I thank the people for being interested enough to read chapter 1 :D You all rock! Anyways, this chapter has multiple point of views from the characters.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GAME OF THRONES. GEORGE R.R. MARTIN OWNS THIS MASTERPIECE. SOME CONVERSATIONS HERE ARE FROM THE SERIES AND I ALSO DO NOT OWN THOSE.

CLAIMER: I, HOWEVER, OWN NATHALIA AND HER COVEN. Whoo hoo! :D

This chapter starts when Jon Snow reaches the wall with Tyrion. So that means that the preface is actually a future look in this story.

CHAPTER 1: We Are Given A Free Will

*Jon Snow*

It has been half a day since Jon has last seen his family in the North. Yes he knows that he has chosen the black in his own will and is more than ready to serve the realm but he also knows that a small part of him would give anything to be with his family again. He can still remember the feeling when his brother Robb held him before he mounted his horse. He can still see Arya's gleeful face when he gave her her first sword. He can still feel the tears that came from Sansa as she kissed him in the cheeks and told him to take care of himself. He can still see young Rickon's face begging for him not to take the black and how he was pulled away from Jon by one of his father's men because he refused to let Jon Snow leave him. Perhaps the only person that he knows will not miss him as much as his siblings is his father's lady wife. A grimace takes over his face as he remembers when she kicked him out when he just wanted to say goodbye to his brother Bran. Poor Bran. Jon has spoken with the maester and he was told that his little brother might now be able to walk for the rest of his life.

His thoughts left his mind when he saw his Uncle Benjen bring in the recruits for the wall…if he can call them recruits. The men most likely chose to join the black instead of facing the punishment they deserve for their crime.

"Ah!" He turns and sees the imp glancing between him and the men. "Rapers" He explained the crime. "They were given a choice, no doubt. Castration or the wall" Tyrion Lannister rolls his eyes and turns his attention back to his book. "Most choose the knife" He adds.

Jon glances at the men sitting not far from him. One catches his eyes and gives him a glare. Jon groans and turns his attention to the barely-there fire.

"Not impressed by your new brothers?" He heard the imp ask. When he didn't answer, the imp says in an amused voice, "Lovely thing about the watch: you discard your new family and get a new one"

I don't want to get a new family Jon wants to say, but instead, nods his head towards the imp's book. "Why do you read so much?"

The imp smiles at him "Look at me and tell me what you see"

Jon raises his brows and voices his thoughts out loud. "Is this a trick" Everyone knows that the imp likes to confuse people.

Tyrion puts his book down and looks at Jon. "What you see is a dwarf. If I had been born a peasant, they might have left me out in the woods to die. Alas, I was born a Lannister of Casterly Rock." Jon realizes that the imp finds the situation amusing. "Things are expected of me. My father was the Hand of the King for twenty years"

"Until your brother killed that king" Jon felt the need to point out.

The imp studies him for a moment, impressed on how Jon didn't care when he said those words in front of a Lannister. "Yes. Until my brother killed that king" He pauses before saying, "Life is full of these little ironies. My sister married the new king, and my repulsive nephew will be king after him" Jon almost laughed at the imp's disappointed face but then he remembers that Sansa is betrothed to Joffrey. "I must do my part for the honor of my house; wouldn't you agree?" Before Jon could answer, he explained. "But how? My brother has his sword and I have my mind. And the mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone. That's why I read so much, Jon Snow"

Jon stares at the imp for a while. How can someone so small be that smart and witty?

"And you, what is your story, bastard?" The imp suddenly asks him.

Jon rolls his eyes and says, "Ask me nicely and I will tell you, dwarf"

Tyrion laughs at the way Jon copied his tone.

At least I will have someone to talk to, Jon thinks. The imp might not be so bad.

*Nathalia*

It has been a long time since Nathalia has witnessed a feast. Whether or not it is with the wildlings or the people in the free cities, she admits that she loves the music playing in the background and the people dancing and singing.

"Lady Nathalia, why don't you come and dance with me?" She laughs when she saw the almighty king-beyond-the-wall stumble in his drunkenness on his way to her.

"I am no lady and I think you are too intoxicated to dance, your grace" Giving no justice to her words, she stands up and takes his outstretched hand. "Nevertheless, a woman deserves a dance once in a while"

She let him lead her to the middle of the crowd. They start dancing with the lively music whilst laughing in happiness.

Nathalia has spent moons with the wildlings and finds them amusing to say the least. They did things on their own without the threat of Mance Rayder executing them. Mance Rayder, in her opinion, is a just king. However, as much as he would like her help to take over the seven kingdoms, she cannot offer it for she knows that he is not yet ready to take over the throne. He might be just and able to handle the small amount of people beyond the wall but she fears that no one will take his side because of his reputation in the seven kingdoms. Even though she can gather singers to spread good word about him, it will take years before the people of the seven kingdoms can be convinced. The only thing that she can offer now is her friendship. Thank goodness that Mance seemed alright with the proposition.

"Can I still change your mind, Nathalia?" She knows that he is not talking about getting her aide to take over Westeros but the fact that she is to leave at dawn the next day.

A smile escapes her lips. Even she can admit of her fondness for the kind-beyond-the-wall but she has places to go to and people to get to know. "I'm very sorry, your Grace but I must leave. I will always be glad that I have chosen to spend moons with the small community that you have gathered and I will always wish you all well"

He smiles at her and nods his head, understanding her duties.

A little after midnight, she starts packing her belongings along with her friend.

"Do we really have to go, Nathalia?" Alessandra, her oldest friend, asks her. Nathalia knows that she has taken likeness to the abandoned children beyond the wall and is sad that they had to leave so soon.

Nathalia walks over to her and pats her gently on the shoulder. "You know that you can always stay here, Ally"

Alessandra nods, "I know…but I will never leave you, Thalia. I am the only one left to serve you and—"

"You do not serve me, Ally" Nathalia reminds her. "You are free to do whatever you want. If you want to stay here, stay here. If you want to go back home, you go back home. The gods did not give us our power and did not give us shelter and a kingdom to serve them. They gave us free will and we chose to use that free will to try and bring peace in the seven kingdoms"

Alessandra smiles. "Don't you ever tire of helping them, Thalia? We have started to help the honorable side for many years—even before the mad king was at the throne! We were a dozen when we went in Westeros and look at us. We're only two. Sure one or two of us may have died and some chose to continue their bloodlines but didn't you ever want to have a daughter or a son? A family?"

Nathalia has been asked this question many times for as long as she can remember. They were called guardians by the gods for they watch over the realm. When they watch over Westeros, their aging stops and they are frozen at their current age. However, when they return to their kingdom and mate to produce baby guardians, the gods allow their bodies to start their aging process. Sometimes, a huge nameday celebration is celebrated throughout the kingdom to welcome back a guardian that finished his/her duties in Westeros. As far as Nathalia is concerned, there isn't an excuse to return yet.

"My family has no reason to miss me. My brother continued our line and there is no need for me to do so. I want to make them proud" By then, Nathalia has returned to packing her things.

She only stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "In our kingdom, your family is the most powerful. Some even call you princess. Your parents are proud of you. By the gods, you even have a reputation throughout Westeros! Everyone wants you on their side. I don't blame them"

"Will you leave me, Ally?"

"Never, Thalia"

And Thalia believed her friend.

"Where are we going, Nathalia?" A small girl attaches herself to Nathalia's legs. Nathalia looks down and sees that she is one of the few girls that Ally took care of. She bends down and ruffles the girl's hair. "I'm sorry sweetling but you cannot come with me and Ally. I promise you though, Ally and I will return"

The girl nods, understanding her words and lets her legs go. Nathalia offers her hand and the small girl gladly takes it. She sees Ally already waiting for her beside their luggage. Judging from the big amount of jewels and dresses that they brought, Nathalia is thankful to the gods that they do not have to spend moons travelling with those and just transport to their destination. Beside Ally is Mance Rayder. The sadness etched in his face made it harder for Nathalia to leave.

"Are you ready to go, Nathalia?" Mance asks her.

She gives him a gesture that says that she'll have to say goodbye first. "People beyond the wall!" She addresses them, earning their attention. "I thank you all for your kindness and hospitality. I know that it is hard to say goodbye but I promise you all that this is not the last that you have seen of Alessandra and myself" She bends down to the girl holding her hand and removes the small diamond necklace attached to her neck. "This is for you, sweet girl" The girl smiles at her tearfully and hugs Nathalia for a short second. Nathalia smiles as the girl runs over to her playmates and shows them the necklace.

She can feel a presence behind her and she turns around to meet the proud eyes of their king "I think I speak for everyone when I say that we will always welcome you, Nathalia. It is an honor to host the infamous helper of the realm" Mance smiled at her.

Without warning, she launches herself in his arms, hugging the large man with all her strength. The people laughed at such an unusual gesture from their king. With a squeeze, she lets go of him and walks towards Alessandra—who was hugging the children.

"Where to next, partner?" Ally teases her.

She grins. "To the wall"

So there's chapter 1. As you all can tell, Nathalia and Ally are the only ones left in their coven. Don't you all worry since, if you didn't guess, many covens are sent throughout Westeros and that some guardians might help Thalia and Ally along the way *wink* spoiler? *wink*

Jon and Thalia haven't met yet…obviously but I promise you that they will. Duh!

Any comments, suggestions, or violent reactions?