[Kingsroad]

Unfortunately, the King had decided their return to the capital could not be delayed much longer.

This meant Bran would not join his father and sisters on the journey South as planned.

He was still unconscious, his mother having not left his side.

Jon Snow, Lord Stark's baseborn son, would journey to the Wall, with his Uncle Benjen.

Robb was now the Lord of Winterfell in his father's absence.

So much had changed so quickly.

Currently the party had stopped for rest on their way to the capital.

"Gods, this is country!" King Robert exclaimed after he had gotten done pissing on a tree. "I've half a mind to leave them all behind and keep going."

"I've half a mind to go with you."

The group had stopped for rest and the King and his new Hand had taken this chance to indulge in some wine, mainly the King.

"What do you say, just you and me on the Kingsroad, swords at our sides, a couple of tavern wenches to warm our beds tonight." Robert suggested.

"You should have asked me twenty years ago." Now, he was devoted to Cat and his children.

"There were wars to fight, women to marry... We nevr had the chance to be young."

"I recall a few chances."

"There was that one... Oh, what was her name? That common girl of yours? Becca? With the great big tіts you could bury your face in."

Of course leave it to Robert Baratheon to not remember every lady he had lain with.

"Bessie. She was one of yours." Eddard reminded him.

"Bessie! Thank the gods for Bessie and her tіts. Yours was... Aleena? No. You told me once. Meryl? Your bastard's mother?"

"Wylla."

"That's it. She must have been a rare wench to make Lord Eddard Stark forget his honor. You nevr told me what she looked like."

"Nor will I."

"We were at war. None of us knew if we were gonna go back home again. You're too hard on yourself. You alwys have been. I swear if I weren't your King, you'd have hit me already."

"The worst thing about your coronation... I'll nevr get to hit you again."

"Trust me, that's not the worst thing. There was a rider in the night."

He passed Lord Stark a piece of parchment.

"Daenerys Targaryen has wed some Dothraki horselord."

"What of it? Should we send her a wedding gift?"

"A knife perhaps, a good sharp one, and a bold man to wield it."

"She's little more than a child."

"Soon enough that child will spread her legs and start breeding."

"Tell me we're not speaking of this."

"Oh, it's unspeakable to you? What her father did to your family... That was unspeakable. What Rhaegar Targaryen did to your sister... the woman I loved. I'll kill every Targaryen I get my hands on."

"But you can't get your hands on this one, can you?"

"This Khal Drogo, it's said he has 100 000 men in his horde."

"Even a million Dothraki are no threat to the realm, as long as they remain on the other side of the Narrow Sea. They have no ships, Robert."

"There are still those in the Seven Kingdoms who call me Usurper. If the Targaryen boy crosses with a Dothraki horde at his back, the scum will join him."

"He will not cross. And if by chance he does, we'll throw him back into the sea."

"There's a war coming, Ned. I don't know when, I don't know who we'll be fighting, but it's coming."

~Winterfell~

"It's time we reviewed the accounts, my lady. You'll want to know how much this royal visit has cost us." Maestar Luwin tried to broach the subject with Lady Stark, who remained at her son's bedside.

"Talk to Poole about it."

"Poole went south with Lord Stark, my lady. We need a new steward, and there are several other appointments that require our immediate attention..."

"I don't care about appointments!" She yelled.

"I'll make the appointments. We'll talk about it first thing in the morning." Robb said, entering.

"Very good, my Lord. My Lady." He bowed, before leaving the two alone.

"When was the last time you left this room?" Robb asked his mother.

"I have to take care of him."

"He's not going to die, mother. Maester Luwin says the most dangerous time has passed."

"What if he's wrong ? Bran needs me."

"Rickon needs you. He's six. He doesn't know what's happening. He follows me around all day, clutching my leg, crying..."

The howling of the remaining direwolves could be heard from the open window.

"Close the windows! I can't stand it! Please make them stop!"

Robb moved to oblige his mothers wishes when something caught his eye. "Fire. You stay here. I'll come back."

After her eldest son had left, Lady Stark rose to see what was the cause for commotion.

Hearing something behind her, she spun around to see a man in a hooded cloak, staring at her. "You're not supposed to be here. No one is supposed to be here." He turned to her bedridden son. "It's a mercy. He's dead already."

Catching a glimpse of the dagger he held, Lady Stark rushed towards him. "No!"

Unfortunately, he quickly managed to overpower her. He tried slitting her throat, leaving her with no option but to grab the dagger with her bare hands.

Maybe it was the adrenaline of trying to protect her son, but she didn't feel the initial cuts on her hands.

The man grabbed her by the hair and tossed her to the floor beside the bed.

She tried to pull herself up as the man neared her defenseless son. But, a blurry figure lept at the man, taking him by suprise, and ripping out his throat.

It was Bran's unnamed direwolf.

There was a silent look of graditude between mother and wolf.

An unspoken thank you for protecting her son when she could not.

~ Next Morning ~

Lady Stark had gathered the few she believed she could trust (at least for now) in the Godwood; her son Robb, Maestar Luwin, Ser Rodrik and Theon Greyjoy.

Earlier, whilst investigating in the broken tower, she had stumbled upon a long, blonde hair. Blonde hair was not common in the North, but it was in one family; the Lannisters.

"What I am about to tell you must remain between us. I don't think Bran fell from that tower. I think he was thrown." She told them

"The boy was always sure-footed before." Maester Luwin added.

"Someone tried to kill him twice. Why? Why murder an innocent child? Unless he saw something he wasn't meant to see."

"Saw what, my lady?" Theon asked.

"I don't know. But I would stake my life the Lannisters are involved. We already have reason to suspect their loyalty to the crown."

"Did you notice the dagger the killer used?" Ser Rodrik asked, holding the blade in question. "It's too fine a weapon for such a man. The blade is Valyrian steel, the handle dragonbone. Someone gave it to him."

"They come into our home and try to murder my brother? If it's war they want..." Robb began.

"If it comes to that, you know I'll stand behind you." Theon intercepted.

"What, is there going to be a battle in the Godswood? Too easily words of war become acts of war. We don't know the truth yet. Lord Stark must be told of this." Maestar Luwin told them.

"I don't trust a raven to carry these words." She uttered. If it fell into the wrong hands, there's no telling what would happen to her family.

"I'll ride to King's Landing." Robb announced.

"No. There must alwys be a Stark in Winterfell. I will go myself."

"Mother, you can't."

"I must."

"I'll send Hal with a squad of guardsmen to escort you." Ser Rodrick told her.

"Too large a party attracts unwanted attention. I don't want the Lannisters to know I'm coming."

"Let me accompany you at least. The Kingsroad can be a dangerous place for a woman alone." He offered.

"What about Bran?" Robb asked. She had spent so much time by his side, awaiting his return, only to leave now before he'd woken.

"I have prayed to the Seven for more than a month. Bran's life is in their hands now."

She had all she could for her son. All that was left is waiting for him to wake up.