Would've, Could've, Should've // Ned Stark // Hayley Marshall

22. The Pack

Hayley headed inside and saw Arya staring back at her.

"Where is my awesome story that makes up for being kicked out early?" Arya questioned.

"Coming right up" Hayley agreed. "Also, it was funny and I loved it and I know I'm not supposed to say that." Hayley offered. "But high five." Hayley raised her hand up and Arya slapped her own against hers the biggest smile on her face.

"See! You get it!" Arya declared. "This place is so boring and sansa is such a prissy little brat."

"She's your sister. Family sticks together." Hayley reminded her. "Always and for- fuck I'm becoming a Mikaelson." Hayley muttered.

"Always and fuck?" Arya laughed out.

"I didnt say that." Hayley corrected rubbing at her forehead. "Fuck it. Yes. Always and fucking forever!" She declared.

"Always and fu-" Hayley clamped a hand over Arya's mouth.

"How old are you?" Hayley questioned.

"eleven." Arya answered.

"Dont let your parents know I'm promoting bad language." Hayley offered and Arya laughed out tipping back into the bed.

+

"I could not bear it," Catelyn declared.

"You must," Ned corrected. "Sansa must wed Joffrey, that is clear now, we must give them no grounds to suspect our devotion. And it is past time that Arya learned the ways of a southern court. In a few years she will be of an age to marry too."

Sansa would shine in the south, Catelyn thought to herself, and the gods knew that Arya needed refinement. Reluctantly, she let go of them in her heart. But not Bran or Rickon they were still too young.

"Yes," Catelyn finally agreed, "but please, Ned, for the love you bear me, let Bran remain here at Winterfell. He is only ten."

"I was eight when my father sent me to foster at the Eyrie," Ned reminded her. "Ser Rodrik tells me there is bad feeling between Robb and Prince Joffrey. That is not healthy. Bran can bridge that distance. He is a sweet boy, quick to laugh, easy to love. Let him grow up with the young princes, let him become their friend as Robert became mine. Our House will be the safer for it." Ned declared. He was right and Catelyn knew it. It did not make the pain any easier to bear. She felt lonely already. Winterfell was such a vast place.

"Keep him off the walls, then," she said bravely. "You know how Bran loves to climb."

"Thank you, my lady," he whispered. "This is hard, I know." Ned was excited to have Bran with him for the journey, he could already tell that Bran liked Hayley, but Rickon adored her too, Gods just take all the children with and leave Catelyn to fend for herself was Neds thought and he felt bad thinking it. But Catelyn loved her children but she wanted them to be dolls. Do as she said and fit into the molds of perfection that was unattainable.

"What of Jon Snow, my lord?" Maester Luwin asked. Catelyn tensed at the mention of the name. Ned felt the anger in her, and took another step back. Many men fathered bastards. Catelyn had grown up with that knowledge. It came as no surprise to her, in the first year of her marriage, to learn that Ned had fathered a child on some girl chance met on campaign. He had a man's needs, after all, and they had spent that year apart, Ned off at war in the south while she remained safe in her father's castle at Riverrun. Her thoughts were more of Robb, the infant at her breast, than of the husband she scarcely knew.

He was welcome to whatever solace he might find between battles. And if his seed quickened, she expected he would see to the child's needs. He did more than that. The Starks were not like other men. Ned brought his bastard home with him, and called him "son" for all the north to see. When the wars were over at last, and Catelyn rode to Winterfell, Jon and his wet nurse had already taken up residence. That cut deep. Ned would not speak of the mother, not so much as a word, but a castle has no secrets, and Catelyn heard her maids repeating tales they heard from the lips of her husband's soldiers.

Catelyn had asked Ned the truth of it, asked him to his face. That was the only time in all their years that Ned had ever frightened her. "Never ask me about Jon," Ned had said, cold as ice. "He is my blood, and that is all you need to know." Catelyn thought her hatred for him started then and grew over the years as Jon grew, he looked more and more like Ned when he was younger, more so then Robb at times it seemed.

"Jon must go," Catelyn demanded.

"He and Robb are close," Ned remarked. "I had hoped ..."

"He cannot stay here," Catelyn declared, cutting him off. "He is your son, not mine. I will not have him." She knew it was harsh but she didnt care. Jon was not hers and she wouldnt look after the bastard. Neds gaze was just as icy as the day he told her not to ask of Jon again.

+

"Shut up, werewolves are not real." Arya corrected.

"And let me guess, you think vampires and witches are just a myth too?" Hayley pondered.

"Yeah." Arya agreed. "They are." Hayley chuckled.

"Oh you sweet girl, I have made my deduction on this world."

"On this world?" Arya laughed out.

"Yes. My world and this world are different." Hayley assured and Jon peered in.

"What is your deduction then?" Arya pondered.

"This world is lame." Hayley declared and Jon chuckled. "Oh! My new son! Join us. I'm educating your sister on mythical beings to which you dont have in westeros apparently."

"New son?" Arya questioned looking between them.

"Yes, Hayley claimed me." Jon agreed.

"Jons my new son... Jon is in my pack." Hayley declared proudly. Nymeria howled out from the base of Arya's bed. Hayley joined Nymeria.

"Can I be in your pack too?" Arya questioned eagerly.

"Of course!" Hayley agreed.

"What will we call ourselves?" Jon questioned. "Every good pack needs a name." He remarked.

"Crescent wolf pack." Hayley declared. Crescent wolf pack 2.0.

+

"You know I cannot take him south. There will be no place for him at court. A boy with a bastard's name ... you know what they will say of him. He will be shunned." Ned corrected. Catelyn armored her heart against Ned. He cared so much of Jon's reputation after everything. His reputation not her own, not the reputation of their family when he claimed a damn bastard.

"They say your friend Robert has fathered a dozen bastards himself."

"And none of them has ever been seen at court!" Ned blazed. "The Lannister woman has seen to that. How can you be so damnably cruel, Catelyn? He is only a boy. He—" His fury was on him. He might have said more, and worse, but Maester Luwin cut in.

"Another solution presents itself," Luwin offered, his voice was quiet. "Your brother Benjen came to me about Jon. It seems the boy aspires to take the black."