A Jon Snow sequel: Beyond the North (GAME OF THRONES)

Preface

There once was a song of ice and fire, a song that rang to the ends of the Earth and beyond.  The tales of Westeros, the Great War, and the destruction of King's Landing had been told to all from Westeros to Essos.  It appeared the whole world knew of the stories and of the monsters that once roamed.  With Bran the Broken at the helm of Westeros, a new peace covered the continent and kept the people hidden from harm.  Things were beginning to warm and the story of Westeros was at an end, finally free.  For Jon Snow, a man with many titles and a complicated history, his story was just beginning.

For Lilith Ignis, her life on Notheros was completely written out since her first breath. She was thirsty for adventure, a wilting lily desperate for the sun. Little did she know, her lush life would be forever altered when snow falls in her kingdom.

•••

Sunlight beamed into the small room keeping the woman warm as she bled out in the old bed. Sweat poured from her tanned skin with every push and every cry. She wanted this baby out, but after twenty four hours, she began to worry there might be a problem. Her fingernails gripped the sheets so intensely that they penetrated through and punctured her palms. It had felt as though some alien creature was trapped inside of her, and now it was clawing its way out.

The small room was beginning to feel like a casket, getting smaller and smaller with every minute that passed. Outside the door, a king paced waiting to hear for the cry of his child. He had hoped for a son, though it wouldn't be a surprise considering every first born in his lineage had been a boy since the very first king. He ran his large fingers through his long, wavy red hair nearly pulling all of it out. His braided beard swayed like a pendulum with every step he took. The sound of a peaceful outer world could be heard as he passed the window. He stopped and stared at the birds dancing through the cool breeze. They put on a full performance for their mating ritual as if the spring had ignited a feeling of love within them. It was practically night and day between the walls of the castle and the forest outside.

Another hour had passed before the midwife arrived with a pail of hot water, cloths, and a blade to slice the cord. The king touched her shoulder, "Is it time, yet?"

The sweet woman nodded slowly and used a free arm to wipe the sweat from her brow, "We're getting close.. Looks to me she's crowning." The woman's thick accent made it almost impossible for King Ignis to understand her. He took a deep breath and nodded. Carefully examining her expression, he looked to see if there was any fear in the woman's eyes. So far, nothing of the sort.

Helena, the midwife, entered the humid room ready to work. She greeted Melissana with a courtesy and rushed to her side to check on the baby.

"No matter what... please save my child," Melissana let go of the bloodied linen and gently touched Helena's shoulder. Her long, dark hair was completely drenched; it clung to her sweaty skin practically covering her face. Her dark eyes filled with fear as she spoke and her voice came out raspy and dry.

Helena cupped the beautiful woman's face knowing of her fate in these next moments, "I promise, it will be over soon, M'lady."

Another hour gone by in an instant before the midwife opened the door. The king stood from the floor; the cries of a child replaced the woman's screams. Wrapped in a linen cloth was the first born child and the king began to wept. His first, and his only. His heir.

The woman in the bed lay still and cold; her blood dripping from the thin cloth on the mattress.  Her lifeless eyes half open and her mouth agape; her finger twitched twice as if to try and reach for her screaming child.  Helena moved to cover the child's deceased mother after cleaning the blood off of the newborn.  The smell of death consumed the room in an instant. 

King Ignis crouched beside the deceased love of his life. He brushed the soaked hair from her pale face and kissed her once more. He wiped his tears and sighed, the only remnants of his love would be their baby. He will raise the boy the way Melissana wanted.

The king asked the tired woman if he could hold his son. She nodded slowly and handed the small human into the strong arms of their father. 

The midwife washed her hands off and approached the bittersweet man. "It's a girl.."

A pause. A shift in the atmosphere. "A girl?" he asked for reassurance and Helena nodded slowly.  The king's smile widened causing his cheeks to hurt. The first girl. He kissed her wet forehead and hummed softly, "A child born of the spring, may you grow as beautiful as a flower and as strong as a tree. My sweet Lilith, one day you will be queen of the north."