Three months later, around dusk, Jon Snow and Brynden Rivers arrived outside Winterfell, accompanied by Benjen Stark, the First Ranger of the Night's Watch. Before coming to Winterfell, Jon and the others had stopped at Castle Black.
At Castle Black, Jon Snow met his great-great-uncle, who often corresponded with his biological father. After learning Jon Snow's true identity, Maester Aemon was overcome with emotion, gently stroking Jon's face, tears streaming down his cheeks.
Upon learning that Jon Snow was going to search for the Ice Dragon Egg, the old maester had gathered a large amount of information for his descendant and briefly described his research over the years.
"According to the legends of the Wildlings beyond the Wall, Ice Dragons are a special dragon species that inhabit the Shivering Sea and the White Waste. Rumor has it that they are even larger than the fire dragons of Valyria, and their bodies are entirely made of ice. Their eyes are like pale blue crystals, and their transparent wings are incredibly vast. The dragon breath they exhale is ice, in direct opposition to the fire dragons of our family.
This world is vast, and there are many mysterious places we have yet to explore. Ice Dragons might truly exist! Or they might just be a legend! That Lord Markel is a very mysterious being. I cannot confirm whether he is the 'Prince' of legend, but what he is doing now is entirely in line with the actions of a savior!"
The old maester's words still echoed in Jon Snow's mind, filling him with deep admiration for Markel.
All along the way, Brynden had been teaching him High Valyrian, a language that every member of the Targaryen Family was required to learn. In a certain sense, it was the true mother tongue of the dragon kings.
"Jon! What are you thinking about?"
Benjen Stark's question pulled Jon Snow, who was still in a daze, back from his memories. He quickly composed himself and explained to his "Uncle Benjen":
"Sorry, Uncle Benjen! I was thinking about the White Walkers, and I just don't know! Uh! Will the Duke believe it?"
"Alright, child! No need to be like that. You can call him 'Father' when you're in front of me, don't be so reserved!"
Benjen Stark said to Jon Snow. He had always been aware of his nephew's experiences growing up, so he had always taken very good care of Jon Snow.
Benjen Stark originally thought that Jon would become a member of the Night's Watch. He never expected that after several twists and turns, he would become the commander of the Rockseed troops.
This also made Benjen Stark feel the unpredictability of fate. And, for some reason, he felt that his nephew seemed to have changed, his mind seemed to have matured a lot, but the sadness that occasionally appeared in his eyes made him feel a little worried.
"Alright! Let's go!"
Benjen Stark patted Jon's shoulder and entered the gates of Winterfell with him. In the stables, the three of them met Robb Stark, who had come out to greet them.
"Why haven't you written a single letter back? I thought you were having too much fun out there," Robb asked Jon Snow, a hint of dissatisfaction in his voice.
However, everyone present could hear the deep concern in his words, and they all watched the two with smiles.
Even Theon Greyjoy, usually quick with a snide remark, kept his mouth shut, refraining from mocking Jon!
"Sorry, Robb! There are no ravens on Skane Island, and no maesters stationed there either. There was nothing I could do!"
Jon Snow replied with a touch of helplessness. He missed his brothers and sisters in Winterfell very much, and the pain in his heart had lessened considerably due to this reunion.
"Jon!"...
Arya Stark and Bran Stark ran towards Jon, the two children hugging their brother on either side. Then, Eddard Stark, dressed in formal attire, appeared outside the stables.
Behind him stood his wife, Catelyn Stark, and their eldest daughter, Sansa Stark. After exchanging greetings, they entered the main keep's banquet hall for dinner.
Jon Snow, though he had shed the shadow of being a bastard, still felt constrained and apprehensive in front of Lady Catelyn. This was a habit ingrained over a long time, and it couldn't be changed quickly.
Observing Jon's awkwardness, Brynden Rivers looked thoughtfully at Eddard Stark. He seemed to understand the Duke of Stark's "good intentions". Jon Snow's current situation made him seem even more like an unwelcome bastard.
Some secrets were best kept to oneself. Catelyn Stark's indifference and dislike towards Jon were, in a way, a form of protection for him.
Catelyn Stark's love for her husband was irreplaceable, but if she discovered Jon's true identity, she might not hesitate to eliminate Jon, this "troublemaker," for the sake of her family.
"Bloodraven! On behalf of House Stark, I welcome your arrival and thank you for taking care of Jon along the way!"
Eddard Stark raised his cup towards Brynden. Brynden's public identity for this visit to the Stark family was that of the leader of the Rockseed tribe.
The renowned "Bloodraven," Brynden Rivers, was a true master of disguise. Varys was nothing more than a younger brother in comparison!
If Jon Snow didn't already know the identity of his great-great-great-uncle, he might have mistaken Brynden for a Rockseed. From his manner of speaking to his behavior, there was no sign of any pretense.
"Your Grace! We should be thanking you! The lads in the clan are so impressed with Jon! A lot of those Wildling scum got killed this year! Haha! We even saved a lot of meat! The taste..."
"Ahem!"
Hearing Brynden's somewhat "revealing" words, Jon Snow quickly pretended to remind him. The two of them worked together flawlessly, completely fooling the Starks!
Sansa Stark seemed to have thought of something, and covered her mouth as if she was about to vomit. Lady Catelyn immediately got up and excused herself, pulling her eldest daughter away from the table as if fleeing.
Brynden pretended to be bewildered and said, "Your Grace? What's wrong with them? Are they unwell? I know some herbal medicine from my tribe, I can take a look at them!"
Eddard Stark was a little embarrassed and said, "It's alright! We have a maester! They are just feeling a little unwell, no need to worry!"
Arya Stark, who was beside them, quietly asked Jon Snow:
"Jon! You wouldn't eat people like them, would you? If you did, what part of them would you like best? The thigh meat?"
Big eyes blinked, filled with curiosity. Bran, standing to the side, also looked over with interest. Jon Snow gave them each a playful tap on the head, which made the two youngsters clutch their heads in mock pain.
"I like eating little kids like you the best! I'll make you both into pies tonight!"
Jon Snow said, feigning a menacing tone. He amused his younger siblings, making them laugh so hard their mouths were wide open. Eddard Stark watched them with a smile.
After dinner, Eddard Stark brought Brynden and the others to the council hall. Several of the Stark family's retainers were already gathered there. After Eddard sat on the throne, Jon Snow spoke first:
"My Lord! Our ship encountered a storm while sailing beyond the Wall. When we docked, we were attacked by White Walkers. Just like the legends say, they can control corpses. We only escaped that terrible disaster because we had obsidian weapons!"
Benjen Stark then added, "Lately, the rangers have suffered great losses in the Haunted Forest. Many say they were attacked by corpses. Commander Jeor Mormont has already ordered that the rangers are no longer allowed to patrol the forest.
But our forces are still constantly under attack. The Wildlings are taking advantage of this to cross The Wall. We are short-handed and cannot resist their attacks. If it weren't for the mercenaries at Craster's Keep, The Gift would likely have already become a wasteland!"
Brynden suddenly spoke, "My Lord! The seers of our family have foretold that the servants of the Great Other have awakened. Winter has come, and the shadow of death is about to engulf the land. The descendants of the First Men must unite to have any hope of survival!"
Brynden's deliberately hushed tone made everyone's hearts skip a beat, as if they could already feel the terror of death.
However, Theon Greyjoy was skeptical, saying, "Old man! Don't try to scare us! White Walkers are just legends. It's been thousands of years. This could just be those Wildlings putting on a show, just wanting to go south!"
Jon Snow spoke up, somewhat displeased, "I saw the dead rise with my own eyes, and I saw the true forms of the White Walkers. And that massive army of the dead, how could any of that be fake?"
At this moment, Robb Stark also spoke, "Jon! Are you sure what you saw wasn't Wildlings? Could it be some kind of evil sorcery? I've heard there are many forest witches living beyond The Wall who use all sorts of strange magic. The legends of raising the dead have always been around beyond The Wall. Maybe you were just scared by the situation at the time?"
Jon Snow, hearing this, said to Robb with dissatisfaction, "Robb! Even you don't believe me! I lost the most important thing in that battle, I couldn't have remembered it wrong!"
Excited, Jon Snow suddenly released a terrifying aura from his body, causing those around him to feel a touch of heat, but this situation only lasted for a moment before disappearing.
The excited Jon Snow immediately felt a chill in his chest, making him realize what was happening. He quickly restrained the Rune Magic in his body, preventing anyone else from noticing the anomaly.
Maester Luwin frowned slightly, as if sensing something. However, he shook his head, dismissing some impractical conjectures. Then, he turned to Jon and said:
"Jon! You must understand that the family's support for the Night's Watch has reached its peak, and is the highest of all the Stark dukes throughout history. The Warden of the North has military duties, but everything must have a reason. The White Walkers haven't appeared on Northern territory, and we have no reason to order our vassals to take up arms!"
Jon Snow muttered to himself, "Is there really no other way? In the end, will it always fall to us? But relying only on..."
Before Jon Snow could finish, a chill suddenly ran through his chest, and realizing this, he closed his mouth, helpless.
Rodrik Cassel suddenly said to Eddard Stark, "The Umbers and the Night's Watch mentioned in a raven message a few days ago that they learned from Wildling prisoners that a 'Wildling King' has reappeared beyond the Wall. I suspect he's behind all this, probably aiming to use the White Walker legends to march south!"
At this moment, Eddard Stark, who had been deep in thought, spoke up, addressing everyone:
"Then let's focus on the situation there! Maester Luwin, if there are any raven messages from the Night's Watch or the Umbers during this time, be sure to notify me immediately."
"Yes! My lord!"
After the meeting, Jon Snow and Brynden Rivers were shown to a guest room. Once inside, Anna Stark materialized from the necklace.
She said to Jon Snow, "Ying! You were too impulsive. You almost gave yourself away today!"
Jon Snow looked distressed. "I'm sorry, Mother! But I just don't understand. The signs of the White Walkers are already showing, why won't they believe us?"
Brynden spoke up then, "That's because the White Walkers haven't infringed upon their interests yet. Undeniably, your uncle, Eddard Stark, is a kind and just great lord. But the higher the position, the more things he has to worry about. He seems to possess the largest territory in the Seven Kingdoms, but in reality, he's constrained by this vast land."
His tone suddenly changed, and he asked Jon Snow:
"Ying! Do you know why the rule of the family has always been loved by the common people? Or, why the rule of the family would be overthrown?"
Jon shook his head, indicating he didn't know.
"That's because the family's rule ended the centuries of war in the Seven Kingdoms, bringing stability to the people, which is why they loved the rule of the Dragon King's family."
But some people just don't like stability. The nobles of the Seven Kingdoms are greedy and ruthless. They'll sacrifice anything to gain more land and gold dragons, even if it means continuing to plunge the continent into chaos and causing countless deaths among the people. They won't stop!"
"So, it's not that my uncle doesn't want to believe me, but that he simply can't offer us much help. Unless the White Walkers breach the Wall, he won't have grounds to mobilize the army to eliminate them. But by then, wouldn't it be too late?"
Jon Snow said thoughtfully.
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