CARPE NOCTEM, jon snow

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀thirty six

thirty-six. the betrayal

loc. the nightfort, the wall. 299AC

⠀⠀⠀THE SKY WAS GREY like the winter sea, and heavy with the promise of a later rain.

⠀⠀⠀The cottage was thatched, and stood desolate on a clearing of soft grass. From where they crouched below a shallow stone wall, Carsen counted six horses tethered up, pawing at the ground with hard hooves. Now and then, she glimpsed a man flitting between windows—old and hunched, with thin wisps of white for hair. As the minutes passed, the feeling of dread in her stomach grew heavier.

⠀⠀⠀"We should just take the horses and go." Jon was the first to break the silence. "The old man's not a threat."

⠀⠀⠀"He's an old man," Ygritte shot back. "Better a quick death than starvin' out the winter."

⠀⠀⠀Jon frowned at her, then turned to address Tormund. "The Night's Watch might send a couple of men to look for thieves. They'll send a lot more to hunt down murderers."

⠀⠀⠀"I hope so," growled the wildling. His eyes were hard as steel. "Killing Crows in their own castle is tough. Killing them out here, in the open, that's what we do." He shouldered his blade, mind set firm. He turned to address the clan of wildlings spread out along the wall. "Move in!"

⠀⠀⠀"Come on," Ygritte muttered, sliding past Carsen and hoisting herself up onto the patch of land, stealthy as a cat. Carsen caught Jon's eye, glimmering with an emotion she dared not try to fathom. He shook his head, but she didn't pause to think what it meant. She pulled herself up after Ygritte and took off running.

⠀⠀⠀She was behind. The horses were growing restless, and the old man came out to investigate. Another part of Carsen turned fell into dismay. She had hoped he might stay inside.

⠀⠀⠀The wildling crowd seethed forward like a wave cresting onto shore; the elderly man hauled himself onto a horse and urgently drove his ankles into the animal, who reared, and took off. Ygritte strung her bow, string taut like skin over bone, and-

⠀⠀⠀"Ygritte!" Jon yelled, and the redhead's hands jerked; her arrow went sailing into the bark of a thick tree, and both man and horse vanished swiftly from line of sight. Ygritte turned on Jon with a furious look, but she stayed herself as she absorbed his expression. It was an odd one - relief.

⚘

⠀⠀⠀THE RAIN LASHED hard and cold on their heads.

⠀⠀⠀The streets were filled with water, pooling in mossy gutters and sinking into thatched roofs. Carsen was unpleasantly reminded of the Dīagon hen Mandias, that statue spilling water all over that bright, white floor... Jon's hand landed on her arm. She glanced up at him, but the rain pricked at her eyes, so she lowered her gaze slightly.