The Dragon Cub| Game Of Thrones

THE DRAGON IS REVEALED

Winterfell 297 AC.

The Blackfish.

He had been called into Ned's solar not long after arriving at Winterfell and handed a letter that had been written by Cat. Reading it he was surprised to see his niece had basically given her blessing for Ned to marry again, sure she hadn't explicitly said so, but it was clear from her words that she meant that. Handing the letter back he looked to his goodnephew or was that former goodnephew.

"This changes things between me and your family Brynden but I hope not between us?" Ned said looking back at him, his eyes focussed on his face.

"I cannot say I'm not a little saddened by this Ned, but my niece has made her choice and I see it as no fault of yours.".

"I thank you for that Brynden. I feel though it's time we had a conversation that's long overdue." Ned said and Brynden wondered where he was going with this.

"Very well.".

"Cat, Brynden, she and your nephew, I believe you know what they tried to do." Ned said and then raised his hand when Brynden went to interrupt "I Know Brynden that you were not a part of nor played any role in any of it whatsoever.".

"They are my kin, Ned, Aye I know." he said embarrassed not at his admission but at what they'd done.

"I suspected it with Cat, gods I didn't wish to but I suspected it all the same. She and Petyr Baelish had shared letters, the things he said to her regarding Jon. Whether she'd always have hated the boy anyway or not. Those letters only helped fuel that hatred." Ned said and Brynden thought about asking to see the letters but thought better of it.

"I never knew they'd kept in touch." he said and Ned snorted.

"Would that were all it was. Each time we'd hear of what Jon did, what he accomplished, things would get worse between Cat and I. My not wishing to punish the lad for what she saw as him trying to make a name for himself in order that he could take Winterfell. At first, that was it and whether it was just this fear or her hatred of the boy, I can't be certain. Only that it festered Brynden and I couldn't cut the wound out." Ned said sadly.

"Aye, she sent me letters in the Vale, demanded I do something about the lad. I'd seen him but the once in Lannisport and that boy would never take Winterfell, he'd never try." Brynden said and saw the soft smile on Ned's face.

"Aye. When he came back here, gods Brynden to see him with Sansa, Arya, even Robb, he showed me how far I'd let my family slip. He a boy of ten namedays showed me and Cat hated him even more for it. The fosterings was his idea, did you know?".

"I didn't." Brynden said.

"Aye they were, he even suggested taking Bran as his squire, though once again Cat saw danger where there was none. She argued with me on the fostering, about Bran, though I'm glad he's squiring with you." Ned said.

He watched as Ned grabbed a small mug and took some ice from it, placing it into larger mugs before he then poured ale over it and handed him one of the mugs. Brynden glad of the cool drink even this far North.

"That was his idea." Ned said smiling.

"Ice?" he asked.