Quick note, in my last chapter I said I would be focusing on the Tullys but I've decided to leave their storyline in the background for now. They will pop up every now and again but I'm gonna try to focus on the main parts of the war and Cersei and Ned's story. Also, sorry for not posting sooner, summer is not always relaxing when you have a kitchen to redo. But here's some more!

It was a chilled, windy morning that found the household of Winterfell standing in the yard beside the King's Gate, awaiting the imminent arrival of their southern guests. Word had come a few hours previous of a host of mounted men, foot soldiers, and wagons all bearing a golden lion on crimson.

Lannisters.

Ned should have guessed the Lords of the West would be the primary representatives of Rhaegar as they were the most powerful house to have sworn him fealty. After all, he could hardly send the Tyrells who were holed up in Highgarden, sending out ravens begging aid and lasting friendship with those who would help. Nor could he rely on the Tullys and their fractured castle and homeland...

The thought of the riverlords brought back memories of a raven in the night, of the sobs of Benjen, of a somber maester proclaiming him lord of Winterfell.

I'm not a lord. This is not my place. It was never supposed to be. I'm a usurper of my brother's inheritance...

"This is stupid."

Before he could go too deep into his dark thoughts, the irritated voice of Benjen had brought him back to the present. To say Benjen was unhappy about being forced from his warm bed into the cold morning would be an understatement. Already the boy's face was stuck in a icy grimace that poked from under his heavy fur-lined cloak.

A rather apt image for a Stark, Ned couldn't help but think.

"It won't be too long," he tried to reassure Ben, "As soon as they get here we can all go back in and you can see to what you were hoping to do today."

"I was hoping to sleep," Benjen pulled the cloak tighter about himself, "What do these southerners want with us? Do they just want to see if we are well? Sit down for a nice meal and talk about the weather?"

Ned sighed as he looked up at the Stark banners that fluttered in the gusty wind against a cloudy sky. Grey on grey. "They are here to discuss the North giving support to Rhaegar in his claim to the crown."

Benjen's face remained soured, "Fuck Rhaegar and his crown. No more northmen should die for the Dragons."

"We've yet to see..." Ned muttered as the sound of horses coming across the drawbridge heralded the arrival of their new guests.

Sure enough, in a matter of seconds a party of armed men on horses pooled through the gate in a company of red and gold that clashed almost violently with the dour and austere grey of the castle about them. The Lion of Lannister hung high from banners more bold and proud than the direwolf of the Starks could ever dream of being.

From amongst the riders moved forward the one who distinguished himself as the leader. Tall, muscled, clad in armor that held no polish or decoration but a simple steel lion imprinted over the heart. Indeed, many would have assumed this man to be at most a simple guardsmen for the Rock, but it was the bearing the man held in him that proved to Ned that this must be Tygett Lannister. As the man stepped down from his horse, he moved confidently, true in every move. His long blonde hair, forced into a uniform ponytail barely swayed as he strode forward to Ned, every bit of his being demanding to be recognized as a warrior.

The knight stopped a few feet from Ned, steely green eyes examining him before giving a respect filled nod, "Lord Stark. I am Ser Tygett Lannister, here on behalf of His Grace, King Rhaegar Targaryen, First of His Name and True King of the Seven Kingdoms as well as my brother, Tywin Lannister, Lord of Casterly Rock and Hand of the King. I am gifted with the authority of both men in the matters of negotiation and am instructed to stay until an accord is reached or a solid rejection is pronounced."

Seven hells, Ned thought, He even talks like a trained soldier.

The brisk nature of the knight had thrown Ned off by quite a bit. All the southerners he had met previously had ranged from charming to petulant. Never... professional.

But Ned saved face quick enough by giving his own respectful nod in kind, "Ser Tygett, welcome to Winterfell. We are honored by your visit and and are eager to hear your entreaties when you have settled in."

A terse silence arose as Ned awaited some southern polite comment or hidden slight that he had gotten accustomed to in the Vale, but Tygett said nothing, just staring at him, as if he would only talk if it was related to business. So Ned took the initiative and pushed forward Benjen slightly who still held a disgruntled face.

"This is my brother, Benjen," he said somewhat awkwardly, "He's been, ehm, rather excited by the idea of visitors in Winterfell."

"Ecstatic..." the lanky lad ground out as he glared at the knight.

If Ser Tygett was even capable of noticing sarcasm, he didn't seem to show and gave a stiff nod to Benjen as well, "A pleasure."

"Eh-hem, will you introduce me, dear uncle, or must I do so myself?"

Tygett turned and both Ned and Benjen followed his gaze to the figure dismounting a white mare, dressed in red and gold.

She's beautiful... is all Ned could think at that moment.

How plain... is all Cersei could think at that moment.

She found Winterfell utterly underwhelming when compared to the tales spread south of the indomitable fortress of the Starks. Those tales claimed the walls were so thick that if they fell, they would be as tall on their side as they were previous and that the castle itself was imbued by some ancient magic that Brandon The Builder had instilled in it that her nurse maid called The Heart of Winter.

Nonsense all of it. What Cersei saw before her was a simple grey castle with every brick showing its age. True, it was rather large but the Rock would tower over it. Indeed, it was most likely defensible but she had read in her histories of how the Red Bolton Kings had sacked it multiple times before being put down. The Rock had never fallen, it was merely given over.

And she now knew that the owners of the keep were just as plain. The one her uncle was conversing with, as though she was never there, was tall and decently muscled. That drew her eye a bit but the rest of him was plain. His hair was a dull brown, his eyes a cool grey, and his face was long and all together boring. The lad beside him, his brother Cersei surmised, had the bearing of a child still growing into an adult, lanky and ungainly, all knees and elbows. And the boy's face was just as plain as his brother's, just more impertinent.

Deciding she was tired of being ignored she cleared her throat, "Will you introduce me, dear uncle, or must I do so myself?"

The three men turned to look at her and she got three different reactions. Her uncle characteristically grimaced, the elder Stark raised his eyebrows in surprise, and the younger Stark needed to pick his jaw off the ground.

"Well? Must I do it?"

Tygett cleared his throat and tried to put on the facade that he actually respected her, "And this is my niece, Lady Cersei, daughter of Lord Tywin."

She gave them as much of a smile as she could muster in her state.

Lord Stark quickly regained composure and approached her, taking her hand and giving it a gentle kiss.

His lips are so soft and tentative... the thought came unbidden to her mind and she drove it out, though it intrigued her.

"Welcome, Lady Cersei," her possible betrothed said in a calm and kind voice, "It is a pleasure to have you here with us as well. Forgive me but we were not expecting a lady to be joining the diplomatic mission."

He doesn't know either, the thought raced through her mind, father and Rhaegar want to play it off both of us. Though it is a better deal for him. He gets me and his home. I lose mine.

"Yes, well," her uncle spoke, "I believe she will be vital to the negotiations."

As a bit of chattel to be auctioned off like a prized stier.

Lord Stark nodded in assent, "Very well. We shall have chambers be made ready for Lady Cersei and her companions. Benjen here will show them to their rooms," he motioned toward the younger lad, "And I will show you to yours, Ser Tygett."

Her uncle nodded in assent and the group moved into the Great Keep of Winterfell while the servants began to unload the wagons.

Cersei found the inside of Winterfell to be surprisingly warm compared to its outer exterior. The stones that had looked cruel and foreboding on the outside, looked sturdy and comforting from within. Long pelted carpets lined the hallways and many old shields and tapestries hung from the walls.

Her uncle and Lord Eddard had departed down another corridor towards what Cersei could guess would be his quarters. In the mean time, she and her ladies followed the gangly Stark down the hallways though found it rather difficult as the youth took long quick strides as though he hoped on losing them. Cersei wouldn't let it stand.

"Would you slow down?" she spoke in her best polite tone though it came out more as exasperated.

Benjen turned around for just half a second, "No." And continued his striding forward.

Cersei stopped at the sudden response which resulted in Jeyne Algood to collide into her back before regaining her balance. "No?"

"Yes," the Stark said as he turned, "No. Understand?"

Cersei just glared at him.

"Hmm," Benjen pretended to think, "Maybe I'm not saying it in proper Southron. Ahem," he bowed mockingly low with a foot extended on its heel, "I humble respond to the fair lady that I shall not slow down my walk and that if she so wishes to get to her room, she will move her dainty little legs faster no matter how tiring it may be to her delicate southern disposition."

The boy looked back up with a grin plastered on his face, like a cat proudly displaying a caught mouse to its owner. Though his smile faltered a bit at the face of the Lannister woman. Cersei's emerald eyes had ignited with something that made them shine like wildfire. Her ladies shifted uncomfortable behind her, moving from foot to foot.

Quietly and deliberately, Cersei strode forward towards Benjen, towering over the younger boy as her smooth voice attempted to escape gritted teeth, "It is customary for guests to be treated honorably by their host."

"Good thing my brother is the host then. I didn't even want you here."

"Indeed. You would have made a poor lord."

"Funny, I think you make a poor lady."

The two stared holes into each other, fiery green into determined grey. The stare held for what seemed to be hours to the group before a soft voice spoke up.

"Please, Master Benjen," Jeyne Algood stepped forward demurely, "We are very tired from our journey and simply want to rest. I'm sorry you didn't want us here, but once you lead us to the rooms, you will not have to deal with us any more..."

Benjen's tense shoulders seemed to sag at the girl's words and slowly his face became somewhat ashamed. He turned to the group of ladies, purposefully ignoring Cersei, "My apologies, my ladies. I forget you have only just arrived. Please follow me to your chambers." He turned to Cersei and almost patronizingly said, "You can come along if you wish. I'll be sure to walk much slower."

Cersei flushed as crimson as her dress but the young Stark and gone around a corner with the ladies in tow long before she could return with a crushing response.

"I trust your journey was safe and smooth?" Ned spoke up as he and Ser Tygett moved down the corridor towards the latter's chambers.

"Indeed," Tygett responded, "Though we had some troubles in the Neck. Lost several horses to the mire and beasts."

Ned smiled and gave a sympathetic nod, "Lizard lions?"

"Most likely. Tell me, Lord Stark, how old is your brother?"

"Benjen?" Ned's thoughts stopped for one moment. How old was Benjen? Ned had been away in the Eyrie for so long that... He took a guess, "Four and ten."

Ser Tygett nodded his head thoughtfully, his ponytail brushing up and down his back, "Four and ten eh? Good formative years. It's then that a young man learns the finer points of combat. Do you have anyone in mind that he could squire for?"

"No, ser," Ned shook his head, "Here in the North, knights are a rarity. The only ones that come to mind are Ser Bartimus who is in the service of House Manderly of White Harbor and Ser Rodrik Cassel, our Master-at-Arms here in Winterfell, though he hardly needs a squire."

"Well then, perhaps you would consider having him squire for me?"

Ned started to ascend a flight of stairs and looked behind him and gave a questioning look, "Why would you wish for my brother to squire for you."

The knight shrugged his shoulders, "Simply put, he shows great promise. I noticed how he stared me and my niece down. Takes bollocks to stare down a lion. Suffice to say that he has earned a deal of my respect in that."

"I shall think on it," was the only response Ned could give at the time. He'd have to take some time to consider it fully and what it could mean. A knighthood could do well for Benjen, maybe even get him his own lands. But it would also take him away from his home sooner than later. Yes, it was worth considering. "Your niece," he moved onto the floor with Ser Tygett's chambers, "did not seem overly pleased to be here."

Tygett waved it off in his gravelly voice, "Take no offense, Lord Stark. She always looks displeased when she doesn't get her way. I will admit, she was not interested in coming but my brother thought it would be a good and necessary choice to send her along."

"Will she be taking part in these negotiations?"

"In a way."

The two stopped outside the chambers and Ned opened the door for the knight, "Well then we shall see to negotiations tonight after dinner, once you are all settled of course."

"Indeed," Ser Tygett gave a small bow, "And thank you for your warm welcome Lord Stark. I know these are not ideal times but I am grateful you are still willing to show honest hospitality."

Ned just returned it with a distant smile, "Well our honor is one thing us Starks do not sacrifice."

Sorry this took so long! Hope you like it. Not much action, I know but at least Cersei and Ned have met. Next chapter we will be going to the court of Viserys III to see how things in the other camp are going.