Beyond the Wall…

Donned in all black, Jon Snow stood as the south gate was steadily raised upwards. Trekking through the tramped snow beyond the Wall, Jon examined the corpses of dead wildlings scattered across the area – cut down with arrows, smashed with rocks. The bastard of the North examined one corpse in particular, Dongo the Doomed, a fallen giant with a scorpion bolt protruding through him as ravens had gathered to feed on his flesh.

Jon stopped moving, looking back over his left shoulder where the Night's Watch's scythe smashed bodies of the wildlings who tried to climb the Wall now lie in a pile of broken bones and twisted limbs. He looks forward to his right, where Mag Mar Tun Doh Weg's flaming bull mammoth stomped a swath through the wildling army's ranks in its panicked final moments, leaving piles of crushed wildlings.

Removing his sight from the battered frozen no-man's-land, Jon continues the longest walk of his life into the Haunted Forest beyond the Wall towards his destination: Mance Rayder's camp. A sprawling jumble of tents and cookfires and latrine pits were seen in the trees, children and goats wandered about freely, sheep bleating amongst the trees as wild horses were pegged up to dry. Jon knew there were multiple men, women and animals numbering in the tens of thousands; despite losing the entire southern assault force of 4,000 during the first wave, the wildling army still remained strong.

And Jon remembered not to sneak up on wildlings in the woods: men in front of him had been waiting for him, watching his movements cautiously with weapons in hand as more emerged from the trees behind him. Recognizing his was surrounded on all sides and by himself, Jon raised his hands above his head. They lost friends and family to the Night's Watch and wanted to tear Jon to pieces, but none were permitted to lay a hand on him so long as he remains under a banner of truce.

The King-Beyond-the-Wall Mance Rayder finally emerges from his tent, not surprised by Jon's presence again; word of his arrival evidently preceded him.

"You're wearing a black cloak again," he observed.

Jon nods. "They sent me to negotiate with you."

Mance opens the flap of his tent and motions Jon inside. Jon follows with six of the chieftains keeping a close eye on him. He knows they don't trust him, not after what happened. Mance sits on the nearest stool facing the tent entrance with Jon sitting opposite to him.

"This wasn't the first time my trusting nature got the better of me," Mance lamented. "You know, I really was hoping your loyalty to us was real, Jon Snow. Believe me, I really did."

"Qhorin Halfhand ordered me to join your army and bring back whatever information I could to Castle Black," Jon explained. "I was loyal… to him. And to my Night's Watch vows."

Mance raised an eyebrow. "All of them?"

Jon lowered his eyes.

"Ygritte wasn't enough to turn you? Were you enough to turn her?"

"She put three arrows in me when I escaped."

"Did you see her again at Castle Black?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"She… Ygritte's dead," Jon replied mournfully.

"Was it at your hands?" Mance pressed.

"No."

Jon reflected back during the Battle of Castle Black; how Olly shot an arrow that pierce Ygritte's heart. Olly was a young boy, but Jon didn't want to mention that at all. Mance somehow must've detected this and leaned forward.

"I suppose that's for the best then. She really did love you, that Ygritte, even if you did indeed wronged her the way you did," he remarked. "You really caught us off-guard for a moment, you know?"

Jon blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I half expected there'd be more than 100 crows up on that Wall, but instead there's more than 8,000 of you; gave us quite a fight. How did the Night's Watch increase their numbers so quickly?"

"I… wasn't expecting that either."

One of the wildling chieftains approached. "Liar! Once a crow, always a crow! You can't trust this one. Who's to know what other lies he's trying to feed you?"

Mance raised his hand up, silencing the disgruntled wildling. "Well?" he asked again.

Jon thought hard about this; then he faintly remembered a distinct letter arriving from the capital city to Acting Lord Commander Alliser Thorne's office weeks before the battle started.

"My sister… well, my half-sister, is married to King Daveth Baratheon—ruler of the Seven Kingdoms south of the Wall," Jon answered truthfully. "She must've persuaded him to send more men and supplies to the Night's Watch; probably enough to man the other castles long since abandoned until recently."

Mance listened to every word. Nodding his head, the King-Beyond-the-Wall determined that there was no trace of deception in Jon Snow. "Hmm. Clever girl, your sister. Very clever indeed. And a smart lad this Daveth Baratheon is to heed his northern bride's counsel when no one else would."

The King-Beyond-the-Wall raises his cup, with Jon slowly joining him in drinking. He cannot hide the fact that fermented milk tastes like day-old expired cheese and begins wincing.

"That's not wine," Jon coughed.

Mance laughed. "No, Jon Snow. That is a proper northern drink. You did well. Fought hard, killed some of our strongest men. One of our giants went into your tunnel and never came out again. Mag the Mighty, we called him. He was their king, you know, the last of a proud bloodline that stretches back before the First Men. But do you know something?"

Jon shook his head no.

Mance Rayder's tune became serious. "I showed you everything I've got, a whole army at my disposal. 100,000 strong. And what did you do? You fired on us—not a lot, only 4,000 of us. But how long can you continue to hold out before your numbers dwindle again? Before you eventually run out of oil, arrows… men? A lot of my forces will die climbing the Wall, but most will make it over by the end of the day. So, here's me being honest with you, Jon Snow—which is more than you've ever done for me. My people have bled enough. I'm sure yours has too. I'm not here to conquer, that was never my intention to begin with. All I want is to hide behind your Wall, just like you. We need your tunnel. Now, we both know that winter is coming. If my people don't get south of the Wall before winter comes in full force, we'll all end up worse than dead."

Jon doesn't like the way this is going, but Mance is telling the truth and he knows it—which doesn't make Jon's job any easier.

"You wish to make a deal with me?" the King-Beyond-the-Wall continued. "Well, here's what I offer: you can go back and convince your black brothers to open the gates to us, and I swear on my honor that no one else dies. The Free Folk will never raid any nearby village nor will we kill anyone so long as they don't give us any trouble. Refuse, however, and we'll charge the Wall with everything we've got and kill every single crow of the Night's Watch."

Here and now, Jon's eyes, his breathing, the tensing of his arms and legs and fingers are warning him that Mance Rayder will actually go through with the promised threat of attacking the Wall again. Even with the drastic increase in numbers the Night's Watch experienced, the sworn brotherhood was still heavily outnumbered and probably might not survive such repeated assaults from a group of very determined, fierce wildlings. Regardless, Jon Snow was ready to kill and to die. But before either side could make a move, however, outside the tent everyone begins to hear horns and trumpets sounding in the distance.

*AHOOOOOOOOO!*

The wildling chieftains look to each other and to Mance. Mance stands and draws on Jon, bringing his blade tip within inches of Jon's face.

"Are you attacking us?!" he accused.

Jon shook his head. "No! That war horn doesn't belong to the Night's Watch!"

Mance shoved Jon aside. "If you're lying to me, you're a dead man."

The King-Beyond-the-Wall storms from the tent to investigate, followed by his chieftains. Two of them grab Jon Snow and drag him along. Outside, Jon finds utter chaos; people running every which way. Wildlings fleeing into the fog, some of them were tossing aside their weapons in panic.

"HOLD!" Mance rallied his troops. "To me! To me!"

Despite his calls, the downside of freedom is how easily it falls apart. Mance's generals form up around him, however, protecting their King-Beyond-the-Wall. Further in the eastern direction, the source of why people are running from a new threat. Heavy sounds of footfalls of armored horses and clangor of full plate came charging into view, breaking through the fog revealing a great, well-formed column of heavy cavalry charging up the middle of the wildling encampment like a spear of horseflesh and black steel. Some of the soldiers charging in on horseback were seen holding up small banners depicting a crowned black stag engulfed in a red burning heart; they've been cutting down the wildlings, setting fire to their tends and drove implacably forward.

Mance and Jon look to the left, where another cavalry column is coming at them in the same fashion. The same on the right. A pincer maneuver designed to do one thing: encircle Mance Rayder. A force of 28,000 heavily armored men surround battalions of widlings in skins and furs. Riding down the center column, Lord Stannis Baratheon of Dragonstone rode into view with Ser Davos Seaworth riding at his side and a personal guard of Baratheon knights.

The Free Folk, however, refused to budge an inch. A few spit in the snow, hefting their weapons, ready to die to secure their freedom. Stannis unsheathed his sword and signaled the attack.

"Stannis! Stannis! STANNIS!" his men chanted and attacked.

"Lord of Light defend us!"

"For Stannis!"

"For R'hllor, the one true God!"

'The Stannis Baratheon? King Robert's brother?' thought Jon Snow, recognizing who the attacker was. 'If that's so, then… then it's done. They'll break rank soon.'

Some of the frightened wildlings were running, throwing down their weapons, Hornfoot men and cave dwellers and Thenns in bronze scales, they were running—scattering like leaves before a storm. Because they were only expecting attacks from the Wall, the Free Folk unknowingly left their eastern flank totally exposed, a tactical flaw Stannis easily exploited and attacked the camp in a perfect double envelopment like he did at Fair Isle as his nephew Daveth did at Moat Cailin and again at the Sunset Sea. Members of a dozen different wildling tribes who've been killing each other for centuries all prepared to fight and die for their King-Beyond-the-Wall.

Slash after slash, blow after blow, stampede after stampede… the wildlings fell one by one. With their armor, their horse and their numbers, Stannis Baratheon's men proved too much for Mance Rayder's forces. Suspecting duplicity, one of the chieftains presses a dagger to Jon Snow's throat.

"Treacherous crow!" he snarled.

Jon resisted. "I did not call them here! The Night's Watch takes no part in southern politics!" he protested.

Before he could cut Jon's throat, Mance Rayder raises a hand up.

"Stand down," he orders.

Every wildling looks at him, uncertain as to what they just heard. Realizing that his once massive army was caught completely off-guard and knowing that the Free Folk never faced mounted heavy cavalry before, Mance gives the order to spare his people still under siege from both the north and southern fronts.

"Stand down!" he repeats himself. "I said my people have bled enough, Jon Snow, and I meant it!"

As Stannis and his men approach, Mance Rayder angrily throws his sword at the ground near Stannis's feet. He looks to his men and they all throw down their weapons as well. The wildling chieftain holding Jon Snow lets him go. The Baratheon knights look to their liege lord; Stannis dismounts and approaches Mance. Davos dismounts behind him and follows.

"Round them up!" exclaimed a Baratheon cavalryman.

"So," Stannis eyed Mance up and down, "you're the infamous King-Beyond-the-Wall I've heard so much about?"

Mance offers a nod but nothing more.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Never had the pleasure."

Davos stepped forward. "This is Stannis Baratheon, Lord of Dragonstone and uncle to His Grace King Daveth Baratheon, sovereign monarch of the Seven Kingdoms."

"How did you get to us so quickly?"

"Our knights landed at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea," the Onion Knight explained.

Jon looked curious. "Commander Cotter Pyke just let you through?" he asked.

"Ah, so that's who that is. Yes, he led Lord Stannis along the ranger's roads to take the wildling unaware."

Stannis hummed. "In the name of Daveth of the House Baratheon, First of His Name, King of Westeros and Shield of His People, it is customary to kneel when surrendering. Now kneel."

Mance shook his head. "We're not in the Seven Kingdoms. You're not dressed for this weather. And we do not kneel."

"I'll have thousands of your men in chains by nightfall," Stannis threatened. "They won't be placed on my ships, they won't be fed on my ships. I'm not here to slaughter beaten dogs. But the fate of your people depends on their King."

"It doesn't matter; the answer is still the same," Mance repeated, shaking his head again. "We do not kneel."

Stannis frowned. "So be it," he gestures to his subordinates. "Take these men away."

Two guards draw their swords again and step forward. As Stannis's men begin taking the prisoners, Davos notices Jon Snow and points him out to Stannis.

"My lord," he spoke up.

Stannis turns towards Jon and notices him.

"What's a man of the Night's Watch doing in a wildling camp?"

"I was sent to discuss terms with the King-Beyond-the-Wall," Jon explained.

Davos shook his head. "Come now, boy, Daveth is the one true King. You know that."

"I know he's the King," he responded. "My father died for him, and my sister is married to him." Jon turns to Stannis, meeting the elder Baratheon's gaze. "My name is Jon Snow, my lord. I'm Ned Stark's son."

For a moment, Jon has become more interesting to Stannis Baratheon than the King-Beyond-the-Wall Mance Rayder. Stannis looks more directly at Jon.

"Your father was an honorable man," he said.

Jon nodded. "He was, my lord."

Stannis turns and looks at Mance before returning to Jon. "Tell me. What do you think your father would have done with him?"

Jon looks to Mance, whom he had been negotiating with minutes ago while Mance stares defiantly at Stannis. The King-Beyond-the-Wall and the wildling chieftains all look to Jon; Stannis doesn't seem like the kind of man who asks a question if he's not interested in the answer. Jon looks at Mance before looking at Stannis.

"I was this man's prisoner once. He could've tortured me, he could've killed me… but instead he spared my life. I think my father would've taken him prisoner and listened to what he had to say."

A long pause sat between the men. Stannis looks from Jon to Mance, lowering his head for a moment as if he's weighing Jon's advice before giving a curt nod.

"It would seem our goals coincide with one another," he agreed. "Ser Davos, take him."

Davos leads Mance Rayder to Stannis's personal guard. As Stannis turns to walk away, Jon steps forward and stops him.

"My lord," Jon calls out.

Stannis looks over his shoulder. "What is it now?"

Jon looks at the pile of dead wildlings. "If my father had seen the things I've seen, what all of us at Castle Black have seen, he'd tell you to burn the dead before nightfall. All of them. Now."

In Meereen…

Residing within the audience hall of the Great Pyramid, Daenerys Targaryen remained a guest of the slave rebel leader-turned-Queen of Meereen Saqnizza Dhardu. Although she now commands not just three live dragons: Drogon, Viserion and Rhaegal – each of whom are grown as large as a small horse, but still large enough to serve as destructive weapons of war – but also an army of 8,000 Unsullied eunuch soldiers. Under the guidance of Jon Connington, Daenerys had been pondering the actions of her father King Aerys II Targaryen and the revelation Connington told her nearly a year ago.

Ever since word arrived in Meereen that the Slavery Alliance not only reclaimed but re-stablished slavery in Astapor and Yunkai, the Dragon Queen decided to stay in Meereen to gather more knowledge and experience before pacifying the three cities of Slaver's Bay before resuming her quest to retake the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. But Daenerys looked tired; she hasn't slept much in the past few nights—not since Drogon, the largest and more aggressive of her three dragons, snapped at her with a hiss and flew off without warning.

Grey Worm and Missandei stand at ease on either side of her. Connington, meanwhile, tapped the table, getting her attention.

"A house with great wealth and fertile lands asks you for protection against another house with a strong navy that could one day oppose you," he lectured. "How do you know which choice is wise and which isn't? Do you have any experience of treasuries and granaries or shipyards and soldiers? A wise ruler knows what they know and what they don't know. You're young, child. A young ruler listens to their councilors and the wisest ones continue to listen to them long after they've entered their majority."

Missandei tilted her head. "You've experience in such things, Lord Connington?" she asked curiously.

"In my younger days, yes, though unfortunately most of us tend to gain wisdom in our old age. And by then it all comes a bit late. Happens to us all and there's no stopping it."

"Tell me, Lord Connington," Daenerys asks, "if there was one thing you could have changed, what would it be?"

Jon shook his head. "If I'm putting it blunt, Your Grace… I would have changed how I approached the Battle of the Bells during the Usurper's rebellion."

"I've not heard of the Battle of the Bells. What did it entail?"

"When I was Hand of the King under your father, child, he tasked me with pursuing the rebels at the Stoney Sept in the Riverlands and snuff out the rebellion. It was after we won at the Battle of Ashford. Instead of ending the war with one swift stroke, I spent too much time searching from house-to-house for Robert Baratheon. Being young, hot-headed and a bit ahead of myself as I was in my youth, I sought to engage the Usurper in single-combat but…"

"What happened?"

"The rebel host led by Starks, Arryns and Tullys arrived and surrounded the royal forces on all sides. Urban fighting made it hard to hold the army together, as I eventually learned the hard way. King Aerys blamed me for the defeat at the Battle of the Bells; he stripped me of my lands, titles and wealth and exiled me to Essos. Knowing what I know now, I would have burned Stoney Sept—which would've ended the war in House Targaryen's favor."

Daenerys frowned. "Despite the loss of innocent people's lives, Lord Connington? If that's the path we must take, then we're no different from my father."

Jon was surprised.

"You served my father, Lord Connngton," she continued. "It was you who told me who and what he really was. What he did… I know how the Mad King got his name. And I will not be like him. I will not be a Queen of the ashes. If I cannot learn what it means to rule properly, then we're no better than him. I will not let those I helped free slide back into chains like Astapor and Yunkai did. I'll not sail for Westeros yet, not until I'm certain I'm ready. So I will do what Queens do: rule. And I will learn from my failures and misgivings."

"Ah, you're more idealistic than you make yourself out to be child," he signed. "But there are times where certain situations demand a monarch to make such hard decisions. It's not easy and they go against our own desires, yes, but they are indeed necessary. There is no in-between."

Daenerys's frustration upon hearing this, but silently acknowledges the ugly fact that there are no easy choices in this situation. She's not happy about it, but the Dragon Queen doesn't know what else to do for the moment. A servant arrives with a sealed scroll.

"A message for you," she said in a thick Low Valyrian accent.

Jon and Daenerys acknowledge the guttural speech. Connington breaks the wax seal and reads the parchment. Daenerys observes Connington's posture and notices a deep scowl forming across his face.

"It would appear that you're intention on reclaiming the Iron Throne just got a bit more difficult, child," Connington said, his tone of voice was serious.

Daenerys was curious, yet slightly concerned and annoyed. "What do you mean?"

"It would appear that the Usurper's boy, Daveth Baratheon, has sired heirs of his own. As long as they live, your throne will never be secured."

Daenerys frowned, angry and disturbed by the notion. "I am not a murderer of children, Lord Connington."

Jon pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head in frustration. "We already know that, child, but would rival claimants prove to be loyal subjects in the end? Think back to your earlier lessons of what happened when I told you how Tywin Lannister and his men sacked King's Landing to claim the Iron Throne for Robert Baratheon. Your own niece and nephew, Princess Rhaenys and Prince Aegon… both were your brother Rhaegar's children, yet they weren't shown mercy anyway and were butchered like animals. They would have done the same to you and Viserys if Ser Willem Darry hadn't smuggled you both to Braavos."

Grey Worm and Missandei looked to each other, obviously knowing there was some bit of tension brewing between Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Connington—lessons about past failures and retaking the Iron Throne via right of conquest. They respected Daenerys for her mercy and dedication for delivering justice on those who've wronged those less fortunate than they are, but unfortunately Connington hadn't begun to see it that way. Each had their own respective opinions, but separated by generation ideologies. Daenerys traced her fingers over the map detailing Westeros and Essos.

"No need to remind me of that, Lord Connington. My brother Viserys already made sure I knew what had happened," Daenerys said firmly. "Whether how one takes the throne by right of conquest or right of inheritance, they're both just spokes on a wheel often invoking violence and bloodshed. This happens, then that happens, and on and on it spins, crushing those on the ground. It's a cycle that keeps on going with no end in sight."

"Your Grace—"

Daenerys stops looking at the map and is face-to-face with Connington. "I was born to rule the Seven Kingdoms, Lord Connington. And I will. But I will not murder innocent children to get there. And I will not stop the wheel, Lord Connington. I'm going to break the wheel."

Jon raised his hands in frustration and shook his head. Seven hells, the Dragon Queen can be so stubborn sometimes. Before any could speak further, another handmaiden arrived and whispered into Connington's ear.

Jon sighed. "I'll need to take a brief leave of absence for a while."

"Where will you be going?" Daenerys asks.

"There's an old contact of mine near the ruins of Old Valyria, says he has some information for me. Something we could use if we're to take ship to Westeros."

"Then be swift," the Dragon Queen motioned.

Jon nodded and left the audience hall, leaving Daenerys alone with Grey Worm and Missandei. The Dragon Queen looked again at the table in front of her, picking up the wooden war table piece depicting the dragon of House Targaryen—brushing her fingers across it as she gazes at the wooden war table piece depicting the stage of House Baratheon.

"And in the meantime…" she murmured quietly to herself, "I need to know more about this Daveth Baratheon."

Chapter End

Author's Note: Hey guys. Happy New Year and welcome to the year 2019! To express my appreciation for you guys asking for more content, I figured I'd add a dual cameo chapter focusing on two familiar characters. A bit of a change in dialogue between Jon Snow and Mance Rayder before Stannis rode in, but what is your take on the conversation between Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Connington in Meereen? A bit of a slow rift developing over methods in her bid to take back the Seven Kingdoms for House Targaryen and opposing ideologies. Connington obviously wants the babies Lyonel and Cassana dead to secure the Iron Throne for Daenerys, but Daenerys herself has other ideas to take the throne without continuing bloodshed. Think she has something else in mind considering her last statement? Thoughts? Let me know.

kira444: Good to see that Danny is being careful of Connington. His way of thinking is dangerous archaic and self-destructive, and is only going to cause more problems down the road.

God of war: Will mance be killed or recruit for Daveth army with his willding army to face denaries in showdown who will rule seven kingdoms

―It's difficult to say. The Free Folk are loyal to no one but their own; as for Mance Rayder, Stannis won't make a move on deciding his fate without Daveth's say-so.

DaddyChad: I already see it, Daveth married to both Sansa and Daenerys. A dream would become reality for me.

Supremus85: If she is really barren, she could adopt the children as her heir.

Magi Tail Welkin: I hope Stannis is going to be a bit more sound-minded and not eventually sacrifice his daughter.

A contact near the ruins of Valyria? My rough guess is that Gerion Lannister is going to appear.

I also agree with Hear My Fury, Daenerys should swallow her pride and bend the knee to Daveth and reclaim Dragonstone for her family, I could see Daveth giving her the vassalage of House Velaryon, Celtigar and the two other houses of the Narrow Sea, Bar Emmon and Sunglass.

Shade: Quite amazing story, I'm looking forward for next chapter.

―Thanks.

The Three Stoogies: A great chapter like always keep up the great work

―Thanks.

RHatch89: Awesome update :)

―Thanks.

mpowers045: Well I'm glad Dany wouldn't dare to kill the twins even though if they are the grandchildren of the Usurper

―She's that determined to not be like the kind of person her father the Mad King was.

C.E.W: Happy new year.

Wildlings at Castle Black have been dealt with, now the question is how will Mance Rayder be dealt with. Daveth cannot move on a Wildling alliance without prove. Stannis won't execute him without Daveth's consent which no doubt his advisers especially Randyll Tarly will insist on. If Jon Snow can somehow convince Stannis to hold the execution long enough for him to go beyond the Wall to find prove. Maybe he can secure an alliance between the Wildlings and Daveth. But I won't get my hopes up. Your story, your choice.

Daenerys Targaryen is wise to wait and learn for the time being. She only has three dragons yet full grown and she can hardly control, not to mention a small army of Unsullied. In order to ascend her invasion to claim the Iron Throne, she needs the support of at least two or three of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. The population of the Iron Islands have perished, and the Ironborn are on the edge of extinction with Yara, Theon, Euron Greyjoy and his crew being the only known survivors. The Crownlands and the Stormlands are completely Daveth's, as he controls the Iron Throne and the Baratheons have ruled the Stormlands since Aegon's Conquest. The North is now bound to him as he is married to Sansa Stark who is sister of the Warden of the North. The Vale now stands with Daveth following the deaths of Lysa Arryn and Littlefinger. The Riverlands and Westerlands will never join Daenerys. No one in the Reach is going to raise a sword against Daveth after the last failed rebellion, especially since it best military commander Randyll Tarly stands with him. Daveth's saving Prince Oberyn allowing to kill Gregor Clegane has created mixed feelings among the Dornishmen in Dorne. Without the Dothraki or the Golden Company, Daenerys won't have an army big enough to convince any of them. So the best thing she can do now is study her opponents.

Hear My Fury: Oh, Dany. I think you need to stay where you are. If you go and heed Connington's stupid advice the people will see you and your future children as monsters. I say swallow your pride bend the knee to Daveth and live on Dragonstone as a loyal vassal to the Iron Throne. Your family had its chance it failed time and time again. And trust me, Daveth will not be a weak adversary for you. He put down two rebellions, if you go the people will see you as a foreign invader. Quick question on Connington, could it perhaps be Jorah luring him into a trap? And getting into Daveth's graces by giving him his father's enemy?

As for Jon, well I'd be wary of your new brothers. Of course I'd also keep Melisandre close in this case. Just one man's opinion.

―Jorah Mormont remains committed to Daenerys and might seek to take advantage of luring Jon Connington into a trap; somehow convince the Dragon Queen to take him back into her good graces by means yet unknown at the moment. He screwed up by not confessing sooner and Connington exposed him for it; perhaps this could be a way for Mormont to get back at him. Regardless, a Baratheon-Targaryen showdown 2.0 will continue as both seek to understand one another. Daenerys is not gonna give up on pressing her claim to the Iron Throne no matter the odds and Daveth won't back down on defending the realm.