In the godswood, Shouta, Lucoa, Bran, and Arya examined the remains of the White Walkers. Lucoa gripped Shouta's shoulder. She was crying softly.
"Hey, what's up?" Shouta said. "It's done!"
"I'm just...so happy," Lucoa said.
"And you," Shouta said, tapping on Arya's shoulder, "I don't know where you came from, but damn. I mean, damn!"
"Thank you," Arya managed to say.
"So, that's it, right?" Shouta asked. "We're...we're done. We won, right?"
"Yes," said Bran. "That is correct."
"WOOOOOO!" Shouta threw his head back and howled into the air. "Humanity saved, mission accomplished! Go team!" He sprinted forward a little and tripped over something glowing on the ground. "Hey, what's this?" It was a glowing green shard lying approximately where the Night King had been. Shouta bent down to examine it.
"Don't touch that, Shouta-baby," said Lucoa.
Shouta touched it, and he immediately drew his hand back. It burned cold. "Nasty thing," he said. "I reckon this is what's left of the Night King."
"That is correct," said Bran.
"Well, I'm just on a roll," said Shouta. "Hey, let's get you out of here. No reason to hang around anymore. I bet we'll have to burn all of these bodies and have a mass funeral or something." And while you're doing that, I'll collect wight bones for my own personal use.
"Do they even know we won?" Arya asked. "I bet they're all confused. I must find Jon!"
"Let's go, then," said Lucoa. "You deserve a hero's welcome!" She transformed into the feathered serpent. Arya gasped. "Come on!" Lucoa said.
Arya squealed and climbed onto Lucoa, who flew off to the remains of the castle. Shouta remained hunched over the shard. He looked up at Bran. "Well, now, what do we do with this?"
"It's all yours," said Bran. "You are the mage."
"I was afraid of that," said Shouta. He reached down and picked it up with his cursed hand. "Well, hey, that's not so bad now. I'll figure out a safe place for it. Let's get you home."
"Thank you, Shouta," said Bran.
Kanna cried softly in the snow. She heard the cheers from Winterfell, saw Lucoa fly Arya to the castle. It all felt like incongruous background music.
"Kanna," Dany said.
"No," said Kanna.
Dany knelt beside her. Tears were in her eyes too, and they held each other. Shouta and Bran rolled by. "Woah, Queen Dany," Shouta said. "Kanna? What's-" And then he saw. "Oh gods! No!" Shouta abandoned Bran to join them mourning the corpse of Ser Jorah. "How? I mean, I know how, but still."
"It was my fault!" Kanna burst.
"NO!" Dany protested.
"I left him," Kanna sobbed. "I left him to help Arya get to the godswood, and while I was gone..."
"It's what he wanted," said Dany. "Arya couldn't get past all of the wights. He said to go, that he could protect me, and then we were overwhelmed. This is not your fault."
"Arya killed the Night King," said Shouta. "It was...exactly what he would have wanted."
"It was reckless," said Kanna. "It is our job to protect Dany, and..."
"And you succeeded," said Shouta. "Kanna, because Arya got to the godswood, everyone is saved."
Kanna fell onto Jorah, sobbing. Shouta and Dany looked at each other, helpless. "We should get inside," Bran said.
"Do you mind?" Shouta growled.
"He's right, though," said Dany, wiping her face. "We must go on. It's what he wanted."
Shouta buried his face in his hands, but he couldn't contain the tears that came spilling out. Dany rubbed his shoulders and picked herself up. "He won't be the only one who's died," Dany said.
"That's not very comforting," said Shouta.
"It wasn't meant to be," said Dany.
Dany took a deep breath and went to Bran. "Alright, let's get you inside," she said.
"Thank you, Dany," said Bran.
Shouta watched them go. "Kanna," he said.
"No," she said.
He got up and followed after his queen, leaving Kanna alone with her knight.
The funeral for the fallen heroes of the Battle of Winterfell was a staggering blaze. Also among the dead were Lyanna Mormont, Theon Greyjoy, and Beric Dondarrion. In every corner of Winterfell, there was someone to mourn. In an extremely cruel twist of fate, Rickon Stark had died in the battle.
"I made a whole moment of saving him, and he still died! What the hell is that?!" Fafnir cried when he found out.
"Umm, do you mind?!" Jon snapped. "We're all a little sad here."
"This is bullshit," said Fafnir, leaving the Starks to go join the Night's Watch at Dolorous Edd's pyre.
Sansa laughed softly through her tears. "I can't work out if he actually cares about us or is just in it to feed his ego," she said.
"It's a little bit of both," said Jon.
"So what are you going to do now?" Sansa asked. "Go march on King's Landing?"
Jon choked. "Huh? Why would I do that? I don't have a claim to the throne or anything!"
"Unfortunately not," said Sansa. "You're not going to follow your Queen?"
"Ahhhhh, ohhh, yes, of course," said Jon. "She's your Queen too, and yes, I will follow her anywhere. But we ought to take some time to recover, of course."
"I was thinking the same thing," said Sansa. "What is she thinking, I wonder?"
Following the funerals, they gathered in the Great Hall of Winterfell to celebrate their victory. Support for Dany was high all around, but so was praise for Jon. Dany and her Queensguard were not only down a key member, they were objectively not the "cool kids table" at this party.
"I need to talk to you," Dany whispered to Tohru.
"Right," said Tohru. "Sorry, Fafnir."
"Saved him...died anyways...not fair," Fafnir mumbled and took a giant swig of mead. "Right. See ya, Tohru." Fafnir plopped his cup back down on the table, looked over, and instead of Tohru sitting beside him, it was Elma.
"Hello, Ser Fafnir the Weird of House Baratheon," Elma said with contempt.
Fafnir looked around, but nobody was paying any attention to him or the stranger beside him. "Elma? What? How?"
"Doesn't matter," said Elma. "We need to talk."
"Alright," said Fafnir. "Let's start with...what are you doing here? Have you finally been recruited to Dany's cause with everyone else?"
"No," said Elma. "Dany is not my concern. She ought to be your concern, but we need to talk about you and the way you've been mucking things up around here."
"Mucking things up?" Fafnir asked. "I've done no such thing. Ask anyone. I've made everything better. Everyone loves me."
"Right, and that is what concerns me," said Elma. "There is a balance, Fafnir. There is a way that things are supposed to be, and you've changed it."
"You're talking nonsense," said Fafnir.
"Rickon Stark was supposed to die," said Elma. "So it has been written, and so it must be."
Fafnir darkened. "What are you saying?"
"You think you're this world's hero," said Elma. "But you're not. The sooner you get that in your head, the better. It'll make the rest of this far less painful for you." Fafnir went to grab her, and she transported in an instant to his other side. "If I were you, I'd leave now," said Elma. "You and the rest. So far, nothing you have done has altered the course. Your Lady Shireen is the final variable, but I'm beginning to suspect it is all inevitable. Spare yourselves the heartache, and get out."
"Azor Ahai is a god in this world," said Fafnir. "He's been playing with them since we defeated him all those years ago."
"I know," said Elma.
"I'm going to drive him out," said Fafnir.
"You cannot," said Elma.
"I must!" Fafnir pounded on the table.
"Your affection for these people will be your ruin. Stop it, and return to your homes, where you belong!" Elma begged.
"No," said Fafnir. "Even if it all goes to shit, I will stay here and see them through it."
Elma sighed. "You're a fool."
"No, you're a fool," said Fafnir. "If Azor Ahai can change this world, then so can I. Even if it is something so seemingly small as the life of one girl."
Elma shook her head. "Do not bring her back, Fafnir. If you care for her, do not bring her back." She turned away and disappeared into the crowd.
"Elma!" Fafnir called. "ELMA!" He pushed through the partiers, but he didn't see her. He saw Jon laughing amidst a crowd of wildlings and Northmen. He sighed. He didn't know how Elma knew about Shireen, or anything else for that matter, but he was suddenly very uneasy. And what had she said about Dany? She ought to be your concern. Fafnir shook his head. He had this all under control.
"You knew," Dany whispered in disdain. "You knew?!"
Tohru sat on Dany's bed feeling lower than dirt. "I...I'm sorry...Fafnir..."
"Fafnir," Dany repeated. "Fafnir, Fafnir, Fafnir. Ever since we landed in Westeros, all I've heard about is Fafnir and Fafnir's pet humans."
Tohru stood up. "I must have you know that I defended you. I fought him in your name, Dany. Shouta can attest."
"SHOUTA?! Are you telling me SHOUTA knew?" Dany was practically shrieking.
"It was an accident. Fafnir and I meant to keep the secret, so that-"
"What?! So that WHAT?!"
"So that you and Jon would stay friends and fight the army of the dead!" Tohru exclaimed. "And it's done! We won, Dany. We saved a lot of people."
"Most of the Dothraki are dead," said Dany. "Half of the Unsullied. Ser Jorah."
"Ser Jorah was always in support of this war, once we understood what was at stake," said Tohru. "Now, let's make him proud, and win King's Landing too." Dany plopped onto the bed beside Tohru. "Jon told you he didn't want the throne," said Tohru. "From what I've seen from him, I believe him. Fafnir said the same thing. We are committed to Queen Daenerys. We are all still Team Dany."
"You can't keep secrets from me," said Dany.
"I won't," said Tohru. "Never again. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Fafnir broke the pact, not us."
"Keep a closer eye on that Fafnir," Dany ordered. "He pulling all the strings. We must be in control from now on."
"Yes, my Queen," Tohru gulped.
Dany smiled and hugged Tohru. "You're still my closest and dearest friend. I'm sorry I got angry at you. I just felt like I had lost you too."
"Never, Dany," said Tohru. "Now, more than ever, we must all stick together."
"Absolutely," said Dany.
"On the bright side," said Tohru, "you're not the last Targaryen anymore. You have family, just like Lady Shireen."
"I suppose," Dany said darkly.
Dany called a war council the next morning. Sansa barged into the room furiously.
"We have barely begun recovering from the war with the White Walkers, and we're already talking about leaving for King's Landing?!" she shouted.
"Cersei expects us to stay and lick our wounds," said Dany. "All the better to attack swiftly."
"We are burned out," said Sansa. "Jon, tell her we are not sending any troops to King's Landing now."
"Sansa, you should address the Queen with more respect," said Jon. Sansa stomped her foot. Dany smiled. "But, my Queen, I must agree that perhaps this is ill-advised. It is very important that our people are in top condition to fight, and they are most certainly not. Not yet. Give them a month, at least."
"I've been in Westeros long enough to realize that a whole lot can happen in a month," said Dany. "I don't want to wait any longer."
"Well, hold on," said Tyrion. "Perhaps we needn't have a fight at all..."
"Against Cersei?" Tohru interjected.
"With humans," Tyrion finished. "By now everyone has seen or heard of the power of the dragon warriors. So we don't send all our troops. We send dragons, and we ask for surrender."
Dany looked at her dragon friends. "And what when she refuses?" Kanna asks.
"Which she will," said Tohru. "If she were really that scared of us, she'd have surrendered long ago."
"Yes, but she hasn't been face-to-face with you," said Tyrion. "At least not in that capacity. We came in peace the last time."
"Didn't we discuss that taking King's Landing with pure dragon power was a bad idea?" Kanna asked. "We can't afford to mess this up. Ser Jorah..."
Dany nodded. "You're right, Kanna. We'll return to Dragonstone."
"Wow," Sansa said involuntarily.
"And we will plan a parley with Cersei," said Dany. "Without dragons. If she doesn't comply, then, I will come back for you." She looked at Tohu, Kanna, Lucoa, an Fafnir respectively. She held her gaze long at Fafnir. "Understood?"
"I think it is a good plan," said Fafnir.
"Yes," said Tohru. "Very fair."
"I'll send troops to Dragonstone as I am able," said Sansa.
Shouta boarded the boat to Dragonstone and opened his new little black box which contained the Night King's shard. Ser Wightsworth sat beside him atop a larger box of wight bones that Shouta'd gathered from the battlefield. "Sorry you couldn't fight, buddy. Just didn't want anyone to accidentally kill ya," he said. "But check this out." Shouta carefully lifted the green shard out of the box. Ser Wightsworth seemed to regard it with interest. "Now I've been studying everything Sam has compiled about the White Walkers, and I'm pretty sure this is the original stone that created the Night King. Pretty cool, huh? Haha, cool. I made a pun." Ser Wightsworth knelt before Shouta. "Woah, hold on, buddy. No need for..." Shouta looked at the shard. "Ohhhh...I see...I see...this is what gave him power over all of you, huh? Hmmm..."
A violent scream echoed throughout the ship. Grey Worm and Missandei jolted up in bed, and Grey Worm grabbed his sword. "Put on clothes first," Missandei reminded him.
Fafnir was catching up on the latest manga while Jon brushed Ghost. Jon yanked the brush so quickly in surprise that Ghost yelped. "What the hell?" Fafnir asked. Jon reached for Longclaw, and Fafnir groaned as he reluctantly put down the volume.
Tohru was trying to make a kotatsu from materials around the ship. Kanna, Lucoa, and Dany watched with amusement. As she was nearly finished, the scream entered their ears, and in alarm Tohru tripped over her work, and it collapsed. "That sounds like it's coming from Shouta's cabin!" Lucoa cried. She pushed herself off the bed and rushed out the door. The rest of the women followed.
When he heard the scream, Tyrion spilled his wine. "Balls," he cursed.
"Very funny," said Varys. "Should we check on that?"
"Sounds out of our realm of expertise," Tyrion said. He poured himself another glass.
Dany, Jon, Ghost, Fafnir, Grey Worm, Lucoa, Tohru, and Kanna all met outside of Shouta's cabin where the scream seemed to be emanating. "Shouta-baby!" Lucoa cried. "Are you okay?"
"Don't come in," he wheezed.
"What's wrong?!" she pressed.
"Vigorous masturbation."
The group assembled let down their weapons and groaned. Lucoa shook her head. "Shouta-baby, are you using magic to masturbate again?"
"Yeah."
"Is your dick okay?"
"Yeah."
"Okay. Be careful."
"No, not be careful!" Kanna mocked. "STOP IT, SHOUTA!"
"My gods, I can't get that sound out of my head," said Fafnir.
"That kid's not right," Grey Worm said.
They dispersed. Within the chamber, Shouta shivered on the ground. He could see his breath in front of him. He bit down on his tongue to suppress his pain, and he tasted his blood. He was pleased to know that he still had blood. Slowly, he was able to push himself off the ground. He coughed up some blood, and his insides felt frozen. He dragged himself to the mirror. His eyes were a brighter blue, but that wasn't too noticeable. What was noticeable was his hair. It had turned white. He felt his cheek. It was cold, but it still felt human. Maybe he could convince everyone that he has changed his hair on purpose. He pulled his pants open and stuck his hand between his legs. He sighed in relief. Everything seemed okay. And the shard was safe, just like Bran had said. Everything was going to be fine.
