Wow… this one was quickly written! It's a lot of history involved which is some of my favourite parts to write, so that's probably why it was done so quickly.

There's a flashback to the Tower of Joy in this chapter, but of course the show and the book differ in the number of Kingsguard, although the show originally stated in Season 4 Episode 1 that three men died that day. For that reason, I'm adding a section in between what happened in the two seasons in Season 6.

Before anyone comments, I know that Ser Gerold was apparently the second man in the show, but that is just showrunner negligence to me. Ser Gerold Hightower was an old man, not a young one.

I've also, for a bit of fun, added a Westeros version of Rock Paper Scissors.

I hope you all enjoy this. I own nothing but Torrhen.

Riverrun was an imposing castle even from the hill leading down towards it. Torrhen and his band of three Stark men stopped briefly as the castle came into view to take in the sight, and Torrhen turned to the guards. "Raise the banners, let's announce our arrival." He stated. Two of the men did so, raising the grey Direwolf of House Stark as well as the black Direwolf of Torrhen's own, and the four men rode down towards the castle, and luckily the gates were already open. Ser Brynden Tully was there to greet him.

He dismounted and handed his horse over to the stable hands before making his way over to his great uncle. "Ser Brynden." He greeted formally.

"Torrhen, is that right?" Ser Brynden asked.

Torrhen nodded. "I was in the area and thought I'd visit, I have a gift for my Grandfather also."

Ser Brynden raised an eyebrow. "Very well, follow me." The Blackfish led the small party of Northerners into the castle, winding through corridors and passageways until they came to the Riverrun main hall.

Torrhen looked around, and flashes of men that weren't there appeared, and voices shouted in his head. 'The King in the North!'. Looking forwards, he saw his Grandfather in the Lord's chair and his uncle Edmure stood beside him.

He made his guards wait by the door, taking the covered up Riversteel in his own hands so he could go and greet his Mother's family by himself. "Grandfather." He bowed his head in respect. "Uncle Edmure."

"Your Mother told me to expect you in our halls." Hoster Tully said, eyeing the boy up suspiciously. "Why haven't I met you before now?"

Torrhen smiled subtly. "The North is vast, Grandfather, and much needs to be overseen. I've never been old enough to go on a journey myself until circumstances forced my hands. But I'm here now, and with a gift."

Hoster nodded. "Yes, the Isle of Faces came calling. A strange place, one I've never been to nor seen the need to go to. Did you find what you were looking for?"

"I found something." Torrhen said cryptically. "Only time will tell if it is useful."

"Hmmph." Hoster grunted amusedly. "Very well, you have a gift?" He nodded to the wrappings. "We have plenty of swords inside Riverrun."

"You may do." Torrhen smirked knowingly. "But there were two things that I found at the Gods Eye. My blood is undeniably as Tully as it is Stark, as with it, the Green Men managed to grant me two swords. One I've kept, but the other…" He trailed off, unwrapping the sword from the cloth holding it. He held the sword out in both hands towards the aging Lord.

The pommel was far more intricate than it had been in Torrhen's past life. While still silver, the cross guard was a curved, scaled trout as per the Tully sigil, and the pommel was a blue sapphire. Hoster didn't look overly impressed until Torrhen unsheathed the blade by about an inch, and the crimson and navy pattern of the Valyrian Steel showed.

"Is that what I think it is?" Edmure asked, his eyes widened in awe.

"Valyrian Steel." Hoster whispered.

Torrhen nodded. "Two blades of Valyrian Steel, one in the colours of my Father's house, one in the colours of my Mother's. It seems right that Riversteel should belong to Lord Tully, to be passed down through the generations."

"My boy… this is…" Hoster Tully was lost for words. He leaned over the side of his chair to cough briefly, before hoisting himself up slowly, his old bones taking their toll. He walked down the few steps needed to take the sword in his hands. "What did this cost you?"

Torrhen shrugged. "My sleep." He told them, using the story of his Greenseer abilities. "I'm what they call a Greenseer, and it was my dreams that led me to the Isle of Faces."

"What did you see?" Edmure asked, enthralled by Torrhen's story.

Torrhen sighed. "War." He told them dourly. "War is coming."

Hoster grimaced. "You're a boy." He whispered to himself. "Who do we fight?"

Torrhen lowered his head. "I'm not sure Grandfather… I couldn't see clearly. But Father is preparing the North and is making the eldest of us betrothals as we speak." He looked up to Edmure. "Perhaps, for House Tully's future, you should too."

Edmure looked flabbergasted. "I… No, I'm not ready to marry." He argued.

"You'll do as you are told boy." Hoster said firmly. "As your sisters did before you."

"Uncle Brynden…"

"Don't drag me into this." The Blackfish spoke calmly, but his words were like ice.

"Your Uncle Blackfish is not the future Lord of Riverrun. You are." Hoster nodded, coughing once more. "Perhaps I've been too lax with your lessons, maybe it is time to see you wed and father some children."

"Father…" Edmure pleaded.

"You are nearing 30 year of age." Hoster told him sternly. "You've been left to whore for far too long. Yes, it is time I took a more active role in your life seeing as though you cannot be trusted yourself."

Torrhen looked at Edmure apologetically. "I won't marry a Frey." Edmure said stubbornly.

"Ha!" Hoster laughed. "The Late Lord Walder will never get his grubby paws on Riverrun, don't you worry about that. No, there are plenty of maidens from more loyal vassals. Brynden, have Vyman write to all of my vassals. Tell them to prepare a maiden of their House to arrive at Riverrun. We shall re-enact the Maiden's Day Cattle Show!" Hoster laughed at the thought. Torrhen grinned at his Grandfather's excitement. "Torrhen my boy, I hope you will join me for supper this evening." Hoster told him.

"I'd be delighted to, Grandfather." Torrhen bowed his head again. "Although, if it is possible, I think I need a bath first."

Hoster nodded. "Of course, Edmure will show you to your chambers. You can have your Mother's old ones if you like."

Torrhen smiled his gratitude and followed a forlorn Edmure out of the room, as the sound of Hoster arranging his cattle show with his brother filled the Great Hall.

Jon Snow found himself on his back in the dirt once again as Robb bested him with the sword. Groaning, he grabbed Robb's outstretched hand and hoisted himself back up. "Ouch." He complained.

"You left your foot too outstretched Jon." Ser Rodrik instructed. "But that was a fine bout, well done you two. That will do for today."

Thanking Ser Rodrik and going to put away their training swords and armour, Jon said to his brother. "You were far better today then I've seen you before."

Robb smirked, before his face fell impassive again. "I've just got a lot to live up to. Father is trusting me more now that I'm older, he's said that my lessons with him will increase."

Jon grinned. "That's wonderful."

Robb nodded. "And I'm to be betrothed."

That stopped Jon in his tracks. "So soon? I thought that Father was waiting."

The heir to Winterfell shrugged. "Something Torrhen's seen in his dreams has him spooked Jon, he's tying up alliances where he can. Torrhen and Sansa are to be betrothed too I think."

Surprised, Jon ran his hand through his hair. "Who's unlucky enough to be forced to marry you?" He joked.

Robb chuckled, but shoulder barged his brother. "Wylla Manderly I believe, Lord Wyman's youngest granddaughter."

Jon racked his brain. "I don't think I know her."

"You will soon enough, she'll come to Winterfell before it's all announced." Robb admitted. "Torrhen will marry that Forrester girl that he followed around on his tenth nameday."

Jon grinned. "He wouldn't leave the poor girl alone." He reminisced. "And Sansa?"

Robb shrugged. "I'm not sure, I've not been told."

"Wow." Jon said. "Everything is changing."

Agreeing, Robb grinned. "We'll have to marry you off next."

Jon shook his head fiercely. "Nobody would want to marry me, I'm a bastard."

"You're a Stark." Robb said firmly. "You're my brother."

"Not in the eyes of the law." Jon sighed. "No, I doubt I'll marry, nor will I have children. The Night's Watch would be fine for someone like me."

Robb shook his head, stopping them both from walking. "No, you will always have a place at Winterfell." He said firmly.

"Your mother…" Jon began.

Robb interrupted him. "Is Father's wife, and my Mother aye, but she is not the Lord of Winterfell. It is not up to her who I have giving me counsel."

"You don't want me, Robb." Jon sighed. "You have Torrhen, and Theon."

"Neither of whom I trust as much." Robb admitted. "Torrhen Stark, the King who Knelt, he kept is bastard brother as an advisor and I shall do the same."

He placed his arm around Jon's shoulders as they entered the armoury to place their weapons back. Once they had finished, Ser Rodrik met them at the entrance. "Can one of you run up to your Father's solar and get him please, I sent your Lady Mother up Lord Robb, but they've not returned."

Ser Rodrik quickly fled then, and so Robb turned to Jon, and held his arm out in a fist. Jon chuckled, shaking his head.

"You never win this." Jon laughed.

"Worth a go." Robb grinned.

They pounded their fists into their palms three times, crying out. "Rock, parchment, blade." Robb won.

"No!" Jon cried.

"You lose, you go." Robb said cheerfully. "I hope they're not at it again."

Jon shivered, and shoved Robb gently in the shoulder before making his way back into the castle.

"I wish you good fortune in the wars to come." Arthur Dayne had said, eyeing up all the men that Ned had rallied beside him as the famous knight put on his helm. "And now it begins."

Ned still heard every cry, every scream from his friends that had died that day. He still regretted the manner of how Arthur Dayne had dropped to his knees and the way that Ned had had to execute the knight with his own sword. He still regretted walking into the tower and meeting the Lord Commander, Ser Gerold Hightower, the old man wheezing from illness that had explained everything and begged Ned to kill him. Ned had almost refused, but the old man swung his blade at the Stark and that had been that.

It had been Ser Gerold that had shown the Valyrian Steel sword Dark Sister to Ned and explained the marriage, and by the time the knight had died and Ned reunited with Lyanna, he was pretty numb.

Every time he saw the sword now that it was in his possession, he thought about holding Jon for the first time. "Promise me Ned."

The door to his solar opened as he held Dark Sister in his hands, and Cat was in the doorway. Surprised, he quickly placed the blade down behind his desk, and his wife looked at him suspiciously. "There's been a deserter…" she trailed off. "What was that sword? It's more detailed than any I've seen you wield."

Ned sighed. "It's not mine."

"Was that a ruby in the guard?" Cat asked. "Since when have we had rubies in Winterfell?" She moved around to take the sword, and while Ned half heartedly went to stop her, she picked it up and studied the handle.

"Since Howland was here." He said, not wanting to lie to his wife. "He brought the sword."

Cat was confused. "Since when has the Neck had such fine gems?"

Ned shook his head. "Not now, Cat, please…"

Now Cat was even more concerned. She unsheathed the blade about an inch and even though the Tully was somebody as inexperienced with steel, she recognised the Valyrian Steel. "Ned… where did you get this?"

"From Dorne." Ned said quickly. "The day Lyanna died."

Cat fell silent, knowing how painful the memory was. "What is it?" She whispered.

"Dark Sister." He sighed, his head falling into his hands as he massaged his temples. "The sword of House Targaryen."

Cat's eyes widened in horror. She sheathed the sword. "Explain." She whispered.

Ned opened his mouth, but there was a knock on the door. "What is it?" He called out. The door opened to reveal Jon.

"Apologies Father, but Ser Rodrik asked me to come and get you, it's the deserter…" Jon said.

"Lord Stark will be down in a moment." Cat replied snappily.

Jon looked down at his feet. "Ser Rodrik was insistent that I come and get you now…"

"Get out!" Cat snapped, turning to the door and almost pushing Jon out of it, slamming it shut. That raised Ned's ire.

"Catelyn." He said icily. "You will not treat the boy like that."

Cat was shocked at his tone but gulped and nodded. "The sword. A Targaryen sword. If Robert finds out…"

"Robert will never know." Ned said coldly. "I've kept this secret from him for 14 years, and I will continue to keep it from him for as long as I live."

Cat cowed in his anger. "Apologies, Lord Husband." She curtseyed.

Ned sighed. "I won't fight with you My Lady, but I cannot tell you about the sword now. Not with so many ears and with such little time. Meet me after dark in the crypts, by my sister's statue." He audibly sighed then. "I'll tell you everything."

The deserter was beheaded swiftly, and Ned had returned to Winterfell quickly. He rushed up to his solar to grab Dark Sister and then spent the rest of the day in the crypts, racking his brain at what to say to Cat.

He must have been in there for hours, as the crypt doors creaked open and he heard the footsteps of his wife on the cold, dark stone. They grew louder, before stopping beside him, and Ned heard her breathing heavily.

"I found out where she was in King's Landing." Ned began, looking up at the stone face that the sculptor had thought was his sister. "Ethan Glover was the only one of Brandon's party to survive the Mad King and he had been locked away in the Black Cells for the entirety of the war. He told me it all. He told me that Lyanna had met up with Rhaegar as she made her way to Riverrun for your wedding. They had bonded at the tourney, and Lyanna was unhappy with her betrothal so she ran away with him."

"I thought she was kidnapped." Cat said quietly, uneasy about being in the crypts.

Ned sighed. "Robert… He couldn't believe that Lyanna was repulsed by his nature, he didn't know her, he just knew my words of her. He made that claim as it was the only one that made sense to him, and of course Brandon was hot headed, and so he rushed down to defend Lyanna's honour. You know what happened afterwards."

Cat nodded. "Your Father died in a trial by combat against Aerys' wildfire, and Brandon died trying to save him."

"And we went to war." Ned said, hearing the fighting on the trident in his mind. "We took King's Landing and I released Ethan. He told me the truth, that Lyanna had planned to run away with Rhaegar, that Brandon thought that he had deflowered her and stolen her honour, and that Rhaegar had come to see him after Brandon and Father were dead."

That surprised Cat. "He was in King's Landing all that time?"

Ned nodded. "He and Elia had agreed the whole thing. She couldn't have any more children, and he needed one more for some prophecy." He shrugged. "I don't know what it was, but he explained to Ethan that he was taking Lyanna away, but if the war was to end badly for his family, that Lyanna would be safe in the Red Mountains of Dorne. I went there straight after Storm's End."

"Was she there?" Cat asked.

Ned nodded. "We arrived at the tower as seven. Myself, Howland Reed, Ethan Glover, Martyn Cassel, Willam Dustin, Theo Wull and Ser Mark Ryswell. Outside was Ser Arthur Dayne and Ser Oswell Whent of the Kingsguard."

"Why were they there?" Cat asked.

"To protect Lyanna." Ned answered honestly. "I asked them where they had been in the war, and they just said where Rhaegar wanted them to be. They wouldn't let us past and so we fought. Only Howland and I survived."

"Ned…" Cat whispered, placing a hand on his arm.

"I walked in as Howland began arranging the bodies." Ned remembered. He wasn't telling Cat the story now, he was reliving it all. "Ser Gerold Hightower was sat at a table with Dark Sister in his hands. He told me the rest, how Elia and Rhaegar had had their marriage annulled due to infertility, how Lyanna and Rhaegar married by the Blackwater Rush, how they had sent ravens that clearly didn't arrive, and so much death had been caused from that. He told me that Lyanna had been with child just as Rhaegar left, and how that the night before, she had given birth." Cat gasped at that news. "He begged me to kill him, as he was ill and refused to serve Robert Baratheon. I tried not to, but he swung at me, and so I ended his life as well. I walked up to the top of the tower and Lyanna was there, laying in a bed of blood."

"By the Seven…" Cat whispered.

Tears were rolling down the Stark Lord's face as he described it. "She looked so weak, so little. I rushed to her side and held her hand. I pleaded with the handmaiden to do something to help… but Lya told me no. All she wanted, was for me to promise her… promise her…" He couldn't go on. Cat turned him to face her and wrapped him in a hug as Ned Stark tried to stop himself from breaking down. Gathering himself after a few moments, he stepped back and looked Cat in her eyes. "She promised me to look after her son. Her living, trueborn son. She named him Aegon Targaryen and swore that Robert would kill the babe if he found out, which he would have."

Cat stepped back in horror as the realisation dawned on her. "No…"

"We'd already fought over Rhaegar's other children, I wasn't about to hand him my own blood, my own nephew." Ned continued.

"No." Cat stated firmly.

"So, I took him in my arms as she lay dying and promised her that I would protect the boy." Ned told his wife. "She died, and I met back up with Howland. He took the sword that proved the truth and swore to me to never take it out of the Neck again. I took the babe, renamed him Jon and took him as my own bastard."

"No!" Cat cried, tears falling from her own eyes now. "He's not… you told me…"

"I told you what I had to My Lady." Ned said, using her formal title. "We did not know one another, we did not trust one another. You had loved my brother and I had lost my entire family, I was not losing another one. I went back to Winterfell and told everybody that he was Jon Snow of my own blood."

Cat was crying, but they were angry tears. "And once I asked you to remove him? Once we confessed our love for one another? You didn't think to tell me then?"

Ned hung his head in shame. "The damage was done; the lie was too great. I had hoped the secret would die with me, but Howland brought back the sword, and Torrhen knew the secret when he was sent back to this time."

Cat took another step back, looking at Ned in sheer anger. "You made me think that boy was a threat to our own children, that he would usurp them and become Lord of Winterfell for all this time… but he's really the lawful King of Westeros?" Ned just nodded. "I… I don't know what to say. I'm furious, Ned." She seethed. "Not only that you lied. Your lies made me hate a baby! Made me wish him dead!"

She looked at him once more and shook her head, before turning on her heels and storming out of the crypts. Ned choked out a sob and held his hand out to meet Lyanna's statue's outstretched hand. "I did as you asked." He sobbed. "I'm sorry Lya."

Ned still has severe PTSD over the whole promise, and I wanted to play into that here. Cat's reaction was fierce, but she'll come around. Just slowly.

Torrhen at Riverrun was fun too, this is 5 years before Hoster Tully dies of course, so he's stronger than the show timeline, but his health is catching up with him… Edmure will marry soon off page, but I just had to include one of my favourite parts of Fire and Blood, the Cattle Show of Aegon III.

As for Robb and Jon, of course Jon isn't going to the Wall! Robb is determined to keep the one person he knows he can rely on around, and of course Jon has a secret identity that he isn't even aware of… although he will be made aware eventually, but not for a while yet!

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! This one came out quickly and I have part of tomorrow (Friday) to write some of the next one, and then I'm on my holidays!

Reviews:

DarylDixon'sLover: Jon didn't come into discussions because he was 'technically' still known as a bastard to everyone but Ned and Torrhen. As I keep saying, he's got a very important arc.

Rnij: Possibly, I'm not too sure yet. In my last story I killed her off so as to include my version of Quentyn as the 'last Martell' and obviously this story has started earlier, so I've got a bit of a decision to make there.

Guest (Sansa/Domeric): Yes, that's what's happening.

Hear My Fury: Thing is, Ned sort of has to go to King's Landing in order to prove that he's not going mad and that what he needs from them is legit.

Silver crow: Yeah, I get that, and it won't go under the radar for Torrhen, nor Robb when he finds everything out. Meera just doesn't offer enough politically for Ned, but he'd love to be able to marry his child to Howland's. It will certainly be a changing point for House Bolton… I think you misread, I'm not sharing what Torrhen saw.

Bad Ass Female Fighter: Ramsay will come into it in 5 or 6 chapters time, so I'll leave that point by just saying, spoilers! Same again with Jon's plot.

Masso 2010: It might be interesting but Torrhen died thinking of Mira, after she died he couldn't get over her and as soon as he realised she was alive here he wrote to her, he's too deep now to care for anybody else. I really like your idea about the Weirwood tree showing the final battle though, but I'm not sure if I can work it in. I'll give it a think when I come to writing the gathering.

C.E.W: No member of House Tully will remember! And for people to remember, death must pay for life. If people have been paying attention I've already mentioned one of the deaths, so one of their family members must remember. Roose will see the benefit of the marriage for sure.

ABEBOABDU: This story is carefully planned out. I realise it's started off slowly, but it's all things that need to be set up or happen before the main story starts.

Lightningscar: As I've said, this world was basically made for Torrhen, so his mission to win the War for the Dawn being aided by two extra swords just seemed a natural thing for me. Originally, when I was first planning it, I had the Red Priestess Kinvarra travelling to Winterfell to hand him the swords, but I ended up not using them at all in the rest of the story, so felt that this was the next best way to go. As for Ned, I think Torrhen's wake up call has helped him learn that he needs to think politically.