beyond the wall the thought made c shudder ned saw the dread on her face mance is nothing for use to fear there are darker things beyond the wall she glanced behindher at the heart tree the pale bark and red eyes watching listening thinking its long slow thoughts his mile was gentle you listen to too many of old nans stories the others are as dead as the children of the forest gone eight thousand years maester luwin will tell you they never lived at all no livinig man has ever seen one until this morning no living man had ever seen a firewolf either c reminded him I ought to know better than to argue with a t he esaid with reeful smile he slid ice back into its sheath you did not cometo tell me crib tales I know how little you like this place what is my lady c took her busbands hand there was grievous news today my lord i didi not wish to tourble you until you had cleansed yourself there was no way to soften the blow so she told him sreight i am so sorry my love jon a is dead his eyes found hers and she could see how hard it took him ,as she had known it would , in his youth ned had fostered at the e and the childless lord a had become a second father to him and his fellow ward when the mad king had demanded their heads the lord of the e had raised his moon and falcon banners in revolt rather than give up those he had pledged to protect and one day 15 years ago this second father had become a brother as well as he and ned stood together in the sept at riverrun to wed 2 sisters the daughters of lord t     it was the kings seal and the letter is in own hand i saved it for you he said l was taken quickly even maester was helplesss but he brought the milk of the poppy so jon did not linger long in pain that is some semall mercy i suppose he said she oculd see the grief on his face but even then he thought first of her jons boy what word of them the message said only that they were well and had returned to the e I wish they had gone toriverrun instead the eyerie is high and lonely and it was ever her busbands place not hers momory will haunt each stone i know my sister she needs the comfort of family and friends around her your uncle waits in the cale dose he not tbrynden will do what he can for her and for the boy that is some comfort but stul go to her take the children fill her hall with noise and shouts and laughter that boy of hers needs other children about him and lysa should not be alone in her grief would that i could the letter had other tiding s the kiongs ri rideing  to winterfell to seek you out it took ned a moment to comprehend her words but when the understanding came the darkness left his eyes is coming here when she nodded a smile broke across his face  wished she could share his joy but she had heard the talk in the yards a direwolf dead in the snow a broken antler in its throat dead coiled within her like a snake but she forced herself to smile at this man she loved this man who pit no faith in sign i knew that would please you we should send word to your brother on the wall ben will want to be here i shall tell maester to send his swiftest bird ned rose and pulled her to her feet damnation how many years has it been and he gives us no more notice than this how many in his party did the message say?I should think a hundred knights at the least with all their retainers and half again as many freeriders and the children travel with them ro will keep an easy pace for their sakes hee said it is just as well that will give us more time to oreoare the quees brothers are also in the party ned grimaced at that there was small love betwwen him and the