In Winterfell now, only Bran and Robb were on decent terms with him. They had grown up training together, while Reed was still too young to understand anything. But Lady Catelyn's gaze, mingling grief, suspicion, and a faint trace of loathing, would surely leave him on edge.
After all, he was the one who most resembled their father. Making Lady Catelyn look at him every day would be painful for Jon himself, even if she did nothing. Leaving Winterfell to begin a new life at the Dreadfort therefore also allowed him to avoid that awkwardness and potential pain.
At the same time, Jon had heard that Arya and Sansa had chosen to remain in King's Landing.
Knowing Arya and the stubborn, free-spirited nature she had possessed since childhood, Jon guessed that she had probably fallen for Viserys Targaryen.
Otherwise, given her attachment to the North, she would certainly have chosen to return to Winterfell without hesitation. Even Viserys could not have stopped her.
However, Jon had also heard that Viserys already had a fiancée-more than one, in fact-which left him worried about his sister's future.
He prayed silently for her, hoping Arya would eventually find somewhere she truly belonged, free of the constraints of a political marriage, and attain happiness and peace.
As for Sansa, the sister who had once dreamed of becoming queen, Jon could only imagine how she was getting along at the court in King's Landing from the scattered rumors he heard. He hoped they would both stay safe.
As for House Manderly of White Harbor, they controlled one of the four largest ports in Westeros and possessed immense wealth and abundant supplies.
This sole maritime gateway to the North was run by the ancient House Manderly, originally from the Reach. Their trading network now extended across