MASKS [Jon Snow]

SEVEN • OATH

CHAPTER SEVEN

•••

she was fire and ice
he feared the cold
and craved the burn

•••

   THE two weeks coming up to swearing the oath passed fairly quickly, Liliana thought.

   It consisted largely of reading in the morning, training the rest of the day, then reading with Gilly and Shireen in the library before supper and then more training with Jon after supper. Each day would have the same rhythm; read, train, read, train, repeat.

   Despite the repetitive rhythm of the week, Liliana found herself feeling at home more than she ever though she could at Castle Black. She had made a real friend in Gilly whom she thought that could share almost anything with.

   Shireen also had worked her way into Liliana's heart and she thought that the little princess grew more beautiful every day. She sometimes even saw pieces of her brother in Shireen which just made Liliana want to treasure her even more. Even Sam had grown a liking to Liliana and she had found him out to be just a large lovable teddy bear, with one of the biggest hearts she had ever seen.

   Jon was still quite a mystery to Liliana, he was guarded and careful with the words he chose. She very much enjoyed their nightly training and often looked forward to it. He still had no clue, or even a tiny suspicion about her being a girl. Which sometimes she found disappointing, as when Jon thought he was building a manly bond between friends, she was seeing the real possibility that she might fall for him. Which again troubled her greatly.

   She had been making progress in her lessons, or so Jon had told her. She could actually hold her own in a fight now, something she was incredibly proud of, and could sometimes win. Although she suspected that Jon was letting her win.

   The only other change that there was was with her beloved direwolf. Scorch had been growing at a impressively quick rate. He was already the size of a fully grown wolf, yet he still had some maturing to do.

   The group of new recruits was sat out in the courtyard that day, all waiting for them to be told what order they had been assigned and when they would be taking their vow. Scorch sat obediently by her feet.

   "You came to us as outlaws, rapists, killers, poachers and thieves." Jon stood atop the platform as he made his speech. "You came alone and helpless. You came to us without honour. Some came bearing names of proud houses, some bearing names of bastards or no name at all. It does not matter now, all that was your past. Here at the wall we are all one house." He bellowed, his voice filling the entire courtyard.

   "Tonight you begin anew. Tonight at sunset, you all shall take your vows, but think carefully before you do. The punishment for desertion is death." He looked upon the group of misfits who would wake tomorrow as men of the Nights Watch. "Does anyone keep the Old Gods?" Jon scanned the group with his eyes, a hint of disappointment gleaned in them as no one made a move. No one stood up. "Well then-"

"I do, My Lord." Liliana stood from the crowd, making sure her face was well covered by her hair. Scorch looked up as his owner moved. She flushed deeply as everyone turned to face her. Murmurs erupted through out the courtyard, people whispering and laughing at how someone still followed the Old Gods.