Eddard Stark P.O.V
"—The armors have almost all been repaired while all the unworkable ones have all been melted for reuse, if we go at this steady rate then by the time the week is over we should have all the weapons repaired too," Ser Rodrik said.
Eddard nodded as he listened to his most trusted knight gave him the report while they were leaving the armory of Winterfell, "That is very good. And how about the arrows?"
"They are being made at a steady rate, so we should have enough stock ready in a few weeks," Rodrik said before he asked hesitatingly, "May I ask you something, My Lord?"
"Sure. Go on," Eddard said after they came to stop in front of the smithy where his ears were suddenly assaulted with the constant sound of hammering and clanking while the smell of burning metal filled the air.
"Is there to be a war, My Lord..."
Eddard sighed while looking into the huge open warm smithy before speaking, "I am not sure. The coastal villages have been constantly reporting large tracts of forest being stolen... and almost every month a new letter arrives from the bear islands with the sightings of Ironborn ships so while I am not completely sure the Ironborn will come out into the open to launch a full-scale attack,
"The one thing I know for sure is if they keep on going like this we will have to call our banners to come to the aid of Mormonts sooner or later. And another thing I've learned over the years is it never hurts to be always prepared..."
They had only been standing there for a couple of minutes before Mikken the resident Blacksmith came running out of the smithy.
"Milord, Ser Rodrik," Mikken saluted while wiping sweat from his forehead, "What can I do for you?"
"Nothing, I was just here to check if the work was coming along well and if the stock is enough," Eddard asked.
"The work is being done at a steady rate and everything is going very smoothly," Mikken said merrily, satisfied with the sudden upsurge in his work, "And the stock of metal should still last us for quite a while,"
"Hmm..." Eddard looked into the smithy before suddenly asking, "How is that boy that Jon brought in last week? Is he any good?"
"Oh he is a hard worker My lord," Mikken said with a smile, "And he is one of the fastest learners I have taught. Of course, he knows half the stuff already, so that helps but still, I don't have to spend that much time teaching him as he picks up things really quickly,"
Eddard looked into the smithy for quite a while but still wasn't able to spot him, "Where is he? I don't see him inside, Is he not working today?"
"Oh yes, he was working till about two hours ago... when Jon came and took him away saying he needed him for something,"
Eddard wondered about where Jon had taken his newest friend when they suddenly heard a voice around the corner, "Have you seen my father," when Eddard turned around, he found his son Robb talking to a guard who immediately pointed toward them.
Robb's eyes lit up with relief and he thanked the guard before running straight toward them, "Father! I finally found you. I was looking for you everywhere. Come on! quick," Ron said excitedly while pulling his father's hand behind him.
"What seems to have happened, Robb," Eddard asked, indulgently letting Robb pull him along while waving at Ser Rodrik and Mikken behind him to let them go back to work, "Where are you taking me?
"You know "the thing" Jon's been talking about for ages and hiding from all of us saying that 'It's a secret,'" Robb said with a smile, "Well... he is finally going to show us, and the rest of them are already there waiting for us, so Come on!"
Eddard did know about "the thing" Robb was talking about, having been receiving reports about Jon's whereabouts in Wintertown regularly, he knew that his son was visiting a Blacksmith for a couple of months now.
Ever since Jon had started earning some money from his regular hunts, he had really started to shine as if he suddenly gained wings. And while Eddard had been a bit worried about Jon being so independent so young, he felt that ultimately it would be a useful thing in the end.
And while Eddard had been anxious about Jon learning to hunt from the Old hunter in Wintertown at the start, after having an in-depth talk with him, he had been assured by Jon's mentor that he will take every precaution and will always priorities his safety. So even though he was still a little stressed every time Jon was a little late, he started to get used to seeing Jon as more mature.
And the one thing Ned was immensely proud of was that Jon hadn't used his first income on himself, instead like a real Big brother he had spent it on his siblings, like the Far-eye he bought for Robb or the flute for Sansa after she had expressed her interest in music, and now whatever he was having the Blacksmith make for Arya.
They arrived at the courtyard while Eddard was reminiscing, the rest of his family was already gathered there, including Catelyn, which was a bit of a surprise for Ned.
"Cat," Eddard said while coming to a stop beside his wife and putting a hand on her back, "You came too,"
"Oh... that well—Arya didn't want to go without me so I came along to make sure that she didn't miss me," Catelyn said without meeting his eyes.
"Is that so," Ned said with a raised eyebrow and a little smile while looking at his youngest daughter who didn't seem like she was missing her mother at all, entertained as she was by Sansa and Jon.
"Yes, really," Catelyn said lightly blushing, "I am not here because I am curious or something about what he is going to show..." she finished unconvincingly and Eddard just nodded along with his wife.
Over the years, Jon and Catelyn had cultivated a strange bond that was completely bizarre for everyone else. When at the start Catelyn had been so cold toward Jon, Eddard had been a little worried, but instead of becoming self-conscious like a child his age, Jon seemed to have burrowed inside her heart using his cheerful personality and sheer stubbornness.
And while Catelyn had resisted his charms with all her might, she had fallen for his mischievousness before long and stopped looking at Jon negatively.
If Jon had responded to Catelyn's frostiness by sulking and losing his self-confidence, it would have never worked, so Eddard was glad that Jon was so mature and thick-skinned and had never been hurt or ashamed, because people thought of him as a bastard, instead, he seemed to have wholeheartedly accepted it.
"Jon! Horsey! Now Pwease!" Arya's pleas bought Ned out of his musing, and he looked toward Jon who had finally noticed that his audience was finally complete.
"Of course, Now that everyone is here," Jon said before he announced dramatically, "Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome to the product unveiling of the century—Everyone! Clap!" Jon said and all the kids started cheerfully clapping, and even Cat got carried away and clapped twice before stopping abruptly, probably hoping no one saw her.
"Now without further ado, Let me present to you the product," Jon said while theatrically waving his hands to the side, "It's a Horse made for the littlest Stark, it's called the—" he paused dramatically before announcing with a flair, "StarkHorse!"
Everyone waited with anticipation and Arya and Sansa even stood up in their excitement but even after a while had passed nothing seemed to happen, so all of them turned back to Jon, who started sweating while standing in that awkward pose.
"That's your clue, TOM!" Jon shouted while blushing after nothing happened for over a minute.
"Sorry! Sorry!" LittleTom apologized while carrying the product on his back which was covered in a white cloth.
"Nevermind, put it here," Jon said with a huff while pointing in front of himself, before turning back toward his audience, "Now where was I—Yes! I present to you, StarkHorse," he said pulling the cloth away.
The thing that appeared before everyone's eyes was a small contraption with three tiny wheels like the one everyone was used to seeing on carriages. There was a small wooden seat in the middle, with paddles on both sides pointing in the opposite direction connected to the front wheel, where the legs were supposed to be.
"Wow," Arya and Sansa said in awe while all three of Jon's siblings started clapping.
"Thank You! Thank You!" Jon bowed while drinking up the praises, "Now come Arya, let's get you on your first ride,"
Jon picked up his little sister from where she was sitting before placing her on the contraption he called StarkHorse, "Now you need to paddle with your legs to move it, Alright," Jon explained and Arya started pecking her little head excitedly like a bird.
"Alright then GO!" Jon pushed the Starkhorse slowly and Arya immediately started paddling using her legs while giggling in elation, "Look! Look! I am riding a horse,"
Jon only had to help Arya for a few minutes, and before long she was riding in circles in the courtyard without anyone's help all while squealing in delight. Jon looked at his little sister's happy face with satisfaction before he turned toward his other sibling, "Don't think I forgot about you two," Jon said teasingly before turning and shouting, "LittleTom!"
This time he appeared within a second while carrying two bigger StarkHorses in both his hands, before placing them in front of them. These ones were a little different, as instead of three tires there were, just two of them, "Now this one's going to need a little practice, so you first—Robb!"
"Yes!" Robb jumped in delight while Sansa pouted.
Robb immediately mounted his Starkhorse, with Jon holding his seat tightly before he started pushing it slowly, "Now Robb, slowly paddle with your legs,"
It took Robb quite a while to get the hang of it but eventually, he was also circling along the courtyard with Arya, both sporting wide grins on their faces.
"It's really something, Huh!" Eddard said in amazement and Catelyn nodded unconsciously while looking at Jon teaching Sansa who seemed to be having the most trouble as she was quite scared, but Jon was patient with her and eventually, she too started to get over her fear, and started laughing in surprise.
"Maybe I should ask Jon to have one of these StarkHorses made for me too," Eddard wondered, but before he could think on it any further, he saw from the periphery of his vision the Maester rushing towards him with a grim look on his face.
Eddard immediately turned toward the Maester who came to a stop in front of him, "What happened,"
Maester Luwing silently extended the letter in his hands in the lieu of an answer. Eddard opened the letter nervously, and the moment he read its content a dark look appeared on his face.
"What is it, My love," Catelyn asked, anxiously.
"Lannisport Burns! The Greyjoys have Rebelled"
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pat reon.c om/ lazywizard —> To read ahead
Sirius Black SI —> My other fic