Eddard I

"Lord Eddard Stark, I would name you Hand of the King."

Ned dropped to one knee on the cold stones of the Stark crypt. The offer did not surprise him; what other reason would Robert have had for coming so far? The Hand of the King was the second-most powerful man in the Seven Kingdoms. He spoke with the king's voice, commanded the king's armies, and draft the king's laws. At times, he even sat upon the Iron Throne to dispense the king's justice. His old friend Robert offered him a responsibility no Stark had seen since Cregan Stark served under Aegon III, The Dragonbane. This was the last thing in the world Ned wanted. He could hear his beloved Cat already calling him a fool.

"Your grace," Ned said, "I am not worthy of this honor."

Robert laughed, and his belly shook. Robert's voice was gruff and seemed almost annoyed. "I'm not trying to honor you, Ned.

Ned interrupted, "I cannot accept. Starks don't do well in the South." Ned's eyes glanced toward his sister's statue and Robert glanced as well.

Robert took another step toward Lyanna's stone face. "She still haunts me, Ned. I married the most beautiful woman in the world, and yet the ghost of your sister still remains."

Ned rose to his feet, his hand touched Robert's shoulder. Ned couldn't believe what he was doing. He had said no to his king, to his friend. "She haunts me as well, Robert".

"A betrothal then! Your daughter and my son. I would make her a queen, and what a beautiful queen she would be. We were meant to be brothers. We would unite our houses."

Ned stood a little straighter, his gray eyes matching Robert's blues. "My Sansa is beautiful but naive. She will think your boy a perfect prince, and he may be. But even your letters tell me Joffrey is spoiled and too Lannister for his own good. What kind of man will he grow up to be after being raised there? Sansa would not fare well in the capital. I know, because I failed to prepare her for that kind of life."

Robert took a few steps back from Ned; there was a rage in his eyes. Ned thought he saw Robert rise to an even taller height before his shoulders collapsed, and Robert felt no taller than Ned. "You're Right, Ned. Damn You! See, this is why I need you with me in that shithole. I wasn't meant to rule; I was meant to fight and fuck. I traveled this far to be denied twice by my oldest friend but at least I get the truth for once. I failed that boy, there is no denying that. Maybe he will grow to be a man I can be proud of, but not when he hides beneath his mother's skirts."

Ned stood quietly, his long face gave out no emotion and this drove Robert to laugh. "Come on, damn you smile. You just denied your king twice, and yet you're still the sour one! We were raised together. We were meant to rule together. Starks do not do well in the South. Do you remember the Eyrie? I do. I think about it often. Jon was good to us, and we gave him a hell of a time, didn't we? Ned, you may be my friend but you cannot deny your king thrice.

Ned went to speak, but Robert's hand rose and Ned's voice was caught in his throat.

"Lord Eddard Stark, I command you to take my Tommen and Myrcella and raise them the way Jon did us. Let Tommen grow with your Bran and Rickon. Let him get into trouble with your Arya. Teach him to be a man the way Jon Arryn taught us. Let Sansa and Myrcella grow to become sisters. Who knows maybe my daughter will catch your Robb's eye"

Robert grabbed Ned into a hug, and he held it for what seemed like days. When their embrace ended, Robert had tears but he was smiling.

"I guess it's that stick in the ass, Stannis then."

Robert laughed, wiped away his tears, and walked away. Ned stared at Lyanna's statue as Robert's steps slowly faded.

The thoughts that ran through his head were endless. When was the last time he put his feelings above his duty? He never entertained such thoughts with his father or Jon Arryn. Only the argument with Robert after the deaths of Elia and her babes stood out to him. Even then, a part of him was trying to protect Robert from himself. From deep within, he heard Robert's voice and it was still seething…"Dragonspawn!" and Ned's eyes connected with Lyanna's.

"Dear sister, it may have been my words to Robert but it was your presence. I've kept my promise to you, the boy is safe and always will be. You would be proud of the man he is becoming."

Eddard breathed a sigh of relief, but it did not last for long. Winterfell was a chaotic mess before the King arrived and had only gotten worse when Robert emerged from the crypts.

"So he denied you. Do what you should have done and choose my father or brother."

"The wolf refused the stag. He would never dare to refuse the lion"

"What kind of King are you!"

"My children! In this frozen wasteland…NEVER!"

Robert and his queen raged for hours and the castle sat and listened. Terms like savages, northern beasts, fools, whores, and idiots were thrown around. A few times Catelyn looked at Ned disapprovingly. He had refused to make his daughter a queen, a Southern lord would never have turned down the opportunity.

When night fell, the castle grew quiet again, but the morning hours were interrupted by the sounds of arguing between Queen Cersei and Lord Commander Barristan Selmy.

"Who are you to deny me my right. I am taking Joffrey, a dozen guards, the hedge knights, and the Kingsguard of my choice"

Barristan stood before her in his gleaming white scaled armor. Behind Cersei, a few mounted Lannister soldiers waited. Jaime leaned against a wall waiting for one of them to break.

"My queen, I am Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. You may take your brother and ser Boros. The rest will stay in Winterfell with the King. But, I must remind you of the dangers a group like yours may face on the road back to King's Landing."

"Yes, I am your queen. I am glad you remember. When his royal oaf awakens, remind him who I am. I am not going back to King's Landing, I am going to Casterly Rock to tell my Lord father what has occurred here."

Cersei's face was red, and her hair a mess. She was not the perfect queen who arrived the day before. Jaime mounted his horse, ser Boros followed and the Queen's retinue left Winterfell.

Ned noticed ser Barristan's shoulders finally lowered as he approached him.

"ser Barristan, I will double the guard to make sure the king is safe."

"No need Lord Stark. In another castle, I would have thanked you and moved on. But, the King is safer here than he is in the Red Keep. However, once the king awakens, you and I will need to speak with him."

"Aye, when he rises then."

Ned watched as Sir Barristan left and he sat in his solar lost in his thoughts. Until he heard Robert's voice booming down his hallway and then the knock came.

As Ned rose to his feet as Robert opened the door and entered with ser Barrristan.

Robert sat in a huff and motioned for ser Barristan to sit.

"Ser Barristan has informed me of this morning's events. Speak no more of it, Ned. I'm glad to hear that she left. I will speak to Cat and your children myself. No king or queen should act that way. Especially me, Ned. When I return to King's Landing, I will make sure to send you enough gold to repair every keep in the North." Robert laughed, but ser Barristan sat stone-faced next to him.

Ned shook his head and sulked. What have you become Robert? Ned looked down toward his desk and breathed two shallow breaths. "Robert, may I be honest with you?"

Robert took a small drink from a glass, and his eyes told Ned to go on.

"Would you payoff another lord for a small slight. Aye, you and the royal family embarrassed yourselves and soon other keeps will hear of it. The taverns will be filled with snickering. But, gold for this?"

Robert sat back in his seat and looked at Commander Selmy. "Ned, I was just trying to soften this…"

"Soften what Robert! You had an argument with your wife. What happened to the Robert that killed Lord Fell in single combat, and then befriended Fell's own son to his cause. It's like you've forgotten who you are."

Robert stood, Lord Selmy and Stark waited for his rage to consume them but it didn't. Robert breathed and took a few steps around Ned's solar, his hand tracing the wood carvings. "This is why I need you, Ned, I need someone to speak to me the way you just did. Jon tried, but."

"Robert, I can speak to you like this in Winterfell. This is my home. But, would you react like this in the small council chambers? Or would you rage at me and storm off for feeling slighted."

Lord Selmy held up his hand, his white armor perfect in the early morning light. "Lord Stark is right. I've seen Lord Arryn try to speak with you. A snide remark from Renly or a twist of Baelish's beard would anger you and you would storm off. My King, you can sometimes seem unwilling to rule."

"I WASN'T MEANT TO RULE! That damned chair, I should have melted it down and cast it into the sea!"

"Robert!", Ned's voice boomed. It was his lord's voice, the same one he heard his father use as a child. "You were meant to rule, you were supposed to rule Storm's End like your father before you. Aye, I've never felt the weight of a crown, but Robert you act like it's the weight of the world. You have a small council to advise you, not control you."

Ned could see Robert was annoyed at the suggestion that he was being controlled. But, Ned had known Robert for a long time. He was also listening and thinking. Ned remembered the face from when they were children.

"Ned, I know I have fallen. Gods, am I Aerys all over again?"

Ned shook his head, looking at the small carvings on his desk. "No Robert, you are not the mad king, but you haven't been a great king. There has been peace in the realm. You and Jon Arryn mended the realm, all except the Dornish. With the relationships you made, you could have been a great king, but you have fallen. There is time to make changes."

Ser Barristan raised his hand and spoke. His voice was direct but calm. "If I may? You need to take the small council to the task. Aerys was mad, but almost every man at that table served at the dragon's behest. The only one who served someone else advised him to open the gates to Tywin Lannister. I'm sure Lord Stark does not need to be reminded of the events that followed."

Brief flashes appeared in Ned's memories. Burning buildings, women defiled, and men dead by the hundreds. Ned could hear the Kingslayer's voice echoing. He could hear his feet running through the Red Keep trying to get the prince and princess. Ned felt a chill, he could see the faces of Great Jon Umber and Mark Ryswell.

"The Lannisters have soiled their name and Robert's reign before it began. Take as many men as you can to secure the Red Keep. Send out the rest of our men to put out fires and stop the slaughter."

In Ned's memory, Jon's face grew older but Mark's youthful face just faded away.

Ned watched as Robert listened, with small head nods and fierce eyes. Robert moved across the room and took a seat in a small chair located in the corner. If only Robert knew, that chair was reserved for Ned's children when they were in trouble. Robert dipped his head and face into his hands. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse.

"I've listened, and I cannot say I disagree. Gods, what have I become?. How did I not listen to Jon all these years?" Robert laughed to himself, and Ned saw a brief smile. "The old falcon tried though, didn't he. I need some time to think. Ned, I know I have caused you and Cat enough problems to last ten lifetimes. But, If you permit me, I would stay here for a few more days before heading south. Barristan thinks I should leave Mandon Moore and Arys Oakheart here and I've agreed. Most of the hedge knights who came north with us left with Cersei."

Ned stood and called for Jory Cassell. Cassel opened the door quickly and stood at attention. "Yes, my lord." Ned appreciated Jory's dutifulness. He took his role as captain of the guard seriously but still had time to laugh and play with Ned's children.

"Jory, King Robert, and his retinue will be staying for a few more days. I want another twenty of our household guards to accompany him on his way to King's Landing. I will write to Lord Manderly to provide another twenty of his knights."

"Yes, my lord. It will be done"

As the door closed, Robert smiled. "That is Martyn's boy. He's a good lad."

Ned smiled at Robert's words. Did Robert really remember Martyn? "The Cassels have served the Starks of Winterfell proudly. Jory would give his life for me and my children."

Robert stood up in a huff, he pushed down his finely-made black and gold doublet. "Ned, I have one more kingly request."

Ned stood, his face gave off worry. Even Lord Selmy looked at Robert in wonder. Ned slightly nodded, and as Robert opened the door to Ned's solar. He blurted out, "Before we break our fast tomorrow, I want to see if my war-hammer can still put you on your ass."

Ned watched Robert leave his solar laughing as he made his way down the hall.

"Lord Commander!"

Selmy turned and Lord Stark stood in the doorway to his solar. Stark's tone was intense but his voice muffled.

"Earlier you said my home was safer than the Red Keep. Was that said in jest or"

"No Lord Stark, I never jest about the King's safety".

Selmy took steps to close the gap between them before they spoke, "Lannister Red Cloaks out number Baratheon almost five to one. Those are the ones we know of."

Ned knew his face gave away his emotions. His eyes felt hard but his mouth was open.

"How could Robert…"

Ned stopped himself. He already knew the answer and he could tell Selmy knew as well.

"You leave within a week, Lord Commander. By the time you leave, you will have sixty soldiers from House Stark for your journey. Strong, and loyal men. A raven will fly before nightfall ordering House Manderly to provide more Knights and men-at-arms to join you at Moat Cailin. I will write to my good father to provide for more men from the Riverlands."

Ned watched as the Lord Commander nodded in approval, and his hand touched Ned on his shoulder.

"The North and the Riverlands put him in the Red Keep. We will protect him if needs be."