Chapter 29. Lord Commander Jon Snow

Jon was raised at Winterfell on an equal footing with his father Eddard's legitimate children. He had an older half-brother Robb, two younger half-sisters Sansa and Arya who is still alive, then there is his two younger half-brothers Bran and Rickon who Theon Greyjoy killed. Jon's presence at Winterfell is a source of friction between Eddard and his wife, Catelyn. Jon got on well with his half-siblings, particularly Robb and Arya. Jon Snow and Robb instruct Bran in archery, when they learn about a captured deserter. Jon accompanies his father, Robb, Bran and Theon Greyjoy to the beheading of a deserter from the Night's Watch; it is Bran's first time watching his father carry out an execution. Jon praises Bran afterwards for keeping his composure. On their way back to Winterfell, they find a dead direwolf and six newborn pups. Jon talks Lord Eddard into allowing the young Starks to adopt them, pointing out that a direwolf is the sigil of House Stark: given that there are five direwolves and five trueborn Stark children, it must be a sign from the old gods that the Stark children are meant to have the pups. In order to make this point, Jon intentionally leaves himself out of the count of Stark children, and when Bran asks about this Jon responds that he is not a Stark. However, just as they are about to leave, they find the runt of the litter, an albino, which crawled away from its mother's corpse. As an outsider like himself, Jon takes this direwolf as his own, naming him Ghost. Treated coldly by his stepmother, Jon decides to approach his uncle BEnjen and offer to join the Night's Watch.

When Jon arrives at Castle Black, Jon's expectations of the Night's Watch are confounded. Instead of a brotherhood of noble warriors sworn to defend the realm from Wildlings and White Walkers, he realizes the Watch is a dumping ground for criminals and wastrels. He earns the enmity of Ser Allister Thorne, the Master-at Arms in charge of training new recruits. He humiliates his fellow recruits with his superior fighting skills, learned from Winterfell's Master-at-Arms over the course of many years. Benjen stands with Jon on his first watch and tells him that he is going ranging North of the Wall. Jon is keen to accompany him but Benjen insists that he complete his training. Tyrion whom he has befriended helps Jon see that he is no better than the recruits but has been afforded more advantages than them. Jon offers to train some of his new brothers and Pypar and Grenn accept. He also befriends Samwell Tarly when he arrives at Castle Black and helps to protect him from the cruelty of Thorne. Thorne angrily tells Jon that going easy on Sam won't help him, and will risk getting him killed during the next winter.

Eventually Jon completes his training and joins the Night's Watch swearing the oath. Jon is met with further disappointment because he is assigned to be the Lord Commander's steward. It is Sam who points out that being the steward of the Lord Commander is a steeping stone to becoming the new Lord Commander. But Jon soon recieves word that his father has been imprisoned by Joffrey Baratheon and that his half brother Robb is going to war. When He learns that his father has been executed Jon realises the mistake he made in joining the Night's Watch and wishes he would have waited. He tries to leave but his friends stop him and reminds him of his oath.

Not long after Lord Commander Jeor Mormount takes his men North of the wall because of the rumors of the wildling army gathering and all the starnge occurrences of the White Walkers. Jon winds up as a spy among the Wildling Army lead by Mance Rader who is planning on invading the south. Jon meets a young wildling woman named Ygritte. They fall in love and Jon's oath to the Night's Watch comes into conflict with his affair with Ygritte. He winds up betraying Mance and fleeing with Ygritte chasing him. She puts some arrows in him before he escapes. Jon returns to Castle Black just as Stannis Baratheon arrives with reinforcements. With Stannis' help Jon becomes Lord Commander as the previous one intended. The men who betrayed Jeor Mormount are executed. When Mance arrives he must contend with the combined might and power of Jon Snow and Stannis Baratheon. When Mance Rader is defeated prisoners are taken Ygritte among them who is pregnant. Because she is pregnant she is spared until she gives birth to the child. Meanwhile the rest of the Wildling Prisoners face a choice serve the Night's Watch or die. Some swear the oath while the rest are hanged until they die. Then Jon and Stannis face off against the White Walker army. It is a long and bloody battle, but eventually Stannis and Jon lead their forces to victory.

With the White Walkers defeated Jon returns his attention to Ygritte as she must be put to death and her child is made a ward of the Night's Watch. Stannis tries to convince Jon to lead the armies of the Watch south and fight the Bastard King Joffrey and all enemies of House Stark. Some of Jon's advisors and commanders council him to join Stannis, but Jon argues that it is not the place of the Night's Watch to intervene in the politics of the Iron Throne.

"Move your feet!" Jon yells as he watches eight year old Edward practice with a wooden sword against a Knight. Edward thrusts forward and is disarmed, but he tackles the man he is fighting. Jon shakes his head and pulls him off. "That's enough!" He says throwing Edward off the young but older Knight. "That will be all for the day!"

"But I am not finished."

Jon smiles and walks up to Edward, "Anger clouds the mind and will get you killed little Knight." Jon waved for his steward, "Now go bath and do your lessons." Jon watched as Edward left with a tearful heart. He had his mother's red hair and green eyes but he had Jon's chin, ears, and everything else. He also had his mother's rage and free spirit. They ate alone in Jon's Quarters. He smiled, "What is wrong with you?"

"Are you my father?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"Because you talk to me like you are! And whenever I ask about my mother you get this sad look on your face. Also I have the whispers of the Knights."

Jon sighs, "Clever boy! You shouldn't listen to whispers and rumors."

"That is not answering my question!" He replied throwing down his fork.

"When you are old enough I will tell you the truth."

"I'm old enough now!"

"Eat your super!"

Edward jumps up, "I'm not hungry anymore."

Jon couldn't claim him, because the Night Watch had laws and if he acknowledged Edward as his son he would loose his position as Lord Commander. Someone like Riley or Kan would become Lord Commander and those two were itching to march south and side with Stannis.

"We have recieved rumors that the Martells and Tyrells have rebelled against House Lannister." Sam Tarly said the next day around the council's table.

"About bloody time those houses grow a pair!" Riley said interrupting.

"Stannis has claimed the throne and they say Balish had all the Lannisters assassinated."

"I want messengers sent sout to learn the truth!" Jon said speaking up.

That is when a man burst into the room, "Forgive my lords, but an army approaches Castle Black bearing the sigils of Houses Tulley-Arryn-and Stark!"

Jon stood up slowly and doubtfully, "Are you sure?"

"Yes Lord Commander!"

They all went to the wall and cheered when they saw the sigil of House Stark leading the sigils of the northmen and Houses Tully and Arryn. Jon recognized Robin Arryn, Bryden, and Edmure Tully, but the woman leading them all he did not recognize-until he saw the Direwolf following the black horse the woman rode on. Jon started smiling as he considered the possibility of who the woman could be. They entered the courtyard and got off their horses. Jon entered the courtyard just as the woman was removing her hood and face cowl.

"Arya! Arya is that you?"

She smiled, "Yes big brother it is me!"

They hug, "Thank all the gods!"

A celbration is held and Gendry and Sandor regail the Knights with tails of Arya's exploits and battles against the Greyjoys, the Freys, and the Boltons. "Bring in the Bastard King so that we may bow before him!" Arya yells sitting next to Jon who can't stop staring at the woman she has become.

"Your no warrior! Your a girl!" Edward yells silencing everyone.

"And your no Knight you are just a little boy!"

Everyone laughs, "I bet I could beat you!"

"Ooo!" All the Knights and men gathered say at the same time.

"It wouldn't be a fare duel I am much taller than you!"

"Who will champion young Edward here against a girl?" Jon yells across the hall.

Arya punches Jon in the arm causing everyone to laugh, "What about him?" Edward says pointing at Sandor.

Arya nods at Sandor, "Alright kid-I'll be your champion!" They make a space clearing the tables for a makeshift arena. "Take it easy on me I am not as young as I use to be!" Sandor says whispering to Arya.

She hunches her shoulders. They square off and attack each other at the same time. Arya is faster, but Sandor has strength and height on his side. Arya fights in her two blade style to throw Sandor off. He knocks her left sword from her hand, but Arya rolls to the side and clips his leg. While on his back Sandor swings left and right trying to get back to his feet, but Arya pins his sword to the floor and straddles him.

"I yeild!"

They all cheer, "You let her win!" Edward declares.

Sandor grabs him by the collar, "I will not have some northern bred brat question my honor-Arya there has been trained by the Swordsman of the Black mountain and the Men with no Faces-I also taught her the sword-She knows many techniques and styles. She has no equal qith the sword."

Jon walks up to them, "You owe Lord Sandor an apology." Reluctantly Edward gave and left the hall. When the celebration was over Arya and Jon sat alone and shared adventure stories. "I wish-I wish I could have been there."

"You were meant to be here!" Arya said in a sad tone of voice.

"I guess you are right."

"Edward looks like you." Arya said in a whispered tone.

Jon just smiled, "His mother was a Wildling and I had to execute her after she gave birth to him."

Arya sat up as she was slumped in a chair with her feet propped up, 'Did you love her?"

Jon sighs, "With all my heart." He takes a drink, "I have a favor to ask. Would you take Edward with you and give him a proper home."

"I will do more than that-He will have the Stark name and he will be loved as if he was my own son."

"Edward Stark! Has a good ring to it."

Arya smiles, "So does Jon Stark!"

"I..."

Arya interrupts him, "Will accept! Your Queen and younger sister commands it."

Jon smiles, "Well Queen of the North I accept."

Before the Night's Watch and the Northern armies Arya taps Jon on the shoulders and bestows on him the name Stark. "You are coming with me!" Arya says standing over Edward.

"I don't want to I want to stay here with Jon."

"I wanted my father to live to be an old man and dance at my sister's wedding, but I got none of those things did I? Life is like a horse and sometimes you just have to go along with the ride."

Jon stood in the gate waving as they marche away from Castle Black. Edward looked back and waved, then he looked forward urging his horse up next to Arya's. "What do ya want?"

"Are you my mother or what?"

"I'm your Aunt Arya Stark and from this day forth you will be known as Edward Stark."

Edward looks back again at Jon, "Is Jon my father?"

"I think you know the answer to that question already."

"Then where is my mother?"

"She is dead!" Arya coldly said, then she sighs and stops their horses as the army passes on. There are tears streaming down Edward's face. "My father died when I was nine years old-Executed before my eyes. Learn this lesson and learn it quickly-Live to honor those you love."

"Is that why you killed all those people?"

"No I killed them for the sake of Vengeance-I look back and realise that it was a normal response to what was done to our family. Now I must find a new purpose in life-I must now live for myself."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you are going to ask me how your mother died..." Arya closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "She was a Wildling and your father had to kill her after you were born. He killed her because of you and all she represented."

He looked back towards the Castle, "I hate him!"

Arya hunched her shoulders, "A normal response! Your father gave your mother a chance to live in peace. She was to be escorted to Riverrun and live with your half cousins the Tully's but her pride and anger over your father's betrayal was too much and whether you believe it or not they loved each other. Her loyalty to Mance Rader's dreams was greater than her love for him and his oath to the Night's Watch was greater than his love for her."

"Is that why he sent me away?"

"He sent you away because he loves you and it is heart breaking to be around his son and not be able to claim him." She handed him a letter, "Jon said to give this to you after we left the Castle."

Jon sat at his desk writting a letter to Edward and he would write one every month. For the first year Edward wouldn't respond, but after Arya talked with him Edward began conversing with his father via letters sent by Raven.