So, about 45 hours before the first episode of Season 7 can be watched, here is a new chapter with Jon as the main protagonist. Discover how Jon reacts to the failed attempt on Bran's life, and watch him meeting two more people.

JON II

"That's impossible, Robb. Why would Tyrion Lannister try to kill Bran?"

They were in their father's solar, now Robb's, and only Maester Luwin was with them. His brother just told him what happened while he was at the Wall. Jon was intrigued, but not disappointed when he saw that Lady Stark wasn't at Winterfell. She never liked to see him, or to know he wasn't far. However, when Robb told him the reasons why she rode to King's Landing and about the attempt of murder on Bran, Jon had almost jumped to the ceiling. Robb even told him his mother received a letter from Lysa Arryn claiming that her husband was murdered by the Lannisters.

"My mother believes that Bran saw something he wasn't supposed to see," Robb explained, "that he was thrown from the broken tower, and that when the person who did this realized he wouldn't die, he sent an assassin after him. The dagger was too costly. It could only be given to him by someone wealthy. Like the Lannisters."

Jon tried to assimilate what he just learned. Someone tried to kill Bran, and his brother believed the Lannisters could be behind this. But why? Nothing of this made sense. "If Lord Tyrion wanted Bran to die, then why give him the plans for a special saddle so he can ride again?"

"Maybe to dull our suspicions. He doesn't want to look guilty. I wouldn't be surprised if these plans were tricked and the saddle breaks while Bran is riding."

"I doubt it, my lord," Luwin said. "I took a look at the plans and there's nothing strange about them. I feel ashamed that I didn't come up with this idea myself. Any good saddler who follows these plans has no chance to make a saddle that could kill Bran."

"And why would he threaten men who were about to slit my throat at the Wall?" Jon added.

"What?" Robb asked, unbelieving.

"Other recruits. They tried to kill me on my first day at Castle Black. Lord Tyrion threatened to have their heads for that. Why he would do that after he ordered a man to kill Bran?"

The maester cocked his head. "Lady Lannister spent a lot of time with Bran after Lady Stark was gone, and she never tried anything against him. Maybe we were wrong about her husband as well," he said.

Robb seemed like he was thinking a lot. "I don't believe Lady Margaery had any part in this. Mother herself didn't think so, but Lord Tyrion… Though she told me today that he could never order a child's death."

"There! We know it's not them," Jon declared.

Jon had spent a lot of time with Lord Tyrion on the road between Winterfell and the Wall, and on the way back he spoke a lot with his men. Since he was going back to the Westerlands with them to join Lord Tyrion's household, they had welcomed him instantly. There was even one of the knights in their group who was a bastard, a Hill, son of a cousin of Alysanne Lefford, the Lady of the Golden Tooth. They didn't seem to have any problem with him or the fact that he was a bastard, or a Northerner for that matter. He found out that many knights who escorted Lord Tyrion weren't even highborn. Not most of them, but about a dozen of the forty who followed the Lord of Casterly Rock to the Wall. They reached knighthood from personal accomplishments, and not because of their birth. Jon already got along with many of them.

"Jon may be right," Luwin said carefully. He seemed to think about each word he said. "The assassin hid in the stables. He hid from everyone here at Winterfell, including the Lannisters. Why hide from them if they were the ones to hire him? And it looks strange that the attempt on Bran's life took place after the king left while the Lannisters remained behind. With the type of man they sent after Bran, we would think they would wait to be far from Winterfell before trying something."

"You mean the person who sent this assassin left with the king, and Lord and Lady Lannister know nothing of this?" Robb summarized.

"Possibly. No one saw Lady Lannister or anyone in her service going into the stables after the king left. They probably never knew the footpad was there."

Robb seemed to think about all this for a moment. "We don't know who tried to kill Bran. We will let the Lannisters leave, but I want a close watch on Bran during all the supper tonight." He turned to Jon. "And I think it would be better if you didn't go to Casterly Rock."

"I left the Wall to go there, Robb, and you just said Lord Tyrion and Lady Margaery didn't try to kill Bran," Jon opposed.

"I said no such thing. I don't think as certainly as before that they had a hand in this, but they could still be involved. It's too dangerous for you to go there."

"What if they're not involved at all?"

"What if they are? You'll be surrounded by Lannisters in the Westerlands, without help."

"I don't believe they are behind the assassination attempt."

"I believe they could be. We can't take the risk."

"And what about Father? What about your mother? And Arya, and Sansa? They are all in King's Landing, and the Lannisters are powerful there as well. It didn't stop Father from going there, even after the letter from Lady Arryn," Jon countered angrily.

"Father went there with an entire household and a full guard."

"And Lady Stark? Do you consider Ser Rodrik to be a full guard? Our father doesn't even know she's coming to see him."

"My mother went to the capital because she had to. It was necessary to warn our father about everything that happened. It is not necessary for you to go to Casterly Rock. You won't be of any use there."

"What if I could discover something useful there? Something that could help us to enlight what happened to Bran? If the Lannisters had a hand in this attack, I could learn something useful while I'm there. And if they had no part in it, I won't be in any danger. I will be far more useful at Casterly Rock than at the Wall."

Jon highly doubted Lord Tyrion and his wife tried to murder Bran, and he wouldn't give up on going to the Westerlands. He had a chance to do something of his life. The Westerlands offered him possibilities he thought he could never have. He couldn't turn his back on them. He wouldn't let Robb force him into returning to the Wall.

"Jon could learn something about all of it in the Westerlands," the maester reflected. "However, how would you send us the information? The maester at Casterly Rock won't let you send a raven with compromising information concerning the Lord of Casterly Rock or his family, and finding a rider willing to travel all the way to the North will be impossible."

"I'll ride myself for King's Landing then, or find someone else to do it. I'll bring the news to Father. The Lannisters won't find it strange that I pay a visit to him and my sisters."

Robb and Luwin looked at each other, and the maester seemed to agree by the movement he made with his head that Jon was right. However, his brother shook his head, dead serious. "I can't approve this."

Anger flared inside Jon. "And what would you have me do? Where would you have me go? I just left the Wall. You think the Night's Watch will welcome me back happily after I just turned my back on them?"

"There's no reason to yell," Luwin said with an appeasing gesture.

"You could stay here, at Winterfell," Robb said. "I'll find a place for you here. With all the people who left with Father, there are many positions that need to be filled."

That was tempting. He could stay at home, with his brothers. Everything would be like before. However, that involved someone who wouldn't accept that he remained here. "What about Lady Stark?" he asked.

Doubt showed on his brother's face immediately. He then tried to gain back his assurance. "I am the acting Lord of Winterfell. My mother will not tell you or me who can stay and who cannot." They both knew it wasn't true. Jon spoke the plain truth.

"The first thing she will say as soon as she comes back will be that I must leave, and she will talk about it as long as I'm here. And if you don't do what she wants, she'll write Father and he will give you the order to send me away. I can't stay here, Robb. I have no place at Winterfell."

"Jon is right," Luwin said. His voice was sad, tired. "Lady Stark will never tolerate his presence, no matter what you do, my lord."

After a moment of hesitation, Robb looked down, conceding defeat, then looked back again at Jon. "Very well. If that's what you want. I do hope you enjoy the Westerlands, and that you're not wrong about Lord Lannister."

"I don't imagine Tyrion Lannister sending an assassin after Bran," Jon said.

"We didn't touch to your rooms, so you can go back in them for the night."

"Thank you."

Jon went back to the said room and placed his cloak and his sword there. The fire was lit. In normal circumstances, he lit his own fires, but it seemed a servant took care of it this time. That would be his last night in Winterfell for a very long time. He may not come back here for years. He thought something similar when he left for the Wall, though he believed he would certainly never come back to Winterfell at the time. He wouldn't be entirely bound that time. He could leave the Westerlands if he wanted, and surely Lord Tyrion would allow him to visit his family once in a while. Not before a few years, but he would come back. He then went to visit Bran.

He found his little brother reading a book in his bed, with Old Nan sitting next to him. He looked much better than when he was asleep. This time, Jon could say goodbye while he was awake.

"Hi, Bran," he said when he entered. "Nan," he added for Hodor's mother. She bowed lightly.

"Hi, Jon. Look. I've searched in this. I found a saddle very similar to the one the Imp drew."

Jon came to his brother's side. His direwolf was next to him in the bed. Jon had left Ghost outside to play with Rickon and Shaggydog. He looked at the pages of the book his brother held and saw the plan of a saddle. He had seen the Lord of Casterly Rock work on some drawing on their way to Winterfell, but he hadn't known what it was until today. The dwarf lord had helped Bran much more than Jon expected.

"It seems he didn't create the saddle out of nowhere," Jon commented.

"I'll be able to ride again." Bran sounded very excited.

"Yes, you will." He sat on the bed next to him. "I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke up."

"You're going in the Westerlands?"

"Aye, I am." He couldn't hold back a smile.

"Will I be able to follow you one day?"

"You could visit me. Maybe I'll be a knight when you do."

Bran's face fell. Jon hadn't thought when he said that. Bran wanted to be knight, but that would never happen now. There were knights who lacked a hand, even an arm, but none who missed legs, except if they were knighted before losing them.

"I can never be a knight now," his brother said gloomily, exactly as Jon reflected on it.

"No," Jon recognized. It was hard for him to accept the fact, so he didn't dare to imagine how hard it had to be for Bran. He was leaving for a life of adventure in the south while Bran was stuck to his bed. "But one day you could be lord of a holdfast for Robb. You won't be able to walk around the castle without help, but you'll be able to ride around your lands, with that saddle you'll soon have. Robb won't let you down."

That brought a smile back on Bran's face for a quick moment. "I won't be able to hold a sword either, or to shoot arrows. All I can do is read."

Bran had never been a great reader. He was so fond of running and climbing that he could barely hold on a chair through Maester Luwin's lessons. It was strange to actually see him reading in his bed. "Well, a wise man once told me that if you're going to be a cripple, it's better to be a rich one." That wasn't necessarily the best thing to say, but it had come to his mind. "And now that you can ride, who knows? You could learn to wield a sword on horseback, and to shoot from there as well."

"You think I could?" Bran asked, hopeful.

"Maester Luwin once told us about people across the Narrow Sea where boys learned that when they are five or six-years-old. If they can, so can you. You're older than them."

His brother smiled back. "How was the Wall?" he asked. Jon went on to describe Castle Black and the Wall in its smallest details. Bran asked him all sorts of questions, about the brothers of the Night's Watch, the Lord Commander, the tunnels under the Wall, if it was really hundreds of feet high, and about the winch cage and the stairs that led to the top of it. He also made Jon promise him to write to them while he was at Casterly Rock.

Jon spent hours with his brother, and in the end Old Nan began to tell them stories about the White Walkers, the snarks, the giants, the First Men, Brandon the Builder and all the other northern tales. She even came up with some stories from the Dothraki, the people where boys of four learned to shoot arrows while riding. They stayed together until time for supper arrived.

The supper was pleasant enough. Bran was in a very good mood after he learned he could ride again even if he couldn't walk, and Lord and Lady Lannister proved to be very courteous. Robb was courteous enough, though Jon had the impression he was somewhat cold with the Lannisters. He didn't fully trust them yet. Rickon was noisy as ever and asked Lord Tyrion many questions about the supposed monsters populating the caves of Casterly Rock. His wife was also very kind, though her tongue wasn't as sharp as her husband's. Jon could sit at the high table this time, since Lady Stark wasn't there. He wished Arya had been present though, and Sansa too. Jon spent a very peaceful last night in his chamber.

In the morning, they left very soon. Jon went to say his goodbyes to Bran, this time as he was awake. He also said goodbye to Rickon and told him he could have his things while he was away, to which Rickon was euphoric. He also made his farewells to Robb in private. Although Robb didn't approve his choice to go in the Westerlands, he wished him good luck.

Just before he left, Jon went to the godswood. He wanted to be in the presence of the Old Gods one last time before he left. He would be far from the North soon, and far from them as a consequence. He knew there was a godswood somewhere in Casterly Rock, but the men riding with the Lannisters didn't have much to say about it. Most didn't even know where it was, and many more had never set foot in it. There were even some who claimed there was no godswood in the castle. Anyway, he had to say goodbye to the Old Gods here in Winterfell. He wouldn't come back before a long time.

Jon knew he would be alone this morning. None of the people leaving worshiped the Old Gods and everyone else in Winterfell was helping for the departure of the Lannisters. There would be no one else in the godswood. Only him, with Ghost. He could have made his farewells to the Seven as well, but he never worshiped them. Although his siblings were taught both faith by their mother and their father, Lady Stark had never cared for instructing him in the New Ways. He wasn't her son. The gods of the North were his only gods. If he had taken his vows for the Night's Watch, he would have gone north of the Wall to a nearby weirwood tree to recite the words, instead of the sept at Castle Black. He remembered times long ago, when his father used to bring him and Robb in the godswood and make them kneel before the weirwood, talking to them about the Old Ways and the ancestral faith of the First Men and the Children of the Forest. They were very young at the time. With years, people had added to their group as their father brought all his children together. Sansa had been the first to join them, then Arya had followed. In the recent years, Bran and Rickon had joined them as well. Even Rickon was quiet as their lord father talked to them about the Old Gods. Not long before the king came to Winterfell, his father had brought Bran to his first execution. A man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. He wouldn't forget these words, but despite the fact he heard them from his father only a few months ago, it seemed like an eternity had gone since. What would that be after a year or two in the west?

To his great surprise, Jon was wrong. Ghost wasn't the only one with him here. When he approached the weirwood, someone already was already kneeling before it, between the pool and the carved face. He only saw her back, but her hair was a dark brown arranged in a bun that let a tail fall over her back. It was a girl and she seemed to be praying. What Jon found queer were her clothes. These weren't from the North. He saw a blue dress under her cloak, and this was no dress made for the North. The only people he saw with that kind of garment were the ladies who came with Lady Margaery Lannister. He moved silently around to have a better look, Ghost on his trail, mute like his own shadow. Her fingers were folded. Her skin was pale and her face was long. Jon had seen his sister Sansa pray from time to time. This one was older, around his own age, but her position was about the same than his sister's when she prayed. Calm and serenity seemed to emanate from her as much as from Sansa when she did the same. There was something familiar about her.

Ghost growled discreetly, but it was enough to ruin his precautions. The girl opened her eyes immediately and turned to look at the origin of the sound. She jumped on her feet immediately and made a few steps backwards.

"Ghost, quiet," Jon ordered. His direwolf stilled and he looked again to the girl. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you."

"It's a direwolf?" she asked.

"Aye, but don't worry. He won't hurt you. He only hurts the people who are threats." Just like Summer when he saved Bran. He was trying to reassure her.

She was now looking at Ghost with interest instead of fear. "I knew there were direwolves north of the Wall, but I didn't expect to see them in the Seven Kingdoms."

"We found him near the Kingsroad, with his brothers and sisters when they were pups. Their mother was killed by a stag. What were you just doing?" He was wondering why someone from the Reach spent time in a godswood. No one worshiped the Old Gods south of the Neck, as far as he knew.

She seemed puzzled by his question. "Well, I was only praying, Jon." She called him by his name. Again, he had the impression her face was familiar. Her face had a solemn air and she had green eyes under thin eyebrows.

"Do we know each other?" he asked as he kept trying to find where and when he saw her before.

She smiled sweetly. "You don't remember me? We met three years ago. I stopped at Winterfell on my way to Highgarden. My father was with me. We spoke at the time."

Jon searched for some time, and then he found. "Mira Forrester?"

Her smiled widened. "So you remember me now. You were younger at the time, but you already looked very much like your father. You look even more like him now."

"Thank you. I wish I could say the same about you and your father, but… I can't."

He was afraid for a short time he had offended her, but she only let a very small chuckle escape her throat. Jon remembered now. Lord Gregor Forrester had come to Winterfell with his daughter a few years ago. He didn't remember why, though she seemed to say she was going south. That may explain her attire. They had spoken very briefly, though Jon couldn't remember what they told each other exactly. She had grown up since. No wonder he didn't recognize her.

"You already said more now in a few minutes than three years ago in a whole evening," she pointed out. "And I can't remember you being able to make a joke at the time. You barely said a few words."

"I suppose that's what we must expect from bastards."

"Not me." Her face had turned serious.

"I'm sorry. I… I didn't mean to spy," Jon said. "I just thought you were from the Reach and I found it strange that someone from the south was praying to the Old Gods."

"Sorry to disappoint you, Jon, but I'm afraid I'm the only one who prays to the Old Gods at Casterly Rock."

Jon frowned at this. "Casterly Rock?"

"Yes," she simply replied.

"What are you doing at Casterly Rock? You live there?"

"Of course. I'm a handmaiden of Lady Margaery Lannister."

Jon hadn't expected that at all. Though now a strange memory came back from his journey to Winterfell. He heard a knight speak about Ser Lucion Lannister, a cousin of Lord Tyrion, and about a handmaiden at Casterly Rock he turned around and her northern friend. Was he talking about her?

"I thought you had gone to Highgarden, not in the Westerlands." She said so a few moments ago.

"I went to Highgarden, and I became a handmaiden for Lady Margaery then, before she was married. When she was wed to Lord Tyrion, I followed her to Casterly Rock."

That explained everything. "A lot of things changed in three years." Though he couldn't tell exactly. It wasn't as if he had known Mira Forrester very well when she stopped at Winterfell. She only stayed for a night.

"Yes, indeed. A lot. I heard you're coming to Casterly Rock."

"Aye, I am."

"It's good. I will no longer be the only Northerner there."

"Mira!" a voice called from behind. "Mira!"

"Sorry, I must go back," she told him. As she was about to walk past him, another young girl with a dress similar to the one Lady Mira had, but purple, came into view. She had brown hair, but this brown was pale. She stopped where she was.

"Yes, Sera?" Lady Mira asked.

"Huh?" She seemed to be lost. Jon realized she was staring at his direwolf. "Oh, we need your help. With Lady Margaery's things."

"Of course." She looked at Ghost. "Don't worry, Sera. He's not dangerous." She did something Jon never thought someone would dare. Mira Forrester ran the palm of her hand on Ghost's head, and the direwolf made no movement. It was a chance that Jon ordered Ghost to remain quiet before. The other girl, the one called Sera, seemed to relax. Now she was looking at Jon.

"This is Jon," Lady Mira told her. "He's Lord Stark's son. This is my friend, Sera Durwell. She is a handmaiden for Lady Lannister too," she told him.

"My lady." He bowed awkwardly to her, just like Sansa once told him he should do whenever he met a lady for the first time.

Sera Durwell's cheeks strangely took a red color. "My lord," she said awkwardly.

"I'm not a lord, my lady. My name is Jon Snow. I'm the bastard son of Lord Eddard Stark." Never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor and it can never be used to hurt you.

"It doesn't matter," Mira Forrester said to his left. "Now, excuse me, I must go. Good day, Jon."

She walked away and her friend followed her outside the godswood. Jon looked at them as they left the place. Then he turned to the weirwood and made a short silent prayer. They weren't far from leaving now.

Gods of the North, gods of my ancestors, watch over me in the south, even if this isn't your realm. Keep me true to your ways and prevent me from acting with dishonor. Watch over my brothers, Robb, Bran and Rickon, over my sisters, Sansa and Arya, over my lord father, and over my brothers and sisters' mother too. I will come back. I swear.

Thirty minutes later, Jon was all saddled up and exchanging one last look with his brothers. Even Bran was here in Hodor's arms. He wouldn't see them before a very long time, probably years. He would make them proud of him. He would serve with honor in the south, for House Stark. When the company moved forward, Jon was among them. He turned his head and looked at his brothers until he got through the gates and the walls of Winterfell hid them from him. They followed the trail from Winterfell until they reached the landmark indicating the Kingsroad, then they turned south. One of the knights he befriended after they left the Wall, a man of thirty whose father was a fisherman, patted him on the shoulder as they rode next to each other.

"Welcome in the Lannister household, Jon Snow. Say goodbye to the North."

Jon looked behind. Winterfell was still visible, and it was beautiful and impressive even from this distance. He thought about all the good time he spent there, all the memories he had. He was leaving his home, and not for the Wall. He wondered when he would see it again. A new chapter of his life had just begun. Soon, he couldn't see his home anymore. Winterfell was behind and Casterly Rock lied ahead.

I hope you liked it. As you can see, Jon is well on his way to the Westerlands and on a very different path from the one he has in the show.

Please review.

Next chapter : Catelyn