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Winterfell 297 AC:

Jon snarled slightly as he ducked under a sword swing from Jory Cassel the Captain of the Guard in Winterfell. Pivoting slightly to the right he avoided a strike from his second opponent, while simultaneously swapping his sword over to his left hand. A hard jab into old Harwyn's chest sent the older man wheezing to the ground. Not letting up at all Jon threw his sword into the air while bending backwards, narrowly avoiding Jory's sword from ringing his head like a bell. Kicing out with his right foot, he found his mark on Jory's left knee, causing the Captain to stumble. Sensing the strike from his last opponent, Jon lashed out with his arm, catching the blade with a slight grunt on his vambrace, skilfully deflecting it while catching his sword. A quick strike to the guardsman's nose with the pommel, left the guard on the ground, holding his nose while uttering words that would leave Lady Stark insensate with rage had any of her children heard it. Giving the sparring sword a last twirl he let it rest at Jory's throat.

"By the Gods lad, what's gotten into you today?" Jory's uncle, Ser Rodrick Cassel and Master-At-Arms of Winterfell asked while appraising them.

"Nothing," Jon said sullenly as he extended a hand to old Harwyn who accepted the helping hand.

"Really?" Rodrick said sceptically as he raised an eyebrow. "Because I've seen ya fight since ye were a wee boy of five Snow, and I've seen yeh angry before, but nothing like this," he finished as he swept his arm about the practice yard, causing Jon to wince slightly in shame.

The bout against Jory, Harwyn and the last guard, was only the last spar of many he'd had this day, and looking at some of the men he felt a slight stab of guilt well up in him. More than one of the men were sporting bruises, if not outright cuts and even a broken nose or three.

"I apologize…and thank you for letting me get it out," Jon told the small crowd, most of them just shrugging or even giving him a small smile.

A bastard he may be, but he was still the Lord's son, and with the exception of Jory and Rodrick was considered to be 'above' the rest, even though by law he was of no higher statue than any of the smallfolk in the realm.

And therein lay the reason for his apparent 'rage' this day, scratch that, the last months. Life had gone on as much as it had before Prince Oberyn had visited Winterfell, except that after the night he could scarcely remember with Lady Nym he had given into temptation once, or twice by visiting the brothel in Wintertown, only to be caught sneaking out by Lady Stark who had apparently chosen THAT exact day to take her daughters out for a ride.

He'd had to endure an endless stream of words about how useless, dishonourable and wretched he was all the way back to Winterfell, cheeks burning with shame as Sansa seemed to hang on to her mother's every word, what little esteem or love she held for Jon disappearing more and more with every word, while Arya, the blessed girl seemed half confused and more and more outraged at how her mother treated him.

Of course it didn't stop there. Lady Stark had marched him straight up to his father, and started the haranguing all over again, while demanding his father to 'do something about the bastard,'. The suggestions were many, ranging from throwing him to the streets, shipping him to the wall, or even providing him with a small pouch of coins and then sending him on the next ship to Essos. Lord Stark had let her rant until she was finished and then he gave Jon the customary cold look of disappointment that Jon had received more than once in his life, often in conjunction for whatever scheme Arya had come up with (and he subsequently taken the blame for), or whenever he tried to ask about his mother. The situation was made all the worse by the muffled sniggering outside the solar which could only belong to Robb and Theon.

"Jon," his father said. "You should not dishonour yourself by laying with a woman outside of marriage. You are young yet, and there will be time enough for that when you are older".

At that point something had snapped in Jon. The combination of an hour's worth of Lady Stark harassing and denigrating him, accompanied by Robb and Theon both laughing at his misfortune, and last but certainly not least his own father's very hypocritical statement made Jon see red and the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. "I guess you would know wouldn't you father," Jon spat, causing His father, lady Stark and Maester Luwin's eyes to widen in shock. "I suppose that would me more like you if I got my own whoreson", Jon finished.

He barely had time to widen his eyes at what he had said before he fell to the floor with a strangled curse as his face burned with pain, and standing above him with an outstretched hand and rage in his eyes stood Eddard Stark. His own father had struck him, that had certainly never happened before. Feeling tears of pain as well as shame mount in his eyes, Jon rose stiffly and marched out of the room, only to come across Theon and Robb. Robb looked slightly shocked at least, no doubt the strike their father had given him had been heard through the door, while Theon was grinning broadly, and his eyes were crowing with delight.

"So the little bastard tried to wet his co-AARGH!"

Theon never got to finish his insult as Jon drove his fist, first into Theon's face, hard enough to break the nose, and from the lacerations on his hand (as well as the chipped tooth stuck in the flesh between his knuckles) knocked out at least one tooth. His left fist was driven into the Greyjoy's belly, causing him to lose his breath as the powerful punch lifted him off the floor. A third punch sent him to the floor where Jon almost gleefully stomped his foot hard, right onto Theon's wedding tackle, causing the Greyjoy to give out one high pitched scream of pain before his eyes rolled back into his head in a dead faint, and without even looking at Robb, and completely ignoring the outraged questions made by his father and Lady Stark he'd stormed off to his room.

He had calmed down eventually, locked in his room as he was, while idly strumming on his harp while his voice sang softly. He didn't know how long he sat there by himself, playing while his mind ran a hundred leagues a minute. He would be punished for what he had done to Theon, he knew that. And no matter how well he could explain how Theon had acted towards him (and for how long) Theon was highborn, on paper at least he was a ward or fosterling to House Stark, and no bastard had leave to lay his hands on the son of a Lord, particularly not the last son and heir of a Lord Paramount.

His thoughts were broken however as the door to his room swung open with a bang, and there stood his father. Eddard Stark's face was ashen and his eyes were wide open as if he'd seen a ghost and his hands even trembled slightly, before his father's usual stern look was back in his face.

"I did not know you played the harp Jon", his father said as he closed the door and took a seat.

That was at the same time a surprise and also unsurprising. He only played for Maester Luwin or by himself when he was alone, often outside the walls of Winterfell or in the shambling ruins of the broken tower, on the rare occasion that he played for others, he'd wear either a hooded cloak, or a scarf wrapped about his face and head. "Maester Luwin taught me a bit when I was nine," Jon said softly.

His father nodded slightly, as if his mind was somewhere else. "You enjoy playing the harp boy?" He asked, causing a melancholic smile to sneak across Jon's face, unknowingly causing a stab of pain and remembrance to shoot through Eddard Stark, unknowingly to Jon at least.

"Catelyn want you out of Winterfell," while not unexpected, those words still sent a lance of fear up Jon's spine.

"When-when will I be leaving then?" Jon asked, trying as best he could to keep his voice steady and eyes dry.

"You won't," his father said, causing Jon to look up in shock, "But you won't be keeping this, that is your punishment", father said as he took the harp out of Jon's suddenly numb hands. "You're not to play the harp until I give you my leave to do so, do you understand?"

Jon was at a loss for words. There were precious few things he enjoyed (or was allowed for that matter) and the harp was by far his most favourite, and yet, faced with the prospect of either going north to The Wall or begging in the streets, losing his harp was the best choice. So he'd nodded once to his father who stood up and walked out, closing the door behind him and leaving Jon to his thoughts.

Since then Jon's life had seemed worse than ever. At first he had been confined to his rooms until he offered an apology to Theon, though his father did relent on that at least after more than an entire month where Jon did not speak a single word to anyone (personally Jon suspected Arya of leaning/badgering to their father until he relented). That his father had spoken to Lady Catelyn about Jon's harp (and the decision to remove it) became abundantly clear as less than a week after Jon's harp was taken from him, Lady Stark had decided that her children would be introduced to the higher arts and had acquired a teacher for Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran and Theon.

While Jon suspected that Lady Stark had forced/threatened Robb, Arya and Bran into the lessons, Sansa had eagerly joined in (regardless of the fact that she was even worse with the harp than her…less eager siblings, she did have a lovely voice though). Theon, while Jon doubted the Greyjoy had any interest what so ever in music, he also knew that Theon would grab any opportunity to bother Jon with both hands.

As a result, Jon was subjected to over a month of horrible playing as the Stark children and the Greyjoy 'guest' tried to learn the instrument, almost reducing Jon to tears. Not only at how horrible it was to listen to music by that lovely instrument being butchered so, but also that he could not participate, and he found his fingers often moving unconsciously by their own accord, playing tunes that only he could hear.

Truth be told, Jon was almost ready to cave and offer the blasted Kraken an apology just to get out when his father permitted him to wander about again. So with no more harp, and wanting to stay as far away from the rooms in Winterfell where his siblings had their lessons, Jon spent a lot more time in the training yard instead, or even with the various guardsmen, trying to muscle his way in to share in their duties a bit, far better to stay active outdoors than to sit inside and listen to the torture of his siblings' poor attempts at learning the harp.

That was four moons ago, it had been a bit over a year since Prince Oberyn had visited Winterfell. At least a new joy had been introduced in his life. Just a little more than a week earlier they had found a litter of direwolf pups. Their mother had been found with a broken stag antler lodged in her throat (a bad omen that, according to Jory). At first Jon had resigned himself to yet again be the worthless bastard who had to stand to the side while his siblings got everything, but fortunately another pup had been discovered a little away from the others. An albino, with pure white fur and red eyes, and Jon had eagerly claimed it for his own, naming the little pup Ghost, as the little rascal had yet to utter a single sound.

Theon had of course attempted to mock him for receiving the runt of the litter, yet Jon was satisfied to have spied a glimmer of longing in Theon's eyes, and while Ghost may have been the runt of the litter he didn't stay so. The little pup grew fast, and after not even two weeks was as big (if not slightly bigger) than his fellow littermates, with only Robbs pup, Grey Wind being bigger. He took solace in the fact that Ghost was by far the most…obedient of the pups. While Sansa's pup Lady was the calmest (and didn't that name cause the rest of them to roll their eyes), Jon was far more 'in touch' with his own pup. Ghost eagerly (and silently) following him around, the little pup had even started to understand a few commands. So far the little direwolf would sit, roll around, stay, jump and even fetch Jon's boots at command, though he had yet to be able to teach Ghost to stay out of the kitchens (or find out how he could get into it in the first place considering the door was usually closed)

Even more exciting news had been had when they returned to Winterfell after the execution. The King was riding for Winterfell, with much of the court in tow. Jon's elation and excitement lasted only slightly longer than Lady Catelyn delivering the news as she had turned to him and specifically ordered him to stay well clear of anyone in the Royal entourage while they were there. At first his father had seemed about to make an objection, that is until he spotted Theon (and his three missing teeth and slightly crooked nose).

So That was how Jon had found himself in the practice yard, beating down older (and trained) swordsmen for several days in a row. A great ruckus was heard from the courtyard, including several raised voices, but there were too many sounds to make out so Jon dutifully helped Ser Rodrick and the others to put away the equipment, that is until Robb showed up with Theon in tow.

Robb had a half worried-half amused look on his face, while Theon was evidently not capable of words (and barely able to stand, given how he was shaking with mirth). "Father wants to see you in his solar," Robb said.

Feeling trepidation seeping in (Greyjoy shaking like that at his expense could NOT be good) Jon nodded farewell to the others while walking off with Robb and Theon. "What about?" Jon asked.

Theon broke down then, sliding down the wall until he sat on his arse and just laughed while Robb at least tried to hold back his chuckles. "We just received a rather…irate guest. Apparently you are to blame," Robb quipped.

Jon's return died in his throat as they got into the courtyard where he could spot a small wheelhouse, and fifty mounted men, all of them clad in the livery of House Martell of Dorne, and Jon suddenly felt faint, he had a good idea who had come, and an even better idea of WHY they had come. As they walked through the Great Keep towards his father's solar Jon was more aware than ever before of the whispers and pointed looks that followed him. His mind was desperately coming up with and discarding one plan after another, while unhelpfully coming up with nasty possible ends at the Viper's hand for defiling his daughter. There could be no other explanation than Jon defiling his daughter for the Viper to show up in Winterfell angry and demanding for Jon to come, and Jon was almost shaking like a leaf as they came close to his father's solar. At both ends of the corridor stood a pair of guards, making sure that no one else enter, not even Robb was allowed to pass so Jon took the remaining fifty steps towards the door to his father's solar alone. Raising a trembling hand he opened the door and stepped in and closed the door behind him and then cast his gaze about the room.

Maester Luwin (sort of an honorary uncle to Jon over the years) stood in a corner with a slight look of disapproval on his face. Standing next to his father was Lady Catelyn whose red face was twisted in fury and disapproval, and as her eyes locked on Jon disgust was plain to see as well. His father looked at the same time disappointed, disapproving and for some reason worried. Prince Oberyn also stood in the room, both amused and slightly angry, the tall and beautiful dark haired and olive skinned woman next to him was far more amused than not and lastly his eyes met Nym who smiled slightly at him. A small degree of fondness was evident on her face, and as she noticed his no doubt panicked look a sinful smirk that sent shudders up Jon's spine stretched across her face, and in her arms was a small bundle of furs and cloth, and Jon had held Arya, Bran and Rickon enough times to know how a babe sounded 'my babe,' he thought as his mind went curiously blank.

"We meet again Jon 'ah' Snow", Prince Oberyn said, curiously pausing before saying the name Snow somewhat sceptically, causing Lord Stark to narrow his eyes. "We were never formally introduced of course; I was…distracted when I met you last".

"You ran away when you found me playing, My Prince", Jon said, causing his father to jerk his head around to Jon in shock.

"The boy is here Prince Oberyn, say what you need and be done with it," Lord Stark said coldly as he glared at Oberyn who just smirked, not at all fazed by the glare.

"Well I had to come here didn't I?" Oberyn said casually. "My daughter remembers enough from that night to know that the boy does not know who his mother is, so I find myself forced to ask you".

Jon watched in fascination as his father almost growled like the direwolf that his House took as their sigil. "I fail to see why that is any of your business, Prince Oberyn", he said warningly as he took a threatening step towards the Dornish Prince, causing Jon, Lady Stark and Maester Luwin's mouths to drop slightly in shock.

This time Oberyn also narrowed his eyes slightly. "Nevertheless I find that I must know."

"And yet you have come here in vain if that is all you came for," Lord Stark said.

A small smirk stretched across Oberyn's face. "Never matter, it was easy enough to figure out, I just wanted to see if the 'honourable Lord Stark' would for once tell the truth, so shall you tell the boy or shall I?"

"Take care with your words Prince," Lord Stark snarled, "and I thank you not to utter lies to me or mine in my own keep".

Jon was enthralled at the verbal battle, his father was losing more and more of his composure, looking more like a trapped man who knows there is no way out than the Lord and Warden of the North.

"How about you My Lady?" Oberyin questioned as he turned his eyes on Lady Catelyn. "Have your husband shared the truth of the boy's parentage with you?"

"He has not," Lady Catelyn spat as she glared at the Jon and the bundle held in Nymeria's arms. "Some wench from the south I imagine, I cannot say I'm surprised that the boy managed to sire another bastard like himself".

For the first time since entering the room Jon found courage as his temper rose and roared in him like dragonfire. "Hate me all you like My Lady!" Jon spat as he stepped beside Nymeria while pointing a shaking finger at his stepmother. "But do not DARE, to speak ill of my child in my presence".

Before anyone could protest Jon's actions, Prince Oberyn took charge again, by gingerly taking the babe from Nymeria's arms, and slowly moved the furs slightly, unveiling the head for all to see, and the reactions were varied.

Luwin's eyes widened and his mouth opened in shock as realization swept over his face. Lord Stark closed his eyes and held a hand to his face as if in pain.

Lady Catelyn was the most curious and amusing one. Her face was first shocked and horrified, turned ashen as realization set in, a strange sound, halfway between a gurgle and a mouse being trod on came from her as her eyes watered, and surprising everyone she turned and delivered a resounding slap to her husband's face before she simply sank down and started sobbing.

Jon did not notice any of this as he stepped over to Oberyn and accepted his firstborn with trembling arms. The child had pale skin, a shock of silvery white hair with a slight curl at the ends decorated the head of the babe. Eagerly drinking in every detail Jon noted that the child had his cheekbones and nose, and shared the same dark amethysts as Jon's own eyes.

"What…what," Jon tried, but the words just wouldn't come.

"His name is Aegon, after your brother," Nymeria said as she gave Jon and Aegon, their son a fond look.

Her words caused Lady Catelyn into a renewed series of sobs, while Jon looked confusedly back and forth between his father and Prince Oberyn. "What…do you mean?"

"Jon," Eddard sighed. "Come here," he patted to one of the vacant chairs by his desk. Still somewhat dazed Jon gave his son 'Aegon' he told himself, back to his mother, before taking a seat.

"I never intended to tell you this, not as long as Robert was alive at least. Your mother…was my sister, Lyanna Stark. You were sired by Prince Rhaegar."

Jon's world was collapsing. His father was not his father, instead he was a royal bastard and apparently if Robert Barathon, the bloody King got even a whiff of suspicion of the truth he would hunt Jon to the end of the earth if he had to.

"So not am I a bastard, but a royal bastard as well…and apparently I've been marked for death since I was born is that it? Or do you have any other news for me? Perhaps any full grown dragons hidden about or that this is a poor joke?"

An embarrassed cough sounded behind Jon, causing him to closes his eyes momentarily before turning them to Oberyn who had a slightly sheepish look on his face. "No dragons, but we still have the dragon egg that Daenerys brought with her when she wed Maron Martell," he said with a small grin.

"Oh…" Jon didn't know how to respond to that.

"And furthermore, you are no bastard," Oberyn said suddenly, causing Jon to look sharply at him and then to his father, 'uncle,' he reminded himself.

"There were three Kingsguard, including the Lord Commander guarding you when we found you in Dorne. Your father, grandfather, older brother and sister were all dead at that point…had you been a bastard they would have gone to Queen Rhaella and Prince Viserys on Dragonstone", his uncle said, before a thoughtful look spread across his face. "Your mother named you Jaeherys, after the Conciliator."

It was all too much for Jon, one hammer after the other fell on him. "What…what will I do now? The King," at the word 'King', Oberyn snarled with disgust, "- is coming to Winterfell within a few weeks."

His uncle's eyes widened. "I think you should retire to your room for the night Jo-Jaeherys", his uncle said. "I must speak with Prince Oberyn…tomorrow, I'll take you don to your mother and then…then we will talk about what must be done".

Jon 'no, Jaeherys,' he reminded himself nodded slightly and left the room, accompanied to his surprise by Nymeria who had covered their son's hair again. No words were spoken as they walked in silence, only the slight whimpers of his son broke the silence.

'Son,' he thought. Never once in his life had he imagined that he would be a father, and yet, as he snuck glances at his son and the woman who had brought him to the world, he knew that he would always love him, and if necessary he would lay down his life for him. His…cousins, even Sansa to his surprise were waiting outside his room and all of them seemed eager to see the babe.

"Not tonight, both he and I are tired…you'll get to see him tomorrow," he said as he held up a hand to forestall any arguments, and his cousins sighed sadly, until Robb shooed them away. Giving him a surprise hug Robb too left and he, Nymeria and their son entered his room.

A worn bassinet, the same one he had slept in once perhaps stood in the corner of the room, and he watched fondly and still somewhat amazed as Nymeria kissed their son and whispered softly before placing him down, before shoving him towards the bassinet. He spent a few moments, just staring and taking in every detail of his young son, before leaning down, and placing a soft kiss on his son's brow, and with a whispered goodnight he undressed to his small clothes and laid down under the covers in his bed, carefully embracing his once lover and the mother of his child. Heeding the fact that their son was sleeping a few feet away nothing happened, but he was pleased at least that Nymeria accepted his embrace and wriggled closer to him so that they were spooning together, fingers interlaced. No words were spoken, and none needed to be spoken either, they both knew that nothing was certain from now on, except the fact that they both loved their son, and whatever happened next, they would face it together.

AN:

So that is part two. As for the direction I'm going with this, it will be a fair mix of both the show and the books, such as Arianne and Quentyn existing, haven't decided you Aegon/Young Griff yet, but you'll find a poll on my profile about that, and another about any eventual pairing.

Thanks everyone for your reviews, and feel free to give me more of them, since I'm not getting paid for this they are the only reward I get ^^