Chapter Text
The weather was a bit cold, as it always is in Winterfell, but it was a good kind of cold. It wasn't the kind of cold that made you want to stay inside the bed all day long with the fire burning in the firepit. It was a nice cold. Where you did need to wear warm cloths but not too many layers that it gets heavy. It was the kind of cold where the sun was still out and you could go outside and play.
It was the perfect weather for Robb Stark's 10th nameday.
The family was eating in the morning together, and even Jon and Theon were there. Catelyn wasn't very please with Jon there with then, but it was her son nameday and he really wanted Jon to be there with him, so she allowed it, although it didn't stop her from staring daggers at him.
“Father is it okay if Jon, Theon and I will go training together now?” Robb asked once the three of them finished their meals.
“You may, but I want to give you something first. Jon, Theon you may go start training if you'd like.” Ned answered as he finished his own meal and got up. Robb followed him
Ned led his son to the blacksmith shop.
Mikken worked outside on a sword when he saw the two approaching and stopped to greet them “My lords” he marked with a small bow.
Ned acknowledged him with a smile and asked him “Is it ready Mikken?”
”It is my lord. Wynnstan!” the blacksmith shouted to his son.
A young boy came outside, he looked to be around Robb's age, quite short for a boy his age, with average body, he was a bit dirty and ashy, but it only made his forest green eyes show brighter.
The boy walked outside and saw the grown man and a boy, he recognized them as The lord of Winterfell and his son and immediately muttered a greeting before turning to his father, asking what he needed him to do. “ Can you go inside and get the sword I made yesterday? It is wrapped in a small blanket in the left corner” The blacksmith requested his son, to which he responded with a nod and went back inside quickly.
The two grown men continued chatting with each other, but Robb hasn't really paid attention.
He thought about the other boy. Wynnstan, he think he heard the blacksmith say. He thought about how eager he seemed to help his father, and how shy he became when he noticed them. Robb didn't know if it was because the boy knew who they were or maybe that's just the way he is, like Jon is around other people. But it didn't matter, because Robb was interrogated by this boy, he looked friendly and wanted to get to know him.
His thoughts were cut off when he saw the boy rushing outside with a covered sword, giving it to his father before he whispered to him if he needed anything else. His father dismissed him, and so he mumbled another greeting and fled back inside.
“I'm sorry my lord, he gets quite shy around other people”. Ned chuckled to that “It's quite alright, my bastard son acts the same”.
“This is for you young lord” Robb's attention moved from the boy inside the store to the sword the blacksmith gave him.
“Wow! Is that mine father?” Robb inquired, looking at the sword with an awe, as he and Ned started walking away.
They walked up the stairs to the battlements, looking at Winterfell from above.
“Do you know why I gave you the sword, Robb?”
Robb looked at his father and shook his head.
“I gave you the sword because a sword is one way to protect your people.
Whether on the battle field or as a way to punish those who put others in danger.
But you also ought to remember that words and diplomacy is another way, a better way, to protect your people.” Robb listened intensely.
”Being a lord is like being a father.” Ned added. “Only for a thousand of people, and you need to help them and protect them. The farmers plowing the fields, are yours to protect. The charwomen scrubbing the floors, yours to protect. The soldiers you order into battle. It's not gonna be easy, you are going to need to be brave and find you're inner wolf. I myself wake up with fear every morning, and going to bed with fear every night.” Ned explained
Robb's eyebrows narrows “How can a man be brave if his afraid?”
“It is the only time a man can be afraid”.
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Later on, Robb was admiring his new sword while practicing with it, hitting the training dummy. Earlier he showed the sword with pride to Jon and Theon, who were hypnotized by it. But now Jon went to be with Arya, after she complained she was bored and Sansa didn't let her play with her, complaining she was ruining everything. And Theon was called by Sir Rodrick to help him with a few duties.
That is when he noticed the boy from the blacksmith passing by, with a basket of vegetables and what he thinks is a few dead hares, and he just couldn't resist
“Hey!” he called him and the boy stopped and looked over to him, with wide glimmering green eyes.
“You're the blacksmith son, Wynnstan, right?”
“Y-Yes” the boy stuttered.
Robb didn't really know what to say now. He hasn't really thought this through, he just felt the need to call him.
“Do you maybe want to practice with me?” Robb almost pleaded.
He noticed Wynnstan eyes widening even more, shifting from his sword to the slightly damaged dummy. “With a wooden sword, of course. I promise I wouldn't hurt you.”
Wynnstan relaxed a bit but not entirely. “I-I don't know how to use a sword”
he said quietly, Robb nearly didn't hear him, embarrassed at that. It was almost Ironic the the son of the blacksmith, who makes swords, doesn't know how to use one.
“Than I'll teach you.” Once the words left Robb mouth he realized he might have been a little too much stern. “I-I mean, if you want me too”
Wynnstan froze. He was never really good at talking to other people other than his father. The thought of him interacting another person, let alone his future lord, terrified him. But something inside of him screamed to give the young lord a chance.
So he did, and from that moment the two became inseparable.