Chapter 5: The Isle of Faces and Home.
Ned wanted to return to Winterfell as soon as he could, but he needed to collect his wife from Riverrun. The ship docked in Maidenpool and Ned sent word by raven asking Catelyn to come to Harrenhal so he may return home faster. It was in maidenpool that he found out he had been blessed by the Old Gods and Catelyn had given birth to a son. She had named him Robb after the new King. Ned rode with a few trusted men to Harrenhal and waited for the wheelhouse with his wife to reach her mother's maiden house.
Ned had requested the meet to occur at Harrenhal as he planned on visiting the Isle of Faces. The Isle of Faces was an island that sat in the middle of a lake. The island was covered by a large grove of Weirwood trees with faces carved into them by the Children of the Forest. It was also where an ancient pact was signed between the First Men and the Children of the Forest. Ned could not explain why he felt so drawn to the Isle of Faces but did not resist their call either.
At dawn, he asked a fisherman to take him and his men to the Isle of Faces. The boatman refused to take more than one person at a time as the waters of the lake tended to be rough. So, Ned went with the boatman alone. Ned did not question why the boatman refused to get off his boat when they reached the Isle. He was distracted by the Godswood. It reminded him of home but the presence of the Old Gods could be felt here. He walked through the Godswood in awe. Each tree held a different face and expression and each tree had a different feel to it.
Before he knew it, Ned stood in front of an ancient Weirwood that was larger than any he had ever seen. The tree was so large ten men could not touch hands if they tried hugging it. An old man's face with a beard was carved into the tree that had a patient expression, like he was just waiting for someone to shake him awake. Ned bowed his head before it and began praying when he felt the winds start blowing slowly and soft voices began singing in the wind.
"You changed the Song of Ice and Fire", a voice said, annoyed and Ned stood up and drew Ice in alarm.
"Be calm Lord Stark. I shall not harm you this day", the man said. He stood a shade under six feet and wore the dark black furs of a man of the Nights Watch. His skin and hair was as pale as milk and his eyes were blood red. A large birthmark spanned the old man's face across the right side oddly shaped like a raven. His left eye was missing and a large hole was left in its place.
"Who are you?", Ned asked suspiciously.
"My mother named me Brynden. As a boy I was called Brynden Rivers, One of the Great Bastards of King Aegon IV Targaryen. As the Hand of the King and Master of Whisperers, I was called the man with a thousand eyes and one. As I stood victorious on the Redgrass Field, I was named Kinslayer. As a man on the Wall, I was named Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. Now, I am the Three Eyed Raven", He said as he bowed mockingly.
Ned knew the history of the Blackfyre rebellions and the Bloodraven's role in them. The man in front of him had been pivotal in ending three of the five Blackfyre rebellions. The fact that he was dangerous went without saying, but Ned was curious about one thing, "How in the name of the Old Gods are you alive?", he asked.
"I'm alive in the loosest definition of the word. My body is being kept alive by the Children of the Forest under the roots of an old weirwood tree. But that isn't important. You have changed the song in motion, and now a new song is being written. One that may be unpredictable.", Bloodraven said with annoyance.
"The Children live?", Ned asked in shock.
"Calling them Children is a mistake. One of their kind lives for no less than one thousand years in times of peace while a human barely lives past a hundred.", Brynden corrected him.
"Right", Ned said in a daze. The Children of the Forest had not been seen since the Andals invaded Westeros six thousand years ago. Ned spent a few minutes thinking about it in silence as Bloodraven gave him a moment's silence.
"What song?", Ned asked in a tight voice. The existence of a race long thought extinct could wait.
"This Rebellion was to sing the opening notes of the Song of Ice and Fire. Stark blood would mix with Valyrian blood for the first time since the Long Night. Your nephew was going to be pivotal in the coming Long Night.", Bloodraven said distractedly as he walked around the grove.
"The Long Night returns?", Ned asked with dread. The words coming out of Bloodraven's mouth had started sounding like a mad man's rambling. But no one knew the truth about Jorah. So, how did Bloodraven know?
"No, I'm not lying, young wolf", Bloodraven said. "How else would I know the truth of the Old Gods?"
"Stop distracting me. What was the song supposed to be?", Ned asked with a shake of his head.
"You should not have been strong enough to awaken the Wolfsblood within you. No child before you in eight thousand years has waited as long as you to have their Wolfsblood awakened. You were supposed to die by treachery and your children scattered to the winds and die alone. The Pact of Cold would be broken and the wall would fall a decade after your death.", Bloodraven said
"You'd make a fucking terrible bard with songs like that", Ned said hotly, "I will not tolerate any Starks being harmed. Fuck your song of Ice and Fire."
"Well, you already have done that", Brynden said tiredly and sighed. "You have changed the song in ways I can no longer predict. I can't even find my successor now. I can't teach you all you need to know right now. You will be spending every night of the full moon by the roots of the Weirwood tree in Winterfell."
"I'm not doing anything you say unless you swear to me here and now, then you will swear to help the North in the battle against the Others.", Ned said frostily.
Bloodraven stared at him with his blood red eyed for what seemed like an eternity. Neither man looked away until Bloodraven swore to help.
"The only reason I am willing to help is because you saved my niece Daenerys from a life of suffering. Had you not done so, I would have wiped out House Stark and left your Nephew as Lord of Winterfell. Mark my words Warden of the North, The Baratheons and Lannisters will be destroyed for their deeds. Stay out of my way.", Brynden Rivers said coldly.
The Three Eyed Raven had been replaced by the man who fought to keep his family safe from three rebellions who was now seeking revenge. Ned decided to heed his words and only said, "Spare the Arryns. They had nothing to do with it".
Bloodraven considered it and gave a short nod in return. Ned walked back to the boat with thoughts swirling in his head.
The wheelhouse carrying his wife and son arrived the next day and Ned met his son for the first time. He gently picked up the baby from his mother arms and gently sung him. The baby had the bright red Tully hair already growing strong atop his head, but when the baby opened it's eyes, Ned saw the perfect sapphire blue eyes look back at him in curiosity. A small hand reached up and grabbed his beard. Ned vowed then and there that he would raise Robb, Jorah and Daenerys to the best of his abilities and provide them with a strong North to protect and love them. Magic and prophecies alike, the Pack will be rebuilt and grow strong. Together.
The moment Catelyn laid her eyes on Jorah after boarding the ship in Maidenpool, she turned around and asked angrily, "Is it Brandon's?"
"No, he is mine", Ned said calmly.
"He will not be coming to Winterfell. I will not tolerate this dishonor under my roof.", she said angrily.
"The dishonor's name is Jorah and he is my blood. I am the Lord of Winterfell and I will decide who does or does not live under my roof.", Ned said with a cold, tight voice that betrayed the rage within, "Should you find yourself unable to live under my roof and be a mother to all the children staying there, you are free to write to your Lord father and have House Tully dissolve this marriage"
"You got a woman with child mere days after our wedding. How could you ask me to be a mother to him while he is a living symbol to your inability to stay true to our marriage bed.", Catelyn asked hotly
"One, he is elder to Robb. So have care how you speak. Two, you do not get to lecture me about honor after your father chose to sell both of his daughters in marriage before joining the side of the Rebellion. He held his support conditional on me marrying you whereas it should not have been necessary. The Tullys were expected to seek vengeance for a murdered betrothed just as the Lone Stark did for his brother. The North Remembers. Treat Jorah as a Stark or else you may find him legitimized and older than your son.", Ned said, his gaze burning with the cold fires of winter.
That silenced the Lady of Winterfell for the rest of the voyage North and laid seeds of fear that would haunt her for the rest of her life. If her husband's bastards were legitimized, he would be the elder child of Lord Stark and overtake her son as the Heir of Winterfell. She would not be able to muster any support from the Northern lords to fight for her son after her father's actions. They would look at her and only see a power grabbing Tully thanks to her father's actions.
Ned walked into the solar of Lord Wyman Manderly, the very day Starks reached White Harbor. Plans set in motion after the Battle of the Trident needed to be checked on. Wyman Manderly was an aging man with a large belly and fingers as fat as sausages. He had grown so fat no Horse had been able to carry him for almost two decades. But his appearance and lethargy hid a cunning, shrewd and calculating man underneath. The blue eyed lord rose slowly and with effort as Ned walked into the room.
"Welcome Lord Stark!", the big man boomed.
"So what have we achieved?", Ned asked.
"We captured almost half of the Targaryen fleet. Luckily they were heavy with gold but low on men and were easy to capture. Aerys allowed only 10 men on each ship, and with only trusted Velaryon men on it. He did not trust anyone but the Valyrians to keep his treasure safe. We also captured 13 Galleons and 19 galleys.", Wyman said proudly
"How much gold?", Ned asked.
"15 million dragons.", Wyman said softly. Both men spent a moment in silence to digest that number. The north spent less than 50,000 dragons in the worst winters to import food. The thought of being able to spend an entire generation without starvation was unthinkable for the Northmen.
"Does anybody know?", Ned asked. Keeping this a secret would be impossible. Measures would have to be taken to make sure the North benefited.
"Nobody knows for now. Most think the storm sank most of the Navy and the chaos after the battle left Spymaster Varys in the dark for a while. But it is a matter of time before he finds out.", Wyman said quietly.
"What if House Stark takes a loan from the Iron Bank to build a canal?", Ned asked quietly
"A what-?", Wyman asked confused.
"We take a loan from the Iron Bank for 5 million and build a canal that joins the Fever River to the mouth of the White Knife river. It will pass through Moat Cailin. The ships could travel through the canal to reach Casterly Rock faster and avoid Dorne altogether. The revenue generated by the canal will earn us enough money to rebuild Moat Cailin. And we can pay off the loan gradually from our newly found gold.", Ned explained.
Wyman Manderly looked shocked at the sheer ridiculousness of the idea, but after making a few calculations on a piece of parchment, his eyes began sparkling at the idea.
"It is certainly ambitious and doable. It will cost about 8 million dragons over the next 10 years. And we should be able to start making money on it in 5 years", Wyman said enthusiastically.
"That's good. Move 8 million dragons into the ruins of the Wolfs Den. Any prisoners there can be sent to the Wall. Send the rest of the gold to Winterfell. I will be building a port city on the Stoney Shore. How long will it take to refit the Targaryen ships and make them look Northern?", Ned asked
"A moon's turn at most. Is this the return of the Northern Navy?", Wyman asked hopefully
"Aye. The folly of Brandon the Burner needs to be undone. The North needs a fleet on each of its coasts. The wall to the North and a rebuilt Moat Cailin to the South secures all sides of the North.", Ned stated
"A toast! To undoing the Burner's folly!", Wyman cheered. House Manderly had been requesting permission from Winterfell to build a fleet the day after Brandon the Burner died. However, no gold could be spared for rebuilding the fleet as winters always weighed heavy on the North. The mermen of Manderly had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time.
"Aye. To a Strong North", Ned toasted.
As the horses climbed over the final ridge, Winterfell came into view. Ned sighed as his childhood home came into view. The massive walls protecting Wintertown and the Godswood brought back fond memories of his siblings. His heart almost felt heavy with grief as he approached the last remaining member of his family. Ned spurred his horse on and galloped the rest of the way, leaving the wheel wagon carrying his wife and sons behind.
The doors opened as they recognized the greatsword on his back and he rode his horse into the Inner Castle. Benjen Stark stood waiting for him in the courtyard. "Winterfell is yours Lord Stark", Benjen said as Ned scooped him up into a hug.
Both brothers had tears in their eyes as they embraced each other in happiness after being reunited and in sorrow of their lost family. The two brothers pulled themselves together and went inside the castle. They entered the solar of the Lord of Winterfell and pulled up short. Neither brother wanted to sit in the chair they still saw as their Father's. Ned unsheathed Ice and mounted it on the stand above the mantle. He walked along the table and ran his hand along the top of the table. He slowly sat in the chair and felt tears slip down his face.
He looked up to Benjen and said, "It was supposed to be Bran's". His voice was so broken and devastated, that Benjen couldn't help but say "I'm sorry". He broke down and kept apologizing over and over again in hysterics. Ned immediately moved to comfort his hurting brother. After a while Benjen calmed down. Ned then asked him, "Alright Benjen. We're going to take this nice and slow. You tell me what you're sorry about and then I'll decide if you need to be forgiven. Okay?"
Benjen nodded silently and started speaking silently, "I knew Lyanna planned on running away. She didn't want to marry Robert. She loved the Dragon Prince. She made me swear I wouldn't tell anyone. Because I didn't tell the truth, Brandon and Father died. Lyanna died. It's all my fault", he broke down again.
Ned spent an hour calming him down. His younger brother was barely ten and three name days old and had so much guilt crushing him and yet he kept the North running for a year with only a Maester and a Castellan to help him. Ned slowly told him, "I know. I should not have brought Robert's proposal to Father before asking Lyanna. I should have known better. She never did like the thought of getting married. It's ironic she managed to do it anyway. As if being Princess or Queen would let her be any free than she was here"
Benjen snorted noisily and said quietly, "Ned? Please let me take the Black"
Ned shoved him away and turned Benjen to face him and shouted angrily, "THE FUCK YOU WILL!"
Benjen had never seen his brother shout like this. Ned had always been a stoic child. Seeing him lose it like this scared Benjen out of his wits.
"You are not taking the Black and leaving me alone. I cannot run the North and I need you to teach me. I know nothing of the North Ben! I need help. Don't leave me. Stay for Lyanna at least. Her son lives. Stay for his sake.", Ned pleaded
The mention of Lyanna's son shook Benjen completely. "Lya's son?" he cried happily
"Yes. She gave birth to a son. I brought them with me. He looks just like her. Stay for him," Ned pleaded.
"But they got married. That means he's the heir-"Benjen began.
"I don't care. If he wants the Iron Throne that is his decision. I will do what Lya asked of me. I will protect him and raise him as a wolf. I need to protect him from Robert and the Lannisters so I have claimed him as my bastard" Ned said.
Benjen thought it over and asked, "What about your wife?"
"She is a southerner. They have foolish ideas about bastards being evil. She will hate him and her hatred will protect his identity. But Robb and Jorah will be raised together as brothers. Should he not wish to take the throne, Jorah will become Robb's bannerman. Having a Targaryen wife and a southern mother will make things difficult for him, so I plan on fostering both boys with Northern Lords. Those bonds should help when he becomes Lord Stark."
His brother's desperation and desire to cherish a part of Lyanna convinced him he needed to stay. He could always take the Black later. Benjen considered himself a kinslayer and it would take many arguments between the two brothers to convince him otherwise.
Things settled down into a peaceful rhythm in Winterfell. There was a palpable tension between Lord Stark and his wife. Neither shouted at the other but a blind man could see the conflict brewing. It all came to head a few months later. Catelyn had asked Ned to build her a Sept and Ned had refused before the words had left her mouth. Her mouth had snapped shut but everyone could see the blood rushing to the redhead's face as she looked like she was about to erupt. Benjen shared a quick look with the servants and quickly walked out of the dining hall. The servants avoided the Lord's solar for the rest of the day.
Ned moved to the Solar before she could explode and she was forced to follow him. "Why can't you build a Sept for me!? Is the North really that poor that you can't build a Sept? Or is it your heathen gods that forbid building a Sept? Or perhaps-"
"One more word and I rip out your tongue right here, right now.", Ned said coldly. His voice promised pain as the look in his eyes made it clear he would do it regardless of the consequences.
"You are in the North. Your Andal religion has tried many times to cross the neck but has paid in blood for that. Just because you married the Warden of the North, you do not get to spread your religion here. Building a Sept inside the walls of Winterfell would mean the North would lose faith with the Starks. That has not happened for eight thousand years and it sure as shit ain't gonna start with you."
"You can't speak to me like that! I'm a Lady!", Catelyn said outraged.
"That is true for Ladies of the South. You are in the North. Here, respect needs to be earned. It isn't going to be handed to you just because you married me. The people of the North have no reason to trust you after the way your father married off his youngest daughter to a man thrice her age. Prove that you deserve to be called Lady Stark and then we'll talk. Now leave.", Ned dismissed her with a wave of his hand.
She sat there in shock for a few minutes before standing up and walking away. Just as she was about to leave the solar, Ned said, "You may build a shrine to the Seven in your chambers. But nothing outside. Am I understood?"
She mutely nodded and left the room. That night, Lord and Lady Stark spent the night together for the first time since their bedding. They had a long way to go but progress was being made one day at a time.