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Jon Snow

"Stay low Robb!" Ser Rodrik shouted.

Jon grinned as Robb stumbled into the ground. Robb got back to his feet and slashed his wooden sword at him and followed up with several as well. Blocking his onslaught with no effort, Jon drilled Robb to the ground for the third time.

"Stay low!" Rodrik yelled again, a bit lesser in tone.

Robb glared as he jumped to his feet and lowered his trunk to make use of his shorter height to cripple Jon's tall frame. To Jon's delight when he finally returned to Winterfell, he now stood over Robb by two inches. In addition to his added tallness, he was quick on his feet, to the point he was too quick to the spectators.

"Trust me, I'm trying!" Robb retorted. He glared at Jon and used his broad shoulders to barge into Jon. Jon sidestepped and kicked his arse to the ground, making Robb huff in the snow in frustration.

"Stay low," Rodrik said. "Please?"

In the background, the Starks with the rest of the folks watched the spar with amazement and fear. The heir of Winterfell, one of the top renowned fighters in the north, was being made a fool of. On the balcony, Ned Stark and his wife watched with interest.

"Yes!" Arya cheered with Rickon. "Beat his ass, Jon!" She was sharply silenced by Catelyn's reprimand and by Sansa's glare.

Jon eyed the crowd with amusement. "You have more fans than I do, Robb."

Robb slowly got to his feet. "What did you think? I am the future warden of the north."

"Being the future warden of the north won't spare you from me embarrassing you."

Robb brought his sword to his face. "I'm not done yet."

Jon waited as Robb rushed towards him then locked blades. He skillfully knocked Robb's sword out of his hands and held his sword to his neck.

"Do you Yield?" Jon commanded.

Robb glanced at the wooden sword and groaned. "Aye, I yield."

Jon grinned and stepped back. While the Starks clapped politely, the rest clapped with reluctance, not finding the joy that a bastard bested the future ruler of the north.

Rodrik approached Jon. "That was some good footwork, Jon. Keep this up and the spot on the kingsguard will be wide open for you."

"Thank you, Ser" Jon replied, though he had no wish to do so. Not after discovering what he was and what he is capable of. His talents would be wasted.

The courtyard slowly departed as Jon and Robb went over to place the wooden swords back to where they belong on the rack. As Jon discarded the sword, a blur of brown and red was seen in his peripheral vision. Arya, Rickon, and Bran tackled Jon to the ground, with each firing out questions at him to see who can confuse him the fastest.

Alys karstark kissed Robb on the cheek and stood with him as they watched the scene with amusement.

Jon raised his hand and the unintelligent words ceased at last. "Hey, hey, slow down. One at a time."

The three Starks glanced at each other questionably to see who is going to be first until Bran spoke first.

"That was cool, Jon!"

"Can you teach me!?" Rickon asked.

Jon looked at the red-head in confusion. "Ser Rodrik is teaching you. You already have a teacher waiting.

Rickon frowned in concentration as he searched for his meaning with difficulty. "I don't think he is better than you, brother. You're the best Jon," He said as he looked at Jon with those adorable blue eyes.

Jon's smile was genuine as he ruffled Rickon's hair. "I know." It was easy for Jon to agree with the young Starks opinion. He is confident that he surpassed the master at arms skill with the sword.

"Did the Golden Company get you this good?" Arya asked eagerly but instantly shut her mouth at Jon's dark look.

Jon nodded stiffly. "It had a part in it." And that was the end of the subject.

For the three days since he returned the Starks didn't ask him what he has done to deserve all the crazy rumors about him but demanded them quite persistently. Jon had told them to leave it be and they stopped, only for them to ask the same question the day after, though Jon would not budge.

Jon had no ounce of desire to discuss his time away. It was for the best form him and the Starks.

Suddenly the three gripped him harder. "We missed you, Jon," Arya said in his tunic. "You should have never left."

Jon's heart immediately melted a million times over. How could I ever think that I didn't belong here? Jon felt tears as he hugged his cousins just as furiously. I'm going to protect them, always.

Jon felt he was being watched and drifted his eyes up to the balcony. Lady Stark stared at him coldly and by instinct Jon's eyes shifted to Ned. The warden's eyes were warm as he gave him a smile. Jon purple eyes turned hard as he looked away, ignoring the hurt that he saw in his uncle's eyes.

Jon tip-toed around his uncle for a couple of days and the man never knew why. Jon knew his uncle was confused about his behavior and Jon doesn't give a flying fuck. He wanted his uncle to ponder why he was acting like this and figure it out.

Plus, Jon found his inner joy at seeing him squirm.

It was only a matter of time when Jon is going to confront his uncle about his parentage and he is going to force it out no matter the consequences. His blood always boiled when he was reminded that he was taken from his family but he kept his calm. Cannibal would sense his anger through their bond and will blast the whole north into a wasteland if he didn't remain stable.

Jon calmed his breathing and stretched his awareness out in the open and mentally brushed against the dragon's mind. Cannibal was fine. Jon relaxed his mind and canceled his warging. Before he came to Winterfell he sent his dragon away with his belongings still on its back and hoped the dragon would stay out of sight. Whenever Jon felt Cannibal approaching he ordered him away. The beast often felt annoyed but compiled nonetheless and flew off to hunt.

"Jon!" Robb shouted in his ear.

Jon started in shock and his cousins laughed. "What?" Jon asked a tad annoyed that he rudely interrupted his musings.

Robb crossed his muscled arms as Jon shrugged off his cousin's embracement and stood on his feet. "You were clearly out of it. We've been calling your name several times now."

"Then you yelled in my ear," Jon said.

Robb nodded with a grin. "Then I yelled in your ear," He clarified.

"I'm going to help you stop brooding," Robb added.

Jon's neck snapped as he glared at the Stark. "What did you say?" He does not brood. He thinks a lot but never that.

The bystanders soon began to laugh. "I'm going to help you-"

"I heard you. Why would you do that? I don't brood," Jon said.

"Yes you do, Jon!" Was the quick answer from everybody. Jon glanced at Arya to see that she slyly hid her face from him. She turned on me, that little traitor.

Alys chuckled and slapped Robb's right arm. "Stop it, Robb. Leave him alone."

Robb slyly rubbed his sore arm as he continued to look at Jon. "It is my duty to help my brooding brother." Robb shook his head. "I swear, Jon, you need to get laid."

"I've slept with a woman before," Jon retorted, scowling as his cousins laughed harder. What kind of question is that?!

Robb's smile was so fucking obnoxious that Jon wished that he can stomp his fucking boot on it. "Who said that you never got laid? I was implying that you just need one right now. Tell me this brother, when was the last time you've been with a woman?"

Jon scrunched his face as he tried to recall, and everybody's amusement grew. He wasn't lying that he got laid before it was just a long time ago since then. Jon didn't have the time or the means to do so with running from the Golden Company and the trip to Valyria, but they didn't need to know about that.

Finally, Jon simply shrugged. "I have forgotten."

Robb widens his arms out. "Then it's time for you to remember. It will change your mood drastically."

Jon turned his face out of sight so nobody can see his grin. He found himself less guarded around his cousins and felt his tough barricades slipping and he is more laid back than what he had been for years. It was refreshing to say at least.

"Well, you need to change your mood right now, Robb because you're pissing me off," Jon said as he glanced at Alys and back to Robb.

Robb actually blushed.

…

The dining table was quiet as Jon ate supper with his cousins. Using forks and knives felt surreal to him. It has been a while. Jon and Tyrion didn't encounter anything reassembling to a fork so they used their hands (Ghost was entirely indifferent). So he was a tad clumsy trying to get the gist of it while hiding this effort from everybody else. But by the knowing look in his uncle's eyes, he knew and Jon was relieved that he didn't point it out.

Jon sat between Robb and Arya as he tore a piece of chicken and stuffed it in his mouth. As Jon was chewing his food, he saw a gleam in Arya's dark eyes. He swallowed and watched how this is going to play out.

Arya grabbed her spoon and scooped a large amount of food that was more than necessary and flicked it at Sansa. Jon smiled a little at Sansa's high pitch squeals as lady Stark fretted over her. Robb shared a smile between Jon and Theon while the rest watched in silence.

"Arya, why would you do this to your sister?" Ned asked. However, Jon could see humor hiding in his grey eyes.

Arya shrugged and grabbed a roll off a plate. "She was being stupid. She is pretending that Jon is not here. She only said one word to him and that was 'hello."

While Jon didn't approve of Arya's crude methods, he still felt the appreciation of her protecting him. He dearly loved his cousins to death and this only increased his resolve for them to remain happy.

Ned was not letting her off the hook. "This cannot be without a punishment young lady."

Arya was not the one to be intimidated. "What is it going to be, father?" The young Starks looked at Ned with a sense of forbidden as he mused to himself.

"You are going to bed early." Everybody gasped in shock.

"Father!" Sansa protested. "She deserves more than that! she ruined my dress!" She explained as she pointed to her dirty clothing.

Ned gave a pointed look to Arya. "Go, Arya." He then looked at the red-faced Sansa. "You can have an entire day off from your lessons to sew another dress."

Arya nodded and happily left after saying goodnight to Jon. And he knew as well as she that Ned was going easy on her. The worst-case scenario was if she wasn't allowed to train with the rest of the boys in the courtyard for a fortnight. It was a no brainer that she was all too happy to escape this.

Jon got bored and when he got bored he usually does things that would paint him in a weird light. "How is your nose, Theon?" Jon asked casually, randomly, not fully comprehending on what he said.

"Jon!" Ned scolded and quickly shushed the laughter that his cousins gave.

Theon glared at Jon while dropping his fork on his plate and left the room with a strange gait, muttering softly.

Jon now realized what he said and shrugged. "My bad, it just slipped out of my mouth."

"Even so that was not the nicest thing to say. That happened years ago," Ned said solemnly.

Years ago when he left were the missing words that hung in the air.

Jon nodded and said no further words. He went back to eating his food.

…

The air was thick with dust as Jon walked through the crypts where the Starks from the past rested in peace. Without any shame, he walked past the statues because it was not his destination.

Jon finally stopped and held the burning torch to one of the statues, careful to not light anything on fire. It was a woman that was made from stone with a small winter rose in her cupped hands.

The sculpture didn't do this women justice. This woman was told to be a great beauty to even sway king Rhaegar from his faithfulness to the queen. The story was known.

Though Jon looked up at the statue with hearts bare in his eyes as with tears. This was his mother. He slowly touched her cheek and rubbed it with the utmost care.

"Hello mother," Jon greeted, his hands still in place.

"I finally came home. And this time I found out what I really am," Jon said shakily. "And I found out who you were really were, not as my aunt but as my mother."

"I should be glad that I finally know who birthed me. But I just feel empty. When I didn't know who you were to me I was reassured by the fact that my mother could still be alive out there, that went away pretty quickly." Jon chuckled.

"But you're not alive. I dearly wished otherwise so you can raise me yourself and I could have a real mother. Though, life is not fair mother, not to you nor to me."

Jon picked up the winter rose and smiled. "Are you proud of me, mother? Of what I did or what I am? I don't think you are. If you were here I don't think I would dare leave Westeros without your permission. And the things I have done wouldn't have come to pass."

Jon took a deep breath. "I just don't know what to do mother. I want to let my father know who I am but at the same time, I want to protect your side of the family. Uncle did the thing nobody expected and I paid for it. And I don't know why he took me away.

Jon laughed and got rid of his tears. "I'm an asshole. I shouldn't be bothering you about my problems, and I should let you rest."

Jon dropped the rose back to her hands and cupped her cheek with both of his hands. "The reason I came here was to tell you that I love you, mother."

"Jon?"

Jon twirled around with panic to see Ned standing a few feet from him with a blank expression. The two stood there, staring into each other's eyes, both thinking the same thing as the other.

"Why?" Jon asked quietly. He knew that his uncle heard him talking to his mother's statue. There was no use beating around the bush.

Ned looked at him for the longest moment. "How did you figure it out?"

Jon glared at him, hurt and pain almost drowning his sense of hearing. "Of course you want to know that. You could have never guessed that a fucking Greyjoy will tell me who I am while he took his god damn time torturing me."

"Balon tortured you?!" Ned asked angrily.

"No, the other one that got banished."

"Why did he tort-"

"That does not matter," Jon interrupted. The Greyjoy was dead and gone. "Why?" Jon asked again.

Ned fell silent again.

"WHY!?" Jon shouted in the dead silent crypts. The stony faces seemed sad as they watched the confrontation between the men.

Through the bond, Cannibal roared furiously. Jon calmed down and waited for his uncle to reply.

Ned gazed at him with sadness. Jon came to realize how old and weary he looked. Perhaps all the lies he told is finally eating his ass.

"I'm sorry, Jon," Ned said.

"Everybody keeps saying sorry to me. This is getting ridiculous now. I don't want apologies I want answers."

Ned sighed tiredly. "I…Robert's rebellion took everything from me, Jon. My father, my brother and my best friend. The forces we had rallied were not enough to match the Targaryens and therefore I had to marry one of the Tully girls."

"Lady Stark," Jon stated.

Ned nodded. "By doing so I couldn't marry the women I loved, Ashara Dayne. I promised that I would marry her but the war changed that and I didn't see her since," Ned explained with strain. "When I saw your mother in a pool of blood and you wrapped in the Targaryen colors I was angry…so angry. I blamed all of my misfortune on Rhaegar and I wanted to hurt him so I took you to Winterfell and claimed you as my bastard son."

Jon's hair concealed his face so his uncle couldn't see a pure rage. "You think that was a good reason why you took me from my father?"

"No," Ned responded. "Nothing will. I've always regretted my choice but it was too late to change it."

"Do you know what this means to me?" Jon asked. "I have a father that only knows me as a mindless murder. I have an entire family that I want to know. BUT I CANT DO THAT BECAUSE OF YOU!"

"You don't know how sor-"

"SHUT UP!" Jon yelled. Tears clouded his vision. And he feared that he would do something rather reckless.

Ned nodded slowly. "Do you want to hit me?"

"Yes," Jon quickly replied.

Ned took a step forward, and Jon wasted no time to punch him right in the gut. His uncle flinched but never said a word as Jon went bonkers on his stomach.

Ned collapsed to the ground, a soft gasp leaving his lips. Jon towered over him, his anger and rage still clung to him like an addicting drug. And he wants to make his uncle to share the pain he was dealing with.

Ned looked up at him with care. "Do you want to keep hitting me? Hit me as much as you like. You have a good reason why to do so"

This man makes Jon have his emotions in disarray like no other. His actions years ago make Jon want to burn him with Cannibal or let Ghost eat his flesh. Today he shows the care for his being like any other time even when Jon just bashed his ass off. His uncle baffles him.

What the fuck is wrong with me!? Instead of punching Ned, he took his anger and frustration on the wall next to Lyanna statue. Jon didn't pull his punches as he dented his fist. Blood emerged from his knuckles but he kept going.

Ned sat there having a mixed feeling of confusion and horror until he ran to Jon's side and grabbed his fist. "That's enough! go see Luw-"

"Don't touch me," Jon growled as he pushed Ned to the floor. Jon walked passed him and left the crypts.

Robb

He and Theon walked through the halls of Winterfell with Greywind at his side.

"Where is Jon?" Robb asked.

Theon didn't even look at him as he answered. "Don't know, don't care."

The anger and disdain were easy to hear in Theon's voice. Robb didn't like the small conflict between him and Jon. They were both his brothers, and he just wants them to be civil around each other. Robb could never have the two together without them trading insults at the other. Jon just came back and Robb was not planning for him to go anytime soon. He belongs at his side as a brother. Theon is not going to stay in Winterfell forever and Robb knows this to be true. Robb wants to part ways with Theon as a brother in all but name.

"Why don't you try to at least be friendly with him?" Robb asked. "I'm tired of having you two argue all the time."

"Tell him that," Theon replied.

Robb stopped walking and that made Theon stop as well. "You have been the main one starting the arguments, don't lie to me."

Theon scowled. "Don't you remember what he said at supper?" He said. "Did I start that?"

Robb recalled that very well. "Yes, but he broke your nose years ago, Theon. Let the past go."

Theon snorted. "The bastard sure didn't."

Robb pointed a finger at him. "Don't call him that."

"That's what he is."

"Is that why he broke your nose? Did you call him a bastard? Jon doesn't start a fight without a good explanation why."

Robb inwardly nodded at Theon's silence. Robb and his siblings found Theon in the morn with a broken nose and a parchment on his chest. His father came then and woken the Greyjoy and asked what happened. Theon quickly said that Jon randomly punched him after he merely asked what was wrong with him. His father took the parchment and asked Robb to find Jon. And that was the day they found out that his brother left.

Theon fumed as he walked away. Robb sighed and looked at Greywind. "Those two are impossible aren't they?"

Greywind tilted his head and rolled his tongue. Robb smiled and rubbed his head as he and his direwolf went to the Godswood.

As Robb entered the solitary place, he spotted a lonesome figure on a tree branch with his head down.

It was Jon with Ghost at his side.

Robb smiled in relief. He regularly had a fear that his brother will leave again and this time for good. Jon and father have been on edge with one another lately. Robb wanted to end soon.

"I've been looking everywhere for you broody," Robb jested as he approached Jon. Ghost and Grey wind greeted the other by playfully wrestling in the snow.

Robb frowned as Jon kept his head low and his poster stiff. "Jon, are you okay?"

His eyes then caught the bloody mess that was his hands. "Shit! You have to see the maester!" he said as he grabbed Jon's hands.

Jon pulled his hand back but didn't say anything back, nor did he move.

Robb kneeled in front of him as he tried to peer at his brother's face through the mass of curls. "What happened, brother?"

"Please…" Jon started. "Don't call me that."

"What?" Robb asked.

Jon then looked up, his purple eyes teary. "Brother," He said stoically. "Don't call me brother."

"Nonsense, what are you talking about?" Robb said in a loud voice. The two direwolf ended their teasing to watch their masters carefully. "You've been my brother since we were born. Did your time away change that?"

"Everything changed," Jon said.

"No, it hasn't!" Robb yelled. Jon was acting weird, and Robb does not approve at all. Now he wanted to punch him in the gut so he can stop talking about this shit.

"Yes, it has!" Jon yelled, he stood to his feet and looked at Robb in the eye. "You don't know who I am."

"Yes, I do!" Robb met Jon's eyes firmly. He refused to be intimidated by his tall height. "You're my broth-"

"No I am not," Jon countered as he sat back down and lowered his head. "I'm a fucking Targaryen." Jon's head snapped back up as his alarmed eyes connected with Robb's shocked ones.

What did he just say…he was a Targaryen?

"…What?" Robb said, at last, his mind burning.

Jon turned his head.

Robb grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY!?" He asked so violently that spit flew on Jon's face.

Jon gazed at him sadly. "You're my cousin not my brother."

Robb stepped back as if he hit him. He was so shocked that he couldn't speak. He tripped on his own feet that had him stumbling to the ground. Ghost and Greywind watched, eyes giving nothing away.

Jon is a Targaryen.

Robb gasped as the meaning hit him with crushing force. "You're mother?"

"Lyanna Stark," Jon answered grimly. "And my real father is Rhaegar Targaryen."

Robb body felt like it was being poked by needles, very sharp ones.

Jon was not his brother.

"…Cousin?" Robb asked silently. He had to make sure.

Jon's nod killed his hopes. "Yes, I am your cousin."

Robb pondered on his words for a while before speaking again. "How is this possible? The king never said he had a second son."

Jon's face turned stony. "The king never said anything about me because he isn't aware of me."

Gods…his father stole Jon away.

Robb looked at Jon's hands. "Is that why you're hands are like this? Did my father just tell you?"

Jon shook his head. "I already knew about my parentage before I came back. I spoke to him about why he took me away."

"Ah."

They fell into an awkward silence as Robb and Jon couldn't find anything more to say about this situation.

"Are you going to reveal this to the king?" Robb asked casually. Yet his insides were clamping its self in fear. What his father committed was a grave crime to Jon and to the Targaryen's. It was worthy of a death sentence. Robb does not want his father to be beheaded on a block.

Jon's thin-lipped smiled eased him. "No, don't worry, Rob. This hard truth will remain between me, you, and Lord Stark."

Love and adoration blossomed in Robb's chest. His family does not deserve to have somebody like Jon. They were lucky. So lucky and they were not grateful, especially his mother and Sansa.

Robb stepped forward and enveloped Jon in a tight hug. "I don't care if you're a Targaryen prince. To me, you will always be Jon, my Brother."

Jon paused for a second before hugging Robb back.

Aegon

"Your grace," Varys said. "Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh agreed to our terms. The war is over at last." Everybody relaxed.

The small council is the same for only one change. Tyrion Lannister, the new master of coin.

To the council's good favor his father handpicked the most knowledgeable person who can handle the new position. It turns out that Petyr Baelish was not just a slimeball, he was also a traitor. Varys announced the man's participation in sending the enemies information and thus, lost his head for it. It all came to together on how the Royal fleet was unable to deliver the fatal blow despite winning most of the battles on the seas.

Rhaegar nodded. "Good." After he said those words he coughed softly. It was told to Aegon and the rest of the family that his father adopted a cough since his last duel with Robert Baratheon. Where his chest was slapped by the usurper's heavy war hammer. It was the last spiteful act of the dead man.

Rhaegar took his time to survey the room, his purple eyes so knowing. "We shouldn't be here," He stated.

The inhabits of the room nodded stiffly. If the rider and his dragon didn't offer their help to save kingslanding the power standings in Westeros will be extremely different and not for the best.

Aegon shuddered at the idea that his family might not have founded success in leaving kingslanding if the city fell.

"And this is my fault," Rhaegar said without emotion.

"But...Your grace, that's not true!" Connington protested.

"Yes, it is. I made a foolish mistake for being too impatient and therefore, the city almost fell," Rhaegar said. "I showed this two times, now and at Harrenhall."

Aegon shifted uneasily in his seat at the silence of the room. His father was somewhat bipolar when the talk of his failure at the rebellion was brought up. On one side of the coin his father was melancholy and the other side he grew angry in the eyes.

Rhaegar went on," Everybody in this room knew my plan was a lousy one and still agreed with me because I am the king."

Rhaegar then looked at Redwyne. "All besides you, Ser. You were not afraid to say that I was wrong even when you were outnumbered in this room. I apologize for me dismissing your advice."

Redwyne mused over his words. A thin scar nipped his lips up to his hairline. He was one of the ships that managed to retreat from the battle of the step stones but did not escape from it without something to remember it by.

After some time the man just nodded. Aegon could see the slight smirk that the man gave to the hand. Connington glared at him in return but said no words.

Rhaegar inclined his head and continued to examine the room. "After today I want everybody in this room to not be shy or scared to argue against my ideas. I am not my father."

The council nodded and Rhaegar gazed at Aegon. "I know you think that I am wise, son. But that still does not make anybody immune to making mistakes. I want you to learn from this and be a better king and a better man than I ever was when you ascend the iron throne."

Aegon nodded strongly at his words. He will try his best to make his father proud. "I won't fail you, father."

Rhaegar turned his gaze away. "I know you won't. And that's why you will marry Margaery Tyrell in a moon from now."

Old anger pumped his veins. And his inner dragon burned his stomach and his face must have turned red. Contrast to his emotions he felt a slight grin on his face.

The king was truly clever to use Aegon's motivation in his own way. The way he hinted it was so calm.

Whoever said that his father had no sense of humor?