Brynden Blackwood 292 A.C
Brynden was woken by a commotion outside his room. There was shouting and he could swear he had heard the drawing of a sword. Brynden reached for his bow that he'd laid beside his bed for the past year. A gift from his father on his eighth nameday. He pulled the quiver over his shoulder and nocked an arrow aimed for the door. Brynden had never killed anyone but he had hunted elk and smaller game in the woods, how different could it be he thought to himself. With a resolute heart he waited for the door to open.
The door flew open to reveal the guard from his father's meeting the day prior. "Jason?"
"Aye My Lord, now if you wouldn't mind putting that bow down before you accidently shoot me."
Brynden acquiesced and placed his arrow back into the quiver but his uncovered eye stayed glued to Jason's figure. The guard was dishevelled, his armour covered in blood and there was some of it in his hair. "Whose blood is that?"
"The prisoners in the dungeons tried to escape My Lord, they weren't the type to be reasoned with."
Brynden considered his words. "Does my father know?"
"My Lord, I'm sorry to say your father died fighting alongside his brothers."
Brynden's eye widened. His heart threatened to burst out of his chest and he could hear blood rushing through his ears. "No, Jason that's not something you should joke about."
Jason just stared solemnly into the boy's eye. "I wish I was My Lord."
The scream that erupted out of the boy was visceral. Jason's ears shuddered at the sound. Brynden screamed himself hoarse until all that remained was the tears. His bandage had become soaked from his tears while the other side of his face strewn them like a river. Jason surged forward to comfort the boy who ferociously punched at the guard's armour. Jason allowed Brynden to punch and kick and claw at him substituting some of the boy's pain for his own. Once Brynden had stopped his violent outburst and the tears had dried up he no longer looked like himself. Brynden Blackwood was a shell of his former self and his world had turned upside down.
"Is there nothing we can do?"
Jason shook his head. "No My Lord, your father passed right in front of me."
If it were possible, the boy shrunk even more. "What's to happen now Jason?"
Jason clasped his hands on the boy's shoulders and stared deep into the one visible red eye. "Your father asked me to get you out of the castle. He instructed me to give you a letter and a book once we escaped. I don't know why or for how long we'll be gone but I trust your father's judgement. We need to go."
The boy nodded slowly. "Do I have time to say goodbye?"
"It appeared My Lord that your father didn't want anyone else to know of our exit."
"But my family? How will they know what's happened? How will they know where I'm going?"
"They won't My Lord, I believe that was your father's intention."
Brynden took a long deep breath. "Fine, if my father willed it then it shall be done. Let's get out of here."
The duo came out of the bedroom to the sight of Brynden's two guards unconscious beside his door. Brynden glanced from them to Jason.
"They wouldn't let me in, said only your father was allowed in."
Brynden considered his words before stepping over the legs of the downed guards and calmly walking away from the scene. Together they made their way through the long winding corridors of Raventree Hall, sneaking past guards and house staff alike. Once leaving the building itself, the escape was remarkably easy with nearly all of the guards on duty having rushed to the scene of the jailbreak. The duo's next port of call was transportation with neither party enjoying the thought of walking to wherever they were headed next. As such they broke into the stables on the far end of the courtyard, saddled up two of the horses inside and made a break for it. They charged through the front gate of the castle and into the wilderness without anyone or anything but the raven knowing they'd left.
The land around Raventree Hall was a thick wood, leaves green in the summer and dead in the winter. The wind was quiet as the pair continued to try and put as much space between them and the Hall as possible. After an hour or so of riding Brynden could take no more. He wasn't a bad rider at all but more than an hour at nearly full pace had his back and arms in agony. Jason took note and found a nearby cave for them to stop in for the rest of the night. A fire was quickly constructed in order to keep the cold out. Brynden now turned to face Jason fully, an inquisitive glint in the boy's eye.
Jason passed Brynden the note. "Here."
Brynden ran his fingers over the blood tinged paper before tracing his name with his finger. This was definitely his father's hand-writing. The boy let out an involuntary shiver as the realisation that this was probably also his father's blood coating the letter. Brynden opened it anyway.
To Brynden, My Son,
I did not expect to have to write you this letter anytime soon. Nor did I think that with it I would have to send you away out into the vast world all alone. Well hopefully with Jason if the lad keeps his word. He's now sworn himself to you Brynden, keep his honour and he'll help you keep your life. Now onto another note of importance, the book. While at first you may not understand the more you read I imagine the more will become clear. I do not believe you dreamed of flying son. I believe you did fly, I think you're a warg Brynden. The first in our family since Bloodraven himself I believe. Don't let that fill you with doubt though. The man did great things, some good, some terrible but great none the less. Learn from his example and become as great as I knew you always could be.
The most important thing I have to say to you though is this, Oriel is not your mother. The way she treated you was something while I wasn't happy about I could do nothing against as she also knew the truth of your birth. It is important to understand Brynden that I loved your mother very much. She was mine and I was hers. Although we were never married I carried her heart with me always and had she survived birthing you I have no doubt we would have said our vows in front of the Heart Tree. Sadly son, you will be considered a bastard by the realm at large, this being one of the many reasons I had Jason escort you from the Hall and because I feared what Oriel would do knowing I no longer protected you.
Son, I can feel my breath slipping away so I am afraid I'm going to have to make this quick. I love you and support you. Remember the lessons me and your uncles taught you, they will keep you alive. Your warg status should be kept a secret, many in the south and of the new gods look down upon supposed dark magic. Trust your instincts.. Finally, should you wish to know more about the other side of your blood.
Your mother's name was R
Brynden's eyes had widened and widened till he thought they could go no larger. His whole life had been a lie. The fact that Oriel was not his real mother provided him some sense of comfort but now knowing that he'd never find out who his real mother was had burdened him even further. On top of that a warg? Brynden had heard of such things but surely they were just fantasy as he had always believed them to be. He found himself reading his father's note over and over again in an attempt to find any last shred of information he could. That night he didn't sleep instead he was glued to the book his father had left for him. Hoping to find any shred of identity he could within it's pages. To Jason the boy looked broken and torn apart. His heart went out to the boy but no words were exchanged between them. Jason went to sleep hoping the morning would bring some sense of clarity.
When morning came Brynden was sat staring into the last flickers of the fire. He wordlessly passed the letter over to Jason. The former guard just chuckled to himself.
"I can't read My Lord. Perhaps you could summarise it for me?"
"I'm a bastard Jason. A warg and a bastard."
"Was Lord Tytos your true father?"
Brynden scowled at him. "Of course he was."
"Then that's good enough for me My Lord, and I must admit I don't know what a warg is, so for me to judge you for it would be ridiculous."
Brynden paused. "So you won't leave me?"
Jason reached over and tousled the young boy's hair. "No My Lord. I swore to your father that I'd protect you and follow you. You wouldn't make a liar of me would you My Lord?"
Brynden remembered his father's words. "No Jason, I will do my best not to."
"Then we're in agreement then."
"Yes Jason, where shall we go?"
"I suppose that would be up to you My Lord."
Brynden's father had told him to trust his instincts. While his instincts weren't finely honed he had a slight inkling as to where he should go. His flight had proven itself true if his father was telling the truth and from reading the book his father had left Brynden knew he was to head north. The north though was vast, as big as the rest of the seven realms put together he'd read. Somewhere he'd be safe at least for now. He recalled a time a few years back when his uncle had told him some stories of Robert's rebellion and out of the men involved it appeared his family were closest to the quiet wolf. Lord Eddard Stark. It appears Brynden was going to be able to cash in his favour earlier than expected.
"We ride for Winterfell Jason."
"Yes My Lord."
Jon Snow 292 A.C
Life was harder when his father wasn't around. Ever since Ned Stark had ridden off to fight against The Greyjoys of The Iron Islands around 9 moons ago Jon's life had become infinitely harder. Now that Lady Catelyn Stark had full control over Winterfell she could do with him whatever she saw fit. Jon would be forced to sit away from the rest of the Stark's at meals and often was not allowed to train with Ser Rodrick Castle as she believed he'd hurt her precious son Robb. Why she thought he'd hurt his brother was something neither of them understood.
While Lady Stark despised him the same could not be said for his siblings. He and Robb had grown up almost side by side something their father had encouraged, much to the chagrin of The Lady of Winterfell. Jon didn't think it helped that he looked so much like their father while Robb took mostly after his mother. This trend was only repeated further with Sansa the girl almost a carbon copy of her mother from the red hair all the way down to the blue eyes. His youngest sister Arya took after him instead with many of the Stark traits expressing themselves in Jon's wilful little sister. Bran was still very young and was most often or not kept away from him. Lady Stark didn't want him to damage her youngest son.
Word had spread that the siege of Pyke was going well and that the probability of the rebellion coming to an end soon was something Jon was increasingly happy about. Not only had he managed to start practicing with his brother again as Lady Stark's mood had improved with the knowledge her husband would soon return, but he'd also managed to pull off a win against both Robb and Jory, Ser Rodrick's son, albeit with the help of a random raven attack. Nevertheless, Ser Rodrick had praised him thoroughly, something which Jon looked back on fondly.
Jon and Robb japed with each other as they headed towards the sparring grounds looking forward to another day of swordplay. But that was not to be however as Lady Stark interrupted them by calling for Robb to go to the front gate quickly. Dutifully Robb said a quick goodbye before tearing off. Jon, stunned, also started to head towards the gate hoping his father had returned sooner than expected. When he arrived a small crowd had formed blocking him from reaching his family. Irritated he asked the person next to him what was going on to which he was informed that a pair of unknown people were being escorted to the keep.
Jon wasn't stupid. He knew that if Lady Stark thought it worthwhile then the duo must be somewhat important. A Lord he imagined as no doubt his father would have arrived back with a large contingent of warriors. While he was initially put out by the fact his father still wasn't home he became curious as to the identity of the two unknown people. Anything new in Winterfell was bound to be exciting.
