The Winter Beast

Eddard Stark, the Warden of the North and Lord of Winterfell, walked briskly through the corridors of his castle, his expression betraying his agitation. In the war, he was called the silent wolf, his demeanor as cold as winter earned him his reputation. However, when it came to his children, all facade of stoicism shattered.

He reached his destination, carelessly opened the doors, and his eyes scanned the courtyard until they landed on a small group, confirmed by Stark guards and, most importantly, his children, Robb and Sansa.

Eddard hurried over. His guards bowed upon seeing him, but he dismissed them and immediately went to his children.

"Robb, Sansa, gods. You're safe." He sighed as he pulled them both into a hug. But both children seemed perplexed, Sansa was the first to react and let out a sob.

"Father!" the red-haired girl sobbed.

Robb, trying to be a worthy son, did not cry, but he clung to his father's embrace. Eddard looked at the guards.

"What happened?" he asked.

The guards looked at each other. Finally, one of them responded, Jory, Rodrick Cassel's nephew.

"Wildlings, my lord. They attacked suddenly in the Wolf's Wood when we were returning." Ned gestured for him to continue. "We quickly defended ourselves and I sent Lady Sansa and Lord Robb with a couple of guards and your son Jon Snow back here, while I and other men fought the wildlings. Unfortunately, a few wildlings managed to catch up and killed the guards I sent with your children, my lord…"

Ned froze, now realizing the absence of one of his children.

Where is Jon? He wondered, alarmed. The guards seemed to read the direction of his thoughts.

"I don't know what exactly happened, my lord…but your son Jon…" Jory hesitated a bit before continuing. "When I finally reached them, I feared the worst upon seeing the dead guards, but instead, your children were alive and unharmed, at least Lady Sansa and Lord Robb…"

Ned feared the worst.

"Your son Jon Snow…he…is fine…but, you have to see him yourself, Lord Stark."

Uncertainty and fear invaded Ned Stark as he looked at his children in his arms.

"Ned! By the gods. What has happened?"

A distraught Catelyn Stark entered the scene.

"There was an attack involving our children, Cat," he said, and his wife paled, looking at their children, though she relaxed when she saw they were unharmed.

"Who…?"

"Wildlings, my love," Ned responded.

He had to step aside when his wife practically snatched Robb and Sansa to hug them.

Seeing that his children were in good hands now, he looked at Jory.

"Take me to Jon," he ordered. Jory nodded and indicated for Ned to follow him.

He looked at his wife and children one last time and set off. In his head, a voice resonating.

"Promise me, Ned, promise me!"

---

Jon was sitting on a bench when Ned finally saw him. The ten-year-old boy remained silent, being guarded by a Stark guard. Ned alarmed when he saw blood staining Jon's hands.

"When we found him, he was on top of one of the wildlings, punching him relentlessly, he killed him, with just his fists," Jory recounted, with an incredulous voice. "And…the most absurd thing is, I think he killed the other wildlings the same way…one of them was unrecognizable. When I asked him, he just told me he had killed them all…"

Ned listened with growing incredulity.

"This…" he said almost in a murmur.

"It is the truth, Lord Stark, undoubtedly hard to digest…but it is the truth."

Ned remained silent, observing the boy. He felt his breath catch in his throat when Jon's gaze met his. Dark violet eyes, almost black, looked at him without emotion.

"I protected the pack, father," Jon muttered, with a distant and hollow voice.

Gods, help me. Eddard Stark thought with desperation.

---

He found the boy in the godswood. As he understood it, Jon had taken to disappearing there for hours.

Howland saw him sitting at the roots of the weirwood tree, silently staring at nothing.

Jon Snow, magic sang in him, different from anything Howland had felt before. There was a fury, a power burgeoning in that boy.

Though knowing the boy's lineage, it didn't surprise him at all.

"Jon Snow," Howland finally spoke. "Do you know who I am?"

The boy did not respond immediately, but after a short silence, he finally spoke, giving him a sidelong glance.

"You are Howland Reed. The Lord of Greywater Watch," was the boy's short and emotionless response.

Howland nodded.

"That's right, boy." He contemplated the weirwood tree for a moment before looking back at the boy. "Do you know why I am here?"

"You will take me away from Winterfell, take the monster away from the Starks," he responded. Howland noted the bitterness beneath the boy's stoicism.

"Your father is sending you to be raised in the Neck. It is not an exile, however, your father has entrusted me with your education...due to your rare gifts."

"'Gifts?'" The incredulity was evident in the boy's voice. "I am a monster!"

The emotionless facade broke.

"I hear the murmurs…I hear what they say about me. The monster of Winterfell, a freak, an abomination. Do you have any idea how it feels?" then his voice dropped, almost a whisper, "And I feel it, since that day…I…"

There was a long silence. Howland looked at the boy intently, the boy avoided his gaze.

"You are special, Jon Snow. You are not a monster, though you will be to your enemies, I have seen it, boy. What you are, what you will be, greatness runs in your blood. The world has not seen anything like you in a long time, they will tremble before you. At this moment, you are disoriented, but I can guide you, help you reach your potential, then your destiny is yours. I see darkness and light, I see greatness and victory. I see you bringing peace…or destruction. You decide, Jon Snow."

Finally, the boy's eyes met Howland's, a determination shining in the boy's eyes.

Howland smiled.

"Your son will do great things, Lya."

*Author's notes:* Here is my first story! I had been wanting to write it for a long time. I had the idea in my mind and finally decided to put it on paper.

I hope you liked it.