Ned left Robert at the entrance to his chambers and then turned and made his way back to his own. Or rather to Cat's. He knew his wife would want to know what he and Robert had discussed, and if he were being quite honest with himself, he wanted to discuss it with her. There was so much to discuss and to figure out. Foremost amongst them the double marriage.
That had surprised him. Ned had always known that Robert had wanted to be tied to him, he had wanted it back when Lya had been alive. But this? This was far beyond anything Ned had ever imagined. It was either the ultimate honour or trap. No doubt the Lannisters would try and get people in Winterfell, now that Robb was to marry Myrcella.
Myrcella… an interesting name. Was it Baratheon or Lannister? Ned did not know. He just hoped the girl was not like her mother. The girl looked a lot like the Queen though. Golden curls and green eyes, and a pout to match. And the Crown Prince looked like the Kingslayer. That was odd. But not that odd, after all, Ned's own children looked more like Catelyn, apart from Arya.
He nodded to one of the men as he got to Catelyn's rooms, he knocked and when he heard her call for him to enter, he pushed the door and entered. Catelyn turned to face him then. Her hair was undone, and she was in a dressing gown. No doubt she was preparing for the feast this evening.
Not for the first time, Ned found his breath catching. He found himself wondering how he'd gotten so lucky. He, plain faced Ned, he'd ended up with a beautiful woman. The Maiden come to life. He was incredibly fortunate. And he never doubted that for a moment. That she loved him was another marvel.
"How did it go?" Catelyn asked coming up to stand right before him.
Ned exhaled. "Exactly as you thought it would."
"He named you Hand?" Catelyn asked.
"Yes." Ned replied. "And he said my first duty was to find out how Jon Arryn died." That had been surprising. Ned had not thought Robert was observant enough to notice when something like what had supposedly happened with Jon, happened.
"He specifically asked you that?" Catelyn asked.
"Yes." Ned replied. "Said that Jon may have been old but that he was healthy and wouldn't have just died as he did."
"Then that is even more reason for you to go south." Catelyn said. "We have Lysa's letter, we've got the King demanding you find out the truth. You have to go Ned."
Ned nodded; he had not wanted to go. He hated the south. He could still remember the screams of the dying from the last time he'd been there. But with all of this, perhaps he had to go. To save Robert from whoever it was that had killed Jon.
"Was there something else?" Catelyn asked. She was too good at reading him. She always had been. From the moment he'd let her in.
"He…he wanted a union between our families. Said it would make up for the fact he never married Lya." Ned said softly.
Catelyn looked at him with wide eyes. "Sansa and the Crown Prince?"
Ned nodded and then added. "And Robb and Princess Myrcella."
"A double marriage?" Catelyn said surprised.
"Yes." Ned replied.
"And what did you say?" Catelyn asked.
"The only thing I could say," Ned answered. "I thanked him for the honour."
Catelyn nodded. "We are going to have to figure out what to do from here."
"What do you mean?" Ned asked. He knew what his wife meant-at least he thought he did-but he wanted her to say the words out loud. He was a commander not a general.
"A Baratheon Princess in Winterfell means her household will be large, and likely filled with Lannisters. If what Lysa said is true, then we are going to have to be careful how we handle her and we are going to need to figure out what she knows about Winterfell and how we can influence her views." Catelyn said.
Ned nodded though the thought of trying to manipulate a child made him feel very uncomfortable.
"As for Sansa and the Crown Prince, you're going to have to take a much larger household south with you." Catelyn said.
Ned nodded in agreement. Initially he had wanted a relatively small household, but if his daughter was to marry the Crown Prince, she'd need to have a household to match. That meant writing to the northern lords and getting their daughters brought south. "I can make the arrangements at the time of the wedding."
"It'll be too late by then." Catelyn said. "It will need to be done now. The Manderly girls would work, as would Lord Ryswell's granddaughters. Maybe Howland's daughter can come south as well. The Glovers, the Tallharts and on and on. I can have a proper list sorted out by tomorrow."
"Cat, breathe." Ned said placing a hand on his wife's shoulders.
Catelyn looked at him then.
"Robert wants Robb and Myrcella married whilst the Royal household is in Winterfell." Ned said.
"He…what?!" Catelyn exclaimed.
Ned laughed; his wife looked as if she'd just seen an Other.
"Ned this isn't funny. The King wants a Royal Marriage to happen before he leaves for the south. That is going to be a serious business." Catelyn said.
"I know." Ned replied.
"We're going to have make things even more impressive and even grander. We're going to have to spend more and bring more guests and…." Catelyn exhaled.
"Cat, I know. But we will manage. We have the money, and the north will come up good as it always does. Nothing will go wrong." Ned said.
His wife nodded then asked. "Have you told Robb?"
Ned shook his head. "Not yet. I will though. Before the feast tonight." He didn't know how that conversation would go, but he hoped it would be as easy as this one had been.
Catelyn nodded. "I will speak with Sansa. And prepare her." Ned exhaled, another Stark girl moving south. This time there was no Targaryen to make a mess of the marriage. Hopefully it would work out.