Milk Of The Poppy {Tyrion Lannister} [ON HOLD]

Chapter Two

Morlyna sat on her bed, steel leg off and to the side. Small drops of blood dried to her nearly translucent skin. She heard a knock on the door and groaned quietly to herself at the disturbance. Setting aside the book on tactics she had been reading, she stood on her one leg. From beside her steel leg, she picked up the wooden cane that Jon had gifted her a few years back. She made her way to the door, where on the other side stood a seventeen-year-old Jon. In his hand rested a book he had found for Morlyna. The door swung open, revealing his half-sister struggling to stay upright.

Nearly dropping the book, Jon rushed to put her arm around his shoulders as he helped her back to her bed. He refrained from scolding her knowing that would only irritate her. Handing his sister the leather-bound book, he cleared his throat before speaking.

"They found the Night's Watch deserter. I'll be going with Father and the others to see him sentenced."

"Do you know when you'll be back?"

"I'm not sure. We may have to postpone our walk through the Godswood, though."

"That's quite alright. I have some reading I wanted to do anyway. Thank you for the book by the way."

"It's no problem." He stood and kissed her forehead, "I'll see you soon, Lyna."

With a final nod, he turned and left her bedchamber, careful not to slam her door. The girl was left to her reading, and as it turned out, he was in fact late for their walk. She was reading in the stables when she heard the voices of her brothers and father near the gates. Closing her book, she stood and hobbled her way towards the gate to greet them when the sound of puppies barking stopped her.

"What in the world?" She whispered to herself before continuing.

There, in the men's arms were seven puppies. Jon looked up and smiled at her. Arya, Sansa, and Rickon rushed passed her, nearly causing Morlyna to fall. The steel pins that held the leg in place shifted, drawing blood. One by one the puppies were plucked from the arms of the men. Save a little white pup and black one one of almost equal size. Finally, she made it to her father and Jon. Her other sibling gone now with their own pups. Ned gently placed the black one in her arms, with a kind smile.

"It's a dire wolf pup. I expect you to take care of him fully. Your sisters got female pups, but I'm glad you to have a male one. Male dogs are more likely to firecly protect female owners and I have a feeling Direwolves are no different." Ned spoke before leaving her and Jon alone.

Morlyna looked at the pup with a smile. That smile dropped slightly when she noticed the missing tail he had. She looked up at Jon who smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry. The others didn't want him. Said he wasn't whole."
"It's alright. I get it. Do you have one too, Jon?"
"Aye. Decided to name him Ghost. He's the runt of the litter."

Morlyna snorted. "Ghost? That's the best you could come up with?"

"Whats wrong with Ghost?"

She shook her head with a grin, "Nothing."

"Well, what are you gonna name yours?"
"Hm. How about Shadow?"
"Seriously?" He laughed.

Morylna set her pup down beside Jon's. The two pushing and biting each other playfully. It reminded Morlyna of her and Jon's relationship. Both different from the rest of their family. They were inseparable almost immediately. They both knew what it was liked to be looked down upon, to be hated because of something neither could control. They were fiercely protective of one another.

"Oh I don't know, Ghost and Shadow. They kind of go together don't you think?"

"I suppose. What about Momo?" She pushed him slightly in response.

"You're funny. What about Nightwalker?"

Jon shivered, remembering what the deserter had said about Whitewalkers. "Nah. How about JJ. For Jon Junior."

"Haha. Very funny. Oh, I've got it!"
"What?"
"Onyx." At that, the black pup raised his head and looked over at Morlyna. "Oh, he's smart. Onyx it is."

Jon smiled, as his sisters face brightened. Her soft laugh filled the space between them as the two puppies played. He wished that everyone else would see past her birth defect just as he did. He had this gut feeling though, that everything was going to change and quick. He just hoped it would be for the best.