I was left to my own devices
Many days fell away with nothing to show
And the walls kept tumbling down
In the city that we love
Grey clouds roll over the hills
Bringing darkness from above
But if you close your eyes
Does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?
And if you close your eyes
Does it almost feel like you've been here before?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?
We were caught up and lost in all of our vices
In your pose as the dust settled around us
And the walls kept tumbling down
In the city that we love
Grey clouds roll over the hills
Bringing darkness from above
But if you close your eyes
Does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?
And if you close your eyes
Does it almost feel like you've been here before?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?
Eh-oh, eh-oh
Eh-eh-oh, eh-oh
Eh-eh-oh, eh-oh
Eh-eh-oh, eh-oh
Oh, where do we begin?
The rubble or our sins?
Oh, oh, where do we begin?
The rubble or our sins?
And the walls kept tumbling down
In the city that we love
Grey clouds roll over the hills
Bringing darkness from above
But if you close your eyes
Does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?
And if you close your eyes
Does it almost feel like you've been here before?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?
If you close your eyes
Does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?
Castle Black 301 AC.
The Night King.
He let them loose, his entire army marching, and beside him sitting on her own dead horse was his bride. The magic he'd used to turn her had taken a little out of him, but it was more than worth it and once they crossed the Wall he'd get an even bigger reward. Images of the green dragon and of them both riding atop it filling his mind the closer they got to the Wall itself. At Eastwatch his army had reached the Wall almost and he'd almost laughed at the pitiful attempts of the Rhoynish to stop him. Water no match for the ice that he controlled and yet it bothered him that these people lived still. Almost as much as it excited him to bring their magic under his control.
When he'd gone to bridge the gap so his army could take them, he'd been surprised to find that he was unable to do so as fully as he wished. The knowledge that he'd not rested enough after making his bride something that he'd been annoyed about. Soon though he'd feel the magic of the Wall itself and see it fall and he found himself almost eager for it. As he was for what he would find once he crossed the Wall, fuel for his army and his magic and the one thing that stood in the way of all that he had hoped to accomplish. Had the boy stayed at the Nightfort he'd have taken him there and then, but he was smarter or luckier than that. A worthy foe for once and while that should give him pause, it truly did not. In the end he'd win, and finally after millennia upon millennia, he'd have done what he was created to do.
He closed his eyes and looked to see his army climb the Wall at the Nightfort, he saw the pathetic attempts to hold them back and he already knew they'd fail. Then opening his eyes he raised his arms and the army around him moved forward. When the light came it caught him by surprise and both he and his bride had needed to shield their eyes from it. Seeing the flames fall not long after that annoyed him greatly and yet they were but a fleeting final attempt to stop him from doing what he needed to. In what felt like no time at all the Wall had been taken and he looked to see his army at Eastwatch, the Nightfort, and now at Castle Black. His orders had been followed without fail and soon enough both he and his bride strode atop the Wall themselves.
As one his army moved back and then he and his bride along with his generals made their way to the courtyard below. This pathetic order had been founded to stop him, to bring him low, and had always been doomed to fail in their task. He was unstoppable especially for the likes of them and other than the one that he would soon see fall, none of them were even worthy of his time. His eyes took in the place they had named for their own and he was unimpressed, so much so that he closed them and then reached to the ground and when he opened them once more it was to a much more pleasing sight. The ice now covered the buildings and it made them shine to his eyes, even if it would only be for the briefest moment that they would do so.
Taking his bride by the hand, he walked to the gate and closed his eyes once more. His army was well back and now that the magic of the Wall had been breached once and for all he turned to face it and it began to crumble. It took something out of him to make the ice fall where he wished and even more to form it how he desired. Then he looked on as his army marched up the ramps he had made for them. In Castle Black, the Nightfort, and at Eastwatch they all crossed from one side to the other. For eight thousand years the Night's Watch had guarded the Wall and their blood and sacrifice and the magic it possessed, along with his own weakness, had kept him on the other side of it. Now there was nothing strong enough to stop him from imposing his will and doing as he wished and as the Wall fell he turned to his bride.
"Call our mount." he said, the words not spoken but heard by the woman by his side.
"Māzigon naejot nyke Rhaīgal" (Come to me, Rhaegal) she said and the Night King felt himself eager for once.
It was a dragon that came and yet not the one he wished for and he looked on with fury in his eyes as the Bronze Dragon laid down flame after flame on his army as it made its way up the ramp. Soon it wasn't alone as the White Dragon joined it and he bid his generals take them from the sky. He felt it then and closed his eyes, watching as at the Nightfort the Gold Dragon and at Eastwatch the Black one both laid down their own flames. All he could do was stand and watch as the dragons took more and more of his army from him and as he began to feel weaker which each and every loss.
Raising his hands in the air, it was to the animals he called and he watched as Direwolves, Shadowcats, Snow Bears and Birds flew and as the dragons their attention towards them instead of his army. He reached out and looked for the dead to raise and for the living to add to his army and was shocked to find there were none. It confused him, worried him, and as he and his army moved away from the Wall and headed south, he found he knew not what to do.
The Bay of Ice 301 AC.
Kevan.
A part of him had wished his orders were to march to the battle itself, to line up with those other brave men of the West, and to turn back the army of dead men that marched their way. Kevan had surprised both Genna and Gerion with the fact that he'd believed what Jae had said about that army even more truly than they had. It was a strange thing for them to see considering that both had always been closer to Jae than he was, but the battle of the Shield Islands had taught him not to doubt what it was that Jae knew or could do.
Being told by a bird of all things where your enemy was and then to find that said enemy was actually there, that had been enough for him. So when Jae had told them all that an army of dead men was marching from Beyond the Wall and that the entire realm would need to unite to stop them, Kevan had been with him completely. Only to then be told that his place was not at the Wall itself, but in the Bay of Ice and with the ships.
He'd be a liar if he didn't say that at first he'd been annoyed by that and had felt as if he was being snubbed or thought lesser than others in his family. True Jaime was closest of all to Jae and the Warden of the West and so he should be there and Tyrion was a Dragonrider and so his own presence was essential. It was only upon seeing that Gerion was to stay in the West and to take charge of both its running and its reserves and then Jae coming to speak to him personally which revealed the truth to him. Kevan smiling now as he stood on the deck of The Lion's Roar and thought back to what his king had said to him.
"You're displeased by my decision." Jae said as Kevan looked to the king who stood while he himself sat.
"I feel I could be of better use at the Wall, your grace. I'm a military man and have fought…" he began only for Jae to interrupt him.
"Which is why I need you where I do, Lord Kevan. You are not the only one I'm not seeking to bring with me. Gerion, Lord Royce, Lord Reed, all of the Riverlords and Stormlords, men who fought in the War of the One True King on my side and those who fought against me. I need as many good and true men not to march as I do to march, my lord." Jae said looking at him.
"Why, your grace?" he asked curiously.
"If things go badly then we must evacuate, the North at first and hurriedly and then perhaps other parts of the Seven kingdoms too. The further they are from the Wall the more time we have, but I need men both to offer them protection once they're moved and to be an obstacle to the Night King and his army should they make it past mine own." Jae said and Kevan looked worriedly at him, not sure if he was hearing what he thought he was hearing.
"You believe you'll lose?" he asked almost disbelievingly, as not only did Jae have the largest army ever assembled or could do things he didn't understand truly, he also had five dragons at his command.
"I don't, I believe I'll win. I just have no idea what victory looks like and what it may cost me to see it done. Did anyone speak to you about Hardhome?" Jae asked and Kevan nodded, Jaime, having told him some of it.
"I won, my lord. A great victory by all accounts and yet I lost almost a quarter of the people who were there, some of the very best warriors that the Free Folk had to call upon and….Walder. Jae said, his sadness at the loss of the giant Kingsguard still clear "I made mistakes and I'm sure I'll make more, but one mistake I won't is to not prepare for losses and to do all I can to limit them this time around."
"Of course, your grace." he said, still not fully on board with what he was being asked to do.
"I need the fleet, my lord. Both sides of it, but more than the ships I need men to lead them and to lead should the worst come to pass. As I said you won't be the only one I ask to take on a role they may see as lesser, but I assure you that to me the role I give you is as important as any, more important in some respects." Jae said before he told him exactly what it was he wished of him.
"You have my word that your orders will be followed, your grace." he said and Jae nodded, before turning to walk from his room, Kevan stopping him with a question before he did so "Martyn, your grace?"
"Will stay in White Harbor and play his part there, my lord. As I said I need good men and true to lead and to fight and I'll not bring all my best with me." Jae said and Kevan felt a large amount of relief and pride at his words.
Opening his eyes and feeling the wind blow against his face, he looked to the darkness of the night sky and then to the lights that burned on the island ahead of him. It took less than an hour for the Lion's Roar to dock and for the rest of the fleet to drop anchor around Bear Island and as he made his way down the gangplank it was to see the Lady Maege, her daughters, and Arya Stark along with her Direwolf all waiting for him.
"Lord Kevan." Maege said with a nod.
"Lady Maege, my ladies." he said to the She-Bear and her kin, his eyes looking to the worried ones that Arya Stark was staring at him with "We received his grace's signal, my lady." he said, though his presence here should have been enough for that.
"We're to sail?" Maege asked and Kevan nodded.
"You have time, my lady. But Aye, you're to sail." he said and Maege nodded before looking at Arya and then at him "His grace, my goodson?" Maege asked and Kevan was at a loss for what to say, his head and heart both in disagreement over what he could or could not be sure of, his heart winning the battle for now.
"Are both safe and well, my lady." he said, though he had no true way of being sure.
"Thank the old gods. Will you be staying, Lord Kevan?" Maege asked and he shook his head, as much as he'd have liked to, he had his orders.
"I'm afraid not, my lady. The fleet and I must head to Lannisport as per his grace's request, I look forward to seeing you there." he said and Maege bid him well, and less than an hour after docking at Bear Island, he was sailing once more.
They passed Sea Dragon Point and he could see the ships that were there had already left. Kevan glad that had not been the command he'd been given as he hoped never to see the damn Iron Islands again. The Lions' roar sailed down by the Stoney Shore and through Blazewater Bay and soon enough they were rounding Cape Kraken and sailing through Ironman's Bay. When he wasn't on deck or seeing to the men and to his passengers, Kevan sat with the bird in his room. He was waiting for a sign of signal to tell him to turn around and that the war was ended. Though the darkness of the night was enough of a sign to let him know that this wasn't the case.
The bird did chirp though, it did tell him that his family was safe and that Jaime, Tyrion, and Jae had come to no harm. It even told him that Martyn was doing his own duty and Kevan took great comfort in that. His son had grown up to be far more than he could ever have hoped for and would soon be wed, Kevan hoping so at least. He was asleep when they reached Lannisport, one of his men coming to tell him that the city had been sighted and Kevan feeling a sense of accomplishment as he rose to walk out onto the deck.
"I did it, your grace. I played my part, now it's time for you to do your own." he said to the bird before leaving the room.
Its loud chirps were enough to put a smile on his face and it was one he still wore when he stepped off the ship to find his brother waiting there for him.
"I had hoped not to see you, brother " Gerion said and Kevan chuckled as he was embraced "But I'm glad you're here." Gerion added and Kevan looked at him when he was released from Gerion's arms.
"We have much work to do, brother." he said and as he looked back out on the fleet behind him, he knew the truth of those words, and why Jae had asked for him to do so suddenly became that much clearer.
The Nightfort 301 AC.
Aemon.
Watching an army ready to retreat was a strange thing and how quickly and easily they were able to tear down their tents and make be ready to march was a sight to behold. Galan, Mathis, and Ser Jon Fossoway each took over a different part of the preparations. While Garlan formed up the men to shield the backs of those who would march first, Aemon and Sandorix had taken to the sky and moved closer to the Wall.
His dragon was reluctant to do so, but he'd done as Aemon had asked and it had allowed for Garlan to be able to speak to him. That it had also offered comfort to those men who stood with the gallant knight while the rest of their army marched away, was something that he knew they were grateful for. There was no true attack going on, Aemon not seeing one dead man moving their way, and yet he knew they were there, that they'd attacked and that soon they'd be breaching the Wall. They had to be or else his nephew wouldn't have ordered the retreat and while it worried him that they'd lost the Wall, he took his own comfort in the knowledge that they'd done so with enough time to do as they were now doing.
"We'll march as soon as the last of the tents are raised, my prince." Garlan shouted up to him, Aemon sitting on Sandorix's back both to limit the time he'd need to be ready to be in the air and to keep his dragon calmed.
"You will head where?" he asked and Garlan looked at him confused for a moment.
"We, my prince." Garlan said, "We will head for Queenscrown."
"For this part of your march it'll be without me, ser, for my place is here." he said and Garlan looked at him as if he'd lost his mind.
"My prince, surely.."
"I'm the shield that guards the realms of men, Ser Garlan. When they cross to this side of the Wall they'll find a dragon waiting for them, I won't be the only one." he said and Garlan looked to him and readied to argue only for one of his men to come running their way.
"Ser, the last of the tents is up." the guard said and Garlan looked to the man and to him, seeing Aemon had his eyes focussed only on the Wall in front of him.
"Very well, we march." Garlan said and Aemon breathed a sigh of relief, the thoughts of his nephew's goodbrother staying by his side not ones he wished for "I wish you good fortune, my prince." Garlan said his smile belying the worry in his tone.
"As I do you. Sandorix and I will see you soon, Ser Garlan." he said hoping it offered enough to make the knight know that he wasn't staying here in some valiant last stand, it seemed to work as Garlan moved more purposely away than he may have had he not said something.
Time seemed to drag on and on, the darkness of the night not allowing him to know whether it was an hour, two, or had mere moments passed since he'd spoken to Ser Garlan. Feeling Sandorix's discomfort grow and a little keen to see how far the men had marched, Aemon bid the dragon to fly, and fly he did. Soon soaring over the men before turning back and taking a look at the Wall and then landing back where Garlan and the men had made their camp.
When Jae had laid out his battle plans, this had been told to only he, Tyrion, Dany, and Shiera. They alone knew what was that his nephew had in mind. To be the shield that guards the realms of men was one of life's little ironies he felt, especially since that was the oath he'd sworn to uphold many years previously. Little did he know just exactly how he'd be enacting that oath and never did he dream it would be on a dragon's back, but here he was and as he stroked Sandorix's neck, that was when it happened. The Wall finally fell, first to dead men who breached it and then to the ground and Aemon felt the vibrations from its fall all the way back where he and Sandorix lay in wait.
"It's time, Sandorix. It's time to see them burn." he said and he felt his dragon's trill as they took to the air and flew towards the Wall that now no longer stood.
Seeing the dead beneath him was something that surprisingly filled him with rage and anger, Sandorix too and it took him some time to realize why that was. It wasn't what they were here to do and what they would do should they not be stopped, nor that they'd brought down something as majestic as the Wall itself. His rage and anger along with his dragon's was of a much more personal nature. The dead had cost him kin, were it not for them and the man who led them, then who knows what the world would have been like. Valyria would have stood still, his family would be fuller than it was now and Shiera would not be in thrall to a monster.
"Dracarys." Aemon said almost shouting and Sandorix didn't let him down.
The first arc of fire took out gods knew how many, the second even more, and yet still the came. Sandorix's flames not seeming to make a dent in their numbers and yet Aemon felt satisfaction in burning them all. Were things not so desperate and hurried he'd perhaps have thought that wrong. If this was another time he'd perhaps have questioned the pleasure he was getting seeing Sandorix let loose his flames, here and now he did not.
"Dracarys." he said as Sandorix now flew over those who'd not tasted the fire just yet.
When the animals came and moved past the dead men he knew what he needed to do. As much as he wished to just continue in what he was doing and to take more and more from the Night King's army, he knew he could not. So he directed Sandorix to fly after the Snow Bears, Direwolves, and other creatures that had been unleashed, and soon he was laying down his flames upon them too. Though Sandorix eventually tired, Aemon felt he'd done enough for now at least and so he told his dragon that it was time for him to eat and rest.
Once he had done so, they then took up their position once more. Both he and the dragon were tired and yet determined and when the dead reached them again, Aemon swore they'd find them more than ready for them.
Queenscrown 301 AC.
Jaime.
Never had he seen the likes of it before, their march from the Wall was one that he didn't even think was possible. Free Folk, Dornishmen, Northmen, Westermen, men of the Watch, and of the Company of the Rose all marching faster and more orderly than he thought possible. Whether it was knowing what was at their back, faith in the king, the men leading them, or some combination of all of that, he cared not. Instead, he thanked the gods and welcomed the sight of the fort that the Company of the Rose had named for their own.
He knew that the men would welcome the rest and truth be told, so did he. Yet he also knew that they couldn't or shouldn't get too comfortable here and it would be for a night at most they'd stay. The fort wasn't large enough for them all and Jaime was glad to see that some of the lords were more than willing to take their place outside of it, he and Prince Oberyn both amongst those who decided to do so. Better the men see them as willing to share the same conditions as they were than for them to think them pampered. As the last thing they needed now was for a dip in morale. The meeting and the first hot meal he'd had in days did take place in the fort though, Jaime looking on as Roland and Addam took their seats as did the other lords and leaders of men.
All the commanders of the Company of the Rose, Ned Stark, Rickard Karstark, and the Great and Smalljon's. Robb, Cregan, and Benjen Stark as well as Mance, Tormund, and Val all sat together while he and Oberyn faced them and sat across from Stannis and Jeor Mormont as well as Thoros, Moqorro, and Melisandre. In front of them on the table rested a cage with a bird in it and both Direwolves lay by their master's sides. Jaime was glad to see them all here as he knew that Jae was or would be present in some form as they discussed what they needed to speak about.
"How far are we from the Wall,? "Addam asked and Jaime was surprised when it was Robb Stark and not someone else who answered.
"Not far enough." Robb said and Jaime and the others looked at him curiously "Grey Wind wishes us further, my lords." Robb added and Jaime saw Melisandre smile as she looked at the wolf.
"Aye, my cousin has the truth of it, this is not where we need to be." Cregan said and as he finished the bird began to chirp its own agreement.
"Queenscrown is how far? Oberyn asked looking to Benjen and Mance.
"At the rate that we're marching it'll take us two more days." Benjen said and Jaime saw Tormund nod confirming what Benjen was saying.
"I think we need to send those with horses there now, to make it ready to be defended." Torrhen Snow said and before Mance, Tormund or Val could say anything the bird began chirping once more, Jaime and the others all looking to it rather than to the commander of the Company of the Rose.
"It seems that's not something our king agrees with." Oberyn said with a chuckle, "Are we not to stay there, nephew?" he asked the bird who then chirped some more.
"I believe our king doesn't wish us to make a stand in a particular place, my lords. Were that the case then we'd not have left the Wall, we march for Queenscrown and from there further south." Jaime said and though there were some grumbles, most of the lords agreed and he swore the damn bird was laughing at him when he rose.
The meal he ate warmed him some and he welcomed the soup even more, feeling himself almost content when he made his way to his tent with Arthur and Jors walking behind him. It was more than could be said for the two Kingsguard both of whom wished to be elsewhere. Was he not of the same mind as they, then he may have taken offense with the fact they had no wish to be guarding him. Though truth be told it was more that they were showing he was speaking for the king than anything else.
"He'll be with us soon, Arthur, you and Jors should rest. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." he said looking to Arthur and hoping he took his advice.
"I remember what day was like, my lord, this is very much not it." Jors said and all three of them laughed, not at the jape itself but more because they needed the release.
"Aye, you have the truth of it. Rest both of you." he said and Arthur nodded and Jaime was glad to see them both walk away as he went into his tent.
Sleep was fitful, his dreams were both welcoming and very much not as he dreamt of Joanna, Jon, and of Dacey. The four of them at a picnic overlooking the Rock and his daughter and son much more grown-up than they were when last he'd seen them. It was the change from that to dreams of a dragon falling and Tyrion first followed by Jae being overwhelmed by dead men that woke him up and had him cry out. That cry growing just a bit louder when the dark shape moved towards him and Jaime reached for his knife.
"Jae?" he asked when he saw the wolf was making no true move to him and he chuckled when he felt the tongue lick his face, his son knowing that he needed comfort and giving it to him as only he could "All is well, my worries are for naught?" he asked and the lick he got was enough to calm them for now.
When they set off the next morning he knew it was early, the sun hadn't risen yet, or at least it wouldn't have if there was a sun to see rise. It took them less time to reach Queenscrown than Benjen had said it would, though they hadn't stopped and had eaten on the way which was perhaps the reason for that. Seeing the town even in the darkness was impressive and while the fort the Company of Rose resided in wasn't large enough for their armies, Queenscrown was close to being so.
"Jae did this?" he asked Oberyn as fires were lit and torches placed where they could to bring some light to the town.
"Aye, he sang the buildings back to being, Jaime. The Free Folk have built some new ones too." Oberyn said pointing out the wooden ones "And the roofs were all them. The tower though and the buildings they were my nephew's work." Oberyn said and Jaime just nodded with a smile on his face.
It was when they reached the tower that he felt something was off, the wolves showing that too as the two Direwolves began to howl. He ordered the men to arms and was about to lead men into the tower to find out what was hiding inside when Melisandre and Thoros made their way to him.
"You have nothing to fear here, Lord Jaime." Melisandre said and though Benjen, Mance, and Val argued that this was their home and something was not right, Jaime found himself listening to the red priestess more than to them for some reason.
"Lower your arms." he said and had to repeat himself before the order was followed, Jaime almost smirking when he saw how close to him Arthur now stood.
He moved closer to the tower and watched as the door opened and a man stepped outside. His hair was long and red apart from a white streak and he was not alone, standing behind him was a woman who by her size he'd have perhaps named a girl. Her features named her a woman though as her face was bony and gaunt and her dark eyes stared warily at him. There were more behind her, men, women, and what even looked to be children and Jaime looked to Mance and Benjen thinking them Free Folk who'd not been evacuated, only to see they too stared at them with no recognition in their eyes.
"A man has nothing to fear from the followers of the Many-Faced God, we come to fight for the prince just as a man does." the man, the Faceless Man that he now knew he was said and Jaime looked to Oberyn who was chuckling as he moved towards him.
"We're most grateful for the help, my nephew though is otherwise engaged." Oberyn said and Jaime heard Tormund's loud laugh.
"The prince will arrive soon, a man and his companions will wait." the Faceless Man said and Jaime just shrugged, strange as this was, he'd seen stranger and no doubt the bird would be wroth with him for not accepting their help should he turn it down.
"I think we best rest, it's going to be a long night" he said and he never even considered just what those words meant.
Eastwatch 301 AC.
Dany.
Her mind was in turmoil as was her heart, Dany finding it hard to come to terms with the loss of Sandor and Belwas, and then to find that Shiera too was lost had been too much for her. She'd been angry with her nephew even though it wasn't his fault and she felt shamed by the time she had flown back to Eastwatch. Jae she knew wouldn't blame her for taking out her anger on him. He'd not even tried to force her to accept she was in the wrong when she'd shouted at him. Her nephew knowing that she had needed to unload, even if it was on the wrong person.
When he'd then told her about his worries for Rhaegal she'd felt fearful and desperate almost, so much so that she'd begged and pleaded with her son to listen to her and to her nephew. The green dragon only doing so reluctantly and had Jae not told him that he'd bring Shiera back to him, then she doubted even her words would have been enough to make him do what he must. She felt so much relief when he turned to head for Dragonstone that by the time she reached Eastwatch it was with a very different mindset that she arrived than the one she had set off with.
Oh, she was still angry, furious, but her anger was directed where it should be and she was focussed now only on the dead and the Night King. She believed Jae would do all he could to bring Shiera back, no one cared more for family than her nephew or was more capable of doing things that seemed impossible than him either. So even her doubts that it could be done had faded somewhat and just seeing that the army and the ships had retreated when she flew over Eastwatch brought even more relief to her. Dany taking Ellagon out to the sea to see Aurane standing on the Dragon's Breath and smiling at him when she saw him wave to her.
Once she'd ensured her husband was safe and well, it was to the army that her attention turned and so she flew back to the land and over the coast in search of them. They'd had traveled some distance from the Wall and she saw how the Rhoynish kept more to the sea than the rest of the army. Though there was no true gap between them and they marched united. She brought Ellagon in low so they could all see that she was close by and then from there it was back to the Wall to make sure there were no stragglers. Then and only then did she bid Ellagon land and they took up their position, her nephew's plan now the one she followed.
"Should the Wall be breached then it's up to us on the dragons to guard the army's retreat." Jae said as she, Tyrion, Shiera, and Aemon sat with him on Dragonstone.
"You think the Wall will fall?" Tyrion asked.
"I think we need to prepare in case it does. If it does then we'd be overwhelmed and so we need to be far from there, or the men do and the only way they can march unharried is if the dragons play their part." Jae said.
"What is it you would have us do, Jae?" Shiera asked.
"We form up, Tyrion, Aemon and I at Castle Black, You at the Nightfort and Dany at Eastwatch. We put ourselves between the Wall and the men and as they retreat we bring the fight to the Night King and his army." Jae said looking at each of them in turn "We buy time and we burn as many of them as we can before we retreat and form up once more, we rest and then we do so again and again and as often as we must." Jae said and Dany nodded.
"Will the dragons be enough?" she asked wondering why if this was one of the plans they actually needed an army.
"No, but it will be enough for us to put distance between them and our men so that we choose where the next fight takes place. If in the process we also take as much of his army from him as we can, it can only be for our benefit." Jae said and she nodded.
Now she wondered if her nephew actually knew the fall of the Wall was inevitable and if it was more than simply a contingency as Tyrion and Aemon had told her. She knew Jae wasn't telling them all that he had planned, only their parts. So she wondered if he because of the Glass Candles or Daenys's journal knew more and this like so much of their life had seemed to be, was actually all destined to be. These were the thoughts that were running through her head when the Wall actually fell, these and not memories of Sandor and Belwas or of her aunt. The loud sound of the Wall crashing to the ground and the knowledge that the dead would soon be in front of her, that was what brought the memories of her losses back to her and she then used it to fuel what she was about to do.
"For Sandor, Belwas and Shiera." she said as Ellagon's wings began to flap and she took to the sky.
She felt it as she flew to the Wall, the pull coming from the west and the throbbing in her arm and it was hard for her to resist giving in to it. Ellagon though was just as keen to bring her fire to bear as Dany was and so it was her dragon's will and not her own that she gave in to. Her daughter was angered on her brother's behalf, she wished to do what he could not and when Dany gave the order, she felt the flames were even stronger because of it.
"Dracarys." she said as she and Ellagon took their first pass and as she watched the dead beneath her burn away she felt her rage was undimmed.
Again and again she and Ellagon flew over the dead, wave after wave of them falling to the flames and it was only when she saw the animals run ahead of them that she called off her attacks. She and her dragon soon chasing them down and bringing the fire to them too before they then landed and Ellagon ate and rested while Dany sat on her back and did only one of those things. How long they sat there for she couldn't tell, Ellagon though felt the need to fly back to the dead and assured her that she was not tired and able to do so. Dany allowed her dragon to take the lead once more and so again for more passes than she could count they laid their fire down upon them which was when she saw the first of them.
The White Walker looked up at her as she flew and the spear in his hand was soon coming their way, Ellagon dodging it as if it was nothing. It infuriated her, annoyed her and Dany reached behind herself to grab the bow and to place an arrow in it. Time seemed to stop and Ellagon almost seemed to hover in the air. Dany felt the spear that glanced off the armor that covered her dragon and then she let loose with her arrow and watched as it hit not the White Walker but the dead horse that it rode upon. Both it and the White Walker fell to the ground and Dany quickly grabbed another arrow, aiming it as the White Walker moved to his feet, and this time her aim was true. The arrow hit home and she smiled as the White Walker exploded into a thousand pieces, while around him countless dead men fell, and then and only then Dany willed Ellagon to fly south.
"For Sandor." she said softly to the air as she and Ellagon left the dead and the Wall behind them.
Castle Black 301 AC.
The Corpse Queen.
She was in a prison, one with no walls and no doors and she feared there was no way out of it. In her head, she felt a presence that wasn't her own. Something that wormed it's way deeper and deeper into her and was devouring her from the inside. Pieces of her fell away, not her body but her very soul and she began to forget things that she'd only thought about a day or so previously. It was worse than she had feared when they had taken her from the Nightfort. Very much worse and she wondered if she should have ended herself before they took her to him.
In truth she had been too afraid to take her own life, no that wasn't quite true, she had longed to live and so had refused to give up. For so many years she'd always felt that when death came she'd welcome it. That in the end she'd go gladly into the cold dark night and yet when it came she'd fought against it with all she could. Only to find it wasn't a true death that she was being given and instead it was this, whatever this was, that was to be her fate. She knew he wished to know what she knew and so she'd given him half-truths and thought he'd accepted them. Shier had told him that Jae had intended to run if the Wall fell, which was partly his plan after all.
Now though he'd begun to delve into places inside of her that she'd kept hidden to all but herself and each place he visited was no longer the same once he'd done so. It died and was lost to her and so the memories of her life had begun to fade. Daemon, Aegor, and even Brynden were all almost lost to her, the way they looked, the things they'd shared all disappearing piece by piece. When the dragons came and let loose their flames was the only respite she was given. His focus was then on them and not on her and so she began to build up walls brick by brick, obstacles that he'd need to overcome when next he delved into all she was. Dany, Tyrion, Aemon, and most especially Jae since it was he that the Night King wished to know about most of all.
It was as she was doing this that she heard the voice and found herself not at Castle Black and surrounded by dead men, but walking on Dragonstone and alone but for a young woman who stood looking out on the beach ahead of her. Her silver hair and violet eyes made her think it was Dany first of all, only for the woman to turn and to be someone that she didn't recognize. Her smile was comforting though, as were her words when she spoke them.
"I knew you'd come, Shiera." the woman said and Shiera asked the only questions she could.
"Who are you?"
"I was known as the Dreamer, but you may call me Daenys."
"How are you here?" she asked trying to understand why a long-dead woman was now in her head.
"A story for another time.." Daenys said and Shiera looked at her as she reached out and placed her hand on her forehead "Show him, let him see and fear not for the dawn is soon to come." Daenys said and then she was gone.
She felt him then, inside her head once more and so she did as she'd been bid and felt his pleasure at her being so open to him. What he saw, she did not, but not long after he was gone from her they began to march. The dead moving away from the Wall and she riding by his side, his eyes on her as she looked to the lands that stretched out ahead of them. Should death come then she'd welcome it and as long as it brought about his end too she'd not fear it and would embrace it, should it come. But as her nephew had said often to her there is only one thing we say to death, not today. So for the first time since Randyll Tarly had taken her from the Nightfort, Shiera began to believe that her own was a long way away.
Castle Black 301 AC.
Tyrion.
As he waited with Jae for the order to fly he was glad of the company. He'd feared after Jae had sent Aemon to the Nightfort that his nephew too would soon be in the air leaving him alone and yet Jae had stayed by his side. Originally it was to be all three of them, but what had happened at the Nightfort had changed that, Tyrion not sure he understood it even after Jae had explained it to him. That a place could make you lose your mind and turn on your allies was beyond his comprehension. Not even Jae telling him that it was actually more so the Night King using the Nightfort than the Nightfort itself made much sense to him.
Their losses had been the worst of this whole war so far, 7,000 men lost not to the army they'd come to defeat but to their own men, and that on its own was worrying enough. It was the loss of his aunt though that weighed heaviest on Tyrion's heart. The thoughts that she was out there and suffering or even dead were the ones that he concentrated on. His sadness at that only not overwhelming him because of the anger he felt at Randyll Tarly, Mathis Rowan, and the Night King himself. Jae had told him it was not the fault of the first two, yet he feared if he ever faced with either of the men it would be a dragon's wrath they'd feel. As for the third of them, he would be face to face with soon enough and he felt Lygaron almost coiled and ready to strike as he moved beneath him.
Jae had sent him to check their army's progress, Tyrion was now sure it was to calm him down some rather than to actually find out how far they'd traveled. Had his nephew really wished to know that then he'd have no doubt warged into one of the many birds he'd left to look upon those he'd cared about, something that both brought a smile to his face and a question to his lips. One that his nephew was only too eager to answer once Tyrion had returned from seeing that Jaime and the others had made it to the fort held by the Company of the Rose.
"How did you not know, Jae? About Shiera, how did you not know?" he asked questioningly as the two dragons stood no more than a few feet from each other and he and Jae sat on their backs.
"Some things I'm not meant to, Tyrion. Some things I'm only supposed to know when the time is right and others I've missed." Jae said the second half of the answer causing his nephew's voice to almost tail off.
"Miss?" he asked even though he knew that perhaps Jae wished not to speak on it.
"We were never to hold the Wall, Tyrion, and yet certain things were to happen regardless, Daenys's plans and the god's plans were not quite the same. In some cases, I've been following one more than the other." Jae said his eyes focussed on something in the distance and not on Tyrion as he spoke.
"And now?" he asked curiously.
"Now I'm following only one." Jae said, a small smile on his face as he spoke.
His nephew could at times be enigmatic, some things he kept closer to his chest than others and Tyrion felt that whatever this one plan was, it would be one of those things. It should annoy him and yet it did not, instead it filled him with hope and brought him great relief. He could think of no plan to face what it was that they were to face and so he was relieved to know that even after some setbacks, his nephew still had one.
The sound rang out and he looked to Jae who nodded, the two dragons then taking to the sky and as they flew towards the Wall, Tyrion looked on open-mouthed. It was gone, no longer there, something that had stood for thousands of years was now nothing more than a pile of ice. He turned to look at Jae and saw that his nephew was wearing a much different expression. There was no shock in his eyes, no worry on his face, Jae looked determined and when Tyrion saw him point at the army of dead men that were moving over the icy rubble, his own determination was what he began to focus on.
"Dracarys." he said as Lygaron let loose while a little way to his left Rhaenix did the same.
Over and over they let loose their flames, twin arcs of fire falling down on dead men and the two dragons crisscrossing in the sky. How many each pass took from the Night King's army was impossible to tell and yet it didn't seem to even make a dent in it to Tyrion's eyes. Still, they flew and Lygaron never let him down once, his flames though smaller and less fierce than his sister's were just as devastating. At one point they'd burned so many that Tyrion saw a gap form in the mass of bodies below him and felt they'd turned a corner. Only to see it quickly closed and more and more dead arrive to fill it.
He barely heard Jae and had Lygaron not followed his sister, then he'd have perhaps just continued flying and bring the fire to the Army of the Dead. There was no tiredness in his dragon nor in himself and whether it was the thoughts of Shiera and what may have been done to her, or the idea that if they ended this quick they could save her, Tyrion wished to continue doing as he had been. Jae though had other ideas and when Lygaron followed after Rhaenix, Tyrion was annoyed, only to see what it was his nephew was pointing down at and realize just how dangerous it was. Beneath them dead animals moved as if they were live ones, they charged and Tyrion quickly understood where it was they were charging to. Should they reach their army then they'd kill thousands and catch them unprepared and so with a nod to Jae, he and Lygaron dropped down low and did what they must.
"Dracarys." he said as Lygaron's flames burned Snow Bears, Direwolves, Shadowcats, and other animals he wasn't sure he could name.
Ahead of him, he could see Rhaenix burn birds from the sky and then let loose her flames on those animals who'd outrun him and Lygaron. Soon enough it was done and Jae waved at him to follow and they landed some distance from where he and Aemon had made their camp. He looked on as Jae spoke to Rhaenix and then he did the same to Lygaron, thanking him and praising him for what he'd done and asking if he was tired or hungry. His dragon's trill telling him how much he enjoyed his words and when he bid him rest or eat, Lygaron let him know that for now he needed neither.
When he looked to Jae it was to find his nephew needed the latter and so he too began to eat some of the food he'd stored in his pack. When Jae climbed down off Rhaenix's back and walked over to him, Tyrion looked at him worriedly, only to be bid to do likewise and he felt the stiffness in his legs when he then stood on the ground.
"Aye, me too." Jae said rubbing his leg as Tyrion chuckled.
"Why? We've flown for longer." he asked and Jae nodded.
"Not like this, uncle." Jae said and that was the truth of things, even in the War for the One True King it had been different, Tyrion perhaps spending no more than an hour or more and Lygaron had not let loose even half the flames he had today "You should rest, I'll take watch." Jae said and he went to argue with him only for Lygaron to make his own feelings clear.
It wouldn't be a tent and Jae bid him lay by Rhaenix to keep warm and not by Lygaron, his nephew informing him that one of the dragons would need to hunt to feed the other. When he asked him about the dead, his nephew laughed which caught him by surprise, though his answer did make some sort of sense of why he did so.
"We'll see them soon enough, uncle, but there are many miles between us and them and not even they can travel so fast. So I doubt they'll arrive when your napping." Jae said his smile still on his face and Tyrion shook his head and chuckled before doing as he'd been bid.
He woke and was perhaps more tired than when he'd slept, Jae, telling him that the army had left the fort and was on the way to Queenscrown and that the dragons had eaten.
"The dead?" he asked.
"Will be here in a couple of hours, it's time for you to leave, uncle." Jae said catching him by surprise.
"Jae?" he asked confused.
"Dany, Tyrion. I need you to go to her, Aemon will follow Ser Garlan and the men to Queenscrown, I need you to fly to Dany and help her as you did me here. Two dragons are far better than one, I see that now. Go to her and do all you can, retreat though, uncle. Retreat and fly away before the dragons get too tired and make sure that Dany does likewise." Jae said reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder.
"You think she'd not?" he asked worriedly.
"I think she's grieving for Sandor and Belwas and for Shiera too, and grief while a powerful motivator can rob you of your senses. I know this more than most." Jae said and whether it was his parents, his family, or the two guards he'd lost, Tyrion wasn't sure who it was that Jae was referring to, perhaps it was all of them.
"What about you?" he asked and Jae smiled.
"Rhaenix and I know what we must do, we can't win the fight today, Tyrion. Nor can we win it tomorrow, all we can do is make him suffer for every mile he sets foot in the North and bide our time until we can." Jae said and Tyrion nodded.
"Be safe, nephew." he said as he moved away.
"You too, uncle, Last Hearth, the Dreadfort, Hornwood, White Harbor, Tyrion. Tell Prince Garin to use The Last River, Weeping Water, Broken Branch, and the White Knife." Jae said and Tyrion said that he would and within moments was flying east.
It was the army he came across first, they'd passed The Gift and when he landed in front of them, Loras and Prince Garin made their way to him, Tyrion quickly passing on Jae's orders and then heading off in search of Dany and Ellagon. He found them where he hoped they'd be, his sister had not given in to her grief and was following the same plans that Jae was and that he knew Aemon would be following too. She was surprised and worried to see him and so he put her mind at ease as quickly as he could.
"Jae and Aemon are well and I'm not here because things have gone badly." he said as she looked at him and smiled, his sister glad he was here once she knew it was not as the bearer of bad news.
"Then why?" she asked and he told her, Dany smiling even more by the time he was finished "Good, it's fucking boring with no one to talk to." Dany said and he laughed loudly when Ellagon made what could only be described as a snort "A different dragon, my love." Dany said reaching out to stroke Ellagon's head.
He was just as pleased he found, to see her safe and well and to be by her side was something he didn't realize just how much he needed. Jae perhaps knowing that even before he did and while he worried for his nephew and uncle, his worries in some way were more for Dany. She was grieving and what kind of a brother would he be if he wasn't there to help her through that grief.
Queenscrown 301 AC.
Jaehaerys Targaryen.
Tyrion and he had taken gods knew how many from the Night King's army, Jae though knew it was nowhere near enough. Should it come to a pitched battle they'd lose and lose badly and so the time was not right for one, when it would be he knew not. The use of the animals had shown that the Night King could be panicked and he'd welcome that, Jae having felt that something already dead would never be able to feel fear. Now that he knew he could, he intended to make use of that should the opportunity arise.
After dealing with the animals, he'd told Tyrion to rest and then had sent Lygaron to hunt, the bronze dragon soon bringing an elk back for Rhaenix to sate her own hunger. The Night King's Army was more than a day ahead of him and Jae didn't fear him moving in a different direction than he expected. Should he head towards Aemon and Garlan's army he'd be at his back within an hour or two and the Night King would suffer even more losses. If he was to move towards Dany it would be the same result. He knew though that it would be he that he moved to, his power that drew him forward and so he was able to plan accordingly.
It was always to be this way, the Wall was as much a barrier to him as it was to the Night King and he felt a fool for not seeing it before now. He'd thought he'd read all that he needed to in Daenys's Journal and that his plans were sound. Maybe it was the Northerner in him, the idea that the Wall would do what it had always done one that he'd not been able to let go of.
"I should have listened to the dragons." he said with a bitter laugh.
Let him pass and bring all five to bear, that's what he should have done. Instead, he'd used just one and had not thought more about the fact that the others couldn't pass the Wall. A part of his mind argued against this train of thought, told him that he had still needed to protect the Wall and that had he not, the Night King would have been warier. Jae though thought only about the losses, the 10,000 men he'd lost, and his aunt who though not completely lost to him, was in danger of being so. His sister deciding then was the time to offer up her own thoughts.
"You can't keep doing this, Jae." Rhaenix said catching him by surprise.
"Doing what?"
"Blaming yourself, concentrating on the losses and not on those you save." she said almost angrily.
"Are those losses not on me, Rhae? Was it not my orders that brought them here?" he argued back.
"It was, but had you not then maybe those losses would be much worse, Jae. Mourn them, feel for them, but don't blame yourself for them. You can't keep thinking this way." she said her voice softer now.
"What way?" he asked curiously."
"Victory or Defeat and is there any difference. You know better than that, you are better than that. Do what you must, but stop second-guessing yourself, or else we're lost." she said and he closed his eyes to reach out to her and let her certainty be his own.
When Tyrion woke he told him what he needed to do, the plan coming to him not long after he and his sister had spoken. It wasn't the same one he'd originally come up with and yet now perhaps because of what Rhaenix said, he was sure that it was the right one. Not long after Lygaron had left, Jae warged once more, this time into all the animals he'd left near those he cared about. He'd sent a wolf to Jaime after finding it alone and without its pack, though not a Direwolf it was fierce if a little frightened, and he was pleased it had found a new pack in Grey Wind and Dusk.
They'd reached Queenscrown and so rather than flying back to the Wall and to bring more fire to the dead, it was to there he flew. His own men's plans would need to be changed too and it would do their morale good to see him. He also wished to see his family again, to speak to Jaime and Oberyn, his uncles, brother, cousin, and to the Free Folk. They too would be more than happy to see him and so with a last look in the direction of the Wall Jae nodded and Rhaenix turned and flew south.
"You are ready, little brother." Rhaenix said happily and he felt he was, he hoped he was. and closing his eyes, it was to his wife and daughter he looked. Jae promising himself that he'd be back with them sooner rather than later.
A/N: Thanks to all who've read and reviewed. Up Next The residents of Winterfell and Wintertown begin their journey south while in the Riverlands preparations are made for the influx of refugees and some errant lords cross a line. In Queenscrown Jae meets with the faceless men. While he and Aemon then use their dragons to take even more from the Night King's army, battle draws ever closer and Jae springs a surprise on the Night King when it comes.
The song is Pompeii by Bastille and it just felt right, especially since I was listening to it while proofing this.
Daryl Dixon: So glad you liked it.
Celexys: It's a bit like that, we're kind of in a bit of Cat and Mouse thing at the moment, Jae trying to be more Cat than a mouse.
Undeath: I'll take it lol.
VfSanke: The heat is on, lol.
The Zombie Wolf: Thanks for your concern, it means a lot. I think we were all disappointed that in setting up the final battle and having so much time to do it, we ended up getting something that was just incredibly dumb. The Dothraki charge, lining up men outside a castle, not placing obstacles in the way, and basically just being morons is what we got. Like we had good military men there and they pretty much forgot all the things they knew, I mean we have them speak about how devastating a double envelopment can be, and then instead of doing that, ride straight at people. The forgetting about the dead in the crypts, all of it pretty much made characters forget things they knew and that's just lazy and bad writing. I'm no tactical expert, but I think it's easy enough to come up with decent plans and more importantly, it's essential to show people learn and use what they know.
Yes, people can make mistakes, Jae will ponder on some of them, but they should be logical mistakes or unforeseen ones. In regards to the magic, it's such a big part of the NK and the lore that it really needs to be utilized. I'm glad you like the attention to minor characters, it fleshes things out and gives different perspectives. We may lose more, won't say who and I'm really happy you enjoyed Marge's bit, it's important to show just what she brings to things in regard to Jon I feel.
Guest; Considering how long it took to get to this point, just flying through it wouldn't do it justice and it really needs to be drawn out a bit, not too much, but enough to make it as big as it should be.
Remi: Delay it to give the army time to retreat, which is pretty much what he's doing here too. I agree, it's one of the things that made the fight against the NK seem so meh in the show, there needs to be loss, for me I consider each of them very carefully and all I can say is we'll lose some big characters before the end, I just won't do it for shock value and have given it a lot of thought. Hope this clears up the Shiera part, but yes there is still hope.
Moonlight echoes: Thanks for saying so, it means a lot.
The Sphynx: Short and succinct, yet still just as good, my friend.
Supremus: Thanks so much.
Xan Merrick: Thank you, my friend, glad you liked it.
Victoria: Thanks so much, my friend. Your sentiments are much appreciated as is the hug lol. I get what you mean, it can be a bit hard when you know there are losses to come and especially knowing it's going to be characters that you have a connection to. There will be darkness, but I hope the light at the end is worth it. Take care and stay safe and well, we're almost at the end of the worst nearly two years any of us have known and I hope you and yours manage to get through it unscathed, who knows in the years to come maybe we can all have a good laugh about it lol.
Creativo: Veremos, ella todavía no está fuera de combate.
Irish Hermit: I'm glad you thought so, I felt it an apt death for him. The rest of the Freys are a better sort and we'll see an example of that coming up. Very much so with Rhaegal and I thought long and hard about what to do with him here, feeling that sending him away may come across as meta-knowledge based on what happened in the show. It struck me though with Jae and Rhaenix, together they'd understand it better than anyone that without the rider on his back, and given what happened to Shiera, he was more than vulnerable here.
I wanted to do that with Marge, in a way it's something that Jae needs to do too. So there is that parallel there, but I wanted to show her showing her own kind of strength and resolve and I think at times when it comes to the war against the NK, the effects on those not fighting isn't shown. Jae has been that for all of them pretty much from the start of things, some people may think I made him too Gary Stuish in that people most of them (yes Cat I'm looking at you) have this connection to him, but it's thematic and by the end of the story will be even more clear as to why that is.
Lady Octarina: Ha, I didn't think of that but now you mention it, I can see why two povs may have been worrisome. As you see here there is still a chance with Shiera, this is in essence what Daenys's changes were, to save their family and bring those lost back, she made small minor changes and Jae is now putting some of those into action. Dany will over the next few chapters use it to fuel her, the NK made a big mistake which we'll see and Dany will play her part.