As everyone made their way to the council room, Jon took his family to one side.
"What were you thinking?" he snapped. "Bringing in these people from Middle-Earth into this fight? It's not even theirs. And we have a new ally."
"Queen Daenerys is no ally to the North," Sansa said. "No one wanted her. And she has not proved herself to be a worthy ally. Whereas Gandalf saved me and brought you back to life the last time he was in here. I trust him more than most of the people that have lived in Westeros during their lives."
"And he has sorted out his home place, Middle-Earth, all his life with his mortal and immortal friends," Arya said. "There has never been anyone here in Westeros to sorting it out. Not even close to Gandalf's standards."
"Look, we need all the help we can get, okay?" Jon said. "And I do not regret bringing Dany here. She will be a better ruler than I ever will."
"She wanted the Iron Throne," Bran said, "but it's not hers. It belongs to Aegon Targaryen."
"And who is he?" Jon asked.
"You."
That made Jon very uneasy hearing that. "I am Jon Snow, the bastard son of Ned Stark and –"
"You are our cousin," Sansa said. "You are the son of Lyanna Stark, our aunt, and Rhaegar Targaryen. Your friend Samwell Tarly told us. Bran has looked into it and confirmed it."
"And Samwell isn't pleased you welcomed the woman who killed his father and brother," Arya pointed out.
Jon didn't know what to say or think.
"Hey, laddies and lassies."
They all turned to see Gimli outside the council room.
"Everyone is here and waiting for you."
"We're coming, Gimli," Sansa said.
Then Jon and his family entered the room. Like Gimli said, he was there along with Dany, Tyrion, Varys, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Eomer, Faramir, Eyown, Jaime Lannister, Grey Worm, the Hound and Bronn who both were drunk. They were gathered around the massive table and were looking at the map of Westeros. Eomer used the map to point out where all the places they had been to rescue as many lives as they could from the White Walkers. Then he pointed to a few places that the people were running from.
"They were running from their homes not because of the White Walkers, but by another being. A being of roaring flames, but not a dragon."
Gandalf looked worried.
"What is it, Gandalf?" Aragorn asked.
"Did you see something on one of your visits here?" Varys asked.
"I really hope I'm wrong and it's nothing to worry about," Gandalf said, "but there was once a rumour that a balrog was here. I do not know and I cannot guess where it came from, not even from Middle-Earth. I came here and I searched for it, but I could not find a trace of it. Ask Bran Stark."
Bran used his powers for a bit. Then he said, "I can't find any balrog in the history of Westeros."
"Like I said, that balrog must be just a rumour," Gandalf went on, "unlike these White Walkers that we all have seen for real."
"So there's White Walkers everywhere except here at Winterfell?" Sansa asked.
"Yes," Eomer said.
"So we can't even run from them let alone hide?" Varys asked. "Fighting is our only option?"
"Unless you or anyone else can think of an alternative," Gimli said.
No one could think of anything else so they all agreed that fighting was the only way for their survival.
"Tell me what weapons and defences you have," Gandalf said.
"We have only swords, shields, axes, bows, arrows, spears, horses and catapults," Jon said.
"That is all we have with us as well," Aragorn said.
"Even if any wildfire was saved from King's Landing before it was destroyed, what good would it fucking do?" the Hound asked.
"It might have created a clearway to get to the Night King," Bronn said.
"The sooner the Night King dies, the sooner we win the war," Bran said.
"What about the dragons trying to protect him?" Eowyn asked. "What if he rides on one of them?"
That got everyone thinking.
"Do you have enough Valyrian steel to make a few spears or arrows?" Gimli asked. "Because if you do, my friend Legolas can fire a bullseye at the dragons. Though each dragon will still only count one."
Legolas just smirked at his dwarf friend. "And King Eomer and the Rohirrim can fire spears and arrows easily," the elf told everyone. "I've seen them at Helm's Deep and Pelennor Fields."
"After this meeting, we will see Gendry and see what can be done," Jon said.
Then the door barged in. Everyone looked to see Pippin running in, followed by Merry.
"Pippin, we're not supposed to be in here!" Merry snapped at his cousin. Then he turned to the others. "I'm so sorry to interrupt, but Pippin here thinks he has a something that will help us win this war."
Gandalf approached Pippin. "Be quick about it, Peregrin Took."
Pippin unwrapped the cloth around the thing he was carrying. It was a jar full of green stuff.
Everyone was amazed at what it was.
"Wildfire!" Tyrion cried.
"So we have got some," Bronn said.
Gandalf snatched it off Pippin. "Fool of a Took! This is very dangerous! Where did you get this? And where have you been keeping it?"
"When we were rescuing the lives in King's Landing before it got destroyed, I found plenty of jars under the Alchemists' Guild. This one was the only one I took out. The White Walkers attacked and the place blew up with it so I escaped."
"All the same, you could have been killed by it," Gandalf said.
"Yeah, fart on wildlife and your buns will get really roasted," Bronn said.
"Roasted buns? Hmm." Pippin closed his eyes happily. Then he got hit in the arm by Merry.
"Not that kind of roasted buns, you idiot," Merry said. "He means if your bottom fell into Mount Doom."
"Or worst," the Hound said.
"Oh," was all Pippin could say after he got it.
Gandalf took the wildfire jar to the table. "Well, at least we have more hope now. I can see the defences have been prepared and everyone who can fight is being trained."
"The only thing we can do now is make arrows and spears out of Valyrian steel and see if we can use the wildfire wisely," Jon said. "Right, let's get down to business."
As everyone headed out of the room, Gandalf took Merry and Pippin to one side as the others continued to walk. "I have a task for both of you," he told them. "I want you both to keep an eye on Daenerys."
"You mean the one who lost the dragons?" Merry asked.
Gandalf nodded.
"And the one Sansa doesn't trust and –"
The wizard shushed him.
"Why are you giving us this task, Gandalf?" Merry asked. "Why can't you send a Gondor soldier or Rohan soldier to spy on her?"
"Because of your extraordinary hobbit abilities," the wizard replied. "With your small heights and your quiet walking, she will not suspect you, but still be as stealthy as you can. And do not believe one word she says. Lady Stark was right. She cannot be trusted." Then he left the hobbits to their task.
"So what do we do, Merry?" Pippin asked.
"We'll do what Gandalf told us to do."
"I meant, how are we going to do it?"
"Watch and learn," Merry said.
Pippin was still confused as he followed his cousin.