Northern lights

61. Breath of life

Jon Snow - The Wall

The Night's Watch members allied to Alliser Thorne are poised with crossbows pointed at the room Davos and the other Night's Watch members faithful to Jon Snow are stationed in. Alliser Thorne is outside the door to the room, accompanied by several others who are loyal to him, trying to find a way inside to make their coup final. 

Inside the room, Jon Snow's body remains on the table. Davos, the faithful friends and Ghost are all standing. They're on high alert, trying to figure out a way to come out of this alive but to serve justice as well.

"It's time, Ser Davos. Open the door and the men inside can rejoin their brothers in peace. We'll even set the wolf free north of the Wall where it belongs. Nobody needs to die tonight." Alliser's voice reaches them, but Davos frowns. Someone did die; Jon died.

Davos turns to address the Night's Watch loyal men. "I've never been much of a fighter." Spotting Jon Snow's Longclaw, Davos walks over and picks up the sword. "Apologies for what you're about to see."

Davos unsheathes Longclaw. The loyals follow suit, drawing their own blades. 

Alliser Thorne turns to address the Night's Watchman as he hears the sound of swords being pulled on the other side of the wooden door. "Come on."

The Night's Watchman lifts and large hammer and walks over to the door. He begins slamming the hammer against the door repeatedly. Ghost lower his head as he begins to growl and bark. Davos and company ready themselves for battle. 

After a number of swings, the Night's Watchman with the hammer breaks a hole in the door. A loud thudding can be heard somewhere behind Thorne and his band of traitors. They turn to see what the noise is. 

The thudding is coming from one of the courtyard's main gates. Wun Wun breaks down the gate and the Wildlings led by Tormund and Dolorous Edd rush into the courtyard. The Night's Watchmen loyal to Alliser Thorne have bows drawn at the Wildlings but do not fire. They back up slowly.

With eyes narrow and nostrils flared, Alliser barks an order: "Attack!" He draws his sword. A Night's Watchman charges Tormund who easily cuts him down. The other Night's Watch members do not retaliate, falling back.

Alliser turns to them with fury burning brightly in his narrowed eyes: "Fight, you cowards!"

A Night's Watchman on a balcony shoots Wun Wun in the shoulder with a crossbow bolt. Wun Wun turns to face the man, then grabs him by the legs, slams him against a wall, and tosses his body to the ground in front of Alliser Thorne with a slight smirk on his face. The Night's Watch members allied to Alliser begin dropping their weaponry. Raising their arms in surrender, they look to Tormund and Dolorous Edd as they approach Alliser Thorne, swords drawn.

Looking at Edd, Alliser spits at his feet before speaking: "You fucking traitor."

Unbothered by his comment, Edd lifts his chin up defiantly as he reminds Alliser of the truth: "The only traitors here are the ones who shoved their knives into their Lord Commander's heart."

"For thousands of years the Night's Watch has held Castle Black against the Wildlings." Alliser's forehead pulsates with a bulging vein, his jaw set as muscles ripple underneath the skin.

Smiling, Tormund nods. "Until you."

Olly shouts and charges at Tormund with his sword. Grabbing Olly, Tormund disarms him, then tosses him to another man who restrains him. Two men take grab Alliser by the arms.

"Throw them into the cells where they belong", Edd orders.

The men drag Throne, Olly, and the Night's Watch betrayers away. Opening the door, Davos allows Tormund and Edd inside the room where Jon Snow is laid on a table. He's bare, showcasing the grey skin and purple marks beginning to collect on places near the table. His eyes are closed, his lips slightly parted from the last words that passed his lips. Jon never expected the last name he'd say would be of a child he had such faith in. He imagined it would be Rosalie's name, maybe her nickname, but never Olly's,