Lost beyond the wall, Jasmine Otherys and her twin Isabelle encounter creatures they've never seen before looming their surroundings, killing their companions, and leaving them all alone, stranded in a harsh environment.
Their flee ends them right o...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
IN THE MIDST of the raging battle, the unleashed direwolf, Ghost, became a flurry of fur and fangs, lunging at one of the men that Jon was fiercely engaged with. Jasmine, fueled by a surge of determination, hastened after Ghost with her bow poised, her senses on high alert. Meanwhile, Jon turned to face another Wildling, the battlefield a chaotic dance of clashing wills.
From her vantage point, Jasmine observed the intensity of the struggle between Jon and the Wildling, their fierce grapple unfolding like a primal contest. As the Wildling sought to force Jon's face against an unforgiving anvil, her readiness to act surged, bow string taut with tension. Yet, before she could release her arrow, Jon countered with a powerful blow from a hammer, turning the tide of the duel.
Jon's swift pivot brought him face to face with a Wildling woman, her bow drawn and aimed, the air thick with the charged energy of conflict. Their gaze locked a momentary suspension of time where fear and determination intermingled in a heart-stopping dance.
In the midst of this charged battlefield, Jasmine felt her heart racing, her senses attuned to the volatile energy surrounding her. Protectiveness surged within her for Jon, her fingers deftly adjusting an arrow in her bow, ready to release its deadly course. But conflicting emotions pulled at her caught between the necessity of war and the reluctance to cause harm.
As Jon acknowledged the Wildling woman with a serene and resolute smile, a brief yet powerful exchange transpired—a fleeting connection amidst the chaos. But destiny wove an unexpected turn as Jasmine's arrow took flight, a testament to her unwavering loyalty to Jon, a painful sacrifice for the sake of protection.
The arrow struck true, piercing the woman's heart, her body convulsing with the force of the impact. A gasp caught in Jasmine's throat, witnessing the consequence of her action, a profound ache settling within her. She watched Jon rush to the fallen Wildling woman, realizing the gravity of her act—this was the same woman he had once loved, and she had extinguished her life to preserve his.
In the aftermath, Jon rushed to the fallen Wildling woman, desperation in his eyes as her life slipped away. Jasmine stood at a distance, the weight of her choice pressing on her as he held Ygritte in his arms, his gaze meeting Jasmine's apologetic eyes.
The battle drew to a close, the retreating Wildlings leaving behind a lone formidable man, battered and still swinging his sword despite the arrows protruding from his back.
"Tormund," Jon called out, his voice tinged with weariness. "It's over. Let it end."
"This is how a man meets his end," the Wildling man retorted, defiant in the face of defeat, still lashing out.
Jon swiftly grabbed a crossbow and aimed, a single shot hitting Tormund in the leg. The impact made him drop his weapon, and Jon wasted no time in asserting control over the situation. "Put him in chains," he ordered the men of the Night's Watch. "We'll question him later."
"I should've thrown you from the top of your wall, boy!" Tormund spat the bitterness of defeat fueling his words.
"Aye, you should've," Jon muttered under his breath.
Jasmine and Jon refrained from exchanging any words, their communication was limited to intense eye contact. Uncertainty hung heavy in the air, leaving them unsure of what to say or how to act. Outside, the Night's Watch men were busy cleaning up after the brutal battle.
"We held them off," Sam remarked as he trailed Jon down the stairs, ready to move out, with Jasmine and Isabelle close behind.
"For one night," Jon responded.
"This is a great victory."
"Great victory?" Jon halted and turned to face them. "Mance was testing our defenses. He almost made it through. And he has more giants, more mammoths. He has a thousand times as many men. They'll hit us again tonight. Maybe we can hold them off for a day or two, but we can never beat them."
"Where are you going?" Isabelle inquired.
"I'm going to find Mance," Jon informed her as he resumed his walk toward the nearly destroyed gate.
"To... you can't do that," Sam objected. "No one gave you any orders."
"Who's left to give orders?" Jon hissed. "The Wildling army is only an army because of Mance. He united a hundred warring tribes. Without Mance, they lose their leader, their purpose. They'll go back to fighting each other, scatter back to their homes."
"Without Mance?" Sam asked, following Jon along with Isabelle while Jasmine slacked behind. "You're going to kill him?"
"I'm going to try," Jon stated.
"They'll never let you within a hundred yards of him," Sam pointed out. "And even if you did, even if you managed to kill him."
"He'll kill me," Jon acknowledged. "If I don't go, he'll kill me anyway. They'll kill the rest of us too."
"He won't just kill you," Sam reminded him. "They'll boil you. They'll filet you. They'll make it last days!"
"You're right. It's a bad plan. What's your plan?"
Jon stood there for a second, locking eyes with Sam, then continued walking. Sam scrambled after him, with Isabelle and Jasmine in tow. They walked down the tunnel toward the gate.
Jasmine's gaze fell upon the fallen giant and Grenn, along with his brave men lying lifeless on the ground. They had paid the ultimate price, their lives sacrificed to fulfil Jon's desperate plea to defend the gate
"They held the gate," Jon whispered.
Grenn's stoic determination had guided them through the battle, a beacon of leadership and bravery. His loss was felt deeply.
"Get some brothers down here to help you," he instructed Sam. "You need to burn the bodies. Raise the outer gate, then lower it again as soon as I'm out."
Sam gestured with his torch, signalling the gate's ascent, and Jon unsheathed his sword.
"What are you doing?" Sam inquired.
"I promised Jeor I'd never lose it again," Jon replied, handing the sword to Sam. "In case I don't come back."
Sam accepted the sword with a solemn nod as Jon turned to head out.
"Jon," Jasmine called out, halting him for a moment. He turned to meet her gaze. "Come back."
With a nod, he proceeded through the ascending gate, leaving the fortress behind.
