The King's Squire

Chapter 4

Winterfell

Four years ago….

Ned looked up from his desk as Maester Luwin walked in.

"Is he asleep?" Ned asked.

"Yes, my lord. I've given him the dream wine like you asked. He'll have a dreamless sleep tonight." Maester Luwin answered.

Ned motioned him to sit down.

"So, have you confirmed it?" Ned asked.

"Aye, he's told me of his dreams. He dreams himself flying or hunting. Always of different animals. He sees through their eyes and feels through their senses."

Ned sighed.

"I was afraid of this. He's a warg." Ned said.

Maester Luwin looked at the ceiling.

"A powerful one at that." Maester Luwin said.

"Wargs take years of practice to skin change. Many can only do it to animals they've been bonded to while Jon doesn't exhibit any of those limitations. He's an untrained boy of seven name days and already, he can skin change at will." Maester Luwin explained.

"Aye, his blood is powerful." Ned said.

Maester Luwin nodded his head.

"It's the first time the blood of the children and the blood of Valyria have intertwined. Two powerful magical bloodlines coalescing in one being is unprecedented." Maester Luwin said.

"Maester Luwin, you know better. It's best not to speak of the boy's bloodline, even if it's just us in the room. If we don't keep up the pretense, even among ourselves, the secret is bound to slip out." Ned said.

"I'm sorry Eddard. It won't happen again." Maester Luwin said.

"No apologies necessary old man. You've taught me since I was a child. There is no one I trust more with my secrets." Ned said.

Ned stroked his beard. He debated with himself for a moment before standing up.

"Come Maester Luwin, there is something I want you to see."

The Crypts…..

Maester Luwin followed his lord as they made their way to the back of the crypts. He sighed longingly as he went past Brandon and Lyanna's statues. He remembered them both fondly. He had been there when they were born and was there for them when they were finally laid to rest. He shook his head, even in death their personalities were full of life. Winterfell seemed less without them around.

Maester Luwin was still looking at their statues when he felt Ned put a hand on his shoulder.

"Eddard, they deserved better than they got. They shouldn't be here. They should be riding horses and teaching their children to play."

"I know my friend. I feel the same whenever I'm down here. But, we're not here for them. They wouldn't want us to dwell here while their kin are in danger." Ned said.

Maester Luwin took a step back.

"In danger? What do you mean? Jon's not in danger. Jon has a gift. A great gift that will benefit the North." Maester Luwin said.

Ned shook his head.

"No, it's a gift that has taken many of my kin. It's not a gift, it's a curse."

Maester Luwin was confused. He'd never heard of the Warging power as a danger before. What could Eddard be talking about?

"Come Maester. Let me explain."

Maester Luwin followed him down a level to a lower set of crypts. Once they were at a statue depicting Torrhen Stark, they stopped. Maester Luwin had never been this far into the crypts before. Normally, only Starks were allowed in the crypts. The only exception to this rule was for funerals. To be this deep in the Stark tombs was a rare honor.

Maester Luwin was just about to give a brief history lesson on the "King who Knelt" when Eddard pushed back the left wall behind the statue of the first Lord of Winterfell. Maester Luwin was intrigued. He'd lived in Winterfell most of his life and never once did he have an inkling of something like this being down here.

Maester Luwin followed Eddard down a long staircase which led to a heavy oak door. He watched as Eddard took a key from around his neck and open the door.

"Come Maester Luwin, you will be the first non-Stark to have seen this place since it was built. I only show you this now because it is needed. If it weren't for Jon's condition, you'd never know of this place." Eddard said.

Maester Luwin nodded and walked into the room. He was aghast at what he saw. It was a huge room filled with scrolls and tablets.

"Behold Maester Luwin, the treasure of Winterfell." Ned said with a smile.

Maester Luwin looked at the shelves and shelves of scrolls and marveled at the sight. It wasn't as big as the library at the citadel but, it was still a huge collection of scrolls. It must have been the second largest collection of scrolls outside old town.

"Unbelievable. How long has this library been in place." Maester Luwin asked.

"This vault has been here since King Torrhen knelt. There are older vaults in the lower crypts but, those have scrolls as well as tablets." Ned said.

"Amazing. Why has this never been catalogued and copied." Maester Luwin asked.

"Unless you know the old tongue, it would do you no good. Most of the writings up to Torrhen Stark's time have been catalogued here. Anything older than that, no one can decipher. Besides, the crypts are sacred, no Stark in their right mind would let an army of maesters come down here." Ned said.

Ned then bid Maester Luwin to sit down. Maester Luwin sat down on a chair that might have been older than him. Ned then placed three books in front of him.

"Every lord of Winterfell writes every important event that happens in his journal. It helps others searching for answers in their reign."

Ned then placed one of the older journals in front of Maester Luwin and opened the journal to a certain page.

"This is the Journal of Cregan Stark. He was the lord of Winterfell roughly two hundred and fifty years ago." Ned said.

Maester Luwin started reading and what he read shocked him.

50 AC…..

It has started happening again. My father and grandfather told me this would happen. Our blood is filled with the children's magic and every third generation or so the blood calls to us. My beloved Brandon is being called and I can't do a thing about it. Already, he dreams of a place beyond the wall. He's had the dream weeks now and it's slowly driving him insane. Every animal around him can sense his power and they all defer to him. They know he's an alpha and they follow him.

He's told me that soon he must join them. The three eyed raven is dying and my poor Bran said that he is his replacement. I've already chosen the volunteers who'll lead him through the wall. I begged to join him but, Brandon wouldn't let me. He said this was a one-way trip and he'd rather see me live.

Maester Luwin closed the book in deep thought.

"How long has this been going on?" He asked Eddard.

"Since Bran the Builder. Every third generation or so, a son of Stark is sacrificed North of the wall. Their fates are unknown but, their life before going beyond the wall is. It always starts the same. A child is born with powerful warg abilities. The child is given a time to develop his powers before the dreams come. " Ned said.

"Once the dreams come, it's over. A child is compelled to go north or else he'll be driven insane." Ned said.

"If that is so, how come this is the first I've heard of this? Jon is the first warg I've ever seen. How come the Starks don't have more? I would have at least heard of more wargs in my time if this was the case."

Ned sighed and moved another one of the books in front of Maester Luwin.

"Read on Maester."

150 AC…..

It is happening again. Again, the Stark blood has called. Draven, my heir has started dreaming of the Northern Wierwood. He has spoken with the three eyed raven and it has told him that the time would be soon. This is the first time that the raven has chosen an heir and it will be the last. My grandfather knew this time would come and he has prepared. The sorcerer from Ashal has been our retainer for a few years now and with his help, we'll break this curse once and for all.

151 AC…

The Sorcerer was successful. His mixture of Valerian, deer antler, and wolfsbane was successful in robbing my son of his powers. He no longer skin changes at will and the connection with the raven is broken. The curse of the Starks is no more. If the raven requires sacrifices, he will have to go elsewhere.

Maester Luwin was wide eyed. He'd never heard of a concoction to rob a person of their powers.

"You mean for me to make this potion and give it to Jon." Maester Luwin said.

"But, why? Jon's power could be a great boon to the North. Imagine a warg so powerful that he skin change into anywhere, anytime. He could be a maester of whispers all by himself."

Ned shook his head.

"Even if I agreed with you, it could never be. Look behind you. There are thousands of years of knowledge on these scrolls. History has told us that every Stark child with power like Jon has been called. No exceptions."

Ned sighed once more.

"I love my son. I'll not have him go North because of the magic in his blood."

He then looked at the old Maester.

"Can I count on you Maester? Can I count on you to protect my boy?" Ned asked.

Maester Luwin looked at Ned and nodded. He loved Jon as well. If the choices were losing his power or losing his wits, he'd rather have him lose the former.

"I'll help you Eddard but, I don't agree with your decision. If forging my Valyrian link has taught me anything, it's that magical energy is not a thing that can be lost. Magical energy is neither created nor destroyed, it merely changes shapes or finds another host." Maester Luwin said.

"As long as it saves my boy. I don't care what form it takes." Ned said.

Maester Luwin shook his head. Eddard may have been a man grown but, in the grand scheme of things he was still a child. He'd make the god's damned potion but, that didn't mean he couldn't tamper with it. Sooner or later, Jon Snow would regain his power, and he reckoned to stand beside him when he did.

Man I so wanted to write an evil Maester Luwin. You don't know how many times this has been rewritten. I tried and I tried but, an evil Maester Luwin just wouldn't do. Many of you have asked how Maester Luwin is allowed to leave Winterfell. I answered this question in one of the scrapped drafts. Maester's after giving good services to their castles, are allowed to retire. They can retire back to the citadel to teach or to finish their fields of research or they can wander with a stipend to collect information for any studies that would be valuable to the Citadel. If maesters weren't allowed to retire, how could there be grand maesters and arch maesters? Maybe I'll explain more in an exposition chapter. Anyways, please read and review.