Secret Smiles in the Snow
A Bit of Both
Jon shoved Rolar forwards and they continued trekking north of the Wall. Sam followed behind with a heavy conscience.
“Are you sure we’re doing the right thing?” he repeated and Jon glared at him just like he had the last five times Sam had questioned his judgement.
“Do you want her cover to be blown?” Jon asked and Sam shook his head. “Then he can’t stay at the Wall. What do you suggest we do? Send him south?”
“Well, no, but-”
“He was going to commit another crime, Sam. He was going to hurt an innocent woman, just like he has done plenty of times before. He needs to be punished,” Jon insisted. In his mind, he was giving justice to all of the woman that Rolar had laid his hands on, not just Sina. Sam kept quiet and tightened his grip on the dragonglass dagger, wishing that they could head back.
“We shouldn’t go much further,” Sam pointed out and Jon nodded in agreement.
“That’s far enough. On your knees,” Jon ordered. Rolar glanced over his shoulder before kneeling with his back to the two men, praying to the seven for forgiveness. Jon withdrew Longclaw and hesitated, wondering if he should say anything before he did the deed. Deciding to be honourable like his father, he took in a deep breath and bowed his head while pointing his sword to the snow. “I, Jon Snow, Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, sentence you to die.” Jon then lifted his sword and swung it horizontally, only just gaining enough momentum to decapitate the ranger. Sam pulled a bottle from his pocket and emptied it over Rolar’s body and head before lowering his torch. The substance immediately caught ablaze and it was ensured that Rolar would not return as a Wight.
“What are you going to do about Sina?” Sam asked, breaking the deathly silence as they returned to the Wall. Jon didn’t have a response and Sam resisted the urge to sigh at his friend’s behaviour. “This will happen again, you know. I’m surprised it took this long, actually.”
“I’ll think about what to do,” Jon said sternly and Sam took the hint to stop rambling and keep quiet. They parted ways once inside Castle Black and Jon went straight to his chambers. He immediately spotted Sina huddled in a chair before the fire, her knees tucked up to her chest as she stared at the flames.
“You’re back,” she stated quietly. Jon didn’t reply as he shed his cloak and jacket and hung them by the door. “Is he dead?” Sina’s voice was barely a whisper but Jon heard her and unsheathed his sword as he walked to his bathroom.
“Yes,” he answered simply, holding out his bloodied blade as proof. Sina gave a short nod and Jon went into the bathroom to rinse his sword and hands. When he had finished, Jon sat in the chair next to hers, staring at her blank face and trying to figure out what she was thinking.
“The men who have raped me… None were ever killed for it,” Sina whispered after many silent minutes had passed. Jon’s stomach sank as Sina finally confirmed that she had been raped. He’d had a gut feeling about it, but he didn’t want it to be the truth.
“I am sorry to hear that. That’s very unjust.”
“What you did today…” Sina began, trailing off with uncertainty. She calmed herself with a deep breath and forced herself to look across at Jon. “Did you do that because of us, or because you’re Lord Commander?”
“Does it really matter?” Jon wondered and Sina gave a short nod. “A bit of both.” Sina looked away to the flames again and thought about how grateful she was to have finally found a man who wanted to protect her. Some of the worst men resided at the Wall, but some great ones like Sam and Jon were here too.
“I would like to sleep now,” she said quietly to dismiss herself and Jon stood as an act of courtesy.
“Would you like to stay here for the night?” Jon offered and Sina hesitated. She immediately thought it would be better not to, as the stewards she shared a room with would surely notice her absence, but then she thought of Jon’s comforting arms holding her. She desired the sense of security and nodded, the tiniest smile crossing her lips. Jon then pulled her into a sympathetic embrace, wishing that he could protect her more.
“Are you sure we’re doing the right thing?” he repeated and Jon glared at him just like he had the last five times Sam had questioned his judgement.
“Do you want her cover to be blown?” Jon asked and Sam shook his head. “Then he can’t stay at the Wall. What do you suggest we do? Send him south?”
“Well, no, but-”
“He was going to commit another crime, Sam. He was going to hurt an innocent woman, just like he has done plenty of times before. He needs to be punished,” Jon insisted. In his mind, he was giving justice to all of the woman that Rolar had laid his hands on, not just Sina. Sam kept quiet and tightened his grip on the dragonglass dagger, wishing that they could head back.
“We shouldn’t go much further,” Sam pointed out and Jon nodded in agreement.
“That’s far enough. On your knees,” Jon ordered. Rolar glanced over his shoulder before kneeling with his back to the two men, praying to the seven for forgiveness. Jon withdrew Longclaw and hesitated, wondering if he should say anything before he did the deed. Deciding to be honourable like his father, he took in a deep breath and bowed his head while pointing his sword to the snow. “I, Jon Snow, Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, sentence you to die.” Jon then lifted his sword and swung it horizontally, only just gaining enough momentum to decapitate the ranger. Sam pulled a bottle from his pocket and emptied it over Rolar’s body and head before lowering his torch. The substance immediately caught ablaze and it was ensured that Rolar would not return as a Wight.
“What are you going to do about Sina?” Sam asked, breaking the deathly silence as they returned to the Wall. Jon didn’t have a response and Sam resisted the urge to sigh at his friend’s behaviour. “This will happen again, you know. I’m surprised it took this long, actually.”
“I’ll think about what to do,” Jon said sternly and Sam took the hint to stop rambling and keep quiet. They parted ways once inside Castle Black and Jon went straight to his chambers. He immediately spotted Sina huddled in a chair before the fire, her knees tucked up to her chest as she stared at the flames.
“You’re back,” she stated quietly. Jon didn’t reply as he shed his cloak and jacket and hung them by the door. “Is he dead?” Sina’s voice was barely a whisper but Jon heard her and unsheathed his sword as he walked to his bathroom.
“Yes,” he answered simply, holding out his bloodied blade as proof. Sina gave a short nod and Jon went into the bathroom to rinse his sword and hands. When he had finished, Jon sat in the chair next to hers, staring at her blank face and trying to figure out what she was thinking.
“The men who have raped me… None were ever killed for it,” Sina whispered after many silent minutes had passed. Jon’s stomach sank as Sina finally confirmed that she had been raped. He’d had a gut feeling about it, but he didn’t want it to be the truth.
“I am sorry to hear that. That’s very unjust.”
“What you did today…” Sina began, trailing off with uncertainty. She calmed herself with a deep breath and forced herself to look across at Jon. “Did you do that because of us, or because you’re Lord Commander?”
“Does it really matter?” Jon wondered and Sina gave a short nod. “A bit of both.” Sina looked away to the flames again and thought about how grateful she was to have finally found a man who wanted to protect her. Some of the worst men resided at the Wall, but some great ones like Sam and Jon were here too.
“I would like to sleep now,” she said quietly to dismiss herself and Jon stood as an act of courtesy.
“Would you like to stay here for the night?” Jon offered and Sina hesitated. She immediately thought it would be better not to, as the stewards she shared a room with would surely notice her absence, but then she thought of Jon’s comforting arms holding her. She desired the sense of security and nodded, the tiniest smile crossing her lips. Jon then pulled her into a sympathetic embrace, wishing that he could protect her more.
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Thank you so much to Fearful, valery;, and Queen In The North - it means so much that you guys took the time to comment! :) I hope I hear more from you about this chapter, because I promise the next update (hopefully in a week) is a good one!