DISASTROUS ( Jon Snow )

26

heroes aren't fearless.
heroes are brave;
bravery requires fear,
and fear is born of loving something enough
that it's loss will break you.

__________

Jon was gasping for breath, fear evident in his eyes, as he shot up. He was barely paying attention to Amaris as he looked down at the wounds on his torso – but Amaris was okay with that; she was too frozen with shock to do anything to help him. It was lucky that Davos heard the commotion.

The Onion Knight pulled his cloak from his shoulders and crossed the room to offer it to Jon. Jon's knees fell out from under him and though Amaris sprang up to help, Davos reached Jon first.

"Easy, easy," Davos mumbled as he helped Jon sit on the table. "Easy."

Footsteps echoed down the hallway, drawing Amaris' eyes. Melisandre, eyes wide and jaw slack, entered the room.

"What do you remember?"

Jon, still shaking from shock and confusion, glanced up at Davos.

"They stabbed me," Jon finally spoke. "Olly... he put a knife in my heart."

Sighing, Amaris put her hands on her face and ran them over the back of her head. She was so confused and could only begin to imagine how Jon was feeling. Amaris looked up and locked eyes with Melisandre. She couldn't figure out why Melisandre hadn't told her what those chants had been for.

"I shouldn't be here," Jon said, shaking his head as he looked around.

"Lady Melisandre and Princess Amaris brought you back," Davos explained, gesturing from one woman to the other.

Instantly, Jon whipped his head around to find Amaris. He hadn't even realized she was in the room. She stood frozen, her face pale and hands clenched together at her stomach. She forced a small, awkward smile onto her face.

Unable to help herself, Melisandre drew Jon's attention and crouched down before him, placing her hands on her knees.

"Afterwards, after they stabbed you, after you died, where did you go? What did you see?"

Amaris was curious on that too. Had he seen R'hllor – or something else? What happened when people died? Her mind drifted to her father, sister, and step-mother. A quick prayer ran through her brain as she thought of them.

"Nothing," Jon answered simply. "There was nothing at all."

Amaris had expected Melisandre to grow depressed at Jon's insight. However, the Red Woman just smiled at Jon.

"The Lord let you come back for a reason. Stannis was not the prince who was promised, but someone has to be," Melisandre's face showed desperation, but Amaris wasn't sure if anyone except her could notice that.

Finally, it was then – when Melisandre was gripping the cloak around Jon and Jon was looking at the floor – that Amaris could speak.

"Davos, Melisandre, would you mind leaving for a moment?"

Once the door was closed, Amaris grabbed a stool and sat down in front of Jon. She held onto his hands and waited for him to speak. He was already so overwhelmed; she didn't want to make it any worse for him. Except that Jon didn't seem keen on speaking up any time soon. Exhaling, Amaris scooted the stool closer to him.

"You died, Jon, and then you came back to life. I helped bring you back to life somehow and I find it absolutely mad, so I can only begin to imagine how you must feel."

"I did what I thought was right," Jon said after a moment. "And I got murdered for it."

Finally, he looked up. Their eyes met and Amaris had never felt more thankful for a pair of brown irises before this.