"Of Snow, Sea, and Shadows: Book 1" One Woman Keep [GoT]

Black Mountain

We were on the dirt track that was a road, Jon's white gelding walking in front of Midnight. I didn't quite know what made me offer for him to travel with me, and equally I didn't quite know why he accepted. I guess we all have our reasons. We rode in silence just like always, because we had nothing to say, however it also allowed us to listen for foreign sounds around us. We were walking through deep wood and trees lent dangerously low, their branches grazing our heads and tempting our mounts to eat. There was a fork in the road, the largest tiny expanse of space we had come across since. Jon went to turn left, the normal road to Storm's End. But at our current travelling rate, we would never reach a settlement before sun down so I change our course slightly. It's time to return to my people.

"Jon." I say, and he follows me.

"Storm's End is this way," he says while redirecting his horse.

"I know," I reply and keep going. In a mere fifteen minutes a crow lands on my shoulder. I can feel Jon's confusion from his place behind me. A twin crow lands on the back of my saddle studying him. We are near the 'cursed' land and Jon is growing uneasy. He asks for a re-confirmation of where we are headed, and I tell him I know where we are going. We reach a small clearing before the mountain and I stop. He opens his mouth to speak; as if I was crazy to lead him to the cursed lands, then he seems to remember who I am. Soon a fleet of black horses emerge from the woods to the right, leading the small armada is my closest confidant, Ales. He is dressed like me, though doesn't posses as much weapons as I do. The nine of them dismount facing me and bow; even Jon's horse is growing uneasy now and nervously shifts its posture.

"Get off the horse," I instruct, to which he complies. He leads the horse to me and I hold it, motioning for him to walk towards Ales.  Jon is only an inch shorter than a person I trust my life with, and he I. Where Jon is dark curls and shadows, Ales is like a beacon with gleaming icy hair and milky skin.

"Jon Snow," he greets and Jon meets his gaze "My Captain has deemed you worthy to travel with her, therefore I will defend your life with my own."

"As will I you," Jon automatically replies. His training at the Wall has instilled in him, the mentality of survival in a pack. They all get back on their horses, a mixture of palominos, paints, black stallions, and brown mares, and we make our way around the foot of the mountain and into our heavily fortified base. The horses are tethered in an area of the cave that has natural water from the springs and its own ventilation system. Jon and I will share a room while the others occupy the other barracks.

"Must we share?" he asks

"Tired of me already?" I ask as I prepare to cook a stew for the both of us. Some Shadows caught rabbits and skinned and prepared them for us, I was chopping potatoes and carrots while a thick broth was bubbling in a small pot over a wood fire.

"Why are you taking so many precautions?" he asks as he sheds his heavy travelling coats.

"You'd be surprised how many curious idiots come poking around here. Besides, you can never be too sure," I slide the vegetables into the stew. The heady scent of rich, creamy soup filled the caverns of the cave and our nostrils. Jon starts to pace, wandering from one end of our small room to the other. We don't have beds here, in case there is a need to quickly evacuate, so two bedrolls are spread out on the stone floor on opposite sides of the room.

"I just don't understand why we need to be confined to this tiny room," he complains, his pacing never ceased.

"It is for your own protection," I say off-handily while I concentrate on the stew.

"I know how to defend myself," he remarks, obviously annoyed that I would even suggest such a thing.

"Jon, we all need protecting,"

"To hell with that!" he shouts "You don't know me, or anything I've been through in my life!" his breathing is shallow and fast, and I could practically hear the blood coursing through his veins. I simply outstretched my hand:

"Eat," still furious, he obeys and settles next to me as he eats. A few moments pass in silence as I process what he says and he stabs at his meal with his spoon.

"I know what it's like," I say, attempting to create conversation. He scoffs.

"You don't know the half of it," he retorts. Silence.

"I was bastard born you know?" I say. His head immediately whips up to look at me.

"Don't look so surprised. Most of us in the Legion are,"

"Is that why you call yourself Bay instead of Em?"

"My story," I sigh "Is a bit more complicated than that," I pause, as I ready myself to explain everything about me.

"Do you know of a stone called an Emberlei rock?" I ask

"The rarest in all of the land. It's only found in Essos, if not beyond that," he replies

"Good, you've been doing your research. I was born in Qarth, where I met Clarin. My father was a highborn noble, or so the woman who ran the orphanage told me. After I ran away from that god-forsaken place, I was intrigued. I desperately wanted to know who my parents were. But of course, at that time is when I had already joined the Legions, and knew I had to make sacrifices. I snuck into the libraries of the Palace of Qarth. By eavesdropping, I found out that the Maester must keep a log of all the births in the Royal family, even if the child is stillborn.

"I found out that my father is the Castellan of Qarth, Grendel, brother to the crown Prince. However, in Qarth tradition, if a woman is to get pregnant, the couple must get married. My mother was a whore, and I have never seen her in my life, but at one stage, my father was to marry her, as she was carrying me. You may not know, but the Crown Prince, Matthias, is infertile; as a result of a birth defect. Naturally, the Lord was excited, to finally have a grandchild running around the lush palace grounds.

"But my father had a different plan. He and my mother decided to pretend that I was a stillborn and call off the wedding. And they did just that. But my grandfather still named me, so that he may never forget his first grandchild. Emberlei is my real name. Say it in Qarth and the city will rejoice, for their long lost desert gem has returned. In a way, it is a gift and a curse,"

"So why didn't you go back?" Jon put down his bowl and edged closer.

"Going back would mean putting my father in danger. You know Lord Baylis, he's not a kind man if you lie to him, especially not to his sons. Although my grandfather would have me back with welcoming arms and a parade, I don't want my father flayed. Not to mention my uncle, Prince Matthias, would never forgive my father either," I finished off my soup and cleaned up his bowl too. There was a heavy ironwood door set into the smooth walls of the cavern. The door itself was probably a foot in thickness with a sliding iron partition at head height. I rapped quickly and it slid open effortlessly, I passed the bowl to gloved hands and turned back to face the fire and Jon. He was wringing his hands and his head was bowed. I slowly sat down beside him.

"I'm sorry Em," he says, not looking at me

"It's fine Jon. Most people have the same reaction," I brush it off easily, as it is true. I had to prove myself to all the assassins I lead today. It wasn't easy, but it had to be done.

"No you don't understand," he turns to face me "I now know why you've brought me here. I thought you were just trying to use me as part of a sick game. But-"

"But now you know that we are even more similar than you think. I am like you Jon. Never forget that," I say. Suddenly he takes my hands and looks at me in earnest.

"I will never forget Em. Thank you." He bows his head, in an act of both guilt and respect.

"No, thank you." We hug briefly and then retire for the evening. The cavern whispers with the soft sound of his breathing, whereas years of training and conditioning have made my breathing inaudible. There's a gentle current swirling around the room, which lulls me to sleep. Tomorrow will be interesting.