memshare | Father's watching

[king_inthenorth]

[The memory being broadcast.

The memory is in the courtyard of a stone keep, still surrounded by green and not yet covered by the snow of the coming winter. Jon stands in the courtyard with two of his brothers, Robb and Bran. Bran is practicing his archery. "Father's watching. And your mother," Jon tells him.

Bran's shot goes wide, which prompts laughter from Robb and Jon.

"And which one of you was a marksman at ten?" This from their father.

Some advice from them this time -- not to think too hard from Jon, and to relax his bow arm from Robb -- and this time there's an arrow hitting the center of the target. Only it wasn't fired by Bran; it was their sister Arya who hit the target. This gets more laughter from Robb and Jon as Bran chases Arya.

As their father leaves to tend to some business, Robb collects stray arrows, and Jon returns the arrows to where they belong, the memory ends with Jon looking up to see his father's wife staring down at him.

Comments

[ragnarsson]

I had four brothers myself.

[Key word there being 'had'. One was dead, killed by Ivar's own hand no less, and the rest were all estranged from him, also his own fault. He had started wondering if he was destined to burn all that he ever touched.]

[king_inthenorth]

There are fewer of them now.

[War will do that. War and the cruel actions of others.]

[ragnarsson]

[He nods slowly. He understands all too well the pain of losing a brother.]

One of my own is dead, feasting in Valhalla with my father and grandfather. He died a warrior's death.

[Even Ivar will admit that. Sigurd had yanked the axe Ivar had killed him with right out of his chest and had been intent on returning the favor before he collapsed from his wounds.]

[king_inthenorth]

Neither one of them should have died, but at least one of the men responsible for one of their deaths got what he deserved.

[He doesn't know yet what Walder Frey's fate was, but it doesn't really matter that much, he supposes. Like he'd told Theon, nothing can change what happened to Robb.]

[ragnarsson]

At least revenge on the killers of one's family always tastes sweet. My brothers and I razed the entire English countryside to get to the kings that killed our father.

[He would've burned a thousand towns to the ground in revenge for Ragnar. The pain in his heart would never lessen, but revenge at least satisfied his desire for blood and vengeance.]

[king_inthenorth]

He won't be missed. Except perhaps by his dogs. He was probably the last good meal any of them will ever get.

[ragnarsson]

Ah, the one your pretty sister spoke of to me. Truly a satisfying end. I would hate to make an enemy out of either of you if that is how you deal with people.

[king_inthenorth]

The dogs were Sansa's doing. I know how to use a sword.

[Something Sansa had never been expected to learn.]

You probably shouldn't mess with a Stark either way.

[ragnarsson]

They say the same thing about us Ragnarssons.

[There was a good reason the names of Ivar and his brothers had been spread far and wide with fear.]

Do you? We should spar some time, put our skills to the test.

[king_inthenorth]

Maybe our homes aren't that different.

It would be good to maintain those skills while I'm here.

[ragnarsson]

Not very from what I've heard thus far. Brutal places where you have to fight to survive.

Good. Anytime you want, just let me know.

[king_inthenorth]

That's Westeros in a nutshell.

I'll keep that in mind.