What was long lost

Jon

Jon looked at the man in front of him then back at Arya. By the look on her face, he could tell that she was afraid.

"Trust me, Jon. Please put down your sword," Arya pleaded.

Jon hesitated but put Longclaw back in its scabbard. He heard Theon sheath his too and looked at the bleeding man who stood still looking at Arya. She walked towards the man and whispered something to him. The next thing he saw, the man dropped to his knees on the ground. Arya knelt and slowly caressed his face with her palm. She turned to Jon and Theon and asked,

"Will you help me take him to the castle?"

"We don't know who he is, Arya. It may not be wise," Jon said with a hard voice.

"Don't you trust me?"

Jon felt Theon lay a hand on his shoulder. He walked past Jon and kneeling beside Arya, tried to get the man up on his feet.

"Come on, Snow. He's injured. He needs a Maester," Theon said.

Jon sighed and went to help Theon. They both put their shoulders under his arms and carried him to the castle. Arya was walking behind them silently.

Sansa came running when she looked at the bleeding man. 

"Who is this?"

"Lady Arya's friend," Jon spit rather harshly.

Sansa looked at Arya then at Jon and again at her sister.

"Sansa," Theon interrupted them. "Can you call for Maester Correl? The man's bleeding,"

Sansa nodded and ran inside. Theon and Jon took the man to a room and laid him on the bed.

Jon saw Arya enter the room. Theon was walking out but she stopped him.

"Wait, Theon,"

He turned and looked at her.

"Thank you," she said.

Theon smiled at her and went away leaving Jon along with his sister and the stranger. He turned to leave the room too, but Arya clutched his hand.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"Somewhere," he said pulling his arm away from her grasp, "don't you have to attend to your friend?"

"Stop it, Jon."

"I should go. I better not disturb you two."

Jon heard Arya say something but he didn't listen. He was already out of the room and after a while, out of the castle. He knew who the man was. What the man was. He had heard about the faceless men. How one could kill like that, he didn't understand. He had encountered one back during the war. Sorcery, some called it. But according to what the man had said, they were only devotees. Of some God whose name Jon couldn't remember.

Somehow, watching Arya with the man had made him seethe with anger. It was probably because he was shocked to see her get so close with such a dangerous man. But somehow, whenever he closed his eyes, images flashed in his mind of Arya touching the man's cheek, whispering something to him, and he felt his blood boil. Jon let out a shout and pulled Longclaw out. He went to the grounds and saw a few soldiers fighting.

"You!" He shouted at a boy of fifteen or so.

The boy stopped and looked at him,

"Yes, Milord?"

"Fight with me," Jon said.

The boy's eyes widened as his hands shook.

"B-b-but... milord, I," he stammered.

"I said fight!" Jon roared.

The sword fell from the boy's hand in fear. He trembled and picked it up, and walked towards Jon.

"Wait!" A voice said from behind him.

Jon turned and saw Arya walking towards them.

"Go," she said to the boy. The boy bowed and ran away.

Jon looked at her and sheathed his sword, walking away from there.

"Wait, Jon!" She shouted. He didn't and she pulled his arm strongly, "I bloody said, wait!"

Jon turned and growled at her, but Arya didn't back off.

"What is wrong with you!" She shouted again.

"What is wrong with me! You're the one who's keeping secrets, Arya!" He shouted back.

"What are you talking about?"

"How do you know that man?" He asked, his voice getting louder.

Arya sighed and replied slowly,

"I told you. He is my friend."

"Really? And since when are faceless men befriending little girls?" He shouted.

Arya shrank back. Her eyes widened and her voice caught in her throat,

"You-you... how do you...," she managed to let out.

"I do know things, contrary to what you think. I knew the man had seen a faceless man when he said he changed his face," he said, "but how did you know, Arya?"

"I-I-," she stammered.

"You can keep your secrets, Arya, I won't ask for them. But please, right now, I need to be alone," he turned away from her.

"Jon...,"

"All I want is for you to trust me. It didn't used to be that hard remember?"

"Jon, please-," he heard her sob behind him. His hand twitched. He wanted so badly to hold her tight and kiss her tears away. But he needed to be alone. And with all the courage he possessed, Jon Snow walked away.

He went to the Godswood and sat near the pool. His head seemed ready to burst.

Maybe he'd overreacted. Maybe he shouldn't have shouted at Arya like that, but ever since her return, even though they had been nearly inseparable, there existed a wall between them. He saw a fear in Arya's eyes every time she was with him. But he hadn't seen it today, when she looked at the man. Jaqen, she called him. There was no fear. And Jon didn't want that. He didn't like watching Arya share something with someone that she wouldn't share with him. He felt selfish, he felt sick, but somehow, he didn't feel guilty for it.

All his life he'd wanted to belong. And in all of his life, they were only a few people who thought he did. Ygritte, Ned, Robb, Mormont.

Arya.

 But she was the only one left now. Everyone else was gone.

He walked back to the castle after a few moments of thinking,only to watch Rickon standing with a guard. A raven.

"Jon," he greeted.

"Who is it from?" He asked.

"The Queen." Rickon opened the paper, and Jon saw his eyes slowly widen in surprise. He bade the guard away and asked Jon to follow him inside.

They both went to the solar.

"What does she say?" Jon asked.

"It is about your half-brother," Rickon said.

"Aegon? What about him?"

"Well," Rickon said, hesitatingly. "He wants to marry my sister."

"Sansa? But he barely knows her."

"No, not Sansa," Rickon said sitting down on a chair. "Arya."

Jon stared at Rickon in shock. Arya? Married? And that too, to his brother?

"That is not possible!" He exclaimed, "she will never agree!"

Rickon stayed silent, opening the message again and reading it.

"And the same thing goes for her as for Sansa. She barely knows him!" He said, "Not barely. She doesn't know him at all!"

"That is where we are probably wrong, Jon." Rickon handed him the letter. He opened it and read it quickly.

Lord Rickon,

You mustn't be surprised at receiving this. When I was at Winterfell, I learned that your sister Lady Arya Stark has returned to you.

I recalled my journey to my nephew as soon as I reached King's Landing. But what surprised me was that Aegon seems already acquainted with your sister. He tells me he knows her from during the war.

My nephew, Aegon Targaryen, asks for your sister's hand in marriage. And I have agreed to give them my blessing if Lady Arya agrees to the match as well.

For the purpose of courting her, Aegon will leave for Winterfell two days from now, as he is quite impatient to meet his Northern beauty.

Daenerys Targaryen

Queen of Westeros

Jon stared at the paper in his hands. More secrets.

"I do not doubt that Arya will probably try to kill us all if we tell her about this, but the prince claims to know her, and enough to ask to marry her. We could be wrong." Rickon said.

"Yes," Jon mumbled.

"Jon?"

He looked at Rickon.

"Will you tell her? She will take it well from you.," Rickon said.

"I-I'll try."

Rickon nodded and put a hand on his shoulder and walked out of the room.

Jon stormed to Arya's room. It was enough. He needed answers. The unconscious man, the prince. He needed to know about everything. And from her. He couldn't keep his promise, he couldn't wait for her to be ready as he had said. He would ask her today.

She was standing near the window, looking out. She turned and looked at Jon before turning away again.

Jon locked the door behind him and entered the room. It was like the room she had when she was little. He had given her Needle right here. That girl seemed so far away now, almost a stranger.

"Arya." Jon's voice was far from gentle.

"You said you wanted to be alone," she said without looking at him.

"Seven hells, Arya, stop this!" He shouted as he stormed to her side and turned her to look at him. He held her wrists in his hands, stopping her movement.

"Jon!" She glared with a warning.

"What has happened to you! After all these years you finally came back home and I thought everything would be fine, but it isn't."

"It is never going to be fine, Jon! Never!" She shouted.

"It could be! It would be if you just tell me what is going on. There is a bloody assassin lying out there who you claim to be your friend! And I find out my half-brother wants to f*****g marry you!"

"What are you talking about?" She asked in surprise.

"Do you know Aegon?" He asked.

"Yes," she said after a while. "I met him during the war. I didn't know he was a Targaryen, not until-" her voice stopped.

"Did you f**k him?" Jon asked, his voice dangerously low.

Arya's eyes widened but she stood still.

"Tell me, Arya!" He shouted when she didn't reply. He grasped the bottom of her chin with his fingers and tilted her head up. Suddenly her mouth was on his. He groaned and pushed her to the wall, kissing her passionately. Arya took his hair in her hand and fisted it in her hands, resulting in a low groan from Jon's throat.

Suddenly his eyes snapped open and he pulled himself from her in shock. His eyes widened as he realized what they had done. No!

"Arya..." he whispered.

She looked at him with her grey eyes and he felt himself tear apart. She rested her hand on his cheek caressing it and he closed his eyes inhaling sharply. He grasped her hand and pulled it away from his face.

"No, Arya," he warned.

"Jon...,"

She stepped closer to him and he felt his mouth go dry.

"No!" He shouted and stepped backwards. "This is wrong."

Arya stayed there in silence.

"I must go...," he said and went to the door. He let out a long sigh and walked out of her room.

Jon went straight to his own chambers. He swallowed the lump in his throat. 'What have I done?' He asked himself over and over again. She was his sister, she was Arya. And he had destroyed their relationship, the innocent bond they shared, and all because of his jealousy. His head felt heavy and he laid on the bed. But as he closed his eyes, images of Arya kissing him and pulling his hair filled his head. 

He tried to remember what led to it, and suddenly he remembered what he had asked her. Jon couldn't believe he had used those words in front of Arya. Somehow, he had been so angry at the thought of Aegon touching her that he didn't realize what was right or wrong.

Jon had never been violent, and this side of him surprised even himself. Not in a good way, though. He had almost hurt Arya. But at that time, there was nothing but rage inside him, and he felt like a demon had possessed him.

Jon started to feel sleepy hours later. The maid brought food in, but he bade her away. He was far from hungry. Food was the last thing he needed right now.

He had done so much wrong and he had no idea how to right them.

he mumbled her name and sleep engulfed him.