CHAPTER 18. THE SACRIFICE

CASSANA

Cassana and Jon return to King's Landing while Daenarys returns to Sunspear. She would send the Dragon Queen a Raven when she was ready to sail North. They would sail up the East coast to East Watch by the Sea with both their armies. Ser Davos organized the supplies for the army while she made plans with Jon. "With the Dragon Queen we can defend the whole of the wall..." Jon says.

"No...We should not let the enemy anywhere near the wall...We need to defeat them on the other side of the wall..." Cassana says. "Your brother can use his gift to locate the Night King's army then we march out to fight him..."

Jon sighs, "You know the snows on the other side of the wall are colder...Also the White Walkers bring the cold with them..."

"You forget I control the winds...Anything they throw at us I can push it back...Also we don't want them getting past the wall...You told me this Night King can raise the dead...His numbers will increase if we allow him to get close to a city like White Harbor or any other place with large numbers of dead buried..."

"What about food? The heavy snows will be hard on supply lines..."

She points to Hard Home on the map, "Didn't you say the White Walkers came to Hard Home?"

"Yes..." He reluctantly replies.

"So we spread our ships out as close to the shore as possible...Archers stay aboard the ships and we build catapults on the ships as well...We deploy our troops and fight them at Hard Home..."

Reluctantly Jon agrees to Cassana's plan. Later she meets privately with Tyrion.

"How are you?" She asks.

"As well as any man who just learned that his mother was raped by the Mad King..."

"You are still my Uncle and I love you no less..."

Tyrion takes a drink, "Thank you for saying that..."

"Look Uncle if anything happens to me while I am in the North...I have named you my heir..."

"Me?"

She smiles, "You sound surprised..."

"Well I am..."

"You are the wisest and smartest man I know...Also while I am away you and Ser Davos will rule in my name..." They had decided to only bring two Dragons just in case things went wrong.

"Cassana...come back..."

"I will try..."

A few days later Daenarys shows up on Dragon's back with Ser Jorah and Asher. "I came so that I can spend more time with Aegon and get to know him..."

Cassana doesn't like it, but she and Jon are family and she will not stand in the way of them having a relationship. "You are most welcome..." Cassana had a pool built in the gardens for herself. No one is allowed to swim in the pool but her. Most of the time she swims in the nude. As she swims under the water her hair waves as she kicks her legs and propels herself with her arms. When she comes up for air Daenarys is waiting. "What can I do for you?"

"I spoke briefly with Aegon..."

"You mean Jon..."

Daenarys smiles, "His mother named him Aegon...he has given me permission to call him by his Targaryen name." Cassana rises up out of the water dripping wet. Her body is muscled and scarred. She wraps herself in a towel. "You..." Daenarys clears her throat, "You have a lot of scars..."

"Most from battle...The rest from being raped..."

"I am sorry..."

"Not necessary...I am over it...I gelded the pig and set him and his ship on fire..." She takes a second towel and starts drying her hair. As Cassana dries her hair she turns to face Daenarys. "Look I know Jon as Jon...And I love him...He is determined to get to know you as his Aunt...and because of that I can accept you...Is that why you came here?"

"Yes...I was also wondering if you would teach me some fighting moves..."

Cassana is silent for a few minutes, "Why me?"

"You are a woman and as such you will not coddle me or take it easy on me..."

"We can start tomorrow and train as we travel North..."

For the next few weeks Cassana shows Daenarys the basics of the sword. Eventually the time for the army to set sail has arrived. They leave two days after Daenarys' ships arrive from Dorne. As they travel Cassana and Jon share a cabin. Word had been sent ahead to White Harbor to prepare winter clothing and armor for the southern forces. The supply ships stop to pick up the armor and clothing while the main fleet sails on to East Watch.

Upon arriving at East Watch Bran insists that Jon fly to Castle Black. So Jon, Bran, and Cassana fly to Castle Black. Upon arriving Bran leads Jon to a secret room under the castle. A room no one knew existed and inside the room on a marble pillar rests a sword.

"Jon this is Lightbringer and you will need it to stop the Night King..." Bran says, "Go ahead and take it..."

When he takes up the sword nothing happens. The legends say that the sword will burst into fire and light when Prince who was promised touched it. "Perhaps I am not the Prince..." Jon says.

"Bring the sword to me..." Bran says. When Jon brings him the sword Bran touches his hand, but does not take the sword. His eyes turn white and so does Jon's. The two stand by a weir-tree, there is a man present, but his back is to them.

"Who are you?" Jon asks.

While the two are in a trance Cassana stands and watches them. After two hours Jon and Bran come out of the trance. "Well?" Cassana asks. Jon says nothing and walks away. "What happened?"

"It is not my place to say...You must ask Jon..."

She finds him in his room, "Are you alright?"

"I wish to be alone now..."

Cassana tries to get Bran to tell her what is going on, but he will not reveal anything. A day passes at Castle Black and then a second day. "We cannot stay here any longer an idle army is not a good thing..."

"Your Grace I ask you to be a little more patient..." Bran asks. "We cannot defeat the army of the dead without Jon..."

Patient was not a virtue of anyone named Baratheon and Jon seemed to be avoiding something painful. On the third day Cassana had ordered her troops to leave as she would not wait any longer. She is in her room packing and there is a knock. "Enter!" Cassana smiles as it is Jon.

"Something wrong?"

Jon walks up to her and takes her hands, "Know that if there were any other way I would have chosen that path..."

"What are you talking about?"

Cassana wasn't expecting it, especially from someone she loved. Jon surprises her by striking her in the throat. As she gasps for air he draws a sword and plunges it into her heart. "I'm sorry...I am so sorry...Please forgive me..."

As her life's blood pours onto the floor the a bright light fills the room. A light from the sword Jon stabbed her with. As Cassana's eyes close the last thing she sees is Melisandre. They say that at death one's life flashes before their eyes. Cassana sees it all, her birth, life as a child, a young woman, and a an adult. Everything conversation she ever had is seen in her mind. Then suddenly Cassana feels coldness, the light and warmth. Air fills her lungs and she feels as if she had been under water and is coming up for air.

Cassana gasps and her eyes pop open. She is in a bed, "Jon!" She screams.

"It worked!" Brienne says. "I will never leave your side again..."

The place where Cassana was stabbed is bandaged, "How do you feel?"

Cassana looks at Melisandre, "Tired..." She looks around the room, Daenarys is present.

"Welcome back..."

"I need food..." As she eats sitting up in bed Cassana's strength returns. She looks at Brienne. "Where is he?"

"Under House arrest..."

"I want to see him..."

"You should rest..."

"Now!" Cassana commands. An hour after she is done eating two of her own men escort Jon Stark into the room. His hands and feet are shackled. "Leave us!"

"But my Queen..."

"Leave us now!" Her eyes stay fixed on Jon as everyone leaves the room.

"I am glad you are alive..."

"Why?" She asks with teary eyes.

"In order to stop the Night King I needed the sword Lightbringer...The power of the sword has a terrible price...I had to sacrifice that which I love the most...I wanted to tell you, but if you knew it would not work...The only reason I did it was because Melisandre reassured me she could bring you back to life..."

"And what if she could not?"

"She bought me back to life there was no reason for me to doubt her..." There is a awkward moment of silence, "Brienne fought hard to keep your men from attacking mine.."

"Indeed...Guard!" They enter the room, "Remove his shackles..." As they obey Cassana's head falls to the pillow. "Now leave me I need to rest..." Cassana is fast asleep when she is awakened by the sound of a horn. When it sounds the second time Brienne bursts into the room. "What's happening?" Cassana's question is answered as the horn sounds the third time.

"The White Walkers are attacking..." Brienne says.

Cassana tries to get up, but she is too weak to move.