Chapter 29 Eddard

It took the Northern army three days of hard marching towards and on the Kingsroad from the Twins to reach the beginning of the bogs that signified the start of the area known as the Neck. No one was looking forward to this place, and most viewed it as an obstacle that had to be overcome before they could reach Moat Cailin and then home. The Neck's reputation as a fearsome place had some foundation, Ned Stark knew, but it was not something that could stop them. It was just different, and what was different often caused men to fear.

Swamps, quicksand, strange plants and flowers, poisonous snakes, and lion lizards all made the Neck formidable but not impossible to cross. The Kingsroad had been built up through the land over the years and it ran straight and true for most of the way, a raised ribbon of rock and densely packed earth that was an island in the swamplands. Stick to the road and few travelers had any trouble on the Neck. Wander off the road and then you were just asking for trouble. The only problem was how to march his now almost twelve thousand strong army along this narrow ribbon of road, and then take Moat Cailin by surprise.

As they made camp late in the afternoon on solid ground just south of the Neck entrance, Ned sat on his horse, with Robb on his horse beside him, looking up the road where the tall trees and ferns of the Neck bogs grew close to the road. They could already smell the fetid rotten vegetation stench of the place.

"If only we had a hard frost," Ned said.

"Aye," replied his son. "Then the bogs would freeze and the smell wouldn't be so bad. But we have to go up there. Coming down was easy. No one was in the way. Now…what should we do?"

"The Greatjon is already up there, almost near the Moat by now," Ned replied. "Roose Bolton is but a day ahead of us." Ned had had a long talk with Roose back at the Twins, mainly about his bastard son. Roose promised to set things right when they got home, and Ned finally agreed to let him try, but warned that he would have to step in and deal justice if Roose could not control his son and set things right.

Ned continued to discuss tactics with his son. "If the Moat fails to fall quickly, we will get stacked up behind those ahead of us and on that narrow road there is little fodder for our horses and oxen and donkeys. And little place to spread out and rest. I am thinking to keep the bulk of the army here until we can force Moat Cailin."

"We will need the shield shell up front for that."

"Aye. How goes the work?"

Robb smiled. "Best ask my little sister about that. She keeps a closer eye on things at the forge than I do."

Ned had to chuckle at that. His wife had told him about her conversation with Arya at the wedding. She was a bit mad at Arya for being so head strong, but at the same time she had nothing bad to say about Gendry anymore. If the gods will it, so be it, Ned Stark had said to himself once more.

"What do you think of him?" Ned asked his son.

"Who? Gendry?"

"Aye."

"I think he's a good lad."

"Lad?" Ned said in surprise. "He is the same age as you."

"Not after tomorrow," Robb replied.

"Tomorrow? Seven hells, is it your name day already?"

"Yes, Father," he answered. "I will be sixteen and according to the laws of the Seven Kingdoms I will be a man in my own right."

"You are already a man. A leader of men, a husband, and if the gods be good, a father soon enough."

Robb sputtered. "I have been wed but four days past!"

Ned laughed. "Aye. But she is healthy, is she not?"

Now Robb turned a bit red. "She is indeed."

"Good," Ned told him, and then got back to the original subject. "So, you think Gendry a good lad?"

"Aye. He's hard working. He's trying hard to fit in and be respectful. We know he's brave and strong."

"He gets that from his father."

"Funny, if King Robert had acknowledged him, Gendry would be king now."

"No," Ned Stark said solemnly. "He'd be dead now. The Lannisters would have seen to that. Best thing Robert ever did for Gendry was pretend he didn't exist."

"You have the right of it. Cersei and Joffrey have proven they will do anything to keep him on the Iron Throne."

Ned knew he was right, knew just how foul the false king and his whore of a mother were. How stupid was he to think to marry his daughter to him. "Thank the gods Sansa never married Joffrey."

"She hates him with a passion now," Robb said as he shifted on his saddle. "I think Sansa is also little jealous of Arya now."

Ned looked at him in puzzlement. "Sansa has eyes for Gendry, too?" Seven hells, that would be a mountain of trouble, Ned thought but his son soon put his mind at ease.

"No!" Robb answered swiftly. "Just, Arya has someone she likes. Sansa was going to be the Queen some day. Now, she seems a little jealous of Arya. And a little lost."

"Aye, I understand. We need to make a match for her. When we return home."

"Who do you have in mind?" Robb asked.

"I don't know. Your mother may have some idea. And she will definitely want a say in it. After the way Arya as been acting, I am sure she will pick some high born lord's son for Sansa."

"After Joffrey, any man will seem a prince in comparison."

"Aye," Ned said. "That was a mistake, having her betrothed to him. Some day he will pay the price for what he did to her."

As he said these words, Ned saw movement ahead, past where the outer guards we standing. From the area of the swamp came a party of men, crannogmen by the size of them. There were about twenty of them. The guards seemed a little anxious as Ned and Robb rode out past the camp border. In an instant Ned knew who the leader was and jumped off his horse and ran out to great them.

"My old friend," Ned said as he shook Howland Reed's hand and they clasped each other's shoulders.

Howland Reed was short and slim like all crannogmen. His brown hair was flecked a bit with grey and he had the moss colored eyes that most of his people had. His clothes were green and brown and he wore an armored shirt of bronze rings on leather, the leather being a rough type Ned knew came from the backs of the lion lizards. He and his men were armed with long bronze daggers, spears with triple points, nets, and shields. A few had bows and quivers of arrows.

"Eddard, it has been too long," said Howland Reed. "Now we meet again and it is war again."

"Aye," said Ned. "This is my son Robb."

They shook hands. "The new Lord of Winterfell," Howland said.

Robb shook his head. "My father is still Lord of Winterfell. Please address him as Lord Stark, not me."

"As you wish," said Howland. "But he will always be Eddard to me."

"Aye," said Ned with a grin. "Howland, come. Your two scouts you sent south are still with us. We will have food and ale and discuss the news."

They moved through the camp and many men looked in wonder at the crannogmen. All around fires were being built and tents set up and the supper prepared as night was coming on. As they walked through the camp they met Catelyn near where the Stark family tents were going up. Sansa and Jeyne were there as well but Arya was gone, most likely helping Gendry set up the forge.

"Lord Howland Reed," Catelyn said with a nod as he greeted her warmly. Cat had met Howland once, many years ago, briefly, as she traveled south to visit her father at Riverrun. After polite hellos, Ned told Cat that they had things to discuss and she let them be as she and the girls prepared for their own supper.

Soon Ned and Robb sat at an outdoor table with Howland and the other commanders as they ate and drank and discussed the situation up north.

"I ran into the Greatjon Umber three days past up the road a ways and Roose Bolton yesterday," Howland told them. "They said you would be coming soon so I waited."

"What is happening at the Moat?" Ned asked right away.

"The ironmen are isolated now," Howland told them. "Their two ships have departed. We think Victorian Greyjoy left with them. Only a few hundred men remain in the towers."

"A few hundred could stall us for a long time," Lord Glover observed.

"Aye," said Ned. He then told Howland about the plan to use the shield shell.

"A good idea," Howland replied. "But once they beat down the door you will need to get men inside the towers. The men holding up the shield shell and ram cannot do both. And they will be few in number and reinforcements will still have to cross the open ground to get to the tower you attack."

"He's right," said Lady Maege Mormont of Bear Island, sitting next to her tall daughter Dacey. "We will be slaughtered by arrow fire from the other two towers as we try to reinforce the tower attack."

"Then we must attack them all at the same time," said Robb.

"How?" Lord Tallhart asked.

"We must get north of the Moat," Ned said. He looked to Howland. "Can you get a force across the swamps and the river to north of the towers?"

"We can try," Howland replied. "Already I have some bowmen over the river there. The ironmen made a few sorties to drive them away but we fade into the brush and they don't pursue my men far. We just keep coming back. Their supplies are getting low and we keep their heads down by day. But we are too weak to drive them out."

"You and your people have done enough," Ned told him. "Driving them out is up to us. This is the plan. Lord Glover, Lady Mormont, you will take as many of your men as Howland and his people can transport through the swamps. Take mostly bowmen and a small force of infantry. You will cross the river and await our attack. Once we begin attacking one tower, you attack another, from the north. But do not press your attack. Make a demonstration at one of the towers. Have your men keep their shields high as your bowmen rain arrows. Draw their fire, confuse them, giving us time to reinforce the men with the shield shell once they break down the first tower door."

After discussing some detail they all agreed to the plan. "What will be the signal that you are to attack?" Lord Glover asked.

"A fire arrow, high in the sky," Ned replied. He looked to Howland. "How long will it take to get up north?"

"We have swift boats and know the ways. Three, four days at the most."

"That fast?" Robb replied. "It will take us longer up the Kingsroad."

"No," Ned said quickly. "Lords Bolton and Umber are already up there with almost three thousand men. It is enough for the main attack. The bulk of the army will stay here. We will take five hundred more men, all on horseback. Plus the shield shell and Gendry and his forge, plus a few supply wagons. We will move swiftly. We will make the attack in five days time. We leave at dawn."

There were a few more questions, and some more details to iron out and an hour later they were done and they all knew the plan. After it was done Ned asked the others to leave and soon he was alone with Howland. Ned poured him another cup of ale and they touched their cups together.

"For those who fell," Ned said solemnly and then they drank.

"Has it been fifteen years?" Howland asked.

"Almost sixteen. Robb's name day is tomorrow."

"He is your eldest?"

"Aye."

"How is the other boy?"

Ned knew who he meant and his face clouded over. "We should not speak of him here."

Howland looked at Ned, his face also serious now. "Eddard, my friend, Robert is dead. He cannot harm the boy now."

"The Lannisters would if they knew. He would represent a threat."

"What threat? Stannis Baratheon is who they worry about now."

"Stannis would also be a threat to him," Ned replied. "They would all want to kill him if they knew. I cannot allow that. I made a promise."

"A promise," Howland Reed repeated. "You have born the burden of this promise too long, my friend. Your wife should…"

"No," Ned said suddenly. "Never. It has been too long, and now it is too late. She would not understand. She has accepted it, she has believed what I told her. Let it be."

"And what of the boy?" Howland asked. "He should know the truth someday."

"Aye, someday."

"Where is he now?"

"The Wall. He joined the Night's Watch."

That surprised Howland. "Did he volunteer? Or did she drive him away?"

"He volunteered…he knew there was no place for him in Winterfell."

"It could have all been so different if you had told her the truth."

"Aye? You think so? And how long after I told her would she misspeak a word, let someone she thought she trusted know also. Then somehow, someway, Robert would have found out. And you know what Robert swore to do."

"To kill every last one of them."

"Aye. She…she didn't love him," Ned said and Howland nodded.

"She loved another. That would have killed Robert sooner than the boar."

"Aye," Ned said and he drained his cup. "Let us speak no more of this, my friend."

"As you wish," Howland said, and drained his cup and Ned thought their conversation at an end. Then Howland spoke once more. "Now I must speak to you of another son. Bran."

That took Ned by surprise. "What of him?"

"My son Jojen has had dreams of him."

"Dreams?"

"I have told you once about the greensight and the dreams some of my people have. Jojen has the greensight. He told me he had a dream of a wolf being chained and a three eyed crow that was trying to free it."

"My friend, you are talking in riddles. What has this to do with Bran?"

"Jojen said Bran was the wolf and he was the crow who must release him."

Ned still didn't understand. "Bran is not in chains, he is…"

"Crippled. Are these not chains?"

Ned sighed deeply. "Aye." His face grew angry. "I believe Jaime Lannister pushed him from that tower because Bran saw him and the Queen at their incest."

"A terrible thing."

"The Kingslayer will pay for it someday."

They were silent for a few moments and then Howland spoke again. "Jojen…he thinks Bran is special. He believes he can help Bran discover his hidden powers."

"What powers? He is just a boy."

Howland looked at him closely. "The news comes slow to the swamplands but we hear it all eventually. Tell me true, Eddard. Did not his direwolf save him from the assassin?"

"It did," Ned replied. "And when Bran lay on his sick bed the wolf howled night and day."

"Your children have a bond with these direwolves."

Now Ned sat up, his eyes intense. "Arya and Sansa…they said they had dreams of being with their wolves."

Howland shook his head. "Not with them. Inside them."

Ned felt a sudden coldness. He could not believe what Howland was suggesting. "No, that's impossible."

"Warg, Eddard. You have heard this word before?"

"Aye," he said, not wanting to believe it of his children. Wargs were legends, and every story of them told how the people shunned them and drove them away when it was discovered what they truly were. "How can it be? Why the direwolves and my children?"

"I know not. But it is. Jojen sees things that come true. He sees Bran…free from his chains."

Ned's heart beat faster. "Does it mean he will walk again someday?"

"No," Howland said and Ned's heart sank. "Jojen told me Bran will fly."

That shook Ned to the very core of his sensibilities. "Fly? Now I know that is impossible."

"I only know what Jojen told me."

"Has he had such dreams in the past?"

"Yes," said Howland. "They have all come to be what he saw, in some way or another."

Ned only shook his head. "I know not what to believe anymore. My friend, please do not speak of your son's dreams with any others. I would not want to worry my wife or other children."

"As you wish."

Ned knew he would never say anything. He hadn't said anything about the other terrible secret they shared for almost sixteen years now. He would never speak of this to any but himself.

Ned took a deep breath. "Your children are now at Winterfell, Maester Luwin wrote us. But that was more than a week past that we had news. Have you had any news from up north?"

"None since we learned Moat Cailin fell."

"There is trouble brewing up there, trouble I must deal with. The cold winds will soon blow and you understand what that means."

"Winter is coming."

"Aye. Are your people ready?"

"Yes. We have plenty of food in storage."

"Good," Ned stood and so did Howland. "Tomorrow we have much to do. I will find places for your men to sleep and…"

Then there was a clatter of noise from nearby and Ned and Howland turned to the noise. A rider was coming into the camp, in a hurry, past the fires, and Robb and some men met him. The man came off his horse and after brief words with Robb he was brought directly to Ned.

"Lord Stark," the man said, out of breath. "I have news from the south." Ned recognized him as one of the Frey bannerman, but could not place his name.

"Aye. What news?" Ned asked.

"Tywin Lannister is dead."

There was a long moment of silence as the shock of this set in. Robb finally spoke. "Dead? Are you sure?"

"Yes," the man said. "The news was received by raven two days past from Lord Walder's deceased wife's family who live in Rosby."

"That would be Roslin's mother's family," Robb said.

"Yes, Lord Stark," the rider replied. "Your wife's family sent us word. A merchant from King's Landing buying fresh produce told them that Lord Tywin was assassinated in the middle of his army outside the gates of King's Landing. Lord Walder thought you would want to know immediately."

"Aye, and you and he have our thanks," said Ned. He looked at one of the nearby men. "Fetch him some food and drink and find a place for him to rest."

"Yes, my lord," the soldier said and then he led the messenger away. The commanders were soon coming back to the outdoor table as the news spread and all reacted in shock at the news.

"Gods," said Lord Glover. "If this is true it changes everything."

"No, my lords," Ned said. "Not for us. We go north and we go home."

"But, Lord Stark," Lord Tallhart began. "Our treaty with the Lannisters. They have broken it. They did not send the Princess. They planned to harm your family. We should go to help Stannis now. We can crush the Lannisters now, with Tywin dead."

Several lords voiced their agreements but Ned shook his head. "The death of one man does not change the situation, my lords. Kevan Lannister will take over the army. He will not panic, his men will not flee to Stannis like Renly's men did. Ser Kevan knows Tywin's plans. He will meet Stannis in battle. The Lannisters are still strong, with tens of thousands of men and the gold of Casterly Rock to buy more, plus the men of King's Landing. We have but twelve thousand men left here at the moment. The Freys and the men of Seagard have gone home. Three thousand more are up the road. Even if we turn around and march south, our supplies will not last a march through the barren Riverlands. Harrenhal is nearby the Kingsroad and could send a force to delay us. We have no way to communicate with Stannis. No, we will stay out of this fight. Our enemies are in front of us. Moat Cailin and the ironmen are our objectives. Winter is coming and home is waiting."

One by one the other lords agreed and then soon they went off to make their plans with their men for the next day. Ned found a place for Howland and his men to rest and finally went off with Robb to see his family. They found Catelyn, Sansa and Jeyne sitting at a table in the family tent. Robb's wife Roslin was there as well, chatting with Sansa and Jeyne. Robb smiled at her and went to sit by her side.

"Is it true?" Catelyn asked Ned right away.

"Aye," said Ned Stark to his wife as he sat as well. "Tywin Lannister is dead."

"The gods have been good for once," she said and then Arya burst into the tent.

"Is he really dead?" she asked at once and her brother told her it was true.

"Good," Arya said with some heat. "I hope Joffrey is next."

"How did he die?" Sansa asked.

"An assassin in the middle of his army," Robb told her. "That's all we know."

"Same as Renly," Catelyn observed. "How strange."

"Aye," said Ned. "But this changes nothing for us. Things remain the same. Tomorrow, Robb and I will lead five hundred men north. You will stay here."

Catelyn looked at him and he could see many questions on her face but she only nodded. "Whatever you think is best."

"It will only be for a few days," Ned said. "We cannot get the army stacked up behind us and delayed in the bogs. Here is a good spot for camp. We will send word when the Moat is free of ironmen."

"How long?" Roslin asked Robb.

"Five days. Maybe a week. Ten days at most," he told her and her face fell and Ned almost smiled at that. For newlyweds ten days would seem an eternity.

"Ten days is a long time," said Sansa, as if echoing Roslin's fears. She had a worried look on her face.

"You have enough supplies," Ned told them. "We will leave most of the infantry here to protect you."

"When do we leave to fight the ironmen?" Arya asked her father and her mother gave her a sharp look.

"You are not a soldier! You are staying right here, young lady."

"Aye," Ned told Arya. "This is where you belong, protecting your mother and sister."

Arya looked from one to the other. "But…the shield shell…Gendry…he will go with you?"

"Aye," said Robb.

"Then he needs my help," Arya said at once.

"No!" Catelyn told her again, this time with more force. "There are more than enough men to help him."

"Don't worry," Robb told her. "He won't be in the fight."

Arya's face turned red. "You just don't understand!" and then she stormed out of the tent.

"I don't understand," said Roslin, looking confused. "Gendry? He is the blacksmith, yes?"

"It's a long story," Jeyne said with a little giggle that Sansa joined in on.

Roslin giggled also. "Oh? Some gossip? I would like to hear it."

"Not now, ladies," Catelyn said sharply and looked at Ned and he just nodded, stood and went outside. He found Arya nearby, sitting next to a fire with Nymeria at her side. She was looking mad at the world.

He sat beside her and spoke calmly. "I can't take you. There is going to be fight up there."

"I can fight. You know that."

"Aye. But I need you to stay here."

"We have more than ten thousand men," Arya said, waving her arm in front of her wide. "They can protect Mother and Sansa and the others. No one will be stupid enough to attack the camp."

"So now you are a military strategist?"

"No. I'm not stupid, though."

"Aye. I suppose not," he said to his youngest daughter. "You understand that Gendry is needed to help us defeat the ironmen."

"I…I just don't want him to get hurt again. That's all."

"He won't be in the fight. Hundreds of men will be protecting him."

"I know," she said. "But…" Her voice trailed off and she couldn't say it and he knew what she wanted to say so he said it for her.

"You're worried. You care for him."

She looked at him, and her eyes were intense. "I…I do. I really do, Father. And…just…we've been together since King's Landing."

"Aye." And so much has happened between there and here, he knew.

"Promise me he won't be in the fight," Arya asked, her voice pleading.

"I promise. Now go off and tell him to be ready to move in the morning."

Arya grinned and stood and without even calling Nymeria, the direwolf stood and padded after her. Ned sat and watched them walk away and wondered on Howland Reed's words. Was there more to this direwolf business than Sansa and Arya were telling him? Then Robb and Roslin were coming out of the tent behind him and he stood. He wanted to ask Robb about his direwolf Grey Wind, which now came out of the darkness and stood by his side. Roslin gave a little start and grabbed Robb's hand.

"He still frightens her," Robb explained to his father as he rubbed Grey Wind's fur.

"I'll get used to him," she said, trying not to sound afraid.

"The direwolf is our sigil," Ned told her. "Your sigil now as well."

"Yes, my lord," Roslin said, eyes downcast.

"Soon we will be in Winterfell," he told her. "We shall have a second wedding feast for you and show you how we of the North celebrate."

"I shall look forward to that, my lord."

Ned looked at his son. "We have an early start. Don't stay up late."

Robb's eyes widened a bit and in the fire light he could see Roslin blush and then they said their good nights and went off to their tent. Soon Jeyne and Sansa went off to their tent after saying goodnight and Ned stood by the fire until Arya returned and he said goodnight to her as well. He took a long walk around the camp to make sure all was well, and stopped and chatted with some guards and finally returned to his tent. Cat was awake and waiting for him. They sat at the table in their tent and she poured some wine for him.

"What did Arya say?" she asked right away.

"She knows her place is here."

"Good," Catelyn said. Then she sighed heavily. "She said we don't understand. I understand. Every time you left me, to go off and fight the Mad King, to fight the Greyjoys, to go to King's Landing when Robert asked you, each time I thought it would be the last time I ever saw you. This last time it almost was."

"That it was," he answered heavily. He looked at her steadily. "I can't make you any promises, Cat. Tomorrow I go again. I may have to go again in the future."

"I know. I understand. But like Arya I still don't like it."

"Nor do I. But I must go if we are ever to see our home and our young sons again."

"Soon, if the gods be good, all this will be behind us," she said. "Did Howland have any news from Winterfell?"

"None. He knows his children are there. That is all."

"I still don't understand why they went," Catelyn said after she drank some wine.

"To pay respects for the harvest feast," he told her and he drank some as well, a sour red, but it felt good going down. He hated lying to her and often she knew when he wasn't so truthful but this time she just accepted it. Soon they were in bed and in each others arms and for another night Ned felt the safety and comfort of the woman he loved.

Ned awoke and he lay in bed next to Cat in the hour before dawn, thinking on the conversation he had with Howland. A promise to a dieing sister he made almost sixteen years ago was still on his mind, and maybe would never go away. He couldn't tell Cat, not now, not after so long. She wouldn't understand. Or would she? Would she know why he had to lie, to everyone, even to her? To protect Jon from those who wanted to kill him, not because of what he had done, but because of who he was, and where he came from. The danger did not go away with Robert's death. The Lannisters and Stannis would still try to kill him. And therefore he had to remain silent for some time yet, maybe forever. Only he and Howland knew the real truth, and he knew Howland would never tell a soul.

Ned heard his guards challenge someone outside the tent and then a moment later the flap opened. It was Arya.

"Father?"

"Aye?"

"Today is Robb's name day."

"I remembered."

"No, you didn't," Cat mumbled beside him. "Robb reminded you yesterday, he told me."

Ned chuckled. "So he did. What of it, Arya?"

"We should do something for him before you leave."

"Yes," said Cat as she sat up in the bed. "But there is no time to make a cake and I don't even know if the baker has any sugar."

"I know what to make," said Arya quickly. "Give me thirty minutes."

"Wait," Ned told her. "Have you had breakfast?"

"Yes, I've been up for an hour already. Practicing."

"Right," Ned replied. "Off you go. Thirty minutes, then back here."

Arya left without another word.

"Practicing?" Cat asked him, her voice betraying her puzzlement.

"Needle work," he replied.

"Needle…oh. With her sword."

"Aye."

"Where did she get that sword?"

"Mikken made it for her."

"Mikken. The Winterfell armorer?"

"I don't know any other Mikkens. Why?"

"He would never do that without your word," Cat said to him, looking at him suspiciously.

"I swear by the old gods and the new it was not me," Ned hurriedly told her. "The first time I knew of Needle was in King's Landing."

"Then who? Robb?"

"No…he never knew about it either," Ned replied. "I'm thinking it could only be one other person."

"Jon." She said his name without any emotion.

"Aye."

"Why would he do that?"

"Because he knows our daughter better than we do."

She snorted. "Carrying and learning to use a sword is not what young ladies do."

He sat up now, looked at his wife closely. "Cat, we may as well face the truth of this. We will never make a lady out of Arya, not in the way you would have it."

She sighed heavily. "I know. Sansa…she is already a lady. Arya…I despair of ever teaching her to be a proper lady."

"Then let her be what she wants to be, and she will love us more for it," Ned said. "She has the wolf blood. It is strong in her, like it was in Lyanna."

"I have feared this," Cat said to him, worry in her eyes. "She is wild, has always been. Jon gave her this sword because he knew she would love it, would take to it."

"Aye. He may have saved her life by doing so."

She nodded. "It is a strange twist of fate, is it not?"

He knew what she meant and nothing needed to be explained. "It is."

"And now she wants to run away to battle with you."

"No, Cat…she wants to be there because he will go with us."

"Gods. Is there any way to stop it, Ned?"

"I fear not. She may be too young to understand what is happening to her, but it is happening and she cannot help herself."

"It will be trouble in the future when the Frey boy comes to claim her hand."

"Aye."

"Then we should stop it…now."

"Could we?"

She was silent for a long moment. "Maybe not. She is strong willed. He is…I know he is honorable. He would go if we told him, would respect our wishes. But it would break her heart. Maybe his as well. Maybe…maybe we should just…let it be."

Ned knew in that instant she had finally accepted that what the gods had already decided would come to pass.

He kissed her and she smiled. "Come my wife," he said. "Let us greet the day and wish our son a happy name day."

She smiled again and then her face fell a bit. "And then I must say goodbye to him and you once more."

"But for a short time."

"Gods willing," she said and she kissed him and they held each other for a long time.

A half hour later they were all sitting at an outdoor table, having breakfast, all still a bit sleepy. All around them the camp was awake and eating and men were getting ready to move out.

"Where's Arya?" Sansa asked again as she tore a piece of bread from a loaf.

"Getting something, I told you," her mother said. "It's a surprise."

"There she is!" Jeyne said. "What's she carrying?"

Arya was coming toward them with a large platter. Ned saw on it were stacked many of the hot cakes like the baker's boy Hot Pie had once made for them by the Kingsroad.

"Hot cakes," Ned told them with a big grin and then Arya put the platter on the table.

"Hot cakes," Arya repeated with a big smile. "A treat a friend of mine named Hot Pie once cooked for me by the Kingsroad."

The hot cakes were in a neat stack and covered in strawberry jam. A stub of a candle had been put on top. Arya took a lit stick from a nearby fire and lit the candle.

"Happy name day, Robb," Arya said and everyone clapped and marveled at the cakes.

"How did you do it?" Roslin asked.

"The baker did it. I just explained how Hot Pie made them. Well, as best I could remember. I tried one. They're pretty good."

"It looks grand," said Robb. And then he blew out the candle and they all dug in and the hot cakes tasted wonderful, especially with jam on them. They had the platter cleaned in a few minutes.

"So, where's the rest of my presents?" Robb teased them as he licked jam from his fingers.

"Here," said Roslin and she kissed him on the cheek and Robb blushed as everyone laughed.

"In Winterfell there will be more," Ned told his son. "And we have to get there first for you to get them."

That comment ended the little party and soon it was time to go. Robb and Ned went off to dress in their armor and meet the other commanders. Soon Howland Reed and his men came and Ned and he shook hands once more.

"Five days time," Ned said to him. "Look for our signal."

"We will be there, Eddard, my friend. Lord Glover and Lady Mormont are bringing about one hundred fifty men, mostly archers. I fear we cannot transport much more than them and their supplies in our small boats."

"It will be enough for the demonstration," Ned told him. They made their goodbyes and then he had words with Lord Glover and Lady Mormont and soon their force went off towards the swamps behind Howland's men. After a while they disappeared from sight.

"Not a place I would wish to go," said Robb to his father.

"Howland will take care of them. Come, it is time for us to get on the road."

Lord Tallhart would be in command while Ned and Robb were gone and they had a few more words with him before they moved to their horses. On the Kingsroad, a column of five hundred men on horse was gathering. Behind them were several wagons with supplies including the forge wagon with Tim and Duncan and Gendry riding his horse beside it. Behind them were two more wagons carrying the parts of the shield shell that would be assembled when they got near Moat Cailin.

Gendry hopped off his horse and shyly approached where the Stark family was standing near their tents. Nymeria and Grey Wind were there as well, playfully nipping at each other.

"All ready?" Robb asked Gendry.

"Yes, my lord," Gendry replied. "It just needs to be assembled when we get there."

"Good work," Ned told him, clapping him on the shoulder. Arya was standing there, looking at Gendry, her eyes intense, as Nymeria crouched by her side.

"Don't do anything stupid," she told him. "Like get in a fight without me there to protect you."

He grinned. "I won't…my lady."

"I told you not…nevermind," Arya said. Her face was very serious now, and she barely whispered the next words. "Be good."

"I will."

She looked like she wanted to say more but her eyes started shining and one tear fell and she just turned and wiped her eyes and walked away fast behind the tent, with Nymeria by her side, leaving Gendry looking confused.

"Not to worry," said Catelyn with a smile to him. "I bawled my eyes out the first time Lord Stark went off to war."

"Yes, my lady," Gendry said, his eyes down.

"Be safe," she told him, and Gendry just nodded, as if not trusting his voice to speak.

"You as well, my lord," Catelyn said to Ned. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and whispered, "I love you."

"And I you, my lady," Ned replied.

She tried to smile but couldn't and struggled to control her emotions and then moved on to Robb as Sansa hugged her father goodbye and Jeyne made polite goodbyes to Gendry and Ned as well.

"My son, my man," Catelyn said to Robb, still struggling to control her emotions. "Watch your father. Don't let him lead any assaults. He is far too old for that foolishness now. And don't you do it either. You are too young yet. And you have a new wife. Make sure you come back to her."

"Aye, Mother," he said. And then she hugged him tight, and Sansa followed, her eyes already full of tears.

Robb went off to talk to Roslin alone for a moment and she hugged him and was crying as he kissed her goodbye.

As Gendry and Robb and Ned turned to leave Arya suddenly came back and ran to her father and hugged him tight and then went to Robb and did the same. Then she looked at Gendry and hesitated.

"Go on," said her mother and Arya smiled and ran to him and leaped into the air and Gendry caught her and hugged her tight, and she whispered something in his ear and when he set her on the ground his face was very red and he looked like he was in shock. Then with one last good bye the three men climbed onto their horses, with Grey Wind following Robb. Ned Stark rode to the head of the column and gave the command to move out.

For a long time Catelyn, Sansa, Arya, Jeyne, and Roslin stood by the tent and watched the column move. When the last wagon was out of sight Catelyn spoke softly, "May the gods protect them now."