CHAPTER 3

Jamie and Jon are standing near the Smith in a courtyard of Winterfell and Jaime said looking at the small thin sword Jon was holding, "A sword for The Wall?"

Jon shook his head smiling, "I already have one."

Jaime said nodding and smiling, "Good man. Have you swung it yet?"

Jon said childing him, "Of course I have."

Jaime asked curiously, "At someone, I mean. It's a strange thing, the first time you cut a man. You realize we're nothing but sacks of meat and blood and some bone to keep it all standing. Let me thank you ahead of time for guarding us all from the perils beyond The Wall... Wildlings and White Walkers and whatnot. We're grateful to have good, strong men like you protecting us."

Jon said factually, "We've guarded the Kingdoms for 8,000 years."

Jaime asked, smiling, "Is it "we" already? Have you taken your vows then?"

Jon said seriously and shrugged, "Soon enough."

Jaime said smiling, "Give my regards to the Night's Watch. I'm sure it will be thrilling to serve in such an elite force. And if not, It's only for life." Jon nodded and left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arya's room, packing things for her trip to King's Landing, having her direwolf assist her by pulling out a piece of clothing from her bag. Jon comes in to say goodbye before he leaves for the Night's Watch.

Arya said to her pup, "Thank you, Nymeria. Septa Mordane says I have to do it again. 'My things weren't properly folded'."

She says frowning, "Who cares how they're folded?! They're going to get all messed up anyway."

Jon knocked on the opened door. He looked at her and her pup who pulled another piece of clothing out of the bag and said to Arya, "It's good you've got help."

Arya said grinning, "Watch. Nymeria, gloves." The pup looks at Arya, cocking her head.

Jon said teasing her, "Impressive."

Arya said impatiently, "Shut up. Nymeria, gloves!"

Jon said smiling, "I have something for you. And it has to be packed very carefully."

Arya looked surprised at him and asked, "A present?"

Jon smiled nodding and said, "Close the door. This is no toy. Be careful you don't cut yourself." Arya quickly closed the door. She turned around and he handed it to her. She pulled the sword from its sheath.

Arya was admiring It's d said, "It's so skinny."

Jon said smiling, "So are you. I had the blacksmith make it for you special. It won't hack a man's head off, but it can poke him full of holes if you're quick enough."

Arya said grinning, "I can be quick, like Lyarra."

Jon chuckled, "Yes, just like Lyarra. You'll have to work at it every day to be a good as her. How does it feel? Do you like the balance?"

Arya moved it sloppily with her hand and he grabbed her hand so as not to take an eye out. She said seriously, "I think so."

Jon teased and said, "First lesson: Stick them with the pointy end."

Arya rolled her eyes and said, "I know which end to use."

Jon said fondly and Arya moved the sword around unsure of herself, "I'm going to miss you... Careful... All the best swords have names, you know."

Arya said looking at it, "Sansa can keep her sewing needles. I've got a needle of my own." She laid the sword down on the bed and turned to hug her brother. He held her tight, closing his eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Catelyn said sadly, "Seventeen years ago you rode off with Robert Baratheon. You came back a year later with another woman's son. And now you're leaving again."

Ned said while looking down, "I have no choice."

Catelyn said, shaking her head, "That's what men always say when honor calls. That's what you tell your families, tell yourselves. You do have a choice. And you've made it. I can't do it alone, Ned. I really can't. I haven't even got Lyarra to help me."

Ned said looking four, "You can. You must."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the courtyard, Jon is prepping his horse to leave for the Wall and his half brother Robb walked up by him.

Robb asked him, "You've said goodbye to everyone?"

Jon said looking sentimentally at Robb, "Everyone but Lyarra now, so far."

Robb asked with his eyebrow raised, "My mother?"

Jon said frowning, "She was very kind for a change."

Robb nodded looking at him in the eyes, "Good. Next time I see you, you'll be all in black." The unsaid words were in each their eyes without words.

Jon said flatly, "It was always my color."

Robb inhaled deeply, exhaled and said smiling, "Farewell, Snow."

Jon said smiling, "And you, Stark."

After a little while, Lyarra was dressed in all black leather men's clothing, pants and vest with her weapons belt and baldric on and a white tunic with a blue stone wrapped in wire necklace on. She walked up with her braid down her back and a black tricorn hat on and put her hand on his back. She had Moonlight on a leash with a collar.

Jon turned around smiling big. She always made him smile because she was always good to him. Sneaking things for him food, drinks, sweets and whatever Catelyn would deny him. He never went without because Lyarra was always there looking after him.

She wrapped him in her arms. These were the arms he always remembers when he thinks of unconditional love of a motherly woman.

He said emotionally, "Ly, I…"

She kissed his face and hugged him more, softly saying in his ear, "Shhh… Hush, I want to hold you for just a moment longer." He had his arms around her and tightened them.

She said softly as BenJen walked up to them, "I love you dearly, Jon Snow. You were my little baby when I was three name days old. Father let me take care of you. I may not be your mother, but I will always love you like one. No matter how long or how far away from me you wander. You know that you are loved by me forever. You have a very nice size chunk of my heart inside of you to carry with you. I taught you everything I know to protect yourself and be wise. You learn to be proficient in weapons and learn how to be strong and confident. You are as good if not better than some. You chose to be there not sentenced. That is what will make you special, like Uncle BenJen is." She let go and looked at BenJen with tears in her eyes and kissed him on the cheek.

She turned back to Jon and asked, "Do you need anything more before you go? I'll go get it for you?" She put her hand cupping his face.

Jon smiled with emotion and said, "I have everything I need, Ly. Your mother didn't give me a problem because I was leaving for good this time. I love and will always miss you most of all. You have my heart in you too. Always have and always will forever."

She hugged him again and said, "I wish you a safe journey, my dear sweet loving brother. Uncle BenJen, you better take care of him and get him there safely for me. I want you to have Moonlight. He will be happier with you in the snow. King's Landing is too warm for a direwolf." She handed BenJen the leash. She caressed Jon's face, kissed and turned to hug BenJen. She had to walk away because it was too much, if she didn't she never would.

Jon said to BenJen wiping his eyes, "I knew that would be the hardest person to leave behind. She has been so very good to me all my life. When I was little she promised to never say goodbye to me when I grew up to leave her one day. I guess that is today for both of us and she didn't say the words good bye."

BenJen knew and thought, 'Lyarra always had Jon's back, taught, played and defended him with Catelyn. I could see Lyarra was for all intents and purposes like his mother. I know she is off to face something she warned Ned against. They were headed with her sisters into the mouth of the lions and into trampling stags. May the gods protect them all.' He looked down at Moonlight and smiled. She wanted him to have her direwolf. How Stark of her, to keep the wolf in the family. She didn't want him to get hurt down there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ned said proudly to Jon, "There's great honor serving in the Night's Watch. The Starks have manned the Wall for thousands of years. And you are a Stark. You might not have my name, but you have my blood."

Jon asked curiously, "Is my mother alive? Does she know about me? Where I am, where I'm going? Does she care?"

Ned said to him, "The next time we see each other, we'll talk about your mother. I promise. Did you say your goodbyes to everyone, even Lyarra?" Jon nodded. Ned said smiling, "Be safe, my son."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stopping for rest along the Kingsroad. Robert has a mini table set up full of wine and food. Ned and Robert were relaxing eating and drinking.

Robert said, "Gods, this is country! I've half a mind to leave them all behind and keep going."

Ned said, sighing, "I've half a mind to go with you."

Robert said lewdly, "What do you say, just you and me on the Kingsroad, swords at our sides, a couple of tavern wenches to warm our beds tonight."

Ned said grinning, "You should have asked me 20 years ago."

Robert said drunkenly, "There were wars to fight, women to marry... We never had the chance to be young."

Ned said, "I recall a few chances."

Robert said laughing, "There was that one... Oh, what was her name? That common girl of yours? Becca? With the great big tits you could bury your face in."

Ned said, shaking his head, "Bessie. She was one of yours."

Robert cheered and said, "Bessie! Thank the gods for Bessie and her tits. Yours was... Aleena? No. You told me once. Meryl? Your bastard's mother?"

Ned lied seriously, "Wylla."

Robert said smiling, "That's it. She must have been a rare wench to make Lord Eddard Stark forget his honor. You never told me what she looked like."

Ned said gruffly, "Nor will I."

Robert proclaimed, "We were at war. None of us knew if we were gonna go back home again. You're too hard on yourself. You always have been. I swear if I weren't your King, you'd have hit me already."

Ned chuckled and said, "The worst thing about your coronation... I'll never get to hit you again."

Robert said somberly, "Trust me, that's not the worst thing. There was a rider in the night." He handed the message over to him.

Ned read out loud, "Daenerys Targaryen has wed some Dothraki horselord. What of it? Should we send her a wedding gift?"

Robert said, spitting, "A knife perhaps, a good sharp one, and a bold man to wield it."

Ned said incredulously, "She's little more than a child."

Robert said growling, "Soon enough that child will spread her legs and start breeding."

Ned said seriously, "Tell me we're not speaking of this."

Robert was drunk and getting upset, "Oh, it's unspeakable to you? What her father did to your family... That was unspeakable. What Rhaegar Targaryen did to your sister... the woman I loved. I'll kill every Targaryen I get my hands on."

Ned asked, "But you can't get your hands on this one, can you?"

Robert said angrily, "This Khal Drogo, it's said he has 100,000 men in his horde."

Ned said seriously, "Even a million Dothraki are no threat to the realm, as long as they remain on the other side of the Narrow Sea. They have no ships, Robert."

Robert's paranoia was showing and said roughly, "There are still those in the Seven Kingdoms who call me Usurper. If the Targaryen boy crosses with a Dothraki horde at his back, the scum will join him."

Ned said flatly, "He will not cross. And if by chance he does, we'll throw him back into the sea."

Robert said with a sound of fear in his voice, "There's a war coming, Ned. I don't know when, I don't know who we'll be fighting, but it's coming."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Lannisters, traveling Starks and all royal guards have stopped for the evening to rest on their way to King's Landing.

Sansa said timidly walking by a soldier, "Pardon me, Ser." The man said nothing.

Sandor said in his deep rough voice, "Do I frighten you so much, girl? Or is it him thats making you shake? He frightens me too. Look at that face." He was pointing at the soldier.

Sansa said apologetically, "I'm sorry if I offended you, Ser. Why won't he speak to me?"

Sandor Clegane said being crass, "He hasn't been very talkative these last 20 years. Since the mad King had his tongue ripped out with hot pincers." Sansa blanched.

Joffrey said swaggering, "He speaks damn well with his sword though. Ser Ilyn Payne, the King's justice. The royal executioner. What is it, sweet lady? Does the hound frighten you? Away with you, dog. You're scaring my lady. I don't like to see you upset. The sun is finally shining. Come walk with me." He hands her a glass of wine.

Sansa said seriously, "Stay, Lady. I probably shouldn't have any more. Father only lets us have one cup at feasts."

Joffrey said placatingly, My princess can drink as much as she wants. Don't worry... You're safe with me."

In a field next to a river, off from where everyone else is. Arya and Micah the butcher boy are playing. Lyarra is a ways away from them watching.

Mycah laughed chasing Aryasayinh, "I'll get you!" He was chasing after her.

Sansa yelled, "Arya!"

Arya frowned looking at them interrupting her fun and said, "What are you doing here? Go away."

Joffrey asked Sansa, "Your sister?" She nodded. He asked, "And who are you, boy?"

Mycah said, "Mycah, my Lord."

Sansa said, explaining, "He is the butcher's boy."

Arya said flatly, "He's my friend."

Joffrey said nastily, "A butcher's boy who wants to be a Knight, eh? Pick up your sword, butcher's boy. Let's see how good you are."

Mycah said infest, "She asked me to, my Lord. She asked me to."

Joffrey spat, "I'm your prince, not your lord, and I said pick up your sword."

Mycah said scared, "It's not a sword, my prince. It's only a stick."

Joffrey sneered cruelly, "And you're not a Knight. Only a butcher's boy. That was my lady's sister you were hitting, do you know that?"

Arya shouted, "Stop it!" Lyarra came running from a distance.

Sansa shouted, "Arya, stay out of this!"

Joffrey said with evil intent until Arya steps in front of Micah, "I won't hurt him... Much. Filthy little bitch!"

Sansa shouts out, "No no, stop it, stop it, both of you! You're spoiling it! You're spoiling everything!" Lyarra sees what's going on and Joffrey is threatening two children and one is her baby sister with a sword to her throat.

Joffrey shouts out, "I'll gut you, you little cunt!"

Sansa screamed, "Arya!"

Lyarra then steps in behind him, grabbing the sword from Joffrey's hand disarming him and putting him on his back while he cuts his hand on a rock. Lyarra whips the sword into the lake. Nymeria sees this as a threat and runs in to defend Arya.

Lyarra heads off the pup, tapping her on the snout and says with authority, "Down, Nymeria!" The pup stopped, sat down and whined.

Arya shouted out, "Nymeria!"

Joffrey whimpered when Lyarra put her hand out to help him up. He said like a frightened child, "Please don't hurt me." Lyarra looked at him like he was peculiar.

Lyarra said puzzled, "What are you talking about? I'm offering to help you up to stand, your grace?"

Sansa said, "Lyarra, leave him alone! My prince, my poor prince, look what they did to you. Stay here, I'll go back to the inn and bring help." She reached out to pat on him. Lyarra glared at Sansa placating the stupid boy.

Joffrey snapped at her embarrassed, "Then go! Don't touch me!" Arya took her direwolf and ran off.