Chapter 5
"Hello," Jon greeted Shirei as she approached him. It wasn't difficult to see how nervous she was, especially since she was drawing so much attention. There were many men in the courtyard, preparing their horses. Most of them openly stared at Shirei, who didn't dare to even look up.
"Hello," she murmured nervously.
Jon gave the men an annoyed glare before concentrating on Shirei.
"Would you like to ride?" he asked. "Or we can arrange a carriage for you."
"I… I can ride, my lord."
"Jon," he corrected gently. "Are you sure? We have a long ride ahead of us today."
She nodded; she still wasn't looking at him.
"I've been told that I'm a good rider," she said quietly.
"I'm sure you are. I just want you to be as comfortable as possible."
Slowly she looked up and gave him a timid smile.
"Thank you, my lor… Jon. You are very kind."
"You don't have to thank me," he assured. "I promised to take care of you, didn't I?"
She blushed and lowered her head, finally noticing the direwolf who was sitting next to Jon.
"Is… Is this Ghost?"
"Yes," Jon replied and petted the wolf's head. "Ghost, this is Shirei. I expect you to be on your best behavior with her."
Ghost looked at Shirei with his red eyes and then let out a low, friendly rumble, as if understanding Jon's words. Shirei cautiously reached out her hand to pet him, and Ghost remained still, allowing her to touch his thick, white fur.
"He's beautiful," she whispered, her eyes widening in awe.
"He is," Jon agreed with a smile. "And he's very protective. You'll be safe with him around."
Shirei nodded, looking a little more at ease.
"Good boy," Jon praised. "This lady is under our protection, and I trust you to keep her safe."
Ghost glanced at his master and let out a low howl.
"That's right," Jon confirmed. "Keep her safe."
"He truly is beautiful," Shirei said, smiling.
"Aye, direwolves are magnificent creatures. And you have never met one before?"
Shirei shook her head. "No."
"You were a natural then; you knew exactly how to approach him."
"We have hounds here; I have sometimes played with them."
"Oh." Jon paused and glanced at Ghost. "I suppose he looks a little like a hound…"
"No, no," Shirei protested. "He's a beautiful wolf."
Ghost wagged his tail as Shirei petted him. She looked a little more relaxed, but she tensed again when Robb and Theon approached them.
"Lady Shirei," Robb greeted her politely. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yes, my lord," she replied quietly. Once again, her eyes were on the ground, clearly she was nervous.
"Well, I must say you're a lucky man, Snow," Theon hummed, smiling. "Such a cute little wife you have."
Jon gave him a murderous glare, hoping that he would for once act like a decent person. Shirei had been humiliated more than enough.
Robb shot Theon a warning look. "That's enough, Theon. Lady Shirei is our guest and deserves respect."
Theon shrugged, still smirking, but he didn't say anything else.
"Thank you, Robb," Jon said gratefully, then turned back to Shirei. "Let's get you on your horse."
Shirei nodded and smiled as a stable boy brought her horse, a chestnut mare.
"Her name is Meadow," Shirei said while gently petting the horse's muzzle.
"She's beautiful," Jon replied.
"Yes, she is."
Jon helped her mount the horse and noticed her looking at the window. Her sisters were there. Shirei swallowed and dried her eyes. Jon wanted to say something, but he had no words. What could he possibly say that would make her feel any better? He mounted his own horse, planning to stay close to Shirei to make sure that no one would be disrespectful to her.
Robb and Lady Catelyn were talking to Lord Frey and one of his daughters, Lady Roslin. Thankfully, the old man stayed near the doors. According to rumors, he was very paranoid and never left the Twins.
Finally, it was time to leave. Shirei's eyes widened when she saw the whole northern army as they rode out of the courtyard. Most men had spent their night in the castle grounds, and now they were all ready to march across the bridge.
"There are so many of them," Shirei murmured.
"Aye," Jon replied. "One can't go to war without an army."
Shirei was quiet for a while before speaking.
"You… You will go to war as well?"
"Yes," Jon replied. "I must, for my father."
"But… What if…"
"What?" Jon asked when she didn't continue.
"What if you get hurt?"
Jon looked at her and saw the distress in her eyes.
"It's alright; I'll make sure that you'll be taken care of if something happens to me."
She shook her head.
"I don't want anything bad to happen to you."
She sounded so serious that Jon couldn't help but smile.
"Why not?"
She swallowed and blushed.
"Because you're my husband. I don't want to lose you."
Jon was touched by her sincerity. "I promise I'll do everything in my power to come back to you."
Shirei's eyes filled with unshed tears, but she managed a small smile. "Thank you."
As they continued their journey, Jon couldn't help but think about the responsibility he now bore not only for his own safety but also for Shirei's well-being. He would ensure she was protected, no matter what the future held.
"This is for you," Robb said when he and Jon were finally alone in his tent. They had stopped to rest for a few hours after riding the whole day. Jon glanced at the small wooden chest and raised an eyebrow.
"What's this?"
"Shirei's dowry."
"What?"
Robb smiled. "Her father may be Walder Frey, but she is still a noble girl. Most of them have dowries."
"Lord Frey didn't mention anything about a dowry," Jon murmured.
"He gave this to me before we left," Robb replied. "I promised to deliver it to you."
Jon looked at the chest suspiciously; he really didn't want anything from the old man.
"I can wait outside if you want to open it in private," Robb offered.
"No, you don't have to do that," Jon stated and took a deep breath. "I'm just not sure if I want to open this."
"Are you expecting venomous snakes?" Robb joked.
"I wouldn't be surprised," Jon huffed. "That man… I don't think I've ever met anyone I despise more."
"I know what you mean," Robb sighed. "But if it makes you feel any better, I will also have to wed one of his daughters."
"Do you already know which one?"
Robb bit his bottom lip. "Well… I did meet all the daughters, and I believe I made my choice."
"Ah. Did you tell Lord Frey?"
"Yes, and he assured me that he will keep her 'pure' for me." Robb paused and sighed.
"Why didn't you wed her right away?" Jon asked.
"I'm on my way to war; Lord Frey understood that."
"Good," Jon muttered, trying to hide his annoyance. Of course, he was glad that Robb hadn't been forced to get married right away, but that didn't change what Lord Frey had done to Jon and Shirei. "Which daughter did you choose?"
"Lady Roslin."
"Oh. I'm sure she will be a good wife. You could do far worse."
Robb nodded. "That's what I thought too." He paused and gave Jon a sympathetic look.
"Listen… I'm sorry. I'll never forget what you did for Arya."
"She's my sister," Jon murmured. "No one has to thank me for looking after her."
"Well, I still thank you," Robb replied and touched Jon's shoulder. "And Lady Shirei is lucky to have you as her husband."
Jon didn't reply; he doubted that Shirei would agree.
"I know she's not the kind of wife you would have chosen, but she's a sweet girl," Robb continued. "And I'm sure after a few years, she will be a sweet woman."
"She deserves better," Jon murmured. "What do I have to offer her?"
"You are my brother," Robb replied firmly. "I don't know what tomorrow brings, but nothing will ever change that. We're family; we'll always look after each other."
Jon wasn't sure how to reply, but he appreciated Robb's words.
"So," Robb continued after a moment of silence. "Are you planning to look inside the chest?"
"I suppose I have to," Jon sighed. His eyebrows furrowed as he opened the chest. The first thing he spotted was a doll.
"Good old Walder Frey," Robb snorted when Jon picked the doll up.
The chest also entailed silver, a small amount of gold, the bloody bed sheet, and a short letter.
Lord Snow,
I hope my daughter will offer you many more nights of pleasure. Welcome to the family.
Lord Walder Frey
"Charming," Robb huffed when Jon showed him the letter. "Poor girl."
Jon's jaw tightened as he read the letter. "This man…"
"I know," Robb said, shaking his head. "It's disgusting. But we're free of him now."
Jon nodded, though his anger still simmered. "I'll keep the silver and gold for Shirei. The rest…" He trailed off, unable to even look at the bed sheet.
Robb nodded in understanding. "She'll appreciate that, I'm sure. And the doll… it might mean something to her."
Jon carefully set the doll aside, determined to find a way to make Shirei's life better. "I just want her to feel safe," he said quietly. "She deserves that much."
"And she'll have it," Robb assured him. "You're doing right by her, Jon."
Jon took a deep breath, feeling a bit more resolute. "Thanks, Robb. I appreciate your support." He paused for a moment before continuing. "Do you think Lady Stark could share a tent with Shirei?"
"Yes, I believe so. Mother seemed worried about her earlier," Robb replied.
Jon bit his bottom lip. "Does she know that I didn't…?"
"Aye, I told her," Robb assured him.
"Good," Jon murmured. Lady Catelyn already disliked him enough; he didn't want her to think he would have bedded Shirei.
"I don't want her to be by herself," Jon added. He knew he had a long night ahead of him with Robb and the war council.
"I'll speak to Mother," Robb said. "She'll understand."
"Thank you," Jon replied, feeling a bit of relief.
Robb nodded. "She'll be safe with Mother. You focus on the council and we'll make sure Shirei is well cared for."
Shirei tried her best to eat, but she didn't have much appetite. She hadn't seen Jon since they had camped for the night, and she was concerned that she had somehow angered him. Why else would he want her to share a tent with Lady Stark instead of him and Ghost? How could she show him that she was a good wife if she didn't even share his tent?
"This has been a long day," Lady Stark said. "You must be tired."
Shirei shook her head. "I should wait for my husband."
"He and Robb still have many things to do. You should rest, dear."
Shirei didn't want to offend Lady Stark; she had been very nice to her, but she still wanted to wait for Jon.
"I know all of this is new to you," Lady Stark continued. "A young girl certainly shouldn't be here, but you don't have to worry. We will arrange a safe place for you to stay."
"A safe place?" Shirei repeated cautiously.
"Yes. A battlefield is no place for a young lady."
"But… I want to stay with Jon."
"I'm sure he also wants you to be safe. You can't stay here, dear."
Shirei swallowed; she was terrified. What had she done wrong? Why did Jon want to send her away? Where would she go? Her thoughts kept her awake long after Lady Stark was asleep. Finally, she couldn't stay in the tent any longer. She needed to go to Jon and ask him not to send her away. Thankfully, there were only a few tents since they had only camped here for a few hours. Jon's tent was easy to find; Ghost was sleeping in front of the entrance.
"Hi," Shirei greeted the wolf, who recognized her immediately and followed her inside. Jon wasn't there. Shirei felt bad for him; did he have any time to sleep? She decided to wait for him and lay down on his bed. Ghost joined her, curling up at her feet. She was grateful for the warmth and tried to stay awake. She had to wait for Jon. Unfortunately, she was very tired and the bed was comfortable. It didn't take long before she drifted into sleep.
