Frozen Stone
SIX
“You see that?” Osha said with a nod down the hill. A horse stood on the snowy path next to rocks that were erratically jutting out of the hill, its rider crouched next to the horse’s front legs. The horse wore white and light green material, proving that the rider was loyal to the Starks, and after their recent success Maranda was feeling confident enough to strike at Robb again.
“I don’t see anyone else around,” Maranda commented as she scanned the surrounding hills once again. “How far are we from Winterfell?”
“About a day’s ride, I’d say. Shouldn’t be any Northerners patrolling the area,” Osha gave her evaluation with caution, taking knowledge from whispers she had overheard during her time at Winterfell.
“Let’s go,” Maranda decided and the two women began their descent on the slippery hill. They split paths and Umbra wandered off, sniffing a trail on the ground. With only two people, it was a stretch to say that they had surrounded the man, but Maranda felt assured that he would not attempt to escape. Osha had blocked the horse from the front, the rocks prevented a safe escape up the hill, the steepness would make the rider wary of heading down the hill, and Maranda was approaching on the path from behind. She drew an arrow from her back and strung it in her bow effortlessly, having repeated the action for what seemed like her entire life, and then kicked a stone into a boulder, creating a noise that made the man stop tending the horse’s leg and look up. Maranda’s stomach dropped when she recognised the face beneath the wild curls.
“You…” Jon whispered, too surprised to say anything else.
“Me,” she said with a brief grin that instead of showing confidence proved how nervous she was to see the man again. “What’s wrong with your horse?” Jon hesitated, glancing at the horse’s leg before standing slowly to not alert Maranda.
“Slipped on ice and kicked a rock, I think.”
“Where’s your direwolf?” Maranda quickly asked, suddenly aware that he was most likely travelling with his white beast.
“Somewhere nearby. I take it Umbra is too,” he replied before reaching across his saddle, once more taking his time so Maranda did not prematurely shoot. “And I am guessing that you are after this.” Jon threw the bag forwards and on its landing it opened to reveal shining gold inside. Maranda eyed it up and considered closing half of the distance between them to retrieve it.
“This some sort of trick, Snow?” she asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes.
“I thought it was clear the last time we spoke that I’m supportive of you?”
“Believing in what I do is one thing, but willingly giving me coins so I can continue to do so is another,” Maranda pointed out and Jon shrugged.
“I want to help,” he said before hesitating and glancing off to the side. “I was actually out here looking for you.”
“Why?” she snarled, naturally drawing her arrow further back in response to anger that she was being hunted.
“I was hoping we could have an arrangement. Perhaps every second full moon we could meet somewhere and I could bring you Gold Dragons from Winterfell to give to the poor in the North?” Jon offered but Maranda shook her head.
“That’s not how it works.”
“Why not? Robb is stolen from, you get your share, and the North survives the winter,” Jon replied, his tone giving away his desperation. That combined with his pleading expression tugged at Maranda’s heart.
“How much would you give each time?” she wondered.
“As much as I can take.”
“Anywhere that needs help first?”
“The farmers around Last Hearth. A few weeks ago they begged Robb for assistance, but he barely provided any. I don’t know what he was thinking,” Jon said, muttering the last part to himself. “Just take that gold north, and we can meet back here in two moons. It’s not a trap, Stone. You can trust me.” To prove so, Jon mounted his horse and kicked it forwards, walking past a hidden Osha before cantering towards Winterfell. Osha came out of hiding and joined Maranda to inspect the sack of coins.
“Should we come back in two moons?” Maranda asked Osha as they peeked at the considerable amount of Gold Dragons they now possessed.
“I think he’s being honest. Jon always was the nicest to me, always kept his word,” she remarked as Umbra came scampering down the icy rocks to Maranda’s side. She looked up to see Jon’s direwolf atop the hill staring down at them before stalking off in the direction Jon had gone.
“Let’s do it, then,” she decided, smirking at all of the pleasures she could indulge in with her new wealth.
“I don’t see anyone else around,” Maranda commented as she scanned the surrounding hills once again. “How far are we from Winterfell?”
“About a day’s ride, I’d say. Shouldn’t be any Northerners patrolling the area,” Osha gave her evaluation with caution, taking knowledge from whispers she had overheard during her time at Winterfell.
“Let’s go,” Maranda decided and the two women began their descent on the slippery hill. They split paths and Umbra wandered off, sniffing a trail on the ground. With only two people, it was a stretch to say that they had surrounded the man, but Maranda felt assured that he would not attempt to escape. Osha had blocked the horse from the front, the rocks prevented a safe escape up the hill, the steepness would make the rider wary of heading down the hill, and Maranda was approaching on the path from behind. She drew an arrow from her back and strung it in her bow effortlessly, having repeated the action for what seemed like her entire life, and then kicked a stone into a boulder, creating a noise that made the man stop tending the horse’s leg and look up. Maranda’s stomach dropped when she recognised the face beneath the wild curls.
“You…” Jon whispered, too surprised to say anything else.
“Me,” she said with a brief grin that instead of showing confidence proved how nervous she was to see the man again. “What’s wrong with your horse?” Jon hesitated, glancing at the horse’s leg before standing slowly to not alert Maranda.
“Slipped on ice and kicked a rock, I think.”
“Where’s your direwolf?” Maranda quickly asked, suddenly aware that he was most likely travelling with his white beast.
“Somewhere nearby. I take it Umbra is too,” he replied before reaching across his saddle, once more taking his time so Maranda did not prematurely shoot. “And I am guessing that you are after this.” Jon threw the bag forwards and on its landing it opened to reveal shining gold inside. Maranda eyed it up and considered closing half of the distance between them to retrieve it.
“This some sort of trick, Snow?” she asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes.
“I thought it was clear the last time we spoke that I’m supportive of you?”
“Believing in what I do is one thing, but willingly giving me coins so I can continue to do so is another,” Maranda pointed out and Jon shrugged.
“I want to help,” he said before hesitating and glancing off to the side. “I was actually out here looking for you.”
“Why?” she snarled, naturally drawing her arrow further back in response to anger that she was being hunted.
“I was hoping we could have an arrangement. Perhaps every second full moon we could meet somewhere and I could bring you Gold Dragons from Winterfell to give to the poor in the North?” Jon offered but Maranda shook her head.
“That’s not how it works.”
“Why not? Robb is stolen from, you get your share, and the North survives the winter,” Jon replied, his tone giving away his desperation. That combined with his pleading expression tugged at Maranda’s heart.
“How much would you give each time?” she wondered.
“As much as I can take.”
“Anywhere that needs help first?”
“The farmers around Last Hearth. A few weeks ago they begged Robb for assistance, but he barely provided any. I don’t know what he was thinking,” Jon said, muttering the last part to himself. “Just take that gold north, and we can meet back here in two moons. It’s not a trap, Stone. You can trust me.” To prove so, Jon mounted his horse and kicked it forwards, walking past a hidden Osha before cantering towards Winterfell. Osha came out of hiding and joined Maranda to inspect the sack of coins.
“Should we come back in two moons?” Maranda asked Osha as they peeked at the considerable amount of Gold Dragons they now possessed.
“I think he’s being honest. Jon always was the nicest to me, always kept his word,” she remarked as Umbra came scampering down the icy rocks to Maranda’s side. She looked up to see Jon’s direwolf atop the hill staring down at them before stalking off in the direction Jon had gone.
“Let’s do it, then,” she decided, smirking at all of the pleasures she could indulge in with her new wealth.
♠ ♠ ♠
Should Maranda return in two moons?