++x++

Eddard Stark I

Winterfell, North, Year 284 AC

Brandon would be leaving in the morrow with Ser Arthur, Ser Oswell, and little Allyria. Sharley and Lady Jonelle would be leaving in two days but they were the ones who were more likely to return as they had become great friends with Ashara. Benjen would also be leaving for Castle Black to join the Night's Watch on that same day. Winterfell would thus get empty with just he, his wife, his son, his sister, and the servants remaining…

Speaking of his wife…she was leading him to their room after everyone wished good night to each other. She closed the door behind him with a big grin and proceeded to kiss his lips passionately…she was pure perfection…both in body and mind…a goddess on earth…

She undressed and revealed her nakedness to him, her sizable breasts at display for him to worship which he did as a good believer…while somewhat being a heretic to his Gods…somewhat…He kissed them…all those black spots she had around her body…and then sucked her nipples with some ferocity which prompted her to moan and hold his head. "Suck them dry…" she whispered. "You naughty wolf!"

He feasted on her breasts for a long while, occasionally meeting her lips to add…diversity? If one could call it this…He decided to kiss her black spots all the way down to her belly button and she giggled as he did so. He traced his way down to her womanhood and kissed her soft spot before he began licking it and inserting two fingers inside her lower lips.

Obviously, she moaned loudly and then held his hair with her right hand and her left breast with her left one, pinching her nipple now and then with pleasure…he felt his member get so hard when she did that…her whole body aroused him…the simple sight of seeing her naked left him close to spending himself but he knew how to prevent himself from spoiling all the fun before there was the actual fun…he just…thought a bit about the war he went through and that was enough to control himself. War left him a mess…

Once her womanhood was sufficiently wet, he stood up took off his tunic followed by his breeches revealing his hardened cock to her which made her smirk. She then moved closer to it, kissed it, and rubbed her cheeks around the tip. "My friend seems ready…" he told her.

"That's good…" Ashara turned around and showed him that perfect behind of hers. "Kiss it." she ordered him with a seductive glance and he obeyed like the good husband he was, kissing her magnificent buttocks as if there was no tomorrow. Once he enjoyed his meal, he rubbed her cunt softly and approached his cock to the entrance, rubbing it a little by the wetness, and then he entered her. "Uh…yes…" she moaned. "Ravish me, Ned…" He started at a slow pace first and her moans were controlled and quieter. Then he began increasing his pace and she began moaning faster and louder. "Slap me!" she begged which left him confused.

"Slap you?" he said while he pressed his hands on her behind while ramming her.

"My butt!" she said while moaning and giggling. "Oh yes…don't stop…"

"Are you sure?" he questioned unsure because…if he slapped her…he would hurt her...so why would she want him to do it?

"YES!" His wife shouted. "Slap me, Ned!" Ned finally did as she wanted and slapped her with a little bit of strength and she moaned lewdly. "Harder!" Hesitantly he did slap her harder and this time her moaning was even lewder. "Yes! Like that my love! Perfect…like your cock…slap me again please…" He found it funny that her Dornish accent that was usually concealed got more pronounced when she was moaning and talking at the same time.

"Why are you so sadistic tonight?" he questioned.

"I don't know…" she replied between moans. "But Gods do I love it!"

Ned slapped her again and then a third time and her lewd noises continued. Feeling himself reach his limit, he pressed her god-like body against the sheets and got himself on top of her as he pumped in and out with all his might. "FUUUCK!" Ashara screamed in ecstasy while she pulled her pillow down and began biting it while moaning so loudly that if she wasn't carving the pillow with her teeth he was sure that someone would hear her in Winter Town…She spread her juices around his cock and he followed with his own by just a couple of seconds…

He whirled around to his side of the bed, panting from the effort but proud that he lasted more than five minutes with someone like her. His wife remained in the same position panting as well. "I'm recovering my ability?" he asked with a smile.

"Yes…" she sighed. "And we are finally free to do what we told each other we would do after getting married. I love it!"

"Indeed…" he nodded while placing his right arm on top of his stomach. "Something to look forward every day…"

His wife smirked. "Oh, I like that way of thought…" Then her expression got less joyful… "I'm sad that these next few days will only be of goodbyes…I was having so much fun with everyone here…"

"Aye…I'm very concerned with my brothers…" Ned admitted.

"I have been telling Brandon that I have friends in the capital that he could use but your brother is not too keen on that…" His wife was most likely referring to her spies. "The whole Regency thing seems to be a political game at the end of the day and I shudder to think how my friends will fare in it…alliances will be broken and made…enemies at every corner…if your brother doesn't get some extra intel…" He could die…

For as much as Ned despised spies, he had learned that the world was not made of honor. If those spies could save a life or two when honor would have them killed then…perhaps it wasn't so bad… "We will talk with him in the morrow before he leaves."

His wife nodded as she glanced his manhood, she led her hand to it and began caressing it. "If we keep this pace…not only will I lose the few pounds I gained with the pregnancy but I may also get pregnant again…" she murmured. "Since we have our baby already…might as well give him a few siblings he can play with…What do you say of that?"

"I'm afraid…" Ned confessed after her of her plan.

"Why?" she asked worriedly.

"Your mother died in child labor and so did mine and Lyanna almost did too…" he said remembering the sight of his sister in a coma. How he thought she was going to leave him… "I can't bear to lose you…"

"Oh my love, you will not lose me," she said while holding his hand and kissing it. "Who would tease you as I do afterward?"

"I don't know…"

"Exactly," she said smiling. "I need to be here to tease you…no one else will do such a thing but me…" His siblings would but he definitely wanted her teasing…

"I think…"

"That I'm right." she cut in.

"That I don't deserve you…" he murmured remembering Riverrun and the grave sin he almost committed. Set Ashara aside…his wife…

"Why are you losing your confidence again Ned?" she questioned unsurely by the looks of it but he did have very strong reasons for losing his confidence. "You know I love you."

"I almost…" he began as he sighed and almost shed a tear or two. "I almost set you aside…" It was also wrong to say all these after having sex but…

That caught her by surprise as he could see her lose her composure for a little bit. "What do you mean?"

"Hoster Tully tried to force me to marry Catelyn Tully in exchange for his support to our cause…and I almost accepted…since I had to save my siblings…" It was something that haunted him still…how he had to choose between his blood family and his wife…it was not a decision he wanted anyone to take. "Because of it, I don't feel like I deserve you."

She stood there…glancing him with that fearsome look of hers…she was quite intimidating when not with her jovial expression…he was afraid he would lose her love with this confession but she if confessed of her loss of virtue knowing that she could lose him, he had to pay her in similar terms. Instead, she lifted her left hand and cupped his left cheek. "What is important is that you did not do it..."

"I have Ser Brynden Tully and our armies to thank for it," Ned explained. "If the man did not take control of the situation…I don't even want to think of it…"

"Then don't think of it." she said plainly.

"It's not a jape Ashara!" he said with a serious face. "I almost did the most dishonorable act of my life…and to you of all people…I…"

"Ned there is no point on you being so disappointed with yourself because you did not do it. Sure I'm a bit disappointed to learn of this but I know what was at stake so I'm not angry. I will however want you to swear to me that you will never set me aside or even think of it."

Ned stood up from their bed and walked towards the floor in front of it, much to his wife's surprise. He knelt before her, naked as a baby, and swore a vow he would never break. "I Eddard of House Stark swear that I will never even think about setting my wife aside and if I somehow do it, may my countrymen take my head as the appropriate punishment for such dishonorable deed."

He felt a pair of hands pulling him up with difficulty. "When I asked you to swear it…I wasn't thinking on this overreacted vow, you silly wolf." she had a smile on her lips but he did not.

"I want to show how much this means to me…" she pressed her lips into his and stopped him from speaking anything else.

"I know how much it means to you and me but my opinion remains the same." She assured. "Let us sleep because tomorrow I have something important to show you all and I'm excited about it!"

"You do?" he asked curiously. "What is it?"

"It's a surprise!" His wife then proceeded to cuddle herself in his arms, her head resting by his shoulder. "Now sleep and forget all about Riverrun, you are at Winterfell now." For some reason, the presence of his beloved wife next to him soothed him and unlike many nights during the war, when he was far away from her, he slept like a baby…

By dawn, they woke up and Ashara went to take a bath to clean herself from the previous day's feast…She dressed a light grey and white gown and went on to pick little Jon so they could share the breakfast with everyone.

In the Great Hall, he and his siblings enjoyed their last moments together in a great while, just as the Dayne siblings did. The mood was joyful despite the incoming separation, stories and japes were exchanged, and laughs echoed all around.

Once they were finished, Ashara gave Jon to Sharley and brought all the Starks except the little one, of course, to what used to be his father's study. His wife then picked a bunch of papers and placed them on the desk. The first thing he noticed was a map of the North and then a bunch of written things in smaller papers.

"What's this?" Brandon asked while he glanced at the papers just like the rest of them. Picking the map from the table to inspect it.

"That one is a poorly drawn map of the North that I made a while ago while I waited for Jon to come to the world." Ashara explained while still organizing things.

"A poorly drawn map of the North?" Ned asked chuckling, it was quite bad if he was to be honest…but it would better than his tries. "What is it for?"

"Here stand all the plans I have been making in my free time to make Winterfell and the North a better place," Ashara said with confidence. "After almost two years in Winterfell and spending an entire winter trying to avoid a food shortage that would cause massive famine, at least in Winterfell and its surrounding areas, I have tried my best to come with solutions for our problems."

A solution to their problems was certainly something Ned would like and he was sure his siblings would too. Ned wished to be remembered as a decent ruler or Regent or whatever in Seven Hells he was now, not an awful version of his father. "This seems interesting…" he proclaimed with his siblings nodding.

"I'm listening." His older brother said as he picked more papers to read.

"Okay, so the biggest problem of the North is its cold and harsh climate." Ashara began her reasoning. "This is not news as anyone will tell you this much, even in Dorne we know this." Then she pointed to one of the papers. "But finding solutions seems to be quite a hard task."

"That is true." Ned agreed as he looked to some papers he picked. He and his brother were just disorganizing his wife's neatly arranged desk…they were evil…

"Consequently, the climate makes it very hard to produce food," Ashara added. "The Reach, Westerlands, and Crownlands produce crops all seasons but in the North, not even summer is assured to produce food. And the food is an absolute must for the Northerners."

"Aye." All Starks said at the same time which prompted everyone to grin.

"I have thus come up with two ways to hopefully fix the problem as much as it can be fixed. At least for the time being."

"Do tell us!" Lyanna insisted. "If it's something we can do, we will won't we?"

"We want the best for the North even if the Northerners don't…fully agree with our most recent conducts…" Brandon murmured. Recovering as much support from their bannermen was paramount given that a new war could erupt at any time and they galvanized most of their supporters by not declaring independence but they kept the opinion that independence would only bring more problems to everyone. Luckily they still had House Manderly and Dustin on their side just as the Crannogmen, so they had sizable support still but…

"First given that our food supplies are not too large, we will likely have to resort to imported food if another winter comes in the next five years," Ashara said. "It's unavoidable."

"From whom would we buy food?" His older brother questioned.

"We bought some from Braavos while the war was raging," Benjen informed them. "We had no choice but the prices were not harsh."

"Trading with the Free Cities is a good way to go, my friends." Ashara pressed forward. "One of the North's biggest commodities is timber and we have been trading it for millenniums. Given that Essos is quite the dry continent, many cities consider timber as valuable as gold, especially if they are at war with each other."

"So what you are proposing is us trading timber for food?" Lyanna asked.

"More or less." His wife agreed. "In exchange for a discounted price in food, we will provide them with a reasonably priced timber for their ships. It's a fair exchange."

"That could work…" Ned admitted. He knew from Jon's own words that the Braavosi, for example, treated their ships as palaces for they were their livelihood and expensive to build… "Do you have a particular city in mind?" The Dornishwoman's husband questioned with his interest peaking.

"Braavos and Myr." His wife replied.

"Braavos I understand but why Myr?" Brandon pressed forward.

"Because the Myrmen produce the finest glass in the world and we will need them for my second plan." Replied his wife as she showed a bunch of papers and a poorly drawn map of a settlement. "I believe we should make Winter Town a proper town during all seasons. A town with a bustling economy and with its own artisans trained by the Myrmen."

"But can we do that?" His sister asked. "The town gets deserted during warm seasons and people are tied to the land because it's their livelihood…they don't earn taxes as we do. They pay them."

"It will be difficult but if we increase our food supplies and offer different jobs to the smallfolk, we may just make it." Ashara insisted.

"Yes, but if we take the people from the land, how are we supposed to increase our food production?" His older brother questioned and it seemed everyone was curious about what answer would Ashara give.

"Well…there are a lot of uncultivated lands that can be harnessed but my plan for this is to use the Myrmen to build us more glass gardens as they can cope with the rigid climate and produce all seasons long, even during the harsh winters."

"That's a great idea!" Lyanna remarked. "Our glass gardens are always producing food so if we increase their numbers…we can minimize the shortages!"

"That's right." His wife nodded.

"So Winter Town is to have its own glass gardens?" Ned asked curiously, his wife had come up with a very interesting plan. But costly too…a glasshouse was expensive…

"We are to start slow but I intended to have a whole new quarter of the town with just glasshouses," Ashara pointed to that map which now he knew was his wife's vision for Winter Town or the early drafts of it... "Once we have them, the food production will increase substantially and we will be able to keep everyone fed, thus we can increase the population and make them work in different areas during winter and whatnot."

"I like the ideas but do we even have money for this?" Brandon asked concerned.

"Winterfell has currently two million dragons in its coffers," Ashara replied. Two million wasn't a large amount of money but it wasn't a small quantity either… "But that is due to your father's secret project."

"What secret project?" Brandon asked.

"Your Lord Father bought lands from House Ryswell and Holt near the mouth of the River Twilight and there he began transforming a small fishing village of just ten souls into what he and your late mother hoped to be the White Harbor of the western coast." Everyone seemed surprised with this finding...they had no idea of this… "The project has been going on for about fifteen years though it has now stopped given that your father died. Apparently, your lord father spent close to four million dragons in the project." Four million dragons? It can't be…that is an absurd amount of money… "A castle, a defensive wall, and a docking area were built from scratch."

"For what?" Ned asked abashed. "Why would our father do such a reckless thing? It's unlike him."

"And why didn't he told us anything?" Brandon added.

"It's not a reckless thing once you think about it." His wife dismissed it. "Can you imagine what such port would for the North? A White Harbor on the western coast? This small fishing village would become a town and then a city in ten years or so, a major port I must add. The North would have a new center of trade as it would have a port in the Narrow Sea and one in the Sunset Sea. It would be huge for the economy!"

"It would establish the North's control over the western coastline..." Ned completed as he did what his wife suggested…put some thought on it… "It could provide safety to the fishing villages from both the wildlings and Ironborn raids…"

"It cost a huge amount of money but it will definitely improve the North and the money would eventually return thanks to commerce." Ashara insisted. "As to why he said nothing, I believe he wished to make it a surprise as this was to be Ned's seat once he was married." That surprised Ned even further…and made him disappointed with himself for thinking that his father would not grant him anything…at the end of the day…he did have something to offer Ashara…something huge…Father I'm sorry for thinking that you would give me nothing… "He also planned to grant Moat Cailin to Benjen but the costs on the harbor were high and Benjen already showed interest in joining the Watch."

"You caught us off guard with these plans of his," Brandon admitted with a shy smile. "While I would have liked to know of his intents…I will not berate him, after all…he died for us and the only thing he deserves is our love and respect." Ned nodded to that and so did his younger siblings. Their father was in their hearts until their last breath.

"But speaking of money, according to your father's accounts, Winterfell's average yearly revenue is half a million dragons." Ashara continued her plans for the future. "This is the number that the average spring and autumn years produce. Summer years produce more products and thus the taxes are raised a little while during winter they are reduced so that the families can cope with everything given that production falls substantially. Given my personal experience, the Two Hundredth-Second Year After the Conquest, two years ago, was very harsh not only because it was winter but because of the war."

"As it is understandable." Ned nodded. "War does take a heavy toll."

"So if we have no war on the horizon, we should produce about five million dragons in ten years," Ashara said. "Taking our obligations into consideration, we should at the very least gain four million dragons in said period of time."

"Still such investments may lead us to debts…" Ned pointed out. "It all sounds good on paper but in reality…if we lead House Stark to debt and if word of it gets out, our lords will cease to respect us and we have already put our necks on the line for the Regency so we may very well have the first rebellions against House Stark in centuries."

"I couldn't agree more." Brandon agreed. "Don't get me wrong, I loved all these ideas but the money…"

"I'm not asking for us to drain our treasury in a year or two." Ashara retorted. "We have an opportunity to make the North a better place and I say we take it! We can improve things with sustainability!" Ashara picked all their hands and brought them into some sort of circle. "Just think about how many lives we can make better! We can also double if not triple our revenues with these reforms, more production means more money coming or have you guys forgotten it?"

"You have a very persuasive wife Ned…" Brandon japed. "I say fuck it and let us make the North a better place for father's sake. Obviously with the necessary caution but you guys get me, don't you?"

"Aye, we do big brother." Lyanna smiled. "I liked the ideas and I support them fully."

"Me too." Benjen agreed. "Even if I'm leaving for Castle Black…Winterfell and the North will always be my home so if it improves, I approve it."

Ashara turned to him with a hopeful gaze and he couldn't resist those puppy-like eyes of her, shining with anticipation. "Aye, let's go forward with this," Ned concluded and his wife's expression got brighter. "For the North."

Brandon Stark II

Winterfell, North, Year 284 AC

Everyone was saying their farewells. He had already said goodbye to both of Ashara's ladies-in-waiting and was now watching the Dayne siblings say goodbye to each other. "Can I come back in the future?" Allyria Dayne asked of her older sister. "I liked the snow and the cold very much!"

Ashara kissed the girl's forehead. "I'm sure we can arrange something…but now you need to return to father and Arron."

"Yes…" Allyria whispered sadly before she hugged her sister. The young girl turned to her nephew all merrily. "Goodbye, little Jon! I enjoyed meeting you and goodbye Lady Lyanna, Lord Brandon, Lord Eddard, and Lord Benjen!"

"Goodbye." They all replied to the happily Dornishgirl. "Take care!" Lyanna added.

"Goodbye, Ash." Ser Arthur said as he kissed Ashara's cheek. "Don't cause too many problems and make sure your teeth are brushed and your clothes are arranged…" The knight said jovially much to the embarrassment of the new Lady Stark. "Take care."

"You too Artie."

"I will be waiting to teach how to fight to this little nephew of mine." The Dornishman cupped the youngest of the Starks' cheek. "Make sure to protect your mother." Little Jon simply cuddled himself in Ashara's arms much to the amusement of everyone. "It seems…it's too early…" Ser Arthur chuckled. "Lady Lyanna, forgive me for everything."

"You and Ser Oswell are forgiven already," Lyanna assured. "But only if you stop calling me Lady."

"I forgot…but do take care." Ser Arthur then turned to Benjen. "I wish you good fortunes in the Night's Watch Lord Benjen."

"Thank you."

"And keep my sister happy Lord Eddard, that's all I ask of you." The knight commanded of Ned.

"I will." Ned said as he pulled his wife to him. He is one lucky bastard but if anything, I'm happy for him.

"Goodbye, everyone." Ser Oswell said. "May happiness grace the Starks for once..."

"And may the King's Landing's heat warm your spirit Ser." Lyanna japed. "Hopefully defrosting your humor."

The knight smiled as he and his sworn brother went to fetch their horses. And now it was Brandon's time, starting with Ben. "The next time I see you, you will be all in black." he clapped his brother's shoulder. "Hopefully a First Ranger already…"

"That will be hard but I will give it my all," Ben assured with a smile. "Don't get yourself in trouble brother…especially with females..."

Brandon laughed at his brother's warnings. "You know me, not in trouble is my middle name…" he hugged his youngest brother and clapped his brother's back. He turned to his sister next. "Remember…"

"One month without riding." His sister completed with a sweet look. "Yes, I know…"

"I was going to say I love you but…I like your way of thinking…"

"Shut up stupid!" Lyanna ranted before she embraced him in a hug. "Stay safe you bloody idiot. I love you too."

"I will." He glanced at his middle brother, his wife, and his son. "I trust Winterfell on you brother, let us rule together and capitalize the best of all of us to leave our home better than what we got it. The Pack Stays Strong."

"Aye, take care Brandon, protect the North and the realm's interest, and don't be afraid of using Ashara's help. We want you in one piece at the end of the day, to rule together…" So Ashara spoke with him…Brandon didn't want to use spies but…King's Landing was certainly one of the Seven Hells so…perhaps it wouldn't hurt too much to see what her help could do. "Goodbye, brother."

Brandon nodded as he turned to his sister-in-law. "Ashara, I don't need to ask you to keep my brother happy because you do that very well already…I do however trust you to supervise those reforms of yours and to think on some more of them too."

"I will try my best Brandon," Ashara assured beaming. "Thank you."

"And you little wolf…" Brandon caressed the cheek of his nephew. "Soon you will have more brothers and sisters by the looks of it…" The boy's parents flushed when he said this and he grinned in amusement. "I will however keep your little nose with me until you prove me that you are strong wolf because the Pack needs more strong wolves."

Little Jon extended his little hand at him and grabbed his nose with a smile and pulled it…while not hurting much, everyone laughed with the sight, even him. "Well then…keep my nose if you will lad," Brandon said as he finished laughing and looked once again at Winterfell and sighed for having to leave but he was sure he would come back soon. He then brought the pair of lovers and their child for a hug and messed with Ned's hair one last time much to his annoyance. "Alright, I'm off…wish me luck."

"Good luck." They all replied. "Stay safe!" Lyanna insisted worriedly.

"I will!" Brandon assured. "Winter is Coming to King's Landing!"

Thank you for the reviews as always:

miguelgiuliano: I do have plans for Reachmen for Part 2, they should come very soon. Jaime and Rhaella? It's not a bad sounding pair but there is no context for it. For now, Cersei will follow her father's plans but not without scoffing at it. I have some interesting things planned for her. I already have some plans in mind for kids.

Radomir's Renegades: Melara was set to survive due to the original ending of Part 1 but my plans for her have not changed so remained alive. There was a POV from Kevan where she was introduced albeit not as well as this Cersei one. I confess that I never finished reading Lady Stark but Ned and Cersei are not that controversial...or did the author change the pair after like twenty chapters?

Tywin sharing his power with Cersei is only done so that she can fulfill her part which is to become Queen while also keep a subtle presence in the Regency without seeming too aggressive as he knows everyone is keeping close eyes on his moves.

I will not spoil Benjen's tenure in the Wall too much but canon Jon Snow wouldn't want to trade his time on the Watch with his uncle.

Catelyn will not be a minor character, she will have her own POV just like her sister.

I wanted to have a POV outside of Winterfell in this one but it just grew too big so only Winterfell in this one.

I also had the need to write that smut and I don't why...I guess somethings needed to be said?

To those who read Scars of Robert's Rebellion, this next few chapters will borrow a lot of things from that story for two reasons: One because the time frame is the same and some events are thus the same and two because I wanted to keep something of that story here since I plan to erase Scars as it was failed attempt of rewriting A Happy Marriage. I will try again sometime in the future.

Well...I don't think I have much more to say so...Thank you for sparing time reading and I hope everyone has a nice day and stays safe.