Chapter Text
Jon looked to his father, sitting there in his solar. “Is something the matter, my lord?”
Eddard chuckled. “Son, you know you can call me 'father'. Just because Cat demands you call her my lady, it doesn't mean you have to treat me as anything less than your father. Besides, that is not the matter at hand. Please, be seated” he smiled warmly.
Jon could only gauge that, from his father's smile, he bore good news, so Jon allowed a thin smile to spread across his lips.
“Thank you,” he said, as he sat opposite to Eddard Stark. “Father.”
“It is my understanding that you aspire to join the Night's watch, is that correct?” asked Jon's father. Jon nodded. “Yes, father.”
Eddard's smile widened. “And it's an honourable path to take. I'm proud of your choices, believe me, more than anyone, but...” he chewed his lip.
“What?” Jon asked, raising an eyebrow. Uncle Benjen had always used to say that anything said before the word 'But' didn't really count, and that was a saying Jon Snow had taken to heart.
“You're sixteen, Jon. Barely a man grown. Don't you wish to experience the world, before you pledge yourself to a life of servitude?”
Jon frowned. Was his father really trying to convince him against following his dream of joining the watch?
“I'm a bastard.” Eddard tried to raise a point, but Jon would not hear it. “I'm a bastard” he repeated, more firmly. “What is there for me in the world? My siblings will all be wed, to handsome young Lords and beautiful young Ladies. Not I, though. I'm destined to a life being looked down upon, wherever I go. Apart from the Night's watch. I want to join the watch, because the watch won't care whether or not my mother was lowborn, and because there, I can live a life of honour and duty” Jon explained.
Eddard seemed taken aback by Jon's words, and Jon felt a pang of guilt rising. After all, his father had gone to vast lengths to make Jon feel equal to his trueborn siblings, and Jon began to realize how ungrateful he was sounding. Just before he apologized, Eddard sighed and spoke up.
“I know. I know it's difficult, son. You know I love you just as much as I love Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran and Rickon, yes?”
Jon nodded. For all the coldness Lady Catelyn had shown him, he had to admit he could not have asked for a kinder father. Kinder brothers and sisters, too; he loved his siblings dearly, though Sansa was not exactly a paragon of sisterly affection when it came to him.
“Yes, father. I know.”
Eddard smiled faintly. “Good. Good. Please, Jon, would you listen to what I have to say?”
Jon sighed. He owed his father that much, at least. “Yes, father. I shall listen.”
“Now, what I'm proposing is that you spend a year away.” Jon disliked the sound of this already; but he did not interrupt. “Before I knew of your intentions to leave for the Night's watch, I... I was hoping to find a match for you. Some noble's natural daughter, preferably. Prince Oberyn of Dorne, I asked first. He has eight natural daughters, three of whom are of a suitable age to wed. Sadly, Prince Oberyn does not wish for his daughters to wed. I was about to ask the King about his daughter, Mya Stone from the Vale, when Benjen told me you wished to take the black. But Oberyn... Oberyn sent me something more in his response. He offered to take in one of my children at Sunspear for one year. Catelyn said the honour should be bestowed upon Robb, or maybe Sansa... But I refused. Jon, I think YOU would benefit most from a year in Dorne.”
Jon was in shock. His mouth dropped slightly agape. He never knew his father had actually taken the effort to find him a WIFE. Jon Snow, married and with a child. He never thought of that. He never thought it was possible. And to offer him a year in Dorne? Catelyn Stark was always furious when Jon received special treatment, so his father must have taken a copious amount of shit from his wife when she found out. He knew how Catelyn got when she was angry; needless to say, it was a terrifying prospect, and he felt awfully sorry for his father.
“The watch, though...” Jon mumbled.
“Jon, the wall will still be standing in a year's time. If you still wish to take the black then, believe me, I will make no effort to stop you. Or, if you change your mind about the watch in your year away, I'll see if Mya Stone's up for that wedding, eh?” he asked, smiling and chuckling to himself.
Jon pondered this for what seemed like an eternity. The watch was his life's dream; to serve, to become a man of honour much like his father. To prove that not every bastard was craven, lecherous and weak of spirit. Then again, Dorne... Dorne interested him. It was warm, and sunny, far from the nearly consistent cold and snow he was used to here in the North. If he were to spend his whole life in the cold North, would he really want to do so without experiencing some time in a different place? After all, this might be the last chance he had, and, like his father said, the wall would still be there.
“You don't have to go. No-one's forcing you” said Eddard. “But, some of the best years of my life were spent growing up in the vale. Promise me, you'll think about it?”
“I will” said Jon, and he meant it. He smiled. “I will.”
A few hours later, Theon and Robb practically ambushed Jon in the courtyard of Winterfell. “What did Lord Stark want to see you about, Snow?” smirked Theon.
“Shut up, Greyjoy” sighed Jon.
Theon shot him a scowl.
“Be nice” Robb commanded the two of them. And, just like that, both Jon and Theon calmed. They might dislike one another, but Jon and Theon both adored Robb.
Jon was a little jealous of his brother, the stronger one of the two, the one who had known a mother's love his whole life, the one all the girls swooned over, the one with lovely red hair and bright blue eyes, the one who always knew how to make others laugh and could always provide an interesting conversation. But he loved him. Loved him, because he was the best brother he could imagine. Whereas Sansa almost always called him half-brother, Robb had never called him that, not once. Whenever someone made fun of his bastard status, Robb would always be there to shoot that person a firm scowl that shut them right up. Robb was always up for sharing a skin of wine behind the stables.
“But, seriously, Jon, what did father want with you?” Robb asked, raising an eyebrow. Jon didn't really want to speak about it. But he could not lie. Not to Robb, of all people.
Jon let out a sigh. “Father wants to send me to Dorne for a year.” He smiled slightly.
Robb grinned. Gods, did Robb have a nice smile. The kind of smile that made the whole day seem just that little bit brighter.
“You lucky bastard!” sighed Theon, sounding almost ANGRY.
“That's fantastic! You are lucky!” beamed Robb. “Dorne sounds lovely! I must say, I am a little envious... But you deserve a break. I love my mother, more than anything, but I admit you could do with a rest from those harsh stares.”
Jon nodded. “I don't think I'm going to go, though. I want to join the watch, always have, since I was six. I can't just give up on my dream, now, can I?”.
Robb frowned, but Theon burst into laughter.
Both brothers, Stark and Snow, turned to Theon at that second. Theon tried to stifle his laughter, but he could not. “Someone tell a joke, Greyjoy?” snapped Jon.
Theon regained his composure, and caught his breath. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's just... I was thinking about how jealous I was. That YOU, the BASTARD, get to go to DORNE. Dorne, where the best food and wine in the seven kingdoms are prepared, the place that has warm suns and sandy beaches and cool, refreshing sea. And, most importantly, the place where all your desires could be fulfilled. Slim girls, fat girls, busty girls, short girls, tall girls, any type of girl you could imagine... The best girls are ALL from Dorne, or so I've heard. You can even fuck BOYS there, if you're that way inclined.” Theon smirked wickedly. “Wouldn't be surprised if you were; after all, you ARE choosing to spend the rest of your life surrounded by men and men only” he chuckled. Jon blushed, but thankfully, Theon did not notice the redness in his cheeks.
“If I was offered a year in Dorne, my cock would probably drop off by the time I was done there. But it's just like you, to turn down such an opportunity in favour of freezing and remaining a maid at the damned night's watch” chuckled Theon.
“Greyjoy” warned Robb, but Jon was not insulted by the little outburst. He thought deeply about it, in fact. Did... Did Theon say he was JEALOUS that Jon had the opportunity to go to Dorne? In that moment, his mind seemed to make itself up.
“You know, Theon, you're right. I WILL go to Dorne” smiled Jon.
And, from the look on Theon's face in that very moment, the look of pure, seething and angry jealousy, Jon could already tell he'd made the right decision.