A/N: Standard disclaimer here. I don't own ASOIAF and only write for fun.

Jon

The large ruby that sat in the middle of the sword shined brightly even in the night's sky. The pommel, a wonderful peace of craftsmanship by Mikkon, was a spitting image of ghost and his father had given Mikkon two matching rubies for the eyes. The sword felt powerful in his hands, he couldn't explain it.

"When you hold Dawn," he had asked Ser Arthur, "Do you feel what I feel?"

It was a stupid question. He didn't even know what he meant, but Ser Arthur knew.

"Aye," he responded simply. "Dawn and Dark Sister, they are not that different. What little magic left in this world can be found in these blades. They are not simple swords, but blades held by the strongest knights, conquerors and kings. There is a price to pay wielding such a weapon, and I believe that we all leave a piece of ourselves in them when its said and done."

Since that day, Jon often what piece of himself he would leave to Dark Sister. When his children, and his children's children picked up this blade what would remind them of him?

Ghost's low growl broke him from his thoughts. His wolf, always the one to stand guard while he practiced with Dark Sister, rose from his position on the ground and growled in the clearing.

"Oh quiet you deranged pup," he heard Ser Arthur call out to him.

Jon smiled. Ser Arthur was the only person who got the courtesy of a warning from Ghost. Had that been anyone else in that clearing, they would have found themselves painfully pinned the ground with a snarling direwolf in their face. "Its a sign that he respects you," Jon said. "Anyone else..."

"Would have a face full of foul dog breath and a mound of dirt to clean out of their hair. The rivermen, the cowards that they are, have outright refused to retrieve you these days. You need to control your mutt," Ser Arthur responded playfully, and Ghost barked happily back at him. It was strange the relationship between Ser Arthur and Ghost. It was like they both understood they had the same goal as much as Jon hated it. They both just wanted to protect him.

"Anything change?" Jon asked. While the riverlands were definitely a beautiful place, he had to admit he had grown bored. They were just camped out, waiting to move. Everyday Ser Arthur trained him and the other boys, while the men around him went out scouting.

It hadn't taken him long to figure out that Ser Arthur hadn't told Robb the entire truth. He had first understood that their mission was something different when they arrived in Salt Harbor. They were greeted by uncle Benjen, who had five hundred men waiting for them.

"I've given you my best trained men," Benjen told them before turning to Ser Arthur discreetly. He tried to be quiet about it but Jon heard them anyway. "The boys that Ned requested are here too. Keep him safe."

They didn't stay at Salt Harbor for long. Ser Arthur wanted to travel swiftly, and as soon as they landed in Seagard by boat, they were on the way to Riverrun within a day.

Jon asked Ser Arthur what the rush was, and like always Ser Arthur had been honest with him. "Lord and Lady Stark believe that the Lannisters had something to do with the assassin that attacked Bran, and should Lady Catelyn see Tyrion Lannister on the road she will take him for questioning."

The problem with that answer was that it didn't make sense. How could his father have possibly gotten a letter to Ser Arthur that fast telling him his intentions. How did they know that Lady Stark would be successful capturing Lord Tyrion, or that she would even run him on the road?

He got half an answer at Riverrun, where Edmure Tully asked the same questions on behalf of his father. Jon never saw Hoster Tully. Ser Arthur met with him alone in his solar, and wouldn't speak about him. Jon understood that Edmure had been hiding something immediately.

Hoster must have been sick and Jon felt bad for Lady Stark. There was very little chance that she knew. If she had, Jon was sure she would have been there, in Riverrun, a long time ago.

"Family, duty, honor," she had once told him, "those are my family words. As long as you live in my household, you will understand them as well as you understand that winter must come."

They stayed inside the walls of Riverrun for a fortnight before they left. While they were there, all Ser Arthur had them do was train and follow instructions. It was hard work, but Jon found himself enjoying being in the training yard. These were Benjen's best trained men, and he knew he could learn a lot by practicing his sword against them.

He found out that the boys his father requested go with them were named Pyp, Grenn, and Sam. Pyp and Grenn had been training at Moat Caitlin to prepare for the wall for many moons before Benjen had told them they would be going south instead.

Sam was different. His father had told him that he would either take the black or suffer a life ending injury hunting so he chose to live and serve at the Wall. Apparently, he wasn't good enough to be the heir of Hornhill. Lord Tarly, however, did not know about the new standards put in place for the Watch. Sam was dropped off by his escorts at Moat Cailin before they were turned away.

He was a large man, but Jon could tell his training with uncle Benjen had allowed the boy to shed a few pounds. He would never be a master swordsman, but the boy had a quick mind, and uncle Benjen had put him to use under his steward at Moat Cailin.

"I'll make a deal with you," Sam told Jon his uncle Benjen said when he first arrived at the Moat. "You will train under me for a year before returning home to Hornhill. If your father is not impressed with you then, you may return but you will not go to the wall unless it is your absolute wish. Instead I would have you serve my household."

It was a generous offer. Too generous, and a bit random for his uncle Benjen. Just like it was a bit random for Sam, or Pyp or Gren to be sent with Benjen's best men in the first place. When he asked Ser Arthur why he thought Benjen sent them Ser Arthur just shrugged, "must of though you needed boys your age to be with."

Another half truth.

When they left Riverrun, Hoster had given Ser Arthur another two hundred men. When he looked up to the sky, he could see the ravens fly fast and free. Hoster was summoning his lords.

They settled outside of Pinkmaiden along the redfork. The stars were out that night, shining brightly against the open sky. He was waiting patiently for Ser Arthur to speak again.

"News has reached us that Lady Stark has captured Lord Tyrion. Tywin Lannister will retaliate soon. Lord Stark..." Ser Arthur paused for a moment, thinking, before speaking again, "Lord Stark says he had a dream about it. What do you northerners call it? Green Dreams?"

Jon nodded.

"He said that he dreamed Lord Lannister would send the Mountain to raid the riverlands while he prepared for war. I thought he was crazy sending you and me out here off the strength of his dreams..." Ser Arthur paused again, "but Lord Stark has been dreaming a long time and all of them seem to come true. Your father Rhaegar and Lord Stark really aren't that different really. Both always had a dream."

"Finally,"Jon responded angrily, "the truth. I knew it must be something important for us to be out here just waiting."

"Aye," Ser Arthur responded. "I wanted to tell you immediately what we were doing here, but you know Lord Stark, he insist that we keep our plans as quiet as possible."

"If he wants me to be ki..." Jon started hotly.

"I know," Ser Arthur interrupted. "I've told him as much but he doesn't want to burden you too much. He didn't even want you to come with me in the first place. I had to talk him into it."

"This is dangerous Jon," Ser Arthur stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Why," Jon asked.d. "If it were anyone but me out here with you, I would have insisted you stay in Winterfell as well."

"Why didn't you?" Jon questioned him again.

"I left my king alone once before," Ser Arthur said. "It cost him his life."

"If it all goes to plan," Jon said, the weight of his words not lost on him. "We will capture Gregor Clegane."

Ser Arthur nodded grimly and Jon spoke, anger and sorrow rising as he continued, "He raped Elia Martell, made her watch as he smashed my brother's head against a stone wall."

Ser Arthur spoke but Jon was too angry to hear him, too upset to listen. It was strange. He didn't even get to know them, but the anger he felt, the pain, it was as real as it ever had been. He imagined crossing swords in the yard with Aegon, or picking on Rhaeny's...

"I'll take his head myself," Jon said, hatred seeping out, his fathers words echoing in his head. "Those who pass judgment must swing the sword."

A/N: So we finally catch up with Jon and Arthur here and I hope that it doesn't feel rushed and I hope Pyp, Grenn, and Sam don't feel like people I just threw in there to have them there.

Originally none of them would be in this story because Jon wasn't going to the Watch and they were. When I came up with the changes I did for the Wall, I realized that well maybe they could be there. If Ned knew that they were good friends of Jon before and that they would be staying at the Moat for a while before going off to Castle Black, then it made sense for me to have them sent with Jon.

The only thing that kind of bothered me about is that we don't exactly know what Pyp or Grenn did to be sent to the watch (at least I don't and if there is an official reason out there let me know). We do know that in Westeros, something like petty theft could either cost you a hand or you could take the black. I could see this version of Ned forgiving Pyp and Grenn for something that minuscule in exchange for companionship for Jon who at this point doesn't have many friends besides like Robb, Arya, and Sansa.

Next chapter, we will go back to Ned I believe. Then back to Jon and I think after that we will go to either Bran or Robb in Winterfell. We will see.

As always thanks for the reviews, favorites, follows etc...

Enjoy