Ned slumps in his chair, fingers spreading across his brow as he attempts - however weakly - to understand. This is the fate that befell his children after his day at the Sept? Had they not suffered and endured enough? Were the Old Gods truly so cruel as to seemingly vanquish all that might be left of the Stark name?

"House Stark will fade," he finally says, though it's more self-reflection than a conversation directed towards Jon. "Your sisters, when they marry, will take on the name of their husbands. Even you, even you will not be able to carry on our name. Even if you weren't a Snow, you'd be considered Targaryen first before you'd ever be considered a Stark. There's no one to carry on our name."