Bodies were pilled up everywhere, making the sight truly horrific. From where Visenya was standing, which was next to Jon, she saw tears flood her sister's eyes as she mourned over Jorah Mormont's dead body. Looking over at Sansa, a similar scenario was occurring as well, as she was mourning over Theon's dead body, placing a Stark Direwolf pin on his chest.
In the end, the boy truly did die a Stark...and he was a Stark more than he was a Greyjoy.
Sniffles coming from her left, snapped her out of her trance looking at Sansa mourning over Theon, as once she turned her head, she saw Aegon mourning over Connington's dead body. The boy had lost his father-figure, fighting to secure the home of his half-brother.
Quite ironic.
So many lives were lost, as Visenya had never seen such a mass burial in her life. Every single dead body lying out on a funeral pyre made a chill run down her spine. They shouldn't have died. But there was no other way for them to win The Longest Night. Jon looked to Visenya who nodded, before the two of them stepped forward, as they would be saying a few words for the deceased.
"They came from many parts of the known world. From North to South from East and West. Westeros to Essos, and many foreign lands. They each came for different reasons. For justice, for vengeance, for freedom, or conquest. They came as strangers to one another, but here on this day they are not enemies. They are brothers." She began solemnly. "Never before have so many come together like this. but never before have any armies ever faced a threat such as The Long Night. But in the end we are victorious, the Dead have been defeated. We mustered everything we have, put aside our differences, plotted every strategy, and sent many good men to the edge. We held nothing back."
She then looked to Jon who let out a small sigh, before he prepared his own speech.
"We're here to say goodbye to our brothers and sisters. To our fathers and mothers. To our friends. Our fellow men and women who set aside their differences to fight together and die together so that others might live. Everyone in this world owes them a debt that can never be repaid. It is our duty and our honor to keep them alive in memory for those who come after us and those who come after them for as long as men draw breath." Jon sighed before he and Visenya continued the next part of the speech together. "They are the Swords that stood in the Darkness. They are the Shields that saved the Realms of Men. They are the Heroes of the Long Night. But now the Night has passed, and now their War has ended."
Various soldiers from all armies along with some of the Wildlings handed out torches to Jon, Aegon, Sansa, Arya, Tormund, Daenerys, and Grey Worm, before they fanned out amongst the various pyres present, each going to an individual that had meant something to each of them. As Visenya watched as they all lighted the various pyres of those who meant something to them, and as they walked back to the crowd as the air became thick with smoke due to the amount of bodies burning, she wondered...was it all worth it?
Was it worth it to win the battle, but loose so many?
Was it all worth it in the end?
Just as people began to enter back into Winterfell's Courtyard, Visenya heard a voice call for her.
"Sister." Daenerys began. "May I speak to you for a moment."
Visenya looked back to Daenerys and gave her a hesitant nod, not knowing what her intentions were. She let out a small sigh as she walked to her younger, more naïve sister.
"What is it?" Visenya questioned, unaware of her sister's motives for their conversation.
"Did you know?" Daenerys practically snarled at her.
Visenya frowned in confusion. "Know what?"
"Don't play coy with me." Daenerys continued. "Did you know that Jon is our nephew...as is the boy they call Griff?"
Visenya sighed in response. She knew this was bound to happen, and the fact that Aegon and Jon were able to ride dragons only solidified the factor as well.
"I did." She nodded calmly, noticing how her younger sister's face angered by the second at the words coming out of Visenya's mouth.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Visenya shook her head. "It wasn't mine to tell."
"Are there any other secrets you hold from me?" Daenerys snarled. "Any more lies you may have?"
"I have never lied to you." Visenya continued. "I have never lied to anyone, and if you are angry at me, then so be it."
Visenya then turned on her heel, walking away from her sister, leaving her standing in front of the various burning bodies that were outside of Winterfell. Many hours later, once night had fallen, a victory feast was held in The Great Hall, and while it was filled to capacity with all of the individuals present, it was rather quiet and somber...probably because the smell of burning bodies still filled the air. Visenya was sitting next to Sansa at the head table, in a small discussion of what occurred down in the crypts, when Daenerys interrupted them, calling for the boy that was passing by the table.
"Gendry." Daenerys began, making the boy stop in his tracks, making the hall go even quieter. "That's right, isn't it?"
"Yes, Your Grace." Gendry said hesitantly as he approached the table.
"You're Robert Baratheon's son?"
Gendry gave her a hesitant nod.
"You are aware he took my family's throne and tried to have me murdered?" Daenerys innocently asked the boy.
'He also tried to murder me.' Visenya thought to herself, listening to her sister's interogation.
Gendry shrugged. "I didn't even know he was my father until after he was dead."
"Yes, he's dead." Daenerys nodded. "His brothers are too. So who's Lord of Storm's End now?"
"I don't know, Your Grace." Gendry frowned in confusion.
"Does anyone?" Daenerys asked looking around the hall before turning back to Gendry. "I think you should be Lord of Storm's End."
Visenya's eyes widened in disbelief as the masses began to murmur.
"I can't be." Gendry began. "I'm a bastard."
Daenerys shook her head. "No, you are Lord Gendry Baratheon of Storm's End, the lawful son of Robert Baratheon. Because that is what I have made you."
Gendry nodded in shock and surprise as everyone in the hall rose to salute Gendry.
"To Lord Gendry Baratheon of Storm's End." Davos began, raising his cup.
"To Gendry!" Everyone shouted in agreement.
Visenya frowned in confusion as she looked to Sansa who was just as confused at what Daenerys just did...both unsure why she did it. That's when she looked to Myrcella who was getting consoled by Tristane at the comments that were just made by Daenerys. Visenya knew that Myrcella was technically a bastard, but she still considered Robert Baratheon her father...not Jaime.
Visenya let out a sigh, beginning to rub her temples in agony as how horrible everything was going so far.
"Do perk up." Olenna began from her seat next to her. "The night has only begun."
3 Hours Later
Hours progressed and the mood of the evening had certainly lightened quite a bit, as most of the individuals in The Great Hall were laughing and enjoying themselves. The wine was flowing freely, as various carafes of wine were being passed around.
"How was she?" Visenya asked looking from Helaena who was in her arms, to Mira who was standing before the Queen and the Princess.
"Wonderful, Your Grace." Mira explained. "She didn't cry once. Even when the crypts became compromised, she didn't even cry...unlike Bronn."
"He cried?" Visenya asked in disbelief with her eyes wide.
"Like a newborn." Mira explained with a smirk and a shake of her head. "I believe he thought it was the end for him."
Visenya rolled her eyes in amusement. "I'm sure he did...do you need help putting her to sleep?"
Mira shook her head, taking Helaena from Visenya. "No, please enjoy yourself, Your Grace. I will take wonderful care of her."
"I know you will." Visenya smiled before placing a kiss on her daughter's cheek."Dōna bantis issa jorrāelagon (Goodnight my darling)."
Visenya's smile was kept on her face as she watched Mira and Helaena walk down the hall, and she was happy that her daughter was in such good hands. Wanting to try and get some peace of mind, she walked to a table by herself, grabbed an empty cup, and poured her first glass of wine for the evening. She had been avoiding wine all evening, as she didn't want to drink and become drunk.
"You have that look again." Jaime began as he sat down across from her. "You're thinking too hard."
"I'm not, surprisingly." She retorted. "More so thinking about the reason as to why I've avoided drinking all night."
"And why is that?"
"I don't want to become drunk." She sighed.
"We fought dead things and lived to talk about it. Our children live to talk of it." He began lifting his cup to toast with hers, she did the same. "If this isn't the time to drink, when is?"
She was silent for a moment before nodding in agreement, clinking her cup against his, before drinking their wine together.
"What do you think of what your sister did for Gendry?" He asked as he placed his cup down on the table at the same time she did the same.
She shrugged. "I don't know what to think of it...I don't know if it was genuine or a plan of action for more allies."
"What does Olenna think of it?" He frowned.
"She wants me to ignore it for tonight, and enjoy myself, but quite frankly, how can we enjoy ourselves when we've lost so much." She explained. "All of us have lost someone out there. Whether it'd be a member of our armies, or family. I can't bare to think what I'd do if Helaena, Myrcella, Aegon, or even you were dead on one of those pyres."
"You'd burn down the entire world." He said with an amused smile, even though he knew she would.
"I would." She mused. "And I wouldn't feel guilty about it. If that had happened, it would be because they had taken everything from me."
"I worried for you and Aegon during the battle." He sighed. "Especially since it was stormy and Sunspear doesn't like storms, and the fact that Aegon never rode a dragon."
She sighed. "He did well. I'm rather pleased at how well he listened to me. Surprising since he usually doesn't."
The two fell silent as they began to look around the room, seeing as how it was starting to become slightly rowdy.
"Where's Helaena?" Jaime asked breaking the silence, noticing how distant Visenya's look became.
She turned towards him. "With Mira...she said that she behaved incredibly well in the crypts. Didn't even make a sound."
"Sounds like Helaena." He mused with a smile. "Is Mira alright?"
She nodded. "She is, she seemed a little shaken, but she is alright. She's happy that her family is alive, and that she protected Helaena...she also was amused the entire time considering Bronn was sobbing."
"He was?"
Her smile grew. "According to Mira he was...and contemplating his life choices as well."
"Who is contemplating their life choices?" Aegon asked as he sat down next to Visenya.
"Bronn was...in the crypts." Jaime explained, as he began to pour Aegon a cup of wine. "Mira said he cried the whole time."
"Sounds like he wanted to be on the front lines." Aegon said with a smirk, as he took the cup from his uncle, but frowned seeing that it was only half-full. "This is only half?"
"You do not need to get drunk at your age." Jaime countered. "I said the same to Myrcella and Tristane."
Aegon looked expectantly to Visenya.
"I agree with him." Visenya sighed. "Half-cup. Why aren't you with your brother?"
"Daenerys was talking to him...she confronted me after the memorial." He sighed.
"What did she say?" She asked expectantly.
Aegon shrugged. "That she want's to get to know me, and if I needed anything I could come to her."
Visenya nodded before patting the boy on his shoulder. "Why don't you go see how Rickon is? I'm sure he misses his friend."
Aegon nodded getting up from the table and walking over to Rickon. Visenya let out a small sigh, slightly shaking her head.
Jaime frowned. "What is it?"
"Daenerys is planning something, but I can't figure out what it is." She sighed, her expression immediately perking up as Bronn, Tyrion, Brienne, and Podrick all sat down with them.
"Drinking alone?" Tyrion asked pouring himself another cup.
"Always." Visenya smiled. "I'm surprised you're not drunk yet."
"I will be there by the end of the night, my dear Visenya." Tyrion smiled.
"Congratulations on getting out of the crypts." Jaime said giving a nod to Bronn, trying to contain the smirk that was creeping onto his face.
Bronn nodded. "I defended them with honor...not standing down for a minute."
"Really?" Visenya asked turning her head to look the man in the eyes. "That's not what Mira told me."
His face immediately froze. "What did Mira tell you?"
"That you cried the entire time, and contemplated your life choices." Jaime and Visenya both responded at the same time, making Bronn frown and stand up from his seat.
"MIRA!" Bronn bellowed as he furiously began to search the room for the woman in question, only to realize that she had disappeared.
Everyone at the table laughed at the sight, before they all turned back to the pitcher of wine on the table. That's when an idea came into Tyrion's mind.
"Shall we play a game?"
A/N:
Shoutout to Ian09121995
As always, let me know if you have any questions, comments, ideas, or concerns.