Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, looked over the courtyards of Winterfell. Men were training, women and children carrying livestock, and supplies coming in. He saw his boys Robb and Jon playing with little wooden swords, while Rodrick watched over them.

"Ned." His wife called out. "Maester Luwin thinks it will be a girl." She held her belly to signify what she meant.

"A sister?" Ned was content for another child. He knew Catelyn wanted at least one or two more children. The Tullys were well known for their fertility, so this should not be an issue, and Ned knew that he needed more than one son to secure the future of the Starks, since Benjen had gone to the Wall.

"Indeed." She came up next to him and put her hand in his free one. "I have high hopes for the future, Ned. I hope I don't lose you like in the Rebellion."

He looked back at her. "We were scarcely married then, Cat. We'd only been together a fortnight before I went south."

"And you gave me Robb in that time, but that didn't change how much I needed you even then. I know you had your reasons to fight in the south, I do. But this is what we need right now. You need to be there for your son, and your daughter."

Ned put his hand on Catelyn's belly. He felt a little kick.

"Did you feel that?"

"Indeed. Let us hope she makes it to term." He knew Catelyn didn't like his more cold demeanor, but after all that he had seen, in the south or in his own lands, true joy wasn't something that came to him often. He would reserve it for when the babe was born. If it was born.

"She will, Ned." Cat walked after him. "I know it in my heart. I will pray to the Old Gods and the New for it."

"I know you will." He said. "As will I." And that is where he went.

While in the godswood, he took out Ice and laid it at the alter of the weirwood, which seemed to scowl at him for his failures. I'm sorry, Lia. He thought of Robert, of Jon, of Howland and of his own Jon. Promise me, Ned, those eternal words rang. This was normal for him, but something else was there that wasn't.

It was as if the old gods were warning him of something catastrophic to come. Winter was a long way off, for it was spring, but something else was here in the meantime. A rebellion perhaps?

It was no secret Robert's rule over the Seven Kingdoms was teetering. Ned had heard it was only Jon's intervention that stopped the Dornish from declaring for Viserys. The Tyrells no doubt schemed in their own way, the Ironborn no doubt thought the Baratheons weaker than the Targaryens of old. And the Lannisters. The gods knew they had enough power as it is, they certainly didn't need more of it. Or was it-

Ned heard a knocking noise at the edge of the godswood. It was Maester Luwin. He looked somber about something or another.

Ned got up, wiped Ice of water and walked forward. "Maester, is there news from the south?"

"I am afraid so, my Lord. His Grace has sent you a request to go south, but I fear that this is perhaps even more urgent." He held out a letter with a green seal on it.

"What is this?" Ned exclaimed as he walked up. "Has Robert died? Jon? Is there a mutiny in White Harbor? What could be more urgent than the king requesting my presence?"

"No, my Lord." Luwin said. "It is quite unlike anything I've seen before." He gave the letter to Ned, who saw a new seal. It felt course, and still sticky even after all this journey. The cold did not change this either.

"I know not this seal. Not from any house you taught me about as a boy." He began to open the letter. He wasn't quite sure what to think when he first opened, but as he read, it made sense.

It was clear whoever wrote it did not speak the Common Tongue first, for there were grammatical errors and poor spelling in a number of places. But it was a warning, a threat. Not merely to armies, but to him personally.

"'Lord Stark," Ned began to read out "-we are distant kinsmen you...plus I. Your ancestor came to our world and raped it for all it was worth. We thought it the end, but we survived and grew. More than that, we took what King Stark has given us and used it to grow ourselves. I have Gift of your ancestors, and your wolfsblood run through my veins as well. My emperor demand we conquer you and people, and enact our long overdue vengeance. We have already taken Lone Light and besiege Wyk."

"He meant the Iron Islands." Maester Luwin notes.

"I know" Ned replied. "And he means Brandon the Shipwright, doesn't he? I thought they were lost forever?"

"Indeed they were," Luwin replied. "But that doesn't mean they disappeared. Perhaps they did find a new world, but never returned. Perhaps they lost their honour and the natives want revenge of some sort?"

Ned nodded. "'That is what it would seem." He continued. "'The grander army and prince Xechomicoc upon his Thunderbird sail for south. My allies But I request something more person." It sounded like madness, as if some lunatic had written it. "I want sea your land, ever since I was boy. I shunned by my priests for wolfsblood, and Gift, but I want to meet you, in home or at battle, to unite our branch. By..." Ned could only try and pronounce this names-"Uz-Chaxatu and Tonaedarciu, I swear this to see 'North' before I die. Yepsundi Neshtaka." Ned turned to Luwin. "Who has sent you this? Is this some elaborate joke of sorts?"

Luwin shook his head. "No, Lord. The parchment type and that particular raven carrying it come from Great Wyk of all places, and yet when have the Ironborn dared use such courtesy with us? It is like nothing I have learned about in the citadel. It seems the Sunset Sea was not the edge of existence at all."

Ned didn't believe it. "This cannot be right. The lord of Wyk has lost his mind and gained another! There is little beyond that." Luwin had the other letter in hand now. It was the royal seal of house Baratheon. He took this one. He knew what this type of seal was.

"Ned, we're facing a threat I never even considered. All this time I was thinking the Targaryens would return from the east, but here we are being attacked from the west. I've got reports from Wyk, Pyke, Fair Isle, the Arbor and even as of today Oldtown of strange fleets being either sighted or fought. They say the strangers bring lightning with them, like in the old myths! Lord Redwyne claims he saw a great bird too!'" Was this the 'Thunderbird' in the letter, Ned thought. "'Gods, Ned, this is more of a headache than I could have imagined. Whatever all this is, I need you down south. We're being attacked, and I need you and Jon by my side when we drive them back into the sea. Your king, Robert Baratheon, First of His Name.'" This was much for Ned to take in at once. He had expected Tyrell, Martell or Greyjoy to rise up and be the enemy, but it seemed something else entirely was at hand.

"My lord?" Luwin notices Ned's heavy breathing.

He finally spoke again. "Call the banners. As many as we can get." He went to talk to Cat and Rodrick.

—

When he first explained to Catelyn he needed to go south, she flew into anger and fear. He didn't even have time to explain the true threat. "No, Ned! I lost Brandon when he went south, I won't lose you too! Your daughter needs a father as much as she needs me!"

"We're at war, Catelyn. I'm calling the banners already, I will be setting off tomorrow. Robert needs me by his side."

"So do I! He may be your friend but I am your wife! I carry your flesh and blood! Robert has other banner-men besides you. Let the Tyrells or Lannister's deal with this. It's their land after all. And when were you concerned about the Greyjoys?"

"This isn't some petty rebellion, Catelyn, this is-"

The door opened. It was Jon. He looked at Ned, and back at Catelyn, who shot a scowl at him. "I...I'm sorry, my lady." He turned back to Ned. "Father." He certainly had Lyanna's eyes, he noticed. The door shut again.

Catelyn returned. "He is what happened when you last went south. Shall I expect another bastard to raise?"

Ned stood up. "There will not be another. You have my word, this is for the realm. It's an inv-" she ignored what he had to say. Jon always angered her, he noticed, even when she wouldn't admit it.

"Are you going to do it again? Despoil our marriage bed with that bastards mother?"

"ENOUGH! There will be no more of it!" He bellowed. She was taken aback by his volume, and sank back into her seat. She shouldn't have said that. He sighed. "I will leave tomorrow, and I will figure out how to deal with the invaders."

Catelyn, still reeling from his outburst, was quiet. "Invaders?" She almost whispered.

"Yes. I scarcely believe it myself, but one of them appeared to write to me, demanding revenge for Brandon the Shipwright's expedition, almost a thousand years ago."

"I had thought that a tale. How...after all this time? And why?"

"I know no more than you do. But whatever this is, I must answer Robert's call. He isn't just my friend, he is my king, and I owe him my service. And I need to know what the messenger meant." He got up and turned to the door. Before he left, he heard Cat.

"I love you Ned. Promise me you'll return to Winterfell alive and well. Promise me, Ned!" She pleaded.

He bowed down, a lone tear down his icy cheek. "I promise."