Boo!

It isn't the 5th of November but it is a Thursday which is good enough for me :P

I think this chapter has my first scene beyond the Wall.

Enjoy :)


Chapter 72: Nightmares in the Darkness

A week later in the evening …

Kenna's quarter's on board the Silent Storm, Whispering Sound, Oldtown, Mouth of the Honeywine, South West of the Reach


Artys entered the candlelit room and could immediately feel the warmth trapped in it as he shut the door quietly behind him.

He turned and saw Lord Royce sitting next to Kenna's bed. The Vale Lord was lightly brushing hair from her forehead as he watched his Queen slumber gently under his fatherly gaze.

"Lord Grafton is checking the supplies from Oldtown and Ser Davos is at the helm," Artys informed as he crossed the room to stand by Lord Royce's shoulder.

How is she?" Artys asked, concern showing on his young face.

"The bruises on her face are almost gone, her nose is healing too but the marks on her back will never fade," Royce glowered at recalling all the injuries Balon had managed to inflict on Kenna.

"Is she feverish?" Artys inquired.

"She has stopped shaking but she is sleeping a lot. I am trying to keep her as warm as possible," Lord Royce waved his hand at all the candles and the blankets covering Kenna, "but I am no healer."

Artys peered past Lord Royce's shoulder, "She is looking a lot better than when she boarded the Silent Storm and sleep can only mean she is recovering."

Lord Royce nodded in agreement and Artys took this as the opportunity to discuss the future with the commander of the Arryn forces.

"Lord Royce, I left the Iron Islands because I cannot rule it or hold it without my Aunt's help."

"You mean her armies," Lord Royce remarked astutely.

"Yes. I intend to go back there and integrate the Faith of the Seven once this war with the Dragon Queen is won, such is my right as their King," he paused for a breath, "But my home will always be the Eyrie, my heart will always reside in the Vale, and my loyalty will always be to my Aunt."

Lord Royce placed a meaty hand on Arty's arm, "We all know that. Just because you got another name and took the Salt Throne does not mean you have become another person. You still have Arryn blood flowing through your veins."

Both men ignored the fact that Greyjoy blood too flowed through his veins but Artys seemed placated by the Vale Lord's words of reassurance of his place in his and Kenna's confidence. He sat down on the other side of the bed to rest a hand over Kenna's covered one as she gently breathed in and out in time to the waves hitting the hull of the ship.


A day later ..

Kenna's subconscious


She knew she was in a dream.

No other place in the world would she be able to see what she was seeing right now.

Lord Royce was sparing with a small child, that could be no older than ten and Kenna knew instantly that it was her eldest son despite the fact he had only been born a few months ago.

Yohn Arryn held his wooden sword out in front of him with a large excited smile displayed like a shield on his face. Lord Royce instructed him on his stance and hold on the practice instrument. He too had a smile on his face but it was one of pride as as the younger Yohn launched himself carelessly at the older one that was literally twice his height and thrice his girth. The little Lord's light brown hair flapped in the gentle wind as he swiped and swiped with his sword only to be completely blocked in each attack.

The scene made Kenna sigh in contentment and happiness; this is what she was fighting for. The safety and independence of her family.

"You are being too predictable and playing to my strengths," Lord Royce advised as he blocked another wild and weak strike, "use my power and size against me. Be unpredictable."

Kenna somehow felt his advice wasn't just to her son but to her as well.

She walked around the grassy patch that was playing host to her most trusted advisor and her beloved eldest son. She knew they were all in the Eyrie, or her memory of what the Eyrie was. The Courtyard was open roofed so the cold sun of the Vale could shine on the two namesakes but her eyes were drawn to the shadows, to the stone pathways that ran around the grass area and under the roof.

There she saw her youngest, Jorge, his bright blond hair just reached his shoulders like his twin's. They were identical in almost every regard but Yohn had inherited the bright blue eyes and mousey brown hair of the Arryns while Jorge had taken after the Lannister's famed blond hair and green eyes.

Jorge was sitting down at a table with one hand rubbing his chin as if contemplating something of great importance as his dark green eyes scanned the table's surface below him. A man sat opposite Jorge but Kenna could only see his back. She stepped closer to see that a cyvasse board was placed on the table in-between her son and the unknown man.

As a keen student of the game her curiosity dragged her to analyse the positions of the pieces as she peered over the man's shoulder. The formation seemed familiar, Jorge was being pinned back in his own half, desperately protecting his King piece as his opponent threated him all around.

"Jorge plays defensively, like his mother," the hidden man announced with an amused touch in his deep tone.

Kenna flinched as the familiar voice vibrate all around her, transporting her back in time to another cyvasse game. To a game she had lost. She turned to look at the man playing against her son.

Tywin Lannister's golden flecked green eyes filled her vision.

"His mother doesn't play defensively any more. Someone taught her better," Kenna managed to return trying to ignore how oddly comforting the Old Lion's presence was to her.

She knew why this man was in her dreams playing cyvasse with their son and why it was Lord Royce that was sparring with Yohn jnr.

"You plan for your eldest to rule the Eyrie and for your youngest to rule Casterly Rock," Tywin mused as he moved a piece that prompted Jorge to raise his eyebrow and placed his other hand on his chin, he seemed oblivious to the interactions happening between his parents.

"The eldest should first inherit his father's titles not his mothers," Tywin said, half turning his body to Kenna, like he knew Jorge would need more time to move his next piece.

"The eldest should inherited the greater title which is the Weirwood Throne not the Lordship of the Westerlands," Kenna rebuked right back with a bite.

Tywin let out a light laugh at Kenna's ferociousness, "You are more Lioness than Falcon now but I warn you, they are my children and I plan to raise them as such, either in King's Landing or at Casterly Rock."

Kenna played along with her own subconscious, "Our plans for them will mean nothing if Daenerys Targaryen rules."

"It is time you woke up and re-join the effort against her then," Tywin drawled as he watched Jorge continue to contemplate how he could win the game. "She won't defeat herself and I cannot defeat her on my own."

"Is that you admitting you need my help?" Tywin just glared up at her until she relented, "We will defeat her," Kenna said with determination. She knew Qyburn would be in King's Landing and with his genius, Tyrion's cunning and Olenna's resources they were the best people to be preparing the Realm for a Targaryen invasion while the armies were sieging and attacking Daenerys's allies.

Kenna switched looking from one set of emerald eyes to another, giving Jorge a look of total love. She had only held her twins a few dozen times before she had been forced to trade her life and her husbands to go to Pyke to save them and this dream was reminding her that she was indeed a mother and she was missing her children.

She flicked her gaze behind her, expecting to see Lord Royce and Yohn jnr still trading blows but both of them seemed to be frozen in time with their swords by their sides.

Kenna took a step towards the scene but a strong hand on her wrist stopped her.

"They are gone. Leave them be," Tywin said crisply from his sitting position.

"What?" Kenna exclaimed as her eyes never left the two sparring partners. She wrenched her wrist free from Tywin's hold and ran towards her eldest son.

"Yohn?" she shouted as she tried to grab his arm to move him but as she did the boy started to shatter, like smashed glass. Kenna could only watch as his body collapsed to pieces to lay on the now snow-covered grass.

Kenna quickly turned to see Lord Royce's crumble like her son had.

What is going on? Kenna asked herself.

A high-pitched screeching behind her whipped her around. She clasped both hands to her face and fell to her knees as she saw the cyasse table in flames and two husks on fire, sitting in their chairs as if they weren't burning to death or were already dead.

She thrashed on the ground as ash and snow swirled around her.

"No, no … no," she screamed as he fists thumped into the floor to alleviate her disorientated anger.


Kenna woke suddenly to see Lord Royce's face above her own, her wrists were captured in his hands. She saw Artys was hovering on the other side of her bed with an extremely worried look in her eyes, not sure if his help was required to restrain or calm his Aunt.

"Kenna?" Lord Royce gently asked as she settled back into the bed and he released her wrists slowly.

"I was dreaming," she said in way of an explanation as her breathing slowed.

"Were you being chased? You kept screaming no no no," Artys asked as he brought over a cup of water which Kenna gratefully drank, suddenly feeling extremely warm.

"How long have I been sleeping?" Kenna asked ignoring Arty's question not wanting to dwell on her nightmare

"Near a full day now," Lord Royce dutifully answered as he brought a soft cloth to Kenna's face to wipe away her sweat.

"Where are we?"

Lord Royce gently brushed some hair away from her forehead with his thumb, "You are on the Silent Storm and we sail for Sunspear."

Kenna blinked before pushing herself up so she sat against the beds backboard, "Excellent. I presume a siege is in our immediate future?"

"I agreed a plan with King Robb, Lord Tywin, Lord Paxter and Commander Strickland in your stead my Queen," Lord Royce said.

"Good," Kenna replied dispelling any negative thoughts Lord Royce had regarding taking charge of the Arryn forces while she was indisposed.

"We will be there within the week," Lord Royce, eyeing how Kenna was struggling to exit the bed, stopped her movements with a hand on her shoulder, "You nearly drowned a week ago and you have been a shivering mess since, you should remain in bed until you have fully recovered."

"Am I shivering now?" Kenna asked impatiently up at her mentor.

"No but you have been feverish since we left Pyke."

"Yohn .."

"Kenna …. it is my job to protect you even if it is from yourself."

She let out a defeated breath as she pulled her bare feet from the wooden floorboards and placed them once again under the covers.

"Once we reach Dorne I will not be contained in this room any longer," Kenna pouted.

"Once we reach Dorne and your condition has improved I will have no objections," Lord Royce said as he sat back in his chair beside her bed.

Artys just smiled at the interactions, hardly anyone outside of this room would believe Kenna listened to anyone other than herself such was her growing reputation and Artys was sure the latest Arryn foray into the Iron Islands will have only embellished her and his reputation further.

Artys could already hear the smallfolk and nobles alike whispering in the shadows, beware the Bloody Falcon and her bloodthirsty nephew. It was a shame no one ever took the time to understand why people were pushed to such feats of violence.


Same day …

Three-Eyed Raven's Cave underneath the Great Weirwood Tree, Beyond the Wall


"Hold the door," Meera yelled back over her shoulder as Jojen helped her pull Bran's sledge away into the blizzard like conditions in front of them. Summer stayed close to his master, Leaf and five other Children of the Forest formed a circle around them as if to ward off the worst of the snow storm that surrounded them.

A few minutes later, Jojen turned to her, "He is gone."

"Hodor?"

Jojen nodded slightly as they pulled Bran behind them, "The wrights are chasing us too."

"Where are they?"

"Close."

The chilling way her brother had replied made Meera will her legs onwards. They had to protect Bran. He was humanities last hope to stop the Night King.


An hour later …

A few miles south of the Three-Eyed Raven's Cave underneath the Great Weirwood Tree, Beyond the Wall


Meera set Bran down and for the third time in as many minutes had to haul her brother to his feet.

"Come on Jojen we need to keep moving," she said with forced encouragement.

"No this is exactly where we are supposed to be," Jojen replied cryptically.

"I don't understand," Meera said as she continued to pull Bran forward, who was still completely white eyed.

Suddenly Leaf bounced into her view, 'We are surrounded."

"What?" Meera yelped trying to see through the wall of snow around her.

Eventually blue orbs started to appear through the blanket of whiteness.

They were everywhere. In front of her, behind her and to her sides as well.

Meera placed Bran down and armed herself with a dragonglass spear while the Children of the Forest did the same with small black daggers. Jojen held tighter onto his staff and prayed what he had seen would come to pass.

A solitary White Walker walked ahead of the wrights directly challenging the path on which Meera had been taking Bran.

Meera clasped the spear, waiting for the onslaught to start.

The ice warrior took a step towards them then was forced back three as a fireball smashed into its chest armor. It gave out an ice shattering scream and the wrights all around them charged.

The Children of the Forest did a good job of holding the wrights back with well-placed fire bombs but there was simply too many of them to keep battering them back for long. When a few slipped through the fire wall of bombardments Summer tore those closest to him apart and Meera thrust out with her spear, doing her best to make sure that none made their way to Bran or Jojen.

"Bran," Jojen said shaking his friend as he dared not look behind him, trusting his sister to protect them, "We need you.

Bran came back to himself a second later hearing his friends request.

"Jojen?" he muttered looking around and seeing the carnage all around them. Fire and bones were flying everywhere as the lone White Walker advanced through the battlefield getting closer and closer.

"Bran you need to stop them," Jojen urged.

"How?"

"The Three-eyed Raven said it was magic that held the dead in this world as it was the Children of the Forests magic that created the Night King. I think you could tap into that … maybe you can distort the Night King's control or control them yourself," Jojen suggested running out of more plausible ideas.

Bran looked doubtful but he closed his eyes and concentrated. Meanwhile the White Walker had reached his first opponent as it shifted its shoulder to dodge the black headed spear that had been thrown its way.

The tall ice warrior released its frozen sword from its belt and engaged Meera, swiping down at the mobile woman.

Meera cried out as she dodged the ice sword swung in her direction and instead came face to face with a wright that slashed at her face. She jumped backwards quick enough to avoid the wright's blade but too quickly to keep her balance. She landed on her back as three fleshless creatures pounced on her.

Jojen screamed as he saw his sister butchered mere metres away from where he knelt next to Bran.

The White Walker looked from the huddle of wrights still tearing into Meera's body to the two boys it meant to kill and continued its march towards them with its sinister sword nestled in its claw like hand.

Summer growled from his position just in front of them but the primal noise did nothing to stop the White Walker's steady approach.

"No," Jojen cried into his lap, "I didn't see this."

The upset greenseer fully expected the wrights and the White Walker to rip them apart in the next few seconds but he never felt the cutting edge of a wright's blade or the biting cold of the White Walker's sword.

He felt the warmth of a fire radiate near him and the scratching screams of the White Walker surround him.

He looked up to see the White Walker engulf in flames as Leaf led the Children of the Forest in throwing fire bombs at it.

They were free to do so unmolested by the wrights. The undead had all stopped their movements as if in a trance.

Jojen watched as the giant ice warrior fell towards him consumed by the flames so that its body shattered on impact with the cold snow-covered ground and with it so too did the statue like wrights clatter to the ground lifeless.


Jojen crawled to his sister's body as Summer nudged into Bran. Meera's front torso was a mutilated mess with her blood melting the snow around her and steaming the air near her open flesh. Her eyes stared up into the harsh sky with no light in them.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," Jojen choked down at his sister who had protected him for so long, "I saw help come."

"We need to go," Leaf shouted to him as she tugged on one off the handles of Bran's sledge, "You need to help."

Jojen sat unresponsive over Meera's body.

"Jojen," Leaf asked again before sensing movement ahead of her.

The other five Children formed a protective circle around Bran who was blinking rapidly after successfully stopping the wrights in their tracks.

A horse rider approached followed by half a dozen humanoid looking shadows.

"Leaf," shouted the rider against the strong wind.

The raised fire bomb in Leaf's hand went out as her name was called out.

The rider kicked his mount onwards and to Jojen's relief he saw that the shadows were actual humans. He saw a large scarred man, a little girl, a fire kissed female archer, a dark-haired man that appeared to be the leader who was followed closely by a Brother of the Night's Watch and a direwolf that was being greeted by Summer as if they were long lost siblings.

This is what he had seen in his vision. Help.

The rider walked his horse past the Children of the Forest who seemed unconcerned and past Jojen to where Bran lay on his sledge.

"It has been too long nephew."

"Uncle Benjen," Bran smiled back as his eyes darted from his uncle to the party behind him not quite believing what he saw.

"I brought friends," his uncle said then turned to Leaf, "as I said I would."

"We need to go now," Leaf said again, "It is not safe here. We need to get to the Wall."

"It is not safe south of the Wall either if the Night King was able to enter the cave then he can cross the Wall too," Benjen replied.

Bran felt a cold ball form in his stomach as he realised he was responsible for that but he was distracted from his guilt as Jon came into his vision.

"Bran," Jon said as he smothered the younger Stark in a hug, "It is good to see you again."

Bran was going to reply when a loud 'Fuck' followed by copious more swear words could be heard.

Both dark haired men turned to see Grenn and the Hound eyeing the Children of the Forest with something in-between wonder and caution.

Arya and Ygritte didn't seem to be interested as they scanned their surroundings constantly, alert to the hidden dangers that lurked beyond their vision.

"It is time to go," Leaf said loudly.

"Ser Clegane carry Bran," Jon ordered to the Hound while sheathing Long Claw.

Benjen offered his hand to Jojen, "You don't look like you could walk much further."

Jojen pushed himself from Meera's body with the help of his staff and let the undead man pull him onto the horse without a word. Jojen next saw Meera's body burst into flames, he looked to Leaf who gave him a sad nod.

The conjoined parties followed Benjen's lead as they all started to run to keep up with the trotting pace of the undead horse, knowing that now was not the time to talk but to run.


Author's Notes

The Crown alliance is heading to Dorne and Kenna dreams of family life but her dream takes on a nightmarish quality … ominous :P The cyvasse game Kenna is remembering between herself and Tywin in her dream occurs in Chapter 6. I just wanted to write a fever dream scene for Kenna so I could do a bit of a complicated family interaction between Tywin, Kenna and the twins as a few people have been asking about the twins.

As I hope you noted, Jojen didn't get stabbed outside the cave entrance and survives the attack on the cave. Summer and some of the Children of the Forest also escaped before Hodor held the door so they are all still with Bran. It is so unlike me to write characters surviving when they died in canon LOL.

Since Jojen survived he got lessons with the Three-eyed Raven as well and his abilities have greatly improved like Bran's have but of course Bran will be much stronger as demonstrated by his ability to halt the wrights (but not the White Walker). Jojen has the same abilities of Bran in the greensight department but not the same on warging and more wide-reaching abilities but these will be explored later.

Benjen bumped into Jon a lot earlier than in canon then led him and his group to Bran at the behest of the Children of the Forest so that is how they met so precisely and quickly. Also in my head all their horses died due to the extreme cold the more north they went so that is why they had to run at the end. Jon, Ghost, Ygritte, Arya, the Hound, Grenn, Bran, Summer, Jojen, Benjen Stark, Leaf & Children of the Forest – what a weird group LOL.


RIP:

Three-Eyed Raven/Bryden Rivers (Sliced in two by the Night King)

I know he died off camera/off the page and in the same way as the show depicted but I thought I would still note his death in the RIP section. Not sure how to feel on his death as I didn't really care too much when he died on the show. He was Bran's mentor and I felt he could have done a lot more … just like Bran could have done a lot more.

Some but not all Children of the Forrest (Killed by White Walkers and Wrights inside the cave defending Bran and the Three-eyed Raven)

Died off page/camera but again I wanted to note their passing. I also wanted some children to survive and see how that would play out in the future.

Hodor (Killed by wrights trying to get past the door to Bran)

I thought his was such a powerful death scene when I watched it the first dozen times so I see no need to change it but before he held the door Summer, Leaf, Jojen and some other children of the forests escaped as well as the expected ones.

Meera Reed (Taken down by some wrights as they were chasing Bran's group)

Sorry, she got stabbed a lot but I wanted to reverse Jojen death because having a second Greensighter and potential Greenseer is a lot more useful than having another middling fighter when you already have a lot of those in the party.

Single White Walker (Set on fire by the Children of the Forest with their fire bombs)

I think one fire bomb wouldn't do the trick but like four to eight would. Anyway, one less deadly walking popsicle to worry about for the endgame.


Reviews:

DannyBlack70 (Reviewed both Chapters 70 & 71) – Haha thanks! Balon's execution Viking style with the Blood Eagle or Bloody Falcon was something that had been in my head for so long and as soon as I finished editing it I just wanted to get it posted so hence my accelerated posting schedule of late. Since the conception of Artys in my head I always knew I wanted to do something with his Greyjoy heritage and as Kenna says in the chapter maybe he could do something in the memory of his mother and try to change the Ironborn but we'll see if that is too ambitious or not. There is still the Great War and the Last War to come.

Haha awesome :D Cersei is a character that plays with the feelings, so diabolical but she had been through so much. Oberyn is keeping it together right now as I imagine he is still in a bit of shock over the fact the person he loved most betrayed him and killed his brother then he killed her but when that wears off ….

Supremus85 – Oh yeah Robert's Rebeliion that makes more sense now. I like to think all the Drowned Priests on Pyke were rounded up but not the others that were on the other islands. It is rather an ambitious move I know to try to change an entire culture, especially one that is steeped in religious zeal but if you are going to try to change something you should always try when you are at your strongest and most popular and that for Artys is just after Balon's death when the Ironborn are at their weakest. It might backfire on him but his motivation is trying to honor the memory of his mother but he isn't in the Iron Islands anymore he is with Kenna. A child for Cersei could have drawn out her better qualities … something which I didn't want ;P

David Daniel B – Not a good long-term strategy to be fueled by but it can be effective as Littlefinger and Lysa in this story can vouch for. Nice quote!

Lord Demolitions – I will mull over the ideas. I really like the forest strategy but not all significant battles will be open field many will be in major cities. I actually already used this strategy in one of my other stories called Sunset of Legacy LOL.

Jordan Uzumaki – Drowned Priests only record their rituals, laws and lore orally so if they are all dead the religion dies with them. But no, I don't think Artys got them all. If Artys had stayed behind without any men, he would have been dead within the hour LOL. Artys is with Kenna, Lord Royce and Lord Grafton on their way to Dorne as there is still an invasion coming and the Iron Islands have just been wrecked and offer no resources currently so there is no point Artys staying there right now and ruling there.

NightlyRowenTree – Your welcome :)

Guest (commented on 24/10/2020) – Well Yara Greyjoy and Ellaria Sand are now both dead. Olenna Tyrell is firmly still on the Crown's side for now so Daenerys has none of those women backing her this time. Missandei is precious, it is a lot of fun having her interact with Cersei considering the later ordered the formers beheading in canon :P You could also add that she was unable to charm Sansa as well in the North in Season 8.

Shadow Wolf 15846 – I thought so too. I mean Joanna Lannister, Rhaelle Targaryen, Lyanna Stark all died in childbirth, it is dangerous.

Newtiepatoetie – I am really happy Artys is a character that has grown into his own as the story has progressed :) Consider him an absentee King at the minute as he hasn't remained in the Iron Islands but many Ironborn leaders went on long voyages and raids so it isn't an uncommon thing. No parting necessary, Kenna and Artys are still 't comment on potential pairings or new OC, I am a no spoiler writer who likes to surprise my readers :D Thanks for saying so! Hope I can keep you interested :)

Tohka123 – Thanks for letting me know and I will endeavor to keep entertaining :D


Next Up: Jon continues his hunt for proof with Bran in tow, more trouble heads Meereen's way and Jaime demands his father include him in his plans for the Lannister's future.

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PS: HAVE A GOOD HALLOWEEN!