Tyler had started the day looking for Jaime at the courtyard, anticipating that he would be preparing for the hunt with the King and the new Hand. When he did not find him he had looked for an hour before losing interest. The man clearly did not want to be found. Then he had heard a scream nearby. He ran to where the base of the old broken tower was and had seen Arya Stark cradling her younger brothers limp head. Tyler helped carry her to Maester Luwin who near feinted when he saw the little lord's broken body.
Tyler now sat with Jon in Jon's quarters, Jon had tears welling in his eyes and occasionally one would slowly slide down his face. He either did not notice or was entirely focused on not sobbing in front of his new friend. Even Tyler felt bad, he had only talked to the boy once since they had arrived but he had enjoyed watching him best Tommen in the practise yard. Tyler and Jon were still fairly new to each other but Tyler could not let him hold back his wave of grief so gently placed a hand on Jon's shoulder. At the touch Jon burst into tears and began stammering and apologising. Tyler embraced him full on and told him the boy was likely to live if he was not already dead. Just then a knock came at the door. Jon wiped his eyes and sat back down.
"Yes?" He said in a shaky voice.
"Is the boy with you?" He heard a strong voice say from outside the door.
"Aye." He said simply.
Lord Eddard Stark, Warden of the North and Hand of the King entered his bastard sons room on light feet and let Robb Stark through before gently closing the door. A silence ensued as Jon stood and Robb came forward. Both boys were red eyed and down-faced. The brothers hugged and Tyler saw Ned Stark give the slightest smile through his grief stricken features. Ned simply squeezed Jon's shoulder before gesturing everyone to sit.
"I'm sorry but I don't know your name boy." Ned said looking at Tyler.
"Tyler, m'lord. Tyler Hill." He said, struggling to meet those powerful eyes.
"I'd like to personally thank you for your quick action in getting my son to the maester. You may ask anything of me, if it is in my power to give I shall do it." Ned said sincerely
"There is but one thing I would ask of you Lord Stark." Tyler said, he paused and hesitated. "But it is not in your power to give. Do not consider my actions a favour that I did for some shallow reward, consider them a gift that I gave for the respect I have for you and your house and the friendship I have with your son." Tyler said politely.
"Very well, have it as you wish. Simply out of curiousity, what is the one thing you would have of me?" He queried.
"I don't believe you would want to hear the words spoken m'lord."
"Yet you will speak them anyway." A touch of hardness had entered his voice now.
"I would have you legitimise Jon."
"No Father." Jon said as Lord Stark rose in anger about to berate Tyler. "I'm sorry I should have said. If it were up to him I would already be, but Lady Stark would be less than pleased."
"And I would lose my inheritance." Robb said, speaking for the first time. "Not that it would have bothered me if he had been legitimised when we were younger. But I have grown up preparing to become Lord of Winterfell, to have it taken away just because you carried my little brother from one place to another would seem slightly unfair."
"I am sorry. I should not have said anything, I am a stranger here." Tyler said, but now he had a measure of the kind of people both of the Starks were; both honest and honourable men. "The subject is one I find hard to swallow." He paused for a long time. "I am Tywin Lannister's bastard."
Robb smiled but Eddard was taken aback. "Tywin with a bastard, I never would have imagined." He said, nearly to himself.
"He would say the same of you when I was back in Casterly Rock m'lord."
Eddard laughed. "I need to go and see Catelyn, she is sick with grief. Once again Tyler I thank you." Eddard strolled out of the room but Robb remained seated.
"Now is as good a time as any." Robb said as he slyly slipped a cask of wine out from underneath his massive cloak.
Jon chuckled lightly and Tyler smiled bringing over a small table and three cups and laid it between them. Robb poured for the two bastards and they clinked their cups together before swigging back enough to warm their bellies against the harsh winter chill.
"Will he die?" Jon asked quietly.
"I know he won't." Robb said strongly.
"But how do you know? Are you a healer?"
"I believe with all my heart he won't" Robb corrected himself. "Looking forward to going home tomorrow Tyler?" He said obviously keen to change the subject.
Tyler laughed. "Home? The North feels more like home than Casterly Rock ever did and I've only been here a few days."
"Our father made you an offer. When he leaves, I will be Lord of Winterfell. I would like to pre-emptively make you an offer also for your valiant service in carrying our little brother to Maester Luwin. Jon, while we were hunting Uncle Benjen told me that you were of a mind to take the black. I would make the same offer for the both of you. Father is taking Jory Cassel, our captain of guard, to King's Landing with him. I would appoint the two of you as co-leaders of the guards in Winterfell." Robb said smiling charmingly.
Tyler was about to answer when a knock came at the door. "Is the Lannister guard that saved young Brandon in there?" a familiar voice said.
Tyler quickly stood and left the bewildered boys sitting and drinking as he rushed out the door. Jaime Lannister stood leaning against the wall on the other side. "The Hero of Winterfell." He said sarcastically. "Very admirable of you to be protecting the Stark's while you are on duty to be protecting me."
"The fact that Father believes you need protecting is still beyond me. I searched for you Ser but I thought that you did not want to be found." Tyler said, instantly regretting his familiar tone. Seeing Jon and Robb together had made him hungry for such a relationship with his brother.
"Very perceptive brother, now think carefully about what you just said and it may happen that you discover why I am here right now, I want to see just how perceptive you are." He said smugly.
Tyler thought back on his words, Jaime had already let him know that he was right about him not wanting to be found. So it must have something to do with father and me being appointed to protect Jaime. What was it he had said? 'I wish we could have met on our own terms.' His father had obviously sent Tyler north for a reason that remained hidden from him. Then it all clicked into place. The fucking Wall! "Lord Tywin commands me to take the black." He said, instead of asked.
"He has already had you dismissed from your duties as a guardsman." He paused. "This must have been the hardest decision my father has made. You have my build, looks and abilities and you have my little brother's sharp mind. You could have ruled the world if your last name was Lannister." He smiled. "I am sorry boy." He left then with a sad look on his face.
He actually believes that because my father commands something all the way from Casterly Rock that I will simply obey and go spend the rest of my life in a frozen celibate depression. My father has given up on me. It was a thought that caused a dull pain to sit inside Tyler's heart, but it was a fact, a fact that Tyler knew he could do nothing to change, his father was a stern and steadfast man.
He realised how long he had been standing in the hallway and quickly went back inside. Robb and Jon were playing the Braavosi knife game where you stab between all your fingers as fast as you can on the table. Jon lay the knife down when Tyler entered.
"Are you alright?" Jon asked. Tyler had obviously not been as successful at hiding his emotions as he had hoped.
"Lord Tywin Lannister has commanded me to join the Night's Watch."
Jon's eyes lit up, and the exact same thought crossed Tyler's mind. No matter what I choose we will do it together. Robb did not see the look but instead said. "What does this mean for the offer I gave you?"
"Lord Tywin has already had me dismissed from guard duty. I am a man with no obligations but to myself." Tyler gave the offer one last consideration. He drew his sword and both the boys flinched but when Tyler went down on his knee and put his sword point down in front of him. "Robb, of House Stark, Lord of Winterfell, I swear my sword to you, I swear my loyalty to you, and I swear my life to you. I will serve you until the day I die and not a minute less."
Jon instantly knelt beside him and drew his sword. Robb looked taken aback briefly and chuckled. Jon said the same words and Robb laughed, pouring the boys another drink. He picked up the knife and began stabbing it between his fingers.