"The Boltons and Freys betrayed Robb," Jon explained, voice thick as he recounted the things that had happened during the War of Five Kings. "Robb declared for Northern independence after you were...executed and he was to marry a Frey girl. He didn't. He married someone else, so the Freys and Boltons threw their lots in with the Lannisters and had him murdered along with his wife and your lady wife."
Jon paused for a moment. He had no love for the Lady Catelyn but he knew that she'd been a good mother to her children and a good wife for his father. He could respect a great lady even if he hadn't liked her personally.
"Sansa was held captive in King's Landing. They married her to Tyrion Lannister. From what she's told me, the Imp never consummated that marriage so when he was accused of murdering Joffrey, Baelish took her away to the Eyrie and eventually took her north to marry Roose Bolton's bastard, Ramsay. Ramsay...Father, he did things to her that I can't even speak of. I don't know how she survived it. She doesn't know about it, so you can't speak to her of it. I don't know how this place works but people come from different eras, different times. Sansa is from before. She doesn't know. I've told her not to go to Winterfell, not to consent to marry. I've tried to protect her without telling her. I've kept it from her."
He paused again, this time trying to push through his own sorrow and anger to continue explaining why he'd done what he'd done.
"Sansa escaped Ramsay and came to me at Castle Black. He'd set dogs after her, had been hunting her down. I promised her that I would keep her safe, that I would do whatever I had to do to keep her safe. It was Sansa's idea to march on Winterfell, not mine. She wanted it back. She rallied the Northern lords. Ramsay sent a letter, said he'd...well, I can't say what it said. But Sansa could. She read it out loud for all of us to hear. She wasn't afraid. She said she'd die before she went back to him. She rode with me to treat with him and looked him in the eyes and told him that he'd die. She has a spine of steel, Father. She carried out the sentence herself. We took the castle back and they made me King in the North. That's all that happened before I came here and that's why I forsook my vows. I forsook them to protect Sansa. I would do it again and again if it meant she was safe. I know I'm not your trueborn son and that Lady Catelyn wouldn't want me to use the words of her house but Family, Duty and Honor mean something to Sansa and they mean something to me, too. It was my honor and my duty to take care of my family. She's all I have left."
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Jon paused for a moment. He had no love for the Lady Catelyn but he knew that she'd been a good mother to her children and a good wife for his father. He could respect a great lady even if he hadn't liked her personally.
"Sansa was held captive in King's Landing. They married her to Tyrion Lannister. From what she's told me, the Imp never consummated that marriage so when he was accused of murdering Joffrey, Baelish took her away to the Eyrie and eventually took her north to marry Roose Bolton's bastard, Ramsay. Ramsay...Father, he did things to her that I can't even speak of. I don't know how she survived it. She doesn't know about it, so you can't speak to her of it. I don't know how this place works but people come from different eras, different times. Sansa is from before. She doesn't know. I've told her not to go to Winterfell, not to consent to marry. I've tried to protect her without telling her. I've kept it from her."
He paused again, this time trying to push through his own sorrow and anger to continue explaining why he'd done what he'd done.
"Sansa escaped Ramsay and came to me at Castle Black. He'd set dogs after her, had been hunting her down. I promised her that I would keep her safe, that I would do whatever I had to do to keep her safe. It was Sansa's idea to march on Winterfell, not mine. She wanted it back. She rallied the Northern lords. Ramsay sent a letter, said he'd...well, I can't say what it said. But Sansa could. She read it out loud for all of us to hear. She wasn't afraid. She said she'd die before she went back to him. She rode with me to treat with him and looked him in the eyes and told him that he'd die. She has a spine of steel, Father. She carried out the sentence herself. We took the castle back and they made me King in the North. That's all that happened before I came here and that's why I forsook my vows. I forsook them to protect Sansa. I would do it again and again if it meant she was safe. I know I'm not your trueborn son and that Lady Catelyn wouldn't want me to use the words of her house but Family, Duty and Honor mean something to Sansa and they mean something to me, too. It was my honor and my duty to take care of my family. She's all I have left."