The Man Among Men and Mother of Starks
Disclaimer I don't own The Song of Ice and Fire or Ranma ½ and I don't plan to make money from my fanfiction.
The Age of Heroes, The Long Night 8000 BC
"Hold the line" a warrior shouted as the dead crashed into the shield wall.
After decades of warfare the alliance of the Living or Desperation consisting of all living sentient being in the world had slowly pushed the Others back. In Essos they were being pushed back to the Grey Wastes, while in Westeros to the Land of Always Winter. Out of the two fronts the Westeros front was considered the more important one as that was where the Night King was and the leader of the Alliance and High Queen of the Living Ranma was fighting and directing the war effort.
Not much was known of Ranma's origins and the likelihood is that only her family such as her son, her Grandson and her lover knew. However, what is known of her is that she was an immortal warrior and sorceress that lived in Westeros since before even the Children of the Forest and the Giants. A being of such power and knowledge that many considered her a Goddess that still lives in the mortal plane of existence, although she denies it but admits Gods are real, but few are worth worshiping such as the Old Gods.
When the Long Night began fortress after fortress and King after King fell before the Others and their army of wights but then Ranma, her family, retainers and students fought and began pushing them back, using their great abilities to push them back and rally the living. Soon they combined with the founding of the Night Watch sparked hope in the hearts of the living. When it was heard that the Others were also in Essos Ranma, sent a number of her students and retainers to Essos to fight, successfully uniting the continent and pushing the Others back.
Using magic mirrors that connected with one another both continents were in contact with each other sharing information and resources to help win the War of the Dawn. When an Alliance between all the races and clans was formalized an Alliance leader was needed, one that was respected and trusted enough to be the leader. Ranma initially tried to refuse but was forced to become the leader and High Queen of the Living but she still complains about it.
The battle was chaotic with the Others on top of giant Ice Spiders and their wights fighting with the forces of the Living. Suddenly a blue blast came from above shattering the Others center, looking up the Others saw a flying woman with flaming red hair and bright blue eyes equal to their own staring down on them, with a blue glow around her hands. It was Ranma the Others greatest enemy, the only being that they hesitated to fight, the glow around her hands increased and several more shafts of blue light came from her hand destroying wights and Others. With the sudden gaps in the enemies line the Living charged, taking advantage of the confusion. Floating down Ranma joined the melee ripping through the enemy as if they were made of paper.
In the distance the Night King sat upon his Ice Spider, the war was lost but he was immortal and as long as he existed the Others could regain their strength, this battle was not an attempt to win the War or a heroic last stand but a trap. A short-term loss for a long-term gain, the removal of Ranma, the only being that the Night King acknowledged as his superior in terms of power. Raising his hand and clenching it into a fist the trap was sprung. The fighting stopped as the ground shook, giant cracks began to appear in the ice, as tunnels that the Night King placed under the battlefield were collapsed as Wights destroyed the support beams.
Realizing the situation, the Living began to try to flee but many were too far away from the safe areas or cut off by the cracks. Suddenly a voice broke through the panic and cries of confusion, speaking an unknown language, everyone turned as they saw golden light come from Ranma and a circle with many lines and unfamiliar letters surround her. The Living from the small Children of the Forest to the massive Giants began to float to safety. The strain on Ranma was clear as she shook and sweat appeared on her brow as she levitated several thousand people to safety. Around her the former battlefield continued to collapse along with the area she was standing on.
All the Living could do was watch in horror as their Queen was buried alive under tons of snow and ice but known were more horror filled than her son and grandson. A silence descended the battlefield as the ground stopped collapsing and they tried to comprehend their Queens sacrifice. They all knew that she could have saved herself but instead she chose to save them sacrificing herself to do so.
Then a cry went up "Theres the Night King" a Child of the Forest cried pointing her spear in his direction. Immediately the entire army turned in that direction and indeed saw the Night King, for a moment they were dumbfounded but then anger filled their hearts as they realized that the collapse was no accident but a trap.
Immediately a shout was heard "Get him!", it came from the High King of the First Men, Garth Greenhand. The army sprang into action, all charging forward to avenge their Queen and to end the nightmare that had been the Long Night. The Night King just raised his hand, causing a blizzard that blinded the living and by the time the various magic users in the army were able to remove it the Night King had vanished, along with his tracks. All the army could do was burn their dead and make plans to ensure a second Long Night would not be so costly to the Living. Her son and grandson had a small funeral at the place she fell and planted a weirwood seed at the spot.
Thus, ended the Long Night and as the millennium's passed the memory of that time faded, truth became myth, myth became legend and legend became children's stories, with many facts forgotten including the High Queen of the Living Ranma. Her child and grandchild didn't return to their home in the Reach but instead stayed in the North in order to protect the world from another Other invasion. With her Grandson designing and building the Wall, Winterfell and many other sites across Westeros and the rest of the world, earning him the title Brandon the Builder, the legendary founder of the Stark line.
But unknown to all but the Gods Ranma wasn't dead but in suspended animation, thanks to her own techniques and the ice. She would slumber there forever, the world moving on, while her family declined forgetting or losing most of their powers and knowledge, leaving the Starks possessing only a shadow of their former glory even if they didn't know it.
The Old Gods the only Pantheon of Gods that Ranma respected becoming their champion/avatar and representative and without her their influence in the mortal world was limited, they could only watch, hoping that one day she would be freed from her icy tomb.
135 AC (After Conquest) The North
Cregan Stark Lord Paramount of the North and once Hand of the King was in the Godswood under the heart tree in Winterfell with his Valyrian Steel great sword Ice. Although his hands were using a whetstone on the blade his mind was elsewhere. It was the end of a six-year long winter which was usually a good thing, but they didn't have enough food to last until the first harvest, unless something changed, he would be forced to borrow money to buy the necessary food to feed the North.
He sighed, he knew the North once could have survived without the other Kingdoms help but two factors changed that. The fact that winters were getting longer and longer, it was slow but noticeable if you looked at the records, meaning that they had to grow more and store more food in order to survive the worsening winters. The second factor was the Targaryen family, with their conquest of the North the money they once used to maintain Moat Cailin, buy food and several other things was now paid in tax to King's Landing, weakening the North.
He looked up to the heart tree and the face upon it "Old Gods I don't know if you can hear me but please save my Kingdom from this state of surviving so we can start living".
He looked at the face for a minute and to his astonishment the face changed and then the tree itself changed itself. One of its branches began to shift till it looked like it was pointing North and then the face spoke not in one voice but several, some male, some female, some deep, some light, some ancient, some young "Follow till you reach the lone weirwood tree and dig beneath it".
Cregan still looked astonished but no matter how many times he rubbed his eyes and looked away when he looked back the tree was still different with the branch still pointing. However, not only did his astonishment grew but hope as well.
Finally, he stood up and left the godswood with the intention of following the Old Gods instructions, first however he needed a way to tell him if he was following the direction the branch was pointing in once he left Winterfell. He headed to the Maester's Turret where Maester Kennet resided as he knew that Kennet had many detailed maps of the North in his study.
Cregan entered the Kennet's study who was in the middle of reading a book.
"My Lord" Kennet said as he got up and put down the book surprise written on his face.
"I need your mind and maps to find a certain location" Cregan said.
"Of course, my Lord, what location are you looking for and why do you seek it?" Kennet asked.
"It would be easier to show you, if I only tell you, you will think I went mad. Follow me to the Godswood" Cregan said, leaving the study with Kennet following him, interest on his face.
They went to the godswood, "Look at the heart tree and tell me what you see" Cregan ordered.
Kennet turned to the tree and looked at it in curiosity, it took a few moments, but he suddenly realized the tree looked different, the face had a different expression and a branch had changed its shape, it was now pointing north. Kennet's mind whirled as he thought how this was possible, he saw the tree just yesterday and it was impossible for a tree to change in such a short period of time.
"What happened?" Kennet asked confusion evident on his face.
"I was sharpening Ice, thinking to myself the state of the North" explained Cregan, with Kennet wincing slightly as he knew the North was on the decline "I asked the Old Gods "I don't know if you can hear me but please save my Kingdom from this state of surviving so we can start living"". "Then the tree and the face began to move, and a voice came from the face, telling me to "Follow till you reach the lone weirwood tree and dig beneath it" and the branch started pointing somewhere North".
Kennet looked astonished as he tried to process the fact that the Old Gods were apparently real and giving Cregan instructions.
"As a Maester I don't believe in the Gods and what you are saying is impossible, but I also know that it is scientifically impossible for a tree to change overnight, especially one that is guarded and hasn't changed in thousands of years. I also know you aren't mad, so I will be cautious in this and help you" Kennet said slightly bewildered.
"I need you and your maps to make sure I am following the direction the branch points in once I leave Winterfell" Cregan said, as they left the godswood to plan the expedition.
In a few days they sent riders in the direction armed with maps to find the location. The site was eventually found, a lone weirwood tree thousands of years old, in an empty field, that was much lower than the surrounding area. Cregan with Kennet and several miners and trusted men in arms headed to the location.
They began to dig beside the tree and then under it, during their dig they found numerous weapons and corpses showing that a battle once took place here, although there was no record of any, exciting Kennet, who was documenting their finds.
"We found something" a miner informed Cregan in his tent after several days of digging.
"What did you find?" Cregan asked eagerness in his tone and face.
"We found someone in the ice, and we believe that they are still alive!" the miner said excitedly.
"What!?" Cregan said with everyone else also reacting to the news with bewilderment.
"Yes, it's a blood red haired female, wearing silver armor covered in runes, holding a staff with a half-moon on one end and a circle on the other and a crown upon her head" the miner said.
This stunned everyone, they didn't know what they might find in the dig, but a person certainly wasn't expected, especially royalty.
"How do you know she is alive?" Kennet asked.
"Everyone else we found on the dig were decomposed corpses while she looks as alive as me and there is no chance that she is a newer corpse considering the depth we found her at" the miner explained.
"I presume you are already beginning to dig her out?" Cregan said.
"Yes, we are digging around her as trying to chip her out would probably kill her. Once she is removed from the rest of the ice, we will bring her up and thaw her out" the miner said.
"Very well, try to be careful, if she is indeed alive, she is likely the reason the Old Gods sent us here" Cregan said. Everyone nodded at that, not wanting to anger the gods. Cregan however, was wondering how a single person would be able to make the North prosper.
It took two days to dig around her and bring her to the surface and everyone including Cregan stood in awe in front of the female, and they had to admit the description the miner gave didn't give her justice. She was an intimidating warrior queen, while also extremely beautiful, with a very exotic look. Cregan looked at her face, her eyes were closed, and a look of acceptance was on her face making him realize that she knew or believed she was going to die and unlike most didn't succumb to fear or panic but embraced it.
Two braziers were placed beside her and lit in order to thaw her out. Over the course of time waiting for the ice to melt the people there began to theorize who she could be as none of them heard of someone like her as warrior woman were fairly rare and none of the legends and stories, they heard matched her.
Then they heard a noise and looked towards the block of ice. They saw that the woman's free hand not holding the strange staff was beginning to clench, causing cracks in the ice. They all took a step back as suddenly cracks began to appear all over the ice as blue light was beginning to appear from the woman. Then CRASH as the ice covering her was blown away and a pillar of blue light came from her and went into the sky.
Then they felt something, like the world shifted in some way. Across the globe everyone could feel this shift but those with greater abilities could sense something more. The Warlocks of Qarth, the magic users of Asshai, the Green Men of the Isle of Faces and the more powerful priests and priestesses of R'hllor along with other magic users across the world sensed the emergence of a great power that made them all feel like insects. They turned their heads towards the direction of the power and felt magic that was slowly dying in the world now began to return and they felt an increase in their magical abilities. In the south at the Citadel a group of Maester's were shocked as the Glass Candles suddenly shone brightly, informing them magic had now returned. As the news spread, in the shadows of the Citadel a group of people met, outraged at the return of magic and began to plan to find why magic was now returning after centuries of decline. In the North further than the Wall and other hidden places the Children of the Forest sensed this power and recognized it. They rejoiced at the reemergence of their Queen who they had long thought dead and planned to find her. Even further North in the Land of Always Winter deep in their own hibernation the Others slept and felt a shiver come across their spines despite being unable to feel cold or fear. Many others felt this burst of power, creatures that were long thought to be myth, sensed it to.
Outside the realm of mortals, in the Gods realms there was confusion as many of the Gods sensed this power and couldn't recognize as they came into existence after the Long Night, but all of them could sense one thing. That this power that had just awakened was stronger and more ancient than many of them and that made them afraid. Only one pantheon wasn't confused or fearful at this display of power, the Old Gods. They rejoiced at the return of their champion and hoped that a better future was now available to their followers.
At the site many fell over at the display of power, looking away or covering their eyes with their hands except for Cregan who withstood the blast and light. Finally, the display died down and he saw the women, barely standing leaning on her staff like a walking stick. The women then began to stumble towards the weirwood tree, eventually reaching it and placing her hand on it. Her hand glowed blue and where that hand touched a face emerged. Cregan along with others who had recovered were shocked as this woman turned the weirwood tree into a heart tree with just a touch. Then she collapsed beside the trunk clearly exhausted.
Nobody moved as they were shocked into stillness at what they had just witnessed. Then the new face on the weirwood tree began to move and voices began to emerge.
"You have followed our instructions and found her, our champion" the voices said.
Immediately Cregan kneeled "You are the Old Gods" he said causing everyone to gasp and kneel even Kennet who couldn't deny what was right in front of his eyes, magic and the Old Gods were real.
"Indeed, we must apologize for not answering your prayers for generations but without our champion our influence in the mortal world was limited, with her trapped and not dead we couldn't pick a new champion causing our followers to suffer but now that our champion is free, we can once again influence events and answer our followers' prayers" the Old Gods explained.
Cregan's mind whirled at the implications, this is the reason why the Old Gods had been silent for so long but now that their champion was free, they could help their followers they could help the North! She was their connection to the mortal world.
"Who is she" Cregan asked wanting to know more about the Old Gods champion.
"Someone more ancient and powerful than most Gods, including us, she lived in Westeros since before the Children of the Forest and the Giants were born upon these shores. When the world was in danger from the Others and their armies of the dead, all hope was lost till she fought. She, her family, retainers and students fought and began pushing them back in both Westeros and Essos with their great power. All the living then chose her as their High Queen and the leader of the Alliance of the Living and although she initially refused, she eventually accepted. Although she led the Alliance to victory the King of the Others the true Night King set a trap and she sacrificed herself to save her men, burying her alive under the ice and snow. She is Ranma the High Queen of the living, lover of Garth Greenhand, mother of Brandon the Bloody Blade and grandmother of Brandon the Builder" the Old Gods announced.
If they weren't shocked before they were now at this announcement. Not only were the Old Gods and magic real but so were the Others, the events of the Long Night, Garth Greenhand and who knew how many other stories that they believed to be myths. However, none of them in even the wildest theories they made over the last several hours were even close to the women's identity. The High Queen of every sentient species except for the Others and a Stark at that. Cregan looked at his distant ancestor who was still unconscious beside the trunk, his mind racing, and his heart filled with hope at the revelations the Old Gods just gave.
"It will take many days for her to recover and when she does awaken bring her to the heart tree so we can contact her and tell her what has transpired in the 8000 years since her slumber and tell her what she needs to do to set the world right and prepare for the coming storm" the Old Gods instructed.
"A coming storm, what coming storm?" Kennet asked, trying to get as much information as possible because he was diffidently going to write everything that had happened down.
"The Others, they grow strong again, replenishing their numbers preparing for a Second War of the Dawn, though the war won't occur in your lifetime, beware the ten-year summer for that is the sign of the Second Long Night" the Old Gods cried.
Now instead of astonished they were scared, every Northerner knew of the tales of the Long Night and how over half of Westeros fell before them before they were pushed back. The thought of a Second Long Night scared them, but they were resolute as well. They were given the warning, the Others were real, were preparing for war and they were now told what sign to watch out for that signaled their return.
"Maester, you mustn't inform the Citadel about was has occurred" the face said looking at Kennet.
"What! Why?" Kennet asked surprise clearly in his voice and on his face.
"They have betrayed their oath to preserve all knowledge. Even now a conspiracy within the Order containing many of it's members seek to destroy all magic. To that end they have stolen magical objects and books containing such information, murdered children of both smallfolk and Great Houses if they show magical abilities, altered or omitted history to ensure that all believe magic is dead or never existed. Even now they are poisoning the Dragons to kill them and ensure that their offspring will die young or not hatch at all. With the return of our champion magic has strengthened and thanks to their glass candles they know this. They now seek to find and destroy the source because they desire a perfectly scientific world where magic does not exist" the voices informed the listeners.
They were horrified and angered at what the Order of Maester's had done but none were more horrified than Kennet at what his Order had done, he felt ashamed as well and all could clearly see that on his face. Cregan felt pity for his friend knowing that his friend dutifully followed his orders oath just like members of the Nightwatch and for so many of the Maester's to betray it would seem like a sword wound to him.
"Our champion will deal with them when the time is right, the victims of their crimes will receive justice" the Old Gods promised.
Kennet looked at the face and then his own face turned resolute, while he was unsure what the future held or that his Order would survive the justice, they would receive he wouldn't stop it.
"Now heed our words and go" then the eyes closed and the face on the heart tree stopped moving.
For several moments they were still, as they were still trying to process the information the Old Gods revealed but none could deny what happened in the last few minutes.
"Break camp, ready the horses and Kennet check over Queen Ranma to make sure she is well after being frozen for several thousand years" Cregan ordered, with activity immediately following the order.
Kennet was quick to conclude with the exception of being exhausted Ranma was remarkably healthy, within the hour they were riding to Winterfell.
As they rode, they discussed what had occurred and the information that was revealed to them. How to use the information to deal with the Maester's and prepare for the Others but their main focus of discussion was Ranma. The Old Gods said she was more ancient and powerful than them and most other Gods, that such a being existed and a human at that boggled their minds.
Eventually the towers of Winterfell came into view and they entered the gate into the capital of the North. Ranma was rushed to a bed in the family quarters, while Kennet immediately wrote down the events and the information received. Then they began to look up information regarding the Others and trying to find out what previous Maester's had stolen or changed. While they couldn't find much information regarding the Others an inventory check of the library and heirlooms revealed multiple items missing. While some of them were probably lost over the years, they had no doubt that the majority of them were stolen and would probably be found in the Citadel. Kennet also brushed up on speaking the language of the First Men when it was pointed out she wouldn't understand the now common tongue.
Three days after they had returned to Winterfell Ranma woke up.
_Ranma pov
"Uugh" I groaned, trying to open my eyes but immediately shutting them thanks to the light. Bringing my hand up to cover my eyes I began opening them again. My vision was blurry for several moments before starting to clear.
"What was I doing" I murmured, then I shot straight up as I remembered the battle and the ground collapsing.
This startled the other person in the room, a man wearing a brown robe like a monk but a chain around his neck with several links being made out of different substances. I looked at him curiously because I certainly didn't remember him or anyone wearing such chains.
The man got up and opened the door and shouted something out in a language I wasn't familiar with. Immediately activity was heard as people began to react to what he said.
He turned to me and spoke to me in a language I was very familiar with although he appeared rusty and unsure in its use, like he rarely uses it.
"I am Maester Kennet, how are you doing Queen Ranma?" the now identified Kennet asked.
"Thirsty" I rasped as I suddenly realized how dry my throat was, not even bothering to tell him to just call me Ranma or ask what a Maester was.
Kennet nodded and as if expecting this he took out a cup with what looked like watered-down wine. I drank it slowly as I knew drinking it fast would not help me as much.
Turning to Kennet "Where are we".
"Were in Winterfell the capital of the North one of the Seven Kingdoms in Westeros" Kennet replied.
"Winterfell, Seven Kingdoms? I haven't heard of them just Westeros" talking mostly to myself, then my eyes suddenly opened in realization.
"Hoow, long was I asleep for?" my voice carried over the desperation for that answer.
Kennet sighed and looked at me with pity, which didn't really reassure me "There is no easy way to say this, but you have been trapped under the ice for 8000 years" he said.
My heart seemed to stop for a moment and the sudden realization of how much time had passed seemed to be frying my brain.
_Kennet looked at the woman with pity, she may be a Queen with power beyond his understanding and comprehension but right now she looked like a broken person with little hope in the world.
"My son and grandson, then their?" Ranma hesitatingly asked.
"Yes, their dead" Kennet answered.
The deadness in Ranma's eyes were now very apparent.
"However, their descendants still live, and they live here in this castle built by your Grandson" Kennet informed her.
Ranma seemed to freeze for a moment and then slowly turned her head towards Kennet hope and uncertainty in her eyes like she was expecting the world to break but desperately clung onto something to stay steady.
Then the door opened and in came Lord Cregan. Ranma eyes widened in recognition and then her eyes glowed enhancing its already bright blue color, and it felt like she was examining Cregan for something. The glow faded but at the same time her eyes brightened as some of the sadness left them.
"This is Cregan, the head of the family your grandson Brandon founded House Stark. We have to apologize but he is unable to speak with you as language has changed over the years and very few can speak what is now called Old Tongue" Kennet told her.
"I'm willing to learn the new language" determination starting to appear in her voice and face.
"Is she okay?" Cregan asked, as being frozen solid for any length of time was probably not good for one's health.
"Physically she appears fine but mentally is another matter. She nearly had a mental collapse when she was informed how much time had passed and that both Brandon's were now dead. However, she began steading herself when she learned that she still had relatives left and when I informed her that the language changed, she immediately stated she was going to learn it, which also helped. She needs a goal, a purpose to help her navigate in this new reality and endure" Kennet informed Lord Cregan.
"Then perhaps the Old Gods can give her that purpose when they inform her what has happened and that the Others will eventually return" Cregan replied with Kennet nodding in understanding.
Turning back towards Ranma "I know that you want to learn the Common Tongue as soon as possible however, I believe that you need to be told what has happened over the last 8000 years." Ranma nodded at that "The Old Gods told us to bring you to the heart tree here so they could inform of what has transpired" that seemed to startle Ranma somewhat before she seemed to think about it.
"They could probably tell me what has happened quicker and in greater detail than a library of books and it would be good to hear from some familiar people" Ranma said thoughtfully.
"Yes, that is the best plan" then removing the blanket and trying to stand up. Notice the word trying, she collapsed nearly immediately and would have fallen on the floor if Cregan and Kennet didn't catch her.
"Well, this is embarrassing" Ranma said dryly.
"Let us help you to the godswood" Kennet said.
Usually, Ranma would deny such help or allow so many people to see her so weak but she needed to know what happened, not just the events of the last 8000 years but also the fates of her loved one's. So, she quietly nodded her head in agreement.
They carried her through the Great Keep and to the godswood with numerous people staring and following them, from the men at arms to the stable boys. They had all heard about why Cregan ordered the dig and what they found there, and they all saw that beam of light that reached into the heavens. They wanted to see for themselves if the Old Gods and magic were real. They certainly didn't know what to think and believe at the moment.
They entered the godswood and immediately they felt something they never felt before, a presence or if they were honest several presences. They could feel their eyes looking on them and a certain weight that the godswood never had before, but they also felt, well the best way to describe it would be expectation in the air.
As the journey continued Ranma seemed to be growing stronger as the muscles that had been asleep for millennium began to wake up. By the time they reached the godswood she was no longer being carried but managing to shuffle forward although she still leaned on them to quicken the trip.
During their trip Ranma continued to talk with Kennet.
"My little Brandon managed to build this?" Ranma asked looking around at the impressive structure that was Winterfell.
"The original part, which is unfortunately in the opposite direction of the godswood which is where were going, the crypts are also at the Old Keep and while we don't know if your son is buried down there, your grandson is along with many of your descendants. However, the old section which houses Lord Brandon is cut off thanks to a cave-in and we would have to clear it before you can visit his tomb and we are afraid to do it in case it causes a bigger and worse cave-in that could harm the other tombs and affect the surface" Kennet explained.
"I would be able to remove the rubble without risking the other tombs or the rest of Winterfell" Ranma responded, who desperately wanted to see her grandson's grave if only for a measure of closure and if her son wasn't there to find his tomb.
"That would be helpful as many Stark's wanted to clear the cave-in but didn't want to risk it. However, if you want to see your grandson's greatest structure and how he earned the title Brandon the Builder then I suggest you travel North" Kennet told her.
Ranma looked at him curiously "Brandon the Builder huh" then began to giggle slightly "He always wanted to be a builder, a creator rather than a warrior and destroyer. I'm glad that he was able to fulfil his dream and be remembered for it".
"Interesting but would you like me to tell you about his greatest structure or would you like to see it for yourself as a surprise?" Kennet asked.
Ranma's face paused from a nostalgic look as she was remembering her family and Brandon's boast when he was a child, that he would build the greatest structures the world had ever seen. She thought about it, she desperately wanted more information regarding her family and considering that Kennet called it his greatest structure it was likely she would learn of it when the Old Gods fill her in.
"Tell me" Ranma said.
"The Wall, a great structure 300 miles long and 700 feet high, made entirely of ice with 19 castles attached and manned by the Nights Watch" Kennet explained.
Ranma's eyes widened, that was a great structure but then thought why he would build such a structure then remembered that Kennet said it was manned by the Nights Watch. The fact that the Nights Watch was still in existence and it was manning the Wall meant that it was created to stop the Others.
"The Others?" Ranma asked, slightly worried.
"Your war against them was a victory and there has been no recorded sight of an Other for 8000 years however the Night King escaped, and we recently learned from the Old Gods that they are replenishing their numbers for a Second War of the Dawn, but it won't occur during our lifetime. That a ten-year summer would herald they're return" Kennet said.
More life was starting to return to Ranma's eyes as their conversation continued as she was given more of a purpose but the thought of a Second War with the Others lighted a fire in her, it was a small fire but stopping the Others was a cause she would fight for.
Eventually they reached the godswood with what seemed to be the entire population of Winterfell behind them.
Now strong enough to stand without support Ranma stood before the heart tree. Then to the amazement and shock of the inhabitants of Winterfell she glowed blue with wisps of the mysterious energy coming off her. The glow she was releasing was the same color of the pillar of light just a bit lighter and that convinced most of them that the pillar of light that that saw was from her just as Lord Stark said.
Then to their shock the eyes of the face of the heart tree opened and voices came out of its now moving mouth.
"It has been a long-time old friends" to Ranma the voices were in Old Tongue but to everyone else it was in the Common Tongue and to Kennet who could speak and understand both it was in both.
"Indeed, I was told you were going to show me what has happened in the last 8000 years while I was trapped in the Ice" Ranma said and to the surprise of the listeners the words translated in their heads despite not knowing the language she was speaking. The fact that she was 8000 years old and trapped in ice just as Lord Stark said made them realize that everything else, he said was true as well and that these voices must be the Old Gods.
"Come place your hand upon our face and see what has happened" the Old Gods said.
With that Ranma walked up to the weirwood tree and placed her hand upon the face. The glow around her intensified but that wasn't what shocked the people as she was already glowing but the fact that Winterfell itself began to glow. All over Winterfell runes that had long been forgotten and faded began to glow and became clear. From the walls enclosing the godswood to the Old Keep on the other side of Winterfell these symbols glowed. Then lines of light came from the runes to Ranma who seemed to be absorbing it, yet they weren't being drained.
The light show then ended as quickly as it started, and everyone was left dumbfounded at what happened. Lifting her hand from the tree she slowly turned around her eyes no longer sad or dead but bright and unquestionably filled with hope and purpose.
She looked at all the people of Winterfell and finally turned her eyes to her descendant Cregan Stark who was joined by his second wife Alysanne Blackwood and his children Rickon, Sarra, Alys and Raya. "There is work we need to do" Ranma said in perfect Common Tongue with a predatory smile on her face. Thinking to herself "Ranma doesn't lose".
_My interpretation of Winterfell mostly comes from Shadiversity The True WINTERFELL according to the books, EPIC 3d model, tour and comparison