Frozen Stone

The full moon had been high in the cloudy sky last night, and Maranda had lied there staring at it for a good amount of time instead of sleeping, wondering if she had missed her meeting with Jon. Now she sat on a boulder at their predetermined meeting spot, eyes drooping from her lack of sleep, slowly sharpening her dagger as she waited for a sign that Jon was coming. She was about to address Osha’s concerned stares when she heard a low rumbling growl to her left. Further down the path stood the white direwolf, its head lowered as its piercing red eyes glared at the six women.

“Ygritte, Danelle! Up top and ready to fire! Mavys and Barra, stay back and stay hidden,” Maranda commanded as she slowly stood, her eyes now wide as she focused and prepared herself. Osha was the only one she truly trusted, despite having lived with the newcomers for a month now and having found no reason to doubt the their intentions. Assured that Osha had her back in case things went south, Maranda kept her bow secured to her back and stood in the middle of the path, awaiting Jon. After a flash of black, the white beast yelped and took a few steps backwards before rubbing its massive paw over its nose. Umbra slinked out from a rock’s shadow, hissing at the direwolf. All of a sudden, a horse came over the rise and halted.

“Ghost!” Jon shouted as he jumped from his horse, the new arrivals scaring Umbra back to Maranda. “Oh come on, it’s just a scratch, boy.” Jon gave Ghost a rough pat and the beast turned away, leaving the humans.

“I guess he got too close,” Maranda called out as Umbra rubbed her head against Osha’s hand, her request for a pat denied as Osha kept her focus.

“Are you going to hurt me if I come too close?” Jon replied, Maranda laughing as he walked forwards.

“That would depend, Snow,” she said as she eyed the pouch that Jon was untying from his hips.

“Word reached me that you held your end of the deal,” he announced as he stopped before her, gripping tightly onto the sack of coins. “The farmers by Last Hearth couldn’t be happier. They have enough to order more supplies now.”

“I’m glad,” Maranda smiled. “And what of the Lord of Winterfell?” Jon’s straight lips broke into a grin, his dark eyes finally having a sense of warmth in them.

“He hasn’t realised the loss of Gold Dragons yet, and he is absolutely bewildered about why the farmers have stopped coming to him to beg for help. He hasn’t heard the whispers about the giving woman with a shadowcat.”

“It will only be a matter of time before he knows what I’m doing,” Maranda remarked and Jon nodded.

“But he won’t know what I’m doing,” he replied, then held out the bag of Gold Dragons. “Here. For the struggling folk in Barrowtown.”

“Of course. See you in another two moons?” Maranda questioned as she took the rather heavy pouch off him, stealing a quick peek inside to make sure that the promised gold was there.

“Sure,” Jon agreed with a short nod. “Be careful, Stone. I hear that Ironborn are lurking near there.”

“We can take care of ourselves.” Maranda brushed off his concern and turned her back to Jon, walking away so they could start moving south to perform their task.

“I’m sure you can, so next time we meet, don’t bother with your two archers. I’m not going to do anything stupid,” Jon called out and Maranda flinched, glancing up and easily spotting Ygritte’s red hair. Jon mounted his horse and left, and the women gathered and began walking south. Ygritte joined Maranda at the front of the group, giving her a friendly nudge to the ribs that almost made Maranda halt with surprise.

“He’s cute, you know,” Ygritte commented with a flash of an excited smile. “I wouldn’t mind cuddling him at night.”

“I’ll make sure you get a handsome whore at the next brothel then,” Maranda replied, and it was Ygritte’s turn to hesitate with shock.

“What? No,” she stammered. “I wasn’t asking for that, I was just trying to fawn over Jon with you, that’s all.” Maranda raised her eyebrows questioningly, confused by her statement.

“Why would I want to fawn over an enemy?” she questioned.

“Firstly, he’s clearly an ally,” Ygritte clarified. “And secondly, he cares about you. That would be worth something to me.” Maranda remained quiet, partly avoiding the subject and partly taking in Ygritte’s words, so Ygritte slunk back to Barra’s side to make conversation instead.