The Provenance || Jon Snow | Game of Thrones

9.04

It is rather fitting that this is the only place they can hide from lurking eyes. Gabrielle breathes deeply in the open space of the godswood, feeling the cold air in her lungs without discomfort—being the cold herself. The others collect around the area, as somewhat of a circle with Sansa, Arya, Bran, Robb, Gabrielle, Jon, Ned, and Stannis—basking under the red leaves that shine not in the light of the absent sun but with growth of the Winter Queen before them. And while they had all been here the night prior, it feels like a new moment—a new year—as they prepare for this Last War that will send most of them South.

"I trust you have a plan with Gabrielle then...?" Sansa starts, staring at Jon with a silent accusation that she would never point at Gabrielle. "To mislead the Dragon Queen?"

But that confuses Jon—wondering to what Sansa could possibly be implying when he is perpetually slow in recognizing others' recognition, asking sharply, "What?"

"I can see no other reason why you would take her side on the matters discussed," Sansa explains, her blue eyes bearing into him like daggers as he stutters.

"Sansa—"

"We do," Gabrielle cuts him off, the others turning to her as she looks at Jon in a more than friendly manner—a change. "This is your family, Jon Snow, the eight of us. The last of the Starks. We must trust family even when we cannot trust anyone else."

Jon hesitates as he looks at her, noticing that she's no longer keeping secrets, but also of her intention to more than that: to prod him into telling the truth. It's truly and completely ironic that this is now the case, but all the same, it's the other matter that has him reeling. He cannot hide his secrets from his family that is that is not really his. And as such, his eyes turn to them as he corrects Gabrielle, "I've never been a Stark."

"You are. You're just as much father's child as any of us," Sansa is quick to rebuke him—once again—as she looks between Jon and Ned, not noticing the latter's uneasiness when so masked by Jon's own feelings. "You're my brother. Not my half-brother or my bastard brother. My brother."

But it's as if Jon is barely listening, looking not to her but to Ned as the others follow his gaze in misunderstanding as Ned imparts, "It's your choice."

"I need to tell you something," Jon decides after a moment's pause as he settles into his stance and looks at those ignorant to the truth. "But you have to swear you'll never tell another soul."

Sansa's eyebrows furrow, noticing at once that Gabrielle and Bran seem informed as to the fact hidden at hand—and wondering how great and personal this secret must be to have Gabrielle quiet. But she has to ask, "What is it?"

"You have to swear it, before he tells you," Gabrielle replies, nodding at Sansa with a unique look in her eye...a look of urgency and of hope.

And knowing at once it is an imperative she learn this fact, Sansa thus promises,

"I swear it."

"I swear it," Arya, Robb, and Stannis echo at once, a simple beat after Sansa.

And in doing so, Jon seals his fate as to that dictated not by himself but by his sister and lover as he looks to Ned and Bran with the simple command, "Tell them."

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She can hardly believe it's the truth...Jon's the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark...Jon's real name is Aegon Targaryen... Jon is the heir to the Iron Throne... Jon has a better claim.