Hi,
Dance of the Falcon has surpassed 200,000 views and although I'm not entirely sure what this number really means thank you for the interest everyone :)
Fun fact, I listened to a continuous loop of 'The Night King' while I wrote the first draft then a continuous loop of 'Rains of the Castamere' while going through the edits xD
Even by my standards this chapter is pretty brutal so considered yourself warned.
Enjoy!
Chapter 93: The Lion's Godswood
Same time …
Stone Garden (Godswood), near the Ringfort at the top of Casterly Rock, Westerlands, Westeros
Bran surveyed Casterly Rock as his ravens flew over the battered buildings, spotting the wild manes of the Dothraki spread throughout the city. The outermost streets were eerily quiet but he knew the battle was far from over and the true fight was waiting within the mountain itself.
The fighting had progressed from the Lion's Mouth to the main road, and his bird's eye view told him it wouldn't be long until the men were pushed back to the inner castle. His ravens flew closer to the walls and Bran could see that only the living were walking along the battlements there, for now.
Suddenly, blue fire flashed across the night sky as Drogon chased his more agile siblings, taking out some of Bran's ravens along the way. Luckily, the remaining birds managed to regroup and followed the main street back up the mountainous city.
He heard the rallying cries of the Dornish Princes and saw that the wights had finally reached their position halfway up the main street. The Northmen and Dornish spearmen stood their ground, tightening their thin defensive line in preparation for the onslaught of wights. Just when it looked like the undead would overwhelm the battered men, they froze. Men yelled in surprise and confusion until the spearmen broke formation and led the charge into the mass of frozen wights, determined to take the advantage.
Farther up the road, Bran watched Jon and Robb use the reprieve to take a clear shot at a white walker. It shattered beneath their combined blade strikes, but the cousins had already turned away. Like a well oiled machine, their men converged on the vacated spot to engage the remaining white walkers. Jon and Robb were now hacking their way through the sea of unmoving bodies, desperately trying to make their way up the wide, cobbled street.
They are trying to reach me, but they will be too late, Bran thought sadly.
With one last sweeping gaze of the chaotic street, he returned to his body and the carnage surrounding him.
The Weirwood stood in the heart of the Godswood, and was immediately determined to be the best place to protect Bran. Summer and Benjen joined Bran by the tree as his last line of defense, while select Northmen formed a wide protective perimeter around the trio. Jamie and the Hound, the only two Southerners to remain behind, mingled among the quaking men, neither wanting to stand still.
The gate to the Godswood was smashed open as wights rushed in. The sacred wood was shrouded in mist, and their silhouettes darted in and out of the grey curtains of descended cloud. Despite the numbers of soldiers they'd packed into the Godswood, the wights were steadily gaining ground, making their way closer and closer to the Weirwood tree. Archers released their flaming arrows blindly into the swirling fog; some struck moving targets, and the brief arcs of flame lit up the murky darkness, giving those inside their first glimpse at the undead.
But the continuous volley of arrows wasn't enough. Despite Jamie's guidance and the Hound's rampaging blows— that could take out multiple wights in a single swing— soldiers were falling quickly.
Though the Northmen were undoubtedly skilled, and tougher than most, they were struggling to fend off the sheer volume of wights. The circle started to disintegrate amidst the chaos and skeletons were starting to slip through the cracks. Benjen and Summer were keeping up with the wights that breached the defensive line, but Benjen knew this task was only going to become more difficult with each passing second as their ranks diminished and the undead kept coming.
Throughout the assault, Bran sat silently in his chair, seemingly unperturbed by the destruction around him. He made no attempt to move or communicate with the soldiers; he didn't even flinch as Summer ripped apart an advancing Golden Company wight right in front of him. His eyes passed over the chaos, focusing in on the broken entrance to the Godswood. The wights were of no concern to him; he knew his fate. What consumed his thoughts and all of his attention had not yet arrived.
A steady stream of wights were advancing from every direction, and Jaime knew the men wouldn't be able to maintain their unrelenting pace for long. He heard the shattering of bones behind him and spun to see Benjen's flaming morning star flash through the air. Another massive wave of wights surged into the Godswood, this time completely breaking the defensive line circling the Weirwood tree; swordsmen and archers alike were mowed down by the rush, and their dying screams filled the air as metal pierced flesh.
"We can't hold them off forever," yelled the Hound as another wight fell to his obsidian longsword.
"I don't think that's an option. There are too many of them," Jaime shouted frantically, witnessing the last of the Northern soldiers skewered by a wight.
Now only a dead man, a wolf and two Southern warriors stood between Bran and the blue-eyed skeletons.
Surprisingly, the wights didn't charge, instead backing off to form a large circle around the Weirwood tree, blocking every exit.
"Come on, you fuckers!" the Hound roared, retreating to join Jaime and Benjen.
The three warriors stood at the ready, but a sudden stillness had overtaken the sea of eyeless sockets.
"They're waiting," Jaime realised, in equal parts wonder and fear.
"For what?" the Hound said sharply.
Benjen pointed towards the entrance. "For him."
Just beyond the broken gate appeared a group of near twenty white walkers but only one stood out from the rest.
The Night King.
The creature seemed physically just like the rest of the white walkers except for its lack of facial hair and an excessively large ice sword strapped to its back.
It was clear the creature was old, powerful and from a long-forgotten era where magic and dragons roamed free. Its presence was all consuming, and felt by all those in the Godswood.
The white walkers flanked the Night King, but he made no move to advance, ignoring what was left of the assembled resistance. He only had eyes for Bran. As the silent battle waged on, the warriors started to fidget in the uncomfortably tense atmosphere, but the two powerful entities continued to observe each other, ignorant of any one else's presence.
Suddenly, the Night King took a few unhurried steps towards Bran and the spell that had descended over the Godswood was broken.
Summer launched himself past Jaime and bounded towards the threat to his master's life. The large direwolf snarled viciously and jumped with its jaws unhinged, ready to sink his teeth into the Night King's throat.
In the blink of an eye the Night King had wrapped one large, blue hand around Summer's throat, and in one violent twist he broke the direwolf's neck, flinging the animal at his feet as if it weighed nothing.
A flash of sadness passed over Bran's brown eyes as they fixated on his dead direwolf, but it was gone just as quickly. Now was not the time to grieve. The Night King raised his hand and three white walkers advanced towards the group with their weapons out.
Jaime tightened his grip on his sword and with the Hound and Benjen by his side he engaged the white walkers under the leaves of the twisted tree.
The three-way duel was an evenly matched contest of thrusts, parries and last-minute dodges until one of Benjen's attempted evasions was a second too slow, and a spear lodged itself into his upper torso. Benjen didn't even recoil and brought his morning star down on the white, its flames greedily consuming its target. The creature shrieked and crumbled to the floor in a fiery mess.
Benjen staggered backwards, pulling the ice spear from his chest and throwing it onto the snow-covered floor. Instead of falling to his knees he immediately doubled up on the white facing Jaime. A dead man had nothing to fear from a mortal wound. Together, they dispatched it with a few coordinated strikes.
A second later, the Hound's longsword struck home. It was almost comical the way the last white walker stared down at the blade protruding from its stomach before shattering into a misty cloud.
All three warriors looked at the Night King, silently challenging the legendary creature who had just impassionately watched his three lieutenants demise.
"Is that the best you got!" the Hound taunted.
"I don't think antagonizing him is going to work," Jaime commented.
He knew this battle, of all battles, was no time for witty remarks but it was comforting, and he really needed that right now. The Hound ignored him in favour of a swear laden prayer to the Warrior.
The old creature's eyes moved leisurely from the icy shards that had been his three lieutenants to the three men facing him, taunting him with their futile resistance.
He took a single step forward.
"Yes!" the Hound bellowed, knowing that the Night King was the only target that mattered and now he challenged them alone.
The Night King advanced, still unarmed.
"Steady, let him come to us," Jaime cautioned.
"We can't let him get too close to Bran," Benjen reminded them.
The Hound was all adrenaline now, and Benjen knew he was no better. It was now or never.
"Now!" The Hound shouted as the Night King trod on the remains of his fallen lieutenants.
The last three protectors attacked in unison, knowing this was their last chance. The Night King dodged the morning star in one fluid motion and expertly side stepped Jamie's strike, but he wasn't quick enough to avoid a blow from the Hound's longsword.
The longblade struck metal but the armour held. The Night King didn't even flinch at the contact, instead choosing to tunnel his menacing stare at the disfigured man trying to end his millennia long quest.
"Fuck," the Hound swore a second before the Night King shoved him aside.
The Hound went flying into to the waiting crowd of wights. His screams were the last thing anyone heard of the warrior, but Jamie and Benjen had no time to mourn their fallen comrade, barely managing to regroup by the Weirwood tree.
"He hasn't even unsheathed his sword, he's playing with us," Jaime said breathing heavily even though the icy air burned his throat.
Benjen lifted his morning star threateningly at the Night King, who had now stopped to stare at Bran between his two opponents.
"He thinks we can't harm him; that we are no danger to him."
"It feels that way," Jaime muttered, glancing at Bran to gauge his reaction.
For the first time since the start of the battle, Bran turned his attention from the creature currently trying to end his life, to the man that tried to kill him near a decade ago.
"I forgive you," Bran said simply.
Jaime blinked once before returning his gaze to the Night King. He suddenly felt more comfortable staring down death than looking at the boy he had wronged all those years ago.
"Thank you, but now really isn't the time."
"It is the only time," Bran stated.
Jaime didn't dwell on the boy's ominous words as the Night King continued his slow advance towards the last two remaining obstacles.
Jaime and Benjen thrusted and parried with all the skill and adrenaline fueled energy they possessed, attempting to maneuver the Night King into a position where he could not defend against them both. But whatever they tried the storm bringer evaded with ease.
In the next instant their attacks devolved into a desperate defense as the Night King unleashed his own sword. Jamie was just barely holding up against the new weapon, and in two powerful, lightening fast blows his sword was flung backwards and embedded into Benjen's leg.
The abrupt change in momentum caused Jamie to lose his balance, and it took all his effort to break his fall with a roll. Finally landing on all fours, he turned to see Benjen likewise on the ground, his leg lying a few feet away.
The Night King didn't stop to allow for a breather this time. He walked past Benjen, who was struggling to stand on one foot, and headed straight towards Jamie.
Jaime willed his beaten body to move as death came closer and closer. He got to his feet just in time to parry blow after blow until the unrelenting force sent him crashing to the ground again.
Only this time he didn't get back up.
The Night King stood on Jaime's sword arm, and he felt his bone snap under the pressure.
Jaime screamed in pain and then anguish as he saw the great ice sword hovering over his chest. The Night King's expression remained impassive, not one flicker of change crossed his face as he wrapped his large hands around the handle of his sword and drove it downward.
Jaime uttered only one word before the sword point cut through his armour and slid past his ribs, "Cersei …".
He was already long gone but the Night King's sword didn't stop until the hilt hit his golden breast plate, pinning the dying man to the ground.
"No," Bejnen murmured into the snow, but his refusal of what he had just witnessed didn't make it any less real.
The Night King left his sword and kicked Benjen in the chest, causing the downed man to roll along the cold ground until he came to a stop on his back. From his position Benjen could see he was once again between Bran and the Night King; one last chance to protect his nephew.
When the Night King got close Benjen tried to retaliate, but he couldn't produce a powerful enough swing, not that it would have mattered as the Night King caught his arm and wrestled it quickly to the floor.
"Do it then!" Bejnen shouted up at the terrifying creature.
It happened so fast Benjen didn't have time to scream as the Night King's hand plunged into his chest and ripped out his heart and the dragonglass dagger that had pierced it.
The heart and dagger fell unceremoniously from his icy hand. With no one left to stop him the Night King resumed his slow, purposeful stride towards the young Three-eyed Raven, closing the gap step by step.
"I am not afraid of what is to come," said Bran evenly, looking up at the Night King who now stood directly in front of him, "You will fail, and dawn will break."
The Night King's eyes seemed to blaze at Bran's words, but he didn't get a chance to respond, because the empty battle field was suddenly interrupted by a sound Bran was all too familiar with:
The enraged cries of Arya.
She dropped from the Weirwood tree, clearly intent on ending the fight once and for all, but the Night King simply took a step back, catching Arya by the neck. She gasped and he reached for the knife.
Arya released the Catspaw.
It fell and she stretched out with her free hand, anticipating the feel of the exquisite handle and the resistance of plunging the point into his heart. But the Night King was unlike any opponent she'd ever faced and her free arm was suddenly immobilized.
The Catspaw clattered to the ground with an air of finality.
Arya let out a scream of disbelief and anguish. All of her training had been no match for the Night King's lightning fast reflexes. His hand movement had just been a blue blur in front of her eyes.
The Night King started to walk back into the centre of the Godswood with Arya still flailing in his hands, leaving Bran to stare at the discarded Catspaw in the snow.
Arya tried to break the Night King's hold but strength had never been her greatest asset; speed was but that mattered very little when you were already in the clutches of your enemy.
Arya continued to struggle against the iron grip that contained her, but the Night King just held her up to the moonlight, showing a mild interest one might have for a bug.
She hung in the air between life and death just long enough to wonder why she was being spared a grizzly death, only to realise that was far from the truth.
Without warning a piercing cold unlike anything she'd ever felt began to radiate from the Night King's hands. Her whole body went numb, and she saw rather than sensed herself start to shiver and tremble. The Stranger lurked in the black edges of her vision and her skin started to turn blue. Arya stopped moving, going limp in the Night King's hands. All she could do now was stare into the translucent blue eyes that never blinked. She was in death's grip and she couldn't break it.
Bran closed his eyes. He had seen what was coming next. There was no reason to see it twice.
The Night King released Arya's frozen body and it shattered on contact with the frozen ground.
Bran let a single tear rolled down his face before he opened his eyes to see the Night King looming over him, but this time he had the Catspaw in his hand.
Bran looked up at the once human man. He'd accepted his fate long ago, knowing that there had been no other way to ensure that the summer's sun would shine upon the lands of Westeros again; no other way to distract the Night King long enough.
The only consolation he had was knowing that all those that had died so far had not sacrificed their lives in vain. Their actions would directly lead to the moment when the creature in front of him would fall— and Bran had seen him fall— it just wasn't in the Godswood and it wasn't at the end of a blade.
The Night King knelt at Bran's feet and raised a hand to his cheek. Bran wasn't fazed by the gentle movement or the cold touch. All of his energy was going towards maintaining eye contact as the Catspaw slowly sank into his heart. Blood started to drip from the wound and soak his tunic and furs, but as if in a trance he never looked away from the unblinking, blue eyes.
Bran felt the chilling cold seep through his body and hoped his death had provided enough time for the Children of the Forest. Finally, he closed his eyes and let his life drift away.
When Bran's heart beat no more the Night King straightened up, pulling the Catspaw from the boys heart and stabbing its bloody point into the thick trunk of the Weirwood tree. He pulled his sword free from Jamie's body, passed Bran's limp figure, and began hacking at the twisted Weirwood tree with a vigour he hadn't expressed even when killing.
The rest of his army watched as the sacred wood was chopped away. The tree was leaning precariously now, and with a loud groan it fell backwards, crushing some wights that didn't move fast enough. The Night King left his sword lodged in the stump that remained. His final objective had been completed at last.
In one last grand gesture the Night King raised his hands, calling for the dead.
The Northern soldiers that had fought so bravely just minutes before started to slowly push themselves up; Jaime's eyes popped open to reveal that glowing blue had replaced his green irises; Bran placed a foot on the ground and stood up from the wheelchair to walk for the first time in eight years; the Hound's burly form towered above the other wights in the distant crowd; even Summer's crumpled form started to move again.
But there was no humanity left in any of the risen. They weren't Jaime Lannister, Brandon Stark or Sandor Clegane; they were just more bodies in the army of the dead.
Author's Notes:
So, the Night King … wins? xD
I wonder what is going to happen next ;P
PS: In this story the Catspaw remained in the North.
RIP (Please don't hate me)
Summer (Neck snapped by the Night King)
Another doggo charges recklessly. I swear I'm a dog person! At least he is now with Lady, Shaggy Dog and Ghost in direwolf heaven.
Sandor 'The Hound' Clegane (Thrown into a crowd of wrights who butchered him to death)
He was boisterous to the last and literally managed to taunt a thousands of years old ice creature into fighting alone but still he was no match for the Night King. My only regret on this is I couldn't fit in a nice Arya Hound send off scene but rarely in life/battles are there such moments, I guess.
Jaime 'The Kingslayer' Lannister (Stabbed through the stomach by the Night King's great ice sword)
I think this was a good end for Jaime; trying to right a wrong he did in the past, trying to be the knight he dreamed of as a child protecting the innocent. But like all the other characters in the Godswood he is no match for the Night King, even if he had two hands.
Benjen Stark (Died when the Night King pulled out his heart and the dragonglass knife)
I knew Benjen could take a little bit more suffering since he is already dead but getting a leg chopped off and a hand through the chest has still got to hurt … it was legit the only way I saw the Night King dispatching him, and demonstrates a way that those with a dragonglass knife in their heart can be killed ;P
Arya Stark (Frozen to death by the Night King's touch)
I'm in the camp where I thought Arya's move in canon was so cool to watch but I felt the Night King's end was just too … cheap/quick/easy. Like I wanted his death to feel more earned and see more of what he could do. I mean he is supposed to be thousands of years old and gets killed by a screaming girl with a cool knife trick. Not in my story! Sorry Arya :(
Brandon Stark (Stabbed through the heart by the Night King with the Catspaw)
Guess no King Bran … If Arya didn't stop the Night King, Bran certainly wasn't and I thought it just perfect that the Night King used the Catspaw to kill him. Will night rule forever now? Is the Three-eyed Raven gone for good? I wanted the Night King to show some emotion over this as he is potentially a Stark, and Bran to him is just a child that wandered into a thousands of years old feud between him and the Children of the Forest.
Twisted Weirwood Tree in the Stone Garden (Chopped down by the Night King)
I feel like this is a death somehow and should be noted. It had a face, arms & legs (branches) and a body (trunk) so I'm counting it.
Reviews:
Supremus85 – Thanks!
Ser Dorito of Aisle 13 – *Hides in shame* JK. Royce really is! As head of his house, I really think he would have gone with his army and not stayed in King's Landing. I think the Tyrells would have all the best armor, weapons and a good recruitment pool where they would fall down is having good leaders, I think Randal Tarly is their only really good commander, while Loras is just a really good fighter right now.
NightlyRowenTree – I have watched I am Legend … I can't lie I did cry :( I'm a dog person at heart so wow that scene was difficult. So much fluff in your comment!
Guest (commented 14/02/2021) – Yes if there was enough and after this chapter with Bran no longer able to 'freeze' the majority of the wight army outside the walls of Casterly Rock (since he's dead) I think this will be happening.
Shadow Wolf 15846 – Lol it's been killing me for nearly two years so suck it up!
Tohka123 – Thanks! Yes, as you can an tell from this chapter no one is safe!
Guest (commented 15/02/2021) – Now, that is a really good idea! I have added it to my AU AU document for this story. These extra/AU AU scenes or chapters will be added to this publication once the main story is finished so watch out for that.
Antares Graceford – Dany isn't in a good position but then again, those rock walls are thick and Jorah and Cersei are exploring an escape route. Yeah, I wanted Royce to have some fun bits of dialogue as I didn't want the chapter to be too dire … like this one xD Bran has been blocking the Night King's control over the majority of his army only those wights close to him can he now control hence why the wights at the wall went still when the Night King reached the top of Casterly Rock.
DannyBlack70 (commented on chapter 90 & 92) – It's okay you said you had a busy week, I think. There are going to be casualties and well-done Jaime is one of them. Good, because there are a few chapters left! I haven't actually read or heard about another story placing the Long Night at Casterly Rock despite it, in my opinion, being the best place to actually defend from.
Tertius711 (commented on Chapter 17) – I think House Tyrell would still ally with the Lannisters as Margaery would be Queen (an ambition Mace Tyrell has long held) and they (Loras specifically) would be against Stannis being King because they supported Renly from the get go so it would be in their interests to join the Lannisters simply to block Stannis's route to the throne. Kenna & Robb couldn't match a Queen and at this point in the story are not interested in the Iron Throne - Kenna is actually supporting Stannis. As for the Bloody Gate, Lysa's treachery is involved there but I just didn't want to reveal it till the big betrayal in Chapter 16 where the Eyrie is breached. Our PM discussion was fruitfully. Thanks for reading till this point.
Next Up: The army of the undead moves as one again and swarms all over Casterly Rock, the living try to rally behind what leaders they have left, and the Night King turns his attention to an old enemy.
If you are enjoying this story please *Toss a coin to your writer, Oh valley of readers* and review, follow and favorite!