Winterfell was filled with joy and warmth when Lord Eddard Stark returned home with his daughters and their noble protector. For a moment, everything felt as it should.
But then, something tugged at Ned's heart. His eyes scanned the group again.
"Where is Bran?" Ned asked quietly, turning to his wife.
At once, Catelyn's face fell. The warmth in her smile vanished like mist. Her eyes dropped to the snow.
Catelyn didn't first wish to inform Ned about Bran, but she had to. However, it was too late. By the time her message arrived in King's Landing, he was already captured. Ned Stark had no idea that his son was not in Winterfell, let alone had crossed the Wall with the Hound of all people.
Ned's heart dropped seeing the clear hesitation on his wife's face. "Catelyn… Where is he?"
She swallowed, her voice tight. "He… he was taken, Ned." Her eyes, which had shown happiness for the first time in many months, again regained their sorrow.
"Taken? What do you mean by taken? Taken by who!" Ned had a damning feeling that something was wrong. His instincts held him so.
"By Sandor Clegane."
"What?" Ned's voice rose, his face darkening. "The Hound? When? How?"
"It happened almost a moon ago, Ned," she explained slowly. "He vanished. No one knew where. He wasn't the only one gone. That Hound was missing too. We sent people, Rob himself went. News came they were spotted on the Wall, caught by the Night's Watch. They had Bran there, Ned. But..."
"But?" Ned asked with concern.
"That monster, he kidnapped him again. There was no sight of them ever since. Even Rob went there, searched the entire Wall, but they couldn't find them. Rob believes that they... they crossed it, Ned. He took our son beyond..." Catelyn was already in tears now.
Half sobbing and half stuttering in her speech.
"North? You mean beyond the Wall?" Ned gritted his teeth, clenching his fists. He turned from her, trying to calm his fury. It was hard to even believe, but after what he saw in King's Landing, nothing was impossible.
'Lannisters...' The fury inside him almost burst out with those words.
The Hound had taken his son beyond the Wall—where White Walkers...!
Old Gods... the wights. The wights are there, the White, the wildlings, the cold, the animals.
Ned Stark felt like taking his sword and marching to King's Landing at this time. Just how much that damn city will take away from him. What more?
He felt like immediately arranging an expedition party and going beyond the Wall to search for Bran himself. But he can't do either.
He can't leave while all the northern lords were in Winterfell. That would upset most of them.
But that wasn't the end of his worries.
Later that same evening, as Ned tried to settle his mind, Maester Luwin came rushing into the hall. "My lord," he said, panting. "The Lord Commander of the Night's Watch is here. He has come from Castle Black."
Ned looked up sharply. "Jeor Mormont? Here?"
Thoughts ran rampant inside him. He forgot everything else and only cared about one thing. Bran...
He could only pray to the Old Gods and the New that the Lord Commander had good news about Bran.
"Yes, my lord," the maester nodded. "He requests to speak with you… urgently."
Ned walked swiftly to the gates. There, under the grey sky, stood Lord Commander Mormont. His black cloak fluttered behind him, and a group of men stood silently at his side. Their faces were grim. One of them carried something large and heavy in a wooden crate, sealed with ropes and chains.
"Lord Stark," Jeor said. "It's good to see you again. I was surprised to find you here but glad at your return," the Lord Commander said. He too was surprised when he first heard Ned Stark had returned.
This was good for him; at least this might make it easier to convince the northern lords with Stark here.
Ned gave a curt nod. "The same, Lord Mormont. What brings you so far south? Any news about my son?" Ned asked urgently.
"Apologies, my lord, but none. I'm here for a different purpose."
This deflected Ned, however, he listened to the man nonetheless.
Jeor stepped forward. "It's Jon Snow," he said.
Ned's breath caught. "What happened?"
Old Gods, not another one of his sons.
"He's gone," the old commander said plainly. "The same night I ordered Jon to ride to Winterfell, to warn about the threat beyond the Wall—everyone—he disappeared. So did another with him. Samwell Tarly."
Ned already knew what that meant.
"They went after Bran," he said softly.
Jeor nodded. "That's my guess too. Jon was furious. I tried to reason with him, but… the boy's heart burns with Stark blood. He wouldn't leave his brother behind."
"And Sam?" Ned asked.
"Too loyal for his own good," Jeor replied. "I believe he followed Jon. Though I don't think he'll be much help. If nothing, he might just turn out more trouble than help."
Ned ran a hand through his hair. "They abandoned their vows."
"Yes," Jeor said. "But I don't blame them. I was harsh with him. Had to, in your absence there was no one to rely on and bring the northern lords together. So had to take this chance, to show others where the North's real enemies lie." The Lord Commander slightly turned and looked at the wooden container.
Ned looked at the crate and suddenly his mind clicked at what this could be.
"Is this..." His voice deepened as he asked the Lord Commander.
Jeor turned. "Proof," he said grimly.
"It's time the North sees the truth lurking behind the Wall, my lord."
Ned just kept on staring at the wooden crate with intensity. He fully understood the consequences of opening that crate in front of the northern lords.
Ned himself hadn't seen the white yet, but he believed it. That one frozen moving hand was enough to make him believe. If that wasn't enough, then what he saw in King's Landing was more than enough.
"Then that is what we shall do, my lord. Gather all the lords. It's time the North remembers the long forgotten.
xxx
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