He sits out on the green cliffs of Dragonstone, watching Jae playing with Rickon and the Direwolves. Dany is meeting with the Northern Lords one on one and he had just finished meeting with Arianne Martell.

He sighs.

Hearing about his siblings, his real siblings, caused a pain in his heart. Hearing about how they looked, how his older sister behaved, her sweetness, her innocence. Arianne had not missed the opportunity to remind him how they were butchered at the hand of the Mountain and he had vehemently agreed that they deserved justice. But he could not help but wonder what his life may have been had his Father won the Rebellion. What kind of relationship he would have had with his siblings? Would it have been like him and Robb? Him and Arya? He knows there is no good in having these thoughts but he does nonetheless.

He could have been best friends with Aegon, played, and fought with him as equals. He could have had a true sister in Rhaenys, someone he could go to when he had problems. Maybe he could have had more siblings younger than him who would have looked up to him and he could have held and been near in a way he was never allowed to be with the Starks.

His thoughts then turn to Dany.

He and Dany would have grown up together in the Red Keep or Dragonstone. They would have been practically twins and he is sure they would have fallen in love even sooner than they had. He would have courted her as she deserved and would have asked his father's blessing before asking for her hand. His father would have announced their betrothal and all the lords and ladies of the realm would have borne witness of their union. Jae might have not been their only child right now; a couple more children silver in hair or violet in eyes, or maybe a few with his coloring as well. He would have been at every significant moment in their lives, not missing a single one for any reason in the world.

He sighs again.

"What a sight! The mighty Jon Snow turned into a full-pledged Papa!" he hears a familiar voice call out behind him.

He turns and sees a familiar silver-headed man, immediately standing to embrace him.

"Griff," he laughs patting the man's back.

"Your Grace," Griff teases before he shoves him, both laughing.

"It is good to see you," he says.

"It is good to see you too," Griff answers with a smile. "Nearly five years and you are finally back with them!"

"Griff…." He tries to start but the Blackfyre interrupts.

"No. Do not try it."

"I need to thank you…"

"No, you do not. Watching over your family was the greatest honor you could have given me. It showed me you trusted me," Griff says.

"I trusted you with the most important people in my life Griff. I will always be grateful for you taking care of them."

They hear very loud laughter near the cliff and watch as Jae somehow manages to climb on Ghost and ride him around.

"He is an amazing little guy, knew it from the moment Daenerys finally allowed me to hold him. It was seeing another Jon Snow, brooding and all," Griff says with a chuckle.

"Any luck on claiming a dragon?" he asks holding back his laughter knowing full well the answer. A blush forms on the man's face as he looks anywhere but upon his face.

"No need to rub it in Snow. I thought it was going well until Jae was born. When that happened the dragon refused to leave the boy's side until he was too large to fit indoors. Still had hope until he knocked me on my ass and nearly burned me when I tried to climb on him."

They both laugh at Griff's comment as they continue to watch Jae play. Rickon looks up towards them and seems to understand that it was time for them to speak.

"Thank you for watching him. I hate to leave his side for even a minute but I need to talk alone with my brother," he explains.

Griff sighs and shakes his head.

"That boy, truly a wild one," Griff says as they turn to look at each other. "Dany did her best raising him, giving him the same love and attention she gave Jae. Rickon now loves her just as any child would love their mother, has even slipped and called her such once and a while."

"But?" he presses, hearing the unspoken word.

"But now he is full of resentment and hatred towards his family. To him they all abandoned him, showed they did not care for him or his brother," Griff responds.

"They loved him, Griff," he sighs out.

"And your parents also loved you, and Connington loved me but how long did it take for us to accept that?" Griff asks. He hangs his head in shame knowing Griff is right and looks towards Rickon. "Emotions are irrational but valid. Right now in his young mind he believes and feels these things and I am not sure you talking will change him."

He smiles at the Blackfyre.

"You have grown Griff," he points out and another blush forms on the man's face followed with a smile.

"Had to. I swore my life to protect you, Daenerys, and especially the little guy. I am his sworn sword until my dying day and I will be the best I can for him," Griff vows and he embraces him.

"Thank you, Griff," he mutters.

"Do not thank me just yet. I might just take him and ride around the Seven Kingdoms like Egg and Duncan, making our own stories of legend," Griff teases and he has to laugh.

"I wish you luck trying to get that past his mother," he teases back as both Rickon and Jae approach them, his son still on top of Ghost.

"There are our little prince and Lord of Winterfell," Griff says with a bow, causing Jae to giggle and Rickon to scowl.

"We need to talk Rickon," he says looking at his brother, who simply nods.

"No!" Jae exclaims, quickly climbing off of Ghost and grasping onto his leg. "You said you no leave."

His heart breaks as he picks up his son and holds him close.

"No, my boy. I will be right back, I just need to talk with your Uncle Rickon for a few minutes and will be right back. Griff and Ghost will be right here with you," he tries to reassure him as a roar pierces the skies and the ground trembles as Viserion lands on the cliff.

"And Vis?" Jae asks, suddenly much more accepting of his departure.

"Yes and Viserion," he says looking towards the youngest of his dragon children. "Watch over him alright?"

The dragon lets out a roar as he lowers Jae onto the ground. Jae immediately takes hold of Ghost's fur and pulls him along towards Viserion. Griff bows his head before following the beast and child.

Rickon follows him back towards the castle where he sees Lord Glover and Lord Manderly looking towards the cliff where Griff and Jae are.

"It is good to see you with your son, your Grace," Manderly says with a bow.

He nods in appreciation but sees something in Lord Glover's eyes.

"Have you something to say, Lord Glover?" he asks.

"Aye and I am sure we are all thinking it," Glover starts, trying his best to hide his nerves. "Are you sure the lad is yours? The lad looks Valaryian, that man down there with him is very close to the boy."

He clenches his fists, holding his fury at bay.

"If I recall we addressed that already. Lest you forget I am half Targaryen Lord Glover and my son has my eyes and features. That man down there is almost a brother to me. He fought at my side, saved my life more than once, and has protected my family since I returned to Westeros. He swore his life to the Kingsguard and has sworn his sword to my son," he tells the man. "And if I hear any more doubt about my son and my wife you will learn about my temper and get acquainted with both dragons and direwolves. Now if you would excuse me I need to speak with my brother, your liege lord."

He dismisses them and marches towards his empty solar.

He had been assigned some private quarters upon his arrival, close to where the Northern lords were given theirs. However, he has not used them since his arrival, preferring to share his wife's quarters.

He gestures towards a seat at the desk in the room which Rickon quickly sits in. He sees a pitcher and a pair of cups at a nearby table and a note beside them.

I had Missandei bring you some ale, I thought you may need it for your conversation. Please be easy on him. -Dany

He smiles at his wife's thoughtfulness and fills both cups with the Northern Ale Lord Manderly had insisted to bring with them. He hands one to Rickon who takes a sip of it and immediately starts coughing.

"Easy, northern ale tends to be stronger than wine. As Lord of Winterfell you best get used to it," he says with a chuckle taking his seat across his brother.

The youngest Stark does not even look at him, instead, focusing on the contents of his cup. He takes the opportunity to truly look at Rickon and what he sees shakes him.

He is just a boy.

Somehow through everything, he seems to have forgotten that simple fact. Rickon is a boy no more than ten, just six name days older than his own child. Sure he had sounded mature when speaking to the Lords, but that must have been due to his lessons with Missandei and Dany. He had not attended the meeting today nor had he sat down with the Northern Lords who requested a meeting. Instead, the lad seemed to prefer spending his day playing with Jaehaerys.

Looking back, Rickon had just begun to follow him and his siblings around when he had left Winterfell to journey to Essos and had barely recognized him when he rescued him and Bran from the Greyjoys and Boltons.

Did he even remember his parents? His siblings?

He struggled to recall Lord Stark's face each time he went down to the crypts. Robb's was becoming harder to remember as well. And there is no point in him trying to remember Lady Stark's face.

However, he was nearly a man grown when he saw them last, had spent his lifetime looking upon those faces. But this lad had not. He had only been three or maybe four name days old when Lord Stark had left Winterfell and the same with his oldest siblings and mother. Since then he had no one, just Bran, Maester Luwin, and for a brief period himself. The lad had been abandoned by his family and sent across the sea.

If there had been a consistent face in Rickon's life it had been Dany's.

"Rickon," he calls out, emotion in his voice. His brother thankfully looks up at him. "How are you Rickon? Truly?"

The boy simply shrugs.

"Have you been happy? With Dany and Jae?" he asks and suddenly his face lights up.

"Aye! Dany is great and playing with Jae is fun! I love being with them, she has taken good care of me," Rickon answers.

He sighs.

"I am sorry Rickon, for not being there for you," he says. "I also want to apologize for your parents, for Robb, for them not being there for you and Bran either."

"That's not your fault," the boy mutters.

"I know but I just need you to know that although you may not remember them they all loved you very much. You were the baby of the family and you were beloved by everyone at Winterfell," he reassures him.

"I don't remember them. I know you look like Father but I don't remember how he or Mother looked like. They left us," Rickon says sadly, tears filling his young eyes.

He cannot stop himself as he makes his way around the table, kneels in front of Rickon, and wraps his arms around his small body.

"It's alright. I may not be them, but I am here now and Dany has been with you through all this," he practically coos.

"I do not want to go North. I do not want to be Lord of Winterfell and be far away from you and Dany," Rickon cries into his shoulder.

"Shh," he says as he rubs the lads back in an attempt to calm him. He realizes how much he had put upon his shoulders just by handing him a title and what that would mean to a boy his age. He was the third son, the last born of five children. He was never meant to have the title of Lord of Winterfell.

"Don't make me leave, Jon," Rickon sobs.

He makes up his mind then and there, gently pulling away to look at him in the eyes.

"You won't. Dany and I can tell the Lords you will be fostered with us until you are closer at being of age," he says. "You can learn about the North from me and a Maester, maybe a lord of the north can join us at Kings Landing. But you will not have to leave our side just yet."

"Promise?"

"I promise."