Disclaimer: A Song of Ice and Fire belongs to George R. R. Martin. I'm just a fan and I own nothing.

Well, I'm not so sure as how things will develop, since I'm in my last semester in College, right now in vacation, but I really enjoyed how this chapter turned out and I really want to keep posting.

This chapter is just an introduction to this AU, a Ned's POV during, well, Robert's Rebellion and him learning the meaning of becoming a father and how Catelyn reacted - because I haven't read any fic or anything talking about this moment of their lives. So, hope you'll like it and I'm waiting for some enouragement because it's really hard to right a fic about A Song of Ice and Fire.

Good Reading :3

Lord Stark fastened his way through the gates of King's Landing towards the Red Keep, wearing his armour neck down, his face showing so Robert's knights would let him pass and no one else would threaten to kill the great warrior, known of winning way too many battles for his young age. His horseshoe's clinked soundly over the cobblestones as he went down and up the alleys; citizens hidden in their houses, barely watching from the cracks in their windows the invasion of King's Landing about to end - since the world of prince Rhaegar Targaryen's chest smashed with Robert Baratheon's axe was spreading quickly.

He went through the Septum Sanctuary, his ebony hair winding all over his face, a frown between the dark eyebrows outstanding the slightly tanned pale skin, not used to the stuffy air of the south country. Deep stone grey eyes storming the reflection of many thoughts inside his head - finding Lyanna at the tower, her last request and the hardest he could ever keep, her death and the fact he couldn't mourn for his younger sister's death yet, a baby boy he had to take back home and what his lovely lady Catelyn would say when she found out, another baby boy waiting for him back home, in Winterfell… Robert's fury against the Targaryen's driving his Usurper friend insane as he took his time to arrive the Red Keep…

Focus, Ned! He told himself, grinding his teeth and yelling so the horse would lope faster You have two little kids to rescue before Robert do some stupid thing!

And soon enough he entered the Red fortress, that used to be the Targaryen's precious household - where many Dragon's skeletons laid and composed the huge castle of many high towers and dungeons. When he got to the Iron Throne parlour he saw Jaime Lannister, once a knight of the King's Guard, sitting the throne and the Mad King, Aerys Targaryen, lay dead at the stairs, a broken smile in his creased face. The young Sor Jaime, of golden locks, cream skin and emerald green orbs, glanced up towards Eddard Stark, his gold armour glistering towards the northerner and Ned knew that he betrayed the man he served - once a dishonorable man, there were little to none possibilities of becoming a trustworthy man again.

Ned straightened his stance and furrowed his eyes to the Lannister standing form the Iron Throne slowly, almost filling ashamed to sit in the one thousand swords throne.

"Kingslayer." he greeted the knight and Jaime glanced the galleries way as an answer.

"You better run if you're to save someone today, my Lord." he said the last words briskly and stepped down the throne as Ned went backwards "The Usurper's men might've gotten to the Targaryen children already."

The lord didn't think twice before leaving the kingslayer behind and quickening his steps through the galleries towards the place the kids were. He could listen to some baby's cry through the corridors and many feet hitting the stone floors as he climbed the stairs,lighters steps seemed to be faster than the other followed shortly with armour's clanking and he figured the Targaryen boy was running for his life with the baby in arms. Ned only hoped to reach them first before Robert's soldiers would rip off the boy's head and throw the baby through the first window they went through.

Then he heard clashing of swords and many men screaming in pain. There was someone protecting the Targaryen children and he had to be careful not to die also. He got to the fourth floor of one of the high Towers, grabbing the scabbard of his heavy sword and skulking close to the walls, attentive to the sounds coming from the left corridor where he listened to a throat being slipped and a very angry man shouting them to back off.

Once he showed himself in fighting stance he saw Sor Barristan Selmy fighting five of the Usurper's soldiers and almost getting himself killed to protect the heirs of the realm he swore to give his life upon many years ago when he designed to become the Commander of the King's Guard. Ned intervened right away, yelling to the men who saw him and stood confused for the Stark not obliging to the Baratheon's commands.

"Stop this nonsense, all of you!" the Lord Stark commanded furious to see such a thing and Sor Barristan stood in his fighting stance, recovering his breath "Are you here, full grown man, to kill innocent children in Robert's demand?" most of them seemed to be ashamed soon after the northman started to talk some sense into them "They are children, for the love of the Gods!"

"Our King commands us to give him their heads!" the leader answered boldly to Ned and the brunette frowned to his reply "The King has whatever he wants!"

"Our King is mourning right now. He hasn't thought thoroughly this nonsense!" Sor Barristan, the knight, only glanced at them, not moving a muscle, still feeling the threat from all of them.

"Are you denying your King's orders?" Ned rolled his eyes to the man and walked over him, the other men kept their swords back on their belts and the leader grimmed over them "You're all a shame to your King!"

"Nobody is killing children today." Ned warned all of them and the other man obliged to his orders, but the leader.

The other man grabbed the leader and dragged him down the corridor, back to the stairs so they would go back to their horses and tell King Robert about Lord Eddard's orders, because Ned had already commanded them to do so. He could deal with Robert later. He had to secure the safety of this children right now.

"Sor Barristan, the Bold." the lord of Winterfell greeted the knight protector of the realm and bowed his head, putting his sword away and Barristan barely lightened his stance over Eddard's figure "I'm not here to hurt these children."

"Lord Eddard Stark. Way young to protect the north." Ned rose his eyebrows slightly.

"I didn't have much of choice." Barristan nodded and straightened his back "Please, let me take them with me to a safer place. They'll be in danger for anyone inside this Keep."

"I can't let you take them, my Lord. I sworn a vow to their House and I'll keep it until I die." Ned agreed.

"Enough deaths for now, sor. You can come along to protect them, if you must. I give you my word that they will be safe and sound."

"How can I trust a man who serves the man that killed and usurped this children heritage?" Barristan tightened his wise eyes to look inside Ned's soul, searching for something that would give his true intentions away.

"I guess you'll have to deal with my bare words, then." and he strained his hand towards the knight to close their deal.

After time passed as a thousand of minutes inside Eddard's head, the knight finally put away his sword and shook the lord's hand, trusting carefully in his words and the quotes of many men he met his entire life about northerners: they honor their promises.

The knight who was trusted by the older boy, about ten years old, knocked on the door and told them there was nothing to be afraid anymore. The baby stopped crying because fell asleep and the door creaked open, heavy and trailing over the stone floor. The boy had lilac orbs sinking behind tears and silver blonde tangled hair growing longer then his ears height, a frown as his small and trembling frail body. The baby he held to get inside the room laid under the table, where he found more protected to hide his little sister and Ned had his heart ache over the scene.

"My prince." said Barristan as kneeling to the boy "I'm here with Lord Eddard Stark" the boy looked frightened over Ned and the knight continued talking "To take you and princess Daenerys to a safer place, for your protection."

"I-I can't…" the boy was bumbling over his words, looking down and trying to dry his tears "I can't leave here." and he sobbed again "This is my home, my castle. I won't leave." he had a temper, Ned could notice. But then, before the lord could say anything else, the boy fell in tears, hugging sor Barristan "They killed my mother, sor!" and Eddard found himself in mourning again, but he remembered about the girl lying under the table and entered the room, to get the baby in his arms.

As sor Barristan eased the boy, prince Viserys, Eddard learned few minutes later, he grabbed the girl from the cold floor and cradled her, looking at how small she was in his grown man's hands. Her peach pale skin and the silver in her hair were very odd to him, specially in a baby. But she was indeed a beautiful newborn infant. There was a moment when she barely opened her eyes to yawn and Ned met the most sparkling violet eyes he's ever seen his entire life.

"Lord Stark." Sor Barristan claimed for the northman to look back at him, startling him for he was too lost in those infant's eyes "We're ready to leave." he strided towards Eddard to grab the baby, but Ned denied.

"I can take her. You go on ahead, you know better this place then I, anyways." Sor Barristan was hesitant, but he followed Ned's orders.

Prince Viserys muttered some more words after they left the room, but Ned couldn't care enough to listen to them. He was much enchanted by the princess to care about anything else, even though he knew he had to take care of the children.

And it all happen too fast for him to do anything. They were walking down the stairs, passing through the second floor. Sor Barristan was ahead of them and Prince Viserys in the middle of the grown man.

When Barristan climbed down two steps and Ned stood four behind them, holding his sword in his right hand, Viserys was dragged in once through his frail arm and yelled. Eddard tightened his grip in Daenerys and Sor Barristan almost fell over the stairs, but managed to climb the two steps and enter the door to the second floor. Lord Stark followed shortly watching as the leader of Robert's men now held Viserys through his hair down the corridor in a race, his little body drawn over the rough stones and he was screaming in pain and fear.

"LET HIM GO!" Barristan ordered as he ran towards the man, but it was already too late.

Once the leader stopped dragging the children, he raised Viserys to his little toes from his hair and stopped his sword over the prince's slim neck, uttering "For King Robert Baratheon, first of his name!" and his blade went through the prince's neck, dividing the small head of the Targaryen child from his body falling nimb on the floor and Ned didn't know what to do.

Barristan Selmy was already on his way to stick his large sword through the man's throat shortly after the startled and frozen lifeless face of Viserys hanged in his hands and Robert's men were behind Ned, as astonished and trying to get to him. Obviously, all of them have failed and, now, Daenerys Targaryen was the last heir to the realm.

…

"You disobeyed my orders, Ned! How dare you?!" the dark haired king of bright and furious blue eyes yelled from his bed and shrieking in pain, touching the bandages over his abdomen where prince Rhaegar had injured him. King Robert, the Usurper, was very handsome and very big, but didn't seem that strong under Ned's orbs as lying down in his royal bed to recover. He was as human as anyone he knew and he was his friend. Ned had the moral duty to tell him whenever Robert was being insane and now was the time.

"You've succeed half of your order, your Grace." Eddard sighed disappointed at his friend's achievement "And you have the boy's head, already."

"Not a boy to me! A dragonspawn!" he spit in the nearer bailer "And you protected that thing…" he said in contempt.

"A baby girl, barely the size of your hand, Robert." Ned replied and Robert snorted "What honor is in killing children, your Grace?"

"They'll grow up and come after the Throne, Ned! They're a threat to MY reign!" Robert wanted to sit at the bed, but he couldn't. The meistre stood beside his bed holding him down and preparing a cup of milk of the poppy to cease his pain and put him to rest "GET RID OF IT NOW!" the meistre told the King to calm down or he would open his stitches again.

"What if I guarantee you, your Grace, that she won't come after your throne?" Ned wondered and Robert wrinkled his nose in anger "Listen to me, Robert. Do you really want your reputation as the Babyslayer King? You've just conquered the Seven Kingdoms, you cannot allow yourself to think this irrational. Everyone already knows you killed the Targaryen Princes and the King was taken down by Jaime Lannister. Rest from your hunt to the Targaryens and enjoy your reign." Robert was more wary to Ned's words, so Lord Stark continued his speech "Let me take the girl to the north along my bastard. I'll raise her there and she'll never feel the desire to overthrow you, your Grace."

"How can you promised something like that, Ned?" Robert questioned having the milk of the poppy, too tired of feeling pain and of that conversation.

"Have I ever lied to you?" Robert had the ghost of a smile cross his lips and Ned knew that meant he allowed it "You won't regret it, your Grace. I'll assure you that."

"Take it, Ned. But, just so you know…" before falling asleep, Robert could threaten the princess once again "If I hear she has the same eyes of her father, I'll march to Winterfell with my bannermen to behead her myself right in front of you, just like her brother."

Eddard wouldn't let it happen, because from all the things he's seen from the infant's violent sparkling eyes, there was no insanity. Only greatness and he could swore she would be an incredible woman once she was fully grown.

…

He's eyes were so hard and grey Ned could've sworn the became black at some point as he admired the baby boy he brought from the south to his home, Winterfell, and the hair was as dark as his own, his infant face as worried as any Stark that Ned himself couldn't see through it.

The carriage shook a lot while he held the small baby who would soon be called a bastard as soon as they arrived his land. There were two handmaidens taking care of the children he brought to Winterfell and an older lady nurse to attend and put some order inside the carriage as they fed the children and took care of them.

Ned didn't ride the entire time with them, so once he could have some time with the babies, he would enjoy it as much as possible, since he had to take care of everything else on his own until they arrived. It was very difficult, but he was getting used and liking the idea of being a father. And he could barely wait to meet his own baby boy once he get to Winterfell, his beloved auburn haired lady Catelyn and her soft blue eyes.

Baby Snow weeped in his arms and he came back to the little boy in his arms, smiling and rocking him from side to side.

"My Lord." the lady nurse called to Eddard and he glanced up on her, she had a soft smile in her lips "He needs a name." one of the handmaidens was asleep and the other fed Daenerys "How would you like to name him?"

Ned sneered a laughter, not letting it reverberate to scare the babies "I have no idea. He has this worried face, but he has no worries at all right now." the women laughed inside "He's a bastard, though. He'll have something to worry about as soon as he starts to understand what people talk about him." he muttered suddenly becoming dreary. The lady nurse nodded agreeing with him.

"He needs a strongman's name, then."

Eddard started to think about all the strong men he had ever met his entire life and had the pleasure to fight alongside or against them, he was very able to admit a man's strength and fighting ability. He couldn't help a faint smile curving his lips as he remembered his lord father, Rickard, and his older brother, Brandon. None of their names seemed to fit the worried face of baby Snow as far as he recalled all their deeds.

He then travelled farther with his mind. There was his friend and King Robert, of course, but he couldn't picture that baby as close as his friends deeds - not at all; and he had all the courageous men going through his head… There was no one he could think about.

Not even Jon… and when he thought of Jon Arryn, a man he took as his own father and a close friend, hand of the King, baby Snow moved in his lap and Ned glanced at him. He raised one eyebrow "Jon…?" he called out to the baby and the infant let a very cute smile form in his lips. Ned chuckled softly, delighted by that sign "Hello there, Jon Snow…" and little Jon smiled even with his worrisome eyes and lips "Look at him, Lady Nurse. He likes Jon Snow." Ned said as happy as he could possibly be and the lady smiled back "My boy, Jon Snow."

Soon Ned had to go back to his horse and ride outside, taking the measures needed for their journey to continue. And while galloping his way to Winterfell, always glancing back at the carriage, Lord Stark would always recall his sweet sister's begging to promise her he would keep him safe, and recall that little Jon Snow wasn't his bastard, but no one else could ever know about it - Robert could come and drawn him if he knew the truth about him. Jon was so similar to Lyanna that he was very scared to how he would become, if he would inherit any of the madness his father's family was famous for.

Another thing nobody else could possibly know - Jon was prince Rhaegar's bastard. How would Ned hide this from everybody? How could he say he had been unfaithful to his beloved Catelyn? How was him to deal with that and to create a bastard? He had just became a Lord himself. He had little to none experience in being father, imagine how much of experience he had as Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North…

Desperation started to creep in his body and he now remembered he lost his beloved sister, that many men he admired died because Rhaegar chose Lyanna to be his and Robert couldn't allow it. He slowed his horse's pace to stand side by side to the carriage that Lyanna's coffin laid inside. He touched the dark wooden carrier and let his head fall downwards. Hot tears drew patterns in his young face tortured by the war he had helped to win and, finally, he was allowed to mourn his losses.

"How can I do all of this, Lyanna? I'm barely a grown man… I needed you here…" he muttered to himself, careful no one else would listen.

But as he expected, there was no answer at all. Just the cold breeze of the north chilling his bones and freezing the salty tears in the edges of his long face. He was by himself and there was nothing more he could do about it. Just let the Gods decide his destiny.

And, before heading back to where he was, he prayed for them to be merciful.

…

The entire city of Winterfell was ready to welcome Ned and his men back home. He was very glad to see his loyal men and his beautiful redheaded wife, wearing her gleaming blue dress underneath the fur coat warming her and, in her slender arms, a red-brown hair baby boy he had read about in letters she's sent him. She was still the same beauty he admired, her skin was still tanned from all the years she lived in the riverlands before marrying him and her blue eyes exploding in happiness to see her husband safe and back home.

Everyone else was in their knees to welcome their Lord, but lady Catelyn Stark. Because she just couldn't kneel with her baby in arms and Ned couldn't even care about this. He just wanted to get off his horse, run towards her and hug them both so tight she would cry in joy for him to let go or he would smash her and the baby.

"Welcome back home, my Lord Husband." she said playfully, tears of joy gathering at the corners of her sweet eyes.

Eddard let a full length smile in his face as he dismounted and strode towards them both. As he neared, he could see some more of the infant in her arms, all wrapped in furs to get warmed in that cold summer of the north. His little nose was red from the chill and he just wanted to hold him so badly, just like he did to Jon and Daenerys.

"Meet your son, Lord Stark. Robb Stark, this is daddy." she said to the boy, much bigger than the two infants he had just brought and he could feel it just of holding him. He was strong and his eyes were as blue as the sky. He was very similar to Ned and the father felt tears going down his face.

Ned turned towards Catelyn and kissed her forehead, holding Robb very well for a man that didn't know anything about babies. She was rather astonished by her husband's ability with Robb and whispered he loved her very much and he could barely wait for them to be alone.

Catelyn blushed and smiled glad to hear it.

"Please, stand up, everyone!" he demanded and all men and women stood up to meet their honorable Lord, very glad to see him back and well "I have some announcements to make tonight at the feast. Make sure you'll attend it." and the commoners celebrated, very glad, going back to their chores so they could meet their Lord Stark of Winterfell, listen to him while they eat and drink as much as they can.

Catelyn frowned to his invite. She didn't know he would want to call the citizens of Winterfell, she wasn't prepared to it. But she could guess if their kitchen could feed fifty men, it could feed two hundred. Why not?

"Lord Stark, it's great to see you again, my lord." said maester Luwin, next to Vayon Poole, the castle's steward, and Sir Rodrik Cassel, master-at-arms of Winterfell "We were sorely worried about your well being after everything that happened." Meanwhile, Ned was still carrying Robb everywhere.

Cately thought of how odd was that Ned was way comfortable holding their son. Not that she didn't like it, but it wasn't common for new fathers to be so… Fatherly like that. Something wasn't right.

"My friends, I'll tell you everything tonight. Now, I really want to have some time with my Lady Wife and my son, Robb." and their men could understand it.

They walked through the warm corridors of the Great Keep, towards the Lord's bedroom. Baby Robb was taken by his nurse to his room and, once Ned and Catelyn were inside the room, they had much to talk - however, their flesh's desires and their hearts' call made perfectly clear that what other talk they were to have could wait a couple hours… To begin with.

"I missed you so much, my love." she whispered into his ears as they rolled over their fur mattress naked, she lying over his chest and his hand massaging her wavy red locks.

"I missed you too, my lady. Everything about you." he said, his eyes very caringly glancing at the top of her head.

She moved so her orbs could glimpse at him, trying to see if he told the truth underneath those not yielding grey eyes "Even my angry moments?" she challenged and he opened a true smile, grabbing her by the waist and bringing her closer to him. She yelped like a child getting tickles.

"Even those!" Ned answered. They chuckled and kissed once again "Our son is wonderful." she was glad and blushed with his words "I couldn't have asked for anything better."

"And you haven't seen him playing with his toys! He's very clever." She started to tell Ned everything about Robb that he missed.

That he was already nine months old and Maester Luwin told her Robb would learn how to walk anytime soon, that he was very healthy and demanded to be fed lots of times during the day - some days she would have him stuck to her breasts all day long because he just needed. He was very loving to everyone and everything that approached him, a sweet boy she had always wanted. And he could be very fierce when he wanted to.

"He seems like a strong child." he put a stroke of her locks behind her ear to look at her eyes. He would tell her something now, but she intervened…

"And I couldn't imagine that you had such a great way with children, Ned." she said amazed "I thought you would be afraid of holding him, like the rest of men I've knew, but you're much better than all of them." she smiled and Ned gulped, straightened his posture and sitting in the bed. She sat also, covering her back with the mattress they were sitting "Are you okay?"

"Catelyn, I have something to tell you." she nodded and awaited his words "While I was gone…" he tried to find a better way to tell her a fake betrayal, but he could found none. He plotted his fake betrayal his entire travel, yet… It still hurt him to lie to her and to hurt her the way he would "I met a woman, daughter of a fisherman…" Catelyn's expression went from serious to denial as tears started to pour from her eyes "I was very lonely, Cat. I didn't want it, but I was drunk and…" Ned himself started to falter over his own words and Catelyn was hugging herself with the fur mattress, leaving Ned naked without any of it, and sorrowing under the tears running down her eyes "It meant nothing, Cat! I can swore you that!" Ned was soon crying too "I love you more than anything…" her face was in her hand and she was sobbing, waiting for the end of that story and Ned didn't had anything else to say about it but to tell her about the bastard infant "She gave birth to my son…" Catelyn looked up then, startling him, stiff blue eyes he had never seen. Now he knew there was no way out of it anymore. So he straightened his face, letting his eyebrows furrow and continued to talk about him "His name is Jon. He's three months old and he's here in Winterfell with us."

"You're raising a bastard in here?" She spat bitterly "Under my nose?"

"He's my son and I'm raising him in my home." she looked aside, displeased, hating that entire conversation "I'd like you not to punish him for my mistakes." Catelyn's tears were still trading patterns in her beautiful face, however, she looked more of affronted than disappointed.

"Anything else, Lord Stark?" she questioned ready to leave the room and Eddard took her hands in his, causing her to try take them off.

"Yes. There's more. I won't bother you after everything. I really just want you to know before everyone else." she stood and forced herself to look at his face, not into his eyes because she couldn't "Thank you."

"Just say it already, Ned!" she said in contempt, way too hurt to stay there.

"Robert had the Mad King's younger son, Viserys, a children, beheaded." Catelyn widened her eyes and glanced in Ned's sorrowful eyes "I saw it while I held his infant daughter, two months old, so the man that killed Viserys wouldn't throw her from a window of the Red Keep." Too many atrocities for Catelyn's ears to hear. She was terrified by Robert's request. She never thought he would have little children killed just because they were Targaryens "And, in order to let babe Daenerys live a rightful life, I took her in as my ward." Catelyn widened her eyes again, in shock with Ned's fostered sense. Did he mean it? Was he serious about all of it? She couldn't tell "She's also in here and I'll have her raised as one of my children also, or Robert will march here with all his bannermen just to behead a babe that has nothing to do with who her father was."

To that Catelyn agreed, but had no idea how in hell she could raise a princess lika a ward.

She snapped out of her delusion. She was still angry at Ned for being unfaithful to her and fathering a bastard, bringing him to Winterfell and letting everyone else know about it - he was humiliating her and she had no idea why she deserved such a thing.

"Are you done now, Lord Stark?" she asked again, ready to go to her son's room.

"I love you, Catelyn Stark." he said, downward eyes, disturbed by all that conversation and so tired of his trip he could barely stand still.

She left after that and Eddard could feel his tears creeping out his eyes as he waited the sleep to rock him.

...

The feast was crowded. All the citizens of Winter Town and the keepers of Winterfell attended the invitation of their Lord's welcome back celebration. In the table over the platform in the back of the great parlour there were the Starks, Lord Eddard dressed in his casual lord's garments, Lady Catelyn in her turquoise dress and the three babies nurses along each of them, just so Lord Stark would introduce them to their new home.

When Ned stood up to speak, all cleaned up and presentable, much different to the way he arrived his land, a silence took the parlour and he knew it was his turn to speak.

"Good evening, my fellow northerners. I have good news from King's Landing and many of you might already know it." he made a dramatic pause before raising his glass to toast "King Robert has taken the Seven Kingdoms and he promised peace to reign in all of them!" All the people in the parlour, but Lady Stark and most of the Winterfell's workers celebrated more quietly, while the other toasted and yelled "Long live the King!", conforted by this message. Ned waited until their voices softened to continue "As always, the Starks remain the Guardians of the North and it'll continue like this for a thousand more years, if the Gods permit it." they celebrated again, Catelyn very reserved during the entire commotion "I'd like to introduce you to my sons" and the entire parlour was quiet again, only by the murmur about his last word in plural "Robb Stark, my first born, and rightful Lord of Winterfell," all of them applauded and wished little lord Robb a healthy and long life when his Nurse lifted him so everybody could meet the babe "And Jon Snow, my youngest son." they also celebrated, in respect to Lord Eddard, but they were still muttering about the Stark Bastard that looked much more a Stark than the son of his own marriage.

Ned didn't care much about what people were saying, but his master-at-arms, Sir Rodrik Cassel wasn't pleased to such disrespectful manners of those commoners and screamed at them, so they would pay attention to the Lord that hasn't finished his speech.

"And, as a reward for such a successful campaign, King Robert granted me and the North the honor of having Daenerys Stormborn Targaryen, the ward of the North." and they all quiet down when the silver haired babe girl was raised to all see her "As a promise I made my King and I shall keep, not only for him, but for all of you, she shall grow up as a North children. She'll be honorable and everything else that has built our people into. So give her a chance as King Robert and I did." After that wonderful speech, even Lady Catelyn applauded and cheered with the others.

Now they could continue the feast and his announcement was made. Everyone knew the truth - or most of it - and he would continue his life as Guardian of The North for Robert, everything would become steadier and Catelyn would, some day, forgive him for the betrayal he never done. And life would go on for Eddard, his Lady wife, his lord son, his fake bastard son-nephew and his ward former princess.

…

The boys practiced bow and arrow in the courtyard and she stood there, watching over as Bran, the second Stark boy, of nine years old and red-brown hair tried to hit the mark across the field. He was much smaller than the other boys next to him, supposed to be there to support him and encourage him to do the archery properly. The silver haired young lady couldn't help the smirk forming in her full red lips as she leaned against the cornerstone down the bridge - close enough to listen everything and far enough not to be hit by a lost arrow.

At one side of Bran stood Robb, in his strong stance, crossed arms over his chest getting wider every time Dany had her eyes analyzing how handsome Robb was becoming - how manly he was becoming. His thick red-brown hair darkened with the time and had some curls over the tips of his locks, not that long. His blue eyes were bold and sweet at the same and there was a glimpse of a beard growing in his square jaw. He was already eighteen years old and took the best traits of his parents.

At the other side of little Bran, there stood Jon Snow, Lord Eddard's Bastard, much similar to their father than Robb - though Lady Catelyn hated to listen this very words, because she couldn't stand the bare presence of Jon around Winterfell. He had long face as the Starks before them, with almost black grey orbs that wouldn't give what Jon was thinking and ebony curly hair, long enough to cover half of his neck. Pale skin and almost as tall as Robb, strong arms and wide shoulders. A dull stance because he was under Lady Stark's stare alongside his dear father.

The youngest of them all, Rickon, of auburn hair was mounting a bunch of straw for the horses and being amused by those three troublemakers, closer to Daenerys than to the other Stark boys. He was seven years old, slim and very fast. Much similar to the Tully's side than to the Stark's.

Bran missed again and his eyes went downwards along his head, ashamed brown irises.

"Go on, father's watching." said Jon to little Bran while holding his shoulders and glanced up, followed shortly by Bran "And your mother." added not as fond of Lady Stark as Dan and her children were. They sought to the balcony over the courtyard - Dany followed their eyes to meet their Lord and Lady parents.

"Try again, Bran." said Robb passing the ten year old brother another arrow as he's hit the previous at an empty barril beside the marker.

Bran missed another arrow and the boys laughed, making Bran feel uncomfortable and about to cry of shame.

"Stop it, both of you!" Daenerys demanded claiming their attention and the three turned back to meet her violet gaze over them, her silvery blonde hair braided sideways and the fur coat protecting her of the North's cold breeze "Keep going Bran. You can do this." she smiled to him and blinked one of her eyes.

"And which one of you were a marksman at the age of ten?" complemented Lord Eddard, claiming their attention to the couple and stopping the boys laughter "Keep practing, Bran. Go on."

Bran blushed and nodded, smiling small to his father than back to Daenerys and the older boys took a longer second to stop staring at her.

"When did she get here?" Robb wondered to Jon in a whisper.

"Right? I thought she was sewing with Septa Mordane." very annoyed for not noticing Dany's approach. He went back to Bran and advised him again "Don't think too much, Bran." and the smaller brother nodded slightly, preparing his arrow.

"Relax your bow arm." Robb revised watching thoroughly Bran's stance.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, when Bran was about to shoot, an arrow came and hit the center of the mark. Dany could've sworn she saw the arrow coming from her right, so, when she turned, she saw Arya, the youngest Stark daughter, two steps behind her, bowing to Bran and the boys and thanking their attention. She had long face, just like her father and Jon, with dark brown hair and fierce brown eyes. Her manners to Septa Mordane's, Lady Catelyn's and Sansa's point of view were awful, but Daenerys liked the eleven years old girl just the way she was. Arya enjoyed much more staying with her older brothers than with the girls and she was Dany's shadow wherever she would go, because she also cared a lot about the Targaryen ward.

Arya ran around Dany when Bran followed her to get a revenge since she spoiled his practicing, and the Targaryen beauty almost fell on the floor laughing. The children soon enough ran elsewhere and the practice was done.

"Are you alright, Dany?" Jon asked grabbing the bow and arrow left around the courtyard as Robb paced to help Daenerys to stand still.

"Of course I am. Amused as ever." she chuckled to the brothers and they laughed along with her "I wasn't expecting Arya to appear here right now."

"Just as when you appeared." Robb added making her blush and smile embarassed "Did you not have sewing lessons?"

"I was bored." she answered and Robb smirked to her. Jon approached them.

"Tired of sticking your little fingers with needles?" Jon teased with all the arrows in his hands.

"I bet none of you could ever sew anything too afraid of needles." she answered sticking her tongue out to them.

She eventually helped them to keep the armory away, along with Rickon, and she could notice Lady Stark's contempt for Jon under her gaze, as he continued to do his duty with the others. Dany sneakered next to him, grinning and he frowned his eyebrows to her weird face.

"What?"

"You should run."

"Why?" Jon asked worried about it.

"Lady Catelyn looks like she's coming down here any moment to shoot an arrow at your head." Jon laughed imagining the scene.

"Even if she wanted to, she couldn't." Daenerys chuckled loudly.

"Of course 's a lady." she whispered the last part so her lady wouldn't listen to their conversation.

"Unlike some." Jon added teasing her again and Daenerys furrowed her purple eyes to look at him, making a grimace "It's true."

"Just because I shoot better than you, doesn't mean I'm no lady." she replied shrugging and walking away from Jon. He paced faster to stand by her side along Robb while they walked back towards the Great Keep - Rickon was running in front of them.

They were talking and laughing while crossing the courtyard back to their householding when Theon Greyjoy halts them - Lord Stark's other ward from the battle of Balon Greyjoy, his father, that lost against King Robert and had both his brothers killed. He was the rightful heir of the Iron Islands, but he was brought and raised as a ward when Daenerys was at the age of eight. He had become a very handsome man, of black hair and glistering grey eyes. However he can be very arrogant to the non-Stark people, specially to Jon Snow. He used to mistreat her when they were younger, but Theon started to notice her beauty and just couldn't wait to touch the Targaryen Princess. Dany, though, didn't care about him - just as long as he didn't mess with her, he could be the cocky iron born he had always been.

"Lord Stark wants the three of you to escort him to meet a deserter of the Night's Watch." the ward of nineteen years old announced, bowing his head to Dany and smirking his cocky face towards her "As beautiful as ways, my Lady." he courted. She rolled her eyes as a reply.

"Me too?" Bran wondered loudly, not ready for that demand. Theon agreed.

"You won't be a boy forever, Bran. Father wants you to learn things every Stark should know." Robb mussed his hair and followed Theon.

Jon and Daenerys stood there with Bran, escorting him to the stable where they would get in their horses and see to the deserter.

"Don't be afraid, Bran. Everything will be alright." Dany said smoothing his shoulder.

"The most important thing is not to look away. Father will know." Jon advised with his wisdom of seventeen years old. Bran nodded and went after Robb and Theon "He's completely frightened." added to Daenerys.

"Make sure he looks. It isn't a nice thing to watch, but Lord Stark will be very disappointed if he doesn't." Jon nodded, already knowing it "And you…" she grabbed him by his fur coat, making him blush. Her purple eyes looking careful "Don't let Theon mock you too much." Jon grinned, nodding and touching her hand slightly so she would let him go.

"As my Lady commands." And Dany smiled widely to him.

A very usual day to the Stark family at their beloved household, Winterfell.