A raiding party consisting of Jon, Tormund, Sandor Clegane, Beric Dondarrion, Thoros of Myr and several Wildlings are ranging beyond the wall of Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. The men trek through a frozen valley filled with jagged rocks. The Wildlings are pulling a sled loaded with gear and provisions. The men are climbing a steep mountain covered in snow.

Tormund said, "Beautiful, eh? I can breathe again. Down south the air smells like pig shit."

Jon grinned and said, "You've never been down south."

Tormund said, "I've been to Winterfell."

Jon said, "That's the north."

The group of men continue north. A Wildling scout is ahead of the group surveying the area.

Sandor said, "How do you keep your balls from freezing off north of The Wall?"

Tormund said, "You have to keep moving. That's the secret. Walking is good, fighting is better, fucking is best."

Jon said, "There's not another woman within 100 miles of here."

Tormund turns to look at Jon. He says, "We have to make due with what we've got."

Tormund said, "Smart people don't come up here looking for the dead."

Jon said, "Never claimed to be smart."

The men are walking across broken slabs of ice and tundra. There are mountains and a lake of ice in the distance.

—--

Snow is falling into the Winterfell courtyard. The ground is covered with several inches of snow. Several braziers are burning and a servant carries a bucket of steaming water across the grounds. Arya is standing on the upper level looking into the courtyard. Sansa approaches her from behind.

Arya said, "Father used to watch us from up here. He wouldn't say much. You probably don't remember. You were inside knitting all the time."

Sansa said, "I remember."

Arya said, "One time the boys were shooting arrows with Ser Rodrick. I came out here after and Bran had left his bow behind just lying on the ground. Ser Rodrick would have cuffed him if he saw. There was one arrow in the target. There was no one around, just like now. No one to stop me. So I started shooting. And every shot I had to go out there and get my one arrow and walk back and shoot it again. I wasn't very good. Finally I hit the bullseye. It could have been the 20th shot or the 50th. I don't remember. But I hit the bullseye and I heard this." Arya starts a slow clap.

Arya said, "I looked up and he's standing right here smiling down at me. I knew what I was doing was against the rules. But he was smiling so I knew it wasn't wrong. The rules were wrong. I was doing what I was meant to be doing and he knew it. Now he's dead. Killed by the Lannisters with your help." Sansa turns to look at Arya.

Sansa asked, "What?" Arya retrieves a raven scroll from her pocket and unrolls it.

Arya said, "That's your pretty handwriting. Septa Mordane used to crack my knuckles because I couldn't write as well as you. 'Robb, I write to you today with a heavy heart. Our good King Robert is dead. Killed from wounds he took in a boar hunt...'"

Sansa said, "You don't have to read it. I remember."

Arya continues, "'Father has been charged with treason. He conspired with Robert's brothers against my beloved Joffrey and tried to steal his throne. The Lannisters are treating me well and providing me with every comfort. I beg you, come to King's Landing, swear fealty to King Joffrey and prevent any strife between the great houses of Lannister and Stark. Your faithful sister, Sansa.'"

Sansa said,"They forced me to do it."

Arya said, "Did they? With a knife at your throat? Did they put you on a rack and stretch you until your bones started to pop?"

Sansa said, "You don't know what it was like. I was a child."

Arya said, "So was I. I would have let them kill me before I betrayed my family."

Sansa said, "They told me it was the only way to save father."

Arya said, "And you were stupid enough to believe them. I remember you standing on that platform with Joffrey and Cersei when they dragged father to the block. I remember the pretty dress you were wearing. I remember the fancy way you did your hair."

Sansa asked, "You were there?"

Arya said, "I was there standing in the crowd near Baelor's statue."

Sansa said, "And what did you do? Did you come running to the rescue? Did you fight off the Lannisters and save father?"

Arya said, "I wanted to."

Sansa said, "But you didn't. Just like me."

Arya said, "I didn't betray him. I didn't betray Robb. I didn't betray our entire family for my beloved Joffrey."

Sansa said, "You should be on your knees thanking me and Aldarra. We're standing in Winterfell again because of us. You didn't win it back. Jon didn't win it back. He fought in the Battle of the Bastards, yes. The Knight's of the Vale came to the battle to finally end it and they rode north for me. Aldarra reduced Ramsay's army by two thirds less to even the odds and distracted Ramsay with her dragon fire, so Jon could get to Rickon before being shot in the back with an arrow. While you were off to where? Traveling the world?"

Arya said, "I was training."

Sansa said, "Training. Well, while you were training I suffered things you can never imagined.

Aya said, "Oh, I don't know about that. I can imagine quite a lot."

Sansa said, "You never would have survived. Aldarra saved me."

Arya said, "Aldarra isn't here, so I guess we'll never know!"

Sansa asked, "She will return. What are you going to do with that letter?"

Arya said, "I don't know yet."

Sansa asked, "Who did you show it to? Where did you find it?"

Arya said, "You're scared, aren't you? What are you scared of? You didn't commit any crimes. No one's going to hang you."

Sansa said, "Arya..."

Arya said angrily, "Are you scared I'll show it to Jon and he'll be angry? No. That's not Jon. He'll understand. What about your friend, who's not around, Aldarra? You were just a scared little girl all alone with the wicked Lannisters."

Sansa said, "Do you know how happy Cersei would have been if she saw us fighting? Good thing she's dead now. This is exactly what she wanted. This is what she's always wanted, to tear us apart –"

Arya said spitefully, "The northern lords will read it. They wouldn't think much of Lady Sansa if they knew how she did Cersei's bidding. What would little Lyanna Mormont say? She's younger than you were when you wrote this. Are you going to say, 'But I was just a child'?"

Sansa said, "You're angry. Sometimes anger makes people do unfortunate things."

Arya said, "Sometimes fear makes them do unfortunate things. I'll go with anger." Arya turns and walks away.

—--

Beyond the Wall, the raiding party are marching single file across the frozen tundra. Sandor stops to tie a fur cover over his boot that came loose. Tormund approaches him.

Tormund asked, "You're the one they call the dog?"

Sandor said, "Fuck off."

Tormund said, "They told me you were mean. Were you born mean or you just hate Wildlings?"

Sandor said, "I don't give two shits about Wildlings." Sandor looks up at Tormund.

Sandor said, "Gingers I hate."

Tormund said, "Gingers are beautiful. We are kissed by fire. Just like you."

Tormund points and motions to Sandor's burned face. Sandor slaps his hand away.

Sandor said, "Don't point your fucking finger at me."

Sandor walks away to rejoin the group. Tormund begins smiling and walks after him.

Tormund asked, "Did you trip into the fire when you were a baby?"

Sandor said, "I didn't trip. I was pushed."

Tormund said, "Ever since you've been mean."

Sandor said, "Will you fuck off?"

Tormund said, "I don't think you're truly mean. You have sad eyes." Sandor stops and turns to Tormund.

Sandor asked, "Do you want to suck my dick? Is that it?"

Tormund asked, "Dick?"

Sandor said, "Cock."

Tormund said, "Ah. Dick. I like it."

Sandor said, "I bet you do." Sandor turns and begins walking, Tormund follows.

Tormund said, "Nope. It's pussy for me. I have a beauty waiting for me back at Winterfell. If I ever get back there. Yellow hair. Blue eyes. Tallest woman you've ever seen. Almost as tall as you." Sandor stops and glances at Tormund.

Sandor said, "Brienne of Tarth."

Tormund asked, "You know her?"

Sandor said, "You're with Brienne of fucking Tarth?"

Tormund said, "Well, not with her yet, but I see the way she looks at me."

Sandor asked, "How does she look at you? Like she wants to carve you up and eat your liver?" Tormund nods yes.

Tormund said, "You do know her."

Sandor said, "We've met." Sandor and Tormund begin walking.

Tormund said, "I want to make babies with her. Think of the great big monsters. They'd conquer the world."

Sandor said, "How did a mad fucker like you live this long?"

Tormund said, "I'm good at killing people."

Jon and Beric are walking together.

Beric said, "You don't much look like him."

Jon said, "Who's that?"

Beric said, "Your father. I suppose you favor your mother."

Jon asked, "You knew him?"

Beric said, "Of course I did. When he was Hand he sent me off hunting for The Mountain. Your Wildling friend told me the red woman brought you back. Thoros has brought me back six times. We both serve the same lord."

Jon said, "I serve the north."

Beric said, "The north didn't raise you from the dead."

Jon said, "The lord of light never spoke to me. I don't know anything about him. I don't know what he wants from me."

Beric said, "He wants you alive."

Jon asked, "Why?"

Beric said, "I don't know."

Jon asked, "That's all anyone can tell me, I don't know. So what's the point in serving a god that none of us knows what he wants?"

Beric said, "I think about that all the time. I don't think it's our purpose to understand except one thing. We're soldiers. We have to know what we're fighting for. I'm not fighting so some man or woman I barely know can sit on a throne made of swords."

Jon asked, "So what are you fighting for?"

Beric said, "Life. Death is the enemy. The first enemy and the last."

Jon said, "But we all die."

Beric said, "The enemy always wins. And we still need to fight him. That's all I know. You and I wont find much joy while we're here. But we can keep others alive. We can defend those who can't defend themselves."

Jon said, "I am the shield that guards the realms of men."

Beric said, "Maybe we don't need to understand any more than that. Maybe that's enough."

Jon said, "Aye. Maybe that's enough." Sandor stops and looks into the distance. There is a steep mountain ascending into the clouds in the distance."

Sandor said, "That's what I saw in the fire." Sandor points towards the mountain.

Sandor said, "A mountain like an arrowhead."

Thoros asked, "Are you sure?" Sandor turns to Thoros and nods his head.

Sandor said, "We're getting close." The men start walking towards the base of the mountain.

—--

In King's Landing inside the Red Keep in the Tywin Lannister 's bedroom, Aldarra is laying next to Tywin playing with the little patch of hair on his chest after making love vigorously every day since she had been back.

Aldarra said, "Tywin." He made a humming noise and turned on his side with his hand under his head propped up looking down on her. His hand stroked her waist and hip.

She said, "I need you to listen to me. I have been living in Castle Black, and Winterfell. I fought in the war to take Winterfell back from Ramsay Bolton. He murdered his father to try to take the north through fear and was a vicious torturing bastard. There is something more important and worse than politics or petty squabbling about thrones going on."

Tywin asked, "What's that Aldarra?"

Aldarra sat up and turned, holding her knees facing him and looking him straight in the eye. She said, "The dead. The White Walkers and the Night King are real and they are rallying beyond the Wall to destroy all of the living and place them in his army of the dead."

Tywin said, "Don't believe in those superstitious northerners' tales, Aldarra. There is no such thing."

Aldarra said, "What if there can be proof. They say there is no such thing as dragons. I have three."

Tywin scoffed, "How did you get three dragons? The dragon queen had three dragons but they were babies."

Aldarra said, "What if I could prove it? Would you go with me to the dragon pits and let me show you? I can call them to me in my mind and they are far from babies anymore."

Tywin said, "I'll humor you on this once and take you to the dragon pit tomorrow. If you can't prove it we leave and you don't bring up dragons and armies of the dead again."

Aldarra said, "Ok. If I can prove my dragons, will you allow Jon Snow and the audience with the heads of houses in the south to prove the undead to all you without repercussions and honestly listen to him? Tywin, I love these people. They have been my family and very good to me. This conflict needs to end why can't there be two kings? What's so bad about it?"

Tywin looked at her in a calculating way and said seriously, "Ok, Aldarra. I'll wait until they request a peaceful audience." She laid back down against him on her side grinning at him and kissed his lips. He rolled her on her back and entered her again. He began thrusting into her vigorously again.

She panted in his ear and said, "I love you, Tywin Lannister. I want more babies with you." He started kissing her deeply and passionately.

Tywin said, "I love …you. I will love any child you make us." He devoured her lips and gripped her hips, grinding and changing the angle sending her into a stimulating frenzy. She cried out his name and came gripping his shoulders to her body. He called out to her after a few more thrusts, shooting his seed inside her. They were both locked together coming down and catching their breath.

Aldarra was kissing his neck and said, "I love how I feel when you touch me." He could never get his fill of this beautiful woman he had missed so much of.