“The prince is no bastard, Stark,” began the Lord Commander. “Prince Rhaegar and his Lady Lyanna were married on the Isle of Faces, we all bore witness. He is the trueborn heir of...”

“Well to hear,” Ned interrupted. “Might I ask who stood witness as the six aspects? Was Arthur the warrior by any chance?” Theo's snort could not be disguised as anything but, and his other companions all suddenly found the surface of the table most fascinating.

“There are seven aspects,” grunted his wife's kinsman, sneering at the heathen northmen from his seat at the end of the table.

“Seven there may be,” answered Lord Reed, smoothly. “But only a fool invites death to a wedding, Ser.”

“Or perhaps they married in the way of the Lady's home, pledging their troth before the Heart tree,” proposed Mark Ryswell, feigning an air of innocence.

“Aye, but then who stood for her family?” Ned asked. “Neither Ben nor I did, for sure, so who stood for her house? Her people?”