Solace {A Game of Thrones Fanfiction}

Chapter 52

"They're coming."

A knot twisted inside of Tara's stomach as Jon said it. She squeezed Theon's hand a little tighter to make sure he was still next to her. They were all surrounding a table planning for the battle to come.

"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." Jon finished.

"So, what can we do?" Jaime Lannister asked. Tara could feel everyone turn to look at the outsider.

"The Night King made them all they follow under his command. If he falls..." Jon paused, "Getting to him may be our best chance."

"That's true. He'll never expose himself." Jaime replied.

"Yes he will." Everyone turned to see Bran. "He'll come for me. He's tried before many times with many three-eyed ravens."

"Why? What does he want?" Sam asked.

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

"That's what death is isn't it." Sam said, "Forgetting. Being forgotten."

"If we forget where we've been, where we've gone. We're not men anymore. Just animals." Sam continued, "Your memories don't come from books. Your stories aren't just stories. If I wanted to erase the world, I'd start with you."

"How will he find you?" Tyrion asked Bran.

Bran pulled up his sleeve to reveal a scar, "His mark is on me. He always knows where I am."

"We'll put you in the crypt. Where it's safest."

"No." Bran cut off Jon, "We need to lure him into the open before his army destroys us all. I'll wait for him in the godswood."

Theon's eyes traced down to the map of Winterfell. The intricate drawing of the godswood. Something began to stir inside of him.

"You want us to use you as bait?" Sansa was frustrated.

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

"He won't be." Theon started to say, "I'll stay with him."

Tara's heart dropped as she turned to look at his face. She felt shellshocked.

"With the Ironborn." He looked at the fear in Tara's eyes. He knew she wouldn't want him to, but this is how he would make up for all his past mistakes. He had to do this.

"I once took this castle from you." Theon began to speak to Bran, "Let me defend you now."

Bran gave him a slight nod and Theon returned the favor. Tara immediately found the floor. Her thoughts were beginning to become overpowering. She couldn't think straight. She couldn't even listen to anyone else talk.

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

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

"Ser Davos is perfectly capable of waving a torch on his own. You'll be in the crypt." Dany interrupted him.

Theon couldn't stop looking over at Tara. Her eyes wouldn't move from a spot on the floor. He felt horrible. He tried to give her hand a squeeze to bring her back but nothing was working.

"Your grace, I have fought before. I can do it again. Alongside the men and women risking their lives." Tyrion tried to convince her.

"There are thousands of them 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." Dany was confident in her words, "If we survive, I'll need it."