Duty or Desire // Jon Snow // Robb Stark

Bastards and Dwarves

Odie wasn't Sandor's little peanut anymore. She was a woman. Sandor didn't like the way all the lords the little imp included were staring at her. Yet she still clung to him like when she was little. Still looked at him like he was the best thing in the world. And still told him how handsome he was.

'you don't want to hang out with your old brother,' sandor told her at the feast.

'yes I do.' Odie told him. 'and you are not old.'

'don't you want to be with your friends?' sandor questioned.

'you don't want me here?' her pain flooded with pain.

'no,' he told her immediately. 'of course I do.' Sandor pulled her closer. 'I just don't want you to think you have to-'

'I haven't seen you in six years Sandor.' Odie reminded him. 'Six. Years.'

'I know.' Sandor told her. it had been a hellish six years. At first he was a worry wort. Constantly writing and checking up on her but ravens to winterfell from the capital took forever and he had nothing to do but worry and get called dog. But once odie started writing him about making friends and loving the little ones, he stopped worrying so much and just missed her instead. But she was a fancy folk now. her dresses were better, her hair in waves around her face, but still that same smile. He didn't want to let her go again but he didn't want to force her to spend time with him in case she didn't love him anymore. It had been six long years, people change. But odie still looked at him like he was her favorite person in the whole world.

'I'm not leaving your side the whole time you are here.' Odie told him.

'I still got little cunt duties unfortunately.' Sandor reminded him.

'then when you are not with him, or I could follow around the prince with you!' odie suggested.

'you wont like him.' Sandor told her.

'probably not but maybe he will be focused on his future bride and not worry about you and you can spend time with me.' odie said hopefully.

'I missed you peanut.'

++++++++++

'Is it dead yet?' Benjen called over to Jon, he was beating up a practice dummy in the courtyard.

'Uncle Benjen!' Jon said coming up to him happily.

'you've gotten bigger!' Benjen remarked it had been a while since he last visited Winterfell. 'out here all day? They didn't wanna leave you alone with a Lannister?' Benjen teased. 'You don't wanna enjoy the feast?' Benjen questioned.

'Lady Stark did not want to insult the Royal family by seating a bastard in their midst.' Jon admitted.

'Well you are always welcome at the wall,' Benjen assured him. 'no bastard has ever been turned away there.' an idea, not thought through at all sprung into jons head.

'So take me with you when you go back.' Jon suggested.

'Jon-'

'Father will let me if you ask him.' Jon negotiated

'The wall isn't going anywhere.' Benjen reminded him.

'I'm ready.' Jon assured him. Odetta would bleed and marry Robb and he didn't want to be apart of that, watching her fall for him.

'you don't understand what you'd be giving up, we have no families none of us father any sons-' Benjen explained.

'I don't care about that.' Jon said because the only woman he ever loved was to be married to someone else and there's no getting around that.

'You might.' Benjen told him 'if you knew what it meant... I better get inside and rescue your father from his guests.' Benjen said 'we will talk later.' he said giving Jon a pat.

'Your uncle is in the nights watch?' Tyrion said

'what are you doing back there?' Jon questioned

'Preparing for a night with your family.' Tyrion told him, 'I've always wanted to see the wall,' he remarked taking a swig from his jug

'You are Tyrion Lannister.' Jon remarked 'the Queen's brother.'

'My greatest accomplishment. And you... you are ned Starks bastard aren't you?' Jon turned away annoyed, that was not what defined him. 'Did I offend you? Sorry.' Tyrion said following him. 'But you are the bastard though.'

'Lord Eddard Stark is my father.' Jon told him

'And lady Stark is not your mother... making you the bastard..' Tyrion told him simply, 'let me give you some advice, bastard. Never forget who you are or what you are the rest of the world will not, wear it like armor, that way it can never be used to hurt you,' Tyrion told him turning away from Jon.

'What the hell would you know about being a bastard?' Jon called after him

'All dwarves are bastards in their father's eyes.' Tyrion told him heading inside.