Letting your guard down was something you could never do, regardless of where in the world you were, beyond the wall however seemed to be even worse. As you and Jon surveyed the desolate snowy plains for what seemed like days at a time you always kept your hand on the hilt of your blade and an eye on your travelling companion. It was not because you did not trust him, but more that in your journeys you had become very close, elevating above a simple friendship into something some people may consider romantic.

"Do you see that?" Jon raised his gloved hand to shield his eyes from the harsh snowfall and pointed over to the distance, deep into the white abyss. "It looks like a chapel or something."

"Hopefully there's food." Jon laughed as you changed course for what was hopefully not just another mirage. "I'm serious. We haven't eaten in three days."

"I told you we needed to manage our supplies better." He took your hand and slowly you trekked through the shin deep snow towards the temporary sanctuary.

~ Thirty minutes later ~

"Everything here is always so much farther away than it first seems." Even though the thick layer of dust on the floor implied that nobody had set foot here in possibly hundreds of years, Jon still kicked the ice from his boots and carefully stepped through the threshold. "Be careful. It may seem quiet now, but this seems prime for an ambush." His sword danced in the light as he cast it from his sheath, you halted, much preferring the comfort of a small stiletto dagger.

With just a few minutes of searching through the derelict hold it was obvious that this place was safe, at least until others discovered its warmth.

"May as well make camp here for the night." Jon began propping a weighty wooden barricade against the door. If somebody wanted to murder you both in your sleep, they still would, but at least it would give a few minutes of warning. "Start laying out the sheets." He made a small space in the middle of the room, your temporary bed lay in the shadow of the grand lectern. The carved eagle's head seemed untouched by wildlings and the elements. Even the ebbing and flowing dust clouds seemed to avoid landing on its chiselled surface as Jon stared up in awe.

~*~

Written by Aaron.