14) Hoster and Brynden Tully – Ned "You will honor her"
"My Lords, it is an honour to host you both in my castle" young Lord Eddard Stark greeted his good-father Hoster Tully and his brother Brynden opening the door to his solar.
Both men were veterans of a hundred battles and old enough to be his father, but that was not what intimidated young Eddard so much, rather than the fact that they were the father and uncle respectively of his young wife. Ned and his wife Catelyn Tully had married in a rushed ceremony at Riverrun, home to House Tully, in the middle of the Rebellion, a marriage whose main purpose had been to cement the alliance which ultimately proved to be instrumental in the victory against the Targaryens. For a young Lord such as Eddard, hosting his good-father and good-uncle in his castle for the first time would be an honour under most circumstances. But Ned knew exactly why these two men were here. And the men before him made no effort to hide their emotions either.
"I trust your journey North was pleasant and I hope that you may rest and find comfort within my walls" the young Lord continued.
He proceeded to offer them some wine, which both men politely declined.
"My wife has been very happy since she received news you were both coming to visit" Ned tried to make conversation again.
"Was she not happy before?" Hoster Tully asked bluntly speaking for the first time.
"My Lord, of course she was," Ned stammered. "What I meant was that she missed her home and her family."
"Aren't you supposed to be her family and this supposed to be her home?" the old man gestured to the walls that surrounded them. He looked to his brother and they both nodded in agreement. "She's all alone and she cannot even find comfort in her Gods, surrounded as she is by your Northern gods and bereft of her own religion" Hoster mumbled.
"I will see to it that this issue is rectified. Let me assure you, everybody has welcomed her here with open arms and Winterfell will become her home"
The two Tully Lords frowned and nodded.
"My Lords, I fear we have started on the wrong foot" Ned tried to say in a conciliatory tone.
"Only one of us started on the wrong foot: the man who sired a bastard the day after he married my daughter and forced said bastard down her throat" Hoster Tully bluntly addressed the elephant in the room.
Ned Stark looked up from where he was sitting and felt dwarfed by the presence of these two men, not necessarily because they were bigger than him, but because deep down he knew their grievance was justified. He would never regret bringing Jon home with him, but he could see why his wife's family might not agree.
"I can only offer my most sincere apologies, my Lords"
"It is not us you need to apologize to, but to the woman whose honour you sullied, the woman you broke your vows to and the woman whom you have humiliated in front of the whole realm and made a laughing stock of. My daughter" Hoster finished vehemently.
"I meant no dishonour to her."
"Yet, I could see said dishonour in the nursery room when I visited my grandson. And my daughter has to see it everyday."
"The child is my blood. He will stay" Ned muttered with no intention of backing down.
"Aye. I know he will. I see your determination and I see your priorities."
"My family is my priority. And believe me, Catelyn is now as much part of my family and I will care for her to the best of my abilities."
"How do you intend to clean the stain upon my daughter's honour?"
"I can assure you she has not since nor will she ever again suffer any dishonour on my part."
"But the stain will remain" the older man said fixing his gaze upon his good-son. "How do you intend to keep her and her children safe when it is you who has brought the danger and thrown it at her feet?"
"I can assure you, neither my bastard nor his mother will ever put my wife or any other member of my family in danger."
"You best make sure of that. Come talk to me again when you have little girls and they get hurt by the man you marry them to."
An uncomfortable silence fell upon the three men and the tension was palpable. Brynden Tully, who had until now remained silent, suddenly got to his feet and approached the young Lord.
"You don't know me other than by reputation. And that should be enough to tell you what kind of man I am. Family Duty Honor. My nieces and nephews are everything to me. You have failed your duty to my niece, stained her honour and spat on my family name."
"My Lord" Ned tried to stop him but was swiftly shushed. He got to his feet only to be grabbed by his shirt by Brynden Tully and pushed against a wall.
"I am not done and you will listen to me" he said evenly. "From now on you will treat my niece with the respect she deserves or you will feel the wrath of the Blackfish" he whispered to Ned's ear.
Brynden Tully gently let go of his good-nephew and sat down again.
"Catelyn is a very sweet and dutiful girl and as your wife I know she will accept whatever you throw at her. But that doesn't mean I will " the Blackfish glared at Ned with daggers in his eyes. "Lord Stark, you don't have any nieces or nephews of your own, but if you did you would know the lengths I would be willing to go to protect them and make sure they are safe. We will put this incident of your bastard behind us and you will do right by my niece from now on. You will honour her" he finished.
"I do not appreciate being manhandled and threatened in my own home" Ned grumbled straightening his shirt. "Having said that, I understand your grief and for her sake and the sake of the family we have become, I am willing to put this incident of your threats to me behind us."
Ned returned Brynden Tully's glare and waited for him to nod before he continued.
"But my Lords, you are right, I did dishonour my wife when she has done nothing to merit such treatment. And she has only paid me back with an honour and kindness I do not deserve. I can only promise I will honour and do right by her from now on."
"I trust you will do good on your promise. We both do" Catelyn's father finished motioning to himself and his brother.
Keeping their grievances to themselves for the time being, the three men shook hands and toasted to what they hoped would be a new beginning for the two families.