`NED

Her stomach hurt. She had gotten her moon blood a week prior, for the first time. Even thought Ned had never gotten it before, her Septa explained her what generally happened. From her understanding, the pain was supposed to come during her cycle. not after. Master Luwin told her that much too, when she went to visit him that afternoon. He suspected that she may have been coming down with some other kind of illness. He told her that she seemed a little warm to him and her heart was beating faster than normal. He brewed her up some tea, to help with the illness but it did not help.

She had stayed in her room the entire day. To her surprise, the Septa was not upset about her missing her lessons but, she still insisted that she came down to the Great Hall for dinner. She told her she needed the protein and the nutrients if she wanted to fight off the illness.

Ned was not hungry. She played with the meal in front of her, tossing the peas back and forth with her fork and cutting the meat up into little slices. The Septa gave her a disapproving look, so Ned allowed one of the serving women to take her uneaten plate away. She wrinkled her nose as she brought the tea (the Master brewed to help with her illness) to her mouth. It tasted worse than it smelled and it had already smelled pretty bad to begin with. Similar to how her brother Robb and Brandon smelled after their training. The tea left a bitter taste in her mouth and she could not help but gag with every sip she took. Frustrated, Ned took a big gulp and swallowed the concoction in 3 more swings. Ned wanted to retch, but the worst was over now. She pushed the cup away from her and drank a few sips of some warm honeyed milk to wash away the taste of the tea.

She saw Justin entering the hall and her stomach lurched again. She could hear her heart beating and she felt feverish. The Master was right, she was defiantly coming down with something.

"May I have the honour of my sweet Lady`s company, as I sit for dinner?" He asked, flashing her a smile. He had a nice smile, he would flash his teeth and she noted they were straight and a pearly white colour. He also had dimples in his cheeks, that were not their until he smiled. Ned opened her mouth to say something courteous in return, but her throat felt dry so she just nodded. He took a seat beside her and she felt the warmth coming off his body. His smell was intoxicating, a mixture of coconut and honeyed melon. She knew, he played swords with her brothers Brandon and Robb (which caused him to sweat a lot); but unlike them, Justin seemed to understand the concept of grooming and hygiene.

His hair was a beautiful sandy brown colour that would turn blonde in the sun. It was clean and kept neat in somewhat of a messy fashion. Ned knew it was a contradicting statement, but it held true. Wisps of his hair with stick out in a certain disarray but it was done so neat and precise. Even as he ran his hand through his hair, the locks would fall in all the right places. Ned had only wished her hair would be that compliant, she spent hours brushing it or having one of the handmaidens do it for her, until it was smooth and silky. His eyes were a warm blue colour and they sparkled every time he looked at her. They were similar to her fathers` and her other siblings` eyes. She desired for the colour herself, it was lovely but she was born with her mother`s grey eyes. When their eyes made contact her stomach lurched again, but the feeling had been somewhat pleasant; maybe she was getting used to the pains or maybe she was just becoming mad.

"I heard you were sick, my lady. I am so sorry to hear that." He offered her, his condolences.

He heard about her? The sentiment was sweet and Ned was touched that he was concerned. Ned finally found her voice, "I thank you, brother. The Master had been kind enough to brew me some tea, which should help with my illness; but, enough about me, please tell me about your day."

He told her of his training with Brandon and Robb. He bested Robb, but Brandon sent the sword flying out his hands. Their father and Uncle Bran watched; they seemed to be impressed with the three of them and said they were all making fabulous process. After that, he spent his time with Arry, who showed him an interesting book about dragons. He offered to show it to Ned some time and she agreed.

She saw her mother walk into the Great Hall and Ned greeted her with a smile. Justin followed her lead and smiled at his good mother as well. Her mother looked at her for a moment before shifting her attention to Justin. She shot him a scowl, before storming out of the room. She saw Justin look back down at his meal and saw the sadness expressed in his face. Her Septa shook her head disapprovingly; she never told Ned, but she knew that the Septa did not care for her mother. She was no Lady, she`d dress like a man and practice swords like one as well. Ned didn't mind though, she loved her mother dearly but she sighed all the same. It really bothered her when her mother would behave so rudely to Justin. He was a nice boy and if mother just spent some of her time with him and got to know him, she knew she`d love him, like the rest of their family had.

"I`m sorry" Ned offered, "she shouldn`t be treating you like that."

Justin looked up and shot her a confused look. "She has every right to, my Lady. I am no Stark nor a Baratheon;. I am simply a bastard. Lord Bran and my Lord father were kind to take me in, but it was not needed. I should not be here, this is your Lady mother`s home and I am intruding; I should probably leave and go back to the inn with my Auntie Willow."

Ned was annoyed now. "This is as much your home, as it is mine and my mothers. You are my brother, my father`s son and you have every right to call this place your home. I love my mother but, she is being cruel. I want you to stay here and so does father and my brothers."

"I do not wish to intrude..." he began.

"You`re not." Ned stated as she brought her hand to his. As soon as her hand touched his, Ned began to pull away. It had been an instinct to hold his hand, as a sign of comfort; but, Ned knew it was not appropriate. He might have been her brother but, neither of them were children anymore. He was almost a man grown and she was a lady of two and ten and flowered. As she pulled her hand away, Justin moved his hand on top of hers and brushed the back of her hand with his thumb. Ned felt the blood rushing to her cheeks; his touch left goose bumps where they trailed off and sent a jolt of energy running up her body.

"It is almost time for bed, I should be heading to my chambers now." Ned said, as she got up from her chair and left his embrace. Justin offered to escort her, but Ned assured him her Septa would do so. He bid her goodnight and she returned the feeling.

She was wearing a gown. It was long, white and made of silk. The neckline was cut lower than normal and the breasts – she had just developed – filled the neckline beautifully. She was in the Godswood, there were many people, eyeing her as she walked down the aisle. She did not look at them, so she could not put a face to any of the members in the crowd; she was too focused on the man a few feet ahead of her. His back was turned and all she could see of him was a beautiful mop of sandy brown hair and a Black and Gold cloak with a large Stag on it. It was similar to the cloak she was wearing, if not identical. Her father was at her right, his arm locked with her own. She looked up at him and he smiled down at her.

"Who gives away this woman?" She heard a voice call, but saw no speaker.

"I do; her father, Gendry of House Baratheon. Who claims her?" He called.

With that the man, who had his back turned to her; turned around to face them both. "I do. Justin Waters, son of Gendry Baratheon and Jeyne Heddle."

Ned gasped.

She woke up in a thick layer of sweat. What the in seven hells was the matter with her? Did she just dream of getting married to Justin? It wasn't right, it couldn't be right. She knew Justin was of too low birth, to wed her. Even though he had been her father`s son; he was still a bastard; and a bastard was not fit to marry a lady. Her family was never accustomed to the traditional rules and values, though. After all, her father was once a bastard too, before the Queen legitimized him so he could marry her mother.

That wasn`t the worst part though. Justin may have been a bastard but he had also been her brother. Well her half brother, but her brother none the least. They both shared their father`s blood and for them to wed would be a blasphemy. But, the Targaryens wed their siblings, why couldn't she?

What in seven hells was she thinking? Was she really having this conversation with herself at this moment? She couldn't like Justin, it was not proper. But, her heart longed for him all the same. It was then, when the obvious had finally dawned on her; she was not sick, she was in love. In love with her brother and a bastard. What would her Septa say? Oh Gods, what would her mother say?

She shook her head. She could not love Justin and she would attempt to get the lovesick feeling out of her system. Yet during the following days, when she saw him; her stomach would repeat the familiar lurch and she could feel her heart beating so hard, she thought it was going to jump out of her chest. During her lessons, she would eavesdrop on some of the older girls. She never paid them much head when they were talking about boys, but Ned was curious now. One of the girls told the others how the stable boy kissed her in the rain. It was supposedly romantic but, Ned found it embarrassing. Kissing? It sounded nice, from how the girl described it, but Ned could not imagine herself kissing someone and her face turned bright red at the very thought.

She skipped her lunch break, to spend time with Justin that afternoon. They went to the Godswood together. They walked side by side and she blushed every time his shoulder or arm would graze hers. They sat on a log, near the river and the stump of the heart tree. "My mother told me this place used to be beautiful, before the fire. I wished I was able to see it." Ned sighed.

"It`s still beautiful now." Justin offered, "Winterfell in general is a lovely place."

Ned smiled, she was a Northern girl, like her mother and was proud to be one. Justin was talking about something but Ned did not hear it. She casually bit her lip as she was thinking about the conversations the older girls were having about boys and kissing. Without thinking, Ned quickly brought her lips to his and pressed it lightly on his mouth. She pulled away just as quick and Justin stopped talking, he just stared at her, a shocked expression written on his face. Ned felt embarrassed now, she was being stupid. He didn't like her, she knew he didn't like her. How could he? He was her brother! He was probably disgusted with her.

She looked away and it shocked her when Justin held her hand, his fingers wrapping themselves delicately around hers. She looked back up to him and he bent his head, ever so gently and brought his lips down to hers. Again they only touched for a few seconds before he pulled away. Ned blushed, she felt her stomach tingle and she felt weak; the feeling was pleasant however, it was the best thing she has ever felt in her entire life. Their lips met again; when their parents kissed their mouths were open but, Ned did not know how to do that. She didn't think Justin knew either. She wanted him closer to her; but she settled for just touching her lips to his for longer period of time.

She heard a growl and Ned snapped her head to see her mother standing a couple feet in front of her, with a look of pure fury on her face. Ned face turned redder than before and she dropped her head, to avoid her mother`s gaze. Her heart was racing now, oh Gods what was her mother going to do?

"Get out!" She heard her mother yell. She looked up and saw that she was speaking to Justin; her face was a bright red as well, her hands bunched up to fists. Oh no, she wouldn't hurt him would she? Justin seemed frozen in place, when he did not move, she yelled again. "I said leave now! Go to your chambers or anywhere else for that matter, just get out of my sight."

Justin nodded and gave an apologetic look to Ned before he ran off. Her mother watched him run off. "It was my fault!" Ned exclaimed, causing her mother to shift her attention back on her. "I kissed him first! I.. I... I think I love him, mother."

"You are a girl of two and ten. You do not know what love is. You are never to see this boy again, do you understand? I am sending you off to the Eyrie, to live with your Aunt Sansa until further notice."

Ned shot her a pained look. She loved her Aunt Sansa, but she could not leave. "You can`t make me!" Ned yelled at her mother for the first time, "I won`t go! You can`t force me to leave!" She spat. She knew she was acting childish, but she didn't care. Her mother was being unreasonable.

Her mother shot her a challenging look. "I am your mother and you will do as I tell you. Now go to your room and pack your things. Do you understand me?"

"I hate you." Ned declared. She saw the expression in her mother`s face turn from anger to hurt before Ned ran off.

She did not run to her room. She ran to the forge and once she entered, she saw her father hammering away at a piece of steal. He immediately stopped what he was doing as she entered, placing the hammer on the table beside him and shot her a worried look.

Ned ran into his arms and he lifted her up, so she could bury her face in his shoulder. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he wrapped his arms around her back. She wept, crying so loudly, her throat was growing sore. He rubbed his hand up and down her back, before he placed his hand under her chin, bringing it up, so now her eyes met his. `

"Tell me what`s troubling you, little sweetling." He asked as he brushed her tears off, with his rough callused thumbs.

Ned took a deep breath and told him the entire story.

Note: Ah I knew I kind of broke away from the Arya and Gendry romance, in this chapter but I had to write a chapter, discussing the relationship bw Ned and Justin. Omg is it weird im starting to ship two characters that dont even exist? LOL. Anyways i shall continue the Gendry and Arya POV`s in the next chapter. Thank you for reading