I've outlined the rest of the story, and including Epilogue, I should be able to finish it in 10 more chapters. Usually, I hate outlining because it takes some of the fun out of writing what I already know will happen BUT I'm going to stay flexible. If it gets boring and I find I can't finish what I've got planned, I'll just rethink my ideas and start over.
Without further ado:
Braavos
Gilly covered her protruding belly with one protective arm, while she held Sam Jr. in her other. Sam, her husband, held onto her while they navigated the busy streets of Braavos.
"Where is this man you're supposed to meet?" she asked, in a raised voice, over the noise.
"He sent a messenger with a note to meet him at the Outcast Inn. I still don't like the two of you coming with me."
"I'm coming," she said in firm voice. "When we're apart, bad things happen and there's no one we can trust to leave baby Sam with."
That was true, Sam reasoned. At least this way, their son would have both parents to protect him, should anything happen. And Gilly had proven herself capable of more than she looked.
Up ahead, there were the canals and from the directions he'd been given, the Inn was about half a mile east. "Hold fast to me, Gilly," he told her. Anything could happen in a place this big. People disappeared and were never seen again.
They moved and weaved in and out of crowds until Sam and Gilly stopped and looked around in confusion.
"I thought you said this was the place," Gilly murmured, looking around.
"I did."
They asked around and found out that the Outcast Inn wasn't even in the vicinity. "Dammit," Sam swore. Now they'd have to backtrack and figure out directions all over again.
"Lost?"
Sam turned and saw a woman dressed all in red. He swallowed hard. "No, thank you. Come, Gilly." After Melisandre, he didn't want anything from any of those Lord of Light bastards.
"Are you sure?" the woman asked.
"Yes." He looped an arm through Gilly's and tried to maneuver around the priestess.
"The Lord of Light knows all … Samwell Tarly." The woman emphasized his name and he stopped walking.
"How do you know who I am?"
"Like I said, the Lord of Light knows all." She turned away toward the canals and Sam could now see a temple in the distance. The Red Temple. "Come… Look into the flames and let him tell you his will."
"Wait a minute, we didn't get lost, did we?" Sam asked, frustrated. "You sent that messenger to give us directions here, instead of to the Inn. Why?"
She didn't answer but kept walking.
"Sam, what do we do?" Gilly whispered, holding onto him tightly.
"I don't know."
"Do you think this Lord of Light can help us against the White Walkers?"
"I don't know, Gilly." Sam sounded helpless and desperate. "But come on. We have to find out."
They followed the priestess to a boat and got in, Gilly clutching baby Sam tightly, and Sam sitting as far away from the woman as possible. The temple was an island, close to the canals and it didn't take long to get there. Some might think it beautiful, but it just gave Sam the willies. He remembered the stories he'd heard of Stannis and Melisandre, of them burning people alive.
His hand went to the dagger at his hip, just to make sure it was still there. He'd kill anyone who tried to hurt his family.
"You won't need that, Samwell," the woman said without turning her head. "We don't always need sacrifices."
"That's good to hear," he muttered and squeezed Gilly's hand.
Braziers were lit everywhere, outside and inside the building. The woman took them into a large room with an alter at the very end. A different woman stood in front of it.
"Annalys, I've brought them." The priestess stopped walking and turned to Sam. "Go to her. The others must wait here."
Gilly nodded for him to go and he swallowed hard and began walking. Annalys waited, dressed all in red, tall and regal. There was a small smile on her face.
"Greetings, Samwell Tarly."
He nodded, smiling weakly.
"You don't have to be afraid. I take it you are acquainted with some of our more … dedicated … methods." It wasn't a question and he didn't answer. She turned to a brazier, lit and burning bright and high. "Come."
He walked slowly up to stand next to her. "What am I supposed to see?"
"Whatever he wishes."
"Do you know what's happening? In Westeros?"
"Of course. The Lord of Light knows all."
Frustrated with that sentiment, Sam exhaled loudly and peered into the fire. Nothing happened at first.
"Relax," she whispered, coming up to look behind him. "Let your mind go."
He fought the urge to roll his eyes and tried to do what she said. Then something flickered. His gaze sharpened. "What was that?"
He got no answer. The fire drew him in, deeper and deeper. There were faces from his past, and places he'd never seen. The Night King storming King's Landing. Ice and fire. Ash falling. A dark and terrible place that he hoped to never go. A pale man with tattoos on his face.
"Asshai," Annalys whispered and Sam abruptly straightened, knocked out of his reverie.
"I don't know what it all means."
"Some of it was your past. Some was the present. The rest is your very near future."
"Asshai?"
"Powerful magic created this darkness and only powerful magic can undo it. You'll find what you need in Asshai." Her eyes trailed down Sam's face to his neck. "Now that is very old indeed."
He looked down in confusion and saw part of the Stark pendant sticking out of his tunic. "This? Yes. Somewhere around six thousand years."
Her fingers reached out. "May I?"
He gave a sort of half-shrug and she took the pendant and drew it out so she could further look.
"The Crow's Skull…" she murmured. "Interesting."
"The Night King wears this symbol around his neck," Sam informed her. "I think it's the Stark family sigil from before they founded their house in Westeros."
"You would be right."
"Can you tell me anything more about it? It might help … somehow."
Annalys stared at the pendant for a few more seconds and then dropped it back onto Sam's chest. "Guard that with your life, Samwell. It's more precious. Now go." She dismissed him and turned away to pray at the altar.
Sam awkwardly left to rejoin Gilly at the other end of the room.
"What did she say?" Gilly asked.
Sam just wanted to get out there. "I'll tell you on the way. Let's go."
XXXXX
King's Landing
She crept through alleyways and over rooftops, making her way to the Red Keep, effortlessly. The people of King's Landing milled around, trying to survive after being locked up inside the city gates. There were too many of them and not enough food or jobs.
But that wasn't her priority at the moment. Her priority was Cersei Lannister and stopping the monster who was on his way here now.
Arya found the queen at the top of the Keep, staring out of a window.
"Are you here to kill me?" the woman asked, without turning.
Arya stopped and stood still, keeping the the Mountain in her vision. Cersei turned around eventually, with an icy smile.
"I can't imagine you've come to join me."
"The army of the dead is on its way here. King's Landing will fall, along with you and your advisors. You must mobilize your armies and stop them before it's too late."
Cersei smirked. "Your Dragon Queen failed then, did she? I must confess, I was hoping to face her in person."
Arya swallowed, remembering what she'd seen. "Daenerys is one of them now, as is her dragon." She waited a heartbeat. "As is your brother."
The sneer slid off her face. Cersei's eyes flickered. "Which one?"
Arya came a bit closer. "The one you like."
The queen turned away quickly, a hand going to her mouth in contemplation. "Jaime's dead."
"Not dead. Worse." Arya didn't miss the way Cersei's hands went to her belly. "There's still a chance to save your baby. Two dragons and the horde they're bringing will blow past these walls like they're nonexistent. King's Landing will fall."
Cersei turned back and gave her a look, snapping her fingers at the Mountain. "Come. We're leaving."
Arya wasn't sure she heard right. "Leaving? You can't leave."
"If you were smart, you'd come with me. I could use a girl with your … talents." Cersei hurried down the stairs with Arya right behind her.
"I came to persuade you to help your kingdom, but I can see I'm going to have to use more extreme measures."
Cersei laughed and waved a hand. Without warning, the Mountain turned and blocked Arya's path, sending her crashing to the floor. She scrambled up and looked at the giant about to crush her with his bare hands. "Not today," she mumbled and danced backwards, toward the only exit in the tower now available.
Arya evaded the Mountain's attempts to grab her and jumped onto the ledge of a nearby window. With a sneer, she flipped backwards and out of the tower. Heart racing, she grabbed hold of a ledge during her freefall and caught herself, pulling up and into some abandoned room. She fell onto the floor, breathing hard.
"I'm going to kill her."
XXXXX
Just outside Hayford Castle
Jon flew Rhaegal hard and fast, toward King's Landing. After Moat Cailin, he'd awakened alone. The Night King had taken his sister and the army and departed. There was only one place he'd go and that was to the last stronghold in Westeros. After King's Landing, the rest of the continent would fall with barely a whimper.
It had been days since Sansa had disappeared, and nothing had changed. He couldn't find Dany or Arya so he had to assumed they'd made it past the army of the dead and on to the capital. He'd warned everybody he'd come into contact with to go to the Eyrie, but it had been a pitiful few.
He'd done what he could and it hadn't been enough.
A sudden blast of icy wind sprayed his face and something massive knocked his dragon off balance. He shouted for Rhaegal to attack the Night King and they circled back, getting within range to fire, when Jon saw a black and red dragon, instead of the cream-colored one the Night King rode.
"Drogon," he whispered, eyes widening in horror. He hoped desperately that the Night King had simply acquired another dragon, but the last he'd seen Dany-and Arya, for that matter-she'd been riding Drogon south.
And sure enough, there on the back of the other dragon, sat the love of his life, silver-haired and now blue-eyed. She smiled cruelly and whispered something. Drogon opened his massive jaws and Jon barely escaped getting hit full force.
Diving down, out of the clouds, he urged Rhaegal into a retreat, turning east in an attempt to escape Dany. What was he going to do now?
XXXXX
Iron Islands
The icy, salt wind from the ocean sprayed in her face as she stood motionless on the beach. Sansa wasn't cold anymore. She felt … invulnerable. Like a rush of power had been granted her and she could do anything with it. Her emotions, the problems from before, all of it went away and what was left was purpose.
We must go to King's Landing, she said, feeling him come up behind her. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she turned. That woman is there.
We will take it as easily as we took the rest. Come. The dragon will bring us to the others.
Sansa took his hand and stepped up onto Viserion and settled in. The Night King climbed up behind, leaning into her, both arms on either side of her body. She smiled and pressed back, reaching behind to draw his head to hers. Viserion took flight as their lips met and arms entwined with each others.
She felt his immense satisfaction through their bond and deepened the kiss. Soon our enemies will lay slain at our feet.
He answered, And after that, the world.
Don't throw things at me!
I know it was short and most of the POV's were NOT Sansa/Night King. I had to bridge the story and wanted to get the chapter up before too long. The next chap will have a lot more of the pairing we love.
A special thanks to everyone on the internet who came up with theories on the Night King and the pendant he wears. Without reading any of it, off the top of my head, I would've said it was the sun setting behind the horizon, BUT other theories suited this fic better, namely the ones about it being a raven/crow skull. There is an interesting theory that the symbol inside the design is that of a turret seen from below. I always thought it was an eye, if we're going with the Crow skull theory. It KINDA might look like one if you stretch. I welcome all theories.