FACE TO FACE
JON
He rides on a horse following Rickard as they make their way to Castle Black. He is still trying to wrap his mind around what Rickard is and whether or not he wanted to be King. He always wanted to be apart of the Stark family. To be legitimized and be accepted by everyone. Arya accepted him, and Robb, Bran, Rickon and Rickard all accepted him as their brother and not a bastard. Jon and Rickard had been very close growing up. The two of them were bastards and bonded because of it. But that was the case no longer.
He thinks back on his conversation with Rickard…
"Jon…You are a Prince…The Iron Throne is your birthright."
"I swore an oath to the Night's Watch."
"Out of anger. Because you thought you were a bastard. Your father was going to overthrow the Mad King…Do not allow your family's legacy to remain in the hands of lesser people. Tommen is a bastard undeserving to rule…He is a weak little boy ruled by his mother. Stannis is a power-hungry mad man. He killed his own brother with blood magic so that he can have an army to take the Iron Throne…That bitch, the Red Woman who serves him. She burns anyone who doesn't serve her god…The Night's Watch is not for you. Don't you want a wife and children?"
Rickard's words weigh heavily on his mind and heart, "I…Of course I want those things."
"Then let Jon Snow die…And claim your Targaryen heritage…Be Aegon Targaryen the Seventh of his name…And if you want an army I and my army of Wraiths and Griens are at your command my King…You will have the greatest army in the world. One that doesn't need sleep, food, rest, and cannot die."
He stops his horse coming to a decision. Rickard stops his horse and looks back, "Something wrong?"
He sighs, "I…I'm gonna do it! I'm gonna take the Iron Throne."
Rickard smiles, "Well done. Good for you."
They start riding again with his army of Griens traveling underground. The Wraiths follow behind them on their horses. "So how will this work?"
"Well you should wait for me at Castle Black. I will leave one of my Wraiths there to protect you. After I defeat the Night King, I will return with my army and we will march south and make them all bend the knee."
"How do you know that you can defeat the Night King?"
"I am more powerful than he is…The only thing that can hurt my Wraiths and the Griens is Valyrian Steel…"
"What about you?"
"As I said I feel pain…But I cannot be killed. I cannot be harmed by Valyrian steel, Dragonglass, or fire. Speaking of which I need to borrow your sword…To kill the Night King with."
Jon stops and removes his sword belt handing it to Rickard. He in turn gives Jon his sword. Soon they reach Castle Black, Jon, Rickard, and the Wraiths ride through the gate, while the Griens travel North below the wall.
"Is that all?" Ser Alliser Thorne asks after Jon gives his report to the commanders of the watch. He told them of how he was captured, by the Wildlings with the Half-Hand, who ordered Jon to kill him. Using Qhorin's death gave Jon some clout with the Free Folk. He told them of his romance with Ygritte and how they climbed the wall. Then of how Rickard rescued him.
"I don't think they believe you My King."
Alliser grunts, "So now you are a King."
Jon draws his sword, "Behold." He says stabbing Rickard.
"Shit right in the guts."
"Sorry."
They stand up as Jon yanks the sword from Rickard's stomach. Rickards stands tall with green glowing eyes, as the blood runs back into his body and the wound closes. "By the gods old and new…he's a demon!"
"I am no demon Lord Bowen."
"Also I am leaving the Night's Watch…I joined because I was angry…I know who I am now."
"And who are you Jon Snow?" Maester Aemon asks.
"I am Aegon Targaryen…The Seventh of his name…Son of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Princess Lyanna Targaryen nee' Stark…My mother was not kidnapped or raped. She and Rhaegar fell in love…" Alliser Throne slowly falls to his knees as Jon speaks, "…They married in secret. My father meant to overthrow the Mad King…" The rest of the Commanders drop to their knees.
"I am leaving one of my Wraiths here to protect the King. I am heading beyond the wall to face the Night King and Kill him. When I return My army and myself will be at his command."
Jon is given quarters in the King's Tower. "Is it true?" Samwell asks visiting him.
"Aye its true."
Sam smiles, "Your Grace."
Jon smiles, "Sam I will always be Jon to you and you will always be my friend."
"Thank you for saying that."
"I want you to come with me and be my Hand."
His face lights up, "Me Hand of the King?"
"I can think of no one wiser. Please say yes. You only joined the Watch because your father threatened you."
He nods, "Yes."
"Good now move your things in hear with me…"
Later the door opens and Gendry peeks inside, "Ser Alliser Thorne to see you my King."
He sighs, "Let him in."
"Your Grace…Um…I am not a man for apologies…But…I ask your forgiveness…I…No…Had I known…Everyone who fought for Rhaegar knew he was trying to overthrow his father…I am glad that his son will take the Iron Throne."
There is a young man at the wall by the name of Edric Storm, "You wanted to see me your Grace?"
"Yes Edric…You are the son of King Robert?"
"A bastard your grace." He fearfully replies, "Stannis and his red woman intended to sacrifice me for some ritual…Ser Davos he set me free and sent me here via ship by one of his pirate friends."
"You have nothing to fear from me…Edric…Have said your vows yet?"
"No your Grace."
"And you won't. You are coming with me and when I sit the Iron Throne I will legitimize you and name you Lord of Storm's End."
"Wow…I mean…Thank you my King…Thank you!"
RICKARD
He heads North towards Craster's Keep. The Keep is held by the Mutineers who turned on Lord Commander Jeor Mormont. When one of them comes out to go piss, he fell to the ground when he spied the Keep surrounded by men and women with green eyes. "Fuck me!" He runs back inside.
Rickard nods to his Wraiths and they dismount their horses, enter the Keep in their incorporeal forms and kill the mutineers. "Inform the King that I have avenged Lord Mormont, the Mutineers are all dead." He says speaking to the Wraith Gendry at Castle Black. Then Rickard reanimates the mutineers as Griens.
"You are the Green Walker." The oldest of Craster's wives says.
"I am."
"And you will kill the Night King?"
"Yes. Will you stay here?"
"We will."
After his conversation with the old woman Rickard rides and after five miles they come face to face with Mance Rayder and the armies of the Free Folk. Horns sound as the army of Griens rise from the ground and the snow accumulating in the North beyond the wall. "What the fuck are they?" Rattleshirt asks.
Rickard trots his horse forward, "I am the Green Walker…Rickard Snow…My father was Benjen Stark…My mother was Wyla Elder of the Snow Fall Clan…"
"What do you want?"
"I take my army to fight the Night King and his horde."
"We last saw their…art work at the fist of the first men."
"I know…My cousin Jon Snow told me…"
Mance looks at Tormund standing among the Griens with green eyes glowing like torches. "You killed my people and turned them into one of those things!"
"I am of the North…The Whole North…Those who live above and below the wall. My first allegiance is to my kin…Tormund and the others were going to kill my cousin."
"You did'na have to turn them into one of those things!" Rattleshirt says.
"I needed them for my army…You will march on to Craster's and wait there…When I have killed the Night King and his minions you may return to your lands if you so desire…If not I will give you a place below the wall. I warn you…My Wraiths have the power to reanimate the dead…One of them is at Castle Black…Do not attack the wall."
BENJEN
Benjen is in the cave of the Three Eyed Raven and the Children of the Forest. "Your son the Green Walker has come North of the wall…" Leaf says to him, "The time has come. Go to him and lead him to the Night King."
Benjen mounts his horse and leaves the cave. He is like the Wights and the Griens between life and death. But like the Griens Benjen retains his memories of his former life. He is immortal and possesses the power to manipulate ice and snow. Unlike the Wights he cannot be harmed by fire. He is more on par with Walkers. The horse he rides he had reanimated by himself.
When he reaches his son's army they are three miles from the Frost Fangs. As he approaches the Grien army rises from the ground and rising snow. His Wraiths become corporeal. "Father?"
"It is me my son."
"What happened to you?"
They talk from the back of their horses. "My men and I were ambushed by Wights…I was wounded and the rest of my men killed. Then the Children came…They killed the Wights and made me this, sense I wasn't dead yet…Do not be angry I asked for this…After they told me about you…Why didn't you tell me?"
"I…wanted to, but couldn't."
"Did you think I would love you any less?"
He nods, "I did think that…But why are you here?"
"The Children sent me to find you, so that I may lead you to the Night King."
"I can make you a Wraith. If you so wish…You will be able to cross the wall."
He hesitates, "I don't know."
"I was able to convince Jon to claim the Iron Throne." Benjen smiles and agrees.
RICKARD
After turning his father into a Wraith, they ride on heading to the place where the Night King was created long ago. As Rickard approaches he draws Longclaw. His Wraiths appear to the left and right of him on horseback. Then the Greins rise from the ground behind them. As Rickard approaches Green and black snow clouds appear overhead. Blue snow storm clouds gather from the north and the two snow storms collide in the sky "Night King! Behold the power of the Green Walker…I have come to end you Lord of Snow and Ice…"
The Night King stares at Rickard from behind his army. One of his Walkers hands him an Ice Spear and throws it at Rickard. The spear flies over the Wights and towards Rickard. He raises his hand and the spear of ice stops and shatters. Then Rickard and his Wraiths raise their hands out to the side. They all make Ice Spears and hurl them at the Night King and his Walkers.
The Night King uses his Ice sword to destroy the spear flying at him. His Walkers do the same, but a few are impaled on the ice spears. They don't die, they manipulate the ice and it becomes water. The Night King points his sword and his Army of Wights charge. Rickard makes a fist and his Griens charge. Rickard's army is outnumbered two to one, but his forces have the advantage with strength and speed. His Wraiths vanish and reappear attacking the Wights.
Meanwhile Rickard charges through the fighting hordes of the dead, as he gallops on his horse he swings left and right killing Walkers as he goes. When he reaches the Night King, their weapons clash. He shocks the Night King as most swords shatter against his ice weapon, not Longclaw as it is made of Valyrian Steel. After seven moves the Night King leaps up and spin kicks Rickard off his horse. One of the Walkers tries to cut his head off, but Rickard's spirit rises up, stops the Ice axe allowing Rickard to impale the Walker on his sword, when the Walker is destroyed thousands of Wights stop moving. Rickard gets to his feet; the Night King is charging him.
The Night King has thousands upon thousands of years of experience fighting the only thing keeping Rickard in the fight is his inhuman speed. Slashes him across the face, but the wound heals. A Wight rises up out of the snow, but Rickard's Spirit shoves the Wight to the ground and holds him there. Rickard rolls backwards stabbing longclaw into the Wight destroying it.
Then his Spirit attacks the Night King and immobilizes him. Rickard rolls forward and impales the Night King. He swings his sword with the last of his might, beheading Rickard, "I am not that easy to kill monster." Rickard's head says in the snow. The Night King shatters and the all the Walkers explode. The Wights stop moving as the moving skeletons fall apart.
The Blue snow clouds dissipate and the green and black clouds take over the sky. Green lightning flashes as Rickard raises hands. The Wights that once served the Night King rise again as Griens. Their blue eyes now green as they rise, adding more to Rickard's dead horde.
