ᴍᴇᴇᴛ ᴍᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋ, ᴋɪꜱꜱ ᴍᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴏɴʟɪɢʜᴛ

iii. eastern companion

┌─── ∘°❉°∘ ───┐

Against his better judgement, Jon had continued thinking about the girl.

In his defence, the world didn't truly allow him otherwise. Rumours about a woman at Castle Black had been spreading amongst the recruits and it seemed as if every conversation Jon held eventually led back to this topic. It infuriated him.

The wooden platform underneath his feet creaked in the wind. Jon stood on the edge of the Wall, staring at the forest beneath, just like he had done so often over the past few weeks. And just like almost every other time, nothing happened.

"Hey."

Jon whipped around. He recognised the voice - recognised its accent - and knew who it belonged to even before his eyes interlocked with her blue ones.

The girl was standing right before him, a soft smile adorning her face. It wasn't fake or even out of simple politeness, but an honest smile, like she was happy to see him.

"Hey," Jon stuttered.

"My apologies for running off like that a few nights ago." She took a careful step towards him. "I hope you understand I am quite nervous about encountering brothers of the Night's Watch. I never know what their motives might be."

"Of course. I guess it's not easy as a woman around here." Jon tried to smile as assuringly as she did when he stepped away from the platform and closer to her. "What are you doing up here?"

"Unofficial watch duty, I suppose. I try to make myself useful so Mormont does not throw me out. You are up here officially, are you not?"

"Aye. I am lucky it's not as late tonight as it was previously."

Silence fell between them. Jon tried to think of something to ask her, when the girl's eyes suddenly widened and she slapped her hand over her mouth.

"Oh, I am deeply sorry, I forgot to introduce myself." She held out her left hand to him. "I am Elle."

Elle. Out of all the possibilities, Jon would have never imagined her name to be so... ordinary.

(And yet, so beautiful.)

"Jon." He shook Elle's hand, ignoring that she had reached out with her left hand.

"Ah, a beautiful, Northern name. Are you a Stark, by any chance?"

His jaw dropped. "How- How did you know?"

Elle chuckled. "You look like Benjen. Besides, you seem more put-together than half of the men in Castle Black combined."

Jon joined in her laughter. Her presence felt... refreshing, a change of pace from what he was used to at Castle Black.

They quietened, though Elle's smile remained. She straightened her back.

"I will continue down my path, but hopefully we will see each other again. I wish you a quiet night."

Jon nodded and with that, Elle walked away. His gaze followed her until she was but a tiny dot in the distance. He quickly ripped his eyes away and hurriedly walked in the opposite direction, stumbling a couple of times in his effort to put as much distance between himself and Elle as possible.

He should not (and would not) let himself get involved with Elle. No matter if they would simply become friends.

He was to be a brother of the Night's Watch, a brother of the Night's Watch, a brother...

└─── °∘❉∘° ───┘

comments are always appreciated ;w;