[Open post] For the Oak and the Ash, they are all cutten down

[winter_came]

Ned has been very quiet, of late. His days are spent looking after his children, those who've grown and those who've yet to be born.

But this morning, his mind is on Westeros, and those children still unaccounted for. Bran. Rickon.

Snow falls slowly, covering the land, flat and hilly alike, and he whispers to himself, winter has come.Nostalgia

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[thistle_muncher]

Something shuffles through the snow, then plops down, and a throat clears, low to the ground. "Hello, Ned," a familiar gloomy little voice says. "Winter came early here, it seems." And if he looks down, he'll find that funny little talking plush donkey, sitting beside him, looking up at him.

[winter_came]

That will never not surprise Ned - but Eeyore is adorable, and somehow, his temperament is well acquainted to Lord Stark's.

And so he nods, and distractedly reaches to touch the donkey's woolen mane.

"Aye," he says, "earlier than I expected, by any of my House, I think."

It's not his first winter at the Mansion, but he always worries that the winter will last until the end of his days.

[thistle_muncher]

"At least we've a nice house to live in, keep us warm," he says, glancing to the house. "Got one myself. Replaced my little house of sticks: nice young man named Hisoka built it for me."

[winter_came]

"A place of your own, have you now," Ned inquires, smiling a little. "Show me then, won't you, Eeyore?"

[winterfell_lady]

[winter_came]

His arm goes around her waist, for warmth and comfort, and he rests his chin against her auburn hair.

"Aye," he says, "I know."

Ned is quiet for a moment, and then goes on, "I miss standing on the battlements, betimes."

[winterfell_lady]

[winter_came]

"Aye, you speak sooth," Ned replies, and though he might have once said something about how he should never have gone to King's Landing... he holds his peace, and kisses her hair.

"No day passes, though, that I yearn to spar again with Jaime Lannister." A beat, and he adds, "he was here, many moons ago."

[mal_badinlatin]

He might spy a man in a brown leather coat, riding on a black horse, and he might be coming in his general direction. The horse slows as the rider reins in his mount. "Whoaaa... Howdy there: looks like we're gettin' a bit a' snow out here," the newcomer says.

Anyone you'd like me to send??

[winter_came]

"Aye, some," Ned replies politely to the rider.

He speaks oddly, and is dressed strangely as well - but the lord of Winterfell has gotten used to most of the Mansion's oddities, and so he does not seem to be bothered.

Can't possibly be stranger than Dean Winchester - and he does like the lad.

OOC: Haven't seen Parsifal in a while....

[mal_badinlatin]

"Don't let me disturb yer Lordship," Mal adds, looking up and down the man, taking him for another of them medieval types. "Been out checkin' fences, make sure the barnyard critters don't find any spots where the snow shortened 'em.

[winter_came]

Now, that sounds like one of his men alright, except Mal isn't one of his, of course. "It's well," Ned replies all the same, by sheer force of old habits. "Is all as should be, then, my good man?"

[first_ranger]

[winter_came]

Ned's leg is lame as ever (some things don't change) - but exercising does help. And so to stave off the chill, he may eventually take a walk to the godswood, until he comes along his brother's training grounds.

He'll pause, smile a little.

He's not interrupting, just yet.

He likes being able to spy on his brother like that.

[first_ranger]

[winter_came]

"Well enough, Benjen," replies his brother as he wanders over, at his own pace, for a clasp. "T'is a fine day, if a cold one, but I reckon you feel right at home, aye?"

[ladyless]

Sansa is on the porch, about to head out into the snow. It's so peaceful and serene-looking, but she remembers playing with Robb in the snow last winter, and how fun that was. She's definitely tempted to go out again and play, even though a part of her feels too old for it.

A visit from her father would be welcome.

[winter_came]

It's always a bit heart-breaking and heartwarming at the same time, for Ned to see his oldest daughter. The apple of his eye and the thorn in his side, all in one lovely package.

Ah, Sansa.

"Off for a walk?" he'll ask, by way of greeting.

[ladyless]

She nods and smiles, glad to see her father. "It's beautiful out, isn't it?"

[winter_came]

That gets her a little smile - Ned does not smile much, we know, but for Sansa, for Arya, for Robb and for all of his children, born and unborn alike, in name or in blood, he smiles.

"Aye, though would that it were summer still," he says, and because he will always worry about his little girl, he might fuss with her cloak, if she has one.