His dreams—nightmares—are full of deaths. Sometimes, they are memories, like Lyanna's and Robert's. Other times, they are guesses over real deaths, like Father's and Brandon's. And there are those of people who are (hopefully) still alive: Catelyn's, his children's, Benjen's, Jon's…
(Robb struck by a shadow. Arya's face melting away to reveal nothing but bones. Rickon's heart ripped out. Bran falling again. Sansa choking. Catelyn's throat sliced. Benjen quartered. Jon glowing before fading forever.)
Often, those people tell him horrible truths before passing away. There are instances in which they are kind to him—those are the better dreams. Every now and then, the deceased open their hauntingly blue eyes (those usually feature his siblings).
Once, he dreams of the Mad King screaming Burn them all as the Iron Throne engulfs him with its swords. In another time, he dreams of a marble castle covered in lava.
He can no longer tell day and night apart, since his cell has no windows. He's being well fed, at least, and nobody bothers his sleep, but the solitude is enough to torment him. So is the lack of news. He knows Sansa was sent to the Silent Sisters, but there's been no news of Arya, Cat, Robb, Jon… He doesn't even know what is going on upstairs, in the halls and corridors of the Red Keep.
Princess Arwyn is supposedly Queen, given Robert announced her as his heir. However, if the council decides to favor Targaryen succession rules, the crown should go to his brother Stannis instead. What prevailed, the king's will or the old law? Does it really matter, in regards to his fate? If everyone does assume he and Sansa were behind Robert's death, he can't think of a scenario he's spared of execution.
But I didn't do it, he thinks. He was obviously poisoned, but if it wasn't me or Sansa, then who? If he wasn't so mentally. weak from imprisonment, he's sure he could think of a plausible guess, but his current state doesn't leave room for investigation and analytical thoughts.
One day, he is announced to be getting a visitor in a few moments. Briefly, he wonders if he will be taken to trial, but this theory is soon dispelled as he faces his visitor: Olenna Tyrell, the Dowager Queen's grandmother. "Leave us," she orders the guards. "He is in no condition to fight me."
It's true; while on a good day Ned would defeat her in the blink of an eye, his muscles now hurt with every movement. If he tries to icebend, she'll easily melt it away with her own waterbending—Olenna was born a Redwyne, the last waterbender family of the Reach, whose abilities allowed them to perfect their wine recipe—somehow.
When they are left alone, she eyes him up and down. "Good morning, my lord," she greets. "Or, should I say, Your Grace?" He frowns; she grins. "Your son and your bannermen have declared you King in the North after receiving word of your imprisonment. They march South as we speak, ready to rescue you." She shakes her head. "As if we'll let it happen."
He sighs. As touching as the proclamation is, he isn't of much use to the North here. "Am I to be executed then?"
"Of course," she replies. "With the poison having come off Sansa's hairnet, and no other evidence, everything is against you."
Her grin widens, and he is hit with the truth—or, at least, a suspicion of it. "We both know it wasn't me," he replies, "so tell me true, my lady: did you come up with this plan all by yourself, or did your granddaughter help?"
She huffs. "Margaery would never agree to kingslaying, or any treasonous act against Robert. She'd claim she'd become worse than Cersei. Well, someone had to do the dirty work. I'm sure you understand why you were framed. If blame reaches me, it will sully Marg's good name, and she doesn't deserve it."
"Sansa did not deserve her fate either," he spats.
"Of course she did," she counters firmly. "You and your daughters hid a Targaryen from Robert, did you not? Sadly, your other daughter escaped our grasp, but no matter. What you must know is that you won't live to be crowned."
"I could out you to your granddaughter in my trial."
She laughs. "As if she'd believe you—"
Her speech is interrupted when she falls to the ground. Under the torchlight, he sees blood coming from her head, then he hears footsteps coming in his direction. "Uncle Ned!"
He recognizes that voice instantly. Ygritte! What is she doing here? Is Jon here as well? He tries to stand, but he's too weak for that, and remains on his knees instead.
Ygritte shows up before him, puffing, and soon she's joined by… "Who is this man behind you?"
The aforementioned man laughs quietly. "I told Sansa her father would not recognize me… the Kingslayer at your service, Your Grace."
Ned frowns. He recognizes Jaime Lannister's voice, of course, but his presence here is… odd. "Should you really be here?"
"Leave it to Ned Stark to question someone coming to his rescue," Lannister replies, rolling his eyes. "I'm here on your nephew's behalf. This isn't me picking sides on a war, this is me fulfilling the unspoken vows I made to the Avatar."
It… makes sense, especially considering Ygritte is with him, and the man implied to have rescued Sansa beforehand. He glances at Lady Olenna. "Is she—"
"She may live," Ygritte cuts him off. "It doesn't matter. We must get you out of there. Sist—Jaime, c'mon."
Ser Jaime grabs two bars. "Grab these same bars," he orders Ned, "and help me bend them apart."
"These bars are made of earth as well," he points out.
"We have two elements out of three," Lannister counters. "If we combine our forces, we can move enough to let you out."
Ned grabs the same bars and focuses on the ice inside them. He hears the Kingslayer groan in pain as he does the same. After a while, they pause, panting from the effort—Ned is rather weak—but with no progress.
"I'll look for guards," Ygritte announces. "See if I can steal a key."
Before she can step out, though, they hear steps. She grabs her bow and readies herself for a shoot, while Ser Jaime pushes himself away from the cell bars and draws his sword—with his left hand. (Odd, he doesn't remember him being left-handed.)
"What is going on here?", he hears Ser Barristan's voice.
He sees Lannister smirking. "Barristan the Bold," he purrs. "The last of Aerys' Kingsguard. Missed me?"
"Kingslayer?" Now he sees Selmy's figure at the edge of his field of vision. "You are a bit far from the Wall."
"Only a bit," he retorts.
"Breaking another vow, huh? Can't resist forsaking your cloaks."
"The Night's Watch is sworn to the Avatar," Lannister proclaims. "As you surely know by now, Ned Stark is his family. I'm duty bound to save him from this nest of vipers."
Ser Barristan doesn't answer right away. "So it's true," he says eventually. "Jon Frost is the Avatar."
Ned is about to deny when Ser Jaime places his sword back on his belt. "Yes," he replies. "And he is readying himself to defend the world against the Others as we speak. House Stark should not be faulted for protecting him, nor for killing Robert Baratheon. Whoever did it, it wasn't honorable Ned Stark and his prim-and-proper daughter."
"Queen Arwyn Baratheon ordered him to be brought to justice tomorrow."
"Renly Baratheon, you mean. A man who's probably still furious over his brother's death and is looking for someone—anyone to blame. A man who's probably looking for a way to marry his goodsister as we speak. Is that the king you want to defend, Barristan?"
"I defend Queen Arwyn," he spats. "And of course you're the one who chooses which king to serve."
"I serve the Avatar," Lannister spats back. Then he adds, more softly, "Are you sure you want to go against the Avatar, Ser? Because no Kingsguard vows will spare you from shame if you do. All your good deed, all your glories… all thrown away because you valued petty politics over what truly matters: humanity's salvation."
Silence falls. Ygritte retrieves her arrow from Lady Olenna's skull, which makes more blood fall, but neither knight acknowledges that. Eventually, Ser Barristan sighs. "I hate to say this, but you have a point. This has all been a huge mess, to be honest."
He grabs the two cell bars Ned still holds, and Lannister kneels down to grab them as well. After a loud groan of pain on the Kingslayer's part, the bars are finally pushed apart enough for Ned to leave. "Run," Selmy orders. "I assume you know your way out," he adds, looking pointedly at Lannister.
The younger man nods, and Ser Barristan urges them to leave as soon as possible.
Ygritte does most of the work carrying him to a secluded beach, as it is revealed Ser Jaime broke several bones from his right hand with the effort of pushing the bars open. "I broke them fighting our way out of Harrenhal's cells," he explains. "Jon healed me rather well, but I wasn't cleared for using it for more demanding tasks."
"I'm sure my wife can help you when we go back to Winterfell," he says in reassurance.
His reunion with Sansa is filled with tears in her eyes and a huge smile on both of their faces. He is introduced to Lady Brienne of Tarth, metalbender and Jon's sworn sword, informed on his nephew's whereabouts, and together the five of them plan their next steps.
"I heard Robb Stark is marching South," Lady Brienne says. Ned nods; Olenna told him the same thing. "If news already reached King's Landing, he must be well on his way out. You must meet him halfway, Your Grace, but, if I may give my input, Lady Sansa should go straight to Winterfell."
"I agree," Ser Jaime says, but he looks at the lady way too softly for him not to be biased.
However… "It's a good idea," he admits. "I suppose Ser Jaime and Ygritte will take Sansa to Winterfell?"
"No," Lannister replies, "I am the one tasked with you."
"We think it's better to separate men and women," Lady Brienne explains. "It spares us from booking two or three cabins everywhere we go."
"The women will go by ship," Ser Jaime adds. "We'll go by land. As we don't know where your son is exactly, it's better if we go North and North until we find them."
Ned nods in agreement, and Lady Brienne guides them to a ship to Saltpans. "It's better if you two begin your journey from anywhere else that isn't King's Landing."
Sansa smiles. "We'll get a bit more of time together," she explains when he raises an eyebrow. He smiles back and hugs her, then they board the ship.