"Do you have a moment, Halyn?"

The red headed warrior glanced at the open flap of her tent. "Of course, Jorah. Come in."

He did as he was bade. "Have you heard the news?"

"Our khaleesi mentioned you will be sailing to some place called the Wall to represent her as well as help your father who commands the Night Watch. She wishes you would consider taking a few people with you for company."

"I am not sure that would be wise. It is freezing cold up there and here in Essos no one has ever experienced anything like it."

"Do you remember how I said these boots came from the nomads of the Red Waste?"

"Yes."

"The truth is I lived amongst them as a child before being stolen away by slavers. Even now I can still remember how the nights were cold as ice while the days were blazing hot like the sun. When I saw the nomads again, they had not forgotten me and made sure I had their customary footwear before we parted ways."

He studied her sharp features for a moment. "I had no idea you were considered one of them, though in retrospect that's not really a surprise. If you wish to come along, I would be honored to have you."

She nodded. "Thank you. I believe Doreah will wish to accompany us too."

"Doreah? Why would she want to do that?"

"I didn't ask. Her business is her own unless she chooses to share it."

"You're very wise."

"Thank you." She smiled faintly. "Was there anything else, Jorah?"

"Would you care to join me for dinner?"

"You mean something more intimate than with the khalasar?"

He managed a nod.

"I would like that."

"Then I'll see you tonight."

She watched him leave with a smile. She walked to Doreah's tent and found her sitting alone. "Everything alright?"

"I was merely resting. Viserys is quite demanding whenever he is here."

"You are no longer required to do things like that."

"I know. I actually enjoyed being with him for a time and thought there was more to our couplings, but I suppose it was just me."

Halyn considered the pretty Lysene woman before patting her hand. "Then it's his loss. There are may men out there and at least one of them is going to appreciate and love you."

"Thank you for your kind words. Did you tell Jorah I wished to go with you two?"

"Indeed. He had no objection."

"You really think men over there will view me differently?"

"I don't see why not. There is no slavery over there and you are a handmaiden to our khaleesi and that means plenty of opportunities. Men of higher stations will wish to court you and maybe even wed you. Anything is possible with time and we will be able to meet many people on our quest to see if anyone is still loyal to the Targaryens."

"I wonder if we will have any luck."

"Only way to find out is to try. Are you going to be okay by yourself?"

She nodded. "Thank you. You're a good friend, Halyn."

"I'm honored you think so." She smiled and left Doreah to her packing and returned to her tent. She pulled out her warmer clothes she had thought she would use only if she returned to the desert. Life certainly was like an underground river. One couldn't see which way it was going, nor predict where it would surface to become an oasis, but once the water was discovered it was a wonderful experience. She looked up as Jorah entered with healthy portions of food for them both.

"I hope you are hungry."

"How thoughtful of you to bring it here." She gestured to her furs on the tent floor. "Please make yourself comfortable."

"Thank you." He sat down carefully and placed the food in front of him.

She joined him. "I told Doreah she was welcome to come along."

"What did she say?"

"She was glad of a chance to travel and meet other people who won't see her as a slave despite her having been freed."

"It's harder to change perspective for some people. Slavery is outlawed in Westeros, so they wouldn't even think it's a possibility."

"I thought as much. Once we arrive at the Wall you mentioned, what will happen then?"

Jorah looked a little uncomfortable. "I will have to take the black if I wish to journey into the lands beyond to represent our khaleesi. She may be a princess there, but only the current ruler has the power to pardon me of the crimes I committed."

"I cannot imagine you doing something that would get you marked in such a manner."

"I was young and desperate. I foolishly thought I couldn't get caught and that all my efforts would keep my spoiled Southron bride with me. Unfortunately, I couldn't have been more wrong. Lord Stark himself confronted me about my crimes and I fled to Essos like a coward, using my skills as a sellsword to earn money. My wife wasn't satisfied and found a man who could give her everything she had wanted and left me."

"I'm sorry to hear all your efforts were in vain."

"I certainly felt that way for a long time before I met our khaleesi and came into her service. I realized that after all was said and done, I was meant to come here. I needed to see my father had been right and since I'm stubborn that took a few years."

She smiled softly. "You don't seem too obstinate, though there are times I could swear you are similar to a bear."

"Funny you should say that, bears are on the sigil of House Mormont and as such we often share characteristics with and call ourselves them too. We also have been known to wrestle and keep them the same way others might a dog or a horse."

"Interesting. Do others besides you and the Targaryens of old have such animal companions where you are from?"

"I heard stories that the Lannisters kept lions as pets whenever they wished, but I don't know how true that is. Legend says that Bran the Builder's daughter Branwyn befriended a direwolf, while some speculate it was more and that is how all the Starks have had wolfs blood."

She raised an eyebrow. "Is that possible?"

"There are plenty of stories of women getting with child while sharing the skin of their animal familiar of the same gender, their claims either confirmed or discredited depending on if they stil had their maidenhead intact."

"So that could have happened to Branwyn?"

"Since she never married and yet had four healthy children that carried on the Stark name, yes. However, such occurances have only happened in the North that we know of."

"There is a story among the nomads of a woman who let a desert hound mount her after being alone for many years and she bore a babe who could be human or hound depending upon it's desires."

"We call people like that skin changers. It is a rare magic now and mostly exists Beyond-the-Wall in the lands of forever winter."

"Your world sounds like an interesting place."

"It certainly is, as well as dangerous. We have had a very long summer there, which means when winter does come it will be brutally unforgiving."

"We will take one day at a time and see what happens."