The Rebellion that overthrew House Targaryen and replaced it with House Baratheon left many scars upon Westeros, of which some would never fully heal. Eddard Stark finds himself without a father, a brother and a sister, in a position that was never meant to be his and with the task to rebuild his family and lead the North into prosperity. An arduous task if not for the help of his wife the Lady Ashara Dayne who will make sure to be there for him and help him in any way she can. House Stark will surely rise again.

A Prequel to a future rewriting of A Happy Marriage.

So as the description says this a Prequel to a rewriting of A Happy Marriage intended to explain some future events, fix some plot-holes from that story had and implement some changes to it. It will not be a continuous story but rather a collection of events worth noting from the end of the Rebellion to about Canon timeline. Mostly Stark centric but with other characters likely to have POVs as well.

There isn't a publication day of the week for this one, it will come when it's ready although I'm feeling inspired so there may be some more chapters coming very soon.

NOTE: I try to write everything as close to "old vocabulary" as I can and I try to make the least of spelling mistakes but I'm not perfect so if you can't read this story because it has too "much modern language" or too obscene vocabulary, then don't do it, I'm not forcing anyone to read.

Eddard Stark I

Somewhere in the Prince's Pass, Dorne, Year 283 AC

They had been riding for so long…for weeks now…The air was dry and hot, courtesy of Dornish Spring. He couldn't take Dorne, even if married to a Dornishwoman, it was too hot for a Stark to bare, his family was made for the cold, not the heat.

Beside Ned rode some of his friends and loyal companions: Howland Reed the Crannogman he had met at Harrenhal and had become a great friend of his family. Willam Dustin riding the red stallion Barbrey Ryswell had given him when he came south and the best friend to Brandon, Ned's late brother. Theo Wull also known as Buckets who had a big mouth but was loyal. Ethan Glover who had been Brandon's squire and the only one spared from his late brother's group. Martyn Cassel, the Captain of Winterfell's Household Guard and Mark Ryswell, the kind Ryswell who was unlike many of his siblings. Their destination was a tower located in the Prince's Pass where Ashara had told him Lyanna was, information that she got from her own family, House Dayne.

He just hoped that Lyanna was alright…he had lost father and Brandon and he certainly did not wish for her to be in the same condition. She had likely suffered from whatever they did to her all this time…He couldn't think of it, only that he would take her home, to Winterfell not to King's Landing. Robert had changed way too much because of the war, especially as of late. Supporting the murders of innocents…children too…he was not the same man from the Eyrie…

And Lyanna told him long ago that she didn't want to be a Queen either. That was why this entire mess began in the first place. And Ned now had the power to do something for his sister so he was going to do it.

"Bloody hell, this too hot for me." Barked Buckets. "I never sweated so much in me life, mates."

"You should get used to it Buckets," Said Willam with a big smile in his lips. "Winterfell was already hot with its hot springs but now with the new Lady of Winterfell it will burn!" All of Ned's companions began laughing with Willam's words but Ned simply blushed. He missed his wife so very much…and yet he almost ended up setting her aside when Lord Tully pressured him to marry what was supposed to be Brandon's wife. Either it was the war or the marriage that almost died that day had it not been Ser Brynden staging a coup on the castle and freeing them. Saving Ned from committing the most dishonorable act of his life. Though he will never forgive himself for almost doing it.

"And there is Ned blushing like a maid…" Ethan said with a tired smile, the time he spent in the Black Cells of the Red Keep had left him gaunt and tired but he had recovered some of his former vigors. "If I didn't know from you all that he married, I would say he was a maidenboy still."

"Like you?" Asked Willam as they broke into laughter much to Ethan's annoyance. "Now boys," Willam called with his hand raised "We should show our respect to our Lord and Lady. And we have a job to do."

"Aye!" A roar of approval echoed amongst them.

"But you all have to admit this too hot." Insisted Buckets as he drank some water.

"That it is," Mark admitted. "And our water supplies are running low…we came ill-prepared…"

"Aye." Martyn agreed. "Do you think Starfall will receive us if we ride there afterward, My Lord?"

"I don't know Martyn," Ned admitted. "Even though Ashara and I were betrothed before everything started and they told my wife where Lyanna was, I'm not sure how will they receive us. Especially her father…"

"All the more reasons to finish this job quicker." Willam proclaimed. "The sooner we are out of Dorne the better."

"Aye."

Ethan had a weird face to him then. "Is that the tower the one we seek?"

The tower Ethan was referring stood upon a red-colored mountain, it wasn't too tall and its stone was red too, no doubt to blend in with the scenery. From the top of his horse he could see three white points which were getting bigger with each gallop, their human figures soon were perceived, they were knights of the Kingsguard…the three that were missing…

"Fuckers…" Murmured Buckets as they unhorsed, walking with their guard up, these were no ordinary soldiers. "What are they doing here?"

The knights waited before the round tower, their white cloaks blowing in the wind. Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning, had a sad smile on his lips, he was the brother of Ned's own wife but he likely did not know about the marriage since Ashara was at Winterfell. Ser Oswell Whent was on one knee, sharpening his blade with a whetstone and across his white-enameled helm, the black bat of his House spread its wings just as it did at Harrenhal. Between them stood fierce old Ser Gerold Hightower, the White Bull, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.

Ned hoped he could avoid more bloodshed…no doubt this fight would end up with lots of deaths, especially on his side… "I looked for you on the Trident." Ned said to them. Remember what Ash told you, start with small conversations…

"We were not there." Ser Gerold answered plainly.

"Woe to the Usurper if we had been." Said Ser Oswell bitterly. "Your friend would lay beneath the ground now."

For a second, Ned wondered how different things would have been if these three were there…Robert was not a weak warrior but neither were these three…I guess there is no point in thinking about these things anymore. "Aerys is dead," Ned told them plainly. "Rhaegar and his children are dead, so is his wife." he said in a weak tone, what happened to the Dornish Princess was beyond evil. He noticed that the expressions of Ser Arthur and Ser Oswell got grimmer as well as if he had hit them in the gut.

"The Usurper is naught but mad." Said Ser Gerold. "At least His Grace did not kill children."

"But he killed innocent men!" Ethan shouted angrily. "I saw it with my very own eyes!"

"Traitors, just like the rest of you." Ser Gerold dismissed.

"Robert only killed Rhaegar, the rest was the Lannisters' doing," Ned explained ignoring the Reachmen knight. "They came and sacked the city with treachery and there was nothing we could do to stop them. Your own sworn brother Ser Jaime killed the Mad King."

"A false brother who could not hold true to his vows." Ser Gerold said bitterly. "May he burn in the Seven Hells with your Usurper."

"There is no point in shedding more blood, Sers. The war has ended." Ned insisted. "I can convince Robert to…"

"Our knees do not bend easily." Ser Gerold said. "And we do not need your pity Stark. Now we must end this and once and for all."

"Ser your cause is lost," Ned asked indignantly. "I just want my sister back, bring her home, where she belongs."

"We swore a vow." Explained the White Bull. "And we keep true to our vows."

"What stupid vow have you sworn then?" he asked as the anger begin to take the best of him. "To hold her against her will?"

"Forget it, Ned," Willam said as he unsheathed his sword followed by the rest of his companions. "It looks as if we don't have a choice here, these guys are denser than Jon Umber."

Ned didn't wish for this fight to happen, he was growing desperate despite his anger…he looked towards Ser Arthur once more but the knight merely put on his helmet with his expression was still grim. "I wish you good fortune in the wars to come, Lord Stark." Said Ser Arthur. "And now it begins." And then he unsheathed his famous greatsword, Dawn which he held with both hands. The blade was pale as milkglass and alive with light, it shone so brightly that his eyes took some time to adjust to it. With a sword such as this one, it was no wonder that the Swords of the Morning were so famous…

Ashara will either hate me more for this or cry for my death but…I have no choice it seems…As he thought this, he unsheathed his own sword, nothing compared to Dawn but it would have to do, or not... "No." he countered with sadness in his voice. "Now it ends."

"What is the plan, Ned?" Asked Buckets without letting his gaze leave the Kingsguards.

"You, Ethan and Martyn on Hightower, Willam and Mark on Whent and me and Howland on Dayne," Ned said. "If we die here, know that it was a pleasure to ride with you."

"Likewise Ned." Willam said with a smile.

"Aye." The rest of them nodded in agreement. "FOR THE NORTH!" They shouted as they moved against the Kingsguard knights.

From his side he watched Ethan and Theo engage Ser Gerold at the same time catching the knight off-guard however that advantage soon dissipated as the knight held them both whilst avoiding Martyn's slashes as well. Ser Oswell seemed to be struggling more against Willam and Mark so he resorted to dodging and stepping away from the fight as much as he could.

Howland engaged Ser Arthur before him because Ned was distracted with the others. The little Crannogman attacked with his three-pronged spear twice and thrice but was no match to Ser Arthur and the blinding Dawn sliced him. Ned watched in horror as Howland fell to the ground. "HOWLAND!" he shouted but his friend did not get up…

Angry as he was, Ned rushed against Ser Arthur clashing blades with him. He had been afraid of the knight once…when he met Ashara at Harrenhal, but now his sister's life was on the line and even his wife's brother would not stop him from seeing Lyanna again. Despite Dawn scratching Ned's steel sword with its slashes, somehow Ned was holding his own against the Sword in the Morning which surprised him, to say the least. Ned had never seen the man fighting but somehow he thought that he was holding back…he had to be…Ser Arthur's slices were not precise nor were his movements, he left many open spots so it made Ned wonder if the Dornishman was trying to lead him into a trap or something of the sort…

Changing positions with the knight he noticed two more bodies on the floor already, Buckets' and Ethan's…two more of his friends dead on the floor, and Ethan was younger than him…I should have never allowed him to come with me…Ned thought bitterly. He died because I let him…

"You should be watching me, Lord Stark." Ser Arthur said as he slashed his sword but Ned stopped it with his shield. Although there was a big cut in the shield now…

"I'm watching my friends die, Ser!" Ned said angrily. "Why must we fight? This is pointless! What will Ashara say of this? Would she like to see any of us dead Ser?" There ought to be something I can do…there ought to be something I can do…

"She may not, but I do." Gods…Ser Arthur swung his sword in the diagonal but Ned blocked with his shield. The knight swung it again and Ned blocked it once more.

"I married her Ser," Ned told him hoping it would do something. "She is the new Lady of Winterfell…we…married despite it all…"

"You are good man Eddard Stark." The knight said. "My sister chose a good husband." Said the knight.

What? "Then why are you trying to kill me Ser?" Ned asked confused and unsure.

"Am I?" No…of course he was not…he was…holding back!

"Do you think me so weak you ought to toy with me?"

"No, I'm waiting for you to end me."

"What?" Ned asked aghast.

"I see no point in continuing living…" The man said. "I failed so many vows and people…"

"And so you wish for me to kill you?" Ned asked even more confused and aghast. "Are you out of your mind Ser?"

"Well…that was my plan before I knew you married my sister…" The Dornishman admitted. "I thought you married Tully's eldest daughter, after all, your brother was her betrothal."

"And your sister was my own betrothed!" Ned shouted. "Ser, I'm not going to kill you, she will never forgive me. Please lay down arms, I don't wish my sister harm…I just want to see her and bring her home. You have a sister, you must know what I'm feeling…please…stop this nonsense!"

It was then Ned noticed Ser Arthur dropping his sword to the ground. "I'm done…" The knight said as he dropped to his knees and said nothing else.

Then Ned heard the sound of armor hitting the ground, the White Bull had fallen and so did Martyn, it seemed both of them killed each other…Ned ran to the Captain of the Guard and kneeled before him. "Martyn…"

"My Lord, it cost my arm and likely my life but…we killed the bastard…" The man said with a weak smile.

"That you did…" Ned nodded with his shy smile.

"Please…My Lord…take care of Jory…and tell him he is a good lad…"

"I will…" Ned assured him and the man left them…FUCK!

Next to him he also found Ser Oswell dead together with Mark and a broken Willam holding his wife's brother. Ned approached the man worried. "I couldn't save him, Ned…I couldn't…she will hate me…"

"She will not Willam," Ned assured his friend. "You know she won't. Now get up, don't be like this, my friend."

"Ah, Gods Ned…why must we suffer so much with this bloody war?" His friend asked.

"I know not…" Ned confessed. "I guess we are doomed to suffer…"

"He is…" Willam began as he pointed to Arthur was still on his knees. "Going to be a threat?"

"I don't think so…"

Though Willam was wary and still gazing Ser Arthur he went on and said. "Lyanna is still up there isn't she?" His friend asked as he eyed the tiny window right on top of the tower. "You better go there get her Ned, I will stay here watching him."

"I will come right back." Ned agreed as he began running as fast as he could to the tower, climbing all those steps with haste until he reached the top room, the only one which had the door open…inside there she was, his sister…but she looked so pale and there was so much blood on the sheets…

"Lya…" Ned murmured as he got closer, there were two people inside, a Maester which he identified by his robes and a woman with huge breasts…a wetnurse no doubt…but Ned did not care much and went on to hold his sister.

"Who are you?" The Maester asked in panic as Ned passed by him.

"Ned…" His sister whispered in such a thin and faint tone, it broke his heart. His sister was not like this… "Is it you, brother?"

"Aye, it's me..." Ned replied, tears coming to the corner of his eyes.

"I'm so happy you came for me…" she said with teary eyes.

"You know I would come, the pack stays strong…"

"He got a child in me…" Ned already had deduced that much a while ago, thanks to the time she had been away…and the anger was building up, how could they let him do this? "He…he is…innocent of what happened…I didn't want him and…but…the baby is innocent…" she said weakly. "Please…take care of him…"

"I will Lya." How Ned did not know. A child of Rhaegar Targaryen born from Lya's womb was like a curse…Robert will try to kill the child no doubt… "But you will be there with me, we will raise him together."

"I'm dying Ned…" she insisted. "I can feel it…"

"Lya you will not die…" he told her, tears falling from his eyes. "Don't say such things…"

"Promise you will take me home Ned…" she said as she clutched his hand, fear in her eyes. "Promise me…"

"I promise," he whispered in assurance. "Lya, I promise we will go back to Winterfell together and you will be able to ride your horses and do your mischiefs as you did before…"

The fear was leaving her and instead, a smile was appearing. "I see father, Bran and I believe its mother Ned, I see them all dearest Ned…I'm going to join them…"

"No Lya…don't…"

"Goodbye, brother…I love you so much…"

"I love you too Lya…please…" Ned whispered as tears felt like a bloody waterfall but he only felt his sister lose her strength and…stop breathing… "LYA! LYA!"

And he did not remember anything else. Not even the woman or the Maester begging him to leave his sister be but he did not leave her, he stood by her side. The Maester soon went out and when he returned, he returned with Howland who was apparently still alive but with a huge scar on stomach and Willam. They found him still holding Lyanna's hand, silent with grief, tears falling from his eyes still. The little Crannogman, took her hand from his and both Northerners patted his back trying to comfort him but to no avail…he was broken…

Finally, they made Ned stand up and proceeded to bring him down the tower, Ser Arthur was not on his knees anymore but no doubt he knew what happened and had his head low. "We should ride to Starfall." The Dornishman suggested. "We can get supplies there and get some proper sleep."

"I guess we have no choice…" Willam agreed. "We have very few supplies…I doubt we could make it back to the Stormlands like this…"

"I know the fastest way there…"

"I hope you don't mean to lead us into a trap…" Willam warned.

"No…only if it's too kill myself."

"You southrons are way too dramatic…" Willam scoffed. "I will go get Lyanna…Lyanna's body…"

The ride to Starfall took almost three days, they were hungry and thirsty, their horses weak when they finally arrived on top of a cliff. In the distance was Starfall, the beautiful marble made castle of House Dayne that was built on an island. His small party began descending the cliff when the horse that belonged to Howland fell and his friend survived by jumping off it at the last second. The bodies of Mark and Theo, however, fell down the cliff.

The peasants promptly helped them do the rest of the way down and also helped them find the bodies as well. Said bodies were taken to the Sept in order to be prepared to be buried. Next, they embarked on little boats that sailed the Torentine to the island where Ashara's birthplace stood.

Upon arriving, the garrison of Starfall surrounded them but let them pass once they saw Ser Arthur and the Maester. They were met by a little girl that resembled Ashara and a pretty blonde woman. "Arthur!" The girl called with a happy smile.

"Not now Allyria." Ser Arthur dismissed and the little girl's smile died. "Clara would you be so kind as to lend some rooms for our guests and some food too?"

"Of course…" The blonde nodded. "Come Ally, let us prepare everything."

"Okay…"

The kind blonde led them to three empties rooms which they used for the night. They dined at the Great Hall before using said rooms. In the morning when Ned planned to leave, he decided to have a talk with Ser Arthur to try to set things straight with him regarding the man's future. But before he could do so, he heard a knock on his door, when he opened it, the man himself was outside in civilian clothes.

"Lord Stark." The man said.

"Ser Arthur." Ned acknowledged.

"Can we have a talk?" The man asked.

"Sure, do get in." he said and the man got in. Ned decided to waste no more time. "Ser…I'm going to talk with Robert about you…perhaps he will hold no grudge and you can come to Winterfell with me so…"

"I appreciate the offer My Lord but I have decided to go to Essos and live the rest of my days that way." The knight said. "I came here to beg you to let me take your nephew with me."

What? "Ser I can't let you do that…that's not a life worthy of a man like you much less to my nephew."

"Perhaps not, but I should have been dead now. If you had the guts to kill me that is."

"Ser…"

"I know, Ashara would hate you…" The Dornishman murmured. "She is scarier than me…anyway…" A small chuckle left his wife's brother. "But you must understand that neither I nor the child can remain safely in Westeros, not after what happened with the rest of Rhaegar's children…and their mother…"

"But if I take him and raise him at Winterfell, Robert would never do anything, he would never harm my own." Ned stated. Robert would never harm me…

"Which Robert? This one or the one you grew with?" The one I grew up would not but this one…this one that did nothing when three innocents were presented to him…A child of Rhaegar Targaryen born from Lya's womb and who killed his mother when he came to the world, the woman that Robert loved… "Give it some thought Lord Stark but before we make a resolution, you deserve to know what happened with your sister before she…she died…"

What happened to Lya… "Please do tell me Ser," Ned said. "I want to know what really happened with my sister…"

And so the man began explaining how Aerys wanted Lyanna arrested because he thought that she was conspiring against him with Rhaegar since she had been crowned by the latter…how they had gone to save her and the confrontation that made his sister fall from her horse and injure her back…how they went to Summerhall and did nothing to stop anything that was happening, how they moved to that cursed tower and how there was strong Dornishwine there that got his sister drunk and how she ended up having sex with Rhaegar just before realizing what she was doing and regret it all but to no avail…A witch had told the bloody Prince that the next woman he slept with would be pregnant and how he needed another daughter to fulfill some other prophecy…how the Prince told the Kingsguard to guard her until she gave his daughter…how Ser Gerold held true to those words…

"I see…" Ned admitted with a sigh, the prophecies were what did this to his sister... "Thank you for telling me the whole story Ser."

"Regardless if you allow me to take the child with me or not, I will go to Essos." Ser Arthur plainly stated. "I wish for you to keep my sister protected and happy Lord Stark."

"I will," Ned assured. "That much I can assure you."

"Good." The knight smiled. "And your answer is?"

Taking into consideration everything that went on and the best solution to avoid another war after this one caused so much grief… "If I accept, will you use him as a way to cause conflicts? To put him on the throne."

"No, if it depends on me." The knight assured. "I will raise him to be what I could never be, a true knight."

Those were some strong words…if Ser Arthur is not a true knight…then who was? "I guess there isn't a better solution in this case…I accept your proposal."

"Then let me promise you that your sister's son will be a proper man and he will never try to claim the Iron Throne."

"I do wish to send him money and be in touch with him…" Ned said. "I have to have some role in his life. I promised my sister I would."

"That can be done, Lord Stark, I will send regular letters to my sister detailing the growth of the child." Ser Arthur explained.

"That…sounds good…" Ned sighed. I wish I could do more for your child Lya…but things aren't as good as I wished they were… "But the boy needs a name."

"I believe Lady Lyanna would want a Stark name for her child." Said Ser Arthur. "It will also work better to hide him."

"A child with Valyrian features and a Stark name?" Ned questioned.

"There are ways to change one's appearance Lord Stark, give it a few more years and the lad will be looking nothing like his father." The knight assured.

"Then I believe she would like him to be named Rickard, after our father…she had a troublesome relationship with him but she loved him. Brandon would be a good one too…but it fits a Stark more."

"Rickard it is then." Ser Arthur decided.

"Snow or Sand?" Ned asked.

"That is not important, at least for now."

"I see…good luck in your redemption Ser. If it's that the name you are using for this…" Ned wished. "And keep him protected."

"And you take care of my sister, Lord Stark."

"Aye."

Midday came and Ned, Willam, and Howland watched as a boat with Ser Arthur and his nephew left the docks of Starfall to Essos. It hurt him a lot being separated from Lyanna's son after she told him to protect him but…there was no better way of doing this in the current circumstances. He and his companions also left that day, before sunset, supplied of course. With them came some peasants in a wagon that carried the bones of their fallen comrades as well as Lyanna's…I will bring you home Lya…like I promised.

So to me, the whole Tower of Joy scene never made too much sense so I tried a version that suits my tastes and with a slightly different outcome from canon with Arthur and William escaping as well. Lyanna's child was Young Griff as I originally did in A Happy Marriage. Because the baby looks too much like a Valyrian, Arthur will take care of him in Essos. Also, this was one of the darkest chapters I wrote...It ought to be a record for me on named characters that were killed...

Also as many of you may know I'm not a fan of R+L running away for love so the whole thing is darker. What Arthur told to Ned is what happened here, just as it happened in A Wolf That Met A Star. A lot of things are the same as in that story and its sequels.

Also because some people had doubts in the reviews of A Happy Marriage, these stories are N+A=J.

Without further ado, thank you for sparing time reading and I hope everyone has a nice day.