Disclaimer – It has come to my attention recently that I unfortunately do not own any part of the Game of Thrones universe or the characters mentioned below. Who knew.
Author Note – I enjoy writing short stories for my own enjoyment but at a suggestion from a friend, I have decided to start posting some of my stories that I am working on or have completed. All feedback is welcome (hopefully constructive!) Looking forward to what you think!
This caused Arya to smile, "And do you know what the best part of being a Stark is?" She asked with an even larger smile on her face.
"What is that?"
"We have each others back, we don't let each other do foolish things…at least alone. You are part of a pack." She said firmly.
Jon started to protest before being cut off by Arya.
"You can either let me come with you on this mysterious adventure where you plan to find yourself…or I'll just go grab father and ask him to accompany us. The choice is yours." She smiled with a glint in her eye knowing she had likely won.
"Ugh, fine, little wolf, try to keep up." Jon said trying to be firm and sound disapproving but from the way Arya smirked he knew he failed and worse she knew that he knew that she had won.
Jon was relieved that while he had to concede to letting Arya join him, it did not appear that anyone else had noticed or taken an interest in the two of them standing by or then entering the crypt. Judging by how quickly Arya fell into step with him, Jon assumed she was quite excited to go exploring the crypts…or …Jon thought guiltily, maybe she is just excited to spend time with me, I have been ignoring her lately.
"So where are we off to?" Arya asked, immediately upon entering the crypts. "I heard the lower levels were partially collapsed, are we going down there?" This time she asked with excitement in her voice.
Looking at Arya with a smile Jon replied, "Not today, although maybe someday it would be worth going down there. There must be treasures left behind that would be interesting to find. Today I was planning on going much closer."
With that, Jon focused on continuing down the row before stopping at the nearest grouping of statues.
"… Our grandfather…?" Arya looked at the statue confused.
"Aye Arya I just wanted to come down to the statue of our grandfather and uncle, and my…I mean our aunt."
Arya looked at Jon, although he was unsure if it was over his verbal stumble or over the unexpectedness of the stop. He chose to continue talking to get her mind off his slip, just in case.
"I have always wondered how things would have been different if our grandfather and uncle didn't go south, what if our aunt had not disappeared? Would I have been born? Would there have been a war? What of the Targaryens? What would have happened? Would a war needed to have been fought? …And now the King comes to meet the Starks again. What will be our fate?"
Arya looked shocked, "You think the King would do something to father? But I thought they were friends? They grew up together!"
Jon looked at her shaking his head, "Ah no, I don't think King Robert would do anything to his friend but I am just worried about the unknown. Why is he coming and what will it mean for the family? And I suppose not knowing who I am…" Jon saw Arya about to interrupt, "…alright, with not knowing who I fully am, I am unsure where I would fit."
He continued, "I suppose since I am not able to learn about part of my heritage I am just more interested in spending time trying to understand the family I have. So just wanted to sit here and think."
Arya looked between Jon and the statues, "Well that's not what I thought you were up to but do you mind if I was to stay with you? I know you don't like me as much anymore but I do like you and …"
The words tore at Jon's heart causing him to miss the end of the sentence. "Arya what do you mean? Why would you ever think I do not like you?"
Tears started to leak out of her eyes as she looked up at Jon, "Well you have been ignoring me, ignoring all of us. And now you are questioning who you are. Even though to us you are our brother. I just am worried that you will decide you don't need us or don't want to …" she trailed off.
The fears that she had started to give voice to outside the crypt fully spoken out loud left Jon staring at her, oh how selfish I have been, he thought.
Jon leaned over to Arya and encircled her in a hug. "I am so sorry Arya, I had never meant to hurt you. You and Robb, and Bran, and Rickon, and even Sansa are the most important people in the world to me. I have never stopped caring for you and I promise I never will. No matter what may be happening around us…for after all I am a Stark, am I not."
As he was hugging Arya he felt her sobbing slowly lessen, as she chuckled at his last statement.
"And to answer your question I would definitely enjoy your company as I stay here to think."
With that, they walked to the opposite wall facing the statues and sat down in silence, Jon deep in thought. Due to the lateness of the day, it was not long before Arya's head started to droop, before finally settling on his shoulder, and she began lightly snoring. With a smile Jon watched her for a while making sure she was indeed asleep before gently picking up her head and placing it upon his cloak.
Getting up Jon moved to the front of the statue of his mother. And started up at her as he kneeled.
"Hello mother, I am not sure where to start or even what to expect from this. But I have seen some incredible things as of late and wanted to have this conversation anyways...perhaps just hoping air my issues and clear my head."
Jon shook his head and stated plainly. "I am worried, I know what is likely coming. And I think I have a plan that should help but what if it doesn't? What if history repeats itself? Or worse…what if my meddling actually makes things worse? What if…I don't know what if I am not strong enough…?"
Jon starred up at the face of the statue not knowing what he expected, but as he sat there he felt a sense of comfort settling over him. Unsure if it was the spirit of his mother, a sign from the Gods, or simply just being in the presence of her statute and being able to vocalize his concerns, he wholeheartedly reveled in the feeling. No matter the cause of this comfort, Jon felt an unrealized knot in his stomach releasing. He smiled up at the statue, "I know that I will never stop trying to do what is right. For it is only when one sits by and watches evil proceed unchecked in the world that one truly fails. I will not sit idly by and allow that." He said with solemn confidence.
With a final nod to the statue, he gently prodded Arya, "Time to wake, Young Wolf. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow and best get a little rest. And we definitely don't want the Septa to find you out of bed."
Jon smiled as Arya paled slightly before jumping to her feet.
"So how did your chat go Jon, did you find out who you are? Did you find your answers"
Jon looked down at Arya carefully thinking over her question before replying, "I …believe…well I believe I have found enough." She nodded accepting his answer, missing that Jon had continued under his breath, "At least for now."
With that they made their way out of the crypt and back to their rooms, with Jon escorting Arya to hers, just in case the Septa was out for a midnight walk.
When Jon reached his room he looked longingly at his bed wanting nothing more than to grab a what hours of sleep he could before he would be woken up for last minute preparations. Knowing that even though there was no way Lady Stark would ever chose to let him be near the family during the arrival of the king, there was still plenty of work around the castle that could be found for him.
Instead of laying down and attempting to obtain the much desired sleep, Jon realized that there were two letters he needed to write. There were things happening at far ends of the world and he knew that if he did not act, events might start to happen that would have dire consequences on all those in Westeros.
As such, he starred at the two pieces of parchment he had pulled out and labelled both of them. The first addressed to Maester Aemon and Lord Commander Mormont and the second labelled to Lord Varys.
Deciding to proceed with the less pressing letter first, he selected the letter that he would send off to the Wall and began writing…
For the eyes of Maester Aemon and Lord Commander Mormont Only,
I hesitantly write this to you for fear of disbelief of what I am about to reveal, however I feel that this is a necessary message for you out of a desire to protect the Night's Watch and indeed all of mankind.
Let me start by saying that I believe in the ideals of what your brotherhood stands for, I believe that you are the sword in the darkness and I fear of the night that is to come. However, it gives me faith that I know that there are honorable men within the Night's Watch, such as yourselves, and I trust that upon reaching out to you, you will hopefully be able to help stop that of what is to come. Or at least begin taking the steps to prepare for that which approaches.
While I am not comfortable revealing who I am, know that I have travelled wide and in my travels, I have previously found myself North of the Wall. I have dined with the abomination that is Craster (and while I know you feel he is a necessary evil, I beseech you to reconsider that) and I have visited the Fist of the First Men and starred along the Milkwater towards the Lands of Always Winter and felt the chill in my bones that no fire could dispel. Therefore know that I know of what I speak. However before you discount this as ravings of a Wildling, I was born South of the Wall and Gods willing I will die in warmth, South of the Wall. I have travelled to Dragonstone and seen the Painted Table and have stood in front of the Iron Throne in Kings Landing. I am a man of Westeros.
I know that the brotherhood you are members of is the sword, …the shield that protects the realm of men, but I write you to inform you that you are unprepared for that which is coming. For the realm of men are about to be tested as they have not in 8000 years.
I have a feeling you shall not believe me right away and your first reaction may be to throw this letter immediately into the Lord Commander's fire. I urge you to consider my warning and take appropriate steps to confirm the warning contained within.
I know the watch has come to believe the Wildlings to be the true enemy of Westeros. However, The Wall was not built to keep out Wildlings, who are men and women just as we are, but rather a great evil, that many have come to believe as nothing more than a myth. But in the Lands of Always Winter, this evil has waited, slowly gathering strength, and are now prepared to march on all of mankind.
I urge you to consider my words.
As the Starks are so fond of saying, winter is indeed coming; I just hope we will be prepared for it.
If you need further proof of my word, reach out to Mance Rayder, I know what he did and I do not expect you to forgive his broken vow but I believe he will be able to support my story, possibly with the evidence you may require. He has seen what is coming and can help you prepare.
I believe with the use of Benjen Stark or Quorin Halfhand you will be able to make contact with him, these two will be able to see the bigger picture and not immediately try to kill Mance.
When time permits and if the opportunity arises, I will come visit you in person. In the meantime, I will try to help from where I am and prepare those South of the Wall to provide you the aide you shall certainly require.
As for you specifically Maester Aemon, just know that you are not as alone as you once thought.
Jon leaned back and stretched as he looked the letter, proud of what he managed to get down on parchment.
"This should at least raise concerns and I give it at least a decent chance that Lord Commander Mormont will not immediately throw it into the flames, … hopefully by addressing it to Mormont and Maester Aemon, they will open it together, with Maester Aemon acting as a voice of reason." Jon said aloud.
He silently said a quick prayer that they would indeed began to act, knowing that otherwise he would have to find some plausible excuse to visit the wall in order to somehow convince them of what was coming and get them to start preparing … Well that or manage to convince the king of the danger that lay North of the Wall and the doom that was coming for them all. Realistically he felt there were better odds he would be able to single handedly fight the Night King's entire army than manage to convince King Robert of the problem, so he really hoped his letter would be believed and they would act.
Solving the Wildling issue was something he would need to put off for now, but having had the opportunity to meet and indeed become friends with some of them, Jon was hesitant to leave them to their death as the Others slowly grew their army in size, slowly recruiting those long dead and those more recently killed. At the very least, leaving the Wildlings alone North of the Wall would let the army of the dead grow by tens of thousands, making it that much more difficult of a fight, when the fight came …and Jon was sure it would come.
Knowing he would have to find some way to get this letter sent off tonight, he set it aside for the moment. Jon starred at the other letter, knowing that this was the much more pressing of the two and hoping that it was not already too late to stop events from unfolding and resulting in Daenerys becoming the tyrant she had become in his memories.
Realizing there was no point in procrastinating he began writing, hoping the blunt tone he planned to use would shock and move The Spider to immediate action.
Lord Varys,
I know of what you are planning. While I support your end goal, I do not support the current means through which you are attempting to achieve them.
Consider me an interested party in what happens in the future of the land in question.
I know that unlike those who surround you, while you certainly enjoy your games, you do not have interest for yourself in playing the game, but rather your interest is for the people of the realm. I believe that you are one of the few that care about who is in power not as a means to enrich yourself or provide you with power but out of concern for the welfare of the common people.
It is this concern that has me reaching out to you, I know of your plans with your partner overseas and as things stand, I see why you do them. While your goal indeed will provide an army to those who you wish to receive them, perhaps this is not the correct path forward. As a learned individual from across the seas, you have surely heard how this army will treat common folk. Therefore, while there is a chance that eventually your plan will come to fruition, what would the cost be? How many would die? And not only the soldiers that would certainly be called to action when a foreign invading army approaches from across the sea (no matter who is at its head), but how many innocents would be raped and killed or taken as slaves. The land in question would no longer be what it once was.
At the end of the slaughter, how many of those remaining would be gracious to the individuals you support. I cannot foresee these men would have long-term plans to stay here and what would happen when they leave except another war, one fought from bitterness directed at those who brought the foreign brutes.
There must be a better way to achieve your goal and one day I believe you are capable of finding it, if possible I hope to one day be able to introduce myself to you and work together for the betterment of all people. Until then I beseech you to contact your friend post haste and attempt to stop this arrangement for truly it cannot succeed.
Additionally I urge you to consider whom your goal supports. You know of who sired the individual. I am sure you have access to plenty of reports regarding their nature, please consider that this individual likely shares many traits and proclivities as the individual who came before. I would ask you to consider that rather than the obvious choice for your plans perhaps consider the less obvious choice, maybe consider that who he travels with. While perhaps not conventional, there is precedent to put support behind that individual, as those in the North and South have done it before. While …untested this individual contains strength of character and with an actual good environment and support (rather than current relation) would surely be acceptable to your plans.
I shall not sign this but I trust you are a man of wisdom, one who may see that the content of which I speak of is true. I hope you are also a man of action and will not dawdle on this or I fear events will be put in motion, which cannot be undone.
Jon starred at the letter, knowing that he must have been at this letter for at least an hour. If the scraps lying around the desk could attest, he certainly struggled to write this one much more than the letter heading to the Wall. He originally wanted to be explicit and talk specifically about the risk of using Dothraki, Viserys' nature, Daenerys' potential, … but had decided to eventually hold off for two reasons. Firstly he had a feeling that Varys would appreciate the effort to not be specific and would enjoy unravelling the meaning behind the letter. Although Jon feared he was no great puzzle master and had a feeling, that if determined, others could also unravel the letter. Even more importantly, he was not entirely positive as of that moment just how he would manage to get the letter to the possession of Varys. As of this fact, while indeed possible that others may be able to unravel the hidden meaning behind his letter, he hoped that if indeed the letter fell into the wrong hands the vagueness would allow Varys with the opportunity for denial and give him a chance to talk his way out of potential trouble for having this letter sent to him.
Realizing this was the best he could do for the moment, Jon got up and hid the letter to Varys in a hollow under a stone at the head of his bed. While it was not the most secure location, especially if someone was looking through his rather bare room on purpose, Jon hoped that as a rather uninteresting bastard son, if indeed spies accompanied King Robert north, his room would remain undisturbed. That being said, he realized that he would either have to make a plan to get this letter heading south shortly or find a better hiding spot, one that could not be traced back to him, in case it was discovered. As the discovery of the letter would at the very least lead to questions that he could not answer honestly without others believing him to be mad.
With the letter to Varys hidden, Jon threw the drafts into the fire and watched them completely burn before he grabbed the letter meant for the Wall and headed to the rookery, pretty confident that Maester Luwin would be asleep at this hour and he would be able to get the letter sent off.
As Jon entered the rookery he realized he had a problem. While through his lessons with Maester Luwin he knew which ravens went to which castle, all ravens were latched in their cages and it was not as if one could be sent without someone realizing the raven had just disappeared. Jon must have sat there for ten minutes trying to come up with a plan, before a memory from his childhood sprang to his mind …
Flashback
Jon and Rob snuck down the hallway trying to be quiet.
"You think Luwin really deserves this form of punishment?" Jon asked his brother.
"Of course." Rob replied with a smile, "He made me recite all of the House Words three times just because I forgot the words of House Tarth. It's not even like that is an important House, I do not think I will ever interact with them, much less need to know their Words."
Jon laughed before turning to Rob, "But what if father finds out it was us?"
Rob turned to Jon, "Scared, brother?"
Jon put on his most determined face, "Of course not, …well not really."
Rob smiled at Jon, "Do not worry, it will make work for Maester Luwin, but ravens manage to escape from their cages all the times. The worst that can happen is that Master Luwin will come into the rookery tomorrow and find raven droppings all over the table and blank parchments and possibly a bird or two will manage to fly out the door. But all the ravens have a little tag on their leg, there so Maester Luwin knows which Castle they go to, just in case two birds end up escaping at the same time. So even if all birds were to escape, all that would happen is that it would take Maester Luwin and his assistant the better part of the day trying to recapture and recage the ravens. Which of course would mean our lessons would unfortunately be cancelled for the day and we would have extra time in the yard... Unless …of course that is why you are scared… worried that I might best you again on the field."
With that comment, Jon scoffed and walked past Rob heading into the rookery prepared to help Rob get his revenge on Maester Luwin by releasing all the ravens within the room.
Present Day
Even though it felt like two lifetimes ago, Jon smiled at the memory. Of course, the plan had not gone off perfectly. Since they had been trying to be quiet, they were of course, not very quiet and had managed to wake up most of the ravens while opening cages. Apparently ravens whose sleep was interrupted were not particularly happy and they proceeded to fly around and several seemed to take direct interest in releasing their droppings on the boys.
While the boys managed to escape the rookery that night without being caught they had not been able to erase all evidence from their hair before heading off to bed. Of course this had been noticed immediately by Lord Stark in the morning, who promptly assigned Rob and Job to help Maester Luwin with recapturing the birds, a task that took the better part of the day.
Rob had attempted to convince their father that Jon had merely being accompanying him and should not receive the punishment. While it was possible that he believed his son, he had told them that every man, boy, or woman was responsible for his or her own actions and while Jon might have just been helping Rob carry out his plan, he was still responsible and would have to shoulder his share of the punishment.
Of course, Lady Stark seemed to believe that the entire event had been Jon's idea.
Snapping out of his recollection, Jon opened the cage for one of the ravens for Castle Black. After attaching the letter and taking the bird outside to release him, Jon returned to the rookery and made sure all windows and doors were closed, not wanting to actually release the ravens to the wild, crippling Winterfell's ability to communicate with other castles. After confirming there were no obvious exits available to the ravens, Jon managed to open all the raven doors quietly, the first couple of ravens only starting to come out of their cages as Jon was slipping back into the hallway.
After an uneventful trip back to his room, Jon laid his head on his pillow smiling at what he had managed to achieve that day. Knowing that tomorrow was going to be a stressful day, Jon closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of Ghost next to him, as he slipped off, welcomed to the land of sleep by dreams of dragons, Others, and the most beautiful woman he had ever had the chance to meet.
Kind Regards,
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