Chapter 32: Jon
When Jon emerged from his chambers he found that Arya was gone. He went outside and heard raucous laughter from the tent where the men were. He watched a moment and was surprised to see Arya trading bawdy japes with Tormund and his men. The food and wine had arrived. She seemed to spot Jon's presence easily.
"Har! Your sister was just making up for t' lack of wine by sharing tales of your youth"
I do not like the sound of that.
"He teases Jon" Arya smirked. "I have just been hearing about his impressive member".
Jon felt himself flush. Tormund roared with laughter.
"Don't go telling him that girl. Lord Crow will have my head for corrupting his little sister".
"Who says you are the one who corrupted me" Arya shot back.
Jon sighed and was relieved to see Arya moving his way. The Lady of Winterfell. He would not want to imagine Catelyn Stark's face. They walked together to the great hall for dinner. A place had been made for him on the dais. He saw that Arya took the seat that their father used to take. Rickon was at her side as was the Lady Brienne and a disapproving Brynden Tully.
Jon ate quietly, only speaking when others came to speak with him. A great many of the men in the castle seemed to want to meet with him. He was kept back well after dinner. Arya had left but as the hall began to empty he saw that Ser Rolly remained. The big man was watching him closely. When he rose, the knight moved swiftly to accompany him.
"I am quite alright Ser"
The knight stubbornly remained with him. "The little lady gave me instructions".
Jon smiled. He is loyal. "I do not need protection".
"That may well be but I'm staying anyway".
"Doesn't my sister need you?" Jon asked.
The big man grinned. "Less than you do".
Ghost fell in step with them and Jon noted that Ser Rolly was not put off by the direwolf.
"She thought you might want to see the prisoners" he said. "I can show you".
Jon nodded and walked with the knight to the dungeons.
"She didn't want to be here?" he asked.
The big man grinned again. "She thought it better she wasn't. They don't like her much".
Jon was surprised how many were coming to Castle Black. Not only were they willing, they almost seemed eager. Ser Rolly was nonchalant as he pointed to each one until he stopped in front of a cell containing a boy. He would have been lucky to be fourteen. The knight scowled.
"What did this one do?" Jon asked curiously.
The big man spat "He tried to poison Lady Arya". He glared in at the boy. "You'd best watch out as you leave with him. The little lord is likely to try to set the wolf on him before he can get away".
The fingers on Jon's sword hand opened and closed. He had to make himself walk away. Ser Rolly kept with him all the way to his quarters. He paused at the doorway.
"I was there the day they told her you died".
Jon felt his throat constrict. "I did not know Ser".
"Call me Duck" he replied. "Don't ever do that to her again".
I will try. Duck left him with Ghost and he crawled into his bed. For the first night in more than five years he was sleeping at home-Except it was no longer home.
He woke to find a maid bringing food to his room. It was still very early.
"I apologise for waking you m'lord" she said. "M'lady rises early and thought you might do the same".
Jon nodded and accepted what she had brought. After he broke his fast, he decided to seek out Arya. Duck found him rather quickly.
"She has gone riding. She and that priestess had words. The little lady was most unhappy".
She did warn you priestess.
The day had only just begun and Jon already felt weary. He walked with Duck to the training yard where Rickon was eagerly waiting. He smiled when he saw Jon.
"Will you watch me?"
Jon nodded. Duck brought out tourney swords and Jon was pleased to see that the big man knew what he was doing.
"You have experience in teaching arms" he observed.
"Duck was a master-at-arms" Rickon announced. "He taught Prince Aegon".
Jon couldn't help a frown. He was distracted when Arya appeared next to him. He hadn't heard her approach. If she was still unhappy she wasn't showing it. Her hair had come free of her braid during her ride. Jon tentatively flicked at it and was rewarded with a smile.
"Arya" Rickon called out. "Are you going to spar with Duck today?"
Jon saw her shoot an uncertain look at him. He was reminded of the vision in the flames. She should not be fighting.
"Should you be..." he began to say.
She scowled. "Prepare to be beaten Duck".
Jon was rather taken aback. She had said she had become good but she had hidden how good she was. He wasn't sure he had ever seen somebody move so fast and her reaction time and anticipation of her opponent was almost beyond belief. Duck yielded more than once and was breathing hard when they were finished. Arya looked like she had not broken a sweat.
"Where did you learn that?" Jon asked when she joined him.
She tensed. "I had a Braavosi instructor".
They walked together from the training yard.
"I need to speak with you" Jon began.
"I know" Arya said abruptly.
He followed her. He realised quickly where they were headed. Nymeria began to follow and he saw Ghost join her. The heart tree loomed in front of them.
"I come here when I want to know I am alone" Arya explained.
He sat with her in front of the tree, memories rushing back to him. He almost thought he heard a whisper in the trees "King". He looked around.
"I sometimes think I'm going mad" Arya said softly.
Did she hear it too? Jon was too afraid to ask. He tried not to be obvious looking at her. She did not look to be with child but it was hard to tell with the way she was dressed. He had to look away quickly when she caught him. He saw her scowl.
"There are things I need to tell you" he said quickly.
He expected her to question him. To say he was mad. To say he was imagining Old Nan's stories come to life but she didn't. She watched his face closely as he told her of the wights and of the Others. He explained how only fire could stop the wights and that dragonglass was needed to defeat the Others. He felt his shoulders slump as he finished. She took his hand.
"It has been hard for you" she said softly. "I learned things when I was in Braavos. I cannot tell you all of it". She looked down. "I will tell you what I can".
Jon looked at her intently.
"You have heard the prophecy from the red woman. She would say the darkness is gathering. I do not know that I believe in prophecy but the dragons are coming".
Jon scowled this time. "The priestess talks constantly of waking the stone dragon".
"They have already been woken" Arya replied. "Daenarys Targaryen has three dragons. She has been in the East but she will return to Westeros. She should be on her way now".
Jon was sceptical but he did not want to argue with her.
"We could use dragons" he said, only half japing "but right now we need dragonglass. Stannis was going to have it brought from Dragonstone but while he was fighting in the North the Tyrells took the castle".
Arya's face lit up. Her smile was almost radiant. "No. Aegon holds Dragonstone. He wrote me. He took it from the Tyrells".
Jon felt his heart sink at her happiness. It is true. Her smile dropped and she gave him a queer look.
"Write to him" she said. "He will send the dragonglass".
"The Watch wrote to all those who claimed to be Kings" Jon said bitterly. "Stannis was the only one who aided us".
She scowled again. "Did you ask Aegon?"
"No" Jon conceded.
"Ask. He won't say no".
She pulled her hand from his and began to twist her fingers together, just as she had when he had first arrived. She is nervous about telling me something. He heard her take a deep breath. When she looked up her expression was hopeful.
"Aegon said he could legitimise you. He knows you can't hold lands or titles but you could have father's name".
Oh Arya.
"What did he want in return" Jon said stiffly.
She flushed. "He didn't want anything".
Jon tried to soften it. He tried to sound gentle. "Kings always want something".
Her expression darkened. "You don't know him" she snapped. "He is a good man. He is my friend. He thought it would make you happy".
No Jon thought. The Prince thought it would make my little sister happy. He began to feel old. He looked at Arya again and this time he didn't look away. She tensed.
"What have you heard?" she asked abruptly.
Jon almost flinched at her tone.
"I need to ask you something"
She looked away. "I'd rather you didn't".
Jon pressed on. "Are you to marry him?"
The response was abrupt. "No. It is planned for him to be consort to Daenarys".
Jon paled. "You would raise the child a bastard?"
Her expression became confused. "What child?" When his meaning became clear it was her turn to pale. Jon was not prepared for her reaction. She shot to her feet, her face a mix of horror and outrage. "Do you think I'm stupid?"
I do not know what to think little sister. He did not answer.
"I am not having a child" she fumed.
Arya's voice and expression reminded Jon of Ygritte. You know nothing Jon Snow. He was speechless a moment. "I saw..."
She didn't let him finish. "I don't care what you think you saw. You were wrong". Her eyes blazed.
Jon felt relief wash over him. "He did not dishonour you".
She flushed and wouldn't look at him. Jon sighed. She really isn't a little girl anymore. When she was able to look at him again her voice was small.
"It was not dishonour. Please don't hate me".
He stood and put his arms around her. She tensed at first before accepting the embrace. "I don't hate you Arya. I could never do that".
Arya only let him hold her briefly before pulling away. He could see she was still bothered.
"Why did you think I was with child?"
Jon felt embarrassed. I should not have listened to Melisandre. He heard a sudden movement and saw Arya tense again.
"He saw it in the flames".
Jon spun to look in the direction of the voice and saw that the priestess had joined them. It was immediately uncomfortable. He could see it in Arya's bearing and he felt it himself. He glanced at the heart tree.
The red woman should not be here.
"Your flames seem to be wrong a lot" Arya retorted.
Melisandre did not lose her composure.
"The visions seen are those the Lord of Light sends. Some are from days long past, others from the present and then there are those yet to come. Some visions are of things that will happen in the next day, the next moon, perhaps a year from now".
Arya smirked but Jon could see anger in her eyes. The expressionless girl had disappeared for now and his sister was clearly furious. "That is a convenient way to excuse your mistakes. I am not going to have a child".
Melisandre's red eyes focused on Jon rather than Arya. He began to feel uncomfortable.
"I do not believe it was a mistake".
A sword without a hilt.
Melisandre fingered the ruby at her throat. "Did you ask about the dragon?"
Jon pictured the vision of the beast. No and I will not.
"Arya has told me of dragons" he said instead.
The priestess nodded and stared at Arya. Jon saw that his sister did not back down. Instead she met the red woman's gaze, her lips set in a grim line.
"I wish to be left alone. Do not come to me again priestess".
Jon left Arya in the godswood. Melisandre walked with him but he was so angry that he would not speak with her. She tried to talk with him but he brushed her off.
He could not linger in Winterfell, no matter how much he wanted to. He arranged for the prisoners to be brought out of the cells. By the time the men had taken charge of them it was well into the afternoon. Jon sought out Arya, feeling apprehensive. He found her in her solar.
"I will be leaving soon".
She looked at her hands rather than at him. He cleared his throat.
"Are you angry with me?"
"No" she said quickly. "I'm angry with the priestess". She looked up at him. "Please be careful around her. I don't want you to become like Stannis".
"I won't" he assured her.
I have learned my lesson.
Arya stood and hesitantly took his hands.
"I am going to get vengeance for our family. I have been talking with Uncle Brynden and the Stark bannermen. There will be war".
He could hear the anger in her voice. He felt a sense of foreboding. The Night's Watch takes no part. Still he couldn't help asking what she planned.
She hesitated. "The Blackfish said it should not be spoken of"
Jon couldn't help feeling hurt. "He does not trust me".
She was quick to reassure him. "It is not settled yet. We need to work out how to take the Dreadfort and Moat Cailin. The proper talks have only just begun". She paused and looked at the floor. "It is not that you are not trusted, I know you cannot take part. I keep getting told. I do not want to make trouble for you".
That did not stop me advising Stannis.
He quickly gave her his own advice, wishing that she wasn't doing this and at the same time wishing he was going to ride with them. She held him tightly when he went to leave.
"I cannot watch you leave. The others will see you out".
She made a forlorn figure as he left her in her solar. He remembered Duck's advice as he rode out with the men, keeping Ghost close and keeping a look out for Shaggydog. Rickon was clearly brimming with anger as the men from the cells departed, all of them looking glad to be leaving Winterfell.
Jon looked over his shoulder at what used to be his home and sighed. This may be the last time I see it.
AN: It took a longer than planned to write the scenes with Jon and Arya. It was harder than I expected it to be. I may still edit but the basic gist of it won't change. I did not mean for the visions to be so cryptic. Has anybody figured out after reading this what it was that Jon saw in the flames? I've tried to provide clues.
I should say based on a comment I just received that the vision of the couple and the vision of the dragon are two separate visions. I'm too tired to edit right now but I'm not sure that is clear. I probably should have held off on the dragon stuff until Dany arrived but given Melisandre's point about how things in visions can happen in the past or short or long time frames in future I thought I'd throw it in there especially as Jon won't want to see anything from her in a long while now. Also Dany will come, she has just been delayed. It will happen eventually :-)