章 52: Chapter 52 – Winterfell 03.
[Chapter Size: 3300 Words.]
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Third Person POV
Winterfell, 292 AC, At the same moment.
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Jon looked at the crown in his hands, thoughtful about the weight of responsibility he now carried. It was very similar to the weapons used by the white walkers, as if he were holding ice itself. Jon tightened his grip on this magical item and knew it would be a good addition to his expedition to the west of the lands beyond the wall.
Ned, walking alongside his son, as they approached the exit of the crypts, the daylight began to seep in, dispelling the shadows. Some inhabitants of the castle, who were waiting for their exit, looked surprised and admiring to see Jon carrying a bright Crown. Murmurs began among them, and Arya reappeared with attentive eyes.
Arya, with her characteristic impatience and enthusiasm, was the first to approach them, her eyes fixed on the crown in Jon's hands. "JON, IS IT TRUE THAT YOU ARE LEAVING AFTER THIS?" she asked, her voice trembling with a mix of sadness and concern, as her mother had been saying that Jon would leave as soon as they left the crypts. Arya suddenly focused her attention on the shiny object in Jon's hands. "HEY, WHAT IS THIS BEAUTIFUL CROWN THAT YOU AND DAD BROUGHT FROM THE CRYPTS?" She asked hastily.
Arya's question about the bright crown only increased the curiosity of those present. Jon didn't answer immediately and looked at his father. Lord Stark intervened to calm his daughter's concerns. "Jon will stay in the castle for a few more days, Arya," he informed her, reassuring her and establishing that Jon would remain in Winterfell for a while, despite the tensions that occurred earlier in the courtyard. Ned emphasized that Catelyn would not interfere with Jon's stay, as the boy would give money to the family and needed to be here to receive the shipment of gold.
Jon, in turn, addressed Arya with a brotherly smile. "I'll stay a few more days, little sister, and this is the Crown of Winter. It was used by our ancestors to rule the North," he explained, his tone of voice laden with respect for the heritage and history of the Stark family.
"Jon, why do you have this crown? Are you going to be a king?" Arya asked, her eyes shining with admiration and curiosity. Jon smiled at his younger sister. "Actually, Arya, I am already a king. I founded a kingdom beyond the Wall called Artica," Jon explained, causing a mix of surprise and disbelief among the spectators, even though people first thought of Jon hallucinating like a child.
"Amazing!" Arya exclaimed, her voice full of admiration. She didn't doubt Jon's words for a moment, unlike some of the onlookers who still thought Jon was just fantasizing. Then, Arya's attention turned to the swords on Jon's back, one in particular caught her attention. "Jon, why does your sword have a dragon hilt?" Arya asked, pointing to the peculiar sword.
"This is Dark Sister, the sword of Visenya Targaryen," Jon replied, unsheathing the Valyrian steel sword. The dark, wavy metal of the blade shone in the sunlight, capturing the attention of everyone around. It was a rare sight to see a Valyrian steel sword, especially one with so much history.
Arya's eyes widened, impressed by the sword that belonged to one of the most iconic figures in Westeros history. Jon, noticing Arya's interest, handed her the sword so she could hold it. She took it carefully, feeling the weight and history in her hands. The sword, once wielded by a great warrior, was now in the hands of a young girl who dreamed of adventures and battles.
"It's amazing, Jon! Visenya Targaryen used it with her dragon, Vhagar!" She shouted with joy. "Be careful with that steel Arya, this is no joke," Ned warned his daughter.
Robb Stark, watching from the corner of the courtyard, couldn't disguise his jealousy. He saw in Jon, who had left Winterfell as a boy three years ago, someone who now returned wrapped in glory and bearing legendary items. Theon Greyjoy, by his side, shared a similar sentiment, both impressed and at the same time resentful of Jon's transformation.
"Father, can I stay in my old room? Is it free?" Jon turned to his father after sheathing the sword.
"Yes, you can stay there," Ned replied, and Jon nodded.
"Let's go, Jon! I'll take you there!" Arya said with joy.
"I want to go too!" Bran emerged from among the guards and servants and went to Jon and Arya.
"Shouldn't you be doing your tasks?" Jon raised an amused eyebrow.
"I escaped from the septa's lesson... Father, please, let me spend some time with my brother!! Please, please, please!" Arya pleaded like a kitten to Ned.
Lord Stark saw this and sighed. "Alright, you are relieved from your duties to spend time with Jon," he said, and Arya and Bran were very excited about it.
Jon, holding the Crown of Winter, and accompanied by his siblings, walked through the castle, attracting looks of admiration and astonishment. They arrived at an isolated part of the castle, and Jon looked at the door in front of him with a specific look.
In that place, he used to cry countless times, crying for a dead mother, that life wasn't easy for a bastard being judged by everyone, but now he had returned no longer as that boy. He was something greater, he was ready to face those places with his chin up.
Opening the door, Jon entered the room, with Arya and Bran following closely. The room seemed smaller than he remembered, but every detail was still fresh in his memory. Arya, observing Jon's serious expression, asked softly:
"Jon, are you okay? I slept several times here."
"I am. You slept here?" Jon raised an eyebrow at this.
"Yes. Mother never liked it and even put a guard here, but I always did when I could," she said with some pride.
Bran, with his innocent curiosity, examined the room. "It looks like a normal room," he commented.
"It is, Bran," Jon smiled.
"Jon! Is it true that you live beyond the Wall with wildlings?! That you have giants and many giant wolves like the one you brought?" He bombarded Jon with questions, and Jon ruffled his brother's hair.
Jon sat on the bed, the Crown of Winter beside him, and looked at his siblings. "I have many stories, Bran. Would you like to hear them?"
"Yes, please tell me!" He said excitedly.
Jon looked at Bran and Arya with a smile. "Well, beyond the Wall, it's a completely different world. Yes, Bran, there are wildlings, giants, dwarfs, and even giant animals. It's a place full of mysteries and dangers."
"Dwarfs?! Like the Imp of the Lannisters?" Arya asked curiously.
"No Arya, that dwarf is a human with a genetic error, I'm talking about real dwarfs, they are an entire community of small beings," Jon explained.
"That's incredible, Jon!" Bran exclaimed in admiration.
Arya approached, curious. "Have you ever fought a giant, Jon?"
Jon laughed. "A few times, but don't compare my strength to theirs, Arya. Giants are our allies and many of them my own people while living in Artican lands. They have their own culture, a bit different from ours. They helped us build Artica and are living among us."
Bran seemed amazed. "And about your giant wolves? Are they like Ghost?"
"Yes, but not larger. Ghost is special," Jon said proudly.
Arya, always enthusiastic about stories of courage and adventure, asked: "Jon, why do you have a dragon on your armor? Aren't they from the Targaryens?"
"Ah that..." Jon looked at the symbols on his body and smiled. "I can tell, but you mustn't tell anyone about this," Jon smiled mysteriously.
"Yes! We promise not to tell anyone!" The children exclaimed excitedly.
"I have a living dragon, he's as white as Ghost with green stripes," Jon spoke as if it were a secret to hide.
"Really?!"
"A dragon?!"
The children exclaimed in admiration, unable to believe what they were hearing.
"How did you find him?!" Arya asked.
"Well... I received an egg..." Jon continued to tell his story of how Eragon was born to his younger siblings in that room.
The three siblings spent time together, Jon telling stories of his adventures and teachings beyond the Wall.
Meanwhile, in another part of the castle, Catelyn Stark was fervently arguing with Ned in his solar. "How can you allow him to stay here after everything he said?" she questioned, indignant at Jon's prolonged presence.
Ned, maintaining his calm, tried to explain the situation. "Catelyn, Jon has brought a significant contribution to Winterfell and the North. He deserves our hospitality, at least for a few days."
Catelyn, however, was not easily convinced. "He is just a bastard, Ned. And now he talks about being a king? That's absurd!"
"You need to understand, Catelyn," Ned insisted, "Jon is part of this family, whether you like it or not. He has brought honor and wealth to Winterfell, and he deserves our respect."
Catelyn, however, was blinded by her own convictions. "He is a threat, Ned. You are being blind!"
"I will not listen to you talk about this anymore, Catelyn. Jon is our guest and I have ensured that you will not bother him! Listen to what I am saying, he will stay here a few days and it's better for you not to bother him with your venom. Otherwise, forget your authority in this house after this," Ned threatened with an intense look.
"Look at you, Ned, that boy is clouding your mind with manipulations! He is planning to take Winterfell!" she almost shouted.
"How can you be so foolish, Jon is sending a lot of gold to this house, he has no political support and no one would accept it if Jon took Winterfell, why can't you see that?! Another thing, he has an army on the other side of the Wall, it's better not to become his enemy Cat, be rational for once in your life, Jon won't usurp Robb!" Ned was tired of his wife's madness.
"You don't see how he is defying us now, a bastard should not act like this, he is a threat Ned. Even more so now that he has an army!" She continued insisting.
Ned sighed, knowing that the discussion with Catelyn about Jon was always delicate. "He has changed, Catelyn. He is not the boy who left Winterfell. So don't provoke him, I'm warning you," Ned spoke with a tone of authority again.
Catelyn remained unsatisfied; she didn't respond to Ned and left the solar without saying anything.
Night fell in Winterfell, and Jon found himself at the servants' table, an unlikely place for someone of his new status, but he didn't mind. Bran and Arya, defying expectations and protocol, chose to sit next to Jon, preferring his company to the formality of the high table with their family, to Catelyn's dismay. The children's decision had been met with reprimands from Catelyn, but Ned authorized their presence next to their brother.
Jon saw little Rickon for the first time in his mother's arms and was happy to see the child; he wanted to hold him but knew the fish would never allow that. Even looking at the boy, he already received dagger-like glares from Catelyn.
The table was filled with laughter and animated conversations. Jon shared more stories of his adventures beyond the Wall and some he witnessed in green sight, his eyes always shining whenever he saw the fascination in Bran and Arya.
Arya, always curious and fearless, asked about every detail, while Bran listened with admiration, daydreaming about those distant lands. As the night progressed, the atmosphere in the dining room became warmer and more cheerful.
After dinner, Jon said goodbye to Bran and Arya, leaving them with a smile and promises of more stories in the coming days. He walked through the corridors of Winterfell, feeling the atmosphere of the place he once called home.
Upon reaching his old room, Jon slowly opened the door, allowing the memories to flood his mind once again. The room, though small and modest, contained fragments of his childhood, every corner filled with memories of a simpler and yet more painful time.
He sat on the bed, now a man transformed by the journey beyond the Wall, but still connected to that space that once represented so much suffering and loneliness. The room, though full of ghosts of the past, no longer had power over him. Jon was now a leader, a king, and the walls of that room could not contain the magnitude of what he had become.
The night advanced silently as he sat looking at the room from his bed, and Jon found an unexpected peace in the solitude of that space. He no longer felt the sadness that once was, wondering if the day would be the same as the one before, if he would wake up the next day and be judged for being a bastard son, a stain on the Stark family. The judging eyes still continued, as Jon could perceive, but that no longer affected him as before; he only felt pity for those people, who would live their lives in such a way until the end of their days.
Lying down on the bed, Jon calmly closed his eyes; he slept not as the bastard of Winterfell, but as Jon Artica, the King of Artica, a man who forged his own path and destiny with the help of the gods who smiled upon him.
The next morning, Jon chose not to join the family for breakfast. Instead, he headed to the castle's library, a place he had been eager to explore since he entered the gates of Winterfell. The library of Winterfell, with its tall shelves filled with ancient tomes, had always been a refuge for those seeking knowledge and understanding.
Jon recognized many books he had already read and went to the sections he had not yet explored. As he lost himself among the books, Jon opened various tomes from the Stark collection. He flipped through the pages at high speed, immersing himself in the chronicles of ancient battles, the legends of the First Men, and the mysteries of the Children of the Forest with the knowledge the Starks had acquired. He spent more time looking at the battles of the Long Night; he had seen some of the fights, but wanted to see the thoughts of the Stark family on the Long Night after thousands of years. Since the battle between the living and the dead was treated as a mere legend to scare children nowadays, Jon didn't care about that; he decided to end the threat from the north on his own without help from the south. If he tried something like that, he would just be ridiculed, and even if the south believed, nobody would help Artica in the end, opting to stay behind the Wall.
Jon spent hours looking at the books, and then Maester Luwin entered the library. The old maester, with his chain of various links around his neck, representing his knowledge in several areas, paused for a moment at the entrance, observing Jon. He always had a watchful eye and a curious mind, and seeing Jon, a young man he had seen grow up, now completely absorbed in books, brought him a sense of satisfaction.
"Jon," called Luwin, his calm and measured voice breaking the silence of the room. "It's good to see you still find comfort in books. Is there something specific you are looking for?"
Jon looked up from the pages, a bit surprised at being interrupted, but also pleased to see a familiar face. "Maester Luwin, good morning. I was just... refreshing my memory about some of the ancient legends of the North. They are fascinating stories."
"Indeed, they are," Luwin agreed, approaching. "The stories of the Starks and the North are deep and full of meaning. Is there something in particular that caught your attention?"
Jon closed the book he was reading and set it aside. "I'm interested in learning more about the ancient relations between the Starks and other mythical creatures of the North, like giants and the Children of the Forest. I believe knowledge of the past can be useful for the future."
"I heard you have giants as companions, I would like to see such creatures. Many might not believe, but all accounts affirm you with them," he said, thinking about the 4-meter-tall men.
"It's true, they are my people, I'm surprised to find the viewpoints of the ancient Starks on them in these books."
Luwin nodded, understanding. "The wisdom of the past always illuminates the way to the future," he said and continued. "Jon, it's good to finally have the opportunity to talk with you. It seems a lot has happened since the last time we were together. How has life been beyond the Wall? You don't have to answer if you're too busy with these books," asked Luwin, genuinely interested, but also respecting someone in pursuit of knowledge.
"It's all right, I will be here for many days. We can talk," Jon said and set aside his book to speak with the maester.
Jon shared some of the details of his journey, talking about his experiences and learnings. As the conversation progressed, Luwin became increasingly impressed with Jon's maturity and intelligence, and his command of language. Despite his young age, Jon spoke with the wisdom of someone who had experienced and learned far more than most in his lifetime.
"You have a remarkable perspective, Jon. Your understanding of matters is noteworthy for someone of your age," observed Luwin.
"I've learned many things and can even speak a few languages," Jon said, making Luwin even more surprised.
During the conversation, Jon demonstrated his skill in various languages. He spoke fluently in High Valyrian, the old tongue, Braavosi Valyrian, the Dothraki language, and even the complex language of the closed country like Yi-Ti. Luwin was particularly impressed with this ability.
"Jon, your fluency in so many languages is extraordinary. It reveals not just your intelligence, but also a breadth of knowledge that shouldn't be possible for a boy of your age, this is intriguing how you learned all this beyond the Wall in this place called Artica," Luwin commented, admiringly.
Jon had to learn these languages, studying various subjects with different peoples; he learned to understand all the knowledge in these last two years.
"Jon, it's truly incredible how much you've learned and grown in the past three years," said Luwin, looking at Jon with a mix of admiration and surprise. "When I last saw you, you were a curious child, but now... You have wisdom that would embarrass many of my colleagues at the Citadel."
"Thank you, Master Luwin, I was lucky to find a great master beyond the Wall, I learned a lot from him."
"I would like to meet this master, Jon. Someone who could have taught you all his knowledge is truly extraordinary. But not just that, you really have an extraordinary mind, Jon. You would have been a great student here in Winterfell, but it seems that the world beyond the Wall has been your true home now," Luwin said thoughtfully.
Jon and Maester Luwin continued to talk until mid-morning. Jon bid farewell to Luwin and left the library. He headed to the training yard; he wanted to sharpen some of his skills in that familiar place, full of memories.
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