Thanks a lot for all the follows, faves and comments. Thanks for reading!

Guest 1: well, they are still alive for now. That's a good sign, isn't it? :)

Guest 2: ok.

Guest 3: Thanks!

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I think I need to explain my note at the end of last chapter. In most stories, films, etc, there's the idea that anyone who opposes the protagonist is a bad guy. For a good part of this fandom, anyone who opposes the Starks, Ned, Jon, or merely stands in their way is immediately portrayed as a villain. But the way I see it, if a character has valid reasons to oppose a character, that doesn't necessarily turn them into a "bad guy", nor does it turn the protagonist one into a "good guy". Here Robert has valid reasons to feel betrayed and threatened by Ned's actions, just as Ned has very valid reasons to keep Jon's identity hidden from Robert. That's what I wanted to say. I'm not defending Robert's actions (nor the way he goes about getting his information), but I can understand why he would feel and act that way. Imagine if before the Red Wedding, Robb had found out that Bolton and Frey had been in secret communication with Tywin. There doesn't need to be a massacre nor any death for Robb to consider them traitors and, at least, investigate if there is indeed a plot. And the investigation would not be all about "please and thank yous". ... Sorry for any misunderstanding I may have caused.

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4. Coming clean.

After three days of getting nowhere with Ned and his family, Robert decided to get them all together in a room. Maybe seeing each other would get their tongues to loosen up.

Ned, his wife Catelyn, his two sons Robb and Jon, and his ward Theon Greyjoy were led to a small cellar in one of the lower floors near the dungeons and bound to chairs facing each other. Ned took a look at his family and was appalled to see all the bruises on their faces and exposed skin. Their clothes were torn and blood stained. Catelyn's eyes were vacant and she seemed to have aged years in a matter of days. Robb's and Jon's expressions denoted utter fear and confusion. Theon was the picture of rage – the Ironborn in him surfacing through his eyes.

"So, Ned," Robert started. "Do you want to tell your family why we're here?"

"I have no idea, your Grace."

"Of course you don't" he said getting close to Robb who tried to shrink away. "You can't really tell with all the bruising and the grime, but he does favour the Tully coloring, doesn't he? And he is indeed all about family and honor." Then he approached Theon. "Iron born scum, but he does love you and your family. A hostage who is loyal his captors" he laughed prompting Theon to spit on is face. The king gave a loud snort and continued. "Oh, your wife, as I said, lovely woman." Catelyn flinched, visibly affected, as he caressed her cheek lovingly. "And your bastard. Good looking fella, with dark brown curls and grey eyes. Must be the spitting image of his mother, whoever she is" he taunted looking straight at Ned. "You have a lovely family, Ned. The family I should have had" he breathed out. Sadness and regret washed upon his face, but the moment was soon gone. His eyes grew dark and he addressed Ned again. "So, do you want to tell us about that Wendell of yours? The bastard's mother?"

"Nothing to tell, just a girl" Ned muttered.

"Wrong answer" Robert grabbed Ned by the scruff of his shirt. "Answer wrong again and there will be blood, and not necessarily yours" he threatened pointing at the four other people bound to chairs. "So, the bastard's mother."

"Please Robert. Just tell me what it is you want to know" he begged.

"It's her, isn't she? She's the mother. He's not yours. Lyanna and that damned harp playing dragon. The boy is his. Tell me the truth Ned." He was almost begging, with a mixture of rage and dejection.

Ned lowered his head and slumped. The secret he had been trying to keep for years was out. And the one person he didn't want to discover it was the one who had found out. But how could he find out? Who had told him?

"Yes" Ned finally admitted. "I found her at the Tower of Joy. She was dying. The fever. It had been caused by childbirth. She begged me to protect him. So I did. For her sake."

"Why did you keep it from me?" Robert asked, sadness and betrayal seeping from his voice.

"I feared your reaction. We had just seen what had been done to the other Targaryen heirs, I feared for my nephew."

"You thought I would kill him" Robert surmised. "The one reminder of Lyanna I could have and you thought I would kill him."

"Yes."

"Did he rape her or did she want him?" Robert asked earnestly.

"I … I'm not sure. But she never wanted you, Robert"

"I should kill you now Ned" Robert said between his teeth shaking his head, unsure whether he felt angry or hurt – or both. "And all your family. You have committed treason. You have lied to your king and harbored an enemy of the crown."

"My family is innocent. They knew nothing. I swear your Grace."

"Cut the crap, Ned" he snorted. "Are you telling me that your wife would really tolerate your bastard living in her own home with her own children? Are you telling me that your sons would gladly share everything with a bastard who would threaten their position? No Ned. I'm not buying it. He is your nephew, their cousin, and that's why he was so welcome here. But not any more."

"What will you do, Robert?"

"What needs to be done." He turned his eyes to the guards and beckoned them to step forward. "Take them back. But not to a cell" he added as an afterthought. "Lock them together in Lord Eddard's room. Consider this a token of our long lasting friendship" he told Ned as he passed by.

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The older members of the Stark family were led down the hall, unshackled and allowed into Ned and Cat's room. They all looked at each other for a moment without knowing what to say. Ned slumped on a chair and put his head in his hands. Catelyn sat on their bed bringing her knees up and trying to hide behind her arms. Robb sat on the other side of the bed unable to bring himself to look at his father. Jon sat on the floor in a corner, he was quiet, his fists were clenched and his jaw set. Theon stood by the door with his arms crossed.

"You lied to us all these years" Robb voiced his thoughts trying to keep the accusation off his tone.

Ned just nodded and closed his eyes once again.

"Why?" Robb pressed.

"To save your lives" Ned sounded defeated.

"You did a great job" Theon clapped his hands from where he was standing, venomous irony seeping through his words.

"I never meant for this to happen"

"So what did you mean to happen, Father?" Robb insisted.

"Nothing. For our lives to continue as normal."

"He's an heir to the throne and you turned him into a bastard!"

"Robb I did what I thought was best. I swear."

"Best for who? For the boy whose rights you took? For your wife, who felt fear and shame for years? For all of us who have just been tortured?"

"Robb, stop" his mother's faint voice begged.

"Robb, I owe all of you an apology. But I swear I never intended for any of this to happen. You were not there, Robb. You didn't see his face when the Targaryen babies were slaughtered. I couldn't allow that to happen to Jon. Robert would have killed him, believe me."

"All right. Let's say I believe you. You saved his life and brought him here. Why didn't you tell mother? Why didn't you tell Jon when he was older? Why didn't you tell us?"

"I thought the fewer people who knew, the safer the secret was."

"Who else knows?" Jon finally spoke up.

"Only one person. Howland Reed. He was with me when we found Lyanna."

"Could he have been the one to tell Robert?" Theon suggested coming closer to sit next to Jon on the floor.

"No. I don't think so. He swore his secret to me."

"You should have told us" Catelyn spoke up still hiding behind her clasped hands and bent knees. "We would have thought of something together. We could have had a plan. Now were caught unawares with no idea what Robert was asking us or how to deal with it."

"I'm sorry" Ned said getting up to walk towards his wife, but he was promptly cut short by her.

"Don't" she shook her head.

Ned slumped down in the chair again and looked at his family. Catelyn was sitting on their bed with an empty look on her face. Robb was to her side rubbing her arms gently. Jon was sitting on the floor close to the bed fidgeting and biting his lips. Theon sat a few inches away from Jon and kept sending him sympathetic smiles. It was then that Ned realized he was the one being left out. His family needed comfort and reassurance, but he was not the one who could provide this time.

"Look out the window" Theon suddenly said breaking the heavy silence.

The sky was covered in black momentarily as the ravens leaving the turret soared into the sky. Who was sending ravens? To whom? And most importantly, what was the message?

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Next: The truth is out there - oops sorry, wrong show ;)

The truth is here, and people will learn of a secret kept for years.

Thanks