original

The King of Winter

Kapitel 1: Heir of the North

Robb Stark is an adventurous boy.

That's something everyone who knew Lord Stark's heir said, and it's true. Since he learned to walk Robb was rarely still, always moving from one side to another, always finding something to entertain himself with.

The second thing people noticed was the curiosity of the young heir to the North. "How?" and "Why?" became his favorite words. It was not uncommon to find the boy following a random servant or guard peppering them with questions. Sometimes his questions are easy to answer and other times they are so difficult that not even Maester Luwin can keep up with the young lord.

Such curiosity led him to want to learn to read at the age of three, at first his father refused to allow his heir to start his studies at such an early age; Ned Stark wanted his children to enjoy their childhood. But Robb did not stop insisting, day after day he followed anyone who knew how to read with a book in hand asking them how to read this or that word.

In the end Ned relented and Luwin began to teach Robb, Jon also joining the lessons so as not to be left out.

While Robb soaked up all the lessons like a sponge, Jon got bored and preferred to use the parchment sheets to draw rather than write. And so both boys found something they loved, Jon drawing and Robb books.

It turns out that while Robb proved to be a great learner, Jon proved to be a talented artist, even Lady Stark was forced to admit that the bastard of her husband has talent.

Luwin was fascinated with how quickly Robb learned anything, one day he wanted to test the intelligence of his student and gave him some math problems too advanced for a three year old. After explaining the basics he left the heir alone.

When he returned hours later he found Robb reading a book about Theon Stark, the Hungry Wolf, seeing him so calm and unconcerned he thought that the boy abandoned the task, finding it too difficult. Approaching the table he got the surprise of his life, Robb completed the task and his answers were all correct!

"Impossible, this is not taught until children are 11 or 12!" Luwin called him a miracle child, a genius, as he had never seen such a brilliant child in his four decades of life.

***

Eddard Stark, or Ned Stark to many, is a family man.

Everyone in the North and even in the South knew that Lord Stark loved his family more than anything, and would die for any of them in the blink of an eye. He went to war to avenge his father and brother, and most importantly, to save his sister.

Not even his honor is more important than his family, his late sister knew that well.

'Promise me, Ned' Lord Stark shakes his head burying that memory.

Upon returning from the war and meeting his firstborn for the first time, he felt that his heart doubled in size, although he already loved Jon very much, he did not think it was possible to love such a small being so much. Robb fit in both of his hands perfectly, so small and fragile that Lord Stark was terrified of hurting him every time he picked him up.

Seeing the big blue eyes look at him for the first time Ned promised to always protect his heir and not only that but to make sure that he never feels trapped or caged, as his sister felt.

He wants his son to live a happy and peaceful life.

So when his precocious son insisted on starting his lessons with Maester Luwin at three years old Ned refused, he wanted Robb to enjoy his childhood playing and having fun, not spending hours and hours in the library, there will be time for that later.

But Robb kept insisting and in the end Ned relented, sure that Robb would soon get bored of the lessons. He also made Jon attend the lessons so he wouldn't feel left out. He soon realized that he was wrong to underestimate his heir. Robb learned everything Luwin taught him so quickly that it seemed he was absorbing the knowledge like cloth absorbs water.

Jon, on the other hand, found the lessons boring and entertained himself drawing, something in which he proved quite talented for someone so young. At first his wife complained about the waste of paper, those words reached the ears of his heir and his three-year-old son played them as a lute.

One morning Robb came running to the Great Hall excited with a drawing of a wolf that he said he drew, Caitlin, Ned and others complimented him on his talent. When Robb asked if he could continue learning to draw his parents agreed, then Robb asked them with all the seriousness of a child:

"Sure, is it alright for me to use paper to draw? Wouldn't I be wasting it?" Ned remembered his wife's words and realized his son's intentions as Caitlin assured Robb that they had more than enough paper.

Then a mischievous smile appeared on Robb's face.

"I don't really like drawing that much, so Jon can use that paper for his drawings." Caitlin was about to open her mouth to say something but Robb cut her off. "By the way, that drawing was done by Jon, not me." Robb ran out of the Great Hall leaving more than one person speechless.

Days later Luwin lectured him again about how intelligent his heir is and suggested sending him to the Citadel to continue his studies there. Ned flatly refused. He will not send his three year old son to the other side of the continent!

Luwin kept trying to convince him but Ned was adamantine, although in the end Ned agreed to let Luwin increase the difficulty of Robb's lessons.

Robb is clearly a genius and Ned is proud of his son but what makes Ned most proud is what a good boy his son is. Robb is the perfect older brother, protective and loving.

Ned felt pride explode in his chest when he saw how his heir was teaching his little brother to read. Robb realized that Jon loves adventure stories so once he learned to read he would read him a new story every night. Within a week he would always stop at the last page and tell Jon that if he wants to know how the story ends he has to read it himself. Robb helped Jon read every word and before Jon was four years old the boy could read the stories he loves so much.