Hardhome 299 AC.
Benjen.
Watching a giant ride a mammoth across a bridge that hadn't been there just the day before was not something he had ever expected to see. Before he had come here, any one of those things was not something he had expected to see. He knew of giants and mammoths and yet had never seen either on any of his rangings as a brother of the Night's Watch, as for what Jae had done with the bridge, that was something he'd never even read or heard about, let alone seen.
Yet he had stood with the others as his nephew had covered himself in blood, that he'd later found out was his own, sang a song that had no words, and had made a bridge appear where there was none just hours before. Now he watched as Wun Wun rode a mammoth across said bridge while around him more than twenty giants watched on eagerly. After some time both the giant and mammoth were out of sight and he turned to look at Val and the others to see them all looking as worried as he felt.
When Wun Wun came back into view he was riding towards rather than away from them and though his expression hadn't changed to Benjen's eyes, he felt it was different. Something that was proved when the mammoth reached the beach and Wun Wun climbed down of its back. The giant walking toward the others of his clan and speaking in his low guttural voice when he got there.
"Tá an Droichead sábháilte, furasta a thrasnú." (The Bridge is safe, easy to cross.) Wun Wun said.
"Ansin déan é a thrasnú déanfaimid." (Then cross it we will) Mag the Mighty said.
Benjen looked to Val, to Tormund, and finally to Mance, all three of them wearing smiles and he knew then what the giants had decided. He wanted nothing more than to run to Jae's tent and tell him that the giants would use his bridge, yet he knew he could not as his nephew needed his rest. He'd been so very worried when Jae had poured the blood on his head, even more so when he'd put his sword away and had then collapsed. His knights though were less so, true they worried but they were far calmer than he and if anything it was Mance and the other Free Folk who showed more concern than they did for his nephew.
Arthur explained to him that Jae's use of magic would leave him tired sometimes, especially the newer that magic was and the more he used of it. Benjen listening as he told him of the Glass Candles and the warging and how in time neither really drained his nephew the same way as they once had. It calmed him somewhat but only seeing Jae up and about had done that completely, even if it was only for a brief amount of time and his nephew had needed to go and rest again.
"We should tell the boy king." Tormund said and he was glad it was Mance who shot that down.
"Jae needs to rest, come we have work to do." Mance said and they turned to walk from the beach.
Later that day he heard that one of the ships had tried to dock with the bridge and found themselves unable to. The waters were too strong and it was too hard to maneuver without risking the ship crashing against the stone of the bridge. He knew Jae would be disappointed by that and he wouldn't be the only one. Rowing the boats to and from the ships was time and energy consuming and they had to continually change the men and women who did the rowing. Still, they had sent a large number of the Free Folk south, more than ten thousand he would guess, and that had only been in a few days.
Jae had told them it would be done by the next moon and Benjen was starting to think they may be able to do so even quicker. So far they'd sent families, older people, some of their sick, and some warriors to offer them protection. By the time the last of these ships left, they'd have sent everyone other than their strongest south and he knew how much Mance and the others would be relieved by that.
"Come let's go and see your nephew." Val said and he looked at her and nodded.
Reaching the tent he saw that Arthur and Loras were both on guard, Walder nowhere in sight and he wondered if the man was resting up. After speaking briefly to both knights he entered the tent to find Oberyn sitting and looking over Jae. The Dornish prince wearing an expression similar to the one he expected was on his own face. It had been strange at first to hear Jae speak of the man as an uncle, and not until he had spoken to Oberyn himself had he found out the reason for why he thought of him that way.
"My sister named him as her son, Benjen, called him blood of my blood and bid me see him that way. Like your own sister, I loved mine very much and I mourn her each day and so I took her words to heart and she proved to me that just as she always had, Elia knew far better than I." Oberyn said with a warm smile.
"Knew what?" he asked.
"Who that boy truly was, what was in his heart"
It had made him smile then and despite looking at Jae resting, it did so now again as he sat down beside Oberyn and they watched over Jae as he slept. He said no words, just watched, and was happy to see his nephew look so peaceful. With him there, Oberyn took the opportunity to go and relieve himself, the man not willing to leave Jae alone and after he had left, Benjen felt his hand drawn to his nephew's face. His fingers brushing over his cheeks, his nose, and his eyes and he was surprised by just how warm he was to the touch.
"You truly are a dragon, aren't you, Jae." he said softly as he moved his hand away.
"Will he wake soon?" Val asked and Benjen almost jumped so surprised was he by her voice as he'd forgotten she'd come into the tent with him.
"I think this is different, Arthur and Walder both said this is more simple tiredness rather than how he felt after the bridge" Benjen said.
"That seeing, that, I still can't believe that there is a bridge where once they were nothing but sea." Val said and he chuckled.
"Oberyn said we should see Queenscrown, it looks almost as if it had just been built."
"This is where we are to go?" Val asked.
"Jae wishes for me to stand in his stead at the tower that is there, to act as the link between him and the Free Folk."
"And you will?" Val asked softly.
"And I will, Aye, you will help." he said, almost but not quite a question.
"I will help." she said and he nodded.
When Oberyn came back they both said their goodnights to Jae and to the Dornish prince, he was tired and hungry himself, and though there was still daylight left it would not last much longer. He and Val left the tent and made their way to their own before joining Mance and the others to speak about the bridge, the ships, and anything else that needed their input. Once they'd done so they made their way to the fires and sat down to eat their meal, night had fallen and unlike most nights when they ate, tonight most of them would be having an early one. There was too much work to be done to spend their night drinking and telling tall tales, most people wished for their bed and he was no different.
He was woken early the next morning, Val almost dragging him from the bed and looking far more panicked and worried than he had ever seen her before. Try as he might she wouldn't speak to him and instead just made him follow.
"Val, what's going on, is it Jae, has something happened to him?"
"You must see this, Jae is well, as far as I know, Benjen, you must see this." she said and those were the only words he could get from her.
He was brought to one of the hills that overlooked the camp and he saw it in the distance. The storm larger than anything he'd ever seen before, Mance, Styr, Tormund, Rattleshirt, Harma, Mag the Mighty almost all the clan leaders were there and each wore the same worried expression. Benjen looked to Val and then almost at once all of them turned at the sound of Mother Mole's voice.
"The Prince, we must wake the prince." Mother Mole said and were the words not enough to stir him into action, the sound of the fear in her voice would have been.
Hardhome 299 AC.
Jaehaerys Targaryen.
He had seen it, the bridge, both in the Glass Candles and then for true after he'd sung it back into life. Just as he had Queenscrown and as he now knew he would do with Harrenhal and Summerhall. As he was helped back to his tent he felt so very tired, so bereft of energy, and yet his mind was going in a thousand different directions at once. He felt he'd given the best instructions he could, that he'd set things in motion that allowed him to rest and yet he felt something else at the back of his mind and so it was that he tried to concentrate on.
Rhaenys had said they had to go, they needed to leave this place and so as he was laid down in his tent, he reached out for his sister. Finding that once again when he did so when he was tired it was Rhaenys rather than Rhaenix he found. She was sitting on the hill overlooking Harrenhal, the place empty and deserted and yet it was clear that the tourney had not long since ended. When he moved to her she didn't rise and so Jae took his place beside her, taking her hand in his own and bringing it to his mouth to place a kiss upon it.
"I'm glad you've come little brother." she said softly.
"Me too, why here though?" he asked.
"This is as close as we ever got to be, Jae, you and I, this is as close as we ever got to be together before…." she said sadly, and Jae had no need to ask what she meant by before knowing full well what had happened after Harrenhal.
Rhaenys, Elia, his mother, and father, Harrenhal was the only time they were all in the same place, he wasn't even a glimmer in anyone's eye at that point but all the seeds for his life were planted here, figuratively if not literally.
"Show me, Rhae." he said and she smiled and he looked on as the ground filled up, as the tents were filled and as the banners began to wave in the wind.
"Come little brother." she said and he watched as she rose and reached down to take his hand.
They walked together, hand in hand, and past people who couldn't see them. Jae finding his eyes looking at each of them and seeing men he had met who were far older now and some he'd not who he knew had fallen. When he saw the Three-Headed Dragon flying over the tent he turned to her and she nodded, both of them walking to the tents and Jae standing there unable to enter when he saw his father being helped into his armor.
He looked focused and intent and though he wished to stay, it was to another tent he was quickly brought, Jae seeing the grey wolf and once again finding his eyes drawn to another of his parents. His mother fixing her dress and her hair and he smiled when he saw her look at herself in the looking glass. Both his uncles compared her to Arya and yet it was Sansa he saw in her then, Margaery too and though once more he wished to stay, when Rhaenys pulled his hand he followed. It was to the keep they went next, the two of them walking down the halls and coming to a room with an open door. He looked in and saw her being held in her mother's arms, saw the wet nurses and the servants reach out to take her and how reluctant Elia was to give her to them.
As before he wished to stay, to look at his sister, at her mother, yet as before Rhaenys led him from the room and this time he found himself in the stands. He looked around and saw his mother sitting with his uncles and Howland Reed, Elia sitting with his grandfather, and a very young-looking Oberyn. Behind them stood Arthur and Gerold, Oswell and Prince Lewyn, all looking resplendent in their pristine white cloaks.
When he turned to look at the field in front of him it had already begun, his father was riding hard down the tiltyard and Ser Barristan riding just as hard towards him. He watched as the lances struck home and the horses were brought back to ride once more, again and again, over and over they rode, and then finally he saw the moment when Barristan lost. He looked to Rhaenys to find her eyes torn between his mother and his own and while he wished to look there, it was his father that he found his own eyes on. Jae watching as he picked up the garland on his lance, and seeing how the blue flowers looking even more vibrant in the light of the sun.
The day the smiles died, he'd heard it named as such, and yet he saw smiles, on his father's face, on Elia's, and a beaming one on his mother's. He watched as the flowers slid down the lance and onto his mother's lap, as she placed them on her head, and then the skies began to darken, clouds began to appear and the wind began to howl.
"The Storm is coming, Jae, only you can stop it." Rhaenys said and he felt her lips against his cheek and then she, her mother, his father, and mother, all were gone and he was alone in the dark.
He woke up with a start, rising before Arthur or Loras could stop him, grabbing his sword he moved to his pack and took out the other handing Blackfyre to Loras he nodded when his friend shook his head and then left the tent. The panic was palpable, people moved both towards and away from something and Jae looked to see Walder staring not at him but at something off in the distance.
"We need them to move, all of them, they must move now." Jae said as he moved, the tiredness still there and yet he cared not.
"Jae, this, I can't." Loras said holding Blackfyre in his hand.
"Use it, Loras, that and no other." he said and Loras nodded reluctantly once more.
Calling for Rhaenix he found her to be some distance away, she had eaten and rested and was on her way back but it would take her time to get here.
"Up there, the hill, Jae." Arthur said and he saw the figures on top of it, some of them moving his way.
Oberyn, Quentyn, and Ygritte came running his way, his uncle looking at him worriedly but Jae shook his head and tried to show him that he was well.
"Ygritte do you speak the Old Tongue?" he asked before any of them could speak.
"No, there are those I know who do though." she said looking from him to the hill.
"Find them, go to the giant's camp tell them to move and move now, the bridge tell them to cross the bridge."
"What's going on, Jae?" Oberyn asked.
"The storm is here and he and they come with the storm, uncle." Jae said and Oberyn looked at him concernedly "Your spear, you'll need it. Quentyn, Ygritte, any people you pass tell them to make for the bridge, tell them to cross it, go, Go Now." he almost shouted.
Oberyn moved with them and he, Arthur, Walder, and Loras made their way to the hill, they didn't make it as Mance and the others instead met them almost two-thirds of the way there.
"You are awake, thank the gods, my prince." Mother Mole said.
"The Dragon, Jae, where is the dragon?" Mance asked worriedly as the others looked on.
"She is on her way. Time is no longer on our side, everyone must make for the bridge, Mance, everyone, those who can fight we have need of to protect their retreat but the ships are useless to us now, we run, we all run." he said.
He heard the roar then and he saw each of them look to the sky, Jae watching as Rhaenix circled looking for somewhere to land. When she did the tents she landed on were thankfully empty as had they not been then whoever had been inside would have been crushed under her weight.
"Help them move and set about organizing a defense, Arthur. You two help and have Oberyn do likewise." Jae said to the Kingsguard and his uncle before moving away from them and closer to Rhaenix.
"Your grace?" Arthur said reaching his hand out to stop him.
"Help them move, I need to see what it is we face, go, Arthur, I'll return but we have no time left." he said and Arthur nodded.
Jae almost ran to his sister, he climbed onto her back quickly and before anyone could talk him out of it he was in their air and flying north toward the storm. He could feel her beneath him, his sister had no wish to do this and yet would do so because where he led she'd always follow.
"We look, Rhae, that is all, we look." he said and he felt her relief and as they flew toward the storm he couldn't shake the thought that it should be in the other direction he should be heading.
The Storm of Hardhome 299 AC.
Mance.
Watching the dragon head off in the direction of the storm and seeing and hearing for the first time panic in Jae's eyes and words as well as what he himself felt as he looked at the storm, was enough to make him move. He immediately began shouting orders, telling Tormund, Styr, Val, and any who'd listen to get their people to move and to do so now. Once he was sure they had begun to do as he had asked, Mance made his way back to his own tent as quickly as he could.
"Mance?" Dalla asked when he got there.
"You need to go, you and the babe, make for the bridge and get as far across it as you can." he said in almost a shout.
"Mance?"
"Go Dalla, go now, they're here." he said and it was enough, there was no need for more words.
Mance grabbed his bow and made sure he has his sword and the Dragonglass dagger and after kissing his wife, he looked down on his son, his fingers softly stroked the boy's cheek and then he moved to leave the tent. He was only a few feet away from it when he saw her leave and he felt relief that she'd done as he asked. Watching her move to the bridge with their babe in her arms, he prayed to the Old Gods to keep them both safe and hoped that he'd see them again, then he turned and ran towards the storm.
Around him it was chaos, families, children on their own, fighting men to guard them, he directed them all to the bridge and looked on as others did the same and he took some comfort from that. His people were disorganized, could take time to move, and were more than likely to question any order, even those from his lips, but not today. Today they moved and those who should headed straight for the bridge, those they needed here, moved to the storm as he did.
The dragon was long out of sight and the storm still some way off in the distance when he reached the others. Mance looking on as Styr and a large group of Thenn's along with the giant guard of Jae's formed themselves into a line. A little way off he could see Ser Arthur had formed an even larger group together as had Prince Oberyn and so he made his way to where the young Tyrell lad was doing the same and he began to shout the same words as he was.
"Form up, light the fires and get your arrows ready and make sure you all have your Dragonglass." he shouted.
Looking behind him he saw Val, Benjen, and Tormund, shouting at people and telling them to head for the bridge and he was amazed by how many went that way and then it struck him, the bridge, it would be chaos at the bridge. Leaving the line he made his way to Val and Benjen, his goodsister looking at him and he was almost stunned to see the expression on her face. Val was fierce, there wasn't a man amongst the Free Folk that would have her show the fear she was showing now and he wondered if her expression was the one he too was wearing.
"Val, Benjen, the bridge, I need you to go to the bridge." he shouted when he neared them.
"They're coming, Mance, we need to hold them off, as Jae said." Benjen said.
"We need to save our people, it'll be chaos down there, they need to be organized and to cross it as one and not to fight their way ahead of others." he said.
"The fight Mance" Val said shaking her head.
"Means nothing if those we're fighting for fall, Val. Dalla and the babe are there, others too, see them across, make sure they move as far across as they can and they don't block the bridge, Val, go, you too Benjen, go." he said and she nodded, Benjen looking to him and then they were gone.
"Mance." he heard Tormund shout as he made his way over towards him.
"The day is here, old friend." he said when Tormund reached him, his old friend nodding as he slapped his back.
"If I fall today then so will one of them, I give you my oath on that." Tormund said.
"Let's try not to fall, old friend." Mance said and Tormund laughed loudly as they turned and made their way back to the line.
Quentyn.
They hurried through the camp, Ygritte shouting at people to make their way to the bridge, Quentyn doing the same to any who would listen. When they were close enough to their own tents, he looked at her and she nodded, Ygritte continuing on to the giant's camp while he made his way to Gilly and her sisters. He found them all in a state of panic and he cursed that they hadn't already been amongst those who had already left but there was nothing he could do about that today.
"Quentyn, what's happening, what's going on?" Gilly asked almost tearfully, her voice sounding as broken to him as it had once been and not how it had been since they'd reached Hardhome.
"You, the babe, your sisters, all of you need to go and go now. Make for the bridge, get as far across it as you can, don't stop for anything, don't look back, move Gilly, now, all of you." he said loudly as he looked to her sisters behind her.
His words were surprisingly listened to and were it another time and the situation not so desperate then he'd have pondered on that. Thought about how much his life had changed and how he'd gone from a man people listened to only because he was born a prince, to one no one paid any mind to, to now a man who some respected and sought opinions from. Were this another day then he may very well feel some pride about that, but today there was no time for such thoughts.
Once he was sure that Gilly and her sisters were actually moving to the bridge, he went to his tent and grabbed the Dragonglass daggers and the Dragonglass tipped arrows that he and Ygritte had put aside, before picking up his and Ygritte's bows. He looked at the tent and tried to think if there was anything else in it that he cared about or Ygritte did and found there was not, he had all he needed and the only thing he couldn't live without was presently on her way to the giant's camp unarmed.
Quentyn ran from the tent, racing through the camp and having to dodge people who were heading in the opposite direction. Women, children, and some men moved towards the bridge, yet it was warriors and spearwives that moved towards the storm and he felt an odd sense of pride about that. These were his people now, they didn't fight because they were commanded to, nor for a lord, lady, a prince, or King, they fought for themselves, for each other and so would he.
"Ygritte?" he shouted as he saw her in front of him and he was pleased to see the soft smile on her face when he handed her the bow and the arrows.
"The giants are moving, they're heading for the bridge, where do we go?" she asked, as simple as that and he looked at her, looked to the south and the bridge, and then to the north.
"We stand and fight, with our friends, we stand and fight." he said and she nodded before he kissed her and looked deep into her eyes and then they moved to the lines that were ready to face the oncoming storm.
Mother Mole.
Seeing the storm was a confirmation of her worst fears and she felt almost unable to breathe. Of all the times, of all the times it could have come it picked the very worst. In less than a moon they'd have been gone, they'd have been south and safe and they'd have had time to prepare. Were it tomorrow or the day after then the prince would be up and about and they would have him to lead them away from the darkness and into the light. Today though, today there was only them and they would not be enough and for the first time, she truly began to feel fearful that the end was upon them.
Mance, bless his heart wasn't capable of winning this fight, nor of even truly understanding it, and as she looked to the storm, she tried to get her mind to do what was she needed it to do. To concentrate, to find a path where their people would see the morrow, she tried and she failed, her mind was not the mind for such things. So she had done the only thing she could, she had told them who they needed and hoped they listened.
"The Prince, we must wake the prince." she had said and had barely recognized her voice as she did so.
Whether it was the gods, the prince himself, or whether it was just how it was always supposed to be, the prince had already awakened and so when she saw him moving their way, she and the others had moved to him, just as they were meant to do. She had spoken of her relief that he was awake and then had listened as he had taken charge and his orders were given and then followed. When he had taken to the skies and headed towards the storm she had both worried and rejoiced in equal measure. Then she had begun to see his will was done and had made her way to those who followed her.
"The bridge, have everyone make for the bridge." she said loudly when she reached her huts.
"Mother?" Olmoval asked.
"Do it, and do it now." she said loudly, her words carrying in the wind and her people had moved without a second question.
She entered her hut and gathered her things, the small bag that was full of all she held dear, and once she was ready she left and then made her way to the shore and the bridge. Her followers moved behind her, orderly yet disorganized and as others looked to them, she knew that more would follow. Yet it wouldn't be all, or enough and so she stopped and she turned and her voice was louder, firmer, and stronger than it had ever been.
"Families to the bridge, Warriors to the line, protect the retreat, guard those you care about but do not delay for the time is upon us and our prince wills it of you. Do it, do as he asks for should you not then we all fall this day." she said.
Despite the panic, the noise of people running to and fro, of tents being trampled beneath people's feet, her voice carried and people listened. By the time she made it to the bridge, there were perhaps three maybe even four thousand behind her. Some had heard her, some had simply followed because in chaos she and her people looked calm, they were anything but though and the true chaos was at the bridge itself.
People were pushing each other out of the way, some had taken the boats, others were fighting and far too few were actually crossing, other than the giants. The giants moved across it in order, their mammoths leading the way, and those who didn't ride, simply walked. There were some people she could see, some who'd begun to cross, but too few and not enough. She made her way to where the bridge hit the shore and she got ready to speak and saw them running her way, people moving out of their way to let Val and the former crow through.
"Mother, why aren't they crossing?" Val asked.
"That my child is what we're here to see done." she said and she was surprised when Benjen Stark shouted louder than she knew he could.
"QUIET, QUIET DOWN AND LISTEN, ALL OF YOU." Benjen shouted and whether it was because of the man himself not being known for being so loud, Val or her own presence, or simply that they'd just needed someone to take control, things quietened down to almost a silence and Benjen looked to her.
"The storm comes our way and we must not be here when it arrives." she said and then she turned and pointed behind her "There, that way lies life, salvation, safety, and it's there we go, but all must get there and all will."
She stopped, looked at those around her, at the worry and panic in their faces, at the children who grabbed onto their mother's a little more tightly and as she looked at them she spoke again.
"Our best and bravest have formed a line, our prince flies high on his dragon, they will delay and perhaps even stop the storm but they need us to play our part. We cross, all of us, we have time, but only if we work together, don't rush, don't fight, and don't panic. Remember who you are and what makes you free and as free men and women, we shall all cross this bridge together." she said.
Benjen, Val, and her own people helped to organize the lines and their people began to cross, while she stood at the beginnings of the bridge and smiled and nodded to them. They needed to see her own lack of panic, her lack of fear and so that's what she showed them, though it was a mummery and she could feel the storm was drawing ever closer.
Jaehaerys Targaryen.
He felt tired, could barely keep his eyes open, and not even the wind was enough to make him concentrate, Despite the cold that he knew he'd feel, he took the helm off, and finally he began to truly wake up. The chill in the air was unlike any he'd ever felt before as they flew toward the storm and so once he felt it had woken him truly, he put the helm back on, much to Rhaenix's approval. They'd not been flying for long, only for a few moments though they'd covered a decent distance when they finally reached it and Rhaenix refused to fly into it.
"No." she said, as simple as that and before he could speak to her she had turned sharply away.
How he had known it was coming at him was something to worry about later, all he knew was it was and whether she felt his panic, his worry, or she knew it too, she turned so sharply that were he not strapped in, he'd never have been able to keep his seat.
"What was that?" he asked her as he looked around though it wasn't Rhaenix that answered telling him that they'd had a spear thrown at them.
The spears were made of ice and were even larger than a scorpion bolt and he knew, somehow he just knew that these could truly harm her.
"Back, we go back." he said, and yet it was up she went, higher rather than away, and as he looked below him, he watched the spears fly unable to reach them.
It worried him greatly and was not something he had expected, she could be hurt, his sister could actually be hurt. So disturbing was the thought that he didn't hear her speaking to him, nor do as she bid when she told him to look through her eyes, instead, he felt his heart race, his breathing coming in quick gasps and intakes of cold air, and in the end, she forced herself into his mind, almost breaking down his own door in the process.
"JAE".
"Rhae, Rhae, what is it, are you hurt, did you get hit?" he asked and she let him know that she was not, that she needed him to see.
"See what?" he asked.
"The storm, Jae, you need to see the storm."
He closed his eyes and looked through hers and wished that he had not, yet as much as he may have wanted to he could not look away. Beneath him, dead men marched and it was a sight that no living man should ever have to see. There were decaying horses that somehow were able to be ridden and the figures on it were ones that most thought myth or legends. Icy blue, with jagged edges that formed an armor of some sort, long what looked like white hair and yet was not and piercing blue eyes.
That they rode horses, dead horses, was for some reason abhorrent to him, almost as if they were mocking the living in some way. It wasn't just horses that moved among them either, snow bears, shadowcats, and then he saw the wolves. Direwolves, they had Direwolves and he wished to set them all alight, to bring the flame to them, to see them burn for daring to do such a thing. Rhaenix though would not and he was glad of his sister's restraint, her calm allowing him to keep his composure.
The head of one of the icy figures turned and looked to the sky, Jae seeing that it was an elk that he rode upon and he knew, somehow he knew that this was him, this was the Night King, and yet he looked no different than the others. He heard the screeches then, the flapping of wings, and his eyes were now longer Rhaenix's as he looked through his own once more.
"Dracarys." he said and she let her bright blue flame wash over the flock of undead birds that flew towards them, Jae reveling in seeing them drop to the ground.
What gave him the idea he didn't know, but it came to him and Rhaenix seemed to agree and so they flew lower and he took the sword from its sheathe. The light was blinding, intense and when they got close enough he ordered her to let out her flames. Once, twice, three times he did so and as they flew high and back to Hardhome, he sheathed his sword and knew now what he was to do.
"We can beat them, Rhae, that's how we beat them." he said and when she answered not in words but in an agonized scream he felt his heart threaten to burst from his chest.
They were high, too high, yet the spear caught her and he felt her pain as if it was his own. She spun in the air, screaming out in a sound that he had never heard before, and were he not tied to her then he'd perhaps have fallen from her back. Thankfully before she reached the ground she righted herself and he had her fly away from the storm, Rhaenix doing so but far more slowly than she normally flew. When he reached the Free Folk camp he bid her land and was off her back almost before she did so, eager to check her wound and see how hurt she truly was.
Seeing the blood drip from her and hearing her pain as he moved to it, Jae was almost beside himself such was his worry for his sister. He didn't even hear or notice it when Arthur and Loras came his way and instead he reached up and placed his hand on the wound. It wasn't as deep as he feared and yet it bled still and was someone to ask him later why he did what he did, he'd not have been able to give them a reason. Jae took his sword out and held it against the wound, its light shining brightly and he felt Rhaenix calm somewhat.
"Rhae?" he said softly when he put the sword back in its sheathe, the blood no longer dripping from where she'd been hit, though the marks of the spear still remained "Rhae, speak to me?"
"I feel tired, Jae, so tired." she said and he moved to her head, his eyes on hers and he could see they were closing.
"Fly Rhae, fly South, fly to the island and rest." he said worriedly.
"Very well, we fly." she said after a moment, her words sounding far away to him.
"I can't come with you Rhae, I'm needed here, go rest, please, I'll join you as soon as I can." he said and was surprised when she barely argued.
"You leave, Jae, you leave when he comes, promise me." she said and he looked into her eyes and did so.
Then he watched as she took to the air, her flying looking a little more like herself and he breathed a huge sigh of relief when she flew south and headed over the sea towards Skane. He turned to see Arthur, Loras, Walder, and Oberyn, his uncle looking worriedly at him and at the sky in the direction Rhaenix had flown off in.
"She's hurt, uncle, but she'll recover." he said and Oberyn nodded, while his Kingsguard looked at him eager for answers.
"The Storm?" Arthur asked.
"It comes our way and we need to get as many across the bridge as we can, they can't be here when it arrives Arthur." he said and Arthur nodded.
As they made their way back to the front line, he was told that the giants had begun to cross and that Benjen and Val were doing as Mance had bid them, Jae taking some relief in that and in the number of men that had formed up. When Mance saw him, Jae told him that his sister needed some rest and would return, a lie but one that was needed given how many looked at him when he spoke. He could see that Mance knew it too and yet he was not going to argue, instead, he was graced by a warm smile and a nod as he moved to stand beside the King Beyond the Wall and made ready for the attack that was soon to come.
Arthur.
He looked on as Jae seemed to take some time to come back to himself. His worry for his sister was obviously more pressing than he had let on and Arthur could understand the reasons for it. It worried him too that something could harm the dragons, that they could be hurt, and it gave him pause when he thought about what was heading their way. For Jae, it would be so much worse and so when he saw his king compose himself, he felt incredibly relieved.
Behind them, people moved to the bridge and for the first time, he began to question the sense in it. He knew of course that they couldn't remain here, that those who couldn't fight were a detriment rather than an asset, especially given what came their way. What he didn't know was what happened should they themselves need to retreat, would they be followed? Was retreat even a possibility? And if not could they actually win this fight without the dragon?.
Whether the others were thinking the same thing, he knew not, though he had a feeling that Jae had considered it. Then when he saw him move away from the line, he for the briefest moment thought that he was feeling it even more truly, only to see him speak to Mance and to Loras and to watch as his brother ran behind the king and back towards his tent. Looking to Oberyn and Walder, he saw they were just as concerned as he was, and were he not worried about the discipline of the Free Folk, then he'd have turned to find out what was going on. He was glad when Jae and Loras returned a few moments later and when the king came to speak to him, Arthur finding he needed to know what was going on more than he realized.
"The Glass Candles, Arthur." Jae said and Arthur nodded "I can't risk losing them." he said a moment later.
"You intend to retreat, Jae?" he asked.
"Aye, we cannot win this fight this day, Arthur, our job is not to do so, it's to hold and then make our way to the bridge." Jae said and Arthur looked at him curiously.
"And the Bridge, do you have a plan for that?" he asked.
"I'm working on it." Jae said and then he and Loras moved back to the line.
Arthur looked on as Jae spoke to Walder and then to Oberyn, to Mance, Styr, and then Tormund and then he was stunned by just how quiet things got when Jae moved forward and turned to face the Free Folk and began to speak.
"The storm comes and we are all that stands in its way, all that stands between it and those we care about, those we love, those we swore to protect. Behind us, they move for the bridge and to safety and we will buy them as much time as we can. But this is just a battle, my friends, just the first in many, and we don't have the numbers to win the war this day, so we shouldn't try. When the order comes to retreat, when the horns blow then everyone is to make for the bridge, fight as fiercely as you can until then, but know that there is no shame in retreat, only in giving up, which is something we shall not do.
Death comes our way my friends, and the only thing we say to death, is not today." Jae said his voice getting louder as he spoke.
"Not Today." Mance shouted out and then the Free Folk almost as one did so and Arthur felt they'd do so again only for the air to chill even more and the storm to arrive.
Loras.
For a moment it was blackness, the wind howled and he felt the hail hit against his face and then there was light and he found he wished for the darkness once more. What moved towards him was something he couldn't imagine and he knew that should he make it through this day then he'd be dreaming of dead things this night. He was glad he couldn't smell them, though it was little comfort and as he swung Blackfyre he found that there was a difference between dead and truly dead.
Loras wondered if it was simply the Valyrian Steel of Blackfrye's blade or if it was the magic that Jae had said such blades possessed that made it so effective. He was glad of its lightness and though it was different than his own longsword in that it was a bastard sword, it took very little time for him to get used to it. That he had cut down perhaps ten or twenty dead men may have been the reason for that and Loras tried not to dwell on the fact that he'd not even made a dent in the army that moved towards them.
He saw arrows fly and set dead men aflame, watched as men used the Dragonglass daggers to stab into whatever part of those that attacked them as they could, and soon he began to notice some things. The Dragonglass cut the dead men down with the first of its strike as did Blackfyre. They were wasting time and effort by hitting the dead men more than once, he was wasting effort. Putting it to the test, he slashed at a dead man and then another, hitting both of them only once and watching as they fell. Then he took out the Dragonglass dagger he wore at his hip and did the same with it, watching as once again the dead men fell not to rise again.
"One hit, One hit." he shouted as men looked his way "One hit, use the Dragonglass." he shouted again and saw as men did as he bid them.
Those who didn't were soon finding themselves overwhelmed as were those who reverted to their own weapons rather than use the Dragonglass. Loras shouting loudly the same phrase over and over as he swung Blackfyre and watched yet another dead man fall. When he heard it, he turned and looked on in shock, the giants running their way and he knew his line was going to break long before it did so. A part of him wished to move towards them, to stand in their way, and yet he could not, his feet not cooperating with him and his words not coming from his mouth when he tried to shout them out.
"Arrows, take down the giants, use the Dragonglass." he heard the shout and he looked to see Jae almost running down the line.
"Fire, Fire." he heard someone else shut, and then he looked on as Jae held his sword in the air, the light shining even more brightly, and the sound of the giants running stopped.
When the light faded a little, he saw some giants had fallen, some still moved his way and though they broke through their lines, they made it no further than that. Men using their daggers stabbed at them as they broke through and Loras slashed out with Blackfyre and caught one on the shin and just as with the dead, the giants fell too.
"Form up, form up, ready the line." he shouted and he turned as more dead men came his way, there was no respite and despite its lightness, soon even Blackfyre was feeling heavy in his tired hands.
Mance.
Jae had been right, they would not win this day, but they would hold for as long as they could before they retreated. He stabbed out with the daggers and was glad to see how well they worked, as did the arrows and the spears. Yet the force they faced was far larger than their own and around him, men fell and their lines thinned. Should he live this day he'd mourn those men, he'd drink to them and name them as the heroes they were, but to do so he would need to live and that was not something he could guarantee.
He looked to the light that shone from Jae's sword and to how he swung it, though he only truly saw the way the boy moved when the light was facing the dead and not him. Jae spun, he twisted, taking down dead men almost two or three at a time and each time he moved his sword in their direction, the dead stopped their march. Mance felt he could use that, that there was a way to use that and yet he couldn't think what it was. Instead, he fought with all he had and tried not to think of those who fell being people he'd known.
Hearing the sound he turned to see they had giants and they were charging their way and then he almost cheered when Jae gave the orders and when he ran down the line to tell them what to do. He had hoped for a dragon and they had gotten one, just not the one he had expected. When the light shone he turned his head away and turned back when it dimmed, seeing giants on the ground and others breaking through only to fall and he had almost cheered once more. Only to hear an even louder sound and to look on in shock as the dead animals charged their way.
"Jae, Jae." he shouted, the boy looking his way and not behind him and though he couldn't see his face when he turned to face them, he could imagine what it looked like.
Seeing dead Snow Bears, Direwolves, and Shadowcats running in a line and knowing that they would reach Jae before he could get away left him and those around him almost looking on in a state of shock. So much so that they didn't see it and at first thought that the flames came from Jae himself and not from the dragon in the sky. When he did realize the dragon had returned he cheered loudly, and then looked on in horror as he saw Jae covered by those very same flames. Only to watch as he walked from them with nary a scratch and as the dragon flew south once more.
Ygritte.
When the order came to retreat she looked to Quentyn and saw him fighting off two dead men, his dagger moving quickly in the air and so she held her bow for now. Calling him as loudly as she could, she was relieved when he heard her and nodded and began running towards her and the bridge. She saw that they'd not managed to get everyone to it, though they had gotten far more than she had thought they would. Yet when they reached the seashore she knew they needed more time and that they would need to fight some more to buy that time.
Quentyn came to her side and she saw Tormund, Mance, and others soon come their way. The bridge was full and she could see a line of Free Folk that stretched as far as the eye could see. It filled her with hope that they'd managed to get so many across it and then fear as she realized that there was nothing to stop the dead from crossing also. Feeling for her arrows, she found she'd only a few left, and looking to Quentyn she could see that he had none. Ygritte knowing that they would need to chose their targets even more carefully now and that they couldn't waste them. She had other arrows too, normal ones that she'd see covered in flame but for now, she breathed deeply and took advantage of the rest they'd been afforded.
When they came, they did so in force and soon enough her arrows were gone and it was the Dragonglass dagger that she was relying on. She heard it, the pained shout and without thinking she moved to him, seeing him fall and then feeling relief when he smiled at her. Yet it was the expression on his face a moment later which had her turning around and when she felt the cut in her side, she knew she was done for. She heard the shouting, the world fading from her view as she fell to the ground and saw Quentyn strike out furiously at any that were near him. It brought a smile to her face despite the pain she felt, to see her love fight so fiercely for her, and though it was in vain and her time was coming to an end, she welcomed it all the same.
"Ygritte, Ygritte." he said and as she looked at him she saw it, the realization on his face that she'd not make it and her own came just as quickly.
His wound hadn't been as minor as she had thought it was, he'd tried to reassure her but the blood that poured from him made it clear that just like her, today was to be his last day also. She felt him kiss her and was somehow able to not cough up the blood that she felt in her throat until he had done so. Then as she felt her eyes fading she looked to see his smile, the love in his eyes that she had known far too briefly was all too clear, and fighting the desire to close her own and give into the darkness, she coughed before she spoke.
"We are free, my love.." she said as she breathed her last.
Walder.
His ax didn't just hit dead men, it almost obliterated them. How many heads he had taken was beyond him but any who came near lost theirs, or their arms, legs, or the part of them that reached him first. Around him dead men fell and yet it was not enough, they just kept coming and he knew then why Jae had said what he had. It would take the entire realm to end this war, not just the Free Folk, a king, and some knights. The entirety of Westeros would need to be brought to bear to end this and he knew then what his grandmother had meant.
"Listen carefully, you must protect him Walder, from those who would seek him harm, you must protect him or the world of the living will fall."
So as he swung his ax and ended another dead man, he did so with one eye always on Jae and watched him as closely as if he was standing by his shoulder. It was why he'd moved when he'd realized the danger he was in, and perhaps why the men with him had thought it time to retreat. Walder only stopping when he saw the flames and the white dragon flying over their heads. It had created a gap though and the dead had begun to get through and so he bellowed out his orders and had the lines closed as quickly as it could be done.
"Get back in line, we hold until it's time not to hold." he shouted and he looked at the group of dead men that moved towards the bridge.
A part of him wished to chase after them, to see them brought down before they could begin to attack those with no protection, and then he almost chuckled when he heard the howl and the wolves came en masse. He looked from the wolves to Jae and saw he'd called for them and then he watched as they tore into the dead men and he turned to swing his ax once more. When he felt it he knew not, only the cold seemed even more biting and he heard the men beside him begin to shiver. He saw it first though and the dead horse it rode upon and he needed no man to tell him the others were now here.
It didn't get to move or to speak before he was upon it, his ax missing it but not the dead horse it rode upon, then Walder found himself face to face with the white walker and he could see it clearly for the first time. It was pale, almost milky white and its eyes were a blue that he'd never seen before. Brighter than the sky on a sunny day and yet there was a darkness in them also, a malevolence and almost a mocking look on its face as it looked at his own. What was even more stunning than its looks though was the armor it wore, armor that seemed fashioned out of ice and almost reflected his own back at him. He swung his ax only for it to be stopped by a milky white blade that looked almost like Dawn and Walder soon found himself with a smile on his face, this was not Arthur Dayne he faced and it would not beat him this day.
Ax met sword and the dance began, the white walker moving fast but Walder had fought fast before, he was skilled but he'd brought steel to bear against those who were skilled before. After dodging a strike the white walker went to push him away and Walder saw the moment when it realized it could not, strong though it was, he'd fought strong before and knew how to use it to his advantage. His own shoulder barge didn't move the white walker an inch, but it caught him by surprise and when he feinted with his ax it was enough, Walder stopping the swing and then using it to trust against the white walker's hand. It didn't dislodge the blade, it broke it, and then another began to form. Walder's ax proved even more true and the white walker exploded when the steel hit it flush in the chest. He heard the high-pitched scream, the cheer, and then around him, dead men fell and he knew that these were the key.
Despite the fight around him, he ran to Jae and shouted it as he reached him before he then heard the horns that signaled the retreat. Walder looked to see they'd lost far more men than he had hoped, though those he knew and cared for seemed to be unhurt. Arthur was moving through dead men as if they were mere flies and annoyances, Oberyn catching them with his spear and moving away from any who got too close, spinning away and reminding him of Jae when he did so. Loras was swinging Blackfyre as if he had been born to do so and Jae was fighting, ordering, and he believed warging at the same time.
"My king, the horns." he shouted and Jae looked his way and nodded, Walder guarding his back as they began to move towards the bridge.
Oberyn.
He saw Arthur take down a white walker, Dawn cutting through it as if it was one of these dead things and not something that he'd just seen taking down more than a dozen men easily. Then he heard the cheers as Walder did the same and he began to think that perhaps Jae was wrong, perhaps they were to end the war this day. Yet the horns blew and looking to Arthur, to Loras, to Walder, and then to Jae, he knew that it was time to go.
Moving closer to his nephew, his spear was never idle as the dead kept coming and thankfully kept falling. When he reached Jae and Walder, he could see how tired his nephew was and he was glad when he didn't seem to wish to stay in this place any longer. There was no let-up from the dead and though the lines retreated, they did so while fighting still, men still falling and he looked to see if any he knew weren't still standing with them.
There were some that he couldn't see, though whether they'd fallen or had retreated already was something he wasn't sure of. Oberyn then concentrated on their own retreat and resolved to find out later who had lived and who had died. Behind them, there were some stragglers, not as many as he had expected and as they moved through the camp and as they neared the seashore, Arthur, Loras, and the King Beyond the Wall soon found their way to them. Oberyn glad to see that Mance had made it as he had seemed a good man to him and he knew that Jae respected and liked him.
"Rhaenix?" he asked his nephew as they moved through the camp.
"On Skane, resting, she came back, uncle, she's well." Jae said his relief palpable.
"She'll recover fully?" he asked as they reached the seashore.
"I believe so, I'll know more once I speak to her." Jae said.
When they looked out at the bridge, he could see they still had many to get across it and so another line was quickly formed, some who had fought with them and had taken wounds now moving to the bridge and replaced by those who had not. He looked to see no sign of Benjen Stark or of Val and he could see that Jae was looking for them too, his nephew then closing his eyes and opening them a little later with a smile on his face and so he assumed they were safe somewhere else.
"What of the bridge, Jae?" he heard Mance ask and he like the others looked to his nephew for an answer, only to find they were not to receive one just yet as the dead came at them again.
The fighting was fierce and at one point he was sure he was to fall only for help to come from Tormund, Mance, and some others. They were pushed back though, and as he was he saw him, laying on the ground with the redhead's hand in his. He wished he could go to him, to take his body and bring it back to Dorne, and yet he knew he could not, to do so would be his end and he had no wish to die here this day.
So he offered up a prayer for Quentyn and began to move his spear once more, soon finding himself at the bridge and catching his breath and then looking for his other nephew. Jae was with Arthur and Loras and he was relieved to see he was in no need of his help. The shore though was overrun and he knew that any beyond this point were not to see another morning.
Jaehaerys Targaryen.
He knew what he needed to do and so despite the fact that they were leaving people here to die, more than he had hoped, the time had come for him to sing his song. With Arthur, Loras beside him, and with Walder just clearing the way to the bridge, they moved away from the seashore and the dead men that swarmed it. It was then he that he saw him, the Night King finally showing his face and as he moved from the hill and to the beach he swore he saw a smile.
A part of him wished to go to him, to drive Lightbringer into his chest and see him fall and end this once and for all and yet he knew he could not. It was what he wanted, what he wished for, and were he to move to him then he'd let him get close before he then used his entire army to take him down. There would be no one-on-one fight until he had the upper hand, only then would the Night King risk facing his blade and today was not to be that day.
When he reached the bridge, he made his way a short distance across it and bid Arthur, Loras, and Walder move a little away. He drew Lightbringer and took the jar from his pack, emptying it as he got ready to sing the song. Jae never saw it coming, the spear flying through the air and he looked on in shock when it struck home. Walder never made a sound, he just put his hand and on his shoulder, smiled, and then fell into the water. He had saved him, taken the spear that was meant for him, and as Arthur and Loras both reached for him, he shook his head. Jae looked from where Walder sank below the water to the Night King and as he gripped his sword tightly the light from it began to shine.
He felt the air chill, even more, the water close to the bridge began to turn to ice and he watched as arrows flew towards the Night King only for dead men to simply throw themselves in front of him stopping them from hitting home. Jae drove Lightbringer down into the bridge and sang his song, louder and more fiercely than he had planned to, the stones of the bridge in front of him almost melting away rather than just breaking up. Lightbringer began to shine even more brightly and he heard the ice around the bridge began to crack. How long he sang for he couldn't say, only that when he did the bridge no longer stood intact.
"Jae, Jae." he heard a voice say and he found he couldn't tell whose voice it was, he was tired, he needed to rest and yet he rose to his feet and looked to the sea where Walder had fallen and then to the Night King as he now stood on the seashore.
Their eyes were locked on each other's, sounds, voices, even the coldness of the air around him fading away as his dark grey looked into the Night King's bright blue and he swore he could see hatred in those eyes, a hatred that he knew was now reflected in his own. Then the Night King raised his hands slowly and as Jae looked on men and women began to rise, all of those who had fallen and he finally heard the sounds around them. Raising Lightbringer he pointed it towards the Night King and he smiled, despite the pain he felt in his heart at Walder's loss, he smiled.
"Not Today, but your day is coming." he said as he turned from the Night King and walked away.
A/N: Thanks to all who've read and reviewed. Sorry about last week's non-update, I lost a close friend suddenly in an accident and took some time to try and get my head straight. Up next as Jae deals with the losses and the full extent of what happened at Hardhome is revealed, we take a look at how those in King's Landing, Dorne, and the North have been doing.
Over on A 0 3. My good friends Leilani and Arrow have begun to write a set of stories set within TDC, things we've not seen, or other viewpoints of events, I'd recommend them to any who are interested. TDC: Missing Scenes and What If Scenarios is what they're under or you can go to my own page there and check out the gifts in my profile and find it if you wish.
Chapter 161 Reviews.
Daryl Dixon: So glad you liked it.
Vfsnake: The respect part is easier.
Biohazard: Really glad you enjoyed it.
Zeon07: One of the things with Quentyn and the rape is Elia, so it's a line that he'd never have crossed himself or been ok with. It's funny because when I was thinking of him and the Free Folk, the thing that struck me most was that other than certain crimes, they'd pretty much not care what he did and he'd be accepted or not based far more on who he was as a person. The political aspect or lack of it is something that endeared them to Jae quickly too. The Giant's are rarely used in battles even in fics which is a bit dumb.
Hkt29: On Brienne, we'll see her next week. The thing with Quentyn is that Mance almost gives him the freedom to not be punished. If the NW accepted that Mance isn't punished which they'd have to, then Quentyn and some others among the Free Folk become lesser problems.
Guest: It's not so much selective and yes there has to be coin spent but it's got a lot of third/fourth sons, bastard sons, and it also accepts certain sponsored students. I like to think there's the equivalence of a sort of scholarship project of sorts, but you're right mainly it's those who come with coin. On the girl's school, the main reason it's that firsts that they have no place at all, no offer of any real education or even things such as learning a trade, there will be a male one but it's more important to get the girl's one up and running. One of the reasons I showed the lad working and rising with the building work was to kind of show that there are opportunities for boys even now, where with girls, it's lesser, but yes it will be both in time. It's the same with the council for ladies, men already have a voice, the Small Council is basically male-only, so you need that other side too.
Scarilla: Quentyn wouldn't have been allowed to leave the Gift no.
Victoria: Thank you, my friend. As you see we've hit the fighting now, I'm a big Oberyn fan, so I'm really glad you're liking him here as for Quentyn you in some ways are right.
Jman: He was allowed to stay but well…
Anarchicmind: That was precisely it with Quentyn, exile but not death. Seeing him willing to fight is pretty much what they needed with regards to Jae.
Celexys: Jae will make some true friends among the Free Folk and in some ways, he will like them more than the lords, the simplicity of how they see things and don't pretend is something he very much enjoys.
Emeraldduke: Thanks so much, glad you liked it.
Keb: Against certain opponents very much so, Jaime, Arthur can still take him though.
The Sphinx: You're more than welcome my friend.
Jessicanightmarwolf: Quentyn turned the corner, stupid no more. That's one of the things that will happen with the school, with Elle in the North we see her doing it already, Arianne leading Dorne too will take some inspiration from it. On the Giants' I hope you liked what was planned.
Remi: So glad you thought so. I was thinking of her following somewhat her canon path but in a different way and those around her being her teachers and then obviously once she's learned she could do something like this. Jae/Loras really need time together, even after Hardhome almost a buddy trip of sorts or time when it's just them. Quentyn got a bit wake-up call.
Irish Hermit: With Quentyn sometimes you need to fall and face the worst nature of what you can be before you learn. Jae's plans were always to save more and having the dragon may help. Exactly right, how many people are going to try and annoy her, to answer that some won't be happy simply because she's the daughter of the Red Viper.
Lady Octarina: I know right, maybe that's the secret, send a load of Spearwives to the Wall to steal the NW and then they'd stop being dicks. Politically it's the same problem as Mance creates, between Quentyn and Mance, I'd still think the NW wants Mance dead more.
Xand007: Thanks, my friend. I think he really loved the money, one of the worst aspects in relation to Dumb and Dumber and I think with GRRM too is that the ending of the show which we all despise, there's no way of knowing if that's not the ending of the characters anyway. Now, of course, GRRM probably had a different route of getting there but he did suggest that Bran will end up as king, and other than evil Bran corrupted by the TER, that's the dumbest idea ever, he also said the Shireen burning is to happen. So for me, I can see the characters all having the same fates, or at least that having been the plan and if you think about that for a moment, pretty much however you get there is bloody awful.
Like imagine knowing at the end of LOTR, Aragon was to kill Arwen and not to be named King, Sam was to die, Gandalf was to be exiled. The fact that three-quarters of that story is awesome wouldn't make the ending any better would it? I do fear that should he ever finish we're not going to be happy unless he's decided to change things drastically because of how the ending was received.
Chapter 162 Reviews:
Daryl Dixon: So glad you liked it.
Biohazard: Really glad you enjoyed it.
VdWade: This is one of the key things with Jae, the more he uses powers, the more he gets used to them the easier it is, but to do so at first or to overuse them has an effect. We've seen it with the warging, Glass Candles before. I thought it was the only solution for Quentyn, but well as you see it didn't work out that well. Glad you liked the Loras/Jae talk.
Vfsnake: He did and he knows he'll have to do so even more.
HKt29: The younger ones especially, Jae has totally won them over.
Remi: Of course they will.
Guest: So glad you liked it.
Bookishten: It is yes, I felt it a nice way of using the Old Tongue, I'm also Irish and live in Dublin so it was an easy enough thing for me to hear in my head too.
Keb: So glad you thought so, it's funny not one of the powers I've used for him aren't covered by the lore, it's just most fics stick to the basic magic such as Dragons/Warging, there is so much more, Shadowbinding, the faceless men, etc.
EmeralddDuke: You know have me singing ABBA songs, thank god I'm on my own lol.
Lady Octarina: They really needed it, we'll see them have another big moment together in a little while. The look into the realm was Jae despite being tired almost reaching out to those he cared about, rather than like the last time when he mass warged. The Bridge was something I considered right from the start, just like our own continents it's suggested that those in the world of Asoiaf were joined. There are things like the Arm of Dorne which linked Westeros to Essos and is now the Stepstones islands and it's said the COTF used the Hammer of the Waters to break the arm during their fight with the First men. So the thought stuck with me of Jae doing the reverse with his own magic.
Irish Hermit: They really needed it, they need to spend some time together simply as friends too which we'll see in a little bit. We will see more of the giants here, the next chapter we'll find out what Wun Wun said which had Jae so amused too.
Guest: Thanks so very much for your kind words, really glad you're enjoying it.
Xan Merrick: No worries my friend, I know exactly what that can be like, you've not been the only one afflicted by such things, glad you're still enjoying the story.
Literary Consumer: I was inspired by LOTR for the Lands Eternal yes, the Valyrians kinda give you a bit of an elf vibe and so it came to me to play up on that in a particular aspect, the magical side, and to adapt the Undying Lands into The Lands Eternal, with differences of course. On the war, that's one of the things, I think the Long Night/War for the Dawn is one of the most interesting things and it was that which we got short-changed in the show, here this is the first skirmish, the war will be longer and more drawn out than the war for the crown and more will fall.
Xand 007: Thanks, my friend. For the bridge I had two main inspirations, one was the Arm of Dorne which was a bridge between Essos/Westeros that the COTF destroyed the other was The Giant's Causeway (being Irish) the first kind of stuck in my head from early on, how to do something the reverse of what the COTF, they destroyed something, Jae could create/rebuild it. The second well was even more obvious, why not simply have the Giants walk across a bridge and thinking on the Giant's Causeway made it stick in my head (As for Bojo, thankfully his plans are idiotic and usually abandoned). Stay well, my friend.
Creativo: Usé el irlandés y no es más complicado que el español o cualquier otro idioma extranjero. Sin embargo, en los libros se habla casi descaradamente. Los Clanes de la Montaña, los Skagosi y algunos otros todavía lo usan.