[Chapter Size: 2700 Words.]
Third Person POV
Winterfell, 98 AC.
"Jon, this is Maester Lorren," Benjen introduced the man as soon as they moved to another part of the castle.
Jon looked at the man curiously; he had already noticed him in the yard when he arrived, but had never paid much attention—only seen his back when he had returned to the castle. Now, seeing him from the front, he realized the man must be around fifty years old. His hair was not yet completely white.
The maester looked at Jon with a small smile, studying him, while Jon observed him full of curiosity. For Jon, it was the first time he had seen a real maester.
He still remembered when a maester, from the Cerwyns' lands, was supposed to come to the farm when Ghost was injured, but his father ended up preventing it, and afterward Ghost recovered.
"Hello, maester... I am Jon, just Jon..." the boy said. He answered simply—the common folk did not have surnames, there was no need, although it was not impossible for some people to adopt their own family names.
"Hello, Jon. Lord Stark informed me about you, and we will begin your lessons starting tomorrow," said the maester.
Jon did not hide his enthusiasm. "Yes! Well, I can hardly wait," he replied.
Benjen took the opportunity to add some information he had heard during the journey. "Jon mentioned that he can read in the common tongue and also in High Valyrian. Can you believe that?" he asked.
The maester raised an eyebrow, looking first at Benjen and then at Jon, with a skeptical expression.
"The boy came from a farm... is that true?" he asked.
Benjen confirmed with a nod.
The maester let out a light sigh. "Well... that makes things much easier, but did someone teach you on the farm?"
Jon shook his head. "No, I learned by myself with my books. It was difficult at the beginning, but soon I started to understand the formation of words and letters."
The maester remained silent for a few seconds, visibly surprised. "Well... I will have to test that tomorrow," he said, still somewhat skeptical, without making much fuss.
Lord Stark could very well say that he had seen it personally when the boy picked up his books during the journey to Winterfell.
"Anyway, I am always here taking care of the matters that require a sharper mind for Lord Stark," he continued, showing the room. "Whenever you notice a problem, you can come to me."
There was a rookery in one corner, in an adjoining room. There were also several books there. Jon could not help but point, impressed.
"You have so many books!" he said, making the old man laugh.
"This is only a few of them, boy. If you truly want books, you will have to go to the library." Lord Stark gave a slight laugh at Jon's naivety, who widened his eyes, remembering the library of his dreams.
He certainly knew the place was called a library—he had already seen it in his visions, with that older man going there to read and study, while women or children approached him.
"You have a library!?" Jon asked, excited.
"Ah, so you know what a library is... Yes, we have one here in Winterfell—the largest library in the North, with rare books that you would not find anywhere else in the Seven Kingdoms," said Lord Stark with pride.
Jon followed the maester and Lord Stark to the place. Upon arriving, he saw that the place was truly filled with books.
"Can I read them!?" he asked immediately.
Lord Stark opened his mouth to answer, but the one who broke the silence was the maester, laughing. "My, I like the lad. He asks immediately when he sees books!" he said. "If the boy loves books as he is showing, I will be quite pleased to have such a pupil in my lessons."
"Yes, you may come whenever you wish," said Lord Stark. "But if you want to take any book or carry it away, you will need the maester's permission. Here inside, you may read as much as you like, without problem—as long as you do not damage any of the tomes, there are old and precious books here."
Jon nodded. He would take great care of that. If he had the opportunity to read all those books, how could he not be enchanted?
"Well, it is already time for the midday meal. Let us join my family. Afterward, we will continue the visit," said Lord Stark.
Jon nodded and followed the lord, saying goodbye to the maester, who stayed behind to finish something before eating.
The great hall was also enormous, making Jon stop for a few seconds just to admire it.
The main table was already being occupied by the Stark family. As they entered, Lord Stark's mother showed a small smile, while the other looks were curious. But they were not the only ones—servants and soldiers, who were also standing to eat, looked at the boy who followed Lord Stark to the main table.
"Today you will sit with us, Jon, but normally you will be instructed to stay elsewhere," said Lord Stark.
Jon nodded. He could not help but notice the difference in status—servants and guards at the lower tables, while the Stark family remained in a higher area.
He was not foolish enough to think he would always be with the Stark family at the main table. Even being their pupil, he could not have a place among the main family. But he did not see a problem in that. He just needed to make friends with other people in the castle, so as not to be alone. He was good at that... wasn't he?
"How is the visit going?" Lyanna asked her son.
"We have not had much opportunity to see everything, as we spent some time speaking with the kennel master. Still, he met the maester and we also went to the library. He was quite surprised, said he had never seen so many books in his life." Lord Stark said with a small smile, as Jon settled in.
"Ah, is that so?" Lyanna turned her attention to the boy.
Jon was looking curiously at the food that a servant had just placed down. He picked up the utensils and began to eat. After tasting it, he turned to Lyanna, seeming quite satisfied, with a shy smile.
"It is really big... I had never seen a library like that, except in my dreams..." Jon said at last—but realized he had said too much.
Not everyone heard, but half of the Starks looked at him with curiosity. Lyanna raised an eyebrow, and even Lord Stark looked at him with interest.
"Dreams, you say? You dreamed of a library?" Lyanna asked.
"I thought it was strange that you already knew what a library was from the beginning, when you mentioned it... so you dreamed of it?" Benjen could not help but comment.
Jon shrank a little, trying to play it off. "Well... I have dreamed, yes," he said at last.
"Tell me, was that library from your dream bigger than ours?" Lyanna insisted.
Jon, feeling everyone's gaze on him, answered somewhat shyly: "Yes."
"Really? But you were so impressed..." Benjen commented, thinking it was just a child's imagination.
"The one I dreamed of was quite large... it had several floors, with shelves of books," Jon explained.
"Then you dreamed of the Citadel," Rodrik Stark replied, laughing.
Lyanna merely nodded and did not insist further. They returned to eating.
"I saw your wolf." Jon heard someone arriving beside him. He looked and saw the girl of 4 namedays, who had sat next to him with a plate of food.
"Lyra, you may talk, but do not forget to eat! And do not speak with food in your mouth." Alys, her mother, said, looking at her daughter.
Lyra pulled the chair and sat beside Jon to talk. "I saw him in the kennel," said Jon.
"I saw! The kennel master, Bery, even touched your wolf. He was showing the place where he would sleep. He is so beautiful!" said the girl in a dreamy tone.
Jon could not help but show a smile. "He is," he admitted sincerely.
"When will you take me to meet him?" the girl asked, her eyes full of expectation as she looked at Jon.
"Lyra, we can hear your voice. You do not have permission to approach the wolf yet," said Lord Stark calmly beside Jon.
The girl shrank a little. "But Bery was petting him! I saw! The wolf did not bite him!"
"Bery is used to dealing with this type of animal for decades. You only have four namedays, so I do not think you have his experience. He knows when it is safe or not. You almost make your mother and me lose our heads many times," he said.
"You have to listen to our father, Lyra," Rickon spoke suddenly, looking at his sister. "I am sure Jon will introduce us when the time comes."
Jon looked at the heir of Winterfell and nodded, grateful. The girl pouted, and they continued to eat.
Jon did not stop eating while thinking about the farm, wondering how they were now. Were they eating at that moment? How were they dealing with missing him, just as he missed them?
A tightness arose in his heart.
Jon certainly missed his mother touching his hair while placing something on his plate, his father approaching and laughing at something Roman had said, Sarra bringing more food to the table, while Mari started shouting about something she saw in the forest, and Sam sitting beside him asking questions about what he had done that day.
That was what lunch on the farm was like. And suddenly, he felt a longing—and a certain guilt.
Now, he was in a gigantic place, with an enormous fireplace and several people bringing food from the kitchen and serving the tables. A family he had just met and that, despite some possible blood connection, had no concrete bond with him—and even so, they welcomed him.
"I hope I get used to this," he murmured.
Quickly, they finished eating. Lord Stark was approached by the maester, who entered the hall carrying a scroll directly to him. The lord opened it, read it, and then closed it.
Jon, curious, tried to read over his shoulder—he saw something about grain... and perhaps pirates written in the letter—but could not understand much beyond that.
Lord Stark put the paper away and looked at his brother. "Walton, can you show the boy the training yard, along with the master-at-arms, the godswood, and a few other places in Winterfell? I will have to go to the solar to deal with some matters," he said.
"Of course, brother. I am sure Jon and I will have a great deal of fun," replied Lord Stark's younger brother, Walton. "And if any of my nephews wish to join..." he added, smiling at the children.
"I want to!" Lyra shouted immediately beside Jon.
"You have lessons this afternoon, Lyra," her mother replied, making the girl shrink.
"Then let me go with you!" Rickon said, looking at his father.
He had training, but Lord Stark accepted. "Very well. You are the heir of Winterfell. It is time to begin accompanying our visitors, both common folk and the nobles who will come in the future," he replied.
Jon could not help but watch with admiration the way Lord Stark taught his son—serious, direct, and purposeful. His father did not teach in that way. He could not say whether it was better or worse, but it was certainly different.
Rickon puffed out his chest, proud. When lunch ended, they left. Walton went ahead, and Rickon walked beside Jon.
"So... I still remember the farm where you lived... Tallhart lands, right?" Rickon asked, breaking the silence and starting a conversation with Jon.
"Yes, in the south..." Jon confirmed.
"You were in the forest when that giant bear attacked, right? My father said your wolf protected you and attacked it, even though the bear was much bigger than him. He said you almost died," he continued. "He also said that you knew about the bear before everyone else, as if you could feel it in the forest."
Jon looked at the boy, surprised. "Well... it is...", Jon scratched his head, a little cautious, but nodded. "Yes, it is true. I could feel it. But in the end, I only saw it killing people in the forest... I tried to warn them, but everything happened very fast," Jon explained, while the boy seemed to think about it.
"Anyway, you seem to be quite interesting, Jon of the common folk," Rickon replied, giving a more friendly smile, a bit different from his earlier introduction. Rickon had seemed quite proud then, although he did not appear to look at Jon with eyes full of insult.
"Thank you, Lord Stark," Jon said.
"Hey, you two, stop talking and come on," Benjen hurried them.
Jon met the master-at-arms, Othmar, while watching some soldiers training. Before going to lunch, he had already seen some practicing with straw dummies and mannequins, as well as practicing archery.
Now, an older man, but with a warrior's bearing far superior to Borok's, stood there supervising while shouting instructions.
Othmar approached him and introduced Jon. "Have you trained before, boy?" the master-at-arms asked, analyzing Jon.
Jon nodded. "Yes."
"Is that so? Tell me more." Jon spoke about his experiences, omitting only that he had learned much of his movements through dreams.
"Good, good... tomorrow we will test that. Even so, you still have a very young body. You will have to train the same way as young Rickon," Othmar replied, looking at the heir.
"Do not worry, Jon. I will go easy on you," Rickon mocked, challenging him.
Jon felt a slight competitive spirit arise, giving a smile. "I loved hearing that. I will try not to hurt you too much," he replied, making the boy laugh.
After that, they went to the godswood.
Jon could not contain his excitement upon seeing the heart tree. He did not think twice—he stepped forward alone and touched the tree, observing the carved face.
"It is bigger than the one we have at home," he commented.
"You have a heart tree at home?" Rickon asked, although he vaguely remembered his father mentioning this years ago.
Jon nodded. "Yes, it is behind our house."
"That is true. I saw it myself," Walton confirmed. In any case, they continued talking for a while, and then Jon was introduced to other less important places. They showed him the armorer, returning to the yard, passed by the hall where the ladies gathered to talk and sew.
Then, they passed by the solar—whose door was closed, with two guards at the entrance watching as they went by. Jon also began to understand where he should not go.
They introduced him to the kitchen and some cooks. Jon seemed a bit lost with so many people. He had already met more than three dozen names throughout that afternoon, trying to memorize them so he would not forget.
He knew he could not forget people's names. His aunt Sarra always said that was important—especially when he arrived at a place like Winterfell. Making friends with guards and servants would also be something good for him.
Thus, Jon continued with this until nightfall, when they returned to have another meal.
Jon interacted with the Starks, while Lyra filled him with questions. Bennard remained silent, while Rickon spoke with his father about the day. The older women did not speak much. Only Lyra's mother kept trying to make her not bother Jon so much with her questions.
When Jon returned to his room, he could not help but lie down on the softest bed he had ever had in his life.
Jon looked at the ceiling.
He was there, living among nobles... and he still could not believe it.
But that was an opportunity for him, as his uncle Roman had said—just as his father also believed. Despite his mother, he would fulfill it.
He would be more willing than ever to strive to learn everything he could from the Starks.
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