The wolfsblood was rising in him. Why in the name of all the Gods did Catelyn have to be so damnably cruel to Jon? Couldn't she see how much the boy loved his brothers and sisters? He was no threat to Robb whatsoever. But still she was refusing to allow Jon to remain at Winterfell once he left for King's Landing. He was on the verge of saying more than a few things he knew he would regret in the morning when Maester Luwin spoke up. The Maester said:

"Another solution presents itself. Your brother Benjen came to me about Jon a few days ago. It seems the boy aspires to take the black."

The shock he felt was plain on his face. Eddard said, "He asked to join the Night's Watch?"

Maester Luwin simply nodded his head in reply, recognizing that words would not help now. But from the corner of his eye, he saw Catelyn's eyes light up at the prospect of exiling Jon to the Wall. For that was what life on the Wall truly was. While his son may have an idealized view of the Watch, he knew well just how very far they had fallen since Aegon's Conquest. The eagerness in Cat's eyes to see Jon sent to freeze on the Wall only fanned the flames he felt inside him. Still, if Jon had asked...

From beside him, he heard Cat speak. His lady wife said:

"Ned, surely you see how this presents an ideal solution? With Jon taking the Black and forsaking all claims to Winterfell, he will never be in a position to threaten our children."

"Silence, woman," he retorted angrily. Ned almost immediately regretted his outburst, but Gods what a cruel thing to say about his son. Couldn't she see the love that Jon had for his siblings? Still, he had to try and see her side of things. Cat truly was only concerned for the well-being of her sons, and who could blame her for that? The tales of the Blackryres and the wars they caused were well known. But that was not Jon and the boy was still his blood. Surely she must have learned by now that he would treat Jon no differently than any of his trueborn children? Running his hands over his face, he said:

"Please forgive me, My Lady. That was uncalled for. You spoke only out of worry for our children. But Jon is as much my son as Robb and Bran and Rickon are. Allow me the night to think on it. There is honor in the Watch, I grant you. But I fear that Jon does not truly know what he's asking for. The Watch has fallen far since Aegon's conquest. I will respect your wishes that Jon not remain in Winterfell after I am gone. But I beg you, allow me to ensure that I make the wisest decision I can for him."

He could see the pain in Cat's eyes from his silencing of her. But still, she smiled and agreed. He would need to make this up to her somehow, but like his thoughts on Jon's future, that would have to wait until the morning.

The dawn found Lord Eddard Stark hard at work in his solar. The solution for what to do with Jon had come to him in the night. The North was covered with abandoned holdfasts. They ranged in size from the ruins of once great fortresses like Moat Cailin all the way down to single, collapsing buildings surrounded by forest. Jon had received a Lord's education and he was nearly a man grown. Sending him to rot on the Wall would be a waste. Particularly given the sad state of the North. He had been planning on raising new Lords to resettle parts of the North for some time now. Why not start with Jon? The lad was strong, smart and he was willing to listen to those who offered him advice, even if he was a bit hotheaded at times. Most importantly, he was his son. The question was where?

As his eyes moved over the map that hung from one wall of his solar, Ned pondered this question. When he was a boy, he had dreamed of rebuilding Moat Cailin. Perhaps Jon could be the one to do that instead? But even as he had the thought, he dismissed it. The Moat held too much strategic importance for Cat to ever agree to Jon holding it. Maybe Bran would be the better choice to hold the Moat, when the time came. A dozen or more holdfasts crossed through Eddard's mind before his eyes settled on a faded mark on the map. Queenscrown, the gold leaf lettering read.

Ned tapped his chin in thought. Queenscrown had been abandoned for as long as he could remember. Seven hells, he couldn't even begin to recall the name of the last House that had held it. The holdfast was far to the north, remote, hard up against the Northern Mountains. Yet it had a good, strong keep, fertile lands around it, plenty of timber and fresh, clean water. The only issue was that it was located in The Gift. That technically made the lands the property of the Night's Watch. Getting up from his chair, Eddard walked over to a heavily laden bookshelf and carefully searched the titles of all the books he kept on hand to find the one he wanted. At last, he found it. The book he held was a thin one compared to most in his solar. But it was exactly what he needed. For within the yellowed pages of the book was a copy of the treaty granting The Gift to the Watch along with an explanation of certain aspects of that treaty.

It took some time, but he found the section he needed. Eddard read the passage quickly, then again more slowly to fully absorb the words. Gently setting the aged tome down, Eddard whistled softly. For thousands of years, this clause had been in the treaty, and yet not one King in the North or Lord of Winterfell had ever used it. Glancing over the pages again to ensure he was correct, Eddard confirmed that he was. There was a clause in the treaty that allowed the King of Winter, with the consent of the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, to settle new Lords in the lands of the Gift should the existing Houses disappear. However, there were conditions on this clause. Any House raised to settle those lands would pay their taxes to the Night's Watch at a rate of no less than ten percent of all their incomes. They were also required to send aid to the Watch when called upon by the Lord Commander. Any such Houses would otherwise be subject to Winterfell and would be bound to answer their King's summons so long as that King did not intend to move against the Watch.

This was breathtaking. Why had no one before him done this? The answer came to him quickly. Because until the last few centuries, the land had always been farmed and settled. Well, perhaps he could make a start of resettling the land now with Jon.

The more he thought about it, the more Eddard came to like the idea. It removed Jon from Winterfell, which would make Cat happy. It gave Jon lands and people of his own, which would make him happy, and it was both small enough and remote enough that Cat would never have to fear Jon raising his banners against Robb, not that he ever would in the first place. Making up his mind Eddard sent for Maester Luwin and Cat to join him in his solar.

While he waited, another thought crossed his mind. What about Bran and Rickon? If he allowed Jon to found his own House, surely others would expect him to allow the same to his trueborn sons. Rickon was but a lad of three, so the decision there could be put off for a few years yet. Bran however, was seven. His son had mentioned wanting to join the Kingsguard one day, so perhaps that would offer a solution? If not, Moat Cailin was in need of rebuilding and he would need a loyal and true Lord to hold it.

While he was ruminating on the futures of his children and his House, a knock came at the door and Tommard called out:

"My Lord, Lady Stark and Maester Luwin are here."

"Send them in, Tom," Eddard replied.

When his Lady Wife and Maester walked in, he bid them to take a chair before beginning. When they were settled, Eddard said:

"Cat, I owe you an apology still from last night. You meant no harm with your words. It was your concern for the future of our children that drove you to speak as you did. I've thought long and hard about how best to serve the future of our House and the North. And how I could accommodate your wishes as well. I believe I've found a solution."

Reaching for the book that he left out on his deck, he handed the ancient book to Maester Luwin and asked him to read the section in question. As Luwin silently read the treaty ceding the lands of Brandon's Gift to the Watch, Ned watched his eyebrows fly towards the sky when he came to the part that allowed Ned to resettle those lands. Luwin looked up with a bewildered expression on his face.

"Yes, it says what you think it says, Luwin. I had to read it twice myself to be sure."

"My Lord, this is potentially..." Luwin paused for a moment as he struggled to find the right words. Eddard supplied them:

"Breathtaking? Groundbreaking? Unfathomable? Fortuitous? Terrifying?"

"All the above, Lord Stark."

Cat interjected, "Would either of you care to share what you've discovered with me?"

"A potential boon for the North. And a far more fitting fate for Jon than the Wall."

"And what, pray tell, would that be?"

Nodding towards the book still held in Maester Luwin's hands, Ned said, "In that book is a copy of the treaty granting the lands of the Gift to the Night's Watch. There is a part of the treaty that has never been used before, at least not that I'm aware of. As Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, I have the right to raise new Houses to resettle the Gift should any Houses currently residing there die out."

Ned paused for a moment to see if Catelyn would follow where he was leading. In a way, she did. But then her hatred for Jon came screaming out and Catelyn said:

"Surely you don't mean to ask Robert to name Jon a Stark?! Please tell me you have not forgotten what happened when Aegon legitimized his bastard sons and gave birth to the Blackfyres. In the name of the Seven, why would you risk the same for our House? I could understand you naming Jon a Stark had I been unable to bear you sons. But we have three strong boys, Ned. Why? Why would you consider this and shame me this way?"

Holding his hands up in a placating manner, Eddard did his best to calm his wife. The wolfsblood was not nearly so strong in him this morning as it was last night when he had been inflamed by drink and passion. For that he was thankful, otherwise he was liable to have torn his wife's head off over her last outburst. He said:

"Peace, Cat. Hear me out, please. No, I do not intend to ask Robert to name Jon a Stark. I have given you insult enough by insisting that Jon be raised here in Winterfell, I will not compound that by having him named a Stark.

"I intend to give Jon a holdfast in the far north, on the border between the Gift and the New Gift. He'll found his own House there. And when they come of age, I will offer the same to Bran and Rickon, should they wish it. Let me show you what I intend, Cat."

Turning to Luwin, he continued, "Maester Luwin, allow my Lady Wife to read that passage there."

As Catelyn read, Ned pulled out a map, smaller but more detailed than the one on that hung on his wall, that was drawn on the finest paper he could buy. It showed the lands that ran from the border of the New Gift to the Wall. By the time he had placed it on the table, Cat had finished reading. Ned asked her:

"Well, My Lady? What do you make of that?"

"It may work as a compromise, Ned. I would still feel far better about our children's future if Jon were to join the Watch and swear away all claim to any titles or lands. But I do understand why you would wish to do this instead. Explain this more to me."

And so he did. For the next several hours, he, Maester Luwin and Catelyn sat in his solar and explored what Ned proposed. More than a few details were hammered out with many times more yet remaining. By the time the noon meal was prepared, Ned was ready to go to Robert. For that, he would wait until after the King had eaten.

The meal was more elaborate than what was usual for Winterfell, but then Robert had finer tastes than most. Afterwards, Ned had asked to speak to Robert and once they were comfortably ensconced in his Solar, each with a glass of his finest Abor Gold in hand, Ned said:

"Your Grace, you've given me a great honor by asking me to become the Hand of the King. And I'll do it on one condition."

Robert groaned out loud. "Gods, Ned! Why are you making this so bloody difficult? I'm the King, I get what I want. Accept the offer and be done with it."

Ned just looked at Robert. Robert never could withstand that look when they were boys. It seems he still couldn't.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Robert said, "Fine. What's this condition of yours?"

"Nothing painful, I assure you, Your Grace."

Robert interrupted and put his finger right in his face and said, "Ned, I swear by all that's holy, if you call me 'Your Grace' one more time when we're alone, I'll smash in your skull with my hammer."

Ned laughed at his old friend. King he may be, but there was still a glimmer of the old Robert he knew and loved in there. He continued:

"It involves my son, Jon."

That was as far as he got before Robert interrupted again. Robert said:

"Is that what's got you hemming and hawing, man? Gods, man, if you want your boy to have your name, just say the word and it'll be done. Hells, I'm shocked you didn't ask me years ago! Ned, I spent my first five years on the Throne thinking to myself, 'any day now, and I'm going to get a raven from Ned asking me to name his son a Stark.' What took you so long, man?"

"Thank you, Your...Robert," Ned hastily corrected himself at seeing the look of fury that was being directed at him. "But that's not precisely what I was going to ask. What did you ask me when you arrived here? 'Where are all your people,' you said. Well, you had the right of it. In the North, we're rich in resources but poor in people. But I've got a plan to bring them back."

Ned drew in a deep breath. What he was about to propose could make the North stronger than it had been in centuries if all his plans came to fruition. Not to mention what it would mean to Jon. Plunging ahead, Ned said:

"I want to raise new Houses in the North and begin rebuilding the abandoned holdfasts that dot the countryside. You've seen them even around Winterfell. Robert, those are only a fraction of the keeps and holdfasts that have been abandoned in the North. I want to create new Houses that can offer protection and guidance to the smallfolk that live on their lands. And I want to start with Jon. The boy may not have my name, but he has my blood. That will command respect in the North. Robert, the boy is smart. He thinks more than most, though sometimes he has Brandon's temper on him. But he'd make a fine Lord." Pointing at a spot on the map on the wall, he fished saying, "And that's the land I want to give him."

Robert looked up at the map and furrowed his brow. "Queenscrown? Ned I'm no expert on the North, but based on your map, that's in the Gift. Isn't that land under the control of the Night's Watch? How do you plan to get around that little fact?"

"With this."

Ned slid the treaty book over to Robert and pointed out the relevant section. When Robert finished reading it, he looked up and grinned. Robert said:

"Alright Ned. You come south to King's Landing with me, serve as my Hand, and I'll raise your son up to the Lordship of this 'Queenscrown.' Deal?"

"Deal."

"Good! You draw up the proper papers and I'll put my name and seal to them." Reaching into one of his pockets, Robert pulled out a gold broach in the shape of a hand. Slapping it down on the table, he said:

"And put this on. You're the Hand of the King. This was Jon Aryn's. Wear it until you design your own badge."

With that, Robert got up and made his way towards the Great Hall where the rooms he had been given were located. Eddard sat in his chair in the solar for quite some time after that, pondering the events of the day. It was growing close to the dinner hour when he stirred himself and called for Tommard. When the door open, he saw it was Alyn instead. He'd been in his solar so long that the guards had changed shifts. Looking at his guardsmen, he said:

"Apologies, Alyn. I didn't realize the guards had changed. Will you send for Jon and have him join me here, please?"

"At once, My Lord."

"Thank you."

As Eddard waited for his son, in the recesses of his mind he could still hear Lyanna's plaintive cry, "Promise me, Ned."

In the silence of his solar, Ned answered her, "I promise."