Chapter 8 - Brothers

Days passed and I could hear to the servants talk, I was able to get some information, apparently I have 4 Siblings, Brandon being the oldest, Eddard the second, Lyanna the third and Benjen the fourth.

I was born in the 268, and last year Benjen was born, causing his mother, Lyarra, to die in childbirth.

'Damn, I miss playing music, forging, and sculpting, shit, I'm even missing the hellish training I went through those years, Alexander was a ruthless bastard and now look where I am, stuck in this body that doesn't even have control of its digestive tract.'

While I was lost in thought, the bedroom door opened, showing the Lord of Winterfell and protector of the north, Rickard Stark.

Walking over to the to the where is was, and Rickard pick me up on his lap.

"I apologize for not seeing you sooner, my son, I was giving your mother a proper burial" Rickard spoke as he hugged me.

"When Lyarra died, I was desolate, lost and aimless I decided to wander the northern lands, everything changed when I went to White Harbor, there I met a woman, newly arrived from the city of Lys, she only carried an ancient chest, saying that her destiny was in the north, intrigued by the woman, I offered to show Winterfell, telling stories about Brandon the builder, speaking that he created the castle based on magic." Spoke Rickard as he sat in the chair beside the bed with the baby in his arms.

"She was elated to go with me, and it was in that smile that I realized I had fallen in love with the stranger. On the way from White Harbor to Winterfell, we talked and grew closer, after eight months you came to be born, we had plans to marry before, but there was no time, so I promised that when you are old enough I would legitimize you, and the Starks always keep their promise, I may not promise you land, but there will always be a space for you on our mantelpiece." Spoke Rickard looking into my eyes.

Giving him a smile, I lifted my small hands to the man's face and stroked him, or at least tried to, after all, moving his limbs took a lot of effort, since I didn't have much control.

When tears were close to coming out of the man's eyes, he got up from the chair and put me back in the crib, wiping their eyes with the sleeve of his clothes as he went towards the bedroom exit, stopping at the door he looked towards the crib and said:

"Sleep well my son."

Reflecting on what had just occurred, I realize a feeling that I had not felt in a while.

Affection.

The last time I felt this was for my former mother and sister, I seem to have found a place that I can call home, and those who try to take this away from me will pay with their lives.

In my years of training I have learned that showing feelings, no matter what it is, love or hate, is a weakness that your enemies can exploit, I have to be as careful as possible, the walls here have eyes and ears.

I just hope that time passes faster so that I can put my plans into practice.

...

Today is my third name day, and a few things have happened so far, at six months I started to walk and at eight to speak a few words, when I made my first name day, I was caught trying to read some books in the Winterfell library.

When asked if I understood what was written, I said no, that I only liked the drawings in some books.

I was declared a genius, my father was very happy, almost threw a banquet to celebrate my birthday, but Maester Walys, said that it might sound bad to the other Lords.

And that pissed me off, not the fact that I don't get a feast because I'm a bastard, but how easily my father followed Maester's advice.

At one and a half years old, I was already able to read, and the fact that the common language here in this world is English helped a lot.

I started my studies with Maester Walys quickly, showing intelligence and being able to memorize all the books he had passed me.

Now three days into my name, I began my physical training hidden from the view of others, on the Elysian Fields I learned a training that is capable of strengthening all my muscles, ligaments, and joints.

I believe I will be quite tall, because being 1 year younger than Benjen I am taller.

My relationship with my brothers is excellent, Brandon had what my father calls the "Blood of the Wolf". Eddard, or as we call him "Ned", was a very quiet child, which earned him the nickname "Silent Wolf", Lyanna had the same warm blood as Brandon, however young she is, she never liked lady things, but swords and gentlemen, Benjen was debonair, he and Lyanna always got into fights, because of his playful attitude.

My routine was basically based on studying in the library in the morning and hidden training in the afternoon.

While I was studying with the meinstre he was trying to manipulate me in some way.

I just don't kill the son of a bitch now because I might find use for him in the future, it's like the saying goes:

"Make people feel smarter than you and they will let their guard down. They will keep you around and the more you stay around, the more chances you have to fool them."