Categories > Books > Harry Potter > All Men must Serve
Chapter 42: before the Long Night
JON
The next morning, as we were breaking our fast, my brother Rickon approached me with a page of parchment.
“I made you a battle plan!” he said, as he handed it to me.
“Well, let’s take a look at it,” I said, as I began looking at his labeled diagram with notes.
Once I had read it over, I went through it and explained why each part would not work.
“Ordinarily, having knights charge at people on foot is a good idea,” I explained. “But it is so dark that they won’t be able to see the army of the dead before they get to them. And if they charge too soon, they’ll wear the horses out before they even reach the enemy. No, cavalry won’t help us in this battle. All they are useful for is running messages to the other castles.
And you have the siege weapons in front. They’re not really useful unless they are protected. If we put them out there, the enemy will capture them and can turn them on us. They need to be either on or behind the castle walls.
Then, you have the infantry outside the castle walls. The purpose of a castle is to protect our people so we can hurt them, but it’s hard for them to hurt us. We need everyone who can fight on the castle walls so that they will have to climb up them to get to us. This gives us more time to stop them.
And this idea of yours of putting the people who don’t fight in the crypts? You know the Others can turn dead people into wights, right? I’m not sure our ancestors are strong enough to break out of their tombs. But I wouldn’t want to take a chance with something like that.
This was a good first try. If you can keep quiet, I’ll let you sit in on the planning meeting so that you can hear what the other lords come up with.”
As it turned out, I was overly optimistic about the other lords, who came up with one idiotic plan after another.
“Well what do you suggest we do with the women and children?” yelled Lord Malister.
“I know a place we can send them,” offered Edric. “Lord Bran has a secret castle, hidden away with magic. It’s so secret that I can’t even tell you the name of the place. We could make portkeys and send them there. My Lord, do you want to tell them?”
“Harrenhal is located on the shore of the Gods’ Eye Lake,” said Bran, as I felt a headache I didn’t even know I had go away.
“Harrenhal!” gasped Lord Darry.
“How did we forget Harrenhal?” asked Lord Bracken.
“Magic!” replied Edric.
Over the next month most of the runners returned with their reports and the surviving Northern Lords began trickling in to Winterfell. Any many cases, the new Lords of the North were the sons or second sons of the men who had gone to Castle Black with King Robbert and my father. The surviving runners reported back that Last Hearth was under siege. The Umbers would not be able to join us. An army of the Others blocked attempts to run messages to the Karhold. So we had no idea if the Karstarks were even still amongst the living. Another Army of Wights blocked travel to the North West. But based on Lady Mormont’s report, it was likely that Deepwood Motte had fallen. As it turned out, Ser Jamie wasn’t the only survivor of Castle Black. Every day, a few more men would trickle in from either there, or Eastwatch.
We spent this month improving Winterfell’s defenses. A trench was dug on the North side with only a narrow path leading to the gate. There hadn’t been time to dig one all the way around the the castle, it was too big. But it was outside the existing trench that surrounded the walls of Winterfell. Margaery spent her time in the kitchen brewing potions while she assigned people to plant weirwood sprigs on the path leading into the castle. Everyone who was staying was assigned a dragonglass weapon: either dagger, spear or twelve arrows and made to practice with them. The arrows were only allowed to the best archers, who were told to reserve them for Wight Walkers, only.
The runners would go out scouting on horseback and return if they saw any wights. This was the only way we could trace the advance of the Army of the Dead. Often, the runners did not return.
After two weeks, we sent away the children and women who were non-combatants. Mother Cat sent Edmina and Rickon with them, but refused to leave, herself.
MARGAERY
“But I don’t want you to stay!” cried Bran. “I’m afraid you’ll die, that we both will! Who will take care of our children!?!”
“I’m sure they will be fine with Meera and Blossom,” I assured him. “Besides, this is just a plant duplicate. My real body is back at Riverrun. If I go to Harrenhal, I won’t be able to get back in my real body, there’s no birth blossom there.”
“Then, use the one here to go back!” urged Bran.
“I can’t!” I told him. “Look, the cold is affecting them. I’m not certain that it is safe to use them any more. If I try, I might not survive the attempt. Besides, I can handle myself in a fight. I want to be here, by your side!”
EDRIC
By now, the driving wind and snow had become so severe that even I couldn’t fly my broom in it. So they were not an available tactic for the upcoming battle. Since we knew that the wights were vulnerable to fire, I made sure that everyone who was good with a wand knew at least one kind of fire spell. I was the only one who could safely control fiendfyre, and only if I was not distracted by something. I warned Bran and Jojen against attempting it in the midst of battle.
We sent most of the non-combatants away to Harrenhal via portkey. But some women insisted on staying. Cat wouldn’t leave with the others. Lady Dacy Stark had her baby and sent it ahead to Harrenhal, but stayed herself, as she insisted that she would be able to fight along side of her husband when the time came. Her sister, Lady Lyanna Mormont wouldn’t go either. Same with Bran’s sister, Arya Martell and Ygrette.
I worried about Sansa. I had been out of touch with her since I left. I hoped she was okay. Seeing I was alone, a few of the spear-wives that serve me, offered to let me steal them, and even Bran offered to share Margaery. But I declined. If I did such a thing, Sansa might or might not find out. But even if Sansa didn’t know, I would know. Better to be alone than to lose Sansa’s trust.
SAM
The Army of the Reach passed through King’s Landing on their way North. Lord Tyrell visited the Red Keep with his most important Lords, including my father, who had nothing nice to say about all that I had accomplished. He called me ‘abomination before the Seven’ and had no interest in meeting my wife, or as he called her: ‘that whore you sullied the family with’. Apparently, being appointed Master of Laws was not good enough for him, because I was not the Hand of the King. My brother, Dickon, was more amiable and it was pleasant to be reunited with him. He seemed fascinated by the transformation Shae and I had undergone and treated my wife as a Great Lady is due. The Knights of the Reach stayed several weeks, demanding that we treat them to feasts and depleted the city stores somewhat with their voracious appetites. Finally, they departed, with much fanfare and proceeded Northward to the Riverlands.
TRYSTANE
As the news came in of the approach of the Army of the Dead, Arya’s brothers tried to persuade her to go to Harrenhal with the other women and children. She wouldn’t hear of it! She was determined to stay up here and lead her men in fighting agains the enemy of all that lives. Her friend Lyanna insisted on staying to fight alongside us. Her sister, Dacy had birthed her son, but still wasn’t in fighting shape yet. She still stayed, along with Arya’s mother: Cat and Ygrette, who was too far along to fight.
TORMUND
Once we were married, Brienne became a minx in bed! At first she had felt inhibited, doing it in the Great Hall where everyone else was sleeping. But the other Free Folk women were doing it with their men and Brienne soon loosened up after a few nights of that. Once she did, she quickly got much better at it than she had been that first time. When I asked her about it, she stammered out something about Margaery telling her to do those things to me. I was grateful to the Plant Lady.
When we were awake, Brienne and I spent most of our time in the practice yard. Most people quickly learned how good we were and wouldn’t spar with either us. It was even harder to get people to spar against the two of us, working together.
It was dark all the time now, the only way to tell if it was day or night was that that Maester Luwin told us it was day. He told the Starks who would announce after supper that it was time for the Great Hall to be set up for bed. Though he did let us sleep as late in the ‘morning’ as we wanted and didn’t move the tables back until near time for the ‘noon’ meal. But outside, was an endless, starless night of strong wind that was blowing snow.
When it came to making plans for the fight, that Queen’s Regent Jon was almost the only one of them with any sense. I offered him advice and as we got to know each other, we bonded over our shared experiences living a past life in an galactic civilization. Though we still occasionally argued because: I had been ‘rebel scum’ and he had made a career hunting people like me throughout his galaxy. He was one of the few willing to spar against me, and could beat me every time if I didn’t use the Sword. He could even beat Brienne and I at the same time. When we sparred with the Sword, I showed him how I could absorb his Force lightning with it, then direct it back at him. This ability had helped me a lot against both lasers and spells in my past life. He seemed happy to meet someone who used a form of magic that didn’t cause him pain.
Two weeks after the women and children left, a man on horseback came racing into the castle. Once he was in, the gates were closed and someone blew a horn in three blasts. The Others were here!
JOFFREY
As I walked out Castle Black I caught up with the fleeing living men that had run from us. I stabbed everyone I could catch repeatedly with my trusty valerian steel dagger. Some of them were familiar to me, most were strangers. It didn’t matter either way. I never got tired, never slept, but my need to snuff out their life force burned me in a manner that felt similar to that a starving man might hunger.
We continued South, killing every living thing that came across our path. Then, when we were almost to Winterfell, I and most of the others were ordered to go around and continue South. Winterfell was not our main objective . . .
JON
The next morning, as we were breaking our fast, my brother Rickon approached me with a page of parchment.
“I made you a battle plan!” he said, as he handed it to me.
“Well, let’s take a look at it,” I said, as I began looking at his labeled diagram with notes.
Once I had read it over, I went through it and explained why each part would not work.
“Ordinarily, having knights charge at people on foot is a good idea,” I explained. “But it is so dark that they won’t be able to see the army of the dead before they get to them. And if they charge too soon, they’ll wear the horses out before they even reach the enemy. No, cavalry won’t help us in this battle. All they are useful for is running messages to the other castles.
And you have the siege weapons in front. They’re not really useful unless they are protected. If we put them out there, the enemy will capture them and can turn them on us. They need to be either on or behind the castle walls.
Then, you have the infantry outside the castle walls. The purpose of a castle is to protect our people so we can hurt them, but it’s hard for them to hurt us. We need everyone who can fight on the castle walls so that they will have to climb up them to get to us. This gives us more time to stop them.
And this idea of yours of putting the people who don’t fight in the crypts? You know the Others can turn dead people into wights, right? I’m not sure our ancestors are strong enough to break out of their tombs. But I wouldn’t want to take a chance with something like that.
This was a good first try. If you can keep quiet, I’ll let you sit in on the planning meeting so that you can hear what the other lords come up with.”
As it turned out, I was overly optimistic about the other lords, who came up with one idiotic plan after another.
“Well what do you suggest we do with the women and children?” yelled Lord Malister.
“I know a place we can send them,” offered Edric. “Lord Bran has a secret castle, hidden away with magic. It’s so secret that I can’t even tell you the name of the place. We could make portkeys and send them there. My Lord, do you want to tell them?”
“Harrenhal is located on the shore of the Gods’ Eye Lake,” said Bran, as I felt a headache I didn’t even know I had go away.
“Harrenhal!” gasped Lord Darry.
“How did we forget Harrenhal?” asked Lord Bracken.
“Magic!” replied Edric.
Over the next month most of the runners returned with their reports and the surviving Northern Lords began trickling in to Winterfell. Any many cases, the new Lords of the North were the sons or second sons of the men who had gone to Castle Black with King Robbert and my father. The surviving runners reported back that Last Hearth was under siege. The Umbers would not be able to join us. An army of the Others blocked attempts to run messages to the Karhold. So we had no idea if the Karstarks were even still amongst the living. Another Army of Wights blocked travel to the North West. But based on Lady Mormont’s report, it was likely that Deepwood Motte had fallen. As it turned out, Ser Jamie wasn’t the only survivor of Castle Black. Every day, a few more men would trickle in from either there, or Eastwatch.
We spent this month improving Winterfell’s defenses. A trench was dug on the North side with only a narrow path leading to the gate. There hadn’t been time to dig one all the way around the the castle, it was too big. But it was outside the existing trench that surrounded the walls of Winterfell. Margaery spent her time in the kitchen brewing potions while she assigned people to plant weirwood sprigs on the path leading into the castle. Everyone who was staying was assigned a dragonglass weapon: either dagger, spear or twelve arrows and made to practice with them. The arrows were only allowed to the best archers, who were told to reserve them for Wight Walkers, only.
The runners would go out scouting on horseback and return if they saw any wights. This was the only way we could trace the advance of the Army of the Dead. Often, the runners did not return.
After two weeks, we sent away the children and women who were non-combatants. Mother Cat sent Edmina and Rickon with them, but refused to leave, herself.
MARGAERY
“But I don’t want you to stay!” cried Bran. “I’m afraid you’ll die, that we both will! Who will take care of our children!?!”
“I’m sure they will be fine with Meera and Blossom,” I assured him. “Besides, this is just a plant duplicate. My real body is back at Riverrun. If I go to Harrenhal, I won’t be able to get back in my real body, there’s no birth blossom there.”
“Then, use the one here to go back!” urged Bran.
“I can’t!” I told him. “Look, the cold is affecting them. I’m not certain that it is safe to use them any more. If I try, I might not survive the attempt. Besides, I can handle myself in a fight. I want to be here, by your side!”
EDRIC
By now, the driving wind and snow had become so severe that even I couldn’t fly my broom in it. So they were not an available tactic for the upcoming battle. Since we knew that the wights were vulnerable to fire, I made sure that everyone who was good with a wand knew at least one kind of fire spell. I was the only one who could safely control fiendfyre, and only if I was not distracted by something. I warned Bran and Jojen against attempting it in the midst of battle.
We sent most of the non-combatants away to Harrenhal via portkey. But some women insisted on staying. Cat wouldn’t leave with the others. Lady Dacy Stark had her baby and sent it ahead to Harrenhal, but stayed herself, as she insisted that she would be able to fight along side of her husband when the time came. Her sister, Lady Lyanna Mormont wouldn’t go either. Same with Bran’s sister, Arya Martell and Ygrette.
I worried about Sansa. I had been out of touch with her since I left. I hoped she was okay. Seeing I was alone, a few of the spear-wives that serve me, offered to let me steal them, and even Bran offered to share Margaery. But I declined. If I did such a thing, Sansa might or might not find out. But even if Sansa didn’t know, I would know. Better to be alone than to lose Sansa’s trust.
SAM
The Army of the Reach passed through King’s Landing on their way North. Lord Tyrell visited the Red Keep with his most important Lords, including my father, who had nothing nice to say about all that I had accomplished. He called me ‘abomination before the Seven’ and had no interest in meeting my wife, or as he called her: ‘that whore you sullied the family with’. Apparently, being appointed Master of Laws was not good enough for him, because I was not the Hand of the King. My brother, Dickon, was more amiable and it was pleasant to be reunited with him. He seemed fascinated by the transformation Shae and I had undergone and treated my wife as a Great Lady is due. The Knights of the Reach stayed several weeks, demanding that we treat them to feasts and depleted the city stores somewhat with their voracious appetites. Finally, they departed, with much fanfare and proceeded Northward to the Riverlands.
TRYSTANE
As the news came in of the approach of the Army of the Dead, Arya’s brothers tried to persuade her to go to Harrenhal with the other women and children. She wouldn’t hear of it! She was determined to stay up here and lead her men in fighting agains the enemy of all that lives. Her friend Lyanna insisted on staying to fight alongside us. Her sister, Dacy had birthed her son, but still wasn’t in fighting shape yet. She still stayed, along with Arya’s mother: Cat and Ygrette, who was too far along to fight.
TORMUND
Once we were married, Brienne became a minx in bed! At first she had felt inhibited, doing it in the Great Hall where everyone else was sleeping. But the other Free Folk women were doing it with their men and Brienne soon loosened up after a few nights of that. Once she did, she quickly got much better at it than she had been that first time. When I asked her about it, she stammered out something about Margaery telling her to do those things to me. I was grateful to the Plant Lady.
When we were awake, Brienne and I spent most of our time in the practice yard. Most people quickly learned how good we were and wouldn’t spar with either us. It was even harder to get people to spar against the two of us, working together.
It was dark all the time now, the only way to tell if it was day or night was that that Maester Luwin told us it was day. He told the Starks who would announce after supper that it was time for the Great Hall to be set up for bed. Though he did let us sleep as late in the ‘morning’ as we wanted and didn’t move the tables back until near time for the ‘noon’ meal. But outside, was an endless, starless night of strong wind that was blowing snow.
When it came to making plans for the fight, that Queen’s Regent Jon was almost the only one of them with any sense. I offered him advice and as we got to know each other, we bonded over our shared experiences living a past life in an galactic civilization. Though we still occasionally argued because: I had been ‘rebel scum’ and he had made a career hunting people like me throughout his galaxy. He was one of the few willing to spar against me, and could beat me every time if I didn’t use the Sword. He could even beat Brienne and I at the same time. When we sparred with the Sword, I showed him how I could absorb his Force lightning with it, then direct it back at him. This ability had helped me a lot against both lasers and spells in my past life. He seemed happy to meet someone who used a form of magic that didn’t cause him pain.
Two weeks after the women and children left, a man on horseback came racing into the castle. Once he was in, the gates were closed and someone blew a horn in three blasts. The Others were here!
JOFFREY
As I walked out Castle Black I caught up with the fleeing living men that had run from us. I stabbed everyone I could catch repeatedly with my trusty valerian steel dagger. Some of them were familiar to me, most were strangers. It didn’t matter either way. I never got tired, never slept, but my need to snuff out their life force burned me in a manner that felt similar to that a starving man might hunger.
We continued South, killing every living thing that came across our path. Then, when we were almost to Winterfell, I and most of the others were ordered to go around and continue South. Winterfell was not our main objective . . .
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