Chapter 32 - Return to Winterfell (III)

Chapter 32 - 32 - Return to Winterfell (III)"What are you fighting for - money, women, the promise of a better life? Know that you are more determined than many who live just to live." Aenar Targaryen, God Emperor of the Known Universe.

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Opening his eyes, Jon looked at the dragon cub and called out her name softly.

"Moonfyre."

"That's a good name, isn't it? Cub." He said, stroking the scales under her mouth. Moonfyre was a female dragon and would be one of the most important to House Targaryen. In the future, most of his children would have a Moonfyre egg placed in their cradle when they were born, as tradition demanded.

He would care for the chick until his sister arrived at Winterfell, which, truth be told, wasn't far away, about a year and a half away.

Feeling the sun's rays on his face, Jon knew it was already dawn and wanted to return to Winterfell as soon as possible. It was important to convince his uncle that war was inevitable, and it was.

After eating some beef jerky, Jon didn't stand still and immediately packed his things, ready to ride, which he did. He took the two swords, put Moonfyre in the wooden cage and covered it with a cloth, then immediately mounted his horse and rode toward Winterfell.

He was not far from the ancestral home of House Stark, about half a day's ride. Half a day later, when the sun was high in the sky, Jon passed a hill and saw a stone fortress with the banner of a gray wolf on a white background.

Winterfell.

Passing through Wintertown, Jon picked up the sword he had ordered from the blacksmith before he left and headed for the gates of Winterfell.



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Leaving the horse with a young servant, Jon took the two swords, slung them at his waist while holding the cage containing Moonfyre, and entered the castle, heading straight for Eddard Stark's Solar.

Knocking gently on the door of Lord Stark's solar, Jon waited for permission to enter.

"Come in."

Hearing the strong, calm voice, Jon opened the door, revealing the interior of the solar, nothing too luxurious, just comfortable. The Ancestral Sword of House Stark stood proudly on the wall, showing its enormous size.

His uncle wasn't alone; there was the Master at Arms of Winterfell, Ser Rodrik Cassel, the only Knight of the North present in Lord Stark's solar.

"Uncle, I have important news." Ignoring the Master-at-Arms' doubtful look, Jon spoke in an undeniably serious tone.

Eddard frowned and nodded, looking at his Master at Arms and speaking in a majestic tone. "Ser, I will speak with my son alone."

"Yes, My Lord." Rodrik nodded and left the Solar with quick steps.

Turning to his nephew, Eddard asked in a confused tone. "What happened Jon?"

"The trip to Wall was... fruitful." Jon spoke with a slight strain in his voice, then drew the sword at his left side from its scabbard.

As the sword emerged from its scabbard and was revealed to the world, Eddard's expression changed dramatically. If there was one thing all the nobles learned after Aegon's conquest, it was about dragons, Targaryen kings, and the legendary Valyrian swords.

Thus, every nobleman could recognize the legendary sword of House Targaryen - the Dark Sister.

"Why in the name of the Old Gods are you so special, Jon?" Eddard slumped in his chair.

"What can I do? I try to be normal, but the world won't have it." Jon cracked a joke, but Eddard Stark didn't laugh; on the contrary, he gave him a reproachful look.

"You have a terrible sense of humor, uncle." Jon shrugged and continued. "But it's not Dark Sister I want you to see, it's this."

Jon's words made Eddard's expression show a hint of confusion, the Lord of Winterfell's gaze falling on the cage his nephew was holding. He had originally thought that Jon had just found a bird to raise or an eagle, so he hadn't given the cage much thought.

The words that were about to leave his lips were trapped when the cloth covering the cage was removed, revealing the animal inside.

"..."

Eddard looked at the creature in the cage and remained silent for a long time.

"And what do I think it is, Jon?" he asked, but he didn't need an answer from his nephew. The difference between a lizard and a dragon was as obvious as the sun and the moon.

"If you think it's a dragon, you're right, uncle." Jon replied, opening the cage and taking Moonfyre in his arms. The young dragon was curious about his new surroundings and looked around.

A long sigh came from Eddard Stark's lips, he looked at the creature that had brought the last Winter King to his knees and didn't know what to say for a moment.

"Is this your dragon?" Eddard asked even though he knew the answer, but the next words made the Lord of the North stand up in utter disbelief.



"It's not my sister Rhaenys Targaryen's dragon." Jon replied, stroking the scaly head of Moonfyre, who enjoyed the caress.

"What are you talking about, Jon?" Eddard asked, his voice as stern as it could be at the moment. The image of bodies covered in a red sheet and Robert laughing so happily flashed through his mind.

"Ser Jaime Lannister rescued my sister and Prince Oberyn Martell took Rhaenys from King's Landing and raised her as a bastard daughter named Rhayna Sand." Jon replied, looking distractedly at Moonfyre, who had a sad and distant look on his face.

Before Eddard could ask how he knew this, Jon continued. "I heard about Robert. My cousin who killed my father and laughed under the bodies of my good mother and my brother Aegon."

"The queen was raped and cut in half by Gregor Clegane's sword, and baby Aegon had his face smashed against the wall." Jon spoke, Lord Stark's expression showing clear shame, remorse, and regret at hearing the gruesome fate of Queen Ellia and her son Aegon.

Not caring what Eddard Stark thought, Jon continued. "Tell me, Uncle, what should I do? I want revenge."

"My mother would have survived if she had been in the Red Keep surrounded by the best masters. I want revenge on Tywin Lannister, Robert Baratheon, Gregor Clegane, I want to kill them all."

Looking directly into Eddard Stark's eyes, Jon spoke in a cold, chilling tone.

"I want war."

A shiver ran through Eddard's glass as the words fell from his nephew's lips.

The determination in each word shook him to the core. The boy was ready to bear the brunt of the consequences of war.

He closed his eyes for a moment, and when Eddard opened them again, there was only a calm, silent look in his eyes.

"Do you know what your words mean, Jon?" he asked, the Lord of the North's voice carrying a heavy, dignified feeling.

"To throw this continent back into the flames of war and perhaps the source of hundreds of thousands of deaths." Jon replied in an equally deadly tone.

"And you still want war?" The Lord of Winterfell asked, Jon noticing his jaw clenched.

"Yes. They killed my family, banished my grandmother and my aunts, and hunted them like animals on another continent. They have to pay for what they did to my family, I want the war to happen." Jon answered directly, he didn't say nice or honorable words, just the plain truth.

"I have Dorne, I will have Reach when the time is right, so I ask you, will you side with me or with my cousin?" Jon asked, looking at his uncle.

Hearing about Dorne and Reach, Eddard knew at that moment that Jon had probably already made up his mind before telling him.

"Do I have a choice, Jon?" Eddard commented with a tone of helplessness.

If Jon's identity was revealed, his lie would also be revealed, and he could imagine the look of pain on Robert's face when he found out.

No matter what happened, Robert would declare war on the North when Jon's true identity was revealed to the world and he would be considered a traitor along with the entire House Stark.

"You don't have to worry so much, Uncle, we have a dragon and possibly three kingdoms, better than when Aegon started." Jon said, looking down at the small dragon cub on his lap.

"Aegon's dragons were adults." Eddard rolled his eyes at his nephew's optimism.

"But I have an adult dragon." Jon replied with a mischievous grin, causing Eddard to widen his eyes in shock.



"How?"

"Remember when I ran away for a few days when I was younger? Well, let's just say it wasn't to prove I was powerful, but to visit my dragon, Caraxes." Jon spoke with an amused smile on his lips.

This left Eddard speechless, today was truly a day of revelations he hadn't expected when this day began.

With a sigh, Eddard shooed his nephew away with a look of helplessness on his face. "Get out of my solar, I need to think about your problems."

Jon shrugged and left the solar, leaving the Lord of Winterfell alone.

In the chair, Eddard stared at the ceiling, lost in thought, and whispered to himself. "Robert, you won't blame me, will you? I'm doing this for the family, as you would for yours."

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