Velaryon: A Game of Thrones Fan Fiction

New Friends - Rhaena

She never did expect the Wall to be this cold - in temperature, yes, but in company? Very few of the men see her as an equal. She hears their laughing behind her back and sees their hungry eyes. Some even appear to have looks of wanting to kill her. Though, they never do. Through all of the eyes and laughing, they still fear her. A woman who can fight is rare. The laughers keep their voices down so she won't hear and carve out their tongues. The wandering eyes divert immediately, not wanting to lose their special member. And the looks to kill avert once she gives them one back. Rhaena feels strong being here, helping the Watch. However, she's never felt more alone before. No one will talk to her normally and it's been nearly a week. She could make do with some friends, but no one wants to befriend her.

Until that night in the mead hall. The fat one came to her, with puffy cheeks and a warm smile. He sits across from her at her lone table and she looks at him, confused. "Hello." He greets in a chipper voice and with a toothy smile. Rhaena stares him down viciously. He pays no mind. "I can't believe you beat Jon. I thought he was unstoppable. You proved that wrong, though." He says the last bit quietly due to Jon Snow being seated not even two tables away, occasionally watching her like a little boy. She isn't blind. She can see his puppy dog feelings for her but she could care less.

"What do you want?" Rhaena inquires the fat boy harshly.

"I know what it's like to be the outcast. And... I don't want anyone else to feel that way." He smiles again. "My name is Samwell Tarly, but everyone calls me Sam." Rhaena, unsure if she wants to trust him, only nods in acknowledgment. However, she finds herself smiling knowing that someone has tried to be her friend. She prods her fork at her food on her plate, numbly poking the piece of rabbit smothered in broth and onions.

"You already know my name." She tells him.

"I do, yes. I know your House, too, from my books. House Velaryon," He begins to recite proudly, moving his eyes around as if reading from a book. "A close relative of House Targaryen that fled Valyria before anyone else. Your father was Lord Trysten Velaryon. I'm sorry about him."

Rhaena felt a twinge of sadness before nodding. "So am I. I miss him everyday." Sam's face now appears sympathetic. Surprising to Rhaena, he reaches out to grasp her hand and hold it within his chubby fingers.

"I've heard he was a great man. My father even spoke highly of him." Sam's eyes blink quickly after mentioning his father. "I wish I could say I spoke highly of mine." He frowns. Rhaena peers curiously at him.

"His name is Randyll Tarly, am I right?" When she asks, he nods. "He is a hardened battle commander. That hardly sounds like a loving father... I'm sorry if that sounded too harsh." She slips her hand out of Sam's. She holds both of her hands under her armpits, relishing the feeling of her body heat warming her hands almost immediately. Maybe she will take back what she thought of earlier; that she expected the cold climate here.

"No, you're right." Sam looks around. "He was never a kind man." He looks at her with his dark blue eyes. "I want you to meet someone, if you wouldn't mind. I know you need people to talk to. Consider me one of them." He smiles again and rises. Rhaena smiles up at him.

"Thank you, Sam." She says before rising after him and following him out of the mead hall, feeling the eyes of their brothers burning upon them. Outside, Rhaena is met with a sharp, cold wind blowing by. Her hair blows wildly behind her as the blizzard outside grows with strength. This weather must be common here. It certainly is not in the South. The snow rising on the ground crunches under her feet while the snow hitting her face does little to lower her own heat. Though it feels frigid against her skin, her dragon's blood runs hot. The snowflakes falling on her skin instantly melt and run off of her leather attire. Meanwhile, Sam's face is covered with powdered snow and he squints, trying his best to see where to go in the snow storm.

Eventually, Sam leads her in to the bunkhouses. Somewhere within, after Rhaena loses track of where they are going, he knocks gently on a door. "Gilly?" He calls softly.

"Come in!" Receiving the okay to enter, the two enter the secluded room of a young girl. She has brown hair and equally colored doe eyes, large and shiny. She wears simple rags that look weather worn and well used. She looks at the two while holding a small baby in her arms. "Hi, Sam." She greets him and then smiles shyly at Rhaena.

"Hello, Gilly. This is Rhaena. She's the newest recruit I told you about."

"It's nice to meet you, Rhaena." Gilly says sweetly, rocking the baby in her arms. Rhaena smiles.

"I didn't expect another woman to be here. I must admit, I'm a little relieved." She tells her. She sees Gilly's face brighten.

"I didn't either." Gilly walks over a makeshift baby bed she seems to have made out of a basket and sets her baby down. Once nestled inside and wrapped in blankets, the baby looks up at his mother almost expectantly.

Rhaena looks down at the small baby, somehow knowing what he wants. Gilly, however, just looks back at her son curiously. She must wonder why he isn't tired at all. Darting her eyes between Sam and Gilly, Rain wonders aloud. "Does he like singing?" Gilly shrugs.

"I haven't tried. I'm not good."

"I'm sure you are. Are there any songs you know?" Rain asks but Gilly shakes her head. "I know the perfect one, if you don't mind." Gilly beams when she hears Rain suggest it and backs up slightly, allowing her new silver haired friend to move in and crouch by the baby's basket. The little baby looks up at her with bright blue eyes and blinks quietly in silent anticipation. Rain sees in his her own unborn daughter's eyes. She sees his face change in her mind to a little girl with bright silver hair and purple eyes just like her own. The sweetest little face she has ever seen then fades back to Gilly's son and Rain blinks heavily. Her lips move and softly, she begins to sing. Gradually, Gilly's son's eyes droop and blink slower until he finally falls asleep.

"I haven't heard a song in a while." Sam says happily.

Rhaena rises and turns to them. "I'd be happy to sing one for you sometime, if you let me."

"Yes! My mother used to sing to me. Ever since I came here, it's been rare. I miss it." He exclaims. Rhaena smiles and looks at Gilly.

"It's been a pleasure to meet you, Gilly. I do hope we can talk again soon." She tells her new friend and feels joy for the first time since she arrived and bested Jon Snow. Gilly nods quickly and returns her smile. As Sam leads Rhaena back out and through the snow to the mead hall, she still cannot believe that there is another woman here. She feels less alone than she has and humorously believes a celebration is in order. She takes a mug of dark, brown liquid with a sour smell and assumes it to be ale. She's never had ale before. Well, there's a first for everything. Though, after she drinks from her mug and suppresses a gag, she notices the people around her and Sam. The men around them glance worriedly at her and quickly avert their gaze. It is almost like someone threatened their lives while she was gone on her behalf. They seems more terrified than before.

Rhaena could care less now that she has two new friends. However, from the corner of her eye she sees Jon Snow gaze at her, using the time he thinks she's not looking to his advantage. In the back of her mind as Rain continues to eat her stew, she wonders just what happened in the short time she was gone.