The Wolf Blood

The Man without Honor

The path from Dorne to Winterfell was silent; was to respect their dead. Ned remembered with pain the last words of his sister as he watched the boy. Take care of him like your son, Lya asked his brother.

'The boy will be my bastard' Ned said for the first time in days.

'Bastard? Ned, it will stain your honor. And also, we do not know who could be the mother. You can trust no one' Howland looked at the boy.

Howland knew what had happened without the explanations of Eddard. That's what he liked most about Howland, he knew things without explaining them or see them and he is discrete by nature.

'We'll find someone. Or, the mother will not be revealed. And we have to find a woman to feed him; goat milk is not healthy enough'.

The boy was quiet, and cried when he had to. It was a bit difficult to clean and feed him, but Ned assumed that all children were so.

'How you are going to name him?' Howland said.

'The child?' Ned had not fallen into that. 'Well, I don't know' Ned changed the subject. 'Before leaving Dorne, we have to stop'.

They went to Starfall, where the Daynes lived. It was hot there, as always. When they entered the castle, Ned asked to be alone for a moment with Lady Ashara Dayne.

When Lady Ashara came in, Ned noticed her beautiful; she had collected hair and a beaded gold diadem, her lilac dress that stood out her violet eyes, being as beautiful as ever. But Ned did not feel the same as before. After the war, he could not be the same as before. Seeing Ned, Ashara's face lit up; she didn't imagine to see him here.

'What does my lord here?' Lady Ashara smiled the way she liked Ned some time ago. Now for him is nothing more than a beautiful woman.

Ned explained what happened at the Tower of Joy; why he was there, he fought to the death against his brother, Ned's sister died shortly after, but Ned avoided explaining her last moments with her. He explained gently but it did not help; at the end Lady Dayne was crying and sobbing. Even mourning for her was beautiful; she had flushed maid's chicks and her eyes became bright. Though for Ned did not affect him.

'I'm sorry, my lady, really... But his brother asked me to give his sword, Dawn. He deserved that. He was the best sword of all of Westeros, everyone knows that' Ned tried to comfort her.

'And you killed him' Ashara said sadly and a little angry. 'You killed the best sword only to find her dead sister'.

'We both have suffered losses' Ned didn't want him being seen mourn, so he tried to be stern. 'I know you have reason to hate me, and I also hate myself. He was a good man, but he was on the wrong side'.

Lady Ashara whispered 'wrong side' and 'good man' and began to mourn. Ned knew that was the best time to go.

Ned saw Howland with the child in his arms and talking to a woman. She was an attractive woman, full-chested. They were talking about the child.

'And ... who is this boy that is so handsome?' The woman asked.

Ned knew that was the time to say.

'It's... My natural son' It cost to Ned to lie.

'Ah…' The woman did not ask the mother. Usually the mother was a whore in some brothel. 'He has no wet-nurse, right? He is very pale'.

'Very pale?' Ned promised that the boy would grow healthy. 'As we were looking for one, do you know any good woman? She'd have to go with us to the Trident, and she could go back Dorne. We would pay her well'.