#i was thinking of this taking place after daenerys is unable to rescue jon from north of the wall with drogon show-wise

[stormbcrn]

DAENERYS DID NOT UNDERSTAND IT – whatever compelled her to reach for Jon, to feel his heart beat beneath her palm as if that was needed to convince her he was alive and well. The scars that marred his chest spoke in heated opposition to his steady breath, to his pounding heart. It was impossible, she thought, resisting the urge to trace fingers across the wounds sewn together in no discernible pattern – long since healed. Impossible, she thought, as shadows danced with blood in her memory while the maegi took all but life from her khal. And she could not find the words to ask how he managed to return to the living – how had he lived?

Winter winds whistled outside his window – an omen from beyond the wall, no doubt – and despite the reprieve offered from his chambers, Daenerys still shuddered inside the borrowed black cloak. Her lilac eyes flicker to the dying hearth; in it, the embers grew dim, and she wondered if she would ever grow used to the biting cold of the north.

Jon's voice brought her back, his heart hammering against her hand grounding her as their gaze met again for only a moment. "Do not apologize," she reassured him, though her hand pulled away from his chest. "I just –" she searched for the words as fingers clasped together in her lap. "I worried for you."

Pressing a hand flat against their chest, feeling their heartbeat speed up. | @stormbcrn sent a raven

her palm is flush with his toned chest , resting just above his breastbone. dark eyes remain fixed upon her hand , so much SMALLER than his own , so much SMOOTHER , her callouses acquired from riding atop her dragons no where near as rough as those he had acquired from years of wielding a blade. he is still so unused to being touched in such a way ──── the time he had spent with ygritte had been BRIEF , his duty and honor calling him back , the arrow she took STEALING her away from him before more could occur. their love had been DESPERATE , PASSIONATE , and though jon would carry that heartbreak to his grave , he finds himself falling for the LAST of house targaryen.

she is FIERCE and NOBLE , KIND and LOVING. all that a queen should be. for him to so much as be in her presence is a privilege , his title of KING IN THE NORTH be damned. beneath it all , he was naught but a BASTARD and an OATHBREAKER. yet she looks upon him with those beautiful lilac eyes and smiles , as though she sees beyond those things. as though she sees him only as jon.

the beating of his heart grows wild beneath her touch , and jon turns his head away from her , abashed. “ apologies , your grace. i am not used to being . . . touched , i suppose. ”

[lupinusalbus]

Season 8 Plot:  Jon and Dany are Tainted; Sansa Rises (Part 1)

There was so much wrong with seasons seven and eight of Game of Thrones, especially with the portrayals of most of the major characters. Many of the show characters are quite different in some aspects from what they are in the books, but we know that many of the end points will be very similar. We also know that Martin likes to subvert expectations about “heroes”.  This may mean both Jon and Dany are slated to be sullied as characters in TWOW, not just Dany alone. What follows is my theory of why the writing in season 8 went down the way it did.  It doesn’t mean I believe the writing and characterizations were actually good.  In part 2, I will get more specific about what I think the writers were actually trying to accomplish, muddled as it was.  If we look at the skeleton outline of what happened towards the end of the series, however, it looks something like this:

Jon is disillusioned, but his reunion with Sansa inspires him to take up the Stark’s seemingly hopeless cause

Dany arrives at Dragonstone and plans her conquest

Jon and Sansa take back Winterfell, their relationship deepens

Jon’s personal renewal upon being named King in the North causes him to continue his mission to act against the Night King.  This leads him to his fateful meeting with Daenerys Targaryen.

Dany falls in love with Jon and agrees to fight in the North after losing a Dragon trying to rescue him.    Jon kneels to Dany; they go North with her armies. Meanwhile, the Night King breaks through the Wall with Viserion.

Jon learns about his true heritage.  In the meantime, Dany has received a chilly reception from the Starks, especially Sansa who wants to continue with Northern Independence. 

The Night King is defeated; killed by Arya Stark.  Heavy losses are suffered by Dany’s armies and the Northern forces.  Dany is disturbed by the implications of  Jon’s lineage when she sees how much the Northerners love him.  Their sexual relationship becomes troubled as Jon experiences qualms about it. She asks Jon to keep his true parentage a secret.

Jon tells the Starks who he really is.  Sansa tells Tyrion, who tells Varys.  Meanwhile, Dany and Jon head South separately to fight Cersei.

Dany loses Rhaegal. Missendai is executed by Cersei; Dany becomes more paranoid and isolated.

Varys plots to overthrow Dany in favor of Jon Snow.  He is discovered and burned alive.  Jon reaffirms his political fealty to Dany but again rejects her advances and she concludes that she must rule by fear in Westeros.  Dany knows that Sansa has plotted against her.

Dany and Jon move to attack King’s Landing.  Tyrion frees Jaimie who was captured by Dany’s forces while sneaking into King’s Landing.

Rather than accept the surrender of Cersei’s forces, Dany goes “mad” and burns King’s Landing and much of the populace to cinders.  Her forces and the Northern forces commit atrocities.  Jaimie and Cersei die; Jon Snow is horrified by what Dany has wreaked.

At her victory rally at the Red Keep, Dany announces her plans to liberate the world.  Tyrion throws his Hand’s badge down the steps in a dramatic display and Dany has him arrested.  Tyrion convinces Jon that he must act against Dany before it’s too late.

Jon kills Dany as they kiss in front of the Iron Throne and Drogon absconds with her body. Jon is arrested off camera.

Bran is named King; Tyrion is his hand.  Sansa secures the North’s continuing independence.  Jon is sentenced to go back to The Wall in an apparent compromise between Gray Worm and the Starks.

Arya sails off to explore unknown territory under the Stark Banner, Sansa is named Queen in the North, Jon sets out beyond The Wall to resettle the Wildlings.  It’s unclear when or whether he plans to return.

(More Below the Cut)

The biggest story arc in the final two seasons is that of Dany and Jon’s political/personal alliance and subsequent military actions. Almost all of the other stories play out against this backdrop.  If we could encapsulate Dany’s story in a nutshell, it could be divided into her life before and after she met Jon Snow.  Soon after she met him, she decided to decimate much of the Lannister army in the Loot Train attack, which gave her an advantage against Cersei.  Dany was weakened by going North with Jon and fighting against the Night King, both militarily and personally.  It can be argued that her relationship with Jon Snow brought about her downfall. We don’t know whether Jon and the Starks could have defeated the Night King without Dany, however it looks like this is at least a possibility because of the way the story played out.  The Stark’s plan essentially outwitted the Night King by using Bran as bait, and when he went down, the entire AOTD went down with him.  Had it played out a bit differently, it’s conceivable that it could have been done without Dany.  At any rate, Dany’s journey to the North eventually weakened her in more ways than one.

Dany and Jon at the Battle for Winterfell (HBO)

Dany’s Love for Jon Snow - a Fateful Event

As I wrote previously, Dany’s relationship with Jon was very different from her previous two.  In her marriage to Drogo, Dany began as the weaker partner who  was basically treated like a piece of property; however improbably, they did grow to love each other. Gradually, she gained power to the point where Drogo ended up dying because Dany demanded that he stop some rapes that were occurring after a raid.  In her relationship with Daario Naharis, Dany was the dominant partner.  She easily left him behind when she sailed for Westeros.

After Jon arrives at Dragonstone to seek Dany’s help against the Night King, Dany becomes infatuated with him.   Jon’s personal integrity, conscientiousness and restraint represent  an advancement for Dany compared to her past relationships.  However, these very qualities of Jon’s are also what will seal her doom.  

We don’t get to see very much of Jon and Dany’s relationship before she finds out that he is a Targaryen and technically her rival for the throne.  However, Jon has bent the knee to Dany, and as such he is obligated to be deferential.  When Jon learns of the true circumstances of his birth from Samwell Tarly, he immediately reacts to Sam’s suggestion that Dany should not be Queen by calling it treason.  During the Battle for Winterfell, the two seem to work in tandem although Jon prioritizes Bran’s safety over Dany’s.  This happens immediately after Jon tells Dany about his birth, and after the battle it causes a rift to develop in their relationship.

In the scene after the celebratory feast at Winterfell, Dany tells Jon that she loves him.  Jon is ultimately unable to make love to her which leads Dany to have a melt down over his parentage.  Jon swears that he doesn’t want the throne and will be loyal.  But he then takes exception to Dany’s demand that he keep his secret from Sansa and Arya.  Although Jon continues his political loyalty to Dany, their emotional attachment is now deeply disturbed.

There is no doubt, however, that Dany wishes to continue their relationship.  In the scene of the two together at Dragonstone, she tries to heal their rift, and he again rejects her advances.  And just before her death, Dany envisions them working side by side together as Targaryens; probably in a marriage as has been their custom.  Although we can argue about what love means to a flawed character like Dany, there is no doubt that her feelings for Jon Snow continued until the end.

This scene at Dragonstone between Dany and Jon is pivotal and provides an important glimpse into Dany’s dark side.  We don’t see whether Jon was summoned or if he just showed up to talk to Dany; but we do get to see her reaction to being thwarted.  Jon’s qualms about continuing their physical relationship (read as rejection by Dany) is seemingly projected onto Westeros at large by Dany with the implication being that the lack of love being shown her is what causes her to unleash her fury.

Jon’s Faustian Bargain

The impending invasion of the Night King placed Jon in a difficult situation with regard to his relationship with Dany, since persuading her to help him was paramount.  As King in the North, his commitment was to protect his people and the Starks.  He keenly feels the weight of his responsibilities, just as he did when he was Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch.  His instinct is usually to try and unite rather than divide and also to first look to people’s best qualities rather than antagonize them.  This is why many in the Night’s Watch felt him to be a natural leader.  Those who would take different tacks, such as Alesair Thorne would always be a problem or  threat to people such as Jon who are more visionary in nature.  

In spite of his prowess and bravery in conflicts and on the battlefield, Jon does not enjoy these pursuits. His natural inclination is that of an idealistic protector who possesses a strong sense of right and wrong - an honorable man in the mold of his foster father, Ned Stark.  In spite of not being a “true” Stark, Jon has loved the Stark family and wished to defend and avenge them during the War of the Five Kings and the Battle of the Bastards.  In love relationships, Jon is cautious, but “loyal and true”, as Ygritte tells him.  His natural impulse is not to dominate or use women, like many of the men on Game of Thrones.  Jon sometimes shows a bit of chauvinism when interacting with his sisters, but we can’t expect him not to display these qualities from time to time in the world of the show.  All in all, he is an exceptional and admirable person with a good conscience, though not as shrewd as the book character.

One reason that Jon’s relationship with Dany becomes so problematic is their clashing world views.  Jon could not have helped but see this early on in their interactions because of Dany’s dictatorial and regal style.  Of course there was another side to Dany which she sometimes demonstrated with intimates, but Jon’s natural inclination is to be wary of people who behave arrogantly.  Although its difficult to determine exactly what the show’s writers were trying to do with Jon’s character during season 7, it’s safe to say that Jon was unlikely to have sought a romantic relationship with Dany, but instead was drawn into it because of her attraction to him.  From the outset, their  overall motives were not  compatible:  Dany’s was to conquer Westeros; Jon’s was to save it.  And while Dany’s slogan of breaking the wheel may have given her traction with enslaved peoples, in Westeros it tended to fall short.

Much of the drama of season 7 was about whether or not these two characters would get together, as allies and/or as lovers.  There are really only three possibilities for Jon’s inner feelings about his relationship with Dany, although we know Dany’s feelings for Jon.  The first is that Jon loves or at least admires her sincerely; the second is that he is manipulating her and feels no love (but does have sexual desire); and the third is that he is drawn into the relationship because of a combination of the dire circumstances they are facing and Dany’s obvious ardor for him.  The third possibility makes the most sense to me and does not completely preclude political motives on his part.

Jon’s relationship with Ygritte is something of a model for his later relationship with Dany.  Ygriite was the aggressor, and although she may have started down that path as a way of engineering her escape, her feelings for Jon soon became genuine.  In any case, Jon wasn’t the pursuer initially in that relationship, and Ygriite’s personality tended to overpower his.  Their relationship was messy because of external factors and Jon eventually had to “return to himself” by leaving Ygritte.  There is a similar dynamic at play in Jon’s relationship with Dany.   The possibility that Jon could be lead astray by a woman also seemed to be something that Sansa feared had happened upon Jon’s return to Winterfell with the Dragon Queen;  she had hinted as much to Jon early in season 7, before Dany had even come into the picture.

The show presents Jon as having given up his crown in order to gain Dany’s assistance.  This is how Jon explains and justifies what he did to the Northmen in an assembly and also to Sansa and Arya.  Jon giving up the crown seems to be the issue that upsets the Starks and others more than Dany’s mere presence  in the North with her forces.  Especially for Sansa, Northern independence should not have to be on the table anymore, but Jon has given it away without consulting her.  To Sansa, Jon has fallen under the spell of a usurper whom she doesn’t trust.  However, near the end of season 7 Dany had first offered to fight with Jon without his having bent the knee, which is what Jon purportedly had wanted all along.

The fact that he then bends the knee anyway suggests that he has in some sense become more sympathetic to Dany.  Perhaps he feels that he must give something up to her because she lost a dragon in her attempt to rescue Jon and the others.  Perhaps he really doesn’t value the crown; but if this is the case, why did he accept it, especially knowing how much it means to Sansa?  Jon most likely feels that he is playing it smart by putting aside his pride but also has some kind of feeling for Dany after her rescue attempt and offer to fight with him.  Like Ygritte, Dany is a warrior who physically puts herself on the line, and this is attractive to Jon.

In Jon’s eyes he is trading his crown (and Northern independence) for Dany’s support; but mixed into this bargain is an emotional bond.  The attraction seems stronger on Dany’s side, but Jon has allowed himself to be drawn in, and as Varys observes, to be overshadowed by Dany’s all-consuming quest. But  just as in his relationship with Ygritte, there is a side of Jon to which he must ultimately remain true - his loyalty to the North and his real family.

Was Sansa Right All Along?

At the beginning of Season 7,  Sansa advises Jon that he needs to be smart because Robb and Ned Stark had made stupid mistakes.  Sansa’s overall assessment seems to be that Ned and Robb were naive and had underestimated their enemies.  Sansa first gets this feeling about Jon around the time of the Battle of the Bastards.  She doesn’t approve of Jon’s decision to attack Ramsay’s army with the low number of men they have been able to muster.  She also correctly intuits that Jon will fall into a trap that Ramsay is likely to be preparing.  In the end, Sansa saves the day by having requested help from Littlefinger and the Knights of the Vale, but it turned out that her misgivings about Jon were accurate.  

In season 8, Sansa’s misgivings about Dany are also eventually proven correct when Dany evolves into a destructive tyrant and burns King’s landing.  All along Sansa and Arya had expressed their distrust of Dany to Jon, but Jon does not really listen and goes on supporting Dany.  Jon claims more than once that the Starks just don’t know Dany well enough yet, implying that they’ll eventually come to like her, and he also expresses to Dany a belief that they all can live together.  Presumably he means they can all co-exist in Westeros.  

Sansa and Arya get nowhere with Jon when they try to talk to him before he leaves for Dragonstone.  At this point, Jon also tells them about his true identity as the son of Lyanna and Rhaegar.  It is soon after this that Sansa moves to protect Jon and the North by revealing his secret to Tyrion Lannister. 

From the perspective of how Game of Thrones ends up, the most prescient character all along was indeed Sansa.  Her insight into Jon’s tendencies began at the Battle of the Bastards and is foreshadowed by her comment to him about  needing to be smarter than Ned and Robb.  Sansa also remarks to Dany that men do stupid things for women, which can only be taken at face value by the audience.  Dany’s remark about “who is manipulating whom”, probably does not imply true canniness on the part of Jon but is actually a reference to Dany’s own infatuation with him combined with her desire to placate Sansa.

Jon had kept the interest of the North in mind by focusing on the threat of the Night King, while Sansa had all along remained motivated by continuing the Northern independence which Jon’s crowning had reinstated.  Her distrust of Dany was based upon several factors, but insight into Dany’s true propensities that later turned out to be correct was probably a major driver.  This is not really spelled out by the show; we are only given lines like Arya’s to Jon about Sansa being the “smartest person I know.”  This possibility seems to have pretty much escaped Jon, who is focused on the Night King and his sense of indebtedness to Dany.

Sansa and Jon (The Starks) bring about Dany’s Downfall

Jon’s character arc in season 8 appears to only confirm Sansa’s misgivings about him.  Here are a few actions by Jon which were likely perceived as alarming by Sansa:

He bent the knee, which we know Sansa disapproves of, not only because Dany is a Targaryen but because Sansa has become devoted to the cause of Northern independence.  Sansa wanted Jon to remain King in the North.

Sansa perceives Jon’s “love” for Dany (which he probably admitted to her in episode one) as a sign that he is again vulnerable to making poor judgements as she saw him do in the past and which remind her of other male Starks.

Jon’s repeated assurances that Dany will be a good queen despite evidence to the contrary.

Jon’s fealty to Dany even after learning of his parentage.  What did Sansa think of this?  We didn’t get to hear, but her spilling the beans to Tyrion tells us she believes it to be a mistake.  We have to believe that Sansa told Jon as much after Bran revealed the truth about him, and he wouldn’t listen.

What stands out about Sansa during all of this is that she trusted her own judgements over Jon’s and ultimately acted upon them in opposition to Jon’s instructions.  Since Sansa is correct about Dany, she is shown to have the best judgement and therefore lives up to her implied “smartness”.  Of course Jon’s character arc of naivete and blind devotion is deeply disappointing and antithetical to some of his past actions.  Yet Sansa’s misgivings about his judgement are seemingly proven true in the end.  Jon’s decision to kill Dany, which was portrayed as being more about protecting Sansa than about Dany’s fitness, was not reached until almost the last minute, and only after a discussion with Tyrion in which he seems to defend Dany.  Unfortunately this is what the show gave us, but in the end, the Starks are mostly on the ascent because of Sansa and Jon.  It is likely that Sansa telling Tyrion about Jon’s Targaryen heritage contributed to Dany’s burning of King’s Landing.  This is evidenced by her paranoia, self pity and instability in her scene with Jon after Varys’s execution.  Soon afterwards, Jon ended Dany’s life and the tipping point for him   was almost certainly his (late) realization that Dany would likely try to kill Sansa.

Part 2 will be about the plot the writers may have intended to portray.

[nightqueendany]

Game of Thrones and Lawrence of Arabia

I’m just going to copy and paste relevant parts of the Wikipedia summary below and go through point by point:

The story then moves backward to the First World War, where Lawrence is a misfit British Army lieutenant, notable for his insolence and education. 

Hmm, who do we know from the story who is 1) a misfit, 2) joins a type of “army” and 3) is known for his insolence and education.

Oh yeah, JON FUCKING SNOW. 

Over the objections of General Murray, Mr. Dryden of the Arab Bureau sends him to assess the prospects of Prince Faisal in his revolt against the Turks. 

Who also is sent on a mission that his Lord Commander isn’t entirely chuffed about, at the request of another commander, in order to assess/take care of a situation regarding a foreign group?

Oh yeah, JON FUCKING SNOW.

On the journey, his Bedouin guide, Tafas, is killed by Sherif Ali for drinking from his well without permission. Lawrence later meets Colonel Brighton, who orders him to keep quiet, make his assessment, and leave. Lawrence ignores Brighton's orders when he meets Faisal. His outspokenness piques the prince's interest.

Brighton advises Faisal to retreat after a major defeat, but Lawrence proposes a daring surprise attack on Aqaba; 

Now, this bit I could see being Dany vs Jorah, when he’s trying to convince her that she doesn’t need Yunkai and she wants to take it to save the slaves there, but the parallel is really weak. 

The parallel of Lawrence being a young but capable military commander could belong to both Jon or Dany.

its capture would provide a port from which the British could offload much-needed supplies. The town is strongly fortified against a naval assault but only lightly defended on the landward side. He convinces Faisal to provide fifty men, led by a skeptical Sherif Ali. Teenage orphans Daud and Farraj attach themselves to Lawrence as servants. 

Again, this parallel could belong to either Jon or Dany. Missandei for Dany, Ollie for Jon.

They cross the Nefud Desert, considered impassable even by the Bedouins, traveling day and night on the last stage to reach water. One of Ali's men, Gasim, succumbs to fatigue and falls off his camel unnoticed during the night. When Lawrence discovers him missing, he turns back and rescues Gasim—and Sherif Ali is won over. He gives Lawrence Arab robes to wear.

The crossing of the desert could parallel Dany’s journey through the Red Waste - but the purposes for crossing these deserts are two totally different motivations. Lawrence and co are heading for battle. Dany and co are just trying to survive.

Dany is never given native garb as a reward. She adopts the garb of her people to show them respect. However, Jon is given a white fur by Mance when Jon successfully convinces Mance he wants to change sides from Night’s Watch to Wildling. 

Lawrence persuades Auda abu Tayi, the leader of the powerful local Howeitat tribe, to turn against the Turks. 

This could parallel Dany convincing Daario and co to fight for her rather than Yunkai...I guess? Or perhaps it’s Dany convincing the slaves of Yunaki to turn against their masters. Or perhaps it’s Jon convincing the Wildlings and Northmen to fight together against Ramsay? Who fuckin’ knows?

Lawrence's scheme is almost derailed when one of Ali's men kills one of Auda's because of a blood feud. Howeitat retaliation would shatter the fragile alliance, so Lawrence declares that he will execute the murderer himself. He is then stunned to discover that the culprit is Gasim, the very man to save whom he risked his own life in the desert, but he shoots him anyway.

This could be Dany in S5 executing Mossador, but remember, that was a show-only add-in. 

The next morning, the Arabs overrun the Turkish garrison. Lawrence heads to Cairo to inform Dryden and the new commander, General Allenby, of his victory. While crossing the Sinai Desert, Daud dies when he stumbles into quicksand. Lawrence is promoted to major and given arms and money for the Arabs. He is deeply disturbed, however, confessing that he enjoyed executing Gasim, but Allenby brushes aside his qualms. He asks Allenby whether there is any basis for the Arabs' suspicions that the British have designs on Arabia. When pressed, the general states that they do not.

This is Jon Snow to a T. Jon is promoted to Lord Commander, he gives rations to the wildlings who agree to help man the Wall, and he’s in a delicate negotiation with Stannis in regards to the wildlings fates in relation to the Seven Kingdoms.  

Lawrence launches a guerrilla war, blowing up trains and harassing the Turks at every turn. American war correspondentJackson Bentley publicizes Lawrence's exploits, making him famous. On one raid, Farraj is badly injured. Unwilling to leave him to be tortured by the enemy, Lawrence shoots him dead before fleeing.

This could be both Jon/Dany or neither. There are *some* parallels to both their wars taking back their homes - Jon with Battle of the Bastards, Dany with the Loot Train Battle. But it’s a weak parallel for them both at best. 

When Lawrence scouts the enemy-held city of Deraa with Ali, he is taken, along with several Arab residents, to the Turkish Bey. Lawrence is stripped, ogled, and prodded. Then, for striking out at the Bey, he is severely flogged before being thrown into the street. The experience leaves Lawrence shaken. He returns to British headquarters in Cairo but does not fit in.

Daenerys is captured and beaten by the Dothraki in Season 6. Jon is captured and beaten by the wildlings in Season 2.

However, the “returning but not fitting in” is a parallel that belongs to Jon solely. When he returns to the Wall after being undercover with the wildlings, he is very much changed by his time with them. He “talks like a wildling” because he “ate with the wildlings, climbed the Wall with the wildlings, and lay with a wildling girl.” He gained an understanding of them and their culture and has adopted their ways of thinking as his own which is why in S7 Tormund tells him, “You spent too much time with the Free Folk, now you don’t like kneeling.” Dany, throughout her story, is both adoptive of all the cultures she encounters and also loyal to none of them, only participating in cultural practices to show respect, not because she has become fully immersed in the culture.

A short time later in Jerusalem, General Allenby urges him to support the "big push" on Damascus. Lawrence hesitates to return but finally relents.

Lawrence recruits an army that is motivated more by money than by the Arab cause. 

This actually most closely parallels CERSEI in Seasons 7/8 and her purchasing of a contract with the Golden Company. So who the fuck cares? LOL

They sight a column of retreating Turkish soldiers who have just massacred the residents of Tafas. One of Lawrence's men is from Tafas; he demands, "No prisoners!" When Lawrence hesitates, the man charges the Turks alone and is killed. Lawrence takes up the dead man's battle cry; the result is a slaughter in which Lawrence himself participates. Afterwards, he regrets his actions.

The “guerrilla war” on the Turks and this scene in particular are the only ones I can think of as to why Dany’s arc is compared with this film. However, in this last battle scene in Lawrence of Arabia where Lawrence “goes too far”, it’s not an entirely unprovoked act of senseless violence. Yes, in the film, it’s meant to be horrific. 

However, 1) they are killing Turkish soldiers, not civilians, and 2) the Turkish soldiers had just slaughtered an entire city. So it’s not as if they’re innocent men. 

(Please keep in mind, I am not a history buff. I have no idea about any of this stuff in actual historical context or if the film is historically accurate. I’m not saying the Turkish soldiers deserved this but again, not saying they’re innocent in the way the film frames them either). 

This more reminds me of Dany’s attack on the Lannister/Tarly troops after their sack of Highgarden than the massacre of King’s Landing. 

OR, it could be Jon Snow “getting the crazy eyes and losing a bit of his goodness” - Miguel Sapochnik - in Battle of the Bastards. 

But this is definitely not Dany’s King’s Landing moment. The Bells isn’t Dany going “just a little too far.” That’s Dany going outright batshit and killing full on innocent people with no hint of regret - which Lawrence does regret his actions. So this fucking parallel is idiotic. If Emilia were meant to see Dany as “Lawrence of Arabia”, then that arc would be finished long before Season 8 because Season 8 Dany has no regrets of the violence she’s participated in. Lawrence struggles with that question constantly - as does Jon Snow. 

Lawrence's men take Damascus ahead of Allenby's forces. The Arabs set up a council to administer the city, but the desert tribesmen prove ill-suited for such a task. Despite Lawrence's efforts, they bicker constantly. Unable to maintain the public utilities, the Arabs soon abandon most of the city to the British.

Lawrence is promoted to colonel and immediately ordered back to Britain, as his usefulness to both Faisal and the British is at an end. As he leaves the city, his automobile is passed by a motorcyclist who leaves a trail of dust in his wake.

The bickering among Arabs could be the bickering among the Northmen when Jon is King, or it could be Dany dealing with the former slaves and masters in Slaver’s Bay, but it’s unclear. 

HOWEVER, being useful to neither cause and getting tossed out like trash when his usefulness at bringing people together and fighting their fights is at an end, is full on Jon Snow, and like Lawrence, he’s sent back to his place of origin: the Wall. 

If Dany’s story were to be parallel to Lawrence, she wouldn’t have slaughtered King’s Landing and would have gone back to Essos. 

Add to all this, Lawrence is a bastard son of an English Lord, struggles with his identity, struggles with his place between serving the British Army and his love for the Arab people, and lastly his squeamishness with unnecessary violence, and you’ve got Jon Fucking Snow.

I really have no idea when or why D&D told Emilia that Dany’s story was like Lawrence of Arabia. Honestly, after now having watched this film, I think they likely told her this back in the early days of the show, so of course Emilia wouldn’t connect this to Dany’s “dark turn” because Lawrence doesn’t fucking have this gigantic 180 like Dany does. That’s not what happens to his character so why would Emilia have expected that? Or expected Dany to die the way she did?? Dany’s “go too far” moment, in the series, would have been crucifying the masters. That’s it. The masters were evil and did something horrible and she was “punishing” them for it. And it was a great morally gray moment, which she later questions about herself. Just like Lawrence regrets his actions in the slaughter of the Turkish soldiers in the final battle in that film. 

But to compare Dany’s “The Bells” moment to the final battle of Lawrence of Arabia does not fit at all. 

It makes no fucking sense. Just like the rest of this pathetic dumpster fire of a season. 

[mathiaskillmaster]

My GOT Ending: A Song of Ice and Fire (Episode 6 Season 8) Part 1

It was in a greyish twilight that this day fell that saw the titanic battle and the destruction of King's Landing. A shower of snowflakes, mixed with ashes, slowly begins to fall from the sky covered with black clouds. In the midst of the ruins of what was once the red dungeon, some of whose completely blackened foundations seem to stand still, advances a solitary, silent figure. The Night King, only survivor of the explosion, walks slowly and almost contemplatively on this landscape of desolation. His ice look locks a moment on the immobile thing that stands before him, and that also resisted to the wildfire. The Iron Throne, true symbol of power and lust, was still standing, seeing its surface slowly covered with ashen flakes. The Night King watches for a moment this particular throne, but shows no more interest in it. Always bringing the long night and the winter with him, the King of the walkers moves away from the still smoking ruins of the capital of the seven crowns, towards the south, followed by a small group of wights recently transformed by his power. No luck for those survivors who chose to flee by land, to have crossed his path. Walking on a little dirt track in the middle of the trees, under the rain of snowflakes, the ice king sees in the distance the first dwellings of a small isolated village, still seeming to be inhabited, judging by the lights of visible candles at windows from the outside. Despite having lost all of its army and all its white walkers in the explosion of wildfire, the Night King remains impassive, imperturbable. In his eyes, nothing new. The inexorable task for which he was created so long ago must continue and it is time for him to rebuild an army. Unbinding his ice sword and followed by his new undead soldiers, the Night King advances towards the village in order to commit a new carnage and expand his future new army of the dead. ********** The huge Greyjoy fleet, now under the leadership of Yara, continues its progress towards Dragonstone, with on board all the survivors who could escape the devastation of the city. In the various ships, the surviving civilians and soldiers, quite numerous, are supported by the ironborn sailors, having received the instructions from Yara to not do them any harm. From the bridge of te flagship, Gendry silently gazes at the fumes rising in the distance, and his heart dawns for witnessing the destruction of the city where he was born. Davos, too, remains pensive, having seen again in his head the explosion of the battle of the Nera. On board of the ships is reigning a shared feeling between victory and defeat. Seriously injured, Jorah lost consciousness after too much blood loss, but he still breathes, much Daenerys' relief. The Andal knight was installed on a bunk in the captain's cabin and Yara volunteered to stay at his bedside and watch over him. Tyrion remains silent, traces of dried tears visible on his cheeks. The loss of Podrick, but especially the death of his brother Jaime, marked him very much, as well as the fact of learning from Brienne's mouth that he is now the last surviving heir of the Lannister family. Jaime's body is now under a sheet, and Tyrion sits beside him, looking at him without saying anything. The dwarf gently puts his hand on the sheet. _ "You idiot ....." Tyrion sighs, his throat knotted. Brienne advances and comes to kneel beside him, also having shed tears for the knight Lannister. _"He fought as a true knight ..." she said to Tyrion "... he will receive the honors due to his sacrifice." Tyrion does not answer and merely nods softly. Standing back, leaning on the rail, Bronn observes the scene, and can not help expressing a sorry look for the dwarf. The mercenary could have, but he finally decides never to tell Tyrion about the mission Cersei had given him, considering that his dwarf friend has paid enough like that. It is in this idea that Bronn takes a last look at the crossbow that was entrusted to him, the one that had killed Tywin Lannister, and with a decided gesture, drops it overboard, and watch it sink into the water opaque, without regret. Farther on the deck of the same ship, Sandor remains seated against the rail. Though resistant, he suffered much during the fight against his brother and still feels the wounds he has received. Arya sits next to him. The Hound then looks tired in the direction of the black smoke columns rising from the distant ruins of the capital. _ "Fucking fire, we're better on these nut shells." he said laconically. Arya can not help but express a slight affectionate smile towards him. But behind this smiling mask, Arya remains marked by the brutal appearance of Hodor changed into a wight. She was forced to eliminate him in order to stay alive, but also to allow the kind giant to finally find the eternal rest. At the back of the ship, on the upper deck, Daenerys and Jon, face to face, are almost alone in the world. During this terrible battle, they nearly lost themselves forever, and this idea having crossed their minds could only strengthen the sincerity and strength of their love for each other. _ "Just to think that I could have lost you .... I don't know what I would have done without you ...." Daenerys said, unable to prevent a tear of joy from running down her cheek, as she gently puts her hand on Jon's cheek. The latter smiled at her. _ "If I am alive, it is thanks to you and all the others .... I am indebted to you, forever." answers the young king of the north. Despite everything that could disunite them, the couple remains closer than ever, especially after this terrible ordeal. Then, Daenerys takes the hand of Jon and comes to put it gently on her barely rounded belly. Noticing the smile and the insistent look of the dragon queen, Jon lets appear a more and more visible surprise on his face, as well as an even bigger smile, his brilliant irises. _"Are....are you sure? you think it's me ..." he asks to be sure of what's going on. Daenerys nods, more than sincere. The idea that he can become a father gives Jon hope and keeps him smiling. Yet Daenerys guesses the veil of uncertainty that hangs over the eyes of the one she loves. Jon is thoughtful, thinking silently. _"What happens, Jon?" asks the queen, concerned. Jon sees clearly that she seems worried about his sudden change of attitude, but explains himself, taking her hands in his. _ "Nothing ... believe me, this new warms my heart .... but, all my life, I was perceived as a bastard, a mistake to put aside ..... I will never allow our child suffers the same fate because of me." Daenerys understands the point of view of her lover, but also guesses the proposition behind it, with great joy. Taking Jon's face in her hands, forcing him to look into her eyes, the queen of the dragons shows bright irises of a happiness that she no longer hoped to hope for. _ "This is probably the worst marriage proposal I could imagine ..... but .... my answer is yes." she said, much to the relief of Jon who can not help but express a small embarrassed laugh at the somewhat far-fetched marriage request, which makes Dany laugh a little too. The couple kiss tenderly, thus sealing this marriage request. Shortly after, Daenerys and Jon return to the captain's cabin to meet Yara Greyjoy, still watching over Se Jorah, who, though still breathing, has not woken up yet. A bandage of fortune blushed with blood was placed on his back. Seeing the couple enter, Yara gets up from her seat, greeting them with a brief nod. _"How is he?" Daenerys asks, coming to the bedside of her friend Jorah, very worried about him. _"He's strong, but he'll need care as soon as we get to Dragonstone." replied the ironborn captain. Although remaining strong and dignified in appearance, Yara also did not come out safe from this battle. The news of Theon's death continues to haunt her, like Euron's comments about him, but by eliminating her hateful uncle, she feels deep down that she has done justice to the memory of her deceased brother. She observes Dany silently praying for the survival of her friend, the same friend who did not hesitate to risk his life against the Night King to protect her. Jon comes forward and comes to support Daenerys morally. Sitting behind her small desk, Yara breaks the silence and speaks to the couple again. _ "And so.... what will be the continuation of the festivities now?" ********* At Dragonstone, Samwell and Bran were brought back by Drogon from the air, and it is with great relief that Gilly welcomed the man she loves. On the beach, Sansa, Missandei, Samwell, Bran, and Gilly all attend the arrival, albeit unanticipated, of the Greyjoy fleet. The reunion is made in a mixture of joy and deep melancholy. Once on the sand, Arya and Sansa hug with force, as Arya embraces Bran with love. Sansa does the same with Jon when she sees him coming, and pours a small tear of joy for him. Daenerys lets the Stark family meet, and on her side, finds Missandei, who is happy to see her queen alive, can not help but hug her. Dany willingly accepts it. It is also with joy that the young Queen Targaryen sees Drogon, still alive and vigorous, flying in the sky above the island. One by one, Jon squeezes all his friends in his arms, thanking them all for coming to his rescue. Sansa and Tyrion meet face to face once more, and Winterfell's young lady notices the deep sadness that dominates the dwarf. She kneels at his level and hugs him gently in her arms, which he lets do. But the reunion is quickly cooled by Bran, who reveals to all that unfortunately the Night King managed to survive the explosion of the wildfire and headed somewhere in the south. The survivors are taken care of immediately, while Yara orders the disembarkation of her troops. The most wounded, such as Jorah, Gendry and Sandor, are supported by Samwell who with the assistance of Gilly, is eager to take them inside the fortress to treat them as best he can. ********* Although the army of the dead and Cersei were defeated in the battle of King's Landing, the weight of all casualties suffered by the survivors was still severely felt. At the request of Jon and Daenerys, a funeral ceremony was organized in the courtyard of Dragonstone, where everyone was gathered. According to tradition, Jaime's corpse was installed on a funeral pyre, in his knight's armor and his sword on his chest. The eyes closed and the peaceful face, he almost gave the impression of sleeping. Although he was the man who had murdered her father, Daenerys, in honor of Tyrion, had paid tribute to the knight Lannister who paid with his life to defend the seven crowns and the world of the living. The ceremony also paid tribute to all those who had perished during the Battle of Winterfell and that of King's Landing, against the threat of the white walkers. A stele bearing their names engraved on its surface was erected in their memory, and placed in front of the gates of the fortress so that each guest can upon arrival there to contemplate the names of the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the world of the living. It was in a macabre silence filled with sadness that everyone witnessed the burning of the pyre which gradually covered Jaime's body, making him disappear forever, but not in the memories. Daenerys, standing beside Tyrion, put her hand on her counselor's shoulder, giving him a sincere, compassionate look. All around the pyre, the surviving soldiers stood upright, on guard, greeting the departure of one who was once the kingslayer, but who eventually became a hero. ********* Three days had passed, during which the new refugees had been installed in the fortress, welcomed by the queen of the dragons who opened her doors to all those seeking refuge. The announcement of the future union between Daenerys and Jon was proclaimed the day before, which surprised many, given the circumstances, but in these moments of doubt and unrest, it was better to cling to a symbol of union and hope, even minimal. Aware of the pain that still plagued the hearts of some, Jon and Daenerys proclaimed a modest reception. Jon, wrapped in his cape of king in the north, walks slowly on the magnificent cliffs of the island bordering the sea, and pensively contemplates the waves crashing softly against the rocks, and feeling the sea wind on his face. He is accompanied by Tyrion, who wanted to keep him company to change his ideas. _"You know, I would understand perfectly well that you don't approve my union with your queen, but ...." begins Jon, but Tyrion throws out that idea with his hand. _ "No, I totally understand ...." explains him the dwarf "... In these times more than troubled, I believe that people need to cling to a symbol of unity and hope, what you and the queen of dragons embody perfectly.... you have gathered the living against the army of the dead... even if no one wanted to believe you, you held firm because you knew that the threat was real .... without you .... we would probably all be at the service of the Night King now ... But tell me, does the idea of ​​getting married scares you?" Jon smiles slightly at Tyrion's question while continuing to walk with him. _"Let's say that with my status as a bastard, I did not think I would get married one day .... and not with a queen." Tyrion smiled in his turn. _ "I would gladly share with you my advice on married life, but my experience is very limited, I fear." the queen's hand answers. What Jon looks at him with an eyebrow. _ "But ... you're not married to Sansa?" said Jon, who remembered this detail very well. Tyrion scratches his cheek, a little embarrassed but nods. _ "It's a bit complicated ..." Tyrion answered frankly "... but well, I guess we can say yes, indeed." The two men exchange a brief silence, then a little reserved laugh. But quickly, Tyrion comes back on another topic somewhat thorny but nevertheless crucial for the future of Westeros. _"Now, the big question is: who will reign?" _ "I don't know ..." Jon replies with a sigh ... "The throne has never been my dearest wish. Daenerys would be a much better monarch than I am, and I think with the Night King always wandering in nature, this kind of questioning doesn't seem to me to be of the greatest importance, for the moment." Tyrion admits that Jon is right on this point. *********** In the library of Dragonstone, Samwell and Bran met to talk about the next action to be taken against the Night King. A knock on the door interrupts their discussion. Jon enters the room, greeting them both. _ "So ..... did you manage to find something?" asks the young king in the north. Bran remains unmoved while Samwell nods to him, but Jon can sense the unease in his friend's face. Samwell comes to meet him. _ "There ... there is a way ..." Sam said timidly "... but ... I think you should sit down." After a few minutes of explanation from Bran and Sam, Jon remains silent, staring right in front of himself, and not losing a crumb of the story. He runs his hand over the forehead, sighing heavily, while Sam gives him a look more than sorry. _ "I know .... it's really unfair .... it should not have been that way ..." Sam said with his throat tied with remorse. Jon thanks him for his compassion and pats him on the shoulder. _ "If this is the only way .... there is no more hesitation to have....I will do what I have to do, for the good of all." Jon told him.

[christabellanikolai]

Winter’s End, Chapter 1

My dear Brother, you must awaken, Winter is now over. As the snows begin to melt, your duty to North has come to an end. Go South for Westeros needs it’s one true King.

“Aegon…Aegon...”

“That’s not my name.” No, it wasn’t, he thought as his senses slowly returned. As he softly spoke he remained held between the world and his previous slumber. “Jon, my name is Jon.”

“You are Aegon Targaryen, the Prince who was Promised. You must remember this.” Jon did remember, that same voice telling him his true identity, sitting in his chambers at Winterfell before the war. He had refused to believe it until his Brother had taken his hand and shown him two visions. A secret wedding and the tragic hour of his own birth. He had fought the Night King, his sword ablaze, he remembered driving it through the beings chest just before…

His eyes opened as he felt air rush back into his lungs, a realization that he once again should not be alive hit him. Looking around he found himself to be somewhere he could not recognize. He was lying on a stone slab, cradled by the branches of trees and surrounded by flowers among the snow. His sword lay between his hands, it’s blade no longer burning.

“Yes my dear Brother, you must awaken, Winter is now over.”

“Bran! Where are you?” he said as looked around, unable to see, only hear his younger brother.

“I am sorry Jon, I can no longer see you as I once was,” said Bran “I now must remain hidden to maintain the peace you have given to us all.”

“Bran… I shouldn’t be here right now. The Night King before he fell he...”

“Stabbed you, I know. I along with the Children healed you.” As if they had been waiting for a cue, Jon watched a small group of the Children of the Forest approached. “The Night King tried to turn you just before he died. They stopped his magic from consuming you with dragon glass, and I used my own to prevent you from becoming part of the undead.”

“Why I don’t understand, I should have died when the Night King fell,” said Jon

“You needed to be here, you are the blood of the first men and of the dragon.” said one of the Children. “Without you, the Walkers could have risen again. You made sure it could never happen again.”

“I did nothing.” said Jon “Once the Night King fell,...there was nothing.”

“There was more than nothing, you did more than nothing.” said Bran “Soon you will remember but now is not the time. Now that the snow has begun to melt, your duty to the North has come to an end.”

Jon stared ahead in silence unsure of what to say. None of this made sense to him, he should have died. The memory of his final moments with the Night King was clear. His flaming sword cutting through the Night King’s abdomen. Just as the Night King fell he felt a sudden sharp cold pain in his side, as he looked down, he saw the end of one of the Night Kings swords pierced into his flesh. As sank to his knees he reached down, pulling the shard of ice from his skin, warm blood immediately pouring from the wound.

“Jon you must go South.” he heard Bran say as one of the Children held out there hand, helping him to climb down from he sat. “Soon Westeros will need it’s one true King.”

“I am not their King,” said Jon

“Yes you are Jon,” said Bran. “You have to go South.” One of the Children led a horse, it’s saddle lined with supplies. “Ride for the wall. The stairs leading to the Southside are still there. Climb them and walk directly to Castle Black, there you will find people who will help you. You should have everything you need for the journey.”

Jon remained hesitant, unable to move. His mind felt as if it were a swift-moving flood, memories returning to him. None of them were apparent, he felt as if there was nothing for him in the South, that he should stay in the North. A small voice in the back of his mind told him otherwise “When the Night King is gone, I want nothing more than to rule with you by my side.”, this voice was a memory, one he knew he should recognize, the inability to do so left him with a feeling of dread.

“Ride South Jon, in time it will all become clear,” said Bran “I will be with you whenever you need guidance. There is no need for you to remain in the North any longer, you must go South.” Jon stepped forward before slowly climbing on top of the horse. Before he could say anything one of the Children hit the horse in the back, commanding it to charge forward. As he lurched forward, Jon was able to grab the reigns at the last second, just as another memory returned. It was the same voice as before, only this time marked with sadness “Come back to me, promise me you will come back to me.”

He needed to go home, and his home was no longer in the North but with someone. Jon then could see her, a woman with hair as pale and gold as sunlight, standing among dragons, waiting for him.

Within the Queen’s chambers, Missandei stood with her longtime friend, the woman who had rescued her from life as a slave, the Queen she owed everything to. “Is it all to your liking, your grace?” she asked as she placed the final touches on Daenerys braids, before helping to pin a long red cape over the Queen’s shoulders.

“Perfect as always Missandei,” said Daenerys as she smoothed some unwanted wrinkles out of the long black dress. “Though I have noticed there is no longer any fur linings in my gowns. Has the seamstress run out of the material?”

“No my Queen. The weather here no longer requires it.” said Missandei “Though I can ask her to place the fur lining in your gowns if that is what you please.”

“No, do you think this warm weather means… could this Winter be over?”

“I am not familiar with those matters.” said Missandei “Though I do hope so, it has been too long and so much has been lost.”

Daenerys nodded in silent agreement. The memories of the final moments of the war with the undead continuing to haunt her. She had remained in the camp as Jon had ridden Rhaegal into a final battle with the Night King. Both armies had decreased significantly, and Daenerys had begged him to let her go with him, his little sister Arya had even said she would go in his place. He had refused both of their requests, proclaiming he would not allow any more of them to die for his cause.

Days had passed, and members of Jon’s army had returned to the camp. They spoke of how Jon had gone after the Night King on his own, as he went off to fight Longclaw began to burn. It was a day more when Rhaegal finally returned to the camp, alone.

When Davos told her the dragon had no rider she fell to the ground, a sense of both numbness and terror washing over her. Over the next few days, she had refused to eat, declined to speak with anyone, refusing to leave. She stared ahead, waiting for Jon to return. Riders had been sent out to look for him, they returned with evidence that the Night King was gone, and no sign of Jon. Finally, her advisors had ordered that she be brought back to Dragonstone. She had screamed at all them, believing they were turning their back on Jon, on their King.

On the ship back to Dragonstone, little Arya had come to see her. Heartbroken with tears in her eyes the girl had taken the Queens' hand. “My Brother is gone, Jon is gone.”

“No, he will come back,” she said to Arya, pulling her hands away. The young girl was quick though and grabbed both of the woman's wrists.

“No Daenerys he won’t!” yelled Arya “If Jon were still alive he would have returned to us by now. He is dead!” It was the first time someone had said it outright. Jon, her love, her King was dead. Hearing it from Arya, someone who was just as close to Jon as herself made it real. She lunged forward pulling Arya in her arms both women began to grieve. “We are still here though, both of us know there is still another war to come.”

“My Queen, shall we go?” said Missandei, pulling Daenerys from her thoughts. “They are waiting for you.”

Daenerys nodded toward her advisor before leaving her chambers. Winter did take everything from her but also had given her so much more.

In the Godswood of Winterfell, they stood together, in front of his family and their advisors. Before each of them was his closest friend Samwell Tarley “Queen Daenerys of House Targaryen do you take this man.”

“I take this man.”

“I am hers, and she is mine” “I am his, and he is mine.”

“From this day until, the end of my days” How long Jon had ridden he did not know, though Bran had been correct. As he rode the confusion he had felt after returning to the living was gone. He could now remember, remember her. His wife Daenerys, they had married in Winterfell before heading North to fight. To the shock of those familiar with the customs of the Old Gods, they had added a piece reserved for those practicing the Faith of the Seven. She was his ‘Dany’ and he her ‘Jon.’ Even before they went to fight the Night King some had already begun to say they were both the true Queen and King of Westeros, even his little sister Arya saw it that way. While he had no desire to rule all of Westeros, he only wished to remain by her side. When she sat upon the iron throne, he had promised to stand alongside her.

As he rode, he was left confused by the state of the area. It appeared as if the war had never happened. The grounds, even the Wall seemed to be unscratched. There was no sign of his armies anywhere. Bran had told him to ride for Castle Black, that must have been where they now waited for him. Once he reached Castle Black, he would be reunited with his wife.

While he walked the Wall, he did what he felt he always had done best to past the time. He began to strategize, make plans for his wife’s invasion of Kings Landing. He had only been there once, to ask Cersei for help in the fight against the army of the dead. Daenerys had been there to comfort him when he had learned of her betrayal. He had been in a rage before Daenerys had grounded him. It was then Arya shared with them her list of names of those she wished to kill, and of her desire to kill the Queen. Whatever plan they decided upon, Arya would play a role as long as she was safe.

While he had reached the top of the wall at sunrise, it was now nightfall and exhaustion was taking hold of him. With every step, his legs were beginning to feel heavy. As he reached the top of the wall overlooking Castle Black, he could see torches that lined the top of the wall overlooking Castle Black. Among them, he could see a large flame blazing above the smaller ones. It appeared to be part of a statue. As he got closer he could see where the light was coming from, a flaming sword, part of a stone statue that now stood on top of the wall. It was a statue of him, the sword was clearly Longclaw, set ablaze just like it had been during the battle with the Night King. Etched within the base in small letters was his name and what he assumed were titles followed by larger letters reading ‘Jon Snow, the Sword in the Darkness, the Fire that Burns the Cold and Bringer of the Dawn, the Shield who Guards the Realms of Men’

“You there! What business do you have being up here?” he heard a voice shout. He still continued to stare in awe of the statue, confused by its presence on top of the wall. Even as he listened to the members of the Night’s Watch approach, he still reached out to trace his hand across the lettering.

“This statue…” he said breathless “Who put it here?”

“Why it was the Queen of course.” answered one of the young recruits. “Came all the way from Kings Landing to light the fire herself.”

Jon laughed before shaking his head. “Now why would Cersei do such a thing?”

“Are you mad or just simple?” asked the recruit “It wasn’t Cersei, she is a long-dead boy, rightfully so.”

Jon turned to them in confusion. “You said the Queen the came from Kings Landing if not Cersei then...which Queen do you speak of?”

“Why the one true Queen of Westeros, Daenerys of House Targaryen.”

‘It can’t be true’ He thought to himself ‘How long have I been gone?�� As he looked up to stare at the face of the statue, he could feel his heart begin to race. He fell forward as he lost control of his breath. The two recruits ran toward him, as they did he heard one of them gasped “Seven Hells Mycha I think it’s him…” Exhaustion and shock were beginning to overtake him, he no longer could stand on his own or even speak.

“Impossible” He could hear the other recruit say. “Jon Snow has been dead for 5 years.”

Archive of Our Own Link 

[briemund-tarthbane]

Coming For You

Ok, so this is my first Briemund fanfic ever! It was based on this prompt I ended up coming up with. I would really appreciated it of somebody could beta it for me before it goes to AO3. Anyway, I hope you like it.

Tormund

Brienne of Tarth.

The thought of the lady knight is the only thing that keeps me warm at Eastwatch-by-the-sea. Ever since that magnificent woman came riding through the gates of Castle Black I could not take her out of my mind. I have never seen anyone like her, and I don’t think I ever will again. Tall, strong, fierce, yellow hair, blue eyes. A formidable warrior. She could be a perfect spearwife to any man of my people. Hopefully she will be mine. What a woman.

The Southerns call her Brienne, the Beauty. I envy whoever gave her that title, which fis her so perfetcly. If the gods allow me, I will tell her every day of my life just what a beauty she truly is.

If Brienne were a woman from the Free Folk, I would have stolen her for my own the moment I first saw her. But she isn’t. Besides, I know she could cut me in half with that fine sword of hers i she wanted to. If only she knew how much I respect and admire her for it… So I have to make do with what I’ve got, which is watching all her gracious moves; approach her with as much caution as possible. For the first time in my life I wish I had acknowledge of the Southern customs, in order to properly woo her. Maybe Jon Snow could help me with that. He owes me that, anyway.

But this has to wait. At the moment my men and I must help the crows guard Eastwatch. Now we, men of the Free Folk, are part of the Night’s Watch. Who would have thought?

Beric Dondarrion follows me to one of the lookout posts at the top of the Wall. It’s always been cold here, but now that winter has come, it feels colder than I can remember. Ravens fly croaking. Conversations between men are almost muffled by the howling winds of winter.

“It’s a long way down,” Beric comments, looking down.

“Yeah,” I agree. “The crows keep telling me I’ll get used to it.” Deep inside I find it very hard.

I look down and away. The White Walkers are getting closer. They are thousands, and there are even giants amongst them. I tremble, whether for fear or the cold winds, I don’t know. The memories from that suicide mission looking for a wight are still fresh. Night watchers star blowing horns.

Suddenly the army of the dead simply stop. I’m confused for a moment, wondering how they intend to pass through the Wall. The answer to my question comes from the sky. I look in terror: one of the Dragon Queen’s sons, the one that had been hit by the Night King, is back to life and approaching quickly. I don’t think twice: I urge Beric and the other men to run.

I can’t see exactly what’s going on, but judging by the tremors I feel, I know the wight dragon is destroying the wall. I’m sure of it when I see right before my eyes a kind of blue fire cut the ice walls. But I don’t have much time to understand what’s happening, because I am caught by a massive layer of snow and ice, and everything around me darkens.

The Long Night has come, the Wight Walkers will have gone past the Wall, and all I can think about now is Brienne. Gods, help me. I don’t want to die without seeing her gorgeous face one last time. I want to survive so that I can claim her for my own; fight by her side; make my babies with her.

I’m getting breathless and I feel my strength fall away as I try to get out of the snow, but I have strength enough to utter one single word, without caring whether it was heard or not.

“Brienne.”

Brienne

“Tormund.”

His name leave my lips without my permission, before I can stop it. It could have been either a whisper or a shout, but I know it came out loud enough to catch Lady Sansa’s and Jon Snow’s attention. I try not to sound or look too terrified, but deep inside I know I have failed miserably. I start feeling a blush on my cheeks.

Bran Stark, now the Three-Eyed Raven, saw everything. One of Daenerys Targaryen’s dragons was hit by the Night King’s spear, then brought back to life as an ice dragon and partially destroyed the Wall, making way for the White Walkers to finally pass. My heart skipped a beat at the mention of Eastwatch. Fear overcomes me, because the Long Night, the greatest battle of our lives, is about to begin. But mainly, because I know Tormund is there.

I can’t believe I am actually worried about Tormund, of all people. I see the way he looks at me. Like he desires me, like he wants to devour me. He has looked at me this way ever since our eyes first met at Castle Black, and it bothered me so much. I had tried to make it clear several times, but he had insisted. Because I have seen that look before, more than once. He wouldn’t be the first man to mock me, and certainly wouldn’t be the last. But something inside me makes me wonder: what if he’s not mocking me at all? What if he is being sincere?

No, this cannot be. After all, I am Brienne, the Beauty. How I hate this nickname. All the men who ever laid their eyes on me either were mocking me or merely wanted to inherit Tarth. That until I won my place in Kind Renly’s Rainbow Guard. He had treated me with such respect, like no other man had before, that I could not help but having feeling for him. Then Jaime Lannister came along. In the beginning he was unable to hide his repulse towards me, which was reciprocal, but after what we’ve gone through together, we learned how to respect each other. And now, the Wildling fellow with the beard. With Tormund, however…

I wish I could be sure he is just another man mocking me, but I can’t bring myself to believe it at all. And, for some odd reason, I feel I will miss his smiles, his glares, watching me sparring with Podrick. Never before have I felt so confused. So torn. Why does my heart betray my mind this way?

I don’t know what gets to me, but the only thing I know right now is I need to know that Tormund is alright, that he has survived the attack. I have to save him. As soon as possible. My mind is yelling at me, telling me I should be away him, but my heart wants to just take one of Daenerys’ dragons, fly to Eastwatch and unbury the Wildling from the snow. Straight to my arms.

Jon’s voice interrupts my thoughts. They are talking about a rescue mission. I don’t think twice, don’t even blink: I am the first one to volunteer, and I surprise myself with it. A part of my expects Lady Sansa to stop me from going, since she would need my protection. However, with only a smile and a nod, she seems to have listened to the other part of me, the one that’s now grateful for allowing me join the mission.

With a relieved sigh, I follow Lord Snow and the others in order to start making arrangements. I’m not quite sure about my decision just yet. My mind tells me I must stay in Winterfell beside Lady Sansa. My heart, the loudest voice now, makes me say out loud:

“Wait for me, Tormund. I’m coming for you.”