“Tell me that none of this troubles you, Jon...and I'll name you a liar, and know I have the truth of it.Jon drew himself up, taut as a bowstring. And if it did trouble me, what might I do, bastard as I am?What will you do? Mormont asked. Bastard as you are?Be troubled, said Jon, and keep my vows.”

“Your brother Robb has been crowned King in the North. You and Aemon have that in common. A king for a brother.” said Mormont.“And this too,” said Jon. “A vow.”The Old Bear gave a loud snort, and the raven took flight, flapping in a circle about the room. “Give me a man for every vow I’ve seen broken and the Wall will never lack for defenders.”“I’ve always known that Rob will be Lord of Winterfell.”Mormont gave a whistle, and the bird flew to him again and settled on his arm. “A lord’s one thing, a king’s another. They will garb your brother Robb in silks, satins, and velvets of a hundred different colors, while you live and die in black ringmail. He will wed some beautiful princess and father sons on her. You’ll have no wife, nor will you ever hold a child of your own blood in your arms. Robb will rule, you will serve. Men will call you a crow. Him they’ll call `Your Grace’. Singers will praise every little thing he does, while your greatest deeds all go unsung. Tell me that none of this troubles you, Jon… and I’ll name you a liar, and know I have the truth of it.”Jon drew himself up, taut as a bowstring “And if it did trouble me, what might I do, bastard as I am?”“What will you do?” Mormont asked. “Bastard as you are.”“Be troubled,” said Jon, “and keep my vows.”

“You do not know me,’ said Tortoise. ‘I am a changed man. I have learned that a man who makes trouble for others makes trouble for himself.”

“Never ask me about Jon; he is my blood and that is all you need to know! Ned was different. He brought his bastard home, and called him son.”

“You wanna fight?" I asked.He looked up at me and, for just a second, hesitated, then said, "Yeah. I do.""Well, I'll save you the trouble. You win.”

“And what exactly is it that you do?""I do pretty much what the name implies. I shoot trouble.”