Chapter 1

When the Storm broke

The war was over and Ned was not happy. How could he, the war had taken so much from him. His sister was taken, then his father and brother were murdered by the king with a devils wit. His innocence and that of his last brother had been sacrificed for victory and revenge of their house. Friends dead on the battlefield and his best weak to poisonous wrath, greed and lust promised by the honorless Lannisters. Sister found after grueling march in the deserts of Dorne but only for the moments to hold, confess and forgive before her blood spoiled in the sands of time for the crimes of youth. Even retreat from the bloody South with safe passage and supply bartered with the ancestral blade Dawn was marred with news of his wife Catelyn Stark dead from birthing his son. His heir transported to Kingslanding awaiting his return from southern campaign.

Return to Kingslanding was unavoidable now. Bastard on one hand and Ice on the other Lord Stark returned to the kings court. Behind was the kings queen, bones in a box not the living flesh he'd wanted to hold. The sight distracted the king from his hatred and the two would be brothers mourned together what they had lost. The Kings fury returned however. The tombs of Targaeryan kings were razed and in their stead a monument for the lady Lyanna. Once the Dragon crypts now Lyanna's crypt for the new dynasty of Baratheon kings.

Ned forgave Robert for pardoning child murders, such was the results of war when blood was high. Ned forgave Robert for refusing him return his sister North and desecrating the dragon tombs in her name, one could see it as a gesture of love after all. When the order for the Kings brother Stannis to capture Dragonstone and end the war proper was given Ned knew he would not forgive himself if what he thought would transpire, did and he had done naught to stop it.

King, Robert may be but there was nothing he could do when Ned declared himself as supervisor of the operation. With his sons in tow and the few stragglers from the Northern army still in Kingslanding Ned sailed with the royal navy to Dragonstone. Robert raged at Ned for taking this stand, calling him a fool, dragon sympathizer and a goody little dog. Roberts opinion was that Ned was needed more in the capital than supervising the master of ships orders. Ned only responded with a statement of this was his war as well and he would see it done without unnecessary bloodshed. After the island was secured Ned would sail North and rule his lands. Robert was upset with Ned undermining his rule but still he loved the man and so before the navy was to depart he gifted his friend with a Fury class ship from the navy which he named The Furious Wolf as a reward and apology. The two had made up for a few days before the departure and spent them ignoring the bitterness they felt towards one another's attitudes. No matter what they were brothers.

The sea's shaked and quacked while the ships rumbled and tumbled. Robb perhaps from his trout blood was not disturbed by the motion if the ship while Ned and baby Jon found themselves suffering from the sea sickness. Ned felt shamed every time the child became restless or vomited. Not only was the child branded with dishonor not of his own fault but now Ned was bringing him on a venture he wasn't prepared for. The only thing giving Ned confidence was the fact they'd already sailed from Dorne without any lasting issues. Besides helping the last Targearyans avoid the horrors of their kin in Kingslanding would be Jon's wish could he voice it. Even Dragons needed a pack to protect them sometimes.

Truly Ned had no idea what was going to happen when they reached Dragonstone. The council of the Lord Master of Ships Stannis Baratheon was convinced that the royal navy would be crippled by the storm that proceeded them from Kingslanding as if commanded by the King himself to bring his fury across the ocean and curse the island locked Dragons. With the navy docked the Kings fleet could blockade the harbor while the transports took the beach. Ned had been designated the commander of the army so he'd be the one taking the beaches while Stannis captures the port.

The day of battle came ten days after departure from the capital. The waters were already littered with debris from the damaged royal fleet and the city ahead awaited silently as war arrived on their doorstep. As they got closer the silence was filled with horns and drums directing and signaling the fleet to their posts.

Five hundred dragon soldiers await on the beach landing. With them are catapults and ballistae to help even the odds. In front of the soldiers is a long trench to ensure the defenders of the beach aren't immediately rushed and overwhelmed. Even somewhere along the coast Ned is certain there is a Calvary force waiting to flank them.

With him are two thousand rebels eager to end this terrible war. The ships are anchored about three hundred meters away from shore and from there they climb down to the row boats. Every man grabs an oar as speed is their best weapon against the catapults being fired at them. The waters are a chaos of explosions but it isn't enough to deter the brave rebels when only one in every ten throws strikes anything.

Ned is not the first to touch ground but he is in the first wave of soldiers to make the assault. As soon as he is on the beach his squire Jory Cassel begins strapping him up in the rest of his armour. The marines filling the beach raise shields against the volley sent their way and begin unloading the ladders and arms on the boats before sending the boats back for more reinforcements.

Ned has near five hundred of his own men with him before he orders them to advance. At the front of the formation are ten teams of ten men in ladder testudo while those behind them are paired in two's and spread out behind the ladders. Ned and his guard of ten are the only ones on horseback to observe the field and command.

The other commanders in the army would have chosen rather to wait for reinforcements while contesting the defenders with their own volley fire, against an enemy fortified until their reinforcements flank around the trench filled with stakes. Ned however had no desire to see this beach become a bloodbath and so decided to rush the defenders through shock and awe.

The soldiers with the ladders use round shields overlapping each other to make the ladders into a long make shift shelter and tower shields on one arm while the other holds the ladder. Two ladder teams side by side completes the testudo protecting the ladder men from archer fire. The ballista stationed on the ends however disrupted and harassed their formations. One shot was enough to kill three men and destroy the siege equipment. Fortunately the weapon was limited to long reload times and only has time to fire nine times before the vanguard reaches the trench separating the two forces

Part of their vanguard are expert Stormsend crossbowmen who upon being signaled at the trench release a deadly volley decimating the defenders. With that allowing the ladders to be used temporarily as a makeshift bridge to cross the trench instead of having to climb in and out of it. Ned watches proudly as his men use the testudo formation past the enemy formations. Quickly he commands reinforcements to make haste and join the push. The men obliged with fervor before the promised cavalry charged straight for the reinforcing center.

Responding best they can the marines formed a line and tried to hold the charge but there was very little soldiers on foot without pikes could do against a charge of knights. Ned rallied what men where around and counter charged the cavalry With his ten horsemen and rest on foot.

Ned struck his lance through the neck of a Targaryen as his horse dragged him off and raised his arms against the next. His shield held forth as a lance struck it hard. Moving forward from the nose of the enemy charge more strikes came his way to be deflected again and again. His Morningstar crashed in retaliation, the spiked weight was deadly against the knights. The melee is a storm of metal as Ned and his men give no ground for the enemy knights to retreat and hammer once more, the formation.

The desperate knights fight harder and fiercer to escape the encirclement but to no avail as those who try are dragged off before they ever get out. Looking for solutions their knights focus their attacks on Ned, the commander. Those that get close are met with a warrior that is stalwart. This is the battle that will be the Quiet Wolfs legacy.

Artistic swords were mourned already in this war and Ned was not one of them. Greater men whom he had known and witnessed kill men with proficiency were all dead. What was left was desperate and he was a soldier. What he could do was to be brave. Fighting for the lives of his men he stood against the tide. Knight after knight comes but it is not a duel they get instead they hammer at him, while Ned raises his shield time and time again in defense. Spears and bolts clear men as they strike at him, his men fight with him, protecting him.

Ned fights and fights until the knights are all defeated or surrendered. The cavalry force was dealt with in good time and now the men cross the trench with help from the crossbowmen. The ladder made bridge allows for the soldiers to fight the defenders head on and with the numbers leveraged against them it isn't long before they are defeated as well. Ned and his entourage go around the trench to flank the defense but it was unnecessary as already the defense had surrendered.

Ned was in control of the beach and in record time. They could now begin their part of the siege on the city. His men would use the ladders to climb the walls and reinforce the main force at the harbor before they push for the castle.

Ned was busy instructing the commanders with orders to build a camp on the beach while the main force was to take the walls when two breathless scouts interrupted him. "Apologize my lord, we have spotted a fishing vessel docked further up the beach. We would not bother you with it if it were not for that there are Targearyans guarding it. We think perhaps they are trying escape my lord." Ned acted upon the report instantly, gathering twenty horsemen and setting off for the dock.

They arrived just in time to intercept a lone man carrying two children who was making his way to the vessel but then cut off by Ned and his men. "Halt there, surrender now and drop your weapons!" one of Ned's men commanded. The lone warrior gripped his sword all the tighter though there wasn't much he could do with a babe on one arm and the child hiding behind his leg.

"My name is Eddard Stark of Winterfell. Surrender now and know no matter your alliance you will be treated with honor." Ned offered the man.

The knight stared down the lord with venomous wrath as he responded with mouthful of venom spat on the hot sands. "That's what I think of your honor traitor. Where was your honor when the mountain killed a babe on his mothers teat? I'll die before I surrender to your kind."

Ned flinched at the accusation sent his way by the Targaryen knight, still bothered by the dishonor of his factions victory over the Targaryens. "I championed the crimes levied upon house Lannister to the crown sir. I would not harm children, even if they be of the monster you served faithfully. Surrender to me and I give my word they will be protected until they are of age."

"No matter your promises Stark your king will see them dead anyhow. Let us flee so that they may live. That is what I promised the queen mother and that is what I shall do." The knight countered.

The proposal was unacceptable to Ned how could this knight think fleeing to Essos would be their salvation when the crown would hunt them down no matter their destination. They would be better off being raised by loyal lords until the boy could take the black and the girl wed possibly to the crown prince. "And the queen mother, will she be joining you? Can't imagine how she would send her children away with one knight and a handful of guards to an alien land. How long before you are run out of home as the kings justice hunts you down. I would have these children be protected until they are of age. The rebellion is over and a new king sits the Iron Throne. Peace only requires the boy take the black and the girl wed to a loyal house. Of which them growing up safely till of age is a requirement."

It was the knight now who found himself flinching at his half cocked flight to freedom being found to be lacking. "She will not be joining us, the birth of the princess took too much strength from her. She has said her goodbyes to her children and now she shall rest. By the time the usurper's men make it to the castle the maester will have given her tonic that she may pass to the stranger a queen and not a plaything for the demon who killed her son and his family."

Ned was horrified by the admission relayed by the knight. How the queen and her closest advisors would choose death and exile than face them in defeat. That they viewed them as monsters of worse character than the king who burned men alive. Though after a second of thinking on it he could see now how the sack of the capital had given them such ideas. From the Queens perspective no doubt she thought to expect worse from an enemy king than the one who was her brother and what was worse than the sadism she'd suffered already if kingslanding rumors are to be believed. "It is a shame that is what she would think is her only option at finding peace sir. I myself should be halfway North to lord my lands and raise my son who's birth left me widowed but I could not live to see the horror of Kingslanding repeated here. Perhaps the queen can be spared of such finality. If you were to lead my men into the castle I would accept the terms of her surrender and wed her so that she may raise her children at Winterfell and ensure that she and they not be mistreated. Of course if you wish you and your most loyal retainers may join us up North to offer some familiarity"

Surprised by the offer the knight could not help but ask. "You would do that my lord, how can I be certain you'd do such a thing?"

"If I wanted you harmed I would have already. If you know anything of me you'd know I am a man of my word. A man of honor. I didn't fight this war to have innocents harmed. I was only a second born son who'd lost everything to the villainy of the mad king. Even so I would raise the children of my enemy as my own if it meant saving them because that is what good honorable men do. I have bread and salt to share if that will ease your concerns." Ned explained to the knight as he offered the rations in his saddlebag.

The knight took the bread but first took a good long look at his charges as he contemplated the offer. With a heavy sigh the knight ate the bread and nodded his head before turning around and heading towards the rock Dragonstone castle was built.

Ned ordered two of his men to rally what men they could at the beach camp while two more men were ordered to wait at the secret tunnel to the castle for the reinforcements. The rest of them followed the knight up the stairs that lead to the castle. At some point the knight had to sheath his weapon in order to lift the boy was getting tired walking up the stairs the knight refusing to let his charges out of his care. They finally reached the top of the stairs and into the castle to find it silent and guarded by stone golems instead of soldiers. It was in the great hall that they found the castles inhabitants guarded by greybeards who raised their arms upon the Starks entrance.

"Drop your weapons men. I've already surrendered to lord Stark there will be no fighting in this castle today. The rest of you return to your stations. I want some food prepared for us, something light for her grace. You find the maester and tell him he is needed at the Queens chambers. Ladies of the queen you are with me lets go." The knight ordered of the staff who'd been prepared for a siege. The knight handed off the children to the ladies who were now following them as they continued on to the queens chambers.

When they arrived at the doors of the chambers the knight halted them before entering with the ladies and children. While they waited outside the maester arrived with a vial in his hands making Ned frown. The maester bowed his head but before he could speak the knight opened the door and led them in. Ned and the maester entered and followed the knight to the Queen who was still in bed but dressed and combed to presentable appearance. Her two children cuddled up to her as she sat upright with the help of ample pillows behind her.

"Lord Stark, sir Willam has explained to me your proposal I only wonder why a man of the house my brother harmed would offer me marriage in exchange for the safety of my children. It is unlikely I will have any more children and can offer you very little beyond that." The queen challenged the lord for answers.

"I need not heirs nor power my lady. I only ask for your hand out of responsibility to protect you from those who'd bring you and yours harm personally. I would make you my family and fill the places that have been lost so that you and I may find peace in the North. It is not revenge or petty cruelty I ask this but redemption and honor which I desperately need to put this war behind me. As my father would often warn me and my siblings when fighting each other, when the cold winds rise and strong winds blow the lone wolf dies but the pack survives. I would make you my pack with your two children, I have two newborn sons who need a mother after my wife passed from birthing my heir."

Tears were falling from the queens eyes as Ned finished explaining himself. Smiling with joy and hope she wiped her tears. "Thank you my lord. You have such kindness in your eyes they remind me of my son. I accept your offer, I only hope you will not be offended that we can not consummate our marriage on our wedding bed."

"No my lady I would not. To have this affair dealt with peacefully is all that I wish." Ned answered her concerns before moving to her bed, taking her hand, kneeling and pressing upon a chaste kiss then leaving the bedroom to oversee the capture of the castle.

It was only a few hours later that Ned was standing in front of an ancient heart tree. His bride was brought in to the holy place via palanquin before she was helped out of it by sir Willam Darry whom would be handing her over to him. The septon performed the ceremony and when the time came they swore to the new gods and sealed the marriage with a chaste kiss before retiring to the castle awaiting the rest of the army.