[Chapter Size: 3100 Words.]
Third Person POV
Winterfell, 98 AC.
"Well, let me introduce my mother first," Benjen Stark gestured to the older woman as Jon approached with some caution, stepping away from the wolf that still lay on the ground with its tongue out.
He couldn’t help but notice that he had become the center of attention of perhaps one or two hundred people! Everyone stared at him with curiosity and silent questions.
He blushed a little, after all he wasn’t that man from his dreams who spoke before crowds with ease, he was just a child in a place he had never personally been before... He walked quickly until he stood beside Benjen Stark, his gaze lifting to look at the older woman, who was studying him with sharp eyes the entire time.
"This is Lyanna Stark, of House Mormont. She is my father’s widow, after he succumbed to an illness contracted in the fight against wildlings," he explained.
Jon also looked at the woman with black hair and blue eyes, somewhat marked by age, in her forties.
"My lady," Jon gestured, as Lord Stark and his brothers had instructed during the journey, so that he could greet the Stark family properly. Despite this, Jon personally and instinctively already knew how to do it somehow, and he had even received some praise saying that he learned quickly.
"It seems you brought something interesting to Winterfell, son." Her voice sounded calm, but it was clear that she was used to commanding, at least servants and some soldiers of Winterfell. She had the posture and firm tone of a lady who always took care of Winterfell in the absence of her son or her late husband.
Jon said nothing while she did not take her eyes off him. Even after the previous comment, she still fixed her gaze on him.
"Has anyone ever told you that you are too handsome? Even too handsome for someone with our blood in your veins..." she commented unexpectedly.
"Mother! Are you saying that we are ugly now?" Walton Stark couldn’t help but comment, laughing.
"We are handsome, of course, but the boy here certainly is more.” She replied to her youngest son, before turning her attention back to Jon. “I have heard a lot about you, boy. The stories that arise in the North about the boy who raises a giant wolf on a farm in the south... my son insisted on adopting him. I see no problem in that. Winterfell needs wards. Even though you do not have the noble blood of our vassals, something tells me that you also belong to this place. I don’t know how, but I know it.", she said, while earning some looks of surprise.
"Do you believe in our gods, boy?" she continued asking.
This made Jon widen his eyes, before nodding quickly. "Yes, the gods help me in times of need, I always pray to them!" This sounded a bit faster than it should have, making Jon blush a little from nervousness.
She smiled upon hearing that. “You certainly are a good boy...” she said in a softer tone. “If our gods help you, we Starks can do that as well. So, welcome to Winterfell. This will be your home from now on. I want to see your progress under our tutelage." She finished while looking at him without losing her smile.
“She’s smiling... Could it be that our mother melted her heart of ice?” Rodrik couldn’t help but whisper to his brother.
“It’s easier for the Wall to melt before that...” Walton replied in a whisper.
“I can hear you, you fools.” The older woman’s smile died and she looked at her sons with a blazing glare.
“You... stop that in front of our guest.” Benjen called his brothers’ attention, clearly wanting to annoy their mother with the drama.
“Don’t listen to them, boy.” Lyanna looked at the boy. “I am not this monster they are saying, I am only harsh when some fool deserves it.” She spoke, throwing an indirect jab at her younger sons. “But I am very kind to those boys who behave...” she concluded.
Jon quickly nodded. Something told him the woman could be quite severe.
In any case, the rest of the family was watching in silence, and Benjen continued the introductions.
"Well, let me now introduce my wife, Alys Stark, of House Karstark," Benjen introduced the woman, with eyes similar to Benjen’s mother, being blue, and red hair of the North.
"My lady," Jon greeted the woman.
She gave a smile. "Welcome to Winterfell, Jon of the common folk," she said.
"Now, my children," Jon heard Lord Benjen and looked at the three children. All of them differed slightly from the standard eyes of their mother and grandmother, having gray eyes, although they still had dark hair.
"This is Rickon Stark, my heir. He is your age as well," Benjen introduced, while Jon made the same gesture.
"My lord," Jon greeted him.
Rickon seemed proud of that, but soon opened a smile at the wolf behind Jon. "Do you think I can also get a giant wolf?" was the first sentence he spoke to Jon.
Rickon turned his gaze back to Jon with a hopeful gleam, and Jon returned the look, not quite knowing what to say.
"Well, if the old gods favor you, perhaps you can. Maybe even have the luck that I had. After all, I found Ghost in the middle of the woods, alone. There was no sign of any other direwolf," Jon said carefully.
Rickon seemed a little disappointed, but nodded. When he was about to say something, a stern look from his father silenced him.
“Let’s leave the conversation for later.” He said. And he moved to the next boy. "This is Bennard Stark." Benjen introduced his second son, two years younger than Rickon.
"My lord," Jon said, while receiving a curious look, but there was also a slight arrogance and pride behind Bennard’s eyes.
"Well, and lastly, this is my daughter, Lyra Stark, the diamond of Winterfell," Benjen declared with a smile, which was rare to appear on the face of Lord Stark, to the four-year-old girl, who smiled shyly.
"My lady," Jon lowered his head to the girl younger than him. She was curious, but also excited.
"Why do your eyes shine?" was her first question.
That certainly drew everyone’s attention. Jon’s eyes were quite unusual, shining like two emeralds reflecting the light. No one had asked that question before, but when Lyra did, everyone became curious about what Jon would answer.
He scratched his head, giving an apologetic smile. "I beg your pardon, my lady, but not even my parents can explain it. I was simply born this way," he said cautiously, while she ended up accepting it, despite her childish disappointment.
"And your wolf... can I touch him?" Lyra soon asked her second question.
Alys Stark, Lyra’s mother, widened her eyes upon hearing that. "That could be dangerous, don’t even think about it," she said immediately.
"But, mother, he can even ride his wolf! And look at him, he doesn’t seem dangerous," the girl murmured, a bit stubborn, and looked at Jon, hoping he would allow it.
"Well, I apologize for that, my lady, but Ghost is a bit wary of strangers. My cousin, my brother, mother, father, Uncle Roman and Aunt Sarra can touch him freely, but he already knows them. I am sure that, with time, Ghost will accept it," Jon said, before looking at Benjen to see his reaction.
Lord Stark simply nodded, seeming satisfied with his answer.
"Did you hear? No getting close to the direwolf. Not until he truly seems safe. No trying to provoke him, much less harm him. He is a creature that must be treated as House Stark used to treat the direwolves. They are still a wild animal, so show respect — especially you three," Benjen said to his children, who nodded.
Despite the reluctance, Lyra and her brothers still stared at Ghost with desire in their eyes, as the wolf seemed so carefree and tame there, standing, lying on the ground with his tongue out.
"Well, I first want to check with our kennel master, the place where Ghost will stay with Jon. Then I will show him his room as a ward of Winterfell. You may go to the castle and return to your activities. We will meet in the hall for the meal. After that, I will continue showing the castle to Jon," said Benjen Stark.
Everyone nodded, beginning to say their goodbyes and the courtyard began to empty. The master-at-arms and the maester would also be introduced to Jon throughout the day.
Jon was still a bit lost, but followed Lord Stark when he called him directly to go to the kennel, bringing Ghost, whom everyone avoided getting close to as they headed there.
“First we need to speak with our kennel master. Ghost is not something we are used to dealing with. We need to know his needs and you will talk about them.” Benjen explained, with Jon nodding.
They arrived at the place and a man was already waiting for them, the sound of dogs came from one of the structures, probably sensing the strange scent of Ghost, while the wolf let out a small growl, wanting to claim territory.
Benjen walked up to the man and turned to Jon. "This is Bery. He takes care of our hunting dogs and guard dogs," Benjen introduced the fat man, with a receding hairline.
The man greeted Lord Stark, lowering his head in respect, before looking at Jon. His eyes lit up upon seeing Ghost — a direwolf the size of a horse. He had already seen him at the entrance when the Starks arrived, but it was the first time he had gotten this close.
"My goodness... I think you'd be better off talking to the stablemaster than to me... my lord," he said in a rough tone, but he was showing a smile.
Lord Stark snorted. "He’s not going to the stables. Otherwise, we’d have all our horses running away by the next day," Benjen replied in a joking tone.
"Well, anyway, I need to know how you raise him. Your name is Jon, right? I heard it in the courtyard just now. It’s a pleasure to meet you. First of all, can you tell me a bit more about your direwolf? Ghost, that’s his name, isn’t it?" he asked in an interested tone. He seemed to speak in a gruff and grumpy tone, but he had a curious face.
"It’s a pleasure to meet you, kennel master, Bary," Jon said awkwardly, drawing a laugh from the man. "And yes, his name is Ghost."
Jon began to explain how he took care of Ghost.
The man was used to training dogs, whether for hunting, herding and flocks, or land security. Many dogs were also trained by him in Wintertown, as many residents had animals to protect their homes, especially farms against predators coming from the forests. Many went to Winterfell to seek guidance, or even hire his services to train dogs for a certain fee.
"What do you think?" Lord Stark asked after hearing Jon talk about his life with Ghost. If there was someone who would know how to give an answer about how to live with a direwolf in Winterfell, it was Bary.
"Well, you already told me about the wolf before going to fetch him. My answer remains the same: the wolf can be placed in Winterfell. The boy has control over him, and he is already used to children, as he mentioned about his cousin and brother walking around with the wolf, so I don’t think he will pose a danger to your children — as long as he is not provoked, Lord Stark. He is still a wild animal. I would ask little Rickon and Bennard to be careful and not get frustrated if the wolf does not obey. It is obvious that the wolf belongs to the boy in front of us. He will only listen to him," he said carefully.
Certainly knowing those children, they could become frustrated if the wolf did not obey them when demanded. Ghost did not follow orders from anyone other than Jon.
Some days ago, the master also spoke about the books that mentioned direwolves bonding with the Starks. For Bary, Lord Benjen had asked the castle to prepare for the arrival of a direwolf, as they had researched and it was obvious that the direwolf only connects with one person.
"I will make these things very clear to my children. You do not need to worry about that," Benjen replied.
He would make it clear that they should not approach the direwolf in Jon’s absence, nor try to make him obey, or even become frustrated if that did not happen. The direwolf would only follow Jon.
Now, the master turned his attention back to the animal. "Now, let me see him. May I approach him?" he asked Jon.
Jon seemed a bit cautious, looking at Ghost by his side. The wolf raised his ears while Jon stepped back slightly, nodding so that he could approach.
The man slowly approached the animal, studying him.
"Look at you... I am tiny compared to you, big fellow," he began with a small smile. He always had that gruff tone in his voice when he spoke, but he opened a smile while speaking to Ghost in a rather affectionate way.
Ghost looked at him suspiciously.
"You certainly have a very special color. Red eyes and fur as white as snow... you must be a natural hunter, especially in winter," he said. That color easily camouflages in the snow. Ghost was a powerful predator in the midst of winter.
He continued analyzing.
"I can also see that you have light steps," said the man, having already observed the wolf since he arrived, gaining even more points as a hunter.
"Well, I have a gift for you," he said, while pulling a bag tied to his waist, taking out a piece of meat still with some blood. "Do you want this, big boy?"
Ghost immediately opened his mouth and licked his lips at that.
Jon was surprised. Certainly this man was good at dealing with animals — even at charming his wolf. He even felt a bit betrayed when Ghost simply ate the meat that the man threw to him.
The man approached and touched his fur. Ghost seemed a bit stiff when that happened, still with the meat in his mouth, looking sideways, but with a few touches and comments, he began to relax as he finished eating.
"Look at you... you are the most beautiful beast I have ever seen in my life," he said sincerely.
Jon watched that somewhat surprised, while Benjen opened a smile and looked at the boy.
"Do not be so surprised. He has served Winterfell for decades and has already dealt with thousands of dogs of all kinds. There is no dog he cannot handle. So do not be surprised that he can get along with a direwolf."
"He will help Ghost adapt to the castle and will also feed him every day," Benjen said, lightly touching Jon’s head.
Jon nodded, still a bit surprised.
"Well, you can find a place for him. I need to take the boy to the castle. Take care of that," Benjen said.
"Of course, but it still requires the boy’s command. This wolf may have accepted me to approach, but he will not obey me," the man said.
Jon approached Ghost, while the wolf still had his snout slightly stained with blood.
"Stay with him. He intends to choose a place for you to sleep, just like you used to do in the storage," Jon explained. Certainly, with Ghost’s current size, he could no longer enter Jon’s house on the farm, which is why he always slept in the storage.
Jon left the wolf there, still with slight reluctance, before following Lord Stark. They were now heading to the castle.
Jon couldn’t help but notice the people going back and forth, carrying things from one side to another — women carrying water, clothes, and other items through the courtyard, as well as guards passing by, always keeping an eye on him, just as they had done the entire time while Jon introduced Ghost to the kennel master. It was a kind of attention he was not used to.
"Everyone is curious about you," Benjen Stark said, seeming to notice exactly what the boy was thinking. "It might be a bit bothersome, but you get used to it. And you will soon meet many of them. The people of Winterfell are quite welcoming."
"They are surprised by Ghost..." Jon murmured.
Benjen shook his head. "It’s not only Ghost that stirs their curiosity. They want to know about you as well."
"About me?" Jon shrank a little.
Benjen did not answer, only maintained a mysterious smile. "Come, let me show you your room."
They continued walking up through the castle, while everyone greeted Lord Stark and looked curiously at Jon — guards and servants all along the way.
Jon was taken to the floor of the main family, obviously he would not stay there, but it was nearby. Soon, they reached the floor of the wards, along with the place where the master-at-arms, the castellan, the maester, and other important officials of Winterfell lived.
"You will stay here," Benjen said, opening a door and showing a very well-arranged room, with a large bed and some furniture to store his clothes. Jon saw that his bags were already there, brought by the servants at Benjen’s request.
"It’s so big!" Jon couldn’t help but exclaim. His room in the old house, where he had slept with his brother for a long time, was at least half that size.
Benjen smiled. "It seems you liked it, then."
"Yes!" Jon replied enthusiastically.
"Well, I want you to memorize the way here. You will sleep here every night. If you want to change, I will wait for you outside. We still have more places in Winterfell to show you," Benjen said.
Jon nodded, taking some clothes from the leather bag.
He was still wearing his travel clothes, which were not appropriate. He put them on and soon followed outside, as he still had more places to discover in that enormous castle.
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