Author's note: Catelyn's part happens earlier than Jon's.


Just a name

Lady Stark has been calling him Jon for a while.

In the beginning, she does not say it directly to him but uses it when she speaks about Jon to others.

When it first happens, they are sitting by the long table and having breakfast. Little Arya is chattering to him almost without a breath. The meal lays untouched on both of their plates.

"Arya, let Jon eat," Lady Stark warns her daughter.

Arya falls silent in the middle of a word and mouths a bite heartily.

Jon should follow her example, but he stares at his plate instead. The name is ringing in his ears. Surely it was an accident, a slip of the tongue that will never happen again.

But it does.


For the first time, the boy is not even near.

Catelyn makes her way towards the godswood with her daughters. Sansa holds her right hand, little Arya the left. They are walking through the courtyard when Ser Rodrik stops them to inform Catelyn of a captured deserter of the Watch.

"Lord Stark should be present, my lady," Ser Rodrik notes in a careful but hard voice.

Lord Stark. Robb, not Ned. But of course, he has to go. Catelyn knew that this day would come. In his last months, Ned often kept saying that it was time for Robb to help him in justice.

She nods. "He will be ready for the ride in half an hour."

Robb and Robb only. She cannot escort him. It cannot spread that Lord Stark hangs on his mother's skirt.

He does not have to be alone though.

"Ser Rodrik."

He turns back to her.

"Take Jon with you."

The knight does not reply instantly just looks at her surprised.

"Is anything wrong?"

"No. It will be as you wish, Lady Stark."

He bows then and leaves.

Hours pass before Catelyn realize what amazed Ser Rodrik.

She does not think about what she calls Jon Snow, has not for a long time, the word comes to lips unconsciously. Like 'boy' and 'Snow' before, now 'Jon', it seems. But she decides it is alright.

It is just a name, after all.