Portrait// Sandor Clegane (1)

16. Dwarves and Bastards

'Is it dead yet?' Benjen called over to Jon, he was beating up a practice dummy in the courtyard.

'Uncle Benjen!' Jon said coming up to him happily.

'you've gotten bigger!' Benjen remarked it had been a while since he last visited Winterfell. 'out here all day? They didn't wanna leave you alone with a Lannister?' Benjen teased. 'You don't wanna enjoy the feast?' Benjen questioned.

'Lady Stark did not want to insult the Royal family by seating a bastard in their midst.' Jon admitted.

'Well you are always welcome at the wall,' Benjen assured him. 'no bastard has ever been turned away there.' an idea, not thought through at all sprung into jons head.

'So take me with you when you go back.' Jon suggested.

'Jon-'

'Father will let me if you ask him.' Jon negotiated

'The wall isn't going anywhere.' Benjen reminded him.

'I'm ready.' Jon assured him.

'you don't understand what you'd be giving up, we have no families none of us father any sons-' Benjen explained.

'I don't care about that.' Jon told him honestly.

'You might.' Benjen told him 'if you knew what it meant... I better get inside and rescue your father from his guests.' Benjen said 'we will talk later.' he said giving Jon a pat. The feast was too loud, Avalon couldn't think she moved outside taking a seat on one of the tables, lyanna was stuck in her head, she had to get her down so she could focus on the living.

'Your uncle is in the nights watch?' Tyrion said coming back from a brothel, Avalon glanced up at him from afar as he spoke with Jon.

'what are you doing back there?' Jon questioned

'Preparing for a night with your family.' Tyrion told him, 'I've always wanted to see the wall,' he remarked taking a swig from his jug

'You are Tyrion Lannister.' Jon remarked 'the Queen's brother.'

'My greatest accomplishment. And you... you are ned Starks bastard aren't you?' Jon turned away annoyed, that was not what defined him. 'Did I offend you? Sorry.' Tyrion said following him. 'But you are the bastard though.'

'Lord Eddard Stark is my father.' Jon told him

'And lady Stark is not your mother... making you the bastard...' Tyrion told him simply, 'let me give you some advice, bastard. Never forget who you are or what you are the rest of the world will not, wear it like armor, that way it can never be used to hurt you,' Tyrion told him turning away from Jon.

'What the hell would you know about being a bastard?' Jon called after him

'All dwarves are bastards in their father's eyes.' Tyrion told him heading inside but he caught sight of Avalon. 'Hello my dearest.' Tyrion said smiling over at her. 'finish me yet?' Tyrion teased. 'of course you haven't, I would have you coming over and over again before we finished.' Avalon flipped through her sketches silently turning one around for Tyrion. 'that's nice.' Tyrion admitted. 'still waiting on that nude session though.'

'I have done nudes Lord Tyrion, but don't blame me when I portray a realistic...' she nodded down to him.

'my dear, you will be begging for me.' Tyrion assured her.

'the last man I painted in the nude thought the same thing.' Avalon said flipping back to her lyanna drawing. 'he was sorely disappointed with my final product.'

'Well he is not me.'

'Good my night my lord.' Avalon said simply and Tyrion blew her a kiss as he headed in.