Chapter 56 - Sapphire. 

[Chapter Size: 3300 Words.] 

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Third Person POV 

Harrenhal, 101 AC. 

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Jon could say that he had won a fortune, far more than he had expected, just as he had surprised all the spectators who had come to watch the competition between a boy favored by the king, yet of humble birth, and a young lord from the Westerlands. Even though the latter was not from the family's main branch, he was still a nobleman, the son of one of Lord Westerling's brothers. 

The outcome was completely unexpected for everyone who witnessed that boy's incredible performance. A boy only ten years old had managed to hit every target from as far as one hundred and twenty feet away. 

Thus, most of the southerners, who clearly did not believe the stories from the North that a boy could slay gigantic monsters—either because they thought they were lies or because they believed the bear was nothing special compared to what the stories and ballads claimed—would certainly change their minds after this tournament. The feat had transformed how many people saw the boy and perhaps would further increase the fame of his story. 

Jon headed toward the camp as noise echoed from every direction. He couldn't stop smiling while the Manderly twins surrounded him, along with Lyra and Rickon, as well as other boys close to his age who patted him on the shoulders. 

There was enthusiasm, praise, and even respect from those who certainly had not held a very favorable opinion of him. Even in the North, he could not make everyone like him. Not when everyone had their own beliefs and prejudices. But today, they saw him in a new light, and Jon couldn't help but appreciate that. 

Jon had received the prize from the king himself, who had insisted that he come to the main stand, where he praised him and even invited him to meet later. 

Jon knew the stares would only grow more intense, but he was already used to that. He was also used to the fact that it was no longer a secret that he frequently met with the king, always talking with the older man in a room where only the two of them, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, and Ghost were present. 

"Hey, can we stop by the market?" Jon asked Lord Stark. 

It was an eager request directed at the older man who was accompanying them back to the camp, along with his guards and all the Northmen who had come to watch the tournament. 

"You already want to spend your money?" Lord Stark crossed his arms and asked. 

Jon didn't deny it. Well, now he could afford to spend it. He had won a thousand gold dragons, the same amount he already had with the Starks. He had initially expected to win only the two hundred from the bet he had made with the other noble, but now he had received a thousand gold dragons. So he might as well spend as he pleased, without touching the amount he had left with Lord Stark in the vaults of Winterfell. 

"Very well." Lord Stark said at last. 

Thus, Jon went directly to the exotic animal shop. He was happy to see that the white tiger had not yet been sold. Not that he was very surprised; not everyone could spend 100 gold coins and still take care of the animal. 

Ghost looked at the animal with some caution, but Jon merely gave him a few pats, saying that everything was fine. Then, with one hundred gold coins, he managed to buy the tiger. 

Not only that, there were mountain dogs called Caucasian Shepherds, almost as large as a direwolf, reaching up to 100kg, while a direwolf would reach up to 80kg. 

A normal direwolf would reach up to 90cm. Normally, Ghost was an exception, nearing more than twice what his species should allow, since records said that direwolves reached only that size. So these dogs were quite large, used for herding in the mountains of Northern Essos, in regions with colder climates. 

Jon chose two dogs and, along with them, four more puppies. There were also eagles accustomed to dealing with extreme climates, and he took them along with 2 owls and a raven that he could not resist taking. 

"Are you sure you want all of that, Jon? This is no joke," Lyarra said in a serious tone. 

There was no way she would not demand that he take care of his own animals himself. He had already been doing that with the direwolf for some time, after all, it was his responsibility. He could not leave everything to the kennelmaster at Winterfell, even though the man had no problem at all taking care of Ghost, since the wolf had grown accustomed to him from the beginning. 

Even so, Jon would have to be responsible for all those animals. He already had an eagle, an owl, and a raven, including his wolf as well. He had brought only the raven among the birds, since it seemed to adapt better to that southern environment. Now he was taking several eagles and owls. The other two had remained at Winterfell, with Jon having a few dreams of seeing them flying around the castle and stealing food from the kitchen, something the servants were already used to. 

In any case, he bought a white raven that he liked very much. He was fascinated to discover that the bird could speak a few words, so it was included among the birds. 

In the end, he now had three new eagles, two owls, a white raven, a young white tiger, two Caucasian Shepherd dogs, four puppies, and finally, he also bought a horse that had come directly from the Dothraki Sea, just as he was about to leave. The horse was still young, perhaps it would reach its prime in a year, so he could not resist and paid 50 gold coins for it. 

Jon had certainly been more focused on the tiger ever since he decided to buy the animals, but after getting a better look at all of them, he immediately wanted to buy them. He was certain that he could take care of them, and he was not lacking money at the moment. 

Then his eyes turned back to Lady Lyarra, filled with confidence. "Grandma, I'll take care of all of them. Don't worry. I'll even improve my income if I have to. All I'm asking for is a place for them to sleep in Winterfell. I'll feed them, take care of them when they're sick, and I'll bury them when they die!" Jon said confidently. 

Lyarra looked at her son, while Lord Stark wore a smile, trying to hide it somehow, but the smile was still there. Then she looked back at the boy and simply nodded. 

"We believe your words." 

They took all the cages back to the Northern camp in wagons. Many people from the camp came over to greet them and congratulate Jon, since the archery tournament did not draw that much attention and many people had remained in the camps. 

In any case, Jon did not stay away for long and immediately turned his attention to his new animals, which also attracted people who wanted to see them. 

Jon did not want to show it, but he felt something coming from them. He could feel each one of them. He could sense that a bond had been created. But he knew that, with the eyes of the guards, the lords, and their children upon him, he could not simply open the cages, especially the tiger's, which had been staring at him ever since he bought it. 

Those bluish eyes matched its white fur as they remained fixed on him the entire time. The animal did not seem too nervous despite the number of people staring at it, although it still was not completely at ease. 

In any case, Jon could feel that the bond they had formed was already strong. He could convey his emotions to the tiger and also receive its own. He made the animal understand that he would return soon, and he could even feel a sense of longing coming from the tiger itself, as if it were waiting for him, as if it wanted Jon to reassure it that his words were true. 

In any case, he headed to the Stark tent at the beginning of the evening, preparing himself for the banquet that would once again be held in the castle. This time, however, he would not be just another guest, but a guest of honor. 

That night, he received more attention than he ever had before. He was surrounded by people congratulating him or asking Lord Stark what kind of training a boy of ten namedays had undergone in Winterfell to be able to defeat grown men three times his age and with far more experience than someone his age should have had to face. 

It might not have been a time of war under Jaehaerys' reign, but there were still small conflicts that could not be resolved without a certain amount of bloodshed, although nothing truly large-scale. 

Even so, there were men in that tournament who had already proven their abilities on the battlefield. There were also the occasional conflicts with the Free Cities. Men from Westeros were also called upon to fight at sea against pirates financed by wealthy individuals from Essos. 

In any case, Lord Stark always gave the same explanation: Jon's natural talent. He also confirmed that Jon had indeed slain a beast whenever people asked him directly to verify it, or they wanted to hear from the boy himself how he had managed to accomplish such a feat, as they finally began to believe the story of him killing a monstrous bear. 

For many of the men present, imagining a boy facing a monster to avenge his father certainly touched their hearts. 

Lord Westerling, in particular, approached the Stark table. Everyone could see House Westerling's banner embroidered across his chest as the lord himself walked toward them. 

"Lord Stark. And here we have our champion," the man said, greeting everyone before his eyes settled on Jon. 

"My nephew truly was a fool for accepting that wager. But I must admit, boy, you managed to surprise us all. It's still hard to believe that a child defeated seasoned men," he said in a tone of casual acknowledgment. 

It seemed that losing to a ten-nameday champion was less embarrassing than losing to another boy who had been eliminated halfway through the competition. At least that way, Lord Westerling seemed to have a good excuse, and his house would not be so thoroughly humiliated. 

Jon thought about that, although he found it rather petty that the man considered losing to someone so disgraceful. Not just him, but Jon felt that people did not have much better to do than mock one another over trivial matters, like losing an archery tournament, which really should not have been such an insignificant thing... 

"I appreciate your words, Lord Westerling," Jon finally said. 

The man simply nodded as he took out a bag of coins and placed it on the table. "Here are five hundred gold coins." 

"That's a little too much," Jon murmured immediately. 

But the man shook his head. "I won't give you only the two hundred gold coins we wagered, because you gave us quite a spectacle. And House Westerling can certainly afford it," he said in a pompous tone, while many of those around them nodded in approval. 

Clearly, he wanted to promote his own house. 

Jon did not mind. In the end, he had earned more than three hundred additional gold coins beyond what they had agreed upon, enough to recover everything he had spent that day, since he had spent three hundred gold coins on animals. He would certainly make good use of those other two hundred coins, buying toys for his brother and his cousins. 

As for the other thousand gold coins, he already had a very clear purpose for them. Because it made him think. 

Back then, his father had managed to produce at least five gold coins a year from the small farm where they had lived. They had to pay at least two coins in taxes to House Tallhart as annual tribute, whether in gold or goods. 

Forty percent always went to House Tallhart, which then collected all the revenue from the region and sent about thirty percent to Lord Stark. Of that thirty percent, twenty percent eventually made its way to King's Landing. 

That was how things worked. Jon thought it was unfair to the common folk, but he was only a child and could not change Westeros's financial system. 

In any case, he could not help but think that his father was left with only three gold coins a year. With those three coins, he had to buy seeds and maintain the entire farm and its animals. 

In the end, that gold practically disappeared, since he also had to buy food, clothing, and other necessities for the family. Not to mention that he shared the farm with his brother. 

The farm had improved, going from producing five to eight gold coins a year. Two and a half coins went to each family. It was a price worth paying to have his brother helping and protecting his family after everything that had happened to Jon back then. In the end, giving up half a gold coin was worth it. 

And now Jon had earned at least one thousand five hundred gold coins that day, in addition to the other thousand gold coins he already had stored with the Starks. He could easily become a respectable merchant with that amount. Not that he intended to do so, but it gave him an idea of the paths he could take. 

He still intended to spend the five hundred gold coins he had just received, leaving him with one thousand. Perhaps he could invest in the farm, expanding his family's lands, as long as he did not attract too much attention. 

Jon was still thinking about that when someone else approached Lord Stark's table. Not that it had not been happening all evening, but this time it was someone special. 

Rhaenys Targaryen herself, accompanied by her children, came to congratulate Jon. The two younger ones looked at him with bright smiles full of joy and curiosity. They asked about the contest. They had not been able to attend, but they had heard what had happened and regretted not going, according to the very first words they spoke. 

Jon noticed that Rhaenys invited Lyarra to speak with her in private. The two women walked toward the balcony, leaving the two princes with a Kingsguard standing beside the table. 

"Is it true that you fought against grown men and won?" Leonor asked cheerfully. Her sister also sat down beside Jon, her eyes shining with curiosity. 

"More than grown men! Jon fought against seasoned warriors?" Before Jon could answer, Rickon immediately spoke up. 

"My princes..." Jon reminded Rickon to use the proper form of address. Even his father shot his son a warning glance, and Rickon nodded. 

"Yes, of course... my princes," Rickon said, somewhat embarrassed. 

"That's amazing, Jon," Laena said, full of admiration. 

"Well... I was lucky," Jon replied with a hint of embarrassment, looking away from the princess sitting beside him. 

Rickon immediately jabbed him in the ribs with his elbow, drawing his attention. 

The conversation continued for some time. Jon explained how he had won by using the principles of force, angle, and wind to hit every target, never revealing anything about the strange dream from the previous night. After all, he was simply the greatest marksman the world had ever seen... or at least, that was what he believed. 

When Rhaenys returned with Lyarra, the princess seemed deep in thought. They had certainly been discussing matters concerning the throne. 

The children then said goodbye to Jon, saying they hoped to see him again the next time he visited their great-grandfather. 

As soon as they left, Jon received another elbow to the ribs from Rickon. "Hey, hey, hey... what was that? I never expected to see you like that. It looks like you've been spending a lot of time talking with Princess Laena..." Rickon teased. 1

"What do you mean?" Jon asked. 

"It really seems like you didn't notice, did you? You had that crooked smile on your face the whole time, Jon. She's a princess. You'd better stick with that Ryswell girl." Rickon mocked, while Jon wanted to smack him. 

"Anyway, you'll have to deal with my sister now," Rickon said, pointing to the other side of the table. 

Jon looked at Lyra, who was watching him with her arms crossed, clearly looking upset, her lips puffed into a pout. 

"What was that about?" Jon raised an eyebrow. 

"She's obviously jealous. You were giving the princess so much attention," Rickon teased. 

Jon did not know what to say, nor did he have any idea how to deal with that. 

Dinner continued until everyone finally returned to the camp. Jon waited until the area had grown quieter before leaving his tent. Ignoring a few guards, he headed toward the cages where the animals were being kept. Ghost came with him. After all, it was no problem for the wolf to remain silent. 

Jon found the tiger asleep. He immediately unlocked the cage with the key that had been with Lord Stark but which he had secretly managed to obtain using his raven. He was not about to let that opportunity slip away. 

As he opened the cage, the tiger immediately got to its feet. Jon no longer knew why he was doing this, but he simply stepped inside the enclosure and looked into those sapphire-blue eyes, filled with understanding. The two remained silent for a while. 

The tiger showed no sign of anger. It merely watched him with curiosity. 

"Hi... I'm Jon. Do you have a name?" he asked hesitantly. Ghost remained behind him the entire time, outside the cage, looking ready to act if necessary. 

The tiger obviously could not answer with words, but it was able to convey intent, just as it had been doing throughout the day whenever Jon had stayed close to it. 

"So you don't have a name..." It was the first time Jon had truly spoken with the tiger. During the day, the place had been full of Northern children. They certainly would not have found it very normal for a boy to be talking to an animal by himself. Although that was not so unusual for a child, it still would have seemed strange. 

"So you don't have a name..." Jon smiled. "I'll call you Sapphire, after the gemstone, because of your eyes," he said, pleased by the animal's beauty. 

It was no wonder the tiger alone had cost one hundred gold coins, and no one had been willing to pay that price, because hardly anyone could easily take care of such a dangerous animal. 

The tiger simply took a step forward, lowered its head, and pressed it against Jon. 

Jon laughed. The tiger seemed to like the name and accepted it. 

"Let's go for a walk now." Jon immediately smiled as he led the tiger out of its cage. He climbed onto its back, while Ghost followed them without any trouble. The tiger showed no hostility toward Jon. 

The two of them immediately left and began running through the less crowded parts of the camp under the cover of night, although there were still a few guards along the way. 

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