It was a perfect day in Winterfell with a slight breeze and an early morning snow that fell over the castle. The townsfolk took advantage of the weather getting out and working around the castle. They walked back and forth moving things from food, to hay, to cleaning down the horses. Everything that was necessary to keep the castle functioning was being done. The Starks were also taking advantage of the wonderful weather. Ned and Catelyn Stark stood on the wooden walkway overlooking the courtyard. They watched as Robb and Jon helped teach Bran how to shoot a bow and arrow. Cat specifically she watched Jon Snow as he stood by her son. It pained her every time that thing was allowed to live in the halls of Winterfell.

Sansa and Arya sat beneath a overhang learning how to sew...well Sansa was anyway. Arya hated sewing and would rather shoot bow and arrow and swing a sword but she was a Lady and those weren't things for a Lady. Serena was sparring with her brother Torrhen with her long black locks swaying around as she spun around swinging the long steel blade in her hand. The ringing of steel against steel rang through the courtyard as they sparred.

Jon leaned over whispering advice into Bran's ears. Bran listened intently as he drew back the string and aimed. A few seconds later he let the string slip through his fingers causing it to fling the arrow forward. The wooden projectile barely missed the target that was set up just a few feet away causing the two boys flanking him to laugh.

"And which one of you was a marksman at ten?" Ned asked from the walkway with a smile on his face.

He then turned his head over to the twins he had saved those seventeen years ago. They were now basically fully grown and matured. Serena was just a tad shorter than her brother with long dark hair and blue eyes. From a young age the girl took an interest in swordplay and Ned couldn't stop her. He allowed her to be trained by Ser Rodrick and even showed her a few things along with Torrhen. She was a great warrior who was not only able to defeat Torrhen but Robb and even Jon who he though was the best he had seen in years.

She spun and struck causing Torrhen to lose his grip on the blade and was forced to yield. Ned clapped his hands taking the girls attention. She bowed to her father and even earned a smile from Cat. Lady Stark was kinder to her and Torrhen than she was to Jon which made the pair feel bad. They always felt bad for the boy as he was always treated poorly by Lady Stark due to being a bastard...to her. Before Bran could release the string an arrow flew past him straight into the bullseye. Everyone thought it was Theon but upon turning around they saw Arya with a bow in her hand and a smile on her face.

Bran dropped his bow on the ground and ran to chase after his sister who was able to do what he couldn't. Everyone started laughing as she ran off starting a chase around the courtyard. Ned was taken from the scene when Rodrick approached him from behind informing him of a Nights Watch deserter they caught just outside the castle. Ned sighed and stroked his beard. He always had a tremendous respect for the Nights Watch and all they did. It hurt the Lord every time he had to execute a deserter. However they did take an oath and everyone that was executed broke it...that was the law.

"Get the lads to saddle their horses." Thoen nodded before walking off.

"Ned...do you have to?"

"He swore an oath Cat."

"It's the law My Lady." Rodrick said backing up his Lord.

"And tell Bran he is coming as well."

"Ned!" Cat exclaimed.

"He won't be a boy forever...and winter is coming."

With that Ned walked away to prepare to ride out to the execution block. By the time he got to the stables the horses had already been saddled. Theon had brought over Ice the ancestral valyrian steel sword. It was almost as long as a grown man standing straight up. The blade was older than Winterfell itself which was thousands of years old. Robb reached the stables with Bran and helped the boy onto his steed. Serena and Torrhen came from their sparring session jumping on their horses. Serena had hers since it was born and she named her Dawn after the ancestral sword of House Dayne. The blade was wielded by Ser Arthur Dayne also known as the Sword of the Morning who was one of the greatest warriors in recent memory...until he was killed by Eddard Stark. Torrhen just named his Boy because he wasn't able to come up with a name for him.

Once everyone was mounted up Ned led everyone out into the great countryside of the North. The North was the largest and most beautiful region of Westeros...when it wasn't covered in snow from their summer snows. When it was clear there were fields of green grass,patches of flowers, and large hills and mountains. The North went on farther than the human eye can see which is what makes it so hard to keep a part of the Seven Kingdoms. Occasionally some from the North including Serena envied the people of the South and their warm weather. In the North it didn't matter if it was summer or winter there was always cold and snowy days. But Serena wouldn't have it any other way as it was the most beautiful region.

The ride took a few minutes before they arrived at the execution block that was placed out in the middle of a field outside the castle. Already there were a few guardsmen standing there with the deserter. His face was full of fear of either whatever he saw beyond the wall or because he was about to meet his end. His lips were cracked from thirst and his face was covered in dirt. He looked up to see Lord Stark dismounting his horse. He was surprised that the High Lord had bothered to come out himself to execute some deserter from the Nights Watch.

Ned dismounted his horse and approached the boy. Theon followed close with Ice in his arms. He looked at the young deserter who had gone insane and mumbling almost incoherent sentences.

"I know I broke my oath...I know I am a deserter. I should have gone back to the wall to warn them but I saw what I saw...you have to warn everyone. Can you tell my family I am no coward...tell them i'm sorry." The deserter said.

Ned nodded and the guards positioned on the block while Ned drew the large steel blade from it fur sheath and stuck the end of the blade into the ground and leaned over it to give the sentence.

"In the name of Robert of the House Baratheon first of his name King of the Andals and the First Men Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and protector of the realm. I Eddard of the House Stark Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North sentence you to die."

Ned then lifted the blade up and swung it down cutting the man's head off with a single swing as the weight of the steel aided it through the neck. The guardsmen started to clean up the body while ned wiped the blood off of Ice before sliding it back into its sheath. Jon rubbed Bran's head telling him 'good job' for not looking away. Ned then walked up to his youngest son.

"You understand why I did it?"

"Because he was a deserter." The boy replied.

"Yes but do you understand why I had to kill him?"

"Our way is the old way?"

"The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword." Ned replied

He went to walk away when the boys voice halted him.

"Is it true what he said? About the White Walkers."

"Bran the White Walkers have been gone for thousands of years."

"So he was lying?"

"A madman sees what he sees."

After than everyone mounted their horses to ride back to Winterfell. Serena took in all the scenery of the North. She thought about what the deserter had said. Why he deserted. The White Walkers. Personally Serena did not believe in such things. Magical creatures did not exist. Maybe they once did but they were gone now.

As they rode they passed by a bridge that crossed over a creek. At the other side the small column was stopped by a deer laying in the middle of the path with its guts spilling out. Judging by the smell it had been laying there a while. Ned,Theon, and Jon dismounted their mounts and approached the animal. Serena followed close behind inspecting the corpse. It looked like it was ravaged by some other animal that had very sharp teeth.

"A mountain lion?" Thoen asked.

"There are no mountain lions up here you fool." Serena replied.

They stood for a moment looking over the corpse before walking off down a small path off the main one that led into the woods. Just down the path what looked like a wolf on its side could be seen. They walked closer to it and noticed an antler from the dead deer on the main path stuck in its stomach. The wolf seemed slightly larger than the average with a handful of pups running around it. Serena was shocked at the smell that hit her nose as the sight of maggots' squirming around the body.

"It's a freak." Theon said.

"It's a Direwolf." Ned said the sound of shock still on his voice.

"Direwolf?" Serena asked. "There are no direwolves south of the wall."

Ned pulled the antler out of the beasts stomach and looked at it.

"Now there are five." Jon replied leaning over picking one up and handing it to Bran to hold.

He pet it and looked at the cute baby wolf that settled itself in the boys arms.

"What will they do now? Their mother is dead."

"The don't belong down here." Rodrick said.

"Better give it a quick death...they wont last long without there mother."

Theon pulled a dagger from its sheath and approached Bran to take care of the one in his arms. Bran screamed 'no!' as the Ward attempted to rip the pup from his arms. Serena stepped forward getting between the pair.

"Put down your blade." Robb said siding with Bran.

"I take orders from your father not you." Theon shot back attempting to grab at the wolf.

Bran turned to beg his father to spare the beasts but he was a hard man to reachs. He shook his head and turned to walk away. Theon kept grabbing at the animal until Jon spoke up.

"Lord Stark...there are five pups...you have five children. The direwolf is the sigil of your House. You were meant to have them."

Ned to a moment to think before decided to concede to his chidlren.

"Fine...you will train them yourselves, feed them yourselves, and if they die...you will bury them yourselves."

With a smile Bran clutched the pup tightly against his chest. Serena and Jon helped pass out the pups. They went to walk away when they were stopped by another whimper. Jon turned around and lifted up an albino wolf with red eyes.

"There's a runt of the litter...that one is yours Snow."

Eventually everyone got back to the horses and re mounted back up to go back to Winterfell. As they rode Serena caught up with Theon.

"Greyjoy!" She called out.

He turned around to see what she had to say.

"If you ever point that dagger at me or my brother again you wont be Ironborn much longer."

Theon knew what she meant by the threat. He decided not to play her game and kicked his horse forward. Once back to Winterfell Ned retreated to the Godswood where he always went after an execution. He sat beneath the Weirwood tree wiping down Ice like he did every time he used it. Coming to the Godswood kept Ned close with the Gods and made the pain of sentencing a man to death lessen. It was not just a holy place but a calm place that he would almost never be disturbed unless it was necessary.

It was hard for him to execute the boy. He was of the Nights Watch and the Starks have always had respect for the Nights Watch and what they did. There was always at least one Stark serving in the Watch such as Ned's brother Benjin who was at Castle Black serving as First Ranger one of the highest positions one could achieve next to the Lord Commander himself.

"All these years and I still feel like an outsider when I come here."

Ned stopped shining the blade and looked up to see his wife standing there looking up to the massive Weirwood tree he sat before.

"You have five Northern children...your not an outsider." He replied turning his attention back to the blade.

"I wonder if the Old Gods agree."

"It's your Gods with all the rules." Ned said with a slight chuckle.

There was a silence that filled the air that tipped off the Lord that something was wrong.

"I'm sorry Ned."

"What is it?" He asked.

"Jon Arryn is dead...I know he was like a father to you."

Ned bowed his head in shock and mourning. Jon Arryn had fostered Ned along with Robert Baratheon at the Eyrie. He was the man who raised him from childhood and helped put his closest friend on the Iron Throne. Jon had been there for Ned when he needed a father and now he was gone up to see his father Rickard.

"How?"

"A fever took him."

"How about your sister? The boy?"

"Both have their health Gods be good."

There was a pause that caused Ned to look up to see his wife staring at the parchment.

"What else?"

"The King rides north for Winterfell."