Forged In Ice

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/13320672.

Rating: Mature
Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Category: F/M
Fandom: Game of Thrones (TV), A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, A
Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms
Relationship: Jon Snow/Original Female Character(s), Jon Snow & Original Female
Character(s)
Character: Jon Snow, Original Female Character(s), Tormund Giantsbane,
Samwell Tarly, Sansa Stark, Ghost (ASoIaF), Edd Tollett, Other(s),
Davos Seaworth, Melisandre of Asshai, Stannis Baratheon, Gilly
(ASoIaF), Brienne of Tarth, Podrick Payne, Brother(s) of the Night's
Watch, Original Characters, original northern house, Alliser Thorne
Additional Tags: Eventual Romance, Fluff, Angst, Eventual Smut, Blood and Violence,
end of season 5 and on, Battle Scenes, Murder, Falling In Love, Warrior
Woman, life at castle black, Original Character(s), Slow Burn, Fluff and
Smut, Near Death Experiences, War, Execution, Forbidden Love,
Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2018-01-09 Updated: 2023-04-24 Words: 70,890 Chapters:
25/?

Forged In Ice
by Queen_of_the_Crows

Summary

Mirra Theirin is a warrior woman, a noble woman, from an ancient northern house still
around from the time of the first man; they still hold their loyalty to House Stark. Mirra
goes to Castle Black with a small army of her father's men to answer Lord Commander
Snow's call for aid against the White Walkers. She always wanted to fight but as a woman
never could regardless of her skill, she jumped at the opportunity to go where they wouldn't
turn down skilled fighters. Her and Jon knew each other as children as her father often had
business at Winterfell and would take her along for a couple months every year until she
was 13 and the Kings visit at Winterfell waylaid their plans. My story comes in in what
would be the last few episodes of season 5, making both Mirra and Jon 20 years old. It
follows the main plot points of the show with my own take of course on interactions.

IMPORTANT: I am still actively working on this, sometimes its just hard to find the extra
time. Getting closer to some of the parts I'm really excited to get into so stay tuned for that.
Thank you for everyone who sticks around and keeps reading despite my slow updates :)
 Lady of the North

It was early in the afternoon when the raven arrived at Highever in the north from Castle Black. A
young woman with hair just as dark as the raven’s wings was brushing her horse in the stables just
back from her morning ride. She smiled to herself as she brushed the black stallion’s mane. The
only time she felt truly free was on the back of the horse, rushing through the grounds of Highever.
“Pardon milady, a raven just arrived for you.” One of the servants from the kitchen staff entered
the stables with a small scroll in her hand, slightly outstretched.
The raven haired woman set her brush down and turned and exited the stall. “Thank you Leanne.”
She said as she walked over and took the scroll.
“Of course Lady Mirra.” She bowed and left the stables.
Lady Mirra Theirin was the only child of Lord Matthew Theirin and his wife Lady Elizabeth
Theirin. They were one of the strongest houses in the north and still held fierce loyalty to the
Starks even though their king was slaughtered and the murderers now reigned at Winterfell. Mirra
was an exceptional woman; she was well read and intelligent, beautiful, a fierce fighter, an
excellent rider, and she had a thirst for adventure that would never allow her to take the simple life
of a woman and marry and have children, not that she wanted a life like that anyway. Anyone who
looked at Mirra could tell she was from the north. She had long thick hair as dark as the ravens’
wings. Her skin was pale as was most girls of the north. Her eyes were the deepest of blues, like
looking out over the sea on a bright and clear today; they were made all the more striking against
her light skin and dark hair. Her lips were soft, inviting, and her figure was small and what most
consider to be ideal, skinny, but she was not without muscle as her sword training and riding had
given her strength. She was a woman of only 20, many men looked to her father, hoping to marry
her but everyone had been refused. Lord Theirin loved his daughter and respected her wishes to not
be married off and to let her find her own husband, in her own time. Her mother greatly disagreed
with this and wished to see her daughter wed to a good house sooner rather than later. Most
everyone knew that her mother wished to see her wed to Robb Stark, the King of the North. She
even took the liberty to send a raven to Robb Stark in his army camp asking him to marry her
daughter without either her husband or daughter knowing. Her hopes were dashed once the king
returned a raven saying that he had fond memories growing up with Mirra but that he had married
another. Mirra smiled at the message and sent a raven back to her old friend congratulating him on
his marriage and wishing him all the happiness in the world for him and his bride. Lady Mirra
didn’t want to marry because it was a good match, she wanted to marry for love or not at all.
The young lady turned the scroll over in her hand as she exited the stable into the main square of
the castle. She ran her finger over the seal on the parchment. “Castle Black. How interesting.”
Mirra crossed the rest of the square and entered the castle where she stole away to her room to
change from her pants and coat into a dress her mother would find more appropriate for dinner.
She set the scroll on her dressing table and stripped out of her leather pants, black blouse, and long
tailed coat. She also pulled a ribbon from her hair and let it fall down her back slowly unraveling
her long braid. She sat down at her table and picked up and began brushing her hair as she looked
out her window over the castle grounds wondering what the Night’s Watch might want with her
family but she knew not to open it since her father was the lord, it was meant for him. She finished
brushing her hair and dressed in a black gown with long flowing sleeves and deep blue
embroidering, the same colors as the banner of house Theirin. She left her hair to hang down as she
grabbed the scroll and left her room. She walked through the castle until she arrived at the large
door of her father’s study.
“Father.” She knocked on his door even though it was slightly ajar.
“You know you’re always welcome in here Mirra.” Lord Theirin replied as his daughter pushed the
door open and crossed the threshold.
“A raven arrived today. From Castle Black.” Mirra said as she walked into the room and stood at
the opposite end of a desk where her father seemed to be keeping an eye on Bolton troop
movements as best he could. She reached across the table and handed her father the scroll she had
received earlier.
“I’m surprised to see that you haven’t already read it yourself.” He mentioned with a laugh as he
broke the seal and unrolled the small letter.
“It didn’t seem like I should.” She responded as she carefully watcher her father’s face as he read
the contents.
“It seems the Night’s Watch has lost many men in a war against the Wildlings. They request that
we send some of our men to help them replenish what was lost because winter is coming and it
brings White Walkers.” Lord Theirin sat the letter down on his desk.
“Winter is coming. Famous words of the Starks and all of us in the north already know that, better
than anyone else. Why ask to send only a few? Why not all of what they lost to give them back
what was lost? We can spare the men. We could spare many more men if it wasn’t for a possible
attack from Winterfell at any moment.” Mirra scoffed as she said the last words. She hated Lord
Bolton and his bastard son.
Lord Theirin couldn’t help but smile at his daughter’s words. She had picked up on a lot in her
years and strategy was not lost on her. “I don’t intend to send 20 men. I intend to send the 50 men
that they lost and that way all the men that the other houses must send will be extra hands that they
didn’t have before. It’s the least I could do for an order so needed as the Watch and out of respect
for their Lord Commander and his family.”
Mirra piqued up at this and looked at her father. “Who is Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch?”
“Jon Snow, Eddard Stark’s bastard son.”
“The rightful heir of Winterfell and Warden of the North.”
“Both are true. There must always be a Stark in Winterfell. Although it is good that Jon had
departed for the wall because if he had been here, he would have been with Robb at all his battles
and he would have been there at the red wedding. Walder Frey and Lord Bolton would have killed
him too and then where would we be?” Her father said sadly.
“I hate the Frey’s just as I hate the Bolton’s. Both deserve execution.” Mirra said angrily. They all
knew that Robb Stark could have won the war, defeated the Lannister’s, taken the Iron Throne
from those false kings and sat someone else in their place who deserved it.
“That they do dear girl, but we are not in a place right now to go after either of them. The only
reason they have not come here to Castle Theirin to demand our taxes and our loyalty is because
they know they can’t scare us as they did the others. Our army is much too vast for them to send
only a small party and try to flay us like they have other houses. And they cannot send their whole
army because it would leave Winterfell vulnerable and it would be an act of war against us and
Lord Bolton doesn’t wish to test his men against our own to see who would win. I also think he
knows that if he comes here, it doesn’t matter how he frightened other houses, the north will join
us and rise up against him to retake Winterfell and put an end to them.”
Mirra thought on this for a moment. “So they would rather just let this uneasy peace last for the
moment then risk coming here? Why not raise the north ourselves and take the war to them?”
“Winterfell is a fortress, even more so now that it has been restored and rebuilt. We don’t have the
siege equipment we would need to break her walls and I would wish a much bigger army than
what we have, even with the other lord’s sending us their armies. I want enough men that they have
no hope of winning and we cannot lose.”
“I understand father. I will bow to no Bolton, no matter what happens.” Mirra’s deep eyes blazed
with fire.
“Nor will I bend my knee to them. They killed our king in cold blood and took what isn’t theirs to
have. One day they will pay.” Lord Theirin slammed his fist on the table in front of him. “There is
much work to be done now, however. I must gather our men that will be marching to Castle Black
and inform our commander of what is going on.
“Father wait.” Mirra turned to him as he moved to leave the room. “I have a request. I would like to
go with our men to Castle Black.”
“What ever for? You know you cannot join the watch, they only take men.”
“I know father but I can fight there. I can’t join our army or the king’s guard or anything else but
the Night’s Watch needs fighters, whoever they can get, and I know that I’m better than a lot of the
men that they probably have there. Winter is coming, we all know it, they’re going to need help
and I can help them. And we will have plenty of our own men there and they wouldn’t let anything
happen to me. Please father, let me go with them. What’s the point of my sword training if I will
never get to use any of it?”
“What would I tell your mom? She’ll be furious.”
“Tell her the truth, tell her that I’m not made for a simple life of a loveless marriage and children
and nothing else, tell her I’m doing what I need to to make my own way and my own happiness,
tell her I’m doing it for the realm. Please father, send me with them.”
“Very well, you may go to Castle Black. I will deal with your mother, although I’m sure she’ll
have some words for you come dinner tonight. Go ready your things, I want to have everyone
ready to march for the wall in the morning.”
Mirra’s smile reached her eyes and she grabbed her father and hugged him tight. “Thank you
father! I promise you won’t regret this.”
“As long as you make it back home safely whenever this is done, I’ll be happy.” The man smiled
as he hugged his daughter back. “Now go prepare, I have much to do before dinner tonight.”
Mirra smiled as she breezed from the study and half ran to her room to pack her clothes and other
little things that she thought she may need.

“Matthew I cannot believe that you are allowing our daughter, our only child, to go to Castle Black
and put her on the front lines of winter and this war with the wildlings! How could you do this?!”
Lady Theirin was in tears but it was unknown whether they were from sadness or angry or more
likely a mix of both.
“It’s what she wants Elizabeth. You know she won’t be happy here waiting for you to try to force a
husband on her who she doesn’t want. She’ll be well protected, our men won’t let any harm come
to her and Lord Commander Snow is a good man and he will see to it that she is safe as well.”
“You say that like those assurances will mean a damn to me when they don’t!” She picked up her
wine glass and took a drink. “She needs to stay here where it actually is safe.”
“It’s only safe here for now. This uneasy avoidance between us and house Bolton won’t last
forever and when it ends it will bring war. When that day comes, Mirra is much safer at Castle
Black than she will be here.” Lord Theirin said that last bit with an air of finality, attempting an end
to the conversation before Mirra would join them for dinner, although she had heard it all from
where she stood in the hallway right before she entered the dining hall.
“There’s my girl.” Her father smiled as she took her place at the table while her mother couldn’t
even bear to look at her at the moment. “Do you have everything you need packed and ready to
move in the morning?”
“Because you’re shipping her off to her death! Let’s just talk about it like it’s something cheerful!”
Lady Theirin couldn’t hold in her anger any longer.
“I want to go mother, no one is forcing me. I asked to go. And I’m not going to die. None of our
men will allow it and neither will the Lord Commander.”
Her mother just shook her head. “What would you know of that? You haven’t even seen the man
since you were both children.”
“He’s a good man dear wife. Ned Stark raised all his boys to be good men.”
“I should have tried to marry her to Robb Stark sooner, then we wouldn’t be dealing with this right
now.” She sighed and took a drink of wine.
“No then I’d be dead just like him and his wife and his mother. How would that be any better?!”
Mirra was getting angry herself now. She knew that her mother couldn’t force her to stay, not as
long as her father allowed her to go but it made her angry all the same that she just wouldn’t accept
that she was leaving.
“It wouldn’t be better but if Robb already had a wife when he began the war, Walder Frey couldn’t
have made one of his terms that Lord Stark marry one of his daughters, thus couldn’t get angry
when a vow was broken and the red wedding probably would have never happened. I think you
would have been very happy with him. He was a good man and he was handsome and you knew
him so it wouldn’t have been like marrying a stranger.”
“I knew him when I was a girl. You said so yourself, I haven’t seen Jon Snow or any of the Stark’s
since we were all much younger, not yet men and women. Yes Robb Stark was a good man and
maybe I would have been happy to be his wife but I didn’t love him and I won’t marry someone
that I do not love, I just won’t. I’d rather be alone and happy than in a loveless marriage and be
miserable. I’m going to Castle Black because I need to do what I feel is right for me and to live my
own life. You don’t have to agree with my choices, just accept that they are what I want and I need
to be my own person.”
“You will still go with our soldiers in the morning, it will just take some time for your mother to
get used to the idea and you being gone. You shouldn’t be too surprised Elizabeth, she gets her
head strong attitude from you after all.” Matthew Theirin laughed as he said this last part, trying to
break some of the tension between the women in his family. “Let’s enjoy this last meal together as
a family, it will be the last one for a long time I’m sure.”
“Thank you father. Mother I’ll make sure to return home in one piece someday.” Mirra told both
her parents as she began to eat her dinner.
Lady Elizabeth Theirin simply nodded with tears in her eyes and turned her attention towards her
dinner. No one spoke to each other the rest of the night except for the simple good night they all
said to each other before retiring to their rooms.

Shortly after the sun began to rise the next morning, Mirra awoke from her bed in Castle Theirin
for the last time. She lay in bed for a little while longer simply gazing out the window at the
coming day and thinking of the journey ahead. Below her, she could hear her family’s soldiers
running about in the courtyard readying the carts they would be bringing with them and preparing
the horses for the long ride. Sounds of shouted orders and clanking steel could be heard as the
soldier’s armor plates banged against each other as they all rushed to finish the commander’s
orders before Lord Theirin emerged to check their progress.
Mirra slowly pushed the blankets and furs off to the side and planted her feet on the cold floor. A
shiver ran down her spine at the chill as she walked over to her dressing table and sat down in front
of it to brush out her long raven hair. Her agile hands deftly worked the thick hair into a long braid
that she let hang down her back for the time being. It was best to have her long locks out of her
face when she rode. She took the brush from her table and biggest and softest fur from her bed and
slipped out of her night gown and carefully packed them into her trunk before closing the lid and
latching it shut. Among the other things that filled her trunk were pants, long sleeved blouses, a
couple of corsets, an extra jacket, and various necessities. She opted to only bring one dress
because they weren’t practical and she honestly didn’t really like to wear them anyway.
The young lady stood naked in the center of her room enjoying the slight chill of the air on her
exposed skin. She allowed herself a short moment before she began to dress and head out to the
courtyard. Lady Mirra had put aside all her dresses and wasn’t sad to be leaving them behind. She
was now also a warrior, not just a lady, and the thought made her smile. She slipped into a pair of
black leather pants and over the top she wore a plain white blouse with loose long sleeve that tied
at the chest which she tucked into the waistband of her pants. Over the blouse she wrapped a black
corset around her torso and pulled it just tight enough to do its job but not enough to keep her from
fighting. She grabbed her black coat and slipped her arms through, the ends of her white sleeves
poking out at the wrists. The coat was short in the front reaching only to her waist but had long tails
in the back. It was warm enough for now but she packed a longer one better suited to what she
assumed the weather would be at Castle Black. The last thing she put on was her long black cloak
with fur around the neckline and shoulders and an oversized hood that would more than cover her
face should she need it to. She reached into one of the drawers of her dressing table and removed a
thigh holster and dagger which she latched around her right thigh and slipped the dagger into its
sheath. She pulled her long braid from behind her back and draped it over her shoulder as she
slowly took a look around the room she had lived in all her life. Mirra smiled and opened the heavy
wooden door where she found a servant standing outside the door waiting for her.
“My lady,” The young man bowed to her, “I’m here to grab your things for you.”
“Thank you, it’s all in the trunk at the foot of the bed.” Mirra said as she walked past him and
continued down the hall and made her way outside.
Once outside she could tell that most of the work was already done and the soldiers were mostly
milling about waiting to leave, waiting on her and her father, many of them instantly snapped to the
ready as she walked down the few stairs from the castle into the courtyard, her cloak billowing out
behind her.
“Lady Mirra, Shadow has been saddled and fed this morning and he is ready for you.” The
commander of the Theirin forces said upon approaching her with her stallion’s reins in hand.
Mirra smiled as she took the reins in her hand and brushed the horse’s head with her other. “You’re
not riding with us to Castle Black?”
“Afraid not milady. I will be staying here to command your father’s armies should Lord Bolton
make any move against us. It is my lieutenant who will be joining you and my men at the wall.”
The man replied as her looked around doing final inspections.
“Well should they try anything, they won’t stand a chance.” Mirra said just as her father entered
the courtyard and drew most everyone’s eyes towards him. Standing directly behind Lord Theirin
was his wife who looked equal parts sad and angry at her only daughter going off to basically fight
a war since they all knew winter was coming.
“Commander,” Matthew Theirin nodded to the man as he approached them, “Is everything in
order?”
“Everything is prepared and they are ready to move on your orders sir.” The commander’s
response was quick and to the point and just what Lord Theirin was looking for.
“Excellent! Let me have a moment with my daughter.”
The commander needed no other order and stepped away and went to double check that everything
was in order and everyone accounted for before the 50 soldiers plus the lieutenant and Mirra set
out towards the wall.
“I have a gift for you.” Lord Matthew smiled at his daughter and unhooked a sword belt from his
waist and held it out for her in both of his hands.
Mirra could barely contain her excitement as she grabbed the hilt and slowly pulled the blade from
its sheath. She gasped as she saw how beautiful it was, unblemished and shining. The hilt and
pommel were simple and she liked it that way, beautiful and powerful, a sword meant for use and
not simply ornament. “Is this-“
“Valyrian steel? Yes it is.” He beamed as she slowly and carefully ran her hand over the blade,
even her mother couldn’t help but smile at her happiness.
“But how? It’s so rare to find one with Valyria gone.” Mirra looked her father confused and in awe.
“I didn’t have to find one. This one has been in the Theirin family for many generations now and
was originally forged for one of our ancestors long ago. I simply had it cleaned for you. I was
always hoping that one day it would be in the hands of someone truly worth wielding it again. I can
think of no one better suited to have this blade than you Mirra, its name is Wintersbreath.”
She sheathed the sword and took the belt and hooked in around her waist and hung the sword on
her left side. “Thank you father; I’ll do you proud I promise.”
The man chuckled. “You’ve already done me proud dear girl, just come back to us alive.”
Lady Elizabeth Theirin nodded. “We’ll be praying to the old gods every day for your safe return. I
love you Mirra.” Her mother hugged her and kissed her cheeks.
“I’ll come home again one day and I’ll make sure to send a raven from time to time. I love you
both.” The young lady said as she turned to her father who wrapped her into an embrace and
hugged her tight.
“I love you my dear Mirra. Be careful.” He kissed her forehead and let her go.
Mirra Theirin mounted her horse and together they walked to join the lieutenant at the front of their
gathered forces, her parents not quite ready to say goodbye.
“Are we ready to move out?” Mirra questioned, turning to the lieutenant perched on the white
horse next to her.
“At your command milady.” He replied looking over his shoulder to ensure everyone was
prepared.
“Avoid going near Winterfell at all costs. If the Bolton’s see our banners in so small a company,
they may not hesitate to attack you.” Lord Theirin advised as he looked on his daughter about to
march off to fight. “And lieutenant, you watch over my daughter.”
“With my life milord.” He fisted his hand over his heart and bowed his head.
“Let’s head out!” Mirra called to the soldiers as she urged Shadow forward.
“Mirra!”
She looked over her shoulder at her mother’s call and slowed down.
“Tell Lord Commander Jon Snow that if anything happens to you while under his protection there
is no where that he and the Night’s Watch can hide that I won’t find them.”
Mirra laughed softly at her mother’s threat and simply nodded her acknowledgment as Shadow
picked up speed and the rest of the company of soldiers fell into place behind her. She doubted the
Night’s Watch would be scared by her mother’s words although they should be; the wrath of Lady
Elizabeth Theirin was a terrifying thing to behold. She laughed to herself as she thought about it.
She would have many miles to think about how best to word that to the Lord Commander.
 Arrival at Castle Black
Chapter Summary

Mirra and her company arrive at Castle Black and Mirra has her first encounter with
Lord Commander Jon Snow in seven years.

It was an uneventful journey of well over a fortnight before the company finally arrived at Castle
Black. Mirra had her large hood drawn over her head completely hiding her face in shadow and her
long hair hung down her back.
“Soldiers approaching!” She heard someone from inside yell as they approached the massive gate
to the fortress. “They carry House Theirin colors!” Came next in response to a question no one
heard asked and then the gates swung slowly open and Mirra and her lieutenant led the company of
Theirin soldiers into the open courtyard of the Night’s Watch main base.
Mirra came to halt in the middle of the yard and looked around her. There were men clad in black
standing all around the yard just watching them, some on their level and others on the battlements.
She also noticed a woman wearing a long sleeved dress of a deep crimson color with fiery red hair
and no coat on at all although she didn’t appear to be cold at all. Lady Mirra found that very
strange to find another woman at Castle Black just standing well off to the side observing. Her eyes
came to rest on the landing of a staircase directly in front of her where she found a handsome
young man of her own age dressed in all black with a head of long black curls to match. His brown
eyes looked to her and seemed slightly confused by the face that was hidden in the shadows of her
cloak and he appraised the rest of her men, shocked by the number her father had sent since the
Lord Commander had not asked for that many. Standing beside the man was none other than
Stannis Baratheon, rightful king to the seven kingdoms, which meant that the young man beside
him was Lord Commander Jon Snow.
“Your grace.” The lieutenant said humbly upon seeing the man, he bowed on his horse and Mirra
and the rest of the company followed suit. Stannis nodded to the man and his forces before the
lieutenant turned his attention to the Lord Commander.
“Lord Commander, I am Lieutenant Hawthorne second in command to Lord Theirin’s forces. I
bring with me men to replenish what was lost in your war against the wildlings. Every single one
of them has been trained by some of the best swordsmen in the north and have served in the Lord’s
army for some years. They are battle hardened and know the importance of defending the wall and
protecting the realm. They will do anything you need them to although they will not take the black
as most of them have wives and children back home and will not abandon them. They need no
training and they will take any orders given by you and they can also help train other recruits and
those who need help. Lord Theirin picked some of his best to send along to you.”
“I appreciate the gesture but why so many? I only requested that he send me a handful of what he
could spare, that’s all I asked of all the lords.” Lord Commander Snow seemed both surprised and
puzzled at this development.
“Lord Theirin knows that winter is coming and you need all the help that you can get and he holds
great respect for you and your family and your order. He wants to help.” Lieutenant Hawthorne
replied feeling anxious under question although he had no reason to.
“Lord Theirin is a good man although he doesn’t owe my family anything. Is there something that
he wishes of me in exchange for more men than I asked of him? If I remember one thing about
Lord Theirin it was his fierce loyalty to my family so I imagine he isn’t taking it well now that the
Bolton’s reside in Winterfell and have been named Warden of the North. If he wishes me to send
him Night’s Watch to help him take Winterfell, I cannot do that. Their place is here and so is mine
as much as it pains me to know the man who killed my brother now lives in my home, I can’t aid
Lord Theirin against them.” Jon Snow said rather sadly as he mentioned Robb Stark’s death and
betrayal.
“My father wishes nothing from you or the Night’s Watch.” All eyes turned towards the
mysterious figure in the cloak who said these words. Mirra slowly pulled her hood down and the
collective intake of breath at learning she was a woman was astonishing. She didn’t even
acknowledge it and instead looked to Jon Snow. “Lord Commander, I am Lady Mirra of House
Theirin. My father sent all these men to you because he respects you and your family and knows
you need more men, skilled men. You’re a Stark and as far as my father is concerned, you should
be Warden of the North as it is your right. It is with that respect and loyalty he sent all these men to
you.” She spanned her arm across the battalion of troops behind her.
“In that case I greatly welcome your father’s men and will send a raven to Castle Theirin
immediately to thank him. Olly show all the Theirin soldiers to their quarters.” The boy nodded
and moved away from the crowd as the rest of the soldiers started to dismount their horses and
follow other members of the Watch to the stables before falling in line behind Olly. “Lady Mirra,
can I have a moment?” Lord Commander Snow had to shout to be heard of the soft roar of
conversation and the clanging of heavy armor.
“Of course my lord.” Mirra said simply as she dismounted her horse and handed the reins to a boy
who appeared at her side who could be no more than fifteen years of age. “This is Shadow. Be
careful with him, he’s quite headstrong and sometimes he bites.” She winked at the kid as she
tossed an apple from her saddle bag into his hands. “This helps.” She kissed the horse on the snout
before climbing the staircase where Jon and Stannis stood. “Your grace.” She said with a curtsey.
“My lady.” He replied with a small bow before moving off to meet the strange woman with the red
hair who was still standing off to the side watching the scene unfold, almost as unmoved as she
was when Mirra first observed her.
“This way Lady Mirra.” Jon Snow gestured off down a hallway as he led her to his office. He
closed the heavy wooden door behind her and offered her one of the chairs in front of the large
desk behind which he took a seat himself. Mirra fanned her cloak out over the chair and then she
sat down and crossed one leg over the other.
“It’s been quite a long time since I last saw you, at Winterfell, imagine my surprise to find you here
of all places.”
“Yes it has, seven years, we were both only thirteen at the time if I remember correctly. That was
the last time my father ever brought me along to Winterfell.” Mirra said thinking back to all those
years ago.
“My lady, if you don’t mind my asking, why exactly are you here? It’s a surprise to find any
women here at all and right now we have five and a baby. I don’t object to your presence, I’m
more intrigued by it.” The young commander said, searching for the right words to use. He wasn’t
quite sure what to make of this woman. He had indeed known her in life but that was years ago and
he didn’t know much about her now.
“I want to help. I want to fight. I can’t join my father’s army and I can’t join the king’s guard
either, not that I want to help guard the Lannister’s anyway, I also can’t join the Night’s Watch, I
know that, but I also know that you’re a good man and you won’t turn down anyone who wants to
help you. My father allowed me to come here, to fight for you. I’m skilled with a sword, probably
better than a lot of the men you have under your command, and I want to be here, that’s why I’m
here. Are you going to send me back?”
“Not if you can handle your own which I’m sure you’re even better at now than the girl I sparred
with years ago and like you said, I won’t turn down anyone who wants to help us.” Jon Snow
replied after thinking a moment.
“Thank you my lord, I can do anything you need me to do.”
“You know I’m not a lord don’t you Lady Mirra? I’m a bastard and I have no title.”
“As far as my family is concerned, you’re a Stark, heir to Winterfell, a lord. You deserve the
respect.”
“Yes well, it’s something that many of the men here call me as a joke, a jab at my status. Lord
Snow, they call me and laugh, knowing I’m no lord and hoping it hurts my feelings.” He clasped
his hands together on the table and leaned in as he talked to her.
“That’s not how I mean it. I mean it with all the respect that the title deserves, that you deserve.
You’re a Stark, proper name or not. Your father always knew it and treated you as such.” Mirra
told him also leaning forward in her chair.
“He was a good man.”
“Yes he was and he raised good men.”
“Just as your father raised a strong daughter.” He replied with a smile.
“Yes, well that is something my mother wishes was quite different. If she had her way I would
have been married off years ago to some lord or lord’s son and already have had a child or two.”
Jon Snow laughed at that. “Something tells me that sort of life wouldn’t have suited you.”
“You noticed did you?” Mirra laughed with him, a soft whimsical sound that men loved to listen
to. “That sort of life is exactly what I didn’t want, that’s why I came here, to follow my own heart
and lead my own life. I don’t want someone to dictate my life for me, I want to live it for myself.”
“Being completely honest, that’s why I left Winterfell with my uncle and came here to join the
Night’s Watch. I didn’t just want to live in the shadows as Ned Stark’s bastard son, I love all the
Stark’s and they are my family but I had to make a decision for myself and lead my life. I
understand why you’re here.”
Mirra smiled at him and her smile was something to behold indeed, beautiful and charming and
warm. It was something that made her face even that much more beautiful. “I’m glad you’re the
Lord Commander then Jon Snow. You understand me and I’m really just glad you’re here in
general. It’s good to be around a familiar face. If you don’t mind, I’d actually like to be around you
while I’m here. Well, uh, what I mean is that, uh, I’d like to help you out and learn how things
work around here. I’m sure as Lord Commander you’re a very busy man and have many things to
attend to and I’d like to learn and assist with that as best I can.” It was rare for Mirra Theirin to
stumble over her words but yet she found herself doing just that.
“I don’t mind at all. I would very much enjoy having you around, err, your help I mean.”
Mirra looked away, finding herself unable to hold his gaze for the moment and averting her eyes
covered the soft pink color that had found its way into her cheeks. The pair sat in silence for a
moment before Mirra remembered what her mother had said before she left her home.
“I do have a message for you from my mother. She told me to tell you that if anything happened to
me while I was under your watch that there would be nowhere in Westeros that you or the Night’s
Watch could hide that she wouldn’t find you.”
A chill ran down the man’s spine at those words. “Nothing will happen to you, I won’t allow it. I
remember Lady Theirin and she could be quite the terrifying woman when she wanted to be.”
“Yes, I wouldn’t wish her wrath on anyone.” Mirra replied looking up to catch Jon’s eye again.
“Well she will have nothing to fear as long as I am Lord Commander here.” Jon Snow rose from
his chair and walked around the desk and offered his hand to Mirra. “Let me show you around the
castle and to where you will be sleeping.
“A tour of the castle from the Lord Commander himself sounds good to me.” Mirra replied as she
took the man’s hand and rose from her chair. “Before we go, there is something that I need to tell
you. My father would have just sent a raven to you but the information was far too sensitive and we
didn’t trust it to a raven should your family’s enemies find it and intercept it.” She spoke in a rush,
ready to get the secret out that had been weighing on her heart for months now.
Jon Snow’s face grew quite concerned at her words as he stood there with her hand in his. Mirra
said the next part in a quiet whisper in case anyone might have been listening in on their
conversation. “Your brother Rickon is alive. He arrived at our castle months ago with a woman
named Osha. She told us that Bran and Hordor had gone north of the wall with a couple of others
hunting some three eyed raven from a vision that Bran had. My family has been keeping him safe
and hidden in the castle. The only people who know your brother is there are myself, my mother
and father, and Osha who now works for us as a cover for free roam of the castle. We know that
many people have it out for your family and we couldn’t risk even allowing our own staff to know
that he is alive and with us. You understand why we couldn’t risk this information with a raven.”
Mirra finished speaking and looked up to read his expression.
“I knew Bran lived as it was Sam who let them through the gate to the other side of the wall but no
one had heard any news about Rickon. I’m glad your father knew not to send me a raven. I wasn’t
even here at Castle Black at the time to have received it anyway and I know I have enemies here.
Thank you for protecting him.” Jon grabbed Mirra and pulled her into his arms and hugged her
tight. “To know that at least one of my siblings is alive and safe and that means more to me than
you know.” He let go of her after a moment and moved towards the door. “Ready to see Castle
Black?” He asked as he pulled the door open
“Lead the way.” Mirra smiled as he gestured for her to leave the room and closed the door on their
way out.
 The View Beyond the Wall
Chapter Summary

Mirra gets her first glimpse of what lays beyond the Wall and learns a little more about
life at Castle Black

The pair walked along the hallways for a few minutes with the Lord Commander pointing out the
various rooms and their purpose before Mirra noticed the red haired woman staring at them from
the courtyard where she stood beside Stannis and some of his men. “Who is that woman?” Mirra
asked him tilting her head slightly to the small group.
Jon Snow followed her gaze. “That’s the lady Melisandre. She’s a red priestess in service to King
Stannis. She serves the lord of light she says.”
Mirra caught the woman’s eye and held it until she looked away. “I don’t understand why people
have turned away from the old gods. It seems only those in the north serve them now. From what
I’ve heard of the red priestesses and their lord of light is that they use blood magic and seduction
and sacrifice, usually human sacrifice, to fuel all sorts of spells and carry out their wishes.”
“Those are the types of secrets you hear the men whisper in the shadows. I don’t think they’re far
off either. She came to me once but I wouldn’t give her what she wanted and she hasn’t neared me
since. Stannis is the type of man who will do whatever it takes to get what he wants; I am not that
man. I have morals and values and trust in my gods. It bothers me to have someone like her
roaming my castle.”
Mirra smiled at that. “There’s too few good men left in this world Jon Snow, but you’re one of
them. Don’t ever forget that.”
“Lord Commander! I saw all the men to their barracks and tended to their horses, what do you need
of me?” Olly called as he ran up to them from somewhere deeper in the castle that Jon had not yet
shown her. Olly looked to Mirra, blushed slightly and quickly looked away. “Pardon my lady, I
didn’t mean to intrude.”
“It’s alright. You do have a job to do after all.” Mirra replied.
“You’re free to go for this evening Olly. Just be sure to keep a look out in case any of the Theirin
soldiers need anything. You’re free of my service for the night but not from theirs.” Jon told the
boy who looked quite thrilled at having a mostly free evening.
“Of course ser, I’ll make sure they want for nothing should they need me.” Without a single word
more the boy dashed off to who knows where. It’s not like there was much fun to be had in Castle
Black.
“If you don’t mind my asking, what is Stannis Baratheon doing in Castle Black? And with a full
army at that.” Lady Mirra asked the man once the boy was gone.
“He came looking for me actually from what I understand. It was his army that put a final end to
the war with the free people as they rode and outnumbered them all. He came here wanting my aid
in taking back Winterfell for my family. He aims to restore Winterfell to the Stark’s and in
exchange, the people of the north join him as he goes to King’s Landing to take back his throne.
He offered to officially make me a Stark if I helped him. Refusing was one of the hardest thing I
ever had to do.”
“Then why did you refuse him?”
“I took a vow and swore an oath to the Night’s Watch. They’re my people now.”
“I’m sure he understands why you didn’t.”
Jon laughed at that. “Understanding and accepting are two very different things Lady Mirra. There
are some people that you need to meet.” He opened a door that lead down a short staircase to a
small library that many people would consider to be quite large.
Mirra slowly looked around and ran her hand along the spines on one shelf. She smiled. “I love
books.”
“Really? I didn’t know many people enjoyed reading anymore.” A larger man with a sweet face
came around a shelf farther in the back.
“Lady Mirra Theirin, this is Samuel Tarly, my closest friend.”
“How do you do my lady?” He said to her as he set a book down on a table in front of a young girl
who was reading softly to a baby.
“The woman behind him is Gilly.”
Gilly looked up at her and seemed surprised for a moment. “And this is baby Sam. Would you like
to hold him Lady Mirra?”
“I’m not very good with babies I’m afraid so I probably shouldn’t.” Mirra said shifted her weight
uncomfortably from one foot to another. She never had gotten on well with children. She didn’t
know if it was her or them, but when they were young and little like that they just made her more
uncomfortable than anything.
Gilly looked slightly hurt as she stroked the baby’s head. “It’s alright. Babies aren’t for everyone.”
“What brings you here to Castle Black? Business from your father?” Sam asked her.
“I came with the soldiers my father sent. I’ve never been one for dresses or balls, I’d rather ride
horses and fight with swords so I came here to lend my assistance with my men.”
“You don’t look much like Lady Baratheon or Lady Melisandre. They’re always wearing dresses
and never carry any weapons.” Gilly spoke up quietly.
“Lady is my title cause I’m noble born. It’s respectful, doesn’t mean I have to act like it though, all
dresses and balls and marrying the right man.” Mirra laughed at the thought. “I’d much rather
dress the way I do and carry a sword and marry for love. Life is better that way.”
Jon Snow smiled at that. Arya would have loved her, they were just alike. “Would you care to see
your room before it’s time for dinner?” He asked.
Mirra turned to look at her escort. “That’s probably a good idea. It is getting rather warm to be
walking around inside with this cloak on. I’ll see you both later, maybe you can recommend a good
book for me to read in my down time.”
“I can recommend you several. I’ll search for them while you’re gone.” Sam smiled, overjoyed to
find someone else in the castle who liked to read just as he did.
“Sam was starting to get discouraged, he never though he’d meet someone who enjoyed reading as
he did, not here of all places anyway.” Jon stated casually as they resumed their walk of the castle.
“I didn’t come here to read, I could have done that at my own castle but I also can’t imagine that
I’ll be training or assisting you all the time.”
“True enough. You will have your nights unless you choose to take a watch or stay up with me
during my own.”
“That sounds like it could be more exciting than reading by myself every night.”
Jon laughed. “Have you ever been on watch before Lady Mirra? I assure you it’s quite boring.”
“I want to experience all of it. I’ve spent all my time at home simply riding and training and trying
to act like the lady my mother always wanted me to around others. I don’t care how boring it is, it’s
different.” Mirra replied with a set to her jaw, prepared for anything that being at the castle had to
offer her.
“As you wish. Here is your room.” Jon opened a door to a room close to the end of the hallway.
“This is the King’s Tower, nicest rooms in Castle Black but they aren’t much. This tower hasn’t
really been used much in the last century except for by Tyrion Lannister years ago and now again
but Stannis and his company. I hope this will be okay for you.”
“Thank you.” Mirra walked into the room and did a quick survey. It was small but she didn’t care.
The room contained a bed, a chest to hold her clothes, a peg on the wall for a cloak and another for
a weapon. Mirra unlatched her black cloak and hung it on the wall, opting to keep her weapons and
her coat on. She also that off in the corner was her trunk from home, already delivered by
someone. She turned back to the doorway where Jon Snow stood leaning on the doorframe
watching her with some interest.
“How different does it feel here from Castle Theirin?” He finally asked her after a time.
“It will take some getting used to. It’s more the atmosphere than anything else. Always tense and
prepared for war, for winter. Knowing that any day you could die at any moment of any day and
many people might not even know what it is you did for them. Like the war you mentioned with
the wildlings, you lost half your force and only those in the north know because you sent ravens
for aid. No one else in Westeros has any idea you stopped an invasion and probably never will.”
Mirra responded looking into the man’s brown eyes.
“That’s what it means to be a brother of the Night’s Watch, you sacrifice everything and people
don’t even know. They think it’s somewhere to send criminals instead of the gallows or the
executioner’s blade and they only vaguely understand what it is that we do here. You, my lady, are
one of the few with a real understanding of what we do and what that means.”
“You’re all that stands to protect us from what’s on the other side of that wall. If you fall, as do we
all.” Mirra said grimly as a chill ran down her spine. She wasn’t afraid to be here, more afraid of
what failure could mean for all of the seven kingdoms.
“And that is why we are here and I requested the men that I did. Speaking of the wall, would you
like to see it? From the top I mean.”
The woman smiled, her eyes showing her excitement. “Yes please. I’ve always wondered about
what was on the other side. She walked past him out of the room and back into the hallway.
“Lady Mirra.” She turned around at the sound of her name,
“You will want this where we’re going. It is significantly colder at the top with the wind.” Jon took
her cloak from the peg and closed the door behind him handing her the cloak.
Mirra gratefully took it and hooked it over her shoulders again following the young commander
back down the hallway and once again out into the courtyard. At the far end right up against the
wall, they boarded a small lift that appeared it would take them all the way to the top. Jon Snow
nodded to a younger boy standing by a large wheel who then began to turn it and the lift started to
move.
Mirra looked around her with a smile on her face. “This is amazing! I’ve never seen anything like
this before!”
“That was my reaction the first time I came here and rode to the top of the wall. Lady Mirra do you
mind if I ask you a personal question?”
She turned from watching the castle and its men get smaller and smaller and looked to the man
beside her. “I don’t mind.”
“You told me why you came here and gave me the message from your mother, but what I don’t
understand is that if your parents are so worried about you then why did they allow you to come at
all?”
“Well ‘they’ didn’t, my father was the one who allowed me to come here against my mother’s
wishes. He let me come because he knew that staying in the castle and avoiding the life my mother
wanted for me was making me miserable. I was happiest out on a ride with Shadow, away from
everyone and expectations. My father trained me with a sword when I was young and as I got
older, he brought a sword master to the castle to train me regularly. He knows how good I am and
that I can handle myself well enough to be here and to actually be of great assistance. My father
has faith in me and in you as well to send me here. He trusts that I’m skilled enough to keep myself
alive and safe but the biggest reason is that he just wants to see me happy and he knew that
wouldn’t happen if I had stayed home.”
“Your mother is really that bad you didn’t want to be at home?”
“She loves me and she means well but she wants to force a life on me that I don’t want because she
thinks that is the best thing for me. My father wouldn’t allow it and that is probably the only
reason she never got to marry me off as she wished. She went behind my back and my father’s
back to try to marry me to your brother even.”
“Robb?!” He was astonished, he didn’t know that anyone had had intentions to marry Robb or have
him married.
“Yes,” Mirra laughed, “I never wanted to. I don’t want to ever marry anyone I don’t love, no
matter how good a man they are and Robb was a good man.”
Jon silently nodded and let her finish speaking.
“My mother was so angry when his raven returned saying that he would have found it an honor but
that he was already married to someone he loved. I myself sent the raven back to him
congratulating him and his wife and wishing them both the most happiness they could have and
apologizing for my mother’s deceit. I laughed about it for weeks and she never tried anything quite
like that again. But yes, that’s what it’s like being at home. I love my parents but needed to lead my
own life, my father saw that and allowed me to do this.”
“Well I’m glad you’ here, I think it’s an honor.” He smiled at her. “Here we are. Ready to see
beyond the wall?” He opened the gate to the life and stepped out, offering her his hand which she
took and stepped out herself.
“I’ve been ready to see it since I got here.” She laughed and followed him to the edge of the wall
where her breath was taken away.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before.” Mirra stood right up to the edge of the wall and looked
out across the vast expanse of the true north hidden behind the wall. She closed her eyes and took a
deep breath of the chill air before opening them again. “It’s so beautiful, it’s almost hard to believe
that anything dangerous truly lurks out there.”
“Many beautiful things are also dangerous my lady.” Jon replied standing beside her on the wall
and looking out over the wilds.
Mirra’s brow knitted slightly in some confusion and she thought of asking him if he was referring
to her but she thought better of it and said nothing instead.
“Bran is out there somewhere and I can only hope that he can handle himself and stay alive.” He
said sadly. “I wish I knew what possessed him to make that journey but he didn’t reveal much to
Sam.”
“Something about a dream and a three eyed raven he had to find.” Jon looked to her puzzled as to
how she would know this. “Osha told me shortly after she and Rickon arrived at my family’s
castle. He wanted her to take him but she wouldn’t go over the wall again, not knowing what was
over there and Bran wouldn’t allow Rickon to come so he sent them both to my father for
protection.”
“You know I’ve been over the wall before. I was gone for quite a long time actually.”
Mirra turned to look at him completely stunned. “You spent months out there all alone?”
“I wasn’t alone. I was first with the Night’s Watch, then with Ygritte and the free people.”
“By free people do you mean the wildlings?”
“I do. I’ve met them and they aren’t as wild as they seem from this side of the wall. They are
people just like you and I and they only want to live and be safe from the white walkers and from
winter as do we all. They call themselves the free people because they have to answer to no one, no
king, no lords, no one.”
“Free people then.” Mirra replied with a nod thinking that sounded better than wildlings anyway.
“Tell me what is was like, I want to know everything.” Her dark blue eyes shone waiting to hear of
adventure.
“Do you want to go back down first? It’s quite a long story.”
“I like it up here. It’s peaceful and quiet and the view is much better.” She smiled as she carefully
sat down on the wall and Jon Snow sat beside her and began to tell her his story from beyond the
wall, every last piece.
It was quite a long time before Jon finished his tale, leaving nothing out. Mirra simply sat in
stunned silence for a moment, her long legs hanging off the side of the wall bouncing back and
forth. Jon regarded her carefully, waiting for some sort of response as well as any sign she might
fall right off the side of the wall and plummet to her untimely death.
“I’m so sorry Jon, I had no idea. I’m sorry about Ygritte and that you were put in a situation forcing
you to choose between the free people and the Night’s Watch.”
“It isn’t your fault, people on both sides forced the confrontation, there was no way to resolve it
peacefully, I did what I had to, but that wasn’t without some amount of doubt. I’m more sorry
about the innocent people caught in the middle, those people in the villages they sacked and
murdered. They had nothing to do with any of it but that didn’t matter, they died anyway.” The
young lord commander stared sadly off across the haunted forest, thinking of all those lives that
had been lost. He turned to look at Mirra. “You called me Jon.” He said it casually, just a fact.
“You haven’t called me Jon since we were children, that last day at Winterfell.”
“I’m sorry, it just came out that way.”
Jon Snow laughed softly despite the story he just told her. “Don’t be sorry. I’d rather you just call
me Jon. Lord Snow and my lord and lord commander, just sound strange coming off your tongue.
I’ve known you a long time, you don’t have to be formal with me.” He said the titles with a slight
air of disdain, obviously not liking any of them very much.
Mirra smiled and nodded her acceptance. “Very well. You can call me Mirra then, not Lady Mirra.
I’m not a lady, not here anyway. I’m just a warrior, same as everyone else.”
Jon opened his mouth to protest at the informality of it seeing as she was truly a noble lady from a
noble house with a noble name but then he decided against it. She wanted it this way and he had
known her since childhood even though it had been 7 years since they had last seen each other
before today. “If that’s what you wish.” He told her, “It just might take some getting used to.”
“From everything you’ve told me, the men picked the best man to be lord commander. You’re a
good man and you have done some amazing things for these people. You saved them from being
overrun by the free people and you would have ended everything had King Stannis and his men not
showed up and stopped it themselves. Don’t get down on yourself for all the bad that happened, it
couldn’t have been prevented. You did what you could and you’re still doing it.”
“Thank you, sometimes it’s hard to remember that when you think about all the things you lost.”
Jon Snow carefully stood up and moved back from the ledge as he carefully watched Mirra do the
same, always ready to grab her hand should she slip but she didn’t, she stood up just as gracefully
as she seemed to move.
She stood there a moment just looking out over the wall and across the forest. “I think I made the
right decision in choosing to come here.” She said more to herself than to Jon but he nodded his
approval as she turned and followed him across the wall and back down to the courtyard.
 Secret Rides and Secret Plans
Chapter Summary

Mirra and Jon take a ride from Castle Black out into the woods and he gets her opinion
on something important.

It had been some months of getting into a routine before anything of much note seemed to happen.
Lady Mirra Theirin spent most of her days with Jon and learning all there was to know about the
Night’ Watch and Castle Black. When she wasn’t with him, she was training in the yard, which
would often put the recruits to shame to go against her. She spent her nights in her room reading
one book or another that Sam would recommend for her from the library, except on those nights
she chose to take watch with Jon and stand all the wall. If Mirra wasn’t in any of those places she
was most likely in the library conversing with Princess Shireen or sometimes just reading together.
There was no shortage of activity in those few months, just much of the usual stuff that goes on in
the castle and beyond the wall. The day that that changed was one of the few days that Mirra
wasn’t with Jon and thus he finally found her in the library with Princess Shireen and to his
surprise, King Stannis was also with them.
He climbed down the stairs into the library to find Mirra sitting beside the young princess and
telling her tales of some of the rides she had been on and some of the adventures she had had back
at Castle Theirin. Shireen seemed captivated and Stannis seemed slightly amused although his face
would never show it. He sat at the opposite side of the table and appeared to be more in thought
than actually paying much attention to whatever story the young noble was regaling his daughter
with. Unlike Gilly, the Queen didn’t mind her daughter spending time with Mirra seeing as Mirra
was a noble and from a good family and not a wildling girl from the other side of the wall. Shireen
seemed happy for the company and Jon Snow was almost unwilling to disturb her but he needed
Mirra.
“Pardon me, your grace.” Stannis Baratheon turned at his voice as Jon stepped off the final stair.
Mirra also looked up, her deep blue eyes catching his own. “I need to speak with Lady Mirra,
alone.”
Stannis nodded as Mirra stood from the table. “I’ll come find you later Princess and finish my
story.”
Shireen smiled at her. “Okay, I can’t wait.”
With that Mirra turned from the room, grabbed her cloak off the wall and swung it over her
shoulders before following the lord commander from the room and out into the hallway.
“What did you want to speak to me about Jon?” Mirra asked him as they continued the hallway and
out into the courtyard. It was still somewhat weird hearing him call her Lady Mirra after some
months of being just Mirra even though in the presence of others he was still quite formal.
“Not here. It is of a somewhat sensitive nature and there are those in the castle that I’m sure
wouldn’t exactly approve of this plan.” This piqued her interest even more so knowing that it was
something people might not like and that was going to be in on this.
“Where are we going then?”
“Do you want to take a ride?” He asked her in return.
Mirra’s lovely face broke into a smile. She hadn’t been able to really take Shadow from the stables
since arriving at Castle Black. She knew that stallion would be itching for a ride just as she was.
“Anywhere in mind?”
“Just away from here for a while.” Jon stated simply as they arrived the stables and prepped their
horses for the ride. Mirra quickly tied her long ebony hair into a braid and pulled an apple from her
saddle bag for the horse who knickered happily. The pair mounted the horses, both as black as the
clothes they wore, and moved towards the front gate.
“Open the gate!” Jon called to the brother standing off to the side.
“When should we expect you back lord commander?” The man replied as he opened the gate for
them.
“Before too long. If we don’t return within a few hours send out a search party.”
“As you say lord commander.” The man replied as the pair rode out into the world and the gates
closed with a heavy thud behind them.
They rode in silence for a time with Jon leading the way into the forest. Mirra felt at home again on
the back of Shadow. She missed riding, she missed the wind in her hair, the chill of the air against
her face, the trees flying by her, and the feeling of flying as she flew through the woods, nothing
but the sound of the horse’s hooves on the ground and the horses own breathing. They rode
together for a time before Jon slowed down and eventually stopped. Mirra pulled Shadow to a stop
alongside him and dismounted, trusting the horse not to run off on her. Jon, however, did not have
such trust and instead chose to tie his mount to a nearby tree.
“I figured you would love the chance to ride again.” Jon told her as they walked towards a small
clearing in the trees. “And no one from the watch would overhear us out here.”
“Yes Shadow was starting to get quite restless in those stables. He isn’t the type of horse to be
content to spend most of his time indoors.” Mirra replied pulling her hood over her head to combat
some of the cold.
“Aye yes, the stallions of House Theirin, your house sigil suits you. The only people with mounts
to rival those of your family are the Dothraki.” Jon remembered the lessons he had learned as a
child of all the houses of Westeros, especially those in the north. House Theirin was known for its
stallions, as beautiful as they were fast. The horses were wild creatures and it took a special hand to
tame them and to ride them. It was fitting that the family sigil was a black stallion on a dark blue
banner.
“Best in all of Westeros.” Mirra replied. “But I don’t think you came here to talk to me of my
family’s horses.”
“That I did not. As I said, I have a plan but it is one that some in the order will not agree with,
especially Ser Throne.” Jon told her carefully, weighing her reactions.
“Throne be damned!” Mirra said it with a vengeance. She hated that man, hated the looks he gave
Jon behind his back, hated the way he looked at her like she knew nothing and did not belong,
hated how he still tried to act as though he was in charge when he was not. “He isn’t lord
commander, you are. The men will follow you, whatever this plan is.”
“I mean to bring the free people through the gate and into Westeros.”
“What? Are you serious?” Mirra questioned slowly, not outraged and disapproving, more curious
as to why. She thought as most people did that the job of the Night’s Watch was to keep the
wildlings on that side of the wall and protect the people of the realm from them.
“I am.” He said catching her eye. “The Night’s Watch are supposed to protect people, all people,
the includes those north of the wall. They aren’t our enemy, the white walkers are. I can’t just
leave all those people on that side of the wall to die just because they were unlucky enough to be
born on that side. If they get left over there they will be killed and then they will join the army of
the dead and give us even more of them to fight. I intend to give them the land that people refuse to
live on and take for their own. They can farm and they can set up a life, safe on this side of the
wall as everyone else is.”
“You have a big heart Jon Snow.” Mirra told him with a smile. “It’s about time the Night’s Watch
had a lord commander who cared for all people. I like your plan and I support you so my men will
support you. But you’re right, some in your brotherhood might not, they must be made to.”
Jon nodded as he slowly paced the slowly. “I’ll make an announcement once we return but first I
need a word with Stannis. I’ll need his fleet to get to their meeting place and to carry them all back
to the wall.”
“Will he do it? Lend you his entire fleet?” Mirra asked watching him.
“I think so. He doesn’t need them right now. If he still intends to take Winterfell from the Bolton’s
even without me, he won’t need them for that either.”
“What about the free people? Will they even listen to you and if they do listen without killing you
right there, will they trust you enough to take your offer?”
“I have someone who can help with that. His name is Tormund and he’s one of them. He has been
our prisoner at Castle Black since the attack. We were friends when I was over the wall, a part of
them. He will listen and I think he’ll be able to make the others listen and see reason as well.”
Mirra nodded thinking it over. “It will work. They can’t all hate your order enough that would
rather face the white walkers alone than go with you to safety.”
“I hope that’s true.” Jon told her stopping in front of her.
“Let me go with you.”
“It’s way too dangerous beyond the wall. If you die, your mother would kill me and everyone
here.”
“I came here to help you, let me help you. I’ve never been beyond the wall and I want to see it. I
didn’t come here to hide out in the castle and miss all the fun. You say it’s dangerous and I don’t
disagree but you’ve seen me fight, you know I can hold my own and I’m good with a sword, not as
good as you are of course, but good enough. I won’t die and if I did, then tell my father I died doing
what I came here for, protecting people, saving people. He would understand.”
Jon sighed. “You are quite possibly one of the most stubborn people I have ever met. If you really
want to come with me, I won’t stop you. But you must understand that your army cannot come. If
we showed up with a fighting force, there wouldn’t be any negotiation, it would be a fight. I only
tend the trip to be, myself, you, Ed, and Tormund, and men to captain the ships but stay on board.”
“I understand. I don’t need any army to protect me.”
Jon laughed as he started to walk back to their horses. “The more time I spend with you, the more
I’m beginning to see that.”
Mirra smiled at that as they came upon on their horses. Shadow was just where Mirra and left him,
untied and everything. Jon seemed amazed. “Does he always do that? Just stay where you leave
him without being tied up.”
“Yes he does.” Mirra approached the stallion and stroked his mane. “It took me a long time to train
him to do that but ever since then, there’s never been any problems.” She pulled herself up on his
back as Jon did the same. “Let’s go get this plan of yours into motion.”
Jon nodded and a memory came into his mind, of himself and Robb racing back to Winterfell after
an execution. The memory sparked an idea. “Mirra do you know how to get back to Castle Black
from here?”
Her beautiful face looked puzzled as she looked over at him. “Yeah I know where it is from here.”
Jon smiled at her. “I’ll race you.” With that he took off knowing she would follow and that if he
had any chance of beating that stallion, he needed the head start.
When Jon arrived at the gates of Castle Black, which now stood open, Mirra was already there
waiting for him. Her long black braid had come undone and now her hair hung down wildly,
tousled by the wind. Her cheeks were flushed with color from the cold air against her skin and she
was still catching her breath as she sat upon Shadow with a giant grin on her face. She couldn’t
have been there too long before him as she was in his sights through most of their race.
“Even with a head start you couldn’t beat me.” Mirra laughed as he rode up beside her. “You race
well though, I needed that.” She smiled at him.
“Robb and I used to race all the time when we were children. Maybe next time I can race one of
your horses.” He said to her with a laugh.
“If you think you can handle one of mine that is.” Her grin was amused, light hearted.
The pair walked their horses back into the castle as the large gates swung shut behind them. A
couple younger boys came forward to take their horses as they dismounted, Mirra giving Shadow a
kiss on the snout before handing her reins over to one of the boys.
“I need to go speak to Stannis and then to Tormund. This whole thing will take some time and we
need to start getting prepared as soon as possible.” Jon said softly once the boys had taken the
horses to the stables. “I’ll come find you later and tell you what happened.”
“Alright, I’ll be around.” Mirra replied. With that Jon turned and headed up the stairs to Stannis’s
chambers to ask him for ships. Mirra walked off to find the maester, she wanted to send a raven
home to her father. It had been some time since she had sent word home and she didn’t want her
parents to worry after her well-being, especially knowing she would be going beyond the wall she
wanted to have told them something should this mission not go quite as planned.
 A Night Atop the Wall
Chapter Summary

Mirra pulls her first watch on top of the wall with Jon and Ghost for company.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

It was nightfall by the time Jon found Mirra again. The young woman stood on top of the wall with
Ghost at her side. Both turned as Jon stepped from the lift and onto the wall itself.
“You pulled watch tonight?”
Mirra shook her head as the young man joined her. “I offered to take it from Sam so he could spend
some time with Gilly. I hope you don’t mind that I released Ghost from his pen. It makes me sad to
see him there all the time. I figured he needed some air and no one would object if I brought him
up here with me.”
Jon came up beside her and stroked the great wolf’s head. “You’re right. He shouldn’t be kept
penned up but he makes people nervous and it seems to be the only way. Any time you want to
take him out it’s alright. He seems to like you and enjoy your company. Direwolves are smart like
that. They know things about people, what kind of a person they are. In that way they are smarter
than most people.”
Mirra couldn’t help but laugh at that. “I know exactly what you mean. Too many people are
wolves in sheep’s clothing, they can’t be trusted and no one sees that. I’ve always heard that
direwolves are smarter than people and the more people I seem to meet the more I believe it.”
“You and me both.” Jon replied looking out beyond the wall, thinking of where they would be
going and what they would be doing.
“What did Stannis say about his fleet?” Mirra asked, breaking the momentary silence.
“We can borrow them. He says he’s going to take Winterfell back from the Bolton’s even if I don’t
help him to do so and that he doesn’t need ships for that so they are ours to use until he needs them
back.”
“That’s good news then. We need ships and the Bolton’s have no right to Winterfell.”
“That is true but Winterfell is a very defensable fortress, especially for someone who knows the
North. Stannis and his men will have a tough fight on their hands.”
“And Tormund? What did he say?”
“He agreed to come with us and to help, it just took some convincing.” Jon told her sounding tired.
“Does he think that the free people will agree to come with us?”
“He says they’ll agree to see us but that’s about all he can promise. I killed Mance Rayder and
some of them will see it for the mercy that it was, others will simply see that I betrayed him and
want no part in what I offer.”
“Hopefully the danger posed by the whitewalkers means more to them than hating you.”
Jon sighed and ran his hand along Ghost’s back. “The free people are stubborn. We will see what
happens.”
Mirra nodded, leaning back against a wooden pillar and crossing her arms over her chest. Jon
watched her for a moment, saying nothing before he spoke up.
“Mirra you don’t have to go beyond the wall. You can stay here and command things in my
absence if you wish to.”
Mirra Theirin laughed, a lot louder than she intended. “I’m not going to stay here and miss all the
fun, you must be joking if you think I’d do that. Your men wouldn’t respect me as their
 commander anyway. I’m not a man and I’m not one of them.”
“I had to at least try.” The young man replied quietly turning from her to look out past the wall.
“Did you send a raven home to your father?” He asked her, changing the subject.
“I did this afternoon. In case something happened to make sure he heard from me one last time.”
“Let us just hope it doesn’t come to that. I’m going to be making the announcement to the order
come morning. I need to decide just how to phrase it.”
“Doesn’t sound like you’ll be getting much sleep either then.”
“Neither do I. I’ll stand watch with you and Ghost and try to come up with something that doesn’t
sound like everyone will hate it.”
“The men believe in you Jon. They voted you in as Lord Commander.”
“Only half of them did. It was Maester Aemon’s final vote that made me Lord Commander. Half of
the men wanted Ser Alliser.”
“Well he isn’t Lord Commander, you are. They will follow you.”
“You have more faith in the men here than I do then.” Jon said to her as he thought about the
reactions of the men in the common hall. In his mind he’d be lucky they didn’t just kill him right
there for even proposing the idea of welcoming wildlings into Westeros.
“I have faith in their Lord Commander.” Mirra told him.

Chapter End Notes

sorry this one was shorter than my others, it didn't really fit in with the previous
chapter or the next one so it became its own short chapter.
 The Annoucement that Changed Everything
Chapter Summary

Jon makes his big announcement to the Night's Watch with the support of Lady Mirra
and Lord Stannis.

The sun was just beginning to rise when an older man of the Night’s Watch stepped off of the lift
to relieve Mirra of duty. “Milady, Lord Commander.” The man said to them each in turn as he took
their place at the end of the wall, giving Ghost a large berth as they passed him.
“I need all the brothers in the common hall in an hour. I have an announcement to make.” Jon said
as he passed. “Tell anyone you see. The Theirin soldiers as well.”
“Of course lord commander.”
The pair rode down the lift in silence, Jon thinking on his speech and what it meant and Mirra
being respectful of his thoughts and allowing him the time he needed to process everything.
“I’ll meet you in the common hall.” Mirra said to him as she stepped from the lift, her boots
crunching on snow in the yard.
Jon nodded his acknowledgement as he took Ghost and headed to the stables as Mirra turned on her
heel and walked off towards the King’s Tower to find something less frozen to wear, her long
braid swinging softly as she walked.
Mirra arrived in her room to find a fire already going and wondered if Gilly had done it. The girl
had started doing things like that for Mirra not long after she arrived at the castle. Mirra had told
her that she didn’t have to, that she could handle it herself but Gilly seemed to like doing it as she
continued even after that. Regardless of how, Mirra was grateful for the warmth as she stripped for
her cold clothes of the previous day. Even with the fire, the chill of the north was everywhere and
seemed to reach all the way into your bones. Mirra wasn’t quite used to that yet, feeling cold all of
the time. She was from the north and had experienced winter before but she was only a young child
then and didn’t remember much about it. She dressed again in furs and leathers, much of her
clothes looking the same as she knew that’s all she needed. She simply stood in the room for a
moment once she was dressed and watched the fire dancing in her fireplace. It wasn’t until she
heard many footsteps heading towards the common hall that she turned from the fire and left the
room. She hesitated a moment at the door, her hand on Wintersbreath. She opted to bring the
sword and fastened it to her hip before finally leaving the room. Normally she left her steel in her
room at meals but felt that this might be a good time to have it handy just in case, she knew that
things could turn ugly quickly.
By the time Mirra entered the common hall over half the men of the Night’s Watch were already
assembled and the soldiers she brought along were also there mostly standing at the edges, not
quite feeling like they belonged. Mirra’s presence didn’t earn quite as many stares as it used to, she
noticed most of the roar of voices was about why the lord commander were call together all of
Castle Black. Mirra quietly slipped along the edges of the room and mounted the stairs to the great
table were the heads of all the separate divisions of the order sat. Mirra noticed Ser Alliser Throne
staring daggers into her as she took her own seat at Jon’s right hand. The lady elected to ignore the
man and instead looked to Jon who appeared slightly nervous beside her.
“What are Lord Stannis and Lord Davvos doing here?” She asked in a whisper leaning in to Jon’s
shoulder so he would hear her.
The young lord commander turned to her and whispered in her ear, “I thought it best that they were
here to confirm the plan and that they are indeed lending ships to this mission. Also if things
should turn ugly, they fight for us. I see that you prepared for that alternative as well.” Jon missed
nothing as he took notice of Mirra’s sword.
“I wasn’t going to be caught in a battle with no weapon.”
“Let us hope it does not come to that.” Jon replied turning back to face the room.
Jon and Mirra seemed to be the only people in the room not engaged in conversation with someone.
As Mirra looked around the room, she caught the eye of one of her father’s officers and beckoned
him to the table.
“Yes my lady?” The man said on his approach to where she sat behind the table.
Mirra stood slightly and leaned across the table. “If anything untold should happen, I need the
soldiers taking up arms with us.” She gestured with her to herself, Jon Snow, Lord Stannis and Lord
Davvos.
The man’s eyes seemed slightly nervous at her words, not that there might be battle but that there
might be battle in such a confined space. “Of course Lady Mirra, I will pass on the word.
“Thank you.” She replied with a nod as the man wondered back to his post and said something to
the soldier standing beside him.
As Mirra sat back in her chair, she noticed that there were no longer men filing in the doors and
one look to her left told her that Jon had discovered the same thing. He gave her a look that shared
that it was time before he stood up from his own chair and called for order. A slow hush fell over
the common hall as conversations were ended and all eyes turned to the lord commander.
“Brothers! I have called you all here today because I need to make an announcement and it affects
all of us here.” Mirra looked across the sea of faces and saw that Thorne seemed to be looking
caught smug, more so than normal. No doubt he thought that Jon was stepping down as lord
commander. This brought a small smirk to Mirra’s face. Keep dreaming, she thought, you won’t
like this news.
“The purpose of the Night’s Watch is to protect the realm from the Whitewalkers, from winter and
all its dangers. We have all done so faithfully for centuries since the realm began and the order was
established.” Jon paused a moment as the men began to nod to his words and some shouted calls of
here here.
“However,” the young man continued more gravely, “we have also been failing at our sworn
duty.” This was followed by confused murmurings as the men looked to one another hoping that
someone else understood.
“There are people we aren’t protecting as we should be.” Jon continued after holding up his hand
to stop the voices. “There are those north of the wall who need protection from the whitewalkers
just as those in the realm do.”
“You mean the wildlings?!” A voice called from somewhere in the crowd.
“Indeed I do mean the wildlings.”
There was cries of outrage and angry voices yelling, sounds of fists hitting hard wooden tables.
Jon’s voice was lost in the swell and no one could hear his calls for order.
Mirra bit her lip and picked up a heavy metal goblet from the table and hurled it as hard as she
could towards a pillar in the center of the room. The cup smashed into the pillar with a loud
banging noises before clattering to the floor. The room fell silent as all eyes turned to the lady. She
said nothing as she resumed her seat and nodded her head in Jon’s direction. The silence remained
as Jon continued speaking.
“The Night’s Watch as been killing wildlings and hunting them down as if that is our mission and
it is not. We are supposed to protect all people from winter, from the whitewalkers, and that
includes the wildlings. It is not their fault that they were born on the wrong side of the wall and
they shouldn’t be punished for that and left to die. There are horrors on that side of the wall, I have
seen them, more than any of you. I have killed one, here in the castle walls, it is even worse on that
side.” This received some nods of agreement from Jon’s friends, those of the order who had seen
what was out there and understood where their lord commander was coming from, and from those
men more compassionate than some of their brethren.
Mirra noticed that most of her own soldiers looked to her for guidance and when she nodded her
approval at the speech, they turned from her and looked back to the young man some had met as a
boy.
“I have a plan and I know some of you will not agree but you must trust that it is the right thing. I
intend to bring the wildlings through the wall and give them land in the far north that people refuse
to live on, farm on, and claim.”
“That land is unclaimed because of wildlings raids!” Someone called.
“There will be no reason to raid once they have land and can farm their own food and raise their
own animals and build their own houses. There will be rules of course to them coming to this side
which of course including no raiding.”
“And what do you think of this plan Lady Mirra? Your family is an ancient one of the north after
all.”
Jon turned to her as well as she stood to address the room. “My family is of the north, has been
since the beginning. My father would agree with me when I say that I support your lord
commander. No one deserves to suffer at the true hands of winter and the whitewalkers. They may
eventually become a concern for everyone in the realm but until then those on this side of the wall
are safe. The wildlings deserve that courtesy as well. The north does not fear wildlings, we fear the
whitewalkers and will take all the allies we can get to go against them.”
“And what of you Lord Stannis? You are true king of the realm and planning on taking King’s
Landing from the usurper. What does the king say to allowing wildlings in his kingdom?”
Stannis Baratheon stood as he told his thoughts. “I am providing my own ships for this mission,
that is what I say to wildlings in my realm. I am not threatened by people and nor should you be,
winter is the real threat. Your lord commander is wise, you should trust in him.”
Thorne had surprisingly not said a single word for the whole duration of the gathering and had
instead only sat there attempting to skewer Jon and Mirra and Lord Stannis with his icy gaze. He
continued to say nothing as more of the men joined in agreement after hearing the king’s thoughts
of this.
As Stannis took his seat once more, Jon began to finish his speech. “Even if you don’t agree with
my plan, you know that the Night King takes the bodies of the dead and raises them anew to fight
in his army. Even if you don’t like the wildlings and don’t agree my decision and reasons for
bringing them here, you have to at least agree with the fact that if those same wildlings die on that
side of the wall, as they all would, they would be more bodies added to the Night King’s army.
You all saw the numbers of Mance Rayder’s wildling army. Do you truly want that many more
people added to the army of the dead when they could have been safely brought through the wall
to live and bolster our own armies?” This final thought sent a chill down many spills as the
brothers in black remembered the sheer number of wildlings they fought that night some time ago
and in rememberence more men fell in line with Jon Snow’s plan. Only a select remained
unmoved, Thorne among them, but they were outnumbered and they said nothing.
“It is settled then. We will soon set sail and I shall meet with the clan leaders to see if they will
accept this plan. Myself, Lady Mirra, Tormund, and Ed will all be going to the gathering. I will
take a couple men with me to remain on each ship as well as the ship captains, everyone else will
stay behind at Castle Black. Go now and return to your duties.” Jon said as he sat back down in his
chair feeling as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
The room slowly emptied leaving behind only Jon, Mirra, Stannis, and Sam. Samwell Tarly
approached the table and looked at each person in turn. “Can I go with you?” He asked to his
friend.
“I need you here Sam, to look after things while I’m gone. And Gilly and baby Sam need you here
too. Who will look after them if you aren’t here? Besides, this gathering might not go nicely and if
it doesn’t, we will have to fight our way out and might not even make it back. I won’t let you walk
into that.”
Sam nodded his consent. “That’s all true. Without either of us here who knows what might happen
to Gilly and the baby.” He then turned his attention to Mirra. “My lady, you could stay here too,
safer beyond our walls than out there.”
Mirra Theirin laughed lightly and pushed some of her long hair back over her shoulder. “I don’t
stay behind when there is excitement to be had. I can handle myself.”
“An interesting lady you are Lady Mirra. Someone’s daughter will be fascinated with stories of
you some day.” Lord Stannis said to her as he rose from the table and looked to Jon Snow who
stood with him. “I will be leaving Castle Black to take Winterfell within the next few days. My
men have been making preparations and are almost finished now. If you should change your mind
about my offer, you know where to find me. Winterfell will always be yours whenever you are
ready to come home.” With that said, the man climbed down the stairs from the dais and gave
them a small bow. “Lord Commander, Lady Mirra.” He then left the room with all the air of a true
king.
“Mirra are your soldiers on our side of this plan?” All of the formalities dropped away once the
door closed behind Lord Stannis.
“Of course. Once they saw that I was a part of it and had no issues, neither did they. It also seems
you won over most of the brotherhood.” Mirra replied as they decended from the dais and were
once again level with Sam.
“They wouldn’t have even heard me had it not been for your quick thinking.” The young man was
of course mentioning the goblet that hurtled through the room into a crash landing.
“Scared me half to death!” Sam piped up. “I honestly think they were afraid of what the lady might
throw next if they didn’t quiet down.”
“I highly doubt any men of the Night’s Watch are honestly afraid of me.”
“You have bested damn near all of them out in the sparring yard.” Jon replied with a laugh. “It
wasn’t for their lack of trying to beat you either. They put all they had into it, you’re just better. I
don’t think they wanted to test your knife throwing abilities tonight.”
“You watch me spar?” The young lady was slightly stunned. She just assumed that he had more
important things to do than observe the training exercises and sparring matches.
“From time to time. You’re undefeated against everyone you’ve gone against so far.”
“Jon?” Sam asked quietly interrupting and turning the subject back to the plan. “Ser Alliser looked
most unpleased and infuriated at your proposal. He also remained unmoved no matter what it was
you said.” The pudgy man nervously wrung his hands together thinking of what that could mean,
knowing what being on Thorne’s bad side meant.
“Aye, I noticed but when the men sided with me he had no right to say anything to challenge me.
The order is on my side as I am their lord commander.” Jon sounded more sure than he felt and
wondered if he should in fact be worried.
“Ser Alliser wouldn’t dare defy his lord commander. He has no allies and would then become a
traitor, punishment is death.” Mirra added, the spite returned to her voice whenever she spoke of
him. There was something about that man that just made her feel uneasy. She had an instant dislike
for him the moment she met him back when she first arrived and the months since then had only
added to her reasons of distrust and contempt.
“I can’t imagine he’ll just let it stand.” Jon Snow said thoughtfully. “I am somewhat surprised he
has kept his cool this long when he didn’t get the post and I did. That’s not what’s important
though, not right now. There is a lot of preparation to do before we set sail for Hardhome and I will
need help from both of you.”
Mirra and Sam both nodded their approval as a door opened behind them. Mirra and Jon both
turned quickly, each with a hand on the pommel of their sword, ready to defend if they had to. An
older, plump man emerged with a large tub to collect all the dishes from the common hall tables.
He seemed startled to see people still there and made to leave when Jon held out his hand instead
and shook his head and instead the man started cleaning.
“I’ll come find you later Sam.”
“Alright. Lady Mirra.” Sam said with a nod as he left the room.
“Mirra.” Jon said to her as he held the door open for her and they both exited the common hall and
out into the yard. “We have quite a lot to do and not much time to do it in. I wish us to set sail in a
couple of weeks.”
“Then we had better get started.” Mirra said with a determined look about her face.
 A Wild and Free Spirit
Chapter Summary

Mirra, Jon, and their entourage begin their journey beyond the Wall to bring their offer
to the Wildling clans.

The morning the fleet was to set sail was a particularly nice one, the sun was shining and the wind
was not as biting as it typically was this far north. Lady Mirra stood in front of the roaring fire in
her bedroom, she could feel the cool of the air on her bare skin but she didn’t mind it much
anymore. It was something that was just always there, always a part of life. It didn’t seem quite so
bad standing in front of the fire, the heat in the air taking away most of the touch of the cool nature
of Castle Black. Outside she could hear men hurrying about, shouting orders, trying to finish the
rest of the preparations before the party would set sail. Stannis Baratheon and all his company had
left for Winterfell a mere week before and Castle Black still seemed just as busy as ever with all
the black brothers and the Theirin soldiers preparing the ships and supplies for travel. Mirra once
again picked up the small scrap of paper that her father had written her from Highever. The raven
had arrived only days ago and so far she had read the small paper many times in the days as she did
now. The letter was simple stating that her father wished she wouldn’t go beyond the wall but
understood why she wanted to go and trusted that she would take care of herself. He also said how
much she was missed and that Highever was not the same without her, that Castle Theirin seemed
cold and empty. That last letter was a bit of good news saying that her mother was pregnant and
they both hoped that she could make it home to see the baby when it was born. Mirra smiled each
time she read the letter, she always knew how much her parents had wanted another child,
especially the older that Mirra herself got, the more they seemed to want another. It couldn’t have
come at a better time either with her being gone from home and castle being so lonely without her.
She had made a choice not to write back until she was once again back behind the walls of Castle
Black; it meant that she had survived and would be able to tell them as such on her return.
She folded the small letter and tucked into her trunk as she pulled out her clothes to dress for the
journey ahead. Jon had already warned her that beyond the wall was much colder than it was on
this side in the realm, baring that in mind, the clothes that Mirra pulled from her trunk were thicker
than those she had been wearing since arriving at the wall. She once again stood in front of the
crackling fire as she dressed in think black leather pants lined with fur. She pulled a simple heavy
cotton white shirt on next and tucked into the waistband of her pants. Over this she wore a woolen
tunic in the deep blue of her house as it was the only color she had had the shirt made in. A black
leather corset was worn over the top and Mirra carefully tied herself, tight enough to keep her
clothes in place, but loose enough to allow for easy movement and fighting. This one was special
as it was thicker than her others and had ringmail sewn into it for protection. She had not yet worn
it beyond practicing with her swordmaster in the yard back at Castle Theirin but decided that since
this journey could turn ugly she had better be prepared. The young lady sat on the edge of her bed
and pulled her thick black leather boots over her pants and laced them all the way up to her knee.
The last thing she put on was a leather coat that she had also not seen fit to wear yet. It was made of
thick black leather and the whole thing was lined in black fur. The coat was long and reached to
her ankles, it was slit up the back down the center to midthigh to allow for movement and did not
close in the front for the same reason; instead to hold the coat in place, Mirra wore a thick black
leather belt around her waist outside the coat. Her long raven black hair she tied back into a fishtail
braid and draped it over her right shoulder. After attaching her thigh holster and sheathing her
dagger on her right side and hanging her sword off her left side she felt prepared to leave for
Hardhome. As she left the room, she threw her cloak on over her shoulders and clasped it with the
heavy stallion pin of her house. As she closed the door behind her, she pulled on a pair of black
leather gloves.
Mirra exited her room in the king’s tower and came into the main yard and found the young lord
commander just where she figured she would, overseeing the last of the preparations before the
small party sent sail. “Ah Lady Mirra.” Jon said to her as she approached and joined him on the
landing. She was surprised to see Ser Alliser Thorne standing nearby, also observing, Jon’s
formality made sense now.
“Lord commander.” Mirra said in turn. “How are the preparations going?”
“Mostly done now. We should be ready to leave soon.” Jon Snow said, sounding satisfied with the
progress the men were making.
“Snow!” Tormund called as he came across the yard to join them. The wildling seemed to make
many men of the Night’s Watch quite nervous based on the glances they kept giving him and the
fact that no one wanted to be very near him and made wide turns to avoid him. The man had never
bothered me Mirra the few times she had been in contact with him. He only been released from his
cell these past couple weeks to help with the preparations and to aid Jon in making plans and
charting courses for Hardhome. When the man finally reached them, Thorne groaned and stalked
away to go do whatever else he would rather do besides be around the man from beyond the wall.
“The ships are ready to set sail and the men are also ready. We’re just waiting on you now.”
“Ollie.” Jon called for his steward who was standing not far off looking at Tormund with a burning
rage that made Mirra feel disquiet, but nevertheless the boy approached the trio.
“Yes Lord Commander?” He asked, trying to just ignore Tormund entirely.
“I need you to go round up the order and have them all assembled out here so I can address them
before we go.”
The boy simply nodded and ran off quickly, talking briefly to everyone he encountered and
gesturing towards the yard.
“Who are you leaving in command while we are away?” Mirra asked once the boy was gone.
“Ser Alliser.” The young man replied simply, a response that got looks of surprise from both
Tormund and Lady Mirra.
“But Jon, Thorne hates you and probably wishes you would die beyond the wall and never return.”
Mirra couldn’t mask her shock, it was no wonder he had not told her sooner.
“No doubt that is true but he is still the logical choice unless you wish to remain behind and then I
would leave Castle Black in your capable hands. Thorne was the second choice to be Lord
Commander and he does know what he is doing. He won’t be in charge for long and there isn’t
really anyone else who would be good for it.”
“I don’t like him and I don’t trust him either.” Tormund admitted looking off in the direction that
the man in question had retreated to.
“Neither do I.” Mirra replied with a nod. “But I trust you Jon and if you think it will be fine then
I’m behind you. Lieutenant Hawthorne!” She called turning her attention from the men beside her
and gesturing to her second in command. The man quickly jogged over to her, his armor clinking
together as he moved and his deep blue cloak flowed in the breeze.
“My lady.” He said with a bow. “How may I be of service?” He was wearing his finest armor of
silver, the black stallion danced on the center of his breastplate and his cloak was the finest velvet
of the dark blue of the Theirin’s colors and trimmed in black satin. Mirra realized that was ready to
accompany them on their journey as he had insisted on going with her beyond the wall.
“There have been a change of plans and I need you to remain here and watch over things in my
stead.” Mirra’s voice was commanding as she said this but even so he seemed surprised.
“My lady, I’m supposed to be going with you to keep you safe like your father asked. Why would
you wish me to remain here?”
“I need you here to make sure everything goes the way it is supposed to. The Lord Commander has
left Ser Thorne in charge while he is away and that man doesn’t care for him or this plan. We don’t
trust him and need someone that we do trust here with enough men to see that he follows orders
and doesn’t try anything he shouldn’t. That’s why I need you here and I’m leaving all of the men
we brought along as well. I pray the gods are good and you won’t need them but I won’t have you
be without either.” The man looked to Jon Snow before saying anything, unable to abandon the
duty that his lord had given him the day they left.
“I promise no harm will come to Lady Mirra. We need you here, I will watch out for her out there.”
Jon told the man with a fist over his heart.
This seemed to satisfy the man as he turned back to Lady Mirra and bowed. “As you command my
lady. My lord.” He then turned and walked back to where the rest of the Theirin forces had
gathered in the yard along with the whole of the Night’s Watch.
“Brothers, I expect this trip won’t be any longer than a few weeks and if the gods are good nothing
will go wrong. I am placing Ser Alliser Thorne in command while I am gone. The soldiers sent by
Lord Theirin will also be remaining here to help train the new recruits sent by other lords and to
complete day to day tasks. All those coming with me, we’re moving out.” With that being said, Jon
Snow took the stairs down into the yard followed by Mirra Theirin and Tormund. Other men from
among the crowd moved to join them as they made their way to the tunnel and the gates that would
lead them beyond the wall. Jon gave a quick whistle and Ghost emerged from the shadows to walk
beside his master.
As the party emerged on the other side of the wall and the gates closed behind them Mirra was in
absolute awe. She spun in a slow circle and looked out over the expanse that lay beyond Westoros,
listening to the crunch of the snow beneath her boots. “It’s beautiful.” She said to no one in
particular but it was Tormund who heard her.
“Aye, it’s beautiful. But just as deadly if not more so.” The big red head said with a laugh as he
came up beside her. “There are whitewalkers out here Lady of the North, hope you can handle that
blade.” He said with a gesture to her left hip.
“Better than you ser.” She quipped.
The wildling laughed heartily. “We shall see should it come to that.”
“Hopefully it does not.” Jon replied as he came up beside them. “Welcome to the end of the world
Mirra.” Tormund gave him a strange look at his drop of title, he had become accustomed to hearing
her called m’lady or Lady Mirra. He had yet to hear Jon call her by only her name until right now
when the rest of their party had walked on ahead of them.
They walked towards the rest of their party and continued on their way towards where Stannis
Baratheon had docked his ships. They all walked awhile in silence, the only sounds made were
those of boots crunching through the snow and he occasional drift of conversation from some of
the black brothers and sailors who walked behind them.
“Does House Theirin still keep the old gods?” Jon Snow asked her after a time. As a child, he had
learned everything about the houses in the north, same as his brothers and most children from
noble houses. That was years ago and he didn’t know if anything had changed since then.
“Of course we do. Same as the Starks since the very beginning. The old gods are the only gods.”
“There is a godswood at Castle Black. Well it’s beyond the wall actually, more heart trees than you
have ever seen before. I can show you when we return if you would like to see it.”
“I’d be wondering about that actually. I saw the sept but that’s just not the same thing. I would like
to see it when we return. It’s been too long since I’ve been to a godswood.” Mirra replied trying to
remember the last time she had sat at the base of a heart tree and prayed to the old gods of the
ancient northern houses. It had been right before she had left for Castle Black, the night before in
fact after she had packed. She had spent some hours there in the snow beneath the blood red leaves,
talking to the gods and thinking about her journey the next day. It was not the last time she had
prayed, but the last time she felt close to her gods.
“When we return to Castle Black, I’ll show you the godswood.” Jon told her as they came into
view of the ships that they would be taking to Hardhome and they all had to admit, Stannis’s fleet
was huge, quite impressive. Much like most people from the north, Mirra had never seen the ocean
or a large fleet of ships or really any ships for that matter. It seemed that she was not the only one
in awe, most of those in their small company, with the exception of the ship captains of course, had
never seen anything quite like it before. The ships were large and many and every single last one
flew the sigil of House Baratheon on their sails. The captains and the black brother who would be
assisting them immediately set to work housting anchor and letting out the sails, leading the
smaller ships on the outskirts out into the water.
“This way.” Jon said gesturing for Mirra and Tormund to follow him as he led them towards the
largest ship in the fleet, the one who lead them all.
Both the northern lady and the wildling looked around in fascination as they boarded the ship via
the gangplank which was pulled up behind them. Soon after their ship too, left the shore and
headed for the open water that would take them to Hardhome.
Mirra remained on deck, resting her hands on the railing and looking out across the sea as the land
pulled further away, even more beautiful from the cold sea than from land, maybe even from atop
the wall. There was something about the cool salt breeze that she enjoyed. She closed her eyes and
breathed deep the air, letting the wind whip around her and toywith her cloak and her long braid.
She almost felt as if she was flying, not as good as it was being on Shadow’s back and racing
through the woods and across the land, untouched and unchallenged by anyone, but it was still
freeing.
The lady opened her deep ocean eyes as Jon Snow came up beside her and laid his own hands on
the railing. “I don’t know who’s quieter, you or Ghost.”
He gave her a laugh as he joined her in looking out across the water. “As long as I spent beyond the
wall, I never saw it from the sea.”
“It’s beautiful, maybe more beautiful than seeing it from atop the wall.”
“The water matches your eyes.” Jon told her, almost as an after thought, like he couldn’t decide
whether to say it or not.
“Thank you. My father always used to say the same thing but I had never seen the sea before so I
could never picture it.” Mirra replied warmly, a slight bit of color in the apples of her cheeks but
whether that was from the cold or Jon’s compliment was unknown.
As the large ship bounced over a wave, a spray of salty sea water misted Jon and Mirra where they
stood on the deck. She laughed at the cool spray and in one swift motion reached behind her back
and pulled out the black ribbon that bound her long tresses together; they tumbled free of their
arrangement and the braid unraveled leaving the wind to pick up her hair and toss it around as it
did her cloak. There was just something about having the wind in her hair that made her feel free.
She was so used to tying her hair up to keep it out of her way, that it was a refreshing change of
pace to have it down.
Jon Snow watched her with a small smile on his face. Mirra was a free spirit, he had always known
that, but she had grown so much more since the last time he had seen her as her father’s entourage
rode out of Winterfell and back to Highever. In that sense, she was more like Ygritte than any
noble woman he had ever known.
“What?” Mirra Theirin asked as she turned and noticed him watching her.
“Nothing, just noticing again that you’re not like any lady I’ve ever met.”
She laughed at that, a soft sound that touched her eyes. “Good, they’re boring.”
“Arya would have said the same. You are lucky to have been born Lord Matthew’s daughter.” Jon
mused thinking of his little sister and how much she would envy the woman beside him knowing
that she got to do the things Arya always wanted and with her father’s permission.
“That I am and I think about that all the time, especially at times like this.”
Before Jon could ask her what she meant, Tormund came behind him. “I need to speak to you.
Alone if you don’t mind.” He added the last part with a glance to Mirra.
“Of course. I’ll come find you later.” Mirra said to Jon as she made her exit and left the two men
standing at the railing and looking out over the sea as she had just been.
 A Rocky Start
Chapter Summary

Mirra, Jon, and their entourage arrive at Hardhome for their meeting with the clan
leaders.

It was many days before the borrowed fleet of ships finally reached Hardhome. They all anchored
out at sea, off the shore and out of the range of archers. This was something that had been decided
while they were still on their way in; the landing party of Jon, Mirra, Edd, and Tormund would be
taking a small boat to shore and if the talks went well more of them would be sent from the other
ships for the free people to board and ride to the larger waiting ships. It was midday when they
anchored and everyone was gathered on the deck waiting to row to shore. Mirra had opted to leave
her long hair down instead of tying it up again and was wearing what she had been when they all
set sail with the addition of thick black leather bracers on her wrists.
“Now I know that they agreed to talk to us but that doesn’t mean that every tribe will be willing to
actually listen. We all have to be prepared should it turn to a fight.” Jon Snow was saying from
where he stood in front of one of the rowboats hanging off the side. This got him nods from those
standing and listening to him. “Now let’s go.”
One by one they all stepped of the railing and climbed down into the rowboat which was then
lowered and released onto the water. Even from the ship it was easy to see the sheer number of the
free people that had gathered and waited to meet them. If it came down to it, there wouldn’t even
be a fight, they would all just be killed, there would be no way to escape. Ghost stood at Jon’s side,
still as a statue, no doubt sensing his master’s nerves. The others were all fairly quiet as well,
which wasn’t like any of them. Mirra sent a quick prayer to the old gods hoping that would hear
her despite the absence of a hearttree. In what seemed like no time at all, the party made land and
stepped off their small boat onto land, they’re boots crunching on the hard ground. As Mirra
looked around at the people gathered she noticed many expressions; some were simply confused
and curious, some even seemed happy at their prescence, some scared, and many just looked wary,
untrusting, still others had eyes that burned with a deep hatred that reached their bones.
“Stop!” A man stepped in front of them clad in bones from head to toe, a bone mask over his face.
“You’ll go no further, instead you’ll die. You killed Mance!” The man stared right at Jon Snow as
he said and drew his weapon. It was Tormund who reacted first, drawing his axe and driving it
down on the man’s skull.
“We are allowed here to speak to the tribe leaders!” He yelled as the body dropped to the ground.
“Does anyone else have anything to say about it?!” He looked around him and no one moved
towards them or made any indication that they would attack. Satisfied, Tormund put away his axe
and lead them the rest of the way into the main part of the city and the small building where they
would be conducting their talk with the various leaders of the clans.
The room was small and fairly dark except for the light emitted by the fire pit in the middle of the
room, around the fire were many people dressed in leathers and furs but they all had a different
look about them as was custom for every clan. They weren’t exactly welcoming with their new
guests and none of them were seated so Jon Snow did not sit either and neither did anyone else.
They stood opposite the fire with Jon in the center, Tormund to his left, Mirra to his right. Edd
stood beside Tormund and Ghost stood at Mirra’s side as his master had wished him to.
“I’m Jon Snow, Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch.” Jon began about to introduce Mirra and
Edd since everyone already knew Tormund.
“We know who you are Lord Crow.” One of the men said. “What we don’t understand is why we
should listen to anything you have to say. You killed Mance Rydar.”
“I did kill him but I did it as a mercy. Stannis wanted him to burn at the stake. I shot an arrow
through his heart to save him agony and gave him a clean death.” Jon replied, not shaken by the
man’s words or the cold looks the others were giving him.
“A mercy killing. Tormund is that true?” The only woman on their side spoke up and looked to the
red haired man on Jon’s left.
“Aye it’s true. He defied direct orders from his king when he fired that arrow.” Tormund stepped
forward and spoke truly to his people, they seemed to relax somewhat at his words.
“As a show of good faith, we have brought you dragonglass. One of my brother’s killed a white
walker with one of them.” Jon told them gesturing for Edd to step forward and pass out the
obsidian daggers that they had brought with them. He walked carefully around the room handing
one to each member of the small gathering in turn. “Even if you decide not to listen to us, you may
keep them as gifts. We don’t wish any of you any harm.” He continued while Edd finished his
rounds and made his way back to his place, his knapsack now empty.
“We will listen to what the crows have to say.” A larger man said to the others, most of them
nodded their agreement but one man, a cold looking man who Mirra imagined looked more like
the whitewalkers than he did humans.
“I will not and my clan will not. We take no orders from crows. We will not hear any of this! We
don’t want your charity either!” He bellowed, tossing the dagger to the ground and spitting on it.
He then roughly left the room without another word said.
Jon sighed as the man left, he was hoping that those who remained would be more open to what he
had to say.
“I didn’t think they made woman crows.” One of the clansmen said taking notice of Mirra now that
her hood was down.
“They don’t.” The woman said looking at her curiously.
“Well she sure looks like a crow.” The man replied.
“I’m not from the Night’s Watch. I’m a lady from the north in Westeros. I’m here on behalf of my
people.” Mirra responded, her voice calm and assured.
“Once I explain why we’re here, you’ll understand why she’s here.” Jon said, starting to begin his
reasoning for being there. “You all know that I’ve spent time on this side of the wall, I spent time
in Mance’s camp. I’ve also seen a whitewalker. I killed one inside Castle Black and I know without
a doubt that they are back. I know that’s why so many of the free people have climbed the wall. I
want to help you, I want to invite all of you to sail with us back to Castle Black to go through the
wall. Once on the other side, you will be given land to live on and do with as you will and you will
still be free. It’s not right that you are made to stay on this side of the wall and deal with the Night
King when there is safety to be had on the other side, in Westeros.”
“The crows have never cared what happned to us before. Why should we even believe you?” The
woman asked him, not cruelly, more surprised that they cared at all.
“Because I see the true enemy and it isn’t you, it’s the Night King and his army of the dead. The
Night’s Watch is sworn to protect people, all people, that includes the free people.” Jon replied, he
could see that his words were getting to them, that they were actually listening.
“What do you want from us? This offer can’t be free.” A thin man asked from the back of the
room.
“We don’t wish anything from you. You don’t have to fight our wars, you don’t have to swear
fealty to our king or any of our lords, you don’t have to pay our taxes. All we ask is that you don’t
pillage any of our villages or harm anyone that doesn’t harm you. You will have plenty of land to
farm and hunt on and you can build homes if you wish. It will be yours.”
“Is this true lady of the north?” The woman asked, looking to Lady Mirra and meeting her deep
blue eyes.
“It’s true. There are many lands in the north that no one claims and no one uses, they have been
abandoned and they are far from the large houses of other lords. No one will bother you and the
land will truly be yours to do with as you will. All of the northern lords and their men will pay you
no mind and if they try anything to take your lands or have you move, they will be dealt with.”
Mirra told her, her hand on the hilt of her sword as she said the last part and the point was made.
“We have your word that none of us will be harmed and that we will be safe?” The woman asked
turning her attention back to Jon Snow, Lord Commander.
“You have my word.” He said with a small bow. “No one will harm you and you will be given safe
passage through the wall and a safe place to call home. One day the Night King could figure out a
way over the wall but until that day comes, we will all be safe in Westeros.” He couldn’t let them
make this choice without knowing that it was possible that some day, even Westeros behind it’s
high ice wall might not be safe.
“My clan accepts your offer, Jon Snow.” The woman told him, her brown eyes showed hope. In
turn most of the other clan leaders in the room also gave their approval and announced that they
too would be joining the small band of crows and crossing the wall. Jon was happy with the
outcome, he had succeeded in doing what he set out to do, save the free people; not everyone had
agreed but most had and that was all he could hope for. Edd went back around collecting the
abandoned dragonglass and putting it back into his knapsack.
“You did it Jon.” Mirra told him with a smile on her pretty face once they had gone outside and
back to the shore to signal the release of the other boats and the men who would row back and
forth.
“We aren’t done yet. There are a lot of people to load aboard our ships and soon it will be nightfall.
I want to be done by then. Nights out here beyond the wall are not kind.” Jon told her as he looked
out to their ships and made out the small boats making their way to shore with their captains in
black.
 A Hard Fought Battle
Chapter Summary

Mirra gets her first taste of the Night King and his army as they fight for their lives
beyond the Wall.

It was a few hours later when dusk started to fall. Many of the free people who would be joining
them had already been ferried out to the large ships. It had taken a lot of time to gather everyone
and start to move them as most needed to gather what items they could to take with them into
Westeros. Jon, Mirra, and Edd had already shrugged off their heavy cloaks and abandoned them in
their rowboat as the added weight was making it hard to lift people and belongings into the ships
and push them off. The giant helped considerably but he couldn’t be everywhere at once and he
spent most of his time carrying people’s things from their camps down to the shore to be loaded
into the boats with their owners.
It was Ghost who first noticed the odd chill in the air. The direwolf had spent most of the last few
hours roaming the shore, always keeping his master in sight. He sniffed the air towards the large
gates that lead into Hardhome and he moved quickly to Jon’s side, growling. The young Lord
Commander helped the elderly man into the rowboat and then followed Ghost’s line of sight to the
north. That was when he saw it, the large cloud of mist and cold air that moved down the hills and
towards the town. Jon knew what it was, everyone knew what it was except for Mirra who had
only heard the stories.
“Edd, Mirra! We need to get these people out of here now!” Jon yelled catching both of their
attention. The two heard his urgency and quickly ran over to the Lord Commander. One glance to
what held Jon’s attention and Edd knew what was going on but Mirra did not as she had never seen
a whitewalker before.
“What’s going on?” She asked, her nerves pulled tight at the sound of Jon’s voice.
It was at that moment that Tormund came running up to them from where he had been closer to the
village helping people prepare to move and carrying their belongings. “The Night King is here!”
He said, breathing heavy since he had sprinted to reach the small party. “We don’t have time
anymore, everyone needs to leave now, before they reach us and tear the walls down!”
“I agree.” Jon replied quickly, looking over his shoulder as he did so. “We all need to reach as
many people as we can and get them into those boats and out to the ships. There’s no more time
for them to grab anything, they have to go.”
Everyone nodded and broke off into a run, all four of them separating in opposite directions to go
get as many free people as they could find and get them into the row boats that were already
waiting at the shore. Despite how fast everyone moved and how those they reached called out to
others, the whitewalkers were fast and they were soon at the gates, tearing out pieces of the
fencing, clawing large gouges into the wood. They had moved many people to the boats, but there
were still so many left.
“We need to try to hold that gate!” Jon yelled to anyone who would listen. Tormund and Edd were
already running that way, along with many wildlings who wanted to help others get to safety. Still
others rushed many people to the water’s edge and into the waiting boats to cross the sea. At that
moment, Jon caught sight of Mirra running from the shore back towards the town, he made a run
for her and grabbed her arm as she dashed by him.
“I need you to help as many people as you can get to those ships and I want you to go with them.”
Jon told her, his dark eyes moving between her face and the gate where many people now stood
together, weapons in hand, ready to fight should the wall come down.
“What?” Mirra’s pretty face turned hard as stone and she looked as though someone had carved her
out of marble. “I’m not one of your brothers in black. You can’t just command me Jon Snow.” Her
voice had an icy tinge to it like the wind in the air. She pulled her arm away and hastily walked off
to join the warriors at the gate, many of whom now had to thrust their weapons into the holes in the
fence to kill the whitewalkers who were trying to get through. Mirra unsheathed her dagger and
brought it down into the head of a corpse that had forced into through a hole in the wall. She held
the weapon in her right hand and braced her left shoulder on the wall trying to keep it up and to
keep the creatures out.
“It’s not gonna hold! There’s too many of them!” She heard someone shout from further down the
line as more and more holes were made in the fence and more and more bodies piled up on the
other side, forcing the undead to climb them to get higher up the fence.
“We have to hold it! There’s too many people on this side still trying to get to safety!” She
recognized Jon’s voice coming from somewhere behind her.
Mirra brought the heel of her boot down on the head of a skeletal corpse that had managed to crawl
partially under the fence in front of her. “Watch your feet!” She called as loudly as she could.
“They’re trying to dig under us!”
Above all of the sounds going on, the sound of blades coming down on flesh and bone, the
groaning sounds from the corpses, and the screams of people as they fled towards the shore, there
was one sound that no one understood until the first of the army of the dead came crashing down
over the wall. It was almost a stillness as all those at the wall turned and looked to where the body
had fallen, smashed to pieces on impact with the hard frozen ground.
“They’ve climbed the fence!” A man yelled as he backed up from the wall, axe at the ready.
“We’d better prepare for a battle cause that won’t hold them back!”
Everyone understood and more and more of them left their post and joined the man, weapons at the
ready. They knew the fence was coming apart, piece by piece, as more and more of the Night
King’s army clawed it away. Now it was time to make a stand.
“We keep the fighting up here, killing as many of them as we can to buy time for people to get free
of this place and out to the ships.” Jon Snow called from where he still stood against the fence,
taking out those who tried to force their way through. “If anyone wishes to go, go now. We will
hold them as long as possible to allow your escape.” His eyes scanned those gathered around him
and those who were standing back ready for the wave, not a single soul moved. “Then we fight!”
He broke away from the wall, followed by everyone else who still stood.
Mirra stepped backwards, her eyes on the large gates as she stored her dagger and instead pulled
her families ancient sword from its scabbard, enjoying the sound of steel on hard leather as it came
free. She fell back joining the others as they waited for the gates to give. There were still bodies
coming from over the wall, but most of them were smashed to pieces upon reaching their side.
Without anyone to hold the wall, it was only seconds before the gates gave up and opened spilling
a mass of whitewalkers into Hardhome. Before the fighting began, Mirra caught sight of the Night
King, sitting atop a horse as pale as the snow around them, high on a cliff. He looked as though he
were truly made of ice and his eyes were as blue as anything she had ever seen, even visible from
where she stood below him in the village. The sight of him sent a chill down her spine, he was the
most disturbing and truly evil thing she had ever seen and she thought that was the point of him
anyway.
All at once there was the sound of clashing swords that seemed to come from everywhere at once.
The dead weren’t particularly good fighters but it was harder to take them down cause blows that
would kill normal men wouldn’t even phase them. You had to either take off their head or take
their legs and make them unable to move. Mirra swung hard, her first blow cleaving the heads of
two corpses as they all spread and stood their ground against the relentless onslaught of the dead.
No one on their side had fallen yet, but she had heard the grunts and shouts of pain as people were
hit. The last of the giants had also stayed behind with them to fight, taking out ten times more
creatures that everyone else on the field was doing. Every once in a while Mirra caught sight of
Ghost, a white blur tearing through the crowd and ripping apart corpse after corpse leaving only
mangled bodies in his wake. For a while it seemed that they would be able to hold their ground and
keep the monsters at bay but that was only until the true monsters entered the field. With their
entrance through the gates, the air grew colder and stiller. There were three of them and they all
carried large ancient swords that were clear and appeared to be made of ice. When they looked at
you it was as if their eyes starred right through you and into your soul, chilling you to the core. The
creatures around them seemed to grow even more restless and violent as their commanders joined
in the battle, drawing the party out and making pathways for the creatures to get through and head
for the shore and those people trying to escape. Some of the free people broke away from them and
went further back to defend their people and take out some of those who had escaped but for
everyone that they killed, another one took its place. The whitewalkers moved as shadows and
crossed blades with anyone they came in contact with who would not stand aside.
Mirra watched in horror as one of the ice men brought his greatsword down against an axe of one
of the free people and as soon as it made contact it changed the steel to ice and shattered it into a
million pieces and then continued down on its path to almost cleave the man in half. It wasn’t even
the way he died that Mirra found truly horrifying, it was how the sword had shattered the axe as if
it was only made of glass.
It was at that moment that one of the creatures lunged at her with a sword and caught her across the
abdomen, cutting into the leather of her corset and revealing the ringmail beneath it. She kicked the
corpse in the chest, knocking it away from her as she swung her sword in her right hand and took
off its head. In the same movement, she grabbed the dagger from the holster on her thigh with her
left hand and shoved it deep into the skull of another creature to her left. As she wretched it free
and took out another corpse with her sword she looked up and noticed that she had moved much
further back from the ruin of the large wooden fence from where she had initially started and as she
took in the fighting around her she saw that everyone else had been pushed back as well. She also
noticed that the whitewalkers had vanished, the chill that they left remained and she knew that they
weren’t far away. As she took down another corpse she saw that one of the free people had fallen
and that they were not the first. Ghost ran next to her leaping into a corpse and ripping it apart in
only a few seconds before moving on to another one.
“Watch out!” Lady Mirra screamed to a woman not far away from her who was unaware of the fact
that one of the dead was coming up behind her. The woman turned just as Mirra launched her
dagger through the air and caught the creature in the head. The wildling woman nodded to her and
moved on to a cluster of creatures not far off. Mirra ran out and ripped the dagger from the
creatures head before moving on and taking out two more. She smashed a third with a foot as it
crawled toward her. As she looked up, she noticed that the giant was crawling with corpses of his
own although he was grabbing them and crushing them and didn’t seem to be having much of a
problem. That’s when she saw one of the whitewalkers heading for Jon and he would never hear
her warning over the sound and she couldn’t hope to reach him. As if he knew the young man
turned and he brought his sword up to protect him from the coming blow of the ice sword. Mirra
watched in awe as Longclaw didn’t shatter but instead held its own and pushed the other weapon
aside, the whitewalker almost seeming stunned that his attack had failed and the blade had held.
“Valyrian steel.” Mirra glanced down at her own blade, the magically enfolded steel almost
shimmering in blood. Now she knew another reason that Valyrian steel was so prized but it was a
reason that no one had need of for centuries so it had been forgotten. Valyrian steel didn’t shatter
on impact with the weapons carried by the whitewalkers. You could actually use them to fight the
monsters.
She was pulled from her thoughts by Tormund shouting, “There’s too many of them!”
He was right of course. For every creature they cut down, 3 more streamed in from the mountains
and into the small town that was now mostly overrun. Mirra looked over to the shore and noticed
that many of the boats were gone but also that many people had taken to swimming to get away
from the corpses that were slowly making their way towards the shore. She cut down another of
the Night King’s army of the dead and saw Jon taking out corpse after corpse with no sign of the
whitewalker he had been battling with. “We need to fall back!” He yelled to anyone who was close
enough to hear him. Many wildlings turned and ran towards the shore, cutting down corpses as
they ran for the water.
Jon cut his own path through the dead and ran towards Mirra who was deep in corpses. “Mirra we
need to go now. If we stay here any longer, we die here.”
She nodded as she ran her blade through the abdomen of one of the creatures and kicked it away
from her. She followed Jon with her sword still drawn, taking creatures out as they made their way
towards the shore along with everyone else who wasn’t dead.
“Ghost! To me!” Jon called catching sight of the large white direwolf not far off still ripping apart
corpses. The wolf looked up and caught sight of his master in his dark red eyes and bounded
towards him.
As Jon and Mirra reached their boat, Mirra climbed on board and Ghost beside her. Tormund and
Edd came running up not behind them with a few other wildlings who they ushered into the boat
with them.
“Jon, we need to go now. They’re right behind us now.” Mirra said keeping her deep blue eyes on
the town behind them where the large army was moving much quicker to get to the survivors now
that they weren’t hindered by fighting. All of the whitewalkers had reappeared and were also
moving towards them.
She didn’t have to say anymore as Jon, Edd, and Tormund pushed the boat into the water and freed
it from the freezing sand before jumping into the rowboat themselves and grabbing the oars to help
get as much distance between them and the army who could not follow them as possible. As they
passed the end of the dock, the giant walked out into the sea drowning some of the creatures who
were still on him and continued walking out towards the ships. Mirra turned from where she stood
at the head of the boat with Ghost at her side. She watched Hardhome slowly recede from view as
it burned, one of the last acts they tried to do as they left. The young lady caught the Night King’s
eye as she watched the corpses stop their advance when they reached the water’s edge. She didn’t
know if whitewalkers felt emotions as humans did but she could have sworn she saw a fire of anger
in his icy eyes as they moved away.
 Lost In You
Chapter Summary

Following the high emotions of the Battle at Hardhome, Jon and Mirra spend the night
together.
Very explicit!

Upon reaching the ships and climbing on board it became clear just how many people they had
saved, of those who had chosen to go with them beyond the wall and into Westeros, most of them
had made it onto the various ships and had escaped the army of the dead. As she looked around,
Mirra also noticed how many people they didn’t save, just on the main flag ship alone. It made her
sad to see children crying for dead parents and men and women grieving over their loved ones.
They had done everything they could and bought as much time as possible for people to make it to
safety. The army of the dead just showed up at the wrong time, or the right time depending on how
you looked at it. For awhile Lady Mirra just stood on the deck looking out to sea, taking comfort in
the cool breeze and the distance that was being put between their ships and the Night King. The
deck was busy around her as rooms were found for those on the ship and food was given to
everyone. She pried herself away from the ship’s railing and joined the rest of their crew in
grabbing food and blankets for their new shipmates. Once it appeared she had done all she could,
she abandoned the deck that was slowly thinning out as people found their rooms and instead
headed across the ship to the captain’s quarters in search of Jon Snow who she had not seen since
boarding the ship and she wanted to apologize for yelling at him when he asked her to go.
As she descended the few steps that lead down to the large room, she could hear voices coming
from the double doors, one of which was open. Both voices she recognized, one belonging to Jon
Snow and the other belonging to Tormund. She moved quietly through the open door and stood off
to the side, entering the room and leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest.
The two men were standing at a large table that were covered in maps and charting supplies, none
of which they had needed on the journey but it seemed clear that Jon hadn’t wanted to disturb the
true ship captain’s things; the only thing that didn’t belong was Longclaw in its scabbard laying on
the table. Instead they just stood around the table talking about what had happened and what would
happen with everyone once they reached the wall and Castle Black and made it to the other side.
Both men looked up as she entered, Jon seeming slightly surprised to see her after she angrily left
him on the field.
“Tormund, can you excuse us? We can pick this up later.” Jon asked the red haired man that he
considered to be a friend.
“Alright. Ill get the door on my way out.” Before anyone could object, he crossed the parlor and
breezed past Mirra, closing the second door on his way out.
Mirra then crossed the room herself to stand beside the large table where she absently picked up a
compass and started to play with it, walking it across the map while she sorted out the words for
her apology. It would appear that the young man was unsure of what to say to her as well as he
watched her, saying nothing.
“Jon I’m sorry for what I said to you back there. I might not actually be one of the Night’s Watch,
but I came here to help you. I told my soldiers they were to listen to you as if you were their given
commanding officer and I should have done the same. It just made me so angry that you wanted
me to go when you knew I could have fought and helped you and you knew why I came to Castle
Black and your order in the first place. But regardless of my feelings, I should have taken the order
that was given to me.” She spoke carefully and laid the compass back down on the table, her deep
blue eyes fixed on Jon’s dark brown ones.
He seemed shocked by her apology, no doubt thinking she was there to yell at him further for
commanding her to stay back from the fighting. He couldn’t hide the fact that her decision made
him angry, but not because she defied him. “You could have died out there Mirra! What would I
have told your father? I couldn’t even have sent your body home to him! You would have become
one of them, how would I explain that to your parents?” He ran a hand through his thick black hair,
taking in the shocked expression on her pretty face.
“You would have told him that I died helping people, saving people just like I told you to!”
“I highly doubt your father would find it a comfort to know that his daughter was now a weapon
for the whitewalkers just because she was too stubborn to go back to the ship.”
This gave her pause for a moment because she knew that it would kill him to know she was gone
and that he couldn’t even bury her because her body was no longer her own. “My father knew the
risks when he allowed me to come here. He knew when he said goodbye that it might be the last
time.”
“Trust me, he didn’t. You never know it could be the last time.” This had a bitter sound to it as
Jon’s mind had no doubt shifted through all the people in his life he had said goodbye to, never
knowing that it would truly be the last time.
“Even so, you can’t just leave me out of every battle because there is a chance I could die! I’m not
afraid to die, I’m a warrior and I came here to fight. If I don’t even get to do that, then what was
the point of even coming here in the first place?” Mirra said, exasperated. She couldn’t believe that
she had come here to apologize and that didn’t even go right.
“You’re right, you came here to help and you came here to fight. Why else does anyone end up on
the wall? I shouldn’t have told you to go back. I just don’t want to see you die.” Jon replied, finally
admitting to the last part out loud, the real reason he had told her to go back to the ship even though
he knew that she was an asset to have fighting with them.
“Everybody dies Jon.” Mirra told him completely missing the implications of what he meant when
he said he didn’t want to see her die.
“You are the most headstrong woman I’ve ever met.” Jon told her as he closed the distance of a
few feet that separated them and pulled her to his chest. He kissed her just as he’d wanted to for the
past few weeks. It took only a split second for the shock at his actions to wear off before Mirra
kissed him back, her lips soft and warm despite being in the cold all day. She had wanted Jon to
kiss her but she hadn’t known how much until the moment he did; it was like a warm fire on the
coldest night.
The skin on his palms felt slightly rough against her cheek, but his hands were gentle as was his
kiss. Mirra slid one hand around his body and up his back to rest at the base of his neck, her slender
fingers curled into his hair. Her other hand unhooked her sword belt and laid it beside Longclaw on
the table along with her dagger holster. Mirra was grateful that Tormund had closed the door when
he departed, otherwise anyone could have walked in and found them as they were, breaking Jon’s
vows as a man of the Night’s Watch. Not that that seemed to bother him too much so Mirra pushed
the thought from her head as well. Her fingers moved to unclasp the cloak that he had put back on
once jumping into the row boat, the heavy cloth making a soft thud as it hit the floor. Mirra could
feel his smile against her lips as he kissed her. He obviously didn’t think that it was too much that
she removed his cloak and in response he pulled her tighter, his fingers tangled in her hair. His kiss
became more, more passion, more feeling. Mirra felt his tongue softly probe her lower lip, a tender
question which she answered by parting her lips for him, meeting his tongue when her own in a
dizzying dance.
The lady’s heart beat so hard and so fast in her chest, she feared it might escape its cage if it wasn’t
bound by her corset but she loved the rush and the breathlessness of it all the same. She slid her
hand to Jon’s chest and felt that his own heartbeat matched hers, his breathing heavy. His breath
against her lips was like new life, awakening something in her. Jon’s kiss moved from her lips,
trailing down her jawline to land on her slender neck drawing a heavy sigh from her pouty lips as
she tilted her head to the side welcoming his mouth anywhere he cared to put it. Her fingers
worked quickly at the clasps of his leather jerkin, pushing it off his shoulders and causing him to
pull his arms from her to work it off. He made fast work of it, eager to have her in his arms again.
Mirra’s breath came out in a gasp when Jon lightly bit her neck, testing to see what it was she liked.
“Did I hurt you?” He asked her kissing the spot.
“No you didn’t. Don’t stop.” Her voice was heavy with desire.
Jon smiled and laughed lightly before pushing her hair away from her neck and biting her again,
harder this time. Her fingers coiled into his hair and a soft moan escaped her lips. She could feel
Jon’s own pleasure against her body as he held her against him and that gave her her own amount
of pleasure. Jon released his hold on her neck and turned his attention back to her lips where he
kissed her with a fire that burned so hot she feared they might catch fire but it was so delicious. As
he kissed her, his hands moved over her body coming to rest on the belt that held her coat in place
which he undid in one swift movement tossing it aside and dropping her coat on to the floor.
“Jon” She breathed his name, the sound of it being one of the sweetest he had ever heard. She slid
her hands down to his waist and undid the laces on his pants before allowing herself to feel him for
the first time. Now it was his turn to lose his breath at her touch. As if on instinct, Jon swept his
arm across the table behind them scattering everything to the floor in a mess of charts and
compasses and maps, his desire for Mirra far outweighing his desire to not mess up the captain’s
things. He grabbed her waist and lifted her onto the table, his lips never leaving hers.
Mirra wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him to her, pulling his remaining shirt out of
his pants and over his head tossing it into the slowly growing pile of clothes on the floor beneath
them. Her fingers trailed over the muscle in his chest, all of it earned, her eyes enjoying what she
saw.
“May I?” Jon asked her, his fingers tracing the frame of her corset, his dark eyes holding her own.
“Ever the gentleman.” Mirra said with a smile as she lightly brushed her fingertips along the
waistband of his pants. “Yes.”
Jon shivered at her touch and unlaced her corset faster than she thought he could and cast it aside
where it landed on the wooden floor with a very heavy thud. His hands trailed along her side, she
could feel the warmth of his touch through the light fabric of the shirt she still wore. Her nipples
stood perky, whether that was more because of the cold that still hung in the air or her own state of
arousal she could not be entirely certain, in all likelihood it was probably both. Jon took notice and
grabbed one through her shirt between his forefinger and middle finger and squeezed lightly.
Mirra’s eyes shone with passion as she leaned forward and took his lower lip in her teeth and
nibbled lightly as she kissed him. They stayed like that a moment, lost in kissing each other and
just feeling what they could.
Mirra was the one to finally slowly pull away and once again brush her hair away from her neck,
revealing the faint bite mark that Jon had left on her not to long ago. He took that as an invitation
and began to kiss her neck and then slowly move to her collarbone and down her chest, savoring
every inch of skin he could touch and the feeling of her shallow breathing and rapid heartbeat. He
pulled her white shirt off and tossed it aside, almost losing his own breath at the sight of her. He
smiled at her as he pushed her lightly back down against the table so she was laying on her back
and he ran his hands over her breasts and down her stomach marveling at the muscle she had and
how beautiful she looked beneath all of her clothing.
“You are absolutely stunning, the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen.” Jon told her, looking into
her deep ocean eyes before kissing the space between her breasts.
Mirra laughed softly, the sound full of light teasing. “You’re only saying that because I’m half
naked Lord Commander.”
Jon chuckled at that. “I think that even when you’re in full armor my lady. This is only a bonus.”
He began to kiss down her stomach, stopping at the waistband of her pants asking her permission
with his eyes. Mirra nodded her approval.
Jon Snow got down on his knees and began to unlace her boots and pull them off, the only obstacle
that was keeping her pants on. He also took the opportunity to unlace and remove his own boots so
Mirra wouldn’t have to do it later. He ran his hands back up her legs and taking his time, even
beneath the thick leather he liked the feel of her.
Mirra propped herself up on her elbows and couldn’t help but watch him, she never thought she
would be where she was right now and she didn’t want to be anywhere else either. She felt slightly
nervous as she watched him untie the laces on her pants and slowly work them down her hips and
off her legs onto the floor. She shivered as she laid lounged on the table wearing only her small
clothes, Jon running his hands over her legs and kissing up her thigh before planting a kiss where
he truly wanted eliciting a sharp intake of breath from his partner who had never experienced
anything like it. He could feel how wet she already was through the cotton before he slowly slid
the unwanted article down her legs and dropped them to the floor. His chocolate eyes caught hers
only once before he devoted his attention into pleasing her. He ran his tongue over her lips
delighting in the moan it pulled from deep within her body as she laid her head back against the
table. She tasted sweet as he always wondered if she would. He slowly circled his tongue around
her clit and felt her fingers twist into his curls and her breathing hitch as he did so. He trailed the
fingers of his dominant hand up her thigh to what was slowly becoming a pool between her legs.
Very gently, he pushed two fingers inside of her, in and out as he licked her clit with more intensity.
Mirra moaned and tightened her grip in Jon’s black curls as she pulled. Instinctively she moved her
hips against his mouth aiding him in a way she didn’t even know as he brought her closer and
closer to a cliff she hadn’t known before, not in this way. She was truly drenched now aroused
more than she ever thought possible.
“Mhmmm, Jon.” Mirra’s voice was breathey and husky and full of deep desire. His name on her
lips was almost pleading with him to tip her off the edge of the cliff and he was oh so willing to do
just that.
His tongue worked artfully around her clit which at this point had become quite engorged with her
own arousal, they pulsing of it quickening with every pass of his tongue or push of his fingers. She
rocked her hips against him with even more frequency, her breathing was rapid and quite heavy.
Jon smiled as he increased his speed just enough to give her the release he’d been hoping for. Mirra
arched her back and dug her fingers deep into his curls as a low and heavy moan escaped her lips
and her whole body spasmed with the force of her orgasm, her thighs briefly tightened around his
head before she dropped her legs which were still shaking.
“Where did you learn that?” Mirra asked as Jon kissed back up her body, pulling her to him and
burying his face in the crook of her neck.
“I didn’t. It's something that I did before just because I wanted to and I wanted to make you feel
good.”
“Oh you did.” She purred, running her hands down his chest and one of them slipped down his
pants and grabbed ahold of him and squeezed softly. “Let me do the same for you.”
The young man’s brow rose at her words. “You don’t have to.”
Mirra laughed softly. “Oh I know, now shut up and just let me.” She slid off the table and laid her
hand on his chest and pushed him back against the wall behind him. Her soft lips trailed down his
jaw to his neck where she felt his heartbeat quicken again as she lightly nibbled to the soft flesh
there and slid her hand down to quickly untie his pants in one quick reflex, almost with no effort at
all. A shiver ran down Jon’s spine as she exposed him to the cooler air in the room and he felt her
mouth curve into a smile against his neck before she trailed her lips down his chest and came to
rest on her knees in front of him, her lips paused at his waist, her tongue tracing the firm muscle
she found there.
Before Jon knew or was even prepared, the lovely woman before him ran her hand along the length
of his shaft before wrapping her mouth around it instead. The moan that escaped his own lips was
entirely involuntary as was the hand that found her hair and twisted its fingers into. The chill in the
air around them was instantly forgotten almost as if it had never been there in the first place.
Mirra had only done this a handful of other times but if the reactions she got from it were any
indication, she was good at it and while she herself loved to be pleased, she loved to please just as
much. She liked the way that Jon’s dick felt in her mouth and the way his hands felt in her hair as
she worked her mouth around him. His breathing grew heavier and more rapid the faster and
farther she took him into her mouth. She slid her tongue along the entire length from base to top,
very slowly, pausing at the tip to rapidly flick her tongue back and forth which caused her new
lover to catch his breath and pull her hair. It wasn’t hard but enough to show her just how into it
that he really was and she couldn’t help but smile at that before placing her lips back around his
cock and resuming her pleasuring, this time also working her tongue into it and not just her lips.
She slid one of her hands up the man’s thigh and gently cupped his balls in the palm of her hand
and kneaded them softly while she sucked him off.
“Mirra.”
The sound was music to her ears, not just her name coming from his lips but the way it sounded at
that very moment. The sound was one of longing, desire, pleading for more and she loved all of it.
Jon’s reactions were encouragement for her and she had always responded well to encouragement.
Her other hand she moved to his dick and followed the path her lips took and added another level
of stimulation which she was rewarded with another tug of her hair. She smiled as best she could
despite her mouth being quite full. It was another few moments of heavy panting from the man
before her before she slowly pulled back and ran her tongue back up his chest and instead pressed
her lips to his where she was greeted warmly with an open mouth and a tongue in her own.
Jon kicked off his boots and stepped out of his pants as he entwined one of his hands into Mirra’s
hair, the other roaming her back and pulling her tight against him. Mirra wrapped an arm around
his shoulder and the other rested against his jaw anchoring his lips to her own as they kissed
hungrily. She couldn’t help the passion that had ignited deep in her body the moment that Jon had
kissed her. She wrapped her left leg around Jon’s own leg as he quickly turned her and pushed her
against the wall like she had done to him. A naughty laugh escaped her lips and Jon felt as much as
heard it. His fingers still tangled in her hair found the back of her neck and pulled her even tighter
to him, her face closer to his if that was even possible. He didn’t think he’d ever get the chance to
be with her this way when he saw the whitewalkers back on the beach and her running towards the
fight like the warrior she was. He knew the instant he kissed her that he couldn’t let her go, not
ever, and that he couldn’t waste any chance to be with her. Rules of the Watch be damned.
Jon Snow picked up Mirra in one smooth move, his hands holding her firmly against his chest as
she wrapped both of her legs around his waist and held tight as he carried her into the bedroom part
of the cabin, their kiss never ending and only growing more passionate. He carefully used his foot
to pull the room divider closed behind them before laying Mirra on the heavy fur covered bed and
carefully climbing on top of her.
Mirra could feel his desire pressed firmly against her thigh as one of his hands slid from her hip to
her breast and lightly squeezed it while taking her nipple between his fingers and pulling just
slightly, enough for her to feel it but not enough for it to hurt and that’s what she liked. Jon stopped
kissing her for a moment to catch his breath, adjusting himself so that his dick lay just outside of
her, ready to continue or to stop if she wished to.
“Please Jon.” She breathed in answer, “I want you.”
“I want you too.” Jon told her in response his lips finding hers again as he slowly pushed into her
receiving a moan against his lips and her hand curling into the hair at the base of his skull. Her
other hand sliding down his strong back as he thrust.
Mirra had been with a man before, one of the men of her father’s army, but when her mother found
out about their affair she had sent him away to join the gold cloaks at Kings Landing, a place she
knew her daughter would never go. This with Jon was nothing she had had with the soldier,
physically or emotionally.
She ran her fingernails along the man’s spine as he pulled his lips from hers to kiss down her neck.
She wrapped one of her legs around Jon’s waist and tightened the muscles around him. For Jon’s
only experience in love being with Ygritte, he seemed quite skilled to Mirra, most so than pure
instinct. He pushed further into her completely erasing her mind as she moaned and dug her nails
into his back and not being able to help pulling the hair that she still had her other fingers twined
around.
“You feel so good.” Jon Snow breathed against her neck as she tilted her head to the side to allow
him better access to bite her which he did.
She meant to respond with actual words but the feel of his teeth on her and him inside of her all she
could manage was a gasp that turned into a moan. She felt the smile on his lips against her neck
and felt her own pulse quicken which she didn’t even know was possible.
Most men seemed to just plow away at women like they were mere objects to be used for pleasure
and cast aside but not Jon Snow. He was generous. It wasn’t just pushing away at high speeds but
rather a variation of slow and teasing, hard and fast, and slow and deep. His fingers wound their
way into her mane of ebony waves and curled there. His breathing was heavy and labored but he
gave no indication he was ready to quit.
“Jon.” Mirra sighed with pleasure. “More.” Her entire body felt alive, every nerve ignited and
electrified. Nothing she had ever experienced in her life compared to this, not even flying over the
grounds of Highever on Shadow’s back with the wind whipping through her hair.
Her lover happily obliged pushing the entire length of himself inside of her as far as he could and
moving his hips against hers as she gripped him tight and pulled her other leg around his waist as
well. She had to bite her lip to keep from crying out as his movements pushed her over the edge.
Mirra of course wasn’t unfamiliar with having an orgasm but this was the first time that a man had
been able to give her one through sex. Her legs tightened around his waist and and her fingers dug
scratches down his back causing a chill to run down his spine. Her lips she buried in the crook of
his neck so she didnt have to be quiet anymore and let out the moan that she was afraid would
bring someone running to give them aid that wasn’t needed. Jon pulled her tight against his body
and ran his tongue along the outside of her ear before softly nibbling on her lobe. He then turned
his head towards her and encouraged her to kiss him which she did, breathless and hungry for his
tongue in her mouth again. Mirra could feel Jon’s fingers tighten in her hair and his muscles tense
for a moment as he moaned against her lips and came to his own climax.
Neither one of them moved for a moment, both just enjoying what they had. Their kisses slowing
and turning into something softer and more romantic. After a short time, Jon extracted his fingers
from her hair and slowly pulled out of her and rolled over onto his back on the bed beside her
before pulling her into his arms. Mirra laid her head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat
slow down as she enjoyed the feel of his fingers as he lightly ran them down her back. Jon Snow
kissed her forehead, long and soft as he squeezed her close. Mirra’s lovely blue eyes closed and she
planted her own gentle kiss on his chest.
“I could stay here forever if we could stop time.” She said softly not wanting to break the serenity
of the moment.
“Aye, as could I love.” Jon replied, his fingers still lightly tracing her spine. As he leaned down to
kiss her.

Mirra opened her eyes to find the sun shining through one of the windows in the room and onto the
bed, warming it where it touched. She rolled over under the furs to find Jon still asleep beside her,
although her movement caused him to stir and open his eyes to the sun as well.
“Good morning Jon.” Mirra said, as his eyes focused on her and a smile crossed his face.
“You’re a lovely sight to wake up to.” Jon told her, reaching over and gently caressing her cheek.
He leaned over and kissed her. “I could get used to this.”
A cloud seemed to cross Mirra’s face at his words and she sat up and in the process pulled away
from him. “You can’t. You took vows Jon. You already broke them and I can’t let you do that
again, not for me. Your life isn’t worth it.”
Jon’s handsome wrinkled in confusion. “They wouldn’t kill me. Lord Commander Mormont once
told me that if they executed every man who ran away to Mole’s Town in the night that the Wall
would manned by ghosts.” He paused and watcher her face, she was listening but the concern still
showed in her eyes. “I have feelings for you Mirra. I’d been trying to figure out what to do about
them long before last night; it was just that seeing you out there fighting and knowing you could
die and that you didn’t seem to care, I had to do something. I had wanted to kiss you for a long
time. Being with you just feels right to me, like this is where I should be. How could something
that feels like this be wrong?”
Mirra looked into his dark eyes and saw his sincerity, that there was truth in everything he said and
her conviction to do what she thought needed to be done waivered. “I don’t want you to look back
and feel like you broke your honor for me, that you compromised who you are and resent me for it
or even hate yourself.” She hurried spoke what she needed to before she lost the nerve.
“You haven’t broken my honor, you never could.” He trailed a finger along her cheek and down
her jaw as he said this. “I need you to understand that I could never resent you, not ever. I want to
be with you if you will have me.” Jon moved towards her, gently grabbed her face, and he kissed
her, trying to convey everything that he had just told her. Mirra’s resolve to end it for his sake
crumpled into dust and she knew as long as Jon would have her, she would stay at his side no
matter what came. She gave in to his kiss and his touch without any second thoughts or doubts and
welcomed him into her again because as long as they remained on the ship, time was stopped for
them.
 Return to Castle Black
Chapter Summary

The group has made the journey home to Westeros and Castle Black and has to
readjust to life on the other side of the wall.

The journey back to Castle Black took much longer than the original journey to Hardhome. The
ships ran in to the path of a storm and it slowed them down considerably, taking double the time to
make it home. The few weeks on the ship were confining and everyone was quite anxious to see
anything resembling the ground. Mirra spent most of her time up on the deck, looking out over the
sea or sparring with anyone who would match her blade which more often than not was Tormund.
There were others of his people that would take her on as well, but most of them decided that once
was enough and instead they opted to watch. It was something for the people to do instead of
sitting in their rooms, which was something Mirra just couldn’t do. She was never one to just sit
around and she didn’t like to feel stuck which is why she didn’t go below decks unless she had to.
Her nights she always spent with Jon in his chambers and for that reason alone she didn’t want to
ever leave the ship; they both knew it couldn’t be the same once returning to Castle Black, they
would need to be much more careful to ensure that the order never found out about them.
As much as the two wished to remain on the ship, their fleet did eventually land back where
Stannis had docked them when he came to the north and everyone had to disembark and begin the
long trek on foot back to the wall. Mirra had elected to leave her raven hair down, finding that she
liked the freedom of it. She pulled her hood over her head against the cold as many others around
her did as their army made their way across the snow, surely looking quite formidable for anyone
or anything like might be looking on from deep in the woods.
It took the group hours to finally reach the middle of the wall, the place they needed to be to
reenter Westeros. Mirra stood beside the young lord commander as he stopped walking and raised
his hand for everyone else to follow suit. They had come to stand directly in front of the large steel
door that remained closed. Jon looked slightly nervous as his eyes scaled the wall and came to rest
on the figures on top, many were clad in black but Mirra also noticed a couple in her own house
colors. Lieutenant Hawthorne was doing exactly what he was supposed to, making sure Thorne
didn’t do something stupid which meant the large man in the center must have been Thorne.
“You don’t think that Thorne would really leave us locked out here do you?” She asked quietly
leaning into Jon so as not to be overheard.
“Honestly, I don’t know. I wish I could tell you that his honor would still make him obey orders
but Thorne holds no love for me or the free people.” Jon told her, his dark eyes never leaving the
top of the wall.
“Could we scale it if we had to?” She asked, her eyes scanning the wall for any possible leverage.
“We could but it’s dangerous and we don’t have any climbing equipment. I did it once with Ygritte
and some others and only half of us who tried to make the climb actually made it to the other side
and we effectively have an entire army, they would notice us.”
“I left my lieutenant here on purpose, to make sure we made it back to our side. I don’t trust
Thorne.”
Jon nodded, glad she thought that far ahead as his own honor sometimes kept him from thinking of
ours not holding their own oaths. “I hope it doesn’t come to that. We don’t need more bloodshed.”
They were in luck. The large door started to lift slowly as Jon finished his thought. “It seems that
Thorne has more honor for his commander than I thought.” Jon stated more to himself than to
Mirra or Tormund or Ed who now stood alongside them. They began to lead their large group
through the tunnel in the wall and into the courtyard of Castle Black on the other side.
It seemed that all the brothers of the watch as well as Mirra’s own house soldiers had gathered to
watch the procession through the grounds. Most of the brothers had cleared the courtyard and
instead stood along the battlements or inside doorways, almost as if they were afraid to get too
close. Throne had come down the lift and now stood at the top of the stairs, saying nothing as they
emerged. Jon and Mirra stopped and stood just inside the main gate leading into the wall while
Tormund and Ed continued to the main gate, Ed stopped there and Tormund continued as he was
the one who was going to lead everyone to their new home. The looks of gratitude that the free
people gave to Jon and Mirra as they passed made the whole journey worth while. They saved as
many as they could and the the people knew it. There were a few who even stopped and thanked
them personally before continuing on out of Castle Black. It took some time for everyone to cross
over into Westeros and it seemed that everyone residing in the castle stayed to watch everyone
move through. Once the last of the free people had moved outside the main gate and out into the
north, the large wooden gates were sealed again and the the heavy steel door we dropped closing
off Westeros from what’s beyond the wall.
“Lord Commander.” Thorne said simply, his voice gruff as Jon and Mirra moved up the stairs onto
the landing headed for Jon’s study. Mirra he said nothing to as they passed him. Not that that was
unusual, he ignored her more often than not. She didn’t know if that’s because he hated the fact
that she agreed with Jon’s plan or simply because she was at Castle Black and she was Jon’s right
hand instead of him. Thorne moved past them and down into the yard without another look in their
direction.
“I need to send a raven back to Highever; my parents need to know that I made it back okay. I’ll
come and find you later.” Mirra said once Throne was gone.
“You know where I’ll be.” Jon replied with a smile as she turned and headed for the rookery.
The rookery was empty upon Mirra’s arrival as it typically was now that Maester Aemon was
dead. Sam would still tend to the birds but he spent most of his time in the library. She didn’t mind
being alone, she preferred it when she wanted to write anyway. She sat down at a stool on a high
table and penned a short letter to her father, letting her family know that she was okay and asking
after her mother’s health and pregnancy. The letter she rolled up and sealed with the simple seal of
the Night’s Watch before standing and opening the cage to one of the ravens. The bird eagerly
climbed onto her arm from its perch and she secured the parchment to its leg before gifting the bird
with a small piece of meat. The raven cawed his thanks as Mirra walked over to the open air.
“To Highever.” She said before gently thrusting her arm out, sending the messenger off in the
direction of her estate.
“I wondered if I might find you here my lady.” A voice said from the doorway.
Mirra turned, irritation written on her face. “What do you want Ser Thorne?”
“I have a question to ask you.” He stated simply as he came into the room. “But its hard to find you
away from Snow.” The name sounded like venom in his mouth, not something that surprised Mirra
as Jon had told her how much the man hated him from the very beginning.
“Then ask your question.” She said standing her ground with her arms crossed over her chest.
“Why did you agree to Snow’s plan? Why did you allow the wildlings into Westeros, into your
people’s lands?” His tone was neutral and gruff as always but his eyes showed his anger.
“Because it was the right thing to do. No one should be left to the mercy of the whitewalkers
beyond the wall. The Night’s Watch is meant to protect all people, not just those lucky enough to
be born on this side. But you should know that already shouldn’t you? You took the vows and
heard the Lord Commander’s speech, same as the rest of us. They got lands that no one wanted or
would claim, now they aren’t going to waste.” She leveled her gaze with his as she spoke, her
words not seeming to make any difference not that she was surprised.
He scoffed. “Pretty words mean nothing in times of war. You should have stayed in Highever
where its safe. You had no business being here in the first place and now you have enemies in the
order.” He stepped closer to her, no longer bothering to keep his voice neutral and somewhat calm,
now it held a malice in it.
“Are you threatening me?” She asked, her eyes narrowed.
“Of course not, it’s a crime to threaten a noble lady, even here. I’m merely saying that the Lord
Commander won’t always be able to protect you.” He said, moving ever closer.
“I don’t need anyone’s protection. This conversation is over.” Mirra stated, her voice firm, as she
walked past the man and turned the doorway and the stairways.
Throne quickly reached out and grabbed her arm, turning her around and pulling her back. “Are
you sure about that?”
Quick as lightning, Mirra pulled her dagger and held it against his throat. “Unhand me.” Her words
were even but the threat carried and he dropped his hand, letting her go.
“My apologies my lady.” He choked out.
She pressed the weapon into his flesh, leaving a small shallow wound. “Don’t touch me again
because next time, I won’t hesitate.” Just like that the dagger was back in its sheath and Mirra was
descending the stairs leaving a very angry Aliser Throne standing alone in the rookery.
It was nightfall when Mirra emerged from her room, her large hood pulled over her head. She made
her way into the main area of Castle Black, glad to note that none of the brotherhood were still out.
They should all be in their own rooms sleeping now except for those who pulled watch on top of
the wall. Even so, she was silent as she made her way to Jon’s study through the shadows. She
quietly opened the heavy wooden door and made her way into the room closing the door behind
her, it was empty as she figured it would be. Jon would have sent Ollie away for the evening hours
ago. Instead she moved through the darkened room and opened another door at the far end. This
door opened onto a the Lord Commander’s bedroom, lit by a fire glowing in the fireplace. Jon
Snow met her enterance with a smile that spread to her face as well as she closed the door and
locked it. He had already stripped off his heavier clothes and was simply wearing only his pants
and black shirt. Mirra removed her cloak and her coat upon entering the room and dropped them
onto the floor. Ghost looked up from where he slept on some furs in the corner, but upon
recognizing her went back to his slumber.
Jon Snow stood from the bed and wrapped Mirra in his arms, kissing her. Her lips still chilled from
her walk here, although they quickly warmed at his touch. “I missed you today.” She spoke against
his lips, feeling a hint of a smile as she said this.
“We should have just stayed on the ship.” He replied, his voice had a light tone to it. He was
joking of course, mostly joking anyway. He would have loved to have stayed on Stannis’s ship
with Mirra but he had duties at Castle Black and duties to the Night’s Watch and he wouldn’t just
abandon them.
“Maybe in another lifetime.” Mirra said, resting her head against his shoulder. “I don’t mind this
lifetime though.” She smiled softly.
“Neither do I.” He replied, running his thumb along her jawline before kissing her again. His kiss
was longing and also loving. It was as if they were back on the ship and there was nothing else
except for the two of them and their feelings.
Sometime later while it was still pitch black outside, Jon and Mirra laid together naked in his bed.
Her head rested on his shoulder and she ran her fingers along his bare chest. His fingers traced her
spine and combed through her long black hair.
“Sam is leaving.” He told her suddenly, almost as if he had forgotten to tell her sooner but he
hadn’t seen her sooner to tell her before now.
Mirra seemed confused, her brow wrinkling her pretty face. “Leaving? What do you mean he’s
leaving?”
“He’s leaving Castle Black. He asked me for leave to go to the citadel in Oldtown to become a
maester now that Maester Aemon is gone. We can’t just not have a maester and Sam is already a
sworn brother. I let him go.” His voice took on a hint of sadness. Sam was his best friend and now
he would be gone for quite some time forging his maester’s chain before returning to the wall.
“I’m sorry Jon. It probably wasn’t easy for him to ask you to leave or even decide to leave.” Mirra
told him, knowing what she knew about Sam and how much he loved Jon and admired him.
“No I don’t imagine it was. But it’s what is best for Sam. He was never cut out to be a warrior and
wield a blade. He’ll do better as a maester.” He was resolute and Mirra knew that he had made the
best decision.
“I had a run in with Thorne earlier today.” Mirra started slowly, not quite sure what Jon would say
and not wanting him to freak out for something that she didn’t see as any big deal.
“What did he do?” Jon’s voice took on a hard edge as he moved and propped himself up on his arm
so he could look into Mirra’s eyes.
“He asked me why it is that I agreed with your mission to bring the free people into Westeros.
When I told him why, he told me I should have stayed in Highever because I have no business here
and now I have made some enemies. He then said that you wouldn’t always be able to protect me
and when I told him I don’t need anyone’s protection and went to leave he grabbed my arm. That
was his mistake and I gave him a little reminder to make sure he knew that.” Mirra’s deep blue
eyes had a mischievous glint to them as she thought of holding her dagger to the man’s throat.
“It was less than what he deserved I’m sure.” Jon replied, knowing that she wouldn’t have done
much except to make him aware of how she skilled she was, sword or no. He should have known
better than to try and cross her anyway, he had seen her fight on many occasions and not just
always with swords.
“Probably but he won’t go near me again. He’ll have a hard enough time explaining how he got his
newest scar.” Mirra said as Jon seemed to relax upon knowing that she hadn’t been hurt and had
handled the situation. He leaned back and lightly brushed his fingers over her arm and down her
back.
“Good.” Jon told her before kissing her. His naked skin was warm against her own and despite the
cold and chill that permeated everything this far north, they weren’t cold at all as they spent what
time they could together. His tongue slipping into her mouth as he pulled her into his arms and
proceeded to make love to her again as he wanted to every night for the rest of his life.
 Betrayal at the Wall
Chapter Summary

The consequences for Jon's decision involving the Wildings comes to take its due.

The next month passed by on a sort of routinue. Mirra helped Jon with whatever he needed as Lord
Commander and spent time training in the yard. She also took over care of the ravens since Sam
had left for the Citadel taking Gilly and baby Sam with him. She liked caring for the ravens, it was
calming, much like she found brushing Shadow to be. The ravens seemed to take a liking to her as
well, many had learned her name and would caw to her when she came to them. Most of her nights
she would spend with Jon in his chambers, taking joy in the small snatchs of time they could steal
to be together. No one knew about them except for Sam who Jon told before he left and Sam gave
a confession of his own about Gilly, and Ed who had pieced it together after being on the ship with
them. Tormund of course also knew but he was no threat to them and didn’t care what they did.
Mirra had been right about Thorne not going near her, he avoided her if he could help it. Jon was
quick to notice the angry cut on his neck where Mirra’s dagger had bit into his skin. He told
anyone that asked that he simply cut himself shaving, how many of the black brothers actually
believed that was unknown. Castle Black seemed a lot quieter and more somber and sad without
Sam around, even those who didn’t much like him, noticed that he was also the happiest person in
the keep and that it wasn’t the same with him gone. No one felt the man’s absence more than Jon
who Mirra knew was sad to see him go but happy that it was what he wanted. He had sent a raven
to Hornhill to await Sam’s arrival. Mirra had received her own raven from her father at Highever
telling that her mother was doing fine and her pregnancy was going well. Mirra and Jon were
happy to have each other and get to be together when they could. What they didn’t know was that
Thorne had been planning something since Jon had brought back the wildlings and allowed them
into Westeros and it had come time for that plan to reveal itself and be acted upon.
Mirra stood in the rookery, looking out over the forests of the north and watching the light
snowfall. The sun had gone down not long ago but already it looked like the middle of the night.
The only lights visible were those belonging to the men on the wall and a soft glow from lower in
the keep although she couldn’t see where as her view of the courtyard below was obscured. She
didn’t mind the cold, she had gotten used to it a few weeks after arriving at Castle Black. She
pulled her cloak closer around her and raised the hood against the wind. One of the ravens flew
from its perch and landed on her shoulder and cawed her name. it was a great grey bird sent from
her father, he said he had been training it specifically to carry messages from himself to her at
Castle Black. The bird had to be part albino because of its pale grey color and strange purplish
eyes, her father had been hoping that because the raven wasn’t black, it would be less likely to be
struck down on the off chance it carried an important message and he didn’t want to risk losing a
bird that could be carrying something sensitive like news about Rickon. The raven was proving to
be quite smart, smarter than any she had under her care. As if in response to her thoughts, the grey
raven cawed but the sound was one more of alarm than resembling any word. The sound sent a
chill down Mirra’s spine. All of the ravens had been quite vocal today and seemed nervous, almost
as if they knew something was amiss when no one else did. The raven on her shoulder cawed
again, the sound just as chilling as the first in the quiet night. Mirra reached up a hand to stroke the
bird’s head but instead it jumped from her shoulder and landed on the ledge before her, crying its
alarm. Mirra’s blood ran cold as she realized that something was truly wrong and her father’s smart
raven knew and was trying to tell her. She reached out her hand and the bird climbed back onto her
arm and she carried it swiftly to its cage and closed the door. The bird seemed satisfied that she was
now heeding his call and was silent as she fingered her sword at her side and hurried out the door
and down the stairs, the hood from her cloak falling from her head and the cloak itself fluttering
behind her as she rushed down the stairs and into the courtyard.
She slowed once reaching the end of the stairs and the doorway that opened out into the main yard.
She stayed in the shadows and looked out into the yard, it was utterly deserted there was no one in
sight. Then her eyes came to rest by the gate to the tunnel leading out beyond the wall. Traitor the
sign read, simple and crude. When her gaze moved past the sign to the body in the snow resting in
a pool of blood, her heart stopped.
“Jon!” She meant to scream it but it came out as only a startled gasp; she started running from the
doorway and vaulting over the railing of the walkway to land in the snow and rush over to where
he lay. She fell to her knees beside him and pulled off her black glove feeling for any sort of pulse,
her eyes teared up when she turned up nothing. His skin was already turning cold.
“My lady?” Came a voice from the main staircase.
Mirra angrily wiped the tears from her eyes and swallowed her pain as she turned to see Ser Davos,
his face turned white as he saw Jon laying broken in the snow. “Go find Ed and the few others that
Jon trusted as well as my lieutenant. Don’t tell anyone what you’ve seen. Someone here did this
and that means we don’t know who to trust.” Her voice had an edge to it, as sharp as Valyrian
steel. She was angry and she was heartbroken. The older man merely nodded as he ran off to find
the few men that could be trusted and left the young lady kneeling in the snow, holding a broken
body.
It only took a few minutes from him to return with three of the black brothers, those that Jon
trusted beyond a doubt, and Hawthrone. All four men went white as the snow when they saw the
grisly sight but all moved to her side anyway.
“We need to get him inside before anyone else happens into the courtyard although it seems this
was well organized.” Mirra stood and brushed the snow from her knees barely noticing the blood
that stained her hands, her deep blue eyes holding a fire in them that no one had ever seen before.
“The rest will come for us once they know that we’ve taken him and locked ourselves away.”
“If that’s the case, then we need all the help we can get, should this turn into a fight.” Ed spoke up,
sounding angry as he should be. “I’ll go to the wildling lands and see if they will come to aid us.
Jon got them away from the Whitewalkers and Tormund is his friend, they might come.”
Mirra nodded along with the others who were gathered. “You should go now, before anyone has
chance to stop you. Take Shadow. He’s faster than any horse in the stables and that’s what you
need right now. You’ll need this.” She removed her cloak and handed it over to Ed who seemed
puzzled. “Shadow won’t trust you, he doesn’t know you. Use this and it should help.”
The man quickly ran off in the direction of the stables and vanished from sight. Mirra turned her
attention to Hawthrone, ignoring the chill that was permeating her body now that her cloak was
gone. “You need to round up my father’s men and wait together for the signal. If Ed returns with
the free people, that’s your que to join the fight. I know you could take them now but I wont risk
people dying who don’t need to, we’ll wait.”
“Yes my lady.” Hawthrone bowed to her and ran off to gather his men and prepare to fight.
“The rest of us need to find somewhere to lock ourselves up and prepare to fight. Thorne won’t let
us off easy, he will want us gone, just like Jon. Leave no witnesses and the like.” Her eyes moved
to Jon’s own lifeless ones. A lump formed in her throat and she reached down and softly closed his
eyes.
“What about that wolf of his? Does it trust any of you?” Davos said, already thinking ahead.
Mirra nodded. “Ghost trusts me. I’ll go get him, just take Jon somewhere safe.”
The three men nodded and moved to lift the Lord Commander from the snow and carry him to a
room in the castle where they would be relatively safe. Mirra ignored the bite of the wind and
made her way to the opposite stables where Ghost was housed when he wasn’t with Jon because he
made people nervous. She threw the bolt and opened the door and the large white direwolf just
stared at her sadly, he knew something was wrong. Direwolves are smart, some said they were
smarter than people and Ghost certainly seemed to be. Mirra reached her hand out and stroked the
large wolf’s head. “It looks like it might just be me and you Ghost.” Her voice was soft and sad as
she spoke to the wolf who nudged against her, understanding and sharing in her sorrow. The pair
quietly left the stables and Mirra made a small stop in Jon’s own chambers to grab Longclaw and
his heavy black cloak which she threw on her own shoulders and clasped. They moved quickly
back through the keep, silent as the night, until Davos emerged from somewhere else and brought
them into a room they had claimed as their own. Jon’s trusted friends stood off to the side, their
hands resting on the swords at their sides. Davos closed the door behind them, locking it with a
loud clack. Ghost immediately left her side and went to lay beside the table where they had laid
Jon’s body; Mirra could see in his dark red eyes that losing his master had broken his heart much as
it had broken her own.
No one in the room said anything as she slowly moved across the room and gently laid Longclaw
down at Jon’s side, right where it belonged. It was his sword and it had served him well, she didn’t
want it in someone else’s hands. She pulled her gloves off and ran her fingertips lightly down his
cheek, his skin no longer held any warmth and was cool to the touch. Ignoring the others in the
room, she leaned over and lightly kissed his lips, the closest she would ever get to being able to tell
him goodbye. What could the Night’s Watch do to him for their relationship now anyway? He was
already dead and she hadn’t broken any laws in her feelings for him. When she straightened, and
donned her gloves again, she saw that the others had turned away, giving her a quiet moment alone
to grieve as best she could under the circumstances.
Mirra Theirin began pacing the room, Jon’s black cloak billowing behind her as she walked.
“Now we must wait for daylight and for Ed to return.” Ser Davos said, noticing her pacing.
“For Thorne and the rest of his traitors to realize what we’ve done and to try and come for us too
before we can alert anyone as to their treason.” One of the brother’s said, pulling his sword. “I’ll
give them the king’s justice myself.”
“No, I will. I’ll execute them all myself in my father’s name.” Mirra stated as she stopped her
pacing and gazed out the window, looking to see any hint of sunrise even though she knew how far
off it was.
The man nodded, in his own way putting her in charge of their little justice mission.
“That’s only if Ed returns with our army. If they won’t come, it will only be your men and us
against anyone in the Night’s Watch who will stand against us and that’s not a sure win.” Davos
said, speaking bluntly. “I agree with what we are doing, Jon Snow was a good man and his murder
is treason, its mutiny and it cannot stand. We are just relaying on people who have a history of
hating this order and trying to kill them.”
“The free people will come.” Mirra replied firmly. “You didn’t see what I saw in their eyes when
we saved them and brought them here. They will come to help us.”
“I hope that you are right my lady or this fight will be hard won.” Davos replied solemnly, he
didn’t have any wish to die in Castle Black but he wasn’t a man who would abandon something he
believed in, no matter the odds.
The room stayed silent except for the howling of the wind outside and the soft sounds Mirra’s
boots made on the wooden floor when she opted to pace for the room instead of sitting at Jon
Snow’s side. At this point they were only waiting for sunrise, for the black brothers to wake up, for
Throne to realize that the body was gone and someone wasn’t on his side, for him and his men to
come and try to force their hand, and they still had a few hours to wait before the sun would begin
to hit the wall and signal morning. They all waited somewhat impatiently, the four of them all
hoping that Ed would be successful in bringing Tormund and his people to their aid. Sooner than
they all hoped the sun rose and they all began to hear the sound of footsteps all around them and
voices talking and laughing as they made their way to break their fast and then on to the duties of
the day. Mirra could hear Thorne’s gruff voice shouting from somewhere else in the keep. She
seemed to hold her breath much like the others as suddenly many footsteps came in their direction
and stopped just outside. The handle was tried and on not opening, there was a sigh.
“So you found him before anyone was supposed to.” Thorne said through the wood, his voice was
coarse and angry as it always seemed to be. “He was a traitor and he needed to be stopped. He
betrayed everything the Night’s Watch stood for in letting those animals into Westeros. He had to
be put down.”
“He was the only one doing what was right and upholding what the Night’s Watch stands for!”
One of Jon’s friends called out in return. “He saved people from Whitewalkers. That’s what the
Night’s Watch is supposed to do. Not kill innocent people just because they are different.”
“Pretty words mean nothing, not to me. They got your friend killed and you will soon be joining
him unless you surrender, all of you.”
“We won’t surrender to a the leader of a mutiny who committed treason. The punishment for that is
death.” Davos said, his voice firm and unwavering.
“Ah, Ser Davos. I should have known that you would be here. Lord Stannis was always one for
rules and order and you were his right hand. I suppose now you are the right hand of Lady Mirra
aren’t you? She has lead you down a path you can’t come back from, surrender now and you can
live. The brothers with you can return to their duties, you Ser Davos can return home to
Dragonstone or wherever you wish. I will even let Lady Mirra run home to Highever, none the
worse for wear but you have to surrender now, unlock the door, and let us have the body.”
“You killed him.” Mirra’s usually beautiful voice was now dark and full of malice, her words
dripped with venom. The direwolf at her feet issused a low growl towards the door. “I will never
surrender to you. I would rather die.” Her tone was even, her words carried a heavy weight behind
them and if her eyes could kill, Aliser Thorne would be dead where he stood beyond the door.
“Don’t be so hasty to decide and go to your death. I’ll give you until sunset to give me your final
decision before I break the door down and put you all to the sword.” He was angry at being defied
but also didn’t want a needless fight that might get him killed. He didn’t want to go toe to toe with
Mirra fueled by all her grief and rage or that beast belonging to the late Lord Commander.
“I’ll be the one putting you to the sword.” Mirra replied, unsheathing the dagger at her thigh and
launching it at the door where it embedded itself in the wood right at head level with a loud
thwunck. “Or don’t you remember what that feels like?” She could almost see the man turn red in
his anger at her mention of holding him at knife point and threatening his life.
“Til sunset.” Was all that he said before he marched off angrily with his men to go about the day’s
duties or to go impatiently wait for the sun to set and plan how to kill them which was probably the
more likely option.
 Execution or Salvation?
Chapter Summary

The deadline has come for Mirra's small band of rebels and they either face a fight
against the Night's Watch or rescue at the hands of the free people.

The hours seemed to pass equally as fast as they did slow. The room stay relatively quiet, each
person there simply waiting anxiously for either their execution or their salvation if Ed returned in
time and if he had the wildling horde with him. The two brothers of the Night’s Watch that were
there spent most of their time sharpening their blades on a whetstone or declaring their revenge on
those responsible for their friend and Lord Commander’s death. Ser Davos simply sat patiently
upon a stool, staring at the door, his face ever hard and never changing. Mirra was certain that he
learned that look from Lord Stannis as he was always a hard person and appeared to always have an
angry expression carved into the marble of his face. Mirra herself alternated between sitting on a
stool beside Jon’s body and trying to comfort Ghost or pacing the room with Jon’s heavy cloak
flowing out behind her as she paced. If she wasn’t doing either of those things, she was throwing
her dagger into the heavy wooden door, trying to blow off some steam and release some of her
anger; it didn’t appear to be working. She had already decided that she would never fall to
Thorne’s blade, instead her own dagger would find its way to her heart. She refused to let that
snake win. Before too long the sun started to dip below the horizon signaling their final deadline to
surrender and they were just as resolute to do what they were doing. Soon they heard heavy
footfalls on the stairs and in the hall before they stopped just outside the door.
“Times up.” Thorne said, knocking on the door. “Surrender now or die for nothing.”
“You’ll have to cut us down right here. We will not surrender.” Mirra replied standing up from
where she stood and drawing Wintersbreath with the sound of steel on leather.
“Is it the fate you all choose? Ser Davos you could go home to your family and even Jon’s old
allies could still keep a place in the order. Someone just has to kill her or unlock the door.” Thorne
spoke carefully, almost softly as if he was trying to entice them to change their sides or possibly
didn’t want too many people to overhear how he was currently plotting to kill a noble woman to
cover up his own treason.
“I stand for what’s right and I stand here with Lady Mirra.” Ser Davos replied as he also stood and
drew his blade.
“We will not surrender either. Jon was our friend and a good man and you had no right to murder
him in cold blood.”
“So be it.” Thorne said angrily through gritted teeth. Soon there was a loud cracking sound as an
axe was swung into the door.
Ghost stood and moved to Mirra’s side where he got down low and bared his teeth, emitting a low
growl, ready to protect the next closest person he had to a master. The sound of the axe fell again
and started to splinter the wood on their side. The axe was wretched from the door and came down
hard again, the very tip of the axe head peeking through before it was pulled from the wood. Mirra
held her dagger, ready to launch it at the first person she got a good shot at on the other side of the
door but before the axe could strike down again, there was heavy shouting coming from out in the
courtyard and then the sounds of fighting, steel on steel. A large smile crossed Mirra’s lovely face
and for a moment she didn’t look as dark as she had been since finding Jon laying in the snow drift.
There was a sound of footsteps running quickly down the hallway and out into the courtyard to see
what they were dealing with.
“I owe you an apology my lady.” Ser Davos said turning to her. “Your gods have been kind to us.”
“Then we should go help our friends.” She said already moving to the door with Ghost at her side
and throwing the bolt, pulling the door open.
There was one man left standing in the hallway, one of Thorne’s known lackeys. Before the man
could even sound the alarm to those out fighting, Mirra threw a kick to the man’s knee bringing
him down and then grabbing his head and bashing it into her knee as well, knocking the man out
cold as he hit the floor. “Drag him with us.” She said to one of the brotherhood who grabbed the
man by the collar and dragged him out into the courtyard with them. Mirra was moved by what she
saw. Most of the Night’s Watch had dropped their weapons and surrendered to Tormund and his
men to avoid being slaughtered. There were only a small cluster of men still holding weapons,
ready to fight and Thorne stood at the front.
“Give up Thorne, surrender. You’ve lost and you’ll pay for your crimes. How quick your death is
depends on whether you all surrender and admit your guilt or drag this out into a fight. If you chose
the later, you will be praying for the sweet embrace of death by the time we are done with you and
the gods are not kind to traitors and treason. You’ll find no mother’s mercy here. The seven hold
no sway, this is the north and only the old gods rule here.” Mirra spoke loudly, her voice carried
and she sounded sure and powerful as she spoke, something she had picked up all the times she had
heard her father speak to the other nobles under him or to his army. She moved down the stairs and
out into the courtyard to stand in front of the free people who had come to their aid, all of them still
with weapons poised for a fight. A quick survery around the keep also yielded views of the archers
they had trained on the treasonous men who had slain Jon Snow. The large white direwolf at
Mirra’s side added to her air of power and command as did Jon’s cloak around her shoulders.
The former knight looked from Mirra Theirin to Ed and Tormund and all the wildlings behind
them. Finally his eyes came to rest on Ghost, the direwolf stood quietly and calmly at the northern
woman’s side but the hate he saw in those ruby eyes chilled his blood. He spat angrily and slowly
lowered his sword to the ground, submitting to surrender. His men dropped their weapons as well,
even Ollie who seemed angrier than Thorne at being forced into submission by the very people
they hated most.
“Smart decision. Throw them in cells and chain them. We can properly execute them later.” Mirra
said, finding it difficult to keep the smugness out of her voice.
“With pleasure.” Tormund said with a wicked grin as he and some of the other wildlings and some
of the brothers of the Night’s Watch moved to the traitors and marched them out of the courtyard
and down into the cells to be locked up to await the king’s justice delivered at Lady Mirra
Theirin’s own hand.
“What about us my lady?” One of the Night’s Watch timidly asked her, no doubt afraid that he was
going to be thrown in a cell to await execution as well.
“You surrendered. The rest of you will go about your duties as usual and you will all see to it that
the free people who came here will be welcomed and treated with respect as any guest to Castle
Black.” Mirra replied, sheathing her sword.
“Who will we answer to with Lord Commander Snow dead?”
Mirra’s deep blue eyes grew sad. “The Lord Commander trusted Ed, you can report to him. I have
other things I need to take care of.” With that being said, she left the young man standing there and
she retreated back to Jon’s body with Ghost padding softly at her side and his cloak billowing in
the wind behind her.
She hadn’t been alone long before Tormund found his way to the room and seemed to stand by the
door, unsure of what to do or maybe what to say.
“You can come in Tormund. Jon considered you a friend, you don’t have to stand back like an
outsider.” Mirra said to him without looking up, her back towards the door.
There was the soft of footsteps as the red haired man moved to join her at the table, standing
opposite.
“It’s strange to see him like this. I’ve seen him survive and fight off all manner of things. He fought
a whitewalker and won!” Tormund said, almost more to himself than to Mirra.
“You can’t protect yourself from those around you when they appear to be on your side. Jon was
kind and he was trusting, things I loved about him, but they’re also what got him killed. He should
have sent Thorne to East Watch where he would be no trouble.” Mirra responded anyway, her tone
sorrowful, the fight almost seeming to have gone out from her now that Thorne and his
coconspirators were locked away. “Thank you for coming to help us. You didn’t have to.”
“I know. We wanted to. He helped us when he didn’t have to, the least that we could do was come
to help his allies and avenge his murder. You are planning to kill them aren’t you?”
“Oh yes, they will be executed. No mercy will be shown, not for this.”
Tormund seemed satisfied with her answer and was silent for a time. Ed walked in slowly holding
Mirra’s cloak in his hand.
“My lady, your cloak.” He said softly coming to join the mourners at the table.
“Thank you.” She said, unclasping Jon’s heavy cloak and setting it aside on the table before doning
her own hooded cloak and clasping it around her shoulders.
“Shadow is an amazing animal, quick and smart and understanding. He gave me no trouble when
he saw I had your cloak. I think he knew that something was wrong and he had an important job to
do.” Ed told her, admiration in his voice for Mirra’s prized stallion.
A smile crossed her somber face as it always did in reference to Shadow. “I’m sure he did. He
understands things like that, senses people’s emotions and feelings. He knew to have something of
mine and to smell of me you must be trusted.” Mirra once again picked up Jon’s cloak and laid it
over him like a blanket almost.
“He was the happiest I’ve ever seen him with you.” Ed said quietly observing her as she laid the
cloak over his friend. Tormund nodded his agreement.
It took Mirra a short moment to realize that Ed had changed from talking of Shadow to talking of
Jon.
“I’ve known him for six years and I’ve never seen him as happy as he has been since you’ve been
here, especially the last few months. Most people couldn’t tell what you two were and that’s
probably what you intended since it would be seen as breaking his vows, but I always knew. It was
good for him, he needed it, needed someone like you.” Ed continued, giving a perspective of
someone seeing what they had from the outside looking in. “I hope I haven’t overstepped in telling
you this.”
“No you haven’t. I needed to hear it.” Mirra replied, her smile now saddened.
“Lady Mirra, why don’t you go rest?” The new voice belonged to Ser Davos who entered the
room.
“I don’t need rest. I’m fine right where I am.”
“You’ve been up for over a day now and you’ll be no good to anyone if you can’t even stand from
fatigue. Please go rest my lady, even if only for a couple of hours. I will stay here and keep your
vigil.” The older man came to stand beside her and look into her eyes.
“Alright, but only for a few hours.” Mirra replied, not quite willing to admit how much she needed
sleep. She pulled her hood over her head and left the room, her fingers brushing against Jon’s own
as she moved from the table. One of her own men was standing outside in the hall.
“Let me guess. The lieutenant told you to stay with me for my own protection?” She asked the man
as she passed him and he began to follow her.
“Yes Lady Mirra. He just wanted to make sure that everyone who might wish you harm is in a cell
and not roaming around out here.” He told her quickly as he followed her towards her own
chambers. She felt if she laid down in Jon’s bed, she wouldn’t get any rest.
“As you wish then.” Mirra didn’t have enough left in her to fight with one of her own soldiers over
something so trivial especially when it was only for her own protection. “Wake me in a couple
hours if I’m not already awake. That’s an order.” With that being said, she closed the door to her
room and dropped down onto the bed. She didn’t even bother undressing or even removing her
boots. She quickly unbuckled her weapons and dropped them to the floor before pulling her cloak
around her and falling asleep.
 The Resurrection
Chapter Summary

A ritual is undergone that could change everything that's been known for far about life
and death and what is possible.

Mirra was not asleep for very long, only an hour or two. She was plagued by nightmares of Jon
laying there in a pool of blood, cold and alone and haunting visions of Thorne laughing as he
shoved a sword through the man’s heart. At least that’s the way she pictured it as she wasn’t
actually there to see it happen. She awoke suddenly, her heart pounding and a scream on her lips
which she held back upon opening her eyes. She moved from the bed and once again attached her
sword and dagger to her person before exiting the room.
“My lady that was hardly any sleep at all.” The man said, tripping over his words somewhat as if
he wasn’t sure how to proceed.
“It was sleep enough. I have more important things I need to do besides being haunted by my own
thoughts.” Mirra said briskly as she left the corridor and moved into the courtyard in the direction
of the cells where they had locked away the conspirators. “There’s someone I have to speak to.
Stay here.”
She didn’t give the young man a chance to object before she hurried away and entered another
corridor before coming to the room where the prisoners had been chained up. She found Tormund
standing guard outside the door and wasn’t at all surprised to see him.
“It’s nice to be on the other side of this door for a change.” He managed as he gestured to the heavy
door behind him and the same room where himself had been held prisoner by the Watch a couple
of years ago when the wildlings had attacked Castle Black.
“It’ll be nicer to see them on a burning pyre.” Mirra said, her voice as cold as the air around her.
He couldn’t help but give a hearty laugh at that as he shared her sentiment.
“I came to have a few words with our traitors while they can still speak.” She continued.
“All yours. They’ve been mostly quiet though.”
“We’ll see.” Mirra responded as Tormund moved aside and she threw the large bolt that locked the
door from the outside and stepped into the room, pulling the door closed behind her.
The scene in front of her was what she figured she would find, angry lackey’s of Thorne and
Thorne himself chained to the walls and floors of the stone room with nothing to keep them warm
but what they were wearing. It appeared that some of the men who had dragged them down here
had roughed them up on the journey and Mirra wasn’t even upset about it; they deserved much
worse for what they had done.
“Come to kill us already?” Thorne spat angrily.
“No, I haven’t. I also don’t see it as killing, it’s an execution, a deserved punishment for what
you’ve done. If I only sought to murder you, I would have out there in the yard, while you were all
surrounded. The thought has crossed my mind to leave you here to starve to death, suffer a fate
worse than death.”
“You can’t execute us! You have no authority. You’ll be a murderer too!” Ollie yelled from a
corner further back into the room.
“Oh but I do. I have my father’s authority. He sent me here with his men under his orders flying
his banners and carrying his seal. I’m his blood and as the only noble here and the lord commander
dead and no one appointed to his position, I’m the next one with the authority to carry out the
king’s justice.” Mirra said evenly, almost as if she was reading from a book.
Ollie visibly paled at her words and instead he turned to Thorne. “She can’t really do that can she?”
“She is unfortunately telling the truth.” Thorne replied, never taking his steely gaze away from
Mirra.
“We should have killed you too!” One of the other men spoke up as he looked at her.
“Too bad for you that you didn’t. Thorne you once told me that I made an enemy of the Night’s
Watch by supporting Jon Snow’s plan. You all have made an even greater enemy. Your order
didn’t even stand with you, not once they were outnumbered and it came out what you had done.
You haven’t even changed a thing. The free people still live in Westeros where they will remain.
Your family is still dead Ollie, nothing will change that.”
“The traitor is dead too and there’s nothing you can do to fix it.” Ollie yelled angrily, trying to
stand but pulled back down by the chains on his wrists and ankles.
“But our gods will be kind to him and the same cannot be said for any of you.” Mirra responded,
ignoring the jab from Ollie who didn’t even understand just what he had said. “You can all think
on what awaits you after death. It will be some time longer before you see another face in this
cell.” The young noble turned on her heels, her cloak swirling around her as she moved through the
doorway and threw the heavy bolt closed behind her.
“Did they give you anything?” Tormund asked her once the door closed.
“I didn’t come here looking for anything, I came here to get under their skin and make sure they
knew what is going to be coming to them.” Mirra replied as she walked away from the prisoners
and their guard and made her way back to the room where Jon’s body still lay. She knew that soon
they would have to build a pyre and burn him but she couldn’t do it, not yet.
When she arrived back at the room, she found Ser Davos sitting on the same stool she had vacated
not long ago, whittling a little wolf no doubt for Princess Shireen whenever he would see her again.
Ghost laid under the table, he didn’t appear to have moved since Mirra had left. He looked up at
the sound of footsteps and recognition crossed his red eyes but he made no move to greet her.
“Lady Mirra-“ Davos began before she held up a hand and stopped him.
“Please, just Mirra.” She asked him as she once again approached the table. She ran her fingers
through the loose black curls around his face, still soft and lifelike unlike the rest of him.
“Mirra, we might be able to bring him back.” Davos told her, standing from the stool and watching
her expectantly.
She turned to face him quick as lightning, looking for anything that might prove he was lying.
“What do you mean bring him back? You can’t bring back the dead, no matter how much you may
wish it. Trust me, if you could he would have come back the moment I found him.”
“We can’t but Lady Melisandre can, or rather her god can is what she says and that she is only an
instrument.” Davos replied carefully, not wanting to make it seem like something it wasn’t.
“What he says is true. The Lord of Light can bring back the dead if he wills it. I’ve seen my mentor
do it before. Its possible.” The red woman entered the room like a shadow, her crimson gown as
red as her hair and the large ruby at the base of her neck.
“Have you yourself done it before?” Mirra asked urgently, turning to look at the strange woman
who had fled Stannis Baratheon’s camp and returned to Castle Black and would not speak of why.
“No but I know how to do it and I’m your only hope if you ever want him to rejoin the living.” She
said speaking evenly, never making a promise to bring him back, only that she could do it and if
her god willed it, it would be.
“And you’ll do this?”
“I will try, if the Lord of Light wills it, he will return.” Melisandre said, moving to the body on the
table.
She turned to Ed and Tormund who now stood together in the doorway and she gave them a list of
things that she would need, both men asked no questions and simply left to seek out what she
needed. Then she moved back to the table and removed Jon’s cloak and moved Longclaw from the
table before she moved to undress the body.
Mirra grabbed her wrist and stalled her hand. “What are you doing?”
“It’s how the procedure works, the skin needs to be bare.”
“Then I’ll do it.” Mirra said, dropping the woman’s wrist and taking her place at the table where
she began to remove the layers of Jon’s clothing. As she pulled off the final blood stained shirt, she
gasped at the number of stab wounds she saw. She never imagined that it had been so many. She
slowly traced her fingertips along each one in turn, feeling the pain in her heart that he surely felt
with each stab. She moved to his pants and left him on the table in only his small clothes and
stepped back.
Soon Jon’s closest friends returned with everything the red priestess would need to complete her
ritual and hopefully bring back Jon Snow from beyond the grave.
As Melisandre prepared in the dying light of day, Davos, Ed, and Tormund stood back watching
from a distance. Mirra had managed to coax Ghost out from under the table and to sit at her side
where she stood far enough back from the table to stay out of the way but close enough to observe.
No one in the room spoke, they all simply watched the red priestess move about the room until
finally she stood at the table and began to chant softly as she used a wet cloth to wipe the blood
from Jon’s body.
Mirra watched her carefully, her face like a mask betraying nothing of what she felt on the inside.
Her only movement was to stroke the large direwolf’s head. Once all the blood was gone and the
body was clean, Melisandre moved to the head of the table and began to wet Jon’s hair and brush it
out with her fingers still chanting softly as she did so. Mirra was finding it a little hard to watch as
she herself had ran her fingers through Jon’s dark curls many times over the past several weeks
since that first night on the ship. The fact that Jon had also told her of how the red woman had tried
to seduce him made it even harder to watch, the fact that Jon had turned her down flat and told her
he didn’t need her god or anything else she offered only gave some comfort, it didn’t matter that
this had happened before Mirra had even arrived at Castle Black. Mirra’s blue eyes moved to the
others standing not far off, all of them seeming uncomfortable and unsure. The Lord of Light was
no god to any of them; Ser Davos worshipped the seven, Tormund was from beyond the wall and
their gods were the old gods, Mirra was from an ancient Northern house and she kept the old gods
as well, and Ed had found himself in the sept when he felt troubled; no doubt the three men were
thinking what it might mean if she succeeded. Mirra wasn’t. All she could think of was seeing his
eyes open and feeling his skin warm again. If Melisandre succeeded, she still wouldn’t believe it
was her god. They were in the north after all, Jon Snow was a Stark and he held the old gods, they
were in the domain of his gods and her own. If Jon came back, she knew it would be her gods
working through the woman from Asshai, not the woman’s so called Lord of Light.
Finally Melisandre stopped her washing and her combing and stepped back and simply chanted,
her words now different and louder than before. As she continued, the fire in the brazier seemed to
blaze brighter and dance almost to the words she spoke. As she came to the end of her chant, the
fire flared and then died back to normal and everyone in the room besides the priestess held their
breath. Nothing happened. His eyes didn’t open, his chest didn’t move, his skin didn’t start to
color, nothing.
“I’m truly sorry my lady. I did all I could.” Melisandre looked to Mirra, her eyes sad. The red
woman then turned and left the room, there was no longer any need of her and she would only be
interrupting their grief.
Ed and Tormund gave one last look at their friend and the too left the room, not knowing what else
to do or say.
“Lady Mirra, we will have to prepare a pyre.” Ser Davos said, watching as Ghost left the woman’s
side and returned to his vigil under the table.
“It’s wrong. He should be returned home to Winterfell, buried with his father and his brother,
bastard or not it’s what his father would have wanted. But that’s not an option because Roose
Bolton sold out Robb and took Winterfell. There is no home to return him to.” Mirra said absently,
sadly, moving back to the table and brushing a loose curl from her lover’s face.
“Then the best we can do is a pyre here. This was the next best thing he had to home.” Davos said
to her.
“I know but not yet. Give me a little more time.” Mirra asked him looking into his eyes. “I need to
say my final goodbyes.”
“Of course.” Davos gave her a slight nod as he too left the room leaving the young lady alone with
the late Lord Commander and his most trusted companion.
Mirra Theirin took a seat on the stool again and said nothing, she simply sat there trying to think
about her goodbye, her final words to someone who wouldn’t even hear them. Ghost laid a large
paw on her foot as if he was trying to comfort her, to show her that she wasn’t quite alone, that she
had him. Suddenly there was a large gasp from the table in front of her.
“Jon?!” Mirra stood and saw that Jon’s deep brown eyes were now open and he shivered as he sat
up. “Ser Davos!” She screamed.
The older man came rushing back into the room and his jaw almost hit the floor as he saw Jon
Snow now seated on the table very much alive. “By the gods.” He mumbled more to himself than
to anyone else as he came over and removed his own cloak and pulled it over Jon’s shoulders to try
and help with the cold.
“Mirra.” Jon said as he touched her hand with his own. It was still cold but Mirra could feel the
warmth and the life beneath it all the same. His other hand he moved to cup her cheek and gently
stroke her face
“She was here the entire time, she was the one who found you there in the snow. Do you remember
anything?” Davos asked as Jon moved from sitting on the table to the stool that Mirra had vacated
when he had awoken. Ghost also moved from his position under the table to sit at his master’s
side.
“I remember everything, all that happened. I remember the faces and the way their blades felt as
they stabbed me. I remember hearing Mirra call my name but thought I had imagined it and then
nothing until I woke up here.” He looked around the room, knowing his surroundings but seeming
unsure as to why he was even here alive.
“Melisandre brought you back.” Mirra told him. She still felt a strong sense of dislike and distrust
for the red priestess but she also was extremely grateful for what she had done.
“How?”
“She claims it was by the power of her Lord of Light but only the Old Gods hold domain out here.”
Mirra replied as she moved to the table where his clothes had been laid and carried them back so he
could begin to fight off the cold.
“Then they must have some sort of plan for me.” He mused, agreeing with Mirra that it was their
own gods that had brought him back. “Where are Thorne and the others?” He dressed quickly and
returned Ser Davos’s cloak to him as he doned his own.
“They’re locked away.” Davos put in. “They’re awaiting their execution.”
Jon Snow looked to Mirra and held her blue eyes with his own. “At your hand?”
“Indeed, in my father’s name.”
The young man gave her a small smile and ran his fingers down her cheek again before turning his
attention back to Lord Stannis’s right hand man who seemed uncomfortable like he was intruding
on a moment he didn’t belong in.
“Ser Davos, I need you to gather the members of the order and set them to work on building a
gallows, one large enough for all those imprisonsed. You’re in charge. I’ll worry about the
executions tomorrow, I have more important things to do now.”
“Yes my lord.” Davos responded and hurried from the room.
The moment he was gone Jon Snow swept Mirra into his arms and kissed her as if for the first time
in a hundred years.
“I thought I lost you.” He told her.
“Lost me? I did lose you Jon. You died there in the snow, in my arms.”
“Never again. Do you know what I thought as I lay there in my last moments?”
“No, just what I thought when I found you.”
“I thought that I never even got the chance to tell you that I’m madly in love with you Mirra.” His
words were said after a deep breath for courage.
The smile that crossed her face was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. “I’m in love with
you too Jon Snow. I think I have been for a long time. The seeds were sown when we were still
children. There was always whispered talk about me marrying Robb someday once we were old
enough but it was never Robb I wanted to marry, it was you. Then when I came here and we
started to grow close again after all those years away, I truly fell in love with you and I understand
all it means.”
“You know that means you can never marry me. I’m only a bastard son, I can’t give you anything
except my heart.” Jon told her solemnly, his voice sounding sad.
“That’s all I need. I fell in love with you as you, as you are. I don’t care that you’re a bastard, I just
care that you love me.”
“I do love you.”
“Then nothing else matters.” She smiled and that smile washed away all his sadness and all his
doubts because in that moment, he knew what she said was true and that’s all he wanted.
Later that night as they lay in bed together, Mirra softly ran her fingers along the marks inflicted by
the blades. They were no longer wounds and were now only scars, her delicate fingers paused on
the one directly above his heart. “What does this mean?” She asked suddenly. “I mean once they’re
hanged in the morning, does everything go back to the way it was? You’ll resume your duties?”
“I fulfilled my oath to the Night’s Watch, I served until my death. I died at my post. There are no
rules about dying and being resurrected which means I am no longer a man of the Night’s Watch.
Executing the traitors will be my final act as Lord Commander then we are free to do as we wish.
There are no rules being broken by being together anymore.” Jon told her as he absently ran his
fingers along her back and planted a long soft kiss on her forehead. It was the first time he had
really thought on it and fully realized what his death and resurrection meant. He was free, free to
do whatever he chose to do, free to be with Mirra with no one to hide it from, the thought brought a
smile to his face. He pulled her to him and kissed her, running his fingers through her hair and
down the back of her neck.
“You’re serious?!” Mirra looked into his dark eyes and saw that he meant it.
“I am. I served my oath and now I’m free to do as I wish and what I wish is to be with you.” Jon
kissed her once again, feeling freer than he ever had before.
“Wish granted.” Mirra said as she returned his kiss and much more the rest of their night, the first
night of their new life together.
 My Watch has Ended
Chapter Summary

Jon Snow's reign as Lord Commander comes to close at the executions of his betrayers

When morning came Mirra was in no hurry to quickly dress and slip out of Jon’s room unseen;
there was no point to it anymore. The man in question rolled over and wrapped his arms around
her, kissing her neck.
“Good morning my lady.” He said, his voice still thick with sleep which Mirra couldn’t help but
finding sexy. It tempted her even more to stay between the sheets with him for the rest of the day if
not the rest of the week.
“Good morning love.” She replied with a smile, savoring the moment and nestling into his
embrace.
“Do you think that Ser Davos has told any of the Night’s Watch that you’re alive?” Mirra asked
knowing that before too long their allies would come looking for them as they had much to do
today such as executions.
“I’m assuming he hasn’t or someone would have come to find me already. He probably told
Tormund and Ed and the others who stood with you against Thorne but a majority of them are
probably still in the dark and will be quite surprised to see me walk over to the deliver the
executions.” Jon replied planting another kiss on her neck before turning her head to him and
kissing her softly. “Unfortunately, I think it’s time we get up now before someone does come
looking for us.” With that Jon smiled at her and moved from the bed. Mirra’s blue eyes pulled
again to the scars that now decorated his chest and abdomen, her mind pulled back to a couple
nights ago as she too stood in the cold air of the room and began to dress.
As if in answer to the question, there was a knock on the door causing Ghost to become alert from
where he sat by the fire and move to his master’s side. Mirra quickly donned her cloak as Jon
finished dressing and went to answer the door. Revealed on the other side were Ser Davos, Ed, and
Tormund. The later had a smile on his face as big as anyone had ever seen, more happy than
surprised to catch the two of them together. His companions on the other hand, looked away shyly
as if seeing something they weren’t supposed to. Both knew of the relationship but neither thought
it had gone as far as it had and that Jon Snow who was always honorable would break his vow to
the order even for love.
“The gallows are finished. Did you want us to round up all of the order and bring out the traitors?”
Davos finally asked.
“Yes, I’ll make the final preparations that I need to and I’ll meet you out there. Very efficient for
them to finished in only a night”
Davos and Ed quickly left to go find all the black brothers and send them to the courtyard.
Tormund moved to leave also, the large smile still on his face, when Mirra spoke up. “I’ll go with
you, this I want to be there to help with.” Her voice had a bite to it, the anger at their treachery and
murder still heavy on her heart. She squeezed Jon’s hand before breezing out of the room to follow
the wildling down to the holding cell, thinking that a kiss might be just a little brazen even in front
of Tormund.
“So, you and the Lord Commander huh?” Tormund asked casually once they were out in the
corridor.
“Don’t act like you didn’t know Tormund, you seemed to put it together before even we did.”
Mirra replied, her tone joking.
“You’re right, I knew. There was always something between you. I’m surprised I’m the only one
who noticed.”
“You notice more than most people. I’m figuring part of that had to do with growing up beyond the
wall and needing to be more observant.”
“Probably true. He seems happy, he deserves that.” Tormund more to himself than to Mirra but the
words made her smile anyway.
When they arrived at the door, Tormund threw the bar and opened the door with a bang, causing
more than a few of the men inside to jump.
“Rise and shine boys, it’s your last.” Mirra said walking into the room behind him holding a long
coil of rope which she passed to Tormund who also held the key to the shackles that kept them all
bound to the room.
As Tormund moved around the room tying the prisoners hands together and then unshackling
them, Mirra stood not far off holding Wintersbreath in front of her as a warning to them all that she
was not afraid to cut them down where they stood should they try anything before they could be
executed. Much to her surprise, no one made any sort of move to run or to attack them as they were
lead from the room and out into the courtyard. She watched as many of the men’s eyes grew wide
in shock as they beheld the gallows and the multiple nooses in front of them, their shock meaning
they all had expected to be beheaded today. Still no one said a word as they were each placed
beneath their own rope in front of everyone in the order. Tormund stepped down from the platform
leaving Mirra standing alone beside the lever that would drop the flood out from under them. She
even thought that the gallows was a kinder faster death than they deserved and would have been
fine with seeing them rot in that cell but she knew the difference between justice and vengeance, a
good leader always did.
“Get on with it then.” Thorne spat angrily when she made no move to pull the lever or to say
anything to the gathered masses.
Mirra turned to look at them with a devious look in her eye. “Oh, I’m not the one who’s going to be
executing you today, someone else has that honor.”
It was then that Jon Snow, former Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, walked out of the
shadows and down into the corridor to stunned silence followed by quick whispering among those
gathered to observe. The look on Thorne’s face was almost worth the whole thing as Mirra
watched all the blood drain from his face and the shock and impossibility take its place plain as
day. He mounted the stairs where he took Mirra’s place beside the gallows and she descended the
stairs to stand beside Tormund.
“We’re here today to execute these traitors for my murder.” Jon Snow’s voice rang out loud and
clear silencing all the whispers that had started on his entrance. “The fact that I still stand here
before you doesn’t lessen their crimes and the punishment for those crimes is death.”
It was at that moment that he turned to the men positioned to receive their deaths and asked them,
“Do you have any last words?”
The group of men assembled stared angrily at him, most wishing that they could shove a sword
through him again, only a couple looking scared to die but still saying nothing. Thorne spat at his
feet but said nothing, Ollie screamed.
“Then with my authority as Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, I sentence you to hang by the
neck until dead for your crimes of treason against your Lord Commander and the order.” Jon
moved back to the lever and pulled it the floor dropping out and the traitors now only suspended
by the nooses around their necks. Without a look back, Jon Snow descended the scaffolding and
moved through the crowd which began to part like a sea around him.
“What do we do now Lord Commander?” Ed asked as Jon came past him.
“My watch has ended” He replied simply as in one fluid movement he released his heavy black
cloak and passed it and his mantle as Lord Commander on to Ed, his most trusted friend. Mirra
Theirin seemily materialized at his side and walked off beside him to shocked whispers from the
men in the order who couldn’t believe that he would just give up his command after dying for it.
“So how does it feel to no longer be the Lord Commander?” Mirra asked as she laid against his
bare chest that night, her fingers absently tracing the crescent shaped scar over his heart which she
was always relieved to now find beating under his skin.
“If it means I get to stay here with you every day, nothing could be better.” Jon told her as he
leaned down and kissed her deeply as if no longer being bound by his oath made him more free.
“Every day of your life.” Mirra said with a smile, her lips still pressed to his. It was another few
minutes before either of them spoke, too busy caught up in each other and the freedom they now
had to be together. “What do you want to do now since you have a choice?” She finally asked,
propping herself up with her elbow to better see the man beside her. She also pulled the furs up
over her naked chest to fight the cold.
“Ideally I would want to rally the north to take back Winterfell and use the combined strength
against the Night King and his army.”
“What’s stopping you?” Mirra asked, her deep blue eyes questioning.
“I don’t think anyone would listen to a bastard let alone lend their aid, no matter how much they
may hate the Boltons.” Jon replied, he didn’t sound angry, just resigned to the fact that this was his
fate.
“My father would. You would have the support of House Theirin and that should matter to some of
the lords.”
“Yes it would, to some but not to all, and I won’t ask your father to give me his army and commit
treason against the warden of the north unless I knew we had a chance to win, a real chance not just
a slim one. I wont ask anyone to do that and unless there will be a Stark there to remind them of
their oaths, there is nothing that can be done.”
“You’re a Stark to me but it’s not a name I fell in love with anyway, it’s a man.” Mirra said with a
smile.
“I’m a lucky man to have found you.” Jon whispered before he kissed her again and showed her
exactly how lucky he thought he was.
 A Strange Arrival at Castle Black
Chapter Summary

Sansa Stark and her small rescue party finally reach Jon and their destination of safety.

A few weeks passed of relative normalcy, Jon Snow and Mirra Theirin decided to stay at Castle
Black for the time being and assist the Night’s Watch as they prepared for winter and to lend aid
and advice to the new Lord Commander while they thought about exactly what they wanted to do
when they left, how to rally the North if they even could. The only thing they had decided on was
going to Highever for awhile to speak with Lord Matthew and meet Mirra’s new baby brother as
well as for Jon to reunite with his own little brother. There was a commotion at the gates as one of
the black brothers called that they had visitors approaching. Ed looked up from the table where he
stood with Jon and Mirra going over a map and discussing what more they needed to do before
winter fully struck. Also at this meeting were Ser Davos Seaworth and the red priestess of Asshai,
Melisandre. Neither of them really had much of a place to go either with Stannis and his army dead
so they too elected to remain with the Night’s Watch for the time being. At the call of visitors, the
group all rushed from the room, curious and on guard. Mirra, Jon, and Ed all moved into the
courtyard with their hands on their weapons, ready to draw if they needed to but as the new guests
on three horses both Jon and Mirra dropped their arms and went from curious to shocked.
The red headed woman on one of the horses quickly dismounted and ran into his arms as Jon ran to
meet her and spun her around as Mirra joined him. “Jon!” She said with a large smile on her face
“I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too little sister.” Jon replied a smile on his face as well. “Sansa, you remember
Lady Mirra Theirin?” He said as he moved aside and gestured to Mirra who stood beside him.
“Of course, how could I forget? Lord Matthew used to bring her with him to Winterfell for a few
months every year. Pardon me my lady, but I didn’t expect to see you here.” Sansa told her,
obviously confused as to why a woman was with the Night’s Watch, let alone a woman belonging
to such a noble ancient northern house.
“Nor I you Lady Sansa.” Mirra replied just as formally, something she hadn’t forgotten in her time
at the wall but it was something she hadn’t had to use much especially once Stannis and his family
left the keep.
“Jon this is Brienne of Tarth and her squire Podrick Payne. They’re the ones who helped me get
here.” Sansa gesturing to her companions who had also dismounted their horses and now stood
behind her as one of the black brothers took their horses and lead them to the stables.
“Thank you both for getting her here, you’re welcome to stay as long as you wish.” Jon said with a
glance at his old friend to confirm that the new Lord Commander didn’t mind.
“As long as they can help us where we needed they can stay as long as they like, the Lady Sansa
being exempt of course.” Ed told them all. “If you’ll excuse me, I must take my leave, I’ll have
some rooms made up for you.” With that being said, he walked off to go resume his duties.
“Is there somewhere private we can talk?” Sansa asked as she looked around the courtyard at the
men of the order who were clearly interested in just who these new visitors were.
“Of course. We can go to my solar.” Jon replied as he moved towards the quarters he had been
sharing with Lady Mirra for the past few weeks.
“My lady, I should accompany you.” Brienne called as Sansa moved off to follow her half brother
and the woman she had only known when she was a child.
“It’s okay Brienne. I’m safe here and Jon will protect me if anything should happen.” Sansa told
her as she made no move to go back and the trio moved through Castle Black to the quarters of the
Lord Commander that Jon still kept as Ed’s insistence.
As Jon closed the door behind them, Mirra removed her cloak and hung it on the wall as Sansa
watched her, seemingly weary of her presence. “Can we talk alone Jon please? No offense my lady
but I haven’t known you for a long time and I don’t understand why you’re here.”
“Mirra stays. She came here with her father’s men at my request for aid from the northern lords.
She has been my right hand since arriving and I don’t know what I would have done without her.”
Jon stated simply with a smile towards his lady love and a gentle squeeze of her hand, shocking his
sister with the familiar way he referred to the raven haired beauty and how he touched her as if it
was normal.
“Wait, are you two… together? Like really in love together?” Sansa asked, the girl wasn’t stupid
much as most of the people she had interacted with on her long journey cared to think. She noticed
alot more than she let on.
“We are.” Jon said to his sister unsure of her reaction since Sansa had always been a true lady.
“Jon I’m so happy for you!” She exclaimed with a smile as she hugged him again. Her smile soon
vanished as she thought back to why she was here and why she wished to speak to him in private in
the first place. “I only wish I came here with happier news.” She sat down in one of the chairs and
Mirra and Jon took the others in the room but not before Jon poured a mug of ale for each of them
and passed them before taking his place beside them at the fire.
“If you really wish me to leave Lady Sansa, I don’t mind.” Mirra told her, her voice full of concern
at the sadness and heaviness that weighed on the younger woman’s heart and voice.
“No, I want you to stay. If Jon loves and trusts you then so do I.” Sansa told her sincerely as she
gathered up the courage to tell her story. The tale was long and covered everything from her time in
Kings Landing and beatings by Joffrey to her escape to the Eyrie with Littlefinger and almost being
killed by her jealous aunt to being sold to Lord Ramsey Bolton by Littlefinger and her savage rape
and imprisonment to Theon’s aid in her escape of Winterfell and finally finding Brienne and
Podrik and being lead to the wall.
“Sansa I’m so sorry.” Jon finally managed as he hugged her tight. He didn’t know what else he
could say cause nothing would make any of it any better.
“It’s not your fault, some people are just horrible. I survived and I made it here and I will never let
something like that happen to me again. Do you know anything about Bran or Rickon or even
Arya?” Sansa asked hoping that they would know anything more than she did.
“Rickon is safely hidden away in Highever with Osha.” Mirra volunteered.
“What about the Bolton’s? I know Ramsey is angry that your father won’t swear fealty to him or
even acknowledge his title as warden of the north and he is much more impulsive and horrible than
his father.” Sansa replied not seeming to be comforted by the knowledge at all. “He will eventually
come with all his forces.”
“He is welcome to try but with all due respect my lady, you have never been to Highever. There is
no easy way to take it and if anyone should try, they would been seen coming from well off and
they would be picked off before they even got close. Besides my father holds one of the largest
forces in all the north and if Ramsey Bolton has even a bit of his father in him he knows this and
knows that he isn’t willing to test the allegiance of his swore lords if he tries to take down my
father. Lord Matthew is well loved and respected by everyone in the north, if it came to a battle
there are those who would take his side against Ramsey regardless of allegiance. There is no safer
place for Rickon to be.” Mirra told her firmly.
“What about Bran? Or Arya? Have you heard anything on them?” She asked, hoping that what
Mirra said was true and that Rickon was safe at Highever.
“Bran has gone beyond the wall in search of a three eyed raven. We haven’t heard anything since
then but Sam told me he was accompanied by Jojen and Meera Reed and Hodor and Summer.” Jon
told her carefully, he wasn’t there at the time that Bran came through Castle Black and didn’t know
himself the state that any of them were in.
“Why didn’t you stop him?”
“I wasn’t here to stop him and he was dead set on going, no one here could change his mind.”
“What of Arya?”
“We’ve heard nothing, no one has. She’s either dead or a ghost.” Jon said sadly, missing Arya
more than any of his other remaining siblings as they had been the closest.
The light in Sansa’s eyes that sparked upon hearing Rickon was alive dimmed again when the
news she heard of her other siblings was not as promising. She even found herself deeply missing
Arya and regretting all those times she had sent her away for being annoying. She would give
anything to have her family back the way it was 6 years ago, everyone alive and happy and
together in Winterfell. The day King Robert had come to their gate was the day that everything was
changed forever.
“Jon I’m so very sorry I was so horrible to you when we were children. I never treated you like a
brother and that was wrong of me.” Sansa finally managed thinking of wishing she could have her
family back made her see with new eyes how she had treated her half brother.
“I already forgave you Sansa. We were kids then, you’re my sister and I love you.” Jon told her
sincerely, the only way he really said anything.
She moved to hug him and found a comfort and safety she hadn't felt in a very long time, it
reminded her of how she always felt around their father. Her eyes moved to Mirra whose ebony
hair shone against the fire and whose eyes watched with a smile in them. “You're a lucky woman
Lady Mirra. My brother is a good man.”
Mirra’s smile moved to her lips and lit up her whole face. “I know.” She replied when Jon turned to
her with his own smile. She loved his smile and the way he would laugh with her. “I’ve always
known.”
“What has life been like here on the Wall?” Sansa asked as she took another sip of her ale, eager to
hear what she hoped was better news than how her own life had progressed over the 6 years since
they had last seen each other. She watched as a dark cloud passed over both Jon and Mirra’s faces
in turn and she knew that the news they had to share was probably just as dark as her own.
Jon took a deep breath and began his tale from the journey to the wall and all the way up until the
present when Sansa herself arrived at the keep. Mirra also gave her own story of her journey as
well as boring as the trip to Castle Black from Highever was. She also took over the telling of what
happened in that time that Jon lay dead. Sansa teared up at the point in the story and Mirra tried to
go through it as quickly as possible because although Jon was with her and alive again, the memory
of finding him and having him be dead was still not a pleasant one and reminded her of what
almost was if it wasn’t for Melisandre. Another thing that both Jon and Mirra had to stress to Sansa
was their distrust and dislike of the woman even though she had been able to bring him back to the
land of the living.
Sansa sat speechless for a moment at the end of their telling, believing everything they said but
needing time to process what it all meant.
“So the whitewalkers are real and winter really is coming.” She finally managed, holding on to the
part that seemed the most important since her brother was alive.
Jon simply nodded and took a swig from the mug he held in his hand, his mind in contemplation.
Movement of grey outside the window caught Mirra’s eye and she turned to see her father’s raven
on the sil. It cried her name when it saw her before flying off to the tower that housed the rockery.
A look of confusion crossed her face as she watched the birds path, she had just sent the bird off
not long ago and her father usually gave him time to rest before sending him back out, something
must be wrong.
“Excuse me my lady.” Mirra said to Sansa as she turned from the window and grabbed Jon’s hand
a moment before catching his eye and leaving the room. She knew he would read the concern on
her face.
“Of course.” She heard Sansa say before she breezed out the door of the solar after throwing on her
cloak. She refused to run and send anyone into a panic but she did walk fast enough that her cloak
billowed out behind her.
“My lady!” She heard her name called and the clink of armor as someone moved to follow her, the
sound meaning it could only be one of her house soldiers. “What is it?”
“News from my father.” She didn't bother to stop as she mounted the stairs to the raven sanctuary
and heard Hawthorne follow her. When she reached the top, her father’s great grey raven who she
had decided to name Spirit, was perched on the ledge anxiously awaiting her. He called her name
again as she approached him and held out his leg for her to retrieve the message. Hawthorne said
nothing as he stood in the doorway waiting to see the news.
Mirra skillfully extracted the message from Spirit’s leg and once it was free the bird leaped from
the ledge onto his other master’s shoulder and sat there as she retrieved a small piece of salted meat
for him as a reward. He cawed happily as he ate the meat although the news he carried was far
from happy.
Mirra’s already light skin paled as she quickly read and reread the contents of the letter.
“Lady Mirra, what’s wrong?” Hawthorne moved towards her but she shook her head and clasped
the letter in her hand as she walked by him and hurried down the stairs calling over her shoulder,
“Follow me.”
Mirra could feel her heart pounding anxiously in her chest as she made her way back to the solar of
the Lord Commander. The parchment felt heavy in her hand as she opened the door to find that Jon
and Sansa had not moved from where they sat by the fire. Jon stood as soon as he saw Mirra’s face
and the panic that resided there on her features. Sansa stood as well clasping the mug of ale in her
hands, her knuckles turning white.
“Spirit brought news from my father in Highever.” She began twisting the small scroll between her
fingers. “Osha and Rickon are gone, they ran away.” She held her hand out to Jon who took the
scroll from her scarcely believing his own eyes much as she had done.
“I don’t understand.” Sansa questioned slowly. “You said they were safe in Highever.”
“They were.” Jon replied as he passed the small letter to his sister to read with her own eyes. “It
says that the Bolton’s sent a messenger to Castle Theirin to demand Lord Matthew’s taxes and
fealty again and that the sight of him scared Osha so badly she declared that they would be safer
out in the forests. They left in the night.” Suddenly Jon looked incredibly tired as he ran his hand
through his dark curls.
“What does this mean?” Sansa said as she tossed the letter into the fire before her.
“It means we hope that Osha is correct and that she can keep Rickon safe on her own out in the
woods. My father sent out some men to look for them but won’t risk a large force in case our
enemies wonder who he’s out searching for.” Mirra replied, truly hoping the wildling woman’s
instincts were correct but fearing that she made a big mistake.
“With any luck she will head further south and leave the north entirely. Robb’s war is over and
everyone thinks all the Starks are dead, no one will look twice at them once they’re free of the
North.” Jon said thoughtfully as he thought of what he would do in their position, ever the
stragistist.
Sansa nodded and wrapped her arms around herself as if for comfort. “I hope you’re right Jon.” She
said solemnly as she gazed into the fire as if staring off into nothing. “I really hope you’re right.”
 This Means War
Chapter Summary

A decision is made regarding how to handle Ramsey Bolton and Mirra and Sansa have
a heart to heart in the Godswood.

It was another several days before any news was heard about Rickon. Jon and Mirra were sharing a
meal with Sansa, Brienne, Podrik, Edd, Tormund, Melisandre, and Davos in the dining hall after
the Night’s Watch had already consumed their lunch and were back to their posts. The topic of
Rickon was much avoided as none of the outsiders wanted to pry and Jon, Mirra, and Sansa
considered no news to be good news for the time being. It meant that Lord Matthew’s men hadn’t
found him but on the opposite end it meant Lord Bolton’s hadn’t either and Sansa almost assured
them that Ramsey would send word if he found Rickon simply because he’s a sadist. She was
right. It was Hawthorne who delivered the letter and as soon as he entered the great hall, Mirra
knew the news was bad. She knew it was even worse when her lieutenant handed the scroll to Jon
and not to her. The seal she recognized instantly as the flayed man of the Dreadfort.
“Boltons.” Sansa said softly mirroring the other woman’s thoughts.
Jon said nothing as he broke the seal and read the letter, he knuckles going white. Mirra laid a
gentle hand on his thigh beneath the table.
“It’s from Ramsey.” Jon said looking up to meet his sister’s gaze and the terror that lay there. “He
says that he has Rickon and will trade him for his wife’s return and my oath of fealty. He says if
we don’t comply, he will kill us all but not before torturing us first. He signed it Warden of the
North.” He tossed the letter onto the table before them with disgust.
“So Roose Bolton is dead then. My father wondered but never knew.” Mirra said in a bit of shock.
“How do we even know we can believe what this says? It could be a trap.” Davos said, ignoring
the letter.
“Trust me, it’s truth. He wouldn’t bother if it wasn’t.” Sansa said with venom in her usually sweet
voice.
“Well then we have to go get him back!” Brienne stood from the table banging her thighs against
the side as she moved and rattling their goblets.
“We can’t.” Mirra said sounding resigned running the fingers of her free hand through her dark
mane. “Ramsey Bolton holds Winterfell and it's a fortress. The only reason Theon Greyjoy was
able to take it is because it was yielded to him. If what Lady Sansa says is true, the bastard of
Bolton would never yield to anyone he would die first and us along with him and that serves no
one.”
She could see that Brienne was about to protest when Sansa touched her hand. “Lady Mirra is
right. It was only with Theon’s aid that I managed to get out and getting in is going to be much
harder and we would been seen coming from miles away.”
Jon said nothing and steepled his fingers beneath his chin and stared into the glass before him.
“Raise an army.” Melisandre said simply, the large ruby at her throat shimmering as she spoke.
Davos almost choked on his turkey leg. “In case you haven’t been paying attention, the Night’s
Watch can’t get involved in anything political.”
“Maybe not, but the North can. They will follow their rightful leader, I’ve seen it in the flames.”
She locked eyes with Jon who had looked up from his glass at her words.
“The North won’t follow a bastard, Ned Stark’s son or not.” He said as a matter of fact, his tone
not bitter or resentful. “Your king gave me the option to become a Stark once and take Winterfell
but I turned him down for my duty. The North won’t follow me.”
“You may be surprised as to who the North may follow.” His love told him while a gentle squeeze
of his thigh. “House Theirin would follow you.”
“Your father’s house is indeed large and powerful but its only one among many and even the full
force of his army can’t stand against Ramsey if the rest of the North backs its current Warden of
the North as they would be smart to do after seeing what happened with my brother’s war.”
“Lord Matthew is of an ancient house and well respected in the North.” Davos replied stroking his
beard. “Might be having his support is enough to pull others to your cause.”
“So is having a legitimate Stark heir at your side supporting this.” Sansa replied with a soft smile.
“There must always be a Stark in Winterfell and I still live. That will matter to the lords, at least to
some.”
“We would still have to rally most of the Northern houses and hope we don’t get captured and tried
for treason along the way.” Jon looked to Mirra and took her hand. “How sure are you that your
father will give us his army? I know that he won’t bend the knee to the Bolton’s but there is a big
difference between that and outright going against your leige lord and declaring war.”
“I know without a doubt that my father will be completely behind you.” Mirra spoke with all the
conviction of a commanding lord.
“What of the free folk?” Melisandre asked, turning her red gaze to Tormund who continued to stuff
his face in silence.
“Aye, we might.” Tormund replied with a thoughtful nod. “Be better to have Lord Snow in that
high seat than some unknown sadist. At least we know we’d be safe with him. But that isn’t up to
me, I’d have to talk with all the clan leaders before I can say.”
“You’re people don’t have to do that. They owe me nothing, especially after coming to Mirra’s aid
to avenge my murder.” Jon sounded shocked that Tormund would even consider it when it wasn’t
his people’s fight and they didn’t have to bow to lords of Westeros.
“I know we don’t but as i said, I also know that we would be much safer having someone we trust
control the North.”
“Then we’re going to war.” Jon declared as he stood and pulled Mirra up beside him. “Tormund,
go speak to the free folk and determine if they will indeed fight for us. We will be going to my
lady’s home of Highever first, you can send word to us there of their answer.”
“I’ll go right away.” Tormund stood and immediately left the hall and headed off to the stables to
mount up and bring news of the coming fight to his people.
“I’ll send word to my father that we’re coming home.” Mirra kissed Jon’s knuckles. “After that, I
want to go out to the godswood before we start off.”
“Be safe love.” Jon didn’t care that they weren’t alone when he leaned in and kissed her before she
took her leave of the dining hall and headed off to the rookery.

“Only one more flight for you Spirit, you’re going home.” Mirra cooed to the large grey bird as she
opened the door to his cage and he hopped out onto her arm before moving to her shoulder as she
crossed to the room to write the letter to her father.
Father, I’m coming home. Not alone though, it will be small band of us including Jon Snow. I will
not write the others names in case this shall fall into the wrong hands. It is a matter of the utmost
importance that draws us home and we will need to discuss it in detail once we arrive. Do not fear,
we will stay far Winterfell on our journey. All my love to you and mother and baby Eddard. -Mirra
She sealed the letter with the black wax seal of the Night’s Watch and firmly tied it to raven’s leg.
“Fly home to Highever and may the old gods watch over you.” She thrust her arm into the sky and
Spirit took off with a cry as he flew off south.
As Mirra turned to leave, she was surprised to find Ghost standing in the shadows at the top of the
stairs, almost as if he was waiting for her which he probably was.
“Jon sent you to protect me beyond the wall didn’t he?” Mirra asked the direwolf as she rubbed the
thick white fur on top of his head. Ghost rubbed his massive body against her side in answer as she
moved down the stairs. She smiled at that, at Jon’s love for her and at the care of the direwolf as
well who she had come to love as much as Jon did.
It took not time at all to saddle Shadow and head out through the gates and out into the wild lands
beyond the wall. Ghost stayed right at her side as she rode into the forest towards the godswood.
She knew that normally the direwolf would take the opportunity to go off hunting and the fact that
he wasn’t was even more indication that Jon commanded he stay with her.
Mirra Theirin reached the godswood in what felt like no time at all and dismounted Shadow
outside the grove of weirwoods not bothering to hobble the stallion as she knew he wouldn’t stray.
Ghost left her side but didn’t go far, she saw him move off into the bushes surrounding the grove.
She moved into the center of the grove and sat down in the snow beneath the largest of the heart
trees, fanning her cloak out so she wouldn’t have to sit directly in the snow.
Mirra had been there maybe an hour meditating and praying when she heard footsteps crunch in
the snow behind her. Her deep blue eyes snapped open and she drew Wintersbreath and spun to
face her would be attacker in a split second.
Sansa Stark stared back at her, wide eyed. “Forgive me, my lady. I didn’t mean to scare you.” She
said as Mirra sheathed her sword with a tired smile.
“You never know what could be lurking out here.” Mirra told her as she gestured for Sansa to
come closer, taking note that Lady Brienne and Podrik Payne stood just outside the godswood
themselves beside Shadow.
“And yet you came out here alone.”
“Oh I wouldn’t say I’m alone.” Mirra said as Ghost emerged from the bushes and did a circle of the
grove before settling down at the heart tree.
Sansa smiled her soft sweet smile as she and Mirra both sat down in the snow before the heart tree.
“He loves you.” She said simply.
“He protects me.” Mirra said noticing the younger woman’s eyes on the direwolf.
“Not Ghost, my lady, Jon.” Sansa caught the older woman’s eyes with her own pale blue ones.
“The way he looks at you, its how I’ve always wanted someone to look at me.”
“I love him too. I have for years, just didn’t realize until I came here.”
“You’re good for him.” Sansa smiled warmly as she adjusted her cloak against the cold. She sighed
as she looked up at the blood red leaves above them. “The last time i was in a godswood was when
i was forced to marry Ramsey. Its nice to be able to replace that memory.”
“I’m sorry for all that’s happened to you.” Mirra laid a comforting hand on top of hers for a
moment.
“It’s made me who I am and in that sense i don’t regret it.”
“A good way to look at it.”
“The only way I really can if i want to be able to move on from it. Someday I’ll be lucky enough to
find someone to love me as Jon loves you. That’s the only time I’ll ever marry again.” Sansa
sounded wistful but not all together sad either.
“If you don’t mind my asking, what are you planning to do once we recapture Winterfell?”
“I haven’t thought beyond that to be honest. Just getting that far is alot already. Just this morning
none of us even knew we were going to war.” Mirra absently fingered the hilt of her sword as she
thought back to the battle at Hardhome.
“You should stay in Winterfell.” Sansa ventured carefully. “As Jon’s lady wife.”
If Mirra had been drinking anything she would have spit it everywhere at that moment. “Has Jon
said something?!” She almost couldn’t get the words out.
“No and it’s doubtful that he will. He could never bring himself to ask you to marry him.” Sansa
paused. “It doesn’t matter how badly he might want to, he’s too honorable to ever ask a noble lady
to marry him when he’s only a bastard.” Sansa held up her hand when she saw that Mirra was
about to protest. “I don’t mean that that way, I know you don’t see him that way and I don’t either
but that’s still how he sees himself and that’s how the world sees him.”
“I don’t care what the world sees, I only see him as a man, a man I love.”
“And that’s good to hear my lady.” Sansa smiled and took her hand. “If you asked him, he might
say yes you know.”
“Why?” Mirra was puzzled, knowing the circumstances to be the same regardless of who asked
and that while she didn’t care, he did.
“Because you wouldn’t be breaking any rules in asking to marry him.” She squeezed Mirra’s hand.
“I know that you’re different than me and alot more like Arya but I miss having a sister and Jon
loves you and you’re good for him.”
Mirra said nothing for a time and instead called Ghost to her and stroked the direwolf’s head when
he laid it on her lap. “Maybe that’s something to consider after we actually restore Winterfell to
your family.” Mirra couldn’t help but smile at the prospect of being Jon’s wife, bastard or no. “Just
please don’t say anything to Jon.”
“I promise that I won’t.” Sansa Stark stood up and offered her hand to Mirra who took it and rose
beside her stirring Ghost from his light slumber to stretch and stand beside them. “We should head
back to Castle Black though, there is still alot of packing and preparation to do before we leave in
the morning.”
The two northern ladies walked to the edge of the godswood together, hand in hand. The sister that
one never had and the sister that the other never had a relationship with.
 A Warm Welcome
Chapter Summary

Jon, Mirra, and Sansa along with the rest of their small party depart Castle Black for
Highever and Mirra reunites with her family.

“Jon,” Mirra cooed, her long fingers running along the muscles of his back. “Make love to me
again before we have to leave.” Her lips found his shoulder and traveled up to his neck.
“As if you have to ask love.” Jon teased as he rolled over and took her in his arms, pressing his lips
to hers and kissing her as her lips parted in invitation and she wrapped her leg around his.
It was a little over an hour before Jon and Mirra untangled from each other and managed to get
dressed and make their way out into the yard.
“Are the two of you ready to head out?” Lady Brienne asked already armored up and seated on her
horse.
As Jon looked around the yard, he saw that Podrik was also horsed and armored and Sansa was
finishing seeing that all of trunks were properly loaded onto a cart and ready for their journey. She
walked over to them dressed in a navy dress and cloak embroidered with a large direwolf. She had
something else draped over her arm which she held out to Jon.
“I made this for you.” She said with a smile as Jon unfolded to reveal a brand new cloak. “It’s just
like father’s.” And it was indeed, all heavy black with thick fur covering the shoulders and collar
and large leather straps that criss crossed over his chest to secure it.
“It’s gorgeous Sansa, thank you.” Jon hugged her tight before removing the black cloak that Edd
had lent him and replacing it with a cloak of his house, become Jon Snow again, no longer a man
of the Night’s Watch.
Mirra ran her hands along the fur at his shoulders. “Lord Eddard would be proud to see you in
this.” She leaned in and kissed him and savored the feeling of his fingers on her cheek before he
pulled away.
“I hope so.” Jon’s eyes moved to their small traveling party now that everything had been loaded
they were ready to move out. “We should go if we want to make any decent time before it gets
dark.
Hawthorne walked Shadow over to Lady Mirra and handed her the reins. “Are you sure that you
don’t need me to accompany you my lady?”
“I have all the protection that I need right here.” She said pulling Wintersbreath a few inches from
its scabbard but her eyes fell on Jon who was mounting up himself. “And besides, my father
promised you and the men who accompanied me to the Night’s Watch, you must stay here. But I’ll
tell my father all you’ve done I promise.”
“Thank you my lady. Travel safely.” The soldier bowed and moved off allowing Mirra to mount
Shadow and join up with the rest of their small party.
“Let’s go see my father.” Mirra said as she put her heels to Shadow and moved out of Castle Black
with Jon Snow at her side, followed by their small party of Sansa, Brienne, Podrik, Davvos, and
Melisandre as well leading their cart of belongings.

The journey back to Highever took almost double the time that it took Mirra to get to Castle Black
and there was a light dusting of snow covering all the grounds. The sun was high in the sky when
the castle gates were opened to allow the party into the courtyard. Lord Matthew and Lady
Elizabeth stood on the steps, the later with a baby in her arms wrapped in a woolen blanket of
House Theirin colors.
“Father!” Mirra quickly dismounted and ran to greet her father where he swept her up in a huge hug
and spun her around before setting her back down.
“Mirra, it’s so good to see you all in one piece and back home. We’ve missed you dearly.”
Lady Elizabeth joined her husband at the foot of the steps with a rare smile on her face. “I’m glad
you made it home. I spent time every day I was able in the godswood.” She put a hand on her
daughter’s arm and kissed her cheek. “This is your brother, Nathaniel.” She adjusted the baby’s
blanket so Mirra could see his face which was currently peaceful as he slept.
“He’s precious!” Mirra smiled and gently ran a fingertip down his plump cheek. As awkward as
she generally felt around babies, her own brother was different. “I’ll have to hold him later, but
first.” She turned and smiled to her companions and gestured them forward.
Jon Snow took a moment before he took Mirra’s offered hand, unsure of what her parents would
think, what Mirra had even told them about if anything at all.
“Father, I’m sure you remember Jon Snow and Lady Sansa.” Mirra noticed the quizzical look that
he gave their hands still clasped together but he said nothing of it.
“Of course, Lord Commander, my lady.” Lord Matthew said with a slight bow and Elizabeth
echoed him with a small curtsy of her own returned by Sansa.
“I’m actually not the Lord Commander anymore, I’m just Jon Snow.” At the confused looks from
his lovers parents he added. “It’s a long story.”
“A long complicated story.” Mirra smiled and instead gestured to their other companions.
“This is Lord Davos Seaworth, Lady Brienne and her squire Podrik Payne, and Melisandre of
Asshai.” Mirra gestured to each of them in turn. “This is my father, Lord Matthew Theirin and my
mother, Lady Elizabeth Theirin. And my new baby brother, Nathaniel Theirin.”
Everyone did the proper, my lord and my lady introductions complete with bows and curtsies.
“Lord Matthew, we really need to speak with you. It’s important.” Jon said once the formalities
were finished.
“I figured that you weren’t all coming here for a social visit. Let’s retire to my study.” The lord of
Highever stood to the side and swept his arm encouraging his guests to follow him inside. The only
ones who actually followed him up the steps were his own daughter, Jon, and Sansa.
Once in the study, Lord Matthew closed to the door and Mirra had to admit that it felt really good
to be back in familiar surroundings and not just home in Highever.
“Mirra, what’s going on? And how is it that you’re no longer Lord Commander of the Night’s
Watch” Her father looked deeply concerned as he took a seat behind the great table and the others
sat opposite him, the last part of his question directed at Jon.
“Basically, the Night’s Watch is you serve until you die. I died and then was resurrected. They had
no rules on what happens then but i fulfilled my oath and died at my post so my watch had ended.”
Jon said matter of factly.
Mirra watched her father's face move from confusion to awe and back to confusion. “I dont
understand. Bringing back the dead? How?”
“That's a question for the red priestess. She's the one who did it.” Mirra said eager to move past
that and get to the real meat of why they came here.
“Magick then.” Lord Matthew said more to himself than his guests. “Is that why you're here?”
“We're here because we want to reclaim Winterfell for the Starks.” Jon responded, sounding every
bit the Lord Commander he used to be. “But we can't do it alone, we need an army.”
“Indeed you do. But sadly mine isn't enough to take Winterfell, not when the Bolton's still control
the North. There are those who won't help us, even to put a Stark back in place of Warden of the
North.”
“We intend to rally others.” Sansa added. “They might not stand behind Jon even with his blood but
they might stand behind him with the backing of a Stark of blood and name.”
Lord Matthew nodded, steepling his fingers under his chin and thinking. “You know you have my
army behind you, all but the guard I need to protect your mother and brother here but you need
more. I wont send our men on a suicide mission and leave us vulnerable for Ramsey. That's what
he wants.”
“That's our plan father. But we wanted to see you before visiting any of the other lords. Knowing
that you are behind us and Sansa too might be just enough to turn most of the houses to our cause.”
“You may be right but I warn you against too much optimism daughter.”
“The wildlings will fight for us.” Jon said looking up
“Jon-” Mirra began wondering why he would say that when they hadn't heard anything from
Tormund since leaving Castle Black.
“They will Mirra. Leaving the Boltons in power threatens them as much as it threatens the rest of
us if not more so. They'll come, I know they will.” His voice was so sure, she couldn't help but
believe him.
“Then we should receive a raven from their camp soon.” Sansa mused, resting her hands on the
arm of the chair.
“Where will you be going when you leave here?” Lord Matthew asked, his mind already in war
strategy.
“We don’t know yet. Possibly Bear Island. Inform Jeor Mormont’s family what happened to him.”
Jon responded after some thought, his voice sad thinking back on his mentor and the death he
didn’t deserve.
“I want you to stay for awhile, prepare for your journey. You’re all more than welcome to stay as
long as you wish, your companions too of course.”
“Thank you my lord.” Jon and Sansa uttered in unison.
“I’ll have chambers ready and a fire burning in each one. In the meantime, I’m sure you’re all
hungry after the ride. Let’s retire to the great hall and gather the rest of your company to join us.”
 Meetings and Plans
Chapter Summary

A plan to gather the northern houses against the Bolton's is put into effect and Jon
Snow gets a glimpse into the life that Mirra grew up in.

Mirra’s black skirts swished against the stone of the castle as she walked from the dining hall with
Jon at her side. The dress was at her mother’s insistence of course, she wanted her to look the
proper lady for their guests as if they hadn’t all only known her in pants and armor since meeting
her. She almost felt ridiculous in anything that wasn’t leather.
“Don’t you dare laugh Jon Snow!” She had warned when he first saw her in the dress at dinner.
Her tone both playful and deadly serious.
“You look beautiful. I could never laugh.” He had told her. Now dinner was over and she was
giving him the full tour of Castle Theirin.
“This was my favorite place when I was a child.” Mirra said as she opened the doors onto a large
room full of weapons and plenty of space to train in all of them. “My father had this made for me
when I expressed a real interest in learning to fight. He didn’t want me to train in the yard with the
soldiers so I trained here with my own master.” She ran her delicate fingers along the hilts of the
practice swords, a nostalgic smile on her face.
“My mother always hated it, she never came here. Almost like she could forget it existed if she
never had to see it. Training here and riding through the grounds with Shadow, those are where I
was most at home.” She removed a long bow and notched an arrow before losing it into a target on
the far side of the room, dead center hit. “I wanted to share that with you.”
The way that Jon looked at her when she turned back to him stopped her heart. “Jon-” She was
going to say more until he crossed to her in 3 long strides and pulled her into his arms, his lips on
hers. The kiss was tender and hungry, wanting to know more, every bit of her.
“I love you Mirra Theirin.” Jon whispered against her lips. “I don’t know how I went through my
life without you.” His hand cupped her cheek as her arms tightened around him.
“Now you don’t ever have to.” Mirra parted her lips and gently slid her tongue into his mouth.
“Love, we can’t. Not here in your families castle. This isn’t like Castle Black, this is noble’s and
servants who talk.” Jon said breathless, pulling away slightly but keeping his arms around her and
his forehead leaned against hers.
Mirra stood on her toes and kissed him again. “Maybe you’re right.” Her smile was warm like
whiskey on a cold night. “Let me show you to your chambers then.” She took his hand as she
closed the door to her old training room and started leading Jon back to the main area of the castle.
She enjoyed the warm feel of her hand in his, his touch was always a sense of comfort for her.
She briefly rested her head against his shoulder as they walked slowly, neither of them eager to part
and finding it strange to be in a situation where they had to after so long while they didn’t.
“I know that we need to stay and to rest as long as we can but I don’t want to stay too long. We
have alot of houses to visit and the longer it takes, the more likely Ramsey is to hear of our plans.”
Jon told her as they crossed through the entry hall of the castle.
“I agree, I think we all do. Things must be done quickly. We can all regroup here once we’ve got
our army.” Mirra nodded as they walked on and up a large spiral staircase to the main living
quarters. “This is you.” Mirra told him as she came to a slow stop in front of a door already open
and swept her hand to gesture to the room.
True to his word, Lord Theirin had a fire already blazing in the hearth and the room was much
bigger than Jon expected, being both bigger than his old room in Winterfell and than the Lord
Commander’s chambers at Castle Black. “Do they all look like this?” Jon asked, slightly amazed as
he walked into the room and found his truck already stored away and his clothes and other personal
effects laid out or placed in the wardrobe. A fresh basin of wash water lay on the dressing table and
bed was covered in extra furs to fight off the early winter chill but Jon felt he wouldn’t even need
them with the fire roaring and being south of the Wall, the weather didn’t hold near the bite it did
that far North.
“All of the ones that we keep for our noble guests yes, there are others that aren’t as large but we
aren’t using any of those.” Mirra smiled as Jon ran his hand along the furs on the bed. “I should go
and speak with my father.”
Jon moved back to her again and laid his hand against her cheek and kissed her softly after making
sure that no one else was in the hallway who might see them. “Go. I’ll see you later.”
Mirra squeezed his hand before moving from the doorway and back towards the staircase headed
to her father’s study once again where she knew she would find him.

“I knew I’d find you still down here.” Mirra said as she lightly rapped on the heavy door and
entered the study.
“You know me well.” Lord Matthew laughed as he gestured her over to the large war table. “There
is a long road ahead of you, perhaps harder than being with the Night’s Watch.” He continued as
he looked across the table at the little figures of the northern houses and their armies. “Please be
careful. We were lucky you survived Hardhome and made it back to us. We don’t want to lose you
after just getting you back.”
“We will be careful and prepared. Ramsey Bolton can’t be worse the army of the dead.” Mirra tried
a smile to reassure her father but she could see the worry in his eyes and lines etched in his face.
“Did you find what you were looking for at Castle Black?”
“I think I found more than I was looking for.” Mirra mused as she ran a hand along her father’s
lands on the table and picked up one of the stallions representing a fraction of his forces before
replacing it.
Lord Matthew smiled softly, “Ah, Jon Snow.”
His daughter looked stunned a moment and he simply laughed wholeheartedly. “The way that he
looks at you is the same way that I would look at your mother.”
“She wouldn’t approve. She always wanted to marry me off to Robb Stark or some one else
equally as high born.” Mirra said with a sad and tired smile on her face.
“Look at me Mirra.” Matthew said as he came around the table and took her chin in his hand to
pull her eyes up. “Robb Stark would have made an excellent husband for you but marrying for
anything but love was never meant for you. Jon is a good man with good blood even if he doesn’t
have the name. Do you love him?”
“Very much so.”
“Then that’s all that matters. I can see he loves you too. If the time comes, I will handle your
mother. I just want to see you happy darling.” He pulled her into a tight hug.
“Thank you father, that means more to me than you know.”
“If none of us even survive the siege on Winterfell, let alone win, it will not matter anyway. You
know that I would go with you to visit the other houses if I could but I can’t leave Elizabeth and
Nathaniel here alone.”
“I know, we will make you proud and bring back an army to reclaim the North.” Mirra forced her
voice to hold a confidence her heart only half matched.
“You would have made a good queen Mirra, Jon Snow is a lucky man.” He kissed her forehead.
“I feel like the lucky one but I’m sure he would agree with you.” Mirra laughed lightly, feeling
good to be home in her own family’s castle and around her father again, even if only for a few
weeks.
“How many of the houses do you think will follow us?” She asked, ever her father's daughter with
her strategic mind.
“I wish I could tell you darling. I honestly dont know. There are those like us who would stand
against Ramsey no matter what. But there are also those who fear him more than they hate him. Its
It's hard to tell who is who now since we're the only house left that hasn't swore fealty to the
Bolton's.” Matthew braced his hands on the large table in front of him and looked at all the houses
in the north. “If anyone can gather the houses together, it's you.” He smiled at his daughter. “You
should rest while you can, soon you won't have much time to.”
 The First Alliance
Chapter Summary

The party arrives to Bear Island.

It was a fortnight before the group that came down from Castle Black departed Castle Theirin. Jon,
Mirra, Sansa, Podrik, Brienne, Davos, and Melisandre accompanied by a small complement of
Theirin soldiers. It was decided to stop at Bear Island first so Jon could pay his respects to the
family of the late Lord Commander Mormont.
“Lady Lyanna Mormont is head of their house now.” Sansa volunteered from where she rode to
Jon’s left. “She’s young and small but if the rumors are to be believed she is fierce and not to be
taken lightly.”
“That sounds like you sister.” Jon said with a teasing laugh but made note of her words. It had been
many years since Jon had heard anything of Lyanna Mormont and then she was much younger,
only a small child. It was hard for him to picture her ruling a great house.
“I’ve been through alot to get to where I am, as she has.” Sansa remarked, almost more to herself
than to anyone else.
Brienne turned to look at her as she said this, her eyes clouding over for a moment before she shook
the darkness anyway and they were back to their normal brilliant blue. “My lady, do you think it’s
wise that you make this journey as well? Wouldn’t you have been safer in Highever?” This wasn’t
the first time that the warrior had wondered this or even posed the question to the young woman,
but it was the first time she brought it up in front of their entire party.
Sansa tried to stay the blush from her cheeks at the question but they colored anyway.
“Lady Sansa won’t be a part of the fighting, I assure you.” Mirra commented from Jon’s right, her
preferred place. “But she must join us to recruit our army, my father’s name and Jon’s blood aren’t
enough. We need someone with the Stark name as well if we truly wish to retake Winterfell and
have the other lords and ladies join our cause. They risk treason should we fail, they need a symbol
to inspire them. On the return trip, she will remain with my lady mother and brother in Castle
Theirin. They will be safe there.”
“Unless we fail.” Brienne ventured quietly.
“If we fail then gods help us all and grant us a quick and merciful death because we won’t get one
if we’re left to the hands of the Bastard of Bolton.” Mirra said coldly, choosing to ignore the fact
the late Lord Bolton had legitimized Ramsey before he was murdered.
“We will not fail, the lord of light has plans for you Jon Snow and they don’t include dying at
Winterfell.” Melisandre said from where she rode behind Mirra.
Mirra opened her mouth to say that it was not the lord of light who ruled these lands, but the old
gods and their heart trees. One look to the miracle on her left kept her silent though. She had seen
Jon dead on the table, stabbed to death and bleeding alone in the snow and she had seen the red
woman bring him back to life. She liked to believe that it was her own old gods working through
this strange vessel but in case it was Melisandre’s lord of light she elected to keep her mouth shut
should her miracle be taken away from her forever. Lord Davos did scoff slightly but quickly
covered it up by faking a coughing fit. He had seen first hand the horrors that had been done in the
name of the lord of light and Azor Ahai.
“Bear Island.” Jon said, putting a stop to the conversation as they came upon the dock that would
take them out to the seat of House Mormont. Mirra hadn’t seen many of the northern castles
beyond Winterfell and her own, something in her liked the idea of a castle out on it’s own island,
hard to lay siege too, much like Castle Theirin and its cliffs.
Soldiers stood on duty, the bear of Mormont embroidered on the tunics. “Lady Mormont has been
expecting you.” One of them said as the party stopped and dismounted their horses and passed the
reins off to a stable boy who ran out to take them. Mirra couldn’t help but laugh lightly as Shadow
snorted in the boys face when he took the reins from her.
“And we have been eagerly awaiting to speak with the lady.” Jon said taking Mirra’s hand as she
climbed down into the boat beside him. The others all followed suit, except for two of the Theirin
soldiers that Mirra had instructed to stay behind with the horses.
The ride out to the island itself only took half an hour but the wind off the frozen sea was chilling
and everyone in the party was glad to make land again and be sheltered in the warmth of the castle.
They were shown immediately into the audience chamber where young Lyanna Mormont sat upon
the great bear seat of her house, dwarfed by the chair to make her seem even smaller than her
twelve years.
“Lady Sansa, Jon Snow, Welcome to Bear Island. You my lady, I’m afraid I do not know.” Lyanna
said turning to Mirra and taking in her armor instead of the dress of a noble lady.
“Lady Mirra of House Theirin.” Mirra replied. The others in their party stood well back off the
sides of the chamber, knowing they had no place here in the negotiations of the north.
“What brings you all here to me?” The raven that they had sent ahead of them had been very vague
at Lord Theirin’s behest should it be intercepted.
“We are hoping for your support and your soldiers’ help in reclaiming Winterfell. “Jon said simply,
straight and to the point, just like him.
“Interesting. You wish to depose Ramsey Bolton and take back your home, that’s a worthy goal.
But it’s also treason to go against your Warden of the North.” Lyanna mused, resting her chin on
her fist sitting on the arm of the chair.
“We know. But Winterfell was taken by force and then awarded to the Bolton’s by someone that
had no right to give it away. A Stark heir still lives and a Stark must always remain in Winterfell.
The seat belongs to my family since the time of the first man. We would see it restored to its
rightful owners.” Jon continued, his speech passionate.
“You need men to fight a war and since you came here with only a small amount of what appear to
be Lady Mirra’s men, I’m wondering how you hope to win.” Her voice held a heavy question in
the air.
“Your home was our first stop for many reasons my lady.” Jon began stepping forward and pulling
Longclaw from his sword belt and laying it at the young leaders feet.
“I was formally a part of the Night’s Watch, that is a long story but I can assure you that I broke no
vows in leaving. I served under Lord Commander Jeor Mormont until he was murdered in cold
blood by some of his own brother’s at Craster’s Keep. I was his steward and he groomed me to
take over when the time came. He gave me his family’s sword, said it was to pass on to his son
until he degraced him and was exiled. He gave it to my instead but I want to return it here to its
home in his memory.” Jon said, still on his knee before the sword.
Mirra drew in her breath, she didn’t know that was a part of his plan, to give away one of the few
weapons left that could defeat the whitewalkers.
Lyanna said nothing for a moment as she looked at the sword, remade for someone of Stark blood
and not Mormont blood. “Keep the sword Jon Snow. It was given to you in good faith and because
he saw something in you. I don’t want it back, its rightful place is with you as he wished it.”
Jon picked up Longclaw and reattached it to his swordbelt before backing up to stand beside his
sister and his lady love.
“That answers part of why you came here but what of the army. How can i pledge you my men
without knowing that there is a good chance of winning. I don’t want to send them off to die.”
“My father is sending his entire army for the war, minus the household guard that are needed to
protect my lady mother and baby brother. The wildlings will also be fighting with us. They know
that we are the only hope of them staying safe here in the North and not being killed or sent back to
the other side of the wall to fall victim to the night king and his army.” Mirra said with all the
command of a military general.
“That is something. House Theirin is powerful and her army large. Your father is the only man
who hasn’t swore fealty to the Bolton’s and hasn’t been forced to since no one can lay siege to the
castle. Having a house that ancient and powerful to go against the Bolton’s will certainly matter to
some of the houses, it matters to me. But it won’t matter to everyone, even with Lady Sansa alive
and the backing of Lord Theirin. It’s enough for me though. I will give a third of my army. Should
you fail and lose the war, I need most of them here with me for protection but you have my
support. And even a third of my men are worth more than some houses entire armies.” Lyanna said
with a small smile, proud of her soldiers.
“Thank you my lady, that is more than generous. I know that your support will matter to the other
houses as well.” Jon Snow told her bowing his head in gratitude.
“To some but not to all.” Lyanna replied. “You are welcome to stay the night here as I’m sure your
journey as been long. I’ll have the kitchens begin preparing dinner right away.” With that said,
Lyanna Mormond slid off of her high seat and headed off to do exactly as she said, leaving her
guards to show the guests to their quarters for the night.

It was hours before the small party had all retired to their rooms following a very long hot meal at
Lady Lyanna’s table. She was ever the gracious host, welcoming all who accompanied Jon, Mirra,
and Sansa and trying to talk to all of them at least some while they all dined. Mirra also noted that
she was quick to send the order for her soldiers to prepare to move out and head to Highever the
next evening. While Jon wasn’t too worried about a party as small as theirs moving through the
north under the light of day, Mirra agreed with Lady Lyanna that it was best for the soldiers to
travel in darkness so as not to alert Ramsey and those loyal to him and they still weren’t quite sure
which of the northern houses held true loyalty to the Bastard of Bolton and those that only bent the
knee out of fear for their family and their people.
A soft knock sounded at Mirra’s door while she sat at the dressing table and brushed her long hair
out in the looking glass. She stood and picked up her dressing robe and tied it around her waist
while she pulled the door open to see Sansa standing there in a simpler dress than she wore on
arrival and to dinner.
"Do you have time to talk?" Sansa asked, her soft hands folded together and held at her waist.
“Of course.” Mirra stepped aside and gestured Sansa in before closing the door.
“What are our odds in this battle? Jon won’t tell me anything and he seems to quiet and stoic.” She
took a seat at the dressing table that Mirra had recently vacated.
“I wont lie to you as it involves you as much as any of us, but I honestly can’t say. It depends on
alot of things like how many houses will stand with us and how many men they will send. My
father does indeed have one of the largest armies in the north and the free folk are numerous and
fight more fiercely than I’ve ever seen before but if no one will join us beyond House Mormont
then the fight will be extremely hard indeed. There could also be some houses that refuse to join
our cause out of fear but also respect us enough that they wont fight for Ramsey which still would
help us. We’ve fought the Whitewalkers and their wraiths on the other side of the wall and i can
assure you that this won’t be worse than they were. Human men are easy to take down, wraiths are
not. The dead are hard to kill.”
Sansa was quiet a moment thinking back to the stories she had been told about that battle at
Hardhome.
“Even if we lose, you will still be safe at Highever for as long as she want.”
“Thank you for that. And for being honest about this, I know Jon just didnt want to cause me any
more worrying. I have alot to think about, I should probably get some rest.” Sansa was already
standing before she finished speaking and moving towards the door.
“Sleep well and don’t worry too much, not until there is something more to worry about.”
Sansa nodded before leaving Mirra alone standing at the fireside with her own thoughts on what
was coming next.
 The Journey On
Chapter Summary

The party leaves Bear Island and makes their plan on where to go to for allies next.

True to her word, Lady Lyanna did indeed start preparing her soldiers for an immediate march to
Highever. Mirra and Jon came out into the courtyard of Bear Island to see the preparations first
hand, the young lady wasn’t anywhere to be seen at the moment but it looked as if the soldiers had
been at it since the first rays of light touched the castle.
“At least we have an ally who is already preparing and so willing to help us.” Jon nodded as he
stood against the wall at the house end of the courtyard and just watched them move about for
awhile.
“It’s encouraging. Even if not everyone is also willing to join us, if the ones that do also move like
this are on our side it might also be to our advantage. If we can prepare faster than the Bolton’s, we
might be able to get some kind of jump on them. At the very least showing up might force them to
fight before they have everything prepared.”
“It’s possible. If Ramsey is as self assured as he seems to be, he might not even put in half the
effort he should for a battle of this magnitude. He won’t think we’re worth it.”
“That will be his undoing in that case.” Mirra reached out and squeezed Jon’s hand.
He absently ran his thumb over the back of her hand, glad for the physical contact that they
couldn’t have the night before. “We should also prepare to head out soon. We have many houses
left to visit and a lot of ground to cover.”
“Podrik is already on that. He started preparing us to leave once he was up this morning.”
As if on cue, Podrik Payne came in from the opposite side of the courtyard and headed in their
direction. “Ready to leave at your order milady.”
Jon smiled at her. “You’re always a step ahead.”
“My father taught me well.” Mirra turned to Podrik, “Find the others and ready them to leave as
well. We must give our goodbyes and our thanks to Lady Mormont.”
“I think that she is in the store room, helping to oversee the final preparations for the soldiers.”
With that said, he bowed his head and headed into the castle to find and gather the rest of their
party.
Jon and Mirra followed shortly after, more following the soldiers bustling in and out through the
house to find the store room Podrik directed them to.
“Jon Snow, Lady Mirra, come to say your goodbyes?” Lyanna Mormont was standing at the head
of the room with a high ranking soldier of her army directing those moving things out of the boats
meant to carry them across the channel from the island.
“We wanted to thank you for your hospitality but don’t want to take up any more of your time and
we have many stops on our journey before this battle can even begin. We also wanted to thank you
even more for your men.” Jon said with a bow to her another gesture of thanks and respect.
“Your father was a good man. Your brother was a good man. If you’re even half the man that they
were then you’re already ten times the man that Ramsey Bolton is and you deserve to be home.
Winterfell belongs to the Starks and they’ve always been good to their people. This is a wrong that
can be righted and it will be. Not everyone will believe as I do, some are mad at the Greyjoy
invasion and the late King in the North staying with the southern war instead of coming home.
They might fight you on your allegiance but they don’t have the same amoumt of brains that I do
because if they did, they would join your cause.” She offered a soft smile that almost didn’t seem
to fit her face and general serious manner.
“Thank you my lady. I hope that more of the lords and ladies feel the same that you do.”
“As do I, Jon Snow. I wish you safe travels hidden from enemy eyes.”
“The same to your men Lady Lyanna.” Mirra bowed her head and turned to leave.
“Lady Mirra, I will be sending word ahead of our arrival to Lord Matthew and telling him that I
will be accompanying my men in this endeavor.”
Mirra turned slightly and Jon noticed the small fire in them. “A warrior should never sit out a
fight.” She then headed from the room with Jon at her side and they made their way from the house
back out into the courtyard and through to the gates beyond.
“She has your same fire and thirst to not live a boring life as you do.”
“She is a true force to be reckoned with and her men are lucky to have her in charge.”
“As are yours.” Jon pulled her aside and kissed her against the outer perimeter wall, his fingers
caressing her cheek and following the curve of her jaw down to her neck and angling her closer.
The world fell away like it always did when he kissed her, every time since the first time. “I love
you Jon.” She ran her fingers through his curls.
“I’ll never tire of you saying that.” His voice was soft and warm in a way that was meant only for
her. Jon pulled away slowly and reluctantly at the sound of approaching footsteps and the pair
moved from the wall and saw Ser Davos headed down from the castle with a pack over his
shoulder.
“We are ready to head out.”
“Aye, the sooner the better as we have a lot of headway to make.” Jon gestured down the path
leading to the docks where the rest of their traveling companions had already assembled and were
just waiting for their escort across the channel.
There was a couple Mormont men standing off to the side holding oars and they moved into the
boat once the other three with aboard and began the short journey across the water.
Once on the other side, the men bid them farewell and safe journeys and began rowing back across
to the island. Their horses were already hitched and prepared for the journey ahead, Shadow
stamping anxiously in place at the end of one of the hitching posts. Mirra went to him and
unhooked him immediately, the horse’s movement stopping as soon as she approached.
“Did you give the poor stable boy’s hell for this?” She asked as she stroked his mane and kissed
his large head. Shadow snickered at that.
“You unfair headstrong thing.” She mounted up and watched as the others did the same. The look
that Jon gave her as he watched her interaction with her horse was one of pure and total love and it
was enough to make her toes curl and her heart ache. She never even knew it was possible to love a
person as much as she loved him.
“Where do you believe would be the best place to go next?” Sansa asked as they all started off
down the road away from one ally and hopefully heading towards another. She looked more rested
for her night in an actual bed instead of the tents they’d been using for weeks.
“That depends. You spent some time in Winterfell and in the… company… of Ramsey, are there
any houses that you know for sure won’t side with us no matter what we say?” Jon seemed
uncomfortable even phrasing his sister’s brutal torment as company but felt that was still the most
polite way to say it.
“Only two. House Umber and House Karstack. Both were present at my wedding and knew it was
forced and did nothing to prevent it. Their respective lords spent all of their time with Ramsey in
Winterfell. I don’t know who runs their houses while they are away but even if they were home
they would refuse us. They hate our family for all that happened during the War of the Five Kings
and blame us for their children dying in battle. They see the Boltons as saviors for taking back
Winterfell and the Northern coast from the Greyjoy’s.” Sansa’s keen eyes were good for more than
just sewing as there was not much that she missed after her years in the courts of enemies. She
would make a good spy master if she chose something like that and not the basic life of a lady.
Jon said nothing for a moment, his brain deep in thought trying to think, running varying scenarios
with the mind of a trained commander. “In that case, I recommend House Glover. They’re one of
the other larger houses and always had a good relationship with both Robb and father. They should
at least be amiable to listening to us if nothing else.”
“If that’s also true, it could mean that they won’t support Ramsey regardless of us and that’s still
less troops on his side that we will have to fight through.” Mirra added reining in Shadow who
impatiently wanted to run ahead.
Sansa nodded slowly. “You’re both more privy to that type of information and insight than I am.
I’m here to lead my support and expertise in things I saw while prisoner. The strategy of war I’ll
leave to the warriors.”
“You see more than most people it seems and know more what to do with that information. Hold it
until it benefits the most. A weapon isn’t always a blade.” Mirra gave her a knowing nod when she
looked her way and then glanced behind as well at Lady Melisandre who rode at the back of their
immediate party with Davos at her side although they weren’t speaking and the Theirin soldiers
that accompanied them all rode behind.
“In that regard, King’s Landing wasn’t all bad.” Court intrigue was something that Sansa knew
better than anyone else and it was something that neither Jon nor Mirra ever wanted to bother with.
The party continued on for several more hours, coming across no other travelers and they counted
themselves lucky in that regard as anyone that could potentially come across them also posed a
potential danger. They didn’t stop until the sun started to dip low to the horizon and signaled that it
was time to find a safe place to camp for the night. Jon lead the party further into the woods and
well out of sight of anyone traveling on the road into the night so even with a fire they shouldn’t be
spotted. Mirra’s soldiers began unpacking tents and setting up in the last rays of daylight with
Sansa looking around nervously and sticking closer to Brienne’s side. Ghost rubbed his large head
against Jon’s hand as he dismounted before running off into the woods to hunt his dinner. The
sounds of the forest didn’t even pause as the direwolf bounded off, the silence holding true to his
name.
Mirra walked a slow and careful perimeter of their small camp area also glad of the forest sounds
since any disruption would signal that they were not alone. Satisfied at their relative safety in what
was technically considered enemy territory she knelt to begin building a fire with the small pile of
wood one of her men at gathered.
“I can do that milady, you don’t have to.” The man said as he dropped more wood into the fire.
“It helps to keep my own skills up if I do it. Besides, I think knowing how to build a fire is a fairly
important skill, especially in the north and especially with all of our weeks of travel ahead.” The
first sparks flew and caught the wood and kindling as she gently blew at the embers.
Melisandre took a seat at the fire as elegant on the forest floor as she would have been in a castle.
Her red eyes followed the flame and she gave a small gesture with her hands and the fire grew to a
healthy and comforting blaze and held steady. Mirra stepped back and simply gave her a nod
before standing and moving back to Shadow to brush him and reward him with another apple. The
rest of their party all migrated to the warmth of the fire and took places seated around it, none
really bothered by sitting on the ground except for Sansa who grabbed a saddle blanket and sat
atop that rubbing her palms and holding them towards the fire. Another soldier walked around
passing out bread and hard cheese for a simple meal before everyone retired to their own tents to
sleep and head off again at first light.
Jon stood against a tree at the edge of their camp seemingly keeping an eye out for anything
untoward that might come upon them out of the darkness. Mirra caught his eye as she stowed
Shadow’s brush in his saddlebag and made her way over to him, her fingers grazing his as she
stood beside him.
“You’re worried.” She put it simply as she watched the fire with most of their party fairly quiet and
tired.
“Aye, I am. We have no guarentees. The Mormont forces might be the only ones we get and that’s
far from a winning number no matter who is on our side.”
“Do you regret that we’re doing this at all?”
He ran his hand through his curls. “No I don’t. We should do this. I want to go home, I want Sansa
to be able to go home. I want our people to have a fair Warden of the North and not someone to
live in fear of. It’s more just that it isn’t just us going against this. This isn’t the Wall and the
Night’s Watch, this could come down heavy on any houses that join us if we lose. There could
very well be genocide, entire houses wiped out.”
Mirra put her hand upon his arm. “And anyone who joins us will be aware of that possibility and it
means they feel strongly enough to risk it. My father has a new baby at home and still is sending us
his entire army, he wouldn’t do that if he didn’t think we stood a chance and if he didn’t believe so
strongly that we should. Everyone here is aware of the risks and chose this path anyway.” Her free
hand spanned the small party gathered before them. “Tormund is begging aid of the free folk and
they will come. They respect you Jon and they respect what you’ve done for them and are grateful.
They won’t want to risk any of that on the slight chance that Ramsey will leave them alone which
we know that he won’t once he knows they are there if he doesn’t already.”
“One of the signs of a good leader is someone who cares so deeply about his people.” She gave
him a soft smile and leaned up and kissed him. “You’re a good leader my love, and an even better
man. Don’t forget that.”
Jon Snow stroked her cheek. “I truly don’t deserve you but I am so glad that you are with me.”
“You deserve me and so much more. We can do this, don’t get discouraged.”
He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to hers, both hands on her cheeks. “I will try, for you if
nothing else.”
Ghost emerged from the woods, his maul bloody with the success of his hunt and sat beside them.
Some of the party had now abandoned the fire and gone into their tents and some of the soldiers
had gathered their bedding and set up around the fire for warmth while a few others stood guard.
“We should sleep.” Jon moved from the tree and held Mirra’s hand and led her towards the tent
with Ghost on their heels.
Mirra gave a nod to one of the soldiers standing watch knowing that they would switch off as the
night carried on and ducked into the tent. There was already a small fire burning to warm them
through the night and that was where Ghost took his post curling up before it but always listening
for any signs of unrest while his masters slept wrapped up in each others arms.
 House Glover
Chapter Summary

The party arrives to speak with Lord Glover and hopefully gather more allies to their
cause.

The night passed without any incident and the party was off as soon as the first rays of sunlight
started into the sky. No one spoke too much as they journeyed through, Ghost bounding off every
now and then to chase down sounds he heard somewhere in the wilderness but he always came
back on silent feet and resumed his trot alongside Jon. Mirra kept her bright eyes trained to the sky
whenever possible looking for any signs of a messenger bird that might have seen them. She had
taken Spirit along on their journey from Highever in case they were in need of their own
messengers but so far had no use to send him home. She had written a cryptic message to her father
before leaving Bear Island to let him know if the troops coming his way and sent it along with one
of Lady Mormont’s ravens with the hopes that even if discovered, the code could not be read. Her
and Jon had both decided not to send Spirit unless the need was dire. Podrik shivered where he
rode on Sansa’s left, Brienne on her right.
“Still not used to the North are you?” Mirra called back to him softly.
“No my lady. But I’ll warm up and make due.” He gave a large smile despite his chattering teeth
that Mirra could help but chuckle at. Northerners were always made of stronger stuff.
“Mirra.” Jon’s voice was low as he signaled the horses to slow down to almost a crawl. He
gestured his head back towards the sky and there a raven flew slowly overhead, just above the tree
line. “Can you hit it?”
“Possibly, if it doesnt move.” She was already reaching around her back for her long bow and
notching an arrow while she urged Shadow to halt entirely. Pointing towards the bird that moved
slowly further from them, whether it was already wounded or simply tired she couldn’t guess but
either way it would make the shot just slightly easier. She took a single slow deep breath and
aimed, releasing the arrow at the end of her exhale. The raven screeched as the arrow buried itself
into a wing and the bird started to spiral down in the woods. “That wasn’t what I was aiming for
but downed is downed, dead or not.”
Jon signaled for one of the Theirin men to come over to them. “We can’t risk just standing around
in the daylight and waiting but I want to see if that bird was a messenger. Can you break off when
we get close and find it?”
The man bowed his head slightly from where he sat on his own horse. “Of course sir.” He began to
head off in a straight line towards where it seemed the raven crashed through the trees.
“Tell me what you’re thinking.” Mirra asked as they resumed moving, she could hear the soldiers
and even the rest of their small party talking among themselves but nobody bothering to ask about
it.
“Probably much the same that you are, that raven could have carried a message about us or if not,
then maybe something that would help us with this battle to come.”
“You think someone betrayed us?”
“More like I think if it’s news of us, someone just saw us. I don’t think that the Mormont’s or
someone in our company betrayed us no.”
Mirra chewed her lower lip, the thought not quite a comforting one considering that Jon had
already suffered one betrayal before and not only that but that it had ended in his death. She
shuddered at the memory that still gave her nightmares. “Possibly. Someone looking for favor with
their cruel Warden of the North.”
The soldier that went off after the raven returned with the dead bird in question in his fist, holding
onto the arrow in its wing.
“Messages?” Jon asked as the man came up beside him again.
“No sir. It appears to be a messenger but there was nothing on it.” He held it up for inspection
before Jon nodded and he tossed it back into the woods.
“Better to be safe than sorry.”
“Yes sir.” The man took his leave and rejoined the rest of his company.
The remainder of the ride to the seat of House Glover was uneventful, no more ravens were seen
and no riders were encountered on the road either.

It appeared that their presence was expected by the time the walls that Lord Glover called home
came into view by the leaders of the party. This observation was further cemented by the guards
waiting at the gates when they reigned up alongside, before anyone could even say anything, one
of the men gave a signaled pounding on the heavy wooden doors and they were pulled open by
invisible hands from the inside.
“Lord Glover is waiting for you.” One of them said as Jon and Mirra started to head inside with a
signal that the vast majority of their traveling party would not attend the meeting but would wait
here or elsewhere at the discretion of the guards. Sure enough upon entering the courtyard, Lord
Glover himself stood to greet them outside the main doors to the keep itself, whether that was a
good sign for their mission or a signal that was over before it even began was anyone’s guess; the
man’s face gave nothing away in either direction.
“Jon Snow, I presume. And Lady Mirra Theirin.” Lord Glover greeted them cordially as the pair
dismounted their horses, stable boys appearing from the shadows to take the reins and care for the
horses.
“Lord Glover.” Jon responded giving a slight bow and Mira returning the gesture with a small
curtsy of her own, or the closest she could manage one without a dress.
“I am sorry for the many losses that you have suffered over the years.” This was aimed at Jon who
took the condolences in stride and offered his thanks. “I have a guess as to why you are here with a
small force of your own and I will hear you out but I make no promises one way or the other on
what I plan to do until I’ve heard it all.”
“That’s very fair, all we ask is the chance to speak.” Jon told him sincerely as the older man began
to gesture them inside, pausing at another man to give orders for the rest of their horses and the
soldiers that accompanied them.
“That I shall grant you, over a meal. You and anyone else you deem of import to these proceedings,
the rest of your party will be tended to as well. Please follow me.” He mounted the small steps and
opened the doors into the keep.
“Well we weren’t turned away at the gates so at least he’s willing to listen before deciding.” Mirra
observed quietly leaning into Jon’s ear, her hand on his arm taking comfort from his presence.
“I’ll take anything that we can get.” At this point Sansa, Brienne, and Lord Davvos also
dismounted and joined them at the stairs. They had decided on the way here that this group would
be the one joining in on any negotiation and discussion to be had while leaving most of the talking
to Jon and Mirra, this small council helped to present a strong front between Davvos being a knight
and former right hand to a king, to Brienne being a knight in an honor guard, and Sansa being one
to bear the Stark name while Jon just had the blood. They had also discussed Melisandre
accompanying them into meetings as well but ultimately decided that while they didn’t distrust her,
at least in regard to this endeavor, they didn’t trust her Lord of Light or follow him and they were
in the North, domain of the Old Gods, bringing in a foreign presence and her magic and deity
seemed more problematic than helpful, at least for now. She didn’t seem to mind being held back
or at least didn’t show it if she did. Podrik was given the special task of watching over her to make
him feel less bristly about being left out of the meetings as well.
Mirra’s boots made a soft sound against the tiles in the hall as the group entered the keep and
followed Lord Glover further into the house to what she assumed would be a private dining
chamber and not the large main hall that would be used for parties. The servants they passed didn’t
seem to pay much heed beyond the briefest of glances, whether they were told to ignore or they
just didn’t care was something no one knew. Mirra took in her surroundings marking hallways and
doors both opened and closed and turns as well. After the Red Wedding you could never be too
safe as the rules of safe harbor had been broken. She liked to believe the Northerns, or at least the
Houses they would be visiting, would be better than the Frey’s but the slight fear and need to be
prepared were still ingrained in her.
Jon laid his hand over hers in the crock of his arm, looking every bit the proper gentleman escort to
a noble lady. “There are times that I miss Castle Black.” He whispered to her so softly it was little
more than a gentle brush of air against her ear. “Those weeks after I came back to life and was no
longer bound by the Watch that is.”
Mirra’s pale cheeks heated to a soft blush at his words knowing exactly what his meaning really
was and she felt exactly the same. Not having to deal with the politics and rules of society that are
supposed to bind the nobility and keep them proper, no one cared what they did behind the walls of
Castle Black but people cared now and their relationship was once again pushed into the shadows
except at camp. The secrecy wasn’t something that Mirra liked, not when she wanted to scream
from the rooftops how much she loved him. The scandalous affair between a noble born and a
bastard would help no one.
Finally Lord Glover stopped at the opened double doors bearing the gloved fist of his house that
led into the formal dining hall and spread his arm in welcome at the generous spread that was
already laid out for them.
“It looks wonderful, thank you for your hospitality my lord.” Mirra told him as her eyes scanned
the table she couldn’t help the pangs of hunger and the slight salivation at the prospect of a
delicious hot meal. The dried meats and hard cheeses eaten while traveling did their job but they
were by no means anything partially tasty.
“Please enjoy.” Lord Glover took up his spot at the head of the table and gestured for the rest of
them to sit down as well. A few servants came and filled their glasses with a sweet red wine before
vanishing quickly and quietly back they way they had come which presumably lead towards the
kitchens.
The group mostly made small talk while they began their meal and the true work didn’t begin until
they got to the main course.
“As I said, I have a thought as to why you have come here but I would like to hear your own
proposal instead of just theorizing on my own.” Lord Glover speared a piece of the roast chicken
and popped it into his mouth chewing thoughtfully after he spoke.
“We are gathering an army to take back Winterfell.” Jon volunteered, being head of this army
gathering and command of it once it was assembled.
“You want to go after the Boltons.”
“From my understanding, the only Bolton left is Ramsey seeing as he killed his father, stepmother,
and new brother my lord. Winterfell belongs to the Starks and there are still Starks to hold it.
Ramsey Bolton is a cruel man and no one benefits from him being warden of the north.”
“This is all true, I hold no love for him and I hold no allegiance to him either. How many men do
you have?”
“All the Theirin soldiers, minus the guard needed to protect Lady Theirin and her babe. And a
generous complement of men from Bear Island as well.”
“And the free folk.” Mirra volunteered. Tormund might not have gathered them together and given
a formal answer but she had no doubt they would join in the war. It was after all, only a matter of
time before Ramsey went after their lands once he found out they were on this side of the wall and
given land of their own.
“You have wildlings in your army?” Lord Glover’s grey brows almost shot up to the ceiling.
“They fight well and they are northerners now as the rest of us are, they want to keep their homes
and tend their lands the same as us.” Jon kept his voice perfectly leveled and with the authority of
the man who gave them those lands in the first place.
“That is interesting. I’m not your last stop in gathering this army am I? Because it seems like you
will need more men.”
“Of course not my lord, we are still close to the beginning of our travels.”
Lord Glover said nothing for an extended period of time before he sighed and lightly shook his
head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t send men to aid you. I helped your brother Robb because I believed in
him and his war cost me some of my own sons. I believe in your cause as well Jon Snow and I
think that you are in the right but I can’t send any more of my children to die for any cause and
even if they didn’t go, if you lose that puts a target on my house as well and Ramsey will come for
what children I have left. I am sorry but I cannot help you. The best I can give is my promise to
help Ramsey either if he calls for aid. His summons will go unanswered by House Glover.”
“I understand my lord. Thank you for meeting with us and for the meal.” Jon stood from the table
as did Glover and the two shook hands in parting.
“I do wish you luck Jon Snow, may the gods watch over you.”
“And you my lord.”
No one else said anything as they made their way back to the front door and out into the courtyard
where their horses were already saddled and waiting for them.
 Army Gathered Back at Highever
Chapter Summary

The party has returned to Highever after gathering their forces and things are not as
they hoped. or are they.

It was months before the party finished their rounds and made it back to Highever and Castle
Theirin thoroughly exhausted and in need of sleep for what felt like several weeks. Mirra herself
didn’t know how to feel about their trip. They hadn’t recruited nearly the support that they had
hoped to with only the Mormonts, Hornwoods and Mazins had sent men ahead to Highever to join
their cause. The Umbers and the Karstarks straight up refused and backed Ramsey. Many of the
other houses pledged no allegiance to anyone as they didn’t want to send more sons to die in battle.
The biggest bit of good news came when they received word that Tormund had rallied the Free
Folk to the cause and they would wait on the Gift until our army marched. Unless something
changed, the vast majority of their army would be House Theirin soldiers and Free Folk and she
wasn’t sure if that would be enough.
“Do you think your father expects that we would have been able to rally more men?” Jon asked
Mirra softly as they rode through the army tents camped outside her castle home.
“I don’t know what he expected, not really. I’m sure he hoped for more but he’s ever the general.”
She dropped the reins trusting Shadow to lead them the rest of the way on her own and held her
hand out to Jon who took it in his own and gave it a squeeze. The months on the road were at an
end for a bit and that meant so were they for the time being and it also meant that war loomed
heavy on the horizon and death could come with it.
Jon dropped her hand with a sad sidelong gaze as they approached the gates and were welcomed
inside the courtyard. Stable boys came to take their horses and tend to them as the party
dismounted and went their separate ways. Lord Matthew was there to greet them at the steps and
he didn’t outwardly seem dismayed at the size of the forces camped outside but gave his daughter a
huge hug and shook Jon’s hand.
“Welcome home darling.” He told her as he gestured for them to come inside. “How did you fare?”
“Not as well as we had hoped but it could have been worse. House Umber and Karstark have
declared for Ramsey.” Jon walked on Lord Matthew’s left with Mirra on her father’s right. “House
Mormont, Hornwood, and Mazin have declared for us and Tormund has brought the Free Folk to
us as well.”
“What of the other houses?”
“House Glover and some of the others are declaring for no one and thus promising to send neither
side aid and are waiting to see who triumphs in the end.” Mirra told him, her voice unwavering and
solid.
“That’s still better than having them against us.” Lord Matthew mused closing the door to the
study behind them. “Are those that are with us sending their men here?”
“It seems we only wait for the Mazin’s to arrive. The Free Folk will remain at the Gift until we
march and they will meet us at our final camp.” Jon looked to the map where Matthew was
assembling their forces and finding where that final camp would be. “Here.” Jon pointed to an area
not far from Winterfell. “I’ve been through this area and it’s level as well as shielded.”
Lord Matthew nodded his consent and marked the area. “Once the Mazin’s arrive, they should be
given some days to rest and recover but we will need to move out soon. The longer they have to
prepare the worse it is for us.
“They shouldn’t be more than a few days to a week away as it stands depending on weather.”
Mirra added placing their marker halfway between their lands and Highever.
“Good. The sooner the better, I pray the old gods give them safe travel and fair weather. We can’t
afford to wait too long. Ramsey must already know we’re gathering an army to us.” He fingered
the end of his mustache as he watched the board.
“He sent the letter about Rickon as a taunt. We’re playing into his hands by attacking and he
knows we have no choice in it.” Jon brushed his fingers across the back of Mirra’s hand as he
started to slowly pace in front of the war table.
“But he doesn’t know our strength. He doesn’t know that we have Free Folk fighting with us and I
don’t think he knows the extent of the Theirin army either.” Mirra splayed her hands on the table.
“He also doesn’t know the Free Folk at all and will expect us to fight as a traditional army. If we
do something different, it will be unknown to him.”
“We can’t train all of our forces to fight another way. There isn’t time and the Free Folk arent here
to use what time we have to show them.” Matthew watched as Jon paced and could almost hear the
gears turning in his head over Mirra’s words.
“You’re right but we don’t have to. Not really. We can tell them to ignore the rules of traditional
war and hand to hand combat and instead to do the opposites. We can equip them all with daggers
and not just the usual sword and shield. Those that know two handed weapons can use those
instead. Archers on horseback instead of dismounting to join the fray. No shield wall and spears.
We don’t have to train to fight as the Free Folk we just have to break the rules of what they know.”
Mirra’s face broke into a grin at her lover’s words, he knew exactly where she was going with this.
“An advantage to us!” Matthew exclaimed. “I’ll go tell our commanders at once so they use what
time we have to go over new training and drills. It won’t be much but it will be expected. It’s the
kind of thinking Robb had that would have won the war were he able to.” He kissed Mirra on the
head as he exited. “Goodnight to you darling, we will be very busy.”
Jon waited until the lord of Highever’s footsteps had disappeared down the corridor before closing
the gap between the in a few short steps and taking Mirra’s face in his hands and kissing her. His
hands were still chilled at the fingertips and she could feel the callouses from his sword training
against her jaw but his lips were soft and warm and his kiss held promise and love and felt like it
stopped time. “You are brilliant and exquisite and I don’t know if I’ve ever loved you more.” He
softly rubbed his thumb over the apple of her cheek. “I should probably go as well. It is an army
being raised in my name afterall, I should also oversee things and help where I’m needed.” Before
letting her go, he kissed her once more.
“I love you Jon Snow. You’re going to be amazing.” Her deep blue eyes shone with the light from
the fire and looked as if actual sapphires had been set into her face. The effort it took him to leave
the room was astronomical and he turned quickly and headed out to the courtyard again before he
was much too tempted to close the door again and lay waste to the war table despite his objections
of it being her home.
Mirra gave one last look at the war table before leaving the room and closing the door behind her.
She instead found herself wandering the halls with no real destination in mind, just seeing what was
altered since she had last behind and was pleased to find that all was as she had left it for the most
part, beyond whatever part of the castle was baby Nathaniel’s room anyway and prep that was
being done for the war. Should she even think of it as a war when really it all comes down to
simply one battle. Or hopefully one battle anyway, provided one bastard lives and the other dies.
She shuddered to think of the cost and thought the castle felt much colder than it had only
moments before. If Jon died and they lost, it wouldn’t just be his death, it would be all of theirs.
The North laid siege to until every last one of them was dead and their whole house too and any
sympathizers. Without realizing it, she found herself wandering the bedroom space in the upper
levels, specifically the family wing. Only one door was ajar up here and she went inside to find
Nathanial’s nursery exactly where she expected it to be. Her mother sat there in a rocking chair
holding the baby and singing to him softly while he played with a stuffed horse on her lap.
“Hello dear.” Elizabeth looked up at her entrance and noted that she was wearing her riding
leathers and potential combat attire and not a dress but chose not to say anything. “Mirra.” Lady
Elizabeth said to her son and pointed until the baby’s blue eyes followed her finger.
“MIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!” Nathaniel cried with a laugh.
“We’ve been trying to teach him your name but this is the best he can do so far.” She shrugged
with a gentle smile as the infant resumed playing with his horse. He was close to a year old now.
“He’ll get it one day.” Mirra left the doorway and looked around the room she hadn’t seen before.
She knew he wasn’t sleeping in here yet as he was still much too small for a bed but a wardrobe
full of his little clothes was still here as were his toys and supplies for his bathes and diapers and
any other thing a baby could need. The fireplace crackled warmly and cast a soft glow over her
mother where she sat with the baby. It took the planes of her face and lightened them and almost
made her look younger. Mirra had never seen her mother look soft and happy.
“You’re going with them aren’t you? Your father and Jon Snow and the army.” Elizabeth wouldn’t
look at her and instead seemed to stare off into space in the flames. Nathaniel cooing happily and
starting to get that sleepy look about him.
“I am. I helped to the gather this army, I never planned to stay home for the fighting.” Mirra was
mentally preparing for this to turn into a knock down drag out argument like so many of their
conversations were.
“I know… but I wish you would.” Her voice didn’t break but Mirra could hear the longing in it all
the same. “Going to Castle Black to aid the Night’s Watch was one thing. Even with winter
coming the threats live on the other side of the Wall. There was no war, only training and
vigilence. You’re headed straight into a real battle, a war that’s coming if you don’t win at
Winterfell. I never wanted this for you.” There was no malice or anger or reproach, only
resignation.
“The life that you wanted for me was never one that I wanted and was never one that was meant
for me. I wasn’t meant to stay home and play the lady until I’m married off to another lord to do
the same thing in another castle with the additional duty of providing heirs. That isn’t for me. This
is. Fighting is. Making a difference is. Winning this war is.”
“I know. I always saw it, I just wished it could be different so I tried so hard to make it so.”
“Because you love me and wanted the best for me I know. I just can’t live that way. I have to have
my own life without being beholden to someone else.”
“You could die out there. You. Your father. Everyone. All of us.” Nathaniel had now drifted to
sleep cuddling his horse and small tears fell onto his little cheeks but he seemed to pay them no
mind, content in his own dreams.
“All the more reason for us to win. We can’t leave the North like this. We can’t have people living
in fear of what could happen if they don’t do exactly what Ramsey wishes. I’m sure father has a
plan in place for you and Nathaniel if we should fail. It would be some time before Ramsey could
regroup and try to come here for you. Time for you both to be gone and far away.”
“I don’t wish to think on it. Your father has told me everything, that’s what he’s been working on
most and struggling with most while you all were out gathering the forces.” She was silent for a
time before she turned and looked at Mirra where she now stood by the window on the other side
of the room looking pensive. “If you do succeed, does it- i mean- will it- bother you that Nathaniel
will inherit Highever?”
Mirra laughed her soft bell laugh. “Absolutely not. Honestly, hearing he was born took alot of
perceived weight off my shoulders.”
“I haven’t known quite what to say to you since he was born. I was afraid that you would resent us
or at least resent me. Gods all know you could never resent your father. Or that you would think
we love him more than you which also isn’t true.”
“I know both of those things. And I don’t resent you, I never did. I just didnt want what you wanted
for me.”
“Matthew helped me to see things in another light while you’ve been gone. Not just this last time
but since you first headed to Castle Black. Just do your best to stay alive out there.”
“I plan to. There is alot to live for still.” At that cryptic remark, Mirra left her mother and baby
brother with a simple goodnight and head down into the inner most areas of the castle where the
bathing rooms were constantly being attended by servants with hot water as long as people in the
castle were still awake and about.

Mirra quietly thanked the gods that the only people down here right now were those servants that
tended the baths as she always preferred her baths alone in the peace and quiet. The room was
large and made entirely of stone with multiple fireplaces running with kettles kept nearby full of
water ready to be set over the flame at any time to keep the bath water hot. There was multiple
baths in the room built right into the floor themselves so you stepped down to enter them and all
had a carved ledge around the sides inside the tubs so people could sit and soak and weren’t forced
to stand the whole time. Each tub had a basket of scented soaps at the edge as well as towels laid
out for easy access. The room was toasty but stepping out from a hot bath into the air still didn’t
feel very relaxing. Mirra walked in and was greeted by the servants there, Claire and Amalia, same
as she always had been it was like she had never really been gone. She chose her usual tub furthest
from the entrance and in a corner close to one of the fireplaces. She began to strip out of her
traveling gear and leave it in a small pile on the edge before placing her foot into the the
deliciously warm water that had to have just been heated again very recently. She would be lying if
she said this wasn’t what she had most been looking forward to as they got closer and closer to
Highever and the end of their travels.
“I’ll bring you something from your room Lady Mirra.” Amalia told her as she gathered up her
clothes and whisked them away to be laundered before Mirra could even thank her.
Instead she simply sank beneath the water so only her head was above and sank into the soothing
warmth as it embraced her. The only sounds in the room were the crackling of the fires and the
occasional bubbling of water in their cauldrons which was just the way she liked it. This was what
she had been missing most about home since setting off for the Wall. Staying clean was never the
problem, it was not being able to fully soak in any hot water. Soap and a bowl of water just weren’t
enough. She tilted her head back and ran her fingers through her hair as it floated out behind her.
Picking up a bar of honey scented soap she noticed an addition to the basket of some sort of liquid
in a bottle that smelled of soap and lavender. This must be what her mother had been wanting to
have made specifically for her hair, worried that regular bars of soap didn’t get it as soft as she
wanted. Mirra set down the soap and picked up the bottle instead pouring some into her hands and
then scrubbing it into her hair. She wasn’t sure if it worked any better but it certainly smelled nice
and was easier to run through all of her hair evenly than a bar. With her hair sufficiently washed
and rinsed out, she took some pins from the basket and pinned it above her head to avoid getting
soap back in it. She once again reached for the bar of honey soap and put it into the water rubbing
it between her hands to lather it up before using it to scrub off all of the road grime from their
travels. It felt like she took off the entire top layer of skin but it felt much better afterwards.
Amalia returned with a simple dress and set of flats for her to wear after her bath and left them
sitting on a stool closer to the fire and away from any stray water that might escape the bath. While
she didn’t want to leave the tub any time soon she figured that she probably should towel off and
head to her room for some decent sleep in the days or so that they would all be here before leaving
again. The warm water also further set in the feeling of exhaustion in her bones and had her eager
to crawl into her soft bed and warm blankets and furs even without Jon Snow.
She stretched before standing from the water letting the water slide off before picking up a towel
and gently patting herself dry. The dress that Amalia had chosen was simple cobalt blue velvet with
satin sewn into the inside to protect the fabric and it glided softly over her damp skin. The sleeves
hugged her arms and the wrists came to a point that partially came over the back of her hand. The
neckline of the dress was perfect for the coming winter as it came up her neck a bit and only had a
small keyhole cut out the front to show off any necklace that might be worn. The shoes were
simple silver flats that seemed to glisten like stars as she walked and they peeked through her
skirts. Her hair she toweled off as best she could but ended up pinning back up on top of her head
to keep the velvet safe.
“Thank you.” She said to Claire and Amalia as they began to empty out her tub before refilling it
with fresh water. She held her skirts up from the floor until she exited the bath house closing the
door behind her, the hallways felt significantly colder but still weren’t unpleasant.
The only people that she noticed on her way back through the castle and up to her room were the
usual castle servants, none of the guests or soldiers or anyone from her own party seemed to be
about anymore. Then again, they were probably just as exhausted as she was from their travel and
ready to fall into bed as soon as the chance arose. Warm air greeted her as she pushed open her
bedroom door from the fire that one of the servants had started for her in the hearth.
“Hello, I didn’t mean to disturb you but there is something I must speak with you about.” Sansa
Stark stood from where she had been sitting at Mirra’s dressing table. She also appeared much
recovered with a fresh bath and new dress of deep red wine.
“You didn’t have to get up, please sit.” Mirra closed the door and crossed the room to sit on the
edge of her bed facing the younger woman.
“I don’t think I can for this. I already tried to talk to Jon about this and he denied me outright and
wouldn’t hear any argument about it. I was hoping that you might. It’s about the war.” Sansa paced
slowly gathering her thoughts and how to proceed.
“If it’s about the war, Jon should hear you. Why wouldn’t he listen?”
“He listened. He just refused. He said it wasn’t a good idea and couldn’t be trusted and could cost
us everything.”
Mirra’s interest was already piqued. Sansa had spent a good deal of time at court and not just there
but time with Lord Baelish and even Ramsey at Winterfell, not that she probably learned any sort
of strategy from him as she was seen as a prisoner, wife or no. “What is it that you proposed to
him?”
“I am fairly certain I can get us more soldiers. Another army’s worth of soldiers, to match your
father’s.”
Mirra probably wouldn’t have been more surprised if Sansa had slapped her. “Why wouldn’t Jon
have wanted to hear this? Where are they from?”
“That’s the part he didn’t want to hear and didn’t trust. They’re the Knights of the Vale,
Littlefinger’s men. Or technically I suppose cousin Robin’s but he’s too young yet to know how to
rule.”
Mirra chewed her lip as she thought. She knew all of the same things that Jon did about Littlefinger
and his betrayals and the part he played in Sansa’s arranged marriage to a sadist. “What makes you
think that he would even send these men if we asked for them?” Not eager to shoot down any
chance at an advantage, she had to know all the options.
“Because I would ask him to. He kissed me once. At the Eyrie. It’s why Aunt Lysa died. She saw it
and tried to blame me for it and have me killed. Instead he killed her, pushed her out the moon door
and told everyone it was suicide. I can’t fully explain it except he sees me the same way that he
saw Catelyn. I think he is in love with me and is hoping he can have me when he couldn’t have
her.”
“So you think he’ll do anything to win you over and what more could do that than reclaiming
Winterfell for the Starks.” Mirra mused following Sansa’s logic instantly.
“And Jon won’t hear of it because of what he did to me so he thinks it would be a double cross.”
Sansa stopped pacing and stood facing Mirra instead knowing that she had her full attention and
not a dismissal.
“With good reason. He is a snake and should have chosen that as the sigil for his house. However,
a man in love no matter how twisted will usually do what is in his interest to win the heart he
desires. Have you spoken to him yet?”
“No. I’ve been thinking about it all of while we were out gathering forces and the more people
who refused, the more I wondered. I talked to Jon about it earlier today and thought that maybe he
would see that we need them but he didn’t.”
“He’s a good judge of character and a good leader. He knows what he’s talking about and he is
right to refuse… were someone else asking. He doesn’t know the things that some men will do for
women or have a woman’s instinct in that regard. Are you sure that Littlefinger will send a sizable
company of men and not double cross us to Ramsey?”
“He wants my favor enough that he’ll probably even send more men than requested and I know he
won’t tell Ramsey. It’s too risky.”
Mirra didn’t say anything as she ran through strategies and calculations in her head and weighed the
pros and cons. Ultimately they still needed more men to hold a better chance of winning and with
another option in front of her, she couldn’t pass on it knowing what she knew.
“I trust you. Write to him, ask for 2000 Knights of the Vale. As much as I hate to do this, we
shouldn’t tell Jon. Not until we know for sure that they are actually coming. This could turn the
tides more in our favor, I hope it’s the right call.” Mirra pulled the pins from her hair and let it fall
around her shoulders.
Sansa’s soft face lit up and she thought she was going to hug her but she didn’t. She stayed
standing and composed herself instead. “I’ll write him at once.”
“Send Spirit. He’s fast and less inconspicuous.”
“Thank you Mirra. For listening.” Sansa didn’t wait for a response before she slipped out the door
presumably to go back to her own chambers and write that letter.
Mirra made a mental note to go to the heart tree tomorrow and pray for them all but now she was
much too tired to even get up undress let alone outside. She slipped off her shoes and stood long
enough to drop her dress into a puddle at the foot of the bed before she extinguished the candles
and crawled underneath her many blankets and furs. Her final thought before crashing into sleep
was that she hoped she hadn’t just damned them all before the battle had even begun. Then she fell
into unconscious and didn’t dream.
 The Army Camp
Chapter Summary

With Jon's army gathered, they depart from the safety of Highever and move on
towards the war over Winterfell.

It was almost a week before the soldiers sent by House Mazin arrived and they were given two
days to rest before the army planned to set out to their designated spot near Winterfell to make
camp. You could feel the charge of war in the air all around Castle Theirin, even the servants felt it
and they of course were staying behind. Mirra couldn’t tell if the company of guards that were
staying to protect her mother and baby Nathaniel were relieved to be staying or disappointed. Her
skirts swished quietly against the stones of the halls as she moved through the castle towards the
grounds outside. Out of respect for her mother while being in her home she had elected to wear her
dresses when she wasn’t training. The one she had selected this morning was deep blue velvet with
sleeves that hugged her arms and came over the back of her hand and were held in place by rings
around her middle fingers. She wore a beautiful metal corset over the top in a dark silver with
filigree engravings on it and while it would work for armor, it would be a waste of the
craftsmanship that went into the design. Parts of the bottom of the skirts had been cut away and
soft black satins had been sewn inside to give more air of movement as she walked. Her usual
heavy black cloak with grey fur at the top went over the top and was anchored in place by her
stallion pin. While she had consented to wearing dresses while she was home, she had not allowed
any of the maids to do her hair which she was sure her mother tried not to notice. Mirra had grown
accustomed to wearing her long curls down instead of tied away in the styles of the ladies. Today
she did a single braid that started on her side of her head and waterfalled down as it came around.
The effect was simple and still stunning. She looked every part the northern lady that she was.
As she moved from the castle into the courtyard itself, she could see how alive it was with
excitement and anticipation. They had elected to use the day to prepare and travel by night,
knowing that it was unexpected and any advantage was one they would take. It seemed that most
things were ready to go, which was good seeing as the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon
and an extra chill permeated the air outside. Jon Snow stood with her father by the stables as they
went over final plans and calculations and lists that they had poured over again and again in the
past week or so. She figured they could both recite the contents in their sleep at this point. Jon
caught her eye as he looked over the horses walking out with their men and smiled slightly,
consciously or not. She descended the steps and moved to where Shadow stood nearby, already
saddled and loaded up with her equipment. He was also sporting his own new armor. Mail plate
had been crafted for some of the horses including her father’s pale grey mare, Arsinoe, and Jon’s
own stallion who was as white as Ghost, Mance. She thought the name as fitting as he did when he
told her and he had been training hard with him since arriving back in Highever. He wasn’t nearly
as wild and spirited as Shadow was but Jon had worked hard to gain his trust enough for battle. She
wasn’t sure where Mance was at the moment as she didn’t see him with his master. Other horses in
their army had their own armor as well, though most soldiers wouldn’t be riding into battle once
they got into the thick of it, too hard to maneuver in tight spaces and too easy to get pinned under
your horse if it goes down. Lord Matthew, Jon, herself, and some of the other commanders had
been going back and forth on the pros and cons of taking the horses into the fight with them since
everyone arrived. She still wasn’t sure they had fully decided but wanted to prepare for either
option. They would be talking to Tormund as well once the Free Folk met up with them outside
The Gift. No word yet on Littlefinger and the Knights of the Veil and that was something that
Mirra tried to actively push out of her mind whenever the thought came creeping in.
“You look stunning.” Jon whispered in her ear as he came up behind her and held out an apple to
Shadow who all too happily snatched it away and turned his head as if he was afraid his prize
would be taken away.
“And you look every bit the northern commander.” And he did at that, Jon Snow was the spitting
image of his father in his House Stark armor and the gorgeous cloak that Sansa had made for him.
“Are we ready?”
“As much as we can be. Everything is packed and accounted for, we have checked twice over and
then still again. The houses are all prepared as well, I’ve spoken to their commanders. There is
nothing more to be gained by waiting. Those that will join us are already here.”
Mirra turned her head to the west to see that the sun was already beginning to set and painting the
sky in orange and purple hues. She wasn’t surprised to catch a glimpse of Melisandre’s flaming
hair standing off to the side of the courtyard and gazing into one of the braziers. “What do you
think she sees?”
Jon’s brown eyes followed her gaze and stopped to watch the fire a moment before trying to gauge
the red woman’s expression. “Hopefully a victory for us if she sees anything at all.”
“She saw a victory for Stannis and his army was destroyed at Winterfell.” A chill ran down her
spine that had nothing to do with the cold air of fastly approaching winter. Her magicks had
brought Jon back from the dead but that only proved her a sorceress and not some agent of a
strange god with no place in their lands. But still, any potential seer was useful, as were her
magicks and that is to say nothing of the gratitude for what she did back at Castle Black. She took
Jon’s hand in hers and gave it a squeeze, felt the reassuring warmth in it, even through the leather
gloves. “I should go change and prepare to ride out.” With that, Mirra left the stables and headed
back inside the castle for what she hoped wasn’t the final time.

The sun had only just fully set as the army set out from the gates of Castle Theirin and through
Highever towards their predetermined camp not far from Winterfell. Lady Elizabeth had tried to
hide her tears as she held her infant son and watched her husband and daughter wave goodbye as
they lead the army out. Mirra pulled up her large fur lined hood against the chill of the night wind
and glanced over to Jon who rode beside her. It felt real. The war felt real. All of the campaigning
that they had done to win over the houses they had and gather the men that they did still felt
slightly surreal but everyone leaving together and actually heading to their destination was
something else entirely. There was certainly no denying it now and they’d either win or hopefully
be killed on the field because from Sansa’s telling there is nothing worse than being in the hands of
Ramsey Bolton. A chill ran down her spine that had nothing to do with the cold.
“Old gods give us strength.” She whispered up to the heavens and her words were carried away. A
gust of wind brushed against her cheek and she could almost imagine it was a caress saying that
she was heard.

****************************************************
The army’s travel was fairly fast considering its size and the fact that they were traveling at night
but it seemed that the weather was with them and they encountered nothing that would hamper
their travels. Jon breathed a sigh of relief when they came upon the desired lands and found an
army of Free Folk already set up there.
“You thought they wouldn’t come?” Sansa asked as she pulled up beside Jon’s stallion on her mare
and took in her own view of the field before them.
“I hoped they would, I thought that Tormund might convince some of them to but this is all of
them. The whole of the Free Folk who came through the Wall.” For Jon, it almost felt like home
seeing them set up in their tents and lean tos and fires dotting the whole camp.
“They have a giant!” Sansa’s excitement came through in her voice while she maintained the poise
of a lady and resisted the urge to stand in her stirrups for a better look.
“The last of them I think.” Mirra said sadly as they rode closer. “Many were lost beyond the Wall
and belong to the Night King now.”
“You’ve seen that?”
“I was at Hardhome with the Night’s Watch when we saw our first glimpse of the real power and
numbers of the army of the dead and some of its commanders. I saw them raise the bodies of the
fallen as we sailed away with the survivors. Any body on that side of the wall belongs to Him and
they are endless.” Mirra’s deep blue eyes glazed over in remembrance as she saw herself back there
on that frozen beach fighting wight after wight and feeling like it made no difference.
“Fire is the best weapon we have against them.” Jon glanced briefly behind him but wasn’t sure
where Melisandre was in the procession, he just hoped that she might be enough to turn the tide in
their favor when the time came to face the real enemy.
“The Bolton’s can at least be taken down with steel, monsters that they are.” Sansa remarked as
they finally came upon the camp. She was glad to only put her focus on one battle at a time, even
knowing the Night King was amassing his own army was too much to consider for right now.
“And steel we have in plenty.” Mirra absently laid her hand upon the hilt of Wintersbreath at Jon’s
words. She had brought along her long bow as well from Castle Theirin and made a mental note to
sharpen her arrows and fletch some more but she hoped she wouldn’t have to use it much. She was
a good shot but never felt as confident or as easily comfortable with a bow as she does with a
sword. She was hoping any need of archery would be covered by the Free Folk.
Jon and Mirra signaled to the rest of their commanders to make camp while they rode on more into
the middle of camp in search of Tormund Giantsbane and whoever else he had selected to
command his own men.
The sounds of merriment from the camp seemed so at odds with the other sounds they heard as
they weaved around the fires and tents which included the sharpening of various blades and
shouted orders and ringing of steel on steel in practice.
"Snow!" Tormund boomed as he stood from the fire he was sitting before and tossed back his horn
of what Mirra was assuming was probably ale of some kind.
Jon dismounted from Mance and the two men embraced and clapped each other on the back. Mirra
also dismounted from Shadow, the bit of snow on the ground crunching under her boots but there
wasn't much and a glance at the sky didn't show that anymore was threatening which she counted
as a good thing. Snow wouldn't give them any advantages against an army who is also of the
northern.
"What do you think?" Tormund asked as he spread his arms wide and did a slow circle. "The
entirety of the Free Folk. Well, those that are capable of fighting anyway."
"I never imagined that so many would come." Mirra surveyed the area around them again and tried
to take in their sheer number.
"They didn't have to do this. You didn't have to do this Tormund." Jon never expected anyone to
really answer his call.
"We know. But we wanted to. We won't bend no knee nor take no oath but if this is to be our home
now, we want someone we can trust in charge of it."
"I thank you." Mirra wasn't sure if Tormund could hear the crack of emotion in Jon's voice but she
could. "I'm not sure what we chance we have but we wouldn't have any without you."
"Just leave us plenty of those bastards to kill and we'll call it even." The big man roared with
laughter and produced a flask from his furs and took a long pull before offering it to Jon. "To
battle!"
Jon took the flask and took his own pull glad of the warmth to fight away the winter chill or maybe
it was the chill of the coming war, he couldn't be sure.
"I need to tend the horses and find my father. Stay for a bit, enjoy the calm before the storm."
Mirra took the reins for both horses and prepared to lead them back the way they had came where
their army was making its own camp.
"I'll come find you." Jon grabbed her by the waist and kissed her deeply, his lips tasting of whiskey
before he released her with a smile and turned back to Tormund who was making his way back to
the fire.
The other thing that Mirra had to do was find Sansa and see if she'd had any news from the Vale.
They were basically out of time and if Littlefinger wasn't already on his way and close then he'd
never make it. That is, if he was planning on coming at all. Mirra shuddered at the thought. If
Sansa hadn't been so sure that he would listen and take her side then she would be much worried
about things like a double cross. As it stands, smart and clever men do stupid things for love and if
Lord Baelish wasn't either of those things then he'd already be dead.
The preparations for their own tents were well under way and many were already assembled
including her own where she expected a fire already waited inside. She sighed as she lead the
horses past, the fire would have to wait til later. She raised the hood of her heavy cloak with her
free hand and flexed her fingers inside the supple leather gloves to maintain feeling. She was sure
they would stable the horses somewhere nearby the Theirin camp but most likely on the outskirts
to keep the smell away. Not that there would be much smell in the cold anyway and none of their
people really minded the smell of horses. Soldiers gave her nods as she passed, they all seemed to
either be setting up their own sleeping arrangements or trying to warm by the fire after a long trip.
She also noticed that some had set up make shift archery targets a little ways off and she could just
hear the twunk of the arrows finding their marks. She hoped it would be just as easy tomorrow but
she also knew that a moving target was much harder to hit than a burlap covered hay bale and
hitting a moving target while you were also on horseback even more so. She had done her practice
with Shadow and she was good but she was shooting still targets and she doubted that Ramsey and
his men would line up and stand still for her.
When she began to hear the soft nickers and snuffing of horses breath she knew she was close. She
moved carefully around a set of tents that was more haphazardly tossed up than carefully and was
greeted by the happy neigh of some of the more familiar horses of House Theirin as well as the
hasty bow of a stable boy when he saw her approach.
“Milady.” He reached his hands out to take the reins from her and prepared to begin the process of
unsadleing them and stabling up for the evening. Mirra happily handed them over and begin to
remove the saddle bags for storage in her own tents.
“I can do that and have those brought to you milady.” He stumbled over his words a bit in his
haste.
“I know how to unsaddle my own horses thank you. I’ll take them myself, no need for you to have
search for me later when you have so many charges to care for.” She had already finished with
Shadow anyway and moved on to Mance, her hands were sure and fast.
She neednt warn the boy of Shadow’s tendency to bite either, she already saw that someone had as
he was steering clear of the large stallions offending mouth. Shadow seemed slightly annoyed by
having his fun taken away. Mirra simply shook her head with a small laugh as she finished
unhooking the bags from Mance. She gave him a pat on the neck and hoisted the saddlebags on her
shoulder before leaving the area without another word.
As she made her way back through camp the smells of the cook fires were starting to become
stronger as more people began to settle for the night, their tasks finished until morning. She was
also hoping for a brief reprieve by the fire to warm her own face and hands. She hadn’t spotted her
father at all since they made camp or really anyone who traveled with them from Castle Black. She
shivered but not from the cold and wished that they had a heart tree out here in camp but this was
the old guys land and she hoped their presence was there anyway. As she neared her own tent she
could feel someone’s presence within and entered with a flourish, dropping the saddle bags by her
trunk and slightly startling Sansa who stood before her fire with her back to the entrance. Mirra
wasn’t sure at first if it had been Sansa or Melisandre who stood waiting for her. Her hair reflected
the flames as if it was truly fire.
“I thought you were Melisandre for a moment staring in the fire like that.” Mirra moved to stand
beside her and took off her leather gloves flexing her fingers again in the heat.
“I don’t see what she can see. When I look at the flames they are merely flames.” Sansa gave a
dismissive shrug but her eyes look troubled and her face was slightly crinkled in a way that it
normally wasn’t.
“What’s happened?” Mirra felt the hair raise at the back of her neck.
“Nothing and that is precisely the problem. I haven’t heard anything from Littlefinger or the Eyrie
either in support or opposition. They have sent me nothing.” She crossed her arms over her chest
and breathed a sigh of exacerbation.
Mirra said nothing as she unclasped her cloak and tossed it to her bed and began to slowly pace
before the fire. “We will have to move ahead anyway and press our attack regardless. We hope that
they either come or that we don’t see them on the other side of the battlefield. It’s possible the
message didn’t reach them or that their reply didn’t reach us.” The words that she left unsaid were
that a raven could have been captured and the message intercepted but she didn’t need to say them,
Sansa seemed to read them on her pale face just fine.
“But Spirit is-”
“Grey. I know. Much less likely but not impossible to spot.” Mirra ran her fingers through her black
curls tossing them in wild waves down her back.
“It’s also possible that he never sent us a response at all, that he never planned to. What if he just
planned to meet us? That’s a dramatic thing he would probably do.” Sansa wasn’t sure whether she
would prefer that or not, too much to agonize over.
“Maybe. If so, they have found someone more hidden to camp as we never saw them. We have to
continue to plan for no other aid. We should be fairly evenly matched without them.”
“And if he did go against us?”
“We fight all the harder. As if it was the Night King and his men.”
“I might prefer the Night King to Ramsey Bolton.” Sansa’s voice dripped with venom and Mirra
couldn’t help the shudder that ran down her spine at those words.
“You saw that but he is truly something evil. More so than any man could ever hope to be and his
army is endless, deathless.” Mirra’s voice was as cold and far away as that night at Hardhome
where they had first seen him. “The Wall protects us now with its ancient magic but how long until
he finds a way to get past it? We need Winterfell, we need the North. We will be all that stands
between him and the unending night.”
Despite standing before the fire, Sansa’s blood ran cold. “Old Nan’s stories.” She murmured more
to herself than Mirra. “They were always Bran’s favorites. I can’t believe it's real.”
“As real as dragons.” Mirra remarked as she looked into the fire as well and watched the flames
lick up the logs there. Like Sansa, she couldn’t see anything beyond simple flames.
 Comfort Where Its Found
Chapter Summary

The battle for Winterfell looms ever closer with only one more night left before them.
Everyone takes comfort where they can and the time to deal with what the dawn
brings as best they can.
*if you aren't into smut, you're gonna wanna skip this one once Mirra reaches Jon's
tent.

When Mirra reemerged from her tent sometime later she had shared a meal with Sansa and more
fires than not around the camp were surrounded by soldiers. The training had ceased and so had the
actual camp set up itself. Men tried to carry on with a carefree attitude but you could tell that the
feeling in the air was heavy with anticipation and nerves. War was on the horizon and many men
sitting around those fires knew that it could be their last night, that they might not see some of
these faces come tomorrow evening. She thanked the old gods again for all the men that they had
been able to muster to their cause. No one paid her any mind as she slipped through the camp on
silent feet, the large hood of her cloak pulled up to shield her face in shadows. She didn’t have any
desire to be a lord’s daughter for the rest of the night.
She felt more than saw that someone fell into step beside her as she walked through the camp.
“The last I saw Jon Snow, he was back in his own tent.” Melisandre said in her warm voice.
She wore no cloak against the cold, she never seemed to, always claiming that the Lord of Light
kept her warm and Mirra supposed it must be true cause she never shivered or appeared adversely
affected by the northern weather. “He wished to know what I saw in the flames.”
“And what did you tell him?” Mirra inquired as they walked on, keeping their voices low. Most
were still too busy to pay them any mind but where Melisandre went, people tended to hush
whether in fear or awe, she wasn’t sure.
“I see a great war coming that Winterfell is only the beginning of. Ramsey Bolton is not our true
enemy so its not where we will fall. At least not this battle, the other remains to be seen.”
“You can’t see the end of the Night King?”
“The flames don’t show me everything, only what they wish me to see.”
Vague and cryptic as always, Mirra shook her head and she could see the end of their camp and the
beginning of the Free Folk. Jon had chosen to place his own tent at the edge of both being of both
people.
“He asked that I not use my magic on him again, that instead I use it on you should it be required.”
Mirra stopped at this and turned to face the Red Woman, her eyes and the gem about her neck a
burning fire. “I hope you told him no.”
“I said that I would do as the Lord of Light bids, whether that is bringing him back a dozen times
or none at all. He did make me promise to attempt the ritual on you should you fall and I obliged.”
“I would ask you to do the same for him but I know that you already will as you believe your
prophecy names him Azor Ahii. Let us hope it doesn't come to that for either of us.”
“I don’t just believe it, I know it to be true. As soon as I met him I knew. He is the one to end the
long night before it can begin.”
Mirra knew better than to state that before Melisandre had believed with her entire being that
Stannis was the Prince that was Promised, Azor Ahii. She would claim that the message in the
flames was vague but that Stannis still lead her to Jon so it wasn’t entirely wrong or misinterpreted.
They’d all had this conversation before, it was best just to leave it.
“I have no intention of letting either of you die. You were lead to go to the Wall for a reason and
find Jon Snow for a reason. You’re both needed for greater things for the night is dark and full of
terrors.” She bowed her head slightly. “I shall leave you. We all have need of our sleep tonight.”
With that, Melisandre turned and began her walk back through camp, almost disappearing among
the soldiers if not for her red hair. She left Mirra standing in the snow with a slight sense of
apprehension and unease common from a conversation with her that involved such talk of
prophecy and destiny as most conversations with Melisandre consisted of.
Mirra shook the feeling off and continued her walk to Jon’s tent, slipping quietly inside while no
one was looking her way. Ghost looked up at her entrance and gave a happy whine then settled
back down next to the brazier where he laid on a large fur that had been laid out for him. Jon stood
at the small war table once again pouring over the looming battle and their allies against those of
Ramsey. He raised his head at Ghost’s whine and couldn’t help the smile that crossed his face as
Mirra dropped her large hood. She crossed the space in a few strides and came to stand beside Jon.
She pulled off her leather gloves and set them aside, her bare head finding his where it rested at the
edge of the map.
“Anything new?” She gave a detailed examination with an expert eye since they’d all been
gathered around the map for weeks now adding and removing things as they learned more of their
enemy and more allies came to them.
“Nothing. It’s the same as it was when we left Highever. I felt it should lay it out regardless of
news.” He took her hand in his and squeezed softly and continued to hold it against the table.
“Ever the strategist. That’s why you lead our armies.”
“We lead our armies. This war and our allies are as much your doing as they are mine.”
A little thrill went through her very bones at that. Regardless of what the world of men might see
when they look at them, Jon only ever saw her as an equal, a true partner, and she loved him all the
more for it.
“Melisandre told me of what she saw in the flames.”
Jon turned from the war table and caught her brilliant blue eyes in his own chocolate ones. “That
the Boltons are not our true enemy and that we are meant for more and thus won’t die tomorrow.
She didn’t say if we will succeed or not though.”
“No she didn’t. But we have to, we need our people united against greater threats, a larger war.”
She didn’t have to say with who.
“Do you take stock in her visions?”
“I believe that she sees things but also that she has to interpret them for herself and has clearly been
very wrong in what she has seen before.” She bit her lip as she pondered on the priestess. “But we
have seen the Night King, seen his army and know first hand that they are coming and will bring
death and ruin to everyone if they aren’t stopped. Everyone else is too busy playing their game of
thrones as if that matters so it has to be us. We are the only ones paying attention.” Her fingers
came up and stroked his cheek, her palm resting on the bit of beard growth at his jawline. “You
were brought back for a reason and as selfish as i wish to be about that, I don’t think it was for
me.”
His hand found hers against his cheek and the callouses on his hands from the sword were rough
against her skin in a way that she always liked. “I asked her to do the same for you should you ever
fall. I can’t go through this life without you.” He pulled her to him, his other arm wrapped around
her waist. They stood chest to chest, the air charged around them and the sounds of camp faded
away from their notice.
“Nor I without you.” She breathed. “Would that we could leave this all behind and cross the
Narrow Sea, go to Bravos or another of the Free Cities.”
He brought his head down to rest his forehead against hers. “If only we could. That’s not the life
that is meant for us.”
“No it’s not. I would miss the North anyway. It’s home.”
“We aren’t going anywhere.” Jon brushed his fingers over her cheek and down her jaw, resting his
thumb against her chin and tilted her face up. “But if perhaps Melisandre is wrong and we do die
on that battlefield tomorrow, we should treat this night as if it is our last.”
He closed the same small gap that still remained between until he kissed her. His lips were warm
and soft and there was no chill in the air, no threat of winter right on the horizon, no battle to fight
in the morning, no Night King gathering his forces. There was only them.
The kiss was bold and brazen and it held nothing back, saying all that really needed to be said.
Jon's fingers tangled lightly in Mirra’s hair as her arms came around his neck and she pulled softly
at the tie that held his hair up back in a half bun, the same way that his father had commonly worn
his own hair. His black curls tumbled free and fell about his face as if they could shield the two
from the world.
Jon slowly pulled away much too soon and stepped from her embrace. His eyes swept the tent and
he moved quickly to blow out the candles that he was using to light the maps and correspondence
and war table. The tent was plunged into a semi darkness, the only light now coming from the low
fire and burning embers in the brazier would remain all night to heat the space. It was almost easy
to believe they were back in his chambers at Castle Black with all evidence of the coming battle
shrouded in darkness. Almost.
Jon stepped from the table and held out his hand to Mirra who took it without any hesitation and
followed him from the table towards the opposite end where he had assembled his bed. It wasn’t
anything fancy but then again, nothing about them ever had been. Mirra’s fingers made quick work
of the clasp on her cloak and it fell away not even making a whisper as it hit the ground. Before she
could make another move, Jon was kneeling before her, unlacing her boots and pulling them off
one by one before running his hands slowly over her calves and up her thighs leaving a fire in her
blood in their wake. His hands stopped their slow and careful exploration as they came to her waist
again and he pulled her flush against him. There were way too many layers between them and
Mirra couldn’t stand it anymore.
Mirra leaned up and kissed him, capturing his mouth with her own, hungry for the taste of him, for
his skin against hers. “I need you.” She whispered against his lips, her fingers searching his chest
and working to remove his tunic, his light leathers already having been removed once camp was
made.
“I will never tire of hearing you say that.” He left go of her just long enough to basically rip his
shirt off over his head and toss it aside before taking her face in his hands again and kissing her as
if it was the last time he ever would and he prayed desperately to the old gods that that wasn’t
going to be the case. Delicate fingers found their way to the deep and jagged scars and that covered
his torso by instinct. She didn’t have to look anymore to know exactly where they were, every
painful mark committed to memory. She never recoiled, never shied away from them or any other
scar he had, she regarded them all with a reverence that still stunned him. It might be because he
had died and been lost and returned but he still thought that it was more than just that. She just
loved every piece of him, everything about him and that was a freeing feeling.
“I will never take a single moment with you for granted.” Mirra spoke as she stopped her roaming
over that killing blow that had struck his heart and kissed it softly.
“I still don’t know what I did to deserve you but I am the luckiest man who has ever lived.” Jon
stroked her cheek with his thumb and eased her back onto the bed. She had already begun to untie
her own shirt, glad she had elected to just put on a simple shapely leather tunic over her shirt than a
corset this time. Jon’s hands stilled hers and his took over the tie of her shirt which was quickly
undone and just as fast her tunic and the shirt had joined his on the floor. “You are perfect.”
A pleasant shiver traveled down her spine at his words as well as the calluses on his hands rubbing
against the soft skin of her breasts. The darker skin of her nipples stood erect as mountain peaks
and it had nothing to do with the Northern chill of coming winter. A wicked smile crossed Jon’s
lips as he gently rubbed her left nipple between his thumb and forefinger and brought his lips down
to the one on the right giving it a light nip with his teeth before gently sucking and flicking it with
his tongue. Mirra found her fingers lightly tangled in his hair as she tossed her head back and a
breathy moan escaped her lips. She felt him instantly harden against her leg. It had been too long
since they had been able to be together like this.
He leaned into her, kissing her again while his hands worked at the ties on her pants, finding it to
be extremely frustrating when all he wanted was for them to be off. His lips were soft and his kiss
was hard, wanting as much as her. Their tongues danced together, not able to get enough. Finally
the ties came loose and he pulled the annoying garments off with Mirra’s help as she lifted her hips
from the bed to allow him better access. He didn’t bother saving her undergarments for later and
instead pulled those off too in one smooth move leaving her bare before him and the sight of her
almost caused him to come undone right there. Was it blasphemy to worship her on his knees? He
hoped the old gods would understand.
Mirra propped herself up on an elbow and moved forward to untie his pants as well but was stayed
with a gentle hand pushing her back on to the bed. "Not yet my love, I plan to savor this." That
gleam in his eye was something that she knew only she ever get to see, reserved for moments like
this as he kneeled before and carefully pulled her to the edge of the bed and spread her legs before
him.
"Gods you are beautiful." His tone held so much reverence and he really did worship her in the
way his hands moved over the soft skin of her inner thighs, absorbing every inch of her, his fingers
gently brushing over her very center and coming away already wet. He trailed kisses from her knee
all the way up her thigh, creating goosebumps as he went. He began to gently caress her with his
thumb, in slow and maddening circles as he simply admired her, taking in the way that the low
light from the brazier played off the planes of her face and the tiny twitches that her body made as
he continued to stroke, a little faster with each pass. Her breathing was elevated and her eyes were
closed, one of her hands had migrated almost on its own to her breast where she began to gently
squeeze and slide the nipple between her fingers.
Another moan escaped her lips as Jon's thumb stopped its taunting circles and instead a finger was
pushed inside her agonizing slow. He knew what he was doing, building and building her desire,
her arousal. He continued his slow thrusts of his finger in and out enjoying how her breathing
hitched with every push. He didn't understand how any man would willingly join the Nights Watch
if he knew what he was giving up and had experienced it before.
Never stopping his thrusts, he leaned into her and his tongue took up the place where his thumb
had been moments before. Mirra drew in a sharp breathe at the pleasure and moaned again digging
her fingers into the furs and squeezing her nipple hard. She whimpered as he thrust another finger
into her joining the first in its teasing game. She unconsciously spread her legs further for him, not
that she needed to, he already had perfect access as it was. He took his cues from her, moving his
fingers faster and working his tongue in the most tantalizing ways over that ever so sensitive
bundle of nerves between her thighs. Mirra grabbed the back of his head and tangled her fingers
into his curls, the fingers of her other hand still twisting and pulling on her nipple both of which
were just as hard as Jon's cock now.
"Jon." She moaned, his name a prayer on her lips that came from the very depths of her soul. His
blood was on fire, screaming for him to be inside her but still he ignored it. His fingers were
drenched all the way to his palm and he knew that his stubble was slick with her and he gave not a
care in the world as he continue his feast. He briefly moved his tongue down to her entrance,
stopping the thrusting of his fingers and replacing them with his tongue. She was the sweetest thing
that he had ever tasted and he knew that he would never have enough of her. He moaned against
her as he took all he could. Her breathing was fast and shallow, her fingers pulling his hair.
"Jon, please." She begged of him, her voice husky with need. He didn't think he could ever deny
her anything. He pushed his fingers back insider her and moved his tongue back to that those
throbbing nerves at her center. Nothing about it was slow or taunting this time, he pumped his
fingers quickly in and out and matched pace with the circles he made with his tongue. It was when
he captured her between his lips and sucked while continuing the rest that she shattered into pieces.
Her breathing hitched quickly and a moan came up all the way from her toes that curled in
response as waves of intense pleasure rocked her body. Her fingers dug into his hair and her other
hand flew to the furs beneath her and grabbed them in a death grip. Her entire body spasmed and
her hips bucked as her release barreled through her. For a moment she swore the tent had no roof as
she saw stars. Jon lightly pressed his palm to her stomach pinning her to bed, his tongue still
circling and his fingers still pumping as he wrung every ounce of pleasure out of her that he could.
Before she was even aware of coming down, she was quickly tumbling towards the edge of that
sweet abyss all over again. A strangled cry escaped her as Jon pushed another finger into her and
pushed her over that edge again. She couldn't help her reaction to rock her hips against him as best
she could as his tongue circled and circled and circled. Her breathing coming as more of a
continous moan than anything else.
"I want you, I need you." She cried as she was dangerously close to the precipice again. Jon stood
in a heartbeat and all but ripped his pants off before climbing on top of her and sliding himself
home inside her. She grabbed the back of his thigh with all hand in an effort to keep him where he
was, not that he had any plans to be anywhere else. The other found its way back into his hair.
Being joined with her was absolute bliss, he knew that nothing could be better in all the 7
kingdoms.
He had intended to go slow and take his time but she was so wet and felt so good all his intentions
went out the window. He took her hard, barely pulling out before burying himself in her again and
again. She threw one of her legs over his hips and he moved that hand to cup her hips, angling her
for a better angle. He had to claim every part of her, his lips crushing hers and their tongues
fighting for dominance. This couldn't be the last night they would ever have together, it just
couldn’t be.
"I love you," he said against her lips and into her very soul, "forever."
"Forever." She echoed, release building again both agonizingly slow and also dizzingly fast. "I'm
yours."
With those words, Mirra tumbled over the edge again, her back arched and her hips shook as she
rocked against him, riding that wave. Her head fell back as she moaned, and that lovely sound was
the final straw for Jon. He captured her mouth again as his own release barreled through him and
he held her tight against him savoring every inch their skin touched.
They continued to lay tangled together for some time while their breathing and heart rate slowed
back down just listening to the dim sounds of camp outside and the soft crackling of the fire.
"I'll never get used to hearing you tell me that you're mine, the things it does to my heart. It's like
seeing you drop your hood back at Castle Black that first time after all those years. Or kissing you
after Hardhome on Stannis’s ship. Just unbelievable, takes my breath away." Jon rolled off of her
and instead tucked her against his chest, his fingers combing through her dark hair in soothing
strokes.
"I'll never stop telling you how I feel about you. You have every part of me." Her fingers found the
scars on his torso as they always did and she began to absently run the length of the one over his
heart, always painfully aware of it and what it meant.
"And every part I cherish, until my last day." He tilted her face up to his and kissed her. So many
promises were held in that kiss, so many feelings that words couldn't express. They just needed to
make it through the battle tomorrow but for now, they still had the rest of the night.

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