DISCLAIMER: All the characters are owned by Sir George R.R. Martin and this entirely is inspired by his masterpiece. I'm just a lowly fan trying to stretch the story in my mind, into writings and to other readers interpretation.

Please be gentle with the critique. But feel free to give your honest opinions. This is my first time letting anyone read my work and honestly I still don't have any concrete setting for this story aside from playing around the character's personality in the books.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read. And I so hope you like the first part. Ciao!

Jon

"Your father's almost home. His ship docked two hours ago. Go fix yourself, Arya. Come on, move!" Catelyn ordered her second daughter Arya.

"Fix myself? I'm all dirty but I'm not broken, mother!"

Arya is a feisty one. She's only ten but played games like a fifteen year old boy.

"Mother, may I wear the gold necklace you bought for me on my last nameday? I'd like to wear something special for father."

Sansa is a different story. Prim and proper. All the young lads in whole Winterfell ,one way or another, has some form admiration for her. While the girls were greatly jealous.

"Of course, darling. In my dress closet, wooden box with a fish engraving. Where are Dickon and Bran?"

"With Luna... in the play yard. " Robb answered while stepping in from the side door with a slice of lemon cake in one hand and a bow on the other, Theon following him like a dog.

"Oh, good. You're home." Catelyn let out a sigh of relief when he saw his eldest. She may not admit it but Robb was her favorite.

"Of course, I'm home. Where else would I be?" he gave his mother a peck on her cheek.

Robb always knew his mother's ways. He is the eldest of the Stark children and next in the line of lordship.

"What are you staring at, bastard?" Theon, Lord Eddard's adopted son, asked Jon after seeing that the he has been observing.

"I-i wasn't staring." Jon looked away immediately.

"Yes, you were. Are you saying that I'm a liar?" Theon asked, provoking a pointless fight.

"No, my lord. I won't even dare."

"Stop it, Greyjoy." Robb said with a stern voice.

"The bastard was watching us like we are entertainment!" Theon protested.

"No, I swear. I was not." There was no point in defending himself.

"Then what are you standing around the kitchen for?" Lady Stark asked.

Jon quickly thought of an answer. He almost forgot why he was inside the house in the first place. Hunger and exhaustion taking its toll on him.

"I was just here to tell you I'm done with the gardens and the stables. And maybe ask for my lunch now? A piece of bread will suffice." It was more of a plea than a statement. He knew very well how thin Lady Stark's patience was with him. She would definitely take offense if he sounded remotely demanding.

Lady Stark had woken him up early this morning with a slap on his face. Too early that Luna, the kitchen maid, has not cooked breakfast yet. And since he opened his eyes, her orders for him were endless, making him miss two meals.

Lady Stark looked at the wall clock and found that it was already three hours passed noon.

"That will have to wait, bastard. Go to your chamber and clean up thoroughly. And wear the clothes I gave you yesterday. I won't have my husband look at his bastard like a pauper."

Jon took a glimpse of the food on the table. He fought hard to turn around and drink a glass of water from the tap instead, ignoring the strong aroma of the freshly baked lemon cake which he had last tasted during Robb's nameday celebration.

"Don't worry, Jon. If I find Luna, I'll have her bring a bowl of soup for you in your chamber. Just follow mother for the mean time. She is kind of in distress, arranging father's homecoming and all." Said Robb, standing beside him at the sink.

"It's alright. I've gone longer without a morsel. But thank you for your kindness. I need to get upstairs now. See you at the gates, my lord." He did not look at his half brother. He was afraid that he would see that he was lying and Robb would insist on bringing him food. That might put him into trouble again. And Robb would feel guilty if he was punished.

Robb had always been nice to him. They were the same age and played together as children.

He dragged himself up his chamber on the top floor. He took his dirty shirt off and stared at his reflection on the faded mirror. He wondered how he can fix his neck-long wavy hair that would fit Lady Stark's liking.

He lightly touched the scars on his pale chest. He tried to recall what he had done to deserve them. He could not remember.

But the wounds on his back from Lady Stark's horse whip were still scabbing. He was hit ten times last week for falling asleep while waiting for Robb to arrive home from a neighbor's feast on Lady Catelyn's order. He waited until two hours past midnight but his eyes in the end gave up on him.

Ten lashes. Ten new scars over countless old ones. Lady Stark was always keen about hitting him on parts discreet from people, Lord Eddard in particular.

He touched the water in the bucket. Winter was definitely coming. He scooped the tin dipper and bravely pour the cold water over his head.

The water was relieving and painful at the same time on his body. But his father was coming home. He would endure pain of any sort just to look presentable to him.

His father is coming home after being away for almost five full moons. And he heard from the servants that he might be staying home for good.

After putting on his clothes, he knelt at the foot of his bed. He prayed for the old Gods to protect his father at all times, that Lady Stark would have a change of heart towards him, and to keep his mother safe, wherever she would be, whatever she was doing, whoever she was.

A prayer he has been saying everyday and every night ever since he was a young boy and was taught by Maester Luwin how to pray to the old Gods.

He looked out his window, hoping that Lord Stark would arrive soon, hoping that the rumors were true. Praying to all the Gods, old and new, that his family would love him entirely. Bastard and all.

"They are coming, Jon! I saw them on the south wing of the castle! Come on!"

Jon's heart stopped a beat when he was startled by Bran balancing over his window bay.

"Bran! Seven hells! What are you doing? This is very dangerous! Your mother! If she caught you climbing this high!"

"And I take you're the one who is going tell on me?"

"I promise I won't tell your mother, just go down from there this instant!"

"You promise?! You can't even talk to mother in giving you hot water for drinking tea!" Little Bran joked.

Jon knew that Bran did not mean to offend him, but that truth can not be hidden even to Bran. And children tend to tell the truth.

"If you fall and something bad happens to you and I'm the last person to see you before you plummet to your death, Lady Catelyn will have my head off and feed it to the goats! Please, Bran. Just take my hand. Let's go down together at the gates!"

"You're no fun anymore, Jon." Bran took his brother's hand and went in through the stone window.

"Seeing you brushing elbows with death is not fun at all, little brother."

"Where is your window door?" Bran asked after landing his two feet on the floor.

"It has been gone for three months already, you never noticed it?"

"I have never went to your side of the castle before, Jon. What about the cold? The snow? Winter is coming."

"I already had three months worth of practice to endure the frost. Besides I'm not a Snow for nothing." He smiled at his brother's innocent curiosity and genuine concern.

Suddenly the castle bell rang to signal everyone that the Lord Eddard Stark has finally came home.

"You must go down at the front yard with your family, Little Lord."

"What about you?"

"I'll follow along. I have to take a minute to thank the Gods for father's safe ride home."

"Thank the Gods for my climbing too, brother! That is the highest I've ever reached."

"I'll thank the Gods for Lady Stark not catching you, little Lord. And I got to keep my head for today." he smiled lovingly at his brother.