Hey Hey, Happy belated Easter everyone. Here's another chapter.

Enjoy and please review.

Chapter 43 – Important Meetings

Ned grimaced in pain as he arose from his bed. Jon had really slammed him into his desk the day before as the pain had seemed to have multiplied in intensity overnight. He stretched then groaned aloud as the bruised area on his back flared in pain.

"Ned? Are you alright? Are you in much pain?" The sleepy voice of Cat washed over him in the pre-dawn darkness.

Ned gave her a soft smile.

"I'm fine my love. Go back to sleep. I'm sorry I woke you."

Cat just shook her head and smiled back.

"I'm awake now my love. Go and wash up. I'll apply more salve to your bruises and make sure Maester Lewin has a dose of painkiller for you at breakfast."

"Make sure it's willow bark tea, not milk of the poppy. I need my wits about me this day." He told her as he headed for the wash room while Cat instructed the servant who came into light lamps and stoke the fire back into life, to give her message to Maester Lewin.

It was Cat's turn to grimace after the servant left to carry out her instructions. Lewin, she knew always rose before dawn. He claimed that he got half the day's work done before the castle arose and life continued as normal.

If Ned was willing to accept a painkiller, even a mild one, then the pain must be worse than he was willing to admit yesterday. She sighed in exasperation. Her husband was a stubborn old fool. If he'd allowed Maester Lewin to examine him last night before they retired for the night, Ned wouldn't be in this much pain this morning.

Cat lay in the bed silently, enjoying the small moment of peace before she had to assume her mantle as the Lady of Winterfell. Life had been hectic for quite some time and having both Robert and Tywin in residence was wearing at her already and they had only just arrived! She was constantly worried that they might find out about Jon and thanked all the Gods she could think off that he looked like a Stark and not his birth father's family.

Another thing that worried her was Sansa's impending betrothal. While she had no problem with Tyrion himself anymore, she didn't trust Tywin at all. His reputation as a ruthless, pragmatic man didn't install any of her faith in him either and while she knew that he would protect Sansa if she married Tyrion, she also knew that Tywin wouldn't hesitate to use her if it helped further his plans. She could only hope that Sansa, backed up by Tyrion, could handle him.

If she was being honest though, it was the Robert who worried her the most.

They were currently sitting on a barrel of unstable wildfire, while playing with fire. Not only was there the constant worry that someone would tell Robert about Jon's true birth status but Gendry, Robert's oldest bastard son was also in residence at the same time as two of Robert's so-called "legitimate" children and the differences between them couldn't be denied. Someone was bound to notice something eventually and tell Robert, although if she was remembering correctly what Tyrion and Jon had told her about the Time Before, Stannis already knew or was already suspicious about the truth of the "Baratheon's" children's birth and if Robert died early once again, it was possible that Stannis would use that fact in order to try and claim the throne away from Cersei and Joffrey.

And Ned would not allow him to.

House Stark would kneel to Jon and no other if that happened. Ned had declared it and she agreed.

Jon, poor Jon, was the right and rightful King. She agreed with her husband that Jon was the King that Westeros needed going forward but to declare that at this time would start a civil war that must be avoided at all costs.

She was brought out of her thoughts when Ned returned to the room without his shirt on and sat on the edge of the bed. Cat sighed and got out from under the covers, shivering in the morning cold as she put on her robe and reached for the salve pot. She once again sat behind him and started to apply the salve to the now black bruise that spread across his lower back.

Ned hissed as she starting applying the salve.

"I'm amazed that a boy of almost sixteen namedays had the strength to bruise you this badly." Cat commented.

"Jon's a lot stronger then I remember him to be and he was very angry with me. Normally he wouldn't have been able to do something like this, but he's changed. I keep forgetting that he's not a child anymore. He's a grown man in a child's body and he won't legally be a child for long. He's almost at the age of majority. He moved so fast that I couldn't track him properly. He surprised me."

Ned grunted in pain as Cat accidently put pressure on a particularly sensitive spot.

"Had this happened but a year ago, I would have had him whipped from one end of Winterfell to the other, regardless of what you wanted." Cat sighed in despair over her past behaviour in regards to Jon.

"It's amazing how much can change in a year. How do you feel about Jon now my love?" Ned asked her curiously.

"His being away for a good portion of it helped. I was able to think and come to terms about a few things. I really treated him horribly and while I wasn't sorry at the time, I now look back on it and wonder how much of that hatred came from me and how much of it came from Petyr's insidious words. The man is a snake! Actually no, that's an insult to snakes. He's less then dirt?…Oh I don't know. All I know is that I want to strangle him with my own hands!"

Ned chuckled then groaned as Cat once again pressed too hard on his bruises.

"I understand your feelings about him Cat. I too wish to kill the man. Everything that happened to us, to our children in the Time Before was ultimately his fault and I refuse to let it happen again. This time, we'll be ready for him." Ned declared.

Cat shook her head as she closed the pot and put it aside.

"No my love, you'll never by ready for a man like Petyr. His back-up plans have back-up plans! I have spoken to Tyrion in depth about Petyr and he truly is no longer the boy I once knew. He is cunning, conniving, unscrupulous and utterly without compassion or mercy. He will kill you with a song in his heart and a smile on his face if it will further his plans. The best we can do is to keep a very close eye on him and be prepared for anything he may try. Now that I think upon it, it may be best if you leave Petyr to me. He's still in love with me apparently so I can use that to my advantage in order to get information out of him."

Ned thoughtfully considered her words.

"You may be right. I wouldn't know how to deal with a man like Petyr as the old future proved. I believed that he would help me and he betrayed me due to his own self-interest. But then again, he betrayed everyone the last time around." He told her.

"Perhaps we can get Lord Varys on our side. He'd be an exceptional resource to have." Cat mused, as a glimmer of an idea started forming in her head.

"The Spider?! I appreciate your idea Cat but Varys? He's Robert's Master of Whispers, he'd never help us." Ned snorted.

"Don't be so hasty my love. If what Tyrion and Jon have told us about Varys remains the same, then he hates Petyr more than we do and would take great pleasure and satisfaction in bringing the man down."

"You do have a point there but that doesn't explain how we would get him on our side." Ned said.

"Not our side Ned exactly…"

"If not our side then who's"

"Jon's."

Ned stared at his wife in wide eyed bemusement.

"Hear me out my husband. Tyrion and Jon both told me that the one thing that Varys desires more than anything else are good rulers and a stable realm. He knows what Joffrey and Viserys are and what they're capable of. Daenerys is a non-issue here because as a female, she can't inherit over the males.
The second that Robert dies, Joffrey and his horrid mother will rip the Realm to shreds between them in a petty effort to get revenge on everyone they feel has insulted them or has the power to challenge them and we would be first on that list after Stannis and Renly! Tywin won't be able to control Joffrey. Tyrion told me that and I believe him.
It's the same thing with Viserys. The boy truly is his father, already mad and getting worse. He would plunge the Realm in to a war seeking revenge on those who were involved in dethroning his family and once again, the Starks would be on the list after Robert and his brothers!
What do you think Varys would do if he was offered a third option? A legitimate, true born, Targaryen. One who is not cursed with the Targaryen madness or the Lannister petty cruelty?"

Cat explained the beginnings of a plan that was starting to come to her the more she thought about it.

"It could work. Varys, by all indications, wants what we all want, stability and justice for all. I'm not sure why he thinks that Viserys can bring that to Westeros as it's clear he wouldn't but the Targaryen's, for all their personal problems and in fighting between them, untied seven independent kingdoms into a single functioning realm until Aerys tore it apart in his madness. The only other time I can think of that happening was eight thousand years ago during the Long Night in the Age of Heroes. If the Andals had never invaded, we may have stayed as a united people, building a civilization that rivalled Old Valyria during its height." Ned mused out loud.

"It's an awful risk to take though Cat. What happens if he decides to tell Robert instead? Varys is a survivor he'll switch his allegiances when and as he needs too."

"Why would he? Robert's reign has brought stability and peace to the realm it's true but at what cost? How many people died to put him on the throne? How many Houses no longer exist because of that war? Not to mention the peace won't last a day past Robert's death which may or may not happen now, I admit. He's bankrupted the realm with his appetites. Even Aerys, mad as he was, managed to keep realm out of debt and the people of King's Landing fed and watered." Cat said.

"Robert didn't bankrupt the realm Cat. He was telling me yesterday, before Tyrion interrupted us that they think that someone has been stealing from the crown. They suspect Petyr Baelish, but it could be anyone really. All they know is that the money that was put aside for the crown's use somehow slowly disappeared but they don't know how or where it disappeared too." Ned informed her.

It was Cat's turn to grunt.

"That doesn't surprise me. That they suspect Petyr that is. He has his fingers in many pies and where he doesn't have a personal presence; he has agents that work on his behalf. They could very well be right that he has been stealing from the realm. I did occasionally wonder in the past if his brothels made as much money as he seems to have acquired over the years. The amount seemed excessive for a brothel owner or even the Master of Coin to have."

Cat now frowned.

"Then again, he has claimed to make many lucrative investments over the years. Perhaps that's how he's been able to steal the money? I really don't know Ned. I know politics better than the King's financial issues." She complained.

Ned smiled.

"Best we leave that issue well alone. We'll have enough problems here in the North without borrowing southern troubles as well." He told her.

"Very true my love. So what are your plans for today? I believe you will be showing Robert and Tywin the wights today?"

"Yes I shall be but before that, I must speak to Tywin about Baelish's plots aimed at our Houses. I need to cut off any avenue that could be used to exploit either one of us. We don't need war between us right now. I also have the feeling that we'll get an answer for the betrothal so I shall need to speak to him about that as well. Hopefully we'll wrap up those issues quickly and then we can get onto the real reason why they're here in the first place." He informed Cat of his plans for the morning.

"I'm fairly sure the afternoon will be divided between Robert drinking away his shock and fear, and yes, he will feel fear. You'd be insane not too when confronted with those things, and Tywin asking me questions I can't really answer for fear that he'll think me insane!" Ned complained, the whine in his voice was something that Cat had never heard before from the Lord of Winterfell.

He sounded so put out about it that she couldn't help but giggle at him.

Ned gave her a sour look in return.

"Best finish getting dressed my love. Breakfast shall be soon. We've spent quite some time talking." Cat informed him as he realised that the room was lighter now the sun had risen.

Ned grabbed her and gave her a hearty kiss as she passed in front of him on her way to the washroom.

"Thank you, for everything my love."

Cat blushed.

"You're very welcome Ned." She replied with a kiss on his cheek then moved away and into the wash room while Ned finished getting dressed.

#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#

It wasn't long after breaking his fast that Ned found himself sitting in his solar with Tywin Lannister sitting in a chair opposite him, staring at each other in what most would consider a childish display of stubbornness over who would speak first.

"Well Lord Stark, you are the one who asked me to come to Winterfell and I suspect it's not just for the betrothal or the issue of the Others. So, why did you ask me to come?" Tywin asked him bluntly.

Ned decided to be just as blunt with his answer.

"We have a problem. There is a plot aimed at both our Houses, one that if it played out the way the planner wishes it too, will pit our Houses against one another in war."

He watched Tywin closely, seeing what his reaction to this news would be.

Tywin's nose flared as he sucked in a sharp breath and his eyes widened a fraction, and then just like that, his face went blank of all emotion.

Plots against him and his house was something Tywin was used too. There were always those who thought that they were strong enough to take him down and Tywin greatly enjoyed disabusing them of their deluded notions but someone using him to start a war with another Lord Paramount House was a new type of plot and spoke of someone planning a major play in the game by using him of all people to start a war, especially when that house is House Stark.

"Oh? And how long ago did you get this information? Is the source someone you trust?" He asked.

His tone however was full of deadly threat.

Ned knew he was treading a fine line here between the truth and a lie but he had no choice in the matter. Tywin would never believe that the source of this information had returned from the future.

"I received the information almost a year ago and have been investigating the claim ever since. As to whom my source is, they wish to remain anonymous for the time being but sufficed to say that I trust them completely. The information is accurate but incomplete. I am hoping you may have the resources to help." Ned informed the other Lord.

Tywin considered what he'd just been told. That Eddard Stark had had this information for a year already and had not informed him angered him a little but he could understand the other Lord not wanting to pass on anything about this until he was sure it was a genuine threat to both of them.

"Do you know what they have planned and who is responsible for this?"

"I don't know who is responsible for this plan yet and as I said, the information I do have is incomplete but I do know that someone of high rank and close to me, most likely Jon Arryn or Robert will die and the blame for their death will be placed on the Queen and her brother."

Tywin's eyes widened again.

"Why my children?"

"I don't know Lord Tywin. One possible reason is that the Queen and Ser Jamie have not been very…discreet… shall we say about their opinions of the King in while in public. It's something that could possibly be used point a finger in their direction, even if they are innocent. In King's Landing the truth is only another rumour to the court as you well know." Ned was being very, very careful. He didn't need Tywin finding out the truth about the twins right now. He needed Tywin's attention focused on the war to come.

It could have worked, Tywin admitted. His ambitions to seat his family on the throne weren't exactly secret and Cersei's contempt for Robert was openly acknowledged throughout the realm also not to mention that there were any number of people who would love to see him and his family disgraced.

The entirety of Dorne for instance.

"This is why you sent the betrothal isn't it?" Tywin asked him shrewdly, knowing the answer already.

"Yes, this is why. I'm attempting to cut off any potential avenues that someone could use against us. War is coming, the Long Night is coming, we need to stand together in order to survive it, not tearing Westeros apart in a bloody civil war."

Ned was determined not to let Petyr Baelish win this time.

Tywin studied the other Lord closely while he absorbed the information he had been given. Ned had a good point he knew and a marriage alliance was one sure way to stop such a potential war dead in its tracks, but was that the only reason? Tywin wondered.

"If what you say is true then a marriage alliance between our houses would be the best way to stop such a plot, but, it would also be the best way for you to secure my help for a war against an enemy I'm still not convinced is real."

And a war he really couldn't afford to wage at the moment either. No one as yet had found out that the mines of Casterly Rock had finally run dry. They had yet to locate any new veins of gold and Tywin had been silently cursing his own stupidity in drowning the rich mines of Castamere as doing that made them inaccessible to him

They still had their savings and investments but that gold would not last forever and it would disappear even more quickly if he had to finance a war as well as support Robert's rule and while Tyrion had accepted the betrothal, he had yet to make his own decision o on the matter.

"Perhaps then, we should suspend out talks here for the time being. I had planned to show you the proof of wights a little later but as it's central to our discussions, you should see for yourself before you make any further decisions. Shall we meet at the stables in say an hour?" Ned asked him.

Tywin inclined his head in agreement

"It will be as you say Lord Eddard. I shall bring Keven with me as well as a small escort."

"Very well. I need to inform Robert and Stannis of the change of plans. One hour then Lord Tywin?"

"One hour Lord Eddard."

And with that, Tywin headed out the door and back to his rooms in order to collect his brother and organise a small escort while Ned head in the other direction looking for Robert and Stannis to inform them of the change of plans.

#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#

The woods were unnaturally silent.

Aside from the occasional stirring of leaves as the wind blew, all normal sounds of the Wolfwoods had been quiet for the last half hour of their ride to the old logging camp.

Jon estimated that they had been riding for almost two hours by now and all natural sounds had vanished. The only sounds they heard now were the ones that the men who were currently occupying the small logging camp were making.

When they had first entered the woods, the birds and small animal sounds were normal but as they got closer to the previously abandoned camp, the animal noises had tapered off into an eerie silence, as if they were afraid to make noise, afraid to be noticed.

The animals that made these woods their home knew that something unnatural, something that they could not fight and win against was currently occupying their home and their natural instincts were to flee the area or fall silent and hide.

Jon really didn't blame them. He too felt the flight or fight instinct come to the fore in his body, only in his case, he automatically resorted to fight. It was an impulse that had gotten him into a lot of trouble in the future/past. The Battle of the Bastards was just one of the more glaring examples of his impulsiveness getting in the way of rational thinking.

He wasn't the only one feeling the flight or fight instincts stirring in his body. The thirty strong party that were currently making their way down the road were all shifting restlessly in response to the strange feeling in the air. They didn't know what it was that was making them feel that way but they knew that something was. Even Tywin who was normally stoic and emotionless was shifting in his saddle and glaring at the trees surrounding them.

"What is that? Is that them Ned?" Robert growled as he also shifted uncomfortably in his saddle, his hand automatically moving to grasp the shaft of the heavy mace he currently wore on his person. He still couldn't wield his war hammer properly and didn't really enjoy wielding swords but he could still crush a man's head in with a mace.

"I'm unsure Your Grace. The last time I checked in with the camp personally, there was something but it was a nebulous and fleeting sensation that was focused closely to the prison where they are kept. It seems that this mysterious feeling they give off has gotten a lot stronger if it's reaching this far." Ned commented worriedly. He shot a quick look at Jon who shook his head.

Jon clenched his jaw harder. This wasn't the wights he knew. Wights didn't have any ability to generate such a supernatural presence. Their biggest advantage was the mind shattering, gut loosening, shit your pants in terror appearance. No one is prepared to see an army of dead bodies descending on them and not have some sort of extreme reaction. No, this sort of presence came from the something else.

To Jon, this felt like a warning to stay away.

The party rounded the last bend in the road to only to see the camp a short way ahead of them. It was bustling with activity, with men going about whatever business currently occupied their time. A shout went up from soldiers standing guard in front of the open gate, suddenly, all activity stopped for a moment as those able to see out the gate saw their Liege Lord approaching with the King and Lannisters no less!

A loud voice rang out.

"Get in ranks! Your King and Liege Lord approaches!"

The yard erupted into frantic activity as those who didn't have vital duties to attend to raced to form ranks. From out of that frantic chaos, a tall man strode with the confident stride of a veteran soldier and an air of absolute command. The older greying man, Jon hadn't met in person in the Time Before but from what he had been told this could be no other than Brendyn Tully, the legendary Blackfish of the Riverlands and Knight of the Bloody Gate in the Vale.

What on earth was he doing here of all places?

"Ho Ned! Good to see you. Did you bring those supplies? My men are perishing for a drop of ale and bread that isn't three days old and mouldy! Your Grace, the Lions I expected to see, you, I didn't." Ser Brendyn Tully greeted the leaders of the party as they entered the new wooden gates that now allowed entry into the now walled off camp.

"Stannis." He greeted with a nod, receiving a nod of acknowledgement in return.

"Tywin." Brendyn's tone was curt. It was no secret that he didn't like Tywin and that he had no problem with Tywin knowing about it either.

Tywin let a small amused smile slip through his otherwise stone hard facade.

"Blackfish." He answered.

Brendyn Tully amused him. Had it been anyone else showing such disrespect, his reaction would have been very different, but as he actually respected the old bastard, he found the Blackfish's dislike of him amusing as he always made no attempt to modify his behaviour as most would.

Brendyn eyed the rest of party with interest but when his eyes turned to Jon and Tyrion, the interest turned into introspection and speculation.

The hairs of the back of Tyrion's and Jon's necks went up at the look in the Blackfish's eye.

"Brendyn. It's good to see you too. Yes I brought the supplies. The wagons are about an hour behind us. We were in a bit of hurry. Our guests wish to see the proof." Ned explained.

"Ah, very well. You've picked an interesting time to come. I suppose you've noticed that weird…vibe…that seems to be lurking outside the walls. Well, it's been slowly building for the last month. It started as just a feeling, like there were eyes watching us but then it started to turn into that feeling of…stay away, is the best I can describe it. I've no idea where it came from though; I've no experience in magic so I hope you brought someone with you that can explain it because the men are getting very jumpy." Brendyn explained as they made their way into the centre of the camp, his eyes once again drifting towards Jon and Tyrion.

Three distinct high pitch unnatural screeches pierced the air, making everyone in the vicinity, cringe and cover their ears. Even Jon, Sam and Tyrion winced in pain.

Now that was a sound they had not missed at all!

"Oh and then there's that." Brendyn's tone was one of apology, as he jerked his thumb in the direction of a new building situated in the centre of the camp's U shaped layout.

"They are not happy. Oh they are very much not happy at all!" Jon muttered just loud enough for Tyrion and Sam to hear.

Sam and Tyrion glanced at each other in concern. To them, the screams emitted by the wights sounded exactly as they always did, eerie and unsettling. They never had reason to attribute emotions to the screams of the wights before.

And neither had Jon.

It was yet another indication that something was going on with Jon. More and more lately, he had made strange and sometimes downright cryptic comments that only seemed to make sense to him but when questioned about it, he couldn't tell you why he knew what he knew, he just knew.

The party dismounted their horses and handed the reins over to a group of men that had been waiting for them. They would lead the horses to the stable on the other side of the camp. It was the only place where the horses wouldn't kick up a fuss, literally. They had originally tried to stable the horses in the old stable but the horses couldn't tolerate be that close to building that now held the wights. One particularly highly agitated young stallion had actually managed to kick the door off his stall and bolted into the surrounding forest. It had taken almost four days to find the horse. It had been at that point that the decision to move the stables to behind the kitchen building was made.

The entire party studied the new building with interest.

It was a square building, around the size of the King's rooms he remembered from in King's Landing the last time he had been there. Dany had insisted on "christening" the room. It had a high roof and stout wooden walls constructed from northern Ironwood, the silvery/grey shine of the wood was unmistakeable. There were no windows and it appeared to have an opening in the roof where smoke was currently escaping. The door and the frame it rested in appeared to be made of steel though and had massive brackets on the wall either side of the door with a heavy iron bar leaning against the wall, along with three locks and a trick handle.

Jon was a little impressed. It seems that his father truly had taken account how dangerous these monsters could be. It probably wouldn't stop a determined horde or an Other who wanted to get in or out but to hold three wights, it was just enough.

"They in there?" Robert asked, his eyes glued to the building.

Ned nodded and Brendyn answered him aloud.

"Aye they are. We doused the fires this morning. The smoke should have mostly cleared out so it will be safe to enter."

"Fires?" Tywin asked.

"Fires. It's one thing that will deter them or so our Free Folk guide advised us. They've been dealing with the dead longer then we have so if they tell me fire kills them then you better believe I'm going to have fire close at hand!" Brendyn exclaimed.

"Speaking of your guide, where is he? I was expecting him to be here. I wished to speak to him." Ned asked Brendyn who shrugged.

"No clue. He slipped out a couple of hours ago now. Said he had to meet someone and would be back in time. Guess he got caught up in something…" Brendyn said before he was cut off.

"Sorry we're late."

Heads turned to the left only to see three of the Free Folk standing there in their standard furs. Two men and a woman stood there, staring at the assembled group.

"Now, there's a colourful flock of birds. Rich birds too by the looks. Can I pluck em Mance?" The woman sniffed and on Jon had to conceal a grin even as his heart twisted in pain.

Ygritte stood in front of him, her bow was relaxed in her hand. Her beautiful read hair loose for once, bouncing free over her shoulder, green eyes glinting with a mixture of mischief and distain for the southern "kneelers" before her.

Mance and Severn the guide both groaned aloud and covered their faces in shame, while the King's party was silent as they didn't know what to make of this brash, loud woman in front of them.

Robert however laughed hard.

"Gods! I like her! A woman who's not afraid to say what she thinks! What's your name girl?"

Jon kept a straight face with difficulty. This would either go great or be an absolute disaster.

Ygritte's eye's narrowed at the King, studying him closely. In her experience, kneelers didn't act like this! They were all prim, proper and polite with their twisty words and ways. It's why the Folk didn't trust the kneelers. How could you trust someone who didn't speak their mind?

"What's my name to you old man? What's yours?"

Mance and Severn were now frantically trying to signal to Ygritte to shut the hell up but she wasn't paying any attention to them.

Robert's eyes narrowed at the "old man" comment but his grin hadn't lost its strength. Now while most would accuse Robert of being stupid, he really was far from it. He had made the most of traveling with the Manderly escort and the boat crew and had questioned them closely about the Free Folk and the more he learned, the more he had come to respect these strong, wild and free people of the far north, so he had so idea of how to answer her in a way she would understand.

"I asked you first." He replied.

"Yeah you did. What's yer point?"

Robert laughed again.

"My name is Robert Baratheon and I'm the King of the bloody kneelers."

Ygritte's face blanched white.

That was a name she knew. Mance had made sure that most of his people had some idea of the most important people not to piss off once they were south of the Wall and Robert Baratheon was one of the big ones.

"Shit. I'm sorry Your Gracious, I didn't know who you were. I didn't mean nothing by it." She tried to apologise.

Ygritte was mortified and a little scared. This was the bloody southern King! While she was personally against an alliance with the kneelers, she could see the reasons for it. Mance and her had a long discussion about this before they had come south, and she had made her opinions clear to Mance but ultimately agreed to honour the terms of the alliance and she'd just put her foot in her mouth big time.

"I am truly sorry about my bodyguard. We don't see much of the southern nobility north of the Wall and never a King so it's understandable that she'd make mistakes. I can assure you, it won't happen again your Grace." Mance hastily intervened with his apology.

"Well I can't forgive her if I don't know her name." Robert joked while making it clear he was jesting. He didn't want any misunderstandings between them. These people would be his allies; it wouldn't be good to start off any alliance with bad feeling.

"Ygritte"

She muttered it just loud enough to be heard, feeling embarrassed and shamed by Mance's apology on her behalf. She didn't need him to apologise for her! She was a Spearwife by the Old Gods! She could admit all by herself when she was in the wrong…most of the time anyway.

Robert was about to say something when he noticed something. He knew that stance. It was one of a proud woman brought low by a man's words. He'd seen that enough in his own wife when he did that to her.

"It's forgotten Ygritte. You weren't to know and obviously your leader here didn't provide you with enough information so it's mainly his fault not yours. Hold your head high with pride Spearwife, I happen to appreciate blunt honestly. I feel like we could be great friends you and I."

Robert took a slightly softer approach then had intended to but humour in this situation would grant him no respect.

"Thank you your Grace?" Ygritte replied, her mouth puckered up like she had eaten bitter root raw.

"That's gonna take some getting used to." She muttered to herself.

Ned decided to intervene.

"Mance. It's good to see you. I wasn't expecting you here though. What brings you here?" He asked the King Beyond the Wall.

"I was making my way to Winterfell when I heard the King was in residence, when Severn found me and told me where you'd be today your Grace. I feel like this is an appropriate time for us to meet, one leader to another. I wished to be here when you finally see the enemy my people have been contending with and loosing too for the last few years."

"Mance Rayder. King Beyond the Wall. Leader of this rabble we call Free Folk. Sorry to invade your Kingdom but I think you'll agree it was warranted." Mance said as he made his way towards Robert, hand outstretched.

Robert's hand shot up in the stay position as Barristan and Jamie's hands shot to their swords as the Free Folk leader approached their king.

"Robert Baratheon. King of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. Nice to meet you"