What if the Direwolves Came to the Starks Fanfiction

What is a hope worth? is A Vocal of Ice and Fire Fan Fic by Assa_h. It is a serial of ficlets chronicling a earth where Ned Stark died of illness in the yr of 291 AC, years before the start of the series. While it cycles different viewpoints, the primary ones are Catelyn, Jon, and Theon.

Summary:

291 Air-conditioning
Ned Stark is dead.
And Catelyn made a promise to him.

Tropes:

• Chantry Diplomacy: As usual. To wit:
  • Catelyn starts getting a lot more marriage offers for Robb the closer he gets to marrying historic period. After some fence, she decides to engage Robb to Meera Reed, every bit House Reed, while respected, isn't all that powerful and won't upset the Balance of Ability in the Due north.
  • Sansa is originally engaged to Joffrey, every bit per canon. After the betrothal falls through, Catelyn has her engaged to Harrion Karstark, the heir of the Karhold, to shore upward ties in that location.
  • Stannis is securely unhappy when Daenerys marries Theon in a Shotgun Wedding, noting that her hand in matrimony would've been a powerful bargaining chip that would've allowed her to win over any of the other kingdoms. Later, after learning of Jon's parentage, he notes that she made a ameliorate marriage than him, as at least Theon is a son of ane of the Great Houses of Westeros whereas Jeyne is a steward'southward daughter.
  • This is the reasoning behind the major favor Firm Tyrell asks for in exchange for angle the knee to Daenerys. Margaery is simply too important a bargaining scrap to permit her remained married to a man that is both A) doomed to lose the state of war and B) is probably non fifty-fifty going to be a Lord Paramount later on information technology'south over. Since Renly's well-known proclivities ensure that she's remained a virgin, they enquire Daenerys (through Stannis) to get her marriage annulled so they can ally her off to a more advantageous suitor.
• An Arm and a Leg: Due to Ser Barristan non being present, Daenerys was stung by the manticore and i of her Dothraki bloodriders cutting off her manus to salve her.
• Dominance in Proper name Only:
  • Robb Stark is all of eight when his father dies and he becomes the new Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the N. That means all the actual power is in Catelyn'southward hands until he'south of age.
  • Much like in canon, Joffrey, except even more than so because Cersei and him were never able to get solid foothold into the court thanks to Kevan. When his grandfather arrives, all pretense of him being in charge disappears, and he's frequently sent to his room similar the errant, spoilt, whining child he is.
• Big Brother Instinct:
  • Robb and Jon for their younger siblings, something Catelyn encourages.
  • Theon adopts this attitude towards Shireen, growing securely fond of and protective over her. As does Daenerys, after they encounter.
• Cleaved Pedestal:
  • Sansa, Bran, and fifty-fifty Arya's loftier opinions of knights die after two of the Kingsguard attempt to kidnap Sansa to employ as a hostage.
  • The above state of affairs also kills any and all want Sansa had to be queen, with Tyrion's frank assessment of Joffrey cementing her pick.
• Fell Honesty: After the botched kidnapping, Tyrion drops all pretenses of propriety and doesn't hesitate to tell the truth about Joffrey's character to the Starks.
• A Child Shall Lead Them: Zigzagged. While Robb does have on more responsibilities, including greeting guests, after Ned's decease, Catelyn does most of the heavylifting until he's old plenty to actually perform those duties respectably.
• Childhood Friend Romance:
  • Jon is only 2 years older than Jeyne, and they grew up in Winterfell together practically all their lives.
  • Baelish tries to invoke this with Catelyn. While Catelyn trusts and cares for him (not knowing of his true nature), she all the same refuses his wedlock offer because she tin't run a risk some lord trying to use any other children she has to usurp Winterfell from Robb.
• Decease by Adaptation:
  • The inciting event is that Ned Stark dies of fever effectually 291 A.C.
  • Meryn Trant is mauled by Lady.
  • Arys Oakheart is executed by Robb for trying to kidnap Sansa.
  • Aegon Targaryen (son of Rhaegar) was killed trying to stop Quentyn from stealing the dragons.
• Demoted to Extra:
  • Almost all the canonical antagonists play little to no role in the story considering none of the Starks went due south (or, in the case of Jon, get to the Wall).
  • Downplayed in the example of Daenerys. While she does go a major graphic symbol, especially later on becoming Theon's beloved interest, she doesn't appear until over halfway through the story.
• Determinator: Despite his historic period, Maester Aemon is determined to stay alive until he meets Daenerys.
• Doomed by Catechism:
  • Jon Arryn is poisoned, forcing Robert Baratheon to look for a new Hand of the King. This time effectually, it'due south Kevan Lannister.
  • Quentyn Martell died the same manner equally in catechism: incinerated trying to steal a dragon.
• Even Evil Has Standards: The rest of Business firm Lannister were so disgusted by Joffrey'due south try to kidnap Sansa that Tyrion no longer bothers to keep upwardly the charade of Joffrey existence a skillful king, while Tywin outright sends a personal letter of apology written by his own hand.
• Everyone Can See Information technology: Jon Snow and Jeyne Poole. Much to their exasperation.
• Anybody Has Standards: Whatever issues Arya has with Sansa and Jeyne, she'd never out Jeyne's growing crush on Jon to him.
• For Want of a Nail: Ned's death and Catelyn'south promise to him causes a lot of ripples. To wit:
  • Perchance the most noticeable i is that Rickon is never conceived. Thus, when the direwolves are found, the direwolf that would've been Shaggydog is instead given to Jon to raise alongside Ghost and (re)named Storm. It symbolizes how his growing relationship with Catelyn has acquired him to be more confident and recognize himself as not but a Stark, only as well as one of her children.
  • Jon never joins the Dark'due south Lookout man, with Catelyn expressly forbidding information technology. Instead, he becomes her banana of sorts, helping her in aiding Robb with his lordly duties and spying on the other lords during feasts. This fosters a parent-child bond between them, leading to Catelyn having him legitimized then he can marry Jeyne Poole.
  • As Theon was Ned's ward, he's forced to get out Winterfell after his death and sent to Dragonstone to become Stannis' instead, as he is the only other lord Robert knew of that would actually execute Theon if Balon rebelled. As Stannis is a much harsher but more than honest captor, Theon matures much faster under him, developing a genuine, brotherly bail with Shireen and eventually swearing off the Ironborn and pledging himself to Stannis instead after the war begins.
  • As Robb is viii when Ned dies, that means Catelyn is his regent until he's of age. This means she's more concerned with consolidating her family'south hold over Winterfell and the North, leading her to adopt a more than Northern mindset. This includes making sure her children pray in the Godswood simply, so they tin be seen equally Northern as possible.
    • She has Robb betrothed to Meera Reed. Every bit House Reed is an esteemed Northern Business firm that has not much influence or ability, it doesn't offend any of the other houses and keeps the balance of power in the region in bank check.
    • In deep contrast to canon, Catelyn is reluctant to accept Robert'due south betrothal of Joffrey to Sansa, wanting to proceed Sansa shut and marry her to a Northern house to further entrench the Starks' hold over the North. She accepts because she can't refuse Robert, but tries to filibuster the friction match equally long equally possible by having Sansa raised in Winterfell first before sending her south.
    • Rather than ship Bran due south, she plans to send him to White Harbor for fostering instead, allowing him to fulfill his dream of condign a knight while notwithstanding keeping him N. She also plans to requite him Queenscrown as a potential holdfast.
    • After legitimizing Jon, she installs him as the hereafter Lord of Moat Cailin, allowing farther protection from the South and their wars.
  • The biggest is that, with Ned's decease, Rex Robert never visits Winterfell to make him Hand to the King. This leads to none of the Starks going south.
    • Kevan Lannister becomes Hand to the King afterward Jon Arryn dies. That means, after Robert dies, Cersei and Joffrey don't accept nearly as much influence over the court before Tyrion and later Tywin arrive, causing Barristan Selmy to remain in the Kingsguard instead of joining Daenerys. Because Barristan doesn't join Daenerys, Daenerys gets stung by the manticore and loses i of her hands.
    • As the Starks never meet the Regal Family, Lady never dies and Nymeria never has to flee.
    • Since Ned is never executed past Joffrey and the Lannisters don't have Sansa every bit a hostage, the War of Five Kings becomes the War of Three Kings, with the Northward largely staying out of the fighting (outside of defending their coasts from the Ironborn) and maintaining a neutral opinion. The Riverlands do end up joining the wars, only on the side of the Lannisters instead.
    • Another event of Ned never being executed by the Lannisters is that the Northern houses have no reason to be angry at the South and the Atomic number 26 Throne, then the idea of Northern independence doesn't even come upwardly. So, when the Others go an outcome, no fuss is made when Robb offers to bend the knee to Daenerys in commutation for her aid fighting them off.
    • While Sansa is still betrothed to Joffrey, she never actually meets him. The betrothal is instead offered to Catelyn by a visiting Littlefinger. The betrothal is broken off, notwithstanding, when Joffrey tries to accept Arys Oakheart and Meryn Trant kidnap her while under invitee right, so he can take a Stark hostage to force the North to join the war. The kidnapping fails, with Lady killing Trant. The Lannisters disown the whole mess (with Tywin Lannister personally sending a letter of apology), Oakheart is dismissed from the Kingsguard and executed by the Starks, and Robb sends Tyrion back home with a message, telling Tywin that while he hopes that Tywin wins, he's not going to lift a finger to aid Joffrey. Sansa instead ends up being engaged to Harrion Karstark, heir to Firm Karstark.
    • Since the feast at Winterfell never happened, Mance Rayder had no reason to infiltrate the castle, and this caused him to never run into his canonical wife Dalla. Which in turn leaves him completely unattached when he meets the widowed Catelyn, eventually forming a relationship with her.
    • Because Joffrey wasn't poisoned and the resulting events that led to Tyrion fleeing Westeros and meeting Jon Connington and Immature Griff/Aegon Targaryen don't occur, Aegon went to Slaver's Bay to try and woo Daenerys... at the same fourth dimension Quentyn tried doing the same. Quentyn tried to steal a dragon and Aegon was killed trying to terminate him, with Quentyn getting burned by Rhaegal.
• Going Native: This is what happens to Catelyn afterwards Ned dies. In order to cement Robb'south claim to Winterfell, she makes sure that all of her children are seen as Northern as possible, and by association, that ways she has to be seen as Northern as well. That includes having them pray exclusively in the Godswood (which she oft joins them in), making Northern matches for them, and even assuasive Arya to take up arms. Eventually, she allows herself to be 'stolen' past Mance Rayder, making her his married woman by Wildling tradition — which is about as Northern as y'all can make it Westeros. By the fourth dimension that happens, she's assimilated and then much into Northern civilisation that she's more than-or-less indistinguishable from any other Northern lady.
• Handicapped Badass: Daenerys conquered Slavers' Bay with her dragons... minus one mitt.
• Heir Order for Men: Discussed after Jon's true parentage gradually begins to spread. Many note that despite questionable legitimacy, Jon would still have some support that Daenerys wouldn't but because he'due south a man. Luckily for her, he'southward completely uninterested in the Iron Throne and the South in general, identifies almost exclusively as a Stark, and is Happily Married to a steward's girl.
• Heroic Sacrifice: Proving what kind of man he is, Jaime Lannister goes to Daenerys in person to warn her about her father's wildfire caches so she won't use her dragons during her siege on the city and accidentally ignite them. He does this knowing full well she will most likely execute him for his other crimes. The but concession he asks in render is that his execution non be by fire, which Daenerys grants.
• History Repeats: Stannis compares himself to Torrhen Stark when he surrenders to Daenerys.
• In Spite of a Blast:
  • Baelish however has Lysa murder Jon Arryn, despite knowing that the North, and thus, the Starks, won't have any reason to involve themselves in the inevitable war since Robert tin can't make the deceased Ned Hand to the King. It's implied that, in club to solve that problem, Baelish was the one to convince Joffrey to have Sansa kidnapped as a earnest.
  • Sam Tarly is forced to join the Nighttime'south Lookout man by his father Randyll and eventually becomes steward to Maester Aemon.
• Know When to Fold 'Em:
  • When Daenerys lands on Dragonstone, Theon immediately surrenders because he knows he doesn't have a chance in hell of killing her dragons. Information technology likewise allows him to win her favor, which puts him in a better bargaining position to ensure the safety of Shireen and Selyse.
  • Stannis follows his example and bends the knee to preserve his family unit. Equally a result, Daenerys makes him her Hand, and Shireen is declared her heir until she has a child, which is a improve deal than any of the other houses are going to get.
• Marry for Dearest: Jon and Jeyne. Stannis notes to Daenerys that this is actually a adept matter, because Jon'southward marriage would bring him no support exterior of the North in the unlikely event he presses his claim on the Iron Throne.
• Meaningful Repeat: Ned's Last Request to Catelyn mirror the aforementioned words his sister Lyanna said to him before her expiry, with the same intent of asking the recipient to protect and care for Jon.

  Ned: Promise me, True cat. Promise me.

• OOC Is Serious Business concern: Stannis admits he's bothered by the fact that there has been no reported activity from the Ruby Keep and from the Lannisters for some time. The fact that he was willing to acknowledge it at all is enough for Daenerys to be worried as well.
• Parental Substitute: Catelyn gradually becomes this to Jon over the course of the story. When she has him legitimized and creates him his own coat of artillery, there's no question who Jon's real female parent is anymore. Finding out about Lyanna is a mere formality by that signal. She'due south this to him so much, in fact, that Edmure flat-out calls Jon 'nephew' the start time they come across.
• Perfectly Arranged Marriage:
  • Robb and Meera. They befriend each other easily when they first meet, which many note is rare for an Bundled Matrimony.
  • Sansa and Harrion Karstark. While Harrion was perfectly fine with marrying Sansa out of duty, watching her rip his uncle Cregan a new one for trying to take "liberties" with Jeyne causes him to fall for her almost instantly.
• Precocious Shell: Chapter 78 implies Bran is attracted to Shireen.
• Second Dearest: Mance Rayder, for Catelyn Stark.
• Shotgun Wedding: Subsequently Daenerys becomes pregnant with Theon'due south kid (much to both their shocks), she immediately marries him and so that mode her only child and heir won't be a bastard.
• Ill Episode: Chapter 10 revolves effectually Robb existence ill.
• Small Boondocks Colorlessness: Discussed. Catelyn gives this every bit her in-universe reason why she rejects Littlefinger's marriage proposal, stating that the North would bore him. The real reason is that she doesn't want the lord she marries to apply their children to usurp her children with Ned.
• Stupid Evil: Joffrey, as usual. The just reason the Northward didn't involve themselves in the war later on the botched kidnapping is a combination of cocky-preservation in the face of winter, Tyrion and the rest of House Lannister swearing they had nothing to practice with it, and outright blackmail. Somewhen, Tywin gets and so sick of him that he decides he's going to force Joffrey to abdicate the throne afterwards the war is over in favor of the much more pliable Tommen.
• Succession Crisis:
  • The main reason Catelyn won't remarry is because she doesn't want to chance one of the other Houses using it as an opportunity to usurp her children with Ned with any she might have with her second husband.
  • In that location's the approved one with the Lannicest, which results in Stannis and Renly rebelling and Balon trying to have advantage. This is further complicated by Joffrey's beliefs taxing Tywin fifty-fifty more (leading him to plan to have Tommen supervene upon Joffrey after the war is over) than usual, and the war lasting longer because of Stannis relying less on Melisandre and those making more than wise moves. And so Daenerys gets involved, complicating things even further.
  • The Riverlands have a pocket-sized one after Edmure'south wife dies in childbirth and their child is stillborn. While Edmure is still young plenty to take another wife and sire more than children, as it currently stands Bran is the current heir to House Tully.
• Took a Level in Carper: Fighting for years in a war with nothing to evidence for it and losing his father, married woman, and unborn child while he was far away from home embittered Edmure Tully significantly. This factors into Edmure bending the knee to Daenerys in substitution for beingness allowed to become back habitation to prepare for winter. Equally he puts it, he has no family, so duty comes first, and he has a duty to his people, above whatever honour that compels him to fight for the Lannisters. Upon meeting him, Stannis finds he actually likes this Edmure.
• What Happened to the Mouse?: Despite beingness one of the major contenders of the War of Three Kings, Renly Baratheon stops being relevant somewhere along the style. It'southward never mentioned if he died or was killed during his rebellion, and the Tyrells negotiate a surrender directly with Daenerys and Stannis, essentially abandoning him. It's implied he's still alive, since at that place's no mention of Stannis using the Shadow Baby to impale him like in canon, and considering Garlan gets permission to get Margaery'southward marriage annulled later in the story, but other than that, later on a sure point he basically disappears.

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Source: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/WhatIsAPromiseWorth

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