Alright, so Jon and Robb are playing and Robb has an accident. Now Jon has t help Robb recover from the accident, and help him along the way. Pure brotherly bonding, not incest or anything like that. Robb is seven, Jon eight and Theon twelve. And I thought that Theon would be a little bitter and resentful about the whole 'hostage' thing and touchy about his father. And Catelyn likes to blame Jon for everything.
Disclaimer: I don't own GOT or Song of Ice and Fire.
"Come on Jon, hurry up!"
Jon rolled his eye, but couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his face. He might be older and more mature, but Robb was still seven. He was still a little childish and impatient; though with Father's lessons he was maturing a bit.
Robb grinned at him, showing off a missing front tooth. Jon shook his head at his younger brother and said "Maester Luwin won't be happy we're skipping lessons."
Robb shrugged and said "We'll work longer tomorrow. Come on Jon, we can see the Umbers arriving from higher up."
They raced up the stone stairs together and almost crashed into Theon Greyjoy.
He crossed his arms and said in an angry voice "What are you doing here?"
Jon shrunk back, half hiding himself shadow and mumbled "Nothing."
For some reason, the Greyjoy hostage their father brought back didn't like Jon. He laughed and mocked him and called him bastard and challenged him to duels whenever they trained. He was more likely to be kissing a young servant girl or sulking by himself in a corner.
Robb stood straighter, though Theon still towered over him at twelve.
"We're going to watch the Umbers arrive from Last Hearth." He said determinedly, a stubborn set in his jaw. Theon smirked and asked "Why do you insist on bringing the bastard with you? I would ignore him if it was me."
Robb clenched his fists and said "Jon isn't a bastard, he's my brother!"
Theon snorted and said "He's a half brother, not born from your mother. He's what happened when your father fucked another woman who wasn't your mother."
Robb glared at Theon and said "Don't say that about father. He's better then yours. Your father gave you away."
Theon's face turned dark and an angry glimmer in his eyes made Jon step back a bit.
The movement made Theon turn on him and he shoved him against the wall, pinning him by his shoulders. He was only eight, and Theon was twelve and a lot bigger and stronger.
"Where you running off to bastard? Scared of a little fighting?"
Robb, rather strong for a seven year old, pulled Theon away from him and said "Leave Jon alone!"
Theon laughed, dark and cruel and said "come at me then lordling. Defend your little lady friend."
Theon's hands curled into fists and Robb set his shoulders.
Jon stood and said "No fighting. Father would be wroth if he found out."
Robb looked back at him and said "I won't stand here and let him call you a basta"
His sentence was cut off as Theon shoved him heavily, sending him tumbling backwards.
He wobbled for half a second at the top of the stairs, and Jon could see the terrified look in his eyes as he fell backwards, his arm snapping with a sickening sound and his head hitting the stone steps with a loud crash. Jon shouted something, what he didn't know, and could only watch as Robb landed at the bottom, and blood creeped out from under his head.
He whirled on Theon and shoved the older boy, who was frozen with horror and a guilty look on his face.
"What did you DO!" he shouted, running down the stairs and shouted for someone, anyone. He turned Robb's head gently and saw the massive bleeding gash in his forehead, tracing along his entire hairline and two inches deep, where he struck the stairs. Theon was motionless at the top of the stairs, his mouth slightly agape. He turned and fled, running down the hall as a servant came.
She knelt beside him instantly and turned on Jon.
"Did you push him?" she demanded. He shook his head and said "Theon did. Is he alright? Is he, is he?"
The servant shook her head and said "Run for Lady Stark, and the maester. Now before he bleeds too much."
Jon stumbled to his feet and ran. The horrified look on Robb's face, the fear in his eyes before he fell, the sickening sound of his head hitting the steps. It echoed through his mind, and tears sprung to his eyes. The second of triumph that lit Theon's eyes before Robb had hit the steps. It ran through his mind over and over again.
He would kill Theon himself if Robb…
He nearly ran into Maester Luwin, who was searching around for them.
"Jon, where have you been? Lessons are now. And where's Robb?"
Jon tugged on his sleeve and said "We were skipping lessons and we ran into Theon and he pushed him down the stairs and he hit his head and he's bleeding and"
The maester cut him off and waved to a passing servant who stopped to listen.
"Fetch Lord and Lady Stark. Jon, lead me to him."
Jon nodded and took of running, the Maester following.
The servant had tied Robb's head with a scrap of cloth ripped from her dress. Maester Luwin knelt down beside him and held his hand over Robb's mouth. His shallow breath fogged in the air, brushing the maester's fingers. He nodded and said "Help me carry him to his room. He might live yet. Follow along Jon."
He nodded and wiped tears from his eyes. He was a Stark of Winterfell, he wouldn't cry.
Between the servant and the maester, they carried Robb to his room and piled him under furs. Maester Luwin sent a servant to fetch some things from his office as he unwound the cloth.
He was still bleeding, more heavily now and he was getting paler as Jon watched. Maester Luwin looked worried and didn't glance at the door as Lord and Lady Stark entered.
Lady Stark turned white, the color draining from her face. Lord Stark just stared at his son lying limply in his bed with a stony face devoid of emotion. He thought he saw something break in his eyes, but Jon couldn't be sure.
Lady Stark turned on him, a wild and angry look in her eyes and demanded "What did you do?"
Jon opened his mouth, but she cut him off.
"He could be dead because of you. Dead!" she shouted at him. Jon shrunk under her terrifying glare and protested "I didn't hurt Robb. We were going to watch the Umbers come and then we ran into Theon. They argued and Theon threatened to fight. He pushed Robb, I did nothing."
Lord Stark put a hand on her shoulder and she wilted, falling onto the bed at Robb's side and holding his hand in hers, brushing his red curls back from his closed eyes. Ned knelt in front of him and asked in an oddly steady voice "Are you sure it was Theon?"
He nodded and felt the tears in his eyes. "I wouldn't hurt him. He's my brother."
Ned nodded and sat down opposite of Lady Stark, and Jon sat on his knee. Lady Stark frowned at him, but said nothing as Luwin bandaged his head and did everything in his power and teachings to keep Robb alive.
Jon grabbed his small limp hand and held it in his. He wouldn't let Robb die. He was his brother, his only friend. He couldn't let him die.
He wouldn't.
Sansa came later, after Luwin finished checking Robb over. She sniffled a little as she sang him a little song to get him to wake up. Little three year old Arya, not understanding the problem, punched Jon and told him to make Robb wake up. He promised he would play today, she said. Jon had to explain Robb might never wake up, and she had run away screaming.
Jon never left Robb's side, sat quietly beside him. Maester Luwin had said that if he woke up, someone should be with him when he does. Lady Stark had sat with him for three days and nights, until Lord Stark had taken her to rest. Jon had no duties, so he stayed.
Theon walked in and leaned against the wall.
He clenched his fists and told him "Go away."
Theon shook his head and said "Them Starks are hard to kill, aren't they bastard?"
He stood and said "I'm no bastard. I'm a Stark, and you're nothing but a prisoner, a hostage."
Theon turned red with anger, and his fist was flying before Jon could blink. His head flew back and he felt a searing pain in his jaw where Theon punched him. He fell back into his chair and when he blinked the stars from his eyes, Theon was gone.
Now, three days later, Jon was alone, wiping sweat from Robb's brow, though he was still pale and weak. He looked almost smaller, shrinking in sickness. Lord Umber himself had come and visited, ruffling Jon's hair and patting Robb's head. He had said something to Jon, but he never heard. He was so tired; he hadn't slept well in ages. He forced his eyes open again and almost missed it when Robb's face scrunched in his sleep, like he did when trying something really hard, like that sword move a few weeks back.
Jon was beside him in an instant, his jaw puffy and bruised where Theon hit him. He blinked and watched with amazement as Robb's eyes flickered open and he asked "What? Where? Who?"
Jon threw his arms around him and hugged him tightly. "Robb, you're okay!"
Robb inched away from him and glanced at him nervously.
"Who are you?"
The words froze his heart, but Jon forced a shaky laugh and said "I'm Jon, your brother. You remember me, don't you?"
To his horror, Robb shook his head slowly and said "I don't. Should I?"
He called for Maester Luwin in a shaky voice, and he was inside in seconds.
"He doesn't, he doesn't" Jon struggled to get the words out, tears making the words stick in his throat.
Robb glanced around the room and asked "What's going on?"
Maester Luwin smiled and said "You're in your room Robb, don't worry. Your mother and father have been worried for days. They'll be glad to see you awake."
Jon shook his head, tugging on Maester Luwin's sleeve and said "Maester, he doesn't"
"Who are you?" Robb asked. He looked around again and glanced at his hands.
"Who am I?"
Tears formed in Robb's eyes, which turned to Jon almost instinctively. The confident seven year old from days before was replaced with this confused, terrified little boy. He sniffled a little and seemed to try to mask his fear by bowing his head and he asked "Do you, do you know me?"
Jon nodded and said "Maester, can you go get Lady Stark?"
Maester Luwin nodded swiftly and left them alone.
Robb folded his hands in his lap like Lord Stark taught him until it was a habit of his, and turned to him, blue eyes confused.
"Can you tell me who I am?" he asked. Jon looked down at his own hands folded the same way and said "Your name is Robb Stark. You are seven name days old, and close to your eighth. And I'm Jon, your brother."
Robb looked down and said "I don't understand. What happened? Did I do something wrong?"
Jon shook his head and said "You didn't do anything. I'll tell you later, okay?"
He nodded and Jon turned as the door opened. Maester Luwin must have explained the problem to Lady Stark, because she didn't throw her arms around him like Jon did. She sat in the chair and asked "Are you feeling okay?"
His hand flew to his forehead, where the steps had cut into his head and where his blood and memories drained away.
He nodded once and Jon could tell he was lying for her, though he didn't know her. He could see the pain flash across his face, no matter how much he hid it.
Lady Stark nodded and said "You remember nothing."
It wasn't a question, but Robb nodded once. He looked to Jon and asked in a whisper "Who is that?"
He saw the heartbroken look flash across her face for an instant, and saw the hatred in her eyes. He looked away from her and said "That's Catelyn Stark, our lady mother."
Robb turned back to Lady Stark and said "I'm sorry mother. Whatever I did wrong, I'm sorry."
She smiled at him and brushed his hair back, saying "You couldn't stop what happened, it isn't your fault."
The look on her face told Jon everything: it's your fault. All your fault.
Jon swallowed the protest that rose in his mind, but looked down at his hands as Lady Stark talked with Robb, asking him if he remembered what happened, and telling him about his injuries. Robb's eyes went wide as his mother told him what happened on the stairs days ago, and now Theon was locked in his room until Lord Stark let him go, for punching Jon and shoving Robb down the stairs, almost killing him.
Catelyn smiled at her son and placed a hand on his head.
"Don't worry Robb. You'll get your memories back soon." She assured him. She stood and said "Your father will speak to you now. Alone."
She looked pointedly at Jon, who rose reluctantly. Robb looked a little fearful at meeting the stranger alone, but he hid his fear and said "Come back soon."
Jon nodded, and Robb gave him a ghost of a smile.
Lord Stark was waiting outside, talking in a low voice with Maester Luwin. He looked up as his lady wife and son exited the room, and entered immediately after. The door closed with a snap.
Lady Stark turned on Jon and she hissed "You will not see Robb again after this."
Jon blinked, and said "I promised Robb I would see him after."
Catelyn narrowed her eyes and she said "You will not see him after this. You won't speak to him or anything. You are a bastard, and he is an heir. You are nothing but a mistake. I wish it was you."
The words echoed around his head, making his blood turn cold.
"I'm not a bastard." He told her angrily, wiping tears from his eyes. This woman had been nothing but mean to him, giving no reason. He was upset and confused and needed a moment away from everyone.
He fled to his rooms, not far from Robb's, and flew into his bed. He let the tears come now, sliding down his cheeks and dripping off his nose onto the furs. Robb's horrified face, Lady Stark's furious, hateful one. Jon didn't understand.
ROBB
The man entered the room and closed it with a small snap, after the tall woman called his mother and the little boy called his brother left. The man sat at his side and sighed heavily. Robb examined his face. He had long, dark brown hair and sleet grey eyes that made him think of cold winters. He and the little boy that was his brother looked the same, with the same solemn expression and long face. The woman who was his mother looked nothing like either of them.
The man sighed again and pressed his hand to his forehead, cool on his hot skin. He smiled at him; a small smile that seemed like it wasn't used very often.
"Are you feeling okay?" he asked, an easy question. Robb nodded, but the man looked at him knowingly and Robb felt a blush rising to his face.
"It still hurts. And my arm." He lifted his right arm a little, and ignored the pain that lanced through to his very bone.
The man nodded now, and he said "You do not know me, do you?"
Robb shook his head and said "I'm sorry. I don't, I can't"
The man put his hand on his shoulder and said "Don't try to hard. They will come back naturally, Maester Luwin says so."
Robb looked at him nervously and said "Really?"
The man nodded and said "He is a very smart man Maester Luwin. He is your teacher."
Robb blushed at his lack of memory. He ducked his head and said "I feel like I have to remember now. Like it's important."
He looked the man straight in his grey eyes and asked "Why does mother not like Jon?"
The man's shoulders fell and his brow furrowed. Feeling he did something wrong, he said "Sorry, I just, she was glaring at him as if something was his fault. She doesn't like him."
The man nodded and said "She never has and probably never will. But don't think about that now. You need to rest now."
Robb burrowed down under the furs and he heard the man stand.
"Wait." He whispered, and the leaving footsteps froze.
"What's your name?" he asked shyly, and he heard a breath of relief.
"I'm Ned."
Chapter one is up and ready. I like angst stories, I admit. I think it truly shows the characters in their best light, at both their worst and greatest and you actually get to see them for who they really are.
But I'm just saying random rambling stuff. Enjoy!
