Author's note: I was getting complaints that BOLD words are annoying to read. From now on 'Voice - Jacob' mind speech to Ned will be done in italics. Sample: "It's a new low for you Ned, brooding about brooding."

Eddard VII

'Damn, pregnancy sure helped Catelyn with her… assets.' The Voice spoke into his mind, making him look down as he was about to greet his wife. She noticed it, as did his brother which brought him no small amount of shame. 'Damn you.' He answered in his mind and vowed to himself to never listen to Voice's jokes ever again. 'They really got bigger, Ned.' This time he didn't look as he approached, he counted it as a small victory.

"My Lady." He greeted his wife who was a stranger to him despite bringing to the world his only son. Next to her stood a maid with Robb, born two or three months ago, Eddard has lost count of time on the road to be certain. She curtsied with a small smile, he could have sworn that she bowed lower on purpose to make him flustered even more as her tunic couldn't cover her up completely. Thankfully he hid it well by facing Benjen.

"Benjen." He turned to his last sibling and embraced him with all the emotion that he could muster. "I'm sorry, I failed to bring her back." No one asked whom he was speaking about, Benjen said nothing in response as well, only embracing his brother back.

It was Catelyn who stopped reunion with his brother shortly, perhaps for the better, for it was improper to show such affection in the middle of the courtyard. He was no longer a boy that came to visit his siblings and his father, he was a lord now. "The feast is ready, my Lord." Eddard didn't want to eat, but it was required of him. It was at this moment that a maid that he hired on the road brought Jon. Catelyn noticed, instantly her face contorted slightly and though she said nothing she turned and headed towards the hall. 'She needs to be told, already so many know the truth.' Sometimes Eddard wished that he only went with a few others to the Princess Pass, those that he could trust no matter what.

The feast ended quickly, there were people from Winterfell itself that went to war. Multiple captains, castle guards and personal guards of Eddard that left their children and wives in the castle itself. Their families were all welcome to attend as the other nobles didn't attend except minor ones that were seated on the high table, the atmosphere was merry as alcohol and food were consumed with happiness. Ned couldn't help but to feel some of the tension slip off his back. The men and women quickly disappeared back in their rooms or homes at Winter Town, some to rest but most decided to find some happiness in their beds despite the long and tiring journey.

It all came back as Catelyn and Benjen sat before him in his solar, last time he was in the room he was told that he would travel to the Vale by his father Rickard. Benjen coughed, already tired of waiting as Ned was looking around, staring at some things perhaps a second too long.

"He's Lyanna's." Those words were enough for both of them to understand, Catelyn's mouth opened but she closed it fast. "None can know." Both of them nodded, Ned's eyes turned cold as he spoke those words. His wife left soon after, claiming the need to oversee the maids at work. She did so for Benjen, Ned knew, and for him as well. She left so that two brothers could speak alone.

And speak they did. "I have come to learn that you knew of Lyanna's and Rheagar's flight of fancy." Eddard stated, his words hard as stone, the same way his father spoke. Benjen blanched a bit, a second later he looked to the side. 'You were right.' He spoke to the Voice in his own mind, even if he didn't need to. "I don't blame you, nor Lyanna." His younger brother looked at Ned again, questioning his words.

"Thousand died because…" Benjen stopped as he took a breath. Second later he stood and smashed his hands onto the heavy weirwood desk between him and Ned. "Because I was afraid to tell our father! He burned alive and Brandon… Brandon watched it and died as he tried to stop it!" He yelled, yet Eddard wasn't surprised at the outburst. His younger brother had more wolf blood than he himself did. "Lyanna died because of me…" Ned didn't question it when Benjen started crying and sat back in his seat, yet his brother was wrong. Same as he was wrong, before Voice corrected him.

"Father wanted this war. Jon Arryn wanted this war, Tywin and Hoster were waiting for an opportunity. Almost everyone wanted Targyaryen's gone, and Aerys dead, even the Tyrells. Lyanna's so-called kidnapping and murder of our father and brother was only an excuse for it to start, too good to pass." Ned drank a bit of ale from his mug, being already a bit drunk after the feast. "What matters is that war would happen sooner or later, people would die in it, suffer for the actions of others. And I won't let you suffer for Father's, Lyanna's and Brandon's actions." Ned took a deep breath knowing how his next words would be taken. "You are forbidden to join the Night's Watch."

Benjen shot up from the chair again and as he was to shout Eddard called for guards. As they were a few meters it took them a few seconds to barge in into the solar. "Lock my brother in his room and make sure he doesn't leave." His younger brother looked at him as if betrayed, too shocked to tell anything. "We will speak when you accept that you are not guilty." He was then taken away, the boy that ruled in his name as Lord of Winterfell for over a year was locked into his own room.

'He might hate you for that.' The Voice said in his mind, Ned knew that well. 'If his hate is the price of saving his life and his smile I will choose it at any time, mother would agree with me.' 'But not your father.' Voice quickly adeed. Eddard drank the rest of the ale from his mug, his body wished to drink a few more but he stopped himself, he didn't want to think of the harsh man that was his father. He had a duty to do, for winter was coming.

Days passed as Eddard read through the ledgers of House Stark, information about taxes, mills and other things of import that his ancestors deemed important enough to include into the books. It lacked a lot of information though that 'Voice' believed to be vital, like work distribution or literacy.

Ned checked every map, and consulted with every scribe that he could. In the end it was not enough and soon he was lost in what he wanted to do. 'We don't have enough information, making a census of the entire lands would be too costly in terms of literate manpower. You need to focus on the most important lands of House Stark.' Voice added, making Eddard feel bad about the people that would be omitted in the next few years. As the two talked more and more about the common people and noble alike, Ned somewhat understood how truly society worked.

Eddard knew he couldn't call on his vassals to obey his commands without questions, especially now since he already called most of the Lords to war against Targaryens where many of their men lost their lives. The North was always highly autonomous, with Great Lords acting almost like kings in their own lands, almost. While it lacked priests that held the same power as in the south, it had powerful Noble families with highly centralised lands. Ned couldn't order Bolton, Ryswell or Manderly to give up part of their lands without expecting a drop in relations with them and in extreme case rebellion, or worse, assasination of him or his own family.

There were things that Lords had to do when he commanded, such as provide information about their lands as well as allow passage for any of his subjects and few others that Ned didn't care for at the moment. As such the draft of letters was done containing orders, too long to be sent through ravens, but not important enough that would raise questions. Lords would believe that the new Lord of Winterfell wanted to know the realm that he was ruling, a correct belief since it was a true one.

As riders rode Eddard worked on other things. In front of his desk stood Maester Luwin, the person that came with Catelyn to Winterfell and delivered his son to this world. While he wasn't the maester of the castle yet he took most of the duties since the old maester… was just old. "Send a raven to Dreadfort, state that we wish to buy volcanic ash and volcanic stone. Three carts each should suffice." The Maester bowed and left, Eddard liked it that no one questioned him ever since he and Robert won the rebellion, people no longer saw them as mere boys. 'It is for the worse, in time you might feel more and more confident in your actions, at some point you might believe yourself to be a god.' The Voice spoke, yet Ned didn't understand what it meant. How could a man become a god?

Concrete, though only the old type that the Voice claimed was used by the so-called Romans. According to his tales their great buildings stood for thousands of years with little need for maintenance. In Winterfell the walls had to be checked every year, every bit of mortar breaking away could mean tragedy if not properly filled. The buildings in the Winter Town were made mostly of wood with it being so abundant in the Wolfswood and shipped down the minor rivers that left the woods towards south. Yet it did have its own perils, namely weak element protection and degradation.

By using limestone, volcanic ash and volcanic rock one could create a molten stone that once set would last for hundreds of years. Ned understood what it meant, rather than focusing it on the North alone the knowledge of recreating Valyrian molten stone would bring gold. From Bravoos to the southern Kingdoms of Westeros itself, many would pay to get it. 'Remember to sell it for steel, living stock and tools rather than gold. We have enough coins as of now.' The Voice spoke, Ned understood because he had thought the same.

'But how?' Sending letters would not make due, the knowledge had to be sold to a certain few at the same time or with a sea between them to limit communication. 'There sure will be an occasion in the next year at King's Landing. There is still time to think about it since we are yet to find the proper proportions needed for it.' The Voice was right once again, Eddard knew. Yet he worried that it would mean that soon he would have to travel down south again. He hated the south.