Luwin
There was always something to be dealt with in a place like Winterfell. There were ravens to be fed, messages passed on, people's illnesses treated and a hundred and one other things. And yet that didn't make the worry about young Robb go away at all.

He turned a corner and then stopped dead in his tracks. Ned Stark was helping Robb down the corridor, or rather half-dragging him, with one of Robbs arms draped over his father's shoulder. Robb's head hung low and Luwin could not tell if he was awake or not. Judging by the stumbling feet he was suspended between awake and asleep. "My Lord!" Luwin exclaimed as he scurried over and supported Robb on his other side, draping the other arm over his own shoulders and supporting the exhausted youth. "What happened?"

"Found him in the Godswood," Ned gasped and Luwin looked at him sharply. The man looked as if he was exhausted himself and…

"My Lord, your eyes…"

"What of them?"

"There is a redness to them. In your pupils."

Ned sighed. "I feared that. Hopefully it will fade. Robb will have it as well." They reached the door to Ned's solar, which Ned opened with one hand. They brought Robb inside, deposited him in one of the chairs and then Ned sank into his own chair with a groan. "You should see to Robb."

Luwin was already doing that even as Ned spoke the words. He noted the weariness in his face and then gently forced one eye open. Yes, there was red in his pupil as well, but it was fading even as he looked at it. As for the rest of Robb, there were odd scratches on one hand and his knees were damp from dew. "He seems fine but totally exhausted my lord." Then he looked at Ned. "As do you. The redness in your eyes is going, as it is in Robb's. My Lord – what happened?"

The Lord of Winterfell passed a shaking hand over his beard and then smiled wryly before standing with a groan and crossing to the table in the corner, where he poured three goblets of wine. "Get that in him," he commanded, "And then have some yourself. You'll need it." He handed the goblets over and then drank from his own.

Luwin placed the container to Robb's lips. "Robb!" he barked. "You need to drink this. Robb! Open your eyes!"

The youth groaned like a sleepy child but then obediently opened his mouth and drank. There was more than a hint of splutter as he did so, but the wine seemed to refresh him a little. Luwin looked him over again and then sipped his own wine. "Why will I need this?"

"It isn't every day that you hear that two people have talked with the Old Gods." Ned said the words with the outmost seriousness as a deeply shocked Luwin stared at him.

"The Old Gods?"

Ned nodded sombrely and then looked at his son. "I found him where you suggested, Luwin, in the Godswood. He was kneeling in front of the Heart Tree, asking it for answers. Asking how he could warn me. Asking why he was sent back from the moment…" he faltered, his voice cracking for an instant, "From the moment of his death. I thought his wits were addled Luwin. But then I saw his eyes."

"The red was stronger?"

"Like the sap of the trees around us both in the Godswood. And then he grabbed my hand and… I had a vision Luwin. I saw flashes of Robb in different places. In one he was leading a charge of Northern heavy cavalry, in another he was walking amidst the bodies from a battle." Ned clenched his fists for a moment. "And I saw him die Luwin. I saw my own son die." He choked each word out as if they hurt his mouth.

Luwin calmed his whirling thoughts with another sip of wine. "Pardon me for asking this my Lord, but where did you see him die?"

Ned leant back in his chair and closed his eyes for a long moment. "It must have been at the Twins," he said eventually. "I saw Walder Frey there. The filthy swine broke guests rights. He had his men murder Robb and his own men. Crossbows and knives. And…" He hesitated again. "I saw who wielded the knife for the killer blow. Roose Bolton."

Luwin felt his eyebrows fly upwards. "Lord Bolton? The Lord of the Dreadfort? Why would he kill your son?"

"I know not," Ned grated. "I know that he is loyal to me, but the Boltons used to fight the Starks for the right to lead the North in the Age of Heroes. And old dreams die hard. I heard voices as well, saying that things had changed, that things had gone wrong, that things needed to be changed, that too many voices had been stilled. That's an old phrase Luwin, my grandfather used to use it. When voices are stilled people have died. And then…"

"And then?" Luwin prompted gently.

"And then I think I met one of my ancestors," Ned said with a wry smile. "Mad as that sounds. He said that I was a child, that my eyes were in the South and not on the North, he said that the North needed to be strong – and that the Others have returned."

A silence fell. Well, this was a strange tale indeed. "Eddard," he said carefully, "You must admit that this is an outlandish tale. If anyone else had told me of what you have seen I would dismiss it as the ravings of a madman, especially as the Others have not been seen in thousands of years. Speaking as a Maester my training tells me that what you have said cannot be true. And yet I am of the North. And I witnessed the redness in your eyes." He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I will send a raven to the Citadel at Oldtown, to ask if the glass candles are burning again."

Ned looked at him carefully. "You have always said that magic is impossible now."

"Not quite my Lord," Luwin said with a wintery smile, "I just said that I cannot practice it as I have never seen it. And yet… something is changing. I can feel it in my bones. I have had the oddest feeling of being watched in the Godswood. And your tale… disturbs me. If the Old Gods are taking an interest in the deeds of man again…"

Ned nodded. "Send a raven to Castle Black as well. I need to discuss this with Benjen. He pulled a slight face. "That is if he won't try and have me treated by you for madness. I need to find out what's happening at the Wall. And then I need to talk to Robert to strengthen the Night's Watch. Gods knows that it's been neglected."

"Father?"

They both turned to see Rob starting to stir. Luwin cast an eye over the young man. Yes, he was waking.