Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter 1 - The Eternal Night

Jon shot up from his bed, his body covered in sweat. Jons breath was quick and ragid as he places his face in his hands. That damn dream again, Jon thought as his mind went to the nightmare he just awoke from.

Jon rode on the back of his horse through the army of wights that were marching against his army. The two armies met near the castle of Last Hearth. This battle would not only decide the fate of the north, but it would decide the fate of all Westeros. The Dothraki and unsullied faired well against the undead and pushed them back.

As Jon looked around to try and find the undead leader Jon spotted a white walker that was battling with his friend Tormund Giantsbane. Jon spurred his horse forward, but he soon found himself on the ground after a wight stabbed a broken blade into his horse's chest.

Jon rolls and slices the wights head off before running to help Tormund. Before he could reach his friend, however, the walker stunned Tormund by hitting Tormund in the face with his ice spear then stabbed him in the chest with it.

Jon rushed forward and attack the walker, having his first blow blocked as he struck at the walker again and again. Finally, the walker stabbed at him but Jon redirected the attack to his right then swung Longclaw to his left and right through the walker's chest.

The men let out a cheer as the wights crumbled to the ground. Jon looked down at his wildling friend and stabbed Longclaw into Tormunds chest when Tormund shot up and tried to attack him. Jon then turned and quickly ducked under an axe before he slashed through the chest of another wight. Jon quickly looked around the battlefield for the night king and still could not find the leader of the undead army. Jon spotted Gendry and Berrick fighting another walker as Grey Worm and Jorah did the same.

And that's when the sun became blocked out by a pair of wings.

Jon looked to the sky in horror and saw the night king riding on the back of the now undead Viserion. The undead dragon then began to breathe fire down upon Jons men, incinerating them as they fought against the undead.

"Fall back! Fall back!" Jon yelled to his men as he watched Viserion come back around and engulf his friends in dragon fire. The walkers they were fighting stepped through the flames unaffected and began to raise Jons fallen soldiers.

As Jons forces regrouped at Last Hearth they made plans to fall back to Winterfell. Before the army began its retreat back to Winterfell the Night King had caught up with them and the undead army. Just as all hope seemed lost Drogon and Rhaegal descended, with their mother riding upon Drogons back, upon the castle and destroyed a large portion of the Night Kings army.

Jon watched as fire filled the skies above Last Hearth as Rhaegal and Viserion battled one another. Rhaegal sank his fangs into his undead brother throat, but it had little effect on the undead dragon as Viserion ripped Rhaegals left wing was ripped from his body.

Drogon breathed a large blast of fire onto his undead sibling as Rhaegal fell to the castle below. Drogon bathed Viserion in fire as the two dragons commenced their battle. Drogons fire did little to Viserion as the two dragons flew to one another and sunk their teeth into one another.

Drogon bit down on Viserions left wing as Viserion sank his into his brother's throat. Blood poured out from Drogons neck as Viserion pulled away with a chunk of Drogons throat in his teeth and Drogon ripped his brothers wing from his body.

Jon watched as the two dragons fell towards the ground together with their riders as Drogon let out a cry that could be heard as far away as the Summer Isles.

The memory of watching Drogon falling to the ground with Daenerys still on his back sent a wave of emotions through Jons entire being. But the strongest emotion he felt was sadness. Not just for losing the woman he had grown to care for deeply, but also for losing the child that she had inside her. When she had first told him he was in shock. He had never thought he would ever be a father, he thought he would fall in the final battle against the Night King and was content with it. But once he learned Daenerys carried his child he wanted more than anything to live so that he could help raise his child.

But now he would never get the chance to meet his child, or be able to give it a name he and Daenerys agreed upon.

Jon wiped the sweat from his head as he rose from his bed and pulled his shirt over his head. Jon grabbed Longclaw and his cloak before he exited his room. As he walked towards the main courtyard a guard ran up to him and said, "Your grace, preparations are nearly complete and we should be able to leave within the hour."

"Good. Make sure every able-bodied man and woman is armed and ready to defend the caravan, and secure all the food we can from Winterfell before we set out." Jon said.

"Yes, my lord." the guard then walked away as Jon proceeded towards the courtyard. Upon arriving in the main courtyard Jon found the carriages for the train being filled with food, and with weapons as they prepared to flee from the castle. Jon was then approached by Sansa and Arya.

"Jon, we are nearly ready to head towards White Harbor. We just need to get all the food on the train and we'll be ready to depart." Sansa said.

"Are you certain we need to run? We could stand our ground here and hold up against them." Arya said.

"No, Arya. There are too many of them in the Night Kings army. Even if we were to bar the gates the giants in his army would simply break the gate down and the wights will overwhelm us." Jon said as he watched Bran be wheeled towards them.

"He's right, sister. The Night King is on his way here. We need to leave if we are to survive." Bran said with no emotion at all in his voice. Bran had been that way since Jon had returned to Winterfell and told him the truth of who he is.

He refused to believe it at first. The thought of not only being a bastard, but a bastard born of rape was something Jon wanted with all of his being to not be true. But once Sam brought the evidence of Rhaegar and Lyanna's wedding forth, along with Bran telling him that they loved one another, Jon could find nothing else to say in protest.

"Can you see where he is now, Bran?" Jon asked.

"His army was passing by Long Lake when last I saw them. They will be here within a day, Jon. But, the Night King was not with his army." Bran said.

"Then there's no time to lose. Sansa, Arya help Bran into one of the carriages. I will go check on our food supplies. The convoy will leave when I return." Jon said as he walked away from his family.

Along the way towards the pantry, Jon heard that many of the soldiers were saying to one another when they believed he was far enough away. How there was no hope for any of them, and that they were all going to die. Jon could not blame them for feeling that way. He had seen first hand what the Night King was capable of, how nothing they could do would be able to stop him now.

It did not take him long to reach the pantry and the kitchen and help get the last of the food stored within onto several carriages for the train. He accompanied the men back into the main courtyard and found Bran in one of the carriages, and his sisters waiting on him with Podrick.

"The last of the food is loaded up. The convoy need's to leave now if it is to make to White Harbor quickly." Jon said.

"Then let's hurry up and get a move on." Arya said as she climbed into the carriage with Bran and Sansa.

Sansa then looked back and noticed Jon had not moved and was not making his way towards the carriage. "Jon? What are you doing? Hurry up and get in so we can leave!"

"He's not coming with us. He intends to stay and fight." Bran said.

Arya and Sansa turned to Jon with shocked expressions on both of their faces. "What?! Jon you can't stay here! You just said there was no way we could hold out against them!" Arya yelled.

"I don't intend to hold out against them. I intend to kill as many White Walkers as I can before I fall. That way there you will all have a chance to get out of here." Jon said.

"Jon, please! You don't need to do this! We need you!" Sansa said as tears clouded her vision.

"No, you don't. Your strong, Sansa. Stronger than anyone I've ever met. You've survived so much, and you will survive this." Jon said as he smiled at his sister as tears began to fall down her cheeks. "And you, my little wolf. You've come so far, you're not the little sister I knew who would beg me to teach you how to hold a sword. Your everything I knew you would be, and I am so proud of you."

Arya's vision also began to cloud as she pleaded, "Jon, please! Don't leave us!"

Jon looks away from Arya and stares into the sky as snow begins to fall down upon the courtyard. "Do you two remember what father use to say. When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives. I give my life willingly if it means that the three of you can live another day." Jon then turns to Podrick and says, "Watch over them and protect them with your life. That is my last command as king in the North."

"I will, my lord. I promise." Pod says as he mounts his horse and the train begins to move.

Jon then turns back to his family and says, "I love you three, more than anyone else. Never forget that." Jon then closed the door to the carriage as it began to move with the rest of the train.

Tyrion Lannister then rides up with his brother and says, "You need not do this you know."

"Yes, I do. Its why I was brought back. I have to do this." Jon says.

"You're a brave man. Braver then any man I've ever met, that's for certain." Jaime said.

"There's nothing I can say that will sway you, is there?" Tyrion asks.

"No. Nothing." Jon says.

Tyrion lets out a heavy sigh and says, "Well then, I guess I will see you on the other side then. Goodbye, my friend."

Tyrion extends his hand out to Jon and Jon shakes it as he says, "To you as well, my friend. Watch over my family."

"As if they were my own. Farewell, Jaehaerys." Tyrion as a sad smile spread across his scarred face.

"Farewell, Tyrion." Jon says as a smile extends across his face as well before the two brothers ride out of the gates of Winterfell together. Jon closed the gates behind them and climbed the walls of Winterfell to watch his people ride away. When Jon could no longer see them Jon descended from the wall and walked to the forge.

Within Jon found what remained of the dragonglass weapons Gendry and the other smiths made before the battle. Jon found four dragonglass arrows, a bow, and one dragonglass dagger. It wasn't much, but it was all he had.

Jon placed the arrows into a quiver and placed them on his back, put the dagger on his waist, and placed the bow he was going to use on top the wall of the North Gate. As Jon stood atop the wall waiting to fight his final fight he felt himself being pulled to the Winterfell crypts. Deciding to say one final goodbye Jon descended into his families crypt and stood before the statues of his father and brother.

"Father. Bran, Sansa, and Arya are safe. I've sent them to White Harbor with what remains of my army. I wish things could have been different, I wish none of this would have happened the way it has. I wish I could have spoken to you, one last time." Jon said as a tear streamed down the right side of his face before he wiped it away. "But I'll be joining you soon, maybe then we can finally have that talk."

Jon then turned to Robbs statue and said, "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you needed me, brother. I wish Sam and the others hadn't convinced me to go back to Castle Black, I wish I could have fought beside you, at least once." Jon said with a sad smile forming on his face.

As Jon went to leave Jon stopped and stared one more statue. The statue of his mother, Lyanna Stark. Jon walked to the statue and waited for what seemed like an eternity before he finally said, "Aunt Ly....mother. One of the only things I've ever wanted to know in this life was who my mother was, where she was, and if she cared for me. I never imagined she would be so close to me all those years, but at the same time be so far away." Jon said in a sad voice. "I wish Lord Stark had told me sooner, had told me that mother loved me so much that her final words were for her brother to protect her son. I wish I could know what it is like to have a mothers love, but maybe I will soon. I....I just hope that I've made you proud and that we'll see one another soon. I love you, mother."

As Jon left the crypt the sun began to get blocked out by the clouds and snow began to fall heavily. As Jon climbed the northern wall of Winterfell he could feel the ground begin to shake as the army of the dead neared Winterfell. Jon readied his bow and placed one of the dragonglass arrows on the string of the bow. Pulling the arrow back Jon aimed at the first white walker he saw, one that was riding an undead horse. He spotted another one further down the line the army of the dead had formed in front of Winterfell.

As they began to walk forward Jon released the arrow and watched as it pierced the White Walkers neck, sending it and several wights crumbling to the ground. The army then charged forward as Jon placed another arrow on his bowstring and aimed at the other White Walker. Jon released the, but missed, hitting the Walkers horse instead.

Before Jon could ready another arrow an undead giant ran forward and began to break down to North Gate. Jon could not get a clear shot on the giant before it broke down the gate and allowed the wights into the castle. As the giant entered the castle Jon fired his third arrow and hit the giant in the head, sending it falling the ground and crushing several wights. The wights then spotted him and began to climb the walls of Winterfell.

Jon grabbed the two spear he had and ran along the walls of Winterfell until he reached the Glass Garden. As the Wights closed in on him Jon jumped to the roof of the Garden and smashed through it, falling to the ground. As the pain of the fall shot through Jons body the wights began to follow after him. Jon got to his feet as quickly as he could and made his towards the door to the Godswood.

Once he entered he barred the door behind him as he made his way to the center of the wood. Upon reaching the center Jon found that the wights had made short work of the doors leading into the wood and was being surrounded the wights.

Jon quickly drew Longclaw and spun around rapidly, waiting for the first wight to make its move. But none of them did. As Jon pondered what they waited for the sky darkened as something massive passed overhead.

Jon looked up in horror and found the Night King riding the largest of Daenerys' dragons, Drogon. The massive dragon had been reanimated and now flew with its new master on his back. Drogon descended into the Godswood, crushing tree's and Wights alike as he landed. Drogon let out a roar as he neared Jon before he closed his mouth and stepped back.

Jon watched as the Night King dismounted Drogon and locked eyes with him. One of the last remaining White Walkers came up to the Night King and handed him another spear made of ice before the Night King began to walk towards Jon.

Jon begins to walk in a circle, changing his stance every so often as he prepared to fight his last fight. Jon put both hands on Longclaws grip and pointed the blade at the Night King as he continued to walk in a circle.

The Night King struck first, quickly lunging forward and stabbing at Jon. Jon sidesteps and swings Longclaw down, trying to cleave through the monster head, but the Night King stepped back to dodge the strike.

Jon then rushed forward as quickly as he could and swings Longclaw at the Night Kings stomach, but the strike gets blocked as the Night King kicks Jon in the gut, sending him to the ground.

Jon clutched his stomach in pain as he lay on the ground but rolled to his right as the Night King stabbed his spear into the ground where Jon was. Jon uses Longclaw to help him back to his feet as the pain continues to surge through his torso.

The Night King swings his spear at Jons' head as Jon raises Longclaw to deflect the blow. Jon pushes the spear away and swings at the Night Kings neck.

The Night King ducks under the strike and stabs his spear at Jons chest. Jon deflects it and swings Longclaw upward to sever the Night Kings arm.

The Night King catches the blade by bringing his right arm to his torso and snaps the blade in two. Before Jon to move back the Night King balls up his right hand and backhands Jon, sending him to the ground again.

Jon pushes himself back up to his feet as he watches the Night King drop the blade of Longclaw to the ground. Jon then looks down at what remained of his sword that he still held in his hand before looking back up at the Night King as he smirked at him.

Jon lunged at the Night King again but the Night King stepped to the side and then slashed Jons back with his spear, sending Jon down to his knee's. Jon then notices the broken blade of Longclaw in front of him and quickly grabbed it. As Jon turned back to the Night King as he grabbed Jon by the throat and pulled him up to his feet.

The Night King then pulled back his spear and prepared to stab Jon, but before he could Jon stabbed the blade of Longclaw through the Night Kings chest. The Night King stopped for a moment and looked at the blade in his chest before he plunged his spear into Jons' chest.

Jon coughed blood onto the Night Kings face before he gripped the blade with both hands and pulled the blade all the way up the Night Kings body and through his head. The Night King falls back and pulls his spear out of Jons' chest, sending Jon to his knee's as he shatters into ice.

Jons watches as the Wights crumble into bones and the last White Walker fall down to its knee's. A smile spread across Jons face as he let out a laughed.

It was over. The Long Night was over.

Or so he thought.

Jon then watched as the last remaining White walker rose to its feet and began to walk towards him. It walked to the remains of the Night King and suddenly the ice crown of the Night King sprouted out of its head. It then turned its head and smirked down at Jon as he stared wide-eyed at it.

Jon then pulls the dagger out from his waist and throws it at the Walker, but it dodges out of the way as it begins to walk over to Drogon. The newly crowned Night King climbed onto the undead dragons back before it flew off.

Jon slumped forward as he coughed up, even more, blood as he began to feel his life slip away. Jon looked at the Weirwood Tree and began to crawl towards it as his wounds began to get the better of him. Jon lay against the tree, blood pouring from his back and his chest, as he looked up into the face carved into the tree.

"I... I guess...this is it....huh? I tried....but I failed again. I just hope...the others made it out okay. I'll see you all soon. I just hope you can all....forgive....me." Jon said as darkness enveloped him once again.

Jon hoped he would see his family on the other side. He hoped to see his father, his friends, his queen, and his mother when his heart stopped beating.

But instead, there was only darkness. No light. No warmth. Nothing.

But as Jon began to lose hope he began to hear voices. Three to be precise. One was screaming in pain while the other two kept telling her to 'push'.

"Were almost there, my lady! I just need you to push one more time!" one of the women said as Jon the other woman let out another pained scream. Ligh returned to the world as Jon found himself in the hands a woman he had never seen before. "It's a boy, my lady!"

"Give him to me!" the woman yelled in a pained voice as Jon was handed to a woman with long brown hair and eyes the same color as his. She held Jon close to her as she kissed his head as she cried, "My boy, my beautiful baby boy!"

Chapter Text

Chapter 2 - Hope Reborn

Jon had no idea what was going on as he looked into the weeping eyes of the woman who was holding him. 'What in seven hells is happening?! Where am I?! Who is this?! What the fuck is going on?!' the now baby Jon yelled to himself as he stared up at the woman who held him. "This doesn't make any sense! The last thing I remember is lying beneath the weirwood tree in the Godswood. Then everything got dark, and now I'm here.'

Jon then began to focus on her defining features, to try and see if he could recognize this woman at all.  She had grey eyes, brown hair, and a long face. And one other defining thing Jon could see is the necklace she wore. The pendant of the necklace was made of wood, the white wood of weirwood tree. As his mind raced to try and figure out both who this woman was, and what was happening, he heard one of the other women say, "Lady Lyanna, the babe must be washed and swaddled."

'Lyanna!?' Jon yelled to himself as he continued to look t the woman who held him. The pieces began to fall into place as Jon took in her appearance once more and realized who this woman was. She was Lyanna Stark.

She was his mother.

Tears began to form in his eyes as he tried to reach out with his tiny arms to try and reach out to his mother. One of the other women took him from his mother and he began to cry because of it. He wanted to stay with his mother, the woman he wanted to know more than any other in the world, but despite his wailing the nurse took him to another room and further away from his mother.

As the nurse cleaned the blood from his small body and wrapped him in a cloth Jon heard someone run through the door that leads into his mother's room. Jon began to cry again as the nurse who took him finished swaddling him and took him into her arms. Jon heard the person who entered the room begin to talk to his mother, but as the nurse entered the room Jon saw who his mother speaking to.

He was much younger but there was no question that it was Eddard Stark, his father. The nurse who carried him and placed him in Ned's arms as his mother pulled Ned close and whispered something into his ear that Jon could not hear. All he could hear was her asking him to promise her something. Jon then watched as his mother began to close her eyes and her voice getting weaker and weaker as she repeated her plea to Ned.

'No! Please! Old gods, new gods, Lord of Light, whoever put me in this moment, please! Don't take her away from me, not now! Not like this!' Jon screamed to himself as he watched Lyanna close her eyes and her chest stopped rising and falling. 'Mother! Please, don't leave me again!'

But all of Jon's pleas fell on death ears as Lyanna Stark breathed her last breath, and faded from the world.

Jon then saw something that he had never seen before, he saw Eddard Stark cry. Tears streamed down the face of the warden of the north as he said, "I promise, Lyanna. I promise." He then turned to the two women who stood in the room and said, "Please, prepare her body to travel north. I'm taking her home."

The two women nod as Ned grabs Dawn and leaves the tower. Once outside the tower, Ned is greeted by a man who was holding his torso in pain. "How bad is that wound?"

"I'll be alright, my lord. I don't think he hit anything major, just fucking hurts." the man said with a pained laugh.

"When we get to Starfall we'll have the maester check that wound. I've lost too many friends in this war already, I won't lose another." Ned said.

"As you wish, my lord." the man said before he looked to the tower behind Jon and Ned and asked, "Is she....?"

"Yes, Howland. She's gone." Ned said in a pained voice as he averted his gaze from his friend.

"I'm so sorry, Ned." Howland said as his eyes then drifted down to Jon. "Is the child his?"

"He is my blood, Howland. That's all that matters." Ned said as he looked back up at Howland and glared at him as if to say to not mention who the boy's sires were.

"Yes, my lord." Howland said as Ned walked began to walk past him. "What did she name him?"

"Jaehaerys, after his great-grandfather she said. But he can't keep that name if he is to be safe from Robert and the Lannisters. So from this day forward, his name will be Jon, he is my bastard son." Ned said as he looked down at the child in his arms.

"It's a good name, Ned. Will his last name be sand? He was born here in Dorne." Howland said.

"No. He has the look of his mother, the look of a Stark. His name will be Jon Snow." Ned said.

"I could take him with me back to Greywater Watch. I'd raise him with my children. He'll be safe there." Howland said.

"No, Howland. I promised Lya that I would watch over him, I will raise him in Winterfell along with my son. I just hope my wife will be able to love him as if he were her own." Ned said.

"She won't, Ned. People from the south don't understand the ways back home. She'll hate him." Howland said.

"Then so be it. No matter what anyone says to me this child will be raised with my children as if they were his true-born siblings. He will be raised in Winterfell, and one day I will find a place for him, far away from that pit of vipers they call a city and the lions that think themselves dragons." Ned said.

The two men watched as the women from inside the tower a wrapped up body and placed it into a wagon that sat beside the tower. One of the nurses then walked up and took Jon from Ned as she said, "Everything is ready, my lord. We are ready to go whenever you are."

Ned nods his head before he looked back up at the tower and walked back into it. When he walked out smoke followed him as the tower went up in flames. Ned then went about picking up the bodies of the men who came with him and died in the battle with the Kingsguard. He and Howland then buried both Oswell Whent and Gerold Hightower in front of the tower.

"If you two would do one thing for me, I would ask you to stay and help take care of the boy. But if you wish to return home you may do so. You can take one of the horses that my comrades had and take it home." Ned told the two women before he got back on his horse.

The two women look to one another before the one not holding Jon says, "I would like to go home, my lord. I haven't been there for near half a year."

"Very well then, you may go. Just one thing." Ned said as the woman looked back at him as she stopped walking towards the horses. "Never speak of what happened here. My sister died of a fever. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my lord. Seven protect you, and the child." the woman said before she mounted the horse and rode off.

"And you? What is your decision?" Ned asked the other woman as he turned to look back at her.

"If it is okay with you lord Stark I wish to stay and care for the boy. Lady Lyanna was always kind to me, and I wish to repay her kindness by caring for her son as she would if she could." the woman said.

"Your name?" Ned asked.

"Ayla, my lord. Ayla Sand." the woman said.

Jon remembered her. When he was younger she was the woman who cared for him, and the woman he thought was his mother when he was young. But later in life, he realized Catelyn would never allow the woman who had birthed her husbands bastard to live in the same castle as herself.

"Very well then. Mount a horse and we shall depart for Starfall at once." Ned said as Ayla climbed onto the back of one of the horses with Jon in her arms.

Ayla smiled down at Jon and said, "Worry not, little prince. You're in safe hands now."

Jon let out a giggle as she held him close to her as they rode away from the burning tower, and headed towards the ancient home of house Dayne.

It took them two days to reach the castle, but upon arriving they were met by the lady of the castle, Ashara Dayne. "Lord Stark, it's good to see you again." she said as she smiled at Ned.

'So this is Ashara Dayne.' Jon thought as he looked at the beautiful woman who stood before them. Her hair was dark as night and her eyes were violet. Jon heard people say that she was his fathers first love after they had danced together during the tourney of Harrenhal.

"It is good to see you as well, Ashara. I just wish it were under better circumstances." Ned said as he got off his horse and pulled Dawn from where he had it placed on his saddle. "This sword is the treasure of your house, I have no right to keep it. It belongs here."

Ashara took the sword from Ned and then handed it to a nearby guard before saying, "Thank you, Lord Stark. Come, you all must be tired after your trip here. The hospitality of Starfall is yours."

"Thank you Ashara, but we cannot stay long. I must return to the capital to tell Robert of what has happened, then finally go home." Ned said as he, Howland, and Ayla followed Ashara into the castle.

Once within the castle, Ashara turned to Ayla and asked, "May I?" Ayla turned to Ned what he had to say and watched him nod his head in approval. Ayla handed Jon to Ashara and she smiled down at him as she said, "He looks like you, Ned. No one could deny he is a child of the north."

Ashara then turned to a servant and said, "Bring Wylla, this babe needs to be fed." the servant bowed then walked off to retrieve the woman spoken of before she turned back to Ned and asked, "Tell me, what did Lyanna name the boy?"

"He is mine, Ashara." Ned said in response and caused Ashara to chuckle.

"Ned, you're a terrible liar. This boy is as much a dragon as he is a wolf. He may have the look of a Stark, but I have no doubt some of his father's features will show in time." Ashara said as she smiled down at Jon before handing him back to Ayla. "Besides, who do you think sent this woman to the tower to help your sister?"

Ned's eyes widened a bit as he began to say, "Ashara...no one can..."

"I know, Ned. I know what happened in the capital, I know what would happen to this child if Robert learned who his parents were. His fate would be the same as little Rhaenys, and sweet Aegon." Ashara said as her voice began to crack and her eyes started to water a little bit.

Jon had almost forgotten. His half brother and sister had been murdered in the Sack of Kings Landing. The thought of someone killing children who were innocent sickened and enraged Jon to his tiny core. The servant from earlier then re-entered the room with another woman that Jon could only assume was Wylla.

"Wylla, come here." Ashara said as she gestured for the woman to come closer. "You will accompany lord Stark and care for the child he has with him. You may return whenever lord Stark no longer has need of your services."

"Yes, my lady." Wylla said as she took Jon from Ayla and took him into another room. Wylla unwrapped Jon from the cloth he was wrapped in and placed him in a small bowl of water to wash his tiny body. Upon finishing she dried his body off before she wrapped him back up.

She then sat in a chair in the room and raised her shirt up, revealing her breast. She then put Jon to her breast, but Jon turned his head away from her. Wylla tried to turn his head back to her so he could feed but Jon refused. His tiny stomach then began to ache and rumble so Jon closed his eyes and began to drink from her as a red blush spread across his face.

That night Jon lay awake in the crib they put him in for the night. Jon lay awake as he stared up at the pitch black ceiling. He could still feel the Night Kings hand around his throat, and the chilling cold when he stabbed him in the chest. Jon guessed it was something like having a phantom limb as the maesters called it, except he had no wounds on his chest. And now here he lay as an infant, with his mind filled with all the memories of the past twenty-three years.

Jon still had no idea how or why he was sent back in time to the moment of his birth and was now given a second chance. All that mattered to him was keeping his family safe and stopping the events that were to come.

But that was a problem for the future, right now sleep called to him and he closed his eyes to get the first real night of sleep he's had in a long time.

The next morning Jon and the others departed from Starfall. Before leaving Ashara embraced Ned and said to him, "Please, Ned, let me have this before you go away." Ned hesitated at first but wrapped his arms around Ashara and hugged her close to his chest.

Ashara kissed Ned's cheek before he got back on his horse. Ashara then said, "Farewell, Lord Stark. We shall never see one another again." Ashara said.

"Ashara...!" Ned began to say before Ashara cut him off.

"I wish you good fortune in the wars to come, Lord Stark." Ashara said as a small smile formed on her face.

Ned simply nods his head before he spurs his horse and heads out of Starfall with the others following him. As they left Starfall Jon watched his father's body tremble and shake and could hear small sobs escape from him. When Ayla rode next to him Jon saw Ned's eyes were red and a frown stayed on his face.

Jon could only feel sorry for his father, he had lost his sister, his brother, his father, and the first woman he ever truly cared for. He now understood he never talked to Jon about his mother, because it hurt him too much to remember his beloved sister. All Jon could hope for is that Ned finds some happiness when they finally returned home.

The ride to Kings Landing took nearly a month. Upon arriving in the city it was obvious that the city was still recovering from the sack. Houses were destroyed, the roads were stained with blood, and people still lay dead in the streets. Seeing all this death and destruction Jon couldn't help but a small part of him from feeling that this was all caused because of him.

If his mother and father hadn't run away together this never would have happened. If they hadn't followed their hearts instead of thinking things through thousands of people wouldn't be dead. If they hadn't rushed things Aegon and Rhaenys would still be alive.

But most of all, his parents would still be alive.

But while thinking that he reassured himself that it was not the actions of two people that caused the rebellion. He hadn't even been born before the rebellion, he was born after all the fighting was over. The blame could have been put on the shoulders of several people who are no longer apart of this world. 

But none of that mattered now. All that mattered was the future and the war that was to come.

As they entered the Red Keep the loud and angry voice of a man cut through the halls of the keep. As they entered the throne room Jon saw the man who was yelling. He stood in front of the iron throne and yelled another man who stood in front of the step to the throne.

"You fucking fool! I gave you one job! ONE JOB! And you couldn't even do that, could you?! You let those little shits get away!" the man who stood before the throne yelled.

"Forgive me, your grace. I have failed you." the other man said in an even voice.

"Yes, you have." Robert said before he sat himself in the iron throne. "As King of the seven kingdoms I hereby strip you of our ancestral home of Storms End, Renly will now be the lord of the castle. But, for your service in my rebellion, I give you Dragonstone as a reward, be happy that I am rewarding you at all."

The only person Jon could think of who would be king at this point in time would be Robert Baratheon, Ned's close friend. 'Huh, so that's what he looked like before he got fat.' Jon thought to himself as he watched the other man, who he could only figure was Stannis Baratheon, bow before his older brother before walking out of the throne room.

Robert Baratheon then turned his attention to Ned. "Ned, you've returned."

"Yes, your grace, I have." Ned said as he walked towards the iron throne.

"Did you....did you find her?" Robert asked.

Ned's response is a simple nod of his head.

"Is she...?" Robert began to ask.

"She is with my brother and father now. She is at peace." Ned said as he kept his eyes locked into the tiles of the floor.

Robert sank into the iron throne and slid his hand down his face before he rested it onto one of the many sword pommels that made up the throne. "Are you taking her home?" Robert asked.

"Yes, she belongs with her family. She belongs in the north." Ned said.

Roberts gaze then went to Ayla and Jon as he asked, "The child, who's is it?"

"He's mine, Robert. I sired him during the war. I'm taking him back to Winterfell with me." Ned said.

"You, Eddard Stark, have a bastard? Jon won't believe it." Robert said as he leaned forward and placed his right forearm on his thigh. "I could legitimize him for you, Ned. You need only say the word."

"No. I will not shame my wife any more than I already have. Thank you regardless, your grace." Ned said.

"Then, I wish you safe travels on your journey home." Robert said as he rose from the iron throne and descended the steps of the throne to embrace his friend.

The two quickly let go of one another as they bid one another farewell. Ned then walked back over to Ayla and Jon. He looked down at Jon with a smile and said, "Time to take you home little one."

"To Winterfell then, my lord?" Howland asked as he and Ayla followed Ned out of the throne room.

"No. First, we go to Riverrun, my wife awaits us there with our son. Then I will head back to Winterfell." Ned said as they exited the Red Keep.

"As you say, my lord." Howland said as he mounted his horse.

Ayla entered a wheelhouse with Jon and Wylla as they began to leave the city. They then began to ride north. North to Riverrun. North to Winterfell.

North, to his home.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3 - Returning Home

The journey to Riverrun was a long one. They had to travel up the Kings Road until they reached the River Road. From there they could travel straight to Riverrun, but Ned decided to lead them through the ruins of Harrenhal. From there they could ride to Last Heart and reach Riverrun faster.

Then once they reached Riverrun they could then follow the River Road back to the Kings Road and from there they could make there way home to Winterfell. But they would have to get to Riverrun first before they start the journey home.

As they passed by the castle of Harrenhal Jon felt chills all over his tiny body. Even from within the wheelhouse Jon could see the melted towers of Harrenhal. As a child, he learned of what happened here when Aegon arrived on Westeros. How Harren the black and all of his sons were burned alive by fire so hot that it melted the walls of his great castle.

People have said for centuries that the castle is cursed, and Jon had to agree with them. Every family that has ever been given Harrenhal no longer exists. Even the current house that lives in the castle, house Whent, were on their last legs. 'Aegon should have finished the job and destroyed this cursed place.' Jon thought to himself as they rode past the massive castle.

The journey to Riverrun from Harrenhal took a week and a half. They stopped briefly at High Heart to get resupply before they made the final stretch to Riverrun. Upon their arrival, they were met by the lord of the castle and his two children.

"It is good to see you well, husband." Catelyn said as she watched Ned dismount his horse before they walked towards one another. Ned pulled into a hug before he kissed her forehead. Catelyn then held out the small bundle of cloth she held in her arms before saying, "Your son, my lord."

'Robb.' Jon thought as Ayla exited the wheelhouse with him.

Ned looked down at the babe she held in her arms as he took his son into his arms and a smile formed on his face. Jon could hear Robb giggle and laugh in their father's arms and watched as a smile spread across Catelyns face.

Well, until she saw him.

Catelyns eyes went wide at the sight of him and then immediately looked to her husband. "Husband.....is the child....?"

"Yes, Catelyn, he is mine." Ned said as he continued to look down at Robb. Catelyn said nothing else as she turned from them all and walked back into her father's castle. Ned lets out a heavy sigh as he turns to Ayla and says, "Take the boy's inside, I need to speak with Lord Hoster.

Ayla nods her head as she Ned hands Robb to Wylla as they both head into the castle. They placed the babes in cribs directly next to one another. The entire time Jon kept his eyes on his brother. The last time he had seen Robb was when he left Winterfell for the wall and the two of them bid one another farewell.

And then Robb went to war against the Lannisters and sealed his own doom.

The thought of what the Lannisters, the Boltons, and the Freys did to his brother angered him greatly. How they had betrayed him and his men during Edmure Tully's wedding, how Roose Bolton stabbed Robb in the heart before Walder Frey cut off his head and sowed Greywinds head in its place. The news of what they did spread like wildfire throughout the seven kingdoms, making Jon regret not joining his brother even more than he already did.

But none of that mattered now.

It no longer mattered how or why he was here, all that did matter was that he was here.

He is alive.

His father is alive.

His brother is alive.

And he will do whatever he has to, to make sure they stay that way this time.

They stayed in Riverrun for three days before they finally set out to go home. Wylla had been sent back to Starfall on their second day in Riverrun, for what reason Jon had no idea but he assumed his father had told her she can return home.

Whenever lady Stark came into the nursery where he and Robb were being kept she glared at him like she always use to. Like she wanted him to just die right then and there, despite the fact that he was currently an infant.

He had always hated the way she looked at him. He understood, of course, he was her husbands bastard son that he brought home to raise with their trueborn children. His very existence was the physical embodiment of her husband's betrayal. She made sure that Jon always knew that he was not welcome in Winterfell, despite her husband's protests. She would forbid him from sitting by her children during feasts, refused to allow him to live in the same wing as her and her children, and would always make sure he knew that he was worth less than dirt in Winterfell.

But knowing what he knew now he couldn't help but feel angry when she glared at him. She would treat him as though he had been born on purpose just to shame her. She had no right to look at him the way she did, even her gods claimed so that no child should be blamed for the sins of their parents. So as she glared down at him he did the only thing he could.

He stuck his tongue out at her.

Catelyn seemed shocked by this and went wide-eyed as Jon kept his gaze trained on her. She soon left the nursery with Robb, leaving him alone with Ayla. Ayla then began to laugh as she took him into her arms and began to play with him.

Catelyn seemed to be keeping her distance from Ned, most likely because of Jon. She kept Robb with her in her wheelhouse that she rode in with her septa. Septa Mordane seemed to only add fuel to Catelyns dislike of him. He once overheard her say that bastards were untrustworthy for they are born out of lust instead of being born out of love as Robb and the others were.

But he was no more a bastard then they were.

Thankfully Ayla did not feel the same as they did. Being a bastard herself she understood how a bastard is treated in most of Westeros, save her birthplace of Dorne. She cared for him as though he was her own son, and at times Jon wished that he was. She was far kinder then any other woman he's met from the south, which wasn't that many, and more of a mother then Lady Stark could ever be.

It took them two more weeks to finally return home.

After being in the south of Westeros for so long Jon didn't know how much he would miss the north. Everything from the chill in the air to the smell of the north was something Jon didn't know he would miss. When he finally saw the walls of Winterfell from inside the wheelhouse he could not help himself but bounce up and down in Ayla's lap in excitement.

As they passed through the south gate Jon could people cheer his father's name. The lords of the north had gathered to celebrate not only the wars end but their lord's return as well. As the lords greeted Ned Ayla quickly took Jon to the nursery so that he could rest. She lay him in a crib beside Robb's.

Once again Jon stared at his brothers sleeping form and thanked whatever force allowed him to travel back. He then closed his eyes and let sleep claim him as he fell asleep in his home once more.

It had been five months since they had returned to Winterfell. Jon was currently in the room Ayla was provided when they arrived in Winterfell. Ayla slept while he was trying to learn how to walk again, which proved to be rather difficult.

'Seven hells!' Jon yelled as he fell back onto his but. Out of all the things Jon thought would be difficult as an infant he never thought walking would be the most difficult. 'Why is this so difficult?! Learning to fight is easier than this!'

As Jon pondered on how to get back up he then remembers watching Rickon when he took his first steps. Rickon had crawled over to their father's bed and used it to hold himself up before he started to walk. Jon crawled over to Ayla's bed and carefully pulled himself up onto his feet, trying not to awaken Ayla. He then took his first step.

'Yes!' Jon said as he took another step and then another. The door to the room then opened and Jon fell back onto his but. 'Damnit!'

Jon then looked to the door to see who opened it and saw the shocked face of his father. "Jon....you were..!" Ned said as he tried to recoil from the shock. Jon then got an idea and crawled back to Ayla's bed and pulled himself back up to his feet. He then slowly turned around and started to walk towards Ned.

"Jon..." Ned said as Jon made his way over to him. Taking it one step at a time, and being careful to keep his balance, Jon eventually stood in front of his father. The warden of the north stared wide-eyed at the child who stood before him. Ned slowly knelt down before Jon and opened his arms for him. Jon walked towards him and Ned closed his arms around Jon and held him close.

As Ned held him close Jon attempted to do something else he has been trying to do.

"Dada."

Ned's eyes went wide again as he pulled back from Jon to make sure he heard right. "Jon, did you just..." Ned began to say as Jon smiled up at him. "Say it again, my boy. Say it again."Ned pleaded.

Hearing Ned call him his boy made Jon happier than he ever thought it would. He had only said him say that he had his blood, or tell him that he was a Stark whenever someone, mainly Catelyn, said that he was just a bastard. "Dada." Jon said again as he watched Ned smile down at him. Ned then pulled him into another embrace as Ayla began to stir from her nap.

"Lord Stark? Is everything alright?" Ayla asked as she rose from her bed.

"Everything is fine, Ayla. Better than fine. Jon took his first steps.." Ned said as he released his grip on Jon and turned him around to look at her.

"What?! My lord this is...this is amazing! He's only seven months old!" Ayla said as she rose from her bed.

Jon watched Ayla kneel down in front of him she kept her eyes trained on him. Jon then wiggled out of his fathers grasp and began to walk towards Ayla.

Ayla put her hands over her mouth in shock before she held her arms out to him as Jon continued to walk towards her. "Come on, little one! Come on!" Ayla said urging him forward.

As he reached her he fell forward into her arms and she pulled him into an embrace as she placed a kiss on his forehead. "I'm so proud of you, my little prince" she whispered to him. "Your mother would be so proud of you."

Chapter Text

Chapter 4 - Six Years Later

The first six years of his new life were.....interesting to say the least.

After he took his first steps he began to follow Ned and Ayla around whenever he could and would go to play with Robb. Robb had yet to take his first steps so Jon tried to show him how he got the hang of it.

It failed, at first, but eventually, Robb was able to walk alongside Jon. Lady Catelyn made a big fuss over Robb taking his first steps but became angered as Ayla brought up the fact that Jon had walked before Robb had. If Catelyn could have killed with her eyes she would have done so with the glare she sent Ayla after she brought it up. Catelyn then took Robb into her arms and left the playroom.

Ayla took Jon into her own and told him, "Worry not, my love. Let her dwell in her pettiness and jealousy. It will consume her someday."

When he was four years old Sansa was born. His sister seemed a lady even as an infant as she never cried out in the night and seemed to always listen to her mother whenever she spoke. And even as a babe Catelyn began to coddle her and tried to keep Jon away from her else he might corrupt her.

Arya was born almost two years later. She was still only a babe, barely a year old, but she was still as fierce as Jon remembered her to be.

And now they were all wishing their father farewell. The king had sent ravens, calling all the high lords of Westeros for aid in putting down the Greyjoy Rebellion. Despite Catelyns pleas, Ned was determined to go and help his old friend.

"You'll return safe, won't you papa?" Sansa asked as she looked up at her father.

"Of course, sweetling. I'll be home soon before you know it." Ned said as he placed a kiss on Sansa's forehead and hugging her tight.

"Will you bring me back a sword, father?" Robb asked.

"Trust me, son, you won't want any of the swords that I'd find. You'll get your own when your old enough, okay?" Ned asked his eldest son.

"Yes, father." Robb said as he hung his head slightly before Ned pulled the boy into a hug.

"You'll watch over for your siblings while I'm gone, won't you?" Ned asked.

"I promise, father. I'll make you proud." Robb said as the two of them detached from one another.

"I have no doubt of that, my son." Ned said as he placed his hand on Robbs head and ruffled his hair before he walked over to his wife.

"Return to me safely, won't you my love?" Catelyn asked before he kissed her.

"I will do my best to do so, my love." Ned said before he looked down to Arya who was currently clutching onto his leg. "You don't want me to go either, huh Arya?" Arya responded in her own language as Ned picked her up and kissed the top of her head before he handed her to her mother. Ned then turned to his left look at Jon.

Jon was in the forge, helping Mikken as best he could. He had taken to help the old man in his work being that he had no apprentice, and Jon wished to stay as far away from Catelyn as he could. She did not care for his presence before and still didn't. So instead of having her be angered by him as her husband departed, he kept his distance from her and his family.

"Jon. Come here, lad." Ned called as he stood outside of the forge.

Jon looked to Mikken for permission and the older man nodded his head in approval. Jon made his way out of the forge and stood before his father as he said, "Do you have to go?"

"When the king calls, yes I do. Are you going to ask me to come back unharmed as well?" Ned asked as he knelt before Jon.

Jon shook his head as he said, "No. Unharmed or not, I know you'll come back."

"How do you know that?" Ned asked as a smile formed on his lips.

"I have faith in you. Sometimes all you need to do is have faith." Jon said as he returned his father's smile.

Ned let out a laugh as he said, "How did a boy of only six become so smart?"

"I've had good teachers." Jon said before Ned pulled him into a hug.

As Jon wrapped his arms around his father he couldn't help but remember the last time he wished his father farewell. How he had promised him that they would talk about his mother the next time they saw one another. But then the memory of hearing his father was executed by that little cunt of a king made its way into his mind and he wanted nothing more than anything else for his father to leave. He so wanted to tell him everything that would happen in the future, how the Ironborn were little more then nats compared to the true enemy gathering his strength beyond the wall. How his king's children were the offspring of Jaime and Cersei Lannister. And, most of all, that he knew the truth about himself.

But Jon knew he couldn't say anything.

His father would most likely think that he had begun to believe the tales Old Nan had been telling them about White Walkers were true. Ned would tell him that White Walkers were nothing more than stories now and that the only threat beyond the wall were the wildlings. No one would begin to believe the word of a boy who was only six name days old yet, let alone a bastard.

So as Jon held onto his father he couldn't help the tears that escaped his eyes as he said, "I don't want you to go."

"I wish I didn't have to go either, Jon. But I swore an oath to the king, and the Starks always keep their oaths. So, can you swear to me to watch over your brother and sisters while I'm away?" Ned asked as he pulled back from Jon and kept his hands on both of Jons' shoulders.

"I promise, father." Jon said as he wiped his tears away.

"Good, and I expect you to keep that promise. For you are a Stark. You may not have my name, but you have my blood. I know you will do me proud." Ned said as he rose from where he knelt down and walked over to his horse.

Ned mounted his horse and joined Jory Cassel in front of the South Gate. Ned waved goodbye to his family as he began to go through the south gate. As the gate closed Ned looked back at Jon and nodded his head as Jon waved him goodbye.

Jon stood in the place his father left him as the sounds of his father's company got farther and farther away. A hand came to rest upon Jons left shoulder and Jon turned his head to find Ayla smiling down at him. "Worry not, child. Your father is a skilled warrior, and the whole of Westeros fights with him. He will return."

"I know. I...I just wish he didn't have to go." Jon said as he averted his gaze back to the ground.

"I know, child. But as you said earlier, sometimes all you need to do is have faith." Ayla said before she placed a kiss on Jons' forehead. "Now, you'd better get to helping Mikken. I'll see you at dinner."

"Yes, mam." Jon said as he walked back to the forge and Ayla walked back to the castle.

Jon walked back to Mikken and asked, "Is there anything else you need me to do, sir?"

"Not right now, lad. I heard Farlen could use some help with a new colt that has just been born. Go see if you can help him, I'll let you know when I have need of you." Mikken said as he placed a heated sword on his anvil and began to hit it with his hammer.

"Yes, sir." Jon said as he turned to the stables. Luckily they were right next to the forge so Jon didn't have to walk for very long, but as he entered he saw Farlen and several other men having difficulty with one colt. The colt was dark as night and thrashed around the stable as the men tried to place a saddle upon its back.

"Seven Hells!" Farlen yelled out as the colt slammed its head into his gut. "Maybe we should just put this one down. It might be too wild for anyone to ride it."

I remember this colt. Jon said to himself as he watched the young horse thrash around as the men tried to put a saddle on its back.

It was meant to be Robbs horse when he was capable to ride it, but it always bucked him off. The horse was so wild that they could only One time Robb had his left arm dislocated after getting bucked off the horse, which caused their father to order the horse be released since it seemed no one could tame it. Maester Luwin had to instruct their father in how to put Robbs arm back into its socket while he screamed out in pain.

Jon walked up slowly to the three men and asked, "Sir, do you need some help?"

Farlan spun around and said, "Lord Snow, what are you doing here?"

"Mikken said you could use some help, so I thought I'd see if I could help with....whatever problem you're having." Jon said.

"Our problem," Farlan yelled as he whirled back around to point at the young colt, "Is this beast! It refuses to let us place a saddle upon it so lord Robb could ride it in the courtyard! We three can't even put the saddle on the damn thing!"

"Could I try?" Jon asked, making the three men turn to look back at him.

"No, my lord. We will take care of this, don't you worry yourself." Farlan said as the three men turned back around.

"Very well then." Jon said as he turned around began to walk out of the stables.

As he walked out of the stables he heard one of the men say, "Is that boy soft in the head? If we could not tame this colt what makes him think he could?"

"I suppose being given the privilege to live here in Winterfell with his lord fathers family, instead of with his mother makes him think he's better than us." the other man said.

"Enough! It matters not, let's just get this done. Lady Stark wants the horse ready for lord Robb by the end of the week." Farlan said as the three of them once again tried to place a saddle on the colts back.
Jon listened to the three men as he exited the stable and made his way into the main courtyard. Hearing people call him a bastard made him even more upset now than it did originally since now he knew that he's never been a bastard. But he understood why his father named him one. If he hadn't his fate would have most likely been the same as his elder siblings, and their mother.

Even thinking of what was done to his older brother and sister made Jon furious. They were innocent children and did not deserve to die. All he could do was hope that one day he could make Gregor Clegane and Amory Lorch suffer for what they did to his siblings.

Jons mind then went back to the wild colt in the stables. He could still hear the three men yelling in frustration as the colt thrashed around the stable. Jon was determined to try and calm the colt, so he made up his mind to return to the stables later tonight.

After eating dinner Ayla escorted Jon back to his room. After taking a quick bath Jon crawled into his bed as Ayla pulled the furs up around him. Ayla kisses Jons forehead before she says, "Worry not, child. Your father will be back home before you know it." Ayla then leaves the side of his bed and exits his room.

Jon waited till he could no longer hear Ayla's footsteps on the wooden hallway floor before he rose from his bed. Putting his boots back on, and wrapping his cloak back around his shoulders Jon quietly made his way out into the hallway. Jon then makes his way to the stables and finds the colt in the back of the stable.

The colt rose to its feet and watched as Jon slowly made his way towards it. Jon holds his right hand out towards the colt and says, "Calm, calm down boy. I'm not here to hurt you, I'm here to help." The colt seemed to understand what Jon was saying and cocked its head to the side as it stared at him. The colt walked forward towards him as Jon continues to hold out his hand for the colt to sniff it. The colt began to sniff Jons palm and seemed to be calming down. Jon smirked as he then tried to pet the colts head.

The colt attempted to bite him in response.

Jon quickly pulled his right hand back as the colts jaws closed together where his hand once was. Quickly making sure he still had all his fingers, Jon, then turned his attention back to the colt. "Alright then, no petting. Let's try something else."

Jon looked around the stable for anything he could use to gain the Colts trust. Thankfully there was a bag filled with carrots that the stablehands used to feed the horses on the far side of the stable. Jon quickly ran to the bag and pulled out two carrots. Jon then returned to the colt and held out the carrot for the colt to take.

The colt came up to him and took the carrot from his hand. Jon then slowly reached out and placed his hand on the Colts head and began to pet the colt slowly. The colt then began to get upset again as it finished chewing the carrot, Jon then gave it the other carrot as he closed his eyes.

The first time Jon had been able to warg into an animal was when he was five. He warged into one of maester Luwins ravens and flew around Winterfell. He also warged into one of the dogs that were kept in the kennels and hunted down a boar alongside his father. But this would be the first time he would warg into a horse.

Jons mind then entered the colt, and he then looked at himself through the eyes of the colt. His mind then returned to his own body, and the colts attitude changed. The colt walked forward and begins to rub its head against Jons' chest as Jon begins to run his right hand through the colt's mane.

Jon smiled as he ran his fingers through the mane on the colt's neck as he said, "Guess I should give you a name now, huh? Let's see...." Jon said as he began to think of a name for the colt. His mind then ventured back to how he came up with Ghosts name based on his direwolfs appearance. Jon looked at the colts raven colored hair, and dark brown eyes as he came up with a name for the colt. "Shadow. How's that sound to you huh? You like that name?"

The colt continued to rub its head against Jons' chest in response. Jon stayed with the colt for a while longer before he decided to head back to his room. The next morning Jon watched as the three men from the previous day placed the saddle on the back of Shadow, and watched as they then celebrated finally getting the colt to cooperate.

Jon simply smirked and returned to help Mikken on the sword he was working on.

Weeks passed and Jon found himself sitting in maester Luwins library beside Robb as the old maester was teaching them another lesson. The maester was teaching both of them the history of house Stark.

"Now, boys, can you tell me the name of the man who founded house Stark?" Luwin asked as he turned to the two boys.

Robb bit down on his right thumb as he pondered the question. "Umm.....Torrhen Stark?" Robb asked.

"No." Luwin said as he snapped a rod against Robbs wrist. "Lord Torrhen Stark was the last the last king in the north, the king who knelt." Luwi then turned his head to Jon. "What about you, Jon. Do you know who founded house Stark?"

Jon sat up straight and answered, "The man who founded house Stark was known as Brandon the builder. He built the wall with the help of giants and magic to keep out the white walkers, and formed the Nights Watch to guard the realms of men."

"Very good, Jon. But the stories of the White Walkers and their armies of the undead are just that, stories." Luwin said.

If only you knew how wrong you are, maester. Jon thought as maester Luwin began to talk about the thousand years war the Starks waged against the Barrow Kings. As Luwin was conducting the lesson several ravens flew into the rookery and Luwin went to go see what they had brought him.

As Luwin left the room Robb put his head in his hands and let out a groan. Jon had to stop himself from laughing as he asked, "Having trouble, Robb?"

"You know I am. These lessons are sooo boring! Why do I need to know what some people in the past did? What they did won't affect me or the future of the North." Robb said.

"Knowing the actions the former wardens of the north did could help you when you become the lord of Winterfell. Don't you want to be a good lord ?" Jon asked him.

"Of course I do! I want to be the best lord Winterfell has ever had! But I still don't see why I need to learn what our ancestors did when I should focus on what I will do one day." Robb said.

Jon smirked slightly as he watched Robb bang his head against the table they both sat at. Jon had to admit that Robb had a good point, the future should be what they focused on, not the past. As long as the Starks have ruled over the north they have never tried to use the resources they have at their disposal to help them. Some say it was so that the north would not become like the people of the south, but Jon thought the lords and ladies of the north were just stuck in their ways.

If they are going to survive, that must change.

"You're right. We shouldn't be learning about the past, but planning for the future. So, what will you do to move the north forward?" Jon asked.

Robb kept his head down as he said, "I.....I don't know." Jon cursed at himself for forgetting that Robb was still just a boy of six. He had no way of knowing what he could do to help move the north forward.

But perhaps Jon could help him find out what he should do.

"Don't worry about it, Robb. It'll be a long time before your lord of Winterfell. You have plenty of time to think about what you should do when you do become the warden of the north." Jon said.

"Would you.....would you help me do that?" Robb asked as he raised his head up to look at Jon.

Jon smiled at Robb as he said, "Only if you want me to."

"I would, I really would. Thank you, brother." Robb said as he smiled at Jon.

Brother. Even though Jon had always known that Robb thought of him as his brother, rather than his half-brother as his mother and septa Mordane always claimed, he rarely called him brother. It made Jon smile to hear Robb say it now as maester Luwin returned and continued the lesson on the Thousand Years War.

It has now been three months since the Greyjoy Rebellion began. The most recent news that had come from the war was that lord Stannis Baratheon had finally brought the royal navy around Westeros and was sailing north towards the Iron Islands. Lord Stark had sent a raven a week prior from Seaguard that he had met up with the king and Lord Tywin and were waiting for Stannis to meet up with them so they can counter-attack.

On this particular day, Jon was taking orders from the castles steward, Vaylon Poole, to other residents around the castle. The sun was beginning to set as Jon finished delivering the messages and began to leave the first keep. As he did so he spotted something out of the corner of his vision.

The crypts.

The memories of his nightmares of the crypts filled his mind as his eyes trained on the entrance to the crypts. The voices of the kings of winter echoed in his mind as he continued to stare at the entrance to the crypts. on then found himself walking towards the entrance to the crypts almost as if he was in a trance.

Jon stops in front of the crypt's entrance and pushed the door to the crypts open. The crypts were pitch black, save for a few torches that lit the entrance. The fear he felt as a child returned as he stared into the endless darkness that was before him. He began to try and walk back but his legs froze on him as he continued to stare into the crypts.

Shaking the memories of his first life from his mind Jon steels himself and grabs one of the torches and descends into the crypts. The crypts stretched on for miles underground with the statues of all the past lords of Winterfell entombed within. But the statue Jon came to see was not hard to find. She looked nothing like the woman Jon saw in his first few minutes of his new life.

She was much more beautiful then what the statue showed, even if she was in excruciating pain when Jon saw her. Beautiful and willful, and dead before her time. That was Jons mother. That was Lyanna Stark. On the ground, before her statue sat a blue winter rose. Someone must have come down into the crypts recently and placed it in the statue's hand as Ned would whenever he descended into the crypts.

Bending down Jon picked up the rose from the ground and placed it back into the hand of his mother's statue. A smile formed on his face as he looked up into statues stone eyes, as he wished he could have given her the flower to his mother not her statue.

"What are you doing down here?!" a voice cut through the silence of the crypts, startling Jon in the process as he turned to see who the voice belonged to. There, standing in the darkness of the crypts, her face visible only because of the torches Jon had managed to light, stood Catelyn Stark.

Her face bore a furious expression as she stepped toward him and took the torch from his grasp. "Answer me, bastard, what are you doing down here?" she asked again
"I had a dream of this place, and decided to come down here to see what was within." Jon answered.

"You don't belong down here. You are not a Stark, and you never will be." Catelyn said furiously as she walked past him. "Now, leave before I punish you for coming to this place."

Her words cut deeper then Jon thought they would. Jon forced the words Catelyn said from his mind as he steeled himself. He was a Stark. He may not have their name, but he had their blood. While she only had the name because of her marriage to Lord Stark.

"No offense, my lady," Jon began to say, causing Catelyn to turn her head back towards him. "but if I do not belong here, then neither do you."

Catelyn then turned back toward him and slapped him across his face. "Leave. Now. Before your venomous words pollute this place further."

Jon said nothing else as he walked back up the steps and exited the crypts. Jon could feel the left side of his face heat up and knew that a bright red hand print was most likely on the side of his face now. Jon quickly made his way to his room and stayed there until it was time to eat dinner.

While he ate beside the servants Ayla came up to him and asked, "Jon, who did this to you?!"

Jon did not answer her, he only looked over to Catelyn who was sitting between Robb and Sansa at the high table. Ayla followed his gaze and found who he was looking at. Ayla said nothing else as she got up and walked away.

Early the next morning Jon found Ayla preparing her horse in the courtyard. Jon quickly made his way down into the courtyard. "Ayla, where are you going? Can I come with you?" Jon asked her.

"I am sorry little one but no, you cannot. I am leaving Winterfell. Lady Stark is sending me away." Ayla said.

Jon felt like his heart was in his throat. He was stunned silent, and his eyes grew wide as he asked, "What?! Why?!"

"Last night lady Stark and I talked. Things got....heated between us. When it was all said and done she said Winterfell no longer had a need of me and told me to go back home." Ayla said.

Jon couldn't stop the tears that began to stream out of his eyes. This woman was the only thing he had ever thought what having a mother would be like, and now she was being sent away from him. Jon felt Ayla wrap her arms around his small body and pull him close as she too began to cry.

"Please. Please, don't leave me." Jon let out between sobs as he buried his head into her chest.

"I have no choice, my love. But worry not, I promise you, we will meet again before I leave this world. I swear it." Ayla said as she kissed the top of his head.

Jon then watched as Ayla mounted her horse and rode out of the southern gate of Winterfell. Tears continued to stream down Jons' face as he watched her ride away.

It has now been five months since the Greyjoys rebelled against the iron throne. Stannis Baratheon had lured the iron fleet into a trap around Fair Isle and destroyed their ships. King Robert was now able to invade the Iron Islands and was in the process of doing so.

Jon was currently sitting in front of the hearth that was in his room. There was currently a blizzard outside causing most of the other residents of the castle, Jon included, to be confined to their rooms till the storm passed. Jon stoked the fire within his hearth to make his small room a little bit warmer as the storm got worse.

As Jon held his hands out to the fire to warm them an idea quickly entered his mind. The memory of Daenerys' title, 'The Unburnt', echoed in his mind. He reached out to the fire with his right hand until the flames began to lick at his fingertips and Jon quickly pulled his hand back as another memory entered his mind.

The time he fought his first wight and killed it, saving lord commander Mormont in the process. The lantern Jeor carried burned his hand and stopped him from using the said hand for several days.

But that was another time, another life. Jon told himself as he pushed his hand forward again and placed it into the fire. Jon closed his eyes as he waited to feel the fire burn him but thankfully the fire never did. Jon pulled his hand out of the fire as a small flame stayed in lit in the palm of his hand.

Jon stared into the flame, almost hypnotically, and suddenly began to see things within the flame. He saw three men he did not recognize, blood, and finally the door that led to one of the rooms in Winterfell. Before he could see anything else the fire died out in his hands. As Jon tried to ponder what the images meant the sound of someone crying out cut through the silence that hung in his room.

Rushing out of his room Jon quickly made his way out into the hallway and ran down it until the main courtyard came into view. There on the ground, Jon found a guard laying in a pool of his own blood. Quickly making his way down into the courtyard as the storm raged around them Jon found the guard had his throat opened up. Jon looks around the courtyard to see if the one who did this was still around before another scream filled the air, only this time the voice belonged to someone he recognized.

"SANSA!" Jon yelled as he grabbed the dagger from the guard's belt and ran towards Sansa's room.

Outside her room, Jon found the corpse of another guard who had his throat slit and found the three men he had seen in his vision within Sansa's room. One of them held her by her hair as the other two discussed how to get out of Winterfell. Before they could notice him being at the entrance to the room Jon slashed the back of both of one of the men's knees, sending him to the ground screaming.

Jon then plunged the dagger through the left knee of the other man that stood in front of the door. He then opened the man's throat with the dagger and kicked him to the ground before he set his eyes on the man who held Sansa by her hair. The man then puts a dagger to her throat as he said, "Walk away boy, or i'll open your pretty little sister's throat."

"Jon." Sansa whimpered as the man roughly pulled her hair causing her to cry out in pain.

Before Jon could do anything else the man who's knees Jon cut grabbed him by his ankle before Jon kicked in the mouth, sending the mans teeth flying out of his mouth. As Jon turned back to the man who held Sansa he was punched in the gut and sent to his knees. He then gets backhanded by the man's gauntleted hand on the right side of his face, opening up a large cut beside his right eye.

"Jon!" Sansa cried out as blood began to pour out of the cut on the side of his face.

The man keeps his eyes trained on Jon as he made his way towards the door. As he prepared to turn and run another castle guard came up and attacked the intruder. The intruder was forced to let Sansa go as he dodged the guard's attack and stabbed the guard in the throat. As the intruder turned to grab Sansa again Jon plunged his dagger into the left side of the man's stomach and cut all the way to his right, spilling the man's guts onto the floor.

The intruder then fell to his knees as he attempted to put his guts back into his stomach Jon stabbed the dagger into the top of the man's head. The intruder then fell to the ground and never moved again.

Jon then walked over and pulled Sansa's sobbing form into his arms. "It's okay, Sansa. They can't hurt you now." Sansa hugged Jon close and sobbed into his chest. 

Ser Rodrik and several guards then came in Sansa's room and were shocked at the scene before them. "Jon, what happened here?"

 
"They tried to hurt Sansa. I made sure they would never hurt her again." Jon said as two guards dragged the intruder that was still alive away.

"Jon we need to get that cut looked at. Come, i'll take Sansa...!" Rodrik began to say as he reached to take Sansa from Jon but Jon held Sansa closer to his chest and refused to let her go.

"Get lady Stark, and i'll give her to you. Not before." Jon said as he tried to calm Sansa down.

It did not take long for lady Stark to arrive with maester Luwin and both of them were struck silent as well as they took in the scene before the,. "What happened here? Catelyn asked Rodrick as Sansa ran to her mother.

"These men attempted to kidnap your daughter, Lady Stark. Jon heard them and intervened and...killed them. There is a third man, but we've already taken him away. We'll question him and find out why they were here, I swear." Rodrik said.

After hearing what happened Catelyn wrapped her daughter in her arms and they all left the room together as they hauled the two corpses out of the room. Maester Luwin then told Jon, "Come with me lad. I'll make sure that cut doesn't get infected." 

Jon nods his head and begins to follow the elderly man as Catelyn says, "Sno-...Jon, thank you. Thank you for saving my daughter."

Jon turned to her and said, "I didn't do it for you. Sansa is my family, and I would do anything to protect my family." Jon turned back around and followed Luwin down the hallway.

It has now been seven months since the beginning of the Greyjoy Rebellion, and two since the three intruders tried to take Sansa. The rebellion was officially over now, and the residents of Winterfell waited only for their lord to return home.

The intruder that Jon left alive had told them everything. The three men were from the Iron Islands and were sent on a mission by their king to take one of lord Starks children as a hostage. Balon Greyjoy would then threaten the child's death if the warden of the north didn't side with him and fight the rest of Westeros alongside him.

But, thanks to Jon, his plans failed. Word was sent to Ned, but they never received a raven in response.

Since then Sansa seemed to see Jon in a new light. No longer did she shy away from him, and just outright ignore him. Instead, Jon often found her coming to him to play with her, and come to him with her troubles. She even called him her big brother from time to time.

Jon found several people treat him differently after the incident actually. The guards and servants of the castle treated him with more respect now. He once overheard several guards boast that the ironborn were truly pathetic if a boy of six could dispatch three of them so easily. 

But the most shocking change came from Lady Catelyn. She no longer called him bastard or Snow, only ever calling him Jon now. She even let him eat beside Robb and Sansa during dinner. She was still cold towards him, but she seemed to have thawed a bit since Jon had saved Sansa.

The cut that Jon received had since healed and became a long scar on the right side of his head. Jon would often run his finger down the scar and remember the similar scar he got from Orell's eagle after he had run the man through with Longclaw. Robb would often say that it made Jon look more like a warrior, and wished he could have a scar just like it. Jon would simply chuckle at what Robb said forget he said it.

One day Jon found himself in the stables, sneaking Shadow an apple when a loud commotion could be heard in the main courtyard. Jon made his way to the opening of the stables and saw several men on horseback ride through the south gate holding the banner of House Stark.

Eddard Stark had finally returned home.

As Jon stood in the entrance to the stable Shadow came up behind him and began to nudge Jon forward. Ned was greeted by Catelyn and their children, Robb and Sansa practically jumped into his arms when they reached him, and Catelyn brought Arya to him as she was still just a babe. While Ned reunited with his family Jory Cassel stood not far behind his lord with a boy standing next to him.

Theon Greyjoy.

Ned motioned the boy to come forward and introduced him to his family and informed them that Theon would be staying with them from now on. Robb and Sansa seemed excited to have someone else to play with, while lady Stark seemed a bit upset that her husband had returned for war once more with another child that was not hers.

Ned's eyes then went to Jon and he quickly made his way over to him. Ned knelt before Jon and pulled him into a tight hug. Jon could only feel joy as he attempted to wrap his arms around Ned's chest. Ned then pulled back and trained his eyes on Jon's scar before he placed his hand on the side of Jons' head and ran his thumb down the scar.

"No child should have such a scar. If only I was here...I could have...." Ned said as Jon began to see his father's eyes fill with tears.

"They tried to hurt Sansa. I wouldn't let them. This," Jon said as he placed two of his fingers on his scar, "is a small price to pay to protect my family."

Ned smiled widely as he kisses ed the top of Jons' head, and rose back to his feet. He then motioned for Theon to come forward. Ned placed his hand on Theon's shoulder as he said, "Jon, this is Theon. He will be staying with us here in Winterfell for the foreseeable future."

The two boys locked eyes and Jons mind filled with his memories of Theon from his past life. How the older boy would do everything he could to remind Jon that he was a Snow and not a Stark. How he had called him the runt of the litter when they found the direwolf pups. And how Theon seemed to delight in upsetting him. And then he remembered seeing the hollow shell that was once Theon Greyjoy on the shores of Dragonstone. How he trembled every time some form of confrontation arose when previously he would gladly run head first into danger.

But perhaps this time things can be different. Perhaps this time he and Theon could be friends, instead of enemies. Farlan then came up an welcomed Ned back and asked him to come see Robb's horse, Shadow. Ned followed the man into the stables, leaving the two boys alone in front of the stables.

Jon holds out his hand to Theon and says, "Welcome to Winterfell, Theon. I'm Jon Snow."

Theon was hesitant as he took Jons hand into his own and shook it. Jon smiled at the two boys as he came back into the courtyard and took both of them with him as they walked back to the rest of his family.

Chapter Text

Chapter 5 - The Winter Solstice

Eight years have passed since the Greyjoy Rebellion ended. Things seemed to calm down a bit since the rebellion ended and the only major problem the north had to face from time to time were a few wildling raiding parties that managed to get over the wall. Jon continued to keep himself busy by helping around Winterfell wherever he could.

Farlen had named him the caretaker of Shadow in the stables when he turned ten and he also helped Mikken forge Robbs first sword for his twelfth name day. When he received the blade Jon thought Robb would crush his rib cage with how tightly he hugged him upon recieving the blade. Since the Greyjoy Rebellions end, Robb had begun to take his lessons as the heir to Winterfell much more seriously. Whenever he and Jon weren't in Luwins library for the maesters lessons, or in the courtyard training together Jon would often find his brother reading books on a multitude of subjects. From military strategy to the importance of marriage in Westeros Robb tried to learn all he could. He also spent a lot of time with their father in his solar and learning what Ned has to do as the Warden of the Noth.

Sansa no longer resided in Winterfell. When she turned eight she was sent to foster with the Tyrells of Highgarden. The day she left was a sad one. Catelyn pleaded with her husband not to send their daughter south, but he only told her that it was what Sansa wanted, and only her word would sway his decision. Watching her leave was sad. The last time he had watched Sansa ride away from him was when he went to face the Night King, and before that was when she rode south with their father to Kings Landing. The two of them grew much closer over the years, with Sansa often calling Jon her hero. She often wrote to him, telling him of how happy she was in the Reach and wishing that he was well.

Arya had also left Winterfell in the years after the end of the rebellion. She still resided in the north, however, fostering with the Mormonts of Bear Island. Arya's departure hurt Jon worse than Sansa's. With her on Bear Island, she and Jon would not be able to grow as close as they originally were in his past life. Arya also sent letters to her family in Winterfell, and Jon sent her a present in secret for eighth name day.

Bran too had recently left Winterfell, but not to foster with another family. Bran was currently the squire for his great-uncle Brynden Tully in the Riverlands. The Blackfish came north himself to retrieve the boy, and to assure his niece that the boy would be safe with him. The boy seemed happy to leave despite the tears his mother cried as she watched him leave through the south gate with her uncle. Brynden wrote to Lady Stark often, telling her how Bran was doing and always assuring her that the boy was fine.

In truth it wasn't any of the Stark children's idea's for them to leave Winterfell, it was Jon's.

When Sansa turned eight he told her that the Reach was supposed to be the most beautiful of the seven kingdoms and that he thought she would enjoy it there. When Arya turned seven he told her that Bear Island was renowned throughout the north for their warrior women. He told her they were like the princess Nymeria, and Visenyas of the north, and that he thought she could be one as well if she was on Bear Island. And one day as Bran told him that he wished to become a knight when was older he told him to ask his mother to ask her uncle to take him as his squire.

Jons intent in convincing them all to leave Winterfell was the same each time. He didn't want them in Winterfell when the king came to ask Lord Stark to be his Hand. With them all gone Sansa and Arya wouldn't be going to Kings Landing, and Bran wouldn't be in Winterfell to fall from the broken tower. It was sad to see each of them leave, but Jon knew that this was for the best. The alternative could not be allowed to happen.

Not again.

On this day Jon found himself running his hand trough Shadows mane as the Stallion ate from his food through. Shadow was now fully grown, at around six feet tall. Jon's bond with the horse only grew throughout the years, he would often warg into the horse whenever Robb would ride it into a hunt to make sure both would make it back safe.

Despite the fact that Robb was the one who rode Shadow, Shadow was Jon's horse. He would always be Jon's horse. When Ned brought Jon to the stables when he was ten he had hoped that Ned was going to reward him by telling him that Shadow was now his horse instead of Robbs. But instead, Ned told him that he and Farlen were naming him the horses personal caretaker. It was disappointing, but Jon was happy he would be able to spend more time with the horse.

As Jon continued to run his hand through Shadows mane a loud commotion came from the south gate. For a second Jon wondered what it could be but then he nearly smacked himself upside the head for forgetting what today was. Today is the Winter Solstice. Every year the lords of the north come to Winterfell and the Starks hold a feast to celebrate the twenty-first day of the twelfth month of the year. The reason for why they celebrate the day of the Winter Solstice has been lost to history, but the north celebrates the day regardless.

But this day was a lot more important to Jon than just being a day the north celebrates. Because today was his fourteenth name day. Whatever small celebration Ned would have for Jon, a hunt, a feast, or just giving him a gift was always overshadowed by the feast that happened later that night.

As Jon continued to tend to Shadow Robb entered the stables and said. "Jon! Father wants to see you! Come to the main courtyard!"

"Okay! Be there in a minute!" Jon replied as Robb exited the stables.

Jon gave Shadow another apple before he followed Robb. Within the main courtyard the house banners of Mandely, Umber, Karstark, Glover, Hornwood, and even house Reed flew beside one another. Ned was welcoming the lords of the five noble houses in the main courtyard when Jon came out of the stables. Jon waited til the lords went their separate ways before he approached his father.

"You wished to see me, father?" Jon asked as he stopped before his father.

"Yes, Jon. Walk with me." Ned said as the two walked beside one another. "I know this day has never been easy for you. Today should be yours alone. I wish the feast tonight was in celebration of your Nameday, but not even the Warden of the North can change tradition. I'm sorry, Jon."

"It's okay, father. Today is a day for celebration, not one where we should focus on what we wish we could have happen." Jon said as he smiled at Ned.

"You've always been so understanding. I sometimes wonder why the gods gifted me with such a good lad." Ned said as the two of them stopped in front of Mikkens forge. Robb stood in front of the forge with Theon as Ned continued to say, "I know nothing I can give you can make up for not being able to give you the nameday celebration you deserve. I hope this can make up for it a little."

Ned then turned to Mikken and gave a nod of his head. Mikken brought out something wrapped in a brown cloth. Jon stared at the object Mikken held in his arms before he looked over to his father. Ned nods his head and Jon walked forward and taking the object into his hands. Removing the cloth, Jon's eyes landed upon the most magnificent sword he had ever seen. With trepidation and anxiety he drew the sword out of its sheath and marveled as the sunlight reflected on the sleek blade. He could see Ned smiling out of the corner of his eye and figured Robb probably had a similar expression on his face.

Jon placed his new sword back into its sheath before he turned to his father and said, "Thank you, father. I am truly grateful."

"I am glad to hear. It wasn't easy hiding it from you, being that you help Mikken almost every day." Ned said as Jon then looked at the blacksmith.

"Consider it my thanks for all your help, lad. That blade is my finest work to date. I hope it serves you well." Mikken said with a smile.

"Thank you. both of you." Jon said as Robb stepped forward.

"I have a gift for you as well." Robb said as he pulled something out from behind his back. "It took some time but I was finally able to find a copy of it." Robb then removed the small cloth from a top of the object he held in his hands. The book was titled 'A History of the Dragon Kings by Grand Maester Benedict.' "I know how much you like the histories of the Targeryans, and always read about them when we were younger. Maester Luwin had to get someone to retrieve it from the Citadel, but it's yours now."

Jon took the book in his hands and ran his hand across the front of it. The cover was the Targaryen banner with the title of the book written in white. As Jon smiled down at the book he could see Ned staring at him with what appeared to be a worried look in his eyes. Jon ignored as Theon then stepped forward.

"I too have a gift for you." Theon then reached behind the forge and pulled a bow. "You're still nowhere near as good as me, but now you can use this to help you get better."

Jon made sure to ensure his bond with Theon was of a more friendly manner than the one they had had in the previous life. He wanted Theon to be his friend and feel part of the Stark family to avoid the consequences he knew would arise otherwise. Jon could not say that he had as a good a friendship with Theon as Robb did, but Jon still counted him a friend. Jon helped Theon feel welcome when he had first arrived in Winterfell, and Theon was always thankful for that.

"Thanks, Theon. I'm sure it will serve me well." Jon said as he placed the bow over his shoulder, and across his back.

"It had better! I took me a month to make." Theon said as a smile formed on his face.

Everyone let out a laugh before Ned said, "Take your gifts back to your room, Jon. Then come help us prepare the main hall for the feast."

"Yes, father." Jon quickly made his way to his room and placed the book on the small table he had in his room, and placed his bow beside his bed. Jon then unfastened his sword from his hip and placed it beside his bed as well.

As Jon went to leave his room he found maester Luwin standing in his doorway. "Do you need something, maester Luwin?"

"No, lad. I simply came to deliver you something. Three letters came for you today, most likely wishing you a happy name day. Here you are." Luwin said as he handed the three letters to Jon.

"Thank you, maester." Jon said as the older man bowed slightly before walking back down the hallway. Jon closed the door to his room before he sat on his bed.

The first letter had the seal of a rose on it, the seal of House Tyrell. Sansa often used it to seal the letters she sent home. The other two letter had no seals on them though. Whenever Bran and Arya wrote letters to him they would seal them with either the bear sigil of House Mormont or the Trout of house Tully. Jon figure he'd find out soon enough who sent the letters as he broke the seal on Sansa's letter and began to read what his sister had written him.

Jon,

I hope everything with you is well, big brother. I wish I could be there to give you a hug and wish you a happy name day in person, but sadly I was not able to do so this year. I just hope the words I have written in this letter can convey how much I miss you and everyone else.

Everything is well here in the Reach. The sun always shines bright and it never gets cold, which is good otherwise all the flowers wouldn't be able to bloom properly. The land down here is so much different than back in Winterfell, I wish you and everyone else could see it. The Tyrells have treated me well here, Lady Olenna and Margaery especially. Garlen and Willas have been kind to me as well. Their brother Loras is in the Stormlands currently, he's Renly Baratheons squire.

I hope both this day, and the year to come, find you well until we see one another once again.

Love,

Sansa

Jon smiled down at the letter as he finished reading it. It made him happy to know that Sansa was happy in the Reach and was able to find a friend in the Tyrell girl. Jon places Sansa's letter down on top of his bed as he opens up the second letter and begins to read it.

My beloved boy,

Only one person ever called him that. Ayla. This was the first letter she had ever sent him in the years since her departure from Winterfell. Anger began to eek it's way into Jons heart as he began to question why she hadn't sent more. Jon decided to save his judgment until after he finished the letter.

I do not think I can express in this letter how much it saddens me that I am not able to be with you on this special day. I wish I could have seen you grow into the great man I know you are now. I wish I could be there to hold you close and wish you a happy name day. I regret my actions caused us to be separated when you were still so young, but I want you to know that I never stopped thinking about you, young one.

The words in Ayla's letter saddened Jon a bit. After Ned returned from the war Jon informed him of Ayla's departure. Ned questioned his wife's actions, and she told him what happened the night before Ayla left Winterfell. That night when Ayla confronted Catelyn for what happened between her and Jon in the crypts. During their argument, Ayla had struck Catelyn in the face and because she did so Catelyn told her to leave Winterfell.

Nothing I can say or write could express how much I regret my actions in the past. I let my emotions get the better of me, and it led me to be seperated from you. If I could go back and change it all I would so that I could still be able to hold you in my arms, and so that I could share this special day, and all the days to come and go, with you.

When I heard about what happened after I left I wanted nothing more than to rush back to Winterfell and make sure you were alright. I am so proud of you for protecting your sister, I only wish you did not have to....do what you did to protect your sister and risk your life at such a young age. No child should be forced to do that.

I know the words I write here can never truly do justice to what I feel, of how sorry I am that I only now send you this letter to you after all these years. You mean the world to me, and I can only pray that you can forgive me. As an attempt to try and express how sorry I am the second letter contains the present I got for you. I await the day when you and I will meet you once again and be able to wrap my arms around you once again.

Love, now and always,

Ayla

Jon then placed Ayla's letter down beside him and opened the final letter. He reaches his hand into the letter and pulls out Ayla's gift. As he pulled out the object Jon's breath hitched as he looked down at the object he held in his hand. The object in his hand took him by surprise and took his breath away for a minute. It was a necklace. The chain was made of black steel and the necklace's pendant was a wolf's head, carved from the wood of a Weirwood tree. But that wasn't why he was so surprised by this gift. Jon had seen this necklace once before, it was only briefly but he remembered the necklace as if he had seen it yesterday.

This was his mothers necklace.

Jon ran his thumb over the pendant and felt his eyes begin to water as he stared down at necklace in his hand. This was the only thing that remained of his mother, the only thing he now had that belonged to her. The images of Lyanna flashed through his mind as his eyes began to water and instinctively and not giving it a second thought, he puts the necklace around his neck. The chain felt heavy and the pendant burned on his chest. He thought he felt the bond with his mother strengthen and felt her smile and warm eyes fall on him, but that could have just been his imagination…

Jon never thought that something like a necklace would be able to reduce him to tears, and he would forever be grateful to Ayla for giving it to him. He would have to thank her tremendously when they finally saw one another again. But right now, Jon just let his emotions flow out after being bottled up for so long.

It didn't take Jon long to compose himself and after washing his face so no one could tell he had been crying, Jon made his way back to the courtyard. On his way to the Great Hall he saw a new house banner flying in the courtyard. The banner of house Mormont flew together with the rest. As Ned greeted lady Maege Mormont and her daughters Jon had an impulse to see if she had also come.

Jon then noticed the small girl standing next to lady Maege and her daughters. She was a bit taller than when he had seen her last and her hair was no longer bound in the small braids she often had. She wore a pair of riding breeches and a leather jerkin, and on her hip sat the small sword that Jon had sent her earlier in the year. As she broke away from their father her eyes shifted over to where he stood and a smile formed on her face.

"Jon!" Arya yelled rushing towards him and leaping into his arms to hug him. "Happy name day!"

"Thanks, Arya." Jon then placed her back on the ground as he directed his gaze to the blade on her hip. "I see you still have my gift."

"It never leaves my side. Lady Maege has been helping me learn how to use it, but I still need a lot of practice." Arya said as she ran her thumb over the top of the pommel of her sword.

"Have you thought up a name for it yet?" Jon asked.

"Yes. Let Sansa have her sewing needles, I have a Needle of my own." Arya said as she put her hand on the swords handle and gripped it tightly as if to make sure no one would try to take it from her.

"Have you learned the first lesson of using a sword yet?" Jon asked.

"Yes. You stick em with the pointy end." Arya said with a smile.

Jon placed his hand on the top of her head and ruffled her hair a bit. Jon was pleased that despite what had changed, Arya was still the same girl he was proud to call his little sister. Then, standing beside her husband with Rickon clinging to her legs, Lady CatelynCaelyn called out to her. Arya quickly hugged Jon once more before she rushed back over to where Ned stood to greet her mother and her baby brother.

Long after the sun had set the feast was still fully underway. The sound of people laughing and cheering could be heard throughout the entire castle. Jon currently found himself sitting outside of the forge with his new sword. As Jon was running a Whetstone down the blade of his sword he heard the sound of someone walking towards him could be heard. Jon looked up from what he was doing to find a man that looked only a year or so older than him.

"Excuse me, you are Jon Snow, correct? Lord Starks son?" the young man asked.

"Lord Stark is my father, yes. Might I know your name, ser?" Jon asked as he stopped what he was doing.

"Aw, forgive me. I am Domeric Bolton, heir to the Dreadfort."

Domeric Bolton. Jon had only heard the name briefly before, he remembered hearing that he had allegedly been poisoned by his half-brother, Ramsay. Just thinking of that monster made Jons blood run hot. Thinking of what he had done to Sansa and Rickon made him wish the dogs which ate him ripped him apart as slowly and painfully as possible. But his attention was then brought back from his past life as Domeric continued to stand silently in front of him.

"Nice to meet you, my lord. Is the feast not to your liking?" Jon asked as he put his sword back into its sheath and placed it against the wall of the forge.

"It is, but I'd honestly rather be on my way home right now. I have been squiring in the Vale for the past three years, and there is someone I wish to meet back home." Domeric said.

"Who might that be, my lord?" Jon asked, even though he knew most likely who Domeric was speaking of.

"My younger half-brother, Ramsay. I've always wanted a brother you see, and intend to seek him out once we return home after the celebration ends." Domeric said as he walked over and sat beside Jon.

"Has lord Bolton said anything about this half-brother of yours?" Jon asked.

"No, even though I have asked him on multiple occasions to do so. He does not want me to seek him out, but Ramsay, I believe his name is, is my brother. I cannot just act as though he does not exist, no matter how much father may wish it." Domeric said as he stared down at the ground.

Your kind heart will get you killed. It certainly did for me. From what Jon understood, of how Domeric Bolton died in his past life he had died from a sickness of the bowels. Many said that Ramsay had poisoned him so that he would become their fathers only heir. From what Jon remembered of Ramsay it would not surprise him if the rumor was true. The man was heartless and cruel, and delighted in seeing others suffering.

But Domeric seemed to be the exact opposite. Even though the two of them had just met Jon would forever feel remorse if he did not try and change Domerics fate.

"Do you know anything about your brother, my lord?" Jon asked as he turned to him.

"No, unfortunately. I do not even know what he looks like." Domeric said.

"What do you intend to do once you find him?" Jon asked.

"I intend to treat him like my brother. I will ask father to bring him into our home so that I may get to know my younger brother." Domeric said.

"Perhaps you shouldn't do that. At least, not at first." Jon said he turned his head away from Domeric.

Domeric looked over to Jon and said, "What do you mean?"

"Ramsay may be your brother, but you do not know him, my lord. Just because he shares your blood does not mean you should welcome him into your home with open arms. Get to know what kind of person he is first, and once you know who your brother is then decide on what you feel is the right thing to do." Jon said as he turned back to meet Domerics gaze.

Domeric turned from Jon and began to ponder what Jon had said for several minutes. Without another word, Domeric rose from where he sat and walked off. Jon let out a heavy sigh as he grabbed his sword and began to unsheathe it so that he could return to what he was doing earlier. But as he began to run the whetstone along the blade of his sword once again Domeric walked up to him, only this time he held a harp in his hand. Jon had heard that Domeric was exceptionally good at two things. Riding, and playing the harp.

"Have you ever played?" Domeric asked.

"No, unfortunately." Jon said with a small chuckle. "Though I doubt I'd be very good at it."

"Well then perhaps you should try." Domeric said as he offered the harp to him. "You'll never know until you try. Hells, you might even like to play."

With a shrug, Jon took the harp from Domerics hands and began to run his fingers along the strings. As he believed, he wasn't that good, Domerics chuckling was evidence enough of that. "Told you I wouldn't be that good."

"Yes, you are correct. But with practice, I have no doubt you will get better." Domeric smiled.

"Maybe. But first I'd need to convince myself to get a harp of my own before I ever decide to try and play again." Jon replied giving the harp back to Domeric.

"What are you talking about? You already have a harp. You're holding it right now." Domeric said as Jon began to realize what he meant.

"But....but this harp is yours! I can't take it from you!" Jon said in his shock.

"You can't take what I give willingly. Consider it my thanks for listening to what I had to say." Domeric said with a smile.

As Jon began to say something in response Domeric interrupted him by saying, "If that is not enough then consider it a name day gift. I overheard your brother and sister talking about it during the feast."

Before Jon could try to protest again Robb walked up and said, "Jon, father wishes to speak with you in his solar."

"Very well then." Jon said to Robb as he rose from his seat. "I enjoyed our conversation, Lord Bolton. I hope we will be able to do so in the future."

"As do I. And, please, call me Domeric." Domeric then held out his hand and the clasped one another's arms. Domeric then walked off back towards the Great Hall to rejoin the feast.

Along the way to his father study, Jon stopped to put his sword and his new harp in his room. He then proceeded to make his way towards his father's solar. Along the walk, Jon began to ponder what Ned needed to talk to him about. Perhaps he had another gift for him or needed to discuss something important in private. Guess I'll find out soon enough.

His father was standing by the hearth when he entered the solar. "You wished to see me, father?" Jon prompted after closing the door behind him.

"Yes, Jon. Please, sit." Jon did as Ned asked and watched as his father walked over and sat across from him. "I have made an important decision Jon. One regarding your future."

Jon's interest was peaked as he asked, "What decision father?"

"I have been watching you and I know what you want. I've decided that I'm sending you to the wall to join your uncle in the Knights Watch. He will be here within a week to retrieve you." Ned said with a small smile.

Jons interest quickly turned to horror as he couldn't believe the words coming from his father's mouth. In his shock, Jon could only manage to speak a single word, "What?"

Chapter Text

Chapter 6 - Changing Fate

Ned stood in front of the hearth that resided in his study as he pondering about what he was about to tell Jon. He had made the decision to tell him he was sending him to the wall to join the watch nearly a month ago. Jon had always been fascinated by the watch his entire life. Jon seemed most interested in the history of how the watch was formed and of the histories of the lord commander that named himself king of the watch. Whenever Benjen came down from Castle Black Jon would always ask how things were beyond the wall. Benjen also believed that Jon wished to join, and agreed to come escort Jon to Castle Black.

Benjen also agreed to tell Jon the truth of his parentage after he had taken his Nights Watch vows. Hand Benjen agreed that it would be best only to tell Jon of Lyanna after taking his vows since once he takes his vows it wouldn't matter who his mother and father were. Strangely, Jon had hardly asked about his mother, and Ned was thankful for that. He did not like to think of his sister. For every time he did so all he could see was her laying in that bed, covered in her own blood, pleading with him to keep her child safe.

Ned didn't know if he could tell Jon the truth himself, he didn't know if he could handle it if Jon resented him for not telling him before he joined the watch. Originally Ned told everyone Jon was his son to protect him from his older brother and sisters fate. He had promised to protect the child, it was the last thing his sister asked him before she died and he would do whatever he had too to make sure her child lived a safe life.

The safest place in the world for Jon was at the Wall. There he could live the rest of his life serving the realm, and far away from the reach of both Robert and the Lannisters. Even in the event, the secret Jons secret was discovered Robert would not be able to do a thing about it once Jon joins the Watch. The Nights Watch does not answer to the crown, only to the lord commander. If they did, the old Targaryen maester would have been killed years ago.

The thought of Jon resenting him for lying to him deeply hurt Ned. It reminded him of the look of hurt o his wife's face when he first showed up with Jon. The only pain he could compare it too was when he got the news of what happened in Kings Landing all those years ago. All he could do was hope that Jon would understand why he had to do it, and why he needs to go to the wall.

Ned heard the door to his solar open and close quickly as Jon asked, "You wished to see me, father?"

Ned turned to look at Jon and said, "Yes, Jon. Please, sit."

Jon sat in the chair that sat in front of Ned's desk and he watched as Ned walked over to his chair and sat down in it. "I've made an important decision. One regarding your future."

Jon shifted in the chair and asked, "What decision, father?"

"I have been watching you and I know what you want. I've decided that I'm sending you to the wall to join your uncle in the Nights Watch. He will be here within a week to retrieve you." Ned said sounding proud of himself.

Jon's form stiffened and his eyes grew wide. Out of all the reactions he could have had, Ned never expected Jon to be struck silent. Was it because he was happy, or because he was just shocked? Finally, after several moments of silence, Jon finally said, "What?"

"You are too join the Nights Watch, Jon. Your uncle Benjen has agreed to come and escort you to Castle Black within the week." Ned said.

Jon shifted his gaze to all over Neds solar before he looked back at Ned with a worried look in his eyes. "Father, have I displeased you in some way? Why are you sending me to the Wall? Have I done something wrong?" he asked incredulously.

Ned's eyes grew wide as he quickly answered, "No! Gods, Jon, never!"

"Then why? Why send me to the Wall if it's not some kind of punishment?" Jon questioned.

"I thought you would be happy. You've always been interested in the Watch, ever since you were a boy. Benjen and I both thought you would be happy to join." Ned explained.

"Well, you both thought wrong. I have never wanted to join the Nights Watch." Jon said, surprising Ned. Jon then asked, "Was this solely your decision, or did someone else suggest it to you?" he then asked with a hint of accusation in his voice.

"No one else suggested this, Jon. Only you, Benjen, and I know of this arrangement. Not Catelyn not Luwin, not even Robb. No one else." Ned assured.

"So then this is your decision alone, father? You're the one who has decided to send me to freeze and die at the wall?" Jon accused.

"Jon, that is not my intent." Ned said in an attempt to assure him of his intentions.

"Yet it is what you are doing. I would have no future at the Watch. The only thing I would have would be the promise of death. Either from the cold or in battle. That is what you are sending me to." Jon said harshly.

"It's for your own good, you'll see. Trust me when I say that I have little doubt you will find your place there." Ned said in another attempt to assure him he only wanted what was best for him.

"So am I not to have a say in my own fate? You let your other children whether or not they wished to leave Winterfell, am I not allowed to make the same choice?" Jon asked.

Ned looked away from Jon as he quietly said, "Jon, please. This is for the best."

Jon rose from his seat then and walked towards the door. As he opened the door Jon said in a weak sad voice, "I'm sure it is, Lord Stark."

Before Ned could tell him to wait so that he could try and explain further Jon slammed the door to his solar shut. Ned rose from his seat as quickly as he could and flung the door open, only to see Jons form quickly walking away. "Jon, wait!" Ned pleaded before racing after him.

It did not take Jon long to reach his room and close the door behind him. Ned only managed to get there in time to her Jon bolt the door shut. Ned beat on the door as he pleaded, "Jon! Jon, please open the door! Let me explain, please!" Jon said nothing in response. Not a sound came from Jons room as Ned waited outside his door for several minutes. "Jon, please, don't think I have done this out of anything else other than love. I love you, my boy. Please, never doubt that." was the last thing he said before retreating into the hallway and giving Jon some much-needed space.

Over the next five days, Ned hardly saw Jon around the castle. He did not come to breakfast with Robb and himself, he did not show up to help Mikken in the forge, and avoided his training with Ser Rodrik. He didn't even show up when Arya left with the Mormonts the day after the feast. Arya was upset over this and asked if Jon was okay. Ned was forced to lie to her and tell her that Jon hadn't been feeling well since the feast, and needed his rest. If Arya seemed skeptical of what her father told her she did not show it as she bid him and the rest of her family goodbye.

On the fourth day since Ned told Jon what he intended Robb confronted him in his solar.

"What did you do to my brother?" Robb questioned as he entered the solar.

"Robb?" Ned questioned as he looked up from the letter he was reading.

"You heard me. Jon was perfectly fine during the feast before I told him you wished to speak with him. After that, I haven't seen him at all, and he won't let me in his room to see him. So I ask you again, what did you do to my brother?" Robb questioned again.

Ned could not tell Robb the truth, at least not right now. The boy was angry and would not understand his intentions, much like Jon hadn't. "I will tell you what was said between Jon and me at a later date, my son."

"Is that all you have to say?" Robb asked, and was met only with silence. Robb then turned to leave and slammed the door to Ned's solar as hard as he could.

Ned ran a hand down his face as he leaned back in his chair. He had not considered Robb and his other children's reactions to what he had planned for Jon. Most likely they would all react the same way Robb had, and would not understand as Jon did either. But soon Benjen would be here for Jon, and the boy would go to join the Watch.

The watch is the safest place for him in Westeros, and he would come to understand why in time. Ned had to continue to reassure himself of that, that all he was doing for Jon's sake. And nothing else.

The fifth day came and Ned tossed and turned in his bed. He rose from his bed long before the sun came out ready to get this all over and done with. Benjen should be about to arrive in Winterfell, and Jon needed to be ready to go as soon as possible. Trying not to rouse his wife, Ned clothed himself and headed for Jons room.

"Jon. Are you up?" Ned asked as he was knocking on Jon's door. Once again he was met with silence. Becoming angry Ned began to beat on the door and yelled, "Jon! Open this door! Benjen will be here soon, you need to be ready!"

Once more Ned was met with silence. Not knowing what to do, he opted for going to the kitchen to bring some breakfast for both him and Jon. One last shared meal together before he left. He managed to find some juice and some biscuits and returned to Jon's room. He knocked again but, again, he received no reply. He then grabbed the doors handle and was surprised to find it unlocked. Ned opened the door to Jons room slowly and said, "Jon?" he asked tentatively giving the door a soft push.

Ned did not find Jon in his room. He was taken aback by what greeted him on the other side of the door. The room was completely empty, save for the bed, writing table, and dresser that was within, but most importantly, there was no sign of Jon. Realizing what this meant Ned rushed to Jons dresser only to find it empty. None of Jons things remained within his room, nothing at all. Ned fell to his knees as the realization of what has happened began to sink in.

Jon was gone. And he could only blame himself for it.

Jon had been preparing his things ever since he had met Ned in his solar.

For the past four days he had been packing, putting his clothes in a bag he had gotten from Winter Town, as well as bits of nonperishable that he could grab from the kitchen. Every night Ned would come to his door and attempt to try and convince him to hear him out, and every night he would just ignore him. Regardless of what he had to say Jon would not go to the Wall. The scars may no longer be on his chest but the pain they brought him, knowing that men he called his brothers chose to murder him, still pained him.

Jon refused to allow that to happen again. Not again, not this time. If his sibling's fate could be altered then so could his own. Years of planning, of hoping that things could be different this time for himself were thrown away when Ned told him what he intended.

If I am to have no future in the North, then I do not belong here any longer. Jon strapped his sword to his hip, grabbed the bag he placed his clothes and food, and put his bow on his back.

He started his way to the door and he heard a soft knock. He didn't need to open the door to know who it was. "Jon? Jon please, open the door. I don't want to talk to you through the door." his father's voice came from the hallway.

Jon remained where he was and said nothing. It pained him to be ignoring the person he considered his father like this. Deep down he knew Ned meant well and had good intentions, but it had to be done. It mattered little to Jon what Ned had to say in his explanation, nothing he could say could convince him to go to the wall. Jon could hear Ned let out a heavy sigh before he continued to say, "Jon please understand that the decision was made out of the best of intentions. I did not mean for this to upset you, and if it has I am sorry. But believe me when I say that I do this for your own good. Please do not doubt that. Benjen will be here in the morning to retrieve you. Please, Jon, don't make this any harder then it is already."

Once again, as he had done all the previous nights, Jon did not reply. And once more walked away. Only this time, it would be the last time Ned would do so. After waiting for several more minutes Jon finally exited his room.

He then made his way out into the courtyard of the castle as quickly as he could. Jon makes his way across the courtyard, heading towards the south gate. But as he neared the gate he looked back to the stables. He felt he needed to bid Shadow farewell before he left Winterfell behind.

Upon entering the stables Shadow rose from the pile of hay he had been laying on. Taking an apple out from his pack Jon gave it to the horse as he ran his hand through the horse's mane once again. "I'm going to miss you, boy. Make sure Robb doesn't get into too much trouble, okay?" Jon said resting his head against Shadows and hugged the stallion's neck before he turned to leave the Stables.

As he neared the door Jon felt something pull on the back of his pack. Jon turned to see Shadow holding Jons pack with his teeth. "I'm sorry boy, but I can't stay here any longer." Jon said as he attempted to take his pack from Shadows teeth. Suddenly Jon began to understand what Shadow was trying to tell him. "You...you want to come with me? Is that what you're trying to tell me boy, is it?"

Shadow let go of the bag and pressed his head against Jon's chest in response.

Jon smiled as he petted the top of Shadows head as he said, "Alright then, boy. Let's go." Jon grabbed one of the saddles from the wall on the Stables and strapped it onto Shadows back. Jon also strapped his sword and his pack to the saddle before he brought his horse outside of the Stables holding him by his reigns.

As Jon passed by the forge he grabbed a quiver filled with arrows and placed it on his back. He then walked to the south gate and begged the horse to stay quiet while he opened it. He was surprised to find it unlocked but decided not to question his luck. Shadow followed quickly behind him so Jon could close the gate door back behind them. After closing the gate door Jon climbed onto Shadows back and spurred him forward.

He took one last look at his home and could swear he saw a light and a head popping out from Robb's window looking directly at him. With a heavy heart, he took a deep breath and rode off into the night.

Chapter Text

Chapter 7 - Journey to White Harbor

Ned remained on his knees as everything began to sink in. Jon was gone, and it was all his fault. In trying to keep Jon safe, he instead drove him away. Ned never hated anything or anyone more then he hated himself in this moment. He wished he could go back and not make the decision to send Jon to the wall.

But perhaps there was a chance to rectify his wrongs. Jon couldn't be that far away from Winterfell. He was only a boy of fourteen, he couldn't get far in such a short amount of time since he had left Winterfell. He could bring him back, and once he did that he could explain why he made his decision and then tell Jon he had changed his mind. He'd even tell Jon about Lyanna if Jon would come back. He just wanted his sone to come back.

Ned quickly exited Jons room and went to find Rodrik. Rodrik was breaking fast with his son andVayon Poole when he found him in the great hall. The three of them greeted in unison, "My lord."

"Rodrik, Jory, go and prepare the men to ride out." Ned ordered.

"For what reason, my lord? Are we to go on a hunt?" Rodrik asked as he rose from his seat.

"No, Rodrik. Jon wasn't in his room, he's left Winterfell. We need to find him before something happens to him." Ned told them.

"What?! For what reason would the boy leave? Where could he possibly go?" Jory asked as he too rose from the table.

"That's not important now. What is important is that we find him. Rodrik, ready the men to head out of Winterfell in every direction. Jory, inform Luwin of what has happened and tell him to send ravens to every house in the north to look for Jon. Then come and join us to help search." Ned ordered.

"Yes, my lord." they both said in unison before they left the great hall.

"Vayon, I'm leaving you in charge of the castle while we go to try and find Jon. Inform the staff of what has happened, and in the event that Jon returns send him to my solar. And if he does under no circumstance is he allowed to leave." Ned said before he rushed out of the Great Hall.

Once Rodrik and Jory had the men prepared Ned met with them with them in the courtyard. "The men are ready, my lord. We await only your word." Rodrik said from atop his horse.

"Good. We'll need to disperse so that we may be able to cover more ground. There's no telling where he may be. Farlen, is my horse ready?" Ned asked the kennel master.

"Yes, Lord Stark. But I am afraid I have some bad news. I believe young Jon may have stolen Lord Robbs horse." Farlen said as he approached.

Ned closed his eyes and cursed to himself. He knew that Jon had a special bond with that horse, it's one of the main reasons he made Jon the horses caretaker. But he never would have thought Jon would steal Robb's horse, not even in the situation they were in now.

"If we are to find Jon, my lord, we need to go now. If Jon is able to ride that horse as well as Robb is, he could be halfway to Moat Cailin or Castle Black by now." Jory said.

Ned turned to Jory and said, "No, Jon wouldn't go to Castle Black. But you are right, Jory, we need to move out now if we want to have any hope of catching up to Jon." Ned then walked up to and mounted his horse. Wasting no more time, he mounted his own horse ready to leave the Courtyard and ride out of Hunter Gate into the Woldfswood, but before he could spur his horse forward he saw both his wife and oldest son walk up to him.

"Father, what's going on? Is something wrong?" Robb asked as he approached them with a confused look in his eyes.

"Yes, Ned. What's happening?" a worried Catelyn asked as well.

Ned took a deep breath and turned to them before he told them, "Jon is gone."

Robb's eyes went wide with shock as he yelled, "What?!"

"He was not in his room this morning when I went to check on him. All of his things were gone, and he was nowhere to be found." Ned told his son.

"Is it possible he could just be down in Wintertown? Or maybe in the Godswood?" Catelyn suggested.

"No, Cat. He's not in Winterfell anymore, I know that." Ned assured her.

"Ned, do you have any idea why he would leave Winterfell?" Catelyn asked.

Ned turned from them then and looked down at the ground. How could he tell his family what he had done? How and that Jon was gone because of the decisions he had made? Nobody said a word as an uneasy silence filled the air.

"This had something to do with what you talked to him about on his Nameday, doesn't it?" Robbs words cut through the tension, anger seeping through his teeth,

Ned clenched his eyes closed. "Yes, it does."

"What was it? What did you tell him to make him run away?" Robb asked as he stepped forward.

Ned took a deep breath and exhaled it before he said, "I told him...!"

"My lord!" a guard yelled running into the courtyard, interrupting what Ned was about to say. "My lord, lord Benjen has come through the North Gate!"

Ned spurred his horse forward and found Benjen waiting by the North Gate. Benjen was getting off of his horse when he rode up to him. "Benjen!" The two brothers greeted one another fondly and shared a short embrace. "Good to see you, big brother. So where is our future ranger? Where's Jon?"

"What?" Robb asked as he walked up to them. "Uncle Benjen, what are you talking about?"

Benjen looked at Ned then. "You haven't told them?" Ned shook his head in response. Benjen let out a heavy sigh before turning to his nephew and saying, "I came here to bring Jon to the Nights Watch."

"For what crime?! What has Jon done to be sentenced to go to the Wall?" Robb asked angrily.

"Robb, please, calm down. Let your father and uncle explain themselves." Catelyn said as she rested a hand on her son's shoulder.

"Yes, Father, try and explain your reasoning for sending my brother to die." Robb said bitterly.

"Robb!" Catelyn yelled in shock.

"That was not my intent, Robb. I have only ever wanted what was best for your brother, please believe that." Ned tried to assure his son.

"And you think sending him to the wall is 'whats best' for Jon? If you believe that then you don't know Jon at all!" Robb accused.

"I promised his mother that I would protect him." Ned told him.

"And you think the Wall is a place where he would be safe? The wall has become nothing more than a place for criminals and outcasts. The only exception being uncle Benjen!" Robb yelled as he motioned to his uncle. Robb's eyes then widened before he turned and rushed towards the stables. Ned, Benjen, and Catelyn followed after him.

Upon reaching the stables Robb ran in and rushed towards the back where his horse was kept. "Where is my horse?" he asked aloud as he looked around the stable.

"Robb, Farlen believes Jon took your horse when he left." Ned told him softly approaching his son.

"Don't worry, lad. We'll find Jon and bring him home." Rodrik tried to assure him.

"That's not it. I know where he's gone." Robb told them.

"What?! Where Robb?!" Benjen urged him.

"Last night, after we all ate dinner, I saw someone ride out through the south gate. I figured it was some messenger so I didn't think much of it. But now I realize that it had to have been Jon I saw last night. He's riding south." Robb told them.

South. At least now they knew where to go to find him. But for what reason could he ride south? Could he be riding to Dorne? Ayla had returned there after Catelyn had released her from her job as Jon's guardian, perhaps he was going to her. Or perhaps he was going to Starfall. The rumor of Ashara being Jons mother circulated through the castle at one point and perhaps Jon intended to find his supposed mother's family.

But his mother is here, his family is here. Ned reminded himself as he watched Robb walk out of the stables and mount Neds horse. "Robb, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to find my brother." Robb told them.

"Robb, you can't go. Let your father and the men go after him. They will bring him back." Catelyn told him.

"Do not try and change my mind, mother. Jon needs me now, and I will not abandon him." Robb said as he spurred the horse towards the south gate.

Ned ran a hand down his face as he watched Robb ride towards the gate. This was all his fault. If he had asked Jon rather then assume he wanted to join the Nights Watch this whole situation could have been avoided. He had to make things right, as best he could.

"Farlen, bring me another horse." Ned told the kennel master. Farlen bowed his head slightly before he rushed away to grab another horse.

Benjen then placed his hand on his brother's shoulder before saying, "Worry not brother, we'll find him. I can stay for a few more days and search around Winterfell to make sure he isn't hiding in the surrounding area."

"Thank you, brother. I just hope we can find him before he is able to get past the Neck if that is where he is going." Ned said before Farlen brought up his new horse.

Catelyn then walked up to him. Ned wrapped her in his arms and placed a kiss on her head. "Watch over Rickon while I'm away. I promise to return as soon as we find him." He detached himself from her then and mounted the horse Farlen brought him.

"Be safe, my love." Catelyn told him as they rode through the south gate.

Jory rode up beside him then and in an attempt to reassure him said, "Worry not, my lord. Jon may be a smart lad, but he is still just a boy. We'll find him."

Ned couldn't help but agree with Jory. They would find Jon. They would bring him home. They had to. And he would make things right between them.

Jon currently sat alongside the White Knife River, not far from its fork that led to White Harbor. His plan was to follow the river to White Harbor, and from there board a ship bound to any of the free cities. Following the river may not be the fastest route to White Harbor, but it was the safest. By now, Ned would have found out that he was no longer in Winterfell and have people looking for him. If Robb did see him last night he could have told Ned what direction he went in.

In the time since leaving Winterfell Jon had managed to bring down a buck with his bow and was currently cooking it over the small campfire he had built. Shadow was laying down beside him, allowing him to lean against the horse's side to rest while his food cooked. As he lay against Shadow Jon couldn't help but stare into the flames of his campfire. Within the flames, he once again saw images like that night Sansa was almost kidnapped.

Within the flames, he saw two wolves howling together in the night, and what appeared to be a campsite with the ground around it soaked in blood. The visions only ever came to him when something important was about to happen in his near future. He just wished whatever force sent him these visions would stop being so cryptic and just tell him what it is they were trying to tell him.

Thinking of whatever force showed him these visions Jon could not stop himself from thinking of the conversation he had with Beric Dondarion beyond the wall. Of how the lord of light had something special planned for him. Thinking of what Beric told him now he could not help but chuckle to himself at how right he was. But soon his demeanor changed as he began to remember what happened after that conversation with Beric. How his actions gave the Night King the key to his victory, Viserion.

Thinking of the fallen dragon Jon could not help but think of the dragons mother, the woman he loved. Daenerys. She had told him of what life was like in Essos when she was young. Of how she and her brother had to constantly be moved so that king Robert would not be able to find them. Thinking of the things she was most likely going through now made his current situation seem like child's play. Thinking of the things she had to do to get to where she was when he met her angered him greatly. She told him of how her brother sold her like a slave for an army he never got, how men tried to make her whore herself to them to gain their aid in her endeavors.

When he finds her he would make sure she would never have to do any of those things. He swore it.

Jon let out a heavy sigh as he rose to his knees and took the meat he had roasting over the fire. As he went to take a bite of his freshly cooked food Shadow rose to his feet and appeared to be startled by something. Jon quickly looked around the area they were in to see if he could find whatever had spooked his horse.

He quickly found the answer as two wolves jumped out from the trees, causing him to drop his food and draw his blade. The two wolves began to circle around him as he switched his attention between the two wolves. Jon quietly ordered his horse to back down so the wolves wouldn't attack him.

As the two wolves continued to circle around him Jon began to notice a few things. The first thing he noticed was their attention wasn't solely on him. It was more on the food he had dropped at his feet that he had dropped. The second thing he noticed was one of the wolves looked familiar. Its fur was grey, but also had streaks of black fur all over its body.

Then the realization dawned on him. He had seen this wolf before. She was much smaller than when he and his brothers found her with an antler stabbed into her throat, orphaning her six pups in the Wolfswood. This wolf is the mother direwolf that birthed his direwolf and his siblings. As he focused his attention on her he also noticed that the female direwolf, and the other wolf that accompanied it, were extremely thin. The both of them were most likely starving, which would explain why they were so interested in the food at Jon's feet.

Jon slowly got down on his knees and placed his sword on the ground as he kept his eyes trained on the female direwolf. She too kept her eyes locked on him as he grabbed the food on the ground and held it up to offer it to her. She approached hesitantly as attempted to assure her he meant no harm by saying, "Calm, calm down. I'm not going to hurt you." Jon took the meat off of the stick he had it roasting on and offered it to her. The female wolf walked to him and sniffed the food he held in his hand.

As she went to take it out of his left hand, Jon brought his right hand up to try and place it on her head. She was so distracted by the food that she didn't notice until his hand rested atop her head and his eyes turned white. His eyes quickly went back to their regular grey color and the direwolf was a lot friendlier after it was done. Jon then turned his attention to the other wolf.

This wolf must be her mate. The wolf was much bigger than the female. The wolfs fur was black as Jons own hair and its lone right eye stared directly into his own as it snarled at him. Jon held out some more meat to the other wolf and it too hesitantly walked up to him. As it took the food from his hand Jon warged into its mind as well. He was correct in assuming this wolf was the females mate and proceeded to scratch both of them behind their ears as they ate the deer meat he gave them.

"I need to name the two of you now, just like I named Shadow." Jon said as the two wolves stared at him, and Shadow walked back towards him. He looked the wolves over and made up his mind on what to call them. "You are Winter." he said to the female wolf. "And you are Smoke." he told the male wolf.

The two of them began to wag their tails in response as Jon rose to his feet and picked his sword back up from where he had placed it on the ground. Putting the sword back into its sheathe Jon then pulled one of the apples he had in his pack and gave it to Shadow. He then placed more meat over his fire as Smoke and Winter walked over to sit beside him.

It took Jon two days of following the river but he was now on the road to White Harbor. The road had diverged from the Kings Road towards the city and would take him at least another half a day to reach the city gates. Smoke and Winter stayed in the tree line so no passerby would see them and cause a scene. The two wolves had been following him ever since they met him on the bank of the White Knife, and they have helped him bring down two more deer so they could eat. Jon's pack was now filled with deer meat for both himself and his wolves to eat later on when they're heading to Essos.

Night had fallen already as Jon rode down the road towards White Harbor. By the time the sun came up he could be at the cities gates if he continued to ride. But as they continued to ride Shadow became more and more tired, and Jon did as well. Deciding to make camp for the night Jon went off the road to find a good place to set up camp. Gathering up some small branches and some fallen leaves Jon put them all together before creating a spark using his sword and a nearby rock.

Shadow lay on the ground beside the fire and Winter and Smoke came up from behind the trees. They lay beside Jon as he pulled some of the deer meat he had and gave it to both of them before pulling out some bread for himself to eat. But as he ate his food he began to hear someone coming down the road from White Harbor. Winter and Smoke went back into the forest as whoever it was coming down the road got closer and closer to their camp.

Jon's hand went to the handle of his sword as whoever it was on the road got closer and closer to them. As they were about to pass by him they stopped and the group turned in his direction. They must have seen the fire. Jon mentally cursed to himself as someone began to walk towards his small camp.

"Hello? Who's there?" the man asked as he approached tentatively.

Jon rose to his feet with blade in hand as the man approached him. The man turned around a tree and came face to face with Jon. His eyes went down to Jon's sword before saying, "Now, hold up there lad. There's no need for us to draw steel on one another, is there?"

"Who are you?" Jon asked lowering his sword back down to his side.

"Names Yoren, I'm the traveling brother for the Nights Watch. Who are you?" Yoren asked.

"Jon."

"Well, nice to meet you lad. What are you doing out here by yourself?" Yoren asked.

"I decided to camp here for the night so that I and my horse can rest." Jon replied pointing at Shadow.

"You going to White Harbor?"

"Aye."

"Well, it's about a two-hour ride to the city. I just came from there looking for people who can take the black."

"Thanks for telling me."

"You're welcome, lad. My intentions for approaching your camp was actually to ask if I and my conscripts could share your fire for the night. So, can we?"

"I see no problem with it. As long you and those accompanying you don't try to take anything of mine." Jon told him.

"I'll make sure they don't try to steal from you, I promise." Yoren said before he motioned for the four conscripts he had with him to come forward. Jon went back to sit beside Shadow as the four of them came to sit around his campfire. When they sat at his fire he was shocked to see who they were. They were much younger, but there was no mistaking who these four were.

"So who are you?" Jon asked the four boys who were now sitting around his fire.

"Sa...Samwell Tarly."

"Eddison Tollet."

"Pyp."

"Grenn."

Jon had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from smiling remembering all the fun he had had at the Wall with these four. They had stood beside one another through thick and thin, and they had fought for him when they did not need to. They were more than his friends, they were his brothers. And nothing hurt worse than when he had to burn their bodies after they had fallen.

But perhaps, like so many other things, he could change their fates as well.

As Jon shared his food with the group a sound cuts through the silence of the night. Smoke and Winter howled together as if to warn Jon of some kind of impending danger.

"What was that?" Sam asked in a frightened voice.

"Wolves. They're everywhere in the north. We'll be fine though, they don't come near the fire." Yoren told them.

"That was no normal howl. They were signaling something." Jon told them as he grabbed the hilt of his sword.

"Signaling what?" Pyp asked.

"Danger." Jon told them drawing his sword.

Yoren stood and drew his sword as well and began to look for whatever the wolves were warning them of. They quickly found out as an arrow shot through the air and embedded itself in Yorens right shoulder, causing him to drop his blade. Jon turned around to try and find the shooter and was hit to the ground.

The others were pushed to the ground and subdued by three other people who emerged from the shadows and subdued the others. Jon ordered Shadow to run and the horse obediently ran to the road to escape. Jon then felt someone step down on his back to keep him pinned to the ground. One other man then walked out from behind a tree. He was much bigger than the other had scars all over his face and carried a large double-sided axe at his side.

"So, what's a crow doing so far from its nest?" the man asked as he stepped towards Yoren.

"None of your damned business, wildling." Yoren spits at the man.

Wildlings, of course. The leader of the group had to be a thenn. But what was a thenn doing so far south of the Wall? How did they get so far south without being noticed?

The thenn chuckled as he bent down in front of Yoren and said, "Tell me, crow. Do you know what happens when a bird leaves the safety of its nest?" Yoren spits in his face in response. The Thenn smiled as he rose to his feet. "They lose their wings."

The thenn then raised his axe above his head and brought it down on Yorens left shoulder, removing the man's arm. He then did it again and cut through Yorens right arm as well. Yoren yelled out in pain as blood poured out of where his arms once were. His screaming was silenced swiftly as the Thenn lifted his axe once more and brought it down on Yorenns head, splitting it in half.

The thenn then turned to Sam and walked over to him, grabbing his face and making him look at Yorens mutilated body. "You see that hmm? I'm going to eat him. I'm going to eat him, and then I'm going to kill you and your friends and eat you too."

Sam began to cry as he pleaded, "Please! Please just let us go! We won't tell anyone about, we promise!"

"Oh, I know you won't. Because once I'm done with you and your friends, no one will be able to recognize you." the thenn said as he began to walk over to Jon.

As the thenn began to walk over to him, Jon saw both Winter and Smoke hiding behind the trees, waiting for the perfect moment to attack. Jon had to hide a smirk as the thenn stopped in front of him. "Are you prepared to meet your gods, boy?"

Jon said nothing in response.

The thenn laughed out loud as he raised his axe in the air, but before he could bring it down Smoke jumped out from behind the tree and latched onto the man's throat, and Winter did the same to the woman who held Jon down. Jon quickly rose to his feet and grabbed his sword as he rushed at the wildling who was holding both Grenn and Pyp down.

The wildling went to draw his weapon but Jon reached him first and stabbed his blade into the man's throat. When he pulled his blade out from the man's neck the two remaining wildlings put their blades to both Edd and Sam's throats.

"Don't take another fucking step, you little shit! We'll slit their throats if you so much as move an inch!" The wildling who held Sam yelled at him.

Jon could only smirk as the wildling was pulled to the ground by Winter before she ripped his throat out. Sam ran over to Grenn and Pyp then as the wildling who held Edd backed himself up to a tree. As the wildling went to say something Edd hit the man in the crotch, causing him to let go of him. Edd attempted to get up and run but his left leg was grabbed by the wildling.

The wildling man raised his small dagger up to stab Edd, but Jons blade stabbed through the man's skull and exited through his back. Edd rose to his feet as Jon drew his blade out of the man's skull. Jon's heart was racing as he turned to the others. "You all okay?"

"Yeah, we're alright." Grenn said sitting back down on the ground.

"Good. Good." Jon said as he wiped the blood off of his sword and put it back into its sheath. Winter and Smoke camp up to him then, startling the others in the process. "Calm down, they're with me."

"How can two wolves be with you?" Edd asked.

"Does it matter? Were all still alive aren't we? Well, almost all of us." Jon said before he looked over at Yorens body.

Edd walked up beside him then and said, "We should bury his body."

Jon shook his head saying, "No. He was a brother of the Nights Watch, they burn their dead when they die. We should build him a pyre."

They built a makeshift pyre with the branches and twigs they found lying around and grabbed a flaming log from their own fire. After building the pyre Edd, Pyp, and Grenn helped Jon placed Yorens body on it. "Any of you have anything to say?" Jon asked his companions.

The four of them looked to one another until Edd said, "I may not have known him long, but he was a good man. He did his duty to the last and lived for the watch. And now his watch has ended."

"And now his watch has ended." they all repeated before Jon walked forward and lit the pyre aflame.

"What happens to us now?" Sam asked aloud.

"The way I see it you have two options in front of you." Jon said, gaining their intention. "You can either follow the road from White Harbor to the Kings Road and follow it north to Castle Black. Or," Jon began to say before he turned to them. "you can come with me."

"With you? Where are you going?" Pyp asked.

"Essos." Jon answered.

"Why would we go to Essos instead of going to the Wall?" Grenn asked.

"At the wall, you throw your life away. You have no future in the Watch. Come with me to Essos and I promise you will have a better future than you would in the Nights Watch." Jon told them as he walked past them back towards his camp.

It did not take them long to give him an answer. "Okay, we'll go with you. We do owe you for saving us." Edd told him.

A smile formed on his face before saying, "Alright then. Try and get some rest, for now, we'll head to White Harbor at first light."

The four of them found their own places around the fire and did the best they could to get comfortable with the events that had just transpired. Jon summoned Shadow back to him and the horse laid down once again beside a tree. Jon laid down by his horse as Winter and Smoke laid next to him as Yorens pyre burned in the distance.

The following morning Jon awoke to the smell of something cooking. Upon opening his eyes Jon found Sam cooking some of the deer meat Jon had brought with him. Sitting up from laying beside Shadow he also saw both Edd and Pyp stomping out what remained of Yorens pyre. "Oh, you're awake! Foods almost ready." Sam told him.

Grenn hands Jon a branch with some cooked meat on it. Jon takes two pieces off of the branch and gives both Winter and Smoke a piece before he decides to eat what remained. After they all ate their fill, for now, they then prepared to venture to the city. As they prepared to leave camp Grenn picked up the thenns axe, and Edd picked up Yorens sword.

As Jon began to strap his sword to Shadows saddle Grenn walked up to him and told him, "You know, while we were in White Harbor we heard about there being a bounty out on whoever was attacking people on the road to the city. These guys may have been the ones who were attacking the people on the road."

"Well, we do need the gold. Take their heads, we'll try and collect the bounty on them." Jon replied as Grenn walked over and lopped off the five wildlings heads.

"You're taking those with us? If so, I'm not carrying them." Edd told them.

"Grenn believes there is a bounty on them. We take in the heads, we get the reward. And we need the gold." Jon replied as he climbed into Shadows saddle. The five of them then began to make their way towards the city.

Just as Yoren had said it took them two hours to reach the city gates. Dismounting From Shadow Jon took his horse by the reigns as they entered the city. "Okay, here's the plan. Grenn Sam and I will go to cash in the bounty while you two go to try and find us a ship heading for Essos." Jon told Edd and Pyp. The two of them nodded in agreement before heading towards the docks.

As they walked through the city the citizens cleared the way for them as Winter and Smoke walked beside Jon. Finally reaching where they could turn in the bounty Grenn went in to receive the reward. It did not take him long to exit the building with a purse full of coins. "So, how much is the reward?" Sam questioned.

"Twenty-five gold dragons for all five of them." Grenn said with a smirk as he threw the coin purse to Jon.

He caught it easily and placed it in his pants pocket. "That should be more than enough to get passage to Essos. But before we go to meet Edd and Pyp let's get some supplies for the journey." Jon said and began to walk towards the marketplace. They spend five gold dragons buying some more food, some potatoes, raw meat, some salt for the meat to keep it preserved, and some fruit. They then made their way towards the docks.

It did not take them long to find Edd and Pyp, the pair stood in front of one ship. "You manage to find a ship?" Grenn asked as they approached.

"Yeah. The captain wants seven gold dragons to take all of us to Braavos." Pyp replied.

"Good thing we cashed in that reward. Here, "Jon said as he tossed the gold to Edd. "Pay the man and ask him how long till we can depart."

Edd and Pyp walked back onto the ship to meet with the captain. Pyp returned quickly to tell them, "He said we can depart immediately. Your horse has to go below deck, and the wolves have to stay locked up in whatever cabin we occupy at all times."

Jon nods in approval and leads Shadow below deck as Sam and Grenn take Winter and Smoke to their cabin. After getting Shadow situated below Jon walks back on deck to see that they were leaving the harbor. Standing on the deck Jon felt both happy and anxious having found his long lost friends, though this fact was unknown to them. "So, what happens now, Jon?" Sam asked looking at the city slowly disappeared on the horizon.

"Now, we forge our own destinies."

 Ned stood before his sister's statue in the Winterfell crypts, the only light in the dark hall being the torch he held in his hand. They had been unable to find Jon, they had searched for three days now and found nothing. Luwin sent his letters to Sansa, Arya, and Bran informing them of what has happened. If they reacted the same way Robb had since Jon had left he could not blame them.

His actions drove Jon to run away. In his attempts to try and protect him, he only succeeded in driving him away. Now Jon was out there on his own and Ned did not know if he would ever see Jon again.

Ned places a blue winter rose in the hand of his sister's statue and watched as the rose slipped out of her hand and fell to the floor. Upon seeing this he broke down and fell to his knees as what he had done began to set in.

He had failed his sister.

He had failed his family.

He had failed his son.

Chapter Text

Chapter 8 - Trouble at Sea

They had been sailing for two weeks now.

Jon kept himself busy either helping the crew with the ship, caring for his animals, and training the others to fight. Edd fought best with a sword and had some skill with a blade from being trained while he still resided in the Vale with his family. Grenn had no skill with the axe they took from the then, but he was improving slowly. Despite his efforts Pyp didn't seem to have a knack for fighting with a sword, he did show promise with a bow though. Sam, however, had no skill what so ever combat wise. Despite this fact, however, Jon still did his best to train Sam in how to use a sword.

Whenever Sam questioned why he bothered with trying to train him he would tell him, "If you wish to forge your own destiny, you must be able to fight for it."

Winter and Smoke still had to be confined to the cabin Jon and his companions occupied. They seemed content to stay there though. Jon brought them food every night, and they were able to sleep together beside Jon's bunk each night.

One night Jon dreamed of how Smoke lost his left eye. While the two wolves were still beyond the wall a giant bear attacked them. Smoke and Winter had just brought down a buck together and the bear wanted their kill. In his attempt to protect both his mate and their kill Smoke lost his eye. Upon waking Jon found the wolf staring at him with his head on his chest. Jon couldn't help but smile down at the wolf as he went to scratch him behind his right ear.

Another night as Jon was reading the book Robb gave him for his name day Winter put her head in his lap. Jon couldn't help but smirk as he ran his hand through her fur. Both of the direwolves were at least a years old and as big as a small horse. Holding the wolf's in his lap he couldn't help but remember Ghost and his siblings. The little wolf still held a special place in Jon's heart and he couldn't wait to hold him in his arms again. Winter was still young and too weak to be able to have pups, but hopefully, both she and Smoke would begin to regain some of their strength.

Shadow wasn't coping below deck as well as Smoke and Winter were in the cabin. Jon could tell that his horse was restless, that he wanted to be able to run around instead of being cooped up on the ship. Robb would take him out nearly every day to ride either in the courtyard or outside of Winterfell with a guarded escort. In the deck of the ship, Shadow could only walk so far and he would mainly lie down on the hull of the ship. Jon did what he could to help his horse, some nights even staying down below with him.

The voyage was going well and they had only one more week to go before they would reach the city of Braavos...and Jon's new future.

During the dark of night while they still sailed on the Narrow Sea a storm came upon them. Jon and his companions were confined to their cabin as the storm came down on them. Jon kept himself busy by attempting to play the harp Domeric gave him. Edd and Grenn proceeded to throw things at him to make him stop playing he snorted and stuck his tongue out. "If you think I'm that bad, maybe I should just continue practicing." he teased his new friends drawing an awful high pitched screech from his instrument, only for another dirty sock to land on his head.

As he held the instrument in his hand he couldn't help but think about the man who sired him, Rhaegar. It was always said that he was as good with a harp as he was with a blade, if not better. Playing his harp is how Rhaegar was said to meet his mother originally at the Tourney of Harrenhal when he played a song that made Lyanna cry.

Thinking about his mother and father saddened Jon greatly. His father was known as a madman who kidnapped and raped his mother. His mother was seen either as a helpless girl who was taken against her will by the crown prince, and some even said she was a northern whore who seduced Rhaegar, depending on who you asked. Jon wouldn't have questioned the truth behind what happened between them, but upon learning the truth of the two of them being in love, and actually getting married on the Isle of Faces, hearing what people said about both of them upset him greatly. And what tore at his heart the most was that he could not just set the record straight and shout out the truth for all to hear. He had to perpetuate the lie, or else his family would suffer the consequences and his fath- no, his uncle's sacrifice would have been in vain.

It must have shown on his face as Sam asked him, "Jon, you okay?"

He looked to his friend, who was currently cooking some stew in the small pot they had in the room, and just nodded, "Yeah, yeah I'm okay. Just thinking about my family."

"Something must have upset you then since you looked like someone just killed one of your wolves." Edd said from where he lay on his bunk. "Was it the sock? I'm sorry." he apologized genuinely concerned, to which Jon just shook his head.

"Why would thinking of your family make you so upset?" Pyp asked from where he sat on the floor.

Jon took a deep breath as he said, "I didn't tell any of my family I was leaving Westeros. I left Winterfell in the dead of night, in complete silence under the cover of darkness. I never left a note or sent a letter. I imagine they must be upset with me now if they've gotten word of me leaving Westeros." Jon said as he sat up o his bunk.

"Winterfell? You lived in Winterfell?" Grenn asked as he too rose from his bunk.

Jon mentally cursed himself. He never told them who he was believed to be, he had told them where he came from but none of them knew who he was. All they knew about was that he was a bastard from the north that saved them from a group of Wildlings. Releasing a heavy sigh Jon told them, "Yes, my father is Eddard Stark, the Warden of the North."

Everyone's eyes went wide upon his unexpected revelation. "Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Pyp questioned.

"I honestly didn't think it was important." Jon answered.

"Not important?! Your Father is the Warden of the North! How is that not important?!" Grenn asked as he moved to sit on the edge of his bunk.

"Because I didn't want you to see me as some pampered lordling, or someone who thinks he's better than any of you because of who my father is. I just wanted you to see me as Jon, just Jon." Jon told them.

The only sound that filled the room was the crackling of the fire that Sam was using to cook their stew. Edd finally broke the silence saying, "That's reasonable."

"Agreed. So that means your Sansa's brother?" Sam asked as he stirred the stew.

Turning his head to Sam Jon asked, " Sansa? You know Sansa?"

"Well, I wouldn't say I know her, but I have met her before. I met her when my mother and father took me and my younger siblings to visit High Garden. She played with lady Margaery and my younger siblings while we were there, but I did meet her." Sam said as he began to focus on stirring the stew.

"How was she?" Jon asked calling Sam's attention again.

"She seemed happy. We didn't speak to one another but she looked happy." Sam stuttered but quickly turned his attention back to his stew.

A smile formed on Jon's face knowing that Sansa really was enjoying her time in the Reach and wasn't just saying she was in her letters. His attention was brought out from thinking of Sansa when Sam handed him a bowl of stew. But before he could eat the stew a loud commotion from outside of their room caught all of their attention. Pouring his stew back into the bowl Sam cooked it in Jon grabbed his sword and opened the door of their room. He caught one of the crew running past as he did so and Jon grabbed him by his shirt. "Hey, what's happening?"

"Pirates!" the sailor answered as he yanked his shirt from Jon's hand.

Pirates. He should have expected this, they plagued the Narrow sea wherever people sailed across it, attacking whatever ships they would come across. Without thinking, Jon rushed up to the deck of the ship and starts to get soaked by the rain. He begins to look around the ship to see where the pirate's ship was coming from and found it following close behind their ship.

"Captain, what are we going to do?" Jon asked as soon as he found the man yelling his orders and instructing his men from the quarterdeck.

"Worry not, boy. We've dealt with pirate scum before, we'll be fine." the captain told him right before an arrow then embedded itself in his skull, sending the captain's body to the black and angry waters below. Jon looked at the body slowly disappearing into the darkness.

"Everybody arm yourselves!" the first mate took charge. "We're about to be boarded. Prepare yourselves to fight!" he ordered his men. "You" he directed his words at Jon, "can you fight? Do you have a blade? Put yourself and your friends to good use."

"Jon, what do we do?" Grenn asked as he ran up to him.

Jon pondered what his companions should do. They were still green when it came to fighting, they had an opportunity to test themselves. "I want you and Edd to stay on deck and be prepared to fight if they board the ship." Edd and Grenn nodded their heads and took positions on both sides of the deck of the ship. "Pyp, climb up to the crows nest and be prepared to shoot at the pirates if they catch up to us." Pyp put his bow on his back and headed to the main mast in the center of the ship. "Sam, take Winter and Shadow below deck and try to keep them calm. But if you start to hear fighting on deck let them loose, we'll need all the help we can get against these pirates."

Sam walked back to their room and brought the two direwolves out with him, taking them below deck. As Jon walked back up the steps to the quarter-deck but the pirate's ship was quickly catching up to them. If it wasn't raining Jon would try to light an arrow on fire and fire at their sails, but that wouldn't work in this storm. As the pirate's ship grew closer to them one of the crew yelled, "Hit the deck!" Jon had no idea what he meant until something hit the port side of the ship. Running to the damaged side of the ship Jon found a scorpion bolt with a chain attached to it embedded in the hull of the ship, and it was pulling their ship closer to the pirate's ship.

"Brace for impact!" another member of the crew yelled as the pirate's ship rammed into theirs. Out of the darkness, Jon could see a pirate jumping onto the quarterdeck of the ship and making his way towards him. Drawing his sword Jon blocked the pirate's strike and slashed at his leg, cutting a large gash into the man's thigh. As the man stumbled back Jon shoved his blade through his chest before walking down the steps from the quarter-deck to the main deck of the ship.

Edd and Grenn were holding their own against the pirates they were fighting. Before he could go to their aid, another pirate rushed towards him. Ducking under the pirate's attack Jon turned back around and stabs the pirate through his chest. Kicking the man's body forward Jon quickly jumped back as another pirate attempted to attack him with an axe. Before Jon could attack him however the pirate stiffened up and fell forward as Grenn pulled his axe out of the mans back.

The pirates then dropped a boarding plank onto the deck of the ship and several more pirates made their way onto the deck of their ship. Stomping his foot on the wooden floor, Jon caught the attention of several of the pirates. As their attention was on him the other sailors rushed them, knocking some of them into the water. As another pirate ran at him Smoke leaped onto the man's back and sunk his fangs into his neck. Looking over to the hatch to the hull Jon sees Sam peeking out of it as Winter runs out of it and jumps onto the back of a pirate Edd was fighting. Jon nods his head in approval as Sam closed the hatch to the cargo hold back.

As more pirates boarded ship Jon spotted the leader of the pirates had remained on the other boat. The man was fat, dark-skinned, and was yelling at his crew to go and fight. Realizing what he needed to do Jon ran and jumped onto the railing of the ship and jumped onto the bow of the pirate ship. As he did so a pirate rushed at him with a cutlass in hand and was stopped in his tracks as an arrow embedded itself in his left shoulder. Jon ran forward and slashed the man across his chest and continue on his way to the quarterdeck of the ship.

The pirate captain drew his cutlass and swung at Jon. He easily blocked the strike and cut the captain's stomach open, making his guts spill out onto the quarter-deck. As the captain yelled out in pain Jon silenced him with one last swing of his blade, severing the mans' head from his shoulders. The rest of the pirate turned to him with hatred etched on their faces as Jon threw their captains head at their feet. As they watched their captains head roll by their feet they looked to the boy who killed their captain.

Jon's face was covered in blood from the men he had killed and must have looked like a monster to the pirates as he walked down the steps from the quarter-deck. Looking at the remaining pirates he asked, "Anyone else?" The pirates threw their weapons down in response and fell to their knees in defeat. As he began to make his way back to the merchant's ship a noise from the ships cargo hold caught his attention. Walking over to the hatch he broke the lock on it and found what lies within.

In the cargo hold, he found a large amount of pirated loot and twenty people chained to the floor. "Please, help us." one of them begged him as he made his way down.

"Where's the key to your shackles?" He asked them.

"The captain, he has it." another one answered.

Quickly making his way back up to the deck Jon found the crew of the merchant's ship taking the weapons from the pirates and making them lay flat on the deck of the ship. He returned to the headless body of the captain and felt the man's pockets for the keys. He then proceeded to unshackle every person they were keeping in the hold. Turning back to the crew of the merchant ship he tell's them, "Shackle down there, let's see how they like being the ones on chains."

As the pirates were escorted down to the cargo hold several of the slaves approached Jon. One of them falling to his knees with tears in his eyes as he cried, "Thank you! Thank you for saving us!"

Jon knelt down in front of him and helped the weeping man back up to his feet. "No one should live in chains. You are all safe now." he told them reassuringly.

The crew members of the merchant's ship began to take the cargo the pirates had in the cargo hold and take them back to their ship Jon walked back up to the quarterdeck. He ran his hand along the railing of the ship and grasped the wheel of the ship. Edd followed after him to the quarterdeck and asked, "What are you thinking, Jon?"

Looking over to his friend Jon said, "I think we just got ourselves our own ship.."

"You sure?"

"We're gonna need every resource we can get our hands on. Having our own ship will be a big help." he told him as he walked past Edd and back towards the slaves. "Do any of you know how to work on a ship?"

Several of the slaves nodded their heads in response.

"If you will help us sail this ship to the city of Braavos then I promise to help you as much as I can once we reach the city." Jon told them.

The former slaves looked amongst themselves before one of them stepped forward. "We have no homes to return to, not anymore. We would rather serve as your crew to repay our debt to you."

Jon was stunned. While he wanted to tell them they owed him nothing he welcomed whatever aid they could give him. Taking a deep breath he then told them, "Very well then. Those of you who know how to work on a ship take your places. Once we disconnect the ships from one another, and this storm passed, we'll head for Braavos."

The former slaves nodded in agreement and began to take their positions around the ship. As they did so Grenn, Pyp and Sam walked across the boarding plank to the pirate's former ship to join him and Edd. "So, what now?" Grenn asked as he resting his axe on his right shoulder.

"Now, we have our own ship. The former slaves have agreed to man the ship and stay on as the crew after we get to Braavos." Jon informed them.

"What do you intend to do to the remaining pirates?" Sam asked as Smoke and Winter walked past him to stand beside Jon.

"We'll give them to the authorities in Braavos. I highly doubt they tolerate pirates, slavers even less." Jon said petting both Smoke and Winter.

"Since we're staying on this ship now should we bring your horse over?" Edd asked.

Jon pondered it. While he wanted his horse to be with him he wouldn't really have anywhere to put him aside from the cargo hold with the pirates. "No. We don't have anywhere to put him on this ship with the remaining pirates down below. We'll retrieve him once we arrive in the city." The storm then began to get fiercer as they all stood on the deck together. "Come on, we can worry about the future tomorrow. I think we've earned our rest."

His companions agreed as they followed him down below into the ship. Jon made his way to the captains quarters and used one of the bowls of water found within to clean himself. Once he was done he placed his sword beside the bed and allowed himself to collapse. Winter and Smoke joined him on the bed and snuggled next to their master as his consciousness left him.

Chapter Text

Chapter 9 - A New Beginning

A week has passed since the battle with the pirates. The morning after the battle the first thing Jon and his new crew did was disconnect the two ships from one another. It took nearly an hour but they were finally able to dislodge the scorpion bolt from the hull of the merchant ships hull and give it back to Jon and his crew. In exchange for their aid in the pirate attack the new captain of the ship, the former first mate, agreed to continue to transport Shadow to Braavos, and also would pay back the money they were paid to transport them to Essos in exchange for their aid with the pirates.

Jon began to learn how to properly steer his ship from the former slave who had become his helmsmen by spending two hours a day training with him. But as they got closer and closer to the city Jon gave control of the ship back to his helmsmen so that they could make it to the city safely. When he wasn't learning to take control of the ship he spent time with his crew, often times helping them with hoisting sails, and hauling up the anchor every morning. Smoke and Winter stayed within Jons cabin most of the day so as to not scare any of the crew. The members of the pirate crew who survived the battle remained imprisoned below deck, being fed every night to make sure they would not die before they reached Braavos.

Jon's companions also kept themselves busy around the ship while they neared Braavos. Pyp found his place up in the crow's nest, keeping an eye out for any other pirate ships. He also began to learn how to become a ship's navigator. Grenn and Edd helped one another train on the main deck, entertaining the crew in the process. Grenn also began to learn how to become a ship's quartermaster, and Edd learned to become Jon's, first mate. Sam kept himself busy by helping out the ships medic, helping patch up the crews injured while also preparing dinner each night.

Things were beginning to look up for them as they neared the city. Jon could only hope that things stayed that way.

The Titan of Braavos could be seen long before even seeing the actual city of Braavos. It towered over the entrance to the city, standing guard against any who would try and bring harm to it's citizens. Jon went to the head of the ship as the titan came into view. He had only ever seen something so amazing once before when he first went to the wall. Well, before the Night King destroyed it that is. As the city came into view Sam walked up beside Jon and gasped in admiration. "The tales don't do it justice, do they?" he commented, his eyes glued on the enormous statue.

Jon shook his head in response. "No, they don't. No one is so gifted with words as to do the sight before us justice. We'll be in the Harbor within the hour, tell the crew to prepare to dock." Jon told Sam, who nodded his head before walking away.

As he said they arrived in Braavos within the hour and met with the crew from the merchant ship. The new captain brought Shadow up from the cargo hold and held the steed by his reigns in the harbor waiting for Jon. As Jon's crew tended to the ship, and both Edd and Grenn took the pirates to the cities guard, Jon met the captain. "You have my thanks for returning him to me."

"We made a deal, you and I. Here's the rest of what I owe you for your aid with the pirates." the captain said as he handed Jon a coin purse. "I wish you safe travels in this land, lad."

The captain then put his hand out for Jon to shake, but instead, he grasped the captain's forearm and held onto it tightly. "The same to you, friend. Til next we meet."

"Aye. Til next we meet." the captain turned from Jon then and headed back to his own ship.

Jon returned his attention to his own ship as Edd and Grenn returned. "So, were they worth anything?"

"Ten gold dragons per person." Grenn said with a smirk as he tossed a coin purse up and down in his right hand.

"That's good, we're gonna need that gold. Let's go meet with Pyp and Sam to discuss what we do now." Jon told them as he walked back towards their ship with Grenn and Edd following behind him. The three of them made their way back to the ship and then the five friends met in the captains quarters.

"So, what do we do now?" Pyp asked.

Jon leaned back in the captain's chair, pondering what each of them could do to help aid them now. "I have some ideas. Sam, you have been working with the cooks and medics and learned a few tips. I want you and Pyp to go to the market and go get some provisions for us and the crew with the gold we just got." Grenn handed Sam the coin purse then as Jon then turned his attention to Pyp. "Pyp, I want you to accompany Sam. But, I also want you to listen out for anything that could help. I'm talking about possible jobs, useful information, anything. Can you do that?"

"Aye, I'll do my best." Pyp said with a nod of his head.

Jon mimicked the gesture in approval and then turned his attention to both Edd and Grenn. "Edd, Grenn, I want you two to try and find us some work. Anything will do, protecting merchants, clearing out bandits, hunting down thieves, any work that will aid us will do. Ask the city guard if there is anything that needs doing if you must just find us something to help sustain us here."

"With my luck, I'll be tasked with cleaning the latrine and unclogging the drains." Edd said dejectedly.

"Don't worry mate, I'll be sure to give you a clean plunger." Grenn teased him earning a laugh from his friends.

The two of them nodded their heads in agreement before Sam asked, "And what will you do, Jon?"

"I intend to try and see if there is a place in this city we can stay that is not this ship. We will stay on it if we must, but I would prefer if we actually had a place to stay in while we are here. We will meet back here on the ship after sundown. I wish you luck, my friends." Jon told them as they exited his cabin. Jon rose from the captain's chair then and strapped his sword to his hip. He soon followed after his friends, determined to do his part in securing their future here in Essos.

The sun began to set on the day and Jon banged his head lightly against a wall as he slid down to sit on the ground, he had found nowhere for him and his companions to house themselves in the city. He had hoped he could find some Inn or empty building they could rent to make their own but he found nothing. Their only choice, for now, will be to stay on the ship for the remainder of their time here in Braavos. But searching for a home for him and his companions a home was not all he was doing today.

He had been searching for Daenerys. He knew she was most likely not in the city now, but he had to try and find her.

He remembered her telling him of the only place she had ever considered a home in her childhood one night in Winterfell. She told him of the house in Braavos with the red door and lemon tree outside. She also told him of how she and her brother were kicked out of the house after their protector, Ser Willem Darry, had passed. He had searched for the house as he made his way through the city but found nothing. If the house was still standing the people who now lived in it had likely changed the color of the door and had gotten rid of the lemon tree. Jon had hoped to find Daenerys here in Braavos so that he could protect her as he did his cousins and friends, but it seemed he would have to search more before he could see her again.

As he sat against the wall a light in the distance caught Jon's eye. Turning towards it he saw a giant fire burning in front of a temple. He had little doubt that it was one of the many temples devoted to the Lord of Light, the god that Beric, Thoros, and Mellisandre worshipped. Jon wondered if their god, or whatever force showed him his visions, would be able to give him an answer as to what to do next. Rising back to his feet Jon began to make his way towards the temple in hopes that the lord of light would guide him in the right direction.

Once inside the temple Jon looked around and was surprised to find that there were no priests or really anyone within. The temple wasn't large, but he had expected for there to be at least a few people worshipping here. Nothing but the sound of the fires crackling could be heard in the room as Jon approached the brazier that sat in the center of the temple. He found the eerie silence somewhat unsettling. Jon looked into the fire and hoped that another vision would come to him, but he saw nothing. As he began to contemplate leaving the temple a voice cut through the silence and asked, "Have you come to ask guidance from the lord of light?"

The question surprised him. It wasn't the question itself, but the voice that asked it took him aback. It sounded...familiar. Jon turned to see the face behind the voice and was shocked to find who it was.

There, standing no further than ten paces away, stood Melisandre.

The woman walked towards him slowly with her arms held out in front of her. She circled around the center brazier, her eyes never leaving him, as she asked again, "Have you come to seek guidance from the lord of light, child?"

"Forgive me, my lady, but I do not worship the lord of light." Jon told her.

"Then why have you come to one of the Lord's temples?" she asked him.

"I fealt....drawn here. I suppose I came here hoping that your lord would be able to hear my prayers, for my own gods are far from here." Jon told her as he averted his gaze from her to the fire burning in the brazier.

"You speak of the seven? The gods of old Andals?" Melisandre asked.

"No, I speak of the Old Gods of the First Men, they are the gods I pray too. But as I said before, they are not here." Jon said.

"So you seek out the wisdom of the one true God, rather than the gods of you barbaric ancestors?" Melisandre asked.

Jon placed two fingers on the edge of the brazier then as he began to circle around it. "Tell me, Melisandre, has your lord ever spoken to you?" He challenged her, making sure she realized he knew who she was. He expected her to retort or react, but she remains unfazed with her eyes trained on him. If she was unsettled by this fact she hid it very well.

"He has. I asked him where I must go to find the prince who was promised, and he brought me here. Though few in this city worship my lord I remain, waiting for the prince who was promised to arrive." Melisandre said as she averted her gaze from him to the fire.

An idea enter Jon's mind then as he watched Melisandre look to the fire. "And what do you intend to do when you find this....'Prince who was Promised'?"

"Serve him of course. There is a great war coming, a war between the living and the dead. Only the prince who was promised can lead us through the long night, only he can save us." Melisandre said as she turned her gaze back to Jon.

"Is that so?" Jon asked and before Melisandre could answer he plunged his left hand into the flames. He met Melisnadre's gaze as he kept his hand in the center of the flames. After a short while, he pulled out his hand out of the fire but it was still enveloped in flames. Melisandre's eyes grew wide then as Jon flicked his wrist and the flames dissipated. "Sounds interesting."

Melisandre stared at him for a long time, the only sound coming from her being her breathing. She then fell to her knees and said, "Rijagon sagon naejot se āeksio hen ōños, se prince qilōni istan promised emagon māzigon."

"What?"

"Forgive me, my prince. I said, 'Praise be to the lord of light, the prince who was promised has come.'" Melisandre said as she bowed her head before him.

Jon bid her rise to her feet then and told her, "You need not bow to me, I am not the lord of light. I'm not even sure if I'm the prince that you speak of."

"How else would you explain why the flames do not burn you? The lord of light has blessed you, my prince, and he has sent me to guide you towards your destiny." Melisandre said as she stood back up.

A smile formed on his face then as he said, "Perhaps your lord did guide you hear. I know not about guiding me to my destiny, but I am in need of aid."

"What would you have of me, my prince?" Melisandre asked as she bowed her head slightly.

"Firstly, stop calling me your prince. I do not want anyone to start worshipping me, especially if I'm not the prince you speak of. And second, if you wish to accompany me I have a few conditions." Jon told her. Melisandre nodded her head and waited to hear the rest of what Jon had to say. "Do not try and convert my companions or my crew to your religion. If they wish to know about the lord of light tell them, but do not try to force them to know who your god is. Also, I would have you teach me, and those who follow me, how to speak the language here. None of us know how to speak high or low valyrian, so I would be grateful if you could teach us."

"What would you have me call you then? You never told me your name." Melisandre said.

"My name is Jon, Jon Snow."

"Would my lord, or lord Snow be sufficient?"

"It would, I suppose. My father was a great lord in Westeros."

"Very well then, my lord. Shall we go then?"

"Yes, let us go. My companions are most likely waiting for me." Jon said as he turned to leave the temple with Melisandre following him.

It did not take them long to arrive at the ship. Sam and the crew had already prepared the night's supper and were eating together on deck. "The captain has returned!" one of the crew members yelled.

Jon's companions walked up to him then and they each greeted him. "So, you find a place for us? And who's this?" Grenn asked as he looked to Melisandre.

Motioning for Melisandre to step forward Jon said, "This is Melisandre, she is a priestess of the Lord of Light. She has agreed to help us here in Braavos."

"The lord of light willed that our paths cross, he has sent me to aid you in your journey here in Essos." Melisandre told them.

"She has agreed to help teach us how to speak valyrian, but until then she will be our translator. Speaking of which, were any of you successful?" Jon asked.

"We were able to find some food, obviously. Here's yours." Sam said as he handed both Jon and Melisandre a bowl of stew.

"We found a job rounding up some of the local pickpockets. The guards say they'll pay us for bringing them in alive so that they could make an example of them." Edd said.

"I wasn't able to find any useful info while we were out. The only thing I heard was that the first sword of Braavos had recently resigned from his position and had left the city." Pyp said.

"That is interesting, but as you said not very useful." Jon let out a heavy sigh than before continuing, "I wasn't able to find us anywhere to stay. We'll just have to stay on the ship for now I suppose."

Sam placed his left hand on Jon's right shoulder trying to reassure his disappointed friend that the day had not been a complete waste, "Don't worry about it. Jon. You've brought us this far, and we will continue to go even further with you leading us."

A smile formed on Jon's face as he said, "Thanks, Sam. Really, I mean that. Come with me to the captain's cabin, we can discuss our next steps there." Jon the led the way back to his cabin with his friends and Melisandre following him.

Chapter Text

Chapter 10 - Abduction

It has been six months since Jon and his companions arrived in the city of Braavos. Over the past six months, Jon and his crew have been doing menial tasks to survive. Having reached an agreement with the City Guard, Pyp and Grenn roamed the marketplaces in search of pickpockets, and Jon and Edd protected several shops at night from thieves. Sam met with the clients they worked for and helped determine how much they were to be paid for their services. In the time they've been in Braavos Jon continued to teach his friends how to fight, and also taught his crew as well.

Jon continued his search for Daenerys in the city but found no sign of her. He suspected that she and her brother had been moved to one of the other free cities, possibly Pentos with that magister who housed them but had no way to know for sure. Eventually, he stopped looking for her in Braavos and began to focus on keeping himself and his crew safe. The few jobs they had been able to get for themselves could only sustain them for so long. Sooner or later they would need to find a way to get bigger contracts to help themselves.

And they were running out of time.

Jon sat in his captain's chair as Sam told him and their friends about the latest contract he had just procured for them. "Captain Benedict has offered to pay us eight hundred gold dragons for our services in protecting his ship while it travels to Pentos," Sam told them.

"Why would he pay us so much? I'm not trying to complain but going to Pentos and back isn't that dangerous a trip." Grenn said before taking a drink from his flagon.

"Apparently, there have been a lot of ships disappearing on the way to Pentos from Braavos. I overheard several of the sailors here at the docks talk about it the other day." Pyp said as he took a bite of an apple.

"Did they say what could be causing these disappearances?" Jon asked, leaning forward in his chair.

"No idea. Some said pirates, some said slaves, someone even suggested krakens." Pyp said with a laugh.

"I think krakens are a little out of our league," Edd said, earning a laugh from the others.

"We've dealt with pirates before, we know what to expect from them. Besides, we need that gold." Jon said as he leaned back in his chair and turned to Sam. "Tell Captain Benedict that we accept his offer. Do you know when he will be departing for Pentos?"

"Within the week. He said he would require at least ten of our men for the job. Do you know who will go on with the captain?" Sam asked.

Jon pondered Sam's question for a long while. Not including the five of them, they had about forty men, all of them being the crew of Jon's ship. He would need to send at least one of his friends, possibly two, or maybe even himself, on this mission to make sure everything went well. Edd had improved tremendously in combat, as had both Grenn and Pyp. Sam was improving slowly, but he was nowhere near ready to go up against whatever was attacking the ships heading to Pentos. Jon leaned forward in his chair then and said, "Grenn, Pyp I want the two of you to get eight of our men and get ready to depart in the next couple days. Sam, you and I will go to meet with the captain to tell him we accept the job."

Grenn and Pyp left the room after nodding their heads as Jon rose from his chair and walked over to his dresser, he opened a drawer and fished out a small bundle which he carefully slipped into his front pocket. He purposely avoided Sam's prying eyes and followed him away from Winter's Wrath, their ship, to Captain Benedict's ship in the harbor and to where the captain awaited them both.

"Aw! You must the lad who captains the Winters Wrath. Captain Benedict." the man said, walking up to Jon with his hand extended.

Jon shook the captain hand before saying, "Pleasure to meet you, captain. Now, should we go ahead and discuss business."

"Yes, yes of course," Benedict said as he and Jon began to walk side by side along the dock. "As I'm sure your friend has told you already several ships have been disappearing on the way to Pentos."

"Aye, he's told me. Do you have any idea what could be causing these disappearances?"

"Pirates, most likely. Though I wouldn't rule out slavers being behind these events either," he replied shrugging his shoulders.

"My crew and I have faced both."

"I know, that's why we're having this conversation now. My ship leaves in three days, are your men prepared?"

"Aye. I'm sending two of my best men with you, along with eight more members of my crew. I trust that will suffice?"

"Aye, it does. Have your men come to my ship within a day."

Jon nodded his head in agreement before he and Benedict parted ways. He made his way back over to where Sam waited for him and told him, "Go back and tell Grenn and Pyp to bring the men to Benedict's ship."

"Right away," Sam replied obediently. After a pause and seeing his friend was not following him, Sam eyed Jon curiously. "Aren't you coming with?" Sam asked.

"I'll catch up. Need to do something first." Jon told Sam before he walked away from him.

Jon looked to the other side of the quay and found what he was looking for. He made his way over to where the ship they had boarded in White Harbour was docked. Jon walked up onto the deck of the ship and met with the ship's captain once again. "How are you, my friend?" Jon greeted the captain once he had boarded the merchant ship.

"Good. We haven't had any serious problem these last few months. How about you?"

"We could be doing better, but I didn't come here to discuss how we are faring. I would ask a favor of you."

"And what would that be exactly?"

Jon pulled the small object he had brought with him out of his pocket and held it out to the captain as he told him, "I need you to make sure this letter reaches the lord of Winterfell when next you return to White Harbor."

"Winterfell? You have some relation to the Starks, boy?" the captain said as he took the letter from Jon.

"Yes. Lord Stark is.....my father." Jon said.

"Hmm. High born." He expressed somewhat surprised. "That explains how you were able to afford to bring all your companions, and your pets, with you to Essos. I will need to be paid for this though."

"Figured as much," Jon said as he pulled a coin purse from his other pants pocket. "How much?"

The captain pondered for a short while before saying, "Two gold dragons should suffice, it's only a letter after all." Jon took two coins from the purse and handed them to the captain. The two of them then shook hands once again before they parted ways once again.

It had been a week and a half since Grenn and Pyp left Braavos with captain Benedict. The trip had been uneventful, which was a good thing, but a recent storm covered the area in fog. Grenn could only hope that the fog could hide them from whatever was causing all the other ships to disappear. As he ran a whetstone down one of the sides of his axe Pyp walked up beside him. "Keepin your axe ready in case we need it?" Pyp tried to tease his friend but could not hide the hint of fear behind his words.

"Aye. Who knows, might be able to kill a Kraken with it." Grenn said with a smirk.

"Shut-up," Pyp said as he shook his head.

Grenn chuckled then before asking, "Any idea how long it'll be before we reach Pentos?"

"About three or four days at the least, and another week at the most," Pyp told him.

Grenn sighed before saying, "Ok. Just tell the men to stay on alert. We're not out of the danger zone yet."

As Pyp went turned from him a member of the crew yelled out, "Ship off the port side!"

Grenn stood from the crate he sat upon and saw the ship. It was difficult to make out through the dense fog, but from what he could see, it wasn't large. It looked like a small fishing ship. There's no way that ship could be the one were watching out for. Grenn thought before he was sent to the deck of the ship. Grenn quickly made it back to his feet and looked to the other side of the ship where a far larger ship had rammed into the ships starboard side. A pirate jumped onto the deck of the ship then and attacked one of the sailors.

It did not take long for Grenn to get back to his feet and charge the pirate, driving his axe into the pirate's neck before he could kill the crew member. His rescue of the man was useless however as the man was then shot in the chest by an arrow, sending him falling over the edge of the ship and into the water.

Grenn was caught off guard than as a fist connected with his jaw, making him stumble. He quickly regained his footing and blocked the next strike thrown at him and countered by driving his axe into the pirates gut. The pirate fell to the deck with his guts falling out before Grenn drove his axe into the pirate's skull.

A yell from a familiar voice then caught his attention then, making him turn to find the source. He found Pyp laying on the deck of the ship with an arrow shot through his right knee. "PYP!" he yelled before being shot in the shoulder. Before he could yank the arrow out he was sent to the deck again as the pommel of a sword was smashed into his face.

Grenn watched as Pyp was dragged away by two of the pirates, taking him towards their ship. A boot to his face stole his consciousness, and he knew no more.

Jon slammed his fist on his desk as he yelled, "What do you mean they're gone?!"

"They....they've vanished, Jon. Just like every other ship that sailed that way." Sam told him taking a step back from Jon's desk.

"Fuck." Jon cursed, rising from his chair. He had feared this might happen, especially after learning why they were being paid so much for this contract.

"What should we do, Jon?" Edd asked as he stepped toward his friend.

Jon turned to Edd then and said, "What do you mean, 'what should we do?' We're going to find them."

"My lord, it is highly unlikely that any of them are still alive," Melisandre said.

"Until I see their bodies I will NOT give up on them, Melisandre. If they did die on that mission then I am the one responsible." Jon told them

"Jon, you had no way of knowing this would happen. They all knew the risk when they went on board that ship." Sam tried to tell him.

"I will not abandon them, Sam. Even if they did die out there the least we could do is avenge them. Have the men start to prepare. We're leaving now." Jon told them as he exited the room. He then made his way into the city and to the red temple.

There he looked into the flames once more, hoping to see something related to Grenn and Pyp. "Please, show me something, anything," he begged, trying to pray to a God he wasn't sure he even believed in.

He then saw both Grenn and Pyp standing atop a stand with men bartering how much they thought they were worth. The vision then showed him the area in which they were, it was by the coast with several ships anchored at a makeshift dock. The vision was short, but it had given him the clues he needed.

Upon returning to the ship Sam eyed him suspiciously,"Jon, where did you go?"

"To find out where our friends are."

Chapter Text

Chapter 11 - The Auction

Grenn was suddenly awoken when a bucket of water was dumped on his head. "What the...?" he said aloud as he looked up to find who dumped the water on his head. "The fuck are you doing?!" he yelled at the man but received no reply.

"They don't talk." a familiar voice said.

Grenn turned his head and found Pyp chained next to him, with a bloodstained bandage on his right knee. "Pyp, are you ok?"

"No," Pyp said in a pained tone. "My knee is fucked."

"How long have we been on this ship?" he asked.

"A day at least. I haven't been up much longer than you so I can't say."

Grenn cursed himself for forgetting the image of Pyp writing on the deck of the ship with an arrow shot through his knee. The image of his friend in pain made him shudder for not being able to help him. Before either of them could say anything else the entrance to where they were being held and a man with an eye path walked into view. "Who are you?" he asked.

"Doesn't matter. You won't be on board my ship for much longer. Shame really, I was looking forward to hearing you beg me to end your sorry existence. Your friends did." the man said with a sinister smile.

"What are you talking about?" he asked in an angered voice.

"I'm talking about cutting off pieces of their flesh and listening to them scream in blissful agony." the man said.

"Bastard!" Grenn yelled as he tried to lunge at the man, only for his chains to stop his movement. The man then kicked him in the face, sending him to the floor of the room.

"Got some fire in you, I like that. I'd have enjoyed breaking you." the man said with a sigh. "Oh well, next time perhaps."

The man then turned from them to walk back up out of the chamber as Grenn told him, "Next time we meet, I'm going to kill you."

The man laughed in response saying, "I look forward to it." He then walked away and closed the door behind him.

They'd been sailing for over a week now and he saw no sign of whatever had attacked Grenn and Pyp. There were no signs of any destroyed ships and they had yet to see any sign of the place Jon saw in his vision. The crew was on alert twenty-four-seven for any sign of another ship that may threaten them. It was proving to be difficult however as a storm recently rolled through the area and the whole place was shrouded in fog. Jon stood on the quarter-deck, leaning against one of the rails trying to keep an eye out for any other ship.

"Jon," Edd called to him as he walked up onto the quarterdeck. "Jon, how long do you intend on having us out here?"

"Until we find our friends," he answered.

"Jon, I want to believe that they are still alive, but it's highly likely that they aren't," Edd told him.

Jon let out a heavy sigh then as he turned to his friend. He knew that Edd could be right, but he couldn't give up on them. They were his friends, his brothers, and he would not let them die if he had any say in it. "I know, Edd, I know. But we can't give up on them yet. But if we don't find any sign of them within a week we'll go back to Braavos, I promise."

Edd nodded his head in response before walking back down to the main deck. Jon than rested his head in his hands as he let out a heavy sigh. He understood why his men were doubting that their friends were still alive, but he knew what he saw in that vision. He knew they still drew breath and would not rest till he found them, even if he had to do it from Braavos. As he began to contemplate what they should do next a seagull landed on the railing of the quarter-deck, causing an idea to enter his mind. Jon sat down against the railing of the deck and proceeded to warg into the bird, and then took to the air in search of what he had seen in his vision the previous week. But as the Gull began to break through the fog Jon saw a ship approaching them from the right. Jon left the Gull then as the silhouette of the ship was starting to become visible in the fog.

"BRACE!!" he yelled out as the ship broke through the fog and slammed into the side of his ship. Jon made it back to his feet quickly and drew his sword as he jumped down onto the deck of the ship. He slashed his blade down the back of one pirate that had just jumped onto the deck before he ran his blade through another pirate's back.

As he readied to block a strike from another pirate Edd came from behind and ran his blade through the man's side. Jon had no time to thank his friend however as the two of them had to get out of the way of a pirate who was wielding two cutlasses. Jon and Edd joined their crew on the left side of the ship as the pirates amassed on the right side around the man who wielded the two cutlasses. Jon figured that he had to have been their captain, and believed that if they managed to kill him first that his men would give up like the last time.

The two groups charged one another then as the music of swords clashing together rang through the air. Jon ignored the other pirates and went straight for their leader, hoping to end this all quickly. He lunged for the man but his attack was easily blocked by the pirate captain. The captain then thrust his free cutlass at Jon, but he was able to roll out of the way of the strike before it could get near him.

His dodge did little though as the captain kicked him in the back as he rolled past him. The captain than swung both of his cutlass' down at him, but he was able to block the attack with his own sword. The captain proved to be much stronger than him however as he pushed his cutlass' closer and closer towards him. Then, in a quick movement, the captain drew the sword in his right hand back and thrust it towards Jon's chest. A boot collided with the captains face though before the blade could get close. A hand extended down to him then and Jon took it in order to get back to his feet.

Jon was not surprised to find that it was Edd who had helped him to his feet but had no chance to thank his friend for his help. The pirate captain charged them in a rage and thrust both blades at them, forcing them to move away from one another. Jon saw his opportunity then as the captain rushed past them and swung his blade at the captain's neck. The pirate tried to duck down, but his movement was stopped as Edd thrust his blade into his lower abdomen. Jon's blade sliced through the captain's neck then, sending it tumbling to the deck as Edd pulled his sword from the captain's body, letting it fall to the deck as well.

The members of the pirate crew looked to their fallen leader at that moment and they looked like they were ready to surrender. But they surprised Jon when they continued to fight on, more ferocious now then they previously had. Jon cursed under his breath as he rushed forward to help his crew. He knew this was a possibility, but figured the Pirates would react the same way the last ones did after their leader fell. Jon had little time to ponder on that though as he countered a thrust from a pirate before plunging his sword into his chest.

The battle raged on for a short while longer, but Jon and his crew gained the upper hand after the pirate's captain had fallen. When the battle was over Jon found that he had lost several men, but that was to be expected in a fight. As Jon's crew gathered the bodies of their fallen comrades Jon made his way over to what remained of the pirate crew. There were five of them in total, all of them bloody from the battle. Jon leaned down in front of them and in a serious tone said, "I'm going to ask this once, are you the group that has been attacking ships on the way to Pentos?"

He received only silence in response.

Jon looked back to the door that went to the ship's cabins before he whistled. The door opened then as Smoke stalked forward until he stood beside Jon. The giant wolf now came up to Jon's chest and with his one eye stared down at the pirates as he began to growl at them. Jon ran his hand along Smoke's back as he turned back to the pirates and told them, "If you do not wish to speak to me, you could talk to my friend here. I warn you though, he is not as kind as I." Jon watched as the pirates exchanged glances as Smoke stalked forward towards them. With his one good eye, Smoke stared down at the five men one by one, snarling and growling as he did so.

As Smoke approached one of the men in the middle of the group the pirate's body began to shake. Smoke inched close to the man until the wolf was breathing on the man's face. Smoke quickly snapped his jaws closed then and the man yelled out, "Ok, ok, ok, ok I'll talk! Just get this beast away from me!" the man yelled. With another whistle, Smoke moved back to Jon's side. Jon turned to his crew and told them, "Take him down below and find a place for him."

"Sir, what about the others?" one of his crew asked.

Jon turned to the pirates and said, "Slit their throats and toss them overboard. We only need one of them to tell us what we need to know." Jon turned away from the pirates than as his crew moved towards them. He could hear a struggle take place behind him before the unmistakable sound of metal running against flesh rang out and then the sound of several bodies hitting the water.

Two days passed since the pirate attack and Jon had found out where these pirates were coming from. There was a pirate colony on the shore of the Narrow Sea where they and several other groups of pirates were coming from. Evidently, these pirate bands had decided to start selling slaves and were going to have a slave auction in the coming week. Upon learning this Jon began to start forming a plan.

It took them a day to reach the pirate colony and found that several other smaller ships docked on the beach. As they approached the colony Jon met with Edd, Sam, and Melisandre in his cabin. "This is crazy. What if you're discovered?" Sam asked as he leaned over the table in the captain's cabin.

"Do you have a better idea, Sam? I know it may not be the best plan, but it's all we have available to us." Jon told him.

"I know that, but it doesn't mean I have to like it," Sam said as he straightened himself and slid his hand down his face.

"You remember the plan right?" Jon asked as he turned to look at Edd.

"Yes, we'll get it done Jon. Just make sure to signal when you're ready for us to act." Edd told him.

Jon let out a heavy sigh then and turned to Melisandre. "Are you ready?"

"I am, my lord," she said.

"Very well then, let's do this," Jon said rising from his chair. He then tied an eye patch over his left eye and tied his hair behind his head. Before exiting the room Jon turned to Sam and told him, "Keep your, and the others' heads down until it's all over. If the worst happens you weigh the anchor and get the hell out of here. Understood?"

"Jon, I..."

"Am. I. Understood?"

"Ye...Yes."

Jon placed a hand on Sam's shoulder then and told him, "You can do this, Sam. I believe in you."

After a moment Sam met Jon's gaze with a smile and said, "Thank you, Jon."

Jon smiled at his friend then and exited the room with Melisandre and Edd following after him. Jon made his way off his ship and walked into the pirate colony as several pairs of eyes began to watch him intently. They approached the center of the colony and found that the slave auction was already underway. Jon watched as several slaves were brought to the platform and immediately spotted his two friends among them with his one eye. He met their eyes and watched them both stare at him.

As the auctioneer began to call for a bid Jon looked over to Melisandre and Edd and nodded his head slightly. A small smile formed on her lips as Melisandre walked from him and back into the colony with Edd walking beside her. Jon raised his hand then as the auctioneer asked for another bid. After the count of three, no one else made another bid for Grenn and Pyp so Jon walked forward and handed the auctioneer a bag of gold in exchange for his newly purchased slaves - his own friends.

As the three of them walked away from the auction stage Jon pulled Grenn close by his chain and handed him the key to their collars. He then whispered to them both, "Get to the docks, and do not look back."

Before Grenn or Pyp could say anything in response scream began to erupt from another part of the colony, as a fire began to rage. Jon drew his sword then as the pirates began to run towards them and yelled, "GO! NOW!" Grenn took Pyp's left arm and slung it over his shoulder and began to run towards the ship. Two pirates began to run towards Jon then but were shot dead before they got close to him.

Jon looked up to a nearby hill then and saw Edd standing beside several of Jon's crew, all of whom held bow's in their hands. He then gave the order to his men to open fire down upon the pirates. As they did that Jon made his way over the auctioneer, who was quivering underneath the auction stage. Several Pirates attempted to get in his way but were swiftly cut down. Upon reaching the auctioneer he pulled him out by his feet. The man pleaded and begged for his life, but was silenced when Jon stabbed his blade through the man's mouth and searched his pockets for his keys.

After finding them Jon made his way over to where all the slaves were being held and released them from their prison. "You want revenge, take it!" Jon told them as he opened the gates. The former slaves stormed out of the prisons and flooded through the colony, butchering every pirate that still drew breath. As they did so Jon made his way back to his ship and found his friends safe and sound on the deck. A smile spread across his lips then as he embraced his long-lost friends.

the fire roaring back in town was drowned out by the screams of the pirates as Jon continued to hold onto his friends.

He had succeeded, he had his friends back.

Chapter Text

Chapter 12 - The Lost 

After Pyp's and Grenn's ordeal with the slavers and their subsequent rescue, the friends were finally safe and sound aboard the ship again. Jon stood outside his cabin while Sam and the ship's doctor treated Pyp's leg wound. Even if the wound was not a large one, it was effectively limiting Pyp's mobility as he was not able to put any weight on his leg. And considering the wound had not been cleaned or tended to since he received it, they had to act quickly if they intended to save his leg.

That was two days ago now, and Jon was beginning to get worried. He would spend hours just waiting by the wooden door in the hopes of getting any update on Pyp. But Sam and the doctor just kept themselves locked up in the make-shift infirmary and kept a very tight lip regarding Pyp's condition. Jon kept himself busy by helping his crew and those that he had freed to gather up the pirate's bodies and burn them all together. They also took all the rations from the colony and the ships to give to the freed slaves, and some the kept to themselves. The former slaves were waiting to see what Jon had planned, both for himself and for them. The past two days had given Jon plenty of time to think about what he would do, and he finally made up his mind as Grenn and Edd joined him outside his cabin.

"Heard anything yet?" Grenn asked as he and Edd stopped in front of him.

"Nothing yet. I've barely seen Sam for the past two days, apart from when he comes to get something to eat for the three of them." Jon told him.

Edd let out a heavy sigh as he began to lean against the wall across from Jon. "Well, at least we're all together again."

Grenn chuckled as he said, "Aye, thank the gods for that."

The three of them all laughed together but they stopped as Sam stepped out of Jon's cabin. The three of them turned to Sam as he motioned them to enter the cabin. They found Pyp on Jon's bed with his right knee covered in a heavy blood stained bandage. Jon walked over to the side of the bed and sat on its edge looking down at Pyp. "How do you feel?" he asked.

"Better then I did when you found me, but not good either," Pyp said as he looked up from the bed at Jon.

Jon looked at Sam and the doctor then and asked, " Will he be able to walk?"

Difficult to say for sure. His wound was not difficult to sow or clean, but it is possible he may lose the ability to walk normally for the rest of his life. Only time can really tell how severe the injury truly is." the doctor said.

Jon let out a heavy sigh as he then began to look down at the floor. He knew that he had no control over what had happened, but could not help but feel guilty for what happened to Pyp. Before he continued on his train of thought, however, the door to the cabin opened and Melisandre walked in. "My lord, the former slaves are waiting to see you."

"See me? For what?" Jon asked as he got to his feet.

"I believe they wish to know what you intend to do with them," Melisandre said.

Releasing a heavy sigh Jon turned back to Pyp and asked, "Will you be ok here?"

"What? In this comfortable bed with people bringing me whatever I want? I think I'll survive." Pyp said with a smirk.

Everyone let out a small laugh before Jon led them out of the room and out onto the deck of the ship. On the shore stood at least three hundred people - three hundred freed slaves who were all looking to him, waiting for him to do or say something. Before he could say anything though Melisandre said, "Here stands Jon Snow, your liberator, and savior. You owe him your allegiance." Jon held up his hand, effectively stopping her before she could say anything else and walked forward towards the crowd.

"Listen to me, all of you, when I say this. You owe me nothing. You alone can take back what was taken from you, for I never took it. I can not free you, for I never owned you." He told them. "But I can give you a choice. Join me here and help me build a place where no family will ever live in fear of being torn apart by slavery again. Or you may go, and try to rebuild whatever life you may have had before you were captured. But I swear to you, all of you, that any who try to wrong us will not live long enough to regret it!"

A silence fell over them all then, before the people began to chant the name "Snow". A smile formed on Jon's lips as he looked back to his friends and received nods of approval from them. Edd walked up beside Jon then and asked him, "What did you mean when you said they could stay 'here'?"

"I intend to make this place ours," Jon said as he looked around the area. The former colony had some small walls around its perimeter, a series of small hills to its east, a small makeshift port going into the Narrow Sea, a river to its north, and a forest to its south. The location may not have been Jon's first choice, but it definitely had potential to become something grand.

"Hmm, it could definitely work," Edd said as he looked around the area. "We should probably give ourselves a name if we are to make this place ours. Any idea's?"

Jon looked around at the people then and said the first thing that popped into his mind. "The Legion of the Lost."

Grenn chuckled a bit before saying, "We can hardly call ourselves a legion, but I like it."

"As do I." Sam said in agreement.

Edd let out a sigh before saying, "I suppose we should start planning what this place will look like if we are to make it ours."

"Agreed. Let's get to work." Jon said as he walked back into the interior of his ship as his companions followed him.

A cool breeze brushed by Ned as he stood on the southern wall of Winterfell and watched the sun slowly begin to set. He usually found himself here once every few days before everyone gathered for dinner. Part of him hoped he'd one day see Jon ride back up to Winterfell's southern gate, but he knew that it was highly unlikely. He had pushed Jon away by trying to force him into the Watch and had possibly lost him forever because of it. He could no longer stand before Lyanna's statue in the crypts knowing that he was the cause of her son's departure from Winterfell. He knew he would never be able to ask his sister for her forgiveness, for he couldn't even forgive himself.

Robb had not taken Jon's departure well, he barely spoke to him for nearly a month. Even after Robb had resumed talking and spending time with him Ned doubted Robb had forgiven him for what happened, and he didn't blame him. Robb had lost not only a brother but also his best friends when Jon left, so Ned could understand why Robb was so angry. The memory of own his reaction to hearing what had happened to Brandon made its way into his mind whenever he thought of how Robb must feel about Jon's departure.

Ned had sent letter's to his other children to inform them of what had happened. Their reactions were what he expected them to be, similar to Robb's. Lady Olenna sent a letter to Ned, informing him that Sansa was devastated to find out Jon had left and that no one knew where he was now. Brynden similarly sent a letter to Ned to inform him that Bran had not taken the news well. No letter from Bear Island was sent back at all. And Rickon was still too young to truly understand what had happened. Benjen was disappointed when they weren't able to find Jon, he said he had been looking forward to having some family with him on the wall. Catelyn was there for him though, listening to his reasoning and being there for him when he needed her. Ned let out a heavy sigh then as the sunset in the distance and he made his way to the great hall.

As he made his way to the great hall ser Roderick walked up to him swiftly and bowed slightly. "My lord,"

"Something wrong, Roderick?" he asked.

"Nothing wrong, my lord. I came to inform you there is a man at the East gate asking to speak with you." Roderick said.

"Tell him to return tomorrow, the day has been long and I wish to enjoy my dinner with my wife and sons," Ned said.

"I did, my lord. However, he said that it was extremely important." Roderick told him.

Ned let out a heavy sigh before saying, "Very well then, bring him to me." Roderick nodded his head and made his way back towards the East Gate. Near five minutes later the old knight returned with a man Ned had never seen before following behind him.

The man bowed before him as he said, "Lord Stark."

"Ser Roderick says you have important business with me," Ned said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Aye, milord. I have a letter for you from your son." the man said as he pulled a letter and held it out for Ned.

Ned took the letter and looked at it for a moment before he looked back at the man and asked, "Have all the Ravens in Riverrun died?"

"I know not, Lord Stark, for I do not come from Riverrun. I just returned to Westeros from Braavos." the man told him.

It took Ned a moment to understand what the man was telling him. "the person who gave you this letter, what was their name?" Ned asked.

"Jon Snow." He told him. Ned could hardly believe what he was hearing as he continued to look at the letter in his hand. He had considered the idea that Jon could have made his way to Essos, but he had no idea how or why he would go there. "He's a special boy, your son."

A smile formed on Ned's lips then as he looked at the man and said, "I know. Thank you for delivering this to me. Do you require a reward?"

The man shook his head before saying, "No need, milord. Your boy paid me for this when he asked me to do this for him."

"Very well then. Again, thank you for delivering this to me. May the oceans be calm as you sail across them, ser." Ned told him as he extended his hand to the man.

The man took Ned's hand and responded with, "Captain. And may your gods watch over you and those you hold dear in the days to come." the man then released Ned's hand and walked back towards the East Gate.

Ned looked to Roderick and told him, "I'll join you all in the Great Hall in a bit. I need to read this first."

Roderick simply nodded in response as Ned walked away from him. Ned made his way to his study as quickly as he could and sat down at his desk. He stared at the letter for what seemed like an eternity before mustering up the courage to open it. He feared the letter would be filled with Jon's angry words, they certainly hadn't parted on the best of terms so it would make sense. Taking a deep breath Ned broke the seal on the letter and began to read what it said.

Lord Stark,

I hope all is well with you in Winterfell as you read this letter. I am well and have begun to make my own way in the world, I want you to know that. Please, inform Robb and the others of that for me. My departure was.....difficult, to say the least. I will not apologize for leaving the way I did, for I do not regret it.

If I had stayed you would have forced me into something that would have made me give up on everything I wished to do in this life. I wanted to know what it was like to hold my own child in my arms one day. I wanted to know what it was like to know the love of a woman. I......I wanted to know what it was like to be wanted by someone else. You would have taken all of that from me by sending me to the wall, I could not allow that. I know you had the best of intentions for sending me to the watch. Truly, I do. I just can not agree with how you went about doing it. I was nowhere near ready to take that oath, and I am still not ready for it. I honestly don't know if I ever will be now. No man, no matter who they are or how high a lord they may be in this world, will ever decide what I do with my life. It is the only thing in this life that is truly mine, and no one will ever take it from me! Not even the one I call father.

I hope the years to come are good to you and everyone else until we see one another again.

Love,

Jon

Several tears rolled down Ned's face as he read the letter, smearing some of the words and distorting parts of the letter. He was such a fool, and he had lost his son because of it. Jon had wanted so much from this life, and he would have lost it all if he had gone to the wall. Ned's right hand came to cover up his eyes as his tears began to flow freely out of his eyes and several sobs escaped him. At that moment Ned made two promises, the first being that he would find Jon one day and make up for the wrongs he has committed against him, and the second that when he finally did he would hide nothing more from him.

Ned swore to the gods, old and new, on his very soul that he would do this.

Chapter Text

Chapter 13 - The Proposal

Three years have passed since Jon and his companions arrived at the pirate colony. The Legion has grown to number just over three thousand soldiers and their numbers continued to grow with every contract fulfilled. The Legion of the Lost was not as renowned as other companies like the Golden Company, or the even the Second Sons but they were known for being a reliable company when a job needed to be done. Deciding to give his legion a sigil it did not take Jon long to brainstorm one and have the banner made. A black one-eyed Direwolf on a grey field became the Legions standard, and their words 'Together We Stand' became known from Braavos all the way to Volantis. But as the Legion grew in size so too did their home base.

The first thing they did to the colony was reinforce the small walls the colony had already. The walls now stood around fifteen feet tall with three guard towers on every part of the wall. They were still made of wood, they had yet to find enough stone to build some proper walls, but with several cut down tree's from the nearby forest the walls became much stronger and large enough to have regular patrols run o top of them from tower to tower.

The second thing Jon focused on was the construction of the village itself, dividing it into three parts. The first part that was constructed was the actual housing area, located in the south-eastern part of the village. The Pirates only had a makeshift pub with several tents constructed outside of it. The pub stayed in the center of the area and Jon and his followers constructed huts around the pub for his people. He also had two larger the normal huts constructed in this area, one for himself and one for Mellisandre. Jon's made his hut larger so as to be able to fit more than two people within at a time when important matters needed to be discussed, and Mellisandres hut became her own temple to R'hllor. They had to use what little stone they had to build Mel's temple, on didn't think a temple made of wood would work for a god of fire. A farmland was also added to the north of the village around a nearby river.

The second area of the village that was constructed was the guard and army camp in the walls, located on the north-eastern part of the village. Jon intended for this part of the village to be where his men would get their arms and armor, as well as be where the guard barracks for the village would be located. Several barracks were built to house the soldiers and guards, along with an armory. A forge was also set up in the Army Camp area of the village after a Smith came and set up shop in Andalor. Two medium sized huts were also built for both Grenn and Edd. Grenn became the head of the village guard, and Edd became the overseer of the training for new and current soldiers in the Legion. Jon joined and would help both of them when he could find the time to do so, he felt it was for the men to see him interacting with them out in the field and in the camp instead of just being someone who stands to the side and barks orders at them. The training field was established south of the village, along with a small dock where several ships were being built to transport Jons men in the future if they needed to travel by sea.

Jon's next obstacle after establishing the living area's for everyone was to make sure everyone had enough food. Thankfully for Jon, and everyone else, they had plenty of options for getting food. The pirate ships had several stores of rations within them, the sea provided them with plenty of fish, and the nearby forest was home to several animals Jon and his people could hunt. Jon wanted more for his people though and went about to create a field for farming. North of the village a river flowed into the Narrow Sea and with the help of his followers, Jon was able to transform the field between the village and the river into a perfect field for farming. Several channels were made to distribute the water throughout the field, and several farmers and guards were assigned to work and protect the fields.

The final part of the Village Jon had constructed was a large marketplace and an equally large dock. The Pirates only had a few makeshift docks built when Jon took over and they were able to expand upon them and make stronger. Six docks were built in total for the marketplace for ships from all over to come and trade. Once the dock was complete the work on the marketplace began with several stalls being built for anyone to use, along with several pubs for the merchants to stay in. Two towers like huts were also built in the marketplace for Grenn and Sam to live in. Sam became the harbormaster and the man all the merchants would come to in order to set up shop in the marketplace. Pyp had taken on a new role since the village was constructed since his leg now made him have a limp and he needed to use a cane on occasion to get around. Pyp had become something similar to the master of Whisperers for the Legion, he managed and maintained a group of spies that were spread out in both Essos and in some parts of Westeros. Jon's intent for these spies was to keep him informed of events happening back home so that when the time comes to act he and his legion will be ready.

That time had yet to come however so Jon kept his mind focused on the present, and on improving the readiness of his Legion.

A light breeze blew through the air as Jon walked beside Edd through the training field. A smile formed on Jon's face as he looked around the men and women training in the field. Some trained with sword and shield, spears, and with bow and arrow. Jon wanted his soldiers ready for any type of combat, and to learn to rely on each other during a battle. He knew all too well how valuable a trusted ally could be during a fight and he wanted his soldiers to know this as well. To teach them this he had them do an exercise where they would their legs tied together and would have to fight several other members of the Legion to complete the exercise. To demonstrate to his soldiers how to properly do the exercise Jon had Edd and Grenn show them what to do. He could have shown them himself on his own, but he wanted to see how well Edd and Grenn could work together. And to laugh at them as they bickered during the exercise.

A small chuckle escaped him as he remembered the scene. "What are you laughing at now?" Edd asked.

"Nothing of import. How is training going today?" Jon asked as the two of them came to a stop in the center of the field.

"Good, as usual. The new recruits we got last week are starting to get used to the training." Edd told him as they turned to look at one another.

"Good. The sooner they familiarize themselves with the training the better. How is the training for the phalanx going?" Jon asked as he watched his men begin to train in the formation.

"They are taking to the formation rather well. Did you learn of this in some book you read back in Winterfell?" Edd asked.

Jon let out a chuckle before saying, "Yes. It's based on how the Unsullied form their shield wall during battle, a bit altered though as you can see." The two then looked to the troops as they practiced the formation. Instead of forming in a squared position the soldiers formed up in a circle, this allowed them to guard against more oncoming attacks from all angles. They also trained in a formation that allowed the cavalry to be taken out swiftly by leaving a small opening in the center of a line of soldiers. The horse would ride to the center instead of ride into the spears and the men would then take out the rider.

"It is rather effective. Some might say you were born, to do this, but we both know you'd be lost without me here." Edd said in jest.

Jon shoved his friend's chest lightly as he shook his head and Edd began to laugh. In truth he truly didn't know if he could have done all of this on his own, his friends had been beside him all the way and never faltered. He would have to find some to repay them in the future. Jon was taken out of his train of thought as he felt Edd pat him on the back. "I think I can watch over the rest of the training from here, I think Sam and Pyp had something to discuss with you, didn't they?"

"Yes, I'll go see them about that now. I will see you later, Edd." Jon said as he turned and left the training field.

It took him near eight minutes to get through the main street of Andalor and through the market. Upon arrival at Sams hut, Jon was greeted by the two guards he had assigned to Sam. "Is Sam inside?"

"Yes, Lord Commander. He wait's for you." one of them said as he opened the door and Jon entered the hut.

Lord Commander. Hearing that again brought both good and bad memories to Jon's mind. Despite all the years that had passed he could still feel the blades of his Nights Watch brothers enter his chest, he still remembered the feeling of his life ebbing away as he looked to the stars. That memory still haunted him to this day. Jon than shook his head a bit as he walked into Sams hut. "You said you had some news for me, Sam?"

"Yes, I do. I recently got word that we should be expecting a ship to arrive carrying an important messenger." Sam said as he turned to face Jon. Sam had lost a lot of weight since they began building Andalor, he was still a bit on the chunky side but he was a lot slimmer then he was before. He had asked Jon to help him train, and Jon did so gladly. He still has a ways to go before he could go on a battlefield, but Sam was making good progress.

"What kind of, 'important messenger?'" Jon asked as he crossed his hands over his chest.

"The type that is offering quite possibly our most important contract," Sam said.

"Do you know what this contract entails?" Jon asked.

"Nothing more than that the messenger will be here today to offer it. I have been unable to learn anything else, I'm sorry." Sam said as he looked down at the floor.

Jon sighed then as he walked forward and placed his hand on Sams' shoulder. His friend looked up to him then as he said, "There is nothing for you to be sorry for, Sam. Go and welcome our guests into the harbor, I need to go see Pyp about something. I will join you shortly."

"Alright then, Jon. I'll go at once." Sam said as he turned to move past Jon and exited his hut.

It did not take him long to reach Pyp's tower and upon entering Jon was met by another set of honor guards that Pyp had assigned to him. "Is he waiting for me above?" Jon asked the honor guard

"Yes, Lord Commander. He asked that you be sent to him straight away." the guard said.

I best make haste then it seems." Jon said as he walked past the two guards and walked up to the third floor of Pyp tower. Jon found Pyp attending to his messenger birds with the aid of an assistant as he reached the top floor. "Having fun?"

Pyp whirled around quickly and looked at Jon as he said, "About time you got here. I've been waiting all day for you to get here."

"Must be important then," Jon said as he sat in a nearby chair.

"It is. One of our informants just sent me this through a messenger, and you need to see it." Pyp said as he handed Jon a closed letter.

Jon opened the letter quickly and read, 'The Stag Rides North'. Jon knew what it meant, what would soon happen because of this. He could only hope he was ready for what is to come this time. "Thank you for showing me this, Pyp. If anything else relating to this comes inform me immediately." Jon said as he rose from the chair and handed the letter back to Pyp.

"I will, I promise," Pyp said as he took back the letter.

Jon looked down at Pyp's leg then and asked, "How are you fairing today?"

"I'm ok, Jon. My leg's been aching today so I've tried to stay off of it as much as I can." Pyp said as he sat down in the chair Jon just got up from.

"Has your cane helped at all?" Jon asked as he looked to the cane Pyp held in his right hand.

"Yes, it has. It can't stop the pain, obviously, but it has helped me get around." Pyp said as he gripped the cane tightly in his hand.

Jon let out a sigh as he looked away from Pyp. He had hoped his friend's leg would have started to get better, but it seemed his hopes were all for naught. "Is the pain manageable?"

"I can handle it, Jon. You don't need to worry about me." Pyp said with a smile. Pyp then rose back to his feet and began to walk back over to his ravens. "Now, I do believe Sam is waiting for you on the docks. Best not keep him or our guest waiting."

With a chuckle, Jon said, "I'd ask how you know that, but it's your job to know these things after all."

"Indeed. I will see you later, Jon." Pyp said as he began to feed one of his ravens.

Jon only nodded his head in agreement as he walked out of the room. After exiting Pyps tower Jon made his way towards the docks to join Sam. Upon reaching the docks he found Sam speaking to dark-skinned man standing in front of a ship that flew a sail from Pentos. The two honor guards bowed slightly and moved out of his way as Jon neared Sam and the man he could only assume was the messenger he spoke of. "I'm told you wish to speak with me," Jon said as he stopped before the man.

"Oh. I..."

"Something wrong?" Jon asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I...I had expected the Lord Commander to be....older."

"You aren't the first to say that to me. Regardless I am the man you seek, now what do want from me?"

"Yes. My lord, Magister Illyrio Mopatis of Pentos wishes to meet with you."

"Very well then, where is he?" Jon asked as he looked around the dock for the man.

"He is not here. He wishes for you to meet him at his manse in Pentos."

"And why would I do that? If he wishes to speak with me he should have come himself."

"It is not safe for a man of my lords status to venture far from his home. Many would seek his death if he were to do so. He also has important guests that he must entertain."

"What kind of important guests?" Jon asked with a raised brow.

"The kind that one would be wise not to ignore."

Jon knew it unlikely, but a part of him told him who these important guests were. If his hunch was right he could only think of one thing Illyrio could want from him. The risk was high, but it was a chance he would have to take. "Very well then. Go and inform your lord that I will come and visit him with the next moon to discuss this contract of his."

Very good, Lord Commander. I shall be off immedi-!"

"I'm not done," Jon said with a glare. "And when you do inform his also that if he tries to swindle me, or if this is some kind of trap that he, and you, will pay dearly for it. Am I understood?"

"Ye...Yes, Lord Commander. I shall tell him." the man said with a hint of fear in his tone.

"Good. Til next we meet." Jon said with an extended hand.

"Til we meet again, Lord Commander." the man said before shaking Jon's hand. The man then swiftly turned from Jon and walked back onto his ship.

As the ship began to leave the harbor Jon did as well. As he walked back into the marketplace Sam asked, "Are you sure about this, Jon? I don't trust that man."

"Neither do I, Sam. Which is why we'll be taking the honor guard, as well as Smoke and Winter with us. If things go bad we'll be ready." Jon said.

"We?" Sam asked surprised as he stopped walking.

"Yes. I would like it if you would accompany me to this meeting with the Magister. I could use your help on this, Sam." Jon said as he turned to look at Sam.

Sam took a deep breath than before saying, "Alright then. Let's do this."

A smile formed on Jon's face as he clasped arms with Sam. "Get your things ready, we leave in two days."

It took them just over two weeks to reach Pentos. The venture had been uneventful, thankfully, and they were able to reach Pentos ahead of what they would have normally. Jon stood at the front of his ship as they entered the port of Pentos. To ensure his and Sam's safety on this venture Jon had six honor guards, accompany them to Pentos. Winter, Smoke, and Shadow also accompanied him on the journey. The wolves would often stay within his cabin as Shadow stayed in a cabin all his own to ensure his comfort. Sam also stayed in his own cabin in order to prepare for the negotiations that would soon take place. Jon himself kept himself busy, as usual, by doing as much as he can to help his crew, most often finding himself behind the ship's wheel or in the crows nest.

It did not take much longer for them to enter and dock in the cities Harbor. As they did Jon went and brought Shadow, Winter, and Smoke above deck. He also put on his Lord Commanders armor for the meeting which consisted of light metal plate armor, black pants, leather boots, and light metal vambraces with wolf heads on each of them. He then strapped his blade to his hip and met with his men on the dock. "Sam, are you ready?" Jon asked as he mounted Shadow.

"As ready as I can be," Sam answered as he climbed onto his own horse.

"Good. Let's get this done then." Jon said as he spurred Shadow forward. As they began to exit the dock Jon found a city guard and asked him, "How do I get the manse of a Magister named Illyrio?"

"He lives on the outskirts of the city. Follow the main road to the southeast of the city and you should see his manse before exiting the city." the guard said. Jon simply nodded his head as he turned Shadow in the direction the guard pointed him in and began to ride.

As the guard said Jon spotted the Magisters house before he neared the southeast entrance to the city. As they neared the manse two guards with spears stopped their advance. "What do you seek here?"

"We are here to see Magister Illyrio. He sent a messenger to us half a moon ago wishing to see us." Sam told the man.

"Ah yes, the master told us to keep an eye out for you. You may proceed." the guard said as he and the other guard moved out of their way.

Jon spurred Shadow forward then and made his way into the courtyard of Illyrios manse. Winter and Smoke rn beside him as Sam and his men followed swiftly behind him. He had expected to be greeted by Illyrio immediately upon arrival, but only saw two more of his guards walking towards him. As they neared Jon looked around the manse for any sign of the man he had come to meet but found no one.

And that's when he saw her. She stood on a balcony looking down at him and his men with a man he could only assume was her brother standing beside her. She noticed him looking to her before her brother grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her into Illyrio's manse, the sight of which angered Jon greatly. As he kept his eyes locked onto the balcony the two guards made their way over to him. "Are you the Lord Commander of the Forsaken Legion?" one of the guards asked.

"I am," Jon answered as he turned to face them.

"Master Illyrio waits for you inside. Follow us and we shall escort you to him." the other guard said.

Jon dismounted Shadow then and followed the guards with Sam, his wolves, and his honor guard in tow. They lead them to a large inner room where two coaches and several chairs sat around a large table in the center of the room. "Sit. Master Illyrio will be here shortly." the guard told them.

Jon and Sam did as the guard asked and sat on one of the coaches as they waited for Illyrio. As they did so Winter came and rested her head on Jon's left leg and smoke laid down by the table in front of him. He ran his hand down the back of Winters neck as he began to hear someone enter the room. He turned to look at who it was and found an obese man entering the room with two more guards accompanying him. Shadow rose to his feet and watched the man walk around the room and began to let out a low growl, but he stopped when Jon placed his left hand upon his head. "Would I be correct in assuming that you are the Lord Commander of the Legion of the Lost?" the obese man asked.

"I am. And I presume you are the man who summoned me here?" Jon asked as he rose from his seat.

"I am. Magister Illyrio Mopatis of Pentos at your service. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Lord Commander." Illyrio said with an outstretched hand.

"Likewise, Magister," Jon said as he shook Illyrios hand before sitting back down. "So tell me, why did you wish for me to come here?"

"Well, so that I may meet the fabled 'Wolf of Andalor' in person. And as my messenger informed you I have special guests here that I would be a fool to ignore." Illyrio said as he sat down as well.

"I see. So what do you want from us?" Jon said as he leaned back against the coach.

Illyrio let out a small laugh, causing his flesh to bounce as he did so, before saying, "What I want, is your aid?"

"We figured that, but aid in what?" Sam asked as he leaned forward.

Illyrio grabbed a goblet off a nearby table then and took a long drink from it before answering, "Aid, in a reclaiming something that was stolen."

"And that would be?" Jon asked with a raised brow.

"The Iron Throne," Illyrio told them.

Sam's eyes went wide as the words left Illyrio's mouth and Jon did the same. He had a hunch that this was what he was going to be asked of to do once he saw Daenerys and her brother here but he still had questions. "And why do you want The Iron Throne?" Jon asked.

"Oh, I don't. I want to return the throne to whom it truly belongs too." Illyrio told him.

"The Targaryens?" Sam asked shocked.

"Indeed, child. The true king of Westeros resides here in my home now, and with the help of your Legion he will soon be seated on the Iron Throne." Illyrio told them as a servant poured him more wine in his goblet.

"If you want to retake the Iron Throne I assure you that you will need more then our forces," Sam told Illyrio.

"Oh, I know. But it is more than your men that will help in retaking the Throne." Illyrio said.

"And what is this other useful thing you speak of?" Jon asked.

"Why you, Lord Commander. Or should I say, Lord Snow." Illyrio said with a smile before drinking from his goblet again.

Jon bit the inside of his lower lip as he stared at Illyrio. He hadn't expected Illyrio to know who he was, but he didn't see how it could help Illyrio at all. "A man in Essos who knows who I am in Westeros. Should I be impressed?"Jon asked as tilted his head to the right.

"You don't need to have a reaction at all, child. I only wanted to see how you would react to my knowing who you are." Illyrio said.

"And? Did I meet expectations?" Jon asked.

"It does not matter. What matters is your cooperation." Illyrio said as he placed his goblet back down on a nearby table. "Speaking of which, let us discuss the terms of the contract."

"Yes, lets." Jon agreed.

"You will be paid ten thousand gold dragons for your aid in the coming conflict. A quarter of the payment will be given to you now to ensure your cooperation." Illyrio said as two servants came out with five bags filled with gold dragons.

"Seems a bit much for a group of our size," Jon said as he leaned forward.

"There is another part to this contract," Illyrio said as he took another sip from his goblet.

"Which is?" Sam asked.

"The King's younger sister, Princess Daenerys, she requires a personal guard. Several of your best, lead by you Lord Commander, will become her bodyguards." Illyrio said.

"Is she in danger?" Sam asked.

"She is always in danger, child. Robert Baratheon still hunts them even as they are a world away. Your men are renowned for being highly skilled and dedicated to every job they take. I could think of other companies who would do better, but I digress. So, do we have a deal?" Illyrio asked.

Jon was silent for a short while. Taking this contract would undoubtedly help his people, but if word reached Westeros that he did this it would complicate things when he returns. However, this would give him several opportunities to ensure several wrongs were made right. "Aye, I do believe we do."

"Splendid! I shall have the King and the Princess come meet with you then. Stay here And I shall return shortly." Illyrio said as he got up and walked out of the room.

After Illyrio had left the room Sam turned to him and said, "Are you crazy?! We can't support the Targaryens! We'll be forced to fight against our own!"

"Sam, calm down. I know what I'm doing." Jon told him calmly.

"Are you sure of that? Because I'm not!" Sam told him.

"I am. Please, Sam, trust me on this. I will not force you or any of our friends to do anything that you don't want too. I promise." Jon said as he turned to look at his friend.

Sam let out a heavy sigh then as he looked away from Jon. "Ok. I trust you, Jon."

"Thank you, Sam," Jon said with a smile.

"So, what happens now?" Sam asked.

"Now, we meet these Targaryens, and then we figure out what happens from then on," Jon told him as Illyrio re-entered to the room.

"It is my honor to introduce Viserys of the House Targaryen, the Third of his Name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm," Illyrio said as Viserys stepped into the room.

He was not as tall or as strong looking as Jon thought he'd be. Instead, he was lean, almost as much as Daenerys, with hard lines in his face and a feverish look in his eyes. His appearance was what he had expected it to be however with his pale skin, silver hair, and pale lilac eyes. At his side rested a sword, but Jon doubted he properly knew how to use it. He had no one to truly teach him being in exile. He also didn't look suited to combat in the slightest in Jon's opinion.

Viserys scowled at Jon as he moved past Illyrio and brought Daenerys into view. She was almost exactly as he remembered her being, the only difference being that instead of having her hair in braids it flew freely behind and in front of her. As she entered the room she locked eyes with Jon for a moment, only to quickly avert her gaze a second later. She was almost a completely different person than who he met before, but that wasn't surprising. This was another time, another place, of course, things wouldn't be the same as before.

"And his Graces sister, Princess Daenerys Targaryen," Ilyrio said as Daenerys moved to stand beside Viserys. "Your Grace, Princess, allow me to introduce Jon Snow, Lord Commander of the Legion of the Lost."

Jon simply nodded his head in greeting.

"Snow? What type of Legion would follow a bastard?" Viserys said with a laugh.

Jon said nothing in reply, it would have been useless to do so.

"You seem....very young to be a leader of an army," Daenerys said timidly.

"Looks can be deceiving, my lady," Jon said with a smile.

Daenerys looked away than before Viserys asked, "So, you are my sisters new bodyguard?"

"That is what Illyrio and I agreed to, aye," Jon said.

"then let us hope you are as good as you famed to be. If you aren't, then you are useless here." Viserys said as he turned quickly and left the room.

Jon watched as Viserys left the room but then turned his head back towards Daenerys as he heard her let out a heavy sigh. "Please, forgive my brother, Ser. He....does not handle disappointment well."

"I am no Ser, Princess. Just a simple warrior." Jon told her.

"Oh. Well, what can I address you by then?" Daenerys asked.

"Jon is fine, Princess. That's what most everyone else calls me." Jon said.

"Well then, it is a pleasure to meet you, Jon," Daenerys said with an outstretched hand.

"The pleasure is mine, my lady," Jon said as he took Daenerys' hand into his own and kissed the back of it.

Daenerys withdrew her hand from his grasp as she said, "Well, I shall see you later then, Jon. I shall be in the courtyard if you must find me."

Very well then, Princess." Jon told her as she left the room. Jon couldn't help but smile after she had left. He had finally found her, after three years of searching he had done it.

And he would make sure that this time, nothing ill would befall her again.

Chapter Text

Chapter 14 - Time In Pentos

It's been a week since Jon arrived in Pentos. Sam had sailed back to Andalor three days after the deal was made with Illyrio to inform the others of what has been arranged. Jon also told him to tell Pyp to send him any new important information to him immediately by whatever means. After he saw Sam off Jon went and found a place for Shadow and his wolves to stay in Illyrio's manse. Shadow stayed within the stables as Smoke and Winter spent most of their time either with Jon or in the Gardens. Winter seemed to spend most of her time in the garden instead of accompanying Jon and Smoke. After ensuring his pets had what they needed Jon went about making sure Daenerys was safe at all times. At least two of his men would accompany her around the manse at all times, even when he himself was with her.

It was odd to see her the way she was now, he could hardly recognize her from the person he knew before. He couldn't say he was surprised though, this Daenerys had not gone through what the woman he fell in love with went through in her life. And he would do everything he could to make sure she would never go through that again. She had been through enough already, the least he could do for her was to ensure nothing else happened to her.

On this day Jon found himself relaxing in the garden after his morning training with four of his eight men that stayed with him. The four of them had since gone down into the city to go find them all something to eat and drink for later. The other four were with Daenerys now. She had been curious as to what he and his men had done and where they had been. He had not had the chance to speak with her yet but hoped to do so soon. But as sweat poured down from his brow Jon reached into a nearby bag he had brought with him earlier in the morning and reached within and pulled out the book Robb gave him on his nameday. He had read through the book several times over the years but found that the history of his fathers family never ceased to entertain and interest him.

But as he opened the book to read about King Daeron again a voice cut through the silence and said, "Ahh, Lord Snow. How are you this day?"

Jon looked to his left and found Daenerys with his men enter the garden. He smiled at her as he closed his book and said, "I am well, Princess. Has the day been good for you as well?"

"Very much so, thank you for asking. I hope your new accommodations are to your liking." Daenerys said with a smile.

"They are. My men and I are not use to staying in a magisters manse however, we are more used to living out of tents when on a contract." Jon said, earning a chuckle from his men in the process.

"Well, once you help take us back the throne from the Usurper, I am sure Viserys will reward you and your men with a castle of your own," Daenerys said.

'Oh, I'm sure your brother has something in mind for us.' Jon said to himself as he rose to his feet. "I shall hold you to that, Princess."

Daenerys broke her gaze from him for a moment and looked down to the book in his hand. "You didn't strike me as a man who reads often, my lord."

Jon let out a small chuckle before responding by saying, "As I said before, looks can be deceiving. Though I can't say I'm surprised you would think otherwise, sellsword commanders aren't well known for their reading after all."

"What is it you are reading?" Dany asked as she looked back at him.

"It's a book about the history of your family. My brother gave it to me many years ago before I let Westeros." Jon said as he showed her the cover of the book.

"Truly?! I have never found a book on the full history of my family. May I borrow it from you? I promise to return it to you as soon as possible." Daenerys said as she walked closer to him.

"I don't see why not. It surprises me that you haven't read about your family before, the stories of your family were always a great fascination to me as a child." Jon told her as he held the book out for her to take.

"All Viserys would ever tell me of our family was that we were betrayed and that those who did so would pay for their treachery," Daenerys said as she took hold of the book, and inadvertently touched Jons' hand.

Jon had to resist the urge to smile as the memories of his time with Daenerys filled his mind, but quickly faded as he released the book and she took it from him. "I hope the book entertains you as much as it has me over the past three years."

"I hope so too. Thank you, Lord Snow." Daenerys said with a smile.

"You're welcome, Princess. And please, call me Jon." Jon said as he smiled as well.

"Oh. Well, if that is what you would prefer..." Daenerys said as she averted her gaze from Jon.

"Aye, it is," Jon said in response.

"Very well then, Jon. Thank you again for letting me borrow your book." Daenerys said with a small bow.

"Again, you're welcome, Princess," Jon said as he too bowed slightly.

Daenerys then smiled at him once more before turning and walking back towards Illiriyos manse as she begins to read the book. Jon smiled as he watched her walk back into the manse before turning back and sitting back down on the bench. Jon then reached down into his bag again and pulls out the harp that Domeric gave him. Jon began to run his fingers along the strings as a breeze brushed past his face and a group of birds began to chirp in the distance.

The following week and a half passed by quickly for Jon as he and his men grew more comfortable in Illyrios manse. The magisters house reminded him a bit of home with all the servants running around the place all day long. His men had found a rhythm with following and guarding Daenerys, but recently she had simply stayed in her room in order to leave Jon's book. She seemed immersed with reading it through to the end, going so far as to request from Jon's men they bring her meals to her room instead of her going to eat with Illyrio and Viserys. Jon had not yet been able to ask what she thought of her families history because of her recent reclusion, but Jon had found himself thinking on something else at the moment.

Winter had not been seen all day; she had disappeared. Last he saw of her was when he brought her and Smoke their dinner the night previous, and since then no one has seen her anywhere around the manse. Jon would be lying if he said he was worried, but he knew that Winter could take care of herself and that she wouldn't stray far from him and Smoke. He had an idea of why she had disappeared, but he wouldn't jump to conclusions just yet.

Jon found himself this day standing on an outer balcony that overlooked Pentos and the Narrow Sea. A strong wind blew past Jons' face as he looked out to the sea and wondered how his family faired on the other side of the world. He had received no further word from Pyp so he could only assume that Robert Baratheon had not yet arrived at Winterfell. He had little doubt that Ned would once more agree to become The Hand of the King, but at least this time Sansa and Arya would not be in danger in that city.

As he pondered what could happen now his train of thought was derailed when he heard someone walking towards him. He turned to find Daenerys walking towards him, A smile began to form on his face but it quickly disappeared once he looked into her eyes. He had seen those eyes before when Tyrion informed her of what had happened to her forces. Angry was not the right word to describe her expression, she was furious.

"Pri...Princess?" Jon asked as she stopped before him and threw his book to the ground.

"This book is full of lies! It does nothing but slander my families name!" Daenerys said angrily.

Jon bent down and grabbed his book before rising back to his feet. "Lies? Princess, what are you talking about?" Jon asked.

"It says that several members of my family were cruel, heartless, and selfish. And it says that my father was a madman that burned men alive. All of it is a lie." Daenerys said.

Jon exhaled a deep breath he did not know he had been holding in as he looked down to his book. He should have guessed that the truth of what some her family were truly like, especially the truth of her father. Viserys no doubt told her their father was innocent in his crimes and that the realm simply turned on their family with no reason as to why. He had not taken into account how she may react to the truth of her families history, it was a serious error.

"Ahh, I see. If I knew that the book would anger you so." Jon said as he looked from the book back to Daenerys. "But I am sorry to inform you that what this book says is true."

"What?" Daenerys asked.

"This book tells no lies, Princess. Your family has had both good and evil members in it, it is the same in almost every family in Westeros. Your's are just more well known." Jon told her as placed the book down on a nearby table.

"That's not true, my family was betrayed! Aegon the Conqueror allowed the Starks, Lannister, Arryns, and Tullys to keep their lands and their lives. And what did their descendants do? They treaded on the memory of such an act as if it was nothing!" Daenerys argued.

"And do you know why they rose against your family? Surely Viserys must have told you some of why it happened." Jon said.

"He...He never likes to talk about it. He only ever told me that we were betrayed and that those who did so would pay for their treason." Daenerys said.

Jon couldn't say that surprised him, Viserys didn't seem like he cared for the truth of things. Only of what he wanted and how he could go about getting it. "I see, it's no surprise then that you would think the book told only lies about your family then," Jon said as he picked the book back up. "The truth is never easy to accept, but we all deserve to know it. For it is better to know a disappointing truth than to wonder forever."

Jon then held the book out to her again, waiting to see what she will do next. She waited for a short while, shifting her gaze between the book and Jon, before taking the book back from him. "Forgive me, I rushed into assumptions to quickly and lashed out unjustly at you. Despite what this book says it does have merit, I never knew the story of Daeron the first or of Aegon The Unworthy before now. I truly enjoyed reading about them both."

Jon let out a chuckle then before saying, "It does not surprise me that Daeron's story is one you enjoyed, out of everyone in this book his tale is the only one I can read countless times."

"It seems my family has always been something of intrigue to you. It seems fate has brought you to us for a reason then, does it not?" Daenerys asked with a smile.

"Aye, it seems it does," Jon says as he returned her smile.

A voice cut through the air at that moment, yelling for Daenerys. "It seems my brother has need of me. Again, please, forgive me for how I acted earlier. It was unkind of me." Daenerys said as she averted her gaze from him.

"There is nothing to forgive, Princess. I trust you will continue to read the book?" Jon asked.

"Yes, I will read it again and see how I react this time. If, perhaps, I have a question that needs answering, can I come to you with it?" Daenerys asked.

"Simply say the word, Princess. I will help to the best of my ability." Jon told her.

Daenerys smiled at him again then, that same smile that filled his dreams. He would do anything to ensure that smile adorning her face for the rest of her life, and no matter what he would see it happen. She turned from him then and walked back into the manse to find Viserys. Jon turned back to the ocean then and leaned against the railing, pondering what the future held in store for him.

The following three days passed in the blink of an eye. Jon found himself once more standing on the same balcony as before, running a whetstone down the blade of his sword to pass the time. As he continued to do so the sound of footsteps could once again be heard approaching him. Before he could look up to see who it was Daenerys sat across from him with her two guards standing on either side of her. "Do you require something of me, Princess?"

"Yes. I came to return this book to you." She said as she placed the book on the table.

Jon placed his blade back into his sheath before picking the book up. "And? Do you still feel that the book tells only lies?" Jon asked as he looked to her and placed his book back into his bag.

"I'm not certain. Part of me still hopes that what is said about my father are lies created by the Usurper, but if what this book says is true, then my family has much to make up for when we return home." Daenerys said as she interlocked her hands together and placed them on the table.

Jon released a sigh as he turned in his chair to face her. "I can't say I blame you, I can only imagine what it must be like to find out everything you believe is true may not be so," Jon said as he did his best to stop himself from smiling or laughing. He knew all too well what it was like, only he had years to come to terms with the truth of who he was now. She had only had a week, so it was no surprise she was still hesitant to believe what the book said of her, or more precisely their, family. "Have you told your brother about the book yet?"

"No, I fear he would fly int a rage at the mear thought of what this book says about our father. He's always said that it was all lies made to make our fathers murder and our families exile justified. He would most likely try to he you killed for giving this to me." Daenerys said.

'I'd like to see him try.' Jon thought to himself as he bit his lip to stop himself from smirking. "It would be best not to inform of this then. What matters is that instead of just knowing one side of a story you now know both sides, and now you can understand why your family is where it is now."

"And I thank you for that, Jon. I truly appreciate it." Daenerys said with a smile.

"You are welcome, Princess," Jon said as he rose from his chair. "Now, is there anything else you wish to disc-!" Jon was cut off as a howl cut through the air. He recognized that howl, it was Winters, only she sounded as though she was in pain.

"What was that?" Daenerys asked as she too rose from her chair.

"Winter, my wolf. She's calling for help!" Jon said as he ran towards where the howling came from, with Daenerys following after him.

Jon followed the howling outside of the manse by the cliff overlooking the sea. Jon could see Smoke standing beside a large tree as though he was standing guard and turned to face Jon and Daenerys. He bared his teeth at first but quickly relaxed as he realized that it was Jon who had approached him. Jon scratched the top of his head as he moved around the tree and found Winter laying in the shade of the tree. Jon knelt into the dirt and placed upon Winters' stomach and began to pet her.

"What's wrong, Jon? Is she injured?" Daenerys asked as she circled the tree.

"Nothings wrong, Princess. She's about to give birth." Jon said as he ran his hand along Winter's stomach.

A contraction then came over Winter and she began to push out her first pup. "Can....can I help at all?" Daenerys asked.

"Help me keep her calm, that's all we can really do. Just pet her, that should help her." Jon said. Daenerys did as he said and knelt down by Winters and began to run her hand over Winter's head. Winter let out a low growl as she first placed her hand upon her head, but quickly relaxed into Daenerys' touch once she began to pet her. Soon after Winter and Smoke's first pup was birthed into the world. The pup was white with grey fur on its head and along it's back. 'Nymeria.' Jon thought as he smiled down at the little pup.

Winter quickly turned her body to face her pup and began to lick Nymeria until she began to breathe. Nymeria then began to let out a small whine as Winter nudged her towards her stomach for Nymeria to eat.

"It's so cute! How many is she going to have?" Daenerys asked as she turned to look at Jon.

"I don't know. Her belly has is big though, so I assume she will have several." Jon said as Winter began to give birth to her next pup.

Over the next hour and a half Winter gave birth to all of her pups. The second to be birthed was Grey Wind, then, Summer, then Shaggydog, then Lady, and finally Ghost. Jon couldn't express the joy he felt when he saw his wolf be birthed, he felt as though he was going to cry now that he had his closest companion back. Smoke this time ensured that Ghost got cleaned, as Winter was busy taking care of their other pups, before nudging him next to his siblings so that he can eat.

"Was that one the last one?" Daenerys asked as she stood up.

"I believe so," Jon said as he to stood up and brushed the dirt from his pants.

But as he said that Winter began to give birth to one more pup, and he quickly knelt back down beside Winter. The final pup that was birthed was unlike the others. the fur around its eyes, on its feet, and along it's back was black; like Smoke. And the rest of its body was covered in white fur; like Winter. Jon could only assume that this pup was born with the others before, only it had not survived til when he and the others found the pups in the Wolfswood as Smoke once again cleaned his pup before nudging it towards the others.

"Ok, now I think that's the last one," Jon said as he stood up once again.

"Can we do anything else for them? They would be safer in the manse." Daenerys said.

"I agree, but it would be best not to move them till they are able to walk. Winter and Smoke will be capable of watching over hem til then." Jon said as he turned to Daenerys. "Now, I do believe we should return to the manse, your brother and Illyrio are probably searching for you now."

"Very well then. May I.... may I come and see them again?" Daenerys asked.

"I don't see why not. I insist I accompany you though, they don't know you yet so I don't want to chance you startling them." Jon said.

"I will ensure to remind you of that then," Daenerys said as she turned and began to walk back towards Illyrio's manse. Jon began to follow after her but first turned back to look at his wolves once more. Smoke now lay opposite Winter, keeping their cubs between the two of them in a circle; protecting them. Jon smiled at the sight before turning back and following after Daenerys.

Three months have passed since the pups were born and were now big enough to come up to his knees. The seven pups had grown accustomed to his daily visits to bring them food since they were now too big to feed on Winter. He often found himself staying and playing with them for hours, and even some nights resting under the tree with them. He was closest with Ghost though, naturally, and also with the youngest pup. He had decided to name her Ash and found that she and Ghost seemed to always be by one another's side. The sight made him smile seeing his loyal companion have someone beside him, and he decided to warg into both of them to further improve his bond with them. The other pups obeyed him well enough and were destined to be his sibling's loyal companions, so he found no reason to warg into them as well.

Daenerys too came and visited the pups, only when Jon and a guard accompanied her though. She would often bring them little treats, causing them to grow almost as fond of her as they were of Jon. Ash seemed to be the fondest of her as she would play with her the most and would sometimes climb into her lap to rest. Jon had a suspicion that it may be due to his bond with Ash that caused her to act this way, but it honestly didn't matter. Ash and Daenerys were fond of one another, it didn't matter as to why or how it happened.

On this day Jon found himself walking the grounds alone with Daenerys. They had often found themselves doing such over the past month or so, it mainly consisted of Daenerys asking him about Westeros and him telling her what little he could of their home. They also discussed tales of heroism that Jon knew from The North, and from the whole of Westeros.

"What would you say is your favorite legend, Jon?" Daenerys asked.

"When I was younger Daeron the first's tale was my favorite, but now I'd have to say the tale of Daeron the Second would be the one I favor most," Jon said.

"Why Daeron the Second?" Daenerys asked as she stopped walking.

"Daeron proved that conflict is not the best solution to solving the world's problems. He righted the wrongs of his father and brought Dorne into the fold using his greatest weapon, his mind. His tale is one everyone who desires to be a leader should know." Jon told her as he turned to face her.

"I never would have expected the leader of a mercenary company to say that But, then again, you aren't like most others," Daenerys said.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Jon said with a smile.

Daenerys smiled at him as well, but her smile quickly disappeared when the sound of footstep approached them. They both turned and found Viserys walking towards them, sword in hand. Jon instinctively reached for his own blade but chose against drawing it. He soon regretted not doing so as Viserys swung at him, forcing him to jump back. A stinging pain surged from the side of his face once he regained his composure and he touched his right cheek to find a small shallow cut now adorning his face. Blood began to ooze from his fresh wound, dripping onto the ground as Jon locked eyes with Viserys who glared at him as he yelled, "Stay away from my sister, bastard!"

"Viserys! What is the meaning of this?!" Daenerys yelled.

"Silence! Your bodyguard is nothing more than the bastard of one of the Usurpers dog!" Viserys told her.

"What....what do you mean?" Daenerys asked hesitantly.

"He is the bastard son of Eddard Stark, the man who helped the Usurper kill Rhaegar and send us here! Illyrio told me what you are, Bastard! I should kill you now for what your accursed father has done to us!" Viserys said, causing Daenerys' eyes to grow wide as she looked over to Jon. Jon couldn't say he was truly surprised by this, only that Illyrio hadn't told Viserys sooner who he was believed to be.

"Is what he says true?" Daenerys asked.

Jon looked to Dany then, seeing that she was a bit shaken by what Viserys had said. "Yes, Lord Eddard Stark is my father," Jon told her.

Daenerys took several steps back before turning and running away as Viserys stepped forward towards him. He continued to point his blade at Jon as he said, "It seems that once again what they say of bastards is proven true once again. It isn't surprising though, you are the spawn of a traitor after all. I wonder though, will your father despair or be relieved when I present him your head before I take his own? Let us find out, shall we."

Jon kept calm and drew his blade as Viserys readied to attack. He had no intention of killing Viserys but he would defend himself. Viserys lunged at him then and Jon quickly blocked the strike with ease. Before their conflict could continue Illyrio came with several of his guards. "Your majesty, stop! This is needless!" Illyrio yelled as his guards rushed forth and separated the two of them.

"Do not interfere! he will answer for the crimes his father has committed against me!" Viserys said as he was restrained by the guards. Illyrio gave a small signal to his men and they took him away, most likely back to his room.

Illyrio then released a heavy sigh before turning to Jon and saying, "This was not my intent, I apologize for this. I will ensure that this does not happen again." Illyrio then followed after his guards, leaving Jon alone. He doubted Illyrio could do anything to calm Viserys, but he didn't care if it happened once more. Viserys was little threat to him in an actual fight, Jon could have easily ended the battle with one strike as Viserys lunged at him. It was over now though and Jon placed his sword back into its sheath.

He then looked up to the top of the stairs that Illyrio had just climbed up and seen Daenerys looking down at him. He could only assume that she was the one who informed Illyrio of what was happening. He took a step forward towards her but she took a step back as he did so. "Do you not trust me now?" he asked.

"No, it's not that. I just...I don't know." Daenerys told him.

"Do you not wish to speak with me now?" Jon asked.

"No, I do! Just...just let me think on this. I will come and speak with you another day." Dany said.

Jon would be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed, he had hoped that she had at least saw him as a friend now, if not more. "Do what you feel is right, Daenerys," he told her. She then turned from him and walked back into Illyrios manse, once more leaving him alone on the walkway.

Two weeks passed quickly without so much as a word from Daenerys. She seemed to be avoiding him, going so far as to have her meals brung to her in her room so as to not happen upon him in some part of the manse. Viserys, on the other hand, had done everything in his power to make sure the two saw one another near every day, trying to goad him into attacking him each time. It grew tiresome after the first few attempts and Jon simply ignored the fool, he was no threat anyway.

On this day Jon found himself sitting at the small table he had in his room, looking down at a new message from Pyp. The letter read, 'The Stag is in the Wolves Den.' The message could only mean that Robert had arrived in Winterfell. He expected to receive another message in the coming week telling of whether or not Ned would once more become Roberts' hand. but his train of thought was broken as the door to his room opened and Daenerys walked in. "Leave us," she told her guards, causing them to leave the room and close the door behind them.

Jon grabbed the arms of his chair and turned around to watch Daenerys walk over and sit down on the end of his bed. "Why? Why did you not tell me who you are?" she asked.

Jon let out a heavy sigh then as his upper body leaned forward. "It was not my intent to hide it from you, I simply felt it was not something of import."

"Not something of import? How is you being the son of Eddard Stark, one of the two men responsible for me and my brother being in exile, not something of import?" Daenerys asked in an angry tone.

"Because I am more than just the son of Eddard Stark," he told her. "The actions of someone, whether they be good or ill, should not reflect upon their descendants. That is why I chose not to inform you of who I am because the moment I learned who you and your brother were I knew the two of you would think myself as guilty as those who sent you into exile." Jon peered into Daenerys' eyes then and saw shock in them.

Her eyes left his soon after and looked down to the floor as she said, "I'm sorry, I had not thought of that. Please be assured that was not what I meant. I simply thought that...that you trusted me."

"I do, Princess. I simply thought that small fact was insignificant now. After all, it is not as though I was Lord Starks heir, I am just a bastard." Jon said, hating the lie that had just left his tongue.

"Daenerys." She said as she met his gaze again.

"What?" Jon asked.

"My name isn't princess, it's Daenerys. You've used it once before and I would ask that you use my name from now on." Daenerys said as she rose from the bed. "And you are not 'just some bastard', Jon. You are a good man, that much I know for certain."

"Thank you, Daenerys. Your words are very kind." Jon said as he smiled up at her.

"You are most welcome, Jon," Daenerys said as she began to walk towards the door. "If you would indulge me, mayhaps, could you tell me of Winterfell sometime?"

"I told you once before, simply say the word and I will answer your question," he said.

"I look forward to it then. Til then, however, return to what you were doing beforehand." Daenerys said.

"Is that an order?" he asked jokingly.

"No, a request," Daenerys said with a smile as she walked out of his room. Jon let out a small laugh before moving his chair back to its original place and began to write a response letter to Pyp.

It wasn't even a week before Jon received one more letter from Pyp, this one saying, 'The Alpha has left the Den.' Jon had hoped Ned would stay in Winterfell this time, but Ned's honor and loyalty to Robert no doubt were what persuaded him to do so. At least Sansa and Arya would not be in the capitol this time, and Bran would remain out of the way of Cersei and Jaime; that was the only solace he found from the news.

On this day Jon found himself waiting outside of Daenerys' changing room, Viserys had something important happening today, though Jon knew not what it was. Viserys seemed to be under the impression that Jon would send some message to Ned about what he was planning so he refused to speak of what was happening today, he even went so far as to not speak of it in front of his men so they wouldn't tell him. He would find out soon enough though as he heard several people approaching the door he stood beside.

Viserys and Illyrio came out of the room first with Daenerys following shortly behind. Viserys cast him a sideways glare as he exited the room and began to walk towards the front of the manse with Illyrio. Jon simply smiled at the would be king before shifting his attention towards Daenerys. She too glanced at him and Jon saw something he had seen in her eyes far too often for his liking. She was scared, of what he knew not but knew he would soon find out. Jon followed Viserys and Illyrio to the front of the manse where several people also waited.

"Where is he?" Viserys asked impatiently.

"The Dothraki are not known for there punctuality," Illyrio told him.

After hearing that Jon could only assume they were to meet Daenerys' first husband, a man he knew very little about. Jon looked to Daenerys then and watched her take several deep breaths. She was nervous and it was not difficult to understand why. Her own brother meant to sell her like a whore to gain an army, one that would never follow a man like him. Jon placed his hand upon the pommel of his blade as the sound of hooves galloping towards them grew louder. Four men then entered the courtyard on horseback with the man Jon could only assume to be their leader stopping before the walkway to the front of Illyrios manse.

Illyrio walked forward speaking in Dothraki before once speaking in the common tongue, saying, "May I present my honored guests; Viserys of House Targaryen, Third of his name. The rightful King of the Andals and the First Men. And his sister, Daenerys of House Targaryen." Illyrio then again began o speak in Dothraki to his new guests.

Daenerys began to walk forward but is quickly stopped by Viserys who grabs her wrist. "Do you see how long his hair is? When Dothraki are defeated in combat they cut off their braids so the whole world can see their shame. Khal Drogo has never been defeated." Viserys whispered. "He's a savage, of course, but he's one of the finest killers alive. And you will be his Queen."

Illyrio quickly turned back to them as Viserys finished speaking and told Daenerys, "Come forward, my dear."

Daenerys did as Illyrio said and slowly began to walk towards Khal Drogo. Daenerys stopped before him and looked up at him, meeting his steely gaze for near half a minute. He said nothing before quickly turned his horse around and rode out of the courtyard with his other riders quickly following him. Viserys ran down the steps and spoke, "Where is he going?"

"The ceremony is over," Illyrio told him as Jon slowly made his way down the steps.

"Bu...But he didn't say anything! Did he like her?" Viserys questioned.

"Trust me, your grace, if he didn't like her we'd know," Illyrio answered.

The two of them then walked off to a nearby balcony together with Daenerys and Jon not far behind them. As they stood upon the balcony Illyrio tells Viserys, "It won't be long now, soon you will cross the Narrow Sea and take back your father's throne. The people drink secret toasts to your health. They cry out for their true King."

Jon could only roll his eyes upon hearing that. 'Only a fool would actually believe that.' he said to himself.

"When will they be married?" Viserys asked as he began to walk away from the balcony.

"Soon. The Dothraki never stay still for long." Illyrio said as he walked beside Viserys.

The two of them continued to speak further, most of it consisting of Illyrio proving how foolish Viserys is, before Daenerys said, "I don't want to be his Queen." The two of them turned to her before she continued by saying, "I want to go home."

"So do I. I want us both to go home, but they took it from us. So tell me, sweet sister, how do we go home?" Viserys asked.

"I don't know," Daenerys answered.

"We go home with an army. With Khal Drogo's army." Viserys said as he ran his hand down the side of her face. "I would let his whole tribe fuck you, all forty thousand men and their horses too if that's what it took." He then placed a kiss on her forehead before turning from her and walking away with Illyrio,

Jon walked up behind Daenerys as he heard her let out a heavy sigh. He began to reach out to place his hand upon her shoulder, to try and assure her things would be ok, but he stopped before he could take hold of her. He could say nothing to assure her everything would be okay, he wasn't sure of it himself in fact. Several thoughts entered his mind as he pondered how he could stop this, all of them would not have ended well for both himself and for Daenerys. Only one stuck out, but it would quite possibly be the most difficult to do.

He just hoped he would succeed.

L ater that night Daenerys found herself staring aimlessly out her bedroom window. Across the sea sat her home, as well as those who had forced her from it. A raging fire surged within her at the thought of them, of how she wanted them all to suffer for doing this to her and her brother. But, at the same time, she couldn't help but feel that they were not completely at fault for what happened, Jon helped her see that now. She didn't know if everything she learned from that book was true, she probably never would, but she would no longer think so biasedly of what had happened. All she could do now is try and aid in her families return to Westeros.

And if they were to return home someday she would need to marry Khal Drogo, a man she had only met for half a minute. The man seemed cold, distant, and most likely was a cruel man like many Dothraki are. Not the ideal man she envisioned she would marry, there's was little doubt in that. But what could she do? Her brother was the rightful King and the reason she has survived this long so how could she say no to this? It was the only way she could try and repay Viserys for all he has sacrificed for her, despite how much she wished this would not happen.

A knock on her door disrupted her train of thought. 'Who could be at my door at this hour?' she thought to herself as she rose from her bed and began to walk towards her door. "Who's there?"

"It's Jon, Daenerys. Please, I need to speak with you." Jon told her.

Daenerys' mind began to race as to why Jon would wish to speak with her now. Could it be about what happened earlier in the day? It would make sense, he didn't appear to approve of anything that happened during her meeting with Drogo. It could have also been something else she wished to discuss, the thought of which made her face heat up a bit as a result. She shook her head free of her thoughts before grabbing the handle of her door and opening it. "Jon, what are you doing here at this hour?"

Jon walked into her room silently as she closed it behind him and watched him turn to her before saying, "We need to leave."

"Leave?!" Daenerys let out in surprise before Jon placed a finger over his lips. Daenerys quickly realized what he meant and lowered her voice before asking again, "Leave? What do you mean, Jon?"

"I...I cannot stand by and watch you be sold as though you were some kind of slave to this Dothraki Horselord, I will not allow it. I swore to protect you and I intend to do so, so I have come here tonight to get you out of this city before the wedding can take place." Jon told her.

Daenerys' eyes grew wide after listening to him, she had never before seen him act this way. Part of her wondered if it was simply because he swore to protect her or for some other motive, but that didn't matter. "Jon, I cannot leave. I have to do this."

"No, you don't!" he told her quietly. "You are not some piece of property to be sold, Daenerys. You are a kind woman who deserves to choose her own future. You need not do this, so, please, come with me."

"I cannot express how much I would want to go with you, but I owe Viserys this. He has sacrificed so much for me in the past, and if this is how I can repay him in some way then I will do it." Daenerys told him.

"I doubt your brother will appreciate this much," Jon said.

"He most likely won't, you're right, but he is all the family I have left. I cannot simply abandon him now. So, please, do not ask me to leave with you again. I cannot do it." Daenerys said as she looked away from him and began to feel her eyes began to water a bit. A soft hand brushed against her face at that moment, wiping away her tears. Through her somewhat blurry vision, she saw Jon with a frown upon her face as he rested his hand on her cheek. "I'm sorry, I did not intend to make you cry. I will not force you to come with me, I refuse to force you into anything, so I will not leave you now. If you intend to walk down this path then I shall walk it with you." he told her with a smile.

Daenerys returned his smile as she wiped her tears away. "Thank you, Jon. I won't forget this," she told him.

"Worry not about that now, simply get yourself some rest," he said as he moved his hand from her cheek. She had wished she could have leaned into his hand's warmth a bit longer, but the longer he would stay in her room the bigger the risk of someone discovering him. The last thing either of them needed was for Viserys to be informed of him being here and begin to assume what had happened. "Goodnight, Daenerys," Jon said as he began to walk out of her room.

"Goodnight, Jon," she responded as she climbed back into her bed. Her eyes began to grow heavy as she wrapped herself in the furs.

U pon entering his room Jon fell back and slid down his door. He had failed, he couldn't stop the marriage from happening. Part of him wanted to cry, part of him wanted to scream, and another wanted to punch something til his knuckles started to bleed. Despite all of his planning, all of his hope, he couldn't convince Daenerys to come with him. He refused to force her to come with him, too many things have been forced upon her already, he would never do that to her.

Despite this bump in the road Jon still intended to ensure Daenerys' safety. It would prove much more difficult now, but he was still determined regardless. As he continued to lay against the door Jon reached up and grabbed a hold of his mother necklace. He had done this several times before whenever he was unsure of what to do next, but the connection he felt to his mother through this necklace would calm his mind. As he held onto his mothers necklace he felt his eyelids grow heavy, and his body started to relax. His head sunk to his side and his consciousness faded from him.

Chapter Text

Chapter 15 - A Dothraki Wedding

Jon sat and watched as two members of the khalasar began to fight over a woman. The fight quickly escalated from fists being thrown to blades being drawn and one man having his guts spilled out onto the ground. The others of the khalasar then began to cheer as the man who was now dead had his braid cut off and thrown to the ground. He was perplexed by this but then heard Illyrio tell Viserys, "A Dothraki Wedding without at least three deaths is considered a dull affair." After hearing this Jon let out a sigh as the feast continued on as though nothing had just happened. Jon then saw a familiar face break from the crowd and approach the bride and groom. Jorah presented Daenerys with several books before bowing and going to stand beside Viserys.

The large man then stood up and clapped his hands together for two of his servants to bring a large box forth towards Daenerys. Upon opening the box her eyes grew wide as she reached in and drew out a large stone. "Dragon Eggs, Daenerys. Time has turned them to stone, but they will always be beautiful."

"Thank you, Magister," she told him as she put the egg back into the chest. Jon had no a gift of his own for it would not matter if he did or not. This marriage would be short-lived, for Drogo would not leave this manse alive. If he could not take Daenerys away to protect her then he would make sure that the one who caused her a great deal of pain would not do so again. He knew that this choice may force Daenerys away from him, but this had to be done, and as Drogo stood to walk towards his horse Jon rose from his seat and intercepted his path.

"Jon? What are you doing?" Daenerys questioned.

"Doing what needs to be done." He told her before shifting his attention to Drogo. "I challenge you to single combat."

Drogo let out a laugh in response and told his khalasar what Jon had said, getting a chorus of laughter from them as well. He then says something in Dothraki and everyone begins to move away from the two of them. Daenerys then ran up to Jon and grabbed his sleeve. "Jon, please don't do this! You don't need to do this!" she pleaded with him. Her pleas fell on deaf ears however as Jon motioned for two of his men to take Daenerys away. His two men placed themselves in front of her and back her away as Jon drew his blade and Drogo was thrown his arahk. The two men began to slowly circle one another, waiting for the other to make the first move.

Drogo struck first, lunging forward swinging his blade at Jons' torso, but then quickly spinning around with the dagger in hand. Jon raised his left hand in defense before thrusting his blade and Drogo's neck. Drogo moved to the side quickly to evade it before the thrust could find his neck and drew back, leaving a cut along the top of Jon's left arm.

Pain surged up Jon's arm as blood poured onto the ground, but he couldn't let that hinder him now as Drogo lunged again, his arahk raised in the air. Jon lifts his sword up to block the strike and locked his sword into the curve of Drogo's arahk. It did not hinder Drogo however as he stabbed at Jon with his dagger. Jon evaded the strike and reached to Drogos waist, taking his other dagger. He then cut upwards along Drogos stomach, forcing the horselord back. A shocked gasp escaped the crowd as Drogo looked down at his wound. The wound was not deep enough to be fatal but that fact did nothing but anger Drogo.

The great Khal stared coldly at Jon as he began to circle him. Jon placed his blade out in front of him as he shifted the dagger around in his hand. Their eyes never left one another as they stepped toward one another. Drogo thrust the top of his arahk at Jons torso, pushing him back. Drogo then spun and with both hands swung at Jons stomach. His attack hits home, but as he attempts to pull his blade back he finds that he cannot as Jon stabs Drogo in his shoulder with the dagger. Jon then spun, forcing Drogo to release his arahk and causing it to fall to the ground, before stabbing his sword into Drogo's chest.

Drogo fell to his knees, his face carrying a shocked expression as he coughed up blood. Jon released his blade and moved behind Drogo, taking the dagger out of Drogo's shoulder as he did so and cut off his braid, throwing it to the ground soon after. He then walked back around Drogo and retrieved his blade as Drogos lifeless body fell to the ground. He then looked around to the crowd, seeing even more shocked expressions as he did so. "Anyone else?" he asked the crowd. After receiving no answer Jon sheathed his sword before he ripped off the left sleeve of his shirt and tied it around the wound on his forearm.

"FUCKING BASTARD!" Viserys yelled as he drew his blade again. "YOU'VE RUINED EVERYTHING!" The would be King charged at Jon, but was quickly stopped as one of the Dothraki intercepted his path and knee'd him in the gut. He then pulled out his dagger and placed it against Viserys' throat before looking to Jon.

"No!" Daenerys yelled as she tried to run forward but was stopped. "Please, don't kill my brother!" Jon looked to the Dothraki man as Daenerys continued to plead with him. He was one of Drogo's bloodriders if Jon was not mistaken.. He knew not the mans name though so he simply shook his head as his answer. The bloodrider removed his dagger then and let go of Viserys, allowing him to fall down to the ground. Jon then waved his hand and his men allowed Daenerys through to see her brother.

"Viserys, are you ok?" she asked as she knelt beside him, but he pushed her away as he tried to get back up to his feet.

"Of course I'm not alright, the bastard has ruined everything!" Viserys said as he glared up at Jon. "How are you not dead? That Dothraki dog should have gutted you at the end!" Jon simply chuckled as he lifted up his shirt to reveal a set of light metal plate armor. "So you prove yourself a liar and a cheat, though I shouldn't be surprised that a bastard would stoop so low."

"In my line of work, you would do well to always wear armor. Not doing so could result in you getting stabbed in the back, or maybe even in the front by surprise." Jon told him before he let his shirt fall back down and then turned his attention to the Khalasar.

"They await your command, Khal." one girl said.

"My command?" he questioned.

"Yes, I do believe you have just become their new Khal. You did just kill Drogo in single combat, so it's not that surprising." Illyrio said as he stepped forward.

"That was not my intent with this," Jon said as he turned to look at Illyrio.

"Evidently not, regardless this is the result of it, however. So what will you do now, Khal Snow?" Illyrio asked with a smile.

Despite how much Jon wished to smack that smile off of Illyrio's face, he brought up a good point. Jon had not expected the Khalasar to answer to him now, he expected them to depart upon Drogo's death not to name him their new Khal.

"Who here can translate for me?" He asked them, getting one woman to step forward. "Tell them to wait for me outside of Pentos. I shall come and speak with them later."

The Dothraki woman translated for him, but then told him, "They say that they need to discuss with you on going to Vaes Dothrak. The Khals are gathering and your presence is required."

"What will happen if I do not attend this gathering?" he asked.

"Many will most likely leave. You will be breaking a tradition that each Khalasar follows, many will be angered if you refuse to attend." the woman told him.

Jon released a heavy sigh upon hearing that. He had no desire to go to Vaes Dothrak, he saw no point in it, but now that he had a Khlasar he did not wish to lose it. They could prove useful in the future, he would have to change a few things first before they could, however. "Very well then, tell them to prepare for we shall depart in two days."

"As you command, Khal." the woman said with a bow before going over to tell the Khalasar what Jon said. Jon then turned back to Daenerys and Viserys as they go back up to their feet.

Viserys was still holding his stomach as he pulled away from Daenerys and then slowly walked over to Jon. "Well, bastard, what happens now, hmm? Will you go play King with the savages and go back on your word? Or will you fulfill our agreement and help us?"

"I am a man of my word, Viserys," he told him as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I suggest you and Daenerys stay here. I doubt the journey to Vaes Dothrak will be a pleasant one."

"Oh no. You've stolen my army, I will not allow you to simply turn the other way and play King to those savages!" Viserys yelled before a smirk formed on his face. "Both my sister and I will accompany you to this city of savages and you will fulfill our agreement!"

A deep breath escaped Jon's nose as he continued to look at Viserys. The man was far too arrogant for his own good, it would get him killed. If he wasn't certain that Daenerys would try to kill him he would sever Viserys' wretched head from his neck himself, if only to silence that accursed voice of his. "Very well then. However, you will adhere to everything I say when we leave."

"Kings do not answer to peasants." Viserys shot back with a glare.

"Last time I checked you weren't the King, just a sad little boy playing pretend," Jon said as he stepped towards Viserys. "Now let me make this perfectly clear for you. You either listen to me, or I will have your tongue cut out so I don't have to listen to your constant bitching. Do I make myself clear?"

"You dare threa-!" Viserys began to say before Jon grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pushed him up against a nearby wall.

"DO. I. MAKE. MYSELF. CLEAR?!" he asked again as he pressed his forearm into Viserys' throat. Viserys nodded his head in response as he could not speak with Jon pressing his forearm into his throat. Jon soon removed himself from Viserys, allowing the would-be king to breathe again. He then walked back towards Illyrios manse as the sun began to set in the distance.

"Are you sure about this, lord commander?" one of his men asked.

"I am," Jon told them as he handed one of them a letter. "Make sure that this gets to Sam and the others, it details what has transpired here."

"Yes, sir. Do you know when you shall return?" he asked as he placed the letter in a satchel.

"Difficult to say. I expect it will take us at least two months to reach Vaes Dothrak, and another two to make it back to Andalor after my business there is concluded." Jon said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I understand, my lord. We shall depart immediately than. I wish you safe travels on your venture home." the soldier said as he and his companion placed their fists upon their chests in a salute.

"I wish the same for you," Jon said as he did the same. He then watched as his men mounted two horses and galloped away. Once they had vanished from Jon's line of sight he turned on his heel and walked back into the manse.

Upon entering he found Illyrio bidding Viserys and Daenerys farewell. "Thank you for your hospitality, Magister," Daenerys said as she gave a slight bow. Illyrio smiled as he too gave a slight bow in turn before straightening himself again.

"It was an honor to house royalty. You and your brother will always be welcome here within these walls." Illyrio said as he took Daenerys' left hand and kissed it before turning his attention to Viserys.

"You have served me well, Magister. When my throne is returned to me I will reward you for your kindness towards my sister and me." Viserys told him.

"It was an honor to serve you, your Grace. I look forward to the day I am able to see you sit upon the Iron Throne." Illyrio said as he bowed.

"That makes two of us," Viserys said as he turned and walked out of the room, with Jorah quickly following after him.

Jon watched as the two men did so before approaching Daenerys and Illyrio. Illyrio smiled at him as he approached, no doubt finding everything that had transpired "Are you ready to depart, Daenerys?" he asked as he stopped before her.

"Yes, both I and my brother are," she answered as she turned to him. She walked with him then as Jon began to walk out of the manse to meet with the Khalasar. Two Dothraki riders waited for them with a majestic white mare waited for them. Jon took hold of its reigns and slowly brought it over to where Daenerys waited.

"I was told that Drogo had intended for this mare to be yours. I see no reason to withhold such a gift from you now," he told her as he offered her the mares reigns as he slowly ran his hand down the horse's neck. Daenerys hesitantly took the reigns from him, pulling the mare forward towards her as she did so.

"She's beautiful," she said as she slowly ran her hand through her new mares mane. A smile formed on Jon's lips as he watched the scene play out before him.

It did not last long however as Viserys told his sister, "Stop wasting time! Let us be under-way at once! The sooner we leave the sooner we can begin to plan our return." Viserys said from atop his steed before trotting away on it. Jon and Daenerys watched as he rode away before Daenerys moved to mount her horse. Jon aided her in doing so by giving her a boost into the saddle. Jon took his place at the head of the horde with his bloodriders riding not far behind him. One of his riders, Qotho, yelled something in Dothraki to the horde as they began to leave Pentos. Jon could only hope this venture would be a short one, for soon he would be needed back home.

For winter was coming, and the dead came with it.

Chapter Text

It has been two weeks now since he had left Pentos, and not every step of the journey had been pleasant. For starters, Drogo's Bloodriders attempted to slay him once they made their way into the Dothraki Sea. They failed, of course, thanks to the aid of Ser Jorah and one young rider name Rahkaro. As thanks Jon made Jorah a Ko and Rahkaro a Bloodrider, it was all he could do as thanks. After that he forbade the riders abusing the slaves any longer. He knew that if he outright released them that many would be outraged at him disrespecting their way of life by taking away their slaves so he instead warned that any found doing so would lose his sword hand and be sent from the khalasar without his horse.

He had also taken up to learn how to speak Dothraki. He knew a few words thanks to Mellisandre, but not enough to properly communicate with the khalasar. One of the slave girls, Irri, began to aid both himself and Daenerys in learning the dialect. Apart from that, he had decided to also alter his attire and his appearance. He now wore a leather chest guard and a leather ring mail arm guard. His hair was also now woven into a short braid, or more precisely a small bun. A single bell was also woven into it for his victory over Drogo.

They still had a ways to go but from what Rahkaro told him they would be in sight of Vaes Dothrak within the next moon. All Jon could hope for was that whatever force that guided him was watching over them, and saw them safely to and from the city of the horse lords.

Jon wiped his brow clean of sweat before returning his hand to Shadows reigns. The sun had begun to set above them and many no doubt wished for their ride to end for now. From what Jorah and Rakharo told him that it would take them at least two moons to reach Vaes Dothrak. This news did not sit well with Jon, or with Viserys, but he knew there was no helping it now. All they could do now was press forward and have hope the journey would not take as long as they believed.

He was broken out of his train of thought as Viserys road up beside him. "Make your savages ride faster, bastard. At this rate winter will come to Westeros before we reach this 'sacred' city." Their eyes met for a brief moment before Jon turned his gaze back to the road before them. As Viserys began to speak once more a dear ran in front of them, forcing them to come to a halt. Jon watched it run off into the field.

Jon turned to Rakharo then and spoke, "Have the khalasar begin to make camp. We have ridden for long enough today." Jon said as he turned Shadow towards the field and began to ride forward.

"Where do you think you're going?! We are not finished speaking!" Viserys yelled as he rode after him. Viserys halted his horses' trot however as Jons two bloodriders stood in his way.

Jon turned Shadow so as to be facing Viserys as he spoke, "It is difficult to call that a conversation when you were the only one speaking." Jon then turned back to the field and continued riding forward. "However, if you wish to join me for a hunt I would be more than willing to listen to you. Though I doubt you could remain quiet enough for such an endeavor." He could feel Viserys glaring at his back as he continued to ride forward before he heard a horse turn and ride off in another direction. He looked back once more to find that Viserys had indeed ridden off and both Jorah and Daenerys now waited where he once did.

"Ser Jorah," Jon called, earning Jorah and Daenerys' attention. "Would you care to join us on this hunt? Your aid would prove most helpful." Jorah looked to Daenerys for a brief moment before nodding his head and snapped his horses' reigns.

"What will we be hunting, my Khal?" Jorah asked as he rode up beside him.

"Whatever we can find. We cannot afford to be picky out here, so whatever we are able to find we bring back to the khalasar." Jon said before he turned towards his Bloodriders. "Rahkaro, take a group of riders and search back in the forest for anything we can eat. Cyrus, Karden, go and help the khalasar make camp. When you're done come and join me and Ser Jorah." They then dispersed in three directions to do as they were instructed.

Jon and Jorah found themselves following the tracks of the deer that run out in front of them. Jon hoped that the deer would lead them to at least one more so the khalasar would have something fresh to feast on tonight. The two had remained silent through the ride til Jorahs words cut through the air, "So, tell me, what truly made you ask me to accompany you? Your bloodirders alone would have been aid enough for this task, so why ask me?"

Jon couldn't help but let out a short laugh as he felt himself smile. He should have expected Jorah would be suspicious, the man was no fool. "Tell me, how did a Knight of the seven kingdoms find himself in service to the last of the Targaryens? Last I checked your family sided against them in the Rebellion." He knew how, of course, the two had spoken of it once before. But this man was new to him, he did not know this Jorah Mormont

"I could ask you the same thing. When I came to the Princesses wedding I did not expect to find the son of the man who drove me from my home to be present." Jorah said in retort.

"Does that bother you? Riding with the son of the man who wants your head." Jon said as he climbed out of Shadows saddle.

"If it did we would not be conversing now," Jorah said in response.

"Fair point, Ser Jorah. Fair point." Jon said as the two of them continued to track the deer. As the sun fell lower and lower the tracks began to disappear in the darkness. "We should head back, Khal Snow. It is not wise to stay out here at night." Jorah said from afar. Jon let out a heavy sigh as he turned to follow Jorah back towards the Khalasar. As Shadow trotted forward however the horse came to a sudden stop. Jon looked down to find what remained of the deer they had been tracking, it had been ripped apart by something. Jon quickly looked around to find whatever it was that did this and a subtle movement caught his eye. Before he knew it a Lion pounced out from the tall grass and was sinking its teeth into his forearm.

Shadow reared back, sending Jon to the ground with the Lion crashing down on top of him. Jon could feel its claws beginning to sink into his chest as he reached for his dagger, but the Lion roared out in pain as Jorah slashed it's back open with his sword. The lion quickly leaped off of him before Jorah could attack again, allowing Jon the chance to get back to his feet. He quickly drew his blade as he looked around for any sign of movement once more. Before he could react the Lion had once more pounced, this time onto Jorah's back. His horse too bucked him off, but before it could grab him by the back of his neck Jon kicked the beast in the face.

Before it could attack either of them again a pair of jaws came out from the grass and clamped down on its hind leg. As it turned to strike at what was now biting it Jon leaped forward and stabbed his sword through its neck. The Lion fell down to the ground as what held it released its grip on it. Ghost popped his head up then, his fur now stained red, and walked up to Jon and getting a quick pat on the head before Jon made his way over to Jorah. The elder man let out a pained groan as Jon aided him back to his feet. "Thank you. If it were not for you I'd be that Lions dinner." Jorah said as retrieved his sword from the ground.

"No thanks needed. You saved me first, so consider us even." Jon said with an extended hand that Jorah clasped. He then turned his attention back to the Lion as a group of flies began to buzz around it. He considered leaving it for his wolves, but they had already begun eating the deer. The one deer was nowhere near enough food for all of them together, but his wolves knew how to fend for themselves. "Let's get this beast back to the Khalasar. It's not the quarry I had wished for, but it's better than nothing."

"Aye, we also need to get that wound looked at. The last thing you need is to lose your hand to a dead Lion." Jorah said as he whistled for his horse. Jon couldn't but chuckle and agree with him as he and Jorah picked the Lion up by its legs and slung it over the back of his horse.

Jon couldn't help but run his hand over his now bandaged arm as it was irritating his skin. His injury was not too severe, thankfully, and by the time they would reach Vaes Dothrak the wound should be close to healing. At least that's what the healers told him. He hoped they were correct as it proved to be difficult to hold anything with his left hand. It seemed to give him more respect from his riders however since he was able to survive the lion's attack. The lion itself was skinned and given to him as a trophy. It's pelt now adorned his tent and it's fangs and claws were made into a necklace that he now wore. He had one of the fangs and two of the claws into a second necklace for Jorah as without him he would not be here if it not for him. Ghost also now walked beside him rather than running with his pack. Jon had the pack follow the khalasar so as to not frighten the riders and their horses. But with Ghost coming to his aid, he had decided to allow he alone to ride beside him, for now at least.

Since his brush with death, the khalasar had made their way into a small forest of what appeared to be tall grass. He hoped by the end of the day they would make their way out of this forest. After making their way out of the forest they would then need to regroup with Jorah's Khas as they had to break into two groups so as to get through the forest faster. It was working so far as the scouts who Jon sent ahead of them earlier in the morning said it would take only another two hours.

As they continued down the road a commotion could be heard from the center of the forest. A familiar voice yelled out in anger, making Jon halt Shadows advance so as to try and figure out who it was. After one more enraged yell and the scream of another person rang out Jon realized who it was and dismounted Shadow before running through the forest. As he did so Ghost ran beside him as they neared the forest's center. Before they did so a yell rang out once more. Upon reaching the center Jon found that it was indeed Viserys and Daenerys who was the cause of the commotion, and also that Ash stood atop Viserys' chest as she growled down at him.

Viserys seemed to be on the verge of crying as the wolf snapped and growled down at him. A whistle from Jon removed her from where she stood and went to stand by his side. Viserys rose to his feet as soon as Ash left him, retrieving his sword from the ground and pointed it towards Jon. Before he could speak Jorah entered the clearing, diverting his attention to the knight. "Mormont, I order you, skin that beast!" Viserys pointed his blade directly at Ash as he gave the order, earning a growl from both her and Ghost. Jon looked to Jorah as he placed his hand upon the pommel of his blade. Despite what transpired a few days prior he would allow no one to take his wolves from him. " I AM YOUR KING! DO AS I COMMAND!"

Jorah looked to Jon for a moment, looking down at where his hand rested, before turning his attention to Daenerys. "Shall we return to the Khas, princess?" Daenerys simply nodded as she walked back over to her Silver. Jon went and helped her into the saddle. As he did so he noticed that there was now a light scratch on the left side of her neck. The sight of it enraged him; how could someone do this their own sister?

After helping into Silvers saddle Jon began to make his way over to Viserys. "Jon!" Daenerys called out to him, making him turn to face her. "Please, I do not wish my brother harmed." Jon looked from her to Viserys before releasing a sigh and whistling for his horse.

Viserys too went to mount his horse before Jon stopped. "No, you walk from here. Prove yourself worthy and you can get your horse back." Jon took the reigns of Viserys' horse and handed them to Jorah before mounting Shadow again. He then departed from them to rejoin the khalasar.

Later that night Jon found himself in his tent with both Ghost and Ash laying beside him. The She-wolf had yet to return to the pack so Jon allowed her to stay with him for the night. He did not want to risk her running into Viserys, or scaring someone, on her way back to the pack. He would send her back in the morning but for now, he would let her and Ghost relax. As he enjoyed the roasted leg of a goat movement at his tents entrance caught his attention. Daenerys made her way into his tent before he could ask who it was. The two stared at one another for a short while before Jon motioned for her to sit. She did so, sitting in front of the small fire that Jon had made inside his tent. "What brings you here this night, Daenerys?" Jon asked before taking another bite of his dinner.

"I wished to speak to you, about what happened earlier today." She told him as she locked her hands over her lap. Jon released the bit of meat he was about to tear off the goat's leg and set it to the side; giving Daenerys his full attention. "Thank you for your aid with Viserys, I honestly don't know what he would have done if not for you."

"You're welcome. But, tell me, why was he so enraged with you?" he asked.

"I had asked Jorah to stop the Khas from moving as my legs were beginning to grow numb. He felt it was as though I was commanding him and told me that he would not take orders from some disgraced knight, or from me. I've rarely seen him so enraged." Daenerys said as her gaze shifted around the room.

"I see. I confess I do not know how you can be defensive of him. No brother should ever treat his sister in that way." Jon told her.

"I know. I wish he would change, that he would return to the Viserys he was when we were children, but I know that wish falls upon deaf ears." Daenerys said as she tightly gripped the fur she sat upon. "Regardless, he is still my brother, the only family I have left. I do not know what would have become of me if it were not for him."

"It is better to not dwell on such things, Daenerys. doing so does you no good." Jon told her.

A sigh escaped her before she responded. "You are right, Jon. But this was not the reason I came here."

"You came here to speak with me." Jon reminded her.

"Yes, but I had another reason in coming here. Other than to thank you." Daenerys said to ensure he would not correct her again. "I came to ask a request of you."

"Request away," he told her.

"Whenever a situation like what happened with Viserys happens again, I ask that you not interfere," Daenerys told him as her face and demeanor turned serious.

Jon's face too took on a serious expression. This obviously meant a lot to her; was she afraid he would harm Viserys if he pulled another stunt like that? "A unique request to be sure. But I must ask, why?"

"I am a daughter of House Targaryen, I am the blood of the dragon, and I cannot have someone else always fighting my battles for me. Viserys is my blood, and my responsibility to deal with. When he next raises his hand to me I swear I shall not quiver away like the scared girl I was in Pentos. I must be a dragon now, not a child." Daenerys told him. The look in her eyes brought back so many memories of the woman who had stolen his heart so long ago.

A wide smile made its way onto his lips, he could almost say he was proud of the woman who now sat before him. "Very well then, I swear to you I shall not interfere," he said, gaining a smile from her as the words left his mouth. "But, I also swear to you, that if he does what he did today again in my presence, or in front of the khalasar, I will take action against. I will not kill him, I promise you that, but he will not come out unscathed as he did today."

"I understand, Jon," Daenerys said as she rose to her feet. "Thak you for listening to me."

"No need to thank me. Now, you best return to your tent. We leave at first dawn." he said as he went to grab his meal again, only to find Ghost was now eating it.

"As you command, my khal," she said with a bow and a giggle before exiting the tent.

Jon too couldn't help but laugh before he ran his fingers through Ghost's fur. As she exited the tent Jon released a heavy sigh. It was hard enough to let Viserys go with what he did today, he did not know what would happen from now till they arrive in Vaes Dothrak. He would worry about that when the rose once more though as his eyelids began to grow heavy. 'This is going to be a long journey.' he thought to himself as he ventured off into the realm of dreams.

Chapter Text

Chapter 17 - Affairs In Court

Eddard Stark currently found himself in the chambers of the Hand of the King, reading a letter sent from Winterfell. It read that Sansa had made it safely back to Winterfell. Robert had suggested summoning her to Kings Landing, to betroth her to Prince Joffrey. But after what transpired with Jon Ned would not force his children into anything without their consent. He had not heard from her since taking the position of Hand of the King and not seen her since she left many years prior. He wished he could have been there to welcome her home, to hold her once again like he did when she left. He had no doubt Robb did so in his place, the thought of which brought a smile to his face. He and Robb had grown to be on better terms then they were the day of and the days following Jons departure. He had told him that he wished for Jon to be his right hand, to always be by his side. The memory of that talk made his smile vanish as he thought of his other children. He had not heard from Arya at all in the past three years, only receiving letters from lady Maege on how she was fairing. Bran kept in contact, he still resided in Riverrun and he would most likely remain there till he had earned his knighthood. Rickon, of course, remains in Winterfell with his mother. He was far too young to travel this far south, he did not wish for him to experience any of what the capitol had in store.

And Jon....he had not heard from him since before he left Winterfell. He got the occasional letter from him every couple moons, but none ever revealed where he was; only how he was doing. If he had done so Ned would have been tempted to go and find him, or maybe send Robb to find him. Last he heard from him he was fairing well in Essos. It made him happy to know Jon had made his way in the world, he only wished the cause of it was not due to his own actions. He wished he could return to that day, to correct his mistake, but such a thing was not possible. He had prayed to both new and old gods to give him a chance to correct his wrongs, and a moon prior it seemed as though they had sent him exactly what he asked.

Ned tapped his index finger against his temple as he listened to Lord Baelish speak one of how the recent tourney was doing great business for him. These meetings were growing more and more tiresome with each time the small council to conjoin. "Well, I do believe this meeting is concluded. You may all return to your duties." Ned told the members of the Small Council, cutting off lord Baelish in the process as he rose from his seat. Baelish simply gave him a wicked smile in response before giving a slight bow and leaving the chamber with Renly and Pycelle.

"Lord Stark, may I speak with you a moment. It will not take long, I swear to you." Varys spoke as he rose from his seat. Ned turned to the Master of Whisperers and nodded his head. The other members of the Small Council quickly left the room as Varys walked over towards him. "Do you know of a small settlement known as Andalor?"

The question perplexed him. He knew of Andalos, Catelyn had told him the tale so many times he near remembered it as well as the tale of the First Men. He could only assume this 'Andalor' had some connection, but what that connection was he knew not. "No, I have not. Is there a reason I should have?"

"Not truly, no. It is but a small settlement on the other side of the Narrow Sea between the cities of Braavos and Pentos." Varys told him as he placed his hands into the sleeves of his robe.

"Why are you telling me of it then? I doubt they are a threat to us." Ned spoke as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"You re quite right, my lord, they are no threat to us. Their population numbers just over five thousand in total." the Spider told him with a short chuckle.

"They why bring this up? Unless you can show me a good reason as to why I do believe you've been wasting my time." Ned told him, finding it hard to hide his irritation.

"You have been searching for your bastard son, correct?" Varys spoke suddenly, catching Ned completely off guard. He did not even care to ask why or how Varys knew that, it was foolish to do so. Instead, he pondered as to why the Master of Whisperers would suddenly change the subject of their conversation.

"Why do you ask? Do you believe he resides in this 'Andalor'?" Varys simply smiled as he walked towards him.

As he grew near his right hand extended forward with a letter. "I believe this has your answer."

Ned took hold of the letter, seeing the seal upon it bore a spider on it, of course, before looking back to Varys. Before Ned could say anything further Varys gave a slight bow and walked past him, leaving him alone in the room. Walking back over to the Council table Ned broke the seal of the letter and began to read what it had to say.

'The Wolf of Andalor appears to be a young man not even twenty name days old. He bares dark curled hair and grey eyes, he most likely originates from the North. He stands just under six feet tall and has a lean build to him. He also bears a crescent-shaped scar on the right side of his face. Little is known of him in the village, it seems only those of his inner circle know more about him. However, a red priestess claims in her temple that he is a promised prince. Nothing else is known of him.'

Ned could barely believe what, or more precisely who this letter spoke of. He knew of no other reason as to why Varys would give him this than to let him know where Jon was. But for what reason would Varys give him this? He would have to worry about that some other time, for now, he needed to have someone sent to Andalor. He needed to make contact with Jon, and hope that he would hear his request.

The group he had prepared to send to Andalor had yet to set sail, their preparations were still underway. They would leave the city within the next day or so, taking with them a request for Jon to come to Kings Landing. He could only now hope that Jon would hear out his request. He looked back down to the letter from Winterfell after reliving the memory and put it to the side. Grabbing a parchment he dipped a quill in ink and began to write a response to send back to Winterfell.

The door to his chambers opened suddenly and a goldcloak walked in. "My lord, the Small Council has converged."

"I didn't call for a meeting today," he stated as he rose from his chair. "Has something happened?"

"I know not, my lord. All I know is that the king has called for the small council to meet."

Ned could honestly say this surprised him. In all the time he had been in the capitol Robert had not attended a single Small Council meeting. He found them boring and had no desire to attend such tedious things such as the meetings. His words, not Neds. A thousand things rushed through Ned's mind as he began to ponder why Robert would call for, and attend, a Small Council meeting. He either wanted some kind of tourney, or something was wrong.

"Very well. Thank you for informing me of this. You may return to your duties." he told the Goldcloak.

The man bowed in response before exiting the chamber. Ned turned back to his desk a moment to put his quill back into the ink so that it would be ready upon his return. He made his way out of the chamber after that and made his way towards the Small Council chamber. His eyes narrowed as he arrived and set his gaze upon the Oathbreaker, Jaime Lannister.

"Ah, Lord Stark. The King and the rest of the Council wait for you within." Jaime told him.

"Tell me, do you have any idea as to why Robert has called this meeting?" he asked.

"None. The King tells me nothing, doesn't trust me I suppose. He was irate earlier, however. Best not make him wait any longer then you have already." Jaime said with a smirk.

Ned chose not to respond as he pushed the chamber door open and found Robert sitting where he usually would. His friend's face was bright red, and he could see one of his hands were shaking. "Your Grace?" he asked as he approached the table.

Robert picked up a scroll and rolled it across the table to him. "Read. It," he ordered. Ned did as requested and took the scroll and opened it. "I warned you this would happen, I warned you on the Kings Road! The Targaryens have a Dothraki hoard under their command, Ned!"

That was indeed what was written upon the scroll. It said that an entire hoard, over twenty-thousand strong, led by their khal now served under the Targaryens. "Are you certain of this?" he asked as he looked up from the scroll.

"Yes, Lord Stark. I have an associate in Pentos who confirmed it, as well as an informant within the khalasar itself." Zarys told him.

"Who is this informant?" he asked as he placed both hands upon the table.

"Jorah Mormont, my lord."

"Mormont?" he spat. "You trust the word of a traitor, half a world away?"

"A slaver, not a traitor," Baelish spoke.

"He broke the law, killed his kin, and fled like a coward when I came to enact justice. I do not trust the word of that man, nor will I ever." Ned told them as he pushed up from the table.

"And if he is right?! If those fuckers have a Dothraki army at their command, what then?! What then, Ned?! What's to stop them when their leader puts a child in that girl, what stops them then?!" Robert yelled.

"The Narrow Sea is an obstacle the Dothraki have never crossed, I doubt they will now," he told him as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Robert went to speak again but Varys spoke first. "Forgive the interruption, your Grace, but Daenerys Targaryen was never wed to the Dothraki Khal. He was slain the day of their wedding, his killer is now the Khal of the khalasar that they command."

"Who is this man than?! Some damned dragon-loyalist who survived the war?!" Robert questioned.

"No, your Grace. He is the commander of a small mercenary band who was hired by them. He is, or was,  Daenerys Targaryens personal bodyguard for a time before she was o be wed." Zarys told him.

"His name. Give me his damned name!" Robert demanded.

Varys' gaze shifted briefly over to him, confusing Ned for a moment, before focusing his gaze onto Robert. "Jon Snow, your Grace."

Ned felt his eyes widen as the words left the Spiders mouth. Jon was working for the Targaryens? 'When? How? Was it because of what I did? Did they promise him Winterfell in exchange for his ai- NO! Jon wouldn't do that!' he told himself. "Are you certain of this, Lord Varys?" he asked after a moment of silence took over the chamber.

"Unfortunately, I am, Lord Stark," Varys said with a frown.

"Jon Snow? Isn't that the name of your bastard son?" Baelish asked.

Robert looked to him, his expression seeming to grow more angered with each passing second. "Ned, your bastard is helping the Targaryens?! Perhaps you should have left him to die in Dorne like most every other lord in the seven kingdoms would do!" Robert said as he rose from his seat. "I want them all dead! The Bastard, the bitch, and that fool Viserys!"

"You want me to order the death of my son? And of a child?" he asked, shocked by his old friend's words.

"He's just a bastard. You could always just make another." Renly spoke with a smirk before Ned's glare shut him up.

He wished to punch the younger man but restrained himself from doing so as he looked back to Robert. "Robert, please, let me bring my son here so the two of you can speak. I know he would not do this without a good reason." he pleaded.

"A good reason?! He most likely wants that girl to spread her legs for him, or maybe he wants Winterfell! You told me yourself you did not part on good terms." Robert spoke as he shook his head. "No. I will not have a traitor in my city, or in my castle. He will die, along with the girl and the fool."

Ned shook his head. "You can not ask this of me. I will not be a part of this."

"You're the Hand of the King, Lord Stark, and your King has given you a command," Robert said.

Ned looked down at the pin on his jerkin. A question echoed in his mind as he looked down at it; what matters more, family or duty? Ned looked up to Robert, his brother in all things, and removed the pin from his jerkin. "Then I am no longer the Hand of the King." he threw the pin onto the table. "I will not be the blade at my son's throat, I have hurt him enough already." He then turned from all of them and walked out of the room.

Roberts' voice echoed in the room and he could still hear it as he made his way past Jaime and back towards his chambers. 'Jon I will not forsake you. Not this time.' Ned told himself as he reached the chambers for the Hand of the King. He quickly grabbed his sword and tied it to his waist before gathering his things. He placed the letter from Robb in his pants pocket. The sound of footsteps approaching sounded from the hall and Ned took hold of his sword. He soon relinquished it when Jory and several other men entered the room.

"My lord, the men are ready to depart to Andalor," Jory said as before he noticed Ned gathering his things. "My lord?"

"Close the door, Jory." he did as asked and closed the door behind him. "We are leaving this city."

Noticing the seriousness in Ned's tone Jory walked forth and stood at his side. "What has happened, my lord?"

Ned released a heavy sigh as he leaned on the desk. "Jon. He's with the Targaryens in Essos. Robert wants them all dead. I will not allow this."

"Jon is with the Targaryens? Why would he side with them?" Jory questioned, taken aback. He knew that Jon had not left on the best of terms but to side with the Targaryens? 

"I know not, but I will not let Robert condemn him to death. I am the reason he is there, I will not allow this to happen." Ned told him.

"What is it you wish me to do, my lord?" Jory asked.

Ned stopped and looked back to him for a moment. Jory was one of the few men this far south he could trust with the task he had in mind. "Bring my son home," he told him. "Accompany the men headed to Essos and ensure Jon comes back to Winterfell."

"You will not go yourself?" Jory asked.

"No, if I leave on a boat headed for Essos Robert will know my intent. I shall head back to Winterfell, and prepare if the worst is to come." Ned told him.

"Do you believe this will cause a war, my Lord?" Jory questioned.

"I dearly hope not, it is the last thing we need. But the way Robert looked, how he shook when he told me he wanted them all dead, I think he will go to any length to ensure the Targaryens are wiped out," he told him.

"I...I see. Then I shall not fail you, my lord." Jory said.

"You never have before. Now go, head to the men heading east and leave as soon as possible." Ned ordered. "The rest of you, aid me in gathering my essentials. We must leave immediately."

Jory nodded as the men moved past him and he left the room. Ned watched him leave before going to aid his men. He could now only hope that Jory would succeed in his task and he would see his son once more. It was all he could do now.