MASKS [Jon Snow]

FIFTEEN • SURVIVAL

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

•••

i never lost sight of the real you
the goodness within your heart
even when you did your best to
convince me otherwise

•••

THE hut was cosy and warm. A small fire in the middle warmed everything and everyone inside, with still a hole in the roof for the smoke to filter out. There were not many inside, only those whose ears had been deemed worthy of hearing what was said. Roughly twenty Wildling men and women stood around the fire, and only a dozen Nights Watch.

"My name is Jon Snow." He spoke clearly through the silence. "I'm Lord Commander of the Nights Watch. We're not friends. We've never been friends. We won't become friends today. This isn't about friendship. This is about survival. This is about putting a seven hundred foot wall between you," Jon paused pointing to outside. "And what's out there."

"You built that wall to keep us out." One of the women said, Karsi.

"Since when do the Crows give two shits if we live?" Loboda, The Magnar of the Thenns spoke.

"In normal times we wouldn't. But these aren't normal times." The fire danced over Jon's face as he spoke with authority that shook Liliana. "The white walkers don't care if a man's Free Folk or Crow. We're all the same to them: meat for their army. But together we can beat them."

"Beat the white walkers?" Karsi laughed. "Good luck with that. Run from them, maybe."

Jon pulled the bag of dragonglass over his head and handed it to the Karsi. "It's not a trick." He offered. Sceptically she took the bag and opened it up,

"It's a gift, for those who join us." He turned back to the group. Karsi pulled out a piece and held it up in the fire light. "Dragonglass." Jon continued. "A man of the Nights Watch used one of these daggers to kill a walker."

"You saw this." Loboda asked.

"No." Jon answered honestly. "But I trust the man."

"There are old stories about dragonglass." Karsi cocked her head a little, passing the bag back to Tormund.

"There are old stories about ice spiders as big as hounds." The Thenn countered, taking the bag off of Tormund and riffling around inside.

"And with the things we've seen, you don't believe them?" Karsi asked inspecting the dull blade in her hands.

"Come with me and I'll share these weapons." Jon offered.

"Come with you where?" She stepped forward, her brow furrowed.

"There are good lands south of the Wall. The Nights Watch will let you through the tunnel and allow your people to farm those lands." Jon looked between their faces as commotion erupted through the room. "I knew Mance Rayder. He never wanted a war with the Nights Watch, he wanted a new life for his people. For you. We're prepared to give you that new life."

"If?" She rose and eyebrow.

"If you swear you'll join us when the real war begins." He nodded.