A E I P A T H Y | J O N S N O W

C O N T R E T E M P S

(N.) an unexpected and unfortunate occurrence.

4.03
"Breaker of Chains"
Continued.

• • •

With shaking hands and a hammering heart, I scrambled up the hill. The screams were the worst sounds I have ever heard, shrill and full of terror their voices shrieked loudly before they stopped, cut off by a blade.

Every scream was like this and I prayed my family had left the village for some reason, that my mom went to wash clothes at the pond, that my father and brother went to go to the woods for more training, but I knew that they hadn't had any of this planned today. I forced my self up off the grassy hill to run down it and across the way to hide behind a shed.

What did I think I was going to do? Plead to the Wildings to spare my family or me? If my parents knew I came back to save them, they would be so angry, but I had to find my little brother. He was the only one that mattered right now.

My hands were shaking, and as I watched them tremble, I realized that I was crying too. Hot, wet and a blubbering mess I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to calm my breathing. I felt like I had just run the full perimeter of the village like I had done when I was younger.

My chest was heaving and tightening with every breath. My mind was not focusing on anything, but the fact that I couldn't breathe. I needed to calm myself down. Keeping my eyes shut I concentrated on things I could hear and sadly, that was the sound of people dying.

After a few moments, I picked up on my brother's voice, no- his scream and I shot out into the open.

A dozen eyes looked at me, and a dozen lips smiled. People were being murdered right in front of me, and I stood frozen staring at the large man who had my brother in his grasp. His large arm was pinning Olly to his chest with a blade to his neck. One by one the Wildings turned their gaze to me after their blades had slain their latest kills.

There were so many Wildings, a dozen maybe even more and I swallowed the bile that had risen and squared my shoulders.

"Please, give me my brother," the words tumbled from my mouth like someone who had fallen down the stairs, fast and jumbled.

Chuckles escaped many men and the one holding Olly smirked at me.

"Only because I need him to deliver a message and you are going to ensure it gets there," His bald head was covered in protruding scars, and I watched as his wolf-like grin whispered into my brother's ear.

This man had just spared my life, and the other Wildings weren't too happy about it. Glancing around I could feel their stares on me and could see their white knuckles gripping their weapon of choice, aching to bludgeon my head in.

One man had fiery red hair like me, and our eyes met across the way. His eyes were burning into me as his jaw clenched, his hold on his weapon was tight too.

My focus was knocked back into me when two small arms wrapped their way around my waist, and I looked down to see Olly.

"Olly! Run, Olly, run over the hill!" I ordered, pulling him off me, I pushed him away.

"Anabes?" He was confused.

"I need you to get a head start before they change their minds, go!" I gritted.

With one last terrified look, he spun around and ran. I watched him go for a moment, happy he was far away I looked back at the murderers before me.

None had moved from their spot. None had advanced on me, and I sighed a breath of relief.

"You are a lucky girl, any other day your dress would be torn apart, bloody as we sliced your pretty body up until you screamed for death. That we would give you. Luck you are that today is not that day," The large man with the scars seethed hate as he spoke to me, "Now, follow your brother and make sure he delivers our message,"

The man walked towards me when I hadn't moved, and I scrambled backward, running. Another flash of red caught my attention as she stood up. She was ready to shoot me down as soon as the signal was given. Bow raised, arrow ready and a steely look full of hate was one that I could never forget. Her blue eyes watched me as I fled.

Her face was engraved into my eyes. The look on her face was the same as when she had killed my brother.

Ygritte was someone I seemed not to be able to escape.

• • •

Whatever was happening between the Wildings and The Crows became even more dire with the butchering of our village. They were declaring war and demanding for somebody to try to stop them. I wasn't on board with traveling to Castle Black, especially after the carnage we saw.

Our bodies and minds were exhausted, and we needed to rest, but Olly was determined. I knew that the men at Castle Black were the only people capable of handling the Wildings. With nothing but each other, we began our trek. I was dreading staying behind that wall more than I was dreading the harsh cold and the winds that would cut through our clothes and resonate deep in our bones. Those men are there for a reason. They were the worst of the worst, and I knew they'd only tiptoe around the fact that a woman was at Castle Black for so long.

I just prayed one of them had a fraction of a soul and would keep the rest away.

Olly turned to look at me as we ventured into a colder territory. He slipped his hand into mine and gave me a tight, quick squeeze.

I prayed that this was a good idea and I prayed for no more death.