The Sentence

289 AC, Winterfell…

Just as Lord Stark was going to announce his decision, a guard run up to the stout man beside him and whispered something to his ear.

The stout man creased his brows and looked at the young murderer before them. Then, he turned his head to his lord and said, "My lord, apparently, the friends of the boy, at least 50 of them, protesting outside and wants the immediate release of him…"

Lord Stark raised an eyebrow as such occurrences were ended with the crowd dispersing when the guards came. Besides, it was the children who were protesting so there shouldn't have been a problem.

Rodrik was also dumbstruck at what he heard. He was not expecting such a thing from his gang. However, what shocked him most was the numbers mentioned. He knew their numbers were not that much and there were at most 30 lads under him.

"So tell the guards to disperse them," said Lord Stark.

The stout man lowered his voice and said, "My lord, your son, Jon snow is leading them…"

Lord Stark's eyes grew wide as he turned his head to his steward. He searched the truth in his eyes. Jon was before the castle and leading a protest against him? His eyes wandered towards the little boy before him. He wondered how he was related to Jon for him to go to these lengths.

Lord Stark rose from his seat and addressed the crowd, "This meeting is adjourned, let us first see what this protest is about."

The crowd began murmuring amongst themselves as they opened the way to their lord. Something like this was not seen in Winterfell always so some of them were a little excited to see it.

"Bring the boy with us," Lord Stark spoke to the guard holding Rodrik while passing by them.

They left the great hall and went towards the gates of Winterfell. For most of them, it was a strange sight to see as little boys between the ages of 9 and 13 were gathered before the gates and yelling for the release of someone named Rodrik. The guards were around them and weren't letting them leave or move forward. However, what caught Rodrik's attention was who was in the crowd.

Benny and the other boys were people he expected to see but Lenny and his gang were not. His relationship with Lenny was not that good so he wondered how Benny got him into this. However, what stunned him was the person leading the group, Jon.

Although he was friends with Jon, he was was the Lord's son. That is why he did not expect Jon to go against his father for him.

Rodrik saw Lord Stark trod forward with his cold eyes set on his son. Seeing him coming all of the boys ceased their protest and looked fearfully at him. Jon also lowered his head and did not dare to look at his father.

Lord Stark's eyes wandered around the little boys. He turned to one of the guards beside him and said, "Call each of their parents to collect them. Do not let them leave by themselves." Then, he looked at his son, "Follow me."

Lord Stark whispered something to his steward and turned around without letting Jon say anything and went back to the castle. He climbed the steps and went into his solar with the others following him.

Rodrik saw a young boy around Jon's age with auburn hair asking Jon something but he was clueless as he was dragged through the castle. Lord Stark let Jon and Rodrik in and told the guards to wait outside.

Lord Stark went to sit in his chair while Jon and Rodrik waited on their feet. Rodrik's hands were in chains and Jon was looking down as he didn't dare to look at his father's eyes. Tension was growing in the room as Lord Stark looked at them with eyes growing ever cold.

"Father, I…" At last, the one who broke the silence was Jon but whatever he was going to say was cut short by Lord Stark.

"You have disappointed me, Jon. Do you know the meaning of your actions? Lord Stark's son protects a murderer and prevents justice. Is that what I taught you? There will come a day you will help your brother to rule these lands, is this how you are going to give him advice? Besides, where do you know this boy?" Lord Stark searched for answers in his son's eyes but he was looking to the ground, "Look at me while I am talking to you!"

Jon raised his head and looked at his father. "He is my only friend, father. He and his father saved me from the beggars when I run to the town. His father was the one who brought me to you."

"He is the axeman's son?" Lord Stark looked at the boy questioningly as Rodrik nodded his head.

"And how did you start this protest?" Lord Stark asked.

"I saw the guards dragging him to the dungeons so I went to the town and asked the others about what happened. Rodrik is a good friend, father. He would never do something like this without a reason, he does not deserve to die. So I gathered the boys and told them that we could testify for Rodrik. We came here by the morning asked the guards to allow us to enter to testify for Rodrik but they did not allow us in so we decided to create a commotion to attract your attention."

Lord Stark sighed and looked at his son. His eyes were trembling as if he reminisce the past. However, Lord Stark knew he had to punish him for this, "I guess I was too comfortable with your education. I gave you the freedom to do whatever you want but no more… You are not allowed to leave the castle anymore without my permission and you will not enter the yard for two weeks, you will pass your time with Maester."

Rodrik was stunned at the punishment Jon received. His father would have beaten him if he had done something like this. He wished his father was alive to punish him like Jon's father. On the other hand, what Jon did was the most meaningful thing to him. He did not realize it before but Jon was a real friend for him. While he was still in thought, Lord Stark's gaze turned to him.

"And you… you have good friends but all of them are fools. You killed someone in my lands and the punishment of it is either death or going to the Night's Watch…" said Lord Stark.

Rodrik knew the fate that awaited him was the Wall from the start but, nevertheless, he was never going to forget what happened today as he saw that the people he considered his underlings were his true friends.

"However, there is another way you can claim your freedom." Lord Stark raised his voice and called for the guards. As the door opened, a little boy and a lean man entered inside. The little boy was Jason and the man beside him was probably related to him as his face was resembling him.

The man greeted Lord Stark and waited for him to speak. Lord Stark looked at the man and then to the boy beside him and asked, "You will be the one looking after him from now on?"

"Aye, milord. Jason here will be in my care, after all, he is my sister's son." The man said.

Lord Stark's eyes turned back to Rodrik as he said, "The other way is for you to pay blood money. You killed this boy's mother and left him an orphan. Either you are going to be punished or you are going to pay it."

"But I do not have any money…" said Rodrik.

"Yet you have a house. If you die you will lose your house and if you go to Night's Watch you will still lose your house." Lord Stark spoke without any emotion.

Rodrik killed someone for this house but now, he was going to hand it to the other party willingly. He hated to do it but it was his only way out so he agreed. "I will pay blood money."

Lord Stark turned to Jason and his uncle, "So do you accept the blood money, boy?"

Jason looked at Rodrik seethingly but a nudge from his uncle made him speak, "I accept…"