AN: Thanks for all the support and reviews. Also special thanks to ZairHelios for helping to expand on the original outline for the story. I've kept record of reviewer suggestions and have worked them into planning for future chapters where it made sense. Feel free to review if you have any ideas that you would like to see and your suggesion may make its way into future chapters. Anyway, onto the chapter. Enjoy!
The sound of clapping was heard as a man stepped through the doors of Winterfell, dressed in resplendent armor with his hair somehow billowing despite the lack of a breeze. "It seems that even Lord Eddard Stark's vaunted honor was found lacking in the task of raising a bastard of honor. Even if House Greyjoy, in their position of Lords of the Iron Islands, is the least worthy of reverence amongst the Lords Paramount, it cannot be denied that the Greyjoy heir being attacked by the son of the man who took him as a ward, in defense of a Wildling if his words are to be believed, is the epitome of treachery," Jaime Lannister announced. "I would usually stay out of northern squabbles but this is just too good to pass up."
Jon's attention was drawn from his previous enemies to the man that was now walking towards him while drawing his sword as he equipped a sword and shield from his inventory as surreptitiously as possible, with the knight's attention on him. The man stopped several paces before him before swinging his sword and falling into a sword stance before continuing, "Fortunately, you are not a Stark and were not the one to take down the Sword of Morning. However, I think that your showing against those two at least merits me testing your ability with a sword. Who knows, if you are able to survive, I may even let you leave. However, if you refuse this challenge then I will do everything within my power, and you may have heard something of the extents of House Lannister's power, to bring you to proper justice."
Quest Alert! A Golden Bargain
Main Objective: Survive the onslaught of Jaime Lannister for two minutes.
Secondary Objective: Force the Lannister to retreat, defeated.
Tertiary Objective: Escape the battle before the two minute elapses.
Rewards for Main Objective Completion: 100,000 Blocking Experience, 100,000 One-Handed, 50,000 Illusion Experience, 25,000 Magic Manipulation.
Rewards for Secondary Objective Completion: Increased Luck when actively pursuing the Vengeance is Coming quest, ? (advantage against the Lannister Magic that Jon fought against after returning), increased reputation in the realm.
Rewards for Tertiary Objective Completion: 100,000 Illusion Experience, 50,000 Magic Manipulation, ?, Decreased reputation with the realm.
Penalty for Failure: Ygritte' death, you will be exiled from Winterfell and sentenced to the Wall.
The Ring was able to predict what level I needed to be at to deal with magic users, at least based on the battle with Yohan. Maybe it's possible that that the objectives for this quest are also attainable? Jon had to think quickly. Jamie Lannister is regarded in the same way as Ser Arthur Dayne. I know that I have grown much since getting the Ring but I think it would be hubris to believe I'll be able to defeat the Kingslayer in a duel, at this time. Although, I must admit, I would cherish the opportunity to strike against the House that struck the deciding blow against my Targaryen ancestors. Surviving is the priority. Escape would be the next best option since I'm not sure that I can defeat the Kingslayer in a straight duel.
Jon's thoughts were cut off by the sight of an ethereal timer that started ticking down from 120 and was floating above the Kingslayer's head as he charged at Jon. The man was known as a master swordsman and it quickly became obvious that he merited the accolades that he had garnered. Jon was pushed hard as he brought his blade to counter whenever dodging was not possible, which happened much more frequently than he wanted to admit.
When the clock had reached 105, Jon noticed a significant decrease in his Stamina Points. Though the battle-tested knight's blows were fierce, Ser Jaime did not drastically outclass him in terms of strength. It was the man's agility that allowed him to rain blows on his younger opponent. Each blow from the knight of the King's Guard was blocked but the SP cost was mounting with each clash of their weapons and each block with the shield.
I need to turn the tide on the battle. I don't want to run out of SP while on the defensive, Jon's thoughts were less than articulate as the former heir to House Lannister attacked in a way that could have ended his life or maimed him if not for Jon's stout yet flagging defense. 85 seconds may be too many if he is able to maintain this level of assault. The quest rewards mentioned a mystery reward; I wonder if it could have something to do with the magic that assaulted Bran since one of the rewards mentioned a luck bonus for the Vengeance is Coming quest.
Jon's sword was not idle as his opponent tried to gain the advantage in their clashes. He lashed out with his sword at the occasional opening in the Kingslayer's stalwart defense. How quickly the infrequent openings in his opponent's defense were closed spoke to the older man's experience. There's only 60 seconds left. All it would take is one or two solid hits. I may be able to do this! Jon tried to hype himself up only to have his attention pulled in a different direction by a feminine voice crying out.
"Just leave me be, Wildling," Ysolda's voice sounded and Jon's peripheral vision caught her struggling with Ygritte. "You try to pretend that your actions are something to be proud of but Jon had all but won the battle before you showed up. If it weren't for your Wildling kin then my mother, my father and the rest of the people from my village would still be alive. I wish you had aimed that arrow at me instead. That way I wouldn't have to see Jon turn traitor by fighting for someone who isn't worth saving."
Jon and Jaime continued to exchange blows. Only 40 seconds more to go for the main objective, Jon noted internally. He wanted to monitor the situation that was brewing between Ygritte and Ysolda but he could only spare so much attention while dealing with the onslaught of blows from the man that had killed his grandfather.
Beyond his focus, Yohan had been steadily regaining his MP and surprised Jon by announcing with both of his arms outstretched and his palms raised and aimed at Jon, "I believe it's House Stark that loves to tell people that Winter is Coming. It's time for you to learn the truth about Winter's Fury."
Immediately a thick flurry of snow erupted around the combatants of the duel. It was all Jon could do to keep track of his opponent with the torrent of snow falling as heavily as it did in Old Nan's tales of True Winter. I haven't yet been able to put Ser Jaime on the defensive by mounting a successful offensive. If Yohan has recovered his magic, which seems to be the case, and he is able to maintain this spell much longer then it may be time to make an escape rather than to continue this duel against the Kingslayer.
Fortunately, the heavy wintry storm with its oppressive wind and heavy snowfall caused the infamous knight to relent in his assault as he raised his non-sword hand in an attempt to maintain visibility despite the unfavorable weather conditions. Rather than try to directly counter the other man's spell, Jon took advantage of the opportunity to cast an Illusion spell that would hide his and Ygritte forms and trails view and make it possible for them to make their retreat.
It is not the glorious battle that I would have hoped for, after hearing the tales of father's battle against The Sword of Morning, but there is a difference between a retreat and a defeat. Jon thought as he moved to where he had last saw Ygritte and attempted to get a hold of her to lead her away. It would have been better if I had been able to get to her before casting the spell since I can't see through the Illusion once it has been cast. Either way, I need to get Ygritte and get out of here. Even though he mentioned that he may let me leave, I don't want to find myself in a situation where the Kingslayer has a chance to add more Targaryen blood to his sword.
"Blast you, northern scum!" Ser Jaime let his frustration be known as his eyes raked the scene, looking for any traces of his opponent. "You, boy, did you see where he went?"
Jon moved as silently as possible toward the spot where he had last seen Ygritte. Though it took several attempts, he eventually managed to close his hand around Ygritte's arm, despite getting a generous feel of a fleshy orb before he was able to do so. Fortunately, he was able to slip a hand over her mouth before she was able to release the string of threats and obscenities that he was sure were on the tip of her tongue to stop her from revealing their position to their enemies. Unfortunately, he was sure that she would be quick to remind him later of the liberties that he had inadvertently taken.
Trusting in his magic, Jon escorted Ygritte to the Wolfswood beating a hasty retreat. When they made it into the Wolfswood, away from the Kingslayer and Yohan who were following the false trail that Jon had left, Jon spoke in Ygritte's ear, "Ygritte, I used magic to hide us from sight but I need you to hold your tongue since they could still hear us. This may be our only chance to escape from Winterfell and those that would see you dead for having been born on the other side of the Wall. We will talk later."
Blocking +6,200
Evasion +7,400
One-Handed +4,500
Illusion: Magical Distortion + 1,000
Sneak +1,000
Quest Alert! A Golden Bargain
Main Objective: Failed
Secondary Objective: Failed.
Tertiary Objective: Escape the battle before the two minute elapses. Completed.
Rewards for Tertiary Objective Completion: 100,000 Illusion Experience, 50,000 Magic Manipulation, Improved chance to break curses, Decreased reputation with the realm.
Jaime Lannister was experiencing conflicting emotions. The bastard was able to escape because that northern fool caused a storm to appear on the battlefield. While I wasn't pushing the Stark bastard as hard as I could have, I didn't expect him to be able to stay in the fight for as long as he did. He may one day become a worthy challenger, if he doesn't lose his head for wounding the Greyjoy ward, though I would never allow myself to lose to a bastard. Jaime had given a token effort in the search for the missing bastard before making his way back to the King's host. He showed enough that I don't feel the need to lead a charge to find him but his actions against the Greyjoy heir may force the fat king to get of his arse. We'll see if the honorable Lord Stark is able to convince his friend against treating his bastard as a fugitive of the realms.
The Lord of Winterfell could be seen standing beside the king as the heir of Balon Greyjoy voiced his grievances against the bastard. "Lord Stark, this can't be allowed to stand. That bastard took out my eye. At the very least I should have his eye. Rightfully, since he is a bastard that attacked the heir to the Lord of the Iron Islands, I should have his head."
"Theon, by your own words, your bow string snapped while drawing an arrow that you intended to shoot at Jon." Lord Stark contested. "You initiated that battle against Jon. If you had taken better care of your equipment, assuming that you speak true, then your bow string would not have snapped."
"I was there too," the boy who launched the magic spoke up on Theon's behalf. "I don't know what he did but, when we were fighting against him, he was somehow able to counter the magic that I was used against him."
"Yes, let's speak more on this matter," Ned's expression was grim as he turned his attention from Yohan back to Theon. "What could have made you think that the amount of force exerted in this conflict was appropriate? Theon, I know that you and Jon have had your disagreements over the years but I've raised the both of you to know that this level of violence and disregard for the safety of an ally is never appropriate."
"I told you, he was fighting for that Wildling. Go look at their camp, you'll find it completely abandoned." Theon was turning red as the volume of his speech increased. "I found him and his Wildling whores in the wood talking about the lands north of the Wall. All of them, the Free Folk, they're Wildlings. They invaded the north and managed to sneak into Winterfell right under your nose."
"Mind your tongue, boy," the king commanded. "All you have given as proof is words. The words of a Greyjoy whelp with a bruised ego mean little to me. I don't believe that a Wildling host would have been able to fool the Lord of Winterfell but the claim cannot be completely dismissed. Ned, bring forth your bastard. I would have his side of the story."
At this point, a spiteful smirk spread across Theon's face. "That may be difficult, your grace, since the bastard fled with the Wildling whore after crossing blades with Ser Jaime."
Jaime rolled his eyes at the Greyjoy's words. Would it have been too much to ask that the squid keep my name out his mouth? I have no concern for the Greyjoy's injured face or pride but I have no doubt that the fat king will want me to recount the events, if only to inconvenience me.
"Kingslayer," the king addressed him with the title that would cast dishonor upon him rather than with the honorable title of Ser that he had earned, many times over, as a knight of the Seven Kingdoms. "I would have you speak on the events as you know them."
Jaime moved closer to the group before he started speaking, "I don't have much to add. I came across a battle between Lord Stark's bastard and the two there. I didn't see how it started but there was a red-haired girl that was tied up on the ground. The Greyjoy and your new toy were firing arrows and ice magic at the bastard but the bastard was able to survive the assault. After seeing the display of ability, I was curious and offered to spar with the boy. The skills of your bastard are a credit to you and your master of arms, Lord Stark. I was not attacking with my full ability but your bastard managed to keep up far longer than I would have expected. Though I suspect the bastard would have been overwhelmed if snowflake, over there, didn't decide it was time for winter to come to Winterfell."
The boy bristled when Jaime referred to him as snowflake. Don't like your nickname, Snowflake? Maybe you'll take it as a lesson not to interfere with my battles. The king may find your abilities to be amusing but I do not. I wonder if he still be able to cast his bothersome magic if I was to remove his hands? Maybe I'll get to find out if he crosses the slob of a king one of these days.
"I don't know if the claims about Wildlings have any merit," Jaime continued. "If they do, and your bastard left with them, then I agree that he would be considered as an enemy of the realms by your northern standards. If you are asking me my thoughts on the truth of the situation, I think it more likely that the Greyjoy's pride was wounded and he is attempting to strike out against the bastard because he is frustrated with his own incompetence and paltry showing of skill."
Lady Stark saw an opportunity to finally remove the dangerous bastard from Winterfell as the conversation developed and details were revealed about the altercation between the bastard, the Greyjoy ward, the alleged magic user and the Kingslayer. Wanting to take advantage of the opportunity, she interjected into the conversation, "Your grace, it pains me to say this, for I know how fond my lord husband is of the boy, but what kind of precedent would we be setting if we were to allow him to get away with attacking the son of Balon Greyjoy? Theon was taken as a ward to ensure Balon Greyjoy's compliance after their rebellion and, had the boy been fatally wounded, our leverage against him would be gone. The Ironborn would be free to raid and pillage the north with no fear of retribution. Such an attack on all of our safety cannot be ignored."
Catelyn's words were met with mixed reactions. The king seemed surprised that she would make such a bold proclamation. Her husband's eyes were wide, though he shouldn't be surprised that she would do what she had to do to live up to the words of her family's House: Family, Duty, Honor. The Kingslayer was observing her with a calculating expression while the Greyjoy's expression had morphed from anger, when Catelyn had referred to him as leverage, to a vindictive pleasure when she asserted that the bastard's actions should not escape punishment.
"I find myself in agreement with Lady Stark," Queen Cersei made her presence known as she made her way to take her place at her husband's side before addressing the growing crowd and her husband. "The matter of whether or not the bastard is traveling with Wildlings notwithstanding, presently, though it would be another severe crime if it turns out to be true, are we to pretend that it is anything less than treason to make the realms vulnerable to violence from the Iron Islanders? The north are still our subjects, dear husband, is it not our duty to take steps to ensure that they remain safe from potential threats? It is unfortunate that the bastard shares blood with Lord Stark but, surely, this proves that bastards will show their true natures the guidance of honorable men, such as Lord Stark."
Catelyn did her best to keep her excitement from showing on her face. This is perfect. Maybe the king would have been convinced to let the bastard go without consequence, if it was solely Ned offering counsel, but the queen's support cannot be ignored. She was able to name the bastard's actions as treason, giving voice to the claim that I could not speak without risking even more anger from my lord husband, and now there will be consequences.
"Damn it all, Ned," the king groused while running his hands down his face and through his beard. "I know he's your boy and that you would have him protected but our wives may have the right of it. If the Greyjoy heir had died how many people of the north and of the other realms would have been made to suffer Balon Greyjoy's wrath before we were able to put the squids back in their place?"
"We still only have one side of the story and allegations that have no substantial proof," Ned's expression told her that he was choosing his words very carefully. "While I agree that the threat of Balon Greyjoy is true. It seems excessive to name the boy an enemy of the realm for a situation that may have been forced into rather than one that he sought out. Despite being named a Snow, there are many within the castle that would testify to the quality of Jon's character. Many of those same people, who are held in high esteem, have lower opinions of Theon. Are we to make the boy an enemy of the realm when it seems likely that he was merely in the wrong place at the wrong time?"
Catelyn's eye twitched. Why can you not see what is so plainly in front of you, Ned? After all of these years we finally have the means to rid ourselves of the bastard and to ensure that our children will never have to worry about him stealing what should be theirs. You speak of allegations without proof from Theon. Are the assertions that you've offered of the bastard's character not more of the same?
"My dear husband," Catelyn began in a measured tone. "I know that you wish to see the best in the boy. Even if it was as you said, a matter of the boy being in the wrong place at the wrong time, is it not our duty to take seriously all potential threats to the kingdom? Please believe me when I say that my feelings about the boy are not a factor in my position. I would advocate the same treatment for any that would present such a clear threat to the realm."
Ed's expression darkened at her words. "Aye, there was a possibility of a threat to the north IF Theon was fatally wounded. However, as he now stands before us, we can see that he was not fatally wounded. Many men return from battle with injuries, often those injuries are far more severe than what Theon has suffered. If Balon Greyjoy gets word that his ward was injured and we see more raids by the Ironborn then I would consider the punishment that you are suggesting. However, I would have Jon's side of the story, or true evidence that the situation resulted in increased hostility from the Ironborn, before I would recommend that the boy was named an enemy of the realm."
"So be it, Ned," the king had apparently come to a conclusion. "You speak justly. The boy should be presented for a trial. If it is true, that he was merely in the wrong place at the wrong time then there needn't be any punishment. On the other hand, if I start to hear of more attacks by the squids or if the boy fails to stand trial then I think we are all in agreement that would be evidence of his guilt in the matter. If he is guilty then he will be named an enemy of the realm and he would face the sentence for treason, death, or exile to the Wall."
Jon and Ygritte had traveled a fair distance since they were forced to make their quick escape from Winterfell. Despite the fact that they hadn't yet heard anything to indicate that they were still being pursued, the pair remained vigilant. As they continued to put distance between them and the castle they maintained their silence and continued to listen intently for sounds that would alert them that those who would wish to capture them were drawing closer.
This is bad, Jon thought to himself. Even though we were able to escape, Theon getting injured and fighting against the Kingslayer are two things that I did not expect to happen before leaving to travel with the Free Folk. Theon getting wounded could be particularly troublesome since he is a ward of Lord Stark. A ward is supposed to be kept safe by the family that hosts them. A permanent injury, especially one caused by a member of the host family, will not be easily forgotten or forgiven. If only, Theon wasn't such an eavesdropping shit… Ygritte and I managed to escape but a tale of his bastard attacking his ward will impugn the Lord Stark's honor far more than siring a bastard ever could. I hope that this doesn't cause too many problems for him.
The quiet was broken by the sound that leaves make when they are suddenly disturbed by something far heavier than a simple breeze on summer day. The rustle of leaves was followed immediately by the snapping of twigs which prompted Jon to act. In an attempt to reduce become a smaller target, Jon crouched down while grabbing Ygritte's hand and pulling her into a similar position.
We can't move as fast as we could when walking normally in this position but I'm more concerned with keeping a low profile and going slow will only help when it comes to being quiet. Jon rationalized to himself as the pair continued their reduced speed, Jon was able to bring the pair to an alcove covered by leafy foliage that could be easily overlooked. It could be enough to keep us from sight from whomever or whatever is after us, if we're lucky.
Apparently Jon's luck quota for the day had been exhausted as the sounds of their pursuer drew closer to the alcove where Jon and Ygritte had taken refuge. Jon held his breath hoping that the stalker would pass them by and leave the pair to continue toward their goal of reuniting with the Free Folk.
The sound of heavy breathing continued to grow closer. The source of the breathing must be a beast; surely no normal man would make such a sound so effortlessly. When the breathing was just outside their alcove there was a heavy thump on the ground as the beast that had been able to find them, despite Jon's attempt to avoid detection, pulled itself into the alcove.
The sharp teeth and deep pants would have been a cause for concern but the white fur and red eyes allowed Jon to identify Ghost. Jon's reached out with his hand to pet his direwolf's head. The direwolf leaned into Jon's touch as his tongue lolled out of his mouth before Jon spoke in a hushed tone, "Damn, Ghost, I should have known that you would know just where to find me. We need to practice more so I can get better at finding you. I didn't get a chance to tell you about the plan to leave Winterfell but it looks like you managed to figure it out for yourself. Things got a bit dicey at the end and we had to make a quick escape. I'm glad that you were able to find us so soon. You're a good boy. Let's get out of here and catch up with the Free Folk."
"Oh, so it's ok to talk to your brute of a direwolf but it's too early for us to talk?" Ygritte asked with a teasing lilt to her voice. "One would think that you would be eager to talk me up after the feel that you got when we were making our escape."
"I just wanted to be sure that we were far enough that we wouldn't give ourselves away to anyone that may have been pursuing us." Jon explained the reasoning behind the silence that had been maintained during their journey to that point. "Ghost was able to find us but I have a feeling that he would be able to find me no matter where I went. Men, be they mounted or on foot, won't be able to track us down as easily as a direwolf. I think that it's likely safe for us to talk now since we have put a good amount of distance between us and Winterfell."
"Right…" Ygritte didn't sound convinced. "He may be bigger than most but he's still a dog. I'm pretty sure that I saw dogs at Winterfell and with the party that you lot were hosting. You don't think that they'll possibly consider using those dogs to track us once word of what happened spreads?"
"That is a good point." Jon agreed with a nod as he gestured for Ygritte to leave their hiding spot and for them to continue on their trek to find the Free Folk. "Eventually, I would expect them to do just that. However, such a thing would only happen at the direction of Lord Stark or the king. Even if they eventually decide to come after us with the dogs, we have a decent head start and will have chances to break our scent trail before we have to worry about that."
"Alright, Jon Snow, I'll take your word for it." Ygritte accepted his logic and kept her voice low to match the Jon's volume. "Did you like the feel that you got earlier? This is the second time that you've played at being my personal hero. If you are so committed to the role, we could find a nice cave and figure out if you have skill with your other sword."
"I was just trying to get you out of there, Ygritte. I didn't mean to do anything else." Jon didn't want Ygritte to think that he took advantage of the situation to take liberties with her, despite the implication. "Though, I must admit that it makes sense why so many of the men spend time at the brothels. A man could get used to that feeling."
Ygritte's eyes twinkled and a crooked grin could be seen on her face before she replied, "I know that you didn't mean anything by it but the cave offer still stands. I've seen you fight before but it was impressive that you were able to hold that man off for as long as you did after fighting against the others. Do you know who he was? He carried himself like a man that was knew battle."
Jon grimaced at the question. "That man was Ser Jaime Lannister. He's regarded as one of the best swordsmen across the Seven Kingdoms." Jon shared what he knew of the man. "He's known as the Kingslayer because he killed the Mad King, Aerys Targaryen, at the end of Robert's Rebellion. That's what they call the war where the current king, Robert Baratheon, claimed the Iron Throne. I suspect that he was holding back but, still, I have never seen someone demonstrate such skill with a sword. He would only leave the smallest of openings in his defense and those closed almost as soon as they opened."
Ygritte smirked and she adopted a carefree expression. "It sounds like you just need to get better. If you are able to keep up with him at swords, as you are now, then maybe you could take the title of 'best swordsman across the seven kingdoms' for yourself, in the future. I can't imagine that you'll lack opportunity to improve since you'll be travelling with us as we attempt to unite the other Wildling clans under the banner of the Free Folk. Mance wants to ensure that as many men as possible survive the Long Winter and the demons who will bring it to us."
Jon stroked his chin in consideration. "I guess I hadn't thought about it like that. I had already planned to keep training with the sword but I hadn't considered that I would eventually be able to stand against one of the best swordsmen of the age. If I wasn't already motivated, that is certainly something that will ensure that I continue to grind the ability when I have the chance."
"Grind the ability?" Ygritte's confusion was clear on her face. "That's a strange saying, Jon Snow. Is that something that you southerners say when talking about training? Or does it possibly have something to do with how you were able to make us to disappear or catch the ice magic that other twat was sending against you when I was still captured. Seriously, what a twat that one was. Good riddance to him and his sister. The journey will be better without her."
"Ygritte, I know that you didn't like her but, after what happened to her village, I couldn't turn her down when she asked to travel with us back to Winterfell." Jon was somewhat disappointed that he lost one of his traveling companions but that was offset by the knowledge that she had managed to find her brother, despite him being an ass. "I may not like her brother but he's the only family that she has left. Despite his short comings, he has proven that he will do what he can to keep her safe from threats. Even if he sees those threats where there are none."
"He didn't seem too worried about turning his magic on his ally when you were fighting that Kingslayer." Ygritte pointed out. "For her sake, hopefully he has more restraint when dealing with his sister. Though that's her problem; she made her choice and she'll get what she chose, regardless. Are you going to tell me how you were able to do what you did in the fight against the twat and how you were able to turn us invisible?"
There was a brief silence as Jon considered how much to tell her, "I've been able to do magic for a while now. I was using magic to counter Yohan's power during the fight and used a different type of magic to hide our presence from everyone. I figured out how to do it when I was traveling with the traitorous members of the Night's Watch. While we were traveling, I found that if I focused my magic that I could cast an illusion that would hide what I focused on from sight. It caused quite a bit of confusion when trees started disappearing and reappearing among the men of the Watch."
It was commendable how Ygritte accepted Jon's words without missing a beat as she simply nodded her head. "Alright, so it's just that simple. So you can absorb or shield or something when magic is thrown at you and you can make things invisible. That's useful, as you proved earlier, but is that all you can do? I hate to say it but it seems like the ability to throw ice spears or send winter storms at your enemies, like the twat was able to do, would be a more useful."
The decision on whether or not to elaborate on his abilities was easier for Jon, "I haven't managed to throw ice spears or summon winter storms yet but I can use ice magic also. When I use the magic it's more a blast of frosty air but I imagine that, if I spent enough time trying to make it happen, I could do either. I can manipulate my magic to do what I want so, even if it takes more time than I would prefer to spend, eventually I could figure out how to do the magic. It's really just a matter of time and grinding to get the experience. Once I figure out how to do it, I can do it whenever I want, as long as I have the magic to cover the cost of using the spell."
After speaking, Jon pointed his finger at Ygritte's nose and channeled a small amount of Frost magic which caused a small amount of wintry air to jet towards Ygritte and made her sneeze before darting away from his traveling companion with a laugh.
Ygritte's eyes went wide for a second before she narrowed her eyes and spoke with a tone that sounded equal parts joking and serious as she chased after Jon, "Oh no you don't, Jon Snow, don't think you can use your magic on me!"
Frost +100
The castle was a flurry of activity. Voices carried from scattered conversation and Robb heard Jon's name mentioned along with Theon's. While Jon had recently impressed many of the smallfolk who found work in and around Winterfell, he hadn't had much opportunity to interact with the group that traveled with the king by Robb's reckoning; Jon was not at the castle when the royal party arrived and after spending the afternoon searching for clues about what happened to Bran, Robb could account for most of the time that Jon had been at Winterfell since he had returned.
Surely, his appearance in the Great Hall would not have been enough to cause so many people to gossip about him, Robb needed to find out what had happened to cause so many people to speak of Jon. To do so, he decided to seek out his father. While I trust the people of the castle, I would hear the situation from father. Had it not been for his injury, Bran would have been the first to hear the whispers with Arya finding out soon after. Sansa would probably be the last to hear since she would be dutifully attending to her lessons. Whispers are one thing but if anyone will be able to tell me the truth about what has happened with Jon, it would be father.
Robb didn't know where he would find his father but he had a hunch. Father has always cared for Jon. In the past he would go the Godswood when something was bothering him. If something has happened that caused all of these people to speak of Jon then that's where I will start the search.
After a few minutes, Robb arrived at the Godswood. Sure enough, his father was seated on a gnarled root at the foot of the Weirwood tree overlooking the pool of black water that was a prominent feature of the Godswood. The last rays of sunshine had illuminated the red leaves of the Weirwood and caused the Godswood to glow with a reddish hue. The face-like markings on the Weirwood tree appeared to be crying as sap was leaking down the bark from the eyes.
His father's attention was completely focused on the task at hand as he wiped down Ice, the ancestral sword of House Stark. Robb cleared his throat to announce his presence before greeting his father, "Father, I believe something has happened. All throughout the castle people are speaking of Jon and Theon. Do you know if something happened?"
His father looked at his sword and deemed it suitably polished before returning the blade to its sheath, stashing the cloth that he had been using to buff the blade in a pocket and running a hand through his hair to get it out of his face. "Aye, you have the right of it, something happened and it will cause much trouble for Jon, House Stark and potentially the whole of the North. What I am about to say must remain between us as the Lord of Winterfell and the heir to Winterfell. After the discussions that Jon and I had earlier, he had come to inform me that he will not be able to travel with me to King's Landing. Once you and Sansa left my solar, Jon and I spoke of a subject that he had wanted to know since he found out why he is called Snow while you and the other children carry the name Stark; we spoke of his mother."
Robb's eyes bulged and he felt his mouth fall open. "You spoke to Jon of his mother. Is that why he decided not to go to King's Landing with you? Will you tell me who she was?"
"It's not my place to share that information with you," his father declined. "There was a part of me that truly thought that I would take that information with me to my grave. You are free to ask Jon. He considers you and the others to be his true brothers and sisters, despite carrying different names, and he bid me to bare you, and your siblings, farewell on his behalf. If he decides to share the information with you, I beg you to keep that in mind."
A quick nod indicated Robb's agreement. "Of course I will keep your words in mind, father. Even though we jest of being Stark and Snow, Jon knows that I consider him to be just as much a brother as Bran or Rickon. I'll seek him out later and see if he wants to talk."
"It may be some time before you have the chance to speak with Jon again," his father's words puzzled Robb. "You were in the Great Hall when Jon came to get me at the behest of Maester Luwin. That was a ruse, Jon had come to tell me that he was leaving Winterfell to travel and think on what he wished to do about what he had recently learned. He didn't plan to leave but there was an encounter with Theon that could have had deadly consequences for the Free Folk. They offered him the chance to travel with them and he accepted."
"Jon's left Winterfell?" Robb could not believe his father's words. "What could have possibly happened that could have made Jon think that leaving was the only answer?"
"The Free Folk came to Winterfell from the lands north of the Wall." This conversation had truly taken a direction that Robb did not expect. "Jon made compelling points that the location of a man's birth did not decide the quality of the man's heart or character and that, just as there are good and bad people south of the wall, the same could be true north of the wall. After telling me of his plans, Jon encountered Theon and the king's magician, Yohan. Theon and Yohan had captured one of the Free Folk that had befriended Jon and intended to take her to the king in the hope that she would be sentenced to death. Jon was unwilling to accept that a friend could be hurt and the boys came to blows."
"That's Jon," Robb was not surprised to hear that Jon had stood up for a friend. "Even when we were young, he cherished the opportunity to be the hero."
His father nodded before continuing, "During the fight, Theon's eye was badly injured. It's likely that he will live the rest of his days as a cripple because his bowstring snapped during the fight. He demanded Jon's eye or his head in reparations as the heir to the Iron Islands. He found support from your mother and they were supported by an unlikely ally in the queen of the Seven Kingdoms. With five kingdoms represented between the three of them, they were able to force the king's hand."
"Mother… allied with the queen?" Robb felt like the ground was falling out from beneath him. "But the queen… What we found earlier…"
"Believe me, son, I know." His father stood and walked to Robb before laying a hand on his heir's shoulder. "There is nothing we can do about that situation at this point. Together, their words were enough to convince the king that Theon's injury could be a threat to the realms if word reaches his father on the Iron Islands. As it stands, Jon is to be given a trial to determine if he was responsible for the injury. If he is found guilty then he could be faced either with death or be sentenced to life at the Wall."
"They can't do that to Jon," Robb's voice was steely with resolution. "I'll talk to Theon. If I can convince him to go to the king and retract his demands then there would be no need for a trial and Jon could come home."
"You are a good lad, Robb. You are welcome to try to convince Theon to offer a retraction but I have seen the lengths that men will go to when they feel that they have been wronged." The Lord of Winterfell had a far off look, as if he was looking into memories of the past. "It sounds so simple, when you say it like that, but, despite how close you and Theon have been over the years, I suspect that Theon's mind will not so easily be changed about this situation."