Of Rushed Endings and Unfinished Stories

As predicted, I couldn't finish this.

One year really should've been enough time, but I didn't find the energy to come back to this story as often as I'd like. I still think about it on occasion, though not enough to spend as much time writing as I used to.

I don't really have any specific reason this time. No excuses. I just don't care about it as much. Things change.

And that's fine. It was fun while it lasted.

This was easily my longest written work, despite its unfinished status. I learned a lot while doing this, both about myself and writing in general. Hopefully, I can use that knowledge in other parts of my life.

As promised, I'll write the outline. Before I start, fair warning: While I did follow the outline for most big events, I would usually change some things when I was actually writing each chapter. Sometimes what I outlined didn't feel right, and something better came to my mind. These are just the broad strokes.

CHAPTER 45 – TRIAL BY FIRE

This chapter would focus on Jon's trial for what he did at the Dragonpit. (Side note: this whole trial wasn't even in the original outline. I only added it because it made sense for every character involved when I wrote that chapter with Cersei and Dany facing off). As one of the judges, Qyburn would return as a POV. The trial ends with a twofold sentence: Jon must renounce his claim to the throne (meaning he can never be king), and will receive seven lashes on his back (religious significance). It's mainly an excuse to show off his scars to everyone, which the red priests use to their advantage and gain more followers. With Moqorro, they finally translate the runes on Dragonbinder. Dany decides to destroy it, without much success. Jon suggests dropping it in the middle of the Narrow Sea, which she does, flying there alone so nobody learns the exact location. Still in the same chapter, we follow Arya as she learns more secrets about the city and the Red Keep. On Jon's suggestion, she helps to train Dany in water dancing (she gets to use the classic "stick them with the pointy end" line) and they grow a bit closer. Gendry would show up here, though I was still undecided about his inclusion. At the very least it would give Arya something (someone) else to do. And another lord at the end, if Dany legitimises him. She also learns about Tyrion's plot to assassinate Cersei and wants to help;

CHAPTER 46 – LOVE AND MARRIAGE

Dany gives dragon riding lessons to Jon, and they grow even closer. After his first ride, he becomes overwhelmed with emotion and they finally make love. It's a very passionate and important affair, so I would have to be very descriptive and follow both POVs. For this first time, anyway. They continue having sex rather frequently, using a secret passage between their rooms. Arya finds out and confronts Jon after sharing a dragon ride. He admits his feelings but still wants to follow through with the wedding. After some passage of time (at least one month, possibly two - the timeline's messy), Tormund and the others arrive from the North with the captive wight, which they show to everyone at the wedding ceremony. Tormund also blows on the broken horn for the second time, but nothing happens. When Jon learns about the plot to assassinate Cersei, he puts a stop to it and grows angry with everyone involved (that means Arya, Tyrion and Dany). The wedding is a lavish feast filled with miserable people. At the bedding ceremony, Jon is unable to perform (flaccid) and Cersei mocks him for it. He chokes her and finally becomes aroused enough to do his duty. It's a creepy scene, because Cersei is strangely into it. Looking back, it's a pretty big chapter. I wanted to contrast Jon's relationship with Dany to his relationship with Cersei, in a love/hate thing, but it does feel way too long. I might have split this one;

CHAPTER 47 – WHEN THE SUN SETS IN THE EAST

We wrap up things in King's Landing and everybody gets ready to leave for the North. Dany is officially crowned without much fanfare. She leaves Tyrion in charge of the city with a small part of her army. Varys and Davos also remain to focus on the wildfire situation. Samwell Tarly could be added here (or in the previous chapter to see the wedding), though he really doesn't have much to do. He would basically serve as another friend to Jon, who should still be avoiding Arya and Dany. On the road, he continues bedding his wife in that creepy way. Halfway there (a few weeks), she announces her pregnancy, which Qyburn confirms. Arya suspects she's still sleeping with her brother Jaime, so it's unclear who's the father. (sidenote: Jon is the father, but this information won't matter until the epilogue). Before they arrive at Winterfell, the red priests warn of coming danger and try to convince Dany to sacrifice a few lives to protect them, which she rejects. When they get there, Sansa and the amassed forces of the North greet them. Tormund blows the broken horn for the third time and it finally has an effect. A loud crackling sound is heard by everyone (much like the Dragonbinder) and a dark cloud envelops the sky, from West to East, hiding the sun in the process. Tormund dies (much like Yara). Bran announces that the Wall has fallen and the Long Night has begun;

CHAPTER 48 – THE LONG NIGHT, PART 1

In perpetual darkness, they hold a meeting to prepare for battle. Their priority is to evacuate everyone who won't fight back to the South. In the meantime, Dany and Jon use the dragons to quickly gather the people who live near the Wall. When they're alone together, Dany reveals that she's also pregnant. Jon is initially confused, but becomes so happy he almost cheats on his wife. He doesn't. Speaking of Cersei, she learns about Alys Karstark and comes up with a plan to kill her and the child. With Qyburn's help, Alys dies in childbirth while Jon is away. Before she dies, Arya promises to protect her daughter (yes, it's a girl - Alysanne) in a scene similar to Ned and Lyanna. When Jon and Dany return, she wants to execute Cersei for her crime, but Jon convinces her to simply banish his wife to Essos. Qyburn doesn't get the same treatment and dies by dragonfire, along with Ser Gregor (this would be framed like that part of the prophecy - "Mountains blow in the wind like leaves"). Jaime begs to be sent away with his sister, to protect her and the child. Jon agrees and so does Dany. (this is also another echo - Jaime's kids were raised by another man, now he gets to raise another man's kid, even if he doesn't know it yet). Speaking of kids, Dany promises to love Alysanne like her own daughter, legitimising her on the spot and giving her the status of Crown Princess, to inherit the Iron Throne after her. This moves Jon so much that he proposes right then and there;

CHAPTER 49 – THE LONG NIGHT, PART 2

Dany and Jon get married under the Winterfell Heart Tree. She should be already showing a baby bump (timeline's messy – let's say she's five months pregnant). Dany gives Dark Sister to Arya, claiming she would make better use of it. Arya is touched by the gift. There is no feast or ceremony, as everyone is worried about the Army of the Dead. Speaking of the devil, they finally arrive and the battle begins in earnest. Winterfell is besieged, but they had prepared as much as they could, setting traps of fire and dragonglass all around outside the castle. It doesn't stop the undead for long. Eventually (the passage of time is difficult to tell with eternal darkness, but it should be no less than a week), the walls are breached and the dead storm inside. While the armies fight below, Dany and Jon fly the dragons above. The walkers are immune to dragonfire, however, and they keep flinging javelins. Dany's ability to ride is hampered by her pregnancy, and Drogon almost dies, being saved at the last second by Viserion, who takes a javelin to the chest and dies. The Night King moves to resurrect the dragon, so Jon takes the opportunity, dismounting Rhaegal and running to face him one on one. He loses the fight and Longclaw is shattered (the Night King won't go down so easily). The only reason he doesn't die is because Arya and Gendry show up to take him away, with Dany using Drogon as a distraction and Theon sacrificing his life so they can all leave. Winterfell falls and many die in the process. Bran, Sansa and a few others manage to escape using secret passages underneath the castle. They rendezvous with the remaining dragons while the red priests stay behind to make sure the Night King doesn't get Viserion by burning the whole place with wildfire;

CHAPTER 50 – THE LONG NIGHT, PART 3

We check back on King's Landing. Varys has been undermining Daenerys in favour of Jon, which puts Tyrion in a difficult position. He's forced to choose between his friend and his queen. He picks his queen and has Varys executed for treason. However, when he gets word about what happened at Winterfell, he's distraught. Not only for the fall of the great castle, but also because Dany and Jon got married, making the execution of his friend basically pointless. On the plus side, he manages to convince the Golden Company (still no elephants) to come and help by promising them land and titles. Most of them are exiled lords, so they quickly accept. They arrive on ships from Volantis and organise another front to face the Army of the Dead. Bran, Dany, Jon and the survivors of the fall of Winterfell stop by Moat Cailin, finding Howland Reed already waiting for them. He reveals his insight into the future and suggests that the final battle must take place at the Isle of Faces in the God's Eye lake near Harrenhal. That is our next destination. Reed remains at Moat Cailin to delay the Army of the Dead, sending his daughter with the rest of the survivors. The timeline is (again) messy, but we can see the passage of time by following Dany's pregnancy. Her belly should be much bigger (seven to eight months). Bran asks permission to touch her belly, which Dany agrees, feeling a bit strange afterwards. At this point, she can no longer fly on Drogon, so they take longer to reach Harrenhal. The Golden Company greets them when they reach the great castle, gifting Jon with Blackfyre, the lost Targaryen ancestral bastard sword. While everyone assumes a defensive position around the God's Eye, Bran takes Jon and Arya with him to the island at the centre of the lake, warning those who remain at the edge of the water to avoid fighting the Night King and allow him to pass. But only him;

CHAPTER 51 – WHEN THE SUN RISES IN THE WEST

At the Isle of Faces, they meet the last Child of the Forest, who lives there with the oldest weirwood tree in Westeros. Bran becomes more talkative, explaining a great deal of lore with the help of the Child. There are only two real gods, Ice and Fire. They created the world and divided it between them, Ice taking the western part and Fire taking the eastern half. However, Fire became greedy and sent men across the Narrow Sea to burn the sacred trees of worship to Ice, who grew desperate enough to create the Night King. Which, in turn, rebelled and attempted to destroy both gods to take their place. The Three-eyed Raven (Bran) is the greatest champion of Ice (Old Gods), while Azor Ahai (Jon) is the champion of Fire (R'hllor). Their duty is to fix this mistake and return order to the world. The long expository conversation ends when the Night King finally arrives at the Isle of Faces (he freezes the water and walks over the lake). Jon moves to fight him alone, but he's stopped by Arya and Bran, who urge him to work together this time. While Arya and Jon fight him physically, Bran will engage in a mental battle with the enemy. This should be the most epic duel ever, and it would be quite a challenge to get it right (I'd have to switch POVs between Arya, Jon and Bran while trying to describe the action both physically and mentally). Anyway, both Bran and Jon die during the fight, but they emerge victorious when Arya stabs the Night King at the exact same spot with the exact same weapon from the show (she kept the dagger even after receiving Dark Sister). At the very same moment, Dany gives birth to a healthy baby boy (Aemon Lightbringer), who opens his eyes just in time to see the dark cloud fade away from the land, from West to East, revealing the bright light of the Sun.

EPILOGUE

Some ten years later. Cersei and Jaime are living in a remote location on Essos (unclear where), raising a dark-haired boy who's very good with a practice sword. Jaime is very proud of him. Cersei is distracted by reading the latest news from King's Landing (she still has spies to keep her informed). Daenerys is Queen and Sansa is her Hand. The Crown is wasting a lot of funds to rebuild Winterfell, to the displeasure of every other lord. Princess Alysanne is praised for her beauty and criticised for her tomboyish nature, while Prince Aemon is just odd. The boy says things nobody should know, and animals behave strangely around him. Worse, he doesn't display any emotion at all when speaking to others. Cersei thinks it might be a good time to set her plan in motion. She will make sure her son Tywin Targaryen sits on the Iron Throne. But she fails to notice Arya Stark watching them from a distance.

So that's basically it. End of the line.

If it wasn't clear, the Three-eyed Raven managed to pass some of himself into Aemon before he was born by touching Dany's belly. That's why Bran changed after that, becoming more talkative and actually helpful.

And you'll notice I kinda forgot (haha) about Arya's Faceless Men side plot. I wanted her to go destroy the House of Black and White, putting an end to those overpowered assassins once and for all, but it was well beyond the scope of this story. The Epilogue hints that she's been travelling, so I guess it could be some follow up story if I ever wanted to continue writing about this.

Which I don't, by the way. This is over for me.

Well, thanks for reading. And sorry for not being able to finish it.

I hope this helps.

01/05/2022.