I made this for the Fan-flashworks comunity at LJ. The challenge was "Masks".

Hope everyone enjoy this! Leave reviews and let me know what you thought of it! (:

Disclaimer: ASOIAF belongs to George Martin.

Winterfell's Masquerade

Faeleen looked at herself in the mirror and was amazed with what she saw. Was that gorgeous woman looking at her really… her? She could barely believe it. Lady Catelyn had been extremely generous to give her that dress, one made by southern women's hands. It was made with a deep purple silk and it had a tight corset covered beautifully with Myr lace. The large stripes fell from her shoulders, leaving them almost bare. She couldn't even start to describe how much she loved it.

Faeleen Snow never had one single word of complaining about Lady Catelyn Stark. As the illegitimate daughter of Brandon Stark, Lady Catelyn had decided she had absolutely nothing against her – a blessing the old gods didn't seem to think Jon Snow deserved.

Finishing the final touches on her hair, Faeleen hid herself behind the purple silky mask. She was glad the ball would be a masquerade, since it would give her what she so desperately needed – a last chance to dissuade Jon from joining the Night's Watch. Sighing heavily, she got up from the chair and marched outside.

Jon never thought he would live to see Winterfell's Great Hall hosting a masquerade ball. However, with half the royal court visiting his beloved city, he figured there was really no other way. He felt a bit silly wearing that mask, but couldn't complain. The protocol of the masquerade was quite clear when it established that any kind of identification was forbidden. For once, he could forget he was Ned Stark's bastard and just… be himself.

The music was already playing and drinks and food were being served. He could clearly recognize Robb and Sansa for their intense hair colour, but he was pretty sure he was safe. He never dressed in such fancy clothes, and his ordinary hair colour did the rest to cover his identity. He couldn't be happier. It felt like a small miracle that he could just enjoy himself for one night without being judged.

Relaxing as he never allowed himself to, he wandered through the ball, trying to recognize someone other than his brother and sister. The king and the queen were pretty obvious, since they were at the higher honour sit. So were his father and Lady Catelyn, sitting just beside the royal couple. Tyrion Lannister neither was a challenge, but Jon couldn't blame him for that. But his eyes and legs soon stopped wandering when the sight of a young lady caught all his attention.

He tried very hard, but could not decipher her true identity. He wasn't even sure whether she was a northern or a southern girl. The dress was undoubtedly southern, but the hair style was northern – half up and half down. He was mesmerized by her hair, and the way the down part was straight until it ended on perfectly shaped curls. He was also mesmerized by her purple dress and how it gently embraced her delicate body.

Jon even took the first steps that would lead him to her, but soon gave up. What would he say to her? Yes, he wanted to dance with her and try to discover who was she, but how would he be able to do that? Suddenly, he was again very aware of his social status. For all he knew, she could be one of the queen's maidens, and he was only a bastard…

But that ball was a masquerade, he shouldn't be worrying about that. If he didn't ask who she was, she couldn't do the same to him. Taking a deep breathe he resumed his approach.

He stopped right in front of her and bowed.

"Would you give me the honour of this dance?" he asked, standing his right hand to her.

He couldn't really see her face, for her mask was covering most of it, but his true disappointment was to notice the mask was also disguising her eyes, so he couldn't decipher which was their colour.

Blushing a little, the girl smiled.

"Yes, I would love to dance with you, my lord."

For once, he decided not to correct her. He could be "my lord" for one evening, since he wasn't anyone at the moment.

She took his hand and let him guide her to the centre of the hall, where other couples danced happily. They danced the first song without addressing any words to each other. None was needed, after all. As the musicians began the second song, the mysterious lady decided it was time to part her lips and talk a little bit.

"Are you leaving Winterfell in the morning too, my lord?"

"Yes. But I will be heading north, not south."

"North? But north from here there is only…"

"The Wall, yes. There is where I am headed to."

"The Wall… I heard the Night's Watch is always in need of valorous men, but I also heard is a hard place to live. No family, no women. I am sure it will be cold in more than the conventional way."

"My uncle is a man of the Watch, so I will have family there."

"Still, you will never meet love."

His smile was one sad and bitter.

"I wouldn't be able to give anything for a wife or a child. It is best for me to go north."

The girl smiled warmly to him.

"I'm sure that is not true, my lord. Every man has something to offer. If the woman is the right one."

Jon almost laughed at that.

"I am certain you would think otherwise if you knew who I am."

"Are you sure you are not breaking some girl's heart with such a decision? I cannot let myself believe an attractive man like you would have no admirers in a city with Winterfell's size."

This time, Jon allowed himself a chuckle.

"Once again, you certainly don't know who I am."

Closing the distance between them, she let her lips softly touch his.

"If that's so, at least allow me to show what you would be missing once you join the Night's Watch." She whispered in his right ear.

Jon felt a shiver run through his body. Who was her? For a minute he thought he recognized her voice, but now he wasn't so sure anymore.

"I don't think it is a good idea."

His uncle has said something with similar words to him, hadn't he? But he denied. Jon did not wish to put another child like him in the world. The fate of bastards was a burden too heavy for anyone to carry.

"Don't you think you own yourself this? One last night with a woman before swearing yourself to celibacy?"

By that time, she already had her body very close to his, letting him feel every curve and every part of her. It was getting harder for him to think clearly.

"I promise I won't tell anyone. How could I? I don't even know your name."

Before he could change his mind about that poor decision, he grabbed her by the hand and quickly led her to his room, carefully locking the door behind him. His lips were on hers in the second he heard the key's silent noise. He tried to untie her mask, but she didn't allow him.

"Let this be our secret."

He didn't feel inside himself an urge to complain, he was already too absorbed on her, on his lips on her mouth, her cheeks, her neck. His hands found the small buttons on the back of her dress and he carefully undid them, one by one while she unfastened the ties on his pants and shirt.

They fell onto bed together, too lost on the other to notice anything. Jon felt like he should know who she was, it seemed like every part of his body was screaming her name to him, however, they were screaming in a language that was strange to him, so he couldn't really identify it in the middle of everything he was feeling at the moment.

After he took his time exploring her body, he was ready to the next step. In a swift motion, she changed their positions, getting herself on top of him. She slid herself into him and Jon's eyes widened when he felt the barrier separating them. But as soon as he noticed it, it vanished. He saw a tear escape beneath her mask, but she didn't let him protest, sealing his lips with a kiss.

They were quick to find a rhythm, as if they had been doing that for years. Somehow, it was really how it felt. They should be together. Always. Forever. Their screams came together as them both found the most pleasure a man and a woman can find together. Once again, they fell together on bed, this time side by side. Jon wanted to say something to her, but the words just wouldn't form. Tired, he just let his eyes close as sleep took him over.

Faeleen watched as Jon quickly fell asleep beside her. She bit her lower lip nervously. What now? She had given it all to that plan, but now she didn't know what else should she do. Should she wake him up, tell him who she was? Or should she wait for him to awake on his own?

As she pondered what to do, Jon's eyes opened once again.

"You shouldn't have done that… Faeleen."

Looking at him, she untied her mask, letting it fall onto the mattress.

"When did you figured out it was me?"

"Just before I closed my eyes."

"You're mad." She whispered.

"No, I'm sad." He said, exasperated, running a hand through his messy hair. "Don't you see what you have done? Worse, what you made me do?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Please, you wanted it."

"Not if I knew it was you!"

Her grey eyes filled up with tears.

"Why? Am I not good enough for you?"

He held her roughly by the shoulders.

"For the gods, listen to your own words! I'm leaving in the morning, Faeleen! And who are you going to marry now? How can I live knowing I ruined your life?"

Not daring to meet his eyes, she whispered:

"Then, don't go." The tears rolled through her porcelain face. "I love you. Please, don't leave me."

Jon pulled her onto his arms, hugging her tightly. Those words hurt him deep inside, hitting his own heart.

"There is no future for us. I can't offer you anything. For a smaller lord, half a Stark is the best thing they could ever wish in a marriage."

"I don't need anything, Jon. I only want you."

Once again, her words hurt him. Only the gods knew how much he wanted her, especially after the night's events.

"I can't stay, Faeleen. What would I tell uncle Benjen? Worse of all, what would I tell Lady Catelyn Stark?"

"Let's run away."

Jon pondered it for a minute, but, in the end, just sighed.

"We can't do it. We have obligations, Faeleen, we cannot just give them up like that."

Faeleen couldn't remember feeling more pain than the one she was feeling now. Her heart broke into thousands of little pieces, scattering through her whole body and piercing her other organs intensively.

"Is that really your final decision, Jon?"

"It must be. We might not be Starks in the name, but we are in the blood. We can't dishonour our family."

With the dignity she had left, Faeleen rose from the bed, quickly dressed and ran away from his room. This was the last time Jon saw his beloved Faeleen.