Bastard // Ned Stark

9. Warm enough

Bride to be //Sandor Clegane is out now!!

'Alright, you warm enough?' Everly asked Bran as she helped him up onto his horse.

'Yes Everly.' He answered right away smiling down to her.

'Good, good, you be careful, alright?'

'Yes Everly.' Bran repeated laughing down to her she pressed a kiss to the top of his hand before giving his leg a squeeze.

'See you soon sweetie.' Everly said making her way to Jon. 'You will look after Bran, won't you honey?"

'Of course Everly,' Jon answered hugging her and Everly felt herself relax in his arms. She held onto him never wanting to let go. 'Everly?' Jon questioned resting his head against her.

'Yes honey?'

'Thank you for always taking care of me.' Jon whispered and Everly nodded holding back tears. 'for protecting me, loving me, being a mom to me when I had none.' Everly was going to cry. She was going to cry, she stifled her sniffles and nodded into him.

"You have always been such a perfect boy, so kind, so brave, so helpful, you have the biggest heart Jon, the biggest. You have so much love... I'm so glad I got to be the one to help you grow into the most amazing man I see today.' Everly told him holding him to her because she didn't want him to see her cry. But he felt her tears on his shirt.

"Everly? Are you alright? I didn't mean to make you sad.' Jon said and she pulled away wiping at her eyes.

"Your mother is so proud of you, would be,' she corrected. 'so proud of you. Know she is watching over you always.' Everly added.

'You boys ready?" Theon questioned as he paraded around.

'I love you Jon, now get going before I get in trouble with Lord stark for keeping you.' She teased.

'I love you too Everly.' He whispered before mounting his horse. Ned came up behind her and nearly scared her heart out of her chest.

'Sorry my love.' He whispered pulling her into the stables. 'That is a big smile I saw on your face.' Ned remarked.

"I'm just happy.' Everly told him pressed a swift kiss to his lips. But Ned pulled her to him, kissing her again and again, she smiled into him as his hands wrapped around her waist keeping her body to his.

'Lord stark?" Theon questioned

'Father we are ready!" Robb shouted. Ned rested her head against Everly's a moment long.

'I will see you soon my love.' He whispered against her.

'See you soon my love.' She echoed and watched him go.

++

'I know I broke my oath, I know I am a deserter. I should've gone back but I saw what I saw. I saw the white walkers!' the boy told Ned scared out of his mind. 'I need to get word to my family. I need to tell them... tell them I'm sorry.' Ned nodded and his men put the boys head down Ned pulled his sword forward.

'In the name of Robert of the house Baratheon and first of his name king of the andals-' ned began.

'Don't look away' Jon told bran 'he will know if you do.'

'Lord of the seven kingdoms and protector of the realm. I lord Eddard the house Stark, Lord of Winterfell and warden of the north sentence you to die.' He lifted his sword bringing it down quickly upon the deserter.

'You did well,' Jon told Bran. Ned approached his son.

'Do you understand why I did it?' Ned questioned him.

'Jon said he was a deserter,' Bran said while fiddling with his horses saddle.

'Do you understand why I had to kill him.' Ned clarified.

'It is the old way,' bran told him. Ned nodded

'The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword.' Ned reminded him.

'Is it true about the white walkers?' Bran asked

'White walkers have been gone for thousands of years,' Ned assured him.

'so he was lying?' Bran questioned.

'The man sees what he sees,' Ned told him. 'Time to go home.'