A Dragon Raised Snow

Hardhome

{Hardhome} 

Aegon

Most of the children were on the ships, they had started putting men on the boats and sailing them out by the time the winds had picked up. The air was eerily cold and filled with the rustling and whispers of people waiting to get aboard the limited amount of ships they had.

He gently grabbed hold of the last of the children, a little girl handed to him by one of the women. He gave the girl a soft smile, setting her down in the boat before turning to Karsi who stared at the girl with the type of love that he only saw in Ashara's eyes when she looked at him or Catelyn when she looked at her children.

"Are you coming with us?" The little girl asked, out of the two. She grabbed onto her mother's sleeve.

"I have to get the old people on the boats, I'll be right behind you." She said softly, the softest he had ever heard her. She gave the little girl a kiss atop her head and stepped back.

He turned back to the girl, stopping looking at the men as they set themselves down in the ships. "Hey." He whispered, tapping her on the shoulder. Her blue eyes turned to him with a deep dissatisfied frown on her little face. She looked just like Karsi as he looked at her but still he kept his gentle smile.

"What do ya want Crow?" She asked with a feistiness that reminded him of Arya.

He hummed, "I'm not a crow-" He cut himself off with a sigh knowing it was no use anymore. "You don't have a weapon to protect yourself..."

"Willa." She said.

"Willa." He tested looking to the girl who clutched the little girl's arm, her sister he thought. "Well, Willa, do you know how to use this?" He pulled out one of his knives, laying it across his palms.

She was hesitant with her nod which told him she was lying a little, "I know how." The other girl said.

"Good," He handed her the knife, "Look after this for me and if you need to use it then use it, but make sure you give it back to me, both of you."

Willa looked to Karsi standing behind him when she got a gentle nod she looked back to Jon and let her sister take the blade. "What abou' mommy?" She asked.

"She has a sword of her own and a bow, I think she can take care of herself and if not I will help her, don't worry." He said softly.

Willa gave him a gentle nod, which allowed him to stand and pat the boat in a signal to leave. She stepped back and joined Karsi as she watched her children leave on that boat.

"She will probably stab one your men with that, you know?" Karsi muttered.

With a chuckle, Jon shrugged, "That's their problem, they shouldn't get on the wrong side of those girls." He joked, knowing only the Nightswatchment will be a problem.

He turned to Tormund frustrated by those who were refusing to get aboard the ships. "How many do we have, 5,000?" He asked.

"Agh, I'm not good at counting." He muttered, lifting a pack full of supplies.

"We are leaving too many behind," Jon said looking over the thousands not getting onto the boats. He knew deep down what would come of them and it made him feel sick.

"The FreeFolk are stubborn, you know how long it took Mance to band them together? 20 fucking years." He carried on walking towards the boats.

"And he knew them better than I ever will."

"They are running out of food and there is nothing to hunt. They'll come round." He added before leaving him to pack belonging on the ships.

Another boat began to doc and more people got into the boats as the snows began to pick up. The soft snow that was drifting before becoming icy balls that harshly blew into his face, the sky becoming darker in what seemed like seconds. An ominous grey surrounding them. A thick fog began to grow from the ground up as if setting the mood for a scary tale.