Memory Share | First Steps (Ned Stark 1)

[ulfur]

A raven, bearing a message. Are you busy, my lord? There's something you should see in the nursery.

There is no tone of alarm to her note, yet Ned sets aside his task and walks through the halls of Winterfell, across the bridge from the armory to the Great Keep, wondering what could be amiss. The castle is busy at this time of day, and the folk within all nod to him as he passes, yet for once, he hardly sees them, thinking of his son, hoping he is all right.

The stone halls of the Stark family chambers are quieter than the others. Even the sound of his footsteps can be heard here. He comes to the door of the nursery, pushes it open...

To see Robb, with riotous red curls and those Tully-blue eyes, wobbling on chubby legs towards Catelyn's waiting arms. Ned laughs, a deep rich laugh, and stays where he is a moment to watch and not distract from this most important task. First steps. His son is adventuring at last.

But they both glance at the sound of him, and Robb, with a cry, tries to turn to launch himself at him and instead falls flat on his face. Both Catelyn and Ned rush to try to catch him, but Robb has well and truly fallen. He gives a shuddering wail, and it takes all the kisses and cuddles that both father and mother can bestow to distract him from his affliction.

At least he has both of them to sooth and cheer him on. Jon, watching it all as he clings to the nursemaid's skirts, has been walking for several weeks but there was no proud mother to send a raven to Ned for his first steps, and so he took them into Nurse Frea's arms with no other audience. Now, after weeks of practice, he could toddle toward them, but he hangs back, watching with wide eyes too solemn for his small face.

And Ned, tickling gurgles out of once-more-happy Robb, cannot break Catelyn's heart any more by going to his bastard son and kissing him where she could see. Jon is safe, well-cared for, and has what attentions he can spare in secret, stolen at night when he goes to check on the children. That is enough. It will have to be.