Until the Seven Hells Freeze Over

Chapter 8- Timothy

Jon's POV

I met Sam outside the front doors to Castle Black before sunrise. Y/N was still sleeping peacefully upstairs; it had nearly broken my heart to leave her there, but I was afraid that if I woke her to say goodbye, I wouldn't be able to leave after looking into her eyes.

The wind was howling with a ferocity I hadn't heard since I was a child. Snowstorms like these had always frightened me when I was little, and if I was being honest with myself, I still got rattled sometimes by the way the wind raged, threatening to rip every tree in the North from its roots.

Sam and I stood in silence, listening to the roaring of the wind, squinting our eyes to keep out the snow that swirled and danced around us. It was only thanks to our incredibly thick fur cloaks that we weren't frozen to the bone within minutes.

It's too damn cold, I thought to myself. That bastard would be crazy to venture here in this.

But I knew what Y/N had said about this man. He was ruthless. And if he ventured all the way to Mole's Town in the snow and sleet and ice, then he'd venture here too.

I'd have to use every ounce of restraint not to kill him on sight.

When Y/N had been ill, and I'd peeled the soaking dress from her body to clothe her in something thick and warm, I'd noticed the bruises everywhere. I'd been so filled with adrenaline and panic that I hadn't taken the time to consider where the bruises came from. But when I learned the truth, the full truth of what had happened before she made the journey here...it had consumed my every thought since.

She was so kind, so gentle.... I'd never heard her speak ill of anyone, nor treat anyone with disdain or contempt. She even got both of my sisters to like her, and my sisters never agreed on anything.

Which made me all the more homicidal towards the monster who could know all of that and still have the urge to harm her.

"Jon," said Sam, breaking the silence, and only then did I realize I was shaking. Not out of the cold, not even out of fear, but out of anger.

I looked down at the frozen ground and blew out a long breath, steadying myself. "I'm alright," I muttered.

"Are you?" said Sam, unconvinced. "Remember that this is your first official day as Lord Commander. It wouldn't be a good start if you murdered someone in cold blood."

I clenched my jaw; of course, he was right. I had to control my emotions, as hard as it was.

I looked out at the desolate, snow-covered field that led to Castle Black, and the forest just beyond. I imagined Y/N emerging from that treeline, beside herself with fear and running with all the strength she could muster, and it broke my heart all over again.

I could not fail her. I would not fail her.

As the stars finally faded away and the sky lightened from black, to navy, to periwinkle, a figure emerged from the treeline, holding a lantern to guide them.

Sam and I both immediately grabbed the hilt of our swords and waited.

The figure did not run; rather, it walked slowly, deliberately, as if it was a balmy spring day. It was definitely a Northerner. No Southerner could fake nonchalance in the midst of weather like this.

When the figure got close enough, I could see it was a male. Tall and broad-shouldered, with hair the color of burnt chestnuts and eagle-like green eyes. As he came into view, recognition slowly washed over me. I knew this man; I'd seen him around Winterfell before but never knew his name.

I looked at Sam, and he nodded once, confirming that this was the man he'd seen in the inn last night. This was Timothy Stillwell.

When Timothy got close enough to see us both standing guard, he raised his eyebrows in astonishment.