Rightfully Mine // Ned Stark

Survive

They got the winterfell only to see two young boys burnt to a crisp. Not distinguished by any features but they heard the men saying that the stark boys were dead. Ned couldnt breathe. His youngest. They were gone. Theon. A boy he cared for. Treated like his own damn son for years because theons own father didnt love him. Theon did this. Killed them. Ned saw red but sasha put a comforting hand on his arm keeping him hidden.

'We have to go.' She whispered

'I have to kill him.' ned corrected

'We cant win against them. Not alone.' Sasha reminded him.

'I want him dead.' ned said through clenched teeth. 'I need him dead'. A tear slipped down his cheek and sasha kissed it away.

'You still have two sons. Two daughters. They need you to live.' Sasha reminded him. 'We go in their swinging swords around we will lose. We need to be smart about this ned. Please.' Ned glanced back at the burned bodies hanging at the gate.

'Youre right.' Ned told her softly kissing her forehead. 'We have to go.' So they headed back to the wall, it was a quiet journey. Ned didn't speak much but at night he still held her close, kissing her goodnight. She didn't push him to talk, she knew he needed time, he had just lost his two youngest sons, but she so badly wanted to help. She also knew there was nothing she would say or do to make this better.

'I was ready to die.' Ned told her one night, the fire was dwindling and he wasn't even sure she was awake yet but she adjusted in his arms looking up at him. 'when we were at kings landing.' He clarified.

'I didn't-' sasha began.

'Varys, he came to visit me in my cell...' ned informed her. 'I told him you think my life is some precious thing to me? That I would trade my honor for a few more years...' sasha listened quietly, as his hand ran up and down her back, fingers twirling her hair gently. 'I grew up with soldiers, I had told him and that I learned how to die a long time ago.'

'Oh ned.' Sasha sat up hugging him close. 'I had no idea you felt this way.'

'I didn't want to bow down before an unjust king, only the rightful heir, I wasn't about to trade my honor to save my life.' Ned told her.

'you were ready to die?' sasha rasped, kissing his cheek as a tear slide down her own.

'I didn't want to lose you or the girls but I didn't want to be a man without honor. My life... before you came into my life, I was in a loveless marriage with a woman I had grown to despise, my children, became scattered, some at winterfell, the wall, kings landing... I felt everything was pulling me in different directions and I didn't know who I was. What my purpose was.' Ned informed her, her nose brushing against his cheek. 'but then, when I was with you...' he cupped her cheek bringing her eyes up to him. 'I felt like a had a purpose, a home, something worth living for again.' Sasha couldn't breathe. 'I have loved you for a long time, you were what kept me sane at the capital, and even now.' ned assured her. 'I'm so grateful I have you through this whole mess. I don't think I would survive without you.' Ned admitted.

'I feel the same.' Sasha told him.

'you have seen me at my worst and yet you still look at me like I am the best thing in the world...' ned remarked. 'I still don't deserve you.' She closed the space between them, her lips colliding with his.

'its only ever been you.' She reminded him. 'you and me, against the world. We cant give up. We keep fighting for those we lost. For those that are still alive. So we can build them and future generations a better future.'

'you are going to be a wonderful queen.'