Chapter 189

He took hold of her hand and gave it a soft kiss.

"Where would I be without you."

"In some other girl's lap no doubt. That Dacey girl seems intent on sleeping with you."

He paused in his thoughts about ways to increase the range of the Valyrian Glass Candle and opened his eyes to look at Ygritte's frowning face "Are you jealous Ygritte?" he asked.

Her frown deepened at that and she nodded in confusion "I shouldn't be. In the True North, a man can take as much as he can keep. Powerful wargs are known to have multiple wives. So are some of the Chieftain and powerful men. I never thought about this before. But I don't want to share you. Even if it goes against the traditions of my people."

He got up from her lap, sat down in front of her and gave her a serious look.

"Know this Ygritte. I'll never cheat on you. I'll never betray you no matter what." He said "It is possible that in the future we might not like each other as much in which case we'll separate. But as long as we're together, you'll be my one and only."

"Is this the place where I blush like a fair maiden and pretend to faint?" she asked and he chuckled.

"No" he said, the earlier seriousness returning "This is the part where you promise me the same thing."

Ygritte frowned at him. Probably not thinking that he would be so serious about this topic. But he had been betrayed before. And he didn't want that to happen again.

When Ginny betrayed him, he had become hard, cold and pragmatic.

Because of her betrayal, he had put all of his focus on his job, caring about nothing else.

In six months, he was the top auror and by the end of the year, he was the Head of the Auror office with the kill count of over 300 dark wizards and a dozen of scars as a proof.

He was not sure how he would change if he was betrayed yet another time.

He was not sure he wanted to know.

"Okay." She said "As long we're together you're the only man I'll love and be with. My one and only."

The tent fell back into silence as he leaned forward and touched her lips with his own.

Unlike their previous make outs, this one was of a far gentle quality and he cherished every moment of it before they inevitably broke apart.

Grimacing as the headache returned once again, he laid down on her lap and closed his eyes.

"Did you find anything this time?" Ygritte asked a few seconds later and he shook his head.

"No. The range of the Candle is too small. I need to find a way to amplify it."

"Can you not use the Heart trees for it?" she asked "You seem to use them for everything else. Planting them around like a little gardener with the Children of the Forest following behind you as ducklings."

He chuckled at the mental image her words brought to his mind before he shook his head "No. I've thought of that. But the magic of the Valyria which made the Glass Candles and the magic generated by the Heart Trees are so different that… I'm just not able to make it work. At least not like…" he froze as something else came to his mind.