EDDARD

"I will obey you father, but Jon and mother deserve to know the truth. Jon thinks he is a bastard. One day and one day soon he will come to the conclusion that he has no place here and will most likely join the Night's Watch...Mother needs to know the truth, because she believes you were unfaithful and Jon does not deserve her animosity...You must tell them before it is too late."

"I...don't know son. The fewer people who know a secret the less likely that secret comes out."

Robb stands up, "At least think about. Promise me that."

"I will." Ned watches his son leave. Robb showed a lot of maturity and cleverness figuring out his secret. He knew Robb wouldn't tell, but at the same time his son is expecting him to reveal the truth to Catelyn and Jon. When Ned bought Jon home he wanted to tell Catelyn the truth. At the time it seemed like the right thing to do. They had been married for a year and a half. The newly wed couple had a son and spent the first part of the their marriage apart because of the war. Jon was a baby and he figured Catelyn would love Jon no matter what. He was wrong, "Family! Duty! Honor!" Cat had thrown the words of her House in his face that day.

She was angry at him for a long time and did not allow him into her bed. Three years would pass before she did. Ned would spend the next two months going back and forth on whether or not to reveal the truth. Robb did not pressure or ask what he was thinking. Then Ned's brother Benjen visits Winterfell. Benjen had joined the Night's Watch after the war. The pain of losing his father and brother were too much. "Ned!"

"Benjen welcome home." Ned says embracing his brother.

"My home is Castle Black, but thank you all the same."

"Aye...So what brings you here."

"Recruits for the watch...Anyone in the dungeons looking for a pardon?"

"The summer snows have kept our dungeons empty."

He sighs, "I figured as much. Still it gave me an excuse to see you all." Ben stays for a few days. During his stay a few of the small folk volunteered for the watch. Eventually the summer snows melted and it was truly summer again. "Before I go. You should know that Jon has been asking me about the watch."

Ned's heart jumps. Robb was right, "What did you tell him?"

"I gave him a coated version of the truth. He could do well at Castle Black as a brother. Life will be hard for him. A man must earn what he gets in the watch."

"I will talk with the lad..." Ned had decided he would finally reveal the truth to Jon and his Lady wife.

"Write me and let me know what comes of it."

"I will...Are you heading back to Castle Black?"

"First to White Harbor...Lord Manderly always has men in his dungeons for one reason or another."

The next day after morning meal Ned decides to tell them. "Jon come here." He calls out as the other children get up to go to their lessons. "Cat, Robb will all of you join me in the Solar."

They were half way to the Solar when Cat asks, "Ned, what is this about?"

"Family business." He vaguely replies. When they reach the solar, Ned opens the door and allows them to enter. Then he closes and locks the door.

"If this is so important why is Jon here?"

"Because he needs to hear this as well." Ned pours himself a cup of ale before starting. He drinks it down, "I ask you all to swear, that what is said here, remains between us." They all swear, "Robb...He figured this out a few months ago."

"Figured what out?" Cat asks.

Ned sighs, it is hard to reveal a secret that he had been holding on to for the past fifteen years. "Cat I did not mean to hurt you."

"Hurt me how?"

"My sister Lyanna...She was Jon's mother." Cat looks at Jon and then Robb, before returning her attention to Ned. Jon just stares dumbfounded before he breaks the silence.

"If Lyanna was my mother..."

"She was." Ned quickly responds.

"Then who was my father?"

"Rhaegar..." Cat says before Ned or Robb could speak, "Prince Rhaegar was his father."

"Yes...He did not kidnap or rape her. They fell in love at the Tourney of Harrenhal. Lyanna ran away with Prince Rhaegar and they married in secret...When I found Lyanna she was dying from childbirth...She named you Aegon Targaryen...The Seventh of his name. I named you Jon to protect your true identity. If the wrong people knew about you. Your life would be in danger."

"Jon you're a Prince." Robb says.

"Why tell me now?" Jon asks.

"Because you asked your uncle Benjen about the Night's Watch and Robb convinced me to tell both you and Cat." He looks at Cat. He had been watching her facial expressions the whole time. "Cat...Do you have something to say...or..."

PART II. CATELYN

She does't answer. Catelyn Stark stands up, staring at her husband. Then she makes for the door. "Mother!"

"Cat!"

She ignores her husband and son as they call her name. She leaves the Solar and heads for the Sept. Cat was born in the faith of the seven and Ned had a small Sept built so that she could continue practicing her faith. When Catelyn is alone she bursts into tears, assaulted by an array of emotions. Anger is the first emotion she feels. Angry at Ned for not trusting her with the truth. True they did not know each other at the time, but still. When he came home from the war, Cat had given him a son. The next emotion she felt was regret. In the beginning she tried to be a mother to Jon, but he was a constant reminder of Ned's infidelity. She had gone out of her way to distinguish between her children and her husband's supposed bastard.

Fear was what she felt next. Fear of whether or not she could forgive her husband for lying and putting the family through this. Fear that Ned may have other secrets. Fear that Jon may never forgive her for the way she treated him over the years. She starts laughing, because Ned had never been unfaithful to her. Now she feels hope and starts praying to the Father for guidance. Asks the Mother to help her forgive, the Maiden for compassion, the Crone for Wisdom. The Warrior and the Blacksmith for strength to do what must be done.

When Cat leaves the Sept evening meal had passed. She goes to the Kitchen and finds something to eat. When she goes to her room she finds Ned sitting on the side of the bed. They stare at each other. "I am angry that you kept the truth from me. I am overjoyed that you never broke your marriage vows to me. I am ashamed of the way I have treated Jon and it all falls back to the lie you told."

He sighs, "I told it to protect Jon from Robert. It was Lyanna's dying request."

She goes to the bed and sits down beside him, "Promise me no more secrets."

"I swear by the old gods and all my ancestors...No more secrets."

She takes his hand, "We have to legitimize Jon." They inform the family that Jon will be legitimized and made a proper member of the family. All the Lords of the North are invited to Winterfell. A feast is held to honor Jon Stark.

"I told you my father would come around." Robb says to Bran.

"Yes you did, now we must unite the North and the Free Folk as allies."

"After everyone leaves we will take the first steps..."