Hi there folks.

Chapter 66: The War for the Dawn Pt.1

Arthur

Arthur sat alone in his chambers, his eyes watching the hearth lit aflame and a hand on a bottle of wine.

It's been a few days, Jon and Daenerys and Mya and others prepared Winterfell for the horde, all while he sat here getting drunk whilst remembering those that had fallen up North and those who are no doubt members of the dead army.

He had failed, and although he had prepared his home to fight the dead, he didn't wish for the fighting to come here.

Part of him was glad Val and Sansa were gone from here. He hoped they would flee the North soon and go further South or even across the Narrow Sea to Essos and find Arya.

His door opened, and his mother walked in, a pitying look on her face. "Get up, son."

"No, I don't think I will." Not until it was time to die, he fled the Gift, but he won't flee his seat, "I wish to drink until its time to die... " His mother ignored him and grabbed him by the hand, taking his wine and throwing it in the fire.

"You are a Stark and Dayne, Arthur. And neither would cower and wait to die; they fight and keep fighting." She said sternly, and he scoffed, thinking how right she was, but he hadn't the will to continue on, "Do it for your wife, for your children."

Children? Arthur looked Ashara in the eye, "Mya told you?" He asked but knew it was fact.

"No, I knew from the other day, when she fell ill after eating some soup. She told me then when I asked, now, come along and see your people." He missed Dusk and Grey Wind. They would have forced him to act right and like a man, like his father.

No, the wolves have to remain with the pack. They have to protect the future.

Walking with his mother into his family hall, remembering the times his family would gather and have supper together, brought a smile to his face.

Robb and Theon joke about the trivial mischief that Arya would get up to. Rickon and his wandering eyes, watching and learning from all of his older brothers. He could imagine his father, looking at him with a smile and gesturing for him to join the family with Jon despite Lady Catelyn's silent protests.

He remembers others as well... Maester Luwin, Rodrik and his nephew Jory. Jeyne Poole and Bethany Cassel gossiping with Sansa over boys.

Now they are all replaced with strangers and people who, without a common cause, would be enemies.

Jon walked up to him with a cup of water to sober him a bit, "Done wallowing in self-pity?" He was asked and he scoffed, drinking the cup and Ashara shook her head at the two of them.

"Behave, we need to be unified." She chastised, and Jon nodded a bit ashamed of how he spoke despite him having a reason to be upset.

"Sorry, Mother." Arthur cleared his throat and walked past his brother and mother, and eyed the room of their commanders and notable followers.

"The dead will come for Winterfell, soon, Arthur," Bran said and he nodded to his little brother's warning.

Arthur felt his throat go dry for a moment, "I have prepared Winterfell for the threat since defeating the Mance Rayder with Stannis Baratheon, the trenches are deep and filled with dragonglass spears, our trebuchets will bring fire and pitch to the undead as well."

Lord Franklyn Fowler rose from his seat, anger and frustration in his voice, "That's what you said about the Wall before leaving the South, how much more will your lies murder."

Arthur felt his jaw tighten, "I murdered none, Lord Franklyn."

Next was Lord Cley Cerwyn, his own vassal who had sworn to him when he led the hunt for Ramsay Snow. "Didn't you? Or the Dragon Queen who fled the battle before the Wall fell? We should abandon the North for somewhere more defensible... " Cley was pained, and he understood it, but it still angered him.

Jon put a hand on his shoulder, sensing his lack of voice, the same being shared with Daenerys who had frowned from shame and regret. "We are all in this together, Lord Cerwyn, Lord Fowler." Jon continued on, "It won't matter how far was run, the Night King won't stop until the continent is in his control, and we are all dead, nothing but meat for his armies."

"Then we go to Essos, flee as the Rhoynish did!" Said Warryn Beesbury from Honeyholt.

Daenerys finally took the stage, "And what's to say the dead won't go to Essos next? The Long Night is a story over there as it was here, Jorah sad so." The hall murmured and spoke among one another, some wanted to run, and others didn't know what to do.

Beric Dondarrion walked to the middle and looked at everyone, "If you all would care to listen... " The hall soon became silent.

"This is a threat to every man, every woman, every child, and every babe still in their mother's womb." Beric removed his eyepatch, "I have died over six times and was brought back for a reason, and the reason is this. We were meant to be here, in the North, and stopping the Long Night from blackening the sky in cold and darkness."

Well said, Arthur thought and sighed deeply whilst stepping close and patting the knight on the shoulder.

"If any wish to flee, they can but those with the courage to stand with us through the night... Thank you." He watched, and none left or made for the door; many saw or will see what's coming and don't want to see their castles and lands turned to nothing. "Fine, let's prepare for one last night of war."

Later on, he was walking the battlements of Winterfell's outer wall, looking over as the large army was working, eating, or training.

Winterfell can be defended by 500 men, let alone the thousands that man it already. What horses they had left had been herded and allowed to graze Southeast toward the White Knife.

Should they lose the trenches, they can close the drawbridge and rain as much fire down on them as possible, the larder having enough food to last several years.

"There you are... " He turned, and Jon approached him and embraced as Daenerys took flight with Drogon. "Sober?"

"I'm afraid so," He laughed with Jon, and the both of them looked over the wall and watched the action below, "I'm sorry about your Order, and the Free Folk that manned the castles."

Jon's face was a mixture of pain and determination, "They were all good men and women, Edd would have made a great leader of the Night's Watch." Now they are relieved of their vows, only to be forced to serve another. "You should get some rest, I could handle things until nightfall."

Sleep would be good right about now, Arthur smiled and put a hand on Jon's shoulder before going to do just that.

Mya

"Come on, ladies, we need a better thrust!"

Mya watched on as Brienne ran one thousand women through their daily training. It was something Arthur decreed, as the North needed all of its strength to fight the undead.

She thought Brienne was good at her role, the lady knight having chosen to stay and protect Bran Stark rather than go with Sansa and Queen Val to White Harbor.

It was very brave of every woman here that had chosen to remain, any other had run South to Moat Cailin or even further than that.

Her mind wandered to the fellow Valemen who traveled North to defeat the dead, a great half being slaughtered at the Gift when the Wall fell. House Waxley, Hunter, and Grafton dying out along with a good many knights and loyal men.

Donnel made it, however, and she was gladdened to see him without an injury, the man had taken the name 'Donnel the Shieldwall'.

"Pretty women... " A knight with the Hightower sigil walked past, his improper words having removed her from mourning the loss of her men. She narrowed her eyes on the man and whatever he was thinking in his perverse head.

The army camp was always hard on the opposite sex, camp followers during the War of the Five Kings having lost their lives due to sleeping with men of Lannister or Stark.

"Ass." She said and bit a piece of dried pork off.

Beric and Thoros came up to her, so had all of the Brotherhood Without Banners, and Sandor too. "You lot leaving?" She asked half-heartedly knowing they weren't but she would ask nonetheless.

Anguy crossed his hands, "No, my Queen. We're here till the end or, the end." A true death or to see another tomorrow.

"Mya, with Bran Stark's ability and his protection being a priority, we would volunteer to do so," Beric said and she furrowed her brow at them, she wondered why they hadn't gone to Arthur with this but then realized why.

A smile formed on her lips, "Very well, protect Bran with your lives." She ordered, and each man nodded, all left except for Sandor, "What's wrong, Sandor Clegane."

"Going to see your husband, it will be the last night to do so... " It was all Sandor said as he left soon after, aiming to train before nightfall.

Arthur is not her husband anymore, she has a new role which is to be out here and train these new female warriors into something to be proud of. She hopped down from where she was sitting and grabbed Lady Forlorn, sheathing the Valyrian sword around her hip.

Putting a hand on Brienne's shoulder, she took over but couldn't help but send a glance back to the castle, wondering if Arthur was alright.

Sighing, she turned back around, "Come on, ladies, I want to see some effort."

Bran

The night was coming close, the sky had already started to darken as Bran was being rolled to the Godswood, it was the plan.

Brynden Rivers said it before parting ways, The Night King wants him dead, he wants the power to be everywhere and to ensure his influence increases.

So he would be here, using the weirwood of his family to find and locate the Night King for the living and make sure either Ice, Longclaw, or the Catspaw dagger pierces its heart and end the Long Night.

Melisandre stood by his side, "Can you help me?" He asked, she looked uncertain, and the cold finally had come, she finally nodded, and he sighed.

With a hand upon the weirwood's face, Bran took control of all of Winterfell's ravens, and all of them flocked and flew around the keep as the grand army of the living prepared for one last fight with the undead.

Through one of the ravens, Bran spotted Jon and Daenerys getting on their dragons, through another, he saw Mya atop the outer wall alongside the archers and Lord Cerwyn and Maege Mormont's daughters.

Outside the wall were fifty thousand Reachmen, the Unsullied, Dothraki, and Northmen, and what was left of the Free Folk. Within stood the Stormlander and Westerlands forces among the Rivermen who had come North too.

Wun Wun and Brienne of Tarth and Podrick Payne joined the Brotherhood, who chose to defend his body and Melisandre, a grim and ready look on the creature's face.

As the sky finally darkened and a great cloud grew to the North, Bran flew half of the ravens out toward the disturbance.

The dead were here, and leading them was the one he was looking for, the Night Knight.

Back at the castle, the horns blew, and Arthur at the front lines called for the trebuchets to begin their barrage of pitch, flame, and oil barrels.

AN: So begins the final battle. The next chapter will be in third person as there are a lot of people experiencing the battle itself.

Now, a moment of silence for another legend, rip Steve. You did indeed break the mold.

Oh I don't if I did but make sure to look at the bio, got some new stuff I'm itching to write on and I also might be busy what with the launch of Starfield coming out tomorrow but I promise to spare time and write out the final battle and epilogue chapters.

Until next time, fare thee well.