The Vow

Amarys woke up the next day in Jon Snow's chambers. He had let her sleep there, claiming that no princess should sleep in the cells, so he went and slept in the cells while she slept calmly in the warmth of the Lord Commander's chambers.

There was a knock on the door while she dressed. She pulled her shirt over her head and opened the door to find Jon standing looking sheepishly at the floor.

"Your Majesty, with your permission, I would like to come in and collect a couple of things," he said.

"Of course," she let him past. "Their your chambers, there's no need to ask to come in. where you like this when Stannis Baratheon was here?" she asked, closing the door and sitting down while she pulled her leather boots on and laced them up.

"No. But he wasn't sitting on a throne. He was losing one," Jon said.

"I'm not sitting on a throne either," Amarys stood up. "I may be an heir, but please, Jon," Amarys waited for Jon to look up and met his gaze. "Treat me like one of your crows," she said.

He nodded and sighed. "I had better go," he walked towards the door. Amarys held the door for him.

"Like one of your crows, Snow. Not like a princess," she reminded.

"You remind me a bit of Arya," Jon gave Amarys a faint smile.

"Thank you. Most of my visions are of her, you know. Her and you," Amarys answered. Jon turned and walked back into the room, closing the door.

"Stay a bit longer," Jon finally said. "Please help me find a way to man the Wall and protect the realms. Melisandre told me what you told her. Are you sure it will be enough?" he asked hurriedly. Amarys walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder.

"I'll find her. I promise," she said. Her cold grey eyes bore directly into his. He sighed and hunched is shoulders.

"It's been hard. After all this time believing she was dead... I have never felt better, but all the pain of having thought I lost a sister...," he sighed. Amarys hugged him.

"I understand. I lost my younger sister a couple of years ago," Amarys said. Jon wrapped his arms around her. It had been a long time for him since he last held a woman in his arms. Only her hair was red, while Amarys' was golden. Amarys stepped back, but Jon's hair had got tangled in her ear piercings.

"Ow. Careful!" Jon said, his hand reaching up to untangle the hair.

"Here. Let me," Amarys took his hand and moved it out the way and patiently untangled each other. "There we go," she sighed. Jon looked at her. And nodded thanks. There was a knock on the door and Jon closed his eyes and sighed. Amarys stepped further back.

"Enter!" she called out. Sam Tarly waddled in.

"Your Majesty, if it please you, some of the men would like to meet you. They have never met anyone from beyond the Thenn and are interested to know what you look like," he said, looking at the floor.

"Fine. Show me where they are and I'll give them their show," she said. She pulled her leather coat on and followed Sam out of the door. She looked back and caught Jon watching her go. She gave him a half smile. He closed his eyes and smiled back.

Sam led her to the dining room. It was full of men of the nights watch eating, drinking and talking loudly, but when she walked in, silence fell.

"She is no princess!" someone shouted eventually. Amarys pulled out her dagger and threw it in his direction, pinning him to the wall by his sleeve.

"Want to bet?" she asked. "What do you know of the Silent Kingdom? What do you know of its people?" she asked accusingly. "Sam, if you do not mind, I would rather not be dragged around in front of your fellow crows to be insulted," she said to Sam. She turned back to the man. "And if you ever feel the need to challenge me, just say the word and I'll meet you in the courtyard," she smirked.

"I apologize, Your Majesty. I will make sure he answers for his accusations," Sam said.

"Don't apologize. It isn't your fault the Wall is manned by common-tongued, un-couth bastards and criminals," Amarys smirked at the man again and walked out.

As she was walking back to Jon Snow's chambers, she bumped into Melisandre.

"The Queen of Ice. How lovely to see you again. I see you haven't left yet," Mellisandre smiled.

"The Woman of Fire. No, I haven't left yet. But you may be pleased to know that I intend to go as soon as possible. Now if you would excuse me, I have preparations I need to attend to. I doubt you will want to stop me from leaving," Amarys nodded once and left Melisandre standing, watching her go.

When she arrived back at Jon's chambers, she found him looking out of the window daydreaming.

"Jon, I will be leaving tonight. Will you please send a raven to Eastwatch for a ship to Bravoos, for me, please?" she asked, taking her coat off again.

"You don't have to leave. You have visions of where Arya, Bran, Rickon and Sansa are. You could tell my men and they can go in search of them," Jon said.

"That isn't the point of my quest. I have to do it. I have to bring the truth and peace to the Seven Kingdoms. If I don't do that, I can't return to the Silent Kingdom and claim my throne," Amarys said, stepping forward.

"You don't have to go," Jon walked over to her and hugged her. "Stay here with us. With me," he said. It had been so long since Ygritte, Amarys had awakened something inside him again.

"No," Amarys tried to pull away, but Jon's grip was far too strong. "What would that say to your crows? You will be breaking your vows," Amarys finally pulled away. "And I am not worth the words, Jon," she looked him straight in the eyes.

"You are," he said, stepping towards her.

"If I am worth it, get me a ship from Eastwatch to Bravoos and we will talk on my return. Not before, not after," Amarys said.

Jon looked away and walked back to the window. He was quiet for a long time until Amarys decided to join him there.

"Bring them back to me, Your Majesty. Arya, Bran, Rickon, Sansa... Bring them back to me and come back yourself. All five of you," he said. He turned and looked at her. Her cold grey eyes met his.

"I will. I won't let you down. Now get me that ship," she said. She turned away. Jon grabbed her arm and tried to kiss her. Amarys pulled her arm from his grasp.

"When I return, we shall talk," she said, her face close to his. She stepped away and put her coat back on and picked up her sword belts. She walked to the courtyard to watch the crows train.

The man who questioned her royalty was training. She walked down and stood next to Ser Endrew Tarth, the master-at-arms.

"What is his name, Ser?" she asked.

"That's Elron, Your Majesty. I heard about his outburst and I am having him train against everyone today. He'll be stiffer than a plank, tomorrow," Endrew chuckled.

"Let me fight against him," Amarys smirked.

"He's a good fighter, Your Majesty. Are you sure?" Endrew asked.

"They used my father's sword to cut my umbilical cord. I reached out for it. I've had a sword in my hand since the day I was born," she pulled her coat off, handed it to Endrew and pulled her serrated longsword from her belt and stepped forward.

"Elron! Here!" Endrew shouted to the man. He turned and saw Amarys standing with her sword in hand with a smirk on her face. "She's requested a one on one," Endrew said. Amarys stepped forward and stood in her fighting stance. Elron looked pale, but obliged.

He lunged forward, but Amarys dodged, twisted around, knocked his sword from his grip, tripped him up, and then pointed both swords at his throat. He gasped, as did everyone in the courtyard. She planted his sword in the ground next to him and held out her hand to help him up. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to the ground, jumped up and retrieved his sword.

Amarys rolled over and jumped up just as Elron was attacking her. She blocked his attack, rammed her shoulder into his stomach and knocked him over. She stamped on his hand, causing him to release his sword, kicked the sword away and stamped on his neck.

"You think you can win? Whenever you like? Your eyes give you away, Elron. Your face can hide a multitude of sins, but the eyes always give them away," Amarys removed her foot from his neck and he gasped for breath. She walked over to Endrew to retrieve her coat.

"You speak of eyes giving everything away, but how would you go about making them hide everything?" he asked. "A secret like that would be a valuable asset," he added.

"Glaze them over. Have them think of the task in hand. Have them dream it instead of living it," she said.

"And how would I do that?"

"When I return from my quest, I will send someone from the Silent Kingdom to show you. We are trained from childhood, from birth to do it, that is becomes second nature," she said.

"I will be honoured to be taught," Endrew said. Amarys shook his hand.

"Queen of Ice!" Amarys turned and say Melisandre looking down on her.

"Woman of Fire," Amarys returned.

"Your ship is ready in Eastwatch. I had it prepared for you even before you asked our Lord Commander," Melisandre smiled.

"How very... thoughtful. I had no idea how badly you wanted to help me on my quest," Amarys smirked.

"Consider it as a favour from The Lord of Light," Melisandre smirked back.

"Oh, I will. And I shall see you on my return from the south," Amarys put her coat on and sheathed her sword. She walked up the stairs to Jon Snow's chamber, passing Melisandre on her way. Melisandre gave her an evil look, but Amarys smiled sweetly.

She entered Jon Snow's chambers and found him sat at his table with Sam.

"I suppose Melisandre told you she has prepared a ship from Eastwatch for me," she said.

"Yes," Jon looked up. "I suppose you will be leaving soon," Jon held her gaze.

"I will be leaving now. The sooner I go, the sooner you will have your brothers and sisters back with you," she replied.

Sam looked from Jon to Amarys and back again repeatedly. "For Gods' sake," he sighed softly. He had noticed.

Amarys walked towards them and shook both Sam and Jon's hand. "I will see you upon my return," she nodded once, turned and picked up her black, fur cloak as she left.

Grenn was holding the reigns of her black stallion for her in the stables.

"I apologize for the men's behaviour, Your Majesty. And my own when we met," he said.

"Do not apologize, Grenn. You aren't used to seeing women anymore. One question," she leant forward to talk more quietly with the large man. "How do you put up with Melisandre?" she smirked.

"I try and think about more pleasant things than her. Like the White Walkers, or dead puppies," Grenn said.

"A word of warning: she's going to be more insufferable when I leave. Other women don't really take kindly to me," Amarys took her black stallion's reigns and rode east along the side of the Wall to Eastwatch.

Jon watched her go from his window.

"Bring them back to me. Come back to me," he whispered to himself.

"What was that, My Lord?" Sam asked, looking up from his papers.

"Oh, nothing. Just humming to myself," Jon replied.