Chapter 6
Catelyn Stark sat beside the bed of her husbands Bastard. The boy was sound asleep. The only noise it the room was his occasional whimpering and coughing. She had been by his side for near an hour. Catelyn grew tired of her thoughts. Should the boy die? Should he live? Suddenly Catelyn's thoughts were interrupted when the Bastard broke into a coughing fit. The boy couldn't catch his breath, couldn't breathe. The expression he wore was one of suffering. Catelyn looked at the boy, and suddenly it was as if she saw him for the first time. A young boy with no mother, cursed my her. "Family, Duty, Honor" Those where the Tully House words. The boy was a part of her family whether she wanted him to be or not. What honor was there in abandoning an innocent child. Catelyn was ashamed of herself. She let her pride get in the way of her duty. She knew that as a mother, she should love a child without a mother.
Catelyn looked around the room. It wasn't too late to pray for the boy. There was a chance he could get better. She called for the servants to bring pieces of wood she needed. It took a few minutes until they came back to the tower. The Lady of Winterfell took the pieces in her hands and began to work.
Catelyn began to pray for the boy. Please let him live. Let him live. She started to weave the strands of wood together. Piece by piece the prayer wheel began to take its shape. Catelyn worked for hours until the wheel was complete.
The boy began to cough again which drew her attention. She replaced the cloth on his forehead. He was hot to the touch. The boy reutrned to a deer sleep. He still had the dark circles under his eyes. He was still pale as the sheets which were at his waist. "Any God that is listening. Please, don't take the boy. He is innocent. This is all my fault" she cried. It was as if the Gods listened to her curse but refused to save the boy. Catelyn was getting desperate. How will Ned react if the boy dies? Will he know this was he fault? Would she be tried for treason and executed? She couldn't bear the thought of her children growing up motherless like the Bastard which lay in front of her.
Catelyn stood up and walked over to the window. The cloudless sky loomed over head. Only the moon shone through the window. "If you save the boy, I will raise him as if he is my own son. I will talk to Ned to get him legitimized. He will have the Stark name. I will do anything, just let the boy live." Tears fell from her face. What else could she do? Catelyn awaited and answer that never came. She returned to her seat beside the boys bedside. She waited at his side until she could see the sun appearing over the horizon.
A knock sounded at the door. Ned and the Maester apeared and walked over to the bed. Jon was still asleep. The Maester felt the boys forehead. "He made it through the night. It looks as though his fever has gone down. He will live" Catelyn released a breath she didn't realize she was holding. The God's had answered her prayer.
The boy woke a few hours later. He was disoriented but in high spirits. In a few days he could go back to sparring with Robb. Since he woke up, Robb and the Maester had never left his side. His father had to return to ruling the North. Lady Catelyn stayed away from his chambers like Jon knew she would. She hated him. He knew she was a good mother to her children. She gave Robb and Sanza the care and attention they needed. When Robb got scared in the night, he could crawl in his parents chambers and stay with them. Jon wanted that, a mother who would love him and embrace him when he was scared. A mother who didn't care he was a Bastard.
When he was well enough, Jon went down to the great hall and took a seat beside Robb. He could see his father laughing with other Lords. Jon looked around but could not find Lady Catelyn. He finished his breakfast and left the hall with Robb. The boys had a day off training and decided to go down to the crypts under Winterfell. They would pretend they were Lords or Kings. Jon would imagine himself a Lord. This was the only time in his life he would be able to call himself one. He didn't want to think about what would happen when he got older. In this moment he could be whoever he wanted. Not the Bastard or Winterfell.