Serendipity

Chapter 3

It'd been a month and a few weeks at the wall. Tyrion had left, Benjen went beyond the wall again, and Jon and I met a fat, craven boy named Samwell Tarly. He was, utterly useless in sword fighting but he was very smart. Jon had said the words to officially become a man of the Night's Watch. I even traveled past the wall to witness it with some other men.

I was sitting on my bed, rubbing a whetstone down the edge of my sword when I heard Jon bust through my door, Ghost on his heels, sniffing at the air," Ceci I need to show you something."

I look up to see the seriousness in his face. I notice one of his hands is burnt badly, going up his forearm a bit. I stand up, tossing the whetstone on the bed," what the fuck happened to you your hand?"

"I need to show you something," he repeats to me, this time with more urgency.

My mind races as we walk quickly to wherever he is taking me. Ghost moves swiftly and gracefully, making him seem like he really was a ghost. When I notice where we're headed my eyes widen and I start sprinting to the Lord Commander's quarters, Jon right behind me. As soon as I loudly bust through the door I see the burning body of a man. I step closer to it, seeing the man's eyes glowing light blue. This makes me step back and I find myself looking around the room for my grandfather. I find him bent over some parchment, writing quickly.

"Ghost sensed this thing," Jon says," it was trying to kill the Lord Commander. I had to throw a burning sheet on it to finally kill it."

I run my fingers through my hair, inhaling deeply. I watch my grandfather's face and shoulders turn to me.

"If this is what I think it is-" he cuts me off.

"Jon take this to Maester Aemon," he says, handing it to the boy. Jon hesitates for a minute before nodding and walking out.

Before I can speak he's beaten me to it," Ned Stark is dead. Beheaded for treason."

My face drops instantly and I take a step back. I feel the blood drain from my head and my stomach twists in knots.

"I'll tell Jon on the morrow. When he knows I have no doubt he'll take a horse in the night to join his half brother Robb. He declared himself King in the North," he says.

I barely comprehend what he's saying but nod.

"Or you could tell him. He'd probably take it better from you," he suggests.

"I'll tell him," I say in a shakey voice.

When I walk out and close the door I run straight into Jon's chest, making me stumble back a bit. I step to the side and try to walk past him but he grabs my arm.

"Wait. What happened?" He asks, furrowing his eyebrows.

I shake my head, trying to calm my breathing. He loosens his grip, so I pull my arm way and walk quickly back to my quarters. When the door closes I stand there silently, suppressing the tears forming in my eyes. Suddenly I become angry and grab the small desk on which holds parchment and ink, throwing it across the room. My breathing became even heavier and it felt as if I couldn't get any oxygen. My stomach was still in knots.

When the anger left I just sat down on the bed, staring at the ink splattered floor silently.

~

I found Jon on top of the wall the next afternoon when he was on watch duty. The wind was blowing gently and it almost felt warm.

I walk up to him and stare out at the white wilderness before us," Jon."

He hums in response.

I swallow before continuing quickly," your- your father was beheaded for treason."