Chapter 10. 2,000 Vs. 100,000
Jon Snow bastard son of Eddard Stark and brother of Robb Stark King of the North sat in the grand hall with all 100 members of the Night's Watch. Jeor Mormount Lord Commander of the Night Watch was dead, betrayed by his own men. Jon had just returned from Caster's Keep killing the men responsible. Also to keep them from falling to Mance Raydar the King Beyond the Wall.
"Lord Snow…You are well acquainted with the wildling filth…what do you suggest we do?" The question was asked by Allisar Thorne acting Lord Commander since the death of Jeor Mormount.
Allisar has held contempt for Jon ever since he joined the Night's Watch. Jon stands slowly, "As I said Mance Raydar is coming with 100,000 men. We should collapse the tunnel…If not the Wildling Army will reach Riverrun before any real army can stand against them…"
"You would have us close the tunnel?" Janos Slynt the former commander of the City Watch of King's Landing.
"Seal the tunnel!" Allisar repeats, 'And how are supposed to do our job if we seal the tunnel?"
"Our job is to protect the seven kingdoms!"
Allisar looks at Chief Mason Davet to his right, "Lord Davet you are Chief Mason…Should we listen to Lord Snow's suggestion?"
Davet swallows hard, "I like our chances of victory if we did seal the tunnel…"
"We are not sealing the tunnel! Lord Snow…You and Sam will take watch on the wall…The rest of prepare for war!"
"You should be Lord Commander." Sam says looking at Jon, "I mean it's what the Lord Commander wanted."
"My time will come…" Jon replies thinking about Yara as they go to visit Ghost Jon's Dire Wolf. The Wolf had been locked up for the past few days. When Jon opened the door Ghost walked up to him and licked his face. Then Jon gave the animal some meat to eat.
Sam pokes his head out to see if anyone is in ear shot, "You know if gave the word…the men are yours…"
Jon looks at Sam, "That is not our way…It's not my way either…"
That is when the horn is sounded, "Open the gates!" A man shouts.
Jon and Sam lock the door and watch as a man wearing Karstark armor leads 2,000 men into castle black. 'Where is the Lord Commander?" The leader shouts.
Allisar and Slynt come running onto the porch. "I am Acting Lord Commander Allisar Thorne.
The man dismounts his horse, "Sir Vantose of Karstark…I bring reinforcements from the King in the North…" Vanstone points at a wagon entering the courtyard, "Those men are sons of Walder Frey…They have been sentenced to the wall…If they do not take the oath then they are to be executed…" Then he hands Allisar a letter from Robb Stark. "I looking for Jon Snow…"
"Snow! Come here!"
Jon runs up and then Vanstone hands him two sealed letters, "This is from the King and this is from your cousin Justin Stark…"
When he says Justin's name he looks at Vanstone, "Justin is alive?"
"Yes!" Vanstone waves his hand, "We found these Wildlings and killed all but these three…The big man is the leader…The other one surrendered and the woman…Well she claims she is pregnant and I don't kill pregnant women…" Jon was about to open the letter from Robb, but he stopped when he spotted Yara on her knees. "I thought you might want to interrogate them…:"
"Take them away…" Allisar ordered, then he looks at Jon, "Aren't you supposed to be on the wall?"
"Yes sir…"
As Jon and Sam walk off Allisar turns his attention to Vanstone, "Come Sir Vanstone we have many preparations to make…"
Jon tears open the letter with Sam standing beside him and reads:
To my brother Jon Snow of the Night's Watch
First! Justin is alive and has returned…He also rescued Sansa from King's Landing…Because of him we are winning the war again…as he bought 60,000 swords with him…Arya has also been found…By the time you get this letter I will be on the march towards Casterly Rock…
Jon I am King and as King I am going to do what my father should have done…You are my brother and as such you will no longer be known as Jon Snow…From this day forth call yourself Jon Stark…I only wish now that I had spoken up and asked you not to join the Night's Watch…
With great Love and Respect
Your Brother Robb Stark King in the North
Jon smiled handing the letter to Sam who asked to read it. As he reads it Jon opens the second letter:
To Jon Stark of the Night's Watch
Hello Cousin…I hoped to return and find you still at Winterfell…You always talked about joining the Night's Watch when we were younger…I can't blame you with the way Aunt Catelyn acted towards you…I am glad that Robb found it in his heart to make you a Stark…In my eyes you always were one…When this war is over I will come and see you with my own eyes…So stay alive cousin
With Love
Your Cousin Justin Stark
After reading the letter Robb stares into the distance searching for the slightest sign that Mance and his army are here. He also thinks of how things would have been if he had not taken his vows or come to the wall at all. "What was she like?" Sam asks breaking his line of thought.
Jon sighs, "Who?"
"You know the wildling girl…"
"Her name is Ygritte…" He sighs, "And you saw her when Sir Vanstone brought the Wildling prisoners in.
Sam gasps, "No wonder she looked at you as if she could rip your head off…" Jon smiles, "Did you consider even in the lightest about betraying the Watch for her?"
He smiles looking at Sam, "Never considered it for a moment…"
Sam hunches his shoulders, "You know she is pregnant…"
"I know!"
"What are you going to do?"
He sighs, "I don't know…" He looks at Sam, "Go get some rest I will take the rest of the Watch…"
Wildling Camp
Mance's forces converge on the wall, "Mance!" Dabarr yells running up, "They all dead…I saw them…" Dabarr is a Warg.
"You sure?"
"I saw them and a force of 2,000 men enter castle black…"
Mance stares at the Wall, "Go fetch me the Lord of Bones and two giants…"
Top of the Wall
Jon yawns as Sir Vanstone joins him, "I see how the men respect you and how Commander Allisar treats you…Give the word and my men are yours to command…"
Jon looks at Vanstone, "No that will not be necessary…I am a brother of the Night's Watch…Titles mean nothing…My time will come…"
"Okay will you at least allow me to place a guard around you…"
"Why?" Jon asks looking at him.
"One of my men heard two sons of Frey talking…They mean you harm for how the King took the Twins…Watch your back Lord Stark…"
Courtyard
When Sam reaches the courtyard he hears Gilly's voice at the main gate. "Let her in!"
"But Lord Allisar said…"
"Fuck what he said just open the damn gate…I'll take responsibility!"
Pyp stared at him in shock, "I never heard you use that kind of language before…"
"Well we are at war…"
"Thank you I had nowhere else ta go…" Gilly said, that is when the horn sounded.
"Gilly come with me…" Sam leads her to the storeroom, "You'll be safe here…"
"Wait don't leave me!"
Sam kisses Gilly shocking her, "My brothers need me!"
"You'll be killed!"
"I swear I will be back…just stay here…"
"You men with me to the top of the wall…" Allisar shouts, "Sir Jeremy take charge down here!"
Top of the Wall
"The biggest fire the north has ever seen…" Jon whispers remembering Mance Rayder's words.
"Now is the time to say it Snow!" Allisar says joining him.
"Jon looks at him, "Say what Lord Commander?"
"I told you so…" He returns Jon's stare, "The burden of every leader, king, lord, in my Commander is that they have to listen to the opinions of smart mouth underlings. The underlings get make faces behind the backs of their superiors and watch them make fools of themselves…"
"I don't think you are a fool sir…We just don't see eye to eye…"
Allisar turned to the armies gathering below at the tree line, "I know why Mormount chose you…I just don't like you Snow…But tonight we need each other as brothers of the Night's Watch…"
"I will not fail you Lord Commander…"
"Alright you pussies load those barrels and ballistae…Get ready we are at WAR! Fire on my command only!" The Wildlings release a war cry and charge the wall, but one of Allisar's men drop a barrel. "You stupid fucks! When I say hold I mean hold! Mess up again and I'll drop the lot of ya over the wall myself…Do you get me!"
"YES LORD COMMANDER!" They all replied.
As the hoard of Wildings approached Jon would look down then at Allisar, "Send these infidels back to the seven hells…FIRE!"
Over a thousand arrows rain down on the attackers, along with javelins fired from ballistae. Several men manned large cross bows attached to chairs that hung over the wall. That is when Mammoths roared exiting the forest with giants riding them. "Son of a bitch…" Allisar says looking at Jon. "I want two hundred bows and one ballistae on the giants and their steads…Fire!" One giant was impaled in the chest by a ballistae. But another giant with a large crossbow fired up and killed the man on the ballistae. The ballistae was destroyed as well as the man flew up and backwards to the courtyard below.
Allisar watches as the two giants latch a rope to the tunnel gate below, "Release!" The barrels go flying down below and blow up. The Mammoth runs off with a giant chasing it. He is hit in the leg by a javelin. Then he shot down by thirty arrows fired from the same ten archers. They are charged with shooting down giants.
"Load it up again!"
Vanguard of the Wildling Army
"You'll never make that shot!' The Lord of Bones says to Mance Rayder.
Mance looks to his right, "All your game for a month if I do…"
"You got it."
Mance pulls back on his long bow, but he does not fire. Then he climbs into a tree and takes aim again. He shoots the flaming arrow into a barrel and it explodes. "Alright you know what to do!" Mance says to the Lord of Bones.
Top of the Wall
Jon helps Allisar up, "What the fuck is wrong with you people? Cover the dam tree line!"
The Nightfort
Sir Vanstone had sent a hundred men to each of the castle on the wall. Mance had also sent a small force of 300 wildlings and two giants to get through the gate and attack Castle Black from the other side.
"We wait here!" The Lord of Bones said with a raven flying overhead.
Wilding Vanguard
Dabarr's eyes were white as was in his Raven. He also had a Dire Wolf and a bear guarding his body. He returned to himself as the Raven returned. "Stay!" He ordered to the Wolf, bear, and the Raven. "They have made it, but there is a force of hundred men at the fort…"
Mance smiles, "Pull them back…"
Top of the Wall
A horn sounds and the Wildlings retreat back to the tree line, "Hold your fire!" Allisar shouts.
"They're retreating!" Pyp says.
"They'll be back…"
That is when they are joined by Vanstone, "That was fun…" He looks at Jon, 'What do you think they are up to?"
Allisar looks at Jon to see how he answers, "They may try to send another force over the wall…Maybe even sail around the wall from the sea…Mance has to know we have reinforcements and men stationed at each castle…"
"We need more men! Can you send word to Lord Stark?"
"I can…"
"Go!" The whole day passes without incident, then as the sun sets a horn sounds and the Wildlings rush from the woods chanting and banging their weapons on shields.
"Here we go again…" Jon says as he is joined by Allisar and Vanstone.
Courtyard
"Do you here that?" A man asked. That is when he was shot in the head.
"GIANTS!"
One of the giants aims his bow at the gate and fires while the other holds a shield up. Then he pulls as a rope is attached to the arrow. He rips the gate down then the Lord of Bones leads a force of 300 Wildlings into the keep. Sir Jeremy takes command of the men in the courtyard. Then a giant enters the courtyard.
Top of the Wall
Once again the Wildlings rush the wall as arrows rain down on them from above. That is when Pyp rushes from the lift, "Lord Commander! Sir Jeremy is dead and there are Wildlings inside the Castle and at the gate…"
"How many?" Jon asks.
"About three hundred!"
"Jon Stark you are with me…You men with me as well and you Sam…Sir Janos take command!"
"Yes sir I am your man…" Another roar splits the air, this time more giants walk out of the forest with huge broad shields. "They are undisciplined…We are men of the Night's Watch!" Janos keeps repeating.
Vanstone and the others just stare at him as he starts to ramble, "Sir the Lord Commander needs you down in the courtyard…"
He looks at Jear, "Me?"
"Yes sir!"
"I must go!"
When he leaves Vanstone takes charge, "Do we have any barrels left…"
"We got nine!"
"When I tell you light them and throw them over…" Vanstone watched as the giants made their way towards the gate with their shields up. "NOW!" They light three barrels and throw them over the side. One explodes six feet above the ground burning the eyes of two giants. The next explodes on the ground, the last barrel explodes on the shield of a giant knocking him off his feet.
"Bring them down! Bring them down! Bring them down!" Vanstone shouts, the ten archers shoot at will at the remaining giants killing them.
The Courtyard
When Allisar arrives in the courtyard with ten men. He looks at the situation, "Lord Stark…I thinks it time you released that wolf of yours!"
"Aye sir! Sam with me!
"Show no mercy!" Allisar and the men with him join the battle in the courtyard. But The Lord of Bones blocks his path. Allisar and Bones face off. One of the brothers tries to flank the Lord of bones, but he loses his head. For a minute it seemed as if the Night's Watch would hold them off. Until a giant bashes Allisar in the shoulder and Bones slashes him across the back. Three men tackle the Lord of Bones while others carry Allisar off. As Ghost tackles a Wildling Jon takes a spear and climbs the walkway. When he is in position Jon leaps down on the giant stabbing it in the head. He lands into a role and cuts off the giants foot with his sword.
The other giant looms over Jon, but he is shot to death by archers on the wall. Then Jon faces off against the Lord of Bones. "Your mine traitor!"
Bones is armed with an axe and a sword. Jon knocks the sword from his left hand and dukcs as the axe comes toward his head. When bones knocks Jon sword away, then he roles forward and stabs him in the foot with a dagger. Then Jon takes his own axe and finishes him off.
Top of the Wall
Vanstone looks over the side of the wall. The men climbing are half way up. He points his hand at men manning the lever for the scythe. "NOW!" He shouts. At his command they pull the lever and huge chunks of the ice wall fall off to reveal a huge three sided blade on a chain. The whole thing is made up of Valarian steel. It swipes across the face of the wall killing wilding climbers by the thousands. "Draw her back up!"
As a horn is sounded the giant who fell from the explosion on his shield gets up to see the body parts of his comrades falling to the ground and blood falling like rain. He gets up and runs to the gate and starts to lift it.
Courtyard
"Jon the gate!" Sam yells.
Jon leads a dozen men up the tunnel to face the giant. By early sunrise it is over and the battle is won. Jon walks through the courtyard as his fellow Watchman gathered the bodies of enemy and friend to burned. The last rights were spoken over the brothers of the watch that had died, then they burned the bodies.
"Jon!" Sam yelled running towards him, "They want you in the Commander's office.
When Jon entered Vanstone, Maester Aemon Targaryen, Othel Yarwyk First Builder, Sir Borcas head of Stewards, Lord Cotter Pyke of Eastwatch, and Sir Denys Mallister of Shadowtower were waiting. Allisar was on his back.
"Jon Snow! Come closer…" Allisar demanded. "It was th…e… wish…" He pauses to cough, "…of Jorah Mormount that you take his place as Lord Commander…I should have listened to you…With my last breath I offer apology and before your brothers of the Night's Watch I name thee…Lord Commander…Protect the realm of men!" He coughed his last breath and died.
"And now his watch has ended…" Jon whispered.
"AND NOW HIS WATCH HAS ENDED!" The gathered brothers repeated.
"What are your orders Lord Commander…" Aemon asked.
"We honor Lord Commander Allisar and burn his body…Then we take stock of remaining supplies…Gather the brothers in the courtyard…"
There were only 87 out of 100 members of the Night's Watch left. Vanstone had lost 211 men himself. They erected a pyre and said the oath over Allisar's body and burned it. After the funeral Jon was walking to the main hall for a meeting with the council when he saw Vanstone. He pulled him to the side.
"I have a favor to ask…"
"We won't survive another attack…" Cotter said, "We should collapse the tunnels now…"
"We could fall back to Karhold at the least…" Othel offered.
"No we stay at Castle Black and send out a rider to seek aid from one of the Stark bannermen…" They all agreed then two men brought Janos Slynt in, "Janos Slynt brother of the Night's Watch…In the face of danger…When your brothers and the people of the seven kingdoms needed you the most you hid like a coward with a woman and her baby…As such I sentence you to man Shadowtower alone for a period of three days…May the gods be with you…Leave now and receive no fire, water, or shelter from the men of the Night's Watch…" They placed a bracelet on his wrist a bracelet of shame and whipped him out of Castle Black.
Top of the Wall
Jon had been summoned to the top of the wall, Jear pointed to a lone figure walking towards the wall with his hands spread out. "Shall I kill him milord…" Eddison asked.
"No he is unarmed they wish to negotiate…"
"But whom do we send? And what are we willing to agree to?" Jear asked.
Jon decided to go having a feeling of who was approaching the wall. Everyman in the Night's Watch expressed their feelings about the new Lord Commander leaving the wall, but Jon insisted stating that he wasn't going to allow someone to do something that he himself could do. "Watch over them boy…" Jon said to Ghost who whimpered.
As Jon exited the tunnel he smiled as he approached Mance Rayder, "Jon Snow…Now why did they send you out?"
"I volunteered!"
"I wish to speak to the Lord Commander…"
"You're in luck because I am he…"
Mance looked him up and down, "I lost 3,000 men Jon Snow attacking the wall…How many do you have left?" Jon didn't answer, "You and your brothers won't survive another assault…"
"And yet you called off the attack…Even if you defeat us how long before someone in the south sends an army to wipe you all out?"
"Better to die fighting real men than die fighting the White Walkers…" When Jon didn't reply Mance narrowed his eyes, "You've seen them haven't you boy? Yes you have…You know what happens to the dead…As Starks say often Winter is Coming and with it the White Walkers…"
"What do you want?"
"Safe passage through the wall and some land for the clans…"
Jon looks up at the sky, "And if we refuse…"
"Then we kill every crow in Castle Black and take the lands of House Stark and their banners by force…"
Jon sighs, "You were once one of us…"
"SO!"
"So there are only two people in the seven kingdoms who grant you safe conduct through wall…"
"The King and the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch…" Mance says finishing the statement.
"Aye!"
"So what is the problem?"
Jon shakes his head, "The seven kingdoms are at war…Joffrey Baratheon killed my father…My brother went to war to avenge him…He was named King of the North…Then there is Stannis Baratheon…Joffrey is not a true son of Robert Baratheon…So he claims the iron throne…"
"So pick a King and get permission…"
"You know the Night's Watch is forbidden to take sides…The best I can do is send a raven to all three and hope for the best…"
Mance looked up in the sky, "You have nine days Jon Snow to get an acceptable deal from the right King…Then we attack at full force…"
Jon offered his hand, Mance stared at it for a few seconds then he interlocked arms with him. Mance pulled him closer, "Tell me something…was there even a small part of you that considered betraying the Watch?"
Jon shook his head in the positive, "Yes…but my father Eddard Stark would have been every disappointed in me…"
"Did any of my people survive on the other side?"
"Tormen and Ygritte are still alive…"
"I want them released…"
"They will not be harmed so long as they behave…Either way they will have their freedom…"