[Contains GoT spoilers! This series follows Seasons 2 through 8 of Game of Thrones.] Rhaena Velaryon is the daughter of the late Lord of the Tides, Trysten Velaryon, and of the former Princess of House Targaryen, Visaerya Velaryon. Living on the isl...
Nothing is right anymore. Nothing. Nothing will ever be right ever again in this damned world they call home. Where men kill each other for no other reason than to spill innocent blood. Every man here, save a few, will forever be haunted by their stained hands and consciences. No amount of charity will ever redeem them of this act. Her head swims and spins upon exiting the room of her deceased lover, his body now more than likely growing colder and rotting in there. The failure of Melisandre also likely hung over her head and all Rhaena can think of her now was how miserable she must feel. Her warmth grew colder than Jon's corpse that lay back there. She presumed R'hllor had abandoned her, or she had abandoned him. Though she loathes to think about her, they shared the same mindset and disheveled look that occupied them after the day of rarely leaving their respectable rooms and barely eating anything.
Now, she drifts absentmindedly from Jon's room, heading down the creaky wooden stairs and entering the courtyard where the clashing of steel training swords ceases to be heard. All around her are brothers, even some Free Folk, staring her down and watching her go wordlessly. Many of them, she knows, are betrayers and turn-cloaks. They aided Alliser. They all deserve to die out in the wasteland of harsh winter beyond the Wall with no food, no water, just the endless cold winds and the wolves to savage their blackening frosty corpses. She can't bring herself to look at any of them but she can feel their eyes on her.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Nearby she knows that Edd is among the crowd, and he is. He comes to her, pushing the other brothers out of the way in an attempt to get to her. He does eventually, standing in front of her which forces her to stop her absent wandering. He looks like he wants to speak to her but suddenly he pauses. Looking behind her with a bewildered look makes Rhaena curious but at the same time, she doesn't care. She proceeds again but he catches her arm. "You need to see this."
She only glares at him. "You will unhand me." She spits fire at him. For a moment, she is scared. Her tone of voice, she thinks, sounded exactly like her mother: harsh and covered in cold thorns. She immediately pauses and looks down once more in embarrassment. After a moment, she finally turns to where Edd is facing.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
There at the top of the creaky wooden stairs is a figure, a figure guarded by another. One wears all black while the other looks shocked and in awe. The black dressed figure stands at the top of the stairs, seemingly learning how to walk. That figure is Jon. Jon is paler than any white walker, hobbling down the creaky stairs and struggling to stay upright. Rain finds herself almost shoving through the crowd of brothers faster and faster, never taking her eyes off of him. He doesn't move any faster than he already had been, but his eyes are locked on her.
"Is it really you in there?" She asks breathlessly when she reaches him at the base of the stairs. He gives her a smile, one she hasn't seen in a day and she feels her heart being warmed.
"I think so." He says in a raspy voice. Rain then throws her arms around him, not giving any care to the brothers around her staring in awe. She feels his body wince and he lets out a pained grunt. "Easy..." It makes her let him go quickly and she stares at him, never wanting to take her eyes off his face again. His face is pale white but full of life, not as it was just minutes ago. He smiles again, embracing her gently, warmly and lovingly with his weakened arms. He is shaking from cold and newly returned life yet he holds her as tightly as he can. Their brothers around them watch with smiles and awed faces, giving each other knowing glances to each other.
"Let's hold off on burning my body, for now." He says, making Rain laugh. Hot tears spill over out of her eyes and down her cool cheeks, soaking into his cloak. Her heart soars like a raven in the sky, feeling like the pit that previously grew there has now filled. She feels complete and reformed, like the past day never happened. Feeling his arms around her again brought her peace and she never wants him to be gone again.
Being so caught up with Jon's return, it suddenly dawns on her that her love is frigid. His furs are nearly frozen still and the skin that is not covered feels like ice. She touches his face when she pulls away from him and her hand burns from the cold of it. "You need a fire. Hot stew, ale, warm furs." She searches her brothers around them for a friendly face. "You. Prepare his chambers." She breaks away from Jon to face the brother fully. "Keep a fire burning in there for the rest of the day, night as well. Bring us fresh stew. Make sure it is not cold in the slightest. Go." The brother hurries off with a Yes, my Lady and runs towards the Long Hall. She never has heard any of her brothers respond to her as a lady before, only mockingly.
Jon takes her arm and intertwines it with his. Together, they stride through the fresh fallen snow to his chambers. "You didn't need to do that." He whispers to her. She smiles.
"I did." She responds, not bothering to be secretive like she knows he's trying to be. Why do they need to stay in the shadows any longer? From the looks of those around them, their brothers know and care little. "I love you, Jon Snow." She tells him and looks at him with bright, teary eyes. He looks surprised that she did not whisper, but softens his eyes and kisses the top of her head like he has accepted it.
"And I you." He replies, slightly leaning on her for support as they ascend the creaky stairs. "We'll never be apart again, love. I promise." In his chambers they stayed, warming themselves by the fire burning in the hearth, until a knock came to the door several hours later. Rhaena had fallen asleep against Jon's shoulder and when she woke, he felt warmer. She noticed the color had returned to his face when she looked up. She saw him looking in to the fire while keeping his arm wrapped around her, holding her closely against him. The knocker revealed himself as Edd, who then opened the door and stepped in.
