Wolf of Númenor

Chapter 16: A wolf a rose and a rune lord

He did not know how long he rode, only that he rode as fast as the horse could carry him, only stopping when the Winter was at the point of collapse. Dismounting, he found a small creek and let his horse quench her thirst and rest some, all the while the conversation with Margaery playing in his mind over and over, every word, every sentence again and again, and it pained him greatly. Jon wished it to stop, but it could not.

"Why did she do that?" he asked in a distraught tone looking at Winter, the horse's sigh being its only answer as it continued to drink from the creek. Jon did not think he could get more miserable than when he first heard the news of his father's death, but now he felt even worse because the hurt came from the people he trusted the most, the people who were like a family to him, Mace, Loras, Garlan, and what hurt the most Margaery.

Margaery's dream was to wear the crown one day. He knew that since they were children, but he never thought she would be so desperate for it to actually betray him as she did, to go against every moment they shared together. He saw it in her eyes; she did love him but then why did she shun him as she did and side with a pack of murderers. Everything felt like some bad dream, but he knew it was real.

As Jon continued to drown in the poll of despair that were his thoughts now, Winter lifted her head and brought it to his. "Thanks, girl, but it's going to take more than that to cheer me up this time," Jon said as he looked at the black stallion. Thinking about his horse, he thought about Willas; it seems even the kind Willas took the side of the Lannisters at the end and threw away everything he had with Jon out of the window.

Loras will do as his father tells him to and join the Lannisters, maybe even become a Kingsguard again. The betrayal of the brother he chose hurt as much as Margaery's. He could not hold his rage any longer, finally letting out a desperate, disgruntled scream that filled the warm night ear. "Damn the Tyrells, damn them so seven hells," Jon shouted and then fell to his knees in grief. He thought the Tyrells were his family, that they loved him, that they cared about him, but in the end, they showed their true colors; who would love a motherless bastard anyway.

He was born out of lust, a stain on his father's name that no one will ever honestly care about. He let himself be deluded by the possibility of a beautiful woman loving him and having a father who encouraged him and was proud of him. He thought he had that with the Tyrells, but fate proved his dreams and hopes false.

After reflecting on the Tyrells, he finally started to wonder what he is to do now. Honor demands justice for his father; Stannis now had a large army, and from the last news he had heard, he was beaten back by the Lannisters and had fled to Dragonstone, which only left his brother Robb. His brother and the northern army are in the Riverlands, and to get to where he would have to get through the Crownlands held by the Lannisters or the Reach, where he is too well known. "Maybe by sea," he thought.

Seeing that Winter was too exhausted to go anywhere further, Jon decided to make camp in the woods nearby; they would provide shelter if it rained and from any who would be sent to look for him, if any. As he approached the woods, he realized that in his haste to leave, he left any provisions he would need. Looking at the moon, he decided it would be best to leave that concern to the morning, after getting some rest and, if possible clear his head a bit, but he doubted the latter.

Tying his horse to a tree, Jon let her graze the grass. "At least you have something to eat," Jon said sadly. He put his back to a tree and closed his eyes, trying not to think about the events that transpired but having little luck with that. As he continued to try and regain some strength, Jon heard a sound coming from the bushes behind him. It seemed that Winter heard it too because her head was lifted high, and she was on alert. Jon listened to the noise again and got up.