Glitter and Gold | Game of Thrones | Jon Snow

Chapter 6

Heron sat at breakfast the next day, his posture stiff and his body leaned over the table with his face in his hands.  He longed to be with Cailtyn in the room they were holding Bran but his mother had requested his presence at breakfast.  Oh how he wished to spit in her face he didn't care for something as foolish as breakfast, not while Bran was on death's door, he had gone months with only enough to keep him alive.  Missing breakfast meant nothing.

Still, he sat there and allowed the chatter going on around him without a word.  His mother's eyes would burn into him every time she took a glance and he hardly noticed when his shortest uncle walked in requesting food.  He heard the happy sound his youngest brother made but still kept his face to the table as talk went on.

Then he heard it.  "Is Bran going to die?" It was his sister's voice that spoke and his head shot up for the first time this morning allowing his family to see his eyes.  They had deep bags, signs of his watch over Bran last night, he had refused sleep opting to let Lady Caitlyn rest her eyes instead while he stood watch while a hand on his sword at all times.  He could feel his mother's concerned gaze but he kept his own on his uncle, praying his uncle got positive word of Bran's health that he didn't.  

"Apparently not," Tyrion said and Heron's sister smiled as the boy's head fell forward, this time in relief as his entire posture relaxed and a soft smile grazed his face.

"What do you mean?" Cersei spoke, and Heron's eyes flashed to her.  He knew the look on her face, and it wasn't concern.  An idea began to spread through Heron's mind and his eyes flashed to the man he knew to be his blood father, his blood running cold.

"The maester said the boy may live," Tyrion said, raising a goblet of beer to his lips.  The Lannister twins share a look that was noticed by their eldest whose eyes had suddenly gone dark.  

"It's no mercy, letting a child linger in such pain," Cersei said and Heron leaned forward, his posture no longer tense nor relaxed, instead it was almost hostile.

"All pain comes to an end mother, he may be in pain now but he will have many years after of life with no such pain if he where to live," Heron spoke, his voice tight and his gaze dark.  Cersei met her son's eyes and could almost see his thoughts through his body language.  Her gaze softened as she realized that if the boy were to die, her son would feel pain.  The one thing Cersei cared about more than herself were her children so she nodded with a smile to her son who failed to give her one back.  

"Charms of the North seem entirely lost on you," Tyrion said, snagging a piece of bacon from the table.

"Still can't believe you're going.  It's ridiculous, even for you," Cersei spoke calmly to her brother, though there was no hiding the disrespect from her tone.  Heron glanced between the two in confusion.

"I seemed to have missed something," He spoke, his tone very similar to the one his mother used.  

"Where's your wonder, the greatest struture ever built, the great men of the night's watch, the wintery abode of the white walkers," Tyrion spoke in a dramatic voice, ignoring his nephews question while messing around with Tommen.  

"Tell me your not thinking of taking the Black," Jamie spoke and Heron laughed.  

"And go celibate?  The whores would be begging from here to Casterly Rock," Tyrion said and Heron grinned widely.

"Not to mention, how many whore houses would shut done without you at them?  I have to assume you pay for over half the profit at most," Heron spoke with a teasing grin his uncle returned.  

"No I just want to stand on top of the wall and piss off the edge of the world," Tyrion said, eating his bacon while Heron laughed and raised his glass.

"I can drink to that," Heron spoke quickly, before raising his cup to his lips and knocking back the wine inside it.  

"Children don't need to hear your filth," Cersei said to the dwarf who was making funny faces at the two youngest blonde's at the table.  Tyrion raised his eye brows with a strange smile at Heron's sister who grinned back.

"Ah yes, they would much rather hear mine," Heron spoke, leaning back in his seat with a large, dastardly grin hoping to annoy his mother.  She gave him a playful glare, never truly having the capability to be mad at him.

"Come," She spoke to her two children before leaving with them trailing after her, leaving the men of House Lannister. 

"Even if he did live, he'd be a cripple grotesque.  Give me a good clean death any day," Jamie said and Heron let his piercing glare level on his father.

"Speaking for the grotesque, I'll have to disagree.  Death is so final where-as life is full of posibilities," Tyrion said and Heron agreed.  

"Rather loose my legs than my life," Heron spoke, raising his newly filled goblet to his lips.  "I hope Bran does wake, I would be very interested to hear what he has to say," Heron spoke once again and Tyrion nodded while raising his goblet to his own lips.  

"My dear family, sometimes I wonder what side your on," Jamie said, leveling his eyes to the two other men. 

"My dear brother, you wound me.  You know how much I love my family," Tyrion said. 

"I love my family, I just don't end family at blood," Heron said, knocking back his wine once again before exiting the room, letting his blood family's gaze settle on his back.

Heron couldn't find it in himself to go looking for his family, much rather prefering to be by himself for a while.  And alone he did find himself, deep in the woods where the only noise came from animals native to the terrian.  There were no human footsteps, or domestic horse whines.  Just the whistle of the wind and crinkle of a squirell stepping on leaves.  There was a rather large fox with many tails resting curled around him, the warm fur of the creature keeping Heron warm as he gazed around the area, allowing himself to relax.  

The fox opened it's large maw in a yawn, blinking its eyes open and happily giving Heron an affectionate lick on the cheek.  A joyful laugh came out of the blonde boy, smiling brightly at the fox who wagged his many tails and stretched out his stiff back after taking a nap.  He went from curled to sitting, being the same height as Heron when they both were sitting.

Heron glanced at the ground and gripped a large stick, causing the many tails of the fox to wag faster.  "You want it?" Heron teased and the fox jumped into a playful position with a yip.  Heron threw the stick, watching in a flash of light, the creature disapear and then reappear holding the stick.

"You are way to adorable," Heron admitted, scratching the fox's face.  "Might just have to keep you with me," Heron said and the fox yipped as if agreeing.  "Don't know how I'll explain you though."

As if the fox had understood what he said, Heron could only watch as the six tails all seemed to merge into one.  "Seven hells, you're perfect.  That's it, you are staying with me," Heron decided and the fox yipped excitedly, bouncing around Heron and playfully attacking his feet.  

Heron laughed at the overly excited fox, he bent to one knee and the fox jumped onto his shoulders, licking his face.  "You're like a kit, and that is the perfect name for you.  Kit."  Kit seemed to approve of the name if his excited chirp was anything to go by.

"Kit it is."