Chapter 12
As the sunlight filtered through the trees, Jon stood in silence, his eyes closed, feeling the warmth of the sun on his face. Tears lingered in his eyes, marking the bittersweet moment. The presence of Lyanna and Rhaegar had faded, leaving Jon in solitude. Suddenly, Xerneas approached him, addressing him as "Aegon." Jon turned towards Xerneas, feeling grateful for the chance to meet his long-lost mother. It was a warmth he had yearned for, a connection he had been denied all his life.
Xerneas gently instructed Jon to bid farewell to his family, promising to await his return. An elk, the same one that had carried him to Xerneas before, came forward, offering Jon its back. Jon approached the elk and glanced back at Xerneas, who nodded in acknowledgment. With a determined heart, Jon mounted the elk, its back sturdy beneath him.
As they began to move away, Jon couldn't help but look back at Xerneas until the legendary creature vanished from his sight. Along the journey, he was joined by the mother direwolf and her pups. The pups, full of energy, bounded around the elk, while the direwolf watched over Jon with a steady gaze. Eventually, the direwolf and her pups stopped following, but the elk continued its journey, leading Jon back towards Winterfell through the wolf woods.
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Winterfell stirred with concern as Jon's sudden absence was noticed. Eddard wasted no time in organizing a search party to find him. Arya was the first to raise the alarm about Jon's disappearance, drawing attention to the matter that had initially gone unnoticed amidst the awe of the previous night's miracles.
Initially, guards were dispatched to scour the vicinity of Winterfell, hoping to locate Jon nearby. However, as time passed without any sign of him, the search expanded into sending out a full-fledged search party to comb the surrounding areas. Eddard himself joined the effort, fearing that Jon might have ventured into the woods alone, especially given the recent increase in wild animal activity.
As Eddard about to rode his horse with his men towards Wolf's Wood, he couldn't shake off the worry gnawing at his heart. He hoped and prayed that nothing untoward had happened to his nephew, Jon.
Meanwhile, back in Winterfell, Catelyn experienced a moment of happiness, though she push such thoughts aside. Despite her conflicted feelings about Jon's identity, she had never harbored ill will towards him as a child. Though she had never openly expressed affection for Jon, she couldn't deny her concern for his well-being.
Instead of heading to the Sept as usual, Catelyn found herself drawn to the Godwood, despite her unease about the weirwood tree's presence. However, as she approached the ancient tree, she felt a sense of serenity wash over her. With a mixture of hesitation and hope, she knelt before the weirwood tree, offering prayers for Jon's safety without reservation.
Among the Stark siblings, Arya felt the most anxious about Jon's disappearance. Even though Robb and Sansa tried to appear composed on the outside, deep down, they shared Arya's concern for Jon's safety. Meanwhile, Bran decided to climb the old tower in Winterfell, hoping to spot Jon from the height.
In the courtyard, Theon, with a mocking tone, questioned Robb about Jon's whereabouts, referring to him as a "bastard." Robb's response was sharp, commanding Theon to be silent. With a stern glare, Robb's rebuke silenced Theon immediately. As Robb walked away, Theon muttered curses under his breath, discontent with Robb's sudden change in demeanor.
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Finally, the Elk reached the edge of the woods and came to a halt, signaling to Jon that it was time for him to dismount. Jon, lost in his thoughts, snapped back to reality when he felt the Elk stop moving. Sensing that it was time to part ways, Jon carefully climbed down from the Elk's back. With a powerful cry, the Elk bid farewell to Jon before swiftly trotting away into the depths of the forest. Jon watched the Elk disappear into the trees before turning his gaze towards Winterfell and continuing his journey on foot.
As Jon walked towards Winterfell, he could see the Winterfell castle looming in the distance. As he moved forward, he noticed a group of horsemen approaching him. He hadn't anticipated that his absence from Winterfell for just one night would cause such a stir, considering he thought his leaving might be more of a relief to others. The horsemen soon encircled him, and one of the guards extended his hand, offering Jon a ride on the horse. With few options, Jon accepted the guard's offer and climbed onto the horse's back, ready to return to Winterfell.
As Jon made his way back to Winterfell, his thoughts were consumed by how he would explain his sudden departure to Eddard. Approaching the castle on the horse, he struggled to find the right words to address the Starks. He was well aware that revealing his true identity was not an option, and he respected Eddard's decision to protect him. Upon reaching Winterfell, Jon could feel the curious gazes and hushed whispers around him, but he chose to ignore them as he walked towards the castle. His train of thought was interrupted by the sound of a familiar voice.
As Jon turned in response to the call, he saw a small figure rushing toward him with determined fists pounding against his stomach. Despite the slight pain, Jon couldn't help but smile at Arya's actions and her evident concern for him. Without hesitation, Arya wrapped her arms around Jon, asking eagerly, "Where have you been?" Jon embraced her back, his silence speaking volumes about the complexity of his emotions. He knew he had to leave, but it pained him to think about saying goodbye to his family.
Then the vision of the dead, including Arya, flashed in Jon's mind, prompting him to tighten his embrace momentarily, unintentionally causing Arya discomfort. "Jon, it hurts," she complained, prompting Jon to release her with a puzzled "Huh." Stepping back, Jon tried to mask his emotions with a forced smile, but Arya, perceptive as ever, sensed something amiss. "Jon?" she inquired, her concern evident in her voice and expression.
Arya, even though sensed his unease, urged him, "Jon, Father might be looking for you. Hurry up." With a nod, Jon made his way towards Winterfell.
As Jon entered the castle, he spotted Catelyn, who seemed visibly worried. However, upon seeing Jon, a genuine smile briefly lit up her face before she composed herself into her usual stern demeanor. Approaching Jon with a serious expression, as she often did, Catelyn inquired, "Where have you been?" Jon felt the weight of her gaze and struggled to find the right words, his mind racing with possible lies. Unable to come up with a plausible excuse, he faltered, "I... I..." Catelyn's concern softened her features as she gently interjected, "Ned might be searching for you. Go and find him." With a nod and a quick bow, Jon hurriedly made his way deeper into the castle, leaving Catelyn behind as she watched him go.