It was surprisingly cold at Driftmark. Even colder than the North. But that could just be myself. It's been two days since... The incident. Unfortunately, there has been a storm so no boats are able to take any of us home.

The greens have stayed in their quarters whilst the blacks have stayed in theirs. I thought about visiting prince Aemond to see if he was alright, but then i remembered he is the reason my son has still not woken up.

I sat in the chair beside his bed whilst Lyarra was sitting at the bottom of Ned's bed, staring at him blankly. Serena was cross stitching a hound just like Neds dog from home for when he wakes up whilst Rickon was asleep on my lap.

Cregan on the other hand was sitting in Ned's bed, holding him closely. He was resting his head against his as the maesters were still trying to figure out what was wrong with him. I wiped my tired eyes as i noticed Lyarras head falling up and down as she tried to stay awake.

"I think it's best if you bring the children back to our chambers" i said catching Cregans hand. He jolted up as i touched him. "No, no... I should stay" he said. "I'll stay. You go... I don't want them alone here."

He sighed as he nodded. He picked Rickon up into his arms as Serena kissed my cheek. "That means you too, sweet girl. You need some rest" i said to Lyarra. "I want to stay" she said. "You can get some sleep and then come see him. You'll be of no use to him when he wakes up if you are tired" i said.

She paused before reluctantly agreeing. "You'll tell me immediately when he wakes up, won't you?" she questioned. "Of course i will" i said. She kissed my cheek gently before following everyone out of the room.

"Your grace, i think it would be best if you got some rest too" one of the maesters said. I shook my head. "I am fine" i said. "It's been two days miss... We will wake you if anything changes."

"I will not leave my son alone. I will not sleep until he wakes" i snapped. They all hung their heads and continued tending to him. I stared at Ned who still laid lifeless. His breathing was weak and his eyes still open. I brushed my thumb against his cold hand trying to comfort him if there was any part of him conscious.

Cregan stayed by my side for the day, but the other children were getting worried. They wanted to go home more than any of us. So i made him tend to them. Though i have to admit, i felt myself growing more and more tired, but my mind would not let me sleep.

Suddenly, i heard a weak knock at the door. I turned my head to see Helaena, standing in the door way with her head hung. "May i see him?" she asked. "Leave the room" i said to the maesters as they all left.

Helaena closed the door behind them as they all walked out. She hesitated before sharing the chair i sat in. "You shouldn't be here" i said giving her a weak smile. "I know... Mother thinks i am reading."

"Your more rebellious than i thought" i said. She laughed softly. It then occurred to me, Helaena was smarter than she looked. Perhaps smarter than all her family in one way. She always knew what was going to happen before it happened.

"Helaena" i said turning to her. Her head shot up with an innocent smile. "Do you... Do you know if my son will wake from whatever sleep he is in?" i asked. Her smile faltered slightly before she turned to Ned. She grabbed his hand gently as she stayed quiet.

"My brother eye is gone forever... But he will grow stronger. Your son will wake and his mind will grow stronger" she mumbled. I nodded, not truly understanding her meaning. "Alright... And... Do you know how i can wake him?" i asked.

"He needs the comforts of home. Though he can not be there, but there is other ways you can bring home to him" she said. I embraced the girl tightly. "You truly are special, do you know that?"

She did not hesitate before embracing me back. "I'm not" she mumbled. "Yes... Yes you are. More special than anyone i know" i said. "I spoke with Ned at the funeral... I believe he is like me" she said. "Then i am a very lucky mother."

Just as i spoke, the door opened again, but this time i was less happy to see who was standing in the doorway. "Your grace" i said unenthusiastically.

"Alysanne" Alicent mumbled almost looking ashamed to see Ned in his state. Helaena jumped off of the chair and hung her head once again. "Helaena go to your chambers" she said. "But mother i-"

"Helaena" she said more sternly. The girl kept quiet as she walked passed her mother. Surprisingly, Alicent lingered in the room afraid to speak a word. "How is your son?" she questioned. "What do you think?" i mumbled.

Alicent gulped as she saw the boys white eyes. "How is the prince?" i asked. "He's in pain. A lot of pain" she said. I nodded not knowing what to say. "I'm sorry if Helaena was cold... She is not very big on human touch. I try often to connect with her but it never seems to work."

I gave her a confused look. Whenever i spoke with Helaena, she was never cold. And she was always the first to embrace me. "I don't understand your meaning" i said. Alicents face dropped as she realised i had no idea what she was talking about.

"Never mind" she mumbled. I shook of her words and began attending to Ned again. I poured a small amount of Milk from the Poppy into his mouth as the maesters instructed. "Shall i say a prayer?" Alicent asked.

I froze at her comment. "No that will not be necessary" i said trying to not think of my days in the Sept. "I feel i must" she said. Alicent began to pray as the words brought back every moment i spent for those three years.

"Get out" i mumbled. Alicent continued praying, not hearing my words. "Get out!" i shouted standing up from my seat. Alicent took a step back as i rose my voice. The maesters ran in as they heard me shout. "Alysanne i-"

"Did you not hear me the first time? I said Leave now!" i exclaimed. Suddenly, i saw Ned begin to shake in his slumber. The queen gasped at the harrowing sight as all the maesters rushed to his aid. I felt my heart stop once i saw all the maesters prodding him.

I don't know what happened. You could call it built up anger, feeling helpless and so forth... But in truth, it was simply just a mothers rage. "All of you!" i shouted grabbing my dagger that was strapped to my thigh. "Get away from my child!"

The maesters backed up immediately whilst Alicent was getting deja vu. "Leave... Come on" she said to them as they all ushered out of the room. I locked the door behind them and ran back to Ned's side.

I grabbed his hand and kissed it gently. "Please, my boy... Please come back to me" i said. He continued to shake as my tears fell against him.

"Lavenders blue-" i tried to sing to ease him but i could barley get the words out. He often says the only way he can sleep is when i sing to him.

"Lavenders blue,dilly, dilly. Lavender's green. When I am king, dilly, dilly. You shall be queen. Who told you so, dilly, dilly. Who told you so?
'Twas mine own heart, dilly, dilly. That told me so."

I felt my stomach turn as the song finished. I laid my head against him as i sobbed gently. I didn't know what else to do. All i could do was hope he was strong enough to get through this himself.

Ned's Pov.

"When winter comes tumbling through the North, darkness and men of ice will ride forth. When ice and fire meet as one, the great war will be at last be done."

The last thing Ned could remember was seeing a dragon fall from Stormsend. The dragon was barley recognisable... But Ned felt a sadness build in the pit of his stomach.

This sadness only grew heavier as he saw towns burning, he heard peoples screams and he saw a woman... A woman with no face... The weeping woman was stood infront of the whole city.

Suddenly, a man with a black hood sliced her head clean off as everyone cheered. These images only lasted less than a second but every time, Ned felt more and more pain.

"The end of house Targaryen" a voice whispered.

But the pain finally stopped as he heard a familiar voice echoing through him. It was his mothers voice. His dear mothers voice that he craves to hear so much. She was singing his favourite song.

He knew he could not stay in this place any longer. He needed to return.

I felt my knees go weak as i fell to the ground. I placed my head in my hands as i sobbed loudly. I did not care who heard or who didn't.

"Mother?" i heard a gentle voice speak. I lifted my head up slowly as i saw Ned sitting up in his bed. I gasped at the sight. Deep down i wanted to believe he would wake, but that hope was slowly fading.

I embraced him tightly, more tightly than i ever have before. He did not know why i was crying but he gripped onto me tightly anyway. It was almost like he needed this just as much as i did.

"Cregan! Cregan make haste!" i shouted unlocking the door. I wiped my tears away giving him a soft smile. "How do you feel? Are you alright? Are you tired? Is your head sore?" i asked in a fluster.

"I don't want to go back there" he said with tears filling his eyes. My smile faded. "Back where, sweet boy?" i asked. "Back in the dark.... I don't want anyone to die" he said. I climbed into the bed with him and held him close to me.

"I won't let you go back there. You have my word" i said. As i spoke, Cregan and the rest of the children rushed in, their faces lighting up once they saw Ned was awake.

"Ned!" Serena exclaimed as she rushed to his side. She grabbed him and pulled him into an embrace. Moments later, Lyarra shoved her out of the way to embrace her twin. She then shoved the boy back as her smile faded. "Don't do that again!" she shouted.

Ned nodded immediately as Lyarra pulled him in for another embrace. "You had us scared, little wolf" Cregan said ruffling up his hair. Rickon waited as patiently as he could for his father to move before hopping into the bed beside his brother. "You won't believe what happened when you were asleep! One of the princes grabbed Lyarras dagger and then they-"

I took a step back from all the children as they fussed over Ned. I took several deep breaths trying to calm myself. Cregan caught my eye as he pulled me out of the room.

"What happened? How did he wake up?" he asked. I shrugged. "We can just be happy that he did" i said. I rested my head against his chest as he wrapped his arms around me.

"When the storm clears, we'll return home right away" he said. I nodded. "And we'll never return" i said looking up at him. He knelt down as he kissed my stomach gently. "And we'll never return."

The storm cleared the next day. The greens were the first to leave which left me no time to say goodbye to Helaena. I was saddened by this, but i was happy we were returning to Winterfell.

"I am going to make five new dresses when we return" Serena said. "And i'm sure they'll all be ugly" Lyarra said giving her a smug smile. Serena just rolled her eyes as she continued packing.

Lyarra noticed Ned sitting idly in the corner of the room as she frowned. She sat beside him as he stared at the wall. "Are you excited to go home? I'm sure Ben will be happy to see you."

Ned did not answer. "I'm surprised you didn't bring Ben with you. Dogs are allowed at Driftmark, aren't they?" she asked. He still stayed quiet. "Ned" she said as she nudged his arm.

He flinched slightly at her touch. "Are you okay?" she asked. He nodded. "I just want to go home" he said. Cregan over heard their conversation as he threw Ned over his shoulder. "And we will be going home, little wolf" he said. Ned let out a small laugh but not as loud as he usually would.

A knock on the door made everyone go quiet. I sighed in annoyance as i opened the door, but my face lit up once i saw Rhaenyra along side my father. "Father! Nyra! How are you?" i asked.

Rhaenyra gave me an awkward smile. "I am well... Could we... Speak with you both?" Nyra asked looking to me and Cregan. "Of course" i said. Cregan and i took a step out of the room and closed the door.

"What did you want to talk to us about?" i asked. Rhaenyra looked to Daemon as she grabbed his hand. "We know a lot has happened in the few days we've been at Driftmark... And we were both so saddened by my husband and lady Laenas death-"

"Your husband died?... I'm so sorry" i said. My father scoffed as i gave him a confused look. It was then i noticed they were holding eachothers hands... And Cregan then noticed too.

"But... Our mourning period is over... And we have both wed" she said. "Who has wed?" i asked. Her smile faltered. "Aly... I believe your cousin and your father have" Cregan said with a teasing smirk.

My smile faded as i looked to them both. "Oh!" i said trying to sound enthusiastic. "I told you, didn't i? I said this from the beginning" Cregan whispered to me. "This is... Great news!" i said still shocked.

Everyone fell quiet as the door flung open. "Cousin Nyra and grandfather have married!" Serena exclaimed. "Ew!" Lyarra exclaimed. Cregan shoved them away as i shushed them both. "My apologies... I have not told them about Targaryen customs yet" i said with uncomfortable laughter.

Rhaenyra laughed at the scene. "May we speak alone?" my father asked. I nodded. Rhaenyra followed Cregan inside as my father and i began walking the halls of Driftmark. "I was glad to hear your son had woken. It meant i had no Hightowers to kill.... Yet."

I laughed softly. "I knew he would... Even if the maesters were not so sure" i said. "The greens now have the most powerful dragon in Westeros. I tried to give Rhaena a chance to claim Vhagar after Laenas funeral and if she could not, i would have given that chance to your daughter... But now... Well, they have her."

"You don't believe the greens are actually a threat, do you?" i asked. "You never met Otto Hightower. He was dismissed as hand of the king when i brought you to court. But trust, he will stop at nothing to get his blood on the throne. Even if that meant taking ser Harwin and his father out of the picture" he mumbled.

"Ser Harwin is dead?" i questioned. "You did not hear?" he asked. I shook my head. "And you believe the Hightowers are to blame?" i whispered. Daemon sighed.

"Nyke kostagon daor sagon tolmiot ceyn nyke would daor dīnagon ziry rēbagon zirȳ naejot ossēnagon syt pōja own jorrāelagon" he said. "I can not be certain but i would not put it passed them to murder for their own needs."

"Gimi Alicent?" i questioned. "Even Alicent?" My father shrugged. "I do not know" he said. "I do not believe Alicent capable of cold murder" i said. "Each of us is capable of depravity... More than you would believe. Just like that Septa of yours who went missing right before you fled... Coincidence, is it not?" he said.

I stopped in my tracks at his words. "Or the Lannister man who 'killed himself' the night of your last stay" he said giving me a small smirk. "I was not responsible for him" i said. "Maybe not... But your now husband was there that night, was he not?"

I stayed quiet. "All i'm saying is, i know you want to live out the rest of your day's peacefully in the North, but that is not possible forever. We can not let the Hightowers persuade Viserys to give the throne to them. Rhaenyra needs me now... But she may need you in the future" he said.

"Viserys would not do that" i said. "My brother is a good king who put the future of the realm in good hands... But he is also weak. The Hightowers can use this" he said. I sighed. "Alysanne" he said more seriously.

"Believe me when i say, they would stop at nothing to get the throne. We can not let that happen. I need you to be there when the time comes.... You and your husband" he said.

I knew he was right. I could not run from this forever....I could not run from my family forever. "Sōnar mastan... īlon jāhor sagon konīr naejot vīlībagon. Ao emagon issa udir" i said taking his hands in mine. "When winter comes... We will be there to fight with you. You have my word."

My fathers gaze softened as he squeezed my hand softly. "Nykeā stark dōrī breaks pōja udir. Bona iksos se udir iksos, ziry daor?" he said as i laughed. "There has never lived a Stark who forgot an oath. That is the phrase, is it not?"

"It is... And we do not."