nysalogs | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Who: Jon Snow (

song_of_ice) & OTA
What: May Catch-all
When: May
Where: Olympia
Warning(s): None for now

I. Fiona Cove

[He hadn't seen a beach before, not like this. The one at Dragonstone had been darker and cooler, nothing like the heat radiating from the sand here. The water was a blue he had never imagined before, the sun sparkling along the surface, it was blinding. He wasn't certain what to make of it. The warm weather was closer to Westeros, rather than the jungles of Wyver. It was almost refreshing, if it wasn't still a bit oppressive for a Northern man.

He removed his boots, wading slowly into the water to feel the waves lapping against his ankles. His eyes remained fixed on the horizon, curious what lay beyond the waters. It wasn't the first that he wondered what was out there aside from Olympia and Wyver, but this was the first where he considered exploring. Or he did, if it didn't mean moving from the water.

A small tint of color caught his eye. Kneeling, he pulled a small shell from the sand and lifted it up, the pink soft against his fingers. He could making something with this or give it to someone. The first treasure he pulled from the sea...that wasn't himself.]

II. The Tavern

[After having visited family and gathered the last of his stuff from home, Jon stopped by the tavern he had frequented. The ale was honeyed and it was never that crowded inside. Now that there were so many more visiting Olympia, others weren't interested in simply standing around. This allowed Jon a bit of peace and privacy. Fiona Cove would be packed by now, meanwhile he could have a bit of quiet.

He ordered a cup of ale and set his bag of coins on the table. If someone he knew entered, he could buy a round for them. Otherwise, the server would receive a generous tip.]

III. The Stables

[He'd been arranging this gift for Daenerys for awhile. The silver unicorn had been marked for her shortly after she had awoken in stasis, apparently a match for his steed in speed and far more beautiful than any other horse he had seen here. After paying for her, he tied the unicorn's reins to his bridle, allowing his horse to lead the creature. He would go at a gallop once they left Olympia, for now, he'd let her admire her surroundings before they reached the humid jungles of Wyver.

He nodded to those he recognized, pausing to buy an apple for the unicorn and to greet anyone who showed an interest. He was in a good, gregarious mood for once and he wanted to enjoy it before an inevitable darkness returned to this world.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He had ridden straight from Olympia to the Dragon Sanctuary, assuming that he would find Dany there. Work had not yet ended and everything with the council wasn't completely set up yet. He searched for her among the crowds, leading the unicorn behind him as he avoided the range of the dragons.

It didn't take long to spy her silver hair, bright and glowing against the afternoon sun. He smiled, feeling a measure of excitement he only once before when he had given Arya her sword. "Dany," he called to her, letting his hand run over the unicorn's nose. She was a docile creature for now, but he had seen her run. She would outmatch every other horse in the city.

"I have something for you."

She's in the process of hacking at a chunk of meat when he calls her name. A dirty task, but one she's not entirely new to; there were days with the Dothraki where she'd aided in the curing of meats, the weaving of clothing, the skinning and cleaning of animals. There were days where she'd cut away pieces of flesh for her own children, though she'd not hunted the beast. Fledglings near her, watching with beady, anticipatory eyes--it's the promise of an easy meal which has them sitting still as stone.

"Just a moment!" It doesn't take her much longer to tear muscle and fat into hefty pieces, tossing them in the air. The fledglings each leap up to catch a piece, awkwardly flying off with their catches.

Which leaves Dany wiping blood and muck off her hands as she turns to look over at Jon.

....who has a horse with a-- "Is that a horn on its head?"

Why on earth is there a horn on a horse's head?

He had seen these sorts of creatures in Olympia, along with the winged horses and other beasts that seemed to be exclusive for the well respected of the city. Her reaction though had been his at first, confused why there was a horn on its head, but beauty won over curiosity in this case. Despite how strange it was, the creature possessed an exotic magic that couldn't really be explained, he simply accepted it.

"It is. It's called a 'unicorn.'" His hand ran over its nose, gently stroking the creature as it watched Dany. "Some of the other refugees recognized it. I think it was a legend in their world." Or something of the sort. He could remember that same sort of surprise when he first saw Daenerys' dragons, here and on Dragonstone. "They're supposed to be magic."

She had a habit of attracting magic to her, he noticed...just as he did.

"Do you like her?"

A unicorn. She mouths the word to herself, studying the beast with a perplexed sort of look. Was it a carnivore? Is that why it required the horn? Or was it more like a stag, whose males would wage combat in the wilds? This one is female, he says.

She's not the most presentable, with blood on her top and her ragged skirt, more akin to the Dothraki stylings than anything she'd wear during her travels. These sorts of clothing were far more durable and appropriate for more of the laborious tasks with dragons. Still, it doesn't stop her from padding closer, studying the silver with a curious eye. (She dutifully ignores the pang for her own silver, now dead.)

"What sort of magic?"

Her answer of whether she likes or dislikes the creature will come later.

"I don't know. I haven't seen it do anything magical, but the way others speak about them, they're supposed to be pure and good? Someone had mentioned healing, but I don't know if that will be the same here." He can at least clear up some of the confusion about the horn, even if he isn't aware of the question. "It's the horn that is supposed to hold its magic."

He should have considered asking the stable master about the creature, but he'd been more eager to lead it back to Wyver. To the unicorn's credit, it had been calm all through the journey and even now with the scent of blood in the air. It possessed a quiet strength, suitable for a woman that was magical in her own right, he hoped.

"She runs fast. I thought you might want a race through the jungle? I had been meaning to show you some of the places I explored when I was here before."

"Pure and good." She snorts. "So the horn holds its magic and what makes it pure and good? I don't think she would appreciate being viewed that way."

It isn't magic that makes someone pure or good. Mirri Maz Durr was neither pure, nor good, and she embraced magic wholeheartedly. And while Wanda was good, she carried her wounds and scars, having done things that some may not view as pure.

"I wonder what sort of strain that puts on the unicorn. All magic comes with a price."

That has her looking at him, now, with the same sort of curious wonder. Her brows arch.

"My love, you've forgotten that I've no mount to ride, lest I break Drogon free from his stable."

"Maybe these legends come from how beautiful she is?" He asked, watching Dany under hooded eyes. "Or maybe there is something in her heart that brings that sort of devotion? What she represents is hope, so pure and good are associated with her."

Whether or not magic could be that didn't matter. From the way others had talked of the creature, it meant something to their world. The legends were beautiful and unicorns were rare breeds that held an innocence that the world could never fully shelter. That was more powerful than any magic he'd seen before.

"It does, but magic doesn't always have to end badly." Whatever he might feel about his resurrection, something had come out of it. A second chance.

He grinned at her, leaning closer as though he was imparting a secret. "She's for you, Dany. She's yours. You can ride with me now whenever you wish and probably put my horse to shame."

It was cramped quarters in Wyver, but given the lifestyle they had at the Wall and who he was, Jon didn't expect to hear Sam complain. For himself, he was simply grateful to have his friend with him, awake and able to share everything. It was strange to feel actually excited to show him around, just as he had when Daenerys had first woken. It was only the riots and the hostility she faced that took that away.

He didn't have to deal with that now. The cities had been welcoming and arrivals had been smooth, for the most part. So the desire to show Sam around hadn't diminished. One morning, after Daenerys had gone and while Vlad was still asleep, Jon took Sam out. They would have a bit before the day became unbearably hot, but they could at least get a start on things.

"Do you want to see the dragon sanctuary first or the temple?"

"And how are you and Daenerys?"

Visits from Jon are always a pleasure, especially so in these trying times. Claire's back from her week stay with Theon, though she makes it a point to stop by frequently, if not daily. But it is nice to be in what she considers to be her home, sitting at the table with one of the people she cares about most.

And she's done him a disservice by not prying into his love life. She'd held her tongue during her visit to Wyver, and even more so in private conversations with Daenerys, but now it's come to a boil and maybe she just wants to not think about Theon for a few minutes. Sorry, Jon.

"I've been meaning to ask how the two of you met. In Westeros, yes?"

He can already guess where this is going by that question. It had been a subject that had fallen by the wayside due to different conflicts and Ramsay's appearance. But Claire had a mother's instinct and he imagined she would want to know about his life in this sense.

Not that he had very much to offer her. He was never one to speak about his feelings. "She's well." That wasn't really the question, but it was the easiest to answer. "We're well."

He doesn't know how to answer that at first. Claire knew a little about the threat that he faced in Westeros, but not that he had been named king. His natural response was to joke, maybe in a way Daenerys would find funny. "She held me captive." Not really, not at all, but it was a gentle tease to the woman he loved.

Good correction, Jon. Claire doesn't mean to pry, but she does like to know what's going on with him, and in this case it concerns Daenerys.

"Are you about to wax poetic about her being captivating, or do you mean captive in the imprisonment sense?"

Given who it is she's talking to, she sincerely doubts it's the former. She lifts a brow at him, waiting patiently for an answer. It's going to be a good one.

He didn't mind, but he was never a man to open his heart for everyone to see. He didn't have the words for how he felt, though he had made an effort to share them with Daenerys. For others looking for insight, there was little to offer. There was only the look on his face and a brightness to his eyes.

He laughs, able to look back at their first meeting with a better outlook. It was funny now. "She didn't actually hold me captive. I went to Dragonstone to ask for her aid and she gave me permission to mine Dragonglass. I was there for months." It seemed like days though and leaving was one of the harder decisions he made.

"It seems like you wouldn't have minded much if she did," Claire points out with a wry smile. Oh, to be young and in love. Not a look she expected to see on Jon Snow, but it's a good one.

He doesn't know if that was true. If she'd been more aggressive, he might have shut himself off out of sheer stubbornness. But Dany made an effort to reach across the divide first, offering him help with little in return. It was that kindness he respected and her ability to put the greater good above her own desires. He knew so few who would be willing to do that.

"I thought she was beautiful, but she showed herself to be a good queen in that first week."

"Did she?"

Claire leans an elbow on the table, propping her head up with her chin in her palm. She's all ears, Jon. And because it's obvious--

"This is what you get for not telling me about her earlier."

He flushed, his eyes darting away nervously. While he wasn't shy about showing his feelings for Daenerys, and never made an effort to hide them, it wasn't as simple to share them in this way, as if it was gossip. What he felt was something deeper and inexplicable, almost guided by fate. That was difficult to describe for someone.

"She allowed me to mine Dragonglass." Which may not seem significant, but considering he offered her nothing in return, it was a generous offer. "I heard from her people how much they respect her and why they chose her as queen. She genuinely cares about them."

He smiled, glancing down at his feet. "There were other things to think about."

He's really too cute when he's embarrassed, but Claire keeps that observation to herself. She doesn't want him to bolt out of the house. So, she gives him a brief break.

"What's so important about Dragonglass?"

"It is one of the only things that can kill White Walkers. It's rare and needed for forging weapons, but the only great supply was on Dragonstone, where Daenerys was in command." It was surreal to look back on that. So much emphasis had been placed on Dragonglass, but in the end, it hadn't been needed.

In the end, the world ceased to exist instead.

"She let me mine it."

"White walkers?"

Someone has missed out entirely on that plot point. She knows it doesn't matter much now, not really, but she's already knee-deep in Westeros. Might as well.

"They are an ancient threat." Were. "They were bringers of the storm and could raise the dead. They would bring an endless winter called the Long Night. If they won against us, the living would be destroyed and raised again as a mindless army for the Night King, their leader."

He had been consumed for so long on how to defeat them, he hadn't anticipated the easiest and most unexpected means. The Storm did it for him, but the aftermath destroyed whatever hope he had of their world's survival.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

(no subject)

Closed to Daenerys

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Closed to Sam - Wyver

prodigal son

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject