Winterfell, 279 AC
Eddard Stark has just turned 16 since a few weeks, and is now free to travel between the Eyrie and Winterfell, his home. He leaves The Eyrie on this morning, a letter by his heart. Robert has given it to him and he knows what is written. He has nodded to him, and then left on his horse. Ned is happy to see his father again, and his siblings. He loves Jon Arryn, of course, but still, his blood is his blood. He has taken with him a few men, just in case they could be attacked by bandits. The travel is safe, tho, and they arrive in Winterfell within a few days.
Eddard is welcomed by his sister Lyanna, first, then Brandon and Benjen. Rickard, their father, lets them welcome him before embracing him in turn, in a tight hug.
"Hello, my son", he says with a smile.
"Father", Ned nods, smiling too. "We need to talk…"
Rickard wraps an arm around his shoulders and leads him in the castle.
Eddard is chewing on a piece of meat and some cheese, staring at his father. A huge grin has enlightened his face when he has read the letter. He rolls up the parchment and turns to his son:
"Brandon with Lady Tully, Lyanna with Lord Baratheon… What about you, Ned? Who would you marry?" he asks before laughing heartily.
Ned smiles slightly, and looks down.
"What is it, Ned?"
He hears the sound of the chair's legs scraping the slabs of the room and looks up at his father.
"You do not look enthusiast. You say Robert is very close to you, that you love him very much."
Ned nods:
"I do, Father."
"Then why do you look so stern?" Rickard asks, leaning his hand on his son's shoulder. Eddard looks up at him, and his grey eyes lock his father's.
"I love Robert with all my heart, and I would love him to marry Lyanna. He would become my brother, and it will be a great alliance… Starks and Baratheons…"
He does not finish his sentence, but Rickard feels there is something else.
"But?" he encourages him.
As much as Brandon and Lyanna are loud and outgoing, Benjen and Ned are pretty shy and quiet. Rickard has always felt the wild blood running in his eldest son and only daughter's veins will cause their downfall.
"I do not know if Robert will be a good husband", Ned admits. "Especially to someone like Lyanna."
"Ned", Rickard sighs and sits by him.
"Your sister needs to be tamed now. She is old enough to realize what her place is. She is a Lady; she will always be, even tho she does not want to be one. That is who she was, that is who she was born to be. Girls… Girls always dream about princes, romantic love… Pah" he huffs with disdain. "Love marriage are not always the greatest ones, remember that, Ned. Love takes time to be built, a lot of time. It is not love before several years, believe me. But which is the strongest, Ned? A slowly built house, with maybe raw materials, or a pretty house built hastily? Which one will resist the winds of winter, the snow storms?"
"The slowly built one", Ned answers.
"Exactly. When the one built hastily will collapse with the slightest wind. Well, love is exactly the same thing. We all want to live passion, to know a unique love in our lives. Only a few of us know the most tempting things are also the most dangerous ones."
Eddard watches his father take a quill and ink: he writes a few words, rolls the parchment up, places an insegel on it and holds the letter to Ned, who takes it silently.
"You will tell your friend we are very pleased by this proposal, and that we accept do not worry about Lyanna. She likes him. She told me so when we came back from the Eyrie, last time we visited you. Now", he places his strong hand on his son's hair, and ruffles it quite brutally, "get rid of this stern look and join your siblings. I am sure you all have a lot to tell each other."
Ned smiles slightly and stands up, walks to the door, leans on the handle, and turns to his father:
"Shall I talk to Lyanna about this?"
Rickard shakes his head briefly:
"I will."
Ned smiles again and closes the door behind him. As soon as he is sure his father doesn't see him anymore, he loses his smile.