Chapter 6

The Crypts

Walking towards his Aunt's statue with his siblings behind him, Jon wondered what was so important for him to find that his uncle had wasted his last few moments to tell him to come here. The lantern in his hand illuminated the tombs as he passed them and he could almost feel the eyes of the old Kings and Lord's of Winterfell watching them silently as they passed. He eyed the last of the King's sitting on his throne with his Direwolf curled up at his feet and couldn't help but feel judged. Making it to the last of the occupied tombs he looked up the face of his Aunt and wondered if it was her likeness. He felt more than saw Sansa walk past him to their father's tomb and light the candles around it and heard the squeaking of wheels as Arya pushed Bran over the stone floor to come to rest in front of his namesake.

Jon wasn't sure how long they all stood there in silence with only themselves and the dead for company but it was broken when they heard the sound of something clicking on the stone floor. Looking back up the dark crypts he spotted Ghost coming out of the shadows and making his way toward them as silent as ever. He padded over to Jon and nudged his big head against the hand that Jon had hanging by his side asking for the scratch that Jon was quick to give him behind the ear. Once he had enough Ghost stepped forward towards the statue sitting in front of Lyanna's tomb and started sniffing around it.

With his lips twitching slightly at his wolf's hint Jon knelt down to look for what ever his uncle wanted him to find. Running his hands over the top of the base in which the statue sat on he felt for anything that was out of place before sweeping them along the front of it when he didn't find anything. He'd only finished the front of it when he heard Ghost digging at something at the back of the statue. Standing up he moved round to him to get a good look at what had caught his attention, aware of his siblings watching his every move. Ghost seemed to look him in the eye as he leant down beside him before leaning down to touch his nose at the bottom corner of the base. Holding the lantern up close to it he caught a glimpse of a lip in the stone work so pushing ghost out of the way he ran his fingers over the grove.

It ran the whole way around the base, like a drawer in a desk but he was unable to get it free. Reaching for the dagger he kept on his belt he slipped it in between the stone and worked it around the slab until he felt it loosening until finally he was able the get a hold of it with his fingers and shuffle it out. He felt Ghost press up against him and leaning in as if to check for danger but instead ended up sneezing from the dust that had gathered over the years. Chuckling at him Jon reached in and felt what appeared to be a sack with something solid inside it. Giving a tug on the sack he was able to pull it out. Ghost was straight over inspecting it as Jon opened it to see what was inside and as he did a roll of parchment fell to the ground. Looking down at it he saw that it had his name written on the side in his fathers hand writing along with his wax seal. He reached down, picking it up and with shaking fingers he broke the seal and unfurled the parchment and started to read.

Jon

If you are reading this then I am dead and either Benjen or Howland Reed have told you where to find the chest. Before you open the chest make sure you are somewhere secure and that only those you trust completely are with you. Remember, you may not have the Stark name, but you have the blood running through your veins. What you are about to learn from the chest will change everything you know. I am so sorry for the part I played in It and that I haven't had the courage to tell you in person. If you are not already in a secure place, go there now before reading the letter inside the chest.

Lord Eddard Stark, Warden of the North.

Also the chest needs no key. It will open at your touch, and only your touch. It has been spelled to react only to your blood, which will be explained in the chest.

Reading over the letter he knew that his shock and worry was showing on his face as he got to the end of the letter and looking up towards his sibling still standing in front of the statue he could see they where wathcing him with a mixture of expressions. Bran was the hardest to read. The blank look didn't give anything away and Jon wondered if he was trying to look into the past again. Sansa looked worried. Most likely wondering what damage would be done with what ever information Uncle Benjen wanted him to know. Arya just looked impatient. She looked as if she was bouncing on the balls of her feet and nearly shaking in her effort to stand still. Sure enough it was Arya that broke the tense silence that had decended over the crypt since he'd pulled the chest out of under the statue and saw his name on the roll of parchment that came with it.

"Well what does it say?"

Instead of answering her, he handed the letter over and watched as her eyes flickered across the parchment and her eyebrow's furrowed in confusion the further down she got. Once finished she glanced at the chest as she handed the letter over to Sansa. For two sisters so vastly different their facial expression as they read the letter where scarily similar.

Looking up, Sansa locked her eyes with his before saying "You can't open it here. Even though these crypts are meant for Starks only, anyone could be listening around the corner." Taking the letter back from her and rolling it up and safely securing it in his cloak, Jon nodded knowing she was right and looked down at the half unwrapped chest before asking, "So where?"

The crypts fell silent again as each of them thought on that question before Arya spoke up. "Fath . . . your solar." she stumbled over naming it and gave him a sheepish expression. Jon couldn't blame her, even he still called it their fathers so he just waved his hand and gave her a small smile to show he understood and she continued, "Its the only room down that hall way. If you put guards that you trust at the end of the hall, nobody would get near the door to listen, and there's no way to spy from the windows." Jon had to agree with her and nodded his head once before looking to Sansa. He knew things between the sisters had been tense and wanted her opinion as well. He was glad to see her nod in agreement with her sister.

Kneeling down to the chest he wrapped it back up in the sack that had covered it for protection. Testing the weight of the chest he found that it wasn't to heavy but when he went to lift it he felt his side twinge and so got back up leaving the chest on the ground for now. This late at night he hoped there weren't to many people in the courtyard or hallways. He knew the four of them where going to look slightly suspicious coming out of the crypts with an unknown package and Jon would prefer to know of the chest's contents before people started asking questions of it. Sending Sansa and Bran out first, he put the stone that had been removed from his Aunt's statue back in place and made sure any debris around it where scattered. Looking to Arya he asked "Can you take an end? It's not heavy but my ribs won't let me carry it by myself."

Agreeing she lifted an end of the sack and together they made there way back up to the courtyard. Sansa and Bran where nowhere to be seen and he hoped she'd gone to get Davos and some of their most trusted men. They'd made it through the courtyard and where just starting up the stairs when Daenerys, with Ser Jorah at her back, came into view at the top. She paused and watched as the two of them made their way up to her, looking curiously at the sack Jon and Arya where carrying between them.

"We ran into Lady Stark and she said that you found something but she didn't say what." Daenerys spoke as they reached the top, looking at the package the two of them carried.

"That's because we don't know yet." Instead of explaining he awkwardly fished the letter out from his cloak and handed it to her. Daenerys quickly read the letter and once she was finished she raised an eyebrow at him, intrigued. Deciding he wanted her there he explained their plan as the continued walking down the hallways towards his solar. Ser Davos and two guards where waiting for them and a quick enquiry told him that Bran was in his solar and Sansa was fetching refreshments for them. Jon hoped she brought something strong as he had a feeling he was going to need it.