The wolves of Castle Black - Book 2 - GoT

Protect

"How you feeling?"

At the question, Ylina lifted her eyes from her stew and toward Edd, who was sat beside her at the table during supper. It had been five days since the incident with Locke and, for the first time since, Ylina had left Maester Aemon's chambers when he told her she was well enough to at least have a meal by herself, as long as her brother was around. Not that Jon would ever have let Ylina have supper alone after what happened anyway.

"Alright." She shrugged. "Doesn't hurt as much anymore, at least."

Rather clumsily, Ylina reached for her bowl. Jon, sat in front of her, watched as she struggled to grab with only her left hand and, with an amused smile, reached forward to help her. He picked up her bowl and Ylina gave her a small smile as a thanks while her cheeks reddened in embarrassment and she grabbed the bowl from Jon with her left hand and took a sip of her stew before placing it back down.

"Not that I don't appreciate your presence here, my lady, but may I ask why you are eating with us now?" Grenn asked. "I mean, wouldn't it be better for you to stay inside your chambers?"

Ylina looked from him to one of the men sitting behind him in another table. The way he looked over at her before licking his lips definitely brought a shiver down her spine and she hated it. She hated being the only woman in a fortress filled with murderers and rapists. She hated that she felt so powerless every time she stepped out of her chambers but, if before she already felt like that, now with her right arm injured, she couldn't shoot an arrow or work a spear like she used to, so she had to depend on Jon, Edd and Grenn to assure her safety more often than not. And she hated it.

"The girl can't barely eat with her left hand." Jon spoke up, a teasing smile on his lips as he tried to distract her sister from the thoughts he knew were running through her mind while she sat there with them. "If I let her to eat alone in her chambers, she would most likely end up with stew all over the floor."

As the men around her laughed, Ylina rolled her eyes with a tender smile.

"Besides, Jon has barely left my side since the accident." She said, her eyes glued to Jon's as the whirlwind of emotions in there became clear to him. She was annoyed with the whole situation, angry and scared, but at the same time, she was thankful. Thankful that Jon was going out of his way to ensure her safety and well-being. She was sure he had most likely ignored some of his Lord Commander's orders just so he could stay with her more than once. "I can't even change anymore without my big brother standing guard in front of the bedroom door."

Again, the men around her laughed. She smiled when Jon scoffed at her, but reached her hand forward to grab his in silent thanks. Jon nodded, squeezing her hand in his and picking up her bowl again with his free hand, as Ylina let go of him to take yet another sip of stew. When she was finished, she placed the bowl back down and wiped the corners of her mouth with the back of her hand before turning to look at Edd.

"And Daria?" She asked as the man smirked down at her.

"I think she's starting to warm up to me." He said, causing Ylina to giggle.

"Is she now?"

"Well, she hasn't tried to bite off my head the last time I went to see her."

Pyp laughed at that.

"How could she? You were miles away from the thing."

"Still scared of her, are you?" Ylina raised an eyebrow at Edd, as the man rolled his eyes.

"It's a fucking huge direwolf. She's bigger than Ghost!"

"I never asked you to take care of her. Jon would do it just fine." She countered. "You were the one who wanted to get to know her, or whatever it is."