House of the wolf

After my lesson with old Nan in the old tongue I start running around the castle for exercise. I will begin my training in the yard soon Jon and Robb have already started as they are a little older than me. 

Even Theon Grayjoy has started training with a bow. I never did any weapons training in my previous life and even if I did I doubt it would be helpful so I´m pretty excited to learn how to swing a sword, axe, or shoot a bow.

As I run around the structure Brandon the builder created, I am curious about how such an old castle can be in such good shape, after thousands of years.

It's not all perfect, there are some structures like the watchtower in ruins but for the most part, Winterfell looks in fine shape! Now how is that possible I´m not sure but I can´t seem to picture these great walls falling even if catapults hit them.

I run towards the place that most fascinates me in Winterfell even more than the hot springs.

That is the crypts, a tunnel that digs deep into the earth and even Father has not explored all its depths. I have been walking around the crypt with a torch and write down any rune I see on the walls.

I have been learning to write the old tongue so I can read these runes in the hopes of learning some of the mysteries left behind by Brandon the builder.   

After leaving the crypt with some new scribbles in my book I go to leave it in my room and take a look in the mirror to make sure there is no dirt or soot on my face.

As I look at my features I once again appreciate my parentage even though I don´t take much after them except for a bit of my facial structure inherited from my mother to keep me from getting ugly and my grey eyes from Ned, he says I get my dark hair from his grandfather.

My great grandfather who I know little about except that he was a rather tall man so I got that to look forward to at least. Being tall is better than being short unless you're dodging arrows… wait a minute I just might have to do that but that´s a small price to pay for salvation. I´m already a little taller than Jon and from the look on his face when he realized that he was doomed to be a short king I count my blessings.

As I return back outside I see Jon with Ned by the gates about to go to town and meet some people who Jon might want to learn from I run up to them and ask to go along.

As we walk around the town greeting and listening to the people Jon had already found someone to learn from even though he was hellbent on learning just from a guard how to fight Ned convinced him to also learn from a tinker and butcher which are both very handy crafts to learn. 

“Nothing interests you?” Ned asks me with a frown as we are walking no doubt worrying about whether he raised a little brat and should start being stricter in our upbringing.

And I try to dispell that notion Replying quickly “No, no a lot of it is interesting but I want to walk a little more and get to know more of the townspeople” I see that answer pleases Ned as we walk at the edge of town I see a figure leading a horse leaving the wolfswood.

“A hunter” I guess by looking at the big pelt his horse is carrying. “Hmm,” Ned sees where I´m looking and sighs when he sees me run towards the hunter and starts walking after me. 

Now that I see closely the belt he is carrying is a bear pelt and I look in admiration at the man who fought a bear. A tall scrawny old man who despite his thin body stands as tall as a tree and solid as rock frowns as he sees me running up to him “What do you want boy! Scram you´ll scare the horse” an outright lie as the see the horse start grazing while his owner stares at me with suspicion.

“Please teach me how to hunt,” I ask him and I see him about to snap before he notices Ned walking up behind greeting him “M´lord” Ned looks at the man and nods “I remember you, you were a soldier in my father´s army.” and looks at the pelt “A fine pelt did you kill the bear yourself? I did not know bears came so close to the edge of the forest”

“I am honored to be remembered m´lord and eye sir, He got his leg stuck in a trap meant for the wolves and I could finish him off from there. And no bears do not usually roam so close but the woods are starting to feel uneasy of late”

“So will you” I ask again as he looks a little bothered Ned speaks up “I will pay you coin. A day´s worth for each lesson you teach my son” That seems to brighten him up a little as I look at Father in surprise but the hunter still seems skeptical. “Hunting is not child´s play it's hard work and can be dangerous and unpredictable.

I smile “Don´t worry my body is healthy and strong! I will listen to every word you say and follow instructions.”