Chapter Four- A Lady, a Lord, and a Bastard
Jon always smiled when he gave his little sister affection. He stood for a moment then spun around heading for the courtyard to other business, a place he knew very well and business that he loved. Being a bastard at times had it's perks, no one paying him much mind, being able to stroll up and down the halls and even leave by his lonesome seeing what was beyond in the wolfs wood. Almost on a daily basis he left and went further beyond than anyone. Memories of when his group's adventures resurfaced yet he knew to his dismay that was no longer. Robb was heir and had his many duties and Sansa was now Sansa. When Jon closed his eyes he saw them playing in the snow, his sister Sansa mud on her face. Only it was a distance memory, a story from the past and he knew it well. At times he enjoyed the loneliness, at other times he sought to speak with someone. Arya was beside him countless periods yet even then at every sequence her mother tried to wrench her away like Sansa.
As he went down the hallway the sound of grunts and several cheers sounded from the courtyard. The voices grew louder as he descended, he knew the voices, his brothers. Staring down the stairs he stopped seeing near the armory stood young Bran in the mud holding a wooden weapon and wooden shield before him stood Robb with the same. Sitting on a stool Rcikon was off to the side laughing at the two. The courtyard was covered in dirt and mud showing signs of the recent and frequent of passing feet. The sky was bright as was the sun shining onto them.
Robb was showing Bran the proper way to parry taking it slow as he moved his weapon to his. Any patience that remained for Bran had slipped away, having no patience Bran charged swinging his weapon aimlessly at Robb showering him with thrusts from his much smaller body. His older brother slipped like an eel dogging every thrust and attack. Causing Bran to grow infuriated. With another swing Robb caught the weapon with his hand stopping all his brothers' force. With a loud yell Bran pulled his weapon away.
Jon saw his little brother fuming as he headed for them passing through the courtyard. Bran charged again towards Robb with a yell swinging with all his might to his brother, he missed his weapon with a downward thrust striking the dirt with all his weight falling to his knees with a huff as his weapon struck the dirt far from his target. He pulled it from the dirt as he gained his breath looking up he struggled to rise, and found his older brother standing before him a smile present. Jon leaned closer helping him back on his feet as he leaned forward towards his ear, whispering in his ear. Bran nodded several times with a smile, as Robb watched with inquisitive eyes.
"What are you telling him?" Robb asked receiving only mute silence from the two. Bran nodded again as he stood his wooden weapon before him as Jon stood closer placing his hand on brans shoulder.
"What did you say to him?" Robb asked his brother.
"Nothing." Said Jon with a self satisfied look upon his face.
"Fight me brother." Bran said gaining his brothers attention, suddenly bran attacked still unable to hit his brother the two spinning around the other. As Robb turned his back to Jon, the bastard wrapped his arm around his neck grabbing hold of him keeping him still. Robb trying to move, while Bran threw his body at Robb the two falling to the ground splashing in the mud together. Not wanting to be left out Rickon threw himself in with the others. Alone Robb could have threw Rickon or Bran but all together they laughed in the mud. The three flung together in a heap Jon laughing at all of them. Once mud had seeped into their clothes Robb pushed the two away, as Jon watched the three, he couldn't help but never stop his laughter, they were his family, a family Jon loved.
"You can't do that." Robb stated.
"What rules are there. On the battlefield you won't be fighting only one enemy, but hundreds." Jon stated.
"Aye hundreds. Not little boys". Robb replied as his hand dove into Rickon's hair mussing it up. Bran stood up not close to end a fight.
"Come brother I'm not yet finished. Another spar, Robb I won't stop until the morrow." Bran explained with a smile. Robb grinned and nodded in contentment.
"Fine but I've misplaced my trust with Jon."
"I'll be over in the armory, far from your way." He declared with a smile. Robb laughed and suddenly he was sparring again, as Jon traveled deep in the darkness of the armory many weapons masked the wall only one was his. Under a box he looked out back seeing he was alone and pulled his blade from underneath a small crate. He had forged it recently, a short thin blade. His sister's name day was to be soon upon him and his gift was in his hands, a gift for the girl. He sat down as he sharpened his weapon with an oil stone, Ser Rodrick always spoke you needed onto every day, keep your wits sharp and your weapon sharper and never stick it in the ground. He went back and sat down near the edge of the armory a view of his two brothers, he gazed over the Starks as they continued Robb trying to teach his brother only to no avail. Jon kept his oil stone grazing against his entire weapon.
As he sat there he felt eyes staring at him, recently he felt eyes piercing his body so often, he thought at times someone was following him. Adverting his gaze from the weapon in his hand, looking up he found a girl near the castle with long auburn hair, a girl he still loved, wearing a blue gown with several girls her age surrounding her. Her eyes found his eyes focused on him, but unlike every day it wasn't the piercing eyes he saw, yet it was empty, through as if the light had been shuffled out behind them. Only pain and sadness remained. It felt an entirety as their eyes gazed the other, he could see the sadness in her face unlike ever before, the snow falling into her hair. He saw her take a step towards him then halted. The moments passed and he never broke his gaze. After a long moment she tuned on a heel and went the other way breaking the gaze with him with a group of girls to her. Some of the girls looked disgusted. But he didn't care as he watched his sister move, the group of girls followed her close behind. They positively flocked to her whatever she went and Jon never wanted to hear their laughs, all of them kept their distance from the bastard. Although after so long he still wanted to hear the lady Sansa's laugh again. To share another adventure with her or venture far into the wolf wood. Only this was folly never again would she come with him.
The group of girls left the courtyard into the large castle the last reminisced of his sister. Sansa was no longer the sister he knew, days pass and he would never see a trace of her, she had been taught how to be a lady, how to be proper and by her mother, scorn him. Despite all of that some echo from his childhood and her laugh filled him with a love for her. it was that made the desertion that he knew to hurt more. She no longer saw him, he was just a ghost that pass. While still deep in thought lost in space Robb smacked him on the back with a though hand, Jon jerking forward.
"You still with us." He asked, Jon looking up to find the Stark's big grin.
"Yes." He replied.
"I grieve for you brother. You will never be able to best me again." Robb declared.
"Why is that?" Jon asked. Robb held his weapon up in the sun gleaming. "Just had it made. As sharp as ice." He declared with a smile present causing Jon to laugh.
"It still won't help." Jon avowed, gaining a better inspection of the large weapon.
"Yea you think so. Today I will best you." With that said, Jon stood grabbing the closest weapon he found, wrapping his naked fingers around the hilt pulling it from the scabbard. With his weapon in his right hand as did Robb the same. Standing in the center, the mud on his boots and the two began their dance of a duel.
Unknown to him Sansa departed and left her group of friends and watched from a balcony as her two brothers fought down beneath her. She wanted to be with them but she was now a lady of Winterfell and wanted nothing less than to please her mother. She watched her brother as he spun swinging his weapon wondering if Jon still missed her, she saw him so countless times she thought to run to him, to play and have fun again. Run in the dirt and mud and never be a proper lady but run out and use a weapon as days went. With a shake of her head she left and headed back to her friends.
In the night-
Jon settled in to a routine. Almost every day as night approached he would train in the courtyard. Jon spent the night in the faded courtyard he trusted this place a place he knew well. For many nights he enjoyed the moonlight and quiet with a weapon in his hand and nothing but to train. Nothing in his life felt more tranquil than with a weapon in his hand. Yet now the silence was broken. He stopped to the sound of footsteps, crunching in the snow. Turning around he found the unlikeliest person, his sister Sansa standing there nothing and no one, alone. Nothing was said as she stood a worried expression on her face. Years she spent trying to speak again and now she failed to remember what to say.
"What do you want? You don't want to catch a cold out here." He stated at her knowing he wouldn't find affection from her. She couldn't speak her throat was dry, everything stuck deep down unknown what to say after so countless years. Silence was all that was hers and she knew it well, as the moon shined on them.
"What?" He questioned, again waiting for an insult.
"You shouldn't be here at night. If mother finds out." She urged him.
"She's not my mother, or have you forgotten. I wouldn't see how you would. You always know and are pleased to retell me." He stated.
"That's not fair." She argued taking another step to the brother she no longer knew.
"Why would you care." He said harshness in his voice. She opened her mouth to say something but she didn't find her voice and turned leaving with resentment on her face. Jon shook his head and went to train feeling the coldness of the bitter wind pass through him. It was more bitter than days previous.
