14 Chapter 14: Public Apology

Eddard Stark solemnly stared out into the crowd that was quickly gathering into a large mob. Soon, hundreds of people were surrounding the snowy, grey stone walls of Winterfell, where his nephew and wife stood together atop the gate wall. Ned's anger still hadn't quelled. Just looking at Cat's face made him livid, but at the very least Jon wouldn't be wronged any longer.

Apart from what Cat would give Jon, he had also made sure to bring his own compensation. The boy would eat well for the rest of his life, even if it wasn't in his rightful home. He knew in his heart, Jon probably wasn't going to come back to Winterfell. His entire life he'd been watched and discriminated against by his mother, despite Ned's best efforts.

When rumors had spread of Jon being the son of Ashara Dane, he had made sure to erase that name from every mouth at Winterfell. No one had spoken her name in these frozen halls in 12 years. That still wasn't enough. No matter all he did to appease Cat, nothing would work. As long Jon was at Winterfell, their loving marriage would forever be strained.

Most of what Cat had done to Jon, surveiling him, harassing him, poisoning him, it had all been done when Ned wasn't looking. Had he been present, Cat wouldn't have dared to even look at Jon the wrong way. It was his fault, Ned thought, he was the one who didn't take good enough care of his nephew.

He had given him a place to stay and food to eat, but that wasn't enough. The boy needed a father, not a distant guardian that didn't take the time to truly look after him. But it was far too late now, the damage had already been done. Jon Snow would leave Winterfell and Ned's life, possibly forever. All because he couldn't protect his nephew from his own wife.

Ned did consider telling Cat that Jon wasn't his bastard son. That he was actually the son of his sister, and his nephew by blood relation. But everytime he felt the urge to spill out the truth, Lyanna's voice would call out to him. Promise me Ned, the voice said, promise me. The promise he'd made to Lyanna was the only thing preventing him from rushing up to Jon and telling him the truth.

Even now it pained him to keep this secret to himself, but he had no other option. This secret was one that should never be spoken. The looming shadow of Robert's warhammer was always hanging over the head of his nephew. Should the day ever come that the secret of Jon's true heritage is found, Ned knew that Robert would send for his head, just as Aerys had done a mere decade earlier.

Ned was still haunted by the death of his family. First he had lost his father and brother. Then his sister. Only Benjen had lived until this day, and he had no children and could never marry. Jon was the only person descended from any of Ned's siblings, he would never let Robert kill him. If it came to it, he would call his bannerman and go against the man that people still called the Usurper.

"Many of you have heard of the crimes and wrongdoings I've committed to the son of my husband, Eddard Stark." Ned broke out of his thoughts to the sound of Cat's sour voice. He looked up to see Cat's side. While he couldn't completely see her face, he knew she had a regretful expression.

"I have come to regret the actions I made towards the boy I call my son, and I have come forward to publicly give my apologies, not only to Jon, but to all of you as well. Jon has faithfully served this house and this town since a young age as a household guard of Winterfell. He deserves the respect of me, and my family."

Ned heard Cat call forward one of the guards who held a giant sack, of what he assumed to be money, over to her. She picked up the bag with difficulty, but also made sure to show a bit of the contents, that being a couple hundred golden dragons. "As recompensation for all that I have done. I am giving four hundred golden dragons to my son, Jon." Cat took a deep breath and struggled to speak. She turned her head and met Ned's eyes. "I also ask that my husband legitimizes Jon to be a true Stark of Winterfell."

Gasps were heard throughout the crowd but Ned quickly drowned out all of the voices. Cat wanted him to legitimize Jon? The reason Cat hated Jon was because he was a threat to Robb's claim to Winterfell. He would always be a danger to her children, regardless of whether she had come to accept him as a son. She would never agree to have Jon become a Stark. Something was very wrong about all of this.

But Ned couldn't stop it. The guards had already began chanting, "Jon Stark! Jon Stark! Jon Stark!" Ser Rodrik also seemed as puzzled as he was, but the rest of the men were screaming with all their strength. Huddled together next Old Nan were his children, Robb, Sansa, Arya, and Bran. Arya was excited by this sudden revelation, cheerfully shouting Jon's name with the same excitement she always had when talking to her cousin, but his older children were less pleased.

Bran also had a positive reaction, just a week ago the boy had attempted to convince Ned to let him go with Jon to the Reach to become a knight, and now he had a light smile plastered on his face as he clapped. Bran didn't really know what it meant to be legitimized, but he still recognized this was good for his cousin.

It was Robb and Sansa that looked distraught at this news. Sansa was practically steaming, her ears flaring as red as the hair she'd inherited from her mother. Robb wasn't mad, but he looked scared. Frightened as he looked around and saw people cheering his cousin on, as if Jon was the heir of Winterfell and not him.

Ned felt a strong chill in his heart when he saw so many of his men cheering Jon's name. He only had one thought in his head, they had never cheered for him like this.