In honour of the season 6 trailer dropping ! here's the next chapter.

Thank you all for the support on this, it's been overwhelming - never in a million years did I expect the amount of follows and favourites this fic is getting, it was just something I wanted to do for fun so I do write at my own pace with it, so I'm sorry chapters are regularly updated, but I've been writing ahead so I'll hopefully a couple more chapters out before season 6 airs.

Reviewers = THANK YOU, MY LOVELIES!

spencermalley935

lilnightmare17

minstorai - Thanks. There's a little more Allister Thorne tension in this chapter too.

New Followers = THANK YOU!

Philoutubs

xLaciex

skytalker57

slash95

Leo Potter

Bebopino

Simone140089

xXMasqueradeOfVendettaXx

ChevyImpalaCryWolf

kjb-reading

MarieSeleneArroyo

Myshka Welrun

bfireworks5

randydr

sddc0

vnienhuis

kunebitt

Keep spreading this fic amongst your friends.

Chapter 9 - The Guiding Light

"You've got what now?" Jon creased his eyebrows in disbelief.

"The sight." Nieve stammered again.

She turned away from him, she couldn't bare to look at him, terrified of the seeing the disgust in his eyes - I must truly be a monster to him, She thought morbidly, A liar, killer and now a sorceress.

She took another deep breath preparing her explanation, "I can see things. Things that have happened, things that are happening, things that are …going too."

Jon did the last thing she expected him to do:

He laughed. The sound was bitter and cold to her ears. She turned back to him, face riddled with confusion.

"This isn't a joke! I had a vision my father was dying, and he did! Last night I dreamt that Stannis would fail to take Winterfell-"

"-Sand-" Jon tried to interrupt her, a seriousness to his tone now, but Nieve wouldn't allow it.

"-No." She continued to babble frantically, "I know it sounds crazy but I know you believe me. Think about it - what would I gain to risk making a deal with Stannis unless I was certain of the outcome?"

Jon didn't know what to say, he'd trusted a lot of what she'd said to be the truth in the past, but this was the most ridiculous excuse she'd come up with yet. "Prove it then? Show me a vision."

Nieve blinked at him. "It doesn't work like that! I can't control when- it just… happens. But I promise you, it's the truth."

Jon scoffed incredulously, "Oh, the truth is it?! One moment you're a faceless woman, the next Dornish royalty and now a bloody Greenseer."

His words stung her harder than she'd ever expected so her voice was short as she blurted out her response. "I've never told anyone about this! And I chose you - mostly because I had to tell you - but also because I thought you'd be the least likely to judge! You, of all people-"

she cut herself off, but it was too late, the damage was done.

"What do you mean "You of all people"?" Jon asked eyes narrowed on her.

Shit, why can't I ever keep my fucking mouth shut. Nieve kicked herself.

"What do you mean?!" Jon repeated more sternly, drawing closer towards her almost in attempts to stop her should she try to make her escape from the matter.

"Actually…" Nieve squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to see Jon's reaction when she gave him another rude awakening. "…I think you know." Her fingers fiddling with one another, her shoulders raised in innocent suggestion. It was a thought she'd considered for a while about Jon, and she hoped it was true. Selfishly, it gave her a small comfort when confessing her own freakish abilities knowing he had them too.

"Know what?" Jon asked firmly. He could feel his expression slipping from skeptical to anxious. He knew what she was going to say but if she were going to try bring him down with her, he'd damn well make her say it.

Nieve sighed in defeat, "That I'm not the only one with these abilities. As far as I suspect you can at least skin-change, Snow."

Jon continued to stare at her, his expression blank. "You're mad-" He started, shaking his head in denial.

"-You're still a Stark, you have the blood of the First Men-" Nieve began to protest, explaining her reasoning as he began his aggressive pacing again, muttering under his breath,

"-you've got to be kidding." He growled at her - she had the nerve to deflect her lies by turning them on him!

"Your ancestors were believed to have abilities of sight and warging-" She argued.

"-I'm not a skin-changer!" Jon interrupted desperately, his eyes darting from side to side, searching for an explanation out of this. "I met a warg - beyond the wall. I watched him skin-change - I've never been able to do the things he could do…" Jon's argument trailed off; realising that wasn't entirely the truth. He thought back a few weeks ago to when he first met Nieve, when she had been brought to him shackled to answer for her crimes. He'd had a moment when he looked into her eyes, a moment where he saw her but not in a way he'd seen her before, like a dream. She was a light in the dark night, holding a lantern and guiding his way as he trudged through the snow. But it wasn't him, not really. He'd dismissed the notion as delirious dream due to exhaustion, but he wasn't so sure now. Maybe he did have abilities, maybe he could see things too.

"You believe me, don't you?" Nieve said, her eyes scanning his face frantically. "It's happened to you too hasn't it? Moments were you'll see things that are unexplainable, even if only for a flash. You'll ignore them, but deep down you know they're not just daydreams, they're real. It's happened to you too hasn't it?"

Nieve ceased her rambling as Jon was beginning to look very pale. She knew it was a lot to take in. Nieve's voice was the most tender Jon had ever heard it. She was trying to be sensitive about the situation, but it didn't make him feel any better, her tone just confirmed it all. All the moments of doubt that he was just an ordinary bastard. All the dreams and hunches that told him something wasn't what it seemed or something bad was about to happen. They we're like the normal moments. And here was Nieve clear as day, confirming these notions as something more; something magical; something worse.

Nieve glanced around the room looking for a place to sit. Strangely, confessing her secret had exhausted her. Her legs couldn't hold her any longer so she perched on the edge of a table, but Jon hadn't moved. He just stared at her with a vacant expression.

"How is that possible?" He said, his voice barely a whisper.

"I don't know." Nieve shrugged, "Trust me, I've been dealing with these powers since before I can even remember, and none of it still makes sense to me."

Jon blinked, he tried to steady his heavy breath. "Are you sure?"

Nieve raised an eyebrow sardonically, "Am I sure about my powers? Unfortunately yes! They've been nothing but a fucking pain-"

"-No." Jon said impatiently, "I meant …are you sure about mine?"

Nieve's face lapsed into something more empathetic, understanding the turmoil Jon must be going through. She shrugged sympathetically. "Guess we'll have to find out."

She stood up and abruptly stalked out of the room.

Jon stood numb where he was, before he finally gave in and followed after her in morbid curiosity.

"Where are you taking me?" He huffed, quickening his pace to catch up with her.

Nieve didn't break stride, "To Ghost - you're going to try warg into him."

Jon choked out his words in disbelief, "What? You want to do this now?"

"Yes, now." Nieve frowned, "Don't you want answers?!"

"Yes but we don't even know for certain I can skinchange." Jon stammered.

"That's what we're going to find out. I won't have giving me that judgey smug look, especially when you might just be as fucked up me." Nieve mumbled angrily. Her feet paced harshly along the corridor towards her chambers - last she remembered the creature had been dozing in her room.

They reached her door, Nieve barged in and as she suspected Ghost was on the bed. He raised his head at their entrance and the moment he noticed Jon he jumped down from the bed and trotted to his master eagerly. Jon gave him an absentminded scratch behind the ears, his attention still with Nieve and whatever it was she was expecting him to do. She closed the door behind them, and rounded on him.

"I once read warging was the easiest form a skin changer could master" She began, "let's see you give it a go…"

Jon spoke through gritted teeth, "This is ridiculous - I don't know how to do this."

"You've done it once before; you can do it again."

"Who say's I've done it before?" Jon lied defensively, "And if so, doesn't mean I know how to do on command!"

Nieve decided to reason with him, realising her tough love attitude seemed to be getting nowhere. "Just try it, Snow, please. Just clear your mind and think about what it's like to in another body; to be Ghost."

Jon looked at her in defeat. She was right, as stupid and doubtful as he felt he really did need answers. Since the day he'd had that strange moment at her trial, he'd been wondering what he'd seen, whether it meant he could see visions or yes, even skin-change, because it certainly wasn't his eyes he was seeing through in that moment. He sighed and took a few steps backwards, eyes fixated on Ghost. He tried to think of nothing but the Direwolf - but after a long while of contemplation, nothing seemed to be happening. He felt nothing but foolish…

"Do you feel anything?" Nieve asked, anxiously.

"Nothing." Jon said, dully.

Nieve sighed. She wondered over to the dresser and took a seat in the chair beside it. "Try again."

XXXXXX

It was approaching dusk and Ghost had gotten so bored he'd laid down and dozed off, as Jon stared down his dire wolf, his face scrunched, jaw clenched as he tried to concentrate on the thought of Warging.

"Argh!" Jon cried out in frustration.

"Try again." Nieve had said the words countless times, she knew it was pissing him off.

Jon turned on her in anger, "This isn't working, I don't even know what I'm doing!"

Nieve tried to keep her patience, she knew it would take time. "Just concentrate on him, clear your mind of everything else."

Jon rolled his eyes. "How am I meant to clear my mind - I feel like I'm surrounded by a new threat everyday."

"Then surround yourself with allies!" Nieve snapped, "Better yet become one with your allies. You have a special connection with Ghost and you have the power to use it like nobody else can! So use it!"

Jon sighed and stared back at his sleeping ally, his mind raced, his thoughts desperate and erratic - he didn't feel anything, he couldn't feel this connection Nieve was talking about. Once again he held the concentration as long as he could, but soon gave up in his frustration.

"I'm obviously not a warg!" He growled, ready to storm out the room.

"Snow," Nieve pleaded. She stepped closer to him, placing a hand on his arm to calm him. "I know you can do this."

Jon looked at her hand on his arm, it was the first time she'd touched him, his body didn't relax however, her touch only made him more tense. "I can't-" Jon began but Nieve cut him off.

"Close your eyes." She said softly.

Jon blinked at her confused, "What?"

"Just close them." She whispered again.

He did slowly. Unsure as to what Nieve was playing at.

"Tell me about Ghost." She soothed, "What was it like when you found him? How did it make you feel?"

Jon sighed at how pointless this exercise was but he indulged her anyway; "He was tiny pup, different from the others, 'the runt of the litter'. He nearly got left behind. But I heard him, hidden under a tree separate from the rest of his family - squealing in desperation; I couldn't leave him behind. He was lone, forgotten, rejected. Like me…"

Jon opened his eyes abruptly, but they weren't his eyes, they were glazed and misted white all over. Nieve couldn't help recoil back from him in shock, but her shock soon spread into a smile. She turned to look at Ghost; she didn't know what she'd expect to see him doing, just any indication that he'd managed to warg - maybe he'd make the wolf chase his tail in circles, or howl or lick his own fur; but there was nothing, the wolf still lay their sleeping as peacefully as ever. Nieve began to wonder if the Jon had managed to warg at all! Or whether he was just experiencing some sort of fit. It began to scare her. She thought about waking Ghost but she didn't know how volatile the transformation was - the last thing she wanted to do was do something that could harm both Jon and Ghost. So she sucked in a breath and continued waiting anxiously for a sign from Jon to say he was okay.

Jon raced through the snow, paws bouncing effortlessly but he still wasn't moving fast enough. He knew night was settling in; chasing at his heels, but he also knew running was pointless, he had no where to go. He burst into a large clearing but the darkness had caught up with him, he didn't want to be in such open ground when the freeze set in so he pushed on ahead, seeing a haven of crowded trees before him. as he drew closer he slowed, he'd seen this before hadn't he? The trees looked familiar, but before he could think further as to why and glint of something caught his eye head, he came to a halt. staring at the light in curiosity, it came from the trees. It was growing brighter in the darkness. without a thought he started heading straight towards it - the shine too inviting to resist. He'd nearly reached the end of the clearing when it hit him. The light was a lantern, a warm candle glowing. It was her again! It was Nieve; holding the flame and beckoning him closer.

Jon gasped. Nieve who had been sat at the edge of her bed, dashed towards Jon, holding him in support as he began to collapse, his body trembled violently, his breathing a stifled pant.

"What happened?" Nieve said a little breathless herself.

She helped Jon over to the bed. His legs a little shaky.

He took a seat, face still pale, breath still feint. "It worked." He whispered, "I warged into him whilst he was asleep, I saw his dream."

Nieve couldn't help a smile from spreading across her face. "What did you see?"

Jon shook his head, still in shock. "It's a dream he's had before."

"How do you know?" She asked curiously.

"Because your right." Jon confessed, "I have warged before - only once, by accident. At your trial."

"I knew it!" Nieve said a little too boastfully. "I knew I saw you-"

Jon turned to glare at her but his body felt to weak to expresses irritation.

"But.. that's not what's important right now." She said her voice trailing off awkwardly.

He continued. "It was a dream of you."

"Me?"

"You're holding lantern; beckoning me to come towards the light." He said, eyes staring off into the distance, "…Know what it could mean?"

Nieve shrugged, cluelessly.

"Guess you've must have really made an impression on Ghost." Jon said, rubbing his stiff neck. His human body had locked up when he'd warged, now every muscle in his body ached.

"Wait," Nieve thought, her eyes narrowed in confusion. "You saw that same dream at the trial right; with me in it - I was the one holding the lantern?"

"Yes." Jon turned to her, noticing her skepticism.

"But that's not possible - I didn't meet Ghost until after my trial." She challenged, "How could he be dreaming of me, He'd never seen me?"

Jon just stared at her vacantly, he didn't have an answer for that. And right now he couldn't think beyond the thought of rest.

"So." Nieve grinned suddenly, "You did it! You warged!"

Jon looked at he's feet - it was true, he really was a skin-changer. "I"m not so sure that's a good thing." He muttered.

"Why not? Seems a whole lot better than the burden of sight, I can tell you that much." Nieve grunted.

Jon wasn't convinced, " All it is is just one more thing that makes me different. That makes me an outsider."

Nieve considered his words, goodness knows she's had to deal with that thought her whole life too. "Maybe," She said sadly, "but this is something you can at least learn to control."

Jon doesn't respond, and they just sit there in silence, Jon quietly contemplating Nieve's words. If she thought her powers a burden, what was to say his weren't too? This was magic - he'd always been weary of magic, he heard it usually came with a price and it was never an easy one. Did he really want to embrace this?

"I need to get back to my duties." Jon said abruptly, sliding off the bed, realising he'd been gone for hours - his men would be looking for their commander.

"You need rest by the looks of it." Nieve protested.

"Probably." Jon murmured, rubbing his forehead.

And then was closing the door behind him and Nieve was alone all but the still sleeping figure of ghost in the corner. She blinked at the creature, If the wall collapsed tomorrow, that creature would find an excuse to sleep through it. She thought amused. She hadn't noticed how tense her body was for hours, since the moment she felt Stannis's meeting and had to explain to Jon of her sight.

She just lay back on the bed with a sigh. She felt awful laying this all on Jon, she despised her own abilities, now she'd inflicted Jon with the truth of his. But at least he had the strength to control his - maybe someday Jon could learn to use it help people.

We can't afford to loose him to corruption. Vary's words echoed in her head, if this all goes to plan - we will finally have a worthy king or queen, for the good of the realm.

"For the good of the realm" Nieve whispered to herself, but the words weren't as reassuring as she hoped.

XXXXXX

Over the next couple days Jon didn't talk to Nieve. He mostly kept to his study, trying - but inevitably failing - not to think about what had happened. She didn't come seek him out, he presumed she was just as scare of as he was of himself.

Catelyn was right, I am a monster, maybe not in the way she thought I was but she was still right.

His mind wondered to how scared Nieve seemed telling him about her sight - she'd opened up to him and he didn't believe her, he felt awful, he didn't think for one second how she must feel before he began moaning about his own abilities. He felt guilty and he couldn't bring himself to face her which only made the guilt worse.

His head swarmed with questions but he couldn't let that be the top weight of his concern, not when winter was snapping at their heels. The Wildlings remained leaderless but the longer they were left to recover; the more time they had to regroup and prepare. Stannis wouldn't be at the wall much longer to protect them, and Jon knew a deal must be struck, he just didn't know if it was the right thing to do.

Meanwhile, Nieve had spent most of her days in the library, sorting books, reading histories of The Other, The Lands of Always Winter, Wildling folk tales and Undead Brides. The more she read, the more disturbing it all was and no less confusing and hopeless in finding a way to stop them. Sam had told her of the use of obsidian, the dragon glass piece he had used to protect Gilly and baby when attcked by a wight, but she wasn't sure they'd ever find enough of the obsidian to supply to an army, and so endeavoured to find a way of preventing the wights approach all together. An endeavour that was proving impossible.

Nieve sat yet reading another meaningless book, she huffed in frustration, slamming the book down on the table and buried her face into the open pages. "I guess if a seven hundred foot wall can't keep them out then nothing can! Why are we even bother?!"

"Welcome to my world," Sam sighed, closing his book too. "I've been at this for months, and I'm still not much close to answer since the night I happened to stab one with a shard of rock."

Nieve closed her eyes trying to calm herself down.

Sam could tell she was getting agitated so he thought it best to suggest a break. "It much be lunch time, why don't we go join the brothers in the hall. Clear our heads for a moment."

"I'm good here, thanks." Nieve said in a monotone voice, pick up and slamming down the next book from her pile.

"Nieve c'mon, you have to face the rest of the brothers at some point. You've eaten meals in the library every day."

"I prefer the peace."

Sam flinched as she aggressively flicked through the pages one by one.

"There's nothing to be afraid of." He said, immediately regretting his words.

"I'm not afraid, Sam!" Nieve snapped, "Well, actually I am, I'm afraid one of them might send me over the edge again, then you'd have another body to deal with."

"Nothing will happen, I promise." Sam assures her.

She rolled her eyes and stood up, storming towards the door. "You coming then or what, Tarly?"

Sam smiled and hurried after her.

The hall was packed, there was a loud rumble as the brothers chatted, but Nieve was mostly irrupted by the slopping, chewing and scraping bowls of the men as they ate. Gradually they noticed Sam arrive with Nieve and a shushed silence fell across the hall. They all stared at Nieve.

She sighed. This was precisely what I was trying to avoid.

Sam couched uncomfortably, and pushed the reluctant Nieve forwards to free bench and a busy table by the middle aisle. The brothers began the chatter again but this time is was quieter, and Nieve was certain the chatter was about her. Nieve looked to the head table but Jon wasn't there. I know he's avoiding me but he didn't know I would even be here!

"Hey fellas," Sam said, he'd evidently never called them fellas in his life, as the brothers at the table all stared at him confused. "Um.. this is Nieve, Lady Nieve Sand-"

"I'm not a Lady." Nieve butt in, plonking herself down in a space on the bench and immediately helping herself to bread and pouring out bowl full of stew.

"Um, well, this is Nieve, and these are my brothers; Gared, Tom, Cotter, Adri, Finn and Ed." Sam gestured to each of them as he went.

Nieve barely looked up, eagerly tucking in to the meal. "Pleasure." She said through her mouthful.

"Gods, you really aren't a Lady, are you?" Finn murmured, sat across from her, watching as she stuffed her face.

"Thanks." Nieve smirked sarcastically, "I've kind of been in a cell for the last couple weeks, if you haven't heard. They don't feed often or decent meals in there so excuse me for wanting to take full advantage of the all-you-can-eat up here."

"Like you deserve our food anyway;" Ed spat, "How can you sit in this hall with us, no smudge of remorse?"

"Ask that question to your rapist brothers?" She said stilling scooping spoonfuls of stew.

"I would but you killed them!" Ed barked.

Nieve hissed, "Good riddance-"

"-Nieve!" Sam protected desperately, turning to the brothers, "She doesn't mean that.-"

"-So you lot really look out for each other then, huh?" Nieve cuts in again. "You all got each others backs? The backs of rapists and murderers…"

"Well, then you should fit right in." Gared said, smugly.

Nieve finally, looked up from her bowl to glare at the boy. He was handsome, auburn tousled hair and dimpled chin smattered in stubble. She knew exactly who this Gared kid was, and it was rich for him to start on her about murder.

She jabs her spoon in his direction. "Why don't you tell everybody what it is you did to end up here?" She demanded.

Gared tried his best to keep his face composed, "What makes you think I did something; what if I volunteered?"
She challenged him, "Tell me, Gared Tuttle, was it worth it? Murdering that man only to end up here?"

Gared leaned forwards, slamming his fist on the table, his voice low and infuriated, "How did you know my name is Tuttle?"

"Secrets are my job." Nieve replied cooly.

She expected him to explode in that moment but then something more than rage and crept onto the Forrester's face. Sadness. It was almost heartbreaking.

"Well then, you would know I killed him because he murdered my family." Gared said his voice defiant yet sad.

Nieve stopped chewing, suddenly the food in her mouth tasted bitter. I'm an absolute twat. She thought. "No, I- I didn't know that. I'm- I am sorry.." She said meekly.

She stared Gared in the eye. Recognising his pain. She knew what it was like to what vengeance and she wouldn't judge anyone for wanting it, she even admired him for taking it.

At least he committed to avenging his family unlike me.

Gared did the one thing she least expected in that moment, and extended a hand out to her.

Nieve stared at it like it was a trap, but forced herself to accept it, taking his hand in hers and shaking it firmly.

The mood round the table seemed to lighten up after that. Sam beamed as he watched Nieve try her best to get along with the brothers, and if she had to it admit it, their company wasn't that unbearable. She'd helped herself to two more servings and the brothers laughed at how hungry she was.

"You eat more than a starved dragon." Gared chuckled.

"I'm a growing girl." Nieve joked, and the men laughed louder, enjoying her flirtation.

"I bet you're the prettiest girl in Dorne." Finn said, abruptly. Wiggling his eyebrows playfully.

Nieve rolled her eyes at the awkward compliment but she figured these guys weren't getting much female attention even before they joined the Watch so she decided to go easy on him.

Well, easy-ish.

"Thank you, Finn. You should visit Dorne sometime; Maybe the whore's down there will finally get you laid." She sassed.

The other brothers burst out laughing at the violent blush on Finn's face. Nieve couldn't help but giggle too. But their laughter was short lived when a huge figure cast a shadow over them, tower over there table.

It was the silver haired crow. Allister Thorne.

"A lot of laughter from a table of worthless fucktards." He said loudly to them so the rest of the hall would hear. The room went silent again, anxious to here what Thorne would do next. But it was Nieve who spoke, she knew Thorne was picking on them because of her. She rose from her bench to stand eye to eye with the dickhead. He still towered over her but in her eyes he was a cockroach on the floor ready to be squashed.

"I guess we got a lot to laugh about; seeing as you tried your damned hardest to have me killed, yet I'm still here…"

The brothers at her table tried to hold in a snicker but Thorne heard them.

He turned and bellowed at them, "This bitch isn't your sister, nor is she your plaything. She is a fucking coloured cunt, who lures in men to slit their throats."

The brothers were quiet again, barely able to look Thorne in the eye. Nieve growled at their cowardice.

"And as for you," He rounds back to Nieve, "Don't think you're welcome here. If I had my way your blood would be staining the chopping block right now."

Nieve smiled viciously, "I answer only to the Lord Commander, and you're not the lord Commander." She said the last comment with extra venom, knowing it would sting the crow more.

He bared his teeth at her but said nothing more. He began to stride towards the exit of the hall, not before bashing her shoulder with his as he past.

Nieve remained standing, watching him until he'd gone. Many of the brothers were still speechless, staring at her as if she'd slain the Army of the Dead. But the brothers at her table looked cautious, worried even. She plopped back down into her seat, picking up the spoon to resume her meal. Sam watched her, Nieve looked up noticing all the brothers at the table were.

"What?" Nieve asked, slightly irritated.

Ed leaned forwards, muttering under his breath, "I hope you didn't just sign your own death sentence."

XXXXXX

Today's practice session was about to commence and Jon had never looked forward to it more. He needed to blow off some steam, and combat training was his favourite way to relax. When he fought he didn't have to think about anything. But he enjoyed teaching it too, and teaching it would completely distract him from his pressures and, more importantly, from Nieve.

Although he thought, as he walked into the courtyard, he saw the brothers all huddled together - surrounding something. He strode towards them, feet crunching on the frozen mud.

"-is it true the women in Dorne like it up the arse?" Jon heard one of his brothers asks, with a dirty and desperate chuckle.

"I've yet to find a woman that doesn't." He heard a flirtatious voice respond and the brothers erupted in laughter.

Angrily, he pushed his way to the centre of the huddled brothers to find Nieve sat on a bench a mischievous grin from ear to ear.

"Why aren't you in positions!" He bellowed to his men, and the brothers scattered off to the centre of the courtyard, grabbing their blunt training swords from the weapon's stand as they went.

Nieve sat quietly waiting for Jon to round on her.

"What are you doing out here?" He said, his voice low and threatening but his face was blushing.

"Oh finally talking to me again, are we?" She said nonchalantly, brushing a few flakes of snow from her furs.

"I want you back inside, now!" Jon growled.

"Yeesh, calm it, Snow." Nieve retorted, "Your brothers invited me to watch the training. Sam said he didn't have anything for me to do, and I'm here within your sights so I'm chaperoned. Am I breaking any rules, Lord commander?"

Jon huffed. He glanced up to the balcony, and caught the stern eye of Stannis - waiting spectate over today's session. A knot tightened in Jon's stomach, and he turned back to Nieve. "Just don't cause a fuss, okay?!"

Nieve raised her shoulders innocently, "You won't even know I'm here… except you will know I'm here because then otherwise I'd be breaking the rul-"

"-alright, alright just shut up and watch." Jon said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Nieve smiled as she watched Jon walk away, he seemed embarrassed that she was going to watch him fight. Winding him up was too easy.

The courtyard of crows quieten, swords and shields ready, awaiting Jon's instructions.

"We'll start with the usual warm up," He yelled, "split into pairs and practise blocking and jabbing."

The men groaned evidently having done this exercise many times before, but Jon ceases their groaning:

"Alright, I know it's boring but the repetition is what's going to save your live. When your out there you have to know this stuff without thinking about it, it's got to become more than instinct, it's muscle memory, telling you when to block, when to dodge, when to attack and strike. If you're thinking to hard about it; you're a dead man."

Nieve watch Jon pacing around the men, watching their technique as they lunged and blocked. She thinks about her training sessions with Arya, wondering what she's doing now. Hopefully, still training, playing the faceless games and tradition, but still stealing away moments to be with Gendry or reciting her list. The girl deserved to get her vengeance, she had been through too much not to.

After several minutes Jon called there attention: "Alright, that's enough for the warm up. I see some of your techniques have improved, for others there's still a way to go but don't worry, we'll do one to one's now. Gared, you're up first."

Gared wasn't half bad, he had the technique down, good footing, his swipes were powerful but they were delayed, like Jon had warned, he was thinking too much. Trying to find the areas left undefended, but Jon, who was too quick, had left him none. Soon Jon had his sword hovering above Gared's head.

"You're thinking too hard," Jon said softly, "You're taking to long to decide where is best to strike, which will only leave time for your opponent to catch you off guard."

Gared nodded.

"Again." Jon said, and he did another round with Gared until he improved.

"Better. Who's next?"

Jon went through each crow, going as many rounds as they needed, never tiring. The crows in the meantime sparred with each other but Nieve watch only Jon, noting his style, habits, tricks, his tells. She studied him until he'd finished with the last crow.

"Now I think it's time we learn a new move, it's an offensive parry; that turns your opponent's attack into your own attack. Who wants to demonstrate this with me?"

The men looked exhausted, and none of them wanted to volunteer to be showed up by Jon.

"I'll do it!" Nieve called out from her bench.

Jon glared at her, "Maybe someone who's actually training?"

"What's wrong, Snow? Worried I'll show you up in front of your brothers?" Nieve arched her brow enticingly.

Jon had to admit he was a little curious - he knew she was good but he'd only heard tales of her skill. Could they match his?

"Alright Sand, get over here and grab a sword." He yelled, hiding his smirk.

Nieve rose from her bench, smoothing down her leathers and furs arrogantly, before striding towards her challenger. The brothers all stepped back from her, parting a way for her to approach Jon, her eyes blazing into his. She turned to the Cotter, who handed her his sword wordlessly. She twisted the blade in a flourish; adjusting to the balance and weight of it in her hand quickly, and crossed one foot over the other, beginning to circle around Jon. Jon wasn't trained in the same majestic manner she was, he'd never had a dancing master like Arya had, but he soon caught on to her movements - her attempts to intimidate him and testing his reactions to blindspots. So he pivoted with her, always eager to keep her insight.

The brothers were eerily quietly, intensely watching as Sand and Snow went head to head. Jon struck out, with a bit too much force considering to was a demonstrating, but Nieve was ready for him catching his strike near her hilt, swiftly stepping over the side of his blade and grazing her sword down to his hilt. Her footwork effortless in a flashed she'd sent an elbow to his hand, disarming Jon and swished the blade towards his head before he could react.

Jon stood frozen, Nieve's blade hovering inches from his temple. The courtyard was silent. She had executed the move Jon had intended to demonstrate, they were all stunned by her speed.

The sound of a slow hand clap echoed around the courtyard. Nieve's eyes flicked up to the balcony to see Stannis, hands slapping together in the most patronising manner.

Nieve tried to ignore Stannis. Remembering she where she was and lowered her blade awkwardly. Taking a few steps backwards and ignoring the stares from the brothers. At least none of them will think to mess with now. She thought, but she was embarrassed, their silence had reminded her once again of how bloodthirsty she could be.

She cleared her throat stiffly, as she turned to face Jon, who was bending to retrieve his blade.

"Nice trick with the elbow; I've never thought to disarm them in the moment like that." He said, admiringly.

Nieve didn't want to take the compliment, but she managed a small smile anyway, not wishing to show her discomfort. "Shall we try it again?" She asked stiffly.

Jon chuckled, "Maybe slower this time, eh?"

Nieve rolled her eyes - his teasing putting her ease and she began to feel a little more like herself again.

They repeated the move, this time at a slower place and Jon talking through their movement to the brothers.

They were demonstrating a third time when one of the brothers called out:

"Let's see the commander and Lady Sand go head to head!"

The other brothers cheered at the idea, but Jon waved them into silence.

"That's really not the point of this exercise!" He called to them.

"Come on, Snow." Ed grinned from behind Jon.

Jon turned to give him a glare but Nieve piped up.

"Now, now boys - surely you don't want to see your lord commander here knocked to the ground by a girl?"

The brothers laughed.

Jon scoffed, trying not to show that he truly was amused by this too.

"You sure you want to do this?" He asked Nieve confidently.

Nieve grinned, eyebrow raised enticingly. She suddenly swiped her blade at Jon, who was caught of guard, barely had a moment to dodge; the tip missed his face by a centimetre. The brothers cheered gleefully at the entertainment, watching the flashes and crashes of their swords, Nieve graceful spins and swift twists and Jon's stoic blocks and sharp strikes. Jon knew her greatest strength was her speed. He'd heard her father was known to be called the Viper for his fast strikes - not to mention his poisoned blades. But he also Nieve had to be quick, she would not match him in her physically strength so she made up for it in her speed an accuracy. His only chance to beat her was to wait for her to make a foot wrong and then overpower her. But unfortunately she was flawless in every step, executing each flourish in perfection. His only bet was to provoke her, get her to make a sloppy move. She was taking his movement learning his repeated motions and predicting his patterns. So he decided to perform the same motif of moves four times, she reacted to it everytime, and he began the same motions on the fifth before switching up the angle, misleading her to block the wrong side. His blade swiped down, and she just managed to get nicked on her shoulder.

Nieve grunted in irritation, the blades were dulled and her furs and leather were thick so it did not pierce her skin, but she knew the scrape would bruise. She growled, and forced a harder strike at Jon. He presumed now she was angered she'd be more inclined to make mistakes, but he was wrong. It appeared Nieve had been holding back, she whipped her blade furiously, he just about met her sword with his, his feet backing up desperately at her advances. She had him dazedly with her twists, like she'd intended, before making finishing her attack with a unexpected side twist somersault, a move her father had once taught her when she would spar with him with spears. She'd learnt to apply the move to a sword, landing the flip without a wobble. Jon stammered back, even with her dulled blade she'd managed to slice open his leathers, a tiny scratch beneath on his arm red with blood.

Nieve winked at Jon mischievously, and the brother were gasping at her gymnastics. Jon wasn't going to dwell on the cut on his arm long however, crying out and kicking forward with his right leg, his foot connected with Nieve's chest and she stumbled back winded but she remained on her feet.

Jon lunged at her to counter strike before she could swipe again. She met his sword with hers, pushing all force against his, their faces so close they were almost touching. Jon could feel her heavy breath, see every fleck of hazel that toned her green eyes, a single curl had fallen loose from her tied hair, straying inconveniently down her face, the tips of the strand stuck to the moisture on her the lips.

Nieve took her moment: She lashed out, swiping his legs from underneath him. Jon was swept to the ground, hitting it with a thud, the dirt frozen solid, it hurt but not as much as the embarrassment of his momentary distraction. The men laughed and cheered, but Nieve didn't brag. She offered a hand to Jon. He looked at it and then at Nieves face. She didn't show any sign of pity nor smugness, she just smiled slightly. It was welcoming, and Jon knew it was in good faith. The brothers cheered even louder as Jon slapped his hand in hers, Nieve pulled him up.

"Did I even stand a chance with you?" Jon smiled.

"You're lucky the blades were dulled." Nieve joked.

Jon looked down, realising they were still hand in hands. Nieve noticed too, she clear her throat and they dropped the hands. She wandered awkwardly back to Cotter - handing him his blade. He looked at blunt weapon with a new found respect - like the sword had special powers to vanquish all enemies. Jon scratched the back of his head, remembering the training session had run over and he'd have to tend to his other duties.

"So, I'm afraid we've run out of time, I promise I'll practice the parrying with all of you tomorrow, but for now I must get back to my duties. You're welcome to stay and practice in pairs, but only if your other duties have been fulfilled - I'm looking at you Yorick." Jon added with a smirk towards a red head brother at the back of the crowd. The men laughed.

"All right back to work you lot." Jon finished, and strode towards the stairs to head back inside the castle, catching a glance at Nieve.

She met his stare, so he quickly looked away, until he was safely through the castle doors.

She'll be the death of me. He thought, closing his eyes with a sigh. If not with her blade, then with her beauty.

XXXXXX

Not my best chapter I know, but I hope you like it anyway. Please Follow, Favourite and please please please review - I wanna know what you think! Thanks guys.

Join me again for Chapter 10 - Friend or Foe?