North of the Wall, 303 AC
Stannis watches the horses crashing the Wights, the blazons of the different houses of Westeros mixed all together. Lannisters, Baratheons, Tyrells, Tullys, everyone fights together against the great evil. Soon, the last Others who remained away from the battle get into the fight, to try and save their army. Stannis stands still and starts fighting one, the one who seems to be their leader, but a sudden movement of the enemy makes him fall on the ground and the Other buries his sword in Stannis' thigh. The King yells with pain, but manages nevertheless to keep fighting. His wrist is weak now, he is so tired of fighting, but, with a desperate strength, he cuts the Other's arm that was about to give him the mortal blow. The creature does not even yell, he just stares at Stannis hatefully, and, as he is about to attack him again, despite the loss of his arm, Jon behead him with a single movement.
Stannis leans his head on the snow, and turns his head to the battle, breathing painfully. He sees his men destroying the Wights, he sees Jamie, Jon, and some men with dragonglass fighting the Others who are still alive. He watches one of them disappearing after having been pierced with dozens of arrows. Could they indeed win this fight? He does not really know. He closes his eyes, and, when he opens them again, he is laid on a shield, and men are lifting him up to take him somewhere safe. He can hear the men first cheering. Does it mean they have won? He feels the mutilated hand of Davos on his own hand, and he turns his face to him: the smuggler is covered with blood, but does not look injured himself. After the victory cheers, come the weeping yells. Stannis tries to look around, as much as he can: he sees Robb Stark kneeling on the ground, holding a lifeless Jon in his arms, swaying and crying like a little child. He hears Loras' voice, or rather Loras' voice yelling as he runs to the body of Renly, still holding his sword, but his eyes staring blankly at the sky. My brother, Stannis thinks and tries to sit up, but Davos' hand firmly holds him down. He sees Sandor Clegane picking dead Wildlings and men from the Brotherhood Without Banners. He sees the burning sword of Thoros of Myr laying on the white snow, by its lifeless master. So many deaths, so many fathers, brothers, sons who will not see their home back. And now, even he finds himself alone, no more parents, and no more brothers. He cannot help thinking it is his fault. He should have foreseen what Daenerys wanted to do. And now, they need to take care of the dragons. He stares at the shining sun above his head, and closes his eyes, just to rest a little.
When he wakes up, he is in a comfy bed. He does not wear his armor anymore, and his wound has been cleaned up and stitched. How long has he slept? He wonders as he tries to sit up and try the solidity of his injured leg. He stumbles and falls as soon as he places his foot on the ground. The noise of his fall makes Davos come in:
"My King!" he rushes on him and helps him sitting back on the bed.
Stannis clutches on him:
"The dragons! We need to take care of the dragons! Where is Ser Barristan? Where is Loras? And Robb?! The ballistas!"
"Your Grace, please, calm down" Davos does softly. "You have been very badly injured. You fell into a coma and… as your Hand, I had to take decisions. The dragons are dead, your Grace. When we have won the battle, I took Barristan and he led us to the dragons. They tried to fight back, but our ballistas have been very efficient. It is over, your Grace. They are dead, the three of them. We have cut their heads to show them to the people when we will sail back to King's Landing."
Stannis looks up at him:
"Where is Barristan now?"
Davos looks back at him:
"I thought it would be you to decide his fate. I heard he wanted to join the Night's Watch, if you are willing to allow him to. If I could have warned you… but I could not. I was too scared someone would intercept the message."
"Tell me everything about this", Stannis wearily says and lies back down, exhausted by his few movements.
Davos sits by him:
"We have received the message just after your departure. Too late already, though. Barristan was telling us that Daenerys had foreseen an alliance with the Others to destroy your army. She has never planned to attack King's Landing. She would let the Others destroy us and then, with her dragons and her own army, she would have destroyed the Others, before taking King's Landing without any resistance. This is why I decided to join you: with our numbers, I was sure we could have won. And we did, your Grace. It is over. No one is threatening us, now. We can go home."
Stannis grinds his teeth a bit: this young Targaryen has been cleverer than what he thought. But she is dead, and he is alive.
"Where are we?" he suddenly asks, realizing he does not even know.
"Castle Black, my King", Davos says as if it was obvious. "The Lord Commander is dead…"
Stannis nods slightly, remembering this awful image of Robb holding his dead brother in his arms.
"I know…"
He suddenly looks up at Davos:
"Lady Melisandre? How is she? What happened?!"
Davos hesitates and Stannis grabs his collar violently:
"Tell me!"
The knight startles and looks at his King:
"Do you feel up to walk?" he asks and Stannis briefly nods.
"I need a support", he grabs Davos' shoulder and stifles a yell of pain as he leans on his injured leg. Davos takes him out of the room, and the cold wind feel like a slap into Stannis' face. Every man they pass by bows respectfully, and Stannis nods gratefully. The Hand of the King nods on a wooden door, and Melisandre's voice rings out:
"Come in…"
Thus, she is alive. Stannis holds back a relieved sigh, and lean on the handle of the door. When he gets in, he stifles again a yell, but this time of surprise. Melisandre is in her bed, wearing her usual red dress. She smiles softly at Stannis:
"My warrior", she says with ardour.
Stannis remains speechless and Davos whispers:
"I felt you needed to see it by yourself."
Against Melisandre's chest lies a baby. A real baby. Stannis feels like he is going to burst into tears: how will Aylis react to this? How can this even be? He gives the most confused look ever towards Melisandre:
"I have promised you a son, my King, and I am sorry I have failed you. I did not expect a real baby. You neither, from what I can see. I have no explanation, my King. I just know that, when the men have taken me back to the Night's Watch, I had to deliver on my own. It was very painful, and awfully long. I remained in labor while you were fighting. And I delivered at the exact same moment when the last Other died. At least, that is what I have understood, when Ser Davos came back and told me about the battle."
Her eyes shine with pride and happiness, but Stannis looks down: he has always despised Robert for conceiving bastards, and now, he is just like him.
"Do you want to see her?" Melisandre asks again, and Stannis just takes steps to the bed. The baby is peacefully asleep, snuggled against his mother. She is redhead, and a tiny nose. Stannis nods, as if he was inspecting something and satisfied with the result.
"I can go back to Asshai, if you do not want me at your service anymore" she takes Stannis' hand in hers. He slips it away, gently, and looks at her:
"I need my Master of Whisperer. What is her name?"
"I wanted your advice. But I have thought about Damaris."
The King nods:
"I like it…" he motions Davos to come and leans on him to stand up again. Without a word, he shows the door, and Davos gets him back to the Tower of the King.
Davos leaves to let Stannis rest again and, when the King asks for it, he brings Ser Barristan in the King's room. Stannis looks at him, sitting on a chair, rubbing his painful thigh:
"I need to thank you for your betrayal, Ser Barristan. A shame you did not realize it sooner, and did not join my forces when Robert died", he cannot help the sarcastic tone of his voice.
"I have made a mistake, your Grace, but I must admit I thought it was the good choice, back then. She was about to become as mad as her father, and I could not let it happen. I have always been a Targaryen loyalist, but I am a Westerosi before everything else. I had the chance to help saving my country, and I am glad I have. I understand you consider me as a traitor", he looks at the King.
"What you did was very brave, and I do not punish men for being brave. The Targaryens are all dead now, and your family is vassal of my own. I want you to serve me, as you served my brother, who did not deserve it."
Barristan looks surprised and glances at Davos:
"How can I serve you, your Grace? I am old now."
"I want you to be a military instructor: I have the project of forming an army, a real army, which will protect Westeros in case it needs it."
Barristan gapes:
"Protect Westeros? Against who?"
"Invaders. Others, if they have to reappear. Tyrants. Rebellions." Stannis states carefully. "Do you accept or not?" he says wearily. He is very tired by this day, and needs to rest.
"Can I think about it, your Grace, and let you know my decision when we will be in King's Landing?" Barristan asks.
Stannis nods slowly, too exhausted to argue, and dismisses him with a wave of his hand. When the old knight leaves, Davos helps his King getting in his bed, and he immediately drifts off to a dreamless sleep.