Chapter 3:- Jon Snow: The White Wolf

I don't know what is going on now, here in Castle Black, my expectations of the Night's Watch were turned into disappointment. Instead of a brotherhood of noble warriors sworn to defend the realm from wildlings and the Others, I realised the Watch is a dumping ground for criminals and wastrels. 

First day here I already earned the enmity of Ser Alliser Thorne, the master-at-arms in charge of training new recruits. In a sparring match with the new recruits I humiliated my fellow recruits with my superior fighting skills, learned from Winterfell's master-at-arms over the course of many years.

Thorne didn't like that at all, and the three recruits went away with revenge planned in their head. 

That night, I was on my first watch and I started to think if things could have been different, if uncle was there at Winterfell at the last couple of years. As I was thinking about it, uncle Benjen came where I was posted for my first watch. Looking at me he said "I'll be going North of the Wall for ranging."

I was very keen to accompany him, but uncle insists that I have to complete my training. Tyrion Lannister helped me see that I am no better than the recruits, but has been afforded more advantages than them due to my highborn upbringing. 

Understanding that very well, the next day I offered to train some of my new brothers. Pypar and Grenn accepted, I also befriended the fat and bookish coward Samwell Tarly when he arrived at Castle Black, and helped to protect him from the cruelty of Thorne. 

Seeing what I'm doing, Thorne angrily told me that going easy on Sam won't help him, and will risk getting him killed during the next winter.

After completing my training, I was inducted into the Night's Watch and swore my oath before a weirwood Heart tree on the North side of the Wall.

I was assigned to the stewards rather than the rangers, and at first, I thought that it was due to my ongoing feud with Thorne. However, Sam points out that Lord Commander Jeor Mormont has asked for me as his personal steward, and may be grooming me for command. 

Few days later, I was concerned when uncle Ben's horse returned to the Wall riderless. Later, Ghost finds the corpses of two rangers assigned to uncle, Othor and Jafer Flowers. 

Couple of days later I learned of my father's imprisonment, and that news was spread among the men in the watch too. So taking that as a chance Thorne taunts me about being a traitor's bastard, causing me to draw a knife in anger. Because of that I was restricted in my room. 

Later in the night Ghost started to scratch on the door and I didn't know what was going on. But, as my uncle once told me "We Starks have Wolf's blood in us. So, if you have a wolf companion, always trust it."

So trusting Ghost, I opened the door and followed him towards the cabin of Lord Commander. As I neared the door I heard sounds that were irregular so I quickly opened the door only to Othor's corpse walking towards Jeor and attacked him. But, as the stories told by Old Nan passed through my head so I quickly took the torch on the wall and burned the body, by doing that I saved Lord Commander. That earned me a pardon for my earlier misdemeanour. Commander also gave me his Valyrian steel sword, Longclaw - given that his own son Jorah fled into exile and left it behind. 

A day later I heard that Robb has raised the banner and is marching South to King's Landing. So I pondered about abandoning the Watch to join Robb's army when it marches against the Lannisters even though that will make me a deserter, but Maester Aemon tells me that he chose to stay with the Watch when he was similarly tested - as he is secretly a long-forgotten great uncle of the Mad King, and was once known as Aemon Targaryen, but his entire family was killed at the end of Robert's Rebellion.

Hearing that I came back to my room and as I was packing I heard a sound, so I slowly turned around only to see a very familiar face. Looking at him I asked "Why are you here?"

"As per the order of my Liege." The man said. 

"And what is that order, if I may ask." I asked him. 

"Make sure that all the Starks are safe." He replied. 

Hearing that I sighed and said "Then what about uncle Ben? He has gone North of the wall for ranging and hasn't come back. He's been missing for almost a week."

"That I don't know. The order given to me was to watch over Jon Snow and I will be doing that." The man said again. 

"Is he in King's Landing?" I asked something that I needed to know. 

"Yes. Liege is in King's Landing." Pausing there he continued "Your sister, Sansa, has pleaded to Joffrey and Cersi to show mercy to your father Eddard Stark. They gave a proposition to Eddard. If he confess that he tried to take the Throne to himself he will be send to the Wall to take black."

"My father won't ever eye for the Throne." I said. 

"You think we don't know that?" He asked me and I didn't say anything. 

"My Liege has given Eddard Stark one last chance to go on his way. If the Lannister's do as they say, there won't be any problem. But if things go otherwise." He paused, then shaking his head he said "It's for the best if it's unsaid."

"What do you mean by one last chance?" I asked him, not clearly understanding what that phrase meant. 

"My Liege had given a warning to your father after the end of Robert's Rebellion. And the exact word said my Liege are "If the Starks face another extinction level crisis under your reign, I'll be taking the lead of the House Stark from then on." And you don't have to worry, Robb will always be the heir to House Stark, as my Liege is the Godfather of Robb."

"So is he going to save everyone?" I asked. 

"My Liege is going to save House Stark, and will do some cleansing in King's Landing before coming to the North."

"Then what about uncle Ben?" I asked him.

"Four has gone to find him, and believe me when I say that he is the best ranger in the Shadow Army."

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