Winter Is Our Fury

Chapter Eighty One: Until Dawn

"They're coming." announced Jon at the council table. "We have dragonglass and Valyrian steel. But there are too many of them. Far too many. Our enemy doesn't tire. Doesn't stop. Doesn't feel. We can't beat them in a straight fight."

"So what can we do?" asked Jaime from across the table where a map of Winterfell and pawns were laid out.

"The Night King made them all. They follow his command. If he falls... getting to him may be our best chance."

"If that's true, he'll never expose himself." Jaime explained.

And Bran's voice came from the far corner of the room where he was sat next to the fire. "Yes, he will." and all heads turned to the cripple boy. "He'll come for me. He's tried before, many times, with many Three-Eyed Ravens."

"Why?" Samwell asked the question the entire room was thinking. "What does he want?"

"An endless night." replied Bran. "He wants to erase this world and I am it's memory."

"That's what death is, isn't it? Forgetting. Being forgotten. If we forget where we've been and what we've done, we're not men anymore. Just animals." Sam spoke. "Your memories aren't just from books. Your stories aren't just stories. If I wanted to erase the world of men, I'd start with you."

"How will he find you?" Tyrion asked the next question.

"His mark is on me." Bran pulled up his sleeve to reveal red fingermarks. Marks made by a hand so cold it burned Bran's skin. "He always knows where I am."

"We'll put you in the Crypt, where it's safest." Jon suggested.

"No. We need to lure him into the open before his army destroys us all. I'll wait for him in the Godswood."

Aris shook her head. "Absolutely not, Bran." she wasn't about to lose another brother.

"We're not using you as bait." said Sansa.

"We're not leaving you alone out there, either." added Arya.

Theon then volunteered. "He won't be, I'll stay with him. With the Ironborn." he turned his gaze to Bran. "I took this castle from you once. Let me defend you now." and Bran subtly nodded. It turned silent. No one liked the idea of Bran being bait. But it was decided.

"We'll hold off the rest of them for as long as we can." explained Ser Davos.

"When the time comes, Ser Davos and I will be on the walls, to give you the signal to light the trenches." Tyrion explained to Daenerys.

"Ser Davos is perfectly capable of waving a torch on his own." replied Daenerys. "You'll be in the Crypt."

"You're grace, I have fought before, I can do it again along side the men and women risking their lives."

"There are thousands of men and only one of you. You can't fight as well as they can, but you can think better than any of them. You're here because of your mind. If we survive, I'll need it."

"The dragons in the field will give us an edge." said Davos.

"If they're in the field, they're not protecting Bran." Jon fired back. "We need to be near him, but not too near or the Night King won't come. Just close enough to pursue him when he does."

"Dragon fire will stop him?" Arya asked turned to Bran.

"I don't know. No ones ever tried."

More silence befell the meeting and Aris looked down at the table. That was when Tormund broke the news, "We're all going to die." and he looked to Brienne. "But at least we die together." a poetic way to end a dull meeting.

"Let's get some rest." announced Jon.

The people in the room where quick to leave. Aris turned to Bran, "Will you be alright here?" and he simply nodded.

"Go back to Kaytlyn."

She pushed a smile patting his shoulder and leaving.

News about the quick arrival of the undead spread like wildfire around Winterfell and the men and women where forced into more work, more training, more preparations. The fear had spread quickly.

Aris finally came into the nursery where Gilly was looking after Kaytlyn with Sam junior. "Look who's back." Gilly cooed to Kaytlyn holding her up.

"Thank you, Gilly." Aris came to sit next to her and Kaytlyn was passed back to her.

"Of course, Lady Stark, she's adorable."

"I'm so worried Kaytlyn won't even have two days on this earth."

"You shouldn't think like that, Lady Aris, for the sake of your baby." said Gilly. "There was a few times beyond the wall where I thought me and little Sam where going to die, but Sam protected us. And now we're here."

"You should be with Sam. Before the morning, before they arrive."

Gilly pushed a smile with a nod. She motioned for little Sam to follow her and she left the nursery. Aris kept her seat on the bed with Kaytlyn weighing in her arms.

"My beautiful little girl." she kissed her forehead and sighed. Kaytlyn smelt like she was just bathed, most likely by Gilly. "You had to be born at the most perfect and horrible time, didn't you?"

Kaytlyn's blue eyes merely gazed at her mother.

A small knock came on the door before Randyl entered with a dull expression. He stayed silent and came to sit next to Aris. "I heard the Night King will be here in the morning. Everyone's talking about it."

Aris sighed greatly. "Yes."

"And it's only midday." he looked to the open window where the weak sun rays tried to warm the snow outside. He then rested his head on Aris' shoulder and looked down at Kaytlyn. "Honestly, now that they're here, I'm afraid."

"Randyl, you'll be in the crypt with us. You'll be the safest and you can protect Kaytlyn."

"I'll protect you too!"

"I know you will." she rested her head on top of his. "But Kaytlyn comes first, understand." and Randyl nodded.

"At least I can die happy. I touched two dragons. I have you for a mother and Kaytlyn for a new sister." explained Randyl. "I have a family here." he moved his head away to sit straight. "Oh, and a new puppy." he laughed.

Aris chuckled and cupped his cheek. "Don't say you'll die, Randyl. The odds might be against us, but so was the Battle of the Bastards and everything else we've been through."

"This is different."

"I know it is."

"Cause we have two dragons?"

Aris laughed again. "Yes. Because we have two dragons." she said and Randyl tried to smile. He stared down at Kaytlyn and swore to himself he'd die protecting her.

"I better go and say goodbye to my friends." he rose from the bed and swiftly left the nursery. Now all they had to do was wait for the night to come. 

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