When he felt Edaline reach it was almost equal to the joy he felt at the moment her actual form appeared in the soft tender flesh.
More so, because now he intimately knew every inch of that flesh.
Even more because that flesh laughed and taunted him, and broke apart his brooding solitude and challenged him and didn't fear him even when she probably should.
But this barbaric ritual? How did she even know it?
Her pretty skin was bleeding and he wasn't there to stop it with his lips.
Gods how he wanted her, even a few days apart and he was going mad just imaging what he would do once she would be back with him.
He smiled darkly, he would surely punish her for getting lost in the first place, or getting caught, whatever, he would find reasons to punish her for something.
He grew hard just thinking about it.
It didn't matter, she was alive and calling for him.
Once he heard her - it took no effort at all to zoom in on where she was, Castle Black as he suspected. He snagged a raven to see her.
She was on the castle wall, and she felt him, felt his fury for losing her, but he felt her love for him, her need, her hunger.
Oh yes, he would tear down mountains for his beautiful queen.
When something happened to break her focus, he looked closer in and saw the brother pup, dying on the ground.
Frankly he found seeing the young man who has been a thorn in his side, sprawled out and gasping his last breath, quite a lovely sight.
But the pain and heartbreak he felt from his lover was simply not worth the small joy of killing one human.
Once Jon was brought inside Eda was with his body most of the night, tear stricken.
After a few hours kind onion knight convinced her to change and get some rest, they may have a long road ahead.
Once away from Jon, Eda was able to reel in her grief and think clearly again.
And she did feel something that was like seeing a sail to a drowning man.
"I can feel you my love!" and she closed her eyes and fell into darkness.
She would have been envious to know that her younger brother - the three eyed raven in the works - could walk, change his clothes and even travel in time in his visions.
The best she could muster was making sure she was slightly less blood stained than in real life - she looked dreadful.
He didn't care about any of that.
He must have been outside a forest near some cave, brooding on the cliffs and trying to decide the best way to get his lover.
Then he felt her appear in his mind, unlike all those children, had flawless control of all planes of reality.
She was still tears stricken, but alive and here. He would deal with the rest of his business at the cave later.
She sheepishly looked at her childlike nightclothes.
The next moment he was lifting her up and kissing her, his hands roaming under that stupid thing, making sure every delicious bit of her was still there.
She was so happy, so home in his icy arms that she forgot for a minute that this wasn't real, forgot about where she actually was and began to sob.
He became more gentle with his caress, settling for stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head.
Somewhere in between he got the story as she remembered it and from what she was told.
He was furious again, he stiffened and his hand itched for his curved blades.
She looked at him quizzically.
"I will kill this Lord of...Bones" mentally adding he probably already have amongst the thousands that died that day.
"Oh no, Jon's friend killed him"
She looked around and her eyes grew wide
"How many?" she was looking at never ending hordes of the newly dead.
He shrugged indifferently.
"Most of them, I was trying to find you"
He was waiting for her to get angry, but after looking around again she looked down at her small bare feet.
"I guess I could have just sent my brother a raven and they would all be alive.
She commented blandly as she leaned into him closer and stroked his hands.
He watched her in slack jawed amazement.
He was expecting her to be mad.
But all he felt was just… acceptance of his nature again.
And great sadness that was swirling around her like a cloud of smoke.
He looked at her closer.
"Edaline, it was me who took their lives, not you, you have no reason to do.., this".
He wiped the stream of hot fluid continuously rolling from her eyes.
She angrily swiped his hand away and looked confused by his statement.
"You thought I was hurt" she said nonchalantly.
"I would have have killed twice as many if I thought you were in trouble"
She kissed him again. Wrapping her arms around his neck.
Then he saw her tears were still streaming and it dawned on him- she wasn't crying about all those people she never met.
His queen didn't care for humanity as a whole, but she cared for specific humans, and very much.
She was crying over that stupid pup.
He sighed.
"I did promise you one brother one time" he said darkly.
"You never used that up at Hardhome."
He justified it in his mind that the pup was important to his future plans.
But really, it was because he couldn't stand to see those dark eyes red rimmed with so much pain.
Her eyes lit up with hope.
And she was busy kissing and biting his neck, his fingers his wrists.
Pulling him tighter to her.
Even in her grief he felt her desire for him.
"I wish you were here with me, she murmured. I am never leaving your side again my King"
He gently pushed her sweet caresses away.
"Later lover, time for your brother grows short before he will be all but raised meat, and I feel other powers trying to interfere, go to him"
"What do I have to do?"
"Nothing, just lay your hand on him, I will do the rest, now wake up"
Edaline ran into the room to see a strange woman with crimson hair chanting over her brother.
Ser Davos nodded to let her through, she looked up and stared at everyone.
"If you are all done I want to be alone to say goodbye she barked at men she knew and men she didn't"
The onion knight nodded and everyone except Ghost left them alone.
It looked like the strange woman was done with her chanting, but her crimson eyes stared at Edaline and widened in surprise curiosity and fear before Ser Davos ushered her away.
She laid her hands on his nude body wondering what her king would do.
She didn't get a chance to wonder long, a power like nothing she ever felt poured through her - it made her feel so close to her love that it was as if she was wrapped in his embrace,
It was cold as ice, it was delicious - it felt like, it felt like when he spilled into her as she clutched around him in ecstasy after hours of love making.
"One brother once" she felt him whisper in her mind.
And how she loved him then, but for the first time since she fell into the abyss of those icy blue flames, she wondered who her lover really was, what powers he actually had?
But instead of fear, it made her tingle with excitement - made her body crave his touch right now right here fuck the Watch, fuck the world, fuck everything alive.
She just wanted HIM, inside of her right now or she would die.
She felt him chuckle softly in her mind.
"We will be together soon my love, go to you… brother now"
And he pulled away from her mind.
And in a second, it was gone.
She gasped then.
Then Jon gasped and tried to sit and just as quickly she pulled her hands away and screamed for Ser Davos to come help her.
She thought she would have a lot of explaining - but clearly the Red Woman's chanting wasn't for nothing.
But the strange red eyes looked at Eda too long for comfort .