Winter Is Coming

~Jon | The Marksman~

"Run Bran, faster!" egged on Robb.

Rayne continued laughing as she approached the boys, ruffling Rickon's hair along the way.

"Did you train her to do that?" Jon questioned eyeing Rayne with adoration visible in his eyes.

Rayne shrugged, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You do know that it's against the rules for women to practice fighting." Robb smirked and stepped forward towards Rayne.

Rayne threw her head back and laughed, "Again, I have no clue what you are speaking about. And from my understanding, practicing archery is not the same as going into war."

Jon stared at her until she returned his gaze and he gave her a knowing smile. If possible, they felt more comfortable around each other than they did before. The night before strengthened their bond to one another.

"Jon and Robb, go find Bran. A deserter from the wall was just found and I want him to watch." the three looked up to where Lord Eddard stood and then began putting the training arrows away.

"Brandon is only ten, do you think your father is sure that he should see such a thing?" Rayne questioned, clearly disturbed.

"He won't be a boy forever." Robb responded before walking away to find his younger brother.

Jon turned to see Rayne facing towards where Robb disappeared to, "He sounds more and more like your father everyday."

Instead of saying anything, Jon walked forward and took her hand. Rayne looked down at their intertwined fingers and smiled softly. Shortlived, the moment was murdered when she looked up at the balcony where Lady Catelyn stood, staring at the two of them. Jon felt Rayne slightly tense up and he knew she felt uncomfortable. She dropped his hand and turned to him swiftly with a smile and curtsied. After, she briskly walked back into the castle and left Jon alone under Catelyn's glare.

Jon remained stone-faced as he looked at the Wardeness of the North who loathed him. Instead of ignoring her, he offered her a small smile prior to him walking into the castle to find Rayne. With his sense of security depleted, he found Rayne inside her chambers watching the master of horse saddle up the horses. Joseth, a stablehand, helped the older man tie all of the thick skinned horses up, along with Bran's pony. Rayne made zero movement when Jon shut the door and approached her. She stayed frozen still, and her shadow casted all of her curves along the floor. The fogged light from the morning sun shone through her hair and Jon remained speechless for a brief moment in awe of her beauty.

"Are you embarrassed of me?" the bluntness of his question took her by surprise.

"Of course I'm not embarrassed, Jon." sighing, her eyes wandered around the frost covered yard.

"Then why did you pull away?" Jon turned her to face him so he could look into her eyes as she spoke.

Rayne looked at him with her round eyes and opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She stared at him without answering for a long while until she took him by surprise and pressed her lips to his. Jon reciprocated and buried his hands in her hair, gently tugging.

When Rayne pulled away, it seemed she got the encouragement that she needed in order to speak, "I am not embarrassed. But Jon, this is her home. We can't disrespect her like that."

Jon was upset, but he knew that Rayne was right. A bit of relief washed in waves over him after the reassurance that he hadn't done something wrong. His constant insecurities still haunted him since he was young and he just wished they would leave. Jon wanted to be a man for her. He wanted to be able to buy her silk dresses and whatever else her heart could possibly desire, but he had no riches or any power to give her what he thought she wanted. Little did he know, Rayne Cerwyn's only desire was him and she would do anything to help him realise that.

"Are you embarrassed by me?" Rayne inquired after a long eerie silence.

"God's no. I could never be ashamed of you." Jon sealed his feelings with a soft kiss on her lips.

They stayed with their foreheads pressed against one another's. Both of them enjoyed the silence. They enjoyed drowning out the sounds of the outside world and they enjoyed being alone in each other's company, no matter how brief. Rayne turned back to the window and Jon wrapped his hands around her waist. He loved the feeling of her body pressed against his in the most intimate way that they dared to be at the moment.

"You should probably get going." Rayne referred and motioned to Jon's brothers and father mounting their horses and looking around in concern for where Jon could be.

"I'll be back by sundown." Jon left without saying another word.

The girl stood in the same spot and watched from above as Jon Snow mounted his horse and looked up at her. He offered a reassuring smile which she returned in expectation of him turning his horse in the direction of the Winterfell gates. She merely watched solemnly as he rode away from her.