Legal:
I do not own any of the characters or the world.
Jon:
It had been close to 2 months since his uncle had rode off to war. There had been news coming in of successes at Sea Dragon's Point and other Kingdoms starting to push back against the ironborn. Jon blew out an angry breath as he steadied himself after his morning run along the castle walls. Just thinking about the ironborn invading his home made him tremble with anger.
Jon steadied himself, rooting himself deeply, before lunging and attacking the straw dummy. He flicked his practice swords out, cumbersomely with his off hand, trying to get a rhythm going with two swords. He had started a year ago, in his free time, after hearing that Ser Arthur Dayne used two swords. No one in the castle used two swords so he started from scratch, building up from the basics as Ser Rodrick would always say. He continued on for an hour, till his muscles burned and his fingers felt numb.
After a few more swings, each one worse than the last, Jon stopped. Breathing hard, he flopped onto the ground with his legs spread and supporting himself on his hands. It was a nice day out, no snow and a bright sun made everything seem to be shining anew in the light. He gazed up into the blue sky, a rare sight to see. A piercing cry echoed and he saw an eagle flying high above. He gazed upon that creature so high in the sky and felt jealous of its freedom, being able to fly wherever it fancies. No distance too far, and no barriers to stop it. He closed his eyes and imagined he could feel the wind on his face. The world could hold him no longer and he was free. He heard a distant muffled shout, but ignored it. The world was at his fingertips and all he had to do was let go and fly.
"Jon!" something jolted his wi-shoulder and he opened his eyes, looking straight up into the sky and at the bird. In front of his eyes swam Robb's concerned face staring at him. "Are you ok? I've been calling your name these past few minutes." Jon could only nod in shock, his mind still spinning and disjointed. Jon reached out and grabbed Robb's offered hand and stood up, shaking his head and gathering his thoughts. He replied, "Aye, I was just resting a bit after a good workout." Robb nodded, still a bit concerned but put it out of his mind. Robb asked "Do you want to go for a ride?" Jon distractedly shook his head and mumbled, "I'm beat from this, would probably fall." Jon walked away towards his room, his mind finally coming around to what he had seen right after opening his eyes. The eagle he had tried to imagine he was had jerked as if grabbed right as he was. The only thing he could think of was, "Skinchanger" he whispered to himself.
Later that night, Jon sat next to Old Nan, the one person he knew could possibly provide him with answers and not think he was crazy. "So you want to know about skinchangers do ya?" She asked with a toothless grin and he nodded seriously. "There are old legends. Some even about your ancestors you've heard." Jon nodded. He had heard about some of those, about the Warg King of Sea Dragon Point and how the Starks took his daughters as brides after ending his rebellion and his life. He said, "Are they real?".
She hummed and hawed for a bit and then started off in her old creaky voice. "There are legends about men and women sharing a mind with beasts, slowly merging with them till nothing is left of human, but what is left is not quite animal. The Children of the Forests were said to be the first skinchangers among other things. They ran with the beasts and lived wild and free in the forests, till the First Men came. Then it is said that some First Men had mingled with the Children, taking their gifts and passing it to their children, and thus Men then had the gift. Those men would run with their beasts for when a skinchanger is with their beast he imparts something to it, making it more than a mere beast. But best be warned for it's not so simple, the beast gives something back. And it is said that weak willed men will lose their way and become something less than human." She then leaned back from where she had started to loom over him and gave him a nice gummy smile, "And now off to bed with you, lad." She then turned back to the small fire in the room. Jon shook himself from his stupor and stood at the door about to leave when her voice came out strong and sharp, nothing like a few moments ago, "You best be careful now boy, there are things that are best not sought after in the world, specially old things." He turned back to look at her but she was just as she was before, gazing into the small fire. Then he turned and left back to his room with unfocused eyes, his head swirling with thoughts, and ideas.
Jon sat in the Godswood, staring at the heart tree, its branches looming over him, swaying in the wind. His mind was on the past week where he had worked to try and skinchange with anything, but so far he had failed every attempt, except for possibly feeling something fuzzy in his mind, but he was unsure if that was real. He had nothing to go on and no one to ask, Old Nan was someone but he was hesitant about going back to her and rouse suspicion, and she seemed to know more about legends than actual practices. Maester Lewin could possibly be a source but anything spoken to him would get back to Lord Stark. And while that would not be horrible, then it would most likely get back to Lady Stark. And while his relationship with Lady Stark was good, it was not so strong as to stay that way if she learned he was possibly treading into heretical waters based on the Faith of the Seven.
He heard footsteps coming up the path behind him, light thuds belonging only to a child, and at an even, steady pace that Arya would never use, and Sansa would rarely come find him or go to the Godswood. As soon as it reached him he spoke, "Hello Robb". He heard a shocked noise from his cousin, and he smiled at being able to shock him.
"How did you know it was me?" Robb asked and Jon only replied with a smile as mysterious as he could. Robb only scoffed at his look, but then set his face into a more serious frown. "What is up with you? You've been slacking this past week and have been distracted in the yard. Hells even I beat you twice this week!" Robb was right of course. Jon was by far the better fighter than Robb. Even at their young age their skills were setting their path apart.
With anything in his hand and on the ground he would win, even against opponents years older than him. Even with nothing and his opponent with a weapon he could win half the time. Robb was better on a horse, and was a better statesman even at this young age. Yet he could not help himself, his mind was stuck on his skinchanging talent, or rather the lack of one. He looked at his cousin, and mulled in his mind whether to tell him or not. In this situation face to face with Robb, Jon found he could not find it in himself to keep a secret from his cousin, who he considered a brother.
"Robb, I will tell you why, but you must promise here before the Heart Tree not to tell anyone" Robb looked curious but mostly dubious. "It's nothing dangerous." He hurried to pacify Robb. Still looking unsure but gaining more resolve, Robb nodded and swore not to tell. Jon took a deep breath and looked Robb straight in the eye. "I think I am a skinchanger."
"Impossible" Robb breathed. Jon shook his head and explained, "I think that day when you shook me awake I was in the eagle that was flying overhead." Jon proceeded to tell Robb about how he suspected the eagle startled when he was startled but then returned to normal. He went on to explain what he had learned from Old Nan and blamed his absent mindedness on his struggles and frustration. Robb had started to lose his doubt and had changed to look excited.
"What have you tried so far? How many animals have you tried it on? How many times?" As Robb asked questions, Jon was taken aback by how many questions and how many he had not considered. Jon smirked as he readied an answer, Robb had always been smarter than him, and thought things through better, and only reacted without thinking when he thought it was what Lord Stark would have done.
"I have only tried on the mice I have found around the castle and managed to capture. I thought about a dog or horse, but did not know how to get one alone, and staring at an animal for hours would not be very hidden" Jon explained everything he could think of and everything he suspected, which wasn't much more.
After about an hour conversing, Robb came up with an idea,"From what you said about Old Nan's legends, it sounds like the animal and man share something. Maybe you and mice are not similar? You are not what I think a mouse would act like Jon" Jon huffed, but considered it. It sounded right to him so Jon took it and ran with it.
"Alright, now all I need to do is find a predator." At Robbs deadpan stare Jon smiled. "What? I am a beast among men! I prowl across the battlefield like a shadowcat, have the strength of a bear, and am as legendary as a direwolf!" Robb almost fell over laughing at Jons exclamation accompanied by a heroic pose atop the root they were sitting on. He then shoved Jon over and mocked him for being 'so heroic'. They spent the rest of the time till they were called to the castle wrestling at the foot of the Heart Tree.
Jon sat at the far end of the table, next to Arya, Bran still being helped by Lady Stark. He snickered as he watched Arya grumpily poke at her food, she had been caught trying to sneak into the training yard again and was forced to spend all day sewing alone. She turned to him, her sullen face turning grumpy before she grabbed some greens and tossed it at him. Her delighted smirk at his apparent misfortune died as he only laughed out loud and skillfully caught a clump that was heading for his body with a hand and a second clump in his mouth, quickly eating both. "Thank you for the lovely meal," he teased. Arya could only pout as she reached for more food, before a stern "Arya" from Lady Stark froze her. Arya turned, shrinking down in her seat, arms crossed at being caught.
Jon returned to his own meal, before he too froze with a spoonful near his mouth, "Jon, don't go riling her up without expecting some repercussions. I expect you to help the cooks tomorrow morning since you seem to love their meal so much." He perked up at that, but seeing her elegantly raised brow, quickly put on the best quailing expression. He never minded helping out the cooks, they always allowed him to eat a lot of whatever he wanted. And he liked to eat a lot, probably because he was a growing boy, both him and Robb were of the age that they were starting to grow faster and faster. "I'll be there at first light, my lady" he responded to Lady Stark when she kept looking expectantly at him. She nodded satisfied, but before she could get back to feeding Bran Maester Luwin walked in, a letter held in his hand. He looked pleased, handing the letter to her.
All the children watched her, for the only time she got letters during dinner was if it was vitally important. Her face broke out into a smile, "Your father is coming home". All the Starks livened up at that, Robb quickly asking for when, Sansa demanding to know if he was ok, and Arya beaming with her sullen mood forgotten. Jon merely smiled contentedly at the news, relief flooding through him as he felt stress that he did not know was there to wash away. The rest of the dinner was spent with them in a brighter mood and when they left back to their rooms, he saw that the rest of the castle was in higher spirits, with news of their Lord coming back home.
In his room, Jon sat at his window, with the shutters cracked open a bit so he could stare out into the darkness. The cold seeping through the crack did not bother him much. He had always been able to stand the cold better than anyone he knew, with only Robb coming close to his easy resistance to the cold. He was starting to suspect it had something to do with his skinchanging abilities and made him wonder at Robb possibly having the ability too. He turned his mind away from anything and started to relax. After a while he started to almost drowse, his mind starting to slip before he heard a cry of an eagle piercing the darkness, at the same time he felt almost a ghost touch in him, almost like a single droplet of water hitting him from out of nowhere. Jolting from the semi slumber he was in, he realized that he now had a hint of where he could start. That eagle that he had made contact with to discover his gift, was out there somewhere and he still might have had a connection still. All he had to do was find the eagle, figure out the connection, and from there find out what to do next. With a grin on his face he closed the shutters and moved to his bed.
Authors Note:
Sorry for taking so long. Real life got in the way. I will probably stay sporadic with the updates from now on.