Chapter 05 – A Joyless Tower

Jon disliked lies. Lies, secrecy, and deception were, in his opinion, tools of cowards who schemed in the dark to obtain unfair advantages over others. If Davos, Cressen, and even little Shireen were to be believed, Stannis disliked those too.

In theory, having something in common with the man who held in his hands Jon's fate would make it easier to reason, even befriend him.

In truth, it was the opposite.

Stannis asked him about his father, but why should Jon speak?

The problem, Jon realized, was that he feared why Stannis was asking him about his father.

He had been in Dragonstone for half a moon, but apart from their conversation the day he came as an envoy, they hadn't talked, until now. The bastard of Winterfell believed himself to be observant, a good trait to have, and one that paired well with his baseborn status.

His opinions on Stannis were as complex as the man himself. Jon could not deny he admired his sense of justice, his determination, and even how he cared for his daughter. Cressen and Davos' tales only reinforced this view. However, Stannis would easily take offense at the smallest of things and continuously grieve those, his forgiveness was only harder to earn than his smile.

What unsettled Jon the most was that he feared his future self would most likely grow up to be exactly like Stannis. In fact, he was almost sure that, if not for his family being there for him in a way Stannis never was, he would've become like that already.

It scared him. He wanted to be on good terms with Robb, Bran, and the others. He wanted his father to live long enough so he would be proud of him. He wanted the happiness that seemed to elude Stannis.

Stannis was what he would become if his father perished and Robb was more like Theon.

He wondered if Stannis saw him as what he could have been if his brothers loved him and his parents didn't perish at that shipwreck at Storm's End.

So, what would Jon do when a man, who he knows can be dangerous, starts asking questions about his family? What should he do when his journey's fate rests in this man's hands?

The answer should be easy. Lie. Twist tales and invent stories until Stannis is satisfied and go away quickly before he sees his deceit.

But Jon could not lie, not to anyone, but even more so to someone he knew was like him in his disregard for skullduggery.

It was his anger at his father's secrecy on his mother's name that caused him to leave Winterfell. In a twist, it was his own secrecy, deemed from his loyalty to his family that might send him back there.

He wondered if this is why his father never spoke. Loyalty.

Before he could continue his exercise in thought, Stannis interrupted him.

"I'm not a particularly patient man, Snow. You were in silence for five minutes already."

"I can't."

The man's jaw clenched and his frown deepened instantly. "Care to repeat what you said?"

"I can't betray my family's trust, my lord."

"And how exactly would you be doing that?"

"You ask me of my father. True friends are found on the battlefield he once said to me. Lord Stannis, you fought beside him in two wars, so what you wish to know about him that you haven't seen by your own eyes already?" he asked, staring the lord straight in the eyes. He would not cower.

"Trust me boy, a man in a war is different from what he is in his home. Some more than others, but my point stands."

Jon had to concede that. He only had been in a small raid, not even a battle. Still, he knew the Jon that impaled an arrow with his own hands at another man's neck was not the same that would read stories to Bran at night.

"My lord, why do you care?" Jon winced at the bluntness of his tone the moment his words left his mouth.

Stannis once again clenched his jaw but did not comment on his slight. "As much as my brother may argue with that notion, wars aren't fought solely on the battlefield. Not a single soul in the Seven Kingdoms may deny Lord Stark's sense of honor, his valor on the battlefield, but apart from that there's little to say about him."

Jon frowned at the man's words.

Wars aren't fought solely on the battlefield…he means to say a war is on course now? If that's the case who is involved?

"My lord speaks of war but still wishes to learn about my father. Why the sudden interest in him?"

"It's not solely on him." Stannis countered. "I'm interested in the Seven Kingdoms. The court has representatives from the Westerlands, Stormlands, Reach, Vale, and the Riverlands. Davos informs me of the tidings in Dorne and the Iron Islands due to his travels. The same can't be said of the North."

Jon understood some of Stannis' reasons but he was still reluctant. "I won't answer anything I feel might endanger my family."

Stannis gritted his teeth. "Snow, why I would even endanger your family?"

"Ever since I entered that ship in White Harbor I've been told of how treacherous the South is when compared to the North. Cressen, Davos, even you seemed to agree with the fact, nothing guarantees that you are playing me to get what you want. Whatever that is."

The Lord of Dragonstone sighed. "I let you into my castle, allowed you to roam freely, speak with the Maester; even interact with my daughter. This is my trust."

Jon frowned in thought. "I will answer your questions, but should I feel this sort of information would endanger the North or my father I will keep my mouth shut, even if it means you are sending me back there."

Stannis' eye twitched, but he refrained from any other jabs. "I will then ask you once again, tell me about the Warden of the North. Tell me of Lord Eddard Stark."

Jon felt his figurative back on the wall. "There are lots of things I could say. I will admit that when I was at the Black Bertha I asked Davos about you."

The Baratheon Lord raised his eyebrow at that but gestured him to continue.

"He said he was biased to speak, but still said that you valued justice and trust above all else." If Stannis felt pleased by Davos' assessment he did not show, so Jon continued. "My thoughts on fath…. Lord Stark might be even more biased than Davos'. But if I were to emphasize what I believe is his defining trait, I'd say it would be his honor."

"Robert praises Lord Eddard's honor. Jon Arryn too, even Tywin Lannister. I want something more than that."

"The fact that even Lord Lannister, who my father openly despises for the deaths of Elia Martel and her children, speaks of his honor only reinforces my point. I can't imagine speaking of my father without saying of his honor."

"But I would be a fool if I believed you would be satisfied with just that. What more can I say?" Jon asked himself, frowning in thought. He then glanced at Stannis. "It's not an attempt at flattery, but in my opinion, you two are very similar."

Stannis seemed to scoff at that. "Why is that?"

"You too are a man of honor, Lord Stannis. In the same manner, my father strongly values justice. He once took me, Robb, and Theon Greyjoy to watch an execution. He carries the sentence himself, and says that the one who passes the sentence should swing the sword."

Stannis nodded in approval. "When I condemned Davos for smuggling, he requested that I should be the one to hack his fingertips. I would have done so nonetheless."

"You both love your children dearly." Jon pointed out. "I heard from Cressen that when Shireen suffered from Greyscale some of your advisors said you should send her away, as no good would come of it."

Stannis interrupted him at that. "These men were fools. When I was young, I found and nursed a goshawk back to health. Named her Proudwing, but she never was able to soar nor fly higher than the trees. My brother too had a gyrfalcon, Thunderclap, who unlike Proudwing was healthy and never missed a strike. He dubbed mine Weakwing and mocked me."

Jon frowned in thought, remembering how similar Stannis' memories were to his with Ebrion. "Sometimes the words coming from our family are the ones that hurt us the most."

Stannis nodded. "I assume there's a story behind that."

Jon nodded but said nothing, the frown still firmly etched on his face.

"I won't pry further." The Baratheon promised. "Still, when my great-uncle said I was making a fool of myself. I heeded his words."

"You regret that?"

"No, I learned an important lesson that day."

Jon did not pry further either when Stannis went silent. "They shouldn't."

"What do you mean." The Lord of Dragonstone asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You advisors." Jon clarified. "They shouldn't have counseled a father to send his only daughter away. And they shouldn't have praised you for doing so either."

Stannis' reaction was instant: jaws clenched and eyes turning thunderous.

"How dare…" he began to speak but was cut off by Jon, who realized how bad his words sounded the moment they left his mouth.

"What I mean to say is that people see you taking care of your sickly daughter as an act of kindness." He justified. "My lord has done praiseworthy things, but taking care of your daughter, it was the mere obligation to your daughter, loaning House Tully's words. Family, duty, honor. Family before duty, duty before honor."

The bastard sighed and at that moment he felt he sounded and looked much older than his three and ten name days. "Children aren't made by accident. It seems parents are eager to put them onto the world, but not as eager in caring for them."

Stannis was placated by his words. If Jon were to guess, the lord apparently caught up on the fact that his opinions were also based on his experiences. "You will, most likely, be a good father."

Jon blinked at that. Stannis praised him.

Still, he shook his head. "I won't. I'm a bastard, I won't subject a lady to the dishonor" he said the last word with venom "of marrying a bastard. Nor I will subject any children of mine with my surname."

Stannis glanced at him. "Your father treated differently from your half-siblings?"

Jon shook his head. "Never. Something I realized I did not appreciate as much as I should have. It seems that my case was the exception rather than the norm."

"It was." The man confirmed. "But I assume his wife was not as welcoming."

The bastard nodded somberly. "She never loved me. When she calls me bastard rather than my name it stings. When I realized my sibling had the love of both their parents whereas I had only one it hurt. When my sister Sansa learned the meaning of the word bastard and took her mother's side, it hurt a lot more."

"You should consider yourself lucky." Stannis said, causing Jon to frown. "Here in the south, it's not unheard of wives arranging the demise of their husband's bastards. Be glad it is dislike rather than hate."

"Does it make me an ungrateful bastard that I only think of how I'm being judged for something I had no choice for? How she is directing at me the anger meant for my mother and father?"

Whilst Jon didn't expect the sympathies of Stannis, he also didn't expect the steel in his tone. "It does. Feeling sorry for yourself, even for something that wasn't in your control is pointless. Work hard enough to change things and do your best to live with the hand you were dealt. You are a bastard of a great house who was provided shelter and allowed to live with your parent and siblings. You learned alongside them and probably made good memories with them. You are in a better situation than most. Children of your age already starve, or are forced to work in brothels. Maybe even sold in slavery. Rather than feeling envious of the select few above you, you should be grateful for what you were given. If you were to go to Flea Bottom right now, I guarantee you that the kids there would be jumping at the chance of replacing you."

Stannis' tone was cold, scolding. At the end of the man's speech, Jon could only look down at the Painted Table, in shame.

He did not move to rebut Stannis' words, as he knew the man was right. Instead, he diverted the topic. "I take you don't like my actions so far. Leaving Winterfell and my family behind, I mean."

"I don't. As I said you are so focused on futilely reaching and envying what's above you that you don't even realize how above you are compared to the rest. Still, I respect your decision, at a such young age, to try to find the truth about your origins. You are brave Jon Snow, brave and ambitious. A good hundred years ago there was too a bastard who was brave and ambitious."

It took a few moments to know Stannis was referring to either Aegor Rivers or Daemon Blackfyre.

"Lady Catelyn Stark maybe is not wrong for fearing you could challenge her children's claims."

Jon wanted to say he would never steal Robb's birthright but knew the man was incapable of believing him. Unlike Jon, Stannis never learned to love his siblings. He kept silent, nails dug deep into his skin so he would not offend the lord at his hall, whilst still contemplating his words. Was he being a hypocrite?

"You mentioned Lord Stark's wife did not direct her anger at her husband for bringing a bastard home." Stannis brought Jon's words back. "How is their relationship like?"

"They love each other." Jon said without hesitation. "I assume they had their own share of fights over the years but never in front of the children or the servants. Still, anyone with two eyes can see the love they share."

Stannis frowned. "Have Lady Stark ever mentioned Petyr Baelish?"

Jon shook his head. "Never heard of him."

Stannis simply nodded, and Jon fought the urge to ask more.

"Are you familiar with the story of how they came to be married?"

"Not from any of them directly, but I hear the servants sometimes. Caitlin was supposed to marry my uncle Brandon. When Rhaegar kidnapped my aunt, he rushed headfirst into King's Landing to demand justice. The mad king killed him. The Rebellion needed the forces of the Riverlands, so my father had to marry her instead. Jon Arryn married her sister if I'm not mistaken."

Stannis hummed in approval. "This Petyr Baelish I spoke of; he was Hoster Tully's ward. She loved Hoster's eldest daughter Catelyn. Shortly before her marriage to Brandon Stark, Baelish challenged him for her hand."

"Is he good with a sword?"

"No better than I am with a sewing needle."

Jon chuckled at the image of Stannis with a sewing needle, but quickly composed himself, not missing the slight upturn of Stannis' lips.

"People in Winterfell say my uncle was a better warrior than my father, stronger and taller too." He noted. "I assume my uncle killed him."

"Lady Tully asked him not to. He complied. Even now Petyr claims Catelyn loved him not Brandon, tells she gave him her maidenhead."

Jon frowned. "I hold no love for Lady Stark but this is a lie. She loves my father. Besides, I simply can't see her breaking her vows like that."

"Why?"

"Family, duty, honor." He said, earning a nod from Stannis.

"Baelish rose high, he is now Master of the Coin at the Small Council." Stannis informed Jon. "Your father speaks of the North's finances with his children?"

Jon shook his head negatively. "Rarely. Why?"

"I was wondering whether his past experiences with Brandon caused him to have any grudges against House Stark."

"You suspect him to use his position to make the dealings with the crown difficult?"

"Yes."

"I can't be sure, but the truth is that my father rarely relies on the South for anything."

This caused Stannis to narrow his eyes. "Your father has no dealings with the south?"

"He rarely speaks of his time in the South. For a long time, I assumed it was because the South took his brother, sister, and father at once. Now I'm inclined to believe it has to do with my mother too."

"He prefers to stay North." Stannis surmised, earning a nod from him.

"The Warden in the North must stay North he says. Sometimes he writes letters to the South; the Hand of the King, Hoster Tully, Yohn Royce, sometimes to the King himself, but those pale in comparison to the correspondence shared with the North."

Stannis seemed in deep thought. "Tell me about your siblings."

Jon narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"You spoke of Eddard Stark's personality; you spoke of his tastes. Still, I may need a clearer picture I need to know of him as a father."

"Then ask about me."

"Not all children are raised in the same manner."

Jon sighed. He still was wary of Stannis' interest in his family but he needed to give something to the man if he wanted to be allowed passage to Starfall.

"My brother Robb is the eldest and father's heir. I believe myself as someone who upholds honor and justice in the highest of regards, if that's the truth, which I hope it is, the same can be said of Robb." Jon hoped the next part of his description would not make him sound too envious. "Still, Robb was always better than me. With a sword in hand, I may barely beat him, but that's it. He is easy to befriend and captivates guests while I sulk in the corners; he is the most desirable match in the North while I'm the stain in my father's honor."

Stannis glanced at him, almost looking sympathetic. "Who's older you or him?"

"I don't know." Jon admitted. "Robb was conceived at Riverrun during the rebellion, if my mother is indeed Lady Ashara Dayne I might be older as I don't see my father betraying his vows so shortly after consummation."

The Lord of Dragonstone said nothing, just stared at him, which Jon took as a sign to continue.

"My sister Sansa is three years younger than Robb. Of the Stark children, she is the one who takes the most of her mother."

"In appearance or personality?"

"Both." Jon clarified before continuing. "She is fond of the south." Jon supplied.

Stannis raised an eyebrow. "You can only describe your sister as being fond of the south?"

"We aren't close." Jon justified. "She loves tales of romance, knights. Is keen on courtly etiquette and embroidery. I can't relate to anything she does. I imagine she feels the same about me. The fact that my mere presence seems to offend her mother is just the final nail in the coffin."

"I'm close to my sister Arya on the other hand." Jon quickly changed subjects. "She is three years younger than Sansa. I remember that Sansa once was happy to have a younger sister but now they constantly bicker. Arya has little interest in traditional ladies' activities, but loves riding and playing with sticks that resemble swords. Some say she is similar to my aunt Lyanna, something that I believe my father dislikes."

"He dislikes that she is similar to your aunt or that people comment on it."

"I believe it is the former." Jon said. "Father says she should listen to the Septa and her mother, but never outright forbade her from playing with us."

"Finally, there is Bran. He's a year younger than Arya. He is a smart kid, but a bit scrawny. Too curious for his own good too, Lady Stark is often distressed when she loses sight of him in one moment to find him atop a branch. As a second son, he will either be a bannerman for Robb if my father finds suitable land or a knight. He seems to favor the latter."

"Baby Rickon was born on the day I left Winterfell, so I can't say anything of him." Jon concluded his descriptions at last

"Your siblings take after their father or their mother?" Stannis inquired.

It was the second time Stannis asked about his siblings' looks, which caused Jon to frown.

Is the man seeking a match? If so to whom? Shireen? His brother Renly?

"Other than me, Arya is the only one who is said to resemble Lord Stark rather than her mother. Robb, Bran, and especially Sansa are said to take more of their mother."

Stannis frowned in thought for a few seconds, before sighing.

Jon took it as a sign and asked the dreaded question. "My lord, now am I free to head to Starfall?"

He did not know how long it took for Stannis to respond. For Jon, whose destiny depended on the decision, it felt like an eternity.

"You may go."

As much as Jon wanted to hop aboard the first ship before Stannis could change his mind, he knew he couldn't. The truth is that Jon grew attached to these people during his stay there. Cressen taught him a lot, and Shireen allowed him to be the big brother he could be for Sansa.

Thus, with a heavy heart, he announced his departure to both Cressen and Shireen. The Maester was glad for him, as Jon confided how much meeting his mother meant to him.

Shireen however pleaded him not to go, but once Jon told her he needed to find his mother she relented. She pouted and did that thing Sansa and Arya did to make her eyes look bigger though.

Still, she was an obedient child, she had to be as she was Stannis' daughter.

"Close your eyes and extend your hand." He said, earning a frown from the girl.

She relented at last, and when she did so, Jon gently placed his present in her hand.

"You can look now."

When the small lady opened her eyes, she let out a small gasp at the purple hairpin placed in her hand.

"I'm still an amateur." Jon explained sheepishly. "Still, only in Dragonstone that dragonglass comes in colors other than black. You are to be Lady of Dragonstone in the future, I thought it would be fitting if you had something that portrayed that."

"Thank you." The girl said, before hugging him. "Can you…." She asked, gesturing to the hairpin.

Jon saw little of Shireen's mother and according to Cressen, she was not what people would call a good mother. The little lady requesting his help rather than her mother's seemed to prove the Maester right.

The bastard had somewhat long hair, but never cared about tying it, so he was clueless at first. Thankfully, he managed to remember how Sansa and Jeyne used their hairpins and did his best to copy. The result, albeit lacking, made the girl so happy she beamed at him.

After Shireen was gone, presumably to show the gift to her father or Davos, Cressen patted his shoulder.

"You did a very good thing for her today, Jon."

He smiled back. "I know, her smile alone made my trip to Dragonstone worth it."

The night before his departure, he was once again summoned to the Chamber of the Painted table.

Jon went there just hoping that Stannis hadn't changed his mind. As it seems, Jon could not keep his emotions out of his face, as when he opened the door, he faced not only Lord Stannis but also Ser Davos Seaworth, who chuckled.

"Calm down lad, we're not sending you back to Winterfell." He pointed out in amusement as Jon let out a sigh of relief.

"Much to the contrary." Stannis interjected, with a slight upturn of his lips. "We are looking at the best way possible to help your journey."

"Why?" he blurted out.

Stannis' jaw was slightly clenched, but the lord let go, his teeth and neck too, regaining their original position. "Because you were kind to Shireen."

Sometimes Jon really wished honor was not so important to him. "I did little for her, my lord. The hairpin holds no value when compared to a trip to Dorne."

"Yet, you were the first to show how much you cared." Ser Davos interjected.

"Ser Davos speaks truthfully." Stannis said. "I'm keenly aware that Shireen deserves a better parent, better parents. As you pointed out some time ago, people shouldn't be praising me for taking care of my daughter. Still, it does not come easily to me."

Atop the raised seat at the chamber, Stannis could not look more isolated than the others. "I want to do better, and I will, one day. But at the time, please let me reward the one who made my daughter smile."

Jon could only nod back, thinking of his own father.

Most likely sensing neither he nor Stannis himself were used to this sort of conversation, Davos came to the rescue. "I was already planning to visit my wife and children at Cape Wrath. I could easily extend my trip to Dorne. Keep the ship close to the coast and take you all the way to the Torrentine and Starfall."

Surprisingly it was Stannis who interjected. "Are you good on horseback?"

Jon blinked, realizing Stannis was asking him. "I'd say so, not as good as a knight, though."

"If you are in a hurry, I believe there's a better alternative."

The bastard then realized that he, Stannis, and Davos, were walking around the room, seeking the best route. No different than Aegon the Conqueror.

From a Lord who rides dragons and his sister wives; scions of a storied Valyrian dynasty to a bastard, a former smuggler, and the brother of the man who toppled said dynasty. How the mighty have fallen.

He was brought off his musings as Stannis presented his route. "Rather than maneuvering around the entire peninsula of Dorne, Davos could take you to Kingsgrave, accessible by a river. From there, you could traverse the Prince's Pass on horseback and reach the Torrentine."

Jon nodded. "I like that, no offense, Ser Davos, but I'd rather not spend more time than necessary on a boat."

The smuggler just chuckled. "Don't worry lad, the sea is acquired taste."

Jon nodded gratefully at the duo, before turning to Stannis. "Won't this get in trouble with the King?"

The lord shook his head. "At this point, my brother does not even attend the small council meetings, he passed the message on behalf of Eddard but he does not care that much about a bastard anyway."

Said bastard just winced at the blunt wording. "My lord, thank you, for everything."

Stannis gave him a stiff nod of the head. Coming from the Lord of Dragonstone, it meant as much as a hug.

His opponent took advantage of the falter in his step, even if Jon parried the sword aimed at his torso, he could not do anything against the extended elbow that hit his gut. Thankfully for him, the strike was not enough to take his breath away. Jon then set his foot and pivoted his body, bringing his own sword in a thrusting motion aimed at the assailant's upper body, who had to quickly step back to flee Jon's reach.

Jon smirked, with a sword in hand and equal footing he knew he was better. With a quick step, he closed on the opponent and brought down his sword in a flurry of strikes. Each slash received less resistance from the swordsman and Jon knew victory was within reach. In a small window between his opponent's attempts at fending him off, Jon saw his chance.

The boy from the North prepared a jab aimed true at the opponent's exposed chest. On the last second, however, a wave shook the ship, causing the bastard to momentarily lose his footing, as result, what was supposed to be a decisive strike to the chest turned into a thrust that barely grazed the other swordsman's right shoulder.

His grey eyes locked with the opponent's brown.

Fuck.

Jon realized his mistake a second too late. His leg was swept from below and he fell to the ground. He attempted to recover quickly, but to no avail, before he could get up he felt the cold steel press into his neck and Jon knew he was defeated.

"Dead." The teenager said.

Snow just nodded in acceptance and soon enough a hand was offered to help him up.

"I almost had you there." Jon muttered.

"Almost." The boy smirked.

"Fuck you, Maric." Jon cursed but accepted the help.

Maric Seaworth, besides his brown eyes, inherited from his father, also had black hair, which he inherited from Lady Marya, his mother. Davos' marriage is a very fruitful one, as he has, so far, seven children, all male. Maric was the fourth son, and the one closest to Jon's age, being just two name days older.

The Black Bertha, Davos' galley was on the last leg of her trip, having recently left his keep at Cape Wrath. If Jon were to look at the coast he would see that the Rainwood, which he saw ever since the ship sailed past Storm's End, was beginning to fade, giving place to greenish moors and plains that belonged to the Dornish Marches.

Despite enjoying his visit to Dragonstone, visiting places that meant so much to the story of Westeros, learning from Cressen, and befriending Shireen, Jon sorely missed practicing with his swords.

So, when Davos took Maric with him after their stay in his lands, Jon not only had someone of his age to talk to, albeit they barely did, but also a sparring partner. Sparring atop a ship was different than anything he ever experienced, as years of Ser Rodrik's mentorship meant nothing when the rocking of waves easily ruined his footwork.

Jon was better than Davos' son at land, but, unlike him, the boy was used to fighting on the deck of a ship, so each time they fought while in the sea, he lost.

The bastard of Winterfell had to admit that this was starting to grate on his nerves.

Jon sighed, picking up his blunted sword. "Once again." He said. "I have to defeat you before we reach Dorne."

Jon finally defeated Maric on his last day at the sea. By then, the greenery he grew used to at the Stormlands was fading, replaced by the imposing beauty of the Red Mountains and a mesh between the last remaining patches of grass and sand that was almost as red as the mountains.

Kingsgrave, named after the place where the first lord Manwoody slew a Gardener King of the Reach, long before Aegon united the realm. House Manwoody still ruled these lands after all these years, albeit they lost their Kingship in Nymeria's War.

Still, House Manwoody seemed proud of their history, as not only their castle but also their coat of arms, a white skull with a golden crown on a black field, remembered a King was slain in these lands in the distant past.

Jon expected to see plenty of olive-skinned Dornishmen when he reached the castle town, but, much to his surprise, most of the populace was similar to him in appearance, it was then that he recalled King Daeron's account of the Dornish in The Conquest of Dorne. The people that inhabited the Red Mountains were largely of First Man and Andal origins, thus making them closer to him, in both appearance and customs.

Still, Jon did his best to merge with the crowd, he knew there was no love for the North in there after the rebellion. Elia Martell's death was as fresh in their mind as his aunt Lyanna's was in the North.

Jon himself felt sickened when he first learned of the fate of Rhaegar's wife and children. Elia was dishonored by him at Harrenhal when he opted to crown his aunt Queen of Love and Beauty; rather than justice for her husband's folly, she lost an uncle at the Trident and was raped by the Mountain before being cleaved in half. Princess Rhaenys was three name days old when she, according to accounts received half a hundred stabs; her brother Aegon was barely a babe when his head was crushed against the walls.

He once heard from the Greatjon that his father quarreled with King Robert when the new monarch voiced his approval of the murder of the infants. Still, the blunt of his father's displeasure lay with Tywin Lannister, who not only executed said deed but also was rewarded for it, with a queenship for his daughter and the royal pardon of his son Jamie Lannister, who betrayed his vows and killed the Mad King, who he was sworn to protect, thus earning the Kingslayer moniker.

Despite the heritage of both Andals and First Men, the architecture of the castle town did little to resemble Winterfell or any of the other keeps he visited. It seems that the abundance of limestone made the town develop differently with buildings that merged with the sands and not a single trace of wood.

Jon frowned, looking at the pouch in his hands. Before he said his goodbyes to the crew, Davos took him aside and handed him a pouch that had more gold than he ever had. Stannis' courtesy, the sailor said. Jon attempted to refuse, but Davos pointed out that it was likely that the Lord of Dragonstone would take offense if Jon refused his present.

It seemed something Stannis would do, a hidden good deed, without taking credit for it.

So, Jon put the money to good use. He brought himself a beautiful sand steed, black, of coat and mane. The horse has a neck longer than the horses he rode in Winterfell, and had a narrower head and smaller size.

Still, Dusk, as Jon named him, would serve his needs wonderfully, as he could easily traverse the Prince's Pass without much rest and at a quick pace with very few stops as it was claimed that sand steeds could run for two days and one night without the need to rest or stop for water.

He also brought supplies so he would not need to stop before he reached Starfall.

However, rather than heading south as he discussed with Lord Stannis and Ser Davos, Jon took the road to the north.

Dusk was already proving how useful he was for Jon when it cut the one day required to reach his destination in half. As awed as he was by his horse, Jon could not help but feel disappointed when he reached his target.

In the last battle of the Rebellion, thirteen years ago, his father slew Ser Arthur Dayne in this very place. Ser Arthur Dayne, the closest friend of Rhaegar Targaryen, who raped his aunt to death, and most likely Jon's uncle. The bastard of Winterfell had no idea how to feel about that.

On one hand, if the rumors were indeed true, Jon was related to the last Sword of the Morning, the finest blade of the time and a legendary knight, famed not only for his chivalry but also his deadliness.

On the other hand, this would mean that his uncle aided Rhaegar in the kidnapping of his aunt before falling to his father's sword. He wondered how his mot… how Lady Ashara would feel. Her brother was slain by her rumored lover.

Is this why she sent me away? Maybe father was just protecting me…

Jon quickly reined on his dangerous train of thought. He had come so far to back down now. For better or worse he would face Lady Ashara.

It was almost ironic that the so-called Tower of Joy only brought sadness to families. Besides his aunt, sons of houses Glover, Dustin, Wull, Ryswell, and Cassel were lost. Besides then, the three of the Kingsguard perished too, thus extending the grief to houses Whent, Hightower, and Dayne.

Jon could not envision the tower as his father had it torn down to build cairns for the deceased. Five cairns were placed on one side whilst three were on another, marking the deceased Northmen and the Kingsguard respectively.

He was not particularly religious, although, like his father, he kept the Old Gods. When the Andals invaded long ago, most of the weirwood trees were either burnt or cut down, which meant his Gods had little to do with the affairs in the south. Still, he hoped they still witnessed him as he offered a prayer to the man who fell fighting to rescue his aunt. He also muttered a few words in honor of her, who was said to have died here.

After he was finished with the Northern side, he made his way to the remaining three cairns. He was not devout of the Seven, so he did not offer any prayers for them, as it would not only be a mockery of their creeds but also of his. Still, he tended to their graves.

It was the bare minimum he could do to men who were slain doing their duty.

As he noticed earlier, there was little joy to be found here, in fact glancing at the cairns and thinking of how young his aunt was only brought him more sadness.

He turned and left without glancing back.

As much as Jon felt tempted to test the Dornishmen claims of the sand steeds' endurance, Jon decided to be cautious in his travels. He opted for the safer path, heading west towards Blackmont, where he first laid his eyes on the Torrentine.

It was different than both the White Knife and the river that led to Kingsgrave, with rapids and waterfalls due to the quick flow of water. He would also see natural features such as canyons and crevasses, making the surrounding area a natural stronghold. Starfall, placed on the mouth of the said river was one of Westeros' most fortified positions. Because of that, the only instance of the castle falling was courtesy of Queen Visenya and the fearsome Vhagar.

Not familiar with the region, Jon decided to make his trek following the river flow. He first reached Blackmont, the seat of the homonymous family. He spent one day and one night resting at the town's inn, resting both Dusk and himself in order to prepare for his most ambitious trek yet, he would not stop until he reached the mouth of the river.

High Hermitage housed a cadet branch of the Daynes, its name coming due to its placement among the Red Mountains. Jon, however, refrained from visiting the castle or even resting at the nearby village as he heard unsavory words about its Lord, Ser Gerold Dayne, also known as Darkstar.

With an endless supply of water to quench both his and Dusk's thirst, Jon opted for pushing his pace. He was so close he could feel it. His efforts paid off as he cut down two days from the five required to travel from Blackmont to the mouth of the Torrentine.

Starfall was built on an island, thus only accessible by boat. Still, villages housed the smallfolk whose livelihood depended on the services provided to House Dayne, just like some servants of Winterfell lodged at the nearby Wintertown.

Whilst people often referred to the castle's placement at the mouth of the Torrentine, Jon recalled from Maester Luwin's words that the correct term was estuary, meaning the point a river connected to the sea. Due to his military interests, Jon could easily see how it took dragons to burn the castle. The villages, built on both margins of the river were also guarded by watchtowers, which could easily harass any fleet attempting to sail the river, which was an already difficult task as the treacherous rapids required a sailor familiar with the waters.

During one of the Bolton's Rebellions, the Dreadfort, which was rumored to be the most formidable fort in the North barring Moat Cailin, held a siege for two years before succumbing to starvation. If Jon were to estimate, Starfall could hold even longer due to the natural defenses.

Finding an experienced sailor to take him, and Dusk to the castle proper proved to be a difficult task, but Jon learned that gold easily made things happen.

His first thought upon seeing the castle was that this was the south his sister's songs spoke about. Castle Sunderland paled even when compared to Deepwood Motte and although imposing in its own way, Dragonstone was dreary, not pretty by any means.

He was sure that even his sister Arya, who disliked Sansa's tales and songs, would be awed by the castle's beauty. The castle's outer walls were built with limestone, from there Jon could see plenty of arrowslits and murder holes, as well as scorpions placed in strategic points, thus solidifying Jon's impression of the castle's defenses.

From what he could see, the inner walls were even more beautiful, with palestone composing its keeps and towers, with the Dayne white sword and falling star on lilac banners proudly displayed. Purple and pale pink cones and spires crowned the towers.

Jon headed to the main gates, eyeing the guards who donned the Dornish-styled armor with the lilac of House Dayne.

He took a deep breath and addressed the men who eyed him warily.

"My name is Jon Snow, Eddard Stark's natural son. I would like to speak with Lady Ashara Dayne.

Notes: This week I found myself with plenty of time to write, it's rare but happens sometimes. As result, I present you with a 7K words chapter written in a bit more than a week.

Now, for notes regarding this chapter:

Stannis questioning Jon of Ned's character and his siblings' appearance was meant to allude he was already suspicious of the legitimacy of Robert's children and looking for allies.

I'm a huge fan of Stannis but attempted to make his portrayal as realistic as possible. Also, since Jon won't be going to the Night's Watch, it falls upon Stannis the task to point out how privileged Jon actually was.

I did my best to keep the travel times accurate and avoid the teleporting shenanigans of the show, I feel I did a good job but I'm always looking for ways to improve this aspect as I'm a bit perfectionist about some things.

The next chapter will take longer than a week to be ready, but I feel it needs to be done perfectly as it will cover the long-awaited meeting with Ashara and introduce several characters that will play a huge role in the story moving forward.

Now, answering some of the reviews:

Pericles of Cholargos: Thanks for pointing it out, it's already fixed.

KingOfSummer 245: I'd include Viserys II in that list too, even if he only ruled as a king for one year.

Zero1734: Thanks for the reviews, and a belated happy new year to you too. Yes, I noticed the similarities between Jon/Eggeater and Hiccup/Toothless as I finished writing the chapter too. It was one of the reasons I had Jon renaming him by the end of the chapter, I like HTTYD but what I intend to do here is very different from it.

Ninja124: I'd say character development is the difference between good stories from great ones. It's by far one of the hardest tasks too as we have plenty of complex, multi-layered characters too. Jaime, Jon, and Stannis come immediately to mind.

I had Stannis helping Jon due to his interest in information regarding Ned and his gratitude for the attention he paid to Shireen. Stannis obviously won't go around saying he helped Jon.

I feel warging is rarely used in most stories, and something I will thoroughly explore. I will, however, attempt to scale back things a bit in order to not have an OP Jon right from the bat.

I love Davos too, he manages to be one of the few characters with great portrayals in both the books and the show. During the initial stage of the story, Jon will be wary of strangers but will slowly open up, as he did with Cressen and Stannis. By the end, however, he will have a strong group of friends who won't be afraid to call him out if they feel he's making too many mistakes.

Thanks a lot for the review and the insights, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.