A moment between the brothers; Jon and Robb are 9 in this. Set pre-series. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire do not belong to me

Jon and Robb ran as fast as they could as they were being chased by Ser Rodrik Cassel. They leapt over the slight fence in front of the smithy, laughing as they sprinted away.

"Get back here boys!" Ser Rodirk bellowed after them in anger, running after them.

Jon and Robb were usually rather well behaved boys; but, they were still just that, boys; and boys will be boys, which is probably why they had thought it a good idea to leave a dead rat in Ser Rodrik's chambers.

Hence the chasing and running.

They glanced at each other, before rushing off in a different direction. Robb led, as usual, Jon following close behind. They narrowly avoided one of the guards who had joined the knight in their pursuit, as he held his arm out ready to catch them. Robb darted to the side of the man, whilst Jon ducked under his arm. Robb grabbed Jon's sleeve as he almost tripped, letting him go as soon as he was upright again.

"Come on Snow!" He shouted, turning left into a narrow alleyway. They hid there for a moment, watching as the guards hurried by. As soon as the last guard passed, they let out a sigh of relief, laughing slightly.

"Did you see the look on his face?" Jon asked, uncharacteristically excited.

"He looked like a rat himself! Though a fat, angry one." Robb sniggered causing the other boy to smile slightly. Robb was one of the few people that could make his brother smile. The black-haired boy was normally so straight-faced and serious. A real Northerner their father had once said. Jon had smiled at that too.

"Do you suppose he'll tell Father?" Jon asked suddenly, frown on his face.

"I suppose he will..." Robb agreed, brow creased in worry; they hadn't thought of that. "Don't worry, Snow! We'll just have to get back before he does!" Slowly the elder boy, peeked around the corner, checking to see if the coast was clear. He nodded when he saw it was. The boys made their way out, heads down.

"Circle back! They have to be here somewhere." They heard Ser Rodrik's recognizable voice. Immediately they began back into a sprint. Jon glanced back, expecting to see the knight close by, but was happily surprised when he wasn't. He wasn't so happy, however, when he turned around and ran straight into a guard. He tried to back away but found he couldn't when the guard grabbed the collar of his shirt.

"Well, looky here, if it isn't the Stark bastard? Or should I say Snow?" The man sneered, lips curling around yellowing teeth. Jon struggled trying to get out of his grasp. "Why's the ol' codger after you, anyway? Did you steal somethin' from your father? Suppose you finally showed your true colors, just like the bastard you are."

Jon felt tears rise unbidden to his eyes. The people of the castle had grown used to sight of the boy by now; some even considered as much a Stark as the rest of his siblings. It made him grow comfortable, made him feel as if he something other than what he was; a bastard.

"Let me go!" He shouted. The guard just chuckled and pulled him along. "My father is your liege-lord, he'll-"

"He'll be happy to be rid of ya, I'd bet." The man interrupted with a nasty smirk. "You're just a burden to him, bastard." Jon glared darkly at the guard, fury and hurt ripping his insides, but before he could act on it, the both of them were surprised by a sudden war cry.

"Let go of my brother you arse!" Robb yelled, using the plank of wood he found to hit the guard in the back of the knees as hard as he could, causing the man to come crashing down, letting go of the dark-haired boy in his shock and pain.

Jon fell to the floor in a heap, scrambling to get back up. Robb grasped his forearm helping him. As the eldest Stark child was distracted, the guard had climbed painfully back to his feet, clutching the piece of wood. He looked down at the children, seething in utter rage. He raised the piece of wood, aiming at the back of Robb's head when Jon looked up and noticed. His eyes widened in panic and he shoved his brother out of the way.

"Watch out!"

A second later, Jon felt an intense pain in his shoulder and he fell to his knees with a cry. The pain shot through him and he was faintly aware of Robb in front of him, standing up.

"You would dare harm the child of a lord?" Robb demanded, having an odd amount of power in his voice for a nine-year-old boy. The guard dropped the piece of wood, looking shaken at his own actions. "There will be consequences for this, I can assure you." The young boy stated with a gaze of steel directed at the man in front of him. This seemed to do more harm than good, however, when the guard seemed to gain control of himself and once more looked like he had every confidence in the world.

"The boy's a bastard. Lord Stark will not care."

"Then you clearly don't know my father. You hit one of his sons. Jon may not be trueborn, but he is of his blood. Do you really think that will go unpunished?" Robb retorted in anger, narrowing his eyes. The guard growled slightly, approaching closer with fists clenched, looking as if were about to strike something, or, rather, someone. "I would not do that if I were you." The young Stark warned, smirking. "You have already struck one of your lord's sons; I would not make for two." He lowered his voice, and it held a menace unexpected of a child. "I am the future Lord of Winterfell; you would be wise to step back." He snarled.

The guard did seem to have some sense about him, and took a step back. Robb wanted to rip the man's head off for hurting his brother... His brother who had pushed him out of the way of the same fate. Robb knew he was not strong enough to beat the grown man, however, so he had used the lessons that Maester Luwin and his lord father had taught since he could talk. Still, that did not stop him from the dark glares he continued to send to the man.

He knelt down beside Jon, who was clutching his right shoulder. His face set in a grimace of pain. He frowned, strong facade fading. He was but a boy, what was he to do? He didn't know how to help his brother. The gods seemed to be in good spirits, though, when they brought with them the return of Ser Rodrik Cassel.

Though the old knight has initially been prepared to greet Lord Stark's boys in anger, he immediately noticed that something was amiss and instead walked to them briskly, concerned. Once he learned that the Snow boy had been gravely injured, he put all anger aside and set to help the poor lad. He ordered his men to take away the guard that had done this to him, before making to lift the child. He was stopped by the lad's brother.

"I need to come with you." He stated, blue eyes burning into his.

"My Lord, the boy needs to be tended to." He said, sincerely. He grimaced when he heard the small whimper of the injured child.

"Jon." Robb whispered. "His name is Jon and I am his brother. I should go with him. Mother says the fastest way to heal is when you have family there to aid you." Ser Rodrik was surprised by the maturity of the boy that had not an hour ago left a dead critter in his chambers. He nodded.

"As you will, my Lord."

Robb sighed in relief and followed them. When they found Maester Luwin, the old man had been extremely worried, but tended to Jon immediately. Several times the Maester tried to make Robb leave, but he would not have it. Eventually he stopped asking and the Stark heir could not be more grateful. He even helped when the older man popped Jon's shoulder back in. The eventual arrival of Lord Eddard Stark did not sway him either; Robb continues to stand vigil by Jon.

Robb was there through it all, and when Jon awoke, he smiled and said, "Welcome back, Snow."

It's safe to say, neither boy put another dead rat in Ser Rodrik's chambers ever again.

That's it! It went in a completely different direction than I thought it would, but hopefully it added to the story. Next is Sansa.

Thanks for reading and tell me what you think!

RW