The Wars to Come - J.S.

4 - BROKEN

— beyond the wall —

Jon Snow can't stop thinking about home. More specifically, about the people there.

As he lays on the hard ground with the redheaded Wildling woman beside him, flirting constantly, all he can think about is home.

Aurora's smiling face is one of the ones that flashes through his brain as he is trying to block out Ygritte's comments, trying to tempt him to break his vows.

He thinks about his father, and how he didn't get to say goodbye.

He thinks about Sam and what he would say if he could see Jon right now. 

He thinks about Arya, his sister, and what could possibly be happening to her right now, he wonders why he ever left her.

But most of all he thinks about Rory and what she could be doing, what she will think when she hears what has happened to him, what is happening to him.

When he kills Qhorin Halfhand, he wonders what his brothers will think of him.

And when he marches South, alongside Mance Rayder and Ygritte, all he can do is hope and pray that the people he loves won't come to harm because of him.

When he breaks his vows and lays with Ygritte, he doesn't wonder anymore, he knows. He knows he won't ever be forgiven for this. 

— the north —

Aurora Mormont has never been farther than the nearest village to Castle Black. She had never wanted to venture further, being content with exploring the forests surrounding Castle Black and the Castle itself.

But here she is, trekking across the North on her way to the Narrow sea.

She hadn't spoken to anyone apart from Maester Aemon before leaving, and that was only because he had caught her stealing a map from the library.

"Looking for anything specific, Rory dear?" the voice startled her so much she nearly jumped off the ground.

"Maester Aemon, you scared me. How did you know it was me?"

"My child, I've known you since you were but a babe, I don't have to see to know your presence."

She chuckles and squeezes his hand gently,  "I was looking for a map."

He hobbles towards the shelf and brings one down, placing it in front of her on the table.

She thanks him and gives the man a hug before sprinting from the room and out of the gates.

"Good luck, sweet Aurora." he mumbles to himself as he stands in the library alone.

Her mind is filled with thoughts of her father, of Jon, and of all of the other people she has left behind. She knows her decision is right, leaving Castle Black was the only thing she could do. 

—

While Jon was on his journey North, Aurora was on her journey South. She traveled six hundred miles to the coast and paid for passage on a ship all the way to Astapor. The couple the boat belonged to wondered why she wanted to go to Slaver's Bay, but they took her money and let her on the boat without asking the question. 

The journey was long, and it cost much of the money she had to buy passage, but she knew it would be worth it, there was something inside of her, something telling her this is what she was meant for. She strongly believes that her destiny is waiting in Essos.

— essos —

When she steps off the boat, and feels the ground beneath her feet again, Aurora sighs in relief, having not even slightly enjoyed the many, many, days at sea.

Essos is much different than Westeros. It's all sand and dirt and strange people. Westeros is familiar, this is unfamiliar. She wishes Jon was with her. He would enjoy this place, she thinks.

—

When she arrives in Astapor, the city is nothing but ruins, destroyed by fire. She moves on.

When she arrives at the borders of another city, she lays on the ground on a hill overlooking the camp below, as she watches the camp, trying to discover who it belongs to, two men grab her arms and drag her kicking and screaming into the biggest tent.

They set her down and she lets out one final curse in their direction before turning to face whomever lies in front of her.

She is met with the sight of a beautiful, silver haired woman sitting on a chair in front of her, but that is not the sight that makes her mouth drop open. She sees a man beside the silver haired woman whom she recognizes by his eyes, his eyes that look so much like her father's.

"Jorah Mormont. I've been looking for you." 

—

a/n: to give this some context: from the time when Jon meets Ygritte up until he kills Qhorin, the night's watch is  at the fist of the first men, during all that time, Aurora is still waiting at Castle Black. She then decides to leave, because she feels like she has a greater destiny, and doesn't want to wait around forever after already waiting for a year (from end of season one to end of season two)

 Season 3 begins with the night's watch battling the walkers, Jon meeting Mance,  and Aurora sailing to Essos. Then the wildling army starts marching at the same time as the night's watch heads back to craster's keep. 

Mance's army gets to the fist and Jon separates with Tormund's group, and night's watch get to Craster's, Gilly gives birth to baby Sam, Craster and Jeor are killed. Sam and Gilly leave. 

Aurora arrives in Essos while Sam is traveling to the wall, and when Jon is on his way to climb the wall, and while Dany and Jorah are on their way to Yunkai with the Unsullied.