4 Chapter 4: A Man's Honor

Eddard Stark wasn't originally meant to be the Lord of Winterfell. Before Robert's Rebellion and the events that lead up to the war, his brother, Brandon Stark, was meant to be next lord of Winterfell after his father, Rickard Stark.

Unfortunately, neither his father nor brother would survive the wrath of the mad king Aerys II. Both of them died to the mad king, suffering painfully and unjustly because of a Targaryen king who'd gone mad.

After the Lord of Winterfell and the heir to Winterfell died, the lordship fell on the shoulders of a young Eddard Stark. He called his bannerman to aid his life long friend, Robert Baratheon, in a rebellion against the Targaryen dynasty that had lasted for centuries.

Eddard's sister, Lyanna Stark, was captured by the prince and heir to the iron throne, Rhaegar Targaryen. Eventually he found his sister at her deathbed, carrying her only child in her arms as she died. With her last remaining strength she made Eddard promise something, to keep her son, Aegon Targaryen, safe and hidden from the hands of Robert Baratheon, who would surely kill her child if he knew of the boy's existence.

Eddard had kept his promise for 12 entire years. He brought Aegon, who he renamed Jon Snow, back with him under the impression that the boy was his bastard son. Doing this meant taking an irreparable blow to his image, but he had kept his promise, even at the cost of his family's happiness.

It had been 12 entire years since he brought Jon Snow into Winterfell and Eddard Stark didn't regret it even a decade later. The boy was an absolute blessing. He was the exact image of his sister, a kind, honorable person who cared for his family, even forcing himself to be separate from them just so they don't feel uncomfortable by his presence.

Whenever Eddard Stark offered Jon to eat with the rest of the family, the boy would politely refuse, knowing that his adoptive mother and siblings would be disturbed by him being there.

Eddard watched Jon growing up and noticed just how much he tried to appease the family that refused to love him. How he would spend hours training everyday just so he could spend some time with his brother Robb. How he learned to bake lemon cakes specifically for his sister Sansa to enjoy.

The boy had even gotten into the habit of taking a walk with Lady Catelyn through the godswood, finding a way to enter the heart of the woman who hated him the most. Unknowingly, Eddard Stark truly began to think of Jon Snow as his own son. And perhaps, he hoped, his family had also began to think of Jon as their kin.

Unfortunately, a giant revelation that he'd hoped would never come to light suddenly came to shatter his dreams of a happy family.

"What do you mean Jon's eyes have changed color?"

Eddard was shook to his core. Although he tried to keep a straight face, both his wife and maester noticed his unusualness.

"Jon's eyes have changed color?" Lady Catelyn raised an eyebrow. "How is that possible?"

"I don't know." Maester Luwin shook his head. "But I do have a vague guess, if you don't mind me saying."

Edd's heart sank. It was all over. He could tell from Luwin's hesitant tone. Jon's eyes had changed because of who his parents were.

"You believe it's because of who Jon's mother is that his eyes have suddenly changed. Am I correct?"

"Ah yes." Luwin suddenly seemed very uncomfortable under the Lord's heavy gaze. "It's likely that his eyes have changed because of a mixture of ancient bloodlines. The Starks have always had wolf blood and if another strong bloodline mixed with it, it's likely it would cause a mutation in any offspring."

Lady Catelyn sighed before getting up from her chair. "That's it Edd. I'm done. I want Jon Snow out of Winterfell. I don't care if you send him to the Night's Watch or to another liege but I want him gone."

Looking at his wife's aggrieved face, Edd couldn't help but feel strong pain in his heart. It hurt so much to deceive Cait but he knew he had to, for Jon's sake.

"Cate, he's my son. I can't just send him to die in some far away castle. The Starks must always stay at Winterfell." Edd tried to grab his wife's hands but she pushed away.

"Jon Snow is not a Stark!" Tears began to form in her eyes as she pulled away from her husband. "Why don't you understand that? He's not my son! Why do you care about him so much?"

"What noble lady did you fuck that makes you love that bastard so much? Tell me!" Lady Catelyn hit her husband in the chest but he draped his arms over her and pulled her into a hug.

"Shh." Edd slowly patted Lady Catelyn on the back until she finally fell asleep from emotional exhaustion.

"Take me to my son Luwin, I want to see his condition." Edd said as he carried Cate into bed.

"Are you sure? Isn't it better to wait until tomorrow, I'm sure this must be stressful."

Edd sighed. Of course it was stressful, but something as serious as this needed to be dealt with as quickly as possible before word spread.

Eddard still remembered the smile on Robert's face when they had heard the news that the Lannister's had exterminated the Targaryen children. He couldn't risk people finding out that Jon was a Targaryen. Otherwise Robert would surely storm over here with 20,000 men.

No, that absolutely could not happen. Not to Lyanna's son, not to his nephew. Eddard would never allow that to happen, even if it meant betraying the crown and revolting as he did so many years ago.

"Just take me to my son Luwin. I don't have the patience to wait any longer."

"Very well lord. But please don't freak out. Jon has become very strange."