#thread.eddard

“it is good to see the norrey standing with winterfell,” ned said as a greeting to young brandon. his lannister guard had actually seemed uneasy to move further into the camp, and too afraid to stir anything up, let him roam free upon his honor that he would return when his dealings were done.

ned simply told them to march on. he would return to king’s landing. in their eyes: to see his daughter wed. in his eyes: to free his daughter from a life of the seven hells his wife spoke of so often.

already they dress me like a crow, ned thought as he walked towards robb’s camp. his contingent of lannister guards followed behind him, more like neutered pups than lions. when he saw his son, he embraced him, that hug holding more than his words ever could.

“gods, my boy has become a man. i heard of your victory against tywin lannister. that was bold.”

his hands shake as he looks at her. he is garbed in black. at his daughter’s wedding. tears threaten his grey eyes, but they do not fall. she is beautiful. that is certain, and he loves her. that is more certain. but he did not want this. knowing what he knew of the bastard king, joffrey, he did not want her to go. could he steal her away? find a way for her to — ?

this had been his dream for the past week now, and he was leaving soon to meet robb before he would travel north. he wasn’t sure if he would travel north. the exchange still needed to happen, and ned wasn’t sure he wanted to go to the wall until he absolutely had to. he wanted to keep robb safe.

jon... would be okay.

at least they let him see sansa.

he is too young. gods, he is too young to be ruling in my stead. and yet, ned had only been a few years older when he’d gone to war at robert’s behest. he was angry. angry that lyanna had gone. angry that his father and brother were gone. angry. angry and young. he hoped robb would never be that.

gods only knew the consequences of that.

ned sat with the younger man, looking over at him. theon was far more than a ward. or even a prisoner. the boy felt like an extension of his own children, and judging by the way theon and robb were thick as thieves, well. how could ned not welcome him?

as robb trained and sparred with ser jory cassel at the demand of rodrik, ned sat next to theon, quiet and pensive for a moment before turning to theon.