9-Before The Storm

Quickly and calmly, he made his way through the muddy yards and into the keep's great hall. Ser Mandon Moore stood vigil over Marcella and Tommen who giggled and chatted away over breakfast, ignorant of all that had just transpired. 

"My father has requested your presence in the courtyard Ser Mandon. You are dismissed" Jon stated as the knight bowed before taking his leave.

"Good morrow Jon. Do you know where mother and uncle Jaime are? They're always with us for breakfast" Myrcella asked her older brother she had grown accustomed to. Despite her having only been two years old when Jon was warded, she retained a few faint memories of a boy making her father laugh more then she'd ever seen. 

For the first time in this new life, Jon had nothing he could say to mend a situation as guilt yanked at his heartstrings. If all went well, they would simply be renamed Lannisters and demoted to a Lady and Lord respectively, a position he was sure many in the Kingdom's would have happily trade, but that didn't help the fact he had just caused their parents and older brothers deaths. 

On que, Robert burst through the doors to the hall. The heavy slabs of wood slammed against their respective walls hard enough to cause Ned slight concern to whether they'd fall off their hinges. His father quickly approached, but Jon remained in unwavering as he stood between the old stag and the ignorant cubs. 

"I will tell you this once and only once boy, MOVE!" Robert ordered as the three, now four Kingsguard accompanying him and Ned placed their hands on their sword hilts, all besides Barristan.

"And what do you intend to do father? Butcher innocent children? I shouldn't be surprised, you once turned an eye to Clegane butchering the Targaryen children after all. What's two more bloody corpses and a broken promise to litter the path that is your already cracked reputation" Jon said as he stared deep into his fathers eyes, into the clouded, addled bog of what was once a great man. 

"IF THEY LIVE, THEY'LL GROW TO MOBOLIZE AND PLOT AGIANST US! I DON'T EXPECT A GREEN BOY TO UNDERSTAND!!" Robert roared in anger. 

"Your grace!" Ned attempted 

Suddenly, a bugle loud enough to be heard from across the castle sounded out from the direction of the Godswood. Like a bull fresh out of the fighting pits, Eikthyr charged from his domain and towards the great hall, stopping just shy of the doorway to angrily snort and drag his hoof through the mud in a threatening display.

"This I promise you, father. If you do this, I will leave, and you will not only never see me again, but you will never hear so much as a whisper of my whereabouts, from the people and spies alike!" Jon declared as a long moment of silence fell over the room, the only sounds to break the monotonous eeriness being the occasional Eikthyr snort, a creak of a floorboard here and there, and the tapping of steel from half-drawn blades.

"Get them out of my sight, before I send them to their grandfather in pieces!" Robert practically snarled before turning his back and storming out with his Kingsguard besides Barristan in toe, leaving only him, Ned, Jon and the frightened children remaining. 

"Listen you two. I know it will be difficult, but Tommen will come with us to King's Landing, Myrcella, you will leave for Casterly Rock with uncle Tyrion. You have my promise that as soon as it is possible for me to arrange, you two will see each other again! You are Lannister's now, understand!" Jon knelt to the level of the children he still viewed as family, despite all their circumstances both in life and the moment. 

"But I don't want to go without Myrcella, where is mother and uncle Jaime?!" Tommen asked as tears began forming in his eyes.

"...I'm sorry. I hope one day, you will find it in your hearts to forgive me" Jon said as he rose to his feet as most of the Lannister soldiers that accompanied the royal host escorted Myrcella out, who began breaking down crying.

"Barristan, can you escort Tommen to a secure, separate carriage until further notice" Jon requested, getting a nod from his old friend who gently escorted the little Lord to safety. 

Both nephew and uncle stood still for a long moment, processing all that had just transpired. Ned looked to Jon who in the span of only a few seconds, seemed to have travelled a million miles away in thought. Eventually breaking his train of thought to acknowledge his mentor, he simply said:

"You of all people should know people change uncle, most often for the worst" He said before taking his leave to go find and find something to eat in solitude before the great journey. 

Eventually arriving in the kitchen, the cooks and maids were made surprised at his presence. Greeting them all with a smile, he way his way over to a small dinning area to the large kitchen's side. Slumping into a chair that creaked something awful, a girl not much younger then himself made her way over, blushing and fidgeting something fierce. 

"Good m-morrow you grace. H-how can we serve?" She asked with a smile. 

"Do you have anything I can eat now or can be prepared fast?" He asked.

"We have several loafs of sour dough, and we can prepare some bacon and eggs for you!" She replied.

"I will have an entire loaf toasted with enough butter for it. Wine! Do you have any wine?" Jon asked as he leaned forward, taking the young woman's hand into his own.

"Certainly your g-grace. Will D-Dornish Red suffice?" She asked.

"*sigh of relief* Your an angel, please, don't let me disturb you further!" Jon replied as he placed the backs of her hands to his forehead in gratitude. Eventually he slumped back in his chair, dismissing the girl with a smile.

Bowing and slowly making her way out of sight, as was protocol when dealing with nobility, let alone royalty, the sudden and quick tapping of shoes gave him the impression she was happy to serve.

Only a few minutes past before Jon was presented with his toasted loaf and it's complimentary butter dish. Quickly he gorged while lathering one piece after the other until half of it remained. Drinking down cup after cup of wine until his bacon arrived, Jon enjoyed the rest of his breakfast as the staff appeared both astonished and pleased at the pace from which he threw it all back with utter joy on his face, a surface illusion for how he truly felt.

Cersei's screams and Myrcella's cries brought back old memories like old, unwelcomed associates. Gunshot's rang out, detonations boomed through the air and walls as bloody mist mixed with the dust kicked up by buildings becoming fresh debris. Thousands of men, woman and children screamed in unison for both belief and anguish. Thankfully, the wine hit at the right moment for the shake in his hands to finally cease.

"You are all doing the gods work in here as always. I will put in a good word with Lord and Lady Stark. Jon commended as he handed out two stags to all the staff aside from the serving girl and the head chef, who received four. 

Using his vast experience with alcohol to cloak the slight stumble in his step from the wine, Jon made his way out of the keep, across the courtyard and into the Godswood, where he was met with a familiar sight. Arya was giggling like happy madness as she fed Eikthyr one carrot after the other.

"Glad someone remembers his morning carrots. He hasn't been to pleased with me recently in that regard" Jon said as he made his presence known to Arya only, with Eikthyr always knowing where he is.

"The kitchen maids have begun getting mad at all the carrots disappearing" Arya giggled. 

"Well that disappearing should significantly lessen, he only needs a few a morning" He said while making his way over to Eikthyr's side to inspect the base of his antlers. 

"He was pushing into one of the trees earlier. Are his antlers hurting him?" Arya asked.

"They're meant to shed once a year to grow new ones, but he never has, and I think he's finally due. The antlers, especially on White Hearts, make for amazing tool handles, arrow heads and spear tips when carved right. Maybe once you've gotten used to Needle's current handle, I can carve you a new one. But that won't be for some time" Jon referred to the small rapier that hung at her waist that was a present from himself.

"I've been practicing each morning like you told me. I feel bad for the dummy" Arya said, getting a grin of amusement from her older cousin.

"You haven't been sticking rats with it have you? As much as Snow would love that" Jon asked.

"Course not, don't want to get it dirty" She replied.

"One day you might. In order to protect the ones we love, we may be called to great sacrifices, because when a person learns to feel love, they must also bear the risk, of feeling hate!" Jon knelt to his younger cousin as he brought on a more somber atmosphere to the conversation.

"I understand" Arya said as she looked down to her new blade.

"And what do we do to such people?" Jon asked.

"Stick 'em with the pointy end!"

The royal host was quickly prepared and was marching by days end. A few miles south of Winterfell, they were met with a familiar recruiter in the Starks case.

"Good morrow Yoren, how goes the hunt?" Jon greeted as he pulled off onto the side of the path to meet with the Night's Watchmen. 

"Well your Grace. The capital was bountiful this time round. The catchers have brought us many rats for the wall, even one volunteer" Yoren replied with a smile as he looked back at a fat boy who was around Jon's age.

"Let me guess, Samwell Tarley?" Jon asked, causing Yoren to raise a brow before beckoning Sam forward.

"Boy, front and center, his grace would have a word!" Yoren called out as the rotund teen quickly made his way forward, appearing disheveled in his dirty and scruffy gambeson. 

"Y-your grace!" Sam greeted with a nervous bow.

"I know your likely used to hearing this question, but your father is Randall Tarly, is he not?" Jon asked.

"Yes your grace, of Horn Hill!" Sam replied, finding it difficult to look the mountain of a man atop the massive stag in the eyes. 

"A volunteer you say...Would you part with him? I could use a cupbearer" Jon asked as he held out a small coin purse with some silver in it.

Yoren looked to Sam, then back to his Prince with narrowed eyes, likely trying to decipher as to why he'd want him

"Very well. We always appreciate charitable donations on the wall!" Yoren replied before accepting the purse.

"Here, take this to sweeten the deal. Castle-forged. There was horse thief in the dungeons, a physically suitable lad. He'd made for a fitting replacement. Be assured my friend, you will find yourself with plenty of new recruits in the days to come" Jon assured as he handed over his 2nd steel sword form Eikthyr's saddlebag, the other he carried on his person.

"Always a pleasure, your grace" Yoren departed with a smile.

"Can you ride Tarly?" Jon asked as he loomed over him while calling for one of the men in formation to bring a spare horse.

"You'd sooner see me move a mountain, your grace, but I will try! And...thank you your grace, you've gone me a great honor!" Sam replied with a bow before he nervously approached the fittingly large stallion a solider lead over. 

"When we make camp next, we will need to send a great many messages. I hope your better with your penmanship then you look with a sword" Jon stated.

"Far better" Sam replied as he mounted the horse after much trouble, only to nearly fall off due to a lack of core strength. 

"Hold the reins tight and press your feet further and harder into the stirrups if need be. I imagine you falling wouldn't be a pretty sight, nor pleasant for you" Jon chuckled as he began riding forth once more. 

The royal host reached Castle Cerwyn by midnight. It was a quaint little scene, a small, large house-sized keep surrounded by a stone wall Jon could just peer over. Both the Starks and Baratheon's were warmly welcomed by both Lord Medger Cerwyn and his son and heir Cley, who had been sent word of their arrival by raven hours before. After a small feast, the servants quickly took to ushering the families to their quarters for the night. 

Sansa and Arya had a conjoining room with Ned and Robb's to still allow for privacy when needed. Robert had one of his one, big enough for two, but considering he had company, Jon passed on his already-half plastered fathers offer to 'join the fun'. At learning of a lack of room in the keep for Jon, he insisted that it was of no concern, and he'd already had his things moved into the royal tent outside that was always set up, regardless of where the King laid his head that night.

Taking his leave out into the surrounding fields that held both grand and single-man tents in abundance, Jon didn't need to travel far to reach his. It stood as one of the tallest, and would be considered a small building if it's walls weren't made of canvas and sticks. Making his way through the curtain door with Barristan escorting him, he was met with quite the assembly. Eikthyr and Ghost were snuggled together up in the corner next to Snow's large oak-wood perch Jon made himself, Sam was already elbow-deep into a ink pot as he transcribed letter after letter, 'Mr Nails' aka Bronn sat in another corner as new hired guard, something Barristan didn't understand, and Tommen slept in a small elevated wooden camping bed wrapped in furs, appearing puffy-eyed like due to him crying at learning of his mother and 'uncles' fate. 

"I have completed three of the four letters you requested your grace, each set with their own instructions you specified!" Sam reported as he neatly laid out the three completed letters, all of which had sand sprinkled over them to help drying and to avoid smudging. 

"Very good. Get some rest of they're completion, we have many days of marching ahead of us" Jon replied as he sat on a chair opposite to Sam as Barristan took to removing his Prince's cloak, but otherwise left him to remove his own armor. 

Dreams rang out from the deep, rapid and intense, both of the dragons and of the green.

"There stand two towers, burn them!" 

"BURN!" 

"Release that which holds the storm of fire!" 

"The fire storm!" 

"STORMFYRE!"

"Fear is the mind-killer!"

"The little dead that brings total obliteration!" 

"BURN THEM ALL!" 

The Next Morning

The emotional turmoil that rocked Tommen followed him into his dreams, but left him otherwise well rested despite his initial grogginess. 

"Good morrow lad. Breakfast?" Jon asked as himself and Sam dug in at the tent's table. 

"Where's uncle Tyrion?" Tommen asked, rising from his bed in a disheveled state. 

"He asked if I could take care of you for the night. Do you wish to see your sister?" Jon asked.

"I don't know..." Is all the little Lannister could mumble as reality presented it's ugly truth once more. His mother and uncle were gone.

"Come lad, sit and eat, it will give you strength" Jon softly insisted as he rose from his seat and made his way over to his little brother. 

"The sausage is really good..." Sam chimed in, only to visibly backpedal his thoughts at hearing how it sounded out load.

Eventually heading his older brothers words and sitting at the table, Tommen began to slowly pick at his food. Something Jon that crossed his mind immediately is how well this boy was dealing with the initial trauma. Despite his age and how much he was coddled by his mother, he wasn't crying. Rare it was when a person could tap into a source of strength, let alone how he had. Whether it was a fond memory, or a profound message distilled into him, Jon couldn't tell. 

Suddenly, the young Lannister felt tugging at his own pant leg. Looking down out of confusion, he was met with a strange but surprisingly welcome sight. A wolf pup on the older side, white of fur and eyes as red as the Red Keep's Weirwood leaves. Leaning down to pet him, Jon, Barristan and Sam couldn't help but smile at the sight.

"That's Ghost. I haven't yet fed him, but he sure does love bacon" Jon subtly suggested.

Quickly he rose to his feet, the boy's smile grew larger by the second as he took the fistful of bacon he'd yet to eat from his own plate. Feeding one strip at a time, Tommen giggled for the first time as Ghost licked his fingers clean of the tasty grease. 

"I heard you found Dire Wolf pups, is he really one of them?" Tommen asked curiously.

"Aye. Their mother had passed in the hunt while trying to feed them. His siblings are with the other Stark children. You have Summer with Bran, Greywind with Robb, Nymeria with Arya, Lady with Sansa, Winter with Rickon and Ghost with me" Jon informed as Tommen looked into Ghost's eyes as he somehow felt a sense of acknowledgement, sympathy from the animal.

"Good morning my Prince" Sansa greeted with a bow with Lady by her side.

"Perfect timing. Tommen, you two may not have properly met. This is Sansa and her wolf Lady" Jon greeted the two.

"It's nice to meet you" Tommen greeted.

"You two. Would his grace like to accompany me on a walk by the river?" Sansa requested Jon.

"Oh...uh, certainly my Lady. First however, we need to go find Lord Tyrion and Myrcella. Sam, if you would!" Jon said as he rose to his feet as Sam kicked into action, grabbing and attaching his Prince's cloak to his already equipped armor.

Equipping his Poleaxe to his back, his dagger to his thigh, his sword to his hip and his helmet in one hand to his side, Jon accompanied Sansa through the camp downhill towards the left stream of the White Knife river, the largest river system in the North that lead all the way down to White Harbor along with The Kingsroad. 

"Jon, your father has called a council" Robb told his cousin as he passed, causing Sansa great visible disappointment.

"Apologies my lady. We will need to leave it for another time perhaps" Jon assured her as he took his leave with Robb back towards Castle Cerwyn.

Entering the hall, Jon was met with Lord Cerwyn, Ned and Robert all surrounding a table that held a large and detailed map of the kingdoms. Making his way over and putting his helmet down with a thud, Jon took notice of the plans to move further south down The Kingsroad.

Without saying a word, Ned passed Jon a small letter that a raven would have delivered. It's sender was Lysa Arryn of the Vale, stating that she had fled the capital at suspecting Jon Arryn's demise was not of natural causes, but from poisoning at the hands of the Lannisters.

"I have sent word to Stannis, Renly and the Black Fish for both aid and to rally their forces. This...letter, however, would be convincing if this didn't stink of treachery on the Lady Lysa's part" Jon stated as he handed the letter back to Ned who appeared puzzled by his words.

"You accuse Lysa Arryn, wife of the honorable Jon Arryn of treachery? Explain boy!" Robert demanded.

"You need look no further back then the days of Brandon Stark fostering under Hoster Tully in Riverrun. It wasn't a secret that Petyr Baelish, another noble son being fostered under the Tully's, held affections for Lady Catelyn, who was at the time still a Tully and betrothed to the heir to the Starks. But as fate would have it, one of Hoster's daughters did hold affections for the now Lord Petyr Baelish, Master of Coin, Lysa Tully, now Lysa Arryn.

Love is at the best of time, a strong motivator. If Lord Baelish, who none would deny is more motivated by the likes of Tywin Lannister then his own King, would persuade Lysa to mobilize the Knight's of the Vale..." Jon preached his theory, causing undeniable and heavy thoughts to cross those around the table.

"I refuse to believe the wife of Jon Arryn would betray her rightful King, even more so for the bannermen of the Vale, who fought with us in the rebellion!" Ned rebuked. 

"I never said it wasn't anything more then a working theory uncle, but who do you believe would be easier to work with, a skeleton of a minor Lord? or the full might of the Knights of the Vale sallying out from the Bloody Gate to meet us on The Kingsroad!

"If you permit it ,father, I would ride to the Eyrie and ask for the Lady Lysa's aid myself while the royal host makes for Riverrun, where we will then meet at Darry, just south east of the Trident!. If Jon's theory of treachery turns true, 'love' would be a hard motivator to move someone to Kinslaying" Robb suggested.

"No. I'm not risking my son and heir's safety. I will go. Many of the Vale's seasoned will know me your grace" Ned firmly denied before looking to Robert.

"That could also be a fair course of action father" Jon second his uncles plan.

"I'm not going to risk my newly appointed hand. Forget it, we take the path into the Riverlands and crush the Knights of the Vale at the capital if they dare betray us!" Robert said with stern dismissal.

"Have him carry your seal in person then. He is your hand, Lyssa's brother in lore and once a figure head for the rebellion, which I would wedger the vast majority of the man at arms in the Eyrie would be veterans from, Yohn Royce especially. You need only sway them, and they would dispose a corrupt Lord for a temporary one more suited. Political power at it's foundation is an illusion!" Jon protested with a plan that seemed to have swayed Robb immediately, and even Ned seemed unopposed to at first thought, if his expression to Robert could be believed. 

A long moment of silence fell over the table. Barristan moved closer to Robert's side so the King may take the advice from one of his greatest advisors. After must deliberation, Robert gave the green light for Ned to ride for the Eyrie one they had reached Greywater Watch in a couple weeks. 

"Well that was exhausting!" Jon said as he made his way out the front entrance to Castle Cerwyn. 

"That is only the beginning your grace. You will spend the rest of your life planning and strategizing, as many great kings have done in the past" Barristan replied who accompanied his Prince as always.

"I'm sure I appear positively elated Ser" The Prince chuckled.