Chapter 7
A/N: The way I envision the characters, Canas or Horus would've killed Joffrey without a second thought. Case is a much calmer head and thinks before he acts. The story is so happy now, but, it's going to get real sad. Most of you will hate me. Thank you to Greywing101 for naming Beren's wife, thank you to JaegerCryptic, .737, mpowers045 (your review made me laugh out loud) for the reviews, and to Vasun05 thanks for the offer, but I'm going to try to write the fights myself.
Jenny Greystark
Her brother had returned to Stone Keep, without Case who had gone south with his father and Lord Stark. They were anxiously awaiting Smalljon Umber, who was supposed to be arriving that day. The prospect of marriage had never really bothered Jenny, as long as her husband was a good man and didn't just treat her like a brood mare. Besides she knew if he mistreated her, Canas would teach him a harsh lesson. He had always been the most overprotective of her, in fact once when she was six, a stable boy had pushed her down and Canas had beat him to a bloody pulp. She missed him more then she missed anyone else, he had been gone so long and it would've been nice to have him here when she meets her possible future husband.
Suddenly, Artos, her favorite guardsmen and Canas' good friend walked in through her open door. "Milady, your father wishes to see us."
"Us?" asked Jenny, "Why both of us?"
"I don't know milady," replied Artos, "but we best go now, he's waiting."
Jenny nodded and followed Artos, her father's health was failing, and no one knew what was wrong, the master said he wouldn't last until winter, which couldn't be long off. As they walked, Artos looked more and more nervous, she doubted he was actually in any trouble, her father seemed to love Artos like a son and always made sure he was well taken for, giving him a horse, teaching him how to fight, giving him lessons with the maester, and placing him in the household guard. One more thing about him was interesting, he had the Greystark piercing blue eyes. They arrived at her father's room, and Artos knocked, "Come in," a weak voice said from inside and they entered. Beren and Horus were in there standing by the bed.
Jon Greystark was never a big man, but he looked even smaller lying in bed, constantly coughing and too weak to stand for very long, the once great lord was a shadow of his former self. "Jenny, come closer," he said trying to sit up, Artos rushed over and helped him, using pillows to help prop him up. "My beautiful daughter," he said weakly, "you've always been so stubborn, like your mother, and I'm sorry I won't be there on your wedding day."
"You'll be there," said Jenny, trying not to cry.
"No my child," he replied, "it will be in two years and I won't make it that long, but I didn't call you both here for sadness, we are here for something else. Artos, I have something I need to tell you, and my children will witness what I say and vouch for you."
"Milord… I hope I haven't disappointed you…"
"Artos, you never have, I haven't been able to give you everything I wanted to, but I can tell you the truth. Artos Snow, you are not some orphan boy I took a liking to all those years ago, you are my nephew, your father was my younger brother Artos Greystark who died in Kings Landing. You are his bastard son, and of Greystark blood, I would've told you sooner, but my wife feared you would try to usurp Stone Keep from our children, if I legitimized you like I planned, but her heart has softened as you've grown and she's realized her foolishness."
"Milord, I don't want any of this," said Artos, "I'd be a terrible lord and I would die to defend you and your family."
"Our family," corrected her father, "and I know you would Artos, you are your father's son through and through."
Beren stepped forward then, "A letter came for father today from King Robert cousin," Beren held out the letter for his newly named cousin, "you should read it."
Artos took the letter and began to read, Jenny saw his widen and his mouth drop open, "I've been legitimized?!"
"Aye," said Beren, "from this day henceforth your name is Artos Greystark, you now have our name and our blood. One other thing cousin, I name you castellan of Stone Keep."
"Milord, I… I am not worthy of such an honor."
"Nonsense Artos, you're the best man for the job, I'd only trust family to protect my wife and child."
"Yes milord," replied Artos, "sorry milord."
"And one more thing," said Beren as he furrowed his brow, "enough of this milord nonsense, we are family, call me Beren, or cousin whichever you prefer."
Artos nodded and hurried off, probably to tell his mother who worked in the kitchens, which all of a sudden made sense to Jenny. She looked at her brothers, Horus who was smiling and Beren who was letting out a hearty laugh, then her father…
Something was wrong, her father's breathing was quickening and getting weaker. Beren was yelling at Horus to get the maester, he put his hands on their father's shoulders, begging him not to die. Jenny was frozen in fear, she couldn't move, couldn't make a sound, she was too stunned to even cry as her father took one last ragged breath and passed on to the next world. Beren let out a shout of rage and punched the bed, tears streaming down his face just as Horus and Maester Qarson rushed into the room. Beren looked up and began moving towards the maester, murder in his eyes, and would've killed the maester then and there if Jenny hadn't stepped in between them.
"BEREN," came a voice from the doorway, "STOP, it was your father's time to go, he wouldn't want you hurting Maester Qarson for something he had no control over."
Jenny turned and saw her brother's wife Juliana Flint, walk into the room; a short woman, she was the same height as Jenny, but a strong one, one of the few who could reign in Beren's fierce temper. She had long lustrous brown hair, and green eyes. She was heavily pregnant, with the maester saying she would give birth any day now. Jenny's mother had told her the main reasons they had chosen her for Beren, were her no nonsense way of doing things and the calming effect she had on people, something useful to have around Beren.
"Beren," said Juliana as she reached up and touched his face, "your father was a great man, and a great lord; but he wasn't going to live forever, he is with the Gods now, we should prepare for his funeral. Jenny, go tell your mother, bring her here, family should all be together in times like this."
Jenny nodded, tears streaming down her face, her mother was in the rookery, sending a reply to a letter Canas had sent her several days ago. As Jenny walked up to the rookery her mother was walking out the door. Wylla Greystark was a Manderley by birth, her brother, Wyman was currently the lord of White Harbor. She was strong, intelligent woman; her hair once black as night, was now streaked with grey, and she looked ten years older than her forty namedays, her pale green eyes looked at her daughter quizzically, one of her eyebrows raised, "Jenny? What's wrong child?"
Jenny couldn't speak, all she could do was continue to sob uncontrollably, her mother, realizing what was wrong, wrapped her in her arms. "It's happened, hasn't it child? Jon has finally passed."
Jenny looked up at her mother and nodded, her mother began to cry, holding her tightly as they both sobbed, "I loved that honorable fool, as frustrating as he could be, I loved him. How could I not? We had four strong, good children together. Children that will go on to be great, did he at least legitimize Artos before he passed?" Jenny managed to get out a choked, "Yes," before resuming sobbing. "That is good, stubborn man was not going to die until he told Artos the truth. At least he was comfortable, and surrounded by loved ones, he's in a better place now.
Jenny nodded against her mother's shoulder as they both stood there and cried, and that was where Beren and Horus found them, and all four of them stood there together, crying and hugging. That is until a servant came running up, "Lord Beren, Lady Wylla, the Smalljon is here!"
