The Birth of Dragons

Jon Snow

Winterfell was quiet now, with so many people having gone south with father and the girls. Jon was not sure what to make of it all, but one thing he did know was that nothing would ever be the same. They were hovering on the brink of something, something dangerous, and its taste was intoxicating. Jon looks at his brother, Robb sits in father's chair, looking so very pensive, and he asks. "Do you think it was a coincidence that Bran woke up just before the imp came to Winterfell?"

Robb looks up from whatever it was he was reading, and shakes his head. "No. Luwin will say so, but I disagree. I think there is something going on. I agree with mother; it is far too convenient."

Jon quirks an eyebrow and asks. "Do you truly think the Imp had something to do with the attack on Bran, or even his fall?" He would think he would know if the imp had done something in that regard, from what he remembers the dwarf had not gone on the hunt that day.

Robb shrugs. "I do not know Jon. All I know is that it is quite suspicious that he goes running off to the wall after Bran's fall and then he comes back. It's almost as if he's come to check out Bran and see if our brother remembers anything."

"But why would he want something done to Bran? What did Bran ever do to him?" Jon asks, still struggling to comprehend the fact that someone had pushed Bran out of the tower, but knowing that Lady Catelyn was not wrong, Bran never fell, never.

Robb sighs. "I don't know Jon. But I think he might well have seen something he was not supposed to see, and as a result he is suffering for it now." Jon sees his brother run a hand through his hair, a gesture that has become more and more common for his brother as time has gone on. "Honestly, I do not understand why he always had to go climbing. Why couldn't he have done something else?"

Jon quirks an eyebrow at his brother and asks. "Do you really need to ask that Robb?"

His brother laughs. "That is true. Still, he should have thought something like this would happen."

At this the air gets heavy, and Jon takes a cup of water, taking a deep sip of the drink, he then says. "I think we need to be very careful. Tyrion might have gone, but something is coming. That much I can tell you."

He can tell his brother is curious, he is just grateful that Robb no longer asks how he learns the information he knows. "What did you hear?" is the question Robb asks instead.

Jon shifts slightly, feeling suddenly uncomfortable. "I heard the imp paid a visit to one of the girls in the village, you know the girl who served as Lady Catelyn's maid."

"What? Why?" Robb asks.

Jon shifts again, playing with the cup of water. "I think it had something to do with Bran's fall and the piece of hair that Lady Catelyn found in the tower." The Blond piece of hair that is.

"Do you think the imp thought the girl would know?" Robb asks curious.

"Yes." Jon responds simply. "I think he thought that the openness that he has seen here would extend to the girl. I don't think he quite realised that Lady Catelyn was not so foolish as to tell the girl anything at all."

Robb smiles at that, it had become something of a joke amongst them about just how much they could and could not tell the servants. "That is true. I could go and ask Theon to find out whether the girl talked."

At this Jon feels his eyebrows raise. "Is Greyjoy sleeping with the girl?"

Jon can tell his brother is trying desperately hard not to laugh by the way he is shaking. "Yes. He most definitely is. I think that's why mother let the girl go back to the village."

Jon snorts. "Is there anyone Greyjoy will not sleep with? Speaking of which, where is Greyjoy, I had thought he'd be here?" He has never liked how close Greyjoy is with his brother, but he has long since decided to keep his thoughts on the matter to himself.

Robb merely shrugs. "I asked him to look into something for me."

Jon knows not to pursue that line of questioning and so instead he asks another question. "When do you think Lady Catelyn will return from the south?"

At this Robb looks quite pensive. "I do not know, truthfully, I would have thought she'd be back home by now, it has been nearly a moon since she left. It would've taken her only around two weeks. And unless father has decided to risk allowing her see the girls, I do not know what more she could be doing down south."

Jon nods in full agreement with his brother. "Do you think father might return home soon?" he'd seen the letters that father had written to Lady Catelyn which had been sent through the special service uncle Benjen had, and they had not been encouraging.

He feels deeply disappointed when he sees Robb shake his head. "I don't think so Jon. Knowing father, I think he will stay out in King's Landing, either until King Robert sees sense, or until he dies."

The thought of father dying before he has the chance to ask him about who his mother is, terrifies him, and so he says. "I hope it does not come to that. Surely King Robert will realise sooner or later that father is better put to use in the north, rather than in some southern shit hole?"

Robb nods. "One would think so, but with the Lannisters ever present, father might be needed to ensure that the other kingdoms at least get something resembling a voice."

Jon nods in response, not really sure he likes it, but also knowing they need a voice in the south, to prevent what might come.