Different Lives, Different Destinies [Game of Thrones]

Jon Snow

---Best read after Different Paths to Destiny chapter 20---

We had been beyond the wall in Wilding territory for several weeks. Before we'd left Castle Black I had sent Amina a letter. I hadn't been able to write anything I'd really wanted to say. I knew she wouldn't be pleased, but I wanted to give her something. I pulled the ripped bit of ribbon out of my pocket and tugged on it for a moment. "What's that?" Sam asked.

"Nothing," I said, stuffing it back under my coat. He walked along next to me.

"Long way until camp," Sam observed.

"Yes, and?" I asked.

"You can't say we don't have time for you to tell the story."

"I don't want to talk about it, Sam."

"We're brothers now, come on. Please?"

I sighed. "What do you want to know?" I asked relenting.

"What's the thing you keep in your pocket? And tell me about her?"

"Her?" I asked surprised.

"There's always a girl. What was her name?"

"Amina," I said quietly. It had been several months since I'd spoken her name out loud.

"Did she die?" He asked. I shook my head. "Didn't love you back then?"

"She did. That was why I had to leave. She was betrothed to a lord." I shook my head. "I don't know why I ever thought it could work out between us. We were stupid kids."

"Did she want you to leave?"

"No, but I did it for her. She's a Queen now I would think."

"A Queen?"

"The last a heard from family, the North had rebelled with Robb as the King."

His eyes widened. "She was going to marry your brother, but was in love with you. That must have made for some interesting family dinners.

"He never figured it out. Robb was always a bit oblivious to those sorts of things."

"Did you ever sleep with her?"

I shook my head. "We never got that far." I remembered the night before she'd left with Robb and Eddard to visit the banner men. "There was one time when-" I shook my head. "That didn't work out."

Sam glanced ahead. "Still a while until the Fist," he observed. He glanced over at me waiting to see if I'd tell him the story.

"I guess we have time."

XxXxX

Two years ago

Amina was leaving the next day. She had been so busy with Catelyn's extra lessons on who was who and how she should behave. We'd hardly had a moment to meet. She rushed into my room early that morning panting. "Have you been running?" I asked surprised.

"Sansa was trying to help me study. Fortunately for me, Sansa doesn't run. I got away easily enough. I scared Rickon though. I'm sure he'll start screaming and Catelyn will want to track me down for another lecture."

"You don't have much time then." She shook her head. Neither of us wanted to waste any time. I kissed her and she ran her fingers up my neck and through my hair.

"You might want to cut this at some point. It's getting a bit out of hand." She tugged on one of my curls as if proving her point.

"Not even for you, Ami," I said, kissing her again.