Rickard Stark the Warden of the North sat in his personal chambers in Winterfell. Sitting at his chair behind his desk which was covered with maps, letters and the like, he contemplated the last year that divided the Seven Kingdoms in a bloody civil war and ended the dynasty of the dragons. It was a painful process, but now was the time to rebuild. He had just dealt with sending men to the wall to begin their new lives as men of the Night's watch. Although it was not his duty to send men there, his youngest son Benjen always wished to be present for talk of the wall and taking the Black. The pup had always thought it to be a noble and heroic duty. He took a bigger interest in that than Rickard's heir.

Rickard had been teaching his son Eddard the duties that belong to the Lord of Winterfell and the Warden of the North. It would be his duty to rule the North in the King's name when Rickard passes on. It would all pass to Ned, now that Brandon's gone.

After the crown prince abducted his sister, Rickards heir raced to the capital demanding Rhaegar's head. Damn that wolf blood.

King Aerys answered his calls with chains, arresting the wolf and his whole pack, which consisted of men from the Vale, Riverlands and North. He then sent for Rickard himself to answer for his sons crimes.

No sooner had he heard this, he heard his son demanded a trial by combat, but his opponent would not be Ser Barristan, Gerold Hightower, Oswall Whent, Arthur Dayne or any knight. Brandon's opponent was fire. The boy could not win and his entire party soon joined him.

The abduction of his daughter, the death of his heir and the command for death of his second son Ned sent Rickard on the warpath. When Jon Arryn raised his banners Rickard did as well.

Ned fulfilled Brandon's obligation to the Tully's and married their eldest daughter Catelyn Tully, now Stark. The Tully's and Stormlands led by Hoster Tully and Robert Baratheon all defied the crown.

The war continued on for almost a year. The Battle of the Bells, the Siege of Storms End, the Battle of the Trident, all led up to the inevitable sack of King's landing. They way everything happened still haunts Ned to this day, even Rickard was opposed to it. Those poor children.

But in the end his daughter was returned to him. Ned set out with his own party after the sack to retrieve her. Of the seven warriors who went to Dorne only two returned. But Lyanna wasn't all that Ned brought back with him. In Ned's arms when he returned was a baby boy, but not his son Robb who was with Catelyn at Riverrun. This was his bastard son Jon Snow.

Robert now sat on the Iron Throne and declared for Lyanna to be his queen as their marriage was destined to be. Rickard easily accepted. This pact was planned long before this war and they would see it through.

"A grandson on the Iron Throne" he mused. But he agreed only if Lyanna was allowed time to recuperate from her ordeal; to return home in the North and savor it. There was plenty other things to keep Robert busy, women including.

This is where the Stark family has been ever since. Catelyn, Robb and Jon have joined them, but they could never take the place of Rickard's first born. His dear Brandon.

Unsurprisingly Catelyn took an immediate dislike to Jon ever since she saw him. Lyanna however, seemed to adore him and Rickard saw her with the baby more than Ned. Strangely she seemed to be depressed ever since they won the war. Not in the sense of being abducted, but rather she seemed to be mourning. Rickard naturally thought it had been for her brother Brandon. She mourned for him just as they all had, each in their own way of course. But hers seemed longer than all the others. The only way she could be calmed was if she was with Jon and sometimes that only made it worse.

He would often hear the siblings talk in whispers only to each other; always Ned and Lya, never Benjen. He would never hear the whole conversation, only bits and pieces.

"You have to tell him" Ned whispered

"I can't" Lya responded. She sounded terrified.

"He must know" Ned would say

"You promised" Lyanna would always end it.

He didn't know what they were talking about, but soon enough he would find out.

A knock came from behind his door. A soft weak tap. He raised his head from his maps and to the door. "Come in" his deep voice bellowed, a perfect voice to match his long stern face. The person on the other side grabbed the knob and the door creaked open. Rickard now saw who it was.

"Lyanna" he spoke her name softly as he always did now ever since she was returned to them.

"Father" she responded. She closed the door behind her and stood in the center of the room, her hands folded over the other. The two just starred at each other in the cold silence. Despite the fact she was standing perfectly still there seemed to be a great amount of weight and unrest in Lyanna.

"Are you alright my sweet?" he asked his only daughter.

Her eyes dropped to the floor contemplating her words carefully "Father" her eyes went back to him "there is something I must tell you"

"Of course" he put his pen down "anything, just say what you must" he cooed.

She bit her lip and swallowed "It's about Jon father"

Rickard raised a brow. He thought it strange the relationship between his daughter and her brothers' bastard boy. He assumed that because he had no mother, even as a young babe he was lonely in a desolate part of the world. It was because Lyanna had been as such recently that a strong bond formed between the two and she took on the role of mother for him, more so than Catelyn. He thought it was actually quite touching. It was quite obvious that she cared deeply for him even though he was a bastard.

"You need not worry about your brother's bastard" he said "Stronger men than Eddard have made mistakes and weaker ones do all the time. He is-"

"He's not Ned's son father" she cut him off and Rickard froze. A cold chilling silence overtook them. Lyanna took in a deep breathe of cold air and exhaled "…he's mine.

Rickards eyes widened and his mouth gaped open slightly leaving a black whole between his beard.

"How is-"before he could finish asking she answered him.

"Rhaegar Targaryen" was that answer.

His eyes became wider and his mouth. His worst fears had come true. His daughter, his only daughter was abducted by the crown prince… and he raped her.

He jolted up from his seat and stretched out his hands to her "Sshhh" he soothed her "You do not have to worry about him" he said in a soft voice. "He is gone. He will not hurt you anymore" Lyanna was turning red and was visibly trying to hold back tears, but failing "It was kind of your brother to do that for you and if you want him to be raised as a Stark I will have it done, even if his father did…" he could not dare say the word in front of or even to his daughter who had lived through the trauma herself "horrible things to you"

"He didn't do anything father" Lyanna choked on her own tears. Of course she meant Jon.

"Of course not Lya. He is just a baby. He cannot be blamed for who or what his father d-"

"No" she whimpered through tears "Rhaegar" Rickard raised his brow again. What was she talking about? "Rhaegar didn't do anything wrong"

His cocked his head to her "What?" he asked

"Rhaegar loved me" she told him "He loved me and I loved him and we wanted to be together so-" she choked "so we left together and we made Jon together"

He was in disbelief. This couldn't be true, this had to be some sick joke "Lyanna-"

"It's true father, ever single word"

His gaze intensified on her. He was as stiff as the stone fortress he lived in and his blood felt like it was ice. He had no idea what to make of this, but the look of sadness and sincerity on his daughters face showed him nothing else to believe. How could this be true? Then he remembered something else or rather someone, someone very important.

Brandon.

In a split second he grabbed his table and hurled it across the room, landing in front of Lyanna who put her arms up to shield herself from everything on the table that was now scattered across the room.

Rickard grabbed his face and let out a blood curling scream. It was so loud that it echoed throughout Winterfell and it was the most terrifying thing Lyanna had ever heard.

Rickard dropped to his knees and curled up onto the stone floor and did not relent from screaming. Lyanna was completely frozen, she had no idea what to do or say.

"No! No! No! No!" he kept screaming and crying "Please No!" he let out another scream.

"Father-"Lyanna let out and Rickard raised his head. He was looking directly at her and his gaze alone was deadly. "Father please listen-" she stammered trying to find words while he began to twitch and snarl, like the wolf on his banners. "Rhaegar- he didn't mean for this to happen. And Brandon, he would have loved Brandon like a brother-"

"No!" Rickard shouted out and his voice deadened her ability to speak "You will not say his name." he stumbled to his feet.

Lyanna's mouth moved, but no words came out until finally she found a voice "He wouldn't- he couldn't'-"her voice began to trail off "He cannot be accountable for his mad father's actions"

"But you can." Rickard growled and Lyanna was still. "This is all your fault!"

"No-I didn't mean to- I didn't want this to happen and Rhaegar didn't either" Rickard stormed over to her with a red face and outstretched hands "We only wanted-"Rickard wrapped his hands around her neck. She was no longer choking from her tears, but from her own father. She struggled and fidgeted in his grip, but could not move nor could she get him to stop.

She looked up to his red face and he looked down on her pale one.

Then there was a furious pounding against the door "What's going on in there!" a man's voice they both knew belonged to Ned yelled from the other side. Lyanna whimpered and clawed at her father's hands, but he paid him no mind.

"Was it worth it?" he asked in a low rumble as he looked deep into her eyes "Was your dragon prince worth it?" she could not give an answer. All those men who died fighting him, all those men dying to save her, even her own brother. His gaze and grip intensified as he recalled all that had happened within the last year, all for her. Another furious beating and exclamation from Ned came, but only one thing ran through Rickard mind.

"Kinslayer" he spat. Lyanna's eyes were pained to hear that word. She never thought it would never be associated with her. She began to make weak suffocated cries.

"Open the door!" Ned cried from the other side and others could be heard with him. Rickard remained fixated on Lyanna as she remained in his grasp. She gasped for air and imagined the last thing she heard before she started to die. Kinslayer.

"I won't kill you" Rickard said in grief "Else I would be just like you. Kinslayer" he added at the end, adding to his daughter's already immense pain and burden. He loosened his grip and she began gasping taking in deep breathes of oxygen she was just deprived of. She kept her eyes on her father and the most terrifying thing right now was that she didn't know what he would say next. The only thing more frightening than that was when he said it.

He clasped her throat again and she squirmed some more. He leaned in close to her "Where is your bastard?"

Her eyes widened like two white moons and she froze. She couldn't hear anything else in the world but those words "Where is your bastard?"

Rearing his arms back Rickard picked Lyanna up from the floor by her neck and launched her across the room letting out a fierce cry as he did. She collided with the wall and fell to the floor clasping her own throat and taking deep breathes. She saw her father's legs walk off and she saw him go for the door.

"No!" she screamed from the floor. Rickard ripped the door open and those behind it nearly jumped out of their skins as they did. Ned was there as well as Benjen, and behind Ned was Catelyn. Standing with her was his wife Lyarra. Their faces made it seem like they saw a White Walker.

"Father! Please don't!" they heard Lyanna cry as she tried to get up. Rickard tore through them and marched down the hall. "Father!" Lyanna's cries echoed out into the hall, but Rickard walked away. The four of them rushed into the room and to Lyanna's side.

"Lya" Ned said with both softness and urgency "What happened?" Lyanna looked to her older brother. The look in her eyes told him everything. She told him. The rest however, had no idea what was going on.

"What happened? What's going on?" Benjen rambled. Lyarra knelt down to her daughter's side with her own questions.

"What did he do to you sweet girl?" her mother asked, calling her something her father likely would never again. She noticed the marks around her neck and her face stained with tears from both her and him.

Ignoring them Lyanna stumbled to her feet in desperation and went out of her father's study to find him. Down the hall they heard a baby's cry.

"No!" she cried and ran to the sound. All her family followed behind. Then from one of the rooms a large boot excited. Another followed bringing Rickard with it; his face was stone with an ice cold glare. Wrapped in one of his arms was a small baby. Jon Snow.

"No!" Lyanna screeched again and ran towards her father "Please, please, please" she rambled before her father "don't take him from me, don't take him, anything but him" she started pawing at the baby in his arm, but he kept him out of her reach. "Father I need him, please" she sobbed

Rickard's face became inflamed with rage and with his free arm he swung at Lyanna hitting her into the wall. His entire family looked on and was appalled by his actions.

She fell to the floor and he began walking off leaving her behind. She reached for his boot, but he kept walking. He never looked back at her.

Ned put himself in front of his father. But before he could say anything he was knocked to the floor and when Benjen did the same as his older brother he was tossed aside just as easily. Catelyn cowered against the wall as the Lord of Winterfell stormed past her. Lyarra went to his side, but her words could not calm his rage.

Ned and Brandon looked to their father and then to Lyanna and rushed to her side. Lyarra came when she could not quell Rickard and with her came Catelyn. Ned and Benjen helped her up and Lyanna reached out her arm to her father who was now out of sight.

She began fumbling forward with the help of Ned. Then they heard a loud shriek of pain coming from outside. It wasn't from a man or luckily a baby, but it got their attention easily enough. Lyanna sprinted from their side and down the stairs with Ned, Benjen and the others behind him.

They ran into the courtyard where the sound of the cries came from. There was a group of people already outside. They looked speechless and absolutely petrified. They look around the courtyard when suddenly a black horse rode off past them at great speeds. Riding the horse was Rickard and in his arms was the little baby Jon Snow.

He bounded past them and out of the gates. They all shouted after him, but none more loudly than Lyanna. Their cries falling on deaf ears they turned to the stables ready to give chase themselves. And when they saw what had happened in their Catelyn let out a cry of shock.

In the stables all the horses were there except two. One which Rickard had taken himself and Lyanna's. Instead hers was on the ground, its head almost completely severed from its body and blood staining the walls and other horses.

Lyanna dropped to her knees and wept into her hands. Lyarra tried to comfort her and Catelyn was at a loss for words or even thought. Ned ran to one of the horses, mounted it and ran to pursue his father. But when he reached the gates he found no sign of him anywhere and he turned back to the rest of his family.

For the next few days there was no word or sighting of Rickard. They had no idea where he went, if there was anywhere he would go at all. Ned sent men out to scour the North to search for him, but those attempts were fruitless. He was hesitant at first, but desperate pleas from Lyanna forced him to write to the lords of the North as the acting Lord paramount. He told them to be on the lookout for their liege lord. He received a response from Hornwood. While hunting one morning he thought he saw him travelling towards the Dreadfort. Lyanna became hysterical at the mere mention of the place and that her baby could be going there.

Ned wrote to there immediately and soon received a reply.

"I've not seen or heard of him" were the only words written by the Lord of the Dreadfort; Roose Bolton.

Last Hearth responded next.

"He may be travelling father north to Castle Black" the letter said.

Lyanna was insistent on riding there herself. When Ned wrote to Castle Black, their reply was no different than the others.

After they received that letter there wasn't a single mention of Rickard Stark. Three days of bleak despair passed over Winterfell. Lyanna waited at her window every day hoping her father would return that day and waiting longer when he didn't.

She prayed to every god imaginable that he would not come back alone.

Catelyn tended to baby Robb and Ned acted as Lord of Winterfell whenever anyone came. No lords or nobles had contacted him which he took as a good sign that no one knew what was going on up here, not even his own banner men.

Then one morning looking out on the horizon Lyanna saw a familiar looking man on a horse ride down the Kingsroad.

Her heart pounding she raced out of her room quickly alerting everyone else in the castle. Ned was with Catelyn and Robb and soon followed his sister to the gates. Catelyn, Benjen and Lyarra all flew in to their side.

When they arrived at the gates there was no question that this man was Rickard Stark. And Lyanna cried tears of joy and smiled for the first time in days when she saw in his arms was a baby.

Rickard's horse trotted forward before the silent group, save for Lyanna who continued weeping uncontrollably. His face had not changed since they last saw him, nor did his piercing gaze.

He dismounted his horse and handled with particular care the baby in his arms. Lyanna rushed up to him and reached for the baby which he passed off to her unlike last time.

Cradling him in her arms she nuzzled the baby's face with her own and continued crying even though all eyes were on her, except those of her father. He would never tell them where he went, but his words told them all they needed to know.

"Ned" he finally spoke impassively, getting his eldest living son's attention "Your bastard is hungry"