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

XXII: Journey Back Home

Jon barely slept for two weeks, his mind constantly in a hurricane of emotions. Between Arya on the verge of death in the tent screaming for the pain she endured and the absence of Lilith's spirit, the man was at war with his emotions. Thoughts plagued his mind, Lilith's corpse hanging on a long oak branch bloated and decomposing. Every night he could hear her screams as if she was next door being raped by countless men while he lay in bed unable to move; unable to stop it. He stayed by Arya's side through it all even after many attempts to flee to the market. If Lilith was alive still, she would be back by now; Jon could feel the line tethered between them going further and further.

Two weeks exactly, that is when a beautiful brown horse came trotting through the camp with a single rider and a familiar bag slung on her back. The horse whinnied and huffed as she came to a halt, the maiden dropped her oversized hood. The free folk gathered surrounding the horse all weapons drawn.

The beautiful princess exclaimed, "Where is the one called Jon Snow!?" Her horse backed up in an act of nervousness but the beauty remained steady. All eyes slowly turned to the man in black stomping towards the stranger before them.

Jon drew longclaw quickly upon sights of Lilith's bag, "Where did you get that!?" He ordered with such fierceness it sent a shiver down the woman's spine.

Serena tossed the bag on the ground, "Lilith handed me this in exchange for her going to see my mother, Queen Frutta of God's Bounty."

Jon picked the bag up examining it. No blood, nothing but all of the herbs and medicine needed for Arya. He handed it over to their Maester, "Get this to Arya, please." The man nodded.

"I will be leaving now," the girl nodded her horse moved to turn around, meeting Tormund causing the steed to throw Serena to the ground. Tormund grabbed hold of the horse's reins before it could take off.

He aimed his battle axe down at the Princess, "Where is the girl?" His voice a low rumble, like a storm moving in fast and violent.

The girl touched his blade gently pushing it out of her face, "If any harm comes to me, Lilith will be killed." Giantsbane huffed, taking his weapon away but keeping it nearby.

Jon approached from behind, "Why is she in God's Bounty?"

Serena stood, brushing mud from her clothing, "My mother needs to speak with her, it's very urgent. It involves the future of Notheros. If I don't get back, Lilith will be kept there. And if I'm killed, she will be killed." Jon's eyes dart to Tormund who raised his brows in a shrug.

"I will accompany you back to your kingdom so I can retrieve Lilith," Jon ordered sheathing his sword.

Serena laughed softly, "Fine... Just don't get me killed, you're a wanted man." She whistled for her horse, "We leave at dusk."

The fire crackled and popped beneath a crescent moon and starry sky. Serena sat across the stranger from the North, his white skin now red against the fire's glow. She tore a piece of cooked rabbit flesh from the bones, juice running down her chin and the Smokey flavor making her tastebuds go wild. She stared at the man while his eyes avoided her completely.

"You know... We are going to be traveling for the next ten days, you could at least acknowledge my existence," Serena spoke finally tired of the silence.

Jon glanced at her, sighing in defeat, "I don't particularly believe we have much to talk about." He threw another log into the fire. Serena tossed the remains of her dinner into the flames, watching as the meat charred and curled.

"I am not the enemy here. Lilith's purpose is more than hiding away in the woods with you," the princess spat.

Jon's eyes flickered, "You are not the enemy.. yet you've taken her."

"In exchange for my life, that isn't taking. I could have easily overpowered her with my men... Like I said, I am not the enemy Daemon is." Daemon. The snake in Notheros, slithering around gobbling up all of the rodents residing here.

"He won't be for long. I intend on killing him," Jon attempted to remain calm as he expressed his disgust towards the devilish prince.

"Daemon killed someone I love. I might beat you to it," Serena admitted earning an apologetic glance from Snow.

"Apologies for your loss," Jon lowered his voice, a sign of his respect.

Serena brushed a tear from her cheek, "Apologies unnecessary, you didn't kill him... It's unfortunate I was never able to bury him. Ramses, I was supposed to marry him on his nineteenth nameday."

Jon's face lit up, "Lilith's brother?"

Serena nodded, she curled up on the ground underneath her small woven blanket, "He only made it to seventeen."

Jon sighed softly and after a moment spoke, "We gave him a proper burial. My friend, Tormund, and I. Cut him down and made sure he was laid to rest." Serena didn't speak after that, she simply cried herself to sleep.

The road carried Jon and Serena through the vast countryside with seemingly not many people. Through rain and sunshine they pushed on towards God's Bounty, determined to embrace Lilith once more. Upon stopping near a clear stream to refill their water canisters, Jon unsheathed his sword. Voices carried from the trees opposite the stream. Serena moved with him, readying her bow.

The voices of chattering men echoed through the trees, their laughs causing the branches to quake. Serena tasted bile in her throat once they could make out what the men were talking about. Six men, sitting around a fire drinking and eating what looked to be bread and stew. Their armor tossed aside, the sigil of the Blacklands stamped on the chest plates. Serena readied her bow as Jon snuck around to get an angle on another man.

"You think we'll be able to hit them where they sleep?" One man asked, tearing into the bread like a maniac.

"Aye, Daemon said we could rape the women as we please but leave the raven haired bitch for him," Callum their leader chuckled. The rest of the men joined in laughing until their bellies hurt.

A faint whistle echoed through the tree line causing the men to drop their food and look around. The silence was loud, the sound of an arrow cut through the trees aggressively charging at one of the men. Its head pierced through the large brute's neck, slicing the jugular open and spilling his blood. The others stood quickly, weapons drawn, but not before another arrow landed through the eye of another comrade. One by one, the men were picked off until the last standing was their commanding officer.

"Where are you!?" His deep, grisly voice echoed through the woods. Serena approached cautiously and quiet. She was a hunter disguised as a field mouse. With the swiftness of her steps she managed to sneak up behind him, slicing into his armor less ankle sending him to the ground.
Callum cried out, grabbing at his ankle to stop the bleeding and Serena kicked his sword away.

"You fucking whore!" He spat. Jon approached next, grabbing the steel from the ground.

"What is your little brat leader planning?" Serena asked, kneeling herself to be at the soldier's level.

He simply chuckled, "Daemon will be king soon.. you will all be eradicated. War is coming." In one swift motion, he grabbed a blade from a small holster on his side and slit his throat. Callum's body fell limp on the soil beneath him, blood spilling out.

Jon spoke up, "Why did he do that? What does he mean war is coming?" Serena sighed, knowing what the dead soldier's threat entailed.

She turned to Jon, fear in her eyes, "We have to get back.."