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❝YOU ARE THE ONLY MAN WHO NEVER HURT ME, BUT BROKE MY HEART. ❞
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Octavia Snow, or like the North often refers to her: The Second Bastard of Winterfell. She didn't understand why out of all the bastards in Winterfell, she was given the distinction and put alongside Jon Snow. Octavia's father had abandoned her mother before she was born, choosing to wear the black and join the Night's Watch instead. Jon was of house blood, his father kept him and raised him as much as someone can amongst his legitimate family. The man had siblings that looked him as their equal, that looked at him with love and would kill anyone who would bring harm to him: Octavia didn't have that. Her mother grew bitter after her birth, leaving the young girl to fend for herself. The situation only got worse as her mother fell ill, Octavia having to take lead of their small household.
The desperation led a younger Octavia to stealing: food, medicine, weapons, anything that could help them survive. She was already labeled as undesirable, as an outsider, might as well live up to it. Octavia taught herself how to fight as much as she could, her faith in others not harming her at an all time low. If she were caught by any Winterfell soldiers and execution would be her punishment, Octavia didn't mind. No one would be there to mourn her, no one would mourn her after: that's the life of a bastard.
What she didn't expect was to be caught by Winterfell's next rightful heir and the original Bastard of Winterfell. Robb Stark and Jon Snow ran into Octavia stealing a wooden sword when they were sneaking off to sword fight themselves. Robb had never seen the girl before, not believing she was even from Winterfell. Jon, on the other hand, paid attention to the girl more than he would've liked. The whispering of the existence of a Second Bastard of Winterfell filled up his ears, catching glimpses of her in the darker corners of town. Jon wanted to ignore her presence, but his own experiences and feelings didn't allow him to do so. Perhaps it's what pushed him to convince Robb to spare Octavia, turning her in to their father would do the girl no favors. She was afraid, yet he could see there was still an ounce in her that wanted to live even if she denied it. Robb didn't want to question his brother more, knowing exactly where the compassion for the girl came from, so he accepted.
For the first time, Octavia was exposed to the feeling of being cared for. Jon was the first to treat her as an equal, as a human being. Their shared dark emotions were what bought the two labeled 'bastards' together, but it went beyond that. The remaining Stark siblings later coming around to her presence, Arya bonding with her over their hate for sewing and desire to wield a sword. Ned aided the young girl that had made her way into the hearts of his children as much as he could, Catelyn's hostility sometimes blinding the action. They both knew his guilt over Jon's life had more influence as to why he became keen to helping Octavia than he led on to believe. The Lord of Winterfell simply dismissed it, saying his responsibility of helping the people of his land is greater than anything else.
