R+l=j - Tumblr Posts
He loves him. He raised him. That’s his son.
"Come, let us see what mischief my sons have rooted out now."
He hates him. A constant reminder of the worst days his of his life. The weight of House Stark on his shoulders with no warning.
“He dreamt an old dream, of three knights in white cloaks, and a tower long fallen, and Lyanna in her bed of blood.”
He doesn’t miss him.
“The thought of Winterfell brought a wan smile to his face. He wanted to hear Bran's laughter once more, to go hawking with Robb, to watch Rickon at play.”
He begs, in his dying hour, for one last moment with him.
“The thought of Jon filled Ned with a sense of shame, and a sorrow too deep for words. If only he could see the boy again, sit and talk with him…”
He’s his greatest shame.
“I've never lain with any woman but Cersei. In my own way, I have been truer than your Ned ever was. Poor old dead Ned. So who has shit for honor now, I ask you? What was the name of that bastard he fathered?"
He’s his highest honor.
“The Starks were not like other men. Ned brought his bastard home with him, and called him "son" for all the north to see.”
He’s his darkest lie.
“Catelyn had asked her husband the truth of it, asked him to his face. That was the only time in all their years that Ned had ever frightened her. “Never ask me about Jon,” he said, cold as ice.”
He’s his kept promise.
“Promise me, she had cried, in a room that smelled of blood and roses. Promise me, Ned. The fever had taken her strength and her voice had been faint as a whisper, but when he gave her his word, the fear had gone out of his sister's eyes.”
“Not my mother, Jon thought stubbornly. He knew nothing of his mother, Eddard Stark would not talk of her. Yet he dreamed of her at times, so often that he could almost see her face. In his dreams, she was beautiful, and highborn, and her eyes were kind.” –Jon Snow thought about his mother (Game of Thrones, Jon chapter)
In the end, everything will be back as it should be.
Whether he lives, or dies. Let him in peace.
re-reading asoiaf and god. i feel like we take r+l = j for granted since it's been years since the theory first spawned, and it's all but canon but by god the foreshadowing for it in the books is so. beautiful almost? it's never said, it's never even alluded to, but it's just there, under the face of george's writing, from the tower of joy flashback, to the allusion of a promise ned made to lyanna on her death bed, the mystery of it all, the whole thing about rhaegars missing ruby and dany and jon's innate and magical connection. it's a masterclass in foreshadowing and keeping a secret within the text, because it's never clear enough to be in your face, but just thinking about it for a while makes it very clear why jons parentage is so secret. it rewards you for paying attention and it's genuinely such a fun thing to look for when reading, all these little gems, like grrm is giggling with you through the text, like, "omg you've spotted it". genuinely so fun
AU based on this fic by @arielchelby :
In the year 306 AC, Alysanne Targaryen was born in the Lands of Always Winter, a few seconds older than her twin brother, Daeron, after the destruction of the Iron Throne. The eldest of eight children of the couple Jaehaerys and Daenerys, her parents received the island of Dragonstone and its vassals after an agreement between the southern and northern crowns, with the loyalties of the houses: Bar Emmon, Celtigar, Rambton, Sunglass and Velaryon, in exchange for the protection of the last dragons.
Very protected and spoiled, she was a quiet child, who was dragged in the pieces made by her brother. Growing up, she fell in love with luxury, hoarding jewels, silk, and rugs, devoting herself to what her septa taught her. The maiden considers herself more suitable for academic and recreational areas such as mathematics, embroidery, alchemy, dance and languages, despite having a high knowledge of weapons and strategies, believing that some women are destined for the art of poison.
Her dragon egg hatched while still in her cradle, and a beautiful beast emerged, Alyssane named it: 'darkest night' for the deep blue hue and white details. Reserved, everyone knew she was a feisty beauty, who prefers her younger brothers and dragon over anyone. Her solitude and insistent beauty, if followed by the vessel from which she was adapted to sorcery, rumors grew worse when she married her twin brother without her parents' knowledge in the year 321 AC.
What is honor compared to a woman’s love? What is duty against the feel of a newborn son in your arms… or the memory of a brother’s smile? Wind and words. Wind and words. We are only human, and the gods have fashioned us for love. That is our great glory, and our great tragedy.
Jon Snow - and family that haunts him, because sometimes ghosts make for the best love stories.