- The North - Sometime Later -
Jon groaned loudly as he awoke. His muscles ached. His head hurt. He felt like every horse in the North in full armor had just trampled on him. Getting up from the ground he looked around to see it was morning if the sunlight entering into the cave any indication. Or coming into the room to some degree due to it apparently snowing heavily last night and blocked it off from the rest of the world. If anyone from Winterfell were to look for him in this direction, the snow would prevent the cave from being seen.
{"This boy is to be my successor? The Force clearly has a sense of humor if this one found me over anyone else."} Remarked a highly cultured voice from behind Jon and it made the boy jump in surprise.
"By the Old Gods and New," whispered Jon while seeing an elderly person appearing like a ghostly apparition from the pyramid like structure.
The figure wore strange form fitting clothing, but it was different from what little Jon knew of such things. The elderly man for an apparition wore a cloak not unlike noble lords in the South wore, had a well shaved and trimmed beard, which was grayish to further indicate the man was on the older side. But the boy knew from this man's eyes, stance, and even the sound of his voice the man had been far from frail when among the living.
If it wasn't for the fact the man had graying dark hair, Jon would have sworn this ghost of a man was a Lannister.
{"The Force has brought you to me young one. I had hoped my Holocron would be found by someone who would know what to do with it. Possibly even another Jedi or even Sith seeking to expand their knowledge and wisdom. Still, I suppose I shouldn't question who finds me so long as they do."} Said the elderly man speaking in a refined voice that only a noble would possess.
"I don't understand my Lord. The Force? The Jedi? The Sith? I know nothing of these names or terms," said Jon with the elderly man raising an eyebrow at him before sighing in the end.
{"Yes. I suppose given your education and your surroundings, it is understandable. From what I saw within your mind when you touched my Holocron, I was far from pleased to know it was placed on such a backwater world. Still, I suppose being found by a blank canvas from which to work with is far better over the alternative of not being found at all by anyone."} Said the elderly man with Jon bowing his head slightly.
And he thought Lady Stark could scold him when she was angry. This ghostly man could clearly do it without even yelling with just a few sharp words.
"Forgive me my Lord. I know being found by a bastard such as myself is upsetting, but I can make up for it. I just need a chance to prove myself. Something few have ever given me," replied Jon in the hopes of gaining favor with this entity with some measure of pity.
{"I am well aware of your situation young one. I was inside your mind. I know everything you know. Which is sadly not enough. Knowledge is power and from what I have seen, you are next to powerless in the ways of the world. Unacceptable if you are to be my apprentice and learn everything you need to advance yourself beyond your station in life."} Said the elderly man with distain in his voice over the idea of having such a boy so dimwitted for a student in the ways of the Force.
"My station as a bastard has limited my education my Lord. But I am eager to learn from you. I want to learn. To better myself. To cast aside the title of bastard so it will no longer be a stain me or my Father," explained Jon with the apparition nodding in agreement.
{"You thirst for knowledge. Like a man in a desert seeking water. You are hungry for it. I sense a great desire to rise above the lowly position people have placed you in. I sense you wish to cast off your chains that were forged from the past and be free to embrace a future where your station is not so low."} Remarked the ghostly form of the elderly man.
"Will you teach me? About the Force? You mentioned it earlier," said Jon with a hint of curiosity and eagerness in his voice.
{"I suppose I could. However, the Force is not something one can easily understand well into your adult life. I should know. I have spent much of my time when I was alive trying to know as much about the Force as possible and only scratch the surface. You will no doubt go farther, but still scratch the surface of it all the same. Though I suppose one is not meant to understand the true mysteries of the Force. Only what it wants us to know."} Said the elderly man with his mannerisms telling Jon he was still hesitant to teach the boy anything.
"Please my Lord. Teach me! Teach me to become greater than myself. Please! I feel my destiny is calling to me through you. But I cannot pursue it properly without your help. Please my Lord. Show me the ways of the Force," pleaded Jon while on his knee before the ghostly figure.
{"Very well. I will test you young one. If you are worthy, I will teach you all that I know. I will help you reach out to the Force to learn some of its secrets and to see beyond the primitive things you have already seen. If you surpass my expectations, I will empower you with all my knowledge, all my power, skill, and wisdom accumulated over my many years alive. What you choose to do with it in the end, I will leave to you. Provide you pass my test."} Replied the figure with Jon looking happy to be given this chance to prove he was worthy.
"Before we begin my Lord, may I have your name?" asked Jon with the elderly figure nodding.
{"Dooku. Count Dooku. Or you can refer to me as...Tyranus. Darth Tyranus,"} answered the now revealed Count Dooku.
"I am ready learn my Master," said a determined Jon Snow with Dooku looking slightly amused.
{"Doubtful. But we will see all the same,"} said Dooku with his smirk not leaving him.
In truth, Dooku already knew the boy was worthy. The moment the boy had found his Sith Holocron through the Force on an instinctive level was enough. Still, it wouldn't be proper to simply accept Jon as his apprentice without making him work for the right. In order to bring out Jon's maximum potential Dooku had to give Jon the drive, the desire, the want, and the very need to learn more about the Force. The planet his Sith Holocron was residing on was backwards. Primitive in so many ways from what he saw through Jon's memories.
Seven Kingdoms. Men using swords and shields. Bows and arrows. Riding four legged animals called horses. Knights who followed Lords when called upon and died for them when battles and wars broke out.
And yet Dooku knew Jon would thrive in this world because the Count would give the boy the edge to stay ahead of the curve in every way necessary. He would ensure the boy grew to be a powerful Force user, whether Jon used it to be a Jedi or Sith was irrelevant at this point. Jon's path with the Force in the end of his training would be his own. What was important right now was ensuring the boy not only had brains, but the brawn, and the wit to use them all properly.
Dooku could already tell that Jon Snow would become something incredibly powerful and would ensure his legacy continued long after the boy left the cave they were in. This boy was his legacy. His apprentice. Student. Successor. And someone Sidious could not touch or reach no matter if the man was still alive or not.
Jon Snow was his apprentice and Dooku would not be denied this moment in life.