Magic, Power and Glory (Game of Thrones)

The Last Hearth

Waking up is never easy. Your eyes do not flutter open and it is rare that you can just force yourself out of bed. Whatever is expected when a lady wakes up is stupid and wrong. Your eyes are stuck together and it is difficult to find the motivation to rise and dress yourself.

Then there is your first thought, which determines your mood for the first hour of consciousness. If it as is terrible as mine often are, it determines your mood for the day. Usually I awake and my first thought is of the fact that Robb is not with me, but for once it was of the fact that I was excited. I was excited to get away from here and visit the Last Hearth.

Last night, I had told Jon, but he already knew. He and Stannis had planned it the night previous. I did not like the fact that he had not told me himself, or the fact that my brother was being sneaky. By siding with Stannis like this, I fear my brother will break his oath and play apart in the War of the Five Kings.

I rolled out of bed and got dressed. My sword belt was sitting on the table, so I put it on and sheathed the dagger that I always kept under my pillow. In the sheath of the dagger was the ring that was given to me by Brandon, who had taken it from Ramsay, who had taken it from Winterfell.

When I was ready to face other people, I put on my confident, calm façade and left my chambers. I hope that I will never have to return to them and that the next time I see Jon, he will visit me in Winterfell. We all know that I would never call him to King's Landing, as I fear he would want part in controlling the Realm.

Naming him as my heir is different to him breaking his oath. He can appoint someone else the lands I would give him. As for winning no glory and wearing no crowns, that means he should not enter any wars that do not directly involve the Night's Watch. If he plays at the Game of Thrones, he breaks those two key parts of the vow he made.

I walked out, into the courtyard, and found Jon waiting to farewell me. Steel, Ice, and Ghost were sitting in the courtyard, near a very familiar looking horse. Allister, Hunter and Brandon were there too, but they were too busy discussing something to notice me.

"Jon, who's horse is this?" I asked, as I reached him. "He looks like Century."

"It is Century," he said, handing me the reins to my old horse. "The man who trains our horses sent him to us, and I recognized him immediately. We have only rode him to keep him fit."

My horse still knew who I was, and whinnied as I touched her neck. The connection with my horse was still there, but it had faded. I refused to use magic to keep my horse under my control. Steel and Ice both were free to leave, so Century would be too.

"You and I need to talk," I told him, as Steel and Ice came over with Ghost.

"What more is there to talk about? You are going to the Last Hearth and wherever else you wish to go, in order to get the lords to side with Stannis. I will be fine here."

"What are you planning?" I questioned, knowing he was hiding something.

"Nothing. Sam, Gilly, her son, and Maester Aemon are going to Oldtown. Maester Aemon will be there to learn more about the White Walkers and Sam is becoming a Maester. Gilly and her son are going so they will be safe."

He was hiding something and it was to do with that trip. Jon was good at hiding things, but not as good as he thought he was. If my half-brother thought he was going to hide the truth from me, he was wrong. I will know the truth, whether he wants to tell me or not.

"Stop hiding things from me, Jon. You are beginning to act sneaky and you are not yourself. If you are to act like this, you will lose me and the respect of your men. Maybe if you could hide things better, then I would not ask."