𝐻𝐸𝑅𝑂𝑖𝑁𝐸 | 𝐽𝑜𝑛 𝑆𝑛𝑜𝑤

twelve.

"𝘼 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙣𝙤 𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙣𝙤 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨"

The words danced on Davos' tongue as he and Ashara stood in the hall. He wanted to tell her, but he felt it to be the wrong time. A battle was about to happen, Ashara didn't need anything on her mind.

Everyone at Castle Black had managed to squeeze themselves into the hall. Jon Snow had called for a meeting, but the man was nowhere to be seen. Ashara sighed, she was tired of waiting around for this man, he was beginning to get on her nerves. Her knee bounced in aggravation as she tried to occupy herself.

Looking down the line of people sat with her, she studied their facial expressions. They all held the same look. They were all ready for war. Upon seeing their faces, Ashara's heart rate quickened. She felt as if she was missing out on something. They all knew something she didn't. Standing from her chair, she turned and grabbed the elbow of Brienne, giving it a slight tug, gaining her attention. Brienne turned and looked at the confuse and angry face of Ashara.

"Brienne, tell me what is happening here." Ashara tried to keep her cool.

"Jon snow will tell you as soon as he arrives, I'm sure of it." Brienne spoke, as calmly as she always did.

"I'd like to know before everyone else. I'm a commander, if its battle plans then I should know, I'm going to be there fighting." She was struggling now, she needed to know.

"Lady Ashara" Brienne looked around at the other people sat at the high table. They all held a wary look, even Sansa.

"I'm no lady Brienne of Tarth, you should know this better than anyone else sat here. Tell me what's happening." Ashara had almost, definitely lost her cool now. She wasn't enjoying being kept in the dark here.

Brienne opened her mouth, but as soon as she did, the doors at the back of the room opened, and the ex-Lord Commander of the nights watch, Jon Snow strode through the doors. He walked with pride as he almost strutted through the crowds sat below the high table. He didn't have to try hard to get the peoples attention. They respected him and followed him for reasons that Ashara was un aware of.

He climbed the steps to the area where the high table stood, feeling Ashara's eyes on him. The room was silent as he scraped his chair across the floor of the platform. Jon didn't bother sitting in the chair, he instead rested his arms on the table in front of him, releasing a sigh.

"You must all be wondering why I called you here. In the recent days, we have heard word of the Bolton army preparing to march forward. We must meet them on the road to Winterfell and set camp, prepare for battle. You all know as well as I that they outnumber us. But we must try, even if we fail. We will have tomorrow to prepare and we shall leave the day after."

Jon was met with silence. Some men shocked that battle has come so soon; others were showing a worried expression on their faces. Ashara was a mix of both. She knew that Jon's army was not ready. She knew the Bolton army inside and out, and they were most likely going to trample over Jon's.

"Leave this hall and sleep. It may be the last night that you all sleep well." Jon spoke, looking over everyone one last time, holding his gaze on Ashara for slightly longer. He then walked away from the table, slamming the doors behind him as he left the room.

"When were you going to tell me?" Ashara was seething. She was never informed of this, and she felt she should have been.

She was met with silence.

"So! Someone god damn answer me!" She shouted across the hall, gaining some unwanted attention from the men leaving the room. Movement caught her eye, turning to look, she was met with Davos' face.

"Ashara it is best you speak with Jon. He will tell you what you need to hear." He placed a warm hand on her shoulder, but he was only met with Aras cold gaze. Shrugging his hand off her, she gave him one last look before she took off to Jon's Study.

She didn't feel the bitter cold when she walked to his room. The heat from the anger she felt warmed her skin. Her ears were warm and red, along with her cheeks. Ashara didn't like the fact that she had been left out of strategies and battle plans. She'd be going into the fight with no knowledge, most likely leaving her to run around like a headless chicken.

Ashara didn't bother pounding her fists on his door, she just bust through it, almost throwing it off its hinges. Jon froze on his spot and looked at the door. He had been pacing the room, waiting for Ara to come.

"When were you going to tell me huh? When we were on the field? When Ramsay had been killed?" Ashara didn't hold back.

"I didn't tell you as I though it'd be best this way. I didn't want to stress you during your recovery." Jon kept calm, but he could tell that his calm demeanour was slowly going to slip away in this conversation.

"My recovery? I've been recovered for the past week! You've seen me training, or you were meant to see me train, but you couldn't be arsed to show. I waited hours for you to show. I need training with the best soldiers if I'm to fight in this battle."

"Ashara, I didn't think you'd be fighting with us." Jon spoke quietly, but she still heard.

"You what? This is as much your battle as it is mine. I was virtually the man's prisoner since I was 14. The Bolton bastard has tormented me for years and I had to put up with it. He may hold your home, but that place became my home too."

"I don't want you hurt Ashara." Jon sighed, the though of her being injured again, or even possibly dying plagued his mind for the past weeks.

"I'm the greatest female warrior the seven kingdoms have ever seen. As Brienne, I've beat her multiple times these past weeks. I've battled men twice my size and won. You don't get to decide if I'm going to die or not on that battlefield Snow." She pointed a finger whilst gritting her teeth.

"This is my Army Ashara, I'll decide what goes." Jon was losing his patience with her now. If he could wrap her in blankets and protect her, he would.

She approached Jon, grabbing his forearms.

"Jon. Please. Let me fight for you. Let me fight for the Stark family name." She dropped to her knees and held her sword in front of her, breathing heavily.

Jon pulled her up, making her sword clatter to the ground. He held her close in his arms as she felt his breath fan over her face. He reached next to her head and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. Both their hearts were racing, they were the closest they've ever been.

"You fight for my army Ashara, you fight for my family Ashara, but you promise me, you do not die." Jon whispered, looking at her. Her eyes moved across his face, just wanting to take him in.

Ashara nodded, not feeling as if she could speak any words. She closed her eyes and stepped away from Jon. The closeness of the two was making her dizzy.

"Go, rest, I'll need your help tomorrow, Commander." Jon smiled as he spoke the words, watching Ashara's face light up, as she repeatedly thanked him. Her voice was music to Jon's ears. He watched her leave, as he felt the ache in his chest for not taking the chance that he just had with her.

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Hey guys, still hope you're enjoying this !! i'm trying to write a few chapters in advance so that's why i'm not uploading so often :))

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