The Heart of a Giant- Tormund Giantsbane

The Exception

In the last couple of hours, the mindset of Naerys Targaryen changed. She had accepted the situation which she was in and was beginning to find ways to use her assets to her advantage. Jon had Ygritte to protect him and to make sure he kept on the right path, but who did Naerys have? Jon was her only ally. Naerys couldn't expect Ygritte to have her back for much longer. 

Naerys was a Targaryen. She was a survivor. She was a conquer. And of course, she was a force to be reckoned with.  South of the wall, women weren't allowed to fight. But Naerys could fight better than most men, she could use that to her advantage here. 

To Naerys dismay, soon after their introduction to the King Beyond The Wall the wildlings packed up camp and started their march south.

Jon and Naerys walked with Mance through cold north. Mance was wary of the two, more so Jon since he already knew of Naerys from his time as a member of the Night's Watch. 

"Was it hard to kill the Halfhand?" Mance asked Jon, as he pulled the two aside. 

"Yes" replied Jon before they continued walking. 

"You liked him?" he asked. Jon simply nodded. "I like you but if you're playing us false it won't be hard to kill you. I got the wildling blood in my veins. These are my people"

"I understand" replied Jon. 

"Well, how could you understand?"Mance said slightly annoyed.

"You want to protect your people"

"You know what it takes uniting half a dozen clans. Half of them wanting to massacre the other half for one insult or another? They speak 7 different languages in my army. The Thenns hate the Hornfoots, the Hornfoots hate the Ice-River clans, and everyone hates the cave people. So you know how I got moon worshippers and cannibals and giants to march together in the same army? 

"No" 

"I told them we were all going to die if we don't get South. Because that's the truth" said Mance walking away from Jon and Naerys. 

Naerys turned to Jon, "He's warier of you than he is of me" she stated in observance.

"That's because your explanation adds up" replied Jon. 

Their march to the wall continued. After the chat with Mance, the only person to talk with them was Ygritte. And she was only talking to them because she fancied Jon. 

The wildlings decided that after a long day of marching that they would set up camp for the night. So that they did. 

Jon and Naerys were previously given supplies and a tent to share amongst themselves, as well as wildling clothing to fit in with the bunch. 

The two struggled to put up their tent, by the time they finished Ygritte was sitting by a fire waiting for them.

"Took you two long enough," teased Ygritte as Jon and Naerys approached. 

Naerys smiled as she complained, "Jon here wouldn't let me help, we only got it down when he gave up and let me take over". 

"That's not how I remember it happening" jested Jon elbowing Naerys in her side. She let out a soft laughed before taking a seat on a log across from Ygritte. Jon went and sat right next to Ygritte. Naerys smiled at the two from across the campfire. She was happy that her friend, who was always mopping around and brooding, finally find love. Even if neither of them knew it was love yet. 

As the sun started to set and the day became night, a lot of the wildlings started to gather around the campfire. They told stories and made jokes. Naerys observed them with amaze. She was so absorbed that she didn't notice a man sat next to her until he spoke up. 

"I thought Crows didn't allow women," said Tormund making Naerys jump. 

She looked up at him, "I was the exception" she said simply. 

"Why?" he pressed with interest. 

"The Usurper King killed all of my family and I had nowhere else to go, so I was taken to Castle Black where my great-granduncle lives. They made an exception out of pity," she explained further, never once breaking eye contact with the fire before her. 

"And what of the white hair? I've been with every colour but I never have seen one like yours" he said making Naerys blush. 

Naerys looked up at the large man, "It's a family thing" she said simply before looking back at the fire. She felt nervous in his presences. She didn't know what the reason was but every time he was near she got butterflies in her gut. 

Tormund did not know what the think of the girl. In no way did he trust her, but Ygritte had vouch that she would make an excellent spearwife. Yet, Tormund was fascinated with her. He was amazing at how tiny but fierce she was. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on, he woulda thought a girl like that would have been confident and loud but Naerys was quiet as a mouse. Tormund liked how loyal she was to Jon, he also knew that Jon would betray them and she would most likely follow. That didn't stop Tormund from wanting to know more about the girl, however. 

Naerys went back to observing the people around her, while Tormund simply observed Naerys. It wasn't until a member of Tormund's clan came to talk to him, did his eyes leave her figure. Even then as he conversed, he still glanced her way when he got the chance. She was too invested in the action around her to notice. 

Naerys wanted to study the free folk, she wanted to know everything there was to know. Their lifestyles captivated her interest and made her yearn for freedom. In the presence of these people, she felt liberated, a feeling which was foreign to her. 

A man running around the campfire quickly caught her attention, as well as everyone's around her. They all watched as the man bolts towards an unattentive female, who was too caught up in the midst of a conversation to notice the man coming her way. The man scooped up the female and ran away with her. 

Naerys watched them in a state of confusion and shock as the two figures disappeared into the line of tents. Tormund noticed the facial expressions of the white-haired girl causing him to let out a booming laugh. This caught the attention of Jon and Ygritte, making them come towards where Naerys and Tormund were sitting. 

Ygritte smiled at the lady crow's confusion. "That man just married that girl" explained Ygritte. This did not aid Naerys's confusion at all, however, it just made her more confused. 

" I don't understand. How do the free folk marry?" asked Naerys looking to the wildling girl. 

"He just chased the woman he wants as his wife. If they return alive and mostly uninjured, they're married. If they don't then they aren't bond" explained Ygriite. 

"So there really is no difference between that and kidnapping, I take it?" Naerys jested. 

"Aye," said Tormund looking down at the girl with a smile. 

"Does that mean that Ygritte and Jon are married since he captured her?" Naerys asked making Tormund let out a booming laugh once again. 

"Aye, but it would make us married too" jested Ygritte. Jon blushed deeply making it all funnier. 

"I never imagined having a wife. I always into big, strong men" Naerys jested back with a smile. 

"What would you're lord father ever think" 

The group of four laughed and joked all night. For that time they had all put their differences aside and just enjoyed each others company. However, they all knew that tomorrow would bring a new set of adventurous, as well as a new set of problems.