Who: Robb and Ned What: A family reunion Where: The godswood at Winterfell When: After this. Warnings/Rating: None
Ned was pleased to see that Robb was present now. That was a simple truth that he could easily acknowledge after seeing his son’s post. The conversation they had over the journals left much to be desired however and he found himself wishing, not for the first time, that Theodore had enough time to read those books. He followed along as best he could while watching the television show and retreated to the nearly deserted Winterfell after almost every episode to digest what he had seen and vent his frustrations about having to wait seven days for the next chapter. His displeasure at the turn of events between Robb and that girl wasn’t quite enough to put too much of a damper on the potential reunion. After writing his last reply to Robb, he set his journal aside and went to the door that would lead to the hallway of Passages, key on hand just in case he needed to have Theodore speak to whomever was carrying his son around.
When the door opened to reveal a familiar face, Theodore immediately implored Ned to step through. He did, and the form of Ned Stark grew a few inches taller and a good deal slimmer, the furs of Winterfell replaced by a tailored suit. Theo grinned at Aubrey. “Surprise,” he said dryly, though the corners of his eyes still crinkled with amusement. “I have a feeling this is going to be very interesting. Drinks might be in order afterwards.”
Aubrey was a man who prided himself on being rather unflappable – there was not a whole lot in the world that could shake him. The major exception was, of course, the rather pushy man who happened to share his mind. Aubrey did not enjoy what he considered to be a gross invasion of privacy, having been quite a solitary and independent person for most of his life. That was the product of living without much regard from either parents or authority figures in general. So it was with great relief that he found himself back on what he considered to be the ‘proper’ side of his door, and he scrambled for a moment in a desperate attempt to wrestle control away from Robb. He took a moment in the hallway to gather himself, taking great shuddering breaths of stale and musty air. It was the first time he’d given himself over to Robb (he hadn’t been left much of a choice, it was either relinquish control for a while or drink himself into a dangerous stupor – Robb was just so stubborn) and it wasn’t agreeing with him. It was there in the hallway, leaning against the faded wallpaper in the wavering light of a sconce that he came face to face with Robb’s father and then… no. It couldn’t be.
“Theo?” he choked out after a few seconds of stunned silence. He gaped at the sight of his boss standing across from him and thought back through the messages they had exchanged over the past few weeks, searching for anything that had seemed a bit odd, perhaps too coincidental. “How...” His mouth opened and closed several times until it occurred to Aubrey that his resemblance to goldfish might not exactly be flattering. “Drinks. Yes, I think that might be the understatement of the century.”
It was more than a little entertaining for Theo to see Aubrey so surprised. He had come to value the younger man’s opinions and judgment over the past few years, counted him as a close friend. To discover that his Alter’s son was Aubrey’s Alter would no doubt change their relationship here in Las Vegas but he wasn’t too worried about that. Not yet at least. He would do what he could to keep things relatively normal, considering he knew how Ned felt about certain things about Robb. At least Ned liked Aubrey for the most part. He was continually worried that one of them wouldn’t like someone that they’d need to interact with.
That aside, he gave Aubrey a chance to let the information sink in. It was a pleasant surprise as far as Theo was concerned, considering he already did quite a bit for the young man and they got along fairly well. “Perhaps,” he agreed with a chuckle, and gestured toward the door. “Shall we? It shouldn’t take too long, I hope.” Ned disagreed in the back of his mind, but Theo paid him no mind. He still remembered Ned’s reunion with Jaime Lannister and that hadn’t gone how the man had expected.
When he’d finally regained his composure, Aubrey managed to offer the older man a smile. “After you, Boss man.” He waited until Theo had stepped through the door and transformed back into the instantly recognizable Ned Stark, watching with no small amount of interest as the planes of Theo’s form shifted and slid into place, suddenly adorned with the heavy layers of furs that were required by the harsh climes of the North. His reluctance to give control over to Robb was subdued, for the moment, and he allowed himself only a short moment of hesitation before following the other through their door.
The man who stepped through to the other side was a couple inches shorter than his host’s form, and he too was now wrapped in stiff boiled leather and mail, with a great fur ruff around his shoulders. He shook himself free of the last vestiges of a foreign body, shrugging his shoulders and rolling his neck from side to side as he welcomed the feel of being in control of his own mind and limbs. Robb was relieved to feel the weight of his sword on his hip, and he gave the hilt something of an affectionate pat as the door closed behind him and he turned to face his father.
“My lord,” he said solemnly, praying his voice would not break. “It has been too long. I apologize that my lack of control over my other has prevented me from returning to Winterfell. My place is here, at your side.” He bowed his head and took a moment to swallow thickly, feeling a hot prickle at the back of his eyes. He had never dreamed that he would see his father again, and it was all he could do to keep from throwing his arms around the older man and weeping like a child.
Theo gave him a reassuring smile before crossing through to Winterfell. The door led to the Godswood today and that seemed to be a fitting place for them to reunite. He’d spent time with each of his children there and Ned was glad that the door seemed to know and respect that. He turned, now fully the Lord of the North, to face Aubrey and he watched as the man so familiar to Theodore shifted into the man he was so familiar with. His eldest son. The relief he felt was palpable and he took a step forward, pausing only when he heard that familiar tone of formality. He almost didn’t pull Robb into a hug because of that tone, but the next moment saw him doing just that. How could he not?
Ned grabbed Robb by the shoulder and pulled him forward as he stepped forward, wrapping his arms tightly around his son as they came together. “Do not apologize,” he said firmly, letting the hug linger for a few long moments before finally pulling away. He kept his hands on Robb’s shoulders, ducking his head just slightly so that he could get a good look at his son. “You were given a responsibility you should not have had to shoulder alone. I am sorry that I did not prepare you for that.” Ned was proud of what Robb had accomplished but there were decisions, negotiations that he would have made differently if he had been there.
The air in the Godswood was cool and sharp against Robb’s cheeks, and for a few brief seconds his breath caught in his throat as he was transported back to his home and his distant childhood. When he had left Winterfell and headed south with his lords bannerman to face Tywin Lannister and the southron forces, there had been some deep, raw part of him that had known he would never see it again. He had said his goodbyes as he had said goodbye to his father, and his brothers, and his sisters, and it was this part of him that would not believe that the Old Gods could have given him a second chance. When he felt his father’s arms wrap around him in a hug, it was all he could do to maintain the composure expected of him – expected of a King.
“You prepared me well, father,” he protested as he steeled his nerve, setting his shoulders straight and holding his chin up when he met his father’s gaze. “When I heard – when word came of what that bastard had done –“ here he faltered, remembering the day a raven came with word of his father’s execution. He gritted his teeth for a moment and took a breath before he was able to go on. “I could only hope that I would not bring disgrace on the House of Winterfell when I took up your mantle. I made mistakes, and I suffered the consequences. I have felt great shame, my lord.”
Robb could only meet his father’s gaze for so long before he felt the force of his own words, and his eyes dropped to stare at the drifts of snow that rose up against the trees in the Godswood. Here he felt scrutinized by the eyes that surrounded them, the eyes with blood-red sap running down the white trunk, reminding him of the childish errors he’d made and what his father surely must think of him.
Ned hadn’t been prepared for his death, not really. He had known that his life was in danger the moment he alerted Cersei to the fact that he knew of her children’s true parentage. Plans had been made, arrangements to get them out of King’s Landing and install the rightful man as King to the Iron Throne. It would have gone according to plan if not for Petyr Baelish. Perhaps it was cruel to lay the blame at one man’s feet but Ned had never liked the man and he was confident that they could have escaped the city had Baelish not called him to the Whore House. He would have his life and, more importantly, his children. After seeing the technology and advancements in communication on Theodore’s side and watching the moving pictures - television series - it was mind boggling to Ned how one simple journal message, for example, could have changed everything.
Being the strong silent type had its advantages and this situation was a perfect example of that. Looking into Robb’s eyes, Ned carefully kept his expression focused on the love he felt for his son and the joy he felt at having him near again. The news of Catelyn’s death had nearly destroyed him, made worse by the fact that his wife simply wasn’t here, but the passing of a spouse, for whatever reason, was something a part of him had always been prepared for. The loss of a child was far greater. The only thing that kept him from reacting in a similar way to the news of Robb’s death was the fact that Robb was the one that told him. His gaze softened considerably when he needed a moment to compose himself again, recalling when he received word of the execution. Ned remembered that all too well, the way he so desperately sought to shield Arya’s eyes from what she would see since he could not do the same for Sansa, the acceptance of his fate no matter how wrong it was or how unjustified. He had made his mistakes and suffered the consequences. Now it was time to learn from them.
Robb’s eyes dropped and Ned had some idea of the shame his son felt. It was justified because he had broken an oath he had made. There was great shame in that and the fact that Robb felt that shame was a good sign. He let his son feel that for a few long minutes, withdrawing his hands and standing at his full height. “You have acted according to what you believed to be true, have you not? The mistakes you have made - and do not doubt that they were mistakes - were made with good intentions and suffer the consequences you did. You will carry the shame of your actions for the rest of your life.” He paused, letting Robb feel the full weight of those words. “However, you have been given a second chance here to handle things differently. If you desire a certain outcome, work toward that goal without breaking your oaths. It will not be easy, but then, the things we want never are.”
It was odd, but the relief that Robb felt at being chastised by his father once more was nearly overwhelming. Whether because it reminded him of his childhood, when he had last felt truly safe and secure in his knowledge of the world, or simply that he was grateful for the miracle of his father’s presence, he could not be sure. He had lived with the awareness of his own mistakes for quite some time before the infamous Red Wedding, at which the duplicitous Freys had delivered his death, and to know that his father would have been disappointed in his rule were he around was a knowledge that had taken a toll. Robb accepted the lord’s judgment and did not shy away under the stern gaze cast upon him. He knew that he deserved every ounce of disapproval, and that he must withstand it like any man of true honor.
“I have tried to do what is right, father – both for my family and for those under my protection. I have learned from my mistakes, just as you taught me,” he said, with a firm certainty. “The Frey’s required my oath when we needed to cross at the Twins, but this version of events happens to be my own past. That they will betray us sooner or later is no longer a question, now that I have seen the depth of their treachery.”
Robb would have been lying to himself if he had pretended that his thoughts were not of Jeyne, his beloved queen, for whom he had broken his vow of betrothal to a Frey daughter. His interest, however, was in avoiding the necessity of endangering his family by allowing the Frey farce to continue. He would sooner eat dragon dung than see his younger sister Arya forced to marry into that wretched clan.
“It will not long matter to them whether our oaths are upheld – as soon as Tywin Lannister’s dogs begin to sniff around with promises of wealth and power, they will not hesitate to turn their backs on us. It is for good reason that mother’s own father named him ‘The Late Lord Frey’. We do not have his allegiance, and we never will. We must find another way.”
It was a good sign again that Robb took the chastisement without argument, at least at first. There was only so much that Ned could lay at Robb’s feet considering he had not been adequately prepared in the politics of war. It was clear from the victories he had under his belt that the battle aspect of war was his strong suit. Having his mother as an adviser...while Ned loved Catelyn dearly and trusted her judgment, again he found himself wishing that there had been some way to communicate between the Starks. “Lord Frey allowed you passage in exchange for a number of things, one of which being your hand in marriage to his daughter. I can understand falling for a pretty face on the fields of war, but it does not change what you are honor bound to do.”
Of anyone under the skies of Westeros, Eddard knew that all too well. He had loved Jon’s mother and it was out of that love that he risked his new marriage and the ire of his new wife by bringing the boy to Winterfell to be raised as one of his own. He had kept to his duty, stood by his wife as promised, and over time had fallen deeply in love with Catelyn. Five natural born children were proof enough of that. Arranged marriages were never something he wanted for any of his children but it was an impressive bargaining chip. It was unfortunate that Robb met someone and fell in love, but as long as he went back to the Frey girl - which he had surmised was not the case given their conversation - it should have been fine. He had not been pleased about Arya’s addition to that bargain, but from beyond the grave, there was nothing he could do. The only saving grace was that Arya was eighteen now and missing from King’s Landing. The Freys would not be expecting her part of the agreement to be upheld for another decade at least. That was plenty enough time for things to happen to change the course of events.
“You are clearly more aware of the goings on of Westeros than I, as the moving pictures are the only base of knowledge I have. If the Freys pose a threat to us and to our campaign against the Lannisters, then action must be taken against them.” He didn’t want to point out that it would be difficult to punish the Freys for something that they have not yet done. It would be a bridge they would cross when the time came and much of it depended on if this woman appeared in Westeros.
Robb turned away from his father for a moment and walked a few paces, coming to a stop underneath the old, familiar weirwood and the gaze of its silent face. He gazed up at the canopy of blood-red leaves, and wondered how many times he and his ancestors had prayed to the Old Gods in this sacred place.
His father was a wise man, but he had it wrong. Robb knew it was not so simple as ‘falling for a pretty face’, when blood ran high in the heat of battle. His time with Jeyne had been so much more than that, climaxing when he’d learned of the death of his brothers and she had been there to comfort him. He kept silent about that, however - for now. There were more important arguments to be made.
“Father,” he began, keeping his voice lowered and his eyes on the tree. “I am not certain how much you know of - of our future. Of my version of the future, at least. It causes me great pain to be the one to tell you, but...” he trailed off, hesitating. He turned back around to meet Ned’s gaze, but he knew that his reluctance was evident on his face. He took a breath. It could not be avoided.
“I told you that it was the Freys who ended my life, but I wasn’t the only one to perish at my uncle’s wedding. They slaughtered our bannerman that were in attendance - more than three thousand men. Their feast tents were rigged to collapse and set aflame. And they...” Robb’s voice broke, and he had to swallow before he could go on. “They killed mother, too. They slit her throat, and threw her body in the river. And they did it under the promise of protection from Tywin Lannister.” He left out the part where they had stripped her naked first. He knew that his father could only take so much.
He waited for Robb to argue, for him to insist that it was different with this girl. Ned knew it would come sooner or later because he had made the same arguments himself. He’d loved her, and he still did. Every time he looked in Jon’s eyes, he could see her. It had taken him a long time to come to terms with the fact that she was gone, that the only ‘mother’ Jon would know was a woman who had spent years hating him overtly and his entire life subtly. That wasn’t a life he would wish on anyone and he didn’t want Robb to have the same life he did.
The argument never came. He thought it might, when Robb finally spoke, but that tone of voice and the way he kept his eyes on the tree before him, told Ned that what would come next wasn’t something Robb necessarily wanted to say. As soon as Robb turned back to face him, Ned knew that he was about to tell him about Catelyn’s fate. He would have stopped him, but he was already continuing, already telling him that the Freys were responsible. Even after hearing of her death from Jaime Lannister, it was difficult news to hear. Ned’s lips thinned, pressed so hard together that they turned white. His hand went to the hilt of his sword, wrapped so tightly that his knuckles resembled his lips.
“I see,” he said, once he was certain he could speak without his voice breaking. He wished, not for the first time, that he could hold his wife in his arms just one more time. When he had first arrived, his daughters were his first priority, and they still were, as were the whereabouts of the rest of his children, but now he was ready to allow himself to want his wife back. “The Freys will not be allowed to make the same betrayal twice. History will not repeat itself.” Ned said it with such conviction that he truly believed it. The Freys would not be allowed the opportunity to kill his family or his men.
Seeing the agony that passed across Ned’s face was excruciating, even more so knowing that he had caused it. Robb wished he could have spared his father any further pain, having seen the toll that years of heavy burden and responsibility had taken - it was reflected in the lines on Ned’s brow and around his mouth, and in the stoop of his shoulders when he thought no one was watching.
“Father, we will stop them together,” he swore with conviction, crossing through the litter of dead leaves on the ground and coming to stand before Ned once more. He touched the hilt of his own sword in acknowledgement, serving his father a look of the utmost intensity. “Our lords bannerman have named me King in the North, which I neither asked for nor expected. Now that you have returned and are very much alive, the title is rightfully yours.”
Robb dropped to one knee and bowed his head in a demonstration of the utmost respect. He knew he would gladly give up his place as King in order to serve under his father again. He would do his duty, as he had been raised.
Ned took a deep breath, relaxing his grip around his sword. His anger wasn’t for Robb. For a very brief moment, he was livid with his eldest son. Catelyn would be alive if he had kept his word. But no. He could not change Robb’s past and he would not burden his son with that guilt. Ned would keep it close to the vest, hidden away in the darkest corners of his mind so as to not poison this chance he had. He would wait for his wife to return, hope for the chance to hold her close and be reunited as a family with all of his children. The Freys would pay, Joffrey and Cersei would pay, and then Ned would take his family and keep Winterfell for his own. That was all he wanted. Justice and his family.
“We will,” he agreed, his voice hard but not with the anger he had felt a brief moment ago. Robb was offering him the North, his kingdom, and Ned knew there was truth to those words. The title did belong to him. He was Lord of Winterfell, Warden of the North. If they were to secede from the Seven Kingdoms, he should have been King. His priorities, however, would not be shifted. Sansa, Bran, and Rickon were his number one priority and avenging his family was second. Taking on the mantle of King of the North would require him to be embroiled in battle and that would waste precious time he could spend scouring any possible leads of his children.
Robb stayed kneeling for a few long minutes while Ned contemplated the offer. “Rise,” he commanded softly. “You are the King of the North. The title is yours, as are the men. You are their leader, Your Grace.” He let that sink in before letting his lips quirk up into as much of a smile as Ned ever gave. “I will assist you in every regard, should you request it, but I would ask that you let me search for our family. You have proven yourself on the battlefield many times over and I would see you to further victory.” The Starks had a number of enemies, that much was clear, but Ned cared little for the Seven Kingdoms anymore. Not after what it had done to his family.
Robb obeyed his father’s gentle command and rose to his feet before the older man, lifting his gaze from the ground. His eyes widened slightly in surprise when he heard his father addressing him with the proper honorific befitting his title. He had always felt a bit uncomfortable when members of his family or those he considered close friends had spoken to him as to a king, but on this occasion it felt like a great honor. To hear the words from his father’s lips when he’d spent his whole life in admiration of the lord, his greatest role model, was something beyond apt description. To see them spoken with a smile warmed his heart, and helped to ease the clenched fist of anxiety that currently lived inside of him.
“You need ask nothing of me, Lord Father, “ Robb assured him. “I will continue to lead our campaign against the Lannister forces, those cravens and turncloaks who hide behind their lions. I have seen first-hand the tactics that they may come to use in the future, and have learned how we might use this knowledge against them.”
He allowed himself to return Ned’s smile, though it did not entirely reach his eyes. He was hopeful that with the presence of his father he might succeed where previously he had failed, but that did not free him of the shame that lingered in his heart. For there was a part of him, and it was not small, that still hoped he would live to see the return of his Jeyne. His love. His Queen.
“I thank you for your counsel, and I swear to you here in the presence of the Old Gods that I shall do everything in my power to help you find the rest of our family. I shall learn to coexist peacefully with my host beyond the door, and find a way to convince him that I am needed here in Westeros.” Robb knew that such a task would be easier spoken than done, but he had no choice.
They would use Robb’s knowledge, and perhaps Jon’s and Jaime Lannister’s as well, to their advantage. Things would be set to rights and then he and his family could retreat to the North. That was the best-case scenario as far as Ned was concerned and that was what he would maneuver for. If that meant trusting Petyr Baelish to inform him if Sansa were to arrive, then so be it. Things in Westeros were far different than he had ever expected, but they would survive this. They were alive after all, and that was the best blessing of all.
They had more pressing matters to attend to. “Let me find your siblings. You are needed with your bannermen, marching south on the Lannisters. The journals will provide a means for us to communicate instantaneously, which will allow us to keep abreast of news in a far more reliable manner than ravens. As for your host, he is on good terms with my host. Theodore will speak with him.” Ned spoke with the conviction of a man in charge, one not to be argued with. They would survive this.
“We will adjust and we will persevere.” With that, the conversation was over as far as Ned was concerned. “Come. We have much work to do. Jon is from much further along than I and he will have further insight for us.” He also had every intention of speaking with Jaime Lannister, but until he knew if the man would cooperate, he would not broach the subject with Robb. “I believe it might be time for us to gather together and rally what allies we have.”
Robb did not believe for a moment that Aubrey Rois would not simply agree to cooperate with him, even if Eddard’s other happened to be his boss. He was the sort of man who liked to believe that he didn’t need help from anyone, and Robb had yet to find an easy way to influence such a stubborn mind. He knew that Ned understood all of this, since Theo undoubtedly understood it, and did not say this aloud.
“Our allies seem few and far between, father.” Robb moved to stand beside him and nodded to indicate that he would follow Ned through the door. “We had best start gathering immediately.”