Ned has bags under his eyes, it isn't that his sleep is restless, it wasn't whenever he slept he slept like the dead, insensate to the world with no nightmares or odd dreams, he just wasn't sleeping much, he was too busy thinking. Ned has always been introspective, even as a child, he stewed on his thoughts too much. Ned can reconcile with his decision to kill Lord Tywin, yes it was murder whether it was a necessity or not Lord Tywin was going to be a threat to his family sooner or later, perhaps it would have been more honourable to meet him in the field or in a duel but for that to happen there has be an inciting incident, Tywin would have to do something either against himself or his family or the realm, and there is no guarantee that such an incident will have left any evidence pointing to Tywin for Ned to react and be justified in killing him. This is the man who took permission from the Crown before razing the Tarbecks and Reynes, of course he wasn't give permission to exterminate those Houses, just to put down the rebels, he did it in such a way that his actions are seen a necessity, everyone knows he didn't have to kill every infant of those Houses, but he did and since he won there was no Justice for those children, and Tywin would have done something similar to House Stark, no evidence, no one to gainsay him and no Justice. Perhaps it wouldn't have come to that, perhaps The Starks would have prevailed, but at what cost and before how many were lost. It wasn't an honorable thing, it has stained his soul and it is a sin Ned will bear, but for all his thoughts on injustice against children, he made three orphans, there will always be bloodshed following the weakening of any Noble House and the Lannisters will be effected and all those under protection of House Lannister will be effected. Perhaps I can do something for Lannister children, with death of Tywin there is no need for anymore bad blood between us, I will reach out to them once I have a better grasp on the present situation.With that thought Ned decided to bear his burdens quietly and make amends for what he can.

It will take long months before he slept a full night.

During his stay at Storms End Ned witnessed a gradual mending in Robert and Stannis's relationship, while they weren't openly affectionate and brotherly, the two brothers bonded over there shared love of strategy and tactics of war, Robert started to appreciate Stannis for his keen insight and methodical approach to war, and Ned anticipated Stannis would be an excellent commander and an even better defender.

While the brothers did start mending there relationship, things between Ned and Stannis remained polite and distant, but that intangible air of animosity and aggravation from Stannis disappeared entirely, in Neds book that's a win he could be satisfied with, atleast for now.

Neds search for a bride for Stannis continued, he received a list of eligible maidens from Winterfells Spy ring and Ned compiled a list from his own research, this wasn't as easy as he thought it would be, while Stormlords aren't as insular as Northlords and would accept an outsider for the Lady of Storms End, Robert is not ready for an marriage in foreseeable future, while Stannis will marry if commanded by his father, Ned promised himself he would find someone who could be happy with Stannis and make Stannis himself happy and that is a tough criteria to reach, perhaps if he didn't observe Stannis these last few months, Ned would have looked for an ideal Southern wife, but after getting to know Stannis a little better Ned can say that won't do, Stannis needs someone who can push him out of his comfort zone for a little bit at a time, someone who can be patient and stubborn but understanding too and that's a tall order, but Ned will find someone like that, he wasn't willing to play with people's lives without making sure he was benefiting them, unless of course you just want to kill them to get them out of your way, a thought slithered its way in out of nowhere. Ahh, here I thought I reconciled myself to it. I will think on matchmaking some other time, I need the peace of Godswood and serenity of meditation to centre myself, perhaps I will work some more on forming partial bonds.