"You said this world exists in stories in your world. Can you tell me what you know?"
"Do you want to keep the future or the past?" Before he could answer she warned him. "The future has details about what happens to all your family members. How the Starks are destroyed before winter comes." She gave him a serious look when his eyes widened in shock.
"The past has details about the true story behind your birth and the identity of your parents including the name your mother gave you." The cave became silent, and oppressive silence that make people feel suffocated. Amelia gave Jon nod, signaling he can ask her now.
"Can't you tell me both?" Jon asked her. Amelia shook her head.
"I will only tell you what happens if you leave the North with me. Let's travel the world together and I will reveal all the contents of the song of Ice and Fire." She assured.
"You want me to come with you?" He frowned not understanding the connection. "Why?"
"Because I feel sorry for you. I bet even if you saved your Stark family from falling, Ned Stark will never legitimize you. Do you want to check? I can give you grain seed that can grow in the swamp. It is plenty enough to feed the entire North in a long winter. All I ask, is that he gives you the Moat." Jon's hand that is holding his lightened. Amelia pretended to not feel his discomfort.
"Tell him, that you will have enough wealth and time to turn that place into the true guard of the north as it was always meant to be. In fact, I can help you raise all the towers and build that structure with magic. All he has to do is legitimize you and give you those lands to govern. He will refuse." She said resolutely.
"How do you know? I can understand knowing the past or the future, but I don't understand knowing something like that."
"Because he wants to get rid of you. Join the nights watch? That place is no honorable place, Jon. It is a place where the kingdom throws trash it wants gone." Jon is shocked by her words but he doesn't want to interrupt her.
"The place is completely deserted now. The nobles use it as a deterrent for peasants to stay in their good graces, for instant, a noble wants to rape a young girl but she is protected by her brother who is also responsible for bringing food i to the household. He will accuse the brother of some bogus theft and force him to join the nights watch or lose a hand. When he is gone, the girl will either starve or become his play thing." Jon listened. He is not a very talkative person but he is an excellent listener.
"That is a speculation." He said with gritted teeth.
"Alright. Let's talk about the practical things. The realm is unable to feed the peasants in each kingdom. Those in wall are practically left to starve. The 'gifts' in their hands is useless when they only have no men to use it. In fact, they can't even take care of all the castles on the wall. They use only one, castle black."
"Still, father may not know about the dire state of the nights watch."
"Really? He receives letters from the wall asking for supplies and men every month. Not to mention, your uncle is also there, he come home sometimes. Trust me, he knows owes exactly how bad things are and he is still pushing you there all the same. Why?" She stopped talking after this long rant.
"The past." He finally spoke after a long time.
"Are you sure? With future knowledge, you can save them. All of them will be in danger one by one. Starting with lord Stark."
"Does he die?"
"The first after John Arryn." Jon has become accustomed to her unexpected drops of shocking news.
"The past." His features harden. Amelia inwardly smiled. Good, good, good. Say the best thing thrice.
Then she told him. From the identity of his mom, her relationship with Robert, the marriage to the prince and the promise Ned made to her before she died. When Jon sat down completely stunned. She took out many things from her space.
10 barrels of wine, heavy cotton jackets, pairs of Sox and heavy blankets. Ten boxes of fine steel swords, rubber boots that can be worn in the snow without losing warmth. The space within the cave is not large enough to leave more.
She covered him with thick quilt and left the cave. He didn't even hear her leave. In any case, he made his choice.
Amelia is now in a novice level which let's him cast only low level spells. She increased her pace and then successfully left the castle using an invisibility spell. Once outside, she walked towards the winter town and walked away still.
Her destination is the Deep Motte docks. Amelia wants to go abroad.
Back in the cave.
Jon had been in such deep shock he ended up falling sleep inside the cave, when he awake, Amelia was gone. Taking all the things into his 'space ring' leaving nothing behind, he went back to Winterfell.
After Amelia explained the changes in his body, he feels like this is only the beginning. This day in the sparing sessions with the master of arms, Sir Rodrick, John had used his new skills when training.
In the past, he would find and desperately grasp at every opportunity only to secure a difficult victory but now...
His sight has improved, he noticed miniscule movements and changes in the opponent that gave away their next move.
Then he'd act according to the situation. It a matter of a day, the master at arms felt like they are fighting a seasoned warrior who can predict their next moves.
It was as if a switch was turned on all of a sudden and he couldn't adjust soon enough. It started with small openings being discovered immediately. Then his speed just couldn't keep up with that of Jon, soon enough, the whole training grounds stood still to watch.
Their training had turned into sparring and then it smoothly transitioned into a dance. Jon held his own against a seasoned knight and it was clear he only needed a little bit of something before completely dominating the fight.
Ned stood from the high viewing place and watched with growing dread as Jon pulled moves requiring decades of relentless training to master.
Looking at the boy fight with a kind of focus he had ever seen in one man before, his heart raced with a crippling realization.
He may have placed his own name as sire but blood do not lie. That expression, those swift but deadly moves, that calm confidence. It doesn't belong to him, to his line, it resembles them. The two of them, together they made Jon, and it shows.
This feeling only grew as Jon's momentum did not waver in the slightest even as his trusted aid broke out in cold sweat.
"Enough!" Ned shouted, they both ceased their fighting. Ned had no doubt saved the knight from being disgraced today. As he turned to leave, he came face to face with Caitlyn, his lady wife. An automated headache formed in his head, a reflex upon seeing that look on his wife's face.
Meanwhile Jon threw down his blunted training sword and went to clear his head with a hunt in the woods. He had decided to hunt for his meals, save whatever us left into his space ring. It won't be wasted as long as he had the ring.
Looking at it, he took deep breaths to calm his anger. Yes, Jon is absolutely livid at being raised as a bastard. His mind is telling him that his uncle did this to punish him for the actions of his parents.
The same part wants to know of Amelia was right when she said Ned wants to get rid of him. It may be his anger, but this possibility is gradually gaining weight in his heart.
"Jon. You were amazing out there! You really have to teach me now that you have learned to such extent. Please." Arya came out from behind him already bringing her eyes at him, pouting like an abandoned pup looking pitiful.
"You can watch as I hunt." He sighed, Jon knows that he is helpless when it comes his family. Otherwise who would turn down a woman like Amelia?
Thinking of Amelia, his heart sounded in his chest. Will she hate him for not choosing her? Can he see her again someday? Where is she now?
"Jon!" He came back to his senses to find Arya waving her hands in front of me him trying to get his attention.
Jon put aside all other thoughts and hunted for meat in the forest. He caught a deer and skillfully skinned it while teaching Arya all these skills.
Then he picked up the meat and let Arya return while he discretely stored away the meat and materials.
Then he caught up with Arya making sure to protect her form the wild life in the forest. As soon as they returned, a maid informed them supper is served.
Jon pulled out a sword from his waist and started polishing and sharpening it. He doesn't know how long he sat there for until boots sounded to be headed in his direction.
Then he heard it, the foot steps are numerous. Many people are headed this direction. A pair of strong arms pulled him to kneel on the ground.
"Jon Snow, bastard of Winterfell, you stand accused of grand theft! Lose your hand or take the black!" A strong voice sounded as the staples he has stayed in filled up with onlookers.
Just then, Ned Stark also arrived with his guards finding Jon's hand about to be chopped off. Ned stood still wondering if it would be best to just let them do it. This way many problems would be avoided. But.. his honor wouldn't allow him to take this path.
"That happened here?"
"Lord husband! The bastard stole my most precious necklace, this was my mother's necklace! Given to me by father. If the maid hadn't seen him and reported it, he would have gotten away with it. And I would have lost a precious memento from my deceased mother. Lord husband please serve the king's justice!" Ned knew his wife is making up stories. But this is a good opportunity to send Jon to the wall.
"Jon.." Ned called out. His voice strong and steady. "How do you plead?" He looked into Jon's eyes which are filled with ...rage! That is a bubbling dam of pure anger he is seeing. For some reason he felt uneasy.
"Not guilty!" Jon said and the crowd stirred until it descended into utter chaos.
"Lord husband. I have the stolen item which was retrieved from his room. The witness who say him commit the crime and followed him discretely to see where he hid it and then brought me personally to retrieve it." Caitlyn spoke her premeditated statement making it hard to refute since she 'personally' verified the time.
It means Ned will have to choose between turning Jon completely against him and possibly the Starks or call out his own wife a liar in front of so many people.
Southerners and their games! He is really angry to be cornered like this. He turned to Jon. "The evidence presented against you is irrefutable. Will you take the black?" He asked Jon sternly with a warning in his eyes.
He has planned to have Jon take the black voluntarily like Benjen so he could come home sometimes. But this plan will have to be scraped since his wife is so impatient.
Jon chuckled. A dark hallow laugh that gave people a bad premonition. "I did not steal anything. If you think I did it.." He extended his arm. "Chop it off. But remember, father. The one who pass the sentence must swing the sword." Jon declared resolutely with eyes blazing with fury.
...