Chapter 6

When Jon finally returned to his tent, he was exhausted. The war council had dragged on for hours, and all he could think about was getting some rest. As he approached his tent, he noticed Ghost was not alone. The direwolf was curled up protectively around a small figure.

Jon's heart softened when he saw Shirei asleep on his bed, her face peaceful despite the tension of the day. Quietly, Jon moved to sit beside the bed, careful not to wake her. Ghost lifted his head briefly, then settled back down. Jon frowned as he met the direwolf's gaze.

"Well, you have made yourself comfortable, haven't you?"

Ghost leaned his head on Shirei's leg; he looked more than pleased with himself.

"I know I told you to look after her, but this wasn't exactly what I meant."

The wolf let out a lazy ruff. Jon smiled; he couldn't deny that the duo looked very sweet. But why was Shirei here, she should be in Catelyn's tent. Jon was just wondering what to do when she sighed before slowly opening her eyes.

"Jon?" she murmured sleepily.

"Aye, I'm here."

She yawned and made room for him.

"Come to bed, you need to sleep."

He bit his bottom lip, feeling uncomfortable.

"Shirei… That wouldn't be…right."

He could tell that she was alarmed as she quickly got into a sitting position.

"I…I'm sorry," she stuttered. "I didn't mean to intrude; I can sleep on the ground…"

"No, no, that's not what I meant," Jon cut in. "What I meant was that it's not…appropriate for us to share a bed."

Shirei looked at him, her eyes wide with confusion and hurt. "But... we're husband and wife," she said insecurely. "We shared a bed last night."

"Yes, because we had to."

She lowered her gaze, her hurt evident.

"I don't please you," she murmured. "I'm sorry, I can learn. Please, tell me what to do."

Jon's heart ached when he saw her distress. He sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed, trying to find the right words.

"No, you haven't done anything wrong. The reason why it feels wrong for me to share a bed with you is because you are so young. I don't want you to be scared or uncomfortable."

"I'm not. You have been very kind to me, I'm not afraid of you."

"I'm glad to hear that," he replied smiling.

She looked at him shyly.

"I would like to stay with you. May I?"

Jon hesitated; he really wasn't sure what to say.

"You need to rest," she added.

"Yes, but…"

"Please," she said, gesturing for him to lie down. "It's alright, Jon. I feel safe with you."

A part of him still hesitated, but he was too tired to continue arguing. He really needed some sleep.

"I just want to do what's best for you, Shirei. But if you feel safe here, then you can stay."

Shirei's face brightened a little, and she gave him a small, tentative smile. "Thank you."

They both lay down while Ghost made himself comfortable between them. Jon was so exhausted that it only took him a few seconds to fall asleep.


"What is this? What did you do?"

"Nothing, my lady, I swear. I would never…"

Shirei woke up when she heard someone speaking. She was still very tired, but she knew that she needed to wake up. She opened her eyes and saw Lady Stark who was glaring at Jon. He was standing next to the bed.

"What is she doing here?" Lady Stark asked, she sounded angry.

"She was here when I came to my tent," Jon replied.

"And you simply allowed her to stay?"

"I…"

"I wanted to stay," Shirei cut in.

Jon turned to look at her.

"Good morning," he said, forcing a smile on his face.

Shirei looked at Lady Stark.

"I'm sorry, Lady Stark, I didn't mean to worry you, but I wanted to be with my husband."

"I'm not blaming you for anything, dear," she replied, smiling. "Jon should have known better than let you stay here…"

"I wanted to stay," Shirei said as bravely as she dared. "Jon hasn't done anything wrong."

"Alright," Lady Stark sighed. "Come with me now, we must get ready. We can have some breakfast in my tent…"

"Forgive me, but I would like to have breakfast with Jon." Shirei paused and looked at him. "May I?"

Jon cleared his throat.

"Sure."

Shirei really didn't want to anger Lady Stark, but she wanted desperately to show Jon that she could be a good wife for him. He didn't have to send her away.

Lady Stark's eyes narrowed, but she gave Shirei a tense smile. "Very well," she said, though her tone was reluctant. "But Jon, we need to talk later."

Jon nodded. "Of course, my lady."

With that, Lady Stark left the tent, and Shirei let out a sigh of relief. She turned to Jon, worry still evident in her eyes. "I'm sorry if I caused trouble," she murmured.

Jon sat down beside her, his expression softening. "You didn't cause any trouble, Shirei. I'm just worried about your well-being."

"I feel safe with you," she repeated softly. "I don't want to be sent away."

"You won't be sent away. I promise. But we have to be careful. Lady Stark is just looking out for us, and she wants to make sure everything is proper."

Shirei nodded, feeling a bit reassured. "I understand."

"Good," Jon replied with a small smile. "Now, let's get some breakfast."

They ate together quietly, the tension from the earlier confrontation slowly easing. Jon noticed that Shirei seemed more at ease when she was with him, and he was determined to make sure she felt safe and cared for.

As they finished their meal, Robb entered the tent, looking concerned. "Everything alright?" he asked.

"Yes," Jon replied. "Lady Stark was just worried about Shirei."

Robb nodded, understanding the situation. "We need to get moving soon. The men are ready to march."

Jon glanced at Shirei. "Are you ready to ride?"

She nodded. "Yes, Jon. I'm ready."


That night, when they camped again, Shirei was once again sent to Lady Stark's tent. She had heard how Lady Stark had talked to Jon earlier, and she didn't like it at all. Jon was the kindest man there was; he deserved respect and kindness in return. Who would serve his meals and wash his clothes if Shirei wasn't there? Who would take care of him? Shirei was just wondering what she should do when Lord Stark entered the tent.

"Oh, forgive me," he said as he noticed Shirei. "I was looking for my mother."

Shirei curtsied and greeted him as respectfully as she could. "My lord. I… May I… May I speak to you?"

He was surprised at first, but that was quickly replaced by concern. "Yes, of course, my lady. Is everything alright?"

Shirei hesitated; she would have never thought that she would dare to address him. But now she had to. For Jon.

"My lord, I… I am worried about Jon. He needs someone to take care of him, and I want to be that person. I know I'm new to all of this, but I want to be a good wife to him."

Lord Stark stared at her for a moment, utterly stunned.

"Well…" he started after clearing his throat. "That's… That's very thoughtful of you, my lady. I am sure my brother appreciates your efforts very much."

Shirei kept her eyes down, unsure if he was mocking her, but she couldn't give up.

"Please, my lord," she continued, her voice trembling slightly. "I want to be by his side. I can make sure he eats and gets rest. I just want to be useful to him."

Lord Stark took a deep breath before replying. "Lady Shirei, your concern for Jon is admirable. It shows your strength and dedication. But my mother only wants to ensure your safety."

Shirei looked up, desperation in her eyes. "But who will look after Jon? He needs someone too. I promise I won't be a burden."

Lord Stark smiled as he stepped closer to Shirei.

"I must say that you are quite an impressive young lady," he stated, his tone kind. "My brother is lucky to have you."

Shirei blushed, keeping her eyes down.

"Thank you, my lord," she murmured. "I… I can be useful, I promise you."

He nodded.

"I am sure you can. I'll speak with Jon and my mother. Perhaps we can find an adequate solution for this."

Shirei felt a flicker of hope. "Thank you, my lord. I just want to do my part."

Lord Stark nodded. "I understand. Get some rest for now. I will see what can be done."

As Lord Stark left the tent, Shirei felt a mix of anxiety and hope. She wanted to be by Jon's side, to show him that she could be a good wife and support him through these challenging times. She prayed that Lord Stark's intervention would help make that possible.