Trials and Tribulations of the Oathkeeper

Chapter 74: Interlude -- Jon Snow

―The Wall―

The darkness of night had coveted the skies above the sworn brothers of the Night's Watch; winter clouds and freezing winds blew and chilled their bones in anticipation of what's to come. Stationed atop the icy walkway of the Wall, Jon Snow's eyes scoured across the forest trees that lay beyond the Wall—scouting, watching... waiting. He had a rough year and risked a lot to betray the Free Folk he had accompanied and escape to Castle Black to report his findings to the Night's Watch leadership.

"Mance's army was closing in on Craster's Keep when we left. We saw their campfires from Osric's Hill. They'll reach the Wall before the next full moon," he told them.

Before that, Jon led a small group of his loyal brethren back to Craster's Keep to slay the traitorous mutineers responsible for murdering the previous Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, Jeor Mormont, before they could pass on any information about Castle Black to the King-Beyond-the-Wall Mance Rayder and his massive wildling army—killing their notorious leader Karl Tenner and avenging Mormont's death. But even so, Jon Snow shook his head as he was still forced to endure public humiliation and ridicule amongst the older veterans—especially the Master-at-Arms Ser Alliser Throne, now serving as Acting Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. When Jon was seen training the additional recruits and suggested sealing the tunnels, Ser Alliser was on him hard.

"Grenn's a ranger, you're a steward. Maybe you forgot that while you were away with your wildling bitch, but I didn't," Alliser sharply reprimanded him. Or... "You would cut off our legs, pluck out our eyes, leave us cowering behind the Wall hoping for the storm to pass?"

"We can't defend the gate against 100,000 men."

"This castle has stood for thousands of years. The Night's Watch has defended her for thousands of years. And in all those centuries, we have never sealed the tunnel."

Jon was visibly angry and frustrated with Ser Alliser's dismissals. He knew that even with acquiring an additional 8,500 conscripts and volunteers from across the realm to replenish the Night's Watch's depleted numbers and bolster its ranks to man the other abandoned castles as well as the arrival of shipments containing food, weapons and armor, the Night's Watch was still heavily outnumbered by an approximately 12:1 ratio. But worse than that... was the thought of leaving Ygritte behind. Jon closed his eyes and sadly frowned, shaking his head as her face entered his thoughts.

"You know nothing, Jon Snow," Ygritte always taunted Jon. "You're brave... Stupid, but brave."

"The girl likes you," Mance Rayder told him. "You like her back, Snow? That why you want to join us?"

"I don't ever want to leave this cave, Jon Snow. Not ever."

"Do you think I'm as dumb as all those girls in silk dresses you knew growing up? You're loyal and you're brave," she told him. "You didn't stop being a crow the day you walked into Mance Rayder's tent. But I'm your woman now, Jon Snow. You're going to be loyal to your woman. The Night's Watch don't care if you live or die. Mance Rayder don't care if I live or die. We're just soldiers in their armies and there's plenty more to carry on if we go down. It's you and me that matters to me and you. Don't ever betray me. Because I'll cut your pretty cock right off, and wear it around me neck."

Jon felt honor bound to commit to his vows to the Night's Watch, though that did little to ease the pain he felt in his heart. He missed Ygritte deeply and yet he still betrayed her when he killed the wildling warg Orell and three other wildlings under Tormund Giantsbane's command before making his daring escape.