Chapter 2: Thinking about alliances

293 AC

Eddard

He woke up next to Cat from the heat, as he did most of the times when he slept in her chambers. It seemed to be just after dawn. Laying there in bed, not willing to wake her, he started thinking about what he had planned for today, more talks with Luwin about taxes and harvests came to his mind.

It had also been two days since he had the conversation with his vassals in his solar and some fragments of the conversation kept ringing in his head. As almost all of his vassals had left, he finally had to start doing something about it. The only holdout so far was Lord Medger Cerwyn, who lived closest to Winterfell and could as such get to his keep more easily if problems arose there.

Making up his mind, he decided that he would look into Sansa's education and start evaluating her Septa before midday. In addition, he would have a word with Septon Chayle to see how he was doing and get a better measure of the man.

He also thought more about the idea of fostering. He himself had loved his time fostering and it had given him invaluable allies in his mentor Jon Arryn and his friend the now king Robert Baratheon.

The reason he had never wanted any fostering was the fact that he had lost so many of his family already with first father, Brandon and Lya and then losing Ben to the Nightswatch. He simply hadn't been prepared to lose any more, even if it was only for a few years.

While that sounded selfish even to himself, there had also been the future of House Stark to think about. The once big family had after the war been reduced to him, Robb and Jon. The small pack needed to stick together to survive. Now however, with the births of Sansa, Arya and Bran, and who knows another healthy babe in the future, that wasn't so much of a problem anymore.

He started pondering about the fostering more and more and who of his children to send. Would he be able to placate the lords with just a single fostering? Or would it be better to think about the little ones being sent somewhere too in the future?

When he realized he was not the only one his father had sent to foster, he realized sending but one of his five children would not do. No, his father had set a strong precedent about fostering in House Stark. He had sent his heir Brandon to the Dustins to placate the Northern lords. He himself, the spare, was sent to the Vale to foster relations outside the Kingdom with Houses Arryn and Baratheon. It were shrewd moves from his father to send his sons away like that.

There was also obvious merit in it, as his house had never been more secure as then. This had clearly been shown by the vigor with which his vassals had come down South with him to avenge his father and brother.

He decided to talk to Luwin in the afternoon about the idea of fostering. Afterwards, he would also have to have a talk with Cat about it. It would only be fair that she had her say in the matter, and he knew he could always count on her council.

By then his thoughts were interrupted when he noticed Cat looking at him.

"Good morning" he smiled at his beautiful wife.

She smiled sleepily at him and laid herself on his shoulder. They lay there together contently for some time after which the heat finally got to him and he had to get up to open a window and let the cold Northern winds in.

He felt the winds streak across his naked torso and sighed contently, before turning to his wife who had bundled herself together in the furs. Laughing slightly, he gave her a kiss on her cheek and started to dress himself for the day ahead.

After making sure nothing special had happened on the guards rounds last night, he walked into the Great Hall to break his fast. He saw Maester Luwin and sat himself down next to him, as none of his family was present yet. After rescheduling their meeting to this afternoon, which Luwin did without complaint, he asked Luwin to look into all of the Stark fosterings since Aegon's Conquest.

"Fosterings, my lord? Are you sure?" the Maester asked surprised.

"Yes, Luwin. It has come to my attention that some of my vassals have started questioning the fact Robb isn't being fostered, along with the fact no plans have been made for the other children. I won't be deciding anything yet on the matter, but it is something I want to look into." He explained to the ever dutiful Maester.

Luwin nodded pensively before he stood up. "If that is all my lord, I must get to work. I have many generations of Starks to comb out before our meeting. Let us meet a little after the midday meal? Would that suit you for our meeting my lord?"

"That would be perfect Luwin, you have my thanks as always." He replied thankfully.

Luwin nodded again and left him to his thoughts once again.

After eating the rest of his sausages, he got up and strolled out of the Great Hall to pray. On his way to the Godswood he passed the little Sept he had built for Cat and pondered on whether to enter right now. Later, their Gods can wait. He thought and walked on.

After saying his prayers, he went on to the chambers were Sansa would be having her lessons with Septa Mordane. Seeing they had already started and that little Arya had joined too, he listened at the door.

He must have stood there for at least half an hour and all he heard where mundane things. How to behave, techniques for embroidery, a story of some fabled knight and lady and a religious story or two, nothing for him to worry about.

Just as he was preparing to leave, he heard the Septa scold his youngest daughter.

"Arya Stark do not say something like that ever again, beware some young respected lordling hears you slander the gods and you will never find a respected family to marry into."

He heard his younger daughter respond with all the courage a four year old could muster. "What does it mahter if someone hears me, they are not their gods anyway. They pray to the white tree like fatha, I saw them do it on the visit!"

"Arya, that's not true. Lord Manderly and his granddaughters pray to the Seven as well. Besides, Septa Mordane doesn't mean any of the Northern boys. She means a good Southern family like mother's house. Isn't that right Septa?" His daughter asked, clearly seeking the Septa's approval.

"Yes Sansa, that's true. As daughters of a Lord Paramount, you will most likely be marrying into one of the other Great Houses once you flower. Who knows maybe even a prince with your father's friendship to King Robert. All of those houses follow the way of the Seven and the Seven-Pointed Star, so you should learn to adapt to these ways."

"Oh, to marry a prince, how wonderful would that be?" He heard Sansa sigh blissfully.

"I don't want to marry a pwince and go South, I wanna stay here!" He heard his youngest daughter mutter.

"Enough Arya, this will not be tolerated. Marrying a prince is the highest honor a lady of your standing can receive. Now focus on your embroidery, watch how Sansa does it."

He left as he had heard enough. He knew his family history more than enough to realize just how wrong the Septa was.

Before him, no Stark son had ever married into another Lord Paramount's House and except for the daughter of the king Who Knelt, who married an Arryn, and his own sister Lya no such marriages for their daughters were made or planned. Knowing how both that marriage and betrothal ended, it was safe to say he wasn't keen on letting his daughters leave the North. Let alone the fact that he would educate them to that end.

He thought long and hard on how his own daughter had dismissed the future Lords of the North as simple boys just because they didn't follow the Seven-Pointed Star, and the fact that the Septa had supported her. He decided that couldn't do and he needed to have words with her, but first he needed to talk to Cat about it. It was her Septa she brought from the Riverlands, and he needed to know if she supported this idea or not.

He also smiled at the reaction of his willful little girl. At least if he reacted now, that was one girl his vassals never had to worry about believing some Southern fancies.

While walking in the hallway towards his solar, he stumbled upon Medger Cerwyn waiting for him.

"Ah Ned, I was waiting for you. I wanted to discuss something, if you have the time?"

"Sure Medger, have a seat." He said whilst entering his solar. The apparent talk was about repairs to the Kingsroad between Cerwyn and Winterfell and the possible costs. After agreeing to the initial proposal and promising to look into the financial side of it, a thought hit him.

"Medger you have a daughter, don't you?" he asked.

"Yes Ned, she is called Jonelle why?" he replied hesitatingly, fully realizing that a daughter who was an unmarried maid at twenty-six was not something that looked good in front of your liege lord.

"Well, I was thinking about the education of my own daughters and was interested on how you managed yours?" He replied evenly.

"Oh," his bannermen replied, "we got her a governess from our vassal House Condon. Some old maid who taught her about the womanly ways, as well as the Gods and the houses of the North, that sort of thing."

"Hmmn," he mused "Is this lady still around so that I could have a talk with her?"

"Alas, no Ned, she died last winter of a chill. Jonelle took it pretty hard … But if you're looking for a governess, I could ask Jonelle if she would be willing to look after your daughters. It would be our honor to look after the next ladies of House Stark. Is it for the little willful one?" He added hopefully.

"No Medger, I was just thinking about taking more of an interest in my daughter's education from now on, that's all right now. I thank you for you offer though and I will keep it in mind if I ever need a governess." He replied diplomatically, not wanting to offend his bannermen after such a generous offer.

"Any time Ned, as I said we'd be honored." He said evenly.

After letting Lord Cerwyn out of his solar. He contemplated the idea. Having a daughter of one of his bannermen take up (part of) his daughters' education would go a long way to ease his vassals worries and might even bring Arya to like it more.

He put it aside for now, as he needed to assess the situation further and also talk to Cat first.

After preparing some work for this afternoon with Luwin, he realized he hadn't gone to talk to the Septon yet and didn't have too much more time before the midday meal. He stood up and walked over to the Sept.

As he entered the Sept, he saw the Septon cleaning the statues of his Gods. He saw the statue of the Father, the Warrior and the Smith. Standing behind the Septon must be Cat's most beloved ones of the Crone, the Mother and the Maiden. Statues he had made in White Harbor at her behest, a few years back.

When he saw him enter the Septon greeted him warmly although curiously, as he hadn't stepped inside the Sept more than a handful of times in all these years.

He asked the man if he was happy in the castle, as most didn't follow his faith and if he felt at home at all.

After which Septon Chayle told him he grew up on the White Knife close to White Harbor and that he was used to the Old Gods and the Seven living side by side there. He also profusely expressed how honored he felt as a Northman for helping Lady Stark and their children with their questions about their faith.

Realizing that he actually enjoyed the presence of the other man, he stayed to talk for a while longer about any number of things. When it was time to go for the midday meal, he felt immensely relieved as he thought that building the Sept for Cat had not been a mistake. It might just be the Southern Septa, not their faith as a whole.

After spending time with his family at the meal and helping Cat with Bran and Arya while making small talk to Lord Medger, he headed to his solar. Luwin was already there waiting, 3 great tomes sitting under his arm.

"Be welcome Maester, have you found anything on the subject I have asked you about?" He asked patiently while the Maester put the tomes on the other side of his desk.

"Yes my Lord, I think I found everything you will ever need about the subject." With this he picked up three handwritten lists out of his sleeves and laid them over to him on the desk.

"The first one is a list of all the fosterings Stark heirs have been on since the Conquest. It seems that almost all Stark heirs were fostered some place or the other, although some earlier than others." He said as he slid the lists over.

"The second list is a list of all the fosterings of spares, latter sons, cousins and the like. It also, at the bottom, includes your own, my Lord." The Maester said as he looked at a long list of Starks and numerous places all over the North, with only his own as standing out to be in the South.

As he switched his attention to the smaller list, the Maester said. "The last much smaller list is a list of female fosterings of Stark daughters, granddaughters or female cousins. It seems the old Lords of Winterfell liked to keep their daughters close most of the time. Although it did happen from time to time."

Musing over the names and places on all of the three the lists he saw multiple mentions of Barrowtown, Castle Cerwyn, Mormont Keep and even a fourth son that had been send to one of the Mountain Clans.

However, by far the most mentions referred to his stronger bannermen with Last Hearth, Karhold and White Harbor. A noticeable absentee on the list was the Dreadfort, although not surprising knowing their families' histories.

"As you can see most of the heirs are sent to the most powerful loyal bannermen Umber, Karstark or Manderly. Other Houses have had the honor mostly on the grounds of friendship with the then Lord Stark, as your father's friendship with the old Lord Dustin showed in your brother's fosterage." Luwin added helpfully.

"Hmmn, if I were to think about fostering my children, where would you send them?" He asked his Maester while still looking at the lists.

"All of them, my Lord?" Luwin asked surprised.

"Just as an experiment of thought, even if we would choose some action none of the younger children will be fostered for years anyway." He dismissed the remark.

"Hmmn, well my lord there is the also the thing of marriage to consider." Luwin slowly replied.

"Marriage?" He looked up sternly into his Maester's grey eyes. "What has that to do with fostering?"

"Well in more circumstances than not, the Stark son who went to foster ended up marrying some relative of the lord he stayed at, be it for love or to strategically strengthen the bonds onto further generations."

"So you are saying that if I foster my son with one of my bannermen, that they will most likely end up marrying their daughter?" He asked his Maester.

"Most likely my lord, and the lord in question will be trying for it either way. It might come off as an offense to refuse them after caring for your child for several years." Luwin added wisely. "Or the other way is also possible, remember your sister's betrothal was made because of your own fostering with King Robert Baratheon."

He pondered over that. If so, and he had no doubt about it, the question where to send his heir just became a lot harder.

After thinking for a while, he finally asked Luwin "Still Maester, it doesn't exactly change my question, what would you advise me to do?"

Looking surprised up at him for a few moments the small Maester eventully started speaking. "Well for Lord Robb I would advise either Karhold of White Harbor."

"Karstark or Manderly, why?" he simply asked.

"Well my Lord, the Karstarks are an old and strong family descendant of your own House. It would be easily explainable that you would wish Lord Robb to learn about the North with his distant kin. A possible marriage, be it Lord Robb to Lord Karstark's young daughter or Sansa to his eldest son, would also strengthen and legitimize your House with all the old far Northern families, not only House Karstark. It could also teach him more about old traditions of the North, the Wall and the Wildling situation."

"Hmmn," he mused, "growing up that far North might indeed endear him to the Umbers, the Clans and the Mormonts as well … and House Manderly?"

"Would have totally different benefits, my lord. As the Manderlys follow the Seven, the idea might be looked on more favorably by your wife and many other Southrons. The Manderlys are also staunchly loyal to your family and the strongest family in the North monetarily. In peacetime we get most of our taxes from them and their trade. Furthermore, they field excellent heavy horse and have the means to pay for a lot of sellswords, if war would ever occur again."

"In addition to that," the Maester continued, "it would also give him the possibility to learn a lot about trade and as such better the North's position in the future. A Manderly marriage might also bring a great dowry to your coffers as well as a possible inheritance of White Harbor to a second born Stark son one day, as Lord Manderly has no grandsons to carry on his House for the moment."

He nodded whilst adding "Not House Umber?"

"I don't think any more benefits could be made with the Umbers than can be made with the Karstarks. House Umber also lacks the familiar bonds to your House and although very loyal, are a more direct people where Lord Robb might forget the nuances needed to deal with certain scheming houses."

"I think you might be right there." He mused while thinking back on Jon's outbursts in his solar two days ago.

"Thank you Maester, that will be all on this subject for now as I need to think it over and have a talk with Lady Catelyn about it as well before we talk about any of the other children. Let us continue with the planned harvest talks for now."

This is it for the second chapter!

Please do leave reviews and favorites, I hugely appreciate it!

Which fostering would you guys like to see? Karstark or Manderly?

Any ideas for the upcoming Stark children? Sansa, Arya, Brandon or even Rickon?

Next up is the awaited talk between Cat and Ned.

In a few chapters time jumps will start occurring at regular intervals until we reach the beginning of the books at around chapter 10.

Fannic

Reviews:

- Angeluszuko-z: I think so too. Although it is not my intention to make an all knowing Eddard Stark who fixes all of these issues. He had a conversation where some bannermen pointed out some issues and as such he will start to think on some things and maybe change one or two of them. However, he will remain the same character with the same flaws and as such will not nearly be able or willing to fix all of them.

Thank you for the review!

- Daviddoedah: The Northerners have no problem with the Sept on itself, it's the whole Southern package they take offense on. Also of all Ned's bannermen Roose Bolton would have been the last to be able to criticize Ned, as he held no sway in the North except for the Ryswells (including Barbrey Dustin).

I am not talking about any war education, nor would any girl regardless of her age get any even in the North. His children lacked diplomatic abilities and skills. I even think subquonsciously Ned prepared Robb quite well to lead and tactically command forces.

I made no mention of any Northern superiority, just the views of certain characters. As viewed in Jon Umbers 'King of the North' speech "What do they know of the Wall or the Wolfswood or the barrows of the First Men? Even their gods are wrong." Jon Umber did have a certain disdain of the South, its Gods and its ways. Of course not all houses in the North have this to the same degree, but Barbrey Dustin is also known to have prejudices against Maesters because of a Southron Maester Walys.

There also is a lot of prejudice in parts of the South against the North and Dorne. Prince Joffrey, Cersei and their household see them as barely more than savages because of their garments, Gods and customs. Realistically, they should also have a different dialect as linguistic unitarity along such a big thousands of miles long continent is impossible.

In my opinion, it's Ned's good relationship with his vassals (formed in the wars) that made none of them speak up against him in canon. They were happy he had a family after all his loss and that House Stark would continue its line. Here, they do but only after 10(!) years of letting it be as well.

The Mormonts aren't one of the most powerfull Northern houses, yes but they are very respected. Besides that they aren't weak either, this isn't the show with Lyanna Mormonts 62 men. The Mormonts wield as much or even more power as the Flints, Lockes, Skagosi and Mountain Clans, Sunset Sea Houses (not named in Canon but maybe Fisher and another House on Sea Dragon Point?) and maybe even the Glovers, Tallharts and Hornwoods besides. They need a force to 24/7 protect them against marauding wildlings, they would have been overrun a long time ago if they didn't field at least several hundred men in battle to protect all sides of their island.

In the future I would appreciate it if you kept your reviews more civil, anyway thanks for the review.

- Jean d'arc: Well they don't, not in my fic any way. They were weary of her but grew to love her as she is obviously capable in running a castle and she loves Ned. That doesn't mean they will be blind to what she brings with her. As I explained above I think they never complained about it because she made Ned very happy and she gave the North a lot of Stark children.

The prejudices I tried to instill in my fic are those I think the characters have as proven by Jon Umber's quote above here. Also Maege saw recently what a Southern bride did to her nephew Jorah and House Mormont. Other houses like Manderly will have a lot less prejudices but are still wary because of the fact that if his daughters are educated in a Southern way, they will probably marry Southern. That would deprave the North of another generation of Stark brides and be bad for stability in the least.

I thank you so much for the kind words and would love to see more insightful reviews from you!

- Reallybored2: Thank you for the kind words and I agree with you. Here this will be slightly mitigated, although it will not disappear completely as that wouldn't stroke with how much Ned loves Catelyn.

I have good news for you as this definitely isn't a one shot! :)

Thank you so much for all your reviews, please keep them coming!

- Guest: Thank you very much!