"Enter," Ned said, looking up from a small stack of parchment.
Ser Rodrik Cassel stepped in, bowing his head. "My lord, I wish to speak with you about the boys."
Ned gestured to the chair. "Come, Ser Rodrik. Sit."
Almost at the same time, Maester Luwin appeared in the doorway, ledger tucked beneath his arm. "I, too, have matters to raise about young Robb… and Jon Snow."
Ned raised an eyebrow. "And you too, Maester? Seems the boys are keeping half of Winterfell busy."
The two men exchanged a glance and then stepped forward.
Ser Rodrik cleared his throat. "It is about their training. Robb has reached six namedays, and by our custom, it is time he began formal lessons with the sword. But…" He hesitated before continuing. "But Jon Snow has been coming to the yard near every afternoon these past month. I thought at first he would tire quickly, yet he has not missed a day. I give him the odd correction now and then, nothing formal, yet he takes my words to heart. He remembers them. Follows them. For a boy of five, his stance is steady, his strikes true. Better than most lads a year older."
Ned leaned back in his chair, folding his hands. "Jon is younger. The practice is meant for Robb."
"True, my lord," Ser Rodrik admitted, "but if you saw the boy's form yourself, you might think otherwise. He does not swing wildly like a child. He watches, he listens. I daresay he enjoys the work more than Robb. If he keeps at it, he will grow into a swordsman of note."
Before Ned could answer, Maester Luwin cleared his throat gently. "And there is more, my lord. Jon has also been spending his afternoons in the library. He comes daily, sits with the books longer than I would expect of one his age. At first I thought it play, but he reads well already — more than well for a boy of five. He asks questions, writes notes, and learns quickly. Not only about history or heroes, but about trade, accounts, and coin. He has asked me more than once how a merchant prospers, how ships are bought and sold. I wondered if perhaps he dreams of such a life, which would not be unwise, given he has no inheritance."
Ser Rodrik snorted softly. "If he does not end a merchant, he will end as a swordsman. I'll wager on that."
Maester Luwin adjusted his ledger. "There is one other matter. Jon has shown a curious interest in the ravens. He asked me for a fledgling, one barely hatched. I told him the bird may not survive in such hands, but he comes daily to the rookery, tending what he can, watching closely. He insists he wishes to raise one."
Ned's brow furrowed. "A raven?"
"Yes, my lord. I told him the risk, but the boy is persistent."
Ned let out a low sound in his throat. "Both of you speak as though the boy has suddenly changed."
Ser Rodrik nodded. "That is exactly it, my lord. A month ago, Jon was only half-serious. Since then, it is as though a fire has been lit inside him. I thought perhaps you had spoken to him."
"I did not," Ned said quietly. Ned's eyes lowered in thought. He remembered catching glimpses of the boy in the yard at dawn, sweat on his brow, a wooden sword clutched in small hands. At the time he had thought little of it. But now, with both Rodrik and Luwin speaking as one, it was plain — Jon had changed, and quickly.
Maester Luwin added softly, "It is not a bad thing, my lord. Quite the opposite. But it is unusual. I thought it right to tell you."
Ned sat silent for a moment, eyes narrowing just slightly. Jon was only a boy, but the boy carried blood as heavy as any. Too heavy, perhaps. His mother—his true mother—remained a wound Ned could never speak of, not even to Catelyn. And yet here the child was, already pushing beyond what boys his age should. Would he grow into a man of talent? Or into something else?
Ned's thoughts drifted to Catelyn. She was with child again, her belly already heavy, near seven months along. For that reason she had left Jon alone these past weeks—no sharp words, no cold stares. A rare peace, fragile but real. But Ned knew it would not last. When the babe was born, things would change again. Peace was always temporary.
Finally, Ned let out a slow breath. "Continue as you think best. Robb must have his lessons, and Jon… Jon will not be denied the yard if he has earned it. And if he wishes for a raven, grant him one. But make it plain — if the bird dies, he must bury it himself. If he keeps it, he must care for it alone. Let the lesson be his."
Both men nodded. The matter, for now, was settled.
Later that evening, Jon lay back in his small chamber, a worn book closed at his side. He stared up at the wooden beams above, letting his breath steady. Then, with a thought, he called up the faint blue shimmer only he could see.
'It's not much,' he admitted to himself, watching the pale light dance. 'But it's better than when I began. A month ago, I could barely hold it. Now… it answers me quicker, steadier.'
A faint shimmer rippled across the air before him, words etching themselves in pale blue light:
Quest: The Path of Coin
Objective: Seek honest ways to earn gold within Winterfell's walls.
Reward: 100 Gold Dragons, +500 XP.
Note: ""In Westeros, gold speaks louder than swords. To survive, one must learn not just to fight, but to earn."
Quest: The Path of Knowledge
Objective: Read 50 Books (Jon has already completed 15)
Reward: +500 XP, +Trait Unlocked: Scholar's Insight
Thought: "A sword can win a battle, but a book can win a kingdom. The mind that hungers for knowledge is never truly poor."
Jon exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing at the glowing script. 'Coin… even here, I cannot ignore it. If I am to stand on my own, I'll need more than steel and stubbornness,' He knows he need money in future and knowledgeable both.
The glow wavered faintly, and Jon's jaw tightened. 'Still weak. Still small. But it is mine.'
[System Progress Log]
Training day Completed: 30 days
Sword Practice: 'Basic Swordsmanship' skill (progression Level 1 26% → Level 3 1%)
Observation (Passive) (Level 2 Progression 6% )
Strength: Strength 3 → 3.5
Endurance: 3 → 3.8
Agility : 4 → 4.7
Intelligence: 7 → 7.5
Perception: 6 → 6.5
Charisma: 5 → 5.4
XP Gained: 470
Skill Tree Available: [Swordsmanship Basics], [Survival Instinct],
[Quest Completed: Read 10 Books] → Reward: +100 XP
[Quest Completed: One Month Training] → Reward: +100 XP
[Quests In progress:
Path of the Warg
Objective: Find and bond with an animal.
Reward: Unlock Warg (Dormant) skill.]
Name: Jon Snow (Aegon Targaryen)
Age: 5
Title: Bastard of Winterfell
Mother: Lyanna Stark (Hidden)
Status: Stable
Condition: Cold, Slight Fatigue
XP: 280 → 950
Level: 1
Attributes: (Locked — progression by growth only)
(Average adult 10, Max 40) (due to bloodlines and magic in this world)
Strength: Strength 3.1 → 3.5
Endurance: 3.1 → 3.8
Agility : 4 → 4.7
Intelligence: 7 → 7.5
Perception: 6 → 6.5
Charisma: 5 → 5.4
Talents:
Warg (Dormant)
Stark Bloodline
Targaryen Bloodline
Dragon Affinity (Dormant)
Skills:
Basic Swordsmanship (Level 1 Progression 38% → Level 3 1%)+
Observation (Passive) (Level 2 Progression 6% ) +
Language: Westerosi Common (Fluent, Level 7 )+
: Reading And Writing (Level 1 50% → Level 3 40% )
System Modules:
Training
Quests
1)Path of the Warg
Objective: Find and bond with an animal.
Reward: Unlock Warg (Dormant) skill. (In progress)
2) A sharp mind is needed to guide a sharp blade.
Objective: Read 10 books in one month
Reward: 100 XP(Completed)
The Path of Coin
Objective: Seek honest ways to earn gold within Winterfell's walls.
Reward: 100 Gold Dragons, +500 XP.
Note: ""In Westeros, gold speaks louder than swords. To survive, one must learn not just to fight, but to earn."
4): The Path of Knowledge
Objective: Read 50 Books (50 / 15) In progress
Reward: +1,000 XP, +Trait Unlocked: Scholar's Insight
Thought: "A sword can win a battle, but a book can win a kingdom. The mind that hungers for knowledge is never truly poor."