Ned held tight to Alice when he pulled back just slightly she had the biggest of smiles on her face. She had gotten even more beautiful and she didn't lose that sparkle in her eye.
"Ned, the feast." Catelyn snapped.
"I see she has gotten more pleasant and slow tempered as she aged." Alice mused and Ned pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"I want a dance with you tonight Alice." Ned informed her as he headed off, walking backwards to he could see her smile and he missed that smile so much.
"I'm going to hold you to that Ned." Alice agreed. Gods she was perfect.
"NED!" they both heard Catelyn scream.
"Good luck." Alice called as she turned to Sansa's room.
"I'm in crisis!' Sansa declared.
"Oh no, what can I do?" Alice offered.
"Pick one." Sansa held up two dresses.
"oh sansa these are beautiful. You stitched these?" Alice asked touching the stitching. "Perfectly done." Alice applauded.
"I did. I want the queen to like me. I need to be perfect." Sansa said worriedly.
"You already are." Alice assured.
"I think the means for me to marry Prince Joffrey." Sansa squealed and Alice tried to hide her pinched face.
"Prince Joffrey? Oh... well... that's..."
"I could finally be a princess!" Sansa declared.
"There is more to life than crowns." Alice reminded her.
"Yes for you to say you live in the capital, have a husband that loves you, you have everything!" Sansa informed her.
"Not everything." Alice whispered before letting out a sigh, the one thing she wanted most in the world was children of her own but Sansa was right. Alice had Petyr, they lived in a warmer region and they were happy. "This one." Alice said pointing at the dress in Sansa's right hand. "It is perfect."
"Thank you Aunt Alice."
+
"Not enjoying the feast aunt Alice?" Jon questioned as she came up behind him.
"I came with provisions." She corrected holding up a plate of food for him.
"Life saver Aunt Alice." Jon declared kissing her cheek.
"Alice to the rescue." She mused jumping up and sitting on the table. "I forgot how beautiful it was here." Alice remarked leaning forward on her hands taking in the night sky, the snow around them.
"I can be." Jon agreed leaning back against the table next to her. "I'm glad you came Auntie." Alice looked over to him a smile curved on her lips.
"Me too." Alice agreed running a hand through his hair. "Goodness you got so tall." Alice remarked. "Are you going to show me your skills with a blade?" Alice questioned. "Your father told me you are better than Robb."
"He did not." Jon countered.
"You're right, Arya did." Alice admitted. "But he did tell me how good you are, in all forms of weaponry and how much you love your siblings." Jon smiled softly and Alice nodded to the dummy in the courtyard. "Impress me." Alice challenged and Jon smirked lunging at the dummy.
'Is it dead yet?' Benjen called over to Jon, he was beating up a practice dummy in the courtyard.
'Uncle Benjen!' Jon said coming up to him happily.
'you've gotten bigger!' Benjen remarked it had been a while since he last visited Winterfell. "Is that little Alice Tully?" Benjen questioned coming up to her.
"Baelish," she corrected. "But yes. Its nice to see you Benjen." Benjen hugged her to him.
"I didn't know you were coming, Ned would have been talking about it nonstop and he would have told me." Benjen informed her and Alice bit her lip, grateful for the nights darkness to hide her blush.
"It was a surprise." Alice agreed.
"Don't you look gorgeous, you bring the husband or are you ready for a wild ride in Winterfell?" Benjen teased and Alice leaned into him with a chuckle.
"Petyr had work but I'm here for my family." Alice confirmed.
"Feast not started or your two were not invited. I know Ned wouldn't accept that." Benjen told Alice confidently.
"I was delivering food to Jon." Alice informed him.
'Oh, you out here all day? They didn't wanna leave you alone with a Lannister?' Benjen teased. 'You don't wanna enjoy the feast?' Benjen questioned.
'Lady Stark did not want to insult the Royal family by seating a bastard in their midst.' Jon admitted and Alice's face pinched. Jon was such a sweet boy, she hated that Catelyn pushed him away so much.
'Well you are always welcome at the wall,' Benjen assured him. 'no bastard has ever been turned away there.' an idea, not thought through at all sprung into jons head.
'So take me with you when you go back.' Jon suggested.
'Jon-' Alice warned.
'Father will let me if you ask him.' Jon negotiated.
"Jon honey no. that's not a... no.' Alice begged.
'The wall isn't going anywhere.' Benjen reminded him.
'I'm ready.' Jon assured him.
'you don't understand what you'd be giving up, we have no families none of us father any sons-' Benjen explained.
'I don't care about that.' Jon told him honestly.
"You might one day." Alice offered softly and Jon remembered Alice couldn't have children he grabbed her hand.
'You might.' Benjen agreed 'if you knew what it meant... I better get inside and rescue your father from his guests, you too little miss sunshine.' Benjen said 'we will talk later.' he said giving Jon a pat and leading Alice back inside.
'Your uncle is in the nights watch?' Tyrion said walking up the path.
'what are you doing back there?' Jon questioned
'Preparing for a night with your family.' Tyrion told him, 'I've always wanted to see the wall,' he remarked taking a swig from his jug.
'You are Tyrion Lannister.' Jon remarked 'the Queen's brother.'
'My greatest accomplishment. And you... you are ned Starks bastard aren't you?' Jon turned away annoyed, that was not what defined him. 'Did I offend you? Sorry.' Tyrion said following him. 'But you are the bastard though.'
'Lord Eddard Stark is my father.' Jon told him
'And lady Stark is not your mother... making you the bastard..' Tyrion told him simply, 'let me give you some advice, bastard. Never forget who you are or what you are the rest of the world will not, wear it like armor, that way it can never be used to hurt you,' Tyrion told him turning away from Jon.
'What the hell would you know about being a bastard?' Jon called after him
'All dwarves are bastards in their father's eyes.' Tyrion told him heading inside.
YOU ARE READING
Wonderland // Ned Stark // Petyr Baelish (1)
FanfictionNed Stark wanted Petyr's wife Alice Tully just as much as Petyr wanted Ned's wife, Catelyn. What a fucked up world. Some flames never fade. 🐺 "I reached for you but you were gone." 🪶 "We found wonderland. You and I got lost in it." 🐟 Most cha...
