Note: I had a lot of backlash after last chapter. Many people have expressed their complaints that Catelyn was raped and Ned did not attack Robert for it and nobody did anything about it; that the Nortern Lords wouldn't just abandon the Starks, that they would igonre the "stupid Southron" King. Please, let me explain why I wrote it that way.

I do not hate the Starks! At all! On the contrary! They are pretty much all I write and read about. But realistically, if Robert found out, there's no way they wouldn't suffer.

What Robert did to Ned's family is terrible, but only because we know they are innocent and they are the protagonists. If Robb had imprisoned and punished the Boltons and Freys (whom we know are guilty of treason against Robb), wouldn't we think he was justified? Arya killed everyone she believed had betrayed her family without the benefit of a trial. Jon killed the men who plotted against him. Here, Robert thinks the Starks guilty of treason and plotting. And the punishemt was really not that harsh given the circumstances.

I tried to make this realistic taking into account the society they lived in without my 21st certury western moral values getting in the way and resepecting the characters' personalities. And I tried to have them act only according to what they can possibly know, what they have heard and seen. The reason nobody does anything after Robert raped Catelyn is because nobody knows!

About what Robert did to Catelyn, I hope I do not really need to say that I do not condone this behaviour! I hope you think me better than that... But their society is different and nobody really knows the extent of what she suffered under Robert. Catelyn would try to keep a very low profile about what was done to her. She would never make a scene. This is the way she consistenly behaved in canon. The first thing Ned did to her after the war was tell her that he had been unfaithful and push his bastard upon her rubbing it in her nose for her to see everyday of her life. She submissively accepted and never even complained about it. The one time she asked about Jon's mother Ned yelled at her and she submissively accepted it. When Bran fell and she begged Ned to stay, he refused and she submissively accepted. After Ned was beheaded and the bannermen crowned Robb, she tried to express her opinion and tell them that continuing with the war was a mistake. They shot her down only because she was a woman, and again, she accepted it and never caused a scene. I think this is in-keeping with her personality. She does not want to attract attention to herself and wants to keep this hidden. And she's extremely ashamed. She didn't even tell Ned, he found out by accident.

Now that Ned knows, I dont think there's much he can do. He never reacted whenever Robert (or anyone) did something he considered wrong. Ned had always complained about how Robert had revelled in seeing the dead Targaryen babies, but he never confronted Robert about it. When Robert asked him to kill Lady, he did it and didn't even ask any questions. When Robert insisted he became Hand and left his comatose dying son behind, he did not fight him. Whenever he saw Robert mistreat Cersei, he kept quiet. He kept stalling with Jon "one day I'll tell you about your mother" but he never intended to do so. He did the same to Catelyn, even after so many years of marriage bliss and full trust. He never told them because he knew this would only raise more questions and bring more problems, the status quo was more comfortable and quiet. He's not the vengeful, retaliating, por-active type. He always chose what would be most peaceful and least problematic, like in this story when he told his guards to stand down when he saw that Robert intended to imprison them. They are already in a very shitty situation. The best he can do right now is try to be there for his family. He has been stripped of his titles, it is not his place to demand authority or fealty from his bannermen.

Robert has a temper issue and doesn't think his actions may hurt other people - and he doesn't care if he does. We saw it in the way he constantly humiliated Cersei. He called her by another name on their wedding night and we know he hit her (at least once that we know of). In this case he got carried away by rage and his temper, but he also deeply regrets what he has done. As King, he felt entitled and empowered to punish traitors, and all in all, he was not that harsh with them. When he thought Daenerys, who was nothing but a powerless insignificant girl miles away off in a distant continent, was a threat, he immediately sent an assassin after her. He could have very well killed Jon here and eliminate the threat root and stem. He didn't.

As for the rest of the household and the Northern Lords, what can they do? None of them knows the extent of Robert's abuse. Only Luwin knows of what he did to Catelyn, but if she didn't tell anyone, who's he to go against her wishes? He will keep her secret. The rest only know what they have heard and seen. And actually, they are waiting for Robert to leave so the Starks can give their own version. They have not abandoned the Starks by any means, but their staunch support has undestandably wavered. The Northern Lords have no reason to mistrust Robert. Ned himself admitted the charges, and still, he is being given the benefit of the doubt by his Lords. The issue people might have against Ned is not that he saved Jon (everybody applauds that action, of course!). The problem is that after finding out that he had been lying for so long and that apparently his whole family was in on the lie, it has become somewhat more difficult to continue to trust him blindly. It does raise the question of how much he knew during the rebellion, what his intentions were back then and what he really wanted to do with Jon. Was he ever planning on rebelling and placing Jon on the throne?

And NO! Robert is not a good guy, but neither is he a villain. He just happens to be on the opposite side to the Starks here. He has every reason to be angry at Ned and his family. And if he had wanted to execute them all, he could have very well done that. He is the King. But he knows that if he had eliminated the Starks, the North would rise in rebellion in a second, and he does not want that either. That's not good for his kingdom.

I appreciate all your comments, and I'm sorry if you felt disappointed. I understand if you feel this is not your cup of tea and decide to leave.

For those who continue reading, here's chapter 7: The Starks need to come to terms with what happened and come together as a family before they face the Northern Lords.

Thanks

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7. Sorting things out.

"So, you are my mother" a timid Jon spoke to the statue in the crypts. He had just found out that the man he believed was his father was actually his uncle, the girl he believed was his beloved aunt who had suffered an unjust and untimely death was actually his mother, and the man he believed was a monster who had kidnapped and killed an innocent girl and whose father had unjustly murdered his grandfather and uncle was actually his father. He had tried to visit the crypts after he had learned the truth, but found that he lacked the courage. He didn't know what to think. Was he happy he had found his mother? Yes. Was he happy about the truth? Not so much. Too many people had suffered because of it.

"Did you love him? Did you run away with him knowing what could happen? Did you know of what happened to your father and brother who went looking for you?"

Jon sat down by the bare feet of the statue and noticed a blue petal in her hand. He wondered if it was Ned who had put it there. He noticed the area was particularly clean and dust free, as if someone had been there recently. Could it have been his fath-, his uncle Ned? Maybe the King?

"Did you love me?" he finally asked, voicing the doubt that had been plaguing him all his life. He stayed perched by the legs of the statue of his mother waiting for an answer.

"Jon" a female voice called his name.

"Mother?" he asked feebly.

"No, stupid, it's me" his sist-cousin came into view. "Were you talking to the statue?" Arya asked him, her eyes glued on the stone rendition of her aunt.

"Nh, ye, well" he stuttered.

"I'd be nice if she could talk. She would need to explain lots of things. Come on, Father is looking for us. He wants us to talk before he meets with the Lords."

Jon and Arya left the crypts and made their way back into the Keep. They came across many of the people they would have to face the following morning. Everyone just nodded and smiled politely but not giving away any kind of reaction that would indicate what they were feeling or thinking – most likely because nobody really knew what to think.

Trying to keep their heads high and ignore all the stares they couldn't actually read, Jon and Arya headed across the entrance, through the hallway, all the way to the main quarters and went up the stairs to Robb's room. The family was already waiting there. Robb was sitting on a chair at his desk. His father was sitting across the newly appointed Lord Stark facing his son. Sansa and Catelyn were sitting on Robb's bed with little Rickon playing with some toy soldiers on the floor leaning on his mother's legs. Theon was standing by the window. When they came in, Jon went to sit on a small wooden armchair by the door while Arya decided to join her mother and sister on Robb's bed.

"We need to decide what we tell the Lords" Ned began shakily breaking the silence.

"I thought we were going to tell them the truth" Robb quickly countered.

"The question is, what is indeed the truth" Jon voiced his queries and looked straight at the man he had considered his father until not too long ago.

"The truth is that you are Lyanna's and Rhaegar's son. You were kept hidden here to save your life."

"If he is Rhaegar's son, he is the heir to the Iron Throne and we need to fight for him. He should be our King!" Sansa said confidently.

"Yes, we could fight Fat Robert, place Jon in the throne and get Bran back!" added Arya, her tone showing her excitement and suddenly loving the idea of her brother becoming king.

"Fight with what army?" asked Robb.

"The North!" replied Sansa. "Surely they will support us!"

"Will they? These Lords out there look more mistrustful and disappointed in us than supportive" Robb raised his hands in frustration and shook his head.

"We won't know for sure until we meet with them and explain the situation" their father added calmly.

"But why would they fight for me? I'm nothing but the result of a bloody and costly war for them."

"No, Jon!" said Sansa. "You're the rightful heir!"

"If we get the support of the North, surely the Riverlands and the Vale will come to the Lady's side" Theon pointed out signaling at Catelyn. "And I can get my father and the Iron Islands to support us, too."

Robb started to consider the possibility. "That's four out of nine kingdoms. The North, the Vale, the Riverlands and the Iron Islands"

"Well, obviously the Stormlands and the west will stand with the King and the Queen's family."

"The Tyrells are very rich, if we can get the support of the Reach, we're in the game!" added Theon bringing his fists together.

"How can we do that?"

"Marriage?" Sansa suggested. "They have young heirs we can marry to Arya and me, or to Jon or Robb or Theon."

"Dorne will most likely support us if we get rid of the people who hurt Elia Martell."

The young Lord Robb Stark, his sisters and their ward were seriously considering the possibilities. But Jon remained impassive, Ned kept quiet and Catelyn kept clinching her fists and biting her lips.

"Father, what do you think?"

"It's a possibility, but do we want to go to war?"

"We'll give Jon what was denied to him."

"You mean, what I denied him?" Ned corrected his son.

"No, I mean what was denied to him. You did what you thought was best for him. And if we are even entertaining the possibility of making him king it's only because you saved his life."

Ned took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. He placed his head on his hands and scratched his scalp with his fingertips, deep in thought. "Jon?" he finally prompted.

"I .. I .. I don't know. I don't know what any of this means, I don't see why so many people will band behind a lowly bastard who has been declared a traitor to the crown. I don't know!" he cried frustrated and confused.

"I understand" Ned assured him. "My Lady?" he asked his wife. "You have been awfully quiet."

"I think everybody is forgetting a key point. The minute the first raven leaves Winterfell, Bran is dead" she replied gravely. "If you ask me if a crown is more important than my son, the answer is no, without a doubt. And why would all these regions support us? As a matter of fact, why would the North even support us? I didn't see faith and loyalty in their faces. I saw anger. Why would the Vale and the Riverlands support a rebellion that does not concern them? With what right can we ask them to go to war against a king who has not wronged them? With what right can we ask them to face all the losses of a war? Need I remind you of the location of the Riverlands? Which region do you think would suffer more, the isolated North or the centrally located Riverlands? And why would Dorne support the family of the girl who shamed their princess in front of the whole realm? Why would they support the product of the union that ruined Elia's life? And why would people who fought against his family and put Robert on the throne suddenly believe Jon is the rightful heir? We're lucky enough we still have our heads on our shoulders. And that most of us were allowed to stay home" she breathed out tiredly.

"Are you saying you want to keep this fat fucker on the throne after what he did to us? I would think you'd hate him" Theon exclaimed and added an apologetic "Please excuse my language" after a hard look from Ned Stark.

"Oh, no. I do hate him. More than I can express" she replied in a voice so grave that seemed to have come from the very core of hell itself. "But my worry for my family is much bigger than my hatred of him" she added clenching her fists on the sheets of the bed.

"We could hide the plot at the beginning so the King doesn't find out" Robb tried to reassure his mother. "We can get the support of our bannermen here tomorrow. And then we can go in person to Riverrun and the Eyre. You could go mother. A trip to see family could do you some good now."

"Let's see what our Lords say tomorrow" Ned suggested. "If we get their support, then we can move forwards."

Jon was the first to leave stomping out the room. Robb made to go after him, but his father stopped him. "Give him time" he advised. Sansa and Arya left together still sharing ideas as to how to get possible allies. Seeing that only Robb and his parents were left, Theon felt like a bit of an intruder and decided to leave as well. Catelyn, who still hadn't managed to make eye contact with her husband, kept her gaze down, smiled gently at her oldest son and kneeled down to pick up Rickon. As she was leaving Ned made an attempt to stop her, but she just walked by ignoring his outstretched hand. Ned sat down heavily on his chair again and watched her slide past the door.

"Give her time" his son echoed his advice. "We've all been through a lot. All of us. But Jon and mother most of all. Jon has had his whole life turned upside down and his future changed radically, one way or another. She has just had her entire marriage thrown out the window, her son has been taken away, and even though we were all tortured by Robert, she seems most affected. I'm not sure what he did to her and I don't think I want to know." But Ned knew exactly what his former friend had done to his wife. He may not know the specifics, but he knew enough.

Robb and his father sat face to face across the desk. The future looked uncertain. Whatever steps they took next would depend on the outcome of the meeting with the Northern Lords. But one thing was certain: a decision taken seventeen years ago could radically change the future not just of the North, but of the whole realm.

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Next: The Starks speak to their bannermen and together they will decide how to move forwards.

Thanks.