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Chapter 9 - Chapter 9. Night Fury

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[The scene starts with Ned swinging Ice and beheading Will. Bran does not look away. Jon compliments Bran for not looking away before he walks away. Robb turns and puts his arm around Bran and they go to their horses together. Ned approaches Bran.]

"You understand why I did it?"

"Jon said he was a deserter."

"But do you understand why I had to kill him?"

"Our way is the old way?"

"If you can't look a man you condemned to death in the eyes, then perhaps he doesn't deserve to die. The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword."

Rickard's grunt of approval brought a smile to Ned's face, small as it was. His father was not the most vocal of men when it came to compliments or to show that he was proud of something his children did. It was always the small gestures, a grunt or a deep rumbling 'hmm' noise.

Robert, who looked much better than before, flinched at the words Ned spoke on the glowing dragon glass wall. How many men had he condemned to die since he became King? How many of them had he looked in the eyes, let alone swung the blade? How long had it been since he'd even held up a blade?

"Is it true he saw the White Walkers?"

"The White Walkers have been gone for thousands of years."

"So he was lying?"

"A madman sees what he sees."

Ned frowned at his words on the glass, the guilt gnawing at him. Catelyne took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze

"You didn't know he was telling the truth" she told him firmly, and he smiled at his wife in gratitude.

[Scene shifts to a dead stag's head. The Winterfell men gather on the bridge They see a ravaged deer before them.]

"What is it?"

"Mountain lion?"

"No, those marks look too large to be of that of a Mountain Lion" Robert grunted. He'd been on too many hunts to know what a Mountain Lion attack looked like. He'd come across many in his time in the vale and on the occasions he'd visit places near mountains during the few royal progresses he had been on.

"There are no mountain lions in these woods."

[With swords out, they begin to search. Ned finds a dead Direwolf with antlers through her throat. Her pups are whimpering around her.]

"Gods be good" Brandon muttered, not in fear but in awe. He had only ever heard about Direwolves, seen pictures of them in books. This was the first time he had seen one out of it. He was a little sad that he wasn't seeing it in person.

"It's a freak."

"It's a Direwolf" Brandon's growl was deep and rumbled in a way that made shivers run down people's spines. "I'd be very careful about how I address the symbol of a Noble House, lest you insult them."

Theon gulped audibly at the open threat. He felt extremely glad that Brandon Stark was dead and not the one fostering him as his father's price for Rebellion.

"It's a Direwolf. Tough old beast."

[Ned and Cassel glance at each other before Ned pulls out the antlers.]

"There are no Direwolves south of the Wall."

"You say that while there stands six right before you, one dead and five alive" Tyrion points out with a raised brow.

Robb's face tinged pink slightly.

"Now there are five."

[Jon picks up a pup and offers it to Bran.]

"They don't belong down here."

"Bold of him to say that when Direwolves used to be common in the North" Lyanna murmured in disappointment. She'd loved the stories of the past Starks, Kings of Winter riding their familiar Direwolves to battle.

"Ser Rodrik has never seen one before. He is shaken up" Jon pointed out. He had known the man since he was a child, trained under him from the moment he could hold a sword. He knew what signs to read to understand what the man was feeling.

Lyanna stared at Jon with a fond smile, something not missed by Catelyn nor liked.

"Better a quick death. They won't last without their mother."

"Right. Give it here."

"Easy, boy" Brandon growled threateningly. "You're a little too sword-happy.

"He is following orders" Yara argued, glaring boldly at Brandon.

"Is he? Because I don't think my brother ordered him to do shit, girl The rumble in his voice made Yara shrink for just a moment before she puffed up again. But that one moment was not missed by Brandon. He pinned her with a predatory grin.

Yara bristled at that.

"Put away your blade."

"I take orders from your father, not you."

"Please, father!"

"I'm sorry, Bran."

The video stops right there and another question appears.

Q. What happens to the direwolves pups?

A. Ned Stark kills the pups

B. Bran Stark saves the pups

C. Robb Stark saves the pups

D.Theon Greyjoy kills the pups

E. Jon Snow saves the pups

"Well what do you think Ned will you personally kill the pups?" Brandon asked

"E. Jon Snow saves the pups" Jom Snow stated

"Wow you trust yourself too much Snow, then I will get on myself as well. C. Robb Stark saves the pups."

"No, I will save them. B. bran Stark saves the pups " Bran Stark sitting besides Sansa said

"Wait you kids can you stop answering the question?" Brandon Stark said but it wasn't of any use as they had already answered the question.

Seeing as no one else wanted to participate and were waiting for the correct answer to be called but instead of systems reply the video starts playing again.

"Lord Stark? There are five pups. One for each of the Stark children. The Direwolf is the sigil of your House. They were meant to have them."

Nobody missed what Jon had said and done there, not in the least Lyanna who smiled at her son sadly. A son that did not know she was his mother.

"You are as much a Stark as the rest of your siblings, Jon. Never doubt it" Ned said kindly, but with a hard tone.

Jon nodded his head with a small smile. Robb reached around Arya and clapped Jon on the shoulder, while Arya smiled widely at him.

Catelyn bristled at her husband's words.

[Everyone looks at Ned, Bran with great hope.]

"You will train them yourselves. You will feed them yourselves. And if they die, you will bury them yourselves."

"That's harsh" Margaery Tyrell commented gently, but loud enough for all to hear.

"It would teach them all to take responsibility for a decision they took. So they might think about the consequences before making decisions" Ned explained softly.

Lyanna couldn't help but feel that it was a dig at her.

Ned of course did not intend it as such.

[Bran cradles his pup as Jon hands more pups to Robb.]

"What about you?"

"I'm not a Stark. Get on."

"You are" Lyanna channeled the discomfort of her brothers words into her admonishing of her son, making her sound more vehement than she meant to sound.

Jon just smiled at that.

[Jon walks away, pauses, and hears another whimper. He pulls up a white wolf pup from the snow]

"That one's yours, boy," Brandon the elder said with a proud grin. He liked Jon, the boy had a good enough head on his shoulders to think up things on the spot. It reminded him of Ned a lot.

Congratulations to Jon Snow for the correct answer and winning the dragon King Night Fury loyal to him. Robb Stark and Bran Stark lost the chance to answer the next two questions.

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