Chapter 12

The feast was magnificent, Ned had to admit. Winterfell's cooks had outdone themselves once again. Roast venison, pork loin, beef, various kinds of game fowl, and freshly baked loaves of bread, vegetables cooked in sumptuous sauces, and plenty of drink to go round. All the guests seemed to be enjoying their selves. The hall was filled with the sounds of laughter, jokes both innocent and lewd, and much merrymaking.

Robert was in discussion with Razvahn while drinking his fourth cup of wine, though about what, Eddard did not know. Perhaps reminiscing about past battles and conquests. He sat with Catelyn and their children; Codren, Helayna, Markella, Vasylay, and little Badun. He saw Codren tell a joke to his youngest siblings, and smiled as they laughed. Looking around, he saw the Royal Westerosi family sitting with their mother next to Robert. Queen Cersei seemed haughtily bored, daintily picking at her meal, while her children looked around with some trepidation. It was obviously their first time seeing so many, if any, shadowborn and shadar-kai, though Joffrey, Robert's eldest, looked more disgusted than afraid. To his right, his uncle, Darren Lannister, appeared to be engrossed with his meal. Many of the Lannister and Baratheon men were mingled with the soldiers of House Korlon and House Stark's Garrison, albeit reluctantly.

All of a sudden, Robert rose from his seat, along with King Razvahn, and spoke. "Everyone, please, listen. Your king and I have an important announcement!"

Everyone turned to the two kings with rapt attention. Razvahn cleared his throat. "King Robert and I have come to an agreement that, to seal friendship between our two kingdoms, and in lieu of his previous Hand's tragic passing…."

Robert finished the sentence "Through the Compact of Shadows, due to my kingdom's need, I hereby proclaim Eddard Stark, my friend and comrade of 17 years, as my new Hand!"

Razvahn raised his goblet of wine. "A toast to my cousin, Ned, and to his new position! May this help cement our two nations in bonds of peace and friendship for many years!

At this, all the other guests raised their cups in a toast, accompanied by a rising cheer.

xxxxx

After the festivities had drawn to a close, and the guests had gone to their rooms to rest their drunken heads (Robert going to his room with a curvaceous shadar-kai woman upon his arm, her screams were quite loud at times), Ned and Catelyn watched their eldest son, Codren, entertain the rest of the children. Codren was a perfect amalgamation of his parent's blood lines, at least in appearance, with the grey skin, piercings, combat scars, and tattoos of his father, and the facial structure and height of his mother. His eyes were a peculiar mixture of black and blue, while his hair was pitch black with several red and white streaks.

With a smile, he turned to his wife. "Have the children got to bed. I will join you latter. I need to visit the crypts."

Catelyn's smile lessened somewhat at that, but she nodded at his request none the less. At that, he gave her a kiss, than turned and walked down the hall to the family crypts.

As he entered the dark hallway, he noted the statues on either side, the most recent being Razvahn's father, King Ioan the Wild. He had been a fair ruler, if a little harsh with his punishments. The Old King had died in battle against renegade mountain tribesman years earlier.

More statues lined each side of the long hallway, the ancient shadar-kai kings, all the way to Razvahn the Conqueror. Beyond and below him were the few Kings of Winter, from a time long past when the Starks had ruled the land that would become Ikemmu. Starting from Jonnel One-Eye, the Last King of Wolves, and ending at Brandon the Builder. At the end of the hallway, there was a large, oaken door, sturdy and strong. Steeling himself, Ned gave a powerful knock upon it. A moment later, he heard a voice, at once young but at the same time incredibly ancient. "You may enter."

Grabbing the key that hung around his neck, as it had those of his ancestors, he inserted it into the lock. As Ned swung the door gently inward, the glow of a small fireplace lit the room. It was a modest space. It consisted of a bed, which seemed unused, a shelf full of books, a writing desk, which looked well used, and a chair, upon which sat the person whom Ned had come to speak with, watching him as he entered the room.

Torrehn Stark could be considered one of House Korlon and House Stark's most jealously guarded secrets. Physically, he appeared to be a dangerously thin shadar-kai at most ten years older than Eddard, with his most distinctive features being the wolf heads tattooed upon his gaunt cheeks, and his eyes, with one black and the other white, though in truth, he was much, much older. No one knew what he was, only that he had existed since the time of Uwan IV centuries ago. The family records gave little information of his past, stating only that he hailed from Ned's ancestry, and that his advice had served the houses of Korlon and Stark well.

Torrhen stared at him with his mismatched eyes of black and white, while dark shadows and bright lights idly danced upon his flesh. After a moment, the ancient stark spoke in a voice at once both youthful and vibrant, yet ancient and sickly. "What news do you have for me…. Eddard, was it?"

Ned replied. "Robert Baratheon, the current king of Westeros, has asked me to become his kingdom's new Hand."

Torrhen blinked, said nothing for a moment, and then asked "And I take it that you accepted?"

"Yes."

"Hmm. You do know that the Westerosi may not like an Ikemmian in such a position. Will the Compact allow this though?"

"Yes, I am aware of that. Yet, king Razvahn hopes that this will cement a friendship between the kingdoms. As a bonus, it falls under the hypothetical provisos of the Compact"

"Perhaps, though I think that is too optimistic. The Westerosi have always feared our kind, and maybe rightly so. Be wary down there, for the shadows, though they are strange in that place of sunlight, still speak of many ills. But, since you have made your decision already, I suppose you want my blessing, descendant?"

Ned sometimes wondered if Torrhen still felt any emotion at all. Eddard could never say that he loved his ancestor in any familial manner, and he was sure Torrhen felt the same about any number of his descendants, but still, this was a being who had lived for countless centuries, who had lived through times of myth when they were still fact. His very existence demanded respect. So yes, Eddard felt that it was necessary to receive the creature's blessing.

"Yes, if it pleases you, Torrhen."

"Very well. Kneel."

As Eddard knelt down upon one knee, Torrhen placed his claw-like, shadow-and-light wreathed hand upon Eddard's head. The being's flesh felt both cold, like frozen ice, and yet warm, like the rays of the sun. He then began to speak in a solemn, yet emotionless, tone, as the shadows and glowing lights covering his body began to slowly swarm over Eddard's. "I, Torrhen Stark of House Stark, do hereby give my blessing of acceptance to my descendant, Prince Eddard Stark. May he go far in his chosen course, and may he be kept safe. May he bring no shame upon the houses of Korlon and Stark, and may he remain proud as an Ikemmian, and a shadar-kai."

As he finished speaking, the moving shadows and lights retreated from Eddard's body to reform upon Torrhen's flesh. Eddard remained knelling for a moment longer, then released the breath he had not realized that he'd been holding, and stood up.

"Thank you, ancestor."

"For what it is worth, you are welcome. Now leave me. I must ponder a great deal."

At that, Eddard turned and left his ancestor's study, closed the door, and then left the crypt without looking back.