Wonderland // Ned Stark // Petyr Baelish (1)

7. Your Husband

 Ned was distraught to find his sister dying on a 'bed of blood', and was with her when she passed. He took the news of her death to Robert, and they were reconciled by their shared grief. Ned left to return Ser Arthur Dayne's sword, Dawn, to his sister at Starfall, whilst Robert agreed to marry Tywin's daughter, Cersei, in gratitude for his services in the war.

The remaining Targaryen loyalists had holed up on Dragonstone with the still-formidable Targaryen royal fleet, and Stannis Baratheon and Paxter Redwyne needed some time to assemble a fleet large enough to breach the defences. However, eight months after the Trident, the greatest storm seen in the Narrow Sea in living memory smashed the royal fleet to kindling on the rocks surrounding the island. Queen Rhaella died in childbirth that same night. Ser Willem Darry and some loyal soldiers took Prince Viserys and the newborn Princess Daenerys to safety in the Free Cities, whilst Dragonstone was captured by Stannis' forces.

+

"Alice." That was the first name the first words out of Ned's mouth when he got to winterfell.

"Ned you are alright!" Alice exclaimed running towards him but Catelyn pushed past her kissing Ned. Her husband. Alice felt a bit of jealously but she knew she shouldn't. Ned was her sister's husband, yet he said Alice.

"I'm alright..." Ned agreed. "I brought back... a friend." Ned said awkwardly.

"Alice get Robb." Catelyn spat.

"Robb?" Ned questioned.

"Your son." Catelyn told him. "Our son.' She ran her hands down his chest.

"I... well... Meet Jon." Ned said as Alice came out with Robb.

"Oh hes so cute." Alice declared. "Who is this little guy?"

"Who is JON?" Catelyn shouted each other louder than the last.

"My... son." Ned remarked and Alice's smile faltered.

"Your what?" Catelyn demanded.

"His mother died. He didn't have anyone." Ned told them looking to Robb in Alice's arms. "Could I hold him?" Ned asked and Alice nodded as they transferred children.

"Jon you said?" Alice asked awkwardly.

"Yes." Ned agreed.

"Hi sweetie."

"Your bastard? And you brought him back here?" Catelyn couldn't fathom it.

"Jon is mine. Jon Snow. Let us speak no more of it." Ned demanded.

"Speak no more of it?" Catelyn spat. "You left to fight a war not fuck your way through westeros!"

"Catelyn-' Alice began.

"You are a child you don't understand!" Catelyn shouted. "He is my husband and I can't believe he would be so reckless with our future."

"What of Jon's future? He had no one." Ned countered.

"How do you even know he is yours?" Catelyn countered.

"What does that mean?" Ned questioned.

"Whores fuck everyone you are not special Ned." Catelyn told him and Alice looked between them nervously as she bounced Jon in her arms.

"Maybe I should go inside." Alice whispered settling back towards the castle.

"She was not a whore." Ned shouted back. "Speak no more of it."

"I am-"

'I am the lord of winterfell. I just lost my family, my father, my brother and my sister. You haven't lost anyone." Ned reminded her. "I am the lord of winterfell, I am in charge here. I am in charge. Not you. I don't have to explain myself or my actions to you. We were fighting in a war." Ned reminded her passing robb off as he marched into winterfell. Alice looked between them as Catelyn screamed and Robb cried. Catelyn shoved Robb at Alice as she stomped off. Jon was staring at Alice while Robb was whimpering in her arms.

"Hi little guys... you two are going to be the best of friends. I know it." Alice told them hopefully. "But you two are a bit heavy for me." Alice remarked shifting them in her arms. "Lets get inside." She turned around but started to slip, Alice fell back onto her butt into a pile of thick snow. A laugh escaped her lips as robb started clapping and Jon started giggling.

"We are going to be alright. All of us." Alice assured and Ned peered out his window staring down at them laughing in the snow.

+

Ned read over the raven for the millionth time before heading to the nursery. He wasn't surprised that Alice was with the boys and Catelyn was drinking.

"Hush little baby don't you cry, Auntie Alices is going to get you a mocking bird. And if that mocking bird don't sing, Auntie alice is going to get you a... valaryian steel sword and if that valaryian steel sword don't shine, auntie alice is going to get you... what do little Stark boys want?"

"You." Ned remarked and Alice spun around.

"What?"

"Nothing... you have a nice voice alice."

"Oh... thank you. I sing with the birds in the morning." Alice remarked and ned chuckled. "Back home we have mocking birds, they sing with me."

"You are so precious Alice." Ned told her and Alice blushed.

"What's that?" Alice questioned looking to the scroll.

"oh... well..."

"Bad news?" Alice questioned leaving the boys cribs and moving to Ned.

"Your father wants you back at the Riverrunns." Ned informed her handing over the scroll.

"Oh..." it was all alice could say and it was more a release of breath then a word. She read it over quickly then slowly and the looked up to ned. He had closed the distance between them. At 14 now Alice was becoming a beautiful young woman and Ned couldn't help but admire her. Her heart and soul.

Alice was the opposite of her sisters. She was caring and sweet and loved the boys deeply. They adored her and Ned had gotten quite used to having Alice around. He knew that when she left he would have to deal with Catelyn and he quite liked having Alice as a distraction over the past few moons.

"He sent guards... they will be here soon to collect you." Ned added. "I don't want you to go Alice." Ned admitted.

"I don't want to leave." Alice agreed and she felt her heart flutter, Neds face so close to hers his head tilted down just another fraction of a moment and she was sure he was going to kiss her and she was confident that she wanted him to. But he was her sisters husband and she was a good sister even if Catelyn was a bad sister. Robb cried out and Alice took a step back, a blush on her cheeks as she turned away.