Falling Like || Jon Snow ✔

38| 𝔞 𝔥𝔲𝔫𝔡𝔯𝔢𝔡 𝔰𝔬𝔫𝔤𝔰

castle black, the wall

— LESS THAN AN HOUR LATER, IT WAS TIME TO GO. Sansa and Nymeria proudly stepped into the courtyard with linked arms, wearing the new dresses Sansa had made. Nymeria chuckled at something the Stark girl had said, then split off to go check on Koda.

Jon smiled when he spotted his sister. "New dress?"

"I made it myself." She smiled proudly. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah." he nodded, glancing at the pattern she'd added to hers. "I like the wolf bit."

"Good, because I made this for you." She offered a beautiful wolf's fur cloak, a Stark direwolf stamped into the leather straps. "I made it like the one father used to wear. As near as I can remember."

He looked up at her. "Thank you, Sansa."

"You're welcome." He pulled on the cloak, and a spark of excitement and mischief entered her eyes when she spotted a certain figure headed back over, making Jon turn as well. She didn't miss the look on his face when he saw Nymeria, nor the way his slightly widened eyes looked her up and down multiple times. From the moment she'd arrived she'd seen how her brother looked at Nymeria, and her at him. She knew exactly what she'd done. He took in a breath, trying to collect himself. "I've never seen you wear green before." He finally managed to say with a smile. "You look lovely."

She smiled. "Thanks." his heart skipped when her own eyes looked over his form. "I like the new look."

"Oh, thank you." his hands brushed over the fur – the fur that was no longer black. "It was Sansa, actually."

"I know." She nodded, smoothing her hands over the front of her own new outfit. "She's very talented." they held one another's gaze for a moment before she finally tore her eyes away, clearing her throat. "The horses are ready. We should get going."

"Yes, we should." Sansa agreed, looking completely innocent as she breezed past towards her horse.

"Not leaving without a goodbye, I hope?" Jon and Nymeria both turned at the sound of Edd's voice as he approached.

Nymeria stepped towards him with a smile that was a little sad, pulling him into a hug. "Not a chance." she withdrew with a joking smile. "Don't knock it down while I'm gone?"

He chuckled. "I'll do my best. But it won't be the same without you two causing us problems." Jon smiled and the two of them hugged. "Good luck."

Nymeria nudged his arm teasingly. "Hey, if I die, remember me? Write a song or something."

"No one could forget you, Nym." He smiled. He was going to miss his best friend. "Besides, you're not gonna die." he raised a joking brow. "But if the day ever comes that there's something scary enough to bring you down, I'm gonna hire someone a lot more talented than me to write about a hundred songs."

She laughed. "I'll see you, Edd."

"I'm holding you to that." he called as she made her way to Koda.

She swung up into the saddle, then glanced over at Jon to find he was already looking at her. He gave a nod, and then they were setting off. Now the real work began.

°

"We said we'd fight with you, King Crow, and we meant it, but this isn't what we agreed to." The leaders of the Free Folk were fewer after Hardhome, but even convincing only those left was no easy task. "These aren't White Walkers. This isn't the Army of the Dead. This isn't our fight."

"If it weren't for him, none of us would be here." Tormund spoke up. "All of you would be meat in the Night King's army, and I'd be a pile of charred bones, just like Mance."

"Remember Mance's camp?" The leader speaking questioned. "It stretched all the way to the horizon. And look at us now. Look what's left of us. And if we lose this, we're gone. Dozens of tribes, hundreds of generations. Be like we were never there at all. We'll be the last of the Free Folk."

"That's what'll happen to you if we lose." Jon said.

"The Boltons and their allies know you're here," Nymeria added. "And that less than half of you can fight. They won't let you live in peace. They'll slaughter you. Unless the Walkers get to them first, and then who will stand with you through the Long Night." She looked at Arryk. "We need each other. The truth we've been ignoring for centuries is that we always have, but if we don't do better starting right now, it'll be like we never even tried. None of it will matter."

"You're right." Jon told them. "This isn;t the deal we made, and I shouldn't be asking you. But it's our only chance at survival. Yours and ours."

"The Crows rejected her because she treated us like people instead of animals." Tormund said. "They killed him because he spoke for the Free Folk when no other southerners would. He died for us. If we are not willing to do the same for them, we're cowards. And if that's what we are, we deserve to be the last of the Free Folk."

Arryk stepped towards Nymeria. "I owe my life to you. And because of that, so do my people. You know I'll always stand beside you." she gave him a grateful smile.

The giant stood then, a low growl rumbling up his throat as he towered over them. They all seemed to hold their breath as they awaited his answer. The Free FOlk had great respect for him. Odds were, whatever he chose would tip the scales completely in their favour or against them. "Snow." he said finally before stalking away.

The others nodded briefly amongst themselves before the one who'd been speaking before stepped forward. He looked at Jon for a long moment before offering his hand. Jon took it gratefully. The Free Folk were with them.

When they walked off, Jon turned to Tormund. "Are you sure they'll come?" he checked, still looking a little worried.

He chuckled. "We're not clever like you southerners. When we say we'll do something, we do it."