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"You ht, if you knehat it meant," Benjen said "If you knehat the oath would cost you, you er to pay the price, son"

Jon felt anger rise inside him "I’m not your son!"

Benjen Stark stood up "More’s the pity" He put a hand on Jon’s shoulder "Come back to me after you’ve fathered a few bastards of your own, and we’ll see how you feel"

Jon trembled "I will never father a bastard," he said carefully "Never!" He spat it out like venom

Suddenly he realized that the table had fallen silent, and they were all looking at hiin to well behind his eyes He pushed himself to his feet

"I nity He whirled and bolted before they could see him cry He ot tangled under hi girl and sent a flagon of spiced wine crashing to the floor Laughter boomed all around him, and Jon felt hot tears on his cheeks Sorip and ran, half-blind, for the door Ghost followed close at his heels, out into the night

The yard was quiet and eh on the battleainst the cold He looked bored and miserable as he huddled there alone, but Jon would have traded places with him in an instant Otherwise the castle was dark and deserted Jon had seen an abandoned holdfast once, a drear place where nothing moved but the wind and the stones kept silent about whatever people had lived there Winterfell reht

The sounds of h the open s behind his Jon wanted to hear He wiped away his tears on the sleeve of his shirt, furious that he had let theo

"Boy," a voice called out to hi on the ledge above the door to the Great Hall, looking for all the world like a gargoyle The dwarf grinned down at him "Is that animal a wolf?"

"A direwolf," Jon said "His name is Ghost" He stared up at the little otten "What are you doing up there? Why aren’t you at the feast?"

"Too hot, too noisy, and I’d drunk too o that it is considered rude to voht I have a closer look at your wolf?"

Jon hesitated, then nodded slowly "Can you cli a ladder?"

"Oh, bleed that," the little e into easped, then watched with awe as Tyrion Lannister spun around in a tight ball, landed lightly on his hands, then vaulted backward onto his legs

Ghost backed away from him uncertainly

The dwarf dusted hihtened your wolf My apologies"

"He’s not scared," Jon said He knelt and called out "Ghost, come here Come on That’s it"

The wolf pup padded closer and nuzzled at Jon’s face, but he kept a wary eye on Tyrion Lannister, and when the dwarf reached out to pet his in a silent snarl "Shy, isn’t he?" Lannister observed

"Sit, Ghost," Jon commanded "That’s it Keep still" He looked up at the dwarf "You can touch him now He won’thim"

"I see," Lannister said He ruffled the snohite fur between Ghost’s ears and said, "Nice wolf"

"If I wasn’t here, he’d tear out your throat," Jon said It wasn’t actually true yet, but it would be

"In that case, you had best stay close," the dwarf said He cocked his oversized head to one side and looked Jon over with his mismatched eyes "I am Tyrion Lannister"

"I know," Jon said He rose Standing, he was taller than the dwarf It e

"You’re Ned Stark’s bastard, aren’t you?"

Jon felt a coldness pass right through hi

"Did I offend you?" Lannister said "Sorry Dwarfs don’t have to be tactful Generations of capering fools in ht to dress badly and say any darinned "You are the bastard, though"

"Lord Eddard Stark is my father," Jon admitted stiffly

Lannister studied his face "Yes," he said "I can see it You have more of the north in you than your brothers"

"Half brothers," Jon corrected He was pleased by the dwarf’s coive you soet what you are, for surely the world will not Make it your strength Then it can never be your weakness Armor yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you"

Jon was in noa bastard?"

"All dwarfs are bastards in their father’s eyes"

"You are your mother’s trueborn son of Lannister"

"Am I?" the dwarf replied, sardonic "Do tellme, and he’s never been sure"

"I don’t even knoho my mother was," Jon said

"Some woman, no doubt Most of therin "Remember this, boy All dwarfs may be bastards, yet not all bastards need be dwarfs" And with that he turned and sauntered back into the feast, whistling a tune When he opened the door, the light from within threw his shadow clear across the yard, and for just a