Disclaimer: A song of Ice and Fire belongs to George R.R Martin. Dark Souls belongs to FROM Software.
A song of Darkness and Souls
Artorias III
Sitting on a wooden chair made on Ironwrath by House Forrester Artorias watches the training of his six students whose training he was instructing himself and giving the Master-of-Arms of Winterfell Ser Rodrik a day off for him to get some rest.
Bran was training with Rickon, both with training swords using their left hands which would be changed for their right hand after every hundred swings. Artorias had told them that they were forbidden to use the sword with both hands saying that this way they would grow used to the weight of the blade, but given the age gap it was easier for Bran than Rickon, but seeing on the field how they train Artorias could see that in the battlefield it was the younger one who was a wolf while the older brother was still a trout. Of all the Stark kids, Rickon was the one Artorias wanted to train the most, he wasn't five yet so that means he could still forge the young boy into someone worthy of being a Knight of Gwyn.
Artorias then moves his head to Jon Snow who was training with Robb and Theon, still with his eyes covered by the cloth he had given him while his two adversaries could only use their left hands and only grab their swords with it, just like the two younger siblings, with the exception that they couldn't change hands. To Jon's credit he was a fast learner, in just two days he managed to learn the principle of using his other senses, he hasn't learned yet how to use them to attack his opponents but already learned how to defend himself from them, granted it wasn't perfect, he still defended only two out of five attacks and his opponents were using their bad hands and were slower due to the weight of only using one hand, but it still showed than Jon was a prodigy for learning the first steps in only two days with the only one surpassing him being Artorias himself who managed in one day only. If only Lod Stark had allowed him to train the boy in magic Artorias would've made Jon the greatest knight in Westeros.
Last but not least there was Arya, Artorias had made her train her footing and had put her on top of an iron bucket, and ordered her to stand on only one foot while extending the other behind her, one of her arms ahead and the other one up. At first, the girl refused, saying that was not training but after Artorias put his foot behind her and gave her a little push on the shoulder and made the girl fall on her butt in the snow, he made her realize that her foothold was weak and she had no balance, in the end, Arya agrees in following his instructions albeit reluctantly and stood on top of the bucked Artorias had put for her.
"How long will I have to stay like this?" Asked Arya with a grumpy voice. "I look like the king's fool.".
"I'm pretty sure the King's fool doesn't look as funny as you." Joked Robb making everyone but Artorias laugh.
"Right rib cage." Said Artorias with a neutral voice.
Robb, not understanding gets hit in the right rib cage by Jon's sword and falls to the ground grunting. That made Artorias laugh, although no one heard him.
"About you Lady Arya," Artorias says looking at her with an undistinguished face because of his helmet. "Does your body feel heavy? Does your muscles feel any pain?".
"No," Arya says bored.
"Then you we will have to wait for a little more." Said Artorias turning his head to look at Bran and Rickon. "I only start counting after it starts to hurt and the pain starts spreading throughout the body.".
"*Grr* How does this help me?".
"First, it teaches you to be patient." Said Artorias lifting his finger not looking at her. "A warrior who has no patience will be the first to die. Second, it teaches your body to have a grasp and balance. Third, your mother has forbidden me to train you with weapons so the least I can do is teach you not to make a fool of yourself if a sword finds its way into your hands.".
"And how will you know this training is complete." Said Arya growing more frustrated with each word.
Artorias ignored her when he sees Lord Stark approaching. After their talk in the crypts, Artorias had decided to put his thoughts about him and his role in the rebellion on hold until the king's visit was finished. From what everyone says and what the knight had learned from Winterfell's books and gossip, Robert Baratheon was a man who hated Targaryens to the point he forgets his grandmother was one making the knight think if he should stay out of sight when the king arrives or stay with his helmet all the time due to his resemblance with them.
"Lord Stark," Artorias says without ceremony.
"Ser Artorias," Ned responds all the same. "How is the training going?"
"Rickon and Jon are true wolves, but Robb and Bran are still trouts." Said Artorias looking at the two he named last. "Nothing wrong with that, but they might be better fighters if they are taught to fight like trouts, not wolves."
"My father always told me that anything that comes before the world 'but' is horseshit." Said Ned looking at Robb and Bran with a thoughtful look.
"Wise man," Artorias says turning to look at lord Stark in the eyes. "Well, I see only two options for them, they learn to fight like trouts, or they become wolves before I teach them anything. How can they become wolves is not something I can teach, that is up to you.".
Artorias sees the weight of his words being shown on the lord's face, it might be a hard thing when your heir is lacking in the one thing he didn't want him to lack, while his other children, who wouldn't be a problem to lack on the same thing don't.
"What about Arya." Said Ned trying to avoid thinking about Artorias' words.
"She lacks patience, and thinks I won't know when her training will be complete."
"Will you?".
"I will. If you want to see for yourself just grab a snowball on the ground and throw it on her face. If she falls it's not complete."
Ned Stark didn't like to hear Artorias suggestion but decided to do as the knight instructed, but Artorias could see that he wanted to do it because his daughter needs to learn what Artorias was trying to teach and if he was the one who did it instead of Artorias the lesson would sink in faster. Artorias saw on the lord's soul, for some reason he wanted Arya to learn what Artorias was teaching at all costs as if she would make a mistake someone he knew did before if she didn't.
Arya wasn't sweating when she saw her father following Artorias counsel but that may be because of the cool weather of the north. Artorias looks into her soul and saw confidence in herself, the knight knew it was falsely born of arrogance, and when the ball of snow falls on the girl's face who in turn falls off the bucket and into the ground it proves the knight was right.
"There you see, if her training was finished… she wouldn't fall off just because of that." Said Artorias getting off his chair and walking towards Arya.
"Here, take my hand.".
Arya slaps Artorias' hand and gets on his feet by herself and runs off with only Artorias seeing the tear on her face.
"*Sigh* This is why I don't like to start the training when they passed the age of five." Said Artorias signing with his hand for lord Stark to stop. "I will talk to her lord Stark. She doesn't need a father right now. If you want to help keep an eye on these sorry lot. If they lack during training, I want you to tie a block of stone into one of their limbs."
Ned reluctantly agrees with Artorias and sits on the chair he was using and proceeds in taking the knight's place. Artorias looks at Lyarra before he starts his search and talked to her.
"Can you take me to your daughter and her human?" The knight asks with utmost politeness.
Lyarra turns on her tail and starts to walk with the knight following not too far behind. "Good girl.".
It doesn't take long for Artorias and Lyarra to find Arya and her direwolf. Arya was in her room sitting on her bed hugging her legs while her direwolf sniffed her face at her side.
Artorias doesn't see the tears but hears the sobs and immediately knows what she is doing.
"I think you look better when smiling." Said Artorias with a voice that carried sympathy.
"Go away," Arya responds sobbing not lifting her head to look at Artorias in the eyes.
"Go away or I will tell Nymeria to bite off your fingers."
Artorias just sighs, he doesn't know how to deal with a child, he could try to deal with her the same way a general deals with a wounded soldier but he was sure it would backfire.
"Nymeria, why don't you and your mother go watch over your siblings?" Artorias asks the pup.
As if Arya's words had never been spoken Nymeria gets off the bed and goes with her mother out of the room with Artorias closing most of the door after both direwolves leave him alone with Arya.
The knight feels uncomfortable being alone with Arya. Lady Catelyn had reproached him when she found out Rickon had been with him the last night, and Jon being present aggravated things even more in her eyes.
'I can't understand her dislike for Jon but she should blame her husband for that not the kid'. Thinks the knight feeling that Catelyn's hate could one day be her undoing.
Artorias picks up a wooden chair that was laying in Arya's room and place it in front of her, he sits and places his elbows on his knees and puts his chin above his fingers.
"Why are you crying?" Asks Artorias with a neutral voice.
"It's not fair." Said Arya either mumbling or sobbing. "The boys can mount horses, shoot arrows, fight with swords and I have to sew, look pretty and be a lady. Why can't I be what I want?".
"*Sigh* The world isn't fair lady Arya."
"I'M NOT A LADY.".
"Is it fair that Jon never gained love from his mother?" Asks Artorias not moved by Arya's scream and sadness.
"No.". Arya responds by shaking her head and looking at the knight's eyes for the first time
"Is it fair that my parents abandoned me and left me to die?".
"No.".
"Is it fair that every day the poor starve with the knowledge they will starve again on the next day?".
"No."
"Then what makes you special?" Said Artorias imposing his views on the little girl. "What gives you the right to be the only one who shouldn't be wronged by this unfair world?".
When Arya's face stop being tense and the tears are brought to a halt Artorias gives a sign and takes off his helmet, thinking that looking at the girl in the eyes could have more weight on their conversation.
"You want to be a knight, don't you?" Asked Artorias even though he knows the answer.
"Yes, I do.". Arya says with her voice still hoarse because of the cry.
"Then you will have to learn the reality and stop dreaming Lady Arya." Says Artorias locking his purple eyes on Arya's grey. "If you become a knight, what do you think you would have to do?".
"I would travel throughout the seven kingdoms," Arya says looking at Artorias but only seeing her fantasies. "Stopping criminals, protecting the smallfolk, and doing justice."
"*sigh* Arya you are still young and have dreams." Says Artorias shaking his head in disbelief, he didn't want to smash Arya's dreams like he almost did to Rickon. "What do you think those criminals would do to you if you were defeated?".
"They would kill me. I'm not dumb." Arya says recovering her composure.
"Then you should ask your father, his answer will be a little different from yours." Says Artorias seeing someone was behind the door, and for the shape of the soul he knew exactly who. "Here is some advice lady Arya, it's better to learn about the fate of the female warriors who lose on the battlefield by being a lady on a castle than being a lady warrior herself.".
When the door opens Artorias and Arya both look at the newcomer, Lady Stark who was trying her best to hold face and convince both of them that she didn't hear Artorias' words but only succeeded with the little girl.
Not wanting the lady to study his face Artorias put his helmet back on while Arya and her mother talk.
"Arya, it's time for your lesson with the septa." Says Lady Catelyn with almost invisible displeasure in her voice, probably directed at Artorias.
'Can't blame her. If a stranger stayed close to my daughter, I would be angry too'.
"I'm going." Says Arya reluctant while getting off her bed.
"I'll see you there soon." Says Artorias to the girl without moving his face.
When Arya passes her mother Lady Stark watches her go until she was distant enough. She closes the door and sits in front of Artorias, this time not hiding her displeasure.
"I've heard what you've told my daughter." Says the beautiful woman with a frown and angry voice. "Would you tell me why are you telling her these cruel stories?".
"Those are facts, not stories lady Stark." Says Artorias unfazed by the lady's demeanor. "Your daughter is impulsive and it will cause her trouble in the future.".
"It doesn't give you the right to tell her these things.".
"Tell me lady Stark. Who decides which one has the right or not when it comes to telling the children about the world?".
"The parents of course.".
"Are you sure only the parents have the right to teach the children about the cruelties of the world?".
"Yes!" Catelyn says loud, almost screaming.
"Then you should either stop with these believes or start following them, Lady Stark.".
This catches Catelyn by surprise, Artorias wanted to trap her like a fish, and he did it, it was ironic, at least for him.
"What do you mean by that?" Says Catelyn with genuine confusion.
"Well, you said that only the parents should teach the children about the cruelties of the world. Then tell me Lady Stark, if only the parents have that right, what gives you the right to teach Jon about his place and what he is?".
Catelyn's face turns red as the flames in the hearth of Arya's room, not saying a word, she gets on her feet and starts walking towards the door before she's stopped by Artorias words.
"Here is some advice for you as well, Lady Stark. Stop hating the boy, you don't need to love him, but hating him will only bring you pain. And if you don't believe me, just wait and see all the misery this hate will bring you.".
Lady Catelyn leaves the room not sparing Artorias a single glance, the knight wanted to see into her soul so he could see if she listened to him but refrained to do so.
Artorias felt really bad for both Jon and Catelyn, a child blamed for the sin of his father and a woman who hates him because she can't love a child who didn't come from her womb.
'Could I love the child of the woman I love but who didn't come from my seed?'
The fact that he didn't know the answer nor experienced it as Catelyn did was the reason Artorias refrain himself from judging the woman but didn't stop him from wishing she could be better to the boy.
"Is it wrong?".
"What is wrong?"
Hearing the voice Artorias quickly turns around and sees Jon at the door, he quickly gets up and cleans the pants of his armor from dust that wasn't there.
"Jon," Artorias says calm and compose. "What are you doing here?".
"Father wanted me to see how Arya was doing." Says Jon with a neutral face soon changing to one of doubt. "What were you talking about?".
"You wouldn't understand." Says Artorias trying to make Jon ignore his previous words. "Let's go, Jon, I think you and I need some fresh air.".
Before they go Artorias picks a piece of cloth Arya had sewed and puts it on his bottomless box and proceeds to follow the boy walking by his side.
Artorias looks at Jon's face and sees he was distant like he wasn't there and nothing was ahead of him.
"Tell me, Jon," Artorias says making the boy return to the present. "Are you happy?".
"What?" Asks Jon clearly showing doubt about the nature of Artorias' question.
"Are you happy in Winterfell? Do you feel like this is your place? That you belong here?".
"I…" Jon's voice was distant and he couldn't look the knight in the eyes. "Yes, I do.".
"You're lying." Says Artorias with a neutral voice feeling sorry for the boy. "You feel like an outsider, don't you?".
"Yes." Jon's voice was hollow and he bites his lower lips showing how hard it was for him to speak them.
"I have a vague idea why," Artorias says stopping in his tracks and making Jon stop as well putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Jon, look at me… I don't know what the future will bring to you, but should you ever need a friend I'll be there for you. I won't stay on Winterfell for much longer, but when I go, if you want, I would gladly let you come with me.".
"Why?" Jon asks melancholic. "Why go to such lengths for a bastard?".
"Because I judge a man by his heart not his birth. Maybe you should start doing the same because the bastard in front of me has a soul more valuable than many trueborn.".
After Artorias let his words sink in Jon's heart, they both reach the training grounds where Bran and Rickon were still practicing under the eyes of Lord Stark.
"I talked to your daughter Lord Stark." Says Artorias waiting for the lord to look at him before he continues. "I think I managed to make her understand, if she will learn, I guess only time will tell.".
"Thank you, Ser Artorias." Says Ned nodding his head.
"Think nothing of it." Artorias for a moment look at Jon at his side and has an idea. "Tell me, Lord Stark, why don't you and Jon go on a spar. Theon and Robb are not here and maybe your sons should fight against a man who fought in real battles, you never know when they will face a real opponent, so better be prepared.".
Ned Stark doesn't respond and just looks at Jon who for the looks of it wanted to shrink until nothing while his cheeks were red with embarrassment.
"What do you think son, do you want to?". Asks Ned with a small smile which Jon responds with one of his own, for a moment Artorias saw something strange within the Lord's soul when he talked to Jon, but it was so minimal he decided to let it go.
"Yes… I would like to… father.".
"Bran. Rickon. Come here." Says Artorias like a general ready to lead his legions to battle making the two boys run where he's standing at full speed. "Your father and your brother will spar. Your lesson will be to watch them and learn anything you can. When I return, I want to listen to what you've learned, and if you haven't it means you failed my test.".
"Yes sir." Says both boys nervous making their father and brother smile at the little brats.
"Jon. Ned. I wish you a good spar. Now if you excuse me, I need to see how the she-wolf is doing before he forgets what I'm trying to teach her." Says Artorias bowing his head in respect for both fighters who will soon spar against each other.
"Good luck,". Says Jon with a smile thinking Artorias would have a sore day with Arya.
Artorias could see the spar between Ned and Jon but refrain to do so knowing the father will win, given a few years Jon would be undefeated on Winterfell but he was still just a boy of four and ten with much to learn about life and the world and the knight thinks he at least did the bare minimum for him to not get eaten by it.
'Had I met him when he was five, I would've definitely made him my squire.'.
Leaving his thoughts Artorias arrives in the room he wanted to see. He knocks one, or two times before he hears a voice telling him to come inside. Entering through the door Artorias looked inside the room and see the people inside, the old woman he knew, septa Mordane or, Mundane as Arya likes to call her, next to her was Sansa with her beautiful red hair glowing like the fires of the sun in a spring season spreading its magic for the whole world as if it would make it a better place, next to her were two other girls Artorias knew only by name, Jeyne Poole and Beth Cassel, both stuck on Sansa's side like moths attracted by the light that would consume them and make them return to dust like all beings when their lives ended. Last but not least was Arya, isolated like a dog, or wolf, who refuses to eat, sleep or move due to old age and now just stands in one place waiting for its end it knows is coming soon while looking at her work unhappy with her face saying without saying how much she wanted to be somewhere else doing something else.
"Excuse me ladies… Septa.".
If the septa noticed the mocking tone on Artorias' voice when he said her title he didn't care, Artorias had met one of her gods and he wasn't a follower of her faith while this Septa praises and spread the words of her gods like everyone else was stupid for following other gods, in Artorias opinion when a god trust an infidel with a mission of faith instead of one of his followers it tells a lot.
The knight sits in front of Arya who in turn looks up to see the helmet staring at her and she smiles.
"So, lady Arya." Says Artorias stretching the most he could, given his size and how small the chair he's sitting in is. "Ready for your next training?".
"She is doing her lesson's now Ser." Says the Septa looking dissatisfied with the knight's presence. "She can't do any training now.".
"Oh, I disagree." Says Artorias making Arya stop herself from lowering her head and keeping her eyes on the knight. "This training is perfect for it can be done while doing her lessons.".
"Really?" Arya says feeling that this training was a getaway from this boring lesson.
"Really." Says Artorias with confidence. "Now pay attention to your sewing.".
"But why?" Arya says changing her mood to a gloomed one.
"Just do it. I'll explain." Say Artorias ignoring the Septa and the other girls staring at him and Arya. "Your test is total focus. While you sew, I want you to focus on nothing but what you're doing. Your focus needs to be so great that the whole world feels slow and silent while you will be fast and the only one left free to do whatever you want.".
"That's silly." Says Sansa getting giggles out of Beth and Jeyne.
"Oh, it's not silly. I can do it." Says Artorias looking at Sansa who was now blushing for reasons the knight doesn't know. "And if you don't believe me, ask your brothers Bran and Jon, they both learned how to do it today.".
"And how will I know if I'm doing it?" Asks Arya curious not knowing that asking Artorias will only make her take longer to complete the training.
"You will. As will I." Says Artorias putting his hand on her shoulder and nodding to her. "Just for incentive, Jon managed to hold his focus for three seconds and Bran for five on their first time.".
"What about you?" Asks Jeyne curious to learn something about the armored knight in front of her. "How long did you hold on in your first try?".
"Two seconds. My opponent was defeated after so there was no reason to continue.".
"Ok, I will try." Says Arya going back to her lesson trying her best to ignore and sound be it the needles of the other girls, the shallow breath of the knight, or the mumblings of Septa Mundane.
Artorias looks at the girl and smiles. Ciaran would've loved to train Arya, it would be like watching two sisters interacting with each other.
'I miss her and the others.' Thinks Artorias when the memories of his friend vanish in the air.
Turning his attention back to Arya the knight notices that in trying to focus too much on her sewing she is forgetting the basics to make it work.
"Relax." Says Artorias with a calm voice. "You have to focus, but can't forget the basics while trying it. Breath slowly. Relax and let your fingers move the needle with softness, keep your eyes locked on where they are, and keep your mind locked on where you want them to go. The cloth is like water, the needle is like waves, and your hands are the ship which is carried by both. Now focus.".
Artorias observes while the time passes and notices Arya is doing everything right, her movements weren't sloppy like before and her breathing was at a steady pace, her eyes saw nothing but the needle and the cloth, and her ears weren't listening to anything anymore, and then she stops her work and look at Artorias with a smile from ear to ear. It lasted just one second, but she succeeded and she knows it.
"I DID IT," Arya screams, filled with happiness, and jumps at the warrior's neck hugging him like he was a member of her family. "I DID IT.".
"ARYA WATCH YOUR MANNERS." Screams the Septa in vain in a poor attempt to stop the little girl's moment of happiness.
After a few seconds Artorias takes the girl off his neck and crackled it, he was not very good with children's reactions but wasn't feeling so bad right now.
"You did good kid, you lasted one second. It's not much but knows that just being able to do it on the first day in just a few hours is a great deed." Says Artorias cheering the she-wolf. "Know that besides you and your brothers no one except the knights of Gwyn ever done that on the first day of training.".
"Enough of this. Everyone, show me your work." Says the Septa grumping at the scene and taking the work of the four girls like they were a plate full of horse crap.
When the septa look at the works of the girls Artorias notices her reaction, Sansa's work she looks with glee and there was a pleasure in her eyes, Jeyne and Beth she looks with indifference, and Arya with a scowl that made her look uglier than she already is in the knight's opinion.
"Arya your's is…" She says before getting interrupted by Artorias.
"Great." Before the septa could open her mouth Artorias open his bottomless box and takes the piece of cloth Arya had sewed the day before and shows it to her. "This is the work you did the day before. See the difference? The work you did on this day was better than the one you did the day before. That's how it should always be, don't try to be better than the others, try to be better than the Arya Stark from the day before, and always make sure the Arya of the morrow will be better than the Arya of today. This is how you will improve.".
Artorias gets up and gives Arya his hand like a gentleman.
"Come lady Arya. For your efforts. You won the prize of walking with a knight on your side." Says Artorias ignoring the blush on the other girls' cheeks and the look of envy in their eyes while Arya takes Artorias' hands so he can take her away from this boring place.
It was nightfall time, on the godswood of Winterfell Artorias was sharpening his giant sword after hearing Lord Stark's advice that the quietness of the godswood was perfect for it and now the knight finds himself agreeing with the lord of Winterfell.
"You are horrible in hiding your presence. You can come out now." Says the knight without taking his eyes off his sword.
Seconds later the person whose presence was discovered comes out of the trees and is none other than Sansa Stark in a beautiful grey dress that only made her red hair stands out more.
Artorias couldn't stop himself from looking into the girl's soul and thought it was actually funny what he saw, the stark that looked more like a trout in both appearance and behavior was a wolf, like Arya, Jon, and Rickon, a quiet and polite wolf, but a wolf nonetheless.
"Lady Sansa," Artoria says greeting her with a nod and looking her in the eyes. "What do I owe you the pleasure?".
Sansa doesn't answer at first, she bows her head to the knight in respect and sits in a trunk in front of him. "I just wanted to talk Ser.".
"Well, I have the time. Go on." Artorias said with politeness.
"Why did you help Arya?". Sansa asks obviously trying to discover what could possibly lead the knight to help her mischievous little sister.
"Because she looked like she needed support.".
"That's it?".
"Some people want to help other people without second intentions, it's getting rare with each day but these people still are out there." Says Artorias turning his eyes back to his sword. "You don't agree do you?".
"Arya is a brat!". Sansa says as if it was a fact. "She is wild and always giving mother and the septa trouble, she is a savage, not a lady.".
"What is the problem with that?" Artorias asks raising an eyebrow not really caring about Sansa's words.
"My mother always told me stories about knights who helped ladies and were given their favors," Sansa says with her eyes and mind were somewhere else. "So why would a knight like you walk around with Arya who is not a lady.".
Hearing those words Artorias calmly sticks the point of the sword in the ground until half the blade is covered in the dirt.
'Damn shouldn't have done that, now I'll have to start over.'. The knight laughs in his mind at the stupid action he just took.
"Tell me lady Sansa." Artorias looks at her deep in the eyes and she knows it, even if the helmet was still covering his face purple and blue were locked on each other. "Do I look like those knights from your stories?".
"No," Says Sansa shaking her head.
"Exactly. Always believe in half the things you see, and never what you heard. Your stories are always about honorable knights rescuing the ladies from evil. Want to hear what I learned about knights?!".
Sansa weakly accents with her head, showing a little bit of fear on her widened eyes and trembling lips.
"I heard in Westeros. Honorable knights are just that, stories. Ser Jaime Lannister broke his oaths and killed his king so his father could sack Kingslanding. Ser Gregor Clegane killed a baby, the prince, by smashing his head into the wall, and raped the mother with his blood still on his hands. Ser Amory Lorch stabbed princess Rhaenys over half a hundred times. It's very different from the stories you've been told, isn't it?".
"Yes," Sansa says with a voice so low it was barely a whisper.
"I already advised your brother Jon—".
"His is not my brother.".
"Your brother Jon." Says Artorias strong and unmoved by Sansa's disgust just like he was when Arya screamed at him. "Your brother Rickon, and your sister Arya, and now I will advise you. Stop believing in stories lady Sansa and start believing in what you see. In your stories the white knight walks with a lady by his side or on his horse, today you saw a knight walking with a savage (as you said) by his side, what do you choose to believe, the stories you've heard, or the things you saw?".
They stood silent for a few minutes. The more time Artorias spent with the Stark children the more he wanted to not interact with them anymore, children were tiresome and too naïve, or maybe war and the abyss made him bitter, either way, it was tiresome, Rickon, Jon, Arya and now Sansa, the knight wonders how long until he would have to deal with Robb and Bran.
"Why do you refuse to accept Jon as your brother?" Asks the knight with a soft voice trying to not scare the child for life and get scolded by Lady Stark… again.
"Because he isn't," Sansa says believing in every word. "He is a bastard born of sin between my father and some common whore.".
"Really? Do you really believe your father, the most honorable man in the seven Kingdoms (or so I heard), would bed a common whore and break his vows to his wife?".
Day after day Artorias was doubting more and more about Jon's parentage, but the only theory that would make sense if Jon wasn't Eddard Stark's son would be if he was Brandon's. It would make sense, Brandon Stark was to marry Catelyn Tully but instead he fathers a bastard who would inherit Winterfell before Eddard, bastard or not, and the Tullys would demand the boy to be killed for the insult or to secure their blood as wardens of the north after Brandon died and Catelyn had married Eddard.
'Then Eddard would take his nephew as his own and protect him.' Thinks Artorias, more convinced that this was the truth rather than Jon being the bastard of Eddard Stark.
"It wasn't always like this." Says Sansa making Artorias come back from his thoughts. "I… Me and Jon, we weren't always distant.".
"What happened?". Says the knight picking his sword out of the dirt and starting to clean again.
"I don't remember the exact day. I guess it was after my eighth nameday, before that me, Jon, and Robb were always together, playing, misbehaving, and laughing.".
Like before Artorias sees her eyes were on him, but her mind was somewhere else, in a simpler time, where her only worry would be how many candies she could eat and how long she could stay awake to play with her brothers.
"After that, my mother started to teach me the lessons in how to be a proper lady.".
"And one of those lessons was that a trueborn lady doesn't get herself involved with bastards, be they your blood or not, wasn't it?". Asks Artorias looking at her nodding her head before turning back to his sword.
"I didn't like it at first. Being away from them but with time I started to like being a lady, hearing about the tourneys and dances and how they would one day live in their own castle with the man they loved. I still believe this is what the future that awaits for me, and the future I want.".
"Are you happy?".
"Why?" Asks Sansa clearly confused with the nature of the question.
"If you are happy then, by all means, follow this dream, but if you are not, I strongly advise you not to pursue it.".
"What about you?" Asks Sansa trying to get something out of the knight. "What do you dream for your future?".
"A small house in a quiet place with a beautiful view of the ocean and the sun." Says Artorias feeling but not expressing fondness for the said dream.
"Isn't such a dream rather small for a knight such as yourself?".
Artorias turns once again to look the lady in the eyes and wonders if all kids were this curious, he doesn't remember being like this when he was at her age, of course, the only thing he did at her age was practice day and night to not disappoint lord Gwym.
"I fought in a war lady Sansa, let me tell you something about war, everything they say is a lie, war is nothing but blood and death, and after fighting in one, a small house with peace and quiet is a paradise to all soldiers.".
"Well, at least you didn't come back with a child." Says the eleven-year-old either attempting to make a joke or just to ease the tension Artorias left in the air. "When Robert's rebellion ended my father came back from Dorne but instead of his sister he brought Jon back, after the Greyjoy rebellion he returned once again with a child, Theon.".
When said words were spoken Artorias felt like a punch was delivered to his stomach, Sansa looked at him like she was trying to find something out of place clearly not knowing she was the reason this queer atmosphere was created by herself.
"What do you mean your father brought Jon back? I thought he was born here in Winterfell." Ask Artorias with his mind working like crazy trying to make everything come back to normal.
"No. Father doesn't like to talk about it and doesn't like when other people talk about it. But Jon was born in Dorne, at first many said that Jon was the son of lady Ashara Dayne, when mother heard about it and confronted him no one ever talked about it again.".
"What about your aunt Lyanna, did he ever said anything about her?" Artorias was at this moment between complete confusion and completely clear as if every word that came out of Sansa's mouth was giving him lighting.
"No father also doesn't like to talk about it either, the only thing I ever heard him speak about her about that time was that he found her dead in a bedroom of blue roses. He said she always loved blue roses".
Like a slap in the face, Sansa's words once again shock the knight, and suddenly everything made sense, first, there was Harrenhal, Rhaegar won the jousts and crowned Lyanna Stark his queen of love and beauty, but that wasn't the interesting part, what was interested was the fact that the crown he gave her was made of blue roses, and blue roses are only grown in the north and were Lyanna's favorites.
Artorias then proceeds to the rebellion, it all started because Aerys Targaryen burned Rickard Stark and made Brandon Stark watch while choking to death, but the reason why they were there was that Lyanna was kidnapped by Rhaegar. Why would a man who had gone all the trouble to win a joust just so he could crown a woman with a crown made of her favorite flowers which he probably wasted a lot of money and time to create, kidnap a woman when he was already married and father of two children? How could a woman like Lyanna be kidnapped? Artorias often heard people comment on how Arya was the spitting image of Lyanna, if Lyanna was half the she-wolf Arya was, Rhaegar would be without an ear or nose and surely without a cock if he dared to try it. Artorias then remembers that Lyanna was betrothed to Robert Baratheon a man known even at that time for being a drunk and whoremonger which had already fathered a bastard, would Lyanna accept a betrothed who would humiliate her? At least Rhaegar was a prince, she could very well had run with him either because she was naïve/dumb or because he was the lesser evil, at least it made more sense than being kidnapped.
The last topic was Dorne, Artorias remembers reading about how Eddard and six other man found Lyanna in a place called the tower of joy, but she was guarded by three of the kingsguard, why would the kingsguard be guarding a hostage instead of their king or their prince? Artorias remembers then how only two men came out of that fight alive, Ned himself and a man called Howland Reed, what if, WHAT IF, they were guarding their new king, after all, when Eddard arrived Rhaegar and Aerys were already dead which mean they should've gone to Viserys Targaryen, but instead they were guarding a hostage.
When Eddard came back from Dorne he brought back a corpse and a baby, his bastard Jon Snow who by rumors was the son of Ashara Dayne but now that Artorias had these theories in his head, has meet Eddard and saw into his soul, that is the most stupid thing he ever heard.
Another thing came to Artorias mind, Jon and Ned's souls, Jon's soul was always a wolf but one made of fire, like a volcano, no, dragonfire, and Ned's soul always flickered almost unnoticeable whatever he spoke to Eddard about Jon and also when he wanted Arya to succeed in her training which could possibly be because he didn't want his daughter to act and think impulsive like her aunt did before.
It was all clear to the knight now. Jon wasn't the son of Eddard Stark, he was the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, how could no one notice until now was also clear to Artorias; bastard. Bastards are always ignored by everyone and because of that Eddard Stark made sure that no one would pay attention to Jon, unfortunately, Eddard was dumb to not think about how to make sure people who did pay attention to bastards ignore Jon, and if Artorias who has been in this country less than a moon already figure it out, how long until other do too?.
"Ser Artorias. Ser Artorias.". Sansa was shaking the knight's shoulders with a scarred face and worried voice. "Ser Artorias are you alright?".
Artorias takes a quick breath and looks at Sansa trying to calm himself. "Yes child, I'm okay. Sorry to worry you.".
"Did something happen? You just got on your feet and stood there looking at me silent, (it was a little scary) and then you fell on the ground." Said the girl helping the knight get back on his feet.
"I'm okay my lady.". Says Artorias shealting his sword while looking at Sansa, thinking about how this girl just solved probably the greatest secret in Westeros and not even being aware of it. 'Looks like sometimes the innocent words of a child can do wonders'.
Wishing a good night to the lady and telling her she should eat her supper and go to bed Artorias walks in fast and large steps towards the Warden's solar, he didn't care for whom sat on the iron throne, but he refuses to let theories, lies, and half-trues be left out of the history books, history may be written by the victors, but even the victors can't erase the memories of those who lived after the fact.
Arriving at Ned's solar Artorias sees the Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North looing at the papers on his desk with no clue that his visitor knows something that could get him and his whole family killed, ignorance was a bliss, but in this case, it would be Eddard Stark's nightmare.
"Ser Artorias may I help you?". Asks Ned still clueless about what is going to happen, but not for long Artorias thought.
"Yes, Lord Stark you can." Says the knight giving a deep breath while taking a seat in front of Eddard, Artorias was good in a war of words, but right now it was not necessary and his opponent was not a worthy one so he decided to be as straight as he could. "I want to talk about the Targaryen you've been hiding in Winterfell.".
Artorias couldn't read minds but he knew Eddard Stark was glad that no one else was on his solar nor guarding his door because the pale face he had was a vision Artorias would not forget for a long time.
Author's note: Okay, another chapter done, if you're wondering why Sansa is already a wolf while Bran and Robb are still trouts I'm gonna explain. In my opinion, Bran only became a true wolf when he woke up from his coma and named his wolf Summer, Robb when he captured Jaime Lannister, and Sansa when she talked back to Joffrey when he forced her to see her father's decapitated head. The reason why I made her a wolf here?! Well, wolves are cunning creatures, she saw her sister being the center of attention of a knight and being the one that walked with him and she wanted to be her and tried to steal him, after all, it's one of her dreams and instead of her it was her sister who got it first, I think it would be enough to wake the wolf in her.
Next chapter Robert's arrival
Well, the poll is closed, you voted and Jon's true name will be Aemon Targaryen thank you to all of you who voted.
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