Time

Now

Doing things on a whim is not the way to go. You don't just walk down the road of life, without any worries, letting fate do it's work. 

The ways of the world had always troubled Alysa.

She would rather the world always go her way. Her motto was that, if life gave you lemons you'd better sell them during daytime and be back home with plain rice to eat before nightfall.

It doesn't matter if she seldom made sense, her words made you see what should be than what actually is. 

According to Alysa herself actually.

It never mattered what her parents, poor farmers that they were, said. It didn't matter what her entire village said. She was set in her ways, and to be otherwise was abhorrent to her.

The lovely girl of sixteen summers was adored by the entire village, she was the best elder sister, the kindest neighbor and the apple of her parents eyes.

Too bad, the bastard never saw her that way.

Jon Snow was just that, a bastard. His birth had always been shadowed by many mysteries. Some say, lord Eddard fell for a Danish rose, the mother an influential lady died giving birth to the lad. Some say, he was the result of a tumble with a bar maid.

But the circumstances of his birth never stopped his stream of admirers. The bastard of Winterfell could have any girl in the entire North if only he wasn't so damn noble. And if that girl happened to be Alyse, then be as it may. She'd have no objection.

Instead, she'd be jumping off the walls in total ecstasy.

..........

The king's return to king's landing had been postponed for a few days due to Brandon Stark's accident. Now that there was nothing to be done for the boy, the king and his entourage were eager to be off. With them lord Eddard as the King's hand. With Lord Eddard was his three eldest children.

The news about Jon joining the night's watch with his uncle came a few days after the first heavy snowfall.

A long winter was on its way, summer having gone on for nine long years, winter was expected to be equally long.
The mood of the village was despondent, most of the poor families might not survive the winter. Alyse's family amongst them.

The news about Jon added another brick at the bottom of her stomach. Her family's impending starvation coupled with her Jon's taking the oath dampened the girl's sweet nature. Forcing her to grow up within a matter of days.

Alyse loved Jon, it was as simple as it sounded.

They had never spoken, not even a word in passing. For they belonged to different worlds.

But she had looked, and she saw all that made him himself. There was not a boy who could compare or even come close to the place he held in her heart. He was the perfect soulmate for her, her one true love. If only he knew.

If only he'd looked.

..........

The day Jon was to start his journey to the wall, Alyse woke up early. She was up hours before the sun, gathering apples. There were very few trees which had the best tasting ones. Gathering all, she tied the best in her favorite handkerchief, carefully hiding a little common white flower among them. The flower was sturdy despite its size, it'll not perish.

Then she hurriedly made her way to the market.

..........

"Apples, sir? For the journey ahead?"

Jon looked down from his tall horse to see a pair of big brown eyes. The girl was his age, yet as he stared at the offering in her small hands, he could see and feel how young she was. There was something in the way she said those words, the expression in those hazel eyes made him stop. She was a stranger to him, yet he felt a pull.

It may have been the inevitable oath he was about to take that jumbled his senses and impaired his judgement, but he wanted to stop a while and stare at the girl a bit more.

Before he could ask her name, his uncle spoke up.

"Take the gift lad, it'll be many years before you see such a gentle lass again."

As he took the bundle from her, he couldn't help but ask
"What is your name?"

"Alyse milord, Alyse Hart."

"Take care Alyse, of yourself and that gentle heart of yours. A long winter is ahead."

He tried to offer some coins for the fruits, but she was adamant not to have any. By then it was time to leave.

They all rode on, only one looked back to see the girl waving goodbye.

..........

She'd done it. She had given her parting gift to the boy who stole her heart. And she'd done it without shedding a single tear.

She'd hoped he'll turn back, to look at her one last time, but it was only his uncle who did.

Her Jon was too proud to forgo his own words, even though she'd seen hesitation in his eyes. His eyes reflected all his doubts and hopes.

She scoffed softly, after all, all men are fools.

..........

The white flower Jon had found among the apples was long lost. The memory remained.
Jon reminisced of his doubts and anxieties on that fateful day he left winterfell as he thumbed the petals of the flowers he had found near the tree under which he now sat.

The flowers reminded him of the willowy little girl, Alyse.

All was said and done, years had passed, wars won and lost.

It was time to return home.

..........

Nearing Winterfell, he crossed an old man sheafing the dead leaves to clear a spot and burn them. Signs of a winter coming to an end.

Big brown eyes flashed across his mind. Nine long years had passed, yet the memory of the girl remained. He now realized she had a crush on him, as little girls tend to do. Her hope filled eyes, as he had accepted her meager gift made him smile.

"Excuse me, do you know what happened to the Harts?"

The man stopped his work, looking startled.
"The Harts, milord?"

"Yes the Harts, they lived around here. They had a daughter, Alyse?"

The man was silent for a long time.

"Have you lived here long?" Prodded Jon once again.

"Aye, I lived here all my life. As did the others before they were buried."

"So you know what happened to her? Were they able to escape the Bolton's?"

"Aye milord, escape they did. The family was devastated after little Alyse died, poor thing. A bad cold did her a few months after the Lord went to the Capitol. The place was always bad for the Starks as we all said..."

Here Jon lost his concentration as the man rambled on. She was dead. His sturdy flower had died of a common cold.
He tuned in again to hear the man say

"... They all died. But the Stranger was kind enough to grant them a painless one. After all, this past winter made us glad of an easy death. "

With that thought Jon rode on, saying to himself
"After all, a painless death seems to be the most merciful of all."

..........

This is a series of one shots I made. The characters are not mine, a few characteristics are.

Read them and give your input.