Silver Stag

Arise Lord Commander

[Castle Black]

Davos was staring at Jon who slowly sat up on the table, breathing heavily. Jon turned his head to look at who was in the room with him, only to notice Davos.

Ghost was standing in front of Jon, also staring at him.

Jon looked down at his body. Seeing his stab wounds, he began gasping and shaking.

Davos took off his cloak and rushed over to him.

Jon attempted to stand but faltered.

Davos caught him and wrapped him in his cloak. "Easy, easy. Easy."

He ushered Jon back into a sitting position when Melisandre entered the room, staring at Jon.

"What do you remember?" Davos asked.

"They stabbed me. Olly...he put a knife in my heart. I shouldn't be here."

"The lady brought you back."

Melisandre approached Jon and knelt in front of him. "Afterwards, after they stabbed you, after you died, where did you go? What did you see?"

"Nothing. There was nothing at all."

"You didn't warg into Ghost?"

"Warg? I'm not a warg."

Sure, Jon had heard of wargs. He'd even met one, a wildling named Orell. Surely he'd know if he was a warg.

"The Lord let you come back for a reason. Stannis was not the prince who was promised, but someone has to be."

"Could you give us a moment?" Dvos asked her.

Melisandre rose and exited the room.

Davos closed the door behind her, grabbed a stool, and sat down in front of Jon.

"You were dead. And now you're not. That's completely fucking mad, seems to me. I can only imagine how it seems to you."

"I did what I thought was right. And I got murdered for it. And now I'm back. Why?"

"I don't know. Maybe we'll nevr know. What does it matter? You go on. You fight for as long as you can. You clean up as much of the shit as you can."

"I don't know how to do that. I thought I did, but...I failed."

"Good. Now go fail again."

Dolorous Edd, Tormund, the faithful Night's Watch members, and the Wildlings are all gathered in the courtyard, staring up at the entrance to the room Jon was in.

Jon emerged on the balcony, supported by Davos. He stared out at the crowd, then walked down the steps with the help of Davos and began walking through the crowd. The men on either side parted to let him pass.

Tormund walked up the middle to confront Jon. "They think you're some kind of god. The man who returned from the dead.

"I'm not a god."

"I know that." Tormund moved closer to Jon and whispered in his ear. "I saw your pecker. What kind of god would have a pecker that small?"

Jon and Tormund both chuckled and embraced. Jon winced, then spotted Dolorous Edd and began walking towards him. They embraced, and Jon winced again.

"Your eyes are still brown. Is that still you in there?"

"I think so. Hold off on burning my body for now."

Edd laughed. "That's funny. You sure that's still you in there?"

This time, both men laughed.

Shortly after, Jon returned to his chambers. The execution of the traitors was impending.

Since waking up, Jon felt a fury in him that almost frightened him.

He was livid. All he wished to do was stop aiding the Night King in building his army.

Because, as long as they fought to keep wildlings beyond the Wall, that was exactly what they were doing; feeding his army, aiding the true enemy.

He had done what he thought was right and just, and he was killed for it.

He was sitting by the fireplace, looking to the ground, when someone knocked on the door.

Dolorous Edd walked in. "It's time."

Jon stood up, dropped his vest with the stab holes in it on the table, and grabbed his sword, Longclaw.

Melisandre was standing on a balcony overlooking the courtyard. Tormud, Davos, the wildlings, and the Night's Watch are all in attendance. Jon walked past them, going up the stairs towards the gallows. Edd accompanied him. Bowen Marsh, Othell Yarwick, Alliser Thorne, and Olly were standing on a platform with their hands tied and ropes around their necks.

Jon looked up at them. "If you have any last words, now is the time."

"You shouldn't be alive. It's not right." Bowen told him.

"Neither was killing me."

"My mother's still living at White Harbor. Could you write her? Tell her I died fighting the wildings." Yarwick requested.

"I had a choice, Lord Commander. Betray you or betray the Night's Watch. You brought an army of wildlings into our lands. An army of muderers and raiders. If I had to do it all over knowing where I'd end up, I pray I'd make the right choice again."

"I'm sure you would, Ser Alliser."

"I fought, I lost. Now I rest. But you, Lord Snow, you'll be fighting their battles forevr."

Jon looked at Olly who only stared back at him, unwavering.

He turned his back and unsheathed Longclaw, breathing heavily before cutting the rope. The platform is pulled out from under the traitors' feet. They are hung. They choke and die.

Jon looked at Olly again. His face was blue and swollen.

Though he was changed, he wasn't heartless. The boy was nearly the same age as Bran. He had taken him under his wing. It's why his betrayal hurt the most.

Jon sheathed his sword, then walked up to Edd.

"We should burn the bodies."

"You should." Jon took off his cape and handed it to Edd.

"What do you want me to do with this?"

"Wear it. Burn it. Whatever you want. You have Castle Black." Jon descended the stairs. "My watch is ended."

Everyone in attendance watched as Jon walked away.

His watch had indeed ended. His vows were to defend the Wall until his death.

Which is exactly what he had done. He had died. Yet no one could have expected him to be brought back.

Nonetheless, his vows were upheld, and now was the time to figure out what he would do next.

Perhaps searching for whatever siblings of his remained alive.