Frozen Fire

Moonlight in her hair

Aegon

The travel party had stopped in Yronwood for the night but his mind railed over the conversation they had on the morning in the carriage She was no nomad?She lied?! They were at the table drinking waiting for their food, when Jon finally decided to stop torturing his mind and ask. "Arthur! I was thinking about what you said this morning... nomads using camels. What of a nomad using a horse?"

"Heh... nomads use no horses... That would be a free rider or a traveler, anything but a nomad. It's hard to tell really." Arthur eyes narrow understanding Jons purpose of the question "Are you talking about the rider that saved you years ago?"

Jon ignored his questions "And if the rider were to be all covered body and face, like the nomads we saw today but riding a horse and... fight... Be excellent fighter actually."

"Was it an excellent rider too?!" asks Arthur now very intrigued. "Yes... indeed".

"Then they would be a desert hawk!" responded Arthur very surprised at his realization.

"A desert hawk?"

"Yes" Artur takes a deep breath as it will have to make a long talk. "Men of old say there were two ancient orders in Dorne, The Scorpions and The Hawks smallfolk called them, but grandfather called them Storm Men. If you would have meet on a Scorpion we wouldn't be having this conversation... I believe you are talking of a Desert Hawk son. An order of free riders who have been walking The Foot for thousands of years. They say Red mountains is where they came, but Desert was their reign ... It's odd actually... everyone thought them gone... It's really odd or maybe the lad who helped you may be the last one... but whoever they were, hawk or not, you were very lucky he was there." Jon bobbed his head. It was no lad, it was a girl. He was just about to ask Arthur another question but Gerold and Viserys came to sit at the table so he let that for another time.

Jon was very eager to learn more about these orders, but most he wanted to know who she was? And where he could find her? He owed her his life and she deserved at least a proper Thank You. What if Varys is right and she is dead? He tried to move that thought away but remorse was consuming him. I should have insisted more, I should have searched better, maybe if I would have been more open about what really happened and who helped me... Perhaps I would have found her already. Jon finished meal and left the table.

He need to walk Ghost, who had grown more and more restless each day. Pycelle had suggested to keep him in the stables of the Red Keep, or lock him in one of the cells till Jons return but he had refused. He didn't wanted to be apart from his wolf. On the other hand, he feared of Ghost's reaction to the hot weather of Dorne and peoples reaction to him. The prince knew the whole trip would last more than four months, and despite his worries, he couldn't leave his wolf alone to be caged within the Red keep where no one could handle him, only few dared to come closer, nor could he stay without his companion for so long. Jon knew he would miss Ghost and had decided to take it with him.

The wolf had been in his wagon quiet for most of the trip but this week he had been very restless and Jon knew no wolf does well in cages let alone direwolves. Ghost's howling inside the cage had become unbearable for the guards as they weren't used to it for his wolf rarely made a sound. It was for that reason that every time they stopped to stretch their legs or rest and sleep, he would take the wolf for a walk, which was mentally relaxing for Jon but physically exhausting because he was running on little sleep.

The next evening, Jon fed Ghost, who was now almost the size of a horse, and went for a walk. His wolf was sniffing around as they ambled along. "I wish I had you then. You would have found her I am sure." But he immediately regretted what he said. What are you doing? You are to be betrothed and soon marry! You shouldn't be thinking about girls, any girl. He reproached himself. What if Viserys is right and all his girls are ugly? He has nine at least one of them must be... acceptable. His wolf wanted to go further than a league away from the camp, much further, Jon knew. He could sense his wolf's frustration and could also see how much it loved the breeze of the night.