That day started off like most of Jon’s days did for the past few months. He gathered a few of his Night’s watch brothers and went beyond the wall into the coldness. Except, today he couldn’t feel the cold biting thought his thick furs and warm clothes. His fingers weren’t numb and bloodless under the gloves like they usually were. He could even form a fist and wrap them around the handle of Longclaw. The leathery strap that helped him guide his horse didn’t crack every time he curved it. Was it warmer today? Was winter finally over? Or has he just gotten used to the cold?
After the White Walkers became no more than a tale parents told their children or men used to impress women, claiming they have faced and killed death, the Night’s Watch sent out their brothers to freely explore the lands beyond the wall. Every day new little groups were formed and sent out. Jon Snow was always among the volunteers to join the exploration. By now he has lost count of how many times he had gone beyond the Wall. It felt like he spent more nights out there in the cold than back in Castle Black. Not that anyone hoped to find anything valuable out there, but it was a way to slowly complete the map of their world if nothing else. Now that they could.
Today though, something was amiss, and not only because it felt like winter is finally over and Jon wasn’t the only one who felt it. His brothers all turned their heads up towards the wall that was rapidly weeping after they passed the gate. They saw it as a blessing though and continued marching north.
He lifted his head up before heading into the darkness of the forest. The sky above him was clear blue and for the first time in a long time, Jon Snow saw the sun. His attention was caught, however, by the red comet, a bleeding star leaving a red trail as it stubbornly flew across the sky. Memories of the first time he witnessed such a sight, flooded his mind. He was, much like now, riding beyond the wall with his brothers. Ed was telling them about how Craster married his daughters and Jon was wondering what he did with the boys. That was so long ago. Ed, Grenn, Pyp... they were all gone now.
He dug his heels into the horse when he heard someone yelling his name. Clutching the straps back, he turned the horse around to face the rider coming towards him. The black dressed brother came up close and reached his arm towards Jon, handing over a piece of paper. “From the King… you are being summoned, Jon Snow.”
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