The hall was mostly empty when they entered together. The handful of queen's men in one corner and black brothers in another stopped their conversations to gape at them.
"Yes," Aurelia hissed. "He's alive. Anyone comes near him with a weapon anytime soon is going through me first. And him," she gestured to Ghost, hackles rising slightly as she spoke.
The men shrank into their corners and resumed quiet conversation. As Aurelia and Jon sat down beside each other, the doors opened again. Melisandre glided in with three attendants on her heels, one carrying a large tray of food and hot mulled wine. The attendant sat the tray in front of Jon and Aurelia as Melisandre sat across from them. She waved toward the attendants and they moved to a table near the queen's men.
Aurelia and Jon exchanged a look as Melisandre took a small biscuit and slice of hard cheese from the tray.
"Eat, my young friends. You must both be hungry. You left before taking your morning meal, Jon Snow," she smiled at him.
Aurelia reached for the wine and poured two cups, handing the first to Jon. She poured a third and offered it to Melisandre who took it. The red lady raised it to the pair, and took a sip. They followed suit. Aurelia set her cup on the table and reached for a piece of cheese and hunk of dried meat.
"What brings you out to dine with us my lady?" Aurelia broke off a piece of the meat and dropped it on the floor. Ghost scooted over beside her and lay down, gnawing on the meat.
"A desire to see two young people happy together."
"A pretty lie," Jon smiled as he grabbed a piece of cheese. "Why are you really here?"
Melisandre took another sip of wine, then a small nibble of cheese. Aurelia tried not to gape. The red woman rarely ate, and even more rarely did she drink at the same time.
"A leading question, Jon Snow. The same could be said of you."
"What do you mean?"
"You are healed. You are not exactly bound by oath to this place or these men." She glanced up to the pocket of black brothers clustered and murmuring. "They regard you now with as much apprehension as they regard me. A link likely to remain."
"You're wondering if we intend to remain here," Aurelia said simply after chewing a piece of meat.
Melisandre smiled.
"You would advise staying," Jon countered. "You've already made your views clear on that."
"I thought I could persuade you further," Melisandre addressed Jon with a hum that almost purred.
"No need," Jon replied. "I've already made my decision."
Melisandre's gaze shifted between them. "It is as I feared then."
"My lady, if you have real reason to believe our lives more at risk beyond this place than they are remaining here, it is in your mind to decide whether or not to divulge such. However, whatever your reasoning, my decision is made and will not be easily swayed."
"Then perhaps you will listen to a suggested course of action."
"Meaning?"
As Melisandre wove her tale, Aurelia felt her pulse quicken. She wanted them to remain at the Wall. Yet if she had anticipated their leaving, what else had she planned? Jon appeared to listen attentively, while Aurelia studied Melisandre for indication of her true motives. Though, as always, the woman gave little away. Aurelia was also aware of Jon's hand on her thigh, rubbing it as Melisandre spoke to him. When Melisandre had finished speaking, Jon nodded in thought before replying.
"Thank you for your input, my lady. We will take it under advisement."
"I hope you will, my young friends," she smiled, then rose. The attendants across the room took note and followed her out of the hall.
"Did you hear any of that?" Jon murmured in Aurelia's ear before kissing her cheek.
"Some," she sighed.
"You were listening for intent, not words, weren't you."
"Mmmm…"
"And?"
She turned to meet his gaze. "And all I want right now is to kiss you, and keep you safe."
Jon studied her briefly, then smiled. "Then take me to your chambers, my lady."
They rose together and left the hall, Ghost at their heels then leading the way across the yard to Aurelia's quarters near the edge of the queen's tower.
Once inside, they were in each other's arms before Ghost had even circled around for a comfortable spot to plop down.
"What did she tell you?" Aurelia asked as her lips trailed down his neck.
Jon chuckled. "You really didn't listen."
"Something about enchanting you to do her bidding."
"I'm not enchanted by her."
"Doesn't mean she won't keep trying to change that fact."
Jon slipped from her embrace, tilting her chin up to meet his gaze. "She can try all she likes. There's only one person in this world I find enchanting. Only one. Now and always."
"Jon-"
"She thinks we should leave here separately, and keep my… return to the living as close to Castle Black as possible. I can't say it's a bad strategy."
Aurelia sighed. "It's not. I'll give her that."
Jon's hand moved to caress her neck. "It's also a good strategy to have one of us appear to trust her and one on their guard. And yes, it's only for appearances. She may yet still be of some help to us, and we can use all we can get. But don't mistake that for my trusting her, alright?"
She nodded. "Speaking of plans, there's more we have to discuss for ourselves."
"Let's not waste time, then."
They spoke throughout the day, strategizing and trying to craft counter moves to various possible reactions. Aurelia slipped out in the early evening to get more food and drink for them, Ghost staying in the room with Jon. After they had eaten and once again spoken more tender thoughts to one another, Aurelia sat on the edge of the bed while Jon stood and flexed his hands before falling to the floor to start some pushups.
"You're uncomfortable with being in the shadows, I know. But no one can suspect your presence. In grudging admittance, Melisandre is right that it's better no one know you're alive at all."
"And what am I to do with myself all day?"
"Keep from being seen… and watch over me, if the desire is there."
He shifted to sitting. "What do you mean?"
"You know what I speak of."
"Lia, you know I want to protect you, that I would give anything to remain by your side, but - I don't know how to control it."
"I've been reading quite a bit when I can. Sam gave me a good tour of the stacks some might call a library when I was here the first time."
"And you've been reading about wargs?"
"What little the Watch understands of it, yes."
"And the rest?"
"Inference, and what I saw with Robb."
Jon sighed and rose, pacing across the floor. "I don't like it, leaving myself vulnerable down there."
"I don't either, but if you're hidden properly, no one will find you. I'm more worried about your control, inside of Ghost, and being able to let go."
He stopped and looked at her. "She offered to help."
"She? Who would -" Aurelia stopped herself. "Why would she?"
"I don't know. I think she foresaw my death, my changing, and maybe she thought some training of some sort would make it easier. Or else… I don't know."
"How would she know?"
"Perhaps we should ask her."
"She already knows too much, and she's not pleased with our plan to leave, and-" Aurelia sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. "But if she knows better how to keep you safe, whole..."
Jon moved to her side. He placed a hand on her leg, running his fingers along her thigh. "Is it more dangerous for her to know we want this knowledge, or for us to leave without seeing if what she knows is useful? I can see it playing in your mind."
"Jon, your safety is everything to me. And despite what she's done for you, I never feel you're safe with her around."
"You worried she's going to seduce me?" She gave him a sidelong glance and he chuckled. "You're talking about marrying a monster of a man. By most accounts even calling him a man is an insult to almost all men who have ever lived. While I have to stand by and let it happen, fearing every moment that he or his father could kill you, whether they figure out this plan or not. Allow me to find a bit of humour."
She scooted close to him, almost climbing in his lap, and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Thus our biggest weakness is our desire to protect one another."
"Mmmm," he agreed.
"So will you speak to her about it?"
"It was your voice, your presence, which kept me fighting. You keep me fighting. Ghost has always been close to you. " He kissed her head, lingering to run fingers through her hair. "I do not fear losing myself in the wolf, so long as you are there to return to."
"If we had more time. If you could glean something from her-"
"This is a turn," Jon smiled. "Weren't you just the one trying to talk me out of asking her?"
Aurelia nuzzled his neck. "I never said I planned for everything. What is your instinct?"
Jon paused for a moment, his hand running along her thigh, inhaling her scent as she leaned against him. "If we ask her, if she has any information of merit, we owe her more than we already do. We don't have time to debate and wonder, or for me to try much before it is essential to our plans." He sighed, pressing his lips to her head again. "Tell me everything you've learned, and we'll try tonight. We have at least that time."
Aurelia nodded.
"I'm not going to lose myself, love. You are everything, and I will not risk your safety surrounded by Boltons and Freys. Ghost and I will protect you, together. I swear to you."
She placed her hand over his on her thigh. "It's not my protection I'm worried about."
He shifted his head down to meet their lips. "This is the time to express our fears and weaknesses. We can't have much more of this."
Aurelia kissed him, her hands clasping his face. She shifted into his lap, his hands moving to her waist, then one sliding up her chest. Moaning softly as he massaged her breasts, she wound fingers in his hair, encouraging him. After a moment, Ghost rose from where he sat and crept over to them. He nudged Aurelia's free hip with his nose and they broke, looking at the direwolf. Ghost panted, then settled beside the bed near Jon's feet.
"See," Jon said, rubbing his thumb across a nipple swelling beneath her stays. "Whatever his wildness, he is nearly as connected to you as he is to me. Perhaps more in some ways."
"What do you mean?"
"He always obeyed your commands as a puppy. He stills beneath your touch, is calmed by you as I am."
Ghost lifted his head and ran his tongue over Aurelia's ankle. She smiled down at the wolf, then up at the man. "Careful. I may worry about what tricks you'll try when united."
"Better for that than for our safety," he replied, then pulled her back for a kiss, trying to melt away both their fears. "I trust your plans, Lia," he murmured between kisses. "Trust in me to see them through."
"I do," she whispered in his ear. She moved a hand down, slipping it into his trousers. "If you're going to lose yourself, then lose it in me."
And for a time, he did.