A Hungry Dragon

Grief is the Price we pay for Love

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Chapter 5 (A Friend or An Enemy), Chapter 6 (Return to Winterfell), Chapter 7 (There's no Honor in  War), Chapter 8 (A Song for The Past), and Chapter 9 (The Woman in White) are already available for  Patrons.

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Two Months Later

The gentle breeze of the cold could be felt in his skin, his fingers digging deep into the small spaces between the rocks; he released a breath before lifting himself with the strength of his fingers, the aching all but gone. Not even blood to make his fingers slippery; it was too easy to climb like this, Jon thought as he pulled his feet out of the small opening he had found; he was sure the place had been used by ravens a month ago.

'Always make sure the stone will not crumble down, boy.' He repeated the words his great-grandfather had told him. With his feet, he searched, trying to find a good enough space between rocks for his feet to rest on. His fingers found one, barely big enough for his feet to slide in. As he put pressure on it, the rock cracked and crumbled down. Jon breathed heavily as he watched the little rocks fall from the tower.

Looking over his shoulders, Jon could see the entire forest surrounding Breakstone Hill. The wind's bite was cold and sharp on his naked neck, but Jon paid it little mind as he searched with his feet once again. Soon, he found another opening between rocks, which handled his weight.

Jon sighed heavily as he lifted himself upwards again, his eyes looking up. The window that led to his great-grandfather's chamber was open. Just ten more steps, and he would be there. His purple eyes quickly noticed a big enough opening just two feet above his head.

He swallowed thickly, his hair dancing with the wind as he lifted himself further upwards, his fingers grasping the opening, but just as he was about to climb further up, he felt something touch his fingers. Jon found another opening with his feet and climbed upwards more; now he could see what was inside the big opening, only to see pale black eyes looking back at him; the feathers hadn't grown yet, and his beak had a yellowish color, his eyes closed, and the skin was a dark purple.

'A baby raven!' Jon thought when he noticed something else. Something that made his heart stop: near this baby raven, laying near its feet, was another one, but this one wasn't moving, and a deep red gash was across its belly; the baby raven paid Jon's little attention and turned towards the second unmoving bird, it's beak digging deep into the red gash, pulling out...

Jon looked away, shuddered, and ignored what he saw as he kept climbing upwards; as his fingers dug deep into another opening, he wondered why life was so cruel. It wasn't just humans; he had seen wolves ripping apart a goat. Violence was always everywhere, the hunter hunting the prey, the hunter going after the newborn; Jon had seen how brutal life could be, his great-grandfather coming home with what he had caught in the woods, but that's how life had been since men existed, even before them.

Life is Cruel, Jon thought, but then remembered the way Lady Bella laughed with Derek, the way the two looked at one another, the way she smiled at his awful jokes. Jon knew life could be cruel, but life could be beautiful, too.

Jon remembered his last talk with Rhae. Not much was discussed, but she had let it slip that Ari's full name was Arianne. Jon knew Rhae lived in a rich place; her chamber was wide, beautiful, and decorated as if she was a Princess. After asking the Maester. He had told him that Prince Doran Martell's daughter was named Arianne Martell. Jon had decided to ask Rhae in the next meeting if she was Arianne's cousin or something; it would make sense since the Maester told him that Prince Oberyn Martell had nine daughters.