I woke with the cold biting at the walls of my room, a reminder that I was still in the North, despite the golden Southern glow that had invaded the castle the day before. The dawn had not yet broken, but my mind was already hours ahead of the sun. Today was the day I would put an end to the first great tragedy of the Stark family.
I began my morning in a deserted corner of the training yard, where the silence was broken only by the whistling wind. I practiced my sword forms with a speed that demanded absolute focus. Suddenly, I felt a movement behind me. I didn't turn; I waited until the "opponent" was almost upon me, then spun around and caught Arya's wrist.
"Your steps are getting lighter, but your breathing still gives you away, Arya," I said, releasing her hand.
She was dressed in her rough leathers, her hair disheveled as always. "I want to learn how to strike without being seen. Yesterday, when I saw Sansa with that Prince... I felt like we're going to need to be strong. I don't want to be an ornament in a palace; I want to protect my family."
I looked at her seriously. Arya wasn't just a mischievous child; she was a wolf sensing the approaching danger. "Fighting isn't just about swords, Arya. It's knowing when to strike and where to hide. Today, we won't train with steel, but with 'Stillness.' A true predator is one who merges with the shadows until the prey thinks he is nothing but a gust of wind."
We spent time teaching her how to move in total silence and how to observe without being observed. I was preparing her for a world that would not spare her innocence, and she absorbed every word like a devoted warrior.
Later, I headed to the Great Yard where the breakfast table had been set for my companions. Robb, Theon, and Jon were talking in low voices as they tore into coarse bread and cheese.
"Alex! Come and watch Theon try to convince us he has a chance with one of the Queen's handmaidens," Robb said, a faint smile on his face that barely hid his underlying anxiety.
I sat beside Jon, and Theon winked at me over his cup. "Forget about me. Haven't you noticed the Queen's looks? Cersei stopped talking the moment you walked past her yesterday, Alex. It seems your rugged Northern looks reminded her that the South is full of men as soft as silk. If I were you, I'd watch out for Jaime Lannister; the man doesn't like anyone stealing the spotlight from his golden handsome face."
Jon laughed bitterly. "Theon is right about one thing. Jaime Lannister wears his armor as if he's wearing the sun, but his eyes are as cold as death. I saw him yesterday watching the guards... it wasn't the look of a leader, but of a butcher appraising a herd."
Robb nodded gravely. "My father is worried. King Robert is no longer the man he was in the stories. He laughs and drinks, but he leaves a trail of vipers in his wake. And Joffrey... Sansa thinks he's a prince from a dream, but I saw an arrogance in him that bodes no good."
"Gold glitters, Robb," I said, breaking a piece of bread, "but it doesn't keep you warm in winter. The Southerners think Winterfell is just a stopover, but they'll find our cold shows no mercy to the arrogant."
Theon, trying to lighten the mood, clapped me hard on the shoulder. "In any case, if Sansa gets tired of her arrogant Prince, I think you should be ready, Alex. Her dress wasn't stained with soup by accident; Arya was trying to drive her away from the 'Prince' to turn her gaze toward our 'handsome warrior' who can't stop watching her from afar."
I gave a grim smile and tossed a piece of cheese at Theon. "Shut your mouth and mind your arrows, Theon. My looks won't save us from swords."
When the hunting drums began to beat and the King and his men set off, a chill ran through my body. This was the time. I headed directly toward the Broken Tower. I knew Bran wouldn't be able to resist climbing today.
I stood at the base of the tower, pretending to inspect some ropes. Suddenly, I spotted him. Bran was climbing with incredible skill, rising quickly from the ground. He was nearing the window where the "Lions" were hiding.
"Bran!" I called out, my voice sharp and commanding, yet quiet enough not to cause a stir.
Bran froze and looked down in surprise. "Alex? What are you doing here?"
"Get down, Bran. Now," I said, gesturing to him. "Your mother is looking for you, and I promised her I'd take you to see the new pups. My father, Ser Rodrik, said a stranger was seen near the old towers, and it's not safe today."
"But I want to see the nest at the top!" Bran protested.
"The nest will stay where it is, Bran, but the pups will grow. Come down, and today I'll teach you the 'Stalking Wolf' move I taught Arya. Do you want Arya to outfight you?"
That chord was enough. Bran descended slowly, and as soon as his feet touched the ground, a surge of pure euphoria swept through my chest. I had done it. I had saved Bran. There would be no fall, no paralysis, and the fuse of war would not be lit from here. For a moment, I felt more powerful than all the destinies written in the books
Later, I found Jon packing some of his things in the stables, his eyes carrying that familiar sorrow.
"Are you truly going?" I asked, leaning against the wooden rail.
"There is no place for me here, Alex. The Wall is calling," Jon replied in a muffled voice.
"Listen, Jon, I won't stop you from going to see the Wall; every man in the North should see that majesty once in his life. But I suggest something else. Take Bran with you. Bran is dying to see the world, and he won't find a better companion than you and your Uncle Benjen. Go as visitors, not as exiles. Look at the Wall, live there for weeks as a guest, and taste the true snow. If, after that, you feel the vow is your destiny, I will be the first to salute you. But do not bind yourself to an eternal oath while you are still young and heavy-hearted."
Jon looked at me with deep thought. The idea of accompanying Bran, protecting him, and seeing the Wall without the "shackle" of a final vow seemed much more logical to him. "Do you think Lord Ned will agree?"
"He will agree if he knows you will be the eyes Bran sees through. Go together, and explore the true North. Winterfell will be here waiting for you, and I will be here to make sure no one forgets 'Jon Snow'."
Jon nodded, and for the first time, I saw a spark of realistic hope in his eyes. I left the stable feeling like I had begun to draw a new map for this world.