a Lannister."

Ned was being honest with her. He didn't trust Tyrion Lannister, which he did suppose was unfair of him since this was the first time he's actually met Tyrion but he had the Lannister name and blood which meant he was not to be trusted.

"You should have never offered them to him in the first place! By the gods Ned, what if this is just some spy mission and he was sent by his father to examine the defenses of Winterfell? And you offer him free run of the castle? Ned you're a Fool!" Cat's angry voice spat out at him.

Cat couldn't understand what her husband had been thinking. A Lannister in the North boded no good for anyone and a Lannister who arrived here not riding under banners and without a huge guard escort was suspicious in of itself.

"Cat, enough." Ned said to her in a warning tone. He wasn't in the mood for this. They had to eat with Tyrion soon and Ned didn't want to get into an argument.

"And what about the fact he was riding without banners or a huge escort? Does that not strike you as unusual? I'm telling you Ned withdraw your offer of hospitality and get them out of Winterfell now before it too late." Cat ignored her husband's warning and continued on making demands that would dishonour the House of Stark and Ned.

"I said enough Cat. I will hear no more of this!" Ned thundered at her. Gods he was tired. The last two weeks had not been pleasant between Jon's problems and Cat's constant complaints about Jon and demands that he send Jon away. He wasn't sure what was going on. Cat had always been cold towards Jon and unnecessarily hard on him but she seemed to have gotten worse lately and whatever problems she seemed to have compounded when they received Tyrion's raven from Moat Cailin.

Catelyn Stark shut her mouth and gave her husband a frosty look. "As my lord husband commands. If you'll excuse me my lord, I must go see to the preparations for dinner." She said rising and leaving the room, slamming the door shut behind her.

Ned dropped his head into his hands. 'The world has gone crazy. What have we done to offend the gods so?' he wondered to himself. Lately, he had been handed too many shocks to deal with all at once. Jon's dreams of the future, Cat's sudden hostility, Lord Tyrion's sudden visit. His train of thought was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Enter." Ned said, raising his head out of his hands and once again becoming the Lord of Winterfell. Maester Luwin walked in raven scroll in hand.

"Forgive me my lord but we have we have received a raven from Castle Black. I thought you might want to read it sooner rather than later." He told Ned, handing the scroll to him.

'What now.' Ned thought in despair as he broke the black seal and starting reading the message.

Lord Stark

I am writing to inform you that the Wildings are starting to gather in great numbers in the Frostfangs Mountains although for what reason, we cannot tell. They gather under the man they call 'King Beyond the Wall'. We know this man's identity as he used to be a Brother of the Nights Watch. This man is Mance Rayder.

We will continue to monitor the situation and advise you when we have news.

Lord Jeor Mormont
997th Commander of the Nights Watch

Luwin watched his Lord carefully and was aware that from Ned's reaction, the news wasn't good. Ned looked up from the message.

"The Wildings are gathering, in great numbers apparently, in the Frostfang Mountains. Their leader is a former brother of the Watch called Mance Rayder. This is not good. What on earth could prompt the Wildings to come together like this? The Wilding tribes don't get on well which has been good for us. I've always feared what might happen if they were to come together in co-operation." Ned voiced his concerns

Luwin frowned deeply in concern and worry. He agreed with Lord Stark, this was not good. Nobody knew the true numbers of the Wilding tribes north of the Wall but if the Nights Watch was concerned then there was reason to be.

While the Wall would hold up to an attack, it wouldn't matter if the wildlings were able to get a force south and attack Castle Black from south of the Wall, if they were able to open the gates from inside Castle Black, then the North would be overrun.

"What shall you do My Lord?" Luwin asked in a gentle voice.

"Nothing for the moment. There is nothing I can do that isn't already being done." Ned said in frustration. "Besides right now, I have enough problems under my own roof. Between Lord Tyrion being here and Cat's recent anger problems I need to sort out my own house first before I can aid the Watch." He finished in a sour tone.

"Luwin, you wouldn't be able to offer any insight into My Lady's recent behaviour?" he asked.

"No. Not at all my Lord. I'm as mystified as you." Luwin replied but then remembered something. "Although, she did receive a letter, around a week ago. While I can't say as to the contents, the seal on the letter belonged to Lord Petyr Baelish."

Ned frowned even deeper. Petyr Baelish was no friend of his or his family but his affection for Cat was a well-known fact in the seven kingdoms. This wasn't the first time that Baelish had written to his wife but if this letter was the reason for her change in behaviour, then Ned must find out the contents of the letter himself.

"Thank you Maester may leave." He said. Luwin bowed and left without a word.

Problems, secrets and plots. "Yes, the world has definitely gone mad" Ned said out loud with a sigh as he put away the message from the Nights Watch and left his solar to prepare for supper with his new guest.

#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#

"Dwarf"

"Bastard"

Jon and Tyrion just looked at each other and burst out laughing as Jon went down on one knee to give his friend a hug.

"It's good to see you my friend. I hope your journey wasn't too hard?" Jon asked, giving his friend a serious look. "I saw you flinch a bit when you pick up the wine glass off the tray. What happened?"

"Bandits happened. We killed them all but they killed two of my guards and I took a cut to my arm, nothing to worry about. Its healing fine," he said then continued,

"Although come to think of it, they were a little healthier than a normal bandit had any right to be but that's something to be thought about later." Tyrion told him. "I had the bodies stripped of everything before we buried them but haven't had time to look it over."

"That's something for later as you said. I can't stay long as Bronn will be back soon but we can talk tomorrow. Speaking of Bronn, where did you find him?" Jon asked with a grin. The sell-sword was a rude bastard but generally good company. Tyrion smiled.

"Well that's a story that will take a bit longer than the time we currently have but I will tell it to you later. Shall I see you at dinner?" He asked.

"Yes but not at the head table. After all, a bastard cannot be sitting with a Lord. Even a lord such as yourself." Jon answered with bitter humor. Tyron smiled at him in sympathy. He was about to speak when they heard Bronn coming up the hallway. Tyrion turned towards the door to wondering how Jon was going to get out without being seen. After all, it wouldn't do for anyone to know that they already knew each other before they could speak to Lord Stark. He turned back to speak to Jon, only to find he'd already disappeared.

"Jon?"

Suddenly Jon's head popped out from behind a large tapestry on the wall next to the bed. Tyrion looked at him in surprise.

"What? You didn't think I showed you ALL of Winterfell's secrets last time did you?" Jon said with a laugh and disappeared from sight once again. Tyrion listened carefully and heard a very faint grinding of stone against stone then a faint click.

Tyrion grinned and turned towards the door which was just opening to reveal Bronn standing in the hallway.

"Ah, excellent. Shall we go and find the baths? I feel the need for a good hot soak for my body is killing me with pain." He asked as he joined Bronn in the hallway. Bronn nodded then handed Tyrion his travel bag.

"Aye lets. But I ain't getting paid to carry you shit around now am I" Bronn replied. Tyrion laughed at him and started walking down the hall with his travel bag slug over one shoulder.

#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#

The hot springs of Winterfell were the Gods gift to man, Tyrion decided as he walked into the great hall just in time for dinner. The rest of Tyrion's men dispersed to other tables as Tyrion approached the head table, where just like earlier, the Stark family, minus one, was sitting, waiting for the meal to start. When he reached the table he gave a bow to his hosts.

"My Lord and Lady Stark, I must thank you for allowing us use of the Winterfell hot springs baths. They are all I heard and more." He thanked them with a sincere smile. Ned bowed his head to Tyrion in return.

"It was our pleasure and I'm pleased they seemed to have helped in some small way to ease the discomforts of a long day in the saddle." Ned replied also with a sincere smile. While he may not trust Tyrion, there was no need to be rude, especially when a sincere thank you was given. "May I present my family Lord Tyrion" He said as it was not really question.

"Please Lord Stark. I have been most eager to meet them."

"In that case, I present to you the Lady Catelyn Stark, Lady of Winterfell." Ned introduced his wife. She extended her hand to be kissed. "My Lord." She said in a stiff but polite tone. Ned felt relieved that she was doing her duty and not showing the anger and distrust she had shown Ned earlier.

Tyrion took her hand and gently placed a light kiss on the back of it. "My Lady." He said. "I am honored to meet you. I have spoken to many people on my way here and they all hold you in high esteem. I can see why."

Catelyn stiffly nodded her head at him. "Thank you my Lord." Ned moved on in a hurry.

"My eldest son you've already met, so then may I present my daughter, The Lady Sansa." Ned continued.

Tyrion had to regain a tight grip on his emotions for his heart twisted in pain, remembering the strong but broken women she had become in the Time Before. He had thought that seeing her here, so innocent and unbroken by events that had shaped her in the future, would make him feel better because he would be able to prevent what would happen, but strangely, seeing her as she was wasn't as comforting as he thought it would be. He put the matter aside to be thought about later.

"Lady Sansa, it is truly my pleasure to meet you." He said in a gentle voice with a gentle smile. This time he would make friends with her. He would be her ally in Kings Landing and protect her from Joffrey and Cersei for he knew that Ned Stark had no real way to refuse his friend, the King, when the time came.

Sansa was a Lady to her gentle core. Although the Imp scared her a little, she wouldn't disgrace her family.

"Thank you, my lord. It my pleasure to meet you as well." She said in her sweet voice with her perfect manners. Tyrion's smile widened.

"And how old are you my dear?" He asked her

"I am twelve, my lord." She replied shyly.

Tyrion turned to Ned "And why are you not carrying a very big stick my Lord?" he asked in a jesting voice. Ned looked at him in confusion but before he could answer, Sansa asked a question.

"Why would my father need a big stick?" she asked in innocent confusion. She didn't understand. Why did her father need a stick? He had Ice, the valyrian steel sword of the Starks.

"Why to beat off any rude boy who would dare come sniffing around a beauty such as you. Why even in the south, we've heard stories of Lord Stark's daughter, with hair as red as the autumn leaves, who promises to grow into one of the most beautiful women in the realm." He replied to Sansa in a playful tone.

Sansa flushed red in pleasure at the compliment. It was harmless flattery that just happened to be true. Sansa would grow to become a beautiful woman who was admired for her grace, manners and keen political mind. They just needed to awaken her potential a little earlier and by gentler means.

Catelyn Stark, while not liking Tyrion one bit, was forced to smile at the kind compliment as it made Sansa so happy. For that reason and that reason alone, she could be civil to him at least. Ned on the other hand just threw back his head and laughed. After he recovered he looked at Sansa with a smile of fatherly pride.

"Aye, I think you have the right of it Lord Tyrion. I shall have to find myself a very big, very strong stick as I'm sure it will see much use." He gestured to Tyrion, "shall we move on? I've three more children for you to meet." He said.

Tyrion smiled outside but was frowning inside. 'Four children at this point in time Stark. You claimed Jon as yours remember' he thought to himself but said nothing.

Arya was next in line. "May I present my second daughter the Lady…." Was as far as Ned got before Arya cried out,

"I'm NOT a Lady"

Tyrion had to laugh. She really wasn't a proper lady. Well a proper Southern Lady anyway. She would always been a Northern Lady though. The North was in her blood, she belonged here and it showed with her skills in riding, fighting and hunting.

The south would try to smother her by trying to force her to act a proper Lady and the rebellion she would put up would be an epic tale all of its own. Sansa had told him all that had transpired before he joined them in Kings Landing years after they'd both escaped it. Arya's rebellion against being forced into the role of a Southern Lady had both of them in stitches with laughter.

"No indeed you are not a lady. Well not a Southern Lady though I wouldn't discount you being a fine Northern Lady in time." Tyrion told her.

Arya who was about to protest, suddenly stopped and looked thoughtfully at Tyrion.

"A Northern Lady?" She asked, "Like the Mormont She-Bears of Bear Island?" she chewed on her lip as she considered it. "I could be a Northern Lady like them." She declared. Tyrion gave her a sly smile.

"You would still have to learn all the duties, habits and courtesies of a proper lady," he warned her, "but" he continued "I do believe that if you did those, you may be permitted to learn some fighting techniques in order to defend yourself. After all, I've heard that even your dear departed aunt Lyanna, she who was as free and wild and the wolf on you sigil, knew her lessons and had perfect manners" He finished, sly smile still in place.

Tyrion hoped he hadn't messed up by mentioning Lyanna so soon, but couldn't really see any harm in it as it was all meant in good faith and it had the added bonus of encouraging Arya to learn the lessons all ladies must learn. He glanced at Ned out of the corner of his eye to see how he took Lyanna being mentioned.

Ned looked to be lost in bittersweet memories. "Aye, she was that." He said coming out of his memories and looking at Arya who was the spitting image of his dead sister. "A Northern Lady huh? It's something to consider." He said as they moved onto Bran and Rickon leaving Arya with a huge smile on her face and a thoughtful look on Catelyn's.

His meeting Rickon was mostly just polite courtesy. After all, this truly was the first time he had met the boy. By the time Tyrion and Dany had come to Winterfell in the Time Before, Rickon had already been dead for several months but Tyrion could see that even at this age, Rickon was as wild as his dire wolf would be.

Meeting this Bran was fun. In the Time Before Tyrion got to know Bran very well before the Wall fell and everything went to shit. That Bran had been wise beyond his years. His experiences beyond the Wall with the three eyed raven and everything else he had gone though had matured him too fast like the rest of his siblings. This Bran was still young enough to dream of fun and adventure, was still able to run and climb. Tyrion felt sorry for him though as his Destiny was set in stone.

Dinner was severed and everyone started eating and talking about the days happenings. It was a far more relaxed atmosphere then the Red Keep in Kings Landing and Tyrion enjoyed himself. He had spotted Jon eating at table near the back of the hall and once again felt sympathy for him for what he had to endure once again.

Once dinner was over and Lady Stark and her children had left, Tyrion leaned over to Ned.

"Lord Stark, I didn't want to ask in front of Lady Catelyn but I would like to meet your bastard, Jon Snow" Ned looked taken aback. Once again the little lord had surprised him with his requests.

"Why do you want to meet Jon?" He asked.

"He is your son. Why wouldn't I want to meet him? I met your other children. I even had the displeasure of meeting your ward, Theon Greyjoy. Besides, I have a soft spot in my heart for cripples, bastards and broken things. My favorite cousin at Casterly Rock, is a delightful eight years bundle of sunshine called Joy, who also happens to be a bastard so I really don't care about his birth status. Having suffered much ridicule and bad treatment myself, he and I have something in common." Tyrion finished off.

Ned frowned. "What do you mean much ridicule and bad treatment? Jon doesn't suffer from that. He is my son and is treated as such." He stated with conviction.

Tyrion feigned surprised. "Forgive me Lord Stark I don't presume to question your word or honour but the stories we hear down south contradict what you just said." He said with all seriousness.

It was true what he said. He had heard stories while in Kings Landing about the Bastard of Winterfell both in the Time Before and in the present and they all traced back to the same source, Petyr Baelish and Lysa Arryn. For the sake of the future and all he held dear, Eddard Stark must not trust Petyr Baelish or it will get him killed.

Ned's frown turned into anger. "I know not of what you speak off but this is not the place for such a discussion. Would you join me in my solar Lord Tyrion? I wish to hear what you have to say about how the south thinks my son is treated." He demanded in a tone that booked no argument.

"As you wish Lord Stark. I shall tell you all you wish to know. I just hope you have wine. Lots of wine. I feel that you may need it after you hear what I have to tell you." Tyrion promptly answered and followed Ned to his solar.

They entered and closed the door behind them. Ned gestured for Tyrion to take a seat in front of his desk while he poured wine for the both of them.

"Arbour Gold? Excellent choice Lord Stark." Tyrion praised Ned's choice of wine after he took a sip. After Ned had settled into his chair, Tyrion began to speak.

"Now my lord, what would you like to hear about first? The way it's said your wife treats Jon Snow? or how you have dishonored your wife and House by acknowledging Jon as your son? Or how despite the so called "Northern Honor" the people of the North are wild savages, little better than wildlings and can't be trusted in any way for they are certain to betray you? Or this one, and this one is my personal favorite, how little Petyr Baelish at the tender age of fifteen, deflowered Catelyn Tully of Riverrun before she married Eddard Stark. Which story would you like to start with my lord?"

Next Chapter, we find out what lies Baelish and Lysa have been telling and Jon and Tyrion plan in the Godswoods