A/N: Chapter 3. Eddard Stark and Arthur Dayne arrive to Winterfell.
Arthur Dayne I
Winterfell, the North. 284 AC.
Arthur Dayne despised the cold, especially up in the North. On the other hand though, he was grateful that the party finally arrived to Winterfell, the home castle of House Stark. It was a long journey across Westeros, and quite an unpleasant one.
At first they stopped at Starfall where they reunited with Arthur's family, the Daynes. There, they gathered enough supplies for the journey while Arthur bid farewell to his family and Ashara. Ashara promised that she would pray for both her brother and Eddard, whom she thanked for not killing. Once they left Dorne, the party had to head to the capital in order to join with Stark's banner men. For the first time, Arthur, and the other two knights, tried to get used to ride through a journey without wearing their armour. Though Eddard encouraged them to get rid of it for the rebels now rule the Seven Kingdoms.
"I will not get rid it of it, Lord Eddard. But I will keep it safe." Arthur answered back then.
Thankfully, the Stark forces were outside the city. The least thing both Eddard Stark and Arthur Dayne wanted was to enter King's Landing and putting the lives of both babies at risk. Yet, Ned had to visit the Red Keep in order to report Robert (Arthur scoffed disgustedly at the mention of his name) of Lyanna's death.
As Arthur, wearing the Northern clothes given to him by Howland Reed, helped the remaining Stark bannerman pack up for their journey home, the former Kingsguard noticed Eddard riding down towards them followed by a couple of Northerners. From the look on his face, Arthur Dayne could say that it was not pleasant.
"Everyone ready?" was the first thing Eddard Stark spoke.
"We are, Lord Stark." Jeor Mormont, known as the Old Bear, answered.
"Good, let's get going." Stark ordered and immediately went towards the babies. Arthur eagerly followed him. As they travelled, Arthur joined the young warden who led the army. Noticing him, Ned sighed before telling him what happened in the Red Keep.
"He filled the whole castle with his roar." Eddard began, with rage in his voice. "He kept yelling that I failed his king, failed to bring 'his' Lyanna to him. Lyanna was right, he viewed her nothing more as big hit when it comes to whoring. While he claims that he griefs for her, I can now see that he only regrets of not taking her maidenhead. From what I heard he is now marrying Tywin Lannister's daughter Cersei."
"I always knew the old lion was a cunning bastard." Ser Arthur stated. "I heard that he thought of his daughter marrying Prince Rhaegar before the rebellion began."
"He is a man with no honour." Eddard interjected. "It was his banner men who viciously murdered Prince Rhaegar's family. As a token of fealty to King Robert."
Arthur nodded in silence before asking.
"I heard that his son, Jaime, stabbed the king from behind?" he asked.
"The Kingslayer." Ned nodded.
"I remember him when I knighted him for his efforts in defeating the dreaded Kingswood Brotherhood, a gang of outlaws." Arthur recalled the event. "If I heard correctly, he is still in the Kingsguard, serving the Usurper?"
"He is."
"Who else of King Aerys' servants became turncoats?" Arthur asked out of curiosity.
"Master of Whispers Varys and Grand Maester Pycelle remained in their positions within the Small Council, while Ser Barristan Selmy became Lord Commander of the new Kingsguard." Ned answered. "Jon Arryn saw them as competent people as Hand of the King."
"I knew that Arryn would desire such a high position." Ser Arthur answered. "Varys was always a cunning man, with his Little Sparrows he will manage to save his skin easily. Ser Barristan is a great knight, I'm sure that he can handle his position well. What do you think, Ser Gerald?"
Right now, the party finally reached Winterfell. The courtyard was filled with guards and servants welcoming the young lord home. Right in front of them stood Lord Stark's wife, Catelyn Tully Stark, was approaching towards them, holding a small bundle in her arms, while being followed by Ned's brother Benjen and a maester. Arthur immediately guessed once he saw Ned Stark heading straight to his wife, both smiling.
Arthur smiled to himself as he watched the couple talking, with Lady Catelyn showing the child she carried. He swung off his horse once he motioned for the three Kingsguard knights to join him. Lady Catelyn looked puzzled once she saw the three men, despite wearing Northern clothes, were definitely not from the North.
"Milady." Eddard spoke to Catelyn once again. "I would like to introduce you Ser Gerold Hightower," Gerold silently nodded. "Ser Oswell Whent," Oswell bowed in silence. "and Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of Morning."
"Pleasure to meet you, milady." Ser Arthur spoke as he took Catelyn's hand and kissed it, causing the young woman to flush. Benjen, on the other hand, looked at them with a deadly glare.
"They've agreed to serve our House." Ned explained his wife. "Now, we have an important discussion, but first."
With that he left and headed straight for the wheelhouse and took out the two bundles. Arthur Dayne immediately guessed which one of them was little Daenerys as Eddard spent more time looking at the bundle on his left arm. The knight noticed that Eddard has grown very fond of the girl, treating her like his own daughter. He returned to the others.
'I have a bad feeling about this,' Arthur thought.
"I need to tell you something." He gently carried the two children as they left for his solar. Soon, Ser Gerold closed the door as he was the last one to enter.
"Who are the babies?" Catelyn asked, obviously worried. Arthur watched as Ned took a deep breath before answering.
"Before I start, all of you must know that nothing can leave this room or we will fear Robert's rage." Eddard spoke turning to everyone. Though confused and even scared, Benjen, Lady Catelyn, and the maester, Luwin, nodded in response.
"This is Lyanna's son, Aemon Targaryen." Ned spoke and the three looked at him in shock. Benjen, however, was the first to react as he immediately called Aemon a bastard and a product of rape, which angered Arthur as he approached and grabbed Benjen's arm.
"I advise you to pick your words wisely, Lord Benjen." He warned the teenager. "That boy is no product of rape nor bastard. He is the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, not the usurper who tried to rape Lady Lyanna. Commit the very crime Prince Rhaegar, her husband, was accused of committing."
"Benjen, brother," Eddard tried to explain his younger brother. "Before dying, Lyanna managed to tell me the truth. She said his name was Targaryen, not Sand or Snow. Our sister wasn't kidnapped. She went willingly with the prince because they loved each other. But most importantly, she went because Rhaegar saved her from Robert."
"I remember that day during the tourney at Harrenhal. Robert back then already got blind drunk. After the tourney I recall he left. Now I know where he went. He cornered our sister Lyanna and tried to take her maidenhead by force. He would have succeeded if not for Prince Rhaegar. He rescued her and possibly threatened Robert. It was Robert who told everyone that the prince kidnapped Lyanna and wanted to rape her."
"Prince Rhaegar was a man of honour and good will. He would have never done such crime." Ser Arthur added with confidence and pride for his dead friend.
"Still, that doesn't make him innocent of the deaths of father and Brandon." Benjen argued. This time, however, no one listened to him as they concentrated on the boy.
"King Robert surely wouldn't harm a baby, would he, milord?" Catelyn then asked naively, causing her husband to look at her with a sad expression on his face.
"Robert will kill him." Ned told her. He then took the second bundle and revealed the princess to his wife. Catelyn gasped once she saw the silver hair on the baby's head.
"Catelyn, this is our new-born ward Daenerys Stormborn Targaryen." Eddard Stark told her. "When me and Lord Stannis reached Dragonstone and found Queen Rhaella giving birth to her. As she was dying, she begged me to take Dany and raise her as my own, and for a dawn good reason. Before that, I have seen what the Lannister dogs did to Princess Elia and her children. That was no justice. I saw how Robert reacted when the Targaryen children were presented to him. To be honest, I lost all my respect for him after all of this."
"So Aemon must be introduced as someone else's son. But whose?" Maester Luwin asked.
"I was thinking of pass Aemon as my own bastard and raise him here, in Winterfell, alongside my ward Daenerys." Eddard answered, noticing Catelyn twitch.
"No one would fall for the lie that the honorable Ned Stark fathered a bastard when married." Benjen objected.
"Not to mention I will never let him be raised as a bastard. He is a prince and has more claim to the Iron Throne more than his uncle and aunt and especially the Usurper." Arthur argued.
"Still, I think it might work." Eddard remained stubborn. "If we can pass Aemon as the bastard born as a result of an affair between me and Ashara Dayne, no offense, Ser Arthur, it can work. Not to mention, that we don't have to raise him as a bastard. The North is somewhat similar to Dorne; bastards do bring shame to our houses, but we accept them, accept our responsibility for fathering them and raise them along our trueborn."
Arthur Dayne looked at Ned with a mixture of surprise and impression.
"You continue to impress me, Lord Eddard." Arthur spoke, bowing to the young lord in respect. Everyday, he liked the Northman even more.
"I would also like to have Ashara participate in Aemon's raising." He then added, noticing that Lady Catelyn was feeling uneasy. Arthur felt nothing more but sympathy towards the young woman.
"But how shall we name him?" Luwin asked.
"Jon Snow." Eddard answered. "I shall name him after my mentor and the Hand of the King to avoid any suspicion."
"Wise decision, milord." Catelyn spoke. Sensing her fears, Ned smiled as he approached his wife.
"Catelyn, I promised to you that I will be loyal to you. Yes, I liked Ashara, but my destiny is to be with you. I know we haven't known each other very well, but I missed you." Eddard comforted her, embracing the woman.
"I missed you too, milord." Catelyn confessed.
"Call me Ned." Eddard told her as he gave Aemon, or Jon, to Luwin. Eddard then explained the real reason why the former Kingsguard were here as he took Daenerys into his arms.
"I hope you're not angry that I brought Aemon in?" Ned asked only for Catelyn to wrap her arms around him.
"Ned, he is my nephew by marriage." Cat explained. "I am pleased to meet a new member of my new family. I promise, I will help you raising him."
"Cat, I know this is too much, but I want to raise Dany not as our ward, but as our daughter." Eddard told her. "Do you mind?"
"No, Ned. No, I don't mind." Catelyn answered.
"You look beautiful, daughter. You will grow even more beautiful." Eddard Stark told the silver-haired baby girl.
"And loved." Catelyn added as the both kissed her in the head.