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I think this chapter will please those Jon/Lyra shippers...ehehe.
Enjoy! Mwah!
Jon
He pulled his cloak tighter around him to shield himself from the fluttering snowflakes. The days were growing shorter and the air colder. Jon Snow knew that his house words were becoming true; winter was coming. Long summers meant even longer winters, much to his dismay. Old Nan's stories suddenly came flooding back, sending a shiver down his spine. There was once a winter that lasted a generation…the dead rose with the cold winds…no one was safe…
"I miss girls!" Samwell Tarly whined, snapping Jon out of his reverie. "Not even talking to them, I never talked to them!" He paused for a moment. "Just looking at them. Hearing them giggle,"
"If you miss girls that much," Elias Hill began matter-of-factly from behind the Stark bastard, "just go visit the brothel at Mole's Town tonight,"
"But the vows-"
"Sam, you haven't even said the words yet," The singer retorted. "You have a whole night before you take your vows," He kicked the thick snow and ice with his booted foot. Jon barely paid attention to their conversation. Instead, he looked ahead at the white landscape in front of him. We're supposed to be on watch duty, dammit, not gossiping like ladies in court!
"Don't you miss girls?" Sam asked. Snow assumed that the question was directed to the Western bastard, so he kept his eyes forward.
"I bet they miss him," Elias teased, making Jon realize that Samwell had been talking to him. "He's as pretty as a whore, this one," He and Tarly chuckled at the expense of the Northerner.
"Riders!" Samwell shouted, turning serious once more. "The horn! We have to blow the horn!" He frantically looked around and searched for the horn, his face panic-stricken.
"Why is he alone?" Jon spoke to no one in particular.
"A wildling?" Elias suggested. He shook his head after the words left his mouth, his bangs falling over his face. "Can't be; wildlings aren't stupid enough to try and get past the Wall during the day,"
"One blast for a ranger returning," Tarly muttered, digging around the site for the horn. "Two for wildlings. Three for-"
"There's no rider," Jon interrupted, staring down at the horse in shock. He spun on his heel and brushed past the two other lads, his mouth set into a determined line. He stepped into the winch elevator, Sam and Elias hot on his trail. He inwardly urged the winch elevator to go faster, but it was no use.
"Relax," The singer murmured from beside him. "You look like you've just seen a bloody ghost," He tried to laugh in an attempt to lighten the mood, but was quickly silenced with a glare from the Northerner.
"That's my uncle Benjen's horse!" Jon declared, pushing past other men and recruits of the Night's Watch. He ran up to the horse, who was whinnying and bucking continuously. "Where's my uncle?" He demanded, whipping his head around to face Lord Commander Mormont. Jeor responded with a hard and solemn stare.
"Jon, your uncle's First Ranger," Elias essayed, putting a hand on his shoulder. "He'll be alright," For moment, Jon almost believed his friend. But without proof of his uncle's survival, he wasn't sure of anything. The cold winds are rising…
Lyra
She collapsed onto her bed, glad to finally be alone. Everyone was agitated and anxious today, most probably because they were nervous about taking their vows tomorrow. Pyp turned as pale as a ghost whenever the vows were mentioned, and Grenn looked like he wanted to vomit. She couldn't blame them, really; a life spent freezing your ass off and being mocked by the rest of the realm wasn't exactly the picture perfect lifestyle most of them had always dreamed about.
Lyra Lannister lay in bed for awhile and stared up at the ceiling. The only noises she heard were her breathing and her heartbeat, both of which sounded extremely loud in her ears. Despite her heavy eyelids, sleep would not find her. She tossed and turned, and even counted horses and sheep in her mind like her septa always used to tell her, yet she remained awake. Deciding some fresh air would do her good, she rolled out of bed and reached for her chest bindings.
Her drowsiness vanished as soon as she heard the knocking at her door. She assumed it must have been past midnight; who would be visiting her at such late hours? "I swear, Pyp, if you're trying to scare me again-"
"It's not Pyp," Jon Snow answered, tired amusement evident in his voice. "May I come in? I brought wine," She rolled her eyes; in the few weeks they had known each other, he'd quickly discovered her taste for wine.
"It better be the-"
"Mulled warm spice wine, I know, I know," Snow chuckled. "Nothing less for you,"
"Thanks, love," She retaliated, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Jon's chuckles escaladed into laughter at her jab. "Just a moment," She replied, hastily binding her chest. As an afterthought, she donned a thicker tunic on her way to the door. "What're you still doing up?" She asked, opening the door. She stepped aside to let him inside.
"I should be asking you the same thing," He shot back, smirking. He walked over to the hearth and sat in front of it, warming his hands by the fire. Her eyes widened for a moment when she realized that his chest was bare. She looked away, blushing furiously. Thank the Seven he didn't see. She had to remind herself that she was Elias now, not Lyra. Elias...Elias...she thought to herself, desperately trying not to pay attention to the way his muscles rippled under his skin with every movement.
"What makes you think I wasn't sleeping?" She lamely protested after a few moments of silence.
He snorted. "If you had been sleeping, I'd either still be waiting outside your door, or have a sword in my back," She bit back a smile and elbowed him in the ribs.
"So, what brings you here, Jon Snow?" She asked, falling back into the easy conversation with him.
"I couldn't sleep," He lowered his voice and lay down on the floor. "I can't stop thinking about what's going to happen tomorrow," The bastard let out a soft sigh.
"We'll take our vows, and we'll become Sworn Brothers of the Night's Watch," Lyra said simply. "Just like you've always wanted,"
"Just like I've always wanted," He repeated in a whisper. She lay down next to him; it had become a habit of theirs. She couldn't look at the hearth without thinking of Jon Snow and all the memories they had shared there. "I wonder if she'd be proud of me," His voice was barely audible.
To Lyra, it was obvious as to whom Jon was referring to. "Of course she would be," She grabbed his hand in hers and squeezed it; she was surprised that he didn't pull away, but she didn't let it show on her face. "And so is your father,"
"I promised my brothers that I would come see them in Winterfell after I took my vows," He looked at the Lannister girl, the warmth returning to his grey eyes. "How about you come with me?"
"What a considerate lordling," She laughed, beaming. "I'd love to. Thank you," The Southerner sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. "Pour me a glass, Snow," She commanded, watching her toes as she wiggled them. He automatically obliged and filled a mug to the brim.
"And what about you?" Jon inquired, pouring himself a mug.
"What do you mean?" Lannister took a sip of the wine. It pleasantly burned her throat as it went down, and warmed her stomach.
"You're going to take the vows, too," He reminded her, leaning on his elbows, his mug in hand. "How do you feel?"
She pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned. "Seven hells, you're becoming a woman," She'd always gotten along with the boys in her town better than the girls; girls were too empty headed, and got too much amusement out of talking about their emotions and the latest fashions. While they were comparing their hairstyles, she was off sparring with her brothers and Jonah. "But, I guess I'm excited for tomorrow," Her teeth grazed her bottom lip. "I'm nervous, though,"
"We'll be rangers together," The Stark bastard promised. "We'll go out riding beyond the Wall. We'll be unstoppable," He paused for a moment. "Unless you're scared,"
"Am not!" Lyra growled, crossing her arms over her chest. Her green eyes met his grey ones, and she felt her breath catch in her throat. "Jon, I can trust you, right?" The words spilled out of her mouth without thinking.
"Of course," He furrowed his eyebrows. "What's troubling you, Elias?" I'm not Elias! she wanted to yell. Stop calling me that! His eyes searched hers, and she felt her heart leap out of her chest. She couldn't do this anymore; Jon was the one true friend she'd made here, and he had been nothing but truthful with her.
"Please don't get mad," She begged, setting her mug on the floor. "I wanted to tell you, only…" She swiped at her eyes, not wanting to cry in front of him.
"Only what?" Snow sat up and put his hands on her shoulders. "Elias, you can tell me-"
"There is no Elias!" Lyra found herself telling him. "There never was! That's what I wanted to tell you!" She took a deep breath and attempted to keep her voice steady. "Elias Hill isn't real,"
"W-what do you mean?" The bastard spluttered out. He took his hands off her shoulders quickly as if he'd been burnt. "W-who are you, then?"
"Lyra Lannister, of Casterly Rock," She murmured. "Six-and-ten years, making me the third child of Lord Ouen Lannister. I ran to the Wall after my father announced he was forcing me to marry," She rubbed her temples with her forefingers. "Jon, I'm so sorry. You don't know how badly I wanted to tell you,"
"The Lannisters tried to kill my brother," He gritted out, staring at the floor. She said nothing; she knew that her family was ruthless. It didn't surprise her that they would try and murder an innocent boy.
"I hope this doesn't change the way you think of me," She chewed on her thumbnail nervously.
"It doesn't," The corner of his mouth twitched. "I won't tell anyone, El- Lyra," Jon sighed. "I'll have to get used to calling you that,"
"Don't get too comfortable," She teased. "You just said you wouldn't tell my secret. I'm counting on you for that," He laughed silently and met her eyes once more. "Thank you," She whispered, reaching for his hand. Her fingers intertwined with his as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Please don't lie to me again," He muttered, his eyes never leaving hers. Speechless, she gave a small nod. Before she knew what she was doing, she cupped his cheek and leaned forward, gently pressing her lips against his. He didn't pull away, but instead kissed her back, his hands hesitantly placing themselves on her waist. With one hand, she tangled her fingers in his thick, dark curls and pulled him closer. The other rested at the back of his neck. Jon trailed his hands along the sides of her body, sending shivers up and down her spine.
Not enough air was entering her body, she decided. Feeling breathless, she reached under her tunics and tugged at the binding. Lyra tossed away the cloth and climbed into Jon Snow's lap. She realized that she was still lightheaded, and inwardly cursed the bastard and his touch.
"The bed," The Lannister managed to pant out as the Northerner's lips trailed down her neck. Never been with a woman, my ass. "I am not sleeping on the floor again," He chuckled against her neck and stood up, lifting her with him easily, as if she weighed no more than a child. Lyra pulled off one of the tunics and threw it carelessly to the floor. His lips crashed against hers as he climbed on top of her. She felt his hardness pressing against her thigh and let out a small gasp. Instinctively, she ground her hips against his, eliciting a groan from him.
"What if I get you pregnant?" Jon blurted out, pulling away from Lyra.
The girl sat up and brushed his long hair away from his handsome face. "You won't," She promised, kissing him softly. "Just forget everything for tonight. Before we take our vows," She chuckled against his lips. "You think too much, Jon Snow,"
"What if I hurt you?" His hands found their place at her waist once more.
"You won't," She hesitated for a moment. "I've done this before. It'll be fine," She gave him a chaste kiss. Jon deepened the kiss and pushed her onto the bed once more.
Their tongues dueled for control while their hands roamed each others' bodies. Lyra, wanting to feel her skin against his, pulled off her second tunic and met his mouth in another heated kiss. Jon, although inexperienced, was a quick learner. He was gentle, but still enjoyed teasing her.
With desperate hands, they pulled each others' breeches off with fumbling fingers. He nestled himself in between her legs, uncertainty crossing his features. "Go ahead," She assured him, pressing a kiss to his forehead. Slowly, he nudged himself inside her, his eyes locked on hers.
Jon Snow was a tender lover, yet shy and questioning as well. He was unsure of what to do when Lyra flipped them over and straddled him halfway through, but it was most probably due to her boldness. The man is always in control, her mother told her when the marriage between her and the Lefford boy was announced. Whether it be for the kingdom, the castle, the family, or his wife. The man is always in control.
They held each other for a long while after, silent except for their quiet pants. She couldn't help but feel proud of herself; I was Jon Snow's first. Jon, who could have had any maid he wanted, had chosen her.
He cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "Was I..." He trailed off. She noticed the faint flush on his cheeks. "Did you enjoy it?" She let out a laugh and nodded, pecking him on the lips.
"And you, Jon Snow?" He blushed furiously and nodded. She laughed again and rested her head on his shoulder. "Go to bed. We have a long day ahead of ourselves tomorrow."
