When they finally pulled away from each other, their tears mingled on their cheeks, Jon pressed his forehead to hers.
"I don't know how you came to be here," he whispered, "but thank the gods you did."
Aurelia's fingers clasped his. "There is so much I would say to you."
"And I you," he replied.
"About your new friend?" She asked, perhaps harsher than she intended.
Jon started to pull back, but Aurelia continued to hold his hands.
"What happened to your hand?" She asked, raising up his left hand to examine it.
He felt the urge to pull away until she ran her fingers, soft and deft, over the back of his hand. She looked at it curiously, and with a sad look in her eyes, but not pity.
"The Lord Commander," Jon began, then realized what he was about to divulge.
"What is it?" Aurelia asked, looking up to him.
"I have seen much," Jon murmured. "Sometimes I forget how difficult it might be for others to believe what I have seen without seeing it for themselves."
"When have I not believed you?"
Jon gazed at her, the earnest expression disarming him. He had also forgotten, he admitted to himself, how she bewitched him with her gazes, encouraging him to divulge whatever was on his mind simply because she genuinely cared to know.
"I was Lord Commander Mormont's steward," he began, leading her back to the bench and sitting beside her, their hands never untangling. "One night, late, Ghost woke me jumping and scratching at the door. I let him out and he ran straight for Mormont's quarters. At first there was nothing I could see inside, not even the Lord Commander. But then…" He drifted for a moment, but Aurelia gave his hand a gentle squeeze and smiled at him, sympathetic and attentive.
"Earlier that day there had been a few of our rangers brought back from beyond the Wall. Dead. After a brief search of Commander Mormont's chambers someone came out of the corner. I don't know why, but he seemed determined to kill Mormont, so I fought him. I stabbed him through several times, but he did not fall. Finally I took a lantern off the wall and threw it at him. He caught fire and finally fell, but," Jon looked at his hand. He remained silent for a moment, studying the scars on his hand and the gentle caress of Aurelia's fingers grazing over them.
"The man who attacked," she finally attempted. "He was…" She leaned in and kissed his cheek, drawing his gaze up to hers as she pulled back. "We have both experienced things we never thought to since our parting, I think. Some more easily believed than others," her glance shifted to Ygritte and Jon's eyes followed.
"Still," she continued, "I have always known you to be honest, even if not entirely forthcoming initially-"
"Aurelia," Jon tried, but she placed a finger to his lips, silencing him before she continued.
"What I mean is you have never before played me false, and though we have been parted for a long time, I still trust you. More than anyone."
This last admission was barely above a whisper. Impulsively, Jon brought her hand to his lips and held it there, locking his gaze with hers. The unspoken words between them built up an invisible tension. As Jon finally released her hand, he began to lean in towards her, when Aurelia again shifted her gaze to Ygritte.
"One of us should remain awake, don't you think? In case she decides to - Why did you take her?"
Jon sighed. "I've been trying to convince those currently in charge of the Watch to send for help, again. The more I give them information on the wildlings, the more they disbelieve me." He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "The opposite of you, I suppose."
Aurelia looked back at him, quizzical. "Why would you have information on the wildlings? And how do you know her?"
"It's a long story."
Aurelia shifted her body, straddling the bench and hooking one of her ankles around Jon's leg. "Tell me," she smiled.
"If I do, neither one of us will sleep much, if at all. And-"
"I'm fine without sleep tonight," she said softly. "I want to know as much as you'll tell me. I won't judge you. Promise." She punctuated her promise by placing her chin on his shoulder and looking at him with a playfully pleading gaze. "Please tell me," she whispered.
And he did.