Eddard Stark

Claiming Jon as his own would be problematic. Oh, it had all seemed as if it would go off without a hitch in the south, and Robert of all people did not suspect a thing as he held the babe in his arms. Which was a relief. And then as he was placed into the same crib as his son, Jon changed. Quite literally, into something reptilian, into something that spoke of dragons... before he changed back, seemingly doing so only to cuddle closer to his cousin. And the worst part was that he was by Catelyn, that this was witnessed even as she grew pale and her eyes widened.

A part of him wanted to laugh desperately. How long had the Targaryen's tried to hatch one from an egg, and now one was just simply... born. It was absurd, it was insane and it brought to mind the tales that in the distant past the Valyrian's had mingled their blood with dragons, the dragon riding houses more than most. And young Jon was proof that was true, as absurd as it was to consider. As damning as it could be if word was sent back to Robert... the worst of it was the look of terror on the face of the woman who was supposed to be Brandon's wife.

They sat together in the solar, in his father's solar as he felt like an imposter, like he did not belong. "He is my blood, and I promised." He closed his eyes. "No matter his father, Jon is all that I have left of my sister." It felt like there was a blade in his throat, freezing water pouring along his spine and bones, as he poured the brandy. "I swore to protect him, to keep him safe." He looked at his wife, who was trembling. "It is why I claimed him, as why would a simple and honorable man lie?"

The words were like poison in his throat, wrong in almost every respect, as Catelyn nodded. "I can see that." Her tone was... still cold, still unsure, but there was a layer of hurt, of anger under it. "Would you have told me, if..." She seemed to struggle to find the words for it. "This had not happened?"

And that was the question, wasn't it? "Yes. After I had gotten to know you, that you would not send word of him south.

She breathed in, offense clear in her eyes. "Because his half brothers and sisters were killed and when their bodies were presented to the man I thought was my brother in all but blood?" His eyes stung, as he remembered, as he wondered HOW Robert could have laughed, how JON could have just stood back and done nothing. Nothing as babes were butchered like beasts, as they all but rewarded those who indulged in rape and murder. "He laughed and said he saw no babes, no matter that they were his kin. What would he do then, to the son of the woman he loved, sired by another?"

There was... understanding, he hoped in his wife's eyes, as she reached out, hand on his own. "But... he is a dragon-spawn now." He laughed, a broken sob. "So, no matter that I wanted to keep him close..." He took a deep breath. "I will make arrangements with Howland."

Of course, it is at that moment, that there was a knock on the chamber's door, just when his lady wife was likely about to yell at him. "Ah, :Lord and Lady Stark? Old Grumbler has arrived and is asking after you."

Now, a thought shared by both of them, was who that was... though for some reason, Eddard thought that he recalled the name from somewhere...

Catelyn Stark

Truth be told, it had been something of an experience to come to the North, to get to know her husbands people... and to see Eddard once more. To be sure, the... situation with Jon was testing the limits of her ability to endure for several reasons. Not least that foster brother or not, if the king discovered WHAT it was that her lord husband brought home, there would be consequences that her Robb would be caught up in, and any future children she may have.

And yes, the North as a whole was out of sight and out of mind of the south, but a Targaryen bastard (as the legitimacy of the documents and marriage records was deeply suspect really, even if Eddard seemed to be worried about them) that could actually turn into a dragon? That was the sort of thing, the sort of unnaturalness that seemed would provoke all sorts of responses. A part of her worried about the souls of her husband, her son and her nephew. And her own, for being this close to magic.

Which is why, as she entered the hall, that she was... well, not overly surprised by a figure that loomed over Greatjon Umber, half again as tall and twice as wide as that massive man. The figure was covered in a grey, stone like hide, hair coiled like vines about his head, and a hammer made of glowing and pulsing ice on his back. Because there had always been tales of giants in the north, but to see one in the flesh? There was something primal, something elemental about this figure, even as it turned its head towards them.

"Lord and Lady Stark." Its tone was a rumble, the grumbling of stones and the crashing of sheets of ice. "Bloodraven was not shutting up, you apparently need someone to teach your kid to hold their shape properly?"

There was a pause, even as one of those in the hall spoke. "Ah, isn't Bloodraven dead?"

A fair question, as the troll snorted, looking very annoyed. "Worse, fucker found religion and a job as an oracle of all bloody things. Trapped in the roots of a tree and spread out all over past, present and future as well. Which is why he bothered me, because unlike him, I have working legs."

Now, there were many things to unpack there, as Eddard firmed him. "And why would he be watching my family?"

The looming figure... she wondered if it was annoyance in those eyes, or something more inhuman. "Because he is a meddling old ass who can't take a piss without it being part of some vague long term plan that a future version of himself is telling a past version in riddles as the part of him in the here and now is trying to strangle his older self for not being clear." The creature gives a snort of amusement, the looks of confusion and headaches clear on many faces. "And you have an easier time trying to dig through a mountain with a spoon than getting a straight answer from him, because the idiot literally gambled his ability to give one away."

Still, the creature shook its head. "Still, while I'm here..." The creature reached into a sack, and took out some parchment. "I have what I should owe in rent, but given how I make the deal with Torrhen back when you lot were kings, probably should update things."