Chapter Text
[Chapter One]
Jon Snow tried to pretend that he was asleep when he heard the knock on his door. He didn't like coming out on his name day. He preferred staying in his room ‘just brooding’ as Robb like to say. He also preferred staying out of Lady Stark's way. And mostly he preferred not seeing Lord Stark. Anytime Lord Stark gives him gifts on his name day he always thought of his mother. ‘Does she know that today is my name day, do she care, does she send gifts’. He always wanted to ask Lord Stark this questions, but all the times he asked in the past he got no useful answer.
He closed his eyes and wished whosoever was knocking could go away. He needed to be alone. If need be, he don't want to be in Winterfell. In truth the only thing that kept him from running away was Arya, Robb, and Bran. Sometimes he like to add Lord Stark to the list.
“Open the door, Jon, I know you're not sleeping.” Robb’s voice called out from the other side of the door. Jon sighed and stood up from his bed. He walked across his room to the door and opened it. Robb grinned when he saw Jon. He said to Jon, with a polite smile, “Happy name day brother. Stop looking gloomy on your name day.”
“Um... thanks,” Jon said. His name day really did not mean anything to him. Aparts from Lord Stark no one else gave him gifts. Arya and Bran only just found out the meaning of name day. Robb on the other hand, always wished him happy name day, but he gave no gift. He always asked Jon to play with him and Jon always refused. ‘Maybe am sullen after all, refusing to play on my nameday,’ He thought and then shrugged. He noticed that Robb was holding a parcel. “What's that?” The ten year old boy asked trying to hide his curiosity with a frown.
“Lemon cakes!” Robb happily exclaimed. ”I asked Gage to prepare them for you.” Robb stretched the parcel towards Jon with his right hand. And jon took it.
“Thanks, Robb. I really appreciate it.”
“No problem, brother. Hurry, washup and come to the Great hall for breakfast.” Robb then dashed off to the Great hall. Jon closed the door, and walked back to the bed. He sat on it and ate the three lemon cakes Robb had Gage the cook prepare for him. He was surprised Robb had a gift for him this time around. Perhaps it was a sign of change. Perhaps Robb will start keeping him company more than he did the Greyjoy. He bathed in a wooden tub and put on black clothes and black boot. He left his room and locked the door before heading for the Great hall.
As he walked into the great hall he took in everyone seated at the table, after he closed the door of the hall. His father Lord Eddard Stark sat down at the head of the table, eating in silence. Same was for Lady Catelyn Stark, who sat to his left. Sansa sat to her mother's left trying to copy everything thing she did. Next to Sansa was Bran who was chatting with Arya whom was seated beside to him. Across the table, to Lord Stark's right was Robb who sat next to Theon. Jon thought about sitting with Robb and Theon, then he thought better of it. He didn't want to eat breakfast with Lady Stark glaring at him. He still wonder why she hated him so. He took it upon himself to avoid her like she was the Stranger. He made his way to the table and sat next to Arya.
As he began to eat, he heard Arya say, “Happy name day, Jon.” She smiled. “Am sorry I couldn't get you a gift.” He turned his violet circled by grey eyes to look at her grey eyes.
“Thank you, Arya. You don't have to apologize for not having any gift. Am sure you will have something special for me on my next name day,” Jon said, trying to make his favourite sister feel better.
“Me too,” Bran promised. “I will have a gift for you on your next name day.” He couldn't help but notice Lady Stark looking at Bran angrily. She eventually calmed, and turned the angry stare to him.
“Thanks Bran.” Jon caught Lord Stark starring at him. He bent his head back and quickly ate half of the food on his plate.
As he stood up to leave the hall he heard Lord Stark spoke to him, saying, “Today is your name day son, you need to eat more.”
He glanced at Lord Stark and replied, “I already ate some lemon cakes, Lord Stark.” Lord Stark nodded, and Lady Catelyn glared at him again. He quickly walked out of the hall and went to wait for Robb and Ser Rodrik in the training yard. Perhaps he will be successful in avoiding her for the rest of the day.
** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
Jon was heading for his room. And as he moved, he recalled how he won both Robb and Theon in the training yard. Robb was strong and broad for a boy of ten name days. Unlike him that was slender, but he was quicker and he paid more attention to Ser Rodrik. Sometimes, even joined some fighting patterns and styles together. Theon on the other hand was a smug and arrogant lad.
‘He has too much confidence in himself and little patience for anything.’
The Ironborn was as easy to read as a book. Robb was not an easy foe but same could not be said for the Greyjoy.
He passed the main corridor that led to the family wing. He was so engrossed on his thoughts that he didn't notice until he bumped into Lady Stark. “Bastard” was the only thing he heard before he fell and blacked out.
He woked up to meet Maester Luwin staring at him. “How do you feel boy?” The Maester asked.
“M...my forehead... just a little bit above my right eyebrow hurt.” He sighed. “W...what ha...happened Maester?” Jon enquired. He lifted his hand to feel his forehead, and his hand touched the bandage placed above his right eyebrow.
“Lady Stark hīlā ao bē aōha bartos,” said the Maester in High Valyria. Maester Luwin thought him High Valyria the day he walked into the library to meet the Maester reading a book that was written in Valyrian glyphs. He immediately took a liking to the language and begged Maester Luwin to teach him how to read, write and speak the language.
It took just a moon of concentration for him to learn and perfect the language. Of course he had to be dedicated and focused to archive that. He even stopped sparring and training for some time. No one else knew he learnt the language except for the Maester.
“Bagon geronagon va zyha naejon?” Jon questioned.
“Dōre, bona daor skorion ziry ivestragon.” The Maester continued. “Ziry vestragon ao vamiotagon ropā zyha.”
Jon sighed and asked when he could leave the Maester’s room.
“After Lord Stark is told that you are awake and has spoken to you, I will give you the milk of the poppy, and when you wake from it, I will check your wound. Only then will you be aloud to leave.” Maester Luwin then stood up to go get Lord Stark.
When the Maester left, Jon started brooding over why Lady Catelyn hated him so much. He guessed it had to do with more than him being a bastard.
When he was little he always thought because he had a little resemblance to the Targaryens. (He has violet circled with grey irises and silver-brown hair). Her father, Lord Stark and King Robert fought to overthrow the Targaryens. But now he knew that was stupid and that she hated him for being a bastard without thinking if he asked to be born...
His thoughts were interrupted when someone opened the door and came to sit by him. He looked and saw it was Lord Stark.
‘This is the last person I want to see.’
“How are you doing son?” Lord Stark asked him.
“Am okay father,” Jon lied. Lord Stark sighed. And Jon knew his lie was not believed. He was not a good liar except when he was telling it to Catelyn Stark—he and Robb, or he and Arya agrees to steal lemon cakes from the kitchen, then they are caught, he takes the blame and also the punishment.
“Maester Luwin told me what Cat did. Am sorry.” Jon kept quiet. He didn't feel like talking to anyone. And Lord Stark was number one on his list of people he didn't want to talk to. He wanted to be left alone, so that he can brood about who his mother was.
Suddenly an idea came to him.
‘Well father wants to talk, don't he?’
“Who is my mother?”
Lord Stark gave him a sharp look. He closed his eyes for a moment. And Jon knew he wasn't going to tell him When he opened his eyes they were glassy with unshed tears. “When it’s time I will tell you. For now, all you need to know is that you have both your father and mother’s blood.” Then he stood up and left. Maester Luwin came in gave him a cup of the milk of the poppy and he slept.
When he woke up he stood up and walked to the window. He looked out the window it was already dusk. He left the Maester’s room and went to the kitchen. To his luck there was no one there. He opened the box where the already made pies were kept. He took two. He ate the kidney pies, then he went to his room, took the harp Maester Luwin gifted him on his last name day and he went to the Crypt. There was only a few people, and of course, the guards around.
At the door of the crypt he saw a lantern hanging on a sconce, he took the lantern and opened the Ironwood door of the crypt. He went down the spiral steps of the crypt’s entrance. He was glad that it was summer not winter. If not the steps would have been slippery because of melted snow.
He went far inside the crypt. He walked past Jon Stark who drove sea raiders from the east and built the Wolf's Den, past his son Rickard, who took the neck away from the Marsh King and married his daughter. He passed Theon Stark. Called the ‘Hungry Wolf’, because he was always at war. Passed Brandon the shipwright who’s statue had a dreaming look on it face, whom’s tomb was empty. He tried to sail west across the sunset sea and was never seen again. Jon passed his son Brandon the Burner, who put to torch all his father's ships in grief. He passed Rodrik Stark, who won Bear Island in a wrestling match and gave it to the Mormonts. He didn't stop when he got to Torhen Stark, the king who knelt. The last King in the north and Lord of Winterfell. Until he got to the statue of Cregan Stark did he stop. He looked at the statue that looked like what Bran will be when he grow up.
He looked at the direwolf beside it peaceful but fearsome he sat beneath the direwolf, took his harp and began playing ‘The old man of the north’. soon he fell asleep.
When he woke, he looked around and wondered how long he slept. He tried remembering what happened.
Then everything came back to him: Robb giving him lemon cakes, breakfast that morning, his sparing with Robb and Theon, Lady Stark's blow, Lord Stark denying him the knowledge of knowing his mother, him coming to the crypt. It all came back in a rush and it made his head hurt. Lady Stark will always see him as a threat to her children no matter what. Jon laughed with tears pouring down his face.
“One day I will be better than every Stark that have ever ruled Winterfell,” He said out loud. His voice echoed around the dark crypt. After he said it he realized how foolish he was; a bastard better than the Kings and Lords of Winterfell.
He laughed at himself. He stood up, took his harp and lantern, and made to leave the crypt. When he passed his aunt Lyanna’s granite statue, his eye caught something shining beneath it. He thought about stopping to check what it is.
‘Well what do I have to loose, by the way I don't feel like leaving this place anytime soon.’
He dropped the lantern carefully and knelt down. He inspect the shinning thing and saw that it was the lock of a box. He felt a connection in his chest; something inside that box was calling to him. It was something he couldn't explain, it made his heart beat and his body feel warm. But how will he open the lock, he didn't have the key and he can't possibly ask Lord Stark.
He didn't want to see Lord Stark for now.
An idea came to him. He picked up the lantern and used it's buttom to hit the lock with all his power. The bang it made resounded in the crypt, but the lock didn't give way. He hit it again and again until the lock groaned and the box opened.
Jon Snow set down the lantern then he started bringing out the things that were inside the box.
The first thing he brought out was a book with leather cover. He sat down and started reading it. It was his aunt Lyanna’s diary.
Minutes later he was through with the diary.
‘So Robert's rebellion was based on a lie. Prince Rhaegar never kidnapped or raped aunt Lyanna. Aunt Lyanna and prince Rhaegar fell in love in love and got married, Prince Rhaegar even annulled his marriage to Elia Martell.’
To say Jon was shocked after reading Princess Lyanna Targaryen’s diary was an understatement.
‘Why didn't father tell any one? Does uncle Benjen know? What would he do if he know? How did the fake news of Lyanna’s kidnap and rape spread? Someone must have alternated something because aunt Lyanna's diary said she sent letters to her father and brother. Or did Lord Rickard and his son see the letter and thought that she was forced to write them?’
Jon sighed thinking about how someone must have lied about his aunt Lyanna being kidnapped and raped. He looked inside the box again then he put his hand inside and started bringing out papers. Most were love letters shared by Lyanna and Rhaegar. But two weren't. One was their marriage certificate, the other the annulment certificate of Prince Rhaegar and Princess Elia. Jon arranged all the papers and the diary well, then he put his hand into the box and he brought out another letter.
“More letters,” he muttered to himself. This letter was different from the others. It was still sealed and it was sealed with the direwolf of House Stark. He thought about breaking the seal, but his mind disturbed him not to. It wasn't a good thing to do. As he was about to drop the letter back, curiosity took hold of him. He broke the seal and started to read.
JON I'M SORRY FOR NOT TELLING YOU THIS EARLIER.
I GAVE THE KEY OF THIS BOX TO HOWLAND REED.
I TOLD HIM THAT IF I DIE WITHOUT TELLING YOU WHO
YOUR MOTHER IS, HE SHOULD GIVE YOU THE KEY AND
TELL YOU TO OPEN A BOX UNDER MY SISTER'S TOMB
IN THE CRYPT. INSIDE THIS BOX YOU WILL SEE LETTERS
FROM YOUR MOTHER AND FATHER, LYANNA AND RHAEGAR.
AM SORRY SON FOR NOT TELLING YOU WHO YOUR REAL
FATHER AND MOTHER WERE. IN THIS BOX YOU ALSO FIND
SIX DRAGON EGGS. THREE OF THEM WERE FOR YOUR FATHER,
HIS BROTHER, VICERYS, AND HIS MOTHER, RHAELLA. THE OTHERS WERE FOR YOUR BROTHER AND SISTER, AEGON AND
RHAENYS. THE SIXTH IS FOR YOU, THOUGH, NOW ALL OF
THEM BELONG TO YOU. INSIDE THE BOX YOU WILL ALSO F
IND THREE VALYRIAN STEEL SWORDS. ONE IS DARK SISTER,
BLOODRAVEN GAVE IT TO YOUR GREAT-GREAT UNCLE
AEMON AT THE WALL, AND HE GAVE IT TO YOUR FATHER
RHAEGAR. THE OTHER ONE IS BLACKFYRE. THE LAST IS FYREWING. IT WAS RUMORED THAT A FRIEND FROM
YUNKAI GIFTED THE SWORD TO YOUR FATHER. INSIDE
THE BOX IS ALSO YOUR FATHER’S HARP AND TARGA
RYEN SIGNET, YOUR MOTHERS MAIDEN CLOAK,
AND AEGON THE CONQUEROR’S VALYRIAN STEEL CROWN.
JON YOUR MOTHER LOVED YOU SO MUCH SHE MADE ME PR
OMISE TO PROTECT YOU. UNDERSTAND, SON, THAT IF
I HAD TOLD YOU WHO YOUR REAL PARENTS WERE A
ND SOMEHOW ONE OF ROBERT’S MASTER OF WHIS
PERS SPIES OVERHEAD, NOT ONLY WOULD YOU HAVE B
EEN KILLED, BUT EVERY MEMBER OF HOUSE STARK
TOO WOULD HAVE FACED THE HEADSMAN’S BLADE.
WITH LOVE, AFTER BRINGING YOU TO THIS WORLD
YOUR MOTHER NAMED YOU, JAEHAERYS TARGARYEN.
JON, YOU WERE BORN A KING. JAEHAERYS III TARGARYEN
KING OF THE SEVEN KINDOMS.
EDDARD STARK, LORD OF WINTERFELL
AND WARDEN OF THE NORTH.
Jon dropped the letter, tears were gathered in his eyes. Now he knew why he had grey circled violet eyes, and silver-brown hair.
“So am not a bastard, my mother loved me,” He said out loud. He cried the more clutching his mother's leg. Knowing that he has a mother yet he couldn't see her cause she died giving birth to him.
She died bringing him to this world. She used her life to pay for his. If he is given the chance to make a wish, he would wish that he was never born and his mother would be alive today.
When he was done with the letter, he brought out the dragon eggs, Valyrian steel swords, his father's harp, signet, his mother's maiden cloak, and Aegon the Conqueror’s Valyria steel crown.
The eggs were so beautiful. The first was blue and white. The second was grey and oxblood. The third was gold and black. The fourth was dark green and brown. The fifth was purple and the sixth was lava. All the eggs felt warm in his hand and they also felt like they were beating like heartbeats. He realized that they were what were calling to him.
His father's signet had the Targeyen three headed red dragon on black, while the harp was made of silver and gold with beautiful dragon designs and thick strings. His mother's maiden cloak also had the three headed red dragon on black, the fabric felt soft to the touch.
He unsheathed the Valyrian steel swords, he recognized the first immediately with a golden fire pommel (Dark Sister), the second had a red ruby pommel (Blackfyre) and the third had golden wings pommel (Fyrewing).
He took everything and replaced them in the box then he arranged the box in a way no one else will know it had been opened. He would have taken them to his room, but the maids will see them while arranging his room and then they will tell lady Stark. Who knows, one of the maids might even be a spy working for Lord Varys.
He retrieved the lantern and his harp, then he looked at his mother's face. His mother that he thought was his aunt until today. “I can't stay in Winterfell again. I can't bear to see Lord Stark's face. I will head to Yunkai to look for this friend of my father. I know some things about you, but I know little about my real father. I will see if this friend of my father can tell me anything about my father, then I will come back to Winterfell, I promise,” he promised. somehow talking to her statue gave him comfort. He made his way out of the crypt.
Outside the crypt was dark with the pale light of the moon shining down he breathed in fresh air to help calm him then he hanged the lantern on the sconce he met it. With his harp he made his way to the godswood. He walked across the courtyard and the Broken tower and he kept going.
Only the guards were out, even the servants were all behind the thick castle walls. He got to the gate of the godswood. It was made of iron and it was just six foot wide. It was a net-like gate, so you could see the godswood. He opened the bolt of the gate and strode into the godswood. He went past great sentinels, pines, oaks, and ironwood trees. Ancient trees that were older than Winterfell, their roots as thick but larger than his lap.
Jon stood before the Hearttree for a moment. In that moment he looked at the face carved on it. With red sap running down it's eyes. Jon had played in the godswood. He had even climbed the heart tree once. All those times the Hearttree always had a grim expression. Now it was mocking Jon. He paid it no mind. He went to the back of the tree and retrieved two training swords.
For two years now he has been practicing what Ser Rodrik taught him in the training yard, In the godswood after dinner, and not only did he use his right hand in practice, he also used his left hand. After a lot of hard work he learnt how to make the sword moves he was taught with both hands he was more skillful than Robb and Theon combined, but he always held out in training.
‘But from now on I will no longer hold out,’ he told himself as he stepped out and started practicing.
