DISASTROUS ( Jon Snow )

23

how terrible it is to love something death can touch

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Jon hadn't been as nearly joyful as Amaris had hoped. Still, he received them kindly, offering Amaris a smile that showed only a glimpse of the emotions they held for each other. Davos, however, was ignoring that as he tried and failed to convince Jon to help.

"We don't have enough men to make any difference," Jon said in response to Davos' pleas.

"The wildlings will make a difference," Davos argued.

"The wildlings will never fight for Stannis," Jon shot back, stopping and turning to face Davos and Amaris. "I told them before."

"You saved their bloody lives," Davos yelled, cutting off Jon's speech. "If they're gonna live in the Seven Kingdoms, safe behind our wall, they ought to fight for the damn place."

"It's not their fight," Jon yelled, just as loudly and ten times more passionately.

Amaris averted her gaze, not wanting to be part of the argument. She understood both Davos and Jon, and knew what each of them believed in. It would be best, she figured, to let the men battle it out before she swooped in to pick up the pieces and tell the wind where to blow.

Somewhere to her right, a man yelled the order to open the gates. When Amaris looked over, she saw Melisandre riding in on a lone horse.

"No," Amaris gasped.

She yanked the skirt of her dress up and sprinted towards The Red Woman. When Amaris saw the dull look on Melisandre's face, she knew what that meant. Clapping a hand to her mouth, Amaris sunk to the ground.

"How many?" she sobbed, looking up at Melisandre.

"All of them," Melisandre replied, her voice cracking as she spoke.

Amaris leant over and sobbed harder than before, mud staining her hands and rocks cutting into her palms as she dry heaved. Two gentle hands lifted her up and pulled her into a huge. Amaris was unsure if it was Jon or Davos, but she was too sad to care; she just turned and sobbed into the man's chest.

"Stannis?" Jon's voice asked.

It was a few feet away from her, Amaris realized, so it was Davos that was holding her. Melisandre didn't answer Jon, but Amaris' cries were enough confirmation.

"Shireen?" Davos asked suddenly, his voice desperate. "The princess?"

Amaris wailed loudly – suddenly the screams she had heard in her dreams made all the sense in the world.

"Is there a room," Davos asked Jon in a low voice, "where I can take Princess Amaris? She should grieve in peace."

"Of course," Jon said huskily. "Follow me."

Numbly, Amaris followed Davos, her chest heaving with silent sobs. Jon's voice sounded millions of miles away when he told Davos that they could stay for as long as they needed to.

"Is that wildling girl still here?" Davos asked Jon, as he sat Amaris down on her bed. "The Princess needs to be cleaned up."

Jon shook his head, feeling immense sadness as he looked at Amaris' depressed figure.

"She left with Sam – they're off to Oldtown," Jon said. "I can clean Princess Amaris up," Jon added. "I know a thing or two about losing family, after all."

Against his better judgement, Davos nodded and exited the chamber with the intent of finding Lady Melisandre.

Once Davos left, closing the door behind him softly, Jon made his way towards Amaris and cradled her face in his hands. It was odd, he thought, to see something so soft being touched by hands so calloused and scarred. He frowned slightly and moved to the corner of the room to fill a small basin with water.