What's the backstory on Rickard Stark? Why did he send Ned to foster with Jon Arryn, and what did Lady Barbary mean when she said Rickard had 'southron ambitions'? Brandon and Catelyn were 12 years old when Rickard and Hoster negotiated their marriage alliance. Ned was 8 years old at the time, and it's mentioned that he was sent to Jon Arryn to foster, but I suspect he was actually sent there to be his squire along side Robert Baratheon so that they could train together as knights. Ned talked