𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐋𝐅 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍

𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐓𝐔𝐌

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Welcome! I'm Jolene and this is my try for the New Year's challenge. As soon as I read about it I immediately thought of making a short story about New Year's with my OC and other Game of Thrones characters, like Davos Seaworth, Tormund Giantsbane and Jon Snow. I imagined it somewhat like the feast at Winterfell, after the war with the white walkers. I pictured the environment to have a warm tone to it, with music, food, wine and a quite needed fireplace, as well as chatter and laughing in the background. I attempted to give it a melodious tone, also trying to impersonate the celestials in the first paragraph to make this story appear more captivating to the reader. Enjoy!

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐋𝐅 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍

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Snow fell softly from the black sky above the Coldstone castle in the Riverlands, covering grass, trees, bushes and roofs. Everything that the snow touched became white, overflowing with life, even the darkest corners of the night seemed to shimmer. The Moon shone up in the heavens, bright and captivating and enchanting like the greatest of lighthouses. Her daughters, the Stars, twinkled delicately beside her in the night sky. Despite the thick clouds filled with cold and white snow, the mother and her daughters were as clear as never before, so much so that even the waters of the river nearby were envious of their clarity. It was as if they were challenging the Sun, who, now asleep, would awaken to the tales of how his consort had outshone him.

As Midnight approached, the air around the castle vibrated with the sounds of celebration. Music and laughter echoed off the stone walls, the clinking of cups and the gentle clatter of cutlery filled the grand hall. The rich scent of wine mingled with the warmth of the fire, creating an inviting atmosphere that wrapped around the guests like a blanket.

This year, it was the Blythe family's honor to host the New Year's feast, a tradition ed around the noble families of the region since the Great War against the dead. From Winterfell last year to other hosts before, this was Coldstone's turn, and they were determined to make it unforgettable. The whole palace had been adorned with every decoration imaginable, from white flowers in every corner to statues made of glass to mimick the ice and tapestries adorning the walls. Even the gardens, now covered in white dust, were embellished, their paths lined with lanterns casting a warm glow on the snow-covered ground.

As soon as one would step inside the palace they would hear the far cries of the harp, of the flute and that of the horn and the drums, and the pipes and the trumpets. And oh, was it inviting! Venturing further towards the melody, one would step into the hall, long wooden tables methodically positioned perpendicularly to the entrance, rounded by guests and familiar faces. The opposite direction, in the middle and just by the fireplace, was the biggest table, where the most important guests and the hosting family sat comfortably. The open space in the middle of the hall was alive with the vibrant energy of dancers, their faces alight with joy as they twirled and swayed to the music.

Seated at the head table was Lord Kaeris Blythe, with his brother Xandor, the formidable head of House Blythe's military forces, by his side. Xandor leaned back in his chair, a relaxed smile playing on his lips as he raised his cup of wine. “You've truly outdone yourself, brother.” He remarked, his voice carrying a mix of iration and playful banter, before he took a sip of his wine. “Even your wedding wasn't this exciting.” At that, Kaeris chuckled heartily, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “One does not often host such a grand celebration.” The older brother replied, his hands resting comfortably on the armrests of his chair. “Besides, my wife would never have allowed such extravagance for our marriage. She called it a waste.” Kaesir then said, glancing at Xandor before his dark hazel eyes fell on his precious daughter, the only thing left that reminded him most of his beloved wife. Xandor followed his brother's gaze, only to find his niece occupied on the dancefloor.

“You're quite the stiff dancer, Ser Davos.” The playful words left Selene's lips, accompanied by a lighthearted smile while her dark blue dress swirled elegantly at her feet. In response, the older man chuckled and gave her a sheepish smile. “I warned you, my lady. Dancing is not my forte.” Davos replied, stepping back in order to be able to follow the rhythm of the dance, even if awkwardly, struggling to keep up with Selene's youthful energy. “I'm more at home on a boat.” He therefore added, to which the young lady smiled. “Lucky us, then. I'd be worried if you were worse on a boat than at dancing.” Selene joked, and after another smile exchanged between the two, the couples on the dancefloor swapped.

After dancing for some time, the young woman felt the fatigue in her feet and the dryness in her throat. Slipping through the crowd, she made her way to the head table, ing her friends just as Tormund Giantsbane began chanting, "Chug! Chug! Chug!" His voice boomed as he pounded the table, causing the cutlery to jingle. The gathering boomed with laughter, watching as the Lannister imp downed another cup of wine, making Selene marvel at the small man's capacity to drink such an amount of alcohol, while she herself took a long sip of her drink. But her thoughts quickly shifted as her eyes caught sight of a familiar figure standing quietly at the edge of the hall.

A ghost of a smile formed on her lips as she approached him, palms rid of the cup she had been holding before, hands clasped behind her back and chin tilted upwards. “Enjoying yourself?” Selene questioned, causing Jon Snow's eyes to snap towards her, having not noticed her at first, too focused on his own thoughts.

Having grown up away from the feasts by choice of Catelyn Stark, Jon hadn't yet got used to being able to participate, and perhaps he never would. Yet, even he couldn't deny the allure of the revelry, the sight of guests swirling and laughing in the heart of the hall. And it made him wonder if he would enjoy it, too, or dislike it.

Upon seeing the young woman, the dark haired man smiled lopsidedly. “I had not noticed you, my lady.” He spoke, bowing his head at her. “You look as enchanting as ever.” Jon complimented her sincerely, eyes taking her in an appreciative manner. “You are dodging my question.” Selene noted, giving him a mischievous and teasing frown, refraining a smile from forming on her lips. Then, her eyes fell on the dancing crowd, just as his did previously. Her head turned back towards him, and she let her smile creep through. “Dance with me?” The brunette asked, to which Jon's eyebrows shot upwards in surprise. At that, Selene laughed softly. “Come.” She insisted, extending her right hand and taking his, leading him to the dancefloor.

Once in position, the lady guided the young man, telling him him what to do, how to move his feet. “I am not sure I'm good at this, Lady Selene.” Jon Snow mumbled, eyes glued to their feet as they moved. “You are.” The brunette comforted him, and chuckled gently upon seeing where his focus was. Using her index finger, she lifted his chin, raising her brows and giving him a smile once their gazes met. “Hello.” Selene smiled brighter, “Don't look down. Look at me.” She instructed him softly. And so, the two of them danced, eyes glued together as they moved rhythmically across the dancefloor. Even when the couples swapped, they kept searching the other with their eyes, and then finally, as the song was about to come to an end, the Wolf and the Moon reunited, dancing in each other's arms, at last.

Neither of the two noticed when the music faded and then changed to a more lively melody, neither of them noticed the crowd stilling their ministrations and cheering to the New Year that had just come, slapping away the last. Neither of the two noticed as they started the next year side by side, hand in hand, gazes locked, in each other's arms. All they could focus on was each other as they stood still in the middle of the hall, people celebrating around them.

Time had simply stopped for them, allowing them this very moment. As the old year ended and the new began, their stories merged, their fates intertwined. Finally, at last, the Wolf no longer had to sing in hopes that the Moon could hear him, and the latter no longer had to listen helplessly in hopes that she could just be nearer.

𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐓𝐔𝐌

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This is it! I must say, I loooved doing this, it gave me so much inspiration and freedom to write. It was honestly not supposed to end like this, but I got carried away with Saelene and Jon's relationship, lol. I hope you've liked it and enjoyed reading it just as much as I have liked writing it.

#JOLENE