Chapter Text
Winterfell 287 AC (Ninth Moon-September)
Jaime was tired. He didn’t know how else to put it other than he was just fucking tired. It had been nine moons since Balon Greyjoy’s rebellion started. Nine moons since the Iron Fleet stormed Lannisport and burnt most of their fleet down. Nine moons since his father had burned to death upon one of those docked ships. His father wasn’t even supposed to be there. It was just bad luck on Tywin’s part that he had decided to board one of the ships to discuss some business along one of their trade lines with Essos. No one had expected the attack. It wasn’t something that people thought of when they were in dock. No one thought that someone would come by and burn the ships down. But no one thought anyone was stupid enough to try and overthrow the Crown. Balon was an idiot, something everyone in the realm already knew, but none of them had ever expected he would be this level of stupid.
It appeared to be a good idea. To attack after a war. Your enemy’s numbers would be down and the men would be all exhausted. They wouldn’t put up much of a fight. And all of that would have been true, had Balon attacked after Robert’s Rebellion. Instead, Balon waited six years while everyone recovered, grew stronger, and more soldiers could be trained. Their numbers were still down, but it was nothing compared to the lack of numbers that Balon had. The Iron Born’s greatest accomplishment was their fleet, but they were useless on land. Most of them could barely sword fight. They relied on never touching the ground unless it was to reave and there was no skill required for that type of life.
If it hadn’t been for them burning the Lannister Fleet, then the West wouldn’t have gotten involved. They could have allowed for the North, The Reach and the Riverlands to handle it, but because Balon was an idiot he had made the call to drag the richest family in the realm into his sad rebellion. The result was nine moons later. Balon’s two oldest sons were dead, his fleet was decimated, thousands of his men were dead, and now his only living heir was being used as a hostage to ensure Balon didn’t try again. It’s also how Jaime found himself entering Winterfell instead of being on a ship to go back home. His King had released him from his Kingsguard vows so he could be Lord of Casterly Rock, something Jaime didn’t really know how he felt about just yet. But King Robert had ordered him to escort Ned Stark back to Winterfell where Theon Greyjoy would be spending the rest of his life.
Jaime wasn’t too certain how this was going to play out. From what he heard between Lord Stark and King Robert, the King wanted Stark to have the boy in Winterfell and to be his own warden to the seven name day old boy. Stark wasn’t too happy about it, seeing the boy as just that, a boy, and not a hostage. Jaime couldn’t help but think that Ned Stark was the worst man for the job. He wouldn’t treat the boy like a hostage and he would see him more as a ward. He would teach the boy, allow the boy to get close to his own children and the boy would most likely kill them all in their sleep one night. Jaime could have spoken up about it. He could have suggested that the boy go to King’s Landing and be as far away from the Iron Islands as possible. But the thing was, he just didn’t care.
He had been like this for the past six years. He hadn’t noticed it right away, but the more days that passed him the more he realised that he had lost all sense of life from his body. There was no happiness or joy in his heart or soul. It was something that was getting worse as the days passed. Jaime knew what it was, he knew exactly when it started. The moment he had to kill King Aerys, the man he swore an oath to protect. It was that moment when his soul began to die. Then it was discovering Princess Elia, Prince Aegon and Princess Rhaenys had all been killed. And not just killed, but brutally killed. Prince Aegon, just a babe, had been smashed into the walls and beaten to death. Princess Rhaenys had been beaten and stabbed repeatedly. As for Princess Elia, she had been beaten and raped to death. Jaime didn’t even know someone could rape someone to death. He didn’t even know they weren’t safe until the sweet Princess and Prince’s bodies were brought in front of King Robert and he laughed and cheered the death of the dragonspawns.
It was that moment where Jaime lost all faith in the Crown. Where he had lost his purpose. Where he had lost his honor. The other Kingsgaurds looked down upon him, because he had stabbed their King in the back. His father had told him to not tell people why he truly did it. That it would make him look weak if they knew he had done it because of how mad the man was. Because the man was about to ignite wildfire all throughout King’s Landing just to kill as many traitors that he could. Jaime had hoped when Prince Rhaegar left for the Trident to deal with Robert that he would return and things would get better. Prince Rhaegar had a plan for his father to get him to put the crown down. Prince Rhaegar would have been the first King that Jaime could have been proud and honored to protect and serve, but again it would never happen.
Jaime had no idea what he was going to do once he returned to The Rock. He didn’t want to be Lord. He didn’t want to be a Kingsgaurd, not to a disgusting King like Robert. He didn’t want to get married and have children. He didn’t feel ready for that and even if he did there was no one that he fancied. He knew he would have to go home and try and do something with The Rock, do something with his life, but he just didn’t know what. He didn’t know how to come back to life after feeling so dead inside. One thing Jaime did know, the cold of the North was not helping him any.
“Welcome to Winterfell, Lord Jaime.” Stark said, as they crossed through the open gates and into the keep.
Winterfell and the North was exactly as Jaime had pictured them to be. Cold, covered in snow and just grey. Everything seemed to be a shade of grey. There was no life in the towns and the places they did travel by, most were smaller and rundown. It was clear in the North they focused on keeping alive and not on their structures or their villages. Jaime couldn’t help but wonder how they made money in the North. In the West they had the mine, though from the reports he heard it was drying up so they wouldn’t have it for very long. They also had their trade deals with Essos and a few of the other smaller realms. It was something Jaime was going to have to work on because they needed more money coming in, especially to rebuild their fleet and to maybe expand. The North though, he didn’t know what they did to make money and survive.
“Thank-you, Lord Stark. I will only stay a day or two at most before I must start to make my own journey home.” Jaime said, not really wanting to be in the cold for any longer than he had to be.
“Stay as long as you need to recover, Lord Jaime.” Stark said, as he got off his horse.
“Father!” The sudden sound of a young male voice rang out and Jaime looked to see Stark bending down and scooping up a young lad that looked six name days old.
Jaime knew from the whispers and what King Robert had spoken that Stark had a bastard son around six name days old and a trueborn son that was the same age, but a few moons older. Jaime wasn’t certain, but he had a feeling this was the trueborn son based on the slightly lighter colored hair. Jaime vaguely remembered Stark mentioning that his bastard, Jon, had black hair and grey eyes. Jaime looked around the courtyard of the keep and he could see people starting to come out from wherever they were hiding. There weren’t many people here, but he suspected as much given how large the army was that marched for the King.
“Ned, thank the Seven they have brought you back home!” Lady Stark said, as she practically ran to her husband.
Jaime stood back trying not to get in the way of the lovely family reunion. He saw another very young girl, maybe two name days old being escorted by an older girl who had a decade more years on the youngest. The younger girl had long red hair and Jaime assumed she would be the spitting image of her mother when she was that age. Stark appeared to have more children than Jaime was aware of, but he couldn’t help but notice there was still one missing. The bastard. Jaime hated calling the boy that, it felt disrespectful to him. He knew what most people thought of bastards, especially in the North and some who followed the Seven very closely. Jaime knew that the Seven, those true followers and believers, would never hold a child accountable for the actions of their parents. That all children were loved in the eyes of the Mother. However, some took it too far. They believed that the sin created the child, therefore that child was born of sin and should be treated like a demon.
A child being a bastard never bothered Jaime. He never really thought much of it. They were treated differently in the West or at least at The Rock and Lannisport. His uncle had a new babe that was a bastard, Joy Hill. Jaime never considered his young cousin as a bastard though. To him she was a child and would be a lady one day. Him and his brother, uncles and aunt would make sure she got to grow up being treated just like everyone else and not being treated like she was less than everyone. He also had a nephew that was a bastard and he was currently sitting by the throne waiting until he could wear the iron crown upon his head. Jaime knew that if King’s Landing ever found out the truth, that if the King ever discovered that his wife liked to have sex with her uncle and cousins, that Joffrey wasn’t his son, he would kill them. He would do so very publicly to send a message. It was a fear that Jaime had. One day his twin sister was going to fuck the wrong cousin or uncle and she was going to get caught. It didn’t matter how many times he told her that the Kingsguard only guards the King and they would not keep her secrets, she never listened. And one day it was going to get her killed and there was nothing he could do about it.
“Catelyn, allow me to introduce you to Lord Jaime Lannister.” Stark’s voice brought Jaime out of his thoughts and he looked to see all of the Starks lined up not too far from him.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Stark.” Jaime said, as he took her offered hand.
“And you, Lord Jaime. Though, I never thought I would see you this far north.”
“The King wanted to ensure that Lord Stark and the hostage arrived safely. I’ll only be here for a couple of days. Just long enough to rest up before I make the long journey home.”
The last thing Jaime wanted was to be here for longer than he had to be. He didn’t really want to be back in Casterly Rock, but it was better than being up North or stuck in King’s Landing. If there was one good thing that came from this Rebellion, it was that he was now free to be away from his sister and the worst King in the history of Westeros. He could hide away there and hopefully never have to leave ever again. He didn’t even want to spend two days here. He wanted to turn around and leave right now, but he had to give his horse a break for at least twenty-four hours. After that though he would be gone.
“I’m sure you are exhausted after such a long journey. Heather can show you to your chambers where you can relax and get warm.” Lady Stark said with a kind smile.
Jaime merely gave a nod and followed whom he assumed was Heather through the Keep until he finally arrived at his temporary chambers. He walked in and felt the warmth within the place, even though there was no fire going. He would have to get one going before it got colder that night, but that was something he could handle shortly. For now he figured he would take a bath and then get something to eat. Within the next day he would be back on the long journey to Casterly Rock, with a quick stop at King's Landing to say he vows to the King.
XXX
It was a few hours later and Jaime had bathed and put on clean clothes. He was about to make his way down to the Great Hall for dinner. He hadn’t really looked around the Keep, mostly because he didn’t care to. Some people found the North beautiful in terms of the grey tones everywhere and the untouched white snow. To Jaime though, he didn’t care for it. He much preferred the beaches and greenery within the West. He had just turned down a hallway when he heard what sounded like Lady Stark’s voice.
“You dare lie to me?” She snapped.
“I’m not. I swear, Lady Stark, I did not break the vase.” A small male voice said and Jaime could hear the fear within the little boy’s voice.
“He’s lying, Lady Stark. I saw him pick up the vase and smash it on the ground. He’s a liar. He’s always been a liar.” Another boy’s voice chimed in, but this one sounded harsh and more self-assured.
The sound of skin hitting skin flooded Jaime’s ears and he knew someone had just gotten slapped.
“Of course he’s a liar. He’s a disgusting bastard. Nothing but the living embodiment of sin and lust. I should have thrown you from the tower window when my husband brought you home. I will not tolerate your lies. I will not tolerate you trying to corrupt the trueborn children within my home. Ser Kennieth, take this disgusting bastard and give him fifteen lashes to his bare back. One for each traitorous word he spoke. Perhaps he will finally learn not to speak unless given permission to.”
Jaime couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Ned Stark’s wife was truly going to have a boy whipped fifteen times all because of a broken vase that the other boy most definitely broke. It was disgusting. He also figured that the boy in question was Ned Stark’s bastard. He knew some viewed bastards as walking sin, which Lady Catelyn clearly believed. He couldn’t believe that anyone would whip a child, much less have a woman order it. That child was the brother of her own children, bastard or not.
“When you have finished your punishment, you will clean out all of the stalls in the stable and the kennels. You cannot spread your lies if you are too tired to speak. And you shall go three days without food. Let that be a lesson to you for trying to take for granted the good life you have here. One you do not deserve.” Lady Stark’s words were harsh and Jaime thought about stepping in and trying to defuse the situation.
The problem was he was a guest in this Keep and in the North. He also didn’t doubt for a single second that once his back was turned the boy would be getting whipped and it would be worse because he tried to step in. The last thing Jaime wanted to do was make the boy’s punishment worse. He also highly doubted that any knight would truly whip a boy. He was most likely going to get a few hits over his shirt and then lie about it to Lady Stark. That was what any knight would do. The boy, bastard or not, was just a young boy there was nothing he could do that would warrant a serious punishment, let alone a real whipping.
“Aye, Lady Stark.” The boy said without any inflection within his voice.
Jaime moved on down the hallway so he wouldn’t get caught eavesdropping. He figured he would see the boy around before he left. And even if he didn't, it really wasn’t any of his business. He was just here to ensure Lord Stark and the hostage arrived safely. He had done his last duty to King Robert and now he could go home and forget about the last six years of his life. But first he had to get through this feast.
XXX
It was hours later when Jaime finally managed to slip out of the feast. It seemed like every single woman in the place wanted to dance with him or speak with him. Even some of the men wanted to talk his ear off. Jaime was not one really for crowds. He could fake it very well, but he didn’t want to be involved with the public. Tyrion was always the one that loved a crowd and to be around people. Jaime always felt like everyone was looking at him or wanting something from him. It was very draining, especially after yet another war and a long journey. All Jaime wanted was to go home. He walked through the Keep just trying to enjoy the quiet of the night when he heard movement coming from the stalls. He knew he shouldn't be going over there. He was fairly confident that it would be Ned Stark’s bastard in the stable cleaning it out.
Jaime had found he couldn’t stop thinking about the boy. It wasn’t his place to get involved. He had no right to dictate how someone treated a child, especially one they were helping to raise. However, his mind couldn’t stop thinking about the boy. He couldn’t get his terrified voice out of his mind. He didn’t really understand it, because he had seen children being whipped and beaten before. He had seen them being punished by their parents or the guards that worked for their parents. It was common in King’s Landing especially. The higher the Lord the more cruel they could be and the higher the expectations of the children. It didn’t tend to happen in the West. They tended to view bastards a bit differently and children were often treated better. That wasn’t to say that it didn’t happen. There were parents in the West that were short tempered and horrible parents. It just wasn’t the norm. He hadn’t expected for it to be the norm in the North though and that was what Jaime figured was taking him aback. He didn’t expect Ned Stark, the most honorable man in the realm, to allow anyone to whip his own son. Bastard or not.
The pull to the stables was far too strong and Jaime walked over there and peeked inside. The boy, Jon, had his back to Jaime, but Jaime could see the blood coating the back of the boy’s tunic. Two things were made very clear to Jaime. The first, his lashes had not been treated, as Jaime could see they were still bleeding. The second, the boy had actually been whipped. A knight had stood there in front of a child and hit him with a whip across his bare back fifteen times. It made Jaime sick to even think about. What hurt the most though, was seeing the bruises and scars that Jaime could see even from a short distance away. He was covered in bruises and he was thin. Far too thin for a child half his age, much less a boy of six. The boy was being starved to death very slowly. His clothes were threadbare. He didn’t even have on a proper coat. Jaime knew northern men were built differently, but the boy was far too frail to be out in weather like this without proper protection and he suspected that the boy didn’t have that.
Jaime couldn’t help himself. He slipped away and made his way back towards the feast. He knew there would be plenty of food left. He slipped into the kitchen and grabbed some bland food, just some chicken, potatoes and bread. He put some on a plate, grabbed a fork and headed back to the boy. When he arrived this time Jon was facing the entrance and instantly Jaime could see the fear flood the boy’s body. Jaime held up his free hand in a mock surrender to let the boy know he didn’t mean him any harm. Not that he expected the boy to believe it. Jaime figured at this point, everyone seemed to want to bring the boy harm.
“Hello lad, you must be Jon. I’m Jaime Lannister.” Jaime said in a friendly tone and a warm smile. He was hoping to ease the boy’s fears a bit, but he knew it was going to take a lot of work.
Jon’s eyes instantly snapped to the ground as he bowed and spoke in the softest of voices. “My Lord, I am sorry for being in your way.”
“You aren’t in my way. I wanted to bring you some food.” Jaime offered, as he went and placed the plate down on one of the stumps that were used for sitting.
“Thank-you My Lord.” Jon said, but he didn’t make any move to stand up or even move towards the food.
Jaime could tell that Jon was too terrified to do anything wrong. To eat when he knew he wasn't allowed to eat for the next three days. The problem was, Jaime couldn’t leave Winterfell knowing that there was a little boy being starved to death. He needed to get Jon to eat at least once and now was the best time with everyone being at the feast. Jaime reached over and went to place his hands on Jon’s arms, but Jon was instantly flinching back and Jaime could see the fear radiating throughout his eyes. Jaime raised his hands up to show Jon that he meant no harm to him.
“It’s ok. I’m not going to hurt you. I just wanted you to look up at me.” Jaime gently said.
“Sorry, My Lord.” Jon said, as his eyes went down once again.
“You don’t have anything to be sorry for. And please, stop looking down. I’m not going to hurt you or yell at you if you look at me. Let’s sit down ok? You really need to eat something.” Jaime pleaded, as he slowly moved Jon over to one of the stumps.
Jon sat down, but his whole body was rigid and Jaime couldn’t believe how terrified this young boy was. This was his home and he should feel safe here, but it was clear he would feel safer out in the woods on his own. Jaime went and sat down on his own stump, but wasn’t close by Jon. He wanted to give him some space so he could feel a bit more comfortable. He really just wanted Jon to eat.
“Do you know what a knight is?” Jaime asked.
“Yes, My Lord.” Jon answered.
“I am a knight, a former Kingsguard. That means I am an honorable man. When I give you my word, I always keep it. And I give you my word Jon Snow that I will not tell anyone what we speak of and I will not cause you any harm.” Jaime vowed. He could see that Jon was uncomfortable and still not sure about any of this. He wished he could have put him more at ease, but he suspected it would take a very long time before that would happen. Time he didn’t have to give.
Jon just gave a small nod, but he still wouldn’t make full eye contact with Jaime. He wasn’t used to adults talking to him like this. He typically only had Robb that spoke with him with any form of kindness. Jon did what he could to hide as much from Robb that he could because he didn’t want Robb to get in trouble. It was just easier to avoid everyone and keep to himself. If he stayed as small as possible then no one would see him.
“I know you are scared. But please, could you eat a bit of the food? You are much too thin.” Jaime tried with a slight plea to his voice. He was truly worried about Jon and what was happening with him. He knew Ned Stark was supposed to be honorable, and yet he was allowing his own child to be treated this way. He just didn’t understand.
Very slowly and reluctantly, Jon picked up his plate and started to take a small bite. Jaime gave him a warm smile as he spoke. “That’s a good lad. You have a lot of horses here. Do you like horses?” Jaime asked, hoping that a bit of conversation might ease some of the fear from Jon.
“Yes, My Lord.” Jon answered, as he ate some of the chicken.
“Which one do you like to ride the most?”
“I do not know how to ride, My Lord.”
“No? What about reading, writing, using a sword?” Jaime asked. It was none of his business, but he just needed to know. He didn’t know what it was about this boy, but Jaime couldn’t shake it. He just had to do something for him. He had to do something to make his life better, because he was genuinely terrified that this would be the last time he saw the boy. That this could be the very last meal the boy ever got.
Jon just shook his head no and Jaime didn’t need to ask why. He knew it was because of Catelyn and the boy being a bastard. Bastard or not, he was still a high-born child and he deserved to be educated and treated right. All children did. It broke Jaime’s heart to see this small boy just accepting his life like he deserved it. As if he did something wrong, when all that he had done was been born. Jaime was going to be speaking with Ned Stark and dealing with this. He was not going to allow for this to continue a day longer.
“It’s going to be ok, Jon. I promise.” Jaime said, because no matter what he was going to make sure this little boy was taken care of before he left. One way or another.
XXX
Jaime made his way to Ned’s solar. He was not looking forward to this conversation, but he needed to have it. He couldn’t leave knowing that Jon was going to be abused and potentially killed one day. He had seen too much death and pain towards children in the past decade. He couldn’t handle one more dead child on his conscience. He was truly hoping he could convince Ned to allow him to take the boy with him. Once he was allowed to enter, Jaime walked inside to see Ned sitting at his desk and it was clear he wasn’t too happy to be speaking with him.
“What do you want, Kingslayer?” Ned asked, not even bothering to look up at Jaime.
“I want to take Jon back to Casterly Rock with me.” Jaime said, hating hearing his moniker being used, but he was not going to show Ned Stark that it bothered him.
Ned’s head instantly snapped up and Jaime could see the anger bubbling within his eyes. He certainly did not like the idea of Jaime taking Jon anywhere, but Jaime couldn’t help but wonder if it was because he was the “Kingslayer” or if it was about Jon leaving.
“What makes you think I would ever allow someone like you to have a child, much less my bastard?” Ned practically growled.
“Perhaps because you clearly do not care if the boy lives or dies. You cannot tell me you do not know he is being starved, abused and whipped by your Lady Wife. Not even a blind man would miss it. Why not let the boy go and be somewhere with someone that wants him around?”
“A hostage you mean. I’m not about to give any Lannister someone with Stark blood. And what I or my wife do to the children is none of your business. We can punish the children any way we wish. Jon is a bastard and he will have to learn his place in this world or he won’t be in it. Now get the hell out of my Keep.” Ned seethed, as he dismissed Jaime.
“Fine, but I will be informing the King of your treatment of the boy and I will be informing every single Lord how you treat children. I am sure that will make things interesting for you and your people. When the Lords in the Reach refuse to trade with you because they do not support the abuse and torture of children. When your own Lords look down upon you. When you are no longer the honorable Ned Stark, but a man that tortures his own flesh and blood. Not to mention the lack of Lords willing to match their children with yours for a marriage.”
“Are you threatening me, Kingsayer?” Ned said with a deadly edge to his voice.
“Threats and blackmail are for cowards. No, Lord Stark, I am telling you that if I leave here without the boy, I will be taking the scenic route down to King’s Landing. And every Keep I pass I will be stopping and telling everyone what you and your wife do to children. I will get the King to sign an official creed to assign me wardship of Jon Snow. As well as, an arrest for your Lady Wife to be sentenced to the Silent Sisters for life. It won’t be hard, the King signs anything you put in front of him when he is drunk. He doesn’t even read it. The choice is yours. You can either allow me to leave alone or you will sign a binding contract that grants me full wardship of Jon Snow and complete authority to make any decisions in regards to his life until the age of majority. In turn, I will not seek any compensation for his housing and education. Which would you prefer, Lord Stark?” Jaime asked with a cocky smile.
He knew for a fact that Stark was not going to risk this news getting out. He was not going to risk losing his wife or having anyone knowing what was happening within his Keep. Jaime knew to some that he was being reckless. After all, why would you risk upsetting the Warden of the North? But for Jaime, he didn’t care. Stark was not going to march his Northern army to Casterly Rock looking for revenge. The West had no trade agreement with the North. They never interacted with each other. They didn’t care for the each other. It meant nothing to Jaime to put more animosity between him and Stark. Jaime could see that Stark was furious and he knew he would comply, because he knew that Jaime would very much do what he was threatening.
“Why would you want a Northern bastard so badly?” Ned demanded.
“That boy is being horribly abused. You might be able to look at it and not care, but I can’t. Either he comes with me willingly or I will come back and take him. Choice is yours.”
Jaime was not going to be moved from this. He was taking Jon West and keeping him safe. He was going to be giving this boy a real life. It would be the one good thing that would be able to come out of so much darkness, death and pain from both rebellions. He couldn’t save the Prince and Princess from Tywin, but he could save this one boy from his own father.
“You both will be out of my Keep in the morning.” Ned said between clenched teeth.
The last thing he wanted was for Jon to be in the West. He didn’t want him in the North, but he wanted him in a place where he could be hidden away and learn his place in the world. He would be able to send him to The Wall when he was four and ten at the latest. He was hoping to send him at just two and ten, in just six more years. Now, he was going to have to accept that Jon would be in the West until he was eight and ten, but at least he would not have to look upon the boy any longer. He would not have his sister’s betrayal walking around every day. Ned knew it might not make sense for him to hate his sister’s son so much, but he couldn’t help it. Lyanna was supposed to marry Robert. They were betrothed and she had a duty to her family to uphold her marriage. She brought dishonor to their family by leaving with Rhaegar and marrying him. And because of her selfish decision, his father and brother were both killed trying to get her back. Not to mention all of the good Northmen that died in the Rebellion. If Jon had not survived being born, it would have been better for the realm.
“Perfect.” Jaime said with a pleased smile.
Jaime went over and grabbed a piece of parchment and quill and started to write out the agreement. He wanted to make sure that Ned had no power over Jon. That he could not make any agreements on his behalf. Once he was confident it would protect Jon the most, he passed it over to Ned and after reading it, Ned signed it. Jaime collected it as he spoke.
“Would you like me to inform him?”
“I’ll do it. Get the hell out.” Ned growled.
Jaime didn’t need to wait around any longer. He had what he wanted and tomorrow he would be leaving Winterfell with Jon and that was more than he could have hoped for.
XXX
That night Jaime was on his way to his chambers when he saw Jon sneaking some food out of the kitchen. He scanned the area around him to make sure no one would catch Jon. They would be leaving in the morning, but he knew that Ned had not spoken with Jon about it yet. He was apparently going to be doing that in the morning. Jaime took comfort in knowing that this would be the very last night that Jon would spend within these walls. That he would spend terrified to go to sleep at night because he had no idea if someone was going to hurt him. The last night that he would go to bed with pains in his stomach from being hungry. Jaime followed Jon, expecting him to go back to his chambers to eat, only he headed out into the Godswoods. No one seemed to notice and it was clear he was used to sneaking in and out of the Keep. Jaime continued to follow Jon further into the woods until eventually he came to a very small cave. It was barely big enough for Jaime to fit inside of it.
He was shocked by what he saw. There in the cave was a young wolf pup that couldn’t have been more than two moons old. Jon had sat on the ground and the wolf pup came right over for the scraps of meat that Jon had collected. The sound of his steps caused both boy and wolf to look over at him and Jaime held his hands up to show he didn’t mean any harm.
“Sorry, I saw you slipping out of the Keep and I was worried about you. Who’s your little friend?” Jaime asked in a warm voice that he was hoping Jon would find comforting.
“Ghost, My Lord. I know I’m not supposed to take food or be here, but he needs to eat.” Jon said, sadly. It was clear he had been expecting Jaime to do something to cause harm to Ghost or himself.
“It’s good of you to help take care of him. Where is his mother?” Jaime asked, as he bent down so he was more on Jon’s level.
“I don’t know. I was out one night and she was just there with a pup in her mouth. She was really big. Almost the size of a horse. I thought she was gonna eat me. But she walked up to me and dropped Ghost into my hands before she left. Ghost was the only pup with her and he was so small. I had to help him.”
“Of course you did. You did the right thing by taking care of him.”
Jaime was surprised by the story. He had never heard of any animal, let alone a wolf, coming up to a human and handing their pup over. It was an odd story, but he didn’t think the boy was lying. Jaime could see the little wolf pup was pure white, but he had red eyes. He vaguely wondered if he was an albino wolf. It was possible the mother rejected the pup because of his coloring, but that didn’t explain why she would bring him to Jon and not just leave the pup on its own to die. He was small though, looked smaller than a typical pup his age. But he wasn’t too certain. He didn’t spend much time in the kennels growing up to really gauge if Ghost was average or on the smaller side. He easily trusted Jon though, which was surprising in a sense. Ghost was a wolf and they were obviously a fierce predator, but Ghost was happy to be petted and cuddled.
“When did this happen?” Jaime asked.
“A sennight ago. I know I can’t keep him, but I can get him big so he can hunt on his own.” Jon answered, but Jaime could hear how hurt he was at having to say goodbye to his little friend. Probably his only friend. Jaime knew it would be stupid, but he suspected he would need to bring the young wolf with them tomorrow. It would be good for Jon to have a companion and if trained right the wolf should be able to be tame around the family.
“You are a very kind young boy. I am glad you found Ghost and have been able to help him.” Jaime said with a kind smile.
“Thank-you, My Lord.” Jon said with a shy smile, clearly not used to being complimented or praised. It was something that Jaime was going to have to do more to help build up his confidence.
Jaime sat there and kept Jon company as he took care of Ghost. Jaime couldn’t believe how good of a young boy Jon was. He was clearly malnourished and half-starved, but he never once took a bite of any of the meat he had brought to feed Ghost. Jaime knew he had a long road to go with Jon to make sure he was healthy and in a good place. He never thought he would have any children. He had resigned to being in the Kingsguard, which meant no wife or children. He had honored his vows and he was never the type of man that liked to use brothels or sleep around. Now, he would be raising Jon and he was going to be doing it as if Jon was his son. He was going to make sure Jon grew up to be a strong and kind man. Someone that he could be proud to be. He was going to show Ned Stark exactly what he was missing out on.
XXX
Jon made his way towards his father’s solar. It was just before everyone was breaking the fast that morning and Jon knew he wouldn’t be allowed to eat, but normally he was to help clean up afterwards. He never was called to his father’s solar, so he wasn’t certain why his father wished to speak with him alone. Normally, when he did something wrong, his father had no problem yelling at him or punishing him in front of everyone in the area. Jon was worried about what all of this could be about. Once he was allowed to enter, Jon walked in, but he didn’t sit down. He knew he wasn’t supposed to sit down unless he was given permission to. Jon also kept his eyes down knowing it would upset his father if he looked at him. Jon stood there waiting to see what his father would say.
“You are to pack your things. You are leaving with Ser Jaime within the hour.” Ned started.
“Leaving, My Lord?” Jon asked, confused.
He was never allowed to go anywhere outside of the Keep. He couldn’t even go to Wintertown. He was not allowed to be viewed by other Lords. He was to stay in the background and be quiet.
“You will be going with him to Casterly Rock and living there. You will do as you are told and not disrespect what I have taught you. I expect for you to do everything you are told and serve Ser Jaime with whatever he needs. He owns you now and he will be free to punish you when you go against him or screw up. Do I make myself clear?” Ned clarified with an edge to his voice.
“Yes, My Lord.” Jon said, sadly.
He didn’t want to leave the North. He didn’t want to leave Robb, even if they almost never get any time together. Robb’s mother and their father were pretty adamant that they were to not spend time together. That Jon was underneath Robb and Robb shouldn’t lower himself down to Jon’s level. He also didn’t want to leave Ghost. Ghost wasn’t big enough to be able to hunt on his own. He wouldn’t make it. Jon had to fight to keep the tears at bay. He knew he would be punished if he cried in front of his father. Real men never cry.
“Get out of my sight.” Ned dismissed.
“Yes, My Lord.” Jon barely managed to say, before he turned around and quickly headed back to his chambers.
The second Jon arrived back in his chambers he immediately allowed the tears to fall. He went and curled up in the one corner were he kept all of his blankets that he slept on. He had not earned the right for a bed yet. He didn’t want to be a slave. He didn’t want Ghost to die. He didn’t want to be all alone in the West, but he didn’t get a choice. He had been sold by his own father to a complete stranger. He was going to be on the other side of the realm all on his own. He didn’t even know how they were going to get there. He didn’t know how to ride a horse, was he going to have to walk the whole way? Would he be tied to the horse and be forced to keep up pace with it? What would the punishments be like if he couldn’t do what Jaime wanted? He was already in pain from his last punishment, he didn’t think he could handle any more.
A sudden knock at his door caused Jon to flinch as the door opened and Jaime walked in. Jon was instantly sitting up and trying to stop the tears as he spoke.
“I’m sorry, My Lord. I did not know I was supposed to find you.”
Jaime closed the door and took a quick look around the room. it was the first time he was seeing it and it only broke his heart more. There was nothing in it. No bed, no desk, no chest for his clothes. The room was bare and yet a small boy lived in it. Jaime went over and sat down on the ground in front of Jon as he spoke in a calm and soothing voice. “You have nothing to be sorry for. You did nothing wrong. It’s ok. Can you try and take a slow, deep breath for me?”
When he saw Jon making a mad dash to his chambers, Jaime knew that Ned had finally spoken with the boy. He wanted to speak with Jon and make sure he knew that he was not in trouble and that everything would be ok. He did not expect for Jon to be reacting this way. He knew the young boy would be sad and would miss his siblings, but he had expected for him to be a bit relieved and happy about being away from all of this pain. Jon did his best to do as Jaime said and eventually his breathing was back to a more controllable level.
“That’s a good lad. Can you tell me why you are so upset? I know leaving your home can be hard, but I thought maybe you would be a bit excited about getting to travel to the West and living with me.”
“Will I be tied to your horse and forced to walk, My Lord?” Jon asked with pure terror in his voice.
“Why would I ever do that?” Jaime asked softly, now worried about what Ned had said to the poor boy.
“I heard that’s what happens with slaves. Lord Stark said you own me now. That I must do whatever you wish of me or you will punish me.”
“Bloody hell.” Jaime said with a shake of his head. He never should have allowed Ned to be the one to speak with Jon about this. “You have not been sold to me. You are not a slave. I will not be punishing you. You are my ward. Do you know what that is?”
Jon just shook his head and Jaime continued. “A ward is a child that you take on as your own. My responsibility with you is to make sure you have food, clothes, a warm place to sleep at night, proper education of a high lord, able to ride a horse and to use a sword. My duty is to make sure you grow up to be a good man, a good Lord. I will not beat you. I will not raise a hand to you. I will not allow anyone to raise a hand to you. You will never be whipped, abused, or starved ever again. You will never go to bed with hunger pain. You will never go to bed cold. You will never again be treated less than a high lordling again. By all law, you are my son now. And I am going to do everything I can to make sure you are healthy and happy.”
Jaime needed to make sure that Jon understood that he was not going to be abusing him. That he was not a slave or a servant. He was going to be treated as if he was his own son and Jaime was not going to tolerate anyone treating him less than that. He was not going to allow Jon to feel like he was less than anyone, bastard or not.
“Why, My Lord? Why would you want me?” Jon asked, as a few tears ran down his cheeks.
Jaime slowly reached out and wiped the few tears from his cheeks as he spoke. “I’ve seen two wars now. I have seen children dead. Women being raped and murdered. I have seen men being killed and I have killed men. My own father was killed at the start of this war. I have seen a lot of darkness, a lot of pain. I can’t seem to see the light anymore. I have been released from my vows as a Kingsguard and have to go home to be the Lord of Casterly Rock, something I don't particularly wish to do, but I have to. It is my duty as my father’s heir. I think we need each other. I think you need someone that will care about you and raise you right and I need something good to come from all of this death and pain. I need a reason to keep going. So I think we can help each other in that sense. We can be what the other needs. But if this is truly what you do not want, then I will go and let Lord Stark know that you will be staying here. I won’t force you.”
It would rip Jaime’s heart out if Jon decided to stay, but he would allow it. He didn’t want Jon to feel like he was being sold and had no choice in his life.
“If I leave, Ghost will die. I don’t want Ghost to die.” Jon said, sadly.
“Oh no, Ghost won’t die. He’s going to be with us.” Jaime easily said.
“Really, My Lord?” Jon asked, slightly surprised.
“Of course. Ghost is your friend, we don’t leave friends behind. I think he will like Casterly Rock. There’s plenty of animals for him to hunt and lots of woods for him to run around in. There is also the beach, he could go swimming.” Jaime said with a warm smile.
“Wolves swim?” Jon asked.
“They are excellent swimmers. I can teach you how to swim too. Just like you will be able to learn how to ride a horse and use a sword. You could even be a knight one day if that is what you wish. And you can still send letters to Robb and your siblings. You do not have to have no contact with them. We can also visit or have them visit as well.” Jaime didn’t know if Ned would ever allow it, but the option was always going to be there for Jon.
Jon liked that he would be able to still be in communication with his siblings, especially Robb. He also liked that Ghost would be with him. He was still scared to leave, but maybe it wouldn’t be so bad being with Jaime in the West. It would at least be warmer and it sounded like he would be able to ride a horse and use a sword.
“I’m still sad to say goodbye, but I will go with you, My Lord.” Jon finally said.
“It’s perfectly natural for you to be sad, but soon I think you will be happy. And please, call me Jaime, ok?” Jaime asked, being hopeful that Jon would be ok with it.
“Ok.” Jon said, but it was clear to Jaime he was uncertain about it.
“Good lad. Why don't I grab us some food and I will bring in a plate for you. You can eat and pack up and I will do the same, so we can get the hell out of here.” Jaime offered with a warm smile and Jon just gave a nod.
Jaime headed out and quickly grabbed some food for the both of them before he went back to Jon’s chambers and placed the plate down on the small crate. He then headed out and started to get his things in order. He didn’t have much and he suspected that Jon didn’t either so they could still take his horse and not worry too much about the weight. Once everything was in order he went back over to Jon’s chambers and saw that he only had a very small bag that looked like he only had four things. It was something he was going to have to fix once they arrived back home.
“All set?” Jaime asked.
“Yes, My…I mean, Jaime.” Jon said with a very small smile.
Jaime gave him a proud smile as he went and grabbed Jon’s bag and they both headed out. He quickly got it situated on his horse that was all ready for them. He looked over at Jon and could see he was scanning the area to see if his family was around. Jaime hated that no one was most likely going to be coming out to say goodbye to Jon. Jaime knew that he had burned one hell of a bridge with Stark and it was going to take a long time before there would be any semblance of peace. He was really hoping that the children would be able to stay in contact.
Just when Jon let out a deep sigh and turned around so he could head out, he heard a familiar voice calling out.
“Snow!”
Jon turned around and smiled the first real smile that Jaime had seen on his face since he arrived. Robb came running over to them and handed Jon a silver wolf cloak pin as he spoke.
“So you never forget that you are pack.”
Jon took the pin as if it was worth millions of gold dragons. “This is yours.” Jon said.
“And now I will be with you whenever you wear it.” Robb responded with a smile. “Father says you are going to be going to the West. I always knew you would become a knight one day. Maybe when you are a knight, you could come back and be the head of the guards when I take over as Warden of the North.”
“You would want me to be the head of the guards?” Jon asked, surprised.
“Of course. You’re my brother, no matter what anyone says. You’re a Stark and Winterfell will always be your home. I will always be your brother and I will be here when you are ready to come back home.”
Robb’s words warmed Jaime’s heart to know that Jon at least had someone in his family on his side. That there was someone in his life that clearly loved him. The problem was that person was a six name day old boy that couldn’t do anything to prevent Jon from being abused and neglected.
“You’re my brother and one day I will be back to make sure you and our siblings are safe.” Jon promised.
Robb pulled Jon in for a hug and the boys clung to each other tightly before they pulled back.
“I love you, Little Brother.” Robb said.
“I love you, Brother.” Jon said with a smile back.
“I have to get going. Father is expecting me. Write me.”
“I promise.” Jon quickly agreed.
Robb ran off and Jon turned to look at Jaime and Jaime could see he felt lighter. “You ready to saddle up?”
“I’m riding on the horse?” Jon asked, surprised.
“Absolutely. You will sit in the front and I will sit behind you and hold the reins.” Jaime explained and Jon gave a nod.
Jaime went and grabbed Jon by the hips and easily lifted him up and onto his horse. Once Jon was situated, Jaime got up and got them both settled. He then started to head out at an easy pace so Jon would get used to it. He headed towards where Ghost would be kept and within fifteen minutes they had arrived and Jaime was getting down first before he helped to get Jon down. They both made their way to the cave and sure enough Ghost was there waiting for them.
“Guess what Ghost, we’re going to be living in Casterly Rock now. It’s all the way in the West. Jaime says there is a beach so you could swim and I can learn how to swim with you.” Jon said, as Ghost walked over to him.
Jon easily picked up the little wolf and they headed back to Jaime’s horse. “Alright, you hold onto Ghost and I will get you both up on Honor.”
Jon gave a nod and held onto Ghost good and tight as Jaime lifted them both up and got Jon back in his spot before he hopped up himself. He spoke as they started off once again.
“I will go slow at first until you both are used to being on Honor and then I’ll pick up the pace. We are going to head to White Harbour where we will sail to King’s Landing. We’ll spend a few days in King’s Landing before sailing to Lannisport and then we will ride to Casterly Rock. Sound good?”
“Perfect.” Jon said, as he smiled at how amazing it felt to be riding a horse. He couldn’t wait until he could learn how to do it himself and go fast.
Jon didn’t know what to expect from his life now that he would not be in the North, but he was hoping it would allow him to bring honor to his name and maybe one day he would be able to be reunited with his siblings.
Notes:
Ok, I know Ned isn’t being shined in the best of light so far. Here’s the thing with Ned for me, I could argue either way that he’s a good or a bad father to Jon. Did he take him in and keep him fed, clothed and educated? Yes. Which means he obviously cares to some degree for Jon. Personally, I think he loves him, but not to the extent of his children. Like if he loved Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran and Rickon 10/10, he loves Jon like 6/10. It’s always felt like he loves Jon like a nephew and not a son. If you watch Season 1, Ned never tells Jon you are my son. It’s always you are my blood. So does he love him? Yes, but not enough to put him at the same level of his children.
And we saw multiple times where Ned could have picked Jon over Robert, but he never does. He knows Jon is trueborn because Lyanna said his full name to him. He knows it was all built on lies the rebellion, and yet he never tells Jon, not even when he is old enough. He agrees to marry Sansa to Joffrey knowing he’s not the true Prince. He sends Jon away to The Wall and doesn’t tell him the truth until he promises to tell him the next time he is in the North, which would be long after he swore his vows and couldn’t do anything. Ned is constantly undermining Jon’s blood and name, always in favor of either his children or Robert, the man that killed Jon’s father and in a sense, his mother by his actions. Lyanna might not have died if she had the proper help she needed, but couldn’t have because of the Rebellion.
As for this story, I don't know if there would be a Ned Redemption or not. I think Ned in the show had PTSD from the war. I think there is a part of him that is resentful towards Jon because he is a reminder of everyone he lost in the war. So in this story he doesn’t treat him well. He very much blames Jon for the dead. Will he see the light one day? I don’t know. I haven’t planned that far out in this story. I think eventually it will be an uncle/nephew relationship that is distant. Ned will be the Warden of the North and fight for Jon, but only because they share blood and he has to or he risks his Lords turning against him. So it might be more of a long-distance, hostile relationship that they push through when they have to.
I don’t know. Let me know your thoughts on the chapter and if you would like to see more. I am happy to keep writing this one if enough people are interested in it!
Chapter 2
Notes:
Ok, I have decided to continue this. I have been working on an outline and it's going to be a long ass story! I did notice that I need more time for Jon and Jaime to be around each other and to fit everything into the story that I would like to do. But in order for it to not feel rushed, I need some more time.
So, I went back and edited chapter 1 and changed the date and ages of Jon and Robb. I am making it two years earlier, so the Greyjoy rebellion happened six years after the war instead of eight. So Jon and Robb are both 6 and not 8. This gives me an extra two years to build a relationship and not have the events feel so squished together.
I will be updating once a week, along with my other Game of Thrones story. For anyone who follows my 9-1-1 stories, I am almost finished the last couple of chapters of FOS and then I will be posting those chapters once a week as well.
Chapter Text
White Harbour 287 AC Ninth Moon (September)
The past twelve days had flown by for Jaime. He was surprised, he thought there would be some adjustments to travelling with a small child and a wolf pup, but Jon and Ghost had travelled very well. Jaime made sure to stop frequently so Jon and Ghost would be able to walk around and stretch his legs. Jon was not used to riding at all, so going this far would be a lot for him. Jaime had taken a couple of extra days to reach White Harbour with the hope of easing the travel on Jon. It was clear that Jon was stiff and sore from riding all day, but they had managed to avoid any sores or additional injuries. Jaime had been making sure that Jon’s injuries from his time in Winterfell were healing, especially his back. His back was a complete mess of scars and Jaime had to use every ounce of training he had ever gone through to keep his emotions in check. He wanted to storm back to Winterfell and drag Catelyn by her hair out of the Keep and take her head for himself. He wanted to take the head of every person that ever dared to lay a single hand on him. Only he couldn’t do that, because that would only put Jon at risk and cause more attention on him. Jaime wasn’t going to be trying to hide him, but he also didn’t want the whole realm looking at Jon like he was a broken toy.
Jon was just a six name day old boy, he didn’t deserve to be treated or looked at like he was undeserving or unworthy of any form of positive affection or just basic rights. Jaime knew a good chunk of the realm looked down upon bastards, but that didn’t change that Jon was a child and he didn’t deserve to be treated the way he had been and he refused to allow for it to continue. He was worried though about how Jon was going to interact with anyone within White Harbour. So far they hadn’t stayed at any of the Keeps, mostly because they didn’t pass one except for Crewyn and that was during the day. Jaime didn’t see the need of stopping, especially being so close to Winterfell, when they had a full day ahead of them. They had been sleeping in a tent every night and Jon seemed to handle that well. However, when they had passed a couple of people on their journey Jon was extremely quiet, almost fearful of anyone noticing he was even alive. Jaime didn’t know how Jon was going to be able to handle being on a ship with a large number of people for the next twelve days until they reached King’s Landing.
King’s Landing was going to be a whole other problem that Jaime had no idea how they were going to survive it. He had to go to King’s Landing to swear his fealty to Robert now that he was Warden of the West and Lord of Casterly Rock. There was no option, but to go. However, it was going to be incredibly busy, the Red Keep was not known for its love of bastards, and then there was his sister to throw into the mix. Cersei would not be pleased that he had taken on a ward, but especially a northern bastard. She would only view him as a savage. She was also going to be pissed that he was no longer a Kingsguard and there to cater to her every whim. Jaime was certain now that their father was dead Cersei would be assuming they would finally be together. As if their father had been the reason for him being disgusted by the mere thought of being around her. It didn’t matter how many times he told her no. How many times he pushed her away and refused her. How many times he told her that her reaction to hearing about the death of the Prince and Princess was the reason for his revolution towards her. She still believed they would be together. She still believed that he would one day kill the King and they could marry and rule the Seven Kingdoms together. She still told herself that Joffrey was their son, even though he was her’s with their uncle. She was delusional and Jaime had no interest in being a part of her delusion any longer. They would spend one night in King’s Landing before they would be on a ship and sailing for Lannisport. Jaime didn’t care what the King or Queen wanted or had to say about it.
“Look up ahead, Jon. That is White Harbour.” Jaime said, as they came over the hill and they could see White Harbour’s white watch towers and large gate off in the distance. They could also see some of the ships that were docked in port.
“It’s big.” Jon said, as he tried to take it all in.
The past ten days had been very different for Jon and he didn’t know how he felt about any of them. He liked being away from Winterfell and being hurt, especially being away from Lady Catelyn. But he was also sad, because he missed Robb and Sansa. He didn’t get to spend much time with Sansa, but he did get to see her and sometimes she would wave to him. He couldn’t spend much time with Robb, but when they did get to spend time together when Lady Catelyn was busy, it was always a good time. He missed getting to talk to his brother and even watching him in the sparring yard learning from Ser Rodrik. At night when Jon was alone, he would practice the same movements that Robb was taught with a stick that he found. He didn’t know if he was any good, he assumed he was terrible at it, but he liked the movements. They were calming to him and it helped him to feel like he was doing something right.
The last ten days had been very confusing for Jon as well, because he was so used to following the rules that he didn’t know what to do now. He didn’t know what was expected of him with Jaime. He was told to refer to him as his birth name and not his status, something that had been literally beaten into Jon to never do. Jaime was making sure he ate multiple times a day. He made sure he slept at night. He made sure he had water and was warm enough. He even made sure Ghost had food as well. Jaime never yelled at him. Jaime never told him he was stupid or worthless. He never said a mean thing to him. He never raised his hand to him. He seemed to care about him and Jon didn’t understand why. He didn't understand why Jaime wasn’t treating him like how everyone else did in Winterfell. He didn’t understand why Jaime would do all of this. He must have wanted something, but Jon couldn’t figure out what that something was.
“It’s nothing compared to the size of Casterly Rock. And King’s Landing is even larger.”
“How long does it take to reach King’s Landing?”
“We will be there in about twelve days. It just depends on the wind and the waves. Hopefully, the sea agrees with you.” Jaime said, as they got closer to the outside of White Harbour.
“Agrees with me?” Jon asked, slightly confused.
“Some people can get sickness of the sea. Basically, the waves and the movement of the ship can make you feel gross. Some people throw up, some feel dizzy, others can just feel like crap. But there are plenty of people who don’t even notice the movements.”
“I could be sick the whole time?” Jon asked, now very concerned about the journey.
“No, no. If you do get sick, it will only be for a first few days and then your body will adapt to the movements. If you are sick, we will get you through it, I promise.”
Jaime was hoping that the trip would be a pleasant one for Jon. He had been trying to get Jon to open up to him more and loosen up a bit, but Jon was always very reserved and skittish. He almost never smiled, unless it was towards Ghost. He was very quiet and paid very close attention to the words he said. Jaime couldn’t wait until he could get Jon out of the North and back home so he could help him grow and be a normal kid. He wanted to hear him laugh. He wanted to see a real smile and to see him excited. He wanted to hear him talking non-stop about something he found interesting. He wanted to see Jon being just a kid and not afraid to breathe too loud.
“We’re going inside?” Jon asked, as they rode through the gate and Jaime could hear the slight fear within his voice. This was going to be the first time that Jon was around a group of people and if Jaime could avoid it he would.
“Just for a few minutes. We have to meet with Lord Manderly. I have to send a raven to King’s Landing to let the King know we are on our way. Also, Lord Manderly is one of Lord Stark’s bannermen and I want to make sure he knows I have permission to bring you with me.”
Jaime didn’t know how well this was gonna go over with Lord Manderly, but he had the paperwork that proved he was the guardian of Jon now. He had every legal right to take Jon with him, but it would be best to show that to Lord Manderly before they boarded a ship being manned by his people. There were plenty of heads being turned their way as they made their way towards the Keep. Jaime didn’t know if it was because of him, Jon or Ghost that pulled people’s attention, but by the time they arrived at the Keep there were two men standing at the entrance of the Keep. Jaime knew they were Lord Manderly’s sons, Wylis and Ser Wendel. He could also see that they were not impressed with him being here and their eyes travelled to Jon and Ghost.
“Lord Wylis, Ser Wendel, I am Lord Jaime Lannister.” Jaime started, as he moved and got off his horse.
“We know who you are. What are you doing here? And with a young child and dog?” Wylis asked, and Jaime could tell how much the man didn’t like him, even though they had never met.
It was always interesting to Jaime to see how many people hated him because he killed Aerys. It never made sense to him. Even though they didn’t know his true reason for killing the King, they still treated him like shit and like he was this horrible person. He killed a man that half of the realm was fighting a war against and wanted dead because of what he had done to Rickard Stark and Brandon Stark. They were going to take his head and yet he was the one that was a piece of shit because he killed the man they all wanted dead. To the majority of the realm he was dishonorable because he was a Kingsguard that broke his oath. Nevermind all of the other Lords that broke their oath to Aerys when they went to war against him. At the end of the day, they hated him because he was a Lannister and not because of what they suspected were his reasons or actions during the war.
“Last I checked this was a port town, was it not?” Jaime started, as he lifted Jon up to get him off his horse. He placed him down on the ground and Jon instantly went to stand a bit behind Jaime. Jaime placed his hand on Jon’s head and ran it through his hair for a moment to try and calm him down. “This little lad is Jon Snow. Lord Stark’s son. And his furry friend is Ghost, he’s a direwolf pup.” Jaime could see the surprise and skepticism in their eyes about who Ghost was. “Jon is my ward and we need to sail to King’s Landing before heading home. I assumed Lord Manderly would like to see my paperwork that states Jon is free to travel with me.”
“You have paperwork that is signed by Lord Stark?” Ser Wendel asked, as he looked over to his brother and Jaime knew they were both trying to determine if they needed to save Jon from him.
“I do.” Jaime said, as he went and pulled it out of his saddle bag. He figured it would just be quicker to show them so they could get inside and get this taken care of. He knew there would be a ship leaving soon based on how often they arrived in King’s Landing.
Wylis took the offered paperwork and read it over real quick before he handed it back and smiled at Jon. He bent down so he was eye level with Jon and gave him a warm smile.
“Hello there Jon. My name is Wylis and I am one of your father’s bannermen.”
“Hello, My Lord.” Jon said, softly as he kept his eyes down like he had been told to by his father.
“Are you ok, Jon?” Wylis asked, not liking how scared Jon seemed to be. Jon just gave a nod and Jaime knew that Jon’s actions were not doing anything to help ease Wylis’ concern about him.
“Come, my father will wish to speak with you.” Wylis said with a hard tone as he stood back up and looked right into Jaime’s eyes.
“Wonderful.” Jaime easily said.
Jaime placed his hand on Jon’s shoulder as they all started to make their way into the Keep. They walked through the halls until they reached Lord Manderly’s solar. Once they were granted permission they entered and Jaime was surprised to see that Lord Manderly was not alone. There was another man with slightly longer brown hair that touched his shoulders. He was a thinner man, there looked like there was a heavy weight pressing against his shoulders. He was a man that was exhausted from life. But where Lord Manderly’s eyes landed on Jaime, the man was very interested in Jon and Ghost.
“Sorry for the interruption Father. Lord Jaime is looking to sail to King’s Landing with Lord Stark’s son, Jon Snow.” Wylis said, as his brother went over and handed the paperwork to their father to read.
“What?” Lord Manderly asked, as he took the paperwork.
“Hello Jon. My name is Howland Reed. I have known your father for a long time. I was even friends with your Aunt Lyanna.” Howland started. He looked at Jon and his heart was breaking at the sight of the young boy. He knew better than anyone in the room who Jon truly was and to see him, to see Lyanna’s son, so thin and worn down, it broke his heart. He could see a deep pain within his eyes and he knew that Jon’s first six years of his life had been hard. Far harder than it should ever have been for any child.
Ghost wiggled and jumped out of Jon’s arms and ran over to Howland. “Ghost.” Jon called out, but Ghost’s tail was wagging as he licked at Howland’s hand.
“Ghost, that’s a great name for him. How did you pick it?” Howland asked, as he picked up Ghost.
“He did, My Lord.” Jon softly said, as he kept hiding slightly behind Jaime.
“You have been blessed by the Gods Jon. Not only is Ghost pure white with red eyes, like the Heart Tree, but he is a direwolf. The first direwolf in over two hundred years to be seen on this side of the Wall.” Howland said, as he petted Ghost.
“He’s truly a direwolf?” Ser Wendel said, shocked.
“He looks just like a normal dog to me.” Wylis commented.
“He’s a direwolf. A couple moons old if I had to guess. You can tell based on how large his paws are. When he is fully grown, he will stand close to four feet tall.” Howland explained.
“That big?” Jaime asked, shocked now. He knew direwolves were larger, but he didn’t think they were that much larger than a traditional wolf.
“They are much larger than a typical wolf.” Howland said, before he looked at Jon. “Why don’t we go and find Ghost something to eat before your trip Jon. I can also give you some tips on how to help train Ghost. And that will give Lord Jaime and Lord Manderly the chance to talk about travel arrangements.”
Howland wanted to be able to get Jon out of the room because he knew his friend was going to have many questions about Jon that would be directed towards Jaime and it would be best if he wasn’t there for it. He also wanted to check in with Jon and make sure he was ok. He needed to make sure Jon wanted to go with Jaime. If not, then he would take Jon with him back to Greywater Watch where he would be safe. Jon looked up at Jaime and Jaime gave him a supportive and encouraging smile as he spoke.
“It’s ok, you can go. I will speak with Lord Manderly and get everything organized for our leave. You should go and make sure Ghost has what he needs. It’s going to take two and ten days before we reach King’s Landing, we want to make sure Ghost is as comfortable as he can be.”
Jaime knew that Howland would wish to speak to Jon to confirm he was ok, but he wouldn’t be able to do that unless he got him alone and away from Jaime to see for himself. If it got them out of here sooner, then Jaime was all for it. Jon gave a small unsure nod, but he did move away from Jaime as Howland placed Ghost back down on the ground and stood up.
“Come Jon, I know where the cook leaves the bones from the deer. I am sure we can grab some that Ghost can chew on during your travels.” Howland said with a kind smile as he held his hand out for Jon to take should he wish. Jon reluctantly took the offered hand as Ghost walked beside Jon and they headed out of the room.
“What have you done to him?” Lord Manderly demanded once they were alone.
“I’m freeing him. You want to blame someone for the condition of that boy, blame your liege lord. For I refuse to refer to that man as his father.” Jaime said with a slight edge to his voice.
“You expect us to believe that an honorable man like Lord Stark would ever do what you are insinuating?” Wylis said in Ned’s defence.
“The boy has only been with me for the past ten days. Do you think he got that bad in that short amount of time? You should see the boy without a shirt on. He is covered in bruises and scars. His back is still healing from the fresh lashes he received just before we left. Compliments of Lady Stark’s orders, something Lord Stark knew all about and did not care. The honorable Lord Stark made a bastard, brought the boy home, and then allowed everyone to treat the boy like shit so he would learn his place in the world. You can believe it or not, I care not for which you pick. But that boy is my legal ward and I am bringing him home. Informing you is merely a courtesy, not a necessity.”
Jaime was not going to tolerate anyone even trying to suggest that he had done something to Jon. He was not going to tolerate anyone trying to tell him what a great man Ned Stark was. The man was a fraud and Jaime didn’t care who knew it.
“You would dare speak this way of our liege lord?” Ser Wendel snapped, but his father cut them off before any further comments could be made.
“The boy did not get that thin in ten days. He did not become that scared in ten days. The boy is surrounded by men loyal to his father. If he feared Lord Jaime he would have ran to any of them. He would have spoken up. He would be hiding behind us, not the other way around. And proving Lord Jaime’s words would be easy enough by asking the boy to remove his shirt. Which I will not do. There is no need to put more shame into that boy. Mark my words though. Howland will be speaking with Jon and asking him if he wishes to go with you. And if the boy says no, no piece of paper will keep me from protecting him from you.” Lord Manderly said with a deadly look towards Jaime.
“If Jon wishes to stay here or with Lord Reed, then he will be allowed to. As long as he never has to go back to Winterfell.”
Jaime wanted Jon with him because he wanted to be able to save him. He wanted to be able to see Jon grow up and get everything he ever needed to have a good life. To be set up for his life once he was no longer a child. But he wasn’t going to take Jon against his will. If he wanted to stay with someone else in the North, then he would allow it. He simply wanted Jon to be free from Winterfell and everyone within it that wanted to hurt him.
“On that you have my word.” Lord Manderly promised before he continued. “Now, does the lad need anything?”
“No, we can make do until we get back to The Rock. Though, if he decides to stay here, then he will need more clothes. He only has three outfits, so he will need more and warmer clothes once the weather starts to change. You will also need to have a Maester keep an eye on his back. The lashes are still healing.”
Lord Manderly shook his head. He was disgusted by all of this and he couldn’t believe that this was happening. He knew Ned Stark had a bastard and given the situation he had faced, it wasn’t all that surprising that he had stepped out on his new wife. He was mourning his father and brother. He was trying to rescue his sister who had been kidnapped and was being raped. Each day there was no guarantee that she would be alive. It was a lot of stress on a man’s heart and mind. Given a situation like that, it wasn’t all that surprising that he had cheated on his wife one time. The fact that he had brought the babe home was impressive. Most men would have left the babe with the woman’s family or the orphanage if she had passed. It said a lot that Ned would bring his child home to be raised next to his trueborn children. Only now it appeared that Jon would have been better off being left in an orphanage than being in Winterfell with his father. It disgusted Lord Manderly to know that his liege lord had allowed for those despicable acts to occur. It made him see Ned in a whole new light. House Manderly had always been loyal to House Stark from the moment they were granted The Wolf’s Den, now White Harbour. House Manderly was in need of a new home, in need of protection and a sense of belonging, and House Stark had granted them all of it. As far as Lord Manderly knew, Ned Stark was an honorable and good man. Now, he was starting to question that. He knew they had sworn their oaths to House Stark and he would uphold them, but he would be viewing Ned Stark in a whole new light after this. He was certainly no longer going to be considering fostering his granddaughters to Winterfell or looking for a match with any of the Starks.
“I will ensure it is done, if Jon wishes to stay and I know Howland will as well.”
Jaime gave a nod, as Lord Manderly handed over his paperwork. Jaime was granted his leave and he headed out and waited just down the hallway from Lord Manderly’s solar as he waited for when Jon and Howland returned.
XXX
“How are you feeling, Jon?” Howland asked, as they headed down the hallway to reach the kitchen.
“I am well, My Lord.” Jon answered, but Howland could tell that was what he had been conditioned to say.
Howland stopped and he bent down so he was eye level with Jon as he spoke. “Jon, you can tell me anything and I will not get angry. If you are scared to go with Lord Jaime, you can tell me and I will make sure you are protected. You could come and stay with me at Greywater Watch. You don’t have to go back to Winterfell or go to Casterly Rock if you do not wish to.”
“Thank-you, My Lord. I would like to go to Casterly Rock. Lord Jaime says it’s warm there and there’s a beach. He says Ghost could learn how to swim and he’ll teach me too. He’s going to teach me how to use a sword and how to ride a horse. Maybe I could be a knight. And I think Ghost would like it there.”
Howland could see the excitement building within Jon’s eyes at the prospect of getting to be far away from The North. It wasn’t just about getting away from Winterfell, but getting away from everything that reminded him of the bad days he had there. Going to The West would be something new. It would be a truly fresh start on the other side of the realm. It put his mind at ease to see that Jon truly did want to go to Casterly Rock with Jaime. He would be making sure that a good friend back home would be made aware of the situation and send him to Casterly Rock to work as Jon’s sworn sword. Something he knew his friend had been waiting for six years now to be.
“Ghost is going to love it there. Wolves are very good at swimming. They have what is called webbed feet, do you know what that is?” Jon shook his head and Howland picked up Ghost and showed Jon his paw. “See how Ghost’s paw has it where his toes or sort of connected on the bottom? That is called webbing, like a duck’s feet. It allows them to be better swimmers, because they can move through the water easier and they can swim pretty fast. He’s going to love swimming and there’s lots of woods around Casterly Rock. He’s going to be able to hunt all day and night if he wants.”
“He won’t get hurt being out at night?” Jon asked and Howland could tell he was worried about that.
“Once he’s big enough to hunt on his own, he’s going to be the Alpha predator. He’s going to be a very ferocious fighter. He’s going to be your biggest protector.”
“I’ll take good care of him.” Jon promised and Howland smiled at him.
“I know you will, because you already have been. And he’s going to take very good care of you. Come on, let’s go see what treats we can find for him.”
Jon gave a nod and Howland placed Ghost back down on the ground as they started to head towards the kitchen.
“Where did you find Ghost?” Howland asked, because he was curious what brought the direwolves back to The North.
“He found me, My Lord. His mother brought him to me. I do not know why, but she placed him in my hands before she left.”
“It is a gift from the Gods. It sounds like Ghost’s mother was given a task, to bring you a great present. You are a very lucky boy, Jon. The Gods felt like you deserved the reward of Ghost. You must have a great destiny laid out before you.”
“But I am just a bastard, My Lord.” Jon said, sadly.
“It matters not to the Gods. Baseborn or trueborn, every single person could be anyone they wish to be, if the desire is there. Do not count yourself as less than anyone else, Jon. Even bastards have become knights and Kings. Never let your status define who you are. Trust in the words of people who care about you. And trust in Ghost and what he represents. Only the Gods could grant you a gift like Ghost. You were picked for a very special reason, trust in that.” Howland encouraged.
He hated that he couldn’t tell Jon about who his true parents were. That he was not a bastard, but actually the rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms, but he knew he couldn’t tell him, not yet at least. He was only six-name-days old. He was too young and didn’t have the right protection in place to ensure he would live long enough to reclaim the throne, assuming that was what he wanted. He was also going to be keeping it from Jaime as well, at least for now. He would wait and see how Jaime treated Jon before making the decision on if he was an ally or someone that would become an enemy. Either way, Howland was going to be sending Jon’s greatest protector to Casterly Rock to ensure the young Prince was safe and well cared for. Howland would also be keeping a close eye on Jon and how his life was going. He had lost him for the past six years, he was not going to lose contact with Jon ever again. Even if that put him at odds with Ned. Greywater Watch would be ready to protect and stand behind the rightful King, no matter what. They were on the wrong side of the war once before and it was not a mistake that Howland was going to be making twice. Greywater Watch was going to stand behind Rhaegar and Lyanna’s son until their dying breath.
Chapter Text
Sailing To King’s Landing 287 AC Ninth Moon (September)
Jaime smiled as Jon and Howland came back with Ghost walking beside Jon. Howland had a bag in his hand and Jaime was wondering what they were able to find for Ghost.
“Hey Jon, did you find some goodies for Ghost?” Jaime asked, as he bent down so he was eye level with Jon.
“The cook gave us some bones for Ghost. He said they would be safe for him to eat, My Lord.”
“What did I say about the My Lord thing?” Jaime said with a pointed look with a soft smile.
“Sorry, My… Jaime.” Jon corrected, as he looked down slightly with a hint of a blush on his cheeks.
“That’s a good Lad. Are you ready to make our way to the ship?” Jaime asked with a warm smile. He was trying to put Jon at ease. Jaime didn’t know how well it was going, but it seemed like Jon was doing ok when it was just them. He was hoping that with time he would be able to get Jon comfortable enough around other people to truly start showing his personality.
Jon just gave a small nod and Jaime could tell he would do whatever it was that Jaime had said. He had a lot of work to do with Jon, but they had plenty of time. Jaime was confident that with enough time and once Jon felt safe he would start to come out of his shell more.
Jaime stood up and gave a small smile of thanks to Howland. “I appreciate you taking Jon to look for some treats for Ghost.”
“It was my pleasure. I’ll come visit you soon Jon. I’ve never been to Casterly Rock, perhaps you could show me around?” Howland said with a warm smile.
“Yes, My Lord.” Jon easily agreed.
“I’ll see you soon Jon. Have safe travels.” Howland said, as Jaime placed an arm around Jon and took the bag from Howland.
“You are welcome at The Rock anytime, Lord Reed.” Jaime offered, because he knew that Howland Reed would not be the only Northern Lord that would be making a point of coming to check in on Jon and Jaime was fine with that. He had nothing to hide and he knew Jon would be well taken care of, he would see to that.
After saying their goodbyes they made their way through the Keep and back out to his horse. Instead of getting on it, Jaime took the reins and started to walk Honor. He figured they could walk the short distance to the docks.
“Did you have a good time with Lord Howland?” Jaime asked, as he made sure Jon was close by.
“Aye. He was very nice and Ghost liked him.”
“Then he is a good man. Ghost is a very good judge of character. You should always watch Ghost and see how he reacts around people. Wolves are like dogs, they can smell when something is off. You should always pay attention to Ghost around someone new.” Jaime informed. He wanted to make sure Jon was safe and Ghost would be a huge asset to ensure that.
“I will, My… Jaime.” Jon corrected and Jaime gave him a warm smile.
They made their way through the streets and arrived at the docks to where the ship would take them to King’s Landing. Jaime spoke to the Captain and once he was paid they were able to load up onto the ship. Honor was taken to be placed with the other horses in the cargo hold and Jaime would be checking in on Honor to make sure he was doing well and was being properly taken care of. He didn’t doubt the crew, but he always kept a close eye on Honor. That had been his horse since he had been knighted. It was a gift given to him by Arthur after he was knighted. Honor meant a great deal to him and it would be a sad day when he lost him.
Jaime guided Jon through the ship and he looked as Jon’s eyes were wide open as he tried to take it all in. Jaime tried to remember what his first experience on a ship was, but he couldn’t seem to remember. He had grown up in Casterly Rock and Lannisport. He was always going with his father to check on the progress of the ships being built. To watch as shipments were being organized. Being around ships, it was second nature to him. Almost as if they were a piece of furniture. Jaime couldn’t wait to show Jon The West. To show him what the average person had, what Jon deserved. To show him that life didn’t have to mean pain and suffering. He wanted to see Jon’s eyes light up when he saw The Rock. When he got to see King’s Landing. He wanted to take Jon around the Realm and explore it. To show him that his life didn’t have to be that of a bastard who was beaten and sentenced to The Wall because that was all he was worth. Jon was special. Jaime couldn’t explain it, he could just feel it.
Once they arrived at Jon’s cabin Jaime spoke. “Ok, this is your cabin. You can be in here for as much as you want. But you can also explore the ship. We’re going to be on it for a little bit.”
Jaime didn’t want Jon to feel like he couldn’t leave his cabin. He wasn’t a prisoner. He could move around freely and eat when he was hungry. It was going to take some work, but Jaime was going to be keeping a very close eye on him to ensure Jon was well taken care of. Jon just gave a nod and Jaime could tell he was feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of it.
“I’m going to have my things placed in my cabin and then why don’t we go and explore the ship a bit?” Jaime offered, as he could tell Jon wasn’t really feeling comfortable, not that he could blame him. Jon just gave a small nod and Jaime gave him a warm smile.
They both headed out to make sure the few things Jaime had with him were placed in his cabin, before they started to look around the ship. Jaime had never been on this particular ship before, but he had been on ones exactly like it. He had shown Jon where the kitchen was and they spoke with the cook. They spoke with a few people they walked by, but Jon stayed quiet and almost hidden behind Jaime. Jaime had been hoping that Jon would become more comfortable being around people with the longer he was away from Winterfell, but it was looking like it was going to take a bit more time for that to happen. It was no matter, Jaime would go at Jon’s pace and make sure he was comfortable in a new environment. When they arrived back on the deck of the ship, Jaime grabbed two wooden swords that were off to the side. It wasn’t uncommon to find wood swords or even tourney swords on the ships that carried passengers. There tended to be children on board or your squires with hope of becoming a knight one day. Playing with swords helped pass the time and it allowed the young boys to practice their skills on something that was moving.
“Here you go, Jon. Let’s see what trouble we can get into with these.” Jaime said with a warm smile, as he handed one of the swords to Jon.
Jon took it and Jaime could see an array of emotions flickering through his eyes. He was excited, but also nervous and scared. He knew that Jon wasn’t scared of being hurt by the swords, but he suspected he was scared by what it meant, what it represented. He was never allowed to learn how to use a sword, because he was a bastard and it went against Lady Stark’s rules. It was going to take some time, a lot of time most likely, to break Jon out of that thinking habit. To show him that, yes he was a bastard, but that wasn’t all that he was. He was and could be so much more than that. Jaime wanted to show Jon just what he was capable of. He wanted to show him that he was so much better than any of the Starks. It was going to take a lot of time, but Jaime was determined to make it happen.
“Alright, I am going to show you some of the basics and we will build a strong foundation.” Jaime explained, as he went and stood beside Jon.
He held his sword up and made sure to check that Jon was holding his properly. Once he was confident in Jon’s hold and grip, he started to walk him through some of the most basic moves with the sword. He showed him how to move around with it and started the foundation for his muscle memory. He was very pleased to see that Jon was a quick learner and seemed to be picking up the movement with very much ease.
“Good job, Jon. You learn quick. You have a natural talent for this.” Jaime praised. He knew Jon was going to need a lot of praise in order to build up his confidence. Whereas his father never showed any praise that wasn’t truly deserved, Jaime was determined to not be like Tywin. He was going to be doing everything he could to show Jon affection, love and give him praise for the things he accomplished, even if they seemed small to others. He knew to Jon they were huge.
“Sometimes I hide away and watch Robb with Ser Rodrik.” Jon admitted, as he looked down and Jaime could tell he wasn’t certain if he was in trouble for it or not.
“It’s good to watch other people practicing and sparring. Everyone has their own style. Part of it is made up of your trainer’s style, but a large part comes from who you are. What works for one person, doesn’t always work for another. Some swordsmen are very fast, some are slow with lots of strength behind them. Some use a lot of showy and flashy moves, while others just go straight for the kill. It all depends on who the swordsman is. In time you will discover what style is your own.” Jaime said with a warm smile.
Jon just gave a nod and Jaime continued to show him some basic moves and he couldn’t help but smile at Jon. He had a natural talent to him and that was good. That was something that they could bond over. That was something that could give Jon confidence and feel like he had a purpose in life. It was something that even though he was a bastard, would make others look at him differently. Would make them see that he had worth within this world. They spent the next few hours going over the different moves and Jaime answering all of Jon’s questions. Jon was cautious at first with speaking so freely around Jaime and even asking questions, but over time he was slowly starting to open up more. He was starting to see that Jaime did mean what he said, that he wasn’t going to hurt him. That he didn’t have to follow all of the rules that the Starks had for him. It warmed Jaime’s heart to see Jon slowly trusting him.
As the ship left port, they put the swords away and Jaime took Jon to the bow so he could watch as they sailed out to the sea. Jon couldn’t believe how it felt to be on a boat. To be going on an adventure. He was nervous about traveling over the water, especially because he didn’t want to get sick. He was also nervous for Ghost and how he would handle being on water. So far though Ghost didn’t seem to mind. Jon didn’t know what to think about any of this really. It was all so new and exciting to him, but it was also terrifying. He was afraid of what all of the changes would be like and would feel like. He was afraid that him and Robb wouldn’t be sending letters back and forth, that eventually it would die out. He was afraid he wasn’t going to be able to learn how to write and read, so sending letters wouldn’t even be possible until he could write and read. What if the other people at Casterly Rock didn’t like him? What if Jaime discovered he was too much work and didn’t want him anymore? Where would he go then? What would happen to him?
All of these thoughts were swirling around in Jon’s head, it made it hard to focus on the present and what was happening around him. He wanted to watch as the ship sailed into open water, but his mind kept thinking about all of the things that could go wrong now that he wasn’t in Winterfell. He didn’t really like living there. He liked being around Robb, whenever they could sneak into each other’s rooms. He liked being around all of the dogs and horses. But that was really about it. He hated everything else, but that was his life and there was a sense of comfort in knowing what to expect from each day. He had jobs he needed to do and as long as he stayed away from everyone and did his jobs well, then things weren’t too bad. Now he was going to be in a foreign place and he had no idea what the rules would be or what his jobs would be. He knew he needed to ask Jaime about it, but he was scared to speak on it. He was scared to learn that the dream of this magical better life was really just a dream. If he didn't ask, then he could keep pretending that Jaime was his own personal knight that rode in and rescued him and right now, Jon needed that more than anything.
XXX
It was the hour of the bat when Jaime made his way towards Jon’s cabin to check on him. Jon had turned in for the night just a couple of hours ago. He and Ghost were both exhausted, but Jaime was pleased to see they were holding up well on the ship so far. He knew that didn’t mean they were out of the woods just yet for sickness of the sea. That could still happen within the next day or two, but Jaime was hopeful it would be alright. Jon was younger and children tended to have a harder time with sickness of the sea. Jaime was hoping that Jon would avoid it so he could enjoy the voyage all the more. Especially because they had another ship to take from King’s Landing to get back home. Jaime softly opened the door so he wouldn't risk waking up Jon or Ghost. He poked his head in and what he saw broke his heart.
There curled up in the corner of the room on the floor was Jon and Ghost. They were both asleep, and Jon hadn’t even used any of the blankets or pillows on the bed. Jaime cursed himself for not putting Jon to bed, physically putting the boy into his bed. He knew that Jon had been sleeping on the floor in Winterfell, because there wasn’t even a bed in the room. And they had been traveling this whole time sleeping in a tent on the ground. He didn’t even think to make sure Jon understood that he was to sleep in the bed. Jaime swore if he ever saw Ned Stark again he was going to run his sword through him. Honorable, his ass. The man was a fraud and deserved to be exposed as the piece of shit that he was.
Jaime closed the door behind him softly before he made his way across the room. He bent down just in front of Jon as he spoke softly, as not to scare the poor lad. “Jon.”
Instantly Jon’s eyes were snapping open and Jaime could see the panic and fear within them. Jon quickly spoke. “I’m sorry, My Lord. I didn’t mean to fall asleep. I’ll make sure the cleaning is done.”
“Hey, hey, hey, slow down for my Jon. You’re not in trouble. Take a nice, slow, deep breath for me.” Jaime instantly coached. He could see that Jon was slightly disoriented from being woken up and his mind hadn’t really clicked into where he was.
Jon did as he was told as his eyes scanned the room. He had forgotten he wasn’t in Winterfell, but actually on a ship heading for King’s Landing. He was just so used to being woken up by someone angry at him for not doing something right or forgetting to do something. He always tried to keep track of everything he needed to get done in the day, but sometimes he would forget. There was always something more that was being added to his increasingly long list. Sometimes when he had gone a couple of days without any real sleep, his body would just go to sleep whether he gave it permission or not.
“That’s a good lad.” Jaime said with a soothing smile. “I apologize if I scared you. That was not my intention. I just wanted to get you up off the floor and into bed.”
“Bed, My Lord?” Jon asked, confused.
“Aye, into the bed.” Jaime said with a nod towards the bed. “I will not tolerate you sleeping on the cold, hard floor any longer. I know in Winterfell you didn’t even have a bed, but you will from this point on, always have a bed. While we are on this ship, that is your bed. And the next ship we will be on, the bed in the cabin will be yours as well. And when we get home, you will have a very large and comfortable bed waiting for you.”
“Bastards don’t sleep in beds, My Lord.” Jon said, as he looked down at the floor.
Jaime wanted to correct him and remind him that he didn’t need to call him that, but he suspected at night, when he was vulnerable, it was going to be harder for Jon to break through that trauma that was ingrained into him. For now, Jaime was going to focus on what mattered most and that was getting Jon into his bed.
“Yes they do. How you were treated back in Winterfell was wrong and I won’t tolerate it happening to you any longer. You are so much more than a bastard Jon and I do not care how many times a day I have to tell you that before you believe it. You deserve to sleep in a bed. You deserve to have food every day. You deserve to have proper clothes. You deserve to learn how to read and write. You deserve to learn how to ride a horse and use a sword. You deserve to laugh and smile. You deserve it all and I won’t settle for you having less than you deserve.”
Jaime could see a wide range of emotions flooding through Jon’s eyes and Jaime knew he was feeling overwhelmed, but Jon needed to know how he felt.
“I know this is hard for you. I know this is a lot for your mind to try and process and accept. And I know it will take time. But I need you to understand and to know, that I don’t care how much time you need. You can take as long as you need to accept my words. I’m never going to lay a single hand on you or allow anyone else to. I am never going to tell you to shut up. I am never going to deny you food or a warm place to sleep. You have the name Snow, but I am going to treat you and raise you as if you were my son. As if you had the name Lannister. You’re free Jon. Free to be yourself. Free to be a kid. And the first step to you accepting your freedom, is for you to curl up into that big, warm bed, and get the best sleep you have ever had.”
Jon really wanted to believe what Jaime had said, but it was so hard. His mind was screaming at him about the exact opposite. He wanted to sleep in the bed. He wanted to learn all of the things Jaime said he would teach him. Said that he was allowed to learn, but he couldn’t seem to get his mind to stop telling him that he wasn’t allowed. That he was a bastard and he was full of sin and needed to repent for it.
“I’m scared.” Jon softly admitted.
“I know you are. But you can only be brave when you are scared. I’ve been terrified plenty of times in my life, but I had to be brave and push through that fear. That is what makes a man a knight at heart. Pushing through the fear to do the right thing. You know what the best part is though?” Jaime asked with complete understanding to his voice and when Jon shook his head he continued. “You never have to do this alone. I’m right here to help guide you through that fear. What do you say, let’s do this together.”
Jaime watched as Jon hesitated, but he looked over at Ghost, who Jaime could have sworn gave a nod, before Jon did as well. Jaime went and easily picked up Jon from under his arms and placed him on his hip as he walked them over to the bed. He used his left hand and pulled the covers down before he got Jon into the bed.
“Come here, Ghost.” Jaime said, as he bent down and picked up the little wolf cub who had followed them over. He placed Ghost down onto the bed and instantly Ghost was going over and crawling under the covers to curl up with Jon. Jaime then sat down on the side of the bed. “When we arrive in King’s Landing, you could send a letter to Robb if you wanted. You could let him know how your first trip on a ship went.”
“But I don’t know how to write.” Jon said, sadly.
“That’s ok, I do. And soon enough you will be able to read and write as well. We can get started on it tomorrow.” Jaime said with an easy smile.
“But what if I am no good at it? What if I can’t learn?” Jon asked, very worried about how it would go over if he could never learn how to read or write.
“I do not think you will have to worry about that. But if that does happen, then it will be ok. All I ask is that you try your best. If it doesn't work, then it doesn’t work. I myself didn’t learn how to read or write until I was older than you. Almost ten name-days old. I could never get a grasp on it and it would frustrate and infuriate my father. He would lecture me all the time about how he had a stupid son. He would force me to sit there for four hours a day, every day, no matter how tired or frustrated I was. And he would force me to write words over and over again. Memorize all of the letters in every word so I could remember what the words were and read them without messing them up. I hated every single second of it.”
“Is it still hard now?”
“If I am very tired, aye. It is like my mind wasn’t born for me to read and write. So when I am tired my mind will slip back into its natural state and I will mess up some words or letters when I am writing. But thankfully, I have an amazing little brother, Tyrion, who always helps when I need it. After I learnt how to read, he would always double check my writing to make sure it was perfect and if I was too tired to be able to read, he would read to me. He never judged me for it. He was born a dwarf, and he had to spend his whole life being looked down upon and being thought of as less than a person. This was something he could have easily made fun of me for. He could have held it over my head, but he never did. He always said we were brothers and brothers protect each other and keep each other’s secrets.” Jaime said with a fond smile at the memories he had of him and Tyrion.
“Robb is like that. He always said we were brothers, no matter what anyone said. He pinky promised to always be there for me. To never tell anyone if I did something wrong or when he would sneak me in his chambers on the really cold nights. Or he would sneak me some food. He said you couldn’t break a pinky promise or the Old Gods would smite you.”
“He is right. You mustn’t break a pinky promise, it is most sacred.” Jaime instantly got an idea, and he held up his right pinky as he continued. “I promise to always be there for you. To protect you. I promise to never raise my voice at you or a hand. To help you learn and to grow up to be an amazing man. I promise to never dishonor you. To provide you with all of the things you need to succeed in life. I promise to play with you and to laugh together. I promise to give you a safe place for you to be and to grow.”
Jon went and raised his own pinky and wrapped it around Jaime’s as he spoke. “I promise to always try my best. To never bring dishonor to your name. To help you in any way that I can. To listen and always be respectful to you and your family. I promise to play with you and laugh together. To make you proud and to grow up to be the best man that I can be.”
“Pinky promise.” Jaime said with a loving smile.
“Pinky promise.” Jon said with a genuine smile back and it warmed Jaime’s heart to see.
“Perfect. Now, why don't you lie back and I will tell you a story about Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning.”
Jon gave an eager nod, as he laid back and Ghost curled up into his arms. Jaime sat back and started to tell Jon about the first time he had met Arthur and what it was like to be knighted by him. He knew they had a long road to go, but he felt like he had finally taken his first real step tonight with Jon and he was looking forward to getting him home and watching as Jon blossomed into being a normal kid.
Chapter Text
King’s Landing 287 AC Ninth Moon (September)
To say Jaime was nervous would be an understatement. He didn’t want to be here and yet here he was. Standing at the bow of the ship with Jon standing next to him as they pulled into the docks at King’s Landing. He wanted to be on the open water heading towards home still, but he knew he had to come and give his fealty pledge, even though he could have done that back in the North before he was forced to escort Ned Stark and the hostage to Winterfell. But Robert was anything but practical and intelligent, so now he had to make a stop at King’s Landing to pledge to a King that was a disgrace. If there was one thing Jaime was happy about, it was knowing that he would never have to come back to serve a King like Robert again. If Jaime had it his way, he would never come back to King’s Landing at all. He was looking forward to building a life for himself at The Rock. He needed to review everything and see where he could make improvements. He knew his father was very good at keeping everything running, but he also knew that his father was an expert at keeping secrets. He needed to be home so he could look through his father’s solar, his solar now, and see just what was going on in the background that no one knew about.
Jaime looked down to see Jon standing next to him, Ghost sitting beside Jon as always. The only thing that made this stop worth it was seeing the shock and awe all across Jon’s face. The past fortnight had been good for Jon. He hadn’t gotten sickness of the sea, even though Jaime truly thought he would. Jon adapted to life at sea as if it was in his blood. Jaime figured there was a chance it might be. The realm at large mostly assumed that Ashara Dayne was Jon’s mother, given how they interacted at Harrenhall. Most believed that was why Ned never truly admitted to who Jon’s mother was, out of respect for Arthur after killing him. Something Jaime knew was a lie. There was no way Ned Stark killed Arthur Dayne without some type of cheating. Ned Stark, an average swordmen, did not kill Arthur fucking Dayne in a sword fight. Jaime always suspected there was poison involved. Something that would allow Stark to weaken Arthur to the point he was barely able to lift his arm. That was the only way Stark would have stood a chance against Arthur. Jaime had seen Arthur fight a hundred men all on his own and not even break a sweat. The only thing Stark would have beaten Arthur in was a drinking game.
“Do you think we will see Ser Barristan?” Jon asked, pulling Jaime from his spiralling thoughts.
“Most likely. He is the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. His place is by the King.” Jaime answered with a warm smile at seeing the excitement fill Jon’s eyes.
Over the past fortnight they had spent practically all of their time together when they weren’t sleeping. Jaime had never cared too much for children. He liked them and wanted them to succeed and do well in life, but he didn’t care to sit around with them all the time. The only exception to that rule had been Princess Rhaenys and Prince Aegon. They were two children he could have spent every single day playing with and speaking with, and never get bored of it. He was a bit surprised that Jon was the same, but it was a surprise he was more than happy to welcome.
They had spent a great deal of time talking about past and current knights. Jon loved to hear stories about Arthur and Barristan, but also Prince Aemon Targaryen, the Dragon Knight. Jon seemed to be fascinated by everything he learnt. It didn’t seem to matter what it was. Some of the crewmen would show Jon how to set the sails and how all of the parts of the ship worked. Even the Captain couldn’t resist Jon and allowed him to helm the ship on one of the clear days. Jon seemed to love everything and people loved him. Jon never hesitated to help someone. He would help sweep the deck and help bring up new stock from the stores. It didn’t matter how many times Jaime told him he didn’t have to. How many times the First Mate told him he didn’t have to. Even the Captain had mentioned it a few times. Jon always said he was happy to help. That together the work would be done faster.
Jon had been through a level of horror that no child should ever have had to go through. He went through something that even grown men wouldn’t have been able to recover from. And yet, Jon was still able to smile. He was still able to help people and be a good person. It was inspiring and only reinforced Jaime’s belief in his decision to get Jon away from The North. He was too good for it. Jon deserved to live in the sunlight surrounded by greenery. He didn’t deserve the dreary and cold that was The North. As the final line was cast and the gangplank was lowered, Jaime gave a nod to Jon before he started to move towards it.
The very few things they had would be unloaded and brought to the next ship that would be leaving tomorrow for Lannisport. Jaime was not going to be staying longer than a single night here. He would have Honor with him, not trusting just anyone to look after his horse. As they walked down the gangplank Jaime could easily pick up Jon Arryn standing there with a couple of his own guards. Jaime didn’t expect for his sister or the King to be here. He honestly didn’t expect for Arryn to be here either. He hadn’t sent a raven letting anyone know he was leaving The North. He supposed he should have expected that someone did. He would bet his money on Stark. No doubt trying to spin the explanation as to why he had his bastard son with him. That was fine with Jaime. He didn’t care what story Stark wanted to spin. All he cared about was Jon and making sure he was safe and healthy. The Maester on the ship had taken very good care of Jon and his injuries. His back was finally healing up nicely now that he had the past fortnight to rest it. He was getting proper sleep and some color back in his skin. He had even gained a couple of pounds it looked like. Jaime could swear he couldn’t see Jon’s ribs as defined as before. He was still too thin, but it looked like they were making progress.
“Who is that?” Jon softly whispered.
“That is Lord Jon Arryn. He is the Hand of the King and Lord Paramount of The Vale. He was also the foster father of Ned Stark and The King.” Jaime explained in a soft voice so Jon didn’t feel stupid. He also had been making a point of referring to Stark as Ned Stark and not Jon’s father, for that man did not deserve the title.
“Ser Jaime, oh my apologies, Lord Jaime, it is a pleasure to see you again.” Arryn said with a warm smile, once Jaime and Jon were close enough.
“My Lord, it’s good to see you. I did not expect for you to be here. I was fully prepared for us to make the journey to the Red Keep on our own.” Jaime said with a smile in return.
It wasn’t that he didn’t like Lord Arryn, it was just that he never fully trusted the man. He reminded him a great deal of Lord Hoster Tully. Schemers and graspers. They spent their time trying to scheme and grasp their way to the top. Which was not uncommon, especially in the Game of Thrones. However, where others like Olenna Tyrell had subtlety and smarts about her. Hoster and Arryn had always come across as desperate. Two men that thought they were clever when in reality they were anything but. And it appeared to only work to a certain extent for the one. Lord Arryn had managed to rise to the Hand of the King and be married to a Tully. Though, in Jaime’s opinion Lysa was the opposite of a prize to be won in that family. Whereas Hoster, had both of his daughters married and his son was a disgrace. The only one in House Tully that was worth anything was Ser Brynden and he fled to The Vale as soon as he could.
“Lord Stark sent a missive to us informing the King that you were making your way here. He also wanted to ensure we were aware that you now had Young Jon Snow with you. It was only a matter of travel calculations and one of Lord Varys’ birdies was able to inform him of what ship you were on.”
The pleasant tone to Arryn’s voice was putting Jaime off. It wasn’t that Arryn had ever been rude to him, but he had seen plenty of times the man’s true colors and this was not it. It felt more like he was putting on a murmur and Jaime couldn’t help but question why that was. This was something else that Jaime was not going to miss about King’s Landing, everyone had some ulterior motive at work. No one could just be themselves.
Jaime just gave a nod before he looked down at Jon. “Jon, allow me to introduce to you, Lord Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King. And I believe he is who you are named after.”
“Truly?” Jon asked, as he looked back and forth between Jaime and Arryn.
“Truly, My Lord .” Arryn corrected. “It’s important that you show your manners, Young Snow. Especially to your betters. We wouldn’t want you to be getting into trouble now would we?”
Anger quickly began to fill Jaime’s chest at Arryn’s words. He could not believe that he had just said that to Jon, while he stood right there in front of him. As if it was Arryn’s place to make any corrections with Jon’s words. Jaime did not just spend close to a moon trying to break every rule that had been literally tortured into Jon for Arryn to fuck it all up in five minutes.
“I’m sorry, My Lord.” Jon quickly said, as he looked down and Jaime could hear the fear within his voice.
“Actually, Lord Arryn, I told Jon to refer to me as Jaime. To not call me My Lord. I do not appreciate you making any corrections to my ward.” Jaime said with an edge to his voice, as he placed an arm around Jon’s shoulders to try and comfort the lad.
“As his foster father, you have a responsibility to ensure Young Snow understands how the world works and his place within it. I have a vast knowledge and experience in being a foster father, as you know.” Arryn started and Jaime could see him bristle at the dressing down.
“Ah yes, Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon. One never leaves The North and has zero interest in anything to do with the realm. Or even making repairs to The North from what I’ve seen. The other is a King that spends his days getting drunk and cheating on his wife. You are truly the beacon of foster fathers, Lord Arryn.”
Was it smart to speak to the Hand of the King this way? No, but Jaime never laid claim to him being smart, nor level headed or clever. What he had was his reputation as a swordsman and power that came from being the wealthiest family in all of Westeros. He was also the Queen’s twin brother, and that gave him even more protection, not that he cared for that part of his identity. The point, not even Lord Arryn would be foolish enough to piss him off.
“Ned Stark is the Warden of The North and Robert is King of the Seven Kingdoms. I’d say I did very well.” Arryn said with a proud smirk.
“Of course, after all, titles are the only thing that matters. Who cares how they behave? It’s not like honor is important to a dead man.”
The last thing Jaime was going to be doing was taking parenting advice from someone like Arryn. The only one worse would be Robert. The man couldn’t even tell you when his son’s name day was. Not that Joffrey was actually his son anyways. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Jon bend down and pick up Ghost. Something he had learnt was Jon’s way of comforting himself when he felt anxious or scared.
“Well, I do believe the King and Queen are expecting us. What do you say Jon, should we hop on Honor and let him stretch his legs out?” He asked Jon with a warm smile.
Jon gave a hesitant look over to Arryn before he gave a small nod and Jaime was hoping the ride to the Red Keep would help to calm Jon back down. They had been doing so well and all it took was one asshole to fuck it up.
“Perfect. After being stuck on a boat for a fortnight, he is in need of a good stretching. We will have to take him tomorrow before we leave for a run in the Kingswood.”
That was something that Jaime had discovered about Jon during their trip to White Harbour. Jon loved being on a horse and Jaime couldn’t wait until they were at The Rock and he would be able to start teaching Jon how to ride. Jon again, just gave a nod and it was doing nothing to calm the fire within Jaime.
“Lord Arryn.” Jaime said with a tight voice, before he turned and guided Jon away from Arryn and over to Honor. “Ready?” Jaime asked, as he placed his hands on Jon’s hips like he had done plenty of times now. Jon simply gave a nod and held onto Ghost so he wouldn’t fall.
Jaime easily got them all up on Honor and shot a look over at Arryn to see him getting back in his litter.
“What is that, My Lord?” Jon softly, asked.
“Don’t start backsliding on me now, Jon. You don’t ever have to call me that. I don’t care who tells you otherwise, even the King himself. I am telling you, that you only need to call me Jaime. Yes, other Lords, of course use your manners, but you don’t have to do that with me. Ok?”
“Ok. I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for. Now, to answer your question, that is called a litter.”
“Why does he use it? Is he too old to ride?” Jon asked, as he had never seen anything like that before.
Jaime gave a small chuckle to that before he started at a light trot. “No, he can ride. Not too well, but he can. The litters are used by people of royalty or higher status within Kingdoms and even during travel through rougher terrain where their wheelhouse cannot go.”
“Wheelhouse?”
“Not something you have in The North. But they are much like the litter, only larger and have four wheels instead of men to carry it. They are pulled by a couple of horses typically. Inside both the litter and wheelhouse will have cushions and blankets. They tend to have food and wine as well. In the city, the Queen, Prince and Lord Arryn use them to get around.”
“Why not walk? Surely that would be faster and easier.” Jon said, not really understanding why someone would need to go through all of that just to walk through a city.
“It’s not always safe for people to walk, especially the royal family. A lot of people in King’s Landing don’t like the royal family or even the Lord Hand. If they tried to walk through or even ride through some of the streets, they would be attacked. The litter offers them some protection.”
“Why don’t they like the royal family? I thought King Robert saved the people when he fought against the Dragons?” Jon asked, now very confused.
Jaime kept the sigh in. He had no idea how to even explain this to a six name day old child, but he knew he had to at least try. He had been encouraging Jon to speak up and ask his questions and he had made a real effort to always answer them as best as he could. He never wanted Jon to feel like he had at times when he would ask a question and, his father mostly, would tell him he didn’t need to know. Jon was curious about a lot of things and Jaime was hoping he would keep his curiosity about the world.
“King Aerys was a bad man. He wasn’t always bad, he was made that way after being held prisoner. If Robert had simply focused the war on removing Aerys then things would have been different. However, he killed Prince Rhaegar, who many referred to as the People’s Prince. The people of King’s Landing loved him. They never believed the story that he had kidnapped your aunt Lyanna. To make matters worse, when the Princess and Prince were killed by my father’s men, the people believed the Robert rewarded my father by marrying his daughter. To the people, it looked like their new King didn’t care for children. He didn’t have any honor or morals. Over the years more and more people are starving to death and being taken advantage of. While the King throws tourneys and feasts. He is also not shy about sleeping with other women and fathering bastards that he doesn’t help to take care of.”
“So he’s not a good King?” Jon asked, because he really didn’t know what made a good King or even a good Lord.
“He’s a terrible King. Aerys was a terrible King, but for a different reason. Aerys became paranoid and would often set people on fire with wildfire, a green fire made with chemicals. But, he always made sure his people were taken care of. Robert, does not kill people, but he doesn’t take care of anyone. Both are terrible Kings, but for different reasons. And sometimes a King that will kill you without hesitation like Aerys is better than a King like Robert, because at least then you know your family is being taken care of.” Jaime tried to explain. It was a hard and complicated thing and he was thankful once again that they would only be here for one single night.
“What makes a good King then?”
“The same thing that makes a good Lord. They take care of their people. They make sure they have food, water, shelter, and clothes. They are healthy and educated. There are jobs for them so they can make their own money. Lords and Kings have a duty to their people to see them thrive. They should always help when they can and support their people.”
“Like what we did in Winterfell.” Jon easily stated.
“What do you mean?” Jaime asked, doing his best to not let his worry show.
“Me and the other servants. We all helped each other and made sure everyone had what they needed and got their work done so no one would be punished. We did it together. It sounds like a good Lord and King should work together with their people so everyone thrives.” Jon easily explained and Jaime smiled at him.
“That’s exactly it. See, you are going to make a wonderful Lord.”
“I’m a bastard, I can’t be a lord.” Jon simply said.
“Never call yourself that. You are a natural son, not a bastard. A bastard is a derogatory term. It’s like when someone calls someone a cunt. They are using that word to upset or hurt someone. To make them feel less than what they deserve. Never call yourself that, because you are so much more than it.”
Jaime knew it was going to take a lot of work to get Jon to not feel like he was less than everyone else. He had been raised to know that he was for his whole life right now. It was going to take time and it was going to be a battle, but Jaime had never turned away from a battle and he was not about to start now. Yes, others would still refer to Jon as a bastard, but if he could get Jon to not be affected by it, to not care, then his self-esteem and self-identity wouldn’t be connected to it.
“And you could be a lord one day. It could be in The North or even in The West. You could become a knight and be a Masters of Arms for someone. You have plenty of things you can do with your life and I am looking forward to helping you discover everything you love to do.”
Jaime honestly didn’t know what direction Jon would go in. He had a natural talent with a sword; that was made very clear to him while they practiced on the ship. He had a good heart as well and enjoyed learning and helping people. He would make a great lord. Perhaps Jon would be a knight and a lord one day and Jaime would be more than happy to give him a Keep in The West.
“Do you miss being here? Or is it different being back now that you are not a Kingsguard?” Jon asked, as he tried to take in all of the sights. He wished they could have stayed longer than just a single day. It would have been nice to go and explore, but he was looking forward to taking Honor for a run out tomorrow before they loaded onto the ship.
“It’s different in a sense that I don’t have to follow someone around. But I don’t miss being here. I don’t have a lot of great memories being here, something we can speak more on when you are older. I am looking forward to going home and seeing my brother again, and my uncles and aunt. I have a baby cousin that I haven’t even met yet and she is already one name day old. I have more cousins as well that I rarely ever see because they don’t tend to leave The West. It’ll be nice to have my family around again.”
“How many cousins do you have? Do they all live at Casterly Rock?”
“There are a few of them, most are younger than you. My oldest uncle was Tygett, he died a couple of years ago from the pox. He had a son, Tyrek, who is just a little over one name days old now. He is being raised by my aunt Genna, which I will get to. Next we have my uncle Kevan. He is married to Dorna of House Swyft and they have four children, three boys and one girl. Lancel is five, Martyn is two, Williem is one and Janei is three moons old. I have not met her yet either.” Jaime said, as he thought about all of the children and how close they were in ages. It was going to be a lot running around Lannisport and Casterly Rock when they were all together. Part of Jaime was looking forward to that though.
“You have five cousins?” Jon asked surprised because he didn’t have any. At least that he knew of. He didn’t know who his mother was, so there was a chance he had cousins out there and he didn’t even know it.
“That’s only two of my aunts and uncles, I have two more. Next up we have my aunt Genna. Like I said she is raising Tyrek, but she also has her own husband. Emmon Frey and they have four children, all boys. Cleos is the oldest out of all of the cousins, he’s eight. Then Lyonel, is four, Tion is three and Walder is two. And last but not least we have my uncle Gerion, who has a natural born daughter, Joy, she is just one. And then of course there is my nephew Prince Joffrey, who is five, to my twin sister Cersei. Who I am sure you will meet shortly here.”
“Wow.” Jon softly said, as he tried to take it all in.
“Don’t worry, I will make you a list so you can memorize it well before we arrive at The Rock. And they don’t all live at The Rock. Right now my aunt Genna and her family are there because of the Greyjoy Rebellion. She didn’t want to be at risk in the Riverlands, because most wars always end up there. This time around the war was far away, but she wanted to be extra cautious. Really, I think she was just looking for an excuse to get away.”
He knew his aunt hated living in the Riverlands, but she had to do as her husband asked. Thankfully Emmon was an idiot and terrified of his wife and didn’t often ask her of anything. Genna was very much in control, but Tywin wanted her in the Riverlands to be his spy and she was not about to go against Jaime’s father. Jaime suspected it wouldn’t be long before Genna wanted to move her family back. Whether that was to The Rock or not, he didn't know. It was something he would need to prepare for though just in case.
“My uncle Kevan and his family live there, but I have a plan for him that I think he will appreciate. Uncle Gerion and Joy live there, but they tend to keep to themselves. And my youngest brother Tyrion lives there as well, but he is often in Lannisport.”
“And The Rock fits everyone?” Jon asked, skeptical because it sounded like it was massive, but how could that be? King’s Landing was huge and Jon couldn’t imagine there was another place in the realm this size.
“Casterly Rock is actually bigger than King’s Landing. It might not seem it, but Casterly Rock is a castle that is built into a massive rock formation, almost like a mountain. The length of the castle is six miles and it sits up in the air around twenty-one hundred feet. You have to take a lift up to even get to the castle.”
“Is it a city?” Jon asked, confused, because he just couldn’t picture it. Why would someone need something that big? How did it even get built?
“It’s not. It overlooks Lannisport, which is where we will be going when we sail from here. Lannisport is a decent sized city, it has about two hundred and fifty thousand people that live in it. It’s a port city, much like White Harbour, so lots of ships and trades.”
“Why is the castle so big then? What’s in it?”
“Many things. The mines within the rock formation provide us with the gold, it’s what makes The West and my family so wealthy. Then there are all of the living quarters within the castle itself, including multiple family wings. You have the stables, forge, armory, training yards, tilt yards for jousting. There is the Golden Gallery, which is where we display our family history, which I will show you. There is also the Hall of Heroes, where we display members of our family that have passed. We have the vaults, which were used to store our family valuables in, but mostly now they are empty as we have moved them to more secure locations and the gold has been deposited into the Iron Bank. There is a sept, which I don’t spend any time in really, most of my family doesn’t, but it is there. There are catacombs as well to explore and there is the Stone Garden, which I think you will really like. It is our version of the Godswood. There is even a Heart Tree there.”
“You have a Heart Tree?” Jon asked, shocked.
“We do. It was there when my ancestors took Casterly Rock from the original inhibitors. Over the generations, no one has removed it. My grandfather thought it was disrespectful to take it down. And my father believed that you should never anger the Gods, even the ones you do not believe in. It was a piece of history to the place and it wasn’t doing any harm by being there.”
“Does it have a name?”
“If it did, it has been forgotten over time. But, no one is stopping you from giving it a name. When we get to The Rock, I will show you all around it. Before you know it, it’ll feel small to you.” Jaime said with a warm smile.
“I doubt that.” Jon said, because he just couldn’t imagine ever seeing a place that massive as being small.
The rest of the journey up to the Red Keep was spent with Jaime describing the city and all the significant parts to it. Jon eagerly listened as Jaime told him all of the facts and history that he knew. Jon couldn’t wait until he was able to read, because then he would be able to find even more information on all parts of the realm. They galloped up some stone steps until they reached the courtyard and Jaime stopped Honor as he spoke.
“Welcome to the Red Keep, Jon. Home to the Kings.”
Jon looked up in awe at the castle. He couldn’t explain it, but he got a warm sensation within his chest. Home, it felt like home.
Chapter Text
Greywater Watch 287 AC Ninth Moon (September)
The second Howland arrived back home he felt like he could breathe. He always hated being away from his family and his people, but he knew sometimes he didn’t have much of a choice. He had to go to White Harbour to speak with Wyman about some of his men seeking to travel to Essos. The people of Greywater Watch did not care too much about making money. They used their skills for survival. However, he did have some archers that would travel to different tourneys and events around the realm and Essos to bring in income that could be used for items they were not able to obtain themselves. Some lords would also hire his archers to form hunting parties during peak seasons when the wildlife was causing problems to their crops. This was typical for places like The Reach, where the bulk of their wealth comes from their crops. A surge in deer population could consume multiple farmer’s fields and leave them with nothing for that harvest season. Everyone knew the Crannogmen were the best archers and if you wanted something done right and quickly, you went to Greywater Watch.
“Father!”
Howland instantly smiled at the sight of his daughter running towards him. He easily caught her within his arms and felt the warmth spreading through him. This was why he hated being away. He loved being a father. He loved getting to watch as his children grew up. Meera was six name days old now and her brother, Jojen, only one. It crushed Howland’s heart to know that his daughter was the same age as Jon and they had both led very different lives. He had at least helped to put Jon on a safer path and he would be making sure he was well protected and cared for.
“How are you, Sweetling?” Howland asked, as Meera moved away.
“Good. I have been practicing my archery with Jaygar. He says I am getting good. He thinks I have a natural talent for it.”
“That’s very good. And your lessons? How are they coming along?”
“I’m trying, Father.” Meera said with a small smile and Howland knew she was suffering through it.
He was not having her learn how to be a traditional woman. He was not going to have a daughter that could not fight and defend herself. He also was not going to have her not properly educated. She had learnt how to read and write, but she was also learning all about history, sums, politics, herbs, medicine, everything she would need to be able to survive on her own. He would not fail his daughter like Rickard Stark failed his.
“That’s all your mother and I ask. Now, tell me, how are your mother and Jojen?” Howland asked, as they both started to make their way towards the Keep
“They are well. Mother is tired. Jojen was up a lot last night to feed. Mother says he is going through a growth spurt.”
“That won’t last long. And I am back now to help.”
“How was your visit to White Harbour?”
“It went well. I will not need to leave for quite some time. Perhaps next time I must go somewhere, I can bring you with me.” Howland offered.
“I would like that father, truly.” Meera said with a massive smile. He knew his daughter had a love of adventure and he was hoping she would always keep it.
They headed into the Keep and Howland easily spotted his wife holding their son. Where Meera looked much like her mother, Jojen was clearly his son. Howland went over and pressed a kiss to his wife’s lips before he took Jojen from her.
“How are you feeling? Meera said it was a long night.”
“It was fine. I’ve had longer. Certainly nothing that compared to the night I went into labour for either of these children. And my brother got the children up this morning so I was able to sleep in a bit.” Jyana said with a warm smile.
“Good. Where is your brother now?”
“He’s out in the yard helping some of the younger ones train with a sword. Is everything ok?” Jyana asked, with a slight concern to her voice.
“I think it will be. Perhaps the three of us could speak?”
Howland didn’t want anyone to overhear this conversation, not even the children. He also didn’t want to keep this from either his wife or her brother. This was potentially going to change things for them and they had the right to know.
“I can leave Jojen with Isha.” Jyana, easily agreed. “Meera, can you go and get your uncle and ask him to meet us in your father’s solar, please?”
“Yes, Mother.” Meera quickly said, as she ran off.
Howland and Jyana walked through the Keep to pass off Jojen to one of the servants that helped with the children. Once that was done, they headed into his solar and was soon joined by her brother. Howland closed and locked the door and instantly it had the siblings’ attention.
“What’s wrong?” Jyana’s brother asked with an edge to his voice.
“I met Jon Snow while I was at White Harbour.” Howland started, as he made his way over to his desk.
The air in the room instantly changed and Howland knew that both his wife and her brother were on edge and flooded with questions.
“Jon Snow, as in.” Jyana started.
“As in Jaehaerys Targaryen. The King.” Howland answered, as he sat down. His wife and her brother soon joining him.
“What was he like?” Jyana asked.
“Why was he in White Harbour?” Her brother quickly tossed out.
Howland gave a deep and troubled sigh before he spoke. “He was not what I had been expecting. After that day… I tried to picture what his life would be like while in Winterfell. How much his mother loved being there. Him riding through the Wolfwoods and learning how to use a sword and a bow. She loved archery. I pictured him happy and safe. Growing up with his cousins, who he saw as siblings. Growing up with the love of a father from his uncle. For only a brother, a true brother, would know how special Lyanna was. I pictured a boy running around happy, smiling, carefree.”
“But he wasn't?” Jyana softly asked, almost as if she was terrified of his answer.
“No, he wasn’t. He was thin, far too thin. I only saw him with his clothes on, but I am confident that underneath his shirt you would be able to see each and every bone within him. His clothes were rags, as if they were given to him after they had already been handed down to multiple children and never tended to. He had bruises on his arms and he walked as if he was in pain. I heard from Wyman afterwards that he had scars all over him. That his back had been whipped just ten days prior.”
A loud bang filled the room as Jyana’s brother slammed both his fists down against the desk, as he stood up.
“Who?” He demanded with rage barely being controlled.
“I do not know the story myself, only what little Wyman was told. But from what he was told, Catelyn Stark has been allowing him to be beaten, starved and whipped. Has ordered it to happen.”
“Where was her husband?” Jyana demanded, just disgusted and angry for the poor boy.
“Apparently, allowing it. Wyman said he had to have known what was going on and I have to agree. Seeing Jae, there’s no possible way you couldn’t know something was wrong.”
“I’ll kill him. I’m going to Winterfell and I am taking the King and bringing him here.”
“You can’t Arthur.” Howland said with as calm of a voice as he could.
Arthur didn’t tend to get angry, it was only when someone he cared about was killed. Yes, he never even got to meet Jon, but he loved both of his parents and his siblings. Arthur loved that little boy before he took his first breath. He was his Kingsguard and he was not there to protect his King when he needed it the most. Convincing Arthur back in Dorne to not go to Winterfell with Ned and Jon had been an incredibly hard task. It was only knowing that Jon would be with his uncle that even kept Arthur from kidnapping the boy. The plan had not been for Arthur to come with him back to Greywater Watch. Arthur had wanted to go home and say goodbye to his family before he went over to Esso to hide out until it was time for him to come back when Jon was closer to his age of majority.
However, when they arrived in Starfall to discover Ashara very pregnant and in the first stages of her labour, they had both stayed and helped. He had first suspected the babe was Ned’s, but Ashara had confided in them that it was actually Brandon’s. That they had married before he was held in the Black Cells. Ashara had been in a deep depression and she didn’t know how she was ever going to live on without her true love. She had believed that Arthur had died as well and that she would be on her own. Howland felt for the siblings. He knew that Lyana would have been close to both of them and Ashara’s and Brandon’s daughter was her niece. He couldn’t raise her son for her, but he could be there for her niece. To be there for her goodsister. So within a moon of losing his best friend, Howland, Ashara, Arthur and baby Meera, were all packed up and heading back to Greywater Watch.
None of his people had questioned why he had brought Arthur and Ashara there. None ever would. All they needed to know was they were under their protection, it was just that simple. So Arthur Dayne because Ser Daemon Sand and Ashara Dayne became Jyana Sand and eventually Jyana Reed. It was completely unexpected to the both of them, but they had grown close with Howland helping to raise Meera. It never bothered him that she did not have his blood. She would have been special to Lyanna, and that was all that mattered to Howland. She was an innocent babe in all of it and she deserved to grow up with all the love in the world. One day when she was older, they would tell her the truth and she would get to meet her cousins and visit her father’s grave.
“I don’t care if he is your friend. I don’t care that he is Lyanna’s brother. He was supposed to protect her son. To love him. And he has failed. He has harmed my King.” Arthur seethed.
“Ned Stark is no friend of mine. No longer. The man I knew and cared for would never have done this. That is not why you cannot go North.”
“Why can’t he? We could bring Jae here and he can grow up with Meera and Jojen.” Ashara argued. She knew it would put them at risk, but they were already at risk if anyone discovered Arthur. At least they would all be together.
“Jae arrived at White Harbour with Jaime Lannister. Jaime has legal paperwork that proves Jae is now his ward. They were sailing to King’s Landing before going to Casterly Rock.”
“The Kingslayer has the King?” Arthur asked, as his blood ran cold.
Out of all of the possible people that could have ended up with Jae, Jaime Lannister was one of the worst ones. He was a dishonorable man and knight. He was the worst type of man and a failure to the Kingsguard. Arthur was disgusted with himself that he had ever knighted the man. Not only had he betrayed his oaths, but he killed his King. He couldn’t even do it honorably and face the man as he killed him. No, he ran his sword through his back and then had the audacity to sit on his throne. A throne he didn’t even have to right to look at much less touch. All the while the Princess was being raped and her children brutally murdered by his father’s men. Arthur was not going to allow Jaime Lannister to be anywhere near the King.
“He doesn’t know who Jae is. To Jaime, Jae is Jon Snow, Ned Stark’s bastard.” Howland said.
“But why would Jaime want Jon Snow? Why would the new Lord of Casterly Rock want to take a Northern bastard as a ward? There has to be something going on.” Ashara countered.
“I do not know why he took him. I did not speak to Jaime. I was in Wyman’s solar when Jaime and Jae arrived with Wyman’s sons. From what Wyman told me, Jaime stopped to speak with him to ensure he knew that he had legal right to take Jae away. He didn’t have to stop and inform Wyman, he did it as a courtesy. Jaime never tried to stop anyone from speaking with Jae. When I offered to take Jae to the kitchen to find something, he looked to Jaime and Jaime encouraged him to go without any hesitation. Wyman said Jaime had no problem leaving Jae in White Harbour or coming here if that was what Jae wanted. All he cared about was Jae not being in Winterfell ever again. Wyman swore he never would be.”
“Why didn’t you bring him here then?” Arthur demanded.
“I spoke with Jae. The Gods gifted him a two moon old white direwolf with red eyes.” Howland started.
“What? How is that possible? Direwolves haven’t been North of The Wall in two hundred years.” Ashara asked, shocked.
“I asked Jae where he found Ghost. Jae told me that one night he was out and a massive wolf came up to him with her pup in her mouth. She placed Ghost within his hands before walking away. From then on, he had been taking care of him. I suspect in secret given the state Jae was in.”
“Why would she do that?” Ashara asked, now very confused.
“It’s the magic in his blood, right?” Arthur asked.
“I believe so. He’s a warg and he’s going to be a very powerful one. When I asked Jae why he named him Ghost. Jae said, Ghost told him that was his name. The others heard him, but they blew it off. Just a little boy being a little boy. But it is far more than that. There is no telling what all Jae could do.”
“It’s what Lyanna was most worried about. That her son would be born with all of this power and no one there that could teach him how to use it properly. Rhaegar spoke of the Red Temple in Volantis. I think he was hoping that one of the Red Priestesses would be able to teach him when he was older.” Arthur commented.
“It’s possible. They would certainly be the safest option. They will follow Jae with him being their Promised Prince.” Howland added.
“A Red Priestess is kinda gonna stand out at Casterly Rock.” Ashara pointed out.
“Not necessarily. If she understood that she needed to blend in, the Red Temple may allow it. To allow someone to be there to help educate Jae while he was younger, and then be there when he was older and knew who he was to help with the magic. If he is a warg, which I believe he is, then she would be able to help with that and it opens the door to further conversations.” Arthur said.
Arthur didn’t like the idea of the Red Temple and having anyone close to Jae, but he also understood how incredibly dangerous it would be to Jae for him to not know how to control his magic. They needed someone that could teach him, but also be loyal and protect him with their lives. The Red Temple fit that mark.
“Don’t they burn people alive as sacrifices for their God?” Ashara asked.
“They do, but Jae is their Prince, their chosen one. Their God’s son reborn. If Jae does not approve of it, then they will not do it. They will follow him, because they are loyal only to him and their God. It would also be added protection. Should something go wrong in Casterly Rock and Jae needed a quick escape. She could take him back to Volantis where he would be protected. It won’t help to retake the throne, but it would keep him alive.” Howland explained.
“How do we reach them? We can’t exactly send a raven.” Ashara asked.
“I’ll go and speak with them. I can move freely without anyone noticing me.” Arthur instantly said.
“You can’t go, old friend. You have to head south. It’s time for you to be a kingsguard again. I’ll write a letter for you addressed to Casterly Rock. You should get there before Jaime. I believe Tyrion, his brother, is there. Give him the letter and he will allow you to stay. After White Harbour it only makes sense that myself and Wyman would want a guard with Jae to ensure his safety. No one will think twice about a bastard knight guarding a bastard boy.”
“I’ll gather my things and leave in the morning.” Arthur wanted nothing more than to get on the road tonight, but they still had things they needed to work out for Jae.
“Why don’t I go to Volantis then? I can travel more freely than you and no one will think twice about me going somewhere. You can just say I am visiting a distant relative that is sick. Once I get to Essos I can change my name.” Ashara offered.
“You can’t just travel through Essos alone, Ash. It’s not safe for a woman to be alone, especially through parts that you would have to travel to reach Volantis.” Arthur instantly said.
“She might not have to be alone. She can sail from White Harbour to Myr and from there she will easily be able to reach the Company of the Rose. I can send you with a letter, asking them to help you.” Howland said, as he tried to work out how to get in contact with the Red Temple.
“Why would they help? I know they help Northmen, but they’re sellswords, not knights.” Arthur countered.
“The Company of the Rose have vowed to stay in exile until the White Wolf howls for them to come home. This is supposed to be when the Night King has returned and his army of the dead approaches. Something that may or may not have any truth to. Something we will have to research and look into once Jae is older. For now, I can write to them and explain that I had met the White Wolf. That Ashara is a representative of his and needs to get to Volantis to research ways to defeat the Night King. They are loyal to the White Wolf and even if they don’t fully believe her, they will still escort her on the chance that she is telling the truth.” Howland explained.
“I still think it would be better for me to go. I can at least fight and defend myself should something go wrong.” Arthur wanted to be with Jae, but he also didn’t want his sister travelling through Essos on her own.
“She will be protected. I would not allow my wife to go someplace where I suspected she would never return from. She will be safe. We do not know if Jae will be.” Howland countered.
“You think Jaime could hurt him?” Ashara asked, very worried now. In order for Jae to even get to Casterly Rock he would be stuck on a ship with Jaime for a moon roughly.
“Physically, no. But I think there is a difference in how Lords treat their wards. Some Lords treat them like their own children, while others treat them one step above a slave. I do not know why Jaime Lannister took Jae. Perhaps he saw a child in need of saving and wished to save him. But if that were the case then why not leave him in White Harbour and be done with it? It’s possible Jaime took him to Casterly Rock because after the death of his father and after all of the destruction from the war he wanted to do something good. It’s also possible that his interest for doing something good could quickly run out. He could have Jae in the servants’ quarters helping to take care of the Keep. Him taking Jae does not mean Jae will be cared for or loved. It is why Arthur needs to go. Someone needs to ensure he is getting the love and support he needs. That someone is there to hug him when he cries and to make him laugh and feel safe. We cannot rely on Jaime Lannister being that person.” Howland explained.
“Targaryen already have the odds against them with their minds. If Jae does not get the love and care he needs, his mind could turn against him. Plenty of Targaryens have gone mad because of how they were raised and what trauma they have been through. Jae has already gone through trauma, he needs to be properly taken care of to ensure the health of his mind.” Arthur agreed.
He knew that both Rhaegar and Lyanna were both worried about the mental health of their child. They had seen and read about plenty of other Targaryens that became mad from life. From how they were raised and the trauma they endured. They swore to each other that they would make sure their child never grew up without knowing love. Without feeling safe and protected. Arthur didn’t know how Jaime would take care of Jae, but Arthur would be making sure Jae was raised how Rhaegar and Lyanna would have wanted him to be. And if he had to, he would take Jae and bring him back here so he could grow up with family and be loved and cherished.
“And we will make sure he is. The first step is you getting there. I will get Ash organized to leave in a couple of days. I will have my men escort her to White Harbour and provide a letter for Wyman. He will make sure she arrives safely to Myr. The Company of the Rose will get her to Volantis.” Howland said with complete confidence.
“I’ll go pack my things.”
“Bring Dawn just in case. But remember Arthur, no one can know it’s you. Not yet.” Howland stated.
Arthur just gave a nod before he headed out. Howland looked over at his wife and he could see the worry within her eyes. Not just about her brother, but about her nephew as well.
“Are you alright, My Love?”
“Lyanna and I didn’t speak very much. We hardly saw each other outside of the Tourney. However, she used to talk about falling in love and having children with the man she loved. She couldn’t wait to be a mother. Most thought it wasn’t the life she wanted, but she truly did. As long as it was with a man she loved and he loved her back. She would have been a great mother.” Ashara said with tears building within her eyes.
“She would have been the best. She would be happy to know that you are in his life. If Jae does stay in Casterly Rock, we will have to figure out how to get you and Meera down to visit for a while. It would be good for him to know the both of you. Even if it has to be under false pretenses at first.”
“Do they look alike?” Ashara couldn’t help but ask.
“I see the Stark in both of them. Jae’s face is more his father, but the coloring is all his mother and he has softer features from her. Meera does look a lot like Benjen. The shape of her face. I think they would like each other. It would be good for them to be friends.”
“Something to figure out later, I suppose. Maybe we will get lucky and Jae will end up being here.” Ashara said with a slight sigh.
“Perhaps. For now, we need to prepare for your journey. I don’t like the idea of you being out there, but you are the only one that could go.”
“I will be as safe as I possibly can.” Ashara promised, as she stood up and held her hand out to her husband. “Come, let’s go see the children. It has been a moon since you left and I will be leaving soon. I can’t think of anything else I would rather do.”
Howland smiled at his wife as he took her hand and stood up. “You are right. And all of us will have a family dinner tonight before your brother needs to leave. Hopefully everything with Jae will be fine and Arthur will be able to protect him.”
“It will. Jaime Lannister might be a Kingslayer, but I can’t imagine he would ever harm a child. Jae is away from that horrible woman and soon enough my brother will be beside him, making sure he has all the love and protection in the world.”
If there was one thing they were certain of. It was that Arthur would not allow anyone to harm Jae. He loved that boy and he would make sure he was raised exactly as how his parents wanted him to be. And if anyone dared to cause him harm, Arthur would strike them down before they even had the chance.
Winterfell 287 AC Ninth Moon (September)
Ned ran his hand up and down his wife’s bare back. They had been trying for another babe and both were enjoying their time trying. It had been almost a full moon since Jaime had left with Jon and both were very happy at the new arrangement. Catelyn no longer had to look upon her husband’s bastard. Had to look upon her shame. As for Ned, he no longer had to see the reminder of his past. The reminder of the loss of his father, brother and sister. And in a way, the loss of his other brother Benjen. Benjen had no desire to go to The Wall, not until he had arrived home with Jon. They had fought over Ned refusing to give Jon the Stark name. Benjen knew who Jon’s true parents were. Benjen had been one of the two people that were adamant that Lyanna hadn’t been kidnapped, but had left to be with the man she loved. Their father had no interest in hearing it and neither did Ned.
It was bad enough that Brandon had broken off his marriage to Catelyn. Their father was not going to allow the shame of it happening twice. And Ned knew how good Lyanna would be for Robert. The man clearly loved her and she didn’t appreciate a good man. She wanted to be with a Prince. Someone whose own father was mad. There was no telling how long it would be before Rhaegar went as mad as his father. Much like other Targaryens before him.
Benjen had tried to kidnap Jon when he was just one name days old. But the household guards had caught him and Ned gave him a choice. He could either lose his head or go to the Night’s Watch. Benjen picked The Wall, knowing that Ned would be sending Jon there once he was two and ten. Ned figured Benjen was just buying his time until he could be alone with Jon once again and tell him the truth. What Benjen didn’t know was that Ned would never allow it to happen. And now, Jon was on his way to The West and he was confident all of his problems would be solved.
“What are you think, My Husband?”
“Sorry, My Love. I was just thinking about how nice the past moon had been. And I was wondering how long it would be before Jon was killed out in The West.”
Catelyn gave a soft chuckle to that. “He’s in the South now. Bastards are hated there. I’d be surprised if he made it through King’s Landing to be honest. Even if he does, Lord Jaime has plenty of enemies that would love to attack him. They would easily go after his ward. I can’t imagine he would be guarded.”
“Or well guarded, even if he was. You’re right, there is no short supply of enemies to House Lannister. Soon that problem will be taken care of permanently and we will have another babe to welcome into this world.” Ned said, as he pressed a kiss to the top of his wife’s head.
It was not that he didn’t love Lyanna. He did. That was his sister. But her reckless choices had cost him two brothers and a father. Not to mention countless good men and women from The North. All because she couldn’t do her duty. He was not going to allow that to happen to any of his daughters. Sansa and Joffrey were the same age and he knew that Robert would wish to join their houses. His daughter would be Queen. And he was not going to allow Jon to get in the way of that. The realm deserved a good Queen. One from the North. Stark blood deserved to be on the throne and Ned was not going to allow anyone to stop it.
Notes:
Two things.
First, yes I am aware that Ned is OOC. I wrote him that way on purpose. I wanted some of the characters to be different compared to my other story. Rise of King Jon Starkgaryen is very much Stark Wank and even Tyrell Wank with some Theon Wank thrown in. Everyone works together to help get Jon where he needs to be. I wanted to do something different with this story so they weren't the same type of story. In this story it's going to be Lannister Wank and Martell Wank. With some House Dayne and Reed Wank thrown in. So I know Ned is being an ass right now, but again I wanted to write him this way. And really, he could have gone this way if he had reacted differently to the lie surrounding Lyanna. He could have been furious about all of the death and loss in his family and blamed her. Grief doesn't always turn out pretty. I mean, doctors get sued every single day because a loved one died, through no fault of their own, but the loved one needs to blame someone so they blame the doctor. Ned could have hated Jon and blamed him because there was no one else to blame.
So if bad Ned Stark bothers you, please stop reading.
Second, I have never read the books, so I have been doing a lot of research and I fell down a lot of rabbit holes. There is a crazy amount of fan theories out there so I decided to take a bunch of them and see what ones I could weave into my story. Are they all accurate and true? I have no idea, probably not. But they sounded interesting and why the hell not? So if fan theories bother you, probably not a good idea to keep reading, because we're going down the rabbit hole on this one.
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