"I promised to protect the boy. I promised Lyanna" Ned said, holding his nephew safely in his arms. He looked at him again. He was all wolf, no dragon. The newborn babe then smiled at him, Lyanna's smile. True-born, bastard, this boy was a Stark. The blood of the First Men strongly courses through his veins.
"Yes. You did promise to Lyanna to keep the boy safe. We both did. I am simply saying, perhaps it will be best if I protect him." Howland said. He couldn't believe his ears. He had come to know Howland well. He was a good man and a skilled warrior. And now he asks to take away Lyanna's son: the one good, the one pure and innocent thing that came out of this war?
"My people are loyal and can keep him safe. He and my daughter can grow up together as friends. The boy can live and thrive and grow up happy" Howland said.
"He is of my blood. My family." Ned protested.
"How would your lady wife feel about that, Ned? Everyone knows about you and Ashara. She may be a loving woman but can you count on her to love Jon? A child borne from another?" Howland said. He already was loving the boy. Perhaps Catelyn could love the child. But what if Howland was right? He would be asking much of his lady wife. To care for and love a stranger's child. Asking her to raise his "bastard" would be too much of her.
But perhaps he was being selfish. The boy would need to learn how to thrive, have a home and hearth that will love him. He wouldn't be able to truly love the boy, give him what he needed. As he thought long and hard about this, Jon began to stir in his arms. He looked at the boy once more.
He then carefully placed the babe in Howland's arms. Desperately trying to fight back the tears forming in his eyes. "Can you assure me that he will be safe? And happy?" "Of course, Ned. I'll make sure that he will be safe and happy in the Neck. My wife will understand. She is close to the Old Gods as much as I am. She would know the imperativeness of the child's safety." He then leaned to the boy's face and whispered, "Stay safe, little wolf"
No matter how many times he went up to the top of Greywater Watch, it never surprised him. The thirteen-year-old boy absolutely loved it. The castle was built on and around a massive weirwood tree. Its roots had been twisted and formed around the pillars, columns, and walls of stone. Over the many long ages since the weirwood was planted and formed into the island, smaller trees of various varieties, as well as grass and vines, had taken root there as well.
"I knew you'd be here" Meera said, flashing a smile. "I still can't believe it after all the times I come up here. Just how does it float?" Jon inquired, even though he knew the answer.
Meera shrugged. "Father must have told you a million times. We don't know. There are stories of course. It is said that the castle was built as a keep for a lesser noble in the Age of Heroes. The owner planted a weirwood in the garden of the keep and it grew over time. Terrible rains came one spring, or fall, and the keep began to sink. They cried out to the gods for a way to stop the keep from sinking, and the weirwood pulled up its roots, wrapped them around the keep, and pulled the whole structure from the riverbank. The keep floated until they came to the marshes and bogs around us and it was here that the owners decided to stay. So the story goes."
"I know how the story goes. I love the story. It just ... still amazes me after all this time" Jon said. "i thought you and your uncle Lucen would be helping Jojen train with the spear and Rippletorn" he said. He always marveled at the Reed's Valyrian steel blade. It was a rather thin and dark-colored blade but razor sharp as far as Valyrian steel goes. And its jet-black handle was supposedly made out of the skin of a lizard-lion.
"I was going to, but he was away with my father. They've been going away from us lately, like they're hiding something. And mother is busy with little Eddard. Weren't you going to train with Joseth and Andrys? Maybe kiss Lady Asheyne again?" Meera teased him. Joseth Cray and Andrys Fenn were some of the fiercest warriors who helped defend the North during the Rebellion and knighted by the King himself. Joseth looked more fiercer of the two with his two diagonal red scars across his face and chapped lips. He always enjoyed being called Ser Swamp. Andrys looked like a green boy than an esteemed warrior and veteran with his deep hazel eyes and messy brown hair.
"They were gonna help with my sword training today. But they had some affairs to handle. And Lady Asheyne was the one who kissed me" he said. Lady Asheyne Greengood of Greenrock annoyed him to no end. Her auburn hair, pale skin and big black eyes made her a rare beauty in the Neck. But her pouty lips made her look like a fish. Meera then laughed at him. "Just relax, Jon. Y'know I only tease." she chuckled. "I know you do" Jon said.
She then took out two quivers filled with arrows and bows. "Want to practice again?" she asked. "Y'know I'm going to beat you again?" "I let you win last time!" she said. "Right, let's go!" he said, going down the granite staircase and out to the swamplands. He then began to shoot down anything that moved within sight.
"Looks like I caught our dinner first!" Meera said, holding up a rather large rabbit. As they walk back to Greywater, Howland has the strangest look on him. "Jon, I need you to come to my chambers at once" he said in a lordly voice. "Did you do something to anger him?" Meera asked. "When has your father ever been angry?" Jon countered.
Jon then went into Lord Howland's chambers and fearful thoughts began to creep into his mind. Mayhaps I did anger him? he thought. They were relatively simple and had the lizard-lion sigil adorned on the walls. "Jon" Howland said. He looked sad. "Did I do something wrong?" Jon asked. "No, my boy. You've done nothing wrong. But it's time that you go" Howland said. "Go? Your making me leave?" Jon said, astonished by this. "Not leave. Go. It's time for you to go Jon Snow. To your real family" Howland said. "You are my real family" Jon said. Howland then smiled; it was a sad smile though. "I made a promise to a good friend of mine that I would raise you as and among my own. But you must go. But not alone. Meera, Jojen, I know you're there!" Howland said.
Meera and Jojen then opened the door meekly. "How did you know?" Meera asked. "How would I not know the comings and goings of my own castle? And you're not as quiet as you think you are. Your feet are as loud as a lizard-lion's snapping jaw" Howland japed. Meera and Jojen chuckled. "I am sending the three of you to Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell" Howland said.
I found it to be a little strange as to why no one had done this before. I mean, Jon and Meera seems like a good pairing if I say so myself. That will be the primary focus of this story. I'm not sure as to how long I am going to make it though.