Eddard IV

"What? Really, Why did he do that?" his son asked bewildered, suddenly sitting up on the makeshift bed in his tent,

"I don't know, Jamie Lannister is a hard one to read, he has a misguided view of honour, sometimes, he does the right thing but in the wrong ways like killing the Mad King, maybe he is trying to redeem himself. Get your strength back, then we will go spe

ak to him together," he told him, and turned around to leave his son to rest.

"Father, wait, I need to tell you something."

He turned around to look at his son, seeing an anxious and guilty look on his face, he knew something was up, walking back concerned to his son.

"What's happened?" he asked.

"Roslin is with child, my child. A Maester checked her out in White Harbour. I'm sorry I have besmirched our family honour, my honour."

"Son, she is to be your wife, I understand you were grieving for Theon and worried about your brothers and mother. Thank you for telling me. You will be married within a week, then we can announce this but just remember next time your feelings get ahead of your honour think what repercussions it could have. What if it hadn't been Roslin but another girl, and you felt it was necessary to marry her to keep her honour intact, that could have had drastic affects, breaking the marriage contract with the Freys, or it could have at least earned the scorn of your future wife."

"I understand father, I am sorry."

"Rest son, we will talk later," and with that he left to go find Ser Jamie.

After a few hours he brought Ser Jamie to Robb's tent, where he waited from them.

As they walked, he couldn't help but not ask him before they saw Robb. "Why did you save my son, it's not that I am not grateful, but after all the death you have caused and the people you killed. You saved my son after he was one of the leaders of the war that destroyed your family."

He watched Jamie, shake his head, his golden main swaying from side to side, "NO!, My family destroyed my family. MY sisters constant scheming and plotting, making enemies, where none existed, my Father always thinking he was better than everyone, ruling with fear but no love and I followed them, I would have done anything for my family and that is what cost me everything," he answered sadly, a tear dripping from his eye, "I lost the women I loved, my father who raised me, in some way, I even lost my brother the only person who really cared about me and gave me true advise and then I won my freedom, while losing what little honour I had left. With no family left to manipulate me I chose to follow to Ser Barristan's advice, he said to me, 'I remember a young knight, all eager and keen to win honour and glory. You have had your glory, now go earn your honour.'"

"So you saved my son for honour."

"No I saved your son because for once, I knew it was the right thing to do and for once it was a selfless act."

"Thank you again, but you know this doesn't make up for all the people you have killed, many of them my loyal banner men's children or men."

"I'm not asking for forgiveness, just a chance to make amends and try and live the rest of my life with a purpose."

He nodded, and stopped at Robb's tent, "I may have a purpose for you, we will talk later," he finished, holding open the canvas for Jamie to enter under and he followed him behind.

Robb was in there sitting up in his bed, his bare torso showing, where he had a few bruises and cuts that were bandaged up, he had an expression on his face of mixed emotions: anger and gratitude.

"Jamie Lannister, I wish to offer you my gratitude for saving my life, I don't know if I would have done the same thing, if I had been in your position."

"You would have, because you're a Stark," Jamie smirked.

Robb chuckled at that and even he let out a smile.

"I still have much to learn about what it means to be a Stark, but even though I am grateful, I can't forgive you, even though we were at war and it is the nature of the beast. You killed my best friend and many other people whom I considered close to me. Please leave because, I doubt I will be able to control my anger much longer," Robb spat out, gripping the bed frame tighter, making his knuckles turn white.

As Jamie turned to leave, he stopped him. "Wait Robb, I have strong feelings against him too, but he did just save your life for no reward and gain." Turning to Jamie, he spoke to him," You plan on joining the Night's Watch, to give you a purpose in life and try and earn your honour back, but the Nights Watch is not what it used to be, it is full of Thieves, cutthroats and murders, it is a shadow of what it once was."

"Then I will fit right in," he retorted back.

"Yes you may well do, but I am offering you a chance to not undo but to make up for the wrongs you have done to my family and the North. Journey with us back to Winterfell, protect my son and heir as we go back into war. Earn your honour buy protecting someone who you have wronged."

At that Jamie suddenly shouted, unleashing something, that had obviously been building up inside of him

"NO, NO, NO! How after all I have done, you are trusting me to look after your son, after I broke my vow and killed my king, after I again broke my vow and lay with a women and then broke my vow again by siding with my family rather than the true king. I am an oath breaker and a kingslayer and I have wronged your family more than you know!" and with that he stormed out, he followed after him, and looked behind him to see Robb struggling out of bed to do the same.

"Wait, what do you mean by that," he shouted after him, grabbing Jamie's shoulder and pulling him around.

Right in his face Jamie face him, then screamed, "I was the one who pushed bran out of the tower. I crippled your boy. Kill me then, execute me, I was not freed of this crime. Swing the Sword, Isn't that your way."

"No my way is Honour, and right now if I did that to you, I would have less than I did before. You admitted to it out of guilt, that shows courage and loathing of your own actions. Take my other and make amends for your action, there is a purpose for you now, you don't have a choice in it, You owe my family much."

With that he turned and left Jamie standing there shocked.

It had been 2 days now since Ser Jamie had saved Robb, people had initially been shocked by his decision to ask Jamie to serve as Robb's protector, giving that Jamie killed 4 of Robb's personal guard in the Whispering Wood. Harrion Karstark had been infuriated, saying it was a a dishonour to his brothers memories and their sacrifice. He had counter that saying it was honouring their sacrifice; Jamie regretted what he had done and was trying to make amends.

Slowly people were coming to accept it, and now they were close to Winterfell. He could see it's keep rising up in the distance, and saw a couple of riders coming out Winter's town, coming to meet the front of the column.

As they got closer he saw Ser Rodrik and another guardsman, he didn't recognise ride directly towards him.

"Lord Stark, it is good to see you again, I wish it was under better circumstances. I am sorry to announce your wife passed away last night, her wounds she received from Asha Greyjoy were 2 grievous for Maester Luwin to save her, I am sorry my lord," Rodrik informed him solemnly, not wanting to look him in the eye, "I failed you my lord, I am sorry."

He nearly fell off his horse at that announcement, tears were running his, he was pale white and felt close to fainting, "My sons, did you find them?" he asked quietly afraid of the answer.

"We got Rickon, he was taken by the Iron Born but Bran and the Reed Children are nowhere to be found along with his wolf, but we believe they were not captured but left on by their own free will, heading North, I have men out looking for them, and have also sent Ravens the Nights watch and the Last Hearth, asking them to send men out to look for them."

He didn't reply to that, he just solemnly looked down and charged on ahead to Winterfell.

He found Robb soon after they had arrived in Winterfell, he heard him before he saw him. Noise of steel hacking against wood in the godswood, as he turned the corner he saw him. The tree he was attacking had cuts all over it, he saw Robb, tears streaming down his face, so frustrated and angry. He turned to face him and saw the look of grief on his son's face.

"Why, why, why us," Robb howled in sorrow, "I never had the chance to say goodbye, I sent her back to Winterfell, I thought I would see her again, I was certain of it" he fell on the floor in frustration.

He approached his son kneeling down by him, and embracing him, ". In this world only winter is certain. Don't blame yourself Robb, we will get thought this, your mother loved you, you have done her and me proud. The funeral is tomorrow, then your wedding in 4 days, then we go to war."

Robb then looked at him with horror, "We are having a wedding in a time like this? Weddings don't matter now, we must make the Greyjoys pay."

"They will son, and we will swing the sword but you will get married in 4 days, you took a vow, and you promised Lord Walder that you would marry her when you returned to Winterfell. You will do your duty, Robb as I taught you!"