Eddard Stark rose from his seat hurriedly when he heard Lord Kurt Ambrose of House Terra inform the king at the high table of his imminent departure. Ned had been hoping to meet with the man over the last week since the coronation and wedding of his closest friend. However, the affairs of the realm, and his new duties as his father's heir and possible member of the new small council had detained him. Robert had been trying for the last week to get Ned to be his Master of Laws. Jon Arryn had already been announced to be the new Hand of the King, and Tywin Lannister's brother Kevan had been named to the position of Master of Coin. The lord of Casterly Rock had been offered the position, but for the old lion, nothing less than his old position would be acceptable, and so instead his brother had been named to put at least one member of the Westerlands' paramount family on the council. A proper master of ships had not yet been decided, but there was debate amongst the lords on whether to name Jason Mallister, or Wylis Manderly.

Ned had been hesitant to take up a position on Robert's council. For all that he loved the man like a brother, Ned was the heir of Winterfell, and would need to return to the North with his father to take up the duties his position required. Not only that, but according to the latest ravens from Winterfell, Lady Catelyn was with child.

Ned knew that it was his duty to return with his father north to their home, to take up his duties as his father's heir. Even still, he needed to speak with Lord Terra. Ashara was a captive under their hold, and now he knew that his time with the Dornish lady had left her with child, his child, he needed to see her one more time. Even if she raged at him, screamed and shouted and cursed his name for marrying another woman when she was waiting for him. He would brave her rage, her hate, everything and anything she might level his way, if it meant he might meet his son.

Edwyle Dayne. His first child, Ashara's child. Ned had listened to his father when he had informed him of the babe, had grasped tight to every detail Rickard had provided about the boy. He knew of his face, according to his father's it was so very much like his when he had been a babe. He knew of the strength of his cries, a healthy babe with a good set of lungs, and he knew his name. Young Edwyle Dayne had all the making of a good strong lad, and Robert had already japed with him of how he'd make a fine sword of the morning, given that Dawn had apparently been taken from the former knight of the kingsguard and was now in the hands of House Terra.

Eddard did not approve of Dawn's seizure, no matter that it took the blade from one of Robert's chief detractors who would not doubt make for a deadly enemy. The Valyrian steel blades of Westerosi families were all but sacred to those that possessed them, and were not easily lost or taken. Dawn was more than that to the Daynes. As much as Eddard might be willing to do to safeguard Ice from theft, or what he might do to see it returned, the commitment the Daynes had to Dawn was greater still. Were it not for the fact that Princess Elia and Lord Kurt both promised to return the blade to its place in Starfall, Ned was fairly sure that Lord Dayne and Ser Arthur would go to war with the Terras to retrieve it, peace or no peace.

Seeing the lord of House Terra quickly depart the great hall, with a princess and former queen hurrying to keep up with him, Ned made his way to the high table where Robert was seated. The seating at the high table had been shifting over the course of the week. At Robert's wedding, Ned had been seated just a few seats down from the new king, but Jon Arryn had thought that a good way to reward the loyalty of the lords who had fought for them was to give each of them attention from the new king. Houses both major and minor from the rebel side had found themselves seated with the King and his council, so better to foster relations for the new Dynasty. Robert had few complaints, and more often than not ended evenings drinking, singing, and making merry with the lords of whatever houses were seated with him. Even royalist houses who were important enough to require attention soon found their lords feasting with Robert like he was an old friend, rather than a man their had until recently been trying to kill.

Ned almost envied his foster brother that ability. Robert made friends everywhere he went it seemed. He simply had that easy charm that made everyone comfortable with him. Ned remembered when he had first arrived at the Eyrie all those years ago and been introduced by Lord Jon Arryn to the young man Robert had been. Ned had remembered being nervous. It had been his first time being so far from home, and alone as well without his siblings beside him.

Looking back on those days, Ned wanted to laugh. Robert and he had gotten on so well that by the end of his first week in the Eyrie, it had felt as if he'd been there forever. He and Robert spent those first few days showing him every room of the castle, running through halls and watching the training grounds from a small alcove that he had told Ned was a secret now that they were foster brothers.

It was probably that day, Ned mulled to himself, that he and Robert had become friends. Robert made him feel important, like Ned had been worth sharing that important secret with. He supposed that was how Robert made everyone feel; like they were important. Robert would share a secret, a story, a joke, and make whoever was with him feel as if they were special for hearing a tale that Robert had likely told a thousand times before. There was no malice, no practiced scheming with Robert though. Where other men might have used that ability to manipulate or control, Robert did it to make everyone he was with feel better. After all, if everyone was in on the joke, then everyone could laugh together.

Approaching the high table, he saw his father at one of the seats towards the end. There was only so low a lord paramount could be placed without insult, and the ends of the high table was it. Giving his father a small nod of his head, which Rickard promptly returned, he approached the king.

"Your grace." The formal address tasted strange on his tongue, as if referring to his friend as anything other than 'Robert' was unnatural.

"Ned!" Robert exclaimed with a laugh.

He had a mug of ale in his fist, and seemed to be sharing a story with Lord Mallister who was seated next to the king tonight.

"Good to see you! Come on, come on, I was just telling Mallister here about how we tied the horses in the Eyrie's stables together and then when Ser..."

"That's enough Robert." Ned cut off his friend, vaguely concerned with the narrowed eyes Jon Arryn was casting their way. The horse story was one he was fairly sure they had both agreed never to tell in the company of their foster father, for that particular attempt at a joke had gone spectacularly wrong. The castle servants had taken nearly a year to fully rebuild the stables and Jon had been wroth for moons.

"Your Grace, I was hoping I might have a word with you in private."

Robert stood immediately, tankard in hand before turning to Jason Mallister.

"Right then, sorry 'bout this Mallister."

The Lord of Seagard nodded to the king, making no fuss as the two men stepped down from the high table. Making their way out from the hall, Ned stopped Robert in an empty corridor.

"I need to go Robert."

His friend nodded sombrely. There was no need for either man to elaborate. This conversation, immediately after the proclaimed departure of Elia Martell from King's Landing and her inevitable return to Dorne, could only have one reason.

"Will your father let you?" Robert asked. "Lord Rickard told you of the boy, yes, but there's no telling what he'll say if you make it known you wish to see him."

"I'll convince my father." Ned said. "I know what it will look like. Lord Hoster will be worth I'm sure, but I need to do this Robert."

"You need to see the boy?" Robert asked, a smirk appearing on his face. "Or you need to see her?"

"Both." Ned said, a touch of steel entering his voice.

He loved Robert as a brother, but this was a serious conversation, and he didn't feel like putting up with any of the man's bawdiness.

Seeing how Ned's face hardened, Robert swallowed whatever rather crass remark he might have made.

"So be it. How about this then? I'll appoint you to see the Dornish home. Whatever deals Lord Ambrose made with the Martells; the crown will need to make sure it's done right and it's all settled properly."

The new king clapped Ned on the shoulder, steering him back towards the feast.

"And what better man than mine own foster brother to see to it that the Dornish are well tended to now that the dragons are gone."

Ned felt his shoulders relax at Robert's proposition.

"And who better than you to tend to the needs of a distressed Dornish lady like Ashara Dayne."

Only for them to shoot right back up before he punched Robert in the arm. His friend let out a hearty laugh, motioning for one of the servants to hand them another tankard, which he handed immediately to Ned.

"Come on Ned, share a drink with me before I have to tell Lord Hoster I'm sending you even further south."

Laughing, Ned took the drink. It was the least he could do for his friend if he was about to take on the wrath of his good-father in his behalf.

Ashara took a deep breath of the fresh, seaside air as she stood on the battlements of castle Starfall. She, Elia and their children had arrived at her home just yesterday, and now she was watching and waiting as a column of men and horses rode along the main road through the gates of her family's castle. The sun and spear of the Martells fluttered in the wind, as did the sigil of house Dayne. Those banners were expected, and Ashara felt a smile rise on her face at the thought of once again seeing her brothers again. While Arthur had been in King's Landing for years, serving on Aerys' kingsguard, her other brother, the lord of their family lands and holding since their father's death, had only gone north to represent their house at the great council that had occurred in King's Landing.

Briefly she considered Dawn, placed once more on the mantle in the lord's solar, which was now her oldest brother's. Would he allow Arthur to reclaim the blade and serve as the sword of the morning once more? She was not sure, for she knew that neither he nor many other houses of Dorne held him in such high regard after his aiding of Prince Rhaegar in kidnapping Princess, no, Lady Lyanna. Still, Arthur had proved himself worthy of Dawn once before, and perhaps he would again.

Whatever thoughts might have occupied her mind in regards to her returning family was washed away as her eyes roamed over the last two banners. The golden stag of house Baratheon was clearly visible, being carried by two riders, but following and protected by the royal banners were the grey wolves of House Stark. Her heart seized up, stomach turning as she contemplated on what those banners meant. Obviously, they could not mean he was here. He was married now, wed to the daughter of the Lord Paramount of the Riverlands and last she had heard from the heralds and gossips, he had a son waiting for him in Winterfell.

Ashara took a deep, calming breath, steadying herself as best she could. It was likely a vassal. Someone sent by either him of his father to check on her and her son. She might have given the old wolf her word that neither she nor her child would stir up trouble, but she knew they could not simply take her word for it. They needed to know. She should have left, should have gone back into the castle to ready herself to receive guests, as Elia was likely doing at that very moment, but no matter how hard she tried, she found herself rooted to her spot watching and waiting for the riders to become more than just tiny figures in the distance.

The noise of horse hooves was audible long before she got a clear look at any of the riders. Eventually they were crossing under the battlements that she was standing on. Some of the men on horseback looked up at her, and she recognised a few as men at arms from her older brother's retinue, but none stopped but three. Two were her brothers. The lord and heir of House Dayne, for her older brother did not yet have children and so Arthur, stripped of his white cloak, was once more the heir. They looked at her with something akin to relief and wonder, as if she was some impossible thing that they had both hoped for and feared would not be. Ashara smiled, waving at them with a bright smile, happy beyond words to be reunited with her whole family. She would need to arrange a private meal with the four of them. Allyria would be overjoyed at the chance to take a meal with their whole family for the first time since their father had died some years ago.

The riders of House Baratheon and Stark rode around her brothers as they stopped to look at her and her at them, but one rider halted just behind the two Dayne men. Her eyes flickered to him, wondering if this man was perhaps the envoy sent by the Starks to ensure she would be content with her son and not the ladyship of Winterfell. Her heart seemed to stop in her chest when her eyes met the stormy grey of Eddard Stark. Suddenly finding herself feeling light-headed seeing the father of her son and the man she loved, Ashara steadied herself on the battlements above the gate. Below her, Ned opened his mouth, perhaps trying to speak with her, but the though of speaking to him terrified her. In a whirl of fabric and panic, Ashara all but ran along the battlements, disappearing from the sight of those below her as she rushed to retreat into the safety of her home. Near sprinting through the halls of Starfall, taking deep gasps of breath, she tore into her son's room.

Edwyle was awake, babbling to a nursemaid as she cradled him close to her chest. Seeing her son, her child with Ned who was now here, Ashara all but ripped him from the arms of the woman who was holding him and pressed him to her chest. The maid sat shocked, not fighting with the lady who had just pried her son from her arms, before she got up and hurried out of the room, shooing away the other ladies and maids who tended to both Ashara and her son.

Ashara sat there, kneeling on the floor of her son's nursery and holding her babe as he settled and pressed himself into the warmth of his mother. Stroking his head, Elia tried to take comfort in Edwyle's steady breaths.

However long she knelt there, uncaring to the outside world didn't matter to her until a soft knock on the nursery doors brought her out of her stupor. Rising from her place, she rested Edwyle, who by now had dozed off, into his crib. Ashara wiped the remains of her tears from her face, working to make herself presentable to whoever might be on the other side of the door. Straightening her gown, she cleared her throat to make herself more presentable before answering.

"Come."

The sound of the hinges felt like thunder in her ears as the door was opened. Stepping into the nursery, Ashara didn't know whether to be relieved or devastated to see that it was not Ned who had come to see her. Instead, both of her brothers entered, followed by Allyria, who was babbling to their siblings about her new nephew.

"He's not done anything yet, but everyone says that all babies are like that. Was I like that when I was a babe? He's so boring."

Even with the tense air that surrounded the four siblings, Ashara couldn't help but smile as she listened to Allyria complain about how Edwyle was dull. Her younger sister was still a child, and the youngest amongst them besides. She didn't want to say she was spoilt, because she wasn't, but boredom was not something the youngest child of House Dayne was used to.

At least, she had been the youngest, before Edwyle. Her brothers approached, eyes flickering between her and her son.

Arthur was the first to speak.

"He's… big?" He seemed unsure. "Or small? Is he?"

Her oldest brother rolled his eyes, almost slapping Arthur before his face morphed into the relieved smile.

"I had heard from Prince Doran and spoken to Lord Terra on the subject of your return, but I will confess I had my doubts without seeing it myself. It is good for you to be home Ashara."

Tear suddenly welled up in her eyes. All the things she had suppressed, buried deep within her broke free, like the gates of a castle long under siege thrown open to welcome relief. Ashara burst into sobs, crumbling to the floor where she and her son were gathered in the arms of her siblings. Warmth flooded her and she smiled even as she cried. The Terra's were a terrifying people for all that they were kind enough, and now that she was safely away from them, the walls she had constructed to stay strong had crumbled. Her family shielded her from the debris though, cocooning her in their warm embrace and holding her together.

"It's alright." Her oldest brother said. "You are home now, you and your son. You are Daynes of Starfall. Fuck the Starks and the Tullys and the Baratheons. You are safe here."

Her sobs petered out in the warm embrace of her family, and Ashara felt her resolve strengthen. She was in her home, amongst her people and her family. She and Edwyle were safe, and she would face Ned, no matter what he had to say to her.

"Ashara."

Elia was at the door to the nursery, looking nervously over her shoulder.

"There is someone here to see you."

The four siblings tensed almost in unison. Allyria took her arm and helped to support Ashara while her brothers stood protectively at her shoulders. None of them had any doubts about who Elia had brought.

Eddard Stark walked gingerly into the nursery, his eyes focusing on Ashara as soon as he walked in.

Ashara felt Ned's gaze on her, checking her over, before they landed on the swaddled bundle in her arms. Little Ed was squirming in her grasp but had not yet made a sound.

"Ashara." His voice was quiet as a whisper, but carried all the same across the nearly empty room.

"Lord Stark." Arthur growled, taking a step to shield his sister from the Northern lord. "What business have you here? I'm sure you've not gotten lost on the way to your rooms."

Ned's eyes flickered over from the view of his son to the man who had been his enemy.

"I…I had hoped to speak with Lady Dayne."

Two pairs of purple and grey eyes locked, purple orbs flickering and skittish, grey brimming with a mixture of apprehension and longing.

"I'm sure we can arrange a time where you might speak with my sister."

Ashara's other brother placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder, prompting him to retreat behind the Lord of Starfall.

"However, you have just arrived Lord Stark. I'm sure we couldn't trouble you with such a spontaneous meeting as this one. Once you are settled well in our halls, and have partaken properly of bread and salt and food under our roof, we can attempt to find a proper time for you to-"

"We can talk." Ashara interrupted.

"Ashara." Arthur whispered.

"It's alright. I'll… we'll be fine." She assured her siblings.

The four shared looks between themselves, and Ashara saw a look of fondness cross Ned's face before it seemed overtaken by something much more sombre.

"Elia can watch us." She assured her family. "Make sure nothing untoward happens and that no liberties are taken. Can't she?"

"Of course." Elia quickly agreed, giving the other three members of House Dayne her most charming smile.

Her oldest brother seemed to hesitate, while Arthur alternated between glaring at Ned and looking at her.

"Very well." Eventually her brother gave in, ushering their other siblings out of the nursery.

"I expect, Lord Stark, that my sister will be treated with the respect due to a lady of her status."

"Of course." Ned answered. "It is not, nor has it ever been my intention to hurt your sister."

Arthur scoffed, but her brother had donned the mask of lord, and silenced him with a wave of his hand.

"I believe you, Lord Stark. I only hope your intentions remain as such."

The three left, the nursery door closing with a creak that Ashara could almost feel in her bones.

"Do you need privacy?" Elia asked. "I know I said I'd watch over this meeting, but if you need a moment alone."

"Elia… yes please."

"Very well. I'll be outside."

The princess of Dorne left, leaving behind the two parents and their child.

"He's big."

Ashara smiled despite herself.

"He is a healthy size. Would you like to hold him?"

Ned seemed surprised at her offer.

"I… I can?"

Ashara hesitated.

"Do you… do you know how to hold a babe properly?"

"I held Mya often enough in the Vale."

Ashara felt a smile pull up on her face.

"Mya. She was a little monster, most definitely Robert's child."

The two shared a small chuckle. Ned took a step forward, coming closer to the mother and child. Holding out his arms, he waited for Ashara to move.

She placed Ned's son, his firstborn son, in his arms, watching intently as he manoeuvred the boy into a steady hold. The little boy, a stock of black hair already forming on his head and eyes grey like a thunderstorm, looked up at his father, seeing him for the first time.

"His name is Edwyle."

"I know, father told me."

He looked at her, and it almost broke her heart and sent her to the ground to see how desperate his eyes were.

"I'm sorry."

"You had vows to fulfil, responsibilities that you had to take up. You do not have to apologise for that."

"I do. I should have waited. I should have written. To you, to the princess, to someone. I could have known before I took my vows. I could have-"

"Stop."

Tears welled in her eyes, even though she didn't know she still had tears to shed.

"I could have written as well. I could have told you, but then you might have left. You might have ridden to King's Landing like the honourable fool you are and asked for my hand. I would have said yes and you would have lost the Riverlands' support. Then what? Would you have won the battle in Stoney Sept without them? Would you still be a free man, or even alive? I couldn't take the chance."

"I could have done something." Ned protested. "I could have spoken with Lord Hoster, I could have…"

"Perhaps. But could haves are for the past, and we have done what we have done. There is no undoing it now."

"I made you a promise."

"I know."

"I love you."

"I love you as well."

"Perhaps I can speak with the High Septon, something might be done."

"I want to. Truly I do, but the only thing to be done now would be to annul your marriage, and I doubt Lord Hoster or the Riverlands would be amenable to that, especially with Lady Catelyn waiting for you with your child."

Ned's eyes filled with guilt.

"I…I don't know what to do. No matter what I pick, I will hurt an innocent woman, and one of my children."

Ashara placed her hand on his cheek, feeling him lean his head into her hand.

"We made choices. It is the gods' will that we live with them. You will stay here for a short time, ensure that all is well with Elia and her children and Dorne and our son and me, and then you will go North and be the heir of Winterfell with Lady Catelyn as your wife."

"And you?" Ned asked. "What will you do when I leave?"

"I will raise our son." She said. "I will be with him as he learns to walk, learns to talk. I will watch as he takes his lessons from maesters and castellans and masters at arms and learns all that my family can teach him."

She ran a finger along her son's cheek, smiling as he grasped the finger and cooed.

"And I will write to you, and tell you of his first words, his first spar, his first friend and his first love. And in return you will tell me of your life in the North. You will tell me of your children with Lady Catelyn, of how they are and their words and spars and friends. We are not married, but I would still keep you in my life Eddard Stark, in my son's life, and I hope you would like to keep me in yours."

"Of course. I would love nothing more than that. I love you. I do."

"Then tell your father and Lord Hoster and the King and everyone else that House Dayne has no plans to usurp Lady Stark as your wife, and future Lady of Winterfell. Tell them we are at peace and may be left alone."

"…I will. I will tell them, and I will write to you, and keep your words close to my heart."

"That is all I can ask of you Lord Stark."

Ashara took little Edwyle from his father's arms, rocking him lightly as he began to doze.

"He should be sleeping soon. Come, Elia and I will find a servant to escort you to your rooms."

Nodding along, Ned followed her out of the room, where Princess Elia was waiting in the hallway. She offered him a polite smile, and stood between him and Ashara as they looked for one of the castle servants to show him to his rooms.

It's still technically the second full week of december, and I have a chapter for you all. This one is one I'm sure a lot of you were looking forwards to. The long awaited reunion of Ned and Ashara is a difficult one. I know a lot of people wanted them to end up together, but no such luck. Instead, there is a mutual understanding (and maybe something more?) but no real romance. Instead they are just going to co-parent as much as they can given the world they live in. I know it's not the happy ending most people envisioned for them, but it's still there.

Also, it's small, but I love writing Ned and Robert's friendship. There's only so much in the books and show and I love the idea of them. Robert's charisma is interesting, but in the books he's a shadow of his former self. I wanted to portray how I thought he felt and what he might have been at the height of his Roberting, before he needs the breastplate stretcher.