( PROLOGUE. ) ⟵ ◊ ⟶ THE END OF ROBERT'S REBELLION 282 AL
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NED was finally home. Catelyn knew he had arrived when the excited shouts of men outside their chamber window were heard excitedly greeting the young Lord of Winterfell. It made her unable to contain her excitement while she shifted Robb in her arms while she stood from her seat near the fire. Her son grunted lightly as the sudden movement and she smirked with love seeping from her Tully blue eyes.
The babe of only a fortnight was drifting to sleep and she thought he was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen and she hoped Ned would think the same. Even if their marriage had been forced, she was already feeling the blossom of love taking root in her heart. The quiet wolf wasn't so bad, after all, she determined.
She quickly made her way out the door, through the halls, and to the court yard. With excitement filling her to the brim, she in high spirits. She couldn't wait for Ned to see him: his boy, his heir. Her first child was the heir he needed and she couldn't wait to have more. She briskly walked a crossed the courtyard, seeing him dismount from his horse. Men surrounded the young Lord of Winterfell, excited at his presence after having returned home from the Rebellion. As she wandered up, the men noticed the Lady Stark and respectfully parted.
Ned's back was to her, only his broad, armored shoulders and usual dusty brown hair visible. She felt a proud grin forming on her lips as she gazed in admiration at her husband. Once he turned, all her joy disappeared and whatever trace of admiration she'd had was gone.
Ned clutched two babes in his arms, both dark haired and sleeping and one larger than the other. She felt her heart drop and her stomach flip as she began to realize what it meant. Even if they didn't seem to bare any real semblance to him, what else could their presence mean? She didn't allow her anger to control her despite wanting to strangle him in that instant. No one could see the new Lady falter under the control of wrath. No, she kept her composure.
Ned's expression was still and unreadable as he looked to her with his Stark grey eyes. He didn't look remorseful about it all, as if they were somehow not his, but he didn't look proud either. Her lips were a flat line as she looked at him, blue eyes like arrows even though hot tears threatened to spill over.
"They will be staying with us," he murmured, his voice monotone. He looked to the babe in her arms, at Robb. At his child. Handing the two bastards to the nearby men, he gingerly took the his own babe from her arms and looked down upon him as if he had not been holding his bastards just moments ago.
"He's big and strong," Ned murmured, seeming to forget what he'd brought home with him. "You did well, Cat."
