Chapter 48 - A Red Dragon... in the Sky. 

[Chapter Size: 2400 Words.] 

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Third Person POV 

Harrenhal, 101 AC. 

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The children's laughter came from the more open area behind the Northern Kingdom's camp, as Lyra ran around with Ghost, who proved to be quite playful while interacting with her. Sometimes he imitated a dog, rolling around on the ground; other times, he pretended to chase her or gently nipped at her, making her laugh. 

Meanwhile, the sound of wood striking wood echoed throughout the area. 

It was Jon and Rickon training against each other, using wooden swords and shields in the middle of the field, completely ignoring Lyra and Ghost's fun. 

There were only the three children, the wolf, and a few guards standing watch over the area, though they did not disturb the youngsters, who had slipped out of their tents early that morning to occupy the place Jon had said he explored yesterday. Rickon had been the first to want to use the morning to train, and Lyra had come along. 

At that moment, Rickon shoved Jon while glaring at him, dissatisfied. 

"What's wrong with you today?" he asked indignantly. 

"I already know. I overdid it yesterday," Jon replied. 

He still wasn't at his best for a fight. The pounding headache remained. 

"Yeah, I know. The beer the Manderly twins gave you yesterday. I saw it," Rickon said, rolling his eyes. 

"That stuff was stronger than you think," Jon tried to defend himself. 

The boy merely stared at him, shaking his head. 

"Sure, sure. Just a little strong. You're Jon, the boy who faces monsters, but treats beer like poison," he said, trying to strike him once more while Jon raised his shield to defend himself. 

"That's not what I meant," Jon replied. 

"You're weak, Jon. I always thought you were weak," Rickon teased. 

"Who's weak, you fool? Even like this, I can still beat you." Jon launched himself into the attack. 

Rickon began defending himself. Despite the pressure he was under, he couldn't stop laughing. "Is that all?" he asked. 

While retreating, using his sword and shield to block the attacks, Jon shoved him at one point, nearly making him trip over his own feet. 

Rickon burst into laughter. "Look at you. All emotional over a little taunt. Where's the North's great promise? The promised warrior? Westeros's greatest swordsman of the future? In the end, that man can be defeated by a little beer," Rickon said with a smug grin. 

Jon clenched his teeth but didn't rise to the bait. He was better than that. 

"I can still drink better than you," he declared. 

"How would you know? You've never seen me drink!" Rickon shot back. 

"That's exactly why. You've never had a drink, so I guarantee you can't beat me. Because I know I'm stronger than you even at that," Jon replied just as mockingly. 

"Then I challenge Jon, the Monster Slayer!" Rickon declared. 

"Whenever you want, Stark. But know that you'll end up vomiting at my feet, and I won't protect you from your father when you're in that pitiful state." 

"Very well. Then I challenge you to that contest!" Rickon declared mysteriously. 

Jon had no idea what he meant, but he wasn't about to let that provocation slide. 

The two quickly resumed fighting. At one point, Jon managed to shove Rickon, make him step on his own wooden sword, and point his own sword at his friend's head. 

Jon tried to press the wooden sword against his throat, but Rickon raised his shield in time. The blunt tip of the wooden sword struck the shield with force. 

"You know I could stab you wherever I wanted right now, don't you? Do you yield?" Jon mocked. 

Rickon merely snorted. "Sure, go ahead and try your luck, weakling," he declared. 

"Then..." 

"I surrender!" Rickon, sensing something was coming, immediately gave in. 

Jon lifted the sword off his opponent's shield, but didn't pull it away. Instead, he lowered it, and the tip ended up between Rickon's legs, giving a light tap. 

The boy immediately jumped back. "Hey! What are you doing, Jon? I surrendered!" he shouted indignantly. 

"You lost. But who said losing doesn't come with consequences?" Jon replied. 

"Now you're the Lord of Winterfell without a penis!" he said, bursting into laughter. 

"You bastard! That was low!" Rickon complained. 

Although he hadn't actually been hurt, he definitely didn't like the nickname. 

"The great Rickon Stark, the man who can only wield iron swords now that he's missing something else!" Jon continued laughing. He found it hilarious and didn't spare his friend from the mockery. 

"Unfortunately, many ladies of the North would cry if that happened," Rickon replied with a smug grin, still lying on the ground. 

"Oh, really? I know a little Glover girl who would certainly be quite upset about that," Jon said. 

Rickon immediately blushed. That was the boy's weak spot. 

"Well... her and others," he added. 

"Really?" Jon asked, intrigued. 

"Lady Kyra Ryswell..." Rickon muttered. 

Jon craned his neck, staring at his friend. "Wait. Isn't she almost twenty namedays old? Like, twice your age?" he asked, shocked. 

"Wait... She's also not exactly... pretty." Jon grimaced. 

The girl had a faint mustache and a slightly hooked nose... 

"Yeah... Lord Ryswell kind of dropped a hint yesterday when I passed by his table." 

Jon grimaced even more. "Rickon, that should be considered an insult," he replied sincerely. "No one offers a woman nearly of marrying age to the heir of Winterfell. And even if she is the eldest daughter, she's still... ugly." 

"Did your father say anything about it?" Jon asked. 

It really didn't make any sense. 

Then he started laughing at the situation as something suddenly occurred to him... 

"Hey! What are you laughing at?" Rickon asked when he saw his friend breaking into a huge grin, snorting repeatedly as he tried not to burst out laughing. 

"It's just... Haha... I can't... Haha... picture you... Haha... and that girl." Jon could no longer hold himself back. 

"Just imagine... Haha... 'My Lady of Winterfell...'" he said before bursting into laughter, dropping his shield and sword as he clutched his stomach. 

A wooden sword flew toward him, and Jon had to dodge immediately, though he kept laughing. 

"Alright, alright... I'll stop," Jon said after a while, still smiling. 

"That's not funny. You asked about my father, right? I didn't tell him. Should I?" 

"I honestly don't know," Jon replied. "As funny as it sounds, it doesn't make sense. Him presenting his own daughter like that... After all, no one wants to marry her, so why offend House Stark?" He paused thoughtfully. 

"But what exactly did he say?" Jon asked. 

"Well... He talked about her. Said she was still available for marriage and that he was looking for a suitor for her. Said I could help. He was advertising her... And she kept looking at me shyly, you know?" Rickon said after thinking for a moment. 

Little by little, Jon stopped laughing, and his expression turned serious. "I don't think he was trying to insult you that way. Was he very drunk?" 

"No," Rickon answered. 

"Then he wanted you to introduce her to someone else..." Jon murmured. 

The two looked at each other. Understanding dawned in both their eyes at the same time. 

Rickon was the first to break the silence. Because, in truth, Lady Ryswell hadn't been presented to Rickon. 

She had been presented to Jon himself. After all, she was a girl with an unattractive appearance. 

To the heir of Winterfell, it could have been seen as an insult. But for a nameless boy, whose reputation and future were beginning to be built in the North, and who himself had an unusual appearance, opportunities could arise through marriage. At the same time, it was a good chance for House Ryswell to marry off a daughter who had yet to find a suitor. 

It might have been better than what they had expected to demand from such a talented young man. Rickon immediately burst into laughter. 

"Hahahahaha!" He dropped his shield just as Jon had done before. 

Now it was his turn to laugh in his friend's face, while Jon remained completely dumbfounded. 

"Damn... So it was meant for me?" Jon muttered in dissatisfaction. 

Rickon dropped to his knees, clutching his stomach from laughing so hard. 

Jon snorted inwardly, but not for long, because soon afterward, he ended up smiling. He couldn't say the situation wasn't a little dramatic, but it was equally amusing. 

Then he also started laughing. 

"What are you laughing at? That woman was being pushed onto you!" Rickon looked at him in surprise, though he couldn't stop laughing. 

"That's funny either way!" Jon didn't take it as seriously as Rickon did. To him, it was nothing more than a misunderstanding that he could certainly refuse, even if it offended the Ryswells. 

He had no intention of marrying anyone anytime soon, nor was he even thinking about marriage. 

Although, lately, he and Rickon had spent quite a bit of time talking about which girls were pretty or not, and what they liked about each of them, whether they were noble ladies, servants, or women from Winter Town. 

But Jon definitely wouldn't commit the rest of his life to a Ryswell girl, even if she were beautiful... 

He didn't even want to get married that soon, not before getting to know the world better. 

"Just imagine it... Jon, the Monster Slayer, married to Lady Ryswell. The North will sing a thousand songs for a thousand years!" Rickon declared, laughing. 

Jon grabbed a handful of dirt from the grass torn up during their fight and threw it straight into the future Lord of Winterfell's face. 

"Hey! Don't throw that!" Rickon complained, but he started laughing as he scooped up a handful of dirt himself and threw it back at Jon. 

"Ahh!!" The two only stopped when they heard a scream. They saw Lyra running and, about thirty meters ahead, falling to the ground as her dress caught, while Ghost leaped on top of her, licking her face. 

But the girl burst into laughter. 

"Mother is going to hate it when she sees the state of her dress," Rickon commented. 

Jon chuckled softly. "At least she's happy." 

"Damn... Sometimes you seem more like her brother than I do," Rickon grumbled. 

"Come on. Let's go get her. And let's avoid the Ryswells for now, understand? Don't say anything on my behalf," Jon said. 

"Of course. I'd never do that to you." Rickon said with a smug smile. 

"You're a good friend, Rickon," Jon replied. "But I don't like that smile. I'll have to talk to your father to put an end to those ideas." 

"Hey, relax! I'm just kidding. I wouldn't do that to you." Rickon shrugged. "Besides, I'd rather you married my sister. Then we'd be a real family." 

Jon raised an eyebrow before snorting. "Just keep walking. Ghost!" Jon stood up and started walking toward Lyra. 

Ghost lifted his head at the sound of his call and ran over to Jon. 

He immediately lowered his front paws to the ground and crouched like a dog about to pounce. 

"Hey..." Jon barely had time to react. 

Ghost was still worked up from playing with Lyra and immediately jumped onto Jon. He was dragged back several steps. 

"You beautiful wolf, you're way too big." Jon was only a ten-year-old boy, while Ghost was already nearly two feet taller than him. "Calm down." 

Jon rubbed the wolf's neck, ruffling his fur before walking over to Lyra, who had already managed to get back to her feet. 

"Thanks. He's going to get me into trouble eventually," she said with a laugh, since Ghost had stayed on top of her without letting her get up. 

"Let's head back to the tents, little one. Your parents must be worried," Jon said. 

She nodded, wiping some of the mud from her face and trying to clean the dirt off her dress. There was mud, dirt, and even grass tangled in her hair. 

Jon still had to tidy up her hair a little before Alys complained about the state of her daughter. 

Rickon picked up the shields and wooden swords, waiting for the two of them. When they finally regrouped to head back to camp, Jon suddenly stopped. 

"Wait." 

His voice made the other two immediately look in his direction. 

Even Ghost let out a low sound, almost a whine. 

But it wasn't fear. It was as if he had sensed it too. 

Jon slowly raised his head toward the sky. "Something is coming," he said, wearing a faint smile. 

"What do you mean?" Rickon asked. 

Jon raised a hand, making him stop speaking immediately. 

"Something is coming," he repeated, never taking his eyes off the sky. 

Then his smile widened even further. "A dragon is coming." 

The two immediately became alert and looked up at the sky. 

The trees were very tall, so it was impossible to clearly see what lay beyond the horizon. 

Jon simply kept his attention fixed on the direction where he could already sense something approaching. 

The sound of enormous wings beating through the air grew closer and closer. 

Everyone immediately became vigilant. The guards stationed around the tents had also noticed it and assumed defensive positions. 

Suddenly, the creature appeared. First came its enormous serpentine neck, then its gigantic wings, and finally the rest of its body. 

It streaked across the sky above them at tremendous speed, resembling a massive winged serpent. 

A piercing roar echoed across the heavens, sounding more like a mournful cry than the roar of a beast. 

"That is..." Lyra cried out, while Rickon remained completely speechless. 

"It's Caraxes," Jon murmured, smiling as he watched the creature pass overhead. 

The dragon's roar caused cries to erupt from every direction. 

People rushed out of their tents, while others climbed onto higher ground just to get a better look at it. 

Caraxes continued soaring through the skies. He flew over several camps, circled the area twice, let out a few more roars, and finally descended in the distance. 

He landed in an isolated area clearly reserved exclusively for the dragons. 

"That was incredible..." Even Rickon was left dumbfounded, seeing a real dragon for the first time. 

Jon felt Ghost let out another low sound. He lowered his hand and gently stroked the wolf's muzzle. 

"Did you see that, buddy? A dragon." Jon wore a huge smile, just as excited as the Stark siblings. "It's so incredible to see one in person..." 

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