Chapter 1

"What is wrong with you?" Theon snarled. "Have you lost your mind?!"

Jon stared at him, still unsure of what had happened. He had just punched Theon, who was lying on the ground, pressing his hand against his bleeding nose.

"What is going on here?" Robb asked.

"Snow has lost his mind, that's what!" Theon announced as he got into a sitting position. "He just attacked me without any reason!"

"Jon?" Robb said.

"He insulted Daliya," Jon murmured, pressing his lips together and clenching his fists.

"No, I didn't," Theon argued. "I complimented her!"

"Really?" Robb huffed. "How?"

"Well… I pointed out that she has become a very lovely young lady."

"With those words, I'm sure."

"Not exactly, but I was still complimenting her." Theon paused and stood up. "Clearly, Snow has some issues."

Jon didn't say anything; he felt the need to punch Theon again. The way he had talked about Daliya… No one talked about her like that, not when Jon was present. In fact, Jon didn't want Theon to talk about her at all. Or look at her. Or even think about her. Theon loved to brag about his conquests and his visits to the brothel.

He certainly didn't respect women; all he talked about was their bodies. He had actually dared to tell Jon that he admired Daliya's body. Jon wasn't going to let anyone disrespect her. Because she deserved better. Because she was a sweet girl. Because she was his sister. Because it was his duty to protect her. Yes, that was what he kept telling himself.

He didn't look at her longer than necessary. Her touch didn't affect him. He didn't dream about her. His thoughts and feelings were completely proper. There wasn't anything wrong with him. For a brief moment, he made himself believe that. But that moment never lasted for long. There was something seriously wrong with him, and there had been for as long as he could remember.

How it all had started, he wasn't really sure. Perhaps it had been her kindness that drew him to her. All his life, he had felt like an outsider, but she had never made him feel like that. One of the first things Jon remembered from his childhood was Daliya's smile. Most people had never looked at him like that.

His father had been kind to him, but he had always been busy. Catelyn, on the other hand, had tried to tolerate him, but she hadn't managed to hide her loathing. Robb had always been fair to him, although Catelyn had made it clear that they weren't equals. Jon wasn't his father's trueborn son; he was just a bastard.

Sansa had kept her distance from Jon out of loyalty to her mother, and Catelyn had probably hoped that her other children would do the same. Daliya hadn't. Many people thought that she was a strange girl, but Jon didn't. He thought that she was special. Both she and Catelyn had almost died when she was born. She hadn't been breathing at first, but somehow Maester Luwin had managed to save her.

It had affected her. No one had dared to call her stupid out loud, but that was what some people thought. Despite her silence and her often sleepy eyes, she wasn't stupid. On the contrary, Jon had noticed that she was very perceptive. Thankfully, she hadn't noticed Jon's feelings for her.

He was deeply ashamed because of them, and he had tried his hardest to get rid of them. Because she deserved better. Because she was a sweet girl. Because she was his sister. Because it was his duty to protect her. He needed to make himself believe that. No matter what it would take.

The tension in the room was palpable as Jon struggled to keep his emotions in check. The rage simmering beneath the surface wasn't just about Theon's crude comments, it was something deeper, something more complicated and troubling.

Robb studied Jon's face, trying to understand. "Jon," he said quietly, "what exactly did Theon say?"

Jon hesitated, his fists still clenched. The memory of Theon's lewd comment about Daliya played on a loop in his mind, fueling his anger. "He... he talked about her in a way he shouldn't have," Jon finally muttered, his voice tight with restraint.

Robb's eyes narrowed as he looked from Jon to Theon. "Is that true?"

Theon, now standing, rubbed his nose gingerly, a hint of defiance still in his posture. "I may have said she's grown up, turned into a fine woman, but that's all. Jon just overreacted."

Robb shook his head, sensing there was more to this than just a simple insult. "Theon, you need to be careful with your words. Daliya is our sister, and you should know better than to speak of her that way."

Theon scoffed. "I was just being honest. Maybe Snow should loosen up."

Jon's temper flared again, but he forced himself to stay silent. He couldn't risk exposing the real reason for his anger, the feelings he was desperately trying to deny and bury.

"Enough," Robb said firmly. "Theon, apologize. Jon, you need to cool off. This isn't like you."

Theon begrudgingly mumbled an apology, but Jon barely heard it. His thoughts were a storm, guilt and shame battling with the anger that had driven him to strike Theon in the first place.

"Jon," Robb said again, softer this time. "What's really going on?"

Jon couldn't look him in the eye. "Nothing," he lied. "I'm just tired of Theon's mouth."

Robb didn't seem convinced, but he let it go. "Alright. But if there's something bothering you, you know you can talk to me."

Jon nodded, but the truth was something he could never share, not with Robb, not with anyone. As he walked away, he knew he needed to get control of himself. Whatever was wrong with him, he had to find a way to fix it. For Daliya's sake. For his own. Because this path he was on could only lead to darkness, and he couldn't let that happen. Not to her.