Still Soulmate

Chapter 15: East Watch

  They reached the shores outside of East Watch, stepping out into the shallows. It was bitter cold just like Ygritte remembered the real North to be. She didn't realise how much she'd missed the snow, it wasn't even heavy snow here just a sprinkling but it was enough. The thought of passing the Wall into her home country both terrified and excited her but the real reason she wanted to go was because her soulmate was going. If she was there there was a chance that she could protect him if anything went wrong.

  The free woman looked over at her husband then as he strode along beside her. Jon Snow cast her a sideways glance and she could feel him trying to hide through their bond. It was something that he did sometimes when he didn't want he to know what he was feeling, usually when he was very scared. Just a stupid macho Northerner think she supposed. She didn't say anything though or tease him like she usually did, this time she knew that he would be terrified.

  Instead, the group continued on towards the Wall and the castle. She looked up at the Wall, the hundreds upon hundreds of feet of packed ice and stone, it still stirred awe in her every time she lay eyes on it.

  Tormund was there at the gate to greet them and she eagerly came forward to greet her old friend, punching his arm before letting herself be enveloped in a bear hug. Jon got the same treatment from the big man before they continued into the courtyard before the castle.

  Ygritte thought it was strange to see the the place run by her own people. Castle Black always had the grim faced, black clad crows. Here men and woman in various furs roamed, many more free folk than there was crows.

***

  They were sat at a table in a dimly lit room eating a meal. Tormund was sat at the head of the table with Jon and Ygritte on either side, the rest of the group with them.

  "Isn't it your job to talk him out of stupid fucking ideas like this?" the bear like man asked Davos. "I mean, I don't expect any less from her and she's a bad influence on him but you. Well you it's your job," he continued, pointing a thumb sideways at Ygritte.

  "I've been failing that job of late," Davos confessed.

   Both Jon and Ygritte smirked at Davos but neither said anything. Ygritte felt a bit of pride at the thought that she had influenced her soulmate into become more... rebellious. He had been so by the books when they had first met. Now she was making him more wild.

  "How many queens are there now?" Tormund asked then.

  "Three including Ygritte here," Jon replied.

  "And you need to convince the one with the dragons or the one who fucks her brother?"

 It was Gendry's turn to snort then and Ygritte couldn't help the smirk at that comment. She wasn't particularly fond of either bitch.

  "Both," was Jon's answer and Ygritte shook her head at that. The dragon queen was though close minded! She was a self proclaimed mother of dragons. She had three dragons! Why was the thought of an army of wights so unbelievable when dragons were meant to be extinct?

  "How many men did you bring?" Tormund asked her soulmate.

  "Not enough." 

  "The big woman?" Tormund questioned.

  "You have no chance with that one! Give up now," Ygritte laughed, Jon chuckling along with her.

  They agreed on bringing some of the free folk and leaving Davos behind. Ygritte could feel Tormund's disapproval and she couldn't help the subconscious hand that rubbed over her baby bump.   That was when Tormund mentioned the others.

***

  Down in the cells the boys had a spitting match with the raggedy bunch locked in the cell there. One of their group seemed to know someone in the cage. Ygritte recognised none, just stood back and watched the arguments unfold. There was a big man with horrific looking burns, another particularly scruffy one with an eye patch and a third with a calm voice.

  Eventually they came to an agreement, Jon said rightly that they were all on the same side because they were all breathing. Anyhow, the extra men could only help.

  Jon took the keys from Tormund and let the men out. They trailed past and everyone but Jon and Davos made their way back towards the stairs. When she noticed this she stopped and looked back, curious. Jon was hiding from her again.

  "You okay?" She asked, stepping towards him.

  Jon looked at Davos briefly before smiling at her, "I'm fine."

  He leaned forward and kissed her before he pulled her round and pushed her back. Ygritte stumbled back off balance and confused. Before another moment passed there was the harsh clang of the cell door closing and the jingle of keys in the lock.

  Furious, Ygritte glared at her husband through the bars.

  "What in seven hells do you think you are doing?" she growled.

  "Protecting you Ygritte. Protecting you both because I love you, "Jon said, wrapping his hand around the bars.

  Ygritte stepped forward and grabbed his hands. She was shaking with rage and her nails dig into the flesh of his fingers making the king wince slightly.

  "Do you remember what happened last time you betrayed me Jon Snow?" she said, surprising even herself with how even her voice was.

  "I do but things have changed since then. Ygritte, you are putting yourself and are baby at risk. I am taking away your chance to do that. You will be safe here," Jon tried to reason.

  She knew the risks but he was forgetting who she was. He had no right to go into her homeland but stop her from doing the same. She was perfectly capable of protecting herself and they both knew it!

  "I will never forgive you for this," she spat.

  "Well I hope that's not true," Jon returned, pulling his hands away and taking a step back.

  She could feel him now, he was sad and scared. The free woman knew though that he wasn't scared because of the mission he was about to go on but because he was afraid her threat was true. It softened her slightly but then she felt angry again, angry that he made him feel like that. Just like he did, she closed herself off and stepped away from the bars, turning and facing the wall before sitting down on the bench there.

  "Ygritte, please believe that I am doing this for you," Jon seemed to be begging. It didn't suit him but she didn't reply.

  She heard Davos walk away but Jon stayed for a while longer, not saying anything just standing there. Ygritte didn't turn though and eventually she heard his retreating footsteps too.