Though the North was bitter and cold, Winterfell was an exception. The castle was built upon natural hot springs, with steaming hot water flowing through its high walls and bedchambers, driving the chill from its stone halls and filling the glass gardens with warmth and humidity.
Lord Eddard's chambers were the warmest in Winterfell, and Catelyn loved this warmth, as it always brought back memories of Riverrun, and reminded her of playing and running with Lysa and Edmure under the bright sun. Even in the North, Catelyn always thought back to everything in the South, the beautiful Green Lands.
After Eddard and Catelyn were finished, Eddard rose from the bed, pulled back the heavy tapestry curtains, and with a gesture, the narrow windows high above swung open one by one, letting the cold air into the bedroom.
"Eddard is not as handsome or as strapping as Brandon, but he is a good husband," Catelyn thought as she looked at her husband's back.
Fifteen years ago, Eddard and Catelyn were hastily married in the sept at Riverrun. This marriage was originally intended for Catelyn and Brandon, but changed due to Brandon's sudden death. Yet, Eddard still fulfilled his responsibilities to the North and the Riverlands, and the couple had several Children.
"I will simply refuse him," Eddard turned to face his wife, his eyes filled with a heavy gloom that seemed impossible to dispel, and his tone full of doubt.
Catelyn sat up from the bed, "No, you cannot refuse."
"My duty is here, in the North. I have no intention of taking over as Robert's hand of the king," Eddard said contemplatively.
Ordinary people might like the warm South, but the Starks were naturally accustomed to the cold. Duke Rickard, his father, was keen on a plan to go South, but it ultimately led to tragedy.
"Robert doesn't understand any of that. He is the King now. The King cannot be treated as an ordinary person… Can't you see the danger that might come to us if you refuse?" Catelyn tried to persuade her husband.
The couple had a clear disagreement about going South. Catelyn didn't know what her husband was afraid of; the warm South was where she grew up.
"For the King to visit you, that is the highest honor," Catelyn looked at her husband, suddenly growing angry.
Why didn't Eddard understand? The King was willing to let his eldest son marry Sansa; could there be anything more glorious than that? Sansa would one day become Queen, and her Children would rule the vast lands from The Wall in the North to the mountains of Dorne in the South. Wouldn't that be wonderful?
"In the past, that would have been true…" Eddard frowned deeply. "But now, it is a troubled time. After I go South, I might have to coordinate armies and fight enemies Across the Narrow Sea. Robert says he doesn't recognize traitors, but the King cannot become a kinslayer."
Eddard hoped his wife would understand his difficulties; going South was no easy task. Enemies Across the Narrow Sea watched covetously, but things were not peaceful within The Red Keep either.
He and the King hadn't seen each other in nine years, while the Lannisters were with the King day and night. From the North to the South, it was indeed too far.
"Are you afraid of war, my Lord?" Catelyn asked. "Your enemies are just Children. Even when King Balon rebelled, wasn't it quelled?"
"My Lady, there are no Children on the battlefield, only winners and losers. That Child has some skill in warfare. Myr and Tyrosh are both massive port cities, which means vast amounts of money and manpower. Those fleets, slaves, and Mercenaries are willing to die for him, just as Robert was in his youth."
Eddard analyzed that among the strong powers of the Free Cities, the foremost were Braavos, Volantis, and the former Three Daughters. Myr and Tyrosh were not opponents to be trifled with; they were wealthy and powerful, not like the barren Iron Islands. Moreover, Stannis, who was now hiding on Dragonstone, might not be willing to come out and command the Royal Fleet.
"But precisely at this time, you should join hands with the King. The King will be grateful for your support," Catelyn urged.
Eddard grew even more somber. There were some things he couldn't explain clearly to his wife. Going South always made Eddard feel uneasy.
Especially since Eddard had received a secret letter from distant Dragonstone. The contents of the letter were too shocking, and Eddard had never shared them with anyone.
"Duke Jon Arryn likely died at the hands of House Lannister, because Duke Jon Arryn was suspected of investigating some 'unusual' relationship between the Queen and her brother." The contents of Stannis's letter were shocking, but Eddard knew that Stannis was not a reckless man; he was as hard as steel.
"Unusual?" Eddard was troubled. Stannis's letter seemed to seal a great secret. Stannis's smuggler had hidden the letter in a wine barrel and left it in White Harbor, but without any extra words.
Stannis did not continue in his letter, and Eddard had not been bold enough to speculate about the King's Children. Stannis had not written it so clearly, but Eddard already understood that The Red Keep was full of suspicion.
"Gods, Catelyn, Sansa is only eleven," Eddard said, "and Joffrey… Joffrey, he…"
Catelyn quickly interjected, "He is the current Crown Prince, the heir to the iron throne. When my father betrothed me to your brother Brandon, I was only twelve."
Brandon's shadow seemed to stand between them, and hearing Brandon's name made Eddard very bitter. "Yes, Brandon knew everything. Brandon always had a plan. You and Winterfell should have both been Brandon's. Brandon was the one fit to be a Lord and a Queen's father."
"The dead are dead. Brandon is no longer in this world. Whether you like it or not, this bitter cup has now passed to your hand."
Catelyn's words struck Eddard's heart heavily. Eddard turned away again, hiding in the darkness of the night.
Seeing her husband like this, Catelyn dared not say more. Catelyn knew her husband was wounded, but this wound was not easy to heal. The shadow of Eddard's elder brother loomed between them, just like the shadow of another woman, a woman whose name Eddard refused to speak, but who had borne him a bastard.
A moment later, a knock at the door broke the silence between them, and also stopped Catelyn from trying to comfort her husband. Then Maester Luwin of Winterfell entered.
The gift Maester Luwin brought was chilling: a box containing a myrish lens.
The Maester said to Eddard, "Please forgive me for disturbing your rest, someone left me a letter."
Eddard and Catelyn both looked at the box with the lens, to understand what had happened.
Someone had placed an intricately carved wooden box on the desk in the star-gazing chamber while Maester Luwin was napping. The servants said they hadn't seen anyone come or go, but it must have been left by someone who came with the King, as Winterfell had no other visitors from the South.
Eddard frowned again; Catelyn knew he had no patience for such trivial matters. "A lens?" Eddard said, "What does that have to do with me?"
"I had the same question at the time," Maester Luwin said, "Clearly, there's a hidden meaning."
Catelyn, shivering beneath her thick furs, said, "The purpose of a lens is to see the truth."
"Exactly," Maester Luwin said, then handed over a letter from his sleeve.
Catelyn felt a sense of sadness, seeing the new moon and falcon sigil of House Arryn stamped on the blue wax seal.
Eddard's frown deepened, and his face grew increasingly grim. "Open it."
..."This is a warning," Catelyn said. "Hopefully, we are smart enough to heed it."
"Lysa says Jon Arryn was murdered."
"Murdered by whom?!" Eddard asked, perhaps already having an answer, but needing to confirm it again.
"House Lannister," Catelyn said solemnly. "The current Queen."
Eddard released her hand, leaving distinct crimson finger-marks on her arm. "Gods," Eddard muttered hoarsely, "Your sister is overcome with grief; she doesn't know what she's saying."
The heavy stone in Eddard's heart continued to roll downwards. Lysa's letter was exactly the same as what Stannis had said. Two secret letters, both reiterating the ambition of House Lannister.
Eddard suddenly understood the meaning of Stannis's letter. Stannis was isolated and helpless. King's Landing had the ambitious Lannisters, and Across the Narrow Sea there were bastards and the remnants of the true dragon.
"Lysa herself is impulsive, but this letter was carefully planned and hidden. She must have known that if the letter fell into the wrong hands, she would surely die. This cannot be baseless, otherwise she wouldn't take such a great risk."
"Now we have no choice. You must serve as hand of the king to uncover the truth," Catelyn first proposed.
"My gods, the South is full of vipers and beasts; I think it's best to avoid it," Eddard had already come to a conclusion: the waters of the South were too deep.
But the Maester's words were like a death knell, adding fuel to the fire once more. The Old Maester slowly said, "My Lord, the hand of the king wields great power, enough for you to investigate the cause of Old Jon's death and bring the killer to justice. If circumstances turn bad, protecting Lady Lysa and her son would also be more than sufficient."
Eddard felt a loneliness he had never experienced before. Two people had blown the horn, pushing him onto the battlefield. Now he was alone; his wife needed him to be brave to better protect his family.
"You say you love Robert more than your own brother, can you bear to watch your own brother surrounded by the Lannisters?"
Catelyn's words seemed to carry immense weight, crushing all paths of retreat for Eddard. No matter how dangerous the path ahead, he had no other choice.
"It seems I have no choice but to leave Winterfell, to leave my home," Eddard's voice changed, now so powerless.
His voice was so weary and sorrowful, his eyes slightly moist. "My father only went South once in his life, in response to the King's summons. He never returned."
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