Chapter 72 - A Conversation with Your Future Wife?

[Chapter Size: 2600 Words.]

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Third Person POV

North, 105 AC.

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"Lyra? Are you serious?", Jon asked.

"I'm very serious", Benjen said, staring at the boy in front of him and making it clear that he wasn't joking, while keeping his eyes fixed on him, without blinking.

"She's what? Eleven years old...", Jon murmured.

"Yes, she's already eleven now, but she'll grow up. Let's not be naive now, Jon. Lyra will one day fully mature, become a woman, marry, and have children. And I don't see why I shouldn't give her hand to you, unless you really have some sort of brother complex about her...", he said, grimacing.

"No, that's not it", Jon replied. Who was he fooling? He knew how things worked. He knew what all of that meant and had already dealt with plenty of lords in his memories regarding these same matters, with their own children, especially the girls, whom he wouldn't allow to be betrothed before they turned 15. And perhaps because it was 4 years before the age Jon had set for his daughters, he found it a little strange...

And that, in truth, was common sense even among the people of this era.

"I wouldn't want Lyra to be forced into a choice she doesn't want", Jon finally said.

"Now there's a fact, my boy. Do you really think I would do anything without consulting my own daughter? You're not an idiot either. Neither is Lyra, she knows about her duties and what's expected of her. And more than that, she agrees to a betrothal. She's fallen in love with you, Jon. Or have you not noticed that... Have you never seen how hurt she gets when she sees you talking to most of the younger daughters of the lords who come to Winterfell?"

"So she agreed to this...", Jon was a little surprised. The girl certainly didn't seem to be behaving any differently, despite having sought him out more often in recent weeks.

"Lord Stark", Jon spoke to him again with a more serious look. "I'll even agree, but I want a guarantee. A guarantee that, if she doesn't want to do this, she'll have every right to refuse."

"All right, Jon", he said in a serious tone. "Let's make that very clear. And she won't marry you before she's sixteen years old."

"Then we still have five years." Jon seemed satisfied with that. He didn't want Lyra to marry him if she truly didn't want to, doing it only because of a contract.

Betrothals were common, and people came together, and most turned out to be very good marriages, with each caring for the other in their marriages, even without love initially. And there might not be love, but there was respect and loyalty, as was the duty of both, and that was enough. Even so, a part of his pride didn't want to be with someone who didn't like him or didn't want to be by his side before a marriage contract even existed. Perhaps it was foolish to think that way, but it was the truth.

Although he had never met a woman in that life who didn't like him, and had had wives and lovers, he still didn't like the idea of having someone by his side who didn't love him as well.

And he had already encountered couples in that life who didn't even have love or respect for one another. He had come across at least a dozen situations where women simply appeared naked before him, wanting to sleep with him, while their husbands were away on some expedition, in a war, or even just a few rooms away.

Obviously, Jon had never slept with that kind of woman, but he had certainly encountered situations like that. Not to mention those suggestive looks, because the number would rise much higher if he didn't count only the women who had appeared naked in front of him. He could see desire in many women, even while they stood beside their husbands...

He felt sorry for those men and clearly didn't want to be one of them, with an unfaithful and disrespectful wife with whom to share his life.

"But I imagine that's not all, right, Lord Stark?", Jon asked, making Benjen stare at him and raise an eyebrow. The boy always preferred to understand what lay between the lines.

"Yes", Lord Stark said. "I want a daughter of yours, or a granddaughter, to become the lady of Winterfell."

So he wanted the bloodline that ran in Jon's veins, in House Stark. Jon had easily predicted that. In any case, it wasn't as if he were someone ordinary, right? He had the blood of two magical families, forming the most magical bloodline in the entire world and powers no one could understand.

And it wasn't a bad fate for a daughter or granddaughter... to be the lady of Winterfell. The lords wouldn't like it, after all, Lord Stark was already giving away his only daughter now and there would be a lady of Winterfell of his blood... But it was worth enduring the anger of the northern lords to bring the magical blood of Jon's descendants into Winterfell's main family.

And it wasn't as if Lord Stark would get everything handed to him, he was helping Jon rise as a Lord in the North, giving him power.

Jon wasn't worried about that either, it wasn't as if the Starks were power-hungry southerners. Jon himself had seen, in his other life, his daughters and sons, and their children after them, marry men and women of Stark blood.

He himself had had a Stark wife, one who even reminded him a lot of Lyra. 'Arya...'

"All right, but I want to make a request before we begin all of this", Jon said.

"And what would that be, Jon?", he asked.

"I want to travel across Westeros. I believe I'm already at the right age. Besides, I want to raise money. After all, I'll need it if I want to maintain Dragon Point. I have a way to raise money even faster than simply continuing to save the profits from my businesses: the tournaments in the South", Jon said.

Lord Stark raised an eyebrow. Certainly, the archery tournament had earned him only a thousand gold coins, but both the melee and the jousts offered even greater prizes. The melee awarded around twenty thousand gold coins, while the jousts reached forty thousand at the tournament of Harrenhal, and even if there wasn't such a generous amount as there had been during the Great Council, it would certainly still earn him some money... That money would practically double everything Jon possessed now, and he could finally begin restoring the fortress and building a port.

Lord Stark thought for a few moments. "So you want to see Westeros... Well, it's not as if we can keep you here all the time. Besides, I don't think it's a bad idea. But do you really believe you could compete in the tournaments of the South?"

"You say that as if I haven't already won one of them." Jon said with a confident smile.

"I know you're good, Jon. And not just with a bow... You're much better than you should be for your age. While men are injured and even killed fighting wildlings, you managed to prevail without them even laying a finger on you", Lord Stark said, looking at Jon as the boy nodded.

"I can handle it, Lord Stark. Don't worry about such things. I'm already doing some tests with Rickon so we can train the horses. He's interested too."

"He hasn't told me anything", Lord Stark said, while Jon gave a broader smile.

"Maybe he's still too embarrassed to tell you, but I'm sure he'd also be quite interested in traveling across Westeros by my side."

"So it's not just you who wants to leave Winterfell, but even my eldest son... That's a little complicated", he said, becoming thoughtful about it, although he showed no displeasure. "All right. I'll talk to my son, and I don't see any problem if that's what you both want. But what about things here in the North? We can take care of them, but don't you already have another negotiation with Braavos?", he asked.

"Don't worry. The fragrance I want to sell to Essos is something I've already planned out. I'll leave that to my own family and even House Stark, I'll explain my plan a week from now, but I need you to contact the Iron Bank already.", Jon explained.

Lord Stark stared at him to make sure, while Jon held his gaze steadily, without wavering. In the end, he nodded, believing the boy.

In any case, Jon was satisfied with that and left Lord Stark's office, while the lord remained deep in thought. Jon headed outside until he found Rickon watching his younger sister trying to hit the target. Even Bennard was there, with a bow beside him, also shooting and training.

"Ah, you're here. Looks like you had a long conversation with my father", Rickon said, looking at Jon with a smile.

"Jon! Look! See how much I'm improving!", Lyra shouted to him immediately.

Jon couldn't help but notice the girl's behavior, as she seemed eager to get his attention.

Maybe she really did like him, Jon couldn't help but think.

"What's that smile for?", Bennard asked angrily. He didn't like the way Jon was smiling at their sister.

Jon looked back at him, raising an eyebrow. Even Lyra stopped shooting arrows and looked at him, while Rickon also stared at him curiously.

Jon hadn't expected to say something like that, but he shrugged. "Nothing much. It's just that Lord Stark just told me something..."

"He told you?", Lyra shouted, startled.

Jon stared at her as she began to turn red.

"Yes. I was just wondering if this is really what you wanted", Jon said, while Lyra grew even redder.

"Is this what I think it is?", Rickon shouted, alarmed, getting to his feet and approaching Jon in surprise.

"I think so", Jon murmured.

Rickon began to smile, pointing at Lyra. "This is wonderful! Jon will be part of the family now, right?", he said, looking at his friend, while Bennard seemed shocked and Lyra was as red as one of those peppers from the South.

"Jon, you idiot!", she shouted, dropping the bow before starting to run, leaving the three of them stunned.

"Well, looks like she ran away from her own betrothed. You don't seem prepared for something like this", Rickon said, laughing as Jon looked toward where Lyra had fled.

"I'll go talk to her", he said, leaving the others behind, but not before looking at Rickon. "Besides, I talked to your father about us traveling through the South. He seems to agree, but said he would talk to you first. I told him you wanted to become a great knight." Jon lied, obviously, just to tease him, leaving the boy completely stunned.

He wanted to travel too, obviously, but he hated it when Jon called him a knight. The boy seemed to have an aversion to it. "I won't be a knight!"

"You'll have to be if you want to take part in the jousts. And so what? It's just a title, it's no big deal. You'll still be the Lord of Winterfell", Jon said, walking backward away from him before turning around and running after Lyra.

He found her in the Godswood, her arms crossed, throwing stones into a small pond there. She looked sulky and embarrassed at the same time, while Jon's footsteps alerted her, making her turn toward him.

"What are you doing here?", she said, still angry and embarrassed, turning her face away as he approached and sat down nearby. Jon watched her throw stones into the small pond, but she seemed unable to look at him.

He had never seen that she-wolf so embarrassed.

"Did you know I told your father that we would only marry if you agreed?", he broke the silence, making her stare at him with wide eyes. "I want you to be able to choose this too, Lyra."

The girl continued looking at him.

"Well, I like you, Lyra. I really do. You're almost like a sister to me at this point, and the marriage would only happen five years from now, from what your father just told me. So there's still plenty of time for us to mature and find out if this is what we really want", Jon said.

The girl continued looking at him and looked at Jon's hand reaching out to her.

"I don't know what's going to happen, but I'd certainly like this to work out. I can't know the future, but I'm sure I'll protect you, take care of you and our children. Your father gave me a fief that we can call home. At least you wouldn't end up as the wife of a farmer's son...", Jon said with a small smile.

Lyra widened her eyes before reaching out as well, touching his hand. "I wouldn't care if you were a farmer!", she declared, before looking at him. "But do you want this, Jon? I know you were quite taken with that Targaryen princess years ago."

Jon couldn't help but widen his eyes. That girl still remembered something that had happened four years ago.

"Well, I was ten name days old. You couldn't say I was really interested in marrying her. I just thought she was pretty. But who says you aren't, Lyra? Everyone says you'll become a beautiful rose of the North when you mature, and they didn't say that just to please your parents... I'm afraid I'll even have rivals for your hand. I'll have to fight many duels to keep it, but you can be sure I'll fulfill all my duties as your husband, if this really does happen", Jon said sincerely.

Lyra couldn't help but let out a small laugh at the comment.

"All right, Jon. I want this too. I... I-I like you", she said, embarrassed. "I always have."

She thought it was obvious. She had always considered Jon the most handsome boy she had ever seen. He was truly beautiful, with his black, curly hair, bright green eyes, and well-built body. Always so kind, gallant, and intelligent. She considered him a prince, and even a she-wolf like her couldn't resist falling in love.

But the problem was that he wasn't only handsome in her eyes, and Lyra knew that many other noble girls thought the same way. Even older women had their eyes on him. At the last Harvest Feast, she had sulked when she saw so many girls approaching him, especially Yara Manderly, who insisted on dancing with him the entire time.

Lyra was also one of those who asked him to dance whenever she could and grew frustrated because Jon truly seemed to treat her only as a younger sister or a friend. He never seemed to see her as a woman.

She had even seen that smile appear on his face when older women approached him, some deliberately touching his curls and leaning their bodies toward him during the dances, crossing the distance they shouldn't have crossed!

But now he was there, saying those words, telling her that he wanted this and that he would be a good husband. Lyra felt her heart fill with butterflies.

Of course, that wouldn't happen now. She was still young, and she didn't even know much about those things yet, but she already longed for the years to pass quickly so they could build a family together.

Lyra held Jon's hand and began to smile with pure happiness. There was no more embarrassment in her, only happiness and expectations for the future.

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