"Ned" Catelyn called softly. She was standing a few feet from her husband, watching the Lord of Winterfell polishing and cleaning a sword with a rippling pattern, but not sharpening it. Never sharpening it. Valyrian steel, after all, did not required it.

"Catelyn" He answered, lifting his head to look at her. His eyes were warm for her, and yet his voice was cold, as cold as the North. "Where are the children?"

"With their pups" She answered, a hint of reprimand in her voice even though she had never truly reprimanded him for anything. "Thinking about names. The girls are in love with them and Rickon, well, he is unsure."

"Is he afraid?"

"A little. He is three after all" She replied serenely, but she knew it was futile. After many years of marriage, Lady Stark knew her husband better than anyone alive, except perhaps for the Lord of Greywater Watch and the First Ranger of the Wall. She practically mouthed the words he answered her.

"He won't be three forever. He needs to face his fears. Winter is coming."

Winter is coming. The Stark words, the strongest family motto there was among the continent, comparable only with the words of House Baratheon and House Targaryen. She was unsettled by them, as always, but she had come to appreciate them. Those words had kept the Starks and the entire North alive and had made them survive winters that would kill anyone from below the Neck for eight thousand years.

Seeing her hesitation, Ned turned back to his task, polishing the metal to a dark glow.

"The man died well. And Bran's behavior was worthy of a Stark of Winterfell. You would have been proud of him."

"I am always proud of him. As of all our children."

Ned nodded, before grimacing. "He was the fourth man this year. And he was half-mad. With the losses they are sustaining, The Night's Watch are having trouble keeping the Wildlings at bay. I fear that soon will come the day for me to call the banners and deal with Mance Rayder myself."

"Is he a threat, Ned?"

"He may be. But he is nothing of us to fear, my lady."

"There are worse things north of the wall. And plenty of things to fear."

Ned answered her with a wry smile, something that was not common for him to with anyone outside of his family. To the others he was Eddard of House Stark, Lord of Winterfell, and Warden of the North. And yet to his family and friends he was simply Ned. A simple man indeed.

"You have been listening to much to Old Nan. But I know better than to argue with a Tully. You have come her for a reason, my lady. What is it?"

"A raven has come from King's Landing. I am so sorry, my love. Jon Arryn is dead."

Their eyes met, and she could see the bottomless sorrow in them. While he was born to Lord Rickard Stark, Ned had been raised by Lord Jon Arryn. He had taken him in when he was eight, both him and Robert Baratheon, and had turned into fine men, excellent warriors, and cunning generals.

And when Aerys Targaryen demanded their heads, the Lord of the Vale and Warden of the East had raised his banners in defiance instead of handing his charges to the Mad King, and in doing so, ignited the spark that would tear down the Targaryen dynasty and reshape Westeros.

"Is this news certain?" He asked shakily, and Catelyn immediately put her hand on his shoulder. Her husband had never spoken shakily about anything since they married.

"It is my love. The letter has the King's seal and is written in Robert's own hand. It is currently waiting for you on your solar."

"Is there word of your sister, and Jon's boy?"

"The message only said that they were fine, and that they had returned to the Eyrie. I wish they had gone to Riverrun instead, or even that they had come here."

"Go to her. Take the children. They will take away Jon's memory of the halls and fill them with life. Jon's boy needs contact with other young children, specially his cousins. And Lysa should not be alone in her grief."

"Nor should you, Ned. And even if I agreed with you, the letter forbids me so. The King is coming to Winterfell."

"Robert's coming here?" There was a smile on his face, and Catelyn cherished the King's travel to Winterfell if it put such a visage on the man she loved, even if there was only one reason, he could be coming at all.

"I knew that would please you, my Lord. We should send a raven to the wall, asking your brother to come."

"Of course. Benjen will want to be here. I shall ask Maester Luwin to do so immediately. How many in his party? Did he say?"

"A hundred knights, at least, with all their retainers. He didn't truly say anything, except that the Queen and the Royal children will travel with him."

"That gives us some time to prepare, since their pace will be slow."

"The letter also mentioned the Queen's brothers, my love."

Ned grimaced, but nodded. He had never hidden his dislike for the Lannisters of Casterly Rock, specially for the oldest son of Tywin Lannister, the Kingslayer himself.

"If the price to see Robert is an infestation of Lannisters, it is a price I will pay. There must be a feast, of course. And a hunt shall be organized as well, knowing Robert." Ned replied, squeezing her hand, and leading her out of the Godswood. When they were reaching the entrance, he shook his head as if to clear it, and turned to look at her again. "And of course, I will have to send a raven to Sea Dragon Point. Robert will want to see Percy."

Catelyn just nodded. If Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon were like brothers, then Perseus Jackson was the cousin.