The Northern Dragon

CH 8: I KEPT MY PROMISE

Jon tried to contain a smile at his words and nodded, "Yes, My Lord."

The white wolf walked down Castle Black with a beam on his face, receiving pats in the back from the other men as they congratulate him, telling him he deserved the sword.

Once he entered the kitchens, all the other rookies were waiting there for him, chanting for the male to let them have a look at the blade.

They all laughed once he unsheathed it and gave it to them. The boys ran off with the sword in hand, laughing heartedly as they played around with it.

Chuckling at them, Jon walked to Sam's side. The Tarly having been seated with his head downcast this whole time, something that didn't go unnoticed by the wolf, "What is it?"

Sam went to speak, stuttering over his words before looking back down at the table, "I can't."

"You can't what?" wondered Snow, his friend babbling once again, "I-I'm really not supposed to say."

"And yet you really want to say." stated Jon, "You want to say that...?"

The highborn swallowed deeply and turned to his friend, his whole body sweating at what he was about to tell him, "There was a raven. I read the message to Maester Aemon. It's your brother Robb."

Jon's eyes hardened at that, locking with Sam's, "What? What about him?"

"He's heading south. To war."

Jon began breathing rapidly, Sam trying to reassure him, "All his bannermen have rallied to his side. They'll keep him safe."

"I should be there." he breathed out, "I should be with him."

The former princess paced all over her chambers, her hand running through her silver locks as the two highborn men who swore allegiance to her sat in the room watching her.

"You know, if you keep pacing like that you're going to make a hole on the floor." Ron raised a brow.

Finally having enough, the lion grabbed her shoulders and locked his sapphire orbs with her amethyst ones, "What is it? You were with Sansa. What happened?"

"Lord Eddard is going to confess to treason. He never committed treason but now he is going to confess to it." she stepped back and sat down, "He would be making a huge mistake."

"Probably. But you can't ask him to think of himself before you and Sansa. If lying is going to keep you both safe, he is going to do it." said Michael.

A frown etched on her face, knowing he was right, "If only that would actually keep us safe..."

"This treason they are accusing him of... it was because of him walking into the throne room with his men, was it not?" the Baratheon leaned on his knees and stared directly at her, "What did Lord Stark discover that would make him do something like that?"

Rhaenys pursed her lips at his question, the Lannister turning back to her at her silence, "Rhaenys? What was it that Uncle discovered? You know what it was, don't you?"

Letting out a sigh, Ron rubbed his forehead, "You might as well tell us now. Lord Stark sent Stannis a letter. I take it it was informing him of Robert's decision and asking for his support. And it should have whatever was it that Jon Arryn and he found."

"It's not anything you both shouldn't have already suspected." she muttered, looking up at them, "Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen... are the children of Cersei and Jaime Lannister. None of them have any claim to the throne. They never did. Robert Baratheon had no heir."

At the Night's Watch, Jon was called by Maester Aemon to help him feed the crows. Something the boy wasn't too happy about, less so after the news he had heard.