''is that all you got cousin''. A curly hair grey eye boy said while using his shield to block the angry sword slash of his opponent.
''no''. A red-brown hair and blue eye boy answer while trying to push his sword into his cousin defence. The spar would continue for another couple minute with the grey eye boy continue taunting the other boy and the other boy trying to beat the smug look his cousin give him. Finally the grey eye boy would end the spar by facing his opponent head on and would disarm him.
''good job boys, Robb try not be easily baited by an opponent who taunted you while Jon stop being so cocky not all of your opponent would be able to slip easily if you taunted them''. Rodrik stark said to both his greath grandson who both noded to what he said. He could say without a doubt that he was proud to have both of them as his greath grandson. Even though both of them was still young he can said that they have the potential to be a great leader or a great swordsman. Off course between both of them, he can say Jon was his favorite. It isn't because he raised the boy himselves with the ranger in the northern mountain after his son in law send him there to learn how to fight went he was four. No it was because one simple reason, his greath grandson is the only one of the generation of the stark except for little Arya to bear a striking resembelance to his late daughter, their grandmother Lyarra stark look.
''Lord Rodrik, Lord Rickard has ask for both you and Lord Jon to go to his solar''. One of the Winterfell servant said to the group who was currently standing in the courtyard of winterfell.
''come Jon it seems your grandfather needed us, Robb why don't you go ahead to the maester to continue your study I would send Jon there after we finish meeting your grandfather''. Rodrik said to both Robb and Jon. The walk toward his grandfather solar was silence with both him and his greath grandfather not knowing what to said. Winterfell it self was a grand castle with it two massive grey wall challenging any invader to try to attack it. If from what story that he heard true than before he was born the castle was almost in a state of disrepair with many part of the castle either abandon or destroy. But after the end of the rebellion, his grandfather would use the stark spoil of war to repair Winterfell.
''how is Wintefell for you Jon, I know it would be quite hard for a child like you to adapt back to living in the castle after being raise in the northern mountain with the ranger''. Rodrik ask Jon knowing how hard it is for someone as young as his greath grandson to adapt back living as noble after living as part of the ranger for a couple of year. The ranger it self was something that he created after he return home to the north after serving in the company of rose for a couple of year. The ranger is a military order that he created to protect the north form both internal and external thread. The name of his organization it selves was because he base the organization with the job of a ranger of the nightwatch and also a little mix of a sellsword company since the ranger could be hire by noble to protect them and even sometime was hire by the freecity to fight for them most of their time in the east mostly become a join mission with the company of rose as long as their job protecting the north wouldn't be disturbed. There were currently seven hundred people that was a part of his military order with all them being either a northerner or they were a descendant of first men that live in the south, since only a northerner or a first men can join the order. The ranger it selves was also known as the grey cloak since they mostly wear grey clothing. The ranger headquarter was in winter city but their training ground was in the northern mountain, even though they always wandering around the north, some of their member was stationed in winter city, white harbour, moat caillin and the new port city and castle in sea dragon point.
''it's been greath living in Winterfell againt great grandfather''. Jon said while remembering all the time he spend wandering winterfell and also wintercity either by himselves or with some of his friend went they came visit. ''but there have been some time that I wish I still life with you in the northern mountain''. Jon said
''let me guess it was because of your aunt''. Rodrik said and by seeing his greath grandson suddenly looking away he know he was right. His second grandson Eddard stark wife was was someone he didn't like. The reason for it wasn't just because of the disrespect the little fish has to first men and northerner culture but because of her hate for his greath grandson. The reason for her hate was something that he believe was something to be blame to her upbringing. The little fish was known to despised his greath grandson because in her eye he was the only thing standing between her child inheriting the north after his son in law die and a little scorn she has since he was the biggest stain to her honour since he was the only son Brandon stark has. The first reason for her hate, he understand the first reason but the other was just funny for him since the only person that should be mad and justified for it was Barbrey Ryswell. Since it was well known that both his grandson and the Ryswell girl like each other and his grandson was the one who taken the girl maidenhead and there were the possibility his grandson would married her before his engagement to the Tully girl.
The Ryswell girl or a Dustin now unlike the Tully, treated his greath grandson with adoration and kindness. Something he didn't really expected since his greath grandson was the child of the person she love with another woman. But it seems that even though she didn't get to be his grandson wife, she wanted to be a part of the live of the son of the person she love. The current lady of house Dustin would often visit winterfell went his great grandson was still living there before being send to the mountain, she would always during her visit bring her son Wiliam Dustin name in honour of his death father and her niece Myranda Bolton.
''look Jon you shouldn't really care what you aunt think about you, everyone here know that you are a stark and not a bastard no matter what she do''. Rodrik said while holding his great grandson shoulder, knowing that his great grandson even though already lost many of his childness tendencies was still insecured about his birth since even though his king Robert has legitimized him went he was babe after his son in law ask the king. Some people mostly the Tully and her family in the Riverland still claim that his greath grandson was still a bastard.
''I know greath grandfather, It just, it hard seeing how she treat Robb, Sansa and Arya and the scorn she has for me''. Jon said
''I wouldn't pretend to know how you feel Jon but just remember one thing she couldn't do anything to you except hate you and hatefull people tended to die in bitternes''. Rodrik said to jon hoping that would help him feel better. They would continue walking the rest of the way to his son in law solar in silence. Went they arrived there the guard in the door would tell his son in law that they have arrive and would let them in. Went they enter the solar, the room was pack with people. There were off course his great grandson Eddard who just return form inspecting Moat Caillin since the castle was current being rebuild. His other grandson Benjen who also just return form inspecting the new castle and city that was currently being built in Sea Dragon Point that would be the place for his future seat. And also there was the current lord of White Harbour Wyman Manderly in there, he wasn't surprised seeing the fat lord here as some call him. Since the fat lord has been in Winterfell for the last couple of day.
''ah, good both of you are here, why don't both of you take a seat, do you want some wine Rodrik or do you want something stronger like vodka''. Rickard said to his grandson and his father in law went they enter his solar, he would off course offered wine for his father in law went he enter his solar but his father in law would decline making him to offer a Vodka. Vodka it self was a traditional northener drink that was made form distilling a potatoes. The drink was very popular for both northerner and southerner since it was cheaper than wine and kick harder than it. His family own one of the two brewery that produce it, the other family that own it was the Manderly naturally. The brewery that his family own was located in Wintercity while the one that the Manderly own was in white harbour. After he become the head of house Stark, he would start exporting the drink to the south. The drink would prove it self to be very popular with both the noble and smallfolk in the south, making the stark coffer grow every time the southerner buy it since they also buy it in bulk.
''why not''. Rodrik said making Rickard pour a glass of vodka for him.
''Jon I know that you only have been back in Winterfell in only a couple month but you almost in the age where you can be foster, so I has discuss it with lord Manderly about you being foster in white harbour and he has agree to it''. Rickard said to Jon who noded to what his grandfather said.
''isn't it to soon for Jon to be send to white harbour after just returning form the mountain, father''. Benjen stark ask his father, knowing that what ever his father do isn't something he hasn't already calculated there is a reason why his father was known as the scheming wolf.
''I don't believe so''. Rickard said to his youngest son, he know off course that his youngest son still feel guilty about the death of his sister even after all this years. And this would couse him to be overprotective of the other member family especially the children, something that while good was not something that he actively encourage.
''you don't have to worried about young Jon, lord Benjen I make will sure that he would learn everything he needed and I would personally guarantee that he would be safe during his time in my home''. Wyman Manderly said with confidence in his voice. This wasn't something that anyone in the room doubt since they know that the Manderly wouldn't let anything happen to Jon, they would rather kill themselves rather than letting a stark being hurt. The Manderly was notorious with there devotion to the stark, something that could be contributed since the stark save their family form being destroy after they were exiled form the reach.
''you would leave with lord Manderly in two day Jon, I hope that is enough time for you to say goodbye to the rest of the family and pack your belonging, now if you all don't mind I need for all of you to leave the room since I have something to talk about with Rodrik''. Rickard said to the people in the room who then would bow to him before leaving the room.
''so you have fast forwaded your plan Rickard''. Rodrik said
''I have to, the Tully has been making noises in kingslanding about revoking Jon legitimized status''.
''let them do what they want in the south Rickard, they already try this once and it failed, so you shouldn't be botter by it''.
''it's not that I am worried about you know, im afraid they would re start sending assassin to kill jon''.
''oh''. Rodrik said, it is close guarded secret between his son in law and him but during Jon four years life in Winterfell there has been dozen of assassination attempt on his life. All of his assassination attempt was thwarted by Jon sworn sword Ethan Glover. This is one of the reason why Rickard send Jon to live with him, since he know that Jon would safer in the mountain rather in the crowded capital of the north. The reason for the Tully to send assassin to kill Jon was because they fear that went his son in law die, Jon would become the next lord of Winterfell rather than his second grandchild Eddard. Since it was stated in the succession charter of house Stark that a male descendant of the first son would be the first in line to the winter throne. This was the case with Jon since he is the only male descendant of the previous heir who is his father. Event if some in the south claim that Jon was still a bastard he already was legitimized. Making him has a better claim to the winter throne than Eddard and that combine with the love the Northerner has with him being the only son of the wild wolf and Ashara Dayne, the Dayne was one of the southerner house that the north respected, the reason this was simple the Dayne was one of the few first men house to still exist in the south and they were notorious in still worshiping the old god. This would make it possible for Jon to be the future Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North. If this happen than the Tully plan in making someone who has their blood as the future ruler of the Vale, Riverland and the North would failed.
''Did Wyman already agree to it''. Rodrik ask his son in law knowing that the other reason for Wyman Manderly to come to Winterfell rather than just talk about Jon fostering. Is about the marriage proposal that his son in law created between Jon and Wyman eldest granddaughter Wynafryd Manderly. Should Wyman agree to it this would cemented the loyalty of house Manderly to house Stark and would also help Jon become the next lord Winterfell. Since the manderly was the second most powerfull house in the North and also the second richest house in the North.
''Yes, Jon will married Wynafryd Manderly went both of them is sixteen''.
''so you will trully name Jon as your heir in the next lord meeting''. Rodrik said knowing about his son in law plan in naming Jon as his heir. This was something that his son in law has been planning for years, the reason for this was because his son in law think this is the only way he can redeemed himselves. Since he think that he is the reason why two of his children die, during his son in law early years as lord of Winterfell he was an ambitious person. It was with that in mind that he would try to play the game of thrones. He would engaged his eldest son to Hoster Tully eldest daughter, while sending his second son to be foster in the Vale and his only daughter to be engaged with Robert Baratheon. This would couse both Brandon and Lyanna to despise their father. Something that would in the next couple of years couse the rebellion. After the death of both his children, the death of thousand people and toppling a dynasty that lasted centuries. His son in law would return home to Winterfell a change man, he would stop playing the game of thrones and would instead focus his effort to better the North. In that time, he would cemented his mind in making Jon the next Lord of Winterfell. The reason for this was after seeing the way Caitlyn Tully acted. His son in law in his own word couldn't let the Tully have a said in matter concerning the North. Since the girl even though didn't have any power have been trying to change many thing in Winterfell, the first being that she brought a septa to Winterfell. Something that no one has ever done in thousand of years, his son in law would off course send the septa back to the south and hope the girl know not to do anything like that. But it seems she didn't understand since she would try to use her husband to conviced his son in law into letting her built a sept in Winterfell. This and the assassination attempt of Jon would be the last straw, and a couple a month latter his son in law will has been made naming Jon his heir went he die with both himselves and Benjen as the witness.
''I need to do this Rodrik event if this is last thing I do''. Rickard said with conviction on his voice
''do you need to tell me anything else, Rickard''.
''No, but I need you to go to the mountain and start doubling the production of the mine''. Rickard said to Rodrik who noded to him. The northerner mountain mine was his biggest legacy that he can proudly give to the new generation of his family. The northern mountain mine even though only have been open for a couple of year has proven to be a great tool to help built the north. Using the income coming form the mine he was able to built a new port city and castle in Sea Dragon Point, expanded the kingsroad to encompass many part of the north, rebuilt Moat Caillin, and the last started a navy for the North something they have been lacking for centuries.
''if that is all then I would like to leave since I wanted some time playing with little Arya''. Rodrik said with a smile while remembering about the child behaviour who is similar to his late wife.
''no, that is all, good bye Rodrik''. Rickard said while shaking the hand of his father in law
AN; im looking for either a beta or a co writer to help me with this story. This story would start in 289 AC and all the character would be age up like in the show. Cannon would start in 300 AC