Chapter 12 - The Wolf and the Dragon (III)
"Duty and love seldom go together. But for a ruler, duty must always come before sentiment." Aenar Targaryen thought as he looked at the impassive expression on Lord Stark of Winterfell, a man who had chosen duty over the love of a woman.
-------------------------
Eddard watched with a blank expression as his nephew walked through the door of his manor. The boy was taller, even taller than Robb, not at all like a six year old. He also noticed that he was carrying a sword at his waist, even though he was much taller than the boy.
At the same time, the boy's beauty had begun to blossom, his face becoming more and more like the man he hated with all his might.
"Jon." Though he didn't mean to, Eddard found his voice harsher and more intimidating than he had intended.
"Lord Stark." He replied with a calm expression, his purple eyes staring at him with a quiet intensity. A look that reminded him of an enormous beast.
The boy had never called him father, no matter how many times he had told him to. As stubborn as his mother... He'd definitely inherited that trait from Lyanna.
"I hear you've been away from Winterfell for six months." Eddard spoke again, his voice even more stern and angry than before. The thought of Jon being gone for six months made him want to strangle his guards. If anything happened to his nephew, he wouldn't have the heart to look at his sister when he died.
"Wolfwood, to be exact." Jon replied with a calm, even bored expression. Something that seemed to irritate the Lord of Winterfell completely.
"You treat my concern as nothing!" He asked in a calm voice, but anyone could see that behind the impassive exterior he was completely enraged.
Six months! He could have been in any town, but he was in Wolfwood!!!