Witch of Winterfell*Game of Thrones*

Chapter Twenty One

After all, Bran didn't choose to be pushed from a tower. He didn't ask to be uprooted from his home and forced to foreign uncharted land. His family had been separated and lost at the hands of people he thought to be friends. The Raven's actions serve himself, contrary to his claim that he is trying to end generational reigns of tyranny.

"Somewhere along the way, through Bran's journey, you've come to care for him. I might even say love." Marina says. "But you know that his duty comes first."

"I love him as if he were my brother" Meera says, attempting to rectify her moment of stupefaction. As she pondered over their place in the world, she had been shocked into silence when Marina spoke of love. The tips of her ears, that are thankfully covered by her thick curly hair, turned a bright pink.

Marina gave a knowing smile, clearly not believing the young girl, but chose not to speak anymore on that subject. So, the sorceress turned back to the white wilderness. The sun has just began it's departure, nestling itself along the horizon. The remaining light peaked through the red leaves of the Great Weirwood tree, giving it an almost regal hue. However, the twisted dark roots beneath threaten to overthrow its beauty.

Before she could say anything more, her eyes unintentionally turned red before closing.

♕

"Two strong, capable men sent out to retrieve a necklace. Yet, the direwolf had the pendant within its teeth" Davos says once the two men shut the door behind them. "Just how did that happen?"

Tormund and Edd look to one another. Neither of them are willing to admit that they were scared to touch the pendent.

"I figured the wolf wouldn't fall over and die when it touched it" Edd replies with a shrug. "He's Jon's animal that basically grew up with the witch. It was the best plan."

From the foot of the table, nestled comfortably, Ghost let out what seemed to be a scoff. Once he had returned to the room, Ghost used his strong hind legs to hoist his front paws beside his owner. He let the necklace fall on his chest with the string hanging off the side.

It's messy but no one dared touch it.

"It doesn't matter. We have what we need and with each passing moment, Jon grows farther from my grasp." Melisandre flexed her fingers, trying desperately to relieve the stress and anxiety in her veins.

"The commander already came to warn us. I'm afraid time is something we have very little of." Davos says.

"Then get on with it, witch." Edd says as if it were obvious. "After what it took to get that thing, I want to at least see it in action."

Melisandre closed her eyes and placed her warm open palms flat against Jon Snow's mutilated chest. She began chanting in high Valyrian, a tongue no man in the room understood.

The pendent that lay still against Jon's chest pulsed, nearly vibrating with its intensity. Ghost whimpered but raised his head as he noticed a change, a familiar change.

"What happened to him?" Melisandre asked, but the voice wasn't hers. "Who did this?"

"Marina?" Tormund called, frowning in disbelief.

Melisandre's eyes opened but they were a fiery red, staring directly at the wildling. "Tormund."

Said wilding dropped to his knee with his head down immediately, something that shocked the others.

"Who did this to him?" The red woman moved from the side of the table to stand in front of the men as Tormund stood to his full height.

"The new commander of the Night's Watch betrayed him because he helped the wildling's, mi' lady" Davos says. "The woman you've, uh, possessed was trying to revive him."

"You're mistaken, Ser Davos" Marina says. "She meant to drain my magic from the pendent. That's what I felt, that's why I came."

"I told you that hag couldn't be trusted" Edd mutters.

"She said she couldn't revive him because your magic protected him from her Lord's magic."

Marina shakes her head, "My magic protects him from those that would do harm, that is all."

"So she would allow Jon to stay dead for power?" Edd asks, more to himself than to the group.

"What will we do? We can't allow him to stay dead, mi' lady."

Marina looked back over at the table. Bile threatened to tumble past her lips when she scanned over Jon's bruised and raised skin. His lips are chapped and blue. His curly brown hair is dull and still. At least Melisandre had the decency to clean him.

"I will do it but leave Melisandre to me. She must not know that you are aware of her treachery. She will come to regret trying to cross me."

Marina moves to the bed of the table, placing her hands on his temple.

"Ser Davos, if you three could come forth, please." Edd, Tormund and Ser Davos shuffled closer. "Place one hand on my pendant."

"But-"

"It will not harm you. Tormund and Ghost trust you, therefore you have my blessing."

Tormund put his hand down first, displaying his faith and trust in the sorceress. Davos followed and so did Edd, but he was more reluctant.

Red tendrils caressed Jon's temple as she closed her eyes. A stream of magic moved from his head down to the pendent that lay beneath their hands. All three of them felt it's power and were left breathless. All too soon, the magic stopped and Marina opens her eyes, displaying the fiery red still glowing in her irises.

"When he wakes, watch over him. Don't leave Melisandre alone with him . Make sure the necklace doesn't come off."

The three men removed their hands. "Of course, mi' lady." He was also the one to claps the necklace around Jon's neck. No longer scared that the item would harm him.

The woman smiled, closed her eyes, and, when they opened, they were no longer red.