The shopping trip was a little less fun than usual, because Arya wasn't buying anything for staying at the house. Having to return to Winterfell had put a dampener on the day and no one could blame her for it. She knew she had to return and she hated that her fun was going to come to an end. No more sword fighting lessons. No more learning lessons with Jon. No more meals where she could eat the funny things Jon always fed her.

However, Arya did miss her father a lot and her sister a little more. Dany just wasn't the same as Sansa, even if they had a similar temperament. She also kind of missed her mother and that felt weird, because she was strict and treated her like she was made of glass; but, she loved her and she was her mother.

So, instead of things she knew she could have fun with, she bought a present for Sansa's nameday, since she didn't have anything for her at the time. Arya was sure she would love the new needlepoint package with the different colored threads, different kinds of needles, and even the thimble had a nice design on it.

She bought a really nice dress for her mother as an apology gift, something that was surprisingly similar to the one Jon had made for her. For her father, a new scabbard for the family sword and a thick leather belt for his waist. It was treated well and Jon did something to it to make sure it would last. For Robb, a new set of saddlebags that Jon had made slightly bigger on the inside.

As for Jon himself, he promised he would visit at least once a week after her mother calmed down, which wouldn't be for another month. At least. He did warn her he might have to sneak in to see her, even after that, and she would have to keep it a secret from everyone.

They dropped into the main part of Highgarden Castle and met with Lady Olenna, with Margaery off to the side with her new set of friends, Elinor, Megga, and Alla. They were all cousins and also Tyrells, and were all happy and giggling girls that were around the same age, at or nearing seven namedays old.

Dany was quickly welcomed into the group and treated like a long lost friend, making the girl blush and quite happy. She was only eight herself and Margaery was ten, so they all got along really well. Jon was surprised at first, then remembered Dany had grown up pretty much alone, except for her brother, and he was a selfish ass as he grew older.

So, he left Dany there with her new friends and brought Arya to the godswood. Arya gasped when she saw the huge Three Singers heart tree and couldn't look away from it, even as Jon led her by the hand around it to the space behind it. There was a small flash of light and the surroundings barely changed, except the huge tree was gone and there was a much smaller heart tree there.

Jon walked around the tree and out into the open, only to pause when he saw Ned Stark standing there at the tree with the kitchen matron behind him and rubbing her belly. “Oh.” He said, understanding that Ned had knocked up the woman and she looked very happy. “You're asking the old gods for a blessing?”

“Yes!” The woman said and grinned. “And here you are! And Arya!” She ran over to the little girl and picked her up and swung her around, making Arya laugh, then hugged her. “It's a miracle!”

Jon didn't correct her, because he hadn't felt anything. He had also forgotten that he couldn't sense others when they were inside the presence of the weirwood heart tree.

“Jon.” Ned said and stood. His eyes went to where Arya wasn't fighting to get away from the kitchen matron and back to him. “I didn't expect to see you so soon after I sent word to Lady Mormont about you.”

“Lady Mormont? Why would...” Jon stopped talking and closed his eyes, then sighed. “...yes, I came back as soon as I realized Arya was going to miss her own nameday with her family.”

Ned gave him an odd look, then shook his head. “We can talk about it later.” He said and motioned for him to follow. “Let's get back to the keep. The midday meal will be ready soon.”

Jon opened his mouth to refuse and saw Arya's face. He sighed again and nodded. He patted the large burlap sack hung on his shoulder, reminding her of the gifts she had to give out, and Arya smiled and hugged the kitchen matron's neck. The woman looked happy about that and walked next to Ned and the four of them went back to the Great Hall to eat.

The people saw Jon and word spread fast, faster than what should have been possible. By the time they entered the main building to meet with Sansa, Robb, and Catelyn, everyone in the keep knew that both Jon and Arya had come back after being away for so long.

The reception by the smallfolk was mixed, especially with some wondering why Jon had been sent away in the first place and the rest wondered why he hadn't come back until now. On the other hand, they were all really happy to have Arya back and unharmed.

As soon as the hall was filled with people, which had become a normal occurrence while Jon was gone, Arya stood up from her seat and walked over to Jon at the third table. The death glare from Catelyn would have incinerated the boy, then Ned harshly whispered her name and Catelyn's face went back to the polite fake smile it always had these days.

Jon held out the large burlap sack and Arya hugged him instead, then she took the bag and carried it over into the small space in front of the main table. It became like an event as Arya presented her gifts to her sister, whom loved the huge needlepoint package, her brother that laughed at the practical gift, her mother, whm looked shocked at having a larger and fancier version of the dress Arya herself wore, and her father, whom looked awed at the well crafted scabbard and hefty belt.

Once the gifts were given, Arya sincerely apologized for running away and said she hoped they could forgive her someday. She hadn't meant to hurt anyone and only wanted to keep Jon company for the first time he had ever left Winterfell.

Sansa was almost crying by that point and was the first around the table to kneel and hugged her. Rob was next and he hugged her and patted her on the head and said that all kids ran away at some point, just because it was expected of them and was considered a rite of passage. A lot of the smallfolk laughed and nodded, with a few giving Jon appraising looks.

Catelyn was next and let out a sigh as she knelt as well and hugged Arya, told her how much she worried and how scared she was, and that she did things she regretted to try and get her back. Ned nodded at that and joined the family in front of the table and hugged them all, then he said there was nothing to forgive.

Jon was the first to clap to get everyone going, then the others at his table did so, then the entire hall started cheering the Stark name and applauded and stomped their feet. Some shouted out Arya, some cheered Little Wolf, and that made the little girl blush and she was extremely happy at the warm reception and being accepted back without a problem.

The food was brought out and everyone calmed down. The Starks returned to behind the main table and the meal commenced with everyone being boisterous and energetic. Jon talked to the teenagers at his table about where he was living and how he was starting his own glasshouses. It didn't surprise them that he was making a life for himself and they all wished him luck and happiness, even Mikken.

She didn't ask to go with him, though. Like Jon had told her before he left, she would be long taken before he was old enough to become anything but a friend to her. She was seeing the stableboy that Jon had given several copper half-pennies to and they were getting along really well.

Jon was happy for her and told her so as he took her hand and kissed it. He would secretly visit the boy to give him some money as a dowry for the girl, since there was no such thing as contraceptives in the world and she was pregnant with his son. He was not going to let them suffer if he could help it.

That reminded Jon to stop by the kitchens to congratulate the kitchen matron on her pregnancy, because he forgotten to earlier. He would also ensure she would have a perfect pregnancy like he just did for Mikken and there would be no trouble with their health or the birth of their child.

The meal soon ended and the gathering split up. Jon went over to the empty burlap sack on the floor that everyone forgot about and tucked it away. When he turned to face the main table, Catelyn almost hissed at him, only to stop when she saw his eyes were closed.

“It was nice seeing you again.” Jon said, almost in a joking manner.

Arya giggled as Sansa sighed with disappointment, because she had long ago heard about Jon's promise to never look at her after her lady mother had assaulted him in the bath and warned him away from her. Catelyn did not look guilty about it, either. Jon smiled and walked over to the servant's entrance and left to go to the kitchens, his eyes still closed.

Ned stood and bid his family goodbye and went to his office. If Jon didn't show up there in a few minutes, he would send someone to fetch him. They had a lot to talk about, including Lady Mormont's request for him to be fostered under her at her new seat of power in the Iron Islands.

The thing was, for some reason, Ned suspected that Jon was going to refuse the opportunity, even though he was just there with the woman. Why did he think that? He wasn't sure. It was just a feeling he had, and he always trusted his feelings, even when he knew what he was doing was wrong.

*

After ensuring the kitchen matron was healthy and wouldn't have any problems giving birth to Ned's daughter, I made my way to his office and the confrontation I really should avoid. I mean, it wasn't like we left things on bad terms the last time, we had just clashed over his inability to keep me safe from his lady wife and everyone else that treated me like crap because I was his declared bastard.

Okay, maybe we did kind of leave things on bad terms. I thought with a chuckle and walked down the hallway and knocked on the door.

“Enter.” Ned's voice commanded and I opened the door. His face showed relief before he schooled it back to politely professional. “Jon.” He said and motioned towards the corner of the room where the high stool was. “Grab that and sit.”

I did so and set it in front of his desk before I sat on it. I had grown slightly in the last couple of months and my feet reached the floor without a problem. “You have questions.”

Ned sat there and gave me an appraising look. “You won't answer most of them.”

I had to smile at that. “Logistics or tactics?”

“Both.” Ned said and opened a drawer and took out the messages from Lady Mormont and a few other people. One of them were even from Maester Luwin. “You haven't been keeping your appointments with the citadel and you and your men were instrumental in capturing the Iron Islands and cleansing the Ironborn.”

I thought about how he worded that and chuckled. “I've tried to send the citadel messages, using a maester even.” I said and dropped the responses from my inventory into my pocket. I pulled them out and handed them to him.

Ned quickly read them and scoffed. “Babysitting? Really?”

“I know.” I said and waved him away when he tried to hand them back. “They were in such a rush to get me there and now that they have full access to me and my ability to read Valerian, there's only a couple of them that are interested and they think I'll steal their prestige by easily doing what they studied so hard to do.”

Ned tossed the papers into the trash. “They told you that?”

I shook my head. “I asked about applying for a position as an initiate and they immediately refused.”

Ned's eyes widened. “They didn't call for a debate or sent word to Grand Maester Pycelle in Kings Landing? It's his final decision to accept or reject new applicants.”

“It didn't get past the caretakers, as far as I know.” I said and didn't tell him I had used telepathy to confirm they would never accept an unlearned bastard into their ranks, because my ability bypassed their teachings and it offended them. I was a curiosity and nothing else.

“Then why did you stay in Oldtown for so long and then went off for whatever reason to save Lady Mormont?” Ned asked.

I had to think about how I wanted to handle answering that, so I paused the world. I felt my reading buddy's presence and leaned into them. “Should I tell him the truth or should I only tell him what he already knows?”

I felt a hand run through my long black hair and heard a soft giggle. “Yeah, it's a lot different than how I normally wear my hair.”

Lips were pressed to my cheek and I had the distinct feeling of being truthful, as that would earn me Ned's respect. Plus, it would be less for me to explain later when he told me about Lady Mormont's offer.

“Okay, I'll tell him I'm building myself a home that's as far away from Winterfell as possible, because no one there cares whose bastard I am or bothers to ask who my parents are.” I said and felt the lips on mine, which I took as approval. “I've been working hard to get everything set up, so I need a break. Is there another book you want to read together?”

There was another giggle and then a thick book appeared and a bill for 60 Karma Points. I paid it and I flipped the book over to see the title.

“Don Quixote? Really?” I asked and felt a hug. “All right, this is going to take a while.”

There was a distinct feeling of not being in a rush and I chuckled.

“Good point. Get in here and let's get started.” I said and lifted my arm and the presence settled against me and I felt a head rest on my shoulder.

*

Ned watched Jon Snow as he thought about how he was going to answer, then he suddenly smiled a warm smile and slouched, as if he was really relaxed and had just enjoyed something that made him happy.

“The truth is, I didn't stay in Oldtown. I went right to Highgarden and to explain to the rulers of the land the reason I was in their territory, so if I was stopped by a random soldier or a Knight of the Rose, I wouldn't be killed for trespassing or run off for being homeless.” Jon said and his smile didn't change.

Ned thought about that and nodded. It was possible that someone that looked out of place would be questioned why he was so far away from where he was from, especially someone so young.

“I just so happened to have such a confrontation with a soldier about being a bastard at the middle gate of Highgarden castle, with Lady Olenna Tyrell herself overhearing it.” Jon said and his warm smile turned predatory. “She was not happy about how I was being treated and sent the two guards away and invited me inside.”

Ned listened as Jon told him all about his encounter with the power behind the Highgarden lordship and he had to admit that Jon had made the right play to both entice the woman with his knowledge and then the woman pretty much shoved the boy off onto a ship with her best soldiers to handle Lord Greyjoy.

It was just too bad he was a little too late to save Lady Mormont from being claimed, and even then, he turned it around on the Ironborn and handed the entire situation over to a woman nd promised to do her bidding by getting rid of the rest of the Ironborn.

Just like Lady Mormont and the people Jon saved, Ned assumed there were more ships and more soldiers sent along behind them and that some the Ironborn fled or escaped. They hadn't. There would be no retaliatory strikes, spurned family members swearing revenge, or anyone else wanting to take revenge for what happened to the Ironborn. There was no one left to do so.

Ned sat back and stared at the boy that had the memories of his future self. It was both unbelievable and also made the most sense. It explained what he could do, what he knew, and how he had acted towards himself and Catelyn. Jon was done taking their abuse and took full advantage of the opportunity for himself when he left Winterfell.

“You aren't staying.” Ned said.

“No, why would I?” Jon asked him.

“Arya?” Ned asked and hid his wince at Jon's knowing smile.

“She hates it here and only came back because she knows neither you nor her mother would ever let her go before she's old enough to foster.” Jon said. “Can you guess where she'll want to go?”

Ned sighed and didn't say it. He knew, as well as Jon did, that she would choose to be fostered under House Tyrell, just because it would put her right there with Jon. His close relationship with the Queen of Thorns after so short of a time, showed just how much she trusted him, especially after he succeeded in saving the future sacking of The Reach.

“Well.” Ned said instead. “I'll be sure to refuse Robert's request to become the Hand of the King in a few years.”

Jon shook his head. “You know that's changed.” He told Ned and didn't have to remind him of Jon Arryn's multiple notes about the situation in Kings Landing. “The king might not be desperate with Lord Arryn still alive; but, the Hand might retire soon to find another wife and have a child of his own.”

Ned's face went a little white at hearing that. Knowing little Robin wasn't his mentor's child and was Littlefinger's, made him feel a little sick. At the moment, the marriage to Lysa Arryn, now Lysa Tully, had been dissolved and her child relegated to a bastard, removing them both from ever inheriting the Vale.

The only positive thing to come out of that, was Petyr Baelish had died in prison and there didn't have to be a public trial to sentence him to death. The whole mess had been swept out of sight and no one but a select few knew the whole truth.

“I will still refuse.” Ned said and promised himself that no matter how much Robert begged, he would never enter the snake pit of capitol politics that was Kings Landing.

Jon didn't look like he believed him, then shrugged as he stood. “I have a few people I need to visit before I leave...”

“Sit down.” Ned said with authority and Jon only hesitated a moment before he did so. “Lady Mormont has sent me a request to send you to the Iron Islands...”

“I won't give up my homestead for her...” Jon interrupted him. “...for the same reason I won't return here under your family's purview.”

Ned hid his frown at the immediate denial. “Fostering has always been done with...”

“Then send Robb instead.” Jon said and narrowed his eyes. “Or is he too important to send off to someone else to take care of and do your job for you?”

Ned held in his sigh at being called out for that. He really did feel that way, since his own father had sent him off to foster in the Vale while his older brother Brandon Stark was kept at home, because he was the primary heir and more important to teach directly. He did not mention his younger brother Benjen taking the black and going to serve the Lord Commander at The Wall.

“What about Sansa? Wouldn't she do well under the old She-bear?” Jon asked and Ned's face paled again.

“By the old gods, no.” Ned whispered, because Sansa would be crushed under the strong woman's personality.

Jon smiled at the response. “Well, Arya is too young to send off, even if she would bloom like a flower under the older woman's teachings.”

Ned did not miss the reminder that Arya would be going to Highgarden when she was old enough to choose for herself. Since Sansa would become a future Lady to be married off in a political marriage, Arya was the spare daughter and had less restrictions on her upbringing.

“Are you sure you want me to send the refusal?” Ned asked again. “I doubt she will send the offer again if you say no.”

Jon looked thoughtful about that. “No, you don't have to. I'll stop by and talk to her myself.” He said and stood again. “I have a few things to deliver to her anyway and I won't wait to send it on a ship later like I planned.”

Ned watched as Jon put the stool back into the corner and then walked over to the door. The boy opened the door and looked back. He gave Ned a very pointed stare and opened his mouth... and dread filled Ned because he knew what Jon was going to ask him... then the boy closed his mouth, shook his head, and left.

The door closed with barely a sound and Ned let out a sad sigh. He still couldn't say the boy's birth name. He just couldn't. It was too big of a secret and would destroy all their lives if anyone ever learned the truth.