Hello Everyone! Thank you so much for all of the reviews and suggestions. I am unsure as of yet how I am going to go with Lilly and Jon's time with the wildlings. I look forward to hearing your suggestions! Many people have suggested that Mance should marry them. I really love this idea and would have never thought of it on my own without you all! I always get so excited when I get an email telling me that I have a new review. Please leave me reviews, even if they are only a few words. I truly do appreciate every single one and they motivate me to write even more. There is no such thing to me as someone who reviews to much! Reread the first chapter before you read this one ;)
Lilly POV
She supposed she didn't really fear the wildlings as much as she should have. They had dragged her from the cottage by her hair, not hesitating to burn it to the ground. She would have shed tears if she could have thought of anything besides Jon. She had worried so much for him, thinking that they had found him in the forest and killed him already. She couldn't begin to explain the relief she felt when she saw him in the wildlings tent.
The men she had identified as the King beyond the wall had ordered for her and Jon to be given food and a place to rest.
"Cut their bounds." The king ordered. The large red headed man cut hers, the heavy ropes falling to the ground. She rubbed her wrists tenderly, the skin was inflamed from where the ropes had rubbed against her skin.
"Thank you." Jon said.
"You will earn your keep boy. You will help cut fire wood with some of the men in the forest. The little flower will help care for the children while the spearwives are out hunting." He said seriously. "Tormund, lead them to an empty tent. Near yours so nobody gets any ideas of killing the crow and taking his pretty wife."
"We're not married, sir." Lilly said quietly.
"Maybe not by your southern rules. But here in the North you would be considered him wife." He said with a small smile.
"How?" Her interest had been peaked.
"If a man in the North sees a women he wants, he must steal her. Take her away in the middle of the night, far from her family and far from her home. To prove that he can care for her. That he was strong enough." He explained the tradition to Lilly, who listened with wide eyes. She was always a sucker for a good story or new knowledge. She would always stop to listen. This was all so new to her, she couldn't help but be curious. She looked over to Jon and smiled. He looked like he was in deep thought.
"Come." Tormund said, gesturing to the exit. Jon held onto Lilly's hand as she walked out into the cold. The wildlings were hard at work, preparing for war and to fight the coming winter winds. Lilly couldn't help but smile. There were children running around, men laughing, and women sewing. It was so lively. These people were happy with what they had, with no desire to gain more. It was refreshing.
They all eyed Jon with disdain, but when they saw how their hands were joined their eyes softened. They assumed their situation. That they were star crossed lovers who fled from the Night's Watch because of their forbidden passions for one another.
They continued walking when a little boy stepped out in front of her. He had brown eyes and thick curly hair. His tiny body was wrapped up in furs. She noticed him when he tugged on her dress to get attention. She kneeled down beside him, and he pulled out a winter rose. Lilly's smile widened as she kneeled in front of him.
"Is this for me?" She asked gently.
"Mhm." The little boy responded, extending the flower further towards her. She took the stem between her fingers, tucking it behind her ear and into her long auburn hair.
"I'll keep it with me always." She said smiling at him. The boy turned to who Lilly could only assume was his mother with a large smile on his face and scurried off. She wondered if that was going to be one of the young ones she was to watch after. She was very excited about her assignment. She would be around children, even when Jon wasn't around. It was such a change from being alone all the time.
"Looks like you already have admirers." Tormund said, his hearty laugh seemed to bounce off the mountains. "Better keep a close eye on her Jon Snow."
The corners of Jon's lips tilted up into a smile, one that only she would recognize. She stood, twining her fingers in his. They were about to continue their walk when Lilly heard someone yelling. She had paused in her steps, looking around.
"Mesenya!" She heard it more clearly this time. She had turned to see a women running towards her. She had long auburn hair, twisted back away from her face with wide soft brown eyes. She caused a familiar ache to spread in Lilly's heart. It was like she knew this women. Soft lines were on her face, indicating that she had aged. What was most notable about her was a large scar that marred the side of her face. It looked like someone had burned a hand print into her skin.
"Mesenya!" Before Lilly had the chance to respond the women had thrown herself into her arms. "We feared we would never see you again! When that monster took you, I was sure you would die freezing and alone. How did you do it? How did you escape?"
Lilly was frozen in time for a moment. She had no idea how to respond to this women because she had no idea what she was talking about.
"What are you talking about?" She whispered. "That isn't my name."
The women pulled back almost immediately, examining her closely. She was whispering to herself how it was impossible Lilly wasn't this "Mesenya" because she looked just like her. But the women's examination halted when she looked Lilly in the eyes.
"Your eyes… Just like his." She whispered, the fear evident in her voice. She was reaching towards Lilly's cheek with her bare hand. When her skin grazed Lilly's, she yanked her hand back cradling it to her chest. Lilly had burned her. That's when the realization was truly formed in the women's eyes.
"What do you mean?" Lilly asked confused.
"How old are you girl?" The women snapped. Her tone had changed from warm and inviting, to icy cold. This women looked at her as if she murdered her dog.
"Seventeen." She whispered. At the admission, the women's eyes went wide.
"You are the spawn of that thing. That monster!" The women said, beginning to advance on Lilly. "What of your mother? Where is she? Does he still have her?"
Jon had advanced as well, Lilly had backed up straight into his protective arms. She hid in them. She felt safe here, away from that women's accusing eyes. Jon was glaring at the women, who was still questioning Lilly about her mother.
"My mother… I never met her." Lilly said, looking up from Jon's chest. "She died in childbirth when I was born. That is all I know about her. I have no idea."
"You little monster. You ripped your way out of her." She said, lunging for Lilly. "You will be as cold and as cruel as your father!"
Jon had pulled her out of the way before the women could truly harm her. But by that point, the rest of the camp had been watching. Tormund had to physically restrain the women, who was fighting to attack Lilly.
"My father was a great man!" Lilly said angrily. "The Lord Commander of the Night's Watch-"
"Your father was the Night's King!" She said venomously. "The leader of The Others that haunt our steps."
"You're lying!"
"Enough!" Tormund yelled. "You will go back to your work, women! You will leave the little flower alone. She is under my protection, as well as the crows. Try anything funny, and I'll gut you like a pig."
"But-"
"I said that's enough!"
"Fine." She shot venomously, shoving him away. "But when that thing shows its true colors, I will tell you all I told you so! She may be as lovely as a flower, but you'll all see. My little sister learned the hard way what a curse beauty can be, when she attracted this demons father. Just like all of you will learn. She will be as deadly as winter."
The women stalked off into the hills.
"Wildling women are psychotic." Tormund said, sighing. "Don't pay mind to her girl. This will be forgotten before sun down. But we have arrived."
Lilly wasn't sure she would be able to forget that mad women's ramblings. Tormund gestured to a small fur tent at the edge of camp. It would be perfect for the two of them. Small and intimate.
"Thank you." She said.
"I'll leave you two." He said, turning and walking away. Lilly entered the tent first. She noticed a pile of furs in the center of the room, a fire pit towards the edge. It was perfect for the two of them. She had always preferred making love on a pile of furs than an actual bed because it was how he took her the first time. The tent was warm and inviting. She would never admit out loud she was frightened of the possibility that Wildlings slept on the skins of men they've killed and eaten.
"Can you believe that women?" Lilly huffed, sitting down on the furs. She ran her fingers through their softness, still shifting through the even that just happened in her mind.
"No." Jon said quietly. He hadn't said much at all since that women had tried attacking her. Did he believe her? Would Jon, who knew her better than anyone, think that she was the monster that women had described.
"What is it Jon?" She asked.
"Nothing." He replied, trying to falsely assure her.
"You don't actually believe the nonsense that women was spewing do you?" Lilly asked concerned.
"Of course not." He said, pulling her into his lap. "I'm just worried that the others will believe her. That you'll be hurt when I'm not here to protect you."
"Don't worry so much." She smiled. "What kind of fool would believe a story such as that? Those things can't breed! That women must have hit her head on something when she was a child."
"Yes. Only a fool would believe that." Jon said smiling.
"Do you think we'll be able to make a life here, Jon?" She said, peeking up at him through her eyelashes. She was afraid. This was a huge change from what she was used to. Even what he was used to.
"I can live a life anywhere, so long as you are with me." He said smiling.
Thank you everyone for reading this chapter! I know this chapter was short, but I will make it up to you next time. Please please review favorite and follow! It gives me the motivation to continue writing. I have some special shout outs this update!
Alice Williams: Thank you so much for your suggestions. I truly appreciate that you took the time to tell me. I think that I will have Mance marry them sometime in the future! Please keep reading and reviewing!
nzOptimist: Thank you for your review! I am deff going to have Mance marry them! I appreciate all of your recommendations, please keep them coming. I read every single one of them.
Arianna Le Fay: Thank you so much for sticking with my story. You have read and reviewed faithfully since the very beginning. I think that after this incident, the wildlings will be a little wary of her at first. I guess we'll see how it progresses.