They stopped in the night at a small clearing. Aegon and Ghost wandered in circles around the small party, Aegon snapping and baring his teeth at unknown enemies as Ghost stalked silently alongside him. It was quiet, save the crackling and popping of the fire. Osric sat beside Jon, tucked beneath the cloak Sansa had gifted him, warming his hands over the flickering flames.
He looked up when he saw Benjen leading two men over to the fire. "Sit. You'll be fed," he told them, and to another man, he instructed, "untie them."
Osric's blue eyes darted to Tyrion Lannister, who hardly looked up from the book in his hands as he spoke. "Rapers. They were given a choice, no doubt. Castration or the Wall. Most choose the knife."
He examined Jon's expression, raising an eyebrow. "Not impressed by your new brothers?" he asked. "You discard your old family and get a whole new one."
Osric wanted to speak up, but Jon was already asking, "why do you read so much?"
A smirk played on Tyrion's face. "Look at you and tell me what you see."
"Is this a trick?" Jon asked.
"What you see is a dwarf. If I'd have been born a peasant, they might've left me in the woods to die. Alas, I was born a Lannister of Casterly Rock. Things are expected of me. My father was Hand of the King for twenty years."
"Until your brother ran a sword through that King's back," Osric spoke up.
"Yes, until my brother killed him. Life is full of these little ironies. My sister married the new King and my repulsive nephew will be King after him. I must do my part to honor my house, wouldn't you agree?" Tyrion asked, looking between Jon and Osric. "But how? Well, my brother has his sword, and I have my mind. And a mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone. That's why I read so much. And you? What's your story, bastard?"
Jon looked away from him, his dark eyes falling on the ground below. "Ask me nicely and maybe I'll tell you, dwarf."
Tyrion smiled, undaunted. "A bastard boy with nothing to inherit, off to join the ancient order of the Night's Watch, alongside his valiant brothers-in-arms, only one of them being his actual brother."
"The Night's Watch protects the realm from- -" Osric began.
But he was cut off by Tyrion. "Yes, yes, against grumpkins and snarks and all the other monsters your wet nurse warned you about. You both are smart boys. You don't believe that nonsense."
Tyrion reached for a skin of wine. "Everything's better with some wine in the belly," he stated, and he tossed it to Jon, who caught it, taking a long drink.
Once Jon was finished, Tyrion's green eyes fell upon Osric. "And what's your story, Stark?" he asked, waving a hand to let him speak.
When Osric didn't answer, Tyrion pressed. "Why should a trueborn son have any interest in joining the Night's Watch?"
"None of your concern, Lannister," Osric said, and Tyrion raised an eyebrow.
Tyrion looked at Jon, nodding toward Osric. "Is he always this stubborn?"
"Don't answer him," Osric stated.
Tyrion chuckled faintly. "That's answer enough. A word of advice, Stark. That stubbornness is unbecoming. You new brothers won't take kindly to it."
"What do you care?" Osric replied, and he reached for the skin that Jon held, taking a deep drink.
Tyrion only shrugged.
They took to the roads again the next morning. The winds had grown harsher and snow covered the ground. Osric hugged his cloak tighter around himself as they came over a hill.
"Welcome," Benjen said, looking to Jon and Osric.
The pair stared in wonder at the Wall. Made entirely of ice, it looked like pink diamond in the light of the rising sun. Taller than the tallest tower at Winterfell, it was an impressive structure that made Osric's blue eyes widen.
Aegon wandered ahead of the party, looking back at Osric with confusion clear in his dark eyes. And Osric smiled as he said, "run, Aegon."
The pup did as told, his tongue lolling as he sprinted ahead, barking excitedly. Jon and Osric chuckled faintly as Ghost dared to follow Aegon, silent still as he did.
Perhaps, Osric thought, the Wall would be kind to he and Jon.
YOU ARE READING
WOLF'S BLOOD (Game of Thrones)
Fanfic'It's as if the boy has wolf's blood in his veins.'
