Ser Barristan had once been a squire to a Lord of Crakehall that was long dead. He was knighted at sixteen and since then had served as a knight of The Kingsguard. For years he served and for years he watched his younger brothers grow into the knights they were known for in the years to come. One thing he never did was take a squire. But he supposed that old dogs did learn new things, especially when their King commanded it.

"You have good footwork and you go through with your swings without any hesitation" Ser Barristan commented, watching Jon go through with the stances he was used to. There wasn't much he could teach him, the Knight realized. Jon was already on his way to becoming a great warrior. He had to commend whoever taught the boy, he had done a good job of it. "Tell me, lad, why did you want to learn from me? With how much you've progressed, I don't see anything else I can teach you" the Knight asked.

"It's not always the fighting ways that one can learn from someone as renowned as you" Jon commented, relaxing his stance. "You've lived a long life, you've served quite a few kings. You have so many stories to tell, stories not tampered by the songs and people with a flair for the dramatics. I wanted to learn your story, to know what you went through so I may learn from it and become better as a fighter" Jon explained. All of this, while a good reason, was not his true intention. Initially, it was just a cover for him to come to The Capital. But he then realized that Ser Barristan might just be someone he could bring to his side. In the future that Jon would not let become a reality, Ser Barristan had been forced out of his vows and the man had gone to Daenerys to lay his sword. He was an honourable man who would serve his chosen royal till his dying breath. Jon could use a man like that.

Jon noticed a spark in Ser Barristan's eyes, a fleeting emotion that was covered up right away. "Stories, huh? I suppose I have much to tell" Ser Barristan commented. "Not right now though. Keep on practising your stances. I'll be putting more of my attention on The Prince" the man stated before moving to The Prince, who was waiting impatiently for his master to come to him.

It had been as Robert had muttered to himself. Joffrey and Tommen had been made to join Jon while he trained under Ser Barristan. The boy had no idea what happened to their previous teacher, nor did Jon particularly care about it. Both princes had a lot to work on and Ser Barristan was someone who can teach them well enough with honour and strictness. Jon just wondered how this little change would affect the outcome he was aiming for.

Jon shook the thought out and resumed his practice. That was an issue he would tackle when it will rise to trouble him.

Tower of the Hand

Training hadn't been anything over the top. Ser Barristan pointed some things out to Jon to better help him with wielding a blade but otherwise left the boy to do his own thing. But the man couldn't do the same thing with Joffrey, who he had to teach from the basics, cursing his previous teacher for his incompetence. He was extra hard on Joffrey to rid the boy of his ridiculous notion that nobody can or would hurt him. With Tommen he was gentler since the boy was open to learning from the wise old man.

Jon had run into his 'father' on his way back to his chambers. The two made a small conversation where Jon inquired about the book he was carrying. Ned did not explain what the book was for, but Jon already knew all he needed to know. They two parted ways once Ned had gone to his room, the man had someone to go meet. Jon wanted to warn him about trusting Baelish, but he remained silent for the time being. When he got to his room, he found Brynden waiting for him there.

"How was training?" the man asked.

"Just the normal going through the motions" Jon shrugged, putting his blade down. "Where have you been all morning?"

"I had things to do" the man answered mysteriously. Jon did not like that but he held his tongue. "What are your plans?"

"Should we-"

"I've made sure that we are not heard here. Not by rats or spiders or little birds" Brynden assured him. "Now tell me your plans."

"It's still the same thing as before" Jon breathed, a little more relaxed than before. "But we need to let events happen as closely as they did in my memories. Too big a change could end up biting us in the ass" Jon explained and Brynden nodded. "I was planning on bettering my relations with Ser Barristan. He could be an asset to us" he added.

"Sure enough" Brynden nodded. "When are you going to tell your uncle about your abilities?" he asked.

"Not everything all at once. I'm thinking of green dreams as an excuse to explain why I know what I know. And that it started from the moment we entered the capital. But only about my heritage. Anything else needs to come as the events draw closer."

"So you intend to let Robert die this time as well? And what about Joffrey? Let him ascend The Throne and behead your uncle?"

"There will be no beheading" Jon stated with a small growl. "I'll make sure he doesn't even have to go anywhere near that place. I'll take him off that road and put him on a new one" he explained. "Joffrey still ascends and the realm once more faces a war. I'll have him deal with the Baratheons and then pounce when he's weak."

Brynden just listened to him, looking at the boy before staring out the window. "Are you taking part in the Hand's Tourney?" he asked and Jon blinked in surprise.

"Why would I take part in the tourney?" the boy asked.

"With the glory of the tourney comes great respect. That respect will come to use when you stake your claim" the one-eyed man explained.

"Convincing Lord Stark would be an effort" Jon muttered softly. The idea was a good one. If he can familiarize his face with the lords that would surely come down to attend The Hand's tourney.

"You can manage. Especially if someone like your teacher were to support your wish to take part in the tourney. You need to use the fact that your uncle knows something while others don't and take advantage when the situation comes forward" Brynden argued.

"I will… bring it up with him" Jon muttered, feeling a little unsure about using people as such to get to his goal. But if it was something he needed to do for the greater good, he would do it.

There was a knock on the door and Jon opened it to find Lord Stark standing there. "We're heading into the city. Would you like to come along?" the man asked. Jon gave his consent without even asking what they were going to do there. He already knew the answer to that.

Sometime Later – The Red Keep

Much like last time, Ned Stark had followed the clues left by the late Jon Arryn and found Gendry, an apprentice to Tobho Mott on the street of steel. He wasn't just any boy, of course, he was the King's bastard. He was bullheaded and too focused on what he wanted regardless of how others reacted to it. Much like Robert Baratheon himself, Ned Stark had whispered to Jon and Jory who had gone with him.

"The city has too many people" Jon muttered as they passed through the gates of The Red Keep.

"Aye," Ned Stark muttered, getting off his horse once they were close to the stables. "Such happens when a city swells well beyond the expected measures."

"We could always send some to The North. Not some, a lot more. In the thousands" Jon stated, handing his horse to the stable boy.

"Jon-"

"Think about it, father" Jon stopped him, "The North is vast and has lands it has never been able to utilize because of the lack of men. Sure the winter would be hard on them at first, but once they've been supplied with enough material to settle in, we could use them to utilize those lands. More farmlands, more woodchoppers to get more wood. We could double our wood exports and food production! And with those come extra revenue, which we can use to buy materials for Glass Houses. If we can make more glass gardens, we'll have a steady production of crops to add to our reserves and export for more wealth. We could even extend a hand to the Night's Watch at that rate. The place isn't what it used to be, uncle Benjen has told us many times. By ending more people, we can give the Night's Watch some men to gather wood from beyond the wall. You know, the forest on the other side that has remained untouched because the numbers in the Night's Watch had dwindled with time. They can use those trees and export them to earn their revenue. It would go a long way in making them self-reliant."

"You've really thought about this haven't you" Ned commented with a small smile. "Especially about The Night's Watch."

"There was a time when I considered joining their ranks" Jon stated with a small smile of his own.

"What changed?"

"It's not for me" Jon shook his head. "Winter is coming and I'd like to stay with my family and fight it together. When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives" he worded the quote his uncle would have told his daughters in the old timeline. It was a line that Rickard Stark had told his children when he was alive and Lord of Winterfell.

"How do you know those words" Ned muttered under his breath, surprised that Jon knew them. He was sure he had not told those words to any of his children. He didn't need to, not when they stuck together as a pack should.

"It came to me in a dream" Jon answered mysteriously before pushing on. "Think about it, talk to The King about it as well. Something tells me he wouldn't mind less mouth to feed here" Jon stated with a smile.

"I will bring it up with him," Ned said after a moment's pause. Then he looked away and smiled. Jon followed his gaze and found Ser Barristan coming toward them.

"Lord Stark" the aged Knight greeted The Hand respectfully. "If Jon is free, I would like to take him from your hands for some time."

"Yes, of course," Ned smiled and with a pat on Jon's back, he walked away, followed by Jory Cassel.

"You needed something from me, Ser Barristan?" Jon asked, looking to The Lord Commander from his uncle's receding.

"I was under the impression that you wanted to hear stories of my youth and conquests" Ser Barristan commented and Jon's eyes lit up. He nodded excitedly and Ser Barristan chuckled. "Come, sup with me. I'll tell you all I can remember" the Knight extended the invite and Jon accepted without a second thought. This made the knight smile. "Tell me what you would like to know about first?" the man asked as the two began to walk.

"How about your days as a squire to start with?" Jon asked.

"Ah!" the smile on Ser Barristan's face widened and his eyes brightened ever so slightly. "I used to be a squire for Lord Manfred Swann of Stonehelm" he began and the two soon became lost in their conversation.